Echoes of Mankind IC

[DarkThoughts01]

Terra One moved a piece on the board before replying.
"the closest planet is roughtly Terra planet size,with 40% water and sesnors show a breathable atmosphere.Currently the planet is 2 hours 32 minutes from our position at the moment.Would you like em to change course to go into orbit Commander?"

 

[PVodogaz]

Commander Treloar Noviscum

It didn't take long for Treloar's request to be actioned, as Terra 1 played chess with him, the super computer also scanned the surrounding space and gave an answer back to the Commander.

He listened to the responce of Terra 1 and nodded almost too eagerly. "Affirmative Terra 1. Let's go explore."

Treloar looked at his commlink and pressed Kitka's name from the crew list. He did a location search for Kitka Seerzman and then said.

"Terra 1 have our crew meet us here at the bridge, download this planet's data on their individual data pads so they know what's happening."

And as he completed the last sentence, he moved his Queen threatening checkmate on Terra 1. Treloar could not help but smile broadly.

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

He yawned, and leaned back in his seat.

"Well, Terra, think you could manage to watch over two chess games?"

 

[DarkThoughts01]

Terra One
Terra One did as ordered,downloading the data to the bridge crew's data pads and requesting their presence on the bridge.With a single move its rook to the left once,taking the queen and locking the COmmanders King into another checkmate.
Another board appeared in front of Drel."if you wish Officer"

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

"My name's Drel."

He moved a pawn, beginning the game. He played slow, careful, judging the computer's moves. The computer played well, but Drel didn't. He made unpredictable moves, but they were helpful.

In twenty minutes, Drel had captured the AI's King. He yawned, and stretched. "Checkmate."

He looked over at the Commander. "That, sir, is how it's done."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril rolled over at the beeping on her bedroom console and lifted up on her elbow, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

She had not gotten much sleep and, what she had gotten, had been interrupted with vivid dreams of her final sight of Terra's surface being bombarded with weapons of distruction.

Rising from the bed, she moved to the console and hit the button to bring up the message from The Commander. Scanning through it, she yawns and begins to dress and is on the bridge and at her station within twenty minutes of the message being recieved.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

Kitka was up. She had tried to sleep but found it impossible. Her own questions and the new ones raised by her conversation with Officer Walker, Commander Treloar and Terra 1 would not let her mind rest long enough for sleep to come.

It was almost with relief that she read the message and headed back to the bridge. At least this was something to do. Something to take her mind off of things.

 

[PVodogaz]

Commander Treloar Noviscum

Treloar watched as Terra 1 had seen his ruse and had not only counter-reacted against his moves but had captured his queen and checkmated him in quick order. He looked at the board for a insoluble time as the AI began a game with Officer Walker.

In his two games with the AI, he had watched the computer's moves and tried to judge it within reason. But glancing at Drel Walker's gamemanship, he was unpredictable and Terra 1 did not know how to play against unpredicatability. In essence the more you were unpredictable in action, speech and moves, the more Terra 1 'could not read you'.

He stood up from his chair and walked through the ended hologram chess game. The hologram faded and as Terra 1 was checkmated by Officer Walker he asked "Planet in main view, please Terra 1"

The bridge door opened and Officer Harmony entered somewhat refreshed looking than she left the control module. And soon after that Officer Kitka returned as well.

"It's exploration time. Scientific data as you get it Officer Seerzman, give us the basics and anything to note. Let's all be ready for anything."

Hopefully there's life on this planet - but that was up to probability's chance. Commander Treloar stretched and stifled a yawn as he excitedly watched the screen for the Planet with a glow of anticipation on his lanky features.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

Terra One
----------
The screen faded to black,then reappeared,showing a panoramic view of the planet,hanging in space like a fragile circle of glass.
In teh left ahnd corner a clear list appeared,scrolling statistics across its length.
"Approaching planet,estimated time 1 hour 45 minutes,calculating path for orbital interceptio.Steady orbit in 2 hours 3 minutes."
data flashed and slid across the panel in front of Kitka.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

Kitka had barely slid into he seat when the commander gave the order and the information came up on the screen.

