Interlude: The One Becoming the Many

## Synopsis

### (91) Bristol Asteroid Belt

Fleeing Propis with an incomplete ship, the Crew of the Christine fled to the asteroid belt under the sensor mask of being an Asteroid Mining ship in order to hide from Marnello Corporation forces that might be looking for them. While there for a couple days, Erin was working slowly on the finalized repairs of the Christine. During this time, a distress signal was heralded, and the Christine received a harrowing message.

The message was a video feed with horrifying screams with the overlaying message simply being:

"ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘ṯ̵͔̝̦͎̳̙̈͐̐h̛̻̻̯̟̦͙̃e̫̹͐ͩ̀́ ̡͚̠̱̪̺̤̣͇ͯͬͤ̂ô̭̭͕̮̯̯̘͒͌̕n̴̥͍͈̖̮͔ͯe̵͔̼͈ͩͮ ͙̬̭̱̭̬̐͂͊͘b̶̞͔͍͔͗ͥe̡̦͇̠̞̹̲̮̎͌̈́̌ͅc̵͓̜̜͖̍̄o̬̺͉͓͙̖̙͒̉̾͜m̧̙̜̙̺̗̻ͮ̉i̭̱̣͓̰͆͟n̢̤̳͚̫ͮ̆ǵ̵͚̟̺̫̖̙̮͋̓ ͐̄͏͙͚̝̻͖̯̫̥t̼͙̳̖̅̚̚͠ͅḧ̞̰͇̬̪͔̠́e̐ͮ͌ͯ҉̗̗̖͍̫̺̟̭ ̷͔̗̭̣̍ͦm͍̪̺̲̤ͫ́ȧ͈͔̹̖̱͇̠ͭͥ́ͅn̶͎͎̣̘̞͇̜ͥyͭ͊̎̽҉̭̦̯̺̭̫ ̶͙͍̥͉̾̌͋ͅb͙̭͖̃͝eͤ̅͛҉̯̲͙̗̤̫͓c̣̫͉̰̖̮ͬ́o͈̘̟̣̱̖̩ͥ̂͜m͍̺̹̦̤̼͊͑̏͡i̛̘̫ͣ͂n̋ͧͦ̓͏̯͙̯̩g̤̣̹͓͖̬̤ͧ̓ͫ́ ̳̘̰̯͂ͣ͞ô̹͎̺̬͓͕̹̅̏̋͜n̸̦͔͇͓͎͆ë̮̣́̀͘"

Upon receiving this message, and seeing an asteroid mining ship being infested with what seemed to be some sort of mutated cancerous biological growth infesting a ship from the outside, Drake made the executive decision over Penelope's protests to get the fuck out of there. The party promptly left without much desire to explore what the fuck was going on here.

### Nazca-1 Deep Space Station

On the way to the Nazca-1 Deep Space Station which was a deep space hideout for many Space Pirates in the system, the One Becoming the Many Becoming One would broadcast messages that the compads of the crew would receive.

Mielikki, Drake, and Erin promptly deleted the messages they received because they wanted nothing to do with it.

Penelope messaged back and got responses. The One Becoming the Many Becoming One offered for Penelope to join, and Penelope struck up brief conversation about what it was like to become one. The response was that it was happy. Penelope said she would think about it.

Upon arrival at the Nazca-1 Deep Space Station, Jane left the ship under good terms. The crew successfully rendez-vous'd with Phera Lora who had wished to be reunited with her Daughter. While the effects of the abuses of the Marnello Corporation were unknown, Danelle was stable and Phera thanked the crew and provided payment as well as friendship to the crew. With the help of the Nazca-1 Staff, repairs on Christine as well as all the upgrades have been completed.

However, upon this completion, The One Becoming The Many Becoming One showed up, broadcasting that it has arrived to allow Penelope to join.

Drake, Mielikki, and Erin were not amused.

After a harrowing escape from the fleet of infested mining ships and the klaxons of the Nazca-1 Deep Space Station urging all personnel to battle stations, the crew said "nope, not going back there again any time soon" and abandoned the station to the unspeakable space horrors that just showed up.

## Aftermath

* Jane left the crew.
* Phera Lora and Danelle Lora have been reunited, though left at a station that was attacked by The One Becoming The Many Becoming One.
* Drake realized that leaving every single place in chaos and fire was probably not a super sustainable lifestyle.
* Repairs on the Christine were completed, but damage was incurred in the escape.