The Big Bastard in the Bubble

Posted on Fri Jan 10th, 2025 @ 10:36am by Ambassador Oriath Velt & Commander Alex Flynn & Ramielos Volsunga & Doctor Intharia T'Zor & Lieutenant Commander Atna & Senior Chief Petty Officer Gaz & Lieutenant Onda Duros
Edited on on Fri Jan 10th, 2025 @ 1:24pm

2,202 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Masters of the Stars [2]
Location: Unused Observation Lounge, Pier 2, Lower Docking Bay
Timeline: 1630 - MD02 (after 'The Wolf's Fangs')

Alex watched the extrauniversal arrival float in his ersatz prison cell inside the hemispherical lower dock. A holographic tile on the window magnified the image. He looked indifferent to his surroundings, floating in an almost fetal position, muttering to himself with his eyes closed. "Why is he naked?" Alex asked. Not to scale. She realised. Ayol owes me three strips.

"He had an undersuit on when we pulled him out, we withheld it just to be sure. We beamed him some clothes in his size, but he ignored them. They left the confines last time he broke the shield, we haven't sent anyone to get them yet. He's made his choice." Gaz said. He wanted to not be angry at the man, he was obviously born to it, and likely knew nothing else. But Gaz kept remembering the Captain and Saa, and how easily it could have been worse.

"How many times has he tried to bust out?" Alex asked.

"Four times. Seems to have given up." Gaz said.

"Is he still okay?" Alex asked, knowing well the only result of breaking out was exposure to vacuum in the dock.

"Pending Dr S'Lace's opinion otherwise, he is fine. We have observed that he can hold his breath for approximately 25 minutes. He seems to be sweating a substance that forms a sealed skin around him. Combined with his massive lung capacity, he could very well get himself to the surface of the inner dock at a comfortable temperature, if not for internal tractor beams to reorient him. I would expect he could also find a way in." Atna assessed.

"Another of his augmentations seems to be a gland in his mouth that produces an acidic poison. Furthermore, there is a layer of interactive cybernetics sealed between his muscles and his skin. His ears are implants that appear to be designed to eliminate the possibility of motion sickness or vertigo. I agree fully with Dr Enu'Tha's earlier assessment. This is a killing machine." Dr T'Zor said.

"This discovery might win whoever reports on it first a Zee-Magnees prize. I expect that is what Dr Enu'Tha is working towards at this moment." Atna noted.

"Don't worry, we've classified it, he should be aware. He'll get a red notice if he tries to send anything about it elsewhere. It's not going to be easy keeping the Klingons and the Romulans in the dark, but we'll do our best." Alex wished in that moment they had a dedicated intelligence department.

"Has anyone spoken to him?" Alex asked.

"Nope." Gaz said. "We said a few things to him, 'these are clothes, this is temporary, if you break the shield again we'll wait until you pass out'. But he didn't seem to listen. Hasn't responded at all."

"Have you listened to what he's saying to himself?" Alex asked.

"Prayers. Praying to his God-Emperor." Gaz said.

"Doctor T'Zor, are you up for having a chat with him?" Alex asked the Asari.

"Me? I can, yes, but... me?" T'Zor responded with an uncharacteristic uncertainty.

"You're from another universe too. All these fancy augments, he should be able to tell that you're being honest with him." Alex explained.

"Very well. Chief, please open a channel." Thari requested of the nearby Tellarite.

Gaz gave her a thumbs up as the open channel tone sounded.

"Battle-Brother Ramielos Volsunga. I would speak with you." Intharia said. His heraldry and ways suggested a monastic culture, she aimed to emulate the commanders of such cultures.

His eyes opened slowly. His prayers stopped.

"If you would speak with me, tell me so. I would not waste my breath otherwise."

"Speak." Ramielos said after a moment.

"My name is Doctor Intharia T'Zor. I am a scientist of the Asari Republics. I am not a native of this universe either, and I was also trapped within the same sort of mechanism we extracted you from."

