Fate of Terra - Rise of Empires

Chapter 3.5 - Addition

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'Entry to Transmission: 105027:SF:CA:FD:EU.' The smooth syrupy baritone grumble of the officer that helmed the report announced itself into her ear. It was both dominant – commanding respect and straightening her physical self in her chair – and soothing, as if an elderly grandparent was telling a tale she didn't know she'd been yearning to hear. 'Entry Location: Port Hewit.'

The void of nothingness, a screen of depth and a portal of possibility opened with the pinpricks of pixels coming into focus through the blur. Billions upon billions of stars steadily emerged through the blackness amid swirls cosmic radiation and planetoids. It was as beautiful as it was vast. An untouched emptiness that felt improper just to view upon, for even her presence felt impure; tainting the stillness with her life's energy.

Around the edges the motes of light continued to flow in, while those at the core clustered into constellations she had no way of knowing. Steadily she felt herself come into being amid the simulation. It was always a strange feeling, dividing her senses between her physical self and the simulation self. It took some effort to suppress her physicality and fully immerse herself in the moment she was reliving. She'd found that certain breathing techniques, along with putting herself in the mindset that she was an invisible aspect of the reality she was witnessing, helped. It wasn't a matter of thinking of herself as someone else, it was more a case of thinking of herself as 'something' else. She wasn't a dissident, a person, no. She was a vessel sailing the cosmos beside the battle, she was the eye of the camera hidden in the corner, she was an object; as tangible to the past reality as any wall, person or building she was interacting with.

The continued moving in 'reverse' was messing with her equilibrium and she flexed her control over the digital avatar and spun it around to reveal a blurred-out station. Overlaying text swam together from the starlight, pixeldust dancing with one another around an invisible magnet. She didn't like what she heard.

'Transmission Notations: the Felician Colony World of Ecub-Ungula was the first of a four planet system to be assaulted by B'Amuf forces.' Tika shuddered at the mention of the canabilistic parasitic race. She'd been forced to learn their chittering, burbling, grunting speech as part of her course. It had put her at the top of her class, as not even her professor could claim she understood the language fully. The repugnant delight the maurading race took in the subjugation of others verged on the pathological. 'Due to the planetary oribt, Ecub-Ungula - hereby refered to as Ecub - was the first planetoid on the assault vector. The Felician Delegation was in current possession of aspects of the Third Naval Fleet of the Central Alliance.'

'Simultaneous assaults on multiple sites in Feliecian controlled space resulted in the delay of the Third Fleet from its Base. Planetary bombardment from the B'Amuf forces was utilised in the effect of disabling large scale planetary defence positions held in geostationary and lagrange locations in and around the system.' The voice, so smooth, sharply felt pinched; forced to read a line it didn't believe. 'It is well understood the B'Amuf seek to capture worlds for harvesting and expansion. Report submitted my Lft. Bg. E. Cariso. End Entry Transmission.'

As the words faded out into nothingness, the station's frayed edges solidified into the distinct patterns and rhythms of a Starport. Eyes squinted to assure herself, Tika saw the cyclical patterns of the craft around its perimeter - not to mention the sprawling nature of its interlinked structures differed it from a Station. And while it did hold the hallmarks of construction and repair, it was much more suited to the docking and transportation of goods and services from planet to space than the massive construction methods used of an Astroyard. Still, a few repair bays were in occupation.

"Open control page," Tika requested of the computer. Anxiety flared as she dreaded hearing TCB's voice ask, 'again,' for clarification. The drop-down list emerged and she sighed in relief. Exploring the options for her HUD she elected to activate them all. The report was very detailed, which stood out to her. 'Probably used as some preliminary brief or something,' She mused. Movement behind the lightly translucent screen snapped her back to the task at hand. "Close menu."