Hail to the King, Part II

Command Center  - Minerva -

The central operations facility of this Wasp-class destroyer is a blunted trapezoid that angles from the 15-foot-wide forward bulkhead and graduates to 30-feet-wide at the aft end of the command hull.

A holographic viewscreen provides amplified visuals of the surrounding cosmos, while square portholes can be found to starboard and port on the bulkheads until reaching the elevated console station "U" that cradles the command chair and the navigation console.

A pair of steps can be seen port, starboard and aft, leading from the command well to the rail-encircled "U" that houses the science, communications, atmospheric monitoring and cargo management consoles.

The "U"-deck and the top of the encircling rail are covered with navy blue impact cushioning. The lower command well, forward to the prow, has uncarpeted gray metal plates - some marked as AUTHORIZED ACCESS ONLY - BREACH CONTAINMENT RISK.

Directly aft from the command chair, at the bottom of the "U," is the hatch that leads to the rest of the vessel.

Porter stands near the engineering console, looking over the displays.

Daneel walks in, stopping just inside the bulkhead. "Permission to come aboard?"

Turning away from the engineering console, the colonel nods to Daneel, smiling. "Mr. Olivaw." He walks toward the engineer, extending a hand. "Welcome aboard. Anything I can do for you? We're making final preparations to leave."

Daneel shakes the hand. "I would like to request the honor of joining you on this flight."

The colonel's brow knits. "You know, sir, that this won't be a test flight, correct? We're going after Neidermeyer and the Crystal Cathedral. The Kretonians are still fairly thick in that neighborhood. And it's quite possible we will fail to stop the Moebius Effect. It's not going to be a cakewalk."

Daneel nods. "I am prepared for that. I'm probably the best person to be on board if something goes wrong with the reactor or the drive, and I have a bit of a score to settle with that bastard Neidermeyer."

Grimly, Porter nods acknowledgement. "I'm just glad Mr. Cottington survived. But I suspect he wouldn't be too keen on his chief engineer getting himself killed while pursuing a vendetta. You can come along, but only on the condition that you *listen* to *me* and *do* what *I* tell you. All right?"

Daneel nods, straightening his posture, perhaps in a pseudo-military manner. "It's your ship, your crew. I give you my word that while I am on board, Your word goes."

Porter smiles. "All right. Get settled in. We depart within the hour."

Daneel nods, and heads back out the bulkhead.

Porter walks down to the nav console, checking the systems display.

Tryklynn shuffles in, his jacket a rattling. He looks up to the colonel, his path a limping pace direct to the engineering station. As he sits he starts tagging the telltales, bringing the starship's systems online, one after another, the displays all reading green. Two paws and a tail makes it a very efficient and swift start up. "We goezzz zzoon?"

"Soon," the colonel replies, nodding as he looks toward the Lotorian. "You sure you want to get mixed up in all this?"

The Lotorian looks back to Porter with a shrug of his shoulders. "I traded to Doczz, Doczz traded me to you. I have honor of all teknozz to zzhow, here. let no onezz ever zzay trader Tryklynn Tekno forfeited on a tradezzz." The small engineer then ducks his head and gives the human a very beady eyed look. "Bezitezz ... after zzpending lazzt month fixingzz thizz zhipz, giving her new power plantzz and new zztardrivezzz, must correct mizzconzzeption, common to all Colonel, Captinzz and Zztazzhun bozzez. Thizz zzhip izz not yourzz. Iz mine." There's a fast smile though, as he continues. "My zzhip, but I lend her to youzz."

Porter laughs, then nods slowly. "Well, try telling that to Feznak. *He* thinks Minerva belongs to him." The colonel smiles, then walks over to the command chair.

Falkenberg walks into the command center, a lopsided grin on his face.

Quietly and a little hesitantly, Christine Tarkovsky edges into the command center. Her glance around is both curious and slightly nervous, but the sight of Tryklynn is at least familiar and reassuring. She walks further in, heading toward the Lotorian, her hands clasped neatly behind her.

Sanhitlon floats in through the main doors. For a moment, one might hear "~Gree~", but it stops short. A moment later it activates its vocalizer instead. "~Greetings. I sometimes forget that humanoids have a phobia against telepathic contact.~"

Porter nods to Tarkovsky, then looks toward the other new arrivals. "All right, folks, make yourselves either comfortable or useful. We'll be launching within the hour. Everyone who can use a gun, carry one. We're dealing with a known lunatic with a fondness for heavy weaponry."

Gabriel nods briefly to the man speaking and sets his bag down on the floor. "Guns, check." he says quietly, prodding the bag. "What kind of help you need right now?" he asks a little louder, in Porter's general direction.

Falkenberg chuckles. He is carrying a heavy duffle bag, and one can see some components of combat armor peeking out of it. "Yeah, well, I figure you need a pilot, and as you're not about to find a better one than me...just give me a second to put on my business suit." He sets the duffle down, removes his jacket, and begins to assemble the armor on his body.

Tarkovsky returns Porter's nod, giving him a curious, perhaps somewhat searching look. "Hello.... Well, I can use a gun, pistol, but I don't have one with me. I'd be very happy to carry one if there's one available, though."

Ainsworth sets down his two bags, waiting for the others to speak before he takes a few steps to Porter, offering his hand. "Lieutenant Colonel Ainsworth. Observer from Sivad, captain." he says. "I'll get suited up. I brought gear."

Sitting in the engineering center, Tryklyynn just looks back to Porter. "Feznak? Feznak? Feznak izz a hack who doesn't know the upizzide from downzzide of capacitance bank! he izz here? muzzt be in hidingzz, yezyezyez. That muzzt be it. he zzayz he ownzz zzhip? Ba-psschhhaaa ... me and a big wrenchezz will have zzomething to zzay about that." he then looks across to the ships ... pilot. "No! you breakzz zzhip againzz and I won't zzay goodzz thingzz about you anymorezz!"

Sanhitlon vocalizes, "~Although my beliefs do not look fondly upon weapons and violence in general, if the situation requires it I will do what is necessary.~"

Porter looks toward Gabriel. "Anyone particularly good at special ops and space facility infiltration would be useful. We're going after a station known as Crystal Cathedral, where Colin Neidermeyer has been hiding for the past few weeks. We'll also be able to use technically skilled people, I suspect. Teleportation technology is at work at least to some extent on that station." He chuckles at Tryklynn, then nods to Ainsworth. "Welcome aboard."

"Come 'ere." Gabriel tells Tarkovsky, "I got one you can use." he adds, crouching down, rummaging in the bag on the floor."

Giirvoth bobs his snout a touch at that, "I am Grimlahd Marine Corpss Four Unit Leader Giir of Clan Voth, I desssided to take a ssquad ssssupport weapon sssince I am not exactly very fasst in nay casse, I am already armoured up."

"Sounds good to me..." Tarkovsky looks across at Gabriel, then steps across to him, watching. "Thanks, I'll feel a fair bit happier with a means of self-defense."

Tryklynn looks across to Porter as he speaks. "I know how zztazzhuns run, an zzhipzz. I know how to make them hurtzz." he considers quietly and then lifts his head. "Got anyone quelified to uzze a canopenerzz?"

