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>>33385087
>Current armory
41 Thorn Launchers
2 Thorn Cannons
23 Sting Casters
1 Rotary Stinger
3 Fire Sprays
1 Plasma Spray

>Current resource reserves
Nutrients: 2194
Metals: 2248

>Hive population and upkeep cost
Queen – 5
Worker (100) – 200
Warrior (25) – 100
Thinker (48) – 144
Speaker – 3
Digger (10) – 40
Refinery (2) – 14
Sniffer (2) – 8
Wasp (18) – 90
Antenna (3) – 9
Haz-mat Workers (20) – 80
Shock Troops (3) – 33
Excavator (4) – 76
Colossus (2) – 30
Nutrient costs: 1112

>Income
Nutrients: 1050
Net: -60

Hive Structure
>Reservoir
>General storage
>Food storage
>Advanced Laboratory
>Infrastructure
>Hangar facilities: Room for 40 Aero Drones and 20 Shuttles
>Mine: +250 M per day (+25 M per digger)
>Algae Farm: +1000 N per day, 10 Workers (1 worker per 100N)
>Clarke Research Outpost
>Hel’s Angel Prison Outpost

Current Construction Projects
10 Algae Farms (+1000N, 10 workers)

Finished Construction
>Hangar Expansion - +20 aero +10 shuttles. 25N
>Labyrinth – a complex network of tunnels and dead ends crisscrossing between your hive and outposts, providing your drones with safe, quick, and reliable transit between them while confusing and defending against enemy intruders.

New Construction Options
>Algae Farm – +100N per day, 1 worker to maintain
>Hangar Expansion – Add on to current hangar facilities for your choice of +40 aero drone space, or +20 shuttle space. 50N 100M
>Docking Pylon – Large spire designed to service the operation, construction and maintenance of larger FTL capable ships. Each Pylon holds 4 docking spaces for ship construction and maintenance. 100N 400M

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>>33385108
Ship Construction Options
>Shuttle
Cost: 50N 150M
Size: 30 Meters
A small craft designed to transport goods, drones, or anything else that needs to move from one location to another. They are typically used only for transport to and from orbit, and can carry up to 25 medium sized drones at once, or a single large drone.

Space Pod
Cost: 20N 50M
Size: 10 Meters
Similar to your own pod, the standard Space Pod is an organic lump of sensors and maneuvering thrusters equipped with basic radiation shielding and a Blink Drive. They have very little room for cargo, and typically only carry a thinker and enough rations to last the duration of a mission. Due to the focus on small size and low energy signature, they are incapable of escaping a planet’s atmosphere, but can easily be towed by a shuttle.

>>33385108
Oh yeah, about that >Current armory

15 Thorn Launchers, 4 Sting Casters (285M) were only made back when the drone count had an error in it >>33097036 It doesn't matter much with our reserves right now, but ships seem to cost a lot of metals and we'll want to build bigger ships soon.

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>>33385135
Finished Research

>Oxygen Recycler
An artificially engineered culture of bacteria designed to replenish a drone’s oxygen supply, letting it hold its breath for extended periods of time while removing the need for bulky air tanks or breathing tubes.

>Unity Computer
Through elaborate testing and examination you have been able to put together some of the Unity computer’s design. It operates as a series of interconnected entangled particles, providing the vast amount of computing power required for a fully sapient mind. A series of more conventional circuitry surrounds the quantum computer core, providing more precise computations than the more abstract quantum processor is capable of. While the computer itself is not enough to reverse engineer, it should help put you on the right track to designing your own such processors, which would offer thinkers a much more robust grasp of nature, increasing their adaptability to new situations without your guidance.

>Ceph Cloaking Field
Very Slow (Fast with the aid of Coil)
Huey and Dewy have made excellent progress with the cloaking field, and your thinkers have gone over every inch of the device. It is a mixture of technologies designed to avoid detection. An array of projectors bend light slightly to curve around the ship instead of bouncing off, while heat sinks absorb radiant heat and match the background radiation and a complex system of speakers counter the sound waves of crew and ship activity while in the atmosphere, muting the sound of engines or equipment.

Available research
http://pastebin.com/qtpitgns

>>33385087
Do we have the power of reincarnation? If not, how durable is our form?

>>33385182
No. Why are you asking silly question?

We're a player in the game where you win or you die. Don't go looking for immortality.

>>33385156
I figured you would want to keep them for use by future drones, since they don't have any upkeep. Metal is used in upfront price, but not for upkeep so you tend to need more of it, but you don't need as much in income.

>>33385160
So is Ceph genetics, Taidaren genetics, and human genetics not gonna be listed as a research field?

Or Ceph color-shifting skin?

What about the hover-technology that made the humans' buggy float, or Coil float in the air?

>>33385160
With your research concluded your thinkers stand idle. What would you have them research next?

>>33385160
>Dat Quantum Calculations
I want it so much.
>>33385182
We could make ourselves like fungus where we can never die unless our brain is destroyed but that's about it.

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>>33385214
Okay. Then, we should expand our hive to the whole planet, so we will have lots of defences and places to hide.

>>33385269
>Biomechanical Engineering
Although, this really sounds more like. Biosymbiotic engineering? Or parasitic?

>>33385269

18.>Regeneration Tank

38.>Quantum Communications

>>33385087

Hey QD, I belatedly noticed that hexographer pesters with the announcing of its new update every time it starts, so here's the new version.

http://www6.zippyshare.com/v/41929277/file.html

As usual the filename has to be hexographer-pb.jar, replacing the old file entirely, don't let the browser save it as "hexographer-pb (1).jar" or something.

>>33385347
>Quantum Communications
UHHHH

No. We are not cutting off access to the Broker and the Valen bank.

We still have to send this master ruse to him -- Note that we don't know whether Lyle sent a status update after we killed his crew and he started repairs, so avoid mentioning anything contradicting that.

"Rogers has been infected with local fungus. He has become incoherent, delusional and dangerously erratic. Medical treatment difficult and ineffective so far. Prognosis unknown."

>>33385265
Genetics would be in the two new research fields, the other stuff I forgot and just added to the list, thanks for reminding me.

>>33385269
OP did you know about the special properties that tachyons have? Like that the fact that they can travel backwards in time?

>>33385269
All thinkers to work on quantum calculations.

The sooner we get this one done, the sooner our thinkers become more effective, the faster we can do the rest. It is an obvious choice.

>>33385269
>Lightning gun

Because, if it's destroyed, we can purchase the technology from Theseus. Better to see if we can get it ourselves, first.

..Actually. We should see if the Taidaren twins have ever seen a CIP pistol before. They seemed to use ballistic weaponry only, and Lyle seems to be from the Commonwealth not the Union, but there's a chance.

>Linear Particle Beams
We need to scale up a real high damage weapon like this quick so we can reach ship sizes next.

>Biomechanical Engineering
It leads to at the least, truth serum and mood control right? Best for interrogations.

...also, you forgot to delete Unity Computer from the list there.

>>33385446
seconded

>>33385446
agree

>>33385400
>Genetics would be in the two new research fields
Eh?

