Exhack
Inactive Member
On the Northern edge of Abwehr's Colonial Fringe lies the Meltra System. A small system with an old orange star, the Meltra system is home to only a single habitable world. Located on the outer edge of the system (only 1.8 AU from the Old Man Star), Meltra 3 was a temperate world with small oceans and a ring of developing industry in orbit. The most noticable would be four orbital stations around the lush world. Two of these looked to be complete and abuzz with traffic, while the other two looked to be partially constructed or deconstructed. The majority of traffic in the system seemed to be civilian in nature with lightspeed transmissions focused around Meltra 3. Military signals could also be detected, but they were spread out through the system and very rare in occurrence.
A large number of distortion signatures broke out at the edge of the system, entirely unlike those of standard Kaiserlich F&E Fold drives erupted onto sensors. Coming off the incorrect vectors to approach the civilian trade centers and without any previous signal, the incoming vessels were unknowns on a fast approach. Visual scans showed a trio of tall, golden sail-shaped vessels with swept organic features traced in deep lines of glowing blue, a single cannon resting at the meeting point of the 'wings' and sail-like body acting as the indicator of a sort of 'prow.' They did not appear to be on fast approach towards any of the facilities in orbit around Meltra 3, nor the world itself, but instead appeared to be sending a number of humanoid corewards to the system.
Deep inside Meltra Military Outpost, a rather lax Subspace Mass Sensor Operator would get a rude awakening. The distortion signals created by the multiple unknowns were enough to activate alarms that would normally signal the arrival of invasion. But the unknown variable of the strange FTL drives had gained the attention of their civilian counterparts over on Meltra Trade. A flurry of sublight communications would follow the arrival of the Unknowns before a single FTL signal from the Bulwark-class Military Outpost was broadcast in the general direction of the distortion signals.
"Unidentified vessels, this is Meltra System Control. Please activate IFF or broadcast identification on general channels. Repeat, activate IFF or broadcast ID. Over." the control operator sent in Trade (Nepleslian).
Upon transmission of the warning, the operator would notice the scouting craft had stopped moving and their supporting vessels came to a full stop at the edge of Meltra 3's gravity well. "Ehh... copy System Control of Meltra. This is... Margraiv Ekhazar Sautees of VSV Telasur." The voice that replied apppeared to be significantly distorted, as if it had been passed through a vocoder or low-end translator program.
There was a long pause at the other end as the Abwehran Control Operator tried to look up many of the terms he didn't understand. Unfortunately, trying to find information on Margraiv or VSV was like trying to find a pin-point of light in the Void. "VSV Telasur, I find no record of your designation or rank," the Controller replied in a thick-accented Trade. "Please identify your origin and purpose in the Meltra System."
"I am acting commander... of Telasur Scout Battlegroup, under mandate... to explore systems along the rim of the nebular cluster. We are members of Astral Erla Mirav, what may be accurate referred to as an 'Expeditionary Corps'." Ekhazar's voice seemed to be clearer, although it was still obvious that the voice the operator was receiving was sampled and made to speak Trade through usage of a language pack. "For reasons of safety... I am forbidden from disclose information related to homesystem... until an Envoy or Officer of the Flag has been dispatched."
"Uh...oh...Please hold," the Operator replied before quickly muting the transmission. "By the Void! First Contact! Got to break out protocols." he rambled as he checked his console. "Protocols, Protocols, damn it...where are the protocols!" It would be minutes before the transmission would resume, but a new person would be on the line.
"Herr Ekhazar," a feminine voice was transmitted, though still heavily accented. "I am Kommodore Edith Drechsler of Meltra Military Outpost. By the authority of the Empress of the Abwehran Star Empire, I am authorized by the Expansion Doctrine's Second Article to act as Envoy to you along with a civilian representative from the colony of Meltra III. If you could pull your scouting forces back to their motherships, our representatives will come to you on an unarmed transport. Is this satisfactory?"
"There is... misunderstanding here." Although much of the intonation and textural depth was lost to the vocoder, the alien commander sounded shaky and a little worried, as if something he had said had been missed. "I am forbidden from revealing information until Envoy or Flag Officer... of Astral Vanguard is dispatched. Reasons of Command Structure." The officer explained, his electronically modified voice carrying flatter now. "I lack authority, and will be sending you one... who does."
"But I will... consent to terms outlined, Kommodore Edith Drechsler. Ekhazar out."
Shortly after his reply, the scouting units pulled back to their supporting vessels. The center one of the sail-shaped ships appeared to disable its shield and weapon systems and broke off from the two, slowly moving forward until it had placed a little more than ten kilometers between itself and the others, seemingly to distinguish it as the vessel the diplomatic team were meant to dock.
"Control, contact Meltra Colony and request they send a representative as soon as possible," Edith told the enlisted man in charge of traffic control. "I'll ready a transport and honor guard. And contact the First Destroyer Division. Tell them to 'drift' their patrol pattern half an AU closers to are visitors. I'd rather be ready for any surprises."
