>Project SCION Date: 285
Final stages. Unharmed by any level of radiation, hostile chemical reaction, or vacuum. Compliance with -REDACTED- also met. -REDACTED- assessed Longevity side-effects not yet addressed but not required for testing. Beginning tests in Project Lab 2. Vial of -REDACTED- constituted by Team B as per specifications of -REDACTED-. Vial stored in office.

Along with the dated notes are several test logs and charts showing a marked improvement in longevity with the new vaccine and trial data showing it overriding existing gene-mods for longevity seamlessly.

Hmmm.

You turn to the final clear case and give it a measuring appraisal. The leads on the bomb around it connect directly to the link-jack, making the implications obvious. But you’ve seen no reference to the “terminant” at all, nor any sort of application instructions or dosage. At least, not in the form of anything but that damn -REDACTED-.

>wat do?

Examine the seemingly personal effects. And then the Namtar file.

Was there a plug next to the Scion terminant bottle?

Search ALL of the compartments not rigged to explode/not cryoed, VERY THOROUGHLY. Who know what kind of crap is in here.

>>15954363
hidden extra crap*

Also VB what happened to our details on the OP galaxy map?

>>15954379
I stopped putting them in because it was a lot of work and nobody seemed to miss them. If you found them useful I will start again next thread.

>>15954384
I did. It gave me a timer to how close to Sol we were during our misadventures and i found it pleasing to see what all the galaxy looked like now. I would ask for a current political map, but that would ruin the fun.

>>15954384
They're useful when we've recently done/will soon do a jump.

>>15954384

aww man I know that nobody specifically voiced that details are needed before, but they gave sort of in-depth feeling to where we are and how big galaxy really is.

I, for one, will miss them.

>>15954384
I really liked them. It helped keep a record of where we were and where we'd been. It was like a history book map.

Well it's getting a bit too late for me to think critically, so I'm going to go ahead and play some Deus Ex before sleep.

We need to see all of the info we have to work with. Then we can make a decision. Is there a file for the SCION retardant/killer?

Also will miss our little galaxy map.

>>15954432
> Is there a file for the SCION retardant/killer?

It would appear not. If I understand correctly this is from the data jack for the compartment with the vials.

We might want to look at the contents of the other compartments.

>>15954432
Well, it's implied that the Scion K2X9-Terminant is the vial referred to in the research notes, and that it was formulated by Team B per specifications of REDACTED.

Even if we remove the terminant now, we don't know dosage or how to replicate more of it.

>>15954465
Maybe we can search for who Team B was, and have people search their offices/labs for additional notes? Or check the other compartments.

>>15954474
Have them do this. Except Ivanova, she need alone time. While they are searching we need to study the rest of this safe more carefully, there may be other compartments we can see for whatever reason.

>>15954474
We might be able to find out who was on Team B from the files in Administration, and searching their labs, if accessible, may give us access to the necessary equipment to replicate more, if the reagents survived.

If they're still up and awake, we should have Rinn, Ivanova, and the two ensigns concentrate on that. Go to Administration, look for Team B's labs, and then search those labs if they're not blast-sealed.

>>15954487
cant*

Goddamn its late.

We ask Ivanova what she advises as next step. She took something, right?

If she has nothing, then we plug into the jacks and try to hack them...? Or are there any better ideas?

>>15954530
She tried to stop us from reading SEECREETS! as a knee-jerk reaction then left the room crying because of it. So no she has nothing. And NO we are not hacking the bombed part of the safe until EVERYTHING ELSE IS OUT OF IT, ESPECIALLY THE CURE.

>>15954568
No need for caps, of course we take out everything we can safely take out first.

However, whatever she took might contain secrets all right, and she ran away - this doesn't mean, that there's nothing helpfull in there. We ask her to make sure that everything goes well, and that she does her best to ensure her safety and that of her team.

Then we hack whatever we need to.

>>15954487
Ivanovas emotional state seemed somewhat off, I suggest we check in on her.

Actually, check in with everybody, have them perform a suit diagnostic and visual examination, and inform them that we have potentially found a way to clear the microbes.

>>15954568
Also, remember that there is another sample of NAMTAR in there, along with vials of other stuff that do who knows what. All potentially extremely dangerous. Or valuable. Or both.

Actually its the safe impossible to get out of the floor? Because removing it to the ship could always work if we cant hack the bombed sections right away.

I am sure it is designed to prevent those sorts of shenanigans.

>>15954622
Even if we could move the safe (which I doubt) it's contaminated.

So they were developing true immortality drugs, but it went wrong and it immortalized the disease? That sucks. Or maybe the immortality treatment itself is the disease and people can't survive the process?

One of these files has to have info on the application of the terminant.

>>15954592
She's upset because her conditioning is interfering with our investigation, which she herself launched by telling us to go here.

Just let her cool down while we work.

>>15954699
The file might be somewhere else. In Team B's lab or offices?

>>15954638
>>15954668
Point taken, and my brain is too fried to continue, what with work and all.
My take before bed is simple, have the humans tear Team B shit apart for instructions on SCION retardant makeup/dosage, talk with Ivanova too see if she hasnt exploded yet, then continue to pick at the safe.

