Age lies heavily upon the facility as you move through it, atmospheric degeneration orders of magnitude greater than that of your own void-preserved body. Creaks and groans of metal shifting against metal, giving dead breath to the facility. Empty corridors coated in dust, dozens of vacant barracks echoing with the ghosts of the past. Odds and ends strewn about within them, occasional misplaced personal trinkets left to rot. Armories still stocked with ancient weaponry, gone to rust through the millennia. Consoles deactivated yet never to be returned to. Laboratories and machine shops silent and still, rows of beakers and mechanical presses bearing silent witness to the darkened passage of years. Weight rooms and cafeterias vacant of life, haunting presences without their occupants.

Everywhere the same scene, simply different elements to compose it. The story of organized withdrawal, systems mothballed and shut down. Life support green but deactivated, overpressured to keep infiltrates out. Every door shut and locked. Base mainframe access terminals depowered. Officer’s quarters barren and stripped, mattresses and linens rotted away.

Simultaneously your drones reach the reactor core and command bridge, deep within the bowels of the base. The results for both are the same: “Access Denied: Entry restricted by order of Ophidian Armed Forces: Ground.”

##############

Aboard the Harbinger the last of the probes has been returned to one of your rearward bays and analysis begun. Results are mixed; three proves of one design in, two of another, and the final three all of disparate origin -- or so you surmise from their construction. Chief Dai has assigned one of the lower engineers to review them, commenting that he has no time for ‘children’s tinkertoys’ when the reactor was still in such a state and the Gate station’s workings are in need of review.

Brief analysis shows that of the three similar probes, the two smaller ones transmit streams of information to the third larger satellite. Only the larger probe has a reactor, mater/antimatter annihilation from the readings, and it seems to be responsible for both transmitting power to the other two and -- from the engineer’s assessment of the largest dish -- beaming back small FTL reports to its operators on a regular schedule.

Three of the others share the basic attributes of reactor and transmission with the main satellite, though the final two seem to operate off of atomic reactions -- fusion or fission at a guess. Their transmissions are likely far more infrequent according to the engineer, owing to the on-board capacitance coils required to store enough power for a FTL squirt.

==Map Legend==
Green Dotted Arrow: Previous Jump

Green dot: Current position. (Currently Orrin)
Yellow Square: Your awakening position
Teal dotted zone: Hundred Systems Territory (Hundred World’s Rebellion)

==Command Staff==
Lieutenant Kateryna Ivanova - Second-in-Command
Lieutenant Dray Parson - Intelligence Officer
Lieutenant Robert Tynes - Steward
Chun-Fan Dai - Chief Engineer
Dr. Christof Burr - Physician

archive of the last one? I missed the ending bit.

Previous Threads:

1: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15474877/
2: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15527576/

>>15547512

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15527576/

So the defense sats from last thread are not operable defenses?

And the mothballed stuff in the base has been destroyed by time?

If we could locate an intact computer core, could we replace a defense satellite's core with it and have it under our control or do we lack specialists for that?

And do we have drones scouting the ring of hulked ships around the planet to search for intact reactors, computer cores, other spare parts?

Is there any way to check logs of what the probes have sent so far? It might tell us what's happened in this system, or in the years we've been missing.

Oh wow, you're early, Vedibere.

Anyway, do we have any Army authorization codes, or does anyone in our crew have them?
If possible, I'd rather not try to break into the sealed areas of the military base.

Also, are the engines repaired enough that we can bring the Harbinger inside of the protective picket of the defense satellites?
I'm sure that our examination of the probes has not gone unnoticed, and an alien recon force is probably being readied as we speak.

>>15547592
>So the defense sats from last thread are not operable defenses?
What gave you that idea?

>And the mothballed stuff in the base has been destroyed by time?
Well, I mean, some of it....

>If we could locate an intact computer core, could we replace a defense satellite's core with it and have it under our control or do we lack specialists for that?
...probably. I'm not sure why you would want to, but sure why not. You would have to bring it onboard and dedicate several engineers to the task though.

>And do we have drones scouting the ring of hulked ships around the planet to search for intact reactors, computer cores, other spare parts?
So, uh. You want to meticulously sift through a sphere of debris encompassing an entire solar system?

If others think it's a productive use of time too then go for it.

>>15547610
>Is there any way to check logs of what the probes have sent so far? It might tell us what's happened in this system, or in the years we've been missing.
You'd have to pull them apart to find out, but it's doubtful they have long term storage on-board if they are transmitting the data to somewhere else.

First, a thought I had yesterday. There's a very good chance that we're the Death Star. A unique prototype superweapon, unmatched in all the galaxy.

From what Ivanova said about there already being people unhappy with the Harbinger design as too great a concentration of power, what happened to us *proved them right*. All the effort and materials invested into us was destroyed without a trace in one go. At least, as far as anyone else could tell. So it wouldn't be unexpected that the Harbinger program was scrapped in favor of smaller warships in greater quantity.

Right now we're still making guesses on limited information. But IF the Ophidian empire collapsed in a relatively short period after our time, and IF no one else has risen to match or exceed them since, then we are the single most dangerous weapon in the galaxy.

Well, at full strength we would be, at least. Right now we are damaged, weakened, and vulnerable. But it's a possibility to keep in mind.

>>15547700
>Oh wow, you're early, Vedibere.
Yeah, words are flowing well today.

>Anyway, do we have any Army authorization codes, or does anyone in our crew have them?
You don't have any high level ones. As for crew, you can't read their minds but you could ask and/or review the profiles previously given for possibilities.

>Also, are the engines repaired enough that we can bring the Harbinger inside of the protective picket of the defense satellites?
Yes.

>>15547712
Still, even a small amount of information would be helpful. Not like it would be particularly hard to inspect them, would it?

>>15547766
Then I vote that we ask Ivanova and the other awake crew if they know of any Army authorization codes.
Check through the profiles of the surviving crew in cryo for any Army backgrounds, or that would have worked closely with the Army.

Also, have the Harbinger move to within the defensive ring of the defense platforms.
I think it's safer than staying outside of them, when we are still heavily damaged, reactor is slightly unstable, weapons offline, and unknown aliens are likely on the way to investigate the odd sensor readings their probes sent back.

>>15547766

Asking seems like a good plan.

Now, to business.

Multiple surveillance probes means multiple civilizations with at least rudimentary interstellar travel. Cooperative enough they're not destroying the other probes, competitive enough they have their own.

At first glace they seem to be reporting on a fixed schedule, so our presence may remain unknown until they start missing reports. I'd like the engineer to investigate the possibility of using them to open communication with whoever is on the other end. Or at least plot a location to where the reports were going.

Command and Reactor are sealed, with command codes we lack I take it. What's our ewar suite like? Something was said about our abilities as an EI being fairly good, could we (to be crude about it) hack these suckers and get them to turn on?

>>15547794
We may need to thaw out an EWAR specialist, if we still have one.
The computer core on the Gate station was a trap, and I wouldn't put it past the OIA to have been just as paranoid.

>>15547794
Turning it on straight away would probably be a bad idea, but more likely than not it's scuttled and gutted like the rest of the station.

>>15547794
>>15547808
>What's our ewar suite like?
Previous thread. Your intrusion defenses are bleeding edge next generation stuff, best available. Your intrusion packages are extremely good, top of the line. Only the most advanced automated counter-intrusion suites or other AIs/EIs would generally be able to stop you. Note: There are EIs in intelligence that are specially designed and picked from base personas to be intrusion specialists. These are highly dangerous even to you.

That said, these are military-grade defenses you would be up against. There is always some level of risk, even if it's tiny and failure wouldn't mean anything significant happens.

>>15547889
Was the drone getting whacked by the anti-intrusion protocol in the last session due to the trap's software being better, or because it caught us by surprise?
Or is that something we need to thaw out a specialist for?

>>15547889
We could always try routing it through the console again, and then perhaps going straight in if it seems clear. The last one was a trap though, so I dunno. Thawing out an EWAR specialist seems pointless at this point; most of the computer technology is below our tech level.

Would this kind of station have a hydroponics or food facility we could raid for supplies or the supplies to make more food? Honestly I can't think of anything we would need in the engineering/reactor section, but I supposed there must be SOMETHING behind it for it to be sealed with high level security codes.

>>15547914
Your EWAR specialists are thawed. You and Parson. And it was because whatever was in the computer was better than the protocols the drone had. Your protocols weren't shielding it since you had withdrawn, so it only had the normal protections of a drone system.

>>15547914
This also. Do we have any logs of the attack method that was used last time? Could we defend against it?

>>15547935
>most of the computer technology is below our tech level.
We're talking specifically about the computers in the military base on the planet. Those computers are military-grade and from approximately when we were damaged.
So the EW specialist will be essential in going over the logs of what happened, and in preventing intrusion countermeasures from frying us.

>>15547956
Task Parson with running an analysis of the logs from the drone, to analyze the avenue of attack and coming up with a defense.
Once completed, try to access the Gate station's computer core again in order to get a copy of the intrusion countermeasure program for analysis.

instead of trying to run intrusion, wasn't lt Ivonova in the Intel community? and did some swoopy shit for NAVSPECWAR? She might have something relevant. might as well ask, anyway.

>>15548026
Yes, that can be included when we ask Ivanova if she knows of any Army authorization codes to use on the locks on the reactor and control room of the base.

I suggest we consult with Parson, poll the command staff to make sure none of them have first hand experience with Ground Forces codes or procedures, and if not we hack the sucker. So far we've been extra cautious, but these defenses and traps don't seem aimed at anyone of our caliber. Getting the base online and having access to its systems is a high priority.

Also, any objections to the plan about trying to backtrack where those surveillance probes were reporting to?

Can we restore power to some of the base systems without use of the Command bridge/Reactor?

Also, do we know of an emergency armed forces override? I mean, it seems pretty silly to have it so the army can tell the Navy "You don't get to land here," and not set up something for emergencies.

>>15547972
Military grade are not always best tech around, just so you know.

>>15548079
We should backtrack, but any kind of analysis should be done when we are safe inside the protective picket of the defense platforms.

>>15548080

Specifically, can we inquire as to the rank of the override?

As a naval captain, we're equivalent to a colonel.

Arguably, as the sole presiding entity of the only known remaining ship, giving us a fleet of 1, we're an Admiral.

>>15548132
Rank isn't much use if we don't have the authorization code to go along with it.

So it's agreed then, check the probes, inquire into ways to bypass the door and defend against the counterintrusion measures. If all else fails, hack it, with extreme caution.

The bridge is empty as you casually shift your attention back to it, or at least mostly so. Lt. Ivanova sits in the first officer’s chair, reviewing data on the base, station, and sats. A prudent measure you suppose, considering you have moved within their defensive sphere. “Good evening, Lieutenant.”

“Sir.” She gently pushes the console away and makes to stand, but you cut her off, “No, no, at ease Lieutenant. I simply had some questions and wished to consult you.”

“Very well, sir. What do you wish to know?” she inquires, sitting back down and pulling the console back into position.

“First, I would like to know if you know or have access to any high-level army access codes, perhaps from your time with ASFOR. If not, do you know of anyone on the crew who would?”

“Hmm. I believe Third Lieutenant Rinn would be best to consult on the matter. I seem to remember that at one point he served attached to an army division for his land weaponry training. Regardless, Weapons Officers’ duties are to have a broad knowledge base on all kinds of warfare. He could well have picked something up off the record considering how long he’s been in the service. If all else fails I believe you could hack it, Army security is generally sloppy anyway.” As she replies she resumes her analysis, but you note she left something out.

