For the past few months the team of scientists had been pouring through the settlement. Strange artifacts had been uncovered most of which no one would have any real interest in save for museums but it was the recent discovery of the underground city that had the team abuzz.

The Valis were a space faring society of aliens that were explores and travelers throughout the galaxy. The ADD was only interested as of late because a reduction in travel times cross the galaxy could be quiet valuable. There were some strange tablets here as it was clear that this place was the meeting place of 5 different alien civilizations though the scientists had no linguists amongst them and had not seen the language before.

One might have even been Earth based, the scientists weren't so sure but the ADD contacted one of their field agents that had been good at linguistics and passed on the coordinates of the world to check these tablets out in hopes that there was something useful there.

Ella Ambrose was the name of the project head and she was to meet with her and see if she could translate the tablets. Her next assignment was still pending of course and this one had no rush. She was to check in in 36 hours after she got to the planet with periodic check ins every so often to monitor her progress thus far.

Things always eventful here in the ADD. Severely undermanned, agents were needed everywhere whether it be for patrols around Shokushu or a coordinated assault on slave operations. Having only been an agent for a month or so, Agent Losev was assigned to one of the larger vessels watching over Shokushu. Thankfully, she would never have to return to such a horrible place. But, it was truly sad that they lacked the power and resources to take those poor students out of there.

Being on a larger ship meant there were more positions than just infantry. Alexandra did what she could to assist the engineers in maintaining the ship and other pieces of tech being used by the crew. Out of all the possible assignments this was perhaps the least dangerous lest it was graduation down on the planet.

Alexandra was in engineering when she was called for reassignment. She was to take a small scout craft to a settlement in some planet in a far off solar system. Supposedly, her experience with various languages may be of some use. The russian agent could not really confirm if knowing Earth languages would be enough to translate alien script but, she could try. It was not like she could refuse the assignment. She was to go there and see if she could help out in anyway possible.

After checking out some weapons and supplies, the busty agent got her ship and set a course to the given coordinates. Upon arrival, she scanned the planet to find it had a breathable atmosphere and flew in for a landing at the ADD research site. The russian woman pushed up her glasses as she stepped out, wearing her specialized suit and a simple labcoat. Alexandra would ask where she could find Ella Ambrose and head directly to her. "Agent Losev reporting, ma'am," Alexandra called while giving a proper salute and stance of attention, "I was ordered to assist your team with translation work."

She was directed to find Ella who was busy cataloging some of the relics they uncovered during the day though none of it would have been of any interest save to someone interested in artwork. The woman stood offering her hand to the field agent.

“At ease. Things are more laid back here on Valis. You may be wondering why you are here and truth be told I asked that someone be send here that had a good command in languages, Earth or otherwise.” The black haired scientist explained.

“We have uncovered five languages here on these tablets. I suspect they're all the same, a Rosetta stone in a way. One looks as if it may have origins from Earth. I 'm not sure how this is possible or if it is but none of the girls out here have any language skills and mine are too basic to be of much good.”

Alexandra accepted the hand and relaxed. "I am familiar only in Earth based languages. Dead tongues were not really my focus in my studies though. But, I can see if I can decipher anything from it," she smiled faintly, "No harm in looking. If my skills prove insufficient, I can request a replacement in about thirty-six hours." The voluptuous agent pushed up her small glasses before looking towards the settlement then back towards the artifacts that were uncovered.

The agent would not touch anything unless allowed to do so. She would look at the markings and try to decipher anything from the various symbols. Perhaps one of the languages were similar to an Earth based dialect. It seemed unlikely. But if she could find similar patterns, maybe something could be deciphered from it. Still, it would just be her viewpoint unless something out of the ordinary sticks out. Agent Losev would do what her mission required to do which is look and attempt to translate these tablets.

She had been welcome in handling many of the artifacts save for the ones that were fragile that is. Ella remained close to her while the agent looked though continuing to speak unless it looked s if the agent required a good deal of concentration.

Ella was an agent as well though her pursuits where more in line with anthropology or analyzing tech but when Valis had been discovered things were turned over to her. She was the leading researcher for info on he Valis species.

