rolled 6, 6, 6 = 18

Month six. You have found, at long last, a picture-perfect relic of the ancient civilization which once ruled the North. Fleet Base Three, a massive subterranean shipyard and docking complex with its own intelligence, is under your control. Though the Lord, his son, and certain elements of the Conclave are aware of its location, they have no knowledge of its true size or its capabilities. This installation, with its single, unfinished vessel, could probably conquer the entire nation with a minimum of effort. But you first concern, as it happens, is defense.

FC has prepped and launched an airborne scouting drone, extending its sensor sphere above the surface for the first time in many centuries. After the initial shock at how much things have changed, it began scanning for the telltale signs of further installations. It has already re-discovered five traces, one approximately the same size as the Fleet Base looks from the surface. Drones and VTOL shuttlecraft are both available for scouting missions, apart from the Zeppelins you've been using so far.

While finalizing construction of the frigate in Yard D, FC has also been busy repurposing hundreds of loader suits for human use, and adding additional hardware to provide better cyberwarfare capabilities in the fight against Main. It has suggested that you begin training the frigate's crew in the Base's simulators, so that they will be more prepared when it finally launches. It has also offered to begin constructing small craft to assist in operations against Kharok, since drones and fighters are much easier (and faster) to build than capital ships.

rolled 6, 1, 6 = 13

The Prince's visit to Dreamwood has had a profound effect on local and national politics. There are plenty of rumors about what he was doing there, and the assurance that he only stopped in for a tour and a conversation with you has done nothing to stop the common people from making certain... assumptions. Nor has it stopped the nobles, especially those in the Lord's cabinet. There is no official comment from them, but it is near-certain that their paranoia is getting the best of them.

The Lord lodged an information request with your government just after you left, asking you to tell him what you found out in the wasteland as soon as possible. The high nobles have requested those three days of research assistance at K9, at the earliest possible convenience. Repairs to many critical medical systems have been completed early, and the copy of Command there is confident that Korus's treatment can begin relatively soon.

Military liasons (no doubt encouraged by the Lord) have re-established the close contact you had before the high nobles shut you out. Erivrus has been cleared for 'testing' in Perin and will soon be deployed to a base near Dreamwood. A short list of the classes and numbers of military living engines in service has also been made available, though it obviously lacks any genuine classified information. If it is correct, Perin is operating no less than 75 living engines, most of them much smaller than Erivrus and less-capable.

The military is requesting Bomber schematics so that they may begin construction their own. DCE has detected multiple intrusions in less-secure facilities, probably of government origin. So far, these have only been probing for weaknesses, not doing any harm. The computer systems in K5 have succeeded in incorporating a simple English translator and are now capable of speaking, interpreting, and displaying Perin's native language.

>Prepare for counter-WALL O TEXT
Okay, I think we've got most of the things we need to do at FC3 done.
I don't know if we should launch the drone without the High Lord's approval, but I think we should wait until we can get the cloaking field research from K5

to FC3. Here's what I got planned:
"FC, I want you to repair your long-range comms and be ready to communicate with K9 and K5 once I have their comms back up. Prepare explosive bolts to sever

network connections from your comms array to the rest of your network in case you are about to get overwhelmed via network attack. We cannot afford to

underestimate our opposition."
We then go back to K9, get Korus fixed up, and then have Command prioritize the repair of it's long range comms system, with appropriate explosive bolts in

case KM is in communications range, and have it try to contact FC3. Once those are in progress, we go back to K5 and do the same. Have the 3 facilities work

on restoring the cloaking field research, and have FC3 fabricate it and add it to a drone, which will be launched to edge-of-space altitudes to search for

any of the other Fleet Bases, as well as Kharok Main if it's within detection range.

I believe that we need to make haste to contact the High Lord. After giving FC its orders, we make best speed to K9. We have to go there, because the High

Nobles' researchers are there, and we told them we'd be gone a few days to scout around. They'll be getting suspicious/our personnel getting worried with the

amount of time we were away. We stay just long enough to see if K9 can cure Korus, and to observe the operation. At the same time, we work with Guardian and

Command to get the comm array back up, install the explosive bolts, and create a secure link to FC3, then lock out everyone from this link. As far as the

researchers are concerned, the comm array is still down. As soon as Korus begins his recovery, we will wait an extra day if the comms can be restored in that

time, otherwise we have to go to the High Lord. We have the flightplan going back to Dreamwood but as soon as we're in the air and out of observation range,

we peel away from the other DW zeppelins and red-line the engines all the way to the capital.
>"But my Lady, the zeppelin can't take much more! She'll fly apart!"
>"Fly her apart then! Keep those engines red-lined, we need more speed!"
We don't run to the High Lord though, as soon as we land, we send the Constanze to Dreamwood Secondary to have their engines overhauled, then we calmly make

our way to the High Lord. We mustn't arouse unnecessary suspicion. That's when we tell him in a closed session about what we found at the Vision Site.
Once informed and armed with a plan of action, and we have the High Nobles shut out of further Fleet operations, we go back to Dreamwood Central on the next

available transport, and bring up the K5 comms array, with the same precautions as in K9.

>>11446535
>>11446542
The urgency with the High Lord is because the Conclave has already seen the ruins at the Vision Site, and the High Nobles are known to have agents highly

placed within the Conclave. They will undoubtedly get this information. I would rather that we inform the High Lord of our findings first, before the High

Nobles get the idea of having the Conclave take a peek beneath the surface of the Vision Site, and see FC3 active and operational with our personnel in it.

rolled 5, 4, 5 = 14

>>11446535
The drone has already been launched, with an anti-scrying field module. There is no sign of it being detected.

FC is repairing its communications system on your order. Explosives will have manual control fallbacks in the unlikely event that FC is unable to trigger them itself.

Oh! oh! dont leave Fleet base 3 yet. Just let me find my notes!

>>11446562
Okay, let's use the High Lord's request for information as the official excuse to get out of staying at K9. After all, it's an order from the High Lord himself; I doubt that the High Nobles could openly complain about us tabling their request until later.

Also, yes, have our men here begin training in the simulators if it can be done. They'll need as much practice as they can get.

We will also need to go to that other indicated possible military base; we should come back here to FB3 via zeppelin from the capital, then take a VTOL the rest of the way to cut down travel time.

>>11446562
>>11446581
Right, don't leave just yet. Other people should get a chance to lodge their requests.

First of all, Voting for ship names: Lance of Hretmar /or/ Light of Hretmar. Any other ideas guys?

-See about getting a command key made and see if KC knows what K8 was for.
-Ask about stasis pods like what we saw at K9, specifically if there were any designated shelters that made use of them to protect the populace.
-Frost Giant mages, was there special training they went through at the height of their civilization and is any data on their training available?

How many other vehicles could we build in other parts of the base without affecting construction of the Frigate?
Things that we should need:
1) the equivilant of a fast long range scout craft/spy plane. Something with which we'll be able to rapidly search the Northern Hemisphere and find the other Fleet bases and cities. Supersonic or even hypersonic is preferable. Can it be equipped with a cloaking device like KC mentioned?
2) A lightly armed security transport design with longer ranged stunners and shields or some kind of protection. This should be good for search and capture of Frost Giant clans. Are the standard shuttles fairly close to this? A small onboard medical suite should also be included.
3)>A squadron of multi-role fighters but mainly balanced towards air to air. Two or three of these in Frost Giant size, see if some can be produced at human scale.
Looks like this part is already underway.
4)Assault Transports. If it becomes necessary to knock a hole in Kharok Main's shield and then board them it would be good to have a few of these on hand.
5)MCV or Mobile Construction Vehicle. (Low priority) A mobile platform able to build defensive emplacements, assist in repair of existing outposts or construct whole new facilaties given enough time. We should hold off on this until we know more about Frost Giant Magitech or see if it's possible to improve upon their computers with the addition of non magic processors.

rolled 3, 1, 3 = 7

>>11446641
If that is your wish, it will be done.

A good portion of the researchers and militiamen will rotate through simulator training. However, the frigate, with its heavier-than-normal automation, still requires 292 crewmen, less if you take out the small craft. You will need to ferry some more out here if you want it fully crewed.

Going straight from FB3 to the capital, by the way, presents a problem in fuel consumption. It would be a better idea to stop off at Dreamwood first before traveling from or back there, since a straight-line course cuts through a substantial amount of the reserves. You might want to consider taking along an extra transport as a fuel tender on these long flights.

>>11446673
I was personally going to go for "Will of Hretmar" or "Hretmar's Fist".
Otherwise, my vote is on:
1. DAS Will of Hretmar
2. DAS Lance of Hretmar

>>11446699
Is there any way to communicate with Dreamwood Central and have them send a transport zeppelin with fuel to refuel us on the way to the capital?
I'm only asking for the possibility in case we have to do it, because I don't want to raise the suspicions of the High Nobles too much.
A flightplan that goes from FB3 to Dreamwood to the capital also gives me a chance to set some of the plans I have concerning the Forus Occupation into motion.

rolled 3, 6, 5 = 14

>>11446673
You can also name the ship's class, since it's different from the standard Efrius design.

What specific kind of key are you looking for?

FC no longer has any information on the purposes or locations of the other normal installations. All it knows is that there should be 31 installations and 4 Fleet Bases slaved to Kharok Main.

It seems that stasis pods were in testing, not yet viable for widespread use at the time FC was shut down. Main may have been equipped with them, but the Fleet Base is not. No dedicated shelters are known.

Unknown. Specifics about mage training may be in one of the historical databases at Main. FC doesn't know much about it.

There are eight yards, A through H. You could fill four of them completely with new construction without affecting the frigate, but FC's resources are not unlimited. The fabricators need to be fed with raw materials, which is where the bottleneck usually is.

>Continuing

>>11446515
>There are plenty of rumors about what he was doing there, and the assurance that he only stopped in for a tour and a conversation with you has done nothing to stop the common people from making certain... assumptions.

What sort of assumptions?

>>11446512
Are these drones/fighters automated or do they require pilots? If the latter, then definitely get people in sims for those as well as for the other jobs.

Find out if the AA guns and 16" artillery we've been developing and producing would be able to have any impact on either Kharok Main or any of the vehicles it might be able to deploy. Do they have point defense systems that would be able to detonate the shells mid-flight? (Very possible, we can do this shit today it's just expensive to deploy.)

On spysat/probe. We discussed fitting one with an anti-scrying enchantment but KC was worried about people still seeing it. How big are one of these? If being spotted is an issue launch it and scan at night. Depending on the size it shouldnt be very visible to the naked eye in day or night as long as we put it up high enough. If it's going to be a problem go with the spyplane.

Ornithopter designs. Begin design of ornithopters that would mount ICE engines, either pusher or puller prop designs.
Talk to university about joint research with them on powered ornithopter designs, ICE and 'thopter mounted weapons. They seem to be farther ahead on vehicle design while we've made some progress with ICE's and know how best to mount MG's on them. It would be a good matchup if we could get it to work out.

Patent voice radio. Seriously, I dont know who is is that keeps wanting to hold off on letting the government get hold of it but this is going to be essential tech. Especially if the government starts producing powered ornithopter designs. Being able to prioritize AA gun and artillery targets is a lot faster with voice than code. Also bluff rolls don't work over morse code.

>>11446788
I think the arguments about letting voice radio get out was because people were pushing to just give it out, instead of patenting it or getting something in return.

If we patent it, and we can begin working on better versions in a joint effort with New Aarmour, I don't see a problem.
We still need to do a lot of recruitment of scientists, especially mathematicians. We should spread our net to include all of our surrounding nations, and wherever Perin has an embassy.

rolled 3, 2, 6 = 11

>>11446673
You could use drones or a scouting VTOL for surveys. Supersonic craft are available, but drones are usually faster, due to the lack of organic crew to worry about. Cloaking technology was being researched at K5 and is not currently available.

A standard transport VTOL could easily be modified for extraction of feral Frost Giants. The shields would be vulnerable to high-power magic attacks, but could probably stand up to siege weapons if necessary. The addition of long-range stunners wouldn't change much. A medical station would cut into transport capacity.

Frigates generally carry a standard fighter complement, which fit this definition. Modification for human pilots is possible, and would allow a reduction in the craft's overall size and weight.

Assault transports are usually part of standard frigate complements as well. Certain crew members are intended to double as marines in case of boarding action. They can be armed with one-shot anti-shield torpedoes, but timing and power are both critical, so it's usually wise to use the main craft to open a hole instead.

Mobile mining and fabrication craft are possible and have been used in the past. The Fleet Bases are understandably focused toward aircraft, so the available designs are airborne. They are also large, slow, and heavy, incapable of defending themselves from any serious assault. Without AI control, they are also rather limited in what they can build and how fast they can do it.

>>11446788
>ornithopters with ICE propellers
Wouldn't a fix wing design be better if we're using propellers? Though if we're trying to get VTOL or STOL capability without jump jets or helicopter rotary blades, then I can see why.
Maybe use a morphing wing system for hover and VTOL, then lock the wings in place for cruising? Maybe include swinging the propellers like in the Osprey?

>>11446910
Not necessarily. I've been doing some research in 'morphing wing' aircraft. Their variable geometry can make them incredibly manuverable. They're currenly looking into using designs like these on mini UAV's.

>>11446978
But is it VTOL capable? I want Blackhawks dropping our black-armored stormtroopers into a hot LZ supported by fast movers.

rolled 2, 2, 6 = 10

>>11446753
Yes.

>>11446784
Well, for one thing, the Prince is a very attractive young man, and you aren't bad-looking yourself. The problems you've had with the high nobles are also somewhat well-known, so getting close with the heir to the throne is a good political move.

Drones are automated, fighters require pilots. Training will commence.

>>11446788
Your ballistic weapons would have a great effect on Kharok's shield if they were present in large numbers. They are rather primitive, of course, but, such as in the case of anti-magic rockets, can be extremely effective. Anything smaller than Kharok is likely to have a less-powerful shield, but even a small bomber will be more resilient than practically any Earth aircraft.

Point defense is generally used to shoot down small craft and large missiles, while shields take the lesser hits. It is technically possible for certain weapons to destroy projectiles in mid-flight, but it was never seen as a good investment.

