The Trials of Psiron ((Closed 1v1))

[BumbleBeeHoney]

“Whole streets are lighting up in the dead of night?” Amber questioned, raising her brow in suspicion. “That is impossible.”

“The centers of the main cities were beginning to light up like a holiday.” The shop keeper insisted.

“Did you get a photo?”

“No.. But Ms. Rose, it happened.” The shop keeper insisted. “You can't deny it.”

“You're saying its a sign of the end of everything we know. I highly doubt its the apocalypse.” The lady took her groceries from the counter. “I won't deny there is a change going on, but it isn't as bad as you seem to think.”

“Mark my words missy, things will not be the same if things keep up the way they have been.”

“Cryptic doesn't look good on you. Good bye Felix.”

The older man shook his head, waving her off.

Stepping outside Amber cast her eyes to the street, looking for the light he claim was becoming more and more common. Glancing up to the heaven's the woman shook her head. “It is not the end of the world.” The more Amber tried to tell herself it would work itself out, the more she felt unnerved.

“Well Ms. Rose, do you believe him?” Amber wondered out loud, making her way back to her apartment. Rumors and stories had been spreading like wild fire, causing many people to be uneasy about the suddenly active technology. She had heard a few theories, read a few articles, but never had really taken it seriously. Lights had been flickering for months, machines whirred randomly, for minutes or hours, before they shut off again.

From her kitchen she could see the old hub. Dr. Astronie and Co. Communications Hub stood out from the rest of the buildings.

“Going out again?” Came her roommate's voice.

“I was thinking of going to the hub.” Amber shrugged, knowing her roommate's immediate reaction.

“You're kidding. Don't tell me you're buying into the bullshit that is plastered everywhere.”

“No, this would be just a bit of soul searching. It hasn't got anything to do with the media.”

“Liar. Just go an bring me back some chicken.”

“Giving up on your “no meat” protest?”

“I like fried chicken.”

“Fine. I'm going now.”

“And potatoes with gravy.”

“Those are not potatoes!” Amber closed the door to the apartment before her roommate could retaliate.

DAACH was as silent as ever. Dust covered everything in layers, even coloring the air as the light came through the few large windows. Kara's footsteps echoed in the tall ceilings.

“Hello!” She called, hearing her own voice calling back. "Just as I thought, no one here. Nothing turning on. Just a bunch of rumors."

 

[Galgerra]

In the distance a series of beeps and boops could be heard. An odd strand of lights on the wall began to pulse one-by-one, indicating a direction to go further into the building.

From the direction it pointed the noises were a bit heavier than the odd whirrs and blips. Heavy machinery moving no doubt. Heavy Machinery that hadn't moved in centuries.

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

“The hell?” Amber looked around, hoping to find someone who might have flicked the switch. “Hello? I know someone is here, where are you!” She called. But no one came. She followed the beckoning lights with caution, pulling out her only weapon, a pocket knife. With every turn she waited, listening for other footsteps, hoping for someone to show up.

But no one did.

 

[Galgerra]

Her slow cautious walk led her to the center of the Hub.

A round room with a domed ceiling that, despite its age, still remained white and black. The room itself was huge and the machinery within was still moving. Blocks and pieces of wall shifting and moving, expanding and reconfiguring itself.

In the center of the room a computer was slowly emerging from the floor. In the cacophony of the room's movement the subtle low sound of a few processes went unheard and the screen flicked on suddenly. In the white light of the monitor, black text appeared in what seemed to be a list of greetings in many different languages, only a few Amber might recognise.

Beneath her feet the lights continued to urge her towards the computer in the center of the room.

The greetings remained.

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

Never had Amber walked this far into the hub. No one had ever dared go beyond the front room, claiming it was too dusty or that they had heard something. Just a bunch of cowards. This though, this had never happened before.

“This isn't funny anymore.. Who's there?” Amber tried again. “Machines just don't turn on. Someone has to hit the switch. Come on out!” She made her way to the center console, watching for any movement that wasn't machinery.

Upon reading the greetings, she took a step away from the computer. “What is this?”

 

[Galgerra]

The computer, being of an intelligent sort, decided to use its Audio Interface and automatically detected the language. Just in case, it also displayed the text on screen as it spoke it in its soothing mid-range male voice.

"Hello. Your inquiry of 'what is this?' will be answered in the following; This is the All Frequency Communications Relay Hub of planet Psiron-4. This Relay Hub has been inactive for four-hundred-seventy-six global years, two-hundred-forty-eight global days, sixteen global hours, twelve global minutes, forty-seven global seconds, before being remotely activated forty-seven global days, sixteen global hours, fifty-one global minutes, two global seconds, ago."

