Argh. This took a bit of time to get done, but after getting stuck on the scene before this (including a rewrite as it went in the wrong direction) I just moved on to this one, which I wanted to get to for a while.
And then it just didn't want to end.
So, I've given this a bit of a going over but yeah. C&C time please.
Also, we really need a better way of addressing new worlds.
Parallel minus 8/251
The cool of the rock he sat on was fading, body heat soaking through his barrier jacket’s cloak, as he looked forlornly at the wreckage of the archaeological site. He didn’t even notice the windows displayed in his glasses, noticing the scorch marks and cratering and not to mention outright destruction of walls and structural remains.
“Bit for your thoughts sir?”
He turned to look at his black clad companion, fortunately not in full combat mode at this point.
“Nothing I haven’t thought a thousand times already Trainee. How people can just destroy the past like this.”
“Don’t mind him.” The woman in white to the side told the trainee. “History’s being a bit of a sore spot at the moment.” Her cheeky grin deflected the sour glare the sitting man directed at her.
“Point.” He conceded. The situation was quite routed in the now collapsed historical belief that Mobius was some enterprise (believed criminal) of people raiding sites of technological civilisations current and former. Amusingly enough, the first cracks in that had come from apparently the same person as had instigated the current furore. It had been increasingly shaky when ships with an unknown form of dimensional drive had started being encountered. Still, the Mid sense of horror filled survival from the final orgy of destruction of the Belkan civilisation meant that however threadbare it seemed, the theory that Mobius was just some group that hid its backers as successfully as Jail had until the revelations of the Doctor’s capture had prevailed.
Up until six days ago, when the report from Section Six on the latest Hückebein incident had arrived. The conclusions based on the evidence were inescapable. There was another multiversal civilisation out there, one almost mirroring the organisation of a horrible part of NAW 97’s-Earth’s last global war. The included files were…bracing. That they had achieved some form of multiversal travel and the technologies they employed also turned what was considered a unprovable theory on quantum reality into a thoroughly proven one hadn’t helped the scientific profession inside the Bureau much either.
And if there was one… Hence this little party. On the other hand…
“Why are you really here?” The glasses wearing man asked, the slight breeze causing his long ponytail to flutter as he gazed shrewdly at the white clad woman.
“I lost the bet.” The woman shrugged.
The black clad trainee looked a little confused at the man’s knowing chuckle.
“Um, Chief Librarian,” He piped up, interrupting his reply, “do we know what civilisation these remains were from?” He looked around. “I’m not seeing anything Belkan, or even hinting at Mid.”
“You’d be hard pressed to find anything hinting at Mid ON Mid-Childa, given how much has been replaced over the centuries.” The man sighed. “Still, no. We have a few sites we can tentatively link to this civilisation, but no positives.”
“Whereas I’ve run into it lots.” The person they were waiting for said, walking round the corner of a crumbling wall and causing the white clad woman to materialise and level her staff-like weapon at his armoured form.
A tense few seconds later, she got her breath back and pointed the staff down.
“How did you do that?” She asked.
“Trade secret.” The older man said with a grin. “Well, looks like you and Specs over there grew up well. I just grew old badly.” He stuck out a gauntleted hand. “Hi, Colin Green. Didn’t really get introductions last time, what with me bleeding everywhere.”
The woman forced the slight greenness at the memory down and shook the hand.
“Takamachi Nanoha.” She introduced herself.
“Funny, don’t seem Japanese but what’d I know?” He shrugged, then turned to the man.
“Yuuno Scrya.” The man in glasses introduced himself, also shaking the offered hand.
“At least Blackie dropped the red-eyed look and washed out the hair dye.” Colin commented. “Still doesn’t look like his ID, but it was something like Thomas?”
“Thoma Avenir sir.” The black clad teenager stayed where he was, what with an armour clad and armed stranger in his presence, even with the satchel he was wearing and the fact his helmet seemed to be solidly hanging from the metal backpack.
“Tommy boy then.” Colin’s offhand nickname got an involuntary snort of amusement from Takamachi.
“So, you’ve encountered sites from this civilisation before?” Scrya asked.
“If by encountered you mean tripping over them about twice a year for a couple of decades, yes.”
Yuuno’s face showed his surprise.
“Did you bring the site report?” He asked.
“If you don’t mind us doing the business first.” Colin reached into the satchel and pulled out a document wallet. “Here’s our guys’ reports. It’s all printed in micro compressed format to keep the bulk down so you can scan it in. If you’re willing to trust your computers, the electronic form is on the memory stick included.” Takamachi took the wallet. “The site report is also in there, but this’ll probably work a bit better.”
