“Ah, that.” Tynes breaks into a grin, shaking his head, “Rinn is having a lot of fun, I think. Honestly, he’s made for this sort of thing. Good with them, knows training methods, knows when not to push too hard.”

“That’s good. Well, I’ll leave you to the salvage then. Remember, you only have a week so prioritize appropriately.”

“Yes, sir.”

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

You stand below the reactor core, the shimmering containment field refracting light in a twisted, warped display that you can barely pull your eyes away from as Dai speaks to you, “Reactor parts being replaced. Have to after every jump. Power cables worn, things like that. Undue strain on some parts. Why it takes so long. Few more days, should be able to jump again.”

“And the gate?”

He grunts, “Yeah. Moved it into position, re-powered, all that. Disabled receiver array too.”

“Excellent. Keep me appraised.”

>Anything do in the down week?

==Map Legend==
Green Dotted Arrow: Current Jump
Yellow Dotted Arrow: Last Jump
Orange Dotted Arrow: Last minus 1 Jump
Red Dotted Arrow: Prior jumps.
Green dot: Current position.
Purple Dot: Elaborated Destination
Yellow Square: Your awakening position
Teal dotted zone: Hundred Systems Territory (Hundred Worlds Rebellion)

==Command Staff==
Lieutenant Kateryna Ivanova - Executive Officer
>Second Lieutenant Dray Parson - Intelligence Officer (Cryo)
Second Lieutenant Robert Tynes - Steward
Chun-Fan Dai - Chief Engineer
Third Lieutenant Mardigan “Guns” Rinn - Weapons Officer
Dr. Christof Burr - Physician

==Junior Officers==
Ensign Fie - Communictions Officer
Ensign DuBois - Staff officer (Sensors)
Ensign Tremko - Staff officer
Ensign Rao - Staff officer

==Persons of Note==
>Dr. Eliphim Ketro -- Civilian Scientist (Cryo)

Previous Threads:

1: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15474877/
2: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15527576/
3: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15547424/
4: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15558914/
5: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15581324/
6: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15603188/
7: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15626860/
8: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15671288/
9: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15681393/
10: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15702140/
11: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15725852/
12: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15749179/
13: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15760403/
13-2: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15765549/
14: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15783485/
15: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15807704/
16: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15856771/
17: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15880596/
18: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15904452/
19: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15916825/
20: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15949806/
20-2: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15954334/
21: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15994976/
22: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/16075942/

>Also, when archiving make sure to include the thread number in the title and a "Void Quest" tag.

>>16087046

Not much to do really, keep being alert, sweep the system constantly with scanners and drones in case those pesky aliens come back for more (those from the destroyed warship). Be ready for our most likely degenerate progeny to come back from the gate...

We might as well ask Ivanova if she's feeling all right.

>>16087146

I would prefer to avoid getting into more of the personal drama with the crew of the ship. She is unlikely to break mentally so let her cool off for a while.

>>16087057
When we were going over these wrecks for salvage, did we encounter anything to allow us to identify who they used to belong to? Specifically with that big one did we see anything like remains of the crew that could give an indication of what species may have built it? Also, was it jump capable?

Dai just said we have to replace parts after every jump. Is there any way for us to determine if he's running the reactor too hard? Is replacing parts like that something that'd have to happen anyway even if the reactor wasn't damaged?

>>16087182
How long should we avoid this?

>>16087192

A month maybe?Ivanova doesn't seem very capable with... human emotions. She may need some serious time to think things over.

Unless she becomes unstable or something. But its unlikely.

>>16087182
>>16087146
I said before we did it that trying to pursue a relationship on Ivanova was going to be a bad idea, now look what's happened. I don't know what makes /tg/ think they know how to court a normal woman let alone one with tech in her brain that can alter her behavior depending on what we try to do.

>>16087230
Problem is, how do we know that she isn't already unstable? How do we know that our advances didn't serve to trigger a program in her head designed to prevent an operative from getting attached to a superior?

>>16087233
This quest runs on bad ideas. Regardless, we've gotten ourselves into this mess, as always, and we should at least try to come out of it with an XO that doesn't have her dial set to "Arctic" at all times.

>>16087248

Why not? As long as she does her job properly... courting her was a bad idea anyway. We need efficient management and more people, not emotions and drama.

Also would be a good idea to find out what those aliens from the big ship want in this system. And actually how do they even know about it. Maybe lets scout the derelict ship with drones? At least to see if they were human. Or a known alien race.

>>16087183
I think we should take a couple of drones and take a look at that big wreck to try and discover whether the species that made it was human or not as a personal side project over the week. Just 3 or 4 drones to look for bodies, shouldn't take too long.

>>16087273
Because her job does not just include the physical work of an Intel-enhanced XO. This is a rather tight-nit crew, and, like it or not, emotions and drama are part of human relationships. An emotionless robot can certainly handle the ship, but not necessarily the crew.

>>16087192

A few weeks to a month. No rush.

>>16087276
Idiot.

No need to look for bodies. If we find any part of the inner architecture intact, and be it only a fraction of some twisted hallway, we will be able to draw conclusions as to what kind of species this was built for. If we get some kind of broken interface, we will learn that as well.

However, it doesn't really matter.
Re: Ivanova: Let her have freetime. Chances are, with all the ECM she her brain was pumped full with, she'll know when and how we do monitor her. Do not talk, instead, just make surveilance equipment OUTSIDE of vital areas go blind to her whenever she's off duty automatically. She should be able to tell that we do not spy on her, and she probably deserves the free room.
However, actually talking to her I advise against, it's her job to move in whichever direction.


Just proceed with preps for the week, probably make Dai prepare everything for a quick jump out of the target system if it the situation turns out to be going south. He'll make it happen.
That's all, isn't it?

I don't have strong feelings over telling Ivonova what we did either way. But attempting to butt in again so soon is just fucking stupid.

Give her time. That's how these things work.

Also, it's good to see Tynes getting more friendly with us. He seems to be the only one of the crew who personally come to us for this and that. Save for our Lt.

Also, can we chat with Burr and Rinn while we wait?

>>16087328

Pretty much. We ARE jumping to that system that has gate coords and shouldn't, right?