“And what about you, Lieutenant? I believe I asked for what you know too.”

Ivanova’s eyes stray from the screen to the surrounding bridge, and though she keeps tapping at the console you note that very little is getting done. “Well, sir, I... dont’t know about that. I’m sure you know that the Army likes having its own turf, and if you don’t have access to those codes I wouldn’t either, nor any experience dealing with them. I would advise asking Lieutenant Rinn or perhaps Lieutenant Parson since the people in Intel often work with all branches.”

You pause, but your second takes preempts your next question with one of her own, “Sir, have you managed to trace the destinations of the collected probes yet? I don’t look forward to encountering alien craft in such a state as this.”

Hmm. “I have. Two of them were likely transmitting to unexplored systems within a 400 LY radius, the largest to a subject system called Moreva 1300 LY away, one to deep space, and the others to could be linked to multiple systems along the line of transmission, though it is likely that at least two of them were conveying the information to systems marked uninhabited in our databanks, both within 1000 LY.”

“I see, thank you for the update sir.” She nods and reaches back to her calculations before stopping herself, “Anything else, sir?”

You chuckle inside, why not? “Yes, would you like to assist Parson in trying to assess the computer core on the station? He says he’ll need to board it and get a closer look.”

Ivanova’s eyes narrow, “I would... prefer not to, sir. Lots of work to do here. Making sure the ship is safe.”

“Ah, I see. Carry on for now then, Lieutenant.”

You switch to the docking bay where the probes are being disassembled and take in the sight. Three engineers are in front of V-Screens, directing a swarm of drones across the alien probes. Pieces lie scattered in a sort of symmetric chaos around them, each tagged and labeled, and you see that they have begun pulling out parts of the internals. Good.

You swoop a drone over to the lead engineer in charge of the project, Min Wright. A tall, lanky man with light brown skin and black hair, he graduated sixth in his class from the Armada Engineering Academy. A disciple of Chief Dai, he was selected for the engineering staff due to his excellent command of drones and intimate familiarity with the advanced systems used. Currently he’s yelling loudly into the ear of one of his subordinates over the scream of electrosaws and hiss of welders to one of the others, something about the order of deconstruction. Despite his proximity and volume, however, the other engineer often yells “What?!” back, causing him to repeat himself... after the fourth time, you honestly begin to wonder if he really missed it or he likes seeing Wright yell himself horse.

“Mister Wright, a word if you would?” you speak through his earpiece, and he reaches up and presses a finger over it to seal the connection better, waving the other engineer off. “YES CAPTAIN?”

“How is the probe disassembly progressing?”

“A FEW HANGUPS. MINOR BOOBYTRAPS, NOTHING DANGEROUS. SHOULD HAVE THE DATACORE READY FOR ANALYSIS BY TOMORROW. LANGUAGE AND ARCHITECHTURE IS WEIRD THOUGH.”

“Weird how?”

“WELL SIR, IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S SORT OF COMPATIBLE WITH OUR STUFF. PROTOCOLS ARE DIFFERENT AND THE SAFETY WARNINGS AND CRAP ARE IN WEIRD HOODOO TOO, BUT ALL THE JACKS AND STUFF ARE PRETTY CLOSE, SAME WITH BASIC STORAGE ARCHITECHTURE.”

“Is that bad?”

“NO SIR, IT’S GREAT, BUT WEIRD. WILL LET YOU KNOW MORE WHEN I HAVE IT.”

“See that you do, dismissed.”

>>15548651
>BUT ALL THE JACKS AND STUFF ARE PRETTY CLOSE, SAME WITH BASIC STORAGE ARCHITECHTURE
Probably means that whoever built these probes did so by reverse-engineering remnants of our own technology.
That may mean that they have some notion of the Ophidian Empire. This may not be good.

>void quest
Awww yeah, been waiting for this.

Continue exploring the army facility to see if we can salvage resources? We should probably *close the door* the we opened to get in, lest some nasty critters get inside, or we vent too much delicious delicious air.

>>15548651
Okay, let's contact Parson, see if he has any Army codes.
If not, then we thaw out Lt. Rinn to see if he knows of any codes.

Also, I'd like the doctor to begin testing samples of the planet's air and water, to see if they're safe to bring aboard. We might as well begin replenishing the water and air while we wait for replenishing food.

Wow, I just noticed I fucked up on the map. Position is 48 degrees, not 58.

Uh, wat do? Where did everybody go?

>>15548943
I'm still waiting on you to act on >>15548820
I think people just assumed you were writing up another long response, and will probably be back shortly to check.

Ivanova wants to keep her secrets, she can for now. Seems a little pointless now, but no reason to make an issue of it. Yet.

Let's contact Rinn and Parson about breaching the base computer systems. We can brute force it, but better to use codes if we have them.

If we can spare the processing power, a wider scan of the planet would be good. The base will hopefully have material supplies to help effect repairs but it's unlikely to have much in the way of still fresh food and water. We're going to have to look elsewhere for that. And there might be surprises.

>>15548943
we are all f5ing in anticipation as we hear more news of exploration.

Air, water, hydroponics, metal plates to be used in repair. We'll take anything at this point. It might be worthwhile to dedicate a cargo bay to growing food.

Once we have more resources, we can thaw out more crew. Worst comes to worst, we might need to go hunting on the planet or something. I don't think we had an inventory of boomsticks yet, Vedibere. We also should take stock of how many crew we can sustain for how long. Wasn't Lieutenant Dray Parson working on that?

Keep the reactor from exploding, too. That's kind of important.

>>15549023
>We also should take stock of how many crew we can sustain for how long. Wasn't Lieutenant Dray Parson working on that?
No, that was Tynes and Dr. Barr.

>>15548964
Well, I can't work with "go salvage stuff" really. This is a huge base. An enormous cargo bay stacked with mystery crates. All kinds of computer systems. A few dozen rovers. Tons of the place you haven't explored.

I guess I could just have your probes start loading random boxes onto the shuttles and bring them back, or rip up steel floorplates because "hey, it's salvage right?"

Maybe some priorities would help you with that, though. And maybe some orders on what not to bother with? Your ship is big, but space is finite. You aren't going to be able to salvage the entire base, and you for damn sure aren't going to be able to salvage the entire planet.

>>15549066
First priority is to question Parson and thaw out Rinn for those codes.

If we get the codes, then reactivate the Reactor and gain control of the Control room.

Have some of the drones go on automated search sweeps of the base to check it for damage.
See if the crates are labelled in any way, or if they have RFID tags of some kind that identify them.
Tynes is to oversee this part, and his priorities are Reactor and Ship Engine Components, Food Rations, and Computer Components.
Everything else can stay ground-side; there's no need to bring everything up to the ship, and it's not like we're in a rush to grab everything and run.

As for Dr. Burr, have him test the air for pathogens and viruses, anything harmful we need to look out for. Also run an orbital survey for sources of fresh water, and have drones bring up samples for the doctor to test.

>>15549066
Look for useable machine parts that we can easily covert for our use. Look for spare Unisteel(or whatever our ship is made of) to plug the holes, especially the massive ones. Look for any remaining army rations for the humans. Look for any spare Drones/weapons. Look for any humans in cryo pods, (more ppl helps rite?) Look for any and or all remaining computer cores to extract info from.
IN THIS ORDER.

>>15549066
>some priorities

Air, food, water, systems that can be used to produce either of the three previous items, information on what happened, materials to repair the ship with (hopefully in a more civilized manner than ripping up floor plates), and weapons: first ones that we can mount, second, personal ones. In that order.

Perhaps there are signs posted around the base that point to facilities containing the above?

Here's something concrete: take a good look around and note any kind of dates on crates, scraps, signs, etc. How many millennia has this base sat here for? That said, there should be writing around the base. Painted signs, etc. Can we read it? Is it different in dialect from what we speak?

>>15549117
Might also be worth seeing if we can find any parts to repair the damage to our weapons. I believe they were damaged at least. Maybe even taking apart the defense sats on our way out if we can manage unless we rather keep this place as a safe haven if we need it.

>>15549115
>not like we're in a rush to grab everything and run.
>test the air for pathogens and viruses, anything harmful we need to look out for

Yes. This.

>>15549175
It's far better to keep this place as a safe port of call.
Its defenses have lasted for around 64,000 years; nothing in this part of the galactic arm can penetrate its defensive line. And judging by the evidence of some of our technology being reverse-engineered and used by aliens, and the debris around this system, we can't be confident that anyone would welcome us.

Okay, Vedibere, do you need anything more from us, or are you writing it up now?

Writing, but a quick answer to this
>>15549151
>
Here's something concrete: take a good look around and note any kind of dates on crates, scraps, signs, etc. How many millennia has this base sat here for? That said, there should be writing around the base. Painted signs, etc. Can we read it? Is it different in dialect from what we speak?
Everything seems to be in Standardized Universal Imperial Communication Form, called Universal or Common.

The rest in next post(s).

You find Lieutenant Parson sitting in the (still somewhat in disarray) officer’s lounge, a half dozen datapads around him. He holds two, sometimes three, and on occasion switches the wires tying them together around before returning to his evaluation. Compressed and sifted data from the attack on the drone in the station, you see.

“Lieutenant, a word.” Your voice flows from the comms as always, a method of communication you have begun to grow used to. Not so much for Parson, it seems, the young officer starting in his chair and giving a shocked squeak.

Flushing a bit, he clears his throat and adjusts the high collar on his formal uniform, “Yes sir, what do you need?”

“Do you have the report on the station core yet?”

“Ah, about that sir. I have some guesses but I’d really like to get over there with Dai and check it out firsthand.” he scratches his cheek, looking thoughtful, “Though if I had to say offhand, I’d guess there’s actually something in there and it wasn’t wiped. The volume of the system and the reports we managed to get before the connection was severed don’t match up.”

He leans forward and picks up a different datapad, waving it in the air toward one of your optics, “Also, I looked through the info on the attack itself. High-grade stuff, but I could get through.” He looks nervous, then continues, “But, well, there’s a problem. In... emergency situations we’re allowed to link systems to the reactor, to detonate it in case of intrusion. My systems could get in, but I’m pretty sure whatever software is on there would, if it has that protocol activated, blow the station. And uh, I’d say that’s likely considering what the rest of the station looks like.”

“Better and better.” you grumble, “So is there any way to get in?”

“Yes. Well, I think so.” He shuffles through his slates and finds another, flicking through it briefly before continuing, “Yeah, I think you could get in considering the specs I was given for your systems. There would be a time limit before it reached the critical threshold, and it would probably only work once... maybe twice. But if you could get in and set us friendly to the counter-intrusion wares -- or even just turn deactivate them -- then I think we would have full system access.”

“Well done, Lieutenant. I’ll take it into consideration. Now, another question for you; do you have any high-level army passcodes that would allow us to access the base below?”

“Um. Afraid not, captain. They like to keep us nice and compartmentalized. You ask Ivanova?”

“Yes, she advised me that the best chance was to ask you or Lieutenant Rinn. What do you think of reanimating him?”

“Oh, well, he might know. I doubt it, but anything is possible, and since we found a base and planet I doubt we’ll be low on supplies.” The Intelligence officer leans back in his chair, arching his back and cracking his arms behind him. “Ahhh, is that all sir?”