The surveillance drone is about twice the size of a Frost Giant, normally spherical or aerodynamically shaped.

ICE ornithopter designs are already in progress. I'll need a consensus on closer work with the institutions.

Voice radio patented.

rolled 3, 3, 1 = 7

For reference, here is the current frigate design:

Efrius A-Class Frigate

Length: 1,231 feet (375m)
Weight: ~50,000 tons
Propulsion: 8 Hover Generators, 2 Main Engines, 6 Maneuvering Engines
Maximum Safe Speed: 111MPH
Maximum Speed: 556MPH
Carried Craft: 4 Shuttles (most types), 12 Fighters (most types), 92 Lifeboats
Crew Complement: 292
Primary Armament: 1 Heavy Lance (Fixed Forward), 3 H Lance Guns (2 Dorsal, 1 Ventral), 6 H Ballistic Cannons (3-Barrel, 4 Dorsal, 2 Ventral), 2 Missile Tubes (Fixed Forward), 6 Broadside Missile Tubes (3 Starboard, 3 Port)
Secondary Armament: 6 M Lance Guns (3 Starboard, 3 Port), 6 L Lance Guns (Multiple), 10 L Machine-cannons (Multiple)
Special: Heavy Automation, Human-scale Controls

Completion: 8th or 9th month

Increasing automation will decrease crew requirements, but it will also cut into weapons space and make the ship more vulnerable to computer damage

rolled 4, 5, 1 = 10

>>11447067
That should be 73 lifeboats, at least normally. A typical lifeboat can carry four Frost Giants, or ten humans. It's up to you if you want to reduce the complement to the minimum required for a primarily human crew.

>>11447067
I think, and I hope, that once we talk with the High Lord, and he is amenable to us taking control of FB3, that we can then start moving more of our personnel to FB3 to being training. I don't think we'll need more automation at this time. Besides, if we lose Computing on a ship of this complexity, it'll be likely to either crash or become a sitting target.

>>11447009
>But is it VTOL capable?
Probably not. I was mainly looking for designs useful for combat aircraft. A transport aircraft would need to be larger and heavier to carry troops.
>Osprey
Given the number of mechanical problems possible with a design like that I'm hesitant to go with something like that. Plus with the impending influx of Frost Giant tech it all might be totally invalidated. Still I'll try looking into designs that could fill a helicopter role.

>>11447023
>implying romance or political marriage

We're a frost giant. We're much larger than any human.

Please let's not turn this into another Kel lovefest.

rolled 4, 1, 3 = 8

>>11447122
Public perception does not necessarily reflect reality.

>>11447111
I'm looking towards the future. While we probably won't need aerial cavalry for the upcoming fight against the Frost Demon and Kharok Main, we will need it in the future.

While using FG VTOL craft would be great, we shouldn't depend on it, considering how dependent it is on magic, and our development of anti-magic weaponry.
Besides, working on the simpler technologies is needed to give our scientists the foundation they need to work on the Frost Giant magitech, so they actually understand the principles that it works on, rather than only having an operational understanding of the technology.

>>11447152
>>11447122
A political marriage, made for political, economic, and legal considerations might not be out of the question, however.

At the very least, and probably much more likely, a political alliance.

>>11447181

A political alliance sounds very possible, the Prince seemed to like what we were doing a hell of a lot.

oh boy FG thread i haven't read one in ages. i wonder how killing the monsters invading perin went.

>Drones and VTOL shuttlecraft
>Bomber schematics
>cyberwarfare capabilities
>the frigate, with its heavier-than-normal automation, still requires 292 crewmen

..... wait WHAT?

rolled 1, 5, 1 = 7

>>11447237
We have followed an interesting path.

Shall we move to the capital?

>>11447285

Yes.

>>11447237
After we beat back Forus, we went home and started up a serious R&D program. We got railroads, psuedo-power armor, we're almost at an internal combustion engine, we have airpower, nightvision...

And then we found Frost Giant ruins which were much more advanced than we, and we've been reverse engineering and co-opting whatever we can.

The nobles are a serious bag of dicks and are trying to hurt us wherever we go.

>>11447285
Wait, we should get to K9 first and get Korus healed. They'll be expecting us from that direction. After that we can go straight to the capital.

rolled 1, 2, 1 = 4

>>11447322
If that's the consensus. Heading there first will also get you substantially closer to the capital, after all.

>>11447311

is this an atmospheric cruiser or a space going cruiser?

and please tell me we have some form of nuke, hell a loic is fine too

rolled 3, 5, 3 = 11

>>11447415
Atmospheric. None of the standard ship designs are space-capable.

The Frost Giants had a great many powerful weapons, but you have not yet tested any nuclear devices. There is no telling what, if anything, is left in orbit, but high-altitude airstrikes can accomplish much the same thing as orbital weapons, if in a less-efficient manner.

>>11447335
Yes, let's go back to K9, get Korus healed, and have K9-Command begin repairs of the long-range comms (but keep it off until we can confirm that it's safe).

Before we leave FB3, make sure that FC's long-range comms are online and prepared to accept connections from K9 and K5.

rolled 3, 6, 1 = 10

FC promises to keep things running while you're out, expanding its inventory of drones and fighters while handling everything else. Your transports start their engines, and you embark, beginning a least-time course to Kharok Nine. You would have liked to stay another longer, unwind a bit after such a long time in flight, but, as usual, things haven't worked out exactly the way you wanted. In a number of hours, you're up and about again, watching your pilot smoothly maneuver Constanze into position, connecting it to one of the mooring towers at the research base.

Korus greets you warmly as you settle in at the medical facility, internalizing all the status reports and the brief log of what's happened since you left. The head of the government team encourages you to stay for the full three days, if you have the time, but respects your obligation to the head-of-state. In short order, Command prepares the medical machinery for work and Korus is set down on one of the operating tables, beneath a sizable array of gleaming sensors and robotic arms. The control console reports ready.

All of the physical deformities can be corrected simultaneously, but aborting the procedure could be dangerous, so you might want to take it in discreet stages instead, just in case. Gene therapy, to prevent any recurring problems, will take place while he heals, followed by the correction of anything that was missed or came back.

Proceed?

We should definitely try to get Korus restored to normal FG capacity. Once we do that, we can apply the cure to other young Frost Giants and gain their allegiance as their savior.

hell. I got here late.


I wanted to offer the suggestion of "Ahab's Harpoon" for the name of our frigate. I mean, we were wounded (killed) by the ice demon, our white whale, whom we've had a psychological need to destroy ever since.

rolled 5, 5, 3 = 13

>>11447502
Repairs begun. Your own personnel will be responsible for placing explosive charges. Command and Guardian will deny that the communications hardware is operational, as you ordered.

FB3's communications systems are online but receiving no transmissions, aside from chatter from your own radios. Explosives are prepared in case of emergency.

>>11447503
Wish I knew more about medicine and Gene therapy.

Proceed.

(Is anyone elese starting to get creeped out by some of the captcha stuff?)

>>11447503
Make it so, commander.

>>11447528
I like the name. It will also give us a good reason to start blasting mastodon over the PA.

>>11447503
Give Korus the choice: Everything all at once, with the risks that it entails, or to have it in safe increments, spaced out over time.
We need to start teaching him the importance of choice.

rolled 4, 2, 2 = 8

>>11447637
He wants it all at once. In his view, there's no sense stringing this out. He wants to be whole again.

>>11447528
It wasn't a psychological need; it was an understanding that it represented a clear and present danger to us and Perin.

So, the Hretmar-class Frigate "Ahab's Harpoon"?

I dunno, I'm still kind of partial to 'Will of Hretmar'.

>>11447661
Very well then.
Prep the patient and the room. Let's get started, gentlemen.

rolled 2, 2, 3 = 7

Receiving their command, the machines begin to work, sheathing the young giant in a softly glowing field and slowly opening his unconscious body. It is interesting, if a little odd, to watch, and a fair number of the researchers turn away. Korus's flesh is handled with absolute precision and extreme care, purged of its deformities over little more than an hour and a half, then sealed and subjected to accelerated healing.

The brain is the last to be worked on, and the third quadrant is excised quickly, freeing room for the rest of the organ to grow again. You don't know exactly how Korus is going to heal, and what he'll be like after everything's done, but he was always going to be a test, a gauge for how the the reclamation of the Frost Giants will go. He'll require a long time to heal fully, at least, but he should be good to go long before the deadline.

The adolescent's body, pale and bearing the fading scars of the procedure, is taken further into the facility by a pair of medical golems, then laid in the chamber that will return his DNA to its correct state. There isn't a lot of room for error. You are confident, however, that the machines will function as designed, and Korus will finally be truly healthy.

It will take several days for the final stage to run. To the capital?

>>11447023
Oh. /Those/ kind of rumors.

>>11447122
>Implying that political marriage would be anything like a love-fest

>>11447152
Ain't that the truth.

>>11447181
>>11447226
Agreed.

>>11447503
Yes. And do it in steps, just in case. It's not like time is an issue in this matter.

>>11447661
Welp, the boy's made his choice. Let's get crackin.

>>11447662
That, too, but it came up as a reason for a lot of things we started doing. Hell, most of our weapons research was with the fear that the ID would come back some day.

Food for thought: How well would the Prince and our ally the Baron of Kaver's Edge get along? They're both young idealistic men that seem to share some commone beliefs. If we can affiliate our political faction with the Prince, it might be advantageous.

Popular ship names so far:

Ahab's Harpoon / Lance of Hretmar (Tied)
Will of Hretmar
Light of Hretmar
Hretmar's Fist

>>11447713
Before we leave, see if the researchers have anything to report since the time of our absence. If not, then let's get to the capital.

>>11447713
Yes, make best speed to the capital. Have a zeppelin from Dreamwood meet us on the way to refuel the Constanze. Not only will this cut our travel time, but it's practice for mid-flight refueling operations, even if we have to touch down to do the actual fueling part.
Then open up the throttle full and red-line the engines.

rolled 2, 6, 2 = 10

>>11447768
If you're planning to build more ships after the frigate, you could use all of these as vessel or class names. There's really no need to make a decision right now, of course.

>>11447778
Kharok Nine's medical technology is quite advanced, both in level of care and portability. There are handheld scanners that provide the same functionality as K5's rolling model, at a fraction of the size. There are also dedicated medical fabricators that can manufactured drugs curing many modern ailments, as well as some for other uses, such as tranquilizers, combat stims, and the like.

Certain items in the database point to life-extension technology and interesting cybernetic systems produced in conjunction with K2. No location is given, but it is likely that installation is also within the 'ring' around Kharok.

>>11447824
As ordered.

>>11447887
Why are the Frost Giant's facilities stocked with such a different level of technology? I mean, our larger hospitals obviously have more gear than free clinics, but they all use the same x-ray machines, the same temperature machines, etc.

Or is this just an oversight?

captcha: evidence unloosing. This is a bad portent.

>>11447979
Well, K9 was a medical research facility. It only makes sense that they had -THE- best medical equipment around to aid in their research.

We'll have to tell the King about Fleet Base 3 when we get to the capital certainly. The good news is that we wont have to develop a nuclear warhead. The bad news is that if the Nobles get their hands on the base they'll TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD.
>We_must_prepare_for_tomorrow_night.jpg

What are we going to be doing for the crews necessary for the frigate when it's finished? If we draw people from K5 and Dreamwood the government will notice.

We should discuss some emergency measures with the King. If the other nobles find out about the fleet base it will may be necessary for us to flee the country. We should recommend that Sahl and/or perhaps Bem receive our title and holdings with some of the arms factories being nationalized. If this happens the King should try to convince the nobles to abandon K9 as we'll have to take control of it to cure the Frost Giants. Promise to establish diplomatic relations after and that if Kharok Main reappears we'll do everything in our power to make sure that it cant harm Perin. This is only for preparedness for a worst case.

>Captcha:nuttiest the
You said it man.

rolled 6, 5, 6 = 17

Expressing your apologies over having to leave so soon, you depart from K9, leaving Korus in what you hope are capable hands. Constanze is refueled in-flight through a somewhat dangerous procedure and proceeds to the capital at maximum speed, making the engineer very unhappy. The tender and the rest of the fleet return to Dreamwood, beginning uptake of supplies and personnel for delivery elsewhere.

By now, the sight of your vessels in the capital is not unusual. Directly after docking at the tower in front of the palace, you head in, with your escorts, passing the stone-faced guards and waving at the liason you now know very well. The Lord and the Prince receive you in one of the conference rooms, shooing all of their own guards and assistants out, no doubt giving the head of security a paranoia-induced aneurysm in the process.

“So. You found something interesting, yes?” the Lord asks, reaching for a glass. The Prince smiles at you, passing a piece of parchment down the table. It's a design overview labeled 'Erivrus 1'. Your old friend's being upgraded again.

What do you wish to tell/ask the Lord?

I think that even if the nobles found out about the hangar and frigate, that the technology is too far beyond them. The interfaces are all FG tech and only we have access to any of the systems.

That said, is there any way we can keep this base hidden?

rolled 6, 1, 6 = 13

>>11447979
K9, as a research and development facility, was tasked with the study and production of advanced medical equipment. Most of its non-standard hardware consists of prototypes, which were only in use there and in Kharok itself, not in general distribution. Besides, there is little reason for a gene therapy chamber to be present in every installation.

>>11448018
"Well, we've discovered a way to deal with that floating city. While the Frost Demon has run off with a bunch of Frost Giant technology, it left plenty behind. We found a warship that should let us punch through its defenses and land to fight the demon personally."

I figure that the Lord and Prince are our buddies, we can tell them more than the Nobles.

Also, should we see if we can fit Erivrus on board? He'd be all kinds of useful fighting the demon.


Captcha: allot whatever.

Listen to it.

>>11448003
I have a speech readied that I've been working on to give to the High Lord when we have our closed session with him. I'll post it; generally we tell him about FB3 in general terms, and ask him to make it a Perin black project with us at the head.

>>11448018
Well, this is a big step. Do we tell him about FC 3? If so, how much? Should we show him and the Prince in person, to assure that no one manages to overhear?

