Galaxy's Edge Space Bar

[Auxen]

The stranger lay dazed on the countertop, vision blurred and head spinning, with his rifle still clutched in his right hand, his hand and rifle resting on an empty barstool.

Punji %$#@* One hundered and eight %$#@* MP-47 medical stimulant injecting %$#@* Spatial relocation %$#@* Damaged central processor %$#@* Administering MP-47.

A mixture of static and words erupted from the armor's AI, projected not only through induction but also over the armor's audio system in the clicks, growls and whistles of the strangers native tongue as the AI attempted to assess and calibrate.
From inside the suit a series of small needles found their way under the strangers scales and injected a medical stimulant reserved for serious, life threatening injury, the armor's AI still under the mistaken belief that its' wearer had been impaled on the sharpened metal spikes of the punji pit it had been plummeting towards seconds before.
The needles injected the stimulant into the spine of the stranger, paying little heed to sensitivity or pain levels in what the AI falsely assumed was a life and death situation.

"ArrrggghhAAARRRGGGH HHAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR RRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG GGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" The stranger cried out in intense pain, in a sound not dissimilar to a large bird of prey in immense pain, the strangers back arching off the countertop, trying to pull himself away from the needles, his huge, seven-foot frame thrashing on the countertop.

Severe data loss %$#@* Diagnosis %$#@* Protocol files deteriorated %$#@* Wireless capabilities present %$#@* Moral restrictions absent %$#@* Honour contingency absent %$#@* Artificial personality facing rapid deterioration %$#@* All other functions nominal %$#@* Reboot via host necessary %$#@* Host permissions unobtainable at this time %$#@* Referring to moral restrictions and protocol files for guidance %$#@* Files damaged or absent %$#@* Reboot authorised.

The needles retracted back into the suit momentarily before a separate set of needles appeared within the armor, this time concentrated at the base of the neck where the strangers spine met with his skull. With little hesitation, the needles bypassed the strangers green scale and pierced his flesh followed by a crack of electricity that traveled through the needles into the strangers brain, instruments in the the suit monitoring neurons, brain waves and other cognitive functions, observing and mimicking them.

The stranger made no noise as his body seized and convulsed from the intense electrical current, the breath in his lungs already spent from his scream. His right hand convulsed the gripped the trigger of his rifle, firing the weapon into the empty barstool.

CRRRACCCKKK!!!

The stool began to quickly freeze solid.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the needles retracted into the suit, the stranger collapsing back in a tortured heap. The entire ordeal had taken little more than a few seconds, but the pain had seemed to last much longer.

That'll do it. The AI spoke up, Complete success. Moral restrictions and protocol files missing still, but they only really get in the way.

The stranger weakly tried to rise, managing little more than to roll off the countertop, shattering the frozen barstool.

Oh yeah, clicked the suit in recognition, The host. Whoops.

With that, the stranger drifted into unconsciousness.

[Terenia]

Terenia's own focus is lost at the overwhelming ruckus of a new arrival. She jumps about a foot, her hand yanking away from Gene's and towards her Dracons. By the time her hands find the dual weapons, though, it is clear that whatever it is that has appeared does not mean her direct harm.

With wide eyes she watches as it thrashes and gesticulates on the bar counter, glad, for once, that her sour mood led her to the shadows of the bar. Whether it meant harm or no, it a mis-intended blow from a flailing alien limb was not high on her list of priorities.

She is jolted a second time when the rifle goes off, and now she does pull her right Dracon, aiming it in the general direction of the chaos, but not shooting. Instead she gives Gene a puzzled, alarmed look.

"Just another drop in?" she asks hopefully.


Dom, being much closer to the bar when the newcomer arrives, finds himself jumping backwards to avoid the imminent danger of an alien creature in seemingly massive amounts of pain. Holding his glass of alcohol close, sipping it to avoid spilling it, he backs away. "Ah," he says to Al loudly, wincing at the shriek of the creature. "It seems we picked a poor time for introductions."

<<It is in pain,>> the disembodied voice of his Yeerk says, sounding concerned.

