Intergalactic Warfare [IC thread]

[Talkkno]

Out in the vast darkness of space, lay a new galaxy. Eldrad Ulthran lay still in his mediation sphere, reaching out into the warp for new insights as his people lay on a desperate and uncertain path. But when faced with certain destruction at the hands of Chaos, uncertainty at least a flicker of hope. Now, they were at peace, in a galaxy devoid of the mark of the Ruinous Powers. Both reassuring and disturbing at the same time. Nevertheless, Ulthwé mains its eternal vigil, as there is no coming back. Amomg his people are a warhost of Bien-Tal and Exodites, who wish to kindle a new Empire.

A mixed blessing, for they have seeded new worlds, bring the raw materials necessary for expansion of both the craftworld and people. However, Bien-Tal pressures gnaw at every possible moment, for the Imperium's entry marks a threat to expansion, as they say. The call for war is inevitable, for their thirst for battle cries to be filled...

Yet it must not be quenched.

Stepping out of the sphere and into the Shadowhunter-class escort Keening Claw. His brain interlocking with the wraithbone in a harmonious control. He leaves the craftworld with little notice, as it entered the webway to Skoll....

[An Enemy Spy]

So full of hate were our eyes that none of us could see.
Our war would yield countless dead, but never victory.
So let us cast arms aside, and like discard our wrath.
Thou, in faith, will keep us safe, whilst we find the path
-Covenant Writ of Union

The Prophet of Regret shifted impatiently in his chair as the cleric mixed the herbs of the curitive tea. His head was pounding like a hammer, as he had been drinking the night before.
High Charity, the holy city of the Covenant, floated through the inky void. A thousand ships crowded around it, ready to repel any invader. The city was waiting for a report from the Shadow of Intent. Covenant scout ships had sent back reports of a large alien object approaching the outer rim of the galaxy, and the Shadow had been sent to investigate.

[MorhgorRB]

Indefinite is the reaches of space, and with all the stars before us, we must never forget the lessons of our past, and cease our eternal race. ~23 A. Mastildion, a Morton's Tale.

It was a quiet morning in the far rimward edge of the galaxy, the gentle hum of transmissions flickering back and forth across the interstellar distances, the occasional roar of engines as they cut a momentary trail across the eternal darkness. A time of peace had descended on the Confederacy, the little civil roits notwithstanding, as that is the nature of humanity. To fight.

Thier most recent aqquisition was a small mineral-rich planet, that brought thier total to four systems under thier hand, and even in the time of tranquility the warfleets still sweep from system to system. Line Admiral John Rannist reclined in his chair, the leather creaking appreciatively, as the first of the daily reports rolled in, carried by a smartly dressed orderly. Here, in the depth of the fleet's flagship Hydra Reborn, he was untouchable.

[Talkkno]

The Shadow of Intent's short range sensors detected Ulthwé, as it lazily seemed to float in the void without any sense of direction. The alien construct bizzare yet stragenly elgenet, as it massed the size of a planet. It brislted with weapons, though strangely no ships appeared to be in the vincity. Though within moments it found itself sorrouded by ships of the same sleek desgin, as the Covenant commander found a message wedged in his mind.
"Who are you, alien?" It said teresly.

[An Enemy Spy]

Ship Master Zora Podamee shifted uncomfortably in his golden armor. Rather than respond to to the voice in his head, he turned to the Sangheili in at the communications machine. "Send the aliens a two way signal." When the comm. channel was open he spoke. "I am Zora Podamee, Ship Master of the Shadow of Intent. Who are you and are your intentions?"He paused, then added, "And do not waste my time with banter."

[Ganurath]

Elsewhere...

Facteal Matron Bunta, Daughter of Pumta, Daughter of Pumbak, Daughter of Labak, who earned the title of Matron through the noble deed of terraforming a new world for the Facteal people, found herself restless. She laid upon her belly at the head of the Palace Labak, a capitol ship that resembled a giant four-toed talon in design, and looked out the holographic viewscreen at the planet below.

The world was a dry one, with flecks of green dotting the golden sands. She could almost see her native world below, with the titanic prey-beasts plowing across the sand, storing precious moisture in their reptilian hides. she could almost see her evolutionary cousins hopping from crag to crag in the few icy mountaintops that didn't need flesh to hold water. Most importantly, though, she could see the port cities at the base of these mountains enjoying the abundant commerce of imported water from colonial worlds while exporting various elements of home to gradually acclimate the new worlds, as was the creed of the Bloodsong Hierarchy.