The computer paused a moment and then continued.

"As this Relay Hub was activated remotely, this Relay Hub has been awaiting Manual Override Designation or Remote Override Designation in order to gain full diagnostic capability. Are you here to provide Manual Override Designation?"

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

“Woah...” Amber breathed. She ran a hand through her hair, thinking over what to say. It had asked a question, and she did owe it an answer. Whether it was correct or not... oh what the hell. “Yes.... Yes! I am here to provide.. that.” She tried with waving confidence. “Where exactly is the Remote Override.. Destination?” That wasn't the right word, but hopefully it would work. “Shouldn't there be a password or something?”

 

[Galgerra]

The computer began to answer her inquiries in order after recognition that she was here to provide Manual Override Designation. Lights beneath her feet changed colour to Green and began indicating another location, beyond an opening that had just appeared.

"The Remote Override Designation would be provided by the same Communications Station which activated this Relay Hub, but the Communications Station has not responded to this Relay Hub's request."

"This Relay Hub has been equipped with a Status Maintenance System which requires no password nor authorization in the event of deactivation lasting longer than two-hundred global years. The Status Maintenance System ensures that the Relay Hub, when discovered after presumed events of distress or abandonment, will be able to reactivate to limited capacity in order to resume its continued existence purposes."

It paused, the light pulses beneath Amber's feet got a little brighter.

"Step this way," the computer paused in speech while the display showed [NATIVE/CIVILIAN/EXPLORER], "in order to begin the process of Manual Override Designation."

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

“That is surprisingly convenient.” Amber looked to the lights in the floor, then back tot he screen. “If this is a prank, it is a good one, I'll give you that.” The young woman followed the directions. Her stomach was in knots over the excitement, and she prayed this was all real and not some silly joke. How exciting would this be to tell the family over supper?

“So.. there is someone on the other end who reactivated you, yeah? Where are they?” Ms. Rose asked aloud. “And if they're reactivating you... Oh this is exciting.”

 

[Galgerra]

"This Relay Hub can be activated by a variety of means. In this activation it was by a Outward Proximal Ping."

The lights continued to flash beneath her feat, and the dome continued to move. The noises of machinery were surprisingly smooth for such an aged machine.

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

“Outward Proximal Ping?” Amber questioned. “How long have you been dormant?” She looked up at the dome, watching the machinery work. There was something deeply satisfying about watching things work they way they should. The shifting gears, the moving plates, joints running smoothly..

Amber paused in her thoughts. “Were you lonely? It is a computer Amber, and computers don't get lonely. Do they?”

 

[Galgerra]

"This Relay Hub has been inactive for four-hundred-seventy-six global years, two-hundred-forty-eight global days, sixteen global hours, twelve global minutes, forty-seven global seconds."

"Inactivity resets the processes of inherent rampancy."

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

Amber walked around, glancing back to her foot prints on the dusty floors. “Do you have to say it out like that every time? Lordy that's a mouthful. And you need a good cleaning, I'll tell you that.” Using the toe of her boot she marked a smiley face into the dust. She walked around the entire console, her eyes scanning over every knob and button, switch and light. She had never truly paid any attention to this place and now it felt like a whole new building. “What else can I do to help the reactivation?” She asked as she continued to walk the room, coming to a shut door. Trying the handle she found it stuck, but continued to try until it finally unjammed and opened up. The room inside was pitch black, and Amber reached for a light switch.

“Do you have a name outside of 'Relay Hub'?”

 

[Galgerra]

Inside the room was maintenance equipment, odds and ends and bits and pieces, the lights flashed red in here as opposed to the green that was leading her away. Dauntless, the computer continued to speak to her.

"In order to begin the Manual Override Designation, please follow the green path to the Core Room. The Core Room is where I will instruct you in how to complete the Designation and allow this Relay Hub to continue its prescribed purpose."

"This Relay Hub can refer to itself as 'All Frequencies Communications Relay Hub: Psiron System, Psiron-Four, Q-Two, LM-One, Alpha Zeta Gamma Five Five Nine Two Four Seven Zero Zero O dash M dash C of Quaternary Information Technology Advancements Department, product number Five-T-C-Six, Beta Project Assemblage Form C-One-Thirty, I, I, I, under contract for the United Systems Federation Post Forty-Three of Quadrant Six of the Galactic Spacial Logistics and Communications Infrastructure Organizations' if you would prefer."

