Editing First Steps

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===First Steps===

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!colspan="2" style="background-color:#bbdaff; font-weight:bold; text-align: center; padding-bottom: 2px"|Chapter 12: "First Steps"
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|style="width: 50%; font-weight: bold" | Major players || style="width: 50%" | Universal Council<br>The Union<br>The Empire<br>Iza<br>Esau
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|style="width: 50%; font-weight: bold" | Vote outcome || style="width: 50%" |Detainment of Iza and Esau
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|style="width: 50%; font-weight: bold" | Major events || style="width: 50%; text-align: auto" |Attempted crosing of Imperial borders by Iza and Esau<br>Abnormal behavior detected from Iza and Esau's separation
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!colspan="2" style="background-color:#bbdaff; font-weight:bold; text-align: center; padding-bottom: 2px"|Timeline Chronology
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|style="width: 50%; padding-top: 5px; font-style: italic; text-align: center" | Previous Chapter || style="width: 50%; padding-top: 5px; font-style: italic; text-align: center" | Next Chapter
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|style="width: 50%; text-align: center" | "[[The Cradle]]" ||style="width: 50%; text-align: center" | "[[Blackout]]"
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'''Summary'''

With the Varse and Kestrel expedition teams en route back to Ignis ("[[The Cradle]]"), the Council turned their attention to more pressing matters. Four days before the 28th conference, a pair of Twin Suns mercenaries were caught attempting to cross the border of Empire space. While this ordinarily would not have been much of a Council issue, the identities of the mercenaries were cause for concern - Iza and Esau, two of the survivors from the ''Pinnacle'' incident and the forced-cell division treatment ("[[Quantum Sickness]]"). Union members had reported witnessing strange behaviour from the pair, from neglecting close friends to quickly becoming inseparable despite previously only being casual acquaintances.

In light of this, the Twin Suns mercenary clan expressed their wish to transfer both mercenaries to Font, a highly-advanced detainment facility on Gaea, in the heart of the Union systems. However, many Union councilmembers deemed this course of action to be unacceptable, saying that it falls too close to unwilling detainment and human experimentation, especially since the pair have not proven to be a direct threat yet. Many other councilmembers also advocated respecting the mercenaries' wishes and allowing them to be escorted to Imperial space. Faced with a decision to make, the Council put it up to a vote, with the seated Councilmembers briefing their respective factions accordingly.

With all three factions unanimously voting to have the mercenaries detained, an escort vessel was sent from the ''Chitin's Edge,'' the Twins Suns' flagship, to transport the pair to Gaea under the care of Hunter Yin and his team.


'''Transcript'''

<blockquote>
Report from the 28th conference of the Universal Council: time of ζ Sagittarii 3.32<br>
Held on board station Ignis, in the neutral center of the Core Systems.

Councilmembers for the Empire: Ji Young-Joo, Ferus Haden, Moira Craine<br>
Councilmembers for the Federation: Áurea Adonis, Kim Lee, Elijah Burke<br>
Councilmembers for the Union: Aish Fenix, Artúr Zelenka, Haley Nguyen

…while Kestrel has been co-operative, the vice-captain seems to have very little recollection of what transpired on Mímir. Sera Varse has not been as forthcoming, and seems reluctant to speak about her experiences on the planet. In light of the events which will be discussed presently, the Universal Council has instructed the Obelisk to place the reclaimed crew under stricter supervision until they return to Ignis.

Now, let this conference move on to the matter at hand. Four days ago, two Twin Suns mercenaries were apprehended while crossing into Empire space. Ordinarily, this would not be a matter of the Council’s concern – provided there is a justifiable reason for it, travel between the factions is neither prohibited, nor discouraged. The complication lies in these mercenaries’ identities: their names are Iza and Esau, the same two Twin Suns mercenaries who survived the forced cell-division treatment during this council’s 24th conference.

According to accounts from other Union members, both Iza and Esau have been acting strangely since their return to the Twin Suns fleet. As with most Union mercenaries, the two have no direct family, but have still neglected those that previously considered them close friends. Instead, both have preferred to spend their time in each other’s company, despite previously being no more than casual acquaintances.

Twin Suns’ records show that the ship the two used to cross into Empire space was deployed several days earlier from the Chitin’s Edge, the mercenary clan’s flagship. After returning Iza and Esau to the fleet, the Twin Suns questioned the pair about the reasons for their departure, for which they gave no answers, expressing only a desire to leave for the Empire as soon as possible. When asked to explain their reasons, both Iza and Esau reportedly remained silent.

Multiple Union councilmembers have expressed the Vox’s concerns regarding the Empire’s possible involvement in this ordeal. For their part, the Imperial councilmembers have denied any such involvement, but this does not appear to have assuaged the other faction’s concerns. Since this is now an inter-faction issue, the Universal Council is obliged to address the situation.

