Enter the Conflux

[Solnath]

Iskar nodded and smiled back, not fully understanding how hating one species could lead to hating a colour, but he would learn. "The Collective is... unique, I would say. It connects everyone together where we come from. As for Zero-space... It is hard for anyone not born to it to understand. Like explaining colours to someone who can not see light at all. A seventh sense of sorts."

He added a few numbers together and said continued: "The probe should be able to transmit in fourteen minutes with full clarity, then after about seven minutes later the Conflux will have voted and two minutes until the probe can broadcast our orders to us. Would you prefer to wait here or back onboard your ship?"

[Xyrael]

Faust pondered for a minute, looking to the alien. Part of him told him his men wanted to get back to the ship, but part of him told him to stay in case the Mozarans needed him. "You've got them numbers down pretty precise. Us Auroran's aren't usually as reliable."

He hesitated, looking at the Mozaran with a sort of respect. "At any rate, we'll head back to our ship. I must say, space never fails to surprise me."

"Ya'll have a good day." He felt like saying more, but he didn't know what to say. He quickly departed to his shuttle, where the marines locked themselves into their seats. The shuttle doors sealed tight, and a short hiss proved that the vessel was pressurized. A quick start of the plasma engines sent the craft out of the bay and towards the Shield. Shortly after docking, Lieutenant Faust entered the bridge, still wearing his armor.

Faust snapped a quick salute, "Sir, the aliens will be receiving a return message within a half hour."

"You've done an excellent job, Lieutenant." He nodded to the communications officer, and proceeded to authorize the Keeper to continue with its patrol route. It's disruption fields and weapons powered down, and it accelerated into the void. "We'll wait here until she has received a reply."

Lieutenant Faust snapped a quick salute and proceeded to exit the bridge.

[Solnath]

Iskar watched as the shuttle took off and stared after it for a long time. This would make actual contact with the Xilonog easier in the future and, in a way, they now had information they might not have acquired through silent observation. He hoped the Conflux would be pleased.

Traveling slower this time, he reached the bridge in fifteen minutes. He smiled victoriously to Ysyl who stood up and returned to her original seat. Iskar sat on his throne and waited for the reply.

Probe communication detected, pilot. The primary specialist messaged after a few minutes.

Thank you, specialist, Iskar replied and connected to the ship. The message was short and clear:

Stage four still in progress, avoid all actions against the security of the Conflux. Pilot Iskar hence promoted to the rank of Protector.

But that was not the end of the transmission. A further scrambled message continued and he realised it could be unlocked with his personal access key. He smiled.

The Conflux grants you full authority over your ship and the relations with the Aurorans in bounds of the predetermined rules. Your exceptional idea is under revision.

Re-establish communications. He ordered Ysyl.

At once, beloved Protector. Her reply carried a hint of pride.

Still smiling, Iskar spoke to the camera. "This is Protector Iskar of the Mozaran Conflux. I have been given full rights to relations with your species as long as it does not harm the Conflux."

"In other words, I submit my offer to help you in both developing your civilisation and, more indirectly, your war with the Xilonog, if such you require."

[Xyrael]

Help in the war? thought Tarius, look slightly skeptical while allowing the broadcast to remain open. He pondered for a long minute on what to say, growing nervous of the black eyes that watched him through the transmission.

"Well, I'm not sure I'm authorized to discuss these sort of things," he informed the Mozaran after several minutes of pondering. "I can do one of two things, I can escort you to Aurora and we can meet with a proper delegation there, or we can call for one to come to us."

He sat silently, waiting for the reply. He studied the creatures strange..... everything. The only thing that comforted him was that it had two legs and two arms.

[Solnath]

"Whichever is easier for you to arrange will be managable for us," Iskar replied and thought for a while. "I am not sure what we have to offer to you so I will have to contemplate on the topic. Time is not an issue to us. We will wait for your arrangements."

A brief conversation inside the ship's network ended in the secondary officers returning to duty and Ysyl standing up and smiling at Iskar. He smiled back and in the simultaneous manner of lovers universally, they both made the symbol of Xi - everything good there is in life and existence - and Ysyl departed.

Iskar stared after her with a slight curve on his lips, enjoying the way her uniformed body moved. In a sense, the shroud of clothing brought an excitement of its own, as you knew something but it was just beyond the reach of your eyes. When she had disappeared behind the white door leading to their quarters, he turned once again to look at Tarius, finally studying the strange creature properly in amazement.

