[b]Void Child city ship Seras Ingi, deep within the accretion disk of the protostar NGC 2331-2[/b]


Within the shining behemoth of Saras Ingi, there lies a onyx colored box, well hidden away from prying eyes it would not be a stretch to say that truly only three know its true location. With its size and rounded top, one could be excused for thinking that it was a coffin of some sort. However the tubes, and wires that ran from it and into the raised dais that it seemed to be built into, told a different story of the things purpose. A story that seemed to be ornately carved into the surface of the things lid, a lid that now raised slowly with a hiss and parted with a slight rasping sound, the two halves disappearing into the dais. Inside was a thick liquid the color of quicksilver that glowed with a unnatural light, its mirror like surface showing only slight ripples as two hands hand raised slowly from it. As the hands grasped the side of the box, the slim tubes that were attached to the base of the wrists disconnected itself and slid back into the liquid with a silent almost snake like motion. 

As the hands tightened their grip, a bubbling sound came from the liquid as the figure of Sarin pulled itself into a sitting position. He had the deep silver hair normal to Void Children, though cut short, and deep violet eyes that opened and closed slowly before snapping shut as he launched into a coughing fit. Turning to the side of the box he spat out a glob of the quicksilver like liquid with a dissatisfied grumble. "No matter how many times I do this, I will never like that part." Sarin muttered to himself as he stood up, the various other tubes attached to his body disconnecting and sliding into the liquid. Stepping over the side of the box and onto a set of stairs that had risen out of the floor as he had begun moving, the Fleetmaster shakily came to the actual floor where a folded set of silksteel and synth-fiber clothing awaited him. As he put it on he looked around the room where he found himself, it was a circular room with the dais in the center, its dim lighting was slowly rising to reveal the door directly in front of him, which was in turn flanked by two statue like things set into alcoves. 

Both of them were hulking things of armor, no openings anywhere showed what might lie beneath, not even an eye slit on the blank mask like helmet. Their arms both ended in long, vicious looking claws, though the left claws seemed smaller than their right counterparts the general size of the left arm was slightly larger than the right. The armor itself- [color=9e0b0f]"Oh good your awake, now if your finished staring at those two I would like to see you in central. I mean its not like you don't know what they are, you've even seen them made. Oh and check in with Arch-alchemist as well, i'd rather you not randomly keel over due to a botched procedure."[/color] appearing suddenly and filling the chamber, the crackling voice jumped in knocking Sarin's thoughts out of his head and disappeared fast enough that he didnt have time to respond, or argue.  

Finishing dressing the Fleetmaster opened the door with a hand wave, and proceeded out of it with little hesitation. The room he exited into was long and narrow, various other pods like the one he had exited earlier sat nestled into the wall, some empty, while others were closed. Sighing to himself Sarin turned and began to make his way through the darkened room, the door he had come through closing behind him and blending in with the wall. As he came to the end of the room he waved his hand again to open another door, that led to one of the many side halls of the ship. He walked slowly, taking the time to look around as he did so. He ran into very few other Void Children, even in the main thoroughfare hallways. But, as the dim lights all around hi, showed, that was to expected as most were asleep, the day/night cycle of the ship still in full effect. 

Reaching one of the lifts Sarin entered into it, punching his destination and access code into the Holo-desplay that sprung up under his fingers. With a slight whrr the lift begain to move, silently taking him through much of the enormity of the City before reaching the desired level. 

Positioned just above the center of the ship, Central was the command center of Saras Ingi, a large room, dominated by a raised platform in its center, which was flanked by two trench like depressions, all three with ramps leading to them. The light of the holo displays that lined the trenches and surrounded the platform gave the room an eerie glow. 

As with the rest of the ship few Void Children were manning the various stations, those that were there being the skeleton night crew. All of them looked to the Fleetmaster as he entered, bowing slightly before returning to their stations, all but one. This lone figure stood in the center of the raised platform, where one could see all the Holo screens at once. It appeared as a void child of average height and build, but it's skin and clothing (which seemed archaic to even the Fleetmaster) were the same semi-translucent deep rust color and shimmered as if warm to the touch. The figure didn't even turn when it began to speak to Sarin, it's voice having an undertone like crackling flames [color=9e0b0f]"Good to see you in the flesh Sarin, and might I say your 400's have treated you much nicer than your predecessor."[/color]

Sarin only rolled his eyes as he came to stand next to the shimmering form "You said that last time Ignus, which makes me wonder. Are you just going to keep repeating it for every decade or just once in a while, I would assume you of all people would have new materiel, given you have so much time to think on it."

The shimmering avatar of the Ignus AI turned to the Fleet master, it's hand coming to it's chest in mock offence [color=9e0b0f]"You wound me Sarin, I was only trying to make idle conversation with a friend, not be insulted."[/color] Sarin didn't glorify the joking AI with a response, save for a glare from the corner of his eye as he crossed his arms. Ignus waved off the Void Child, muttering something about how "sometimes he could be no fun". A couple of the screens flickered as new information scrolled across them, catching Sarin's attention, and making the AI to make an exasperated sigh [color=9e0b0f]"Back to work already? No time off, really?"[/color] 

Sarin shrugged as he turned to read the displays "I just spent a few weeks being, for the most part, technically dead. Trust me on this Ignus, that was all the vacation I needed. Now if I recall we had a few 'projects' beginning just as was going under, how are they transpiring?"

Ignus's form shifted slightly, as various symbols and words scrolled across his arm's and body [color=9e0b0f]"All of them are alright, the scouts that you requested to be sent out have all left system a few weeks ago. Most are reporting back that the empires have grown well in our absence. As of yet the scouts are also reporting that they have not been spotted, though I am calculating that the odds of said detection are rising exponentially, as to be expected.'[/color]

Sarin nodded "Good, and what of the other things?"

[color=9e0b0f]"I was getting to that, if you would be a little more patient. Now, the cores of the city are working at optimal conditions, their was a flare from the star a few days ago, fried a couple junctions on the third lower arm. Nothing major, just caused some problems with the day/night cycle down there and upset people. We were able to patch around them, and they have been fixed and replaced. As for the Rip Drive, it is currently charged and ready, we just need coordinates."[/color] Ignus paused as if checking some information [color=9e0b0f]"You will also be pleased to know that the gate's sensors have not been tripped yet, nor has it been activated."[/color] 

Sarin nodded "Good, good. The empires might have scouts out on the verge though so keep an eye on that. In the mean time, we wait for the scouts to find us a path." The Fleetmaster brushed his hand on the holo screen, clearing it, he couldn't shake the feeling something was about to happen and the Void Children would have to be ready.