Echoes of Mankind IC

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril had a pretty good dinner, managing not to spill or tip over anything. Though it could be said that Drel Walker had alot to do with that, still she was pleased with herself and managed to flash him a smile as he said goodnight.

Waving to him, she went to take her wine and drink it, thinking it was time for her to go as well when her hand hit the glass and tipped it all over her uniform.

Loril groaned. How was she ever to get that out? And it was her good dress suit too. She would have to hurry home and soak it and hope that it came out. She had a few more things to pack as well and could use the time to make sure that the clothes didn't stain.

Standing up, she hurried toward the exit and home, her cheeks a bit red from the embarrassment of the spreading red spot on her uniform.

 

[PVodogaz]

Mission Brief

TO: Terra 1 Mission Crew

FROM: 1st Council of Terra

This is the first manned mission since the establishment of Terra Prime and the landing of the Discovery on this new planet we call Terra. You as crew take the hopes and well wishes of the entire planet and the Council members thoughts and ideals up into the void with you all.

Each of you have the necessary skills and the knowledge to make this Mission a success for humanity and for the glory of Terra. You all have been handpicked not for political or social reasons but because of the achievements in each of your speciality fields and as such the mission was worked around fermenting your skills to the best possible use.

This mission is one of discovery and exploration. We know that humanity did not originate from Terra but from some distant star system far away, many parsecs away.

The Mission is to search and locate the homeworld. A secondary reason for the mission is to find other life in the galaxy. The Commander has a more detailed Brief that will be opened only when contact is made either with a. the homeworld or b. an alien species.

Again we of the 1st Council wish you Karrash and bid you a safe journey and a speedy return.

Signed

Council Head: Ursula Walker

 

[PVodogaz]

Terra High Orbit - Terra 1

Just as Commander Noviscum and Kitra Seerzman were beginning to discuss the safety of the mission - their talk co-incided with an attack on the Terra 1 Interstellar ship.

The ship was ready to go. Final touchup work had ended less than 2 hours ago and tests on engines, life support and hubs showed all green and go lights. So the ship was ready and certified for travel. It was checked and rechecked and the same results appeared.

Around the ship was stationed TERRA 13 council security hoverships that guarded the ship, incase of unforseen attack. It was in that period that from the night side of Terra arched 30 or so internal guided Tritinium warheaded missiles aimed at the ship.

The 13 hoverships formed formation at the front of the ship and launched their loads of anti missile quarks that streaked away toward the closing gap to the missiles. 13 vs 30 was not a match. 10 missiles were destroyed but another 20 missiles jetted on course. The hoverships broke formation and the ship was left vulnerable......or was it?

 

[DarkThoughts01]

Terra 1
Terra 1 reacted almost instinctivly,jets firing along its long hull to spin its belly just lightly,its lase cannons spinning on their turrets,aiming up and firing as brief burst of lights shot out,stabbing missle after missle,destroying 18 effortlessly as two srteaked on,miraculously finding a small blind spot in the defensive fire.about 15 feet away the the air shimmered and the missles expended themselves harmlessly,the explosive ripple sliding over a wall of coaelesive light.
01 spun the ship horixontally,spinning in palce as its broad side came face to face with the aggressors,a number of small hoverships loaded down with missle launchers as 01's lasers trained on them,defensive fire taking out teh next salvo of 20 missiles easily as 01's voice filtered over the comm-channel to the Commander.
Excuse the interruption commander,it seems aggressors have atatcked the Terra 1.No damage is reported and shields apparantly works under battle conditions.I would have them shot down Commander,but as we are still near the planets surface civilian casualties are a probability.Awaiting your orders to open fire or hold Sir.
01 spoke calmly.efficiently.clearly.
Perfect.

 

[PVodogaz]

Treloar Noviscum

Treloar started to reread the Mission Brief when he sat down on the lounge chair. After what must of been a few minutes Officer Kitka Seerzman approached him, as he had expected her too. He was very interested in what she had to say.

"Commander. If I might address a subject that we are both aware that I am very close to? It's the anti-space movement. I am sure you have gone over my files. You know all the precautions that have been sited on them. How I might be a potential risk to the mission due to my connections with the leaders of the movment." Kitka had begun.

