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- Thread starter BiopunkOtrera
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Interval 81: Conditions for Being
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[X] Just get out, now. You've pushed your luck too far.
<<We've already pushed things far enough,>> you tell Luyu. <<That Balwar team is still hunting. Let's get out of here.>>
<<Aw, and here I was planning a noble sacrifice to let us get our hands on the monster. Oh well.>> Luyu looks at the aliens. "We're going to get you out of here. We shouldn't risk you or ourselves anymore here."
"Understood." The four shalathri relax visibly.
"Okay. Two of you hold onto the backs of two of me." Luyu says. "Alawen, take point. The last me will be rear guard." They wrap the four aliens in countermeasure cloaks, reducing their signatures if not fully hiding them the way a skinsuit would.
The team sets off, moving rapidly through the tunnels. There's heavy fighting going on still, and Luyu's audio picks up the crackle of gunfire and plasma. More disturbing is the heavy crackle of concentrated plasma and the bleating sounds of Balwar battle language as the Greystreak and his pack hunt you through the corridors.
You watch on the drone screen and through Luyus helmets even as the sub crew manoeuvre a recovery vehicle in for the extraction. The Shalathri are silent on the move, asking no questions and simply going along. Or, no, rather they've fully committed to the task of securing their freedom and are mitigating the sounds they make as much as possible.
It doesn't take long to reach the entry airlock. Someone has shot the Radat, and it lies in a sad little heap on its landing, pierced by weapons fire. Cutting another hole out was something you discussed in the mission plan but there's only so much cover on the outside.
Luyu spends five minutes watching the hole and probing it with drones before she's sure the area is clear. Once they've secured the exit area, two Luyus load the Shalathri into rescue bags while Alawen and the last Luyu cover.
Only once the aliens are zipped in do they start to talk.
"Can you hear us?" The talkative leader says.
"Hi." You say through the bubble's speaker. "I'm the mission operator. My name is Stella."
"I greet you. I am Threefold Orchids, I lead this seminar. Is it safe for us to speak now?"
"Yes. The bags will contain any sound."
Orchids shifts around to get comfortable in the bag as Luyu pushes her into the water. "I have some questions then."
<<The retrieval sub is in place.>> Celebrian says. The lock cycles, and the drone sub outside extends a tentacle to grab it.
"Please, ask anything you want." Being pulled around in the blackness of the reef has to be pretty terrifying so you want to keep the Shalathri talking. "Would you like me to connect you so you can hear the other members of your seminar?"
"Please." Threefold Orchids' dark eyes look out at the space beyond the bag. You momentarily tune your sensors to see what Shalathri vision will see. It's not completely dark for her, but lit only by the ECHO CHAMBER sub's lights and the reef's bioluminescence. "I was wondering: is it true that people in the Garden can eat anything they want?"
"Uh, yes. I mean, within reason. We don't eat other sapient creatures, and most of our meat is cultured because animal agriculture is rather cruel."
"Even if it's counter-nootropic?"
"I want an intoxicant," says one of the others.
"I heard humans make themselves stupid and clumsy to have fun," says another.
"I don't want to be stupid."
"I want to try it."
"Gustatory sense and cognitive biochemistry are highly variable across imperia. Theirs won't work for us."
"We can work out a mapping."
The others start arguing while Orchids focuses on you. "But we can eat whatever we want?"
"Yes. You can eat whatever food you like. In most places in the garden you'll be provided with what you need to survive in terms of food and shelter and medical care and informational access just because you're a sapient being."
"And we'll get all this just for turning our minds to whatever problems you have for us?"
"I mean, you'll get it without having to do any work. If you solve problems for someone then you'd need to want to, either because you enjoy the problem or because they're offering you some kind of reward."
"What kind of rate of reproduction would we be expected to have?"
"You don't have to have children if you don't want to."
"Then what are the conditions of our being?" asks one of the others, intently.
"There aren't any."