"The help is welcome," the colonel replies. He then walks back down toward the navigation console. "Mr. Falkenberg, *do* be careful with my ship. She's got her new Spindrive and I don't want her broken."

Standing back up, Gabriel holds a small pistol and what looks to be a suit of sorts, black in color. "Know how to use one of these?" He asks Tarkovsky, handing the weapon over. "Got one of these." He tells Porter, still looking at Tarkovsky, holding up the suit. "Know how to make good use of it too." he adds.

Daneel walks back into the command center, now seeing quite a few more people on board than before.

Falkenberg finishes assembling his armor, and looks at Tryklynn, then Porter. "You know, I flew us past a Nall fleet a few weeks back, and kept the ship in one piece. I think I can handle whatever ol' Colin throws at us." He settles down at the navigation console.

Porter shakes his head. "Colin isn't going to be our first problem, I'm afraid. Ever gone up against Kretonians?"

Tarkovsky nods to Gabriel, as she takes the weapon. She turns it over in her hands a couple of times and then nods more firmly. "Yes, I can handle this. Thanks."

Falkenberg blinks, and looks at Porter. "Kre..." he pauses for a second, and clears his throat. "Kretonians? Can't say I have. But...well, what the hell, they can't be tougher than the Nall." His voice no longer rings with reckless confidence, however, as he checks over the flight controls.

Daneel heads over to Tryklyyn.

Martha jogs into the room, followed by her cameraman. She nods briefly to the cameraman and he turns the light on on the holocamera. Then she seeks out someone in authority.

Gabriel nods to Tarkovsky. "Enjoy it." Daneel looks at martha as he walks by and sighs. "The press."

Zetral steps in, slightly behind Martha. He bites his bottom lip for a moment, as he peers around the command center.

Giirvoth's eyes niciate as he recognises Tarkovsky, then he bobs his snout slightly to her from across the room. "Greetingsss, you have dessided to do sssomthing ass I sssaid then?"

Porter clears his throat. "Excuse me, Mr. Falkenberg," he mutters, and then walks over to Martha, smiling faintly. "This is going to be a dangerous mission. Have you signed a waiver yet?"

Falkenberg turns and looks at Martha and the holocamera. He winces. "Swell," he mutters. "Well, guess I'll have to live with an audience."

Martha smiles tightly. "If I die, SNN will sue Neidermeyer, not you, sir," she promises. "We'd like to broadcast live. I can tell my cameraman to stay out of the way but we think history is about to be made."

Ainsworth ducks his way around the corner, and dresses out of the way, dragging his duffles with him.

Sanhitlon floats over to the side, and hovers above a few leftover bits from the recent refit of the ship.

Porter nods curtly. "If all goes well, history will be *saved*, Ms. Cavalera. Not made. Just do as you're told, and we'll get along fine."

Tarkovsky tucks the gun into her pocket and then looks up to Giirvoth. She turns slightly towards him and shrugs a little. "Well, the tricky part is what the /something/ will be," she answers. "But I'm here to try, for what it's worth."

Gabriel quickly removes his jacket and pants, seemingly not bothered by doing this in front of complete strangers, and dons the black suit. After packing the clothes back into the bag, he removes several objects, a pistol, a slightly larger weapon, and third, smaller object. "Well, when the time comes, I should be able to sneak around a little, do a little recce." he says out loud. "I hope there will be no legal ramifications over this?" he directs the question to Porter, indicating his new clothing, ignoring the fact that the man seems pretty busy.

Tryklynn looks to Daneel as he approaches, his tail tapping at the engineering consoles as the bridge fills. "You got canpoenerzz? Plazzzma cutterzz?"

Zetral takes a deep breath, and edges towards a group of what appear to be soldiers. He states, slowly "I don't suppose you could lend me a few things, could you?"

Daneel says, "I brought a bag of tools with me, although I don't think I have a plasma-cutter."

Vollerkin steps into the command center, moving in just a bit and stepping to the side. His hands stuck into his pockets, he watches and listens in silence, expression solemn as his aura cast a silver glow in his direct vicinity.

Near Sanhitlon a thin steel bar rises off the floor, and floats up in front of him. It then begins to twist itself neatly into something resembling a bowtie. Radiating a sense of satisfaction, the bar lowers down to the floor. "~Just in case.~" he vocalizes.

Ainsworth comes back in a few minutes, rifle slung over his shoulder. "I have some special operations training, captain," he calls to Porter, as he walks over towards Giirvoth. "Four unit leader. Small world, eh?" the Sivadian says, now changed into clothing and gear something more appropriate.

Porter turns and walks down toward where Tarkovsky is standing. "The one bit of recon I *wish* we had was some data pinpointing exactly where this station is. We're not going to have a lot of time to sweep and search. We just haven't had the resources in place to monitor the region."

Martha turns to the camera and speaks, obviously ad-libbing. "I am standing in the Command Centre of VES Minerva. Things are very busy here as the ship is preparing to get underway, hoping to bring an end to the Moebius crisis as well as ending the reign of terror of Colin Neidermeyer, now believed to be in orbit around Earth. I spoke with Colonel David Porter just a moment ago, and he told me that the Minerva's mission today is to save history. We'll be broadcasting live from the Minerva for the duration of the mission and we'll be trying to keep you up-to-date." She glances around, looking for someone to question.

Falkenberg sits at the pilot's station, running a few last minute systems-checks. "Legal ramifications," he mutters to himself. "Neddie'll show 'em 'legal ramifications.' With a plasma rifle."

Giirvoth bobs his snout a touch to Ainsworth, then blinks and turns his attention to Zetral. "You could borrow my ssecond longarm? It iss rather excessssive, although usseful for working too clossse for the machine gun."

Daneel is leaning over the Engineering console with Tryklyyn, talking tools.

Gabriel sighs audibly. "Brute force it is eh?" he kicks his bag again. "Got some toys for that too, if need be. Too bad really, would be nice to have a looksee before we drop in, if you know what I mean." he continues to tell Porter.

Martha sees Ainsworth and decides to go with the hometown pick. "Excuse me, colonel," she says, trying to make herself heard over the din. "Colonel, what are you doing here today?"

Vollerkin just remains silent as he stands near the wall, watching with seemingly little interest.

Ainsworth is facing away from Martha, and looks stricken towards Giir for a moment - nothing is more terrifying then the homeland press. He composes his face before he turns around. "Ma'am?" he asks, as if he didn't hear the question, checking to make sure his BDUs are arranged just so.

Zetral turns to look at Giirvoth. "No thanks. I'd prefer some Kevlar and a standard Vanguard 10mm."

"Sir, were you sent by the Admiralty on this mission?" presses Martha.

Volidana steps through the doors of the command center aura a mix of blue and orange as she attempts to find standing room near Colonel Porter

Tyklynn then speaks up, looking to Porter. he reaches into his jacket, then, and takes out a data chip. "Colonelzz!" his chittering is quick and sharp. "Got tradezz for you."

Giirvoth narrows his eyes slightly at Zetral's comment. "Find sssuch yourssself then." The Grimlahdi turns back to Ainsworth, then pauses on seeing him being assaulted by the press, his rill raising.

