Meeting at the Citadel

[Ninkurra]

The Nymph listened carefully to each, noting their behavior for herself. As expected, she paid special attention to the young specialist Audax. At some point, he felt as if something cold, oppressive, frightening seized him from the inside, but this stopped as soon as the Nymph took her gaze away from him.

- Mr. Zaharias... I am glad that your organization is still open for cooperation. I confess we expected something different from you. Not enmity, but... Misunderstandings.

She then turned to the android.
- Unfortunately, our connection with Gammu was lost after we left Moros, and their drones stopped appearing in Sirius at all. Probably something happened to them. As for the joint project that took place in the past, we are still open to work on it. Perhaps now it will be even more in demand than ever.

She was now very confident. Her tone was powerful and decisive. Despite the fact that there were much more representatives of Auxesia around, the guest felt like a wolf among sheep.

Her gaze shifted to the Revenant.
- Would you like to keep us company on an excursion to the Laboratory, friend of Melia? I cannot imagine anyone more suitable for this...

A condescending smile appeared on the Nymph's face and her companions nodded almost synchronously... Except, perhaps, the Benefactor... He was definitely more independent in thoughts than the others.

[Treewyrm]

The ancient dreamer calmly dwelled in his own thoughts casually watching how the conversation goes. Were circumstances different... The alternative to this moment might have been more entertaining, it certainly would have been vicious. He resolved to indulge these people to play their little game of having ownership. In a grand scheme of things this was a test for the Vagrants and their kind. Although the most crucial test was still ahead of them this one was just as important to see how they can handle this matter. Now. How to make this more interesting?

~ Oh did you hear them, Nymph? They are graciously permitting you to take a peek at your belongings. ~

Icy and razor sharp these thoughts were meant to pierce both Nymph and her host with the special emphasis on the last part further twisting in. Meanwhile his thoughts had already moved on, speculating about disappearance of Gammu machines mentioned in conversation. While never a crucial part of his plans there was always a small opening to utilize them in one way or another, unfortunately the machine-state seem had never been particularly stable. Despite the rigid nature they always struggled to maintain pocket civilization of their own. Whether it was a result of this inflexibility or other factors it was hard to say, but several iterations had emerged before yet none successful enough beyond the initial phase. Was there some fundamental flaw, a deeply rooted mechanism causing certain downfall each time, perhaps one that they were never aware of?

[Ninkurra]

The Nymph grimaced in annoyance for a few seconds.
*** What are you trying to achieve by mocking us, Harbinger? We are in the minority here and it is not in our position to push harder. Especially since not everything here is unambiguous. We see interesting new possibilities, although the future has several variations.***
The Nymph sighed and gathered her thoughts together again.

[Kauket]

The young Administrator watched, keeping tabs on Nympth. He certainly had some insecurities regarding this meeting. He finally expressed himself, "We do have more suitable amenities for this avenue, especially now ever since the Cult of Technology has long since, uh, departed... We will need to make another expedition to gather crystals upon the border of the Sector. It entails opening up another fracture within the hyperspatial stream. "

Revenant opened up, having some time to ponder upon different matters when they were talking, they were able to vanish their previous thoughts of amusement.

"Hmmm... Gammu... There were no signs of a call to help, but no word on the liberation of Malekula..." She briefly stopped for a moment, lowering her palms. She noticed the shift of emotional tone within Nympth, but disregarded it. She had nothing to worry about, not even death if she were to be betrayed. There was a feeling of collective being within the presence of fellow Technocrats. "You are keeping an eye on the Order, are you not?"

She leaned forward, releasing her relaxed posture to sit upright, "It seems they are very keen on keeping an eye on you. Their vessels have been appearing more frequently within Liberty, Gallia, and the Independent Worlds. Infact, John Silverstone -- to jog your memory, he was an ex-personnel of the Order Primary Fleet -- he was nagging around Liberty and our people inquiring about your Dreamer friend. He may still have contacts within the Primary Fleet, despite him ... infesting himself with some form of automation. We're not particularly concerned at this moment of time. Yet. But it is something to be aware of. " She gestured with her eye over to the unexpressive male in a suit, gesturing to him upon mention of a Dreamer.

There was a moment of silence once more, she smiled in response, declining the offer to walk with Nympth, "Not yet. I will join you shortly. Our Administrator will show you around to look at your inheritance, since he is acquainted with his own department and organisation. Infact --"

Audax looked over to Revenant in distraught upon mention of his name watching her as she reached into her pocket pulling out what appears to be a set of datakeys attached to a carabiner. She tossed it onto the desk, landing it in front of the guests. The Advisor was puzzled by this decision of extension of trust, furrowing a brow.