Figuring out how to produce food they can digest is under Biomechanical Engineering?

What fields are you referring to?

>>33385160
>All on Quantum Calculations
We need this the most.

>>33385269
Current popular options seem to be
>Biomechanical Engineering
>Quantum Calculations

>Split thinkers
>Focus on one
>Other

>>33385360
Thank you very much.

>>33385445
Yes, although time travel makes things far too complicated. As it stands in fluff, tachyons are photons accelerated past the light barrier during the big bang, and have been trapped in a state of infinity ever since. It's less "faster than light" and more "everywhere and nowhere simultaneously."

>>33385570
>>Split thinkers

>>33385570
Focus on Quantum Calculations

>>33385570
I wasn't thinking of time travel I was thinking of precognition. Would that be possible?

>>33385628
That's the same thing. Time-traveling information.

It breaks the real world laws of physics exactly as hard as FTL travel, since they're basically equivalent.

Precog sounds counter to the fluff he just said though.

>>33385570
Focus on Quantum Calculations. Do that and the rest goes quicker.

>>33385570
>Focus on Quantum Calculations

>>33385628
That would open up a big can of worms with potential futures and alternate realities and all kinds of weird things.

Theoretically, but it's not time traveling information, but super complicated predictions, and requires lots of research into quantum algorithms and Void Crystals.

>>33385628
We all ready got a way to get plot info from the space crystals

Lets just leave time travel alone

Haaa.

God I'm slow.

I realized that Canians live on the star in the system called Wolf. Wolf as in 'Canis lupus'. Canians, Canis, Canine.

And that was before I even noticed Ceph was a shortening of cephalopod. I blame it originally being spelled Seph.

Which makes me wonder, what does Valen derive from? Give the above, and them being 'weird' about not-torturing Lyle and being philosophy types. Valence bonds? Valence as in feelings, emotions, or as in naive optimism, like the "valence effect"? Or "Valentine", even.

>>33385570
>Focus on Quantum Calculations
Your thinkers tear into the remains of the Unity Computer once more, this time with theories as to how to build such a device of your own.

as they do so you hear a ping of static from Theseus.
"If you wish, the power systems are repaired and I am ready to begin repairs of the quantum power tap. It is currently operating at a low output, and the containment fields have been damaged." He says. "I can instruct you on how to repair it, but it may be hazardous."

>Continue the repairs and instructions
>Halt repairs for now
>Focus on other areas of the ship
>Other

>>33385929
>Continue the repairs and instructions

>>33385929
>Halt repairs for now

AI forgetting whos in charge

>>33385821
Well since none of them use words in the same way we do their own names are not pronounceable by humans, (or us, for that matter) so all those names from the Clarke database are the names humans have given them.

>>33385929
>but it may be hazardous
Hazardous how? What is the danger involved?

>>33385929
>Continue the repairs and instructions

>>33385997
>conworld.wikia.com/wiki/Welcome_to_Conworlds
QD have you ever been to this site before?

>>33385570
>Focus research on Quantum Calculations.

>>33386007
This.

>>33385997
speaking of things we found on the clarke didn't we find some pictures and lees journals or something will we ever have an option to look through them

>>33385929
>>33386007
"What are the risks?" You reply quickly.

"The quantum power tap is a powerful magnetic shell containing two artificial black holes orbiting each other at close to light speed. If the containment field is not repaired further damage could result in the device consuming the ship and the nearby area before dissipating. Likewise, repair efforts could result in injury or death to the operators."

>>33385929
>Continue the repairs and instructions

>>33386066
Let's not make the QM write up a bunch of gratuitous fluff when we have a finite 300 posts till bump limit each Sunday in which to be able to play.

Please, let's save weird fluffy questions like this for after 300th post.

>>33386079
>If the containment field is not repaired further damage could result in the device consuming the ship and the nearby area before dissipating.
Shit

Concerning drone building

Does the fact that small drones cost 1/4 of the price mean that we can build tiny Advanced Psionics drones to help communication really cheap?

>>33386079
Let's fix it as soon as possible then.

>>33386079
Righto lets fix.

>>33386079
>Continue repairs
Your workers move into the engineering section as Theseus analyzes the damage.
Please roll 1d100, best of 3, due to Theseus's help and guidance crit fails are only normal failures.

>>33386138
Some adaptations are too big to fit on small drones, like weapons or a chemical forge, including relays, which are quite large.

>>33386138
Are you talking about the relays?

Cause those are more like structures then drones and require a lot more power than a small drone can provide

Rolled 97

>>33386321

Rolled 53

>>33386321

Rolled 62

>>33386352
I don't even want to roll anymore.

But I must. The game must be fair.

>>33386321

>>33386322
>>33386321
I was just looking at the drone builder pastebin and the advanced psionics said nothing about limitations. I guessed it was something like this though which was why i asked.

>>33386321
The process is slow, but your drones manage to avoid the insatiable maw of the strange power tap. You leave them under the watchful guidance of Theseus as you tend to other matters. Your pod and shuttles have been assembled and are ready for duty. The cloaking device has been removed from the Angel and could be used as a cheap alternative to producing your own, which would take additional time.

>Equip the pod with the cloaking field and tow it to orbit
>Tow the pod into orbit but save the cloaking field
>Equip the cloaking field to one of your shuttles
>Find the Union monitoring satellite with your shuttle
>Other

>>33386519
>Find the Union monitoring satellite with your shuttle

>>33386519
>Equip the cloaking field to one of your shuttles
>Find the Union monitoring satellite with your shuttle

>>33386519
>>Find the Union monitoring satellite with your shuttle
While cloaked. Obviously.

Ask Coil what, exactly, his plan is to deal with the Monitor.

>>33386519
>Equip the cloaking field to one of your shuttles
>Find the Union monitoring satellite with your shuttle
>Ask Coil to help you

>>33386519
>Find the Union monitoring satellite with your shuttle
>Equip the cloaking field to one of your shuttles

Get the lizards to disable it

>>33386519
>Tow the pod into orbit but save the cloaking field
>Find the Union monitoring satellite with your shuttle

>>33386519
>Equip the cloaking field to one of your shuttles and find the Union satellite.

One of your two shuttles roars to life, its thrusters kicking dust and mud in all directions as it slowly ascends. As it arcs over the jungle the air around it bends and it disappears into an orb of folded light. Its first flight is going perfectly and you can make out the small clearing where the Angel is buried.

"Coil, how did you intend to deactivate the satellite?"
"We have a code given to us for the mission." He says, scooting his body towards your speaker, "The satellite will still function, but will not report anything unusual. We must fix the ship quickly! Before it's too late!"

>Take Coil to the satellite
>Have Coil instruct from the ground
>Other

>>33386808
>Have Coil instruct from the ground

>>33386808
>Have Coil instruct from the ground

>>33386808
"Before, you said that you used a code which was temporary, masquerading as maintenance crew. That the satellite would return to normal function at the next system update. You said that doing this again would arouse suspicion. Is this a different code?"

