>>23997239
"Sure, they definitely want to get in contact with you. But I can't guarantee they wouldn't try to arrest you. And rightfully so."

>>23997239
"What? Why would I? Last time I met you, you blasted a whole space station apart."

"What? Why would I? Last time I met you, you blasted a whole space station apart."
"I just blew open the hull. Not a big deal. No civilians were hurt, and the uplift fixed it before I did." The man said, and shrugged. "She's a lot faster at that than Delta, that's for sure. Listen, it's important that I get to that school. I have some information that your superiors are going to want."

>>23997365
>This is me!

>>23997365
"That's not going to happen. Giving the Demiurg a bubble drive makes me question your priorities. "

>>23997365
"ok I got the shuttle right now and we are waiting on jill ill give them a call"Einstein call Max please

>>23997365
"I've got a better proposition. You tell me, which I'll relay to them."

>>23997239
"How's your girlfriend, Epsilon?"

>>23997365
"I only have your word to go on that you didn't kill anyone, and the news said people died so you were an accomplice at the very least. Why would I do anything to help you?"

>>23997457
He said he didn't kill *civilians*. Security people died.

"That's not going to happen." You say. "Giving the Demiurg a bubble drive makes me question your priorities."
"... She what?" Epsilon asked, and cussed. The groundcars on the street trembled, and skidded away from him. "Listen, I told Sigma not to. Said it would cause more problems in the long run. But that's beside the point."
"I only have your word on that you didn't kill anyone, and the news said people died so you were an accomplice at the very least. Why would I do anything to help you?"
"Oh, I did kill some guards, but that's because I couldn't let them stop me."
"I've got a better proposition. You tell me, which I'll relay to them."
He sniffled, and wiped at his nose.
"The others are coming for me. Guess that's what happens when you telekinetically tear the safeguards out of your spine. I have as long as it takes until Lambda wakes up, which could only be a few days, and he can't see your school. But fine, I'll tell you. We- the ones who break physics- can be created with enough time. The power itself isn't a biological process, but something about how consciousness messes with the nature of reality. There's a... thing on the other side of demiurg space, hunting them down, and apparently it hates people who can do what we can."

Then, out of his other pocket, a disc came up.
"And then there's this. All the data Armatek had on us from the production line. I'm keeping this with me, and I'm only giving it to your superiors for my own safety."

>>23997365
"Does it have to do with VQ?"

>>23997239
"You're a little more bad news than I think I'm willing to deal with, Epsilon."

>>23997494
"...Okay."

>>23997494
"...Fine."

>>23997494
"I really don't want the Void Queen and your friends attempting to kill everyone..."

"Damn my sympathy, let me take a look then, make sure you're telling the truth."

>>23997494
"So why are you doing this?"

>>23997494
whats the thing? hunting them?

>>23997574
obviously void queen.
Or Det™ [Dave-grade Pet]

"I really don't want the Void Queen and your friends attempting to kill everyone..." You say. "Damn my sympathy, let me take a look, then, make sure you're telling the truth."

He held the disk out to you.
"You can do what Sigma can, right? That's your thing? Machine talking? Lambda said something about that."

Luna looked utterly confused, and Omnissiah was quiet. You had a feeling he was pretending to be a drone.

"Wipe it, though, and I'll be pretty pissed," He said. "Go on, touch it."
"Why are you doing this?" You ask.
"This is for my own safety." Epsilon said. "And my own freedom. The guys who made us gave us brain implants to make us like taking orders. I didn't much like that. But my ... family, I guess, can't take them out, or don't want to. If they capture me again, I'm either going to be implanted again, drugged, or put down entirely. That's why I'm doing this. I didn't even know you were here until I touched down, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth."

>>23997594
Nah, it's VQ. I don't think Devourer hates psions, it just finds them tasty.

>>23997616
I wish Damien was here. But he did say we'd be fine on the trip.
[x] Read disc.

>>23997616
Let's ask it if he's telling the truth, if yes then okay

>>23997616
Read the disc.

>>23997616
"Last time I did something like this, I ended up mind-controlled. No thanks. Put it in Einstein."

>>23997616
Uh, maybe not use technopathy on the the unknown disc from a known antagonist? Remember the last time we looked at something without knowing what it was?

"No thanks, I'll view it on a drone." Use omni to check it out.

>>23997657
this say and do this.

>>23997657
This.

>>23997673
This reminds me we should work on our Omnitool

>>23997673
You mean Einstein right?

>>23997616
Can we scan him with Technopathy to see if he's still got implants?

>>23997673
>And then it controls omni
>Or omni wipes it because he's actually still loyal to the demiurg and Epsilon's group.
Use Einstein, dummy.

>>23997673
He doesn't have input ports, remember?

"Last time I did something like this, I ended up mind-controlled. No thanks. Put it in Einstein," You say, and nod at the floating drone.
"Fair enough." He said, and with a hand movement, the disk slipped into Einstein's socket.
Pullling up your omnitool, you took a look at all of the data. It was a simple table, detailing the subject's caloric outtake, caloric intake, clone number, breed, genome source, cloning time, accelerated development rate...
And at the very end, their ability.

Delta: Creation of inorganic matter
Epsilon: Telekinesis
Theta: Organic transmutation, creation and control
Lambda: Limited Omniscience
Rho: Space-time Manipulation, destruction of matter.
Sigma: Machine Affinity, Electrokinesis
Psi: [DATA MISSING]. On this entry, most of the tables were empty.
Omega: Currently in gestation, Unknown.

After looking at the data, you look back up to Epsilon, and gently touch him with your mind, reaching inside of him to search him for implants. You find... smashed bits in his brain, and destroyed metal parts hiding in his skull.
"That good enough?" He asked.

>>23997774
It's a good test of omni's allegiance - if he deletes it, it would be a pity, but at least it wouldn't directly harm us (plus it would piss off the asshole which would be funny).