Of course, she could only imagine. She had lived in the Palace Labak all her life, depending upon nanostimulators to make sure she could remain fit to go to the surface of another planet if the occasion called for it. The thought stirred an emotion she did not recognize, and she acted on it by gesturing for a viewcom with the ship's military commander. "Matron! It is an honor to have your attention, milady. How may I serve the Blood Mother of Labak's Lineage?"

The Blood Mother scratched behind her ear nonchalantly before responding. "Master Templar, five suns currently shine upon the children of Nocturmatri, correct?"

"Yes, as it has been since the time of our Ur-Matron Labak."

"I understand the Royal Bloodline Which Predates The Tracing Of Names is currently working on terraforming one of the in-system planets... Nocturmatri 4, just inside from the homeworld, yes?"

"I've heard rumors to that effect. That they reached your ear confirms the actuality of the event."

Matron Bunta chuckled at that, then focused her attention upon the Master Templar. "I want to make it six stars. Send Cartographers out to other systems, pick the most suitable planet for terraforming. Assuming no complications, cleanse the surface."

The Master Templar barred his fangs in joy, but then perked a brow. "How shall the pilots determine what is to be considered a complication?"

At this, the Great Granddaughter of Labak barred her own fangs in pleasure. She was unique in that she tolerated questions, even relished them. She couldn't demonstrate her right to her title if she was unopposed in all her actions, after all. "Although I am the highest by lineage, I am not the only descendant of Labak. There are pilots and officers you can call upon who can make judgement calls for themselves. That should be especially true for Cartographer pilots."

With that, she cut off the viewcom and went back to observing Nocturmatri 5 through her holoscreen. The sun was just starting to peek out from behind the planet, bringing a new dawn to her people.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Like a mechanical contagion, it had spread across the planet of it's birth, and then to the planets nearby. Even now The Aldier's appendages, truly spider like machines numbering in the hundreds, scoured the surface of another world in search of optimal mining points and locations of volcanic activity to tap for power, constructing factories and power plants out of their own mechanical forms which churned out more of their kind, who built up cities, piece by piece.

However, the acquisition of resources, no matter how pivotal to The Aldiers goals, were not it's goals in of themselves. And so it prepared a special group of it's voidfarers. A single Shasa, an Avorix, three Xevel, and six Trinox Scouts prepared to be The Aldiers fist expedition outside of it's adoptive solar system.

And so the ships powered their Warp drives and made the jump. The Void Shields and Guidance Systems took the ten ships of The Aldiers expedition safely through the Otherealm of the Warp. The ten ships, Shasa Exploritor Alpha, Avorix Exploritor Alpha, Xevel Exploritor Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, and Trinox Exploritor Alpha Squadron and Beta Squadron arrived shortly, in relative terms to the timeless AI, in a system nearby the Aldieras System.

[Iethloc]

Another day floating through the Void.

Most of the civilians were blissfully unaware of the infinite expanse of star-pinpointed blackness, living in paradise on the Thoteza-homes. These 7 white titans, like small moons, moved forward at a crawl (for a spaceship), each surrounded by three invisible protectors, the Sentries. Ten more cloaked ships, much smaller, zipped around the Thoteza-homes, keeping a constant eye on everything in front of, behind and to the sides of the precious fleet. The enormous golden Slaughtercruiser Lamb was behind only the enormous ring-like golden Planet Melter Paragon. The Slaughtercruiser was flanked by Dispensers, with a third golden dispenser somewhere below it, the Eternal. Just a few hundred meters ahead of the Thoteza-homes were a handful of Shining Hands, the Skyeater leading that fleet. Many Scuttlers and Anklebiters flew about around the Thoteza-homes, both joyriders and Sikrhasi on actual training missions alike.

Today, King Dnamet was pondering the Warp. He stared out one of the observation windows on a Thoteza-home. He was old for a Thoteza; his 1,414th birthday was coming up in a few weeks. And yet, he still looked middle-aged. The wrinkles were only just starting to form around his unblinking eyes, his skin still had most of its luster, his serpentine tail still flexible enough to coil and make a seat for him. Nearly every one of the many races they had met in the Universe used the Warp to move, used the powers of the Warp or were corrupted by the Warp. And yet, the Thotezas had never touched nor knew about the Warp until just a couple centuries earlier, even though they themselves had what some referred to as "Psykers". Maybe the Thotezas were simply immune to its corruption and so had never noticed it.

