[IC] Eternal Galaxy: Shards of Starlight - Part I

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

"Hmm, that might work, but just know that I don't have a limiter with my reaction time. I'm naturally fast, due to the augmentations I installed into my nervous system, along with my natural processing speed. Of course, I could increase my processing speed further by overclocking myself.", Cortana explained to Mara.

Cortana could see that Mara already prepared for the test and was ready to begin, so she sat down and readied herself as well.

"To start the test, just press on the touchpad and the screen will flash the word 'Go'. After that, just focus on the red box in the center of the screen. At the very moment it turns green, press on the touchpad.", Cortana said to Mara, explaining the testing procedure.

[Kristia]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Mara did as Cortana told her and seated on the chair near the computer "Let´see how good are my senses lately" she said preparing for the test

The screen was showing the red box on it as the bioroid waited for it to go green. She was focused on it, but her eyes looked like they were staring at nothing as her irises were getting dilated with the lack of focus. She was taking calm breaths until the screen showed, green. In less than a second she touched the pad. The sceen showed 0.34 seconds

"Hmm.. looks pretty normal to me" Mara said looking at the result

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

After Mara went, Cortana began her test. She took a deep breath, stared at the screen, and tapped the touchpad, triggering the test. Throughout the entire ordeal, Cortana didn't even blink. Her eyes dilated as she focused on the red box until it finally flashed green. In that very instant, Cortana pressed her finger against the touchpad, finishing her test and giving her her score of .003 seconds.

"Wow. I'm actually one millisecond faster than John is in his MJOLNIR armor. I got three milliseconds.", Cortana said, content with her score.

[Kristia]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Nicely done Cortana, now lets practice your speed and endurance" Mara said getting up and walking towards the threadmill

"A bioroid´s stamina is also stronger than one of a humans, but we weight more because our augmented bodies are made of stronger materials. Running at high speeds can make us as powerful as a bullet train so be careful if you trip while running, it would be kind of colateral" the bioroid joked starting to jog on the threadmil

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Cortana gave Mara a somewhat comical frown at the thought of crashing into a wall, or even the equipment. Even worse than damaging the equipment would be feeling the pain of tripping at above-average speeds. After spending a moment to look over the controls, Cortana then turned the machine on and began to jog as well.

"So, you know quite a bit about me now, but I still don't know anything about you. Can you tell me about yourself?", Cortana asked Mara as she jogged on the treadmill.

[Kristia]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Mara thought about Cortana´s question while she was jogging "Well, as far as I know, I was born in a space colony as an orphan since my biological parents were never found. A couple of scientists took me by their care but it was mostly being by myself on our ship since they were always working on something they never told me about in our weekly dinners. she said remembering her childhood

Living with scientists made us travel a lot for their investigations so things like having friends was out of the question, yet I enjoyed by using my family´s books and the vids in the computer. With time I started going out to see the galaxy and when I turned eighteen I discussed with my tutors to live by my own. I had savings and knew to work in many areas and actually made a pretty good work on it" the bioroid explained starting to go faster

"Working on engineering and hacking programming. Thats when I started working on the portal gun project and found someone who shared my joys and disgusts. I finished my own ship the golden fox when I had 20 years and got ourselves a soon to become third person on our family but then the accident occurred. We were traveling to a neutral fleet as a precaution of the war and the cruiser we were had a bomb, virtually no one survived, but there I was breathing, barely seeing the bloodshed that was left behind, I thought I was dead and I did when I saw my partner gone" The white haired girl said sighing

"Then I woke up a, I even though was a dream or torture from hell because I felt and smelled synthetic. I saw my right hand first and it was pale as snow but with faint lines of my new skin, then I looked at my left arm or lack of it, that is when I actually got scared because I touched the wirimg and plugs coming from the hole on my shoulder. I got up and fell many times adjusting to my new body and got to a mirror, but what I saw wasn´t me, it was a machine with a human form and those black eyes with golden irises haunted me. I just punched the mirror until my hand bled and the blood wasn´t red but silver."

