>>42339024
WOO! HQQ!

>>42339024

I read through the entire archive last week, this is my first time in the quest.

AAAAWWWWW

YYEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHH

>>42339051
Welcome, fellow drone. Be at peace in mother's infinite embrace.

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>>42339024
>Current resource reserves
Nutrients: 15,932,417
Metals: 10,270,679
Credits: ₡2226
Credits in Lyle’s account: ₡1,175,000

>Hive population and upkeep cost
Hive maintenance – 52,325
Queen – 5
Fake Queen (4) – 220
Small Egg layer – 12
Worker (150,000) – 300,000
Aquatic Worker (5,140) – 20,560
Vacuum Worker (5,200) – 31,200
Radiator Worker (5,100) – 20,400
Warrior (75,045) – 375,225
Gilled Warrior (100) – 700
Aquatic Warrior (50) – 400
Thinker (8,000) – 24,000
Quantum Thinker (3,000) – 15,000
Speaker – (3) – 12
Digger (200) – 800*
Refinery (40) – 280*
Sniffer (2) – 8
Small Sniffer (5,000) – 5,000
Aquatic Sniffer (200) – 200
Fly (1,165) – 4,660
Wasp (30,000) – 150,000
Haz-mat Workers (20) – 80
Parasite (110) – 440
Bio-tank (1000) – 25000
Stealth Bio-tank (30) – 900
Excavator (1,000) – 19,000
Colossus (5,000) – 75,000
Hovertank (2,000) – 50,000
Harvester (5,000) – 95,000
Support Fluttercraft (500) – 71,000
Ghost Beetle (1,000) – 27,000
Heavy Warrior (10,000) – 190,000
Chinook (1,000) – 18,000
Air defense drone (500) – 37,000
Bomber (1,000) – 41,000
Strafer drone (2,000) – 30,000
Heavy Interceptor (1,000) – 28,000
Light Interceptor (2,000) – 28,000
Advanced disruptor (50) – 3750
Advanced Relay (70) – 7000

>>42339024
It begins

How far will we support the commonwealth Anons?

>>42339024
Welcome back QD! We missed ya!

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>>42339077
>Hive fleet
Space Pod (5000) – 150000
Heavy Fleet Fighter (920) – 61640
Heavy Gunship (252) – 7560
Shuttle (10) – 250
Mining Corvette (336) – 92400
Patrol Corvette (180) – 91260
Scout Corvette (8) – 1800
Lancer Corvette (2) – 450
Missile Corvette (500) – 516000
Fleet Corvette (244) – 54900
Heavy Fleet Corvette (336) – 393792
Light Fleet Frigate (1500) – 667500
Heavy Fleet Frigate (252) – 359604
Stealth Frigate (4) – 1952
Vanguard Frigate (850) – 340000
Light Fleet Cruiser (375) – 249375
Missile Cruiser (50) – 118250
Heavy Cruiser (110) – 133650
Heavy Fleet Cruiser (126) – 315630
Carrier Battlecruiser (5) – 99360
Heavy Fleet Battlecruiser (36) – 292932
Heavy Fleet Battleship (10) – 517750

>Construction underway
[Citadel Hive ship] – 40%

>Formed fleets and orders
Small Heavy Defense Fleet [Patrolling Leeland space]
10 Heavy Battle Fleet [Awaiting orders]
5 Missile Ambush Fleet [Awaiting orders]
25 Light Fleets [Awaiting orders]
20 Light Fleets [Under construction]

>>42339079
That's a very good question. I dunno if we'll support them in open war...we STILL don't have the fleet for it, I feel. Plus it might make Theseus get a bit antsy.

>>42339024
Hey guys, heres an idea, what if we formed a barricade between the two sides, its one thing to fire on the commonwealth. Its another thing to fire on a third party that isn't shooting at you first.

Someone post the reserve swarms idea from last thread

>>42339144
No too obvious
>>42339125
We need to arrange a defense pact with the commonwealth first or just start hitting union positions in the expanse

>>42339144
I respect the intention, but I'm worried that the Union would ID that 'hey that's those fucking bugs we've been trying to study WTF?' And then they'd put 2 and 2 together.

Best case scenario is both factions reverting into an uneasy peace so they can put up some sort of resistance when the happening arrives.

>>42339144
Or let them all kill each other to death, without aggravating the situation even further like your stupid backfiring idea.

>>42339144
Heh actually i think we should just send a scout into there first to watch and flee

Could disorient everyone or spark the war based on the dice

>>42339181

Well, what can the Union do? Attack us... that'd be a laugh. They don't have nearly the resources or the will required to defeat the hive AND the constant reinforcements we'll send in.

On a similar note, I do remember and I really liked the idea of a reserve fleet from the last thread as well.

>>42339199
...Oh yeeaaaahhh. That's honestly a BIG reason we need to get them to cut this shit out.

They can kill each other as much as they like AFTER we stop the whole 'Mom and her eldritch handlers coming to bitch slap galactic civilization' thing.

>>42339116
Those 2000 shuttles built yet?

>>42339144
I think the most effective way to stop an outbreak of violence now is to announce ourselves to the Union and tell them if they attack the Commonwealth we will come to their aid.

>>42339254
IIRC, the Union actually has a pretty monstrous fleet. We just haven't seen it because they haven't actually given the effort yet.

>>42339274

Yeah, a mutual defense pact or something could work out really well potentially. The commonwealth certainly wouldn't say no. The question is, would the commonwealth actually come to our defense when the Obsidian Queen attacks.

>>42339274
That's probably sound, but we need to actually start negotiating with the commonwealth first

>>42339259
I think we might be still working on those Light and missile ambush fleets. We should get those mining corvettes done first that would make it easier to build everything else.

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>>42339116
Clone upkeep/special projects and expenses
25 Human captives of the USV Hope – 750
[Gemini]
3 Taidaren Hybrids (105)
4 Human flash clone upkeep – 120
18 Human hybrid clone upkeep – 540
Specializations:
>Tech
>Engineer
>Brawler
[Hive space]
100 Human Hybrids – 3,000
Lyle Rogers – 57
Jackob Eisner – 56
Dillon Reager – 30
Clone/project upkeep – 3,908N

Total upkeep
Nutrient costs: 6,294,510

>Income
Metals: 2,838,000
Nutrients: 9,801,250
Net: 3,506,740


Quick bit of news. Lot of stuff happened this week.
First, I fixed hexographer, but in a continued stroke of poor luck the image I made is too large. I'll need to make a smaller one in a bit.
Second, I'm very sorry for being unable to run any extra days this week. The engine in my car shorted and burned the carburetor, leaving me on the side of the road for most of my intended prep day. As such, I was unable to do much of the calculations for things built or purchased. The good news of that is that it technically has no upkeep for this thread.
Third, I plan on running either tomorrow or Tuesday, so we can run our usual all nighter, I'll sleep a bit, and then run a .3 to continue with things we havn't been able to manage in a while.
Finally, I am unsure if I will be able to continue at a regular pace in the coming month. I need to find a second job, and will be living in the woods for a while, not to mention my computer is old and on the verge of death. I just wanted to give you a heads up that I may need to go on hiatus for a bit in the near future.

>>42339288
A fleet that's spread thin

I want the expanse

Just a good couple of ambushes and defeats to scare the shit of them

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For Mother, the Glory of the Hive, and the Might of the Triumvate

THE QUEEN RETURNS

I want to send Theseus a message stating that we landed a diplomat at the Commonwealth command station and equipped a small human force within New Prescott and ask for input.

>>42339255
Crystals no. Let them destroy each other and they become more easily conquerable by us. Their resources can be put towards more efficient ends as the hive consumes their mines and farms and resource nodes.

