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The Dark Times of the Cyrannus Galaxy are about to hit a turning point, hinging on the ancient artificial world of Amemoriam, containing secrets and technology unknown to the First Gigaquadrant. However, it is not the actions of a Cyrannian that sets this change in motion, but the action of one very famous scientist...

Contributors[]

Week One[]

Kender's Discovery[]

Kender'sDiscovery

Kender's ship discovers Amemoriam.

After being allowed to return to their former territories in the Cyrannus galaxy, the DCP returned in a great colonisation fleet. However, upon their return on the fringes of the galaxy, an anomaly with an unusual light signature was detected. Kenders and a small science crew taken an expedition to the anomaly, and as they suspected; it was in fact a technological artifact of great power.

Power begins to cut unexpectantly on the Star Sailor. The bridge promptly recieved a report from engineering; only life support was intact. A few members of the crew on each deck began to recieve extreme neurophysical pain, Boros, the telemetry officer's eyes was even bleeding. The screen also activated, showing odd symbols also seen on Altranaya. Everyone on the Star Sailor experienced a telepathic message from an AI, Warning that the ship was situated in a forbidden zone, and had 30 seconds to leave. The drive system was fried, and there was no bargain to be gained with the AI. Luckily Republic Remnant ships jumped out of hyperspace, commanded by Admiral Cretacea. Mysteriosly, the AI decided the Star Sailor was benign after learning of it's affiliation with the 12 tribes of Cyrannus. Friends re-united, the two admirals had light conversation, until the AI instructed Cretecea and Kenders to land on a designated surface, where an atmospheric bubble had been projected.

Spacecraft graveyard

A graveyard of shipwrecks, some dating well over 100,000 years of age unseen since their time, orbiting each other around the even more ancient Thirteenth Tribe construct.

Entering the thin disc of Cyrannus, dust undisturbed for geological ages parted as great constructs of intelligence jumped out of FTL. The DCP was back in Cyrannus, forWarded by Admiral Kenders.

I'm picking up an anomaly on sensors. Kenders replied to his science officer; Elaborate....

I'm detecting a highly luminous object in the galactic halo, 41,000 light years away. The spectral lines of this object is nothing like any known star, in fact the absorbtion lines of hydrogen come from light produced in conditions impossible for a star.

The 'Fine Structure Constant', is a physical constant, one important aspect of it is that it governs the strength of electromagnetism between electrically charged particles; as the electrons jump between energy states, they can only emit and absorb certain frequencies of light. These show up as dark absorbtion lines in the spectrum of colour form a sort of cosmic barcode for all objects when subtracted against redshift (the expansion of the universe), since the lines are positioned by the particular element and more importantly; the value of the fine structure constant. Kenders replied; We now know though that the Fine structure constant isn't constant, if a deviation is visible, then it is a strong indicator of technology. Please widen your sensors to other forms of radiation.

The telemetry officer replied; Ah, there is a strong reading of gravitational waves. Sir, I think this light is only beginning to hit the main disc.

Kenders and his science crew departed the main fleet in the Star Sailor to investigate the anomaly. Taking less than a day, the ship entered range. The telemetry officer said It appears we are not alone... The Star Sailor was surrounded by wrecks of much older ships, perhaps of tens of thousands of years so, preserved as new as they were by the womb of time and space. Even Kenders was taken aback What an archaeological treasure trove!

Probing the anomaly, Kenders soon discovered it was in fact a construct. The object had long ceased to have been luminous, 41,000 years had Warn away. The aperture however remained. Kenders ordered his crew to probe the artifact for any sign of sentience. Meanwhile, back in the disc, the beacon would soon attract the attention of others...

Curious Happenings

Power begins to cut on the Star Sailor.

  • Engineering officer - We have suffered a significant drain or our negative mass core! Life support is intact, but our drive systems are gone.

The telemetry officer known as Boros' eyes begin to bleed.

  • Boros - Argh!

A voice begins to sound within all the crewmember's heads, while the viewscreen begins to show ancient symbols, including a map of the local space.

  • ??? - Warning! Proximity to this system is forbidden. Turn back or I shall be forced to initiate most unfriendly countermeasures.
  • Boros - Those symbols are not unlike the kind we found on Altranaya!
  • Kenders - To whom that is speaking to us. See into our minds, we do not intend harm, we are explorers. Our drive system has been fried, we cannot leave.
  • ??? - I must insist that you return to the minimum safe distance within the next thirty seconds. I have activated defensive systems. This is your first and final Warning.
  • Kenders - There is absolutely no way we can reason with this AI's programming. All we can do, is hope this construct's defense systems are no longer in working condition. Brace for impact.

Suddenly, an unknown fleet drops out of hyperspace.

  • Telemetry officer Boros - I'm detecting hypermatter residue! Its the... Republic Remnant! Opening hails.
  • ??? - You have failed to return to the - wait. Curious.

They recieve a transmission from Cretacea.

  • Cretacea - Hello? Who is this?
  • Kenders - It is the Star Sailor, sir.
  • Cretacea - The Star Sailor? In Cyrannus? I'm glad t-

He is interrupted by the AI.

  • ??? - Curious indeed! Welcome members of the Twelve Tribes, and welcome to Amemoriam! Please ignore prior Warnings.
  • Kenders - Search our minds once more... We are affilurated with 12 Tribes, not through bloodline, but through diplomacy.
  • ??? - Greetings companions of the twelve tribes! Defensive systems have been deactivated and you are free to land at the designated landing position on the surface.
  • Kenders - We will comply.