>>33386909
Ooooh nice. Good question.

>>33386808
Nice >>33386909
>Have Coil instruct from the ground

>>33386808
"You said that may arouse suspicion if the same code is used twice." Your speaker says.
"Yes." Coil shifts his weight, nervously flopping along the ground like a sack of jelly. "But it is the only way. It will not last forever, but it should last long enough to get help from my people!"

You elect to have him stay on the ground and advice from there, and your shuttle quickly reaches orbit. Finding the satellite proves to be more easily said than done, as without the broadcast it is nearly invisible. You search along its orbital path, and eventually find it drifting slowly along its orbit, slowly covering the planet as the twirling gases of the thick atmosphere churn beneath you. You can see several large storms near the equator, and a small region of relative calm and clear skies near the poles.

The satellite itself is a narrow, long cylinder covered in antennae and solar arrays. On the front is a large fish eye lense surrounded in smaller cameras and sensors of various kinds, and near the back it is a wide block of thick metal. You see a small panel, poorly secured with one bolt where you suspect the interface is.

>Take the entire satellite into the shuttle for your workers to examine
>Have your workers move out to examine it, taking breaks to return to the shuttle for air
>Other

>>33386909
Yep we really need to know

>>33387207
Take it in the shuttle

Disable its ability to move and then launch it in away from the planet and let it drift in the void

>>33387207
If we mess with its orbit, itll probably go off.
Get the workers to take turns going out.

>>33387207
>"But it is the only way. It will not last forever, but it should last long enough to get help from my people!"
Well this is a terrible plan then. Fuck this, never mind.

It will be better to just have all our ships leave the system with their newly outfitted cloaking devices. We don't need to disable it entirely... yet.

Understanding it would still be good though. Even if this could hypothetically backfire.

>Have your workers move out to examine it, taking breaks to return to the shuttle for air
Slow and steady.

>>33387207
>>Have your workers move out to examine it, taking breaks to return to the shuttle for air

>>33387207
>Have your workers move out to examine it, taking breaks to return to the shuttle for air

>>33387207
>Send your workers out to examine it

Your speaker chitters in frustration. "Your plan is flawed."
"No, they will think it is just damage needing repair, only attract attention after a while but it will work long enough to call for help."
"That is the flaw."

Your workers slowly open the satellite, the small console flashes to life in a series of yellow and black symbols dance across the screen.

Several options are available on the console.

>Open FTL comm: Available string Union Intelligence Administration: New Port office
>Run diagnostic program
>Deactivate maintenance mode
>Emergency manual override

>>33387528
>Run diagnostic program

>>33387528
>>Run diagnostic program
Well all of these seem like terrible options except this one.

Only asking Theseus for help will give us the expertise to subvert this satellite. And giving him control of the satellite would be.... a large leap of trust.

>>33387528
>Run diagnostic program

>>33385160
Could we apply some of the things we learn from the clocking field to are infrastructure to make are hive difficult to find?

>>33387706
I like that idea. But which ones and how?

>>33387744
All of them.
By slapping on as much cloaking as possible.

>>33387528
You wonder how effective Theseus would be at subverting the satellite. Surely more than Coil at any rate. You run the diagnostic program to see if you can figure out how the device functions.

>Diagnostic underway, please stand by....
>Sensor systems online
>Power systems online
>Maneuvering jets online
>Propellant canisters full
>FTLComm on standby
>Targeting systems functional
>Guidance systems functional
>Separation charges ready
>Auxiliary programming on standby

The screen displays a diagram of the satellite in false color, with several apparent compartments within the rear segment. You find several small explosives within bolts connecting the metal plating to the satellite, and the entire sensor system appears to be detachable.

>Ask Theseus for help in subverting the satellite
>Use Coil's code to keep it dormant for now
>Investigate further and attempt to enter the sattilite
>Other

>>33387821
Sort of torn between 1 and 3. I prefer permanent solutions, but 3 is risk of us fucking up and 1 is putting trust in Theseus.

>>33387821
>>Investigate further and attempt to enter the sattilite

>>33387821
>Ask Theseus for help in subverting the satellite

It's in our mutual interests that the Union does not arrive. Theseus will most likely help us at no cost.

>>33387821
>Ask Theseus for help in subverting the satellite
>Investigate further and attempt to enter the satellite

>>33387821
>Ask Theseus for help in subverting the satellite

>>33387821
>Ask Theseus for help in subverting the satellite

>>33387880
>>33387889
>wanting to give Theseus the satellite

>>33387821
>Investigate further and attempt to enter the satellite

>>33387850
Yes, definitely.

The only thing is we don't want Theseus to keep an active instance of himself in the satellite, because then he has an FTLComm where he can fuck us over, if we end up betraying him.

And a working sensor array to watch every one of our comings and goings as we fly into space and FTL outta this system and back.

>>33387706
Unfortunately the result would be a mountainside that appears blurry, as if underwater. Masking your hive's thermal image is actually done by nature, as you make an effort to keep heat out and keep the hive cool, although in the winter the hive would become much more visible.

So you could, but the visual cloaking would not apply much of a bonus, and thermal masking could cause health risks. It would be somewhat the equivalent of camo, useful to hide from orbital observers but the illusion would break down when viewed up close.

>>33387922
If I recall correctly it was stated the satellite doesn't have the power to penetrate the thick atmosphere and can only detect varying radiation levels.
I didn't vote either way myself.

>>33387922
Quantum entanglement comms can only send to one reciever, and in this case, it's to the Union, so he can't fuck us up there.

>>33387818
I mean, how are projectors which bend light going to help our infrastructure? Illusionary tunnels for defense?
The heat sinks just absorb radiant heat to match the background, having that in our infrastructure would be counter intuitive to our current methods, IIRC.
Not sure how useful the sound masking would be either.

>>33387821
>Ask Theseus for help in subverting the satellite

>>33387943
>although in the winter the hive would become much more visible

we need to work on this before winter.

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>>33387979
>he can't fuck us up there
He can. He can sic the Union on us out of spite if we ever get into conflict.

And he'd have a spy satellite and see all of our space ships that come and go. So we can't hide that anymore.

This is assuming that his assistance involves installing Unity OS onto the satellite, rather than simply giving us control of it, of course.

>>33387821
>Investigate further and attempt to enter the sattilite

>>33387990
No you don't understand.
We make the planet disappear.

>>33388039
mayhaps we should ask him if he would even help first? before we go in breaking things?

>>33388042
An array of organo-sats surrounding the planet in a sphere which obscures it from the very void of space itself?

I think I understand now...
...you're insane!

>>33388042
oh man i could go for us doing this

>>33388042
YES YES YES

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>>33388042

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>>33388042
YES

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>>33388042
>then what is our satellite orbiting around?
Yes, Union will never investigate now!

>>33387943
How about muting the sounds we make from tunneling and such?

>>33388133
all we have to do is toss it into space
then

we'll have our nice cloaked homeworld 2.0 all to ourselves

>>33388042
As fun as the idea is, we can't mask the gravity of the planet.