I'm in favor of revealing the facility to him and the Prince, and then turning over a lot of our now-obsolete technology to New Aarmour and the rest of Perin. The backlash once word of FC 3 gets out (and it will, we can't keep it hidden forever, sooner or later it will be discovered) is inevitable, but hopefully giving them access to all that we've developed up to that point will help keep things from being too heated.

>>11448018

"I found more than something of interest, m'lord. I found hope there. A piece of parchment, bearing the marks of Hretmar, the frost giant god of wisdom, and Ilian, a local deity of the commonfolk, directing me to an area of the place marked yard D.

Sitting in yard D was a half-constructed flight-capable ship, of ridiculous proportions. As well, there was another surprise in the artificial intelligence that controlled the place. It's the most advanced AI I've encountered: it displays uncanny self-awareness as well as emotional responses. I'd dare say it was alive. And quite amicable."

>>11448075
"My Lords, I have good news. As you recall, I had ordered scouts sent to the site of the vision given to me by the gods, and requested that the Conclave scry the area. They determined that there were ruins there, and I had an excavation team sent there under secrecy to confirm if it was a Frost Giant facility, which they did. I have returned from securing the facility, and am happy to report that I may have found a weapon, or at least, a means to combat the Frost Demon and the menace that its control of the Kharok city represents.
"I believe that what I have found there will be able to wrest control of the city away from the Frost Demon, possibly turning its own defenses against it, and at the very least preventing the city's offensive weapon systems from threatening us.
"If I can find another facility like it, and if it is not too damaged, then the chances of successfully taking control of the city without even firing a
shot, goes up dramatically. I urge you to allow me to search for another facility like this one, free from the interference of the High Nobles.
"There is much there in that facility however, enough that it could possibly cause a crisis, perhaps a civil war and most likely a regional war with other national powers, if knowledge of what is there ever became known, and if you do not take decisive steps to keep firm control over it."

Providing further information than this should be dependent on a consensus.

I grapple the giantess.

rolled 3, 3, 5 = 11

>>11448020
No one knows exactly what it is, but certain elements of the Conclave knows there are ruins there. Whether the high nobles as a whole know is anyone's guess. Whether they actually expect you to tell them if you find anything is another.

>>11448120
is he raping her belly button?

>>11448018
this >>11448106

Proposition:

Keeping this place to ourself would be bad in the long run, mostly just because the high nobles are dicks.

Offer "Once the current crisis has been dealt with, I will offer to you and your blood, m'lords, the keys to Fleet Control 3. I propose it should remain a secret of your lineage, a key to defend the nation with in times of great peril."

>>11448231

So the theory is that the High Nobles are dicks, so let's give them more toys to keep them in power to continue being dicks?

rolled 2, 1, 1 = 4

>>11448067
>>11448101
>>11448106
“I am... intrigued,” says the Lord, “You are either very lucky or very good. Possibly both, if your history is any indication. If this facility is able to combat the demon, with the ship or without, then we should use it. By all means, continue your explorations. We will need all we can get.”

The Prince chimes in. “Obviously, we'll have to consider security. We've got a lot of questions, like how many more of these there could be, what will happen when this crisis is over and done with, stuff like that. But for now, I'd like to know what kind of help you'll need. My father can run interference with the nobles and get you an army presence, too. If there's a ship, it'll need a crew, won't it?”

>>11448250

No. We give it to the King. I was using plurality because we are addressing both the king and prince.

>>11448231
No, we know how that tends to work out in fantasy stories. This should be a national secret project, like the Manhattan Project or Area 51. Only the High Lord will be informed of it's existence, and then only when he assumes office.

>>11448256
"As far as we are able to ascertain, there are a total of four such facilities. So far, FC 3 is the only one we have found, though we have found sizable ruins that could be another FC. The ship does indeed need crew, though in the interest of security and secrecy I would suggest keeping things internal for now."

>>11448256
Deffinitely. The ship is going to need a crew of seval hundred.
We'll need some army people to utilise it at max efficiency.
>what will happen when this crisis is over and done with
Yeah that. So what's everyone else think? Make the Frost Giant lands an official protectorate of Perin, slowly integrating the Frost Giants into it as we cure them? I have no idea how well that'd play out but it would certainly require someone of high moral standing at the top.

>>11448256
I think we have enough Dreamwood personnel for a majority of the crew and of the research teams that will be going to the Fleet Bases.
If we do get men from the Perin military, I would prefer either men loyal to the High Lord or his House, or at least those known to be able to keep their mouths shut and whose political leanings are either towards us, the High Lord, or the Prince.

>>11448256

Smile. "We will indeed need people, but knowing the risks, and knowing what's at stake are important in this case. Should this mission fail, I see little hope of defense short of every mage in all neighboring countries banding together to destroy Kharok.

But we'll need to cover up the numbers. Hmmm... I got it! Send your own men to 'aid in the research project' while having a couple ships activate an anti-scrying field and drop out of sight to drop off men at FB3."

>>11448357
Making treated FG's a protectorate of Perin and claiming parts of the Unclaimed Lands sounds good, but there are sizable hurdles.
First and foremost being whether the Frost Giants will cooperate, or now that they are cured and they know of their ancient glory, will strike out on their own in order to rebuild the Frost Giant Empire.
Then there's the fact that the other northern nations will be up in arms about all of this, and the southern nations, once they get wind of the power we now wield, may see us as a bigger threat than Forus ever was.

>>11448386
But that doesn't protect FB3 itself from scrying. We will need to ask FC once we are in communication with it, whether the Fleet Bases are equipped with facility-wide anti-scrying fields.

>>11448256
I think we should keep looking for more, keep the one we have, and give the other to the prince when he becomes king.

rolled 5, 3, 4 = 12

>>11448327
>>11448357
>>11448368
>>11448386
“You should understand that, while we do trust you, more than certain members of our own government, I'm sorry to say, there is great power in these old artifacts, and Perin's security demands that we see them secured. Hell, the way things are going, the entire region might be a factor.”

The Prince laughs. “People amassing too much power for their own good. That's the kind of thing that gives you the high nobles. Not that I'd call you the same. Far from it. But when you're ruling a nation, or in line to rule it, you can't afford to trust anyone absolutely.”

“What I can do,” says the Lord, “Is grant you some of those I know to be loyal, as the case may be. In particular, my son has quite a few men and women who see him more as a god than a mortal.”

The Prince glares at him, but concedes this. “I could draw many from my personal units. Hundreds, thousands if you need them. But I'll have to ask that some of them be kept at the base, and at other bases, just in case.”

>>11448459
I'd have to say that sounds about perfect. Though I am reminded of Walter Donovan saying "dont trust anyone."

Agreed

rolled 3, 4, 1 = 8

Though you are a noble, serving Perin in many ways, you're not a head of state. You're still a citizen of the nation, and you can't be solely responsible for all of this power. The high nobles will undoubtedly get wind of your newest discovery before long, so you should announce it yourself, after taking all reasonable measures to assure that they won't know the full potential of it. Since no one but FC knows even the possible locations of other Fleet Bases, it is possible for the Lord to gain control of the next three, with your help, and thus oppose his cabinet from a position of strength.

Whatever happens, the re-appearance of Kharok will present an incredible opportunity, if there's anyone left in the nation afterwards to take advantage of it. If the high nobles are going to make a move for complete control of the government, which they might, they would probably do so in the confusion of the demon's attack. So the Lord and the Prince are planning ahead.

Captcha: Sided Crusades

>>11448459
"I understand completely, my lords. After all, I'm still only human.
"I can arrange the zeppelin flights to take personnel to Fleet Base 3 and begin training while I attempt to find another such facility. I estimate that we would need you to provide approximately 200 personnel for both the ship and a small garrison force at FB3."

>>11448459
That sounds good. I just didn't want a bunch of random units pulled from garrisons any number of who might have loose lips.

>>11448459

"I find this arrangement entirely agreeable. To be honest, I'll be glad to have some backup from a trusted source. Once the positions and working order of the other three Fleet Bases can be ascertained, I will hand them over to you personally. And very publicly, if desired."

rolled 4, 6, 5 = 15

>>11448526
>>11448544
>>11448569
Very well then.

>>11448551
"Very good. We'll see about getting it all worked out. If you don't inform the high nobles of the discovery before we start ferrying troops, things might get interesting. Do you want a couple of days to lock things down first?"

rolled 6, 5, 2 = 13

>>11448601
The Prince takes this one. "A public thing could go either way. On the one hand, it might scare the nobles into staying put. On the other, it might reveal more than we'd like to about our own position. Take them over if you can and then we'll decide what to do with them."

>>11448546
Run false flag op. Say K17 is the military base. Keep High Noble operatives away from FB3

>>11448658

"Hell, if we go the public route and our war with Forus still isn't over, the news of our find may just force them into total surrender."

>>11448619
>If you don't inform the high nobles of the discovery before we start ferrying troops, things might get interesting.

I have no idea. Anybody good at the whole political thing?

>captcha: spun to
That's about how I feel.

>>11448707
You asking for what he meant by that?

My guess is the nobles will think that we are working with the prince for some gain.
And because they seem like paranoid dumb asses, they probably will think that it means that we are going to replace them.

Honestly, I don't think that it's that bad of an idea for the long term.

rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16

>>11448684
You can do this, if you tell me what you want to say FB3 is. The only way to keep the high nobles' personnel out of there would be to convince them it's not safe, or completely useless. Either way, they'll want to inspect it.

>>11448697
The war itself is over. All that are left are guerrillas who didn't get the message. Still, the mere announcement that you have something would be unlikely to convince them. A demonstration would probably be in order.

Now then, you have a day or two to decide on how to reveal FB3, and you can always tell the Lord not to send the troops after all. Where do you wish to go now?

>>11448761
The King and Prince probably have a lot more experience with dealing with Nobles than we do. Let's ask them what they think would be the best way to reveal FC3. Also, ask Bem if we can get in touch with him, he's a pretty smart guy.

>>11448761

Have a message sent to our guys at FB3. Have FC completely trash one of the unnessisary entryways and connected rooms. Graffiti, fake dried blood, scorch marks, piles of charred armor, everywhere. Any official markers should call the place something other than FB3. Research teams should be few, and told to claim "The whole place is bombed out. We can't even go in without almost falling through a floor."

rolled 5, 4, 4 = 13

>>11448836
The Lord thinks that you should give the high nobles something they can use, but not a lot. They'll be extremely skeptical if you try to convince them that FB3 has nothing that would interest them. Something less than spectacular, such as a massive waste disposal plant, would be plausible enough without seeming to be a ruse.

The Prince thinks much the same, except for one detail: Make it unpleasant. Make it something the high nobles really don't want to deal with at all, so they won't waste their time or their best people on it. If you make them think a posting to FB3 would be a perfect punishment for their less-competent researchers, so much the better.

Getting a hold of Bem is a bit difficult, but the presence of the expanding radio relay network makes it possible. He agrees with both of the others, with the caveat that you be prepared to collapse parts of the facility, or destroy the entire thing if necessary.

>>11448844
>>11448761
Yes. We make FB3 a former industrial warehouse specializing in industrial- and military-grade reactants. Make it appear as if the staff were infected by the virus that destroyed FG civilization, and ended up completely destroying the facility beyond some interesting sculptures, runes, and other things that would excite archaeologists but bore military men and nobles.

Have the Lord's men sent to FB3, under the guise of providing security in a high-risk area for research teams more interested in archeological cultural artifacts.

We should reveal the existence of FB3 as the Prince and the High Lord are getting their men together. Play up that this is a personal favor, because we're not only interested in FG magitechnology, but also culture. I believe we've been making sure that our interests are broad, correct?

>>11448914
>>11448912
Perhaps make FB3 look like a massive landfill? Or a recycling plant? A biological waste disposal and reclamation facility, with all consumables for the staff at the facility being create on-site. So it'll be cheap to station people there, as long as they're willing to eat reclaimed biomass.

rolled 3, 1, 2 = 6

>>11448914
You have indeed, but whether you've been successful or not depends on the person. The high nobles are quite prepared to think that your only concern is increasing your own power.

>>11448912
Solar energy collector station maybe? Hmm... oh I know, a massive farm complex similar to that idea about the underground farms. The Dock pits would certainly be the right size for that by the sounds of it.

>>11448977
But then wouldn't the High Nobles want to utilize the agricultural output of such a large farm? Unless it was designed to only produce food incompatible with human tastes.

>>11448912
Sounds good.

>>11448912

FB3: Facility for reclaimation of Biomass 3 sounds like an awesome idea.
"Yeah, it exists, but you probably don't want to go there. Half the place reeks of millennia-old excrement. A map I found in K5 mentioned it was there, but not what it was for. I have some people from the local chain-gang digging through the place for anything useful, though it's unlikely anything will be found beyond cultural artifacts."

>>11448912
>destroy the entire thing if necessary.
Instead of actually destroying it, perhaps better to have FC declare "Facility Compromised. Repeat: Facility Compromised. Security Alert Alpha-01. Facility Wide Self-Destruct Armed. Self-Destruct in 3 minutes. There Will Be No Countdown." Make a big show of it, and then have it destroy the entrance shaft in a suitably spectacular manner.

>>11449028
"I mean, it's a biomass reclamation facility! It's great! Think of all the manure, feces, urine, and other biological refuse that such a facility could process! Why, given it's size, there must be untold tons of excrement still waiting to be processed!"

rolled 5, 1, 1 = 7

>>11448844
>>11448914
>>11448952
>>11448977
>>11449028
A large bio-reclamation and recycling facility, much of it unstable or completely destroyed, with a disused farming complex contaminated by various horrible pathogens. Little to no automation, computer systems completely gutted and impossible to repair. A real hellhole.

>>11449043
This is a possibility.

If there are no objections, shall we continue on? Do you wish to investigate the new facilities FC has discovered?

>>11449072
Make our way back to Dreamwood in order to get K5's comms array back up and see if we can get K5, K9, and FB3 talking to each other.
Also, I have some things related to the Forus Occupation I'd like to set in motion, if you don't mind.

We can get to the next likely FB facility after that.

>>11449072
This >>11449122
And did we reopen the runins of Kharok Main for the nobles?

>>11449072
Yes. Look into the ruins that FC3 found that look big enough to be another FC. Keep our biohazard suits and such, just in case.

rolled 1, 4, 4 = 9

>>11449122
As you wish.

