The Golden System of New Rome
The Line
Situation: Assemble, Coagulate, Clamp
There was a silence for a prolonged period of time before the Collective ships responded. A deep, vocoded voice grated through the communications channel. The Collective thrived on it's image as a single, omnipotent force. It generated fear in its foes and served as a basic form of psychological warfare. It was a 'Collective' and this image was vital to it's strategy. It was clear to the Abh even from this short message that the Collective had a very detached view of the situation and certainly weren't joining the Romans for any moral reasons or convictions.
"The Collective has chosen the course of action best suited to advancing its own aims. This is one is Fleet Master Gaius Cornicen, shipmaster of the Dux. Identify yourselves."
Heiwa no tochi, Space
Roman Capital Ship
Situation: Inquire, Negotiate, Plan
The numerous collective personnel all slammed their right fists against their chestplates the moment the Princess introduced herself to them, which caused a loud crashing noise as fists smashed against armoured chests. Fleet Master Tiberius Corvus nodded slowly and approached the hologram, examining it before speaking. Quickly, the opaque black peeled back on his visor, making it transparent from the outside. It revealed his thick grey skin and noseless face with its small, tightly drawn mouth and large, glossy black eyes that reflected her face in them. There was a thin trim of orange around them and when he blinked this thin orange iris closed into the center of his eyes in a spiral before his eyelids would close sideways. These eyes slowly ran up and down Aurora's body, examining her and her armour intently
"Greetings Aurora vi Italia, this one is honoured to meet a specimen such as yourself. I do not believe their citizens shall be a problem. I have watched my Hara-ka associates..." He gestured to the Synth Soldiers surrounding him "...smash their way through the concrete buildings of the humans and turn their enemies into bloody pulps." He moved slowly forwards and away from his cohort "Besides that, there is a way to make their wish to resist completely... irrelevant. You see, the sentient mind is a tinderbox of electrical charges most can only begin to understand. Now, most brains are but receivers, but some are... advanced, sending and receiving charges as they choose.."
He moved forwards towards the hologram and took a small dull grey device from his side and held it out. The hologram of a strange alien device appeared. It had a circular base with three pentagon indents, two of which were filled by two large cylinders and the third of which was clearly designed for an occupant, perhaps the devices controller. From this base rose a spire of metal with several metal tubes moving up from the base and connecting to the various parts of the spire and on the top it split into two prongs. "This is the Psionic Beacon. With it, we Triarii can send any message we want. We will construct this device everywhere. In the end the Abh will be ours. Mind, body, and if you like, soul."
He adjusted himself and moved even closer towards the hologram, placing his own metal projector inside the holographic planet. There was a flash and a few moments later he withdrew the grey lump of metal, which began to project the same hologram into the air above his hands. Several areas of the planet began to glow green and a single small area pulsed with red
"We will begin the Psychic invasion by erecting the beacons in these green lit areas. Once the network is fully erected it will allow us dominance of every mind on the planet." All lights faded from the planet except the small, pulsing red one...
"What is to be done with the planet once we own their minds?" He inquired as he withdrew the device and swiped his fingers down the cold metal to disable it, before placing it back onto his utility belt and looking up to the Princess again.
Ashes to Ashes
Secrets of the Ancients
Situation: Midnight, Investigate, Establish
The Indespectus ship turned silently and glided towards the small base, slowly setting its self down. The Spectre team disembarked with a large group of Argutus scientists in tow. The contrasting black armour of the Spectres on the white of the background scenery was stark, as were the alien weaponry they were carrying with them. The hulking black armoured Hara-Ka drifted slowly to the side to reveal Postuma and Manfred Little, who were quite clearly the two commanders of the operation.
"Get those scientists into the structure!" Manfred barked as two Hara-Ka quickly herded the Argutus out of the cold and into the base.
"Manfred, get me an evaluation of the perimeter defences." Postuma ordered and the transhuman quickly spun to face her before slamming his fist against his chest. He spun on his heel again and gestured to the hara-ka, marching towards them and yelling out orders. Postuma sans her escourts now proceeded further towards the base, sighing heavily. as she did. She realised this would be a long, glorified guard duty and she would rather be performing other duties. These assignments were usually safe but also uneventful. She had no doubt that the discoveries made her would be useful in the future of the Romans and the Collective and the names of the researchers would almost certainly be recorded and glorified after the fact, buy for a Spectre such as her these assignments were a waste of her skills. More Spectres would likely be brought in over time, hopefully with pieces of media for when they were off duty, otherwise this could drag out for a long, long time coming...
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shylarah