Chapter Two

[Quantum Rain]

First topic message reminder :

As the forum auto-splits topics every 50 pages, the next topics will be named further chapters accordingly. This is chapter two, guys, KEEP IT UP!

Post.
POST.
POST!

---

Reeds just kept on whistling as guards and crew cleared out of his path. Eventually, he stopped at a door, the label addressing it as 'Science Lab 2A.' He smiled as he opened the door and Lae saw that the science lab was not small by any means. It was massive, in fact, taking up at least five rooms and two floors entirely on its own. It also seemed to host a massive range of equipment, some of which were entirely foreign to him. With all of the technology, equipment, and stores here, one could only wonder what Reeds' intention was with this lab.

He rolled the cart up next to two others and then proceeded to rummage around for a datapad. "Sit down, my fine lab rat." He said friendly still as he finally found his desired object, turning it own and turning toward Lae, a mischievous grin on his face.

[Quantum Rain]

"You may be accompanied by another, due to the fact that the spire holds many hundreds, if not thousands, of prisoners and refugees. As well, it will still be defended." And because I can't trust your sorry [censored]... Rain replied bluntly, knowing that he probably wouldn't be able to deflect the question anyway.

---

--Balmorra--

With the abrupt entrance into hyperspace, when Roach returned his view to the unknown being, the darkness was gone. It disappeared within the blink of an eye, and the being with it. Furthermore, there was no trace, no door opening, to signal such a departure.

[Wynn]

"You may be accompanied by another, due to the fact that the spire holds many hundreds, if not thousands, of prisoners and refugees. As well, it will still be defended." And because I can't trust your sorry [censored]... Rain replied bluntly, knowing that he probably wouldn't be able to deflect the question anyway.

---

--Balmorra--

With the abrupt entrance into hyperspace, when Roach returned his view to the unknown being, the darkness was gone. It disappeared within the blink of an eye, and the being with it. Furthermore, there was no trace, no door opening, to signal such a departure.

"Not happening." Lae stated matter-of-factually. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

[Quantum Rain]

"Probably because you're going to state how you're the best and others would slow you down." Rain answered rather coldly. "I know how pride works. Regardless, the spire is likely to be well-defended, even with the battle outside... and they'll be expecting you."

[Wynn]

"Probably because you're going to state how you're the best and others would slow you down." Rain answered rather coldly. "I know how pride works. Regardless, the spire is likely to be well-defended, even with the battle outside... and they'll be expecting you."

"All the more reason to send me alone. The more people you send, the harder it is to sneak in." Lae replied. "And yes, I'm the best at what I do. However, pride is not the issue, here. The issue is that I know stealth like none of you do. The issue is that sending me with one of your [censored] soldiers is going to guarantee I get detected long before I even set foot in that spire. You're dooming me to fail, not slowing me down, since i could simply trip the bastard on our way out."

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--Balmorra--

*Callurnia bursts out laughing.* Callurnia: By the Spirits, that's gold! I never even noticed! Oh, silly, silly me...how could I not? My brother is gay, too! I guess I was just too focused on the mission. Force of habit and all. *The mischief returns to her expression.* Okay, I'm in. Fifty credits says I get that engineer first.

--Palaven--

*The being quickly takes notice of Fields.* Who...who are you?

[Roach]

--Balmorra--

Meredith: your on girl.


--Meanwhile--


Roach walks down the corridor and arrives at the quarters he was to be sharing with one of the officers he but his things in his foot locker he took off his uniform and changed into some more comfortable clothes he sat in a chair in the corner and began reading over some news reports from FNN. As he read an interesting ad about a new light freighter to be produced by Ramius Star Works the door to the quarters slid open. A gorgeous man entered the room he was of average height about 5'11 with short brown hair, brown eyes, a muscular build he was dressed in a federation navy uniform with a lieutenant rank insignia on the collar. Roach had to work hard to keep his mouth from hanging agape but he could not keep himself from staring.

Lieutenant: See any thing you like admiral? *He asked flashing a mischievous grin*

Roach: I see a lot that I like they did not tell me id be rooming with the best looking man on the ship.

Lieutenant: Coming from you admiral that means a lot im Aiden Pierce by the way ships third officer. *He crosses the room and extends a hand roach stands and shakes it with a firm grip.*


Roach: A pleasure to meet you i hope we get to spend some time together id like to get to know you. *Please by the Vallar be gay roach thought to himself in his head*


Aiden: well im needed back on the Bridge but the Captain wanted me to come say hello my shift ends in three hours ill be back then. Try not to miss me too much. And stop staring at my butt while im walking away.