>>15954720
>Ivanova
>exploded

Fuck, I always thought she was a Callidus, not an Eversor.

>Vial stored in office.
Search the vial.

Share ALL of the notes we found with Dr.Burr and other scientists.... Speaking of other scientists did we put ALL of them on this job?
I don't remember anywhere mentioning that the 9 other scientists we have are doing anything. I know that they are specialized in other shit but we need all brainpower we can muster. Besides, a weapon specialists might have some unique idea that a Microbiologist would not even think of.

Ask Ivanova if she will be able to safely remove the bombs.

>>15954772
>search the vial
>open the vial
>remove contents
>inspect contents
>inspect vial

NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO

>>15954772
Um... what? This is the office. And we've got the vial. We don't know how to use it, but we've got it.

You turn your attention to the research notes for NAMTAR and, surprisingly, find out that he was the lead researcher for it as well. The notes are far more complete here, not a -REDACTED- in sight... but the picture they paint is far more gruesome. The original microbe was found in an explorator mission in one of the far galactic arms. Of little note at first, when they landed alien laborers on the world they noticed that both the humans and all types of aliens died within the year from some kind of disease that no basic medical treatment could cure and hazard seals degraded extremely quickly compared to what they should. The plants, however, seemed to remain fine.

Eventually someone in Intel clearly heard about the disease and brought a sample for study. The specimens flourished in myriad environments and eventually killed anything they infected, spreading farther and farther... and from that the NAMTAR project was formed to weaponize it. The rest you skim through, knowing or having guessed at it already. Rapid development, extreme lethality increase, improvement to the point no normal decontamination procedure could kill it. The birth of a microbial monster. The last note is a prediction of Phase III and a note to upgrade the seals to accommodate for deterioration... but as the evidence around you shows, there was a miscalculation in exactly how fast it could break free.

You close the folder, putting it aside and turning instead to the other compartments. You leave the silver ellipsoid for now, instead rummaging through the jewelery and photos. Pictures of what you assume are family. Wedding ring. Pocketwatch. Tie-pin...

Wait. You do a double take and look back at the tie-pin, noticing leads engraved on the end. No, that’s not a tie-pin at all. It’s a small access key fitted to the locks like on the case. You pick it up and carefully insert it into the trapped compartment... no matter how paranoid someone is, one invalid key won’t set off a trap. After all, everyone makes mistakes. And sure enough, you’re right. The clear cover pops free and you open it slowly, retrieving the folder marked Principality/V and beginning to read.

>Project SCION: Supersoldier Development and Control Initiative
Projections estimate crisis point within thirty years, building from the Distribution Initiative. Command has detailed unlimited funding to SCION to head off the quality, recruitment, and loyalty issues that are resulting from the current situation. Directives are as follows:

1. Increase longevity, physical ability, mental ability, and survivability for those that receive SCION genemods.

2. Implement hereditary descent of gene alterations within the SCION mod-family.

3. Implement a kill-switch in the form of a selectively deployable Anti-SCION counter-agent that will nullify SCION and terminate the host.

4. Conceal the kill-switch from genetic researchers and ensure the complete secrecy of terminal option.

5. Create ten (10) functioning and completely capable soldiers who span gene spectrums and have been successfully implanted with the SCION genemods.

As an additional objective: If possible, manufacture a version of SCION for introduction to society’s elite as an upgraded longevity mod. Ensure kill-switch remains in such a case. Political control through selective termination is the desired goal, thus ensure that the termination vector is completely undetectable.

Proceed with research under a cover-goal of improving existing gene-modification.

>Signed: -REDACTED-
>Authorization: Armada High Command
>Clearance: God/XIII

You tab through the rest. Progress reports, development charts, and more... both for SCION and the Terminal. Procedures for implantation and procedures for termination. It seems that the Terminal in the vial will, when released, will expand and render an area of roughly 2500 square meters devoid of SCION in under a second before turning inert and undetectable. Projected deployment vectors also include methods for bypassing air and water filtration and even rendering it inert inside steel to wait for another agent to release it.

Regardless, the tiny vial you have is only capable of aerosol form.

>>15954705
I'm aware of why she's upset, I'm also aware that upset people do stupid things, and something like stepping outside the installation could very well be fatally so, thus it'd be a good idea to make sure she's recovering.

>3. Implement a kill-switch in the form of a selectively deployable Anti-SCION counter-agent that will nullify SCION and terminate the host.

Well I guess we won't be using this on any people we want to save.

>>15954828
Yeah, I think we should check up on Ivanova too. We don't know what her programing might make her do.

>>15954836
We only have an aresol anyway.

We should see if we can get Bones to replicate the stuff in the vial.

>>15954802
>>15954810
>>15954815

Share our notes with our scientists. ALL of them.

>>15954788
I meant search for the vial bur I guess I missed the part where it said we got it.

>>15954836
Eh. If we ever do get our of this mess and be able to implement SCION gene-mod on our people without risk we can remove the kill-switch option.

