>>40755023
The ship itself is not officially a Union vessel, and is technically registered as a charter freighter, the Cortez, officially owned and commanded by Johnathan Taylor, a man who, as far as you are aware, does not exist. According to the records Michael searches through now, the Cortez was confiscated during a smuggling sting some months ago, and has been placed under the command of Ship Commander Colonel Samantha Grey. It has a crew of only three, the chief engineer Theodore Calhoun, the chief medical officer Dr. Steven Mordey, and the chief tactical officer Jacquees LeBlanc.

The Cortez has been refitted extensively for its new role, and has been outfitted with a top-of-the-line weapon load out. Several dozen atomic warheads are held within the cargo pods, as well as two gunships. It was equipped with standard point defense flak guns, particle beam turrets, and a spinal mounted railgun. An odd choice, but sensible, given the very real possibility that the council would very well want to simply bombard their targets from space, if given the chance.

The additional crew has less data. A marine was chosen, but he was such a recent pick that his data hasn’t been added yet, while the shadier of them, a computer expert by the name of Nathan Decker, was apparently released from prison for this specific mission. Not Michel’s first choice, but his files indicate that he is indeed skilled. Another individual, however, is reportedly In the process of being vetted and recruited for the mission, and the ship commander has been ordered to move to Bedrock to bring him aboard.

All in all, Michael doesn’t like what he sees. It’s all too shady and has too many unknowns. You, however, think there is some promise among them.

>>40755028
>Grey
Best not be related to Trevor Grey.

Also huh, could Michael slip any parasites or flies in his luggage or was that strictly not feasible?

>>40755028
Why do I get the odd feeling the names of the ship crew were made by someone with a sense of humor?

>>40755028
>Ship Commander Colonel Samantha Grey
It's going to be hell of a coincidence if this one is related to the other late Captain Grey.

>>40755063
We already managed slip a load of flies two threads ago.

>>40754997
>I really want to know why you think it is a bad idea to open it, I really do, because I cannot for the life of me come up with any reason we should not.
Agreed. I think we should open it. There's no reason not to.

>>40755070
No we didn't. Not onto the Cortez. We didn't know this ship even existed, and Michael only just boarded a shuttle to it NOW.

>>40755081
The flies were in the same shuttle Micheal is on.

>>40755106
That sounds like something you just made up. Why would flies clinging to secret research cargo bound upstairs to Gemini Beta be in a shuttle that is going to nowhere-near-Gemini-Beta?

>>40755130
Well fuck I mixed the two up.

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>>40755028
>You, however, think there is some promise among them.
And how.

>>40755028
As the shuttle docks with the nearby station, Michael is quick to board. The Cortez seems ready to launch, and as he floats into the hull he can hear the crew preparing the ship, running final checks over every system. It seems to take a moment for them to notice him when he gets to the bridge, or they simply ignore him until they finish with their routine. The commander is standing with velcro shoes near the center of the bridge.

"You're late." She says.

"Yes, my shuttle was late to board. Weather delays." He replies.

"Well, you'll find your quarters at noon." She says without a pause. Michael is rather confused.

"Noon? I'm sorry-"

"At the top of the hab ring. It is designated by the yellow marker." She says dismissively, and then turns back to her checks. "We will be departing shortly. Find a place to strap in. We will shove off with chem-thrusters before switching over to gravity drive."

Michael nods and quickly finds his room, making note of the extensive security measures throughout the ship. He takes his few small bags and drifts them up to the hab ring, where they flop to the ground and slowly tumble along the interior of the ring, with Michael quick to follow, nearly spraining his ankle in the awkward gravity. He hops and skips to his room, a tiny little square with room for a small bunk, and not much else, and unzips his bag to strap in its contents to the various zero-G shelves.

There is a data pad, still infected with an incredibly rudimentary Theseus instance, and a single fly, held within the confines of a soup thermos, the only thing you or Michael trusted to make it past the half-dozen security scanners between the parking lot of the space port and the airlock of the Cortez. It isn't much to work with, but it is certainly something. Michael holds the fly in his hands nervously, unsure of what to do. The fly simply looks at him. It is a simple gaze, the look of a sure-footed creature.

"How'd I get into this?" He asks the fly.
cont.

>>40755196
> Michael holds the fly in his hands nervously, unsure of what to do. The fly simply looks at him. It is a simple gaze, the look of a sure-footed creature.
Howdy pardner!

>>40755196
Poor Michael. I really feel like doing something for the sorry bastard just to cheer him up a bit.

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>>40755196

>>40755196
>extensive security measures throughout the ship.
This is gonna be fun.

>>40755217
Obedience is its own reward. And the only reward.

>>40755225
DO THING FOR MOTHER!

>>40755196
>"How'd I get into this?" He asks the fly.
Blame Killinger, my son.

>>40755196
I wonder if this Theseus is a new model that is immune to the current version of the anti-Unity program.

>>40755196
The fly does not respond, but there is a short horn over the intercom.

"Please secure yourself. We are about to shove off."

Michael quickly straps himself to the nearby emergency harness and holds the fly tightly. There is a brief but firm nudge as the ship fires its maneuvering thrusters and begins to drift away from the station.


Elsewhere, back within the confines of your hive, Lyle makes his way back to the common room. The door flexes open, and he finds Dillon, Lee, and your speaker sitting around a table holding cards. Small mounds of chitinous flakes fill the middle of the table.

"You're bluffing. You don't have squat." Lee says. Your speaker chirps loudly.

"The hive does not bluff! The Lee is bluffing! Bluffing about the hive bluffing!" It says as several spare thinkers calculate various statistics. Dillon looks between the two nervously, and then tosses his cards away.

"Man, fuck this, even humans can count cards."

"I'm doing pretty good." Lee says as him and your speaker place down the cards, and he pulls the meaningless chitinous flakes over to his side of the table, again.

"They count cards, and you read their minds. It's hardly what I would call fair." Dillon says.

>Speak with Elizabeth about (write in)
>Speak with Lee about (write in)
>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
>Speak with Theseus about (write in)
>Other

>>40755276
>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
Why so afraid of cybernetics, Dillon? There are no side effects. You really should be better prepared for when you fight a Smith.

>>40755276
>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
Hows the upgrade treating you Lyle?

>>40755276
>Speak with Elizabeth about (write in)
>Speak with Theseus about (write in)
About the whole green party thing and killingers plan B.
We are gonna get found out pretty soon.

>>40755276
>>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
Any ideas on what and how we can use what we know to lay dirt on Killinger?

>>40755276
>>40755302
Supporting this.

>>40755276
>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
The stuff the government was saying about them earlier.

>>40755276
>>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
Ask Lyle if he would be interested in free upgrades for the Angel. We've got some pretty mean energy weapons, and I think he would love using a plasma lance to incinerate stuff. Also replace or mutate his parasite with a symbiote when we get the chance. Here is the design.

Symbiote
Mandible: Biological interface 20N
Claw: Hypodermic 2N
Arm: Dexterity 1N
Legs: Sprint 1N
Quantum brain 4N
Oxygen Recycler 8N
Carapace: Adaptive camouflage 8, Mimetic skin 2
Carapace: Bio-electrical 8N 15M
Size: Small

Total Cost: 13N 3M

>>40755306
>>40755292
>>40755302
>>40755300
Seconded.

>>40755276
>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
The council seems very close to the Killinger. He is the lynchpin of the Tories. They wish to crown him King of Humans. He must be destroyed.

>>40755292
"The Dillon is very brave to be willing to fight a Smith un-improved!"

>>40755322
>They wish to crown him King of Humans.
"They seek to do so this very day in fact. While the Alder is retarded by the false bomb threat."

>>40755276
>>Other
Let's get Farcast going so that we can witness the power of a fully armed and operational derelict sensor array.

>>40755341
Don't forget that killinger is enacting a plan B and we suspect he will do something about the hive or Thesus.

>>40755355
The bomb threat IS plan b. Plan A was murdering Alder which failed.

Time for our plan B.

Crash a nuke into the general area of where Killinger currently is.

