Operation: Warden

DeletedUser31931

Frank was taken aback by the fact that Krikens didn't feel happy. He knew that Krikens generally were emotionless but this was absurd. "To be happy is to, I don't know, enjoy yourself and you get a sort of warm fuzzy feeling inside, and you can laugh about stuff. It may only be a human thing, but if it is then it sounds like you Krikens are missing out on stuff. The thing is that a lot of you Krikens are dismissive of humans because we are not a machine but the thing is that if a machine can't feel then the machine can't react. If it makes any sense to you, our imperfections make us perfect." Frank pondered on this and wondered if the Kriken had any thoughts.
 

DeletedUser

Sitting on the hard stool in front of the metal workbench, Jack held up the chest piece to his armor and looked at it in the light cast by the overhead tracks. The golden symbol of The Collective glittered over the heart and Jack looked at it for a long moment, his mind travelling back over the years to the day he'd enlisted. The symbol had meant so much then, the young, angry Jack had been fiercely patriotic; not to Earth and humanity, like so many others, but to The Collective. As he turned the chest plate in the light and watched it glitter, Jack was sure he'd never feel the pride he'd felt the day he was given the armor again. Now it was just a means to an end, after all it had taken from him, and the single, small thing it refused to do in return.

Dropping it to the table in front of him, Jack took a small plastic spray bottle in one hand and the sleeve of his armor in the other. Holding both in the light, Jack found the horrendous tear in the armor that had resulted in his wounded arm -- which still lightly throbbed. Carefully, Jack worked the nozzle of the spray bottle twice onto the piece of armor and watched it bubble for a moment. The piece of armor clean, Jack stood and took it to a nearby machine.

“This one see’s you Daywalker”

It was at that moment that the sliding door that kept him isolated from the rest of the ship opened and the Sicariun walked through, holding his equipment in one hand. Glancing up at the Sicariun, Jack flipped the machine in front of him on and then put his armor into it. Nodding once again at Jacquen, Jack fiddled with the FDS that controlled the repair bot's functions until it began working upon the bit of armor, robotic arms reaching out, seizing it and turning it over and over, until the damage assessment was over and repairs began.

Taking his seat again, Jack began the monumental task of dismantling The Rampart and cleaning every single, little piece. A bitter smile crossed his lips as he thought to himself that cleaning The Rampart would take all night. A screwdriver in one hand and the other bracing The Rampart firm against the table, Jack began to work.

It was not long until Jacquen spoke up “So Daywalker this one knows whys he’s not with the others…but how come you are here also?”

For a second, Jack stopped working at his weapon, his hand frozen mid-turn of the screwdriver clenched in it. Then he resumed turning it. He did not answer until all fifteen of the screws lay lined up beside each other on the metal table "I did not accomplish my mission today, otherwise I wouldn't be here." Jack said just loud enough for the Sicariun to hear, as he pulled The Rampart's barrel from the stock, his hands shaking noticeably "The last party I went to was my Bachelor Party -- not sure if your people have something similar. It's a party held in honor of a friend who is about to, well not married in my case." No longer able to control the shaking, Jack dropped The Rampart's stock to the floor to a hideous banging sound. "Damn it." he muttered as he lurched off the stool he sat on and knelt to pick it back up again.


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Ever since Lieutenant Dan's free standing display of hangar three went offline suspiciously and the techs he sent to repair it were turned back by armed guards, the helmsman's mind had refused to let it go as just an overzealous Bio Guard. There was something, he was completely sure of it, and that made him angry. He wasn't as angry about information being withheld from him, as he was angry about control of HIS - as he saw it - ship being taken away from him. So that night, as the rest of the crew went off to booze it up in the third birthing bay, Dan went out searching for answers.

After checking with his good friend on the observation deck and - despite Dan's reminding him that he'd introduced the man to his wife - the security guard, Alex Renford, wouldn't let him see the data of what went on in the third docking bay right after the mission. Dan left the observation deck vowing to tell the security guard's wife about the house of ill repute he and Alex had visited on Nova in their younger days -- that would certainly embarrass the Cretin.

