Woo!

>>23718674
well I am hungry lets eat

>>23718674
"Dad had her genetic information encoded onto a sperm cell, which was then artificially inseminated into mom.
All very clinical and boring actually."

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>>23718674
>>23718687

>>23718674

ask if Anna has a place in mind where Asmodeus can be set up?

>>23718674
See what the chef's special is today.

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>>23718674
"With Magic of Science!"

also deranged horses

>>23718743

Grump really let himself go.

"Well, I'm hungry." You say. "Let's eat."
"I had enough rations on the way there, so I'm not hungry." Anna said, staring at the lift floor as it slowly lowered you to the top ring level. "I'm gonna go to my room for now. Maybe write a letter to dad."
"Do you have a place in mind where he can be set up?"
"On the station? I don't know. We'd find a place if he decided to come here, though." Then she wrinkled her nose. "Though he went to go meet the doctor instead. Anyway, have fun."

You, Summer, and Damien make your way into the cafeteria, where Sarvesh was eating an early dinner. He waved to your group, and you went up to the kitchen, throwing something together with plenty of chocolate and some ice cream on the side.
"Did you make me any?" Damien asked.
You shake your head.
"But I'm blind." He pouted.

>>23718776
"Really? You're playing the cripple card?"

Give him ours, and go make another one.

>>23718776
"Alright, alright."
Go make him something

>>23718776
"I can share. " (give him a big spoon full )

>>23718776
Share a little bit of out delicious food. He deserves it.

>>23718815
our*

>>23718776

"ESP your argument is invalid." but go make him some anyway, or get enough so plenty of people can eat from it.

"Really? You're playing the cripple card?"
He shot you a grin.
"Alright, alright." You say, slide your plate to him, and go back up to the kitchen.
By the time you get back, you see Summer's manifestation with her own plate, sitting next to Damien.
"You know." Damien said, pointing his spoon at you. "It's actually really interesting the way you can screw with my visions regularly. Just entirely change the future. I guess someone could do that if they were able to change their mind with sufficient strength, but it's still interesting."
"I can do it too." Summer said, gloatingly.
"Only on the short term." Damien said.

>>23718844
"Maybe it's because I'm special, Damien." - with an obvious dose of friendly sarcasm.

>>23718844
Shrug. "I just do my stuff."

>>23718844
Nobody can match my awesome ability to be completely inconsistent!

>>23718844
"I didn't think you'd be so surprised when I didn't break your comm unit the other day."

>>23718844

"no idea how or why but it could prove dangerous."
"all i did on the station was talk to that guy Epsilon(?) and from there everything went nuts."

>>23718844
"Its simple really I am a collective dozens of minds, all from neck bearded nerds form the early twenty first centenary trying to decide on something is like herding house cats "

"MUha ha ha "

>>23718743
Can't unsee.

"I just do stuff." You say, and shrug. "I didn't think you'd be so surprised when I didn't break your comm unit the other day."
"You said you had a breakthrough, after that. If you had broken my comm unit, then there wouldn't have been a breakthrough, you wouldn't be any good at technopathy, you wouldn't have done that thing with the doors in ArmaTek's station, etcetra etcetra." Damien said. "That was a big chain of events that you twisted, and invalidated almost every one of my visions."
Then he shrugged and stuck the spoon in his mouth.
"Nobody can match my awesome ability to be completely inconsistent!" You say, and then sigh. "All I did on the station was talk to that guy, and from there on everything went nuts."
"I saw you talking to the guy, but I don't actually think it was you that did anything there, when everything changed. It was all him, I think." Damien said.
Summer just quietly stuck some ice cream in her tigerbody's self.

>>23718948
"Now we know there's other Psionics out there, at least."

>>23718948
"I wonder if he works for the Void Queen, he seemed suspicious."

>>23718948
"Think we should tell Manus or Max about that guy? Rogue Psionics, that's a pretty big deal. He was pretty good with TK as well, so someone else out there must be training them."

"Now we know there's other psions out there, at least." You say. "Think we should tell Manus or Max about that guy? He was pretty good with TK as well, so someone else out there must be training them."
"It might be a good idea to tell them, yes." Damien said.
"I think we should." Summer added.
Sarvesh tilted his head.
"You met a psion while you were out?" He asked. "Interesting."

>>23718948
"That guy scared me. He seemed really dangerous."

>>23719038
Shoot Max a message explaining what happened.

>>23719038
"He killed multiple people. It wasn't much fun, Sarvesh."

>>23719038
"Einstein, send a message to Dr Manus please. Inform him we ran into another Psionic user who displayed extreme competence in Telekinesis, so it might be possible someone has set up a private version of this institute."

>>23719038
"He didn't seem very nice. And that was before the gleeful murders."

>>23719038
"You know telling Max will also mean that we are admitting on committing an illegal act. right?"

>>23719038

might want to leave out that we 'liberated' Anna's father from a corporation?

>>23719038
"He was. But also scary. He was just tearing people in half with TK and he looked like he was enjoying it."

>>23719076
>>23719080
this

"... That guy scared me." You say. "He killed multiple people. It wasn't much fun, Sarvesh."
Sarvesh was quiet for a time, and you turned to Einstein.
"Einstein, send a message to Dr. Manus, please. Inform him we ran into another psion who displayed extreme competence in telekinesis, so it might be possible someone has set up a private version of this institute."
"Message sent." Einstein responded.
"... He was just tearing people in half with TK." You say. "And he looked like he was enjoying it."
"If it helps." Damien said, putting a hand on your shoulder for a moment. "I don't see him coming here."

>>23719167
>inb4 Manus/Max questions us what we were doing to meet someone like him.

>>23719167

that's a relief, but I'm still not comfortable knowing there are people like him out there.

>>23719167
"That helps, but...well, he looked pretty powerful, and we know now that your precognition isn't completely reliable. Though that's not a bad thing in itself - at least we know that predestination isn't a thing. "

>>23719167
"Good. I don't want him here."

