trans_9 | Contact [Bendy timed to 3 or 4 days after Lirath]

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Contact [Bendy timed to 3 or 4 days after Lirath]

In the aftermath of the battle at Lirath, Stacy had been severely damaged. Though she still eventually managed to build up enough power to resume course, she was obviously struggling, her pace far slower than normal. She could barely even manage to directly address those who needed to speak with her, instead allowing the more monotone voice of the Warden to speak up wherever she couldn't.

Several days after the battle, however, she once again stopped course suddenly and without warning, and let out a message throughout the ship.

||Notice to all crew members, Daligig Vessel Horizon is approaching. Archon Yavek is requesting to board so repairs can begin on this vessel. Please report to the Obs deck to recieve Daligig personnel and begin briefing. I repeat, notice to all crew members...||

Those going to the Obs Deck to check out the commotion would see the Horizon just out the observation window. It was massive, nearly half as long as Stacy, and likely had enough room for over a million crew members. The ship was colored a brilliantly bright white, with sleek, smooth lines, making the ships the GIA had that the crew had seen in the battle at Lirath seem like ancient relics.

Not long after the crew had arrived at the Obs Deck, bright, crackling lights began to appear towards the far end of the room as figures began teleporting in.

The first to appear were...not the Daligig. Instead, the first figures to arrive were massive, 9-ft tall reptilian soldiers, each decked in thick armor carrying equally massive battle rifles. At their fore stood one of them wearing lighter armor, carrying a tall metallic staff. He appeared older than the other reptillians, and wore a red sash that seemed to mark him of higher rank than the others. He raised the comm unit on his wrist to speak into it.

"Situation green, Archon. It is safe come over."

At that point, more figures began teleporting over, much smaller than the reptilian soldiers that came before. In fact, they were even somewhat shorter than normal humans, the tallest among them barely six feet tall. These were the Daligig, strange looking and varied in appearance. Each of them had devices on their arms, apparently small but powerful micro computers, each with different colors denoting the rank of the wearer. At their side were numerous tiny beings, each barely 4 feet tall, who almost immediately fanned out, obsessively observing and picking at Stacy's techno-organic structure.

Suddenly, one of the Daligig, wearing a dark blue arm unit, stepped forward with a rather grim, serious expression on his face. This, apparently was Archon Yavek.

"Who is in charge here?" he demanded bluntly.

[ooc: Meant to get this up a week ago, but school got the better of me, so sorry, guys! First thread that I put up will be the main expositionary thread, but feel free to make more threads for you characters to react, talk to each other, or try and talk to the Daligig and their companions. Basic info on the Daligig can be found over here.]

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The leader knew she meant their species and not their name, since few even among the GIA have ever seen one of their kind, as they kept mostly among themselves and the secretive Daligig.

"Glory and Honor," the apparent leader greeted her, slamming a fist against his chest in a sort of salute. "We are Kessek, warriors in service to the Daligig. I am Force Commander Hukkar, and these are my Honor Guard."

"Glory and honor," Hit Girl repeated, slamming her fist to her chest. It was a strange greeting, but no stranger than any other things she had seen in the months being here, on Stacy. Why not this?

"I am Hit Girl, on the ship to strengthen myself. I'm curious: why do you serve the Daligig?"

"Long have the Kessek pledged themselves to the Daligig," Hukkar replied. "They raised us up from being a primitive race that was about to destroy itself in foolish civil wars. It is a matter of honor that we serve continue to our saviors as Vassals."

Well that was something to digest: she wondered what those people who had their conspiracy theories about the Daligig and their intentions. Of course, this could also not be as it seemed: after all, it's possible they were using these Kessek somehow. She had to know what the Daligig were about.

"How did they do that? They sort of banded us together, but we're a pretty diverse group. Some believe that the Daligig are ultimately using us. Now me, I'm a fighter, and once I have a goal in mind, I stick to it until the end. So for me, I'm hoping to learn what motivates the thoughts of your vassals."

"Before our people encountered the Daligig, we were savage and barbaric, waging wars on ourselves as our people began to grow too many for our small planet, yet had not developed the ability to reach other worlds yet."

"When the Daligig came to us, they intervened in our wars, made our broken clans declare peace with each other. They then showed us how we could reach out to other worlds, other realities, and that there was no point in fighting amongst ourselves. They gave us technology and knowledge, along with a chance to redeem ourselves for our foolishness."

"In exchange, my people chose to serve our saviors, acting as their warriors and vassals. It was the least we could offer those that saved us from ourselves."

So it had nothing to do with enslavement, as far as she could see. Of course, it would be a hell of a feat, getting so many warriors fooled. It didn't mean that Hit Girl was the type to let her guard down: she was the kind of girl that hated a Shamalan ending with a twist. For her, you had to entertain the fact that everything you knew could be a lie, even if it sucked and you'd rather an ending where you were doing good.

"So they broadened your horizons," Hit girl said. "In a way, they've done the same thing for people on the ship. Once you get past the whining about not being on the world they're from, we're still learning about people from other dimensions, learning people who seemed impossible can exist. I assume if you're their warriors, you have a stake in this whole fight with the Ohm too."

"Indeed. All living beings have a stake in this war, for if the Ohm are not defeated, the very fabric of reality could be destroyed."