"Continue Officer," Treloar stated, he was amazed at her open manner with how she approached him. And Kitka did continue. She spoke of the possible risk that her family and their belief system could pose to the Mission. For Gerard Seerzman had supporters and who knew what these fanatics who believed the space mission was evil incarnate and wrong. To Treloar, he believed that everyone had a right to free speech and view but when groups threatened to encroach their views on others by force or threats, Treloar disliked the group and their means in totality.

He listened to Kitka speak and nodded at a few of her remarks. The gist of what Kitka was saying that she thought more security was needed for the protection of their persons and especially the ship Terra 1.

"And the government may think that having me on board will prevent them from doing something drastic. But I warn you, if I were to go down in the name of the cause, they would milk it for all it was worth. They would be seen as someone who had sacrificed for a good cause and I would be nothing but a martyr and a catalyst for even more drastic protest measures." Officer Kitka finished.

Treloar stayed silent and then nodded and looked Kitka straight in the eye in a clear crisp stare. "Officer, I was asked for final approval to have you on this mission. I know of the risk and was detailed on every security issue or threat and I can say that, we are ready. You, my dear, are on this mission, not out of some political statement or headup but your on this mission because you are the best skilled for that role you are in....."

And Treloar was stopped mid-sentence by the beeping of his commlink. He quickly looked down at the link screen and saw it was a urgent message from the Terra 1 computer......

Did I speak too soon? Uh-oh

Treloar opened the message....

 

[PVodogaz]

Treloar Noviscum

And Treloar read the computer's voice message with his astonishment showing as his eyes widened;

Excuse the interruption commander,it seems aggressors have atatcked the Terra 1.No damage is reported and shields apparantly works under battle conditions.I would have them shot down Commander,but as we are still near the planets surface civilian casualties are a probability.Awaiting your orders to open fire or hold Sir.

Treloar only hesitated momentarily as his eyes passed over Kitka who had heard the computer's message.

"Attack, Terra 1, by order of myself Commander Treloar Noviscum Password Authenticated already. Fire and secure immediate space. We will be in transit and be at the ship within 2 hours. Inform me of news. Thankyou."

He pressed the audio send button and opened up another channel - that was sent to the Chief Ground Mission Security Officer. "This is a Code 1 Security Decree. Pick up fellow mission members and bring to disclosed location securely for transit to Terra 1. Mission has been attacked - executing Plan Alpha Beta Chontras."

He sent the message to the Terra Government as well and then there was a dinj of activity as security officials started to crownd around Treloar and Kitka. "We are off to the Transit Center. We will have security officers get your belongings and they will meet us at the Transit Center. It is not safe for us on the ground."

He stood up and the security detail moved as he did. "I want 4 security guards to collect the baggage of my mission staff ASAP please." One of the guards nodded an affirmation and left to get the order done.

"Lets go Officer Kitka," said Treloar. "We are on a threshold, either success or disaster is impending. Its our actions now that will make or break the mission."

With that they were off to the secure (well hopefully secure) location of the Transit Mission.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

Terra 1

"Attack, Terra 1, by order of myself Commander Treloar Noviscum Password Authenticated already. Fire and secure immediate space. We will be in transit and be at the ship within 2 hours. Inform me of news. Thankyou."

As you wish Commander Treloar,securing the area for your arrival.
Terra One turned its cannons on the hovercars.It calculated distances and the probable responses of the ships,reviewing their statistics and calculating a firing plan in the space of a second.Overcharged energy shot out of cannons,their marks hitting with a deadly 99.8% accuracy rate,incinerating mosit of its targets,and free cannons picking off the remains,trying to limit the damage to the surrounding faculties and buildings.
Within a few moments the air was clear as Terra 1 interrupted the feeds of the last two surviving hoverships,these vehicles having managed to excape into Terra 1's current blind spot(due to the fact that scheduled full power-up was set for only an hour before the launch.
Terra One sped through its lines of communications,beaming tiself directly inot te hoverships controls.One turned suddenly,flipping in mid-air,spilling some of its occupants as its ports and doors opened wide before landing upside on top fo the other with a crash and a quic explosion,the remains landing harmlessly into an open landing pad near the launch,made for a drop off of VIPS beore the launch.
Terra One calculated the total estimated damge to civilian,military,and governmental facilities to be 0.00% excepting a scraped landing pad,and sent a report to Terra control to route all landing for that landing pad to a vacant one only a minute or two away.
Next,Terra One sent a message to Commander Treloar.
Commander?Terra One and the surrounding Area is currently clear for your arrival and launch.All aggressors have been shot down,and 0% damage has been inflicted upon the surrounding area.awaiting your orders Commander.

