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The sewers beneath New Prescott twist into labyrinthine corridors of poorly lit shanties and rivers of drain water and sludge. Your drones skitter in the dark as two lights shine across the water in the distance.
“Think I found another floater.” One of the maintenance workers shouts over the sound of a waterfall not far from him.

“Another? We already found a full set, if it’s another Taidaren I don’t want to go hunting for the other two again.” The other says, his boots sloshing the water. The body glistens with blood and mud as it sits lodged over a drainpipe to the side of the small canal. The ribs have been pulled open, with most of the torso and head missing. Deep bite and claw marks cover the rest of it.

“Shit.” Says the first worker, “What do you think did this? Taidarens will eat a body, but this looks too fresh for their taste.”

“Ceph maybe? I’ve seen them do a number in a pinch. Hear they can pull an arm clean off.” He holds his flashlight under his arm and flexes his hands, his breath letting off steam in the cold. “Or maybe an animal, some asshole flushed his pet again?” His partner scans the area with his light nervously. It catches the glint from a pile of trash built up along the concrete shore where several short chitinous breathing tubes protrude from the refuse like papier-mâché pipes. A steamy exhale escapes them as the light moves past.

“Last thing we need is another Razor Trout infestation. Call it in either way. Get a skiff to take it in for recyc. They don’t pay me enough for this.”

Welcome back to Hive Queen Quest!

>Archives http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Hive%20Queen%20Quest
>Twitter https://twitter.com/HiveQueenQuest
>Various pasta http://pastebin.com/u/QuestDrone
>FAQ ask.fm/QuestDrone
>Discussion page http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Quest_talk:Hive_Queen_Quest
>>
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>>39451727
>Current armory
1169 Thorn Launchers
20 Thorn Cannons
5823 Sting Casters
530 Cyclotrons
345 Rotary Stingers
3 Fire Sprays
95 Plasma Spray
422 Particle Cannons
320 Lightning Guns
120 Lightning Cannons

>Current resource reserves
Nutrients: 4,779,286
Metals: 704,303
Credits: ₡2226
Credits in Lyle’s account: ₡1,177,400

>Hive population and upkeep cost
Hive maintenance – 52325
Queen – 5
Fake Queen (3) – 165
Small Egg layer – 12
Worker (85005) – 170010
Aquatic Worker (5140) – 20560
Vacuum Worker (5200) – 31200
Radiator Worker (5100) – 20400
Warrior (11209) – 56045
Aquatic Warrior (100) – 700
Thinker (2000) – 6000
Quantum Thinker (1000) – 5000
Speaker – (3) – 12
Digger (200) – 800
Refinery (40) – 280
Sniffer (2) – 8
Small Sniffer (200) – 200
Fly (1100) – 4400
Wasp (1100) – 5500
Haz-mat Workers (20) – 80
Shock Troops (40) – 520
Parasite (80) – 320
Bio-tank (512) – 12800
Excavator (1000) – 19000
Colossus (20) – 300
Hovertank (200) – 5000
Harvester (50) – 950
Support Fluttercraft (2) – 272
Ghost Beetle (5) – 135
Heavy Warrior (1000) – 19000
Chinook (100) – 1800
Air defense drone (80) – 5920
Bomber (160) – 6560
Strafer drone (400) – 6000
Heavy Interceptor (160) – 4480
Light Interceptor (800) – 11200
Advanced Relay (69) – 6900 (set as default method of ship control)
Upkeep: 480,871N

>Hive fleet
Space Pod (4770) – 143100
Heavy Fleet Fighter (272) – 18224
Heavy Gunship (36) – 1080
Shuttle (10) – 250
Mining Corvette (36) – 9900
Patrol Corvette (26) – 13182
Scout Corvette (8) – 1800
Lancer Corvette (0) – 0
Fleet Corvette (20) – 4500
Heavy Fleet Corvette (48) – 56256
Heavy Fleet Frigate (36) – 51372
Stealth Frigate (4) – 1952
Vanguard Frigate (65) – 26000
Heavy Cruiser (4) – 4860
Heavy Fleet Cruiser (18) – 45090
Heavy Fleet Battlecruiser (4) – 32548
410,114N
>>
>>39451727
Welp, I'm already too wiped out to participate, but it's good to see you, QuestDrone! Hope you're doing well.
>>
>>39451727
BRING ON THE TECH!!!!!!!!!
>>
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>>39451781
>Formed fleets and orders
Small Heavy Defense Fleet [Patrolling Leeland space] (Undergoing repairs)
Heavy Battle Fleet [Awaiting orders]

Clone upkeep/special projects and expenses
25 Human captives of the USV Hope – 750
3 Human hybrid clone upkeep – 90
Specializations:
>Brawler
>Tech
>Engineer
Lyle Rogers – 47
887N

Total upkeep
Nutrient costs: 891872N

>Income
Metals: 438,000
Nutrients: 2,401,250
Net: 1,509,378N
>>
>>39451727
>Last thing we need is another Razor Trout infestation
What are these Razor Trout and why are they such a big deal?
>>
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>>39451820
Hive Territory
[G-426]
Asteroid mining base: 50,000M per day.

*Leeland (capital)
Defensive structures
>Surface to Orbit Missile System (750N)
>Anti-orbital batteries: 35/35 (8750N)
Military structures
>Hangar facilities: Room for 4840 Aero/fighter Drones and 2420 Shuttles (3025N)
>Psionic Shroud (1,000N)
>Prison Outpost
Industrial structures
>Docking Pylon: (500) (50,000N)
1469 under construction
[230 Space pods]
[24 Fleet Corvettes]
[35 Vanguard Frigates]
[6 Heavy Cruisers]
[2 Lancer Corvettes]
[Empty docks: 1703/2000]
Economic Structures
>Smart Mines active: 100,000M per day
>Algae Farm: +2,400,000per day, 24,000 Workers (1 worker per 100N)
>Film harvester dock: +750,000N per day, 1500 Harvesters active (500N per Harvester)

[M-662]
Raligha
Defensive structures
>Anti-orbital batteries: 35/35 (8750N)
Economic structures
>Bloodroot collectors: A series of pipes and veins running from the roots of several of the nearest Bloodroot trees provide a passive and low maintenance source of nutrient income, +250N per day (5)
>Greenwall pit: 500N
>Temple alter: A place for the Ralighan locals to worship and bring offerings to your hive, built in the likeness of your local fake queen, +500N per day

[M-323]
>Orbital docking pylon: Space for docking and construction of 4 sub capitals or 1 capital ship, (50N)
[Empty docks: 4/4]
>Mining corvette salvage operations +288000M per day (+8000M per corvette)

[Farcast]
Derelict Sensor array

Glassed Hive world [Planetary survey underway]
>Hive bunker complex

Deep space waystation
>100 docking pylons (10,000N)
[Empty docks 400/400]
>>
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This is the highpoint of my Monday mornings. Glad to have you back QD!
How was easter?
>>
>>39451833
Presumably they're basically piranhas that live in sewers. Imagine what would happen if they swam up into a toilet bowl or a major waterway...
>>
>>39451727
We're back!
Also, I don't think our drones did that.
>>
>>39451838
>[Farcast]
>Derelict Sensor array
Have we managed to get it operational?

>>39451856
The Hybrid did it when he had the munchies because we ordered him to turn into a Chimera.
>>
>>39451848
We should look around to see if there they are present and take a sample of them.
>>39451727
WELCOME BACK! It's been way too long!
>>
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>>39451838
New Construction Options
Defensive structures
>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
>Surface to Orbit Missile System – This massive bunker complex houses a wide range of warheads and a nigh limitless number of missiles within its protective walls, allowing you to launch missiles against approaching invaders from the safety of your hive. The facility uses the ship missile stats and comes equipped with a single Cruise missile silo that can target any detected object within the system, five Stinger missile silos capable of targeting any craft within high orbit, and ten Swarm missile silos specialized in targeting high altitude aircraft and low orbiting targets. The facility itself is a massive complex spread out over several miles, and includes guidance and launch equipment, as well as the means to construct and maintain a stock of warheads and missiles. (1500N 2500M)

>>39451846
Quite good, I hope you all enjoyed the holiday as well.
>>
>>39451848
But they come from Huron and are apparently considered a delicacy.
>>39451856
That was the Chimera dumbass.
>>
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>>39451907
Military Structures
>Hangar Expansion – Construct fortified hangar facilities of +40 aero/fighter drone space and +20 shuttle space. 50N 100M
>Psionic Shroud – A single building built around the shattered remains of a Void Shard, the shroud amplifies the unnatural mental silence of the broken crystal within to mask an entire planet from potential detection, preventing outside forces from easily detecting the thoughts of a hive. (2,000N 5,000M)
Industrial Structures
>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
>Weather Spire – A networked collection of spires spread across a planet capable of studying and altering a planet’s climate and atmosphere. Construction includes the building of all spires needed to function. (8,000N 20,000M)
>>
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>>39451927
Economic Structures
>Orbital solar array – A station placed in orbit of the local star equipped with a membrane of photosynthetic cells several kilometers in diameter capable of producing a steady stream of nutrient income. Provides 1000N per day total (5,000N 5,000M
>Harvester Dock – A large pier built along the shore overlooking the spore-producing ocean film that serves as an unloading area for Harvester drones, and contains pipelines to pump collected raw nutrients to the hive’s awaiting processing facilities, includes a single Harvester which is covered by the cost and upkeep of the dock. Provides 500N per day total (38N 50M)
>Orbital electroponic station – An orbital instillation built near a large source of hydrogen used to fuel a large fusion core, which in turn provides electrical power to a contained algae farm facility. Must be built in orbit of a gas giant. Provides +500N per day and doubles as a gas mining facility, refueling the tritium stores of any ships in the system. (1000M)
>Algae Farm – A carved out space used to utilize Leeland’s natural electrical field to cultivate food. +100N per day, 1 worker to maintain.
>>
>>39451926
Yes, a delicacy, when not living in sewers and eating people.
>>
Also I've been thinking about some things.
The reason the Valen are on Aral according to what we know is for religious reasons and Aral is also located in the Skyl's home system of Kerik Ashka(a.k.a. Tannhauser). Which made me wonder if the Skyl and the Valen may have met in the past that would explain why their FTL are so similar and why the Valen religious leaders control the Gate tech since it was a gift from their gods.
>>39451943
Is this a sound theory QD?
>>
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>>39451943
Finished Research

>Quantum Entanglement engineering
By experimenting with the basic nature of quantum entanglement your thinkers have been able to unlock a more advanced understanding of the technology that holds together the fabric of local alien society, human and otherwise. While you suspect you are still catching up to some of the most advanced technology known to mankind, you have already surpassed what is widely available.

[New research unlocked]

>Solid State Teleportation
Slow
While standard quantum systems allow for instantaneous transportation of data, this technology would allow for essentially the instantaneous transport of matter. The matter in question would be disassembled into individual particles and transported in much the same way as bits of data through a quantum relay, and then assembled on the other side. Due to the nature of the process, only simple objects such as raw resources could survive teleportation. This should allow for the transportation of resources across hive space without the need to delegate ships to serve as trade vessels.

>Quantum Tuning
Medium
While current quantum computing technology requires the relays be built to accommodate one another, this technology should allow you to quickly attune pre-existing devices for one another when in proximity. Your thinkers suspect more opportunities to open up after further research is done. You suspect Theseus would greatly appreciate such a technology, if he does not already poses it.
>>
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>>39452000
Current research

>Unknown directed energy weapon
Medium
A mysterious weapon of unknown composition and capability, picking apart the various remaining samples should reveal more about its nature.

