Cath

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“That’s about right, and it is possible. Lots of viruses can insert genetic material into our chromosomes. These damage the DNA, leading to mutations that can be passed down through generations. But again, very long timeframes involved in that process. Millions of years. This seems much faster, and different somehow. I need to go to the source of the outbreak to understand it better; those first few spreading events seem key. I hope you can help me get there.”

Ruk stared at the floor, deeply troubled by what she was hearing. “Germs have killed more people across the universe through history than anything else. By far. I’ve seen firsthand what viral infections can do to any species. And now we’re flying straight into the middle of something even our most gifted knowledge amalgam doesn’t recognise. Great.”

“My name is Seraphim, and we’re going to figure this out. Together.” The AI said, indignant at first, and then sympathetic. The floating drone returned, spritzing Senjen in the face again before returning to its dock.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“In my experience, pathogens mostly follow the same pattern. They invade the host’s body, reproduce, and damage cells or release toxins, which leads to illness. They either destroy their host, or are removed by force.” Seraphim’s voice lost its zeal, became slower and more deliberate. “The reports smuggled out to me suggest the Holophage does something different. Instead of going to war with the host, it convinces it to change on its own. Become something totally different.”

Ruk pondered this for a second. “Like the Sthrirad? It has significantly changed the Chekeri respiratory system, and rewired our brain chemistry.” Seraphim locked eyes with her.

“Perhaps. Though the Sthrirad took four thousand years to integrate with the Chekeri people – the Holophage may have managed it in just one. Either that, or it has been circulating in secret, without our knowledge.”

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“The big Tindrel-adjacent in the rec area? Got it.” Ruk made a mental note. At some point she would have to leave these quarters; Chekeri simply couldn’t sit still for that long. But thankfully there were thousands of tiny nooks and crannies to rediscover on this ship. Ruk would simply slow down her movements and appreciate the little things in life until they were on dry land again.

“Well, I won’t be doing much of the research. From the parts of Seraphim’s spec sheet that weren’t redacted, she seems more than capable of solving this crisis on her own.” Ruk lowered her voice at the end, so as not to attract the attention of the extravagant Chekeri bot, but to no avail. Seraphim raised her head and looked as though she had given her the first compliment of her entire existence.

“Aw, I’m glad you think so! I was designed for a scenario fitting many of the parameters of this mission. But I’m sure we can find some way for you to contribute as well.”

The little orb drone suddenly detached from its docking station and whizzed from the room. Presumably someone was doing something unclean somewhere on the ship.

“Well, thank you Seraphim. But my main role is to look after you. Make sure you’ve got everything you need…and such. Can you tell us anymore about what to expect down there?” Ruk asked. Seraphim cocked her head at them.

“I have a limited corpus of information to work from right now, but the so-called ‘Holophage’ doesn’t match any previously documented vector-borne diseases. That makes it one of the most valuable research opportunities in the cosmos.”

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

Ruk scoffed at the thought of trusted FGC. “I know this is risky, but do we really need so much muscle? It’ll be hard to do any proper science with this many boots trampling all over things.”

Her almond eyes flicked to Seraphim when Senjen mentioned AI. The other Chekeri was humming a soft tune while swiftly unpacking a whole host of test equipment. It seemed to Ruk altogether too early to be cramping up the place with gear, but she didn’t know the how to intervene. These machines did not carry Sthrirad; they could not be read like regular Chekeri.

“Maybe its for the best. Viruses aren’t interested in artificial anything…I did some digging yesterday – this so called Holophage sounds like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Primarily because no two people seem to be able to describe it similarly. The reports seem either deliberately obfuscated, or hopelessly short sighted…What do you think of my suit?”

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

Ruk’s suit stood to attention in one corner of Senjen’s quarters. She’d taken it off soon after Light had informed her there would be oxygen to breathe during the journey. He was notoriously stingy in this regard, only needing oxygen pumped into his suit personally. The rest of her meagre belongings had been offloaded from one of the pallets that’d followed them onto the ship from the van and tidied fastidiously away. Senjen would notice her red knapsack lying empty on the hammock she’d just finished securing between two bulkheads.

“Hey. I think we’re set, thanks. The plants make it cosy – kinda.” Ruk turned towards him and motioned around the room. Her side was clearly delineated from Seraphim’s. The Chekeri AI had decanted a miniature laboratory from the same pallets and was in the process of setting it up. Unlike Ruk’s spartan lodgings, it was a picture of organised chaos. She looked up from her work and gave a friendly wave.
“All going great this end, thank you for asking!”