"That helps, but... well, he looked pretty powerful, and we know now that your precognition isn't completely reliable." You say. "Though that's not a bad thing in itself - at least we know that predestination isn't a thing."
"But." Damien said. "I can kind of get a sense if things change, and I'm getting better at sensing that every day. Don't worry - if I do see him coming here, I'll warn you. That's the least I can do." He said.
"Good. I don't want him here." You say.
"... Is that because he's killed people?" Sarvesh asked.

>>23719278
"No, because he murdered innocents with less than no remorse."

>>23719278
"Because he killed people for fun."

>>23719278

"in a way, it's more the fact that he enjoyed doing it so much."

"killing isn't something I've had to deal with on a regular basis."

>>23719278
"If he killed others, he could come here and kill my friends. It worries me."

>>23719278
Because even if Armatec was keeping him held, he blew up the whole station. Killing everyone on board and destroying the node and those people did nothing bad to him.

But mostly because when I talked to him he seemed normal. And I don't know I'd be able to stop him.

"No, because he murdered innocents, and it's more the fact that he enjoyed doing it so much." You say.
Sarvesh nodded, sagely. "Well, in happier news... Pheles is on her way now. Renting an FTL taxi was cheaper than I thought it would be. She can spend the weekend here, if what I understand about weekends is right."
Summer's ears perked up.
"Will she like me? Will she be able to talk to us?"
"... You're telepathic, so of course you're all going to be able to talk to her." Sarvesh said. "But... I do think she would like you, Summer."

>>23719353
"That's excellent news. When does she arrive?"

>>23719353

"why wouldn't she like Summer? what's not to like?"

>>23719353
"Of course she will. Who can resist the fluffiness?"

>>23719353
Sounds like fun! I look forward to meeting her, Sarvesh.

"Why wouldn't she like Summer? What's not to like?"
"Precisely." Sarvesh said, and Summer beamed at both of you.
"That's excellent news." You say. "When does she arrive?"
"I've no clue." Sarvesh said, and turned to Damien.
"I don't know why you just look at me when it comes down to the timing." Damien said.
Sarvesh stared.
Damien sighed. "She's showing up in an hour or so."
Sarvesh continued to stare.
"... Fifty seven minutes, thirty seconds." Damien said.
Sarvesh started chuckling.

>>23719414
How do you do that? Do you just know or do you look at clocks in the future?

We have to prepare!!

And I'm still in my pjamas!

>>23719414
"I should get ready."
Are we still in Anna's too-tight suit or are we back to pyjamas? Regardless, it's way past time to get dressed today.

Rolled 15

>>23719414
"wonderful"

>thats the younger sister right?
"is anyone else coming with her or is it just her?"

>>23719414
"And that's why we looks at you like that"

>>23719414

"i could get a shower before that and maybe get some clothes which i can actually breath in."
"... i will turn every machine on station against you if you peek, Damien."

"How do you do that? Do you just know, or do you look at clocks in the future?"
"I used to look at clocks, but I have a really good sense of time, now." Damien said. "Not sure if it's psionic in nature, but I can kind of sense the time through visions, too."
"And that's why we look at you like that." You say. Damien just grinned at you.
"Is anyone else coming with her, or is it just her?"
"My mother wanted to come, but... uh, I told her that I didn't have money for more than one ticket." Sarvesh said.
"We have to prepare!" You said, and sprung to your feet, looking down at Anna's too-tight jumpsuit. "I should get a shower before that, and maybe get some clothes which I can actually breathe in."
Then you glare at Damien.
"I will turn every machine on the station against you if you peek, Damien."
"... I have every supermod... uh, don't worry." He said, changing halfway through. "I won't peek without your permission."

>>23719508
Let's go have a shower, then drop off Anna's jumpsuit at her room.

>>23719508
Supermod...?

>>23719508
"Door, kindly bump Damien's ass as he leaves."

Then get back to our room and find some pants.

>>23719508

flash a nice big smile.

"I'll see you guys in a bit."

shower, get the jumpsuit cleaned and then return it to Anna.

>>23719547
>"Door, kindly bump Damien's ass as he leaves."
Let's not. It implies stuff.
>>23719534
pretty much this.

>>23719546
...el in the universe to spy on, why would I look at you?
Or something like that, presumably.

>>23719562
Ahhhh, that makes sense.

>>23719561
But we don't have to say it out loud, it's just to annoy Damien.

>>23719508
"No permission! No peeking."

>>23719589
oh you mean have a door annoying him? ok

"No permission! No peeking!" You say.
"I won't peek, Even if your future self gives me permission." Damien said, and you make your way to your room, peeling off the jumpsuit and climbing into the shower.

Folded jumpsuit in hand, you make your way up to Anna's door, asking the keypad to kindly alert her that you were there. It beeped, and then the door hissed open.
"Hey." Anna said, wearing a headset and a screen over one eye. You could feel the quantum router in Renard - apparently she'd had one put into him - and her headset was interfacing with it.

>>23719594
yeah basically, have the cafeteria door side with us and work to annoy Damien. Opening really late or closing early or whatever. Not barring him entry, just being annoying.

>>23719618
Hey Anna, I brought your suit back. Thanks for letting me borrow it.

It's a bit tight around the chest though.

I'll have to get one made up for myself. Any recommended suppliers?

>>23719618
"Do you want to come and see cute little crabgirl?" forgot how they are called

>>23719618
"I brought this back. You talking to Azzy?"

>>23719621
heh that could do.

>>23719618
"Ooh, got an upgrade I see. Anyway, here is your jumpsuit back."

>>23719618
"Hi! Did you hear Sarvesh got his sister to come visit? I thought I'd hear if you wanted to come with me to meet her."

>>23719618
"How are you doing? Is your father with that Doctor yet?"

>>23719658
"You're dad?"
I think that nickname's a little too forward.

>>23719618

"hey there, i came to bring back the suite i borrowed."