>>42339328
if your computer dies i can probably send you one one of my old ones so you have one until you get a new one

>>42339334
>Even the expanse is actually a rather unpopular project that took a lot of smooth talking to get through
> the Clarke was shot down, and the Hope was totally lost, and the Texas battlegroup sent back images of a pitched battle with a ship the size of a small space city and public opinion did an about face to quickly it gave the pollsters vertigo.
You know, if we can play our cards right, we could be able to convince the Union that the Expanse isn't worth it....

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>>42339328
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: (1969) (98,450N)
[Empty docks: 2000/2000]
Economic Structures
>Smart Mines active: 100,000M per day
>Algae Farm: +4,800,000per day, 48,000 Workers (1 worker per 100N)
>Film harvester dock: +5,000,000N per day, 10,000 Harvesters active (500N per Harvester)

[M-662]
Raligha
Defensive structures
>Surface to Orbit Missile System (750N)
>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: 0/4]
>Mining corvette salvage operations +2,688,000M per day (+8000M per corvette)

[Farcast]
Derelict Sensor array

Glassed Hive world
>Hive bunker complex
>Smart mine mantle excavation [Under construction]

Deep space waystation
>100 docking pylons (10,000N)
[Empty docks 400/400]

>>42339328
...How on Earth do you plan on finding a second job in the woods man?

>>42339364
This line of thinking was why the Mongolians were able to rek everyone's shit. Nice going asshole.

>>42339395
Cool.

Is it possible to make a dedicated weapons platform for the singularity projector without using the (expensive) battleship hull as a mount? My thinking is that the singularity projector could prove an outstanding planetary defensive unit due to its ability to provide area denial and deflect incoming weapons fire. Even if a defensive platform only has a range of 100km or so (knife fight range when considering the size of our ships and the vast distances in space), it would be capable of defending approximately 30,000 square kilometers. Even a small network could probably defend our entire main hive cluster on Leeland, and provide a nasty surprise for the Obsidian Queen. The biggest problems I foresee are that either:

1. The singularity projector range is so limited it can’t serve in this capacity. Or
2. A defensive station is so expensive it makes no sense it makes no sense to build static defense when we could create a battleship for same cost.

Thoughts? Do thing for Mother?

>>42339328
I have a laptop I could probably throw your way. I straight up don't use it anymore, but it's still half decent.

>>42339328
Shorted? Oh damn, be glad your car didn't catch and get entirely engulfed in fire. What make and model do you have QD?

>>42339387
it would be a pretty shitty one though, but it'll work

>>42339077
>Sniffer (2) – 8
>Small Sniffer (5,000) – 5,000
Why don't we just break these down and be rid of them?

>>42339452
Seconded, regular size sniffers have been obsolete for most of the quest.

>>42339409
Have to agree with this. In general thought if not vitriol.

>>42339452
Aren't one of those our hero sniffer drone?

>>42339484
Yes.

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>>42339395
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)

>>42339387
I appreciate that, but I actually already have plans for getting a new one very soon. I just wanted to let you know that I'm essentially running on a potato powered by ork tech, and catastrophic failure is a possibility.

Sometimes it smells like a burning tire...

>>42339409
The rapid growth and rebuilding capabilities of the hive render that comparison apples and oranges.

>>42339418
My personal plan for using singularity projectors involves putting them on a battleship hull designed to blink into weapons range of a high value enemy unit. Like a hive ship, or a god-ship. Call them Decide battleships.

>>42339508
Just sayin' cause it might save you some cash down the line. Hell, I'd offer you a job if I had the spare financials. (Software dev here)

>>42339508
This is the part where you post a bitcoin address.

>>42339418
Maybe. Might be more cost effective to just trade with the Commonwealth for dome shields though. Just equipping our Citadel ship with Singularity projectors is going to cost a million creds at standard Valen canderon rates.

>>42339452
>Wanting to break down based sniffer
You and I are now enemies.

>>42339556
Second that suggestion.

>>42339527

Sounds good. Really, a lot of this depends on the cost of construction on battleships vis a vis static defense. I'll be happy either way, as long as we put this cool tech to use soon.

>>42339508
>Sometimes it smells like a burning tire...
That sounds like a severe 'house lost in an inferno' disaster waiting to happen.

>>42339556
Don't you mean Patreon?

>>42339527
That would be impossibly expensive. Canderon costs 50,000 creds per anti kilo.

>>42339607
...we have immortality.

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>>42339508
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)


>>42339422
Well last week the cabin filled with smoke.
That one was from a coolant leak. Fun times, and it's essentially an ork trukk.

>>42339418
The range is so short that it would be unable to effectivley defend anything but itself. At least on a planetary scale. A station or ship could defend other ships nearby, or a capillary tower.

Thinking about it, now I'm curious.

QD, what do you do? Alternatively, what are you good at?

>>42339526
Each of these factions has a much larger industrial base and established presence than we do, we're not at the point where we can shrug off potential allies in the fight against magic crystal gods.

I would argue that the motive of grabbing more resources is insufficient regarding the human factions on the grounds that Obsidian Queen is sitting on a whole bunch of resources too, it's better to grab hers since she's already hostile to us rather than gaining yet another enemy.

>>42339607
The amount we'd have to spend could bankrupt a planet.

>>42339637
I too am curious. The notion of QD being some kind of mountain man eking out a living in the bush amuses me.

>>42339607

Would point defense really be any cheaper, though, is the question.

50,000 creds is really pocket change to an empire like ours. Our battleships probably cost the equivalent of billions of creds each and we can shit them out in a day.

We're also a powerful alien interstellar empire. We could just raid a Canderon supply depot with overwhelming firepower and just take what we want. This would put us in a bit of a war, however.

>>42339677
...We're really not as big as you might think we are.

>>42339677
We have exactly 2,226 creds in the bank. Getting more would depend on the outcome of our negotiations with the Commonwealth, the Valen, and/or the Union.

>>42339677
>Canderon
is that what they're mining from the stars? if it is we would only need the dna of the species that lives on stars which i bet our friendly neighborhood AI has

Anyone else worried about the fact that the admiral named dropped the gardener to see our reaction?

I mean the commonwealth must also been tracking down skyl artifacts and may have found some intact archives

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>>42339635

>>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.

Keep it secret, keep it safe
If Singularity Weapons are best used for making a ship essentially unattackable, shouldn't it be mounted on Hive Ships?
Autocannons for the Auxillery slots, Singularity for everything else. Make the ship entirely focused on solar power/mining/manufacturing.

Ultimate Colony Ship

>>42339727
We don't need credits.

Just parasite Union corporate executives and embezzle any Canderon you need.

>>42339730
what, where?

>>42339730
Wait, when did they do that?

>>42339727
eh, Lyle (a relatively small time mercenary) has over a million creds in the bank. I'm sure we can probably borrow some from Thesesus too. Or we can parasite some corporate hacks.

>>42339738
That...would not be a bad idea I think

A Harvester Ship

We need to find a canderon rich star and lay claim to it and share with Unity and Heretic. Maybe invite refugee Canians from Wolf if it's habitable to them

>>42339789

"Oh shut it Commander." Magnus says. "He can call himself a magpie for all I care. You know how weird translations are between alien languages, besides, it sounds like Smith, or Gardener, a practical, career based name." His face flickers back to your drone. "I apologize for the hologram, but we're working under quarantine protocols. Commander Wise here is already exposed to your atmosphere, so he's not allowed outside of your residential area. He will be available at all hours to answer any and all questions you may have, so long as the answers are not classified." Wise's face shrivels slightly at the comment.