>Thought muffler
Slow
While you are still unsure how to build replicas of the void shard remains needed to build the psionic shroud, you do think you may be able to recreate a similar effect. While the result would likely not be nearly as effective, it could be employed by individual drones or ships without the need for built infrastructure to support it.

>Mantle excavation
Slow
By using advancements in the operation and function of the metal trees, you can force them to focus their attention past the rocky crust of a world and have them dive their roots clear into the mantle of a planet, tapping into a vast wealth of metals

>Flash Cloning
Medium
While it may not be healthy for the clone in question, your mastery of biological technology allows you to accelerate the normal growth cycle of a clone, growing it to maturity within a single day, however clones are not as genetically robust as your own drones and doing so may cause undesirable genetic defects that may take time to reverse and result in a lower quality final product.
>>
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>>39452000
>Solid State Teleportation
>Slow
>While standard quantum systems allow for instantaneous transportation of data, this technology would allow for essentially the instantaneous transport of matter. The matter in question would be disassembled into individual particles and transported in much the same way as bits of data through a quantum relay, and then assembled on the other side. Due to the nature of the process, only simple objects such as raw resources could survive teleportation. This should allow for the transportation of resources across hive space without the need to delegate ships to serve as trade vessels.

>Quantum Tuning
>Medium
>While current quantum computing technology requires the relays be built to accommodate one another, this technology should allow you to quickly attune pre-existing devices for one another when in proximity. Your thinkers suspect more opportunities to open up after further research is done. You suspect Theseus would greatly appreciate such a technology, if he does not already poses it.

Someone help i'm getting a nerd boner
>>
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>>39452036
>Gravity reflection
Slow
Using superconducting polymers at near zero temperatures, you can interact and direct gravitational forces. Further research could lead to interesting applications of this new discovery.

>Advanced Psionics
Medium
With your understanding of your own mental capabilities expanding and recent discoveries hinting at even more applications, you feel that a full and detailed study using your new knowledge may reveal even more avenues of research.

>Neural crystal fractals
Medium
Further experimentation into the advantages of crystalline neural structures over your simpler organic computing has led to a potential breakthrough. By creating redundant designs the method of interaction with psionic signals can be adjusted, potentially leading to a sturdier defense against psionic based attacks.

Available research options

>Ground-orbital mega-construction
Slow
By using new construction systems to improve efficiency, the hive can build new projects capable of reaching orbit, using the rotation of the planet to remove the requirements of a free standing structure and instead essentially hang a station in orbit from the surface of the planet. Such a construction project would double as a docking pylon capable of constructing capital ships at a much faster rate, and replace the need for shuttles to ferry goods to and from orbit. [Unlocks the Capillary Tower construction option]

>Psionic Cannon prototype
Very slow/Very dangerous
Detailed accounts of several experiments show the slow progress of Project Godsplitter. The cannon itself is highly volatile, and even the smallest miscalculation often results in the destruction of the ship, as well as any nearby craft. It can only be equipped to a Hive ship's spinal mount, and requires a functional Void Shard as ammunition. At least a dozen testing sizes were atomized in testing the weapon, and in the end it appears The Gardener never quite perfected it.
>>
>>39451926
Rude. I just didn't remember that. It was, like, one post at the time.
>>
YES. YES. YEEEEEES.

IT HAS RETURNED! PRAISE BE!
>>
FINALLY

I HAVE BEEN WAITING
>>
FUCK YEAH! HIVE QUEEN QUEST!
>>
>>39451727
We must continue to be the horrors of the deep.

MORE TERRIFYING EXPERIMENTS, MORE CREEPING CONTROL OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS.
>>
>>39452064
Above the surface of the city Lyle and his accomplices sit idly in their room, an automated telescope trained on the target building beeps occasionally to mark detected movement. Jackob flips his hand at the holoscreen as Lyle eats his breakfast, and Dillon occasionally jots down notes from the telescope’s display.

Jackob stops his hand on a news broadcast of some political debate and rolls his finger to turn up the volume. You see Killinger standing behind a podium next to several other humans in expensive looking suits, and a small box in the corner of the screen reads “Talgo Open Electoral Debate.”

“So you plan on voting I take it?” Dillon says. “Still undecided?”

Jackob scratches his chin and thinks for a moment. “Killinger’s an ass, but he’s one of the few people not buying into that new great awakening bullshit spreading across Talgo, everyone else seems to flip their shit over wanting to regulate who can fuck who, and it’s not like anyone else is any less corrupt. What about you guys?” Dillon twists a knob on the telescope and looks back to Jackob.

“I can’t vote. It would be considered a conflict of interest since most of my cases involve internal corruption.”

“Not a citizen.” Lyle says with a quick shrug. His eye catches your ghostly figure in the corner of the room looking sternly at him, gossamer arms crossed. "But I think Killinger's a cunt for sure." He ads. You nod approvingly and turn back to your other duties.

>Add new topic to research
>Continue with current research subjects
>Other
>>
While they're obviously watching for any approach from the outside, I wonder if maybe they might not be expecting an approach from underground.

We could possibly investigate the paper company through the plumbing. Every human building needs plumbing. Even secretive government fronts. Find an entryway into the smaller pipes leading to that building from underground somewhere. Don't even leave the pipes once inside the building, since you don't want to risk being spotted--just scout from within the pipes with echolocation and radar passively.

We should lay aquatic sniffers for this kind of scouting of the city in general, but for the immediate present, but until those hatch, we need to just send a Fly crawling up the pipes, breathing through the oxygen recycler.
>>
>>39452317
>“Not a citizen.” Lyle says with a quick shrug. His eye catches your ghostly figure in the corner of the room looking sternly at him, gossamer arms crossed. "But I think Killinger's a cunt for sure." He ads. You nod approvingly and turn back to your other duties.

I love their back and forth banter
>>
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>>39452317
>Continue with current research subjects
>>
>>39452317
>His eye catches your ghostly figure in the corner of the room looking sternly at him, gossamer arms crossed. "But I think Killinger's a cunt for sure." He ads. You nod approvingly and turn back to your other duties.
Ha

>Add new topic to research
>Solid State Teleportation
>Quantum Tuning
With the former we can literally render blockades almost useless while the latter allows for more flexible FTL communications.
>>
>>39452317
>>Add new topic to research

>Ground-orbital mega-construction
>Solid State Teleportation
>Quantum Tuning
>>
>>39452317
>Add new topic to research
Everything but the Pisionic Cannon
One of these days we will have to face that monster and finish that thing. I dread that day when it comes.
>>
>>39452317
>Add new topic to research
Quantum tuning is worth adding now.
I'm willing to wait until some researches are freed up before adding solid state teleportation.

Also: we might get some new topics from the Hive station, the remains of the scavenger ships we fought off, and the remains of the Obsidian Queen's forces after it's sorted out.
>>
>>39452410
We'll need to make preparations in advance when that they comes. No way we're messing with this on any of our colonized planets.
>>
>>39452317
Add
>Quantum Tuning
seems to have support.

>Add Mega-construction
>Add Teleportation
>Add other
>None
>>
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>>39452503
>Add Mega-construction
>>
>>39452503
>>Add Mega-construction
>Add Teleportation
>>
>>39452503
>None
Onward to that paper company.
>>
>>39452478
I am thinking of some deep space station to do it on rather than waste a useable planet if things go wrong.
>>39452503
>Add Mega-construction
>Add Teleportation
>>
>>39452478
All we know so far from what little we have learned is that everytime a Queen tests out a Psionic Cannon, all hell breaks loose and shit hits the fan. So we definitely should save that for later, like preparing a mega abttlefleet and following through the advanced psionics tech tree.

>>39452503
>Add Mega-construction
>Add Teleportation
>>
>>39452503
Add
>Quantum Tuning
>Mega-construction
>Teleportation
To research

Elizabeth watches as the twins wake from their time in the medical pods. She lets out a soft whistle punctuated by several clicks of the tongue and they quickly look up, clicking and whistling in a frenzy, as if to make up for lost time. She seems to understand all of it, and clicks her teeth loudly in affirmation as they circle her several times, then run off down the hall.

She turns to your speaker. "We should head to the lab immediately." She says.

>Open the recovered pod
>Speak with Elizabeth (write in)
>Other
>>
>>39452519
MEGA-EARWIGS as a bunker busting tank
>>
>>39452734
>open it

"The crystals, they somehow speak to organic life mentally, even before endowing the species with psionics. Do you have any theories on how that is even possible?"
>>
>>39452734
>>Open the recovered pod
>Speak with Elizabeth (write in)
What do you think is in it?

Also we should probably give Theseus a heads up about the canister.
>>
>>39452782
Their pincer isn't just a deadly melee weapon they can fire plasma or the like from them as well
>>
>>39452734
>Speak with Elizabeth
According to what we know the pod must contain a void shard. It seem to have been the power source.
>>39452812
Well he did pay us for information regarding it. But we should warn him not to tell Heretic about it.
>>
>>39452000
With the solid state teleportation, would be very easy to port over explosive or radioactive substances into foe ships. Just refine a big old chunk of column 1 or 2 metals to their pure state and watch the explosion.
That's if it doesn't require a receiver gateway/pad or something.
>>
>>39452812
No, don't mention it to Theseus until we know everything about everything we found.

The White Queen keeping her daughter in ignorance suggests knowledge itself may be dangerous. And this definitely threatens to touch on the area of forbidden knowledge.

We can tell him what we found later after we catalog everything. But keep it to what's physically there, not what's tachyonic.
>>
>>39452734
>Open the recovered pod
>>
Imagine if that recovered pod just turns out to be a trip wired nuclear device left behind to fuck with us...
>>
>>39453095
We'd be very angry and go back to give those earthlings a piece of our mind. A very violent piece. Probably install a genetic fear of us for good measure.
>>
>>39453095
That would be the first legitimate shitstorm this quest had.
>>
>>39452734
Coil quivers nervously behind the doctor as your drone leads the way to the empty chamber made to accommodate the pod. The gear and equipment found with it has been placed around it, with tubes and wires flowing from the canister to various barley functioning machines all around it. A pair of workers have dislodged the muck and crusted debris from the canister and a puff of steam emerges with a hiss as the latch flicks open, and then water pours out from within, filling the chamber with the smell of swamp as the murky black water spills across the hive floor, quickly absorbed. The vast amounts of bacteria and fungi are quickly filtered.
>+1N

Within is a slender white carapace, shimmering with the moisture of the air. Crystaline protrusions stud the small monolith like jemstones, and several wounds still seep blood where the carapace was cut open to attach the tubes and wires running into its midsection. Elizabeth slowly moves towards it and closes her eyes. "I think it's still alive. Whatever it is."

A thought shudders out from within the weakened pillar of pale chitin. Several of the humans twitch slightly in their pods, their thoughts echoing the meaningless murmur. Coil flops backwards and activates his harness, jetting away with a puff of air and a crackle of magnetic fields as he leaves a thin streak of ink down the hall.

>Attempt to communicate with it
>Leave it alone
>Kill it
>Other
>>
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>>39453095
>>
>>39453260
>Attempt to communicate with it
Hello
>>
>>39453260
>Attempt to communicate with it
Yo, whassup, welcome to the Hive bruh
>>
>>39453260
>Attempt to communicate with it
Who are you?
>>
>>39451926

Shark meat is considered a delicacy, pirahnas would too if they weren't boney as fuck.
>>
>>39453260
>>Other
Bring in an empty bio-tank.

