ISR -- Lotus Date: 05.09.2020 Written by Courtney Riojas Photography by Courtney Riojas
[Background:]
A ship called the Lotus was caught in a space anomaly caused by a thermal explosion. They are now far away from home and trying to make their way to familiar space.
The anomaly that pulled their ship also pulled Cervius, an Earther, out of his time and into another dimension where the Lotus is.
[RECAP:]
Q's recap: In this episode, Everyone dies!
[Decryption Begins:]
Belial goes back to the bridge with his new big gun which he had torn off the Amoranth. Septum approaches Belial and asks him to help him with a suit for the Amoranth. He wishes to interface with the rover. Zeynerx decides to practice landing a ship in the Lotus. Usi goes to med bay to do a DNA check. He finds a slight change, like something was going into place since the last time he scanned. Osius asks Usi what he is up to and Usi replies that he is checking his DNA's progress.
Osius says Usi hasn't changed physically since he last saw him and wonders what exactly is changing and how it will show.
He suggests testing his own DNA. They do. He has no alternations, and the odd synthetic things don't seem to be affecting him. They ask Talos if they can look into Osius's test results. Osius has more neater DNA than normal for a Protian. Usi wonders if they were trying to make him like him. He suggests that the only person who could possibly know what happened
is Belial. At the suggestion, Osius is angered. He says he'd rather talk to the human who is more interested in him. Usi wishes him luck with Cervius. Osius says Cervius needs the luck and walks out.
Valamra walks into her quarters and examines her notebooks and findings. She drops the other contents, ignoring the breaking of something. She flips through it feverishly and finds a page with a big symbol drawn on it. She is not sure what the symbol is but she knows it means something. Her vision centers on the drawing, and she is drawn toward it. She gets a flash of glowing red eyes in her mind and a whisper, a deep eerie whisper. It makes her skin crawl. She doesn't know what is happening. She goes to the front of the book and reads it. She sees it is a journal written by Valan, in the Prakkum tongue. She thinks it is her dad based off of what he writes.
He notes how plants are dying, that Val is young. He says that he wishes she had a more habitable home but that this one was the best they could find that was most suitable to their needs. Valmara reads that a Sentinal attacked Valmara and he managed to destroy it. He notices how quickly tons of animals and plants began to die off. He says he found something deep in the woods, a shrine. It is made of a strange material he did not know, a metallic structure that he could not understand or recognize, even with the scanners. He says the symbol was on it and a being spoke to him. He then said he left the place. In the middle, the book says Sentinal attacks were increasing. Some Prakkum had been killed by them. They had built their settlement around a central structure that somehow was related to the strange shrine he had found earlier. He later returned to the small shrine because he felt called back to it. The being said he would give Valen something in return
for him giving him somethin. He says he apologizes for something. That was hastily written, followed by nothing else save coordinates hastily scribbled into the last pages.
Valmara looks each up. They seem to be close along the Lotus' path, about two days on their present course.
She calls Usi and talks to him, showing him the symbol. He looks up the symbol, and it is in reference to Galimus the Consumer.
Valmara goes to Juliane and shows her her discovery. Belial is on the couch in the ready room with Julianne, keeping watch over her.
Julianne is unable to do or say anything that will get Belial to stop guarding her. She tastes the chai that Julianne gives her.
Valmara doesn't like it. Juliane looks at the book. She slams the book when she is drawn to it, causing the items around her to remain suspended in the air momentarily. Valmara requests to investigate some of the coordindates. Julianne says she might, but with only a limited selection
of the crew.
Belial warns her of the Darkness and offers her information. Curious, Valmara accepts. He tells her of Eden Grey, the Prophet and servant of Galimus and a Felhammer who consumed whatever he hit with his hammers. Valmara still wants to investigate the coordinates despite what he says.
Julianne says the ship will stay by the station orbiting the planet, and only a couple people will be going with her. Valmara returns to her quarters, seeing Nyx as she passes by. (*She wants to say something to her but doesn't.)
Zeynerx is practicing landing, and he crashes the ship in the holo-deck. He does it again. He lifts off the ship easily.
