Stories from the beyond

[Gesar]

"Leave it to Our Lady of Flames, huh?" Olivera was grinning at the little light show provided for the United Nations and their constituency.

Zevoa permitted herself a small smile, knowing what was to come. "'Know that Paradise is a shade of swords,'" she quoted. "Perhaps our friends have learned their own form of Libertas better than we have."

"Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that we have God-knows-how-many Cossacks breathing down our neck because they want their boys back, and then the only ones who aren't necessarily looking to pick a fight because they can't see the proverbial forest for the trees are...well, you know what happened."

"Would you want it any other way? The munafiq have showed their hand, and in turn, we've dealt another round."

Olivera hadn't quite gotten the metaphor. "So this is what, the ante?"

"Wrong game." The Subcommander chuckled hoarsely. "You know as well as I do our answer to the Russians. Remind them that the clock's ticking...and while they're considering that, get everybody to work. Miss Isidora has done us the liberty of providing me everything necessary about our new sentient kin and our touchdown location, and it would be such a shame to let it go to waste."

Her lover frowned then, somewhat unwilling to be the one to give Ivan the bad news. "And the rest of them?"

"The rest of them can burn in Jahannum for all I care. The farce of our ironically-named expedition is over. We've got a world or two to win."

[Langben]

Aboard Chinese Destroyer "惛怓"

...They have another saying in the Federal Space Service, "笨天生的一堆肉" or "stupid inbred stack of meat". It's uses were less rigorous than the traditional witticisms of Naval Command, but often referred to a superior officer stricken by inaction. The waiting was driving Chen Lin mad, frustration boiling into mutinous thoughts of abandoning the Zhong Jiang and taking his subfleet off on his own course, then rationalizing how long his command could possibly last once the precedent for betrayal had been set amongst his zealous crew, and as he turned again to his distaste for his immediate superiors, he considered those beneath him who must be sharing similar dark thoughts for him.

Back to seething frustration, the cycle beginning anew.

The Da Xiao and his command were very much a combat detachment. While isolation scenarios hadn't gone entirely unconsidered in his training, the complexities of this scenario and the extrapolation of consequences was not a productive mental pursuit for him in this moment. Lin required some kind of order to begin framing objectives and pursuing goals.

[Iss'fayn]

UN RESOLUTION XXXX
MOVEMENT TO PRESERVE PEACEFUL FIRST CONTACT

RECOGNIZING that the Prometheus Expedition has discovered an alien planet and peoples
RECOGNIZING that this alien species is sentient, sapient, and civilized
RECOGNIZING that first contact with these peoples has been made

Also

RECOGNIZING that Interplanetariál and Russian Federation vessels have begun construction of structures on the surface of this alien world
RECOGNIZING that the Interplanetariál fleet has deployed a VLA of autonomous munitions to deny a significant region of LPO from other arms of the Prometheus Expedition

The NAU Fleet Arm of the Prometheus Expedition proposes:

ARTICLE I: NON-AGGRESSION

-Prometheus Expedition members will refrain from military action against these alien peoples, except in cases of self-defense
-Prometheus Expedition members will refrain from military action against each other, except in cases of self-defense

ARTICLE II: FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT

-Prometheus Expedition members will be allowed free movement across the planet and its orbital regions
-Should the Interplaneteriál fleet wish to maintain their VLA for surveillance purposes, all ships must be allowed passage without regard to nationality

ARTICLE III: CESSATION OF ILLEGAL SETTLEMENT

-Prometheus Expedition members will make no effort to create permanent structures on the surface of the planet unless explicitly given permission by the appropriate planetary authorities

Signatories:
Ryo-Long Kim Co., CECO TPP-NAU Prometheus Expedition

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fr: Mani.Kalle/#Lumumba/#IPSF#UNPrometheus.
To: #Commanders/#UNPrometheus.

+++MESSAGE BEGINS+++

The Interplaneterial recognises all claims relating to Bozito and the Awantu stated at the beginning of this resolution.

The Interplaneterial recognises the claim that structures are being built upon the surface of Bozito. These structures are of a semi-permanent nature and are for the provision of food and water. They have no military purpose or permanent habitational purpose at this time.

The Interplaneterial refutes the claim that the VLA is anything other than a scientific endeavour. Interference with Interplaneterial deployed assets anywhere will be taken as an act of direct aggression and will be responded to as a declaration of war.

