Enter the Conflux

[Solnath]

Metal touched metal as the pilot on duty grasped the connection port with his arms. Sending a message that echoed through the sleeping quarters he informed them to prepare for another jump as mineral harvesting had been completed in this system with no new leads to the primary objective found. He was indeed a male, though to local observers he might not have seemed such. Deep red skin with a metallic sheen to them was covered by the white and blue on-duty uniform. Much of their mission here was influenced by the most advanced species here, which helped to explain why the Mozaran Conflux had taken on to wearing clothes as they had approached the galaxy.

Ever since their arrival in the galaxy they had adapted to unknown situations as according to their ancient briefing. The highest minds of the Collective that had sent out the small collection of individual spirits that had since become the Conflux had long since predicted the rise of certain civilisations and the demise of others and as such even the initial flight patterns for scouting and surveying had been pre-determined millennia ago.

This ship's next stop would be an industrial system that belonged to a species that loved war. The task was simple: scan and evaluate whether they were a threat or not, then leave and report.

The pilot looked up at the young female sitting opposite to him and spoke in frequencies they had learned to use, giving the man a deep voice. He said two words, untranslatable but which roughly meant: “Beloved navigator who steers the ship of my heart through the void of my existence, please be so kind as to plot the next course.” The navigator smiled at him, another learned trait, and nodded. The pilot focused on his seventh sense and as soon as the gravitational pull of the white dwarf star had diminished enough, made the leap.

No time passed aboard the ship until it arrived, several days later, to the target system, known to them as number 76, but to certain others as Aurora.

[Xyrael]

Matthias was watching the deep scans attentively. It had been weeks since the last Xilonog assault, and one was expected sometime soon. His crewmen, however, were rather lazy. They often allowed the ever vigilant Matthias to take the watch. The crew of the AAS Shield was small, especially for a craft slightly over half a kilometer long. Only 52 men, including Matthias, were responsible for the array of weapon systems, radars, mechanics, fire control, the list of jobs went on.

A blip appeared on the three-dimensional radar holographic display. A readout of the object quickly appeared on the display. "Captain, we have a single contact. 40,000 kilometers and closing," he informed the bridge.

"Vessel designation?" replied the Captain.

"Unknown designation, unknown classification, all unknown."

"Double-check that it's not a Xilonog vessel or an asteroid. Hail the Keeper, see if they can identify."

Matthias sighed, double checking the scans. He couldn't understand, but it was closing fast. Only 30,000 kilometers now. The Keeper reported the unknown contact as well. "Sir, contact is approaching rapidly. The Keeper is moving to intercept."

"Aye. All men, high alert. Power weapons and d-fields, prepare to engage." Red lights flashed throughout the small windowless craft, and men shuffled about to their stations. The two defense monitors swiftly approached the incoming craft.

[Solnath]

As soon as the pilot regained himself from the jump he sat up rigidly. The navigator had plotted the jump slightly too close, inside the system itself. He let out a short but complex curse and told the ship to brake and reverse before contact. Alas, it was too late. The ship's passive sensors had detected a scan. Slowing the vessel to a halt, the pilot sighed and informed the crew, waking them up and requesting their presence. He sarcastically thanked the navigator, who smiled sarcastically. They bought considered sarcasm to be immensely amusing. In a matter of seconds he could feel the four others aboard come online. He explained the situation quickly as the ship halted a bit under 20,000 kilometers away from the scanner, having dropped velocity dramatically thanks to the emergency brake maneuver.

Nothing seemed to happen inside the 400 meter long G-shaped ship until the other navigator sent a public message to the rest of them.

"Insufficient match to existing data... these are not the ones that were supposed to be here."

A very long second followed.

"What now?"

[Xyrael]

The two patrol craft continued to surge forward at maximum acceleration, closing the distance to 15,000 kilometers in moments. The communications officer reported to the Captain, "Sir, contact is not of any known Xilonog make. Armada Intelligence requests we board and investigate."

"Aye aye," replied the Captain, turning to the com. "Marines, to your stations! Prep for boarding actions!" He turned to the communications officer. "Try hailing the vessel. Never know, we might get a response. Attempt both visual and audio connections."

"Aye aye, Captain!"

The Shield and Keeper continued to approach the vessel, now 10,000 kilometers away. A mid-range broadcast was made on all known radio frequencies in an attempt to make contact with the vessel.

[Solnath]

The pilot nodded as his connection to the ship informed that the secondary specialist had detected a hailing signal. The girl navigator looked back at him, or seemed to, which was hard to tell with their all black eyes, and stood up. As she did, most of the equipment on the bridge slid away from the massive broadcast center that had been specifically designed for contact with alien species and now descended from the ceiling.