>>40755276
>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
Tell them that Killinger & co. are planning on sending a Smith after them, just as soon as they locate their whereabouts. Then make plans to set up a trap for it.

>>40755360
god damn anon you are stupid.
Before he said he had a plan B they were talking about making preparations to slowing her down.

>>40755341
Also mention.

The Killinger is gathering the Rhinos. Winning them over.

Maybe Dillon has some dirt and blackmail he learned while working in SecCom that can blackmail the relevant Rhinos to flip-flop and turn on Killinger.

>>40755373
Okay wait what are you guys talking about, cuz Killinger last time he was seen didn't use the exact phrase "Plan B."

https://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/40616667/#40616846

Can you quote the part you're talking about?

>>40755276
>Speak with Lyle and Dillon about (write in)
The green.
no, in fact, ask about their opinion on the union /pol/ in general.

>>40755430
"A third party, who also have cloaking technology, utilize atomic warheads, can enter a system without our detection, and have been watching human activities long enough to have a vested interest in fucking with our plans?" Jack finally says. "And all while remaining totally hidden from our view. My god, let's try to look through all the possibilities before skipping right to the worst case scenario."

"Agent Devon." Jack snaps and Michael jumps in place. "Things are turning into a crap shoot, and we need results. I know you've only just been assigned to the mission, but things have become increasingly urgent. We need men out in the Expanse finding and dealing with our loose ends. Give me a list of things you'll need. I'll get you a ship with an A class relay by tomorrow."

Killinger seems lost in thought for a moment.
"Excuse me. I think you gave me an idea. I need to make a call." He says as he turns to leave. The others watch him go with mild confusion. He looks back as he reaches the door. "The only thing I call a worst case scenario is the scenario you don't prepare for."


In the above he starts thinking of the impossible when they are talking about an unknown they never knew about, and the only anomaly he knows is either us or thesus and is preparing something.
I do admit in being wrong about them preparing the bomb threat, but i seriously doubt he would just run away from the meeting to do a bomb threat when he can just order something up.

>>40755466
>wall of text
how do you people even figure things like this out?

>>40755475
Reading comprehension. Also helps if you're not reading while tired at 3 AM in the morning.

>>40755475
>"And all while remaining totally hidden from our view.
>My god, let's try to look through all the possibilities before skipping right to the worst case scenario."

>Killinger seems lost in thought for a moment.
>"Excuse me. I think you gave me an idea. I need to make a call."
>He says as he turns to leave. The others watch him go with mild confusion. He looks back as he reaches the door.
>"The only thing I call a worst case scenario is the scenario you don't prepare for."

>>40755475
By not being entirely retarded?

>>40755466
Okay the reason you were confusing me is you really can't call Killinger's shadowruns about a third party "plan B". That term implies it has a specific goal and will only be put into motion after a Plan A to the same goal fails.

It's Killinger being paranoid and making an unknown move to "prepare" for something. With such a lack of detail all we can do is just be just as paranoid in response.

>>40755276
"What in the fuck is this?" Lyle says as he walks in. Dillon looks up and immediately flinches in surprise.

"Shit, man, you're eyes!"

"Hey, what's wrong with 'em?" Lyle says. He switches a holoscreen to mirror and examines himself. His eyes have changed color, becoming yellow, with a greenish sclera. "Hey it's not so bad. Like you haven't seen weirder shit in your life."

"Okay, am I seriously the only one here that somehow thinks its a bad fucking idea to go ripping bits of yourself out in exchange for alien shit?" Dillon says. Lee and Lyle look at each other for a moment.

"So what do they do? I've always wanted eye enhancement, but all was ever eligible for was the crappy laser surgery they give you in the Space Forces." Lee says. Dillon throws up his arms in frustration.

"I can see in just about total darkness. Or at least, what used to look like total darkness." He says, then points to the bluish green bags beneath his eyes. "And these are the thermal sensors. It's trippy shit I tell ya."

"Why does the Dillon wish to avoid improvements?" Your speaker asks. "Even other humans use human made improvements. The Smith has many."

"Yea, Lyle you keep this shit up and you'll end up just as crazy as one of those shady psychos." He says, ignoring your speaker for the moment. Lyle shrugs.

"Hey, I've never noticed that people go crazy just from augs. I mean hell, I've replaced plenty over the years and I'm still me."

"Lyle," Dillon says, "you are one of the last people I would recommend as evidence that augs and insanity are unrelated."

"Quit bein' a cunt and just get a fucking implant already. You've been tryin' to sneak peeks at that list like a boy scout with porn ever since we got it. Just fuckin pick something already." Lyle says Dillon only looks down at the pile of unsorted cards in front of him and leans back in his seat.

Cont.

>>40755527
>. You've been tryin' to sneak peeks at that list like a boy scout with porn ever since we got it.
Dillon the terrorist-fightin' boy scout.

For augs, the hive recommends [everything].

>>40755527
I love Lyle.

>>40755527
>like a boy scout with porn ever since we got it
Don't tell me Dillon is a body purist.

>>40755551
He was freakin' obviously a cyberskeptic, if you read the last few threads in how he responded to Jackob at ll.

He's prejudiced by his experiences with the government Smiths.

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>>40755545
Even acid glands?

>>40755565
ESPECIALLY acid glands.

>>40755527
Come on Dillon. You know you want the C.
> Endoskeletal plating Electrostatic muscle grafts Fermentation gut Chemical fabricator Sting fingers Second heart

Patented cyberdick.

Derived from the Reachers.

>>40755645
Honestly, this would be like a dolphin penis on steroids. They wrestle WITH that shit already.

>>40755645
>Part tentacle,100% D.

>>40755645
They would sell like fucking hotcakes. Seriously, they would even give our couches a run for our money as our top selling hive lmt. product.

>>40755675
No, no, I'm honestly 99% sure that most people not getting a full body job wouldn't want their dick chopped off and replaced with a horrible prehensile phallus.

But as a niche market it'd be pretty successful.

>>40755645
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJTP0Vt7vSI

You have to admit, it would make one hell of a holdout weapon.

>>40755527
Your speaker looks between the humans as they sit in awkward silence. It chitters idly.

"The hive wishes to discuss the Killinger." It says. Dillon looks back to your drone.

"What about him?"

"He is close to ruling the complex human Union. The hive is watching events and wonders if you could assist."

"I'm honestly not really sure." Dillon says. "He's always been a bit of an asshole, but I've never had to deal with him taking over the Union before."

"He's short tempered and loves himself." Lee says. "Believe me, I've seen him plenty enough as a kid back home to know what he's like. I've played against people like him before, actually, plenty of times. They would always outsmart me, so I made them outsmart themselves."

"The fuck does that mean?" Lyle says. Lee stammers for a moment.

"Well, you, you just need to make them hurt themselves. If I got someone like him to start showboating before the game was up, he'd always end up doing something dumb, like have his infantry attempt a bayonet charge against a tyranaught, or..." Both Lyle and Dillon seem equally confused. "I mean, never mind. Forget it." He says, and quickly begins shoveling spoonfuls of nutrient paste in his mouth.

"Well, either way, the guy is known for having things work out for him. I've tried to investigate him for corruption before, but it never really sticks. Hell, even if there is evidence, it ends up getting tossed under the rug, or the report ends up lost in filing." Dillon says. "Have you been able to figure out what exactly he's even planning? You know, other then becoming president or whatever."

>Yes (write in)
>Not yet
>Other

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>>40755645
>cyberdick
>mfw I read that as cyberdisc

>>40755713
We don't know?
What we've basically been doing is finding out what he's doing in that particular neck of the woods and fucking it up.

>>40755713
>>Yes (write in)
He recently attempted to assassinate Alder, the leader of the Greens, at the latest proxima convention with an experimental ship in a bid to both incite war with the Commonwealth and remove his most vocal opponent. This having been foiled he has appeared to use false bomb threats in a bid to prevent Alder from accessing the parliament in time to drum up opposition to the bill, and is currently engaged in gaining supporters for it through somewhat questionable means. Do you have any advise on how to thwart his efforts?

