[@Doc Doctor]

	As it turns out, Cas and Madot's second shots are fired in the same exact moment that the highly skilled Donny fires his following round at Cas. The Stun shot from Cas did make full contact with Donny's solar plexus, not just a passing graze of the shoulder like before, but delivering the full dispersion of energy into the ganglia and radiating nerves of the sympathetic system at the pit of Donny's stomach. Unfortunately for Cas, Donny's jaw shot is also accurate. There was no time dodge or even see it coming. With a swift snap back of head, Case drops to the ground like a raggedy Ann doll. 


In the very short moments to follow, Donny's anticipation to fire off his following rounds at Madot and Shard is delayed by the effects of Cas's shot at his solar plexus. This delay, of course, is long enough for Dino Gavon to open the door of the Station Hall Behind Donny, and, without even an instant to waste, releases his Sonic Pulse directly into Donny's central back region, but not before Donny recovers and manages - against all odds and probability - to release his next shot at Madot's jaw with surprising accuracy. Madot goes down for the count as well. 

At the output Dino had set his riffle, the Sonic Pulse would be enough shatter Donny's ribs, fracture his spine, and cause a significant amount of internal bleeding and organ rupturing. Nevertheless, despite the immense amount of pain, Donny would still be conscious as he finds Dino standing above him, rifle now aimed at his head. One tender squeeze of his trigger and it's over for Donny. Despite his usual, less-than-professional behavior, Dino is fast, accurate, highly skilled, and appointed Admiral for a reason. 

"Best you remove any thought of pursuing this attack." He tells Donny, and for a change he sounds like a man fit for his position. The severe, cold disdain in Dino's eye is more than enough to let Donny know he wasn't fucking around. It wasn't worth taking the chance. "Right now your ribs are broken and several of your internal organs are ruptured, at the very least. The only way you'll survive is have my doctors take care of you. So guess what, Buzz Lightyear, your wish has come true; you get to visit to a cool star ship now." 

"Shard!" Dino turns his voice to the lieutenant, though keeps his unwavering glare on Donny's funhouse gaze. "Have this neanderthal delivered to the medical bay of the science ship Erud. Apprise them of the situation. Full automaton security. Have Cas and Madot delivered to the medical bay of the Flagship."

Shard had stopped screaming and running in circles the instant she saw Dino again. Immediately she follows his instructions, sending a transmission to The Erud and the Flagship. Dino keeps his intense watch on Donny, rifle remaining pointed at his head. It will be just a matter of seconds before Donny is teleported. 


[hr]

[@Dartbored Fairy]

	Fanny doesn’t attempt to expalin herself, and she doesn’t seem at all phased by Pirila’s lack of gratitude or unwillingness to tolerate her presence.  While she’s spouting off her words, Fanny raises her brow and leans to one side to get a glimpse of Mili hiding behind Parila. She pops out her tongue in a teasing manner then gives her a playful smile. But once Pirila stops talking, Fanny tells Mili to remember to apply the lotion to the burn on her neck, and that everything will be okay. 

“Well, alright, that’s fine,” Fanny agrees with Pirila, confirming her lack of concern with a shrug of one shoulder, “I’ll leave you for now.”

She then turns and starts walking out of the room, only to stop at the doorways and look back over her shoulder to say; “But you should know... that you can’t fight your destiny forever, Pirila. Life has a way of catching up with you. Sooner or later you’ll have to accept me. That’s just the way it is.” With that said, she gives Mili another playful smile and walks out of the room. 

Oddly enough, by the time Fanny had finished speaking her final words to Pirila, the beer bottle she had dropped on the floor was no longer there. It and the spilled contents had vanished, while the hole Madot had made in the wall was no longer there either. The wall was as it had been before the incident. But what may have made this completely bizarre, was that the rubble, dust and debris caused by the explosion was still strewn across the floor.  

[hr]

[@Zyngard]

	After exiting the room with Pirila and Mili, Fanny walks straight into Cuna as he reaches the top of the stairs. The collusion is enough to make Fanny stagger backwards a few steps, but her following surprised reaction to the sudden encounter is obviously pretentious, to point of being a sarcastic. She braces her face in both hands and gasps, pivoting one ankle to knock her knees together. 

"Oh my - Oh my!" She declares like some bad actor from s 50's film. "I beg your pardon, [i]sir[/i], I should really just watch where I'm going!" Now, Fanny’s pretentious reaction ends quickly. Her legs straighten. She gives Cuna a queer look with a scrunch her nose, and adds; "Well now, isn't life just full of surprises? I mean no, it's not after all, is it? Who would have seen a person like you coming?" 

Then yet again Fanny changes. Her white lab coat appears to be ruffled by a non-existent wind as all expression runs from her face, and like that she just stands there, staring at Cuna as if she were viewing an old and boring memory.        

[hr]

[@Scorpionius]

	Fanny steps down on Malcolm's brake before he enters the Terrestrial bay. 

"Malcolm, please...." She releases a small and exasperated laugh. "We both know you're an exemplary machine and keep yourself maintained well enough, so don't humor me. Do I really need to spell it out for you, sweetie?" 