He runs another sim with the shuttle coming into the atmosphere and landing in a forest. He crashes it again, landing the aircraft, while knocking over tons of trees. Score 3 out of 10, according to the simulation. He tries lifting off with the same sim. He does it easily.
He gets a bit frustrated.
Micron is hanging out in the mess hall with the rest of the crew. He talks to Owen, the bartender.
Owen and the robot exchange words. The robot orders a drink. Owen mixes it and empties the contents because the robot can't drink it. He then makes another and gives it to him, cleaning up the spilled drink. Cervius comes up to the table and asks Owen for something strong. Valmara and Nyx join them in the mess hall. Nyx gets a shot of very strong Zakon mead. Nyx downs it and walks out.
Owen is impressed. Valmara orders something Prakkum. Owen looks up information on a drink she requests and quizzacly makes it for her.
She gets drunk after one glass.
Belial also joins, bringing a cup of his own drink. He asks Owen for three mugs of mead, and gives him a shot of his own drink.
He downs all of them. He orders three more mugs. Owen gives him more and receives another shot from Belial. He admits he is a bit nervous for Belial. Belial grins. Owen downs it and says it hurts more than Zakon mead but says it is not bad.
Belial pours him another which Owen says he is on the job, but can do it later. Belial smiles again. (*A rare sight.)
Valmara is talking to Osius who is at the table. There is a resounding sound by Belial as he slams his mug on the table after he downs each drink.
Valamra summons a spear out of instinct but it breaks as she does since it is unstable. She tries to balance herself and falls on the floor.
She gets up and Belial was glaring at her. Valmara starts to have her head get clearer. She angers Belial, wheeling around demanding to know what he was looking at. She realizes that Belial is drunk.
Belial starts to move toward Valmara and pushes people out of his way. Usi decides to report to Julianne the situation. Valmara summons an iron cube to block Belial. The cube's being placed there causes the ship to shake. Valmara runs into Julianne. She orders them both to their quarters. Belial tosses Valmara aside, and Julianne dampens her fall with her own power, her eyes glowing when Valmara looks at her.
She orders the place to close for the night. Valmara collapses on her bed. Belial returns to work, his thudding echoing through the ship.
Usi is glad he called for Julianne.
Zeynerx talks to Belial about the Felhammer being like his kind. He wants to find a body suitable to his needs. Belial appreciates his interest and says he will contact the Forge Lord about it.
Belial goes to the mess hall in off hours. Valmara sees him enter and starts to leave. Belial snarls at her.
The next day the ship is arriving at the system. There is a dying star in the center of the system. It is a darker gold red.
There are multiple planets in the sytem and the one with the station is there. It's a trade center. The Lotus docks into the station. Varlen(sp?) and Julian(sp?) live on the station. Julianne asks them to investigate the station before going to the planet.
Belial contacts the Forge Lord. He calls Zeynerx. He talks to Kyron. Kryon is pleased to see that him and Zeynerx seem to have similar values.
Valmara meanwhile, looks into information on the planet. The planet is called Zeke III. It is a very cold planet with temperatures going from -30 to -300.
Valmara looks for more information on the planet. There is no unusual activity. There is an outpost on it. She senses the planet, and there is a black hole of nothing over the outpost, simliar to when she senses Julianne. She senses a presence as she looks at this info and looks around.
There is a man standing close by and looking at her screen. She senses toward him to get an idea of his aura, but she can't read him.
He has a green and black coat with a scarf. He asks her if she is searching for someone. She replies that she is on the surface. He seems to know her name, claiming to have heard much about her from a mutual friend. He says he knows her dad and mentions a Prakkum on the surface. She asks about him. He says that he is her dad. He introduces himself as Eden Grey. Valmara recognizes him from Belial's memory. Eden notices this. He tells her that her dad is troubled and wants to see her. Valmara is disturbed by Eden but is drawn toward the desire to know more of her father and meet him. She has too many questions and it overwhelms any doubts or alarms in her heart.
He says farewell and a coldness seems to flow near her as he passes. Valmara shudders as it.
Belial sees Eden Grey and approaches Valmara. He asks her questions, and she explains her interaction with him. He offers her assistance which Valmara is surprised by, given his previous hostility for her. He explains that since they are fighting the same thing, he is willing
to help her. Gratefully, Valmara accepts his help.