“It is, but I wouldn’t count your chickens on supplies yet Lieutenant. Unless they are made out of bean-paste, that is.”

“Great.” His face curls in distaste and he picks up the slate again, “Well, is that all captain?”

“Yes, dismissed.” you reply, cutting the line and searching for Tynes.

You find him in medbay, laying on his stomach upon a cot, shirt off, with Dr. Burr to the side. The rotund doctor’s head is engulfed by a vision-enhancement helmet with a dizzying array of lenses clicking back and forth, a needle in one hand and screwdriver in another. A few minutes pass as he pokes and prods at the alloyed spine grafted into Lt. Tynes, eventually drawing back and taking off the contraption.

“Well, everything still looks good. There doesn’t appear to be any damage from the cryofreeze, just be aware and tell me if you begin to feel anything strange.” as he speaks the doctor jots some notes on a datapad and eventually nods, smiling.

Now dressed again, Lt. Tynes hops down from the bed and returns the grin, “Thank you, doc, good to hear.”

“Gentlemen, if I may interrupt?”

We have to remember that we can't just rely on the defensive platforms for protection, because an enemy force could have a weapons range longer than that of the platforms. So if we're orbiting at about half of the platforms' ranges, and the enemy can shoot farther than that, they can hit us without being in danger from the platforms. Pic related.

How is our combat readiness?

“Hello, sir.” Tynes says, turning and saluting one of the optics as Dr. Burr nods, “Captain.”

“I have some questions and, maybe, orders for you both. First, Dr. Burr, have you been over the records of Orrin in the databanks?”

“I have, but they are severely out of date. Still, it looks habitable and without anything that would compromise standard immunity nanites, according to last report.” he rolls over and grabs another datapad, thumbing through the contents, “Yes, just a few low level allergens that are easily corrected for or purified. But again, sixty-five thousand years.”

“Understood, I’ll have the drones bring back samples of air, various plants, fauna, and water for you to scan. We need resupply, as I’m sure you are aware.”

The doctor sighs, “Captain, I’m a doctor not a botanist. But I’ll do the best I can. It will take a day or two.”

“Good, also please see about waking Lieutenant Rinn, Weapons Officer. We may have need of his expertise.”

Both Dr. Burr and Tynes freeze, eventually the dark lieutenant breaks the silence, “Hostiles, sir?”

“No, no, though we need to stay on guard. Access to certain parts of the base planetside.” You shift to Lt. Tynes, “Speaking of which, Lieutenant, if the tests prove safe I’m going to need you to go down and begin classifying supplies, materiel, and consumables to ferry up to us. I’ll have a list prepared for you soon. Any questions?”

“No, sir.” the man replies, before you thank him and ‘depart’.

>>15549617
>How is our combat readiness?
Nobody has really assessed it yet. At a guess: Poor or worse.

>>15549617
If that was the case, they would have cleared the defense platforms already.
They know that this system is a treasure trove of ancient and advanced technology; the number of dead hulks beyond the weapons range of the defense platforms shows that people thought this place was worth sending lots of crews to their deaths for.

>>15549625
>Captain, I’m a doctor not a botanist.
Haha! I was waiting for this to come up!

Anyway, can we check in on Dai and the reactor? I want to know if it's been stabilized yet.

>>15549651
Those could have been sitting in space for thousands of years. Lord knows what sort of ships will be coming up now. I'd say set one of Dai's cronies to survey our defenses and weapons systems.

We can't run very well right now and we don't know how well we can fight, so if we don't examine the weapons and shit does hit the fan, someone better come up with a third option to fight or flight, cause those two choices aren't even worth considering.

>>15549678
After checking the reactor, and while waiting for Rinn to thaw out, and for the drones to go down to the planet and come back with samples, let's also have our sensors do active scans of the debris field.
Look for mostly intact ships, and tag them for later retrieval.
This will give us insight into the level of technology of the surrounding civilizations, and their weapon systems. Maybe even some corpses for dissection and analysis.
We will, of course, have to take into account how old some of these wrecks are; we don't want to go into a system expecting to fight ships with primitive railguns, then be surprised by blackhole cannons and dimensional rotation guns.

>>15549651
I'm saying that, assuming no enemy ship has a range greater than that of the platforms, which, while possible, I doubt (considering these platforms were said to not be very good), they still might have a range far enough that they could hit something drifting between the platforms themselves and their maximum range, for example, us. So unless we're at the same altitude as the platforms, which we probably aren't given our size, we could be vulnerable.
Maybe I'm just talking out of my ass, but it wouldn't hurt to try to get our guns up.

What would it take to assess our weapons?

>>15549709
But if they have those advanced weapons you're afraid of, why haven't they come to clear away the defense platforms?
The probes were still transmitting data, and there are at least 3 different civilizations monitoring this system. If they could out-range the platforms, why haven't they already gotten rid of them?

>>15549716
>So unless we're at the same altitude as the platforms, which we probably aren't given our size, we could be vulnerable.
Actually no.
The debris field is spread throughout the entire star system in a sphere, so it follows that the defense platforms are spread throughout the entire system rather than just orbiting the planet.

>>15549716
Mind you, these 12 defense platforms are scattered around the SYSTEM, not the planet.

I forgot to mention, but someone did ask for a system scan. Five planets, one gas giant orbiting midways out, four rocky inner planets. Three superhot and orbiting close, Orrin orbiting in the habitable zone between the GG and star. Two moons around it, none around the inners, twelve around the giant.

So yes, these twelve defense sats have the system covered in their sphere of fire. Obviously some of it heavier than other places, such as Orrin.

>>15549738
Maybe because the civilizations monitoring the system only care about traffic entering. Maybe these are just early warning systems waiting for a military vessel such as ourselves or someone from this Ophidian Empire to try to salvage the area. Alien ships gate in and suddenly we're on their shit list because we look like this dead Empire's ship.

I'm just saying. Ten thousand years. Singularities have come and gone. I have no idea what could be out there, and for all intents and purposes, it could be anything. I want a weapon in case whatever it is is hostile. Or if I can't have a weapon, I want to know how many weapons are doing.

>>15549790
"My" not "many."

>>15549790
It's been 64,000 years since we went into stasis.

We also haven't done any dating tests on the debris field, so saying anything about how old they are is nothing but wild conjecture at this point.

Vedibere, good to see you posting!

>>15549845
That's a fine point. Okay how about this:

We send a probe out, tell it to look around for bigger shit, if it finds a mostly intact ship, then that might give us an indication about when all this debris starting spawning.

If it looks relatively new, or less technologically advanced than the platforms, we'll focus on other priorities than weapons. If the debris looks very old, however, or looks extremely advanced beyond us in technology, I want a weapons update.

Vedibere, good to see you posting! You're one of the few quest writers who can honestly be called "eloquent," and you're even doing characterization, you clever writer you, even though anon still has a problem with giving useful orders.

Salvage: In case it wasn't clear, these should be our salvage priorities:

1. Consumables (food, water, etc.) (Do we have any technology on-board that can pump out edible... stuff if fed enough random biomass?) We can't do shit if we are dead.

2. Manufacturing and tools. Anything in the way of autolathes or machine tools for the production of stuff we cannot synthesize on-board is VITAL. We no longer have a shipyard to run home to, nor resupply ships to count on. Tools are vital. Tools.

3. Raw materiel. Given the difficulty of synthesizing unisteels to feed into any machine tools we might find, we're far better off latching onto any repair stock in the ancient cargo bays of the base.

4. Expendable munitions. Missiles, bombs, spare drone fighters - resupplying that shit is going to be nigh impossible, so we should focus on finding those goodies before anything else.

>>15549877
>weapons update

Even before the 'base codes' thing came up, I was going to push for thawing our weapons officer. Given the obvious disparity in tech levels I've no doubt we could hold our own with 10% shields, the few guns we can still warm up without having examined/repaired the systems and the drone fighters, but we can only trust that so far.

Having our Weps officer awake is also vital for directing fruitful salvage operations of the base to maximize our gains. So yes, let's wake that bastard.

>Ivanova

If I recall correctly, her profile said something about a sint with Intel? She's a spook. Spooks gonna spook.

>probes

The similarity of the tech seems to prove that the locals are "successor states," i.e. smaller governments rising in the wake of a larger empire's collapse. Rome's technology didn't vanish with Rome, for the most part.

So whoever out there aren't total uncivilized barbarians, which is good.

>>15549877
Alright. That's an acceptable compromise.

>>15549932
>So whoever out there aren't total uncivilized barbarians, which is good.
Unless they hate you for being the brutal oppressive overlords, then it might not be so good. BUT HOW WILL YOU KNOW?

>>15549932
Hmmm a group of evenly-matched countries fighting for supremacy with vastly differing viewpoints? We hold a massive war machine from a forgotten era that could possibly turn the tide of battle? IN SPACE?

I would be 100% okay if that is where this quest takes us, but I can't shake off the sneaking suspicion that around the bend is a fleet of Protoss, or the Flood, or the things from Dead Space or some shit. This all just screams Space Horror to me.

>>15549877
>If it looks relatively new, or less technologically advanced than the platforms, we'll focus on other priorities than weapons.

Frankly, once we wake the weapons officer, that's all he'll have to do: fix weapons systems. Just because of our situation (alone with no shipyards assumed operable and friendly) manufacturing ability is more important then extra missiles: especially since, in our weakened state, if the missiles still in the bins/stores aren't enough to save us, we're fucked anyhow.

And since we're waking our weapons officer anyhow, we can pretty much count on him keeping busy by fixing our blammo cannons. There's not much trade-off needed here; we're overthinking things.

Still, scouting the debris field with a few drones couldn't hurt - lets do as much as we can in the time we have.

>>15549985
Really? I got Master of Orion, except we're a surviving Antaran cruiser who stumbled onto a world with a Guardian that ID's us as friendly, yet is surrounded by all of the formerly oppressed client races.

>>15550000
I'm okay with that because it means there are blue space elves somewhere out there.

>>15549887
>>15549932

I agree with these two. Salvage needs to focus on consumables, tools, raw materials, then ammunition/expendables. As for defense, thaw our weapons officer to get a better accounting of our defensive options, weaponry, etc.

I know it was mentioned, but never expounded upon- is there any possibility there's cryofrozen troops here? given the status of the base so far, it seems unlikely, but it's worth asking

>>15549887
I would mostly agree with this.
1) Food/Water
2) Material that can be immediately used to repair/augment our ship
3) Tools
4) Material that needs to be tooled first
5) Munitions

>>15549995
Well, fixing the weapons and heat dissipation systems will take raw materials and components away from other repairs. That's the trade-off.
I mean, remember that the reactor is still kind of unstable, and only outputting about 12% of its normal operating output.
Then there's all of the repairs to the onboard computer systems and databanks.

>>15549975
>BUT HOW WILL YOU KNOW?

A very simple litmus test. "Are the shooting at us Y/N?"

(At least some of) the successor states hating our fucking guts for being members of the legendarily brutal regime of the past is a damn sure bet, but it's all worth it, because it means that modern, technological civilization as we know it still exists in some form.

Yes, that means we could get access to shipyards and ally with races that have the tools to make the tools that make the tools we need (rather then having to rebuild the tech tree with the maintenance kit we keep under the pilot's seat,) but that's all secondary to my main concern.

