Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 18:05:54 GMT
OOC:
Given the paranoid, xenophobic nature of the Flux Ascendancy, I thought it would be fitting to censure this RP sequence. Thus, you guys will have to wonder...
--oOo--
Dalyth had always been a fearful person; though fearful here can be found to mean many things, and never in the most obvious way. It was always her nature to be fearful, but as she waited for the elevator platform to raise her to the council’s floor, she maintained what would seem to be a confidently controlled demeanor. This would be the first of many misconceptions regarding her. Yes, she was in control of her own fate-and beyond that, she was capable of many other fates too. But she was fearful, and she knew it to be well grounded in reason. Her own people were more than willing to erase her from existence itself should she fail-and failure could be a very loosely described term.
Her guards (guards or escorts, she didn’t quite care what terminology was used) were equally controlled now. Their faces concealed, Dalyth couldn’t see their expressions…but she could sense their ramifications. Suspicion and concern permeated their thoughts. Theirs were formidable souls, and as such they did not understand the nature of her presence here. This too gave her cause for caution, and she concentrated on the task at hand.
In a few moments, the elevator would reach the top of its shaft, and she would be standing in the center of the COMMAND AUTHORITY. If anyone was prepared, it would be her-she had been educated with the purpose of representing her people here now, and she had many advantages on her side for the role. She knew their faces, their stories, their pasts-and for a significant few, their futures-and as she closed her eyes in contemplation, she could feel herself rising up to that chamber. She could capture whispers of the emotions in the room, drifting on the wind with ephemeral grace. Ephemeral had always been a word she’d appreciated; her light complexion and pale eyes complimented the quiet and passing nature of her words. Like life itself, she was ephemeral, and as a Heraldic she could vanish just as quietly as life or a breeze.
The COMMAND AUTHORITY was in session. They sat in a room large enough to hold a medium sized space ship. From behind them, large windows let the light from the unnatural sky flood the room. They sat in a large half circle, and talked amongst them selves. Except for SUBLEADER TWO who was yelling over everybody else about how they should all greet their guest with over the top gestures while standing on their heads. SUBLEADER NINE was the only one to actually consider doing this. Eventually, they started to converse about their guest and those they represented.
"So, do we know anything about them?" SUBLEADER THREE asked.
"No. Neither us nor any civilization we have met have even heard of them." said SUBLEADER FOUR, eager for a chance to show SUBLEADER THREE up. But the fact that SUBLEADER FOUR, the scholar of the empire, hadn't heard of them was slightly unnerving.
"That's not true." the PRIME LEADER'S voice rang out.
SUBLEADER ONE spoke up, "Right. We do know that whoever they are, they're very secretive."
"That, and they are in possession of some advanced stealth technology."
"How do we know that?" It was SUBLEADER EIGHT this time that spoke.
"I've been watching the elevator as it ascends. And if it wasn't for the pressure pads, I'd say there was no one on it."
SUBLEADER FIVE asked the question that many of the others had, "My lord, if they have the technology to hide themselves from those cameras, how will you see them?"
Before the (PRIME LEADER) could respond SUBLEADER TWO jumped up and yelled out, "WE COAT THEM IN THEIR OWN BLOOD!"
SUBLEADER NINE snickered at the thought. Everyone else however stared at him.
"Lets try not to kill the representative. For some reason others always frown on such action." SUBLEADER TWO just shrugged and sat back down.
"Anyway, my helmet is much more advanced than those cameras. So I should be able to see them. If I cannot see them I'm going to rely on all of you to describe what they look like to me after this meeting is over." Everybody agreed and waited patiently for the elevator to ferry their guest to them.
The floor parted and the platform rose. All council members looked at the figure standing there. As one they stood. As one they gave a slight bow. The PRIME LEADER remained standing as the rest retook their seats. Privately, some were surprised that they could actually view their mysterious audience. "I am the PRIME LEADER of the FACTION IN QUESTION, and I bid you welcome."
Dalyth silenced her inner demons as she lowered her head in a bow to the (PRIME LEADER), her posture giving the mentality of submission quite clearly. It was an unfamiliar pose for her, though she had long known it was to be anticipated of her, and she had practiced it quite well.