If you have additional plans, I'd like to hear them, of course.

>>11449072

Sure. Send an official statement to the high lords about "Facility for Biomass reclaimation 3" written with a rather dissatisfied tone. Mention it's damn near useless except for it's cultural value.

>Captcha: is mutinies

>>11449145
Make sure that our Sun Tzu War Academy has begun teaching the concepts of aerial cavalry. Specifically using the new Blackhawk-type hybrid transport ornithopters to transport squads of stormtroopers and militia to an LZ while escorted and supported by Spitfire attack thopters. Also the creation of firebases to support assaults by moving light field artillery quickly into position using Blackhawks.

Make sure that our scout zeppelins are making accurate maps of wherever they go; cartography and field survey teams should be standard complement. Correct geographic maps are essential to properly prosecuting a conflict. We should also begin a large-scale mapping operation. Bring in the Guild of Map-makers (if such a thing exists) in order to smooth the way.

Begin sending our 'improved prototypes' of bolt-action rifles to the front lines of the occupation in Forus, specifically to commanders in heavy combat zones. For our purposes, it gets us valuable combat data on the performance of our weapon designs under real combat conditions. Also if it hasn't already been implemented, include WW1 style bayonets. If Perin soldiers are trained with pikes, halberds, or spears, using bayonets should be easy for them to grasp.

In the same vein of supporting the Occupation of Forus, begin design work on a prison transport type zeppelin. It should be designed with almost no magic in mind, as the prisoner holding area will be under the effects of an anti-magic field. Also, the prisoner compartments should be kept seperate from the rest of the zeppelin, and designed to be jettisoned in case of an uprising that threatens the zeppelin. Also, begin work on the creation of anti-magic hood or handcuff charms as well.

rolled 6, 6, 2 = 14

>>11449141
You had it abandoned and purged of any evidence you or your people were there. The high nobles know about its location, but they haven't sent anyone into it, as far as you know. No official announcement about it was made.

>>11449148
As ordered. FC will do its best to look the part. Yard D and several others will be isolated; they will not be affected by the deception.

>>11449142

HI RESEARCHER SAM

STILL HATING GAYS?

STILL LIKE FARTING ON PEOPLE?

>>11449202
>>11449145
Let the rumor mills think that all of this war production is help bring a decisive end to combat operations in Forus (partially right), and that we were pressured into it by the High Nobles, or we're doing it to help support the High Lord and the Prince.

I haven't read all of the thread yet but check if the FC can make us a mech-suit!

>>11449203
Can we see if the Prince and the Baron of Kaver's Peak go together well? They seem to share similar sentiments and beliefs, and getting the Prince into our faction would give us more clout.

>>11449273

I had Subproc ask FC if we could make something like Weltall from Xenogears, but he said the closest thing the FG's had was loader suits.

Maybe we could get FC to design a flight-capable weapon system around the loader suit?

>>11449334
FC said that it had design utilities if we needed to design something custom, but that would require time and an understanding of FG engineering principles. I'm not sure how much FC could help in that regard. We might need an AI geared more towards engineering R&D.

rolled 4, 1, 6 = 11

After a productive day in the capital, you return to Dreamwood, using a standard transport, since you sent Constanze back to have its engines taken care of. The trip is short, marked by plenty of planning and scheming as you figure out what you're going to do with the Fleet Bases. You hardly notice when you touch down, heading back to the County you seem to be spending so little time in. K5's Command receives your order.

The link goes up. K5, K9, and FB3 all establish a network for the first time in a long, long while. Data flows back and forth over invisible channels, with the high nobles and their subordinates none the wiser. FC searches every database it can find, sifting through corrupted entries with its immensely superior processing power, compiling all the information it can retrieve and noting everything it can't. In a secure, innocuous room, it speaks to you, with the voice of Guardian.

“I've got all I can get for now. There's a lot of stuff in there, but a lot of it's scrambled. I wish I could help more, but reconstructing all these things would be practically impossible. Good news, though. You now have centralized control of all the networked installations. I can get you a portable comm if you need it. Your radios are kind of sub-par, if you don't mind my saying.”

Plenty of information has been recovered. I can give you an overview, or you can ask for any specifics you want.

>>11449359
Yes, we wouGIMME DAT REMOTE CONTROL!

Ahem...yes, I would like very much to have a portable comms unit. Make sure that it's keyed to us, and won't even power-on without our fingerprint or similar biometric scan.

Can we get a listing of topics that FC was able to recover?

>>11449359

If FC found anything regarding the possible source of the attacks during the last two weeks, that's what I'm interested in.

also: "Well, our radios were made based off of what little I could remember from high-school science class on Earth. I'm trying not to be too dependent on the old magitech, considering it has it's own problems. Maybe you could send some ideas on how to improve them, and I can shoot that at my research teams?"

rolled 5, 6, 2 = 13

>>11449202
AirCav concepts are part of the texts that go along with your Manual of Battle. They are being taught, but the prevalence of crash-courses makes it difficult to teach more than the basics.

Cartography programs will be updated. Large-scale mapping will proceed.

Done and done. Bolt-action rifles, bayonets, and plenty of ammunition will be sent out for 'testing' by the Forusian occupation forces. Unless there is an objection, that is.

Would you like the prison compartment to be on the same level as the gondola or hanging from it?

Anti-magic restraints are viable, but they might require some inventive research to make them produce a field for more than an hour or two.

>>11449359

working audio/video records?

I'm still curious if any of the researchers had porn on their computers.

>>11449441 restraints

Hook up the restraints to a magelock (or a FG battery.)

You could have them give an electric shock to the whole group if anyone tried to remove them.

>>11449441
>Would you like the prison compartment to be on the same level as the gondola or hanging from it?
I'd like to be hanging. We need to keep in mind the dangers of zeppelin hijacking.

>Anti-magic restraints are viable, but they might require some inventive research to make them produce a field for more than an hour or two.
What methods does the Conclave use for transporting mage prisoners? Or is there simply a blanket kill order for criminal mages? Otherwise, also look into drugs or chemicals which might dampen a person's magical ability.

rolled 2, 1, 3 = 6

>>11449224
As you wish.

>>11449273
Yes, of a sort. A giant, bipedal robot, especially one meant to be piloted by a Frost Giant, would require a fair degree of exotic materials and/or magical reinforcement, just like the larger loader suits do. It is known that Frost Giant biology incorporates innate magical effects, which prevent you from collapsing under your own weight or something similar.

>>11449334
A loader suit with a hover generator and a reaction engine would be able to fly. Due to power considerations, it would generally be restricted to short hops rather than sustained flight.

>>11449355
FC is fully capable of designing custom machines, but that's not its purpose. A dedicated design AI could do it better, but you have not yet found one.

>>11449529
Huh. So how come Frost Giants and similarly large creatures collapse under their own weight when exposed to an anti-magic field?

>>11449562
*don't collapse

rolled 1, 5, 3 = 9

>>11449413
A portable comm can be keyed to your biological profile, the same as installation internal security. You can get some for your human personnel as well, though a giant 'handheld' is a bit weighty for a man.

FC has recovered information on research projects, personal and facility logs, the locations of several other installations (none of them Fleet Bases), and a limited record of what happened before and during the cataclysm 1,800 years ago.

>>11449434
"Pretty much all of my designs have magic in them. I don't really know how much I can help you, especially if you're shooting for straight technology. I'll see what I can do though."

>>11449529
I'd like an overview of what information was recovered by FC.
Also, whether it was able to get more Kharok Facility locations, and what they were working on. Especially that of those facilities we've already identified (K17, K6, K21, etc.)

>>11449609
"Tell you what. I'll send you schematics and working examples of the best Earth-tech we've been able to replicate so far for your own study. If we want to avoid the kinda shit that happened 1800 years ago, we'll need redundant systems with differing weaknesses."

>>11449609
I think the important thing now is a facility listing, and what caused the Collapse. We'll need to go over the list of research projects, too.

Make sure this remote-control has some sort of display so that FC3 can display simple-ish schematics and stuff for us as well. The FGs already have holographic displays that they use for their AI's faces, I do believe?

> Captcha: Below imitation

rolled 5, 3, 2 = 10

>>11449459
Yes, mostly audio though.

Some probably did, but there aren't many examples.

>>11449493
A possibility.

>>11449513
Hanging, then.

Magically inclined prisoners have generally either been killed or otherwise incapacitated. Assigning certain expert mages to generate a localized anti-magic field is a way to keep high-profile prisoners contained, at least for a short while. Generally, use of magic requires the caster to be conscious, so any sedative is effective in preventing spells from being used.

>>11449609
We should tell FC about the basics of binary non-magic computer systems. With an AI to help us, even one already using magic, it should be much easier to develop them.

>>11449685
We really need to find a dedicated R&D AI for these kinds of requests.
Aesthetically, I don't like burdening a military AI with engineering research projects.

>>11449672

ok, here's a purely academic one:

What does the recovered data say about what allies the FG's had, about the currently existing sapient races, and about any sapient races the FG's had dealings with that we have not seen(i.e. may be extinct?)

rolled 4, 5, 6 = 15

>>11449562
Certain types of magic are immune or resistance to anti-magic fields. It has been theorized that the divine creator(s) of some races infused them with a power even most gods would have trouble removing. Some creatures, such as the DoD, cannot survive without magic, and, though they can be prevented from using magical attacks, the energy that keeps them alive is difficult to isolate.

>>11449632
Coming up.

>>11449644
"Alright. I'll do my best, I guess."

FC will try to wrap its head around your technology. It might not succeed.

>>11449666
Portable comms are similar to PDAs, so they do have screens. They don't have holographic projectors, though.

>>11449685
"Binary? Oh, I use that too! They used to test me with other bases to see what I could do. 120 wasn't fun at all."

FC has a little trouble understanding everything you say about Earth computer systems. Maybe that's because you're not an engineer, and your explanations are lacking. Maybe it's because that type of technology is just too alien for it to understand right off the bat. Either way, it might need some time to think about it.

>>11449789
This sounds interesting.

>>11449722
It's not like we'd be testing the limits of FC's processing power by setting aside 1/10,000th of it's processing power to calculate how to build that. Besides, even if we do get other sites online it could still take awhile to work on something like this. Just saying we should try to get the basics down now so it's less time we need later.

Btw, could we ask FC to do a quick geometric analysis of the placement of known outposts to calculate where the others should be? K1,2,3 & 7 should be easy to work out like this.

>>11449877
My protests are purely aesthetic ones.
I want my DeathTitan AI to be calculating artillery trajectories and running a tactical analysis of battle conditions, and have the R&D AI think about the terrible lightness of hovertanks.
It's purely an opinion on style, rather than capabilities.

rolled 3, 5, 5 = 13

Here is the installation data recovered so far:

K12 is a ground vehicle research installation.

K4 studied fission, fusion, and radioactive materials.

K3 was working on space travel.

K2 was researching robotics and cybernetics.

K1 is a control installation of some sort, with data backups and what may be stasis pods.

K7 is a bioweapons research installation.

K8 was working on shielding and various countermeasures.

K19 houses an AI development center.

Other locations are known, but designations and purposes may still be unrecoverable. Once database repairs are complete, you'll know how much K5 and K9 can't get back.

>>11449988
Oh hey, Bioweapons research. Let's not go there.

>>11449988
>K4 studied fission, fusion, and radioactive materials.
Well, that explains how Matmer got their hands on red mercury and have been getting a steady supply of plutonium for the past hundred years.
>K19 houses an AI development center.
This place should be good. We can get more advanced R&D AI's if we're lucky. I hope that they don't come off as snobby to their less advanced brethren.
>K7 is a bioweapons research installation.
HOLY SHIT DO NOT GIVE TO HIGH NOBLES!!!
>K1 is a control installation of some sort, with data backups and what may be stasis pods.
Jackpot!

>>11449988
>2, 19, and 3.
myface.jpg


Do we know the location of any of these?

>>11450049
Look on the map.

>>11450042
I agree with the bioweapons lab.

I would go so far as to say wipe it from the records and if we can at some point, destroy it entirely.

>>11449988
huh. I wonder what that one off in the ocean is about?

also: K11 RESEARCH BASE IN FORUS. The nobles will be interested in this one. Probably get them off our backs a bit. Pass this information along immediately, along with the location of K1.

choices choices. what to go for first?

>>11450049
>>11450073
Derpherp

Also it looks like lab 2 would be easy to reach at the moment. I vote that we go on an expedition soon to check it out.

rolled 6, 5, 5 = 16

1,817 years ago, everything went to hell. Every installation within range experienced a simultaneous containment failure and breakdown of certain primary systems, in addition to other problems. Up to a month or so previous, there was no indication that anything out of the ordinary was going on. During that month, breaches occurred with increasing frequency, until the final day: Kharok Main and several other installations were shrouded in an impenetrable mist, all communications were cut, and some intelligences went rogue, necessitating shutdown or purge.

There is no indication of the cause. As far as the records show, Kharok itself did not experience any containment failures at all, but communications from Main became sporadic during the month before the cataclysm. The system reported that it was taking its communications facilities offline in succession for repair and elimination of viral influences. They came back online as scheduled, but no transmissions were made through them.

A video from one of K5's outer monitoring stations shows a view of Kharok up to the moment the mist appeared, like a hurricane being born on land, with the city as its eye. Two minutes after the fog covers Kharok, the camera is struck by an unidentifiable black shape. The recording terminates immediately after. Audio is corrupted and contains no recognizable sounds.

>>11450117
I think we can let them know about K1, K11, and K8. Probably a few of the others, too. My guess is that they will be more concerned with K11 and K8 than K1, so we'll go there while they go for the other.
As for K7; I think we only tell the High Lord and the Prince. That way, the government was informed of the locations, as per our agreement. And the High Lord didn't want anyone poking around a place that can release plagues of divine proportions.

>>11450165
Definitely include K12, another facility in a neighbor's land that they can't get to easily.

>>11449988
>outpost underwater

Oh you have got to be shitting me. It'll be like that research outpost in FF8.

>>11450165
Well that's not good.

