Episode 8

[Bynw]

[19:44]<Bynw> *Raith is aboard the "Waterloo", a covert ship of the ISD. Where his ship is undergoing some upgrades for his coming missing meeting with the Klade
[19:47]<Bynw> *Raith is invited to take part in the upgrade process. Including the engineering factors. After all, if there is a mechanical failure, he will have to repair it himself.*
[19:55]<Bynw> *mechanically the jump drive is very similar. save for better components, some extra redundancies and a rearangement*
[19:55]<+Raith> ::Oversee's the install::
[19:58]<Bynw> *Raith, not only gets to oversee it but also puts in a few days work into as well. One of the ISD men tells him* "Mechanically, the Klade jump drive is very similar to our own. On the ship we have, there are some additional components that haven't been identified to their function as of yet. And they don't seem to interfere with the normal operation. So they are left off. The real change is the software and layout for the navcomp"
[20:00]<+Raith> ::To the Engineer:: "Excuse me, klade ship?!"
[20:00]<+Raith> "What ship?"
[20:02]<Bynw> "We've been studying a downed Klade ship found out on the frontier for nearly a decade. We've been able to partial reverse engineer their jump system." *he says as the speakers overhead crackle with the 60 second countdown to the Waterloo's next jump*
[20:05]<+Raith> ::Looks at the engineer dubiously:: "You've tested the jump drive before though right?"
[20:07]<Bynw> *the engineer laughs* "Of course. The 'Waterloo' uses it."
[20:08]<+Raith> ::Nods, seemingly put at ease:: "Where is this klade ship now?"
[20:09]<Bynw> "At one of our remote bases under continued study."
[20:13]<Bynw> *he pats Raith on the shoulder* "Don't worry about it Lieutenant. Almost every ISD ship uses these drives. And you will enjoy them."
[20:16]<Bynw> *he sits down in the engineering section of the 'Lady Luck'* "You've got a good girl. And with the upgrades it will even be better. Let me tell you a bit about your new jump drives." *he begins*
[20:17]<+Raith> ::Nods:: "okay."
[20:17]<Bynw> "With the standard jump drives in operation now. You can jump a minimum distance of 1 AU upto a maximum distance of nearly 15 light years right?"
[20:18]<+Raith> ::nods once affirmative::
[20:20]<Bynw> "Well with these Mark 3 jump drives. As we like to call them. Your minimum distance is 1/3 of an AU. And your maximum distance is nearly 45 light years. Although that is much further than was is considered safe because we cant tell what's happening that far away without something already there looking for us. But its still fully possible and tested."
[20:21]<+Raith> ::Raises an eyebrow at the last::
[20:23]<+Raith> "twenty years and all we got was a new jump drive from the ship?"
[20:24]<Bynw> "No its not theory. Its been tested ... 10 years. It needed testing and its still being studied. We theorize that the Klade actually can jump even further."
[20:25]<Bynw> "And there wasn't much else left of the ship we discovered. It was heavily damaged."
[20:26]<+Raith> "By what?"
[20:27]<Bynw> "Whoever or whatever it was the Klade were fighting out on the frontier over a decade ago."
[20:30]<+Raith> "What do we know about them from the ship?"
[20:32]<Bynw> "We know that they are very advanced, at least in terms of jump drives. There ship did have a high intensity energy weapon on it. Not destructive at all towards inorganic structures. But very deadly towards anything organic. Beyond that we dont know much about the Klade." *as he's talking another ISD man walks up and listens in*
[20:34]<Bynw> *the engineer looks up at the man and stands up and then the engineer walks away leaving Raith alone with the other*
[20:35]<+Raith> ::Looks at the departing engineer with surprise, then turns to the new arrival with a bit of annoyance:: "Can I help you?"
[20:36]<Bynw> "I am Agent Linden. I am the Klade expert on board the 'Waterloo'."
[20:38]<Bynw> *he takes the empty seat*
[20:41]<Bynw> "You have questions on the Klade, I am the person that's got all the answers. And I have authorization from the ISD high command to tell you everything."
[20:41]<+Raith> "well hello mister fancy pants. So far only thing anyone seems to know is how to give vague answers to anything to do with the Klade personally. They must practice that shit in the mirror cause they're all synced to the same BS. You have anything you can tell me that's going to make me feel a little less like I'm walking into a major diplomatic meeting with my junk in my hand armed with a stupid expression and vague answers?"