Roach averted his eyes realizing he had subconsciously been staring at Aiden's toned backside Roach went back to reading when the door closed. "This trip may be more interesting than I though." Roach thought to himself.

[Quantum Rain]

--Palaven--

Fields is unable to answer the question, as he is an empath, not a telepath. He is, however, able to understand what was asked of him, curiously enough. All he can do, though, is send a reassuring sense, nothing more.

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--Balmorra--

*Callurnia smugly forks over the credits.* Callurnia: You know, I'm not feeling sleepy at all. Where's the mess hall?

--Palaven--

*As Fields touches the being's mind, he suddenly receives a torrent of images, sensations, and emotions.*

War. Terrible war...
Billions--no, trillions lost to silence.
Worlds annihilated, systems slaughtered, escalating
Then, nothingness crashes down.
Cold, deep, dark, suffocating silence.
But then...song. Beautiful song...rebirth?
War again. Peace? Harmony? Freedom? The future...terrifying in its uncertainty.

[Roach]

Meredith: Down the corridor to the turbolift take it down a level and you will be there.


Roach put his uniform back on and headed to the mess hall for lunch.*

[Sir Noret]

/Coruscant\
"Perhaps, but I would need to look at it to see what form of encryption it is?"

/Black Sea\
The SMS Luftstromen comes to a stop with a broadside facing the Turkish vessel should it try to flee.

/Unknown\
"Not exactly devoid of life; just of any major civilization, there could be remnants of one or it could be large herds of fauna or perhaps some particularly energetic trees. We may want to head towards one of the signal s, there could be supplies. We'll have to look into it." Lieutenant Engel responds.

[Roach]

--Black Sea--

The Ataman's Bounty reaches the Turkish vessel the cossacks board the vessel swiftly dispatching the crew and the drag the coward captain from his quarters and onto the deck Were Dimitri waits for him.

Dimitri: Send for the Austrian we shall interrogate him.


--Coruscant--

Slavik hands him a data disc*

Slavik: Here is what we found.

[Quantum Rain]

--Coruscant--
(Just because you're forcing me to repeat myself...)
Siber stands there, studying both Slavic and the shopkeeper's expressions, while doubly looking bored and impatient.

---

--Palaven--
As Fields is rather sensitive to emotions, he almost falls over at the sudden shock, though managed to place barriers to prevent the wave of emotion from taking over. Fields regains his composure, now cautious.

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--Balmorra--

Callurnia: Thank you. *She lets out a playful a growl and follows Meredith's instructions to the mess hall. Once there, she procures a dextro meal and finds the engineer from before. She walks over to the man and gestures to the seat across from him.* Excuse me, is this seat taken?

--Palaven--

*The torrent suddenly ceases.* We...apologize. The fears for our people weigh heavily upon us. We seek only peace, and yet...there are those who would see us silenced completely. *Pause.* We are the Mother. We sing for those left behind...for we are Rachni.

[Roach]

Engineer: No ma'am have a seat.

Meredith enters the mess hall and takes the tables other empty seat.

Meredith: "Right on time the admiral will come through that door and moment now."

Roach enters the mess hell in his crisp violet uniform he walks right over to the table and stands behind the engineer placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Roach: Mr Jenkins hows your father doing?

Engineer Jenkins: Not to good when the Redemption's reactor vented he stayed in the chamber to manually keep it from going critical he got a huge does of radiation when it vented he saved a lot of lives but he is suffering full tiberium mutations the doctors on Ramius can reverse it but its going to take a year at least for him to recover.

Roach: You have my condolences my friend I'll make sure he is well taken care of. I realize this is a tough time for you if you need some one to talk too my door is always open. *roach gives Jenkins arms a gentle squeeze and places a light kiss on his forehead. As if nothing had happened roach walked over to a table were a young Mandalorian was seated with the Klingon armory officer.*

Roach: Travis you didn't tell me you were aboard! *roach said clapping the young man on the back*

Travis Farr: "Mandalore wanted me to accompany you figured you could use a protect being as you couldn't bring a regiment of the Swan Knights with you."

Roach: "Your father is always so concerned with my well being i think he has a crush on me."

Travis chuckles* "It wouldn't surprise me sir it seems any one can fall in love with you."

Roach: Mr Farr are you flirting with me?

Travis blushes: "umm no sir i did not mean to imply that I was....." The Klingon armory officer cut in.

Do'krun: Oh don't be such a school boy Travis the admiral is teasing you.