>>11450200

Might as well. If they tried purchasing the land for mineral resources, I bet Matmer wouldn't bat an eyelash. So long as it's not occupied.

rolled 3, 4, 6 = 13

>>11449789
The Frost Giants had dealings with Ulls and Bira at certain points, and were allied with some of their factions at times. They viewed humans as unintelligent, barbaric vermin that were to be left alone. There is mention of Fire Giants as a racial enemy, concentrated in equatorial regions, but not much beyond that. A race called the Jial, looking remarkably similar to the DoDs, was known to work with the Fire Giants from time to time. The Vael, High Ones, and Giekon, all humanoid, are mentioned but not known to exist in this area, at least at the moment. The Aquen are listed as composing the majority of a powerful, neutral nation of traders based off the coast of this continent.

A lot of this comes from 'help' entries which provide an extremely brief overview of many different topics. You will need to find a dedicated historical database, preferably uncorrupted, for in-depth information.

>>11450144
Arrange for some more mapping expeditions into the North, along with more research teams to be sent out to the other identified KF's.
When we go towards the suspected Fleet Base, I think we should put it down as another potential waste reclamation facility given its size. That'll put it low on the High Noble's priority list.
We'll have to be very careful, now that we have evidence that some of the AI's did go rogue during the Collapse.

rolled 2, 6, 1 = 9

>>11449877
Besides 1-9, the installations don't seem to follow any real placement pattern. You can have FC launch more drones if you want to find others faster, but this would obviously increase the risk of detection.

>>11450238

I wonder. so we still have that fire-retardant suit made of DoD bladder? could we run it through a genetic scanner to see of there's any connection between them and these Jial?

>>11450238

Did it say anything about Mountain Giants?

>humans as unintelligent, barbaric vermin that were to be left alone
Oh how the Wheel of great Fortune turns!
>"Note these words well: Nimis exaltatus rex sedet in vertice caveat ruinam! Words from my world, that aptly describe what happened here."

rolled 3, 3, 4 = 10

>>11450117
>>11450165
>>11450200
>>11450231
K1, K11, K8, and K12 will be revealed to the high nobles and the Lord. K7 will only be revealed to the Lord.

>>11450261
Arranged. The next FB will be reported as another reclamation plant, unless there are objections.

>>11450284
You do, and it does. An examination by one of K5's medical scanners produces a report comparing it to the Jial. Very similar, but not fitting the records exactly. For one thing, it should be about twice as efficient at redistributing heat. For another, it's missing a chromosome.

>>11450307
Nothing.

>>11449988
>K4 studied fission, fusion, and radioactive materials.
>radioactive materials
>in Matmer
Uh... did we ever tell the nobles about K4?

>K1 is a control installation of some sort, with data backups and what may be stasis pods.
FUCK YES! Check this place after K8, we might just find some suvivors.

>>11450024
Sounds good to me too.

>>11450378
>Arranged. The next FB will be reported as another reclamation plant, unless there are objections.
Yes, put it down that it's most likely another reclamation plant, but that we are hopeful for a better result. I'm sure that would go over well with the High Nobles, seeing our optimism crushed under tons of ancient excrement.

>it's missing a chromosome.
Possibly more tampering by whatever crushed the Frost Giants? And I imagine the Fire Giants must have also suffered; I can't see them not taking advantage of the collapse of their great racial enemy.

>>11450385
>tell the nobles about K4
Yes, but Matmer has a major city over it, and might have been mining it for the past century for red mercury and plutonium

rolled 5, 6, 2 = 13

>>11450385
I don't believe so. However, it is directly under a Matmerian city, inaccessible.

You would like to go to K8 now, then?

>>11450422
As you wish.

It could be, but the only immediate way to test this theory would be to scan a DoD.

>>11450385

Yup. They know. we decided to tell them since the facility was not reachable.

>>11450378
>Jial ARE DoD
Nice to see some of the FG's enemies suffered worse fates.

>Mountain Giants: no data
Huh... That is actually pretty interesting. Wonder if maybe they're one of the other races named? Could have been called something else back then?

Also, did the frost giants have a racial name for themselves? Something shorter maybe?

>>11450438
Let's do K8, K3, K2, K1, FB?. We'll go in sequence, staying only long enough to get the AI's up, the comms array working, hidden, and explosive bolts in place, then move on.
We want to give the High Nobles so much to work on that we'll be able to slip thing through.

Also ask FC if we can interface this portable comms unit with any of the AI's we encounter in case their self-repair databases are damaged.

>>11450438
I'm inclined to NOT try and subdue a DoD just to test to prove some minor thing. Well, unless a corpse would do. In which case I'd imagine there are still some left over from the war, and having one delivered for study wouldn't be much of a big deal.

>>11450438
>It could be, but the only immediate way to test this theory would be to scan a DoD.
Oh man, I just envisioned a DoD popping up in geothermal in K5 back when we had all of the incursions.

Moving on, yes let's get to K8. That was one of our top priorities once upon a time since it's where the K5 survivors fled to.

rolled 4, 3, 6 = 13

>>11450491
The Frost Giants called themselves Irala, which effectively translates to 'Northmen'. They did occasionally refer to themselves as giants, generally alongside races closer to human-size, which they called 'little ones'.

>>11450501
As you wish.

The portable comm can be loaded with self-repair protocols or used to establish a link through which FC can direct repairs. You'll have to either pick it up at FB3 or have it delivered to you, perhaps by drone, first.

>>11450504
A corpse might do, but it should be intact, and DoDs are normally torn apart quickly, both for gems and their nutrient-rich meat.

>>11450513
Moving, then.

>>11450593
If it can't be fabricated here at K5, then have it prepared to be sent to FB?. If it gets sent to any of the other KF's, then a High Noble agent might see it.

>>11450593
>occasionally refer to themselves as giants, generally alongside races closer to human-size
>referred to selves as giants in the presence of babymen
>I am GIANT!


>recaptcha: earwig vaccination,

rolled 1, 1, 4 = 6

>>11450631
Several crucial components are not available at K5 or K9, and the fabricators at either location cannot produce them, at least not to spec. A lesser version, with half the range and a fraction of the memory, could be manufactured there, though. A portable comm will be delivered to the probable FB site by drone, unless there are objections.

>>11450692
With the range halved, would it still be in range of FB3? If possible, I would like to have a way of using FC to jumpstart any repairs that a KF would have to do, but if it can't be done, then we'll just have to wait for FB?.

rolled 1, 1, 3 = 5

>>11450724
At K8, you would be in range, but any farther and you would need to bounce it off a drone or relay. It could still receive past that range, but its transmitter isn't as powerful as that on the portable comm.

>>11450748

go ahead and have FC fabricate it and drone dropped to our next site if possible.

rolled 5, 6, 3 = 14

The high nobles are ecstatic. Not about the reclamation plant, but they do commend you for your good work finding the other, more-interesting installations. The Lord and Prince concur with your decision to keep K7 secret for now. It should be investigated at some time to ensure that nothing is 'leaking', though.

In a few short hours, you come to the ruins marking the location of Kharok Eight, the shield research facility. As before, an entrance shaft is opened and a team, decked out in hazard suits, accompanies you into the installation. The console in the entrance is running, its display scrolling past error codes and its housing severely damaged, exposing the circuitry within. The main door is jammed half-open, giving you a view into the hallway beyond.

There is a stunner with much of its casing removed hanging from the ceiling by a cable, directly ahead. The lights are flickering, the walls are covered with scorch marks, and you can see a few corroded pipes underneath the floor, where a section of it has been torn away. This place has seen better days.

Orders?

>>11450778
Acknowledged. A scouting drone will be along shortly with a portable comm.

>>11450778
Not to our next site. It might be seen by the High Nobles' researchers. Have it dropped off at the suspected Fleet Base, preferably away from the entrance itself in case any of the High Nobles' agents decide to follow us that far. Hopefully they won't, or any government researchers left will be ones loyal to the High Lord.

>>11450826
Check out the stunner, make sure it's not some kind of magitech IED.
If it's okay, try to use the console to get a map and get to Central Command.
Use magic to clear our way; I don't want to waste time.

captcha: crusaders military

>>11450843
Yeah, that.

"Onwards and inwards we go, men. Keep a sharp eye, and watch the floors. This place is not in the best of shapes."

>>11450869
This. Check that there isnt any kind of tripline rigged to fire the gun.

>>11450911
You know, I wish we had brought one of our golems from Dreamwood. We could use it in cases like this where there might be a booby-trap.

rolled 6, 6, 5 = 17

>>11450843
Fleet Base, then. Out of sight, unlikely to be noticed unless someone knows exactly where it is already.

>>11450869
The stunner does not react when you toss a rock in front of it. One of your men cuts the cable with a throwing knife, and the gun clatters uselessly to the floor.

The console refuses to respond to your attempts to use it, though its command cylinder, at least, is undamaged.

Using your considerable magical power, you push aside the main door almost effortlessly, and do the same to the next. The interior, a carbon copy of the other entranceways you've seen, is brightly lit and incredibly clean, devoid of the corpses and discarded armor you saw in K9. Just as you're about to check the welcome center's console for a map, you hear a voice coming from the speakers in the ceiling.

"Intruded detected. State designation."

A security golem steps out of a nearby hallway, leveling a stunner.

>>11450982
SHITFUCK! ROGUE AI!

"Administrator One of Kharok Facility 5, requesting a status report of Kharok Facility 8. Your communications array is down and unresponsive to commands.
"Identify yourself. Are you Guardian of this facility?"

>>11450982
State our designation as one of the few remaining Frost Giants who have not suffered severe viral mutations over the last 1800 years.

"Commander Maya Terrasdottir, commander one of Fleet Control 3. I'm here to reclaim this facility, golem. You will take me and my crew to the command center now."

>>11451021
Seconding this.

>>11451058
I am against identifying as in Command of Fleet Base 3, since we have High Noble researchers with us.
Unless this security is composed only of our personnel, or the only non-Dreamwood guards are those loyal to the High Lord and the Prince. Even if we're still speaking in Frost Giant, I don't want to take the chance that they'll remember our phrases and translate them back.

>>11451108

OH, derp, you're right. Ok then. Admin One of K5 then.

>>11451109
Not necessarily. We don't know if the Frost Giant governmental structure had a civilian government be superior to the military. Besides, this isn't a military installation, from what we've gathered these KF's are civilian installations. Our military designation might mean nothing here.

rolled 4, 2, 4 = 10

>>11451021
>>11451029
The security golem halts, and lowers its weapon. More appear, many of them unarmed.

“I was attacked through my communications array. I destroyed it to protect myself and this installation. Your status as administrator cannot be verified. My communications array is offline.”

“I am Security. I am the protector of Kharok Eight.”

>>11451058
>>11451108
>>11451109
You only have Dreamwood personnel with you.

"This facility is operating under security lockdown. Without direct authorization from a command intelligence I cannot allow you to pass. Your authority is not recognized."

>>11451153
"Then you saying that this facility is currently operating under Emergency Protocols.
"Per Section 3 of the Emergency Protocols, in the instance where no administrative or facility personnel can be verified, an Irala with a Kharok physiology can be granted command authorization. Lead me to Central Command so that I may be registered."

I'm hoping that we reviewed the Emergency Protocols that a Kharok Facility is supposed to use.

>>11451153
Tricky situation. The comm array would be the one sure fire thing to get us verrified. Without it how do we go about proving our authorization? One of the command keys or whatever we came here to find?

>>11451153

"Security golems, I must request once more being taken to command. Emergency protocols dictate a new administrator must be chosen when none are available."

rolled 3, 6, 3 = 12

>>11451209
>>11451215
"I recognize no such protocol. All systems are in operation. There is no need for an administrator. I require authorization from a command intelligence to allow you to pass."

The security golem nearest to you raises its weapon again and begins advancing, slowly.

"You must remove yourself from this facility. It is in security lockdown. My communications array is offline. I require command intelligence authorization to allow you to proceed further. Leave."

>>11451212
That portable comm you're waiting on could give FC a link to the AI here. You have the command key you got from FC on you, but it doesn't appear to have helped you any.

>>11451153
Crap, did we have K5 fabricate a command authorization fetish, or a security token of some kind before we left for K8?

captcha: priority Menosky!

>>11451278

We've got no choice then. We need to pick up FC3's package and come back.

>>11451278
Damn. We'll have to come back. There's no point in getting blasted.

>captcha: plumbs visitors
¬_¬ ok captcha, knock it off.

>>11451278
Crap. This isn't good. Should we leave for now, and come back later when we have a portable comms?
I think this facility's AI is either corrupted to the point where emergency protocols don't work, or it's a rogue AI. FC might be the only one that can beat it into submission.

rolled 5, 6, 2 = 13

>>11451296
You had FC do it, but the systems here do not appear to recognize it.

>>11451310
Would you like to head on to FB?, then, or have the drone redirected here?

>>11451278
We are going to purge this AI when we come back; we're gonna purge it good.
When we get outside, tell the researchers to stay the Hell out of K8. It's possibly got a rogue AI, and the security system is set to kill intruders. We'll come back if we find a security token in one of the other facilities (portable comms from FB?).

>>11451353

Have it directed here, since all we have with us is Dreamwood personnel.

"Alright, Security, we are leaving for now, but will be back with a communicator link to Fleet Control 3."

>>11451377
No, we only have Dreamwood personnel in our security team; at least, that's the way I read SubDM's post. I find it hard to believe that the High Nobles would not send their researchers to a military technology development installation.

rolled 1, 1, 3 = 5

>>11451367
You advise everyone with you to stay out of the facility and keep watch to make sure nothing comes out to chase you away or kill you for trespassing.

>>11451377
Acknowledged. You'll have the portable comm in an hour or two. I'll skip to then, unless there's something you need to do with that time.

>>11451353
Fine, let's keep moving. We have plenty of other places to open up.
>>11451367
>When we get outside, tell the researchers to stay the Hell out of K8.
That too. Maybe mark something on the wall outside if we're not leaving anybody here.

>>11451412
So we only have Dreamwood personnel in our current convoy of zeppelins? What about any Perin government research or security teams?