>>23997788
"Yes, I believe you."

>>23997788
"Yes. ...didn't it hurt?" with a whimper.

>>23997788
"Seems to all check out. If you're fucking me over, though, I'll black hole you."

>>23997788
"You pass for now. I still don't trust you though."

>>23997788
"Sure. By the way, would you know if Sigma's been around Heaven's Jewel lately?"

>>23997788
"perhaps it is; Einstein, copy this all and foreward it to the Dr. Manus."

I say we contact max and ask his opinion since he IS the Top Dog on campus

>>23997806
>>23997831
this

>>23997788
"when we were on the station we found a shattered glass tube; do you know anything about that? because I think you do..."

>>23997788
Put Damien and max on conference call.

>>23997834
How rude.

>>23997834
Yeeh, let's not.

>>23997866
why? he gave it to us after all

"Yes, I believe you," You say. Then you whimper. "... Didn't it hurt?"
"Didn't what hurt? Removing my implant? it was still pumping me full of dopamine or whatever. I was too pleased to feel much of it." He said. "And there's more on there, but the rest is encrypted. I don't know how to decrypt it, and I don't know who would. Other than Sigma, but she's... unavailable."
"By the way, would you know if Sigma's been around Heaven's Jewel lately?"
"I don't know where she's been. I've been in space for quite some time." He said. "I was lucky to find a freighter to bubble drive me here. Maybe that was day five or six."

>>23997866
>>23997874
Why not? Fuck him.

>>23997878
To check over, not to do as we please.

>>23997888
I thought we wanted Anna?

>>23997890
fucker read your shit
>>23997494
>and I'm only giving it to your superiors for my own safety."

>>23997885
"...Fine. We'll leave when Jilly is finished with her Transgenes."

>>23997885
"I can try decrypting it. Later, in a secure facility, with Alex nearby.
You were just floating in space for almost a week?Your air bubble didn't look big enough to breathe for that long. And how did you not run out of energy keeping it together?"

>>23997916
Learn to read dipshit, we are not our superiors.

>>23997971
but manus IS

Call max and Damien. Get a danger estimate from Damien and warn Max that we re bringing him.

>>23997916
Epsilon wants to give it directly to Max and Manus, monotreeme. We aren't the big bad honcho of the school just because we excel at some psychic shit.

>>23997916
>I'm only giving it to your superiors
>I'm [...] giving
>to your superiors
You were saying?

"... Fine," You say. "We'll leave when Jilly is finished with her transgenes."
"Okay. I think I can wait that long." He said. "Just to make sure, it hasn't been two weeks since you've seen me, right?"
You shake your head.
"Oh, good." He said.
"You were just floating in space for almost a week? Your air bubble didn't look big enough to breathe for that long. And how did you not run out of energy keeping it together?"
"All us who were made were... upgraded. I don't need as much air or food as most. And as for energy... well, I've never actually been tired. Got some massive nosebleeds and passed out when they asked me to move some moon somewhere, but I didn't get tired."

>>23998008
"...moon?"

>>23998008
"Can you do the thing with black holes?"

>>23998008
"You moved a moon? I hope it was uninhabited. And the planet, too."

"... Moon?"
"A small, atmosphereless one. Wasn't even entirely round." He said.
"You moved a moon?"
"I, uh, well, shattered it. A little." He said. "One of those gas giants out there will have a ring around it for a while, now."
"Can you do the thing with black holes?"
"What thing?" He asked. "I can't move black holes, if that's what you're saying. That would kill me. Or kill everyone else and then me. Are one of your people telekinetics?"

>>23998071
"Everyone's somewhat diversed, I've got technopathy, black holes, telekinesis and stuff, one has teleportation as his specialisation. You only have one?"

>>23998071
"A few, I think I'm the strongest one in that regard. We seem to have a somewhat broader skillset than your people."

>>23998071
"Yes, that would be me. But I can do Technopathy and Black holes too. I tried biokinesis, but...that didn't work out too well."

>>23998071
"Not really. I just dabble. I have this thing where I use it to crush stuff into little pseudo-black holes."

>>23998071

at this point i don't think our anomaly hunting the Demiurg will seem like a good thing to him.

"A few. I think I'm the strongest one in that regard."
"You have machine affinity and telekinesis?" He asked.
"Everyone's somewhat diverse." You say. "I've got technopathy, black holes, telekinesis and stuff. One has teleportation as his specialisation. You only have one?"
"We only have one thing we can do." Epsilon said. "I wouldn't know where to start teleporting, or talking to robots, or making robots."
He sighed.
"I tried biokinesis, but... that didn't work out too well." You say.
"Oh? What happened?"

Rolled 79

>>23997992
but we've already looked at it and I intended to give it to the damn superiors

>>23997993
this actually corroborates my point...when combined with the above point in that he let us look at it.

>>23998071
"yup most of us have at least a little TK"

Let's use technopathy to erase all the street cam data on us, don't want his frienimies coming after snake mom to get to us.

>>23998194
"Nearly killed myself and one other person. I'd rather not talk about it."

Rolled 19

>>23998194
"the end result escaped and has been hunting demiurge for the last couple of days; I've been getting the odd glimpse every now and again"

>>23998194
"It... well, I made something, which had a rampage episode after a friend got between us as I ran out of energy after creating it, then it was isolated and then I tried to soothe it when it was beating its head into a glass it ran off, in search of something delicious. I think it's after Void Queen, for better or worse.

>>23998071
"Most of us have some skill with it."
Then ask, "Would it be alright with you if I contacted the school ahead of time to let them know about you and wanting to meet? Nothing against you, but I'm still kind of uncertain about all this."

If he responds in the positive, shoot Manus and Max a message about Epsilon, the general idea of the data he has (nothing in detail) and that you've confirmed said data and Epsilon himself are safe. Also tell them he seems to be on the run and we've detected broken implants within him with technopathy.

