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>>36217992
>Current armory
269 Thorn Launchers
20 Thorn Cannons
123 Sting Casters
30 Cyclotrons
15 Rotary Stingers
3 Fire Sprays
5 Plasma Spray

>Current resource reserves
Nutrients: 365677
Metals: 151610
Credits: ₡2326
Credits in Lyle’s account: ₡577,622

>Hive population and upkeep cost
Hive maintenance – 484
Queen – 5
Fake Queen – 22
Worker (4000) – 8000
Aquatic Worker (40) – 160
Radiator Worker (100) – 400
Warrior (209) – 1045
Aquatic Warrior (20) – 140
Thinker (400) – 1200
Quantum Thinker (150) – 750
Speaker – (3) – 12
Digger (80) – 320
Refinery (10) – 70
Sniffer (2) – 8
Small Sniffer (200) – 200
Fly (50) – 200
Wasp (100) – 500
Haz-mat Workers (20) – 80
Shock Troops (40) – 520
Parasite (30) – 120
Bio-tank (10) – 250
Excavator (41) – 799
Colossus (20) – 300
Advanced Relay (16) – 1600

>Hive fleet
Space Pod (18) – 540
Shuttle (10) – 250
Scout Corvette – (6) 1350
Lancer Corvette – (2) 450
Fleet Corvette – (4) 900
Stealth Frigate – (4) 1952

Clone upkeep/special projects and expenses
25 Human captives of the USV Hope – 750
3 Human hybrid clones in production – 180
Lyle Rogers – 47

Total upkeep
Nutrient costs: 28444

>Income
Metals: 62395
Nutrients: 100050
Net: 76616

>>36217992
>“Protects against all manner of illnesses.”
Brilliantly sneaky.

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>>36218024
Hive Structure
G-426
>Asteroid mining base: 5 Excavators, 20 Diggers, +2250M per day (+50 M per digger)
Leeland
>Spring mountain hive
>Hangar facilities: Room for 40 Aero Drones and 20 Shuttles (25N)
>Docking Pylon: Space for docking and construction of 4 ships (50N) (2 more under construction)
>Mine: 36 Excavators, 60 Diggers, +10500 M per day (+25 M per digger)
>Clarke Research Outpost
>Hel’s Angel Prison Outpost
>Mountain farm complex
>Algae Farm: +100000 N per day, 1000 Workers (1 worker per 100N)
>Anti-orbital battery: 2 (125N per battery)
M-662
Raligha
>Automated Raligha colony
M-323
>Orbital docking pylon (under construction)

Current Construction
2 Docking pylons
1 orbital docking pylon
4 Heavy cruisers

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
>Anti-orbital battery – A bunker armed with a massive Particle beam capable of attacking ships in orbit from the ground. It includes the power and sensor systems required to operate it. 250N 1500M
>Docking Pylon – A large spire or station that contains space for docking and construction of 4 ships, or a single capital ship if placed in orbit. 100N 300M
Ship Construction Options
http://pastebin.com/YTwGk8n1

>>36217992
>That was almost too easy.
Hah.

Now, to drink of the river Lethe with their pal, Nepenthe.

>>36217839
But they need to smoke a pipe and sound like a aged southern gentleman.

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>>36218058
That would be pretty dismaring. Can the rest of the hive get moth motifs?

>>36218084
no >>36212241

>>36218043
Really should send a Pod to Sol to scout ahead of time.

>>36218135
Yeah, So that at least we won't go in blind.

>craters
But those craters are from lunar debris...

...Does Theseus think a crystal was on the moon?

>>36218084
yes.

>>36217992
>He eventually makes his way to the cockpit where he slowly seats himself at the controls and reclines in the seat with a sigh.
>“Just, just give me a minute here.” He says.

Well, when he's had his rest, I'd like to ask him how he feels about this situation. Maybe tell him that Theseus has spoken quite highly of his exploits.

Or just, like, mind-read him. We're best buddies now.

>>36218135
That sounds like a good idea.

>>36218175
Lyle isn't a feelings kind of person. Just quietly read his mind. Don't try to talk.

>>36218151
Supposively a nuke blew up the moon.

>>36218160
Queeny can get some nice mothy wings with some fur accents around, have a nice fur collar to immitate a fur coat sorta feel. Maybe throw in a deeper splash of red somewhere.

Get the drones all moth looking. Maybe leave the warriors alone. Speakers are big fluffy color things.

>>36218175
Might be a wise idea. He has had one hell of a week.

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>>36218043
Finished Research

>Cryo spray
This is now available as an alternate ammo for the chemical or plasma spray weapon.

>Missiles
These powerful guided missiles can be loaded with a wide range of deadly warheads. The missiles are loaded within disposable missile racks, and ammunition must be paid for after firing, however, they offer a wide range of powerful weapon systems.

[New adaptations unlocked]

>Swarm Missile pod
This missile pod is capable of holding a vast number of tiny short range missiles designed to overwhelm enemy point defenses with sheer numbers, dealing damage through a thousand cuts. They are highly maneuverable, and effective against smaller craft.

>Light Missile pod
This pod holds a decent number of medium ranged missiles each capable of holding a modest payload, and is most effective against sub capital ships.

>Cruise Missile pod
This massive pod is capable of holding a select few massive long range missiles, each capable of potentially destroying anything short of a capital ship. They are extremely slow to accelerate, and are typically only useful against ships of capital class.

>Surface to orbit missile launcher
This anti-orbital weapon is capable of firing a planetary missile from a launch silo on the surface of a planet to intercept approaching or orbiting enemy craft.

[Research unlocked]
Laser cooling
Very Slow
This concept uses a laser to bounce particles in an object back into place, effectively nullifying the energy within the object, cooling it to potentially extreme temperatures at a distance.

>>36218206
No it didn't.
>>34551733
> Little tactical data of the event remains, but in the fray a stray kinetic round is believed to have struck a military facility on the lunar surface. The resulting explosion fractured the moon

>>36218206
To be specific, it was a stray shot from a space faring ship caused a catastrophic explosion in a battery installation running deep within the Moon's crust. A one-in-a-million chance shot was all it took.

I suspect They had a hand in it.

>>36218247
>>36218236
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU4Rk0NATNs

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>>36218226
>All these adaptations

>>36218226
>Laser cooling
>Very Slow
>This concept uses a laser to bounce particles in an object back into place, effectively nullifying the energy within the object, cooling it to potentially extreme temperatures at a distance.
That's only the tip of that iceberg. Eventually it will allow us to shoot beams of supercooled plasma to freeze objects at a distance and it has better range than hot plasma.

>>36218297
>beams of supercooled plasma
If it's supercooled, is it gonna be 'plasma' anymore?

>>36218207
Nah, just one speaker.

>>36218325
Plasma is just ionized gas. It doesn't need to be hot.

>>36218359
If it's really supercooled it's not gonna be a gas anymore.

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>>36218226
Lyle sits in his chair, his eyes sealed shut. His mind wanders to when he first came into possession of the Angel, during his escape from Helviti. You can see the memory unfold as he cleanly places the blade of a plastic, home made knife into the jugular of a guard under the cover of a riot. As the ship touches down to bring in reinforcements, he slips in wearing the guard's armor and cracks open the skull of the pilot with a stun stick.

"Remembering the good times?" You ask, his mind projects the flash of your image in the copilot's seat for a split moment. He scrunches his nose in frustration.

"I worked damn hard to get this ship, and I worked damn hard to keep her."

"And the hive has worked hard to keep you in good shape. Now you can prove yourself worth it."

>Have Lyle leave immediately
>Send a pod in first
>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak
>Other

>>36218416
>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak

>>36218416
>>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak

>>36218416
>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak

>>36218416
>>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak

>>36218416
> Send 2 pods in 1 light-day from pluto

>>36218416
>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak

>>36218390
>Not know how exotic states of matter work.