Eden then talks to Usi. Nyx leaves the ship and sees an odd aura around him. Eden nods to Nyx who passes by. Eden continues his conversation with Usi. Nyx recognizes Eden Grey. Eden comments on Nyx's eyes as they change color to purple. He knows of Nyobix Laboratories. Eden says he knows of it and how it fell, but that he had nothing to do with the organization. He then
puts everything together and realizes what and who Nyx must be. Eden unsuredly takes Nyx's hand which Nyx offers.
He gives a formal Protian goodbye to Usi and tells him he will probably see him again -- Valmara, probably not. He lifts his finger to his lips, as if to keep that statement between him and Usi alone.
Usi, Nyx, and Belial talk about Eden together and what it meant.
Osias approaches Valmara and offers his wingman services after she tells him what happened. Valmara accepts. They agree to go together and limit any losses that could happen to the crew since they are both expendable. Osias says he is more expendable that she.
She approaches Belial for the equipment he offered her. He gives her an exoskeleton and a sword. He decides to join them. They decide to keep their mission a secret and not notify Julianne of thier intent. (Belial gives Zeynerx information that is important, in case he dies).
They start to make their way as stealthily as possible toward the teleporters. Osius is not really trying to hide. Valmara is and failing miserably. Belial is really silent, using the stealth tech he took from the Matrix outpost. All three of the rest of the crew see and greet them.
Belial grabs Osias and Valmara by the back of their armor and sprints off with them. They disappear.
Nyx tells Julianne: what he saw and informs her that those three are doing a thing. Julianne decides to leave them be. She regrets they didn't tell her. She asks who was leading. Nyx says Valmara was and then that Belial grabbed them like sacks and sprinted off with them.
Usi tries to link with his brother. In his mind, Usi is thrown into the torture chair that Osias was in and he collapses. He is taken to medical on the Lotus.
The three beam down to the outpost. They are all cold. They start to approach the entrance-like structure. Belial leads.
They follow the path he makes through the snow. Belial wrenches the door open. There is an airlock there. Belial closes the door.
Osias depressurizes the airlock.
The door opens and the place is decorated much like a home. Belial asks if Osias sees anything on his scanners.
Osias says he can't think in there and his scanners are acting wonky. Valmara tries to sense but there is something blocking her mind.
Valmara sees Osias on his knees. Valmara decides to shield his mind for a moment to help relieve the pressure on him, instead of trying to break through the mental barriers.
Talos questions Usi about what happened with him when he is brought to the med bay. Usi explains he tried to connect with his brother.
Talos is a bit exasperated with him for doing that, reminding him of what he learned from his previous experiences in such attempts.
Usi goes to the bridge once he is free. Julianne meets him, searching for him herself. She informs him of the situation Nyx brought to her attention and she says she wants the situation on the planet monitored. She also wants a party prepared to go down there in case things go wrong.
She mentions Valmara's track record for getting herself into trouble.
There is a big living room area in the outpost. There seems to be another room and a library connected to it. There are papers and desks everywhere in the living room. The papers are everywhere, scattered over things in places and neatly stacked in others.
Belial and Valmara look at the papers, and they doesn't recognize the writing. There is wet ink on one of the papers there, meaning someone had been there not too long ago. Belial senses another life sign besides themselves.
They go to the library. There is someone on their hands and knees whispering. Valmara tries to sense toward him and almost gets to him but doesn't get anything. It is a Prakkum from what they can see. Valmara calls him her dad and he says no and that she is just a
figment of his imagination. Valmara takes the toy from the hut and puts it in his line of sight. He recognizes it and looks up at them.
She calls him dad again. This time, he sees her and he rises, arms outstretched. (Belial gets himself ready for danger. He is blocking Osias.)
Valmara and her dad embrace. He is excruciatingly thin.
Valmara asks him why he is there. He says he is a danger and that only one person ever visits him (Eden Grey). He says how much he wanted to see Valmara.
Valmara wants to get him help. She has not seen another Prakkum for far too long and has been searching for clues to her family and race for most of her life.
Her father has not seen her for 60 years. Her father is clearly too old to be alive still according to the usual length of Prakkum lives. He is around 280 years old, clearly he should be dead, but somehow, he is not.