"The doctors came rushing to stop me and I sent one of them flying to the wall in my emotional crisis. Time and therapy calmed my mind and managed to go back to normal life, they explained me that what was left of me was still alive, only that there was no single organ that was truly full, but I was breathing.. or showing signs of being alive. Kept working on the portal project and searched for theories and other researchs in many planets to perfectionate my handheld portal creator. Then I reached this fleet by while following that faction´s ship and met you guys" Mara finsihed still running and realizing she was about to pass her limiter so she started jogging back to normal speed

"So that´s my story, not a happy story of a girl who falls in love or an adventure going for her princess"

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Cortana thought about what Mara had said. She lost much of herself to that accident, and based on her facial microexpressions, she still suffered from the loss of most of her organic body.

"You know, based on this time period's technology, they should be able to give you all your organic tissue back. It's all just a matter of cloning, then surgically replacing your damaged organic tissues. Didn't Kiara say that she was going to take you to get your organic tissues back?", Cortana asked Mara.

[Kristia]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Mar couldn´t help but chuckle I know there are options to become human again, but what I lost is something not even the greatest scientists nor the biggest spiritualists can obtain" she said gesturing her lower belly

"With time I will manage to move on, but the memories are still vivid on my mind. I will move on by my pace. And speaking of the physical part I enjoy part of it with its good areas, my brain and other organs are working on better levels than my original one had. Unless I would like to have asthma again" the bioroid joked with the last part

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Cortana couldn't quite understand what Mara was trying to say that she lost, but it seemed as if she was fine with the way she was. If that was the case, then surely Mara would be okay if Cortana specifically asked what she lost.

"What was it that you lost?... If you don't mind me asking, of course.", Cortana asked Mara.

[Kristia]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

Mara went slower to the point of walking and only said "My child"

With that the white haired got off from the threadmill and went for the set of weights "That is probably what hurt me most, but Im not falling for the ones I lost and got to keep moving forward" she said lifting the weights calmly

[Cucoo5]

Sol Inceneron
Inopia - Temple of the Lost

The orb reacted to the Aura crystals embedded in Nhiome's arm. A fire erupted from it and engulfed both it and Nhiome's hand...but it was cool to the touch. The flame then formed sigil rings that orbited it and at seemingly random intervals along Nhiome's arm. The crystal that ran up his arm began to recceed until it only ran up Nhiome's arm but it was confined to his forearm and lower part of his upper arm. Scars of the original fusion could be seen across where it was before.

"...It's a Keystone. A special crystal that regulates others around it. It acts as a regulator to their power." Dalia had started to get up, using Arke as a crutch. "Ah...ha...well...looks like you found your power source..."

---

Helios System
Zephyr-Old Continents-Unknown Cave

"If you can't comprehend what I'm saying, then I pity you for when you must face the truth." The man gave a wry smile and checked his watch. "Oh dear, look at the time! I'm late!" And thus he snapped his fingers and vanished.

***

"Eve....."
"................................."
"....Eve...."
"................................."
"Wake up."
The man with the red bandanna stood next to the capsule where Eve was. His final words triggered her systems to activate.

---

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Aura Core

"Huh..." Nero sighed, almost disappointed. "...well It's the guardian ship of a lot of people, it definitely has to be for the most part. Anyway, we'll be heading to Celestora System eventually...or so my brother said a while ago. I think we should focus on finding the Guardians of Time so you can get your memories back." Nero then headed for the ladder and waited for a moment. "...maybe in the end we can change things after all..."

---

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Hangar Bay M

The Maverick pilots chuckled when they heard the communication. "Dayum, home made cake? Geez, Can we get in on that deal?" one of the males said in an almost joking tone.
"Aye! So ya, just up this lift and you can ask for the Hangar Management officer and then he or she will help you out." The one girl responded.

---

Celestora System
Alcyon - Forest of Spirits

The man smiled almost mischievously. "Oh sorry, I missed that, could you say it a bit louder?" He began to laugh as he leaned against a nearby tree. "Oh and do the world a favor, and put the gun away. A child spirit might be watching. Don't want to scare them, now do you?"

