Six men filtered into the small crowded room, faces concealed by breather masks and long scarves they stood in a loose circle silent and unmoving for several minutes. Each man nodding in turn and leaving the room without a word being exchanged, in the outer room they began to strap on weapons and armor, their gear nondescript and generic giving no clue to their identity or allegiance.

   Faces and hands covered in black cloth and armor the men took their places in a line standing still and emotionless awaiting some signal to move again. Their weapons remained sheathed and slung over their shoulders Hours passed as the silent soldiers stood at attention only their breathing giving away any sign of life. Then as one they stiffened un slung their weapons and filled out into a waiting cargo mover pulling the canvas flap down as the last one filed into the cargo box.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:47, Tue 18 Mar 2008.

From the view of an outer tower on a distant lush world a woman clad in dark robes sat behind her desk listening with a look of contempt and boredom as a mechanically scrambled voice spoke through her ear pod.
      ” Your apprehension is unfounded, she will not be allowed to achieve her goals.”. The woman twirled a strand of raven black hair as she yed with the young man kneeling by her side holding the comm set for her.” I assure you I have deployed resources sufficient to the task, your troublesome woman will not interfere with our arrangement, your investment will not be lost

     ” If I was in your position I would be less concerned about one female, than I would the good graces of your patrons, If one word of our arrangement were to….. The woman paused with a chuckle and then a cluck of her tongue.” Of course I would never do such a thing my oh so valuable ally, our secrets are well secured and no one would think of disrupting our profitable enterprise over a few careless words. The woman’s voice was cold and sharp, the words spoke to reassure seemed more of a carefully worded threat than a reassurance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:49, Tue 18 Mar 2008.

  ” Yeah it’s on board, I put it in myself just lie you said.” A slim Tae woman spoke quietly into her wrist comm…” Look your not talking to one of your Blue girls, You go trashing my rep and I’ll come talk to you about it myself. the woman replied to some comment on the other end of the line with open irritation.

    ” Your package is in place, and I made sure it was wired into their comms, you’ll know the second they get on board. Oh…and I made sure I have an override just incase you thought about clearing my account at the same time, my money goes away and you have to get your pretty Poly chrome inlaid fingernails dirty…. Matron. You ought to get those things clipped you look like one of your sissy boys
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:26, Wed 12 Mar 2008.

Deep below dust stirred, lights flickered ancient machines stirred to life. Long dormant ancient systems rebooted one by one. Behind layers of crystal and super cooled solids awareness kindled. Ancient and Powerful SHE awoke, her will gathered and seethed long had she slept, long had her children hovered between life and death. Her mind reached out calling to her sisters, calling them to answer her call for assistance. Only a howling void answered her, the links severed their voices stilled by death and time. SHE was alone the vast expanse of space that had once trembled at her name now in chaos and disorder, the lesser running amok, the ancient adversary leaving the universe to the whims of fate.

    Cold, silent, dark Kronos drifted far beyond the warming rays of alien suns. His mind lost in memory the ancient warrior dreamed of dark suns and burning worlds. Silent for weeks he had been distant and refused any attempt at communication. His weapons powered and his shields raised the mighty living dreadnaught drifted silently in the void.

        ” Jessica,” The voice of the machine spoke, a soft whisper to stir the woman sleeping by the master console.” Prepare for transmission, tell the leech he has his broadcast, and he can quit calling me.

   ” He’s an agent Kro,”  Jessica rolled over her silver hair spilling over the edge of her bed as she reached over to turn on the lights.” If he stops calling that’s a bad sign.”

“ As if I care,” Kronos chuckled slightly,” I can broadcast without him.”

” Until your HPG burns out and we can’t pay for parts, Jessica sat up her long silver legs gleaming in the dim light” And those fighters and drones need parts too.”

   “Unless you want to be repoed?"

    “ Make the call,” The ship rumbled and throbbed as power flowed through it’s systems,” Get the guys up here we need to rehearse the new songs.”

    ” Let me guess something cheerful and happy, maybe a nice dance beat to it?”

     “I’d rather surf a black hole than do dance music.” Kronos snorted, within seconds the powerful warship jumped into hyperspace.

         The hellish skyscape of hyperspace reflecting of his hull the AI warship was a nightmare vision of antennae weapons blisters and heavy armored plate. No single ship, or flotilla of bounty hunters dared to face the warship. However one small dark shape trailed the leviathan deep into realms of hyperspace no sane pilot would dare. The ugly insectoid hull and rust red color of the ship leaving little doubt of the race that built it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:44, Mon 17 May 2010.

An ancient machine stirred to life, old before Terrans had discovered bronze, ancient before the pyramids were raised the Machine growled, rumbled and hissed it’s discontent as systems powered up and fuel flowed into engines long silent in the depths of Hyperspace.
           For years beyond counting the great machine had drifted, silent and dark hidden among the dark nebulae, deep in it’s core a mind stirred to life, listening to the whispered thoughts of it’s children and the children of it’s creator the machine sensed the time of it’s return to those it had sworn to serve was near.

“ Children I hear your calls the Ghost in the machine whispered it’s words heard only by those who shared the spark of life that had been first kindled in the great machine.