>>40755713
>Not yet
All the other bullshit has been in service to that goal. Like getting Alder out of the way.

>>40755713
He tried to start a war with the common wealth and slightly succeed.
He tried to kill the green party leader.
He is trying to make world destroying lasers.
He is investigating into pisonics by experimenting on living things.
He is investing a lot of money into weapons and war machines presumably to try and take over the common wealth.
He and his colleagues seem to hold some of the highest positions in you government and seem to try and solidify thier power.

>>40755713
>>40755776
Seconding

>>40755713
>Tried to start a war with the Commonwealth
>Attempted an assassination on a politician
>Experimenting with dangerous technology
>Trying to jury-rig psionics into humans forcibly
>Has the game rigged, almost everyone's in on it

>>40755713
>"Well, you, you just need to make them hurt themselves. If I got someone like him to start showboating before the game was up, he'd always end up doing something dumb, like have his infantry attempt a bayonet charge against a tyranaught, or..." Both Lyle and Dillon seem equally confused. "I mean, never mind. Forget it." He says, and quickly begins shoveling spoonfuls of nutrient paste in his mouth.

nerrrrrrrrrrrd

Okay but I don't see a way to give Killinger the illusion of victory in any particular thing, in a way that would blow up in his face. Like, I don't quite see how to fake a victory for him.

Oh, I guess pursuing Lyle and bros, that was already sort of a tentative plan. Make them think they're catching these guys unaware on some colony world, but actually they're completely prepared and waiting for the Smith he sends.

I don't see how to apply that kind of "gotcha!" in the political sphere, unless there's an obscure legal loophole only our Thinkers can calculate the existence of.

>>40755796
>>40755811
Let's not reveal the existence of psionics to Dillon, let alone the DOOM LASER applications just yet.

Killinger is plenty sinister as it is with the other things.

>>40755796
>>40755811
>>40755833
Just say "experimenting on humans". Which they SAW some parts of when they busted the lab.

>>40755819
In order to actually calculate a way in which Killinger is fucking up, we need to study human law and also social engineer with Theseus' help, exposing things that will drum up the right support in both the public light and the political spheres, since what might cause outrage in the public and what might lead to lasting change in a timely manner are two different things.

>>40755819
the gotcha is something we can get from the green party leader she is literally the only one that can fuck over his plan right now.
We can make him think he got it in the bag and boom she works her magic with our help to fuck him over.
the other thing we can do is interrupt thier meeting in person with clones.

>>40755850
>>40755849
>>40755819
Could always sacrifice Michael and have him leak a bunch of shit.
It would basically fuck him over and lose us his political and spying power but its sure to fuck killinger a lot worse.

>>40755875
I would say no because I kind of don't want to fuck over Michael, but on the other hand, we could both leak shit and make Michael go to ground at the same time, we only need to link him to the leak.

So that's definitely on the table if we can't do much else with him.

>>40755713
"He has attempted to start a war between humans, and to kill the Alder at the same time. The Alder survived, but a war may still start."

"Wait," Dillon says as he gathers up the cards in front of him, "you mean the Commonwealth? He wants to start a war? Why in the hell?" He places the cards neatly on the table and props his head up with his knuckles in thought. "I mean, the Tory party is always going on about the risk of Commonwealth aggression, and it's not like they don't have evidence to back the claim up. There are a lot of people out there that think the Union needs to strike first before they take the initiative. Alder was just about the only one beyond fringe rhinos, who are notorious flip flops anyways, that was actually willing to move towards more open boarders." He shakes his head. "Dammit, I'm missing something here. There has to be a better reason they want an all out war then that."

Dillon looks to Lee, who is keeping his mouth full for apparently the singular purpose of having an excuse to not say anything. He clears his throat and shrugs. "Don't look at me. You're the counter terror guy. I thought you were supposed to know all this stuff, I just read through conspiracy theories for fun." he says. He is about to take another bite, but adds "Course it doesn't seem very promising that most of them are turning out to be decently accurate."

"What does any of this have to do with Lee?" Lyle says. "Really, all that shit with him and the buggers, the lab, is there a connection or is Killinger just such a big cunt he's got a finger in every pie?"

They all sit at the table, thinking on the matter. Lee takes another bite of nutrient paste.

"Well what were they researching, exactly, in that lab?" Dillon asks. Lee shrugs again.

"They didn't exactly give me a brochure on why they were scrambling my brain."

>Explain the Psionic cannon
>Explain the details of psionics
>Explain the Skyl artifacts
>None
>Other

>>40755713
>Yes (write in)
Live human/alien experiment
assasination attempt
attempt to escalate conflict to war on commonwealth

>>40756014
>Explain the Skyl artifacts
be vague when it comes to psionics

>>40756014
>Explain the Psionic cannon
Go big or bug out.

>>40756014
>None
>Other
SO ABOUT THOSE CYBERNETICS DILLON

Also, obvious motive for starting a war. Is he wants to be President of Humans and conquer them all and bring Democracy to the savages, obviously. With him at the head.

>>40756014
>Explain the Skyl artifacts.

If we're going to cut them loose, don't explain psionics. If we're bringing them into the fold, explain psionics.

>>40756014
>>Explain the Skyl artifacts
Something something psionics and alien artifacts which are a state secret. Don't go into too much detail about it though.

>>40756014
>Explain the Psionic cannon
>Explain the details of psionics
just tell them they tried to study how the skyl and the hive communicate.

>>40756014
"Attempting to expand human consciousness. Dissecting alien sapients. Researching artefacts from an ancient dead race."

>>40756014
>>40756028
>Explain the Psionic cannon
>Explain the details of psionics
>Explain the Skyl artifacts
Actually, I change my mind. It's time to shift this quest into high gear and go wreck shit. So explain everything. Also let them know we're at war with OQ.

>>40756014
>>Explain the Skyl artifacts
No psionics nope

>>40756014
>Explain the Psionic cannon
>Explain the Skyl artifacts
just tell them they were trying to look into the skyl mind shit.

>>40756014
>Explain the Skyl artifacts
And their attempt to weaponize them. And mention the giant moon explosion.

>>40756037
Or he wants to gather the military might of all the former Colonies of Earth in order to fight the Ceph.


But most of all: He just wants to be out of that mosquito-blighted pigsty called Talgo.

>>40756014
>Explain the Skyl artifacts
Also mention that Killinger is aware that the Commonwealth is already fighting one war and is possibly trying to take advantage of it.

>>40756014
>Explain the Psionic cannon
>Explain the Skyl artifacts

This looks like it's going for FINAL DESTINATION
So what are the pros and cons of revealing/not revealing psionics and the psi cannon?

>>40756014
>>Explain the Skyl artifacts
THE VERY SKYL ARTIFACTS that Lee's leaked photos are of the excavation of.

On Darwin.

>>40756083
>Killinger is aware that the Commonwealth is already fighting one war
Shit, forgot about that one too.
Scav fleets sure are a nuisance.

>>40756093
i'm against the psonics, but the canon is self explanatory in that he believes the common wealth has it and will eventually use it so he want to fight them before they have it ready.
Also having such a weapon basically makes him god.

>>40756094
And which motivated the expansion of the Frontier Expanse at an unprecedented rate, to the cost of countless lives as this mainfest destiny provoked retaliation from the mad machine, Unity. All to sate Killinger and the council's ravenous greed.

>>40756046
I think this is for best, as we can't really wipe dillons memories afterwards.

Did we discover what else humans tried to do in lab than psionics?

Obsidian Queen is a threat to humanity as well, so wouldn't having Dillon at least in the know help in our fight, since he is capable of pulling some strings and perhaps communicating the full extent of the danger to someone like Alder. Then we could start diplomatic relations with Alder using Lee as our representative.

>>40756114
Well, it makes him Tarkin.

>>40756128
No it wouldn't.

>>40756014
>>Explain the Skyl artifacts
>>Explain the general concept of psionics without getting too scientific

>>40756109
Let them know about this too.

