Once done.. the creatures  were  Ejected.   Val looked   more relieved  then one might  expect.

   she GAve   Henry a  soft pat on the shoulder,we can only hope, this  ended the trials from the Human side.... only the gods know what the Empire is doing.

"I think I need a drink."

Henry headed off to the Rec Dec. Although he enjoyed the odd glass of wine with a meal, he was not normally a drinker.

-> Rec Dec

 Mila feels Henry's pain. She whimpers softly and lays her head down awaiting his return.

[Er... Mila came to the Rec Dec... good to have you back :)]

<- RecDec

Henry came into BioTech, looking tired. Mila was trotting at his heels, also a bit subdued, but carrying her tail high.

"Hello, Val, what do you have for me?"

He nodded at the SEC troopers.

  entering the   offcie, LArry's  head and  back  would flatten out  as he got the scent of the Vampic.

  Waggstaff  was   there is , Tim MArx, one of the new   SEC from the SSN. Val    held her hands out  helplessly.

 Shade  studied the Vampic  with grey eyes.

  Waggstaff   jerked his ehad  towards  the VAmpic,..she was  trying to leave the BAll.. Msterchief, and that   CAptain KArl..and Lippen,intercepted  her...Master Chief thought you miught  want to  study her.

 MArx looked a bit nervous  around the VAmpic.

 Val  said a bit awkwardly,..wanted to get her out of those  leathers?... But she won't  take them off...

 ..Bet Shadown  could get them off.. this is the one that was   sniffing around him...

 Mortica    just looked over her shoudler at Waggstaff...call him down, we'll see...

 Val looked at Henry,..its been like that since   she got here.. I was going to tranc  her?..but i didn't want to mess up the blood samples. or the study of the internals?

  Waggstaff   shrugs,..Tell me where to shoot her, then you can do what you want.

  Mortica looked at Shade with a bit of disgust,..and you people  cringe at the  way  we repupulate... at least we have  3   ways...

"Interesting... I'm sorry for the confusion. My staff are used to receiving dead specimens. So... Mortica, isn't it? I understand your species are the Vampic, yes?"

Henry paused for a moment and rubbed his nose.

"Sorry. Back up. Let me introduce myself. Doctor Henry Christie, the resident xenobiologist. Whilst I mostly study the flora and fauna we encounter on worlds out here in the black, I also take an interest in new - to us, at least - sentient species. So, come and sit down and tell me about your people. Val, the SEC folk might like a drink, any chance you can rustle up a pot of tea? Or coffee if they prefer."

Henry led everyone into a conference room and tried to get them to settle down. He set up a video recorder, and got his notebook out.

"Right, Mortica..."

 Val  gave the  woman an unsure  Glance, she   just  smiles  a, rather  confident, smile.

  Marz looked the Most Uneasy as they Follwoed   Val  and went intot eh Conerence  room.

 Shade peeked around the   doorway and Bleeped..  A Larg head,  just above his.

   Waggstaff.     sat  down, His  pulse  rifle was  shouldered , but his   .45  was in his right hand.. Mortica  looked at the weapon from where  she sat at the table, Waggstaff  just   smiled back.

 MArx   went  down the far end of the room he stood.

 Val  came in with a  tray of  with  a pot of  Coffee  and a Pot of   teag and some dozen  cups  along with sugar, milk and honey.  Though she was ..loathe to do it VAl said,..I can send  down to the rec Dec, or the far, for..blood..but it won't  be people blood..

 Mortica  smiled  softly,... we may eat and drink almost anything.. we ...shy away from  Naragrans though... something not  right with thier blood... I will have a   cup of team... Honey please?

 Waggstaff, fixed his  cup of Coffee and Motioned to  MArx..Marx  just shook his ehad real quick.

 ..so?..Doctor? You peopel seemed rsther  in a hurry to get me out of my clothes.... Had your   LC been so eager, there  might be alot  more people alive , right now..