[Xyrael]

Well... I guess that means they're straight... I think, thought Tarius as he observed the alien. "I'll call a vessel to meet us. Fleet is undergoing war games near Aurora in preparation for an offensive, last thing we need are them mistaking you for real enemies."

He turned to his communications officer, who opened an audio frequency with a high level encryption code.

"This is Captain Tarius of the Shield, having made contact I am requesting a vessel with a formal emissary rendezvous with us at the designated coordinates." He nodded, and the communications officer pushed a button. Outside the ship a small sphere, essentially an engine with a computer, was deployed. It raced off towards the blue star before flashing in a small burst of light.

"Alright, we'll have company soon," Tarius informed Iskar.

[Solnath]

Iskar nodded in acknowledgement just as the secondary officers entered the bridge. "Shall you board us again or shall I take a shuttle to dock with this meeting vessel or will further communications be conducted through this audio-visual connection? Our ship is currently positioned right outside the critical range of error for a jump and I have been requested by the Conflux to keep it at such a point in case of any possible emergency."

[Xyrael]

Tarius didn't know what the new protocol would be. "Eh, I don't know yet. We'll probably ask that you board the Shield."

"Captain," Matthias chimed in over the com. "I'm picking up a signal."

The Captain turned to look at the holographic display of the locale. "Auroran?"

"Negative."

Captain Tarius turned to the monitor, as if he wanted to say something. Nerves rattled through him, and his voice was shaky with fear. "All men, high alert! Standby for action!" The bridge seemed to bustle to life as a blue glow emanated throughout the corridors. "Open railgun doors, power weapon systems and d-fields. Marines, ready yourselves! We have contact!"

A flash appeared several thousand kilometers away, and the Shield quickly turned to engage, opening fire with her railguns. Round after round shot out from her bow at massive speeds. A Xilonog vessel seemed to thrust itself out of the light, slamming into the hail of railgun rounds which impacted against shields with little effect. It quickly returned fire, large orange spheres directed at the Shield.

"All ahead full!" shouted Tarius, without realizing the transmission was still being broadcast to Iskar. Impacts from rounds shook the craft, her d-fields only reducing the blows. The Shield hurled itself toward the Xilonog vessel, orange orbs slamming into her fast approaching shape, and the crazed Captain appeared to be smiling as the ship rocked from the blows.

[Solnath]

Protector, the Auroran vessel is under attack, shall we intervene? the primary specialist messaged as Iskar watched the transmission.

Negative, but prepare a class four mining charge and activate the forward accelerator with ninety-percent power. He detailed the plan over the network and the ship began to turn. If the Aurorans seem to be losing, launch the charge. The specialist brought the trajectories of the Xilonog ship into view and a crosshair that signified the presumed location of the Xilonog vessel with a lag of six seconds.

"Captain, do you require assistance?" Iskar asked with a raised voice and studied the actions seen on the screen. "If so, withdraw from the alien vessel and we will se if they can resist high amounts of compact energy." He felt an odd rush of excitement in his veins.

He smiled.

Then he grinned.

[Xyrael]

Another blast ravaged the vessel, knocking the crew through the ship. The artificial gravity disengaged, signaling several of the power reactors had overloaded or leaked, but the vessel continued through space without pause.

"Divert power from thrusters to weapons and fire at will!" shouted the Captain, buckling himself into his seat. Blue orbs surged forth from the front of the vessel at an unbelievable rate, slamming into the Xilonog vessels shields. They seemed to flicker under the intense barrage, and the Shield was on a course to ram her.

Several Xilonog shots slammed into to ventral tower, instantly killing Matthias and his fellows. The transmission signal from the Shield was severed, and eight smaller, nearly concealed plasma turrets opened up on the Xilonog craft. A flash of light in the distance, some 40,000 kilometers off, heralded the entrance of another Auroran vessel as the Shield slammed into the failing Xilonog shield. An explosion ripped through the smaller vessel, disabling the Xilonog's shields, and the distant cruiser quickly powered her weapons.

A beam of light, fired from well over thirty thousand kilometers away, ripped through a section of the Xilonog craft. The Xilonog seemed to pause, a scan sweeping through space detecting it's next target, the Mozaran vessel.