>>36218416
>>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak

>>36218416
Oh, now that he's up and out of his pod.

We can trick him into unlocking the password-protected part of his computer to let us surreptitiously download whatever he's keeping secret.

inb4 it's all just sentimental family holo-photos.

>>36218502
I thought all it did was access the online black-market?

>>36218514
That's the FTLComm. that's a completely different thing.

>>36218416
>Send a pod in first a light day away and approach under cloak

>>36218416
Tell him that his previous mission has failed and his account is on lockdown.

Also get his opinion about his new body modifications.

>>36218502
Why wouldn't we just have token that information in the pod.

>>36218568
Because it's voice specific, we've been over this.

>>33097651
>...most of it at least. A small corner of the network is still sealed, under lock and key from Lyle. It requests a password and voice recognition.

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Hey op I sketched something for you. Sorry if i got any details wrong.

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>>36218597
Boss as fuck

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>>36218597
Fucking killer
Except maybe the eyes that is off the canon description, but who cares, the awesomeness clearly makes up for that.

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>>36218416
"You will have a day to prepare." You say as a pod vanishes from Leeland orbit with a burst of radiation, appearing in a moment a light day from Sol.

It takes a moment, and then Lyle erupts into a sense of horror. "Shit! Wait, the broker, damnit, that piece of shit cunt!" A dose of sedatives enters his system.

"What about him?"

"That little shit's gonna want to know where I've been all this time. I should either be dead or asking him where to stuff a bug. If I start going around like nothing's wrong, he'll want to know what the fuck happened."

>Contact him, make up a story
>Offer a disposable, self destructing drone
>Ignore the broker
>Other

>>36218597
Wow, that's great, and damn terrifying. You'd need more than moth fur to make that anything but pants shitting scary, especially when there's a thousand charging at you at the speed of a muscle car.

>>36218701
>Contact him, make up a story
You were sick for a month due to native fungus
>>Offer a disposable, self destructing drone
Didn't we prepare for this?

>>36218701
>Other

You aren't going to be visible for this mission. We will prepare some drones for you to present to him.


Now, we lay 20 drones with quantum brains and exploding acid sacs. For a cool 1 million credits. Most of which goes to the Hive.

>>36218731
We only talked about it. We didn't actually create the drones.

Like >>36218746 said.

Worker drones, but with those modifications added on.

>>36218701
Supporting this:
>>36218746

>>36218701
>"You will have a day to prepare."
THIS IS A SNEAKING MISSION.

>>36218701
So this quest is orders of magnitude better than any others. Everything about it is great.

All the characters are amazingly well written and interesting, even the less important one. And you've managed to make characters like Theseus, Elizabeth, Lyle, and the twins really likable despite their introductions to the story.

You're a really great writer QD and I just wanted to let you know I appreciate having these threads to read.

>>36218701
At least tell Lyle we faked his illness.

>>36218804
>we faked his illness.
No we didn't.

I suggested claiming there was a fungal infection, but we discarded that plan. We just let Coil claim the engines were under repair.

>>36218701
>that piece of shit cunt!"
Ah there we go, canon proof of Lyle's identity as a Strayan.

>Offer a disposable, self destructing drone

>>36218746

Have him mentions some of the drones explode, so they won't be mad at him for handing off suicide bombers

"Here are your bugs, also these fuckers are full of napalm have fun."

>>36218746
Replace the worker claws with combat claws so they can stab themselves and commit sudoku better, too.

>>36218746
Excellent idea, how about we surgically implant some of those Scorpion assassin drones we never used, it would make it seem as if our drones were capable of live births, and would fuck up whoever is behind this.

>>36218812
I'm 90% sure we still had Coil claim Lyle was sick/ill somehow. But vague normal sickness, not retarded sickness.

>>36218847
There was only the one time we ever replied to the Broker, wasn't there? The Broker sent a message twice, we responded the second time.
>>33543314
>>33543682
>"Engine damage sustained. Repairs underway. Will take time."

>>36218846
No. Acid to the face is more than fucking up enough.

We shouldn't even let the drones stay alive long enough to get near anyone "behind this", because then they might manage to take some kind of sample before they kill themselves in agitation at being in captivity.

Make sure to make the fake drone colorful for extra dosh, guys!

>>36218701
Many ideas, most of which painful and nightmare inducing.

>Offer self destructing drones (such as speaker)
>Offer self destructing drones and implant them with self destructing parasites (write in)
>Other

>>36218792
You made my week just then, you guys are awesome.

>>36218892
But the assassin drones also explode. Making it seem like individual drones are capable of reproduction would help redirect attention away from the queen herself, and in this circumstance would help destroy the lab where they may have obtained samples before the speaker drones exploded.

>>36218924
>>Offer self destructing drones (such as speaker)
But not the speaker.

They should appear to be normal workers. Except they have quantum brains--so they can commit suicide on our order and appear sentient when cut off from us -- and exploding acid, yeah.

>>36218924
>>Offer self destructing drones (several speakers) and implant them with self destructing parasites (scorpion assassin drones).

>>36218924
>>Offer self destructing drones (such as speaker)
What this guy said >>36218934

>>36218934
This 'piece of shit cunt' was offering something like double the creds for speaker drones specifically. The hive could use those creds.

>>36218931
But tiny versions of the bugs is goddamn weird and raises too many questions.

Since they've seen how hive bugs are hatched by Lee's testimony. There is no tiny phase for juveniles.

And the regular sized workers are just as good at destroying the lab in a rampage.

>>36218934
Speaker are worth more however.

>>36218924
>>Offer self destructing drones (such as speaker)

Also, now that several other quests I've been following are kill, this quest is one of the highlights of my weekends.

Oh right, we have any drawings of our speaker/s?

>>36218956
Then we can double the number of drones "captured", or send ONE speaker drone, modified to have exploding acid (not just self-dissolving acid), a quantum brain, and no mimetic skin.

The idea of the hive randomly having multiple speakers when the one was obviously expressly created for interacting with humans... it would raise too many weird questions.

>>36218924
>Offer self destructing drones (such as speaker)
Keep it simple, stupid. Also, all the reasons people are coming up with to not use speakers are retarded and make no real sense.

>>36218987
>all the reasons
Such as?

>>36218792
Seconding. This is best quest and QM is amazing writer.

>>36218966
More drones are also worth more.

But multiple speakers would make no sense, and have implications that the hive has been talking to enough humans that it needed more than one.

>>36218984
What. Where the hell are you getting that notion? It's obvious to US that that's what's up with the Speaker because we made the damn things.

The humans are just full of questions, hence the price tag. Hell, it's better to lead them to believe there is a Speaker caste or something than anything that could possibly lead them to the 'purpose made drone' theory you're advancing.

>>36218962
They only have the brief account of a Union soldier (now wanted criminal) of our hive, implanting smaller drones would help confuse and obfuscate them. Look here's a proposal for an implanted drone:

Acoustic: Advanced 2
Olfactory: Moderate 1
Blade: Hypodermic 2
Legs: Sprint 1
Wings: Advanced 4
Carapace: Adaptive camouflage 8
Mimetic skin 2
Tail 6 (hypodermic)
Explosive glands 2
Quantum Brain 4
Size: Small
Cost: 8N

Capable of independent action, stealthy, and very deadly.

>>36219011
The existence of the caste makes no evolutionary sense whatsoever, if they've never encountered humans before.

Seiner already was pondering the mystery of how the hive could adapt so rapidly when he was still on Leeland-- he KNOWS. Because the alternative is even more ridiculous than a bizarrely rapid adaptation ability.