"Sarvesh is expecting visitors, just a heads in case you're interested in meeting his cute little sister."

try not to focus Renards quantum router

>>23719693
don't think of purple elephants

"How are you doing?" You ask. "Is your dad with that doctor yet?"
"Not yet, thankfully. right now he has me coaching him in Futurecraft." She said. "For a supercomputer, he is kind of slow on learning new things."
"Anyway, here is your jumpsuit back. It's a bit tight around the chest, though."
"Yeah, they probably are." She said, after looking at your chest for an uncomfortable moment.
"Anyway, did you hear Sarvesh is expecting visitors?" You ask. "Just a heads up in case you're interested in meeting his cute little sister."
"I might." She said, and grinned.

>>23719740
>they probably are
>'my clothes all probably are', even.

>>23719740
"no no, you must! Remember, you need to socialize more."
Grab her hand and drag her there.

>>23719740
so.. what we you trying to ask me earlier about my parents ?

>>23719740
"Well I wouldn't want to interrupt some father-daughter bonding, but I'm looking forward to it myself. I wonder how big she'll be."

>>23719740
We'll have to go clothes shopping, so we can get some things that fit me, and more clothes for you. I've not seen you in much besides your jumpsuit.

>>23719740
"Oh? What faction are you teaching your dad?"

>>23719740
Say >>23719807, but first: "Wow, you mean you have other clothes?" in a joking voice.

>>23719807
>Maybe we should go to heaven's jewel and meet our parents there while we're out shopping.

>>23719786
You sure you want to bring that up? I'm ok with it as small talk, while we are moving.

>>23719740

"i like your new addition to Renard."

>>23719834
she brought it up first so yea lets do it

>>23719833
Oh yes.

Oh yeeeeeeees.

We can do this tomorrow.

>>23719834
I'd rather that we didn't just yet. So we can ask her tomorrow when our parents are about, or after she's met them.

"Hey Anna, if you have a minute, can I ask you a serious question?"

if she accepts: "Do you have a crush on me?"

"Wow, you mean you have other clothes?"
"A dress and a few jumpsuits."
"... We'll have to go clothes shopping." You say. "So we can get some things that fit me, and more clothes for you."
Anna just sighed.
"Here's where I'd normally put up some resistance, and then you'll drag me off anyway, and literally everybody says I need to broaden my horizons and experience new things, so okay." Anna said. "Just tell me when."
"Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt some father-daughter bonding, but I'm looking forward to Sarvesh's sister myself. I wonder how big she'll be."
"So do I." She said.
"And what faction are you teaching your dad?"
"He really likes the Automatons." Anna said. "He thinks they're cute looking. Don't you play those?"
You nod.
"Well, he's way better at them than you are."

>>23719919
Voting to repeat this:
>>23719909

>>23719919
angry pout.
"hmph."

>>23719909
Lets save that until after we vote for our waifu.

>>23719909
I am in two minds, should we do this now, or after/during the shopping.

>>23719941
Fuck no. Do you have no class? Are you trying to cause trouble?

>>23719919
"Lies and slander! Nobody is better then me at automatons!"

"Let me see."

>>23719919
"I'm hurt, Anna."

"I was going to go shopping tomorrow, probably. Maybe visit my parents if I can book a FTL shuttle in time."

>>23719957
I'm not suggesting that we either accept or reject her, just that we get a confirmation on where she is.

We can tell her the same thing we told Sarvesh.

>>23719919

pout

"but they are indeed cute."

Einstein, eta on Sarvesh's guest?

>>23719919
"Everyone beats me at Futurecraft. At least I have an excuse when I lose to a supercomputer."

>>23719941
>>23719909
Too soon.

>>23719919
>"Well, he's way better at them than you are."
like that's fair, i'm not a super computer AI

>vote for our waifu.
And when is that Exabyte?

>>23720032
anna is best waifu, we can technopath her nerve implants

>>23720032
We haven't even had an intimate scene with Damien and/or Alex yet.

>>23719994
seconding about shopping trip

>>23720073
>Damien and/or Alex yet.
I don't think that's the holdup. Unless you mean we didn't get a confirmation that they have hots for Heather?

You give her an angry pout and a hmph.
"... So when did you want to do this shopping thing?" Anna asked, trying to stave off your pout.
"I was thinking of going tomorrow, probably. Maybe visit my parents if I can book an FTL shuttle in time."
"We have the Wyvern." Anna said. "You already helped me save my dad, so I might as well meet yours."

"Einstein, ETA on Sarvesh's guest?"
"There is currently a shuttle within nearby orbit, closing on the station." Einstein said. "Estimated time to docking, twenty minutes."

>>23720073
and/or Jilly and/or Summer

>>23720099
>"You already helped me save my dad, so I might as well meet yours."
"Perfect! We can even buy you more clothes."

>>23720099
Time to look visibly impatient.

"So...how are you holding up? I mean, having to part with your dad so quickly after finally seeing him again can't be too great."

>>23720099
Yes, excellent! You'll look really good in a sundress, and I can't wait to buy you a nice swimsuit.

Do you know how to swim?

>>23720099
sounds like a plan

>>23720139
this.

>>23720099


we can drag Anna along to the dock at a nice pace so she won't tire herself out to quickly.

>>23720099
"Thanks, Anna! I'm sure you'll love the place, it's really relaxing."

>>23720099
"I'm sure my parents will like you, Anna."

"So... how are you holding up?" You ask. "I mean, having to part with your dad so quickly after finally seeing him again can't be too great."

She tapped Renard.
"I ordered a router a few days ago." She said. "And then Dad told me how to put it in. He may as well be in this room, for how easily I can talk to him right now."

"Excellent! You'll look really good in a sundress, and I can't wait to buy you a nice swimsuit."
She visibly paled.

>>23720202
"What's wrong, Anna? You don't look so good. Do you not want to go shopping?"

>>23720202
"You don't know how to swim?"

>>23720202

"what? its very very sunny on (Heavens jewel was it?), perfect swimming weather."

>>23720202
"You can't swim?"

Obliviousness, go!

>>23720202
"You don't know how to swim? That's ok! I can teach you."

>>23720202
"Never been swimming? We can just go up to our knees if you don't feel like it."

