ReSeed IC

[deuterio12]

Spoiler: Inside Steel Nest

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"This is Miniboss Two. I
surrendering for diplomatic purposes into the custody of Einst Queen Ferra, First of Her Name, Queen of the Apohajs moons, the Edhsi asteroid belt, and the 3177489th Einst, Lady of Sol, Invader of the Earth Sphere, Lady Paramount of the crownseas, Princess of the Steel Nest, and Jhagri of the Great Void. I am beginning power down procedures and eject procedures. I am currently broadcasting my location in the metadata. I will be leaving my powered armor with my suit."

“Ah, thank you for the consideration. We wouldn’t want anybody else to think I’m kidnapping solarings against their will, now would we?”-says the voice from the speakers.

The drones in the station seem to calm down, then a squad of four einst slowly approaches the disarmed Miniboss Two. Their movements are more composed, focused, unlike the more frenetic drones seen by Miniboss Two in the station so far. They're making claw signals as if to follow them. The voice from the station's speakers sounds again:

“No tricks? No brave bomb ready to detonate and try to take as many of us down with you as you can? How kind. Come now, we’ll show you to your new lodgings. In the meanwhile perhaps you could start explaining this ‘errors in communication’ that has led you to breaking inside my home and killing my children? I'm sure there's a perfectly sensible explanation.”

A safe distance from the Steel Nest, the Aurora’s sensors suddenly picks up signals from Miniboss Squad’s mechas. Only four of them though.

[DeTess]

"Captain, we're picking up signals from miniboss 1, 3, 4 and 5. Power and profile fluctuations suggest heavy damage to their suits. No sign of miniboss 2."

Captain Evaro grimaced. Close-quarter skirmishes with the Einst where always nasty affairs, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that they'd taken losses, but it still stung a bit. "Inform the Chief Engineer that he's got 4 heavily damaged mech coming in for landing, and get doctor VanDerVoord to stand by, there might be casualties coming here way. Communications, get me a tight-beam connection with Miniboss."

The captain waited a moment as her orders got executed, then spoke up again once comms confirmed a connection to miniboss actual. "Miniboss actual, this the Aurora. We're standing by to receive you. Is there anything we need to know before you touch down?"

[YuweaCurtis]

Having cleared up the drones on the hull, Rubii and her automated mecha return to the hangar. Tubes sliding out of her arms, she leaves her systems on standby and exits the cockpit. Seeing as she was probably not allowed on the bridge, her scientist had set up a communications/monitoring station in the closed off hangar. Him and her 'sister' where currently monitoring the situation, including comms if given clearance. "Eh guess it's just wait, and hopefully all we have to do is pick them up." Matthew nods, Xelya yawns with boredom.

[5ColouredWalker]

Outside Steel Nest
"Aurora this is Miniboss Actual. Do not, I repeat, do not give the Steel Crusaders the all clear. Einst Queen Ferra did not engage in kidnapping but rescue operations. All hostages are in tow, however they're awake and requesting priority transport to Earth for their safety having been attacked by local pirates possibly engaging in false flag opperations. Miniboss 2 has remained behind and successfully allowed himself to be taken hostage in garuntee for safety to attempt to open communications. He's been made aware we may decide to head to Earth before returning for him. We believe we will be able to perform recovery operations ourselves given just a few hours to repair and alter armaments should they be necessary."

James' voice is hurried but calm, a very quick debrief meant to give all pertient information.

---

Inside Steel Nest

Spoiler

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((OOC: I meant for Jacob Allcane to state his name after I. Whoops. I'd prefer it if that can be done retroactively.))

Jacob quickly resizes after he leaves his powered armor, returning to the size of the nearby Einist drones. When he follows, it's with all his magics dismissed, hands before him, open to reveal himself to be unarmed, and bearing just the clothes on his back... A rather Gothic uniform.

"I have no desire to commit suicide, and by now all my compatriots will be long gone. But so you have no need to call for treachery I am capable of magic. The only of any threat would be those that require me to touch you, so if you keep out of hands reach you'll be fine."

Spoiler: Bluff

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(1d20+5)[8] or taking 10 for 15 if allowed. Actual reach of dangerous magic is 10mu/ft instead of 5 due to uniform, so it's a mild but deliberate lie about distance.

