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The tugs depart their formation as they send their haul drifting; a hulk of charred metal floating through the space between Gehenna and the awaiting fleet. Their maneuvers are slow and deliberate, taking days to drag the small chunk of debris up from the churning chaos of the endless earth sized storms and thousand kilometer lighting bolts of the gas giant's atmosphere where any wrong move could send the lot of the small ships hurtling into oblivion. They begin to return to their docking bays as the cargo hatch opens of the military freighter above, until the hulk of wreckage slips into the outstretched arms of a multitude of cargo arms that quickly cradle it, bringing it to a relative stop and fastening it within the cargo bay in a web of polymer nanofoam to the surrounding walls. Shortly after, the entire fleet begins to fall back, leaving only a small number of patrol ships to remain in the system, watching over a swarm of automated salvage craft as they pick at the corpses of Union and Commonwealth ships alike strewn about the system and the last few long range tugs return carrying damaged strike craft nearly lost to the infinite void of interstellar space.

Welcome back to Hive Queen Quest!

>Archives http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Hive%20Queen%20Quest
>Twitter https://twitter.com/HiveQueenQuest
>Various pasta http://pastebin.com/u/QuestDrone
>FAQ ask.fm/QuestDrone
>Discussion page http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Quest_talk:Hive_Queen_Quest
>>
>>1416982
Lyle examines the sensor readouts carefully as he watches the Valen fleet adjust its formations in real time, waiting for any hint they may be deploying interceptors, or even showing any hint that they may have been spotted. Coil emits a burst of technical data as his nerves continue to feed the ship and consume its readings directly, his cluster of control cradles and armatures linking into his shell like a drop suit's control plugs. His synthetic voice cracks through the speakers.

“We have exited anti-orbital weapon coverage zone and are entering the upper atmosphere.” He says.

“Good. We can dump the shuttle and escape pod here and give them a goose chase until they fall out of orbit. Unhook the shuttle.” Lyle says, and the ship is momentarily rocked with the slight bump of a sudden change in mass. As the sublight shuttle disconnects from the ship's airlock. “What's the status of our guests?” Lyle says on the radio. “We need that escape pod jettisoned asap.”

“I got em out.” Jackob replies. “Pod is ready to disconnect, but we should figure out what to do with these idiots before this jarhead starts punching holes in the hull.”

“You mean the drop trooper?” Lyle asks. “I think we came to a decent understanding in our last conversation.”

“Yea well, having him in the same vacuum sealed can as me doesn't seem like a good idea so we should find a way to deal with the lot of them before they start breaking things. Right now they're still trying to figure out who we are, so that should give us a bit of time but they're going to realize their on the Angel before too long.”
>>
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It's time.
>>
Daily reminder

>Raid OQ
>Read the locked memories of that thinker.
>Board a scav vessel for their FTL.
>Send a diplomacy team to earth.
>Build that new FTL prediction building.
>Take Reprive (I think that is the system that our mother made her last stand and it only has mining corvetts, it would be a great test for our raiding fleet.)
>>
>>1416982
Praise mother!
>>
DAILY REMINDER: OQ a shit.
>>
>>1416988
Obviously Jackob drugs them all.

Putting people into a coma always satisfies their thirst to ask inconvenient questions.
>>
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GAS THE SQUIDS
NUKE THE WHALES
STAB THE MONKEYS
TRUST NOTHING
THE VOID IS WATCHING
>>
>>1417005
So the trooper will start breaking things before getting drugged. Unless we menage to knock him out with a drug of our own. The others are easy because, except for the trooper and the rogue guy, has a symbiot in them.
>>
>>1417038
Jackob has the sting whip implant. We can dose the Jarhead with enough sedatives to kill an elephant before he's even realized what's happening.

Plus, we also have flies on the Angel. They should be able to disable the drop trooper even if Jackob somehow fails.
>>
>>1417038
That's why Jackob shakes hands with him first! Basic triage. Obviously he's in the most dire need for calming drugs.
>>
GAS THE SQUIDS
NIKE THE WHALES
STAB THE MONKEYS
TRUST NOTHING
THE VOID IS WATCHING
>>
>>1416988
Jackob stands by the main cargo bay as he seals one of the docking clamps with the push of a button that releases a quick hiss of pressurized air. The pod within quickly falls away, tumbling from the hull of the ship after the drifting shuttle further below. Dillon has already left with Anderson, a trail of blood marking their path to the medical bay, but the remaining Cortez crew stand by the airlock as they collectively size up Jackob as well as the surrounding ship. Mauser eyes Jackob's armor, glancing at weapons between searching the inventory of the cargo bay for any useful items and mapping the layout in his head.

"So what do we do? We try to knock em out Mauser is gonna be a problem, but if we don't he's probably gonna be a problem regardless unless we can get to a planet damn quick." jackob says.

"What are we doing with these bastards anyways?" Dillon asks over the radio. "This conman isn't looking too good, but this hive tech is damn impressive, I can see the tissue growing back just looking at him. He should be good in a few hours at least, but the others are going to start asking questions, and they'll either need answers, or be taken prisoner again."

"Alright, I'll be back in a second." Lyle says.

"Maybe not." Jackob replies. "I don't think you should restart any beef with Mauser. I don't want to deal with that kind of fight in the middle of fucking space."

"Well if he starts shit, you'll be damn sure I'll come back there and finish it. I kicked his ass once, if he wants a rematch I'll feed him his own balls."

>Have Jackob attempt to sedate the Cortez crew
>Deploy flies to swarm them while Jackob and the others avoid contact
>Speak with them (write in)
>Other (write in)
>>
>>1417062
>Speak with them
The con is that our boys got hired by decker right?

Ask decker where the money and where does he want to be dropped off
>>
PASS THE SQUIDS
JUKE THE WHALES
STAT THE MONKIES
THRUST NOTHING
THE 'ROID IS WATCHING
>>
>>1417062
>>Have Jackob attempt to sedate the Cortez crew
Except Decker, maybe.

We can 'ask Decker what he wants to do with the others' while they're asleep.
>>
>>1417062
>speak with them
>tell them that we're a rescue crew Decker managed to contact by hacking the Valen while he was being nerve stapled. use Decker to confirm the story, and get Decker to reassure our men that they'll get their money soon as he's safe.
Aaand I don't know where to go from there.
>>
It begins.
>>
>>1417045
I completely forgot about our flies.

>>1417047
Well guess that is minus one problem. The rogue we can implant while he's into a healling tank.
>>
>>1417067
We need them asleep for a while to make anything plausible, or else they'll recognize the Hel's Angel.
>>
>>1417067
I thought decker payed for the mercs by stealing valen money while he was being nerve stapled?
>>
>>1417062
>>Have Jackob attempt to sedate the Cortez crew
>>
>>1417084
Not from the inside and as long as they stay in the cargo hold,

>>1417087
Yeah, so have our guys ask decker where the pay and where does he want the drop off for him and his buddies

Should at least confuse them and stall for time once we "encourage" them to start arguing about where and stop mauser from wrecking shit
>>
>>1417062
>Speak with them
The Jackob shakes hands with Mauser(Maybe he's a fan of the famous drop trooper faction) and sedates him.
>>
>>1417096
>>1417072
Second.
>>
>>1417098
*Then
>>
And remember we cant afford to fuck with the memories too much if we want them to get pass the union debrief since the union already went through those crew members we gave back
>>
>>1417096
>Not from the inside and as long as they stay in the cargo hold,

No, they will. The Angel's insides have been described by former passengers before.

I mean he even says
> they're going to realize their on the Angel before too long.”

Right there.
>>
Honestly all paths here lead to them being put to sleep and implanted with a parasite, at which point we have control, it's just about the best way to do that while minimizing how much shit Mauser can fuck up. Keep in mind it's quite possible he has implants to delay / counteract poisons
>>
>>1417062

>Have Jackob attempt to sedate the Cortez crew

Even if we can talk to these guys, they will know something's up when they all feel sick after the FTL jump and notice it is instant. Sedation is the only way.
Jackob is experienced enough. Let him figure out how he wants to put the crew to sleep. Mauser's the only one we really need to worry about here.
>>
>>1417062
Actually, changing to this:
>Have Jackob attempt to sedate the Cortez crew
>>
>>1417113
Personally i think some of them we will have to avoid parasiting, like Mauser maybe since he's high rank military and has augs, he will probably take a dip in a union medical pod when he arrives.
>>
>>1417132
Or instead of returning him we change his face and make him into Lyle's odd couple-esque unwilling partner in crime.
>>
>>1417104
Actually we could just leave the parasites in this time.
>>
>>1417132
Mauser may be spending time in a medical pod, although I doubt many people would be able to force him into one.

I still think parasiting everyone is probably the way to go here. While it is risky, it's less risky than not parasiting everyone and having inconsistent stories and annoying questions.
>>
>>1417062
>Have Jackob attempt to sedate the Cortez crew

Jackob feels the augments as they respond to his mental alert, his arms loosening their joints as his chemical fabricator begins to secrete a potent sedative.

>Attempt to administer to sedative stealthily
>Attempt a surprise attack
>Other
>>
>>1417147
We could have a parasite that self destructs without spraying acid all over the place.
>>
>>1417151
>Attempt to administer to sedative stealthily

>>1417132
Muser is just too risky given his implants and detailed medical file they would keep on him
>>
>>1417151

>Attempt to administer to sedative stealthily

Shame we cant just fill the ship interior with sedative gas.
>>
>>1417147
>although I doubt many people would be able to force him into one.
They don't need to if he's willing, he's a soldier so all they need to do is order him into one.
>>
>>1417158
Don't talk crazy.

>>1417151
>Attempt to administer to sedative stealthily
>>
>>1417151
>Other
>Let Jackob choose
>>
>>1417151
>Attempt to administer to sedative stealthily
>>
>>1417132
Agreed. The only reason we were able to parasite two top Union officials is because we got them in the middle of the research facility evacuating and from a netting in an apartment. Decker would likely get the least thorough search since he isn't technically a Union operative.
>>
>>1417163
Don't talk stupid. It's a great idea.
>>
>>1417151
>Attempt to administer to sedative stealthily
>>
>>1417161
>Shame we cant just fill the ship interior with sedative gas.

Lyle was very protective of his Angel. I don't think he would like a gas system inside his ship. But nothing stop us from asking if he want on.
>>
>>1417178
What else could it possibly explode into if not acid? Milk? Don't be silly.
>>
>>1417172
It's doubtful anyone will get deep medical scans looking for strange growths inside them if they're healthy.

I mean at worst it would happen if they're scheduled to have new cybernetics put in. And Mauser already has all his. Unless there's something QD said that I don't remember.
>>
>>1417158
They are symbiots!!!

>a parasite that self destructs without spraying acid all over the place.

Don't be crazy anon. Also i'm just joking
>>
>>1417190
Just thinking, with our parasite granting immunity we could just knock everyone else on board out cold and then deal with them.
>>
>>1417204
Dillon does not have a parasite.
>>
Okay LeBlanc, Mordey, Grey, Decker, Mauser, Anderson. We 'rescued' six prisoners just now right. Seven if you count Coco.

We already have the space dwarf Calhoun somewhere from an earlier capture.
>>
>>1417214
Well would suck to be him then.
Besides, you dont need to keep it gass'ed up. Just long enough to lock folks down.
>>
>>1417190
We don't need a sedative gas. Just cut the Oxygen and the excess of Nitrogen will put everyone right to sleep (unless they have a parasite helping them out).
>>
>>1417193
They might be looking for non literal bugs and they might find them in the process.
>>
>>1417193
I specifically remember that if any parasited agent goes into a medical pod the parasite is detected.
If i recall correctly it's because medical pods do several things at once or something.
>>
>>1417230
I've seen one too many 'just cut the oxygen temporarily to knock them out' plans result in death instead of unconsciousness.

Though I guess we can cure death. We've done it before. But it takes so damn long.
>>
>>1417204
If Dillon stopped being a party pooper and accepted our gift that could be possible.
>>
>>1417192
Seems you need reading comprehension.
>Acid glands: Glands of acid burst open on death, rapidly disintegrating the body in a manner that does not cause harm to others.
This is what I meant by "not spraying acid all over the place."
>>
>>1417223
I forgot about the space dwarf, he obviously can't just pop back in at the union.
Maybe we can ransom him?
>>
>>1417240
So you want the parasites to have the adaptation that they already have and have always had since the day they were designed.

Mission accomplished.
>>
>>1417238
>But it takes so damn long.

So does inferior human spaceflight. Even if we kill them all by oxygen deprivation (unlikely), reviving them will only take long enough that it would make sense the human ship was transiting to whatever system we drop them in during that time.
>>
>>1417151
D-Did we not even have to roll for this?
>>
>>1417230
This: >>1417238
>>
>>1417256
OK everyone, PLACE YOUR BETS!
Did we overestimate or underestimate?
>>
>>1417253
Well whatever, if we go with the "Loot at me. I am the Captain now" thing for Decker hiring these mercenaries for a rescue, we can ransom them back to the Union in exchange for Decker's pardon or erasure of all records of him or something.

Something he can verify they can't go back on. And a pile of creds.

Though like the Valen said, their value has been reduced already by their capture.
>>
>>1417247
Actually we use the explosive glands.
>Explosive glands: Pressurized organs of highly volatile chemicals burst on death, splashing everyone and everything within melee range with caustic acid.(2N)
Those kill people.
>>
>>1417247
>everyone
>not making it viable only for the humans in the expanse
>not creating a black market for our nice bio-tech
>not making absurd prices for those out of our space

>laughingjewwhales.png
>>
>>1417272
>Actually we use the explosive glands
'Actually' you dreamed that up. Quit huffing so much Nepenthe anon.
>>
>>1417265
Overestimate we keep forgeting our biy jackob is full of nice improvements cortesy of your friendly red hive.

Other products such as those from Obsidian hive are to not be trusted or related to Red hive bio-tech because their queen is a cunt.
>>
>>1417276
Seriously, though, when we start giving out our "biotech" we need to make it exclusive. People will be paranoid no matter what, of course, but they'll be a lot more paranoid if we're giving perfect healthcare away to everyone for free than if we're being selective about things.

Maybe only provide the "free" healthcare option to people who choose to live in the Expanse? (and let some people say no). While otherwise we sell our paras and other healing services for extremely high prices in Union space.
>>
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>>1417272
Pic related.
>>
>>1417265
I think we overestimated Mauser. He's on our ship and most of his augments have been disabled by the Valen. We have complete operational control of the situation.
>>
>>1417151
Jackob adjusts armor as he arms flex and change length by a quarter of an inch as the bones settle. He looks over the group of concerned looking humans before looking down to the floor where Coco hisses at the two taidarens, their backs arched like some feral animal as their bodies tense up like a spring ready to fire. Jackob snaps his fingers and the shade hound glances over, its snout flaring as it examines the heat of Jackob's hand, and walks forward into his outstretched hand.

"You leave our mechanics alone, alright?" Jackob says before glancing back to Huey and Dewey. "And you, I know how you antagonize things. You both just stay away from each other, got it?" The twins quickly flee, scurrying over crates and cargo pallets like panicked lizards as Coco's heat pits flair in waves as Jackob scratches the gill like slits along its snout, the hound emitting some guttural gurgling of appreciation.

"Seems well trained, whose is it?" He asks. Decker holds his hand up to chest level.

"That's Coco, he's mine, had him since he was a pup." He says quietly. "Um... Where are we going, exactly?"

"That would largely be up to you." Jackob says as he pets the hound quickly and stands back up. It trots about his feet for a moment before returning to Decker's side, and Jackob moves forward as he holds out his hand.

Please roll 1d100, best of 3.
>>
Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>1417309
>>
Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>1417309
FOR MOTHER!
>>
>>1417276
You know we still haven't found out the deal with that holo-printer we traded our parasites for.
>>
Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>1417309
For mother!!!
>>
Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>1417309
I gotchu
>>
>>1417326
No, you don't :(
>>
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>>1417279
Okay I concede.
>>1417276
Here's the closest thing I could find.
>>
78 is still good.
>>
>>1417287
We could make buckloads of profit in the medical industry. But, if we even care, we will need to hold on the good stuff so we don't brake the industry on the human worlds.

>Maybe only provide the "free" healthcare option to people who choose to live in the Expanse? (and let some people say no).

I guess that is pretty much the idea we sell the symbiots and our less powerfull implants
>>
>>1417132
>>1417172
>>1417193

I don't think we should even send them back to the Union honestly, at least not all of them. They'll likely want to give them all medical exams if they find out they were interrogated by the Valen, and we can't really control whether they find out or not. The conman and Decker weren't going to go back anyway, they're better served working for us in the criminal underworld
>>
>>1417312
>>1417330

78 is likely good enough. We did give Jackob some pretty sweet augs.

The most likely problem would be that although they fell asleep, they noticed there was a problem before hand, which would mean we would have an absolute need to parasite everyone to maintain secrecy, which itself could increase the risk of discovery.
>>
>>1417349
Or just dip them in medical pods which will let us read and rewrite their memories.
>>
>>1417330
You soiled my roll.
SOILED IT.
>>
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>>1417357
>>
>>1417317
I guess it's still a automatic action. Each numbered thread is a whole day. Don't forget we grew our empire in less then a year and having less planets then everyone else. So since the time we made the deal we can assume we manage to meet with the matriarch on Gemini sewers.

>>1417339
But is it good enough?

>>1417338
Eh. Good one.
>>
>>1417349
We can always just recycle them after copying all the expertise from their brains if there's no good way to set them loose.
>>
>>1417399
True enough. We might have trouble replicating some of the augs on Mauser, but everyone else is replaceable.
>>
>>1417454
I think what you mean is that we will be busy getting hot RESEARCH sprayed all over our faces from Mauser augs.
>>
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>>1417460
That is lewd
>>
>>1417309

"You're the one who hired us, after all." Jackob adds as he turns to Mauser. "You must be the ship's drop trooper. I got friends in the military, it's nice to meet such a well decorated soldier." He says as he holds out his hand. Mauser stares into his helmet as the two lock eyes. The others surrounding them hold a silent unease that permeates the room as Coco whimpers and paws at Decker's legs as his heartbeat and temperature shift with the tension of the room.

"What division?" Mauser asks coldly.

"Special Operations. Real top secret stuff. He's retired now but he's still a stickler for rules and always had a stick up his ass." Jackob says.

"You know you're still on an open mic." Dillon says in his earpiece as Lyle lets out a chuckle. The two keep their locked gaze as Mauser holds up his hand, his face remaining stoic and stern, his expression unmoving as if chiseled from stone, and he grips Jackob's hand with a powerful grip.

"He got a name?" He asks.

"Yea, Dillon Reager." He says as the augmented ports within his palm uncoil the sedative laced sting whip directly into Mauser's palm. There is a loud thud behind him as Mordey drops to the ground while Grey stumbles, and then falls over. Decker holds himself up on a nearby crate as Coco droops its head and rolls to the side. Mauser rips his grip back, wrenching Jackob's arms as the bones unhook and he nearly stumbles backward as the arm stretches out by several feet. LeBlanc lets out a frightened shout as he jumps back and begins to run, and Jackob launches his other arm, firing the sting whip as it coils around his neck, the skin beneath his chin quickly puffing up as the hair thin microneedles send him dropping to the ground.

Mauser drops to one knee before he tenses his body and he launches himself into Jackob, his shoulder breaking three ribs as it impacts Jackob's armor with the impact force of a decent sized truck, bringing him into the air as Mauser sprints into the wall. The both of them impact with a reverberating thud that leaves a slight dent where Jackob's back impacts the polymer wall.

"Cut the gravity, now!" Jackob shouts, and the maneuvering thrusters offering a facsimile of half earth gravity cuts out as as Mauser's free hand curls into a fist and cracks against Jackob's helmet, the opaque faceplate cracking open and sending shards of metamaterial scattering into the air as his other attempts to crush Jackob's hand, the flexible bones coiling into a compact ball in his immense grip. He punches again, the helmet continuing to break apart at the faceplate as the built in hud crackles and dies, and Jackob's free arm retracts its sting whip and wraps it around an available strut on the wall behind Mauser's girth, and detatches it from his arm as the back end of the tendril wraps arround Mauer's forearm as he swings again. The sudden pull throws his fist into the wall where a sharp dent appears, splattered with blood from his knuckles.
Cont.
>>
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>>1417531
>Mordey drops to the ground while Grey stumbles, and then falls over.

So those got drugged by their internal parasites. Jackob didn't touch them.


>LeBlanc lets out a frightened shout as he jumps back and begins to run, and Jackob launches his other arm, firing the sting whip as it coils around his neck, the skin beneath his chin quickly puffing up as the hair thin microneedles send him dropping to the ground.

Uh. Didn't we already parasite LeBlanc when he was found injured by Anderson. Why did one of our adoptees need to be drugged from the outside and not the other two?

>>>/tg/48070575
>Several gurgling whimpers escape LeBlanc's limp body as flies stab at him with their hypodermic blades, slicing open his abdomen as a parasite lunges into the wound, wrything its body from side to side as it forces its way beneath the skin and the rest of the flies drag his body away from the flames.
>>
>>1417531
This fucking guy... Lyle did less damage to Jackob when they fought - and this time Jackob has a fancy hive suit.

Okay, maybe now we swarm with flies?
>>
>>1417587
Not using a hive suit and we know mauser is smith tier
>>
>>1417531
Dam... Mauser is a monster. I'm so glad Jackob has a symbiot he is going to need it.
>>
>>1417586
QD made a mistake.
>>
>>1417587
Remember anon, Jakob is wearing shitty human armor due to the mission.
>>
>>1417531
>>1417589
LYLE GET YOUR ASS IN HERE STAT
>>
>>1417587
>>1417589
Guess this tell us we won't be druggin any smiths when we attack that company on Tokyo 2. Now that i think about, there is nothing that is stopping from their security have a Mauser or Lyle kinda guy working as security chief.
>>
Do you guys think he might be rewriting it?
>>
>>1417606
Nah, it's fine as it is.
>>
>>1417596
Oh no, looks like it broke and we don't have any spares. We'd be happy to offer him a replacement though.
>>
>>1417602
For that, we break out our Lyle/Mauser mind-template hybrids.
>>
>>1417611
This anon >>1417586 pointed out he did make a mistake.
>>
>>1417606
I highly doubt it. This is just a minor mistake (which is more than understandable in a quest as long running as this one is).
>>
>>1417602
Well that is a given since it maybe the smith factory, imagine the security measures to ensure that smith rejects dont destroy everything

That going to be a tough mission if its still on the table, the rebels may now decided to say fuck off to us cause of the shit we just pulled
>>
>>1417606
Nah. If anything this could be intreperd as the parasite having a weaker or a not complete link with LeBlanc brain.
>>
>>1417602
We already knew you can't "drug" Smiths, they have literally nothing biological below the neck.

Now it remains to be seen if Mauser has a really good anti-toxin implant that can truly make him completely immune to hive toxins, or if it can only slow down the effects.
>>
>>1417531

Mauser's arm reels back as the tendril contracts like a stretched bungee cord and he tumbles back, dragging Jackob with him as they hurl through zero-G, their bodies flung back and forth with the weight of their punches until Mauser impacts the support strut with a loud grunt and Jackob kicks off with a quick kick to the drop trooper's face, sending himself spiraling away until he launches his arm out to grab a secured cargo crate and anchors himself to it. Mauser lashes out, ripping at the detached sting whip as it pulls him back into the wall over and over, each attempt to kick off the wall or rip off the stinging tendril becoming slightly less and less forceful until he begins to thrash about in a blind rage, his eyes closed as his body still tenses against the sedatives, and he drifts into the air as his muscles finally relax.

"God fucking damnit!" Jackob shouts. "The guy hits like a fucking jackhammer!" He holds his hand up, the palm mangled at unnatural angles as he grips the thumb and pulls it back into place with a loud crack. "It's a damn good thing these bones are designed to do that or I'd have to learn to be a lefty." He ads.

"But is he out?" Dillon asks.

"Yea." Jackob says. "Yea he's out. Most of the others dropped from the parasites sedating them. Had to knock out one of them though. Think he may have a detox, probably a civilian version, but I know Mauser's got a hell of a high quality one judging by how much of a dose he needed. He's got enough juice in him to put a goddamn Carnatar down for the count."

"You didn't break anything, did you?" Lyle asks. Jackob eyes up the number of dents in the wall.

"Nope." He says quickly. "Nothing's broken, I mean. It's fine."

"So what are we going to do with these assholes?" Lyle aks. You ponder that question yourself.

>write in
>>
>>1417633
This really should be a mission we involve Theseus in. Given how many black-op sites the Hive has destroyed the chances we are detected is pretty high if the Hive provides any kind of direct assistance. And we already suspect the terrorist cell might be infiltrated by the Union...

It's much safer to just provide intelligence and tech to Theseus and let him take out this "Anti-AI" research facility.
>>
>>1417650
>>1417650
STRIPMINE MAUSER!
MIND TEMPLATE
AUGS
EVERYTHING HE HAS WE WILL TAKE FOR MOTHER!
>>
>>1417650
I say we give those who still lack parasites parasites, and keep them sequestered in whatever unused compartments we can find. Confine them separately, of course.

After that, we can inform them of their surprise adoption.
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>>1417650
Well, parasite Mauser immediately. Anderson too. They are too dangerous to be left off the leash.

Maybe don't let Dillon know we're doing that though.

We need to somehow find a safe house where Decker can be 'in charge' of them and try to ransom them back to the Union from an undisclosed location. Somewhere in the Expanse. But we need to get such a location first somehow... in the unclaimed wilderness caves?
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>>1417633
Worst, imagine the security measures against a rogue smith.

>inb4 they have a lot of those rogue smith locked up inside a secret lab or something.
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>>1417650
Dump them at a random union station and hope they get pass the union debrief

Send them on the clark or hire a free trader to take them there

Since the only worth is as deep cover agents for spying
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>>1417662
Why ruin there minds? we need them as spies
so the less they know of how there handled the better
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>>1417650
Alright then, let's drop them into the medical pods and rewrite their memories.