>>23720202
"Is your anemia acting up? You got kind of pale."

"What? It's very sunny on Heaven's Jewel. Perfect swimming weather." You say. "You don't know how to swim? That's okay! I can teach you."
"I... uh." She said. "I can learn to swim - I heard it's a lot like zero-G - I just.. um, don't feel like flaunting all of my scars."

>>23720283
"No problem! We just get you a bodysuit swimwear."

>>23720283
"Oh! Sorry! I completely forgot. If you change your mind, I'm sure we can find somewhere that's unused. Like a lake."

>>23720283
"Oh, they're not that bad. I'm sure we can find a private pool or empty beach."

>>23720283
Oh. Oh.... Hm.

We can work something out.

We can get a one piece, I suppose, but they never looks as pretty.

How extensive are your scars? I need to know so I can find something in the catalogues.

Rolled 53

>>23720283
it isn't flaunting; and you needn't worry about it

>>23720283
"We can always get a private pool/beach/lake.
It will just be us two, so noone will know."

clueless Heather is a go~

>>23720283

"o-oh, I'm sorry, I hadn't thought about that. maybe a full body suite? or a nice secluded spot on a beach somewhere."

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>>23720283
>>23720307
this like the one for Muslim women she will look like a beach ninja

>>23720283
"There's all sorts of kinds of swimwear out there. I'm sure you'll find something modest enough for your tastes."

>>23720314
>This sounds way too forceful.

>>23720283
"If you change your mind I'm sure we can find an empty beach! It'll just be you and me then."

"Oh! Sorry! I completely forgot. I'm sure we can use our private pool, or an empty beach." You say, shooting her a grin. "It'll be just us two, so no one will know."
"That's... um, better." She responded.

>>23720377
this is good too

>>23720377
Its a shame you don't want to show off. You are very beautiful.

>>23720391
"Don't worry, I understand why you're self-conscious about them, but they really look pretty cool!"

>>23720391
"Now let's go! There is going to be a cute little girl to fawn over."

>>23720391

time to meet up with the rest of the welcoming committee?

I'm for taking Anna with us.

>>23720391
"I'm excited for it already. Trust me, you'll enjoy it once we get there!"

>>23720391
"Sarvesh's sister is probably here by now. I'm sure you'd love to meet her."

>>23720391
"Anna...do you...like me?" Make sure to mumble the last part out.

"Don't worry, I understand why you're selfconscious about them, but they look pretty cool!"
"The only scar I think looks good is the one the demiurg gave me, when some sort of... I don't know what they're called... like flying drills - bored through my armor and scraped up my arm." She said, and pulled back her sleeve to show you a long, dark scratch covering her arm, almost curling around. Her arm was much more muscular than you thought she'd be, due to her anemia.
"Now, let's go!" You say. "There's going to be a cute little girl to fawn over."

The cute little girl, a centaur with a pale, almost beige carapace, was a head taller than you. The cafeteria had just Sarvesh, Damien, Anna, and Summer in there, besides the girl.
She chirped loudly, and pulled you into a hug as her upper arms tugged you close.
"This one's hair is so cute!" She called out, her mental voice rather deep.
Sarvesh sighed.
"And this one is too!" She called out, and pulled Anna into a hug. "Though the second one's hair isn't so bhraskh. Hi! I'm Phelesvesh. Just Pheles to my friends, so you can call me that!"

>>23720538
please stop asking that, we've only shouted it down 5 times already.

>>23720557
"...you are not little..."
pout

>>23720557
"Hello! I'm Heather, and this is Anna."

>>23720557

"Hello, I'm Heather, a pleasure to meet you."

>>23720557
"You're so adorable, Pheles!" Pet her head.

>>23720582
that's a bit rude

>>23720557
"It's nice to meet you! My name's Heather, and your carapace is very pretty as well."

>>23720557
You're bigger then I was expecting.

>>23720628
>that's a bit rude
Heather is disappointed.

"... you are not little." You say. "Hello, I'm Heather. A pleasure to meet you. And this is Anna."
"I am pretty little. Sorry!" She said. Then she heaved you up into the air, and twisted her torso around, setting you down on her abdomen. Which, you now notice, was very different than sarvesh's. While his abdomen carapace was a single, thick shell, her own was several different layered plates, and she'd painted the edges of her carapace black, giving them much more definition.
"There, now you're taller than me." She said, her mandibles rubbing up against one another to make a sound similar to crickets. You got the impression that it was supposed to be a giggle.
You patted her head.
"You're so adorable, Pheles!"
"I know." She said. "I have all the warriors fighting over me.
"... Pheles." Sarvesh said.
"Hey, I'll have you know, I'm almost an adult." Pheles told him. "If you don't want the others to fight over me, then you'll have to."
She stuck out one of her tongues at him, poking it through her mandibles.

>>23720682
"ha ha ha"

>>23720682
"Pheles, it's not nice to tease your brother like that. Poor Sarvesh, stuck with a teasing younger sister."

>>23720682

"now now, be nice to each other."

Rolled 41

>>23720682
now now, that wouldn't be fair sarvesh could beat them with psionics or even just one arm; I should know I watched him build parts of it.

>>23720682
"Now now, play nice!"
"So, do you want to see psionics in action?"

"Pheles. It's not nice to tease your brother like that. Poor Sarvesh, stuck with a teasing younger sister."
"He deserves it." Pheles said. "He keeps baby pictures of me all the time, and shows them off to *everyone*."
"... He showed us, too!" Summer said, and giggled.

Pheles simply glared at Sarvesh.
"... Have you ever heard of.. lobster, Sarvesh?" She asked, her voice low.
"Um." He responded, and took a step back.
Pheles took a step forward, and you wobbled, unused to standing on a centaur's back.
"Well, what they do, is they take these hammers, Sarvesh, and -"
"Now, now, play nice." You say. Pheles took a deep breath, and sighed.
"Fiiine, I'll let it go this time."

>>23720813
"No offence, but lobster is delicious!"