“PRIME LEADER of the FACTION IN QUESTION, I give thanks for having my audience accepted by you and your council.” She held the bow for a while, before returning to her more conventional pose. “I am the Emissary Dalyth,” she stated solemnly, her sleeves meeting as her hands slid into each other’s grasp, “the appointed one to represent the Flux Ascendancy.” She paused here, expecting some variety of protest given the scope of her claim. The few who knew of the Ascendancy universally regarded them as superstition and nothing more; and often when introduced as such, they were scoffed for the claim. She sensed some sudden thoughts from the council-particularly from the one they called SUBLEADER TWO-but no audible protests were lodged. Perhaps the PRIME LEADER had already briefed them on it. As such, she took three slow steps off the elevator platform, her robe moving gracefully behind her. “If it would please your lordships, I will begin with the obvious.” Her sentences were shorter and curter now than her training had encouraged. “The Ascendancy is more than legend, though this you will forget. Forgetting is not important here. You will remember when necessary. We have negotiated an understanding with the PRIME LEADER. We shall advise the council of affairs relevant to your posts, and the Ascendancy will covertly facilitate colonization efforts along your frontier.” She paused, carefully gauging her own tone, and doing her best to keep a calm and collected disposition. “The FACTION IN QUESTION has thus agreed to aide the Ascendancy in remaining undetectable.” She fell silent now, awaiting their response. There was some more beyond that, but it was between her and the PRIME LEADER himself; the council need not be privy of it. What she was curious of now, as she tried to sort out the emotions permeating the room, was their response to her introduction. It was inevitable that some would find the deal surprisingly lopsided in the FACTION IN QUESTION’s favour, though she expected few would protest that.
SUBLEADER ONE was the first to speak, "You say that we will help you maintain your secrecy, but from what little I've seen so far your people are more than capable of remaining hidden. So how would we be able to help you?"
SUBLEADER TWO yelled out, "Aye! We aren't exactly well known for our subtly!"
Dalyth’s face remained blank and composed, but inside her nervousness was rampant. It was a gift of hers that she could lie so beautifully in comparison to her inner turmoil as she turned her serene gaze towards the wise old leader.
“Indeed you have seen little of us, Lord SUBLEADER ONE. In point of fact, the only proof you have that there is such a civilization as the Flux Ascendancy is that I am here before you claiming as such. One person constitutes very little in terms of proof at that.” She smiled with graceful restraint as a strange look flirted across SUBLEADER ONE’s face as he considered whether or not to be offended by such a peculiar observation, which in itself through suspicion onto her own words. The smile on her face was faint, but she recognized the intelligence in his words, and matched them further. “The Ascendancy is capable of a great many things, but it is unthinkable for us to exist on the same level as the other occupants of this galaxy. Even then, events must be affected, and outcomes altered. As we lack the…” strangely here, she hesitated, before the glimmer returned to her eyes as the word came to her mind. “…calling required to engage directly before the Great Confrontation, we must thus influence reality through less direct means. Rest assured, this deal is not a unique one. I would suspect many of you have already dealt with us under these same conditions.”
OMITTED'S voice boomed as he spoke, "Ah. So we will be a hammer, crushing those that would descover you." He smiled savagely as he spoke, "Our lack of 'subtly,' as SUBLEADER TWO put it, is what your people desire from us. You know, I've been hoping for a chance to really unleash our forces upon a foe with the sole purpose of destruction."
At this SUBLEADER SEVEN spoke up, "You can't honestly expect us to wipe out entire civilizations just because you'll be discovered do you? I can understand the desire to remain hidden, but this seems a little extreme."
"Is it?" SUBLEADER EIGHT turned to address SUBLEADER SEVEN. "If a powerful foe were about to discover the exact location of Sabatonne would we not move to destroy them? Isn't that he same?"
"Yes, but we can't..."
"SUBLEADER SEVEN..."
"My lord we can't..."
"SUBLEADER SEVEN..."
"But my lord..."
SUBLEADER SEVEN please..."
"I'm sorry but no. My lord, we simply cannot..."
"SILENCE!" The PRIME LEADER's voice, amplified to painful levels by his suit, echoed across the vast chamber. It was several seconds passed before the PRIME LEADER spoke again. "SUBLEADER SEVEN the OMITTED. Gem of the FACTION IN QUESTION. Truely you are too kind for this universe, and I hope that it never breaks you like it has so many others. However, our job as the leaders of this empire is to ensure the safety of our people. What the Flux Ascendancy offer us is foreknowledge. The ability to strike targets before they become a real threat. If obtaining this knowledge requires us to destroy then so be it. Their safety and well being is not our concern. But do not worry, for unlike the others you are not a warrior. I realise this and will never call you to carry out such a task for I fear what it would do to you."
SUBLEADER SEVEN sat there quietly for a while before quietly saying, "As you wish."
The PRIME LEADER turned back to where Dalyth stood. He really wished that hadn't happened. To have such a conflict infront of an outsider looked bad.