>>15954815
create a sealed room at the entrance to the base that can be filled with air, extending outside, move people and contaminated machinery inside, purge using anti-scion agent.

wait an hour or so for namtar to die off then leave.

bring interesting objects from the guys safe to study at leasure.

Alright, so if the SCION terminator is an aresol that spreads that quickly and extensively, then potentially we could just release it into the air filtration system and it would get rid of SCION throughout the base.

Though what about the SCION and NAMTAR in the cryo pods with the scientists? Would it survive? And we only have one shot, it dissipates afterward. We might have to abandon the people in the pods as dead men.

>>15954815
Consult the Doc. Are these progress reports, development charts, etc. enough for our doc to begin making more of the Terminal, or will he need the canister as well? There is a lot of stuff in this base that we could use.

Also, check up on Ivanova.

>>15954863
We only have one shot and you want to waste it on a single room? That will just end up getting recontaminated?

wait... SCION's the live-forever bug, NAMTAR's just got SCION genes, right?

Forgive me if it's been answered before, Been a long night for me.

Also: will 2500 cover what we have, or would it be better to rig up a Decon room- shuttle thing, then use it there?

similarly, can we use it to 'cure' Infected people, or will it only work on non-internal cases?

>>15954836
fortunately none of the crew should be infected.

though we may want to check for Ivanova.

>>15954863
>Sealed room

Namtar eats seals for breakfast. If we are going to do this we need to be able to flood a major section of the facility.

>>15954864
...you know 2500 m^2 would cover, like, maybe one large room in the base right? It's 150 feet by 150 feet, roughly.

>>15954875

Only if we fuck up. Probably better to use a shuttle again, like we did last time. occurs to me they can't be even in the neighborhood of 2500 square meters of cargo room, which is plenty of space to decon our people.

>>15954875
the key part is that it will get recontaminated /after/ we get our crew clear

plus the top floor is a vacuum right now, and the radiation prohibits growth so the room shouldn't actually be recontaminated, after scion is killed off (and technically wouldn't namtar be a host now?) you just need to wait long enough for namtar to die and you're free and clear.

>>15954903
i wanted to keep it in the irradiated area so namtar continues to be inhibited until it dies, no need to risk suit integrity failing.

Before we spray this: Check with Ivanova. This SCION stuff sounds like something she may have received. She might've directed us to this installation in order to find and deactivate the killswitch.

If that's the case, make sure she's far away before we spray this stuff.

After that's checked out, we can introduce this to the ventilation and wait for a bit. The NAMTAR will die, then we scrub everything clean so that the people don't die when we release them.

Or, if they're already infected with NAMTAR but not SCION, we should pop the cryo-pods and THEN vent the terminant, and it should kill the disease in them.

>>15954879
>can we use it to 'cure' Infected people, or will it only work on non-internal cases?

Anti-Scion is designed to terminate the host, the fact that the corpses in this facility are still fresh indicates that people infected with Namtar/Scion are still affected by Scion as normal. Meaning that the anti-Scion will proably kill anyone affected by Namtar/Scion.

>>15954899
>one large room

Then make it the cro-pod room. We can shuttle down additonal suits that they can walk out in.

I just hope to whatever spirits we worship that these people don't bring baggage like Ketro did.

>>15954920
The irradiated areas are all in places where the people would have to go through contaminated areas to get out of. No point in killing off all the SCION if you're just going to walk through another soup of it.

We need to send these notes to the doc and any scientists we have who can read this stuff.

>>15954894
it eats seals when it's not irradiated, which is why i want to do it inside the base, where there is plenty of such

"seals" would include the entire hazmat suit the team is wearing which is why the room would stay sealed.

>>15954942
Um... the cryo pods probably contain SCION as well, along with NAMTAR. Popping them open will just recontaminate the room.

>>15954945
that's why the room extends outside, the outside isn't contaminated, so you seal off a half contaminated but irradiated area, and an outside non-irradiated area, stay in the irradiated area, crack the vial, it'll spread and clear out the scion, now you just need to wait out namtar. walk outside and you're clear

>>15954864
Anti-Scion only lasts for a second. It'd never spread far enough in that time.

>>15954903
Oh ffs, please do not waste our one and only vial of this shit to experiment how it is going to work.
We need to study this shit as much as we can and try to replicate it.

And maybe we will find a way to save the people from this facility and actually make this whole venture worthwhile.


Have we hacked the mainframe yet? Why don't we do that?

Vedibere, what is our independent capability to replicant the SCION terminant? (I'm guessing roughly zero, but, thoroughness.)

In the (highly probable) even that the answer to part a is "basically nil", Is there enough functioning high-end biotech gear left in the non-unisteel melting sections of the base to try and replicate some?

And lastly, if the answer to either is yes, i vote that we do that.

>>15954924
why keep her away? she's dead either way since her suit is contaminated.

the terminant probably won't actually breach a suit anyways.

There is pretty much no way that this amount of anti-Scion is enough. Even if we cart everything out into a shuttle, use it in there, wait for the Namtar to die, and then head back to the ship, there is the issue that it won't get the Namtar/Scion that is on the OUTSIDE of the shuttle. If we do it in the base, then they just get re-contaminated exiting the base. And then there's the fact that the people in cryo are probably a soup of the stuff, and the anti-Scion won't get them.

