In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 87):

*I am annoyed*

"That was information that would have been helpful before I engaged the drive......"

*I will continue to earth and try to get into a state to deal with that decellerate.*

"SCEPTRE please keep us informed of goings on at the door, I had made calculations based on a higher rate of speed, now we will be going likely two days, we may just have to impound that ship to get back quicker."

*To Mike and Hank in text*

"How are you two doing, sorry I had to bring you along, but I couldn't risk another Grey coming through the door and taking control of you two."

-------------------------------------

To Earth

"Apologies." SCEPTRE says.

"We can handle up to for forty g's for extended time periods. " Mike replies. "We're fine."

You get near Earth, and flip and burn.  Its not any more pleasant the second time.  Now it feels like Bruce Lee added in some sparring practise, a few kicks to the ribs, and some elbow strikes as well.

Now you're drifting five hundred miles from Earth in a slow orbit a thousand feet from the UFO which you can just barely see with the naked eye, and it doesn't appear on your scanners but intermittently.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 89):

*Groan*

"SCEPTRE what can you tell me about the unmanned slave ship? I need to know about it's capabilities, defenses, life support, and if it a better option to land than trying atmospheric entry with a shuttle with no internal dampers?"

Jhiaxus

"They are usually unarmed, and they have a short range tractor beam.  Its hull is resistant to large calibre weapons fire, but not tank cannons.  It would be a better option than the shuttle for landing." SCEPTRE replies after about five seconds.  "It has human compatible life support."

*I try to hold back a smile*

*To SCEPTRE*

"So can you help us with docking, since I would love to have internal dampeners, and really getting this handled is half the mission, and it will be faster to get back. Besides, if this is the best shuttle we have, we might just need the ship. I am not going to get into a larger ship means more food and equipment that can be brought back."

Jhiaxus

"All you do is bump up against it." SCEPTRE says.  "And while I can give advice, what with the around three second time lag due to the speed of light, any precise advice is going to be outdated."

So, you hit the thrusters, real gentle and start moving.  The first time you come the closest, the next three times you're just a bit further away as you bang into the other ship.  Last hit knocked you from the chair, and put a dent into the UFO.

Its beginning to tumble, and things are starting to look like you're trying to thread a needle with your fingers in splints.

And then you see the moment, and not daring to hope, you hit the thrust, and connect with a crunch.  But you're locked in place, and SCEPTRE tells you its an airproof seal.

1@1 Microgravity Docking

*Sighs*

*I open the airlocks and walk onto the ship and check it out, leading the others in*

Jhiaxus

Not everyone is able to fit in the two small room area.  The front area is the pilot area with just one seat, and similar control systems to your shuttle with a few extra you are not familar with.  A sliding door leads to a room with a variety of controls built into the walls.  Mike pushed one, and two beds with restraints pop up from the floor.

There is not enough room for more than three humans with the tables up in the whole ship.  Its smaller than your shuttle inside, although outside they are both similar sized.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 95):

*I thought Mike and Hank are not mobile unless we move them?*

*I look around*

"Well this ship is the same size on the outside, but inside not even close, SPECTRE please let me know why, and what these extra controls are? If this is where they abduct and convert humans, would there be control bracelets here as well? Are there weapons on board? I am curious as to this ship's secrets."

Jhiaxus

In reply to Jhiaxus (msg # 96):

OOC: Uh, good point. Its one of the gorillas then.

"Greater defense is a small bit of it, and higher inertial, and I think the Gray ships are more durable.  Also, they have storage in the walls."

"As to weapons, should be. Hand weapons that is, but likely they are controlled by the gold bands."

SCEPTRE doesn't know more than that, the Grays being secretive.

You look around, and find a variety of supplies in shelves in the walls, but no control bracelets.   You do see considerable cyborgization gear.

*I quickly organize things and see where there is space to put things and people*

"SCEPTRE can you remote pilot the shuttle back? I am going to need the working Dampners on this ship to deal with the rest of the trip, plus it looks like they turn people into cyborgs on this thing, so gotta keep it out of their hands"

*Assuming that, I cut off any remote control on this thing and make it manual and set a course for Mike's fiance first, then to Texas, and hopefully load up on food and water*

Jhiaxus

You send Apes and bots back under SCEPTRE's piloting remote control.  Mike and Hank lay on the floor, and you take the ship toward Earth.

You swoop around the far side of the planet to the daylight, enjoying the beauty when you come way closer than you'd like to a satellite.  Quickly dodging, you figure out how to turn on the gravity sensor which shows that despite the clear view offered by the window screen you were at least ten miles away from impacting with Telsat 5, which you know the name because you saw it.

As you enter Earth's atmosphere over the US, a soft siren goes off.  Tracking it down reveals a LIDAR source down below is painting you every .77 seconds.

*I open all comms*

"LIDAR source, this is Grand Admiral Space Pirate Jhiaxus, who has stolen this Grey Abductor Cyborg Making ship, requesting not to shoot us down. We are here for a resupply for the defense to repel the invaders through the door of the Moon Base. We have two liberated Cyborgs requesting visitation rites with their families over. If you need proof I am human, pork roll just barely beats out bacon as the best breakfast meat."

