>>Previous threads can be found at: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=NearFuture%20Cyborg%20Quest
>Fate points: 1
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>The inventory page may be a bit slow, I need to update it.

The year is 2025.
Your name is Dave, and... you can hardly believe what's going on right now.

Among other things, you're in the Sleipnir, a spaceship that was built by your girlfriend, and propelled through a wormhole via alium technology. As you speak, you're floating above the home planet of another sapient alium race- one that must have been recieving human broadcasts for the past seventy years or so. Right now, your decryption specialist AI is currently using the ship's massive computer banks to translate their language.

<The prime numbers they're sending us goes up to 997, and then restarts.> Cyan says.
"Well, at least they understand the language barrier." Grayson said. "I guess it would be too much to assume they know our language, huh."
"Just a little." Karin said, and sneezed. "Damn cat." She said, giving Ishelda a glare.
The cat starts purring.

rolled 98 = 98

>>19892770
"well here goes nothing."

helmet on oxygen supplies full.

stride down the boarding ramp with every iota of confidence look around slowly and say.

"I come in peace, take me to your lizzard"

"Well, here goes nothing." You say. "Set us down."
"Right." Amy said, controlling the ship. You slip your helmet on, make sure your oxygen supplies are full, and then you decontaminate yourself, just in case. .

And then you step out into the alium planet.

"I come in peace." You say confidently, stepping out of the airlock. "Take me to your lizard."

Two of the spindly, two-armed grey aliums look up at you- even if you hadn't been wearing your power suit, they'd be only half your height.

One of them turns around and runs, calling something out. It sounded like gibberish, but at least you know that they communicate via sound.

<How are things down there?> Amy asks through the radio.

>Void Queen: Arrive hunting for Ishelda
>Dave: Delete Void Queen

>>19892932
Well, one of them left to get his friends. It's either going to be for science or a lynch mob.

They now know there is extra terrestrial life, it just visited them and it wears powered armor.

How are we doing on decryption, because communication is going to be impossible without much in the way of a shared reference point. I have no clue if anything I do will be considered polite, if they even have the concept of polite, or if offering my hand means I want to eat their children, they might actually want me to eat their children, these are aliums and we know next to nothing about them.

rolled 14 = 14

>>19892932
"pretty good Amy" set up the computer and the AI's to build a proper communication AI

Let's just keep in mind that we are the visitors here. They probably have a first contact cheat sheet, so we should make it clear which portion of the electromagnetic spectrum we see, and that we communicate through sound.

rolled 35 = 35

>>19893049
with that in mind.

<Azure, begin broadcasting logarithms at them, >

<Well, one of them left to get his friends. It's either going to be for science or a lynch mob.> You respond.
<Hopefully science.> Amy said.

The alium staring up at you just. . .waves his upper arms, folding his lower behind his back.

<How is the translation job going?> You ask Cyan.
<Several minutes away from completion.> Cyan says.

You stand there, and wait. . and eventually some strange vehicle arrives, rolling across the ground, propelled by screw-like devices on the bottom. Out steps two other aliens, one wearing a jumpsuit and hat of some kind. They stare at you unblinkingly as well.

The one with the hat raises a long coil of paper, unrolling it- a scroll, it seems, then looks up to you. Then back down.

"We come in peace." It says, finally, as if struggling with a foreign tongue. "Take us to your leader."

>>19893085
Amy, they have access to a pile of earth transmissions, they've been paying very close attention to us, or someone has been giving our media to them. They just asked me to take them to our leader.

This is very strange.

>>19893072
I do not understand the implications of sending them random logarithms right now. They already have the old radio message. I would try to talk (or pantomime while you wait for translations) first.

>>19893085
Hi. I think I'm the leader of this ship. We'll have a translator ready in a couple of minutes.

<Amy, they have access to a pile of earth transmissions, they've been paying very close attention to us, or someone has been giving our media to them. They just asked me to take them to our leader.> You say.
<This is very strange.>

<No doubt.> Amy said. <Your 'drites are likely to confuse them, then.>
"Hi." You say. "I think I'm the leader of this ship. We'll have a translator ready in a couple of minutes."
As you speak, the second alium starts scribbling on his own scroll, very quickly.
"We... know of you." The first says, still reading directly from his paper. "We have been listening."

>>19893161
How? At a distance of 6 light years unless the message is focused directly at you it would completely lose all coherence.

"How?" You ask. The second alium brightens at your word, and starts toward the vehicle, pulling out a pile of scrolls and rolling them open. "At a distance of six light years, unless the message is focused directly at you it would completely lose all coherence."
"We do not know your culture, and you do not know mine." The first says, still reciting. "We're sorry if we offend. We do not intend to."
The second runs back to the first, and the two of them start murmuring to one another in their strange language.
<I believe they're debating the meaning of your words.> Cyan says.

"How? We listen." The first says, finally, and points to one of the large, silver artificial spires nearby. It's much larger than the smaller, green spires. "We listen to many people."

>>19893230
The whole planet's covered with magic radio antennas? What the fuck?

rolled 92 = 92

>>19893230
walk over to the vehicle.

"amy armor up and make a showing at the hatch...I want to see how they react."

>>19893230
"I do not know your culture. I'm sorry if I offend. I do not intend to."
"Do you listen to others besides my race?"

Make it easy for them by reusing their own words.

"I do not know your culture. I'm sorry if I offend. I do not intend to." You say, and the second scribbles it down, comparing it with the scroll in the first's hands. "Do you listen to others besides my race?"
"Ray-suh, ray-k, Race. . " One of them say, and they start looking through the scroll.

Finally, he looks back up at you.
"Yes."

<Amy, armor up and make a showing at the hatch... I want to see how they react.>
<My armor isn't airproof.> She said. <But I can put on that atmospheric shield that Van Co. gave me.>
Amy leans out of the airlock, and waves, red sparks dancing along her skin.
One of the aliums wave back to her.

<Done.> Cyan said. <I can now translate what they say, and what you say.>

>>19893393
"Ok, I should understand your language now. So, what's up?"

rolled 17 = 17

>>19893393
look directly at the alien and say in his tong "my thinking engine has learned your language, feel free to converse with me in your own language."

>>19893406
No idioms, translation probably isn't that good.

I should understand your language now. I am pleased to meet you. How are you doing?

