[b]Facility A-1: Heavenly Voice[/b]

Splitting open as if inviting the Iscandarian in, the Matron Armor's Chest was sleek on the inside, and carved with ancient runes. While it was 11 feet tall, he had no trouble entering as he began to float upwards, almost drawn to it. He was sealed inside, and all was silent for a split second, before a brilliant white flash enveloped him, and he was turned white, lost in a trance as the armor searched him over. In his mind, the room had gone, and their was no one around him, the void terrifying yet peaceful.

Then, the researcher saw it: A figure sitting on the ground, wearing the most wondrous garments he could ever hope to lay eyes on. Combined with a majestic metal headpiece adorned with rare and exotic jewels, the first thing he could think of was royalty of some kind. She sat up, and turned to face him, walking towards him slowly and smiling, her face seemingly flowing with mystical energies that warmed him as she approached. He was floated up towards his face, and her brilliant blue eyes were stained with tears, like she had been crying for a long time. The figure kissed him on the forehead, and smiled weakly.

"We failed you once before. There is no hope, for our minds were lost to us, long ago. But you... You can redeem us. This armor is not meant for you, but there is one who may help you unlock it's secrets, to truly awaken the power of this suit. Events are being set in motion, events that will draw what you need to this place eventually. All you must do is survive. Survive, and the Sage will eventually find you."

Te researcher woke up, on the floor in front of the Matron, as several medical personnel worriedly checked his vitals, a long and flowing streak of blood dripping from his nose, pooling around his head. He was not injured in anyway way, but it was clear that how the armor interfaced with one's mind was dangerous, at least for the time being. Something was still missing.

[b]Planet UE-2231-H[/b]

In orbit, two Cruisers hung lazily above the surface, accompanied by a Cathedral of impressive size. The ionic storm hanging around the ships was annoyingly interrupting their sensors, making detection difficult regarding incoming hostile ships. On the upside of this, any ships entering the storm would be blinded, making warfare extremely difficult. However, it was deemed the safest place to hide, as it masked their sensors well. Soon, two Amazons descended towards the dead surface of the world, carrying a squad of Matrons and Sisters, as well as the War Maiden and something else. A new weapon and tool, devised to be effective against an organic with morals that would hopefully hinder them from firing.

The Gathering had researched heavily into the force that the Iscandarians wielded against them, and while no massive breakthroughs had been made, they had at least come up with better shielding against their Bale Fire that wouldn't cause them to collapse after a single shot. Ethereals were unique in that their memory does not work at all. They have no way of recollecting the past themselves, so instead used organic batteries to store memories for transfer throughout a group, without having to process it themselves. They received instructions and information already analyzed. Their job was to simply obey.

The Amazons screamed through the icy atmosphere, frost forming on the external areas of the units. The planet was covered in massive ice sheets, that were honeycombed with tunnels and massive chasms beneath the surface, a result of the intense geothermic activity in the crust. This made landing extremely dangerous, but they did it anyway, the frozen earth cracking and sinking beneth the massive supports of the war machines. IT shook off it's Construct cargo, who immediately set up a perimeter. One walker settled on it's knees, opening it's front panel and allowing the War Maiden to evacuate. She surveyed the area, and held her hand high. She was searching for something.

[b]Deep Space, Near the Pearl fleet: Unwanted visitor[/b]

The dead Iscandarian ship hung there, undamaged and unmoving, it's mineral cargo strewn everywhere in the space around it. Two cruisers held the object securely with their shield plates, which were acting like arms, the long tendril fingers of the ships wrapped around key areas. The Engines of the mining vessel were suspended in the recently developed stasis fields, shutting them off as they were no longer technically attached to the ship, but were temporarily in another dimension. This new weapon could only target one ship at a time, so it was most useful as a sort of ambush weapon against lone craft, like the mining frigate they had captured just now. 

On board, people either screamed as they were dragged off by SIsters to the Cruisers, executed or hid in closets and other areas, praying to whatever God they believed may save them. The work of the Ethereals was horrible, as all aboard the ship faced a terrible fate worse than death.