 

[PVodogaz]

Treloar Noviscum

Treloar boarded the Hover Rover Transport with Kitka and the security detail and looked at his commlink nervously and anxiously waiting for the responce from Terra 1. He didn't know what was happening up their in orbit but he knew that the computer which was designed with one clear defined parameter and that was to protect itself and the mission above-all.

On the way he sent a security brief to Terra Mission Control which informed him they would send a vessel up to Terra 1 to do the final touch up countdown patch-up works.

Suddenly his commlink beeped and Kitka and the closest security guards looks down at him. He opened the audio feed message and listened to the brief yet succint report by Terra 1:,

Commander?Terra One and the surrounding Area is currently clear for your arrival and launch.All aggressors have been shot down,and 0% damage has been inflicted upon the surrounding area.awaiting your orders Commander.

At the end of the message, the commander could afford a brief smile and sent a new message to the computer;

"Message confirmed and noted. On our way now. I and Officer Kitka Seerzman will be up at the ship first. Start countdown checklists Alpha through to Zeta. If anything happens notify me Terra 1.Trelour Out."

As he pressed the send button on his commlink message, a scream sounded from the front of the Rover, it was almost blood curdling. It came from the cockpit. The cockpit door open and a ashen faced security guard rushed out and said to no one in particular. "Terra Prime has been attacked with a Photon Bomb.....the Council is no more....the building the rulers....nothing is left."

A wave of discourse and raised voices came from the security detail. But Treloar did not panic.....he contacted Terra Mission Control which was underneath the now attacked city. They confirmed the attack....it had happened minutes after they had left. The bastards had almost got us. I hope the others are safe.

"No panic. This mission and your duties still hold. I now take charge of this security detail under Mission Directive 011." He stood up and faced the ashen guards. "We will get who ever did this."

But who knows what else may happen in the meantime.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

Kitka raced after the commander, her heart beating fast and her mouth dry. She could not believe that her parents and her brother would go this far. Didn't they realize that people could die? Of course they did. They had counted on it. Everything to make a point. Only it hadn't succeeded. The only thing that it had done was to make everyone aware how desperate the anti-space movement was.

Settling in beside the commander and buckling her safety belt, she tensed up, her thoughts only on what they would find when they got to the launch port.

When the commander's com device beeped again and Tera 1's report came in, it did little to ease her mind. If she knew her parents, and she did, they would have an alternate plan in case that one failed.

When the news of the attack on the Council came, Kitka groaned. How could they be so foolish? Now they would be outlaws. But that was probably what they wanted in the first place. If they were outlaws, they might just gain sympathy and more supporters. The small people against the big government. If she had them all here, she would quietly wring their necks herself.

She sighed when the commander spoke of 'getting' who did this and spoke up at last. "You won't," She said quietly,"They will have hidden away by now. Oh, you might get some of the lesser people involved but the ones who planned this are long burrowed underground. They are now going to try and rally support for their cause. They are going to wave the fact that they could succeed agianst such a large government installation around and appeal to those who sympathize with them but have been too afraid to speak out before. Now, with this coupe, they will have brought those over to thier side."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril had just gotten out of the bath and was dressed in her robe when she heard the door chimes. "Open" She said to the mechanism's voice control and was surprised to see a security guard standing in the doorway.

"There's been an emergency," The guard said without preamble,"Commander Treloar has put out the order that all personell for the Terra 1 are to convene at the loading dock at once. All of your belongings that are not already on the ship will be transported there."

Loril was shocked but quickly recovered. "Of course," She stammered then looked down at what she was wearing. "Just one moment while I dress."

Fifteen minutes later, she was dressed and in a security transport wedged between two burly security men. If she was being handled with kid gloves like this, whatever had happened had to be bad.

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

He was aware of the security detail before he trully saw them They shouted his name, and to come with them. He was already running towards the transport while they started yelling. He grabbed one of the security detail who was onboard, and releived him of his weapons. The man began to protest, but Drel levelled a stare at him that told him he was taking the weapons no matter what he should think about it.

They had caught him outside his home, and had gathered his bags, already piled in his quarters for tomorrow's departure, and left immediately. It was quick, efficient, and deadly serious. The shuttle was up and moving at speed before everyone was completely inside. He looked up, watching as they yelled at each other.