"Okay, I should understand your language now." You say. "I am pleased to meet you. How are you doing?"

What comes out of your helmet is their strange language. The aliums all meet eyes.. . then shrug, and toss the scrolls back into the vehicle.

<<Hello.>> One of them say, Cyan's voice overlaying his own, translating in realtime. <<We welcome you- we have been waiting for aliums to arrive. We hear many kinds of aliums, but you are the first to come here.>>

<Why is Cyan translating it to 'alium'?> You hear Grayson ask, from the ship- apparently he's sending them the translation as well.

>>19893451
Probably picked up bad habits from always being around Dave.

>>19893451
Because I like the word, or something odd is going on.

You hear aliums through the towers correct? Did you create them or did someelse create them?

>>19893451
<Because that is the word they are using>
With a completely straight face.

rolled 17 = 17

>>19893451
and you are the first that we have come to see.

you are the closest.

tell me, do you have any stories about creatures from the void of space?

<Because that's the word they're using.> You respond.
"You hear aliums through the towers, correct? Did you create them, or did someone else create them?"

<<We create them.>> The alium says. <<We make them look like our trees, and we live within them. We used to use their tops to communicate with other towers, but then we heard aliums. I am human expert. Researcher.>>

rolled 78 = 78

>>19893516
an expert? wonderful would you like to meet some more humans? I am sure you have some questions you'd like to ask.

if it is a thing you want to do then you should wear an air suit in case you cannot breath our air. in the mean time may I ask you some questions?

>>19893516
"What is your name?"

"What is your name?"

<<My name is Thuuad.>> He says, and Cyan doesn't translate the name itself.

"An expert? Wonderful. Would you like to meet some more humans? I am sure you have some questions you'd like to ask." You say.

<< We would.>> He says, his hands folded behind his back.

"You should wear an air suit, in case you cannot breathe our air. In the meantime, may I ask you some questions?"

<<Air... suit? Those words do not go together.>> He said. <<But you may ask questions, certainly.>>

>>19893671
"Would 'environmental suit' make more sense to you? Actually, does your race breathe?"

rolled 81 = 81

>>19893671
it is a thing that keeps in your air and keeps out anything that might be harmful.

I am wearing such a suit myself in case I could not breath your air here...

but I may have a solution...

<"amy can you bring out one of the non permeable shields one that traps the atmosphere inside it, and a gas compressor and a tank try and get this guy a way to come in and speak with us.">

I will admit that I am no real explorer, so I may ask questions that make no sense...

what do you call yourselves, we are humans, and what are you?

>>19893694
They communicate with sound out of a mouth like structure. Most likely they do

rolled 30 = 30

>>19893723
or not, they could very well 'breath' through their skin or some-such other thing...

"Would 'environmental suit' make more sense to you?"
<<Yes, I understand now. I'm to wear a suit as if I were going underwater.>> He said. He turned back to the other alium. <<Go get one, will you?>>
<<Right away, sir.>> The second said, and ran into the vehicle, slamming shut the canopy.

"Actually, does your race breathe?"
<<We do breathe.>> He said. <<It is why we keep our trees.>>

<According to your suit's sensors, this environment's air is very similar to ours, but with more oxygen and much less nitrogen, porpotionately.> Azure says. <A human could survive in this environment for quite some time.>
"What do you call yourselves? We are humans, and what are you?"
<<We call ourselves Asurians.>> He says. You note that Cyan translates that last word.

>>19893738
That's still breathing. My point is that there is most likely a gas exchange to speak, as most life on earth does, unless they have a sort of natural drum/speaker set up.

>>19893773
"How long have you listened, Thuuad?"

"How long have you listened, Thuuad?"

<<Ever since we heard the very first message. Not from humans, from the Others. The Others don't use sound like we and like humans do, so the Other researchers are still working. Personally, I have been working for a half of my lifetime, and I am three-fourths lifetime old.>>

rolled 51 = 51

>>19893773
<thats alright azure I think I'll keep the helmet on in casse of anything unexpectable>

how do you govern yourselves?

how do you measure time?

do you have any faiths?

>>19893849
"Three-fourths-lifetime? How long is your races' lifetime?"

rolled 81 = 81

>>19893849
do you have a calculator I want to know a better answer...

<magenta take a dendrite and tap it as close to exactly one second intervals as you can>

the time this takes is one second, there are sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, in a day on our planet there are almost twenty four hours, and in a year there are three hundred and sixty five days.

how old are you?

"Three-fourths lifetime? How long is your races' lifetime?"
<<. . . One lifetime.>> He responds.

<I'm having a little bit of difficulty deciphering their units of time.> Cyan said. <But it seems that they use the average asurian lifetime as their longest unit, and just fraction it down. A day here is apparently a six-thousanth of a lifetime. Based on the orbit of the planet, a day is around thirty-six hours. So I estimate the Asurian life-time is twenty four years, and Thuuad is eighteen years old.>

>>19893927
I see. That is a remarkably consistent lifetime.

Thuuad, does every member of the Asurians live the exact same amount of time?

rolled 2 = 2

>>19893927
I am trying to see how you measure time, and if my math is right then I am one and two parts in five of your age.

I may be wrong however and I don't think I will be sure for a time.

>>19893927
"Sorry. Our concepts of time are a bit different. One of your lifetimes is a third, fourth or even fifth of my a human's lifetime. How do you get by when your lives are so short?"

>>19893948
"Have any other aliums actually visited your world before? Or are we the first?"

>>19893948
Cyan said "average asurian lifetime" so I would think the answer is no.

Tell them how we measure time by the movement of our planet. Ask the others on board if they have anything they want said or asked.

>>19893976
We are the first as was mentioned earlier this thread.

"I see." You say. "Does every member of the Asurians live the exact same amount of time?"
<<No.>> He responds. <<Some die early, some die late.>>

"Our concepts of time are a bit different. If my math is right, then I am one and two-fifths of an asurian lifetime." You say. "One of your lifetimes is a third, fourth, or even fifth of a human's lifetime. How do you get by when your lives are so short?"

<<What do you do with so much extra time? Would you not get bored?>> He asked.

rolled 22 = 22

>>19894044
we do get bored. and when we get bored we make things (gesture at the ship) and finally we have made a thing that could take us here. the one who made it is aboard. you may ask her about the ship if she choses to answer your questions.