"That's not true. You have guns." There's a keening quality to her voice. She's angry. And she's right. How many people have you judged short of their conditions to be? Her master, just now. Platitudes won't serve you here.
"I can't guarantee that nobody will hurt you. I can guarantee that there are places you can go where someone who does so without serious cause will be considered a criminal and punished by others. And a serious cause would be you actively harming them or someone else by action. Not the kind of inaction of just refusing to consider a problem."
A deep silence pervades the comms channel. Luyu and Alawen work quietly. They like you can feel the explications and implications of the conversation working out between the four Shalathri. Unfolding into a map of an undiscovered country.
"Thank you," says Threefold Orchids. And lifts, as the judgement of a Shalathri is wont to do, a little of the fog of uncertainty from your mind. The long wavering branch of your decisions, remembered or not, that brought you to this point.
"I think we should start moving out." Celebrian says. "There's a lot of additional stuff coming in, even if it's occupied."
"Right." You look at the tunnel map. "I'll redirect the pickup. We can stay in the tunnels for a while then get out over the ridge."
Above the reef, three Chakrams are manoeuvring now, surrounded by a swarm of Gardenian sub drones and fighters. Another, the original, is down. They appear to be moving to try to allow for an evacuation of the remains of the base. Sensors detect an air battle above, as the River launch whatever air assets they have to contest the area above the surface.
Waves of reef life erupt also, spiralling everywhere. Some of the beings are massive, larger even than your submarine. The leviathan takes a torpedo from one of the drones, but shakes itself, undamaged.
You wonder how many of the mockmaids survived.
Your submarine slips down a side passage. The grad students used the time between to map out the side passages and now have a safe route out of the reef, though it's still constricted an narrow. You'll need to run fast before it gets blocked.
For now there's nothing to do but pace and watch your screen as the minutes tick by and the icon of the insertion vehicle grows closer. You chat with the Shalathri more, and end up explaining more of your mission.
The two icons merge and there's a clunk. "Insertion vehicle is aboard. We're going to put the Shalathri through decompression just to be safe."
"Copy." You say. Atet heads down to assist, leaving you alone in medical.
Above the battle continues. Everyone seems to have forgotten about you.
The sub-travels through the tunnels for about an hour, then rises out into open water. The battle has moved off now, with ECHO CHAMBER and Chrysanthemum combat divers sweeping the wrecks of a pair of Chakrams and another insertion vessel on the reef. There's the flicker of sonar and lidar from above, but none of it is near you yet.
You've slipped the net. The deeper part of the rainbow ocean awaits.
The next two days are spent working on the translator. The Shalathri help. At first it seemed like they wouldn't. They huddled up in their segment of the hold, once home to drones and equipment now expended in your encounters, now home to unfolded into the large sofas and sleeping hammocks they favour, and refused to come out. They even intimated that they could help with your work, but that they declined to. They complained of the food, the water, and Reizay's music. And after some hours had passed and they were satisfied they would not be forced, they came to offer their help freely.
Their expertise - and intelligence - is invaluable. You don't envy Selko's rictus grin as she finds herself displaced as seminar leader. She's at least able to maintain her position as a relative expert in concrete Nereidi psychology, even if not archaic hypertechnology. Much of the River's translation work was apparently done not by Shalathri mentats but by the Nereidi themselves, and by an established Riverine subordinate species themselves psychologically similar to the deep aliens. It's disconcerting how much the twin forks of force and value are able to bridge and unify across deep psychological differences, however brutally to those concerned. But your team has done their work well.
"We know they can change body parts." Selko says at a briefing. "They can use one another's limbs and organs as transplants, natively. What this means for their psychology hasn't always been appreciated. Nereidi body parts tend to have much more complex local neurology than is found in highly centrally encephalised creatures like humans. Nereidi action arises from the interaction of these systems. What was less clear until now is how it impacts Nereidi psychology and language. It's much more of a product of evolution than the secondary processing systems a Gardenian human has so it's had a greater effect on their culture and psychology."