"Anyone else?"

"The Commander and science officer on on the main transport, and the other woman's being picked up by unit 15! Let's move!"

They were well on their way to catching up with the Commander when the bomb went off. One of the men went into a panic, screaming about his family and the world coming to an end. Drel stepped up quietly, and slammed a fist into his middle, doubling him over to the ground.

He looked at the others, stunned at his display, and checked his weapon. "Check your weapons. I want to know how far we are from our destination, and I want every pair of eyes watching scanners. The main attack is over, but that doesn't mean they still won't try to shoot us down. You all want to live, you'll show what the fuck you were trained for."

He stepped on the back of the man trying to get back to his feet, and headed to the cockpit for a full report. He hadn't thought that the anti-space movement would go this far. They'd been underestimated for far too long...

 

[PVodogaz]

Treloar Noviscum

He looked at the security guards as he spoke and then when he finished a silence befell the hover rover. Finally Treloar looked at Kitka who looked back at him with a steady gaze. She was the first to break the silence and what she had to say did not bode well for the Commander.

"You won't, they will have hidden away by now. Oh, you might get some of the lesser people involved but the ones who planned this are long burrowed underground. They are now going to try and rally support for their cause. They are going to wave the fact that they could succeed agianst such a large government installation around and appeal to those who sympathize with them but have been too afraid to speak out before. Now, with this coupe, they will have brought those over to thier side."

He nodded at her. "This is why the Mission must and will go ahead. If we stop now, or vacillate, this insurgents have won. We cannot allow that. We are about to embark on a momentous journey. I did not come this far to be set back by tin pot wannabe despots. Never under my watch Officer Kitka."

Treloar set his jaw into a heavy set determined stare. It was then that his commlink chimed as another message came in from the head mission control to state that Officer Walker, Officer Harmony had been picked up. Good, that's another thing sorted.

"We're 5 minutes out of the Transit Centre Commander," stated a security official.

"Thankyou, Officer." Treloar answered. "We're close Officer Kitka."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril's transport got to the scene of the blast moments after it had happened and it was choas. People all over the place, curiosity seekers, members of family searching for loved ones, protesters against the space program and security were bunched up and, most importantly, blocking the way.

"There's no way I can get through this crowd," Called the man in the cockpit. "And the other transport that is taking the Security Officer is now bogged down in this too."

Loril was out of her seat and into the cockpit before the security men could react, looking out the specially tinted window, she could see some openings in the crowd, not many and not very big but she could drive through them if given a chance. However, she coudl not drive two vehicles at once.

Coming out of the cockpit, she went to the exit. One of the security personell tried to stop her, began a warning about the crowds and, especially the protesters, and she stopped him cold with a look. Loril was now in her own element and all traces of the bumbling girl was gone.

"Don't try to lecture me," She said coldly,"Just get me to the other transport and into the cockpit and I will get us to the loading dock." The man opened his mouth to protest again and she held up a finger pointed at him. "Not...another...word."

With a sigh, the man got on the com link to the first transport and relayed that they were bringing her over there, against their better judgement.

Out in the crowd, Loril knew she would have gotten stuck, lost or trampled in the masses if her big, burly escorts had not been with her. As it was she was pretty mussed up from the jostling when she finally stepped into Drel Walker's transport and made her way to the cockpit.

Pointing at the driver, she said simply,"Out." The man looked from her to Walker with a questioning and shocked look. Turning to the Security Commander, she said,"If you want to get out of this mess and to the launch area, tell him to get out of the seat so I can sit down. This is no situation for amateurs."

The driver's face went red with embarrassment and rage but he was well trained and didn't talk back to superiors, no matter how much he wanted to.

When Walker gave the nod, she slid into the vacated seat, took a moment to acqaint herself with the controls and began to steer it carefully through the crowd. Growing bolder as she got used to the controls, she began to swerve and duck among those crowed around, going around buildings and through alleys that most would have said the transport couldn't go through.

There were a couple of harried moments and she could almost picture those in back hanging on for dear life as she turned first one way and then the other, sometimes at a moments notice but it wasn't long before they were out of the crowd and headed toward the transport area.

Loril nodded with self satisfaction as her hands slid easily over the controls. "There," She said,"Nothing to it."

