"I've just received more transmissions, commander. One from what I presume is the [i]Vorascant's[/i] captain, Coalescent Carina Hamp of the Advent. She's requesting boarding instructions. It appears that she is arriving on a single-man fighter. I don't think she's bringing any escorts." Nikolai reported. Powers simply sighed. "Make sure to tell the hangar control crew this. They know more than I do." What are the others?" Nikolai took a second to broadcast a message to the Advent craft, before coming back to the captain.

[quote][color=0072bc]"Coalescent Carina Hamp of the Advent, this is artificial intelligence program Nikolai of the UEGNC [i]Paramount.[/i]I have sent a route to your craft's navigation system. Simply follow the marker to the waypoint destination."[/color][/quote]

"I've got one more. This one is from another craft leaving the [i]Spirit of Wind.[/i] Unarmed, it seems. It is requesting permission to dock. The message is rather strange, as it is composed of chopped up previous transmissions." Powers raised an eyebrow at that. "I'm granting it permission. From the chopped up messages, I'm assuming that they can't speak our language."

"That is correct, as of now. I think I can communicate with them. Most A.I. constructs speak the same language."

[quote][color=0072bc]"Unknown artificial construct, this is A.I. Nikolai of the UEGNC [i]Paramount.[/i] Can you understand me?"[/color][/quote]

Nikolai broadcast the message non-vocally, using electrical signals instead. Most A.I.s communicated with each other this way, though most of the time they vocally conversed with each other, mostly due to the fact that humans and other squishy beings found it more appealing and natural. Not that it was needed, of course. The non-speaking robots spoke to each other in bleeps and whistles. Cameras and sensors picked up a pair of small unarmed craft heading towards the massive ship. "Captain, transports from the [i]Intrepid[/i] and [i]Oblivion[/i] have arrived."

In the hangar bay, Powers and Cornell traded a look. "Safeties off?" Cornell asked. Powers fidgeted with his chest of several medals for a second. "No." He said, looking at the power-armoured marine major. "The Vaskran War [i]may[/i] have been the result of mistaken identity, and as much as we don't want another eight years of bloody conflict, I'm not taking any chances. So keep the safeties of your weapons off and get ready to shoot if debris hits the pulsar wave emitter." The major nodded and turned to the gathered marines. 

"Alright people, listen up! Keep the safeties of your toys off, but don't get trigger happy! I know most of your served at some point during the Vaskran War, and we don't want another eight years of fighting a bunch of seven-foot tall, six-eyed lizard aliens now, do we?" He was answered by a chorus of 'sir, no sir!'. "And remember, if these [i]diplomats[/i] try anything stupid, don't hesitate to tear them a new one... on [i]my[/i] order, of course!" 

"Oorah!" The marines all answered in unison. "Always remember the UEGNC motto: We go first! Ibimus Primum!" 

"Ibimus Primum!"

Cornell nodded in satisfaction as he turned around back to face Powers. "That's what I wanted to hear." He told the captain. Powers nodded in agreement and put a hand on one of the major's golden shoulder pads. "Nice to see that you're the same person even after all these years." 

Several orange lights flashed as a pair of small and sleek blue and white craft glided through the plasma membrane and into the hangar bay, where the ship's artificial gravity immediately took over, allowing the pair to gently touch down onto the metallic landing area. They were small, around half the size of a Talon, and appeared to be unarmed, though Powers didn't want to assume that just yet. Like the vehicles of the UEGNC, they appeared to be propelled by a series of repulsor engines. "Smaller than I expected." Powers heard Cornell say, when the doors of one slid open. Powers' hand unconsciously hovered over his sidearm, while his other had a final adjustment to his cap.

A pair of humanoids stepped out, each one wearing a spacesuit. They were very lightly armed, with each one holding nothing more than a simple handgun. However, when they took of their helmets, Powers, and Cornell, and basically every other marine and crew member close enough, immediately took notice that they were anything but human, despite their initial similarities. One of them had shaggy white hair and a pair of cat-like ears which sprouted from his head. And... was that a [i]tail?[/i] 

The other one had a pair of horns resembling those from that ancient animal on Earth, the ram. They curled from his forehead, and he had a pair of goat-like ears and tufts of grey-tan hair. At least this one didn't have a tail. At least not a visible one. 

Powers said nothing, too surprised by this bizarre species of human-animal hybrids, and no one else did either. Out of the corner of his eye, Powers saw Cornell's trigger twitch. The captain quickly got over his momentary surprise and stared at the major and old friend. "I know what you're thinking, but [i]don't do it.[/i]"

Cornell growled, but said nothing. The ram-thing said something to the tiger alien softly enough for Powers to be unable to make out, and stepped closer. Powers immediately adopted his usual professional posture, as did Cornell. "You must be representatives from the [i]Intrepid.[/i] I am Captain Leonard Powers, and on behalf of the United Earth Government Naval Command, we welcome you on board one of our finest ships, the [i]Paramount.[/i]" He stuck out his hand, but it went to his ear when Nikolai came to report, and he sounded slightly worried.

"Captain, I'm tracking two small fast-movers, closing in fast!" Powers looked away. "Fighters?"

"No, too small for that. Uh, they're going into the hangar!" Not even a second later, the unknown objects that look a bit like oddly-shaped missiles shot through the bottom of the hangar, startling the gathered marines and Powers. They stopped just shy of the ceiling. Of course, automated ceiling turrets immediately deployed and locked on to the pair almost immediately and flashed red, but they did not fire. The pair then landed on the floor in front of the [i]Paramount[/i] crew and two parties of diplomats. Now, Powers could see that they looked like ancient spacesuits. Then one addressed him directly. "Greetings from the glorious Soviet Union!"

Cornell acted purely on reflex, almost instantly hefting his assault rifle and aiming it directly at the suit, but was stopped by Powers, who shoved the gun away. "[i]Don't.[/i]" The gun shook in Cornell's tense arms, but was lowered when his they relaxed. That issue sorted out, the turrets folded back into the ceiling and Powers turned back to the pair. "Yes. Welcome aboard the UEGNC [i]Paramount.[/i] I'm Captain Leonard Powers."