Pilgrims of the Void Part II

Part I: https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/49mi02/pilgrims_of_the_void_part_i/

It had not been immediately clear what the Remanite mananauts had been doing here; he thought at first they were boring into the void-body itself. Only on his second trip did he discover this was to make housing, not research its poietic nature. Once he discovered a way to awaken the Intelligence with soul-gems, he quickly learned the truth and had been documenting it since. Sliding a gem into the receptacle he depressed the activator and waited.

Only a moment passed before, “Voidstation Graywall, online. O.Y.A.R.S.A. online. Initiating station maintenance.”

“Belay that,” the Khajiit ordered. “Inquiry only.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Open Memory-spore Zed-521-053.”

“Memory-spore…opening...spore open.”

S’thajj settled into one of the ancient chairs, got himself comfortable. “Begin recitation at 53:6”

The Bal cults had been the bane of the Diaspora in the early years. Drunk on the horror of Landfall, Molag Bal had unleashed his followers in an orgy of death unseen since the Planemeld; they were still a problem further out, near ‘stations like Bal One. S’thajj had been surprised to discover the Cults had travelled so close to Nirn as far back as the First Empire. More than this: that they had set-up colonies in the Void.

Why exactly the Remanites were tracking the cult was something he had not learned. Maybe it was a simple hunt/kill protocol, but some of the entries suggested otherwise. The problem, to be honest, was the technology: even with his knowledge of Dwemer tech (to say nothing of his study of 5th Era warframes) he was still groping in the dark. The answers were right in front of him, but he could not discern how to reach them. Perhaps the old tech was more complex than the new, or perhaps just designed differently. Finding the Tribune’s spore-logs had been a stroke of unhoped-for luck…and a wellspring of knowledge. He’d been documenting them for months.

The long-dead voice of Marcus Locucius rang out:

“Heartfire 29; Symphonium 5 returned from patrolling Vector 96 at 12:25 hours, no sign. Why are they hiding? Centurion Phaesus has requested, again, that we seek redeployment. But I know they’re out here. We found what they did to the Dibellans.

“Heartifire 30; Received another report of Cult activity, this time near Julianos. Why the ruddy Psijics can’t protect themselves is beyond me. Sending Symphoniums 3 and 7 to investigate. At least I won’t have to hear Phaesus pining for the Silver Sands of Secunda for a few days.

“Frostfall 5; Imperial Commendation of Valor: Centurion Flavius Phaesus Arcturon, killed in action, Julianos One. Field promotion to Centurion: Optio Thodr Holgunson, Symphonium 3. I’ve sent a ‘sleeve transmission to Empire Actual requesting reinforcements.

“Frostfall 6; Symphonium 2 reports sign in Vector 67. They’re looking for us.”

“Pause play-back,” S’thajj told the Intelligence. It had been three days of hearing about millennia-old skirmishes; even his mind could only stand so much. He stretched and decided a nap was in order. Checking the soul-gem count, he put the O.Y.A.R.S.A. in sleep mode and made for the skiff.

He had just stepped onto the deck when he saw the flash of light, and knew if for an approaching ship.