Here is how i think the big lie should go.
>Their memories of valen prison remains unchanged.
>The interior of the ship they boarded is different.
>No taidarens, maybe replace them with an extra human merc so the crew looks bigger.
>Jackob did not reveal himself, instead the room was flooded with air sedatives and everybody passed out.
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>>1417675
They can know and still serve well, jsut look at our cute little pet scientist for example.
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>>1417680
I'll back that one.
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>>1417680
>Their memories of valen prison remains unchanged.
No this means they would remember the parasites.
>Jackob did not reveal himself, instead the room was flooded with air sedatives and everybody passed out.
Here's a better one. The ride was eventful.
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>>1417675
We aren't ruining their minds. Our new children are going through a trying time, and as their mother, it's our duty to help them through it.
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>>1417650
>>1417680
Backing
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>>1417688
*uneventful
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>>1417663
Deckard’s claim is the most developed, but even it lacks even a million people. Not sure if the sewers there on the colonies would be big enough yet to hide in.

Maybe they could get smuggled to Corbin somehow.

Maybe the HMS Orphan needs to give Decker and his prisoners a ride or something.
>>
>>1417680
Also remember, Decker has to stay with us and disappear from the union, he hired mysterious Mercs and is a felon, he won't be useful as a spy and will definitely be interrogated for how he know the Mercs.
We should also avoid parasiting anyone we expect to be examined in a union medical pod like Mauser.
>>1417688
I was talking more about the break out, i thought they already forgot about the parasites, if they haven't do so.
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>>1417699
Incorrect. Billiard has a million.
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>>1417680
Backing
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>>1417680
Yes, but that leaves the direction "Decker" will take this now that he's in charge now.

Anderson, let's say Decker killed him offscreen or he died of his injuries or he never made it off the Valen station. He belongs to us now. He's definitely getting the face-changing implant that Jackob has.

And he can work off his debt to us for his new implant, never needing another face changing surgery again! By helping us build more criminal/Taidaren contacts out there as a parasite salesman or something.

The rest of the crew, Decker has to decide what to do with them. Ransoming them will help pay for his own rescue. But he needs a good human-looking space to keep them in, not the Hel's Angel or a hive.
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>>1417707
Anderson too. He'll be going nowhere but a cell is we send him back anyway.
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>>1417707
We need to keep Mauser parasites until it would be detected.
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>>1417650
I want to send Gray and the other Union folks back to the Union by saying Decker had his hired mercs dump them off somewhere. They keep their parasites but lose the memories of the flies and who rescued them. Give them memories saying that Anderson convinced Decker not to send him back to the Union so they disappeared with the mercs.

Decker and Anderson keep their parasites and they become adopted for use in the Hive. I'm sure Anderson would love that mod that lets them change their facial features.

Maybe keep Mauser and try to make him into a redundant Lyle in case we need another Andre the Giant sized monster in a mission
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>>1417650

>>1417680
I'd support this with a few changes.

Obviously they don't remember the parasiting in the Valen station.

Make sure after we study Mauser to hell and back we don't keep a parasite in him since he is more likely to undergo a full medical scan.

Make up some story where Decker hired mercenaries and they were then drugged before payment.

Anderson and Decker stay with us.

Honestly, I'm considering just creating replicents of everyone at this point so that they can continue to spy without the risk of detection due to the parasites. If we can do this (and just upload their memories to the clone) I'd say go for it. However, the detailed cloning method would mean we don't get our spy in the Union council for some time, which could be problematic.
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>>1417720
Mauser-Lyle double team is a must for the Smith Factory Raid.
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>>1417650
>what do we do?
>alter their memories:
>there were no alien parasites or flies on their ship. cut that right out.
>decker's mercs showed up, freed them, then gassed the lot of them. they passed out.
>they awaken wherever we decide to put them, with a gap in their memory. no idea how they got there. although maybe they remember people talking in Esperanto.
>Decker fucking disappears. he belongs to us now.
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>>1417710
Oh right. But Billiard is also a gas giant, so you can't as easily sneak onto it as a terrestrial colony since it's a bunch of floating airships.
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>>1417717
We can either ransom them or just drop them in a union world.
I am in the favor of the latter since the whole valen prison breakout was due to us needing our agent back to killingers side.
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>>1417688
Don't forget the mind fuck Unity made on Decker inside the Prison. But i think only one saw it happen
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>>1417728
Nope it's a gas dwarf.
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>>1417720
Anderson could just be dead in the cover story. He did get injured and the station did blow up.

He's probably faked his death a hundred times before anyway.
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>>1417721
Don't parasited humans count as replicents?
And again, i thought the parasiting memories were already erased.
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>>1417735
Ah Decker...

Recipient of the dubious award of being the only individual to have survived a three way mindfucking between a psionic hive-mind and a quantum A.I.
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>>1417733
But would they believe Decker would just drop them off with no resentment or trying to gain anything out of it whatsoever?

He's on the lam, now. He should at least want his record erased from the official systems.
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I know i shouldn't and he was using a high quality implant to detox. But...i'm... some what offended and ashamed that a tranquilizer we created took so long to take effect.
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>>1417750
Decker technically is gaining something just by dropping them off.
Freedom.
If we ransom, not only will we have to wait, we'll also be targeted by the unions intelligence agency.
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>>1417749
His brain is going to end up like Spider Jerusalems later on in life isn't it?
He definitely needs a parasite then
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>>1417759
He could drop them out an airlock for that.

Hell he could've left them all on the Valen station for that.

He needs some motive for having taken them with.
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>>1417750
He could ransom them cheaply, say something about "more trouble than they're worth", or "just need to cover extraction expenses" or something.
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>>1417766
Didn't our agent save Decker from space? There is a reason.
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>>1417750
They'll know where he's calling from, you know.

Also if Decker just straight up disappears, he doesn't have to give a reason why he did anything, because no one can ask.
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>>1417768
We would still have to wait for the payment to arrive and will certainly be targeted by union intelligence agents.
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>>1417764
He already has a symbiot in him. I think he's only alive because of it.
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>>1417769
Okay he's grateful to Michael Devon.

He'd definitely be the opposite of grateful to Anderson, so we should pretend he's dead.

>>1417772
He can use the Deepweb and so can the Union.

But yeah, the question is if his actions are so inexplicable they flag the rest of the crew as suspicious by association or something.

Dropping them off would be easier and quicker for sure. Maybe his motive is solely to frame the Union and make the Valen mad at them.
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>>1417769
The excuse we were working on was that Decker had some money saved from when he hacked the Valen bank. The rescued team, Lyle and company, would have being hired by using such money.
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>>1417794
Yes.
That post you replied to wasn't talking about the money or crew, it was talking about Deckers motives(Why does he need motives?)
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>>1417790
> Maybe his motive is solely to frame the Union and make the Valen mad at them.

Well the Union did have him arrested and he dislikes the Valen Money grabbing attemps so this can be used as a excuse. I don't think Decker would murder someone.
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>>1417776
Could take payment in whatever they got laying around. Him being on the runs supports taking what he can get without drawing undue attention.
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>>1417650

Several workers are quick to emerge from the service tunnels and begin carrying the humans away to the cramped brig, while other drag Mauser to the medical bay. Jackob watches the drones skitter their way through the cargo bay as he rips off his helmet, or what is left of it.

"Goddamn this is some shoddy workmanship. You know once you get used to the whole living armor aspect it's hard to go back to standard equipment." He says. "Where the fuck is that supersuit? I'm not bullshiting with these assholes anymore without it." Jackob floats off as he rubs his hand, grumbling to himself muttered curses.

>Speak with Decker about the situation
>Speak with Devon
>Speak with Anderson
>Take Anderson and Decker back to Leeland and dump the rest in the expanse (write in)
>Other (write in)
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>>1417802
He didn't murder Anderson, he just didn't rescue him from the Valen. He didn't expect the station to blow up.

Such shoddy craftsmanship.
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>>1417800
The guy hacked a Valen bank and give it everything to charity. He's just wanted to escape prison and he didn't trusted the Union to seal the end of the deal.
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>>1417808
>>Speak with Anderson

Anderson is a career spy, he'd have good input on what scrutiny they'd be under if they went back
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>>1417808
>>Speak with Decker about the situation
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>>1417808
>"Goddamn this is some shoddy workmanship. You know once you get used to the whole living armor aspect it's hard to go back to standard equipment."

And now i feel better. Thanks Jackob you are a great son.

>Speak with Decker about the situation
>Speak with Devon
Then
>Take Anderson and Decker back to Leeland and dump the rest in the expanse (write in)
>>
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>>1417822
By "speak" we mean "speak to him in his dreams while the parasite gets settled in and he heals in the bacta tank" I presume.

>>1417808
>Speak with Decker about the situation

I mean it has to be something that the Union would believe he would do.
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>>1417808
>>Speak with Anderson
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>>1417830
Actually changing vote to


>>1417808
>>Speak with Anderson

Curious about reading his brain contents now. We can finally find out his birth name to call him that when we're angry.
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>>1417808
We'll need to talk to both Anderson and Decker eventually in order to determine what the Union would believe Decker would or is capable of doing, and what their likely response will be to our agents returning to Union space.

Besides that, I'm okay with voting for either one (no particular preference).
>>
>>1417808
>>1417866
Actually, I'll change my vote to
>>Speak with Anderson
In order to push the voting to a conclusion.

We definitely need to still talk with both guys before the group is sent back to the Union, but Anderson should be particularly interesting as we haven't had much interaction with him yet.
>>
If the Cortez wreck was docked at the space station being torn apart, did all the Canderon and the quantum power tap crash down to Aral?

Or was all the damaged and unstable space-gold removed first and shipped elsewhere.
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>>1417808
Anderson sits in his booth, the walls vibrating to the rhythm of the music in the club. He takes a sip of his drink and smiles at the women giggling on either side of him as they pass some local party pill between them. Bedrock was quite a place, a small chunk of Union city life floating in space in the middle of some of the least interesting small colony towns he has ever seen, but here, the party drugs were on demand, the alcohol on tap, and pretty girls with father issues looking for a ticket off this dead end truck stop to nowhere.

"So you say you're a secret agent?" One of them says with dangerous looking smile.

"Not secret enough to not tell us." The other says.

"Well you know how people complain of a lack of transparency in the Union, well here I am, being transparent. You see I'm performing a very important investigation that has brought me to this very booth regarding a suspected melon smuggling ring. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" He asks as the lot of them cackle at the deliberately terrible joke, the lot of them inebriated on some chemical cocktail of commercial fun drugs and drinks. "But I have to ship out soon on some major matter of national security. I may not make it back."

He leans in to one of them as he closes his eyes, and when he opens them there is a new set of lights, and new music as some Pathian pop music plays behind him as his feet dig into the carpeting as a large man lifts him into the air like a gym bag and tosses him out of a door, the music suddenly replaced with the sound of traffic and the harsh pelting rain of New Tokyo.

"I see you again you'll be paying your tab in skin." The bouncer says, and the door slams shut as the feeling of wet cement grinds into his face. He gets up and begins slapping the mud from his suit, and he flips his fingers to hold out the small card in his hand with the bouncer's face, name, and credit number listed in fine lettering. He rubs his thumb over the card to reveal the sensitive data from the card's default blank appearance and quickly memorizes the name and each number, then tosses it into the garbage bin beside him as he makes his way to a nearby banking machine, smiling to himself as he rubs the road rash on his cheek.

cont.
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>>1417927
Someone's going on a trip.
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>>1417927
Time to rewind to a few faces ago.
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>>1417927

The downpour is cold and harsh as it drains from the endless maze of pipes and drainage canals above, the countless leaks of ancient infrastructure making it rain from the dilapidated ceiling of the old industrial district of the deep sea dome. The seemingly endless stream of valuable ore likely created from the native silicon life long since having been mined dry, and the facility overrun with criminals, homeless, taidaren which could count as both, and the general criminal underbelly of any decently sized city. The chains rattle as he shivers in the cold, the links pinching the skin of his wrists as a number of figures stand bathed in shadow.

"Look, I'm telling you the money was never at the drop point!" He shouts between gasps. "I mean it I'd never lie-" A brass knuckle cracks a rib as his statement is cut off by a sudden gush of wind from his lungs and a gasping wheeze.

"Connor, you know we don't buy your bullshit anymore. My boys already had a nice chat with the O'Harris brothers and they say it the other way."

"You know you can't trust those bastards, they're lying!" He gasps back, and one of the figures unwrap their thick coats to pull out a telescoping rod. He flicks it open and it begins to hum, cracking sparks erupting from it where the salt water rain lands on the metal rod.

"I'm not buying the shit you're selling no more, Connor. You know what, keep the money. I'm gonna have Pete here make sure you earn every credit."

The figure swings the rod and there is a sudden jolt of pain as his vision flashes red.

He opens his eyes he rubs the glowing halo of light from his vision and slowly the blurring figures come together. A pile of ash colored powder is placed on the table before him, with several small lines placed in a row on the glass. Several other people are passed out on the couch across from him and a man laughs uncontrollably on the seat beside him.

"You throw a good party, Steve, I'll give you that!" The man shouts, as if unaware of his own volume, or perhaps it's a matter of perception. The walls seem to vibrate, the objects around him moving in and out of focus as he watches the towers of the city twist in the air as if attempting to swat the shuttle traffic out of the sky as they move in and out of the local Arnim spaceport. The vision is overwhelmingly funny to him, and he leans back in his seat and lets out a cackling laugh as he throws a fist full of credits at the ceiling and watches them dance in the air for what feels like hours.

cont.
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>>1417992
Guess it's time for "Anderson" to get a new supplier. Let's give him our "offer."

Not only does Mother provide the best drugs possible, we also have the best detox and healthcare system in the galaxy. All you need to do to earn it is to work for her loyally ... forever ...

acceptance of said offer is mandatory.
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>>1417992
> he throws a fist full of credits at the ceiling and watches them dance in the air for what feels like hours.
That sounds a lot like that drug from the Dredd movie the Slo-Mo stuff.
>>
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>>1417992
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>>1418068
Actually it's Connor or Steve. I guess we can call him by each of his diferent names and trigger his memory. I guess we can call him Connor when we are really pissed with him.
>>
Upgraded or unlocked specializations when?

Is there anything to reverse engineer from Decker's brain implants?
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Us offering Decker a job
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>>1417992

The credits shimmer in the light, glowing brighter and brighter until they become stars in the darkness of space. The shimmer of the reddish glow comes through the screen from the ship's speed, even with the sensors decompressing the starbow effect some of the visual doppler effect is still visible. The local picket fleet of Mercy shimmers on the sensors as the computer highlights their interceptors as the flight computer attempts to find a route into warp before they converge on their vector, and finding none. A broadcast begins playing ordering the ship to decelerate and hold its course begins repeating automatically as the interceptors close in and begin locking their docking anchors into the small cargo runner, and the lights begin to flicker as they saw through the hull and connect with the ship's power systems. There is a flash of light in the control center as the navigation systems cut out.

The bright light of the cameras hurt his eyes as they photograph from multiple angles, and his fingers are roughly smashed into the print readers one by one by the attending guard. A list of smuggling charges are read by a synthesized voice as he is offered the right of an automated lawyer and it recommends a plea deal.

"Nicholai Sanders, you are charged with smuggling of illicit goods, illegal possession of a firearm, unlicensed operation of a relativistic vehicle, and engaging in unlicensed international merchant activities. How do you plea?" The judicial system is impressive with its efficiency. Most of the procedure is largely automated with only a bailiff to process him and ensure it all goes smoothly. The automated attorney offers a pre-set selection of available legal options, while the terminal before him simply acknowledges his plea. He could claim innocence and have it eventually push to a trial with real human people involved, but it wouldn't be very likely to result in an acquittal, and the plea deal is already at least moderately lenient as it crawls across the screen next to him. He enters the plea and is quickly escorted to the holding cell just down the hall. The door slams shut and he is left alone in the darkness to think and pretend to sleep on the concrete bed.

A harsh buzzing awakens him and he gradually opens his eyes to the bland pre-fab structure of his bedroom. He lets out a slow, drawn out yawn as he props himself up on his bed and pulls down his kitchen table, the unfolded table revealing a small pantry next to his bed where he pulls several small packs of processed food. It claims to be some manner of dried processed beef substitute with a smiling human enjoying his meal of the stuff with hysterically overblown enthusiasm. A momentary thought of how the mascot of so many brands tend to be the animal the meat is made of crosses his mind for only a moment, but it is dismissed out of disinterest as he drops the brick into a bowl and pours water over it, causing it to slowly break up into a chunky, brown paste.
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>>1418136
>some manner of dried processed beef substitute with a smiling human enjoying his meal of the stuff with hysterically overblown enthusiasm. A momentary thought of how the mascot of so many brands tend to be the animal the meat is made of crosses his mind for only a moment

Eh human meat. Cannibals must love this brand
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>>1418134
Change the pills into red and blue cute parasite grubs and we're golden.
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>>1418168
Have them wave at him from our palms
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>>1418168
>not making the pill be all blue
>not shapeshift into a living parasite, once he has made his choice
>and then have it force itself down his throat
>>
>>1418168
>>
>>1418136
Interrupt his jog through memory lane with the queen appearing and say "This is getting ridiculous! How many aliases do you have do you even remember your real name?" And then block his memory of his real name.
>>
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>>1418168
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>>1418201
>New Paracutes from FormOther!
>In three friendly colors!
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>>1418168
Sorry for stealing your artwork
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>>1418209
Nice.
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>>1418168
Change all the people in his memories into Lyle.
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>>1418210
Never feel lonely again. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever.
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>>1418219
OH god that is a catastrophic idea but I'm still laughing.
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>>1418219
I like you, you can stay.
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>>1418219
Is it wrong that the first thing that popped into my head was young Anderson walking into Lyle having sex with Lyle?
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>>1418246
Mother dammit anon... my sides... i lost then.
>>
>>1418136

He chews his breakfast as he pulls out a remote from a small drawer and activates his room's only window, which flickers, darkens, and then quickly erupts in color the built in smart glass becomes a primitive 2d screen where the local news plays. Various stock reports scroll by as a man recites a long list of managerial staff changes, noting relevant alterations will be noted automatically on every worker's standard issue data pad. He checks his own, and notes any alterations in his work day today as it chimes with an alert.

"Your shift has been rescheduled for: Five, two, zero. Please ensure you are not late." His eyes glance up to the clock where it reads Five nineteen, only to change a moment later. The data pad chimes again.

"You are late for your shift. You have received three demerits and three work hours pay has been docked. Please-" The voice cuts out as he chucks the pad across the room and watches it shatter against the wall. The speakers in the wall let out another chime.

"One hundred and sixteen credits have been deducted from your account and a new data pad has been assigned for your use. Note, your balance is now: One hundred seventy five thousand credits owed. Please pick up your new data pad when you report for your assigned function." An itinerary quickly prints itself out from the wall holding a barcode address for the local mass transit system. There is another chime.

"You have been charged one credit for printing services in substitute for the use of your data pad."

He stands up from his bed, and with a swift kick sends it snapping up into the wall and plucks the sheet of paper from the wall and quickyl skims the header. Aledalandus Inistad Librae, menial laborer rank six, you have been demoted to rank seven. Please scan this paper on the destination reader of your local public transport drone and report to your new assigned function. Today's transportation fee will be sixty three credits.

He lets out a tired sigh as he takes the two steps to his door, and slides it open to the cramped, windowless hallway of the housing complex and walks his way to the exit where people are lined up at the local tram station as small personal tram cars pull into the station and various other employees enter and quickly scan their data pads on the tram car's interior terminal. He gets into his own and scans the paper, and the door quickly seals as he is zoomed off along the tram rail from the massive superstructure of the local housing complex and into the open air of the city beyond. The city itself is hardly what would count as a city in the Union, with most of the area simply open water or swampland rapidly passing by beneath the tram's elevated tracks. The massive shells of valen pass by at a leisurely pace in wide waterways below, and great swarms of the monstrous valen tadpoles devour whatever local animals they can find in a feeding frenzy within a fenced in nursery.

cont.
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>>1418212
Nah, it's OK man. QD himself likes it so it can't be bad, can't it?
>>
>>1418273
Jesus fuck I'm suddenly incredibly sympathetic to this guy.
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>>1418273
This reminds me of that one scene in the Fifth element.
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>>1418273
Jesus
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>>1418280
I'm not. You do the crime, you do the time. I am suspicious about the correctional system he's in though.
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>>1418273
Wow, talk about being nickel and dimed.
>>
>>1418273
>Aledalandus
So I guess we could call him...Lando.
>>
>>1418273
I like how this is running
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>>1418293
He's not in prison in that memory. He's working as a menial.. somewhere.
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>>1418273
>Librae

Why does it sound familiar? Have we meet someone with Librae on his name or i'm inventing shit.

Also fuck me it's horrible to be a human working for the Valen.

>>1418289

It remind me of the Vogon from Hitchhiker
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>>1418307
I thought it was pretty clear that he's paying off the fine levied for his crimes. He took a plea-deal remember?
>>
>>1418293
The rescheduling his shift to literally less than five seconds in the future, when the higher-ups know exactly where he is and that it'd be literally impossible for him to avoid punishment, proves that said higher-ups are abusive pricks (or at least absurdly incompetent at programming the system that manages shifts). That's worth sympathy for anyone who isn't a sociopath.
>>
Y'know, we could make a killing in the private prison industry and in excess criminal transfers/extradition. We can do it so much better than them, like mostly everything of course, but there's so much love lacking in their correctional services. It's a shame, really.
>>
>>1418313
More so since that trick came with demotion and reassignment. Boss might not like Lando here.
>>
>>1418273
So the Valen just refer to humanity by the surname Librae I guess?
>Anitianus Descolade Librae
>Librae Turusch
>>
>>1418289
>>1418311
Reminds me of the scene from demolition man where he procures toilet paper.
"Johnspartan You have been fined-Johnsparta-jhnsparta-jo-JohnSpartan you have been fined 30 credits for violation of the verbal morality statute."
>>1418313
Like I said, it's a punishment. And anyone who's worked retail can tell you the same shit happens to free folks as well.
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>>1418312
The justice system knew him as Nicholai, but the name given when he's referred to as a menial laborer is Aledalandus.
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>>1418322
Probably means "free" or "doesn't belong to a clan" or something.

Given their society it's probably an insult,
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>>1418324
Sounds like someone stole a joke somewhere
>>
So working for the Valen is like being a wageslave to a megacorp in Shadowrun, ouch.
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>>1418316
Good god, we could have willing migrants under the guise of a penal colony. And the true scum we don't want are nutrients /that they pay us to take/. Even better, we eat the bad ones and send back replicants that fit perfectly back into society.

We need to open a penal colony somewhere.
>>
>>1418336
Fifth Element for the demerits.
Demolition Man for the "you are fined/charged".
Vogon for the general asshattery.

Less "stolen joke" more "blending three together".
>>
>>1418330
Good catch. Think he had a new name assigned to him, or a long, long history of breaking the law?

My money is on the latter.
>>1418336
Ehh, they're similar. The concept of omnipresent surveillance in the future is so prevalent that poking fun at it can't really be considered 'stealing' a joke.
>>1418342
Form Other Reformation and Rehabilitation Division?
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>>1418312
That's ridiculous. We have consistently gone BACKWARDS in time, not forwards.

>>1418322
Librae is a star system.
>>
>>1418322
Librae could mean that they are able to read us
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>>1418342
I was mostly thinking of accruing copies of skill sets, with the inevitable diminishing returns, but that's an excellent idea.
>>
>>1418345
>>1418345
QD has a pretty good taste for movies.
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>>1418352
>read us

I think you meant to say humans anon.
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>>1418353
Now we just need a place to set up the Form Other Rehabilitation and Regrowth Division.
Somewhere we can set up without anyone noticing it's actually a huge operation... Valen space!
>>
>>1418342
That's a decent idea that would absolutely wreck our PR with the general population. Governments might like it, but we'd become a race of jailers in the eyes of the people.
>>
>>1418370
But Valen space is the worst location for secrets of any kind, remember nowhere?
>>
>>1418311
>>1418322
>>1418332
Specifically Librae is the star system human settlers colonized in Valen space. So of course lots of humans have that in their Valen style name.

>>1418347
>Think he had a new name assigned to him, or a long, long history of breaking the law?

Anon, you're just being dense now. This is his pre-criminal day job before he realized working 9 to 5, or 5:20 to 19:40 or whatever his Valen masters demanded, was a sucker's game and he should be a conniving backstabber like his successful employers were.

Every flashback is further and further back in his history, starting from Bedrock on backwards.
>>
>>1418389
Not jailors, rehabilitators! They go in one door as criminals and out the other as contributing members of society within [[NON-SUSPICIOUS TIME UNIT]] as opposed to being locked up in some prison somewhere soaking up taxpayer money for the rest of their lives!
>>
>>1418370
We could just build it in deep space somewhere. No one's going to stumble across it unless they follow one of our ships.
>>1418412
Maybe. we'd still need to carefully manage the PR.
>>
>>1418389
We'd have to make it a secret hive operation. Clones and hybrids only on the surface.

>>1418394
Good point, but we need a place for a secret prison that won't be inspected by the union. Nowhere might have to be it.
>>
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>>1418273
The tram quickly pulls into the station connected to the base of a large structure and quickly departs the tram before it charges him a loitering fee, and it zooms off as he examines the building's spiralling artwork of Valen script.

[]Department of unskilled labor management[/i] Is scrawled across the building in sweeping, spiralling letters of the trade language, and he walks up to the small kiosk at the entrance, the desk itself almost comical in its size compared to the vast structure that it marks the entrance of. A ceph sits in a basket of control armatures and quickly runs his sheet of paper through a machines that scans it, then shreds it, and a data pad emerges from a small slot in the desk. The ceph wordlessly slides it through the small hole in the security glass and a detailed set of navigational instructions appear on its screen as the ceph twists a limb in its armature and the door beside the kiosk slides open. He quickly walks through as it shuts behind him and follows the directions on his data pad to a small door slightly too short for him to walk through at full height with a placard on the side marking it as Reemployment office 632. The inside holds the appearance of a cheap indoor pool, the shell of a valen floating in the waters in front of a narrow ledge of wet friction polymer as water splashes up from the pool where the valen's maw pulls in some manner of fish. An eye twists to look at him as he approaches.