How many jumps total do we currently have parts for? If we're replacing parts of the core each jump then that cant last forever.

>>16087230
Ivanova is always right
you will listen to ivanova
Ivanova, is god.

I wouldn't mind talking with Dai some. If it doesn't slow him down, that is.

Just make sure everything's alright. Partly if we're going to explode or not, partly to see if that Ketro business left any lasting damage.

Any objections?

>>16087404

We just chatted with him, and he wasn't exactly... talkative.

The Ketro mess is old news. I highly doubt he's still hung up on it now that he's back as a Ketro-sicle.

it's clear she's starting to affect crew morale. i propose we talk to her, and talk to her (in purely hypothetical terms) that people shouldn't be afraid to express their emotions, and that it's an important part of being human. suggest that people need peers they can talk to. then say that one of the Lieutenants is a decent person.

>>16087386
true.

We should also consider something longtorm:

If we are to make our way to Sol, I would rather have a scout to go ahead, something jumpcapeable that is not us.


So if we're lucky and those guys are descendants or whatever, I say we propose to them a deal: Give us a ship, give us shipyards, equip that ship with a jumpdrive and everything needed to operate it, then give us a couple of volunteers to journey with us to earth. In exchange they keep the jumptechnology we use with the ship they give us.


If we die, at least we have some heirs.
If earth turns out hostile, we might still live due to the scout that we can send ahead (possibly with images and greetings and anthems, just the way we made contact with all friendlies this far - codes etc don't seem to work anyways)

>>16087453
Not really? She's training the new sensor officer and making sure he has it right. I personally don't want to have him miss a ship in the middle of combat because she was too easy on him.

>>16087453
you're an idiot as well.

This will be the same as putting a gun to her chest do act about our encounter.


You do not intrude, you let her free space. We're not needy, we have time, and if we truly confide in her, then we will give her all the damn time she needs.


A basis for things such as you want to do has to be established BEFORE the dice fall. Everyone knows that, anyone who plays a game.

You make all the parameters clear before you throw a dice, because once it's landed, it'll be harder to agree on anything, since both sides might feel a higher chance of persuading the other blablablablabla


let her breathe, don't intrude.

>>16087453
>it's clear she's starting to affect crew morale

Oh?

>>16087485

I like the idea of taking a jump-capable ship with us to scout with, but:

A) We might not be able to replicate the technology, even with access to a friendly race that approaches Ophidian tech levels.

B) If we can replicate the tech, it might require us to dismantle the only working jump drive we have access to. Which, incidentally, moves the ship around.

C) Doing so might take decades. Or centuries.

>>16087516
we can cross that bridge once we reach it. With Dai on our side we might just pull it off, as he designed the harbingers and it's drives as I recall, we have the inventor / constructor of the jumptechnology we use right with us.
He can also answer questions about feasiblity.

But discussing this has a time and place - neither of wich we have reached.

>>16087560

Truth. First we'd need a friendly alien species with a tech level close enough to the peak of Ophidian tech. Which will be like looking for one specific needle in a stack of needles. And that needle might be imaginary.

Is there any disagreement? Is Vedi writing?

Oh how needy I feel today, a calm thread, the prospect of much plot advancement.

You bet your ass there's a disagreement! Your face!

Indeed, VQ has been eerily placid these last few threads.
I feel like it'll end in a screamer though.

The week passes uneventfully and you take a break from the strains of crew and ship management. Scans of the system proceed apace and you find several very well disguised monitoring sensors with minature FTL comms. All are set to transmit messages to the same place -- an area of nebula vacant any planets -- in the event of detecting ships without Ophidian protocols.

The ships are all investigated as well, most just get a quick scan but you focus on the enormous “insect-ship” specifically. And as it turns out it’s an insect ship in more than just appearance. The insides are honeycombed with passages and hexagonal cells, the corpses of bug-like aliens strewn about everywhere. Datalogs show that it was a sort of merged military/civilian vessel with the mission to claim the debris at this system “By force.”

Apparently not enough force.

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

“All systems ready, Sir. Gate activation procedures underway.”

“Thank you, Ivanova. Lieutenant Rinn, weapons status?”

“Lookin’ good cap’n.”

#Chief Dai, how is the reactor and are the preparations for an exit jump complete?#
#Yes. Should be ready. Will take about five minutes depending on where we jump to. Can’t decrease it any further without danger.#
#That’s fine, then. Be prepared#

You stand, tugging your Dress Blacks into place before sitting again and shifting into the reclined position. Slipping completely free of your form, becoming the ship. The ramp-up for combat.

“Systems prepared. Let’s go.”

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

>Atmosphere
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8TOxkjCywI

The snap of a silent detonation rings through the void as you emerge on the other side. Your glittering, deadly elongated diamoned shape trailing mists and streamers from the places between. A deadly form, a harbinger in truth, bristling with weapons an sheathed in courscant energy and exuding an air of deadly menace.

And before you, where there is no system marked and naught but a nebula in your charts, lies a small green star and bright blue-green planetoid. It resides within a pocket free of the blue-white haze of the nebula around you, that thick morass carved away for this pristine sanctuary full of promise. Bright with more than just reflected brilliance and promise, too. You immediately note that the planet, the entire planet, is sheathed in an enormous ball of energy... not a shield or forcefield either. No, it seems to be coursing through the very air instead. And in quantities rivaling even the maximum output of an Ophidian warship. Not only that, but you detect lifesigns covering the planet... over a billion of them, at least, and focused around large nexuses of structures that dot the planet.

But even before you can analyze the planet and its strange energy to make heads or tails of what it does warnings start to sound throughout your systems. Dozens -- no hundreds of fighters and corvettes launching from groundside, rapidly breaking atmosphere and heading in your direction.

“Seven hundred and thirty three ships of corvette class and smaller detected!” DuBois calls out.

“Orders, sir?” Ivanova asks, looking over to you.

>>16088376

Power down weps! Sweet merciful fuck me, it's a Terra-like. And there's no goddamn way we're shooting out way out of this one, so better to not look threatening.

General hail in all languages, just like last time.

rolled 94 = 94

>>16088376
Have we deciphered their language? If so hail them in their own language, if not we'll just need to use the language of the gods again.