>>23720813
"So, what do you do with your time, Pheles?"

>>23720813
"I ate lobster for breakfast, they are yummy!"

>>23720813
Lobster is pretty delicious though.

So what do you do with yourself, Pheles?

>>23720813
"Mmm, Lobster.

So, what do you do in your free time when you aren't tormenting Sarvesh and wrapping him around your little finger."

>>23720813
"Are you as good as Sarvesh at building things?"

Rolled 43

>>23720813
also they boil lobsters first then they eat them with hammers...it's less cruel that way...

>>23720955
>assuming boiling humans alive isn't cruel

"Lobster is pretty delicious, though."
"Is it?" Pheles asked. "I've never had it. Our homeworld doesn't import that sort of stuff."
"Are you as good as Sarvesh at building things?"
"Not at all, no. I'm bad with things like that, because when I was younger, I accidentally pulled my lower arms. So I never really learned to use them right."
"So what do you do with yourself, Pheles?"
"I'm still learning, mostly." Pheles says. "Schooling, and things like that. But on my free time, I'm getting really good at FutureCraft."
"What do you play?" Anna asked.
"The Tank Nomads are the best." Pheles said. "But I keep losing to someone who plays space commandos."
"Uh... What was her username?" Anna asked.
"Mobius Strip." Pheles said. "Why do you ask?"
"... No reason."

>>23720968
It's less cruel than breaking all your bones with a hammer, then flaying and eating you.

>>23720978
Giggle.

Guess who I taught how to play futurecraft!?

>>23720978

try to suppress our giggles.

"have you ever tried ice cream?"

>>23720978
"Heh. I think this calls for a group session, actually. I haven't tried it since learning technopathy too!"

>>23720978
"Oh god, not another person who can beat me at Futurecraft."

>>23721022
.... lets try to technopath our way to victory. Become one with the game. and lose anyway

>>23721046
Instead of cheating, maybe we should use our powers for good. Maybe making custom content for futurecraft? We could be the best modder ever.

>>23721096
I didn't mean actually cheating, more like assume direct control of the units with our mind and multitask and micro like hell.

>>23721096
>Actually, new futurecraft content is simple- you design a new faction, send it to Futurecraft Nexus, and they'll figure out if it's fun. If it is, they'll balance, model, and add sounds for it, for everyone. There's a reason there's over two hundred factions, of course.

"Oh god, not another person who can beat me at Futurecraft."
"I'm awesome at futurecraft!" She said, and punched the air with a pincer. "I could totally beat you."
You giggle. "Have you ever tried ice cream?"
"It's just cold sugary milk." She said. "It doesn't even sound good."
You give her a flat, even look, and Summer ran to the ice cream machine, grabbing enough for all of you, and gave her one. You notice that Pheles doesn't even use her lower arms at all, keeping them folded up, while she daintily grabbed the spoon with her pincers.

Then you notice small rubber bits on her lower arms' joints, and small metal screws stuck into them.

>>23721138
So, uh. <lick ice cream> What happened to your arms? Sarvesh uses them for everything.

>>23721138

"i don't mean to pry but, does that hurt?" regarding her lower arms

>>23721138
"You haven't lived until you've had iced cream."

"So uh." You say, scooping ice cream into your mouth. "I don't meen to pry, but what happened to your arms?"
"Pulled them." She said. "If what I know about human biology is right, it's kind of like... dislocating your arms. Except for me, it's permenant. Until I moult, at least. Until then, I have to keep these on.
"... Does that hurt?"
"It did at the time, and it can if I try to lift things that are too heavy, but I can still do things like hit buttons and flip pages and stuff."

>>23721226
That seems a bit unfortunate.

Do you plan on moulting any time soon?

>need sleep
>goodnight.

>>23721226
How did you manage to do that? Sarvesh is always careful with his lower arms.

>>23721226
"It must be pretty useful being able to moult. Being able to fix all the damage like that is pretty cool."

"That seems a bit unfortunate. How did you manage to do that? Sarvesh is always careful with his lower arms."
"... I went too close to a ridge. Fell." She said. "Caught myself with my lower arms. It was dumb."
"Do you plan on moulting any time soon? It must be pretty useful, being able to moult. Being able to fix all the damage like that is pretty cool."
"It is!" She said. "But centaurs didn't have any medical knowledge until we joined the UPA, because of that. I don't plan on moulting yet, though. Maybe later this weekend. You guys haven't seen a centaur moult, have you? I could show you, later!"
<She wants to become a doctor.> Sarvesh telepathized with you.

A doctor. Oooh. Centaurs or Multispecies? Though I imagine there aren't many who do go for a multple species degree. Imagine how long you'd have to study for.

>>23721389
You can decide just like that? I thought moulting was a big deal.

It's cool that you've got the little rubber things though. I guess Centaurs didn't need medical treatments when they could just moult.

Maybe now that you're with the UPA you could avoid moulting more often, and you can all live for longer.

Eye Sarvesh's metal arm.

>>23721389
"If you want to! It sounds cool."

"Is there anything you want to do now? We could show you the psionics stuff, or we could play futurecraft."

>>23721389
"That would be interesting to see, I've never seen that before.

What do you want to do Pheles? Do you want to see some Psychic stuff, play futurecraft, get the not-so-grand tour of the facilities?"

>>23721389
That sounds like an event we'll want to steel ourselves for mentally...

"You can decide just like that? I thought moulting was a big deal."
"It... kind of is a big deal, and it's not something you... decide, but more like you trigger it." She said.
"That would be interesting to see. I've never seen that before."
"Then I'll think about it." She said, making a cricket noise again.
"Is there anything you want to do, Pheles? Do you want to see the psionics stuff, play futurecraft, get the not-so-grand tour of the facilities?"
"Well, I saw the psion stuff earlier, when the little canine showed up to steal Sarvesh away." Pheles said. "Let's play some futurecraft!"

