RP: 4th Fleet (NSN) Special Package from Null & Void

[Sigma]

An odd party boarded the Admiral Ironside's flagship. Normally, rank would go in order of seniority but this time, it didn't. As Officer Commanding of the 1st Cruiser Division, Rear Admiral Valencia Ironside entered first, followed by her superior officer, Grand Admiral Dominic Valken, then their attendant bodyguards. A pair of IPG operators, twin women with severe, humorless faces, half hidden by their signature grey trench coats. Behind them, a squad of Marines armed with shotguns and rifles in ceremonial armored uniforms.

Captain Barton and his senior officers welcomed the party aboard and observed all the formal niceties. Yet it was also quicker than normal as the two Admirals were keen to view the two things recently arrived from Null & Void via the destroyer, Carronade.

Their first stop was to view the pieces of broken metal that once constituted an Astral Vanguard Frame Runner. Never having seen one before, intact or otherwise, both Admirals were suitably impressed by the size and obvious capabilities of the machine and its creators. With little contact between the DION and the Astral Commonwealth, they would have to glean whatever they could from it. NAM technicians were already swarming all over, taking pictures and measurements and samples for testing.

"It's pretty broken up and core systems seem to be no longer functional. The best we'll probably be able to do is make a guess as to what it can do," the chief technician reported to Admiral Valken, who nodded. "As long as you can replicate them for our combat simulation software, that's all I need."

Then they proceeded to one of the cruiser's cabins. Outside, two sailors stood guard with shotguns at port arms and batons on their hips. "All electronics have been cut off from the rest of the ship, we've been feeding her as best we can but we're not really sure what she eats. As far as we can tell, she's basically been resting and doing some sort of meditation," Captain Barton explained to them. Valken thought he detected a slight hint of nervousness.

In his dark blue and black jacket, with gold braid, epaulettes and aiguillettes, he knew he was an impressive figure. The others preferred to use their uniforms to show both formality and informality. Vanderhuge with his fur lined collar. Davis with his more open breast. They portrayed the robust, practical yet decorative aspect of Nepleslian pomp and circumstance.

Dominic Valken had gone the opposite direction. He used his uniform as means of declaring his station in the loudest, most aggressive manner possible. It had deviated from all the other Grand Admiral jackets, creating a more martial, almost regal aura. Its darker colors were designed to inspire awe and no small amount of fear. Blue for the Navy, black for the IPG. Gold to show Nepleslia was the bloody best.

"Valencia, Li Jia, Rochester, follow me," he opened the cabin hatch and stepped inside. Normally meant for four, with only two bunks, the Nepleslians had no trouble fitting inside. In the middle of the sparse room, a single figure sat with her eyes closed.

The hatch closed and locked behind them. Operator Huang Li Jia and Marine Sergeant Edward Rochester kept their weapons at the ready.

"I am Grand Admiral Dominic Valken of the Nepleslian Fourth Fleet. Whom do I have the privilege of addressing?"

 

[Michiko]

At the sound of the doors opening she stirred once again from her meditation. It sounded like four people stepped in through the door, more then usual. Usually it was only a handful. What ever had been effecting her aboard the pirate vessel that stopped her from moving her limbs had worn off, but the heavy breathing had not yet reverted back to normal. When she heard a different voice then those of the other guards who had questioned her, she opened her eyes to find the Grand Admiral standing before her.

It was pretty obvious based on his stature and dress that this man was a man of importance, a man of rank. Already her treatment here was better then her last captors had been. Thrown from the comfort of the known and normal, only to be captured by pirates, and those pirates then defeated and she once again captured by those victors. Her training in the Astral Vanguard had taught her a little about the known universe. Had her memory failed her, or perhaps this place was still unknown to her people.

"Ab'jala, my name is," She responded in common, "I am of the Iromakuanhe. Pilot in the Astral Vanguard Exploratory Fleet."

Her common was rough, it was good enough to get by, but often times she would mistake the order of words.

 

[Sigma]

"Indeed. We surmised as much from your little toy and tattered uniform. I am sorry we've only given you prisoners' clothes but it would be improper to give you a uniform since you're not a serving member. May we sit?" he asked before sitting down on one of the bunks. The others remained standing, impassive.