Porter scratches his chin, then looks over at the Lotorian. "Trade?"

Ainsworth responds as if he memorized his response well before the question was asked. "I was sent by his Royal Majesty's government as an observer to represent Sivad and to provide whatever assistance I could." he says.

After casting a sweeping look around the crowded command center, Christine Tarkovsky moves to one side to clear the way for actual crew. There is a faint hint of ironic amusement in her eye as she passes the camera and it's Sivadian operator.

Martha asks, "What does the admiralty hope is going to be accomplished today?", then thrusts her microphone back in the colonel's face.

Falkenberg grumbles to himself from the nav station, something about "observers" and people who don't carry their own guns.

Tarkovsky watches Martha, her eyebrow quirking upwards. "Amateur," she mutters to herself, the word carefully pitched so that it sounds quiet yet manages to carry.

Zetral nods at the Grimlahdi once more. "I'm working on it." He looks around once more, and then looks around for a sergeant.

Ainsworth shifts his rifle slightly on his shoulder. "Obviously the admirality hopes to have order restored ... but the goals of the admirality would be best vocalized by a spokesman ma'am. I'm just an officer, doing my job here."

Tryklynn tosses the datachip to Porter. "Firzzt, you want to go through zzhipzz, find zzomeone lizzenzenze't to uze a plazzma arc welder, yezyezyez. Zecondzz ... thiz izz data, orbital calulazzhunz from Luna, pluzzz zome data big meowzz gavebefore the Kretonianzz chazzed uzz away again."

"Thank you, sir," says Martha with a brief, grim smile before she catches sight of Volidana. "Ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am?"

Daneel looks over from the engineering console to Porter. "I'm licensed for Arc welding."

Giirvoth peers at Martha for a few seconds, then shakes his snout and looks back to Ainsworth. "You essscaped that in any casse, hopefuly I will not be on live holvid lying on the floor covered in burnsss again."

Porter nods to Tryklynn, then looks to Daneel. "All right." His attention goes back to Tryklynn. "What's the *trade*?"

Tryklynn points to Daneel, "get hims cutterzz."

"Please don't be," Ainsworth tells Giirvoth. "It'd take you forever to get healed again, friend. You have a heavy support weapon, you said?" There's some relief in his face, as Martha turns away, and he quickly turns his back to return his attention to the Grimlahdi.

Gabriel shrugs, looking a little annoyed be proceeds to remove parts of a gunmetal grey armor, placing them next to each other on the floor, by the bag. Once all items are in place, he begins mounting the armor over the Infiltration suit. "If I get back, I need to have my head checked." he mutters to himself.

Smirking, Colonel Porter chuckles and says, "If Mr. Olivaw agrees to the trade, then it's done. Pass the flight data on to Mr. Falkenberg so he can plug it into nav and at least put us in the neighborhood of the Crystal Cathedral."

Giirvoth bobs his snout again at that, then unlimbers the .50 calibre machine gun off his right shoulder and brings it round on its sling. "It iss only fitted with a bipod mount, ssso more usseful in built up areasss, eassier to handle but lesss accurate. I thought that asss I am not exactly fassst I would probably be besst usssing thisss."

Daneel grins, and nods. "I'd be more than happy to do so."

Falkenberg thrums his fingers on top of the navigation console, waiting for the ok to lift off.

Volidana observes carefully the conversation between porter and tryklyn carefully, a flash of yellow surrounds her as martha speaks and though she turns to give to give answer pone eye and a large part of her mind is still devoted to the colonel and Lotorian "Yes? she answers Martha

Porter walks back toward the command chair. "All right, spec ops and tech personnel planning to be active in the infiltration, regroup in the crew quarters and prep up. You'll get a heads up once we're in-system. Observers can stay on the bridge."

Martha holds the microphone up as high as she can. "Ma'am, what do you think are the possibilities of success in today's mission?" she asks.

Zetral bites his lip as he continues looking around. He finally just shrugs, and, upon hearing the instructions, he moves to join those heading for the crew quarters.

Falkenberg's console springs to life as the Lotorian taps the controls of his workstation, the data on the chip downloaded form one console to the other.

Gabriel leans over the bag, zipping it up and hoists it on a shoulder. "Time to get shot at." he mutters, making his way out of the command area.

Sanhitlon bobs slightly, and floats in the direction of the bridge door.

Daneel looks up to Porter. "Mind if I stay on here until we jump?"

Ainsworth secures his rifle at his shoulder, and finds an out of the way spot to watch what's going on around the deck. "Good luck," he tells Giirvoth. "Take care of yourself, friend."

Porter nods to Daneel. "You're an observer. Watch how your engine works." He glances toward the Centauran. "You too, San."

Falkenberg looks around the bridge for a moment. He looks at Martha and Tarkovsky, and then lets out a laugh as something occurs to him. He turns back to look at the data coming up on his console, and begins to make preliminary course calculations. "Reporters...to a confrontation with Colin Neidermeyer," he mutters to himself. "Why did it take me so long to see the humor in that?"

Daneel looks over to Falk and guffaws.

Giirvoth bobs his snout to Ainsworth, then shrugs and limps for the doorway off the bridge.

Sanhitlon floats back to his original viewing position.

Daneel sits down near the Engineering console, observing Tryklyyn.

Tarkovsky looks across to Falkenberg, meeting his eye for the brief moment until he turns away. She remains still for a heartbeat or two, and then shrugs a little. "Ex-reporter." She offers the correction with just a trace of melancholy in her voice. She turns a little watching the others leave and then hesitates, trying to decide whether to join them or stay.

Porter sighs, then settles into his command chair. "All right, we can go now. Mr. Falkenberg, besides the obvious Kretonian problems, keep an eye out for the Gray Horse. She's carrying the second device and should be meeting us on Luna."

Falkenberg looks up at Tarkovsky and smirks. "If you think the distinction matters," he says. "I imagine it's a long way down from the Crystal Cathedral." He nods to Porter. "Sure thing. Eyes open for an Incoherent Ungstiri and her cargo." He keys in the launch sequence, and the ship lifts off and begins to glide out of the landing bay.

Sanhitlon vocalizes, "~I can only hope that the Institute did not do a substandard job on this device as they did on the last one. A device with the power the Moebius device possessed must have provisions against unauthorized activation.~"

Ainsworth stands near the soft padded rail, and leans there, hands on the railing as he watches and listens to the conversation flowing around him.

Volidana shows just the slightest hint of a grin as she bends down "I think that we have an amazing team of individuals showing a greater willingness to coporate than i have ever seen and have given ourselves the best possible chance for success but volir alone knows what will happen..excuse me...Colonel do you want me here or with the ground team?"

Porter smiles slightly, looking toward Volidana. "Ground team. But feel free to show your comrade from Vollista around while we travel." He nods toward Vollerkin.

Tarkovsky pushes away from the wall and heads back out of the command center. Just before she leaves, she hesitates and looks back at Falkenberg. "To men like... Neidermeyer? Not much. But it matters to some people." She turns and steps out through the door.

"Thrusters readingzz one hundred perzzent, reactorzz charging the jump drives ... transferring control to navigazzun. " Tryklynn is focused, ears up, listening to the ship as his paws tap out commands. "All yourzz, Colonelzz and John Chrizztian Falkenbergzz."