With that he pulled out a semi-domed device, set in on the ground, and stepped back. With a slight hum it powered up, then did a quick laser scan all around itself.
Scrya’s jaw dropped, Takamachi blinked in surprise, and Avenir’s eyes widened as before them a full colour holographic view of the area appeared. It was positioned in such a way as to overlay the structures from their view points.
“Wow…” Yuuno breathed, reaching out to poke the construct. With an audible blip, the portion of the image he ‘touched’ was zoomed in via a display window. “That’s…that’s writing. I’ve only found fragments in the reports I’ve seen.” The blond haired man looked at the image in awe.
Colin chuckled, getting his attention.
“Sorry, it’s just what you’re looking at so intently.”
“You can read it?” Yuuno asked excitedly. “What does it say?”
“Toilet sixty medium units to the right.” Colin told him deadpan.
Takamachi unsuccessfully tried to restrain her giggles at her friend’s face, she even covered her mouth with her hands leaving her staff hanging in the air. Colin smiled to show he wasn’t being mean.
“It’s pretty much the first thing we translated. If you dig a bit under twenty point four metres in that direction you’ll probably find a bathroom.”
“Oh.” Yuuno’s blank expression as he worked out what had been said brought on another fit of giggles in Takamachi.
“Here,” She said, sliding the document wallet into the man’s un-protesting hands, “hold this while you think.”
“Wha..? Hey!” He broke from his thoughts as the white clad brunette stepped towards the armoured visitor.
“Nicely done.” Colin complimented her.
“Plenty of practice.” She told him, looking him up and down. “Interesting getup, quite different to your last outfit.” She shrugged. “Makes things interesting.”
“Oh?” Colin asked as she smiled.
Then she grabbed his head and kissed him hard.
After a few seconds of wide eyed surprise, he narrowed his eyes. He stepped forward, grabbing the back of her head in one hand and lifting a leg with another to bend her backwards and return fire.
Avenir watched in open mouthed shock as Yuuno folded his arms and waited, tapping his foot.
Finally, they straightened up and parted; Colin with narrowed eyes, Nanoha with a bright, dreamy gaze and licking her lips.
“Fate’s going to be SO sorry she won.” She muttered to herself with a satisfied smirk. “Where did you learn to do that? And can you introduce me?”
“Nanoha,” Yuuno sighed, “Don’t make me embarrass you in front of the nice man and your Trainee.”
“But the thing with his tongue!” Nanoha complained. “I can feel Hayate’s jealousy from here! I can finally win that bet with Signum!”
“Sorry.” Yuuno apologised to Colin, causing Nanoha to pout at being ignored. “She has this thing about always fulfilling her bets, even the silly ones from years ago.”
“Was not silly.” Nanoha grumbled quietly, but still audible.
“You were twelve and on painkillers!” Yuuno shouted.
“You never complained about those bets before.” She shot back slyly, causing the blond to blush and cough into his hand. To clear his throat, you understand.
“I see the establishing relations part of the mission is going well.” A quiet female voice said, as a slim form clad in similar armour appeared from behind the same wall as Colin had.
“Leftenant,” Colin sighed, “your comments are noted.”
“Yes sir.” The young woman looked remarkably like Fate to Nanoha and Yuuno, with her long blode hair in a thick braid. Her form was more slender (as far as could be told underneath the armour), and her face sharper. The voice was noticeably different, and she was lightly taller. The main difference was the eyes, a violet shade rather than Fate’s red. Nanoha noted that the woman’s armour was far more intricately constructed.
“Everyone, Leftenant Eve Mizuhara.” He waved vaguely in her direction, voice tired. “Leftenant, Everyone.” He straightened up. “So, we’ve come to the formal bit of this shindig and that means some re-introductions. I find this particularly annoying, as I was nicely retired before they pulled me back in. So, hello again. I am Scout Captain Colin Green, Mobius Group Survey Division. This is my colleague Leftenant Eve Mizuhara. Under the auspices of the Transworld Oversight Authority, the Mobius Group Board has me bring formal greetings from the United Nations of Earth and its allies to the transworld entity known as the Time-Space Administration Bureau.”
Yuuno exchanged a look with Nanoha, and stepped forward.