"I am afraid that I must ask you to tell me what you were doing aboard the pirate ship. Clearly you were a prisoner whom they mistreated but as the Astral Commonwealth is a long way away from Null & Void, I am curious to know where your own ship was patrolling and where they are now. Piracy is just as much a bane to us as it is to you. Mutual cooperation is in both our interests."

He did not say it but he wanted to know just how close to Nepleslian (or rather, Nepleslian-defended) territory the Astral Vanguard patrolled. This was the first evidence that the Iromas even came close to Null & Void, which was the farthest of Nepleslia's obligations. As a Freespacer holding, it was their honor-bound duty to safeguard it for the pacifist Spacers. In return, the Spacers provided the Imperium with information, hackers and other assorted things, both useful and not.

 

[Michiko]

She nodded her non-needed permissions for them to sit as they please. She paid no heed to the prison uniform, the fact that she was clothed at all and no longer had probes jammed down her neuro ports was reprieve enough for her. But in truth, thus far, she was a prisoner. Though she did appreciate the civil way that she was being handled to this point.

"We were exploring," The pilot said at first, as if that was enough to explain her meaning. She waited a moment before continuing, realizing that there was more to be said, "My flight was exploring near the big blue rift, at the edge of the unstable space. We were attempting to study what made it so unstable and impassible to FTL, and yet normal physical travel is mostly unhindered by it. We were scanning an asteroid that we had been monitoring its traveled path when we were attacked. My crew mates were all killed. Hear it over come, I did, a call to defend before the sound of choking- a gas had been released. Out in the Frame Runner, I was. When we attempted to counter attack, there were four of us, I hesitated. Lost in memory, I was, and am ashamed. They were destroyed. I escaped with minor damage on the Frame Runner, I grabbed onto the asteroid as it crossed over into the unstable space area. I traveled along with it for... I do not know how long. Until my rations had nearly ran out. My battery pack was depleted, only my emergency signal had any power yet. I let go of the asteroid and drifted waiting to be picked up. I do not know where this "Null and Void" is... I must have been carried a long way if you say the Astral Cluster is far..."

The events had been paraphrased and could be elaborated on if needed... though the elaboration would be difficult because of the language barrier on some of the more technical aspects.

 

[Sigma]

So the AV was moving out farther and encountering pirates. Anti-piracy operations were less of a priority for Nepleslia in the wake of the Rok'Veru Offensive and the establishment of a NMX holdout at Ukk. Nevertheless, 4th Cruiser Squadron had been assigned to that task and it had seemed to be effective. Except that the extent of piracy was broader than Nepleslia had imagined. Valken longed for the day when the IPG would really be able to stretch its arms out and focus on every threat to the Imperium, not just the highest priorities. The Navy simply couldn't match the IPG's prowess intelligence gathering but it had to make do since the limited capacity for handling information was thus far restricted to the major galactic players and the current internal threat of Paragon.

"So, as far as the AV knows, you are dead. Though I am curious about your machine, I am told it is useless to us. We will be returning it to the Commonwealth, once a diplomatic courier can be arranged. That leaves us with a question about you. Since you are dead to the Commonwealth and we have no record of you, do you want to return or stay here? There will be conditions if you decide to remain here."

@Michiko

 

[Michiko]

While drifting in space she had already pondered the thought of moving forward without her people. Leaving them behind to continue exploring out into the unknown world. She had made the decision based on the teachings of the Dreamer that she should continue to explore. But on the notion of conditions, well, one had to explore just what that meant as well.

"Conditions to remain, what are they?" Was all she said, and then she remembered her place and added meekly, "Please, sir."

There were only a few things that would be a deal breaker for the female pilot, but all the same, she needed to know what it was that she was giving up her old life for, a life with which she had the opportunity to return to if she didn't like the conditions. Of course, that would mean spending time here as a prisoner, or rather a diplomatic guest, at best.

Either way, far better then being dissected by the pirates that had captured her...

 

[Sigma]

Valken simply looked to the barrel-chested Sergeant Rochester and the seemingly more diminutive Rear Admiral Ironside. "To remain within the Imperium, we would require you to adopt a new name with corresponding identity. The IPG can set that up easily. We would also require you to serve for a short period of time in the armed forces. Service for citizenship. You would, of course, receive all the pay and benefits of a serviceman as well as a steady job and skill set which can be used in subsequent civilian life. We have special programs for foreign servicemembers to transition into the Navy or Marines so you will be well-taken care of. As far as we are concerned, your past is your past and we are offering a no-questions asked path to citizenship," the flame-haired Chief of Staff said.