Vollerkin stands still as stone, hands still tucked into his pockets. As he is mentioned, his attention strays toward Porter, then toward Volidana, aura glowing its plain silver continueously.

Martha nods at Volidana, then looks away, biting her lip for a moment as she comes to a decision. She looks back up at the cameraman. "We're going with the ground team," she announces to him. "Get ready to go at a moment's notice." Then, apparently speaking to the viewing audience, she says, "We've lifted off, now headed toward Earth."

Ainsworth approaches Porter, "If there's anything I can do," he tells the man, "Let me know, colonel. I'll help however I can."

Falkenberg eases the ship out of the landing bay, and begins to put some distance between it and the colony vessel. "Anything in particular I need to know about these spin drives?" he asks no one in particular. "Like, if I punch it in too close to a grav well, we explode, or other salient details along those lines?"

Daneel,for the moment, is doing exactly what he came on board the ship to do: observe. Mostly, he is looking at the engineering readouts, but every once in a while he will glance over to the navigation area.

Porter chuckles, looking toward Sanhitlon and Daneel. "They're your experts on Spindrive."

Sanhitlon floats closer to Falk. "~The Spindrive operates by disconnecting from normal space. Current data suggests that reconnection within a gravity well will have a negligible effect.~"

Daneel looks over to Falk, and chuckles. "Not that I'm aware of."

The starship has eased out of Sanctuary's docking bay, and now fires thrusters to boost velocity toward jump speed. The growing hum of the charging Spindrive can be heard.

Daneel snorts in a jovial fashion at the comment made by the Centauran.

Daneel relaxes in his chair, comforted by the vibration.

Sanhitlon vocalizes in Daneel's direction, "~You disagree with the data?~"

Falkenberg nods. "All righty, then." He eases the throttle forward. "We'll be jumping in under a minute, then. Stand by."

"ZZtay away from black holes and watch the tachyonzz levelzz juzzt before tranzziztion ..>' Tryklynn chitters from engineering. "or atleazzt thatzz what Galactix zzaid ..."

Daneel chuckles. "Not really, Sah, just amused by the way you put it is all."

"The Minerva is about to use its new Spindrive to jump to Earth," intones Martha. "I believe that the man at the helm is a man by the name of John Christian Falkenberg but I am not at the moment certain who that is."

Sanhitlon vocalizes, "~Ah. Humor. I have yet to grasp its mechanics, but I am working on it.~"

Daneel grins, but doesn't say anything.

Ainsworth settles his hip back against the railing and falls quietly, one hand on the rail, the other sliding into the hip pocket of the BDUs and watching the view screens.

Falkenberg glances back at Tryklynn. "Tachyon levels?" He studies the controls for a moment. "Uh...right...ah, Tachyon levels." His head involuntarily turns toward Martha as he hears her latest update, but he declines comment, instead saying, "With your permission, Colonel, I'll see if this new drive system of yours actually works."

Porter nods to Falkenberg. "Give it a shot."

Falkenberg keys in the jump sequence. "Here we go."

Volidana nods to Porter and walks over next to Vollerkin ~Hello~ she sends ~Welcome to Minerva..i wish the occasion for your visit was a more pleasant one but I'm grateful for your presence..will you take offence at a question

The stars twist and spin around the Minerva as her new drive system engages, sending a deep rumble through the deckplates. The resonance of the first activation creates an almost musical tone...a melodic hum that soon fades into a dull thrumming.

The male Vollistan's head tilts not an inch to the side as he sends his response to Volidana. ~That shall depend on the question, feel free to ask.~

Daneel ahhs quietly in his seat. "I wish that the old OSDs were as pleasant."

Porter smiles. "She appears to be working just fine."

Ainsworth drops his second hand to the railing, almost as if he expected some sort of jump, or rattle, or something more to indicate the ships' transition in speed.

"The Minerva's new spindrive appears to be functioning as expected," announces Martha. "I believe that this is the first time that a use of the spindrive has ever been holovised."

Falkenberg leans back in the pilot seat. "Well, all the little flashy things are green," he says, pointing to his displays. "In my experience that's generally a good thing."

Daneel grins at Falk.

Tryklynn leans back, watching the ship's diagnostic readouts like a ... sharp engineer. His whiskers slash, his tail occassionally tagging a control behind him as he works. "All izz in greenz or happy amberzz." his ears perk and he smiles. "Lizzten ... how low and even zzhe zzingzz. thatzz lotarian drive tunigzz."

Daneel says, "So what was this buisiness about getting me a set of plasma cutters?" he directs to Porter and Tryklynn "Not that I mind the gift, but what am I supposed to do with them today?""

Sanhitlon vocalizes, "~I suspect that Neidermeyer will not open the airlock willingly.~"

Ainsworth tilts his head, and listens to the hum. A grunt, and he shifts his head again, listening to the other crew speak quietly.

Martha notices Ainsworth is not particularly busy and targets him as a source of colour commentary. "Colonel, if Neidermeyer doesn't "open the airlock willingly," what is the plan of the boarding party?"

Daneel nods. "I see. I'm all for a bit of plasma lockpicking, then."

Volidana hesitates a moment before sending ~are you, like me, one refered to as Volir's chosen or one of our interoggator brethern. I do not wish to pry but the information may prove useful~

Ainsworth clears his throat, glancing at the reporter. "Well ma'am, I can't speak for the boarding party, I could only speak as to what I'd do in the situation, I'm afraid."

Martha seems satisfied with that information. "All right, what would you do?" she presses.

Daneel sighs. "Don't the reporters ever remember that the enemy has a holoviewer too?"

Falkenberg flips a few switches on his console. "ETA, 10 minutes or so." He glances at Porter. "You know, Colonel, when I flew this ship past the Nall fleet a few weeks back...there was no one around to operate the guns. If we're going to make it past a Kret blockade, I do hope this time we can shoot back."

Vollerkin sends without hesitation. ~Volir's chosen, once upon a time.~ His head tilts just a little the other way, an eyebrow raising a bit as if considering. ~I have never been in the service of the Nall.~

Porter nods to Falkenberg. "You raise a good point." He gets out of the command chair and walks down toward the gunnery console.

"Sorry about that ma'am, that's classified." Ainsworth replies, and he can't help but keep a grin from forming for a second. "Operational details we don't typically give out ma'am," he explains. "Bad guys watch the news as well, you know."

Martha quickly rephrases the question. "All right... in a situation like that, what is your most pressing concern?" she asks carefully.

Daneel grins at Ainsworth. "Colonel Porter, if I'm going to be going into that blasted fortress, It would prob'bly be better if I was armed. Have any pistols and kevlar around?"

Porter nods to Daneel. "Check in the crew quarters. Should be some pistols around."

"The enemy ship," the Marine replies, but Ainsworth clarifies that. "You are going through a contained space, you see. Through a hatchway. That means your assault force has to ... pardon me, ma'am. Sir?" Ainsworth replies to Daneel, tugging at the kevlar vest he wears. ""I won't be using this."

