Rose From The Concrete

[Andrew Walsh]

After leaving the Unknown system, myself and the team of Scientists and Lane Hackers aboard my ship decided to head for Alcatraz within the California system. The Lane Hackers had an old friend based out on Alcatraz. This old friend of theres managed to restore my ship and facilitated for us until my all the necessary repairs were completed. I spent three days on Alcatraz going over the data I recorded within that system. Only having half a clue of what it's purpose was. I began obsessing over the idea of what could be achieved by using the remnants of the technology left behind within that system. I soon received word that aerelm had finally caught up with RV-PennyBrooke. I agreed to meet them both within the Kepler system.

RV-Pennybrooke: Someone's here...

aerelm: About the only useful thing you do, it seems. Noticing new contacts on scanners.

[New Contacts: RV-PennyBrooke | aerelm | Distance: 8,000m]

aerelm: Bishop. *Nods*

Ryan.Bishop: Well...

Ryan.Bishop: Always a pleasure aerelm.

RV-Pennybrooke: Well. My scanner array is so powerful I have several auxillary reactors to- anyway. Who's this?

aerelm: As I said, deal's a deal.

aerelm: Here's your researcher.

Ryan.Bishop: Indeed.

Ryan.Bishop: Pleasure to meet you. I am Ryan.

Ryan.Bishop: I have some business I wish to speak to you about.

Ryan.Bishop: But not here..

RV-Pennybrooke: Indeed, I'd prefer a place that is not one of the most strongly radioactive clouds in Sirius.

Ryan.Bishop: It seems providing you with that new vessel of yours aerelm has caused quite the chaos.

RV-Pennybrooke: I'm Katherine Pennybrooke. Though no doubt you already know that.

Ryan.Bishop: Indeed.

Ryan.Bishop: Perhaps we should move to somewhere safe.

Ryan.Bishop: We can talk more comfortably then

RV-Pennybrooke: Hm. A wraith and an avenger. There's quite the story behind this, isn't there?

Ryan.Bishop: aerelm you never did mention what you need that vessel for.

aerelm: Just like the looks is all.

RV-Pennybrooke: Oh yes, we should. Your ships do not seem equipped to handle this degree of radiation.

Ryan.Bishop: It was a no questions asked kind of thing.

Ryan.Bishop: I'll upload a secure channel for us to operate from.

Ryan.Bishop: Shall we move?

aerelm: You take lead. I'll make sure this one doesn't wander off again.

<Jumping to Colorado System>

Ryan.Bishop: Let's move out.

Ryan.Bishop: It is best we avoid the Trade Lanes.

RV-Pennybrooke: Where exactly are we going, now?

Ryan.Bishop: To Rheinland Katherine.

aerelm: Dead-boring cruise then.

aerelm: Could use some Bier.

RV-Pennybrooke: Not so fast, you two.

aerelm: Did your cruise engines brake or what?

RV-Pennybrooke: I got at least a rudimentary explanation of what this "aerelm" character wants of me and why.

RV-Pennybrooke: I still have no idea who you are, Bishop, what it is you want and why.

RV-Pennybrooke: So naturally, I'm not going to just follow you to who-knows-where.

Ryan.Bishop: Answers that are better off coming from me on safe ground.

aerelm: What I want, is some Bier.

aerelm: You've got some on you, so, you mind?

Ryan.Bishop: If we move I will explain along the way.

Ryan.Bishop: You will then know the severity of the situation.

Ryan.Bishop: As you are in danger here.

Ryan.Bishop: As long as you are around me.

RV-Pennybrooke: As much as I appreciate some good Rheinland beer, an explanation of some sort would be nice.

aerelm: Danke, this cruise is gonna be less of a miserable run now.

RV-Pennybrooke: *sighs* Caution against curiosity? Fine. Curiosity does always triumph.

Ryan.Bishop: I am an ex Liberty Security Officer.

Ryan.Bishop: The problem is.

Ryan.Bishop: I am an ex Liberty Security Officer as of now.

Ryan.Bishop: And I fear Liberty knows what I am up to.

Ryan.Bishop: A couple of months ago I was sent out on operation to the Omicron Minor system.

Ryan.Bishop: We will continue to communicate via this secure channel.

Ryan.Bishop: Strange signals were transmitting within the vicinity of Toledo.

Ryan.Bishop: I found manifests.

Ryan.Bishop: Upon asking my superiors within the LSF of what it was about.

Ryan.Bishop: I got the typical 'Classified' response.

RV-Pennybrooke: Regarding the signals near Toledo, that is?

Ryan.Bishop: Yes.

Ryan.Bishop: I set out to find out what it was all about.