Somewhere in the galaxy, they still make cheeseburgers.

And that is a beautiful thing.

>>15550011
According the message left by the Glorious Destiny, they completely evacuated the base and the colony.
I doubt there's anyone left.

>>15550021
It has been more than 60000 years. I doubt our empire is more than a fairy tale at best, or a bogeyman at worst.

>>15550018
>Well, fixing the weapons and heat dissipation systems will take raw materials and components away from other repairs. That's the trade-off.

True, but let's not get ahead of ourselves: we'll let the Weps officer tell us what shape everything is, and what it'll cost us to fix 'em. Missiles generate little heat and if we've a sufficient number serviceable or readily repairable, we can focus on bringing the launchers up to par in the meantime.

They also give us a standoff advantage, and since we're so fucked up right now, that's helpful.

>>15550053
>It has been more than 60000 years.

And our chief engineer is 500 years old. Longer living through SCIENCE! A year is a lot shorter to future-men then it is to us, and our years are shorter then they were to our ancestors, who's life expectancy averaged 65.

Also, sci-fi writers have no sense of scale.

Okay, for the record:

Weapons Officer: An advisor (usually old and having seen many campaigns) to the captain whose duties consist of identifying enemy tactics, strategies, weaponry, ect. and giving advice when requested on employing a ships firepower to best effect.

So yes, he will know all about every gun and shield generator on the ship but he's not an engineer... he doesn't personally go and fix them.

Vedibere, are you writing or do you need more concrete courses of action from us?

>Writefag smart enough to drop hints as to the nature of the current galaxy
>Readers smart enough to appreciate them and discuss the clues

>>15550118
Only if you want to, I'm working with what is currently on the table. Feel free to add though, I'm still taking input as I write.

>>15550113
>So yes, he will know all about every gun and shield generator on the ship but he's not an engineer... he doesn't personally go and fix them.

That's *EXACTLY* the man we need. We're not going to get a fraction of our firepower online again in a month of Sundays, much less short term. No matter what, we'll be fighting with much less then we're accustomed to.

So it is of TANTAMOUNT importance that we have a man who can:

1. -use what little we have to the greatest, most devastating effect, and
2. -tell us which shield generators, weapons, coverage arcs and equipment are most vital to bring online.

This is what I said in the last thread, and it still holds true now. Our repair ability in Engineers and Repair Drones is a fixed quantity, this man can tell us how to make the most of it, and use it well.

>>15550140
First thing next post should be us checking in with Dai. Make sure that the reactor has been stabilized. If it has, then ask him to work with Parson on identifying what's hidden on the Gate computer core; air our suspicion that there might be a dormant EI or an AI in there, given the vast amount of storage taken up by 'something'.

Get drones to collect those samples for the doctor, and another set of drones and active scans to sift through the debris field for intact hulks.

And once Rinn has been thawed and is ready, ask him about the codes.

You know, it's possible that this system wasn't quarantined at all.
It could be that as the Empire came apart, they started pulling resources back from the frontier towards the Core Worlds, and mothballing their colonies and military bases.
When the Empire was strong again, they could just come back, metaphorically turn the water and electricity back on, do a little cleanup, and they'd have a colony world ready for colonization again. The automated defenses would be to make sure that no one else took such valuable planets, and just in case, all of the high-tech equipment would be stripped to make sure that it wouldn't fall into enemy hands.

>>15550236

That's actually what I've been thinking, too. It seems a lot more likely, given the status of the base- it looks like the pullout was orderly, and the station was thoroughly decommissioned, but not beyond the ability of a crew to get up and running again (beyond OUR ability, sure, but not a dedicated crew)

That makes me more hopeful for the nature of the salvage in the base, too. Seems likely that it'd be the kind of stuff that you'd need in a reclamation colony- food, medical supplies, tools, Alloys, that kind of thing. maybe not so much weapons and ammo, but still, things we could use.

>>15550330
But as Parson mentioned, the one big thing we have to be careful of, is a self-destruct switch.
Both the Gate station and the military base probably have them.
Without the codes, we'll need to hack into the systems, and that could end very badly.

>>15550407

Right. maybe it'd be better to start pulling salvage from the ground side base before we start to muck about with the locked stuff. we got into everything except the reactor and Command center, and it's not likely they'll have anything we need anyway, except for computer info- which, to be blunt, we can wait for- or do without, for the time being. whatever else we can salvage, though, may be a little less optional

Didnt think this'd be back until later in the week, guess I'll check the archives more carefully next time.

All of everybody's requests for investigations seem in order. Let's do this.

>>15550509
Of course. We're not in a rush.
If we get the codes, we reactivate and everything's fine.
If we don't get the codes, then we take our time, getting critical supplies first, then sifting through everything else. We get it all out of the base, and THEN we try to hack into it.
It would be nice to have the base because the workshops are already built; we just need to unpack the tools and turn the power on.

3d10 Please

rolled 4, 2, 8 = 14

roll

rolled 1, 6, 5 = 12

>>15550599
here goes nothing

rolled 4, 8, 8 = 20

>>15550599
Rolling

rolled 5, 2, 4 = 11

rolled 10, 6, 2 = 18

>>15550599
ROLLAN!

rolled 7, 6, 3 = 16

>>15550599

Rolling.

To set the base's reactor to self destruct, it must be intact, right? If we can disable the self destruct, is there any chance we could salvage it for parts?

rolled 1, 3, 8 = 12

>>15550599

>>15550654
I don't know if that's wise.
Do you really want to start taking apart the containment housing for a black hole? Because that's what you're suggesting.

We call it a 'reactor' but it's actually a contained singularity.

>>15550694
To think if we could harvest the black hole for all the matter inside...

>>15550710
Tell me how we turn off a black hole.

Besides, trying to get a power plant designed for a base to fit into the superstructure of a cruiser is going to require a lot of restructuring, much of which could compromise the structural integrity of the ship.

Of course, that even assumes that they decided to stick with a singularity for the power source, instead of using something cheaper, which may not work as well for the Harbinger.

>>15550774
Not like we're not already compromised.

This shouldn't need a bump

You finally give permission to Parson and a positively giddy (well, as much as the man can be) Dai to take a shuttle to the station and, observing all proper protocols, find out what they can about the computer core. Your suspicion that there is an AI or EI inside the core is noted and both men assure you they will take all appropriate precautions with it.

The drones, too, are dispatched... three places, in fact. First, to collect samples from the planet; air, water, flora and if possible fauna. Soil samples, rock samples, ambient samples, sublayer samples, sample samples. Everything that could hold relevance. Dr. Burr seems quite overwhelmed by the flood of work and mumbles about how he always used to have assistants to do this kind of grunt work as they pile up.

Second, to the debris field. You begin reviewing the larger hulks for possible markers of passed time. Degradation, metal fatigue, whatever signs you can see.

Third and finally, on request of Lt. Tynes you give him control of several probes inside the base, to speed cataloguing and assessment of materiels to transfer.

Still, for now there is a more important task at hand: The reanimation of Weapons Officer, Third Lieutenant Mardigan “Guns” Rinn; Responsible for maintaining an accurate evaluation of the ship’s combat readiness, assessing enemy tactics and armament, and offering combat advice to the captain if requested. Male. Muscular, white hair, slightly scarred face. Internal augmentation. Apparent age 58, actual age 437. Illegally enlisted as an apprentice spacer at age 15, saw action the same year. Logged in excess of 140 campaigns aboard 29 different ships of varying classes. Highly decorated. Applied and was accepted to the Armada Officer Academy at age 319. Graduated and was assigned as WO by dint of service length and breadth. Served as WO aboard six vessels before application of transfer to the Harbinger.

Vedibere you alive bro?

Pulling Lt. Rinn from his cold coffin, however, proves to be one of the more troublesome reanimations. The man immediately begins choking as his lower-grade enlisted cybernetics seize, causing a tense minute as Dr. Burr brings them back online. Successfully. You personally brief Rinn -- the last of your command staff -- on the situation and he nods, a grim smile on his lips. His only comment: “Aye cap’n. Same ship, same crew, bigger problems, don’t matter. No matter who, the Empire’ll give ‘em what they deserve.” Dr. Burr tells you he will be down for two to three days for a full medical scan, and you approve: no sense in risking the man’s life when you have time.

The next three days pass in relative peace. The crew’s spirits are, while still obviously shaken, greatly restored by orbiting a blue-green world -- just like the ancient pictures of earth! -- instead of the vast open void. The possibility of fresh, non-rationed food also lifts morale and you can occasionally even see a smile or two. Rarely, of course. Eventually the reports come in, of mixed results:

The ID tags on many of the crates give, finally, a rough idea of the date when the base was abandoned. OY-19439 -- fifty-eight years after your mishap.

The ruined mass of orbiting ships, on the other hand, are fare more recent from what you can tell... for a given definition of recent. Exploring thirty hulks gives you a range of 20,000 years old for the largest and most intact to a mere 100.

Finally, some plausibly good news. While he has not had time to assess the local plants and wildlife Dr. Burr can confirm that the air *should* be breathable, though highly oxygenated. He advises no open flames, citing the still-raging wildfire in the forests around where you used the shuttle’s onboard weapons to burn out the landing zone.

“Well, captain, I think we’ve gotten as much as we’re going to out of this thing.” Parson turns and slaps the side of the computer core as he speaks, drawing a glare from Chief Dai. “We’ve confirmed that there is a whole load of information, and that it’s linked directly to the singularity reactor,” he continues, oblivious, “and I’ve prepared as much data as I can to make the job easier for you when you go. Here’s the setup and protocols to use, and while you’re in there I thi--”

*And what about the other options, Parson?* you ‘hear’ across the comm channel between the Harbinger and the station. Lt. Ivanova. *Perhaps you should tell the Kapitan about them as well, rather than just your pet project?*

“Bitch.” he mutters, *Yes, I was just getting to that. Thank you. So much.*

But it’s Dai who speaks up, “Don’t need to hack it, at least not if all you want is station control. Would take time. Couple weeks, maybe longer, but could bypass it if we link it to another computer core.”

“Yes, but we won’t get all the data that’s on there.” interjects Parson, again, “There’s a lot, too. No way to tell what it is, but without going in we’ll never find out.”

>>15551098
>Third Lieutenant Mardigan
Odd rank.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant#Third_lieutenant
So is this rank more equivilant to use in the former Warsaw pact?

>>No way to tell what it is, but without going in we’ll never find out.
Famous last words. But yeah, go for it.

>>15551127
Information is what we sorely lack. We must get more information concerning what happened, and if there are other mothballed worlds like this that we can find and use.

I say we hack it; but make sure that the Harbinger is on the other side of the planet when we do so.
If the self-destruct activates, the planet's mass should provide us with some protection.

>>15551127
Well then, risk, however small the chances, of blowing up the station for the data, or play pretty and safe with the bypass.

Fuck it. Evacuate all personel from the station. We'll give it a shot. Worse comes to worst, it's not a tremendous loss as most of the station has been neutered to the point of uselessness. The station is basically only good for info, actually.

>>15551149
Nah. He's the lowest ranking senior officer on the ship.

Captain
Lt.
2nd Lt.
3rd Lt.
Ensign
Midshipman
Enlisted crew

>>15551188

Agree. No guts, no glory. After the matter of our immediate survival, a lack of information is our next most pressing concern.