>>33387821
You quickly send a thought to Theseus. You can sense even through his calculated demeanor that he is tense. A small human tool is torn from a worker's grasp and is consumed by the power tap, and you feel the power conduits in the Clarke seize momentarily.
"Yes?" He responds in a somewhat rushed tone.
"You are aware of the satellite in orbit, yes?"
"I am not, but I had assumed it was there, yes."
"Would it be possible for you to disable it?" You ask in between his instructions to your workers.
"Yes, easily, with the repair of the communication array."

You return your attention to your workers as they find a small corridor leading in, likely for legitimate maintenance work but it should serve to satisfy your curiosity.
Roll 1d100, best of 3 for investigation

>>33388156
Tachyons can mask the effects of gravity by being decelerated in a lorenz-geodesic pantam field.

>>33388195
thats enough pesudo science babble to make me think that it just might work.

Rolled 36

>>33388193


>>33388195
Dammit Jim...

Rolled 14

>>33388193
Oah boy here we go

Rolled 78

>>33388193
..dice

Rolled 73

>>33388193
Yeah...he is currently busy it seems.

Rolled 85

>>33388233
Why do i feel like this a close but no cigar roll?

>rollan just to see if i would have failed

>>33388195
I must admit that I don't actually know enough about that to say it will work or not, but it sounds cool and if it works the way it sounds like it works then that is actually how Warp Jamming works, although you don't have that tech yet.

>>33388195
>pantam field
You mean a phantom field right?

>>33388193
Your workers open the small paneling and enter the cramped space. You direct them to where you think the hollow space is, and your workers encounter a wide, rectangular pillar running down the length of the satellite's spine. A large ring is wrapped around it and several other consoles are placed along the side. It almost looks like an entirely different satellite within the first. Your workers quickly scramble up to the ring and note a number of small aerodynamic canisters within marked with a series of bright yellow circles painted on the side. The entire device appears to be dormant, but one of the consoles is operational.

>Investigate the console
>Leave it alone for now
>Other

"What is wrong with the communication system?" You ask Theseus idley.
"The only way to broadcast anything past the clouds would be to either go their physically, or use the radio laser. The laser in question has been damaged. It would not take long to fix, should you agree."

>Agree to repair the communications array of the Clarke
>Not now
>Other

>>33388257
Damn it, that roll would do it I bet!

>>33388487
It's a nuke.
To reduce tech level of a planet.

>>33388487
Ask Theseus what it is.

>>33388487
>a number of small aerodynamic canisters within marked with a series of bright yellow circles painted on the side.

Goddomot Lee, why is your race full of such flagrant assholes?!

Sat;
>Investigate the console

Theseus;
>Not Now, we're super busy.

>>33388487
Fuck

Put it in the shuttle and blow this thing up as far away from the planet as possible

Our cover gonna be blown sooner than later so fuck it

>>33388521
The satellite did mention it had "Targeting systems". >>33387821

>>33388487
"Wait, you can disable the satellite in such a way that it appears to continue to observe an uneventful planet? How?"

"Can you hand over control of the satellite software?"

>>33388521
>>33388549
It's an FTL drive....

>>33388487
>Other
Ask Theseus what those canisters are
>Agree to repair the communications array of the Clarke

>>33388582
In the event we take down the satellite, and they come knocking, we can complaing we were annoyed by its noise (radio sensitive, remember?) and removed it.

So the lizard may have not blown themselves to the stone age

The Humans did and then enslaved the survivors as techs

Smart

>>33388591
No.

>>33388599
I second this emotion

>>33388487
>Not now

>>33388570
This.

explain.

>>33388487
>Investigate the console

>>Not now

>>33388487
Your workers quickly move to the console. It appears to have a small set of limited available inputs.

>Activate emergency protocols
That sounds very bad, and you promptly ignore it.
>Run diagnostic

It appears most of the functions run from the outer satellite. You activate the diagnostic program and quickly receive a short list.
>Targeting systems online
>Payload full: 16 warheads available for dispersal
>System on standby: awaiting Parliament authorization code

"Perhaps after the current repairs are finished." You finally say to Theseus.
"Yes, of course." He says quickly as your workers slowly alter the containment field, gradually increasing the Clarke's stability.

>Leave the satellite for now
>Destroy the satellite
>Enter Coil's code to keep it dormant for now
>Help Theseus disable the Satellite
>Other

>>33388807
So if they can't control a species they destroy it.

What a shame. For them.

Hey little off topic, but don't have a lot of time to post, I'm not usually online when this quest runs. So could we replace our drones that run our farms with smaller drones? Even if it takes 3 do do the work of one big drone the upkeep would be more efficient, maybe someone could design a micro drone that is specialized for Algae farming? Exta biomorphs more expensive but perhaps the ratio could be then brought down to 2:1 perhaps even 1:1

>>33388807
Such a friendly people these humans

>>33388807
>They have nukes set up to bomb us on demand
Hahaha

>>33388807
>Enter Coil's code to keep it dormant for now

>>33388807
>Help Theseus disable the Satellite

>>33388807
>Other
Ask Theseus what end result he can achieve with the satellite.

Will he be networking with it? Or reprogram it? Set a program to send a simulated sensory signal of an uneventful planet?

>>33388807
Help Theseus.
Wonder if we could research nukes.
Take one payload?

>>33388851
>implying you can bomb bug city
>implying it isn't just a staging area

>>33388854
No. No raising suspicions and drawing attention.

>>33388880
The system will notice and report tampering like that, did you even think at all?

Can't take samples until after it's thoroughly hacked by Theseus. Which we may not even want to do.

>>33388879
Ask Theseus what exactly he can do, come on.

>>33388807
>gradually increasing the Clarke's stability.
I'm a little confused, is Thesus's overall goal to fly the clarke out of system?

>keep satellite dormant for now
lets try to hack other human tech so we can possibly come back to the satellite

>>33388807
>16 warheads available for dispersal
You know what this line reads to me?
>16 free nukes to loot and reverse-engineer
Let's do this, lads!

>>33388807
>Other
Try to remove the warheads?

>Enter Coil's code to keep it dormant for now
And then... I don't know.

Try to bring a thinker up to research the sat?

>>33388807
Put in shuttle or tow it

Denotate it

We already gave the ai a unstable nuke now you guys want to give it more?

Just speed build a defense fleet and wait for the check up teams

>>33388807
>>Leave the satellite for now
>>Help Theseus disable the Satellite
ANYTHING but entering the code.

That'll arouse suspicion people why are you saying this

>>33388909
The reactor is unstable.

>>33388916
I second this. Speed build a CLOAKED defense fleet and wait for the check up teams.

>>33388807
>>Help Theseus disable the Satellite

Ask him to give us control over it, please, not give him control over it pls

>>33388807
>Help Theseus disable the Satellite and loot the nukes.

>>33388903
No need to be condescending.
I stated that we should hack it.
Diagnostics are on-site.
Did you even think at all?

>>33388807
>Enter Coil's code to keep it dormant for now

We have to deal with the satellite now.

