Invicta's Entourage
Hello Lorne
Everywhere we go. Its always the same. Our great mistake is legendary in scope, it seems. Speak of the exiles to any human and all tales of our misdeeds will be the only response. The officers of my crew are all that's left of the true exiles. We're the wayward strays, the last sinners of Old Blue.
I've lived with them for so long, they're more than family. We're bound in blood, both our own and that of many others. I've killed for them, and they've killed for me. We've been through alot, watched our friends both gently and violently pass from this verse to whatever waits beyond it.
There's no better time to bond than when death is breathing down your neck. You can see who people truly are when their confronted by mortality. You can't remember them. I thought itd be a good idea to reintroduce you.
Security Officer Kira Mathis
Kira was the one who nominated me for captain way back when. It's particularly sad you don't remember her.
She's one of the last of those who broke into heaven. She's tall, fit, and a skilled tactician. I never much needed a bodyguard, but she plays the role well, and saved my life many times thus far.
Her main job involves training the crew. We don't like to kill if we don't have to. Boarding is more fun anyway. She keeps everyone on their toes with her no nonsense approach to… well everything. She always gets the job done.
Mute watched as the Dreadnought retreated back into the clouds, a massive dent in the side of its hull. Small round holes were drilled into the armor plating, a thick green fog oozing out into the void. Caydie regained control, moving to the rendezvous with The Sea of Names following close behind. She heard invicta over the radio again, "I thought I sent you home, miss Kines. Good on you for getting back out here though. It can't be easy." Caydie took a deep breath, counted several seconds as she held it in and then slowly let it out. "Thanks for the help, both then and now." "We've been waiting ages for them to come out of the cloud. Pretty sure we actually did something of value this time. Thanks for being the bait." Mute scoffed, "Couldn't be out of kindness, now, could it?" Caydie shushed him and replied over the radio, "The Archivist of Safeharbor sent us to give you information. The Sin Eaters have infiltrated Safeharbor. Lorne figured out a way to see them, pretty sure he's killed quite a few thus far." "Finally," invicta replied in a soft, shuddering whisper. "Bout time he had something to take his anger out on. We're prepping a bay for you. Come on in. Make sure you wear protection. The air here isn't breathable for you."
XO Samuel Apemantus
You, me, and Sami go way back, Lorne. I'm surprised NASA put up with us. The old man's still kickin, and I have no idea what I'd do without him. He's managed to survive after all this time, what's another century or two?
He's jaded, and tired, even for his age, but he's never steered me wrong. He's as loyal as they come and he helps keep the crew in line just by being present.
Most people on this ship owe him their life for one reason, or another. I wish I could say the same. He commands respect, a crucial trait for a right hand man.
Mute and Caydie entered the airlock, unsure of whether entering the ship was a good idea. When the airlock opened, the green fog caved in around them. Invicta stepped inside with an older man walking beside her. Her helmet was off, her clothing changed from the suit everyone knew to a shirt and slacks. Caydie couldn't help but stare. Her clothing was old, faded, and to big for the woman who wore them. It was her face that struck Caydie the most. She didn't look that different from any other woman, save for the hair and her green veins. The man's hair was bleached white, as well. His skin was pale, though his veins were more visible than invicta's. Invicta gave a nervous laugh, glancing at their suits and down to her clothing. "Wow. Sorry, I'm not used to this. Usually I'm the one behind the visor." "Everything's here," Caydie replied, holding up the memory stick. Invicta nodded. "Thank you. It'll help." She took the chip and handed it over to the man beside her as she spoke, "Sammie, make sure everyone gets this." The man nodded, taking the chip and leaving the room in haste. "We can go now right?" Caydie asked. "Assuming the ship is gone." Invicta nodded. "The sin eaters have bigger problems right now." "I saw the missles," Mute said. "Our latest invention. Weve been at it for a while. Couldn't find drills that could penetrate the armor. Chlorine can cause a lot of damage to their carapace. It can kill them before long." Mute smiled. "And now you've filled several decks of their ship with it. That's clever." "Why, thank you." Invicta replied, "Now with this out of the way, you can head home." Mute nodded and muttered under his breath, "If there's a home to go back to." Invicta narrowed her eyes. "Say what?" Caydie waved her hand as if brushing the question away. "It's nothing. Not like you need to be concerned." "Why wouldn't Safeharbor be there?" Invicta asked, crossing her arms. "It's a planet. I doubt we'd screw up another one." "The wayfarers are getting a little rebellious is all. The elders forced them into the depths." Mute replied. Caydie sighed, then added, "The archivist gave us the means to leave before anything escalated." Invicta's