The floating orb drone descended from the ceiling and sprayed a fine mist in Senjen’s face. It had already scouted the entire ship and disinfected, but this must have been some extra layer of cleanliness.

“Seraphim – you should tell Senjen and the others about your role at some point on this journey.” Ruk said, pointedly.

“Absolutely! I’ll be happy to debrief, just as soon as my workstation is operational. It is a higher priority right now.” Seraphim chirped.

Ruk sighed, before looking back at Senjen.

“What do you know of the others? I’d sleep better knowing who I’m sharing a damp space cave with for twenty cycles.”

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“Ok then!” Seraphim replied, keenly.

“Hey, thanks.” Ruk said, eying up the other people in the cargo bay. Diarmuid and Bodach and both reappeared to help coax Omega into the hallway. The prevailing opinion was that exploring the ship would help him relax for the journey, except he didn’t really want to move. Diarmuid produced a battered old fiddle and bow and began to play it, emitting a bright and lively tune. Omega snorted happily and began to follow Diarmuid as he walked backwards through the blast doors again.

“There are more people here than I expected.” Ruk said. She took her helmet off with a hiss and cradled it at her side, suddenly self-conscious.

“Tell me about it. They’re all spread out, too, making it all feel very cramped. There’s a Chekeri called Tantō and a quad called Rex setting up camp in the engine room. There are two, maybe three bipeds in the storage room and these two might squeeze into the rec room. If not, they’ll have to sleep here in cargo.”

Light shivered. This whole arrangement was very irregular; despite how ramshackle the place was he had become quite ‘house proud’ of their little ship. These new arrivals had no idea where everything was supposed to be, and had immediately begun rearranging things.

“Anyway. This is all of us, I’d better get us in the air! Sooner we head off, the sooner we can get home.” He left them alone and headed to the cockpit. That was one room he’d forbidden anyone except Senjen to enter for now.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

It was only about half an hour before an Ruknar and Seraphim arrived. Light was still in the cargo hold, sorting out the cargo hold after his various passengers had left a load of luggage strewn about. They themselves had disappeared, apart from HOPE and Omega who stayed to chat with him and not offer help.

An unmarked van turned up at the ramp. The rain, not letting up, hammered the metal roof. Ruknar climbed out of the passenger’s side and went to the back doors. She was clad in a clean white environment suit with a clear visor. It had the word ‘Rental’ stamped on the composite parts, except for the bulky utility bandoleer packed with medical supplies slung across her front. This was emblazoned with the universal mark for medics. The whole thing was designed for minimising the possibility of contamination over the protection against any other type of damage.

She opened the back doors and an unexpectedly ornate-looking Chekeri droid clicked out onto the docking area. They were a light yellow and red colour, with exquisite individual feather detailing. With them came a floating orb about the size of their heads. It had a glowing lamp for an eye and numerous holes and small appendages on its body. This must be the ‘decontamination’ solution that the Quadrarch of Vitality had mentioned.

“Hey Ruk…you ok?” Light asked, sheepishly. They hadn’t had the chance to talk after their meeting.

“Lets just park that question for now, hmm?” She replied testily.

“This is Seraphim.”

“Greetings. I’ll need a full tour of your ship to ensure proper safety procedures are implemented.” She said in a beautiful, musical voice.

“Oh, ok. My colleague can give you the full tour. He’s around here somewhere…” Light said, feigning a look around the cargo bay while also messaging Senjen that they’d arrived.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“Excellent. We shall go claim our rightful place in this delightful craft. These two bid you a good evening.” Rex made a subtle head gesture to Tantō and they padded silently out of the cargo bay.

“Should one of us, you know, go with them?” Light asked Senjen. He didn’t know how he felt about two random, not to mention strange, synths wander around his home.

“If you’re worried about them stealing anything, don’t. Neither of them has ‘possessions’ save what’s inside or attached to their bodies. The bags Rex carries are mine.” Major admitted.

“Here are the final two members of the team. Allow me to introduce you to Omega and Halo Of Pearlescent Eddies.”

Light had been so distracted by Rex and Tanto that he didn’t even notice that two more figures had ascended the ramp. One of them was QV in an unnaturally clear gelsuit, who he presumed was the one called Halo of Pearlescent Eddies. Light noted with macabre curiosity that they were heavily augmented, perhaps 50% organic remaining. Most of her appendages had been replaced, along with her eyes. The most unusual upgrade though was large power plant, surgically attached to her back by an array of cables.

