Andromedan Orbiting Operations Center (and offworld adventures)

[Baron Tredegar]

Ahrakas looked at the messages on his pad. Interesting developments. He began typing back to Taonoui (@Firuthi Dragovic)

Spoiler: From User: Ascendant Phoenix. CONFIDENTIAL

Harpocrates is currently in charge of archiving everything. I still dont fully trust the Celestial Dragons, I have seen what they are capable of during the Dawn War and the Rebellion, I fear they may have ulterior goals for the Architects. This is greatly intriguing about Oliver, I need you to try to see where his loyalties lie. We might possibly have a great asset on our hands if we can get him to be our spy. The Architects may be in greater peril than ever before, do not fail them or me.

He then coincidentally got a message from Harpocrates, he glance at its contents. Then he began replying to Oliver.
Good news! I have relayed the info to Harpocrates and she has her men on the job. Luckily she just informed me that her men have captured a few of Lucifers loyalists. They revealed under coercive interrogation that Project: Lazarus is the name of a complicated failsafe Lucifer had involving cloning himself. However he needs a celestial dragons powers to restore his own powers, otherwise the clone is powerless.
In all honesty I think you are now the most capable replacement for Tiamats successor as Temporal Lord. Something for you to think about.
(OOC: I am still on my trip rn so might not have much time to reply in a little bit)

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Ahrakas looked at the messages on his pad. Interesting developments. He began typing back to Taonoui (@Firuthi Dragovic)

Spoiler: From User: Ascendant Phoenix. CONFIDENTIAL

Harpocrates is currently in charge of archiving everything. I still dont fully trust the Celestial Dragons, I have seen what they are capable of during the Dawn War and the Rebellion, I fear they may have ulterior goals for the Architects. This is greatly intriguing about Oliver, I need you to try to see where his loyalties lie. We might possibly have a great asset on our hands if we can get him to be our spy. The Architects may be in greater peril than ever before, do not fail them or me.

Ahrakas got a message back.

Spoiler: From user Galactic Bunnyhop

Ulterior.... High Imperator, keep in mind the alliance with the dragons is recent news. Of course we're going to have misgivings. I wanted to put them to work because I know a wrecked and unguarded planet is a very easy way for someone to sneak in a thing that will hinder the Architects. If you think I'm playing with fire given what they unleashed in those wars, I'll ease off. Regardless, I'll have a talk with Harpocrates, then I'll see what I can do about Oliver. As for you... the Architects, Jackson, and Saxon are on your ship if you need to fill them in on any of this. Jackson told me the raver was fiddling with a communicator, I assume he means Loki...

He then coincidentally got a message from Harpocrates, he glance at its contents. Then he began replying to Oliver.
Good news! I have relayed the info to Harpocrates and she has her men on the job. Luckily she just informed me that her men have captured a few of Lucifers loyalists. They revealed under coercive interrogation that Project: Lazarus is the name of a complicated failsafe Lucifer had involving cloning himself. However he needs a celestial dragons powers to restore his own powers, otherwise the clone is powerless.
In all honesty I think you are now the most capable replacement for Tiamats successor as Temporal Lord. Something for you to think about.

Another message came in.

Spoiler: From user Kobold Ascendant

I... I'll think about it. I understand I'll have to relay about the celestial dragons if I take up a role like that. Thank you for that detail about the failsafe, and now I have to wonder just how much Lucifer knows about the celestials given he's picking one of the strongest powers.

Followed by a third message.

Spoiler: From unknown user, alias 'Springtail Boomerang'

High Imperator, this is Dural. I was informed by Kurt that you're on your way here. Hortense and Hayagriva are off taking a tour of Pazhan and Graffias to 'reacquaint Hortense with her job', after they taught me about Temporal Lord basics they said to contact them when a dance competition starts?.... anyways, I'm sending you landing coordinates. There's not enough room to land near the palace at Stallion's Mount, so I'm having you land near the Davenport-Apted Reservoir and we'll work from there. Valentin's going to be waiting for you.

--------------------

Oliver set the communicator down.

"Ahrakas just relayed back... we probably should move quickly against that forge world, having someone with both Lucifer's and Kronos's powers in the same body is a disaster."

Oliver looked around.

"In fact, Lucifer becomes an incident if he gets ANY of us. It's the only way he can threaten us at this point, besides perhaps whatever inner circle he has. Even though there are some parts of this only we can do, our own survival is paramount when going after these artifact weapons."

 

[Universe]

Ahrakas got a message back.