Some time later... you can't believe your eyes.
You actually, *actually* beat someone. Pheles didn't have near enough materials, and stayed in the same place the entire game, and then her defenses were weak eventually. Of course, a few minutes after you crush her underfoot with an army of cute robots, you were crippled by commandos, and finally destroyed by Summer's and Sarvesh's alllied armies of wildlings.

Pheles sighed, and sat down next to you, watching Summer and Sarvesh both whispering to one another, teaming up against Anna.
"... You're really good!" Pheles said.

>>23721566
Thanks! I just look out for my little robots and I always win.

Except against Anna. She's really good.

>>23721566
"That was my first victory. ever."

Let's use Technopathy to help out Anna.

>>23721566
"I'm not really that good. Anna beats me most of the time."

Use Technopathy to see how the game is going and see how wide a field of view we can get.

>>23721601
What are you talking about anon, we win ALL THE TIME i know we don't but we try, damnit!

>>23721601
This, give her a helping hand.

>>23721601
She probably doesn't need to cheat to win.

You hone in on the game with your telepathy, trying to figure out a general picture of how things are going.
Neither Summer or Sarvesh knew much about the game, but they were really trying - they learned just this game how to play, which is why they teamed up, but when they put their heads together, they were actually rather good.

Anna's group of commandos, each armed with flamethrowers to burn down the wildlings, snuck into the back of the base... and you decide to help her a little. You send both Summer and Sarvesh a 'we're under attack' message in the corner of the map, and both their armies left. Then, slowly, carefully, the commandos snuck into the mining area, and just when they were about to set everything ablaze...
They exploded in a blast of blue light. Damien's crystalline, magic-casting race descended from the sky, beams of blue light crashing through Anna's commandoes, and then taking that opportunity to cripple Summer and Sarvesh's mining areas. Their army started to come back when more traps activated, destroying their armies as well.

Damien's victory.

"You guys completely forgot about me." He said, grinning. "Did I mention that I really like triggered spellglyphs?"

>>23721680
You're really sneaky Damien.

>>23721680
"That's...you realize you could be the unbeatable champion, right?"

"You're really sneaky, Damien." You say, and look through the replay.
He'd set those traps at the *very start* of the game, and went to go hide and mine in his little corner of the world.
".. That's... you realize you could be the unbeatable champion, right?"
"How do you know I'm not?" He asked. "I could always be under a pseudonym."
Anna just glared at him.
"I've changed my mind about you again." She said, and frowned. "It's just a game, and you really had to stoop to use your powers on it?!"
"Yeah." Summer said, turning to him. Sarvesh just shrugged.

>>23721740
Start giggling. "You have to admit that it's kind of funny, it's not polite, but it is funny.

I could probably beat him though if we both started using psychic powers."

>>23721740
"Yeah, who would use their powers on a game, that's so cheating."

"But... So is teaming up" look at Summer and Sarvesh

>>23721740
We could all use our powers. Then we'd be equal."

It's official, Damien's a Wizard.
I prepared Explosive Runes this morning

>>23721769
Not really. Heather, Anna, and Sarvesh don't really have powers that are really good for cheating at Futurecraft.

>>23721769
Not really. Anna's and Summer's powers are useless at futurecraft. Damien's are really good. Ours can just send us straight to the "you win" screen one second in. How is that equal?

>>23721740
"I have no strong feelings one way or the other."

"I bet I could beat you if I used my powers, though."

>>23721740
"That's cheating!"
"And so is unofficial teaming up."

"That's cheating!" You say, and turn to Sarvesh and Summer."And so is unofficial teaming up.
"We've never played the game before." Sarvesh said. "We thought it would be fair, as we'd have to fight eachother at the end."

While you all sat on the floor in the corner of the cafeteria, with your personacoms ready, Alex walked in, an earbud in his ear.
"... Oh, do we have another centaur student?" Alex asked.
"I'm Pheles!" Pheles said.
"... I'm sorry, I can't understand you." Alex said. "My brain does weird things to your powers."
"Oh, okay, then I'll just speak english." Pheles said. Your brain didn't translate anything, this time, her voice humanish. "I'm Pheles, Sarvesh's sister. I'm just visiting."
"Oh! Nice to meet you." Alex said, grinning and holding out a hand. She took it in her pincer, and they shook hands.

>>23721841
Grab Alex's hand.

I beat her in Futurecraft!

>>23721841
"I didn't know you could speak English. Sarvesh, can you speak English too?"

>>23721841
I finally found somebody I can beat in Futurecraft, Alex!

>>23721841
"This is Alex, he's so much of a butt that we can't do psychic stuff to him.

Alex, I finally found someone I could beat at Futurecraft."

"I didn't know you could speak english." You say.
"I learned!" She said. "Sarvesh, can you speak english too?"
"He chose german because it sounds more like our language." Pheles said.
You grab Alex's other hand. "I beat her in futurecraft!"
"... Did she play with her eyes closed?" He asked, without missing a beat.
"I played with eyes wide open!" Pheles said. "Your lover's really good at the game!"
There was a pause.
"... I think you said that wrong." Alex said. "Used the wrong word."
"What word should I use instead?"
"... Uh, Friend is more fitting." Alex said, his voice very careful.

>>23721976
"Friend is good, yes."

>>23721976
FRIEND. DEFINITELY FRIEND.

I've known Alex since we were tiny, it would be strange to date him.

"Friend is good, yes." You say. "Definitely friend. I've known Alex since we were tiny. It would be strange to date him."
"It wouldn't be *that* strange, would it?" Alex asked.
Pheles seemed to sense something you didn't, and took a step back.

>>23721976
"Yes, friend. Lover would mean that we share a certain amount of physical intimacy that we do not possess."

Pull Alex into a noogie.

Rolled 77

>>23722026
what about your girl Nadala?

>>23722026
"It would be kind of strange. And you already have a girlfriend, don't you?"

>>23722026
"I suppose it wouldn't be too strange. But I get the feeling that this is the sort of conversation that we ought to have in private, not in public."

>>23722026
Well, yeah, wouldn't it be? Besides, you've got your girlfriend back at Burer's Glyph.

>>23722026
"Yes it would! We have our freindship, doing that would just make things wierd and awkard."