>>36219010
Not sure where you're getting the idea the humans are privy to the nature of the Speaker besides a colorful bug that can talk and maybe appears to have a leadership position.

>>36218597

Do we actually have this as a unit?

If not, correct this mistake, now, Do it immediately, I don't care if it's expensive as fuck, we can pretty them up with bio-luminescence and some taunt flaps of decorative skin, like a cobra hood or those spitting dinosaur things or some shit and have them as Royal Guard if they are that expensive.

>>36218792
Too true, anon, too true. This is my absolute favorite quest right now, nothing else I follow comes close.

>>36219031
They didn't study the Speaker's mandibles in depth. They have no clue of the Speaker's vocal range. The Speaker could be a near-perfect mimic that uses calls to lure prey for workers to ambush for all they know.

The mystery of the hiver communicating has more to do with the rapid understanding of their language than the presence of vocal structures capable of reproducing human speech.

>>36219034
It's the obvious conclusion. It's a bug with human vocal cords. It was born from an egg that was only laid after meeting humans for the first time ever.

You'd have to be supremely stupid not to conclude the possibility it was an extremely rapid custom adaptation.

>>32211449
>I'm still trying to figure out how they adapt so quickly though. Have they said anything about it?"

>>36219010
You do realize we could send one speaker.

>>36219040

>Making them have glowy bits and decorative hoods associated with things that spit highly potent acidic venom at you.

Whelp, that's even more terrifying.

>>36219065
And have they closely observed those vocal cords and that egg-laying process? Got tiny spy cameras and biopsy nanites crawling around everywhere?

>>36219076
That's what I was suggesting, yeah.

>>36218984
That's the point. The more misinformation we can feed this guy the better off we are in the long term. Having more speakers would challenge the notion that they are born for a specific purpose, and make the hive seem less capable of intelligent design.

>>36218924
It looks like most of the support is between
>Send 1 speaker (based on original design) and several workers (write in)
>Send 1 original speaker
>Send multiple speakers (write in)

With a bit of people on the fence over
>Implant them with deadly, explosive, chest bursting parasites
>Don't

>>36219133
>Send 1 speaker (based on original design) and several workers

>>36219103
If the misinformation only raises further questions and thus makes them more curious, that might be a net negative.

>>36219133
>>Send 1 speaker (based on original design) and several workers (write in)
I mean, modified to all explode with acid and quantum brains, obviously.

>>36219133
>Send 1 speaker (based on original design) and several workers (write in)
>Don't

>>36219133
>Send multiple speakers (write in)
But ALSO a few workers. 3 speakers, 5 workers.

>>36219133
>>Send 1 speaker (based on original design) and several workers (write in)
20 of them.

>Don't
Tiny death bugs would only make Seiner's penis harder.

>>36219146
Then we shouldn't be sending exploding drones at all, really. There's no compelling reason to think that the humans strongly suspect purpose-made drones at this point.

>>36219173
we don't want them studying the drones though

>>36219040
I primarily based it on image I had for the shocktrooper bugs, I.E. Combat form but a little more 'built' and with the leaping wings.

>>36219173
Exploding acid when captured by predators is a believable evolutionary adaptation.

And with quantum brains, they can demonstrate sentience even when cut off from the Queen. Which will shut down the bounty program promptly, since that's how Seiner justified it.

>>36219189
>>36219040

Of course if thats inaccurate do what you will. I plan on sketching out a few more bug designs, both what we already have and some design concepts.

>>36219133
>>Send multiple speakers (ten)

>Implant them with deadly, explosive, chest bursting parasites

>>36219213
I'm kind of sad we can't design them like mechs in mekton.

>>36219186
My point was more that if we don't want to pique interest at all, dangling drones and then detonating them doesn't make sense.

>>36219201
A more intelligent leader caste is also a believable evolutionary adaptation.

>>36219133
Agreeing with the version that doesn't let them study our drones.

>>36219133
1 speaker
18 Workers
1 Warrior

don't

>>36219250
But the giant bugs clearly don't use vocals to communicate and command.

They appear to use radio.

>>36219269
No version of these options would let them study our drones, anon. This is a vote over how much we want to screw with whoever first sent Lyle.

>>36219133
All of the drones would have quantum minds and Explosive glands correct.

>>36219133
Looks like it's
>1 speaker (original design plus quantum brain)
>10 workers with quantum brains and acid glands

This look good?

>>36219271
Voting against this option. Nobody except Lyle know of our warriors or this effectiveness, and this would be a terrible way to let the secret out.

>>36219302
Aye

>>36219302
Original design had just acid glands? If that's upped to explosive glands, it's good.

>>36219302
I would like to vote for at least a few more speakers, on the assumption Lyle will forward part of the proceeds to the Hive.

>>36219322
>>36219297
I think the original did have only acid glands, both of the disposable drone types in this case will have explosive glands.

>>36219302
Explosive glands for everyone please.
>>36219338
no.

>>36219302
Could we give them all explosive glands instead? We'd be better off if the lab in question was trashed.

>>36219338
If it's money you're after, just include double that amount of exploding workers.

I'm against sending any drones at all. Rather prepare a force to take out this mysterious broker. Prepare for him taking on Lyle, kill his forces an then go after him.

>meanwhile, in real time
>only a second or two has actually passed
>Lyle is still sitting there worrying about the Broker

So, that's 600k credits worth of drones.

How about Lyle gets to keep 30k --- the exact price he would have gotten for that single dead wasp in his cockpit that he killed.

The rest is deposited into the hive's new pseudonymous bank account.

>>36219421
How about we cover whatever expenses incurred in repairing the Angel from our battle. He loves this ship like a lover, and we could take it as an opportunity to cement his loyalty further.

>>36219501
Pretty sure we just repair it ourselves. No way I'm letting alien techs fiddle with the ship after our upgrades.

>>36219501
But it is repaired?

>>36219302
"You will call this broker, then, and tell him you will have his delivery. Tell him a believable story of why you were so late." You bring Lyle's attention to the FTLcomm down in the common area.

"Fine, fine." He says dismissively as he gets up from his seat. The workers skitter away as he moves to the small console, leaving the area cleaner than when they arrived.

Lyle sits at the keyboard and types a single letter.

"?"

There is a long wait, and then a torrent of text.
"YOU SONABITCH WHT R YOU TRYN TO PULL YOU SHIT?"

Lyle smirks. "He must be pissed if his writing is that shitty." He slowly types out a response.

"Cool your tits, this place is a hell hole. Just got over goddamn space-malaria and put the ship back together. Next time you want be to go on a bug hunt make sure to give me an industrial sized bottle of Raid." He clicks enter, then starts typing again. "Got your bugs, where's the drop?"

Another long wait.

"Mars, Olympus point. Man will be waiting in dock 15, hangar 6, tell tower you have a haul of Huronese Razor Trout and they'll send you to the right birth."

Lyle nods approvingly. "Ok, so his undies don't have his nuts in a twist anymore, now what?"

"Now, you go to Mars and unload the drones, then you go to Earth." Lyle leaps from his spot, making the bolts holding the chair down creak as his knees hit it with more force than a human should be capable of. He yells at no one in particular, alone in the room.

"Earth? What in the hell do you want me to do there?"

"Just a simple scouting mission. You will have my other children with you to assist you. You will do fine." You sense the reassurance is almost taunting to him. Of course he'll do fine! He's always done just damn fine on his own!

You sense him catch himself before he actually says anything in response, and he storms off to a storage bay to take account of his inventory.

"Who ate all the goddamn Jerky?" He shouts as an empty tin impacts the wall.
1/2

>>36219573
"Who ate all the goddamn Jerky?
I bet it was the Twins.