Hive Queen Quest 52

I was going to ignore but he brought up the fact about smiths

>>42339730
>>42339776
>>42339789
>"Oh shut it Commander." Magnus says. "He can call himself a magpie for all I care. You know how weird translations are between alien languages, besides, it sounds like Smith, or Gardener, a practical, career based name."
I think that we may be approaching peak shadowrunning here

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>>42339635
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.
>Hydroponic platform – A floating greenhouse platform used to grow farmland through hydroponics that can only be built on or near water with open access to plentiful sunlight. Each greenhouse platform supports roughly one hectare and requires a single worker to tend the crop and maintain the platform. Multiple platforms can be connected together to create fields of floating farmland. +200N per day, 1 worker to maintain.

>>42339556
While I'm not philosophically opposed to that normally, I simply don't feel comfortable asking for money like that, for a number of reasons.

>>42339637
I work in shipping and receiving. My job is to test airplane parts to make sure they fit right and won't fall off mid flight. You would be surprised at how incompetent the manufacturing companies are in that regard.

>>42339812
...Methinks you might be reading too much into it.

>>42339832
Please Questdrone likes playing shadowtag with us

We should make colonization ships that are meant to land on the planet and become the hive, in the out layer of the hull it would have spikes that spread put hive creep at a fast rate but before the complete takeover starts thousands of drones are sent out over the entire planet to collect samples(we have really neglected this feature since we could easily discover better crops or ways to make our crops better). it would just be fling one at the planet and it will will be added to the empire

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>>42339845
>Filter towers – A large underwater pylon built to extract raw nutrients from the microbial life of the surrounding ecosystem. Can only be used on planets with bountiful biospheres and deep oceans capable of supporting large amounts of microbes. Provides between 100 and 500 N per day, depending on the local environment. (500M)
>Capillary Tower – This massive organic space elevator offers a number of logistical and economic advantages, despite its drastic up front cost and fragile nature. Shuttles or space craft are no longer needed to move resources from the surface to orbital structures, freeing shuttles for more important tasks. The counterweight station serves as a center for construction, with 4 docking pylons included on the structure to repair and build ships, while gaining a bonus to capital ship construction time due to the speedy nature with which resources arrive from the surface. The Capillary Tower can also spread hive creep and extract resources at an increased rate, spreading roots deep into the crust to bring up resources directly into orbit, allowing you to consume a planet much more quickly than normal. A Hive ship can construct a Capillary Tower if given the time and resources to do so, deploying one after 3 full days, after which it becomes the counterweight station, and must remain stationary until it detaches and destroys the tower to move. A Hive ship deployed in this way does not have access to its spinal weapons, but can use other features as normal. A planet can hold a max of 4 Capillary Towers along its equator. For each one, planetary mining or over harvest activities are doubled. (50,000N 500,000M)

>>42339845
That is hardly encouraging to my fear of flying

>>42339870
A Hive ship sized Harvester Pod?

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>>42339812
>>42339832
FUCK'S SAKE MAN

I CAN'T TAKE THIS MUCH CONSTANT PARANOIA

THIS IS EXCESSIVE SHADOWRUNNING

>>42339845
Wow. Cool. If you have any skills with computers or similar tech, I could at least probably put the word out.

we can do all these things with the shit we have

>>42339895
yes, it might work if it's smaller as well but we really need to start using our power to manipulate DNA and biology more, it's kinda ridiculous that we have done so little with it when we should be sampling everything for useful advances and traits

>>42339899
Lies and Slander

This player-base has fed and grown on shadowrunning

We must remember our roots and trust our instincts

>>42339883
Goddamn QD you need to trim these intro posts a bit.

>>42339949
Seriously, we need to go sample more wildlife. It's one of my favorite parts that gets ignored for Shadowruns

Maximum Shadowruns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reOO1cMTkSg

>>42339899
GAS THE SQUIDS
NUKE THE WHALES
STAB THE MONKEYS
TRUST NOTHING

>>42339983
he could put it all in a pastebin

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>>42339883
Finished Research

>Ship grapple
Despite being little more than a tow cable with a grappling hook on the end, this device holds all manner of engineering nightmares involved in its design. The problem of making a grapple secure the target hull reliably, the ability to prevent the line from breaking, or worse, the hull from sheering off. To overcome these limitations, you have developed a specialized system modeled after the salvaged grapples found in the Scavenger gunship.

>Ram
What was once the most basic and simple form of naval combat, when translated into space combat, becomes a nightmarish and suicidal undertaking that is just as likely to kill you as it is to kill your enemy. The complexity of the science is not in the process of ramming; anyone can do it once. The trick is to learn how to do it again. The ability to ram a space craft and not share its fate requires a mixture of application of complex velocity control, strategic hull reinforcing, reactive armor plating, and a dash of madness. Madness can be used as a substitute for the rest rather easily, but it does hamper the ship’s rate of survival.

>>42339895
It's the welders that make exhaust systems that are the issue. Most of them would just make a loud banging sound or rattle the plane if they broke, but a few may cause your cabin to fill with deadly exhaust fumes, or send shrapnel into the engine or something.
Still safer then a car. At least safer then my car.

>>42339902
I do not. I am not qualified in such things, although I do know how to use UPS and Fedex shipping software. They are both equally backwards in their utility, and typically have an overhaul at least once a year.

>>42340004
Somebody screencap this, this summarizes this quest perfectly.

>>42339845
So you're, like, maintenance?

>>42339983
>>42340012
Maybe shorten them into basic descriptions and have the rest in a pastebin, with only new tech, structures or adaptations needing a full description

>>42340028
>Finished Research
>Ram
SO MUCH FUN

>>42340028
We space pirates now!

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>>42340028
[New Ship Module Unlocked]
Harpoon Launcher: Built to fire the ship grapple, the harpoon launcher utilizes a harpoon-like hook tipped with a non-Newtonian fluid warhead that punctures the target hull, then dissolves into a liquid seal only to become rigid again once the line becomes taught, anchoring the harpoon in place. The line is made of an elastic ligament made of a carbon nano-tube weave with a semi-liquid crystal carbon suspension within which replenishes damaged segments of the tether and can be pumped into the harpoon to create a solid diamond anchor within the target hull. The harpoon is launched from a specialized launch tube, and can maneuver itself to a limited degree like a missile, and is linked to a segmented superstructure that distributes the strain equally across the ship’s hull, but includes a failsafe allowing the launch tube to be jettisoned in an emergency to cut the line. A Harpoon Launcher holds a single launch tube and roughly a kilometer of compact tether. The launch tube requires careful preparation to load, and cannot be reloaded in combat. Scoring a hit with a tether will prevent the target from exiting melee range and allow the ship to attempt to reel in the target, after which the relative speed of the ship and its target is reduced to zero and any attack, be it weapon, boarding pod, or additional harpoons, is an automatic hit, and both ships are forced to follow a velocity equal to their combined acceleration. The more tethers connect the two ships, the less likely it is for the harpoons to break loose or sheer the target’s hull. The harpoon cannot penetrate shields, and the harpooning ship must lower its shields to fire. If the ship has multi-layer shields, only the side of the ship facing the target is rendered vulnerable. (10N 200M)

>>42339997
we should form a dedicated task force for this and then just let QD control what they find off thread and present their findings in the beginning of every thread

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>>42340078

Maximum FTL: Faster Than Light Mantis ship

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>>42340087
Ramming Keel: While at first glance it looks like a simple bow from a naval ship, it is much more than that. The surface holds a shaped ram laminated in a carbon lattice with a semi-liquid crystal suspension within designed to plow through debris, but not puncture a target hull. This imparts the ship with a bonus against damage from space debris and attacks against its bow, but hampers its targeting and logistical sensors, reducing its accuracy with weapons at medium and long range, and reducing its ability to perform scans of a system. The critical components are held deep within the ship in the form of a reinforced nanostructure of superconducting coils surrounding a ferrous metal core which runs the length of the ship, replacing one spinal mount slot. This accomplishes two things, the first is that it prevents the hull from buckling under the force of the impact; the second is that it allows the ship to crack the target’s hull immediately prior to the actual impact by driving the core out from the spinal mount and into the target ship, imparting additional impact force into the target’s hull and creating a wedge for the ram to drive into while cushioning the ramming ship from the impact. The ferrus core is then driven back into the mount and the system reloaded. (5N 20M per 10 meters: Uses a single spinal mount.)