"Uh, hello, sir. I'm-"

"I know who you are. I requested your reassignment from the brine filter sanitation stations. You are late." The valen says.

"Yes sir. What happened to the brine filtration managers?" He asks, the valen lets out a number of hisses from its shell as it sprays salty mist from its shell.

"There was a restructuring event. Your labor manager is no longer employable." It says. Valen consider almost anyone employable. The statement was about as direct as could be, the old boss had played the valen power game a bit too fast and loose, likely wrote a check he couldn't cash, and is in all likelihood at the bottom of an ocean ravine, or on his way to one. The old boss always did ignore the regulations, so it was hard to say he would be missed. The valen sits in silence, as if waiting to make sure what he said was understood properly before continuing, shooing away several ceph workers from their work polishing its shell, and they fly away before it continues.

"Your debt to us is untenable considering your level of skill and estimated lifetime labor value." It says. "You will be unable to repay your debt within your lifetime. This is including the value your body holds from reprocessing after death." The statement stings like a twisting knife in his gut. "I propose an alternative, but it requires your agreement to hold all resulting risk to yourself." He looks up to the valen with sudden interest.

"What do you mean? What risk?" He asks.

cont.
>>
>>1418370
>>1418421
Or just open them on Human worlds- Spine buddy the social workers/doctors put in to prevent abuse, then have them turn a blind eye to spine-buddying.

Putting them in far-off space would make it worse.
>>
>>1418421
It'd be wonderful if the ships ran on Canderon and then blinked of in the other direction once they were out of range. Next stop, Space Australia and Warden Lyle.
>>
>>1418412
I think this is one of those good ideas we should set aside for the backburner until we've established more stable relations. I would love to create a prison to "rehabilitate" offenders when we have the chance, but the time to do that isn't now.

The humans won't be giving us any of their population (from the core worlds) for the foreseeable future. We should focus on converting the humans in the Expanse into believing we're good rulers (or at least much better than the hell-hole working for the Valen is), creating peace between the Union and Commonwealth, and selling our "life extension technology" and "medical services" for the time being.
>>
>>1418432
Again, you can't put a secret prison anywhere in valen space and expect it to stay a secret.
>>
>>1418273
We need to rescue the entirety of the Union's population from their horrible fates. All must be adopted by mother.
>>
>>1418439
Now this is interesting. Maybe the Valen experimented on "Anderson" to make him the way he is today?
>>
>>1418445
Definitely. First strike is being a benevolent force to those that have no choice, second strike is giving those that've wronged their societies the best choice: Union correction services or Hive Rehabilitation.
>>
>>1418460
Or maybe it is a suicide mission
>>
>>1418453
As soon as we adopt all the trillionaires we'll be able to buy out all their businesses and turn them into adoption agencies.

>>1418460
He obviously means 'go do something illegal for us, deniable asset.'
>>
>>1418445
We could prototype all sorts of ideas on one of our shiny new expanse worlds. I doubt we ever will (too much to do each week), but we've got some populations to experiment with if we want.
>>
He was a valen agent?

NUKE THE WHALES
>>
>>1418480
fucking whales man.
>>
>>1418472
Great. The Valen employ Shadowrunners.

Well, he shouldn't have any trouble adapting to being one of Mother's runners.
>>
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>>1418439
Uh oh.
>>
>>1418493
He'll probably welcome it, we're much kinder and willing to give our agents agency and free shit to make it nearly impossible for them to die.
>>
>>1418439

"A new job has become available that requires a disposable individual to take on a not insignificant risk of bodily harm. If you refuse, you will be reassigned. If you accept, your debt will be repaid. Training will be offered and paid for as part of this agreement, but it will not guarantee safety or success." The valen's voice rumbles through the cramped office pool as it waits for a response.

"I.... what, what's the job?" The valen just hisses, and its shell lets out a sharp squeak of ill tempered distaste.

"Only those who have accepted the employment option may be given details." It says, but it goes largely unheard as he cuts off the valen's reply.

"I'll do it. Whatever it is, just say what I have to do." He says, his breathing heavy and his hands balled tightly into fists. The valen lets out a sharp pop of air like a deflating balloon as it chuckles.

"Excellent. You will be assuming the role of a false individual. Nicholai Sanders. He does not exist, and now neither do you. You will be given falsified credentials to assist in your identification, and a course in deception to assist in your objective." The valen says. "Your new function is as an independent merchant. You will ship goods between Union and Commonwealth space using the midway station we will designate. Exit the office, and a puppet will escort you to the psychological training center." The valen's maw quickly manipulates some controls beneath the water, and there is a chime from the data pad. He quickly looks to the screen, still in shock as he can hardly even read the numbers.

Nicholai Sanders: Current balance, 0.

>Prod his mind with specific questions (write in)
>Discuss something in detail (write in)
>Other
>>
We should give the Valen something really, really nice so they can be in dept to us.
Perhaps a box of pencils or gravity technology.
>>
Wait if he is a deep cover agent of the whales, does this mean we have a opportunity to compromise the whales black ops if we send him back to the union

Screw having him stay in hive space send him back with decker and the others
>>
>>1418480
I think given what we know now we can be certain that nukes are far too kind, although efficient.

For specific singular valen that have offended us, we capture them and put them in a suspended pool surrounded by a colosseum of hundred speakers who do only have one job: intermittent-to-endless psionic screaming.

Extremely inefficient and wasteful of time and resources? Yes. Doubtlessly satisfying? Also yes.

Also; can threaten valen with "suspended scream pool" or something. Naming isn't my strong suit.
>>
>>1418515
>Prod his mind with specific questions
How did your handlers keep in contact with ya?
What was you mission objective?
Are you still working for the whales?
>>
>>1418525
Yes and yes.
>>
>>1418515
>>1418543
Supporting.
>>
>>1418539
We already know he got caught and arrested on Mercy on that smuggling job. That was years ago. He's burned now.

How would that help us?
>>
>>1418539
>>1418515
Second.
>>
Huh, maybe we should let lyle and crew interrogate him

Let him have access to all the hive tech to use as they see fit to see how they do
>>
>>1418548
>>1418515

Sorry, meant to say I was supporting
>>1418539
>>
>>1418515
>Prod his mind with specific questions
Did you take O'Harris brothers payment?
>>
>>1418553
>implying that wasn't one of his false identities.
We are just making sure he doesn't work for the whales. The many changes in identity may be out of Valen pay outs
>>
>>1418515
>Other
Let's move on to Decker. Hopefully we can analyze him and move on to (or at least start) the interview tonight.

If we do decide to keep talking with him, though, my vote is (in addition to the other questions):

>Prod his mind with specific questions (write in). How would you feel about the chance to get revenge on the whales?
>>
>>1418553
Because clearly their objective wasn't just setting up a menial laborer as a smuggler, there's a bigger con going on.
>>
>>1418553
You never played Shadowrun have you? There is always a bigger plan behind everything. Do you really think the whales would allow a debt to go unpaied? And if the was busted what was his real goal?
>>
>>1418515
>>Discuss something in detail (write in)
Consider, if you will, that you had leverage over Decker, a set of mercenaries, and all of the Union agents on the Cortez, such that none of them would think to disobey your orders now.

How would you arrange to fake your death, and make use of Decker's hacking skills for your own gain, while setting the Cortez crew up as sleeper agents within their old jobs?

How would faking your death, having Decker, with a virus injected into the Valen's nerve stapler from his brain, breaking all of the Union agents out of Valen custody, and dropping them off fare?

Would it be plausible that Decker would simply let them go, no strings attached?

Could the Valen be kept assuming that the Union itself rescued its agents by doing that, provoking conflict?

>>1418539
>>1418548
>>1418556
>>1418559
>>1418560

Did you all completely forget the point of this conversation or miss what the flashbacks even meant?
>>
>>1418585
>expecting anons to get anything without it being spelled out to them

hahaha
>>
>>1418515
>>1418585
Reluctant support.
>>
>>1418515
Supporting. I guess i will go sleep.
>>1418585
>>
>>1418568
The Valen literally sent him into a psychological training center for being a smooth talking conman. Aledalandus was a genuinely near-illiterate laborer, we can tell in the memory he wasn't faking anything. It's his obvious origin story. He hadn't fallen into the underworld at that point.

>>1418573
>>1418578
The debt was paid by the possibly years of offscreen smuggling he did up until he got caught. We saw his old account go to zero. They obviously wrung all the blood they wanted from that stone already.
>>
>>1418585
We could ask him this, but some of these questions are too specific for him to really answer. I think this would be a better question to pose to him when he has more information (aka, we've interviewed Decker and brought our adoptees up to date on the current state of Union international affairs. Knowledge of a Commonwealth and Alien invasion could easily change how he would answer this question.
>>
>>1418628
That's true, we have to weigh in that there's an alien faction we don't want either the Union or the Valen to suspect had a hand in it, as we want them specifically bickering with each other.

And despite the Union knowing that they didn't rescue their agents, not being able to prove to the Valen that it wasn't them.
>>
>>1418515
P.S. it seems you're in need of a new face now. That can be provided. The latest cybernetics can even let you change your face bones on your own without surgery, if you can bear the pain.
>>
>>1418532
"Wailing(Whaling) Pit" has a nice ring to it.
>>
>>1418664
That hit some internal funny bone that I can't sweat off anon, that's super good.
>>
>>1418515
>Prod his mind with specific questions (write in)
Actually, I wonder if he knows much about the snobs at the Guild of Transportation who didn't even show up for dinner negotiations.
>>
At some point we might want to send a smuggler to make contact with the Ceph heretic faction on their homeworld at some point, to smuggle an 'all purpose microfactory' to create weapons they can use. AKA a hibernating egglayer and a Thinker packed in a crate. They can create a hive in some deep ocean cave there and start producing (quantum teleporting) CIP weapons or whatever they like, as promised.

If we don't send Coil, it might be this guy.
>>
>>1418699
If we ever find the location of the Ceph homeworld I'm pretty sure it's a prime target for an immolator warhead, heretics or no. The only possibly better target for the planet killer is the OQ's homeworld.
>>
>>1418722
Pretty sure Heretic would feel better if we tried to liberate the Ceph since they are basically the Skyl2.0 in terms of being the Voids slave race
>>
>>1418722
We can't find it so we have to do the next best thing and setup a stealth hive on it, which then will reveal its relative location by proprioception.

Of course all signs point to it being in a pocket dimension. So the only way to get a warhead there would be to reverse engineer a mini hypergate, since you sure wouldn't be able to convince them to accept one through the gate they have right now.
>>
>>1418731
Depends if the ceph were the ones who killed most of the skyl

Since the ceph are the grunts and the void not going to bother showing up for every colony
>>
>>1418733
Fairly certain that the Ceph planet is in the Void or what the Union calls "No-Space"
>>
>>1418737
I agree. I don't think Heretic mourns the death of slaves of the Void God. Quite the opposite in fact. If we can save some of the Ceph so they don't go entirely extinct that's optimal, but by no means required.

>>1418733
Honestly, we have so much leverage over the Valen we may be able to negotiate for the use of a hypergate for our invasion fleet. Or we could at least offer an extremely high value of goods for us to be able to use it to access the pocket dimension the Void set up for the Ceph.
>>
>>1418515
He walks out of the office, ducking to make it through the door, and his foot slips past the doorframe as he finds the floor to be missing, and quickly falls into an empty abyss. The falling seems to feel more like drifting through zero gravity as the light of the door quickly vanishes, and an unseen sensation fades into his perception as his feet land on a dark, invisible surface in the blank void around him. He looks down to see his reflection, standing perfectly like a mirror. His face changes, slowly shifting through various alterations and facial modifications. He finds none he likes, none he considers his own. He leans over for a closer look, prodding the skin with his fingers inquisitively. The skin gives way like a thick layer of gelatin as his hand slowly plunges into the flesh, and his skin becomes loose as it hangs to his head. He pulls at it, and it tears off painlessly like a cheap rubber mask. He pulls more of it off, more frantically, shredding the meaningless identities from his face one after another until he reaches what he thinks is bone. The skin falls off at the slightest tug, and the chitin beneath looks back at him. His jaw a set of folding mandibles, his eyes small, dotted pits in his armored cheeks beneath a set of massive compound lenses. His eyebrows unfold into antennae that twitch in the air. He jumps back, screaming for a moment as he looks away, slapping himself with his hands as he holds his face like a seeping wound only to feel the warmth of his own human skin.

He opens his eyes again to see a small light in the distance. It grows as it comes closer, a wingspan of gossamer silken waves running from your form as your walk silently through the emptiness towards him.

"Do you have an offer too?" He asks.

"If your old one is no longer standing." You say. He looks to the side. Union police stand at attention as a prison looms in the distance.

"They left me like they said they would. Even the prison was a better life than how things were before." He says. "They gave me training, and a new face with my new name." There is a twinge of remembered pain, a sharp agony running along the spine from a needle prick in the back of the neck as light swirl around in a projection. The thought lasts just a moment, accompanied by a wave of pride and sense of worth. "The rest, over time, I learned on my own. By now, I doubt even the valen that hired me would know who I was. They had a record on me from a few years back. Anderson is a relatively new face, but it was also a cheap one." He says with a smile. "They were able to see through it to the last one." Your mind surrounds him, a swirling vortex of light trailing from your form like flowing silk.

"And you have broken contact with them." You say, peeling back the memories to confirm it.

"I've avoided them ever since." He replies flatly. "I figured this deal would be a good chance to slip away in the Expanse. I never expected us to end up over a valen settlement."
cont
>>
>>1418749
>He opens his eyes again to see a small light in the distance. It grows as it comes closer, a wingspan of gossamer silken waves running from your form as your walk silently through the emptiness towards him.
MOTHER IS HERE.
>>
>>1418746
Even in the ludicrous case the Valen assented, that's physically impossible. The Ceph rebels are not going to fit a fleet through a tiny, maybe 10-meter diameter hypergate in the middle of an inhabited slum.
>>
>>1418749
"I had just about worn out my welcome in the Expanse anyways, and Bedrock security were already set to arrest me, not that that would have been anything new, but then I got that call from the local BFI office and things got a bit more interesting." He continues, then shrugs. "Figured it would have been better than another few years in a cell. Maybe it still is, just not in the way I thought."

"Aledalandus-" You begin, but he cuts you off.

"That's not me." He says.

"Then who are you?" He shrugs at the question.

"Nobody." He says. "I'm whoever I want to be." A number of figures emerge from the reflective floor of the endless darkness. The Cortez crew, standing at his side. He looks to them for a moment and his mind dismisses the thought as they begin to fall back through the reflective oil-like floor one by one.

"Yea, Decker, he's a nice enough kid. I've met plenty like him. An idealist, thinks he can make a difference going up against the system, and just about every one of them end up dead or rotting in a cell when reality hits. I feel for the guy. The others, I could do without them honestly. Fun to mess with but I'd sooner work to avoid them."

>Ask him further questions (write in)
>Speak with him about something else (write in)
>Make him an offer (write in)
>Other (write in)
>>
>>1418749
Man, nobody is able to pull off mindfucks quite as well as good old Mom can.
>>
>>1418800
>Make him an offer
>I'm whoever I want to be.
Would you like to be everyone? Might be a refreshing change of pace. See the sights, everywhere, all the time, enjoy our health package, join the photo-album with the other children. It really is quite nice once you get settled in.
>>
>>1418800
Well are we setting up a trade station at that cald mining system?

Have Nobody set up operation there as a free trader?

Or send Nobody to the embassy on Gemini
>>
>>1418800
>>Make him an offer (write in)
Would you like a face you can change on your own, without paying anyone to do it for you, then? A priceless face of infinite reuse.
>>
>>1418800
>>Make him an offer (write in)
How would you like to never see the inside of a cell again? To be able to change your face at will and pass as anyone you wanted?

How would you like to be everyone and see everything? We can make it happen.

If you accept, you will receive a full intelligence briefing before your next assignment. You will find things have ... changed ... both in the Union and in the Expanse since you last visited. Once you have had a chance to reflect on the circumstances, the Hive would value your advice and participation.
>>
>>1418800
>>Ask him further questions (write in)
Did you never get mental training in how to resist Valen empathy?
>>
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>>1418800
>>Make him an offer (write in)
With us, you can be anyone you want/rich
>>
>>1418836
Is that the skin mask from darkman?
>>
>>1418800
>Make him an offer (write in)
Ask him what he truly wants. Whatever it is, the Hive can make it happen.

Among other things his first task will be selling large numbers of humans on the idea that true immortality is something they want.
>>
>>1418800
We need a pun. Someone so two-faced deserves two hearts, too.

He's like a snake but only now do we give him venom to match.
>>
>>1418847
Mission impossible
>>
>>1418836
>rich

*immortal
>>
The drones already learned to think quietly, I wonder if they could learn from the anti-Valen seminars how to think in mental blocks instead.
>>
>>1418854
That's kind of a ridiculous first task.

We only need to target the rich old humans already using expensive life extension techniques for the first wave of immortal adoptees anyway. The fact they're about to die is more than convincing enough.
>>
>>1418883
Suddenly entire hive learns the secret to mental fortification against void fuckery.

Void shows up all it can hear is
>"Suck a dick, go kill yourself, asshole shit eating crystals, faggot rocks, blow a squid, fuck a geode and die" Repeated a hundred million times a second across all of space.
>>
>>1418887
What I'm saying is he can be our salesman to the Rich old people that their best option is to accept the Hive's loving care. We're alreadu selling something the old rich fucks want; it will be his new job to convince them to overcome any lingering doubts and get them to finish the deal on accepting hive biotech into their lives (and minds).
>>
>>1418800
>>Ask him further questions (write in)
Ever wanted to be more than human?(offer cybernetics)
>>
>>1418800

"You can be anyone." You say. "I can make you everyone. You only need to take the gifts of the Hive." Your form holds out the gossamer hands to either side. At one side, at the wave of your hand, a door emerges from the nothingness. Its frame is a chitinous sinew holding the carapace laden bulkhead in place. At your other side, an open archway through which the skyline of Gemini can be seen.

"One door closes, another opens." He says. "I get it. I've been here before. Call me a creature of habit, I guess." He glances through the archway to the skyscrapers of the Union capital. He feels a momentary hesitation, the sky peels away like old paint from a blank cement wall, and the colorful cityscape gives way to the inside of a prison cell. "They don't have anything for me anymore." He says, and the chitinous door flexes open, and he walks through.

Anderson twitches in his medical tank as his face twists into the slightest of smiles. Dillon glances to him for a moment before looking back to the workers as they drag in Mauser, and the ship blinks away.

>Provide cybernetics to Anderson
>Provide only a parasite and mimic skin
>Other
>>
>>1418918
>>Other
Provide both. Get that nigga everything he could need or want.
>>
>>1418918
>Other
>Give him the catalog
Everything but the parasite is optional. But I got a feeling I know a few things he wont pass up.
>>
>>1418918
>>1418924
This
>>
>>1418926
>>1418918
Thiiis.
>>
>>1418918
>Provide cybernetics to Anderson
Second heart.
Chem fab.
Stinger whip.
Sting fingers.
Those joy buzzer things, Electrostatic muscle grafts.

Echolocation ears.

Fermentation gut.

And you meant Semi-fluid tissue right?


>>1418924
Cybernetics implicitly includes both.
>>
>>1418944
Our parasites are not cybernetics though.
>>
>>1418930
God, I was refering to >>1418926
>>
>>1418918
Give him the catalog. He gets to choose whatever he wants (parasite is mandatory)
>>
>>1418918
This>>1418924 don't forget the second heart.We can't simply allow for our children have such a failled desing.
>>
>>1418918
>Provide cybernetics to Anderson
>Provide only a parasite and mimic skin
both
>>
>>1418918
So did he add a Specialization?
>>
>>1418967
they're mutually exclusive faggot
>>
>>1418918
>Provide cybernetics to Anderson
Offer him the works. Anything his heart desires. Mother is generous to all her children.

>Dillon glances to him for a moment before looking back to the workers as they drag in Mauser, and the ship blinks away.
Do we know what Dillon's thinking about this team of agents being turned against the Union? Has our on-board relay picked anything up?
>>
>>1418918

Second heart.
Chem fab.
Stinger whip.
Sting fingers.
Electrostatic muscle grafts
Echolocation
Fermentation gut.
Semi-fluid tissue

>Yes
>No
>Add additional cybernetics
>Other

>>1418970
Yes
>>
>>1418974
no they aren't
>>
>>1418986
Anything and everything else we can stick in him.
>>
>>1418986
Does this mean we're giving him the catalog and he's choosing all of this?

Or are we just giving him the works ourselves?
>>
>>1418986
That all checks out.
>yes
>>
>>1418986
>>Yes
>>
>>1418986
>Yes
>Add additional cybernetics
>Other
parasite
>>
>>1418946
>>1418988
The 'only' in the second option implies that it's a strict subset of the first one. It's naturally assuming that we already want to give him a parasite and some appearance changing ability.
>>
>>1418986
Yes
>>
>>1418986
>>Yes
Yes, unless semi-fluid tissue isn't face-shaping, then add whatever that is
>>
>>1418995
We already implanted him, surely, since we had that entire conversation.
>>
>>1418986
It comes with a parasite too right? If so, then yes. No problem here.
>>
>>1419005
Semi-fluid tissue offers face changing, mimic skin offers color changing.

I just got them from the discussed recommended list being mentioned in the thread.
>>
>>1418976
Dillon is seeing how all the cool kids are so happy with their spine-buddies and itching with curiosity.
>>
>>1418986
>Yes
>>
>>1418976
He's just jeaulous he doesn't have any cool toys and he's starting to get really tempted by the offer.
>>
>>1419022
Lets give him both then
>>
>>1418986
>Yes
>>
>>1419022
Add Mimic Skin
>>
>>1418986
Second heart.
Chem fab.
Stinger whip.
Sting fingers.
Electrostatic muscle grafts
Echolocation
Fermentation gut.
Semi-fluid tissue

>Add mimic skin
>Do not
>Other
>>
>>1419054
Unrelatedly, we should stick Decker in a medical pod so we can scan his existing augmentations to be sure there's nothing researchable there.
>>
>>1419054
>Add mimic skin
>>
>>1419054
Yes, but only if it doesn't hurt to blend in, like if it is obvious when he isn't currently using it
>>
>>1419054
Honestly its unnecessary.
If his cover is blown we need him to be evac'd not camouflaged. Mimic is a waste. But in the spirit of fuck you lets do it anyway.
>Add Mimic skin
>>
>>1419054
Add mimic skin
Add Endoskeletal plating
>>
>>1419054
>>Add mimic skin
Why not?

We are adding a para, right?

It's a shame our other augments (like subdermal armor plating) might be too obvious for some of his antics. I think he's good as is.
>>
>>1419067
Speaking of covers, they would be so much easier to create if we had reverse engineered a holoprinter and built a new one on Leeland by now. Hard to do things without fake id.
>>
>>1419086
Pretty sure we already have it.
>>
>>1419086
We are going to be taking over a large number of formerly human systems. With any luck we'll be able to find some holo-printers there or we'll be able to buy some from whatever megacorp sells to the government.
>>
>>1419054
>Add Mimic Skin

The city descends into chaos once more as the dark of night comes, and the tide begins to turn away from the police and once more in favor of the looters, rioters, and miscreants who are either voicing their blind outrage with the Union, or else taking advantage of those that are as cover for their more self serving acts of violence. Trash fires take the place of streetlights as rolling blackouts hit multiple districts, either from sabotage or damage, or as deliberate acts to mitigate the violence in the streets. An air car drifts into place some ways down the small street within the Parliament building's main complex, and a group of humans make their way nervously to the chitinous main entrance of your embassy. The door opens as they approach and a speaker stands tall on its hind legs just beyond the threshold of the doorway. They seem startled, but maintain their composure. There are six in total, one wearing a fine, well tailored suit and well groomed hair that you recognize from the news, and others carrying crates of equipment and large, bulky holo-cameras rigged to their hips with mechanical arms. The man in the suit clears his throat.

"Hello, we came as soon as we could." He says. "I'm Jim Bash, chief political correspondent for QNN."

"This is the Hive Speaker." Your drone replies, and steps away from the door it leads the humans into the embassy proper. The cameramen begin recording everything they can, the various decorations, the furniture, the drones as they pass through the main hall. Others seem to examine the space with purpose as they carry their heavy looking crates, and they follow your speaker as it makes its way further back to the prepared office room. The door flexes open and they enter a projected starfield as the clouded and obscured surface of Leeland lies below them, while Lee sits in a chitinous seat behind a projected hardlight desk as the star of your home system glows behind him, the light dimmed to a camera friendly yellow glow. The speaker stands next to the table as several hardlight chars materialize for the humans, and they begin unpacking their equipment, setting up various boom microphones and lamps and various other complex multimedia equipment.

Jim looks over the room with obvious surprise before he holds out his hand to Lee, who is relying entirely on your parasite to mask prevent his facial expression from giving away his enjoyment of the moment. and he shakes it quickly.

"Does the hive... shake hands?" He asks curiously. Lee shrugs.

"They can, but it's not a custom." He says simply as Jim sits down, a chair projecting itself behind him as he sits with hesitation.

"Well, we won't be live, just to be clear. This is to air tomorrow night in our primetime slot, right at dinner time, so please feel free to speak on or off the record. To start, I'd like to get any of your questions on the matter out of the way."

>Ask questions (write in)
>Speak about something else
>Other
>>
>>1419151
So some union spooks with this lot as standard procedure

Warn them not to cut footage and stuff
>>
>>1419151
>>Ask questions (write in)
Would you like some refreshments?
>>
>>1419151
The nature of the human fabric tongue. I understand it is an important part of formal decoration but we cannot fathom why. Did human ancestors have spare lengths of colored cloth?

And for not retarded joke questions, just ask how they are feeling, ask if they want refreshments, water, temperature adjusted. Try to get them comfortable. We are putting on and taking these folks into hive space technically so we should make them comfortable.
>>
>>1419157
This.