"As for the error, we were informed you had engaged in kidnapping of locals. Shortly after recovering the supposed captives revealed you had actually engaged in rescue operations."

Jacob speaks quite calmly as he walks, but despite that his unease is very evident. These aren't the sort of operations he's meant for, so instead he falls back on the forced calm of a soldier and a mage.

"Given the new information, I've volunteered as hostage in the hopes of opening communications with the outside. I'd also like to apologize for the loss of your drones, Queen Ferra."

[DeTess]

Outside Steel Nest
"Aurora this is Miniboss Actual. Do not, I repeat, do not give the Steel Crusaders the all clear. Einst Queen Ferra did not engage in kidnapping but rescue operations. All hostages are in tow, however they're awake and requesting priority transport to Earth for their safety having been attacked by local pirates possibly engaging in false flag opperations. Miniboss 2 has remained behind and successfully allowed himself to be taken hostage in garuntee for safety to attempt to open communications. He's been made aware we may decide to head to Earth before returning for him. We believe we will be able to perform recovery operations ourselves given just a few hours to repair and alter armaments should they be necessary."

James' voice is hurried but calm, a very quick debrief meant to give all pertient information.

Captain Evaro took a deep breath in preparation for her response to this massive set of complications, but then thought better of it. "Very well. We'll discuss this further during the debriefing. Please inform your charges that on arriving at the Aurora they'll have to pass through a basic medical screening, and please ask them if they have any reason to suspect that the Steel Crusaders might have had a hand in this attack on them."

As soon as her conversation with miniboss ended, Theresa called the ship's doctor and filled her in on the situation, before adding captain Rubii to the conversation as well. "Captain Rubii, this is Maia VanDerVoord, the ship's doctor. I assume you where listening in on miniboss' report?"

"I'd like to believe the version of events given by the people we've been sent to rescue, but I need to make sure. Captain Rubii, if you're aware of any way an einst could alter memories or exert direct control over a humanoid, I'd like you to share that with the doctor so she can check for that."

[5ColouredWalker]

"Copy that Aurora. Given the number of rescuees per suit that might take some time. Sending course coordinates now so you can pull up alongside."

With that communication comes their plotted course, along with all members of Miniboss Squad deactivating all their stealth equipment... Their course is a slow and steady 40mu line from them going directly forward.

Inside the suits, each member of Miniboss passes along the requested information, before asking for each hostage's name and the request for any information for if the Steel Crusaders might bear them any enmity directly that they might act on.

[YuweaCurtis]

Rubii shakes her head, despite it being Sound Only. "Einst Queens have no particular ways of controlling people. But they capable of developing ways much like any sentient species. Given that some have even assimilated other species it's not out of the question."

[deuterio12]

Inside Steel Nest

Spoiler

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"I have no desire to commit suicide, and by now all my compatriots will be long gone. But so you have no need to call for treachery I am capable of magic. The only of any threat would be those that require me to touch you, so if you keep out of hands reach you'll be fine."

“Interesting, there’s many things I don’t know about magic. So should you prove too bothersome I should just have my children cook you first from a safe distance? ”

"As for the error, we were informed you had engaged in kidnapping of locals. Shortly after recovering the supposed captives revealed you had actually engaged in rescue operations."

“May I know who informed you of such version of the events?”

"Given the new information, I've volunteered as hostage in the hopes of opening communications with the outside. I'd also like to apologize for the loss of your drones, Queen Ferra."

“Apologies accepted, but it’ll take more than that for proper compensations.”

As the hostages recover their senses, they reply to the questions presented:

Name: Evanie Von Jiam III, the Steel Crusaders Princess.
Description: A Newearl with long blond hair, silver eyes wearing an expensive dress and jewelery.
Enmity information: “Betrayal from inside our own ranks? Preposterous! My family’s the most important in the Steel Crusaders, and I’m also the youngest cybernetic genius the Sol Sphere has ever seen! It was me who designed the state-of-the-art Dracoknight MK II who so far has the best kill ratio in our forces! Nobody in the Steel Crusaders would dare to raise a hand against my person! Surely it was somebody else! Just wait until my big sis hears of this!”