Roach chuckled and sat down with his food a Nerf burger fries and a Quafe.*

Roach: "You are cute Travis but i don't think you father would approve now my son Lance he has a crush the size of the Litany on you.

Travis: Really?

Roach: Oh yes he watches all of your matches has a big poster of you on his bedroom door he fantasizes about you in his journal now you two together you father would approve of next time we are on Ramius you should give him a surprise visit but take a holocamera I want a picture of his reaction.

Travis: I'll keep that in mind I always thought he was handsome.

Roach: well if you're looking for my permission you have it that science officer he was dating turned out to be a real piece of Bantha fodder.

Do'krun: So admiral when do we arrive at our destination?

Roach: It will probably take a few hours because we will have to make periodic stocks to run checks on systems you know how new vessels are.

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

*Callurnia manages to keep from bursting out laughing again, but then quickly sobers up at the mention of Jenkins's father.* Callurnia: So, Engineer Jenkins, as it? I never knew someone with a first name like that. *She holds out her hand.* Commander Callurnia Tacitus, 43rd Marine Legion of the Hierarchy. Nice to meet you.

[Roach]

*Jenkins shakes it.* "Yea it was my mothers doing I guess she thought confusing people by making my first name Jenkins would be cute my last name is Avery. Its nice to meet you I've never seen a Turian up close before I've sen your fleet fight though your tenacious I can see why the brass pushed so hard for peace a war between us would have been long and bloody. "

--Roach's Table--

Roach: "So why didn't any one tell me that this ships third officer was completely gorgeous?"

Do'krun: "Who Lieutenant Pierce? he seems like a nice man he has a warriors spirit i saw him training with some of the marines he has mastered Klingon martial arts he gave those two Echani he was sparing with an [censored] kicking they will not soon forget im sure."

Travis: Gossip around the ship is he is and orphan that was raised by a Klingon father and a Mandalorian mother.

Roach: "Well what ever his story is im going to make sure i get to know him better its has been a century since a man has had such an effect on me."

[Quantum Rain]

--Palaven--

Fields sends a feeling of curiosity, alongside reassurance that he was alright. He was used to these sort of happenings after all, and he wasn't going to let overwhelming emotions deter him from learning something new. He had heard of these Rachni before, in name only, and in the recent report that the expeditionary fleet filed about them.

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--Palaven--

*A long pause follows, as though the being is considering what to do or say next. Then, Fields receives an image of him meeting with the being--shown as a shifting ball of light--with the impression that the event take place the following morning.*

--Balmorra--

*The turian digs into her meal.* Callurnia: You're right. I was one of the many who was against the war from the start--those goddamn pirates took my mom and brother, but both you and the Rachni helped us get them back. Those stupid warmongers conveniently forgot that little detail, and now a lot of us think they're trying to sabotage the peace process now. *Beat.* Were you in the battle over New Song?

[Quantum Rain]

--Palaven--

Fields sends a feeling of understanding and assurance in place of confirmation. He lays back in the bed that was assigned to him as his mind goes to work piecing together what happened today, and what will follow tomorrow.

[Roach]

Jenkins: no I was awaiting reassignment on Ramius after the Arnor was destroyed when Admiral Janeway captured Sansha Kuvakei. I heard the clip of his execution was sent to the hierarchy's media it played on every station in the Federation Admiral Roach running him through with his lightsaber. I got assigned the Balmorra because they needed good engineers for the new Hammerhead class lot of new tech in this ship, and believe it or not most of it actually works. I feel bad though almost resigned after dad got hurt my younger brother he's only 16 wanted to be there to take care of him and my mom.


Lieutenat Pierece enters the room and walks over to the replicator and looks around the room for an empty seat.

--Roach's Table--
Roach stands up and shouts "Over here Lieutenant come join us!"

Aiden crosses the room and takes the vacant seat at the table.

Aiden: Hello Do'krun, Mr Farr, Admiral.

--Meredith's table--

Meredith: Damn Lieutenant Pierce is fine......... To bad he's gay I'd love to see whats under that uniform.

[Comrade Greiv]

Nar Shaluka
Vilmos Reketios of the SRI is received and is given directions to the Government Citadel. He will find the Council of Five as Well as the Dark Lord Korr there when he arrives.

[darthme]

--Alba--

*A frigate-size, angular vessel emerges appears at the outskirts of Alba orbit and sends a transmission in the planet's general direction.* Addrson: Er, hello, SRI Command, this is Addrson, administrative assistant to Fore Admiral Ackbar and acting diplomatic representative of the Galactic Avian Union. I am aboard the light cruiser Helias and we would like a vector and berth, along with permission to meet with representatives of your government to continue previous negotiations. *He ends the transmission.* Aves, what a beakful...

