Nox Home World

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

Siphon shook his head.

"On the contrary, things just got a lot more complicated. They ... they have Nox DNA in them. They're part Nox, part something else that looks strangely familiar to me but I can't place where, and then whatever the hell they actually are is present. That means these things aren't a natural species, they were intentionally created by someone else. You don't have three different strands of DNA like this naturally, not without serious dilution."

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

"Or enhancements." There's that typical quip of hers that usually comes to the fore when things go south. "So there's a chance these things share something in common with the Nox. Knowing our luck, it's the psychic abilities." There's a pause. "You don't think it's something that comes about from, well, breeding, do you? I mean, that takes a while to cultivate, but if these things can open up rifts in time and space..."

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

Siphon paused a moment.

"Not sure, I'm not certain without the Nox DNA in them that they could have managed to overpower them to even forcefully mate with them. This does explain though how they knew about the Nox's abilities, if they are part Nox they very well may have them. Which means Lyra is in bigger trouble than we thought."


Aya meanwhile was looking a bit rattled. It was starting to sink in on her just how and why the Klarnell had managed to prove such a threat to them. She was trying not to show it, but she was scared now, and it only now had dawned upon her what Sho said about the breeding the abilities into the Klarnell could very well have happened by now with her daughters. The air started to get a little warmer as this sank in, and she started getting angrier. Her hands clenched into fists, and she started trying to calm herself, but with little success.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Nox Home World

"I can carry her." Thanus says simply in answer to Siphons earlier question about the fainted Nox woman. He takes a few steps towards the direction the other moving Nox signatures would be coming from.

Ellisia steps towards Siphon as he shows surprise over the scanner. "Nox DNA? That is unsettling."

"I can't stand this time warping situation." Marik comments whilst keeping watch. "I'm far more used to seeing the enemy coming, y' know. Prefer it that way. Countless things we have no way of knowing, and just as many ways they could be acting against us with no way to defend. How are we supposed to fight this." he says frowning, watching over the room in thought. "The entire Nox city sacked in minutes, and we weren't able to do a thing."

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

Siphon's jaw set in a determined look as he replied to Marik.

"We learn everything we can about these anomalies and try to figure out how to either work them ourselves, or predict the things and turn their own game against them. We also learn everything we can about their technology and tactics. Only then do we have a chance."


Siphon nodded to Thanus, and then started towards the other Nox readings.

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

She couldn't argue with Siphon's declaration, especially given she felt the same way about what they could, or rather, should do about the Klarnell and their parlor tricks.

Aya, meanwhile, would feel a draft of cold air sliding directly down her spine, meant both to draw her attention to the fact that she was heating up and to distract her from that fact. If it's one thing Sho had learned, it was how to read that look on someone just as volatile and dangerous as Siphon could be.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

It took a moment for any noticeable reaction from Aya, but things started cooling down a bit. She shot a look at Sho, mouthing a 'thank you', before focusing back ahead of them.


Siphon for his part said nothing now, and in just a few moments they were standing near the two walking Nox, Siphon speaking with them seemingly in their own language. From the way they were talking, it seemed this was faster and more efficient to do.


((Not much on this post, mostly bridging things up to make the time flow enough for the jumper to arrive.))

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

There's a slight nod from the dark-haired woman, about the only acknowledgement that she even did anything, but she does seem to relax a little, seeing that Aya's calmed down some. For the most part, it's a waiting game on the conversation. Hopefully Siphon will have some answers once he's done talking with the Nox.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

Siphon and the two Nox talked for a fair bit, finally the former nodding.

"Alright, it seems the Klarnell arrived planet side first and took the Nox down there by surprise, tore the men apart and took some female prisoners before taking a small craft up here. They passed right through the cloak field like we can with a jumper, so it's probably safe to say they got that tech off one of their prisoners. The Nox tried to make them just leave, but their mental abilities didn't work on them, prompting a safety measure with the second cloak. Only that seems to have malfunctioned or been sabotaged as it's been draining energy off of them since they activated it. The device is what killed the Klarnell it seems, scorching them the way we saw. Apparently it ripped the energy out of their bodies somehow, and then kept them locked in some kind of energy field after death until we turned it off. So not our ascended that did that to them. We need to help them move everyone or get them back awake if possible, the Nox are ... shutting the entire city down. They can't be sure the Klarnell won't try again, so they intend on shutting it down, removing the activation devices and leaving with us for the time being."


Meanwhile, Ian and Vanessa had just docked with the city itself, and as soon as they stepped out of the jumper with the Alveran 'marines', they were seeing bodies all over the place. Klarnell, future predator and Nox alike, all dead. One of them men, Jaron shook his head.