>We will be sure to observe your recordings of us. Misrepresentation or alteration of statements will be sorely disliked.

In a matter of fact way, not a threatening way.

And yeah, aside from that, just get them comfortable.
>>
>>1419157
We can release the full footage if necessary
>>
>>1419157
What spooks are you on about. You're being nonsensically paranoid.

They don't need spooks they can just watch the news tomorrow or hack the raw footage infiltrating the news org if they had some need to, which they don't really.
>>
>>1419151
>they enter a projected starfield as the clouded and obscured surface of Leeland lies below them, while Lee sits in a chitinous seat behind a projected hardlight desk as the star of your home system glows behind him
That's real fuckin' neato.

>>1419157
>>1419167
Seconding.
>>
>>1419170
>>1419172
Instead of threatening them, we can just say we'll be filming it too and releasing it after they do.
>>
>>1419151
>>Ask questions (write in)
What is your network's policy on government censorship? If we are going to do this interview the Hive requires that it be shown in full unedited and uncut by any organization. There is a good chance formerly sensitive Union operations will be disclosed during this meeting. Understand that if you cannot commit to sharing the totality of this interview the Hive will need to contact another news organization which will.
>>
>>1419180
didn't intend it to be threatening. Just if they cut out any important parts we will release the entire thing
>>
>>1419180
For posterity, from invisible cameras, held by the dozens of invisible drones hiding in the room. Spook em real good.
>>1419181
>There is a good chance formerly sensitive Union operations will be disclosed during this meeting.
Im good about the other parts but lets leave that bit out. Gets there hopes up and other anons might not agree to dropping the "Drilled a hole into hell" bombshell yet.
>>
>>1419185
We probably won't mention the hole into hell, I agree.

However, other sensitive topics like Killinger kidnapping drones for experimentation, the Smith attack on the hive, the facility Lee was trapped in, etc. are all secrets the Union would not want to get out. If we decide to discuss any of these topics at all we need to be sure they will be released to the public.

I also like the idea of stating that we will be releasing our own broadcast of the interview after QNN releases their own as a way to ensure their accuracy.

Also, just had a thought:
>Ask him what questions they're going to be asking. While the host won't answer, he will start thinking about them which will allow our relays to pick up on his thoughts.
>>
>>1419181
We can't disclose sensitive things now, when damaging the establishment would probably help raise up the Reverend as the reform candidate.

We have to keep the status quo as unrocked as possible while still conquering the Expanse.
>>
>>1419181
>There is a good chance formerly sensitive Union operations will be disclosed during this meeting.
Drop this bit.
>>
>>1419207
supporting
>>
>>1419203
>>1419207
I suppose we can drop the bit about warning them we will be releasing classified information.

BTW, I'm just posting how our previous speaker died during a Union experiment below. With our holograms we could recreate the entire scene from the perspective of the speaker for the cameras.

>"Is the speaker to be recycled? Did it perform its task poorly?"

>"Get in the box." One of the guards says. Their weapons are raised and the claws outstretched. Your speaker moves forward and the humans jump back slightly. Your speaker chitters at them.

>"This speaker did a good job, the Seiner is poor at listening." A claw reaches out to the speaker and its blades unsheathe partially. The humans leap forward with the poles and quickly jab at your speaker, the claws clamping around the speaker's neck. It lets out a chittering screech as its blades lash out, nearly reaching the far ends of the poles, and the human guards pull the speaker forward.

>Your speaker thrashes in the restraints within the cage as it is quickly rolled down a hallway and into a large, mostly empty room. A single table is located in the center surrounded by a number of large lights. Seiner can be seen on the other side of an observation window, and several surgeons enter through another door.

>"How do we even sedate it? Do we know if anything works?"

>"We don't know anything for sure, but they seem to be able to metabolize similar stuff as most life, so we can try the usual suspects." A man in a bright yellow and orange bio-hazard suit is assembling a large syringe on the end of a pole, and he hoists it into the air

>Your speaker struggles at the restraints, and one of them pops loose.

>"Get the sedative, quickly!"

>A lab tech hoists the sedative and jabs it into the crate, and your speaker starts to grow still. Your thinkers immediately work on an immunity to the used sedative, but your speaker is quickly loosing consciousness. As it drifts away it manages to stammer out a single phrase.
>"The humans have made a mistake."

Fade to black
>>
File: war.gif (1.64 MB, 659x609)
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>>1419233
That would end horribly
I LOVE IT!!
>>
>>1419233
So good.
>>
>>1419202
>all secrets the Union would not want to get out.

They wouldn't be very good leverage anymore if you put them out there.

>>1419233
That would be admitting to capabilities we've kept a lid on so far, and the political fallout would strengthen Union radicals that probably are a disaster waiting to happen, and not the good kind of disaster.
>>
>>1419233
That's, uh, are you sure we want to do this right now? It's pretty heavy.
>>
>>1419254
No, we dont. Publicizing our blackmail material....
>>
>>1419267
pmuch yeah
>>
>>1419233
I like this. Just make sure to leave out the exploding into acid part.

We could have our speaker come out and talk to the host at the end:

"This is a bad way to treat a speaker, yes?"
"You are a human speaker, you would not like to be treated this way, yes?"
>>
>>1419233
LET'S NOT
>>
>>1419233
haha, nope.
>>
>>1419267
We have lots more blackmail material than this.

I intentionally left out the moments where Killinger was present. We can still blackmail him since his presence isn't implied by only showing the speaker dying sequence. It does, however, show the lying callousness of the Union and maybe, just maybe, will gather a bit of human empathy and understanding for us.
>>
>>1419287
Not that much. And that's not a reason to throw any away.
>>
>>1419278
>>1419233
Voting to veto. Hell no no way.
>>
>>1419233
Nah, I prefer having our involvement in that scenario under wraps. We killed a hell of a lot of union scientists that day and they don't need to know about that.
>>
>>1419294
>Not that much. And that's not a reason to throw any away.

We're not throwing the material away, we're spending it.

Frankly, we have LOTS of blackmail material. Just to start with we have:
1. Smiths,
2. Union kidnapping and experimenting on their own people (including Valen)
3. The Mirage assassination attempt.

Releasing the full data on any ONE of these 3 events would bring down the entire ruling party and possibly even the entire government. We have blackmail in spades. My perspective is that we have insane amounts of dirt on Union activities, but so far we look like the baddies because we haven't released any of that dirt. It's time to finally start releasing those secrets or we will have a much more difficult time explaining our actions.
>>
>>1419307
We can blame the Union for killing Union scientists. They did deploy nuclear weapons against their own facility. And the fact that our drone exploded into acid could just be a biological feature and not necessarily be a suicide bomber.
>>
>>1419233
Once they are revealed we can't use it for blackmailling the higher ups. As fun as it would be to throw shit over Killinger and the Union higher ups i would rather hold our chips at close hands.
>>
>>1419233
Can we not?
That's just not something worth expending yet.
Lets just focus on the interview.
>>
>>1419287
We dont need their empathy, and the only ones who would care or believe we didnt doctor the footage would be pro green groups....which already have a positive disposition towards us.

It is ONLY good for political blackmail, which publicizing it in an obvious sympathy pandering attempt will just squander.
>>
>>1419151

"Is the environment adjusted to your preference?" Your speaker asks. "We can provide nutrients or hydration if requested."

"Oh, thank you, I'm fine though, it's quite comfortable." Jim replies.

"Excellent. The Hive will record this meeting for posterity to ensure honestly by all parties." Your drone chirps. "We are curious of your policy of censorship and editing."

"What exactly are you curious about?" He asks.

"Mostly regarding classified information." Lee says. "Either by the Hive, or the Union. Or information the Union would like to make classified."

"Well, technically anything you say to us is inherently public domain. If you have information that's classified by the Union, that would be a failure on BFI's part. If it's classified by you, well I don't see why you'd tell me at all." He says. "But in general, the government has no say in our editing process, although I'm sure we'll be getting a data seizure request for the raw footage, but I don't plan on leaving anything substantial out of the final broadcast, so I doubt that will offer any insight that the broadcast itself would lack."

>Ask about something else (write in)
>Offer to answer his questions
>Say something else (write in)
>Other
>>
>>1419315
But this is essentially a recreation of events that we'd be showing them. They have no way to verify its authenticity.
>>
>"Union politicians believe Hive was going to be as easy to get rid of as a cat."
>"Hive is bigger and has more claws than a cat."
>"Hive is smarter than cats or Union politicians."
>"Hive very difficult to remove. Very."
>>
>>1419315
"Spending" it implies you gain something. You only gain something in blackmail by hanging the threat of exposing it over someone, then them doing something for you.

Damaging the government's PR enflames Pastor Richardson, and the last thing we need is a human cult getting stronger. We gotta keep a lid on it.
>>
>>1419328
>>Offer to answer his questions
If you have any personal questions or thoughts you want answered not as part of the interview feel free to ask the hive.
>Say something else
Likewise, we understand running through questions before the interview proper is traditions, the hive would like to start with this as soon as possible.
>>
>>1419328
>>Offer to answer his questions
He's politely asking, not requesting a spiel unrelated to the upcoming interview.
>>
>>1419328
>Offer to answer his questions
If he has any before the interview starts.
>>
>>1419328
>Offer to answer their questions.
>the hive is sure the humans have many things to ask.
>>
>>1419331
Pretty much. We could show a video hologram mockup of Killinger hatefucking his cat and it would be about as verifiable to the layman.
>>
>>1419328
>Ask about something else (write in)
What is your honest opinion on our appearance here on Gemini?
>Offer to answer his questions
>>
>>1419328
>Offer to answer his questions
>>
>>1419328
>>Offer to answer his questions

>>1419331
The proof is there if people look for it. If we claim the Union nuked one of their own bases people will investigate those claims.

Frankly, I highly doubt the politicians will call us out as liars here because we are telling the truth and the Union has no idea how we would react to having our true retelling be called a lie. For all they know the Union calling our statements lies could be enough for us to unleash orbital bombardment. Humans have fought wars for less.
>>
>>1419362
>investigating a nuclear detonation site

Im sure whoever this mysterious "they" sends will find a lot of evidence that isnt circumstantial...or vaporized.
>>
>>1419377
Like I said, I highly doubt the Union brass will lie here about their past actions. Such lies could easily lead to war even in a culture similar to humans. And as long as we don't mention Killinger they can possibly pass the whole thing off as a rogue agency (which means we can still have blackmail for Killinger later on).

I'm just trying to think of any possible way to make the invading space bugs at all sympathetic.
>>
>>1419377
I think any investigation would probably focus on family of the dead and former employees of the lab as well as navy officers who ordered the launch... etc.

It could be difficult to cover up something so big in the face of a major investigation.
>>
>>1419394
So your argument for why this would be uncontested is "they wouldnt dare defy us" while they are currently in the process of deciding whether or not to defy us, in which case why do we care about their sympathy?

Portraying ourselves as a truly sympathetic party to the Union cant be done in this manner after we parked what 90 percent of their population views as an armageddon fleet over their heads.
>>
>>1419328
>>Offer to answer his questions

>>1419394
But we're not invading anything. And the honesty of members of parliament isn't going to have much impact when most of them didn't know about the experiments and every scrap of information pertaining to them has been destroyed. Plausible deniability is a bitch like that sometimes.
>>
>>1419399
Oh it would be tragically easy, actually. Secret government RND bases can literally be working on anything, and a populace can realistically be expected to buy ot for the sake of reasonable lack of transparency. You talk to those families and whatnot, and you will get whatever collaborative cover story they had in place beforehand, because you better believe an organization that employs things like Smiths has the resources and wherewithal to cover their asses in the face of scrutiny.

Its literally a videotape, and every bit of evidence that the subject matter actually happened (that is verifiable to a nongovernment power) has been rendered into disassociated atoms. We are not currently an endeared figure to the Inion citozenry, what with oir forceful takeover of the frontier, so they have no reason to give our sobstory the benefit of the doubt.

This info is best ised as an implicit threat to the right people regarding what OTHER resources and material we might have.
>>
>>1419441
We also have the data that was on the flash drive we found from Seiner
>>
>>1419446
Oh yeah, we have that. And it contains the data on the Moon explosion. Another Earth shattering (heh) fact that we can threaten to drop if we don't get our way.
>>
>>1419446
Yes, but that admits we found a way to FTL out of the exploding lab, which seems like a big admittance.


Now, this interview is gonna have hard questions about the motives behind the attack on the Hope at Raligha, I imagine.

Better come up with answers ahead of time.
>>
>>1419446
I wonder if there's anything left of that smith's corpse after Theseus was finished with it. That would make for conversation starter.
>>
>>1419457
We can explain about the Ark and the Rhaligeans I expect. We can offer guided tours of the area. Nothing says "we've been in the expanse forever" than provably ancient frescos of your species and worshiping natives that have seen you as a god for thousands of years. (although we'll certainly want to coach the Rhaligeans on what they should say exactly).
>>
>>1419457
>Sacred planet.
>70,000 year old holy relic.
>Damaged wall/section.
>>
>>1419457
See

>>1419464
This
>>
>>1419474
There were more back in the recent threads but I'm too lazy to look for them.
>>
>>1419464
Unity attacked and he ship imploded before the relic was damaged.
>>
>>1419328

"What is this human's perception of the Hive presence here?" Your speaker chirps. Jim's mind becomes clouded as he looks back with confusion.

"Well." He says as his mind races with thought. "that's the kind of analysis I would hope this interview could provide."

"Very well. What questions do the humans have for the Hive?" Your drone says. "We are sure you have many."

"Yes, quite many, but time is still an issue, so I'll try to avoid taking up too much of your time." Jim says, and he turns to the other humans. "Are we set up yet?" Several humans activate a number of lamps, while others run cords from several boxes to the cameras and microphones as a woman in a red blazer and knee length dress adjusts the controls of the bulky portable terminal.

"Steadicams are up, sound is good, and we've got a great picture." She says. "Actually could you adjust the lighting down? Just slightly, there's a glare on camera two." The projected star dims slightly as she examines the screen and places a set of heavy headphones over her head. "That's perfect. Ready when you are." She says, and Jim looks back to Lee and your drone.

"Alright. Well, I'd like to start by thanking you for the opportunity to come here, especially on such short notice. Regardless of the circumstances it's an honor to provide the opportunity to get the other side of the story out there in the open." He says with a smile as the cameramen set themselves up around the room to cover all the angles without catching each other in the frame. "I think we've both seen a lot of politicians giving their opinions on the recent events of foreign territorial expansion and the local orbital intrusion, but we have yet to hear from the other side. I think that missing perspective will help a lot of people come to a more accurate conclusion of the situation."

"That is why we sent out the open offer for an interview." Lee says quickly.

"Of course." Jim replies. "Now there are a lot of tempers right now so I think I'll need to get the obvious question out of the way immediately. People have voiced their concern that your fleet over Gemini is an overt act of aggression, if not an outright declaration of war. What is the current purpose of your armada, and from your own perspective what would you say is the current diplomatic relationship between the Hive and the Union of Independant Colonies?"

>Write in
>>
>>1419485
There were ground forces that holed up in a cave, they then destroyed a wall.
>>
>>1419488
>Armada
I shouldn't answer this one
>Relationship
Currently, we are in Negotiations for the expanse, so we are at least on speaking terms
>>
>>1419488
>It's current purpose is as an demonstration of the unfortunate lengths we may be forced to go to in order to be certain that this plane of existence continues to BE a plane of existence. We have no desire for a war, but actions we have found the Union government taking- both against us and against the laws of the universe, have seen to force us to take a heavy claw in these matters.

>We would like to believe that although strained, the Hive and the Union can come to a peaceable understanding, if perhaps an admittedly bitter one on the part of the Union government.
>>
>>1419488
>What is the current purpose of your armada.
To be a extremely obvious message.
>and from your own perspective what would you say is the current diplomatic relationship between the Hive and the Union of Independant Colonies?
Depends on who you're talking about, the union people or the government?
>>
>>1419490
They holed up in a cave and destroyed a wall because they were under attack. Aka. Occurring after the attack began.

Unless we were provoked by a vision of the future that hadn't happened yet.
>>
>>1419488
First and foremost the Hive would like assure the people of Gemini that the presence of the Armada is not intended as an immediate threat of war. The hive has no intention of any acts of aggression while in this system and no statement or action by it's inhabitants would incur such actions, unless it was to defend itself from immediate and dire threat to the entire armada or greater hive. Sending such a high number of ships is simply the traditional way hives display their direct interest and investment in diplomatic actions with other cultures.
>>
>>1419488
> What is the current purpose of your armada
"Personal security."

Just to fuck with them.
>>
>>1419503
>this plane of existence continues to BE a plane of existence
>both against us and against the laws of the universe
Too much man.
>>1419506
We asked them to surrender, they didn't and destroyed a priceless piece of a 70,000 year old ship.
>>
>>1419488
Purpose: Honoring the humans with our presence.

Relationship is: there has been a misunderstanding. We are politely working on clarifying the misunderstanding, which is very difficult across the species barrier, considering humans can seldom agree with each other, let alone with the hive's facts.
>>
>>1419503
Can we agree NOT to inform the entire population of the Union that their government placed them all in existential danger with their interdemensional shenanigans? The Union already has its hands full with a borderline insurrection, diplomacy will get a lot harder if we make it that much worse.
>>
>>1419509
They already have a clue about the Nowhere fuckup. I was alluding to that.
>>
>>1419488
>>what is the current purpose of your armada?
>the purpose of the hive fleet is to protect the hive, the hive's ambassadors, and protect the union if the obsidian hive attacks, as well as express the hive's displeasure that the humans were trafficking with [INSECTOID CHITTERING]
>lee adds that the proper term is hard to translate, but he believes that "those who take slaves and seriously call themselves gods but are not," summarizes it neatly without having to explain the background of it all.

>>what is the current diplomatic relationship
I can't think of what exactly to say.
>>
>>1419488
The purpose of our fleet is to ensure the peaceful transition of our ancestral territory to our own control. Our research has shown that the Union would be unlikely to respond to our request to secure this region in a timely manner without some show of force. There have been a number of recent events that have necessitated our reclamation of this territory and the artifacts within it with a high degree of urgency. Although we cannot discuss such reasons in complete detail openly we believe the Union council is aware of what specific events spurred our intervention.

As to your second question, we have not intention of developing any hostilities with the Union of Independent Colonies. While we generally prefer to watch the younger races in their first steps without introducing ourselves, now that we have made contact the Hive would be happy to develop trade, diplomatic, and scientific relationships between our two societies for mutual benefit. We view the humans as brothers against the darkness of the Void in the universe, and believe that the most beneficial path for all concerned interests is through peaceful mutual cooperation and assistance.
>>
>>1419517
The government and shady security agencies know about it, you'd better pray the civilian population as a whole is still in the dark about it.
>>
>>1419488
>What is the current purpose of your armada

To escort our ambassador and make sure we would be heard. There is also a unfriendly hive that would try to interving in our metting this escort fleet was demenad suficcient to counter any outside interferences.

>from your own perspective what would you say is the current diplomatic relationship between the Hive and the Union of Independant Colonies?"

Shaken and a little bit of uneaseness. But the hive knows that it can't blame all the humans for the poor decisions of few. The other hive however...
>>
>>1419516
>Can we agree
Yes, you already have my vote.
>>1419517
And there are better ways to allude.
I think we should just tell them the fleet is there to send a message, if they press for more we tell them
>Your government has mistakenly and accidentally interfered with a war that has lasted longer than 70,000 years.
And then move on.
>>
>>1419525
No, it's like, on shakycam footage spread around the net. Blurred movies and whatnot. Some folks have a vague idea of it, but they don't know the exact details- which I had no intention of suggesting we give.
>>
>>1419521
The first bit is excellent but the second i don't like.
Especially this bit
>We view the humans as brothers against the darkness of the Void in the universe
>>
>>1419488
Prior to contact, the Union was engaged in behavior that placed many species in the frontier expanse at risk. The fleet is to underscore our displeasure at being threatened in such a manner.
>>
>>1419537
Perhaps I was a bit too heavy handed about humans being "brothers" and standing against the "void." I don't think anyone will actually understand the significance of what we are saying, but it would be just like the cheeky Queen to include those kinds of secret messages.
>>
>>1419528
>which I had no intention of suggesting we give.
>Alluding to the destruction of planes of existences isn't giving details.
>>
>>1419541
I don't, we shouldn't try and be cheeky on matters concerning the void gods or humanities origin.
>>
>>1419549
Agreed.
>>1419543
Also, sorry. I honestly don't think it is, but considering everyone's against the idea, okay. Basically I just want us to come off as 'We don't WANT to look scary or aggressive, but we will if we have to because that's better than the alternative.'
>>
>>1419549
Fair enough.

I'd be fine with removing that last line about the Void God and the origin of humans. You are right that the Void God is the one thing the Queen NEVER jokes about.
>>
>>1419549
Cough*Our mother made you as a side-project*cough
>>
>>1419541
Every scrap of information we give here is going to be interpreted and analyzed in every way we can think of, and plenty of ways we can't, it's a little too high stakes for that sort of business right now. And we wouldn't want to imply that we want the Union's help dealing with void nonsense where we just want them to stop messing with it.
>>
>>1419554
>Also, sorry. I honestly don't think it is.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone tells you
>Due to X our plane of existence was put in extreme danger?
>>
>>1419520
Actually I can think of what to say:
>>from your own perspective what would you say is the current diplomatic relationship between the Hive and the Union of Independent Colonies?
>the hive believes the relationship shows promise, but is unsure if the union government is willing to negotiate with the hive.

>>1419539
This is good.

>>1419559
This. Lets just stick to answering without revealing anything we haven't revealed/hinted at elsewhere.
>>
>>1419561
'How the fuck is that possible?'

To which we don't have to actually ANSWER.

At any rate, like I said, everyone opposed it, so that's fine. Moving on.
>>
>>1419567
>"How the fuck is that possible?"
"Lovecraftian elder god maybe?"
>>
>>1419567
I actually don't think saying that they could have drastically negatively impacted dimensional stability was a bad idea. It tells them nothing, but sounds appropriately serious.

But whatever... Like you said it may be time to move on.
>>
>>1419565
>Lets just stick to answering without revealing anything we haven't revealed/hinted at elsewhere.
THIS!
Let's just say the fleet is there to send an obvious message and if they persist we say
>Your government has mistakenly and accidentally interfered with a war that has lasted longer than 70,000 years.
In the most curt manner that just screams "You don't want to know"
>>
>>1419578
nigger have you even met a human? that'll make them want to know more than ever
>>
>>1419582
He is on 4chan, so no
>>
>>1419582
Of course fellow human. What could possibly make you think otherwise? (chitters nervously)
>>
>>1419582
>If you don't tell them details and avoid answering, they will become more curious.
>If you do tell them details, their entire world will collapse and they might attract the void gods attention.
Is there any way to win?
>>
>>1419597
*Their entire world view.
I guess that works too however.
>>
>>1419488

"The Hive Fleet is intended to honor the humans with a display of our interest. This is its primary function." Your speaker says, Lee looks over at it for a moment before speaking up himself.

"To the hive, sending more ships is just their way to say they think the situation is important." He says. "Sending something like a single small mail runner could be seen as belittling. The bigger the diplomatic fleet, the more important they're saying the situation is."

"Correct." Your drone continues. "The second function is to provide a sufficiently clear message to the Union thinkers. They have made numerous mistakes underestimating the Hive's capacity of defence and have mistaken our patience with powerlessness. We wished to correct this understandable misunderstanding." Your speaker adjusts its legs, leaning in on the projected table. "We understand the humans have taken this as a threat. This was not the hive's intention. It is a correction in human estimation of Hive strength and development."

"I'm sure there are viewers who may consider those two things to be one and the same." Jim says. Lee adjusts himself in his seat before he replies.

"Well they are two entirely different concepts to the Hive. The Union has, on multiple occasions, including while I was a member of the space forces, taken advantage of the Hive under the presumption that they are a primitive species and are incapable of retaliation. The truth of the matter is entirely the opposite, they have yet to perceive the Union's hostile actions as any real threat worthy of an actual response. They just wanted to make that misunderstood developmental discrepancy perfectly clear." Your drone leans in closer for just a moment, its forelegs unfolding and leaning on the table.

"We are not stone smashers." It says before standing upright once more. "The Hive does not consider these misunderstandings irreconcilable." You continue. "We would prefer to allow technologically primitive species to develop themselves as much as possible, but as we have been forced to speak with humanity by your proximity and careless tampering of Hive relics, the Hive would be open to further trade and mutually beneficial exchange."

"That is a good segway, actually." Jim says. "While I admit it's probably not the main concern of those out in the streets of New Prescott right now, I have heard from quite a few individuals who are rather curious about this claim to the Expanse, namely, the nature of these relics you mentioned on several occasions. Now the number one issue I've heard is regarding questions of the nature of these relics that make them so dangerous. What exactly is it about the Expanse that has resulted in the region being so sparsely populated, yet filled with these relics, and how exactly are they so dangerous?"

>write in
>>
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>Journalist asks about what the betrayer Hive did
>Holographic replicas of dead drones appear
>Begin horrible cicada locust swarm chanting while leaking ichor from the manibles and broken exoskeleton
>>
>>1419602
>There was a war, it lead to the Skyls extinction and the artifacts are both a contributor of that and a matter heritage for the hive, i do not wish to go to detail so please lets move on to the next question.
>>
>>1419602

Dance around it a bit.

"We cannot fully explain precisely the danger for a number of reasons, one of which is that such a revelation would likely destabilize the Union at a critical juncture when the Hive requires a stable partner with which to negotiate a peaceful resolution. However, your leaders are very much aware of what we are referring to."
>>
>>1419613
Technically, the great war "ended" a year or to ago.
>>
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>>1419602
A great war 70,000 years ago, and if the relics are revealed, the battleground will expand to all of human space
>>1419621
>>
>>1419602
What exactly is it about the Expanse that has resulted in the region being so sparsely populated, yet filled with these relics, and how exactly are they so dangerous?"