Sink the canister into the tank carefully, keeping all wires attached still.
>>
>>39453260
>+1N
Damn it, I lost my sides again, anyone seen them?

>Attempt to communicate with it
>>
>>39453343
Honestly the shark population would rebound like crazy if people switched from eating shark to eating Dolphin. Dolphins are horrible murderrapists and they taste SO GOOD
>>
>>39453260
Seconding this >>39453357
>>Other
>Bring in an empty bio-tank.

>Sink the canister into the tank carefully, keeping all wires attached still.


Then
>Attempt to communicate with it
>>
>>39453260
>>39453357
This
>>
>>39453357
>>39453395
Try and analyze its biology and read its mind with bio-tank technology before doing any communication.
>>
>>39453260
You reach out with your mind, and its thoughts lash out at you, like the flailing arms of a drowning man reaching for a rope.

Please roll 1d100, best of 3.
>>
Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>39453260
>>39453357
We should at least give it some hospitality

>>39453435
>>
Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>39453435
>>
Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>39453435
>>
>>39453448
Great roll to start the day.
>>
>>39453435
>You reach out with your mind, and its thoughts lash out at you, like the flailing arms of a drowning man reaching for a rope.

Well that could be very good--like a drone wanting to serve, that has kept itself alive and queenless somehow on a crystal brain, like a quantum brain-- or very bad.

Like queen analysis, impersonation, and hivejacking bad.
>>
>slender white carapace
...Was Mother spending the last 70 thousand years trying her claw at manipulating life the same way the void shards did?
>>
>>39453594
All queens start off with a white carapace.
>>
>>39453435
Fucking hell this worries me greatly...
>>
>>39453633

In my head there was always a difference.

Like, New Queens = Pale while Mother = Marble / Alabaster
>>
>>39453633
No actually that would depend on how the Queen's mother engineered how their daughter would look.
We started off white because mom was white and we only gained red marks because of our diet.
>>
>>39453698
She had the ability to change color anon.
>>39453709
Newborn queens default to white. QD said as much.
>>
>39453260
> and several wounds still seep blood
What color blood here?
>>
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>>39453435
It latches on to you and you can feel the memories of the artifact.

There is an old man in front of you, with several humans behind him staring wide-eyed through their space suits. You are in a crater, and a large blue planet hangs in the sky above. The rig of a large mining drill is visible above, and helium 3 tanks surround the area. The humans speak via radio, but you seem to hear them without it.

"And you said they just found it like this?"

"Yes, Doctor, it was a miracle they didn't crush it with the drill."

"No, not a miracle." The old man says, his thick glasses flicker in the floodlights as he places his hand on the immaculate white carapace. The jemstones flicker with life.

"Dr. Seiner, the retrieval team wants to get started soon, you wanted a picture?" The old man turns and nods, his head hardly visible through the visor.

You watch as the group gathers around you, the device in the crater, and there is a surge of activity from within the small pillar, a piercing shriek of thoughts and emotions that reaches out and grasps at the humans' minds. They reach for their heads in pain, the camera slowly drifting to the ground in the low gravity, and they slowly drift to their knees as a seed of knowledge is lodged within their memory.

cont.
>>
>>39454051
>a piercing shriek of thoughts and emotions that reaches out and grasps at the humans' minds. They reach for their heads in pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU4Rk0NATNs
>>
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>>39454051
The rise of a cult
Impressive
>>
>>39454161
If it was anything besides a refernce to 2001 i would be disappointed
>>
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>>39454051
Time advances. A laboratory is built up around you, and the small cache hidden away is found where you told them to look. They pull the black shards from the lunar surface with care and store them in a military base not far from your crater.

"I don't understand. Why would you need us to solve this?" Seiner says to you, although he is only speaking idly. The plans and schematics for the device are placed out on the walls around you. They have made much progress in the short time they have had, and you have watched as their small sliver of space crumbles around them. A microscopic spec of the galaxy they hold great pride in. You hear news of fleets and battles, but they mean nothing to you. Only their progress on the device is of any importance.

The human known as Seiner, he spends more and more time in proximity to you, and as he does you feel more and more awareness of what you are seep into his mind. He addresses you directly before long, and you begin to reply.

You fear the pointless war they wage among themselves will destroy your change to complete the device. The humans grow ever more concerned over the arbitrary collection of individuals they call the Union, who seem to grow ever closer. The final preparations are nearly ready, but you are still unsure of the devices perfection. Seiner and the others ready the weapon, and for the first time you can see what silly unimportant drivel has kept them from fulfilling their inefficient sleep requirements. A moderately sized fleet of bulky metal heaps tumble through space with all the grace of a three-legged worker. You are amazed they do not collide with one-another.

The cannon fires. You feel the hollow scream of the crystal shard as it cracks from the force, and a dozen of the human ships are gone. There is cheering in the firing chamber, and someone orders the devices to be fired again. They can have this victory if it means you will have yours.

cont.
>>
>>39454735
>humans perfect it on their first try
Lucky bastards...or not.

Why do I have a horrible feeling about what's going to happen next?
>>
Thanks again, mom. We need more black crystals, though.
>>
>>39454735
Oh... So THATS what happened to the moon!
>>
>>39454792

It's not that surprising when they have a psychic Ubermind planting the schematics and general knowledge directly into their inefficient and primitive thoughtmeat.
>>
>>39454735
>"I don't understand. Why would you need us to solve this?"
Oh, outsourcing. The enemy won't notice if a third party, non telepathic race develops the Psionic Cannon.

The Commonwealth might well still have those other void shards ferreted away somewhere, if they weren't all left on the moon and destroyed along with it when the cannon blew up.

They might also have schematics to accelerate the research, if the knowledge of the cannon isn't on this drone itself.

>>39454813
We already knew that. This isn't new information.
>>
>>39454842
Well if all goes well then we'd have the schematics to a version of the cannon that works.
Hopefully just having knowledge of it won't attract any more of the Void Crystal's attention.

>>39454878
I've also been wondering about how much the Commonwealth knew about what was going on in the moon and if they had any knowledge remaining secreted away somewhere.
>>
>>39454878
>isn't on this drone
I don't think this is a drone.
>>
We're going to need to tell Theseus about this. It was his idea to come here in the first place. He probably has a good idea of what this was, but we should be able to communicate it better to him, and he wouldn't have been able to extract this information in the first place either, because I don't think he has meat terminals.
>>
>>39454941
It's some kind of crystal/hive drone that was designed to communicate with non-psionic species in order to outsource the development of the Psionic Cannon.
>>
>>39454990
If this anon's >>39454878 theory about outsourcing to non-psionic races to avoid detection is correct, then maybe we have a way to build a psi cannon right under that Crystal's nonexistant noses with Theseus.
That's a big if though and we still ahve to address the issue of ammunition.
>>
>>39455029
We'll have to hunt down loose ends to find any shard left overs. Fun times for Lyle I can foresee.
>>
>>39455029
Well, if the crystals come at us with their full might like they did at mother, then they will likely destroy Heretic, Theseus, and the Humans as well. I wonder if we can just buy the remaining crystals from the human faction that has them.
>>
>>39455099
>>39455029
The biggest problem is that we have no way to survive their attacks. I we did we could conceivably fight them.
>>
>>39454990
We can stick to reporting what we found physically, the same things he would have found if he had been able to scout himself.

>>39455029
Any actual test firing of the cannon will draw massive ammounts of aggro. They can't possibly not notice a void shard dying.

I don't want to advance to the endgame when there are so many sidequests and tech trees to conquer first.
>>
>>39455135
>We can stick to reporting what we found physically, the same things he would have found if he had been able to scout himself.
Why hide it, though? He talks with Heretic and we've fought alongside each other against the Obsidian Queen. We're just handicapping ourselves if we don't tell him. Besides, he may be able to help us obtain more void shards.
>>
>>39455132
>>39455099
Well no shit we have to build up enough military force to repel the Crystal's mooks first.
>>
We really should upgrade our Combat Drone's arsenal, we are still just using chitin slugs and bioplasma only in the flamethrower variety.
>>
>>39454735
The next shot sweeps across a wing of advancing ships, reducing them to a shower of slag.

As the team rushes to load the next shot, you feel a shudder from above as several crude fusion warheads impact the surface. An evacuation order is given, and people begin to run to emergency shuttles and evacuation launch tubes. Only Seiner remains behind. He seals the blast doors of your chamber and checks the machines attached to your carapace. The jemstones flicker with life, and he looks up at you.

"No, no this knowledge can't be lost. The knowledge of an entire race, it has to be preserved!"

The cannon fires again from its position several kilometers away, but something is wrong. You can feel the energy flow poorly, through misaligned conduits. Seiner is pulling on the wires of the machines, intent on bringing you to an escape pod, and then he is thrown to the ceiling, and then to the wall. You can feel the small planetoid shift, and crumble, and then the room is free, tumbling through space on its own small chunk of rock. Seiner's hand manages to grab a small rail, and his fist clenches around the handle as he bleeds out from a gash across his skull.

Life flickers through the psionic jemstones mounted across the relay. Seiner's eyes loose their focus, but he smiles.
You have what you need, and you leave the relay. Lightyears from the violence of the budding space faring creatures, your workers begin their task.

[Research Finished]

>Advanced Psionics
Your new understanding of your own psionic nature has reached a level you previously though not possible. With the proper techniques, and the right adaptations, you have found a way to influence non-tachyonic matter using your own psionic signals. While in retrospect this comes as no suprose, given the nature of your Blink drive, the implications of this technology could change the way the hive functions.

cont.
>>
>>39455169
Their weapons can destroy entire fleets. Just one of them can wipeout hundreds of ship in seconds. Numbers isn't the problem technology is.
>>
>>39455233
I prefer that we use whatever the Scavs used, but we have yet to finish reverse engineering it, chitin slugs, flamethrowers, and lightning guns haven't let us down yet.

>>39455272
>You have what you need, and you leave the relay. Lightyears from the violence of the budding space faring creatures, your workers begin their task.
Was this from the flashback or in the present tense?
>>
>>39455307
Obviously flashback.

It was clear it was a relay drone once this happened:
>you feel more and more awareness of what you are seep into his mind. He addresses you directly before long, and you begin to reply.
>>
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>>39455272
>>Advanced Psionics
>Your new understanding of your own psionic nature has reached a level you previously though not possible. With the proper techniques, and the right adaptations, you have found a way to influence non-tachyonic matter using your own psionic signals. While in retrospect this comes as no suprose, given the nature of your Blink drive, the implications of this technology could change the way the hive functions.

Sweet Fuck.

We really are the Perfect Race aren't we?
>>
>>39455272
Yeah I always was wondering why the Blink Drive could even cause headaches or nausea in humans.
>>
>>39455272
>>Advanced Psionics

So we have Psionics that make other Psionic people go "No that's Bullshit"
>>
>>39455272
>Advanced Psionics
>Your new understanding of your own psionic nature has reached a level you previously though not possible. With the proper techniques, and the right adaptations, you have found a way to influence non-tachyonic matter using your own psionic signals. While in retrospect this comes as no suprose, given the nature of your Blink drive, the implications of this technology could change the way the hive functions.

Telekinetic teleporting Bug-Race go
>>
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>>39455272

>Advanced Psionics

I just....can't handle it.

