Post by Faclan on Oct 22, 2019 0:06:36 GMT -6
(Little alt history thingy I was thinking off while stacking shelves and listening to Kilo-Five. A little expansion of Neks backstory that I thought would be fun. May do some more later :>)
October 12, 2553 Human Calender
Two systems over from Y'Deio system, on route to mentioned.
Kig-Yar transport vessel Silver Dart.
Everything was dead. The lights, the screens, even the gravity and life support. The emergency life support was currently piping oxygen into the bridge as Nek had managed to strap himself into the chair to try and restart some systems. He was working as quick as he could, trying to ignore the screams and cheeps of panic from his children that Zahl were keeping a tight hold off. Trying being the operative word. Power outages were nothing new to the T'vaoan of course, but this is the first time that not even the backups backup power plant, just for the Captains screen, was also failing. And the shudder than ran through the ship every twenty seconds for the last minute and a half let him know this was no ordinary power loss. Something was attacking them. But with no sensors and only a view screen to the blackness of space nothing could be revealed of what it was.
It became worse when over the squawks of panic he could hear doors being forced open behind the bridges main door. And he wasn't the only one. It was often fascinating how quickly fear turned to rage, especially to seasoned raiders. A focus on the needs of the moment rather than waiting for it to come to them.
"Stay here!" Zahl hissed at young Yul and Posn as both chicks clung to the chair legs Mama had pit them under as she clamber over the dead weapons console to the locker on the wall. Wrenching it open after standing horizontally on the doors before throwing the weapons out for the bridge crew to grab. The Kig-Yar pump guns quickly grabbed and held tightly by the few Kigs on the bridge as they braced themselves against consoles and corners in the room to face the door itself. And after trying one more time to get some kind of response from the transport Nek had given up and unstrapped himself. Grabbing the Covenant wrist Shield that was floating beside him and turning it on. Kicking off the chair toward Zahl and the chicks. Reaching out to grab the larger females wrist who helped him to the floor as he turned on the shield and crouched down with as much of his weight as he could manage in Zero G. He hated this. But had no choice. The male wouldn't do a lot, but he would do anything he could to protect his small nest in the middle of space.
The squawking had stopped. Each officer and child now watching the door. Only the quiet hum of the few shields that had been activated and the tapping of claws on weapons. Even Yul and Posn had gone quiet, clutching each other and the underside of the seat.
The silence allowed the tromp of boots outside the bulkhead to come to them all. Muffled whumps of bodies stacking up on either side of it. The attackers were clearly organized, not shouting or taunting. But movement was hard to mask on metal floors to Kig-Yar ears. They were preparing.
"May Aecor favor us, and damn these invaders to the Depths!" Zahl hissed as she cocked the pump gun just as the door started to open...to reveal what appeared to be a small box on the middle of the open door. And before Nek could reveal the Human device to the bridge it activated. And everything went suddenly white and then black. The cheeps of fear and pain returning as the entire bridge was blinded. Weapons fired at the door in the vain hope of hitting something.
But there was no silence this time. And that just made it worse.
Hearing the attackers approach and not able to do anything about it. Nek desperatly reaching out for Zahl but instead finding his outstretched arm grabbed and yanked sideways, shield deactivated as he was wrenched around and shoved to the ground. Beak slamming against the deck before it was forced sideways. Arms pulled behind him as a heavy pointed weight shoved down on his back. Hearing Zahl hurking as she was grappled too before something sharp sunk into his shoulder. Nek just able to hear the young ones screaming for him and Mama before everything melted away into silence once more.
October 15th, 2553 Human Calendar
Y'Deio System - 2,500 kilometers outside of Asteroid Colony Rel
ONI Prowler Tianjin
Darkness. Thats what Nek remembered, and what faced him now. But also cold. His claws and talons twitching as he slowly started to awaken. But didn't bolt upright or make any noise. Not that he could of course but he wasnt aware of that. Basic crash landing checks first. Breath in. Out. In. Out. Hold for seven seconds. Release. Ok. Lungs seemed alright. Open and close fist three times, curl toes three times. He didn't seem paralyzed. Slowly open beak. Nope. That as a no go. Slowly moving his head side to side he nodded as it felt different. Something was on his snout. Likely keeping his beak closed. Slow raise of one hand? Nope. Other hand? Nope. Ankle and Ankle? Nope. So he was secured to something. Unlikely to be pinned as he felt no weight on his limbs besides his ankles and limbs. And there was still darkness. Likely a blindfold.