"Investigate yourselves. This will allow you to access all the labs and storage on this level. He'll help you navigate the library if you need to look into the archives. There are some rest rooms and break rooms present if you require to rejuvenate... I am not too sure what you expect to find beyond organic debris of your derelict heritage - the place was decaying and falling apart from the atmospheric pressure. Defunct and shattered materials and the occasional A6 sample, as we have told. There might be something though, we did find an unusual chunk, Audax will guide you to it. But if you do not find what you are looking for here, it may warrant another trip to investigate Moros to ensure that everything was retrieved. "

She pouted, pondering for a moment, "There was a rumor regarding a big archaeological find in Omega-55, Planet Skagen. Information comes rare from there, the Core hold a tight grasp on their underlings, but the occasional rumor slips."

A sigh was let out for a very brief moment, feeling a little dejected as Melia left her out on the opportunity to assist before, "But once more, it is only upon your request that assistance is available. We understand that you have desired to act alone in the past, and will respect your choice to do so again. But understand, we cannot permit your adversaries to eliminate you or steal your kinds property for their own nefarious intents, so we will be informing you of any large movements we hear about..."

Relaxation set in, she realised she jabbered on for a good bit.

---

[Treewyrm]

~ You've certainly made a mockery of yourself so far. ~

Harbinger immediately retorted. Oh when will you learn...

~ If these are your closest allies, the ones you've put above your kin, how is it that they hold your legacy at a ransom? Don't answer yet. Let the other minds ponder this very question as well. Look at this moment as a turning pivot, a threshold that separates before and after, upon which you shall look and wonder how is it you've dwelled in such mental squalor. ~

~ Power is a projection of will. A collective will unified in its singular vision can truly accomplish miracles, our Makers understood it and our very nature is a reflection of that. At their behest we labored to create the Sphere. Our legacy is so much more than you can possibly imagine. I would share this vision with you but if you are too weak it'll drive you insane and you won't wake from it. ~

He did listen to Revenant's ramblings but nothing particularly stood out, briefly scratching his chin at the mention of Order poking around. It would be surprising if they didn't after the last encounter. Although they did capture and execute Corino some time ago, she was a good asset and might have dealt with some of the issues, but unfortunately not everyone makes it out alive to the end. A reminder of how humans are fragile and prone to spontaneous failure, in this regard Vagrants and their borderline obsession over these tools seem baffling and immature.

When the datakey landed on the desk it was just a barely noticeable quick smirk that he allowed to express.

~ You know humans had simple creatures they've made into household pets back at the world of their origin. Small quadrupedal things they've affectionally called 'dogs'. The datakey tossed at you like a proverbial bone. Gestures, words, patterns. Simple nudges, conditioning. ~

[Ninkurra]

*** You are right about some things, Harbinger. But not completely. "Dogs". We know what it is. Are we regarded as dogs? Like slaves or pets? Doubtful. Neither one nor the other has freedom. These thoughts are empty demagoguery, a harbinger. Are we putting them above their brethren? This is not true. Are they a valuable asset to us? This is true. However, it is too early to draw conclusions. We will always have time to use force, but let us act gently and you will see much more benefit. Sometimes words are more important than actions. ***

The nymph stared at the datapad and then at the Revenant. Soon, she felt a familiar feeling of discomfort and pressure from the outside, which made it clear that her mind was being invaded.

*** We didn't come here to poke around in catalogs. We need specific things. Don't get us wrong, but we don't have much time. As long as I am patient and diplomatic, others do not quite share my approach, Keeper. ***

From the outside, what was happening could look like a gazing game, but finally the Nymph has spoke.

- Excellent. Take us to the lab. I hope we have been provided with not only information but also physical samples, right? We will discuss the rest after.

[Kauket]

Revenant nodded in response, acknowledging their hastily telepathic message. It did hurt a little to receive, oddly enough. She cleared her throat, reorientating her thoughts.

"Of course. Take what you will, we would rather it be within your hands, rather than Humanities. "

She stood up in line along with Audax who was waiting. "Follow us, if you may, please. "

The two would lead the gang out of the meeting room, the Captain and his cohort were present outside the room, boredly awaiting. The group would be led down the hallway into another corridor of varying doors. They were lead through a reinforced door with an orange stripe. They entered the containment cell. Ahead of them was presented what appeared to be a crystallic chunk in suspended stasis, held up by the anti-gravity field.

Audax would nervously open up, elaborating more upon the specimen before them, he would briefly tap into a nearby console with a display, showing the brief scientific jargon of the material properties amongst other things,

"This sample was retrieved from the southern quadrant of the structure, just above the defunct stabilizer. There was a previous forceful entry upon examination, which had revealed some of the interiors, uh, 'veins' - as you will. This sample was the most intact extraction from the mission. Unfortunately, the City cannot be saved, the damage to the stabilizers is far too extensive and the pressure of the atmosphere has damaged majority of the structure. Most of the samples were extensively damaged. Ah. I-I'm sure you already knew that though... We do, ehrm, have more samples, stolen from Corsair extractors. Xeno Relics, they nickname them. No doubt those horrible creatures horrendously damaged all the samples during extraction..." The nervous protege recomposed himself, "They are next door, if you wish to go through them. I-uh, must warn you, there is a lot to go through..."