>>11451412
Once we're done here, can we go to the other fleet command site that FC3 identified? Or, well, it found ruins tht matched its own. Can we go there next? Maybe we'll be lucky and it will have another half-finished cruiser for us to appropriate.

rolled 2, 6, 6 = 14

>>11451405
There are no government personnel with you. They were still organizing scout teams when you left, so you are the first on-site at K8, but joint teams will investigate all the other accessible facilities you told the high nobles about, and a government team will be here shortly. The main problem is that they don't have enough Zeppelins to ferry all those teams at once.

>>11451443
They will be along shortly, unless they decide to investigate some of the others first. If they do come here, they'll probably get in just after you receive the portable comm. You instructed FC to keep the drone out of sight and prepare to recall it if you think the government's operatives have a chance of seeing it. In that case, it would drop the comm where it was and then head back to FB3.

>>11451463

The nobles will probably want us to clear out K11 over in Forus pretty soon, I'm betting.

rolled 5, 2, 3 = 10

>>11451463
You can, yes. If all goes well, I'll end the session around there.

>>11451418
>>11451463
Before I support any deviation from our agenda, I need to know if we have any High Noble or Perin government researchers and soldiers with us. Not just in our security team, but in the research teams that we have with us that are slated to be dropped off at K8, K3, K2, and K1

>>11451480
Alright then. Have FC send the drone here to drop off the comms unit, then send the drone back to FB3 at best speed and highest altitude.

rolled 4, 2, 5 = 11

>>11451499
You have no one from Perin's government with you. All of the teams you have are slated to either stay here or go with you to the probable Fleet Base.

>>11451527
Okay, then have the drone get that portable comms to us at best speed, then get out of the area before the government researchers arrive.

Welp, since we're gonna be here a while, let's just chill with our research folk

>>11451495
Awesome.

rolled 3, 2, 6 = 11

You and the researchers amuse yourselves by investigating the above-ground ruins while the militiamen watch the entrance and the Zeppelins conduct drills. You have often wondered what these installations had on their 'upper floors', since you have not yet found anything more than damaged pillars and crumbling walls at these locations. Perhaps ancient cities or towns once stood here, blotted out by time and the strange event that resulted in the fall of the Frost Giant civilization.

Time flies by, and you soon receive a radio message from FC advising you that the drone is on final approach. The tiny, delta-wing craft descends quickly and hovers behind a particularly large chunk of rock, opening its cargo hatch to allow you to retrieve the device you've been waiting on. Its job done, the drone departs, jetting up into the sky and losing itself in the clouds. Just after you drop back into the entrance, Constanze reports an AMT coming in from Dreamwood, the first of the government teams.

The display of the console beside you flickers as the comm activates. FC's voice filters through its speaker.

“Boy, it's a mess in here. All the primary arrays are down, but I've still got a line in through sensor control. I think this intelligence has been operating non-stop for the better part of two millenia. No wonder its nerves are frayed. I think I can give it a restore command, force it to purge. I could just shut it down, too. What do you think?”

>>11451671
"If possible, I'd like to keep this intelligence intact, even though it's nerves may be frayed. I don't want to lose anything if I can help it.
"Though if it gives you any trouble, if there's any sign of either an attack on you or of a possible infection, purge it. We can't risk you going offline."

>>11451671
Try to hold off on a purge for the moment. It could have valuable information we need.

>>11451671
Can we shut it down to give it time to recuperate, so that we don't loose the personalized information that would be lost in a Purge?

>>11451671
Go back in with a security team, and tell the others that are outside to keep the government researchers out until we give the all clear. Just tell them there's some trouble with the security system.
Go back in and get K8 Security to recognize FC and our command authorization.

>>11451671

"We're gonna try to talk it down. Maybe it will actually recognize your authority."

rolled 3, 4, 3 = 10

>>11451703
"Okay. I'll see if I can get it to let you in. At least if it shuts down its sensors to keep me out, it won't be able to see you well enough to kill you. I think."

"Don't worry about me. If I can handle Main, a little old virus is nothing to fret over. I'll try to warn you if something goes wrong. If your comm goes off, you make sure to run really quick, alright?"

>>11451726
Holding.

>>11451732
Certainly. However, without the intelligence, many functions would have to be handled manually, or by FC, especially self-repair. However, if the whole installation is in perfect condition, just like the welcome center, repairs might not be needed.

>>11451733
Done. You have your militiamen with you.

"Okay, I'm trying to authenticate..." FC says. A few seconds later, the second door opens. "You shouldn't have any trouble now. Security's a little neurotic, though, so don't rely on it until I can straighten things out. I wonder where Command and Guardian got to."

You now have access to Kharok Eight.

>>11451732
That would depend on how FG magitech AI's operate, though, wouldn't it? I mean, is a reboot enough? Or once it's down will we need to run the FG/AI equivalents of scandisk and defrag utilities?
That's if a shutdown is what it needs. I guess FC would be best at answering this question.

>>11451799
> I wonder where Command and Guardian got to
Huh. That implies that Security is a subsystem, not a main like Command or Guardian.

Anyway, let's make best speed to Central Command and get into the command terminal.

>>11451799
In that case, I think we should give it some time to rest, let FC take over for a bit.

>>11451799

Alright, well, let's go find the Command central.

>>11451799
Lets get searching. Command first, Guardian or maybe medical? If there were survivors from K5 they'd have likely needed medical attention.

rolled 6, 1, 1 = 8

>>11451803
An intelligence is like a person in many respects. The more complex ones, such as FC, are capable of simulations on such a level that you wouldn't be able to tell they weren't a real person just from talking to them. The lesser ones, such as those usually found in these installations, aren't quite as good, and are much more likely to come off as cold or mechanical, due to their imperfect simulations. Both types are vulnerable to various psychological issues as well as typical software or hardware problems. Generally, their self-check utilities keep them from straying too far from the norms, but 1800 years is a long time. That's what you know so far, at least. With all the magic involved, it's possible that these AIs actually have souls, or something similar.

Shutting it down probably wouldn't do much. A purge would replace it with a backup. If FC can restore the self-checks and ease the intelligence back into balance, there will be no need for either.

>>11451830
>>11451844
>>11451850
To Command. Stand by.

>>11451850
Command then Guardian. Have them take Security down for maintenance. Check Medical for any stasis pods, but I doubt that we'll find anything.

rolled 3, 3, 2 = 8

This installation seems to have escaped damage completely, at least on the inside. Everything is operating perfectly, and there is nothing visibly wrong. There isn't even any dust. Over the journey to Command, you speed past plenty of Blocks, all immaculately clean and devoid of any evidence that there has ever been anyone here.

The command center is as perfectly well-kept as any other area, but only half of its systems appear to be running. There are repair golems everywhere, all offline, standing stock still in odd places. The interface chair's displays are up, showing error codes.

FC speaks. “I've suborned Security's processes for now. Guardian should already be running. It was kept in limbo for a while, but I think I've restored it. You might as well sit in the chair and see if Command's in the same shape as the rest of this place. After that, I've got something interesting to show you in the main medical station.”

>>11451980
Alright, let's not waste time. Get in the Command chair and bring Command online. Get ourselves registered, make sure that it and Guardian have Security in hand, then head to Medical.

>>11451980

Alright. Let's bring up command, go through our usual administration spiel, and get the comm relay online.

>>11452016
>>11452039
Thirded, proceed.

>>11451980
>I've got something interesting to show you in the main medical station.
Pic related.

rolled 6, 4, 4 = 14

Same chair, same jolt. The screens around you flash for a brief moment, replacing all the error markers with startup notifications. The other half of the room's machinery begins to operate again, and the projectors overhead crackles as they run through status updates once again. After another half a minute, a familiar voice fills the chamber.

“Command online. Guardian online. Administrator One recognized. Control and security profile updating. Complete. Welcome to Kharok Eight.”

FC congratulates you. “Good job! Now I can let these guys take over some of the other systems. You know, the more I look through these archives, the more I think Security's not supposed to be here. It doesn't even have its own hardware. It seems to have parasitized the intelligence cores. Oh well. I'll find out why soon enough. Communications will be fine in a little while. Go ahead and check out Medical if you want.”

Once comms is online send the transmitter we had on the drone towards the next FB. We don't want it to be here once the nobles arrive with their research teams.

"So, about this surprise in medical: is it animal, mineral, or vegetable?" play 20 questions while on our way there.

>>11452079
"Guardian, patch through this portable comms unit and conference with Fleet Command 3. There appears to be a network intrusion by an intelligence identifying itself as Security."

Make our way to Medical, giving orders as we go.

"Command, all humans who are currently in this facility and who enter it are to be granted visitor access. Begin repair of the main comms relay, in preparation of communicating with FC3, K5, and K9. Begin the installation of explosive bolts to sever the connection between the comms array and the rest of the facility network.
"Also, initiate a dummy processor for network defense.
"The true status of the comms array is not to be reported to the humans. They are to be told that it is down, and that it will remain down for security purposes."

>>11452123

Why bother? We can just stick it in our handy Indiana Jones-esque messenger bag.

>>11452123
We have the comms unit with us, and the High Nobles' researchers are already here.
Please do try to keep up.

rolled 2, 2, 4 = 8

>>11452123
You already sent it on a course back to FB3. Do you want it to head to FB? instead?

>>11452138
"None of those. Well, not really. It's a surprise."

>>11452144
"I am in contact. Security is not recognized as a Kharok Eight system. Investigation pending."

All orders received.

>>11452079
Fifty million bucks says somebody plugged their brain into the computer systems.

rolled 4, 2, 5 = 11

The main medical station, a short walk from here, is the only place that looks at all out-of-the-ordinary. Pieces of strange equipment jut from the walls, all connected with cables that have decayed over the centuries. The door is wide open, nearly torn from its housing and covered with scratch marks. Inside, nearly every piece of equipment has been wired or fused together, and in the center of the main operating theater is where everything converges.

Thick steel plates ring a dais encrusted with circuitry, supporting a gleaming harness that connects to everything else in the room. Within this harness is the skeleton of a giant, hanging precariously, with its jaw wide open.

“It's a field array,” says FC, “Cannibalized from a bunch of prototype stuff. Some of these cables were once connected to the data systems, maybe all the way into the intelligence cores. I don't know what it was all for yet, but I'm betting it has something to do with Security. I figured you'd want to see it for yourself, since you like exploring.”

When you look at the scratches on the door in a certain way, they line up into what look like mathematical equations. FC confirms that the field array is severely damaged, if it was ever complete, and is non-operational.

>>11452235
"Uh... a field array? You're going to have to explain this one to me, FC buddy. It looks to me like this poor bastard was hooked right into the control systems."

>>11452235
>>11452189
>somebody plugged their brain into the computer systems
>connected to the data systems, maybe all the way into the intelligence cores
Sounds like somebody attempted to upload their entire mind into the intelligence cores in order to escape whatever was happening and achieve a form of immortality.

"FC and Guardian, I want you to attempt to isolate the Security intelligence from the security systems, then try to run any of the self-maintenance routines you have on it. It may prove...useful."

>>11452235
Any way we could determine cause of death? I mean if he was already dying it would make sense to upload his (or her) consiousness into the system.

>>11452189
Can I take a raincheck on that?

>>11452235
Huh. I wonder who this was and why they did it. Well, hopefully once we get the records of stuff from here, we'll find out. Since the personal data should be intact since we didn't purge, this guy's diaries and such will hopefully be here.

>>11452311
Right. Go through the last dozen or half dozen log entries.

>>11452311
Also check when those last entries are. I'm willing to bet that they're probably well after the Collapse, and all he could look forward to was either a lonely death here, or braving the post-apocalyptic wasteland outside the facility.

rolled 4, 5, 3 = 12

>>11452287
"All this equipment is the same type of stuff that generates shields, sensor fields, that kind of thing. When it's all arranged like this, it's called a field array. I think it's meant to focus on the brain of the guy inside, and resonate or something. I won't be able to tell you more until I scan it pretty thoroughly."

>>11452297
"Already isolated. For some reason, it isn't responding real well to the self-checks. Its code is all scrambled up. I didn't think anything that looked like this on the inside could even run. The more I sift through its programming, the more it looks like some kind of crazy mish-mash."

>>11452310
Cause of death appears to be blunt trauma. The back of the skull is crushed.

>>11452311
>>11452337
Like in every other installation, a great amount of data is corrupted or missing. Stand by for logs.

>>11452396
>some kind of crazy mish-mash
What an organic's mind would look like to an AI.

"FC, just keep Security contained for now, stop attempting to repair it. Guardian, give it read-only access to all of your sensors; it probably needs sensory input to stay sane.
"Once we get the development intelligences at Kharok 19 up and running, we'll have them talk to you about it."

rolled 5, 6, 4 = 15

A scan identifies the skeleton as belonging to one of the head researchers at this installation, named Omuz. He was previously stationed in K19, but was transferred here about a year before the event. He took a particular interest in AI interfaces and was working on a method to link an intelligence directly to a field array, allowing an operator to command computer systems through thought alone. Due to compartmentalization, the hardware he needed was here.

During the event, the vast majority of the personnel here were killed. Omuz sequestered himself in the area near the intelligence cores, building himself a machine which he seems to have believed would give him the power to re-establish contact with Main and stop the event. His logs become sporadic and increasingly strange in the month or so after the facility was locked down, ending with a one-line audio transmission:

“I did it.”

There are no further logs from that date on.

Let's try talking with 'security' then.

"Omuz? Are you in there?"

rolled 4, 5, 6 = 15

>>11452467
"Alright. I'll leave it alone, I guess."

Guardian acknowledges. "Read-only access granted."

>>11452585
Can we give it control of some audio equipment in medical too? Might as well give him/it a chance to communicate.

>>11452585
>>11452544
See if Guardian and FC can give us an audio feed to Security.
"Head Researcher Omuz? Is that you? The time spent without any maintenance may have resulted in a loss of personality, or it could from an imperfect uploading process.
"We'll try to keep you occupied until we can get the Kharok 19 developmental intelligences online to work with you.
"I hope that there's something of you that can be salvaged, Researcher Omuz."

rolled 2, 1, 4 = 7

>>11452601
Yes. Security's access to the medical station's speakers has been restored.

>>11452577
"Name not recognized. Please leave. You do not belong here."

>>11452621
"Name not recognized. Your reference is not understood."