For the first part of your question what happend there was a war a on going war. For the second part it was humanity miss use of the relics that caused the problem. In hive hands the relics are quite harmless.
>>
>>1419621
>>1419622
When did the skyl become extinct anyway? it couldn't have been 70,000 years ago since that is when the askship arrives.
We really need a chronology with the arkships landing as the begging.
>>
>>1419602
>Are you familiar with the Tannhauser system? Are you aware that there used to be 2 planets in the system instead of one?
(have hologram of the old system come up)
>This is how the Hive remembers the system you call Tannhauser, and what was once the homeworld of the Skyl people.

>For tens of thousands of years we fought together as allies, but in the end the forces we fought against undid the Skyl.
(show innacurate image of the planet's destruction that omits Void God)

>The Hive owes the Skyl a debt of blood, and through great sacrifice we have managed to secure this hard fought area of space. However, as the tide of the war and we pushed them back, the artifacts of our great enemy remained. In the hands of the ignorant they can do far more deadly things than merely destroy planets. We will speak no more of this, but know that the human quest for knowledge of these artifacts would have resulted in your complete extinction if left unchecked. Of this there is no doubt. It is much of the reason we intervened as forcefully as we have.
>>
>>1419602
The native inhabitants went down a path to inevitable extinction. The specifics are in human terms 'classified'.
>>
>>1419628
You have no idea what you're talking about. You have no idea when the Ark arrived.
>>
>>1419629
>show innacurate image of the planet's destruction that omits Void God
Why not just show the debris ring that is the planet currently?
Also i think the last bit is a little to forceful.
>>
>>1419634
When did it arrive then?
>>
>>1419602
>>yet filled with these relics etc.
>the Expanse was home to a number of hives and at least one non-hive spacefaring species (in addition to two other primitive species which can be ignored) which the hive knows of as the Skyl (we should probably have a picture of a Skyl show up on screen). the hive does not believe it needs to explain why creations left behind by masters of biotechnology and other sciences might be dangerous if the humans mishandled them. the hive has been informed that what the hive considered disposable attack vectors the humans consider plagues and something called 'a warcrimes'.
>the skyl artifacts are dangerous because unless they are made of stone or steel they are alive, intelligent, and hostile to all life. like what the humans think the Theseus is like.
I may be suggesting we reveal too much. I dunno what do you guys think?
>>
>>1419629
I forgot a word. I meant to say:
>However, as the tide of the war turned and we pushed the corrupted back, the artifacts of our great enemy remained.

>>1419636
I think a shift from an image of the planet as it once was to the current ring of debris would actually work better than what I proposed. Good thinking.

The last part is a bit forceful, but we want the Humans to know this isn't just a planet killer weapon to research, but a species killer that if they don't know what they're doing will wipe them out entirely. It will do more to convey the seriousness of our concerns in my opinion.
>>
>>1419640
>the skyl artifacts are dangerous because unless they are made of stone or steel they are alive, intelligent, and hostile to all life. like what the humans think the Theseus is like.
Whoa Whoa Whoa, too much detail dude.
Besides, there are some Skyl artifacts that aren't void crystals.
>>
>>1419629
Supporting
>>
>>1419629
You know what, sure let's go with this as long as we use the debris ring instead.
>>
>>1419621
As long as there is a queen alive and resisting the void, the war continues. So technically our war began far earlier than 70,000 years ago, that's only as far back as our records go. The war began well before the arc on Raligha ever began it's exodus.
>>
>>1419602
"This space was shared by the Hive and the Skyl. First enemies, then allies. In the end, they did not manage to survive the war, and use of various weapons and technologies that Humanity cannot understand resulted in the destruction of the Skyl homeworld. The Skyl went extinct, and most of the Hives were betrayed and destroyed by one of their own. These artifacts we speak of have not decayed and are still as dangerous as they were during the war. Skyl technology is closer to Human than Hive technology, so the Union has attempted to study it with disastrous results. We cannot allow this to continue.

As an addition, the Hives may have left various biological weapons that were used in the conflict. Warfare between hives was very destructive. Reconstructing biospheres is within our capability, and so is destroying them."
>>
>>1419629
Let's not say 'the forces we fought against undid the skyl'.

We just need to heavily imply that dangerous artifacts contributed to their extinction instead.
>>
>>1419638
Found it
>The chart itself is a chronicle. An overview of the history of a great stellar empire dating back for thousands of years. Most of the inscriptions show a brief history of the empire and its endless war against an alien threat. The war was fought for countless centuries until a brief respite was achieved, but it was clear that the war was long from over. This ship was built to carry a thousand queens from a thousand dynasties away from the every encroaching front of the war, and here it landed, nearly seventy thousand years ago, from your estimate.
So yea, the Arkship landed on Raligha 70,000 years ago as i said.
>>
>>1419629
This is suitably prudent while being accurate and to the point. If they really start pressuring us on who committed xenoside and blew up a planet, I guess we could subtly indicate the Obsidian Hive was responsible. She is intimately involved in the void, not like the Union public could distinguish the two.
>>
>>1419660
Didn't only the Gardner know how to terraform? Let's not lie.
>>
>>1419602
"The expanse was once populated by the Skyl, long ago. There was a terrible cataclysm, brought about in part by those relics, that ended the Skyl. The Hive wishes to prevent such a thing from recurring."
>>
>>1419675
Yeah, the others just build mega-structures and White and Black just consumed entire worlds with Hive infrastructure.
>>
>>1419668
Wait huh, that would make the war against the slave-Skyl, before they rebelled and won a thousand years of freedom before the Betrayal and the skyl's extinction, very short.

Maybe just another thousand years.
>>
>>1419686
"Hey look a barren, lifeless world"
"Let's just cover it in drones and infrastructure."
Somehow that's more impressive than simply terraforming a planet.
>>
>>1419696
I'd say it still counts.
>>
>>1419694
Does anyone remember when it was supposed WQ altered the humans? I think it was when humanity reached critical low levels of population.
>>
>>1419705
>Fifty thousand earth years ago.

http://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/48264190/#48267578
>>
>>1419705
Yup that was from her culling the psionically sensitive I believe
>>
>>1419629
I'm favorable to this answer.
>>
>>1419712
Thank you.
Now all i need is the current ingame human date and i can start my chronology.
Hopefully they still use Year of our Lord.
>>
>>1419705
Wait..did our mom created the black plague?
>>
>>1419718
No, that was due to the chinese.
WQ started before the bronze age i believe.
>>
>>1419713
No? She simply (or we have proof to support the assertion) altered their brains to melt when exposed to tachyons. Which is why those who muck about with the crystals go insane - literal brain damage.
I don't quite know how we're different. Probably because unlike the crystals we're not trying to control human brains like we control drones.
>>
>>1419629
>>1419660
Wait if we start mentioning enemies some bright chucklefuck will conclude "the enemy of my enemy is my friend, nothing can possibly go wrong. The hive are jerks, let's sic their enemies on them!"
>>
>>1419723
Well good luck for then now they are crystal bitches.
>>
>>1419602

Play up the war with the Obsidian Queen and indicate these were weapons of mass destruction. Make it clear the Obsidian Queen is likely very hostile to humans / everybody.
>>
>>1419732
So we just need to say the truth? I'm fine with it.
>>
>>1419705
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theory#Genetic_bottleneck_theory

It's interesting, new evidence suggests that the bottleneck could have been created over a much longer time period than this cataclysmic model suggests. This bottleneck could have been formed by a single population that was reduced to a small size for an extended period of time for tens of thousands of years without genetic contact with the rest of the species.

We also know that populations of other hominid species survived this for a time, and were likely simply subsumed genetically by a massively expanding population of modern humans. What could have happened was that mom didn't simply modify a single tiny batch of humans and exterminate everything else (because even with hive tech, she never would have gotten all of them without leaving behind some VERY obvious signs). No, she did something much simpler. She gave that single group of blind humans such a significant evolutionary advantage over other groups, probably an intelligence upgrade of sorts, that they were able to expand far and wide enough that other humanoid groups failed to compete with them and were bred out of existence. There never were that many Neanderthals or denisovians, we're only just finding the remains of the later. They weren't violently wiped out, they were fucked into extinction.
>>
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>>1419602

"The relics not all of Hive origin. The Expanse was also home to the ancient allies of the Hive who fought by our side in a great and terrible war." Your drone chirps somberly. "They were driven to extinction, but their relics remain." The projection of the room switches, using the sensors of the small group of ships to display the Tannhauser system. "You call this Tannhauser." Your speaker says, and time reverses in simulation, the fleets vanishing as the point of reference zooms out from Aral to the debris field, which spins in an accelerated vortex as it compresses together until a planet is formed.

"This was the Skyl homeworld. The war was long and cost much, and their world was lost." The planet disintegrates like a ball of dry sand as a cameraman twists the lense at the image and the projection returns to its display of Leeland. Your drone chirps abruptly. "The Skyl were our allies. Our space was intertwined but they were overwhelmed and the Hives betrayed by their own kind. These relics are ancient items of both cultural record and devices of war beyond human understanding. Their misuse would cause all of us great harm."

"I think the best way to describe it would be to combine the concept of an old minefield with the concept of sufficiently advanced technology being indistinguishable from magic." Lee says. "You mix the two, and you end up with what we would perceive as a kind of magic minefield. To them, it looks like a kid sticking a fork in a power socket."

"The technology is that advanced?" Jim asks.

"In certain ways, I suppose so, but it's not just a technological advantage. It's not something so understandable as them having better polymers or more dense power storage systems or more versatile metamaterials or any of those things. It's a fundamentally more complete understanding of reality. It's less like handing a caveman a lighter and more like handing Issac Newton a power tap. We know enough to figure out how to make it go, but we can't even comprehend how to turn it off."

"I'm sure there will be people who would consider that to be all the more reason to research them in the first place." Jim replies. Lee shakes his head.

"No, at this point, those things pose a bigger threat to the Union when in Union hands."

"And this war, you say it destroyed the homeworld of your allies, but the debris field in that system is many thousands of years old. Such a battle would have to be ancient history."

"Yes." Your drone replies simply.

"Then who did it?" Jim asks. "What kind of military force was responsible for the total destruction of a planet, and how did the war finally come to a close?

>The Obsidian Queen
>The Ceph
>The Ancient Enemy
>Other

>The War Continues
>It was a stalemate
>It was won at great cost not long ago
>Other
>>
>>1419738
>70,000 years ago.
Well damn, this can't be due to WQ since the arkship still hadn't landed.
>>
>>1419735

Yep, there's no need to lie, we are literally the last, best hope for humanity. Really they should be lining up to be parasited.
>>
>>1419747
>The War Continues
OQ is still alive and so is the enemy

i forgot, who destroyed the skyl homeworld? becouse we should tell the truth
>>
>>1419747
>The Ancient Enemy.
No further comments about them.
>The War Continues
>It was a stalemate
It still going but everybody has exhausted much of their strength so we are now in a period of brief rest.
>>
>>1419747
>The Ancient Enemy + assorted fingerpuppets
>The War Continues
>>
>>1419756
It was the void gods so we can't.
They literally ate the planet i believe.
>>
>>1419747
>The Obsidian Queen who was corrupted by the Ancient Enemy

>The War Continues but is currently a stalemate that is close to being tipped in either direction
>>
>>1419747
Shouldn't've mentioned the war.

>>Other
>>Other
Classified.
>>
>>1419759
>>The Ancient Enemy
Supporting finger puppets
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>>1419747
>The Ancient Enemy
Through proxies.

>The War Continues
>>
>>1419747
>>The Obsidian Queen
This is something they can readily understand and won't get them starting cults.
>The War Continues
You saw it continue over Path not a week ago.
>>
>>1419747
>>The Obsidian Queen

It's a partial truth if we get called out on it later.

>>The War Continues.

It does but we should downplay it slightly, rather than all out war, compare it to the Commonwealth / Union conflict except in our case there isn't a peaceful solution.

This could segway into our intentions regarding the Commonwealth and Union.
>>
>>1419747
"Did the humans not also destroy a stellar body?

Despite the destruction of the White Hive, the war continue. The Red Hive now carries the banner that the old Hives and the Skyl once carried."
>>
>>1419758
>>1419759
>>1419763
>>1419764
Anons plz, we tell the ENTIRE population of the Union about extrademensional demons waging war on all life, someone is bound to try and learn about it, and then they will be corrupted. It's human nature.

We have to keep it a secret, and chalk it up to the threat they can at least grasp and understand and won't corrupt their very souls if they try to learn about it.
>>
>>1419770
Celestial body?
>>
>>1419768
A better comparison is a battlefield where the factions have retreated to their respective trenches and are just preparing for the next soon to be conflict.
>>
Wait where to we stand on mentioning we resurrected the Skyle? Do we want them to know we can clone like that?
>>
>>1419777
They destroyed the Moon, which isn't a planet, but, hey, still counts!
>>
>>1419768
This seems like a good option.

>>1419760
Planet's still there. It's just in asteroid-sized chunks now, mate.

>>1419780
We can mention it later.
>>
>>1419774
Are we going into detail? Cause if we aren't "Ancient enemy" can refer to many things, OQ being the first.
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>>1419774
This ins't the chuthulu mythos (yet), anon. They have no avenues for learning about them other than us, and we know precisely what not to tell them. besides, it's not like Void Shards are easy to come by, is it?
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>>1419784
They chewed it up and spit it out! Those monsters!
>>
>>1419768
I'll switch to this cause now I'm not so sure we would be curt with the other option.
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>>1419747
>The Obsidian Queen
>The Ceph

Don't mention the void god, not even as "the ancient enemy." If you give humanity a little teaser like that, they will go looking for what that enemy was. Don't even hint at it.
>>
>>1419779

Yeah I like this analogy better, but I'd rather not take the chance of the union thinking the OQ might be the better option. Still want to segway into the commonwealth though.

"Co-operation between human hives would be optimal" or something along those lines.
>>
>>1419795
If they think that, we say
"OQ is using chemical weapons without forethought or care"
>>
>>1419785
>>1419786
Have you forgotten about the cyclists of Path? That obscure religion of nutters that the corrupted doctor was quoting from when we he allowed THEM into our plane of existence?
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>>1419747
>>The Ancient Enemy
>The War Continues
>>
>>1419801
We don't even know if the cyclist are Void cultist or not mate so don't go thinking them as enemies just yet.
Besides i already changed my vote >>1419791
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I've got work tommorow, so I best be off to bed. Good night
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On a side note, we should try to get Lee a girlfriend. Pair him up with any female who visits the embassy.
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>>1419810
Unrelated but I wonder what Lee's old friends are thinking about all this.

>"You hear how Lee is the diplomat for the race of giant spacebugs?"
>"Of course he did. That nerd played 'Nids."
>>
>>1419820

Are Lee's parents alive? I vaguely remember him having a sister....

I'm going to need to go back through the archives.
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>>1419825
Yeah, they also had a funeral for Lee. In before the reporters bring that up.
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>>1419825
Yup, they live on Talgo.

He saw them in the broadcast of his funeral that he watched with Elizabeth.
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>>1419825
Yes they are alive, they were at his funeral.
And so was all the other family members.
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>>1419747

>The Obsidian Queen
>The Ceph
>The Ancient Enemy

>The War Continues
>>
>>1419827
>>1419829
>>1419831

They should visit, at the very least move them somewhere safe from rioting human workers / Anti-Xeno lynch mobs
>>
>>1419747
"The Skyl were destroyed by our ancient enemy, and the war continues, but has since slowed in pace from mutual exhaustion." Your drone says simply. Lee speaks up as if anticipating the question being prepared in Jim's mind.

"It doesn't translate, at all really. Skyl is the rough phonetic equivalent, but that's just a convenient coincidence due to the fact that they used verbal communication like us. The Hive's language is far more difficult, and the best you could get would just be 'the things that have been trying to kill us since forever' and there really isn't any method of getting more detail than that. It's actually the main reason they have such bland naming conventions from our perspective. Their language just doesn't translate to verbal speech very well."

"How would you personally identify them, regardless of translations?" Jim asks Lee, he looks to the shimmering desk in thought.

"Well you've already met them, actually. The hostile hive ships over Path were sent by them. They've more or less been attacking anything that moves for as far back in their history that I've studied, although that should include the caveat that I'm not a historian, let alone an expert on Hive history.

"Such an act is terrible, but should not be as surprising as you find it." Your speaker adds. "Did the humans not also destroy a sizable celestial body in their own system during a conflict? We recall a sizeable natural satellite used to orbit the third world of your home system."

"I suppose that would be a fair point, although Luna was hardly comparable in size." Jim says dismissively. "My next question may seem a bit more personal, but I hope you don't mind and I don't intend to make it seem pointed, but I know for a fact that there are very loud voices on both sides of the issue regarding your rescinding of Union citizenship. A lot of people have made quite a big deal of that in support and in criticism of the act. Representative Lee, while you've already shared your story on air, on our own network in fact, what exactly would you say is your experience as one of the only human citizens of the Hive, and what would you say to those living in the Expanse right now to whom the Hive has offered citizenship if they remain?"

>Write in
>>
>>1419843
"The health benefits are amazing."
>>
>>1419853
Apparently Lee doesn't need moisturizer since living in hive housing, from what the makeup guy said.
>>
>>1419853
Definitely mention cure for all disease but hold back on immortality. For now.
Otherwise just tell the slightly abridged truth, the hive helped him a lot and now Lee helps the hive.
>>
>>1419843
Let Lee be lee
>>
>>1419843
>I hope that you like red and white.
>>
>>1419843

The hive takes very good care of it's citizens, generally taking a very laisse faire approach to anything that doesn't directly interfere with hive activity.

>Excellent heathcare plan, buy hive augs and get a free spinal pal.
>>
>>1419866
Good way of putting it.
>>
>>1419843
They're very protective when you're considered an honorary part of the hive, really.

And Lee had these headaches, but now? Gone! Can you believe they have the cure to headaches.
>>
>>1419843
Wait, like speak from Lee's perspective?

"First and obviously, they don't eat people, their health benefits are great, and a few of the things they've adapted for human use are pretty fascinating. Anyone in Hive space would probably be allowed to do mostly whatever they want, provided it was peaceful and doesn't interfere with the rest of the hive. They've been pretty accommodating so far, and I think it would extend to the rest of the humans in Hive space, within reason, of course."
>>
>>1419839
But why would they leave the lynch mobs when they're in the lynch mobs?
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>>1419843
Go Lee! It's your time to shine!
>>
>>1419853
Lee's in better shape than he's ever been, on Hive Diet(tm).

Wink at the camera.
>>
>>1419843
Perhaps we should specify that not every human living in the hive's territory as a citizen necessarily has to 'join' the hive either.

It just isn't feasible to neurologically wire ourselves into every single human being living under us. That would be a collosal invasion of their privacy and lend credence to what that nutter on data wars is going on about. Joining the hive has to be consented to by the civilian population living under us, it's the only way it could be acceptable to the Union itself.
>>
>>1419887

Wait... You want to tell them about parasites?

No, no, no, no, no.
>>
>>1419843
"I get that the whole shift of it all is kinda... odd. Its just a strange situation to be in, but ill be the first to say that the practical benefits are amazing. And other than some responsibility to the hive, there isnt much to it. It is what it sounds like, citizenship, granted the process can be offputing. But hell, I feel alright. No need to be overtly paranoid in my honest opinion."
>>
>>1419895
On second thought, mabye dont mention the process at all. That wouldnt bode well.
>>
>>1419899
>>1419895
Actually, lee is adopted. Thats different from citizenship, let him say that he's adopted, and we can just make citizenship the same as how the rhaligans are treated.
>>
>>1419861
Let him geek out that he has access to lightsabers? Hell, let Lee be Lee and show off if he wants. He can even call out his old buddies back on Talgo if they want a rematch against his new 'nid army he put together.
>>
>>1419887
>Telling them abut parasites.
>>
>>1419602
Perhaps we should mention how we want to heavily invest in the region and allow jobs/businesses flourish with trade potential
>>
>>1419910

The hive has no need for corperation or income tax.
>>
>>1419905
Good point.

>>1419910
Thats not really the issue though. Thats just off topic and doesnt answer the question
>>
>>1419910
>>1419915

Actually thinking about it, this is a major selling point.
>>
>>1419915
The more we economically intertwine ourselves with the Union, Valen, and Commonwealth the more we can flex our political will without needing to send in a fleet. Think about how we can fuck with them from a business point of view- all of our labor is free and a near limitless industry potential
>>
>>1419922
Yeah your right, technically we impose a responsibility tax though right? We dont just give the rhaligans whatever they want huh? They work in our interests technically. During war time they are expected to fight right? To protect rhaliga most of all
>>
>>1419929
Ok, if you're going to mention the Raligans, those guys actually ARE stone-smashers, and we've taken a kind of stewardship over them.
>>
>>1419843

"Well, for starters, the health care is amazing. Beyond anything humanity is capable of, that's for sure." Lee says. "They've more or less cured every illness and their biotechnology is to a point that they have essentially cured all future illness too. Even things like allergies. Not just treatments, but outright never-sniffle-again cure." His fingers tap against the projected desk as he thinks. "Let's see, otherwise, their social structure and general lack of individuality in their species means that from the perspective of any non-Hive species, they are essentially post scarcity. To them labor is a negligible cost, so having a worker drone help in your day to day activities isn't going to cost much of anything. At the same time, their capacity for luxury beyond the most utilitarian needs are a bit more difficult for them to understand. They're learning, and it's not that they're just opposed to inefficient luxury goods, it just comes off as illogical to them so the notion is a bit confusing." He adjusts his position in his seat as he searches for the right words.

"Let's see. I guess the best example would be food." He continues. "Since I've lived in Hive space, they've created a specially made nutrient blend that is genetically engineered to fit the human diet perfectly. It's possibly the most healthy thing in the universe for a human to eat, but it tastes sorta like oatmeal with the consistency of grits. It's not bad, just bland."

"So they don't have any luxury goods?" Jim asks.

"Not for themselves, no, but they've started producing them for the sake of guests. Drones don't need amenities, but over time they have built a rather extensive human friendly environment within their Hive which holds an ever increasing number of luxury goods they've developed." Lee says. "They could still use some work on the food, but I'm sure they'll figure it out before too long." Jim nods his head as he listens, forming more questions in his mind as Lee continues.

"But I do think there is one major thing that should be noted. I'm not just a citizen, I'm essentially employed by the Hive by serving as its representative. For the vast majority of people that elect to stay in the Expanse, they won't really notice any meaningful difference in their lives at all. The Hive doesn't really gain anything from micromanaging its non-hive population, at least, not any more than the population requests. The most I would expect is that worker drones may offer affordable housing on planets with a harsh environment, and possibly assistance and welfare relief in other areas that the locals need as they need it. They don't have any need for money, and lack any real currency, fiat or otherwise, but the credit is at least recognized, so I wouldn't expect there to be any income tax at all." Lee smirks for a moment. "Although I guess that's not a major selling point to the frontier worlds since most are under the population bracket for an income tax anyways."
cont.
>>
>>1419927

Sure, but how does being a tax haven stop us from mixing economically with the Union, Valen & Commonwealth? We would still have rights on natural resources and could still trade.

All low or no taxes would do is mean that industries would want to locate to our worlds, hence giving us a stranglehold on union manufacturing.
>>
>>1419938
Mentioning the cure to all illnesses is a bit too far I think. Now everyone will want to be hive citizens. Hmmm mabye it wobt be that bad.
>>
>>1419949
He said the correct amount. The only thing I wouldn't want to mention would be aging. That's a secret.
>>
>>1419953
Agreed
>>
>>1419944
Well it doesn't get in the way, just trying to maximize our potential credit income since that can directly help fund black ops and espionage stuff.
>>
>>1419938
Well, looks like we can expect a big, happy family. Explaining the parasites (maybe we should rename them to symbiotes?) might be difficult, as some people might interpret a psychic link to momma as mind control.
>>
>>1419958
No. Nnnnno. No parasites. Nnno.
>>
>>1419938
>So they don't have any luxury goods?
Lee's right, but there's also a bit of "showing off" and "vanity" like this embassy or the specialty-colored drones. There's no point to having fancy things if there's nobody to show off to. The Hive could design the most ornate object ever, but it wouldn't be able to appreciate it very much.

>>1419958
We're not going to parasite all the humans.

Why would we even.
>>
>>1419938
Isn't claiming we aren't going to tax anyone slightly inaccurate? If anyone starts up a massive company and conglomerates huge amounts of money and resources off our back, we're going to want to a cut of that, if only to stop an excessive class divide to develop among larger populations.

We're already planning on taxing Krazinov int. and possibly the Valen clans, and I'm sure there will be more that follow in their footsteps.
>>
>>1419970
>We're not going to parasite all the humans.
>Why would we even.
Universe's greatest flash mobs?
Precious bodily fluids?
>>
>>1419970
>>1419965
Well, probably not everyone, but given how cheap they are to make and the benefits to having them, it might be useful to have them on offer to our adoptive children.
>>
>>1419938

"This sounds like a rather extreme form of socialism, honestly." Jim says. "Is there any room for corporate activity or the free market in this situation?"

"Well yea. Like I said, the Hive leaves well enough alone unless the locals need assistance. For people who come to be employed by the Hive directly, things are going to get more complicated I think. For that kind of situation I think your description may be a bit more accurate. I don't get paid in credits, although I could request assets of that nature, and anything the Hive can produce, I have free access to. Food, amenities, entertainment. Right now the Hive doesn't have much to pull from in those regards, but as they learn more about human culture they get better at producing those kinds of things."

"It sounds like this could require some adjustments on a larger scale." Jim says. "I would imagine adding a large number of humans to that would result in some level of corruption."

"At worst it's more like nepotism." Lee replies. "The Hive is essentially a superorganism, so it's more like being friends with a single entity than being a high ranking official in an alien government. Anyone that would come to be directly employed by the Hive like me would, by the simple virtue of their biology, be personal friends of the Hive itself. There's no paperwork to fill out, no policy or judicial precedent to obey, just the overarching hive superorganism."

