Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 16:46:28 GMT
Yuhneh. The newest star to be properly added to the Unanimity. There was one they had been prospecting for some time, until they realised that an aggressive race of early manned-interplanetary-age arachnids lived there that had no intention of having neighbours. They were left with a ring of stealth mines along their system's averaged orbital plane.
Anyway. Back to Yuhneh. A red giant, glowing strong enough to see, at least, but forcing anything intended for human habitation to be quite close. Fortunately, that was irrelevant to the Artificia; while a small tropical world did exist, the initial Artifician colony was being set up on the fifth planet in-system; a dry rocky world with a mild atmosphere lacking in oxygen. Aside from a variety of sporadic flora, they had the planet to themselves. Which is exactly why they chose it.
High above the world, which they had named Ornimas, the Artifician cruiser Yuughin drifted in a geosynchronous orbit, sensors monitoring the automated fabricators as they constructed the initial colony below. Ornimas was geologically dry in minerals for the most part, but its two moons were both veritable goldmines, as was the third planet in-system. At the Yuughin's command seat sat one Commodore Uhnah, watching the task force fleet's feeding status updates, as well as the monitoring feed from the surface.
It was a slow day in Yuhneh.
The edge of the system's space seems to rupture and break as a swirling red vortex momentarily appears to spit out a handful of unknown ships back into the universe before disappearing. Four ships move out in position as they start to scan the local space in as broad a band as they can.
Aboard the leading light cruiser, Commodore Dalon Ul'yil Irving sighs as he leans on one hand, bored out of his mind. While he and the Accord High Command were vaguely aware that there was some other group of people out here, they didn't know much of who, what, or where. As such, he had the great fortune to be chosen for the role to search the rim of the galaxy in search of this enigmatic nation.
Alarms blared aboard the bridge of the Yuughin, and were it not for her actual lack of reflexive responses like those humans possess, Uhnah would have fired into the ceiling of the ship's CIC.
"God damn! What the hell?!"
"Multiple contacts! System edge! Undesignated IFFs!"
"Fleet status?!"
"Weapons on standby, shields on normal. All ships green."
"Bring weapons and shields to combat readiness, charge capacitors if they're flat."
"Aye aye."
Across the dozen-strong group, the barrels of laser cannons and particle accelerators lit up, moving to target the unknown vessels, though for now they stayed their fire. The shields shimmered as they were powered up, for the briefest of moments just barely visible. Manoeuvre thrusters fired as ships moved themselves, the fleet positioning itself in case of attack.
"Are the comms arrays readied?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Send a hail."
"Aye aye. Signal ready."
Uhnah sat back in her chair, fixing the hat, a part of her body, atop her head before speaking.
"This is Commodore Uhnah of the Artificia Unanimity Navy. State your allegiance and intentions, or we will be forced to consider you hostile. You have been warned."
Commodore Dalon blinks as the first scans begin to return and a demand is sent forth to his command. Admittedly, the locals have the advantage of numbers, but the last time the Accord had done such an action, the resultant Great War cost far too much in manpower and material. It was an unwise move, a paranoia that only those lacking in confidence would ever bring to bear. After all, there is far more to gain with new friendships than a new enemy could ever do.
"All weapons and shields off. Comms, relay my mic to those ships hailing us," Dalon speaks. The man is a whole lot less bored now as he sits upright.
"This is Commodore Dalon Ul'yil Irving of the Kingdom of the Accord. We are an exploration fleet sent to charter this section of unknown space. We do not mean any harm, nor are we seeking violence in any way."
Perhaps to Irving's dismay, the guns of the Unanimity warships, in turn, did not turn off.
"Anything we can pick up?"
"Well for one, they turned their guns off."
"Those bloody madmen." someone muttered.
"...Alright. That's unusual."
The Commodore sighed, enabling outgoing comms again.
"I'll say in advance, we're not used to, nor do we particularly like people showing up on...hell, more than our doorstep, unannounced."
A pause.
"If you're not here for hostilities," Uhnah started with a strange amount of emphasis, "Then why are you here?"