Spoiler: From user Galactic Bunnyhop

Ulterior.... High Imperator, keep in mind the alliance with the dragons is recent news. Of course we're going to have misgivings. I wanted to put them to work because I know a wrecked and unguarded planet is a very easy way for someone to sneak in a thing that will hinder the Architects. If you think I'm playing with fire given what they unleashed in those wars, I'll ease off. Regardless, I'll have a talk with Harpocrates, then I'll see what I can do about Oliver. As for you... the Architects, Jackson, and Saxon are on your ship if you need to fill them in on any of this. Jackson told me the raver was fiddling with a communicator, I assume he means Loki...

Another message came in.

Spoiler: From user Kobold Ascendant

I... I'll think about it. I understand I'll have to relay about the celestial dragons if I take up a role like that. Thank you for that detail about the failsafe, and now I have to wonder just how much Lucifer knows about the celestials given he's picking one of the strongest powers.

Followed by a third message.

Spoiler: From unknown user, alias 'Springtail Boomerang'

High Imperator, this is Dural. I was informed by Kurt that you're on your way here. Hortense and Hayagriva are off taking a tour of Pazhan and Graffias to 'reacquaint Hortense with her job', after they taught me about Temporal Lord basics they said to contact them when a dance competition starts?.... anyways, I'm sending you landing coordinates. There's not enough room to land near the palace at Stallion's Mount, so I'm having you land near the Davenport-Apted Reservoir and we'll work from there. Valentin's going to be waiting for you.

--------------------

Oliver set the communicator down.

"Ahrakas just relayed back... we probably should move quickly against that forge world, having someone with both Lucifer's and Kronos's powers in the same body is a disaster."

Oliver looked around.

"In fact, Lucifer becomes an incident if he gets ANY of us. It's the only way he can threaten us at this point, besides perhaps whatever inner circle he has. Even though there are some parts of this only we can do, our own survival is paramount when going after these artifact weapons."

Cerebrus:”I know what he wants you to do I just want you to know if you spy on Solaris he won’t trust you for Centuries”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Cerebrus:”I know what he wants you to do I just want you to know if you spy on Solaris he won’t trust you for Centuries”

"Let me guess... Solaris has had it happen more than once?"

Oliver looked at Cerebrus.

"I'm going to need time before making a decision like the High Imperator's offer anyways. Leading and tending to my mortal family may interfere with handling out-of-universe problems that threaten both Imperial and celestial alike. That would pretty much put the kibosh on a spying attempt."

 

[Universe]

"Let me guess... Solaris has had it happen more than once?"

Oliver looked at Cerebrus.

"I'm going to need time before making a decision like the High Imperator's offer anyways. Leading and tending to my mortal family may interfere with handling out-of-universe problems that threaten both Imperial and celestial alike. That would pretty much put the kibosh on a spying attempt."

Cerebrus:”let me just say that It’s happened once or twice”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Cerebrus:”let me just say that It’s happened once or twice”

"And that's all you need to tell me."

Oliver's eye twitched.

"Actually....I just read into that claim. Twenty smaller prophecies of what would happen if I tried it, and the only way Solaris mistrusts me is when one of you tells on me. You know why? Every one of you has a way to mess with my attempts to inform the High Imperator if I try anything. All different ways, in fact, all related to your core powers. And each of you does that before you tell Solaris what happened - except for Universe, who tells first and then replaces my message with an embarrassing fact about the High Imperator."

Oliver clutched his head

"I need to think of a different aspect of magic besides divination and prophecy. It's giving me a headache right now."

Oliver's wing twitched a bit.

"I'll want to talk with the kobolds directly before making any big decisions like rulership and if the Imperials try to pressure me, then I'll get direct. But right now we have something to deal with."

Oliver stood up.

"Which of us should go to that forge world?"

 

[Universe]

"And that's all you need to tell me."

Oliver's eye twitched.

"Actually....I just read into that claim. Twenty threads of what would happen if I tried it, and the only way Solaris mistrusts me is when one of you tells on me. You know why? Every one of you has a way to mess with my attempts to inform the High Imperator if I try anything. All different ways, in fact, all related to your core powers. And each of you does that before you tell Solaris what happened."

Oliver's wing twitched a bit.

"I'll want to talk with the kobolds directly before making any big decisions like rulership and if the Imperials try to pressure me, then I'll get direct. But right now we have something to deal with."

Oliver stood up.

"Which of us should go to that forge world?"

Cerebrus:”Take me”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Cerebrus:”Take me”

"Okay... you and me, and we might be able to bring along one more."

Oliver was still rubbing his face.

"I'm wearing out on prophecies at the moment, though I sense that if we're not going to use Universe's ship that there might be.... no wait, that wrecked one is the one we came in on. There's at least one other wrecked ship that's more than 10 kilometers out, I might be able to pull pieces together and turn them into replacement parts."

Oliver's face twitched again.