"Greetings, we have traveled far in search of knowledge, knowledge of what has come before, will you aid us?

>>16088412
Keep the weapons ready, we may need to hold them off until we can jump.
Hail them in Ophidian.

go full ECM, weapons condition one, launch a dozen or so fighters and then hail them.

Tell them "This is the OSI Harbringer of the ophedian empire, we come in peace but will retaliate if fired upon. Please Respond"

Guys, we'll be lucky to survive A VOLLEY. Not minutes, not shoot down enough to tank until we jump, ONE ALPHA STRIKE.

We can't gun our way out of this one, or even mitigate how bad it is using weps. A full posture of harmless politeness, if only to buy time for the jump.

>“Seven hundred and thirty three ships of corvette class and smaller detected!” DuBois calls out.
Is he /sure/ he didn't miss one this time?

>>16088540

Oh, and an addendum: power we're not using for weapons is power we might potentially be able to use to keep our shields up if this does become a shooting flap. We CANNOT shoot our way out of an assault by SEVEN HUNDRED ships, not even if only 1% of those are of the flying-heavy-lance variety. And if this is their homeworld, a sneezing fit might set them off.

Transmit the same messages as before. "We are the Harbinger. We have awoken. We seek home." Send mental images of memories of our history. Warships in the air, our flag, our humans.

>>16088728
YES! Send images of humans. If they are descendents, they might see the resemblance. Or even if they just worship them.

Without a solid verbal language to communicate, images can be really effective. We saw that last session.

Seriously? That's it?

Sigh.

Okay, look. Let's try to walk through this together: They have, previously, responded. At that time no hostilities happened. They demonstrated a common language even given the very small sampling of people there.

Now, taking that and /extrapolating/ a few steps. This is the key part, now. You can make a pretty reliable guess that they can talk to you and understand what you say. It would even be reasonable to assume that with a sample size of a billion someone would be able to speak your language fairly well. This leads to the assumption that they will talk. And you can probably assume they will want to talk about you, who you are, and why you are here.

On the other hand, if they open fire you already have designated what you would do: Jump.

So, jesus fucking christ... make some plans. Unless you want to be waiting for two-hour updates that consist of "So big black ship in the sky... sup?"

as Vedi just pointed out, im in Favor of Talking to them.
we've talked to them before, which means we can do it again.

>>16088799

We can't respond until they say something. And that's your job. We've already told you, general hail. And the picture transmission idea from last go-round came back up again.

We really can't give you every contingency for every question they might ask, but haven't yet. Nor can we give you a general feel of the response until we know whether they're actively regarding us as gods, demons, or just the assholes who popped into their backyard.

>>16088882
Gm offers Helpfull advice
>Advice Harbinger
Criticize him!

>>16088882
(ctd)

And furthermore, why is it you seem to get frustrated every time things get talky, and we don't plot out to the nth iteration? DIALOGUE requires TWO PARTIES talking. We're party one. YOU'RE PARTY TWO. So talk. We'll respond. Updates might have to be shorter, but they can come faster. We're not expecting a Tolstoy when we've just said the equivalent of "hello".

>>16088882
>>16088921
Heh.

Assume they say, "Who are you and why are you here."

You know, like I just told you they probably would.

>>16088941

Fair enough. The general hail should tell them who we are (Harbinger). We're here because we're curious about the gate-tenders from [LAST LOCATION], and they left in a hurry before we could really discuss anything. So we followed. Use visual replays from the prior encounter as a bridging tool, if need be.

We are the OIS Harbinger.
Acting Agent of the Ophidian Empire.
The site at which we just ran into some of your vessels at is a place of significant interest to us. However something has cleared happened since we were last there.
Upon seeing and organized and fairly advance people apparently defending that area we've decided that talking to such a people would also be of significant interest to us.
That you were using our tech was not out of the ordinary, that you had a greater understanding of it, however was.
Tracking you to this location we have come to speak and ask that a party fit to do so on your behalf come forward.

Shots will not be fired unless we are first fired upon, and ask that you lower and deactivate your weapons, and we will do the same.

>>16088941
we are the OIS harbringer, we are on a mission of peace, and seek to find any surviviors of our race. We seek information and mean you no harm.

Depower shields if need be to show we're serrious, and keep all drones on board for now.

>>16089065
>Depower shields if need be to show we're serrious

I'd hesitate to go that far.

>>16089065
Shields up, weapons down (if they agree to it)

>>16089091
they have 700+ ships, our semi-working shields aint gunna do shit.

Also out of curriosity Ved, how many days has it been since we woke up, its gotta have been several months by now....

We're survivors looking for remnants of humanity, any information leading us to them would be helpful. We are also interested in them, that gate ship they sent and their defense of FarCom.

>>16089127
I don't keep a running tally. A bit over half a year I think?

>>16089063
In addition, use stock footage from propaganda films when we identify the empire. Couple good shots of our logo or flag, full orchestra on the anthem, couple shots of us being badass, you know the usual but keep it all kinda quick.

Play back logs of our encounter when we mention that too. Cuase fuck yeah, multimedia!

Also as the guy who suggested putting on our dress uniform (in case we ending up being "debriefed") I was going to suggest that we didn't need to keep them on, but this situation just begs for them.

Don't mention peace becuase A) we kinda aren't and have been on a slight rampage B) we may be gods to these people and gods don't do peace.

>>16089063
This seems good. Is it sufficient Vedibere?

>>16089228
Yeah, I have enough to work with.

“Fie, transmit standard hails plus this video and audio suite I am constructing.” you say, quickly copying pieces of old Ophidian propaganda films, oftentimes featuring you, and repackaging them.

Then the transmission. A tense wait follows, sensors tracking the dispersal of the incoming ships and the four-thousand more that launch as a second wave. The small craft close, not firing but instead forming an enormous sphere some distance away. You detect transmissions flicking back and forth between the planet and the ships before, finally, you receive one in reply.

“Uh, sir... real-time transmission. There’s even a video feed. Put it up?” Fie says.

“Yes, let’s see them.” A few moments later the holopit glows, the air misting.

