Re: A Pilgrimage into the Hydras' Lair

[Mthis]

Ashepta smiles slightly before responding "My own ship will provide me with most of the accommodations i require, apart from nutrition, but i am sure such things can be procured on site."

[Joe Joerson]

"Indeed we are glad that you came so prepared. Arrangements can easily be made if you desire such quarters. As well if you require any provisions here or anywhere else while we guide you please feel free to ask such of any Ulwa Information Services employee. Are there any questions or concerns you have that I may be able to assist with?"

Zinat changes the elevation of his heads again, all to different levels of mid ranged elevations. Although no longer constantly moving his heads he is still at least fairly animated with them.

[Mthis]

"Well i am concerned on how strict my access will be, as i explore your worlds, as i can imagene i will be watched on the more populous worlds. Altough apart from that, i feel eager to begin my pilgrimage at large and see if there is a thinning in the veil"

[Joe Joerson]

Zinat begins changing the projection to an interface of sorts, much broader and likely displaying certain kinds of information. One head remains focused on the now personalized display, the Central head addresses Ashepta while the second minor head addresses the two still waiting robots. The speech from the one addressing the robots is not translated by the Xengar's translation devices, if done so would reveal an order to load certain newly transferred Ulwa Corporation supplies to his ship. His words to Ashepta:

"On Tuplarvis it shall likely work towards our favor, however on more populous worlds it will indeed be shallow waters for this venture. Likely on most worlds you will receive an 'honor guard' of several guardian robots, they shall service as surveillance, protection, service, and if necessary detainment or destruction. Please do not be alarmed, they would take the opportunity to try to restrict your travel, 'for your safety' of course. If you have any more questions or if you have any need for provisions we can answer those needs now. If not we can begin our venture."

[Mthis]

Ashepta nods lightly and bows her head briefly before speaking again, theres a hint of electricity running along her fur briefly. "Some provisions would be appreciated, would you have access to any sort of meat? My kin evolved as Hunters, and many of those traits for a predatory lifestyle remain."

[Joe Joerson]

If one could see into the mind of Zinat they would note the suspicion of the rather odd conditions of her fur. However he responds, the side head that was speaking to the robots now drifting off to the side, coordinating with the supply depot intelligent operating system.

"Yes, the Xengari race has a similar heritage. In addition to some rather high quality meats from my ship there is some of what I expect to be rather low quality Septhi... ...meals recently bought to help determine what might be sellable in your own space. The Septhi meals would be a greater imposition but it is easily understood if you prefer a more familiar taste. The choice is your own."

As he has been speaking Zinat simply continues to operate something on the display.

[Mthis]

"The Meals marketed towards my kin will suffice, i am not to live in luxury on a Pilgrimage. I just wish to get onwards with this sacred journey and see if the gods have willed me to find a thinning in the veil"

[Joe Joerson]

Zinat speaks.

"I will have them delivered to the dock outside your ship."

He falls silent apparently focusing on what he said he would. After a while it becomes apparent despite the fact he is still 'looking' at Ashepta with his central head he is not saying anything. A situation which might be either simply awkward, cultural differences, or a dismissal.

[Mthis]

Ashepta nods and bows slowly before speaking briefly "I shall return towards my ship if theres nothing else, thank you"

[Joe Joerson]

Zinat's central head wobbles as he speaks.

"There is nothing else. I can have a robot escort you back to your docking section if you wish it."

[Mthis]

Ashepta smiles "It wont be needed i can find my way back on my own. Ill be heading to Tuplarvis as soon as i can"

[Joe Joerson]

"I'll have the robots drop off some crates by your dock then, take what you need. I need to accomplish some 'administrative' tasks before leaving and will join you as soon as possible. Proceed if you wish if you get to Tuplarvis before me, simply contact an Ulwa Corporation representative using the codes and they will assist you."

If Ashepta goes to her dock she will find an excess of rather low quality mass market Septhi rations, intended for survival rather than anything more complicated, though some may not be so draconian if she spends some time to look.

[Mthis]

Ashepta nods and thanks Xinat before returning to her own private dock, spending some time inspecting and packing the rations into her ship so she is well stocked before preparing to head to the coordinates of Tuplarvis. As soon as the ship is out and coordiantes are set in for the auto-pilot.

Ashepta steps off from the Control section of the ship and proceeds to the Ships shrine, kneeling down she begins a prayer to the God of Electricity, lightning, thunder. As she sits on her knees before the shrine electricity is running through her fur and body, as if she was a conduit of sorts. She would maintain this form of worship for a few hours before retiring to rest and await her ships arrival at the system.

Hopefully nothing unexpected happens on the way.