>>36219589
We also used a lot of rations on the other human prisoners that Lyle doesn't need to know about.

>>36219573
>send you to the right birth."
That sound so lewd---

Oh you meant 'berth'.

>>36219573
We should send him off with a big vat of green paste. Just like momma used to make.

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>>36219613
Nah, he meant birth.

>>36219537
Yes, but if our repair of the Clarke was any indication, the Hive's handiwork still looks decidedly alien when finished. Even if repair is purely cosmetic I'd expect Lyle to have it done, having a ship that looks like a metal wasp's nest sort of defeats the purpose of an infiltration agent.

>>36219656
IIRC, we hid our drive system inside the case of the previous one.

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>>36219573
"You know, I bet if I had a few months to take a really good look at this, I could probably make modern Union circuitry obsolete within the decade, these things are astoundingly advanced!" Elizabeth says between mouthfulls of dried beef. "Odd thing is is that nothing seems to be a proper storage device. I think it functions along a similar principle as the ancient punch card computers of historic Earth. I still don't want to jump the shark, but I bet the white crystal may serve as the punch card. Probably. I think." She takes another bite as she stares into the gutted alien device from her seat on the floor. "Or maybe it's more like a keyboard, like a jack for telepathic beings?"

You take account of the various things in the system as your pod drifts in. You don't have a good visual on most of the system, which is crowded deep within, huddled close to the star, but your pod has plenty of time to digest the endless stream of media coming from the various colonies. There are several gas giants, three of which appear to hold colonization efforts on their many moons. Jupiter and Saturn show the largest amount of traffic, while the various frozen moons of Uranus appear to be mostly military in nature. There is a tiny binary dwarf planet along the edge of the system, and a similarly small worldlet even further from that, but nothing that seems interesting. Beyond the gas giants is an asteroid belt rich with metals and minerals, and filled with mining ships collecting all manner of resources. Further in you detect what must be Mars, a loud and obnoxious hub of cultural and economic activity. Even from halfway out of the system you can detect the wire thin elevator spanning from the surface to orbit, the so called Olympus Point station.

>Find a location behind a planet and have the Angel blink in
>Have the angel blink in a day away
>Let Lyle take the ship to Mars on his own
>Other

>>36219613
autocorrect can be a bitch sometimes, but yes.

If we're doing this drone bounty thing, and making it happen. We should lay several more pods to set up our dragnet throughout Union space.

So that we can detect them when they warp in to whatever system is their ultimate destination. It might not be Mentan, after all.

>>36219673
Yeah I know, but I'm assuming the patch up job we did on the armor plates we dissolved has the same outward appearance as the one we did on the Clark. Decidedly organic and clearly not of human design. QD mentioned the Clark would never pass as a Union frigate it's current state, even at a cursory glance.

>>36219706
>>Have the angel blink in a day away
The entire system is too crowded to just blink in behind a planet.

>>36219706
>Have the angel blink in a day away

>>36219706
>>Find a location behind a planet and have the Angel blink in

>>36219706
>Elizabeth says between mouthfulls of dried beef
Goddamn QD have mercy, my sides can't take much more.

>>36219710
seconded

>>36219710
If they have quantum brains, we may be better off telling them to explode/hollow themselves out with acid when they begin to feel sleepy (due to gas), or the possibility of dissection otherwise seems to rise.

>>36219706
>>Have the angel blink in a day away
Conveniently sealing the deal in time for our mission to Earth.

>>36219730
We should do that as a contingency plan, but also send out waves of pods to track them. That way we can identify and locate whoever wants to dissect our children.

>>36219730
We should, but we also want to have a better chance of being able to see through their eyes in whatever shady facility they might end up at.

>>36219706
>Let Lyle take the ship to Mars on his own

>>36219739
>>36219742
Let's hope it isn't a deep space location.

>>36219794
Why would it be? Not many reasons a human scientist would want to set up shop a hundred thousand miles from anything. Especially not for a customary dissection and analysis of a newly discovered stone-smashing species that may or may not be self aware.

>>36219706
>Have the Angel blink in a day away.

Your drones are quickly loaded into the ship. Despite their size they don't take up nearly as much room as humans, and huddle together in several of the cramped crew quarters.

>Flies (5)
>Worker 10
>Shocktrooper 10

As well, the eggs of several new drones, made for this singular purpose, are loaded into the cargo canisters.

>1 explosive quantum speaker
>10 explosive quantum workers
121N, no upkeep due to extenuating circumstances.


Your workers have finished sculpting out a launch pad from the soil and rock around and over the ship, and Lyle grips the controls with an unrelenting joy. The thrusters open and the ship begins to float into the air with a thunderous roar, and for the first time in months, the Hel's Angel takes flight again.

"Holy shit." You hear Lyle say under his breath as he lifts into the air to the sight of a docking pylon in the distance with the skeletons of your newest ships hanging from the top. The foundations of two more not far in the distance. Organized patrols of wasps run along the jungle as shuttles lift off and touch down in the hangar bay carved into the mountain, the colossal pillar of an anti-orbital battery scraping the sky not far from it.

"The hive is stronger than you ever could have suspected." You say as a shuttle cruises past the Angel flanked by a dozen wasps. "One against a nation: impossible odds for even the greatest warriors."

Lyle quickly breaks the clouds only to find the blockade of patrolling corvettes and frigates in orbit. "Christ, mate. How long was I out for?"

The Angel accelerates under the power of its new Skid Drive, and as it breaks orbit Lyle shakes himself loose of the awe of the hive fleet to ask. "Hey, how am I supposed to work this new drive, anyways?"

The Angel blinks. Lyle immediately covers his eyes and reaches for a sick bag.


1/2

>>36219927
As the Angel drifts into the system on auto pilot, you have many other facets of the hive to attend to.

>Speak with (write in)
>Design drone/ship (write in)
>Lay drone/ship (write in)
>Add research project (write in)
>Send drone/fleet on mission (write in)
>Other

>>36219954
>>Speak with
Elizabeth, lets see to that damn console thing.
>Lay 10 Pods

>>36219954
>Lay drone/ship (write in)
>Send drone/fleet on mission (write in)
Lay 13 pods and send them to cover all the systems far off beyond The Cradle and The Claw. Also one stationed at reprieve if we don't have one there already.

>Add research project (write in)

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>>36219954
>>Lay drone/ship (write in)
10 Pods.
>>36219954
>>Add research project (write in)
Broken Crystal. Skyl controller chip. Laser Cooling.

The first two because related to void shards shenanigans. The latter because it sounds ...cool

>>36220004
We need the pods to monitor Union space right now more, really.

>>36219954
Let's lay...

200 Vacuum workers (worker variant with oxygen recycler)

And set them to constructing several orbital docking pylons around the Advance Waystation planet the Skyl used to use.

>>36220013
Then lay additional pods for union space as well.

>>36219954
>>Design drone/ship (write in)
How's about we get those mining corvettes that anon mentioned earlier going?

Mining Corvette
Hull: Corvette 400N 800M
Shuttle Bay 100N 50M
Standard armor
Consumption beam
Turret: None
Fixed: None
Aux: None
Cost: 500N 850M
Upkeep: 250N
Size: 100Meters

This would really help boost our metal income. Might want to add some auxillary weapons just in case though.

>>36219954
>lay 10 stealth scout pods; get them to investigate human space

>>36219954
Speak with Human's to see how they are doing.
Lay 159 Excavators
Lay 100 Thinkers
Lay 10 Pods
Lay fake Queen for main Hive
Add Research:
Bipedal Legs
Flak Jacket
Drop Pod
Mission:
Send Aquatic Workers and Warriors on under water scouting for hive.
Send Ship to retrieval Communicator.