Name: Karia Hej, lady’s maid to princess Evanie.
Description: A Newearl with short brown hair and eyes in a simple and pratical dress.
Enmity information: ”My mistress is belowed by most of the Steel Crusaders, but there’s always a few rotten fruits, filled with envy and jealousy of the success of their betters. And my mistress has become very successful recently. ”

Name: Jaki Gret, personal bodyguard to princess Evanie.
Description: A Newearl in a blue military uniform filled with medals.
Enmity information: “If it was our own Steel Crusaders who ordered this attack, then they were aiming at of our other passengers. The cardinal, the merchant, the arcanist, I know many in our forces would’ve loved to see them dead, and perhaps they just accepted losing the princess would be an acceptable collateral damage. Could even paint her as a martyr to motivate the troops.”

Name: Hiju Uyht VI, Void’s cardinal
Description: A Dezorian with a tall hat and long robes, both green and matching his skin.
Enmity information: ”The Steel Crusaders and I had some disagreements, but when Princess Evanie personally offered for us to travel together in her personal ship, I would’ve assumed that meant the Steel Crusaders extend their protection during that voyage. Still I learned much during our stay at the Steel Nest, so whoever attacked us may’ve been doing divine work after all.”

Name: Lert Mnio, first acolyte to cardinal Hiju
Description: A Dezorian with a simple purple hat and robes.
Enmity information: ”You want to know why the Steel Crusaders would want holyness Hiju VI gone from the Sol Sphere? They’re trapped in their traditions, caged in the past, while holyness Hiju VI preaches of the future! The Einst are changing the galaxy, but they’re not to be feared, but a challenge to overcome! Just like we tamed the wild animals of Earth and the forces of physics, so too must we tame those einst and their strange abilities to make them our servants! The Steel Crusaders refuse to see the truth and will do all they can to silence those who speak it!”

Name: Feik Naer, holy guard to cardinal Hiju.
Description: A Dezorian in an emerald military uniform filled with sacred scriptures.
Enmity information:”The cardinal has few friends in the Steel Crusaders, true, but those he has are pretty important, like the princess here. I strongly doubt the Steel Crusaders would’ve risked harming the princess to get to the cardinal, otherwise I would’ve never allowed the holyness to take this trip in the first place.”

Name: Zryg, business tycoon of the Neo Society.
Description: A Motavian in a fancy black suit.
Enmity information: “The Steel Crusaders never liked that I trade with several Einst Queens, but then they still traded with me. I always sought to keep a careful balance, make no favorites, but perhaps either side slipped in their calculations and somebody in the Steel Crusaders calculated they would take a net profit from our deaths. Either way I would request you do not harm this charming queen Ferra who saved us from the void, we were in the proccess of setting up some nice business agreements that I would like to complete.”

Name: Pena, Zryg’s secretary.
Description: A Motavian in a simple black suit.
Enmity information: “The boss is a big businessman, but at the end of the day just that, a businessman, always trying to stay out of politics. In this trip just because the princess invited us to discuss some rare supplies. And take the chance to do some business with the cardinal and arcanist. But those had plenty of enemies in the Steel Crusaders. So we just got caught in the middle if you ask me. ”

Name: Niorid, Zryg’s security officer.
Description: A motavian in a menancing black suit.
Enmity information: “We have plenty of recordings of the Steel Crusader’s veiled threats to our boss in case he wouldn’t stop doing business with the Einst Queens! Of course it was them, but you’ll see! We’ll sue the crap out of them now!”

Name: Amail, Sol Arcanist
Description: An Atlantean with ebony wings.
Enmity information: ”The Steel Crusaders did invite me to join them once. Seems like it was a big honor. Lots of ceremony. That I refused as politely as I could. I prefer to remain neutral, you see. Even visited some Einst Queens, spent some time in their nests. Many say I’m mad, or worst, that I may’ve become corrupted, infested by the aliens. But princess Evanie, she still insisted in meeting me personally, travel in her ship, meet other important personalities. Perhaps some in the Steel Crusaders feared the princess had gone mad as well, that some kind of infestation may spread from me to her.”

Name: Peita, personal assistant to Amail.
Description: An Atlantean with pink wings.
Enmity information: “The Steel Crusaders behind this? Stealth ships, cripple but don’t deliver a killing blow, the incident that made us fall in the einst’s claws just doesn’t strike me as their usual methods. This kind of dirty tactics, sounds to me more like something like the Einst Corporation would do, maybe they wanted to see what the queen would do with us... No further comments until we can meet with our lawyers.”