King Dnamet's thoughts were interrupted, however, when he felt a Sikrhas touch his mind. The implants in his brain all Thotezas have connecting him to the Sikrhasi hive mind piped up to inform him of a communique.

"Alien ships detected 2.017 Light-seconds starboard, exiting FTL travel. Species unknown," the tinny voice announced.

King Dnamet turned his head towards starboard - to his right this time. "It's been, what, a year or two since we last met another civilization? Establish contact and give them a scan. Make sure it's not an ambush like last time," he said in a commanding voice into the hive mind, his real mouth only twitching slightly. He could feel the Sikrhasi already working on his orders. Once, King Dnamet was curious as to why most other species had tried to find a way to move faster than light; Thotezas had simply looked for a way to skip the space altogether, and succeeded. Every ship except the Thoteza-homes was equipped with this technology. The Thoteza-homes were too large for their current Psi-Drives, but they were working on it.

The Photonships zipped off to check out the alien ships, moving near the speed of light as they bent space around themselves, never actually moving but getting there all the same. It made for a very smooth ride. They kept their weapons folded in their hull and remained cloaked.

[An Enemy Spy]

The fleet of ships turned to meet the newcomers. Dnamet recieved a transmission. "State your identity and purpose, aliens, or be fired upon." The Covaenant fleet was a large one, sporting several frigates and light cruisers, and two CCS Battlecruisers.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

The ships of The Aldier drifted lazily through space. Their main guns remained fixed in the default position, with their smaller self-defense turrets tracking meteors and space rocks that drift too close. The Aldier could feel, through the ships sensors, the new space that they were exploring. The Shasa Exploritor Alpha scanned the system, and The Aldier was pleased to note the presence of sentients in this system. Sentients meant knowledge, and knowledge meant growth, and growth lead to it's ultimate goal.

The Aldiers ships altered their course and began heading in the largest space-faring location of sentient life, it's ships broadcasting a message of peace in all the languages of The Aldiers database. It occured to The Aldier that it's own knowledge of Sentients was brief at best. It had been constructed by the "Humans" and launched into space, all the other races it's knowledge banks had recorded had been from second hand knowledge, though it's knowledge of the Trionites, whom it's arrival had driven to extinction. It was a shame really, the Trionites had seemed intelligent and resourceful from the knowledge The Aldier had gained. No doubt it would have fascinated them as much as they would have The Aldier. Still, though his mind was vast he must focus on the present with his current processors. There would be time for reviewing the databanks later.

[Iethloc]

"Very...to-the-point, aren't you? I am King Dnamet, of the Thotezatic Confederacy. We're exploring the universe, keeping records of any life we find," he responded as the Photondiscs scanned the Covenant. Plasma weaponry, advanced shielding, and, what most interested Dnamet, multiple types of life forms.

"Speaking of our records, you appear to have multiple species among your ranks. Perhaps you could..." King Dnamet began to say, but was cut off as he received another announcement over the hive mind, his transmission seemingly cut short to the Covenant.

"Our long-range sensors have detected another unknown species broadcasting a message of peace in multiple languages," the tinny voice said. Dnamet flinched, the tip of his tail twitching in agitation. Sending another order into the hive mind, the Photondiscs stop scanning the Covenant. For a moment, the Covenant's own sensors picked up several points in space having two sets of coordinates simultaneously, and the Photonship's cloaks dropped as they activated their Psi-Drives, nigh-instantly crossing the distance between them and the other aliens.

"I apologize for stopping so suddenly, but it seems there's no shortage of life in this galaxy. We've picked up a broadcast, and I have sent my scouts to check it," he informed them.

"Now, this is the first time we've been to this part of the Universe. Perhaps you could enlighten us about this place, if it's not too much trouble?" Dnamet requested.


Meanwhile, the Photondiscs appeared a short distance from the Aldier fleet with minimal fanfare. One moment, 10 spots in space were empty, and the next they were filled. They scanned the Aldier ships before one of the Sikrhasi aboard dared to send a transmission.

"This is Commodore Ozrsot of the Sikrhasi, speaking on behalf of the Thotezatic Confederacy. We've received your transmission, and...wait, there's no life forms aboard these ships! Identify yourselves..." he began saying, but quickly adopted a more stern tone as they received information on the ships.