Falkenberg grins and nods. "I was hoping you'd see things my way." He leans back in his seat again, and stretches. "I mean, I can fly rings around any ten pilots they've got, no doubt about it. But if they send more than 10...well, it'd be nice to take a few of 'em out, and keep the odds to merely ludicrous, rather than utterly suicidal."

Daneel nods. "I'll be back in time for the drop, hopefully."

Daneel looks over to Ainsworth. "Thanks a lot, Colonel."

Porter checks his countdown timer. "Stand by to make the drop to normalspace."

Ainsworth tugs free the straps that secure the vest, lifting it off and taking a few spaces over towards Daneel. "No problem sir, here you go." he says as he returns to standing where he was before, near Martha.

Daneel takes the armor, and walks back towards the rear of the vessel while holding it.

Martha smiles disarmingly. "You were saying, Colonel?"

Volidana nods and sends ~As much as I hate to admit it someone with the training the interrogator posess may prove useful today.I hope the fact that I make such a statement does not shock you. it would many back home. Perhaps my crewmates as well...i do not relish violence..i have not that much changed but there are those that live for it. those we must guard against~

Falkenberg nods. "I'd hold onto something if I were you," he says aloud. "No telling who we'll piss off when we pop in." He watches the countdown on his console for several more seconds, and then says, "Shutting down spindrive. Let's party."

The glowing maelstrom around the Minerva fades to a normal starfield as she drops back into normalspace and switches to in-system thrusters, with Luna and Earth in the near distance.

Ainsworth clears his throat. "There are many concerns ma'am. Command of a unit in combat is a pretty complicated thing. I'm not sure what I can,' he pauses to grip the railing, "Tell you ma'am."

Several sensor telltales begin to blink and wail on the nav and gunnery consoles.

Porter grimaces. "Picket fighters. Three of them." He glances toward Falkenberg. "Matching our velocity, moving to intercept course."

Sanhitlon vocalizes, "~The local welcoming committee, I presume.~"

Martha turns to the camera and announces, "It appears as though the Minerva is about to come under attack," as she herself reaches for a handrailing.

Falkenberg looks down at his console. "Uh oh. Angry red flashy things. Those are rarely good." He eases the throttle forward, accelerating the Minerva. "Only three? No problem." He begins taking the Minerva through a series of evasive maneuvers.

The Vollistan in the buisness suit pauses for a moment, the edge of his mouth twitching a bit. ~I have skills that are similar to those of an interrigator.~ He sends smoothly ~Ones that I was taught and that I have developed for my proffession~

"Bringingzzz zzhieldzz online ... allocating power from zzpintrife to manueveringzz zzytems." Tryklynn chitters to Falkenberg. "Let me knovzz iff you needzz the zzhieldzz puzzhed, yezyezyez."

While Falkenberg pulls his piloting maneuvers, Colonel Porter switches on the holographic heads-up display for the Minerva's turret weapons and brings the targeting reticle to fix on the approaching fighters, one by one, firing as he goes.

Ainsworth falls silent, gripping the railing and bracing himself, as if for some sort of combat.

The Minerva manages to evade two of the attacking fighters, which Porter takes out with blasts from the ship's plasma cannons. The starfighters explode in gasps of metal and vapor. But the third arcs around, staying doggedly on the Minerva's tail. The gunblasts from Minerva just graze past the surviving fighter.

Falkenberg grins. "Two out of three ain't bad," he says. "Last one's a stubborn bastard. Hold on." He pulls up hard on the Minerva's controls, arcing the ship into a loop, hoping to double back on the third fighter to give Porter a clear shot at it.

Volidana nods and as she does so opens her mind to guage the emotions of those in the room specifically searching for signs of deciet among those in the room

The Minerva jerks hard, apparently trying to double back on the remaining Kretonian fighter. But that fighter's pilot seems to have anticipated the maneuver, activating braking thrusters and swinging its turrets around to bear on the intruder vessel. The Kret is about to fire its weapons straight into the command center of the Minerva when the scout ship's own guns blast away, taking out the Kretonian. The course to Luna now appears to be clear.

Falkenberg clears his throat. "Nice shooting, Colonel," he says. He swings the ship around toward Luna. "Now heading for Luna, max speed." He eases the throttle against its stops.

"Nice," Ainsworth says quietly, as he watches the combat taking place. A nod, and he relaxes his hold on the railing a bit, going from tense to a bit more relaxed.

Porter switches of the HUD, then looks toward Falkenberg, chuckles and nods.

Vollerkin raises an eyebrow just a bit more, continuing to look at Volidana. He remains silent however, standing absolutely still.

Martha doesn't offer any commentary, instead letting the images and words speak for themselves as she looks on.

Volidana stays silent with a look of concentration as others emotions comes pouring in

Ainsworth remains quietly. He's watching the view screens, dividing his glance between Porter and the pilot, hands resting lightly on the rail in front of him.

Falkenberg checks his displays. "I don't see any other enemy ships...or the Gray Horse. She might have landed ahead of us." He arcs the Minerva around Luna in one high-speed orbital pass, puts the ship through a quick, twisting barrel roll, and descends rapidly toward Neidermeyer's Landing on the surface of Luna. The ship seems to be diving straight toward the Lunar surface, when at the last second, Falkenberg pulls up, keys in the retrorockets and moves the ship in for a landing.

Minerva zips around Luna in one high-speed orbital pass, then goes through a quick, twisting barrel roll, and descends rapidly toward Neidermeyer's Landing on the surface of Luna. The ship seems to be diving straight toward the Lunar surface, when at the last second, Falkenberg pulls up, keys in the retrorockets and moves the ship in for a landing.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "Acknowledged. We're down. Stand by."

Falkenberg sets the ship down gently. "Now arriving on Luna, at the lovely resort town of Neidermeyer's Landing. Please return your seat trays to an upright position."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "Roger."

Ainsworth calls to the pair, "What commlink channel are you using, sir, so I can monitor what's going on?" He shifts, leaning against the railing itself. Volidana sends to Vollerkin ~I think it's time for me to join the landing team~

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "Mr. Olivaw, if you've got some folks who can help load the Moebius Device aboard, let's get out to meet Ms. Innokentevna and the Centauran scientist."

Martha turns to the cameraman. "All right, ready? Let's get going." She turns toward the exit.

Porter turns toward Ainsworth. "SPECOPMOEBIUS."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "I'll get a team organized."

Ainsworth digs out his commlink, taps a few keys and nods, "Thank you, sir." he replies as he tucks it away again.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "Hello all ssstationss, thiss iss Golf, Hotel one, comm check, over."

Vollerkin watches Volidana depart, shifts his attention back to the goings-on of the bridge, then apparently decides to depart, moving through the exit fluidly.

Falkenberg shuts down the engines and stands.

Porter looks over at Falkenberg. "Keep her running, John. Unless you've suddenly developed a love for manual labor and want to help carry that Moebius Device."

Ainsworth adjusts the strap on the rifle over his shoulder, just watching the pair interact right now, the rest of the crew and team having left the command deck.

Falkenberg takes a seat and switches the engines back into standby mode. "Can't say that I want to get closer than necessary to that thing," he says.

Porter nods. "I can certainly sympathize with that." He arches an eyebrow. "So, did you honestly think the Kretonians had never seen the double-back maneuver before or what?"