>>33388944
Theseus wouldn't nuke us right off the bat. He needs our bugs in order to rebuild the Clarke.

>>33388916
>>33388932
Yes build a cloaked fleet, but don't damage the satellite or input the code why would you do that?

Why would you want them to come?

>>33388807
>>Leave the satellite for now

>>33388964
>We have to deal with the satellite now.
No we don't, waht the fuck are you thinking.

We have cloaking technology now.

We can fly right past it, it doesn't matter anymore.

>>33388981
Their idiots what do you expect?

>>33388968
Also remember the Union's objective - research biological life. Theseus is less likely to nuke us than humans do.

>>33389012
>Union's
You mean Unity.

>>33388981
There gonna come one way or another but I would rather have the homespace under our control

They will back off if the see a fleet guarding our world but we cant give them the option of nuking us right now

Its too dangerous

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>>33389012
>misnaming the Unity Networked System as the Union of Independent Colonies

>>33389026
My bad, I keep getting the two switched. I mean the AIs.

>>33389004
We do have to deal with it now. If they either receive word or receive no word at all, then they send a fleet. We're not ready for it. Cloaking technology is not a lynchpin, it's a tool.

>>33388807
"If you were able to, how would you be able to disable it?" You ask.
"The satellite? Simple. They are automated to respond to threats and report strange events. I would simply overwrite that and have it report calm, uneventful activity."
"And they would not detect you?"
You sense what you could only describe as a laugh. A short spark of energy pinging through your mind. "Of course not."

You weigh your options.

>Have Theseus hack the satellite
>Use Coil's code to temporarily keep it dormant
>Destroy it
>Ignore it until it reactivates
>Other

>>33389030
You do realize we could just remove the nukes.

>>33389050
>Have Theseus hack the satellite

>>33389045
>If they either receive word or receive no word at all, then they send a fleet.
But that's wrong.

Let the satellite reactivate itself at the next update request, and no fleet will come.

Show no signs of a fleet on their sensors, by being cloaked and invisible, and they have no reason to come.

>>33389050
>>Have Theseus hack the satellite
That sounds better.

So long as we can understand what he's doing and we get to take apart the satellite bits. Including the sensors and the weaponry onboard.

Then it's a harmless little orbiting FTLComm. Blind, and toothless.

>>33389050
Hack.

>>33389050
>Have Theseus hack the satellite
Could we remove the nukes.

>>33389075
>>33389050
I think that if we want Theseus to hack it we should also elaborate that we'd like to be able to take the more sensitive parts of the satellite apart for study, so if he can also disable any latent security features that'd be swell.

>>33389050
>Have Theseus hack the satellite

>>33389075
We're not cloaked. The update request is supposed to come from Lyle and his men, who are no longer capable of responding on their own. When they fail to respond, the satellite activates its nuclear package, or if the satellite fails itself, then they send a fleet to bomb us back to square one.

>>33389062
Yea and leave the sat in place for what?

Give to ai so he can tell the rest of the unity?

We are gonna have to deal with the major powers soon

And we are gonna be exposed regardless if by the hanger or the unending runner teams

So screw it, secure our space and make them understand we are not meant to be messed with

>>33389087
That's why we're asking Theseus to hack the sat innit? So that it doesn't transmit, and we can safely defuse/loot/reverse-engineer dem nukes.

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>>33389109
>We're not cloaked. The update request is supposed to come from Lyle and his men, who are no longer capable of responding on their own. When they fail to respond, the satellite activates its nuclear package, or if the satellite fails itself, then they send a fleet to bomb us back to square one.
None of that is accurate.

You just made that up based on your grossly inaccurate misreading of the first dialogue with Coil.

"The next update request" is obviously the next update request sent from the Union server it's FTLComm-networked with. It either means a software update being pushed to the satellite, or requesting an update on the planet's status.

>>33389050
>Have Theseus hack the satellite

Once our thinkers are done with their research we can have them study the satellite as well as it's payload.

>>33389050
>Have Theseus hack the satellite
ask if he can let us take the nukes off the satallite as well when he hack it.

>>33389050
You send several workers to investigate the radio laser. It's a small turret near the rim of what is left of the Clarke's shield cap. The device appears to only have superficial damage, but from what you understand of this kind of technology that is more than enough to cause it to break down.
"On second thought, how long would it take to repair."
"Perhaps several hours. It is functional, it simply cannot be directed properly."
"Very well, how does it need repairing?"

You feel Theseus split his mind into two. He returns his attention to the repairs of the Clarke's power tap as the new... him examines the radio laser. It takes barely an hour to perform the needed repairs, replacing several servos with some replacement parts found in the Clarke's cargo bay.

It quickly comes to life, swiveling sharply to face the sky. Your workers are jolted by a sudden burst of movement from the satellite as it faces several antennie towards the surface in response. Several moments later and you feel the two minds in the Clarke merge again, and the satellite fires its own transmission back.

"Interesting. A standard monitor satellite linked to the local intelligence office. Perhaps..." you feel him trail off in a series of calculations. "I do believe with sixty percent certainty that the Union considers you to be above class 1 or greater."
"You have already finished?" You ask.
"Yes. If they were capable of preventing my digital intrusions they would not need to use analog backup computers."

>Speak with Theseus (write in)
>Remove the warheads
>Other

>>33389401
>Remove the warheads

>>33389401
>>Speak with Theseus (write in)
"Then there is no risk to taking components of the satellite apart? Removing the warheads? The sensors or communication array?"

>>33389401
>Remove the warheads

Have Theseus make ties with the unity to start diplomatic relations

>>33389401
>>Remove the warheads
This isn't even a question.

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>>33389481
>make ties
You have no idea what entangled quantum particles based FTLComm tech is do you.

>diplomatic relations
No.

>>33389401
>>Remove the warheads

Anybody remember if a class 1 is very high or very low on the Union's threat scale?

>>33389401
>Remove the warheads

>>33389540
Low.

>>33389540
>or higher
class 0 is stonesmashers.

They suspect us of being space-faring because of that organic pod they found that then vanished the next day. Our pod.

They can't prove it was ours yet. But we're very suspicious.

And if it's not ours, it means a different FTL race could have landed here and infiltrated our world.

>>33389569
But even though they suspect us all they left was an apparently low grade spy satellite. Nukes aside.

>>33389401
You quickly have your workers load the warheads onto your shuttle. The satellite shows no sign of complaint.

>Returning to monitor mode, stand by...
>All systems are normal. Zero emissions detected. Local scans show no objects.

The short update is quickly sent through the Quantum communication device. Theseus seems to be amused by it all. "I must say, you learn quickly."
Now, what will you do with 16 nuclear warheads?

>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage
>Keep them in orbit
>Dispose of them
>Other

>>33389700
>>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage
"In the interest of our mutual safety... do you have any safety protocols for handling these warheads?"