For the next hour, Dan sat in his seat at the controls Void's Warden, running over what happened in his mind. It was just as he was about to give up and head to the party - maybe he could figure out what happened there - when he got an idea, he couldn't get into the security footage, so he'd have to go right to the horse's mouth -- so to speak. Turning to the Free Standing Display that housed the ship's virtual intelligence, Dan spoke to it "Intelligence, who were on the crew of Orbital Drop Ship 3?"

The exaggeratedly female voice and face appeared in front of them and spoke "One moment, Lieutenant." Dan waited impatiently "Servicemen Trace -- Kirken, Jacquen -- Sicariun, Carlyle -- human, Jefferson -- human were on ODS 3. Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Helmfrid."

"Thank you, Inteli." Dan got up from his chair and strode from the helm.

"You are welcome, Danny." The VI said, as the screen went dark.

Dan couldn't help but wonder how he would talk to the Kriken - those things always made his skin crawl - and he wasn't even sure Sicariun's spoke English. So he went to one of the humans. Carlyle always seemed like a cold fish to Lieutenant Dan, not a guy who lets his hair down too often, so he was out of the question. Helmfrid was the CO, no point asking him what happened, he was probably down in the third birthing compartment partying. So it was down to Frank Jefferson.

And Lieutenant Dan found Jefferson soon enough, as he turned the corner to go find him at the party and almost ran into him. "There you are, Frank!" Dan called to him, walking over and slapping him on the back that was when he saw Trace, the Kriken, another one of the ODS 3 crew. "I hope you don't mind if I steal him from you, mate." Lieutenant Dan jovially said to the Kriken "I have a couple seats open at my poker table and we could use the money - err - the company." Dan winked at the Kriken on the side of his face that wasn't facing Jefferson.
 

Deleted User - 819397

Trace shrugged, another human trait he'd picked up. "I don't know whether or not I can feel 'happiness' or not...it's just I've never been told what it is, or how to cause it. I also believe you're misusing 'warm' and 'fuzzy'...if my knowledge of 'feeling' is correct...I don't understand the word 'laugh' either." It was beginning to grate Trace that he didn't know so much. He didn't know whether his PC was ignorant of these things as well, or if he had deliberately not told him. Enjoy...the only thing he enjoyed was doing a good job on the battlefield. That's what he had been raised to do.

He was about to terminate the conversation before the depth of his ignorance was shown even more when a man showed up. Trace didn't recognize him, so he surmised he wasn't a member of OSD3. In answer to his question, he clicked "fine", his still-hidden mouth continuing to sound as though there were mandibles there. He then walked into his quarters, closing the door soundly behind him. He had much to consider.
 

DeletedUser31931

As Lieutenant Dan walked down the corridor and asked his question Frank smiled. "Well if you need the money mate then don't go asking me. I'm a poker ace, but I'll be happy to provide you guys some company."
 

DeletedUser28032

Jacquen worked quietly on his armour as he waited to see if the human would answer him, checking to see if all the connections were still intact and whether there were any scratches upon its surface that would reduce its performance. Unlike the suit currently being worked on by the human designed to turn the wearer into a tank, recon armour was much smaller and lighter enabling the wearer to move quicker and hide easier. It had boosted communication and electronic warfare systems that allowed the wearer to report enemy movements with a reduced risk of being detected by enemy radar and thermal imaging a trait further improved by the black almost rubberized coating that covered it but only if it was intact. Grimacing Jacquen ran his finger along the length of the large scratch just as the human began to speak "Yes Sicariun's have marriage ceremonies" although the average human wouldn't recognise it as such. Startled by the loud thump of the weapons stock falling to the floor, Jacquen spun around and for the first time realised that this human was far from being ok.
Sicariuns were far from being one of those touchy feely races that were happy to express there emotions instead being more inclined to remove parts of your anatomy when angered or if they felt there survival was being threatened but they weren't completely devoid of feelings.
Moving across the floor Jacquen knelt and retrieved the heavy stock from the humans shaking fingers and placed it upon the bench before speaking "This one is named Jacquen Vhassa...does the daywalker wish to speak of something?"
 