"This doesn't look good at all. Stay sharp you two, we have no idea what could still be around, and Siphon isn't answering our calls either."


((Good to go for both Copper. Also yes, the stone is being jammed.))

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

Sho listens, arms crossed, as Siphon relates what the Nox have to report. "I take it they transported the prisoners out before getting up here?" she asks with a bit of a frown. "Or do we at least get some good news?"

As he talks of getting the Nox woken up or moved, she nods. "Here's hoping not all of them are deep sleepers. If so, we're going to need a heck of a lot more than just the one jumper to get them out of here, unless you wanna start playing Jenga with the unconscious people."

*

Ian takes in the carnage that greets them when they arrive at the city, eyes closing briefly at the notice of the Nox corpses among the dead, his lips moving around silent words for a minute or two before he reconnects with the others.

"Ah dunno. Looks like the kind of sitchuation we'd find them two balls-deep in on a regular basis. He's prob'ly too busy bashin' heads ta ans'ah the phone. Point's yours, if ya want it." He'll head in with the Alverans, shifting to a walk and scan that keeps his attention on those around him as well as checking beside and above for anything that might want to do the lot of them bodily harm. He also keeps an ear out behind, though he only turns occasionally to scan in that direction.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

Siphon nodded.

"I'm afraid they did, Lianna here mentioned an anomaly, exactly like the one you and I went through that opened. It seemed though the Klarnell were trying to send more through it when it closed suddenly on them. From their reactions, it wasn't supposed to do that. Wait, we have company, eight Alveran life signs and two human ones heading this way, about ... one hundred meters back from where we came from. Strange, why didn't they try to call us?"


Vanessa's eyes were wide with shock.

"How did they ... my god. It's a damn massacre."


The Alverans were quiet, but in full sweep mode, clearly expecting something could still be alive as no one had claimed the bodies yet. One of them held a scanner device, and after several minutes of walking he spoke.

"I'm picking up three Nox life signs about a hundred meters that way, as well as four human life signs and two Ancient life signs. No Alveran life readings."


((Note: Yes, Siphon is now showing up as an Ancient on the scanners and not Alveran anymore.))

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

"Is it on?" Sho asks with a slight smirk as he mentions them not being able to hail them through the radio. "Or maybe they're just getting jammed, like we were. Could always go meet them, so long as they're friendlies. The more help we've got moving folk, the better."

"See the world. Meet int'restin' new people and slaughter 'em. Bastahds." He'll listen as the report is made. "Well, it's signs ah life and chances are, that's where we'll find 'em. Here's hopin' those aren't the only signs ah life from the Nox," he adds quietly.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Nox Home World

(Oh hey, I forgot to post for Sinnve earlier.)

Ellisia sighs with a hint of frustrated sadness at hearing Siphon inform of how prisoners had been abducted. Trying not to think about it for now, she crosses her arms and replies to Sho's remark. "Agreed. We're going to need help moving these people if Talok isn't able to beam them out directly. The longer this takes, the more risk there is that something could go wrong."

"When you say, "shutting down the city", does the fact that the city is floating above the surface have any bearing on that?" Marik grabs a chance to comment, raising an eyebrow just slightly.

Thanus would remain at the front beside Siphon, still cradling the fainted Nox woman for now. Whilst he didn't expect any problems when meeting the other team that was soon to arrive, his skills could be fairly helpful for establishing peaceful contact safely. Being "bullet proof" took the tension out of things.

- - - - -

Meanwhile bellow on the surface, Sinnve had remained on the ground for now. Looking up at the floating city, now that its cloaking had been deactivated. She tracked the friendly Jumpers as they made their approach and landing, whilst watching out for anything else. Until trouble showed itself, or she was given other reason to move, she would stay more or less motionless amoungst the trees. Her Etherian non conventional power source made her unlikely to be spotted by sensors without using an abnormal scanning routine. Flying would only highlight her presence and weaken her defence.

<"This is Sinnve to Tiny Knights. Just letting you know that I'm in the area now."> She broadcasts over Etherian communications techniques. Deciding not to use the alternative comms that Vern had rigged up for her, so to be able to talk to Talok and the others. She figured it was far more likely that the Klarnel would be able to detect or intercept that kind of technology.

She wondered idly which parts of the city would be able to safely take her weight. It was of advanced construction, but she didn't know whether a people like the Nox would have accounted for a machine like this.


((Dunno whether Sinnve's transmission would be jammed too, but she can try.

It's also curious to have the scanners pick up the Etherians as Human. Not sure whether it would or not. But I don't really know what it bases it's analysis on."))