Guys, we can probably make Psionic Drones now, and for lack of a better example, we can have Combat Drones that are basically the Protoss and the Ethereals mixed.
>>
>>39455326
>Mom used humans to prototype and test run the psionic cannon and once it was perfected she started construction of her own cannon
Damn my failing reading comprehension, I forgot that this was before mom died.
>>
>>39455272
Mom was smart

Wonder how long it took her to design this plan while being hunted?
>>
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>>39455393

Drone Archon when?
>>
>>39455414
Well she had the better part of 70,000 years to think of something.
>>
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>Advanced Psionics
>>
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>>39455272
>Advanced Psionics

There is just no stopping us now is there?
>>
>>39455272
[New Research Unlocked]

Psionic implantation
>Medium
By implanting neural crystals within a non-psionic subject you can deliberately cause a mutation within the subject, forcing it to grow the organs necessary to influence and interact with psionic networks. You now recognize this technology as the most likely cause of Vaugn's own alterations, indicating the relic found on Raligha to be a form of prototype of this technology, or perhaps it was left by the Gardener as a gift to the natives.

Enhanced Psionic sensitivity
>Slow
By putting your new knowledge into practice, you should be able to enhance the abilities of your medium and advanced relays to be able to detect, and with further research influence, non-psionic creatures in proximity.

Nausea field
>Slow
A rather interesting side effect first noticed with your Blink drive, but now weaponized to great effect as a defensive measure. You should be able to enhance your medium and advanced relays to emit a wave of sickening nausea in a radius around it, causing effected subjects to feel increasing levels of both physical and mental uneasiness, causing feelings of dread and queasiness.

>Add new research to list (write in)
>Continue research
>Other
>>
>>39455579
>>Add new research to list (write in)
Psionic Implantation
Enhanced Psionic sensitivity

We're not putting too much pressure on our thinkers are we?
>>
>>39455579
>Add new research to list (write in)
>Psionic implantation
YEP. ADD THAT SHIT.

We gotta implant Lyle.
>>
>>39455579
>Add new research to list

Enhanced Psionic sensitivity.

Oh yes.

>being able to detect any aliens in the area by their thought alone
>>
>>39455579
>Enhanced Psionic sensitivity
>Nausea field
>>
>>39455579
>>Add new research to list (write in)

>Psionic implantation
>Enhanced Psionic sensitivity
>Nausea field
>>
>>39455579
>Add new research to list
All of the new research options. No Cannon.
>>
>>39455579
Do you get your kicks by making us drool?

Just add all of them you tease
>>
>>39455579
>Add new research to list (write in)
>Psionic implantation
>Enhanced Psionic sensitivity
>Nausea field
>>
>>39455579
>Add new research to list
Enhanced Psionic sensitivity
Nausea field

No point in getting psionic implantation since that's guaranteed to be discovered.
>>
>>39455579
Add
>Psionic implantation
>Enhanced Psionic sensitivity
>Nausea field
To research.

>>39455623
It should be noted that the range at which advanced psionic abilities would function would be far less then the range that the relay itself functions, but it would give advanced relays a powerful defense, and since medium relays can be equipped to drones, it could potentially be made into a mobile drone.

>>39455664
Sometimes.
>>
I don't want to burn out our Thinkers.
>>
>>39455723
Anon, they live for this shit.

The worst you can do is overwhelm them and slow our research.
>>
>>39455733
Speaking of which, >>39455716
QD, are we even nearing the point where we are adding too much research?
>>
>>39455742
>>39455733
I think we kind of reached that point a while ago.
>>
>>39455716
Elizabeth looks back at your thinker with a look of mild concern. "Are you okay? I felt, something."

Your speaker shifts its colors back to its neutral red and chitters in affirmation.
>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
>Inform Elizabeth of the relay's origin
>Do not elaborate
>Other (write in)

>>39455742
A bit, but you are only slowing down your thinkers because you have some very big research subjects going on right now. Once a few of the slow topics are finished it will be perfectly fine.
>>
>>39455825
>Do not elaborate
>>
>>39455825
>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
>Inform Elizabeth of the relay's origin
Good news, hopefully you wont mutate further.
>>
>>39455825
>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
>>
>>39455784

SCIENCE is our crack cocaine, anon.

And the Thinkers are our addicts.

Also

>Psionic implantation

Guys, we could give a Theseus a psionic brain, if we ever wanted to lewd do mutual research on the nature of psionics.

He would jump at the chance, possibly give us everything because doing so would allow him to understand and study organic creatures on a greater level than ever before.
>>
>>39455825
>>Do not elaborate
>>
>>39455825
>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
"You'll probably not die."
>>
>>39455825
>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
>Inform Elizabeth of the relay's origin
>>
>>39455825
>>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
>>Inform Elizabeth of the relay's origin
We should also mention that the artifact was most likely meant for the Ralighans.
>>
>>39455825
>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
I mean why not, that should give her some peace of mind
>>
>>39455825
>Inform Elizabeth of what you learned
>Inform Elizabeth of the relay's origin
>>
>>39455825
we're probably obligated to tell Theseus too.
>>
>>39455960
yep, he did ask us to investigate
>>
>>39455960
No we aren't.

Just what we physically found. Nothing about the magical psychic memory record.

>>39455168
Conversely, why share it? What practical benefit is there to knowing, against the risk of propagating dangerous knowledge about psionics?

Knowledge of that kind of thing should remain solely in the hive, safe beneath the silence of the psionic shroud. Just to be safe.

>help us obtain more void shards
He can do that whether or not we explain the details.

By which I mean we need to send pods to all of Commonwealth space and see if we can find any telepathic whispers of shards, though.
>>
>>39456094
>why share it?
Because it prevents him from making stupid decisions, like seeking contact with another hive.
>>
>>39456094
>By which I mean we need to send pods to all of Commonwealth space and see if we can find any telepathic whispers of shards, though.
We can't do that unless we're next to the shard do to the fact that it has an advanced thought muffler.
>>
>>39455825
"It was from..." Your thinker pauses a moment, finding the words awkward to speak. "The hive's mother."

Elizabeth spears stunned. She turns back to the relay, its crystalline jemstones now dull and lifeless. "She's not alive still, I take it?" She says quietly, as if trying to not wake the dead relic.

"No." You say. "But she developed a great deal of knowledge, including your condition." She looks back to your speaker again.

"You mean how I can communicate with your network?"

"The device was more advanced then that." Your speaker chitters, "You may develop more advanced skills then simply speaking with the hive." Elizabeth lets her eyes drift down the floor, her mind filled with scattered thoughts. She seems less nervous, but what little there is seems to show more.

"Well, we can deal with that as it comes." She says after a short moment of silence, then looks back to the relay. "If it's alright with you, I would like to see if I can study the remains, maybe help figure out more about this technology." She reaches out and lightly touches one of the jems, as if expecting it to bite.

>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>Do not allow her to study the relay
>Other
>>
>>39456123
I was all for telling him "stay away from spinward space, dangerous hostile hive in that direction."

This is a bit different, with the White Queen in flashback outright calling certain knowledge "dangerous."

We could warn Theseus that our Mother warned that even mere research in the tech tree of tachyons is dangerous in itself, I guess. And that shortly afterward several hives perished in an act of genocide. That would cover the foolish things that this could result in.
>>
>>39456342
>>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>>
>>39456342
>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
Sister Elizabeth shall aid the Hive
>>
>>39456342
>Do not allow her to study the relay
It is... a family matter. Sentimental.
>>
>>39456342
>>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>>
>>39456342
>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>>
>>39456342
>Do not allow her to study the relay
>>
>>39456342
>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>>
>>39456342
>>Do not allow her to study the relay
>>
>>39456375
>>39456375
>>39456406
>>39456411
I don't know about letting the doctor in on the research tree that includes influencing non-psionic creatures.
>>
>>39456342
>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>>
>>39456342
>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>>
>>39456342
>>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research

>>39456407
Oh please, sentimentality in unnecessary for us, hell we even recycled the body of our Aunt Gardener after we recovered her knowledge
>>
>>39456343
>We could warn Theseus that our Mother warned that even mere research in the tech tree of tachyons is dangerous in itself, I guess. And that shortly afterward several hives perished in an act of genocide. That would cover the foolish things that this could result in.
I was thinking more like "experimentation with tachyons, specifically the mechanics of the void drive and its weaponization, have caused the unintentional destruction of several hives, the Earth's moon, and will inevitably attract the attention of the race that creates void shards."

>>39456342
>Allow Dr Vaugn to help boost Psionic research
>>
>>39456476
The Doctor doesn't know that.
>>
>>39456451
Yup she hates that sort of thing as matter of fact that could turn her against us.
>>39456497
Researching the tech tree would be enough for her find out.
>>
>>39456490
That could work, since Theseus doesn't seem to be the type to take unknown risks when it comes to experimentation of potentially dangerous objects, like when he preferred disposed of the OB's ships rather than try to tinker with them Unlike us
Any further mishaps could be prevented if we actually warn him about them.
>>
>>39456531
Oh silly me I didn't even check what this post was replying to.
>>39456497
>>
>>39456342
"You suspect you can aid in the research?"

Elizabeth rests her palm on the carapace of the relay and looks into the dulled jems as if staring into a casket. "I think so, after all I happen to have a prototype in my head." She removes her palm and steps back from the small pillar. "I'll leave any dissections to you. It woudln't seem right, but I'll help in the research any way I can."

"It is not the mother, only a relay." Your drone chirps.

"I know, but it was still a part of her." She pauses for a moment to clear her throat. "Humans used to bury our dead, or sometimes we would cremate them. Now most people just toss the body in a recycler and call it a day."

"That is more efficient." Your speaker says. She nods.

"It is. When you think about it that way, it lets them help you after they've gone."

Elizabeth and your drone stand in silence for a short while, until you are interrupted by a worker scuttling by to clean the trail of ink left by Coil. There is a muffled gurgle down the hall and Elizabeth moves out into the hall. "I should probably make sure our Ceph friend doesn't scare himself into a coma. It's actually a rather serious condition."

>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>Send Theseus the abridged record of your findings (it was a relay from your mother)
>Other
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
>>39456778
>>Send Theseus the abridged record of your findings (it was a relay from your mother)
>>
>>39456778
>>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
And make sure to warn him. not to fiddle with it without our say
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
>>39456778
>>Send Theseus the abridged record of your findings (it was a relay from your mother)
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the abridged record of your findings (it was a relay from your mother)
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
>>39456778
>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
>>39456490
Yes, and that warning will prevent any foolishness even without telling him the psychic memories of this scouting mission.

It's not just that experimentation is dangerous, that applied knowledge is dangerous, it's that the knowledge alone is.

With that warning Theseus can remain ignorant of the specifics, we don't need to report everything.

He'll still have been warned enough not to tread into dangerous waters.
>>
>>39456778
>>Send Theseus the complete record of your findings
>>
It occurs to me that Theseus has never actually observed evidence that the hive even has FTL communication relays, until now when we tell him.

For all he knows drone orders and information are just ferried by ships blinking between systems.
>>
>>39456929
Heretic probably told him.
>>
>>39456929

Theseus isn't retarded anon.
>>
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>>39456778
You send Theseus a ping. The data retrieved from the relay translates poorly, but you get the information across well enough. The weapon that destroyed the Earth's moon was of hive design, although it was built by human hands. You feel Zero One go silent as it processes the data, and the warning that is included.

"I had hoped that such technology could improve the limitations of interstellar communication. It appears to hold a great deal of risk attached to it. This data will be recorded, but experimentation will be avoided until further understanding is gained through safer methods."