There was a muttered curse from the back and the pilot she had ousted said,"You couldn't tell that by anyone else in this blasted thing."

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

The protesting ex-pilot of the craft glance up after having whinned, only to find that someone had managed to remain standing. Drel stood, fist clenched around a jutting piece of metal, knuckles white. He grinned, and went into the cockpit, looking out the front display.

"Well, that was certainly faster than blasting our way through the crowds. Almost as fun, too. So, how far are we from our destination?"

Drel glanced out the window, and then watched as she steered the machine. She was in her environment now, no more unlucky spills, and clumsy mistakes.

"So, Loril, how is it you can fly better than anyone I've had the pleasure to work with?"

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril looked at the display to check the distance to their destination and replied,"Seven minutes until we get to the launch pad."

Smiling at his compliment and then shrugging, she spoke, her fingers never leaving their task of guiding the craft.

"I grew up in an orphanage. Not many outlets for a kid there. To boot I was taller, ganglier and just plain clumsier than the boys or girls my age. I took alot of teasing and spent alot of it hole up reading."

"Alot of the material was technical in nature. Donated electronic reading pads don't often have the text removed from them as they are out of date and no one much cares about them unless they are classified."

"I devoured that material. Especially the ones on hover craft and the early ships that our ancestors traveled in from the home planet. The thought of flying and leaving this world where I was teased and taunted because I wasn't as graceful or beautiful as other girls was always in the back of my mind. I dreamt of it and, when I got a chance, joined the program. It was as if I had finally found my niche. I never looked back."

 

[PVodogaz]

Treloar Noviscum

The hover rover set down 10 meters from the launch pad on the inside of the Transit center. The security detail rose in formation around Treloar and Kitka as the rover settled on the dry parched ground in the night. There was only one light that came from the bulky laser streams chalices that shon down brightly from the walls of the transit center. As the door opened the chilly air of late night swept in, removing the stale air of the rover.

Outside waited a small group of soldiers dressed in rag tag military uniforms. They had their phasers in a ready position and the first guards of the security detail left the rover followed by Treloar and Kitka close to each other.

Treloar looked at the soldier's who had their face masks on, to Treloar this was not proper etiquette. Something was not right here, he felt that something very wrong was here. The ground to space transit shuttle was perched on the landing pad. The door was opened...that was a consoling feature.

When the last of their security guards left the rover, the doors of the rover closed automatically and the rover turned in auto-pilot and returned the way it came.

Treloar quickly turned on the commlink to Terra 1 and pressed the record button. if anything happened, the computer would know.

Suddenly the small group raised their phasers as one and pointed it at Treloar's group in a quick fluid motion. The security officers were slow, and by the time they realised what was happening, the small group of elite soldiers had them all covered. "What is the meaning of this?" Treloar called out in a demanding voice.

In the center of this small group, a figure slowly reached to his mask and pulled it off....and everyone including Treloar gasped and was startled. For it was a man of many years but who still had a powerful presence and an imposing stare....it was Kitka's father and the opposer of the Mission - Gerard Seerzman in the flesh.

"Oh Commander!" the rough thick drawl of Gerard Seerzman spat out as his eyes looked over Treloar with glints of displeasure and hate. His eyes turned to his daughter and he shook his head at her and spat on the ground beside him. "My daughter.....my daughter, how could you? You went against your flesh and bone, you ridiculed me and made your family weak to the eyes of others. You....are...no longer my daughter....you are my enemy now. And as my other enemies have felt my steele you and your mission crew when they get here will die. And in your deaths, Terra will learn its new government is not going to brook any thoughts of space, ever again."

Treloar listened to his man - Kitka's father sounded more and more like a maddened pyscho. Now, what! He only hoped that Terra 1 was observing.

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

He was busy checking the weapons he had taken from the security detail to arm himself. He looked up, wondering what was taking them, and loaded the rifle in his arms, checking its power levels. Well, at least it was in good condition. His weapons had been in the bags tossed around by the helmswoman's flying, and he had been worried until he'd gotten what he wanted from them, leaving the men with the rest to carry onboard when they got to the site.

"How far away are we now? All this sitting is starting to bore the heck outta me..."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

Kitka had felt uneasy as they decended from the craft and now, looking at the man who had fathered her, she knew that her intuition had been right. She also knew that he planned to do just as he said and kill them all, her included. She had not been speaking lightly when she had said that her family would gladly sacrifice her for their own objectives and then play up her maryterdom.