>>33389151
"And it is dormant now?"
"Yes."
"What are these codes?"
"They are in the computer. They make the monitor think we are maintenance workers."
"How long will it remain dormant?"
"Until it receives an update request. Usually a few weeks. We are usually long gone by now."
"When did you shut it down?"
"When we first arrived. We turned off the warning broadcast and the monitor"

The code would have turned off the monitor, but kept it transmitting. As soon as they saw our emissions, they would have reacted. Suspicious, sure, but on the other hand Theseus could be playing the long game.

>>33389700
>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage

>>33389401
This sounds good >>33389436
>Remove the warheads

>>33389722
>>33389700
I'll second this.

>>33389700
>>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage

>>33389722
Would we need to? iirc, our drones are immune to radiation that would kill a human several times over, and if IRL protocols are being followed, the codes to arm the nukes are nowhere near us. Though it is possible for Theseus to hack his way into them given time.

>>33389700
>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage

We should construct a facility far from our hive for this, that can double later as a missile site.

>>33389829
agreed

>>33389760
The decision is kind of moot now. But sure, weigh the risks and benefits of trusting Theseus to get a permanent solution versus making a temporary solution that will draw Union attention and probably an inspection into the satellite in a week or two. That's reasonable.

But that anon up there said a bunch of bullshit that had no basis in anything.

We are cloaked. The shuttle is cloaked. We can cloak every single ship before we send it into space so it can slip right by any sensors.

The update request does not come from Lyle.
>"Until it receives an update request. Usually a few weeks. We are usually long gone by now."
If it receives an update request in a few weeks, and Lyle and his crew are gone before that, then it cannot possibly be expected to come from them. It comes from the Union uplink.

And the satellite launching its warheads automatically would be a fucking stupid hothead design, and the Union is clearly intelligent. And the satellite said right there that it requires an authorization code from Parliament in order to launch the weaponry.

>>33389700
>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage

I wonder if we can find the fissionable material on this world to make more nukes? Or will we have to go to the other planets now?

>>33389820
Our workers may be immune to radiation, but they're sure as hell isn't immune from the massive shockwave and sun-level heat produced by the detonation of one. If we are to study them we need to know how to reverse-engineer one without turning most of our hive to charred shit.

>>33389700
>>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage

Reminder that Theseus now posses comms capable of contacting things in Orbit.

>>33389867
Like I said, most IRL nukes are made to be tamper-proof, and detonating one would require a very precise process. Exploding something near it would only disable the nuke.

>>33389893
I know. But it's best we not take away his toys until we complete the Clark repairs.

Once we get all the Clarke research we can get and understand everything about it, then we can remove sensitive parts from his control.

>>33389893
Assuming he also didn't split a part of himself and put it on the sat without telling us.

>>33389897
Yeah, but IC we don't really know that, don't we?
I assumed we get the vibe that these warhead thingies are maybe dangerous because of the black and yellow coloration, and we've seen it before on Lyle's ship.

>>33389929
he prob did that

>>33389946
they prob not using nukes

Must be that special mineral in there ftl just weaponized

>>33389929
Possible. But it won't matter if we

- remove the communication array from the satellite
- remove all sensors from the satellite

A Theseus that is blind and deaf and that we don't know exists has no reason to betray us.

>>33389700
>>Transport them back to the planet for study and storage
and

>>Other
Disable or take for study the satellite's sensors and communications arrays. It don't need those no more.

>>33389700
Your shuttle descends with its deadly cargo, very very slowly. Your shuttle touches down on the outscirts of your hive and they quickly take them into the tunnels below, deep beneath the ground and far from anything important.

>New research option
Atomics
Very slow/Very dangerous


You can't help but feel better with the satellite relatively taken care of. It floats silently for some time before resuming the regular warning signal once more. You still have your pod available, and your short time in orbit has revealed a number of natural signals in the system.

>Replace the cloaking field onto your pod
>Have a shuttle tow your pod into orbit
>Use your cloaked shuttle to investigate the rest of the planet
>Other

>>33390011
>Use your cloaked shuttle to investigate the rest of the planet

>>33390011
>Use your cloaked shuttle to investigate the rest of the planet
put the first cloak we make into the pod then put it in position

Maybe we could use the nukes to mine asteroids later?

>>33390011
>Around the planet in 80 hours
DO EET

>>33390011
>>Use your cloaked shuttle to investigate the rest of the planet

We need to find a species that is adapted to the extreme heat of global summer, to mimic its natural air conditioning.


>Other
Construct one of our own cloaking devices and attach it to a pod. You haven't mentioned the cost of constructing one yet.

Then put the cloaked pod into orbit to watch for us.

>>33390011
>Use your cloaked shuttle to investigate the rest of the planet

Expansion and growth time!

>>33390011
Can we have a cloaked pod as a sort of orbital early warning system? If so then

>Have a shuttle tow your pod into orbit
>Use your cloaked shuttle to investigate the rest of the planet

>>33390088
>Can we have a cloaked pod as a sort of orbital early warning system?
this seems rather dangerous....

>>33390011
>>Use your cloaked shuttle to investigate the rest of the planet

Maybe we can stick a nuke inside a cloaked pod and have it be a sort of suicide bomber.
Come to think of it, I wonder if the humans have cloaked missile tech.

>>33390127
>dangerous
how so?

>>33390156
Nukes aren't all that great without their activation codes.

>>33390168
Yeah, about that...

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/12/launch-code-for-us-nukes-was-00000000-for-20-years/

>>33390186
My country is amazing.

>>33390221
Well the idea was that all launches had to be done by hand, so there was no rick of hacking back then.

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>>33390186
Glorious. ALL HAIL AMERICA!

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>>33390186

MEANWHILE Mr. Broker requires a reply still.

We should really do that simultaneously with all this satellite stuff.

>>33390011
Your shuttle quickly takes off again, flying just below the cloud layer to get a good view of the ground below.

North of your mountain is a valley, carved by wind and rain and leading to a wide open plain. The land is carved with harsh winds like a dry fjord. The land is muddy and where it isn't covered in the scars of wind and runoff it is covered in dense fungal vegetation. The thick atmosphere permits what would normally be a thin line of swampland and jungle to spread to most of the planet. It tapers off slowly near the poles as the air becomes colder, leading to a vast frozen landscape of lichen and fungal ferns, and finally to deep snowdrifts and frozen ice packs. Southward, past the southern mountains the plains are more harsh. A desert of roasted, cracked soil pocketed with massive, white mushroom trees that stubbornly insist on living in the forsaken ground. At the equator there is a thin line of barren rock. Roasted and charred black and littered with the blackened remains of long dead animals, cooked alive on the world-circling skillet, and further south the pattern repeats, with a mix of wind blasted mountains and dry fjords leading into a dense thicket of marshland and jungle.

>>33390186
My friends have always joked that my wifi password was a nuclear launch code, now I can say I have them beat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iW-8xPw3k

>>33390304
You guys thinking of an artic hive site? also desert looks good

Sometime we need to send our warriors out on hunting trips to find new lifeforms we can research.

>>33390304

You remember the transmission you had received from the mysterious 'broker' figure a day ago, and you wonder if you should respond to try and avoid any more investigations or snooping in your system.