“Hello Captain Green. I am Professor Yuuno Scrya, Chief Librarian of the Infinite Library. With me are Captain Nanoha Takamachi and Trainee Thoma Avenir of Special Duty Section 6. On behalf of the Time-Space Administration Bureau, we gladly receive the greetings of the United Nations of Earth and its allies. In return, as directed by the General Council in conclave of the Time-Space Administration, we extend formal greetings to the multiversal civilisation of the United Nations of Earth and its allies.”
“On behalf of the United Nations of Earth and its allies, we warmly receive the greetings of the Time-Space Administration Bureau.” Colin replied.
There was several seconds of silence and neither side moved, then Colin and Yuuno relaxed.
“Right, there’s that over with and looking good for the history books.” Colin said. “God I hate the PR weenies.”
“At least you don’t have movies being made of your early career.” Nanoha said sullenly.
“You poor girl.” Colin said sympathetically.
“So, what now?” Avenir asked.
“Well, my orders were to make friends. There are other things, but that’s basically it.”
“Finally!” Nanoha cheered. “Someone does it the easy way!”
Avenir shuddered in remembrance.
“That sounds like there is a story behind that.” Mizuhara noted.
“Quite a few.” Yuuno agreed, but was distracted as Colin’s head snapped up.
“Caution! Emergency!” The staff floating by Nanoha said in a female voice as red coloured holographics appeared around the left forearms of Colin and Eve.
“Oh, we SO don’t need this.” Colin complained, glancing at the holo-display.
~ Ground Team! ~ The voice of Alto Krauetta telepathically filled the mages’ minds. ~ Dimensional breach 3.5 km north west! Reading ten lifesigns with weird signatures. Wait, four launches! ~
“Incoming!” Colin snapped as he grabbed his helmet.
Yuuno snapped a hand out, forming a green mystic circle in time to take an energy blast. Inside his newly sealed helmet, Colin winced at the telluric energies clashing. Then the blond mage ducked to the side as a figure smashed right through the circle to hit the ground.
The figure was male, wearing a black uniform and goggles with swastika on a prominent red armband. What could be seen of his face under the goggles showed a red wing-like tattoo on the left side of his face, and he had the same sort of impractical weaponry as Avenir in a triamese arranged set of plasma rifles with stupidly large bayonets.
“Eclipse Driver.” Avenir identified.
The Nazi grinned a sharp toothed grin, swung his weapon round and opened fire.
And then it just didn't want to end.
So, I've given this a bit of a going over but yeah. C&C time please.
Also, we really need a better way of addressing new worlds.
Parallel minus 8/251
The cool of the rock he sat on was fading, body heat soaking through his barrier jacket’s cloak, as he looked forlornly at the wreckage of the archaeological site. He didn’t even notice the windows displayed in his glasses, noticing the scorch marks and cratering and not to mention outright destruction of walls and structural remains.
“Bit for your thoughts sir?”
He turned to look at his black clad companion, fortunately not in full combat mode at this point.
“Nothing I haven’t thought a thousand times already Trainee. How people can just destroy the past like this.”
“Don’t mind him.” The woman in white to the side told the trainee. “History’s being a bit of a sore spot at the moment.” Her cheeky grin deflected the sour glare the sitting man directed at her.
“Point.” He conceded. The situation was quite routed in the now collapsed historical belief that Mobius was some enterprise (believed criminal) of people raiding sites of technological civilisations current and former. Amusingly enough, the first cracks in that had come from apparently the same person as had instigated the current furore. It had been increasingly shaky when ships with an unknown form of dimensional drive had started being encountered. Still, the Mid sense of horror filled survival from the final orgy of destruction of the Belkan civilisation meant that however threadbare it seemed, the theory that Mobius was just some group that hid its backers as successfully as Jail had until the revelations of the Doctor’s capture had prevailed.
Up until six days ago, when the report from Section Six on the latest Hückebein incident had arrived. The conclusions based on the evidence were inescapable. There was another multiversal civilisation out there, one almost mirroring the organisation of a horrible part of NAW 97’s-Earth’s last global war. The included files were…bracing. That they had achieved some form of multiversal travel and the technologies they employed also turned what was considered a unprovable theory on quantum reality into a thoroughly proven one hadn’t helped the scientific profession inside the Bureau much either.
And if there was one… Hence this little party. On the other hand…
“Why are you really here?” The glasses wearing man asked, the slight breeze causing his long ponytail to flutter as he gazed shrewdly at the white clad woman.
“I lost the bet.” The woman shrugged.