Name: Vitrop, Amail’s pupil
Description: An Atlantean with purple wings,
Enmity information:”Teacher had enemies in the Steel Crusaders, it could’ve been them yeah. But also allies among them, as well as everywhere eles, friends and foes. And when you consider the cardinal, the princess, and the business tycoon as targets too? My initial theory would be the Neo Society themselves. Teacher, the princess, the cardinal, they all had some bad blood with them, and there were rumors that Zryg was planning to change sides, that part of our meeting in that ship would be the merchant selling themselves. ”

[DeTess]

The captain relayed a final set of orders as the four members of Miniboss squad completed their final approach to the Aurora. "Doctor VanDerVoord, among the people we rescued is a high ranking Steel Crusader named Evanie Von Jiam III. All else being equal, check her over first, as I'll need her on the bridge as soon as possible to ensure the Crusaders stand down." She pressed a button, swapping channels.

"Chief Engineer, have the repair teams stand by for a rapid rearm and repair of Miniboss as soon as they're done unloading the rescued. I want them ready to launch as soon as possible." A nod to the communications officer, and a moment later she was back in contact with Miniboss.

"Miniboss Actual, there'll be a repair crew standing by to begin repairs on you mechs the moment you finish unloading the rescued. Barring major complications, you should be fully repaired and rearmed in under two minutes." Another nod after miniboss' response, closing the channel again.

"Communications, start checking all open frequencies. Hopefully, Miniboss 2 will get the Queen to start talking to us. Navigation, plot a fold jump to one of our deep-space safe spots, in case things turn sour here. Helmsman Obert, I'm relinquishing direct control of the helm. Begin a random walk as soon as Miniboss is on board. Remain within 2000 MU of the station."

[5ColouredWalker]

Miniboss quickly and concisely transmit the captives assessments before 1 transmits with their collective opinions.
"Perhaps the Steel Crusaders were more concerned with infosec than recovery of personal. It leaves their assailants unexplained but we're not detectives or paid for such. Perhaps memory review experts can gather identifying information."

With that, Miniboss Squad quickly dock. They even join the repair crews immediately so they can be ready ASAP, being ready to communicate through comms.

Spoiler: Inside the Nest

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"I won't insist on a range or other details, but multiple at range would be best. As for the details of what happened, we recieved first breifing by the Steel Crusaders with some corroborating information from the Neo Society, so we had no reason to dismiss it."

Two sighs as he walks.

"Seems we should have. In any case, I can't guarantee compensation, but I imagine your rescues would be inclined that way given you saved them from suffocating in the void, and at the very least I can help establish you as communication friendly to avoid similar incidents."

[DeTess]

"All due respect to your skills, Miniboss..." Chief engineer Spence approached the Zentradi Squad as they made preparations to aid the crews setting up to repair their mechs. "... But my people here know their stuff where mech repair is considered and they've have been extensively drilled to do just that. You'd just get in their way." He gave them an apologetic smile to try and soften the blow of that rather harsh statement.

As he spoke, overhead crane rushed into position next to the four Randrgriz class mechs, carrying newly forged armor plates and a variety of other spare parts. At a nod from the Chief engineer, the repair crews set to work.

A collection of Robotic arms carrying drills and screwdrivers extended from the sides of the scaffolds holding the mechs in place, ad quickly removed all the bolts holding the armor plates in place. Under the direction of the work crews, the outer armor of each mechs was stripped way, leaving the internal structure exposed. Quick scans for internal damage where performed, and a variety of replacement parts where rushed into place to repair damaged parts. Meanwhile, crew worked in tandem with the robotic tools, replacing damaged wiring, removing shrapnell and replenishing the mech's internal magazines. Twenty seconds into the operation, the crew and robotic arms stood off again, making space for the cranes to lift the fresh armor plates into place, which where quickly and efficiently bolted into place. At the same time, power surged through the cables linking the mechs to the ship, topping of their power reserves.

"28 seconds. Well done everyone!" The chief engineer congratulated his crew as they finished their work. "Miniboss, your Mechs should be good to launch now."

Spoiler: OOC

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Including time to disembark their passengers, I reckon the miniboss mechs will be ready to launch (full health, full ammo, full energy) within 1.5 minutes of them landing at the Aurora.