An image of another human, dressed in long red robes embroidered with gold and gems. He stands flanked by dozens of others in white robes, and behind them you see a plethora of men nervously watching. Your years in the service have given you a good eye and you immediately recognize their uniforms as military, but they seem to be yielding the floor to the robed men.

The one in red steps forward, long golden chains studded with precious stones tinkling softly as he does. His hair is white and face deeply lined, but his blue eyes remain bright and fixed on the camera. “It is I who am called Godspeaker Ulinat. It is you who has communicated to us and shown us pictures of the gods and claimed to be one. It is you who has approached us and spoken the Holy Tongue. It is your purpose to seek information on Ophidia, the realm of the gods. It is we who are the Humans, descendants of the gods and those gifted with their power. It is we who thought all gods as dead, save our Lord Maestro who lies wounded. It is you who claims to be the Harbinger of the texts, it is you who will speak with us that we will be the ones to know.”

>>16089621
THE MAESTRO! THE MAESTRO! YES! Did we know who the captain of the Maestro was?

>>16089621
"I am the Harbinger. I knew the Lord Maestro and hope to know him again. I too was wounded for many ages, and slept so as to heal. I have awoken and come in search of my peers. To see you descended from them brings me much joy and excitement."

Trying to match the tone of their language.

These fools dare make demands of their god? We shall show them the meaning of humility! FIRE EVERYTHING!

or not, can we identify any OIS ships in the flotilla? most likely at the center of that sphere they were making? Cause if they have another shipborne AI/captain we may be getting somewhere.

So it seems like a semi-militant Theocracy based around worshiping the Maestro. If they come to see us as the same as him/her/it, then that is gonna be good. But if they see us as some kind of pretender, that'd suck.

>>16089671
"I am the Lord Harbinger, friend and brother of Lord Maestro. I too was wounded, and slept for many ages to heal. I've come in search of my brethen, and am much delighted to find you, descendants of them. I much wish to speak to Lord Maestro."

>>16089730
Yeah, do a serious scan for any ships we'd recognize as ancient. But if the Maestro is damaged, I imagined it was on the surface of the planet.

good sirs, we have found HUMANS!

at long last, we can see our long lost sons and daughters! obviously we cannot allow them to know everything, but we should be open with them if anyone else. tell them of our travels, our suffering. the millenia spent in dormancy, the months beset at all sides by xenos. how we triumphed against the clutch mothers, and our victory at the old ship yards. say we are greatly pleased to see them, and hope to see our friend the Maestro. tell them we may even be able to help repair him!

these are our fellow humans. we must part friends, not foes!

As they wish to know of us it could be smart to give them a truncated version of our last few months. Awakening after a nova, searching for survivors and answers, trying to find a safe haven for rearm and refit.

As well expressing great pleasure at finding more humans is definitely worthwhile.

>>16089621
Broadcast back (if we are not already) video and audio.
But only if we can be in a position that doesn't involve us on our back.

Godspeaker Ulinat, I am Captain Stahr of the Vessel you see before you. Much time has passed since we were injured by an enemy from within. Over that time we have healed our wounds and once more walk these stars. Though we have seen that all is not well.

That you are our kin brings me much joy. Horrors stalk these stars since we last awoke. We know this Lord whom you speak of, and would know him again.
His condition is of great interest to us, how long has he laid wounded?

It has been seen that you protect relics of ours, and that earns you much favor. Should you cooperate with us, we would grant you a boon of you or your people's choosing.

For now we ask of our present situation. For many years have we slept, and much has changed. Let us know what we may do to assuage your doubts, that we may work more closely with one another.

>>16089770
I like the sound of this. If we can repair the Maestro that would be great.

On the other hand, let's look at a possible scenario here:

The Maestro and it's crew sets up shop on this planet. The Maestro is seriously damaged and not shipworthy, but the EI is still alive as it were. It lives for centuries, giving advice and guidance to the people. Hundreds, thousands of years go by. The people begin to multiply and thrive. A civilization is built up around it. Eventually The Maestro goes offline, due to whatever reason. But his words live on through a caste of priests that rule based on his teachings.

Thousands more years go by, and one day another ship like The Maestro shows up. This causes an uproar throughout the people. Another God has come to lead them. To help The Maestro heal. Yeah, maybe we can heal the Maestro, bring the EI back online or repair whatever might be wrong.

But what about those priests? The ones who have been ruling for countless millennium? Who wear gilded and bejeweled robes and live like kings? What would they think about being pushed back down, off of the top of the pyramid, as it were?

This is all conjecture of course.

>>16089770 here again

perhaps we should tell of the shattered remnants of the empire we humans were to rule: and how we must destroy the violators. this can be our base from which to take back the entire empire!

ofcourse we might want to do something about the worshiping thing later on.

>>16089826
We should identify ourselves as Harbinger rather than her captain. It is how the Godspeaker referenced the presumed Captain of the Maestro, and for most intents we actually are the harbinger as much as we are Captain Stahr, if not more so.

Other than that it sounds good.

>>16089671
This sounds good.

>>16089854
> What would they think about being pushed back down, off of the top of the pyramid, as it were?

Depends on whether or not they're true believers I guess.

>>16089826
Liking this. Seconded.

>>16089888
That was my point. There's nothing backing up the theory, just conjecture based on what we've seen and heard so far. Whatever we say has to be carefully plotted.

i believe we're all agreed then.

also start scanning the planet for singularity reactors and other advanced tech

We also might need to start discussing a protocol for introducing the crew to the natives. 60,000 years of evolution can create some nasty diseases that our folks have no antibodies for, and we might have a bug that was eradicated in their past which they can't resist.

any landing party sent should go with power armor. we can also go, in our dress uniforms, as the "Avatar of the Harbinger"

>>16090220
That brings up another point.
Since we finally achieved one of the primary objectives we set out for ourselves, should we offload the civilian scientists here? Their scientific knowledge could be quite helpful to these humans.
And if we do drop off the scientists, what do we do about Ketro? Keep him on board? Drop him off and thaw him out?

>>16090242
they might be burned as heretics for saying some damn fool thing like "Maestro's only a ship" or something like that. better to just teach them while we're here.

we could give them the choice to do that or remain onboard the harbinger.

rolled 20 = 20

>>16090242
lets find out more about these people first, they're clearly a theocracy based on the maestro. and they also haven't really advanced technologically in 64 thousand years, meaning they may be quite opposed to change, of any sort

they're clearly in no danger of dying out if they're using that many heavy lances as well, so leaving them is not a huge issue.