"Have you finished, Kig-Yar?"
Jumping slightly in whatever he was strapped in Nek took a deep breath and slowly turned his head right then left. It was in front of him. Then up and down. Somehing was between them however, but not a wall. A life of climbing around pipes helped in many situations. But he then sat still. Whatever the voice was clearly had something to say as once he had settled down the, human female...sounded old, voice started again.
"Nek, of the small asteroid colony Dal. Raised mainly on a trading ship between the Y'Deio system and the Kig-Yar colony of 'Riverside' - what a silly name. I assumed too much about your species intelligence perhaps."
He wasn't wearing any upper body clothing. And the chair was made of some kind of metal. He was listening of course. But wasn't going to rise to any sort of jab at himself or the Kig-Yar in general. The flat-faces had said far worse about both before.
"Helped your father with packing packages while your mother was security for the vessel. A mostly perfunctory position on a small trading vessel of course." The old crow chuckled. Nek looking at it before reminding himself not to rise to jabs. They seemed to know a lot about him. And he knew what was coming next.
"Twelve years old and then the vessel was attacked. Mother killed in front of you as a show of force by the Spice Sisterhood. Before you were dragged on the ship, watching your dad be left behind to asphyxiate on the venting supply ship. Taken with," the sound of paper shifting...wait paper shifting?! "Six other young Kig-Yar; one other T'vaoan, two Ibie'Shan, and three Ruuthians. At least you had a friend."
Don't rise...dont. You've lived through this before. All they are doing is trying to drag back up memories. He couldn't help his talons scratching against the floor. But Nek did his best to keep his breathing normal.
"Pirates and slavers have a habit of that kind of actions don't they?" It didn't wait for a response before it continued. "Lets see, kept in the Sisterhoods vice like grip for eight years. Shoved from vessel to vessel often in Engineering. Keeping their engines and power plants running despite the stunts they tried to pull with them. Yet almost never any reports of disobedience or attempted escape. You seemed to just accept the position. Or were too scared. Deciding that just being quiet and doing what was ordered was better than rocking the boat."
Breathing normally was becoming more of a challenge now. The T'vaoans wrists rattling the restraints as he shook. The beatings, the executions he was forced to watch, the cackling drug infused breath as the feet came down. He had pants still. That was better than the Sisterhood at least. Focus and youl be fine.
"A Kig-Yar, T'vaoan no less, with no fight. No drive for conflict. Perfect for our uses." The blindfold was removed from his head and Nek blinked before trying to finally see who this voice was. Before he was faced with screen about two feet from him. With an ancient Human female on the other side slowly flipping through a packet. But that wasn't what Nek focused on. Instead it was the giant ONeI eye picture behind him. The Hidden Eyes. Whispered about from his contacts. His breathing stopping as the elder continued.
"Before you were rescued shortly after you're twentyth Birthday, or hatching day whatever you aliens call it, what a nice gift for you. Well, rescued from the Slavers at least to instead be a part of a Raiding Crew. At least you were raiding the Covenant as well. Though not you of course. You were too busy cowering in the Engine bay." The old Grandmama took a drink of tea as Nek finally let out the breath he had been holding. Now entirely focused on the Human. And then the Shipmistress got herself two kids off you, and then left you with the vessel. For some reason thinking you were a good choice."
Another paper flip. "And then you slowly went around trading with Insurrectionists. Naughty naughty on your part. Covenant Investigations, one count of directly assisting a stricken UNSC vessel, and now you are here in our clutches. ONIs clutches. And you will do exactly as we say." The muzzle around his beak clacked and fell onto his thighs. "Then again, you are used to following direct orders, aren't you Nek?"