>>36220035
There is no need for dedicated mining corvettes. Just use the existing scout corvettes.

>>36220006
Supporting this, and vote to add grenade launchers to research.

>>36220035
>Might want to add some auxillary weapons just in case though.

No need, just have corvettes and other military ships patrol the area. Specialization is our strength.

>>36220045
seconding

>>36220006
>>36220027
Do these, plus lay 59 Excavators and pick up that drop shipment of the FTLComm we ordered.

>>36220048
These would be dedicated to harvesting metal from the superstructure, and would streamline the logistics involved in doing so. As >>36220059 said, specialization is our strength, and mining is something the hive can always afford to increase. Fleets of warships aren't cheep to run, after all.

>>36220101
Normally I'd agree with specialization, but the scouts aren't really occupied much. They can be used as miners slurping up metals.

I was thinking. Now that we have compact armor. We could use a vanguard, one that can do a devastating first strike with the plasma lance by getting close under stealth, and that can also take a pounding from the enemy after stealth is broken.

Hull: Frigate 800N 1600M
Armor: Reflex 750N, Conductive 225N 750M
Stealth field 75N 225M
Rapid damage control 22N 30M
Spinal x1: Linear particle beam 150M
Fixed x8: Plasma lance 160M
Turret x6: Railgun 150M
Aux x4: Auto Cannon (explosive ammo) 40M
Cost: 1872N 3105M

With 8 fixed hardpoints, it's a lot deadlier than the scout corvette. And just more suited for combat in general, with an occupied spinal slot.

>>36220111
They've being used to ferry drones and materials between the hive and it's colonies. They're good at scouring materials for examination, but for sustained industrial scale mining in a vacuum, a specialized ship with a shuttle bay would increase the rate at which we gather metal by comparison.

>>36220129
Looks okay, if a little on the expensive side, but how long could it keep it's lances trained on it's target once it's stealth has dropped? If your aim is a stealthy ship that can take a pounding, why don't you just give it heavy armor? Slightly less agile, but would cost far fewer nutrients and could weather more abuse.

>>36220154
>increase the rate at which we gather metal by comparison.
How so.

It consumes metals at the same rate.

>>36220211
Because it can then make the first strike and remain extremely mobile afterwards.

We now have an abundance of nutrient income and now that our nest egg has grown a great deal, I think it's worthwhile to spend it on combined hull armors for ships that are both fast and durable.

>>36219954
>Lay 10 Space pods
>Retrieve package
seems to have enough support.

Other suggestions include
>200 Vacuum workers (will boost construction projects in space or in other environments without breathable air)
>100 thinkers
>159 excavators
>Fake queen

>Add to research
Bipedal Legs
Flak Jacket
Drop Pod
Broken Crystal
Skyl controller chip
Laser Cooling

>Design mining corvette
>Design Vanguard Frigate

It may take a long time, but I would prefer to take ages to get through this than to have things added in the heat of the moment that you may not really want.

>>36220235
>Broken Crystal
>Skyl controller chip
>Laser Cooling
Also add:
Grenade launcher

>159 excavators
>200 Vacuum workers

>Design Vanguard Frigate

>>36220235
Yes to
>200 Vacuum workers
>100 thinkers
>159 excavators

Where are we supposed to put the fake queen though?

>Add to research
Bipedal Legs
Broken Crystal
Skyl controller chip
Laser Cooling

Would the mining corvette really have any advantage of our current method of salvaging metal from ship graveyards?

>>36220235
>>100 Vacuum workers
>>100 thinkers
>>159 excavators
>Design mining corvette

>>36220235
Adding this to my vote here>>36220260

>Add to research
>Flak Jacket
>Drop Pod
>Broken Crystal
>Skyl controller chip
>Laser Cooling
>Grenade Launcher

>>36220235
200 Vacuum workers
100 thinkers
159 excavators
Fake queen

>>Add to research
Broken Crystal
Skyl controller chip
Laser Cooling
Bipedal Legs

>Design Vanguard Frigate

We would put it in the main hive and place the Queen in the hidden bunker.

>>36220259
forgot to link response:
>>36220281

>>36220259
I'm thinking about from a logistics angle. With mining vessels focused entirely on salvaging the Skyl superstructure, they can work at it constantly while exchanging supplies and metal with Scout ships (via shuttles), which can then take it directly to the hive. That would be more efficient in theory, but I suppose whether or not it would actually improve our metal income depends on how QD calculates that.

>>36220305
Besides, if we're going to build more ships dedicated to strip mining space borne objects, we might as well go with a design that's cheaper and better suited for that role.

>>36220235
>200 Vacuum workers

>Drop Pod
>Broken Crystal
>Skyl controller chip

>Design Vanguard Frigate

>>36220305
Don't you want Stealth field and Rapid damage control added as standard? Those are pretty cheap addons anyway.

>>36220305
>>36220360
Well If QD says that it is more efficient crunchwise, then it has my support.

>>36220281
adding:
>>Design mining corvette
to my post:
>>36220281

>>36220394
and that's the sign that I need to go to sleep.

>>36220235
Supported actions appear to be

>Add research
Broken Crystal
Controller Chip
Bipedal legs
Laser Cooling
Grenade Launcher
Drop Pod

>Lay workers
200 Vacuum workers
100 thinkers
159 excavators
Fake queen (takes your place in the throne room, new throne room built in hidden bunker)

And the last vote on the ships
>Vanguard
>Mining

>>36220305
It could allow your scouts to, well, scout instead I suppose. There is a docking pylong being built near the superstructure, so most mined metals would be sent there to be used in ship construction. The main reason your income would increase would simply be because you would have ships doing nothing but mining instead of other tasks.

As it is, idle ships are used to ferry goods between colonies and maintain patrols and blockades around important locations, so idle ships to serve an important purpose. Similarly, idle excavators assist in the construction of new hive projects like farms, but do not count towards metal income, which was one of the reasons you were able to build your farms to quickly until recently, when all of your excavators were assigned to the mines, bolstering your income but decreasing the speed of underground construction. As a rule, a drone or ship can only do one thing, and it is assumed that they are always being productive in some way. Think of it like Evil Genius, the drones will do what you tell them to do, but if you leave them alone they will tend to the hive's maintenance and do the things you want done on their own.

>>36220425
>Vanguard
Between this and the Fleet Corvettes, it'd be nice to have something we can start mass producing with the new pylons.

>>36220425
So maybe 4-6 of the mining corvettes.
I'm still not sure about the Vanguards, I don't really sea the difference between them and lancers(if we upgrade them of course)

>>36220425
So then we could just assign the 4 scout corvettes to start mining M-323 then.

And all the numerous other corvettes can do the ferrying instead, since there are more than enough.

>>36220461
>the difference between them and lancers
Lancers are corvettes. Smaller and less sturdy.

They also have no point defense, or much defenses at all really.

>>36220425
So having Idle ships is actually vital to maintaining territorial integrity. So it would pay us to lay new ships dedicated mining metal rich deposits in space? If that's the case then I support both designs.

>>Vanguard
>>Mining

>>36220425
when construction possible:
>>Vanguard 4
>>Mining 6

I'd like to propose a construction project and a mission:
Make the crater show in images sent to humans for use as a rain catching reservoir and scout inside the large portions of the Skyl construction for tech.

>>36220463
We will only have 2 more scout corvettes left over if we do that, and QD just stated having ships with unassigned duties is actually important to a functioning interstellar hive. We'd be better off laying new ships for mining, so why don't we go with ones designed explicitly for that purpose?

>>36220473
Oh shit my bad, I thought they were corvettes. So they're focused more on a first strike role than general fleet defense compared to the regular frigate?
It has my okay then.