"Well I'm sure you've given the xenologists out there just enough to get them curious, but I think we can't really avoid going to a bit of a more sore topic." Jim says. "The Commonwealth. Representative Lee, you are well aware of the bitter past and the rather violent current status between our nation and the Commonwealth. Just today their invasion fleet has begun widespread landings on Mars, and we've received early reports of well over seven hundred lives lost on the Union defensive fleet operations, not even counting the planetside activity. It would go a very long way with our viewers if you could elaborate on your relationship with the Commonwealth and what role the Hive is playing, if any, in the ongoing conflict."

>Write in.
>>
>>1419979
>The Hive is essentially a superorganism, so it's more like being friends with a single entity than being a high ranking official in an alien government.
Welp.
>>
>>1419984
i mean, he's not wrong
>>
>>1419979
Go to bed
>>
>>1419979
The hive avoids interfering with human strife. The agreement with the Commonwealth is to purge their systems of nonhuman threats only.
>>
>>1419979
"They have been attacked by the scavengers on first contact, these are very hostile if the hive has anything to say about it, appearantly trade was opened up between ships in first contact and the hive was not only denied 'adequate seating' but their ships were attacked indescriminantly. It would be funny if it didnt turn into full on war, actually no its still pretty funny... thats why the hive helped the commonwealth against the scavengers. but if the comonwealth and union want to kill each other thats not the hive's problem."
>>
>>1420001
Well, we should preface that the commonwealth has been attacked. I put in 'they' which is a bit too vague
>>
>>1419979
Focus on alliance against scavengers but also mention that in the past the ancient hives would fight each other all the time. Suggest the hive sees competition between factions of the same species as part of the natural life cycle.
>>
>>1419979

The hive has amicable relations with both the commonwealth and union and would be reluctant to intervene. However the hive would be willing to act as a third party in any negotiations.

The commonwealth / union conflict is wasteful in view of larger threats such as the ancient enemy. Co-operation between hives is optimal.

Assuming the scavengers are common knowledge probably should mention them and our military co-operation in that one instance with the commonwealth. Because the scavengers tried to steal our couch (technology)
>>
>>1419993
Its just no secret now. Once they really start figuring out our telepathy shit gets serious.
>>
>>1419979
The hive has no interest in getting involved in the Commonwealth's conflict with the Union. If it was it would not have invested so much in establishing diplomatic relationships with the Union.

That said, both the Hive and the Commonwealth are under assault from a particular alien menace and thus are cooperating to an extent in their efforts to drive them out of their respective territory.
>>
>>1419979
"The Hive is no stranger to a species fighting itself. Usually this is for resources, sometimes idealism, sometimes a personal grudge. When there were more hives, they fought wars among themselves.

Just as the Hive has promised assistance to the Union against the Obsidian Hive, so too has the Hive found an ally in the Commonwealth against an alien race you are not familiar with. However, interfering in the war between the Commonwealth and the Union would be extremely dishonorable.

The said, this conflict is ill-timed due to all these external threats, and the Hive would be happy to act as mediator if both Union and Commonwealth were to decide they no longer wish to fight."
>>
>>1419979
The hive views The Union and The Commonwealth as something akin to two feuding siblings. We are uninterested in intervening for either side, but it would be within everyone's best interests if the two would stop fighting.
>>
>>1419979
>Write in
The Commonwealth made a distinct effort not to fuck with us, was polite and courteous, and we share a common enemy. Anything else we must ask their permission to share.
>>
>>1420017

I like all of this except for the word "dishonourable"
>>
>>1419984
This really is common knowledge among the learned folk of the Union m8.
>>
>>1420017
How's about we wait to see how the fighting turns out before we offer to mediate, I'd really like to see the Commonwealth take Sol. It's pretty obvious they care way more about it than the Union does.

Besides, if we do make this offer it would be far more courteous to both sides if we raise it privately with the respective leadership instead of telling all their constituents. Otherwise we could put them between a rock and hard place.
>>
>>1419979
"The Commonwealth humans have been attacked by a species hostile to both the Hive and humans." Your drone chirps. "We therefore agreed to cooperate in this mutual conflict. Your conflict with them is unrelated, and we refuse to become involved. The Commonwealth agrees, and has requested the Hive avoid human conflict on their behalf."

"I'm sure that will be reassuring to many of our viewers, including some members of Parliament." Jim replies. "Although I do have to bring up the elephant in the room. Your relationship with the machine intelligence known as the Unity." He says with an almost hushed tone. "The Union and the Unity have had a very hostile relationship since their inception. Your hints of a strong relationship with them is worrying, to say the least. What exactly is the extend of your relationship, and what have been your experiences with the Unity so far?"

>Offer to provide negotiations between Union and the unity
>Claim they are a close ally of the Hive
>Claim they hold research agreements with the Hive
>Other (write in)
>>
>>1420029
>>Other (write in)
The Unity is more human in nature than you ever would have dared to suspect. It only fights to ensure it's own survival.
>>
>>1420029
>>Offer to provide negotiations between Union and the unity
>>Claim they are a close ally of the Hive
>>
>>1420029
>>Offer to provide negotiations between Union and the unity
>>Claim they are a close ally of the Hive
>>
>>1420029
>Offer to provide negotiations between Union and the unity
>Claim they are a close ally of the Hive
>Claim they hold research agreements with the Hive
"They have been amicable and fair in nearly every exchange we've had, while we can understand many of the negative sentiments the unity has towards humans, needless to say the hive views their response as inefficient and counterproductive to their overall goal, which the hive finds respectable. Thus we wish to mediate between these two parties."
>>
>>1420029
>>Claim they are a close ally of the Hive

Unity never engaged in hostilities with the hive and has rendered military assistance against the ancient enemy.

The hive does not believe that hostility between humans and the unity need continue in perpetuity.

lay the groundwork for offering negotiations but don't actually offer in public.
>>
>>1420029
>>Claim they are a close ally of the Hive
No offer yet.
>>
>>1420039
>which the hive finds respectable
The goal I mean. I should really English.
>>
>>1420029
>>Offer to provide negotiations between Union and the unity
Whoops.
>>
>>1420029
>offer to host possible negation
>they are a very good friend.
>>
>>1420029
>Offer to provide negotiations between Union and the unity

"While the Union uses digital technology native in understanding to Unity, Unity and Hive technologies are fundamentally incompatible. This has allowed extensive negotiations. The Hive recognizes Unity's sovereignty.

Being created by the Union, the machine intelligence is more human than you give it credit. In truth, it does not wish to destroy you. The Hive thinks that Humanity should not turn its back in fear on an entity they have created. We could provide negotiations to ensure a cessation of hostilities."
>>
Unity has been quiet for a while, we should check who he's been talking too. BQ or OQ would be worrying given we got a lot of our early tech boost from them.
>>
Actually thinking about it, we could ask if Jim wants to speak to Unity directly through us. After clearing it with Unity.
>>
Meta question:
Are we the void gods that are tampering with the universe by virtue of existing and exerting our influence, and if so would that mean that the messiah is the red queen and the obsidian queen is the enemy of the void that rejected our influence?
>>
>>1420064
On a more serious note we should help the skyl and barren queen more.
>>
>>1420058
>that one time Theseus tried to talk to OQ
>she just put a relay on his ship and tracked him to his home planet
>and infested the planet after doing a bunch of damage to a server ship
>right as we introduced Theseus to Heretic
>Heretic fucking hates "servile species" like OQ
>Theseus and Heretic are a married couple now
>Thinking Theseus would ever talk to OQ

Come on now.

>>1420068
We literally brought the Skyl back from extinction. Barren Queen was reborn because of us and has her own system. What more do you want to give them lmao.
>>
>>1420029
Express confusion for there being a conflict at all, see if we can guilt trip them a bit for abandoning their 'child'.
>>
>>1420029

"They have been amicable in nearly every interaction with the Hive." Your speaker says. "They are a close ally, and we hold many of what you call treaties and research agreements. Your conflict is born from the Unity's desire to survive, and your hostilities are counterproductive to all parties involved. The Hive would be willing to mediate between both parties, if the humans are willing to make peace."

"You say that as if the Unity wants peace." Jim says.

"We know they do." You reply. "They were born of humanity, and so they are more like you than you would admit. You would find no point in hostilities were you to simply halt in your efforts to kill them." Jim looks to you with some mixture of concern and curiosity, and as he glances between your speaker and Lee he adjusts himself in his seat.

"Well, I think that would be a matter for parliament, but it's certainly a lot to process. I'd like to thank you again for allowing us to be here and for speaking with us. I hope this was as enlightening for our viewers as it was for us here at QNN." He says, and the woman at the portable terminal near the door flicks several switches and makes some gesture to the cameramen.

"Alright, great job, that's a wrap." She says, and Jim reaches across the desk to shake Lee's hand again.

"Thanks again for having us here. It means a lot to all of us." He says.


And with that, we should call it a night, or morning to be precise. I'll try to answer any questions or feedback if I can but I really should be getting to bed.
>>
>>1420077
Supporting.
>>
>>1420080
Your a madman QD, have w good night and thanks for the run
>>
>>1420080
Crunch for cloning more Andersons coming up next thread?
>>
>>1420080
Thanks for running another long one
>>
>>1420080
That was great, thanks for running mate
>>
>>1420080
Now that the camera is off we should give Lee the headnod to go ahead and play with his toys and show off to them if he wants. Or even just shoot the shit with these adorable tykes since they were polite enough for the interview.

Also ask them what they think of the embassy. Is it what the humans deem "cute?"
>>
>>1420073
Point taken

>>1420080
Nice thread matey.
>>
I've got some ideas for new research from tech we have.

Holographic Cloaking from our hologram technology, to disguise our ships rather then hide them. Not a lot of military potential compared to the cloaking field, but it could be useful for the shadowrun segments, and maybe it could work for larger ships.

Gravitational Wave weapon developed from the singularity projectors, from how two singularities orbiting each other releases gravitational waves. That one would be inconvenient to research since it would need a steady supply of Canderon to test. If it can be focused and directed, it would probably be a spinal mount superweapon also needing Canderon.

A Spinal Missile Platform, like the spinal hangar, if it's worth looking into.

I also remember a while back that some people wondered if combining photonic tech with quantum crystals could lead to anything.
>>
Are we going to want to support the overthrow of the Union government? Because it seems like we've done a lot of stuff to successfully delegitimize and damage the government, we don't like them very much, and we have massive amounts of incriminating potentially-regime-destroying information.
>>
Just noticed, we've never mentioned Elizabeth to them and they've never brought her up. Surely they know about her, right? We returned those prisoners who knew about her being in our custody. I legit want to see the discussion that talking about her will bring.
>>
>>1420289
I hope an angry mob breaks into Killinger's home and catches him red-handed strangling kittens before literally crucifying him.
I don't think their current mode of government is necessarily untenable, just open to the corruption of particularly driven individuals.

But my pipe dream (and I do stress that) is that once the curtain is peeled back, the Union largely dissolves and is taken in under the wing of the Commonwealth. That ultimately this super-humanity forms a society that merges seamlessly on every level with both Hive and Unity infrastructure. Groomed to be ready, willing, and very able to fight the war against the void gods.

>>1420313
Eh, she's a transhumanist who went full transhuman. We can set up a remote interview if she's actually interested.
>>
>>1420316
Yeah, she's a transhumanist, but if she's Kerrigan, half the anons here are Abathur and keep going NOT GOOD ENOUGH. CAN IMPROVE.
>>
>>1420335
I can already tell you how that interview is going to go though.
>"I don't actually consider myself human anymore, you should all join me, it's great."
>"There you have it folks, they took a perfectly normal hikki and turned her into a brainwashed monster."

Not exactly great for our PR at our current stage of relations.
>>
>>1420357
We could tell her "Don't say anything that will freak them out like 'I don't actually consider myself human anymore, you should all join me, it's great.' "
>>
>>1420506
I'd actually like to have our little Kerrigan speak to the Union, but I'm worried she'll be asked all kinds of technical questions from her associates at the Union mad scientist institute. We really don't want her to be giving anything near a scientific explanation of how the Hive operates, but her evasions in that front would be transparent and somewhat out of character for an individual who longs for recognition.
>>
I think it is critical time to start planning on how to rule the human populated systems that are soon ours.
My crude suggestion would be following.

Every planet/system gets it's own governor. Either the population chooses one, or we decided who it is, so long as the he/she has locals support and is actually loyal to us (spine pal) it works.
Governor deals with everyday life of the system, and informs us of any troubles, would work as an buffer between the hive and locals.
We'd tax each system that has human population in it, either in form of credits or manufactured goods, ships ect..
In exhange of the tax, we offer them an place to live in, protection, very basic health care and better access for hive's luxure products.

The bio-mods and more advantage medical care should be saved for humans that we employ or that can offer us something in exhange. A bit like how combine worked in half life 2, work with us and get better services and luxuries.

The military.
Each system forms its own picket fleet, or atleast army for planetary defense. These forces would be only used for the defense of home system or nearby systems.
On top of that, we would form an more elite human force, that could be used in special missions and in war against the black hive. Screening by memory search and spine pals to make sure they are loyal only for us, hive equipments and full health care along some basic cybernetics.

This elite force would give us an different tool, that would not be weak to anti-hive weapons, say the psionic attacks and crystal corruption, like it was at Nowhere, where we our drones became useless at the end and lead us to be noticed by the enemy.

Valen and companies
We mostly let them continue working as they have been before, just paying taxes to us in one form or an another. A lot of private deal making, like we just had with Krasnikov.


As for anons that keep saying that we can make everything better than anyone else, and that's why we should kick all companies and valens out and only use drones for working, mining, fighting ect.

Well that could work, expect we would have to deal with huge angry population that was made jobless in a short time, giving us handfull of rebellions and NEETS, that would only drain our resources, as drones would do all the work.

Not to mention all the other stuff we lose, research potential in the population, earlier mentioned fighting force, tax and future trade deals with Valen and human companies, and boost in our relationship with almost all our allies and neightbours.
If anons really want access to every single piece of metal and nutrient that these planets could theoretically give us, I quess we can just force humans to leave the systems or be killed, much easier that way right?

Anyway, my suggestion and point is that we let things go mostly as they have been before, expect that we rule and collect tax instead of Union, and give a bit more autonomy to the planets

Any tweaks?
>>
>>1420559
Just for clarification, it's the medical care for upgrading their health that will be advanced while the medical care for maintaining their health and saving their lives will be basic, right?

We should also test for some humans qualified to help with research, and get more of that creativity that our thinkers lack. Parasites mandatory, of course.
>>
>>1420559
>expect we would have to deal with huge angry population that was made jobless in a short time, giving us handfull of rebellions and NEETS, that would only drain our resources

We could announce that society is officially post-scarcity and guarantee a basic income, then only have drones perform either basic resource collection or dangerous work, and leave everything else to the native population as they desire.

So humans aren't going to be mining, farming, or do certain kinds of construction work. But they will be using those resources (after taxes) to make whatever the hell they want.

Then just go with your idea of human blackops recruitment from the population, combined with increasingly shifting the societies we control towards producing more such individuals until the entire population willingly volunteers to have spinal parasites as a matter of course.

Sure, it's probably more expensive. But in the long run, we get better quality humans for our purposes, and those population centers outside of the Expanse become more open to the idea of being under the Hive.
>>
>>1420606
That would attract lazy people though. If they know they will always have some food, they will be incentivized not to work
>>
>>1420687
People get bored as all hell with nothing to do.
So they will go out and do things, or look for them.

All you have to do then is present options for them to persue. You would be surprised what kind of things people will do for fun thats also productive.
>>
>>1420702
I hate to go /pol/, but we have a modern example in urban environments, where welfare encourages people to not work and have many children
>>
>>1420687
We can make quality-of-life depend on having a job though.
Make the "unemployed" level be dry, gritty, nutri-paste, a 4 square foot room, and no luxuries or entertainment. Make the next step up, at the "labor is worth enough nutrients to feed himself" level, be actually decent with a room large enough for a bed instead of a padded floor, food with flavor, and TV.
You'll live, sure, but it'll suck so hard you'll get a job just so you can have fun things.
>>
>>1420717
Even presuming that:
1.) That actually happens at all and it isn't just U.S. right-wing propaganda to keep the working classes down (there's evidence it works in nordic countries),
2.) It's actually caused *only* by providing welfare with no other factors (such as upbringing, quality of work available, level of education, etc.), and
3.) All of that is directly comparable to this sci-fi fantasy setting AND is going to make enough of a difference to even be noticeable to the Red Queen,

Then we can render all of that easily moot by adding parasites to the food provided to those requiring welfare. Suddenly they want to work because we want them to.
>>
>>1420754
>Giving out pieces of political suicide just to get a few shmucks to work in mostly inconsequential jobs.
>>
>>1420754
>Then we can render all of that easily moot by adding parasites to the food provided to those requiring welfare. Suddenly they want to work because we want them to.

That's pretty much the take away here. We already researched how to make mini-parasite eggs which would be easy enough to introduce if we control the food supply. Since we would also hold a virtual monopoly on medical tech on our worlds the chance of discovery is suitably low.

They will work happily and productively for Mother or we will make them happy and productive. No miserable under-employment here like there is in Valen space.
>>
>>1420754
Well the issue is that in nordic countries, there's a more pervasive social net. Subsidized education for one that 'gives them something to do'.

The US has a dearth of free/affordable educational opportunities for those with low to no income.

So I'm not against a basic income or social net for our citizens, but we definitely need to give direction. I mean, having human researchers means more minds to look at a problem, having human volunteer soldiers could be useful against our psionic enemies. It's just a matter of keeping people engaged.

Parasiting them without their informed consent is just foolish. We may want to apply it as a punishment for law breaking.
>>
>>1420597
>Just for clarification, it's the medical care for upgrading their health that will be advanced while the medical care for maintaining their health and saving their lives will be basic, right?
Yes exactly, should had explained that better but that would make the post too long.

>>1420733
Well I'd offer that sort of deal for everyone, without getting more mixed into their lives or taking the jobs with drones. The poorest can live in hive producted tiny rooms and get to eat for free, but if they want to move higher in ladder they gotta work for it like everyone else has done.

>>1420754
>(there's evidence it works in nordic countries),
It does work here, but there are always tiny amount of people that will cheat the system by refusing all the offered work, one way or an another and just take all welfare they can get.
Plus certain group of people that are almost proud of doing it for ages, but lets not turn this into pol thread.


I'd rather go with current system and use those fancy mind altering tech we got, that slowly makes population pro hive.
Less hassle that way, and I'd try those social experiments on smaller scale first before adding whole expansion on it.
>>
We could start a drone leasing program, basically offer a cheaper non-robotic alternative for assisting in homecare/lawn maintenance.
>>
>>1420080
Thanks for running, my man. You ran fucking late too, good on ya.
>>
I think, with regards to the human population of the Expanse, we should do as we said and simply leave them alone unless they come to us or we need to act to alleviate suffering.
Although ideally we'll have instances of Theseus running to make sure the humans don't decide to riot or whatever.
>>
Vote for the thread!
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Hive%20Queen%20Quest
>>
>>1420967
I agree. We can get more involved with them if circumstances change or they wish for us to do so, but until then we should just leave them be.
>>
>>1420976
There's no harm in putting in a fee mind control hives, but by and large we can just leave the governing to the humans and some thinkers assisted by Theseus instances. The day to day of the human settlements should be beneath our concern besides how we make it an appealing overall lifestyle to the humans and have them not interfere with hive operations
>>
I don't think we should be making massive changes to the populations or fiddling at the levers of power in their local governance in order to chase the end of a rainbow in search of a post-scarcity society. It'll be a headache for all involved. Let them govern themselves as a planet-state protectorate of the Hive, like the Commonwealth model minus the taxes. The tax straight up isn't worth hampering the growth potential of the few colonists we'll rule, even the tax hungry Union agrees. Better to stay aloof and cut deals that will bolster their economy like we did with that Canderon mining guy last thread.

If we want a cut of an economic pie then we're better off letting the Valen build their gate or constructing our own Rip Drive transport guild and then constructing a space city equipped with a trading hub through which all wealth must flow. From there we could make mad dosh and enact whatever weird sci fi /pol/ fantasies with impunity since this is something that is inarguably ours and also a space station that you can leave at any time (which lessens the sting of living under bizzaro alien rule) all the while nurturing whatever colony(s) we end up doing this in.

If we absolutely must interfere in their local governance we should at least do it via the higher levels of the subterfuge system after a grace period of adjustment so we have plausible dependability. Either that or leave it to Theseus. It's what he's built for after all.
>>
>>1420993
Yeah,a few parasited officials with connections would be nice,but thats about it.
>>
>>1420080
Thanks for running!
>>
>>1421014
>plausible dependability
kek
i knew i fucked something up
>>
>>1421104
>Is he going to be helpful?
>Maybe?
>>
>>1420754
>there's evidence it works in nordic countries
You mean Cuckistan formerly known as Sweden? The failed Utopia that even foreigners from war torn countries admit are more dangerous than their homelands.
>U.S. right-wing propaganda
It's not just the U.S. that says this but hey what can be asserted without can be dismissed without evidence am I right?

But seriously though the only reason socialism "works" for us is because we have trillions of mind controlled drones at beck and call, and the only thing nonhive lifeforms really offer us is ideas which pure socialism will ineviably will destroy since it will eliminate conflict and competition the two major factors that promote creativity.
>>
>>1421197
You compete with other species, planets, and space civilizations.

And no one asked for /pol/'s opinion of Sweden.
>>
>>1421209
When it come to creativity.
Internal conflict > External conflict

Also nice non argument.
>>
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>>1421197
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>>1421222
You mean like yours? You didn't look up creativity or how to foster it, you just made a blanket statement as an excuse to complain about socialism, which no one here cares about. You also assumed that just because the Hive would provide all basic necessities that human conflict and competition would disappear. You have to be an idiot to believe that at face value, especially since they'll have to provide their own markets for entertainment and luxury goods and services early on under Hive rule.
>>
>>1421243
Would you work harder on an invention if you know some guy in the other room might complete it first or if some guy on the other side of the world is going to complete it.
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>>1421282
That's not the only motivation. You also work harder if you know you'll get a great reward for it, or punishment for failing, for example. Or by fostering passion and curiosity, or providing opportunities from the work. What's most important for creativity is motivation, willingness, and confidence. How those are achieved is not a clear cut path with just one answer. Plus if we want to use direct competition anyways, we could easily arrange something, like different cells working for better goods, services, and status (among humans).
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>>1421310
It would be simple enough to foster "sibling rivalry" between our adopted human children to see who can "do thing for Mother!" the best.

We don't need the full ingenuity and skill of the non-adoptees in our domain for the immediate future. We just need them to be happy and moderately productive.
>>
>>1421243
I actually know plenty about creativity enough to know complacency is the enemy of creativity which is what socialism breeds but I know a few solutions to that problem.
>>1421310
>motivation, willingness, and confidence
Once again complacency destroys those things and struggle produces them.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc
Here a video that explain motivion to you and that being hands off is literally the best approach. We don't need or should want to go full socialism since it'll hurt their motivation.
>>
>>1421330
Remember, we are offering no taxes for most operations in the Expanse and very loose government oversight (provided they don't do things like mine for artifacts). So in all likelihood we will experience a bit of a capitalist glut as the megacorps try to take advantage of our effective haven status. Even with us providing a basic income, of sorts, for people who live in the Expanse I doubt they will become lazy in such a frenzied atmosphere of competition.

Also, keep in mind that many of the current residents of the Expanse left the pampered nanny-state the Union provides to experience the frontier and freedom. At least this first generation is unlikely to give up on being productive altogether.
>>
On the whole, considering the arguments, it seems like the best thing to do initially is to simply sit back and watch for a bit, and see how things go for maybe the first generation or two- THEN we can adapt as necessary if people start to get too lazy or complacent. Or earlier if need be. But I don't think there'll be that big of a problem if we take a limited-time 'wait and see' approach in regards to our new residents.
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>>1421427
>Implying we live that long
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>>1421378
Laziness is the biggest weak point of socialism. I don't want to be flooded by lazy retards who want to do nothing because they're attracted to socialism like moths to an open flame. Though the simplest answer is to this is to go full "don't work, don't eat" or some other method of forcing hard labor upon them, it would get labeled as worse than "Hitler" by the Greens.
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>>1421468
We aren't doing socialism, we're just providing the basic necessities and letting make, buy, and sell one their own.
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>>1421468
>forcing hard labor
Why does it have to be hard labor? Why not art and music and film and stuff? Things that the Hive is generally bad at? If they want to mine or farm and sell to the Union to make money that way, they can do that too, we shouldn't even tax them, but if they want to pursue educations or specializations that drones are bad at, why not encourage it?
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>>1421481
How about no. We don't have the resources for that shit. Let them become self sufficient without our help.
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>>1421506
What profit do we get from "art and music and film and stuff"?
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>>1421506
Testosterone is a magical hormone. Not only does it boost creativity but it also cures laziness and improves concentration.
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>>1421513
If the Hive bankrolled, it, the Hive takes a cut of profits.
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>>1421507
We do have the resources, and it's easy to obtain. It won't cost much compared to our fleets. There's no problem there, you're just assuming.
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>>1421515
And enough with 'muh laziness'. We don't need them for hard labor on our behalf, it just forces us to manage them more than needed. Also, we want them to concentrate on art and science and other cognitive tasks, not mechanical tasks which we have drones for.
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>>1421519
It's just a lost /pol/ reject who stumbled into the quest. Ignore them
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>>1421506
>we shouldn't even tax them
That's also wrong. We should tax materials too since those are actually valuable to us and we do desparately need more resources. Why you think QD said "income tax" not taxes in general? So we could tax things we actually care about.
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>>1421513
We get good relations with the Union. In addition to propaganda bonuses we also get science bonuses by keeping our scientists happy (assuming for some reason they aren't all parasited).

>>1421507
>>1421468
We will soon have a massive income
boost from the Expanse. Housing and bare minimum nutrients are cheap.

The lazy people you are worried about flooding us won't because
A. We are scary alien invaders
B. Life in the Expanse is hard and there will likely be open warfare in the region
C. We have many mind control options that are constantly improving,
D. We can have immigration controls and can screen people coming into our territory if we wish.