"Where. Is. My. Family?"
October 12, 2553 Human Calender
Two systems over from Y'Deio system, on route to mentioned.
Kig-Yar transport vessel Silver Dart.
Everything was dead. The lights, the screens, even the gravity and life support. The emergency life support was currently piping oxygen into the bridge as Nek had managed to strap himself into the chair to try and restart some systems. He was working as quick as he could, trying to ignore the screams and cheeps of panic from his children that Zahl were keeping a tight hold off. Trying being the operative word. Power outages were nothing new to the T'vaoan of course, but this is the first time that not even the backups backup power plant, just for the Captains screen, was also failing. And the shudder than ran through the ship every twenty seconds for the last minute and a half let him know this was no ordinary power loss. Something was attacking them. But with no sensors and only a view screen to the blackness of space nothing could be revealed of what it was.
It became worse when over the squawks of panic he could hear doors being forced open behind the bridges main door. And he wasn't the only one. It was often fascinating how quickly fear turned to rage, especially to seasoned raiders. A focus on the needs of the moment rather than waiting for it to come to them.
"Stay here!" Zahl hissed at young Yul and Posn as both chicks clung to the chair legs Mama had pit them under as she clamber over the dead weapons console to the locker on the wall. Wrenching it open after standing horizontally on the doors before throwing the weapons out for the bridge crew to grab. The Kig-Yar pump guns quickly grabbed and held tightly by the few Kigs on the bridge as they braced themselves against consoles and corners in the room to face the door itself. And after trying one more time to get some kind of response from the transport Nek had given up and unstrapped himself. Grabbing the Covenant wrist Shield that was floating beside him and turning it on. Kicking off the chair toward Zahl and the chicks. Reaching out to grab the larger females wrist who helped him to the floor as he turned on the shield and crouched down with as much of his weight as he could manage in Zero G. He hated this. But had no choice. The male wouldn't do a lot, but he would do anything he could to protect his small nest in the middle of space.
The squawking had stopped. Each officer and child now watching the door. Only the quiet hum of the few shields that had been activated and the tapping of claws on weapons. Even Yul and Posn had gone quiet, clutching each other and the underside of the seat.
The silence allowed the tromp of boots outside the bulkhead to come to them all. Muffled whumps of bodies stacking up on either side of it. The attackers were clearly organized, not shouting or taunting. But movement was hard to mask on metal floors to Kig-Yar ears. They were preparing.
"May Aecor favor us, and damn these invaders to the Depths!" Zahl hissed as she cocked the pump gun just as the door started to open...to reveal what appeared to be a small box on the middle of the open door. And before Nek could reveal the Human device to the bridge it activated. And everything went suddenly white and then black. The cheeps of fear and pain returning as the entire bridge was blinded. Weapons fired at the door in the vain hope of hitting something.
But there was no silence this time. And that just made it worse.
Hearing the attackers approach and not able to do anything about it. Nek desperatly reaching out for Zahl but instead finding his outstretched arm grabbed and yanked sideways, shield deactivated as he was wrenched around and shoved to the ground. Beak slamming against the deck before it was forced sideways. Arms pulled behind him as a heavy pointed weight shoved down on his back. Hearing Zahl hurking as she was grappled too before something sharp sunk into his shoulder. Nek just able to hear the young ones screaming for him and Mama before everything melted away into silence once more.
October 15th, 2553 Human Calendar
Y'Deio System - 2,500 kilometers outside of Asteroid Colony Rel
ONI Prowler Tianjin
Darkness. Thats what Nek remembered, and what faced him now. But also cold. His claws and talons twitching as he slowly started to awaken. But didn't bolt upright or make any noise. Not that he could of course but he wasnt aware of that. Basic crash landing checks first. Breath in. Out. In. Out. Hold for seven seconds. Release. Ok. Lungs seemed alright. Open and close fist three times, curl toes three times. He didn't seem paralyzed. Slowly open beak. Nope. That as a no go. Slowly moving his head side to side he nodded as it felt different. Something was on his snout. Likely keeping his beak closed. Slow raise of one hand? Nope. Other hand? Nope. Ankle and Ankle? Nope. So he was secured to something. Unlikely to be pinned as he felt no weight on his limbs besides his ankles and limbs. And there was still darkness. Likely a blindfold.