"Emissary Dalyth. You mentioned something called the Great Confrontation and that your people couldn't act directly before it happened. I'm curious to know what will happen after this event. Specifically the relationship between our civilizations."
She tilted her head almost imperceptibly as she rapidly put together a means of expressing it to the lords of the FACTION IN QUESTION.
“The Great Confrontation is a changing of the ages. We do not know when or where it shall be, but I was told before leaving that it was much closer than I had been lead to believe. We shall fight by the sides of our gods, and defeat their enemies, as we were created for that purpose. This…” she smiled slightly with a sense of whimsy, and it was a strangely unsettling sort of whimsy at that. “This fight will not concern your galaxy, I assure you. But it will be a great battle, and we expect to suffer for our labours quite severely. I may not even survive it.” The smile slowly faded, and it left the council with a disquieted unease towards the seemingly fragile figure before them. Hers was an unnatural mind.
“I do not know what happens beyond that. The Great Confrontation is the last prophecy to be fulfilled. Perhaps we shall cease to be after it, or perhaps a new commission shall be issued by the Khamood-Urr. It is an unseen event to us; we dare not intrude upon its sanctity.” She fixed her eyes upon the PRIME LEADER’s mighty helmet, and concluded with considerable conviction. “These things I say may sound like legends, I confess to you that much. But are we not belonging to that category ourselves?”
"Hm. Sounds like your whole race is going to have it rough." SUBLEADER ONE said calmly. Many of the council members agreed with him.
"Quietly please." the PRIME LEADER's voice silenced the conversation that was about to erupt. "Emissary Dalyth, I'd like to thank you for answering our questions. I am satisfied with what you have told us. If anyone else has a question speak now." When nobody spoke the PRIME LEADER addressed the council.. "So, you all now know what will be expected of us, and what we will receive in return. Does anybody object to their terms?"
SUBLEADER SEVEN spoke up, "I do."
"Noted. Anybody else?"
SUBLEADER EIGHT involuntarily muttered something about SUBLEADER SEVEN and SUBLEADER TWO was too preoccupied with trying not to laugh at what SUBLEADER EIGHT said to really say anything himself. But when nobody else objected the PRIME LEADER continued. " Very well. Emissary Dalyth, the COMMAND AUTHORITY has agreed to covertly help the Flux Ascendency wherever you have need of us."
Given the paranoid, xenophobic nature of the Flux Ascendancy, I thought it would be fitting to censure this RP sequence. Thus, you guys will have to wonder...
--oOo--
Dalyth had always been a fearful person; though fearful here can be found to mean many things, and never in the most obvious way. It was always her nature to be fearful, but as she waited for the elevator platform to raise her to the council’s floor, she maintained what would seem to be a confidently controlled demeanor. This would be the first of many misconceptions regarding her. Yes, she was in control of her own fate-and beyond that, she was capable of many other fates too. But she was fearful, and she knew it to be well grounded in reason. Her own people were more than willing to erase her from existence itself should she fail-and failure could be a very loosely described term.
Her guards (guards or escorts, she didn’t quite care what terminology was used) were equally controlled now. Their faces concealed, Dalyth couldn’t see their expressions…but she could sense their ramifications. Suspicion and concern permeated their thoughts. Theirs were formidable souls, and as such they did not understand the nature of her presence here. This too gave her cause for caution, and she concentrated on the task at hand.
In a few moments, the elevator would reach the top of its shaft, and she would be standing in the center of the COMMAND AUTHORITY. If anyone was prepared, it would be her-she had been educated with the purpose of representing her people here now, and she had many advantages on her side for the role. She knew their faces, their stories, their pasts-and for a significant few, their futures-and as she closed her eyes in contemplation, she could feel herself rising up to that chamber. She could capture whispers of the emotions in the room, drifting on the wind with ephemeral grace. Ephemeral had always been a word she’d appreciated; her light complexion and pale eyes complimented the quiet and passing nature of her words. Like life itself, she was ephemeral, and as a Heraldic she could vanish just as quietly as life or a breeze.
The COMMAND AUTHORITY was in session. They sat in a room large enough to hold a medium sized space ship. From behind them, large windows let the light from the unnatural sky flood the room. They sat in a large half circle, and talked amongst them selves. Except for SUBLEADER TWO who was yelling over everybody else about how they should all greet their guest with over the top gestures while standing on their heads. SUBLEADER NINE was the only one to actually consider doing this. Eventually, they started to converse about their guest and those they represented.
"So, do we know anything about them?" SUBLEADER THREE asked.