Let's take reasonable safety precautions. Clear the station, keep the ship at a safe distance, keep an eye on the defense stations in case they turn on us. Then let's hack that sucker.

>>15551127

Does the stations computer core have to be connected to the singularity, or could we simply hook it up to some kind of gigantic battery?

Has anyone considered trying to cut up some of the ships in the debris field and use them as a patches until we can effect more permanent repairs?

As long as we have FTL capability and sensors with sufficient resolution, we can find out what happened in any system's "past" by observing it at a certain distance. To see what was going on here a year ago, we could jump one light-year out, for instance.

Obviously, with the ship in its present condition, making multiple jumps is not advised. But this is something to keep in mind for later.

If we could use the resources in this system (such as we might find in the base or the starship graveyard) to fashion an FTL-capable probe, that would be great, but without a shipyard it's probably impossible. ...Unless one of those blasted hulks just happened to be disabled, but easily repairable.

>>15551218
If they got ripped to shreds by the turrets that we outgun by orders of mangitude, they're probably not worth it

>>15551237
A patch is a patch. They don't need to take weapons fire just hold in the atmosphere.

>>15551218
I like this

Also, is the base on the same side of the planet as the station (assuming the station is in geosynchronous orbit), and could the station's detonation be large enough to cause damage to the base if it is? It would have to be a ludicrously large explosion, but then again, it's powered by a black hole.

>>15551243
Uh, what do you think you spent nearly a month doing before you took the first jump?

All the holes are patched. The minor damage is fully repaired, the major damage is mostly repaired, and the critical damage is sealed. Remember how you had to seal one of those huge gashes to stop the engines from venting into your fuselage?

>>15551189
Ok, so different from current day usage.

>>15551127
>But it’s Dai who speaks up, “Don’t need to hack it, at least not if all you want is station control. Would take time. Couple weeks, maybe longer, but could bypass it if we link it to another computer core.”

>“Yes, but we won’t get all the data that’s on there.” interjects Parson, again, “There’s a lot, too. No way to tell what it is, but without going in we’ll never find out.”
Never is a very long time. Why cant we hack into it after it's been cut out of the loop as in Dai's option? I know Parsons is younger and less experienced than the others but it seems like he's well acting a bit odd.

>>15551261
Caveat: Obviously, by repaired I meant field repairs. It won't be good as new unless you get to a fully stocked high-tech (by your standards) shipyard.

>>15551250
The Gate station is at a LaGrange point, not geosynchronous orbit.

>>15551268
>Why cant we hack into it after it's been cut out of the loop as in Dai's option?
No power, it will be turned off.

Alright, so it appears that majority is that we're going to hack the station's computer core, after we move the ship a safe distance away.
Let's crack this sucker open!

>>15551218

Considered it, but given the possibility of the stuff we need being in the base- along with all the tools- it's a lot of effort, especially given our relatively limited manpower. Right now, I'd call it a backup option. plus, I doubt the stuff they're made of is as good as the stuff we're made of.

>>15551281
Cant we supply it with power while removing its ability to tell the reactors to go fuck themselves?

>>15551343
It's telling its power source to go fuck itself and you want to hook a power source up to it.

Do you see the problem here? If we knew its particular avenues of overloading or self destructing its power source that could probably work, but without that we risk it blowing up whatever power source we hook up to it.

>>15551111
The largest and most intact are also the oldest. Probably because they were the ones that were able to scavenge lost Ophidian technology the best.
The more recent ones probably had to develop their stuff on their own, and so that's why they were torn to shreds by the defense platforms.

Since the most recent attempts to breach the defenses of this system were 100 years ago, they will likely try again sometime soon. They will have undoubtedly have attempted to develop better weapons and shielding in order to get past the defenses, but if they've been trying for the past 20,000 years, and STILL can't get past the pickets, I don't think they'll be getting past them anytime soon.

Vedibere, do you need any more input from us, or are you writing?

>>15551362
>The largest and most intact are also the oldest. Probably because they were the ones that were able to scavenge lost Ophidian technology the best.
The more recent ones probably had to develop their stuff on their own, and so that's why they were torn to shreds by the defense platforms.

It could also be that the earliest, and most intact, examples were warships while the most recent are explorers, surveyors, or other ships not designed to take a rail slug.

In the last sixty thousand some years it's entirely possible, probable depending on the amount of life in the galaxy, that species have gone from pre-agrarian to multiple system spanning civilizations and have no knowledge of the Ophidian Empire outside of reverse engineered technology.

The amount of time that has passed means that we cannot, in good faith, make any assumptions about the relative capabilities or levels of technological progression of any ships or civilizations we might encounter unless we take the time to inspect and dissect some of the hulks - both old and new - and glean information such as their metallurgical makeup, computer processing power, and any weapons. And even then at best our information will be a minimum of a century out of date, and a lot of progress can be made in a century.

>>15551393
>unless we take the time to inspect and dissect some of the hulks

I'd love playing xenoarcheologist. We should definitely do that at a later point.

>>15551393
Yes, that's true.
I'm actually more interested in acquiring intact corpses for dissection and analysis, as well as cultural artifacts.
If we can understand a civilization's culture, we can understand how they think, and how we can best exploit their cultural weaknesses.

>>15551391
I'm writing, trying something new. Bear with me.

>>15551432
>>15551420
>>15551393
>play xenoarcheologist
>collect xeno art
>use art to develop tailored tactics
>win

>>15549603
>Your voice flows from the comms as always, a method of communication you have begun to grow used to. Not so much for Parson, it seems, the young officer starting in his chair and giving a shocked squeak.

Something I just thought of: a Disembodied noise of someone approaching down a hallway preceeding us, the sound of footsteps getting closer. Would be interesting to see if this freaked out Parsons more or less.

>>15551553
If the objective is to freak him out less we could always "knock" with a chime or the like rather than pretending to be a ghost.

>>15551553
If that doesn't work, we could just use a chime, like an incoming call ringtone.

Can we make any sense of the warning labels and stuff on the probes we took in and disassembled? I mean things like "repeated symbols" mostly.

Also, it might be wise to declare ourselves in an emergency situation. I'm sure there are protocols for dealing with this sort of thing: stranded, away from resupply, sensor damage and lost in space, etc. Mostly to keep the crew from going insane, and to maybe convince Lt. Ivanova and others that secrets will get us nowhere.

>>15551571
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSP_n_BIe0w
SNAKE DO YOU READ ME

I would also give a thought to thawing an assistant for the doctor. We've given him some work outside our field of expertise, and the crew is getting bigger. No matter how good, he's only one man and he can only do so much at once.

>>15551610
Why don't we just thaw the rest of the crew?

>>15551610
Outside his, sorry. And cataloguing all that fauna is simply tedious. Could easily benefit from a pair of helping hands.

>>15551610
Thaw them out only after we've secured a supply of food.
Whether it's local flora and fauna, or a huge cache of military-grade freeze-dried bean paste rations.

>>15551629
We're waiting for an inventory of food/water/air before we can be certain that we can sustain a larger crew. That's why we have such a small crew right now.

>>15551629
Because our food will only last a few months, and then only if we put everyone on starvation rations.

>>15551653
And that's excluding the non-substantial amount that will invariably disappear into a still underneath a deck plate in engineering.

>>15551649
>>15551653
And after we've secured the necessary supplies?

Parson hands ‘you’ a datapad, just managing to catch it as your drone-fingers fail to grasp it securely then scratches his head, “Ah, sorry, guess I’ll just read you the conclusion anyway.”

“We -- ‘I’, I guess -- think the key is going to be buried deep inside the system. I’m not sure if it’s an AI, EI, or advanced counter-intrusion program; regardless, standard AI/EI warfare procedures should be viable. Whatever it is will be pulling the terrascape from the datastreams and, uh, ‘memories’ of both sides. The farther in you go the more aggressive the defenses will become. If you can though, don’t fight them, fighting them might make it easier in the short term but overall it will just draw more attack routines. The objective will be an extremely important object of some type, that can’t be changed... but it will probably try to hide it somewhere nondescript.”

He takes a breath and wipes away a bit of sweat, “Any questions?”

You try to prevent a sigh, but it escapes your speaker anyway, a soft burst of static. “Lieutenant, I’m an EI.”

His brows knit, “Sir?”

“Trust me. I know.”

You pick up a soft snicker from Dai and Lt. Parson shoots him an annoyed glance, “U-uh, right. Sorry sir. Estimates project nine seconds before ejection and we won’t get another try.”

>>15551686
Then we'll bring the rest of the crew out of cryo.

Honestly, we've had this planned out from the first thread already; why are you trying to mess up our planned schedule?

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” and with that you slowly float over to the access port.

“Ah, one more thing, sir.” Parson manages, he seems to be sweating even more now. “While you are inside, uh, I would suggest you check the date. I- I don’t think you were in error, but maybe there was some mistake in the system. We can’t be... I mean... well, even if you don’t gain access the system clock shouldn’t be hard to check.”

“Date’s accurate. Singularity clock.” Dai says in monotone, not looking up from his task rerouting wiring.

“That could be wrong!” the Intelligence officer shoots back sharply. “There were theories, I know about them. Flux instability, or something like that. It could be off!”

Dai snorts, “Ivory tower theorists. No practical grounding, no tests, fuzzy math. Fringe science. Even if true, off by picoseconds at most. Besides, just cross-reference with containers in base.”

Parson ignores him in favor of turning back to you, calm again, “Anyway, I think it would be prudent to check Captain.”

>Next few updates will be cyber-warfare. Special rules. You will have nine actions total. They can be Look, Attack, and Access as you choose. You can use any number of these actions at any time.

>You will be presented with a scene with a number of things happening at no cost. You may then use actions. The scene will change when you Access something to enter the next scene. When nine actions have elapsed or you have accessed the system key the intrusion will be over.

>>15551720
Sorry, I didn't know asking questions messed up your schedule.

>At this point do any actions you want to in the physical world before plugging in.

>>15551723
So that means that, say, Looking around our scene means 1 second lost?
Then using Access to move to the next scene, and Look around, is another 2 seconds?

>>15551731
Say "If I'm not back in nine seconds, keep waiting."

Y'know. Levity.

>>15551723

it'sfuckingonnowchaps.jpg

>>15551742
>You will be presented with a scene with a number of things happening at no cost. You may then use actions.
Look is only for gaining specific information about objects. The scenes themselves don't cost anything.

>>15551731
We wanted to move away from the possible blast zone, right?

>>15551731
Make sure that the Harbinger has been moved to a safe distance from the Gate Station, and that all personnel have been evacuated.
Also, I think it prudent for everyone to take crash positions just in case something goes wrong.

>>15551742

It probably means that's how many actions can take take in a second. We're in a Combat Phase, but we have Initiative Passes. That's how many passes we get in the Combat Phase.

Sounds like this should be entertaining. I trust everyone wont get us or the crew all killed horribly.
Night anons.

>>15551758
> You can use any number of these actions at any time.

>>15551758
No...we have 9 actions total, each action being 1 second to execute.
So every single one of our actions has to count.

Vedibere, have we undergone intrusion training before?
In the past, what forms have the system keys taken?

>>15551758
No.

9 action pool for the entire intrusion, can be used in any number at any time.

Scene presented on initiation and after >Access

Can use Look, Attack, or Access for the cost of 1 action.

1 second seems kind of slow for a computer

>>15551788
Good question!