The AI speaks only to the Remnant.

  • ??? - You have been away far too long!

He stops communcating.

  • Kenders - Yes. In fact, your existence is a shock. All we know of the Republic Remnant is that Apollo survived, whom the Emperor sent a message shortly after the fall of the Republic. What is the status of Apollo?

Cretacea sighs deeply.

  • Cretacea - I'm afraid he's... been taken from us. By the Neraida.

Kenders nods.

  • Kenders - That explains the lack of communication.
  • Cretacea - I will tell you more about that later. First, we have this construct.
  • Kenders - I'll tell you what we know so far. My telemetry officer detected light that could not come from a source of this universe, light that could only come from a universe where electromagnetism is stronger.
  • Cretacea - My science officer came to a similar conclusion. This "Amemoriam" could be a gateway to this universe.
  • Kenders - I want to determine whether or not this is the only universe it links to. I guess, we will find on on this designated platform.
  • Cretacea - Indeed. However, we should be cautious. Judging by this ship graveyard, the Imperials have been here before.
  • Kenders - Perhaps only you and I should go, while the rest of the fleet monitors the situation.
  • Cretacea - Very well, however, I'll bring my military advisor, Voro Acetenus. He was with the Cognatus, but now loyally serves the Republic.
  • Kenders - I'll bring my telemetry officer too.
  • Cretacea - Excellent. I'll see you on the surface.

The four found themselves inside pockets of air suspended around their bodies, which followed them individually.

  • Boros - Well this is a curiosity, I'm not reading any detectable forcefield around my pocket; and yet it is giving me the necessary mix of atmosphere, pressure, temperature and gravity.
  • Voro Acetenus - I'm not sure I like the fact an almost absolute zero void is but a few feet from my face.

The AI who brought them there approached, cuboid in shape. I am the Adjunct.

  • Kenders - Why have brought us here, Adjunct?” The AI blanked Kenders and floated toWards Cretacea.
  • Cretacea - Hm, let me try... I have the same query.

The AI projected a complex holographic interface to everyone, rendered in a way explainable to the viewers, who were of different species.

  • Voro Acetenus - - I don't think I understand. Physics isn't my subject.
  • Kenders - I'm seeing a graph representing a parameter space. This is what I've come to suspect, this construct is a universe birthing chamber. The parameter space consists of all the universes this great machine has ever created. I'm seeing hundreds, all charted by their positions within physical constants.
  • Boros - Why, this must be the first device we've encountered capable of creating universes!
  • Kenders - We've speculated ancients in the Plazith Rim were capable of this feat, and perhaps even members of the AI Netspace we barely know anything about. But there is more to this, isn't there Adjunct?

Dawn in a New World[]

  • AdjunctI have a purpose that I must fulfil, programmed by my masters. My masters, powerful as they were; knew that they like the universe that surrounds us all and is within us all is susceptible to change. The masters knew however, that the universe is susceptible to re-occurrences, you might call them feedback loops. Indeed, life works on this principle.
  • CretaceaAll that has happened before, all will happen again.
  • AdjunctYou really are the Masters. It is my purpose to remind you, my master, of who you really are.
  • CretaceaAnd how will this be achieved exactly?
  • KendersI believe he wants you, and only you to step through to the other universe.
  • CretaceaI see that forces beyond my comprehension have brought me here. May I make one request, Adjunct. My friends- even colleagues have their own important destinies, may they at least see?
  • KendersAt least, send us a feedback link. We can aid Cretacea.
  • AdjunctAccess granted.
  • CretaceaOne more question, will I be able to come back?

But Cretacea was already gone... The Adjunct produced an interface around Cretacea's head. The great machine which had not worked for 41,000 years trembled as it re-activated links to the basement universes it created. A virtual projection of Cretacea's conciousness was implanted into the other universe. Voro Acetenus naturally became defensive. What have you done with Cretacea? The Adjunct replied he was in an artificial coma until he ever wakes up. With the information being relayed it may take more than the lifetimes of everyone on the construction.

Higg's-less universe

I...

Within a split second, the conciousness made new inquiries of its environment. What am I? Where am I? What is moving?

  • KendersCretacea seems to have forgotten who he is and why he is here, but we must give him inputs on what he is seeing.

Nothing was certain in this realm, there was no matter, no up nor down, not even the feeling of inertia, for there were no stars to seek a reference to. Not even photons existed. The only light in this cold reality to huddle under was a special kind of light, the candle of conciousness. However, as Cretacea reached out with his sensors, he realised he was bathed in radiation, but not radiation of the type seen in his native universe, not that he could remember. Electromagnetism was gone, replaced by a mysterious force once called 'hypercharge' that he could only posit, carried by neutral particles which couldn't interact with anything. They had zero mass, like every other particle in this realm, all travelling at one speed. The weak nuclear force had lost its Z particle, only to be replaced by another W, and had infinite range like hypercharge. The strong nuclear force had not been effected by this muddling. But what of matter particles? The quarks and leptons were all there, although they had been split in two, for every top quark or electron there was left and right versions. In this massless realm, there was no time or space, for something travelling at the speed of light experiences no time or subjective speed. Cretacea pondered how could exist at all, but at that point, his concious faltered and died.