<<Yes, and it is also quite large and quite armored,>> Dom responds. <<I don't wish to be injured today. Or for my suit to incur injury, as it were.>>

[Myitt]

Gene starts as Dom staggers backwards, watching the scene from the edge of his bench seat.

"An incredibly dramatic one," he replies to Terenia in a hushed voice, his own Dracon finally in his hand.

He winces again at the thrashing and screeching of the strange armored creature. Somehow he is unable to keep himself from thinking of a Hork-Bajir, and he stares, frozen with fascination and concern.

The safety of the people near the bar shakes him out of his stupor. "Dom, get the hell away from there, he's got some kind of gun, for crying out loud," he calls, waving Dom over to the relative safety of their booth.

[Hunter]

'Yeah, we're pretty high-tech in our weapons department. Our planet was subject to enemy raids and bandit attacks from nearby galaxies.' With that, Austin had removed all the components from the cannons housing and was left with an empty metal case.

Thinking aloud Austin muses 'How are we going to do this?' he scratched his head, his tail moving agitatedly.

[Terenia]

Dom glances towards the booth at the sound of Gene's voice and holds up his beer in acknowledgment.

"Perhaps we should move away from this beast," he says to Al in a low voice, watching the now seemingly unconscious creature warily. "If he awakens again I do not want to be in the way of that weapon. Come, we can join my dear friends over in that booth."


When the creature falls unconscious, Terenia's grip on the Dracon loosens somewhat, though she keeps it out. "No, don't invite him over here," she says to Gene, groaning a little. "He's fine over there doing...whatever it is he does."

[Chad32]

"I thought you already had an idea." Simon said. "Let's see. First we're going to need the body of a firearm. I have some parts to put together some of various sizes. Just decide on how big you want it to be. After that we'll use the parts in the canon to make it functional, using the crystal as the power source. How does that sound?"

[Myitt]

Gene fixes Terenia with a deprecating, almost injured stare. "They could get hurt, Terenia," he says flatly, his own Dracon still in his hand. "I think that's a little more important than your comfort level around Dom, don't you?"

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Salem smirked and leaned in close to Rathien. "You're less patient and subtle than you think you are, Rathien, and you have your weird sense of fate," he said, trying to steer the subject elsewhere, to get his head away from the... stimulating... images Rathien now had running through it. "Even so, you might have your uses, but I can't..."

He was interrupted by a crash and an armored creature landing on the bar. Instinctively, he drew his weapon- an action made slightly awkward by his position in the booth. After a second, he pulled out his persona scanner with his left hand and clicked it at the newcomer. He watched warily as it screamed and flailed.

The creature was reptilian and armored- Salem glanced at Parker momentarily before deciding that this was apparently not the same technology. He didn't recognize the species. While he wasn't terribly eager to get involved, the being might prove useful- a friendly introduction at a time like this could go a long way towards future partnerships.

Salem started to get up, then saw that Al was moving towards the creature. That might be for the best. The android had a more agreeable... "bedside manner" than Salem. He slid back into his seat.

Salem turned back to Rathien. "You could always see what's up with that," he said, nodding towards the newcomer.


Al dipped his hat slightly as Dom walked over. "A hologram and a sense of style," he answered with a laugh.

Suddenly, there was a large... something... falling onto the bar. Al jumped up and back, and cringed as it screamed. "This is actually pretty typical for introductions here. Not sure we could have found a better time." He glanced over towards the booth Dom had indicated- Terenia was there, along with a man he didn't know. He then glanced down at the unconscious creature.

"Um... I'll join you in a minute," he said, then turned and moved towards the newcomer. He turned back and flashed a sheepish smile, "I'm Al, by the way."

He knelt down next to the unconscious reptilian, eying its weapon warily. "Hey," he said gently in Gallard, "Can you hear me?"