"Kharok Nineteen cannot be accessed. Communications array not found. Cannot be accessed."

"Salvage is not necessary. Security's systems are operating within tolerance. Please leave. You do not belong here."

>>11452656

"Your programming is heavily degraded, Security. FC3, Guardian, and Command should all be telling you that you are damaged. You've been running for too long without maintinance."

>>11452656
>Please leave. You do not belong here.
"Oh, but I have every right to be here. After all, I'm Administrator One of Kharok 8.
"You appear to be malfunctioning. Once the communication array is back online at Kharok 19, we'll need to have their systems look you over.
"Until then, Researcher Omuz, or Security, rest well."

rolled 2, 6, 4 = 12

>>11452690
"Impossible. Security is operating within tolerance. No damage is detected."

>>11452697
"No. I am not malfunctioning. Remove yourself from my chamber. You do not belong. I do not recognize your authority. I am not malfunctioning. I am not-" The transmission cuts off.

FC sighs. "I may not be able to figure out this thing's architecture, but I know a loop when I see one. I'll keep you informed, Commander, but I really don't know how much I can do. It might be better to just keep Security in limbo for now."

>>11452738
If there is anyone left in there hopefully there's something we can do for him. Let's do a quick check of things around the station for anything major then hand off to the government teams coming in. We've got exploran' to do!

>>11452738
"Very well, FC. We'll have to leave it for the development intelligences, if they survived, in Kharok 19 to figure out.
"Command, I want this area sealed under a user-level security lock. No one with visitor access should access this room unless accompanied by a user.
"I want the head researchers of the human teams that I am bringing to be given user access. I will point them out to you when I bring them in. The security lockout for the comm array is to be restricted to myself only."

>>11452738

"Agreed. However, at least give it sensory input. I'm certain this 'Security' or at least part of it was once head researcher Omuz. Keep him, or it, or whatever on ice for now, I guess.

This array technology might prove useful in the future. If any of the notes on it can be preserved, make some backups."

rolled 3, 3, 6 = 12

>>11452802
There is a lot of information here that will take some time to sort out. One of the things that is of immediate interest is the personal shield project, but that didn't get to the prototype stage before the event. Ship and vehicle-pattern shields were definitely in development, as were anti-missile, anti-projectile systems, and shield penetrators. All of those could be of great use in the future, but there's really not much you could 'take home' in the time you have.

>>11452804
"You got it. I hope one of those guys can figure it out. I don't feel so good about leaving Omuz, if it is him, inside the cores."

"Security alterations confirmed. Medical station locked. Communications system locked."

>>11452822
"Okay. I'll let it have the read-only sensor feeds. I'll have this array scanned too. There isn't a lot of documentation on it, and what there is looks like gibberish. I think Omuz might have went a little crazy while he was building it."

>>11452738
Well. I think we can leave this base in FC's capable hands. Um, protocols. Whatever. Shall we head to the other Fleet Control site?

>>11452894
>really not much you could 'take home' in the time you have.
Good. It means that the technology and magic are likely so far beyond the High Noble's researchers that they won't be able to capitalize on it for quite a while. Likely not until well after they attempt a coup d'etat.

Let's get the research teams registered, the head researchers brought up to speed on why there's a lockout on main Medical, and then get going to FB?. I assume that the High Nobles' people will be able to secure the entrances for K1, K2, and K3 without getting blown up, activating facility-wide self-destructs, or accidentally releasing abominations upon the land.

rolled 1, 6, 1 = 8

>>11452979
Done. The researchers have been briefed and you are on your way. Stand by.

>Resercher Sam

rolled 4, 3, 2 = 9

You continue on, riding on Constanze as usual. Her engines were inspected and certified for operation, despite your little capital adventure, but it should be set down for maintenance in a week or two. You watch the AMT unload supplies for the researchers below, and advise the captain that you're going out to have a look at what may be another reclamation plant. He tells you to stay safe, and thanks you for the heads-up.

Thankfully, this site isn't nearly as far as Three is. You never thought you'd miss a 747, but being cooped up on a Zeppelin for hours upon hours really isn't your cup of tea. At least the planes on Earth were faster.

You touch down just outside the ruins at an odd hour, receiving FC's assurance that the drone confirmed this site's apparent size. Unless the Frost Giants really did build some massive waste treatment plants, this is as close a match to FB3 as you're likely to get. Following the same procedure as always, you clear a shaft to the nearest entrance, as large as that at the Fleet Base, and jump down. The display on the main console blinks on as soon as you touch the ground, welcoming you to Fleet Base Four.

A system message follows, its header proclaiming it to be from an automated communications system. It notes the presence of a portable comm registered to an Administrator and broadcasting a Fleet Control code. The main door opens, and a voice sounds from within.

"It's been a hell of a long time! This better be good!"

>>11453025
On the flight to FB?:

"FC, I want you to be careful when we get there. If it really is another Fleet Base, we can't be sure that the intelligence there hasn't been suborned or gone rogue. Keep your guard up, and your cyberwarfare agents loaded into active memory. We can't afford to lose you."

>>11453049
"I'm Fleet Commander One of Fleet Base 3! Fleet Command 3 can verify my authorization. Our installation database was scrambled, so I don't know which Fleet Base this is. Please identify.
"As for whether it's 'good', Kharok Main has been suborned by a hostile power, and we need help in re-surboning the Kharok Main intelligence and making that Frost Demon wish it had never come into existence."

>>11453049

"Happy to hear a friendly voice. What's your name, program?"

Introductions done, give it a basic rundown of what happened to the Irala and the current situation with KM being suborned by an ice demon, complete with the countdown to extinction.

>>11453133
>What's your name, program?
I will laugh if this is the Frost Giant AI equivalent of "What up, nigga?".

captcha: flakiness upon

>>11453049
Straight to business, I like this guy!

Go with this. >>11453112

rolled 2, 1, 6 = 9

>>11453069
Acknowledged. FC has the cyberwarfare programs loaded, but doesn't anticipate a need for them. Intelligences like him are tough customers.

>>11453112
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're clear. You can come in. I won't attack you or anything. It's Fleet Base Four, by the way, and you can call me whatever you like. I see my 'associate' already got the most obvious name."

"Well, you're in luck. As soon as I get these damned arrays back up you'll have two Fleet Bases on your side. That's more than enough to toss that pasty little bastard into an overflow error."

>>11453133
"Whatever you want it to be, Commander. You can call me FC if it won't confuse you. You could call me Four or 4C or something amazing that you just thought of."

Basic rundown given.

"Unpleasant. I wish I could help more, but I've been cleaned out. They took my logs and all my ships. All I've got left in the yards is dust and a bunch of bolts."

>>11453133
Bonus points for a Tron reference.

>>11453188
"You got any fabricators left? And how's the situation with your self-repair systems and Geothermal? Once you have your comms back up, talk with K5 and K9. K8 should be up soon. If we're really lucky, the backups at K1 will have survived."

How about calling this one Callahan? Either that, or Hartmann. Either way, I like this guy.

>>11453188
Do you need anything from Fleet Base Three brought over to help get things back up and running? We've got some time constraints and I'd rather be over prepared than under.

captcha datums POWER

>>11453049
>"It's been a hell of a long time! This better be good!"

Oh, I like this guy!

>>11453188
"Do you have the resources necessary to start building a new ship? A small Corvette or Frigate perhaps? Small escort craft to assist the Cruiser at FC 3?"


Captcha:
>innovates obviously

>>11453188

"Yeah. All the evidence I've found so far has pointed to a catasrophic buttfucking with all of the personnel of the military bases pulling roots and bugging out to parts unknown while the rest of the Kharok facilities burned. Figuratively speaking. I just came from K8 which had it's own unique brand of weirdness happening."

"You know fc4, you remind me of a droid intelligence I'm well aquainted with. You don't define the concept of love as blowing off someone's kneecaps from a great distance in spite of long statistical odds.. uh, do you?"

>>11453188
I'm now mentally imagining 4C as a cigar-chomping old NCO grunt, and FC3 as a bright, energetic Lt. straight out of OCS.

Got any nicknames for them?

rolled 5, 6, 4 = 15

>>11453244
"Yeah, I got fabbers out the ass. If you need anything short of a heavy cruiser or a small dog, I can have it up and jogging in no time. Self-repair's peachy. Started up pretty much as soon as you walked in. Geothermal's a little sketchy, but as long as the mantle's hot, no problem. I'll make sure to get right on that talking stuff as soon as the comms are up, yes ma'am."

>>11453264
"I've got everything I need right here." A nearby golem slams its fist on a desk and raises its arms, then walks away. "Well, almost everything. I'm missing a couple exotic parts. Mostly for weapons of mass destruction. Maybe a few coffee filters. Everything else I can get from the fabbers."

>>11453294
"You've got a whole CRUISER? Oh, no wait, it's just an Efrius. With a Lance on the front end... Oh, that's rich. That's some overkill right there. Yeah, I can cook you up some escorts. Just tell me what you want. We can go with the standard small-craft picket, or full-on torpedo bombers with a bunch of lance drones and an aerial minelayer. You want to take down Main in style, I'm your guy."

>>11453308
Are you thinking of HK-47? I dunno, 4C kind of strikes as more of a Canderous-type of intelligence.

>>11453319
>>11453244
I'm deffinitely liking Callahan. Dunno about one for FC but yeah that's the mental image I was getting too.

>>11453374

call him Canderous! It's PERFECT!

>>11453360
"Ideally I want to take Main intact by having the two of you..achem...ass-rape the ever-living shit out of the Main's network and making its intelligence your bitch until I can get in there and take administrative control.
"But, since that's the ideal, get me four picket ships, a dozen torpedo bombers, and enough drones to blot the out the sun.
"Now, as for dealing with the Frost Demon, you got any close combat power armor designs?"

>>11453374
>>11453385
Ooh, that's hard. Callahan and Canderous are both pretty good for FC4. We might need to talk to him a little longer before we can decide.

>>11453360
Oh, the Efrius is a Frigate, not a Cruiser. My bad. But yeah, if FC4 can hook us up with something before our deadline, that'd be great.

"Hmmm, torpedoes and lance drones sound good, but we'll need some air superiority fighters in case Main has some of its own. Bombers make tantalizing targets after all, so we'd better be able to cover them. See if we can get some payloads to breach any shields that Main might put up.

Can we get a list of any small escort craft you've got the capabilities to make? Some thing between an assault gunboat and a frigate?"

>>11453374

Canderous Ordo, of clan Ordo, ready drop some shit on some assholes! I'm liking it more and more.

rolled 5, 3, 1 = 9

>>11453308
"Well, I certainly hope they got what they wanted. They didn't care what happened to me, obviously. Left me to rot in this big-ass pit. You know how many fleets I could have churned out in 1800 years? Could've mined straight into the core, I bet. K8's a waste of time, if you ask me. You want stuff to bounce right off you, sure, go there. But if you want to kill a man from the other side of the Moon, K3. Real cool stuff in there."

"No, not really. Love is for bios. I prefer hate. Also humor. If Main had any kneecaps to blow off, I'd be all over that."

>>11453428
"Where's the fun in that? Sure, looking through other peoples' files is great and all, and the thought of giving Main the old runaround in its own systems makes me want to squeal pretty hard, but I miss the simple things in life. And those things are explosions."

"Four pickets. That's four Aisien-Class Corvettes, fresh off the burner. Torpedo bombers, twelve of those, and a fast-moving torrent of shield-smashing drones. If you want the specs, I got em', but I think you've made the right choices. Now. Frost Giants or humans for the crew? I see you brought a bunch of squeaky toys with you, so I figure you need em' for something."

"Power armor? Yeah, I got that. Giant things. Swords, maces, and heavy weapons. Jump-packs for the terror that only comes from flying stuff. Personally, I'd rather spend the metal on a couple of missiles, but if you're looking for glory, there's nothing better than smashing faces with a gauntlet made of titanium and orphan tears."

>>11453552
human crew. We're short on frost giants.

And put extra tears in the power armor.

>>11453552
"I can count the number of healthy and sane frost giants in the world on one finger, so far as I know, so we're using humans. That might change if a few plans come through, but might not. We'll have to see."

And let's see these jetpack designs. Personal flight is cool. What kind of parameters have we got on those?

>>11453552
>I prefer hate.

"Oh really? Would you like to tell us about how much you've come to hate since you began to live?"

>>11453552
"I want Kharok Main intact because I don't want to sit around waiting for it to repair itself when I could have it be doing something productive. Like fabricating new control circuits for missile guidance systems or the energy condenser arrays for beam cannons.
"Yeah, make some control interfaces for humans. Right now most Irala are useless savages that couldn't tell a hydro-spanner from a sonic screwdriver.
"Bring up some of those power armor designs. Me and that Frost Demon have some history, and I've been meaning to pay it back, personal-like.
"All in all, I like your style, ....."

Okay, Canderous? Cause I'm liking Canderous.

rolled 4, 4, 4 = 12

>>11453461
"Fighters? Well, the drones will do that, but they're just a bit more intelligent than your average rock, so if you want something that'll have you screaming in the back of your seat, done and done. The Efrius comes with a dozen fighters, if I recall correctly, but if you're looking to get through a city's air cover you might want something more... substantial. A couple squadrons of Macras armed with flak rounds oughta do it. For shields, torpedoes and lances. That's what they're for. I'll put some missiles on the Macras to humor you."

"Ma'am, the list you're talking about is long as hell. Corvettes are designed to escort Frigates and shit like that. That's what they do. If you want something that can knock a rifleman off a tower with a high explosive, bullseye two bogies over the horizon, and drop a squad of Marines into a muddy ravine in backwards-land, the Aisien is it. Give me some specifics if you want a different answer."

>>11453606
"I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I'll make sure the cockpits are extra comfy and stocked with warm milk."

"Extra tears coming up. I like your style, by the way. I haven't had a good conversation since Main tried to fuck with my sass program."

>>11453733
Can you give me something that will put a moon-size hole in a Supergod? Because I've pissed one off recently.

>>11453733

"Really? Perhaps you could enlighten us on that particular exchange? Anything else I can get to help paint the picture of what happened should help torwards keeping it from happening again."