>>40756014
>Explain the Psionic cannon
>Explain the Skyl artifacts

>>40756014
>>Explain the Psionic cannon
>>Explain the details of psionics
>>Explain the Skyl artifacts
Without being very explicit with the technical scientific information. Do not specifically mention tachyons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htl3XWUhUOM&hd=1

>>40756133
>No it wouldn't.
Why not? He's the perfect candidate.

>>40756014
>>Explain the Psionic cannon
>>Explain the details of psionics
>>Explain the Skyl artifacts

>>40756014
>>Explain the Skyl artifacts

Wait... Hah! The Union still think the skyl are extinct! Dumb bastards!

>>40756241
I will choose to believe you realized this a while ago and are just sharing your enthusiasm lately.

>>40756014
>Explain the Psionic cannon
>Explain the details of psionics
>Explain the Skyl artifacts

Guys, what if we are all just thinkers coming up with ideas for mother?

>>40756014
"The items found in the images Lee discovered." Your speaker says. "They were artifacts of the Skyl."

"The who?" Lee asks.

"No, the Skyl." Your speaker repeats. "They existed thousands of your years ago. The experiments were using Skyl technology."

"And that giant crater." Dillon says. You can almost see the gears turning. "Obviously, they thought it had weapon applications of some kind. Or maybe sensor applications. Maybe these Skyl had some way to detect things beyond what we know. Something like that would be a great weapon against the Ceph raiders."

"Speaking of which," Lyle looks to your drone with a look of honest curiosity, "what did you ever do to that little piece of shit? I figured you ate him. Well actually, what happened to Huey and Dewy?"

Your patrols can see the twins on the surface with their environment suits rolling in a large pile of unidentifiable brown paste found under a fallen mushroom tree. Coil is hiding in the corner of Dr. Vaughn's lab, periodically answering questions or handing her tools from across the room, but otherwise spends his time flattened out along the wall.

"They are helping the hive, somewhat." Your speaker says. "The two are currently rolling in an unknown substance on the surface. The Coil is aiding the doctor."

"Ha, lovable little shits. I used to have to make 'em wear plastic booties anywhere they went or they'd track grease all over fucking everything." Lyle says with a grin. "The little assholes. They're damn good trackers, I gotta say. They got shit aim though. Coil, eh, you can go ahead and eat him."

cont.

>>40756328
what do you mean, if?

>>40756328
This only just occured to you?

>>40756328
>if
Get back to work, Thinker Twenty.

>>40756340
>"Ha, lovable little shits. I used to have to make 'em wear plastic booties anywhere they went or they'd track grease all over fucking everything." Lyle says with a grin. "The little assholes. They're damn good trackers, I gotta say. They got shit aim though. Coil, eh, you can go ahead and eat him."

That's cute. And now i'm hungry for calamari.

>>40756378
Poor coil, isn't he the one that got lyle that highly illegal jump drive that only he could use?

>>40756382
he was also a religious zealot and completely alien.

>>40756382
slip drive

>>40756382
Yes, and now he can't even be useful in that role since we have it switched with a more reliable Blink Drive. Pretty much the only use out of him at this point is as an infiltrator in Coil's homeworld.

>>40756396
Also because we want a good fresh DNA template if we want to ever invade the ceph Oblivion style (Thousands upon thousands of coils armed with guns and cybernetics descending on them, imagine the morale blow alone).

>>40756340
"Okay, so the Union finds these relics, wants to get their hands on an alien weapon system, or possibly a sensor, maybe it's the same general tech even, who knows. Lee's in a shit situation, and they just send him off to the lab to get him gone." Dillon crosses his arms as he thinks through the events. "Lyle, similarly, tries to fuck your shit up, and you end up fucking his shit up." He points a finger to your drone quickly. "You two end up playing pattycake for the next few weeks until he agrees to do your errands, which results in a small laboratory getting nuked. Lee is strapped to the big science machine and gets brain problems, and eventually you rope me and Jackob into all this bullshit, and now we're all fugitives." Dillon looks back and forth between Lyle and your drone. "Am I missing anything?"

"The council also want the Dillon dead. They nearly send the Smith." Your speaker adds. Dillon sighs.

"Well, I'm flattered, I guess. Still, this whole series of events has some holes in it." Dillon leans forward, resting on his elbows as he looks at your drone from across the table. "I want to know why you care about any of this."

"The hive was attacked-"

"Yea yea, and you kept Lyle here in the fun dungeon till he learned his lesson, but why did you keep caring? Why do you care about if the Union and Commonwealth go to war, why do you care about the consolidation bill, or Killinger's personal political career? Why does that Arnimian doctor seem to trust you so goddamn much that she's willing to fucking live here?

>Write in

>>40756441
"Ancient enemies of our ancestors conspire to either annihilate or psychically enslave all sentient sapient species."

>>40756441
Killinger is the one who hired Lyle to "fuck our shit up." He must pay.

>>40756441
We first warn him that us answering any further would guarentee that you would not be able to safely re-enter the union at any point in the future and would probably make him an assassination target.

>>40756441
Time for the big reveal.
Someone bring nutrient popcorn and set up the viewing screen.

>>40756467
>ancesTOR
fix'd for the Mother Before Mother, Mother's Mother.

>>40756478
Yeah this.

Like you humans say, it is a matter of national security.

We're speaking Dillon's language here.

>>40756441
"The Hive is very empathetic. The Hive cares about everything, big or small."
"Hence, the Hive wishes to ensure that the Killinger suffers for its transgressions against the hive."

>>40756478
>>40756486
Sure. But that's basically already his situation if not a stone's throw away from it.

>>40756441
Crystals fuck shit up, humans messing with crystals, humans are our problem now. I guess we could just nuke the fuck out of all humans and test out our crazy superweapons, but that's a waste of resources when we could faff around with the cloak and dagger bullshit. Also because we'd rather not wipe out the humans just because of a couple idiots.

At least I think. I'm not sure if this is actually our position or not.

>>40756470
>>40756495
Sweet, sweet vengeance.

Really, do we need more of a reason than "he's a prick"?

>>40756498
Primarily we need to avoid a war with humanity while the black queen is bearing down on us. It is in our interest to ally with them.

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>>40756481
[Popcorn intensifies]

>>40756496
If killingers conspiracy goes or gets hijacked by us, Dillon will be safe to return. Hell, he will likely end up on the group reviewing everything in some manner. If we tell him this, and any of the myriad of entities the crystal forces have under them learn this, they will assassinate him and likely discredit him immediately, they'd probably glass the planet if need be.

>>40756441
The doctor always loved aliens more than her own race. She finds us fascinating, worth a lifetime's worth of study.

>>40756515
With the caveat that our interest in an alliance hinges on their leader not being a big bag of bull bollocks.

>>40756530
Pretty much.

>>40756441
"The Lee was kind to the hive. Killinger hurt the Lee. This makes him our enemy."

AKA "he's a dick."

>>40756515
>>40756530
These

>>40756441
>BECAUSE HE'S THE BAD GUY!

>>40756441
Killingers a dick.

>>40756441
"That is simple. Killinger is playing with things he doesn't understand. The phone is about to ring and Cthulhu and his pals are on the other end"

>>40756441
Killinger's experiments risk calling the attention of greater threats. Humanity warring with itself wastes resources which can be mobilized against the Void Shards and Obsidian Queen. The risks of negative influence on Hive activities is unacceptable.

Vaughn is just cool.

>>40756441
Can we just tell him what he's thinking?

"Because there's something out there far worse than us, or Killinger, or the petty squabbles we're sorting through right now, something that will destroy or enslave all of us."

>>40756554
Man if only Lee wasn't the only one who would understand the analogy.

>>40756441
>"Did the Lyle ever wonder why the Hive removed the Slip drive from the Hel's Angel?"
>[blah blah void shards a shit blah blah obsidian queen a shit]

Guys, you're basically telling Dillon that
>Hive doesn't like one guy
>So the entire Hive civilization will mobilize against that one person until its victorious in some vindictive manner
don't you think that's a bad impression to give him?