The Interplaneterial is in support of Article 1.

The Interplaneterial rejects Article 2. The Interplaneterial believes that bilateral negotiations between interested parties will see the resolution of the VLA issue without need for recourse to UN politics.

The Interplaneterial rejects Article 3. The request to legitimise structures depends on the linguistic resources those structures are providing. The definition of the term 'Illegal Settlement' is also dubious. The location of the Sun Yat-Sen would be classifiable as 'International Waters' by Earth law. The Sun Yat-Sen is not intended to perform a role as a permanent habitation, but rather a resupply base for the time being. Therefore the Interplaneterial refutes the claim that the location of the Sun Yat-Sen is either illegal, or definable as a settlement.

Therefore The Interplaneterial votes NO on Resolution XXXX

With Bolivarian Greetings,
Captain Mani Kalle,
IPV Patrice Emory Lumumba
+++MESSAGE ENDS+++

[Smyg]

Aboard the MARQUETTE

"Dawkins", Dr. Mason ordered. "Send out a broadcast to the expedition commands. We're going down."

Abidah was quiet for a moment. "Make contact with the insurrectionaries, too."

____

TO ALL DE FACTO PROMETHEUS OPERATIONAL CHIEFS

• The Non-Aligned Movement will land on the planet shortly.
• Reason: Supplies running low, malfunctions in productive systems.
• Expect starvation within immediate period, long-term system failure.
• All efforts will be made to ensure no contact with intelligent lifeforms.
• All efforts will be made to ensure no permanent damage to ecosystem.
• Advise to all fellow Prometheus crews: Granting fire = Risk of eagles.

[Flamelord]

RE: Regarding Proposed American Resolution

The European Federation votes YES, with regards to Article 1, YES with regards to Article 2, and NO, with regards to Article 3.

To: United Nations
From: EUROPEAN Federation Fleet Arm

We are currently preparing to transfer all data we have recovered from this planet thus far, with regards to the biosphere, ecology, the native life, as well as linguistic data, to collectively further efforts to understand the native population and ease our efforts to communicate with them, as well as prevent biological tragedies. This is all our problem now, and as such we feel it best to relay this information for a cooperative effort.

[Mathuen]

Lieutenant Xie walked down the corridor, her boots firmly clanking on the metal paneling so as not to slip on the tactical gel unceremoniously strewn across it. She couldn't well walk out of the way as she was following the gel to its source, the office of her commanding officer, Commodore Manling Qiu. As she reached the door to her office Xie paused and put up an ear to listen. there was a dead silence on the other end finally broken by some sort of sloshing sound and an eventual "enter" from the other side.

Entering into the Commodore's office Xie saw that she sat on the ground in a puddle of her own making. Tactical gel was still flowing out of her pores and even out of the corners of her eyes, but she paid it no mind.

"Lieutenant." she said, staring at Xie as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"The fleet has entered orbit and is awaiting instructions." Xie replied, her speech accented with pauses as she tried not to comment on her superior's appearance.

"There are no instructions." Was the only reply. With that Qiu turned her gaze away from Xie and focused her attention to a single metal star that was in her hands. She was rubbing the star, which had a worn grey color, with her thumb, tactical gel sliding on and off with every stroke.

"I'm sorry ma'am?" Xie almost stammered. "How can there be no instructions? We are on a clearly outlined mission that ha-" she got out before being cut off.

"The mission as it stands has no further instructions because it no longer exists. Yes, the Federal Congress and the Chairs of the Central Military Commission clearly and nigh legalistically plotted out every single point of our mission. Arrive. Secure Orbit. Observe the planet for the first six months. Make slow and peaceful contact. Preserve the Biosphere. So on and so forth." Qiu paused and breathed as if to spite the air. The sudden silence that followed like a hammer smashing what was left of the martial formality in the room.

"Tell me, which of the following besides the first one has even been remotely accomplished? None, and given that no one in the one thousand page manifesto outlining our mission seemed to have thought of 'what if cultists start taking over ships, dropping bodies into the biosphere, start a crash first contact, and lead to missiles and near orbital warfare breaking out in the first day' everything is now dead on arrival. We literally have no orders for anything."