Scanning it, she replied. "Confirming Terra 1's earlier report that was included in the summons on the planet. It is roughly the same size as Terra. Smaller but marginably so. Water and atmosphere compatible with our home planet."

She continued to read the information that the computer was giving her. "Four large land masses as well as several smaller ones. The land masses are close together so the water, except for lakes and rivers on the main land, surrounds the land masses on all sides."

"There are two points south and north with extreme cold weather as well as extreme heat in the central land masses."

Kitka pursed her lips as the information kept scrolling. "No detection of life forms...hold on..." She paused and hit the button to scroll the information back.

"No life forms detected but..." She shook her head. "It could be nothing but on the North Western land mass where temperatures seem to alternate...in other words...they have more than one season and it is ideal for producing food and other materials neccessary to living conditions...there seems to be a...strange occurance."

"I am reading an output of what seems to be some kind of unnatural emmisions. It is similar to what Terra 1 uses to cloak itself from detection. I could be wrong. The emmisions are not steady and we can only read them when they...well, dip...in frequency. That means that it is either caused naturally, though by what I couldn't guess. Or some life forms are using technology that is based on the same principles as our own...only higher technology...to keep visitors from knowing they are there."

"Terra 1," She said to the AI, please confirm the data and also give the latest reading of the scans I ordered earlier."

Turning in her chair to face the Commander, she said,"If Terra 1 confirms that we are no danger to the planet's atmosphere and that the readings are correct, I advise that we look into it. Whoever is there may or may not be able to help us on our quest."

"However," Her brow furrowed,"I also advise extreme caution. In your decision and in our approach to any life that exists on this planet. We don't know how our actions may unbalance their ecosystems...and, if they are trying to hide...we don't know that they will welcome visitors."

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

He moved forward, calling up information on this 'strange occurance'. It seemed to be an interesting anomaly, true.

He wondered what weapons would be best against an advanced culture, and pulled up Terra 1's information to compare the two pieces of information, looking at their similarities.

 

[PVodogaz]

Commander Treloar Noviscum

Commander Treloar watched the screen as an image of the planet in question came into view. Indeed the planet was their homeworld's size give or take a few hundred miles in diameter. It had a breathable atmosphere to humans and as the image showed had oceans.

As soon as Officer Seerzman sat at her console she began to read out the basics and Treloar listened. All of them were excited as he was, he could tell. This was one of the fundaments of this mission - explore. And that was what they were doing.

The Commander wondered about the possibility of life on this planet for it had the neccessary ingredience compatible for carbon lifeforms - water, carbon and air. He didn't have to wait long for his unaired question for Kitka read her sensor result feedback and noted interesting facts.

"I am reading an output of what seems to be some kind of unnatural emmisions. It is similar to what Terra 1 uses to cloak itself from detection. I could be wrong. The emmisions are not steady and we can only read them when they...well, dip...in frequency. That means that it is either caused naturally, though by what I couldn't guess. Or some life forms are using technology that is based on the same principles as our own...only higher technology...to keep visitors from knowing they are there." Treloar listened to Kitka's comments on the readouts.

So there could be something akin to intelligence down there? Or actual intelligent life on the planet's surface, Treloar said to himself excitedly.

Officer Kitka turned to him and advised; "If Terra 1 confirms that we are no danger to the planet's atmosphere and that the readings are correct, I advise that we look into it. Whoever is there may or may not be able to help us on our quest. I also advise extreme caution. In your decision and in our approach to any life that exists on this planet. We don't know how our actions may unbalance their ecosystems...and, if they are trying to hide...we don't know that they will welcome visitors."

Treloar nodded and thought about all she had said. There were numerous invariables and this was first contact of sorts with something or someone not Terran. There was life in the universe, that Treloar knew, would whatever be down on the surface of the planet be welcoming?