>>42340077
No, I'm the warehouse guy. I'm the guy they're talking about when they say the Ark is being looked after by "top men", although I sometimes can fix some parts by giving them a few good hits with a hammer. They usually fit fine after that.

>>42340087
Hey QD can we hold a vote on the reserve drones idea from last thread? It seemed to have a bit of support and there doesn't seem to be any downside to it.

>>42340122
>>42340122
>whyIalwaysupgradedoors.png

>>42340104
I'll back this, how many drones should work with it though?

>>42340162
>>42340087
Forgot to link the post in question, sorry.

>>42214886

>>42340159
>a few good hits with a hammer.
QD you worry me

>>42340162
+1

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>>42340159
Current Research

>Photon blade

>Photonic armor

>Holographic haptic feedback

>Personal shielding

>Shield dome

>Complex matter reconstruction

>Advanced Psionic Reading

>Psionic Imprinting

>High-altitude spore dispersal

>Atmospheric static generator

>Rip Drive

>Deep Core Mining

>Gravity thrusters

Available research options

>Psionic Cannon prototype

>>42340179
>>42340172
Sure thing.

>>42340240
“Project Moonraker.” Secretary Windsor says. “It was initially a salvage operation designed to reverse engineer what we thought was a component of the Confederate superweapon. Dr. Emmrich was given command of the research, and it quickly evolved from there.” He says hesitantly. He looks over his computer, double checking that the relay connection is secure. Gilliam seems confused.

“Why are you bringing me in one this?” He asks. Windsor looks through his files as he answers.

“Simply put, I need a second opinion. Early tests regarding certain materials offered interesting and promising results, but it was volatile. Hostile even, if you were willing to categorize an intent onto an object. Containment became our priority, and we eventually managed to accomplish just that. A method of containment with no detectable leak of particles, at least according to the, uh, volunteers at the time. Our instruments can’t detect it, but it has a measurable effect on organic matter over time, and even more importantly, can be harnessed as an energy source.” He says as Gilliam looks through the files sent to his computer. Various shards of a dark metallic substance are placed carefully along a table, with smooth replicas set beneath them. A number of Ceph test subjects have entries as well, and a small fragment of the hull of a Ceph Voidcutter sits amid a crowd of human scientists.

Cont.

>>42340310
Uhhhhhhhh... PANIC!

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>>42340310
“The cutters are made of a non-reflective material that resists attempts to scan them. When destroyed, their drive swallows most of the debris up, but sometimes a chunk falls free. We were able to match them up as best we could, and Emmerich eventually concluded that the Ceph ships and the fragments found near the artifact were made of the same material.” Windsor continues. “Up until then we had no way of knowing what the material was for, until we saw how it interacted with the artifact. It acts like a conductor, and we were able to assemble it into a kind of faraday cage.”

Your pod watches as the Commonwealth tugs slowly haul the small, oblong object up from the layers of gas and storm clouds.

“My agents say the containment may have been breached. Emmerich says that’s impossible. I want you to run the math and tell me straight if that’s the case.” He says, leaning in over his desk. “I need to know if his machine has failed critically, or if it was sabotaged, and I need to know quickly, before it falls into enemy hands.”

Cont.

>>42340310
>but it was volatile. Hostile even, if you were willing to categorize an intent onto an object.
OH SNAP
Worst case scenario is that it isn't one of Mother's

>>42340240
Hey if we're making proposals based on what we were talking about last thread, could we vote on outfitting our warriors with an array of weapons grafts based by percentage? I'll repost what I put up last thread.

Thorn launchers- 30%
Sting casters- 0% (air support drones only)
Fire sprays (with all alt ammo)- 10%
Blasters- 30%
Lightening guns- 10%
Cyclotrons- 5%
Plasma canons- 10%
Heavy thumpers- 5% (maybe give these to warriors with honeypots)

>>42340310
SHADOWRUN TIME

PREPARE THE THINKERS

>>42340366
I'll vote for this

>>42340351
THE VOID IS WATCHING

>>42340351
So you're saying that the Union found a relay from the debris on the moon, and then constructed some sort of container from the fragments of Ceph Voidcutters, and somehow that containment was breached, and it may be related to that faint psionic presence we felt at Toliman

>>42339899
It is kinda annoying. Also seems to be entirely focused on Humans for reasons I can't understand.

>>42340310
>>42340351

Holy.
Fuck.

They've been tampering with Void Shards

>>42340398
>a relay
No dumbass. It was a void shard.

Apparently when they said the Mirage didn't use fusion power, they didn't mean it had a quantum power tap for its power source.

>>42340425
No duh.

>>42340404
Sending Lyle
The Sat and nukes
The temple raid
The hunt for Lee
The never ending meetings that just make us go into overdrive

>>42340461
So they've somehow managed to make use of a void shard, without incurring some sort of military HOW DARE YOU TAMPER WITH THINGS BEYOND YOUR IMAGINING NOW DIE response.

>>42340351
we need to reck this place as soon as our asset is off the planet

>>42340477
Since fucking with the void shards risks bringing crystal death on every free race in the galaxy, we could very well legitimately send Lyle on a quest to save humanity!

>>42340485
What did you think the Ceph raids have been about for the past several decades?

>>42340351
>“My agents say the containment may have been breached. Emmerich says that’s impossible. I want you to run the math and tell me straight if that’s the case.”

I need to know more context. What are the costs of a false positive on my part versus the costs of a false negative?

What are the consequences of a verdict one way or the other?

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>>42340508
>I need to know if his machine has failed critically, or if it was sabotaged, and I need to know quickly, before it falls into enemy hands
And that was the reactor used for the Mirage holy shit we need that thing in our control ASAP

>>42340404
Well, the majority of questers are (I'm at least assuming) human. Perhaps we're a bit biased in that regard.

>>42340508
The Ceph are the current followers of the Void gods, they get a free pass.

>>42340485
It seems it takes more than just tampering with them to incur a response from them. It took our Mother 2 shots and the near total obliteration of both the OQ's and Ceph fleets before getting one, and even then she was rather surprised that she did.

>>42340535
Of course fellow human, I agree completely.

>>42340477
>The temple raid
How was the temple raid remotely their fault?

We should build a couple of Smiths or whatever those super weapon dudes were called, like 10 of them just packed full of biological and non biological improvements

Know what might be fun for both us and qd? sending our kerrigan, can we please do this already?

>>42340533
If the Union captures it from the Commonwealth, we should capture it from the Union.

Space war now.

>>42340485
Well, they did destroy the earth.

Also, I think that sentence is forgetting a very significant "yet"

>>42340563
>>42340404
>>42340535
Yes Other Human, Only Human's are of the questers.

I'm currently reading both this and the 2D SR storytimes from a few years ago and I can't tell which is shadowrunning harder.

>>42340575
Not now. Eventually. Patience.

>>42340573
I don't think we can replicate the kind of top tier human engineering that goes into a Smith, it'll be recognisably alien in design upon examination.

>>42340573
Oh but anon, we already have. They're the ones being deployed to Path to meet the redpills.