>>19894044
"We... Well, we live. It's hard to explain. Humans don't mature as quickly as Asurians, I don't think, and every human life is very different from another. Some are boring, yeah. Some are the opposite and filled with wondrous experiences, that to them might seem mundane. More than anything, I guess that's what humanity is about, at its basest; living to see the next day and ensure there's some meaning to it."

>>19894044
We find something to do, it takes about 2/3rds to 5/6ths of one of your lifetimes to fully mature.

If you're creative you can always find something interesting.

"Well, we live." You say. "It's hard to explain. Humans don't mature as quickly as Asurians, I don't think, and every human life is very different from another. Some are boring, yeah. Some are the opposite and filled with wondrous experiences, that to them might seem mundane. More than anything, I guess that's what humanity is about, at its basest; living to see the next day and ensure there's some meaning to it."
<<Then our people are very similar.>> Thuuad said. <<I suppose that if your lives seem very long to us, then our lives would seem short. We each know our own perceptions better.>>

The screw-propelled vehicle arrived, sending dust up in it's wake. Out climbed another alium, and he was carrying a thick jumpsuit, with two thick spheres on the shoulders.
<<Here is the environment suit.>> The alium said.

>>19894146
"So. You ready to meet the rest of my crew?"

>>19894146
What are the spheres for?

Let me take you back to my ship, you can meet the people I brought with.

Also I'm the first human to meet an alium, myself and my friends are the farthest away from Earth that any of our species has ever been. It's really interesting.

rolled 23 = 23

>>19894146
"ah good, I wish to take mine off for a bit and speak with my companions, when you are ready just approach the ship."

<I'm coming back guys open the door would you?>
stroll casually back to the ship, give everyone a shit eating grin and kiss amy as soon as the helmet is off.

>>19894146
Very well. How do we ensure there are no deadly gems, viruses or other stuff on them when they enter? By the by, did you simply open the door to exit Sleipnir? If so, whatever there is might have entered already. Good luck explaining if there is a sudden pandemic shortly after we return.

rolled 8 = 8

>>19894230
I think it said there was a cleaner in the airlock.

>>19894230
By them I mean the suits by the way. Ours and the Aliums.

>There's a decontamination procedure in the airlock.
>It's plasma-based. Amy made it.

"Ah, good. I wish to take mine off for a bit and speak with my companions. What are the spheres for?" You ask.
<<Air.>> The second alium says, as Thuuad starts putting on the suit. <<We breathe air, and cannot do so underwater, so we need to take it with us.>>
"Also, I am the first human to meet an Alium. Myself and my friends are the farthest away from Earth that any of our species has ever been. It's really interesting."
<<We were certain you had met the Others before us- they lie between your home and this home.>> Thuuad said, slipping on the helmet. The two of you make for the Sleipnir, but he doesn't seem to be able to walk as quickly as you.

>>19894258
We didn't get here by conventional means. Could you tell me where the "Others" are so we can pay them a visit?

rolled 67 = 67

>>19894258
our gravity is different, if it makes you uncomfortable we can change it for you.

we did not know of the others perhaps you can show one of our specialists on a star map.

rolled 80 = 80

>>19894297
indeed now that I think of it, we did not know of you either. I chose your planet almost at random as our fisrt destination.

>>19894044
"Actually, we were uncertain intelligent life existed outside of ourselves. Unlike you, we've never received a transmission before. There was no hard evidence to suggest it.
I chose your planet to come to as one of the closer ones theoretically capable of sustaining life. Although I suppose it's no longer theoretical."

"We didn't get here by conventional means." You say. "Could you tell me where the 'others' are so we can pay them a visit?"

<<They are directly between us and where human signals come from, but they are closer to us.>> He says. <<You will need to speak to an Other expert for an exact location.>>
He stops, and turns to his partner. <<Please go find Valeq and bring him here.>>
<<Of course.>> He said, and got back into the vehicle.
"Now that I think about it, we did not know of you, either. I chose this planet almost at random, as our first destination."
<<Then you were very fortunate.>> He said. <<Or we were.>>

You climb up into the airlock, and he follows. He goes quiet and still during the decontamination procedure, but other than that, he looks around with an intense curiosity.
"Unlike you, we've never recieved a transmission before. There was no hard evidence to suggest it."
<<We have been sending you and the Others messages for a half-lifetime, but you never respond.>> He said. <<Perhaps we are better listeners than you.>>
He walks into the bridge with you, and the entire group just kind of.. stands there. You remove your helmet, and give Amy a kiss.

>>19894401
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Thuuad, esteemed researcher of humanity and listener. Feel free to introduce yourselves."

>>19894401
"That is strange, we have several listening stations posted across our world, specifically searching for alium signals. Not to mention all the non-professional hobbyists who also constantly listen.
Either it's being kept a secret, or the signal is degrading before it reaches us - possibly due to the others? It certainly requires further investigation."

>>19894401
Hey people, meet Thuuad. Thuuad meet Amy, Grayson, Karin, Abel, Lucca, Lucas, Sigma and the Science Squad.

Thuuad, this might be somewhat personal, does your race have gender and how do you reproduce?

Feel free to ask questions about each other.

rolled 2 = 2

>>19894401
"guys, this is thuuad"

<using azure to translate over the intercom>
"thuuad, these are my companions. do you have any questions? I am sure that they would gladly answer..."

start shucking bits of armor

rolled 21 = 21

>>19894449
have you ever read the series "march upcountry" "march to the sea" and "march to the stars"?

I think we should let him ask the question and then we promptly say "look for the protuberances"

>>19894486
Well asking that lets us know how hard it will be to explain us kissing Amy.

rolled 53 = 53

>>19894524
nope, we can say it's a gesture of extreme affection.

Call Amy our mate and life partner, and that kissing her is both a means of displaying affection and establishing ownership.

...god that sounds horribly sexist when I read it. But I mean, she owns us too.

rolled 70 = 70

>>19894562
but only if he asks...

>>19894562
Call it mutual possession.

"Guys, this is Thuuad." You say, shucking off bits of armor.

"Thuuad, these are my companions. Amy, Grayson, Karin, Abel, Lucca, Lucas, Sigma, and the science squad." You say.
<<Pleased to meet you.>> Says the intercom system, after translating.
"Thuuad, this might be somewhat personal, but does your race have gender, and how do you reproduce?"
<I was unable to translate the word 'gender'.> Cyan says.
<<We reproduce by... mixing appendages.>> He said, somewhat hesitantly- although you could be anthropomorphizing him.