>>15954924
As long as her suit is sealed Ivanova should be fine. The anti-Scion should not be able to penetrate the suits and it only stays active for a second,.

>>15954967
>Have we hacked the mainframe yet? Why don't we do that?
We haven't, because Ivanova said it's a bad idea, and failure will mean the singularity reactor here eating the entire base.

We should still tell our team to search for the Team B labs to see if more of the Terminant can be scrounged up, or at least the equipment and reagents used in its manufacture.

>>15954988
I think that we should prioritize getting our people freed of this mess first, and then, *if* that works, going back with disposable drones to try to pry loose some new acquisitions.

Just saying.

>>15954967

I think, at this point, where we have a workable solution to the problem (re: getting our people out alive) we need to use it, hang a big red "DO NOT FUCK WITH THIS PLACE, NASTIES LIVE HERE" sign on the moon, then book it.

Cryo and rads will contain it, and if we're successful in re-booting the human empire, we can come back, maybe with a "fuck your shit, NAMTAR" bug. till then, Let what's in there handle anything that comes poking around. Keep in mind, ain't no xeno scum going to be able to handle the kill you dead soup that's in there now, the paperwork said NAMTAR was universally lethal. the cryopods have functioned 64,000 or so years, so they'll be fine another few dozen years or so, presumably.

TL;DR, We've got a solution, let's use it, and leave this damn base.

>>15955000
We need to send the data to the doc as well.

>>15955004
And from the looks of it we're not any closer to that because the anti-Scion is a one shot deal. No matter how we use it, it won't get all the Scion/Namtar that we would end up bringing back if we extracted the ground team, and everything will just get recontaminated.

>>15955007
I'd rather just glass the moon personally. Make sure there's no danger of future looters ignoring warnings and leaving contaminated ghost ships floating around.

>>15955007
>>15954988
see
>>15954960

>>15954924
>This SCION stuff sounds like something she may have received.
It's forever a mystery to me how you can think some of this stuff up., I gave a detailed timeline of SCION. I gave status reports on development. I gave a time for when the base died -- decades after you vanished. And most damning of all the SCION project obviously didn't finish. Same thing with just seeing the word Angel and saying "Well, Ivanova is CLEARLY part of a program called Angel!"

>"wut.jpg" here

>>15954973
>Vedibere, what is our independent capability to replicant the SCION terminant? (I'm guessing roughly zero, but, thoroughness.)
Pretty good guess. I say this because it's correct.

>Is there enough functioning high-end biotech gear left in the non-unisteel melting sections of the base to try and replicate some?
Yeah, sure. Trained personnel on the other hand....

Right now, I think our next immediate course of action is to send all of this data to the doc and have him start looking at it. The sooner we do that, the more time he has with it.

Also it seems to be the only thing we can get a consensus on.

>>15954960
This seems feasible to me. I wonder if we can decon equipment this way too? It'd be nice to bring that portable reactor the crypods were hooked up to, even if we can't risk bringing the cryopods.

>>15955027
>>15954960
The outside is contaminated because we had contaminated suits walking around there.

also, we need to be sure that ALL drones on the ground are inside that spray can's kill zone.

We may also wish to send down a fresh hover tank and abandon all of the ones already down there, just to be sure.

>>15955045
And check up on Ivanova while the doc is reviewing the data. Even if all we do is get her location via the tracking beacon.

>>15955026

I'm leaning towards agreeing, just because, as you said, we don't need this shit getting loose.

>>15955040
Never underestimate the depths of my ignorance.

But more importantly, never underestimate the degree to which I will forget everything that happened two threads ago.

>>15954988
We know that NAMTAR doesn't travel through vacuum. None of the seals of the ensigns that stayed out of the base in vacuum show signs of NAMTAR-related deterioration. But it can survive in vacuum, since the team that left the base continued to have deterioration of their suit seals even after traveling through vacuum.
So, if something is outside the base, and not under heavy radiation bombardment, and is not showing signs of seals being eaten, it's safe to assume that it's not contaminated.

So, we would need a space set up outside the base (so it doesn't have contaminated by NAMTAR), have radiation generators (to keep the NAMTAR inactive), and have an atmosphere so that the Terminant can be released inside of it. We wait for the NAMTAR to die, then everyone inside should be safe to exit. The NAMTAR couldn't have spread to the outside of this chamber because there's a vacuum, and all of the NAMTAR inside should be dead.

>>15955078
>>15955026
We don't currently have the capability to glass the moon.

I think we should investigate what that big black button is. Once we're safely away, that is. Hopefully it will be something that get get rid of this damn moon for us.

>>15955064
It's a vacuum. The Namtar/scion won't be able to spread all over everything in a vacuum. but you're right in that we should have enough Anti to spray down the area outside and the tanks where some of our guys were taking a break.

>>15955040
>Yeah, sure. Trained personnel on the other hand....
Fuck it. do we need to wake up Ketro?


Concerning the vault. Did Ivanova open it but did not go inside or did she not even open it? If she did open it, we can send a drone in, right?

