Khendros interaction with the Cirnii

[Caspoi]

A ship, belonging to Commander Junomd of the 1st Exploration and Interaction with the Unenlightened Division enter a system that is (unbeknownst to them) Close to Imperium space.

[Vagrant Hero]

[The Expedition's sensory equipment begins picking up anomalous reading from a nearby system. They appear to be gravitic in nature.]

[Caspoi]

Onboard, commander Junomd Begin Reading the scanners.
"Nothing special in this system either, it would seem."
"No, commander. All planets and moons in system show no sign of life. There are no other anomolies either, nothing out of the ordinary."
This comes from the ship's main computer. While robotics as individual platforms have yet to be developed most of the fleet's ships are completely intelligent and fully able to make calculated decisions of their own.
"Not exactly unexpected, the percentage of worlds that have life is positively miniscule. Still, it makes our jobs rather boring. Necessary but still boring."

He stands there, looking at the readings, as the ship starts to create a new wormhole to pass through.

[Vagrant Hero]

Meanwhile, in a nearby system, Cirnii technicians aboard a Space Outpost detect something strange. After some quick discussion with a few people, the head technician notifies the local Archbishop of these new developments.

"Your Excellency, the boys up here are seeing something that doesn't make much sense. Someone's opened a wormhole a couple steps out, but the wormhole we opened ended in the Carr system. No one else has sought authorization to travel recently except for a couple expeditions, and they are nowhere near this region." The technician waits a few minutes, before a reply is received.

"That's very, very odd indeed. Give orders to levy the vessels nearby. They aren't the Xengari, Paladin Cayderix informed us they don't use the same FTL we do. Stay cautious nevertheless. These are hostile stars. May the Father illuminate your path."

'Well, that was bloody helpful,' the technician grumbled internally. He delegates the Archbishops orders, and the station starts checking systems and preparing its crews.

[Caspoi]

Meanwhile the wormhole is starting to become large enough for the ship to enter through.

[Vagrant Hero]

Some time passes. Two corvettes are mobilized, crews ready to go. If the aliens enter Cirnii space, they'll be ready for them.

[Caspoi]

The ship is entering through the wormhole so as to return to Khendros space.

[Vagrant Hero]

A state of readiness is maintained for the next few hours. If nothing occurs, the levies will be lowered until they are needed.

[Caspoi]

The ship has entered, the portal closes and a new attempt is made, this time (again, unbeknownst to them) inside Cirnii space. They start opening a wormhole.

[Vagrant Hero]

The two corvettes are dispatched to the edge of the Space Outpost's missile launchers, so that they will have support in case whatever comes through the wormhole is hostile.

[Caspoi]

As the 1st EIUD begin going through the wormhole they start to get a lot of interesting readings. Commander Junomd had been looking idly at the screen when he was alerted.
"Commander, there are radiation signals coming from this system as well as those of objects traveling at abnormal velocities. It is likely that this comes from spacefaring vessels."
"I can see that Computer. Are there no records of a previous Khendros ship going to this system?"
"no Commander."
He let that sink in, reflecting over the great likelyhood of those signals coming from an alien spacecraft.
"Very well then, countinue with the transaction but make sure that the weapons are ready to fire in case they turn out to be hostile."
"Yes, Commander."

The ship has gone through the wormhole, which is collapsing.

[Vagrant Hero]

The system you enter has several rocky worlds at varying distances from a red star. The furthest planet from the star has several artificial installations in orbit which are easily identifiable. Barges travel back and forth between the planet and the stations. They are all structurally very sound.

Closer inspection reveals a couple vessels roughly halfway between the closing wormhole and the third planet. They do not appear to be heading closer towards the entering ship, but energy readings show that they are definitely active.

[Caspoi]

The ship does not move closer towards them but stay where it is. It does however send out a signal to them, hailing the ships.

[Vagrant Hero]

A return signal is sent back, confirming that they received a signal.

[Caspoi]

Now Junomd was a bit indecisive on what to do next. He decided to send a series of numbers, reasoning that math would be a universal principle. This is what he sent:
the Khendros symbol for 1, followed by one dot
The Khendros symbols for 1+1, followed by the symbol for 2, followed by two dots.
The symbols for 2-1, followed by the symbol for 1, followed by one dot.
The symbols for 2+1, followed by the symbol for 3, followed by three dots.
The symbols for 3+1, followed by the symbol for 4, followed by four dots.
The symbols for 2+2, followed by the symbol for 4, followed by four dots.
The symbols for 3+2, followed by the symbol for 5, followed by five dots.
The symbols for 3*2, followed by the symbol for 6, followed by six dots.
The symbols for 4*2, followed by the symbol for 8, followed by eight dots.
The symbols for 3+4, followed by the symbol for 7, followed by seven dots.
The symbols for 3*3, followed by the symbol for 9, followed by 9 dots.
The symbols for 5+5, followed by the symbol for 10, followed by ten dots.
The symbols for 10/5, followed by the symbol for 2, followed by two dots.

[Vagrant Hero]

The Cirnii quickly grasp the true meaning of the message. A return transmission of the same patterns with Cirnii symbols, followed by basic arithmetic problems is agreed upon as the correct response.

[Caspoi]

The solution to the arithmetic problems is sent back in Khendrosi. This is the followed up by a Picture of the system seen from the viewpoint of their ship.

[Vagrant Hero]

Having ascertained that these newcomers were not immediately hostile, the Cirnii are content to keep playing this game until something changes. They are still wary of potential Xengari incursions due to their lack of information on where the Akreonic Lordships are in relation to Cirn space. Musings aside, a return picture is sent back, with the characteristic oddity of focus and resolution.

[Caspoi]

An animated draft is sent, showing one of the Alien ships approaching the Khendros vessel and board it.

[Vagrant Hero]

This plan is deliberated upon for a few minutes. Messages are exchanged between the Archpriest administrator of the space outpost and the crews. A counter proposal is sent to the newcomers, showing their ship docking with the station whilst being escorted by the two Cirnii corvettes.

[Caspoi]

This proposal was most certainly not accepted as they would leave themselves completely exposed. The khendros sent one of their own where the ship and the alien one met halfway through.

[Vagrant Hero]

A few more minutes pass, before one of the Cirn corvettes slowly approaches the Khendros vessel. A boarding party is prepared as they advance.

[Caspoi]

The Khendrosi ship advances as well. Though they do not show it all weapons are ready to fire at any sign of hostility.

[Vagrant Hero]

[Unless you have any tricks up your sleeve, shall we skip to the actual docking?]

[Caspoi]

[I don't,let us move forward]

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