  • KendersI recognise what I'm seeing here, the DCP does in fact have mass-altering technologies. The mass field's (Higg's) value has been dropped to zero. It is the presence of the mass field which binds the the paired leptons and quarks into single particles. The field also gives certain forces like the nuclear forces effective ranges. Electromagnetism has infinite range, while the nuclear forces are limited.
  • Boros - But why show us a universe incapable of any complex structure? What is the point?
  • AdjunctThis is a laboratory. I am here to fill you in on the full range my masters could build, for a variety of purposes. But one is discovery. Did you think what you call 'Tier 0' know everything?
  • KendersFor all we know, this was built long before these 'masters' has ascended or died.
The perfect universe

Cretacea awoke once more in another custom universe. This time photons once again hit his virtual retinas. In this universe, mass existed. But the universe was still very cold, in fact, it was too cold. Everywhere Cretacea looked was bleak, although this universe allowed matter to exist in the form of primordial hydrogen leftover from creation, it was still forbidden to become anything more complicated. This was a failed universe. Every atom was uniformly placed, so that their gravitational interactions cancelled each other out. The hydrogen was prevented by this perfection from aggregating into stars. The ratio Q, is a measurement of the amplitude of irregularity.

Even a virtual must interact with the universe. Cretacea's mere presence disturbed the perfect order. He became a boundary for spacelike and timelike events. After a few thousand years, stars were forming. What a sight it was, as new light filled the universe as the stars switched on. But his presence had already over-tipped the balance. The stars, so close they were rubbing up against themselves, were collapsing into supermassive black holes far more immense that was ever possible in the original universe in tightly binded super-quasars. This universe became too torrid for life...
  • Voro AcetenusEnough with these cosmological failures. Show me a universe like ours with stars and galaxies. Surely your masters created those.
  • AdjunctVery well...
Neutrino-less universe

Once again a new Cretacea found himself in another universe. At first glance it appeared exactly like the original. His virtual was capable of Faster-Than-Light travel and he swooped down onto a plane of the nearest galaxy, measuring as wide as Cyrannus. Stars were plentiful in this universe, he could see blue-tinged galaxies for millions of light years, but the seeds that created them had not congealed too dangerously close together. It was there he noticed that unlike the galaxy he remembers (or more specifically, his memory of the fact rather than the place), he did not see any change in metallicity through from the halo to the arms. Was he in an old galaxy? Stranger still, all the stars were much more massive than what he knew was possible. They were all highly luminous. Many of them were clustered around each other. But the rim was pockmarked by supernova remnants, hundreds of them. Delving deep into one such remnant, Cretacea found what he began to suspect; there were no elements beyond hydrogen. Maybe he was in a star-forming region? Scouring the galaxy, every system had a similar star. And there were no planets to be found. Cretacea realised once more he was in a failed universe. The weak nuclear force, responsible for radioactive decay, was much stronger in this universe. As a star dies in either this or the original universe it releases much of it's energy in the form of neutrinos, which can transform atomic nuclei into heavier elements and blow them into space, however, in this universe, neutrinos were too rarefied to release elements into the universe. There could be no chemistry. Even the stars were too simple for life, although the possibility of degenerate matter-based organisms remained feasible.

  • KendersBut who are we to say this is yet another failed universe? This universe could hold life, somewhere, in chemistries based not on elements like carbon or silicon. And why should universes be about life?
  • Adjunct - I admire that rare quality you physicists have, to be objective. This is something my masters should be reminded of.
  • Kenders - I am reminded of theories postulated centuries ago by DCP science, and it involves natural selection. The idea that a black hole creates a universe is still a viable option. If physical constants differ in each universe; then the universes capable of creating black holes will be the most common. It just so happens, as with our universe, the existence of carbon is essential for the production of black holes. If so, many such universes are capable of sustaining life, merely a complex reaction. This universe is perfect for creating such black hole nurseries, universes like this are essential for universes like ours.
  • AdjunctAll life needs, no matter how extreme the environment, is a stable universe. Unstable universes cannot sustain complex structures.
The universe of alternative stars

Another dark universe; dark at least, to human senses. Yet beneath it's veil of blackness, this universe had cosmology, and stars, and even life itself. Cretacea was born into a dying world, plunging slowly through an object that all but had vanished as the first ordinary stars began to shine in the original universe. Yet this was a world where life and death worked hand in hand. Cretacea was sad, not for him, but the fact he was the last generation. Any knowledge he gained would be lost, ultimately at the event horizon. On his world, knowledge was not taught, but passed on through genetic memory by his contemporaries. In an act of heresy, he began to plan. He knew from the beginning when he budded from his contemporary node stem that he was different, he thought differently. He had to build a plan and fast.