"That was a great manuever," Ainsworth agrees, even if he wasn't asked, shifting slightly in his lean against the railing.

Falkenberg blinks and looks at Porter. "Just because they may have seen it doesn't mean it couldn't have worked," he says. "Besides, it was just one fighter. I figured an aggressive move was the best way to give you a chance to get rid of him."

Tryklynn taps the engineering consoles, powering down the shields. he looks to Porter, and to the pilot. "And notzz a zzcratch on the zzhipz!"

Porter smiles at Falkenberg, then just nods and looks toward Tryklynn. "The engines worked great."

"of courzze .. well tuned ..." The lotarian pushes himself up. "I come with or zztayzz, Colonelzz?'

"You have a fine ship," Ainsworth replies, from where he leans. A shift, the rifle gets a better angle slung over his shoulders. "Where do you want me Colonel?"

Sanhitlon vocalizes, "~I too wish to know where I am currently needed.~"

Porter shakes his head at Tryklynn. "Need you to stay with the ship once we're on the Cathedral." He then looks toward Ainsworth. "You wanted to observe, you go with the ground team." Then, his attention goes to Sanhitlon. "I'll need you to work with your counterpart from the Institute on any teleporter technology we encounter. So, you're with the Cathedral infiltration team."

Sanhitlon bobs in acknowledgement.

"I'll grab a flak jacket really quick then," the Marine says,making his way off the command deck for a minute or two, to scrounge for another vest from his bag and return with it secured over his chest, rifle in hands. He heads down to the team reading to go in.

Sanhitlon vocalizes, "~Where must I go to join with the team.~"

Falkenberg looks over at Porter. "So are we waiting for the Ungstiri with the speech impediment to deliver the device?"

Porter nods to Falkenberg, chuckling, then looks toward the Centauran. "Head out to the landing pad. Your scientist should be out there."

Sanhitlon bobs again, and floats towards the corridor.

A Kretonian fighter, it would appear, just narrowly misses striking the Minerva as it drops out of the sky overhead, lifts up at the last possible moment and then hits the landing pad, skidding.

Falkenberg looks through the viewport at the landing pad. "Um. Uh oh."

Porter grimaces as he watches the landing. "Yeah. Uh-oh is about right."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "Ops team, get out to the landing pad. Looks like there might be trouble."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "Retrieving the device now.""

Falkenberg leans on his console. "Well, I suppose it'd be too easy if those three fighters were the only activity we saw from the Kretonians. Which reminds me...if our new Moebius device only stops the effect, but doesn't reverse it, it would seem we're left with lots of problems. The remnants of a Kret battle fleet, a new ressurected hive mind and Kamir..."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "Any other volunteers would probably be helpful.""

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "We are deploying to the landing pad at thisss moment."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Gabriel says, "Copy that, moving out."

Porter shakes his head. "The Kamir are gone. The Hivers are gone. I'm all that's left of them."

Falkenberg narrows his eyes. "You?" He blinks several times. "But you seem...well...forgive me, Colonel, but you seem human enough."

"An Hiverzz chained to Otherzzpzce drifezz but the slimey thul." The lotarian considers, as he sets the ship into standby mode. "but all can be lived with ... azz long azz we have a univerzze to live in, and itzz too far away for me to walk back to minezz. At leazzt ..." tryklynn chuckles, "I don't have to worry for faginzz."

"You ever really thought about the Hivers and the Kamir, and how they acted?" Porter inquires, a faint smile on his face as he looks at Falkenberg. "Tell me THAT wasn't human."

Tryklynn looks to Porter then. "Zat means ... all that izz left iz Thul and their bugzzz."

Falkenberg eyes flash at Tryklynn for just a moment as he mentions Fagin, and then continues to look at Porter for a long moment. "I suppose that's true," he says. "And right now, our problem is Neidermeyer and the Thul. Tell me, Colonel, have you begun to wonder just what Neidermeyer is getting out of this whole mess?"

Vollerkin steps into the bridge, pausing only briefly to glance around, before moving toward Porter. He halts nearby, waiting for his moment to speak.

Porter nods. "I've been wondering. I just haven't quite figured it out."

Falkenberg nods slowly. "Well, if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say revenge may factor into the equation. I would not put it beyond the Thul to have told him that his self in this universe was killed not so long ago."

Vollerkin's eyes flicker about to each as they speak, before finalizing on Porter. Then, expression still the same as well as his silver glow, he speaks. "Excuse me, where would I be needed?"

Porter lifts his eyebrows at Falkenberg, then nods to Vollerkin. "You're with Volidana. Where she goes, you go."

"Very well." The Vollistan responds, nodding just a bit and turning abruptly to make his way toward the exit.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "Cargo secured."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "Acknowledged, Mr. Olivaw. Now we just have to find our destination."

Porter looks toward Falkenberg. "The device is secured."

Falkenberg nods. "All righty. Next stop, Crystal Cathedral." He keys in the liftoff sequence. "And on the bright side, we don't even have that bad-luck charm, Hess, lingering around."

Porter chuckles, then says, "Well, first we need to track down the cathedral." He looks toward Innokentevna. "Katya, looks like some excitement out there. Another Kretonian?"

Innokentevna steps in, a hand on the doorframe. "Syeryloshat Couriers ..." She then gives Falkenberg a dark and grim smile, looking to him past Porter. "Ve alvays make our teliferies." She then quickly turns her head to look back to the Colonel. "Vant me on zee Gray Horse vith her sensors or here on zee meenefa vith your folks."

The colonel shakes his head. "Stick with us, Katya. Our sensors are pretty good, even if we can't outrun Gray Horse."

Tryklynn bobobob his muzzle as Falkenberg starts his preparations. He diverts the ship's power back to her drives and her scanner arrays, whiskers twitching. "Flight izz back in your handzz, John Chrizztian Falkenbergzz."

Falkenberg eases the ship off the landing pad and heads for orbit. "I have a feeling finding the Cathedral might not be so tough," he says. "By now, Neidermeyer surely knows we are here."

The Minerva's thrusters fire and she lurches off the landing pad, heading toward Luna orbit.

Innokentevna nods then and steps back, "Mint eef I rait your commisary? Nefer hat a chance to replace zee gear McConnell took from me, almost a year ago."

"Zen I am dumpink pover back to shielts. he doezz not zzem like one to be friendly to guezztz." Trylynn's tail stabsat the controls, a sliding bar scale going from yellow to green as the Minerva's shields come up to full strength. Porter nods to Katya. "Help yourself."

Innokentevna says, "Spasiba ... " And just as quickly she ducks back out of the command center."

Falkenberg chuckles to Tryklynn. "No, friendly is not how I'd describe the Neidermeyer I knew," he says.

Porter smirks. "No. Not friendly at all."

Falkenberg checks the sensor readings. "Now in Lunar orbit. If he's out there, he's still cloaked, sensors are clear."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Volidana says, "Colonel Porter Sir? You want a guard detail on that device while we're otherwise engaged and um colonel sir will ou be leading the assult team? Perhaps you should clarify that before someone decides it's them sir"

Porter furrows his brow. "Take us around for a full orbit, scanners on full power. And watch for any kind of line-of-sight distortions. Don't want to hit it on accident."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "I'm leading the assault. And, yes, you and your Vollistan friend can guard the device for now."