[Joe Joerson]

The travel itself is rather uneventful, aside from the many tracking stations and warships keeping the governmental apprised of location and travel time as Ashepta's ship passes them by through the interstellar void.

Upon arriving in the system several things stand out. First in the asteroid belt there are a rather large number of drones and construction vehicles, they appear to be repairing and rebuilding several mining stations close inspection of the hulls would show their apparent destruction by explosive blasts and energy weapons. From the dispersal of the debris one could tell this happened before the Xengari even knew of the Khendros if they knew the dates for that and had investigated into the matter.

Second over Tuplarvis hangs not only the partially completed star port, its outer surface intact however from energy levels many systems are offline however weapons appear operational, but also a capable military outpost boasting a surprisingly large communications array as well as a large sensors suite. If the sensors was developed enough they would detect the defining characteristics of a minefield, however any localization of the mines is likely beyond most military sensors.

Third an automated message arrives in Xengari translatable speech. It is accompanied by an oscillating light of bright blue and turquoise, a Xengari warning signal color.

"Attention vessel, this is the the Zhrenya military outpost autonomous messaging system. You are WARNED not to approach the inhabited planet of this system without assistance from the Xengari authorities. Failure to comply WILL result in the destruction of your vessel."

Waiting near the planet is another ship similar to Zinat's. Apparently carrying on multiple conversations with the planet. It stays well away from the planet, waiting for something or someone.

[Mthis]

Ashepta goes about transmitting her ships identification to the source of the signal, as she sets course to get closer to the ship similar to Zinat's as she transmits the code Zinat provided her to it, she ensures her ship moves at a casual speed as not to seem hostile.

[Joe Joerson]

There is no reply to the return message sent to the Military Outpost however it does begin a dialogue with the similar ship. A signal is sent from the similar ship to Ashepta's ship, audio and visual. On the screen appears an image of some collection of colors, they rapidly change and alternate locations with no apparent pattern, audio comes though as a translation into the Septhi language.

"Greetings from the Ulwa Corporation! This is Kshar s'Ulwa, Captain of the ship Acoustic Bounty, and as I am currently coordinating various portions of your journey with the local authorities. Please hold as I turn you over to my assistant High Lady, Baroness Weta s'Agar of Qoabos."

The Image continues to be transmitted until it is replaced by a video feed of a Female Xengar, if Ashepta can tell. In the background are several screens, all blurred out likely as some process purposely done of their ship for security reasons. She wears not an armored vac suit but instead several loose fitting cloth garments around her heads, they are brightly colored and if attention is paid to them they are very slowly changing color. There are several other pieces of cloth that seem to stretch down onto her back though they are not shown in their entirety.

"This is High Lady, Baroness Weta s'Agar of Qoabos, how may I assist you?"

[Mthis]

Ashepta vids feed seem to hide little, Ashepta stands in seemingly fine robes covered in religious iconography with a focus on Thunder and Lightning however the Mark of the Sun, and thereby the Dynasty and the race itself is in the center of it all, behind her is clearly a large Shrine encased within the Ship now and then cackling with energy after her prayer as she still receives mental strenght from it.

She bows before talking. "I am Ashepta of the Collective Temples of the Eternal Dynasty of Septhi, i have come on th sacred task of Pilgrimage to find thinnings in the Veil between this plane of exsistance and the spiritual to find traces of what the Gods might have left for us to discover about ourselves and our souls. I have come to this world to tread upon it and see if such a thinning exsists."

[Joe Joerson]

The Baroness returns her message, folding one side head across her chest, somehow deftly keeping the cloths from falling while doing so.

"Yes, much of that is in your customer file, however is there some request that needs to be fulfilled? Your docking rights have been secured and we are currently arranging subcontracted transportation through a variety of terrains that would difficult to reach otherwise."

For whatever reason, cultural or otherwise, the Baroness appears to confused as to why Ashepta seems to state the obvious, was another Septhi ship of similar conditions expected for this system?

[Mthis]

Ashepta dosnt seem to seem to question it, at least for now, she bows on the screen

"How long will these procedures take?" Ashepta might appear impatient, she must want to set her feet, paws? On a planetary soil.

[Joe Joerson]

"Do not worry, there is plenty to see, it will take at most a few hours for a large majority of the subcontracts, a few days for the others. In any case it is of no concern, there is plenty that can be reached otherwise we can begin as soon as you arrive to take transition with us, we have already been contacted by the outpost to conduct the movement together."

[Mthis]

"Togheter? Very well, i will move my ship into position, any specific coordinates i should follow for docking or landing procedures?" A hint of electricity runs through her fur, quite visible, might even distort the screen briefly

[Joe Joerson]

The Baroness does not seem overly concerned.