>>23998194
"I don't know what happened. One moment, I'm trying to force a cell to divide, then it sucks up all my energy and makes this massive beast. Which can survive in the vacuum of space. And tank bullets. And Demiurg drills."

>>23998194
"So none of you can do this?"

Void-sphere a nearby small object.

>>23998290
Uh, fucking no?

Rolled 80

>>23998290
what the unpleasant fellow in >>23998304 means to say is that we should keep that a secret for use as a trump card

"I don't know what happened," You say. "One moment, I'm trying to force a cell to divide, and then it sucks up all my energy and makes this massive beast. Which can survive in the vacuum of space. And tank bullets. And demiurg drills."
"... Huh," He said. "Theta's never had something like that happen to him."
"... Would it be alright with you if I contacted the school ahead of time to let them know about you, and wanting to meet? Nothing against you, but I'm still kind of uncertain about all this."
"If you'd like, I don't mind." He said.
You pull up your omnitool and type out a message to the two, as Epsilon took the disk out of the drone again. As soon as the message is done, Jilly came back out of the clinic, wearing what looked somewhat like a breathmask, and sloshed about.
"... Who's this?" Jilly asked, staring down at Epsilon.

>>23998352
"That guy from when we raided the ArmaTek station. I'm sure he'll tell you all about it on the shuttle."

Rolled 82

>>23998352
"Jilly this is epsilon"
"epsilon this is Jilly"
"He's a psion with pretty impressive Telekinetics; he's also...>>23998389 "

>>23998352

don't be alarmed, he's the guy from when we went to get Anna's father.

he wants asylum at the station in exchange for information.

>>23998352
Hang on a sec.

Why didn't he ask us this on the Armatek station? If he's been in space for a week, how did he find out about the school? Where did he get the disc as well? He could have slipped that to us on the station.

Something's not adding up here.

"Jilly, this is Epsilon. Epsilon, this is Jilly. He's that guy from when we raided the ArmaTek station. I'm sure he'll tell you all about it on the shuttle."
"I may as well." He said.
"Um... pleased to meet you." Jilly said.
"You too!" Epsilon responded.
Luna cleared her throat. "Okay, are we ready to get back to the orbital station, or did you want to do something else, first, Jilly?"
"I don't know. Maybe we should get back to the station." Jilly said.

Einstein chirped, and you checked the message from Max.
<Bring him.>

>>23998467
"If you want to spend time with your mother, I can always go do something else for a while. It's no problem."

>>23998442
A lot of things aren't adding up. Why would something bad have happened if we picked him up from space if he was already free by then and all he's done for the past week is sit in space and hitch rides on freighters?

>>23998467

"Well, Max wants to talk to you, so i guess you're coming with."

>having posting problems, anyone else?

>>23998526
Let's ask him.
>>23998467
"So, if you were stuck in space for a week, how did you find out about the school? And about us as well? Why not just do this when we met at the station?"

Rolled 39

>>23998467
"ah good we got the go ahead to bring you along; we're a little paranoid on the station of late, please do NOT attack the armed men who might meet us in the docking bay"

"it was very nice meeting you Ms. Lunatic, maybe we can all bring jilly back for a group trip or maybe you can come and visit...I'm sure you have some embarrassing stories of her childhood to share"

also make sure to say good bye and thank the maintenance and security systems on our way out.

>>23998467
"Did everything go well in there?"

>>23998579
Ms. Lunatic is a pretty great nickname.

"So, if you were stuck in space for a week, how did you find out about the school? And about us as well? Why not just do this when we met at the station?"
"I didn't know you were the ones Lambda talked about until after the station hull rematerialized. And by then, it was too late." He said, and shrugged. "I was already outside the station, and there was no way in hell I was going back there."

You nod, and turn to Jilly. "Did everything go well in there?"
"Everything went fine. They had to cut into my face to prepare, and it hurt, but it stopped a while ago."
"Glad to hear it, kid!" Luna said, and gave Jilly a hug.

Some time later, all four of you were at the shuttle, ready to go back to the orbital station.
"It was very nice meeting you, Ms. Lunatic. Maybe we can all bring Jilly back for a group trip, or maybe you can come and visit... I'm sure you have embarassing stories of her childhood to share."
"I do! But those will have to wait for another time." Luna said, and gave Jilly a hug- and then gave you a hug, and finally, patted Omnissiah on the head. "Be careful, you four."
"We will, mom." Jilly said.

>>23998728
<Offblast, Mr. Shuttle! Take us home!>

Rolled 89

>>23998728
<thanks for taking such good care of the shuttle docking bay machines> pet the overzealous gun camera from last thread

then
>>23998757

>>23998728
"It was a pleasure, Luna. We'll visit soon!"

>>23998728
What's the first thing you plan on doing with your new lips?

You should try eating something you can't normally, like a steak.

>>23998728
"Hope we meet again soon!"

>>23998728
"What about the nose? Did they manage that too?"

"It was a pleasure, Luna. We'll visit soon!"
"I'll look forward to it!" She called, and waved.

The three of you (and Omnissiah) made your way into the shuttle.
<Offblast, Mr. Shuttle! Take us home!>

And then the shuttle blasted off, toward the orbital station.

"What's the first thing you plan on doing with your new lips?" You ask.
"Eating!" Jilly said. "And then smiling. And then maybe kissing, or licking. It'll be so weird to have another tongue. Especially one in my face!"
"That's not very weird to me," Epsilon said, and shrugged.
"What about the nose? Did they manage that too?"
"They did! Not the skin, though." Jilly said. "Which is fine. I like my skin as it is."

>>23998904
Oh? Who are you going to kiss?

>>23998904
What was she going to do to her skin?

>>23998904
"What <or who> are you going to lick?"

