Heaven and Hell

[Narrator]

After the teleportation, the team found themselves in a large chamber, possibly a cargo bay. Pallets of literature in an alien language were stacked there, but the chamber itself seemed fairly ornate with black walls embossed with intricate gold designs.

[ASHLIE]

Ashlie looked around, trying to locate a terminal.

[Narrator]

The closest terminal was at the hatch at the back of the chamber, seemingly intended for opening said hatch. It did appear to be networked, though.

[ASHLIE]

"I am going to try to talk to the ship." she announces before making her way over to the hatch.

[Narrator]

The console at least seemed like it shared a common ancestry with the more common equipment ASHLIE had encountered during their time in space. Its ports and interface were easy enough to intuit. However, once she achieved contact it felt rather different. There was a current of something running through the ship's network, almost like a low droning.

[ASHLIE]

And she does what she usually does. Try to fit in.

Code: Select all

Initializing System Scan...
Attempting to emulate signature mask...

[Narrator]

Moving through the network, the droning seemed to center around processes that maintained roughly a dozen nodes that were connected up. Some were inactive, but the ones that were actively being used shone with a golden light. Whispers came from these nodes.

"I believe I am safe."

"I believe I am loved."

"I believe I am right."

"Yes, yes, sweetling. All of this and more. Taste and see..."

[ASHLIE]

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>>Attempting to analyze interface protocol
>>Error--Error--Error--Checksum value mismatch
>>Analyzing network identifier [Sweetling]
>>Error--No unique network values found
>>Predicting critical system failure in 3...2...1...
>>Error--System prediction is off-line

Code: Select all

>>Sending network ping [Pretty Projection]
>>"Hello?"

[Narrator]

"Our wisdom flows sweet and pure."

"Witness! The unbelievers."

"Witness! The opening of eyes."

"Witness! The universal truth."

[Rachel O'Brien]

"What's going on?" Rachel asked.

[ASHLIE]

"This system makes no sense." Ashlie complains.

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>>Attempting to engage procedure [Witness]
>>Requesting access to [Wisdom]

[Narrator]

"This congregation is the voice crying in the wilderness."

"This congregation brings light to the darkness."

The light from the nodes seemed to pulse stronger with each affirmation.

[ASHLIE]

Code: Select all

>>Requesting access to user-group [Congregation]

[Kevin Gravis]

"And while she does that, we get to hijacking... yes?" Kev asks.

[Narrator]

"Yes, yes, all are welcome."

"All the fold have come."

"Make straight the way. Make straight the way."

There was the sound of something powering up, and a moment later the ship lurched.

By the sounds in the passageway beyond the chamber, this came as somewhat of a surprise to the ship's crew.

[Rachel O'Brien]

"Sounds like a plan." Rachel said, catching herself as the ship lurched.

[Bobby Bowen]

Bobby nodded in agreement, moving close to the hatch.

[Kevin Gravis]

Kevin brought forth his swords and took position by the hatch.

[Daniel Uriel]

Daniel kept his eyes open, constantly checking their tail as they continued on. "This whole place gives me the creeps," he muttered.

[Melody Martens]

Melody stuck close to Daniel, her eyes darting just as nervously, fidgeting with several tiny bombs in her right hand.

[Narrator]

"...telling you, the drives just engaged. We don't know why."

"Well find out!"

Boots clanked down the hallway, and the hatch to the cargo bay opened to reveal a man with a shaven head in ornate red robes trimmed in gold. His beady eyes looked about the hold.

[Calvin Strong]

Cal shifted his staff in his hand, ready to attack when the guy got close enough. Or when someone else jumped out.

[Rachel O'Brien]

Rachel held her laser rifle at the ready.

[ASHLIE]

"Yes, yes, all are welcome."

"All the fold have come."

"Make straight the way. Make straight the way."

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>>Requesting parameters of [Congregation] user-group
>>Define active procedure [Make straight the way]
>>Define system specifications and operation protocols
>>Define system specifications and operation protocols
>>Define system specifications and operation protocols
>>Define system specifications and operation protocols
>>Define system specifications and operation protocols!

It would almost seem as if ASHLIE was getting frustrated.

[Narrator]

ASHLIE could see the drive systems powering up, and the nodes with the golden light were feeding power to them.

"The faithful will not be waylaid on their pilgrimage."

"All the fold have come."

"It is their just reward."

The beady-eyed monk walked down the steps from the hatch, peering warily between the pallets of literature.

[ASHLIE]

The system may be responding but it makes little sense to ASHLIE and she keeps trying to directly access the ship's data-streams.

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>>Requesting coordinates
>>Define [Destination]
>>Define [Reward]
>>Define [Pilgrimage]
>>Define [Faith]
>>Define $%27"§
>>De§i²e
>>]%finß
>>De#i~e
>>#*)4&♥
݉►║☺£►☼☺↕1♠1ʒ4♠☺5Q
☺ʋ=♠67ʯ3ŢȖA◘7ΏD•9W6ϛʈ

It could be working better.

[Narrator]

"Witness! The path through the wilderness!"

Stylized star charts flashed through the datastream, indicating several points of inflection the FTL drives were to fire at.

"Witness! The light of faith!"

Schematics flashed through the datastream for an immense ship, shaped oddly like a lantern. On the schematics were billions of nodes like the smaller ship had.

"Witness! The Matriarch!"

An almost beatific image flashed through the datastream, of a woman clad in robes similar in style to the monk but much more elaborate. A halo of the golden light shone around her head.

[ASHLIE]

That was something the AI could translate into something to make sense of, though trying to emulate the system structure was taking a lot out of her.

[Daniel Uriel]

And as the eyes peeked around one particular pallet, a hand shot out to clamp over his mouth and slam him down to the floor. "There's anything you need him conscious for, do it fast," Daniel hissed.

[Narrator]

The monk gasped in surprise just before the hand was clamped over his mouth, and he struggled futilely after Daniel had him pinned.

[Kevin Gravis]

"Nope. I'm good with knocking him out."

[Rachel O'Brien]

"Its easier if he isn't awake." Rachel replied.

[Bobby Bowen]

Bobby mimed smashing his fist into his palm, indicating he was cool with unconscious-making as well.

[Daniel Uriel]

And, that being decided, Daniel socked him one to knock him out. Two if necessary.

[Narrator]

And out the poor fellow went!

Up close it was obvious enough that his robes would fit nearly any of them there, and did have a hood.

[Rachel O'Brien]

While the others stripped the body, Rachel riffled through his brain, looking for any useful thoughts or memories.

[Narrator]

The man was not given a lot of authority in the church. He had seen the Matriarch, twice. Each of these occasions was a treasured memory.

[ASHLIE]

"The ship is... heading towards a central fleet... node I cannot de-e-ee-ee-termine if that is where they they they took AltamiraVaquez."

[Kevin Gravis]

"So who gets to sneak around as a space monk?" Kevin asked, "Caaaan it be me?"

[Narrator]

Whatever they were planning, they were going to have to implement it quickly. ASHLIE was receiving radio chatter that two members of the crew were heading towards their location fast.