---

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Combat Simulation 1

"There's no way you can do all that! Are you mad? Taking on-"
"Chrissy...not now." Aion got up and separated his D-Helix Sabres and held them back-hand and then turned to John and nodded.
"Oi, I think we're forgetting something important..." Ian appeared with his Sniper Rifle on the stairs. "They still currently have Air superiority with their gunships...and I scouted them out, they have anti personnel cannons."
"So they have explosive rounds? Well that just means we would have to stay hunkered down..."
"I would say-"
"...or get into the fray so they can't use them."
"Eh?!" Christina looked at Aion with sudden surprise. "Not you too..." She shook her head. "Alright...alright...I guess we don't really have a choice."
"Seems that way. Alright, Eric! Chrissy! We're heading to the North Buildings to support Joe and Elise. Ian, try to distract those snipers. Tom, Nic, Jonny, you three provide covering fire for Chief. Everyone else, cover the windows and fire a few volleys into the NGO's ranks. Thin em down." He then pressed himself against the wall near the door, muscles tensed. "And let's pray they don't have a second wave. Ready?! Move!" Aion then burst forward from his position through the door with Eric and Christina. At the same time, Ian fired a few rounds towards the enemy snipers, giving the three the distraction they needed. They ran close along the cover of the blockades that formed a sort of passage between the building they were initially in and the northern ones. As they ran, Aion glanced to the east and noticed a NGO infantry unit placing something on the ground. "Anti Personnel mines..." He slowed slightly and started to head for the east forces. "Eric, Chrissy! Go to the building! I'm going to take care of something..."
"Eh?! Arrow What are you-?" Chrissy was about to stop but a Gunship was coming around and she could make out the underbelly cannon and thus she ducked into cover of the blockade.
"Don't worry about me! Just get yourselves to that building!" He charged headlong towards the north eastern forces, towards the tanks and the infantry placing mines. he switched one sabre to forehand grip and took aim with it. A burst of energy exited a concealed barrel on the blunt edge and created a scattershot pattern. It hit its mark and detonated the mine and took out the one soldier. Then he took note of all the soldiers that were starting to line him up in their sights.
"This is it..." Aion's eyes dilated and his mind cleared out all thoughts. The only thing that existed in his reality were the soldiers, the tanks, and the mines. The surroundings of the physical world faded from his vision. He took note of each rifle pointed at him and he watched every single one, waiting for the tensing of a muscle to signal the pulling of a trigger. He began to bring his sabres up to prepare to block the shots and he targeted one soldier.
Triggers were beginning to be pulled.
It had begun.
Aion ducked about 3 inches down and the first shot just missed his head.
Blocked the second,
Side stepped the third and fourth,
Cut down the next five,
Slid forward under a volley of two, sprung up with his right sabre held backhand and cut the soldier that he passed through his side.
Spinning around, he followed through with the decisive kill with his left sabre and decapitated him.
Blood splattered on his swords.
He quickly charged for the next soldier that was standing a few feet away from a mine.
Aion lunged forward with his sabres, a shot grazing his cheek, burning the outer skin, and stabbed through the foot soldier.
He fired two shots from his gunblades through the man. One hit the mine, the other knocked down another NGO rifleman.
Taking the sabres, he cut the man he had skewed clean in half.
Using the momentum of his swing, he sent his left sabre flying towards another in such a fashion that it ended up in their throat.
He dodged a volley of fire as he was exposed in the fray. The NGO had protocol to avoid friendly fire. Aion was exploiting this.
The closer he was to his prey, the safer he actually was. He dove for his left sabre in the soldier's throat and finished the cut.
Then he skidded to a stop and lunged backwards with the sabre held backhand. he stabbed the man he just decapitated before he fell and swung his lifeless corpse around as a shield into the oncoming shots to his right.
As the body flew towards his attackers, Aion used the chance to return fire and sent a volley of shotgun bursts into them.

***
"Is that man with the swords, Aion, really human...?" One of the officers that was watching the simulation's projection in the Observation deck watched in amazement after he read Aion's profile.
"He's the successor to a legend. What did you expect?" Another officer joked.
"Well...that doesn't explain how he's...managing to do all that."
"Some things will all make sense in time." Commander Sullivan said. "Now let us see the epitome of both the super soldier, John, and his modified AETHER Armor."