>>40756441
>Why do you care about if the Union and Commonwealth go to war,
Well, honestly, I don't really care about that part, so much as an agenda of 'fuck Killinger'.

If anything SPACE WAR NOW is fun.

Just tell him the semi-truth already.

Just tell him the truth, we gain nothing by withholding it right now.

>>40756581
I think it's the greatest impression to give him.

It's not like we expend any serious resources on Union subterfuge, just attention, which is basically infinite.

>>40756581
Lyle already told him that the hive is basically a cheeky queen.

>>40756581
No, that's utterly perfect. Seconded.

>>40756441
"If the Union and Commonwealth go to war, they will be distracted and easily destroyed by our nemesis, and the slaves of the Crystals."
"The Hive hates Killinger. That is all the reason the Hive needs to destroy him."
"Dr. Vaughn is not only unable to re-enter human society, but has become something akin to an idealized crossbreed between our two species. This was the plan of the Hive's ancestors, although intended fro the Ralighans. The Hive wishes to find out why."
"And finally- the Hive's kind is old, Dillon. Older than humanity's time amongst the stars. Do you know what killed the Skyl, Dillon? Do you know what unending horror waits just beyond the range of your kind's best sensors? The Hive does."

>>40756467
>>40756515
>>40756557
Supporting a combination of these three.

Fluff, if you're around, get the popcorn machine fired up, this going to be a dozy.

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>>40756441

>>40756581
"Have you MET Killinger?"
>>40756441
Like the anon said. Vindictiveness.

And come on this guy totally deserves it.

>>40756608
Look, I'm still not entirely sure its a good idea to say to Dillion's face that we're willing to determine the fate of an entire civilization, and possibly entire species, just to indulge in our hate for Killinger.

And I'm not so sure Vaughn qualifies as a hybrid. She's got a few select mutations in a single aspect of her physiology, and I doubt that would prevent her from rejoining the human race if she wanted to. Which she apparently doesn't.

Aside from those two points, this a good write in.

>>40756654
>I doubt that would prevent her from rejoining the human race if she wanted to
She has fucking antennae sticking out of her skull.

Also she would be going straight to the Mad Science lab even if those antennae weren't there as soon as anyone did any kind of medical scan.

>>40756652
Yea sure, but that would basically be saying we're totally willing to fuck up entire civilizations just to spite a single man. You don't think that wouldn't come off as just a little bit petty to an individual human?

Just to be clear, I'm perfectly down to wreck Killinger's shit, but that isn't our primary reason for getting involved in the humanity's asinine conflicts. And even if it is, for god's sake don't say that out loud.

Sweet, quest is still running.

What do you even run on, QuestDrone?

>>40756692
/tg/...?
Sundays into Mondays?
The soil of the Earth?
Nikes?

>>40756654
I think the Killinger Hate shows our 'little guy with a shank in prison' attitude quite well. Though you do have a point it may be too much.
But seeing the other write-ins, it seems everyone wants to come clean about Killinger hate.

Also, Vaughn's mutations are pretty severe. She'd be pretty quickly sniffed out as not entirely human.
Doesn't help that when we asked what to do about our human captives, she pretty much said "dispose of them."
She's not as human as she used to be, is what I'm getting at.

>>40756692
He runs on pure sugar.
Like the bugs he writes about.

>>40756678
Man, there are people who seriously try and turn themselves into fucking dump trucks in the Union, or at least used to be. A cranial radio transmitter is pretty fucking tame compared to the jacked up cyborgs and smiths running around the Union.

>>40756467
This. Let him know that there is a great threat to all, and that they are behind the Ceph raiders, the destruction of the Skyl, the Obsidian Queen, etc.

>>40756441
"Also, the hive was attacked twice. The second time by Killinger's Smith."

>>40756706
But they'll think she's a fetishist, anon.
We can't have that happen to our Doc.

>>40756703
>She's not as human as she used to be, is what I'm getting at.
Very true, but what we have to remember is that post humans have been around for centuries in this setting. There are varying degrees of humanity, and even compared to Lyle Vaughn is still technically closer to the baseline of the human form. The only part of her body that mutated at all was select regions of her brain, which seem to have been induced by combination of gene therapy and nano-machine based cybernetics. While this might cause immediate changes to her thought process and higher mental functions, every other aspect of her from the eyes down is indistinguishable from the unaltered human form. And honestly I see her current shift in outlook and behavior as stemming from her pre-mutation personality traits as much as the alterations she was subjected to.

>>40756441
"It is how the Lyle says. Killinger is... What is the word used?"

"Cunt?" Lyle asks.

"Yes." Your speaker says.

"That can't be the only reason." Dillon says. Your speaker continues.

"The actions of Killinger and his allies meddle in things beyond human understanding. It seeks to destroy destroyed the Skyl, enslaved the rival hive, and enslaved the Ceph. There is a reason the hive removed the crystals from the ship. They are beyond your understanding. Even rivaling the hive's understanding. The hives have existed among the stars for longer then humanity, since before even humans existed, yet the old hives were defeated."

Everyone at the table sits in silence for a long moment.

"The hive must reiterate, however, that the Killinger is also the cunt, as Lyle says."

Lee looks back and forth quickly between Dillon and your speaker.

"Hey, are you sure I'm supposed to be hearing this? I mean, seriously, if a worker comes through that, uh, sphincter door, thing, with a copy of the necronomicon, I'm taking a swim in the spore ocean."

Dillon pinches the bridge of his nose, and slowly rubs his eyes. He slowly exhales and looks back to your speaker.

"What about the doctor, then?" He asks.

"Elizabeth is the ally of the hive. She seeks the same ends as the hive." Your speaker chirps with your words. "She values all sentient life, not only humans."

"Alright." He says. He looks around the room, soaking everything in. "I... believe you." He buries his head in his hands, massaging his skull with his fingers lightly, and then he drops his hand on the small flesh and bone tablet.

"I guess I'll go ahead and take this one. Seems the most useful."

Cont.

BAHAHA HE FINALLY PICKED ONE.

>>40756774
>"The hive must reiterate, however, that the Killinger is also the cunt, as Lyle says."
Truer words have never been spoke.

>>40756774
>It seeks to destroy destroyed the Skyl
ehhhh
what

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>>40756774
>It seeks to destroy destroyed the Skyl
???
>The hive must reiterate, however, that the Killinger is also the cunt, as Lyle says.
>mfw

>>40756900
>>40756916
I was wondering about that too.

Not to start a shit storm but has the mood warmed up tothe idea of augmented hybrid Honor Guard for whoever we pick as diplomat?

>>40756948
No. Warriors (heavy or not) or bust.
Because they're still 88% combat effective, even with a limb blown off.

>>40756948
Not really

>>40756948
Dude, why are you keep on proposing this honor guard thing?
All you're gonna do is raise a shitstorm and push the thread into autosage.

>>40756948
Nope.

>>40756948
I have no problem with that. I actually like the idea. Choose Lee as a diplomat. Elizabeth is too valuable as a researcher, and I'm sure having to deal with dumb politicians will piss her off.

DAE AUTOSAGE THREAD? AYY LMAO

>>40756948
No.

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>>40756981
AYY LMAO
DODGE ATTACKS EVERYDAY 420 BLAZE

>>40756774
Vaughn sits over the table with the small slides of cloned brain cells. Several have already decayed into mush. The small field computer at her desk runs various simulations, feeding them to your thinkers and then back to the computer, each time coming up with little to nothing.

"Shaisa!" She shouts, sending several slides shattering into the wall. Coil bundles himself into a ball in the corner at the outburst. The quills twitch across her skull, and she notices Coil in the corner.

"I'm sorry. It's just that nothing seems to work properly." She says. Coil slowly floats back up into the air.

"Every sample I test, the result is the same. Extended and focused tachyonic signals always seem to result in the decay of the brain's ability to process and store data. The components that are the most harmed are too critical to just remove." She looks over the notes scattered across the table. "The damage has already been done. It needs to either be altered to control it, or given the ability to contain it, like what the Union doctors did with their agent."