>>42340605
We still haven't actually made any Chimeras though. I can only imagine what a sight they'll be.

>>42340602
they will ofc self destruct

>>42340477
UPDATE
SENDING LYLE
THE SAT WITH NUKES
DESECRATING THE TEMPLE
SENDING SMITH
DISSECTING OUR DRONES
HUNT FOR LEE
MIRAGE
THE FUCKING MEETINGS WE BEEN WIRETAPPED
KILLINGER!!!!
FUCK THE UNION
STAB THE MONKEYS

>>42340530
We clearly have to insist that containment was breached naturally.

The other option, sabotage, is exactly what WE did by blowing it up, which we need them to not realize is what happened.

We just need to find a loophole in the math that will allow that as a plausible answer.

>>42340658
Agreed. The Union don't even understand the mechanics of this thing, I can't understand why they decided to use one to power the Mirage.

>>42340712
Energy signature.

>>42340712
The Union is going to get fucked so hard, we need to do something. We need to contact someone in the government and use them.

>>42340712
Probably because traditional power methods like fusion or the quantum power tap would leave a distinctive energy signature.
To date the only ones who have run stealth are the Ceph and their void shard engines and our sugar-powered starships.

>>42340712
For the same reason I initially thought that the Mirage was fusion powered and that our podsplosion would be PLAUSIBLE as a fusion core meltdown.

I assumed a quantum power tap produced more heat and made stealth shorter.

But a void shard is probably a completely cold, possibly even heat absorbing going by how it drinks in the light, power source.

>>42340755
Don't be ridiculous. They aren't in any more danger than they were before.

Though this does make it more and more urgent to actually start enacting that track down and parasite Parliamentary guards plan, which we have yet to take even the step 1 on. Hacking into the Gemini PDF.

>>42340159
QD you're My favorite

YEAH TIME FOR SOME OF DAT SUGAR SMELL!

>>42340823
>Though this does make it more and more urgent to actually start enacting that track down and parasite Parliamentary guards plan, which we have yet to take even the step 1 on. Hacking into the Gemini PDF.
I still think that plan is incredibly fucking stupid. Can't we just amass influence the normal way? Bribery and blackmail would work just fine with us and Theseus.

>>42340901
That's far too much slower for the rapid timescale we operate on, and utterly ineffective against the honest types, which there are a distressing number of.

Other parties have been corrupting the system "the normal way" for far longer and better than us. You have to do what literally no one else can do to catch up and surpass them.

>>42340870
GO EAT A SWEET THING

>>42340945
Honestly, the risks are too high even with success.

>>42340351
Gilliam looks over the images. A large black splotch has been edited over whatever it is the scientists are working on. You stifle Gilliam's curiosity for his own good before he starts drooling at the mouth. "So what. You want me to double check his work? That's it?" He asks.

"In a way, yes. The machine was incorporated into a prototype ship. A next generation stealth craft. The modifications allowed it to enter and exit some form of dimensional flux. No-space, as Dr. Emmerich calls it."

You have Gilliam search through the files. He finds Emmerich's personal notes. Much of it is redacted. You continue to read through them, and the writing becomes more erratic. His notes are interspersed with diagrams, mathematical formulas, and various theoretical prototype diagrams, as well as sketches of the artifact. Each one is censored with a series of black lines, but the sketches become larger as the notes go on. You find a passage near one of them.

"I am continuously amazed at the artifact. I have measured it six times today alone, and I now have six different sets of totally unrelated data. Interestingly, the objects spacial dimensions alone any one axis seems to have no bearing on any other. I've had to modify the software myself, we were just getting errors at first."

You flip the pages several times.
"I am normally not one to put stock in visual observation, but I have noticed the artifact always seems slightly different when observed. I convinced some colleagues to humor me, and took measurements while it was being observed from all angles. They came back as the same. None of our cameras ever detect it moving. The only variable is human observation.

I am unsure of what to make of this."

cont.

>>42340366
Sure, although I'll typically just ask for load-out details when you deploy your drones.

>>42340945
I think we should just write-off the union at this point

They have just dug themselves a grave at this point and we don't want to be around the blast-zone at this point

>>42340980
>The machine was incorporated into a prototype ship. A next generation stealth craft. The modifications allowed it to enter and exit some form of dimensional flux. No-space, as Dr. Emmerich calls it.
THESE MOTHERFUCKERS

>>42340980
Fuckers just started a crystal cult
GODDAMMIT
We need to kill these frackers

personally i don't like the union, we should side with the commonwealth and if we in the future don't like the commonwealth we just have to eat them

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>>42340980
>The modifications allowed it to enter and exit some form of dimensional flux. No-space, as Dr. Emmerich calls it.
THEY JURY RIGGED A SLIP DRIVE AND PUT IT ON THE MIRAGE THIS KEEPS GETTING WORSE

>>42340980
Guys, We should pull our own scientist in on this, have her puppet his actions for him, shes already done this research, and has theories about the crystal. If she can operate through him we can show that these things are aware and angry and dangerous.

>>42340980
>"In a way, yes. The machine was incorporated into a prototype ship. A next generation stealth craft. The modifications allowed it to enter and exit some form of dimensional flux. No-space, as Dr. Emmerich calls it."
WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE IDIOTS DOING?

>>42341071
You know this is a great idea, Elizabeth is basically the most well-read human expert on this subject.

>>42341034
Whats worse is we freed this shard and it sent a signal back to the void about what happened

I hope our drones been really quiet when to blew-up

I imagine that Red Queen's astonishment as things keep getting revealed is psychically audible throughout the hive.

>Elizabeth working on something or other.
>Suddenly random 'YOU DAMN IDIOTS' reverbrates throughout her skull at a massive volume.'
>"I...I'm sorry, what?"
>*Mental sigh* "No, no, nothing. just some frustration, don't mind me..."

>>42341109
I sure hope it didn't hear our pod screaming KILL THING FOR MOTHER before we blew up it's containment.

>>42341147
We trained our drones to whisper, so they instead whispered it real quiet instead.

>>42341071
>>42341106
No it isn't. That's not how it works.

You already know everything Vaughn knows, you don't even need her. But more importantly it can't work: the Union just doesn't have the data to indicate the same conclusions. They don't have context, and Gilliam just plain can't give them it without blowing his cover.

>>42341106
The barn already been opened and set on fire

Do you really think they would stop researching this now?

Especially since it gives them cloak and and new drive system that does not require a rare resource?

They must have flooded the house

>>42340980
Can Elizabeth take advantage of our instant communication with Theseus now that she is directly connected to the hive via parasite?

>>42340964
The risks of not doing it and assuming direct control are rising, in case you didn't notice.

Careful choices of the available opportunities can minimize the risks involved anyway.

>>42341165
>>42341174
I was actually planning on having Elizabeth on tap so she can use Gilliam's credentials to see what the Union has been up to maybe make more sense of what the fuck they've been doing with the crystals

>>42341165
But vaughn knows the unions scientific methods and regulations better, shes more qualified than we are for that simply because she can work within the rules.

>>42341239
So does this doctor

Hell he still is in the system instead of being exiled like vaughn so knows it better

Frankly, we need a three way call between us Theseus and Heretic. Subject of discussion: Those pesky humans. We may have to give the Comonwealth a new FTL technology in return for dropping any similar research.
>>42341229
Still likely to majorly piss off everyone we work with. What? Do you think Heretic will accept us enslaving another species?

>>42341206
The Queen set up an instant relay for them to talk privately (as private as having a parasite attached to spine can be)

>>42341233
You already control Gilliam! What the fuck use is letting not-Gilliam use Gilliam credentials when Gilliam can use them?