eyes widened. "Do you think it will… escalate, I mean?" They both shrugged. Invicta thought for a moment. "Allright. This will be awkward." She then held up a finger, backing away as if she just remembered something important. "I have a favor to ask. I want you to take something back. Follow me." They walked down narrow catwalks and up ramps, in awe at what they saw around them. Caydie marveled at a zoo's worth of animal enclosures. Each was sized perfectly to the specimen it contained. Some were insects while others looked like mutated dogs in large open kennels. Some looked natural, but most looked as if they had been changed. They were likely subjects of similar genetic modification used by the exiles on themselves. Despite the fact that everything looked as if it was simply thrown together with little care and thought, Mute noticed the method to the madness. He realized the walls were coated in a white paint to protect the metal from the chlorine in the gas. He saw how organized the cargo was, regardless of where it was stored. The ship wasn't pretty but it had the feeling of a home. It was lived in, cared for, and even loved. He felt so bewildered that he nearly stumbled over a pile of munitions haphazardly stored to the side of the walkway. When he realized they were explosives, he backed away. In his haste, his eyes glued to the pile, he nearly bumped into a member of the crew. The young woman shouted from behind him, "Boom." He jumped and turned to her, almost offended. She was younger than he was, shorter, and still retained most qualities that would pass off as normal for humans. Her skin was pale. Her hair was fading to white, but still retained a chestnut hue. "I'm sorry," she said, giggling. "Don't know why it scared you so bad. It's not like you'd know it if it really happened."
Gunnery Officer Summer Ali
She's the exception to my rule. I like people I've known a while to be in my inner circle. We also don't take on crew so young. Summer would be barely out of her teens. Shes the youngest person on the ship.
She's also our best shot. With a ship this big, you occasionally need to manually fire weapons to handle corvettes or target critical systems. It's scary how many times she's managed to trigger reactor meltdowns on enemy ships.
We found her on a station during the siliue purge. She knew who we were, but joined anyway. I told her she could go anywhere, even offered to drop her off at Safeharbor, free of charge. She seemed offended by the idea.
They walked single file toward the center of the ship. They passed rows and rows of large canisters. Mute recognized them. They were the same used at the station to distribute the gas. Another man with short bleached hair walked toward them, barely looking up until he was forced to squeeze past. He snapped at them, "Out of my way, I'd like for the ship not to explode, thank you." "Miles, be nice. We have guests." Invicta said. "Oh?" The man said, "Sorry captain, I didn't know they were into that kind of thing, fiery deaths and all that." He pressed on, throwing his hands up as he moved further down the path, "To each their own though. Not my business."
Engineering Officer Miles Bowman
Miles runs engineering, a man with a white beard and a gut, which is saying something cause that job is labor intensive. It gets a little heated down there, in part due to the reactor, but it's also Miles. You two never got along, but the man is too much of a genius to do anything about it.
Miles is a hot headed mechanic, but extremely savvy with the Sea's inner workings. His adaptability and quick thinking, as well as his ability to rig just about anything, makes him an asset in my book.
That being said, he's easily the most hated person on the ship. It's not exactly a coincidence that our highest turnover in crew comes from engineering.
Invicta's quarters were smaller than Mute expected. He imagined a spacious area, perhaps a throne surrounded by her pirate's horde. What he got was disturbingly familiar. The room was small, but efficient. Everything had a place. There was a small bunk that folded out from the wall and a metal nightstand bolted to the floor next to it. It felt like home. He watched her sign the death warrant of an entire station. He imagined he'd be entering a den fitting for the nemesis of humanity. It was odd meeting someone who was both new and also someone hated his whole life. She wasn't what he expected. Now mute found himself invited into her home, and suddenly she didn't seem so different from himself. Invicta wandered to the far side of the room, grazing over the odds and ends on a shelf until she picked up a thin rectangular chip with black lines adorning the entire frame. It was a memory chip, ancient compared to what they usually used. "I need you to take this to Lorne." "How do you know his name?" Caydie asked. Invicta smiled. "Seriously?" She stepped toward Caydie, stopping at an uncomfortably close distance. "I know much more than that. Now, It's getting harder and harder to sneak into the colonies, and I'm always in such a hurry when I can. I've been meaning to give this back, but honestly never thought the opportunity would come." Caydie glanced at the chip. It took her a moment to realize what it really was. Moments after, she snatched the chip from Invicta's hand. Caydie glared, her anger growing. "How did you get this?"