Rolled 17

>>23998904
"so you have a sense of smell now?
awesome"

"glad to hear you think that way Epsi cause that isn't even the wierdest stuff I've heard in the last week"

"Oh? Who are you going to kiss?"
"Maybe Anna." She said. "Anna needs a kiss now or then."
"And what or who are you going to lick?" You ask, starting to grin.
"... I don't know, yet. Ice cream, maybe!"
"And what were they going to do to your skin?"
"Make it more humanish. They were trying for a full reactivation of mom's transgene in me, but I asked them not to do the skin. I like my skin all grey like this, because that way I can still change colors. It would deafen me."

>>23999004
Yeah, your skin is awesome.

Rolled 4

>>23999004
>mute maybe

"oh okay; I actually like being able to see how you're feeling; I can tell when I make a faux pass"

>>23999004
"Yeah, the skin colour changes are actually really cool. I'm glad you kept it."

>>23999004

Changing color suites you just fine!

>>23999004
"Yeah, your skin is cool."

>>23999004
Changing colours is cool, although that might be a little distracting for whoever you're kissing. I hope they like yellow.

>>23999004
"Anyway, Epsilon, how much do you know about that 'thing' on the other side of Demiurg space? We've already had trouble with it."

"Changing colours is cool, although that might be a little distracting for whoever you're kissing. I hope they like yellow."
Jilly giggled, flashing yellow.
"It matters what kind of kiss it is." Jilly said.
"Yeah, your skin is cool." You say, and the shuttle shuddered again as it stopped off at the orbital station. Epsilon got to his feet and unstrapped himself, stretching. Jilly's wings opened, and you turned on your ion boots, and you started to fly forward.

Epsilon walked. In zero-G, as if he were in normal earth gravity.
"Which way is your ship?" He asked.
"We put it over here." Jilly said, and fluttered off.

"Anyway, Epsilon," You say, as you travel after Jilly. "How much do you know about that 'thing' on the other side of demiurg space? We've already had trouble with it."
"Lambda told us that after it took out the rest of the demiurg, and then you guys, it'd go against us last." He said. "That's all we know, really, except for the fact that it's scared of us."

>>23999099
"Scared of your group or scared of psions besides itself?"

>>23999099
Void Queen, well now there is something after her.

Rolled 67

>>23999099
>are we already back at the school station?
"your lambda sounds a lot like our Damien...also do you have any tips on controlling TK that well?"

>>23999099
"Have they actually tried anything against you yet? They tried sending me a message to mind-control me, manifest these things on the station and a bunch of other stuff. It's only recently that we've got a shield up."

>>23999099
I think the Demiurg have some sort of primitive group telepathy, that's why it wants to kill them off.

>>23999099
"So are the demiurg psychic, or is she going after them for some other reason?"

"Scared of your group, or scared of psions besides itself?"
"Psions? Never heard that before. Anyway, I don't know," He said. "That's the problem with Lambda. The little guy sleeps for two weeks on life support, wakes up, and babbles prophecies for a few hours. Sometimes he's able to tug on our sleeves and babble specific things, but it never makes much sense. All we know is that..." He recited, intoning in a low voice. "'She of the Many are afraid of the Warpers of Reality, in Particular, The One.'"
"So are the demiurg psychic, or is she going after them for some other reason?"
"No idea." He said.
"Have they actually tried anything against you yet? They tried sending me a message to mind-control me, manifest these things on the station and a bunch of other stuff. It's only recently that we've got a shield up."
"You guys can shield that sort of stuff? Huh, that's cool," He said. "Nothing's happened to me, yet, but I can't say about the others."

>>23999121
She's probably scared of their group because they're psions made through technology, which makes them psions she doesn't understand.

>>23999240
"Psion is the general term used for people like us with the brain powers."

>>23999240
How much do you know about how psionics actually work? It's all about inducing a conceptual problem, then she can't get you.

Rolled 44

>>23999240
she fears technology so since (>>23999243)you're psions made through technology, which makes them psions she doesn't understand.

>>23999240
It's about making a conceptual problem that the attacker can't understand.

How old are you, Epsilon? Did they accelerate your growth?

>>23999240
"Oh prophecies. How nice. You do know they can be broken, right? She of the Many is likely Void Queen, as she called herself back in the station. And Psionics is a general term used for us the mighty 'Warpers of Reality'."

>>23999240
"We got that thing from the Ishelda. The one Sigma sent her demiurg after. It apparently counters her influence. I guess you don't know who The One is?"
I hope it's our creature. It would make the best Chosen One ever and eat all the ancient evils.

>>23999240
"Our group calls it psionics because, well we're breaking reality with our minds. Void Queen - that's what She calls herself - can't use her powers on or around anything she can't conceive of. Anything at least as complex as a bubble drive will do it, but you have to be within its effects.
I imagine that since your group are psions made through technology, she'd understand you the least."

>>23999320
And he just said that she is "afraid of the Warpers of Reality"
Which would explain why she's lashign out at all of them. It's an attack out of fear.

>>23999337
He JUST finished telling us about the guy in his group who sees into the future.
Reading comprehension please.

>>23999337
Prophecies are seeing the future.

>>23999347
I should have worded that better. I meant like what Damien has, where he sees everything and not just prophecies.

>>23999363
The Armatek notes said he had OMNISCIENCE. He sees everything. He's just not very good at communicating the relevant bits.

"Our group calls it psionics because, well, we're breaking reality with our minds." You say. "The void queen - that's what she calls herself - can't use her powers on or around anything she can't concieve of. Anything at least as complex as a bubble drive will do it, but you have to be within it's effects."
"How does that work?"
"It's about making a conceptual problem that the attacker can't understand," You say. "How old are you, Epsilon? did they accelerate your growth?"
"I've been out of my biopod for eight years, now, and the rest of my genome were culled around six years ago." He said.

>>23999439
Culled? What do you mean?

>>23999439
"Heh, kids." ruffle his hair "Oh, did you know that if you try hard enough you can break those prophecies?"