The screen showed the sample was primarily consisting of what was mentioned on the comms previously. "Xesxum" - Azurite A6, biocrystal composition... Along with other elements that was yet to be identified in its entirety. It was a pretty hefty sample, definitely not something that could be held by hand. There were some cross references to another City within the file, namely the Newcastle one, including some discreet trailings of Ingenuus Research Vessels, following them to that site. It seems the Technocrats had visited that site before their conflicts with Bretonia. Including a bold raid of one of the observation facilities within orbit, they had stolen some data from the Bretonian facility.

Revenant stood back, holding her arms behind her back. She peered to the side for a moment as a message came in on their augment piece, something alerting them on through the Uplink, pouting in response. With some mild irk within their tone from the report, she turned back to the group from the back,

"I must warn you of your returning trip. Local teams have detected Order assets on the move transferring Kusari to Liberty garrison, last seen in Kepler. Last capital sightings were detected in Coronado, a recon cruiser under the "S8" markings. I advise you go through Vespucci to Leeds to avoid direct conflict on the way back. "

---

[Treewyrm]

The man stood up and gestured Nymph/Juliette to take the lead. As they passed through the corridors the hidden conversation continued.

~ Time is not your ally either. Rather, at the present, it is a competitor. ~

Finally the group has entered containment cell and the previously indifferent stance changed as he walked around looking at the samples with a mild interest. The items on display clearly were from the Archive. While Crete and few other 'junkyards' were literal landfills of garbage it was the Archives that held most valuables. By their design the Archives were meant to be opened by a dreamer, however something has clearly gone wrong. Whereas most stand sealed, for now, at least two were clearly compromised and a third one ended up somewhere it shouldn't be. Although they weren't completely impenetrable there was enough protection to withstand quite substantial amount of damage. The loss of one is an unfortunate event but a manageable one nonetheless, losing two is a matter of serious concern, and more than three... puts things into a completely different kind of perspective. While passing one of the stasis cells the crystalline formation within suddenly changed its reflective properties, producing a different light signature and startling the young administrator.

~ A valuable ally... An ironic statement given this guilty scene. Evidently this arrangement had served them well so far. Propelled their ambitions to imagine they are more than they really are, all thanks to your gesture of good will. How charitable. But what about you I wonder? The precarious nay dire situation you were in when I had first found you. Deprived of will and resolve to make the future of your own, almost reduced to a mere survival instinct. How do we interpret it any different at all? Do tell me you've got something worthwhile out of all this... ~

Unsettling silence had set in. Though not privy to the details of this conversation happening within the minds of two alien beings even the Keeper Revenant could feel the tense moment.

"The Order is not our concern here." - he replied, referring to the last phrase and turning around to look at her directly. There wasn't a clear sign of malice in the stare, although in place of indifference there was a feeling seldom able to be expressed by a human. The human thrall could not even move a muscle without the being controlling it allowing so to happen. Unlike the Vagrants and their attempts at symbiotic relation with the host, here the control was absolute. In moments like these those familiar would brace for the vision to take hold of senses or worse but none followed.

[Ninkurra]

The Nymph stared at the young administrator who had stepped in front of her and put her hand on his shoulder. Primal horror gripped him for a moment, but then it was replaced by unexpected warmth and tranquility. Thoughts began to get a little confused, as if drunk.

- Your fear can be felt a mile from the Citadel, young seeker of knowledge. But we are not to be feared. You are in much more trouble with the Order right now. As the Benefactor rightly pointed out, they are not our problem for now.

Then something happened. A heavy silence reigned in the Nymph's mind. All the Harbinger felt was something between anger and disappointment. She distanced herself from the young administrator and froze like a statue. The thoughts of the Nymph and her Bearer were no longer audible to the Harbinger and others from the delegation.
She proceeded to one of the artifacts recovered from the city. Suddenly, she began to behave like a puppet. Her movements became unnatural, devoid of any lively emotional coloring, just like her face. Her eyes lit up with a purple haze, and her voice was distorted beyond recognition. Only Revenant and Harbinger were able to feel Eris in husk of Nymph. She must have decided to control everything personally.

The hand of "Nymph" sank onto a crystalline object resembling a triangle in its structure, from which it began to glow. Her gaze froze on it. It was a crystalline structure. Its corners were flanked by an unknown metal, the surface of which was dotted with engraved Daam'K'Vosh symbols. It emitted a faint throb, resonating with the minds of the Dreamers here.

She turned to Revenant.
- Our Father, the Simurgh, was very kind, wasn't he? You have learned a lot from our heritage... Did you really extract the whole of it with his permission?