Communications Officer Victoria Goodwin
Victoria got quiet after we were exiled, but not in an introverted kind of way. It hurt her the most. She's incredibly smart, too smart for her own good. She's our communications officer, and as a hobby, our science officer. She's the one responsible for how the exiles changed over time.
In conjunction with Miles' "improvised configuration of essential systems," she's crucial is maintaining and updating the Sea of Names with new tech and weaponry. She also knows 15 different non-human languages.
Now, I run a tight ship. I have high expectations, but If there's one person I'd like to keep happy, it's her. If I make her upset, she won't get mad, she'll get even.
Mute gasped and stepped forward, as if ready to break up a fight, "Caydie, let's not piss her off." "Safeharbor steel." Caydie said, raising the chip so he could see. She traced the lines on the metal and turned to him with wide eyes, "Mute, This was taken from the archive." Invicta crossed her arms. "Yeah, no. I wouldn't steal from the archive. I happen to respect Lorne's work. Besides, Lorne would've caught me easily. He gave it to me when I was exiled from safeharbor. It was a parting gift." "You really expect me to believe that? What's on here?" Caydie asked. "It's personal. Please don't snoop." "Then why give it to us?" "If you gave us a means of seeing sin eaters, then we can fight them on their own turf. That means boarding that Dreadnought." She stopped and pointed to the chip in caydie's hands. "I don't know what we'll find, but we may not make it. I'm a fan of closure. That's how I plan on giving it."
Sorry Lorne
I dont why I keep doing this. It hurts that I cant send these little logs of mine. You gave me this thing to keep it safe for when it's needed, and here I am filling it with useless trivia and aimless trains of thought.
I guess, maybe I just wish you were you again. Maybe this is my way of keeping your true self alive. I still feel guilty about that day, the day you "died." I'll never forgive myself. You didnt deserve that. I know what it's like. I mean, really, just look at me. I used to be...
Anyway, I should stop recording now. I'll just waste what little space is left on this thing. Besides that, It's probably best I dont get so vulnerable, especially to you. Maybe it's her birthday. You can't really tell out in the void, but sometimes I can feel it. A mother always knows...
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.... .... WHAT. Okay ,first revelation of the day, both Invicta and Lorne were in NASA. Lorne may or may not have been present when the "breaking into heaven" thing happened. Second, 'Breaking into heaven' was not a thing that the human race did as a whole. Invicta breifly mentioned that Kira was "one of the last of those' who broke into heaven, implying that it wasn't necessarily a Pandora's box situation that the whole of humanity immediately regretted the instant the seal was breached. It might have been more of a personal thing... but then what sort of 'personal' thing causes a mass extinction event? Third... Invicta is someone's MOTHER? I have to assume it's someone we already know; either caydie or mouse probably since the only other character of the right age I can think of had her mom killed right in front of her before she was adopted by Argus. Right now, I think it's mouse, though Caydie would also be cool since Invicta saved her life a couple of times. (P.S. I really hope I have all these names straight and didn't just say something really stupid.)
No, you actually got the names down. The only one was Argus. Argus was adopted by Diavae. That one is easy to mess up tho. XD Invicta very briefly discusses her daughter in the red window, it's actually REALLY easy to miss. I can definitely say it's not a character you know tho. Most humans wouldnt touch invicta with a ten foot pole. I mean they already dont like touching and then you add the enemy of humanity... oof. Also yes, they were both in NASA. That's new information. And yes and no. I mean think of what we put on astronauts, and not just here in the us. They're our representatives out there. When off this planet, they are humanity. In invictas mind at least, it is definitely a personal thing, but it could also be a species wide thing at the same time, at least that's what I thought about it.
As always, thanks so much!