>>42341271
>Frankly, we need a three way
Absolutely

>>42341328
Oh myyyyyy...

>>42341271
Look, there's a real simple solution here. Just kill them all. Dead people can't fuck shit up.

>>42341361
Amen brother
Start the Space War
For Mother!

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>>42341361
>>42340030

Remember

How many kinds of doomsday weapons did we have? I lost count of them by now.

If there was ever a time to bust them out, I think this might be it. These fuckers refuse to cease this bullshit then we're gonna need to start grey gooing their planets.

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>>42341407
Saved. Cheers anon.

>180 some posts
>QD's still doing the opening narration
>haven't even voted on anything yet

>>42341444
Let's see

>Annihilator warheads
>Molecular disassembler warheads
>Invisible FTL thermo-nuclear torpedoes
>Overharvest
>Hive creep spore pods
>Fast acting spore strains

And this is just if don't count the poison gasses and telepathic mind fuckery we're working on.

We're fucking terrifying.

>>42340980
So lets Recap for Synchronous Panic

1. The union been mucking about with an active void shard

2. They have exposed high ranking scientists to the void shard and they may have been influenced

3. The active shard was on the Mirage

4. We blew up the mirage in close range

5. We heard a psychic signal coming from the system

Well how fucked is this situation and how much PANIC?

>>42340980
Gilliam continues to flip through the notes, feeling your attention like a hot rod against the back of his mind.

"The others insist on using visors with cameras. They refuse to look at it directly now. I find this strange. It seems to move when I look at it now. They say I should [REDACTED]"

Gilliam fumbles his data pad for a moment before continuing to flip through the sensor laden documents.

"I've seen it! It was truly amazing. Like a kind of inverted space, reality inside itself. The sensors didn't pick up anything, but the test subjects all experienced some kind of altered fear response, all of them, at once. It was no coincidence. We're on to something here. I think we almost have the containment material perfected. I can feel it. We just need to ______________________________ and we should be able to prevent any more unwanted manifestations."

Windsor takes a small swig of a drink. "Are you alright, doctor?" He asks. Gilliam nods absentmindedly and flips to the next page.

"'I look upon the void and shake. There is no reason but theirs that I swim these waters, for there is nothing but them, and from them, there will be nothing.'
A Ceph poem. I found it recently on the net. We will be running our first test tomorrow."

Gilliam flips over to the last page.

"The test was a perfect success.
The door has been opened. To go in, and come out. Soon the real work can begin."

"If you're reading through his notes." Windsor says, "He's a bit of an eccentric. Always has been. You know what they say, about brilliance and madness. If he's dropped the ball, it will have been the first time in his career. That's why I want your take on things."

Gilliam drops the tablet to his desk, his mind overwhelmed by yours.

>Ask question (write in)
>Dismiss Emmerich's work (write in)
>Say you will look through it
>Other

>>42341444
Well, we have nukes. We also have black hole generators (canderon required), and massive railguns with megaton yields. We also have an array of bioweapons (or should at least have them), and have the ability to begin research into some truly nightmare shit. Did I forget anything?

Oh, we also have rogue AI allies which could probably qualify as a super weapon all on their own.

>>42341361
Have you ever heard of the Archduke of Ferdinand?

>>42341543

...

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

>>42341543
>Ask question More info on how the other scientists recated to the shard

>Say you will look through it

>Other Begin three way with Theseus and Heretic

>>42341543

>Ask question (write in)

Is there ANY chance that I could get a less-censored copy of this? The way it is now, all I'm seeing are the ramblings of an unstable, if intelligent, man.

>>42341543
>>Say you will look through it
same with this anon. >>42341599
Do they not know when your lead scientist on a project involving other dimensons begins spouting poetry, thats usually a bad sign?

>>42341543
Hey, is anyone having sudden flashbacks to that Mass Effect two mission inside of that derelict reaper? Where the entire science team went batshit crazy?

>>42341543
>>Ask question (write in)
Has he become MORE eccentric?

Our test subjects had their minds degrade over time. It could be happening to him, he sounds like he's been exposed a lot.

>>42341543
>>Say you will look through it

Do we have the rip drive yet?

>>42341599
Seconding all three.

>>42341643
Yep

And we all remember what happened to Cerberus in ME3 right

>>42341599
this

>>42341680
I don't. Never played it.

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>>42341531
>3. The active shard was on the Mirage
>4. We blew up the mirage in close range
>5. We heard a psychic signal coming from the system
>Well how fucked is this situation and how much PANIC?
Full PANIC

>>42341655
Still being researched.

>>42341543
>>42341599
This.

>>42341695
Mindjacked

>>42341599
Not everything can be solved by talking, no one else has more insight than we do into our secret infiltrations. They don't know anything we don't.

There is nothing we can do short of infiltrating more. This is a fun opportunity and a new target to track down, not a need to panic.

We just need to locate Emmerich.

>>42341543
>>Dismiss Emmerich's work (write in)
From what little you've shown me, I have a lot of reason to doubt that Dr. Emmerich has any concrete idea about how this thing actually functions. There is a world of difference between getting something to function in a certain way and actually grasping how it works. The fact that he was the only one to even look directly at it, much less understand it, is hardly a fine example of peer review in any case. His work gives no indication that using it in this way wouldn't cause the containment to fail catastrophically, which is what usually happens when you try to bottle lightening without understanding it. I could try and gather a more informed opinion about the holes in his work and what could have gone wrong, but I'll need direct access to the object in question.

>>Say you will look through it
If he isn't granted immediate access, agree to keep going through his notes.

>>42341655
if we have it we can just open it on the surface of a star or maybe inside one and in the atmosphere of the human planet the shard and the scientists are on

>>42341695
The guy in charge attempted to reverse engineer reaper tech to fight the reapers with there own weapons, went completely insane, and then proceeded to hijack and fly the citadel to earth, which was under reaper control. Fucking everything up for everybody.

>>42341706
They're coming to reclaim it.

>>42341668
This

>>42341750
...Oh.

...Oh my. That DOES sounds similar to what may be happening here...

>>42341543
Seconding this >>42341735

>>42341706
Welp, we're fucked.

Should we let the commonwealth know exactly how fucked everything is? If so, when?

>>42341599
The first two are mutually exclusive. Just do the first one, and definitely not the third.

Ask for the others' notes. And for psych evaluations of the scientists I guess.

Maybe we should have a look at him ourselves?

But, no. He's psionically sensitive now, like Yune. He'd sense the parasite inside Gilliam if he came near him. We can't risk a meeting. But we do need his location.

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>>42341792

>>42341750
Remember the Rachni

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>>42341820

>>42341543
>"The others insist on using visors with cameras. They refuse to look at it directly now. I find this strange. It seems to move when I look at it now. They say I should [REDACTED]"

We have Emmerich's opinions of his peers.

What are the peers' opinions of Emmerich, and each other.

>>42341803
Before everything goes to hell as we need their trust and they'd be justifiably pissed off if we withheld this information from them.

If they got there hands on one active shard

There may be other active shards roaming about in human space since they wouldn't just risk it on one ship

Im scared

>>42341890
Agreed.

And everything WILL go to hell. It's just a matter of damage control now.

>>42341890
>>42341953
they're not going to get mad at us for withholding information when as far as they're concerned we met yesterday

>>42341890
That is not how it works. You are nation-states. Nations have national security secrets from each other all the goddamn time. They have tons of secrets they aren't blabbing to us at the first opportunity.

And stop assuming it's happening. It's not happening.

I think we need to put on some theatrics and really let the Commonwealth know just how much murderous bullshit is coming our way.

>>42342022
'It's a lot.'