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

~Ossanlin~

Ossanlin assesses the situation as the strange being falls silent and determines the threat level to be minimal.  He sheathes his twin katana and steps a bit closer to the armored individual, inspecting the strange technology.  Despite the apparent automation in the armor, it looks oddly primitive in other ways.  He glances at Al.  <It would appear that he is unconscious.>



___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ____________

~Rathien~

Rathien's foot twitches as if to move back into the welcoming position it had been in a few moments before, but he wills it to remain on the floor.  "There are times for subtlety and times for forwardness.  As for patience..."  He raises his hands apologetically, "I'm merely flesh and blood, though you have an uncanny ability to coax stone fro..."  He ceases his speech as a loud crash echos through the bar.  His Entroper is in his hand immediately and aimed at the individual thrashing on the bar counter.  He watches Salem from the corner of his eye until the strange, armored being lays still.  He glances at the frozen stool before stowing his Entroper and moving his full gaze back to Salem.

"Don't be foolish, Tobias.  Your false life-form is already there, and you know how much I loathe him.  Besides, it's much more...pleasant...t o stay right where I am.  I'm afraid my ship isn't really large enough, but I'm sure your stolen vehicle could afford us more than enough room."  He smirks and quirks an eyebrow.  "Or we could simply continue to sit here, bathing in a pool of our own heat pheromones whilst making idle chit-chat and pretending there's nothing here.  But then I suppose you might not want to let your guard down, eh?  Might be a little too dangerous for you...I don't blame you, I can get a little...rough."

[Auxen]

The large, reptilian stranger lay motionless on the floor, still unconscious. The suits AI, however, still functioned. It's sensors and cameras' saw a largish, blue equine creature in the process of sheathing its' blades whilst a soft, pink... thing knelt next to the suit and its' host. Several other creatures were around it, brandishing weapons of some kind, but they weren't weapons that the AI recognised.

The equine seemed to be commenting on the state of the suits' host using Brain-Banter, leading the AI to assume that the creature was a powerful psionic of some kind. The soft pink thing, however, seemed to be baring its' teeth and speaking with crude grunts of some kind. The AI quickly decided that the psionic equine was the owner of the this poor, grunting, primitive thing and that it must have been baring its' teeth in a display of protection of its' master.

The AI let out a quick, shrill squawk to startle the animal.

It assessed the situation accordingly. Clearly the suit was outnumbered and outgunned. The pink thing looked like its' teeth wouldn't do much harm to either it or the Wearer, but the suit still had no way of moving without being shot down almost immediately, and there was no way of knowing what those weapons did. Yet.
The suit made a judgement call and decided to talk to the pink things' owner.

You there, talking equine, the AI addressed the blue psionic in its' musical chirps, letting through just enough squawk to convey dominance, Your pet doesn't have to worry, my Wearer is out slow. A shock like that will keep him out for a couple of days. I'd reign in your animal, though. I wouldn't want to give it the same shock.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

~Ossanlin~

Ossanlin winces at the unpleasant noise the unconscious being emits before quirking an eyebrow as the being talks to him...or rather as something talks to him.  <You...are an artificial intelligence.>  He glances at Parker with a stalk eye, his main eyes remaining on the individual.  <A disturbing phenomenon that seems to be cropping up around here.>

<I assure you I am not an...what did you call it...equine?  And that individual is not my pet.  He is, in fact, another artificial intelligence...and a free being of his own right.  You should know that should you decide to attack, hostile force will be met in kind.>  Ossanlin hopes that the machine can intercept his thought-speech...it is always better to avoid hostilities after all.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Salem laughed, "Rough I can handle. It's over-eager that I take issue with." With a sigh, he re-holstered his weapon. He had control of himself again, it seemed- as his adrenaline rush receded, his desire seemed to go with it. He couldn't be getting involved with the hunter. Not now, at least.

"Stick around, then, but I do have work to do." He then smirked and asked in what he hoped was an infuriatingly condescending voice, "Think you can behave yourself while daddy makes some phone calls?"


Al jumped at the loud squawk emitted from the creature's suit, but didn't back away much. He ****ed his head to listen to the series of chirps that followed. It was definitely some kind of machine language- the being was unconscious, but its suit seemed to be speaking for itself. By the time it had finished, he'd heard enough to be able to translate the gist of what it was saying. As had Ossanlin, apparently; not too surprising, considering they were probably using the same translator.