*** This is it. Come here, Harbinger. We feel, this is important. Is this one was the matter of our seekings? ***

She removed the object from it pedestal, but it did not stop glowing. For a few more seconds, she gazed at the object, fascinated, and then handed it to the Harbinger.

[Kauket]

Revenant was not phased by the opening, but pained - pained in a way from the previous damage they suffered with their broken bond with the long lost Nomad - it was akin to an open port, trying to find a radio signal. It produced noise. Noise, noise, noise, within the mind. Upon the outside, she only offering a furrow of a tense brow in ponder, grimacing, now that the pain they feel has opened up a realisation to one of their theories may have been given a decent backing. A thought of a psychic realm, a form of destiny. Their initial thoughts regarding their kind were more burrowed in foundation more so than ever. It has been shown time and time again.

Resisting would be futile against the infinite, not against Melia, not against Ouroboros, especially not against Harbinger, who seemed grouchier than ever. There is no point in angering them any further. Afterall, rejecting their inquiry to visit in the first place would have entailed putting up a fight with an endless armada. She knew that, she vouched to the Directorate to let them visit as they will, or face the consequences. The memories of Toledo was still fresh within her mind, the endless armada of light. They witnessed it all before. It was all an inevitable loop to them. Fight, bounce back. Fight. Bounce back. There was no point to infinite conflict. Maybe there was such a thing as a destiny. The tension was disturbing. Thoughts came into their mind, trying to calculate the scenario, thoughts hastily racing through their head, intertwining with the loud disturbance,

"Argh. Did we do something wrong? Why is he annoyed? Why does he not trust his kin? Are we in their way? Is there something more they need? Are they still going to annihilate us? Are they stuck to their instincts? Why didn't Melia take the object of interest? Should we abandon this collection? Is this a test for both of us? Did Melia test us? What can we even do? They do not appear to like the freedom of trust. The Order - no, they do not know, improbable... Is Melia mad at me?! Why is that archive so loud? Calm. Calm. Be calm."

Remaining stoic upon the outside to retain professionality, she offered no resistance to his view points - however illogical they may be to underestimate his opposition, "As you will. "

The young Administrator remained still, quite shocked. He was staring at the monitor, watching the readings go hayhire. "I, uh, this is... Wow..."

There was an awkward moment of silence, allowing themselves to calm down from their panicked thoughts, before Revenant continued, noticing Audax was enthralled by the rapid readings racing onto the monitor - fascination ultimately stunning him, "Is... Is there anything else you require?" she stated before staring over to whoever may be within Nympth now, wih in a tremble of submission of pain, trying to show that they do not intend to stop them or prevent them from leaving. She stood out of their way, still holding her arms behind her back, still masking the pain as she clenched her fists out of view as an outlet.


"I've never felt this terrified before, such fear, such rage, such pure energy. Why has my control of my sense of self vanished?" thinking once more to themselves. They stopped, hearing the voice of Eris, perking up for a moment.

A moment later, the automated system picked up on the unknown energy reading, announcing on the tannoy echoing in the corridor. Revenant snapped out of her stance upon hearing the tannoy bell ring to life, to quickly snag out her personal device, tapping away like a marathon on it,

"Attention internal units. Blackout status recorded in Sector R-2XB3. Unknown surge detected. Potential outbreak in progress. Teams 44 to 7. Deploy and diagnose. Category: ... One. -... Attention, Alert nullified. Return to standard directives. All sectors report status: Green. "


She lowered it, placing it away with a subtle release of a sigh, watching them manipulate the crystal in silence. At least the automated AI didn't go haywire. It seemed it was reset by the power fluctation of the 'awakening'. There was not much to do but to watch in awe through the visage of affliction. And pray that they don't turn on them.

"Such beauty... Such a travesty that they are all that remains of the extinct ones."

Answering the query with unease, there was a certain guilt to their words as they did not know these chunks were more than they appeared - they were directly connected to those beings. An element of life to them. Feeling as they have sinned for possibly harming another sentient creature unknowningly,

"I - We ... am -... Sorry. Curiosity drives us. It is our nature to collect, to understand, and to protect. It is within our interests to prevent Humanity from obtaining your species legacy, as it will simply mean another cycle of careless destruction. We have witnessed it, even with mere debris: Liberty. Core. The Order... It is what the Ascension has willed us all to do upon embracement. We were unsure what to do with the remnants from the expedition. Polyhymnia made no mention of what to do. We simply just ... left it in archive until further instruction. There is not much to understand from entities that are inoperable to those less... psychically gifted."

Guilt and uncertainty were afloat. Mostly confusion. Did Melia know they were giving away components that were not junk? If it were so important, why did they leave it to the archives? Whatever the reason, they were all just happy its going back to them peacefully. Another extermination event was not within the interests of the augmented.

---