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DeletedUser

The Sicariun held out The Rampart's barrel to him, hands that would repulse most humans did not even phase Jack as he reached out and took it from Jacquen. For a moment, Jack stood there saying nothing, staring down at The Rampart's barrel in both his open hands. It had been so long since he'd talked about it, Jack remembered the last time he did; it was right before he volunteered for duty aboard the Void's Warden. A couple they'd befriended years ago called him and talked to him for a couple hours, talked about how sorry they were, told him he was welcome in their home anytime. Then they hung up, Jack took the comm in both his hands - grasping it at either end - and twisted it with all his might, until the cheap plastic casing snapped and the metal bits inside cut into his palms right before breaking in two. Jack threw them to the floor and the comm unit slid underneath the desk in the corner of his apartment.

Blinking out of his reverie, Jack realized he'd been staring at The Rampart's barrel for at least three minutes. He also realized his hands had unconsciously began to try and twist the barrel apart. Taking a steadying breath, Jack sat the barrel back on the table and got back into his stool "Give me a moment, Jacquen."

Jack spent the time working on The Rampart, putting what he would say together even as his weapon was taken apart. Finally the main components of The Rampart lay disassembled in front of him and he knew his time for reflection was up. He turned in the stool to face Jacquen "I'm Carlyle, Jack McAlistar Carlyle. I'm here to die in combat, but now we're going back to The Collective -- back to my apartment in the civilian wing."

Realizing that it was stupid to face the Sicariun while talking, Jack turned back to his workbench, continuing to speak, even as his hands mechanically worked at cleaning his weapons "I was partnership'd - as they say - to a Quarian. Tasha and I first met on my first trip the Eroes Prime, she was working in the Civilian Sector selling Tech, she was always working on computers. To make sure his voice didn't crack, Jack took another deep breath before continuing "You know how The Collective works. To ensure every species' 'freedom'," Jack held up his hands and made quotation marks with them - not sure if Jacquen understood what it meant "The Collective only has a brief guideline of laws for all to abide, other than that the races are pretty much self determined."

"Well it just so happens that human beings - thousands of years after we're done burning witches and living in caves - still hold all those ugly prejudices. The galaxy would be a better place if we'd never crawled out of the ocean and started to walk on two legs." His words were angry, he hadn't felt anything but numb in so long, it took him a moment to figure out what emotion he was feeling. "Humans and aliens being together was deemed 'unnatural' almost from the first moment we entered The Collective." Jack made the quotation fingers again "For years we had to hide what we are, who were are. "And from the first night I spent with her, I knew that I was disobeying direct and explicit orders for being who I am. If we'd been caught I would have been dishonorably discharged from service, maybe even serve time. I got paid and promoted for killing aliens, and The Human Collective would have sentenced me to break rocks on some colony world for lov-" Despite his best efforts, Jack's voice cracked on the last word.

Stay in control. I am in control.

The workshop fell silent while Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from crying. Finally the water retreated from his eyes and he cleared his throat "Well she and I were together for years before public opinion finally forced The Human Collective to change their policy, but those damn mouth-breathers we elected to be our councilors wouldn't have any of letting go of their own stone-age prejudices. After years of hunting witches they decided that humans and aliens could be 'partners' " Jack held up both hands and quote'd again. "We finally didn't have to hide anymore. Many of the friends we'd made over the years of hiding threw me a bachelor's party the night before she and I were partnership'd, I was on a month long furlough that was...fortunately...placed."

Stopping in the middle of his story, Jack looked over at Jacquen "Now she's gone. That's why I'm not at the party, Jacquen. I volunteered so I could die in combat, not to unwind." Jack slammed the handle of his screwdriver into the table in front of him "I'm not here to blow off steam, damn it!" Jack almost yelled at the Sicariun.

After a silence that Jack spent staring bitterly at his dismantled rifle, Jack only had the strength to murmur "I don't even know why I'm telling you this, our Lieutenant tried to get me to talk about it not an hour ago, I guess I'd rather tell you than some human."

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"Nah, stow that serviceman, I just wanted to get you away from that Kriken so I could talk to you." Lieutenant Dan exaggerated a shiver as he walked down the corridor towards a room labeled as Starboard Observation "Krikens always give me the creeps, they don't feel, man. You never know what one is thinking, I have a hard enough time figuring out what they're saying."