Gonna ask again about the hacking of the mainframe. Is there a reason why we abandoned that train of thought?

>Each is labeled with a number and name; SCION, NAMTAR, SHIVA, ADVENT, THRESHOLD, and MIDNIGHT among others.

Have we looked into what all these other projects are?


>It's forever a mystery to me how you can think some of this stuff up.
I have said this before and will say again. This quest is run by retards. It is forever mystery to me how you keep attracting us to your quests Vedi.

>>15955098
>vault
She unlocked it and looked in via camera but saw a whole bunch of biowar samples thrown out of cryopods in haste to get into them and said nope.jpg to going inside.

>>15955095
Namtar/Scion can cling to dust particles that float in the vacuum. Tromping around on dust in contaminated boots = contaminated dust. The dust outside the base is contaminated. Anything that has touched that dust is contaminated. Anything that has touched anything that has touched that dust is contaminated. Plus the kill agent is an aresol, which needs to be used in an atmosphere.

>>15955094

"glass" being a general term, here. Pretty sure we've got a couple decent yield Black hole bombs we can drop on the damn place, that ought to do the trick.

>>15955098
She said she used monitors to look into the vault but didn't open it.

>>15955095
i wouldn't even worry about the tanks, have some drones drive them away and lance them from orbit, try to save as many drones as possible though, the tanks we can replace, the drones we cannot. (yet.)

>>15955120
Smart girl, our Ivanova. Smarter than her captain in fact.

>>15955122
For the record, I said aerosol but what I really meant is "This shit will expand to fill a space." It can work in vacuum.

Also, I probably should have said 12,500 m^3 since it's talking volume but hey.

>>15955140
Her captain is /tg/, of course she's smarter than him, I've seen sticks smarter than him, the only thing the voices in his head can agree on is that he does indeed want into his XO's pants.

>>15955132
Those tanks are useful. They protect our people when we have to do ground mission like this one. If we hadn't had them our ground team would have been shot to shit when we sent them in.

Vedibere, the hovertanks use the same polymer seals as the shuttles and the power armor, right?
So if any NAMTAR contaminated dust had gotten on them, the seals would have started to degrade, right?

>>15955140
All for making Iva captain and demoting ourselves to janitor?

>>15955164
Aye

>>15955164
*raises hand*

Aye!

>>15955164
I don't know, I've seen crazy janitors do some serious damage. It might be better if we just spaced ourselves.

>>15955125
>decent yield Black hole bombs

???

We have a single cluster-eater. Where did you get the idea that we have black-hole bomb-

AND WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DISCUSSING DESTROYING THE MOON IN THE FIRST PLACE?! WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM AT HAND!
When we have resolved the critical situation we will gently bump the moon into the star.

>>15955157
yes they are useful, fortunately we have some on the ship still, and on top of that we know where we can get more, there's no reason to stretch limited resources to save a potentially hazardous item.

Ie there's a chance that there isn't enough terminant to clear the tanks and if that is the case then trying to clear them as well means the failure or the cleansing process entirely.

>>15955159
Yes.

You can presume the tanks are contaminated as fuck.

>>15955122
Leave the shuttle door open when we use it? Or are the shuttles too big to be fully coated in it?

>>15955184
Our high yield missiles also use black holes for their energy source.

>>15955153
Okay!

So while there's dissension about how exactly to go about decontamination procedures, we have nobody against sending info on the Anti-Scion to the Doc to see if more can be manufactured, nor about checking up on Ivanova while the Doc reviews that data, right?

>>15955194
Well, the tanks are a write-off, then.

What about the tank/tanks that the unaffected ensigns are piloting? Do they show signs of being contaminated?

Hey

Hey guys

How about we ask our Medical Doctor

That guy with the PHD

And all the training

About the best way to go about decon

>>15955211
Second.

>>15955204
Burr should also come up with an appropriate decon procedure, knowing the limitations of the Terminant and that we only have one vial.
He can probably come up with a more exact and better procedure than we could, seeing as he's the actual doctor.

>>15955211

GOD FUCKING DAMNIT GUMP! YOU ARE A FUCKING GENIUS!

also: second

>>15955216
third

The kill agent's limited range and single use downsides might mean that we actually don't have any way of getting the ground team back without further contamination. There is no point at which the kill agent will actually get all of the Namtar/Scion that they're carrying around on them and they won't have to then go through another contaminated area. The tanks are all contaminated, and they need those to get back to the shuttle, which will be contaminated when they get there. That would be the time to use it, but we can't decontaminate the entire shuttle, can we? We just don't have enough of the stuff.

>>15955189
alright fine. scrap the tanks. unless, perhaps, we can make more Terminant.

An accurate description of most Void Questers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxYA6duF-9E

(No, not you. That other guy you disagree with!)

>>15955233
Vedibere says we can't.

>>15955211
Nah, we are smarter than him.


But really. Get his and all the other scientists advice.

>>15955231
Why would the shuttle be contaminated. We've already written off the shuttle that was used for the decon test. The other shuttles should be fine.

We are running out of shuttles.

>>15955243
Make a shuttle out of Parsons.