From what the Twin Suns have relayed to the Council, both Iza and Esau have tried to leave Chitin’s Edge multiple times since their return. The mercenary clan wishes to get to the bottom of the matter and has suggested transferring both mercenaries to a detainment facility in Font, a highly advanced metropolis on Gaea, a central planet in the Union’s systems.

However, many Union councilmembers, as well as those from other factions, find this course of action to be unacceptable; for them, it falls too close to human experimentation and unwilling detainment, core tenets which the Union strives against, especially since Iza and Esau are no direct threat to anyone. Many councilmembers have suggested that the pair’s wishes be honored, and to have them be received within the Empire as visitors, for however long they choose to stay. Thus, the vote placed before the Council is as follows:

Does the Council order for the detainment of the mercenaries on Gaea, potentially allowing further observation of their behavior, or does the Council order the Twin Suns to allow the mercenaries to leave the Union under escort, so they can enter Imperial space without restrictions?

Your faction contact will issue a statement shortly in your respective vote channels before the commencement of the vote, twelve hours from now.
</blockquote>


'''Faction Storylines'''

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<div style="font-weight:normal;line-height:1.6;">Federation Storyline</div>
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'''A directive from Ji Young-Joo, emissary of the Emperor'''

Explorers, it is once again a magnificent day within the Empire! Take this chance to thank our Emperor – may he outlive the stars – for his providence and generosity in giving both shelter and comfort to us, and all others who are deserving of it.

For certain, it is a good thing that you voted to keep the Cradle in its place. We can rest assured that there will be no danger to the rest of the Core Systems, and that no faction would be… bold enough to make any attempt towards jeopardizing this situation. Yes, it’s safe to say that the new artifact is now in a perfect position, as far as the Empire is concerned.

Now, let us move to a discussion of this intriguing set of circumstances: an impromptu defection of two dedicated Union mercenaries. The Empire, of course, is no stranger to welcoming new citizens; after all, who would not wish to fly under our banner?

Having spoken thus, however, concern must be raised as to whether we should invite this Union scum into our systems. Do we owe these mercenaries anything? Have they made any promises to pledge themselves to the Empire fully, and with their entire being? I should think not.

What I would urge you to consider, however, is the information they might offer us. Any insights they may provide when… prompted, could certainly be an asset to our Mendacian division. It is of no concern of ours whether these miscreants are to rot in a Union slumheap, but if they wish to better themselves and join the Empire, perhaps we should let them.

May you be graced with the wisdom of Solas, Imperials.

Sic itur ad astra.
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<div style="font-weight:normal;line-height:1.6;">Empire Storyline</div>
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'''Transmission from Ana Plíšková, assistant to Victor Huxley, COO of VasTech'''

Good sol, Explorers. I write this with a somewhat heavy heart, as today is the last day I will be serving as your faction contact. Mr. Huxley and VasTech require my assistance in their expansions into other sectors within the Federation, so I will be leaving station Ignis after this conference is concluded.

My absence will be made up for by the Valkyrie San’a, who is returning to active duty as a councilmember and faction contact following her peerless efforts on Vargas and our other mining planets. We are expecting operations and communications on these planets to resume very soon, now that the Cradle’s signal has been silenced.

When discussing the current vote, I have heard many of my colleagues whisper of collusion between the two factions involved – I do not, however, view these concerns to be well-founded, and would advise you to regard the facts of the matter as they stand.

The rights of individuals are certainly important, and the Federation holds individual freedom as one of its core virtues. On the other hand, as President Adonis remarked so poignantly during the conference, is that freedom not something one must earn? To become a member of a Union clan is not a mandate – it is a choice. Surely, actively contributing to things such as drug trade, a practice which affects lives in every faction, should call into question that individual’s right to their own freedom? That is after all why the Federation’s robust justice systems exist: to put a stop to those who would seek to inhibit the freedom of others.

Though of course, my recent experience of detainment during the murder of Julius Lycanis makes me slightly more sympathetic to the case of these mercenaries. It was only the knowledge of my own innocence that carried me through that experience; I can’t imagine the anguish it would inflict on two people so clearly in some state of mental deficiency.

As always, the choice is yours, Explorers. And may I say: It has been an honor serving as your contact for these past few conferences – I hope to one day have the opportunity to do so again.

Ana
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<div style="font-weight:normal;line-height:1.6;">Union Storyline</div>
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'''Comm from Haley Nguyen, Union member and Vox representative'''

Good day, Comrades. Tensions on Ignis have definitely increased since the last conference; I think having the Cradle be so exposed is probably most of what’s putting people on edge – I could swear Moira’s voice is shriller than it usually is. Despite that, so far nothing’s happened, so it seems like you made the right call last week, Explorers.

Rounding up of the Ojin-Kai sects is coming along well, too. I’ve never seen Mercer so ecstatic – it’s honestly a little off-putting. But we’re bringing some much-needed peace and relief to Union planets on the outer systems, and that’s wonderful to see. Detainment is a little bit of a sensitive topic at the moment though, with the vote being the way it is.