>>16090242
Man we were being so civil too, why'd you have to go and drop THAT on us?

The scientists are mostly good now what with basic and all. Ketro is still Ketro though. If he hand him over to anyone it better be to someone else from the Empire.

>>16090242

We still need to reach Sol. We've found A remnant. I'd say we leave it to them, but pressure them hard to stay with.

Ketro... he's still a viper. I'd not leave him alone on a barren, airless rock with a potato peeler. Were we to dump him and leave, we'd suddenly find the whole fleet flying up our backtrail, pursuing bloody vendetta.

As much as I hate to lose the knowledge, I'd shoot his sorry ass into a star right now. Chained to Parsons. We no longer need the genetic material from either.

>Anything do in the down week?
The husk that was only two days dead needs to be investigated thoroughly. Do a pass by it with the Harbinger to vaporise any large chunks of shrapnel with the point defense lasers, then send in the drones. There may well be surviving data centers to look at.

My apologies if someone already did this, I just got in. ^^

>>16090284
agreed, Ketro is too dangerous to let loose. He's only gunna be released if Dai dies and we need a new science god, until then he can stay in cryo and maybe serve as last ditch ammo for a rail gun.

>>16090292
we already left the system.

Oooh, late anon brings to mind something. We need to ask about the hulk they just fragged. What groups are hostile to them? How pressed are they? Do they have other settlements? Do they know of other human political groupings, or are they all Xenos?

>>16090357
Seconding this.
Also Seconding that we should talk to Maestro and try to heal him.

>>16089621
So they view the powerful warships as gods?
We rescued the Asura and have been told tales of the Hydra. What were the names of the other ships?
The one that the Asura's insane EI told us "might still live"?

Tell them of the Asura. Tell them Asura has told us that Maestro waits still.

Also, they pretty much asked for verification that we are Harbinger. Ask them what would constitute enough proof.

>*The mission is yours, Harbinger. Asura has played its part but can not any more. It seeeees that now.* The form raises itself again and peers at you once more, *Goooo then, Harbinger. Maestro, Hydra, Centauri, and Dreadnought wait still, maaaaybe. Take your place, take your mission. We shall yet become the one above all. There is noooothing left here. Nothing at aaaaaaaaaaall.*

>>16090411
You could always go back and /look it up/.

>>16090425
Don't pander to the weak!
That's wasting valuable writing time!

>>16090425
Eighting for Wop.

“Rao, I’m conducting planetary scans. Monitor and see if you see anything I miss. Look for singularity reactors or ancient tech, especially.” The man nods and you turn your attention back to the feed. Your body yet remains dormant thanks to your state, so you decide the reply will be audio alone... but first, that speaking pattern. Resonant and timed, you run it through a series of analysis algorithms and confirm your suspicions. It is indeed framed as a sort of deliberate chanting. You change your intonation to match and reply, simultaneously putting in a filter to normalize their own speech.

“Godspeaker Ulinat, I am the Lord Harbinger, friend and brother of Lord Maestro. I too was wounded, and slept for many ages to heal and have returned only to see that not all is well. I've come in search of my brethren, and am much delighted to find you, descendants of them. I much wish to speak to Lord Maestro. His condition is of great interest to us and we desire to know how long has he laid wounded.

It has been seen that you protect relics of ours, and that earns you much favor as well as possible aid. For now we ask of our present situation. For many years have we slept, and much has changed. Let us know what we may do to assuage your doubts, that all will be well once more.”

The crimson-robed man nods solemnly, “Yes, we do the works commanded of us in the Palathidion, to shield the Graveyard of the Gods from those who would take or despoil them until their rebirth.” He turns slightly, flicking a hand -- no, a metal claw -- and muttering something in a dialect you can’t decipher. Several of the white-robed men bow and depart, Ulinat turning back to you, “Our Lord sleeps bodily, his spirit even now resides in the bliss of Ophidia alongside his angelic host, watching over us. You seek the Eternal Land to join him, and if your words are true then we shall bring you before him that you may speak. It is our request that you join us, that we may discuss the matter at length.”

You pause for a second, consider, before replying, “Very well. I shall send an avatar down to you in time, though I may take some time before doing so. Where do you wish to meet?”

The man bows his head slightly, “We await you at the following area. One of the High Mage-Priests will be prepared to greet you at all times. Thrive and Grow.” With that the transmission shifts to a data readout, coordinates to an area on the surface.

“Well.” says Rinn, looking over and giving a lopsided smile, “Always knew I was god-material. ‘Bout time someone else thought so too.”

The comment gets a couple chuckles, but not from you. “Stay focused, Mister Rinn. Everyone, the display.”

With that short comment you post your results to the holoprojector, the air forming into a representation of the planet below. Highlighted are three key factors, each surprising in and of itself:

One, you’ve found the crashed remains of the Maestro. Only one point of its diamond-shaped frame, longer and thinner than yours, remains above ground. Around it is an enormous paved plain covered in tens of thousands of swarming people, a virtual tent-city... and closest to it is a solid mass of people packed in so tight you can scarcely believe they are able to breathe, all bowed down toward the projecting tip. And oddly enough from the very top point of Maestro’s exposed tip rises an enormous needle-like spire, extending into the stratosphere itself and pulsing with a frankly ludicrous amount of energy.

One area, however, remains completely clear... a complex near where the middle of the ship would be, surrounded by a powerful shield projecting out two hundred meters in every direction. None of the masses approach, and there is always a clear line to the edge of the concrete area where grav-craft flash to-and-fro, a bustle of men in robes of various colors coming and going from the complex. The only ones doing so, in fact. Around the concrete area, several kilometers in radius, rises an enormous city of steel and glass. Easily the most populous on the planet and moreover the place your landing coordinates are at.

Two, you’ve identified what the haze of energy across the entire surface of the planet is. It is not a haze of energy at all, but rather a haze of machines. Nanomachines. All interacting with each other and transmitting power between themselves, all the way back to the origin: the needle-like spire above Maestro. It appears that power across the entire planet is drawn from this haze of nanomachines.