>>15955231

alright, this is how we'll probably be told it should go down.

Step 1: Move shuttle down, load Errybody inside the fucker. (this shuttle is now interior/exterior hot!)

Step 2: Decon interior shuttle, the exterior is still hot

step 3: blast the fuck off.

step 4: use a DIFFERENT shuttle, match velocity, effect an in-space transfer.

step 5: lance hot shuttle, recover clean shuttle.

step 6: profit. or, at least, less loss.

>>15955236
Well shit. That means this entire operation was a bust. We won't even be able to salvage that portable plant we found.

>>15955235
>Derp de derpity derpy derp!

I absolutely lost my shit

>>15955243
Contaminated dust. Also, contact with contaminated suits and other contaminated equipment. The ground team's suits are all contaminated. If they go to a shuttle, even a new one, they'll contaminate it with the Namtar/Scion that is on their armor.

Not a single word on NAMTAR terminator?

We need that one and not SCION because if we remove SCION the death virus would still be there, no?

>>15955268

no. killing SCION also kills it's hosts.

in this case, NAMTAR.

>>15955204
Okay guys.

Give me a quick summary of what you want to decontaminate. Remember, space is limited. The two tanks with the two Ensigns who stayed the fuck away are not contaminated, so you'll be able to get back to a shuttle point within five hours by having everyone ride on them. Yay no wind resistance.

>>15955236
No, he says that we're low on qualified personnel, but have the necessary equipment. There's a difference, which i think we should attempt to exploit.

Fucking hell, this would all be so much easier if we had Ketro, except then we'd have the problem of having ketro. Sigh.

Anyway, let's canvas the civvies for biotech experience. We don't need them to be able to design the terminant from scratch, we just need a few more vials of it.

>>15955256
>portable plant
What in the world are you talking about?

There was an enormous fuckhuge singularity reactor the pods were tied into. That's it.

>>15955275
1. All non-frozen, living people.
2. As much of the equipment that they are wearing as possible, prioritizing valuable equipment
3. As many of the Drones as possible, prioritizing those most difficult to replace.

Idea:
1. Gather up the ground team and everything that we want to bring back that can fit in the kill agent's range.
2. Leave the base.
3. Load up into the tanks.
4. Drive out to some area on the moon that we've never been to, so the only contaminated dust/ground is a trail leading back to the base.
5. Pile out, walk a ways from the contaminated tanks.
6. Use the kill agent on the ground team and the equipment. The agent can be used in vaccuum, meaning that we can use it on the surface of the moon.
7. Wait for the Namtar/Scion on the suits/equipment to die.
8. Continue toward an LZ in a region that the team has not been to. The ground should be clean, as are the suits now that they've been hit with the kill agent.
9. Send down a clean shuttle to meet them.
10. Load up and leave.

>>15955275
ground crew, interesting gadgets from the safe, and as many drones as can fit.

>>15955256
We cannot replicate SCION terminant.

... but maybe there is a large stockpile of it somewhere in the base? We did not open ALL of the vaults.

Or perhaps we could fins RATMAN terminant or the way to make it (I doubt that though)


So yeah ... hack the mainframe dammit.

>>15955277
Our civvy biology expert died on the moon.

>>15955301
It's been Strongly Implied that doing that will probably blow up the base.

>>15955291
Hey, if we do this we might be able to save one of the contaminated tanks, if we can fit it into the anti-scion kill zone.

>>15955291
Except once they are out of the radiation Namtar will start on the seals of the suits again.

>>15955275
Gah!

We have 3-4 days before food runs out for the ground team.

Lets try to find more ways to resolve this situation. We cannot rely on this small vial of decontaminant.
And there is also an off-chance that we might save the people in the cryos

>>15955320
You got any ideas on how to do that?

Because the rest of us sure don't.

>>15955315
Screw the tanks. Better to save drones. They are more useful.

>>15955305
...

Fuck.

>>15955315
i still don't see why we'd bother

WE CAN GET MORE TANKS, WE KNOW WHERE THERE'S A DEPOT THAT HAS THEM STORED AND WE DIDN'T TAKE ALL OF THEM THE FIRST TIME AROUND.

play it safe and ditch the contaminated big stuff, too much of a risk of some nook or cranny not being decontaminated

>>15955301

no. no no no. no. Our ever lovely XO has told us no. the GM has dropped so many hints against us doing that that, at this point, it's effectively a non-choice.

Priority:

Our people.

Their gear, with emphasis on the hardest shit for us to replace.

that's it.

>>15955317
It takes a little while to work. Couple of hours. It took 3 hours for the seals to fail on Erella's suit.

That part of what makes me sad that the people who advised regularly checking up on her glove got shouted down. We might have been able to see it coming and save her too if they had been listened to.

>>15955320
There is nothing we can do for those people. They are infected with Scion and the terminant will kill them when it kills the Scion

>>15955308
Sigh...

Can we try that anyway before we leave? When we remove all the personnel from it?

