Mr Goravi please use your mental telepathy powers to tell the Ishant spies that neither the Inci nor our Earth visitors want conflict. Add that you will return the two captured rangers and to not send anymore of your people into Inci territory. Captain it they do not accept Mr Goravi's ultimatum take them out too with you tranq guns.
Goravi said "Princess Healani, we do not have a shared intelligence with our planet Mars, although some telepathic Inci can share a communal mind. Certainly the Ishant have no such fine connections except an intimidating spell some have. Do your people have such Earthy connections like your Asimov saw, in a story??" and to Colonel Fenworth Goravi replied "Consider it done Colonel but I'd like to see their backs. Their word is not too trustworthy. So far they've just snarled and clicked foul insults and threats. Give me more time, it's a work in progress, their Captain 'Hork' has strengths like simple magics. Do not look directly into his eyes. I will now send him some , very nasty mind images, including a glimpse of Tempus' vile giant hologram eating his family. It's an art form!" Henri said "Yes Colonel, will do, it'd be my pleasure. Tranq guns it is if needed. And Alha's net gun. Old tech stuff, if that's ok? Goravi says it'd be easier for him to mind probe a netted rather than a tranquillised Ishant. Maybe net the Leader Hork? Goravi has guided us superbly to the ridge top and with our spy drones and his far sight we know they're arguing and dithering 3 km to our east. Gorravi has suggested to my Tempus to create a giant hologram of some hideous creature, with stereo audio from the two camoflaged Flash ATVs. This might be fun. Permission to smirk Colonel."
Captain do the hologram, netting, tranqilizing.. whatever it takes to convince the Ishant they are not wanted in Inci territory. Their plans are for power then subjugation as they know full well their metabolism is not suited to this region of Mars.
Yes Colonel, will do. We're currently approaching them with our giant hideous Hologram and they're clicking madly and running in circles with Hork trying to rally them. Half have run, and forming a hidden battle line behind the giant hologram are our Suvan Warriors with multifire tranq ammo, as ordered. Alha has managed to net their leader Hork and his men have managed to tranquilize all other resistance with barely a sweat. Thank Gaia! We've triple cuffed and shackled all, and locked them up. They are very strong and deadly beings with a tough exoskeleton, teeth claws, ...acid saliva, Goravi is currently mind probing the Ishant leader Hork, and implanting suggestions into his mind it seems by looking into his eyes. I don't enjoy watching that stuff so generally leave Goravi to it. Mind probing seems a harsh experience if whimpering is a measure! What are your orders for the prisoners Colonel? Let them go at the border? Goravi may want to keep Hork I suspect? Permission to chase away the cowardly Ishant runners. They seem headed north anyway, from our spy drones. Your orders Sir? We want to drop off our 13 captives at the border, if you wish so Sir? Warrior Chalaman joked about boiling them as they might taste like Lobster! I doubt that, and said it would be distasteful for them to do such a thing. They laughed. Good men Colonel, and yours to command Princess Healani. I'm amazed at how fast they've adapted to technology and all our predicaments. They're tough smart guys with good hearts who follow many Polynesian and other Gods and Goddesses like Gaia. I'm just another lapsed Catholic but I admire their faith. I think Goravi's sugested giant hologram was tje image of an Ishantie God or some sort of fear mongering, our presense and help included. One last thing, I had some downtime and vaguely remember a long dream like conversation with Goravi. All I remember is looking into his big blue eyes before I dozed off. Still, I felt more relaxed than ever when I woke up. He's changed me. Soon after Alha gave me a strange look. Let him take charge if I fall.
This may be why the Ishant are running..... This image has been magnified thousands of time to show it's details. Suddenly, there was a loud buzzing sound and these creatures appeared. Goravi says they are like fleas on Earth, except they are smaller. They live in Olympus Mons. They emerge every 100 years and feed on anything they see. Their favorite food is brains. They enter a victim's ear and pierce through to their brain and consume it. There are literally millions of them. There is no defense against them. They only live for one day then go back inside the volcano and lay their eggs. Native Martians have learned to stay inside to avoid them. If you are caught in the open, the only thing to do is run for your life.