Screen View:
[AFCRH: Psiron System; Psiron-4 Q2 LM1 Alpha Zeta Gamma 55924700 O-M-C of QIT: Advancements Department; P#: 5TC6

Beta Project Assemblage Form C1 30 III

USF Post 43 Qu6; GSLogCommInfra Oganizations.]

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

“Alright follow the green lit road..” She turned on her heel, stepping with the lights. “All those names sound.. Not like names. What about if I named you? Something easy and short.. Like Bub? Bub the Hub.” She smiled. It was beyond silly, ridiculous even. “Would you respond to that? Or would that be a bad idea?”

The core room was huge. Tall, tall ceilings that domed overhead with one large console right in the middle. In the center of the console was a column right in the middle. The column had three pieces to it, all of them lit in in different hues of blue. There was something inside of them that was steadily running up and down, creating a rhythmic humming noise. There were several screens around the whole room. Everything was black and white, except the lights which were every imaginable color.

“The Core.. Its huge.” Amber had to bite her lip. The console then the column of light in the middle in the middle.. it was very phallic. “Whoever designed this is had a sense of humor.”

 

[Galgerra]

"This Relay Hub will respond to anything as long as it understands one is addressing this Relay Hub."

Several panels around the outside began to flash a steady red colour, highlighting themselves from every other panel and object in the room. These panels slowly stopped flashing until they numbered one panel flashing red in the multi-coloured display.

"Please make your way to the highlighted panel to begin the process."

"The process has three steps;"

"First remove the covering of this panel and push buttons labeled Two-D, Eight-A, and One-X."

"Then, return to center console and press each blue column that is higher than the lowest one to match the lowest one's height."

"Finally, return to center console monitor, where the text of this speech is being displayed, and press the activation [FLASHING BLUE/GREEN] button beneath the monitor."

"This process will restore functioning capabilities to this Relay Hub and its Integrated Network System and provide you with probable communications with the source of the Outward Proximal Ping."

"To further enhance this Relay Hub's capabilities, please contact an administrator or find the Relay Hub Network Keycard as supplied by an administrator."

"This Keycard should only be supplied in the event of loss of an administrator due to malfeasance beyond the administrator's or supplier's control. This Keycard will enable the one who takes responsibility for it to become an Administrator of this Relay Hub."

"This Relay Hub can also be further enhanced by clearing away old debris and construction from Relay Sites which are a part of this Relay Hub's Integrated Network Systems, as well as activating the [9] other All Frequencies Communications Relay Hubs located on this planet."

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

Amber was still giggling to herself over Bub the Hub. She watched the panels flash until they were ready. Stepping up to them she listened to Bub explain the process. She took a deep breath then, with a bit of effort, lifted the panel.

“Buttons Two-D...” Pressed. “Eight-A” Also pressed. “And finally One-X..” The last one, pressed.

Ms. Rose returned to the center console as instructed, pressing each blue column required. She went back to the monitor, looking for the activation button. She hit the blue and green flashing button, looking around to where Bub's voice was coming from.

“Ping..” She smiled. “The Keycard. To talk to the administrator I could do that by talking to the Outward Proximal Ping right?”

Amber pulled on her jacket sleeves, “Um... Where are the other nine activation sites? Are the across the other continents... because.. I'm not sure I could get out there for a while. Travel costs money.”

 

[Galgerra]

The Relay Hub, having received Manual Override Designation, ceased to respond after she had finished.

Almost as if in response, all the lights shut off at once and from below the sound of heavy machinery grinding in the empty depths jarred both the Hub and the city. Everyone outside the Hub could hear and watch the dome begin to rise upward towards the heavens. Inside, the slight feeling of being lifted in the total darkness and the bucketed noise of hydraulics predominated.

Then the dome began to open and the day poured in, its light mingling with the slowly reviving lights around Amber. Before long the dome was brighter than the outside light, but the opening was getting bigger until it finally ceased the outer ring as indicated by the lights remained covered.

The computer spoke again, "This Relay Hub has been restored to Thirty-Three-Percent Capacity."

Out in the city somewhere the sound of a crumbling building could be heard, one of the antenna-satellites of the Relay Hub breaking through a weaker construction.

"Forty-Nine-Point-Eight-Three-Repeating Percent."

"Preparing to send Response Ping Protocol Standard. Manual Override Designation Operator please stand-by for response."

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

Amber watched the dome move, wide-eyed. She used her arm to shield her eyes from the light,
peaking out to watch the event.

Ms. Rose could hear her phone chime going off, some familiar sound from a much enjoyed show. Pulling out her phone she read the screen:

[Incoming Call: Canary Thompson]

Quickly she hit ignore. This was far more interesting than a lack of fried chicken and artificial potatoes.