"No. Neither us nor any civilization we have met have even heard of them." said SUBLEADER FOUR, eager for a chance to show SUBLEADER THREE up. But the fact that SUBLEADER FOUR, the scholar of the empire, hadn't heard of them was slightly unnerving.
"That's not true." the PRIME LEADER'S voice rang out.
SUBLEADER ONE spoke up, "Right. We do know that whoever they are, they're very secretive."
"That, and they are in possession of some advanced stealth technology."
"How do we know that?" It was SUBLEADER EIGHT this time that spoke.
"I've been watching the elevator as it ascends. And if it wasn't for the pressure pads, I'd say there was no one on it."
SUBLEADER FIVE asked the question that many of the others had, "My lord, if they have the technology to hide themselves from those cameras, how will you see them?"
Before the (PRIME LEADER) could respond SUBLEADER TWO jumped up and yelled out, "WE COAT THEM IN THEIR OWN BLOOD!"
SUBLEADER NINE snickered at the thought. Everyone else however stared at him.
"Lets try not to kill the representative. For some reason others always frown on such action." SUBLEADER TWO just shrugged and sat back down.
"Anyway, my helmet is much more advanced than those cameras. So I should be able to see them. If I cannot see them I'm going to rely on all of you to describe what they look like to me after this meeting is over." Everybody agreed and waited patiently for the elevator to ferry their guest to them.
The floor parted and the platform rose. All council members looked at the figure standing there. As one they stood. As one they gave a slight bow. The PRIME LEADER remained standing as the rest retook their seats. Privately, some were surprised that they could actually view their mysterious audience. "I am the PRIME LEADER of the FACTION IN QUESTION, and I bid you welcome."
Dalyth silenced her inner demons as she lowered her head in a bow to the (PRIME LEADER), her posture giving the mentality of submission quite clearly. It was an unfamiliar pose for her, though she had long known it was to be anticipated of her, and she had practiced it quite well.
“PRIME LEADER of the FACTION IN QUESTION, I give thanks for having my audience accepted by you and your council.” She held the bow for a while, before returning to her more conventional pose. “I am the Emissary Dalyth,” she stated solemnly, her sleeves meeting as her hands slid into each other’s grasp, “the appointed one to represent the Flux Ascendancy.” She paused here, expecting some variety of protest given the scope of her claim. The few who knew of the Ascendancy universally regarded them as superstition and nothing more; and often when introduced as such, they were scoffed for the claim. She sensed some sudden thoughts from the council-particularly from the one they called SUBLEADER TWO-but no audible protests were lodged. Perhaps the PRIME LEADER had already briefed them on it. As such, she took three slow steps off the elevator platform, her robe moving gracefully behind her. “If it would please your lordships, I will begin with the obvious.” Her sentences were shorter and curter now than her training had encouraged. “The Ascendancy is more than legend, though this you will forget. Forgetting is not important here. You will remember when necessary. We have negotiated an understanding with the PRIME LEADER. We shall advise the council of affairs relevant to your posts, and the Ascendancy will covertly facilitate colonization efforts along your frontier.” She paused, carefully gauging her own tone, and doing her best to keep a calm and collected disposition. “The FACTION IN QUESTION has thus agreed to aide the Ascendancy in remaining undetectable.” She fell silent now, awaiting their response. There was some more beyond that, but it was between her and the PRIME LEADER himself; the council need not be privy of it. What she was curious of now, as she tried to sort out the emotions permeating the room, was their response to her introduction. It was inevitable that some would find the deal surprisingly lopsided in the FACTION IN QUESTION’s favour, though she expected few would protest that.
SUBLEADER ONE was the first to speak, "You say that we will help you maintain your secrecy, but from what little I've seen so far your people are more than capable of remaining hidden. So how would we be able to help you?"
SUBLEADER TWO yelled out, "Aye! We aren't exactly well known for our subtly!"
Dalyth’s face remained blank and composed, but inside her nervousness was rampant. It was a gift of hers that she could lie so beautifully in comparison to her inner turmoil as she turned her serene gaze towards the wise old leader.
“Indeed you have seen little of us, Lord SUBLEADER ONE. In point of fact, the only proof you have that there is such a civilization as the Flux Ascendancy is that I am here before you claiming as such. One person constitutes very little in terms of proof at that.” She smiled with graceful restraint as a strange look flirted across SUBLEADER ONE’s face as he considered whether or not to be offended by such a peculiar observation, which in itself through suspicion onto her own words. The smile on her face was faint, but she recognized the intelligence in his words, and matched them further. “The Ascendancy is capable of a great many things, but it is unthinkable for us to exist on the same level as the other occupants of this galaxy. Even then, events must be affected, and outcomes altered. As we lack the…” strangely here, she hesitated, before the glimmer returned to her eyes as the word came to her mind. “…calling required to engage directly before the Great Confrontation, we must thus influence reality through less direct means. Rest assured, this deal is not a unique one. I would suspect many of you have already dealt with us under these same conditions.”