That's a horrible parasite Healani. I want to run now too. I'm alctually currently running fumigation cycles in both Flashes. I'll ask Goravi to check us all out, including our prisoners, and the med bay to scan us for infections. Also triple checking the Flashes' door seals and internal air filters. Goravi well knows of this deadly pest and is helping with protections like rubbing one's ear canals with oil of Zytricle which we were able to sythesise in our Flash replicators. And foam ear plugs coated in that same stuff. Healani, Alha has even commanded your Warriors to keep their sealed helmets on until they're all cleared, and us. I said 'fine'. He's a very smart and able leader. As expected, we got the all clears on all counts. Here are our readings. See, all good except for some minor flatulence issues. I recommend Alha to be promoted to a first Lieutenant Princess and 2 more Sergeants. Tool Monkey to a Captain for me was a shock but proud toothy bear that insignia, and try to do what I can, like your epic warriors. They are keen on structure Princess which is fine by me. The other three I recommend promoting to Corporal at least, two stripes each. Extra pay, privaledges, ... They do seem to take pride in such recognitions, especially from you and the Colonel, which I figure they deserve. Colonel? Moral, etc... I have also instigated, on Goravi's advice, continuous live blood sampling of all crew and even reluctant and shackled Ishant prisoners for that cerebral parasite. Some bigger ones had half woken and needed resedating. Someone yelled 'Lobsters!' 'Sorry about that." Hork was taken to specially sealed chambers with just Goravi, me & Tempus, Colonel Fenworth, and Princess Healani, Alha and several AIs, some unknown to me., Hork said He & his were just an inquisitive probe into the nature and narrative of the unexpected. "Crap" I heard me and other voices echo loudly. The sooner we drop off the prisoners the better. Goravi said he found nothing unusual in his mind probe of Hork (so he says) so we'll release him too with your approvals. Goravi said he dumped a few strategic mind seeds into his thick skull for Hork to take home with him. I'm glad Goravi's helping us. I heard him say to Alha how he might like to join our quest? Interesting. Quest? He's a smooth talker. Tempus says he has secrets. Goravi the silken tongued Tempus the ever watchful
That wise old Goravi. Captain release all prisoners now that Goravi has put total peace in their minds. If the Inci are ever threatened by any outside alien species Goravi and his queen can and will make the Ishant their front line of the defense of all Mars.....
EEK Healani. We may need the Ishant's help sooner than we envisaged. I suggest you talk to the Inci queen to devise a battle plan against the parasite......
There is no defense from them. But, thanks to help from our Martian friends, we have evaded them. They have returned to their nests in Olympus Mons to lay their eggs. They won't hatch again for 100 years. The mind seeds that Goravi planted in Hork's brain will spread throughout the hive and peace will reign. For a while. But there is a swarm of asteroids headed for Mars. We don't have enough firepower to destroy all of them. We might be able to destroy a few of them but there are too many for us. We have no choice but to withdraw to a safe distance and watch.
How will we know which is a safe distance as we have no idea where the asteroids will hit the Martian surface. We need to find a sub surface hideout. Goravi do you know of one such place. Needs to be a size to house your people for a short time.
I hate bugs. All prisoners released too. I gave them some of that protective bug stuff. Hork still had a glazed look in his eyes after Goravi. The others were released carefully, one at a time. Hork last staggering a little. Colonel, Felix on board our star ship Lara is tracking the asteroids and he calculates only 3 will hit the small Inci city which he says he can easily target and deflect with Lara's fully charged heavy weapons. Goravi then pushed Felix for other projected strikes. I okayed it. Some will hit Ishant hives badly it seems.OK, I thought, but... Goravi wants their worst asteroids deflected away from their densest hive Colonies. Goravi particulary wanted 4 Asteroids deflected that each have trajectories going into seemingly empty land. We have huge amounts of Typha as fuel and weponery, but why waste it? He wants to speak to you about that. And time is of the essense. Could you pick us up from to help help Crew Lara? Lara can easily reload the flashes if you land at these coords facing nne. Goravi here now, Colonel, Princess, tap tap can you hear me?:
Sitting down all knees arkwardly in the Comms seat, 8' tall Goravi said" We were once easy prey for the Ishanti Colonel and Princess, for hundreds of thousands of years so we fled, underground. Hence our large eyes able to see in many spectums...And our minds grew and we developed Psionics to a point, some more than others, like me. Anyway we do have a huge system of caves, hence to protect 4 underground prime targets, where other major underground cities are, we plead to deflect those warrant asteroids headed their way. We number about 2.348 million in fact, mostly underground still. Please help us. I have very strong telekenetic powers I can even help push the Asteroids off course, with your technology guiding me. Felix says they only just need a gentle nudge if caught quick enough. We won't get all, but please let me help. I can be very useful in other ways too. The Ishant are children of Mars too. Their numbers have dwindled from their gory glory days, but they are Martian, and are dwindling. Our world is slowly but surely dying. Not for tens of thousands of years yet. Hundreds even, I pray more. Such a pity we can't help the forest Long limbed Krall Tribes from the Asteroids, who even we still know little about. A Long story. Thier sickly Equatorial forests are the dying lungs of Mars. Hopefully you with your 'Trophy' Crimsonite Lara starship Earthers can help put out any equatorial forest fires Even little asteroids are super heated and the forests are drying. Get your Tempus to generate a Godly Water Diety Hologram I can suggest a few images.. That could work. He did well with scaring off Ishanti, but agreed they were already nervous from those horrible ear bugs. Help the Ishant n Krall if you can Earthers, I'll help too.....? Goravi, Out." Speak to my Aide Simplion if I'm unavailable, He's got some useful talents. He teleported aboard.