[20:41]<+Raith>  ::smiles tightly::
[20:47]<Bynw> *Linden* "All we have is the one ship and the world they destroyed."
[20:48]<+Raith> ::Looks alarmed:: "Okay here we go. Let's start with world destruction. That's a new one."
[20:49]<Bynw> *he raises an eyebrow* "That should have been part of your debriefing. I'll have words with the commander after we are finished."
[20:54]<Bynw> "Our first contact with the Klade, was about a decade ago. We discovered a series of worlds in a couple of star systems that once held a civilization."
[20:59]<Bynw> "From what we found. The civilization was a humaniod race, much like us. That held a small interstellar civilization."
[21:01]<Bynw> "The people of the worlds were very territorial. And when they discovered the Klade nearby. They attacked a Klade colony."
[21:03]<Bynw> "The Klade responded by simply withdrawing from the area but they were pursued and war was declared. Something that the Klade do not wish to be forced into. They are warriors. But they fight without any morals or rules of engagement. The use total war. Combatant and noncombatant alike are viable targets."
[21:04]<Bynw> "And they do not accept surrender. If an enemy surrenders, they could rise up again from within. They will destroy their enemy to the last."
[21:06]<Bynw> "This is why when they attacked our mining colony. They didn't kill any of the crew members. They didn't want the bloodshed to be point of war."
[21:06]<Bynw> "The Alliance only suffered monetary loss of goods. And pride. Nothing more."
[21:06]<Bynw> "Do you have any questions right now for me Lieutenant?"
[21:11]<+Raith> ::Looks a bit green:: "Your sending me to talk to these guys? I think I'm going to be sick."
[21:15]<Bynw> "They requested you."
[21:16]<+Raith> "Great." ::takes a seat on a crate, head in hands::
[21:17]<+Raith> "We have any idea what they look like?"
[21:21]<Bynw> "From the design of their ship that we have. They are humaniod. A body, a head, 2 arms and 2 legs ... assumed. The ship was very spartan, going along with their warriorlike life style. But it was very advanced in its jump drive."
[21:21]<Bynw> "There were no bodies found on the ship."
[21:22]<Bynw> "All the ships that they  used in attacking our mining colony have been drones. Thus they have some fanstatic AI designs. Those are being researched."
[21:23]<+Raith> "The engineer mentioned something about their weapons only affecting bio-matter. We have any of those in a hand held version?"
[21:24]<Bynw> "Yes" *he says holding out his hand wide* "Its big and bulky though"
[21:29]<+Raith> "Save it, not my style. You have any idea why they requested me?"
[21:32]<Bynw> "They do not like diplomats. They aren't honest. The military is honest."
[21:34]<Bynw> "You are military. And they have already dealt with you. You did not attack them first ... you gave them a chance to open up a dialog. Although they are a warrior people. They do honor peace because war is so terrible."
[21:36]<+Raith> ::looks up:: "They sound very pragmatic."
[21:38]<+Raith> "They spoke to me though a computer. I think it was a translator. We have any idea about their language?"
[21:40]<Bynw> "Unfortunately we have very little. Linguistic teams are still working on what we do have from the ship that is in our possesion. The translators will have to do unless they have learned our language"
[21:41]<+Raith> "We have any evidence of psionics?"
[21:43]<Bynw> "No we don't have any evidence of the ability present in the Klade or even if they know about it. It might be an edge."
[21:47]<Bynw> *he pulls out a small globe ... a small holo projector ... and projects a stellar map*
[21:49]<Bynw> *Linden points out the Alliance homeworld. The mining colonies. The meeting place of 76 Sigma Ceti. The worlds where the Klade ship was found. And the projected location of the Klade homeworld*
[21:52]<+Raith> ??the map you gave me acurate then??
[21:52]<Bynw> !!yes!!
[21:53]<+Raith> ??having trouble finding 76 sigma ceti, directions??
[21:54]<Bynw> !! its green !!
[21:56]<+Raith> ((got it))
[21:59]<+Raith> "You going to be at the meeting?"
[22:01]<Bynw> "Yes. I will be part of the Alliance delegation."
[22:04]<+Raith> ::Nods:: "Unless you have something to add, I think I'm out of questions. I guess I could fire off questions until I know their shoe size, but nothing's going to help me more then just knowing what they did to the last guys that pushed them too far and that they asked for me personally."
[22:05]<Bynw> "You have a lot of training on the jump drive coming up. I'll be around"