Veni, Vidi, Vici, Imperia

[Ray of Meep]

Sometime between 2321 and 2322

Hydroworth Station, Bruno Gas Giant System

The airlock shut behind the ex-American Union pilot as she stepped into the small room. It was claustrophobic, the dark grey walls and ceiling bearing down on her, with a small metal table in front of her, and the eggshell white floor to find comfort with. The airlock on the opposite wall hissed open, revealing three robed figures, their true heights and statures impossible to tell under the cloaks, their faces masked, plastered with electronics, impossible to focus on any detail in particular.

"Thank you for coming, Enid Halliday, Imperia." The middle of the three figures remarked in a garbled tone through their mask. "Certain matters of importance are best discussed analogically, away from the prying eyes and ears of the rest of the Assembly, through the songs of the void."

"We have been observing your works with great interest, and we believe that we can come to an arrangement beneficial to both of our causes." The right figure spoke, immediately following the middle figure.

"Do you have any questions for us before we begin negotiations, Imperia?" The left figure asked.

 

[NiceNecromancer]

Stepping toward the table, a haggard Enid sat down a small cylindrical speaker and from it Inperia's voice boomed.

"A FACT I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH."

Enid lowered the volume on the speaker to about 40% of what it was. The speaker, Imperia, automatically raised the volume up a little to 70% of what it was.

The pilot closed her gaunt eyes for a long time like an inaudible sigh. She was pale and bruised but clean and somewhat decent.

"To ensure the secrecy of my operations I have brought an encrypted microcard with a delivery address. Drones will pick it up from there." A small door opened revealing a storage drive the size of a penny. Enid picked it up and handed it to the middle figure. "This also includes a small list of required research papers and machines. I trust the security of your network to anonymously purchase these parts. My conclusive essays will be delivered quarterly."

 

[Ray of Meep]

Taking the chip with a pair of tweezers, the middle figure inserted it into a cheap, disposable datapad. Silently, they read over the list of demands, sharing the datapad with their two companions, leaving Enid and Imperia to wait for several minutes, watching the three communicate with each other with nothing but subtle shifts of their heads and bodies. Finally, the middle figure set the datapad down and withdrew the chip, placing it into a thick, polymer bag, hiding it way in their cloak.

"Your request will be met fully, Imperia." They replied in an indescribable tone. "You will be granted the Pink Moon to ferry yourself, and your host, across the stars. Rechristen the cargocraft as you see fit. It will come with the necessary certifications to travel through any of the SLE spacelanes in the human community. Be advised, if you are in peril, help will not arrive. Are we understood?"

 

[NiceNecromancer]

Enid sort of bowed slowly and Imperia's voice came through the speaker again. "An apt name, It can help evade detection. I understand well the irony of independence and hope to share in event of my successes and the exclusion of my existence in the events of failure. To my understanding we shared some concern that a few requests would be above budget but are mutually glad you will provide."

The ragged woman stood up again. "mmm, food." she mumbled through a dry throat and cracked lips.

 

[Ray of Meep]

The three figures ignored Enid. "If we are in agreement, then expect the Pink Moon to arrive at the spaceport closest to your address within twenty days, with the requested materials on board. We expect the first wave of results 100 days afterwards." The right figure replied.

"Donec omnes unum, Imperia." The middle figure stated with finality, as the other two shuffled out of the room. "Till all are one."