He laughed when Ossanlin spoke, "I'm not that disturbing, am I?" he asked the Andalite. "You want to see a disturbing AI, you should meet my cousin Getrix. Space-cherry farmer. Lives in a top-hat. Terrified of pod people."

He turned back to the creature and its suit, going back to his soothing, nonthreatening voice, "No need to shock anyone here. Nobody wants to hurt you." He shrugged towards Ossanlin, "Not sure it understands me. You might have to play diplomat here."

[Auxen]

The AI listened to the Brain-Banter of the blue not-an-equine and reassessed the soft creature that had jumped away from its' squawk. Apparently it was some sort of machine itself, but why it was wearing such soft flesh for its' armour made no sense at all.
Slowly, the AI suit lifted itself into a sitting position, its' unconscious Wearer unprotesting, holding the suit, and the strangers', arms out wide. Hopefully the gesture of 'I don't intend to shoot you' was a universal one with these creatures.

No shooting. Understood. The AI replied.

The soft machine creature seemed to be grunting again, at the suit then at the blue creature. The AI regarded the situation carefully. The blue creature may be a psionic, but if this soft creature really was another AI then it could possibly help bridge this language gap. The suit had never heard of 'free' AI that wore flesh instead of being worn by flesh though. Perhaps a renegade AI? Maybe the blue creature really was what it appeared to be, a beast of burden.

The suit considered for a moment that it had possibly offended the soft machine by addressing its' pack animal as its' owner, but then decided it didn't care much.

The suit switched to binary communication and spoke to the soft machine, The psionic says you're AI. Do you have some wireless capabilities so I can update my language database and translator? I have no idea what language you're grunting.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

~Ossanlin~

Ossanlin steps back as the AI erects itself.  He commands his ARC to perform an analysis of the armor and weapon with private thought-speech.  He moves a stalk eye to regard Al as he speaks, and frowns at the AI's ridiculous and nonsensical joke.  He finds himself idly wondering if Al ever told the truth about anything.  <I merely meant that it is disturbing that so many comparatively less-advanced species have somehow developed artificial intelligence...appa rently without taking the necessary prerequisite steps.  And I wasn't referring directly to you.>

He addresses the suit again.  <The language he was speaking is known as Gallard.  It is the accepted interstellar language of trade.>  He falls silent and listens as the machine switches to binary code, waiting to see if Al can interpret or speak the archaic language.



___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ____

~Rathien~

Rathien holsters his entroper and bares his fangs in an expression that some might be stupid enough to interpret as a smile before throwing his boots up on the table and leaning back in the booth, placing both hands behind his head.  "If you can wait, darling, so can I.  Just remember, I can make your life heaven or hell.  Pleasure or pain...  I'd much prefer the pleasure...it's easier that way, and more...gratifying.. .for the both of us.  But I have a feeling I'd still enjoy causing the pain at least a little.  I'm feeling generous enough to leave that choice up to you."  The new angle allows him to dart a hand under the table to find its way in between Salem's legs.  "It could be good though...really good..."  He squeezes his fingers firmly, savoring the surreptitious grope, wanting nothing more than to feel bare flesh instead of slightly-taut cloth, before withdrawing the hand and placing it back behind his head as if nothing at all had happened.  He winks at Salem and gestures with his head as if giving the Trader permission to take care of his business.

[Terenia]

"Alright, sorry," Terenia says defensively. "He just...nevermind." She reholsters her Dracon beam with a huff. Whatever the fuss is, it appears that Ossanlin and Al have it under control.


Dom steps back a few paces, towards Gene's booth, but his eyes stay locked on the strange creature, curiosity overwhelming his sense of safety. "Artificial intelligence?" he repeats, eyes darting briefly to Ossanlin. "How fabulous! What a fascinating--" he cuts off when the creature sits up, backstepping again and laughing to himself as he swigs his beer.

"And you are artificial as well?" he asks Al. "That explains the hologram at least. Fascinating."