[Solnath]

Auroran vessel destroyed, Protector, alien vessel scanning us.

Iskar narrowed his eyes. Excitement was replaced with fury. Eliminate them. A short pause was followed by a long vibration as the charge was launched. Time slowed down as the astroparticle shields raised immediately after the projectile launched and Iskar heightened his reflexes with the assistance of the ship's computer to see exactly the devastation that would ensue.

Four seconds to impact.

The scanning fixed in and the Xilonogs opened fire.

Two seconds to impact.

The first projectiles reflected of the cone-shaped entry shield and Iskar felt vicious. Like using a high intensity laser to cut a thread.

Impact.

The shield dimmed immediately in front of the cameras but even through that shone the effect of 170 grams of antimatter contacting matter. It was an amazing explosion, but Iskar felt a slight tinge as he realised he had just issued the deaths of the ship's crew. Enemies, he thought and the regret subsided.

Detonation radius maximised at two-point-seven-three kilometers, the primary specialist reported.

Hail the Aurorans, Iskar commanded, surprising himself and the others with his tone. We wouldn't want them to think we wish them harm, would we now, comrades?

[Xyrael]

Commodore Tiberius was rather impressed with the explosion that had consumed everything within the vicinity of the Xilonog craft. He frowned, however. So many good men dead, he thought.

The communications officer turned to him, also rather upset. "Sir, the alien craft is hailing us."

"Was that their weapon that destroyed the Xilonog craft?"

"I believe so, Commodore."

"Aye, patch them through," he shifted in his chair, clearing his throat.

"Broadcasting."

Tiberius merely nodded, unphased as the visual of the Mozarans appeared before him. At least they aren't green.

"I believe you avenged my comrades, alien. They'll rest with the stars, but I've come here to finish what they started." He paused, thinking of what to say. "I am authorized to give you access to all civilian level space, and I would like to extend a hand of friendship. So long as you stay in Auroran space, you will be protected by the Armada."

"In exchange, we're interested in any technology, information, or assistance you can give us." He finished his sentence and watched the Mozaran intently.

[Solnath]

"Greetings, Auroran. We would have intervened sooner and avoided the unnecessary casualties of your people had they withdrawn from the blast radius. However, your hate for the Xilonog runs very deep." Iskar smiled, connecting his cybernetic fingertips in front of him.

"I apologise for the fact that it is a risk to your people for our ship to approach the vicinity of your star, but I will arrive on a shuttle to... shake hands. And thank you for your offer of protection, the use of that charge depleted most of our antimatter reserves."

"As for technology, information or assistance, I am not sure of my liberties in this matter. By the time I reach the hangar bay we will have received word from our Conflux and I can share what I am allowed to. Our Secondary Pilot will keep you informed."

"If you have no further questions immediately, I shall depart at once for my transport."

Specialist, request authority clearance from the Conflux.

Acknowledged and underway, was the primary specialist's reply and the probe accelerated once again toward the edge of the system.

[Xyrael]

"Affirmative," replied Tiberius, accidentally responding as though the alien were a human. His Auroran is perfect...

He turned to the Captain with a grin, "Ready the fighters. I want him given a proper escort."

"Aye aye, Commodore!" he snapped a salute, reaching for the com. "Pilots, to your stations. Rendezvous with alien craft and escort."

A flight of small, x-winged fighters, totaling twelve, shot from the small hanger in the two kilometer long cruiser, racing towards the idle Mozaran craft.

[Solnath]

As Iskar ran a status check on the shuttle, he received disturbing news. The Conflux had decided that in order to increase probabilities of discovering their holy grail, they would spread out to separate parts of the galaxy. The details stored themselves without further analysation as the main point became clear.

Take care of these civilisations as you best see fit for possible connection to the Collective. You're on your own, Protector of Sector Alpha.

The ship's own channels lay silent, static resonating from the furious contemplation going on. Iskar disconnected and took off in his shuttle, passing smoothly through the containment field and turning his little spherical pod toward the Auroran cruiser.

He absorbed the whole mainframe of the pod into his mind and programmed it quickly to wake him up when they were hailed. Then, he redirected the computer processes to accelerate his thinking immensely and he fell asleep, the space around him seemingly frozen in time.