Chin set, eyes hard, and voice like ice when she spoke, Kitka looked her father straight in the eyes. "You must not have gotten the message, Father. I disowned you a long time ago. You are no longer sane and your actions tonight prove it. The only thing that I inherited from you that was of any value was that if I believed in something to believe in it with all my heart. And even to be willing to die for it. I'm willing to do so, Father, are you?"

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

At that moment, the craft came close to the loading docks and Loril's sharp eyes saw movement that didn't look right. Were the guards standing around in a circle? Why? The protocol was to stand in a line and let the crew memebers walk down the middle in a protective formation. Unless something was very wrong and they were in that circle for a reason, protecting the crew from outside dangers...

She slowed the craft and her eyes darted about but she could not detect anything that would constitute the action. Pressing a buttion on the control panel, a night vision telescopic lens dropped into place in front of Walker.

"I may be wrong," She said to him, bringing the craft to a halt before they went any further into an unknown,"But take a look out there and tell me what you think."

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

Drel glanced up, following her gaze. He saw a group of soldiers. Huh, that was odd, they were in a circle. And it looked like they might have their weapons out. The commander hadn't told them about any,...wait, if they were aiming inwards,...

"FUCK!" He yelled loudly, jumping to his feet and readying the rifle. "Up! Up! Get off the ground! Airbourne! Now!"

He burst through into the regular area, grabbing one of the security detail and throwing him backwards. One of them was already out, and halfway to the the others. Drel ignored him, and slammed his fist on the hatch panel, letting it slide shut.

"Shut up! Sit down! Hold on!" He shouted at the security detail as he stared at the hatch, waiting, wondering what the hell was going on, and fearing for the worst.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril's reaction was instant and the craft shot off of the ground, turned sharply, throwing most of the crew that were not buckled in to the floor, and she headed away from the area at top speed.

The craft rocked as it was hit. The hand held guns wouldn't do much damage to it but, if they had stronger weapons...As if in answer to the thought, the transport rocked again, this time more wildly and it took alot of skill to keep it steady and on track. Whoever they were had come prepared. Prepared to do battle.

 

[PVodogaz]

Treloar Noviscum

There was a short silence after the demigogue spoke, a terse stubborn silence when Gerard Seerzman stopped his diatribe.

"So, what does this mean, are you going to kill all of us? Are you going to kill your daughter, your own flesh and blood, even if she doesn't believe in your inane rantings.....you're still going to....." Treloar stopped as he felt the hard fist of Seerzman smash against his left cheek, jolting him into a brisk silence. Treloar stood firm and gave Seerzman a look of hate. If Treloar could at that moment, he would've slain the would be tyrant.

"Be quiet Commander. I am in control, not you. No one can save you," snarled Gerard Seerzman in his chiding drawl. Around Treloar, Kitka and the security detail the loyalists with Gerard surrounded them in a tight circle and the phasers as one, locked off safety into the deadly range.

"You must not have gotten the message, Father. I disowned you a long time ago. You are no longer sane and your actions tonight prove it. The only thing that I inherited from you that was of any value was that if I believed in something to believe in it with all my heart. And even to be willing to die for it. I'm willing to do so, Father, are you?" Treloar turned and regarded Kitka in a new light as she stood against her father, even in the face of certain death. On the other hand, Gerard Seerzman and a few of his closest soldiers snorted in contempt and laughed.

"You would have been a great asset if you chose the right side of the right, Kitka. I am ready to die for what I believe in, but the only thing separating us, is that you, my daughter, will die long before I do. I have the power you do not." He laughed again and continued to his soldiers; "Get ready to fire phasers on my mark."

Just then the sounds of a hovercraft coming closer in the distance caused some of the enemy soldiers into action, one of them took out a archaic weapon that was called an Anti-Aircraft Bazooka. They waited for the craft. Treloar on the other hand hoped Loril and Drel (if they were on that craft coming closer second by second) would see the danger and not land - or everything was lost. At the last moment the craft veered away, and Treloar was right, they saw the danger and took the appropriate and neccessary action. The Soldier aimed the Bazooka into the soupy atmosphere of Terra and tracked the craft as it banked away and depressed the latch firing a salvo. Treloar held his breath as the flare line missile streaked into the air following and gaining perceptibly on the craft. And the missile hit the craft, rocking it as it was hit but not damaging it.