Obviously, people leaving the Union happens, but I’ve never seen something like this. I was approached by some Union members on the station that knew Iza; they told me she was always cheerful, always bright. I showed them some of the footage the Council gave us, and they almost didn’t recognize her.

Apparently, her birth parents were killed in a messy skirmish with the Empire when she was a kid. There’s no clear reason for why her demeanor changed like this. I just wish they’d both speak, so we’d know a bit more, but it’s not like we can… force our own people into something they don’t want to do. I’ve been to Font many times though – spent most of my early days as a Celestial there – and I can vouch for the procedures there being safe and effective. Iza and Esau will be well taken care of if we send them over.

I just want you all to remember to vote with your heart, and not your head. If we start treating our people like numbers, we’ll be no better than the Federation. Good luck, Explorers.

Here’s to a brighter tomorrow.<br>
Haley
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'''Voting Results'''
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<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4 ; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid black; width:39%">

''The Universal Council has consolidated the votes of each of the factions: Detain the mercenaries on Gaea 3 (Empire,Federation,Union) , Escort the mercenaries to the Empire 0 ()'' 

The final vote is in favor of detaining the Union mercenaries on Gaea. A ship from Chitin’s Edge will be safely transporting Iza and Esau to Font, where they will be transferred to the Gamayun labs, under care of Hunter Yin and his team. An Initial report from the team is expected soon after the mercenaries’ arrival.
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===Quantum's Cell===

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'''Summary'''

Once the Twin Suns mercenaries had arrived at Gamayun Labs, the secure facility on Gaea helmed by Hunter Yin, the scientist and his team placed the pair in separate Iso-chambers under comfortable conditions. Despite this, Yin reported abnormal behavior from both Iza and Esau - Iza began to scream and claw at the chamber walls, while Esau's vitals dropped dangerously low. The team's equipment also registered unusual mental activity before the mercenaries were placed in a single Iso-chamber in an attempt to mitigate their behavior.

Yin's team found that parts of the mercenaries' minds were fully synchronized - it seemed that Iza and Esau were being sustained by some external entity. The team also noticed that the pair had begun humming strange melodies, which Yin promised to investigate further.


'''Transcript'''

<blockquote>
Transmission from Hunter Yin, Clasped Fist of the Gamayun<br>
Location: the best damn lab in the galaxy<br>
Dating: 3 days since my last shower<br>
Designation: eat it.

(faint, bass-heavy music thuds in the background)

Hello there, Universal Council! How do you do, and all that. It’s my first time chatting with you highly esteemed councilors so directly. So tell me, how exactly does it feel to be the only thing standing between the Core Systems and total, unmitigated democracy? I bet you all sleep excellently.

We got your “shipment”, by the way. I’m curious, was it the Feds’ idea to handcuff them? Well, you’ve no need to worry – the Union takes care of its own, no matter what your fucked-up little experiments on Ignis might have done to them. We’ve placed Iza and Esau in separate Iso-chambers for now, getting them everything they need and any comforts they want. So far there’s been no talking from either person, but I’m chalking that up to ‘trauma-via-ineptitude’ unless we start to see conclusive signs of the contrary.

By the way, is this really what the Council is concerning itself with these days? I’d have thought you’d pay more attention to the actual problems in our systems. Where’s the outreach for the miners on Vargas, you red-tape-touting cockroaches? At least someone like Cillian Mercer gets things-

-''Transmission cuts off.''-

Transmission from Hunter Yin, Clasped Fist of the Gamayun<br>
Location: Gamayun labs, Font’s 3rd district<br>
Dating: 2nd report – time of ζ Sagittarii 3.32<br>
Designation: medical report

(high-pitched electronic music whines in the distance)

Apparently, the last transmission wasn’t “in line” with official Council procedures. My apologies, on behalf of your procedures. Still, I’ll be keeping it civil from now on, because I’m just that considerate.

We’ve moved Iza and Esau to a single Iso-chamber. That’s not normal procedure, but we didn’t have a choice. Iza started screaming and clawing at the walls shortly after the last transmission – damn near tried to tear the chamber to pieces. Our equipment went crazy, too, getting all sorts of mental readings. Esau just started shivering, and his vitals were beginning to get dangerously low.

So, we brought him in with Iza, and it looks like that’s got them to calm down for now. They’re eating again, which is encouraging. Esau’s temperature is stable, but our equipment’s still throwing up unusual mental activity – looks like parts of their brains are fully in sync with one another. There’s no tangible energy link there as far as we can tell, it’s more like a reactive connection, like they’re feeding off something larger. I think if we keep them here for a while longer, we can get a clearer picture of what that something is.

A few of the other lab members have also noticed that both Iza and Esau have started humming these strange melodies sometimes. Could be a coping mechanism, but I’ll have to see it for myself to report more; I’m only working off recordings at the moment.

Well, councilors. That’ll be all from me. Oh, and any and all communication from here on will be done through an intermediary; because frankly, talking to you people makes me sick.

(music gets louder, cuts off)

-''Transmission ends.''-
</blockquote>

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