Ryan.Bishop: I found something else too.

Ryan.Bishop: An Artifact.

RV-Pennybrooke: Hm. I've been to Toledo, before and after the cataclysm. Given the surroundings, I'd say strange signals are not unusual.

<Jumping to New York System>

RV-Pennybrooke: If you're planning to head to Rheinland....I'd head to the South Dallas field first, then the Texas hole.

RV-Pennybrooke: Er....Detroit field, that is.

Ryan.Bishop: You go ahead and take point.

RV-Pennybrooke: Pardon the interruption. Please continue.

Ryan.Bishop: The Artifact I had obtained was just as ordinary as the rest.

Ryan.Bishop: Until it started reacting in certain places.

Ryan.Bishop: As if something was communicating with me so to speak.

Ryan.Bishop: Through the Artifact itself.

RV-Pennybrooke: Hm. That's fascinating. I've experienced a similar thing with an artifact I once owned.

Ryan.Bishop: I carried out my work without the LSF's permission, operating under this alias.

Ryan.Bishop: I soon contacted the Lane Hackers to remove all of the tracking devices on the vessel I received for deep covert operations.

Ryan.Bishop: And I came across some interesting things.

Ryan.Bishop: But I had to keep the LSF entertained for a while.

Ryan.Bishop: So I continued working for them.

Ryan.Bishop: I then came across something else that was interesting.

Ryan.Bishop: A Nomad power cell.

Ryan.Bishop: That had ten Artifacts orbiting around it.

Ryan.Bishop: A Plasma link was implemented.

Ryan.Bishop: I still know nothing of its nature.

RV-Pennybrooke: Orbiting around it? Physically? That is something I must see.

RV-Pennybrooke: Brace yourselves...

Ryan.Bishop: I contacted Ravenholm Polytechnic Private College.

Ryan.Bishop: The University Of New Berlin.

Ryan.Bishop: I could not conduct studies into this with the LSF on my back.

Ryan.Bishop: They would simply cease it.

Ryan.Bishop: As this is treason on so many levels.

Ryan.Bishop: I have to be cautious.

RV-Pennybrooke: Really? I'd imagine they'd be highly interested in such things.

Ryan.Bishop: The LSF have been rather...

Ryan.Bishop: Influenced to act otherwise recently.

Ryan.Bishop: This is why I contacted you.

Ryan.Bishop: In the hope that you may help me research into this rare sight.

RV-Pennybrooke: The LSF, refusing to meddle with potentially dangerous alien technology? Most unlike them.

<Jumping to Texas System>

RV-Pennybrooke: Someone's nearby...

Ryan.Bishop: The LSF would gladly research into it.

Ryan.Bishop: I stole this. It was never mine to keep.

Ryan.Bishop: But strange things have been happening within the LSF.

Ryan.Bishop: I can't explain it.

RV-Pennybrooke: Hm, I see. Your position then was not "chief xenoartifact researcher", I presume?

Ryan.Bishop: No. I was but simply a field agent.

Ryan.Bishop: That has always had an interest in things like this.

RV-Pennybrooke: I'm afraid I'm no artifact expert either, though the whole thing sounds fascinating. All I can do is share my experiences.

RV-Pennybrooke: Isn't Chisos magnificient....look at those lava flows...

aerelm: Tell me you're not serious.

Ryan.Bishop: Quite easily distracted aren't you Katherine?.

RV-Pennybrooke: Appreciation of natural beauty keeps a mind sane.

aerelm: And drives the nearby minds insane.

aerelm: You know what, was a bad idea letting you take lead. Form up so we won't have to stop at every wonder of nature.

RV-Pennybrooke: There is nothing like the sight of a lava flow on the night side of a desolate planet.

aerelm: We've all seen this rock a million times, we don't need to be sitting in front of it staring at it to be able to talk about it.

Ryan.Bishop: After explaining the severity of the situation.

Ryan.Bishop: Do you consider it wise to stop by and appreciate the view of Chisos whilst our position here is compromised?

Ryan.Bishop: I am a wanted man Katherine.

RV-Pennybrooke: Our position? In a desolate sector of Texas, never visited by Liberty ships?

Ryan.Bishop: I suppose you're right.

Ryan.Bishop: I am exhausted from being on the run.

Ryan.Bishop: It makes a man paranoid.

RV-Pennybrooke: We lose our humanity when we cannot pause to appreciate something, however small.

<Jumping to Hudson System>

Ryan.Bishop: aerelm what are your intentions when we are concluded here?

aerelm: I'll probably head to Kreuzberg for a drink.

aerelm: Been a while since the last time I dropped by that place.