"I will transmit the relative position to my ship you will be required to maintain, as well the Outpost will transmit the course corrections required to pass when we begin to transit. We will receive exact docking instructions once the minefield has been past."

A transmission containing the relative position mentioned is transmitted to Ashepta's vessel as the communications between other locations and the Ulwa Vessel begin to cease.

[Mthis]

Ashepta simply follows instructions and coordinates, afterall shes in their space, she should stay civil and cooperate.

[Joe Joerson]

The Xengari see no reason why Ashepta would not, after all they are only helping her accomplish her goal. If no drastic deviations are taken from courses set by the Ulwa ship then crossing the minefield is mostly uneventful. After crossing, given the previous caveat, then a new transmission is received this time from the Ulwa ship, and an apparent one from Kshar. Audio Only, translated of course.

"Greetings, I must apologize for earlier inconveniences, I did not know when you would be arriving and some preparations are time specific. However the purpose of this transmission is to request whether you vessel is capable of atmospheric travel or if you would require transport to and from the planet. I must ask this as the Space station is currently incomplete and does not have shuttles available any time soon. We have Ulwa shuttles, however it would be costly to get out of storage that which is not needed."

[Mthis]

Ashepta responds "My Vessel is atmosphere capable, i just need coordinates of where is a proper location to land and dock myself Planetside. There is no need to apologise either."

[Joe Joerson]

Another audio transmission is received, along with coordinates of a specific location, at the edge of Xengari settlement.

"Here is the landing site, there should be preparations already in place but should there be any difficulties be aware I will be landing shortly. There should be sufficient guidance in place for you to start your journey immediately after landing, I can understand if you wish to wait for an Ulwa presence if necessary and you are free to proceed as you wish."

More specifically the landing site is at an outpost of some kind considering its location inside of the large world dominating tropical forest. Further information about the site will likely be seen as Ashepta nears the sight.

[Mthis]

Ashepta goes to follow the coordinates and land her vessel simply, preparing her own survival kits and rations before heading to leave her vessel and have a look at the sorroundings, if its at Tropical world it might be a good idea to get an idea of what kind of animals exsists on it too.

[Joe Joerson]

As she lands, more can be seen of the surrounding area and facility. The entire landing area, which Ashepta's ship takes up a small portion of, surrounds a central complex that is a research complex of a kind, likely studying the surrounding wildlife and forest given the relative untouched nature of the forest besides the area cleared for the landing zone and structure. The complex is built like a fortress of some bygone age with seemingly walls and towers within despite the fact it is a singular connected building, if looked from above there is no courtyard or other space that would be found in such an older structure.

On the great landing zone there are several vessels not entirely un-similar to shuttles, however inspecting their design would reveal an incapability to move beyond atmosphere effectively meaning these are likely a large planetary transport which given Xengari size might not mean all that much. The top half of each vessel overhands the lower section, as the lower section appears to have little purpose given the comparative sizes, and is in the general shape of a half ovoid, various groves and protrusions disrupt this shape however they do it with the usual curving motions of Xengari design.

The Forest around the landing area is one of mostly brighter greens that may be slightly unpleasant to behold for extended periods due to brightness, noises from the forest, if attempted to be found over the noise of the Xengari machines, are distant in most cases though sounds emanating from what are smaller creature may be found closer.

As Ashepta descends from her ship into the rather bright general environs, and noisy, she might notice a group of Xengari bipedal robots, and some of a smaller spider like variety, approaching her ship and her in particular once she comes into view.

[Mthis]

Ashepta looks confused at the Robots approaching her, but tries to hide a feeling of unease shes getting from it as she heads out to look at what remains of nature in the sorroundings, she must afterall go into the wilderness on her journey, but finding a place high up to meditate to try and sense for a thinning in the veil would also be a good idea.

[Joe Joerson]

Heading towards the forest, unless taking a route that would increase travel time to allow the robots to catch up, will result in heading almost directly away from the group, though only a minute or two before they catch up anyway given their current pace. Upon reaching the forest Ashepta would find that the larger sedentary plant-like organisms have been relatively untouched however much of the undergrowth has been removed and transferred into plots each labeled in Low Kolesh script, a Xengari writing. The plots are occupied by various obviously foreign plants, if one knew enough about xeno-botany, their structure and bluish coloration one might find on Akreon Prime. There are ample paths through if one wished to go further, the natural undergrowth might return far enough out from the research center though straying off into the forest might not be the best idea, especially in light of the xenophobic nature of the planet's current controllers.

Up in the tops of the larger 'trees' some life forms can be found, though at Ashepta's approach some have glided away, getting a better look at them might take some time, though actions might be easier if proper equipment was used.

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