Conversely, any scans carried out by The Aldier revealed these "Sikrhasi" were purely digital entities, somewhat similar to itself, occupying incredibly advanced computers aboard ships, some of them on robots, some of them simply in the ship itself.

[An Enemy Spy]

"We shall be sending an envoy to meet with you. Open your shuttlebays." A Phantom left one one the ships and flew over to the vessel that the king was in. Several minutes later the doors to the command deck opened and several figures strode in. They were impressive to look at. 4 bipedal creatures clad in silver armor and one in gold. They were 8 feet tall and very muscular. On their faces were four mandibles. Behind them shuffled in some short squat creatures with gas tanks stapped to their backs carrying what looked like study equipment. The golden alien, presumably the leader. barked something at the smaller creatures and they began to scan everything.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

The Aldier ceased it's transmissions and took a moment to download the facets of these new creatures speech into it's databanks, before responding. When it did, it's voice had three different voices, laced seamlessly together. It had a regal sounding feminine voice, a similarly regal male voice which was much deeper, and a machinelike monotone which provided a basis for the others. "We are The Aldier. We have detected that you too are machine-life, and our long-range sensors have detected biological sentients as well. We do not agree with the accusation that there is no life aboard our ships, as I am sure you would disagree with the posit that there is no life aboard yours."

[Iethloc]

One of the Thoteza-home's Shuttlebay doors, a few hundred meters below the observation deck, opened. King Dnamet uncoiled his tail and began making his way down below, easily making 30mph as he hustled down there. He began sending orders to several sections of the Thoteza-home, and preparations were made for their arrival.

Once the Covenant came through the door, they saw that several Workers, bipedal humanoid robots, each just over 9 feet in height and heavily built, had formed two lines to serve as an aisle of sorts. Soon, Kind Dnamet himself came in, walking in between the two lines of Workers, with a bodyguard on either side. King Dnamet himself was about 8 feet tall, including the part of the tail holding his torso upright. His skin was an iron-like gray and his eyes were blue. The most obvious part of his face, however, was a cover of skin over his lower face, lined with delicate blood vessels and small muscles.

The bodyguards were of similar size, but were clad in black armor, their visors a deep blue. Close to their shoulders, on their backs, were two robust cylinder; jump jets. Both held slender rifles, the opening at the ends of the barrels glowing red just slightly.

Their scanning revealed much information about the room. It was a large shuttlebay, with a few gunships docked. The Workers were not equipped with weapons, and even the bodyguards' weapons were not primed to fire. However, nearly everything made of metal was of an alloy unknown to the covenant. It seemed to be dense, tough and heavy, excellent material for a ship. The Thotezas themselves were heavily augmented by implants; they were stronger and faster than they seemed, especially since the armor worn by the bodyguards were power armor.

"It's good to meet another species in person," King Dnamet commented. The facial cover withdrew itself, settling under his chin, revealing his entire face. It bore superficial similarities to that of a human. His eyes were slightly larger, however, his nose smaller and his mouth lipless. While not immediately obvious to other species, showing their entire face was their equivalent of a smile.


The Aldier, meanwhile, was not able to receive such a ceremony, still being in space. "All right, I see your point. King Dnamet, our leader - one of the 'biological sentients' - is currently meeting with another species. We can escort you to his ship, however, and I am authorized to give out general information on the Thotezatic Confederacy," Ozrsot responded, a little perplexed at the trio of voices The Aldier use.

[MorhgorRB]

It had turned out to be a long day of paperwork, even out here in the newest reaches of thier territory there was thousands of little things that needed his signature, his verbal orders, or his adsivement. Still, it was worth it to him, because being part of the Confederate Navy meant that he was part of the largest family in the galaxy, and every one of his brothers and sisters were working toward the safety of humanity.

He was faced away from the door, giving orders into the Tele-Com, when the last page was slipped onto his desk, only the bang of the door closing making him turn around slowly, and cancel the Jump. He read it slowly. And then again, to make sure he hadn't misunderstood. Well, there goes my afternoon. He sighed. He left it on his desk, and turned on Fleet-Com.

[Ganurath]

The Cartographer that had been commissioned by the Labak bloodline arrived close enough to the Confederate vessel that both ships were able to detect one another, with the camoflauged crescent hull of the scout craft giving the pilot the exclusive advantage of visual detection assuming no feature of note was behind it. This advantage, however, meerly filled the pilot of the unarmed and momentarily helpless vessel with dread strong enough to succumb to her base instinct.