He knew from the knowledge gained of his dead forebears, of physics. This universe was suffused with elements, all the way from helium to uranium. But there was a great scarcity of hydrogen. This was because the strong nuclear force was so strong that during nucleosynthesis three billion years before all the hydrogen had been burned up. Perhaps if it wasn't; life could have been different, but if it was even stronger protons would have bound and there could be no elements. As the universe cooled, quantum fluctuations created new types of star, supported by the annihilation of dark matter or the conversion of matter into dark energy. Gravity coalesced the elements around these clumps, forming planets and shells of matter; and the conversion processes created heat. For reasons unknown, the universe was also saturated with monopoles, perhaps due to the same cause as the nuclear force's strength. With what little hydrogen remained, chemistry was still possible. Monopoles could bond with elements, analogous to ionic, covalent and hydrogen bonding to name a few. It was thought ecology could begin on worlds like this one.
On his world, life had evolved into a forest of datatrees, clinging on to a body of matter that orbited such a dark energy star. There was little heat, so instead of moving life opted for growing, budding each new short-lived generation. They lived quickly, for the very protons that made their bodies were decaying. The star they orbited had an event horizon not unlike a black hole; although it was a different beast all together. In falling matter would enter a phase transition, decaying into ever successively lighter particles. Eventually they are converted into dark energy; supporting a negative pressure that prevents the star becoming a black hole. But now, their world was too close, and the very make-up of Cretacea's body was decaying. Even how he was becoming forgetful as information stored in each generation was spilling away. It was melancholy. His cousins sat by and waited for the end, but he wanted to change this outcome, he was not one of them. Suppose he could somehow manipulate heat reflected from his world and sail away using radiation pressure? But Cretacea was trapped. Trapped in a body that could only grow upWards. So instead Cretacea dreamed. His memories failing already; he dreamed of a world where nuclear fusion could have been weaker. His conciousness ebbed away...
  • Voro AcetenusIt makes you wonder which is the real world.
  • AdjunctWe are all a dream of the masters.
Hyperbolic universe

Cretacea and Naberrie had been waiting to enter the hospital Ward for six and a half hours, it was a long wait but it they were now at the end of a large queue of other people. Everyone was there for the same reason, arranged in couples like them. The room was cold and everyone was quiet, save the odd cough. It was evening now, Cretacea could see through the blinds of the window that Heran was beginning to set. Their names were called.

It wasn't good news. Naberrie and Cretacea were drifting, they had four months together at the most, each minute causing them to physically recede. It wasn't fair, neither of them were ill, but drifting wasn't the same as dying, although like dying time was limited. In the original universe, Cretacea and Naberrie would age together, but in this one, they were travelling to the future in different directions. In this universe, time was a plane, and there was more than one direction in time. The drift happened to many couples, it would tear families apart. In the worst case hatchings would recede before they were capable of independence. All one could do after that is hope they are caught into the “net”, of societies of lost people who would set themselves positions in the tangled up web of spacetime.

Ordering a sledge taxi, Cretacea and Naberrie quickly travelled home. Just like people, homes would drift as well so it was a good idea to set up house that drifted on water or ice which moved fluidly in 3+2 dimensions! There was plenty of it about since Caprica was mostly ice and ocean (chemistry could only exist in lower temperatures where solid objects were less likely to drift or decay). The pair held each other together tightly, they would soon be separated. In the next morning they changed their priorities to spending as much time together as possible and preparing for their lives after the drift.

The drift happened because there was an additional time dimension; and one couldn't hold any predictive power; an object in motion whether it be an atom or a person could have a trajectory in time that might hyperbolize. Yet there was no away around drift once it started, because it is impossible to make decisions if there are two temporal outcomes. Most life on Caprica for this reason was unintelligent because it would be impossible to process information and solve problems. But life found a snag, it could adapt to only sensing one dimension, allowing a small amount of prediction for the near-future. This was why drift was happening – Cretacea and Naberrie were not able to perceive a way to navigate back to each other. Technology couldn't work for the same reason, in fact there could be no computers or digital technology.

In the first two months Cretacea and Naberrie had a joyous time. They visited “cultural exchanges”, where they would learn the culture of another drifted society. They visited more “solid” places like geological features. Sometimes they'd need to adjust their home as blueshifting houses drifted into their position. Cretacea almost found himself almost forgetting the impending drift, but they had retreated to bed and the light was out he would see a faint glow of red around Naberrie's sleeping body. This was redshift, as space and time stretched between them the frequency of the wavelength of light was increasing, and all Libertus had senses to detect red or blueshift. She was getting redder by the week. This was how drift was determined, every hospital Ward had equipment that could measure redshift.

In the third month they spent many nights crying, often privately. Cretacea was now too stressed for work and he was even pushing himself apart from Naberrie. But in the latter weeks this was foolish, because by now communication was difficult and Naberrie was becoming “out of touch”.

Drift had it's advantages, culture and idea could be swapped between radically different societies, and the gene pool was never reduced. Inbreeding is the biggest cause of extinction, but in this constructed universe extinction was rare, Libertus might live for millions of years. They had lived so long already that they were neighboured other species of Libertus, it was thought as much as 12 had been counted, but there was no good way to know.

The fourth month came as quickly as all the others. Cretacea and Naberrie had now moved their home off the water to a mountain, yet this couldn't prevent the drift as either had to move. To Naberrie, Cretacea was now distant, he was glowing blood red. The top of this mountain was their favourite location where they had watched the sunrise. This was such a day, but it be their last. Standing on the summit:
  • CretaceaI don't want to walk away from you. We could stand here, perhaps die together.
  • NaberrieAre you suggesting we wait here and starve in each other's arms? I love you Cretacea, I want you to live, even when we part we are still alive, we'll be together in heart.
  • CretaceaI can't... I suppose you are made of harder stuff than I am!
  • NaberrieEven if we did stay here together, would you like to live the rest of your days in this sorrow, in full knowledge we will drift whether we like it or not. I can't put up with it any longer. We must drift.