>>19894562
>life partner

Whoah whoah whoah, we didn't put no ring on that.

rolled 3 = 3

>>19894575
I was just curious,

>>19894585
Well maybe we should?

>>19894647
I'm not even gonna TOUCH that one right now, suffice it to say, not the time.

>>19894575
"Eh, don't worry. We'll leave those questions to the hordes of scientists that will no doubt want to study you. You'll probably get access to a bunch of our books and general information when we go back and announce this. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. We probably won't be staying too long as this was basically just a blind probe, but as long as we're here we're open to any inquiries."

>>19894575
"I see, I see. Haven't managed to find a sapient race that reproduces by budding yet, but I'll find it, and science will know just how they tick."

"Eh, don't worry. We'll leave those questions to the hordes of scientists that will no doubt want to study you. You'll probably get access to a bunch of our books and general information when we go back to announce this. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. We probably won't be staying too long, but as long as we're here, we're open to any inquiries."
<<Well... how do your people reproduce? Don't tell me that was. . .>> He said, pointing at you and Amy, before trailing off. <<We have a stigma, where one must reproduce with others in private. It must be a difference in culture.>>

>>19894710
No, that wasn't us reproducing. It was an act of physical intimacy and affection. I'll have one of the Science Squad give you some diagrams if you want.

rolled 53 = 53

>>19894710
no, it is a sign of affection, no more.

now onward to the less embarrassing questions.

>>19894710
"What? No. No no no. We wouldn't... No. I mean, some would, but not I or Amy. No. That was just a kiss."

"That was a sign of affection, no more." You say. "The science squad should be able to explain it."
"Well, not Douglass." one of the scientists said, and sniggered.
Douglass glared at him.
<<I see.>> He said. <<I'll ask whatever questions occur to me, then. My first, and most pressing. . . how did you do this with the languages? The radio is saying what I'm saying in your tongue, and it's saying what you're saying in mine.>>

>>19894790
"We have ridiculously powerful computers and advanced AIs on hand. They deciphered your speech."

>>19894790
Damn, I'm tempted to say magic, but sadly, this is the wrong quest for that.

>>19894807
You say that is if "Magic" can't be substituted for "Technology".

rolled 72 = 72

>>19894790
we have machines that can think, I have asked it to say our words in your language and yours in ours.

that is how I learned how to speak to you before.

>>19894790
"We have some very smart thinking machines. AI, or Artificial Intelligence, we call them, generally."

"We have ridiculously powerful computers and advanced AIs on hand. They deciphered your speech."
<<Computers? AIs?>>
"Thinking machines." Amy says.
<<I see.>>

Ishelda meows, and Thuuad just stares at it.

<<You have not removed the pests on your craft.>> He said. <<My kind removed all of our own pests many lifetimes ago.>>

>>19894829
>technology
I think you mean "SCIENCE!"

rolled 56 = 56

>>19894855
it is not a pest, it is a pet.

a small animal kept for the joy of having it around.

>>19894875
To be fair, Ishelda is kind of a pest. Just a cute one.

>>19894855
"That's not a pest, it's a pet. Humanity coexists with sentient life. Sometimes for profit, sometimes because they're useful, sometimes because they make good companions. That's Ishelda."

Pet Ishelda. We have to try.

>>19894855
"We tried to get rid of her once, but she just came back, the very next day."

But seriously, cover what a "pet" is.

>>19894855
Okay, now we're going to have to explain domestication.

One of the most important advancements of the human race was domesticating animals, taming them and turning them into companions.

This is a cat. The first animal we domesticated was the dog, which we used as a hunting companion. Then once we started agriculture we started domesticating animals like cows, goats and chickens for food.

Most of the animals we domesticated were herd or pack animals, cats are somewhat different. When we started storing foodstuff pests would sneak in and eat it and spoil it, cats are solitary ambush predators, they found that our granaries attracted pests and vermin, so they started living there.

We never entirely domesticated them due to the fact that they just decided to live with us and do not have an organizational structure we can insert ourself in.

"It is not a pest, it is a pet." You say, and scratch Ishelda's head. "A small animal kept for the joy of having it around."

<<Like the Others' enemies. They keep these.. pets as well.>> Thuuad said. <<We haven't heard these enemies, though. Are you certain they are not you?>>

>>19894922
I don't see how we could be their enemies when we didn't even know they existed before today.

>>19894922
"Well, nothing's impossible, but I'm fairly certain they aren't us."

>>19894922
Turn around
"Hey guys, did we go to war with an alien species on our way here?"
Pause, then face back at him and tell him
"You're the first species we've ever met, so I'm sure were not those guys."

rolled 10 = 10

>>19894922
we are not certain...

we do not know them, they may have called themselves our enemies. we weren't told that we have enemies...

"I don't see how we could be their enemies when we didn't even know they existed before today." You say. "Hey, guys, did we go to war with an alium species on our way here?"
"No, not at all." Grayson says.
You pause, and turn back to him. "You're the first species we've ever met, so I'm sure we're not those guys."

<<I assumed that.>> He said. <<You do not act as the Others say they do. Except for the way you arrived.>>

>>19895000
"Oh really? Appearing out of nowhere, kind of thing?"

>>19895000
The wormhole thing? They also have that?

What can you tell us about the Others and their enemies?

>>19895000
"You mean the wibbly-wobbly rip in space-time? We might, maybe, have an Other artifact. It's what enabled us to travel that way."

"Oh, really? Appearing out of nowhere?"
<<Valeq will be able to tell you more. He is the Other expert. They don't speak in sound, so it is difficult for us to translate. When you arrived, he stood and said 'this could be the Other's enemies'>>

File: 1342390505927.png-(248 KB, 774x615, NFCInv.png)

>>19895058
>argh, I keep dropping my trip.

>Also, I made the new inventory page like three hours ago and forgot to post it. whoops!

You left your trip off.

>>19895058
Well we aren't their enemies, though it's possible we found some of their technology and appropriated it and reverse engineered it.

We should probably give the Asurians a basic data dump of our history and so on in exchange for their own history and so and whatever they know about the others.

rolled 89 = 89

>>19895102

>>19895058

we might have the look of their enemies though, we found the technology that brought us here in an old and long dead civilizations outpost.