She screamed.

The scream, however, was not one of her own voice, but a scream transmitted from her ship across the stars, sending a message that there were ships here that did not follow the bloodlines. After doing her part, the pilot tightened her grip on the control bulbs of her ship, watching the Confederate ships through the HUD and praying to her mother that they weren't hostile.

A system away, the transmission was received along the nanofeed network and echoed across the fleets holding vigilance in defense of the world and its trade routes. One of these task fleets, consisting of 50 Harrier Stealth Frigates and 20 Templar Escort Cruisers, began plotting a coordinated jump to the sixth star that the Cartographer had uncovered, weapons and defenses readied in case of trouble with Shipmasters praying that they wouldn't need to use them.

[Talkkno]

"I am Ashtok of Biel-tal craftowrld, we are the Eldar and the Ulthwé craftworld you see before you is our home. This is Eldar space mon-keigh, I'd suggest you leave." Ashtok said teresly, leader of the Bien-tal congitenment on Ulthwé, he found Eldrad's insistence on peace distasefu, as the thristed for battle. For glory can only be found in Khaine's wrath agaisnt those who resist the Eldar.

[An Enemy Spy]

Zora was angered by this stamtement. "This area has belonged to to the Covenant for centuries, alien. You have no claim over it."

[An Enemy Spy]

One of the Thoteza-home's Shuttlebay doors, a few hundred meters below the observation deck, opened. King Dnamet uncoiled his tail and began making his way down below, easily making 30mph as he hustled down there. He began sending orders to several sections of the Thoteza-home, and preparations were made for their arrival.

Once the Covenant came through the door, they saw that several Workers, bipedal humanoid robots, each just over 9 feet in height and heavily built, had formed two lines to serve as an aisle of sorts. Soon, Kind Dnamet himself came in, walking in between the two lines of Workers, with a bodyguard on either side. King Dnamet himself was about 8 feet tall, including the part of the tail holding his torso upright. His skin was an iron-like gray and his eyes were blue. The most obvious part of his face, however, was a cover of skin over his lower face, lined with delicate blood vessels and small muscles.

The bodyguards were of similar size, but were clad in black armor, their visors a deep blue. Close to their shoulders, on their backs, were two robust cylinder; jump jets. Both held slender rifles, the opening at the ends of the barrels glowing red just slightly.

Their scanning revealed much information about the room. It was a large shuttlebay, with a few gunships docked. The Workers were not equipped with weapons, and even the bodyguards' weapons were not primed to fire. However, nearly everything made of metal was of an alloy unknown to the covenant. It seemed to be dense, tough and heavy, excellent material for a ship. The Thotezas themselves were heavily augmented by implants; they were stronger and faster than they seemed, especially since the armor worn by the bodyguards were power armor.

"It's good to meet another species in person," King Dnamet commented. The facial cover withdrew itself, settling under his chin, revealing his entire face. It bore superficial similarities to that of a human. His eyes were slightly larger, however, his nose smaller and his mouth lipless. While not immediately obvious to other species, showing their entire face was their equivalent of a smile.


The Aldier, meanwhile, was not able to receive such a ceremony, still being in space. "All right, I see your point. King Dnamet, our leader - one of the 'biological sentients' - is currently meeting with another species. We can escort you to his ship, however, and I am authorized to give out general information on the Thotezatic Confederacy," Ozrsot responded, a little perplexed at the trio of voices The Aldier use.

The Sangheili Ship Master replied, "I am Ship Master Thel Vadamee of the Covenant. On behalf of the High Prophets, I offer you the chance to join us in the Great Journey."

[Lord_Asmodeus]

The Aldier took the time to categorize this new information into it's databanks and chorused an affirmative to the alien vessels, before following them where they lead. The Aldier was pleased to have not only found another race of sentients to begin assuaging it's need for knowledge, but another race of sentient machines as well.

[MorhgorRB]

The Cartographer that had been commissioned by the Labak bloodline arrived close enough to the Confederate vessel that both ships were able to detect one another, with the camoflauged crescent hull of the scout craft giving the pilot the exclusive advantage of visual detection assuming no feature of note was behind it. This advantage, however, meerly filled the pilot of the unarmed and momentarily helpless vessel with dread strong enough to succumb to her base instinct.

She screamed.