The black clad trainee looked a little confused at the man’s knowing chuckle.
“Um, Chief Librarian,” He piped up, interrupting his reply, “do we know what civilisation these remains were from?” He looked around. “I’m not seeing anything Belkan, or even hinting at Mid.”
“You’d be hard pressed to find anything hinting at Mid ON Mid-Childa, given how much has been replaced over the centuries.” The man sighed. “Still, no. We have a few sites we can tentatively link to this civilisation, but no positives.”
“Whereas I’ve run into it lots.” The person they were waiting for said, walking round the corner of a crumbling wall and causing the white clad woman to materialise and level her staff-like weapon at his armoured form.
A tense few seconds later, she got her breath back and pointed the staff down.
“How did you do that?” She asked.
“Trade secret.” The older man said with a grin. “Well, looks like you and Specs over there grew up well. I just grew old badly.” He stuck out a gauntleted hand. “Hi, Colin Green. Didn’t really get introductions last time, what with me bleeding everywhere.”
The woman forced the slight greenness at the memory down and shook the hand.
“Takamachi Nanoha.” She introduced herself.
“Funny, don’t seem Japanese but what’d I know?” He shrugged, then turned to the man.
“Yuuno Scrya.” The man in glasses introduced himself, also shaking the offered hand.
“At least Blackie dropped the red-eyed look and washed out the hair dye.” Colin commented. “Still doesn’t look like his ID, but it was something like Thomas?”
“Thoma Avenir sir.” The black clad teenager stayed where he was, what with an armour clad and armed stranger in his presence, even with the satchel he was wearing and the fact his helmet seemed to be solidly hanging from the metal backpack.
“Tommy boy then.” Colin’s offhand nickname got an involuntary snort of amusement from Takamachi.
“So, you’ve encountered sites from this civilisation before?” Scrya asked.
“If by encountered you mean tripping over them about twice a year for a couple of decades, yes.”
Yuuno’s face showed his surprise.
“Did you bring the site report?” He asked.
“If you don’t mind us doing the business first.” Colin reached into the satchel and pulled out a document wallet. “Here’s our guys’ reports. It’s all printed in micro compressed format to keep the bulk down so you can scan it in. If you’re willing to trust your computers, the electronic form is on the memory stick included.” Takamachi took the wallet. “The site report is also in there, but this’ll probably work a bit better.”
With that he pulled out a semi-domed device, set in on the ground, and stepped back. With a slight hum it powered up, then did a quick laser scan all around itself.
Scrya’s jaw dropped, Takamachi blinked in surprise, and Avenir’s eyes widened as before them a full colour holographic view of the area appeared. It was positioned in such a way as to overlay the structures from their view points.
“Wow…” Yuuno breathed, reaching out to poke the construct. With an audible blip, the portion of the image he ‘touched’ was zoomed in via a display window. “That’s…that’s writing. I’ve only found fragments in the reports I’ve seen.” The blond haired man looked at the image in awe.
Colin chuckled, getting his attention.
“Sorry, it’s just what you’re looking at so intently.”
“You can read it?” Yuuno asked excitedly. “What does it say?”
“Toilet sixty medium units to the right.” Colin told him deadpan.
Takamachi unsuccessfully tried to restrain her giggles at her friend’s face, she even covered her mouth with her hands leaving her staff hanging in the air. Colin smiled to show he wasn’t being mean.
“It’s pretty much the first thing we translated. If you dig a bit under twenty point four metres in that direction you’ll probably find a bathroom.”
“Oh.” Yuuno’s blank expression as he worked out what had been said brought on another fit of giggles in Takamachi.
“Here,” She said, sliding the document wallet into the man’s un-protesting hands, “hold this while you think.”
“Wha..? Hey!” He broke from his thoughts as the white clad brunette stepped towards the armoured visitor.
“Nicely done.” Colin complimented her.
“Plenty of practice.” She told him, looking him up and down. “Interesting getup, quite different to your last outfit.” She shrugged. “Makes things interesting.”
“Oh?” Colin asked as she smiled.
Then she grabbed his head and kissed him hard.
After a few seconds of wide eyed surprise, he narrowed his eyes. He stepped forward, grabbing the back of her head in one hand and lifting a leg with another to bend her backwards and return fire.
Avenir watched in open mouthed shock as Yuuno folded his arms and waited, tapping his foot.
Finally, they straightened up and parted; Colin with narrowed eyes, Nanoha with a bright, dreamy gaze and licking her lips.