"We aren't their enemies, though it's possible we found some of their technology, appropriated it, and reverse engineered it."
<<I see.>> He said. <<That takes a load off of my shoulders. My people do not want to become pets.>>

>>19895170
"Rest assured, we have no desire to make other intelligent species pets."

>>19895170
"There's a... different word, in that case. We've gotten past that, though."

>>19895170
We aren't planning on turning other sentient creatures into pets.

Also before we leave we're going to be giving you a basic history of the human race, there's a lot of bad stuff in there, things in our past that we are as a whole ashamed of. There are still good people and bad people today, but we're trying to get better. Please try not to hold our pasts against us.

>>19895205
>We've gotten past that, though.
There's no reason to tell them we were ever at that.

"There's a... different word, in that case. We have no desire to make other intelligent species pets." You say.
"Do you mind if we ask a few questions?" Douglass and the rest of the science team asked.
<<I have no objections.>>
"And would you mind if we took a sample of your body?"
<<... Sample?>>
"Well, like.. skin cells, blood... you don't really have hair, do you..."
<<I would rather like to keep my skin.>> He said, taking a step back.
"Uh. . "

He looked to you for advice.

>>19895241
We can admit that humanity's done unfortunate things before, and that we learned from doing them to not do them.

>>19895259
"Hmm, how about you guys demonstrate on me what you mean so that he understands?"

>>19895259
He doesn't mean a lot, but if you don't want to then we won't force you.

>>19895259
"They mean a small sample, just a scratch, really."

rolled 6 = 6

>>19895259
they mean a small piece, here(smallest drites available reash around and excise a small portion of skin). this is some of my skin that your scientists can look at to see some of how my body works. I can put it in a jar for you if you'd like.

>>19895259
You don't have to if you don't want to, but a small bit of your person, not enough to cause you any injury whatsoever, would be of great help in understanding your biology and make-up.

>>19895259
"He's asking for just a tiny part of your body, for the purposes of science. Like a few skin flakes. Like a pinprick. If you're not comfortable with that, though, it's fine."

>>19895259
"They just want a small piece. Giving blood, a small piece of skin or some of our dead tissue isn't a big thing for us, but it is for you we will respect it, naturally. We have other, non-intrusive research instruments but sadly we don't have any here. We will of course reciprocate if you want some of our samples."

"He's asking for just a tiny part of your body. It would be of great help in understanding your biology. How about you guys demonstrate on me what you mean, so that he understands."
"Sure." Douglass said, taking a small brush and petri dish, brushing away skin flakes. "Just like this. Nothing major."

<<Well...>> He hesitated. <<Very well.>>

Soon enough, he went into the airlock with Douglass, so he could remove his suit without worry of any kind of contamination. When they returned, Douglass had two petri dishes- one with a blood sample, and the other with skin flakes.

"This should be enough for genetic information." Douglass said. "Pity I'm not a biologist."

rolled 87 = 87

>>19895294
>>19895259

"it is a way we learn about things...you need not give samples; we will not press you"

give the science guys the stink eye

>>19895344
"Thanks. Sorry for the inconvenience, Thuuad. Do you have any further questions for us?"

"Thank you. Sorry for the inconvenience, Thuuad. do you have any further questions for us?"
<<I do, but they will have to wait.>> He said. <<I have learned a lot already, and I must let others know.>>

>>19895403
"Well, guess this is goodbye for now. I'll try to visit again soon. For now, though, I've gotta go back and tell folks that, yes, there is other intelligent life in the universe."

>>19895403
Leave him with a good sized pile of information translated into his language if we can. See if we can get a similar large chunk of information from him on their race and the Others.

It was nice meeting you, I'll be back sometime or another, I don't really have a schedule as I consider going about the universe like this a vacation.

>>19895428
We should wait for the Other specialist to show up, since he was sent for.

rolled 76 = 76

>>19895403
alright...

lead him to the airlock with the samples of dave.

"don't worry about what comes next I want to wander around a bit."

warm up the ravens Amy I want to get a look at this planet...

lets go around the world a couple of times.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. I'll try to visit again soon." You say.
<<I look forward to when we next meet. I will refill the suit and send Valeq in here to explain about the Others. Remember, he knows less of you than I do- but he is not as curious. He will live to answer questions, not ask them.>> He said, and climbed out through the airlock.

"Well." Lucca says. "That was interesting."

Soon enough, another alium comes back wearing the same suit.
<<.. Hello? I was told you can speak this language.>> Valeq said. <<Uh.. I don't know your culture, and you do not know mine. Thus, if I speak or act impolitely, know that I do not intend it.>>

>>19895499
Good to know. What can you tell us about the Others and the Others' enemies?

rolled 16 = 16

>>19895499
and likewise, if we offend know that we do not intend it either.

>>19895499
"As with us. Please come aboard."

"As with us." You say, and he instantly looks to the speaker which blares his language. "What can you tell us about the Others and the Others' enemies?"
<<We know little about the Others. They speak in a strange way- they use four or five tones in unknown sequences. After much work, we have learned to translate them, but they do not use sound as we do. They do not use words, but a strange... song, in a way. We have been listening to them for many many many lifetimes- since we first started listening. And we only recently translated their first message- That their world was being destroyed by the Emperors, so their only hope was to silence. I don't know what they mean by 'silence', but it is important to their culture.>>

>>19895596
Silence to a musical race? Probably refers to death, or maybe hibernation.

>>19895596
Oh god, who wants to bet the Others are from our world, they're probably whales or dolphins or something...

>>19895596
"Is their first message archived?"

>>19895596
Could you tell me where the message came from?

"Silence to a musical race? Probably refers to death, or maybe hibernation."

<<There was much more... but it was not simple.>> He said. <<We still don't know all that they said.>>
"Is their first message archived?"
<<Everything is archived.>> He said. <<We have the sound recorded on wax. I could take you to hear it, if you wish.>>
"Could you tell me where the message came from?"
<<Certainly.>> He said, and unspooled a long scroll. You look down at it, and it looked like a starmap. He draws a circle around one. <<It came from here.>>
<Proxima Corbenik.> Onyx said.

>>19895770
I suggest we STAY THE FUCK AWAY from there.

>>19895806
Indeed. At least for now.