Dalon snorts quietly, not audible through the comms. At least these people are honest. "Again, we are an exploration fleet sent to charter this section of unknown space. We have a vague understanding that some nation had settled in this local space, but how are we supposed to contact someone who we don't know exist?"
Uhnah blinked, and the sheer disbelief in her voice was almost enough to form an electromagnetic uppercut to the jaw with.
"Does--Does your nation lack long-range sensors? It's not hard to pick up digital linguistics from outside a system if you do it right."
"Ma'am, you're being rude."
"Shut up I'm tired."
Dalon sighs, audibly this time. "Our sensors can only detect a generalized location of where signals are coming from, which is in this entire sub-region. Unlike perhaps some of the other more wealthy star nations, our sensors cannot instantly detect and pinpoint down to the planet a radio frequency that is several thousand light years away from our location, especially if the frequency is not directly aimed at one of our sensor arrays."
"Even ignoring such capable technology, there is no guarantee your general technology is directly compatible with ours. We know neither your language nor your computational code, so please enlighten me if I am mistaken, but how should we differentiate between your linguistics from some coincidental radio or static burst that could spontaneously generate anywhere in the universe?"
"Probably, I dunno, the obvious differences between stellar radio static and a language. Also, signal source consistency."
A pause.
"Anyway. You said your sensors aren't that accurate so this is irrelevant. I sure hope you had a plan for accidentally knocking down someone's door because I sure don't."
"Last I checked, our people have not yet destroyed a planet or two, so I hardly count this as knocking down anyone's door," the Ubian sarcastically remarks. "Our mission is, asides from the twice-repeated charter, to lay the groundworks for future diplomacy."
A pause from the Accord's end as Dalon eyes the charged weapons of the stranger's fleet. "Whether or not that diplomacy involves lethal force is entirely up to your judgement, Commodore Uhnah. After all, should my fleet fail to return, I assure you a second fleet will be not far behind."
A long pause from Uhnah, the Commodore making sure outgoing audio was disabled before speaking.
"Disengage the guns. Keep the capacitors ready, though. And maintain target locks."
"Aye aye."
The glowing barrels of the assembled Unanimity warships slowly died down, though they continued to point at the Accord fleet. Hidden beneath the hulls, however, the charged capacitors sat ready, able to be linked back to their weapons in but a moment's notice.
"Alright, Commodore Dalon." she started. "I'll bite. Let's talk."
"Splendid," Dalon replies with little emotion. "Within my office I have the authority to authorize a non-aggression pact and limited trade agreements, though from your reaction... perhaps, it would be the former that interests you more."
Uhnah did not respond for a moment.
"I can't get anything approved in concrete until the powers that be do so, but I can agree to it on temporary terms." she explained. "They seem to be the go-to in this galaxy. Weird. Back home its kinetic slugs instead."
"Your people have been shot at a lot in the past, I take it?" Dalon asks, suddenly curious to this new information.
"Everyone we've met before showing up in this galaxy, yeah." she sighed offhandedly.
A momentary pause as Dalon considered this. "Hm. That would explain the... somewhat antagonistic response to our unannounced arrival."
"Congratulations, you solved the puzzle." she responded, the sarcasm almost palpable. "We're honestly not used to people not shooting at us, so with so many neighbours we're on edge."
"The feeling is mutual there," Dalon nods to himself idly. Indeed, back in their home galaxy, they only had one real neighbor. "Though the last time my nation charged weapons on a first contact scenario, we ended up losing thousands of planets. Perhaps a semblance of tact would not be out of place?"
"The last time we tried to be friendly on first contact back home, we lost eighty ships and our best diplomat." she stated bluntly in return.
"If you came to talk, that kind of makes it a moot point, so if there was anything else in particular you had in mind, you best get to it so this remains a use of both of our time." Uhnah responded.
Dalon chuckles. "Our mission was to scout the local region, not enact diplomacy. The Non-Aggression Pact is part of our first-contact package. I'll leave the detailed work to the pencil-pushers."