OMITTED'S voice boomed as he spoke, "Ah. So we will be a hammer, crushing those that would descover you." He smiled savagely as he spoke, "Our lack of 'subtly,' as SUBLEADER TWO put it, is what your people desire from us. You know, I've been hoping for a chance to really unleash our forces upon a foe with the sole purpose of destruction."
At this SUBLEADER SEVEN spoke up, "You can't honestly expect us to wipe out entire civilizations just because you'll be discovered do you? I can understand the desire to remain hidden, but this seems a little extreme."
"Is it?" SUBLEADER EIGHT turned to address SUBLEADER SEVEN. "If a powerful foe were about to discover the exact location of Sabatonne would we not move to destroy them? Isn't that he same?"
"Yes, but we can't..."
"SUBLEADER SEVEN..."
"My lord we can't..."
"SUBLEADER SEVEN..."
"But my lord..."
SUBLEADER SEVEN please..."
"I'm sorry but no. My lord, we simply cannot..."
"SILENCE!" The PRIME LEADER's voice, amplified to painful levels by his suit, echoed across the vast chamber. It was several seconds passed before the PRIME LEADER spoke again. "SUBLEADER SEVEN the OMITTED. Gem of the FACTION IN QUESTION. Truely you are too kind for this universe, and I hope that it never breaks you like it has so many others. However, our job as the leaders of this empire is to ensure the safety of our people. What the Flux Ascendancy offer us is foreknowledge. The ability to strike targets before they become a real threat. If obtaining this knowledge requires us to destroy then so be it. Their safety and well being is not our concern. But do not worry, for unlike the others you are not a warrior. I realise this and will never call you to carry out such a task for I fear what it would do to you."
SUBLEADER SEVEN sat there quietly for a while before quietly saying, "As you wish."
The PRIME LEADER turned back to where Dalyth stood. He really wished that hadn't happened. To have such a conflict infront of an outsider looked bad.
"Emissary Dalyth. You mentioned something called the Great Confrontation and that your people couldn't act directly before it happened. I'm curious to know what will happen after this event. Specifically the relationship between our civilizations."
She tilted her head almost imperceptibly as she rapidly put together a means of expressing it to the lords of the FACTION IN QUESTION.
“The Great Confrontation is a changing of the ages. We do not know when or where it shall be, but I was told before leaving that it was much closer than I had been lead to believe. We shall fight by the sides of our gods, and defeat their enemies, as we were created for that purpose. This…” she smiled slightly with a sense of whimsy, and it was a strangely unsettling sort of whimsy at that. “This fight will not concern your galaxy, I assure you. But it will be a great battle, and we expect to suffer for our labours quite severely. I may not even survive it.” The smile slowly faded, and it left the council with a disquieted unease towards the seemingly fragile figure before them. Hers was an unnatural mind.
“I do not know what happens beyond that. The Great Confrontation is the last prophecy to be fulfilled. Perhaps we shall cease to be after it, or perhaps a new commission shall be issued by the Khamood-Urr. It is an unseen event to us; we dare not intrude upon its sanctity.” She fixed her eyes upon the PRIME LEADER’s mighty helmet, and concluded with considerable conviction. “These things I say may sound like legends, I confess to you that much. But are we not belonging to that category ourselves?”
"Hm. Sounds like your whole race is going to have it rough." SUBLEADER ONE said calmly. Many of the council members agreed with him.
"Quietly please." the PRIME LEADER's voice silenced the conversation that was about to erupt. "Emissary Dalyth, I'd like to thank you for answering our questions. I am satisfied with what you have told us. If anyone else has a question speak now." When nobody spoke the PRIME LEADER addressed the council.. "So, you all now know what will be expected of us, and what we will receive in return. Does anybody object to their terms?"
SUBLEADER SEVEN spoke up, "I do."
"Noted. Anybody else?"
SUBLEADER EIGHT involuntarily muttered something about SUBLEADER SEVEN and SUBLEADER TWO was too preoccupied with trying not to laugh at what SUBLEADER EIGHT said to really say anything himself. But when nobody else objected the PRIME LEADER continued. " Very well. Emissary Dalyth, the COMMAND AUTHORITY has agreed to covertly help the Flux Ascendency wherever you have need of us."