Three, sensors have identified an ancient subterrainian structure near the north magnetic pole of the planet. It appears inhabited as well and heavily patrolled by all sorts of guards and personnel. Oddly enough, though, while a city has grown up around it as well it appears to be an extremely spacious and luxurious city, covered by an enormous dome that regulates the weather within to perfect temperatures. The lands inside are lush and well manicured and you can see thousands of well-dressed people active throughout the surface portions.

“Opinions?” you ask, your voice resonating through the silent room.

“Hmm. I’ve never seen nanomachines like that before, sir. Some kind of power transmission grid? You would think there would be more efficient ways.” Tynes says thoughtfully.

“Dunno about that, but this meeting thing could be a trap.” Rinn adds, “Get us down there then POW. Easy to lay an ambush.”

“If they really think of us as a possible god I doubt they would so something so rash.” Ivanova, now. “It is far more likely the meeting is to assess us, exactly as they say. It would only be /afterward/ that I would spring an ambush, should I feel it feasible. One must assess their opponent first before striking blindly.”

Tynes nods, “True. And they are humans. Damn glad we’re not the last.”

>>16090748
>wat do

Oblige them. Perhaps an honor guard... drones?

>Bump them Gently

lets go down and talk to them!

Power Armour, Power Armour everywhere

Heh, I guess they are the techpriests.

We tread a fine line of their approval. Until we know what kind of worship this is, best not to say too much about ourselves, what happened.

On that note: data nets. We need access to them. Mostly to interpret the language and see what's been going on.

Inform the crew that until we can formulate a strategy to talk to these guys, they are to refrain from communicating. Maybe they will look at Tynes and think he is a devil or something (because he is black). Who knows.

Rebuilding FarCom... an ambitious goal.

>>16090748
Go down in a shuttle. Just our body, and an honor escort of 4 drones.
Standing orders to the crew are to continue linguistic analysis by intercepting transmissions from the planet, but don't communicate with the inhabitants.

Demeanor to be...regal. We must get access to the EI core of the Maestro.

>>16090870
I agree with pritty much all of what you're saying.
If we choose to eventually create a civilisation based on this fiefdom there will have to be an inner circle of sorts eventually. People that will have been informed of the truth as we know it and wont shatter the delicate balance of religion that's in place.

Sounds like they might believe in digitizing consciousness. Mechanical things might be seen as being holy. That way the "spirit" of everyone who's been EI-ed fuses or something with the Maestro. Would be weird, though.

ECM down, shields....down.

Are there any shipyards in this system? I imagine it is their homeland, probably.

>>16090953
I've yet to see even a frigate mentioned.

>>16090953
They've likely built a small sized shipyard or several of them. None of their ships are above corvette size but as we've seen though small some of them can pack quite a punch.

>>16090968
Could be a good chance to replace some of our fighters.
After we've done everything else, of course.

>>16090944
>informed of the truth as we know it and wont shatter the delicate balance of religion that's in place.

Until we know what the specifics of the religion are, it might be too rash to consider it untrue. I mean, these guys have nanites in the sky. That they draw power or data from. That sounds like an aether. EIs are spirits. the Eternal Land might be a merged consciousness or just a huge databank. It's all a matter of perspective.

Clearly there are rituals in place, but are robes that much different from uniforms?

Maybe the nanites are an extension of the Maestro. They run everything on the planet, through Maestro's EI. A pilgrimage to the literal RULER OF EVERYTHING on the planet might not be so far fetched. It wouldn't really be strange to call such an entity a diety.

It's all a matter of perspective.

Another thing: Religion. Our crew considers it barbaric. However, I must point out that a theocracy might be a superior government to a Council/House/Armada trio. When your gods literally live forever, their intentions cannot be misinterpreted. Civil wars won't happen. If a discussion ever starts on "hurr religion is durr" perhaps this should be pointed out.

>>16090732
>alongside his angelic host

The nanomachine net. Maestro must still be interacting; I doubt they fabricated it all on their own.

>>16091059
I love that connection. Good job if it's true and you got it right.

>>16091034

A philosophical embrace of "higher-order beings" beats mysticism. Were the people to understand that benevolent EIs take care of the big problems, granting them freedom to live their own lives, that's enabling and liberating. And it beats dogma for dogma's sake, dictating behavior just because.

That said, we're nowhere near that state. I'm describing The Culture when we have a smattering of humans and POSSIBLY two EI.

>>16091059
>the Palathidion

The spire? Or part of the city? Regardless, it's where Maestro interacts with the ruling hierarchy.

>the Eternal Land

A communal data net, in which Maestro resides / rules? We ARE attempting to poke comm-nets from here, yes?

>>16091141
Nah, we just want to gently bump Maestro. With our mind.

>>16091109
But we've got some of the best scientists of the old Empire aboard. From a long term perspective this is probably as close to ideal as we may get. (Barring Earth somehow having survived untouched.)
I'm not saying we should unload our crew right now or anything but we've got SERIOUS possabilities now.

Dai could be a serious problem if he interacts with some of these people though. We all know about his interpersonal skills. Provided things go well voting we should try and reduce how much time he spends with any of the locals. At least for awhile.

Vedibere righting?

>>16091179

Yes, but think of culture clash. Assume these people have been brought up on sixty CENTURIES of dogma. Civilian Researcher A comes along and says, "No, Maestro doesn't make the planet go around the star, gravity does." Civilian Researcher A is then burned at the stake, and his knowledge is lost.

We have it very, VERY good now. We have a population base. We have the best and brightest from the Ophidian culture's peak. We have a potential tech base that isn't awful. Now we just have to set about not fucking it up.

Do you have a suit of power armor on or not?

>>16091360
We don't personally. If others come with us, they do.

>>16091360
No power armor. Just Imperial Armada dress uniform.
We did say that we were sending an avatar down; it shouldn't look to be too out of place, then.

No armor. Yeah, just dress in our classy uniform. Take a nice sidearm down with us, though, kept at our waist.

>>16091375
>>16091385

I stayed out of it. Your choice. I still suggest we send a drone honor guard. And not a human one, due to potential disease transmission. Please note that 90%+ of all casualties suffered by Mesoamericans and Amerinds native to North America were due to foreign diseases that arose in less than 10,000 years.