>>23999462
http://www.nygenome.org/blog/modern-genomic-tools-cull-clues-antique-plant-specimens

>>23999469
Seconded

>>23999462
The other clones were disposed of because they were not good enough.

"Heh, kids." You say, and ruffle his hair.
"Oh, did you know that if you try hard enough, you can break those prophecies?"
"Not Lambda's." He said. "Lambda told me once that he phrases things so vaguely that it won't change things majorly when he learns it all."

"Culled? What do you mean?"
"Well, clones are easy to make if you have the biopods and supplies, but it's more cost-effective if you turn the leftover... non-psions into mulch, in order to feed and grow the next batch." He said. "That's how they make scions. Gestate up to several thousand of a batch, kill the nonpsionic ones."

>>23999570
"Sounds like ArmaTek is going to get shut down soon enough."

>>23999570
>Delicious
Is that really efficient?

>>23999570
Bleargh, that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

>>23999480
The word culled is not mentioned in that article, you're going to actually have to use words if you have a point to make.

>>23999570
That's horrific, we need to let our superiors know what's going on so they can get word to the alliance.

>>23999611
>>23999570
>Why not take the nonpsions and sell them on the black market.
;)

>>23999570
"Huh. That's... well. How old were they?"

>>23999570
This is the point Heather turns a little green and tries to not throw up.

>>23999570
"Making it vague is the easy way out though."

>>23999570
..oh. How old are they when they are killed? Are they sentient/sapient?

Rolled 4

>>23999570
"that is...a little disturbing..."

>>23999658
>>23999643
>>23999625
>>23999619
>>23999605
It's SCIENCE.
Sure, little shady depending on how old they are, but SCIENCE.

"Huh, that's... well, how old were they?"
"Two years out of the pods, at the time. So maybe... around ten?"

You gulp, your throat dry.
"That is... a little disturbing."
"More disturbing since they all looked like me." He said, and shrugged. "Or I looked like them. Or we all looked like whoever we were cloned from. Is this your ship?"
You made your way to the shuttle, and you nod. This was your ship right now.
"Then let's go." He said.

>>23999685
Agreed.
Heh.

>>23999705
...did.. did they wake them up before they killed them?

>>23999705
>>23999705
Lets go. Also be prepared to put a black hole in his brain if he betrays us. He moved a moon and could easily crush the station. I still don't trust him all that much

>>23999685
>>23999708
But Heather is an Engineer, not a Scientist.
So as justifiable as we may think it may be, Heather does not.

>>23999705
<Shuttle-kun~ time to fly us home>

>>23999752
<uguu~>

>>23999705
"You're making me ill, Epsilon. And since I'm flying I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"They just killed everyone except you? That can't be right, and certainly can't be legal."

>>23999738
Let's not go that far.

I think we are going to need to talk to Anna's father about Armatek. It looks like AI's aren't the only intelligence they are willing to exploit.

>>23999787
Anna's father? Why? Think this shit through before you post. We're better off telling Max, Manus or any other higher-ups in the UPA. The ones who have actual authority.

>>23999812
I think he was mentioning Anna's father because until recently Armatek had him prisoner.

>>23999812
Because Anna's father was made by Armatek, and worked for them for years and years, and probably has a bit of inside knowledge?

>>23999812
he knows the most about the company and can help us devise a plan better then 'sic the UPA on them.'

"... Did... did they wake them up before they killed them?"
"Nah, they knocked them out around the time I started moving things with my brain." He said. "And then I was Epsilon, instead of Epsilon Luther Two One Three Zero."
"... You're making me ill, Epsilon. And since I'm flying, I'm not sure that's a good idea."
"Sorry, I'll be quiet." He said.
"They just killed everyone except you? That can't be right, and certainly can't be legal."
"Of course it isn't. You need licenses for each child if you intend on cloning someone in the first place, and then killing them would be murder."
Jilly went dark purple as she strapped herself into one of the seats. Epsilon made his way into the other.

>>23999828
>>23999831
Yeah, great, a prisoner who'd been deactivated for over ten years. Lot of great, outdated info we'll get there.

>>23999855
aren't you a pessimist. Obviously the company hasn't changed that much.

>>23999852
"I'm not happy with that."

sit in our seat, take us out to warp.

So the others are still under Armatec control?"

Rolled 31

>>23999852

"I have a feeling that I and a few well prepared people are going to have to kick in their teeth some time; perhaps right after we deal with the VQ"

"I'm not happy with that," You say, and strap yourself in your seat.
"Neither am I." He said, his voice low.

Carefully, you thrust out of the station... and get a message.

<Hey, this is the station operator from earlier today. Heh, just wondering if you wanted to talk some time. My name is Jack, and my address is->
You throw the address into your book, just in case, and slam forward into bubble drive.

As soon as the shaking and jerking in your seat is done, Jilly unstrapped herself, and pulled Epsilon into a tight, tight hug.

>>23999959
Random station officer who liked our flying confirmed for husbando.

>>23999959
"Well, the hugmaster says hugs, there shall be hugs." And join the hug.

>>23999959
right lets do better for this trip. remember to ease off the speed once we get near the station.

Its a short trip but lets keep an eye on the drive again

Also I kinda trust him a tiny bit more. Lets start brainstorming names for him. like...

Jebediah!.

>>23999959
>>23999989
Send a message back "Show me some pictures."

>>23999959
Scruffle their hair.

>>24000006
He does seem to have the magic kerbal touch for space stations.

You send a message back to the station operator, and then pull Epsilon into a hug as well.
"Well, the hugmaster says hugs, there shall be hugs." You say.
<I um. Was talking to him.> Jilly said. <But okay!>
She pulled you into a hug herself.
"... I'm not sure how to take this turn of events." Epsilon said. "I don't entirely mind, it, though."
Omnissiah was still quiet.