"Thankyou Officer Seerzman. Terra 1 can you please study the collected data and provide us with a danger probability of exploring this site on the planet."

He turned to Officer Drel as he worked on the weapons read outs. "What weapons can we use if we come under fire Officer Walker?"

He addressed everyone then;"Officer Seerzman and Officer Walker if you two wish you can take the pod flyer to the surface and explore and report on this strange readings from the surface. Any disagreements?"

Treloar looked around waiting for the responce.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

Terra One
----------------

"Commander,due to the rarety of sucha natural occurence(as much as can be taken from previous information) there is a probably of 67.7% chance of life residing on this planet,and the probability of hostility,taking into account of sucha large clooaking device is 52.7%"
"Officer Seerzman?,Officer Drel(remembering the earlier preference),if you wish i will have a pod prepped for launch witin a few minutes.

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

"Drop the Officer, Terra," he said absently, looking over the information. From the comparison of the cloaking emissions on the planet to Terra's own, he was trying to extrapolate their technological strength.

Frowning, he had Terra run a few numbers, and sighed, turning to look at the Commander. "Well, from what I can gather at this stage, the R0-T95 Rifles will probably work best. There's a chance that some smaller arms, like the 4K-10 and FR-190 handguns may be able to do damage, but it's chancy. The ZT-590 Energy Rifle would work, but we don't have any onboard, as it was still in development before we left. The were supposed to transfer over the prototype the day we left, but,..."

He shrugged. "I'm more than willing to go, sir."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

Kitka, nodded,"As am I, Sir," She said before turning her chair to look at Drell.

"Officer Walker," She said in a tone that bespoke little patience for the blast-them-and-then-ask-questions approach,"I suggest that we go a little less armed than you are planning."

"If they are, as we think, not friendly to visitors, the appearance of weapontry will only serve to provoke them. If they see that we do not mean them harm, they might be more willing to listen to what we have to say."

She shook her head,"Not that I suggest we go with nothing. But large weapons speak louder than words. We can't say 'We come in peace' when our hands are full of firearms."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril had taken the ship off of auto as soon as she had sat at the console and, now, she turned to view the others.

"We will be following them down once we get a report, Sir?" She asked the Commander,"If so I request that we take one of the flyers instead of a pod. I can navigate it down and it will be better for emergency take off if needed."

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

Drel looked over to Kitka with a look of surprise. "Why, Kitka, whoever said anything about going heavilly armed? The commander simply asked a question, and I answered. I only plan on taking my standard 4K-10, myself."

He patted the holster on his side as he stood up, stretching. He saluted the Commander. "Sir."

He glanced over at Kitka, and smiled. "Officer Seerzman, if you'd be so kind as to lead the way? I do believe you're in charge of such excursions."

 

[PVodogaz]

Commander Treloar Noviscum

Terra 1 was first to reply with a answer to the Commander's query about the possibility that whatever was down on the surface could be hostile. There was a 67. 7% chance of organic life down on the surface of the planet, Terra 1 had guessed and 52.7% that what life-forms were down on the surface could be hostile. It was evident that whatever was down there had gone to great lengths to artificially camoflage themeselves. For what purpose, well that was another reason for going down.

But Treloar would not be going down this first expedition but felt it fit for the weapons officer and science officer to have first go at a away expedition of exploration.

"Thankyou Terra 1," nodded Treloar to the faceless figure that Terra 1 still portrayed. He turned back to Officer Walker as Drel turned to look at him. This was in reply that Treloar had posed about their weapons strength earlier. Treloar walked over to Drel's control console and looked at the read outs as Drel explained that the R0-T95 Rifles would work the best in a new environment. And that was what this experience was, a whole new environment with its own unknown as yet dangers and pitfalls.

He then listened to the discussion that both Kitka and Drel fell into about the weaponry for the mission and its use, until he was interrupted by the question that Loril posed. She had been the quietest so far out of them four and she finally spoke up with a question. "We will be following them down once we get a report, Sir?"