[NeoFox]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Hangar Bay M


Terra turned to the man who was joking around and smirked. "Don't let her voice fool you. My captain had taken out at least 30 armed men on her own in a single, and I'm not talking about a space battle. I'm talking about full on person to person fighting. Despite all that I wonder how she even managed to do it... Either way her cakes are still absolutely divine." She said as she turned to the girl. "Thank you. I will be sure to do that." Replied Terra as she walked towards the lift.

[SUSTIC]

Helios System
Zephyr-Old Continents-Unknown Cave

"Face the truth?" Said Hajime as he continued down the tunnel, eventually coming to a rather large drop. As though he came across a large tower. Like he came across the tower of the rest of the building. "Whoa... that's a huge drop... I can't even see anything the bottom... Are you sure this is the right path?" He said as looked back. Yet he didn't see the man anywhere. "... What the f**k?..."

-------------------------
Helios System
Zephyr-Old Continents-Ancient Nasod Palace-Eve's Chamber

Eve was still sound asleep when she heard what seemed to be someone calling out to her... telling her to wake up...

Slowly Eve's eyes opened as she still laid inside her capsule. Her systems were activating, but rather slowly. As she woke up her capsule released what seemed to be a ton of steam, and smoke. Once the capsule opened up completely Eve stumbled out of her capsule. The second Eve stepped out of the capsule she looked a little dazed at first, but after a few minutes Eve's systems finish re-adjusting themselves. She didn't do anything though... except stare blankly at the man with the red bandanna.

[MyHatismyFriend]

The Operator made no attempt to move as she levelled the gun at the man.

Engage?

"Negative, stay frosty. I'm sending off images and video to GRAYCOM as we speak. Wait until we can confirm if he's hostile."

She triggered the TOJINBO's stealth arrays again as she waited for the man to continue.

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Combat Simulation 1

John gave a slight grunt of approval to Aion taking care of the northeastern forces. Now, John was up. He knew what he had to do.

"Don't worry about the gunships. I'll take care of them soon enough...", John calmly said to the rest of the group as he walked to the exit.

John soon approached the northern exit of the building. To his right, he could see Aion holding his own against the squad of tanks and footsoldiers. That would make John's job easier, allowing him to only need to worry about his left flank and up above. He knew that the gunships would resort to smaller weapons to attack him when he reached the tower and that they would try and aim before firing, due to their own troops being in the building, so John had an advantage. As a final preparation, John raised his shields to 400% and placed some of his M6D's clips against his magnetic holsters, allowing him to quickly reload in the heat of battle. With a deep breath and a cock of his pistol, John ran out of cover and sprinted for the tower at 60 mph.

As soon as John passed the first barricade to his left, an enemy soldier opened fire on John, sending a hail of Aura bullets after him. John quickly responded by sprinting towards the soldier and dropping to the ground, sliding on his stomach. John's energy shields removed all friction, allowing John to slide straight into the soldier's feet, knocking the hostile over. Now that the soldier was knocked down, John quickly slid over to where the north building's tower and wall met, and fired three shots into the downed soldier that was behind him, killing him instantly.

Another soldier opened fire from John's right flank, hitting him with a spray of blasts. In return, John shot the soldier three times and killed him as well, bringing John's body count to six. Before the soldier fell to the ground, John already jumped into the air, trying to reach as high up the tower as he could. As soon as he reached the peak of his Jump, John tossed his pistol over to his left hand and slammed his right hand's fingers into the wall of the tower. John's immense strength allowed him to embed his fingers into the wall, allowing him to climb as he kept his aim upwards, keeping an eye on the snipers, as well as any possible gunship strafing runs.






Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur
Cortana's Custom Simulation

"Oh... Sorry.", Cortana said in a slightly guilty tone.

Cortana felt a little bad for bringing it up, even though Mara said that it was fine. Cortana heard about the pain associated with losing a child, so she could only imagine what Mara went through. Hearing that Mara came to terms with it did bring some relief to Cortana though.

After running, Cortana stepped off of the treadmill and sat down in a nearby chair to rest from the run. She could feel her heart beating and the sensation of the air in her lungs. After taking a moment, Cortana spoke again.

"I noticed that you seemed more knowledgeable about John and I than anyone else on this ship. What do you know about us?", Cortana asked Mara in a curious tone.