Eris on Cardamine

[Emissary]

In many years of diplomacy with various groups John had become an expert in his own way, in part through extensive knowledge of human anatomy as a surgeon: quickly catching smallest movements, unintended hand gestures, subtle facial reactions, tiny muscle twitches, half-smiles, unfinished sly smirks and all the little bits that often gave away additional intents or indicate whether person is conflicted, may be hiding something or lying outright. This indirect way of reading another person state proved to be very helpful skill in his career as a diplomat. It's also one of the reasons why he preferred to have direct conversations in person rather than sending faceless text missives back and forth.

But all this knowledge seem being much less of use here. His counterpart wasn't a human being despite displaying self as one. What stood there in front of John was only a proxy shell, in a twisted sense it was here for John's own convenience sake, but it was rather unsettling convenience. While such communication would be more efficient for a human it was terrifying. Who was the human that now stands in front of him? What happened to him? Was it a choice or... not. It's an eerie alien world John found himself at where human concepts most certainly have no place. And in this world a human being can become a mere tool. As gut-wrenching the thought might be was there any difference to how mankind used and continues to use other life forms to sustain own empires? But perhaps the person in front of him isn't real either: John knew those who had experienced lengthy and intense contact with Nomads had significant reality perception distortions, like being able to see people who were either long dead or physically never were there in the first place.

"We stand in the halls of forgotten history, John. Once it had been a very ambitious attempt. It had so many names during it's planning phases, codenames constantly changing during construction, various words were assigned, but all of it covered in a thick veil of secrecy and restricted access. The last known codename was "Altair" and it had remained so, but you wouldn't find this name mentioned anywhere. Back then both Liberty and Rheinland were vying to establish presence and maintain control within the area of this nebulae cluster known to you as Omicrons. Fiercely contesting over legacy that wasn't theirs to inherit. Both kept it wrapped beneath the level of public attention, so it was a silent and deadly game, and those involved it in would keep it that way. In fact it still goes on to this day, just not here anymore. Their struggle had attracted our interest. Between these two and few other minor parties making their own attempts it was Liberty to invest considerably more resources into their operations. But all the funds and effort wasn't without ever increasing complications - supply convoys became valuable targets for Corsairs, and we have ensured such course collisions were more than mere luck.

Environment around wrapped into what seem to be was it's past condition. Gone were those unusual architecture elements and Liberty red-blue insignia was proudly shining on the big wall. A few parts were missing, seems the base was built in a hurry, but the view outside into other parts of the station hinted at much grander scale of this operation. Like out of thin air the atrium became filled with people. Station personnel, no different from any other station, except security seem was excessively tight there with checkpoints at every passageway. The host gestured Doc to follow across, nobody around noticed the two as if they weren't there.

Predictably the 'powers that be' had decided it was absolutely paramount to establish a more permanent solution that would solve most of the risks associated with expeditions. Besides Freeport 7 had already became inconvenient in this matter, difficult to use as staging ground for larger operations. So this... Well, this was to be their bold and final word to end any competition once and for all, to establish firm presence within Omicrons, to set a fully self-sustainable nexus from which to expand into uncharted territories. At least such was the plan, but as you stand here now you know they did succeed."

The scene slightly faded into blur and days ahead passed, weeks came and went in seconds before his eyes. Occasionally John could focus and slow down the time to overhear conversations and learn that several patrols went missing, an exploration crew to one of the distant planets in the system never got back. Worse yet supply transports were missing as well. There were talks of food rations going to be halved. There was a hope home would send them reinforcements.

"In truth communication relays were down for a long time. But in order to keep the secrecy of this place the access to wide-range communication was a privilege of a selected few administrative members who would be afraid to admit there were problems. In the following weeks security measures were increasing dramatically and living in deep uncharted space so far away... The station was built upon so many secrets and regulations. Wasn't that left hand didn't knew what right one was doing, they never were even aware the other one existed. Altair went operational long before it was properly staffed and equipped, and contrary to what this place was supposed to be the facility wasn't self-sufficient. Inadvertently yet predictably several major system failures followed. Long before the outcome it had already became a prison where wardens were prisoners as much as everyone else there."

Rumors were on the lips and dreadful thoughts occupying minds around them as John and his guide followed through corridors inside the complex. From time to time he could hear administration repeatedly announced it had everything under control. People around talked quietly, privately, away from prying eyes of security cameras. Tired faces all around. John already had a feeling where this was going. Further into complex across a large hall John saw station security rounding up personnel suspected sabotaging station systems and stealing food rations. Explosion nearby deafened and blinded John for a while. Gunshots were heard echoing in haze and blur, angered crowd shouting. Voice in loudspeakers demanded to surrender but then someone tore the box from the wall. Crowd rushed towards hangar bay, the moments after series of explosions blew off connection corridor.