Expanded Universe (Framework Saga)

Void Chronicles

 The Void Chronicles

(Joyful Flier) *Happily singing while working, when he hears a loud noise and looks up, seeing the Terran colony ship Olympus land about half a mile away* *in Engineer* What was that? *Goes over and investigates* (Maverick) *In English* Secure the area! (Arlox) Yes Sir! *They set up defenses around the colony ship* (Joyful Flier) *accidentally hits the branch in front of him* (Arlox) What was that? *Goes over* (Joyful Flier) *touches him, realizes he's a machine, and starts to take him apart, trying to figure out how he works* (Arlox) *Annoyed* Stop that! (Joyful Flier) *Continues to take him apart* (Arlox) Maverick! (Maverick) Coming! *Comes over, sees Joyful Flier taking Arlox apart* Get! Get! *Points his gun at Joyful Flier* (Joyful Flier) *Space whale noises intensify* (Maverick) Shoo! (Joyful Flier) *Sets down the pieces of Arlox he had, then floats back* (Shadowfang) *Sneaks behind Maverick* *In Engineer* Should I kill it? (Joyful Flier) No, they came from above, and I broke one of it's things. (Shadowfang) Okay, but I still think I should kill it. (Joyful Flier) Who knows what they're capable of, I don't want you to get hurt because you were trying to protect me. (Maverick) *Noticing the conversation, and turns around* (Shadowfang) *Cloaks* (Maverick) *In English, Interrogatively* Who were you talking to! (Joyful Flier) *In Engineer* My friend. *Floats away* (Shadowfang) *Sneaks away* (Maverick) *To Arlox* You okay? (Arlox) Yeah, but as you can see, I lost my arms and legs. (Maverick) Do you know if that thing was trying to harm you? (Arlox) It didn't seem like it was, I think it was trying to figure out how I work. (Maverick) So it's intelligent? (Arlox) I can't say for sure, but it does appear so. (Maverick) *Picks him, and his pieces, up* You'll be patched up, good as new. (Arlox) Thanks. (Maverick) I didn't travel for 125 years with you just to discard you over a creature taking you apart. (Joyful Flier) *Watching from a distance* (Maverick) *Laughs* (Arlox) What's so funny? (Maverick) I always wanted to meet aliens, and our first contact involves it taking you apart, and me threatening it. Definitely not how I thought it would happen. (Arlox) *Amused* Yeah, that is pretty funny. It happened almost like in the movies. (Maverick) Aside from us trying to wipe them out *Enters the ship* (Joyful Flier) *Floats over to a turret* *In Engineer* Hello there. (Turret) *In English* Identify Yourself. (Joyful Flier) *Touches it, realizing it's a machine, then floats behind it, and starts disassembling it* *Happy whale noises*