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

((It will register as human unless it has enough specific info on the scanned target to make a distinction, provided their genetic structure is similar enough to humans, which given their appearance as being able to pass for human, probably is the case. I figure the Ancients wouldn't have actually encountered the Etherians per se, perhaps seeded their ancestors yes, but probably not been around by the time they developed into who and what they are now.))


Sinnve got a reply from Talok, which might disturb her.

"This is Talok, I read you Sinnve. I have been unable to raise anyone in the city though, nor am I able to detect any life signs. I believe scans and communications are being jammed within the city itself. As soon as the jumper docked with the city, it vanished from my scans."


Siphon blinked.

"I'd hope it's friendlies with Alveran readings, otherwise ... well that's a shit storm I don't even want to think about."


Lianna herself answered Marik.

"The city will be phased out with a different technology, one we developed a few years ago. It will be landed within one of the mountains east of here. Siphon I'd like for you to lock out all the systems using an Alveran code. As far as we know, no Alverans have yet to be taken by the Klarnell, which makes it the only lockout code the Klarnell likely won't have a means of quickly breaking. As far as the communications go, it's possible the Klarnell left a jamming field behind. We'll need to revive as many as we can and shuttle them out of here, I would not risk tampering with a Klarnell device after what I have seen today."



The Alveran nodded at Ian.

"Same here. The device does have a range though and these readings are at the edge of it. Could be readings we aren't picking up yet."

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

"Let's just hope that's all that the Klarnell left behind," Sho remarks. "Last time wasn't fun. So, should we go see who the cavalry is and how they can help us wake up an entire city?"

"Let's go find out." Ian will continue on with the group, now keeping an eye out for signs of what the scanner is picking up on.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

Siphon nodded to Lianna.

"Of course. When that's set to go I'll make sure it's one tough nut to crack. Yeah Sho, enough with the exploding things for one day, even I've had my fill of things that want to blow up, kill us or eat us as the case may be."


Nodding, he started off in the direction of what he hoped was reinforcements.



The man nodded to Ian, noting as they walked that the other readings were also coming towards them, as well as picking up other Nox life signs scattered about as they moved on. They were only a few minutes from meeting the other group now.


((Will give Sho the chance to have a snarky reply to Siphon's comment, as well as give a chance for Squid to get a reply off before having the groups meet.))

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

"And sometimes, not necessarily in that order," is the reply as she follows after him to investigate the incoming group.

Ian seems a bit relieved as they're picking up on more Nox signs. "Looks like they've spotted us, aye?" as there's a good chance that the readings would likely change as the others started getting closer to them.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

((Reply time!))

The young man nodded back to Ian.

"Looks that way, they are coming towards us pretty quickly. We should meet with them in less than two minutes."


Siphon half snorted.

"Isn't that the truth, sheesh."


About a minute later they met up with Ian's group, Siphon nodding to his fellow Alverans.

"Well, glad you guys showed up, there's a decent number of people we need to wake up or move out of here. Ian, good to see you, and Vanessa it's good to see you back on your feet again."


There was a brief moment of silence from everyone as Vanessa and Aya locked eyes, both recognizing the other from their encounters with Nirrti. After a moment they both smiled at each other and nodded, both seeming OK with the other and holding no grudges.

 

[Copper]

Re: Nox Home World

Sho's relieved to see the cavalry, as it were, especially Ian if they had to move more than their fair share of unconscious Nox. She'll exchange greetings with the group, but that's about it, at the moment, anyway.

Ian returns the greeting with a nod. "Figured we'd find you two up ta y'necks, like usual." He grins a little. "Just let me know what needs done, aye?" He catches the exchange between the two women out of the corner of his eye. If they seem willing to let things go between them, he's not about to bring up any dirty laundry. Better to focus on the task at hand, then they could ask Siphon about their own reasons for being here.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: Nox Home World

Siphon nodded, filling Ian in quickly on what they knew so far.

"So basically now we need to try and wake as many up as we can, and move the ones we can't and evac. Lianna and I will be the last to leave since we have to make this city as unavailable to the Klarnell as possible. Bold move I have to say, but it looks like they may have some Nox DNA in them too which is odd."


Vanessa grimaced as Siphon filled them in, and when he finished she quietly said "damn, that's two in one day."


Siphon shot her a look.

"What do you mean by that?"


"Um ... a few hours ago that Ariana person returned from a trip with Kvasier to the Asgard planet for some experiment or whatever. The Klarnell attacked the Asgard and ... well we think they either blew up the planet to wipe them out or the Asgard did it to keep their tech from falling into the hands of the Klarnell."


Both Aya and Siphon at that point looked like someone had repeatedly slammed a space ship into their guts.


((And now EVERYONE knows lol.))