"When we humans - or shalathri - talk about our minds to one another, we talk about beliefs, intentions, identities, all this furniture of the individual. These concepts exist for the Nereidi but they are far more provisional. We sometimes talk about the beliefs, intentions, even identities of collective objects like cooperatives or states, but it's metaphorical - but that metaphor is real for Nereidi. Each one is a republic of its parts whose psychology is composite from them. They aren't individuals, they are dividuals." She pauses with the subtle flourish at a bad pun only an academic can manage.
"Their communication reflects this. It is highly parallel and multidirectional. Different parts communicate with different parts and only integrate the results later, as needed. Much of what we can only call their languages are given over to pre-individual primitives, synthesised and communicated via resonances and exchanges between series-"
"What does this mean for us?" buts in Alawen. Reizay shoots her a poisonous look.
"...I'm not sure. Yet. Not until we're actually talking to them and can see how things are playing out in practice. I just know that in human history trying to naturalise collectives as individuals been the source of a great deal of folly."
After three days, you're in the deep ocean, on approach to what appears to be one of the primary Nereidi sites.
Your body is now healed, though your arm requires a constant rhythm of exercise to get it back into fitness. You end up structuring your days around that exercise. An hour's session with the newly healed Luyu every eight hours, and wander the ship in between, with occasional meals, rituals, and prayers and immersion games sprinkled through.
You should be using this time to try to fill the gaps in your memory but find that you can't bear too much structure. You're about to handle diplomacy with an alien species. You are, you realise, quite stressed about this.
More and more, you take to wandering the ship, spending time in the small physical control cabin at the front where the three grad students hang out. You get the feeling your presence is only partly welcome. They ask questions about the Shalathri, and the mission, but tend to clam up and eye you when they think you're not looking. They don't talk to Reizay at all.
It's on one of your visits that the sub begins its final approach. You've left silent running and begun broadcasting approach signals. Flickers of blue light reach out, and receive a response from a distant Nereidi source. You are, it seems, recognized and welcome.
You head up to the pilot cabin just in time to hear Celebrian say: "We've got company." You access the sensor feed.
The ECHO CHAMBER attack sub is hanging behind, out of weapons range, and now running outside combat mode, countermeasures off, its systems messy. A second is hanging further back behind it.
The big attack sub could shoot at you, even outside effective range, with the right tools. You notice Celebrian has locked them up on the AI, and put the point defence pod into autonomous mode.
"I guess our 'friends' want to try for diplomacy too."
"Pretty unusual. Aren't they effectively mercenaries?" Diraen says.
"They're conflict specialists so they do have negotiators." You frown. "My guess though is that they're here representing the interests of Dandelion. Or they have something they think they can trade with the Nereidi. Maybe the weapon"
"Any sign of them?" Lanaiatte asks. "The "Nereidi I mean."
"Yeah. They're watching." She says. "A bunch of sea life is following us. No vehicles or leviathan class creatures yet though. There's probably long range torpedoes out there somewhere tracking us."
"Better start signalling we want to make a landing then." Selko says. She's sipping an iced coffee after another long session with the translation machine to prep it. Now will be the final test.
One thing the Shalathri were able to tell you was the correct frequencies of light that the Nereidi use for code. Unfortunately, as they took the base, ECHO CHAMBER probably know too. Blue pulses through the water ahead of you.
"We've got a set of docking instructions." Celebrian reports. "Damn. It's closer than I thought. Can you guys get ready in twenty minutes?"
Formal clothing is probably a waste of time in this situation for the aliens, but it'll put you in the right frame of mind. You head back to your quarters to get changed into a more formal black and white catsuit.
"Take us in, but be careful." Selko says in the part of your sensorium still listening to the bridge. She told you yesterday of a nightmare she had about receiving docking instructions from something that had evolved in the intervening two million years to fake them to draw in unwary bioforms to eat.