As the Accordite speaks, his ships begin to turn back to their origin and begin charging their FTL. "And, as far as I'm concerned, my part here is done. High Command can sort the rest from here."
Anyway. Back to Yuhneh. A red giant, glowing strong enough to see, at least, but forcing anything intended for human habitation to be quite close. Fortunately, that was irrelevant to the Artificia; while a small tropical world did exist, the initial Artifician colony was being set up on the fifth planet in-system; a dry rocky world with a mild atmosphere lacking in oxygen. Aside from a variety of sporadic flora, they had the planet to themselves. Which is exactly why they chose it.
High above the world, which they had named Ornimas, the Artifician cruiser Yuughin drifted in a geosynchronous orbit, sensors monitoring the automated fabricators as they constructed the initial colony below. Ornimas was geologically dry in minerals for the most part, but its two moons were both veritable goldmines, as was the third planet in-system. At the Yuughin's command seat sat one Commodore Uhnah, watching the task force fleet's feeding status updates, as well as the monitoring feed from the surface.
It was a slow day in Yuhneh.
The edge of the system's space seems to rupture and break as a swirling red vortex momentarily appears to spit out a handful of unknown ships back into the universe before disappearing. Four ships move out in position as they start to scan the local space in as broad a band as they can.
Aboard the leading light cruiser, Commodore Dalon Ul'yil Irving sighs as he leans on one hand, bored out of his mind. While he and the Accord High Command were vaguely aware that there was some other group of people out here, they didn't know much of who, what, or where. As such, he had the great fortune to be chosen for the role to search the rim of the galaxy in search of this enigmatic nation.
Alarms blared aboard the bridge of the Yuughin, and were it not for her actual lack of reflexive responses like those humans possess, Uhnah would have fired into the ceiling of the ship's CIC.
"God damn! What the hell?!"
"Multiple contacts! System edge! Undesignated IFFs!"
"Fleet status?!"
"Weapons on standby, shields on normal. All ships green."
"Bring weapons and shields to combat readiness, charge capacitors if they're flat."
"Aye aye."
Across the dozen-strong group, the barrels of laser cannons and particle accelerators lit up, moving to target the unknown vessels, though for now they stayed their fire. The shields shimmered as they were powered up, for the briefest of moments just barely visible. Manoeuvre thrusters fired as ships moved themselves, the fleet positioning itself in case of attack.
"Are the comms arrays readied?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Send a hail."
"Aye aye. Signal ready."
Uhnah sat back in her chair, fixing the hat, a part of her body, atop her head before speaking.
"This is Commodore Uhnah of the Artificia Unanimity Navy. State your allegiance and intentions, or we will be forced to consider you hostile. You have been warned."
Commodore Dalon blinks as the first scans begin to return and a demand is sent forth to his command. Admittedly, the locals have the advantage of numbers, but the last time the Accord had done such an action, the resultant Great War cost far too much in manpower and material. It was an unwise move, a paranoia that only those lacking in confidence would ever bring to bear. After all, there is far more to gain with new friendships than a new enemy could ever do.
"All weapons and shields off. Comms, relay my mic to those ships hailing us," Dalon speaks. The man is a whole lot less bored now as he sits upright.
"This is Commodore Dalon Ul'yil Irving of the Kingdom of the Accord. We are an exploration fleet sent to charter this section of unknown space. We do not mean any harm, nor are we seeking violence in any way."
Perhaps to Irving's dismay, the guns of the Unanimity warships, in turn, did not turn off.
"Anything we can pick up?"
"Well for one, they turned their guns off."
"Those bloody madmen." someone muttered.
"...Alright. That's unusual."
The Commodore sighed, enabling outgoing comms again.
"I'll say in advance, we're not used to, nor do we particularly like people showing up on...hell, more than our doorstep, unannounced."
A pause.
"If you're not here for hostilities," Uhnah started with a strange amount of emphasis, "Then why are you here?"
Dalon snorts quietly, not audible through the comms. At least these people are honest. "Again, we are an exploration fleet sent to charter this section of unknown space. We have a vague understanding that some nation had settled in this local space, but how are we supposed to contact someone who we don't know exist?"