"Then what do we do?" Xie dropped even the most informal of honorifics as if to make the question more real. What even could be done? The military was a branch of the bureaucracy, the corporate structure, it had clear guidelines and rules, and rules within those rules, and further subsections within those rules within THOSE rules. Without the order and purpose of clear command there was nothing.

"The only thing we even can do. The one thing we, Chinese, know better than anyone else." Qiu threw the metal star over to Xie who caught it deftly. "Do you know what that is?" she asked.

"No." Xie muttered as she ran her fingers across the star, feeling the lines that raised out from all of its points that came together at the center. On that center point two symbols were engraved, 八一. "I mean, i've seen metal stars of course, but none that looked like this."

"It's a piece of an old medal. That's the insignia of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the old People's Republic of China. In fact, that dates back over 300 years, to the first of my ancestors to serve. Just two decades earlier my family had come over from an African country called Mozambique and before we knew it we had become a military family. It's been passed down each generation to the first member of my family to take up the service, so long now that the red and gold on it has worn away. Do you understand what i'm saying?"

Xie said nothing. Truth be told she had no idea what the Commodore was going on about. What did she mean by there was something "we" knew better than anyone else, and why would she use some communist relic to talk about it? Xie shuddered, maybe something had happened to the Commodore in suspension, maybe she "popped". Xie had heard about it before, gel bursting capillaries in the brain causing aneurisms and mental decay. Xie felt her deepest mind begin to panic before it was suddenly quieted as Qiu's lips moved.

"Time" Qiu said matter of factly. "We understand the true weight of time more than the foreigners ever could. To them a year is an aeon, three hundred years is an eternity. We have stood for countless generations and thousands of years, time is our kingdom. Right now as the other states and those cultists make their play they are only thinking of the next day, the next week, the next year, They want to seize an orbit, they want to force a contact, they want to build and claim land and think that they can hold it, but -"

"-but that won't matter a decade from now, let alone a century" Xie finished Qiu's thought, finally realizing the weight of it. She looked down at the medal in her hand and understood. The PRC is dead, its dreams and ambitions gone like rock worn down by the sea, but China remains. The powers will squabble over the planet and their own little ideas until they are dead, but the planet will remain and will soon forget them and all their struggle.

"Exactly, so you understand what we need to do. The mission is dead, now the only thing that is important remains, we must make every move from now on with the goal of securing the future. Central Commission and Congress be damned."

"Yes, yes. I understand commodore." Xie straightened herself as she felt the shudders and goosebumps that had just plagued her seconds before melting away. "I will communicate this new mission to the fleet, but what should be our first order of business? Initiating contact for ourselves?"

"No. Contact is the least important thing right now, we'll be able to contact the planet at any time. What poses the most risk to our fleet and the future of this planet is the matter of the cultists and their stolen ships. They are short-sighted and certifiably insane and pose the greatest point of risk for everyone." Qiu finally rose to her feet, what remained of the tactical gel flowed off of her like water on a dog that had just recently shook its fur. She walked over to a nearby panel to look at a fleet display.

"Fabian tactics" she muttered. "Lieutenant, our first order is to send several small ships out to shadow the stolen ships, follow their every move, allow the cultists to see them, but do not engage" Xie listened intensively but then had to ask.

"Yes, but Commodore, Fabian tactics are generally meant for tracking larger forces. The cultists are smaller than us. What is the more long-term purpose of tracking them individually?"

Qiu began to trace her fingers across the fleet display, not immediately responding to Xie. Her fingers were alive on the screen, seemingly mocking out the future movements of ships days and weeks into the future. Eventually she came to the center of the display, rested her hand, and smiled.

"They're like a crab, scurrying away, and we're like a giant rock being carried about. It takes time and patience to finally get them in a basket or really anywhere less troublesome. However, when the crab finally stops running, and the rock finally hangs above them, well..."

"大石笮死蟹"

[Mathuen]

RE: American Proposal

The Federal Chinese ExoMission votes YES, with regards to Article 1, YES with regards to Article 2, and YES, with regards to Article 3.

-----------

"Commodore, why are we saying yes to the entire proposal?"

"Because on paper it is a good idea and if we ever have to break it we can always beg forgiveness. Remember, beg forgiveness don't ask permission."

[BgKnight]

Standby for transmission from the United Nations Command and Control ship.

Thank you!