Staying seated on the chair that seemed like a throne in the nigh empty room, the pilot activated the system and matching the frequency of the hailing signal opened a broadcast channel and waited for the ship to report connection.


Meanwhile, the primary specialist reported to the others of the approaching ships and they decided to wait and see what happened with the more diplomatic solution. The vessel had by now reversed its thrust, distancing itself enough from the star to make the jump to safety.

[Xyrael]

In the distance, thousands of kilometers away, flated the burn out husk of a long forgotten Xilonog vessel. Beyond that, the glowing blue star of Aurora shone softly through the blackness of space. The two defense monitors began slowing their pace, realizing the vessel had altered its course.

"Armada Intelligence wants reports. I sure as hell don't want to send back nothing!" shouted the captain at no one in particular. He was often considered a daft man, many captain who commanded defense monitors were. Space was a place that drove one mad, and commanding such a tiny vessel in deep space was work for a madman.

The com cracked momentarily, and an order was shouted through it: "I want active scanning of the vessel, I want to see EVERY detail of the damned thing, got it?" Matthias went about his work diligently.

The braking thrusters did their, work, and the two craft slowed until they were 5,000 kilometers away. Close enough for railguns, thought the captain.

"Sir, they're hailing us," reported the communications officer.

"Excellent! Do we have visual and audio uplink yet?"

"No sir, the vessel has not uplinked their visual or audio systems yet. Do we send a message?"

The captain rose from his small chair on the bridge and stood before a monitor. "Aye, broadcast."

///ENCRYPTION LEVEL: none///
...
...
Audio and video uplinks established...
Broadcast commencing...
...
...
This is the Auroran Armada Service vessel Shield. You have entered Auroran space without authorization. The Auroran Imperium is currently in a state of heightened defense, and must take every precaution to ensure the safety of our sector. Our orders are to ascertain your purpose, your threat, and the level of your technology. Will you comply?

[Solnath]

The broadcast was received on the Mozaran craft and it made the pilot sigh. They had been given keys to basic communication with three of the oldest species in the sector, enough to enable a sensible first contact with them, but now here was some new, unexpected race and for them, the crew had nothing. A quick consultation among them led to the specialists supporting improvisation and the other control couple voting for prompt withdrawal. The pilot and the navigator looked at each other for a long while until the navigator cast her vote to reply to the message. The pilot sighed as this would be his duty as it was his shift.

He told the navigator to open up the same channel and broadcast a similar message back to the Shield. In the corner of the large screen containing a picture of the Auroran captain opened a little image of the pilot and for the first few seconds of the message he stared at his own image. A lean man who seemed to fit well on his throne looked back with shiny black eyes like two obsidian balls amongst a sea of red. He had no visible hair and as he blinked, eyelids flashed sideways. He hoped that his uniform and probably strange features would not upset the captain on the screen.

Then after having studied his own visage reflected back at him for a few moments, he spoke in his deep voice, judging that these aliens would be able to hear that pitch.

"Ko, Iskar kinkohan Mozarad ti fala." Greetings and most peaceful salutations, Iskar, pilot of the third Mozaran Conflux exploration space craft greets you with open arms. He carefully smiled and discreetly messaged to the rest of the ship.

"Qofor." This is going to the depths of a black hole with increasing velocity. His navigator smiled reassuringly and made a gesture. Iskar looked at this for a while before smiling even wider. He waved for the camera and sent another message to the crew, this time with a more humorous tone.

"Qoforq ahall." This is already in the depths of a black hole, so how could it possibly be worse. Even the Mozarans had learned of jinxing and this made the ship's crew smile, the specialists more than the other controller couple.

[Xyrael]

The Captain watched the reply with horror. I've heard most of the dialects of Auroran, but this! He ain't even white or green, he' red! He turned to his communications officer. "What the Hell is that gibberish? God damnit boy, this is your job, tell me what to do!"

"Sir, I think we've made contact with another race..." he paused for a long moment, shocked. He looked to the Captain again, "I doubt they'd speak Auroran at all."

Bah, if Command hears my report they're going to think I'm daft unless I've got evidence! He looked to the communications officer once more. "Think they understand Xilonog?"

"Possibly."

"Well, activate the translator you fool!"

"Aye, Captain," he replied, pressing several buttons before looking to a screen again. "Broadcast."

///ENCRYPTION LEVEL: Xilonog///
...
...
Broadcasting...
...
...
Ka du Anda? Da Aurora ghan, un Aurora kal du.

Do you understand? This is an Auroran vessel, and you are in Auroran space.

A broadcast from the nearby Keeper was received shortly after. "Captain, Armada Command has no protocol for first contact. We are authorized to fire if need be."