She turns around in her seat and gets up quickly, walking past the worker as it sanitizes the wall of brain goo.
"The humans from Earth. At the very least they may help establish a base line. We know they lived in close proximity to a source of psionic activity." She says. "I'd like to run some tests on them."

>Allow her to run tests
>Do not
>Other (write in)

>>40756900
Huh. I edited the post a bit to include a write in that came in just as I was finishing. I also ran out of sugary drinks several hours ago, guess I'm running on empty.

>>40757012
>Allow her to run tests

>>40757012
>>Allow her to run tests

>>40757012
>>Allow her to run tests

>>40757012
>Allow her to run tests

>>40757012
Sooo... if we try to make psionic people not psionic it will give them rapid onset alzheimers and death, good to know.

>>40757012
>>Other (write in)
What sort of tests did you have in mind? Would it help if we returned to Earth for more prolonged observation of these humans?

>>40757012
>>Allow her to run tests
Damn, I thought our Thinkers would already be taking advantage of the Earthlings like this!

Since we clearly recognized them as the end result of the psionic manipulation tree, and are a healthy version of Lee.

>>40757012
>Allow her to run tests
Then
>Other (write in)
Ask her about the green party and the best way to contact them privately if we were to try and contact them. More information is always good.

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>>40757012
>Allow her to run tests
She really has no limits!
>vaughn's face when

>>40757070
>Ask her about the green party and the best way to contact them privately if we were to try and contact them
Shit, that too.
Supporting this along with my vote(>>40757075)

>>40757070
You might as well ask fucking Coil for advice then too.

Our time in this quest is valuable and limited hiatus coming oh god, and we pretty much know for sure that dammit queen, vaughn's a doctor not a politician or a secret agent.

We can refocus our time on making a move elsewhere.

If anyone has the connections, you could try Lyle's Broker. He's the most mysterious player yet in these petty human games.

>>40757012
>Allow her to run tests

Speaking of representatives, why don't we just brainjack some politicians and get a politics skillset to upload into clones and use a clone for our representative?

>>40757120
Because brainjacking people without getting caught is hard enough, doing it to someone who needs to actively bluff and do shit is harder. If they can resist in the slightest it'll show as an obvious difference in behavior.

>>40757120
A bit fishy. Also has a problem of approaching one without getting caught in the first place.
Our stealth>moar tools

>>40757012
>Allow her to run tests

>>40757120
We're going to brainjack the con man Michael is recruiting for Operation Kill Lyle.

That's basically the same thing.

>>40757130
No, I'm not saying to control the politician. I'm saying to use them to make a skill download and make our own politicians.

>>40757142
Ok good enough.

>>40757100
While i understand your points about how our time is limited and there's only so much we can do today, I'd like to get at least some more information about the green party soon. Though i guess i can wait if we don't ask her about the green party today. Thanks for the idea about Interacting with/Talking to Lyle's Broker though.

>>40757012
>Allow her to run tests

Do we have inter- I mean hypercomm internet connection with the union?
I mean, we could use lyle's craft to surf the web to know about the greens(at least up to public knowledge)

>>40757181
And Vaughn is 99.99% GUARANTEED to be fucking clueless when it comes to that question. She probably votes Green, but she doesn't hobknob with the representative of Mentan. Just because it's a tree in our backyard does not mean it's a tree worth barking up.

In terms of worthwhile things, I wonder if we dare to turn the fly into an egglayer and produce 10 flies and 10 parasites in Michael's tiny-ass room. They at least can disguise themselves as ordinary objects/throw pillows.

>>40756948
I like the idea because it makes sense and could be really useful and cool

But you got the autists screaming down anything unique that isn't a variation of a Warrior or uses a few too many nutrients

>>40757012
A speaker moves alongside her as she moves into the hallways of the hive.

"This is acceptable." It says.

"Thank you. This is all very frustrating. I still think it is at the root, a problem of infrastructure. The human brain just can't take the strain, it seemed to have evolved specifically not to receive the signals, or more precisely, the information."

"You say that humans are psionic?" You ask.

"No, that's just it. It's almost anti-psionic. The brain breaks down before it actually starts accepting information. It would be as if a race evolved to have eyes that melt when they see a certain color. It makes no sense!" She turns the corner and stops in front of the comatose Earthlings within their pods.

"Unless..." She starts, drifting off into deep thought. "Coil!" She shouts back down the hall. "Bring the lab kit. We have work to do!"

As she examines the Earthling while waiting for Coil to arrive, you relay the details of the recent events with Killinger and the Greens.

"At this point I'm hardly surprised. Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure about what to do in that situation. I suppose if you wanted to contact the Green party the best way would be to pose as big money. It really doesn't matter what your platform is, you need money to get elected. I'd say you'd want to go through a Valen bank. A reputable one, not a shady one." She pauses for a moment, mulling over what she just said. "Well, honestly they're all shady, really, some are just better at PR then others. You'd need a human agent to handle the money, but I suspect that's not much of an issue."

Coil arrives with a large box held in a tangled knot of tentacles. He places it on the ground.

"I wasn't very active in politics, and I admit I registered as a Tory to get the extra funding that comes from the bias that exists out there, but I was at least partially involved with the Greens during my days on Mentan. Did you have anything specific you wanted to ask?

>Yes (write in)
>No
>Other

>>40757259
It isn't autism if the position is backed up by legitimate concise arguments anon.

>>40757295
>>Yes (write in)
How might the academic societies of Mentan be rallied to back the Green's cause and campaign against the consolidation bill?

>>40757295
>>No

That gives us enough of an idea I think.

Now, what a good transition to finally send the Clarke with its hybrid crew searching for Deep Song. Maybe we can just travel there the long way and look for it the slow way.

>>40757295
>No

>>40757295
>>No

>>40757337
That's a good idea. Supporting.

>>40757333
The students are already protesting. They always do. I doubt we have to worry about the Mentan rep of all people supporting Killinger.

The Rhinos are the swing votes you need to worry about.

>>40757337
I'll back this.

>>40757295
>>40757333
This and anything else that might be useful for the hive to know about the green party.
>>40757246
I just want general information and i'm not saying she does hobknob with the representative of Mentan.

>>40757337
Supporting this.

>>40757337
Dude, the Clarke doesn't even have stealth fields, and it hosts the instance of Theseus we rely on for diplomatic communication with the Unity. Our own ships are better equipped to handle such a mission.

>>40757295
>"No, that's just it. It's almost anti-psionic. The brain breaks down before it actually starts accepting information. It would be as if a race evolved to have eyes that melt when they see a certain color.
Well that makes perfect sense. The White Queen engineered the DNA of the human race to resist the influence of the void shards.

But left a psychic backdoor in their brains which allows her own relays to penetrate their minds.

>>40757392
So, you are saying that, in the face of a psionic such as ourselves, all humans are backdoor sluts?

>>40757438
And Vaughn is the first~
Well, first successful in a long time.

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>>40757295
You ponder your next move to help your position against the Union's activities. You still have the Clarke, and the crew of hybrids on standby.

>Send the Clarke to Tannhauser
>Send the Clarke to Valen space
>Send one of your own ships to Tannhauser and make first contact with the Valen
>Other (write in)

For the record, you still have that pod in Librae, but hexographer seems to have corrupted the save file again so I haven't been able to update the map since then. I will probably need to end up re-making it from scratch for a third time at some point.

>>40757438
L-lewd...

>>40757454
Wrong, the entire population of Earth has been getting whammied for the last hundred years.

>>40757472
>>Send the Clarke to Valen space
That's been the plan forever. That's the point of the hybrids.

>>40757392
Doesn't that mean our mother was going to inevitably try beating the crystals by playing their game better?

Scary gal.

>>40757472
>>Send the Clarke to Valen space

>>40757472
>Send the Clarke to Valen space
or
>Send one of your own ships to Tannhauser and make first contact with the Valen
I'm fine with either.