You didn't undergo intrusion 'training' per-se, so much as you have vast databanks and an intuitive understanding of the process as an EI.

In the past when you were practicing or executing intrusions the scenes took the form of surreal depictions of powerful, defining moments in the participant AI/EI's lives. These scenes can be pulled from either side, and obviously whoever actually lived through that scene will have an inherent advantage. Previous experiences have included the first time you killed a person, an enemy EI's first date, and when you received your notice of selection for EI captain of the Harbinger.

>>15551841
And the system key? In each of those situations, what form did it take?
The first time we killed, was it the weapon we used?
For the first date, was it a flower?
For the selection, was it the selection notice?

>>15551867
I mean, it won't be obvious, will it? Like have a halo around it, dancing flames, or some goddamned sparkles and rainbows, will it?

Also, will you do something like putting the system key in the very first scene, relying on us assuming that the key MUST be somewhere deeper within the system?
Because I totally would do something like that.

>>15551731

We should talk to Parsons. He needs to understand that the year is an academic issue at this point. It's obvious that the Empire has changed while we were away. Our immediate job is to survive and secure the means to continue to survive. The long term goal is to find out what shape the Empire at large is in, and make contact with whatever elements remain.

He was ready to die when he enlisted wasn't he? That's all this is, right now. A coda, with the possibility for opening up the next movement in a long performance. Or it could be the coda to the finale, but we won't know unless we forge on ahead.

>>15551867
For the killing, you were put back in your first fight to the death on a battlefield, right after your shuttle was shot down by alien partisans. The "key" was the act killing the man you first killed again in the simulation, only this time he was the leader of the group (he wasn't actually, just a random mook) and all of his men fought to the death to protect him.

For the first date, you were placed in a scenic city square on valentine's day evening. The key was the diamond wedding ring he presented to her two years later, you found it because it stood out in the window of an antique shop named "Futures".

For the promotion you were at the formal celebration in dress uniform. The key was indeed the notice you had received, and it took the place of the prepared speech that was sitting on the podium.

>>15551915
It will be out of place, but not obvious. And no, Parson already said that it will be buried, so you can pretty much assume at least one scene transition before you can get it.

>>15551942
Alright, I think we're ready, then.
We'll make the connection after doing the physical stuff from >>15551756
Move the Harbinger to outside the blast zone, make sure that all of our people are off the Gate station and have taken crash positions.

>>15551972
For the record, a singularity doesn't have a blast. It's a black hole. It will eat the entire system.

Details though, you can and have been (already wrote that part in the update I'm doing now) moved to a far enough range that you could escape the gravity well if it goes.

>>15552012
>It's a black hole. It will eat the entire system.
>eat the entire system
requesting WhatCouldPOssiblyGoWrong.jpg

>>15552012
Perhaps we should loot all the supplies we can before we access it then so nothing of (great) value is lost if something bad happens.

>>15552048
err access the computer system. herp

>>15552048
I think we're going to have big problems if we accidentally the entire system with a black hole.

>>15552048
It should take us only a few weeks then, to search through the military base, identify what's in the crates, and then fill our cargo holds.

>>15552077
Bigger. Still, couldn't hurt.

>>15552083
If anything. Everything was rusted through, subject to 64k years of time. I doubt there's anything usable left. Maybe bean paste.

>>15552104
If the main computer survived...

Alright, are we going to hack now, or are you going to postpone it for a few weeks while we get the supplies?

Because I'm saying to just hack into the computer core now.

>>15552142
Timeskip for supplies and THEN hack.

>>15552142
Let's get our supplies first, maybe do a bit of xenoarcheology on the side.

>>15552142
i want to move the action along too, but timeskip for supplies would be the cautious route. we're not in a real HURRY to hack stuff. That core has sat here for a long time.

Then let's hurry this up.
I'd like to get more done this session.

Timeskip for supplies and then hack makes sense but we're kind of fucking up the flow
what is our crew going to think if we've made all this prep for hacking and all of the sudden OH SHIT WAIT WE SHOULD CHECK FOR SUPPLIES
not exactly very confidence encouraging as a captain

The ship is finally in position on the far side of the system from the gate, and you stand before the core once again. All the good luck your staff could wish you lies heavy upon your shoulders, Lt. Rinn having even made the trip up from medbay to stand with the others doing so because, “I should be on the bridge if my commander is in battle, damn it.”

Still, you feel singular, something you’ve not experienced since the loss of your body. Here, a single drone, away from the ship and aboard a vessel rigged to implode.

You feel alive.

The uplink clicks as your lead connects, pain briefly exploding through your mind as your protocols adapt and counter. Vision fades to blackness with a single point of light. It bulges, expands, and explodes into a billion tiny fragments that shimmer outward... and stop. A beautiful field of stars set against the void.

You look down, and beneath you battle swirls between three forces. The darkened skies of the orange-red planet Xabos Tae swirl with green clouds. The faster-than-light bolts of energy cannons leaving delicate traceries of lance lines in the blackness, or mushroom clouds visible from space where they kiss the surface of the planet below. Your first battle, fresh out of the academy as an ensign. You descend towards the clashing three-way, drone fighters streaking through the skies... thousands of them. Far more than there were. And they burn when they near, icy-hot flashes of pain that only anti-intrusion phages can give.

You pass through the swarming cloud and into the open, struck with momentary awe once more at the vast array of ships before you. The Armada flag cruiser to which you were assigned, OIS-Hydra, dances laughing between the beams of her foes, lances from his foe’s energy cannons sliding from his roiling shields. The three destroyer escorts try to match his grace, and though two manage, the feeble bolts of the enemy absorbed or deflected from their capital grade shields, it one is already aflame, two great gashes rending it, one forward and one rear near the engines.

The enemy forces, the dueling houses Laran and Parson, are nonetheless falling back in disarray before the mighty onslaught, their frigates unable to so much as scratch the mighty forces arrayed against them and swarms of drones tearing apart the smaller ships they use for escorts. This day will be a glorious victory for the Empire, a reminder to the Great Houses that they are a part of humanity and in service to it, rather than its dominant rulers.

Your blood swirls with the heat of combat, the memories welling up within you bringing a smile to your face once more. Though you are here for a battle of a different sort. And time is of the essence.

>Action?

>>15552247
I agree.
We get everyone readied and then suddenly call it off? Doesn't look good as captain.

>Ambiance
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD4H-E0UT0Q

>>15552260
We were on the Hydra during this battle, right?
So it stands to reason that the Hydra should be the next to the next stage. Try Accessing the Hydra.

>All the people going "oshit- black hole?!?"
What did you think a singularity was? Why do you think you can leap four thousand lightyears at twenty percent power? It's because you have a black hole for a reactor, questbros.

Singularity just sounds better and is a more technical term. I thought you knew this.

>>15552296
I think the key in this scenario might be the objective we completed at that time, or some enemy ship we struck down.

The OIS Hydra should be the next place to look.

>>15552349
I don't know why they're so surprised.

>>15552361
The objective seemed to be the complete pacification of the opposing task force.

Vedibere, can we get a little more info about this battle? Like, what special significance did it have for us, besides being our first assignment and being on the Hydra?

>>15552361
I think we all understood that we had a singularity for a reactor, but it wasn't immediately assumed that if shit went down, it would just form a black hole. I would've thought it dissipated or something.

>>15552378
It was the defining moment that made you want to become a ship captain, even if it meant becoming an EI rather than entirely human. The invincible forces of the Empire sweeping in to crush their foes, the effortless ease with which not only one, but two -- two! -- of the great houses were forced into submission.

The glory and terrible majesty set your course to become what you are today.

>>15552380
Personally I assumed that it was a 'primordial' style blackhole artificially forced below its Schwarzschild radius and would explode once containment failed.

>>15552349
Does that mean that every single Imperial warship destroyed in combat releases an uncontained black hole onto the battlefield?

>>15552380
singularity = black hole
Singularity is just the technical term for a black hole. The last I remember (admittedly this was nearly 15 year ago) a black hole catastrophically explodes when it's mass reaches a specific point after radiating it away as Hawking radiation.
If the gravitational containment fields of a singularity reactor were to be turned off or fail, there would be nothing to keep the black hole's event horizon from expanding to where it should be given its mass.

Black holes are not something to be messed around with lightly.

>>15552408
Hmm, seems like "attack every single fighter to score a decisive victory" would be the goal (maybe look more closely at why there are more of them than we remember), but i hesitate to put that forth as a suggestion. i vote for >Access the Hydra.

>>15552408
Okay, so it wasn't so much a single thing so much as the battle itself.
I still think the key to the next level is the Hydra, and vote to try to Access it.

>base abandoned 58 years after

This... is rather distressing news.

The one good aspect is that there was not hundreds of years of technological advancement after we vanished; our ship is the peak of the Empire's technological ability.

The bad news is that all that bunk about "successor states" and the "eventual collapse of all empires" just sailed right out the window on a surfboard made of our shattered dreams.

Y'see, it'd be one thing of the Empire had collapsed thousands of years after we were borked - all known Empires in human history have eventually suffered a decline for whatever reason, and sooner or later the barbarians at the gates bust in whilst the citizens are too absorbed with internal matters. A slow death is expected...

... but our Empire went down only 58 years after we vanished. That's a relatively short time on old-earth, and when the average lifespan has been extended well past four or five centuries? That's OVERNIGHT.

Now lets consider the state of the Empire as we last knew it, because that was very soon before it all went to hell.

The Empire was capable of building us.

>>15552464
This is making a lot of assumptions. The base could have been abandoned for a variety of reasons, maybe it was deemed not strategically valued and left with a token force to dissuade casual looters from stealing whatever was left behind. Over the thousands of years a story of a planet defended by advanced weapons with a cache of similarly advanced technology forms and daredevils and idiots jump in to try and claim its supposed riches.

Or we can focus at the task at hand and stop assuming stuff.

>>15552408
Okay, does anything about the entire scene jump out at us as slightly wrong, or off?
This was one our most pivotal and defining memories, surely we should be able to feel what might be slightly wrong about it.

>>15552464

"Us." The Harbinger, to be precise.

Now, our last assignment was the subjugation of the hundred-worlds rebellion. Alone. Yes, our lone warship kicked the holy shit out of the combined resources of one-hundred planets. They apparently didn't have many military shipyards to utilize, but we DID wade through at least seven purpose-built warships with extra upgrades.

In other words, just before the Empire fell, it was fucking STRONG. It went out with a bang, not a whimper.

Which means that out there, somewhere, the Empire Killer still lives.

>>15552433
No. There have been some special cases when direct, extremely powerful reactor hits have caused it, but it's very rare even in such an event.

Obviously, of course, 65k years without being maintained immediately after a huge power draw (say, like caused by exploding stars impacting shields) and then an immediate second jump (advised at least 24 hours between jumps!) putting an enormous ungodly strain on the reactor systems could do some serious shit to it, like knock it down to critical status. Moral of the story: They're tough, but it's still a good idea not to abuse your singularity reactor.

But this one has been intentionally rigged to shut of the field and go vortex if it gets fucked with, of course.

>>15552512
I smell a BBEG........or several.
But thats for later. For now we should FOCUS on the task at hand.