>>36220500
>, and QD just stated having ships with unassigned duties is actually important to a functioning interstellar hive
And we have plenty of other corvettes that would be idle. It's not just scout corvettes that can ferry, you realize?

>>36220463
Indeed. So far the default duties of idle scout corvettes is to ferry goods between Leeland, Raligha, and the M-323 Pylon construction site, and to use the consumption beam to mine Tritium from the local gas giant and distribute it to the rest of the fleet.

>>36220476
Maybe break the vanguard into 2 separate designs:

1. Extremely fast and expendable strike vessel for the initial surprise attack. Has camourflage.

2. The tank, heavy armor, takes a beating, comes in after the strike vessels with corvettes as support

>>36220516
I don't think we should do heavy armor to slow ships down unless the ship is already big and slow because of its hull size.

We can afford double armor easily now.

>>36220507
Certainly, all I'm saying is that in the long term it would be more cost effective having ships dedicated to mining all day every day if they were designed specifically for that, without the armament or accessories of the scout.

>>36220516
>1. Extremely fast and expendable strike vessel for the initial surprise attack. Has camourflage.
Isn't this exactly what the lancer corvette is?

>>36220534
Seconding this. We should do more specialized designs. Our advantage is large amounts of cheap specialized drones after all.

>>36220425
Looks like
>4 Vanguard Frigates
>6 Mining corvettes

The idle drone/ship rule is more for convenience than anything else. Like that frighteningly perfect functioning homeschooled family that lives down the street with the kids that do all the chores without being asked. All your children want to do is make things more convenient.

>Next day
Please wait while I run up the calculations.

>>36220545
We are currently processing your order.
Please hold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYxbSRpVJ3s

Of course we have to wait until next week when the missile pods are statted up for ship design.

Then we'll have nukes to equip ship designs with. That'll be a whole new ballgame.

>>36220566
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERFv6LxzHQ

The theme of the Hive race.

>>36220566
This tune made me imagine a hive worker drone operating a cash register at a fast food joint. I need sleep.

>>36220545

Finished Research

>Bipedal legs
These legs are capable of folding into one another, posing naturally as four stable legs, or propping the drone up on its hind legs to appear nearly twice its normal height. While upright, the drone is extremely limited in its land speed, but by human standards it would appear to have an elegant and somewhat intimidating stature and stride.

>Lightning gun
This short ranged weapon sends a harmless ray to the target, causing a buildup of charged particles before releasing a powerful bolt of energy, effectively simulating a natural lightning strike. In the hands of a drone, it is a short range weapon with poor accuracy but tremendous damage, in space, it is a short range weapon with high accuracy, as it is naturally attracted to the target’s hull, but does much lower damage. Critical hits have the chance of arcing to adjacent targets.

>Ion thrusters
These compact and highly efficient thrusters use a powerful electrical charge to ionize particles found in an atmosphere, or those collected in interstellar medium. Small, automatically refilled tanks provide the main source of propellant, allowing ships to discard the weighty fuel tanks required for chemical maneuvering thrusters. All ships are now slightly more mobile, with smaller craft being affected to a greater degree, and space pods are now capable of powered flight within an atmosphere.

[New Research unlocked]
>Ion cannon
Slow
The next logical step in ion technology, the ion cannon uses a powerful magnetic funnel to channel ionized particles to a target, causing focused energy damage and EMP effects. Similar in nature to the CIP weapon, but based more on the Ion thruster technology.

>>36220686
[New tech purchased]
>Defense shields
This powerful energy field is projected from a number of redundant generators to create a series of overlapping energy walls that protect the ship from damage. Technically the shields will stop any and all damage, however in practice, overwhelming damage can quickly do damage to the generators, knocking the field out for the remainder of combat. A kinetic strike may break the generators free of their housing, while an explosion or concentrated energy weapon may cause the generators to overheat, melting them to slag. Purely thermal weapons such as the Plasma Lance bypass the shields completely, roasting the ship within like a turkey in a pressure cooker.

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>>36220686
>All ships are now slightly more mobile, with smaller craft being affected to a greater degree, and space pods are now capable of powered flight within an atmosphere.
Fucking righteous.

>>36220686
>Ion thrusters
>All ships are now slightly more mobile, with smaller craft being affected to a greater degree, and space pods are now capable of powered flight within an atmosphere.
I always like passive upgrades.

>>36220694

Lyle has spent the day strapped to a strange machine of pulleys and weights testing the limits of his new augments. He long ago reached the limits of what the machine is capable of, and appears to now simply test his endurance, or simply pass the time. Regardless, he has spent much of the past day strapped into the zero-g bench, lifting the equivalent of a small car. He seems more than impressed, although he did accidentally impale a coffee jug during his breakfast.

He floats leisurely to the cockpit in response to a proximity alert from the ship's computer.

"Attention unidentified vessel, you are entering Martian space without a clear ID."

He reaches to the comm button and flips it with his thumb as he straps himself to the chair. "Hel's Angel to Tower, ID was destroyed due to heavy damage sustained by... indigenous life. Nearly tore the ship in half."

The voice on the radio seems incredibly interested. "What is your business at Olympus Point?"

"Unloading a haul of Huronese Razor Trout."

There is a pause.
"Roger, Hel's Angel, you are clear to dock. Dock fifteen, hangar six. You flight plan has been transmitted."

A series of lines trace themselves along the canopy. "Roger that, flight plan received. You have a good day, now, tower." The radio cuts out. "Ya little wankers."

The station itself is a massive torus spanning nearly seventy kilometers. Near the center is a large hollowed out docking facility, with the elevator in the center on the far side of the station. like a massive wagon wheel. The Angel quickly moves in and adjusts its vector to match the berth as small cubicle drones drift towards it powered by tiny gas thrusters. They lock to the hull and their tethers draw the Angel within reach of the docking clamps, which close with a tremendous clang over the hull. The canopy quickly becomes opaque as Lyle hits a button, and then crains his head to look at a bulky warrior as it awkwardly spins in a tiny circle in the hallway.
1/2

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>>36220831
>and then crains his head to look at a bulky warrior as it awkwardly spins in a tiny circle in the hallway.
So cute

>>36220831
>"Roger that, flight plan received. You have a good day, now, tower." The radio cuts out. "Ya little wankers."
Well look at this, we're all one big cheeky family now, aren't we Lyle.

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If we put fluff on a warrior or speaker, will they look like this?

>>36220917
Speakers are already fluffy.

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>>36220924
They aren't they've got memetic skin for visual communication. Fluffiness is an attribute of the peacock carapace.

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>>36220924
but are they liars?

>>36220831
"Go to your room, and stay there, dammit."

The drone looks at him for a moment before unsheathing its blade to hook itself to a handhold and propels itself to the sleeping quarters. Lyle shrugs. "Well that was more than I could ask from those twins at least."

As he makes his way to the airlock the various drones in the ship slowly drift to the ground before skipping off in the low gravity. The docking ring was a large area nearly five hundred meters in diameter, and its rotation offered a meager .3 gravities. Not much for day to day life, but perfect for the loading and unloading of cargo. He eyes the crates in the cargo bay, and as he passes each one the simple thoughts of the newly hatched drones slip across his mind in a rather uncomfortable fashion. A clacking can be heard from one.
"Where is the Lee? Does he live in this hive?"

"Hey, save the performance for when it counts." Lyle says as he hits the controls to the door.

As the gangway lowers there is a squad of armed men standing ready, each wielding a long metal rod Lyle recognizes as a 'stun stick', they quickly skip into the cargo bay as a well dressed man in a business themed G-suit walks in, his steps punctuated with the sound of his suction boots as each step starts with a slight jerk from the floor in an almost comical fashion.

"Are these the crates?"

"Yes sir."