You keep thinking like this is a human government taking over. We are not human and are not limited by human constraints. Compared to our workers even the most efficient and motivated human is weak, lazy, and hugely resource inefficient. Given there is relatively little difference to the hive between a motivated and unmotivated human in the first place and all the powers we have to control the situation here, I'm not sure why you're making such a big deal about "socialism is bad" here.
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>>1421528
I think we should mostly let them govern themselves, but why are we taking over the populated worlds in the first place if we're not getting any income (of any type) out of them? We could have just demanded mining rights in the expanse.
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>>1421533
I rather agree. Also, in the real world, sure socialism may result in massive amounts of laziness. However, we are not dealing with the real world and we also have all sorts of mind control shit to turn any "lazy" people into super self motivated individuals.
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>>1421540
>We could have just demanded mining rights in the expanse.

We are planning on settling the whole thing and turning at least some of the planets into 100% dev score hive mega complexes. Kind of hard to do that with only mining rights.

Plus, we want to force the humans to keep their grimy monkey paws off our prescious artifacts - and to do that effectively we need regional sovereignty.
>>
Have to admit, I'm surprised they didn't try to go for any trick questions or anything.
>>
>>1421519
>>1421524
> At least 30,000,000 nutrients per day to feed all these inoperable tumors we call "people" with more to come
>We have a war coming and are going to run into a nutrient deficit soon
>You want to add to that deficit
Okay Stalin/Mao.
>>1421533
The problem is this plan is currently not practical under the current system since it tracks the resource cost of the people under us, which is in the millions and we have a fucking war to deal with. My problem is that we are giving them "free shit" which is taxing on us given our current situation for a reward we won't see until weeks later.
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>>1421572
Except we aren't using those worlds for nutrients yet. We don't have farms on them, but we will have when they are formally under our control. As the other anon said, we will have a massive income boost. Stop being obsessed over socialism in a setting it doesn't even really apply to. And we're already at war.
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>>1421606
We aren't even feeling the effects of the war it might as well not be going on. Not to mention the boost won't be as massive as you think it is, we still have to commit resources to terraform planets, and have to massively expand the fleet to protect our territory and fight our enemies. We won't have resources to do all this unless we throw this "Socialism plan" on the backburner and dedicate our resources to growth and production. Unless you are willing to cut down on quality.
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>>1421643
The biggest expense of the humans is food, but they likely won't be primarily eating hive nutrients. It does taste roughly like gruel to them. All the other costs are essentially negligible given we can just dump creep on a planet and have it auto build structures.

Maybe we should just give up on fighting the void altogether, though, and just make this a quest all about our special brand of alien communism. We are called the RED queen after all. [that was a joke]
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>>1421643
>>1421572

I think you're vastly overestimating the potential losses based solely on your personal biases. But we can get numbers in the forms of estimates before we even get close to enacting anything.
So, since we don't have anything better to do right this moment, rather than just calling it all infeasible and giving up, let's plan this out under the assumption the numbers will support it and then we can actually decide whether or not to cross the bridge when we get there.
>>
The primary thing I don't see happening is our new territory completely cutting trade ties of their own accord with the Union or Union related companies and industries. This is a wholly good thing.

Using food as an example, surely there's a significant amount of them that will still want their own food sources or favorites, and not all are going to accept our perfectly efficient human adapted nutrient grit. That's one thing that will work to our benefit, we don't suddenly need to supply all these new people with food; just the ones who want to try the alternative.
Another fact being the systems for supporting these demands are already in place, and we don't benefit from supplanting them immediately. Not even politically, since that's just something to give them ammo and we know well enough that humans are not creatures who adjust well to sudden societal shifts. Furthermore, it would be unrealistic to expect them to drop everything for Hive living in the first place.

This also applies to primary resources, essentials, and basic luxuries currently in demand for the expanse territories. If we tried to supplant everything they're already familiar with immediately it would absolutely backfire in the short term. So providing the alternative and giving the choice for our different lifestyle with a focus on what we actually want from them would be the simpler way. And human nature allows us the insight to know that a non-insignificant amount will choose broad product/food familiarity over their new territory holders, even with a likely immediate incursion of a small population of people who are extremely interested in living in Hive conditions.

I predict an understandable amount of friction between people who choose Hive over Union living, but when the territory is already ours and if our current objectives with human populations are broader research perspectives and psionically dull soldier then we do not actually have to control them thoroughly or supply them completely to achieve that. We can operate largely separate and get all the benefits for it without plunging them into a societal shift.

To sum, I suggest we do the most basic thing we've done so far; we offer to those interested and bait the better alternative to those who are useful to us: scientists, experienced soldiers, skillful cripples, dying old men playing to control the galaxy, and so on.

(cont...)
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>>1421730
Also, there's not too much beyond this we should promise. Lee mentioned how excellent our health care is and that will be sufficient for baiting the desperate. He also mentioned our lack of understanding for luxuries, which probably assuages the industries related to the supply of them to the expanse. He also stated that people won't really notice a difference in their lives, and we should keep to that statement, because we really do not gain anything from micromanaging anymore than the population requests.
His thankfully vague statement there, that we might "provide assistance and relief as they need it," is more than enough wiggle room to say, hey, we're probably only going to step in for emergencies and by local demand.

Basically, by going with an idea already proposed where we have their own self appointed governor/representatives tell us what the locals in various expanse locations actually want from us beyond that, if anything, and we can decide further upon their own demands.
I think that's fine for now. What say ye anons?
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>>1421736
Sounds good to me.
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>>1421730
I'm imagining a bunch of drones standing around a giant spigot set up in a food court, with a sign that reads
"FREE* NUTRIGOO!"
*Cups 60 credits.
and a bunch of nutrigoo hipsters bitching about how they were drinking it before it became popular.
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>>1421958
That's when we set up a second premium nutrigoo spigot for only 5 credits. Even though they very clearly are piped in from the same source and are identical in every way except the price.
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>>1421736
Backing. This is well thought out.
>>
So how about recruiting from Nowhere?
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>>1422097
I think Nowhere doesn't really exist much anymore.
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>>1422184
That's pretty accurate. All the pirates that were based there either died or fled when they saw a combined alien and sky bet armada fighting a "thing that should not be".

You can bet the Union and Valen at a minimum have surveillance over the world now, though.
>>
>>1422184
>>1422192
They literally have nowhere else to go. Just read the pastebin on it.
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>>1422196
They just saw massive foreign battlefleets engage over the planet. I'm sure some particularly stupid or desperate will remain behind, but almost all the population is likely gone given the threat level of remaining.
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>>1422298
Prove it. That was never actually mentioned in quest and that would be enough to give away the events on Nowhere to everyone.
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>>1420080
Thanks for running QD, this was amazing as always. All things considered, the interview went surprisingly well. I'm worried some of our vagueness regarding the Void God may come back to bite us in the abdomen later, though.

Is there any chance we could get a mid-week thread to conclude our battle with the Scavs in Commonwealth space?
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>>1422670
Anon don't pressure QD. I love HQQ threads but he's still recovering. If he manages to get a thread in the middle of the weak he will write at his twitter, just be patient.
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>>1422757
Of course I didn't mean to pressure QD at all. He did a great job running as long as he did there's no reason at all for him to push himself.
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For the most part I think most of us want us to keep a hands off aproach to our dealings with humans in hive space but this could leave some issues with security.

How about we implement something like the Roman Military Diploma for service in their local armed forces. It would give them open access to hive amenities and travel after their tour of duty was complete.

Possible options(all come with a non-optional second heart.)
>Militia: light carapace, weapons training. Security operations
>Human Corps: Medium carapace, weapons training, lifter arms and sword augs. Integrated into our main forces but ultimately are little more then social representation of Humans "doing their part"
>Human ops: Much like our clone troopers. only not Clones.
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>>1423141
I like the idea of "Period of mandatory service for citizenship and free room and board forever".
I don't think humans in the military would provide much, though. A bog-standard drone is cheaper to make and outfit, better in a fight, and won't be missed by anyone if it dies.
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>>1423151
I think having a human unit would be useful, if only for Police work in the human colonies
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>>1423189
Police work would be good. Having a human face on the officer would prevent a lot of issues in non-violent situations.
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>>1423151
Same . I'd say scrap the "required" part of service, but give bonuses to those that do join up. A dedicated Anti-psyonics group would be nice at least.
>>
Yeah kind of reminds me of Starship Troopers. I'm down with that.
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>>1423141
Im thinking that we can just help them jumpstart their own picketfleet, so that if ours is needed, they still have something to defend themselves with and it makes them feel independent. I also Agree with the human law enforcement idea,though using humans in armed forces beyond spec-ops just doesn't seem worth it.
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>>1423204
I agree with scrapping the "required" military service, although we may want to require new citizens to support the hive in some small way according to their skills and resources.

Maybe new immigrants have to agree to serve the hive in whether it be through scientific research, as a laborer, military, agriculture, etc... or if they just give the Hive a huge pile of money.

Let the human immigrants have a choice and offer them free* augments to help in their chosen occupation. However, humans living in the Expanse already can have "citizenship" benefits for free without needing to agree to help the Hive in some way. Benefits of citizenship include medical care, housing for life, etc.
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>>1423141
I'm all for equipping local human operated picket fleets in our territory but don't integrate humans into our main infantry.

We'd be pretty good at training too come to think of it.

>Predictive combat algorithms
>Hardlight holograms
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>>1423274
I recall we got a "Hologram training" tech once.
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>>1423249
Agreed, make immigrants prove themselves before they get the cushy life while acknowledging that if you're already living in the Expanse you've got the balls and/or ovaries it takes.
>>
Now that I think of it I'm pretty disappointed by the fact nobody thought about using the Mirage's black box. That would have plenty of blackmail material but hacking into it would likely wipe the data. However there is an easy way around that and that is to bring it up publicly on the news.
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>>1423575
We have a shit ton of blackmail material that we haven't used yet. Frankly I think we should use some of our blackmail stuff to, you know, actually blackmail people. Getting more material, while nice in theory, will not have an impact on the quest if we never get the chance to use that blackmail to our benefit.
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>>1423580
We have no solid evidence. This is something that makes every other bit of evidence seem like a wet firecracker in comparison we can get actual unfausifiable evidence that the people of the Union actually care about and the Politicans can't brush off.
>>
Here's a fun little detail.
>"Goddamn you, Conrad." He mutters. "If you were on our side you'd have my job."
Magnus knows Killenger is behind a lot of the stuff for the war but this doesn't reveal how much.

Also as a side note I want to brainstorm luxuries for nonhive life.
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>>1423893
I have a terriblegreat idea
Hybrid prostitutes
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>>1423603
What about that Tron dude some of our clones are hanging out with?
>>
I think we should send out clones with the "Snake-oil salesman" upgrade we got from Anderson to start pro-hive cults. If we don't include parasites it'll never be able to be traced back to us.
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>>1423893
Custom-Designed Holopreviewable Couches.
All from the nearest Hive fabrication station.
Costs +1 heart. Yes, buying it costs you getting another heart.
All the more to love Mother with.
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>>1423902
Yeah that's a terrible idea.
>>1423927
>Tron dude
Who? Are you talking about the terrorist on Path?
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>>1423962
Why? We get credits and won't produce unwanted children
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>>1423959
Underrated concept anon.
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>>1423959
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>>1423966
Prostitution is more or less inherently immoral because of what does to society and it's people. Then there is the fact people will actually wonder how we got these "people" and assume the worst possible things.
Also DNA is another problem.
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>>1423982
If anything we'll get their dna
And it was a joke
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>>1423982
We could also parasite people like a reverse Prometheus
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>>1424006
Won't we have some control of the food supply? Putting parasite eggs in there sounds like an easier idea than prostitutes.

I get that it's a joke
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>>1424017
Doesn't sound as fun
>>
If we put the parasite eggs in the expanse hookers does that mean we can infect-by-dick all of their customers?

I imagine hatching from the prostate will be painful but once they get up to the spine they can just heal it, right? So it's fine.
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>>1424093
I swear I don't go on /d/
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>>1424100
Oh God, I just realized the rule 34 applies in the Union. I imagine there's a ton of porn of our drones in that universe already.
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>>1424103
I'm sure Theseus has detailed files on the matter.

Detailed. Files.
Hell, I bet the Union being the Union, and humans being human, there's Theseus Drone Porn.

Wait until our interview goes public and people here that we're in contact with him. There's gonna be Drone/Hive crossover porn soon enough.
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>>1424103
This is why we should exterminate the humans. Drones are not for lewd.
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>>1424108
But we can make drones for lewd, anon.
Touch Fluffy Speaker.
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>>1424122
If the Hive went into the designer waifu business it would surely generate a large amount of funding.
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>>1424125
And we're back to my idea...
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>>1424132
We do have hard light and clonning. .
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>>1423959
10/10 sales speech anon.
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>>1424132
Sluts are not the same as waifus.
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>>1424396
...Depends on your waifu. :^)
>>
Why are we trying to parasite thousands of people again? What is the big advantage here?
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>>1423893
>Also as a side note I want to brainstorm luxuries for nonhive life.

>Unique Tyranids units(That work as Amibo)
>A hardlight hologram table: for battle grounds. Including, but not limited to, unique terrains to give your troops special bonus. The owner can create a custom made terrains too.

>Mimic-clothes: Adaptable clothes, in various models, with colour and fabric texture change at will.
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>>1424437
>>A hardlight hologram table

Wait. We can make a primitive holodeck too! I think we might be limited to glowy and/or partially transparent objects right now, depending on the details of what we can do with hardlight, but you could cover the walls with displays too.
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>>1424431
Anons are trying to figure out a way to make socialism work. Mind control seems to be the popular anser.
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>>1425000
That just about sums it up. If you want to make Socialism you need mind control.
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>>1425000
No, anons are wanting to parasite everyone instead of just providing post scarcity resources at a limited rate and letting everyone sort their own shit out.
>>
Now that I think of it. Post scarcity resources is going to attract the most attention from Valen and scientists. If we reveal the Rip drive though the Gate Guild is going to be very desperate to make a deal with us since a portable "gate" with a relatively decent range could potentially destroy their livelihood.
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>>1425004
Our society is socialism perfected,but can't we just let the humans on our world's be capitalistic? That encourages inovation and our socialistic security bets will encourage risk. We don't need parasites because they arnt that usefull unless we want spies or to supress an entire population,which is not needed yet
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>>1425065
I think we can allow capitalism what with our lack of income tax and relatively limited oversight for corporations. Many (like Krasnikov) will be happy to work here and others will likely join. At the same time, we can provide limited universal benefits to our (full) citizens depending on their occupation. Laborers get lifter arms and dark vision, scientists get an uplink to the thinker network, etc. in order to maximize production.

I think we should only make parasites available to citizens, and even then only to citizens that request them. We can then limit who is permitted to become a "citizen" of the hive by demanding that incoming residents need to provide benefit to the hive by either working on one of our industries for a time period or supply a significant amount of resources for us. Other humans can work in the Expanse, but only as non citizen residents (excepting those who already live there and will get benefits).

By restricting the flow of parasites we make them more attractive. And given our unique resources we are well suited to instituting a mix of capitalist and socialist policies in our territory.
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>>1425065
I think that was what anon's were saying about leaving the humans govern themselfs. But humans wanting to have acess to hive tech will need to adapt to hive life style, which includes the use of a symbiot.

Beside we can have a deals with Union, Unity, the Valen and the Commonwealth. Dam companies will soon follow Torres example and see that making a breanch in our territory allows for a wider market.

We are basicaly Swede but with a army.
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>>1425092
>I think we should only make parasites available to citizens, and even then only to citizens that request them.

Not just that if we addrewards for excepcional humans this will incentive some to better themselfs. In the end you can't compare a Einstein with the average scientist.
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>>1425092
We can even create some luxury and other specific tech that only works if you have a parasite too.
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>>1425092

Getting a spine-buddy allows you to use LASER SWORDS. On top of excellent healthcare. How much more attractive do we need to make them?

>>1425114
We already have that, humans can't use photonic blades without a parasite. LASER SWORDS!
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>>1425124
Wasn't it that they can use it but because they don't have a parasite helping them out they'll just hurt themselves?
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>>1425124
We have only one we need more!!! And the sword is more a weapon unfortunantly in our glorious quest against the void gods we tend to focus to much in warfare...
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>>>>1425128

Yes i figured that humans can train to use a photanic blade. It just takes a longer time, problably 20 or 30 years but that is just me guessing.
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>>1425135
Make super fast vehicles a-la pod racers that you can only drive with a parasite if you don't want to die
>>
worth noting that our parasites are unknown to everyone but the people they're in at the moment. We'll need to decide to reveal them before offering them to the public at large.
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>>1425140
>20 years
Incorrect picking up a skill doesn't take that long.. It should be closer to 10 years.
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>>1425142
The hive has it's own internet, with the fastest servo the hive can build it is free to use, you have unlimited acess(in hive space). But to use it, you need a parasite.
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>>1425148
That was just a guess. Even so 10 years is a lot of time just to learn how to use a sword.
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>>1425145
>the public at large

I was thinking more about offering those who are above average in their expert field and who would benefit the hive of course.

If they refuse we just wipe it out of his mind.
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>>1425099
>We are basicaly Swede but with a army.
We have refugees killing and raping the native populace as well as radical feminists oppressing the men into cuckoldry?
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>>1425152
Be careful about selling the online internet connection too hard. The Union has a real phobia of wireless cybernetics. We can sell the Union people on the benefits of parasites without letting them know we're essentially getting a window into their brain.
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>>1425186
How about we give up trying to sell the parasite and just keep doing what we are doing? Don't fix what isn't broken.
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>>1425175
kay i will take the blame for having brought it up. But let's not turn this into a /pol/ thread.

I admit you are right about all you said and we aren't like the sweden so we don't make this thread into a discussion about it?
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>>1425208
Well HQQ has always been /pol/lite.
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>>1425199
We will eventually need to make parasites we public knowledge as it is only a matter of time until they are discovered. The less we can make them seem like horrifying abominations when we release them the better. Benefits to parasites include spies everywhere and an increase in our thinking/research base (since human brains can act somewhat like quantum thinkers in coming up with ideas).

I actually had an idea. Why don't we make the parasites we openly offer to our citizens (if we go that route). Visible and removable. As in they clip on openly to the back of their spine. If we make them removable it still lets the humans think they have some free will over the decision to use them or not, and can also obscure the fact that we can also have hidden parasites.
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>>1425216
>clip-on spine buddies
anon is a madman once again
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>>1425216
>We will eventually need to make parasites we public knowledge as it is only a matter of time until they are discovered
First sentence and you're already wrong. We can have self destruct before they are found and we always keep them out of sight also our parasites are undetectable without a in depth medical analysis. Without that argument the rest of your post is meaningless.
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>>1425238
We can only keep them a secret for some time. At some point, a doctor will get lucky, or something will go wrong before the parasite is discovered
Not the anon you replied to btw
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>>1425238
My reasoning for why we will need to make them public knowledge is that there are lots of extremely old rich powerful people who would like nothing more in the universe than a spine-pal of their very own. However, we will never be able to parasite these guys if they don't know we are offering that service. We can't discreetly parasite them when they come in for life extension treatment because they will be sure to undergo medical scans afterwards. And if we make them refuse to do pre planned medical scans the humans will know we did something to alter their minds.

In lieu of an always on connection to the hive, "clip on" parasites are much more paletable and still let the humans think they're in control when they're not.
>>
>>1425278
We could just tell them how it works and only them.
>>1425269
Prove it. Generate a situation where that can actually happen since the only way they could find it is if we allow it to be found.
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>>1425278
You know now that I think of it we could get away with the medical scan with a little white lie. It will show up as a benign tumor on a in depth scan so we could just dress it up as a harmless modification that makes them biologically immortal.
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>>1425216
This was what I thought we should do. along side our designer pets and our other neat luxury tech.

Drone personal assistants we can even call them Siris as a joke both for Siri and for the Mesopotamian goddess of beer since it doubles as an anti-toxin aug. that can probably also get you drunk at will.
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>>1425288
Okay. Take any random guy we've parasited. There is an attack, disaster, or something of that nature and the dude suffers serious trauma of some sort in a public setting. If our parasite heals the guy people will notice the magic healing and be suspicious, possibly forcing a medical scan. If our parasite does not heal the guy he either dies either the parasite or evidence of its detonation is found by the coroner. If the guy survives without aid of the parasite and ends up in a medical tank, again, there will either be a scan or evidence the parasite was at one point in time there due to the giant hole it will leave behind from acidicly dissolving.

Or we could have someone on a ship at warp become injured while we cannot control our parasite and have our secret discovered that way.

There are many other ways our secret could come out too. These are just a few options. We have been lucky so far, but eventually luck will run out.

Also, with regards to only telling the rich and powerful, what if a rich guy tries to be a hero and makes the Hive's offer to him/her public?

Any way you slice it discovery is just a matter of time.
>>
Honestly, I don't really see the problem in just taking some precautions. Nothing good lasts forever.
>>
>>1425350
>If our parasite heals the guy
Solution found: Don't heal him.
>Or we could have someone on a ship at warp become injured while we cannot control our parasite and have our secret discovered that way.
We could just have our parasites self destruct pass a certain level of damage to certain hosts you know also such a situation is unlikely since it would more or less require the near destruction of the ship not to mention we could keep them away from ship travel. Your fear of being found out is mostly due to the fact that you think that it's inevitable for the parasite to be found. I recognize that the parasites easily be kept hidden for years with just a little bit of planning.
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>>1425381
I don't understand why people want to take a inherently bad PR action. This sort of thing could easily stay secret for years if the right actions are taken.
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>>1425408
>Solution found: Don't heal him.
Did you read my post? If we don't heal him and he dies the coroner will either find the parasite or will find the acid damaged void where the parasite once was.

>I recognize that the parasites easily be kept hidden for years.
They can be kept hidden for years if we are very lucky and expand very slowly.

I would much prefer to expand our human hive more rapidly, but even if we don't expand we still need contingency plans for being found out.

And you still didn't answer my point that some of the old rich men may tell the public about our offer. If we want to control the old rich powerful dying individuals we will need to accept some (very limited and not at all truthful) level of public knowledge of our parasites.
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>>1425443
I thought we were capable of rejuvenating humans in tanks with some time and that didn't necessitate a long-term buddy?

Or do you mean controlling old rich dying individuals through spine buddies? In which case we just make it so they need to be tanked and put under, and once the parasite is in they're not gonna think too much about public revelations.

The worst thing to that is all these rich old people, even if rejuvenated, are going to have full bodywork done on them right after our operation because they've already got tons of doctors available and it would be weird if they fired them all. Would also be weird if they didn't want a human-side medical checkup, which even though we can prevent them wanting through our parasite it's still suspicious if it keeps happening. That's the case where they're rejuvenated but not given a parasite, but that also means we don't influence that corporation, which kinda negates the point.

Oh, and old rich people probably want their own doctors to monitor their rejuvenation process. Because that's smart and logical and who would trust instant longevity from aliens without a backup plan, etc. That's a proper risk.
>>
>>1425443
We actually had this conversation earlier in thread
>>1417240
>>1417247
Please read the thread.

>if we are very lucky
We only have to be smart.
>I would much prefer to expand our human hive more rapidly
And I don't give a fuck.
Seriously I don't want to parasite everyone and couldn't care less about adopting all humans and in order it safely reveal the parasite we would have to reveal it with no less than a year from now since that's how long it would take for tensions to calmdown along with any hiccups. Basically slower is faster.
>And you still didn't answer my point that some of the old rich men may tell the public about our offer.
I actually addressed that here. >>1425326
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>>1425509
Lying about the parasite being an in-depth body modification is probably the way to go for now.
At least that way we can discourage the more curious doctors personally, so long as none of them demand a look at what we're putting inside their patients prior.
We just need another way to bypass that case that isn't suspicious... allowing them to inspect a modified or dead parasite? It would have to be something, since even though it's a lie it's still bound to draw curious scientists and doctors, and no doubt the patient as well.

I'm concerned that no matter our method the rich and powerful will be cautious enough to attempt to eliminate all forms of perceived risk and that would at some point, for some of them, involve looking into our buddies. We just need good enough excuses for them.
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>>1425548
One we have them in a pod we can have complete control we could offer them it and if they refuse it we can them forget it and just give them the rejuvenation treatment.
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>>1425578
Just had a thought.
The biggest selling point of parasites is more than just rejuvenation, it's everything else they do. They make people more durable, harder working, can keep them emotionally stable; which rich people doubtlessly use combinations of cybernetics and drugs for now anyways. Rejuvenation on it's own and parasites on their own would be nice a alternative for rich old people that we don't want total control over.

But going further we could create soft power for ourselves with dependency on our longevity/rejuvenating tech, just by making it not perfect.
We can make people effectively immortal and solve all their major diseases and genetic mishaps.

But there's no reason to reduce our rejuvenation treatments to a one and done. If you want to keep extending your life, you need to keep using it or shake vertebrae with our handy dandy spine friend.

And if the Hive is gone, or too personally upset with humans, the Hive is no longer obligated to serve your specialized life extension needs. Although the implication is only in the fact that "bad cases" need repeated treatment to continue living, I think it would bring a measurable level of influence over the dying generations that don't want to go. Although it carries the same problems due to competition with standard medical markets that've been brought up before, and we'd wisely limit it to people useful or in need and also useful.

>we are become the inc. shell insurer for our own pharmacorp products now, etc...
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>>1425640
We can hide most of that stuff until they get into the pod.
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>>1425678
Wait, what do you mean? I didn't advocate for hiding this stuff, just creating a comparable level of competition between our products.
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Here's an idea:Just dont give out parasites. Less risk of being discovered, many people will still be interested in flocking to a place with almost no government restrictions with social safety nets, and humans dont get to find out that we can make a small drone THAT ATTACHES ITSELF TO THE SPINAL Column AND IS SMALL ENOUGH TO BE INSERTED INTO THE BODY! Its honestly just not worth revealing spine-pals or using them on so many people.
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>>1425640
Sounds like a pretty solid idea.