“I don't think it's a dead language, that's my theory anyway though one I cannot read … it's kanji ...” she let her inspect some of the clay fragments that had been discovered. “It's as if an Earth based culture made it to the stars at one stage or taken there long ago. It's unusual though, I cannot explain it.”

The pieces of clay look like some sort of Chinese-Japanese hybrid though she cannot read much more than a few words that she thinks she understands, portions of a history she guesses inscribed on the gathered jars.

“We uncovered a subterranean city that might interest you more. There are five tablets in five different languages. I think it was a meeting place for five distinct species and more of this script is on one of them. I don't recognize the others though but perhaps you can make out more than I. I can read some Chinese, not much so this language looked similar to something I saw while on Earth. Another student going through Shokushu that gathered Chinese and Japaneses students together but then why not English? I don't think we'll ever find out unless there's something written on those tablets or other works we discovered thus far.”

There were certainly similarities to Earth based languages, specifically from the east. But, it being a hybrid made it nearly impossible to figure out the meaning or even how this was supposed to be read. Alexandra lightly touched the artifacts, the suit scanning what it was made of along with the dust that covered it. It was probably information that was already gathered but she made note of it nonetheless. The agent typed a few things on a pad, mostly broken words and phrases that some of the sections of the artifacts could mean. Perhaps a longer look would allow her to find more things out in the future.

For now though, Ella wanted to take her underground to see other artifacts that may interest her. Agent Losev gave Ella the datapad with what she had so far. What was done with the data did not matter much to her. It was an interesting discovery here but this was generally not her field of work. "Very well," Alexandra said, pushing up her small glasses, "Take me to them." The agent would follow the other woman down to where the tablets were. She would once more touch the artifacts so her suit could scan the composition before moving on to looking at the various languages and scripts available to her.

As she was being lead into the under city the Opportune popped back into real space finally at her destination. The Adda were busy equipping themselves to hit the surface of the planet for their Emissary.

Scans for other ships had been made as the ship coasted to the brown planet.

Fear motivated the doctor. The egg head letting it out that his hidden planet wasn't so hidden, that the Valis had discovered it and probably left some sort of record of the world in their great hall. What the doctor divulged so that he and his wife weren't split up. Not that he could get much for a male with his physical skills.

He would have just targeted the building from orbit but it was under ground so he needed boots on the ground …



Alex was brought to a large pentagon shaped building. Five table, these immense pillars of stone stood erect her in five different languages one being the hybrid language.

Some sort of treaty or agreement between the separate races from the few words she could piece together. Their were inscriptions on each wall, one in each language and as she studied them each had been a stream of numbers. It seemed the hybrid language only used Chinese numbers. Each were jump coordinates from what she could piece together.

Agent Losev entered the building and looked over the five tablets. Most were beyond her capabilities but there was at least some script in the odd hybrid language. There was some sort of meeting of races here. Maybe a sort of intergalactic United Nations? There was a mention of a treaty she thinks but that was about all she could make out of it. More writing was on all the walls. Most was in languages she knew nothing about. The only thing were the numbers which were in Chinese or at least something similar.

"Agent Ambrose?" she called, "I think these may be coordinates. These parts are in Chinese only and are nothing but numbers setup in a similar fashion as what ships use when jumping into hyperspace. I have no clue where they might lead though. Besides that, this place held some sort of treaty. The rest is beyond me to decipher. I apologize for not being too useful here. Hopefully what I gathered will be of some use to you." Alexandra pushed up her glasses as she sighed and stretched. She had been working since she landed here. It was about time to call it a day. There may be more she has to decipher tomorrow or later. Some time tomorrow, she will send her report up to higher. They may see it fit to reassign her elsewhere if progress was unsatisfactory.

Ambrose perks up and comes over inspecting the wall though she gazed at it countless times before.

“I was able to make out a few numbers but had been unaware that each line was a trail of numbers. On the contrary you've been most helpful. I suspected a few things myself and had been under the impression that this was some sort of accord between five species though I was theorizing how they communicated. Telepathy or mathematics perhaps.