SRI command replies over the comm in perfect Basic.
*We read you Helias. We are sending two unarmed fighter craft to your location to escort you to the spaceport. From there we will provide shuttle transport down to the planet for you and any attachés you have brought with you. We will also arrange a meeting with High Senator Fjolström for you.*

Two sleek, curving fighters approach and hail the cruiser. Once they have been acknowledged, they lead the cruiser to a looming spaceport of the same style. It seems to be cutting-edge and flowingly curved at the same time. As they get closer to the station, the avians would catch a glimpse of Alba itself, with lights shining brightly on it's dark side and a metallic sheen on the other. Once they arrive at the station, the avians are led to a shuttle by two armored Gal'Gai guards, at which point they are taken planetside.

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--Alba--

*The Helias follows the SRI's instructions, but only Addrson disembarks. He promptly and affably complies with their guidance, quietly reviewing his notes for the upcoming meeting.*

--Palaven, The Next Morning--

*When Fields arrives at the place imprinted on his mind, a creature awaits him that he instinctively recognizes as the being he communicated with the night before. It resembles something out of a nightmare--like an enormous insect the size of a pickup truck. Its head is armed with powerful-looking mandibles and covered in glowing eyes, and a pair of long tendrils extends from its shoulders to end in lethal pods. Its massive body is held-up by four spike-tipped primary limbs and above these, a pair of smaller secondary limbs seem able to grasp things, but remain inactive for the moment.*

*The creature appears preoccupied as Fields nears, but turns at his approach. After a moment's hesitation, it takes a few tentative steps toward him and extends one of its secondary limbs in a hopefully obvious gesture. It also addresses him in halting Basic that bears a strange, reverberating inflection.* Greetings, Peace-Singer Alanis Fields. We are the Mother of the Rachni, conduit of the Great Singers. You may address us as Tiamat. Few others can sing in our vaulted spaces, and they find our name for ourselves...ponderous.

--Balmorra--

*Callurnia swallows a mouthful, nodding.* Callurnia: That was one of the few days when things all across Hierarchy territory got pretty wild. We were all ecstatic that that bastard was finally put to justice, but when matters turned to the Rachni...it got ugly. *Her expression become sympathetic as Jenkins mentions his father.* I'm sorry about that. He sounds like a good man--how did he get hurt?

[Roach]

Jenkins: Yea Aiden is hot i went to the academy with him he is a hell of a man looks like the admiral has a crush on him. But any way his ship was hit broadside by a Thanix cannon shot cracked the reactor housing he sealed himself in the rector room to keep the reactor from going critical he managed to stabilize it but he got a huge dose of tiberium radiation from it. He saved the ship and jettisoned the reactor she was salvaged after the battle but my dad is laid up in a hospital on Ramius undergoing anti-mutagen therapy he wont be him self for months. But the federation has great doctors just with the rate he was hutating its gonna be hard if it had taken any longer for him to get to the Med bay on the Russian flag ship it would have been irreversible and my dad would be a crystal skinned mutant.

[darthme]

Nar Shaluka
Vilmos Reketios of the SRI is received and is given directions to the Government Citadel. He will find the Council of Five as Well as the Dark Lord Korr there when he arrives.

~Nar Shaluka~

The council should take note that Vilmos is not a Gal'Gai, but a male Marentanz. Many people around him regard him with curiosity due to his deep blue outer skin and bright red under skin. (To clarify this, the skin on the outside of his arms/legs/body is blue, but the undersides are red) According with Marentanz tradition, he is dressed in a fine tunic of blood red cloth and a hooded cloak of the same material and color. His neck is also adorned with a glistening jewel necklace.

~Alba~

Addrson is flown directly to the High Senate building; a mammoth feat of engineering, the tower is the tallest in this part of Alba's cityscape, and is, in fact, the tallest building on Alba itself. The same architectural style seen in the space station and starships can be seen here: the skyscraper's major lines reflect cold utilitarianism, while the gentle curves of it's balconies and the materials it is constructed of suggest a more natural flow in the design.

Addrson is led by two more of the High Senate Guards, dressed in decorative yet modern Carbon Fiber plate armor and carrying ceremonial weapons as well as high-powered blasters. He arrives at High Senator Norrmar Fjolström's office; one of six on the top floor, where the High Senator is waiting for him.

[Sponsored content]