She was lounging atop a very unusual droid indeed. It was a very rough, approximation of a Tindrel, probably equalling the rest of the team put together in terms of mass. It had a shield plate for a face and four large, blocky body segments, propelled on four rectangular legs each. It was laden with ordnance all over, including a hovering crate containing three suspicious-looking spheres.

A spike of adrenaline lanced through Light’s system. A female, on this ship? He felt so embarrassed – the place was a complete mess.
“H-hello. I’m Into the Abyss In Search Of Light. This is Senjen.” He said.

“The name of a wanderer, and a zealot. Who is your family?” Halo Of Pearlescent Eddies asked bluntly. Light blushed.

“I didn’t know them well. They disowned me.”

“We are all disowned here. Except for Major, he keeps us grounded.”

“BAKKRRHHH” came a strange, crunchy wail from the depths of Omega’s frame. His body began to buck and jerk, until Halo Of Pearlescent Eddies quickly stroked behind his faceplate and they calmed again.

“Don’t be afraid. He is just nervous.”

“Omega got hit by a prison train about eighty years ago. Was never the same since. He’s still a big softie inside though, let me tell you.” Major explained.

“Softie? You should’ve seen the train!” Bodach boomed, letting out a hearty laugh. Him and Diarmuid returned to the group, sans bags.

“Who else are we waiting for?”

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

Bodach and Diarmuid made loud approving noises when Senjen’s tail moved. They talked over one another as they went to deposit their luggage in a tidy pile against the far wall.

“Don’t be phased by their banter. When it comes down to brass tacks, they are…easier to work with.” Major decided, watching them go. He then looked back at Senjen. He took a moment to process the question, then pointed to his fleshy face.

“This? It’s a mask. I’m synthetic now, but my employers prefer to look at a Human visage every day instead of the metal underneath. That doesn’t mean I don’t need to worry about this virus, but we can discuss that later. First, let me introduce you to Rex-” He pointed to a lithe black quadruped droid with a fearsome face that was saddled with four large bags. “-Reconnaissance and sharpshooter.”

“This one humbly thanks these two for facilitating this journey.” Rex fixed them both with two deep yellow eyes. It had a deep, guttural voice, like an animal.

“And Tantō-” A sanguine coloured Chekeri droid stepped forward, both hands folded behind her back. Her frame was scarred by deep scratches from top to bottom, including on her face. There were what looked like bloody hand prints on her. She didn’t have any luggage, except for a pistol on each hip and two sticks stuck to her chest. “-you do not want to bump into her in a dark alley.”

“Erm, do we want to ask why?” Light said. He could tell that both machines had some element of shape shifting capability, Their frames were segmented into dozens of interlocking plates, like scales.

Before Light’s brain could even process the movement, both sticks were in Tantō’s hands and flicked out into long batons. Red energy crackled and burned along them and the Chekeri twirled them deftly round before extinguishing them. They compacted back down and she stuck them to her chest again.

“Right.” Light said.

“Where would these two like this one to store our equipment?” Rex purred.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“Thank you. Don’t worry – we are used to rough and ready conditions. Let me introduce you to my team.” Major half turned and gestured for the figures scaling the ramp to approach. Light glimpsed a tough metal breastplate under the brown robe as he did so. He couldn’t yet tell if this ‘Major’ was an organic cyborg, or a synth with a Human face.

The first two of the team to clank into the light of the cargo bay were definitely droids. Bipeds, of a longer and thinner shape than Major. Light guessed they may not have been combat-models originally, but had been modified and armoured beyond recognition. One’s base chassis was a deep navy colour and the other was forest green, though the paint on both was worn by many scratches and dents. They carried a large duffel bag stuffed with equipment in each hand, and another slung on their back. They each dropped their bags and came in for a hearty handshake.

“Hoo's it gaun, lads? You can call me Bodach.” Said the navy blue one. His voice was exceptionally rough and gravelly, with a heavy regional twang. “This wee gobshite wi’ me is Diarmuid.”

“Hey, Howya fellas? Lovely weather today ain't it?” Diarmuid chimed in, dripping with rain from outside. By contrast, his tone was musical and inviting. That of a younger man.

“Both of them are from Earth originally, hence the outlandish accents. Fought in more wars than the trebuchet.” Major explained with a wry smile.

“Bodach is about as old as the trebuchet as well.” Diarmuid stage-whispered.

“You cheeky bastard!” Bodach growled, before addressing Senjen. “That’s a mighty shiny frame you’ve got there, lad! Are you one of those lizard folk, or do you just have a thing for tails, eh?”