The communications officer nodded, and the Captain replied. "I bet they're writing up a protocol right now. If these things try running away, aim to disable. I want them alive."

[Solnath]

Now this was something they had a key to. Iskar looked off-screen and smiled to the navigator, the speech being more familiar than they had expected. Probabilities, after all, went only so far.

Iskar nodded to the camera and said: "Iskar anda. Da Mozara ghan, un-" Iskar understands. This is a Mozaran vessel, and- a slight pause as he wondered whether there was a word for peace. Too bad their knowledge of this language was based on prediction as errors might exist. Mostly likely, lethal ones."

"Un Mozara... kash lekashar." Iskar prayed that he had said what he meant, And Mozarans... are unwarlike.

[Xyrael]

The Captain grinned as the translator replied with broken Xilonog: "Iskar understands. This is a Mozaran vessel and the Mozaran are unwarlike." He wasn't grinning because he understood, but because the last word in the sentence was tantamount to impotent in the Xilonog language. No Xilonog would call himself impotent. The communications officer also seemed to be grinning.

"So now we find out why they are here. At least we know we've got something better than them," the captain seemed to be almost cheerful now, his name would certainly be mentioned in the protocol. Ahh, Captain Tarius... the man who discovered... he frowned, maybe he'd be mocked instead.

"Aye aye, captain. Broadcasting."

///ENCRYPTION LEVEL: Xilonog///
...
...
Broadcasting...
...
...
Wa Aurora du kal'da? Ka nak du grith?

Why are you in Auroran space? Do you need help?

In the distance the Keeper powered down her engines and drifted in space and began to continue her deep space scans.

[Solnath]

Seeing the Auroran Captain's reaction, the six aboard the ship concluded that the key was indeed functional. As no hostile means were taken by these strangers, the crew decided to allow the scanning of the scout-ship as there really were nothing but minerals and resources aboard.

After listening to the message carefully, Iskar replied.

"We seek the ones who fight. They should have been here. They are no longer a threat?

[Xyrael]

The Captain had been watching the creature on the monitor. He didn't trust them, and neither did the communications officer. They were only transmitting their messages in bursts, wary of giving too much information to the aliens. Maybe later they'd give the Mozarans the same courtesy the Mozarans gave them. But now was not the time.

The creature spoke, its lips moving quite rapidly, and the translator relayed the message.

Tarius' lip curled up, but he was curious. He looked to the communications officer, who activated the broadcast.

"You mean the green-skinned brutes? They're supposed to be here, eh? Well, they were, you missed em by a few years. If you're lucky you might find a few of their bodies drifting around near the debris. They enslaved us, and we killed them. This is Auroran space now."

[Solnath]

Iskar turned his head slightly to look at the hidden navigator and after an accelerated discussion in the ship's network, he turned back with a more serious expression.

"This was not seen. We want no harm." He paused as if listening to something. "May I join your vessel?" he asked. "Talk is hard now and to join would help. We could learn your speak and make us clear."

Glancing at his lover, he continued: "The 'green-skinned brutes' may be our enemies. We came here to see if it was so."

[Xyrael]

Tarius pondered the suggestion, before checking the status of the marines. All men were on standby.

"Scans report under ten life forms," Matthias announced.

"Alright boys, engage thrusters, bring us alongside the vessel."

The barracks of the defense monitor bustled with life as marines donned simple armor and drew their pulse rifles. The Lieutenant checked that every mans armor was strapped firmly, every man had enough oxygen and ammunition. "We're ready, captain."

The captain turned to the small camera which began broadcasting his image. "So, how should we do this? We can board your craft by close range teleporters, shuttle, or you can use some nifty technology." The captain's tone was full of sarcasm, and he watched the distance between their vessels close while the Keeper opened her railgun ports and took up a defensive position at 4,000 kilometers.

[Solnath]

"Prepare to activate the generator if something goes wrong," skidded across the network and was promptly acknowledged. Iskar conjured up a three-dimensional image of the ship in his lap, smiling at the clearly sarcastic tone.

"If you want to join us, do so here," he said out loud and touched a part of the ship inside it's G-shaped coil with a cybernetic hand, the ship's landing area. "I will be there fast. Iskar Kin off." He nodded to the navigator and stood up, the connection still established. He walked past the screen to the airlock of the primary command centre and reallocated the excess particles there to form a breath mask for him. He considered for a while and covered his ears with the same shiny substance that covered his eyes.

He logged in for a fraction of a second to detect the position of the Auroran craft took off at a sprint, jumping down transfer ducts when needed.

Meanwhile, the navigator sat on the throne and took over control of the ship, establishing a connection with the secondary controllers. The change of position was not necessary, but it was symbolical and Mozarans loved symbolism.