I think the implications were that it will have powerful defences, but you must remember that Toppest of the Yop Tier Harbringer is a War-ship designed for this shit. And there is no EI or AI guarding anything here. So I think we could manage this.
We might not be a flying laboratory but lets use one of our strengths which apply in this situation

>>15955334
Our people who are contaminated were already showing signs of degradation before we got them back into the rads. better safe than sorry

>>15955342
I don't know if the terminant can get into the pods. Which actually makes trying to save them an even worse idea, because cracking the pods open will just recontaminate the area with more Scion/Namtar that was swimming around in the pods.

>>15955351
30% degradation over 3 hours.

>>15955349
The Harbinger is not a designed for hacking shit, we're just good at it because we're an EI. It's safe to assume that intelligence has stuff that would kick our ass.

If one day we can make enough of the kill agent to cover the whole base and the contaminated ground around it, and have enough to pulse when we wake them up, then maybe we can come back for the people in cryo.

Until then, they're a lost cause. Coming down here with flesh and blood people was a stupid idea to begin with.

>>15955275
We should take the files we found with us. Mentioning that just in case.

>>15955370
The problem is that the people who jump in immediately are the dumbest and the loudest, and they seem to love making a mess of things and leaving the rest of us to sort it all out.

So far:
Ground team
Their equipment
Drones, prioritizing the rarest and most difficult to replace
Important files/documentation.

Also, we might want to figure out what is in the remaining compartments. What the stuff in the other vials do, that sort of thing. They might be useful in the future.

>>15955369
What?

Yes it is.

It is designed for Info-warefare just as it is designed for regular warfare.
Shit, that was even mentioned in one of the updates in today's session.

Question: Do we take the samples with us when we leave? Or should we just load up all the notes?

>>15955412
Leave NAMTAR and SCION. They're disasters waiting to happen. Figure out what the others are first. We might want to bring them with us, but more likely we really REALLY don't.

If we are not going to save the people in cryos. Then DO NOT DESTROY THE MOON OR THE BASE AT ANY COST.

We can retrieve as much as data as we can and perhaps, just perhaps we will have a chance to develop a terminant somewhere, somehow, sometime and could come back to save these people.

>>15955412
I'm weary of taking vials of unknown substances that needed to be stored in cryo.

>>15955422
Do you think we should hook all those cryopods back to the reactor then?

>>15955425
Though I think we should investigate what they are first. Jacked in it probably won't take very long.

>>15955430
Might be a good idea.

>>15955422

Except that runs the risk of Xenos coming here and taking NAMTAR/SCION out with them.

Even if they die relatively fast, it'd leave plague ships all over the damn place.

>>15955449
The base has been here for 65k years and for all that time it has been able to fend off any would be looters. I think we can trust it to remain safe for another year or two while we find a way to cook up more of the anti-scion.

>>15955409
We're designed to be able to fight other EI's and defeat their security, yes.
But Ivanova implied heavily that the defenses protecting an Armada Intelligence black research facility like this are likely to be far stronger than what we can bring to bear.

Still in Wat do? mode, or is Vedibere writing?

>>15955449
If xenos come, they are just going to die. If the best equipment and the best human scientists had hard time with it then no xenos are going to manage this shit.

Also, what makes you think that a system that was never vsited for 60000 years is suddenly going to become xeno tourist attraction?

Just leave the base. No one is going to come here. If we can, we will reseal it as best as possible.

>>15955449
seal the entrance the the base with something, we can always drill in later

also, we should take notes on locations where we find cryo'd humans that we cannot currently get to/release

>>15955481

The base also used to have functioning groundside defenses. It no longer does- we toasted them on our way in, with the tanks. the ship-scale stuff is still there, presumably, but if it's got a blind spot, wager someone'll find it. And I'm saying it's an unacceptable risk, given we're about to burn the only vial of "fuck you, bug" we have.

You'll noticed I advocated leaving the base intact earlier, too. >>15955007 this is after thinking about it, some.

>>15955504
Then lets leave it.

We can shut down the gates which come to this place since it seems xenos did not bother to develop any other means of FTL travel.

Even if xenos do come here what is the realistic chance that they somehow would use it against us in huge galaxy?

>>15955504
>>15955504
We have data on that bug now though. With more personnel and decent facilities it could be manufactured. We can leave the base intact.

>>15955532
It's a plague that literally cannot die so long as Scion exists. It would spread eventually if it got out. Sealing the gate is probably the best idea at this point.

Has anyone archived the thread yet?

“Kateryna, are you okay?”

Your XO is hunched over one of the railings on an access bridge over a corridor, her arms locked straight and fingers gripping the guardrail. One of your drones floats up slowly, touching a manipulator to her shoulder, and she looks over. You hear a *click* and some static briefly, then her voice. “I am sorry, Ged. I had the transponder off. Did you need something?”

“No. Not at all. I just wanted to know if you were okay.” you watch as she takes a deep breath and removes her hands from the rail, turning toward you.

“Yes, I am fine now. Did you find... anything to help us?” A faint note of hope in her voice, the first emotion so far.

You bob up and down in affirmation, “Yes, actually. I’m getting everyone out of here right now. Please collect the others and head up, I’ll have further directions for you when you reach the top level. Stay inside the radiation and find a bed, it might take some time.”

