[center][h1]EVENTFUL BEGINNINGS[/h1][/center] [hr] [b]ELYSIUM SYSTEM GATEWAY[/b] [b]SCIENCE VESSEL NHS HOPEFUL[/b] [hr] It was a not so regular day on the NHS Hopeful when the gate opened. The captain of course went to question the engineers at site. The gateway hasn't been used for years and beyond that was deactivated. This obviously confused the hell out of the captain who was in-charge of getting the gate operational and studying it. An engineer was summoned to the bridge so that the captain could question the engineers about it, but when he did he was told that it just turned on. "What the hell do you mean it just turned on? Nothing just turns on!" "Uh well sir, at first it went wooooop and then fshhhhhhhhhhh and then BANG! it just opened all bright and whirring and everything!" The engineer explained along with comedically appropriate hand gestures. The captain of the Hopeful paused and stared at the engineer with a blank expression before having the understandable reaction of being confused, "I- Wait- Explain it to me again." The engineer repeated his explanation, again with appropriate hand gestures, "It went woop, fsshhhh, and then BANG!" "I'll pretend that I understand what that means and ask how it went [i]woop, fshhh, and then bang[/i]." "Um... We don't know sir." the engineer shrugged. It was at this point the captain gave up asking and put a palm to his face, "Ugh! We're not going to get anywhere with this! Comms contact the Lead Director, he's gonna wanna hear this." As the bridge was contacting New Haven, Navigation chimed in. "Conn, Navigation." The captain replied, "Go ahead Navigation." "Navigation is recieving a signal from the gate. It looks to be a star map. Our files have been updated and it seems we're now able to interface with the gate and choose a destination. I think you should know, Earth is on here too." The captain's eyes widened when heard about Earth – the long-lost homeland. "Understood Navigation, we'll relay that information to the Lead Director." The captain sat back into his chair and gave a big sigh. "It's going to be a long and busy day." [hr] [b]NEW HAVEN[/b] [b]LEAD DIRECTOR'S OFFICE[/b] [hr] The director was going about his regular day blasting music as loud as he possibly could and dancing to the beat in his private office as he signed read and signed off on different reports and requests. The room itself looked organized, sanitized, and overall plain. If it weren't for the posters and little doodads that the Lead Director used to decorate his office, it would look completely boring. "Computer! Any status update on the gate?" he asked while grabbing a latte off of his desk and taking a loud audible sip. "Funny you should ask sir..." The computer replied, "... There's a message from Captain Francis Mcbadbad, he reports that the gate has is operational." In an instant he spat out his latte and he turned towards the many holographic screens and said, "You said what now!?" "He also reports that-" "Actually, never mind! I'm no imbecile! I heard what you said, patch him through!" The computer minimized all holographic displays in order to create a three-dimensional rendition of the Hopeful's bridge, this was also the same for the Hopeful where Lead Director Hubert Seymour would be rendered in full 3D for the crew. "Francis! Where are you!" "I'm right behind you sir." Hubert then let out a small yelp of panic as captain Francis replied, "AAH! JEEZUS! Computer! Lower volume! Why do you always put it at 200%!?" Hubert then proceeded to straighten himself out and addressed the captain. "So, I hear the Gate is operational! How'd you do it?" Francis then replied, "Well... We didn't." "I'm sorry what?" "The engineers basically said, they don't know how it turned on. They say it went woop, fshhh, and bang!" Hubert then raised an eyebrow, "A What, a what, and a what?" "Basically, it just sparked to life and now we're looking at a very bright and very open gate. But that's not the only thing..." The captain then sent a live feed of the new navigational charts. "... The gate is giving us access to all these new locations. Though, the people here are inclined to explore Earth first." Hubert put a hand to his chin and wiggled his fancy mustache mulling it over, "Alright then! Go explore Earth, if you encounter anything record it for posterity so that we may all study it!" "Uh... Yes sir, I'll get underway, but shouldn't we-" "Oh yes, this'll be a good test too! Try to keep the connection! I wonder if it'll hold" "S-Sir, You don't surely mean we go through now do you?" the captain loosened his collar as a slew of things could happen going through the gate. For all they know it might malfunction and they'll get stranded in space or worse torn to shreds at an atomic level. "Captain Francis, science waits for no man! We shall boldly and quite recklessly go where we've been to before!" "Y-Yes sir... Helmsman, full ahead." The bridge began going through the motions. The communications between the various stations began to increase as all hands braced for what lie ahead. The ship vibrated as it began accelerating towards the gate. [hr] [b]SOL SYSTEM GATEWAY[/b] [b]EARTH[/b] [hr] The NHS Hopeful entered one end and emerged on the other side only to behold the lost homeworld of Earth. Miraculously the communications between New Haven and Sol held. Hubert shrugged as he looked at Earth, “Well… That’s almost pretty much what I expected seeing Earth.” Francis and his crew looked on to the once verdant world – now a ruin. It was hard to believe that this was once the homeworld of the Human race. There were many descriptions and depictions that were saved from the first colonists of Earth before it became a ruin. Green forest, deep blue oceans, golden sands – a whole world of color. “I know I should probably be quiet and solemn, but can we please focus on the massive, hobbled together space station right hovering right above it?” The moment Hubert mentioned this, Francis shouted, “Mr.Gilligan, magnify image!” In an instant, the screen magnified the image of the space station. The metallic structure looked as if it had different parts that were cobbled together. It was incredibly sophisticated and distinct in some places and suggested that it was made by different cultures. “Sir, this doesn’t match anything we know from the first colonists.” Said one of the crew members. Hubert was quick to act, “Inaction breeds laziness! Open all communication channels and announce our presence! I mean, not like it’s needed. If they can make that they probably know we’re here already.” Francis pressed a button on his captain’s chair and said, “Comms Conn…” The comms’ station replied, “Conn Comms, what do you need sir?” “The Lead Director wants to address our welcome party, open broadcast, all frequencies.” Francis waited for a notification for broadcasting before giving the Lead Director a thumbs up. Hubert then began his open broadcast with the signature flamboyant flare in his voice speaking in the Old English Tongue. “Greetings fellow [i]'presumably'[/i] descendants of Earth! We’re from New Haven representing the New Haven Directorate! We come in peace with the intention of studying Earth and exploring new strange worlds! To signify our intentions of peace, I shall sing you a song of my people!” Hubert then presses a button on his glove and New Haven rock music (thematically similar to that of Back in Black by AC/DC) begins to play. The entire bridge then gets engulfed in dynamic disco lighting as a mic emerges out of the ceiling from Hubert’s personal office. What happened next was nothing captain Francis or the crew of the Hopeful ever thought they’d see – a singing, dancing, rock star of a Lead Director represent New Haven through the power of rock & roll. However, the Lead Director knows that the people who might be listening to the broadcast might not even speak old English at all, or in-fact, understand New Haven's reconstruction of Old English. This broadcast all hinges on whether or not the Humans or Aliens listening on the other side can decipher his rhythmic screeching as actual intelligible words. He knew this, but did it anyway to illicit a response and hopefully decipher their language to communicate back.