"The shortest service period is 30 months of active service after all training. You receive the full rights of a citizen the moment you take the Oath. You learn how to kill everyone else and join the best military in the galaxy. And free alcohol and smokes if you're off duty. You won't find anything as good in Catland," the burly Nepleslian Marine added with a hint of pride. He clearly wanted her to join the Marines.

 

[Michiko]

It actually was a pretty good deal, better then she could have hoped. And potentially better then she could have received with returning with her damaged frame. It would be a long time, but it could eventually be repaired. Was it worth the resources needed to do that though? Well, that wasn't up to her, nor would it be her concern any further.

"Make one request, May I?" She said, "I will gladly accept these terms if I will be allowed to terminate the AI and clear any information that may remain on my Frame. One last act of patriotism for my former nation, and then I am yours. If I may present to you what skills I currently have so that you may make better of use of me?"

If permitted she would explain her training as a frame runner and other subsequent vehicles, as well as her training as an engineer. Similarly, if allowed, she would make a request to be allowed, once she had been properly trained with the technology of the DION and NSMC, that she be allowed to work on the development of new power suit and mech weaponry.

Even if she were not allowed to wipe the frame, she would still accept the terms. If she had died in combat she couldn't have wiped the frame anyways.

 

[Sigma]

"The power supply for the Frame is non-functional and we have nothing to interface with it. Unless you know something we don't, there's no way to turn it on so no on that account. Sergeant Rochester, be so good as to swear her in when she's ready," Admiral Ironside replied.

"When you're ready, raise your right hand and repeat after me," the Marine sergeant said to Michiko.

The IPG Operator and Admiral Valken simply watched. The only path into the IPG lay in military service in the other branches. If you were deemed suitable, you would be offered the chance. A single chance. The IPG woman was impassive, silently analyzing the Iroma girl before her, deconstructing her and then predicting the possibility of threats she could pose. Everyone's superior, Grand Admiral Valken, was simply amused by it. He was Navy, to the core, but after taking over 4th Fleet, he had become rather taken by the Marines' collective idiosyncrasies and the foibles indoctrinated into them. He supposed that since they had to face the enemy up close, they had to believe they were the deadliest thing to ever exist. Anything less might be an admission of weakness. And God forbid the Nepleslian Marine Corps admit weakness.

 

[Michiko]

Oh, yes. Of course the battery was dead. Even the small emergency battery capacitor for the emergency relays were exhausted. No wonder it didn't explode when she lapsed consciousness, prior to the capture by the pirates. She had routed the self destruct sequence to start when her own heart stopped, so that when he died of dehydration or hunger, then she wouldn't need to worry about it falling into the wrong hands.

Michiko nodded her head in understanding and did as she was told. She raised her right hand and looked to the man that they called Rochester. A Sargent, apparently. She would speak which ever words were given to her to speak. Common felt so... heavy on the tongue. Who knows how accurate Michikos' actual oath was, but she did as best as she could to pronounce the names through her galactic accent. She would serve her 30 months term, and if it worked out, perhaps then she would continue her service, or perhaps by then she would be ready to continue exploring beyond Nepleslia.

"As to my name, I do not know your naming conventions, but would it be terribly inappropriate to choose the name Michiko?" She had learned the name during her language training in the AV, and he had always found it to be a pretty name. Of course she did not recall that the name was used when referencing a member of a hypothetical Yamataian diplomatic android. And not recalling that, she did not realize that Yamatia and DioN were not on friendly terms.

 

[Sigma]

"Michiko Abrams. Use that," Admiral Ironside suggested.

Sergeant Rochester began speaking.

"I, State-Your-Name, am a Nepleslian Marine, part of a brotherhood of professional warriors dedicated to serving the Nepleslian people. Alone, I am deadly but together we are unstoppable. I am always physically fit, mentally sharp, and heavily armed. I am always prepared to serve the Imperium and sworn to the defense of its people, planets and cities. I will seek out and destroy its enemies, whomever they may be and wherever they may be found.

In the highest traditions of the forefathers of Nepleslia, I am a fighter who never gives up no matter what. I am not afraid to die. I will earn respect for myself and the Marines through deeds that make Nepleslia proud. I will act with honor and bring glory to the Imperium. Nepleslia Forever."