>>19895770
Make sure to leave behind a few piles of textbooks on engineering, chemistry, physics and so on, translated of course. We're gonna uplift these guys to a higher level of technology.

Onyx, tell me about Proxima Corbenik.

>>19895770
Well, we should definitely take up the offer. That way we might get a few additional languages for our translator.

>>19895818
I'd rather not, at least not until we know more about them. Way too easy to screw up, otherwise.

<Onyx, tell me about Proxima Corbenik.> You say.
<It's a small red star system, four light years away from earth.> Onyx said. <Most astrophysicists believe it has several planets, but lately we've found no evidence of any planets other than a small accretion disk surrounding the star.>

"I'll definitely take you up on that offer." you say.
<<Certainly.>> He said. <<We can enter the nearest spire and ask for someone to play it for us.>> He said, and you led him to the airlock.

"Will you want to bring anyone with you?" Amy asked.

>>19895893
Does anyone want to come along? We can explore this strange alien world together.

>>19895613
"Humans are only the third most intelligent race on earth, and not the second as previously believed."
It's either mice or dolphins, according to the Guide.

>>19895893
I think 2 people should be okay. To make it fair we should probably draw straws.

>>19895893
>Accretion disk.
Shit, they can destroy planets, this "empire".

>>19895818
Lets leave the uplifting to politicians and the like. Dave doesn't need that kind of responsibility.

"Does anyone want to come along? We can explore this strange, alium world together."

"Well, I'm curious." Lucca said.
"I do, and I have the atmospheric shield that Van Co. gave me." Amy said.
"Fuck it, I have a suit grafted to my body." Sigma said. "I'll come."

>>19896037
Great. I'm sure we can set up a live-feed from our helmet, or something for the guys staying behind.

The Asurians are in for a disappointment when they meet the rest of the human race, considering that their first contact was with the biggest bunch of wierdos of our species.

>>19896037
Well, suit up and let's go.

Lucca put on her power suit, fastening it tight, and taking a small group of drones with her.
"This portable IDW is awesome." She said. "Especially after you fixed it, Dave."
Sigma rolled his shoulders.
"Ready." He said.

Amy just slipped on the shield and kissed your cheek.

"Could you lead us?" You ask, putting your helmet on.
<<Certainly.>> The alium responded, and the four of you left through the airlock. He led you toward the great, silver spire, and opened the doors wide. <<This is where we Asurians live, unless we have reason to travel from one spire to the other.>>

You went down to your hands and knees, and crawled through the small doorway, standing up again once you were inside. He led you up a series of stairs, and you can see other Aliums standing there, staring at you. Some start waving, some fold their four arms behind them, and some raise signs- usually something like 'hello', 'don't kill us', or 'take me with you'.

Finally, you reach the top, and there's a massive, strange machine, very wide and cylindrical. <<These machines let us listen.>> He said. <<We have advanced them over time.>>
<This is not a technology I'm familiar with.> Azure said, examining it closely. <At first glance, it appears to be a standard radio, but it has vacuum tubes and small chips connected to each side. Additionally, the entire spire seems to be made of some photo-reactive substance. Solar panels.>

>>19896307
Ask about their computing technology, how advanced it is outside of these towers. Also ask how they make them.

>>19896307
>but it has vacuum tubes and small chips

God, I hate it when people don't do the tech tree in the proper order.

>>19896307
"... Vacuum tubes. Am I in a '50's B-movie all of a sudden?"

>>19896307
Ask Amy if she has a clue how that stuff works.

>>19896307
We should ask our guide what folding one's arms behind the back means.

"Do you have a clue how this stuff works?" You ask Amy.
"Not at all." She said. "The vacuum tubes are likely connected to their radio systems, though."

"What does folding one's arms behind the back mean?" You ask.
<<It means that one is not likely interact with you.>> He said. <<If one is nervous, scared, or uncomfortable, it is how we show it.>>

"How advanced is your technology?" You ask.
<<Likely not as advanced as your own.>> He said. <<We're only now learning to make machines think for us, and add numbers on their own- With help from the transmissions of the Others.>> He said, weaving around a group of asurians sitting at the machine, wearing strange headsets connected to it. He put on a headset, and motioned for you to don them as well.

"Uh..." Sigma said, looking at the headset. "This is way too small. And has four earphones instead of two."

You put the headset up to your helmet's sensor, and wait.

<<Hello, this is Valeq.>> The alium said into the headset. <<I would like if you sent me the Others' first recording.>>
<<Certainly.>> Comes the response. It's perfectly clear- as clear as your own smartphone headsets.

The recording is. . rather static, with a bunch of clicks and pops. It sounds like nothing but white noise. . . but near the end, you start to hear a pattern. Click. . Click. . .Pop.

<<That was the recording.>> He said, removing his headset.

>>19896519
"Guess I'll have to run this through a translator, too. If it can even be translated with the equipment I have."

>>19896519
Whoa, I guess we'll need more samples to come up with anything.

>>19896519
What did you manage to get out of it so far? Maybe I can expand on that with my more advanced computers.

Could you just play all of the recordings you have from them so I can sift through them?

"Whoa, I guess we'll need more samples to come up with anything." you say. "Could you play all of the recordings you have from them, so I can sift through them?"
<<Certainly. If you can translate it, this will help us immensely.>> He said, and put the headset back on. He started asking whoever was on the line for *everything* from the Others. Immediately, you start getting a deluge of signals.

<This will be very easy to convert into a form I can understand.> Cyan said. <It seems to be a base-six number system, with each different tone being a number. It will take me a significant amount of time, however.>

>>19896616
A significant amout of time for an AI, or a human?

>>19896616
"So, we can get through this, but it'll Cyan says it'll take a significant amount of time.

>>19896616
How many different species do they have on record? And how many of those do they understand?

This is different to the sounds the teleporter made us and onyx say, isn't it? A fourth group of aliens then.

>The sounds the teleporter are aligned with are... different. It wasn't audio-based, you know that- while everything else is.

<A significant amount of time for an AI, or a human?>
<Both.> Cyan said. <Several days, at the least. Weeks, at the most.>
"So, we can get through this, but it'll take a significant amount of time." You say.
<<I'm glad.>> Valeq said.
"How many species do you have on record?"
<<Just three- The humans, the Others, and the Kalach. We... we don't listen to the Kalach much. They are wild and confusing and very far away.>>

>>19896747
We may as well get what you have on the Kalach, we might end up running into them.

