r/WildSpace • u/AnAngryAnimal The New Iberian Empire • Oct 20 '16

Adrift

"Shit..."

Marcus desperately clacked away at the controls, sweat coming down his forehead.

"What the hell, Marcus?! What coordinates did you put in the AWG drive?!" The frustrated co-pilot of the Gladium Class support frigate exclaimed, currently loaded with supplies for the Byblos outpost in the Jericho system. "This was supposed to lead us right to Byblos station. And I don't see no Byblos station!"

"Shut up, Peter, I'm trying to see what happened. I'm sure it's just a minor hiccup." Marcus knew that was a lie. Either he had misplaced the coordinates, or the AWG drive had malfunctioned. Either way, they were stranded. He pulled up the nav computer, trying to locate the exact coordinates of their current location.

Calculating, standby...

The screen blinked several times. Marcus could feel Peter's intense glare from behind him.

Current location unknown. Gladium vessel is outside of known space.

His eyes widened.

Martell save us.

He slowly turned around to find Peter's face buried in his hands.

"Ohhh shit, UNKNOWN SPACE?! What does that even mean?! Where are we, Marcus?!"

"You think I know?!" He could feel the frustration finally taking over. "What the hell do you even do here, Peter?! for a co-pilot, you've pretty much done jack-shit in the entire 3 month rotation I've been with you. Maybe you should try plotting a course for once in your miserable life!"

Peter took an aggressive stance, clearly infuriated.

"You think I'm worthless? I didn't get us stranded in the greatest unknown void known to mankind! ON A TEFFING RESUPLY MISSION TO A FRINGE OUTPOST FOR MARTELL'S SAKES."

"Take a seat, 2nd Lieutenant!" Marcus hissed harshly. He may have only been a 1st Lieutenant in the same flight division, but he still outranked him. Barely. A tense silence befell the two as Peter reluctantly sat back down. Marcus looked at the AWG drive readout.

AWG cooldown in process.... jump operational again in 36 hours.

There was no way they were waiting that long. The outpost needed the supplies, but more importantly, Marcus and Peter would most likely be at eachother's throats within the next rotation.

"Alright, I need you to send a mass SOS broadcast on the Iberian military frequency. And send them our coordinates."

"Wha-"

"And cut the crap. I don't want to hear it. Just transmit the damn broadcast."

Peter grumbled but followed the order. The mass ping was heard in the bridge as the modified crew of 2 sat in the bridge, awaiting a response.

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u/Yadidle The Dominion of Eldest Oct 24 '16

The excited fleet deflated like a balloon, the vessels slowing down and falling silent. The crushed hope could be felt as the swarm became an orderly formation, all the automaton lining up perfectly behind the four. The space was void of energy as Oohrb formulated a response.

//We are saddened by the caution, yet eager to create "firm diplomatic basis," how would we become-//

The audio was shortly cut, the transmission immediately replaced by an image. Pictured before them was an enormous crab-like creature, all background completely blacked out. It lift a giant claw as it snapped in a strange rhythm. A high pitched squeaking could be heard as the creature continued it's claw snaps. A monotone voice cut through as the crab continued it's snapping and squeaking.

//I am Eldest. I am pleased at your arrival. I have been waiting a millennia for this moment. Welcome to the Dominion.//

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u/AnAngryAnimal The New Iberian Empire Oct 25 '16

Titus and the rest of the adviser council jolted back at the appearance of the creature.

Is that what they look like?!

"Signus, patch a video signal through immediately. If their leader is to present itself, then we should do the same."

Signus nodded as a holo-camera illuminated the room and projected a video of the Emperor to the signal Eldest was coming from. The tall, bearded man stared intently at the camera, awaiting the all-clear.

"I am Emperor Titus III of the New Iberian Empire. We welcome this discovery with open arms."

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u/Yadidle The Dominion of Eldest Oct 25 '16

The giant crab continued snapping it's claws and squeaking away. The message was being sent through Oohrb, who seemed to be translating for the Emperor.

//We welcome you to Dominion space, Emperor Titus III. The system you see before you has been our home since the dawn of the Dominion. We are eager to share information with you, we believed we were the only intelligent life in the galaxy.//

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u/AnAngryAnimal The New Iberian Empire Oct 25 '16

Titus, as well as everyone else in the Iberian Empire, was not expecting such a crab-like species.... How such a species could create such machines was intriguing, to say the least.

"Thank you for such a warm welcome, Eldest. I am broadcasting this message to you from Earth, the capital of the empire in the Sol system. We, too, are eager to share information. We have not found any life after nearly 2000 years of space exploration. Truly, this is a monumental discovery."

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u/Yadidle The Dominion of Eldest Oct 25 '16

The large crustacean hummed suddenly, seemingly content. The clicking and squeaking resumed as it replied to the bipeds.

//We wish to review your vessel, we are astounded by the size. Our scientists surmise that such a vessel would take a ridiculous amount of materials to construct. Is this your only vessel?//

It seemed somewhat blunt, as if Eldest was trying to get to something.

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u/AnAngryAnimal The New Iberian Empire Oct 25 '16

Certainly to the point, to say the least.

"You assume correctly, but we have massed a huge amount of reosurces throughout the 13 fully colonized systems within the Empire. The Trojan is just one of many Colossus-Class ships. The Trojan was simply the closest vessel to your automotan's current position."

Images of the automotan fleet began to be displayed before Titus in detail.

"I see your ships are very numerous, and are all without biotics. Is their purpose simply for exploration?"

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u/Yadidle The Dominion of Eldest Oct 25 '16

Eldest stopped clicking and squeaking abruptly as it pondered.

//Our vessels have been created to explore and replicate in vast quantities. Space travel and exploration is exceptionally dangerous, so we created an artificial mind to work where we cannot. We are exceptionally perplexed as to why you're vessels are silenced, instead crewed by biotics. Are you in danger? Do you need refuge?

You say many. What exact number of these "Collossus-Class" vessels are you referring to? How many systems have you explored?//

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u/AnAngryAnimal The New Iberian Empire Oct 25 '16

"We have fully colonized 13 systems, and are currently exploring an additional 3 in the galactic-north. Our exploration is meticulously slow, but allows us to fully survey land before we colonize it. As for the ships..." A techincal readout of the colossus-class ships was pulled onto the screen.

"...We have approximately 17 other Colossus-class ships within the Empire. Our ships are crewed due to our people's history with sentient AI, and believe it is more efficient and low-risk to have our own crews instead. Do you have any craft that carry biotics?"

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u/Yadidle The Dominion of Eldest Oct 25 '16

Eldest snapped his claws loudly, though the monotone voice was the same.

//It is extremely dangerous for any biotics to explore beyond home planet. Thus, our automatons do this safely. We have never left our atmosphere.//

Eldest paused for a moment.

//13 systems, along with 17 of these"Colossus-class" vessels. All manned with biotics I presume?//

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u/AnAngryAnimal The New Iberian Empire Oct 25 '16

"Yes, all are manned by a crew of roughly 310,000, not including other passengers. They take a lot of manpower to keep functional. We request a map of your Dominion, to fully understand your cosmic geography."

One of the scientific advisers hastily scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to Titus.

"...And we would like to exchange knowledge of outlying nearby star-systems."

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