A muffled chatter is heard from one of the crates.
"Where is the Lee, does he live in this hive?"

The short chubby businessman rubs at his fingers, as if to wipe off perceived grime, and motions to the armed men who quickly haul the crates away. Your pod keeps a close tab on their location from its cloaked position nearby.

"Wonderful. We will have them counted up and payment sent through your employer, as usual." He turns on his heel, a hilariously awkward thing to do in suction boots, and hobbles his way out behind the guards. As the doors close a muffled chitter is heard once more.
"Are you to take us to the Lee?"
cont.

>>36220977
As the doors seal shut Lyle looks to no one in particular and says. "Ok, now what? What do the spooky damn ghost voices want me to do now?"

>Enter Olympus Point and purchase anything you may need
>Undock and head to Earth under cloak
>Other

>>36221001
>Undock, head to Earth.
>Have a pod try to keep tabs on our quantum drones.

Will our drones explode/die if it seems like dissection is on the menu?

>>36221016
Those are their standing orders, yes.

>>36221001
enter Olympus, purchase hookers, and booze

>>36221023
We don't need anything from Olympus, though.

>>36221001
>>>Undock, and head to earth under cloak

>>36220977
>Enter Olympus Point and purchase anything you may need

>>36221001
>Enter Olympus Point and purchase anything you may need

Let's stick around for a little bit, get whatever supplies and see where they take the drones.

>>36221032
Beef Jerky

>>36221046
Agreed

>>36221048
Nigga please.
Lyle can enjoy his Sugargoop.

>>36221016
>Enter Olympus Point and purchase anything you may need

What human tech could we realistically get off this station? I'm pretty sure they're holding some rare wildlife we can use to upgrade ourselves.


>>36221016
That seems to be our only option

>>36221001
Ask him if he needs anything, if so then
>Enter Olympus Point and purchase anything you may need
otherwise
>>Undock and head to Earth under cloak

>>36221001
>>Enter Olympus Point and purchase anything you may need
Have Lyle make a quick pit stop for bullets, equipment, and the vital beef jerky.

>>36221001
Are we meeting up with Unity at Earth, or are we doing this mission solo?

>>36221177
Solo, we're scouting for them.

>>36221001
>Have a couple of Flies try to follow the men
We have them there for a reason.

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We should really get around to researching those ball of arms guys.

I want ball based locomotion damn it all!

>>36221188
OH SHIT I FORGOT ABOUT THEM, SEND EM OUT ASAP!

>>36221001
"Gather anything you may need before leaving."

Lyle stairs at a wall for lack of anything else to direct his response to. "I could use a drink for one thing." He skips to a hatch and quickly exits the ship. The hatch has been attached to an umbilical that leads down into the station itself. Tourists, mercenaries, and Space Forces recruits alike skip or drift along on automated handholds. Lyle quickly grabs one as it passes by and is swept off his feet like a leaf in a breeze. He lets go and gives the wall a light kick, sending him drifting towards another hall.

The gravity of the docking ring meant several things, first, elevators were potentially deadly, and second, stairs were a waste of time. Handholds and half-baked ladders were typically all that were necessary until the first ward, and Lyle, like anyone used to life aboard a spacecraft, was often more comfortable in microgravity than most civilians were in normal gravity.

As you let Lyle make his way to the commercial wards, where his mind chases after a box of beef jerky, a bottle of scotch, some cigars, and several boxes of ammunition, you turn to your pod, and by proxy your drones.

Your speaker has maintained a nearly constant chatter, and it is clearly becoming aggravating to the chubby businessman, although the armed guards pay no attention one way or the other, their faces masked by their vacuum sealed helmets. Your drones sense themselves quickly moving away from the ship.

>Send out flies to tail the crates
>Tail the businessman
>Keep your drones within the Angel
>Other

>>36221188
I thought that reason was to have a scouting party.

>>36221213
>>Send out flies to tail the crates

>>36221215
Thats why I said a couple, hell even one will do.

>>36221213
>>Send out flies to tail the crates
>>Tail the businessman
Send out several to track both, completely incognito of course.

>>36221213
>>Send out flies to tail the crates
>>Tail the businessman

>>36221213
>Send out flies to tail the crates
>Tail the businessman

>>36221213
>Send out flies to tail the crates
>Have our speaker continue chattering, to annoy him; "This delegation wishes to see the Lee." "This one wishes to know if you like the Lee too." "Does this hive have 'fire' inside? This delegation wishes to worship the Lee."
> "Who is the mother of the Lee?" "What is your delegation's thoughts on the Lee? This delegation likes the Lee."

I wanna see if we can make him crack.

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>>36221213
>>Send out flies to tail the crates.
>>Send Lyle to buy Exotic Animals we can use.

Don't you guys want some cool new shit?
Doesn't even matter if they cost a lot, it's Lyle's money.

>>36221267
Maybe we could get him to just collect gene samples of a lot of different life forms, like hair or blood samples. That should be enough for our thinkers to research.

>>36221213
>>Send out flies to tail the crates
>>Tail the businessman
>>Have Lyle get animals.

>>36221292
I don't think they're going to let a crazy Australian root around in animal cages for hair. Trust me, i'm Australian and they won't let you do that shit. Better to just buy them.

>>36221338
Story time.

>>36221338
What if he pays somebody for the samples? It probably be cheaper and I damn sight more convenient. I doubt he would enjoy establishing a holding pen for glowing space tigers on his ship.

You know what, after reading that last sentence I realize just how funny this could be, let's do it.

>>36221213
Several flies buzz from the Angel and into the corridor after the guards. The chubby businessman is panting from his excessive effort put into his suction boots, and riding along on the cart to which the crates are attached.

"This hive is very strange. Things are light inside it. Are all your hives light inside?" "It was lighter in the tiny hive of the mean, ugly one. Why are things in this hive heavier?" "You are much rounder than other humans. Are you a special caste? Are you a speaker? Is that why you are round?"

"Enough! Quiet you stupid bug, or I'll have you stuck with a stun stick!"

"What is a stun stick? Is it nutritious?"

A metal pole jabs in through a breathing hole in the crate and an arc of electricity sends your speaker reeling.
"Pain! They are not nutritious!"

"How someone spend three days alone with you is beyond me."

"The Lee's leg was injured. He was unable to leave."

"That sounds like a fresh kind of hell." He says as a fly drifts past him, near the ceiling.

"You are mean, round human, but you are suficient at communication. Round humans must be speakers."

Another stun stick jabs at the speaker.
"And shiny humans are no good!"

Please roll 1d100, best of 3 to tail with your flies.

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>36221378
This is fucking amazing QD. I'm laughing my ass off here

>>36221355
It was Tuesday.

Cheeky speaker is best speaker

>>36221378
>1d100

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>36221378
My sides

>>36221397
Fuck me i need sleep

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>36221378

>>36221378
>"Pain! They are not nutritious!"
Ok, that got me well and good.

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>36221378
Rolling!

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>>36221378
Fucking all my keks QD.

>>36221378
Jesus i went to sleep 5 hours ago and spent half an hour watching porn, and this is still up?

>>36221444
Second thread.

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>36221444
Messed up the dice.

>>36221396
At this point it wouldn't surprise me if cheekiness was somehow genetically encoded into the Red Hive's collective genome.

>>36221452
Oh i know, i went to sleep as this one went up, everything went good except of the mining vessel, but that is mainly because i think we would get more metal from drones unless i'm mixing something up(that the mining vessel is supposed to scavenge the old ship tech instead, which i'm all for).

>>36221389
>62
Not too terrible.

>>36221481
Its a fly, they are the best of the best.