Amber wanted to see more. She pushed a dusty chair against a taller, dustier cabinet, climbing up as far as she could to try to see outside the dome. With the different levels and the strange architecture of the place she was able to climb up relatively high. She could only just see outside, smell the fresh air.

“I'll stand by...” She murmured. “Not like I would leave this.”

Ms. Rose climbed down again, standing near the center console. “Alright Bub the Hub.. I'm here. What happens if they don't respond?”

 

[Galgerra]

"This Relay Hub will continue to be active until fifteen global years pass without further Designations or Protocols. After fifteen years pass, this Relay Hub will go into Hibernation Mode until it receives another Outward Proximal Ping."

At this moment openings appeared in the dome's wall leading to ramps which lead to different parts of the Hub. The entire building, it seemed, had shifted to become more open, showing different mechanical and technical devices scattered about. In the spread of the Hub, the answer for which there was no question, a few mostly deteriorated bodies lay scattered about in different rooms that were previously closed. It seems their decay had spread dust through the air vents when the fans made the routine diagnostic check from the hub's backlog processes.

Some of the bodies looked like they had been around for far less than the dormancy of the Hub.

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

Ms. Rose stifled a shriek. She instantly pulled away from everything she had been touching, wishing desperately to not even touch the floors. “You could have warned me!” She brushed off her clothes where they had been covered in dust, feeling unnerved by the idea of someone's remains were touching her.

The bodies were dead, unmoving, and yet Amber was still beyond disgusted. She attempted to walk near one shriveled corpse, but ended up backing away feeling her stomach turn. “Please don't trap me here if no one responds right away.” She muttered, looking towards the doorway. She made her way over, checking to make sure the hall way was still open, but that wasn't enough. She jogged out to the main lobby where she had come in and made sure the door would still open. The last thing she needed was to become another missing persons. Her heart was pattering away in her chest, as her mind was telling her to get out.

“Come on Outward Ping...” Ms. Rose asked, heading right back into the Core room. She made her way to the console monitors again, looking back towards the monitor for any changes. “Please let there be someone out there.” Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the phrase 'Be careful what you wish for'.

 

[Galgerra]

Psiron Asteroid Belt: Asteroid Psi-354p-CC

Asteroid Colony Class ("Asteroid Hugger") Construction "USF Reicherfeld" was experiencing a heavy workload day. Multiple incoming communications and logistics relays from Psiron-5, a planet currently in a state of war with itself and the United Systems Federation, had kept all systems running for more than 1200 Galactic Hours.

For uniformed personnel this was like clockwork. Engineers, communications, officers, and even medical and infantry completed shift after shift alternating with their on-board counterparts as needed. It was a well-run machine.

The goal: to re-integrate Psiron-5's Vokyr Empire with the USF and establish Material Resources. With possible minimising of casualties from resistance, the Vakyr Theocracy and Malkis Federation, so that their citizens needn't be an unnecessary casualty. And possible manual labour. This campaign required the use of almost all the Solar System Breach and Research Department's Psiron Branch, with only a few nominal groups left in reserve.

Needless to say it was no wonder why the Outward Proximal Ping Response from Psiron-4 was left undisturbed. Psiron-4 was considered a low-priority planet classified as "Non-Sapient Genesis" meaning that no sapient life had formed naturally over its lifespan. USF bases on Psiron-4 were merely exploratory and research-oriented; short-hand to USF Reacquisition for "nobody's home".

So at the other side of the asteroid hugger, mostly where groups are assigned for brief R&R, the commstation for Psiron-4 blipped meaninglessly for days/weeks after somebody accidentally activated the Outward Proximal Ping. Today, however, that changed. The screen showed to no one that the AFCRH Psiron-4 Q2 LM1 Alpha Zeta Gamma 55924700 had received Manual Override Designation, and was thus able to finally relay information on Psiron-4.

"What?" Maintenance "Rickshaw" Re'ad 0 intelligently inquired to no one as he realised the screens of the commstation had become active with compiling information. He ran to go get Mustaff, a communications operator currently on R&R.

Mustaff entered the commstation room and looked around. He knew what every strange symbol appearing on the screen meant, he knew what every process that was going on, what he didn't know, however, was who or what had provided the Relay Hub with MOD. Mustaff sat down at the main monitor and typed in a few commands.

"Rickshaw," Mustaff suddenly voiced to the maintenance man, who was busy watching the categorical cascading values of Bio-Anomalies, "go get Blaine, she needs to see this."