“I knew you would, somehow.” She nods and turns to walk away, stopping halfway and looking back. “Ged, I am... am sorry. I did not mean to, nor want to.”

“I know, Kateryna. Don’t worry about it, we all have our demons.”

“Thank you.” At that she gives a final nod and departs, leaving your drone body alone in the corridor. You turn, heading back to collect the files. But not before noticing one last detail, your XO’s handprints squeezed into the solid unisteel rail.

#######################

The next five hours are spent waiting for the new arrivals, drones bearing radiation-generating devices spewing isotopes every which way. They meet your team inside and escort them away, projecting a powerful aura of cellular death all the way to the edge of the unisteel-clad courtyard to preserve their suits. The two Ensigns and the tanks waiting there greet them, and after the group climbs aboard the tanks you cluster as many drones as you can around the bunch and release the SCION-Terminant. A beautiful bloom of gas erupts from the vial, small enough to contain only a couple drops but still easily enough to envelop you in the silver haze.

Within two seconds it dies away, falling slowly to the plating beneath even as you immediately set out away. Unfortunately your plan for perfect transmission required too many drones to save them all, but perhaps in time you will be able to return to collect what you’ve lost here. Perhaps. But for now, at the very least, you are satisfied with what you have: A crew that has been disinfected and is safe once more.

The final return to the ship is uneventful, the shuttle landing in a bay and the crew disembarking and going through final normal decontamination. The moment of truth arrives unceremoniously as well, the Ensigns nervously picking at their straps until Rinn and Ivanova sigh, shaking their heads at them before quickly pulls free their helmets. The others freeze, waiting, and after a minute passes begin rapidly undoing their own clasps. A quick medical check and you relieve them all from duty, the entire group immediately heading to their bunks or rooms for some well-deserved rest.

>>15955575
Done.

And thus it comes to pass that you orbit the moon Korto once more, minus a dozen drones, five tanks, and one crewmember... though you do have more knowledge than you did prior, in the form of both files and hard experience.

A single drone seals the entrance with a light lance blast and you have it return once more, cruising away from this sordid deathtrap that claimed one of your crew. Now all that remains is to determine what to do now and where to go next.

Funeral for Erella.

She deserves a better send off than just a lance from orbit.

>>15955619

AGREED.

Word that the ground team came back minus a member will get out. The fact that it was a civilian scientist will make things more awkward to say the least. Best they hear the news from us, and we should arrange some sort of service.

Aside from that, we should go over the intel that we recovered, seal the gate if we can, and leave this wretched system whenever we can safely.

>>15955613
Seal any gates leading to this System and then leave for that other place (I completely forgot what it was now)

>>15955619
Agree.


Also, give all the notes and research to Burr and any other scientists and tell them to work on them in mean time or whenever they want to (not a high priority task, but a passive assignment which will be worked on in the background whenever they have time or don't have any other important duties. It has been said that the scientist group loves research and development, lets see what they can do with what we got. I am fully aware this could take years or decades)

Aside from the funeral preparations, we should set course for that layover system that had the intact defenses. Maybe something better can be found there.

works for me.

prepare a memorial service, Prep to jump outsystem to... whatsit. the other imperial station that had defenses intact.

>>15955679
Lets go into a random Xeno system and shoot them up to alleviate our stress.


Just kidding.

>>15955747
OR ARE WE
????

>>15955796
We are.

>>15955613
>>15955658
The other location was some sort of deep space facility wasn't it? A staging point constructed during the civil war that we had no record of?

Should try that next. But we should be careful, if it's not an Armada controlled whatever it is it might tag us as an enemy.

I also think we should talk with Kateryna.

She might blame herself for this, which is simply not true.

>Aight, stopping here for tonight.
>Leave any comments on things you want to do, people you want to talk to, any specifics, ect.
>Next thread... Hmmm. Wednesday at 18:00 probably.

>>15955880
Stuff to do:
1. Prepare proper funeral for Erella.
2. Close down the Gate leading to this system.
3. Set course for the layover site, that had the intact Ophidian defenses, and Jump.
4. Read through the Principality files again; see if any of the required test batch of 10 supersoldiers were ever created, and if they were released prior to the outbreak of NAMTAR.
5. Talk with command staff concerning the Principality project. Even if this was supposed to be the Armada's trump card, the project implies that they knew the civil war was coming. Unlikely then that they would have been completely wiped out, and that there is hope that holdout colonies exist, either active or in cryo. Reaffirm our dedication to finding human survivors.

>>15956805
>1. Prepare proper funeral for Erella.
Agreed
>2. Close down the Gate leading to this system.
System doesnt have a gate does it?
3. Set course for the layover site, that had the intact Ophidian defenses, and Jump.
4. Read through the Principality files again; see if any of the required test batch of 10 supersoldiers were ever created, and if they were released prior to the outbreak of NAMTAR.
5. Talk with command staff concerning the Principality project. Even if this was supposed to be the Armada's trump card, the project implies that they knew the civil war was coming. Unlikely then that they would have been completely wiped out, and that there is hope that holdout colonies exist, either active or in cryo. Reaffirm our dedication to finding human survivors.

All sounds resonable.