The scream, however, was not one of her own voice, but a scream transmitted from her ship across the stars, sending a message that there were ships here that did not follow the bloodlines. After doing her part, the pilot tightened her grip on the control bulbs of her ship, watching the Confederate ships through the HUD and praying to her mother that they weren't hostile.

A system away, the transmission was received along the nanofeed network and echoed across the fleets holding vigilance in defense of the world and its trade routes. One of these task fleets, consisting of 50 Harrier Stealth Frigates and 20 Templar Escort Cruisers, began plotting a coordinated jump to the sixth star that the Cartographer had uncovered, weapons and defenses readied in case of trouble with Shipmasters praying that they wouldn't need to use them.

"YOU DAFT BLOODERS, STOP THIS CRATE." Admiral Rannist was on his feet, standing as an imposing figure on his dias over the command deck. "Did we hit it?" There were murmurs over the deck, thier first alien contact. Well, not technically first but the Fire-Birds, akin to the mythological phoenix and other vermin could hardly be counted as contact. The massive ship's engines lowered to a solid hum, audible even here as they finished the abrupt braking.

A few voices called back to him, they had managed not to run it over with thier multi-million ton vessel. It was such a tiny thing that it had registered as a meteorite, until Tac Ops noted the power signature. "Can we get a visual? Where is it?" More voices chorused this time, 2nd Tac and Comms. There were a few softly whispered prayers by the junior members, his senior crew hardly twitched aside from thier hands that danced across the accessboards, giving orders all over the ship. The viewscreen flickered on at John's Pedestal, and he couldn't figure out what he was supposed to be looking at, until it gave him an active grid overlay of the little ship. "Open a channel. All bands, shortwave. And, get a ring to Solla, High Command will want to know about this." He waited, until the Comms symbol flashed, "Alien vessel, we welcome to you Confederate space, please disengage any weapons and prepare to land in Hanger Bay four, which will be indicated for the next four minutes by the flashing red strobes." He stopped there, ending it without the official spiel of things, wondering if it was futile to try talking to it, they might not have a functioning communication center on something that small, or a universal translator. He shrugged, things would work out, one way or another.

[Ganurath]

The pilot of the Cartographer was very confused by the noise being transmitted by the alien vessel. It took a full three minutes for the translation systems to figure out the alien language and replay, and she was rather startled when the chronometric conversion system finished the translation thirty seconds later to clarify she had an equivolent amount of time. The black crescent's white engine lights lit up as it sped toward the highlighted docking bay, and the pilot opened a transmission on what frequencies her ship could transmit on locally. "Sincerest apologies, it took time to translate. My computer should be translating this transmission for you. More of my people are coming because of a beacon I sent... Will it be a problem that my kind inhale oxygen?"

She didn't like playing along, but she had to stall for the Response Fleet to arrive so that she could give them a report on the first encounter with extraterrestrial sentients. A small fire of ambition burned in her heart, anticipating she could earn nobility if she pulled this off well.

[Iethloc]

"Tell me about this Great Journey," King Dnamet requested. Soon after he said this, the workers' lines began to dissolve as they returned to work; maintaining a Thoteza-home kept many workers busy.


The Photondiscs led The Aldier towards the central of the 7 Thoteza-homes, visually identical to the others, and scans would reveal that it had about the same population, and that the Sikrhasi vastly outnumbered the Thotezas; 25 billion digital entities overall as opposed to an oddly small overall population of 70 million Thotezas.

"If you wish, we may arrange a meeting between the Covenant, King Dnamet and yourselves once the current meeting has concluded, or one just between you and Dnamet," Ozrsot said, sounding unpracticed. He wasn't normally the one who handled first contact. That was usually handled by a Thoteza. They had the diplomats since most species were used to talking to organic beings.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

The Aldier thought it over for a minute and responded. "The Aldier is interested in all beings and their cultures and technologies. We would be most pleased to meet this 'Covenant'. If this word has translated correctly into my databanks, this would be a religious coalition? We have limited experience with such things through second hand knowledge. The beings who lived before The Aldier on the world then known as Trion, now known as Aldier Prime, had a number of religions throughout their history. To meet such a grouping would be of great merit to us."

[MorhgorRB]

"Is it moving?" There was a affirmation that he hardly paid attention to, "Lieutentant Garth. Report to Bay four. Bring an honour guard or two with you." There was a collective sigh, some of disappointment, others of relief. Everyone had some feelings about this stranger. "Aye Sir. Sending me to greet the squidface?" It was the Admiral's turn to sigh. "Respectful, Garth. Or I'll have you locked." Garth shrugged, pulling a cutdown rail pistol from the holster on his chair.