*Waiting for response and clearance to land*

Jhiaxus
This message was last edited by the player at 13:55, Wed 02 Nov 2016.

There is a pause of nearly twenty seconds.

"G-G-Rand A-Admiral.  This is Huntsville Space LIDAR Sweep Center."

The siren gets more insistent. You seem to be locked on now.

"We will relay your request to Missile Command. Please do not come any closer, um, right now, okay? You say you have alien abductees?"  He seems to be calming down.  "And it ain't sweet tea unless the spoon can stand straight on its own."

*I grin*

"I dated a girl from Alabama, she did like her sweet tea. I love tea myself. I will keep this distance, until cleared. Yes I have killed two Greys and released their abductees. Unfortunately there are complications I am working out, but they are happier now than before. I will wait for instructions."

Jhiaxus

Two minutes later...

"Grand Admiral, this is General Carter of Space Watch. We're going to send a flight of high-altitude F-19s to lead you down to a landing zone.  Could you explain how you came to be in control of a Gray ship?'

About three minutes later, four dart like fighter jets with very swept wings flash past you, and then in a fifty mile wide circle come back.  They take up position coming toward you, and then pass.

"Admiral, this is Captain Rickson in the F-19 directly to your right." You see him wave at you. "Follow me down. We have a base in West Texas we'll take you too."

*I smile*

"Greetings General Carter. Well I had a broken down shuttle, I latched onto this unmanned slave ship and turned off any remote control to it. According to Space Piracy Law, possession is 9/10ths of ownership. We will be glad to be escorted down to a landing zone."

----------------------

"Greetings Captain Rickson, I will follow you down, I thought any F19's would have been locked up tight in Lockheed's skunk works...either way, lead the way."

*I will follow him down*

Jhiaxus

"I think this is a story I want to hear." General Carter replies. "And Space Watch is not contesting your ownership."

============

"The F19 is a pretty closely held secret, Admiral. Only fighter jet in the world where the pilot is also an astronaut. With our Xpaks on, we can hit fifty-five miles up." Captain Rickson replies.  You swoop down, and the F19s keep pace until you reach 15K feet where they peel off, and go for refuel while a flight of F15s takes over, and brings you to the ground in West Texas.

The flight down is beautiful as things grow from shapes of continents to lines to mountain ranges to a flat, dusty field with nothing around it except cacti for miles.  A bleak metal hanger and a small tower are all that is here other than the barbed wire fence.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 105):

*I nod*

"It is much more impressive in my mind, but with that said, I am looking forward to some Texas BBQ."

______________________________________________

*I will ease the craft down, since I have active internal dampeners, it should be a pretty easy decent and landing, and wait for permission to disembark, as I look around and get used to the sunlight and see what awaits me*

Jhiaxus

The flight is indeed easy.  Its not much harder than driving a car.  +@1 New use 'landing in atmosphere'.

A battered jeep comes out, and a tightmouthed corporal takes you and the bots? in to the hanger. He drives up next to a double door inside, even as another jeep barrels on into the hanger to screech to a stop next to you.

"Grand Admiral?" You recognize General Carter's voice.  He's tall, and clearly a lifter with a build that must make passing his PE tests a nightmare.  His jeep creaks when he gets out.

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 107):

*Yes taking Mike and Hank with and sitting them up and strapping them into the jeep*

*I look up after the jeep ride*

"Greetings General, it is a pleasure to see you, and that humans in general are doing well. I was worried that the Greys might have decimated the planet. This is Mike and Hank, *I point to each as I say their name*, the Greys that controlled them are dead, and took their control devices with them. I have tried to free them, but it is very dangerous, so I am trying to fashion a new control device to release them. In any case, they requested to visit their families, and since we needed food and supplies, it sounded like the right time."

*Trying to feel him out to see what I can glean from him*

He looks intently at you, and then at the two cyborgs.

"We've never seen a cyborg up close. There was only one wide spread attack that we're aware of...the Venture Incident. Early on in the Internet, the Grays sent in a computer virus to try to get us to attack ourselves. We were able to stop it, and nowadays, no weapon systems are net connected, and every major system has a human watcher.  We think the Spidren told them to cut it out.  But we're not sure who or what the Spidren are, this Door you mentioned, or anything other than random humans get snatched a few times a month, and altered by the Grays."

The double doors open, and you step in with two soldiers stepping off with gurneys for the cyborgs who then come back.  The door closes, and the floor of the room rapidly sinks.

You go down for a good bit.

"We at Space Watch figure we can survive a one megaton damage asteroid hit."

The doors open into a wide hallway with displays on both sides.  The first is a cut out chunk of stone with cave paintings showing two cavemen with spears stabbing a Gray.  Its mounted on the wall.  Next to it is an illuminated manuscript.

"Dear Lord from the Fury of the Northmen deliver us,
And let the Hatred of the Gray pass us by in your mercy, O Lord..."

Beyond that is a jade statue of Kali using her many arms to rip a Gray to pieces.