 Waggstaff  sipped   his coffee, as he backed   to his chair     on the wall.. leaving Henry, Val  and Mortica  at the  table.

   Shade  and   Larry were  still outside the door.. Mortica's eyes  flicked towards   him once to twice,..can you  unplug that thing..or  send it on its  way?.... and that  beast..makes me  nervous..

 Val   smiled  a  'catty smile'.....he does that to alot of people

"Are you referring to Ambassador Shade? If he wishes to sit in on this interview, that's his privilege. As for Larry he, like my Mila, is well-behaved, unless someone threatens my safety."

Henry poured himself some tea.

"Now then, as the conversation has drifted that way... A bit of background, on Earth there are many tales of mythical creatures called 'vampires' that are undead - that is, dead but still walking, talking, thinking... - and which live on human blood. They are pale in features and they have sharp pointy teeth. What are your teeth like?"

He waved a hand.

"Of course, these are just stories. The vampires of Earth stories cannot go out in daylight, hate garlic and are repelled by religious symbols. They can be laid to rest by cutting their heads off - which will do for most anybody, after all - or by sticking a wooden stake through their hearts. Again something that kills just about anyone you do it to. These vampires only drink blood. What do you eat?"

  The Vampic   sips  from her  Cup, it is  noted that the  indents  from the  zip  ties  were slowly fading.

  She watched  Shade    step in  and  sit  By Waggstaff, Val  Pointed to the tea and Coffee, but  Shade  Just shook his head.

 Larry   sat down, Just inside the door.

  ..your people are babes in the  woods, as the old earth saying goes?...all your books and myths are built around, some  race or another that landed on your planet   and  tries to make it thier  own.. our  people are no different.  we  live out in  the   area  called  'Dead Space'... reaching out past the Largran's  Homeworlds..  and  , more or less..uncharted... even the Empire  doesn't go there.... There are planets , aplenty . Some   very much like earth..others.. are like  earth, with a weaker  star system.. and Thus....creatures  must adapt to that.

 ..My people..and  almost all the  lifeforms  in our system.. have pale skins...because of the lack of light.. Cold?  has  no  hold on us..but heat..and sun can kill us,  as   we burn or  are  radiated...  If  any of you saw, what happened to  my shipmate, when the little  one hit her  with some fire weapon... her  clothing and her skin went up like tinder..

 other then that?... we  are much stronger the humans.. I do not understand   how your LC , took on two of our MArines and lived... but... i think the mistake of underestimation, will not happen again.

 .we can eat, just about  anything  that most  mammals eat... but  most of our   norishment  come sfrom liquids... which is why  blood  is the  best  choise for us.. the fresher.. the  better..raw meat  satisfies both  hungers .

"We may be relative newcomers to galactic exploration, but we have as much right to be here as anyone else. So, your people visited Earth in the past. What were you doing there, so far from your home? Surely you could find more... convenient, local... worlds to annex."

Henry scribbled some notes. Force of habit. Recording devices could capture every nuance, but he still preferred his own record. Mila settled down on his feet, too wary to go to sleep but content that everything was under control, for now.

  She   sipped  again, looking  at Shade  who was checking His COM.

  .. annexing worlds   is  good, but  tapping them is better.  If you just tap it, you do not have to take care of it...

 Shade  Motions  to the Door  and Bleeps  a bit.. he  taps   LArry's  nose and Points  at the Vampic, then leaves for SEC.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:34, Wed 19 Sept 2018.

Henry nodded slowly.

"So, you are raiders rather than colonisers, taking no responsibility for those whom you rob. OK. You say you eat most anything but have a particular taste for blood. That's interesting. Did you know that blood, in anything but a tiny amount, is poisonous to humans? Are you able to breed with humans?"

He might have said something else, but his COM buzzed. He glanced at it.

"Sorry. Duty calls. You may remain here, provided that the SEC troopers are available to guard you. If not, I expect the brig is the best place until we can resume our conversation."

He got up and left, beckoning Val.