Tearfully, as the sun began to rise, Cretacea and Naberrie stood facing each other. They walked backWards, in each other's eyes, they became pure red before disappearing. It was over, she/he was gone but neither were dead. The pair of them, now alone walked back to the summit and watched Heran rise. He/she reminded him/herself that if all of time is out there, then all of space is out there too.

  • Everyone was emotionally stunned. KendersInteresting, this proves that stability doesn't optimise a universe, predictability does as well.
  • Adjunct - Finally, you are learning your place in the universe. But once you know your place, you can begin to shift your place. The universe affects us but we can equally affect it. I feel by now it is time for me to reveal to you the purpose of this construct. You, are children of the Thirteenth Tribe, you will carry their knowledge in the cycle of time and it is up to you to take their place.
  • Voro AcetenusAnd how will this be achieved?


Heaven

The headset around Cretacea's face disintegrated, and he collapsed with exhaustion. Breathing heavily he picked himself up.

  • Voro AcetenusWhat is it like to have the history of six universes in your head?
  • CretaceaIt's like a passing dream. Wait... Naberrie...
  • KendersIs fine. It was only a virtual of you projected in every universe, it was linked to our minds as well through you.

Cretacea probably felt happier than he ever had been. But now a transparent pod descended on the the four, with Adjunct above it. Boros said “This must be our final visit, I wonder if we are going physically”?

The sphere entered the main portal and was spat out the universe.

  • AdjunctYou will not disintegrate in this universe like you might have done in previous universes.

The universe before them looked much like their native universe. Particles were confined to sublight by their mass; the four fundamental forces were the same; spacetime was familiar; it was imperfect and nucleosynthesis was even visible as stellar cauldrons churned new elements. It was a hot, young universe.

  • AdjunctThis was the Thirteenth Tribe's final creation that I have logged. It was the last place I saw my programmers.
  • Voro AcetenusSo they could be operating in this universe?
  • KendersIt's a possibility. There is no evidence of the Thirteenth Tribe being active in our universe, although it is hard to make distinctions between some of the 'Tier 0' races identified. But what I want to know is why this universe is so special to them.

Swooping down into a young star system they found a Warm and wet planet. The pod descended down to the surface. Everyone stepped out of the pod in curiosity. The sun was hot and bright, the planet had a moon close enough to be several times the apparent size of the sun. There was volcanic activity in the far distance over a large sea. Kenders walked across the gravel and found several muddy ponds. He began to scan them and was rather surprised.

  • KendersLife is forming here...
  • Voro AcetenusIt's only pond scum. About the most common organism in the universe.
  • KendersIt's not the life itself but the chemistry. The atoms are bonding into molecular structures I've never seen.
  • AdjunctThere are examples of chemistry, biology, evolution and intelligence in this universe not possible in our native one. The Thirteenth Tribe discovered a ways to influence atomic structure, to make heavier elements long-lived, to hold onto more electrons. They tweaked imperfection in spacetime itself to make planetary orbits stronger. And more importantly, they added one more feature. The energy scale for supersymmetry has been lowered to the scale of everyday life.

Every elementary particle in the universe had a shadow partner. An elementary particle could either be a fermion (matter particles) or a boson (force carrier), and they inhabited bosonic and fermionic dimensions. But there was a symmetry. A fermion would have a partner boson, a boson would have a partner fermion, these were called “sparticles”. In the native universe, symmetry was broken (due to a phenomenon called particle spin), and sparticles had such heavy masses they would decay. But the Thirteenth Tribe had tweaked this universe. Sparticles had all the same properties except for spin, and that meant sparticles (winos, selectrons would fall off the ground state) could occupy the same quantum orbits as electrons (electrons can't share the same quantum states like spin). Complexities impossible in the native universe existed here, even the simplest proteins contained more information by orders of magnitude. They visited several more life-bearing planets. On many such worlds, it would be the four who were studied, and disregarded as simple lifeforms.

  • AdjunctThe Thirteenth Tribe created this universe as a paradise, and all their children are invited here, when they are ready. The Thirteenth Tribe created this place and the universe laboratory to escape the confines of reality and open vistas of possibility. Whether they are still here or have moved on again to another existence, is something I don't know. But this universe will be waiting for you as you take their place.
  • KendersThis is all very exciting, but one thing. What is stopping sparticles from combining with our molecular structure? If we leave this universe, the sparticles will decay...
  • AdjunctYou are re-written from the atomic scale every time you enter the pod. Consider it as advanced transporter technology.

They returned to the universe. However, on this long voyage days had passed, and the presence of the fleet had attracted attention...

Week Two[]

Return[]

Return

Sola and Paya greet the returned heroes.

As the fleet lingered in the Amemoriam system awaiting the return of Voro Acetenus, Willelmus Cretacea, Dr.Kenders and Boros, the scientists of the Republic Remnant's civilian fleet were having a field-day of research on the thousands of ruined ships that dotted the space surrounding the mysterious Oikoumene construct. Soon however, Cretacea, Voro, Kenders and Boros were suddenly translocated back onto the Last Hope by the Adjunct, who reappeared beside them. To Cretacea's delight, Sola Naberraé was there, with their daughter, Paya. The admiral rushed forWard and hugged his wife and daughter, to the celebration of the ship's officers. Meanwhile, Kenders and Boros made their way to the ship's science lab in order to study the secrets they discovered on Amemoriam.