>>42341890
>>42341953
How exactly do we break it to them?
>We know what the Confederacy did on your Homeword's moon and we have information that the Union is working on something similar so it would be really nice if you can give us all the data you have on your Psionic Cannon research so we can have some jolly cooperation.
I don't think that's gonna work

>>42342022
Set up a holotable and let them watch grandmother die.

>the first, fastest, slapdash vote gets all the seconds
>posts that take time for more thought and details don't
Every time.

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>>42342047
...what?

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>>42341543
"He seems unstable." Gilliam says, "is there any way I can get a more complete record of this? As it is it just looks like a mad man's blog."

"It's not all that unusual for him. He actually has a collection of Valen philosophy. He claims it's, and I'm quoting, 'the advanced War and Peace'. Either way, he's a savant, and his colleagues vouch for the accuracy of his work."

"I'm sure they do." Gilliam says with a forced smirk. "Do you have any idea how much pressure they're under, working on a project like this under a lunatic?" He shakes his head and sits down, his foot shaking nervously "Either way, I'll keep looking into it."

"Good." Windsor nods. "But be quick about it. We have maybe a day tops before our window closes and we need to make a decision, and I need to know if that tech is worth salvaging or not."

"Salvaging?"

"It's nothing, doctor, but you'll likely see it on the news soon, depending on how this goes." He says, and the hologram cuts out. Gilliam gasps as his mind is untangled from your constricting focus. He reaches under his desk, pulling out a bottle and a small glass as your immaterial gaze shifts elsewhere, and he begins reading through the data.

Cont.

>>42342067
PANIC

This quest runs on Shadowruns and Panic

>>42342079
>But be quick about it. We have maybe a day tops before our window closes and we need to make a decision, and I need to know if that tech is worth salvaging or not.
Okay, what are the odds that a stealthed ship can grab the wreckage while the Union and Confederacy are duking it out?

>>42342038
>Worst Aunt was researching these technologies and then she became a mindslave of the crystal assholes and wants to genocide and enslave everything.
>The ceph use this technology and worship the crystal thingies and want to enslave and murder everything.
>The Union is researching these technologies, and we are worried that they will start worshiping the crystal thingies and trying to enslave and murder everything.
>Please do not research these technologies, have some other stuff instead.

>>42342123
None with the commonwealth, union and the void watching

>>42342079
Holy shit. Gilliam's word may be the deciding factor on whether or not the Union goes to war with the Commonwealth. I'm mighty glad we parasited him now.

>>42342123
Zero. You can be in stealth or you can grab something, you literally can't do both.

>>42342123
Pretty high since it is the item they're fighting over

>>42342077
Watching the Crystal ship tank their secret weapon will probably give them a shock.

>>42342163
>>42342157
>>42342149
Fuck

>>42342154
Its good to have a large Family isn't it anon?

>>42342143

...Well, it'd convince ME.

>>42342154
Eh i think it still rest on how effective Killinger and DuPont are on causing a ruckus

>>42342079

You know, I'm starting to think that nuking the Mirage was a really, REALLY, bad idea...

>>42342143
>>Please do not research these technologies, have some other stuff instead.
I prefer to also inform them that crystals and crystal slaves will be killed. They'll just take the other stuff and then do the research anyway if we don't.

>>42342207
Killinger definitely wants to recover the Mirage since its blackbox has him commanding the ship captain to assassinate both Commonwealth ambassadors and his political rival

>>42342213
No it was a good thing, otherwise the Union has one ship with a working stealth field and a slip drive, plus Killinger would have gotten what he wanted..
The only thing where we dropped the ball was not immediately sending a ship to salvage the wreckage.

>>42342247
Yep
He is smart enough to take that into account
He prob order the wreck destroyed in the first volley

>>42342176
Yes, speaking of, move on from this terrible bump-limit wrecking shadowruns and move to adopting the Taidarens once more.

Or examine pods.

Or visit Michael's doctor's apartment and parasite him.

Or hell, hunt some rare pepes in the depths of Huron.

>>42342284
Huron needs some serious focus along with our other planets

>>42342301
There's nothing to be done on Huron aside from cataloging more native species, unless we decide to outright go to war with the Union.

>>42342337
Pretty much

Right now we have input into major issues that affect the major players in the quest

It would be stupid to ignore this window of opportunity just to catch some fish and gain minor research

>>42342337
Discreet hive structures. Filter towers look just like the native lifeform they were based off of. It'll become a nutrient farm now that we have matter transportation.

I'm just saying we should vote to add some infrastructure when the time comes. QD did say they would run a .3 chapter to do stuff like that

>>42342079
Wise places his hand on the knight and moves it up three dimensions. Your speaker chirps softly.

"That is a poor decision."

He tightens his grip on the piece and moves it to the third level to take your bishop.

"That will open your flank."

He places it back and sits in silence for a moment, shooting periodic glances to your ambassador as it stands squat next to the table. It tilts its head and twitches its antennae.

Wise hovers his hand over his remaining rook and picks it up. Your speaker chitters its beak.

"Perhaps another move would be better."

He reaches for the queen.

"Best piece! Not best move."

Wise sits back again and looks over the 3d chess board. His remaining options are limited.

"I'm sorry. I'm usually quite good at this game." He says.

>Ask question about the Commonwealth (write in)
>Mention information you have on the Union (write in)
>Other

>>42342380
>>42342337
Well, I do plan on running all night, and use labor day to help catch up on those "less important" things.

>>42342404
>Ask question about the Commonwealth
Other Neighbors and your relations with them

>>42342404
>Other
Your eyes are silver. Why? Not like the Magnus human.

>>42342404
>>Mention information you have on the Union (write in)
>The union is playing with things far beyond there understanding, artifacts we ourselves are afraid to handle.

>>42342404
>>Mention information you have on the Union (write in)
We have been observing the rival humans of the Union for some time now. We have intelligence that links their actions over Gehenna to experiments conducted by your government on Earth's Moon many years ago.

>>42342486
Hell no
Too early to show our hand man

>>42342404
>>Ask question about the Commonwealth (write in)
How much nutrients do you harvest? Are there many human farms?

>>42342404
>Ask question about the Commonwealth
>Other
>Mention that the an Older Hive may have had contact with humans long ago and it is from this that we have learned of your race's existence.
It's supposed to lead into discussion about the psionic cannon and how the Union is fiddling with their leftovers. Feel free to disregard this if it's stupid.

>>42342507
Seconding this

>>42342404
>"You are not bad. Not as good as Theseus or Heretic though."

>>42342503
>>42342486
>>42342511
WTF
Do you guys not know how to play poker?
Don't toss that bombshell on them so early

>>42342404
>>Ask question about the Commonwealth (write in)
Magnus said this was your temporary home. Why?

--Guys. We cannot mention the Union. We cannot reveal our absurd information gathering methods. The idea we have been WATCHING HUMANS for ages is creepy as fuck and reveals way too much and what do you think you're even accomplishing?

You're just going to motivate them to go to war, which is what they're going to do ANYWAY.

>>42342511
Ask what the Commonwealth knows about the true reason for the destruction of Luna

>>42342530
Should we mention we're in cahoots with the Union's Bogeyman AI? We could carefully introduce them to show he can be peaceful

>>42342540
Agreed, we should asking fluff questions for now, just to test the waters

>>42342404
>>42342436
>>42342507
These and ask him what is golf

what are you apes doing?

How long are we going to keep pretending to be retarded / unaware of what's going on?

>>42342404
>>42342546
Backing

What is wrong with you lot today
Its time for shadowruns not acting as a sucker

>>42342503
>>42342511
No. That's retarded. How have you been observing the Union without them ever knowing about you?