2 minutes later-

(Joyful Flier) *Starts to put it back together* (Maverick) *Walks out because one of the turrets went offline* You again? *Sees that Joyful Flier is putting it back together* Wow, you're an alien engineer. *To the Security Center* Don't worry, it's just a curious native. (Security 1) What is it doing? (Maverick) It took the turret apart, and now it's putting it back together. (Security 2) What does it look like? (Maverick) It's hard to explain, I'll just send you a pic. *Takes a picture, and sends it* (Security 2) That doesn't seem threatening at all. (Security 1) It make me want to go out and give it a hug. (Joyful Flier) *Looks up* *In Engineer* Hey, You're the one from earlier. I hope you don't mind that I messed with your thing. (Maverick) *To the Security Center, trying not to laugh* Guys, get a load of this, it sounds like a whale! (Security 1) That makes it seem even less dangerous. (Maverick) Yeah,but looks can be deceiving, so I'm not going to startle it. (Joyful Flier) *In Engineer* I take it that it's fine. *Continues rebuilding it, still singing happily* (Maverick) *To himself* I have to record this, no one is going to believe this. *Records Joyful Flier working* (Joyful Flier) *Finishes, using 20 less parts, and having it 20% more efficient than before* (Maverick) *Slowly walks over* You're done? (Joyful Flier) *Understanding what he means, Nods* (Maverick) *gestures to the extra parts* What about these? (Joyful Flier) *In Engineer* I didn't need them. (Maverick) *Catching the meaning* So these are extras? (Joyful Flier) *Nods* (Maverick) *Scans the turret* Holy cow! *Over comms* Guys, this creature upgraded the turret! (Security 1) Really? (Maverick) Yeah, He used 20 fewer parts than the original and it's working 20% better. (Security 1) He must be an amazing engineer. (Maverick) *Sees more Engineers float over* Wow, they come in a rainbow. (Security 1) See if all of them are as good at making things as the first one. (Maverick) I will. *Sees the other Engineers go to the turret Joyful Flier rebuilt, and they start changing it* It's confirmed, all of them are amazing engineers. (Security 1) I vote to name them Engineers! (Security 2) As do I. (Maverick) It's decided then, they're Engineers. *he sees a large group of something coming over* Hey do either of you know what's coming over here? (Security 1) Long range sensors indicate that whatever it is, it's made out of the same stuff as the Engineers, but it's moving way too fast to be more of them. (Maverick) Go to threat level 2, and if anything happens, lock down the ship. (Security 1) Yes Sir, but only if you can't get aboard. (Maverick) If whatever is coming is dangerous, you better lockdown before they get inside. *The Stalkers arrive* (Shadowfang) *In Engineer* Are you okay? (Joyful Flier) Yeah, I'm okay. (Shadowfang) *Referring to Maverick* It didn't threaten you? (Joyful Flier) No, it actually came out and watched me rebuild it's thing. (Shadowfang) That's nice of it. (Maverick) *Slowly draws his gun and aims* (Joyful Flier) *Sees this and moves in between Maverick and Shadowfang* (Maverick) *Tries to aim around Joyful Flier, but he keeps moving to block the shot* Oh, it's doing this on purpose. *Stops trying to shoot Shadowfang* (Joyful Flier) *Explaining* There's more of it inside this creature here, and they all have things like this one, but only smaller, and they all will try to kill you if you hurt that one over there. (Shadowfang) And why can't we just drag this one away and kill it? (Joyful Flier) Because it will tell the others that you did that, and then you will be hunted down. *Turning to Maverick* *Makes a clear gesture that meant "Shadowfang meet him, you meet Shadowfang"* (Maverick) Guys, I think we're in the clear. (Security 2) What makes you say that? (Maverick) The First Engineer just introduced me to the new creatures. (Security 1) Why do you always make first contact! (Maverick) I guess I'm just lucky. (Arlox) *Walks out the ship* There you are *Sees the Engineers and Stalkers* It can wait. *goes back inside* (Maverick) Can one of you explain what that was about? (Security 1) Arlox wanted to tell you about the results of our ground analysis. (Maverick) They are? (Security 1) Aside from the normal elements we expected, we also found a new one. I think we should call it Centaurium, since we found it in the Alpha Centauri system. (Maverick) Do the Eggheads approve. (Security 2) No, they want to name it after one of them. (Maverick) In that case, tell them that I say it's Centaurium. (Security 1) *happily* I will. *Runs off* (Joyful Flier) *Floats over and pokes Maverick with one of his tentacles* (Maverick) ... (Security 2) Did you do something? (Maverick) No, why do you ask? (Security 2) We just downloaded 2 Petabytes of data, all in an alien language. (Maverick) Well, one of the Engineers just touched my suit, but I doubt that's the source. (Security 2) Tracing the signal origin... Wow, it actually came from your suit. (Maverick) How? (Security 2) I don't know, one second we didn't have it, the next we did. I think that even the Eggheads couldn't tell you. (Maverick) That would be the day. (Joyful Flier) *Feelers start going over the suit* (Automated systems) Warning: You are being hit by an unknown wavelength of radiation, please leave the area to prevent unforeseen harm. (Joyful Flier) *Starts messing with Mavericks helmet* (Maverick) *Pushes Joyful Flier's tentacles away* No. (Joyful Flier) *Confused* (Maverick) *Trying to explain using both words and gestures* I wear this so that I can breath. (Joyful Flier) *Uses tentacles to show Maverick taking his helmet off* (Maverick) *Uses an emergency rebreather, and takes his helmet off, making sure to pop off the comm unit* There. (Joyful Flier) *Grabs the rebreather* (Maverick) You son of *Realizes that he isn't choking* Oh, you were trying to tell me that I could breath without my helmet on, weren't you. (Joyful Flier) *Nods* (Maverick) Raise your left tentacle if you understand what I'm saying (Joyful Flier) *Raises his left tentacle* (Maverick) *To Security 2* Did any of our data get transferred? (Security 2) One sec... Yeah, a copy of all of our data was transferred at the same time as we got the new data. (Maverick) And is there any chance that the Engineers could've learn our entire language in the space between then and now? (Security 2) I'll ask the Eggheads, Hey could the Engineers learn english in 5 minutes? (Maelana) I would normally say that was impossible, but then again, I would've said that it's impossible to have life on a tidally locked planet, so they probably did. (Maverick) Can I keep one? (Maelana) Really? You want to bring an alien, that is clearly protected by far more deadly aliens, onto the ship. (Maverick) Yes. (Maelana) You can't keep it, but I would like to be able to study it in person, so can you convince it to come onto the ship. (Maverick) *To Joyful Flier* Do you want to come onto the ship? (Joyful Flier) *Nods* (Maverick) Then follow me. *Walks towards the ship* (Shadowfang) What are you doing? (Joyful Flier) I want to look around, and he did invite me on a tour. (Shadowfang) Just be careful, I don't want to be forced to rescue you. (Joyful Flier) I will. *Follows Maverick* (Maelana) *Shoots Joyful Flier with a sleep dart* (Joyful Flier) *turns and looks confused* (Maelana) Well, this is awkward. (Maverick) Did you really think that terran sleep darts would work on an alien with a completely different biology than us. (Maelana) No, but it was worth a shot *Laughs* to find out. (Maverick) You should've let me try, since you hit it's shell. (Maelana) You know how hard it is to use a dart gun. (Maverick) Yes, I do, since it was one of the many weapons I trained with. (Joyful Flier) *Floats over and grabs the dart gun* (Maelana) Hey! (Maverick) He's not going to break it. (Joyful Flier) *Disassembles it* *Singing happily* (Maelana) You sure? (Maverick) Yes, I'm sure. (Maelana) It's amazing how it's tentacles store smaller pieces within themselves to be used later, what I would give to know how it works. (Joyful Flier) *Finishes, and hands it back to her* (Maelana) Thanks. *test fires at a target, the dart hits exactly were she aimed* Wow, that is amazing. (Maverick) Told you so. (Maelana) So, on to the tests. *To Joyful Flier* can you follow me. (Joyful Flier) *Nods*