>>23722026
"Either way it's not something I prefer, at least. Plus, you have Nadala."

>>23722026
"We can talk about how strange it would be later, in private, that okay with you Alex?"

"Well, yeah, wouldn't it be? Besides, you've got your girlfriend back at Burer's Glyph."
"Not anymore." He said, and shrugged. "She doesn't remember me, after the extranet was put back up. Apparently everyone remembers rioting, not anything else, and Nadala doesn't remember me at all."
He shrugged- but he was too tense to pull it off properly, making it look like he was doing it to deliberately seem casual.
"Anyway, I think I'm gonna go grab some dinner to go, and go back to the lab so they can give me more tests." He said.

>>23722103
"Oh. Okay. See you around."

"That was strange."

>>23722103
Give our bud a hug.

"We'll talk about it later."

>>23722103
"I'm sure you will find someone else."

>>23722103
"If you ever want to talk about...just come see me, okay?"

>>23722103
Oh, I'm sure we can find you a new girlfriend.

>>23722103
"They just all lost their memories? That's awful."

>>23722103
Awkwaaard.

"They just lost all their memories? That's awful."
"At least I don't have the hospital bills anymore." He said, in a low voice, as he grabbed his food.
"If you ever want to talk about..." You say. "Just come see me, okay?"
"Sure, whatever." He said, and left.

"That was strange." You say.
"... Y-yeah, it was." Pheles said, and looked over to the rest of the group, who didn't seem to have noticed Alex had even arrived, eating dinner while playing another game. Damien was just getting more and more frustrated as Summer stared at him, not even looking at her screen.
"Damnit, summer, stop changing your mind! You're making it impossible to play!"
"Anna, is he destroyed yet?"
"Now he is." Anna said. "Truce over?"
"Yep!"
"Damnit." Damien said.

>>23722201
Laugh. "Damien, you're focusing too much on your future sight advantage. You have to keep the pressure on and then use your sight to counter what they throw at you, and if they switch gears half way through they'll cripple their economy or unit composition so they can't."

>>23722201
"You started without me!"

Rolled 92

>>23722201
Hehehe

Run over to Damien's computer, and Technopathy him back into the game, as if he'd started over.

Then shout out "Nope, he's still playing!"

"I just wanted to see you lose again."

Rolled 60

>>23722201
"he had some problems with how he came to be here...I hope he's okay..."

>>23722244
>>23722249
>>23722251
Ice cold.

Rolled 47

>>23722251
don't announce it, just make it so...

with a small stock of resources perhaps...

>>23722201
Pause the game and make a little "Heather Wins!" message with cheering cute robots scroll across their screens. They think they can stop our might just by not letting us play?

>>23722280
this

Rolled 33

>>23722280
Ok, so do the restart for Damien mentioned here >23722251 then a few minutes later, spawn hundreds and thousands of cute robots to swarm the map and destroy everything and call it a Heather's victory

>>23722280
hehe, do this.

>>23722280
Even better, just start spawning little robots all over the map and destroy everything, then go to heather wins screen

>>23722299
>>23722307
But that ruins their game, whereas just pausing it means we can let them go back to it afterwards.

>>23722331
You have a point.

Closing your eyes, you slowly technopath into the computer, and then pause the game.
"Who paused it?" Anna asked.
Next, you ask their personacoms to display a certain overlay.
"Heather Wins!" Damien's personacom chirped, as small robots danced around the screen.
"... You know your username is Arcturus, right?" Summer asked, giggling.
You unpause it, and give her a Frown.
"You started it without me!" You say.
"We wanted to see who would win between Sarvesh and me against Anna." Summer said. "It'll be short."
"Especially since I'm going to win." Anna said.

>>23722346
"Keep on playing then. I'll be watching."

>>23722346
"Good luck to you all."

>>23722346
"Why are you so ridiculously good at this game, anyway?"

"Keep on playing, then. I'll be watching."
Summer's wildlings wandered the map, while Sarvesh grew small plant defenses around his base. Anna's commandos, incendary grenades in hand, snuck into the base... and then Sarvesh's trap came to light, as wildlings poured out of the ground, not-cougars and not-lions and not-wolves pouncing on the commandos, tearing them apart.
Anna frowned.
"That was rather easy, actually." Sarvesh said. "Made a weak point in my defenses on purpose, and kept some of my soldiers burrowed."
Summer grinned, and then the battle between her and Sarvesh started. It was long, and bloody, as the two novices fought tooth and claw, alien bear fighting against alien hawk, until finally, finally... Summer's final soldier killed Sarvesh's final soldier.

Hers was a not-tiger.
"I win!" Summer said, grinning. "Because I'm awesome."

>>23722461
"You won, because you're awesome."

Give the Tiger a hug and some scritches.

"You also did well Sarvesh."

Give him a hug as well, we can't really give him scritches though.

Rolled 27

>>23722496
Seconded, but hug the tiger in the game.

>>23722461
"You did great! And that was a smart trap, Sarvesh, guess Anna got overconfident."

>>23722461
"You guys are naturals at this game."

"You won, becauase you're awesome." You say, and technopath into the game, creating a virtualized image of yourself hugging the not-tiger at the same time as you hug Summer.
"And that was a smart trap, Sarvesh. Guess Anna got overconfident."
"Yeah, I did." Anna said.
"You guys are naturals at this game." You say.
"There are loss of kinds like it." Summer said. "I used to play games all the time when Winter went to school."
Sarvesh just shrugged. "Perhaps even low level clairvoyance helps us with these sorts of exercises. We do, after all, have incredible intuitions because of it." Sarvesh said.
Damien just grumbled.
Pheles giggled, and pulled Sarvesh into a hug, rapping her pincer on his chest.

>>23722619
Maybe you'll have to actually get good, Damien, instead of just relying on your Clairvoyance.

>>23722631
To be fair, it's the only way he can see and he's said he can't really control how far he sees.

>>23722654
Well learning how to not use his power is probably something he should learn anyway.