Meanwhile, in the depths of Huron, your egg layer is complete and ready to grow your new hive hidden in the depths of the planet wide ocean. The strange bioluminescent landscape of the trench bellow still remains unexplored, and your drones have fortified your hive within the scattered hull of the derelict human wreck around the hull of your corvettes.

>Explore the trench with your warriors
>Lay aquatic drones (write in)
>Other
>>
>>39457118
Did we upgrade our Huron drones to have acid glands?
>>
>>39457118
>I had hoped that such technology could improve the limitations of interstellar communication
Is this someone we want to keep Theseus out of the loop in? We could probably do a joint project for integrating hive relays with his tech (probably like the crystals, really), but should we? It might help us all if they were better able to communicate.
>>
>>39457118
>>Lay aquatic drones (write in)

A swarm of 200 of these for scouting:

Sight: Thermal Pits 2N
Olfactory: Advanced 2N
Acoustic: Advanced 2N
Radio: Moderate 2N
Legs: Sprint 1N
Utility: Gills 4N
Chassis: Hydrodynamic 2N 5M
Size: Small
Cost: 3N 1M
Upkeep: 1N

And 50 of these for attacking:


Sight: Basic 0
Olfactory: Basic 0
Acoustic: Advanced 2N
Psionic: Basic 0
Mandible: Combat 1N
Arms: Strength 1N
Blade: Combat 1N
Legs: Sprint 1N
Carapace: Reactive 4N 15M
Chassis: Hydrodynamic 2N 5M
Utility: Gills 4N
Utility: Acid glands 1N
Size: Medium
Cost: 17N 20M
>>
>>39457118
>Explore the trench with your warriors

>Lay aquatic drones (write in)
Did you finalize any of the underwater designs posted on the 1d4chan page?
Minnows, pistol shrimps and sharks look useful right now.

>>39457183
Maybe we'll make it up to him after we finish those Quantum comm research
>>
>>39457118
>>Explore the trench with your warriors
>>
>>39457118
>Explore the trench with your warriors
>Lay aquatic drones
50 for now.
>>
>>39457186
>Including Radio sense but not Electric
Shit nigga do you even know how sharks operate?
>>
>>39457186
>>39457247
Whatever, as long as we have plenty of fast hydrodynamic drones finally.
>>
>>39457215
Now would be the time to finalize any you wish to lay.
>>
>>39457215
>Minnows, pistol shrimps and sharks look useful right now.
But those aren't even well designed and we have no access to metal.
>>
>>39457285
>>39457118

Okay then these >>39457186 with the aquatic sniffers without Moderate radio, and replacing it with Moderate Electric.

Can't fit both and stay cheap.
>>
>>39457385
You should have include acid glands into your scout unit before you expect me to vote for it. Remember this is human territory.
>>
>>39457118

200 Aquatic sniffers
Sight: Thermal Pits 2N
Olfactory: Advanced 2N
Acoustic: Advanced 2N
Radio: Moderate 2N
Legs: Sprint 1N
Utility: Gills 4N
Chassis: Hydrodynamic 2N 5M
Size: Small
Cost: 3N 1M
Upkeep: 1N

50 Hydrodynamic warriors
Sight: Basic 0
Olfactory: Basic 0
Acoustic: Advanced 2N
Psionic: Basic 0
Mandible: Combat 1N
Arms: Strength 1N
Blade: Combat 1N
Legs: Sprint 1N
Carapace: Reactive 4N 15M
Chassis: Hydrodynamic 2N 5M
Utility: Gills 4N
Utility: Acid glands 1N
Size: Medium
Cost: 17N 20M

>Y
>N
>Other
>>
>>39457485
Y
>>
>>39457485
>>Y
>>
>>39457485
>Y
>>
>>39457485
Y

>>39457466
Maybe if we sacrifice the sprint legs or the thermal pits to fit that in. But we can make another variant for getting closer to humans. These can just stick to the deep.
>>
>>39457485
No to the sniffers unless we add acid glands to them.
>>
>>39457485
>Y
Has the Huron colony started mining metal?
>>
>>39457485
>N
>>
>>39457516
How effective are the acid glands underwater?
>>
>>39457512
>These can just stick to the deep.
You do realize that humans explore the deep and that animals are to eat our drone unless we attach acid gland to them.
>>
>>39457485
Y
>>
>>39457485
>N
>>
>>39457485
Y

Though I would like to replace Radio with Electric if possible. And Thermal Pits with Acid glands.
>>
>>39457612
Wait your right Radio senses are useless underwater.
>>
>>39457485
>Y

Your eggs quickly fill the cramped spaces within the shattered hull fragments and the tunnels that now connect them. You hope to soon be able to scout the depths of Huron with near impunity, but until then your warriors hold a more defensive posture, slow but stout in the water.

>Send your warriors down to scout the trench
>Wait for your adapted drones to finish
>Other
>>
>>39457675
>Wait for your adapted drones to finish
>>
>>39457675
>Wait for your adapted drones to finish
>>
>>39457675
>Wait for your adapted drones to finish
>>
>>39457675
You mean we really did just lay those sniffers design without changing them.
>>
>>39457675
>Wait for your adapted drones to finish
>>
>>39457675
>Wait for your adapted drones to finish
>>
Wait, the paper company front. Might have an exit into the tunnels underground. Even if we can't infiltrate it, we should at least scout around with echolocation to be sure we cover all their secret exit routes to prevent escape.


>>39457725
We can see if we can get consensus for swapping out the adaptations at the end of the thread.
>>
>>39457675
You keep your less capable drones on defensive duty, although as your drone proceeds to lay the eggs of your new batch of children you ponder how to improve upon them even further.

>Edit aquatic sniffer design (write in)
>Keep it as is

>>39457836
It's alright, there's always enough time to make sure a decision is made right.
>>
>>39457912
>>Edit aquatic sniffer design (write in)
Remove Thermal Pits, and Radio. I don't think they're as useful, and we need to reallocate the upkeep to:

Add:
Acid glands: 1N
Electrical: Moderate 2N
>>
>>39457952
>>39457912
this is fine by me.
>>
>>39457836
Most people don't seem to realize that acid glands exist for two reason: to keep people from studying our and to make them unappetizing to predators since they give no nutrients when eaten. Also Electric senses are amazing underwater compared to thermal senses and radio senses which give neglectable benefits underwater.
>>39457952
This.
>>
>>39457912
Question: Also, would having a stealthed drone underwater work? since even though it has mimetic skin, it probably wont hold up to active scrutiny from anything with sonar and from the displacement of water when it moves, unless i'm mistaken.
>>39457952
Sure
>>
>>39457991
Octopi camouflage themselves by pretending to be part of an object. What did you think the Ceph were based on?
>>
>>39458070
I was thinking about in the open water well away from the seafloor or anything that could help a drone hide.
>>
>>39457912
>Edit aquatic sniffer design
Remove Thermal Pits, and Radio. I don't think they're as useful, and we need to reallocate the upkeep to:

Add:
Acid glands: 1N
Electrical: Moderate 2N

You have only to wait for your new drones to emerge, and your hive will soon press into the unknown depths of Huron.

Meanwhile, a burst of activity attracts the attention of your pod as you monitor the activity of the Scavenger fleet. Several small craft appear to have broken off from the main force and are accelerating out of the system. You quickly plot the course and conclude they are likely heading for the Wonder system, where you discovered the vast relic of the Builder, and lost much of your forces fighting over it. The deployed ships are fast, likely scouts, and they quickly shift past the light barrier, vanishing in a burst of energy.

>Send a fleet to intercept the Scavenger ships when they arrive (write in)
>Keep your ships away from the system and ignore the scouts for now
>Other
>>
>>39458288
>Send a fleet to intercept the Scavenger ships when they arrive (write in)
>1 Fleet Battlecruiser
>4 Heavy Cruisers
>12 Vanguard Frigates
>>
>>39458136
Adaptive camouflage has never been able to be effective while a drone is moving. You have to stay still. Read the adaptation description.

>>39458288

>intercept

50 Vanguard Frigates.
1 Patrol Corvette.

How many ships are there? I don't think we need many.

We just want to cripple and capture these ones intact, and have more than enough ships to outnumber them.
>>
>>39458288
Seconding >>39458328
>>
>>39458288
>Send a fleet to intercept the Scavenger ships when they arrive
1Battle cruiser
5 H cruiser
15 V Frigates
>>
>>39458288
>Intercept the scouts

1 Fleet Battlecruiser
4 Heavy Cruisers
12 Vanguard Frigates

>Y
>Change fleet
>Other
>>
>>39458470
Y
>>
>>39458470
I don't want to take chances. Is there any reason not to go in with overwhelming firepower?

Add 4 Stealth Frigate
1 Patrol Corvette
38 more Vanguard Frigates

For that cloaked ambush strategy.

And one nuke pod for each enemy ship, in case crippling them fails.
>>
>>39458470
y
>>
>>39458470
>Y
>>
>>39458470
>Y
>>
>>39458470

>Y
Yippee, I get to see how my designs do.

Against the precise sort of enemies they're not designed to deal with.
>>
>>39458596
Look at it this way, we get to find out what we're missing and be able to build future ships to address those shortcomings.
I'm still not sure what sort of tactical doctrine the scavs employ despite already fighting them twice.
>>
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>>39458470
1 Fleet Battlecruiser
4 Heavy Cruisers
12 Vanguard Frigates

You send your forces out and they quickly blink away. You are unsure how fast the Scavengers' ships can be, but you suspect your fleet will be waiting long in advance for their arrival. Your pod watches as the last signs of five small scouts, each similar to a corvette in size, vanish into the depths of space. They will not return.

Your battlecruiser, fresh from its docking pylon, is eager to prove itself to you. You can feel the minds within yearning for battle, and the craft, the largest you currently possess, vanishes in a burst of radiation.

When your ships arrive the system is in the same condition you found it in, with the addition of the remains of much of your fleet scattered about, and the echos of atomic blasts still buzzing through local space like a thin mist, detectable only as the faintest of radiation, bouncing from corpse to corpse. The superstructure itself is still largely intact, although the derelict bodies of the half-built hive ships docked against it are torn and broke, with chunks of fossilized meat scattered about, and pieces of ship hull drifting slowly along side the walls of the massive dock.

>Arrange your fleet into a blockade around the dock and engage at long range
>Attempt to hide your fleet behind the dock, and wait for the scouts to approach at close range
>Attempt to estimate where the scouts will arrive in the system, and intercept them
>Other
>>
>>39458846
I wish we could see, or at least feel their 'oh shit' reaction to a Battlecruiser popping in on top of them.
>>
>>39458846
>Attempt to estimate where the scouts will arrive in the system, and intercept them

A Patrol Corvette would be able to trace their arrival.
>>
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>>
>>39458846
>Other
Would it be possible to array our frigates around to get the best angles possible for spotting them when they arrive?
Once we pinpoint their position we could simply blink our battlecruiser in on top of them and use our frigates to form a ring, preventing escape.
>>
>>39458846
>Attempt to estimate where the scouts will arrive in the system, and intercept them
>>
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>>39458907
support
>>
>>39458846
>Attempt to estimate where the scouts will arrive in the system, and intercept them
Hiding probably wont be effective given their demonstrated fondness for scout probes. They'll spot us before they're in position to be ambushed.
>>
>>39458846
>>Have the Frigates estimate where they are and attempt to intercept them
>>Have the Battlecruiser and Cruisers hide behind the dock ready to blink when the frigates intercept them
First is that so the Scavs won't run when they see the battlecruiser and when they're already engaged, have the capitals blink right on top of them
>>
>>39458739
They're raiders. Simple as that. When they don't board they seem to prefer mid or long ranged weapons.
>>
>>39458907
Yes.
>>
>>39458846
>Attempt to estimate where the scouts will arrive in the system, and intercept them
>>
>>39458900

>Lee
>Not Theseus / Heretic

You are the worst kind of person, even if you bring us Elesh Norn cameos.
>>
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>>39458900
Sometimes I marvel at how far we've come yet
>>
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>>39459099
>>
>>39458846
>Attempt to estimate where the scouts will arrive in the system, and intercept them

You have your faster ships spread out in the region you most suspect the scouts will emerge from superluminal speed, and your battlecruiser takes up position further away, where it can fire from range before moving to intercept, using the sensors of the others to zero in on the position of any newly arrived target.