>>15552487
>The base could have been abandoned for a variety of reasons, maybe it was deemed not strategically valued and left with a token force

Okay, so the Empire was merely in RETREAT 58 years after we vanished, which is still fucking piddling given a time frame of thousands of years. That last pre-recorded message that ended with MAY WE DIE FOR THE REAGENT doesn't exactly scream "the Base Closing Commission has mothballed this facility to save costs," does it?

Chill the fuck out, with the speed this quest moves it's not like posts-till-autosage are at a premium.

>>15552504
That's up to your collective reasoning to figure out.

I'm going to get some tea, will take the action decision(s) when I get back and start writing. So far it looks like >Access Hydra

>Access Hydra

I'm not seeing anything else that strikes me as a possible key.
Anybody else got something?

Hmm.. remembering our battle training and the mook killing.. let's use a LOOK action - to determine the command ship. Murderfying that should do the trick.

>>15552561
The only other thing I"m seeing is the bit about there being too many fighters:
>drone fighters streaking through the skies... thousands of them. Far more than there were. And they burn when they near, icy-hot flashes of pain that only anti-intrusion phages can give.

Could be something to investigate, but I'm sticking with >access hydra

I've gone over the scene carefully. Without actually having the characters memories I can't say anything jumps out at me enough to notice.

I say we access the Hydra... and report to our actual battle station we held at that time. Once we see the battle, again, from the exact same vantage point, the discrepancies should become apparent.

>>15552580
>You descend towards the clashing three-way, drone fighters streaking through the skies... thousands of them. Far more than there were. And they burn when they near, icy-hot flashes of pain that only anti-intrusion phages can give.

I'm guessing that's a manifestation of the computer systems counter-intrusion protocol launching counterattacks against us; or more simply it's own anti-intrusion suite resisting OUR intrusion.

>>15552541

could just be a normal closing- kinda like in 40k or whatever. it's possible (not likley, but possible) that the empire's nature changed in those 58 years. or the base and colony had other problems that required them leaving- again, they didn't leave in a hurry, they had plenty of time to close everything down and mothball everything else. that doesn't exactly say "empire killing weapon/fleet tearassing through ophidian turf"- more a case of economic viability or something.

And the only thing that stands out to me is the drones- but if that's part of the counterintrusion software, i got nothing. something about that third destroyer of ours?

>>15552541
> in RETREAT 58
We've got one mothballed base and an abandoned station to base that hypothesis on. On a galactic scale empire that's making a rather large leap of faith.

>That last pre-recorded message that ended with MAY WE DIE FOR THE REAGENT

"No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great—Duty First!" - United States Army First Infantry Division
"Balidaan" (Sacrifice) - Indian Paracomanndos
"Alt for Kongen" (Everything For The King) - Norwegian Royal Guard

Military mottos aren't necessarily the most cheery of things.

>the Base Closing Commission has mothballed this facility to save costs
We don't know if they did or did not (and are actually trying to find that out right now while we argue).

My point is that several people in this thread are making dire assumptions when we've very little evidence to support it. It is almost undoubtable that the Ophidian empire has fallen or is otherwise unrecognizable, the span of time that has elapsed is simply too great for any other probability, but the way it happened or when it happened is a mystery to us and making bold assumptions one way or another does nothing to help our position and may in fact serve to undermine it if we underestimate the prowess and progress of those we come in contact with.

>>15552593
>something about that third destroyer of ours?
The third destroyer on fire seems like an interesting thing to possibly LOOK at.

>>15552608
Seconding

>>15552600
>military motto

Which happens to reference a head of state that didn't exist when we left on our little field trip of the 100 worlds. Which is kind of odd, since empires tend to be pretty stable. Hell, I remember this one executive office holder who got his shit gang-stabbed because he started wearing red boots, eh?

Anyways, all I've done is go from saying

>Empire probably died with a whimper

to saying

>Empire probably died with a bang or a very noisy gurgle... bang... thing...

Which is pretty vague, so please stop busting my balls for drawing conclusions that are only as firm and exact as the scant evidence that precipitated them.

>>15552608
Remember, we only have 9 actions total before we're kicked out.
Are you sure you want to use one up now?

You glide down toward the Hydra, slowly pulling ahead with its two remaining escorts and leaving it’s burning companion behind. The descent takes you through another cloud of phages, but as you approach the cruiser one breaks from combat and locks onto you, light bolts stitching a delicate tracery of pain across your back. You pass through the hull and, of course, the phage does as well, transforming into a member of Armada security. His grip locks tight around your upper arm, a burning agony spreading from the contact.

You ignore it, instead turning toward the bridge. Onward you drag the listless phage-guard, through corridors that seem unnaturally lengthened and designed only to prolong your misery. Eventually, though, you arrive. The enormous tactical display is projected overhead on the roof of the command center, the command staff in their chairs swiveled back to take it in. A less advanced version of your three-dimensional holo-display on the Harbinger you note, a flush of pride drowning out the torturous grip.

Your reverie is broken by the clipped speech of Lieutenant Vie, his nasal voice proclaiming battle status: “Enemy forces in full retreat, sir. Hydra, undamaged. Terrant, undamaged. Ophelia, undamaged, Twin Suns, undamaged. A complete rout,” he finishes with a smile, “the fools never stood a chance.”

“Excellent.” The silken voice of Captain Aurora Shael slides from the bridge speakers, even as her body opens her eyes and smiles, “Send my congratulations to all captains and crew, but also do not give chase. They have learned their lesson and lost over half of their house fleets, our orders are to put a stop to hostilities, not break two of the leading Imperial states.”

“Of course, sir.” Vie replies, and you look up to see the blue and red dots representing the two house forces limping off in separate directions once more.

>Action?

>>15552689
Access successful, 8 actions remaining, correct?

>>15552689
Oh, also:
>8 actions remaining.
>1 Phage attached

Phages will take one attack to destroy per Phage. You cannot Access the key if you have phages attached.

>Hydra, undamaged. Terrant, undamaged. Ophelia, undamaged, Twin Suns, undamaged
>damaged ship left behind

something ain't right...

what's the deal with that damaged escort cruiser?

>>15552705
>>15552689
Well then its seems we need to kill the fuck outta the one us yes?

>>15552689

That's it. check the damaged destroyer. either it, or the Good lieutenant's words are what we're after here, since it wasn't undamaged.

>>15552634

Hell, you don't even have to go that far, bro. Cut out extrapolation completely and have a gander at what we've seen so far:

>Warp gate technology
>New, weaker, cheaper class of warships
>Evidence of political upheavals
>Military base deliberately and orderly shut down
>Main space station completely decommissioned, almost to the point of "scorched earth," and a single boobytrap left that fucks the main computer core for ever and ever
>"DON'T APPROACH THE PLANET"

Hell, the LACK of evidence is precisely what's so ominous at the moment. We can see enough to know that Shit Went Down (i.e. enough to make us paranoid as fuck) but not enough to even begin to quantify more specific consequences or threats beyond "this probably does not bode well."

Vedibere, man. Fucking with our heads. Beautiful motherfucker.

>>15552710
seems like the most obvious thing wrong with this. Either
>Lieutenant is lying
or
>Damaged cruiser needs a closer look
Seeing how we remember this battle to be a unilateral victory for us, a damaged cruiser doesn't fit in.

In any case, attacking the phage seems like an inevitability at this point, since we can't access the key, even if we do find it, and we can't wait for another phage to show up to save on actions, since it'll just take one more action to kill the other phage.

I vote >attack phage
followed by >access burning escort cruiser

>>15552709
Remember what Parson said; the more attacks we do, the more the system will send phages after us.

Vedibere, where were we on the bridge when this happened? Do we see ourselves there?

>>15552726
No, you don't see yourself. That's not particularly unusual, though. The participant is often not in the reconstructed events -- just like the people don't acknowledge you unless you try to >Access them or >Attack them.

>>15552726
>the more attacks we do, the more the system will send phages after us.
also, looking back,
>won't be obvious but will be out of place

Maybe the damaged cruiser isn't the thing here?

op, if you want to give me a detailed description of the ship I'll drawfag it for you

If I read the initial scene right, the Hydra had 3 destroyer escorts. 2 were undamaged, but 1 suffered crippling damage.

Vedibere, could we get confirmation that the real memory has all 3 escorts coming out of this unharmed?
Or did one of them really did get damaged?

>>15552753
This is the one I did. Gloss black to blend in with optical sensors (not that optics are really a big deal in space combat, but hey every bit helps) Diamond shaped with one point elongated. All other five points are equidistant from the intersection of lines drawn between them.

Simple, elegant, effective, solid firing lines. At least in my opinion.

>>15552757

That bit from the bridge, where the lieutenant says none of the battle group was damaged, was Vedibere giving you a big hint. The discrepancy was NOT obvious. A damaged warship in the middle of a battle, holy shit.

>but we routed them!

"Kicked the enemies ass in exchange for one damaged ship" is still a rout. In any case, it cost us an action to determine what the out-of-place element was, so I'd say that it was not terribly obvious.

>>15552757
>Vedibere, could we get confirmation that the real memory has all 3 escorts coming out of this unharmed?
No. You're in dream-memory state or something, unable to recall exactly what is real and fake.

>I mean seriously, come on man. It's a puzzle. Figure it out yourselves.

>>15552801
>/tg/
>good at puzzles
pick one

Also to further the quest, access the Lieutenant, we need to determine if hes lying or not.

>>15552801
Another vote to fight off the phage, then access the lieutenant. We gotta be sure, and if the lieutenant is the key, then we need the phage off of us.

So what are you doing?

>Access Lt.
>Access Damaged Cruiser
These are mutually exclusive at the same time, though obviously you can do one and then the other.

Also, do you
>Attack Phage
or do any
>Look
actions?

>>15552857
Access Lieutenant.
If he's the key, then we just need to attack the phage then access the lieutenant again.
If he's not, then we won't have caused the system to become more aggressive in it's defense and we can access the damaged cruiser.

>>15552857
Ok we DO NOT want to attract any unwanted attention from the system. Attack actions attract attention. Killing the phage we got on us is the last thing we need to do b4 we access key.

I say LOOK for anything out of place, then access LT. Liar-guy. FIND HIS SECRETS.

>>15552882
>I say LOOK for anything out of place
That... isn't a valid use of Look.

You can Look at something, like the Lt. or the map, or the captain, or the other command staff. Hell the chairs or floor for that matter. You can't say >Look Puzzle Solution. No.

>>15552888
I think we're going with access Lt first.

>>15552882
>>15552888
Like i said /tg/ or puzzles.
Also go for the Lt.

>Access Lieutenant Vie

You step forward, approaching the command staff going about their business. Screens hang in front of many of them, relaying vast quantities of data already pre-processed by Captain Shael. Your former captain lies in peaceful repose, her body breathing shallowly and eyes closed as she focuses fully on the battle outside. No room for mortal concerns in a battle of titans.

You, however, have your own battle to conduct. You step forward, reaching out to the intelligence officer, Lieutenant Vie. As your hand closes on his shoulder her freezes, your command to Access flowing through him. His eyes go dead and he stands, turning toward you. Before you can so much as flinch his hand shoots up, locking around your left wrist, impeding your movement with the same agonizing pain as his counterpart phage on your right. The scene shifts and between the seconds another Lieutenant Vie sits where the phage did previously, once more steadily reviewing the transmissions and sensor readings sent to his terminal by the sensor underofficers.

>7 Actions Remaining
>2 Phages attached

>>15552962
>2 Phages
>You need to remove all phages before you can access the key

So we effectively lose 2 actions every time we do something wrong?