"Officer Harmony we will follow Officer Walker and Seerzman down once we are given the all-clear signal. Your request is accepted and approved for I can see the validity in your words. We will take a flyer so will you two Kitka and Drel. Terra 1 prep two flyers with one flyer to leave in 15 minutes."

Treloar returned the salute to his crew as Drel and Kitka walked out of the bridge. "Terra 1 please charge any weapons that will be most effective in case things go wrong on the surface. Also I give you authorisation to take control of the flyers at the first sign of danger. The survival of the crew is paramount."

Once he finished his orders to Terra 1, Treloar looked to Loril and smiled. "Well, here's to the unknown."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

Kitka gave a sharp salute and headed past Drell and into the lift. On her way past, she said,"I believe you are correct. Let's get something done on this one, shall we?"

At the lift, she held the door for him. "Officer?"

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Loril

Loril frowned at the Commander's commands to Terra 1.

"If I may, Sir," She said, turning toward her console to bring them manually into orbit. "While I am sure Terra 1's grasp of what the situation encompasses much, I, personally think that giving control of the flyer to the AI at the first sign of danger is not a good idea."

"First, Terra 1's definition of what the first sign of danger is and ours may differ quite a bit. Second, though intelligent, it does not have the human capabilities to judge the situation with experience and intuition."

Turning to look at him once more as the ship moves into orbit, she stated flatly. "I assure you that I am quite capable of controling the flyer without the computer wrenching the controls away from me at the first sign of difficulty. I also assure you that I know when to religuish control of the flyer and when I am no longer capable of handling the controls."

"You would be surprised at what I can do." She ended and turned back to the controls, bringing the ship smootlhly into orbit around the planet's surface.

In truth she had taken the Commander's instructions as an insult and did not wish to be in a flyer, her flight plan and landing sighted only to have the controls taken away from her because a computer thought that she couldn't do her job.

Smarting at Commander Treloar's obvious lack of faith in her flying skills, she concentrated on her job at the bridge console.

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

He sighed, and entered the lift. "It's Drel. Just Drel. And I don't like your assumption that I'm going in heavilly armed just because I'm answering the Commander's question. You're acting just like the rest of your family did. Just because I know my weapons and want to be protected doesn't mean I want to blow up the world."

He stopped, and sighed. "Look, Kitka, I'm sorry about that, but,..."

He stopped, and went silent. He exited as the lift reached their designated floor, and headed towards one of the flyers.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Kitka

His comment about her being like the rest of her family made her freeze where she stood, her face still, as if etched in stone.

Tears blurred her eyes for a moment but she refused to go that way. She wouldn't think of showing weakness. Especially not now.

The comment had stung but she suspected that the other crew members were saying pretty much the same thing. She had better learn to grow a hard skin against it now. Starting with Officer Drel Walker.

Lifting her chin, she strode into the flyer and sat down, buckling her safety gear, not bothering to look over at her fellow shipmate.

"Well Officer," She said, clearly drawing the line for him,"I assume you are ready for take off?"

Without waiting for his reply, she touched the panel to communicate with Terra 1.

"Terra 1, this is Officer Searzman. Please engage auto-pilot and begin preparations for flight to planet's surface. When you deem the flyer ready, please commence flight."

 

[The GrandMage]

Drel Walker

He made sure the flyer was preped for take-off, and got inside with Kitka. He watched her a moment, and sighed. He looked over the controls. He had some basic knowledge of how to operate a flyer.

He turned to her. "Kitka, I'm sorry. Look, I didn't mean...It's just,...I don't like the stereotype of being some gun-toting killing freak any more than you like being associated with,...well,...I'm sorry."

 

[PVodogaz]

Commander Treloar Noviscum

Commander Treloar knew by the frown on Loril's face that she was unhappy with something he had said and he had a pretty good idea what she was upset by. Treloar knew sometimes he lacked the necessary tact in dealing with people issues. But he was learning, oh how he was learning.