"Make sure nobody is left on their own with Mortica. You may ask for a blood sample, but don't worry if she refuses. I'll deal with it when I get back. SEC want me."

Mila trotted beside him as he collected the bag of stuff he'd collected from Festes and headed off, with a glance at Larry to see what the larg wanted to do.

-> SEC

  Mortica, answered,... Yes,  we  can breed  with Most Humanoids, though it seems Nivarians  are the  best partners  for, what you consider Breeding.. Humans  tend to have stronger DNA....

 ..It is far better, to Turn them, after the bodies  go through the  change, they can then breed in what manner they are able, and our DNA  will be Dominate.

 When  Doc Henry  rises to go and he  asks about the guards, Waggstaff says,..Unless you put her on ice, we're  stuck watching her..or  locking her in the  alien section, of the brig.....we'll stay....

 Larry Got Up, looked over  his shoulder  and gave a burbling growl,before  following Herny

Henry came back to the BioLab, pretty much staggering as everything caught up with him.

   The Morning after  the  Delta  Night,   Val knocks  softly at the  door.....Doctor?.. Its  o800. i let you sleep in  2  more hours, since there is  no...real  duty to day.  The Vampic  Is  secured  in the metagalss  chamber  we  used  for the  UEs  and such. I figured it  would not her  to to spend the night in there...

"Bleurgh" said Henry, then started to wake up.

"All right Val, I'll be with you in a few."

He got up and made ready for the day, then emerged to make himself some coffee. He looked round for Mila and checked that she had food and water.

"Right. What do we have today? Mortica to talk to and the stuff stolen last night to go through, I suppose. Or is there anything else?"

  Val   Nodded  as she  flicked throught eh  Vid  board,..that's  about it  Doctor.  I had the   crew   sort out  what you gathered.. all  papers and such   that  refer to the  HAR and  effects on Animal-Human teams  were set aside  for your eyes.

"Thank you, Val. Where would I be without you?"

He sipped his coffee.

"Is Mortica awake yet? And has she had breakfast?"

   Val Sniffed a bit    her  eyes  half  closed  as she  said in an Offhanded Manner...she is up.... we had SEC  escort her to the  rest room... we aksed what she  would wish to eat.. he  said Toat with some form of  Red Blood  and perhaps   some raw beat cubes.   she is currantly itting  some  pig cubes  and such with  toast... er managed to get the Rec dec  to send  some Bottle blood they keep on hand   for   our..um..allies.

"That's good, thank you for making the effort. Let it never be said that we are inhospitable."

Henry reviewed his notes and went to see Mortica.

"Good morning, Mortica. How are you today?"

  Mortica  Looked at him from the  Metaglass container,..Wonderful.. I got to sleep min a Glass cage... watched  while i   went to the bathroom... and given food that i had to  eat while    men with charged  Pulse rifles  watched....

Henry smiled.

"Well, we just don't feel safe around you. Maybe once I can get to understand you and your people, we'll be able to relax a bit. Or we might be even more scared..."

He took a seat.

"What do you know about the history of your species?"

  Mortica  explains a bit  about  their   people  being this way and some of thier   reproductive   processes.

 She eyes   Henry,... we have  found, that  mating  can be  enjoyable with Humans..and Angels.. But found Humans  more  compatable ...


as  far as  our history, it is not much differant with us, then it is   with anyone esle..started out   unkowning.. used  gods to explain most of out thigns, until we  found  science.. then began to travel..many of the early travellers  died  from the sudden light  and   rays of Suns, and bright light... but we found, that palces such as that, gave us a bounty of   food sources, that helped  make us stronger... as well as endless  reproduction chocies!... When  one Vampic  dies... it it like losing  100 humans?.... But.. when   we reproduce  with  an 'outside race, its like  gaining   10  Vampics.

"So you have advanced scientifically but not ethically," said Henry, nodding.

"How are laws created amongst your people, and what aspects of life do you feel it necessary to legislate about?"