The sub slides forward, sensors live, weapons not live but ready. Ahead of you, another Nereidi structure looms in the iridescent murk. A great cathedral of multiple round corned block houses, extending out in series across the sea floor, bedded down amidst a forest of seaweed.
It's not the location of the cryotombs. Those are even deeper and more concealed. It's likely the Neredi haven't woken their whole surviving population yet as they're still taking careful precautions to conceal the location of their deep shelters.
"I'm showing an environment with air inside. No heat major sources or anything to suggest a very large lifeform."
A beam of blue light extends, guiding the submersible into one of the great bays on the side of the temple, and a black entranceway opens up ahead. The submarine rolls in, and then long muscular tentacles roll out of the walls and pull it forward. "Shut the engines down." Selko orders quickly, and you hear the hum of the motors stop. Diraen curses.
You're pulled forward and up, the submarine coming clear of the water of a moon pool, with facilities for but no sign of several other vessels. Around it is a great mosaiced hall, frescoed with scenes of the Nereidi at war. You feel Alex's attention spike, for they make war against great pools of blackness and crystalline versions of themselves.
Could they really have made war against the Emim? Against their masters?
Waiting for you on the docks are rank upon rank of Nereidi. They seem more nearly identical than Nereidi you've seen before. Indeed, they are so similar that they must have undergone some biological adjustment. They are different from the Nereidi you've seen before in other ways as well. For one thing they are a great deal larger. Tall as Luyu and much more bulky, their heads are each topped with a great purple crest.
Neither this side nor identical aspect were evident in the Nereidi you previously encountered. What is familiar is the biotech combat suits that they seem to use, these decorated with stone decorations that shine in near IR, and with an array of sharp bone knives.
Each block is geometrically precise and uses the same number, their distances mathematically precise. Even the lights have been placed precisely, their shadows create a second procession behind them.
<<It's… a parade?>> Reizay asks over comms.
"I think they're showing off." Selko says. "Nereidi ceremonies we've had pictured don't employ these kinds of straight lines and rigid numbers. We can't know what's standard practice from just the murals, but what imagery we've got always shows groups of varying sizes built on a system."
<<So why are they lining up this way?>> Shenla asks. <<It looks very human? A greeting?>>
<<It's a power play!>> Liya says. <<They're showing off how much better they understand us than we understand them.>>
"Well, let's go meet them." It's been agreed that the initial embassy will be you, Selko, and Mirabelle, who is the contact specialist, along with Reizay to give secure comms, and perhaps to tap their communications if you decide to try it. Celebrian and Shenla, because the communion insist on having at least equal numbers.
The six of you move to the submarine's hatch and step out, moving unconsciously into two regular files as you head out to meet the assembled lines of Nereidi. Up close and out of their combat suits– or are they combat symbiotes– they're large beings, each almost as tall as Luyu, bulky and muscular, with rubbery skin more like an octopus than a fish. Each wears several belts of tools and containers full of various mechanical and biological tools, brassy looking metal gleaming in the light.
As you step from the submarine they straighten and slam their heels together. The crunch is quite impressive.
One steps forward and speaks in a pretty good imitation of Gardenian standard language.
"We greet you ambassadors from 'garden.' We have heard much of you from our allies in the wider worlds." The Nereidi says. Declaring their alliance with the River is not a good sign. "We warn you, however that this is our world, our ancient home."
Selko steps forward, and gives her own speech in the best Nereidi language you've managed to fashion. It's something to the effect of wishing for peace and cooperation and offering them help in rebuilding. It sounds like a set of burbling.
The purple crest representative puffs up slightly when he hears it, his crest growing in what your translation program interprets as a social threat posture. Not about to attack but wanting to look large. "We have no need of–"
There's commotion at the back of the hall and several other Nereidi pour in. Most have blue crests, though some are red and some have no crests at all. They gesticulate wildly and speak in quick bubbling voices and flickers of light, moving up to confront the one talking to you.
<<I don't think they've quite got who's going to speak to us sorted out.>> Selko says. <<I think the purples pulled a fast one on them. I'm guessing they're a militant faction and those others aren't.>>
What should you do?
[ ] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[ ] Step forward and say that you will deal with all representatives of the Nereidi equally
[ ] Step forward and ask them directly about the diplomat without worrying to much about diplomacy.
[ ] Ignore the obvious purple war faction and deal with the newly arrived blues
Separately, you have another decision to make
[ ] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
[ ] Don't risk it
<<We've already pushed things far enough,>> you tell Luyu. <<That Balwar team is still hunting. Let's get out of here.>>
<<Aw, and here I was planning a noble sacrifice to let us get our hands on the monster. Oh well.>> Luyu looks at the aliens. "We're going to get you out of here. We shouldn't risk you or ourselves anymore here."
"Understood." The four shalathri relax visibly.
"Okay. Two of you hold onto the backs of two of me." Luyu says. "Alawen, take point. The last me will be rear guard." They wrap the four aliens in countermeasure cloaks, reducing their signatures if not fully hiding them the way a skinsuit would.
The team sets off, moving rapidly through the tunnels. There's heavy fighting going on still, and Luyu's audio picks up the crackle of gunfire and plasma. More disturbing is the heavy crackle of concentrated plasma and the bleating sounds of Balwar battle language as the Greystreak and his pack hunt you through the corridors.
You watch on the drone screen and through Luyus helmets even as the sub crew manoeuvre a recovery vehicle in for the extraction. The Shalathri are silent on the move, asking no questions and simply going along. Or, no, rather they've fully committed to the task of securing their freedom and are mitigating the sounds they make as much as possible.
It doesn't take long to reach the entry airlock. Someone has shot the Radat, and it lies in a sad little heap on its landing, pierced by weapons fire. Cutting another hole out was something you discussed in the mission plan but there's only so much cover on the outside.
Luyu spends five minutes watching the hole and probing it with drones before she's sure the area is clear. Once they've secured the exit area, two Luyus load the Shalathri into rescue bags while Alawen and the last Luyu cover.
Only once the aliens are zipped in do they start to talk.
"Can you hear us?" The talkative leader says.
"Hi." You say through the bubble's speaker. "I'm the mission operator. My name is Stella."
"I greet you. I am Threefold Orchids, I lead this seminar. Is it safe for us to speak now?"
"Yes. The bags will contain any sound."
Orchids shifts around to get comfortable in the bag as Luyu pushes her into the water. "I have some questions then."
<<The retrieval sub is in place.>> Celebrian says. The lock cycles, and the drone sub outside extends a tentacle to grab it.
"Please, ask anything you want." Being pulled around in the blackness of the reef has to be pretty terrifying so you want to keep the Shalathri talking. "Would you like me to connect you so you can hear the other members of your seminar?"
"Please." Threefold Orchids' dark eyes look out at the space beyond the bag. You momentarily tune your sensors to see what Shalathri vision will see. It's not completely dark for her, but lit only by the ECHO CHAMBER sub's lights and the reef's bioluminescence. "I was wondering: is it true that people in the Garden can eat anything they want?"
"Uh, yes. I mean, within reason. We don't eat other sapient creatures, and most of our meat is cultured because animal agriculture is rather cruel."
"Even if it's counter-nootropic?"
"I want an intoxicant," says one of the others.
"I heard humans make themselves stupid and clumsy to have fun," says another.
"I don't want to be stupid."
"I want to try it."
"Gustatory sense and cognitive biochemistry are highly variable across imperia. Theirs won't work for us."
"We can work out a mapping."
The others start arguing while Orchids focuses on you. "But we can eat whatever we want?"
"Yes. You can eat whatever food you like. In most places in the garden you'll be provided with what you need to survive in terms of food and shelter and medical care and informational access just because you're a sapient being."
"And we'll get all this just for turning our minds to whatever problems you have for us?"
"I mean, you'll get it without having to do any work. If you solve problems for someone then you'd need to want to, either because you enjoy the problem or because they're offering you some kind of reward."