Please roll 1d100, best of 3 for outstanding overkill.
>>
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>>39459147
Not horrific enough.
>>
Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>39459209
overkill
>>
Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>39459209
>>
>>39459209

MUH CROSS MISS I'LL MASSACRE
>>
Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>39459209
GIT SUM
>>
Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>39459209

Here we go! FIRE EVERYTHING
>>
>>39459223
Are you familiar with Bogleech?
Check out the website sometime.
>>
>>39459224
That'll do.
>>
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>>39459286
>>
Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>39459209
Late but not too late to vote.
>>
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>>39459209
You have estimated well, and the scouts emerge from FTL directly in front of your spread out armada, which quickly closes its ranks around them like the jaws of a bear trap. They shift and jitter in an effort to escape the encirclement as weapons fire illuminates their hulls against the darkness of space. As they flip end for end, tumbling past your ambushing ships, one is cleaved in half by three well-placed slugs from your battlecruiser in the distance, and with a silent flash of radiation that burns harsh shadows across the dancing ships, it appears before the, cutting off their escape.

Your battlecruiser sheds its swarmers like fleas from a taidaren and they swirl around their prey in tight circles, looping around with their guns fixed on their targets and their thrusters firing from the sides. The small weapons do little against the shields of your targets, but as the shields begin to flicker your fighters start to take chunks of hull away in tiny bites in what resembles a feeding frenzy more then a fleet battle.

The hull of your battlecruiser shutters as it shifts its angle, pivoting slowly to follow its targets as particle beams glance harmlessly against its shields, and it fires its lances, sixteen white hot pillars of flame cutting into the space before it like skewers plunged into a bowl of fondue. The array of fire slices three of the ships cleanly into pieces, while the last is torn apart piecemeal by your swarmers. The smoldering pieces slowly crash against the hull of the dockyard.

Your ships beam with pride at their kills, and you let them bask in it for several minuets before sending in your swarmers to examine the wrecks. Little remains but slag, most of which has fused to the superstructure, warping into twisted scabs of metal marked across the larger hull like freckles.

The scavengers will not be scouting this system today.
>>
>>39459633
So much for getting salvage. I wonder what the scav response will be. Would they leave this system alone after losing two scouting flotillas or would they send even more ships?
>>
>>39459633
>before sending in your swarmers to examine the wrecks. Little remains but slag, most of which has fused to the superstructure, warping into twisted scabs of metal marked across the larger hull like freckles.

Goddammit how have we still not gotten an intact Flicker Drive?

Or crew to implant and send back hybridized as infiltrators.

>one is cleaved in half by three well-placed slugs
This one sounded like the engine might be put-back-together-able. Damn.
>>
>>39459709

The be honest the Stutter / Flicker drive seems like the thing of nightmares when coupled with our almost entirely organic ships.

That's some Event Horizon shit.
>>
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>>39459633
It will likely be some time before the Scavengers will expect a proper reply from their scouts, and longer still before they decide if they wish to risk sending additional ships, although when and if that happens you suspect they will arrive in force. For now, however, you have the region under lock and key.

You observe the dockyard with your fleet. It appears to have been built to be air tight, with chambers sized for drones exposed in some areas from the damage by the Scavenger fleets. You doubt something so large would not have many redundancies for holding an atmosphere, but after all this time you can't be sure if there is still any air left within, or if the structure itself would be useful for anything but salvage.

>Have your mining corvettes focus on salvaging the dockyard for metals and potential nutrients
>Send a boarding party to explore the dockyard's interior and ascertain the damage
>Leave it alone for now and focus your attention elsewhere
>Other
>>
>>39459679
What they should do is send some goddamn couches.
>>
>>39459709
>Goddammit how have we still not gotten an intact Flicker Drive?
You could just knock out the shields and then hammer it with Ion cannons to shut it's drive off.
>>39459758
>Send a boarding party to explore the dockyard's interior and ascertain the damage
>>
>>39459758
>>Send a boarding party to explore the dockyard's interior and ascertain the damage
See if there's anything useful inside.
>>
>>39459758
>Send a boarding party to explore the dockyard's interior and ascertain the damage
>Other
Check for hidden Tech loot or other surprises.
>>
>>39459758
>>Send a boarding party to explore the dockyard's interior and ascertain the damage
>>
>>39459633
noice
>>
>>39459758
You have several of your ships loaded with drones and ready themselves to deploy forces to the dockyard.

>Send Vacuum workers (how many)
>Send warriors (how many)
>Send Heavy Warriors (how many)
>Send Flies (how many)
>Other
>>
>>39459758
>Send a boarding party to explore the dockyard's interior and ascertain the damage
>>
>>39459893
>Other
All of them.
>>
>>39459893
>>Send Vacuum workers (how many)
300
>>Send warriors (how many)
200
>>Send Heavy Warriors (how many)
50
>>Send Flies (how many)
100
>>
Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>39459893

>Other
Whatever a full Colonization Fleet and Heavy Defense Fleet worth's of those drones is.
>>
>>39459893
>Send Vacuum workers (how many)
200
>>
>>39459949
>>39459893
I'll second this.
>>
>>39459893
>>39459893 (You)
>300 Vacuum workers
>200 Warriors
>50 Heavy Warriors
>100 Flies

Even with so many drones on the job, you have no doubt it will take some time to properly explore the utterly vast reaches of the twisting corridors within the dockyard.

Please roll 1d100, best of 3.
>>
Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>39460210
searchin
>>
Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>39460210
Voom
>>
Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>39460210

Lesse what phat lewt we find...
>>
>>39460233
Holy shit my highest roll yet
>>
>>39460258

And only two off a crit. Nicely done.
>>
Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>39460210
>>
>>39460233
>>39460280

Hahahahahahaha

Oh wow
>>
>>39460280
No one likes a copy cat
>>
Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>39460280
>>39460233
Well that's got to be something special.
>>
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>>39460280
ayy lmao fluff
>>
>>39460304

Fucking why
>>
>>39460304
That sure is Special
Why does it feel like the dice gods are setting us up for a tease?
>>
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>>39460304
>>
>>39460304
No, you're doing awesome your self.
>>
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>>39460304
>>
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>>39460210
Your ships dock to several intact portions across the surface and your drones quickly make their way into the superstructure. The air is stale, but still breathable. Ice crystals drift through the air and coat every surface with a glittering layer of dew, and discarded pieces of chitin drift in the empty halls. The massive hulk will take some time to properly search, but already it appears far less damaged then you had anticipated from the view outside. The dock is poorly armored, but its sheer bulk has prevented any damage from effecting the structure itself, causing only superficial damage in even the most egregious of attacks.

Not long after your drones begin to fan out they begin to find items of interest. Cavernous chambers containing entire weapon mounts, armor fragments, thrusters held fast by bone and tendon, fighters of strange and unorthodox shapes, and the empty podiums where countless thinkers once sat, toiling away at what was likely once a vast center of experimental research in all manner of construction and military technology. You will have your hands full sifting through this skunk works to find any suitable subjects of research, but with so many samples to look through, you like your odds.

Elsewhere, beneath the streets of Gemini, your hive grows slowly but surely. The chimera will soon emerge ready to lay a new generation of drones. Your flies fill the streets, harassing passersby who occasionally swat at them with a half-hearted swing of the arm, or simply ignore them. Concerned statments about how the bees have grown lately, or requests for the numbers of exterminators are commonplace, and at least one person laments the loss of his favorite contractor, who apparently has his equipment and van driven into a canal as part of an apparent gang killing.

You find it interesting how easily humans dismiss unusual things as ordinary, as alien spies swarm around them in broad daylight.

cont.
>>
>>39460709
>Have your flies scout the BFI front company
>Have your flies scout the pipes and sewers beneath the capital district
>Have your flies scout the capital district and its offices
>Other
>>
>>39460749
>Have your flies scout the BFI front company
>Have your flies scout the pipes and sewers beneath the capital district
>>
>>39460709
>Have your flies scout the BFI front company
For immediate business.
>Have your flies scout the capital district and its offices
For future business.
>>
>>39460749
>Have your flies scout the pipes and sewers beneath the capital district
>>
>>39460749
>>Have your flies scout the pipes and sewers beneath the capital district
Don't want to risk being spotted.

Find out if the paper company facility goes deep underground.
>>
>>39460749
>Other
Scout the pipes and sewers around and beneath the BFI front company?
>>
>>39460749
>Have your flies scout the capital district and its offices
Risk is reward.
QD is getting the scene switching down pretty well.
>>
>>39460766
The BFI agent is the one guy that seems to know to be wary of bugs.

Should probably not approach from any angle that allows visibility. Pipes only.
>>
>>39460749
>Other
Lay aquatic sniffers with the small egglayer.

Though the flies should still scout now, the aquatic drones are better at scouting through the pipes.
>>
>>39460818
We can eavesdrop on the offices from the plumbing in the walls for less risk and equal reward though.
>>
If I were in the distant spacefuture and spared thought for security of the plumbing for infiltrators. I'd only be worried about Ceph, who can squeeze in small spaces and breathe underwater. And they're very sensitive to poisons.

So secure building might put a short-lived bio-toxin trap somewhere in the exit pipes.
>>
>>39460749
>Have your flies scout the pipes and sewers beneath the BFI front company
>>
>>39460749
>Have your flies scout the BFI front company

Lyle's vantage point reveals the building to be a small office complex not far from the parliament building. The office is a small and unassuming tower only a few stories tall. An empty courtyard surrounds it, with a decorative gate sealing it off from the road. There is no apparent overt security apart from a number of fixed cameras placed along the perimeter that have been painstakingly noted. The lot itself is near the water, a large reservoir that runs between a local opera house and a business district, and then continuing up to the base of the Parliament building's main foundation. The building itself seems to have room for a shuttle on the roof, with two landing pads side by side, neither occupied, and a metal doorway seems to block entrance into the building from there. There appear to be no open windows, but ventilation systems churn and hum on the roof between the shuttle pads. At the base of the building's side there is an access to a subterranean parking garage, which is where you saw Yune's air car enter, and while the way is barred it does not appear to be air tight.