Several tests later-

(Maverick) Did you learn anything? (Maelana) We did. (Maverick) And? (Maelana) Our entire way biology works is wrong. (Maverick) All of it? (Maelana) Yeah, Engineers have no cells, DNA or any clear tissues, by all the rules of biology, they shouldn't be alive. (Maverick) Any idea how they work? (Maelana) The best idea we had was that Engineers are one giant cell, but that's a stretch. Not to mention the fact that they can send and receive data several times faster then slipspace communications, and they're intrinsically linked to the other creatures. (Maverick) Any ideas on what to name them? (Maelana) Not really. (Joyful Flier) *Writes the word Stalker on the holo board* (Maverick) Well, that was simple, *putting a hand on Joyful Flier* but what should I call you... (Maelana) *Feigning shock* You're going to name him! (Maverick) I know, I'm going to call you Steve. Is that okay? (Joyful Flier) *Gestures to show that he doesn't care* (Maverick) Okay, so where will Steve stay? (Maelana) *Actually shocked* No way in hell is he staying on this ship! (Maverick) I'm the head of security, so I say who stays and who doesn't. (Maelana) You're really going to pull rank on this. (Maverick) Yes, yes I am. (Shadowfang) *glides into the room* (Maelana) *Startled by Shadowfang poking her with one of his claws* How did that get in! (Maverick) I didn't seal the door shut, so it probably just pushed the open button and walked in. (Maelana) *Making a shooing motion* Get out! (Shadowfang) *Not amused, in Engineer* Really. (Joyful Flier/Steve) What, they don't know that you're just as smart as they are. (Maverick) *holds Maelana away from Shadowfang* Look, the first rule of colonization is don't anger the natives! So, don't shoo it away, if they want to come and talk to Steve, they can come and talk to Steve, unless you're kidnapping him, in which case I would have to arrest you. (Maelana) I'm not kidnapping Steve. (Maverick) So, Steve, if you would follow me, I'll give you a tour of the ship. (Joyful Flier/Steve) *Follows Maverick*

2-3 hours later-

(Maverick) ...And that completes your tour, for now, you can stay in my room. (Joyful Flier/Steve) *Nods* (Security 1) Hey, I can't get the automated turrets to register the Engineers and Stalkers as not a threat. (Maverick) I'll see what I can do. *Goes to see* (Security 1) So, how are you? (Joyful Flier/Steve) *Shrugs* (Security 1) *Laughs* Same.

5 hours later-

(Maverick) *Walks over* you didn't change the Native Threat setting on the turret. (Security 1) Oh, I forgot that was even a setting. (Joyful Flier/Steve) *Shakes head in disappointment* (Security 1) *Angry* Hey, You would forget about it too, since it's been over 3,000 years since it was first used. (Joyful Flier/Steve) *Shakes head in disagreement* (Security 1) Fine! (Joyful Flier/Steve) *Whale noises* (Maverick) I think he's laughing at you. Oh, how your career has fallen. (Security 1) *tries to punch Joyful Flier/Steve* (Shadowfang) *Appears out of thin air and cuts his arm off at the elbow* (Security 1) *Screams in pain* (Maverick) [censored], *Over comms* We need a medical team down here immediately. *Starts doing first aid* (Joyful Flier/Steve) *Floats over, looking almost regretful, grabs Security 1's severed arm, and re-attaches it* (Security 1) *Barely conscious* What is he doing? (Maverick) I think he's putting your arm back together. (Security 1) That's good... *Blacks out* (Medic) *Pushes Maverick out of the way* He's lost a lot of blood, *To Joyful Flier/Steve* but he would've lost much more if you didn't do... *pauses for a moment* Whatever you did. (Medic 2) So what happened? (Maverick) He got angry with Steve, and tried to punch him, and then a Stalker came out of nowhere and sliced through his arm like it wasn't even there. (Medic 2) So, Steve didn't start it? (Maverick) *Points at Steve* Do you think that a creature who would stand there and get punch right in the face instead of possibly hurting their attacker, would be the aggressor? (Medic 2) Who knows. (Maverick) Well he's not. (J.F./Steve) *In Engineer* Thanks, but I didn't need help.

(Everyone lived in peace and harmony throughout the days when humanity colonized the planet. The Engineers were a great help with technological advancements soon the whole planet was thriving with different species of intelligent life, plants, animals, livestock, and culture. With the help of the Engineers the universe was able to finally get along.)