Dan punched the FSD that kept the Starboard Observation door closed and waited as they slid open. As they stepped inside, Dan touched the opposite FSD and closed the door behind them. Inside the room, a few couches sat facing a window that looked out into the empty void. The couches were pretty comfortable, Dan hopped over the back of one and bounced on the seat before assuming the lounge position. Distant stars twinkled through the window and Dan looked at them or a moment, smiling at the thought of flying through them in his ship.

Looking over at Jefferson, Dan started the conversation "You know, when you guys got back from planetside this place went on full-lockdown mode, man. Whatever you guys found down there, must be really valuable, eh?"
 
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DeletedUser31931

Frank was wary when he heard Lieutenant Dan ask that question, he didn't know who he could trust. "Did it? We had some real valuable data but I'm worried, you may not be clued into politics but I am, if any one councillor knew of the data when the others didn't he would use it to his advantage t gain political power. That knowledge will create a power vacuum that the releaser will undoubtedly fill. Now my turn to ask. Did you see if ODS1 or ODS2 had their weapons taken away when they re-boarded Void: Warden?"
 

Deleted User - 819397

Trace shook his head as he looked around the room he knew as his personal quarters. He'd been told to decorate it however he chose, and although he'd been taught the word, he didn't understand why anyone would want to do it. His room was therefore bare, the semi-uncomfortable bed Krikens preferred the only furniture in the space aside from a tall chair that matched Trace's height. The young Kriken sat on the chair and called up his dictionary on the EC. He had two versions: the one all aliens in The Collective were given, and the abbreviated version his PC had given him when he set out. Until now he'd only used the latter version, trusting his PC to include the words he needed. For the first time, he called up the full edition. He found the entry on "happy" and read it. This led him to "emotion". He jumped from entry to entry, looking around, and educating himself on all of the emotions known to mankind. He knew ones like "pride" and "hatred", as Krikens were taught them. However, knowing that everything he felt had a name, explanation...a purpose...it made him realize that perhaps humans knew more than he gave them credit for. He began to read through the dictionary, continuing to educate himself on other things the humans knew about, that had been lost or discarded by the Krikens.
 

DeletedUser

Dan answered quickly "My displays were cut to ODS 3's hangar bay, but I saw ODS 1 and 2 disembark. None of them were disarmed, they just went about regular procedure."

"Do you want something to drink?" Dan asked, standing up and going to a nearby refrigerator. There were fridges scattered across all the observation decks, many of the quieter servicemen liked it better around here. It was isolated, not loud and rowdy like the recreation areas the others spent their free time in. Dan opened the fridge's door and peered inside, before taking out a couple bottles "First mixed crew. No alcohol." Dan said, as he looked at the bottle of orange soda he held in his hand. "Well except for the stuff our commanding officers drink, of course."

Dan returned to the couch and sat back down, putting an arm across the back. "Really valuable data, eh? Really hush-hush?"
 

DeletedUser28032

Doing his best to ignore Jack's outburst deciding to chalk it up as grief Jacquen tried to grasp the concept of wanting to die. When your entire species and its culture is based around surviving to see the next moon suicide was somewhat of a foreign concept to him and one that he found to be...distastefully "You are a fool to try and force the night mothers hand Jack only ill things can come of this...do not anger her" tribe members had been killed in order to prevent the Night mothers wrath falling upon the rest of the tribe and although this wasn't his tribe he suddenly feared for his platoons safety should Jack persist in trying to join the night mother before his time.
"It is bad luck Day walker to anger the night mother better to honour your partners life through your survival" having done his best to warn him off this path Jacquen only saw one other alternative "However if you must force this path...join recon and I’ll show you in which shadows the night mother resides"
 

DeletedUser31931

Frank listened to Dan and thought and replied
"Ok then Lieutenant. I'll let you know something. The data we recovered could shake the whole political hierarchy and is extremely valuable data. You say that ODS 1 and ODS 2 didn't have their weapons taken when they disembarked. We were told it was regulation for the whole ship, we had to argue to keep our weapons and eventually settled on a occurred. He spoke again, hushed and quickly "Lieutenant, I need you to do something. Do you think you can access the transmission logs for Void Warden, I need you to see any outgoing calls from here to outside this system whilst we were planet-side. Do you think you can? If so, get it onto your EC and get the data to me. If it is what I think then we may be running out of time." Frank finished, he had played a desperate gamble but if he was right then a desperate gamble might be all they had left.
 

