A decision, had been made. Osmi and Flub were, to stay close, to the original landing site. Hide themselves, until daybreak the next day.
Jaden, had agreed with Steel, on reviewing what little information they had, that the possibility, of others turning up ? Was an unknown they did not want to ignore.
The area, the craft had landed, was next, to some caves; albeit, on a level higher, than the ones, they had stored the cannons in.
The view from there, across the valley and the Vae below was perfect for planning an attack. Setting up cannon arrays, would take time BUT, when completed, would be terrifyingly effective, re their destructive capabilities.
The report, back from the Galacia Federa, was not good. Their M class would, be taking a while, to reach them. They were an older vessel, not capable, of sub space or wormhole travel.
“They regard this system, little more than primitive. Not much to offer re rewards for their taking time to protect it. Bodium, is mined in one of the mountain sites, but that is a low value ore.
An essential one, for composite metallurgy, re some of the plasma arrays, but not cost effective, for them, to transport from here. Magnetic storms also don’t help.
We’ll have, to set up a satellite, in orbit. Letbi, did not take long, to program a unit and release it. Nips by now had joined him. She had been studying the arrival and departure of that alien craft. Like Letbi, concluded, if that was an omen of things to come? Not looking good.
Nips knew Noby, aboard the M class Galacia Federa craft headed their way. Sending him, over as much data as she could. “I’ll pass it through to Sturge, he’s always keeping an eye on the latest re new space craft.
He might talk to Nathan, aboard Raptopr. Noge might have an idea of what it is. He’s into star drives and neutron star systems. I have a feeling that that, could be using similar technology.
Briy, had sent a transcom message, to Sejai. There had been some delay and, he was beginning to think, that he was wasting his time,when suddenly?
“It they’re not Human(a) we can’t help you fight them, whoever they are. However, send me, all of the information you have. We will check our archives and, see if, we can find anything, that matches that space craft.
The alien being? We are studying that image. No race we have encountered. “ Sejai, had been talking to Se Ziee, with Commander Ojian listening in on the conversation. “If it was a scout craft, whoever was piloting it, may have decided they are too primitive.”
Scout craft, operated randomly, across the Qiverse. Some, looking for new planets, to establish colonies on. Others for whatever resources, were on offer and Xetnets, had very few of any value.
Mountains, mountains and water. well plenty of that and why the planet was so lush. Forests, fertile land, for growing their harvests. Trading with nearby worlds was limited, as they relied on those like Briy, to do the buying and selling for them but that was not frequent.
Slavers? There was quite a healthy population. Briy had made it clear he would be taking extra precautions to ensure that that did not happen whilst he was around.
Desti, had been talking to Steel and, she was making it clear, that all of them, had to be more than aware of that scout craft relaying the fact that the planet was not that well defended.
She could, rely on some of their military buddies, to help them out, IF needed, whilst they waited on, the arrival of that M class. It was a welcome sight to see Jiaa and Lear who had turned up, to help them train the new recruits.
They both knew, that if Steel, had a bad feeling about something, a kind of 6th sense; they were not going to doubt it. In the past she had been shown to be almost psychic.
They would take 6 of them, male and female. Some reconnaissance around the cave area that the craft had landed close to?
It would enable them, to learn more, about the terrain. Plenty of mountains and, a lot of caves to hide in. Rooting out an established enemy, from those could be a nightmare. When Osmi sat down with them to tell them just how much of a nightmare that could end up being?
Cavern after cavern, cave after cave and, some of them, went on to link up with others. A total maze. No one to their knowledge, had ever mapped those caves. That, Jiaa decided, they ought to start doing.
Lear was, an accomplished ‘cartographer’. The equipment, they had with them, could fly remote devices, that would feed back data on the size, the depth, the height and so much more; all monitored by their AI ‘moog’.
Osmi introduced them to Sirden. He was very tech savvy, NOT re their technologies BUT when shown it did not take him long to master them. That, surprised Jaden, he did not look the geek type at all.
Osmi and Kelthek, were making sure, to tell them, that they thought highly of him. His weapons training with them had proven to be effective. They could, now use the cannons, the Cflen had left them.
THAT, Jaden on being reminded, that they were in the cave areas below, decided might be a good idea, to bring them more up their level. Leah would go with them to load the cannons on board the zimp and transport them.
Letbi would send Nips, with a few more weapons, including, plasma close range combat, totally mobile ones. Nips had finally managed to talk to one of her best friends. Dola. Dola was a peculiar individual.
Never knew, where she came from, but her skills and intelligence, were well above, the best that she knew. Trouble was, in getting hold of her, OR persuading her and, Nips was VERY much, wanting her help re that Alien being?
An astonishing ability to recall so many races across the Qiverse? Well her parentia were the curators of one of the biggest inter galactic archives from the ANCIENT to now. The chances of her recognising this race ?
Short and sweet? “Send my parentia, everything you know about them. Don’t miss anything out! Even the most minute details! Tell them, I would, like them, to help you. ” With that the comcast link went dead.
Unknown to Nips, Dola, had sent a mesage, to her parentia, telling them, what Nips had said and, that ‘Nips’ would be in touch.
To Dola, a scout craft of that technology, was NOT rare. A 7th generation race, or similar, could easily have such. Most advanced races, were usually NOT hostile. They had, absolutely no interest, in primitive races.
Stlll, she did have friends, who might be available. Xib and Aliha. A Cojoined couple and. rabid explorers. New worlds, new races, new discoveries, new treasures! They were, as she put it; absolute nutters. On checking their availability?
Resting up on a nearby planet? How about the one Briy was from? A short while of resting and. they were starting to get restless again. Bored? They needed another ‘adventure’.
Briy. was almost surprised by them. Could he take them to Jaden and Steel? A day later, they were on their way. Aliha, had been busy, sourcing archive data, on the planet. Limited, but what there was, turned out to be quite interesting.
A lot of mountains and a lot of them, NOT explored or examined, for valuable minerals? Ore? Drex? OK, the archives, were telling them, there was little of any value
BUT they both knew, from their previous explorations that where there were mountains? On such a scale as there?
Vague, was an understatement. Suspicion might be that someone, had deliberately, concocted that story, to have outsiders believe, that the planet, was not worth exploring, spending time, money and effort on?
Yes, there were, planets like that, but rare; VERY RARE. Whilst it could be said they were quite excited, something did not seem right. Briy was not telling them much. Somewhat reserved but he did NOT know them.
Jaden was surprised, by their arrival. It was decided, to hold a meeting on board, the now unloaded Zimp. Briy had gone off, to unload his cargo in the Vae, along with picking up some harvested goods, NOT telling anyone, of what was going on around them, or even above them?!
Leah, was delighted, that Aliha, had brought some of the very latest, depth penetrating radar systems, including some seismic equipment, that could map, whole areas of the mountain range from up above. WITHOUT them needing to go into them?
They both agreed, there was far more, to those mountains, than the stories circulating about them being fit for rubble as we might say and little else.
Xixi, aboard the Cflen vessel, had delved into their archives. It would, take some time, before, she could expect a result, given the limited information she had been provided with. The image of the ‘female’? was, very distinctive and, she hoped that might, at the very least, give her some comparisons?
Didi, was one of Se Phri’s finest, re technology and information retrieval. She, now took over from Xixi, increasing the search parameters. Something rattled her. She was sure, she had seen something similar, re the ‘glyphs’?
As Xixi, was about to leave her to it? She suddenly stood up, looked across at her. “I wonder.. “ A look on her face, Xixi had not seen before.
“I wonder, if Tolgani, has ever encountered this race?”
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