And at that moment, Treloar hoped that Terra 1 was watching and would take the neccessary primary command action that Treloar had been breifed about. It was the Mission Primary Directive - protect the crew and eliminate the threats posed to the mission by outside forces. If Terra 1 did not act, Kitka and he was dead as well as the Mission. And irrevocably Treloar knew the society of Terra would change for the worst, forever.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

Terra 1
For its brief time of operation,it had never fretted.At least,until now,its huge body glimmered in teh air as it calculated at a speed that drove even its huge computer banks to heat and whirr alarmingly.
Its directive was clear.
Its lasers were pointed,but there was a 13% chance of hitting one of the main crew,personnell that were deemed irreplacable at the moment.
It swirved and calculated wildly,then suddenly locked and with the same tentativeness of an archaeologist handlinga fragile artifact fired,red beams lancing down,surrounding the danger to its crew in red energy.There was no blood,no scream,just a small pile of steam and a few inches of landing pad missing where they stood.All of tehm were hit dead on except for the Leader,Gerrard.It only hit his arm and the rifle he was holding,as his boyd instinctivly dived backwards.The result was a weaponless Gerrard with only a stump remaining of his free arm.A look of suprise showed on his face,before blood started to flow from the arm,jolted into motion as the arm noticed its hand was missing.
Commander?Terra 1 has stopped the aggresors to your persons at an 87.6% margin,and 100% of current agressors have been disbaled and/or eliminated.A pleasure to be of service to you Commander
The comm link died out and Terra 1 moved on to other matters as more and more fo its systems came to life wiht teh light of a thougsand suns,the huge drve engines becoming open to his access,more and more of the crucial systems opening as the starting fuel was pumped in.Even the most smallest systems opened,the food synthesizer,the full hydroponics gardens,the entertainment sectors,the private computer terminal in the sopacious quarters.
Terra 1 was primed and prepped for service...

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

He was thrown against the wall as the craft jerked with the attack. Suddenly he heard a ruckus behind him. The men were detaining one of their own, who was struggling to get free. He raised an eyebrow.

"Spy?" He Raised his rifle, aiming it at the man.

"No, sir! He's having a panic attack, wants out of the ship!"

Drel rolled his eyes. "Knock him out."

He turned, and climbed back into the cockpit, throwing himself in the copilots seat. "Damnit, Loril, couldn't you have, I don't know, evaded that or something?"

Angry red light came down from the heavens, near where the attackers had been with the Commander. "Either that's God, finally showing which side he's on, or I think Terra 1's awake. Want to head back and check it out?" He grinned over at her, and looked off toward the sky where the lasers had come down from. He'd known they could work efficiently through the atmosphere.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

When the first wave of the counter attack came from Terra 1, Kitka grabbed Commander Treloar's uniform and pulled him down to where they were both squatting on the ground, close together as the men around them were turned to ash. It wasn't that she didn't trust the computer's aim. She knew well that the objective was to eliminate the threat without harming the crew, but if by trying not to hit herself and the commander, any of the enemy were left they would start shooting in panic and their aim would be for the crew's head. She was simply preparing for the worst case senerio and getting them out of the way of a stray lazer shot.

She needn't have bothered it seemed but she was prone not to take chances. That's what happened when you grew up in a household like she had been raised in.

When the, almost, bloodless battle was over, she stood and looked around her, her eyes falling on her father. Something glimmered in her eyes at the sight of him laying on the ground, groaning in pain, his blood spilling rapidly from his body but she quickly hid it, her eyes becoming hard and unreadalbe moments after the quick show of emotions.

Walking over to him, she knelt down beside him, Taking the belt from her uniform, she quickly made a tourniquet (sp) and stopped the blood flow. When she was done, she looked straight at him.

"It looks like you almost got your wish to die for your cause. But I will be damned if I let you become a myrter for the anti-space movement to rally around. Now you will just become an old man in jail for a stupid act. Which is how you should be remembered."

Standing up, she turned her back on him and walked away and toward the commander. "I assume that you have called emergency medical and security forces?" She said as she stood stiffly before him,"With respect, Commander, I advise you warn them that my brother and mother will soon be alerted to his arrest and will try to waylaid the party taking him to the detention center. As you have seen, they are not timid in their attacks or beliefs. You may want to let them know that extra caution should be exercised."