How long have you been listening to the Aliums? Your listening technology is far ahead of the rest of what you have from what I can see, how did this happen?

>>19896747
Where are the Others transmitting from these days, if their planet was destroyed?

>>19896747
>Kalach
They better be fuzzy!

"We may as well get what you have on the Kalach, we might end up running into them."
<<If... if you wish.>> Veleq said, and spoke into the radio.
The recording they give you is incredibly static. . but you can clearly hear some gravelly voice bellow something, a loud, careening noise that all but deafens you. It was angry, like some wild beast snarling- but undoubtedly a command.
<<That is the clearest we have.>> Veleq said. <<We are too far away to get anything of better quality.>
"Where are the Others transmitting from these days, if their planet was destroyed?"
<<They're not on their planet.>> He said. <<But it's coming from a near location from them.>>

"How long have you been listening to Aliums? Your listening technology is far ahead of the rest of what you have from what I can see, how did this happen?"
He raised his lower arms in a manner reminiscent of a shrug.
<<I do not know.>> Veleq said. <<We simply think about it, and if we have a problem, we try to solve it. We can show you pictures of our listening technology, if you wish.>>

>>19896826
Yeah, why not. It will be interesting how they design their machines.

>>19896826
Creepy.

Can you tell us what you know of the 'Others'? What they look like, or of they have any colonies not on their home world?

Looks like we've got a populated universe her guys, so we shouldn't stick around too long, but uplifting them won't matter so much. I think we should help them out with some technology if they ask for it, but don't give them an AI or anything drastic.

>>19896892
They seem to be doing very well on their own, I think we shouldn't interfere. If their food and atmosphere requirements are similar to ours, we might offer to take one or two of them along. After we've found more about their society.

rolled 93 = 93

>>19896919
I like your idea except for the not giving them tech idea. nothing too advanced, but something to help move them forward quickly. After the AI gets a look at their tech, It should be able to properly determine something maybe a half-lifetime ahead of what they have. Or some shit like that.

"Yeah, why not? It will be interesting."
Veleq grabs a scroll from a wall, and unspools it, showing to a large, impossibly complex diagram, complete with small notations and markings around each symbol.
<<This is how we listen.>> He says.
<Wow.> Azure says. <This radio system is.. very, very complex. It strips out static and enhances clarity a hundredfold. No wonder they know of other species- their radio systems are many times greater than our own. Of course, it's still limited by the speed the signal can propagate, but other than that...>

"Can you tell us what you know of the 'others'? What they look like, or if they have any colonies not on their home world?"
<<I don't know the answer to either of those questions.>> He says. <<They never broadcast what they look like, and the signals always come from the same place.>>

>>19896971
Have you managed to translate anything besides that first message?

>>19896971
You just think about the problem and you get technology that absurdly outstrips the rest of yours.

This is very different from how we do it, we tend to make small improvements in all areas and many of our biggest leaps in a field are from applying something we learned in a completely different one.

rolled 51 = 51

>>19896971
I think the others are some kind of bug or crustacean and do not want to get involved in whatever conflict they may be having. ask the asurin for translations he has of others to speed up our translation process. It stands to reason that the only way they would know anything of the others would be by translating it, and since we know the asurin language the translation process should speed up by quite a bit.

>>19896971
"I'm really impressed by this system. I'm no scientist or engineer, but it's a work of art!"

Do we know of any 'mysterious' signals that earth has gotten in the last x years? It'd be interesting to see if these aliens have also heard them.

"Have you managed to translate anything besides that first message?"
<<We still haven't even translated that first message.>> He said. <<We can only understand small snippets.>>
"Can I have the translations you have of the Others to speed up our own translation process?"
<<Certainly.>> He said, rewinding the diagram. He pulled out... dozens of scrolls, complete with different symbols for each tone the Others had made, and small notes in the margins.

<Theories, concepts, phonetic records...> Cyan said, reading it as Veleq shows you the symbols. <This should speed up translation, but only marginally.>

"This place is kind of weird." Amy said. "It reminds me of that old movie with the world war two code-breakers."

>>19897094
Don't say this out loud to the Asurians.

Tell Amy that given the discrepancy between their tech level and their radio level we have slight suspicions that they are a created race or that they were uplifted from their roots to do this sort of thing.

>>19897094
"It's a bit different, because I don't think people will die if we take too long, thankfully."

>>19897094
Well it is similar technology, but Asurian radio technology is far more advanced than ours.

"It's a bit different, because I don't think people will die if we take too long, thankfully."
"That we know of." Amy said cryptically, raising an eyebrow and grinning
"It is similar technology, though. Just far more advanced."
"Well, get your AI to work on it." Amy said. "Then we could build it into the Sleipnir."

>>19897157
Should we really be stealing all the alien technology we find? They might start asking for some back.

Try to speak quickly, so they have trouble listening in.

>>19897157
Well, now that we've taken care of that, let's see if we can get some info on their society and lives.

Also, we should probably introduce ourselves as Dave at some point, and explain that we don't really represent any government on earth, but came here because we were bored.

<Dave!> Grayson called, from the Sleipnir. <Something is happening!>
<... It looks like another wormhole.> Douglass said. <And something is coming through.>

>>End of thread!
>>My twitter is @futureexabyte
>>I'll stick around to answer questions, etc etc.

>>19897244
God fucking damn it.

>>19897244
I'm guessing our wormhole was detected, then. Detected faster than light, no less.
These lucky Asurans get to meet their first two alium species at once!

>>19897244
Aww man, every single thread you do this, every single time.

Where is the wormhole, in space? on the Sleipnir?

>>19897311
It's coming FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!

>>19897334
Well, could be worse. We do have a recently vacated skull.

rolled 47 = 47

>>19897350
DAEV THERE SPESH|P COMIN YOUR HED!!

GET OFF MY HEDS ALIUMS.

rolled 1 = 1

HAY GUIS
GUIS
WAT IF
GUIS
WAIT
WAT IF
GUIS
WAT IF LIKE, GUYS, WHAT IF AMY HAD A, SRSLY GUIS.
WHAT IF AMY HAD A BULLFRG TOO AND
GUIS
HEY GUIS
WHAT IF SHE SEXED ON DAV IN THE, GUIS
ARE YOU LISTENING.
GUIS
IF THEY SEXED ON THE COMPUTER.