>>24000097
"That's good. What are you planning to do at the station? I don't think you'll be able to train with us, I'm not quite at moon-movement level yet."

>>24000097
"Oh. Right. You talk to me telepathically so much I forget you can do that sometimes."

>>24000097
That's not right. You're always meant to enjoy hugs from girls. That's just how it works.

Technopath with Nissy: I'm wary of him, your opinion on the situation? Do you need more information?

>>24000097
"Byte for your thoughts, Omni."

Rolled 3

>>24000097
"deal with it; women outnumber men in the school..."

think about it a little

"...or at least we did...damn now we need to send max out looking for more girls..."

>>24000097
<Are you okay, Omni? Trying to hide from the Pale Whelp?>

>>24000149
2nded

"Oh. Right. You talk to me telepathically so much that I forget you can do that, sometimes." You tell Jilly.
Then you turn to Epsilon. "That's not right. You're always meant to enjoy hugs from girls. That's just how it works."
"... You'd change your mind about that if it was Rho hugging you." Epsilon said. "She likes to blink you around and leave bits of you behind."

<Are you okay, Omni?> You ask. <I'm wary of him. Your opinion on the situation? Do you need more information?>
<I'm not wary of him, because I believe that Jilly would sense if he were lying. I'm simply staying quite so that I'm thought of as a drone. Just in case. Preparations.>

>>24000211
>staying quite
>quiet, obviously

>>24000211
<Good plan, Omni.>

>>24000211
"...That is not hugging. That is tormenting."

Rolled 78

>>24000211
<your careful planning is understood and appreciated; remind me to build you a couple of manipulators when we get back>

>>24000211
What's our ETA, 20 minutes like last time?
Send Max a message telling him when we'll arrive, so he can be ready, and ask him if he needs us to stall for longer.

"That doesn't sound like a hug at all. Hugs are nice warm occasions where everyone leaves slightly happier."

>>24000211
<Fair enough.>
"That's not usually part of hugging."

Rolled 100

>>24000211
wow, that is incredibly rude...Sarvesh would at least take care over that sort of thing...

>>24000328
what a waste, what a senseless waste.

>>24000328
And this is why you should take your dice off Monotreeme.

File: 1364851845869.png-(228 KB, 600x467, monotreeme.png)

228 KB PNG

>>24000328

"... That is not hugging." You say. "That is tormenting. Hugs are nice warm occasions where everyone leaves slightly happier."
"She didn't mean to do it. Most of the time." He said. "She's just impulsive like that."
"She's cute!" Jilly said.
"She is, yes. Now all I need to do is get your stations' help to remove all of their implants."

<Good plan, Omni.>
<I thought so.>

You turn to your omnitool, and send a message to Max about when you'll arrive, so he can be ready. Based on his response, he's already ready for Epsilon.

>>24000411
>he's already ready for Epsilon.
Ask him if he means the operating table to get the broken pieces of SCIENCE out of his head or the Marines to put him into custody.

>>24000411
"Sounds like that's going to be tough."

>>24000411
So now I guess we just need to waste some time.
"Do you play Futurecraft, Epsilon?"

>>24000411
"Would it work if I just fried them all? Or would that hurt the people? Or has Sigma protected them against technopathy?"

>>24000440
We asked him that last time. He didn't. I doubt he's picked it up while on the run.

>>24000466
...the SCIENCE in them is used to monitor and track them, they don't modify their powers.

"Would it work if I just fried them all? Or would that hurt the people? Or has Sigma protected them against technopathy?"
"You can't use Machine Affinity on things you can't touch." He said. "That's why they asked Theta to make an organic implant for Sigma. At least... well, Sigma can't use her power on things she can't touch."

You tap your chin.
"... What, you can do it at a distance?"
"Distance is an illusion." Jilly said, confidently.

Epsilon stared at her.
"... You're deluding yourself *past* those sorts of issues?"
Jilly flashed yellow at him.

>>24000486
we can fry electronics rather easily. We did it all the time before we lost control. Of course there might be a slight problem with them sparking while inside his brain.

Two galaxies thataway.

>>24000518
"Hah. Just last week I looked a few galaxies away. It looks like you're lacking on imagination."

>>24000518
"Weeell, all the SCIENCE in the universe. Like the crystalline quantum supercomputer two galaxies around that-a-way."

>>24000537
heh.
aliens got some weird crystal tech.

I find your lack of delusion disturbing.

>>24000518
"I touched a naturally-occurring crystalline computer two galaxies away."

>>24000518
"While I have been here I have seen a guy Time Travel, been inside a Pocket Dimension, and Seen all Technology."

>>24000486
Yeah but they might have failsafes. Like if the implant loses power and the psions can't be tracked, poison is released into their bloodstream.

>>24000518
"I've sensed tech in other galaxies. It was interesting."

>>24000428
This, I really don't want him to be thrown into the brig or the operating table to be used for SCIENCE

>>24000518
"Machine Affinity? That's what she's calling it? Next thing you know she'll say there's Machine Spirits too."

Rolled 55

>>24000518
it aint a delusion if it's true, if I'm in a sensedep chamber I can detect tech >>24000537 but I didn't get a chance to talk to it...

>>24000548
I imagine a clairvoyent with some TK powers can move stuff he 'sees' with his sight. I have no idea about it working in a future type vision... but it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. Damien has proved you can travel in time.

Maybe I'll mention that to him.

>>24000580
Dude no.
There are.
>>24000581
What part of "Stop rolling." do you not understand?

>>24000594
He's doing it on purpose. He's a troll.

>>24000580
>overeager gun turret
>finally getting some rest cameras
>dutiful shuttles
Yeah, there are machinae spiritus.

well lets try disabling those implants. THat way if there is failsafes in them they won't go off when they ARE removed.

>>24000616
Yeah.
>I forget
>Even when there are people shouting at me constantly
>Even when Exabyte tells me to stop as well
He's either a troll or a goldfish.