Falkenberg chuckles. "Yeah, that might ruin our day. Once around the block, coming up." The ship circles the moon, and Falkenberg keeps a close eye out for distortions.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Gabriel says, "While we're feeling chatty, how about restricting what the damned reporter can film?"

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "I was wondering that myself."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "And ssstop broadcasting everything on that sspeaker Demarian."

Porter just shakes his head at the comm chatter.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "I believe you all just ensured the reporter can do just about anything she wants. She's got as much right to be here as any of you. Let her do her job, as long as she stays out of your way."

Falkenberg grunts. "When we go aboard this thing, those people go in front," he says, pulling his commlink from his ear.

Porter laughs.

Tryklynn leans back in his chair, straightening his whiskers with one paw. "I wonderzzz ... anythingzz we can do to stretch hizz energy resezess ... make him power up hizz zenzors, anything to cauzze a zztrain on hizz enegry uzzage." The lotarian leans forward, looking at the engineering systems. "Like ..." The engineer looks to Porter. "May I engage all our *active* zzcanning zzyztemz, Colonel. We are aperating on the baziz he Knowzz we are here, zo itzz won't make a differenzze announzing the factzz ... letzz zztrain hizz cloking devizze even *more*."

Porter shakes his head. "That will be a last resort. I don't assume he knows we're here yet."

Falkenberg nods. "Well, all right, Colonel, let's say we find him. What's the plan, exactly? Induce him to tell us where the first device is, or was, so we can send the second one there?"

"That's roughly the plan," Porter acknowledges. "We get in, bypass the defenses, capture Neidermeyer and his teleporter - we know he must have one, large enough to manage cargo - and then secure the base. We don't *need* Neidermeyer to tell us where the first one went, though. The Centauran scientist was imprisoned there."

Falkenberg nods slowly. "Well, my advice in dealing with a Neidermeyer is to make him think he'll benefit somehow if he doesn't kill us right away. I assume he thinks he still has something to gain, or he wouldn't have blown up Earth. But the bigger problem could turn out to be the Thul. They might not like us upsetting their slime cart."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "I think that the Demarian here has the hard location of the crystal cathedral."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "I am armed with ssome tear gasss canissterss, ssso we can usse thosse to route out hard defencesss if they are not usssing gass massskss."

"I know they won't," the colonel says, nodding. Then he lifts an eyebrow at the comm chatter.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Gabriel says, "Might I suggest that we procure that information as soon as possible, in that case."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "Which Demarian?"

Falkenberg narrows his eyes at the comm. "What Demarian are they talking about? I don't remember seeing any Demarians."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "The one who had his commlink blabbing everything loudly to everyone around."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "I think his name is Darktail, could be wrong."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "He's not on my passenger manifest. I want him on the bridge. Now."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "Roger that.""

Tryklynn considers a bit, looking back and forth between Falkenberg and Porter. "Will zuch a plan zurvive contact with the Cryzztal Palazze?" He lays his muzzle on the engineering console. "Thul ... " then he lifts his head and tags his commlink. Tryklynn speaks into his commlink.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Tryklynn says, "BIG MEOWZZZZZZ!"

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "What wasss that noisse jusst then?"

Tryklynn calls out in a bright chittering, "Big Meowwwz!" he looks up to porter, his whiskers standing out straight. he looks to Porter, nodding his head. "Big catzz perzzon, he wazz very important, only reazzon we all got out of Dezert, yezyezyez."

Daneel walks in, escorting the slightly fried Demarian.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Volidana says, " *chuckles* That was ship's engineer no worries...well plenty actually but not over tryk"

Porter gets up from the weapons console, walking aft toward the command chair. He nods to Daneel and Darktail as they arrive. "All right," the colonel says to the Demarian, "I'm told you know where the Crystal Cathedral is hiding. If you know, tell Mr. Falkenberg here so we can move in and deal with this...problem...once and for all."

Tarkovsky enters alongside Darktail. A smile plays once more over her lips as she glances across to Tryklynn. "Found him," she comments, flicking her eyes indicatively at the Demarian.

Falkenberg nods. "Let's get this over with. I hate flying in circles."

Tryklynn is in the engineering station, and is already spinning in his chair as the demarian enters. his ears snap up, and he nodnodnods to both the feline and Tarkovsky "Big meowzzz! Your back ... and only zzlightly charred!" He then chitters to Darktail's companion. "Zee ... good for you to be here!"

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Gabriel says, "Please ask your engineer to refrain from those outbursts. Don't need that once we hit dirt."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "We need to organissse a formation for initial deployment, how many of uss are there?"

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "As I recall, we aren't on the dirt yet - and *you* aren't in command. Relax and polish your rifle. We'll be there soon enough."

Daneel coughs as he hears Porter on the Comm.

The slightly fried Demarian follows, Tarkovsky in tow being tail. He allows his attention to stray around the bridge as he enters, that attention suddenly snapped back to the matter at paw by Porter's voice. A voice that causes him a little confusion for a moment. "Wait... /the/ Porter, but you're de..." He pauses, then just sighs with a smile, "...ed. Right. Apparently not. I won't ask. Hey Otterz!" Still, the time for catching up isn't now, and so the Demarian does as asked - heads over to Falkenberg. "Right, Crystal Cathedral. Let me see if I can remember... it... exactly..." A pause, a moment of silence, then a revelation: "In orbit of Thirty Five degrees north latitude; One hundred and thirty nine degrees east longitude."

Porter nods, then looks toward Falkenberg. "Let's go."

Falkenberg nods. "All righty..." he taps in a few commands. "Course plotted to those coordinates, and we're on our way." He keys in the thrusters.

"We'll see," Christine answers Tryklynn quietly. "But... this far at least has been good. The hardest part still to come though, perhaps."

"There is one thing I noticed though;" The Snowcat adds, looking back over his shoulder towards Porter. At once, his smile faulter, and his tail loses all life to hang limp behind him. "The control center of the station. I could see it through the hull... it was..." All warmth drains from his voice, "...slick with slime."

Porter frowns, then nods, speaking into his commlink.

Falkenberg chuckles. "That fits. Ol' Neddie made a deal with the Thul, exactly as I expected. Well, maybe we can rid ourselves of the slimy bastards once and for all."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "Katya, sounds like the Thul are on Crystal Cathedral. Darktail got visual confirmation of slime in the command center. Lots of it."

Daneel thinks for a moment. "I hope that doesn't mean what I /think/ it means..."

"Bugzzzz .. bugzz and zzlime. Onzze they get in a zzhip you mite azz well zellit for zzcrap." The lotarian looks up. "I have had to walk that type of deckzz too. Back on Comorro. Thul."

Daneel nods. "Figured. Well, better remind the others to wear their biohazard boots.

