First Steps
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First Steps
| Chapter 12: "First Steps" | |
|---|---|
| Major players | Universal Council The Union The Empire Iza Esau |
| Vote outcome | Detainment of Iza and Esau |
| Major events | |
| Timeline Chronology | |
| Previous Chapter | Next Chapter |
| "The Cradle" | "[[]]" |
Summary
With the Varse and Kestrel expedition teams en route back to Ignis, 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
Report from the 28th conference of the Universal Council: time of ζ Sagittarii 3.32
Held on board station Ignis, in the neutral center of the Core Systems.Councilmembers for the Empire: Ji Young-Joo, Ferus Haden, Moira Craine
Councilmembers for the Federation: Áurea Adonis, Kim Lee, Elijah Burke
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.
Faction Storylines
Voting Results
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.
Quantum's Cell
Summary
Transcript
Transmission from Hunter Yin, Clasped Fist of the Gamayun
Location: the best damn lab in the galaxy
Dating: 3 days since my last shower
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
Location: Gamayun labs, Font’s 3rd district
Dating: 2nd report – time of ζ Sagittarii 3.32
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.
| Expedition to Mímir: | The Catalyst • The Shard • The Crossroads • The Void • Subjugation • The Cradle • Dire Straits • Last Stand |
| Assault on the Crimson Wolves: | The Crimson Wolves • The Ides • Groundswell |
| The Morn Conflict: | On the Brink |
| The Pinnacle Incident: | Quantum Sickness • First Steps |
| The Vargas Epidemic: | Blackout |
| The Opening: | First Contact |