***Exerts from UN Mission CnC Meeting #289***

So far it seems we have more and more information emerging every day for these creatures. They don't seem to be aggressive towards us, but we have detected heavy activity by a few of the states. Specifically the war between the two yellows in the south over the corps of the Empire seems to be increasing in scope, as a few more states are roped in and the fires of the fronts become visible to our satellites. Another interesting thing is the amount of communication between the states has tripled since our arrival, we have daily reports of interchanging communication sent between the states, and especially from and to states where we are present over.

Interestingly enough, their large cities don't seem to have a single centralized capital city or anything, it seems to us that that they don't even have the concept of a capital, because none of the cities we monitored all over the planet exhibited the signs of a capital city. Another observation aquired is that there are no personal homes, vehicles or ships, everything seems to be communal, their houses are massive compounds filled with the xenos, they seem to herd in large groups, travel in big heavy vehicles that take up more then just a few individuals and the sea-going vessels also are similarly large. That would explain the lack of any air-travel method discovered, they simply cannot make something communal fly.

Our scientists are speculating that this herding and swarming that they are exhibiting might mean their ancestor is not a mammals, but rather insects. And if they are mammals, they are certainly not a hunter, herds are usually not met in hunter gatherer species like humanity. While predators hunt in packs, they rarely behave like a herd. This all suggests that these creatures are, indeed, herbivores. So following this discovery, by all means whenever possible avoid displaying to the creatures that we are predators. Because if they are indeed herbivores and they evolved into an intelligent species that basically has risen to the top of the food chain, then it is possible that these creatures have an intensely primordial fear towards predators and we would rather not risk a violent confrontation.

Linguists from all over the Prometheus fleet are working on translating the language, we have advances on various fronts, some groups may succeed sooner then others but we expect to be able to communicate with he aliens in 2-3 months tops. The United Nations hereby declares the southern-eastern ocean to be a neutral zone for meetings, a landing by United Nations ships is in process and we will begin construction of a joint facility where we can monitor the world and keep tabs on all human activity. Any human activity found acting outside of established rules of conduit by the Human powers will be met with a response by the United Nations.

Remember, we are not here to enslave, we are here to protect.

>End transmission

[Coin]

In an age when technology had revolutionised even human thought processes, it was difficult to stay out of touch. Admiral Zavoyko had learned this the hard way on multiple occasions, from an interrupted honeymoon to a simulated emergency halfway through a drinking session back on Earth. But here, potentially billions of light years from the rest of humanity, the Republican Marshal of the Russian Promethean Taskforce was learning it all over again as he tried to give the view of the Sorokin Islands, coming rapidly into view through the cockpit window of the shuttle, his full attention.

"Bridge this is Zavoyko. Order the shuttles to reroute vectors via secondary route. Yes. And ensure we keep eyes on the heavies. Approaching Alpha now. No more interruptions unless absolutely necessary. Advise FCC to reconvene when hailed by me."

The silence for the next few moments was only broken by the occasional rattle of the kit in the rear. He was seated in the cockpit, the pilot at the helm. A promising and skilled young Venusian Russian - Yaroslavovna? - she soon broke what she might be afraid was an indication of dissatisfaction with her flying.

"Not exactly first class I'm afraid Admiral Zavoyko, sir. Complimentary teas are off the cards at the moment."

"Perhaps one day we can have them reinstated, pilot. For now I'm more interested in keeping an eye on our destination. That it on the horizon? I'd check my NavHub, but that'd feel like cheating."

"Sure is. The peak - as the briefings will have mentioned - is Mount Georgiy. We're a couple of minutes down the road, so to speak."

The Sorokin Islands. Named for the first human to have made contact with these aliens, at least as far as they knew. Certainly, first among the Prometheus Fleet. Zavoyko had kept an eye on any promotions that might be in the offing in the Guards. They were a barren pair of islands - in the north-western (according to the standard UN maps) region of the world, but sparsely populated. After several recon missions, the admiral had approved Stage II of FC Protocol 4A for them - entrenchment.

The shuttle landed in the now standardised landing bay of with barely a clunk. Unstrapping himself, he exited via the rear bay doors, glad to be able to stretch the legs, and feel the blast of cool air enter the hold. His guard had already lined up outside. Stepping into the alien sun, on an alien world, he viewed with his own eyes what he'd studied for hours from the bridge and his own quarters.

