The Tale of the Tyche

[Leo]

"Can you identify them?" Julia asked.

"Negative ma'am, they're moving faster than anything on record. The computer system can't compute the data that it's being given. It's almost like the system is having a fit."

"Bring up Z.O.E."

Z.O.E. (Zoner Operational Entity) was an AI placed on the advanced ship in it's early stages. The AI helped coordinate the creation of many of the systems aboard the ship and even helped the designers create many of the systems now on board the ship. However, while the AI assisted the creators of the vessel, it could not take control of the Helm, weapons systems, or anything else that could put the humans on the ship in any harm. This term was loosely coined "Shackled AI"

The image of a woman appeared on the deck of the bridge and looked to the commander. She nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Zoe, how long until they're on us?"

"Not long, five minutes at most." Zoe said in the synthesized voice.

"Status?"

"Armor at 100%. Shields at 100%. Weapons at 100%. Engines at 100%. We are prepared to engage or run if needed. I recommend that we bring weapons offline to appear as non-threatening as possible, Commander. We can bring them back online quickly if needed."

"Refrences to this time period?"

"According to the time period, it has been believed this was when the first Harvesters were created."

"You're saying that--"

"The creators may very well still exist in this time period."

Julia paled very quickly at the news that Zoe gave. If the creators did indeed exist in this time period and they met the human vessel from thousands of years later, it could severely alter the time line in ways that she didn't even want to imagine.

"Suggestions, Zoe."

"I suggest we remain as non-hostile as possible. Do not run, do not have any hostile actions, simply sit here."

"...and if this ship is a creator vessel?"

"Then we do what we can to preserve the time line, Commander."

"Right, power down weapons, drop shields and leave the armor online. Kill the engines and we sit here. Give them our largest side of our ship for them to target to look unthreatening."

"Ma'am?!" said one of the security officers.

"Do it!"

The Jinkusu turned on its side and powered down its weapons, the shells of the turrets folding in and being covered by the armor. As the ship came within range, Julia and the crew immediately noticed that it was of a similar vessel as before from the previous system, but larger...a lot larger, easily dwarfing the Tyche. At first, the ship only scanned the large Jinkusu ship that was completely covered in armor.

"Are we far enough away from the sun to drop armor?"

"Yes, Commander." Zoe said.

"Drop armor, Zoe."

The armor slid back off the hull and the alien vessel backed up quickly from the vessel, still scanning it furiously as the armor slid off the tops of the bio-domes and the rest of the hull. Blinding sunlight flowed into the rest of the ship as the ship remained sitting there. The huge alien ship flew around the Tyche for a while longer, scanning, it, prodding it, but it never opened fire as its smaller relative did in the previous system. Within a few moments of this, the comm. frequency flashed that there was an incoming transmission. Julia breathed. The creators wanted to talk with her. Sweat beaded off her brow.

"Zoe?"

"I am replying with our status. It seems they are curious as to our existence here. They are analyzing me as I speak to them in our language and am attempting to translate their own language...they wish to speak with you, ma'am."

Zoe winked out of existence replaced with a large creature in what appeared to be some kind massive of hazard suit. The suit looked rather large. Complex lighting systems appeared to be all over it. Julia was awestruck. She was staring at one of the legendary creators of the Harvesters and Nomads...she was staring down the very creature that mankind had been marveled with for centuries in Sirius.

"Good...evening, is it?" the holographic representation of the creator said. "How are you doing, Commander?"

"W-we're in a bit of a complex situation..." Julia replied.

"Indeed you are. We have scanned your ship...the particles are not in proper phase with our time." Julia's eyes grew wide but the creature laughed. "Worry not young one, we knew this day was coming for many years. The rift in A47B-22 system anticipated your arrival. We have been waiting for you to come for some time, yes. Time travel is a...confusing business."

"This is my first time here." Julia said confused. "We have never met...how is it that you know our language?"

"I have already told you, Commander Julianne Gabriel, time travel is a confusing business...

"You have already come to our time once before."

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You fear oblivion. Yet you forget. The universe remembers every atom of your being. Even dust hums your name in the dark.

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Starlight Research Consortium | The Banished Legion | Astral
[OOC]Junker Gameplay Loop Suggestion | [OOC]Boneyard Mining Suggestion