[i]Proti Aspida[/i], First fully militarized system, Unknown Galaxy. The depths of the machine planet, midnight [b][u]THE INCLINATION:[/u][/b] Helldiver remnants: [i] Chenmo, and Nsoro[/i] Specialist Separatists: [i] Abdul, Katia, Lamesh[/i] Specialist Loyalists: [i]Albert, Solomon, Erin[/i] [i]Weightlessness occurs when an object reaches ballistic velocity, when the object falling reaches the same speed as the gravitational pull. Falling out a jet, or even a spaceship, you can get used to that. Knowing you have a parachute, knowing that there's nothing but sky around you. Falling at 120 miles an hour straight down was a freeing experience. But it was hard to feel free when you were inside of an elevator shaft. When you fell from the sky, you could see everything and feel nothing. As you fall now, you see nothing and feel everything. You felt the hard concrete walls funneling your descent, trapping you on your hellish descent. When you jumped from all those planes you fell. Down, to Earth, Azefi, Nronde. Each time you knew, you knew that the ground would catch you. But now? Now you fall, and this time, the ground didn't catch you. You fell, past the ground, and deep into its bowels. I never figured you for the claustrophobic type. The cover of darkness did little to cover you screams. You fell, into the dark. And you kept falling. But this time the ground did catch you. And now you have to get up.[/i] [quote]Feng, Chenmo Inactive[/quote]

[b]Far South of the Golden City: Desert[/b] [b]Midnight[/b] [u][b]THE EMERGENCE[/b][/u] [spoiler] Personal intro/Subplot. Open. [/spoiler] [i]0.1[/i] Deep within the desert, the sand begins to shift... Unseen to all but the shriveled bushes and small creatures of the desert, the sand stirs... Far beyond the vision of civilization, the sand rises, between two drifts, high into the sky... The sand moves as a fluid, creating no dust, each grain flowing over another, a yellow river flowing into the sky, being tugged upon by some unseen force of gravity. Those desert dwelling critters curious to pause and watch the event now see the sand slow in its heavenly ascent, having formed two massive spires. The spires taper to a point and curve towards each other, but do not touch, despite appearing solid, the sandy texture is still seen, as if the sand is not freestanding, but suspended in air by an unseen force. Silently, the sand begins to glow, emitting a dim light across the desert. Soon the Light grows brighter, and soon the sand begins to burn red hot, the sandy construct now a molten one, it's surface: a waterfall of fire shooting into the sky. The light does not stop in its accruing luminescence, the sand now white hot. Arcs of electricity skip from the pillars to the ground, like jagged fingers searching in the dark. They soon find their mark, their partners from the other spire and once they connect, their intensity grows. Soon the light becomes to bright to look at and those little critters spectating the event skitter away to their burrows. The dark landscape is illuminated and if any soul were to bear witness, they would recall the midnight landscape was akin to its appearance at noon, as if the sun was lingering in its high throne above the sand. Then, the light disappears, suddenly, with no warning. A single figure stands in front of the colossal monument, alone in the dark. [i]Hmmph... Not an all too exciting start to this expedition.[/i] He sets off into the desert, due north, leaving the twin spires as a monument to any wanderer who might stumble across the in the future. Now a perfectly aligned prismatic glass, it will be sure to create quite the display as the morning sun rises, now only a few hours away. [spoiler]Open: Character intro I know it's a bit of an awkward setting, but can I have some type of narration from an admin or something? I intend to approach the golden city, and I know there's that no mans land in between and this is turning into a text wall so I'll stop. Sorry.[/spoiler]

[b]Far South of The Golden City: Desert[/b] Three days after the encounter with the man in the suit Midday [b][u]THE EMERGENCE[/u][/b] 0.2 The Glass Spires: Stratos [i]This is Stratos. Yes, it's inhabited. By what? I don't have a clue. As we suspected there is sentient life here, humanoid. No, no that's not it, I think there's ethereal beings here. They don't adhere to timelines. Yes, like us. No, not the normal amount. I don't think this will be a peaceful expedition. Prepare for entrenchment.[/i] Behind Stratos the spires begin to glow once more. While their brilliance is not quite as great as their first display in the night, a great light is cast across the desert, calling the attention of any and all nearby. Again a single figure steps through and the Spires return to their prismatic state. [i]Hello, Sergeant Daniels. [/i] The woman walks forward towards Stratos. As she nears him he turns and walks along side her. Her step is significantly heavier than Stratos's, her boots slipping on the loose sand. Mechanical spikes soon extend from her toe and heel to aid in her transit and her gait becomes noticeably more comfortable. [i]I take it you found aerial transit possible?[/i] She reaches across her body and adjusts a magazine clip before responding. [i]We found a multitude of wormholes in this plane Sir. I was briefed that we intended to insert into the plane further away and utilize them as opposed to closer and use the ships rapid transit engines. [/i] Stratos stops her by placing the back of his hand on her chest and points to the right. [i]Wormholes? Hope to god that wasn't a warp life form. Cthulhu was such a pain last time... Ashley, did the Scout make it through? [/i] [i]Yes. He reported heavy military presence around the planet and local system. This was one of the main deciding factors for our use of the wormholes. We were uncertain of their hostility. One more thing Sir, we have reason to believe that this planet is also under siege by those forces.[/i] [i]What of him now?[/i] [i]MIA. We suspect he died. Shortly following his last report we received incomplete combat data, as if his suit failed.[/i] [i]Naja, wasn't it?[/i] [i]Yes sir.[/i] [i]A good man.[/i] The Duo approaches the camp where the encounter with the finely dressed man happened. [i]Set up the equipment here. I saw it...[/i] He walks over to the spot where the man appeared [i]...right about here.[/i] He notices her frowning at the mounds of sand surrounding the burnt out camp fire [i]The being took them when he disappeared. I buried their bodies.[/i] She unhooks her helmet and folds it back, like a sweater hoodie. [i]Are you sure it's wise to pursue this... This endeavor? Sir?[/i] [i]If we cannot learn from it, we will at least be able to rid this plane of its terror. As usual Ashley. The same every time.[/i] [i]Your wish is my command, sir.[/i] She pulls a strange, tribladed knife from her hip and plants it into the sand near Stratos's feet. She pulls off her glove and presses her thumb firmly against the pommel, forcing it further into the sand. The knife burrows into the ground like a strange worm, a loud clicking is heard, fading as the device embeds itself into the desert floor. [i]Will you look at that, they're here already.[/i] Stratos nods at a swirling mass in the noon sky. [i]I assume that what wormholes look like here. Speaking of which did you see the spire that was made from the sand? Glass! Absolutely marvelous! [/i] Ashley's face grows pale. [i]Ashely! Are you-[/i] [i]Stratos look.[/i] She grabs the fabric of his suit tightly and pulls on him. Stratos turns to her beckon [i]Holy Sh*t[/i] [spoiler]Again open. If you haven't picked up on it, the expeditionary force just made an unguided jump through the warm, and suffered the consequences. Comment here if you want to interact in response to the new arrival, if not, another passage will come soon.[/spoiler]