He listened to Loril as she spoke looking at Loril eye to eye contact unflinching. "I assure you that I am quite capable of controling the flyer without the computer wrenching the controls away from me at the first sign of difficulty. I also assure you that I know when to religuish control of the flyer and when I am no longer capable of handling the controls." Ah, so that is the crux of the issue, Treloar thought to himself. He didn't want any of his crew to feel hurt or upset by a decision he made. He did have trust in Loril's abilities, that was one of the main reasons she was in this mission, he had the final okay to have these people here and Treloar felt he had picked the right people.

He saw Loril turn back to her control panel as the ship was moved into orbit. Treloar looked at her for a moment more making a amendment to his earlier decision. Then he spoke;

"Officer Harmony, I have the utmost faith, respect and belief in your abilities. I don't want you to think I am taking Terra 1 over you. Terra 1, please monitor and provide any assistance to Officer Harmony, do not take control if there is trouble unless the officer is incapicated. This is an amendment to my earlier order."

He moved to the side of Loril's chair and touched her shoulder briefly then let go, "I do have belief in you Officer." Treloar looked up at the screen his hands now cupped behind his back looking at the planet.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

a small holographic figure emerged in front of the two officers in the flyer,speaking in a completly neutral voice."please fasten your safety harnesses officers."the voice changed,becoming more articulate."Officer Seerzman?while inside a flyer or the ship feel free to just speak a request,my sensors will take the command without interface with a data pad."It waited patiently until they were safely strapped in as they flyer shifted with asmall lurch,its launching harness being shipped into a flyer-sized airlock,which sealed behind them."Preparing to dettach and launch...30 seconds until free fall."
in a few abandoned corridors of the ship,where currently no crew was present,a soft tune began to play over several speakers,a light waltz that danced and jumped in the air.
"launching now,prepare for freefall"the hatch opened and the lifter dropped into freefall,nose tilting upwards with small thrusters boosts,working acrobatically as it dropped through the atmosphere,shields a faint red haze as the atmosphere burned around it.the flyer spun 360 degrees,moving in an orchestrated,computerized ballet,wings fanning and opening,catching teh air as small boosters caused it to move seamlessly itno a raceful diving move,pulling up even farther,the wind screaming and whistling around them,covering the vacuum as the waltz broke in on the flyer's speaker gently,the flyer moving in perefect syncrosy before executing a graceful dip,almost a bow as the song ended in a flourish,the flyer catchign the air and powering softly to teh surface,picking out a likely spot,a wide grassy meadow about 20 minutes walk from the anomaly.The ships thrusters burned and buzzed as they spun,lowering the craft gently on to the ground,sensors scannign the immediate air."no harmful agents detected from sensors,air is breathable,containing slightly more oxygen then Terra standard."Out of a smalls liding panel a small metalic blue machine,almost a model fo the flye but more small "limbs" for standing or moving without thrusters powered over,landing sedatly on the small lifter used for transportation."this remote sensor will alow me to record and send images from here to the ship.It will also allow the ship to track ou mroe closely,in case trouble should arise."Terra one said simply.

-----

meanwhile on the main screen cameras adjusted to the flyer,following its graceful,almost perfect course down,small boxes cutting otu a section fothe screen and zooming each time to get a better view,small cutout boxes on the screen showing aorudn the flyer,giving a lush and fast on-coming ground."The Flyer carrying Officer Walker and Officer Seerzman have arrived safely on the planet surface Commander."the AI turned to Officer Harmony,then back to the Commander."Commander?Officer Harmony does have a point,while i may be able to think and react inteligently,i myself am still a prototype.Though I have skill controlling machines i have been programmed to operate,should trouble arrive a human proficient in operation should be used if available.While i can process data in the instance of a second,i do not have the ability a human has when he/she is profivient in any form of activity.For instance,before our launch from planet Terra,Officer Harmony showed amazing skill with a vehicle,making it do somethign ti was originally assumed as impossible or unsafe."The video screen blacke din teh corner as it talked,showing the daring aerial movements from earlier