"I need to think about other aspects of magic. There's too much of a drive to just use it for divination."

 

[Universe]

"Okay... you and me, and we might be able to bring along one more."

Oliver was still rubbing his face.

"I'm wearing out on prophecies at the moment, though I sense that if we're not going to use Universe's ship that there might be.... no wait, that wrecked one is the one we came in on. There's at least one other wrecked ship that's more than 10 kilometers out, I might be able to pull pieces together and turn them into replacement parts."

Oliver's face twitched again.

"I need to think about other aspects of magic. There's too much of a drive to just use it for divination."

Cerebrus:”You keep forgetting that the Universe 7 can be summoned”

 

[idkthough120]

(what a potentially good rp thingy, I guess...)

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Cerebrus:”You keep forgetting that the Universe 7 can be summoned”

"I was kind of under the impression Universe was planning on using it soon. Don't even know if I can do the summons yet."

Oliver tried to think again of that ship. He tried to think of how to make it dock with the structure in a relatively safe way, or at least bring it nearby so he and Cerebrus could board.

Would thought alone be enough for a summons, now that Oliver was one of them?

 

[Universe]

"I was kind of under the impression Universe was planning on using it soon. Don't even know if I can do the summons yet."

Oliver tried to think again of that ship. He tried to think of how to make it dock with the structure in a relatively safe way, or at least bring it nearby so he and Cerebrus could board.

Would thought alone be enough for a summons, now that Oliver was one of them?

*The Universe 7 appears out of a wormhole*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*The Universe 7 appears out of a wormhole*

"Wait... this ship has enough sentience to read thoughts? Or is it responding specifically to the celestial dragon mindlink?"

Oliver addressed the remaining celestial dragons.

"If anyone from the Imperium shows up looking for me... don't be hostile. There's plenty of nonhostile ways to impress, uh... their inability to get at our secrets."

Oliver boarded the Universe-7, motioning for Cerebrus to follow.

 

[Universe]

"Wait... this ship has enough sentience to read thoughts? Or is it responding specifically to the celestial dragon mindlink?"

Oliver addressed the remaining celestial dragons.

"If anyone from the Imperium shows up looking for me... don't be hostile. There's plenty of nonhostile ways to impress, uh... their inability to get at our secrets."

Oliver boarded the Universe-7, motioning for Cerebrus to follow.

*Cerebrus gets on the Universe 7* Cerebrus:”Hello Alpha long time no see” “hello Cerebrus good to see you again”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*Cerebrus gets on the Universe 7* Cerebrus:”Hello Alpha long time no see” “hello Cerebrus good to see you again”

"Hello again, Alpha."

Oliver focused on Alpha.

"We're in pursuit of a clockwork planet. I gave Cerebrus the code, he'll know the coordinates and the right wormhole."

 

[Universe]

"Hello again, Alpha."

Oliver focused on Alpha.

"We're in pursuit of a clockwork planet. I gave Cerebrus the code, he'll know the coordinates and the right wormhole."

*Cerebrus activated the wormhole drive to the right coordinates*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*Cerebrus activated the wormhole drive to the right coordinates*

The ship moved, going through the wormhole like it has with so many others.

Where it arrived... was near a very metallic-looking planet-like object. A closer view would reveal it to be entirely mechanical - all the 'water' was in fact various oils and fluids, the landmasses were various kinds of textured metal... there were even mechanical trees and "life"forms.

"Is it just me... or does that planet radiate an intense feeling, like thousands of tiny barbed needles across the skin? That all twist and shift the more you try to focus or channel anything?"

It was actually a feeling of great evil from this planet. So if Oliver felt it as twisting barbed needles, Aeternus felt it as gnawing termites, and Solaris felt it as dragons crying.... how did Cerebrus interpret this feeling?

 

[Universe]

The ship moved, going through the wormhole like it has with so many others.

Where it arrived... was near a very metallic-looking planet-like object. A closer view would reveal it to be entirely mechanical - all the 'water' was in fact various oils and fluids, the landmasses were various kinds of textured metal... there were even mechanical trees and "life"forms.

"Is it just me... or does that planet radiate an intense feeling, like thousands of tiny barbed needles across the skin? That all twist and shift the more you try to focus or channel anything?"

It was actually a feeling of great evil from this planet. So if Oliver felt it as twisting barbed needles, Aeternus felt it as gnawing termites, and Solaris felt it as dragons crying.... how did Cerebrus interpret this feeling?

Cerebrus:”I don’t like this so much knowledge tainted by ignorance” *He shuddered as if a gust of freezing wind had hit him*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Cerebrus:”I don’t like this so much knowledge tainted by ignorance” *He shuddered as if a gust of freezing wind had hit him*

"I don't like this, either. But this is the source of how Kronos is getting siphoned. We can't back down, much as we want to. With this feeling, we're... probably more protected than anything else in reality against the energies of the planet. Plot a course closer to the planet."