"Hah. I touched a nturally occuring crystalline computer two galaxies away." You say.

He was silent.
"And I thought tearing apart a *moon* was something to be proud of?" He asked. "Well, good to see that I'm utterly trumped."

Then he closed his eyes.
"Machine affinity? That's what she's calling it?"
"That's what the pigfuckers say." Epsilon said. "They're the ones that named all of our powers."
"... that isn't polite." Jilly said. "To call them that."
"They put implants in us to control us, cloned tens of thousands of us, and killed the ones that didn't fit. Screw being polite."

Then he opened his eyes, and leaned forward in his chair to meet your eyes.
"If you can do stuff from that far away... maybe you could turn off the implants here."

He was quiet for a moment.
"... Please? Could you try?"

>>24000655
Let's not mess with the implants of people who aren't present at the moment.
They might even like them.

File: 1364852671749.jpg-(15 KB, 300x324, i will do science to it.jpg)

15 KB JPG

Rolled 5

>>24000671
Well then.

>>24000671
lets do it. At least figure out if we can do it safely. Talk to them.

>>24000621
That is our subconsciousness projecting that. Jilly explained this.

>>24000683
he hasn't asked for a roll yet. what are you doing? YOU'LL DOOM US ALL!

File: 1364852718425.png-(154 KB, 385x385, science.png)

154 KB PNG

Rolled 85

>>24000671
Turn off ALL the implants.
AAAAAAAALL OF THEM!

>>24000671
"I could, but I'd need to be in an isochamber to do it, and I can't guarantee that I'm good enough to be able to actually affect them without damaging the surrounding tissue. I could actually kill them if I mess it up."

File: 1364852737482.jpg-(76 KB, 620x640, Monotroll.jpg)

76 KB JPG

>>24000662
He's a troll.

>>24000683
...Stop that.

>>24000696
Jilly could be, I dunno, wrong?

Rolled 71

>>24000703
>>24000683
fine

>>24000671
rolling

>>24000671
"I *could* try, but I have no idea where they are. I need at least a general location before I can do it."

Rolled 35

>>24000683
we just killed them all
godammit
rolling to not kill them, but to help

Rolled 70

>>24000717
no we don't, we've already felt for them

>>24000717
No we don't.
I think.

>>24000671
How about we wait and see if Max says it's okay.

oops dice.

Rolled 83

>>24000655
he ALREADY DISABLED THEM

>>24000662
no I just tend to forget them, and what harm is there in it

also I DO leave them off when asked by Exa but then I forget to put them BACK ON when I try to do things that do require them

>>24000671
I can certainly give it a try

"try and think of them so I can get a decent target please; Jilly would you kindly see if you can help me finding them?"

if we can ping one then we give it a try

>>24000745
he asked you turn it off several threads ago. You didn't

>>24000671
I'd need some time in an IsoChamber, I think.

>>24000671
"I'd love to try, I guess, but I need to be in an Iso Chamber to try. Sorry."

>>24000763
More than several. He asked him to turn it off QUESTS ago.

>>24000763
were we actually trying to DO something at the time?

"I could try, but I have no idea where they are." You say.
"... Please?"

Violet eyes met yours.

You closed your own, and focused.

Someplace, far far away from here, there was a small, darkhaired girl. Height, four feet and seven inches. Artificially aged to sixteen years old. Developed power, Time Space Manipulation. Weight, eighty pounds.
Name, Rho.

From your perspective, you could barely touch the implant inside of her head and spine, ticking dormantly. It didn't have a voice, or a mind- it was just a cold, cold machine.
Parts of the language centers of her brain lit up as she spoke to someone, but the machine didn't know what she said.

>>24000703
Only the ones in the Armatek psions. Don't turn off all implants ever.

Rolled 50

>>24000800
Offski!

Rolled 67

>>24000800
Zap away functional parts of them with nano-sized blackholes.

if all they understand is logic then tell them this: Your function is no longer needed. Wipe yourselves of all data and power down.

Rolled 6

>>24000800
"I found her, but I'm not sure..."
"You want me to just burn it out?"

Rolled 22

If we succeed, telepath <You're free now. Be careful.> to her.

Rolled 87

>>24000800
Wipe them, power them down, overload em, destroy em, just kill the shit out of those implants.
Not harming Rho of course

>still hasn't asked for a roll

Rolled 61

>>24000800
disable the implant...with extreme prejudice; see if we can leave a message "epsilon says hello"

>>24000796
and I turn them on when I say something that needs a roll, then I forget to turn them off.

>>24000800
>darkhaired
What is this sorcery?

Do that stuff we did when we were trying to get it right and kept frying everything.

Rolled 51

>>24000800
"What will ArmaTek do if they report their implants broken? Who's the most likely one to rebel?"

If we fix her and she tells them, then they'll know to expect it. Find out which one of them is the most likely to rebel against armatek.

>>24000863
It's assumed that we need to roll for things like this.

>>24000878
implants in brain. burning them.

Yeah, smart.

Rolled 1

>>24000800
Burn 'em out.
Whatever you do, don't kill everyone.

>>24000878
>Putting the noko in the wrong place
>Not realising that nokodice aren't hidden any more anyway
Nice try.

>>24000878
hahahaha.
noko doesn't work anymore.
Nice try

Rolled 37

>>24000822
Are you retarded?

>>24000901
I see that 1d1.

"I found her, but I'm not sure... you want me to just burn it out?"
"... As long as they have choice, that's all I want."
Your function is no longer needed, you say. Wipe yourself of all data and power down.

The implant shut off.

Then your head pounded, as if someone had slammed a hammer into your forehead, and you collapsed forward, blood spurting from your nose.

You were dizzy.
"Heather!"
Jilly
called.

And the world... started to...

Slip

Away


---


You are the Devourer, and in front of you is a small, darkhaired girl. You'd smashed your way within this human installation for her.