A grinning, stout figure greeted him and saluted. Behind him, the Russian flag flapped in the breeze nostalgically.

"Admiral Zavoyko. Captain Sorokin at your command. Welcome, sir, to Sorokin Base Alpha."

[Iss'fayn]

+Aboard IPV Gustavo Gutierrez+

His Holiness knelt before the altar, praying silently as the rumbling vibrations of the ship echoed and rattled through the chapel. The smell of the incense and the sight of the swinging censor that chattered and bounced on it's chains made the priest cross himself before standing. Julio Morales was a Bolivarian, for sure. But he was also a devout Christian, even if the Papal Conclave on Earth did not recognise his church. The squalor of Neza-Chalco-Itza had bore him into the world, and the endless war in the Tharsis hills had forged him. He muttered a prayer to god that Gustavo Gutierrez would survive his arrival relatively intact.

He felt a message from his pilot, and then blinked softly. He responded verbally. "What do you mean turbulence?"
A beat. A soft smile. Then he accessed the ship-board PA.

"This is the captain. We're having a little problem with our entry sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and then... explode."

Julio Morales paused and considered which sin he had committed. Arguably, he thought, he was a fan of all seven.

Gustavo Gutierrez stopped his moaning and groaning and the vibrations reduced as the atmospheric breaking took effect. He opened a direct channel to Sun Yat-Sen.

"Lucy, this is Padre. We're going to skim the waves, what's the clearance on the awantu vessels?"
"About 50 metres. The size of these big pigs they're floating out, they'll not be tossed over by a bow wave unless you're part submerged."
"We're not shaving the vector that fine."
"See you in five."

Arshia Javadi chimed on his message board. The Mullah and the Padre got on reasonably well, they had more in common than not, but this did not stop the odd poke.

"Subhanallah you will not drown before you arrive. I am the one who is meant to be submersing, not yourself."
"Very funny Arshia."
"Perhaps you'd consider converting Julio?"
"I'm happy with my version of events. And you know the rules."
"I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it."
"Yup. Now believe I'm going to park this bucket of bolts without detonating a fusion reaction over the ocean."
"We already detonated one in the ocean. I am sure the awantu are happy to know we are here. I'm having to go swimming because they're making a quarantine around us."

Julio checked his maps. Arshia was right. "Probably worth while upgrading the Sun Yat-Sen's point defence guns."
"I'll talk to you about it later. We have to go for our little swim."
"Don't convert too many awantu Arshia. Leave some for me."
"Very funny."

[Flamelord]

Aboard the Roald Amundsen

"...We have successful touchdown, sir."

A sigh of relief came from the bridge crew as Bikki, the fleet's AI, related the news to them. It had been nerve wracking, one of their important ships descending through the atmosphere to the planets surface, and the outpost that had been established there by the European Legion. But now the worry was over, and they could relax with the knowledge that the ship had made it without incident.

"I told you," Freida said with a triumphant grin as she looked around at everyone else. "One should not doubt the power of German engineering."

Vittorio looked over at her with a suspicious eye. "But I thought that ship was made in Iberia," he pointed out, much to her annoyance. For being a unified country, the various portions of Europe still had their differences and cultural clashes. German industriousness happened to be one of them.

"You win this round," Freida returned with a narrowed gaze, much to his amusement. It was all in good fun, and that was fine, so long as it didn't interfere with normal operations.

"Sorry to interrupt, Bikki said as the AI flared to life on one of the monitors, digital avatar waving to them all, but the ground team wants some scientists. Apparently the locals decided it would be best to not stick around when the aliens are landing, and they're leaving us one of their cities. Bikki herself was something of a joker, for an AI anyway, but her pranks were more harmless than dangerous, unerringly on that side as well.

Vargas nodded from the captain's chair, noticeably better off now that he had had the opportunity to sleep and the crisis was settling down into something resembling a new normal. "They'll have it." This could be important into understanding the aliens they found themselves living with.

Just another day in the life of colonizers.