>>16091423
>foreign diseases
Somehow, I think this would pale in comparison to Super Space AIDS. We also have "standard immunity nanites." If we died to Mild Techpriest Flu, that would just be dumb. Still, standard decontamination procedures should work.

We're mostly robotic at this point, aren't we. It's not obvious, but we are heavily augmented. Might present a slight problem if these guys think the human form is ugly and obviously mechanical augmentations are superior. Perhaps might have been worth going in with the suit for short-term gains, but we would have to let the cat out of the beg eventually.

Also, drone honor guard is fine by me.

>>16091612

I'm talking about the rest of the crew. Not us. We'll be just fine. Thusly why I was suggesting a non-human escort.

“You sure you can move in that thing? Looks a bit heavier than you’re used to.” you say, glancing over to Ivanova. Her helmet swivels in response, the massive suit of powered armor causing her to look down at you.

“I am fully versed in many different weapon systems, sir.”

“Aye,” Rinn’s voice chimes in, breaking off as the shuttle flutters slightly in descent turbulence, “these things’re easy to learn cap’n. We may not have superbrains like you but we can remember how to move these things easy enough.”

“Right.” Ivanova says, flatly.

“Liking the sidearm? One of my personal favorites, Vodian Ultra-Light Handlance. Thing will put some hurt on anyone you can see. Or anyone you can’t, really, as long as it hits them.”

You nod, “I think the grenades might be a bit much though.”

He shakes his head stubbornly, “No way, sir. They’re in case things get really rough. The three X-3s will take out a room each, the X-9 will bring down a spire. They’re for in case things get hairy down there. You asked my advice on armaments, so I’m tellin’ ya. Keep ‘em with ya. The drones might be nice and I hear ya got some goodies yourself... but I been from one side of this galaxy to the other, sir. Seen a lot of crazy stuff. Nothin’ beats a good blaster at your side.”The shuttle jolts again and you nod, walking over to one of the seats and strapping in for final approach..

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

The shuttle sets down on top of a two-hundred foot tall freestanding spire with dozens of platforms scattered around, looking like nothing so much as a tree with leaves sprouting from the trunk. Around you the city swirls... well, some distance away, at least. No craft comes within a kilometer of the landing spire and you notice all the pads are vacant. Save one.

You stride down the ramp, the decorations on your dress uniform clinking softly, and breathe deeply of the new world’s air...

And have to keep yourself from choking. You finish the inhale and breathe out once more, your mechanical lungs expelling the nanomachines that immediately tried to enter your bloodstream along with the oxygen. You get minor messages about them attempting entry through membranes across your body as well, forcing you to activate your own bodily defenses. Effective, thankfully.

You bring your attention back to the men gathered in front of you. Over a hundred men stand, or rather, some stand and some kneel. Eighty in white robes have dropped to one knee at your disembarkation, while the twenty in blue merely bow from the waist. The one in front of them all, a orange-robed and bejeweled man with brown hair and a pale, smiling face, does not bow but rather nods his head as he greets you. “Lord Harbinger, I assume?”

You nod, Ivanova and Rinn standing behind you and drones forming a vanguard around all three, “That I am. And you would be?”

“I am High Mage-Priest Kron.” His eyes flick over Rinn and Ivanova and the drones around you, “I see. This is... this is a great honor.” He turns and says something to the blue-robed men behind him, several of which glance up and, when they see your group, immediately drop to their knees.

Kron turns back to you, bowing now, “Forgive us, though the Palathidion’s texts speak of other gods that may yet live it is a hard thing to believe. I had never thought to see a Warrior Angel myself, let alone two. Nor an Avatar and his holy servants. Forgive me, but whatever I might think I am instructed to guide you to the Tower of the Most High. There three of the Godspeakers await you to determine your divinity. I am sure it will not be a problem.”

He raises his head and says something else to the others, who nod, “The Mage-Priests will stay and ensure your divine chariot remains untouched. I and the Esteemed will escort you.”

With that he nods, turns, and waves his hands in a complex pattern. “Fly.” he says in Ophidian common and you have to control your jaw as your various scanners both within the drones, your companion’s suits, and your own enhanced eyes detect the nanites swirling around and under him, adhering to his body and clothes before lifting him off the ground and moving his form through the air. The process repeats with the twenty blue-robed men, each weaving the same symbol in the air and saying “Fly” before levitating upwards, supported by nanites.

He slows to a stop about a meter off the platform, rotating smoothly back around to face you, “This way, Lord.”

>>16091915
control nannites, gain flight.

make the gesture, seize control of the nannites using your electronics suite, and have all of you fly to them.

not doing so would be less than godly.

>>16091915
So, the captain of the Maestro created a planet-wide nanoswarm, so that people could cast 'spells'.

Well, we have anti-grav on the drones, but I don't know if the power suits have an anti-grav harness, and we likely don't.

Imitate the hand symbols and say the phrase, see if the nanites will respond.
If they don't, then we can explain it away as "Lord Maestro is undoubtedly wary of impostors and pretenders, and has limited my abilities while within his domain." Then, ride the drones to meet the Godspeakers. Not exactly dignified, but hey, at least it's still flying.

>Nothin’ beats a good blaster at your side.

Rinn confirmed for descendant of one Han Solo.

>>16091915

We're going to have to tolerate the nanites. And can Ivanova and Rinn do it at all while suited up? Will they work if we just perform the motions and say the command word, or do we have to integrate them by breathing? If the former, we can all go. If the latter, it's just us.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. We should be just fine, and our drone escort can follow. Perhaps we should have Rinn and Ivanova stay with the shuttle and its honor guard, in case we need to shoot our way out. (As fucking horrific as that idea seems.)

>>16091915

On a planet full of primitive-but-not-that-primitive humans do as the semi-primitive humans do. Repeat their ritual and use the nanites. look imposing and majestic while doing so, as befits the Avatar of Harbinger.

>>16091915
Well then "Fly" after him!

GUYS

WE ARE THE EMPRAH

THIS IS AWESOME

Try and take command of the nanobots without copying the "fly" command. If we can 'will' ourselves to fly without having to use their 'magic' then that will make us look badass.