She stared at you, lower lip trembling, as another of your torn off limbs turn into smoke, as she touched it.
Then you felt it. Something in her mind... broke, and she took a step back.

>What do you do, Devourer?
>[] Eat her. She smells delicious.
>[] Retreat. She can disintegrate your flesh!
>[] Your name is Heather.

>>24000918
>[X] Retreat. She can disintegrate your flesh!

>>24000918
EAT HER.

>>24000918
>>24000918
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck

Did we kill ourselves?

>[] Her name is Rho.
Please do not eat her. She can be my friend and help you verse the tasty one when we wish to devour it.

Rolled 96

>>24000918
>[X] Retreat. She can disintegrate your flesh!

>additionally hide and observe

>>24000918
What to do, what to do?
I want to say [x] Lick the girl
But this is greentext, so it must be important.

Eh, what's the worst that could happen?
[x] Eat her. She smells delicious.

>>24000918
>[x] Retreat. She can disintegrate your flesh!
We really don't want to fuck up what may be our new body.

>>24000918
>>[] Your name is Heather.

>>24000918
>[x] Your name is Heather.
"Hi, Rho."

>>24000918
>>[] Your name is Heather.

>>24000918
>[X] Eat her. She smells delicious.

>>24000918
>[] Your name is Heather.
<Hello, Rho.>

>>24000975
also, "Please don't kill me."

>>24000950
Adding to this.
She could MOVE us there given a chance to learn.

>>24000988
godman no, why did I say that, canceling that, I choose
>Your name is Heather

>>24000918
Fuck this, we've got a ship to pilot

[✔] Heather.

>>24001023
dat check mark

>>24000918
Man this is gonna be some boring shit if we just died.

>>24001023
✓

>>24001023
Aww shit. If we're not awake in 10 mins the Bubble could tear through the station. Hopefully Omni can work out how to drive with human controls.

>>24000918
Wasn't that a 1d1?
Retreat be tee dubs.

>>24001064
Check the irc, Exa said he's not counting it.

>>24001064
>I took the 6 instead.

You take a step forward, when... an urge to say something came to your mind.
Please don't kill me, you wanted to say.
Hi, Rho, you wanted to say.

Her name is Rho, something from far away said, a mostly unconscious psion. Ah. Your creator. Things made sense now.

Please do not eat her, your creator said. She can be my friend.
You stare down the clone. She smelled delicious, but she also smelled like... chemicals. Like something unclean.

Fuck it.
You weren't hungry anyway. You turn about, and leave the human alone.

This is two, creator, you said to something you knew would be listening.

---
Your eyes open, and Epsilon is standing at his full height, palm out, pulling the entire ship to a stop.
You were out of bubble drive, and your head pounded.

"Heather! You're okay!" Jilly said, and hugged you. Your limbs weren't dead, but... your mind felt like it was splitting in half.

>>24001085
...is the devourer sentient? fuck.

>>24001085
It's done. She was in trouble, I got her out.

But next time, I'm going to do it somewhere there's a hospital.

Are we safe?

>>24001085
Why take the six? Are you just choosing arbitrarily? That's a pretty shit system. In fact, have the rolling rules even been clarified at all?

>>24001085
Why'd you take the 6? What dice system are we even using?

"That was slightly more taxing than I expected. I'm fine. Rho's fine."

Rolled 99

>>24001085
"well that might explain things; I just saved rho's life as well..."

>>24001110
he seems to get along well with us at least..

>>24001136
there isn't a dice system, it's always been freeform

>>24001130
2nded
>>24001136
What dice system are we using?

>>24001085
"I think I just convinced the Devourer to not eat Rho. I think it is getting smarter."

>>24001151
I think the dice gods are taunting us.

>>24001136
>>24001131
We do suck at biomancy, so maybe it's worst of first three for that, and best for TK or something we're good at?

Its getting smarter and now its sapient. I wonder how far it will go. <Thank you Devourer>

>>24001166
thats just mono. he doesn't know how to dice properly.

>>24001136
>>24001131
>the majority of the rolls were lower than the DC (70, since it was such long range). I'm usually using the average or median of the first handful of rolls (how many rolls I choose arbitrarily, based on task and skill). Critical rolls (natural 1s or 100s) usually trump everything, though. They're both good and bad in their own ways.

"That was more taxing than I expected." You mumble.
"What happened?" Jilly asked.
"I think I just convinced the Devourer not to eat Rho. I think it is getting smarter."
"The devourer?" Epsilon asked, moving the ship toward one of the bays. He wasn't piloting... but he was still moving the ship, you knew, and... counteracting inertia, so despite how quickly the ship was maneuvering, you didn't feel it at all. "What's that?"

The thing I created somehow. It has its own way of travelling space. An organic bubble drive or something and it wants to eat psychics. It was eating the Dimiurge a while ago and apparently it sensed Rho.

>>24001217
You know that Biomancy experiment I told you about? That's how the result, uh, is identified.

I don't know really, it's all a bit squiggly. It seems to have some sort of intellegence.

>>24001217

"It's the result of massively backfiring biokinesis. Jilly...Rho's implants are off. Can you talk to her and tell her that if she can get to Heaven's Jewel and stay hidden until the weekend, we can pick her up?"

>>24001259
I like the idea, but perhaps we should wait until Max has talked to Epsilon before contacting Rho. She is the crazy one too, so I really don't want her ruining our vacation.

>>24001284
2nded

>>24001217
"The creature I made by accident. It eats stuff. Demiurg mostly."

Last time I thought about the Devourer being the Void Queen I came up with a good reason why that was impossible but now I can't remember what it was. It's bugging me.

>>24001284
shes not crazy, just impulsive.

>>24001217

Oops I just remembered I was supposed to be taking it easy. I think Damien is going to be mad at me again.

>>24001312
When 'impulsive' means telefragging people, I'm going to say that counts as crazy.