"Yeah, I got that," Hit Girl said. "We were face to face with some in battle pretty recently. Figured that was why the Daligig have to show themselves personally this time: Stacy needs the repairs."

She paused. "Have you guys fought the Ohm yourselves?"

"Many times," Hukkar said, pointing to a partially healed burn along his cheek. It was hard to notice given his reptilian skin until he pointed it out.

"I received this killing one of their massive Firewurms, much like your crew member who sacrificed himself at Lirath."

Hit girl took a look at the burn and then, in a gesture of respect, brought her arm to her chest a moment. She could speculate what the Daligig were about all she wanted, buts he would never not acknowledge a fighter on the field taking their lumps.

And truth be told? Those Firewurms being able to kill Superman? Scared the shit out of her.

"Is there a way to kill those things without, you know, having to sacrifice another member of the crew again?"

"Sadly, there is no such way to do so without great risk," he replied. "I had managed because I was able to overcharge my combat-harness's energy shield, but much of my skin and several limbs were destroyed. Those were fixed thanks to the Daligig's cellular restoration tanks, but I left the scar to remind myself of those that fell that day."

"I see," Hit girl said, taking that note to heart. She was now REALLY glad they were able to get some of that technology, even if it was on that pain in the ass clone planet. But that was little comfort when she was being told that in order to actually defeat one of those things, they had to lose limbs.

"Is there anyway the Daligig can show us how to use the regeneration tech we just recently acquired?"

For now, those wurms had to be taken down by a person. But what if they were able to somehow build drones or something?

"That would be up to them," he said. "The Daligig have many responsibilities, so I cannot speak for them."

Made sense: she shouldn't have asked that question, not if these guys were their soldiers.

"K, I guess that makes sense. Next question: how long are you guys going to be here, on the ship? Only just long enough to fix Stacy, or are you staying longer than that?"

"Only as long as necessary," he replied. "The Horizon is set to meet back up with the main fleet after this. Logistics Officer Mirvee has assured me it shouldn't take more than a couple weeks."

OK, good to know. She'd expect sometime soon a notification that they not start trouble and be good little boys and girls, whatever that meant. She wasn't out to go and annoy the Daligig or bitch about what a horrible time she was having thanks to them. No, these guys, if they were as "noble" as their bodyguard described, had information they needed.

"And are you guys just going to just stay with the Daligig to protect them during that time? I'm only asking because you guys are warriors, and you've fought the Ohm before. If there a few simulations of them, or at least an exercise you could compile, it would definitely help. I don't speak for the rest of the crew, but any fighting stats I can train against, I'll gladly take."

"We shall remain as well. I do not wish to sound rude, but given the fact that your crew has acted independently for so long, we would rather not risk the chance that some of your crew members get out of hand with the Daligig."

He pauses, thinking for a moment.

"A joint training exercise would be quite intriguing. Your crew could learn from my men's experience, while my men can learn a thing or two from observing your crew members's unique skills."

"I don't think I could ask you to just trust us," Ht Girl replied, "because even I don't know if one of the crew would actually do that. Then again, the Daligig have always been a sore subject, since we really don't know a lot about them anyway. If we did, we'd probably be less likely to feel any hostility toward them, and concentrate it more on the Ohm."

That's what she figured, anyway. Couldn't really trust any side that were suspicious of the other, right?

"See, that makes a lot more sense then either of our people just giving each other the stink eye as the Daligig do their thing. We want to learn everything we can when it comes to fighting the Ohm: we don't want another repeat of losing people we care about so easily."

"I can understand how this whole...situation...has likely not enamored your crew to the Daligig. But from my experience, they are good people trying to do their best in a desperate situation. It is not a perfect situation for anyone involved. I can answer some questions your crew might have about them, if it might alleviate their concerns."

He nods solemnly at her final statement.

"Death, no matter how noble and honorable, is an unfortunate thing. I shall make arrangements for my men to be available for a joint exercise. Who is in charge of your crew's combat training, so that I might be able to arrange this?"

"Well keep in mind that I haven't even been on the ship as long as some of the others. They've seen a lot of pretty messed up stuff, and specifically, there have been things on the ship that they don't understand how they originated there to begin with. There are still lots of mysteries about Stacy the crew doesn't understand, and since they can't blame her, naturally they blame the Daligig."

How much that was true, really, was anyone's guess.

"You're telling me. I've seen death a bit, in my world and on the ship and off. It's been pretty wrenching for the people involved. That question...is a good one, and I'd say the most obvious answer would be Kang. He's usually the one training people. Mostly those who need to get versed in the basics."

"Very well, I shall speak with this Kang," he replied.

"I thank you for your frank responses, young warrior. I doubt many of your comrades will be so forthright in sharing their opinions or the opinions of their comrades with us, given the situation, but I believe it is in both of our interests to cooperate rather than divide ourselves."

"Hey, my beef is not with you guys, or the Daligig. I don't see you blowing up my home, or trying to kill my friends, or causing crazy ass cultists to take the lives of themselves and others. Any real warrior worth their weight stays focused on where the destruction is coming from, and taking care of the problem. So long as I know we're on the same team, you have my cooperation."

And as long as she wasn't proved otherwise, that the Daligig weren't manipulating them? She would seek out help from wherever she could get it. Superman didn't deserve to die, after all.

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Contact [Bendy timed to 3 or 4 days after Lirath]

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