>Look for a way in through the reservoir
>Attempt to access the building through the roof via the air ducts
>Have your flies sneak in through the parking garage
>Other
>>
>>39461262
>>Look for a way in through the reservoir
>>
>39461262
>Look for a way in through the reservoir
>>
>>39461262
>Look for a way in through the reservoir
>>
>>39461262
>Look for a way in through the reservoir
>Have your flies sneak in through the parking garage

These government types have had years and years to set up for and defend against humans. Our best scouting tool is our flies, and a day old suspicion against alien flies isn't going to allow their tech to detect us any better.
>>
>>39461262
>Attempt to access the building through the roof via the air ducts

>>39460709
Could the superstructure be repaired and added to our empire? Fully functional death star here we come.
>>
>>39461458
>Could the superstructure be repaired and added to our empire? Fully functional death star here we come.
It was kind of a silly project to begin with, and it would be a pain to try to get to move elsewhere.
>>
>>39461478
Plus some more scavengers would come to harass us while we're fixing it. That's also going to be a nuisance that'll eat up resources and ships.
>>
>>39461262
>Look for a way in through the reservoir

Your flies spread out and slowly converge on the shores near the building. You find no entrance, but you manage to find several small drain pipes that seem to deposit rain water from the streets above. Your flies quickly move in and trace the pipes as far as they go. You find the drainage pipes lead into a number of redundant holding tanks that seem intended to prevent clogging, depositing water or refuse into a deeper network of tunnels that connect to a number of maintenance and service tunnels that run along the streets, attaching to the built-in lights and sensors of the road above.

Were it not for your networked sense of direction and familiarity with tunnel networks, you have no doubt you could easily become lost here, but before long you near the site you know to be beneath the office building. It is a corner in the canal, with a surprisingly well cleaned elevator located nearby, running directly into the basement of the building above, and as the first of your flies claw their way between the conduits along the walls for cover, you hear the sloshing of a guard patrol. Not far in the other direction, on the other side of a sealed door, you can hear something scrapping the metal of the small canal on the far side of a bulkhead.

>Attempt to sneak to the elevator
>Try to find a way into the elevator shaft
>Investigate the activity on the other side of the barrier
>Other
>>
>>39461605
>Try to find a way into the elevator shaft
>>
>>39461605
>Investigate the activity on the other side of the barrier
Curiosity! My one (of many) weakness!
>>
>>39461605
>you can hear something scrapping the metal of the small canal on the far side of a bulkhead.
scraping?

And the Flies' Electrical sensitivity should be able to locate technology like cameras and their wiring, right?
>>
>>39461653
While you can't tell the difference between, for example, a camera and a microphone, or maybe a phone charger, with a mixture of your other senses, context, and common sense you are able to detect security systems, yes.
>>
>>39461605
>Investigate the activity on the other side of the barrier

Can the other drones we have flying around can come investigate it from the far side of the sealed door?
>>
>>39461605
>Investigate the activity on the other side of the barrier
>>
>Lazy-eyed agent rants to the others
>I tell you, it was one of them aliens! Only tiny!
>Mate are you sure it wasn't just a really big bug

>invade the BFI office
>roll 1 for stealth
>fly falls out of air vent onto table in front of lazy-eyed agent
>roll 100 for not getting swatted, flee back into air vents

>We're bugged. The bugs are in the building!
>Where?
>It was right in front of me a second ago!
>...Maybe you need to take a vacation, Yune.
>>
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>>39461605
The barrier itself is a small bulkhead, sealed off from the rest of the canal. Your flies slowly crawl past and through a narrow grate to the other side, and you find a darkened corridor where the water is churning with some kind of aquatic life. Just beneath the brackish water are a number of long, slender creatures that flash lights along their sides like strobe lights, and seem to be covered in a number of long fins. The fins scrape against the metal and stone walls of the canal, leaving shallow marks and gouges as they swim up and down in a frenzy. A number of signs are marked along the sides of the canal. "Warning: Infested waters. Area sealed by department of civil maintenance for use as Razor Trout traping, stay away from water."

You note a number of controls situated on a small panel nearby, which looks like they control the bulkheads that have trapped the creatures here.

>Open all the bulkheads
>Trace the wiring with your drones' electronic sense, and open the bulkhead leading to the elevator
>Open the main gate, releasing the trout into the reservoir
>Leave the razor trout alone
>Other
>>
>>39461839
Oh dear I have the urge to fuck things up but
>Trace the wiring with your drones' electronic sense, and open the bulkhead leading to the elevator
>>
>>39461839
ooooh. New biology. Want.

>Open the main gate, releasing the trout into the reservoir.
We'll send something to pick a couple up.
>>
>>39461839
>Trace the wiring with your drones' electronic sense, and open the bulkhead leading to the elevator
>>
>>39461839
Oh, yes.

Time to cause chaos.

Infesting the area around the elevator might cause some people to leave the building while they investigate and fix their suddenly deadly secret emergency exit.

And then when they're on the move Lyle and co. can strike.

Have a fly take a blood sample from one of the trout if it can though.
>>
>>39461839
>Leave the razor trout alone
Guys, panic might be fun but an open infestation of trout will get people to check out the sewers.

And I'm just going to go ahead and sleep. I have morning classes.
>>
>>39461839
Definitely let the trout into the elevator area.

...After we infiltrate the elevator shaft and get to hear the G-Men's reactions inside.
>>
>>39461839
>Trace the wiring with your drones' electronic sense, and open the bulkhead leading to the elevator
>>
>>39461839
>Leave the razor trout alone
Too much commotion will jeopardize our SNEAKING MISSION.
>>
>>39461963
Unless it enhances it.

>people come down the elevator to investigate
>slip into elevator when their back is turned and camouflage into the wall
>>
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>>39461839
>Trace the wiring with your drones' electronic sense, and open the bulkhead leading to the elevator

It is a simple task to find the correct bulkhead, although your fly is too light to pull the lever. Several of them gather and pull together, and the lever slowly gives way with a slight creaking of rust, and the bulkhead drops. The razor trout dart through the gate at lightning speeds, and you can see the patrolling guard leap back as he sees the trout turn the corner. He manages to click his radio before they are upon him, and he attempts to call for backup.

Several streaks of strobing lights race through the water and the guard collapses into the water as his legs bob up next to him like logs. There is a brief splashing, and then only the sounds of the feeding frenzy.

A moment later you hear the elevator arrive, and a pair of heavily armed guards wielding some manner of large weapon strapped across their forearms emerge. You hear a puff of air as the seal on the elevator releases and the doors slide open, and the guards begin shouting orders over the sound of splashing and chewing. Their weapons unleash a torrent of lighting into the water, frying the trout. Your flies quickly duck into the elevator behind them.

"Who the hell opened the gates?" One of them shouts over the rising steam of trout and boiling water.

"Maybe it was a malfunction? Those things are hell on the infrastructure."

"Damnit! Whatever jackass thought to flush a goddamn razor trout needs to be tossed in with 'em." They both look over the scene, ensuring none of the carnivorous fish remain. "Have someone call in a skiff from reclamation, get this cleaned up." The man turns to leave, and storms into the elevator. He doesn't notice the roof it several inches lower, or that it is looking down at him. The layer of flies shudder lightly as the elevator begins to move.

Cont.
>>
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>>39462164
>He doesn't notice the roof is several inches lower, or that it is looking down at him. The layer of flies shudder lightly as the elevator begins to move.
Spooky shit, almost lovecraft-tier
>>
>>39462164
>He doesn't notice the roof it several inches lower, or that it is looking down at him.

Ahhhahahahaaha.

QD you always make terrorizing the human race even more fun than usual.

That air seal means this was probably the better idea than vainly trying to penetrate the elevator shaft then.
>>
>>39462164
I guess they didn't just kill the trout before because they were waiting for someone to take them away alive, since they're valuable?

Also this slipping into the elevator raises a question. About this and previous threads.

With player speculation about a Ralighan hunting tool
>>35031421
>>35031769

the Constantinople location confusion
>>35185262
>>35185616

and the Pathian language guess
>>38576090
>>38576239

Was that player input being automatically incorporated, or just a player guessing the obvious choice that you were going to have the queen mention anyway?
>>
>>39462219
>Ralighans
Now that we have the ability to make psionics have an effect upon meat, I think the Ralighans would appreciate being able to culture and grow the world around them with their mind.
It'd be a fitting gift.
>>
>>39462219
Speaking of the Pathian languages, I don't think we've actually watched that CD thing from Lee that the ceph guy gave us
>>
>>39462255
>I think the Ralighans would appreciate being able to culture and grow the world around them with their mind.
They would certainly be good test subjects.
>>
>>39462255
It would be a BLAME! scenario with Brussels sprouts.
>>
>>39462164
Dillon jerks the small phone to his ear. "Serious? Shit, man I owe you one." He pauses as someone speaks on the other end. "Well I owe you another one. You get the skiff and the uniforms ready, tell them we'll be there tonight." He clicks the radio and looks at the others. "You won't believe the news. One of my contacts in Civil Management just called, said they got a report of a razor trout infestation in the sewers, killed a corporate guard before they killed off the school of little bladed bastards and now they need someone to go in and clean out the corpses."

"So you want us to be garbage men for the day? Think i'll pass." Lyle says.

"Yea, well it's right under our target building. No better chance to get some up close recon, the good old fashioned way." Dillon says, smiling.

"By crawling in shit and rotting meat?" Jackob says, cringing. "I mean, I think I'm willing to let a little gunshot slide over wading in sewage."

"I've already got a skiff ready. No wading in anything." Dillon says. Jackob snaps his fingers at the holoscreen to shut it off.

"Alright, fine, but we should make it quick."

Dillon pulls out a small map and unfolds the hologram over the coffee table. "Told you it was a good idea to stock up on breaching caps." He says.

Feel like tonight's thread lasted a lot longer then usual. I think this is a good point to stop before we get cut off by a 404, and we can go over designs for new aquatic drones and finalize infiltration plans until then, as well as construction or new ship/build orders.
>>
>>39462255
Only Medium or Advanced relays can do that.

Unless you're suggesting implanting them and turning them into chimerae with Medium relay adaptations.
>>
>>39462304
Whodathunkit, we actually gave Lyle an opening.
Thanks For running QD!
>>
>>39462304
We're actually safe from 404 for many, many hours yet at this slow time of night, but if you're tired already it's cool.
>>
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>>39462304
>breaching caps
>>
>>39462305
No no. We alter their DNA so that they naturally possess a medium array equivalent, except we cut the fat were possible and try to ensure its an optimal modification tool.
Then, with time, their entire race can join us amongst the stars in ships made of mutated plants and animals.
>>
>>39462304
You should update the pastebin for the new ships and drone designs QD, maybe the star system pastebin too.
>>
>>39462304
Lyle, dear, be sure and take a few of the corpses and hand them over to one of our hybrids as a souvenir for your Mother.
>>
>>39462219
Technically, both. I try to always incorporate the plans and ideas you guys think up into what's happening and the demeanor and thoughts of the Queen. Most of the prompts are typically based on what ideas you come up with and what plans you seem to think up.

As for the pathian language, that was actually just a good guess, as was the hunting tools, (although technically it was a ceremonial dagger, but that doesn't really matter when you're pantomiming stabbing someone with it.)

But yea, as a general rule, I'm always paying attention to the idle chatter in the quest, and I use it to help add flavor and character as much as any other source of prep-work, probably more so then most other sources.
>>
Another thing for the to-do list: acquire razor trout sample.

Thanks for running. I think I'll try drawing an aquatic sniffer for everyone next thread.
>>
>>39462335
...That's what turning them into a Chimera is.
>>
Just got this mental image of this verses version of shadow in the warp.
>>
>>39462323
Well, my main thought is that we seem to go along with story and whatnot, but never seem to give much time to hashing out designs and build orders.

You have a lot of idle pylons, for example, and I didn't want to go charging ahead without giving everyone ample opportunity to deal with the crunch.
>>
>>39462342
By good guess, does that mean the player guessed what you were going to say anyway whether or not they said something? Or the opposite, that it wouldn't have come up if they hadn't said something?
>>
>>39462368
>You have a lot of idle pylons
Shouldn't 1000 of those be occupied?