Oliver took a deep breath, attempting to steady himself against this onslaught.

"We will want to work quickly, but we need to make sure not to be reckless. We'll need to go underground, unfortunately."

 

[Universe]

"I don't like this, either. But this is the source of how Kronos is getting siphoned. We can't back down, much as we want to. With this feeling, we're... probably more protected than anything else in reality against the energies of the planet. Plot a course closer to the planet."

Oliver took a deep breath, attempting to steady himself against this onslaught.

"We will want to work quickly, but we need to make sure not to be reckless. We'll need to go underground, unfortunately."

Cerebrus:”Alpha stealth mode” *The Universe 7 turns completely invisible*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Cerebrus:”Alpha stealth mode” *The Universe 7 turns completely invisible*

Oliver continued to be amazed at seeing new aspects of the ship, almost staring like an awed child.

Because by celestial dragon standards that's what he was.

But he had to focus. He had to do something about this overwhelming presence. As the ship got closer, he uttered a few words under his breath.

By the time the ship got close, he had created three astral globules in his hand. He took one and put it on his snout, and it spread into a shimmer around his body. He offered his hand towards Cerebrus.

"Energy wards. It should ease the oppressive feeling and give us more time to investigate this false planet. I made sure to make one for both you and Alpha."

 

[Universe]

Oliver continued to be amazed at seeing new aspects of the ship, almost staring like an awed child.

Because by celestial dragon standards that's what he was.

But he had to focus. He had to do something about this overwhelming presence. As the ship got closer, he uttered a few words under his breath.

By the time the ship got close, he had created three astral globules in his hand. He took one and put it on his snout, and it spread into a shimmer around his body. He offered his hand towards Cerebrus.

"Energy wards. It should ease the oppressive feeling and give us more time to investigate this false planet. I made sure to make one for both you and Alpha."

*Cerebrus knows this and takes Oliver’s hand guiding it to his snout*

 

[Baron Tredegar]

Ahrakas got a message back.

Spoiler: From user Galactic Bunnyhop

Ulterior.... High Imperator, keep in mind the alliance with the dragons is recent news. Of course we're going to have misgivings. I wanted to put them to work because I know a wrecked and unguarded planet is a very easy way for someone to sneak in a thing that will hinder the Architects. If you think I'm playing with fire given what they unleashed in those wars, I'll ease off. Regardless, I'll have a talk with Harpocrates, then I'll see what I can do about Oliver. As for you... the Architects, Jackson, and Saxon are on your ship if you need to fill them in on any of this. Jackson told me the raver was fiddling with a communicator, I assume he means Loki...

Another message came in.

Spoiler: From user Kobold Ascendant

I... I'll think about it. I understand I'll have to relay about the celestial dragons if I take up a role like that. Thank you for that detail about the failsafe, and now I have to wonder just how much Lucifer knows about the celestials given he's picking one of the strongest powers.

Followed by a third message.

Spoiler: From unknown user, alias 'Springtail Boomerang'

High Imperator, this is Dural. I was informed by Kurt that you're on your way here. Hortense and Hayagriva are off taking a tour of Pazhan and Graffias to 'reacquaint Hortense with her job', after they taught me about Temporal Lord basics they said to contact them when a dance competition starts?.... anyways, I'm sending you landing coordinates. There's not enough room to land near the palace at Stallion's Mount, so I'm having you land near the Davenport-Apted Reservoir and we'll work from there. Valentin's going to be waiting for you.

--------------------

Oliver set the communicator down.

"Ahrakas just relayed back... we probably should move quickly against that forge world, having someone with both Lucifer's and Kronos's powers in the same body is a disaster."

Oliver looked around.

"In fact, Lucifer becomes an incident if he gets ANY of us. It's the only way he can threaten us at this point, besides perhaps whatever inner circle he has. Even though there are some parts of this only we can do, our own survival is paramount when going after these artifact weapons."

Ahrakas began preparing the ship for docking. He then went back to the main hall with the Architects and the others.
As the otters turned to see Ahrakas they noticed an expression on his face they had never seen before, fear and pain.
So many of the Celestials we thought were dead are alive, and they are multiplying. His voice was trembling. If you would allow it, I would like to share my memories of the Rebellion and the Dawn War with you. I have repressed them for a long time. You may find these memories useful.

 

[Universe]

*Solaris was scared and desperate but he didn’t want to start a war* “I didn’t want violence I didn’t want war I just want to get along with my creation”

 

[Universe]

“You have me.”