"I'm here Mustaff." the woman stood in the doorway looking to each monitor. To her, some of these were mysteries, and some of them were as frightening as they were frustrating. "This is not good Mustaff. We don't have a team to spare to send out to Psiron-4. There is not supposed to be anyone there."

Mustaff, "It may just be brigands, Madam, Psiron System is full of them. They've been on every rock that had so much as a hint of wanted material."

"Brigands don't activate Relay Hubs Mustaff, not unless they're inviting us to a fight. No, this is either a mistake or a civilization, let's hope it's a mistake."

"I'll try to bring up the live feed."

Psiron-4

It had only been several minutes before the Relay Hub began a different series of beeps and blips. The lights changed direction. The computer spoke.

"Incoming Response to RPPS, Operator, receiving in full. Preparing Live Feed."

A man's voice took the place of the computer, but the monitor showed nothing despite the live feed.

"This is Communications Operator Ced 2 3-1 of the United Systems Federation, you have provided Manual Override Designation to AFCRH Psiron-4 Q2 LM1 Alpha Zeta Gamma 55924700. State your purpose Civilian or Operator."

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

What felt like hours passed by with out so much as a peep. The woman was debating whether or not to even stay in the night in the old place. She did need to get her friend dinner, although chicken might be out now. She had counted forty four dusty corpses from the Core Room to the main lobby, and twelve more in the cafeteria. She hadn't checked any upstairs rooms either and was sure there were more. She didn't want to know how many people got trapped there. Not when she could have very well been the next one.

Ms. Rose jumped at the sound of a human voice. Some one actually responded. She felt a sense of relief hit instantly and she ran back to the core room checking the main monitor. She was disappointed to find it completely black, but there was still a voice talking back to her.

“Yes, hello!... I cannot see you. Can you see me?” Amber greeted the man back. “My purpose? Weird lights in the streets are flashing, some buildings are even blinking... I want to know what is going on. A lot of people here think it is a sign of the end of days. Is it you who is causing this?”

 

[Galgerra]

"Problems with your electrical grid should be addressed to your local power plant."

The male voice said this as if it were common knowledge.

The silence on their end told a different story.

On the USF Reicherfeld, Blaine had pulled up "relevant knowledge" on the current situation taking place at Psiron-4 and Mustaff muted his feed.

"Mustaff, this may not be a sign of incompetence. This information here says that the Relay Hub has been down for a long time. A lot of USF technology appears to be dormant and undisturbed throughout the planet."

"Blaine, this woman here does not look like an operator, she is not carrying any weapons, and the Hub's scans show that she has been classified as a native. Could this be another civilised planet we weren't counting on?"

"I think it is Mustaff. It's remained out of contact for so long because when we lost this system centuries ago we only had permanent colonies on Psiron-5."

"What about the Brigands? Wouldn't they have gotten to Psiron-4 at some point?"

"Brigands, outlaws, thieves, eventually they retire, and there has to be a nice place for them to do that. Maybe that is what Psiron-4 used to be, a safe hideout turned into a retirement resort. Would explain the population."

"Or maybe we were wrong about its NS status."

"I don't think so."

Blaine moved in front of another monitor, "patch me in Mustaff, I'd like a chat."

She tried to speak without so much authority in her tone, but it came out a bit more awkward than she would have liked, "Miss, I would like to ask you some questions...would that be alright?"

Mustaff just grinned.

On the Relay Hub's monitor the screen flickered and Blaine came into view. She wore a blue and white skin-tight suit that highlighted her purple eyes. Her skin was a shade of grey, rare even within the expanses of the cosmos. Blaine had her white-blonde hair up in a ponytail. From looking at her, she would be about 35 years old.

 

[BumbleBeeHoney]

The woman on the screen was undoubtedly beautiful. She was of course the strangest thing Amber had seen, with her gray skin and purple eyes, but she was also an alien. There was something to be said for that. Either way, this woman looked like she was used to holding authority, and Amber wasn't to sure about her. Something was off..

“That would be very welcome. I was beginning to wonder if anyone would come back through.” Amber gave a smile. By all accounts she was normal. Her dark, messy hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun, and no make up on her olive skin. The woman wore what looked like one size too big hand-me-down clothes. “If you don't mind me asking miss, exactly where are you? You look like no one here.”

She could feel her phone going off in her pocket, but refused to even move towards it. She knew who it was, the blonde demanding to know where her chicken and potatoes were, and if Amber had been messing around. It was rare that her roommate would ever worry, but today strange things had occurred. Even so, Ms. Rose was not about to reach for her phone and interrupt this chance. Who knew how strong the signal was? It could break off, or last for however long they needed.