"Aye, ma'am," the Controller replied as he went about his business. An couple of hours later, a Fresha-class Transport left Meltra Military Outpost on course to the Telasur Scout Battlegroup. This unarmed, civilian transport only reached a length of 70 meters and was quite slow in acceleration (only 300 Gs due to the older model of engine design). It would be hours before the Transport, designated the Derflinger, would even enter effective sublight communication range.
"Telasur Battlegroup, this is the HMMS Derflinger carrying diplomatic envoy, requesting clearance to dock and deliver, over."
A large number of distortion signatures broke out at the edge of the system, entirely unlike those of standard Kaiserlich F&E Fold drives erupted onto sensors. Coming off the incorrect vectors to approach the civilian trade centers and without any previous signal, the incoming vessels were unknowns on a fast approach. Visual scans showed a trio of tall, golden sail-shaped vessels with swept organic features traced in deep lines of glowing blue, a single cannon resting at the meeting point of the 'wings' and sail-like body acting as the indicator of a sort of 'prow.' They did not appear to be on fast approach towards any of the facilities in orbit around Meltra 3, nor the world itself, but instead appeared to be sending a number of humanoid corewards to the system.
Deep inside Meltra Military Outpost, a rather lax Subspace Mass Sensor Operator would get a rude awakening. The distortion signals created by the multiple unknowns were enough to activate alarms that would normally signal the arrival of invasion. But the unknown variable of the strange FTL drives had gained the attention of their civilian counterparts over on Meltra Trade. A flurry of sublight communications would follow the arrival of the Unknowns before a single FTL signal from the Bulwark-class Military Outpost was broadcast in the general direction of the distortion signals.
"Unidentified vessels, this is Meltra System Control. Please activate IFF or broadcast identification on general channels. Repeat, activate IFF or broadcast ID. Over." the control operator sent in Trade (Nepleslian).
Upon transmission of the warning, the operator would notice the scouting craft had stopped moving and their supporting vessels came to a full stop at the edge of Meltra 3's gravity well. "Ehh... copy System Control of Meltra. This is... Margraiv Ekhazar Sautees of VSV Telasur." The voice that replied apppeared to be significantly distorted, as if it had been passed through a vocoder or low-end translator program.
There was a long pause at the other end as the Abwehran Control Operator tried to look up many of the terms he didn't understand. Unfortunately, trying to find information on Margraiv or VSV was like trying to find a pin-point of light in the Void. "VSV Telasur, I find no record of your designation or rank," the Controller replied in a thick-accented Trade. "Please identify your origin and purpose in the Meltra System."
"I am acting commander... of Telasur Scout Battlegroup, under mandate... to explore systems along the rim of the nebular cluster. We are members of Astral Erla Mirav, what may be accurate referred to as an 'Expeditionary Corps'." Ekhazar's voice seemed to be clearer, although it was still obvious that the voice the operator was receiving was sampled and made to speak Trade through usage of a language pack. "For reasons of safety... I am forbidden from disclose information related to homesystem... until an Envoy or Officer of the Flag has been dispatched."
"Uh...oh...Please hold," the Operator replied before quickly muting the transmission. "By the Void! First Contact! Got to break out protocols." he rambled as he checked his console. "Protocols, Protocols, damn it...where are the protocols!" It would be minutes before the transmission would resume, but a new person would be on the line.
"Herr Ekhazar," a feminine voice was transmitted, though still heavily accented. "I am Kommodore Edith Drechsler of Meltra Military Outpost. By the authority of the Empress of the Abwehran Star Empire, I am authorized by the Expansion Doctrine's Second Article to act as Envoy to you along with a civilian representative from the colony of Meltra III. If you could pull your scouting forces back to their motherships, our representatives will come to you on an unarmed transport. Is this satisfactory?"
"There is... misunderstanding here." Although much of the intonation and textural depth was lost to the vocoder, the alien commander sounded shaky and a little worried, as if something he had said had been missed. "I am forbidden from revealing information until Envoy or Flag Officer... of Astral Vanguard is dispatched. Reasons of Command Structure." The officer explained, his electronically modified voice carrying flatter now. "I lack authority, and will be sending you one... who does."
"But I will... consent to terms outlined, Kommodore Edith Drechsler. Ekhazar out."
Shortly after his reply, the scouting units pulled back to their supporting vessels. The center one of the sail-shaped ships appeared to disable its shield and weapon systems and broke off from the two, slowly moving forward until it had placed a little more than ten kilometers between itself and the others, seemingly to distinguish it as the vessel the diplomatic team were meant to dock.
"Control, contact Meltra Colony and request they send a representative as soon as possible," Edith told the enlisted man in charge of traffic control. "I'll ready a transport and honor guard. And contact the First Destroyer Division. Tell them to 'drift' their patrol pattern half an AU closers to are visitors. I'd rather be ready for any surprises."
"Aye, ma'am," the Controller replied as he went about his business. An couple of hours later, a Fresha-class Transport left Meltra Military Outpost on course to the Telasur Scout Battlegroup. This unarmed, civilian transport only reached a length of 70 meters and was quite slow in acceleration (only 300 Gs due to the older model of engine design). It would be hours before the Transport, designated the Derflinger, would even enter effective sublight communication range.
"Telasur Battlegroup, this is the HMMS Derflinger carrying diplomatic envoy, requesting clearance to dock and deliver, over."