Tarkovsky looks back to Darktail and then across at Tryklynn again. "So Neidermeyer is either in league with them or... already past hope. That would be a shame, I wanted to..." She lets the darker thought trail off into silence, and slips her hand into her pocket, curling her fingers around the gun inside.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "Are thessse "Thul" telepathic or sssomthing?" Daneel spoke that last part sarcasticly, and so doesn't leave the command center.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "Thul aren't telepathic, last I heard."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "Just evil."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Innokentevna says, "I'll be zere, at your back, at your site. Fife hours ... a hantful ov meenutes. But eet vas *mine*."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Falkenberg says, "They have a thing for slime and bugs, and have technology beyond anything available to us."

"How does the saying go? You can't change the devil; the devil changes you..." Earth saying. How apt. It's something that Darktail doesn't really notice though, looking back between Tarkovsky, Porter, Tryklynn, and then back ahead again. "Or something. First the Guardian Fleet and Neidermeyer, then the Nall, then the Krets, and finally the Thul and Neidermeyer. Full circle."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Vollerkin says, "Are the Thul prone to using psi-blockers?"

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "Are they likely to be vulnerable to tear gasss? Or sshould I jusst dump thosse to ssave on weight?"

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Falkenberg says, "I've never seen evidence of their being vulnerable to anything. Now quiet down or I'll crash this thing into the damned invisible base."

Daneel says, "You know. I remember watching the Rocky mountains on a trip once to Colorado Springs as a child. They were beautiful. I wonder what they look like now."

Falkenberg slows the ship down. "We're approaching the coordinates, but I don't see anything."

"Like they were then," Darktail drytones, "Only more overcast. It's out there. Trust me, it's out there..." The Snowcat watches the viewscreen, waiting for any glimpse or hint of it being there that he can compare with his own experience of it. "...it had better bloody be, anyhow."

Tarkovsky looks up then across to Daneel. "A month ago, Earth had blue skies again," she says, quietly, sadly. "One of the few things I don't regret from my stay was seeing those again. Nowhere else are they the right colour." She shakes her head slowly, turning to study the viewscreen. "Gone. Burned again. By Neidermeyer." Her eyes study the screen, watching for the first sign of his station.

The Minerva has arrived at her destination in orbit of Luna, but there is no sign of the Crystal Cathedral. Just the dying Earth, the desolate Luna, and a blanket of ebon scattered with stars. Then, after a few moments, there is a shimmering - like heat haze wafting across the chill starscape - and then...it's there. Uncloaked, a crystalline pyramid attached to a crystalline tube, linked to a bulbous docking bay of some kind, made of the same transparent steel material. The station looks a lot like what an X-ray of a normal base might look like, complete with conduits and twists of electronic cabling.

"Zztartzz with Thul and the otherzzpace drive ... endzz with Thul." As Trklynn speaks. he brings up the Minerva's pasive scanner array, looking for any signs of the palace ... and then he focuses them, trying to get a full readout of the tations capabilities. none the least of hints of weapons locks.

"That's the badger," Darktail notes with a smile - as if it weren't all that obvious anyhow. "Hangar, cargo bay..." He pauses, leans in a little closer, then points to a pyramid shaped location within the core of the Station. A location slick with smile. "...command center."

Porter nods. "Take us in, Mr. Falkenberg."

Daneel ewws. "You would think that even a dying government would hire a maid to take care of that thing.

Falkenberg nods. "All righty. Buckle up." He sets course for the docking bay, and eases the throttle foreward.

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "Ground group, prepare for docking,"

Daneel sits down in a chair, but not strapping in.

Porter rests a hand on the arm of the command chair, awaiting the landing.

Tarkovsky's eyes narrow as she studies the station on the screen, looking to the spot Darktail indicates. "Looks a fair way in... Undoubtedly we're in for a firefight to get there." She glances up at Darktail for a moment, seeming to draw some strength from his presence, then follows Daneel's example and sinks into the nearest vacant seat.

Darktail remains standing, allowing feline agility to compensate for and turbulance and jolts that shake the ship on their way in. After all, he's been sat in a cramped cockpit for the past month or so, shooting down Kretonians. Standing here, on this bridge, is a welcome vacation... if only a brief one. "...and all I ask is a tall ship." he whispers with a smile.

"And a star to steer her by." Christine completes the ancient words in a matching whisper as she watches the station nearing on the screen.

Tryklynn keps a tally on the ship's systems as they approach, swining a sensor system repeater in front as they approach. "All zzyzztemzz are nizze and green ..." His small black ears are up and forward. he then blinks and looks to Darktail. "I wouldzz not call Minerva tallzz ... zzhe izz more long than tall, yezyezyez."

Falkenberg smiles a wicked smile. "This is my favorite part," he says, and throws the throttle full against its stops, diving the ship toward the docking bay. He dodges and jukes a few times to avoid any fire, and then heads at high speed into the bay, rotating the ship around as he keys in the retro rockets and the landing thrusters. The ship slides into the bay facing outward, and settles down gently.

Daneel looks over to the pair, and smiles, then chuckles at Tryks comment. There is no defensive fire from the station as the Minerva arrives.

Daneel says, "I'll see you all below."

Daneel heads out the hatch.

Porter nods to Daneel, then looks toward Falkenberg. "Staying or going?"

Falkenberg stands up. "Are you kidding? I'm going."

Tryklynn says, "Shieldzzz up, drivezzz to zztandby ..." Tryklynn diverts the power from navigation back to his console. He turns to Porter. "Zzhe'll be ready whenzz you need herzzz ... unlezz you need a teknozz for the devizze?""

Tarkovsky rises smoothly from her seat, a slight nod of acknowledgement to Daneel. She turns to the Demarian and looks up once more to see him. "Ready to enter the fray once again?" she asks, with a slight ironic smile.

Porter shakes his head at Tryklynn. "The device stays on the Minerva until the ops team secures the station. You can help guard the device until we're ready."

"Taller than the Wildcat was." The Snowcat notes, glancing back upon his Lotarian friend, before looking back out to the crystal monolith before them, whiskers standing on end as the memory becomes reality once more, and then some. Outside in. New concept. "...I'll stay here, I think." Darktail notes back to Christine after a moment of compensation, "Keep a paw on the ship in case you need to depart in a sharpish manner, with Colonel Porter's purrmission, that is. Besides, they might need some cavalry at some point; a role I seem to be quite good at."

Porter chuckles, nodding to Darktail. "All right, help the Lotorian." He looks toward Falkenberg. "C'mon, before our passengers start beating each other to death with their egos." He walks up the steps from the well, toward the corridor. "I'll meet you all in the shuttlebay. Need to grab some armor. If I get shot again without armor, Dierdre is going to skin me alive."

Falkenberg nods, and heads out. "See you there."

"Besides, I just crashed a fighter." Darktail notes as he scoots around to claim /another/ pilots seat, and take the helm of another ship. "...which tires a kitty out. Especially now the adrenaline is wearing off. I'm /really/ going to be sore..."

A short while later…

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Falkenberg says, "Colonel...if you happen to stop by the mess hall...pick up some salt."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Daneel says, "*cackles*"

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Falkenberg says, "I'm serious."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Porter says, "One shaker of salt, coming right up."

/ SPECOPMOEBIUS / Giirvoth says, "I have two dayss rationss in my webbing, there iss a packet of ssalt in each one I think? Ssomewhere in the dietry ssubliment bit in any casse, although I probably sstripped thosse out to ssave weight."