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>Cheeky Queen Quest

Currently Researching:
>Rhetorical questions
>Tongue twisters
>Human Psychology: This subject will let you know a humans innermost thoughts just from looking at them. Who knows what this will allow your thinkers to invent? Probably more ways to fuck with people.

>>36221475
Mining vessel is just a dedicated rock cutter/hauler. I.e. a big drone with an engine on its butt and a cargo hold. Saying your against them because drones could do it is a bit like saying your going to axe-cut down and haul trees from the forest to the lumber mil by hand because you can do that instead of using a truck and a chain saw. While true, its less efficient. Plus: shit tone of space rocks to mine, cost/benefit is not a concern.

>>36221510
Ah my bad, i thought it was still based off the old design that used the consumption laser that gave metal at a loss.
If its a cutter/cargo bay.
I'm all for it than.

We should have lyle buys some books for us!

>>36221378
With the crates attached to a cart, which slowly glides along on a cargo rail, it is easy enough to follow them until they reach a large door. You watch as the businessman sticks his feet to the floor and waddle his way to the console on the wall. "Jeffrey Langley, clearance four." He says in monotone. A rapid light moves over his eye and the doors begin to part. The interior is a large room covered in what appear to be sweeping sensors, with a large sign near the top reading "Attention: For the safety of yourself and the public remain still while undergoing bio scan. Unauthorized pathogens harm us all: Olympus shipyards Public Relations Division."

"You are called a Jeffery? What is a Jeffery? Is that what your task is called? Do you Jeff? Are you good at Jeffing?" Another stun stick hits your speaker. The electrical current is actually rather diluted through the drone's carapace, but it makes a show of chirping and thrashing in the crate. It points its claw through the breathing hole to the guard. "This one must be named Stun sticker, it is all it does!"

Your flies watch as the crates are hauled into the quarantine chamber and quickly scramble to find an alternate way around. Your drones spot a tiny air vent near the ceiling, although there is no guarantee it will head in the right direction.

>Attempt to have your flies enter the chamber and avoid detection
>Attempt to enter and navigate the air vents
>Other (write in)

>>36221444
Mondays are often slow at my work, if I can't run more than once a week, this is the next best thing in my book.

>>36221540
Next scene with queen: reading
101 ways to cook human (spoof book)
while being visited by a delegate.

>>36221475
There's nothing stopping us from loading hordes of freshly hatched vacuum workers onto mining ships. The ships themselves are basically there to salvage the inert metals of the superstructure, we can send workers into the more substantial bits to raid the tech if we want to.

>>36221549
>Attempt to enter and navigate air vents
Chances are they'll pick up our flies being in the chamber.
Although I don't see any good options here.

>>36221549
>Attempt to have your flies enter the chamber and avoid detection
The air vents probrably have more secuity in them.

>>36221549
>Attempt to enter and navigate the air vents

We can see and hear from the drones anyway, we have time and theres no point risking detection.

Besides, we might find something interesting.

>>36221549
>Attempt to enter and navigate the air vents

>>36221549
>>Other (write in)
Split them up. Send a few through the vents in case the ones in the chamber are found. How many have we got out there, anyway? All ten?

>>36221563
Depends on vent size.
Mind this is a station, so it is a good chance they are large enough to accommodate a human inside for maintenance purposes.

>>36221572
Seconded

>>36221572
Thirded.

>>36221572
"A few" were requested, so 4. All 10 would actually have a hard time remaining sneaky.

>>36221576
I figured, that if this as top secret as it implies it is, than the vents should have tough sensors around this area.
>>36221572
Fourth
I wonder if we can forcefully put a parasite drone into a host(no tank just straight up open some one ,and shove the bugger inside).

>>36221572
Gonna go with this, actually.

Have the one(s) going inside the decontamination chamber try to temporarily hide in a worker box. Maybe make a ruckus with one of the other workers, to divert their attention for a moment?

>>36221572
Send one to trigger a fire alarm

>>36221572
Supporting this so if one ends up a dead-end the other has a chance

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>>36221549
>attempt to enter and navigate the air vents

Oh, boy! Time to become Liam.

>>36221549
>Split them up

Please roll 2d100, best of 3, first one for the two in the airlock, second roll for the two in the vents.

I just realized this is essentially a timed stealth escort mission and I suddenly hate myself for it.

>>36221626
>trying to create real life VN with crippled chicks
I still find it funny that the joke has gone so far, that people they personally know believe its real.he gets salty on his streams when ever its mentioned, and goes quiet in LP when its brought up.

>>36221636

Rolled 55, 25 = 80 (2d100)

>>36221636

Rolled 56, 93 = 149 (2d100)

>>36221636
Why the hate?

Rolled 60, 36 = 96 (2d100)

>>36221636

Rolled 98, 96 = 194 (2d100)

>>36221636

Rolled 22, 2 = 24 (2d100)

>>36221636

>>36221655
>>36221658
>>36221659
>60, 93
Hey, I'll take it.

>>36221661
>98,96
Fffffuck.

>>36221661
Why, Anon! Why were you so slow?!

>>36221661
So close
60, 93 still good.

>>36221636

60 for airlock, 93 for vents, writing.

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>>36221661
Why, Dice Gods? Why?

>>36221636
Can we do this
>>36221604
To lower the dc for the drones going into the chamber?

>>36221655
>>36221658
>>36221659
Okay, not perfect but satisfactory-
>>36221661
...
It's at times like these I wish this quest had some kind of fate save mechanic.

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Now i'm getting worried about the outcome. Was a 60 not high enough?

>>36221795
We have 10 quantum brains in the room ready and willing to boost our roll.

We just need to hope they didn't crit.

>>36221807
Quantum brains, as QD explained it, boost the impact of a crit, be it high or low. They won't do much for the 60 but the 93 might be significant.

>>36221807
Oh yeah, I thought we just got a relay.

So what animals is Lyle going to buy for us? Because we're not leaving without some rare animal, even if we just steal the fuckers while in a shoot out.

>>36221847
We still have Unity busting a nut trying to find out, hwat we know.

>>36221840
If Quantum brains boost crits. What would happen if we just had server ships just filled with brains when we have space battles? Would we obliterate the enemy if it was even fight?

>>36221869
Remember, that includes critical fails as well.

>>36221636

"The walls have lights!"

A laser scanner activates on the far side of the room, and slowly begins to creep across the airlock chamber. Your drones collectively panic. A meter long gardening blade lashes out and slices into one of the guards.

"Christ! What in the fuck?" The guard grabs his arm in pain and the rest close in around the crate, jabbing their stun sticks into it. As they do so your flies quickly glide into the crates and latch themselves to the carapace of one of your workers.

"What is thing? Is it bad? We should run from bad thing!" The scanner slowly moves over the crates and your drones enter panicked spasms as it passes over their crates. As it passes they step back up, looking around in confusion.

"Nevermind." Your speaker chitters.

Meanwhile your other flies quickly enter the tiny air vent. Within they find a view of a hallway covered in office doors, small water fountains, with refillable bottles along the side, and rows of cheap plastic plants set in dirt colored foam. Bellow your drones is a young woman sitting at a desk filing her nails as a series of shipping manifests roll across the screen. Your flies move to the wall for a better view, and on the screen is the entry "Huronese Razor Trout: 11 crates
Freighter: Moray
destination: Tadega

Down the hall is the airlock, slowly opening as a pair of medics rush in. Blood droplets trickle out in the microgravity as the guard in question cradles his arm.

"It isn't bad, just get it bandaged."

"Fuck, fuck it's bleeding so much!"

"That's just the gravity, it's practically a paper cut."

"Did you see the size of that fucking claw?"

Your speaker chitters in response, "They are not sharp. Human has soft skin, not good warrior."
Someone hits it with a stun stick.

>Continue to follow the crates
>Have your flies attempt to