"What of it?" Volsunga said dismissively.

"I expect you will know I am telling the truth when I tell you that these people are not your enemy. They are peaceful explorers who have committed to returning me home, and they will do the same for you." T'Zor said.

"So the black-eyed psyker stated. Your aeldari weapons spoke the truth of it." Volsunga responded with disdain.

"Aeldari, what does that mean?"

"Aeldari are an enemy of mankind. Arrogant hedonistic xenos whose aeons of profligacy destroyed their Galaxy-spanning Empire and birthed the dark prince of Chaos. You would tell me that one is not Aeldari? Nor your leader?" He pointed an accusing finger at Atna.

"They are Vulcans, from a desert world of the same name. They are a stoic and logical people, committed to peace and knowledge. They have never ruled an Empire. Offshoots of their race called Romulans did form an Empire, but it fell after only a handful of centuries, and never over more than a portion of one quadrant of our galaxy. Does any of this mean anything to you?"

"I know of Vulkan, but he is a Primarch, not a world." Volsunga responded.

"You speak of mankind, where is the home of your people?"

"Holy Terra. Segmentum Solar." He explained, sounding less disinterested as the conversation flowed.

"Terra. We call that world Earth, the third planet of the Sol system. The same is true in my own universe. Tell me, what year is it on Earth?" Thari asked.

"I have never set foot on the holy capitol. But before I was here, it was 199.m42 by the Imperial Calendar."

"The M, that is 1,000?" Thari asked, basing her assumption on the latinate sounds of the words he used that the translator could not process into anything more meaningful.

"Correct. It is the 199th year of the 42nd millennium." Volsunga nodded.

"Thank you for sharing that. Here it is the 25th century by the calendar of Earth. I cannot say for certain, but you may have passed through time as well as space." Thari said.

"Such notions are heresy." Volsunga seemed to be withdrawing again.

"We do not believe in the concept of heresy. We believe in a world that is seen and observed and measured. If it cannot be proven, we do not believe it exists."

"You are xenos. Your beliefs do not interest me." Volsunga grumbled.

"Xenos. Non-human?" Atna asked.

"Affirmative." He was retreating.

"As we understand the classification, you would no longer qualify as human either, Battle-Brother." Thari told him.

"I am Adeptus Astartes. We are the Champions of Humanity. The Imperium's Space Marines. I was born of mankind, but changed by his wisdom into what I am." He seemed to emerge briefly to show contained anger, before retreating once more.

"Do you understand that we would return you to that? That we do not wish to harm you?" Thari asked.

"You are xenos. You may believe your words, but that does not mean they are not lies."

Intharia gestured to Alex, hoping her DNA might be more convincing somehow.

"Everything she's said is true. And you can trust me, I'm 100?rth-born homo sapiens. But our Earth isn't like yours. We don't have an Emperor. Humanity is part of a Federation of equals, humans and non-humans of all stripes. We co-operate and govern together, our society is almost entirely free of poverty and violence and suffering. We don't expect you to learn our ways, but will you accept our offer of peace?" Alex said.

"While the enemies of the Emperor still draw breath, there can be no peace." Volsunga responded with disdainful axioms. "Suffer not the heretic, the psyker, the xenos to live."

"There's no reasoning with you, is there?" Alex asked, more disappointed than annoyed.

"An open mind is like a fortress with its gates unbarred and unguarded." Volsunga again repeated an axiom.

Alex exhaled, exasperated. "If you can be calm and behave, you can be comfortable until we figure out how to get you home. We'll feed you, clothe you and treat you right. If you want to keep fighting us that's up to you, but we're just going to keep putting you back in the same time-out corner. If you really think your Emperor wants you struggling in vain to throw a tantrum until you pass out from hypoxia, then I guess there's no stopping it. But if he would want you to behave with dignity as an emissary to an new and unknown humanity and its allies, you have that option too. Just let us know."

"Whatever the Emperor's will is, be sure it will find you out." Volsunga said, closing his eyes once more, and returning to his whispered prayers.