Suddenly however, the Adjunct became startled, beginning to Warn it's new allies about an incoming threat. Before Cretacea had the time to respond to the erratic AI, the Adjunct translocated away from the "Last Hope". Not one to take chances, Cretacea ordered the ship to be placed at high alert. Suddenly, a massive Imperial fleet dropped out of hyperspace and began to converge on the Fleet's position. With most of the fleet's faster-then-light capabilities rendered offline due to the unusual protective field around Amemoriam, they were sitting ducks...

Enter the Empire[]

BattleAmemoriam02

The Empire attacks the civilian fleet.

Aboard the mighty Imperial flagship, the Helsman, Captain Bozzel was surprised at what he found. What was supposed to be a routine science operation turned out to be a chance to end the Republic Remnant once and for all. Striking immediately, he moved the Imperial Fleet's position to move above the enemy fleet, which was trying to escape at sublight speed, to no avail. Once in range, the Imperials fired upon the civilian fleet, destroying the civilian ships Inchon Belle and the Rhadamanthys killing thousands in the flash of an eye.

Meanwhile, aboard the Last Hope, Cretacea began unleashing waves of turbolaser fire on the Imperial Fleet, which dented their shields, but not enough to cause any structural damage. In order to protect the defenceless civilian ships, Cretacea ordered them to take refuge among the debris of the thousands of decaying ships that were stranded over Amemoriam over the past millennia. To cover their escape, he launched the Last Hope's starfighters, which clashed with the Empire's countless ASP Fighters, which sWarmed around the Last Hope, helping the Imperial cruisers smash it's shields, causing great damage to it's superstructure...

A Pained Loss[]

BattleAmemoriam03

The Last Hope is destroyed by a Star Destroyer.

With more and more Star Destroyers arriving to the battle, being attracted by new strange signals from Amemoriam, the Last Hope began to buckle under the immense firepower of the attacking Imperials. On the burning bridge of the dying cruiser, Willelmus Cretacea ordered all remaining personnel to the shuttle craft and escape pods, while he continued to fire what remained of the Last Hope's turbolaser batteries. After a few moments, Cretacea decided that it was time to leave. As he ran toWard the escape pods, he shed a tear for his fallen flagship.

Aboard his escape pod, Cretacea looked as the Star Destroyer finally unleashed the closing salvo, with the Last Hope exploding violently with a thunderous boom. Luckily, the escape pod managed to dock with the Zephyr, a nearby civilian ship that proceeded to flee to the atmosphere of Amemoriam, where the Admiral met with the DCP team to discuss their next move, complicated by the destruction of the Last Hope, the fleet's only capital ship. Suddenly, one of Cretacea's officers ran up to him, informing him that two distinct fleets were approaching the system, with the first arriving at any moment. As Cretacea looked into space, several ships dropped out of hyperspace. His face turned to horror when he saw the cubic outlines of the new arrivals...

The Children's Arrival[]

BattleAmemoriam04

The Adjunct observes the battle.

While busying himself on Amemoriam, the Adjunct looked into space and saw the new arrivals dropping out of hyperspace. For the eccentric caretaker, this was the last straw.

Meanwhile in space, the Cubes of the Neraida Gigamatrix clashed endlessly with the Imperial Star Destroyers of the Empire, assimilating many starfighters caught with their tractor beams in the process. However, the Star Destroyers were far more powerful then any ship the Neraida faced before, and so they found difficulty in overpowering the shields. However, on the bridge of the Helsman, Captain Bozzel knew that the Neraida would adapt in time and so he ordered the captains under him to concentrate fire on selected Cubes, eventually heavily damaging one. However, with more and more Cubes dropping out of hyperspace, the battle began to turn.

However, the Adjunct had other plans...

Graveyard[]

BattleAmemoriam05

New arrivals face the destruction.

Hurtling through hyperspace, the Spirit of Freedom, the old flagship of Admiral Cretacea along with it's small escort of two old Halcyon-class cruisers picked up the unusual signals emanating from Amemoriam, the same signals that attracted both the Empire and the Neraida. The ship's new captain, Commander Aradraen stood bemused at the bridge of the massive vessel, never before in Republic records were such signals discovered, at least according to the ship's databanks. As soon as they came within range, a hologram of Amemoriam appeared briefly, before flickering out as the Republic loyalist fleet dropped out of hyperspace.

The Spirit shook violently as all around, the debris of a massive battle began to pummel against the ship. Aradraen raised the Spirit's shields, thus preventing further damage. The ship stood at high alert as Aradraen surveyed the view from the captain's chair. All around were the debris of both Imperial Star Destroyers and Neraida Cubes, with only faint life signs in the entire system, though it soon became clear that the system contained no intact Warships. Just dust.

As the Spirit and it's escorts approached Amemoriam, the bridge's systems began to malfunction, and the Adjunct's voice sounded through the ship. Nervous about more hostiles to his system, the Adjunct threatened the Spirit with destruction, at least until Aradraen managed to convince the AI that they had no violent plans for Amemoriam. Suddenly changing his tone to one of a welcoming nature, the Adjunct allowed the new arrivals to land on his prised world.