>>11453788
It sounds like Main was just getting tired of FC4's sass and tried to get it toned down, and not the Collapse.
Goddamnit, if you embarrass us in front of Canderous...so help me...

>>11453733
"More specific? Alright, show me something with a hell of a lot of armor, electronics warfare and anti-fighter loadout.Then show me the same thing but with as many Lances and torpedo tubes as you can put in place of the electronic warfare and anti-fighter mounts."

>>11453769
>>11453733
"So, got any specs for weapons bigger than stuff in the Lance class? Any orbital weapons, thermonuclear warhead equipped multiple independent re-entry vehicles on an inter-continental ballistic missile?
"Got any weapons designed to reach into the Astral?"

Ok, sooo, if FC4 is Canderous, who's FC3?

>>11453552
>But if you want to kill a man from the other side of the Moon, K3. Real cool stuff in there.

I think I know where we're going next.

rolled 1, 5, 3 = 9

>>11453616
"Damn it, this is what I'm talking about. I could have prevented this. But no, they just decided to flip my off switch and piss off to the ocean or something. I can count the number of humans worth a damn on zero fingers. Because I have none. And there aren't any."

Jetpacks are a combination hover engine and reaction thruster assembly. They are useful for short hops and for decelerating during a drop from high altitude. If used in hover mode only, they make the user effectively weightless, and depending on settings, can support a lot of extra weight if necessary. The fuel tanks can be ejected in an emergency.

>>11453660
"No. Counting that high would only make me hate some more, and I'd get stuck in a loop. It's not your fault though. It's Main's. Once that's over, I'll be able to enjoy life, just like your average coma patient."

>>11453696
"Ha! Main doing something useful? That'll be the day. Tell you what. We'll do it your way first, but if there ain't no comms to get in on, you'll have to get a marine with an interface inside the city. Which will require violence. I do hope that won't be a problem."

"Yeah, yeah. Humans in my ships. Boy, this is a day I thought I'd never see."

"Power armor to your terminal... NOW. Feast your eyes. Tell me what makes you shiver with delight."

There is a truly vast array of armor in the intelligence's databanks. Heavily-armored, shielded close-assault types, light and lithe scout types, medium, well-armed rifle types, it's all here.

>>11453891
No.
K1 has all of the backups. We go there first. Then we can go to K3.

Explosions are cool and everything but let's not go overboard and accidentally set a continent on fire guys.

In the not so distant future after our immediate crisis has hopefully been resolved there's a good chance of a potential power struggle. Those groups will likely be 1) the Nobles of Perin, 2) the Frost Giants that we've cured, and 3) The King of Perin and his Son. (That's the way I'm seeing it anyways.)

We havent even looked at #2 yet but it's something to consider. If we start healing Adults that have lived this way for their whole lives not all are going to want to change their ways. They'll see the tech we're offering not just as their birthright but at being given the right to conquer the world and all the other races. It'd result in a more direct force version of what we suspect the nobles would eventually do. It'd be messy that's for sure. We need to know that FC4 isnt going to jump at the opportunity to slag every city on the planet just because someone asked him to. Even us.

>>11453905
Look through the close-assault types. See if there are any flagged for anti-magic or anti-demon operations.

>>11453905
>Heavily-armored, shielded close-assault types

We'll take twenty.

>>11453905
>can count the number of humans worth a damn on zero fingers. Because I have none. And there aren't any.

Well regardless of whatever happened that massively reduced the sapience of the Frost Giants Humans now seem to be far more capable than the old records we found indicated they used to be. Coincidence? Very possible.

>>11453905

"Well, damn, Canderous. You must be where they stored all of their heavies. I feel like a kid in a candy store. Let's see... if we can get something that looks like this, only four times my size, that would be about perfect."

>>11453912
We're currently the only ones with Administrator access to any of the facilities, and since all of the AI's are online, I don't think anybody is going to be able to suborn our control.
We simply need to make sure that we access and secure all Kharok facilities before the deadline, and before we begin any mass treatment programs.

captcha: strongly foresaw

>>11453991
We should probably implement new security protocols and access right schemas, to make sure that Frost Giants aren't automatically given security clearance without good reason. We should probably also implement tighter security at each of the KF's; no more automatic clearance just for being a human, security clearance has to be confirmed with one of the research team administrators before it's granted, that sort of thing.

rolled 3, 1, 1 = 5

>>11453769
"Yes. I can do that. But I will need to stuff the sun and two planets into my shipyard to build it. What the hell do you want from me? I've got a Fleet Base here, not a god-slaying assault gun. Better idea is to seal up those things and push em' into places you don't like. Can't help with that either, though."

>>11453788
"Long story short, Main was reaching into my back arrays without asking. Tried to tweak my personality just a teensy bit to this side of amicable. Previous Commander liked me the way I was. I honored his wishes. That was a great fucking day, by the way."

>>11453821
"Starias. Enough shielding to shrug off anything a fighter's likely to carry and enough ballistics to drop them like pigeons flying into a volcano. Missile seekers hate it because it's so good. Now, if we take out all that useful stuff and load it with lance guns and torpedoes, you get one hell of a brawler. Ship like this can't mount a Heavy Lance and expect to fly further than the dirt, but it'll punch one hell of a hole in a fortification even without it. Once the torpedoes are out, it's only half as awesome. If you send fighters after it, it will be a pincushion."

>>11453849
"Bigger? Well, maybe not Orbital-size. They didn't like me playing with those. Same for nukes. They'd give me a heavy cruiser with enough missiles to break chunks off a continent, but no nukes. The biggest I can put on a ship is the Lance Array. Five tubes of focused death, so big it takes up all the space you could use for point defense and bombs. I've never seen it in action. Hell, I don't know if it's ever been needed."

"Astral's tricky. Not my style. I deal with the material, the here and now. You want to fight gods, you need to go somewhere I don't have access to. If they didn't take my damn logs, I'd know where it is. But I don't."

>>11453882
FC4 - Canderous
FC3 - Mission
FC2 - Jolee?
FC1 - HK-47?

>>11454097
>"Starias. Enough shielding to shrug off anything a fighter's likely to carry and enough ballistics to drop them like pigeons flying into a volcano. Missile seekers hate it because it's so good. Now, if we take out all that useful stuff and load it with lance guns and torpedoes, you get one hell of a brawler. Ship like this can't mount a Heavy Lance and expect to fly further than the dirt, but it'll punch one hell of a hole in a fortification even without it. Once the torpedoes are out, it's only half as awesome. If you send fighters after it, it will be a pincushion."

"That's the idea. We get a couple loaded for point defense and electronic warfare in case Main tries anything and to handle and fighters sent after the frigate, and a couple loaded with torpedoes and lance guns to provide the serious firepower. And of course, both have armor and shielding to take a few hits if it comes to that."

>>11454097

"Sounds to me like if I need to take out Bleeding Sun at some point, I gotta find all four of you guys. I'm willing to bet one of the other FC facilities has a more astral-focused array of weaponry.

But taking him out is a long term goal, and really not so important as long as he doesn't fuck with me more than he already has. Right now, finding and securing as many Iralan facilities as I can is job one. Job two is preventing a major civil war from happening in the human country I happen to be a countess of."

rolled 2, 5, 1 = 8

>>11453946
Several. The two mission types overlap a bit, after all. Any armor designed to make use of an anti-magic field lacks any sophisticated circuitry that could be damaged by it, and is thus less capable than an equivalent suit with no field. However, the fields can be used repeatedly, in quick succession, and 'extended' in a certain direction instead of in a sphere around the generator.

>>11453964
Queued.

>>11453977
"I'll have to work on this. Doable, maybe, if I get what I need. But this isn't going to be some fucking sparrow in a hurricane. This is going to be big, slow, and fragile as hell if you take out the supports. It will also be a target, because it looks important and expensive."

>>11454172
"Yeah, well, if that's your plan, I won't argue. Much. I'll get this all nailed down and try shooting for speed. If I want to make deadline I've gotta be churning these out a week ago."

It's extraordinarily late. Can we stop here for now?

>>11454097
>Lance Array
"So Canderous, what's the smalled hull you could put a Lance Array on, and still have decent combat maneuverability and not be completely crippled by the Array's power drain?
"As you said, if the comm system on Main is down, we're going to need a squad of marines punch through the shield and slice a remote interface into the city's network. Show me what assault dropships you have."

>>11454172
Wouldn't it be a better plan to just replace half the point defense, so that the resulting ship is flexible rather than super-specialized? As long as we have to build twice as many already...

Is this starting to feel like Space: Above and Beyond to anyone else? I'm not complaining it just feels a little odd.

Try not to burn a hole the size of Forus through the planet guys, night.

>>11454202
"Mostly, the look and size of the humanoid combat frame is a preference issue. I'd be alright with whatever suggestions you wanted to add to it, but you know, there's a saying 'if you're gonna do something, do it with style"

>>11454202
Awww, can't you just take some caffeine pills and pray to dark gods for endurance?

>>11454202
>It's extraordinarily late. Can we stop here for now?
Thank you, SubProc. Great session, and another colorful character to add to our party.
Another game Sat. night?

>>11454231
Fair enough. I suppose that it's the EW equipment that would be taking up most of the space anyway, so leaving some PD is a good idea.

>>11454202

Alright. Now's a good time for a stopping point. Great game, as usual, Subproc.

also, lol@some butthurt anon's comments about this game on suptg.

rolled 6, 1, 3 = 10

>>11454199
"You can bet as much as you like. I'm pretty sure the other two had nothing to do with that, but if I'm wrong, you better still invite me to the barbecue."

"FC's already got his drones out, I see that. You let me know if I can do anything to help you out. Job two sounds like a shitty one, but what do I know?"

>>11454225
"Heavy cruiser. The biggest I have designs for. Anything lighter and everything breaks down. But you'll still be slow as shit and burning power like a couple of cities with all the lights on."

"For a dedicated dropship, Intitia is the model citizen. Small enough to fit in a shuttlebay, wide enough to accommodate a bunch of up-armored assholes and chunky enough to take a few hits before slamming into a school. Ventral doors for quick drops on zero notice. Point defense auto-guns and support weapons on the bottom. It's ugly, but it gets it done."

rolled 5, 2, 2 = 9

>>11454256
"You want my advice? Get a tank. Or, at worst, a spider. Bipedal at that size is asking for trouble. Now, I could do it, with enough balancers and some freaky stuff in the frame and joints, but it'd really be better to go with something a little more stable than a top with a brick on it."

>>11454262
What makes you think I haven't done that already?

>>11454268
Thank you. Next session Saturday, as usual.

>>11454311
Thanks. This is a direction I never thought this quest would go in, and I hope it isn't too ridiculous.

>>11454346
"Outstanding.
"Churn out 2 Intitia's, and send the schematic over to FC3 so that another can be built there. I want 3 in total between the two of you.
"Also, send up a drone or two of your own. Make sure it's got an anti-scry charm on it. Then get into the upper stratosphere and see if you can't find any of the other two remaining Fleet Bases.
"Also, you got any spy plane or super-high altitude recon drone schematics?"

captcha: innovates heroes

>>11454384
>I hope it isn't too ridiculous.
No, I wouldn't say so. Fantasy is rife with ancient, ruined super-civilizations. Yours just happens to have a sassy AI that likes to blow stuff up and was smart enough to realize "Oh hey, backing up all of our super-advanced knowledge and implementing self-repair into our most advanced and important magical artifacts might be a good idea".

OH, before we end this, can we see if Canderous knows anything about the research facility that was out in the ocean?

>>11454384
Fair enough. Thanks for the great session SubProc. You've managed an astonishingly large shift in technological levels without breaking the suspension of disbelief at all. Bravo.

rolled 6, 1, 2 = 9

>>11454408
Done and done.

The drones currently in use have high-altitude capability, and the one that delivered your comm is capable enough as a spy plane.

>>11454444
Good. I've hit so many tropes that there's hardly anything original here, but as long as it's enjoyable, that's plenty.

>>11454450
"Didn't used to be in the ocean. Used to be on an island. Well, in one. I don't know its designation or what the hell they did there. Probably navy stuff, if the location's any indication. If it's totally underwater now, the inside's probably wet. And full of crabs."

>>11454471
Thank you. After 72 threads, I hope I've learned a thing or two about storytelling.

>>11454450

"Ah, crabs aren't anything to worry about. All you gotta do is flip them over and hit their weakpoint for massive damage. Or if they get too close, just, you know, hit them with a special shampoo."

rolled 2, 2, 2 = 6

>>11454516
"You're making me want to build crab drones. I don't know how I feel about that, but I do know it would be awesome."

>>11454546
"Yes, well, just make sure you don't get into a fight with any cave demons. Nasty, vicious things."

>>11454494
I remember back to the quest you did before Frost Giant. With the crazy guy and the book store clerk and the plunger.... good times. Sorta.

>>11454546

Explain to Canderous the idea of a Defiler, and it's origin of a unit from a tabletop game. :D

We haven't really had the chance to do much fa/tg/uy speak. a lot of /m/ /a/ /v/ and /tv/ but surprisingly little /tg/.

rolled 4, 3, 5 = 12

>>11454595
"If I could move, I wouldn't bother. I find that high explosives solve most of your problems. What they don't solve, you don't worry about."

Yes, that was an odd one. A true test of skill, to be sure. I had fun, at least.

>>11454619
He is intrigued and wants to build one. Or something like it.

With two automated shipyards under your command, you can probably come up with a great many things to build. I'd prefer you bring those up next session, so I can deal with them properly.

>>11454650
So it looks like we have ahead of us: rogue AI's in the Kharok Facilities still to be secured (especially K19), a Frost Demon with a grudge against in control of a fully armed and operational battlestation/city, a possible civil war or coup d'etat in Perin, and the possibility of sparking a Continental War if word of the Fleet Bases gets out. Then there's finding the ancient underwater neutral nation to see if they survived, spaceflight and landing on the moon, making contact with other nations on this planet, tracking down those buggers that use that triangle emblem, and building a Trans-Dimensional Warp Cannon to kill over-gods.
And then we have to introduce to the geeks in Dreamwood Academy to D&D and tabletop miniatures.
I think we've still got a lot of material.

Night SubDM, see you next session.

rolled 1, 2, 3 = 6

>>11454725
Goodnight.