We will do what we can but there are too many asteroids to destroy or deflect. The only way we can save our friends is to help get as many as we can to the underground cities. We will store as much information as possible to their best minds so that if ever they can return to the surface, they will know how to restore their planet to it's past glory. Then we will have to withdraw to a far planet to watch from a safe distance. If we delay too long, we and Lara will be caught in the asteroid destruction.
You're right Healani, our original data didn't see all the asteroids. Unfamiliar Crimsonite technology we set at the wrong resolution. Sorry about that. Felix is very embaressed. We'll help as best we can indeed and then withdraw to a safe distance. I think the Inci will be ok undergroud but fear the Ishant will suffer greatly.
Just a reminder, we have 11 Crimsonites imprisoned in stasis, and 2 of their different Alien captives, also in stasis, who we promised to return to their home planets. That Creslafy looks weird as does does the Burtheter. Both from Medieval types of cultures and Technology, primative religions and ideologies I'd guess. The worry is the Crimsonite home planet which I vote we do last, or one of their Colonies. Go there slow burning centuries of time, and then scoot home quickly by warp drive? Thoughts? There's cons to going quick too? Let's see out the storm and help where we can best in it's aftermath. It seems the Equatorial forests took a big hit with huge raging forest fires still burning. The Krall are fleeing in panic. One Burtheter from Epsilon13 One Creslafy from Pegasus 42 And 11 Crimsonites from Tallus11 Colonel, despite the impending reign of destruction upon Mars, Goravi asked me to ask you if he can join us? He's very persausive and competent Colonel, but it's your's and Healani's decision. I'm ok with whatever you think, there are things about him that worry me too a bit, like when he was rummaging around my mind. Just saying. He did fix me tho and I know he's not fleeing Mars our of Fear. He's a brave fellow. Through him n Comms which Tempus mainly manages, with his smart mouth, I think a little, and roll over.. There are competent Masters like Goravi currently herding their peoples to safety, deep underground, he says. Very deep. He was not picked at randomn to interface with us lot. He's a top shelf Martian Master Operative I reckon.7:4 0dds accepted. He may even be reading open net thoughts, so don't tell me your perspectives and stratagems. Spiders n flies scenario? Set your traps. The Inci have even opened up caves and Caverns for the Ishant to flee to. to, with food stores waiting for them. Love thy Enemy I guess? They do seem to have a Galactic Morality. I also believe he can help us with all these Aliens we have in Stasis. Life was so much simpler as a techie with gambling debts. Still happier here though. I feel useful, smart and happy thanks to Goravi. Tell me if you think he's dropped some malicious mindseeds into me. Like I keep thinking: 'Do They Play Polka Music At Oktoberfest?' for instance. "I don't care!" Germans will tell you NO as the music is German Oompah and definitely not Polka. Traditional Polka comes from Czech and Poland and relies more on the accordion while German Oompah has more of a brass band (Blaskapelle) feel. If you are from the United States, Oompah music will sound just like Polka to you as American Polka has more of a German influence than Polka from Europe does. Are these thoughts therapudic?