[Iss'fayn]

+aboard IPV Malcolm X+

Zola licked the runny, cool shock-gel off her fingertips, glancing sidelong at the other woman who shared the flight tray next to hers. They were both naked as the day they were born, since clothing tended to mess with the flow of shock-gel. As the ever humid air of the ship blew through their tray-bay Zola stared for a moment. Then with a soft chuckle, she flicked a glob across the cramped corridor and landed it on the dark, large nipple of the other woman. Her name was Caroline and whilst stellar fleet discipline meant the both the horseplay or nudity weren't issues, she made Zola's heart race. Caroline's big brown eyes stared at Zola for a moment, and then she slowly stood up and stepped across the small gap between their trays. Caroline's slender fingers gripped Zola's shoulders firmly, as Zola smiled and Caroline smiled back. Zola leant forward slightly, pursing her lips. Caroline pecked her lightly on the lips and then shoved her back into the cool gel. Zola let out a little scream and then laughed, pulling the other woman into her tray, feeling the warmth of her body pressing against her own as Caroline clambered atop her. A deep kiss followed, as their hands began to explore one another. Then the tac light flashed red and the tray walls rose up again. Zola looked to Caroline for a moment and shifted onto her side. It would be tight, but it wouldn't be unpleasant. Caroline squirmed around quickly, moving so they were lying tops and tails in the tray as gel sprayed in through the nozzles mounted at the top and bottom. Zola took the time to admire her athletic form, a soft bite of her lip and a lingering gaze leaving her quite surprised when she felt a hand slide between her own thighs. She reciprocated quickly as she felt the ship begin to move. This definitely wouldn't be unpleasant...

+Aboard IPV Patrice Emory Lumumba+


Mani Kalle took a pull on his water, then willed the tube to retract. He spoke, even as the cool shock-gel clogged his throat. "Adjust geo-stationary attribute of fleet component including VDA to 40,000, 90, 192, 21." He felt the slug of ice drop into Lumumba's reactor, the rattling vibration that was ever present through the ship underwent a subtle change whenever the ship was put into motion. He heard the chatter, the pilots, the technicians, the commanders, all co-ordinating their vessels to keep the formation moving. The shuttles could tag along on their drives, he didn't intend to move too far.

End result of manoeuvre


+Aboard IPV Malcolm X+

As quickly as the walls had gone up, the walls had gone down. Zola smiled to Caroline, her chest heaving as she sat up and leant forward. Caroline sat up to, and the pair of them shared another deep kiss. Zola broke it after a moment, and then ran a hand through the gel-clogged hair on Caroline's head. "Let's go get cleaned up?" Caroline laughed. "I could go for that..."

[Snacks]

Ken Ō, a.k.a. @YouWantSomeWang, was a simple man, with simple desires. He needed to support himself, and the Burned Woman's people provided him with shelter and food as long as he contributed somehow. He liked what he did for a living and enjoyed being challenged, and his work with encryption and as a telemetry engineer for the cult had provided it in spades. Hell, even though he hadn't gone looking for a job that paid in respect, most of the people he'd met were nice enough and genuinely seemed to appreciate him being there, despite him being pretty new and not really buying their whole religion thing (they did seem pretty happy, though, he had to admit). Lastly, though, he liked having time to devote himself to his hobbies: if it weren't obvious by the lengths he had gone to for the sake of a legacy account dating to the twenty-first century, Twitter was a particular favorite of his.

It wasn't the most popular platform, of course, but that wasn't what made him appreciate his pastimes. Like non-digital paintings, or analog watches, it was... timeless, in his eyes. Through this platform, Humanity had documented every major event and revolution since the twenty-first century, as it happened, for future curating. It would not die out here, so far from Sol's internet either: despite its somewhat niche standing, all these ships' networks were based on older systems: the code for regional Twitter nodes was still there, in almost all of them. Enough to form a network, enough to make sure they went through.

He smiled to himself as his friend Hisao stepped into their shared office space, raising an eyebrow, "You still here? You heard that second-shift comms crew is up now, since we've landed and all, right?"

He shrugged, "Yeah, just knew that I'd have the place to myself since you'd all be off celebrating or cleaning off shock-gel."

"Fair enough, I'm just back to grab my jacket. The new comms chief, Sheena, talked me into some committee attempt to race the AI and see who can crack the natives' language first. You want to come with?"

Ken pulled off his glasses, wiping them clean, "Thanks, but I'm good: I doubt the cryptographer's approach to language would be much help in this case. Besides, after all the hours they've had us working, I was just gonna unwind by giving those true blue Prometheus tightasses a piece of our mind."