Uhnah blinked, and the sheer disbelief in her voice was almost enough to form an electromagnetic uppercut to the jaw with.
"Does--Does your nation lack long-range sensors? It's not hard to pick up digital linguistics from outside a system if you do it right."
"Ma'am, you're being rude."
"Shut up I'm tired."
Dalon sighs, audibly this time. "Our sensors can only detect a generalized location of where signals are coming from, which is in this entire sub-region. Unlike perhaps some of the other more wealthy star nations, our sensors cannot instantly detect and pinpoint down to the planet a radio frequency that is several thousand light years away from our location, especially if the frequency is not directly aimed at one of our sensor arrays."
"Even ignoring such capable technology, there is no guarantee your general technology is directly compatible with ours. We know neither your language nor your computational code, so please enlighten me if I am mistaken, but how should we differentiate between your linguistics from some coincidental radio or static burst that could spontaneously generate anywhere in the universe?"
"Probably, I dunno, the obvious differences between stellar radio static and a language. Also, signal source consistency."
A pause.
"Anyway. You said your sensors aren't that accurate so this is irrelevant. I sure hope you had a plan for accidentally knocking down someone's door because I sure don't."
"Last I checked, our people have not yet destroyed a planet or two, so I hardly count this as knocking down anyone's door," the Ubian sarcastically remarks. "Our mission is, asides from the twice-repeated charter, to lay the groundworks for future diplomacy."
A pause from the Accord's end as Dalon eyes the charged weapons of the stranger's fleet. "Whether or not that diplomacy involves lethal force is entirely up to your judgement, Commodore Uhnah. After all, should my fleet fail to return, I assure you a second fleet will be not far behind."
A long pause from Uhnah, the Commodore making sure outgoing audio was disabled before speaking.
"Disengage the guns. Keep the capacitors ready, though. And maintain target locks."
"Aye aye."
The glowing barrels of the assembled Unanimity warships slowly died down, though they continued to point at the Accord fleet. Hidden beneath the hulls, however, the charged capacitors sat ready, able to be linked back to their weapons in but a moment's notice.
"Alright, Commodore Dalon." she started. "I'll bite. Let's talk."
"Splendid," Dalon replies with little emotion. "Within my office I have the authority to authorize a non-aggression pact and limited trade agreements, though from your reaction... perhaps, it would be the former that interests you more."
Uhnah did not respond for a moment.
"I can't get anything approved in concrete until the powers that be do so, but I can agree to it on temporary terms." she explained. "They seem to be the go-to in this galaxy. Weird. Back home its kinetic slugs instead."
"Your people have been shot at a lot in the past, I take it?" Dalon asks, suddenly curious to this new information.
"Everyone we've met before showing up in this galaxy, yeah." she sighed offhandedly.
A momentary pause as Dalon considered this. "Hm. That would explain the... somewhat antagonistic response to our unannounced arrival."
"Congratulations, you solved the puzzle." she responded, the sarcasm almost palpable. "We're honestly not used to people not shooting at us, so with so many neighbours we're on edge."
"The feeling is mutual there," Dalon nods to himself idly. Indeed, back in their home galaxy, they only had one real neighbor. "Though the last time my nation charged weapons on a first contact scenario, we ended up losing thousands of planets. Perhaps a semblance of tact would not be out of place?"
"The last time we tried to be friendly on first contact back home, we lost eighty ships and our best diplomat." she stated bluntly in return.
"If you came to talk, that kind of makes it a moot point, so if there was anything else in particular you had in mind, you best get to it so this remains a use of both of our time." Uhnah responded.
Dalon chuckles. "Our mission was to scout the local region, not enact diplomacy. The Non-Aggression Pact is part of our first-contact package. I'll leave the detailed work to the pencil-pushers."
As the Accordite speaks, his ships begin to turn back to their origin and begin charging their FTL. "And, as far as I'm concerned, my part here is done. High Command can sort the rest from here."