"Have you finished, Kig-Yar?"
Jumping slightly in whatever he was strapped in Nek took a deep breath and slowly turned his head right then left. It was in front of him. Then up and down. Somehing was between them however, but not a wall. A life of climbing around pipes helped in many situations. But he then sat still. Whatever the voice was clearly had something to say as once he had settled down the, human female...sounded old, voice started again.
"Nek, of the small asteroid colony Dal. Raised mainly on a trading ship between the Y'Deio system and the Kig-Yar colony of 'Riverside' - what a silly name. I assumed too much about your species intelligence perhaps."
He wasn't wearing any upper body clothing. And the chair was made of some kind of metal. He was listening of course. But wasn't going to rise to any sort of jab at himself or the Kig-Yar in general. The flat-faces had said far worse about both before.
"Helped your father with packing packages while your mother was security for the vessel. A mostly perfunctory position on a small trading vessel of course." The old crow chuckled. Nek looking at it before reminding himself not to rise to jabs. They seemed to know a lot about him. And he knew what was coming next.
"Twelve years old and then the vessel was attacked. Mother killed in front of you as a show of force by the Spice Sisterhood. Before you were dragged on the ship, watching your dad be left behind to asphyxiate on the venting supply ship. Taken with," the sound of paper shifting...wait paper shifting?! "Six other young Kig-Yar; one other T'vaoan, two Ibie'Shan, and three Ruuthians. At least you had a friend."
Don't rise...dont. You've lived through this before. All they are doing is trying to drag back up memories. He couldn't help his talons scratching against the floor. But Nek did his best to keep his breathing normal.
"Pirates and slavers have a habit of that kind of actions don't they?" It didn't wait for a response before it continued. "Lets see, kept in the Sisterhoods vice like grip for eight years. Shoved from vessel to vessel often in Engineering. Keeping their engines and power plants running despite the stunts they tried to pull with them. Yet almost never any reports of disobedience or attempted escape. You seemed to just accept the position. Or were too scared. Deciding that just being quiet and doing what was ordered was better than rocking the boat."
Breathing normally was becoming more of a challenge now. The T'vaoans wrists rattling the restraints as he shook. The beatings, the executions he was forced to watch, the cackling drug infused breath as the feet came down. He had pants still. That was better than the Sisterhood at least. Focus and youl be fine.
"A Kig-Yar, T'vaoan no less, with no fight. No drive for conflict. Perfect for our uses." The blindfold was removed from his head and Nek blinked before trying to finally see who this voice was. Before he was faced with screen about two feet from him. With an ancient Human female on the other side slowly flipping through a packet. But that wasn't what Nek focused on. Instead it was the giant ONeI eye picture behind him. The Hidden Eyes. Whispered about from his contacts. His breathing stopping as the elder continued.
"Before you were rescued shortly after you're twentyth Birthday, or hatching day whatever you aliens call it, what a nice gift for you. Well, rescued from the Slavers at least to instead be a part of a Raiding Crew. At least you were raiding the Covenant as well. Though not you of course. You were too busy cowering in the Engine bay." The old Grandmama took a drink of tea as Nek finally let out the breath he had been holding. Now entirely focused on the Human. And then the Shipmistress got herself two kids off you, and then left you with the vessel. For some reason thinking you were a good choice."
Another paper flip. "And then you slowly went around trading with Insurrectionists. Naughty naughty on your part. Covenant Investigations, one count of directly assisting a stricken UNSC vessel, and now you are here in our clutches. ONIs clutches. And you will do exactly as we say." The muzzle around his beak clacked and fell onto his thighs. "Then again, you are used to following direct orders, aren't you Nek?"
"Where. Is. My. Family?"