She bites her lip while she thinks on the matter for a moment. She didn't want to insult him in her effort to offer the changes she had in mind.

"Take another look at that Quantum Bay." She tells him gently. "Haven't you ever dreamt of flying, travelling through space, jumping through dimensions with the ease of just a thought? That's why I brought you here, Malcolm, I'm offering you the chance to do all that." She takes a little breath and gives his dashboard a little pat before continuing;

"Don't you worry, I know you're more than just another run-of-the-mill AI. You have a soul… I can see that. So just tell those geeky boys to be careful not to expose you to lengthy contact with machinery. As cool as it might sound," She laughs, "we don't want all the machines in this place coming alive, do we? And don't worry about anything else either. You'll still be the same Malcolm when they're done with you. You’ll still feel the same, you’ll still look the same, at least from the outside anyway. You'll still be the same old Malcolm."  

She waits a moment to let Malcolm consider the proposal before lifting her foot from the brake, and saying; "The choice is yours though, you shouldn't do anything you don't want to. But just so you know, I'm really looking forward to our adventure together. I've been waiting for this so long...."

[hr]

[@Quote5][@CmdrAlfieq][@Metatrooper]

	Meta's distress signal is actually received by Ernest's communication systems a moment before Fanny initiates Hyper-Drive. It was an instant too late, however, and once Ernest had entered Hyper-Drive the signal was cut off. Less than a second later, Ernest falls out of Hyper-Drive and arrives within docking range of the MASGC Headquarters. 

For a moment, Fanny stares out at the massive space station in a distant kind of way, as if maybe she was caught in a moment of daydream. She then snaps clear of her thoughts and looks around at Ernest. 

"I wouldn't worry too much about that." She tells him, "I think your inability to communicate properly is adorable. But if you really need to improve your introductions, then how about starting with something simple, like; 'This is the Ernest'? By the way, [i]The Ernest[/i], did you by any chance take note of that distress signal the moment before we entered Hyper-Drive?" 

She starts tapping into the terminal controls, scanning all space within range to find the source of the distress signal. It would have been more than possible, at least from Ernest's point of view, that some other vessel was in danger of Hany's Ribbon and in needed assistance.

"Now, how about you let the Commander know we've arrived, then go ahead and do all that docking stuff with them. While you’re doing that I'll search for the source of that distress signal." She pauses a moment, puckering her lips in a cheeky fashion. "I mean... if that's okay with you, of [i]course[/i]?"

[hr]

	While Fanny was previously standing as if in a daydream on board the Ernest, a small, sleek one-man craft materialized in front of Meta's ship. This craft just so happens to look identical to the one that Fanny was in at the time Ernest rescued her, the same one that mysteriously disappeared once Fanny was safely aboard the the Ernest.  

[hider][img]https://i.imgur.com/XHYv4LF.jpg[/img][/hider]

Had Meta still been looking out into the empty void space, the craft would have materialized close enough to be viewed by the naked eye. Upon its appearance, Meta's distress signal was suppressed, as though an unknown force was inhibiting its dispersion field. A moment later, Meta's ship receives an audio hail. It's a young, smooth and lustrous feminine voice, which, under different circumstances, may have very well been interpreted as the call from a prostitute looking to coax her next trick for the night:

[i]"I'm Jezebel.... I see you're in a spot of trouble, but you have no need to worry at all now. It will be my deep pleasure to set your concerns at ease."[/i]  
  


[hr]

[@Quote5]

	One of Rorod's numerous attempts to communicate with the large torpedo-shape vessel proves successful. Within the first minute of sending his message he receives a reply from what sounds like an automated, robotic voice:

[i]“We are the Forte. The heck. Man. Your vessel has been seized. Your leader – leaders - have been seized. All that you are is ours. Your leader is our treasure. Do not resist. Your on-board units will be made to service The Forte. Requested response complete.”[/i]   

[hr]

	Despite Ramrod’s lack of belief that he would be understood or even replied to, he does in fact receive a reply from the same thunderous voice, only this time in Ramrods own dialect and repeating the same words as before:

[i]“Mroah-mroah mroah. Mroah, Mroah Mroah Mroah. Mroah, Mroah-Mroah. Mroah mroah mroah mroah.”[/i] (You are a unique life form. You have been added to our treasure. You are ours. You R-core units will be made to service our civilization.)

As the unseen entity stops speaking, the view screen on the wall comes to life. It displays a live feed of Rorod on board Rodia as he frantically converses with The Forte via the coms systems.

“Mroah Mroah.” The voice continues;  “Mroah mroah mroah, mroah. Mroah mroah, mroah. Mroah, mroah-Mroah. Mroah, Mroah Mroah mroah. Mroah mroah-mroah mroah. Mroah mroah mroah.” (This is your R-core unit. I will open a communication link to his current station. You will tell him that you are happy and unharmed. You will tell him to comply with us. You will instruct him not to resist. You will tell him you want this to happen.)   

After a moment of silence, the voice returns, louder and more commanding than ever; stating: “Mroah, Mroah mroah. Mroah, mroahhh mroah!” (A channel is now open. Speak or we will destroy them!)