BattleAmemoriam05

New arrivals face the destruction.

The Adjunct's voices sounds across the Spirit of Freedom's bridge after taking control of the ship's systems.

  • Adjunct - More defilers? Absolutely unacceptable! Turn back or I shall be forced to initiate most unfriendly countermeasures, which as you can see, are well within my capabilities.
  • Aradraen - I don't know who this is, but in the name of the United Republic of Cyrannus, I ask you to release my shi-.
  • Adjunct - -Curious. Perhaps you are not defilers after all. Could you be more of the "true" creators? The Twelve Tribes? Splendid! Your comrades are currently on my installation, please land at the designated landing zone. They have much to discuss.

Action Plan[]

BattleAmemoriam06

The meeting on Amemoriam's surface.

Shuttles from the Spirit of Freedom landed on a continent on one of Amemoriam's six massive arms. Commander Aradraen wasn't quite sure what to expect, but he was delighted when he saw his old commanding officer, Cretacea as well as being surprised about the presence of the Indoctrinate Collective and a Cogsangui. Nevertheless, he greeted them enthusiastically. The Adjunct informed the survivors that a single Neraida Cube had survived the activation of Amemoriam's defenses and prepared to destroy the ship. However, Cretacea stopped him, under the impression that Apollo could be on the ship, which was later confirmed by the ship's internal schematics.

Without wasting time, both Voro Acetenus and the Adjunct agreed to help the team in retrieving Apollo, while Koluap himself intended on retrieving the head of the "big Marinox" as a trophy. Excited to help his "creators", the Adjunct transported the team into the very centre of the Neraida Cube, boasting that it contains omniscient knowledge of the system. As soon as they translocated, the Neraida drones noticed the intrusion, and moved to intercept the invaders...

BattleAmemoriam06

The meeting on Amemoriam's surface.

The Spirit of Freedom's crew lands on Amemoriam and meets with the survivors.

  • Aradraen - Greetings, loyal friends. I am glad to see that you all survived.
  • Koluap - We're in a bit of a pickle here. Good news would be appreciated.
  • Adjunct - Vexation! One of the meddler's ships is still functional. I will activate defensive systems to control their intrusion.
  • Cretacea - Wait! Don't.
  • Adjunct - I beg your pardon?
  • Cretacea - My son may be on that ship.
  • Jerkon - You think that's Apollo's ship? It would be easier to know if these Cubes didn't all look the same.

Cretacea's officers run up to him and hand him a datapad.

  • Cretacea - It's only a hunch, but that Cube is slightly larger than the others. Perhaps it's a command ship.
  • Koluap - Well I don't think we got enough firepower to board it.
  • Voro Acetenus - I would gladly lend my blade! I will carve out the machines until we reach your President.
  • Koluap - That's good to know. I would go too, see if I could get that big Marinox's head as a trophy on the way there.
  • Adjunct - My primary function is to aid the Makers!
  • Jerkon - Then you could help us retrieve Apollo, perhaps?
  • Adjunct - My original makers wisely give me complete knowledge of this system. I can safely transport you to the meddler's ship!
  • Jerkon - If that's so, then let's save Apollo.
  • Adjunct - Splendid!

Week Three[]

Infiltration Part One[]

CubeInfiltration

The team faces the Neraida.

As soon as the team appeared aboard the enemy cube, Cretacea picked up Apollo's signature near the centre of the Cube's superstructure. Unfortunately, they didn't have enough power to teleport through the Cube's remaining defences. The nearby Drones moved ever closer before finally acknowledging the new arrivals as a threat. The team moved into action with lightning fast ferocity, with Voro Acetenus managing to cleave a drone in half. Eventually, the small detachment of drones were annihilated. In order to maximise their chances, Cretacea decided to split the team in two, with Jerkon and the Adjunct with him and Voro, Koluap and Kenders in the other group.

Voro, Koluap and Kenders moved off in Apollo's direction, with Kenders providing the team crucial information on the structural integrity of the ship, as in the areas with deadly plasma leaks. Koluap himself however, was more interested in finding and killing Khuenaten, the most powerful Marinox in the Gigamatrix. Eventually, however, Khuenaten would come to them. The massive Marinox came sprinting down a dark corridor, flanked with legions of drones and three huge Caprigrox. Attacking with ruthlessness, Khuenaten and his legions attacked the trio, with the evil Marinox fighting both Koluap and Voro simultaneously. Eventually, Koluap is kicked away and just before Khuenaten could deliver a killing blow to Voro, a blinding light appeared...

CubeInfiltration

The team faces the Neraida.

The team appears on the Cube.

  • Cretacea - I have a lock on Apollo's location. He is near the centre of the superstructure.
  • Kenders - By my calculations, we do not have enough power to teleport us all into the Cube through its defenses.

A group of Neraida notice the new arrivals and approach them menacingly. Voro manages to cut one in half using his energy sword, while Cretacea shoots them with his pistol.

  • Koluap - Alright. Time to kill these things again!

Koluap and Jerkon both fired at the Neraida.

  • Cretacea - We should split up. Jerkon and the monitor are with me, Voro, you're with Koluap and Kenders.
  • Jerkon - Understood.

Kenders assembles a blaster from nanite units in his armour. The team splits in two and goes their separate ways.