RV-Pennybrooke: Likewise. I don't visit Junker bases often.

RV-Pennybrooke: Or any bases, for that matter.

Ryan.Bishop: I'm surprised we have got this far with no hostiles around.

RV-Pennybrooke: Hostiles tend not to hang around in distant asteroid fields.

Ryan.Bishop: I can imagine aerelm's new vessel won't be welcome.

Ryan.Bishop: At least now I can blend.

aerelm: It's Rheinland, I won't be welcome old vessel or new.

<Jumping to Hamburg System>

RV-Pennybrooke: By the way.....you want a safe place to talk? I know one. It's not far. Well, not by Sirius-wide standards.

Ryan.Bishop: Hmm?

Ryan.Bishop: Were do you suggest?

RV-Pennybrooke: Heisenberg. A sort of autonomous research station in Koeln. It's a system with little government oversight anyway-

Ryan.Bishop: It sounds fitting.

Ryan.Bishop: Very well. We'll head there.

RV-Pennybrooke: And that station has no particular ties to anyone. It's mostly scientists, and a small handful of....colourful characters.

Ryan.Bishop: Sounds like a new home.

aerelm: Been there. Boring as hell.

RV-Pennybrooke: Boring? Have you seen their-... well. Never mind. You don't seem like one who'd appreciate it.

aerelm: It's okay, not my first time around boring people.

<Jumping to Koeln System>

Ryan.Bishop: You have a remarkable out look on life mister aerelm.

RV-Pennybrooke: They have a very decent selection of drinks, at least.

aerelm: Imported junk. Nothing fresh.

aerelm: Your standard on drinks keeps disturbing me more and more.

RV-Pennybrooke: Imported in what sense? Obviously they don't grow their own barley or grapes. It's a space station. What exactly do you expect?

RV-Pennybrooke: If you'd prefer to book a nice Berlin hotel, I don't have a problem with that. But I thought we're supposed to keep under-

RV-Pennybrooke: the radar here.

Ryan.Bishop: I assume you two know each other well?

RV-Pennybrooke: No Ryan, we met not long before we met you.

aerelm: If they're gonna sell me drinks older than my Roc, they may as well put in the effort to age it properly.

aerelm: Shouldn't be hard to do with all the science junk they've got on that place.

Ryan.Bishop: Luxury is a sacrifice you have to pay for true beauty.

RV-Pennybrooke: Good lord, you're cynical. It's a research station, not a Rogue hideout. Their drinks are fine.

aerelm: You obviously have a rather sad definition of "fine".

RV-Pennybrooke: I enjoy the good things as much as anyone. But I'm also pragmatic. I'm used to subsisting on what I can carry along on the RV.

RV-Pennybrooke: Baden-Baden isn't that much further. Would you prefer a million-credit-a-night beach side lodge?

aerelm: On the bright side, Bishop, if you're used to drinkin' that brewed piss they call "Ale" up in Liberty, you won't have any ~

aerelm: problem with whatever drink they send your way on that research station.

Ryan.Bishop: I never did drink Liberty Ale.

Ryan.Bishop: Not after my first experience with the stuff anyway.

Ryan.Bishop: I'm more of a bottle of wine kind of guy.

aerelm: Stay off their scotch then. It does say scotch on the bottle, but god knows what's actually in it.

RV-Pennybrooke: Bottle of wine, eh? I have some fine Burgundy here. 811 vintage.

Ryan.Bishop: Oh, is that an offer?

Ryan.Bishop: Or was you saying that in the interest of self preservation?

RV-Pennybrooke: It was an offer, naturally. Sharing is the natural thing to do with alcoholic beverages.

Ryan.Bishop: Much obliged.

Ryan.Bishop: Thank you.

RV-Pennybrooke: Like I said....

Ryan.Bishop: We can share this once we arrive on the station.

RV-Pennybrooke: Well. Here we are.

aerelm: Huh, they've made improvements.

aerelm: Was more of a wreck than a proper station the last time I dropped by.

Ryan.Bishop: Perhaps they have better drinks too?

aerelm: Highly doubt it.

RV-Pennybrooke: Indeed. It's a rather comfy place. For a non-corporate, non-government base, it's had a lot more money put into it than usual.

aerelm: So, are we gonna actually dock, or are we sitting there looking at that moon now?

RV-Pennybrooke: Ready to moore. I'll see you inside, then.

Traffic control alert: RV-Pennybrooke has requested to dock

Ryan.Bishop: Aye, We should dock.

Traffic control alert: Ryan.Bishop has requested to dock

Traffic control alert: aerelm has requested to dock

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