>>23722619
"You didn't go to school yourself, Summer?"

"Maybe you'll have to actually get good, Damien, instead of just relying on your clairvoyance."
Damien grumbled, and you turned to Summer.
"You didn't go to school yourself, Summer?"
"I learned as much as I could on the extranet, and Winter always told me a lot, and I helped her with her homework, but no, I didn't go until now." Summer said.

>>23722691
"You seem to be doing pretty well. I admit many schools would have been confused by a tiger showing up to class one day.

Sarvesh, what's the school system like with your tribe?"

>>23722691
"Huh, why not? Did you get homeschooled then?"

"You seem to be doing pretty well. I admit many schools would have been confused by a tiger showing up to class one day."
"There are special classes for uplifts, but Winter's school didn't have one." Summer said.
"Did you get homeschooled, then?"
"A little, yeah, but not much. They just taught me how to use the extranet and told me to teach myself."

"Sarvesh, what's the school system like with your tribe?"
"We're more based toward certain trades." Sarvesh said. "Instead of the well-rounded education system, we learn a little about everything and when we decide what we want to be, we're taught exclusively toward that trade."
"Sarvesh didn't ever choose anything." Pheles said. "He kept changing his mind all the time. Flipflopper. Like a fish!"
Sarvesh sighed.
"Don't worry, I still love you, Sarvy." She added.

>>23722691
But but but but How would you make friends without school??

school is meant to be compulsory to everybody below a certain age.

>>23722771
"That sounds like him, always wanting to learn something new. But he probably came out rather well-rounded because of it.

What were your favorite subjects Sarvy?"

Rolled 76

>>23722771
it seems to me he wanted to be a "Renaissance man" or a "jack of trades" lots of humans have gotten successful like that and for all any of us know the first one of those to come out of your species is standing right here being picked on by his little sister

>>23722771
Some famous philosopher once said that "a Human must learn to do everything." I couldn't bear to be stuck with only one thing to learn. Even when I was building robots with Mum it was a mixture of circuits, mechanics and programming. I was pretty terrible at programming though.

Hey, maybe it'll be easier now I have technopathy!

>>23722771
"Huh, I would have thought you'd pick something mechanics-related."

"That sounds like him, always wanting to learn something new. But he probably came out rather well-rounded because of it." You say. "What were your favorite subjects, Sarvy?"
"I've been a fan of literature, actually." Sarvesh said.
You nod.
"Huh, I would have thought you'd pick something mechanics-related."
"I did pick it, for a while. Then I found history more interesting. Ancient centaur tribes were actually rather interesting."
Anna just stretched, and grabbed some food. "Okay, after this food break, let's play some more Futurecraft." She said, with a slight grin.
<... Pay me in resources and I'll fight for you, next game.> She messaged you, with a grin.

>>23722942
.... deal

>>23722942
<If we're dealing under the table like this, why not a secretive alliance instead?>

Also, let's use Technopathy for massive amounts of micro and macro.

Rolled 63

>>23722942
<and when I needed those resources to beat you after you trounce them? also; quit listening in damien>

>>23722942
Sure, I never get around to using <High level resource> anyway. You've got to protect my 'bots.

Put a Pizza on to reheat.

"I'm going to win! Isn't that right, Damien?"

>>23722942
"You'll have to tell me more about that some time."

<Deal. I'll take care of the macro.>

We'll supply her with resources, let her fight people for us, build up an army, and then cut off her resources and smash her.

>>23722942
<Sure, you got it.>

"So, what do you study, Pheles?"

She doesn't know Sarvesh told us, right?

>>23722942
<Deal.>
Give her a bit of dosh to weaken the others for us while we set up a massive army just outside her sight range, then crush her.

<Deal!> You say. <I'll take care of the macro.>

You start up heating the pizza, as everyone pushes the tables together, and started play.

Anna's Commandos crushed everyone underfoot, making small secret attacks on almost everybody, cutting apart large armies before battles could be started in earnest.
"So, what do you study, Pheles?"
"Multispecieal medical science." She responded, one of her mandibles in her mouth as she tried to keep her tanks out of harm's way from Anna's rampaging commandos. "A doctor, for nagala, and humans, and centaurs. That's what I've been learning."
"I'm going to win! Isn't that right, Damien?" You ask.
Damien shrugged. "I promised not to look forward for the entire game." He responded.

Then, sometime after almost everyone but you had been cut to ribbons by Anna's commandos, you were about to win, until...
Your main structure suddenly exploded, bombs set up inside of it, and your entire economy vanished almost instantly, as Anna made swift work of the rest of your soldiers.

The game ended... and the stats were astounding.
Anna had almost eight million points in resources. You'd only given her two million of those.
She'd made dealings with *everybody*, and swept through them all like a grim reaper... and then you realized something.

Anna's commandos didn't use resources at all.

"I win!" She said, giving everyone an evil, evil grin.
>End of thread.

>>23723094
You monster.

>>23723094
What are you doing, Heather? You're meant to betray her as soon as possible so that she can't betray you first.

>>23723094
10/10. Master troll plays by Anna. Effectively crippled everyone else by taking away a huge chunk of their resources.

>>23723094
Use our most lethal weapon.

angry pout.

>>23723094
Ooooh, she's in for a pout and some guilting now.

I know it probably wasn't appropriate at the time, but next thread we really should hunt down Alex and talk to him. That deal with being in a relationship probably hit him really hard really wrongly when he realized, 'oh wait all those feelings were for naught and she doesn't even remember me anymore'. Plus he just generally seemed upset and barely hiding it.

>>23724617
Yeah...
What would get me is: was it ever real? Maybe the groundcar crash and everything was set up by the Void Queen so she'd have an agent in the right place when the riots started. Maybe the reason she doesn't remember you at all is because she was mind controlled the whole time. There's no way of knowing. Shit sucks.

>>23724617
I agree, even if we don't have feelings for him he IS one of our oldest friends.

>>23724617
Yeah.

>>23724617
We could take him tomorrow, maybe? Or talk to him before we leave.