DeletedUser

Memories Jack had been nailing band aids over with his work began to work their way out from under the barrier that kept them back. Jack knew that if they did he would be a wreck, fit only to lay about on the head shrinker's couch until returning to Eroes Prime. Tightening his grip down on the screwdriver, his thumb forcing down upon the tip hard enough for a bead of blood to drip out from underneath, Jack forced it all back down. He imagined packing all of the memories up into a cardboard box, opening a closet door and sliding them inside -- next to all the others. That helped a little bit.

"However if you must force this path...join recon and I’ll show you in which shadows the night mother resides"

Jack straightened in his stool, eyes fully open and mind going "Recon?" he asked "What's that?"

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Lieutenant Dan bit the inside of his cheek in thought, as he considered the serviceman's proposal. He didn't have to know what happened in hangar three, but what if the data ODS 3 had recovered jeopardized his ship. That's really what it was, Dan thought, his ship. Commander Wentworth may be the acting commander, but Dan was the only one with his hands on the controls -- The Void's Warden was his baby. And he loved her more than anything, the thought of someone telling him what he could and couldn't see on his own boat made his teeth sit on edge while his head filled with fury.

"Very well, Jefferson. You have a deal, but after I get the logs you let me download the files recovered planetside."

Dan began the lengthy process of searching through the hundreds of transmissions sent from the Void's Warden every minute. Scan logs, requisition orders, there was even a janitorial report about one of the toilets in the women's bathroom next to the kitchens backing up. Finally, Dan just gave up looking and contacted the ship's VI with his EC.
 

DeletedUser31931

"Thank-you." Frank replied, "And by the way, I'm betting it will be a senior officer that sent the out-going call. Access Commander Wentworth's logs if you can." He had placed his trust in Lieutenant Dan, he knew that he had made a reckless gamble, one that if it went wrong could end up with every man on the ship fighting for his life.
 

DeletedUser28032

A crocodile like smile spread across the Sicariun's face as the human suddenly straightened his words obviously peaking his interest "Reconnaissance and Infiltration Jack...some call us the Recon section others call us Ghosts" Jacquen spoke tapping the small enamel badge pinned to his tunic collar "we seek out and report the enemies positions and go deep behind enemy lines where every second you are just mere inches from the Nightmother’s grasp" Jacquen spoke, in truth there was a lot more to their job than that but he didn't wish to either scare or bore him with further details "If you wish to seek the Nightmother then chances are you will find her residing in the places that we go...that and this one can always use good men" the majority of the Recon sections within the PCC were made up of Nightworlder’s who seemed to have a natural talent for that particular line of work though there were some humans in amongst their ranks.
Looking at the Jack as upon the bench opposite him Jacquen felt that he could do well within Recon; he was brave, got on well with other species and most of all he had no fear of dying.
 

DeletedUser

Looking at his empty hands, Jack thought about the Sicariun's offer. It seemed things were coming together to allow him to take such a path, they were headed back to Eroes Prime before their tour was even halfway over. Jack could go with Jacquen and begin the application process as soon as they presented the data they shared on their ECs. Just the thought of getting off the Void's Warden and onto a world, or ship - where he wouldn't have to see another human for the rest of his short life - appealed to him greatly.

Just as Jack was about to speak up and tell Jacquen of his decision, the machine Jack had programmed to fix his armor chimed and a computerized voice told him it was complete. Standing, Jack turned his back on the Sicariun and wiped the tears at the corner of his eyes away on his sleeve. It was as he opened the machine and retook his armor that he replied "We have a deal, Jacquen. We'll go talk to your people the moment we hit Prime. My one need is immediate and high-risk assignment, that won't be a problem?"

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Vicki - what Dan called the ship's on-board virtual intelligence - appeared upon the EC display on his wrist. She asked what she could do to assist him in that overly-feminine voice of her's and Lieutenant Dan replied "I need any tight beam communications that left this system within the past day, Vicki."

"Hold," Vicki told him, and a moment later an enormous list of messages appeared upon his EC, so many that it began to automatically scroll through them. Most of the messages were uninteresting, a Scan-Tech was requesting paternity leave, a member of ODS 2 was being reprimanded for walking naked from his quarters to the nearest bathroom, there was even a janitorial report about the women's bathroom closest to the recreation area backing up and flooding. One thing that it was completely devoid of, was anything important looking.