"That sounds...like something we definitely shouldn't be doing, dude."

Ken waved it off. If there was one thing he'd learned by now, it was where the line was and the importance of not crossing it. As long as you knew that, your superiors were surprisingly indulgent in letting you do as you would, "Don't worry, I cleared it and everything. Anyway, they can't trace it: even if I weren't rerouting it in triplicate before even sending it through the scatternet, the IP is scrambled. I know this shit, bro. Besides, uh..." He tugged at his shirt's collar, "the BW caught wind of it somehow, and now it'd probably be pretty bad to get a case of the nerves and back out. You know how it goes."

Hisao rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I know how you getting yourself into these messes goes. But I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle. I'll let you get to it, we both know you'll do fine." He pulled on his jacket and left.

Turning back to his terminal, Ken let out a breath, adjusted his glasses and grinned: he was gonna enjoy this.

---

Across the scattering Prometheus fleet, dedicated UN channels were intercepted, video feeds overlaid with a scrolling secondary feed.

[Gesar]

Only a few moments later, a reply was sent from an anonymous, unidentifiable twitter feed.

[BgKnight]

+Aboard UNS Copernicus+

Jonathan was running on the treadmill. All United Nation ships had a complex gym and every crew-member had a routine, if you stayed in the shock-gel for too long your body started to weaken, even though the effect was heavily delayed compared to actually living in space, it was there.

As he ran, the treadmill next to him came to life as well, he looked sideways and came face to face with Director Iñaki Cardona, causing him to stiffen and mumble "G-g'day s-sir." Everyone feared the Director, the Basque had grown and lived in the European Union zones in Spain after the heavy civil war. Even though the Europeans won and the Basques received an autonomous zone in European Hispania, ETA continued its attacks and it was in this place of fear that Cardona grew up.

His brown eyes stared directly in the soul of Jonathan, but while they seemed almost made out of stone, the lower part of his face had turned into a smile. "Good day to you two Jonathan." He turned forwards and begun his job and Jonathan continued his.

After a couple of minutes like that, the Director spoke "What do you think of our situation Jonathan?"

"I... well... the United Nations is here to preserve peace and..."
"I asked a question, I don't expect you to quote me the directives... lets try this again, what do you think of our situation?"
"We are fucked." Jonathan was surprised how easily that came out.
"That we are." he was even more surprised that the Director agreed. "How do you think we can unfuck ourselves?"
"I..." he said as his treadmill stopped and he turned to the Director, who wasn't looking at him and continued his run. "I think we should do what we were here for, Director. Not to let the nations play around in their global game of chess, but direct and enforce."
"We have no offensive capabilities."
"We have Copernicus and his EMPs."
"So you are saying we should start zapping human ships out of the sky?"
"Yes sir, we can't stand by while they turn this world into another Africa."
"That you are right..." the Director said as he stopped his treadmill "...in the meanwhile, I will do what I can to coordinate the fleet. So far I have seen nothing hostile on behalf of Human ships. Thank you for your input soldier."
"I thank you, sir."

United Nation Directive #7889, Prometheus

To all UN member-states and signatory nations. From this point forward, the planet, dubbed Prometheus III, is under the protection of the United Nations Peacekeeping force. The charter of human rights will be extended to the alien species, meaning that any nation that engages in violent, genocidal or otherwise aggressive actions against the native population unprovoked will face repercussions form the United Nations Peacekeeping Force.

Debating and organization as per the United Nations Council on earth is allowed, to that extent, the United Nation force currently present on the south-eastern corner of the official UN map of the planet is in the process of constructing a meeting hall and a dock where delegates from all nations present can discuss and reach an agreement. Any nation that refuses to sent delegates will not be considered a representative of its earthly counterpart and in return will be forced to comply with UN restrictions and resolutions without representation.

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The ship wailed as it submerged itself in the ocean, the small ships in the UN fleet have been going on with this for a while, pressurizing the vessels and entering underwater to work on the supports for the base. It has taken a few months but it was now fully operational, with an underwater docking station for the ships as to avoid showing them off to the aliens, the building itself was like a mushroom above the water, but it didn't loom too much over the water to avoid scaring the natives. Or as the term was adapted by the UN, the Awantu.

The United Nations Headquarters on Prometheus III was finished and operational.