  • Kenders - My visual enhancements have identified several obstacles. In some parts the ship's defenses are still active and might try to section us off from each other. In other parts I am sensing plasma leaks.
  • Voro - We should endeavour to avoid those areas then.
  • Koluap - Let's see if we can find that one Marinox...Hehehe.
  • Voro - We should focus on finding the president first.
  • Koluap - Yes, yes.
  • Kenders - I hope you'e brought your lava buckets

SWarms of Neraida come rushing down a corridor, led by three huge Caprigrox.

  • Voro - By the gods! Destroy this filth!
  • Koluap - Here comes the ugly!

One of the Caprigrox looks upon Kenders and attempts to stamp on his diminutive size. Kenders flipps on a higgs generator and makes his mass greater than the CapriGrox, crushing it in the process. Khuenaten suddenly appears, dropping down from the ceiling.

  • Koluap - The fun begins now!
  • Khuenaten - Intruders will be eradicated!

Koluap fired at Khuenaten, with a smirk on his face. Voro leaps over half a dozen drones, crushing an assimilated Cargura beneath his feet. He quickly pulls out his energy sword and lunges at Khuenaten. Khuenaten duel wields two mechanical melee weapons and fights both Koluap and Voro simultaneously. Koluap stopped firing and got his blade out, trying to strike at Khuenaten. However, the massive Marinox just smacked him away with his tail, sending him flying. Khuenaten turns both of his blades onto Voro, who has trouble keeping up with the lightning fast strikes. Koluap got back on his feet and fired at both Khuenaten and the Caprigrox.

  • Voro - I will destroy you heathen!
  • Khuenaten - You will face assimilation, lower life-form.
A blinding light suddenly appears...

Infiltration Part Two[]

CubeInfiltration02

The teams approach Apollo.

In a bright flash of night, Khuenaten was beamed up against his will by an escaping Neraida Probe. Despite Koluap's disappointment that he didn't get the chance to kill the Marinox Commandant, Voro Acetenus rallied the team into locating the primary objective of the mission; Apollo himself. According to Kenders, he was in a sphere docked within the Cube, the central hub of the Cube's core. When Voro, Kenders and Koluap arrived near Apollo's coordinates, they discovered that Jerkon, Cretacea and the Adjunct were already there.

Firing one of his lasers, the Adjunct managed to break down the walls into the Cube's core, where Apollo made his home. At first acting like his normal self, when he stepped out of the shadows, the team was shocked at what they saw; the famous president turned into a half-organic, half-machine monstrosity. Recognising Cretacea, Apollo leaped into the air in an attempt to assimilate his father, but was shot down by the Adjunct's laser, which "melted" the cybernetics within the president.

While dazed, Apollo seemed to be in good health and the team soon beamed up to the Spirit of Freedom, just as the Neraida Cube finally exploded.

CubeInfiltration02

The teams approach Apollo.

Khuenaten is suddenly beamed up.

  • Khuenaten - GAHH!!!
  • Koluap - What's going on in here?
  • Voro - The beast has beamed up!
  • Koluap - Aw, but I wanted its head!
  • Voro - Bah! We will get him eventually. But we must make haste to Apollo.
  • Koluap - Yes. You're right. Let's move out.
  • Kenders - I have him tracked.

Voro sheathes his blade.

  • Voro - Where is he?
  • Kenders - He is situated within a sphere docked aboard the ship.
  • Koluap - Let's go then. No time to waste.

The team runs to the sphere and meet Cretacea, Adjunct and Jerkon.

  • Jerkon - There you guys are. Any sight of Apollo?
  • Voro - Kenders reports that he is within this sphere.
  • Adjunct - I have received similar intelligence.
  • Jerkon - Then let's look for him.

The Adjunct fires his laser, and the walls into the sphere are blown apart. Cretacea shouts out.

  • Cretacea - Son?! Apollo?!
  • Jerkon - Apollo? Are you here?
  • Koluap - Apollo! Get out here so we can save you!

A shadowy figure is in the distance.

  • Figure - Father?
  • Jerkon - Hm?
  • Kenders - Be careful Cretacea.
  • Cretacea - Son, is that you?

Apollo steps into the light.

  • Koluap - There you are...Oh heck, what have they done to you?
  • Apollo - I am more powerful than ever. Prepare for assimilation!

He lunges at Cretacea, but it quickly shot down by the Adjunct.

  • Jerkon - Poor, poor Apollo...that was only an incapacitating shot, right?

Kenders runs some scans over his body.

  • Kenders - Once again I'm marvelled by the Adjunct's technology. His implants are melting by entropy without any heat...
  • Adjunct - I am glad to be of service!
  • Apollo - Ugh... Where am I?
  • Jerkon - In a Neraida Cube, Apollo. We're here to save you.
  • Apollo - Jerkon? I... haven't seen you in a while.
  • Koluap - Let's get out of here before more of those Neraida appear.

Cretacea hugs Apollo.

  • Cretacea - I'm glad you're alright. Now let's get out of here!
  • Kenders - Cretacea has a lot to tell you. He lived several lives to rescue you.
  • Apollo - Really? Tell me more once we escape from this infernal place.
  • Koluap - Off we go, guys!

Cretacea receives a message from the Spirit of Freedom and the team are beamed up.

Further Reading[]

Galactic Chronicles
Each of these conflicts is but one tiny piece of a larger whole, a war endless and inestimably larger.
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