>GUYS
>WHAT IF
>HEY GUYS
>AI BABBIES.

>>19897452
>nat 1
And then AI babby was skynet.

File: 1342401788287.jpg-(46 KB, 548x310, 1314758377636.jpg)

rolled 56 = 56

Hey guys, I'm a new guy around here in /tg/. I come from [spoiler]/v/[/spoiler] because I'm tired of that shit and I've always like the likes of roleplaying and some traditional games and shit. I just felt like dropping in because this thread came to a close.

I first and foremost want to thank the OP, this was an enjoyable story to follow and was an amazing first impression of this board for sure. The quality here is definitely much better than I'm used to. I understand how the rolling function itself works, but are you guys just doing 1d100 or something for your rolling in these types of threads?

Is there anything else I should know for my time around here? Yeah yeah lurk more and shit, I fully intend to lurk for a good long while before I ever actually partake or god forbid create something, but yeah.

>>19897452
I've been advocating that we specifically work to prevent Amy from getting anything like a bullfrog. It almost kills us every other thread, and I don't think we could manage without her.

Also, please sage your posts in post thread chat, we don't really need to clutter up the front page with nonsence crap for the next 6 hours.

rolled 10 = 10

>>19897483
Hello newfriend and welcome to /tg/. I have but One piece of advice for you.
Leave immediately.

>For your own sake.

>>19897483
This quest is 1d100, a lot of them are but some use different dice and some don't even use dice at all. You can check what dice are used by mousing over the email field.

Don't be afraid to participate if you think you can contribute. /tg/ is generally a rather friendly board with a wide range of interests.

Also we don't have spoilers on /tg/.

rolled 72 = 72

>>19897514

>implying I haven't already lost control of my life

rolled 47 = 47

>>19897503
Says the guy who didn't sage. Ha.

>>19897483
Welcome! If you don't already know, this is thread 4 of part two of 'Nearfuture Cyborg Quest'. the previous threads can be found here: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Exabyte along with the author's other quests.

Rolling works pretty much exactly like you did. In this particular quest, we use 1d100 for 'mystical hacking bullshit' which the MC's robo-spine lets him do.

>>19897523

Yeah, only one way to find out really heh.

I'm a pretty decent writer. I think I suck but I keep hearing that I'm pretty good back when I wrote shit and did some RP so I'd be glad to contribute, but I'd rather get a lay of the land first. So you guys cool with basically any traditional fantasy out there then? Within reason of course.

>>19897530
noko+sage sages the thread, but doesn't tell anyone about it. I leave it in there.

rolled 93 = 93

>>19897526
I guess you'll be needing a lot of potatoes then.

>>19897552
If you are thinking of starting a quest, I would advise lurking for a while, there has recently been an influx of quest threads, and some people are getting quite frustrated with them. It is also slightly harder to get players at the moment, for reasons unknown to me. Maybe wait till after summer.

>>19897607

Nah I dont intend on doing a quest thread. Like I said, I'm a writefag so I'll probably do shit like that.

I m-m-mean, i-if it's o-okay...

>>19897624
Write threads are rare, but they do turn up occasionally. /tg/ love storytime. You might find the catalog useful in finding these threads.

rolled 69 = 69

>>19897624
It's totally okay, just know that ass pies get colon crushed if you don't use their specific rules systems, none of which that I know about have even been around a full 50 years. They don't realize that something takes more than a few generations to become truly traditional.

Nobody ever discusses chess, poker, bones, shogi, go, or any of the truly traditional games of the world. And if they do discuss a game or game type that's been around more than just half a century, it's still about the newer versions of those gmes and is meant mostly in jest.

>>19897483
Hooray, I make good impressions!

Glad to hear it, and welcome.

Hello hello, this seems interesting. I'll try and remember to read through them older threads.

>>19897734
Going to archive this?

>>19897881
Actually, I thought I already had. Archiving it now.

File: 1342407348158.png-(527 KB, 747x712, Dantheman.png)

Hey Exabyte, check this out.

>>19898769
YES.

except Amy has more armor and more hair color

But still, YES.

File: 1342408955467.png-(526 KB, 747x712, davetheknave.png)

Hahahaha, I just noticed my own file name. Had another file opened for a character named dan and mistakenly saved it like that.

This one should be more appropriate. I don't think I can shoop armor onto Amy though.

>>19899191
Nice, but you forgot the most important character!

>>19899191
Even better.
This, my friend, is going into the NFC folder on my computer.

File: 1342409223073.png-(650 KB, 747x712, davetheknave.png)

>>19899238
Oh god you're right, how silly of me!

>>19899259
JESUS CHRIST THAT IS THE MOST PISSED OFF CAT I HAVE EVER SEEN

PERFECT!

>>19899271
>PURRFECT
FTFY

>>19899259
Look at that- Amy's clinging to him...
but Dave only has eyes for his cat.
He's transfixed, behind that helmet.

>>19899271
I dunno, it could be mid-yawn. Cats are a strange mix of adorable and terrifying.

>>19899259
Yup, that sure is NFCQ in a nutshell.

>>19899606
For it to be more accurate, you need bullshit hacking.

>>19899661
Matrix style text in the background?

Also needs more very expensive equipment exploding.

File: 1342411407026.png-(884 KB, 747x712, LadiesandgentlementhisisNFC.png)

>>19899674
Well, of course.
And the fire in the background is no doubt the exploding equipment.

Also, I added in a drone because WHY NOT?

File: 1342411855244.png-(895 KB, 747x712, davetheknave.png)

>>19899739
Also I'll have a Sorceress Quest in a nutshell up for after tomorrow's thread.

File: 1342412107282.png-(905 KB, 747x712, davetheknave.png)

I CAN'T STOP ADDING MORE THINGS

>>19899893
No such thing as too many things!

File: 1342412377404.png-(4 KB, 405x164, magic.png)

>>19899838
>Sorceress Quest in a nutshell

>>19899967
You forgot bears and tea.

File: 1342412490964.png-(1015 KB, 800x800, davetheknave.png)

Okay, made it bigger so it's less cluttered looking.

>>19899974
You mean the magic dire bear and the magic mana tea?

>>19900013
Yeah, those.