The Admiral stood, clasping his hands behind his back. "Not a problem at all." He anwsered into the comm. There was an appearnt fleet on the way, but, at least he had arrayed the avaible ships he had around the colonized world, eight cruisers, thirty destroyers, along with two invisible Wraiths. he had frigates escorting transports to and from thier jump points. He was ready for anything.

The hanger was cleared, all stainless adamite construction, with white carbon panels put up on the walls, scorch marks where Dropship thrusters pushed against them. Garth stood at the ready behind a trans-steel wall, watching as the tiny ship flex through the cavernous hanger doors, a single Albatross parked off to the side for repairs easily three times the size of it. A pair of Alkaden-Mask Honour Guard stood at the ready on either side of him, thier stylized fusion guns resting on thier shoulders, stolid, immovable and entirely unreadable behind thier black-and-gold faceshields.

[An Enemy Spy]

"Many mellinia ago, there was a race we call the Forrunners. They created relics with power far beyond our understanding. A long time ago, they activated a device called... Halo." He said this word with great reverance. "And ascended to godhood. The Covenant is devoted to finding Halo, and following them. All who live are welcome to walk the path with us, so long as they join the Covenant."

[Talkkno]

"Perhaps, in any case you are are in no position to negotiate, but I am willing to compromise." Ashtok remarked as he restrained himself, minding that he would need to consult with Eldrad and the other seers before declaring war.

[Iethloc]

King Dnamet thought for a moment after the Great Journey was described. He sent this information into the Hive Mind, which then sent it to all the Thotezas, and, for a moment, everyone thought. "Our curiosity is piqued. We shall walk with you. Many of us are curious about these Forerunners. In our travels, we've seen many ancient remnants, but few were well-preserved," Kind Dnamet said. Then he gestured in the direction his scout ships reported the Aldier were. "There is an envoy from another civilization outside this Thoteza-home, called 'The Aldier'. They wish to meet you," he informed them.

"Our Confederacy has a religion of its own, as well. The Shutezi...they are monks who wish to reach 'Shutezi', which can be translated from ancient Thotezan into 'Perfection'. An experienced Shutezi Monk can perform psionic feats that are...amazing, to say the least," Ozrsot commented. He led the Aldier over to the same Shuttlebay as King Dnamet and the Sangheili. "You can dock here, if you wish; our bays are large enough to house entire fleets," he said. If they did dock in the shuttlebay, the procedure was simple; the shield generators in front of the shuttlebay simply inverted the shield so it let things in but not out, allowing the Alder in without fuss and preventing depressurization.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

The Aldier's ships docked. Although they had no true "passangers" the internal factories churned out a small drone-form as they docked, and it boarded onto the ship. It had eight long segmented legs, supporting an smooth armless form that was flat on the sides and rounded on the front and back. A glowing red in the center of it's "front" glowed forth. It was a perfect white color. It skittered forward. "This unit will represent The Aldier. If you wish more forms, they can be created."

[Ganurath]

As the autopilot brought the Cartographer in, the pilot rolled off her belly to her back to get her environment suit out of the above compartment. The Cartographers weren't designed for surface deployment, but ill fortune leading to a crash landing every once in a while made the investment worthwhile on every occasion, and they never did answer her question about the oxygen supply.

They actually flew with most of the suit, it was the breathing mask with its invasive nanofeed that she was fetching. After securing the mask and loosening it enough to allow for speech, she wired her earpiece to it and had the transcom upload the translation function. She then flipped the goggle lenses of the mask into place, making her look like a muzzled wolf hound from the neck up.

The Cartographer glided into the landing bay with a dull hum, and those observing energy signatures in the area would notice an active magnetic field around the ship. It was shaped like a simple black crescent, with no visible cockpit by way of window, and a pair of bright lights at each point, intended to impersonate stars.

After the ship landed, the hatch opened up to reveal a bipedal rodent the size of a prepubescent human, with frills of skin along the arms to suggest folded wings. The pilot grabbed the edges of the opened cockpit (at the center of the crescent) and started to pull out while typing on the screen in front of her. "Just checking your air for anything toxic to Fanteals... My apologies for informality, but I'm not trained for politics."