How did you gather any of this intelligence, which would require infiltrating an all-human civilization when you are clearly giant fucking bugs?

>>42342436
>>42342507
>>42342546
>>42342569
+1

>>42342576
Being stupidly paranoid.
>>42342404
Honestly, I just want to talk to Theseus and Heretic like we overwhelmingly voted to last time.

>"Best piece! Not best move."

I laughed.

>>42342404
>>42342436
>>42342507

Seconding these questions.

>>42342583
We aren't

We are playing cloak and daggers and are playing it real well so far since most of the players have no idea where we exist

>>42342609
we should really talk to them before acting stupid as fuck and revealing that we are spying on humens

>>42342583

Until we absolutely need to stop, or are in a position where they have no chane of fucking us over.

We gain NOTHING from them knowing that we're smart.

>>42342591
Blame Theseus, duh. Its almost true anyway.
>>42342583
Forever. Because these idiots are stupidly paranoid.
>>42342628
Everyone spies on everyone.

>>42342436
>>42342507
>>42342546
>>42342569
this

>>42342404
Any of the questions that aren't playing dumb.

>>42342654
for all they know our first encounter with humens were when we helped them

>>42342609
That will come in time, right now is stupid space ape time. We're going to be here all night, no need to jump the gun because we're getting paranoid.

>>42342546
Absolutely. Wait to drop the Earth bombshell.

Ask about the second front of the war (the one the guy mentioned about the Union), play dumb like we don't know what this second front (besides the war with the scavengers) is.

>>42342629
>We gain NOTHING from them knowing that we're smart.
The possibility of a defensive alliance that we've been discussing all thread?
>>42342681
And they'll learn otherwise eventually. Better deal with it now.

>>42342609
They don't know anything we don't know about this. Our attention is precious.


Besides. It's fundamentally impossible to stop the humans from researching interesting tech trees, you can't convince the USSR and America to quit researching nukes, either. The only answer is to take the choice away from them entirely.

>>42342404
>Ask question about the Commonwealth (write in)
What is "classified"?

>>42342689
>no need to jump the gun because we're getting paranoid.
We've been messing around with the humans for 53 threads. This is not jumping the gun.

>>42342629
What about a chance at actually getting our hands on some of their tech anon. Your rampant paranoia is amusing but it's getting to the point where it's actually hampering our ability to accomplish our goals.

>>42342702
nah it's pretty fucking retarded to deal with it know since we gain nothing and they aren't even worth having in an alliance since they lack the firepower and nothing says that they ever need to know

>>42342708
>you can't convince the USSR and America to quit researching nukes, either.
actually you can. The USSR for example didn't test their strongest bomb because of fallout dangers.
>>42342739
You do realize that they have roughly equal firepower to Unity?

>>42342721
We been messing with them for 53 threads and they haven't been able to finger us yet to anything major till now

That's been a good run so far and made them meet us on our terms

>>42342721
You are ignoring the alliance we built between Heretic and Theseus now. If there was ever a time in which humans are relevant, it is now.

>>42342654
Humans spy on humans for other humans, or for a known alien race that interacts with humans and can bribe them with money like the Valen.

They do not spy for giant space bugs that literally no one has ever heard of before. That's entirely impossible without a communication method and a means of motivating them.

>>42342769
We are going to have to choose between the commonwealth or union and i think at this point we just write off the union

>>42342769
So yeah, when will we inform Heretic and Theseus about our intel on the Union?

>>42342763
>We been messing with them for 53 threads and they haven't been able to finger us yet to anything major till now
And we're running out of time and the longer we string them out the worse it will be when they finally start figuring things out.

>>42342721
I really think that the second we reveal ourselves to humans, they are going to view us as a threat. It doesn't matter how much info and technology we shower on them. We're a scary fucking monster civilization, there isn't going to be any room for us to treat them as equals.

>>42342739
Do you have any idea how much they've invested in their fleets. Right now both their fleets dwarf ours. That fleet used in the battle of Winsor was barely a fraction of the Commonwealth's total number of ships.

>>42342759
Actually they've both got far more firepower at their disposal than the Unity.

>>42342759
and that firepower van be destroyed and it will take them forever to train soldiers, build ships and breed. we do that ridiculously fast and unity is an ai

>>42342799
We really should. This is pretty vital information.

They could assist us in these matters.

>>42342805
...and the fact that we've been told otherwise repeatedly both IC and OOC means nothing to you does it?
>>42342833
With some of our tech help most of those issues go away.

>>42342801
Bitch I've waited a week for this and now we're deciding the fate of entire civilizations. You can wait it out for a few more hours.

>>42342805
Of course they'll see us as a threat. But we can point to bigger threats out there (namely the scavengers, the Obsidian Queen, and the Void Crystals in ascending orders of scariness). If we offer to help with the scavengers we may gain enough of a rapport we can get at least the commonwealth on our side with regards to galaxy ending threats. We are limited in how long we can play dumb. How long, for example, until the obsidian queen attacks humans. Time is not on our side as much as we would like it to be.

>>42342546
>Magnus said this was your temporary home. Why?

Cue soulful, patriotic gaze of longing towards the star called Sol in the night sky and a single tear down Wise's cheek.

>>42342833
We can load a lifetime of skills into those soldiers heads if we need to, and their ships outperform our own quite handily right now.

>>42342847
>lets share our tech with humanity! what could possibly go wrong
most retarded thing i've read all week

Pretty sure that QD's said via ask.fm that they wouldn't see us as a threat if we didn't do anything threatening on the surface.

File: Unity and Heretic superstation.jpg (30 KB, 250x531)

30 KB JPG

>>42342833
Not to mention that Unity and Heretic are combining their forces and materials. Both have manufacturing capabilities that would make the Unity and Commonwealth drool and piss themselves

>>42342801
Were not though, and they're interested in a defensive alliance without knowing how powerful we are. Their position is way more tenuous than ours currently. We should continue to play it dumb because we're not ready to eat all of them if things go south.

>>42342897
Hush. The fact that the QM has told them repeatedly that they were wrong has no bearing on this discussion.

>>42342893
He's not talking about GIVING him tech, he's talking about using it. It would take humans centuries to even approach our understanding of biomechanical nano tech.

>>42342897
proof or it didn't happen

>>42342885
I'm pretty sure that's untrue- they have more tonnage, we have way better tech

>>42342885
>We can load a lifetime of skills into those soldiers heads
No we fucking can't. You can't change a clone's Specialization after they're born. Training can be installed at birth, but an already existing human brain cannot have shit installed like that.

Moreover we wouldn't want to do that shit.

>>42342847
Yes, actually.

>>42342870
That's what I'm saying, though. We're setting ourselves up as a protector civilization, where we're so blatantly more advanced then them that they really have nothing to offer us. Any alliance on our part is just covering bases, but them allying themselves is a big deal. It's not because they trust us, but because we can blow them out of the water without trying. The raiders and obsidian queens are just icing on the "Your the only options we have" cake. They are not going to respect us because they like us.

>>42342928
have you learned nothing about about giving humans even a chance at catching up from HFY threads? they will fuck with it in any and all ways they can just like how the union is fucking with the shards

>>42342946
QD mentioned on the ask page that Canderon powered ships are faster than ours at both FTL and sub light travel. Ours are cheaper but not quite as fast or nimble.

>>42342936
I'd personally look for it, but Ask.fm doesn't have a search function, and there's no way I'm going through all 958 answers, my browser would pack it in.

>>42342991
The union has been dicking about with that void shard and cloaking tech for centuries, and it wasn't until the head researcher got mindfucked that they actually managed to get it to work. And furthermore I'd say this quest is hardly HFY at all.

>>42342999
Ours are fast theirs more maneuverable.