Beyond that is a typewritten order on a badly wrinkled sheet of manuscript.

"General Order No. 22.
Maximum violence is to be directed at the Gray.  They are enemies of the World Communist Revolution, and any aid, or truce with them is STATE TREASON.
                                           Stalin,
                                           Party Secretary of the U.S.S.C.P."

In reply to Tadeusz (msg # 109):

*I look around and listen to the General*

"It is good to see the Grey's haven't subjugated the planet, and SPECTRE said this is their one slave ship in orbit. This should cut down on the abductions, but as you have seen, they are made into cyborgs. I have a plan, to change the cyborg facilities on the ship from making cyborgs, to making exosuits. There is a base that was offline on the dark side of the moon, however, since when I came aboard, I activated it, the Greys seek to put it back offline.

They seem to make/find intelligent apes, and so far we have freed three groups coming through the door. I came to Earth for three reasons, to take care of the Slave Ship, which I have done, to let Mike and Hank see their families, they can speak via text, so there is that. The last is to resupply, water and food for us to keep defending the door. If you can also get me some advanced parts, so I can repair the other two shuttles, you are welcome to have one. It would make communication, resupply and well you can help defend the gate. I could also use a scientist and an engineer. I know computer programming, I can copy, but I do not understand. I hate to rush you, but we don't have a lot of time. They greys have been attacking the door, and we are running out of food and water, this was a desperate gamble that right after the last door opening, we may have a day or two before we will need to defend it again.

I am not a military man, and I know you are here to defend earth. You do know tactics, and if you take what I tell you at face value, you will know the best way to defend earth at this point is to help defend the door. I was worried I was going to find some post-apocalyptic civilization here, and have trouble finding the food and resources we need. I am both thankful and lucky, that the earth seems to be better than I expected. Taking Mike and Hank back up, I can probably squeeze 2-3 people in with the supplies if we organize the cyborg bay. I can really use your help, time really isn't on our side"

Jhiaxus
This message was last edited by the player at 19:35, Sun 06 Nov 2016.

"Alright, Grand Admiral." He suddenly starts walking fast, and takes you past a picture of St. George Slaying the Gray, a Crusader sword, a Zulu spear, and into his office at the end of the hall.

"Sharon." He snaps at his brunette secretary.  "Tell Dr. Whittaker to get his pictures NOW. Send for Enlisted Hughes, Dr. James Parker, and Mark Winston.  Immediately.  Tell Stores to get up two pallets of DF's, and one of water. It is Utmost Rush.  And i will personally cancel Christmas for anyone who is tardy."

"Yes, sir." She says a bit flustered behind her desk, and then you hear echoes that repeat her words as she goes to a general intercom.

"Now, we have fifteen or twenty minutes.  What is the Door? Why are the Grays...okay to make cyborgs.  I need information..." And here he smiles.  "If only to keep my science guys from mutiny.  Dr. Whittaker is going to scream when he finds that you're leaving with the UFO."

Mike is already doing text, and Sharon is getting Hank set up as well.

*I nod*

"The Door from my understanding is basically an distance warping wormhole. You pay gold in order to open it, and it is part of a linked network of set places where you can go to. The base on the dark side of the moon is one of them. However it was offline until I came aboard, now it is online and they know it is online. SCEPTRE is the AI that runs the Door, and the base, the AI can prevent people from leaving, but cannot prevent the door from opening. The first time a Grey came in, I had no weapons out and had to lure them into to the Reactor core and use bots as cover to kill one. The next time, we set a trap, the Cyborg the first one in was trapped under containers and bots. I told the Grey to hand over his bracket and surrender , and he chose to kill himself. The Bracelets control the cyborgs, and generate a kinetic field. I am going to assume it stops all projectiles, but has no effect on hand held weapons. As to why they need to make Cyborgs, I am not a scientist. If I were to hazard a guess, they are physically weak, and if they are drafting intelligent apes and making cyborgs out of humans, combined with the unmanned slave ship, it leads me to believe that they either do not have a lot of their kind to serve as foot soldiers, or they have too much pride or ego to do the work themselves. The greys did not make the technology they use for The Door, that was from a previous civilization. I am currently making a control bracelet, copying theirs down to each detail. I am hoping that once done, Mike and Hank can at least be mobile and fight, if not be able to release them from control without killing them. Worst case, they will fight the greys that made them.

Well I do need a scientist and an engineer, if you are willing to let him go, they can help me repair the two somewhat working shuttles, and they can see for themselves. Do you have a 3D printer that prints metal? It would be far easier to recreate the band in AutoCAD, and then print it out, than fashion it by hand. It might also help with ship parts. I am trying not to be greedy, there is a lot of work, and not enough time in the day to do it, I am sure you are under the same guidelines. I would love other things, I can leave a list and next time I am down, we can cover more than the necessities. I am quite thankful for your help, you have no reason to trust me, but I hope Mike and Hank are putting in a good word for me."

*I will walk back to the UFO, and start shifting around the cyborg lab so 2-3 humans and the small amount of stuff we are putting in here. I am checking every nook and cranny of the ship now to make room."

Jhiaxus