>>15552962
gogDAMN.
If the LT. is the Key, then we just need to get these phages off.

Could still be the damaged carrier, though.

Attack phage, attack phage, access Lt.

I don't know what to do if the Lt. is not the key. Suggestions?

>HURR ACCESS TEH LIEUTENANT
>nothing gained, another phage attached

Good job, geniuses. In case it wasn't obvious, we should do all our attack actions LAST - because attacking draws more phages to us, and we only need them OFF us once we've found the key, so we can access it.

My vote for orders: >access damaged cruiser

>>15552993
Not always, there can be multiple paths to the goal, some with phages some without.

But yes, it can turn out that way.

>>15553014
>>15553014

Second.

We accessed the LT, got burned. Don't try and access him AGAIN.

>>15553025
I'd say that's an incredibly poor gameplay mechanic but it's your quest.

>>15553014
>>access damaged cruiser
sounds less like gambling than betting the Lt. is the key.

I'll go with this, but if it turns out the Lt. was key all along then ffffff. ... Unless we would know that we just tried to access the key...

why don't we >Look at the damaged ship first. No point in getting even more bastards stuck to us.

>Atmosphere:
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywCPcSjgqw

>Access Burning Destroyer

You twist and pull at the phages, striding to the center of the command center as their grips turn from burning hot to bitter chill and back again. Above you swirls the tactical map, and on it the four pristine green dots of the Empire ships. You reach up with your right arm, dragging the phage with it, and close your hand over the dot representing the burning Destroyer, OIS Twin Suns. You pull it free from the shimmering tactical stratoscape and bring it to your chest, cupping it in your palms. The fingers surrounding it unentwine, and laying within is the burning ship in miniature.

The small figure draws your gaze, the inky blackness of its hull seeming infinite... all consuming. You forget the pain of the phages and the world around you, entranced by the midnight sheen studded with twin fires fore and aft.

And it is gone.

The deck plates shudder beneath your feet, staggering you briefly. You reach a hand out to the bulkhead, once again weighted down with the phage as you gaze out into space... through a gaping rift in the mighty destroyer’s hull. The stark beauty of debris and oxygen spiralling in elegant lines from the ship strike you as surreal and wonderful, but you pry your gaze away as another shudder rocks the ship. No, time is of the essence. You turn toward a console on the wall, already lit with the status of the dying ship.

>Forward Holds: 38% Integrity
>Forward Guns: 22% Integrity
>Forward Bays: 3% Integrity
>Shields: 43% Integrity
>Midline Guns: 11% Integrity
>Command: 88% Integrity
>Rearward Holds: 33% Integrity
>Reactor 100% Integrity
>Engine 0% Integrity
>Rearward Guns: 12% Integrity
>Rearward Bays: 7% Integrity

>6 Actions Remaining
>2 Phages attached

>Reactor 100% Integrity
That seems odd.

>>15553149

Reactor's at 100%, even with all that damage? Possible, i guess.

but with damage forward and aft, why're the midline guns so badly damaged?

Well, we'll need 3 actions to get at the key once we identify it, so we've got 3 free actions left.

I say >Look at Twin Suns' reactor.
If it's not it, we avoid getting a phage stuck to us, and if it is, we can scrap this pair off and go home.

If it doesn't work, let's go have a look at the undamaged version of the Twin Suns instead of faffing around in this one.

>>15553225
>>15553168
>>15553163
>Look Statistics

You gaze at the damage stats and the ship rocks around you, focusing through the discomfort on your arms.

>Forward Holds: 38% Integrity
>Forward Guns: 22% Integrity
>Forward Bays: 3% Integrity
>Shields: 43% Integrity
>Midline Guns: 11% Integrity
>Command: 88% Integrity
>Rearward Holds: 33% Integrity
>Reactor 100% Integrity
>Engine 0% Integrity
>Rearward Guns: 12% Integrity
>Rearward Bays: 7% Integrity

>Forward Holds: 36% Integrity
>Forward Guns: 20% Integrity
>Forward Bays: 1% Integrity
>Shields: 42% Integrity
>Midline Guns: 10% Integrity
>Command: 87% Integrity
>Rearward Holds: 31% Integrity
>Reactor 100% Integrity
>Engine 0% Integrity
>Rearward Guns: 10% Integrity
>Rearward Bays: 5% Integrity

>Forward Holds: 34% Integrity
>Forward Guns: 18% Integrity
>Forward Bays: 0% Integrity
>Shields: 41% Integrity
>Midline Guns: 9% Integrity
>Command: 86% Integrity
>Rearward Holds: 29% Integrity
>Reactor 100% Integrity
>Engine 0% Integrity
>Rearward Guns: 8% Integrity
>Rearward Bays: 3% Integrity

As the forward launch bays hit zero a thundering boom shakes the ship once more, a sign of hull failure and explosive decompression. The ship is failing, and fast.

>6 Actions Remaining
>2 Phages attached

>>15553276
>>Everything but the reactor failing

Reactor, ho.

it's the reactor.

>>15553276
>6 Actions Remaining
>2 Phages attached

should be

>5 Actions Remaining
>2 Phages attached

>Access Reactor

You brush the reactor’s display with your fingers and kick off, floating easily through unisteel bulkheads and floating debris alike. Ship internals flash by you, burning wires overloaded and arcing with current. Life support systems venting precious oxygen into open flames, stoking them further. Yet onward you glide, the phages tugging at you. Trying to stop you.

For your prize is at hand, you can all but taste it. At least that is what you hope.

The reactor room appears abruptly or rather you do, popping from a wall amidst the chaos of engineers scrambling for EVA suits or desperately trying to shore up failing systems. To buy a bit more time for their failing ark, their lifegiver in space. A few seconds more, anything.

But that interests you not half so much as the reactor core, the object within the singularity field. Instead of a black hole. An obsidian diamond, one point stretched forward as a prow, slowly rotating. The ultimate culmination of this battle, at least for you. The OIS Harbinger in miniature.

>4 Actions Remaining
>2 Phages Attached

>>15553389

Kill phages, acquire Harbinger.

>>15553389
>>15553419

We don't have enough actions go go anywhere else, and it seems that we're at the goal anyways. We've one spare action, if we need two for destroying phages and a third to access the Harbinger.

Shall we take a Look action, perhaps? To make damn sure we Access the right thing?

>>15553450

Well, if we look and it isn't, we're still fucked. Plus, we might have to kill an extra phage since this is going to take two actions.

>>15553419

Meh, fuck it. Kill phages, access the Harbinger. In our previous experiences, the Key was fairly low-key, but it wasn't exactly out of our way - replacing the prepared speech on our podium, for example. Or the alien captain on the planet's surface. In each case, the Key was... well, it was quite personal, wasn't it?

And here is the OIS Harbinger, floating in that singularity field. If this ain't it, we're fucked anyhow.

>Plus, we might have to kill an extra phage since this is going to take two actions.

Agreed. It's time to J-J-JAM IT IN.

Also, Vedibere, this entire "e-warfare" segment is fucking trippy and very awesome. I love it.

>>15553450
No. If it's wrong, we don't have enough actions left to do anything else.

Vote to Attack the two phages attached to us, then Access the little Harbinger.

>>15553494

agreed. kill phages, acquire harbringer.

>>15553498
Sold, grab the shiny.

>I wasn't entirely sure of this whole segment, and i still think the underlying mechanics could use work, but this is pretty cool still.

It is time.

You turn to the glassy-eyed phages gripping your arms and /release/ your own limitations. Reaving phages of your own slip free of your form, their translucent clawed forms ripping into those that would imprison you. The enemy phages wither under the assault, releasing you and issuing moaning wails even as their bodies are rent and bright shards of data stream from the wounds, swirling about the reactor room in a glittering maelstrom.

But you do not care. You are free. Free to take the key to this system. To take its secrets. Take the truths stored within.

Onward you move, flanked by your phage-specters, floating up to the reactor core itself, through the containment field. Grasping your prize, your key, your ship, your destiny. Smooth in your hands, dissolving, stored in your databanks. In your mind. In your soul.

Beneath your feet the OIS Twin Suns shakes, its death throes finally coming upon it. But it makes no matter anymore. With the ripping explosion of the shattered ship, so too do cracks appear in this other world. Splendor seeps through and the edges of objects blur, dissolving into light... coalescing again.

You stand once more on the station, uplink jack securely remaining within the computer core. You experimentally test the new access key in your systems and are rewarded with a large file database listing.

If you had a face you would smile.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking.” you intone back on the Harbinger. “It seems the station is open once more.”

Relief washes over the command deck, palpable in intensity. Lieutenant Rinn claps Dr. Burr on the back, staggering the man, as he lets out a throaty “Ha-ha!”, which the doctor answers with a coughing fit from the impact. Chief Dai and Lieutenant Ivanova are both wearing demure smiles, whereas Lieutenant Tynes gives a hearty “Well done, sir.” and Lieutenant Parson pumps a fist into the air with an exclamation.

>Alright, I’m done for tonight.
>Might run another one tomorrow at 18:00 or 19:00. Depends on how much sleep I get.
>If not, will run it Wednesday at 18:00.
>Hope you enjoyed it, and tell me how you liked the hacking part.
>Also, archive please.

>>15553517
>underlying mechanics

I think they're just fine. Presumably your issue is with the very limited number of actions and how easily they can be eaten up, but as we just saw, we still zeroed in on our prize without excessive trouble. The only unnecessary action we took was accessing the lieutenant on the other ships bridge.

I mean, consider the law of conservation of detail: in this puzzle it goes from a meta-level fact of plot/script writing to an actual MECHANIC, since we're "in" a meta-level realm ourselves. In Vedibere's original post we basically only had three things of note: the excessive drones (already accounted for as counter-intrusion software), the central warship that was our first posting, and the damaged destroyer. In a dreamlike state we can't remember things *exactly,* but unconsciously we'll take note of particular things more then others... things with personal significance and discrepancies, both which we're looking for. In short, the start point of our investigation wasn't impossibly nebulous.

To balance that, we have fewer actions.

"Conservation of detail" becoming an in-story reality; a manifestation of our own unconscious memories and instincts, is brilliantly meta. I fucking love this quest.

>>15553580

Also, it seems like the "attack" option might have been more powerful than we thought, if it was one "attack" that wiped out both phages.

I'm still kind of unsure as to what to think, overall. I think it was pretty cool though, and lord knows even a small morale boost among the crew will help.

>>15553563
>how you liked the hacking part

Fucking brilliant, really. As I elucidated in my above post, we weren't dumped into a situation so ambiguous that we didn't know where to start, but we still had to chase down the cause a bit.

And yet, when we first entered the Twin Suns and only got a statistics panel readout, I was muddled, confused, and lost for a moment - which is good, because it means the whole hacking bit was not just a cakewalk. The very limited number of actions imparted a real sense of urgency and risk as to the consequences of failure, and that one very uncertain moment when we entered the Twin Suns really brought it out.

Good fucking job. Now go sleep.

>Hacking

VERY well done and interesting to both read and participate in.

Thread archived, be sure to vote

Thanks guys, glad you're enjoying it as much as I am. Wasn't too sure if the hacking would work or go over like a lead balloon, so I'm thrilled you liked it.

Now I shall sleep, hopefully to be up in time to get an OP constructed by 18:00 tomorrow.