"Woah, woah, wait, hold on." Dan asked his ship "How about you give me any personal communications leaving system."

"Helmsman authority accepted, Dan."

The results were less than overwhelming, a single personal tight beam had left the system, but it was from Commander Wentworth. But as the helmsman accessed the file, he was angered by the results. All it said was 'Commander Wentworth, Kevin Fowler.' and after that there was nothing, no details of the conversation that took place, simply an empty display.

"Good news, Jefferson, I have the file you wanted." Dan said to him "Sending it to you now, give me the data you have."
 

DeletedUser31931

Frank received the file and looked at the name. "This isn't good." He called up Vicki. "Vicki, shut down all communications of any EC within five metres from me so that it can not be accessed by anyone out side of those five metres."
"Done" she replied.
"Good, now delete all transfer records of the next file I transfer." Frank said
"Request acknowledged please send file." she replied
Frank found the file and hit send. " This is bad. Kevin Fowler is a politician a council member who would do anything for more power. I know because he's tried things like this before. I have to go. Do you think you can try and get the whole conversation and send it to me. I must go and warn the others." He knew that most of them were at the birthing compartment. He sent Trace and the Sicariun a EC message as he knew they wouldn't be there. It was another of his home-brand encryption. When it arrived it decoded itself into "Be careful. We have a development now. Our lives are definitely at stake. If you want more info head to the party and I'll meet you there." He stood up and set off at a run.
 

DeletedUser28032

The Sicariun considered Jacks request carefully, he would need to regain his own place within 3rd Recon, having been hastily transferred onto the Void Warden after an altercation with a marine in the mess hall. Jacquen hadn't been and still wasn't sure what exactly an altercation was all he knew for certain was that that ox of a marine had insulted him and so with accordance with Sicariun tradition he'd cut off the mans ear...it wasn't his fault that the marine hadn't moved quick enough. Once he'd regained his own position it wouldn't be hard for him to pull the strings required to get Jack assigned to his squad and on a high risk mission "This one requires time but yes it can be done" Jacquen still wasn't particularly thrilled with the idea of helping someone to kill themselves but hopefully Jack would snap out of it after a while and prove to be a valuable addition to the team if not then at least he would have helped a friend. “Come this one has drink in his quarters let us celebrate your quest for the Nightmother”
 

DeletedUser

Looking down at the Rampart, now laying upon the workbench completely assembled and gleaming like new, Jack nodded "One drink, it's not like I can get back to my birth with the party going on."

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Three days later, Lieutenant Dan worked the controls of the Void's Warden and brought her out of Relay Transit. Just as it had before, the cutting edge ship did not even shudder with the massive deceleration, and not a soul aboard lost their footing.

Directing the ship's VI to open his microphone to all the intercoms on the ship, the lieutenant announced their arrival at Eroes Prime "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have arrived. if you wish to observe the scenic view, you may do so on the observation decks." Once Dan cleared off the intercom, the artificial intelligence began to tell everyone of their on and off ship duties before going on leave. Pretty normal stuff, refueling, dry-dock maintenance and resupply.

The view on the observations decks was impressive. Hanging in space like an ornament on a Chirstmas tree, Eroes Prime glimmered with commerce. The station was as large as the single moon that also orbited the planet Eroes, and in the same vague shape as well. Eroes Prime began as a single circular chamber where all The Collective's Representatives could meet upon neutral ground, but as the centuries went by, seamless additions were slowly made. First one habitable ring was affixed around the Assembly Chamber, then another, and another. Now - thousands of years since Eroes Prime's ascension - hundreds of habitable rings were interwoven around the Assembly Chamber. Habitable Rings were almost like small, independent cities of their own, each with their own laws and restrictions; this because each race that was a part of The Collective was self-determining but for a set of absolutely unbreakable guidelines that bound them all together.

Around the very center of Eroes Prime were the docking areas for incoming warships. Lieutenant Dan guided the Void's Warden right up to the docks, where they were given their tube number. With all the skill of a maestro commanding an orchestra, Dan inched the Void's Warden up to the docking bay, until - with a barely noticeable bump - he locked her down to Eroes Prime's docks. His fingers danced across the display in front of him, as he slowly shut down weapons, thrusters, every non-essential function he could to allow the crew to begin fixing her.