The second crew whom Usi organized are landing on the planet.
The weight lifts off their minds. Valmara uses the time to sense her dad and she senses him and another presence. She senses the same voice as she senses in the symbol. The Corrupter says "Hello". She talks to him, demanding him to release her dad. The Corrupter says her dad is no longer there. Her dad says he had made a pact to save her life for his. He says he would do it again, if he had a chance even though it was foolish. Valmara cries hearing this, and they cry together. As he does his eyes fade out and change to red gradually.
Valmara cries and clings to her father, knowing he was gone but refusing to let go. Osias tells her to back off. Her dad tells her to run.
She starts to back off, holding his hand still.
His body begins to change and become ashen. He tells her to run. She doesn't want to let go but decides to turn and run.
As she runs, Valan falls to his knees, crying still, tears falling on the ground. His body disappears like dust.
Zeynerx tries to command the presence, that they feel as they land on the planet, to back off. He gets crushed against the side of the Amoranth, crying out no. Nyx powers up and strengthens herself. Zeynerx's body is melting. Zeynerx begins to be an orb.
Usi sees this and asks Sol and the Creators for help. The aura about Zeynerx's melted body is banished. Zeynerx is back and his form is in his natural state. He then tries to find something to inhabit so that he feels less exposed.
Belial, Osias, and Valmara are trying to sprint out of the outpost. They feel themselves being pulled back. Valmara is being pulled back, unable to gain any ground. Osias is not exactly making progress, but is managing to keep himself from being pulled backwards into the dark
mist. Osias looks back, sees her and makes eye contact. He says: "Oh crap". He then glides back over the ground and starts to push Valmara up. She tries to make a rope and fails. Osias's body is beginning to de-materialize.
Belial shoots at the mist. It disappears. Valan cries out, calling them to run again. The mist begins to reform. The pull lessens for a moment. In that moment, Valmara and Osias get to their feet before they are pulled back once more.
Nyx charges into the outpost. She ignores the airlock. When she enters the room, she feels the pull against her body. Usi is following her.
Belial fires again. Nyx tries to pull Valmara and Osias to safety. As each shot hits Valan, his form lessens. Belial says in comms to Valmara: "The man you knew as a father is dead." She replies, sadly that she knows and he can shoot.
The mist is forming into a figure with flaming eyes. It calls Belial's name and reaches out to him. His armor starts to decompose. Valmara creates a barrier between Belial and the arm. It begins to disintegrate, but it saves Belial from getting hurt.
Nyx succeeds in pulling them out. She overloads her gun and chucks it into the building. Valmara creates a sphere around Belial. Galimus is also rising out of the building, his form changing and growing. Usi and Belial are thrown back by the explosion.
Galimus looks at Nyx. He addresses her and she makes a smart remark back. Usi prays again. Nyx and Usi notice a laughter of enjoyment from above them. There is a figure in the sky: Eden Grey who is enjoying the display with a wicked pleasure.
Belial continues to empty rounds into Galimus, screaming at it and chanting as he does so. He gets slapped by Galius, scattered into dust and what is left of him explodes. The explosion takes out Galimus' arm and part of his face. Slowly, they start to reform.
A shimmering white light forms above the battle. Valmara tries to form a sphere around the figure that appears inside Galimus' chest. She fails.
There is a flash of lightning, and a person forms where it hits. They are in gold and white armor. It is a Protian. He blasts a field of energy at Galimus. (Ieye)
The rest pile into the Amoranth. Before she goes in, Valmara chucks a spear at Eden who is cheering in the distance.
Eden disintegrates it. Kyron appears also with Ieye and attacks Galimus.
Septum tries to get the Amoranth away from the battle. Usi and Osias are on the outside of the Amoranth, watching their ancestor fighting.
Outside, they hear clashings, yells, and sounds of battle. Septum drives them into the shuttle and they take off. As they leave, they see Galimus' body
mist form shrink to the ground. Ieye stands over him with a sword.
[DECRYPTION COMPLETED]
Who is who:
Belial - Conrad
Julian - Cole
Usi - Torin
Nyx - Josiah D.
Cervius - Josiah R.
Valmara - Courtney
Zeynerx - Peter