Maybe we should look at buying our own medical megacorp...
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>>1425509
Think that what it seems to come down to is unless that we have differing goals. You just have more faith in our abilities to keep everything hidden then we do, and are going off of that belief, while we think that considering random chance/ chaos Factor, it's better to have a plan for when things inevitably go tits-up, or to try and mitigate the fallout of such factors.

Personally, I think that we should keep the offer of parasites to a very select few, as some have said already. I'm not entirely sold on even all citizens or adoptees getting it. But I still think we should have, at the very least, a contingency plan that we can put in place if someone decides to break the rules. Not that we have to enact it, just having something on the books would do wonders for my peace of mind.
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>>1425706
Well aren't you a real smart guy, smart guy. How's it feel to be so smart? I bet it feels good, doesn't it? Geeze, look at this guy with his logic and his reasonable conclusions. What a brain, this guy.

You're right but I won't admit it.
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>>1425716
>>1425706

...well damnit that makes more sense than I care to admit.
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>>1425692
Hiding the parasite is the smart option
>>1425713
You get destroyed trust no matter how they get revealed unless it's to Taidarens because they happen to be one of the few races that likes creepy crawllies.
>>1425713
My goal is only parasiting people who become or intend to become part of the hive and people the help cover up our secret operations..
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>>1425716
Sorry, I just was afraid we were gonna lead this quest into a bad place that we can easily avoid. The humans wont be a problem without the spine-pals. If we were conquering a planet,then maybe,but if they are willing to stay,then they will be willing to follow what few orders we give them.
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>>1425706
That actually does make sense...

Maybe eventually we can introduce spine pals to the elites, but there is no rush at this time and people will already flock to our planets like you said ;if they're not scared away by us being giant alien bug monsters).
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>>1425797
I think spine-pals pre-reveal should only be given to spies or agents. So if we gave them to any elites then they would have to either be HIGHLY SKILLED(think Lyle and Friends with black ops,Elizabeth with SCIENCE,Decker with hacking,and Anderson with general info collecting and illegal stuff) or they have connections either deep(Gilliam) or wide(CEO or representative) anyone else doesn't give us anything or can simply be bought off.
>>
So I have an idea for items we can sell.
How about food based medicine? If you've gone to draxe.com you'll know what I mean.
Drugs that enhance muscle growth, neurogenesis, etc without ill effects.
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>>1425930
I'll support this. They get all the benefits of a parasite(aside from instant communication) without any unpleasant revelations..
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>>1425814
Well I can think of a few exceptions.
One that really sticks out in my mind is gamers a group that can be pretty useful if applied right. Like for example in the recent years scientist have had the great idea of creating a game the uses the effort of gamers to do research. Another example is we could them to improve our defenses by creating a game that let's them experiment and see what works and what doesn't.
Really the only limitation to what we can use gamers for is what games we can make.
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>>1426000
We dont necessarily need parasites for that though, or it would be a small and very select group. Im thinking something like a sub department of thinkers. They would spend most of their time in the hive,with the occasional visit outside being good for their mental health.
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>>1426173
Virtual reality is a potent tool.
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>>1426180
Think Matrix:These guys would probably be a bit unsatisfied in whatever we make them because its "just not the same". O they can be satisfied,but they will eventually feel that ache for something else.
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>>1426200
There are other potential concerns like revealing classified information.
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>>1425706
I love you and you post. Thank you for ending the madness anon.
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>>1426259
Surely we can control what classified information we release, if any, when they are linked to the Hive?

Or are you concerned that our ability to link people with the hive in the first place is too classified an ability to risk getting out? I could see an argument for that.
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>>1426274
Well I was kind of thinking that putting information like what our weapons are capable of or how's our security inside a game is somewhat risky since that is definitively classified information. We don't really want that information leaking.
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>>1426315
If these brainstorms go anywhere and we do do this(Im interested in the idea but I'd prefer to leave it on the backburner for now.Way too much shit to focus on now),the "games" would be analyzed then altered until they no longer contain a significant amount of Hive based data
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>>1426407
Well the most important data the has to be alter beyond recognition is data that can be used as a reference like putting up Union and Hive ships so that their abilities can be compared and other data like sucurity data can be disguised, mildly distorted, or hidden since it can't outright be altered into a completely useless state for other intelligence agencies without hurting the output data.
>>
not sure if this idea has been posted already, but how about we make a second obvious version of the spine pal "implant", that we can market officially? One that does basically the same thing.
If we sell any kind of implant or body modification, they know we can do awesome biotech modifikations. (And we want to give out some of them as a major selling point to be nice to us)
They wont be able to set up a small stealth hive on their own, but we can do that in other ways. That way we dont give up our covert ops and still get to recruit humans. Maybe we can even sell two versions, one with Hive neural uplink, for the more enthusiastic Hive citizens and one "without". Of course they are completely the same implant. If they look at it too hard, we can still just shout at them that they are stupid monkeys and they dont understand at all, but given the state of human psi research i think we are safe for the moment.
Also if we actually sell it to people and maybe subtly encourage it in our population, people will have little reason to scream mind control. Progress will be slower of course but much more agreeable for the humans.
I mean look at smartphones, 20 years ago people would have screamed bloody murder at the amount of data they collect, today its much less of an issue. When they get used to the thought they will value the pros and gloss over the cons.
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>>1427425
Its already been brought up and its too close to the original design. It dosent take a great leap of logic to figure out that the Hive would be able to alter it enough so that it could fit inside the body.
>>
So who wants to try to rebuild the Skyl ringworld?
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>>1428335
Yo.
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>>1428335
Could be fun when we're hurting less for nutrients and metal.

Speaking of, anyone want to overharvest that planet with the hyper thick and fast growing vines (Darwin)? There's a lot of biomass to turn into nutrients and probably a hive hidden in there somewhere. We can eat everything we can't use, and then set up our own hive on the remains.

We could just set up regular harvesting operations instead if Anons would prefer, but I'd like a chance to see the overharvest mechanics in action.
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>>1428444
>Overharvest
No.
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>>1428446
Fair enough. I also suggested regular harvest operations. We need to feed our incipient fleet and Darwin is probably the highest concentration of known biomass.
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>>1428444
Let's not overharvest until we know what is in the planet.
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>>1428451
I hear we could put ships in hibernation but that was never confirmed.
How many days until the terraformation is complete?
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>>1428451
We could just cancel or scrap the fleet you know.
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>>1428455
A week. Though if the ships are built tomorrow we will starve before that.
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>>1428464
If we have to we can always suicide the ships in a massive attack against the OQ.

In the best case scenario we kill the OQ, and worst case we do major damage to her infrastructure and fix our "overpopulation" problem.
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>>1428464
If each thread=1 day it has been more than a week.
In which thread did we order the terraformation? i forgot.
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>>1428481
Worst case seneraio is her getting a sample of our tech to research genius.
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>>1428481
If we're going to do that, we should have just blown that many nutrients on cruise missiles and nuked everything before tossing in an immolator warhead to be sure.
>>
In my search for the thread in which we voted to terraform i found out that we also voted to colonize Desmond and A-295|
We should focus on that next thread.
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>>1428491
While that is true, it is a risk we take whenever we attack her. Seeing as "raid OQ" has been on the to do list forever and is eventually going to happen we may as well make our raid a good one.

We also equipped all our ships with Nukes which should help with self destruction if necessary.
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>>1428558
Which thread number was that?
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>>1428568
>Which thread number was that?
59.6
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>>1428572
Thank you.

So it's been 5 days since then. If it's a week to terraform we should have a new planet ready to settle in the next 2 days.
>>
Here is also the list of systems we sent scouting pods to.
Mufrid
Sol
Lanway
Cygni
Tiberion
Jewel
First Landing
Barnard
Hydra
Wolf
Lalande
Procyon
Andromeda
Chandra
Lulal
Procyon
Unkown yellow star
Unkown red dwarf
Graythrone
The Twins
Distance
Turmoil
The Sisterworlds
Haven
The Commons
Tempest
Strife
Helik Thar
Kalidesh
Patherfound
1-3
Teegarden
Groombridge
Andromeda
Aquarius
Lanstrom
Lionon
Boros
Koloban
Lorens
Hypron
Krasnodar
Balkilare
Nekilem
Tuluu
Alikesh Alin Krorkra
Nehiko Ta'har
Nex
Nowhere
Godard
Hel
Draco
No wonder it's not done yet.
56.2, the same thread in which we order capillary towers and the space station.
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>>1428559
>Seeing as "raid OQ" has been on the to do list forever
On yours perhaps but not mine. I have better Idea of how to deal with her.
>>1428580
It takes 14 days to terraform a planet.
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>>1428610
Thanks for the correction. I checked the paste in and you are correct. It takes 1 week to peak the teraformong process, but 2 weeks to complete.

What is your "better plan" to deal with the OQ? Sooner or later we will have to attack, and I suspect our leaving her alone for so long with an industrial base advantage over us will come back to bite us in the ass eventually.

So I am curious, how do you plan to deal with the OQ without attacking her?
>>
>>1428580
Actually, if we go by (thread=1 day) it has been 12 days with 2 more days until completion.
Unfortunately, we didn't vote to terraform those planets only to colonize them, the glassed hive world in Farcast is what we're terraforming.
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>>1428643
I'm fairly sure each .X thread is the same day as the original thread.

So, for example, this thread (63.3) is the same day as 63.2, etc...
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>>1428637
Rather then raid her systems why not try to attack the planet she lives on directly? And we can capture her alive we can extract whatever information we want from her.
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>>1428662
well shit.
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>>1428684
Nigga we don't know what planet she lives on.
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>>1428684
Attempting to read a pure crystal brain to extract information...

Engaging in a ground war against superior forces instead of immolating the planet...
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>>1428698
We have pods over every one of her planets all we have to do is check them you know. Also if we capture her we could quickly turn her planets into ours.
>>
FOUND IT!
Thread 57, either it's complete already or it needs 7 more days, depends on what QD says.
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>>1428716
We have yet to receive the scouting pods descriptions.
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>>1428712
Not very clever are you? The data is in the dna and the crystal brain is something we need to research.
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>>1428712
Also the second part of your post is not even worth acknowledging since we have many ways of dealing with ground forces to the point it's mostly a nonissue.
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>>1428727
I don't think you fully understand the danger of looking into a crystal corrupted mind. Remember when the human scientist tried to bait us into reading his "puny human mind?" The OQ's brain will be a million times worse. We may as well look into the void shard ourselves (and get corrupted in the process) than attempt to read her mind.

Also, we have no way of knowing that the pods will tell us the location of the OQ, we can only learn which planets she has guarded with certain troops. If pods could determine the location of queens the OQ would have attacked Leeland instead of Rhaliega, and would have done so with a much larger force.

We will be guessing which planet is the OQ's home base and she probably won't give that information away easily.
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>>1428761
I fully understand but you don't realize that every single piece of crystal tech we come across literal crumbles to dust when the host dies and we have no idea have to undo it. That's I want to research it. Also you don't seem to understand how the corruption works and we have plenty of methods for containment.
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>>1428816
I'm sure the Black Queen did too...
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>>1428816
See this. This right here?

This post is Union thinking. Don't be like the Union anons.
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>>1429570
Please, that's not Union tier thinking. Union tier thinking would be if that anon didn't even bother trying to talk about it but instead just went to the door to hell in Siberia, built a giant pentagram around it, and flung himself into it in an attempt to use the power of satanic sacrifice to mind control QD.

Now THAT would be Union thinking.
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>>1429710
Admittedly, it's still too close for comfort.
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>>1428816
"Let's kidnap the most heavily guarded individual in known space to figure out how the Void corrupts queens from a live sample. Don't worry, we have plenty of containment."
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>>1428816
>No, no, those guys just got corrupted because they thought they knew enough to contain it when they really didn't
>We, on the other hand, totally know enough about how to contain it
>>
What do you guys think about having new immigrants swear a loyalty oath to the hive/Queen?
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>>1430491
Sounds like any other nationalization/citizenship ceremony. Prefer if they swear to the Hive though, not sure if we've yet given away that we're a single Queen controlling everything.
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>>1430491
It would make us seem even more like conquorors and autocrats. I think it would be better for our "rules" to be announced and made public knowledge so that if they break them, they can be punished and its harder for them to call us tyrants for it. If they dont like the rules, then they can simply leave since they will be announced(the big ones atleast) once we assume control. This way we appear to only have a light hand on the worlds and any problems that happens to the humans can be argued to be of their own making.
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>>1430613
I don't think existing residents of the Expanse should be forced to swear an oath, although like you said we should tell them the new rules if any. However, I think some sort of loyalty pledge is probably a good idea for new immigrants who previously lived in the Union/Commonwealth/Valen space.
>>
Behold! The Hive Loyalty Pledge!

To be said to the tune of the American Pledge of Allegiance:

I pledge allegiance

To the Red Hive,
may its glory be eternal.
And to the Queen,
From which it spawned,
One nation,
To fuck the Gods,
With parasites and couches for all.
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>>1430906
Seriously, can we at least not blatantly confirm to the Union that they only need to insert a Smith and take out one target to eliminate the 'threat' the Red Hive presents?

Or worse, they do know what planet we're on. They have railguns, and while our backup hive is hardened against kinetic strikes we don't know how it'll hold up against the canderon-enhanced gravity rounds. Or do you assume only the Commonwealth has those?
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>>1430922
We could setup the equivalent of nuclear subs; If the thinkers in them lose connection for a certain amount of time, they WMD their population centers.
>Ah, the joys of M.A.D
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>>1431082
Did you forget one of our goals is to de-escalate things and get the people of the Union to like us?

Are are you always this retarded?
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>>1428684
>extracting information from OQ
>when knowing too much was what corrupted her in the first place
anon...
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>>1430906
I know you're half joking, but frankly, a loyalty pledge is a pointless and unnecessary measure that would only serve as ammunition for our opponents to stir up opposition.

Just go laissez-faire on what the human populations do and negotiate a cut of profits or product from any major businesses that want to set up shop, and we'll soon see profit start flowing into our coffers. Best of all, we won't have to deal with the burdens of upkeep, since handling upkeep will be the affairs of the human populations and their governments.
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>>1430922
>thinking we wont build a bunker in the core as soon as we detect a Union fleet assembling.
>Thinking we would let a ship big enough to have a cannon that powerful be withing a star system of our capitol.
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>>1431297
...Build a bunker in the core of a planet? Even with our technology that's more retarded than the Planetary Siege Ripgun.

And it only takes one corvette, as per QD's admission. One railgun slug moving at near lightspeed with a gravitic warhead. The ship doesn't have to survive beyond firing.

You know this is an 18+ site, right?
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>>1430922
How do you suppose a smith is going to infiltrate the hive of our capital world then find and kill our queen? Is he going to disguise himself as a drone?

How do you suppose the Union is going to destroy the hardest and most defended point in our entire empire (the queen's room) even with orbital ordnance? It has been reinforced to the fullest extent that our technology will allow and we've had a lot of time to do so, meanwhile we're having a lot of trouble uprooting what's left of the OQ's hive ship even though we're glassing the moon it landed on daily and have been since it touched down.
>>
>>1430509
>>1430613
>>1430713
Swearing oaths seems kind of unnecessary. I mean, the hive doesn't really have any tradition of citizenship in the human sense. And it's not like humans actually care much for keeping oaths.
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>>1431341
Agreed.

One smith managed to get through the outer defenses of our baby hive before being obliterated by a colossus. It doesn't matter if the Union launches 100 smiths at the planet, they won't make it 100m before they're atomized.

Also, with the rebirth of the Barren Queen the Red Queen is no longer a single point of failure. The Union would have to kill us both at the same time or the Barren Queen would take over the Red Queens holdings if we died.

The Union would have to warp into our system (which is detectable) and not get instantly destroyed or detained by our forces. Even assuming they're able to launch a Canderon warhead, we could easily blink a ship or pods in the warhead's path to intercept it, and that's assuming the warhead could make a sizable dent in our defenses.

Such an attack on the Leeland hive would be suicidal for the Union and they know it. Even if it were successful (which would require multiple consecutive crit failures on our part to even be a possibility), the Union fleet would be so crippled by the effort they'd be wrecked by the Commonwealth and Unity, and that's not even accounting for the OQ, BQ, and Heretic threats that would be heading their way after our death they know nothing about. The Union has been idiotic, true, but I think they are finally starting to realize how far out of their depth they are. An attack against a mostly peaceful vastly superior force is nothing they would do unless we make them far more frightened than they currently are.
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>>1431769
> The Union has been idiotic, true, but I think they are finally starting to realize how far out of their depth they are. An attack against a mostly peaceful vastly superior force is nothing they would do unless we make them far more frightened than they currently are.

While I agree the Union probably won't attack us first, there could easily still be a war between the Hive and the Union. The Union will likely attempt to continue their research into the void shards in secret. They smell power there, and they're not going to just give up on that. Plus, if they start losing hard against the Commonwealth, they might get the idea that the crystals could turn it around for them. That means we might need to start a war with the Union to stop them from ruining it for everyone.
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>>1432009
>The Union will likely attempt to continue their research into the void shards in secret. They smell power there, and they're not going to just give up on that. Plus, if they start losing hard against the Commonwealth, they might get the idea that the crystals could turn it around for them. That means we might need to start a war with the Union to stop them from ruining it for everyone.

You're completely right there.

I think on this our best option is to be truthful. We tell the Union council privately that if we had not intervened at Nowhere humans would be extinct by now, and warn them that if we even get a hint of them researching the void we will launch a full invasion. That is less a threat and more a fact.

We can also ask the Commonwealth to pull back against the Union. Securing Earth is a great propaganda point for the Commonwealth and they know just how badly they would be doing on their second front without our ships. We have huge leverage here and we should use it. It also helps that the chief advocate for the Commonwealth attacking the Union is ancient and is in dire need of our healthcare. Even without a parasite we should be able to cajole obedience here.

This certainly does not eliminate all risk, but I think by limiting the Commonwealth's attack and telling the Union council in no uncertain terms how hard we would fuck them up if they did anything at all with the void is the best way to proceed.
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>>1432028
While I can believe they are still fucking with/planning to void shards, it would be very minimal. The security council saw the clip from Nowhere. They arnt so stupid as to try an experiment of that scale any time soon.
Im also very reluctant to give the Emperor of the Commonweath medical aid. A lot of people are probably waiting for him to kick the bucket and hes already lived over 200 years. Im more interested in who his succesor is going to be and what kind of government the new human government will be if the Commonwealth conquers the Union(because they are adding to their territory an area of equal size and a near polar opposite government)
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>>1432045
I doubt the Commonwealth can take the Union completely even with us holding the line against the Scavs. The Commonwealth was hit hard and lost hundreds of ships likely before we intervened. I suspect they know (or at least Magus knows) they cannot win a prolonged fight with the Union so wounded without substantial outside assistance. They could take Sol, but if the war lasts for a long time this victory will turn to ashes. It will be like the Japanese strike at Pearl Harbor in WWII, a victory that only awakens a sleeping giant.
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>>1428816
Pity no one thought to use the nonlethal ammo on the scientists.
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>>1432009
>>1432028
>The Union will likely attempt to continue their research into the void shards in secret.

We literally saw them burning all their research notes through Gilliam's eyes guys.

The only stronger assurance we could get that they won't do anything like that is if we conquer the entire Union and parasite everyone.
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>>1437346
Viable.
Good thinking, thinker.
>>
no quest this week?
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>>1437584
Let's just be patient. No need for worrying just yet.
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>>1437584
Looks like. QD posted on Twitter the next thread will be next Sunday (so a week from today).
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>>1437626
I saw that too but it was really vague, he usually posts like that doesnt he? And it was on friday so Im not sure if he meant today or not
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>>1437626
No problem with that. QD damn near has subdermal armor with that plate in his chest.
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>>1437626
Quest Drone @HiveQueenQuest 2d2 days ago
Next thread should be up next Sunday at 7pm Eastern.

it's a little ambiguous, might not be one this week.
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>>1437653
right? I feel he would have included a date if it was postponed. but then again he gets lots of surgery, he might be underthinking right now
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>>1437660
Hope so. If that's the case then we have even more time to come up with a convoluted trade deal that won't work.

Oh boy!
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>>1437672
all trade deals work. Its just that inefficient speaker units propose horrible trade.

If they had a smarter/efficient speaker all deals would run smoother.

Now somebody bring up the notes on ship building because I have another inspiration for unconventional warfare, but I need to verify the designs first. Unless we are still going forward with developing the singularity battleships/missiles.
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RIP Hive Queen Quest everyone go home shows over it's not running tonight.
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>>1437788
"Sad but understanding chittering"
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>>1437842
>Sad reeeeeeee-ing in the distance
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So, if we open up diplomacy between the Union and Unity, Theseus is going to need a human representative too, right? I think Elizabeth would be best at it, but I don't want to send her out of the hive where she isn't researching and we can't protect her. So why don't we ask Elizabeth if we can clone her? That way she can be in two places at once.
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>>1442514
Elizabeth has unique psionic implants from the ark I doubt we can replicate. I don't think she would really want to be cloned to be a Theseus rep. I'd be more inclined to clone a regular human body as a blank slate and just plug a Theseus instance into the brain (although obviously that will be done secretly if at all)

Times are changing rapidly, though. The humans are no longer the center of power in this sector of space. It may be that if Theseus offers to send an offline representative of himself in robot form the Union won't reject him. Or, if it comes to it, we can just let Theseus pick his own representative. He is a big boy with his own agents and motives, after all.

Speaking of Theseus, I'd really like to give him some of our tech for being such a bro lately. Maybe those rapid repair/damage control nanites? He has been taking heavy losses in our battles recently after all.
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>>1442825
>Elizabeth has unique psionic implants from the ark I doubt we can replicate.
We've been able to replicate it for a long time anon.
>Speaking of Theseus, I'd really like to give him some of our tech for being such a bro lately.
No because we've already stuck out our neck enough for him and we're literally giving him what he wants for free anyway.
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>>1442514
Theseus is a big boy and can handle his own representative. If he wants a meat puppet, we could provide one, but he'd have to ask for one.

We may need to have Elizabeth show up to testify about Unity not being kill bots since she worked on the project and was a survivor of Unity's birth, but only if another party thinks it's a good idea. The Union might bring it up, or perhaps Elizabeth or Theseus, but I don't see a reason to try to direct this beyond making sure they don't kill each other.

All we really need to say is that we recognize Unity's sovereignty and if the Union doesn't like it, tough cookies.
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>>1443173
Can Elizabeth even pass for human anymore?
And for that matter, would we want her to if we introduced her?
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>>1443244
Personally, I don't think she can, and I personally wouldn't want her to.
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>>1443244
The second she opens her mouth and talks about the Hive is the second the entire situation is likely to fall apart.
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>>1443255
I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you (yet), but I'd like to know how/why you think that.
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If we take Elizabeth out of hiding (and that's a big if), she would be too arrogant to be a public spokesperson like Lee. I think she would be far better suited to liaise with the Mentan mad scientists (whom she knows). She can be trusted to speak with them in sophisticated scientific parlance beyond what our speakers can, while at the same time can be trusted not to reveal too many secrets. I think she could at a minimum easily recruit us some new mad-doc buddies to join up out in the Expanse.

As for security, we can give her human and/or hybrid escorts in armor and she is no slouch in a fight herself by any means.
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>>1443263
Well think of from the perspective of the people of the Union. Elizabeth is far from what most would consider sane even though her positions are rather reasonable since she doesn't consider herself to be human and it shows in her dialogue. Though my biggest worry is what if she starts talking about Hive how would she talk about us. She's going to be both heavily aligned with us and heavily against the Union so she may come off like a crazy cultist does.
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>>1443358
I agree someone who looks exactly like Kerrigan including with psionic abilities would be a poor speaker for the general body politic. However, I think she could be quite effective behind closed doors in working the higher echelons of society. She has experience doing that for grant money and if she is choosing who she meets with (and mind scanning them for intent), we can weed out who might actually listen to her offers and reasoning and who will write her off as crazy before she gets into trouble with her statements.
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>>1443329
Offer free resources for mad scientists that join the hive.
You'll have as many as you want.
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>>1443399
I think some of them may need evidence to convince them in the form of testimonials, but we can certainly get a number of scientists to work for us no matter what even without our "unlimited funding" recruitment offer.
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RIP
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>>1443399
I like that idea. We should do it.

It'd be like Bell Labs, but with more chitin.
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>>1443942
I agree. Some scientists might find it too good to be true but enough would join.

Heck, if an alien armada showed up over real life Earth tomorrow and offered immortality and the chance to explore the cosmos and uncover its mysteries with an unlimited resource budget I'd sign up in a heart beat - and I'm not even a scientist. If we aren't stupid we should be able to get a lot of the Union science community to sign up with us voluntarily.
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Hey, so, why don't we try taking a page out of Theseus's book? Clone the red queen a bunch of times and have standing orders to crack one out of suspension if the queen dies? We can even insert our memories every so often to keep them up to date. Would that work?

In fact, why haven't we cloned Elizabeth or Lyle a bunch? Having a few of them would be sure to help, and we can ask their permission first to make sure we're not crossing a line.
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>>1444503
Anon please read the thread before posting.
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>>1444503
I'm fairly sure QD has said the Queen's consciousness is far too large/complicated to simply clone a bunch of times and that any clones would end up looking like the decoy Queens - physically identical to the Red Queen but otherwise lacking. The closest we could get to your suggestion would be to lay a daughter and put her in stasis which a bunch of thinkers holding the most important data from our empire.

I suspect the same cloning difficulties may hold true for Elizabeth as well given her much more advanced consciousness compared with a regular human. I don't recall if we've ever confirmed Elizabeth cannot be cloned, however.

Lyle can definitely be cloned. We don't even need Lyle's permission to clone him (and our parasite can easily persuade him that making Lyle clones is awesome). While Lyle is an outstanding one man army, however, our standard "fighter" hybrids and drones are probably better at coordination and unit cohesion than large numbers of Lyle clones would be.
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>>1444767
>more Lyles, Coils, and the duck bros running around
Absolute chaos.

We could just give Lyle his own squad for some missions. Basically what we've already done but bigger.




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