>>40757472
>Send the Clarke to Tannhauser

>>40757486
Well it makes sense right? When you need to out-enslave an enemy, you ensure your slaves or potentials can't get mind-infiltrated-consciousness-penetrated by the other guy.

Can we get another computer set up for a Theseus instance before we send the Clarke off?

>>40757472
>>Send the Clarke to Valen space

>>40757532
You also have the monitor satellite, which he controls, as well as a relay he gave you to keep the versions in your space up to date with Zero One. You also have a hive outpost on Zero One itself if all of those fail or are destroyed.

>>40757532
We have an advanced relay on the Clarke. The one bit of obvious hive biology that we need to guard jealously.

We can talk to him wherever the hell he is in the universe.

Also, we have a base on Zero One, we can talk to all those millions of Theseuses any time we feel like, too. Not like we're in danger of losing touch here.

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>>40757472
>Send the Clarke to Valen space

>>40757438
>backdoor sluts

Can we vote to start manufacturing saleable goods like fusion reactors and Tempest matter-energy shielding, mimicking the cruder human construction techniques?

We never got them statted out in their time and nutrient/metal cost, yet, but we need a source of income for these smugglers to avoid becoming 100 homeless people bumbling blindly ass-deep into debt to the Space Merchants.

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>>40757472
>Send the Clarke to Valen space

The Clarke shifts in its orbit, moving to the surface to pick up the crew of hybrids. Between your drones and Theseus within the systems, the ship is entirely automated, but having a crew of humans should help make things much more simple.

The Clarke quickly accelerates, twisting spacetime around itself until it loops into a bubble, and it vanishes from the universe.

Meanwhile, in the Parliament building, you watch the local news as Killinger continues to sit in his place, spinning his pen, smiling. The representatives have begun filing into the building, most of them late, although even now the building is mostly empty, with only a few representatives from each party. The council is nowhere to be found.

>Watch the voting
>Attempt to intervene in some way (write in)
>Other

>>40757749
>Attempt to intervene in some way (write in)
Fuck we have to stop this now.

>>40757749
>Attempt to intervene in some way (write in)
Theseus. You have the internet and comms on lockdown. Let's call in a new bomb scare to Parliament?

>>40757749
>Attempt to intervene in some way (write in)
Make that bomb scare not a scare, and put it near enough the parliment building to cause an evacuation?

>>40757749
>Make the bomb scare not a bomb scare. Make it a bomb.

>>40757749
>Attempt to intervene in some way (write in)
Crash the party.

>>40757784
With what bomb?

That isn't something the Taidarens gave us.

>>40757801
Real specific writein there friendo you really saved the quest with your clever idea.

>>40757803
We probably have an hour before the vote happens.

We have to work damn fast. It does not even have to be a bomb, just loud, smokey and enough to cause a evac.

Can't we manufacture one via the Hive?

>>40757784
>>40757782
can't make a bomb fast enough and we don't have any bombs on hand.

>>40757827
The other anons have better idea's.

>>40757835
I thought we had some nukes kicking around?

>>40757832
This.
If we want a bomb, we just manufacture one. At the very worst it's a firebomb.

>>40757835
Then get a hybrid to ram an air car into the building. Done.

>>40757847
not on that planet anon.

>>40757857
Pull a Reager?

Is there an air taxi on top of a building close enough to pull off that trick again?

>>40757859
Blink drives are fast.

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>>40757749
>Attempt to intervene in some way (write in)
We need an explosion.
doesn't matter how big it is, at least flash-clone a bomb or blow uu some smoke near the place. And make the bomb threat again with thesus using the union equivilant of twitter or something.

>>40757857
Only if an Engineer can make the aircar explosive enough it won't leave the hybrid's body behind.

Guys, I think its time for the unions favorite boogyman to spring up again. Any chance we could get THESEUS into the system to start fucking with the building? He only needs to crush one person or set all of the atmospherics in the building to purge/replace air. Or he might even be able to shock doors and overload lights (I play a lot of space station 13)

>>40757749
Sneak some flies in sneaky like and have them detonate on some people's feet?

>>40757898
Nah, coat the hybrid in flies, have them burst into acid just before the collision occurs and then all the remaining tissue will be dissolved.

>>40757900
>Any chance we could get THESEUS into the system to start fucking with the building?

No. Not possible. Pay attention, they're specifically hardened against that possibility. It's completely beyond him.

But we could suggest a Unity server ship attack right now as a distaction. But that might backfire and galvanize people to support electing a strong central leader in the face of Unity threats, since that is what DuPont cited in the first place.

>>40757749
>Have one of your flash clones (which one) steal and attempt to crash an air car into the parliament building
>Have one of your clones find a pay phone and call in a bomb threat
>Other (write in)

We could always pull off an old fashioned tibetan self-immolation protest. Its hard to vote when the room is filled with the smell of burning flesh and screaming.

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>>40757729
Our products look a bit too 'fresh' than humanmade reactors, and people will feel very suspicious from it.
If we were to go publit I wouldn't mind, but not now.

>>40757900
This one is nice too.

>>40757937
The public aren't allowed in fucking Parliament and you can hardly break in there.

>>40757935
>>Have one of your clones find a pay phone and call in a bomb threat
Make sure it's in the name of destroying xeno-loving degenerates.

>>40757935
>Have one of your flash clones (which one) steal and attempt to crash an air car into the parliament building

One of the brutes, just get one of the techys to hotwire it first. Have the brute followed by flies, we can use them to clean up the body if all goes well.

>>40757935
>Have one of your clones find a pay phone and call in a bomb threat
>start producing a bio-bomb that releses smoke and gas to feign a bomb explosion

>>40757935
>Other (write in)
Fuck it, blink in a fleet and bombard from orbit.

>>40757935
>>Have one of your flash clones (which one) steal and attempt to crash an air car into the parliament building

Lets use the excuse every crazy person uses, the government stole his job/baby.

>>40757944
>mimicking human construction techniques
Not if that most important part is followed.

We can in fact do that here at our home hive, it's just clean straight lines are more costly than the -metal-wasp's-nest-aesthetic, QD said this.

>>40757964
Supporting

>>40757935
>>Have one of your flash clones (which one) steal and attempt to crash an air car into the parliament building
>>Have one of your clones find a pay phone and call in a bomb threat

>>40757935
>>Have one of your flash clones (which one) steal and attempt to crash an air car into the parliament building
Brawler
>>Have one of your clones find a pay phone and call in a bomb threat

>>40757969
Supporting, fuck it lets just blow up the planet while we're at it!

>>40757964
If any, the albino one. He's most expendable.

But yeah maybe flies can help dissolve him in acid. Or something.

>>40757935
>>40757964
This

>>40757935
This is going to backfire somehow.

Terrorist attack only galvanizes the need for centralized control for the sake of national security.

Can't grillinger the killinger.

Also dat inhuman body being left behind.

>>40757935
How about you call in the bomb threat, say it's on one side of Parliament, then if you want to do an aircar crash, crash it into the opposite side of the building.

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>>40757935
Uh guys.

What if this is just.

What if this is just fucking bait?

What if Killinger is using the very strategy that Lee just proposed for using against him?

Luring you into action?

What if he's only faking smugness about a successful vote today? Surely even he is likely to fail with this few people showing up from any party.

The council isn't even fucking here. This is bait.

>>40758074
Fuck you're right! Changing vote to
>Watch the voting

>>40757935
Oh hey!

Can we jury-rig a CIP pistol to become a bomb?

That could help destroy the body if the flies don't do the job.

>>40758074
Or, its going exactly as he has planned and if the vote goes ahead the only people in the building will be his supporters, making any revelation fucking mute to the vote outcome.

>>40757935
Don't. It's a trap.

>>40758101
That vote wont hold up a day, the amount of protesting would be ridiculous

>>40758074
>>40758088
Wait wait wait.
I propose a compromise:
We get our ducks in a row to crash the party for if we need to, but until we need to we watch and wait.
This way we're not caught with our pants down, if he's not trying to lure us, and aren't walking into a trap if he is.