“Anyway, it's been long day I'm sure you'd be wanting to grab a meal and shower before seeing what ...” she pauses, that sounded like a blaster shot and it sounded as if the boots of several creatures had been crunching over the earth.

Agent Ambrose was rather pleased with Alexandra's findings. It was only the first day but, the russian agent had a good feeling about this idea about these being coordinates. Though, depending on where these were and how far will decide whether the ADD will actually risk agents and resources to check these places out. There was no information on these species involved in this treaty. They could very well be hostile to humans or other outsiders. The ADD had enough enemies to deal with already.

It was not her call though. She was just a simple agent. Ella was pleased with the results Alexandra provided and that was all that mattered at the moment. The russian beauty was on the verge of being dismissed for the evening only to hear the sound of blasters up above. She had no clue who it was but, it was apparent that they were under attack. "Sounds like trouble," Alexandra murmured, "How many agents are up there and down here?" They may have to use this settlement as a defensive position if the surface has already been overwhelmed. Who was out this far to attack them?

“Six above. Eight below excluding me.” She answers hastily. “But none of us are field agents. I have had some practice at the target range but I don't think there are many girl's that have any more training then that so we can assume that those on the surface were overwhelmed and at least a group has been dispatched or captured by the sounds of it.”

She shook her head solemnly. “Who would bother coming here of all places? In a worse case scenario it may be just us too left if they're already this fr. I got nothing on my com so far. What do we do?”

The agent frowned at how unprepared this group was. Then again, it was the middle of nowhere. She herself did not have much field experience either. "If you can't fight, go hide. I will see if the other agents down here are safe," Alexandra ordered as she puts her glasses in her coat pocket. She slips off the coat, revealing the tight fitting suit that covered her from neck to toe. Due to the nature of the mission, she only had a blaster to use. With the suit, she was the best equiped out of any of the agents which was not the best situation to be in. The suit was already preparing her for battle, adjusting her vitals to reduce strain while pushing her bodily limits beyond their normal means.

She waited for the other agent to leave and find a place to stay out of sight before making her way towards the surface. Whoever was here may already be inside. The suit softened her footsteps as she quietly sneaked around, trying to see who her enemy was and the status of the other agents. Taking them all alone would be suicide. Blaster in hand, she prepared for evasion and possible battle.

Saurians. Red scaled, 2 meters om height with small but sharp claws and teeth. Their eyes were a lemon yellow and on her way back through the surface she had to hide more than few times.

She counted two dozen in all as another two passed with a litter housing what she guessed was an explosive of some sort as they were going in a more directed way than she had.

Each of these creatures were armed with energy weapons either rifles or pistols nd ll had a bladed weapon, either a dirk, cutlass or dagger.

She was near the tunnels to the surface when she came across one guard stationed there who was simply waiting, his blaster rifle at the ready.

With so many heading deeper into the caverns, Agent Losev would have to pick up the pace. Hopefully that was most of their force, leaving the surface less defended. She noted the explosives, knowing she would have to return to deal with that as well. But, she would need help so sticking with her original plan was the best course of action. Thankfully, the entrance only had one guard. With the surface secured, they probably saw no real reason to have heavy guard here.

Readying her blaster, Alexandra waited for a moment until the lizard either looked away or otherwise lost focus before suddenly popping out of cover and firing directly for the lizard's head. The russian agent shot to kill, knowing that more would come upon hearing the blaster fire. If the lizardman died from the blaster shots, she would immediately move to grab the rifle and head for the camp. Hopefully the other agents were still alive.

It was guard duty and one of the reasons why snipers worked in pairs for after 15 minutes or so guards lost their focus. It does not take long for him to do the same. He had been her since the start nd when his attention lapses she fires, the unexpected blaster shot rings out taking him in the head making a sizzling mess of his cranium and killing his t the same time alerting others that fighting was still going on here.

Getting to the surface was easier than she though though she spotted a pair of guards conversing with one another as she silently approached the camp/research facility She could see shadows, smaller shapes a head or more shorter than the lizard men.