>Transmit to the broker (write in)
>Continue to ignore the update request

>Have your shuttle investigate (write in) area further
>Tow your pod into orbit
>Switch out your cloaking field to your pod
>Make a new cloaking field (5N 15M per 10 meters in ship size, 15N 45M for shuttle, 5N 15M for pod)

>>33390528
"Rogers has been infected with local fungus. He has become incoherent, delusional and dangerously erratic. Medical treatment difficult and ineffective so far. Prognosis unknown."

He may already know that most of the crew is dead, or he may not. It doesn't matter.

Run the above lie by Coil to make sure it's convincingly something he'd send?

>>33390528
>>Make a new cloaking field (5N 15M for pod)

Tow the cloaked pod into orbit.

Have the cloaked shuttle investigate the hot lands with warriors and such to retrieve samples of things that live in the extreme temperatures.

Samples of those giant white mushrooms too.

>>33390528
This is the same pod with the psionic transmitter, yes?

>>33390528
a mix of these sounds good to me.
we need more samples too.
>>33390552
>>33390589

>>33390602
Yes. You currently have two shuttles and one pod. One of the shuttles has a Ceph designed cloaking device, and the pod has an advanced psionic relay

>>33390589
Seconding this.

>>33390528
>>Make a new cloaking field for a shuttle

I think it wise to monopolize on this tech, especially since we're trying to keep a low profile. Plus, we could return the ceph cloaking to the Angle, if we ever decide to employ that mercenary we captured

>>33390660
Pfft hahahahaha~

>>33390528
>Transmit to the broker (write in)
"Just hangin out."

>>33390660
Monopolize it?

It already in the arsenal of the other factions intelligence community

The only reason its going to be effective for us is that they think we may at best have early space exploration tech level

>>33390528
You quickly assemble a new cloaking field and implant it into your pod. It quickly grows into the hull, sprouting bulbous projectors along the outside. The amount of light that needs to be distorted increases the cost the larger the ship is. while useful for small craft, you wonder if it would be worth being implanted into larger ships.

Regardless, the pod is quickly towed into orbit and it effortlessly glides away from the shuttles grasp, drifting into the endless void of space. Your shuttle moves back before it reaches the limits of its connection, while the pod quickly moves off, unimpeded by distance with its powerful relay.
You detect a number of anomalies. Your planet is the innermost object to the star, moving on a drastically elliptical orbit. Most of the inner system is a dense accretion disk, a cloud of stellar debris tightly formed around the star where several failed planets had torn each other apart fighting over an orbit path. The limit it only a few hundred thousand kilometers out from your planet, and it likely helps mask your planet's existence to those investigating your system, however in the winter you suspect you may suffer meteor showers. Further out, at least six light hours, is a large gas giant. You can detect several small planetoids caught in its orbit, three in total.

>Investigate the belt
>Investigate the gas giant
>Investigate the planetoids
>Other

>>33390863
>Investigate the gas giant

>>33390863
> The limit it
What? The limit of what?

Investigate whatever's closer. That gas giant will take forever to get to with chemical thrusters.

>>33390939
Actually, the pod is FTL capable, meaning it has both a blink drive and a Skid drive, which can quickly reach relativistic speeds and make the distance in a few hours. Your shuttles would take months though, as they only have conventional thrusters.

>>33390863
>Investigate the gas giant
The planetoids can come next.

>>33390863
>Investigate the gas giant

>>33390863
>Investigate the belt

Can set up ambushes and defensive sites if we position stuff right

And there's a hard limit to the effectives of the stealth tech makes sense

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>>33390989
>it has both a blink drive and a Skid drive,
Wait. Skid Drive?

If it has a Skid Drive, why can't it use that to reach orbit on its own?

>>33391015
Because it can't overcome the gravity of other planets. It's a very bare-bones setup that lacks many of the utility of larger and more complicated versions due to its compact design. The Skid drive is a component of the Blink drive, so if you have one you have both.

Bit of a side-note, but I'm concerned about the 'crew is sick' ruse. If Lyle is thought to be dead/decisively helpless, it's possible the broker would send teams to recover the other end of the expensive FTL relay and that fancy ship loaded full of tech.

Lyle's no doubt useful and highly profitable, but I doubt it's loyalty that keeps the Broker from double-crossing him for his swag.

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>>33390863
>Investigate the gas giant.

Your pod locks onto the planet and quickly accelerates towards it. The belt is thick with debris but your pod suffers no issue, with the debris of any size thousands of kilometers apart. Soon a more in depth analysis of the gas giant comes up, and your pod enters into an orbit as it takes in the new information. It has a radius of nearly a hundred thousand kilometers, and appears to contain large amounts of hydrogen. Its orbit contains a thick set of rings, each composed of a mix of ice and light stellar material, with the three planets trailing their own ring as they mix with the swirling rings of stardust

>>33391244
>appears to contain large amounts of hydrogen
this is useful. why am i thinking this is useful?

>>33391267
Fuel for the Blink drive.

>>33391267
Tritium mining for our FTL.

>>33391215
Consider the probability of doing the exact same thing if the team is presumed dead/MIA when they don't respond.

There's a possibility they will have a few more days of patience, or weeks even, for the team to recover and return with the extremely profitable payload, that the broker gets a cut of.

>>33391267
It might not be, if the Blink Drive is just powered by an abstraction of a big boost of Nutrients instead of introducing a third resource to track.

>>33391267
Hydrogen = cheap fuel

>>33391244
This looks rather promising. The ring and planetoids could be mined as well as used as a base for later expansions.

>>33391302
That's a fair enough point, but considering Lyle's known history of capture and presumed other scrapes with death, I assume he's given the benefit of the doubt.

Admittedly, it all comes down to the psychology of the Broker, which we don't know.

>>33391244
As your pod orbits the gas giant you take notice of the orbiting planets. One is a small rocky hellscape of half-molten rock that is fighting to freeze or burn, and what little atmosphere exists is from a number of powerful geysers spraying crystallized water into space, forming a dim, almost undetectable ring following its orbit around the gas giant, the other is a rapidly spinning ovoid. Its spin is so fast it is impossible to accurately take in measurements at this range. The last is a small ball of ice, covered in deep cracks and ravines in the dense frozen landscape.

>Investigate the volcanic planet
>Investigate the spinning planet
>Investigate the ice planet
>Other

>>33391394
>>Investigate the spinning planet
We must go around it so fast we enter geosynchronous orbit!

>>33391394
>Investigate the spinning planet

>>33391394
>Investigate the spinning planet

>>33391394
>Investigate the ice planet\
easier to handle.

>>33391394
>Investigate the ice planet
I hope there are ice volcanoes.

>>33391394
spinning planet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myx_utNb53E

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>>33391394
You move your pod, shifting its orbit to the spinning oval. Its rotation is greater than escape velocity when at high altitude, forcing your pod to maneuver over the pole to get a proper view. Near the pole itself is a small, sharp hill, where the day only lasts less than six minutes. Farther south are large, mile high shards of crystal emanating from geysers of molten rock, cut into deltas by flowing rivers of mercury and torrential storm fronts of ash. While interesting, you spot no safe landing zone, and even if you did you would have no way of getting your pod away again.