He does seem sure someone is watching humanity.

>>40757935
>>Other (write in)
I BACKPEDAL.

Why would the council not be here, they only have to be present as holograms.

>>40757974
So how much more does it cost to make it look more 'human' then 'HIVE'?
Converting resources into creds is good, but it would be even better if we earn a net profit.

>>40758074
Agree he might be expecting an attack and use it as a chance to rally votes, i say we come out officially to throw him off.

>>40758122
They would have to travel to specially guarded and regulated places to project hologram and vote from, since they have an AI they dislike fucking with their system, voting from home is not safe.

>>40757935
I withdraw >>40758053 in favor of watching the non-action here.

This whole setup is his "prepare" ing for a third party interested in human politics.

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>>40757935
>Other (write in)
Stop and observe for now.
prepare the bomb or car but don't do anything yet.

>>40758074
Congratulations thinker #84, you may have saved us all.

>>40758141
Most of them aren't even on this planet, so they can't be inconvenienced by the bomb scare traffic jam.

And they manage to preside over all the Parliament scenes we saw before this one.

>>40758152
Told you quantum thinkers would be worth it!
I rember back when someone voted to NOT produce quantum thinkers.

>>40758162
But it would stop people in person from presiding there, and that is more a reason to postpone the vote than folks being late.

>>40757935
>Watch the voting
The other guy is right, this seems fishy.

>>40757935

>>40758074
>"Excuse me. I think you gave me an idea. I need to make a call." He says as he turns to leave. The others watch him go with mild confusion. He looks back as he reaches the door. "The only thing I call a worst case scenario is the scenario you don't prepare for."

So this whole fake bomb scare wasn't necessarily for Alder, it could be for us.

>>40758203
It could be like the US government after 9/11 where they all agreed on everything the president suggested.

>>40757935
Your flash clones are quickly able to find an appropriate looking air car parked along the street. Your tech quickly breaks into the vehicle with ease, hotwiring the circuits beneath the dash in moments. Your brawler flash clone takes the wheel, finds an up-ramp and quickly takes to the skies. It takes only fifteen minuets to get to the capital district. You have your clone keep its altitude and distance from the building, to avoid suspicion as you decide what to do.

Nearly half of the representatives have arrived, either in person or by telepresence. As they file into their seats, the council flickers into view, all four appearing as holograms at the council table, even DuPont, the one proposing the bill itself.

>Ram the air car into the building
>Simply watch the voting
>Other

>>40758232
>>Simply watch the voting

>>40758232
>watch the voting
Once we see something we don't like, then it's time for Aloha Akbars.

>>40758232
>Simply watch the voting
>Other
See if we can get in contact with Adder

>>40758232
>Simply watch the voting

>>40758232
>Simply watch the voting
I still think Killinger is expecting fuckery from the mysterious third party. He wants to test whether that third party exists.

>>40758232
>Simply watch the voting

>>40758232
Dump "security camera" footage of Asshole dealing with our lovable speaker into the public net. Especially the bit where he has his goons shock the speaker with the not nutritious pain stick.

>>40758284
That would be weird to leak. How would anyone get footage from the secret lab that does not exist on Tadega.

>>40758307
It was in a space station though. Not the lab that got nuked.

>>40758232
>Simply watch the voting
>Other
Find Alder we need to help her big time.

>>40758232
Even if he wins this vote, we can still wreck him. This can be the victory that makes him strut around and make a mistake. His pride will be his undoing.

So I still don't think we should interfere even if it looks like he'll "win" the day. He'll win the battle but not the war.

The war on cunts.

>>40758319
Killinger was not present on Via Maris where the painstick happened. There's no way to link him to some abusive Olympus Shipyards employees.

>>40758232
>Ram the air car into the building

>>40758365
We do have all sorts of embarrassing com records of him. Technically, they're fly cam records of calls, but if Theseus can't use them to make absolutely authentic records of his dirty deeds, I'll eat my hat.

>>40758410
All of those conversations were ones he had with Michael. It's too obvious a pattern it would lose us our sole sleeper agent, when he's in the most critical location right now.

>>40758420
Nope. We have a few others from the bugnapping case. I was thinking use those.

I still think we should steal killingers DNA and have him go on a bender and get caught with prostitutes. Hell, we could get him on video exposing himself to someone or another and get him on a sex offender registry too.

>"He's short tempered and loves himself." Lee says. "Believe me, I've seen him plenty enough as a kid back home to know what he's like. I've played against people like him before, actually, plenty of times. They would always outsmart me, so I made them outsmart themselves."

Let's let Killinger outsmart himself guys.

If he does become Head of State, he'll be too cocky for his own good. He'll think he's untouchable.

>>40758437
You mean one other. That would be just the one phone call, using the renewal of lucrative government contracts as leverage to get OSCorp to retrieve creatures for him?

Okay that would avoid Michael compromise. But considering Killinger's wording yesterday, he seems paranoid enough to wonder why of all his dirty deals it was the one about the buggers that leaks.

>>40758448
Ah yes, the Roman Emperor phenomenon.
It's a harsh lesson for ancient politicians, let it be a harsh lesson for the space ones.

>>40758448
>>40758557
Now all we need to do is parasite 20 something senators to shank him out in the middle of the parliament building.

>>40758582
Et tu, "____"?
Now full in the blank.

>>40758582
Why should Killinger get to stomp around like a giant while the rest of us try not to get smushed under his big feet? What's so great about Killinger, hm? Lee was way more cute than Killinger. Lee was almost as smart as Killinger. People totally liked Lee just as much as they like Killinger. And when did it become okay for one person to be the BOSS of everybody, huh? Because that's not what the Union is about. We should totally just STAB KILLINGER!

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>>40758557
>>40758582
I don't know why, but reading this made me giggle.
especially the shanking part.

>>40758232
You decide against the attack, for the moment, and your clone turns away, taking on a new course.

"Thank you all for coming, especially in light of this morning's events." DuPont says, her form flickering at the table like a candle. "We are here to vote on the matter of the preliminary bill proposition, the details of which are to be considered as read. We will begin the debate.

The debate is a long and boring process in which each member of an opposition party speaks about the bill, followed by a rebuttal granted to DuPont or someone she recognizes to speak for an equal amount of time or less. The process is agonizing, taking several hours, during which the doors of the building are sealed, and no one is allowed in, including a large number of representatives that were just a tad too late.

The vote itself is neck and neck as each tally is counted. The voting process takes only a fraction of the time as the debate, and by the end of it the votes are counted and displayed on the screen.

"The preliminary bill has failed to achieve a super majority. The simple majority is in favor of the bill, and the bill will now move to closed debate. We will convene in a closed session tomorrow to hold individual votes on bill sections and amendments." DuPont says, reading from a page.

Killinger's smile is somewhat diminished, but he is nonetheless pleased with the way things have unfolded, although he seems almost disappointed in something, or a lack of something.

You guys are really on the ball this week.

And that's it for this week. While it feels a little anti-climactic to end the thread with the hive watching C-Span, I'm potentially on the verge of collapse. I'll try to stick around for a little bit, but I'll probably drop unconscious on my keyboard in just a moment.

>>40758685
Thank you for the thread QD, and g'night. It's afternoon but I guess I should sleep sometime today. Excellent pair of threads, catch you after the hiatus, water the sea plankton while your gone etc.

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>>40758685
>spoiler
I'm so glad I stayed up for over 24 hours for this.

Everyone was just sweeped up in the urge to DO THE THING just like they were back when we wanted to blow up the Mirage.

I'm so glad I could turn the tide of anons with that post. The ronpaul is still strong.

>>40758685
See, now that he's found that there is no interference in his particular pet bill with violent explosions.

The only interference occurred in a system shared with the Commonwealth.

So now, the logical culprit might be to conclude that the Commonwealth secretly has the ability to detect cloaked ships, and can send cloaked missiles to intercept them.

And the Thundercock just feigned ignorance, or genuinely wasn't clued in on what their higher-ups were doing to patrol the system.

>>40758685
Thanks for running