[b]The Core[/b]

A set of heavy metal doors dissipated as the exploration team approached the Core's Chamber, their helmet lights flickering and waving throughout the pitch black hall. Columns ran either side of the walls, and in the center, was a sight that made them freeze in their tracks, unsure of what they were looking at. Hanging from the ceiling via hundreds of tubes and beams was a large sphere like device, almost three times the height and breadth of an Iscandarian. It's surface was a gunmetal grey, and glowed slightly, with veins where wisps of purple haze escaped in thin trails, fading from it. Three red lens-like devices in a triangular formation quickly glided over it's surface from the side to stare at the intruders, and narrowed menacingly, almost burning a hole into their very being. 

This Witch, however, was unable to do anything, and sat in mere silence, watching them as they secured it. The Magi watched it, fascinated, as he paced in front of it, and it's 'eye' tracked his movements, widening and narrowing as if it was studying him. He got a sudden chill, and urged his team to hurry up the transfer, uneasy about the fact he could sense hundreds of beings dwelling within the Core. Hundreds of powerful and evil beings. Fortunately, Teams 2 and 3 hadn't had such a harrowing experience as moving the Core.

Team two found that the Matrons and Sisters were equally as hollow as the ship, with almost no apparent electronic or mechanical systems, save for a smaller version of the Cathedrals generator in it's torso and a weird, solid glass-like disks in each one. It was more like armor than anything else, except there were no bodies to fit inside these suits. The outer casing coursed with thick, black fluid, that accidentally sprayed a soldier with no harmful effects and was more disgusting than dangerous. Beside the hooks were cases full of the blade like weapons, intricately shaped in varying sizes and full of bizarre, dangerous looking systems too complex for them to understand. Fortunately, they were wise enough to not tinker with said internal components.

Meanwhile, the third team's scan showed what appeared to be humanoid figures inside the dark pods, all dead and hailing from an unknown species. Tubes seemed to enter their bodies from various entry points along the spine, neck and head. From the dust and lack of care on the metallic sheen of the pods, they had been there a very, very long time. 

[b]Mars[/b]

"I'm starting to see what's going on here... This is most definitely a space-faring species. They are terraforming this planet, that's why the algae is present." Sage was fascinated by their crude drawing, their knowledge of at least basic interplanetary travel was obvious. "So, perhaps the third planet is their main territory? They appear to have colonized this entire system... This is good, Madam Tiy."

Happiness crept over her face, and she looked the human who drew it in the eye. The Warden stood up, pointed to herself, then to the sky, and made urgent movements. With a little luck, these beings would be willing to help, if they could understand her motions at all.

[b]Various Locations across the galaxy[/b]

After their victory at New Condia, the Sazkarjhit and Iscandarians saw little of their new enemy over the next few weeks, which soon turned to months. However, worrying signs began to show. Lone ships such as freighters, exploratory vessels and civilian star ships would disappear at the edges of their territories occasionally, with no warning or distress beacons. All that was found was the empty vessel, abandoned, with signs of gunfire and blood accompanied with scorch marks and black ooze on certain decks. But surprisingly, no damage to the ships at all, they were found to be in total working order and definitely space worthy.

Another disturbing occurrence was the detection of mysterious ships by both civilization's fleets as they moved about, which would disappear as soon as they began to approach. One incident had over five hundred unidentified vessels on screen at one point. It was clear what was going on: They were being watched, and studied themselves.