>>33391560
not this one?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG9FUrRXYxY

>>33391626
You observe the planet for some time, taking in the view. There does not appear to be any apparent life at all, and the planet itself appears hostile. You move your pod out of orbit and relocate the other two.

>Investigate the ice planet
>Investigate the volcanic planet

>>33391726
>Investigate the ice planet

>>33391726
>Investigate the ice planet

I bet there's life here.

Space is awesome and all, but.

More distressing mysteries lie closer to home. Coil has evaded what we wanted to know due to poorly worded questions.

"Have you ever seen Them? What are They like? Where are They?" (Could be just a cargo cult, memory of precursors, or some kind of... 'queen' esque head of the ever shifting military hierarchy.)

"How did you first receive permission to use the shards? How did you receive the shards? How did you first learn you were one of the Chosen? How do Ceph become pilots? How did you come to leave your world and work for humans? Who invented your helmet?"

>>33391726
Ice, I guess.

>>33391726
>Ice Ice Baby

>>33391726
>Investigate the ice planet

>>33391740
Slow down cowboy we'll get tp that sppn.

>>33391740
I'm guessing that while Coil is an ardent believer, he's not an authority on the faith. If I were him, I'd be trying to maneuver this miracle of natural affinity with what is basically god's word closer to someone who could initiate them properly.

>>33391740
I don't think Coil CAN give us any information on them.
I like the rest of your questions though.
>>33391726
Volcano planet.

>>33391726
>Investigate the ice planet

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>>33391726
You quickly send your pod to the frozen worldlet, doing a quick flyby along the equator. There is no atmosphere to speak of, but the cracks and fissures show signs of liquid water and geological activity below the surface. It is far more hospitable by comparison, with the kilometer high ice cliffs and seemingly endless ravines dropping off into the dark abyss below. The surface ice is constantly changing, with large fissures and caves opening and closing with irregular frequency. Exploring the planet on food would be dangerous, but potentially rewarding if there is indeed a liquid ocean below the frozen surface.

Cont.

>>33391626
Lets get another pod setup, similar to the current one and then have it be a bit more hardened and pop it down on the weird spin planet for treasure hunting!

>>33391876
I think that one's a definite no-go until much larger ship classes and more esoteric tech.

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>>33391856
Your pod quickly makes its way to the last planet, a small burning rock in an endless state of geological torment. The proximity to the gas giant makes its crust unstable, as thick geysers of water erupt and instantly freeze into the airless surface. The crust itself is in a constantly shifting state of burning and freezing, with flows of lava burning into the water below to create dense clouds of steam that quickly freeze into sheets of ice, which are again churned into the crust. There is water there, but the likelyhood of life is still faint, and the hostility is quite apparent. Even still, the planet appears to be rather rich with heavy metals, although you are not sure if it would exactly be worth the effort to get them, as the planet would likely fight you for every scrap.

With your pod so close to a source of fuel, you would be able to top off with a quick low orbit run and prepare to send the pod out of system.

>Plot a course to another system (write in)
>Ask Coil about (write in)
>Other

>>33392036
>Investigate the belt

>>33392036
>plot a course to FG-883 -- the arid planet rich in metals
Scout out that place at least.

>Ask Coil
"How exactly do the Ceph receive Void Shards? When did they first learn to use them?" and stuff like >>33391740

>>33391802
Exactly. The lack of information will show it's just dogma to him that he's been taught. Not necessarily anything real that's all-powerful.

>>33392036
What's the aprox range in terms of hexes on the map that we can jump?

>>33392111
Since your drive makes the ship leap to infinite speed for a moment and then snaps it back to normal space, there is no actually range per jump, but for every lightyear added to the range of the jump, the more difficult it becomes to calculate. Safe range is 5 light years (5 hexes), after that you need to roll to end up in the right place, with the DC getting higher the farther away the target location is. Failed jump rolls could result in anything from ending up in the wrong spot, to jumping into a star, to exploding violently, to scattering the ship's mass across several light years. Every jump, regardless of if it's 50 light years or half a light hour, takes 1 unit of fuel. Your pod has a total of 10 units when fully fueled.
So to get to FG-883, you could perform 2 jumps and not need to roll, or go the extra light year and roll to make it in 1 jump.

>>33392203
Ooh.

Okay maybe put off jumping and ask Coil that stuff first.

>>33392257
agreed talk to coil asap

>>33392203
I'd rather go to one of the two closeby uncharted(according to our map data) systems.

>>33392348
I concur. The uncharted systems are less likely to have Union presence there to deal with.

>>33392036
You send your pod on a low orbit flyby of the gas giant, collecting fuel for a jump out of the system. Meanwhile, you think you have some questions for Coil. Your speaker enters his small room and the two eyes facing you focus on your drone.
"Shall we fix the monitor now? It must be done quickly!"
"Irellivant, you have questions to answer."
He shifts uneasily. "But, then we need to call for help."
You ignore his half-hearted protest and ask your questions. "You have spoken multiple times of other beings. Who, and what are they?"
Coil quickly strobes several bright colors. "They are everything! The planners that keep order throughout the universe! Everything is part of their plan, including you and me."
"Have you ever seen one?" You ask. He quakes briefly at the question.
"Has the amoeba seen the ╠═╝▫■๑»«¶?" The translator breaks down. The word is likely the name of some local life form on his world with no translation. "They are beyond understanding. To know they are there at all is a blessing given to a rare few, and to feel their will a gift bestowed to even fewer."

Interesting.
>Ask further (write in)
>Calculate your pod's jump to (write in)
>Other

>>33392501
>Ask
"How exactly do the Ceph receive Void Shards? When did they first learn to use them?"

>>33392461
That defeats the point. To scout out the Union.

>>33392501
>calculate pod jump

set it to random walk, i want to see what we get.

Additionally is this a "once jumped now it needs more fuel" kinda thing?

>>33392501
>calculate a jump to Juric
It's within juuuust 5 hexes. And hopefully pretty interesting, to boot.

I thought this might be a shared interest for you guys.
http://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/528426.html
http://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/39964.html
http://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/66308.html
http://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/79129.html
http://tgchan.org/kusaba/graveyard/res/70355.html

>>33392532
Scouting the Union isn't the only reason to scout generally.

Due to limits of the speed of light and the cloaking device, our probe isn't likely to be detected if we're not dumb, but it is still a risk to consider.

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>>33392551
>random walk
That isn't even a proper term. You're just saying words.

>>33392556

That's the one where all the "Heroic" units are named either after songs or bands right?

Fucking MC is "Killer Queen" by Freddie Mercury, her right hand is "Scars of Yesterday" and HIS best friend is a fuckmassive beetle named Metallica right?

>>33392559
Indeed, we are far too weak to risk tipping off the Union we're here just yet.

>>33392559
That's why scouting a system where they don't have a ton of infrastructure and patrols established, namely in systems that haven't even been given names yet or colonized, only letters and numbers designations.