At least 1000 ships were queued up last thread.

Also the clone projects still aren't listed, total nutrient income is added up wrong, and the number of harvesters was increased last thread.
>>
>>39458900
Why do I love Lee so much? It's pretty simple when I think about it. Lee isn't just the best character in the quest, he might just be the greatest character of all time. Just imagine him sitting at home in his apartment, his figurines artfully arranged on the shelves above him, posting on his Pathian cartoons board. As he wades through the shitposts, the anons swoon at the correctness of his opinions. They know how he smells, the essence of his smell is sold on Corbin under the the name of "Nerd Orgasm." The very nature of Ryan Lee is mystery. Could he be playing a deeper game than even the QM realizes? The answer is yes, he has transcended such boundaries as the world of questing, and has free will to do whatever he sees fit. However, Lee is filled with such guile, such arcane craft that he does not even use these powers. Why, you might ask? You will never know, for the mind of the Lee is not one that is easily penetrated.

Lee is such a force of nature in his realm that nothing can truly touch him, the only thing keeping him bound to the quest at all is his will to exist within the preordained boundaries of his world. Lee is not only beyond the comprehension of us, he exists within a plane of true focus and beauty. Observe his bashful smile, his gourgeous and rippling biceps, his gallant nose, and most importantly, his eyes. His eyes, like pools of saffron, provide the only glimpse into the true machinations of Lee. Do not stare into them. Many good hives have gone mad in the attempt. Lee is not just a character, a formless collection of words and images, he is himself is the binding that holds the saga together. Without Lee, the entire quest, the galaxy as we know it crumbles. Leeland would cease in its rotation, the Garden would become a desolate wasteland, and the stars themselves would wink out without Lee's eyes to gaze upon it all magnanimously.

These are just of a few of the reasons why I like Lee so much.
>>
>>39462368
Can we vote to send out pods to Drift and Wonder?
They seem to be far enough from the core hiveworlds of old and they may as of yet be untouched by anyone.
>>
>>39462347
That implies too much control.
>>
>>39462369
It probably wouldn't have come up, but the guess was correct either way, and since you were discussing that detail, it was brought up and confirmed in conversation.

If I notice you guys take interest in something, I'll always be sure to have the Queen take the same interest in it.

>>39462337
Yes, I added in the battlecruiser mid session, but I hope to get all of those out of the way this week. If I end up forgetting something just yell at me over ask.fm, which I also need to go through again.
>>
>>39462397
We're at Wonder right now. We just defended it from Scavengers.
>>
>>39462419
Does Waystation have anything in the way of exploitable metals to mine?
>>
>>39462391
nice pasta
>>
>>39462430
We should really get around to scout and colonize that planet.

>>39462419

Remember the Hive-USB dongles made in early threads for reading the black box and talking to Theseus? >>32358294

Are those something that can be laid as an egg by a small egglayer?
>>
>>39462382
Yes, not sure how I missed them this evening. Those will be finished by next thread, and the first batch of clones should be done by then as well.

>>39462430
Not that you know of, but it is possible the planetoid could hold some metals.

>>39462451
I suppose so, I just assume them to be incorporated into hive infrastructure at this point.
>>
>>39462451
The thing I'm worried about is metal production which is the one bottleneck that isnt easy to fix. So far we only have 3 stable sources, Leeland, the Asteroid base and M323.
I was hoping that we could start salvaging Wonder but that may take a while since we're still trying to see if anything useful is still around.
Same thing with Farcast since we're apparently still assessing it's status.
>>
>>39462419
>>39462397
On the note of exploration. We sent pods to several human systems.

Can we have a vote to send pods to all the remaining human occupied systems?

We should actually get around to looking at the ones we already sent at some point though.

Also the Hive Space systems that were scouted last thread aren't in the pastebin yet.
>>
>>39462494
The funny thing about Smart Mines is that we pay no upkeep anymore to mine, but now can't increase the aggressiveness of the metal trees except by unlocking Mantle excavation research subject and such.

But with M-323, we can. Just keep throwing more mining corvettes at the problem, paying upkeep in exchange for a big payoff in Metals.
>>
>>39462494
While normally it would take a while to survey an entire planet, Farcast won't take very long at all, since most of the surveying is just asking the thinker what the planet has.

>>39462496
I have a short list of systems where you sent pods, actually, just need to write them up in the pastebin.
List I have at the moment is
>Picon
>Sagittarius
>Toliman
>Proxima
>Sentinel
>New Port
>Telarum
>Juric
With a pod stationed in each one.
>>
>>39462546
We've formed some Fleets in crunch, but the definition of what ships and drones are actually in those isn't stated in the drone designs pastebin.

Shouldn't finalized fleet crunch be there, since otherwise it's just in the player-editable wiki talk page?

I'd also like to formalize and form a bunch of Patrol Swarms for Leeland and Raligha.
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Quest_talk:Hive_Queen_Quest#Patrol_Swarm

Last we heard the Obsidian Queen dropped drones and Thinkers into the jungle there, that we'd better find.
>>
>>39462546
You can probably just insert the details most of those directly into the pastebin without posting them into the next thread, unless anons object or they find something worth investigating more.

>>39462591
Speaking of which, did we ever find any remaing Obsidian Hive ground stragglers on Raligha QD?
>>
>>39462591
Add to that.

5 Light Fleets, fairly cheap
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Quest_talk:Hive_Queen_Quest#Light_Fleet

And 1 Missile Ambush Fleet
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Quest_talk:Hive_Queen_Quest#Missile_Ambush_Fleet
>>
>>39462618
You seem to have moped them up quite effectively, although not for a lack of trying on her part.

>>39462591
You're right on that, and I'll try to get better with that. I think I just need to totally rethink how the info is given in the op post.
>>
>>39462546
For aquatic drone design:

The limitations of large drones on land--like, can't fit arms because all six limbs are needed to support it as legs-- those don't apply for the new chassis probably. Are weapon mounts on a Large hydrodynamic drone in the same places as on a land drone still?


How do weapons work underwater? The Thorn Launcher, Sting Caster, Fire Spray or Plasma Spray? Cyclotron, LPB?
>>
>>39462673
Your anon is showing.

Also, those Scavengers, they used...harpoon lines to trap the corvette in our firstmeeting.

That would be a weapon we haven't researched yet then? Nonlethal ammo equivalent for space combat?
>>
>>39462391
Leefag pls go.
>>
>>39462673
I had an idea for a Cybernetic implant our hybrids could use:

a plasma grenade. Would it be enough to burn up their body to ash in case of capture to prevent dissection?

Bomb implants is probably a pre-existing human technology, come to think of it.
>>
>>39462673
Trip dropped off, sorry.

>>39462705
Yea, I was answering a question about GURPS in another thread, sorry.
And yes, while technically it is a very crude technology, the Scavengers utilized a rather specialized grappling system to board your ship.
>>
>>39462732
So would we be able to recreate something like that with strengthened ship tendons perhaps?
>>
>>39462751
Perhaps, although instead of having the umbilical break, you would end up with a whole host of other problems if you tried to board a ship without disabling it first, but yea, you could make something like that.
>>
>>39462732
Ironic. To copy it, we need an intact ship to sample. To get an intact ship to sample, we need to use a weapon like that to trap it instead of destroying it like we have the last few times.


And infiltration wise. Yune came crawling into his place with a mutilated arm.

He's probably spent a day or two having a robot arm installed.

We might find him in a medbay recovering, or even still in a tank. We couldn't bring parasites with us...

...but what if we implanted a fly inside, which then cocooned into a parasite over the next day?

With him paralyzed by their toxin, how good are flies at field surgery?
>>
>>39462723
Seems simple enough, like your existing self-destruct but with more oomph to it.

>>39462780
That's devious.
A fly would be about as good at field surgery as a mime at comedy, but depending on how you manage it that may or may not be a problem.
>>
Also invasion wise. The first thing Brawler-egglayer-chimera should lay is 12 bio-tanks, and a replacement egglayer.

Then we can start cloning Taidaren hybrids in groups of 3, as well as pigeons, cats, dogs...
>>
>>39462822
You forgot people.

We'll also need to start plastering subliminal messages that can only be discovered through the use of special sunglasses everywhere.
>>
>>39462805
Separated from normal hive infrastructure, is the egglayer and a bio-tank enough to construct various things from scratch/nutrients in New Prescott sewers?

A plasma grenade? A flamethrower? A nuclear bomb? A molecular disassembler warhead?
>>
>>39462805
We should lay 200 aquatic sniffers in New Prescott sewers.

To humans, how much would aerodynamic and hydrodynamic chassis drones even resemble the classic, bug like chassis? Would they recognize it as even the same species?
>>
>39452000
>>Quantum Tuning
>Medium
>While current quantum computing technology requires the relays be built to accommodate one another, this technology should allow you to quickly attune pre-existing devices for one another when in proximity. Your thinkers suspect more opportunities to open up after further research is done.

>proximity alterations to quantum strings
>unlocks other tech
This definitely sounds like it unlocks that 'quantum scrambler' missile from Raligha.

Which is almost assuredly something that causes an area of effect that tunes all quantum strings in the area to itself, and then destroys itself, rendering all those circuits dead.
>>
>>39462822
This doesn't need to happen in the capital, but if we get the chance I want to get samples of all the drugs and poisons humans might have in hospitals, vet offices, or research labs.

Seiner putting the Speaker under during that arc showed we still don't know all the various chemistries humans have, and it'd be best to copy those and have countermeasures as soon as possible. To expand our own repertoire too.
>>
>>39462836
>Slowly replace hospital personnel with hybrids
>stage a traffic accident/assassination attempt/find a way to cause grave injury to politicians
>be the nearest hospital for them to be taken to
>implant parasites in ER
>>
>>39462836
>>
>>39462472
>and the first batch of clones should be done by then as well.

Then we'd better get started on manufacturing fusion reactors and shield generators. Those have to be ready to go when the clones are, if that was the point of making them. To be our happy merchants.

Also, we really need to scout the Commonwealth so we know what planet to pretend all these clones are secretly coming from.

And give the Clarke a makeover with the new liquid metal sculpting tech.
>>
>>39462805
So a drone with gills and biological interface. It could attach to its host externally and breathe for them when they dive underwater, right?

Breather
Mandible: Biological interface 20N
Legs: Sprint 1N
Utility: Gills 4N
Chassis: Hydrodynamic 2N 5M
Size: Small
Cost: 6N 1M
Upkeep: 3N

I've been thinking, since the last invasion with a pod ended up rolling modestly and crashed into a cornfield, we should aim for the ocean next planet.

Harder to investigate a crater in the ocean.
>>
>QD is kill

>>39462805
It was said that parasites aren't effective at assuming direct control, just inducing delusions.

But drugging the host with Nepenthe into their bloodstream, that would make them completely suggestible and effectively a puppet to any hallucinatory person telling them what to do, right?

As long as we block off their perception of someone else telling them to stop.
>>
>>39463062
How many fusion reactors can fit into a corvette? How much time and resources does each take to produce?

Cuz we should make enough to fill up the ship. Though which ship is the question.

Might be worth borrowing the money and asking theseus to order a 4million cred freighter, delivered to deep space in the commonwealth, that we can rendesvous with and head to the hyper gate at Andromeda.

Which we'll need to borrow credits to pass through again.



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