The crew of ODS 3 assembled just inside the airlock that would open up onto Eroes Prime from the Void's Warden. Each wore their dress uniforms of navy and black, the golden Collective insignia over their chests. There were no weapons allowed in the Assembly Chambers, so their weapons remained inside their footlockers or safely put away in the ship's armory.

Soon enough, Commander Wentworth appeared, in full captain's regalia. He hovered his hand over the display that would open the airlock, looking over the faces of the men of ODS 3 "Are you ready, men?"
 

DeletedUser31931

(OOC: Going back in time a bit. I believe I am allowed to if my history tells me right there is an RP which I was in where the people went back in time and did something differently to other people, by that I mean they split off from the group.) Frank charged down the corridors. He finally arrived at the birthing compartment. He told all of ODS3 this and made them make a note of it for the next morning. "Take care of yourself, politicians may be after us." and he left and slept. The next three days he spent on the firing range and the hand to hand practice ring and tried to keep his mind off it all however subconsciously he was analysing every detail but he knew he was missing something. At one point he was so angry that he unleashed a full blast of raw power on the hand to hand robot in the ring with him and he smashed it out the ring and through the wall. However the rest of the journey passed and suddenly there they were. He wasn't allowed to take a fire-arm with him all though he was legaly allowed to take a small knife (under collective law all members of the armed forces where allowed to carry this specific knife) and so he did with it tucked inside his jacket pocket as regulation stated it had to be. He saluted with the other when Wentworth appeared and then replied to his question with a "Sir Yes Sir." along with the other men.
 
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DeletedUser13682

It was three days after the battle, after the near disaster in the loading bay, after the party. Rolf had been mostly busy with administrative work, preparing for the rendezvous with the officials at Eroes Prime, organizing the platoon’s duties, cataloging the armour and armament of the platoon, various things like that. A check with the psychiatrist yesterday revealed that Jack had not gone like Rolf requested. He was worried about the man. Something was wrong, and if Jack didn’t resolve his conflicts soon, he could endanger the entire unit, and Rolf would be left no choice but to pull him from front line duty until it was deemed that he could handle the lives of his fellow soldiers. He didn’t want to do it, but the good of the platoon came before the good of the individual.

Another worry for Rolf was Frank. During the party, he had rushed in and warned everybody that politicians may be after them. It might have just been some alcohol that he had drunk, but it might have been more. If Frank thought politicians were after them, he might think it best to strike first, before he was struck. That would be bad for everybody on the Void Warden. Maybe he should take Frank off the front lines for a while as well.

Rolf received a notification that the Void Warden had slid out of RT, and was now preparing to dock at Eroes Prime, the giant space station around the planet Eroes. Some funny men had decided to call it the That’s No Moon class space station. It was huge, though, as large as the natural satellite of the planet. Viewing the scene from the observation deck, with a glass of apple juice, always awed Rolf. Sentient achievement was at its peak with Eroes Prime, part UN, part embassy lane, part resort. After enjoying the view for a while, Rolf headed to his office to arrange transport to Earth after they were let off, and to get into his dress uniform. The standard dress uniform was supplemented by the Order of the Black Eagle badge, hung on the chain, the red velvet cape with blue lining and insignia sown on left shoulder, and a Prussian parade sabre with the emblem of the Order embedded in the hilt. For today’s meeting in the assembly chamber, since absolutely no weapons were allowed, Rolf left the sabre in his office, to be picked up after the meeting.

Assembled in the airlock were the members of ODS 3, and Commander Wentworth. They were about to head into the assembly chamber. Many of the NI were fidgety, having been worried by recent events involving the information that was found on the planet. To be honest, Rolf was a bit worried as well. But he wasn’t about to show it. He just had to prepare for the worst. And anybody who did bring weapons and try to use them in the assembly hall would be dealt with more severely than Vanguard Adaris. Commander Wentworth asked if everybody was ready. “Aye, Commander. We’re ready,” responded Rolf, as he braced himself for the opening of the airlock and whatever it would reveal.
 
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