"Shut it off." Alex told Gaz, shaking her head. "What do you think, Chief?" Alex asked.

"That's a big boy. Poorly behaved. My maw would have left him outside with no dinner. I guess that's what we're doing, too. We've got something that should work to keep him in, though. From the exozoological catalogue, actually." Gaz responded.

"Big old tub?" Alex asked.

"More of a wheel than a tub. No moving parts, just some chambers to beam the necessary survival components into. Designed for the telekinetic acid aerojellies of Ballix V. Those bastards will burn or break anything you try to store them in, except this." He brought up a display of it. "Most of the higher end carcerial designs might be a rights problem without a trial."

"What do you think, Commander?" She asked Atna. She still felt a small amount of pride in her friend every time she called by the rank.

"I concur with Doctors T'Zor and Enu'Tha. Killing machine. Genetic monstrosity. Xenocidal religious extremist." Atna said, without taking her eyes off the floating space marine. "The sensible thing may be to euthanise him. Though I realise that is unlikely to be permitted."

Intharia gave her a disapproving look that was gone in a moment. "He's been mentally conditioned, I'm sure of it. Getting through that kind of programming takes time."

"He recited a cultural axiom specifically denouncing reason and open-mindedness." Atna countered.

"We have to try. I thought that was what your Federation was about?" Intharia said, folding her arms.

"It is. Our way is not universally the most sensible." Atna responded. She still hadn't looked away.

"Well don't spend all day staring at him, you'll go blind. If you feel like chatting with him some more Doc, go for it. Just make sure it's all recorded." Alex said. "When do you expect the enclosure ready, Chief?" She asked Gaz.

"We're lucky that we've got the neutronium from the reactor lining, we shouldn't need much. Some time tomorrow, at the latest. Alph and Ga-Tirothai are already reinforcing the superstructure." Gaz explained.

"Alright. What do you do if he needs to.. you know. If nature calls?" Alex asked.

"Beam it elsewhere." Gaz said with a shrug.

"Please ensure it goes to one of the sample sets in the lab if you do. There will be valuable data in his leavings." Atna asked, finally turning away from the window.

Ambassador Velt entered the room at that point, unaccompanied. "Open a channel." He said before any greetings those who knew him would expect. Those familiar realised he was nervous.

Gaz gave him a thumbs up.

"Battle-Brother Ramielos Volsunga, I am Ambassador Oriath Velt of the United Federation of Planets. On behalf of my government, I wish to offer you legal counsel and the opportunity to make representations on behalf of your own government, if you are so authorised. You are not our prisoner and we will release you if you can guarantee your cooperation." The Ambassador said all at once.

Volsunga did not stir.

"If you do not respond, we will proceed under the assumption that you are interested in either." Velt said.

The same silence continued from their guest.

"If you do wish to pursue either avenue, please let anyone present know, and we will facilitate as best we can." Velt said. The channel was closed.

He let out a deep sigh. "Good afternoon everyone." Velt left as quickly as he'd arrived.

"Alright everyone, once you can get a replacement to show up, go and get a good rest. We've gone above and beyond today, don't worry about it again until tomorrow." Alex said.

Everyone said their bit and started to head off. As soon as Alex had been able to pull out a cigarette on her way out the door, her badge chirped. "Yeah?" She asked, her speech sort of impeded by the smoke between her lips.

"The Challenger just dropped out of warp, ma'am. Admiral Gali's asked for the senior staff to be ready for a briefing in one hour." Lieutenant Onda reported, his tone and cadence suggesting he knew just how much Flynn would hate the news.

She yelled a profanity loud enough to cause the crew who'd come to replace T'Zor, Gaz and Atna to turn and look at her. "As you were." She told them as she realised, and lit the cigarette there in the room, annoyed enough to not be bothered even deploying her anti-smoke-and-litter hygiene drone as she moved into the hall.

"See you soon, ma'am." Onda said, taking her response as affirmative.

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