“Fate’s going to be SO sorry she won.” She muttered to herself with a satisfied smirk. “Where did you learn to do that? And can you introduce me?”
“Nanoha,” Yuuno sighed, “Don’t make me embarrass you in front of the nice man and your Trainee.”
“But the thing with his tongue!” Nanoha complained. “I can feel Hayate’s jealousy from here! I can finally win that bet with Signum!”
“Sorry.” Yuuno apologised to Colin, causing Nanoha to pout at being ignored. “She has this thing about always fulfilling her bets, even the silly ones from years ago.”
“Was not silly.” Nanoha grumbled quietly, but still audible.
“You were twelve and on painkillers!” Yuuno shouted.
“You never complained about those bets before.” She shot back slyly, causing the blond to blush and cough into his hand. To clear his throat, you understand.
“I see the establishing relations part of the mission is going well.” A quiet female voice said, as a slim form clad in similar armour appeared from behind the same wall as Colin had.
“Leftenant,” Colin sighed, “your comments are noted.”
“Yes sir.” The young woman looked remarkably like Fate to Nanoha and Yuuno, with her long blode hair in a thick braid. Her form was more slender (as far as could be told underneath the armour), and her face sharper. The voice was noticeably different, and she was lightly taller. The main difference was the eyes, a violet shade rather than Fate’s red. Nanoha noted that the woman’s armour was far more intricately constructed.
“Everyone, Leftenant Eve Mizuhara.” He waved vaguely in her direction, voice tired. “Leftenant, Everyone.” He straightened up. “So, we’ve come to the formal bit of this shindig and that means some re-introductions. I find this particularly annoying, as I was nicely retired before they pulled me back in. So, hello again. I am Scout Captain Colin Green, Mobius Group Survey Division. This is my colleague Leftenant Eve Mizuhara. Under the auspices of the Transworld Oversight Authority, the Mobius Group Board has me bring formal greetings from the United Nations of Earth and its allies to the transworld entity known as the Time-Space Administration Bureau.”
Yuuno exchanged a look with Nanoha, and stepped forward.
“Hello Captain Green. I am Professor Yuuno Scrya, Chief Librarian of the Infinite Library. With me are Captain Nanoha Takamachi and Trainee Thoma Avenir of Special Duty Section 6. On behalf of the Time-Space Administration Bureau, we gladly receive the greetings of the United Nations of Earth and its allies. In return, as directed by the General Council in conclave of the Time-Space Administration, we extend formal greetings to the multiversal civilisation of the United Nations of Earth and its allies.”
“On behalf of the United Nations of Earth and its allies, we warmly receive the greetings of the Time-Space Administration Bureau.” Colin replied.
There was several seconds of silence and neither side moved, then Colin and Yuuno relaxed.
“Right, there’s that over with and looking good for the history books.” Colin said. “God I hate the PR weenies.”
“At least you don’t have movies being made of your early career.” Nanoha said sullenly.
“You poor girl.” Colin said sympathetically.
“So, what now?” Avenir asked.
“Well, my orders were to make friends. There are other things, but that’s basically it.”
“Finally!” Nanoha cheered. “Someone does it the easy way!”
Avenir shuddered in remembrance.
“That sounds like there is a story behind that.” Mizuhara noted.
“Quite a few.” Yuuno agreed, but was distracted as Colin’s head snapped up.
“Caution! Emergency!” The staff floating by Nanoha said in a female voice as red coloured holographics appeared around the left forearms of Colin and Eve.
“Oh, we SO don’t need this.” Colin complained, glancing at the holo-display.
~ Ground Team! ~ The voice of Alto Krauetta telepathically filled the mages’ minds. ~ Dimensional breach 3.5 km north west! Reading ten lifesigns with weird signatures. Wait, four launches! ~
“Incoming!” Colin snapped as he grabbed his helmet.
Yuuno snapped a hand out, forming a green mystic circle in time to take an energy blast. Inside his newly sealed helmet, Colin winced at the telluric energies clashing. Then the blond mage ducked to the side as a figure smashed right through the circle to hit the ground.
The figure was male, wearing a black uniform and goggles with swastika on a prominent red armband. What could be seen of his face under the goggles showed a red wing-like tattoo on the left side of his face, and he had the same sort of impractical weaponry as Avenir in a triamese arranged set of plasma rifles with stupidly large bayonets.
“Eclipse Driver.” Avenir identified.
The Nazi grinned a sharp toothed grin, swung his weapon round and opened fire.