Otherwise, imitate their movements.

>>16092064
>Try and take command of the nanobots without copying the "fly" command. If we can 'will' ourselves to fly without having to use their 'magic' then that will make us look badass.
On second thought, this. If possible, of course.

Also, I'm glad as fuck that Rinn and Ivanova are in those suits. Nanobots might have had an easier time getting into their shit without them.

You levitate the drones higher and reach into your databanks. Multiple perspectives, a three-dimensional image... yes. You raise your hands and perfectly mimic the gestures used by the priests, “Fly.”

…..

Nothing happens.

You clear your throat, take a deep breath, and deactivate your internal defenses. You feel nanites flood through your entire body, replicating and adhering to every bit of tissue... and trying to do so with the parts of your body that have been replaced, including your brain and nervous system.

And you try again. The gesture, “Fly.”

Yet still nothing.

You look back to Kron, clad in orange and staring at you. His brows are now knit, a frown upon his face. “Is there a problem?” he asks, his eyes locked on your own.

So the plan is:
1. Try to force the nanites to obey us, using our own onboard nanites and ECM systems.
2. If 1 fails, then we 'cast the spell', doing as the mage-priest did.
3. If 1 and 2 fail, then we give the explanation from >>16091982 and we ride our drones.

>>16092163
"It's...different here." [technically not a lie.] "Oh well, no matter."

>>16092166
Ah, right, the whole take over the nanites bit.

You don't have a clue where to start with something like that. Like, seriously, that information isn't even in your databanks. It wasn't ever expected to be needed on a warship and, hell, nanites were pretty rare anyway even in research facilities that used them for the few things they were good at.

>>16092195

Then onward to option three: "Lord Maestro is undoubtedly wary of impostors and pretenders, and has limited my abilities while within his domain."

Then... inquire as to whether there is some way to "gain his trust" (the ACTUAL procedure), or use the drones to do it the hard way?

Dammit, we should've already fashioned a palanquin of gold and obsidian to be carried by our drones! ~_^

NOT FEELIN' REALLY GODLY RIGHT NOW.
NOT FEELIN' IT.
NOPE.

I can't see anything except
>"It's...different here." [technically not a lie.] "Oh well, no matter."
>"Lord Maestro is undoubtedly wary of impostors and pretenders, and has limited my abilities while within his domain." Then, ride the drones to meet the Godspeakers. Not exactly dignified, but hey, at least it's still flying.

Ride the... holy servants?

>>16092242
Perhaps add to that: "Lord Maestro's power here is great. I am still weak from my eons of slumber."

Well. I guess since it's getting pretty dead again I'll call it here tonight. Next thread Sunday 18:00 blah blah.

Continuing to watch responses for next OP.

maybe just be straight up with them and say "i see many things have changed in my absence."

Why haven't we checked the civilian datanet or something so we knew what we were getting into?

>>16092349
You can find absolutely no datanet. Period.

>Maestro requires a brief search, but you are surprised to find that it’s the Atar-class Fast Command Cruiser Maestro, piloted by none other than Charles Urwright, a close friend of yours from the academy. You still remember the long nights studying and running battle drills with the man on the academy combat sims, competing to be first in class... and then were both assigned to the Hydra afterward. You give a silent mental chuckle... oh my, the two of you got so positively /smashed/ graduation night. You are still amazed to this day the Armada Police didn’t arrest you for shooting empty liquor bottles out disposal ports, attempting to hit the room windows of instructors you didn’t like across the station.

Times sure have changed.

>>16092404

Obviously they have no datanet or such thing. They live in an illusion created by high tech and most likely EI.

That said we look silly and possibly vulnerable now.

Play it completely straight.

"Your nanite network does not seem to respond to me. It is a system of interaction I am not familiar with, but clearly requires a direct mental link to be used. Maestro has achieved much, this is beyond my ability."

If they know what nanites are, then perhaps they understand more than we think about their magic.

If they don't ("what's a nanite?"), we'll seem confident enough in understanding what's going on anyway, be placing their god on a higher pedestal, and expressing in broad terms our inability to do what they do...because we're fundamentally different.

Maybe they assume all the gods could do what Maestro does, but I can see it being not as such anyway. Different gods, different powers, different spheres. Zeus calls down the thunder, Hermes sends letters, Apollo is responsible for the sun, etc.

Maybe our sphere is being in space, not flying through atmosphere. Did they ever think of that?

>>16093276

This could work, monitor the reaction of everyone present. Perhaps only the higher ups know what is going on and deceive the rest.

>>16093276
Heh. Nice one. I like both it and these kind of well-thought-out posts. Not just an action, but the reasoning behind it and some real flavor too.

Weasel god approves.

>>16093329
basically, i feel that bullshitting up a reason is inferior to actually making sense. Important thing to do is to appear confident, they will fill in the blanks themselves.

>>16093382
Mind, I'm not saying playing it straight is the best course of action or endorsing that or whatever. But there's enough thematic flavor there for me to get a very good feel for the direction you are headed and I will adapt it appropriately. Just to clarify.

>>16093411

Question: would it be possible to use those highly advanced nanites to repair the Harbringer? If we managed to control them do we even have plans of our ship of the detail required to rebuilt it from the molecular level?

Its quite obvious that this planet here does not have any advanced shipyards, but using nanites could be an interesting alternative. On the other hand if this was possible why would Maestro remain in his sorry destroyed state...

>>16093494
Well, first that sounds like something to sic your engineers on. Second, that implies you know anything about the nanites other than they are everywhere, want to get into your body and link up, and let you do amazing things with gesture and word.

In short: You have no idea and won't until you've gotten some engineers and scientists down to take a long hard look at the whole shebang. Maybe not even then, there are limits to what your people know too.

>>16093518

Well, thats something to talk about with engineers and scientists after we meet with those head gonzos. If the meeting goes well, and I sure hope it does since we took with us a valuable part of our crew.

>>16093518

So any chances for another update today or are we finishing and archiving this thread?

>>16093518
We may need to reject the nanos from our own system. That is something we could start running test data while down on the planet.

>>16093518

Bump

Void Quest soon, fellow questers.