"What kind of rate of reproduction would we be expected to have?"
"You don't have to have children if you don't want to."
"Then what are the conditions of our being?" asks one of the others, intently.
"There aren't any."
"That's not true. You have guns." There's a keening quality to her voice. She's angry. And she's right. How many people have you judged short of their conditions to be? Her master, just now. Platitudes won't serve you here.
"I can't guarantee that nobody will hurt you. I can guarantee that there are places you can go where someone who does so without serious cause will be considered a criminal and punished by others. And a serious cause would be you actively harming them or someone else by action. Not the kind of inaction of just refusing to consider a problem."
A deep silence pervades the comms channel. Luyu and Alawen work quietly. They like you can feel the explications and implications of the conversation working out between the four Shalathri. Unfolding into a map of an undiscovered country.
"Thank you," says Threefold Orchids. And lifts, as the judgement of a Shalathri is wont to do, a little of the fog of uncertainty from your mind. The long wavering branch of your decisions, remembered or not, that brought you to this point.
"I think we should start moving out." Celebrian says. "There's a lot of additional stuff coming in, even if it's occupied."
"Right." You look at the tunnel map. "I'll redirect the pickup. We can stay in the tunnels for a while then get out over the ridge."
Above the reef, three Chakrams are manoeuvring now, surrounded by a swarm of Gardenian sub drones and fighters. Another, the original, is down. They appear to be moving to try to allow for an evacuation of the remains of the base. Sensors detect an air battle above, as the River launch whatever air assets they have to contest the area above the surface.
Waves of reef life erupt also, spiralling everywhere. Some of the beings are massive, larger even than your submarine. The leviathan takes a torpedo from one of the drones, but shakes itself, undamaged.
You wonder how many of the mockmaids survived.
Your submarine slips down a side passage. The grad students used the time between to map out the side passages and now have a safe route out of the reef, though it's still constricted an narrow. You'll need to run fast before it gets blocked.
For now there's nothing to do but pace and watch your screen as the minutes tick by and the icon of the insertion vehicle grows closer. You chat with the Shalathri more, and end up explaining more of your mission.
The two icons merge and there's a clunk. "Insertion vehicle is aboard. We're going to put the Shalathri through decompression just to be safe."
"Copy." You say. Atet heads down to assist, leaving you alone in medical.
Above the battle continues. Everyone seems to have forgotten about you.
The sub-travels through the tunnels for about an hour, then rises out into open water. The battle has moved off now, with ECHO CHAMBER and Chrysanthemum combat divers sweeping the wrecks of a pair of Chakrams and another insertion vessel on the reef. There's the flicker of sonar and lidar from above, but none of it is near you yet.
You've slipped the net. The deeper part of the rainbow ocean awaits.
*****
The next two days are spent working on the translator. The Shalathri help. At first it seemed like they wouldn't. They huddled up in their segment of the hold, once home to drones and equipment now expended in your encounters, now home to unfolded into the large sofas and sleeping hammocks they favour, and refused to come out. They even intimated that they could help with your work, but that they declined to. They complained of the food, the water, and Reizay's music. And after some hours had passed and they were satisfied they would not be forced, they came to offer their help freely.
Their expertise - and intelligence - is invaluable. You don't envy Selko's rictus grin as she finds herself displaced as seminar leader. She's at least able to maintain her position as a relative expert in concrete Nereidi psychology, even if not archaic hypertechnology. Much of the River's translation work was apparently done not by Shalathri mentats but by the Nereidi themselves, and by an established Riverine subordinate species themselves psychologically similar to the deep aliens. It's disconcerting how much the twin forks of force and value are able to bridge and unify across deep psychological differences, however brutally to those concerned. But your team has done their work well.
"We know they can change body parts." Selko says at a briefing. "They can use one another's limbs and organs as transplants, natively. What this means for their psychology hasn't always been appreciated. Nereidi body parts tend to have much more complex local neurology than is found in highly centrally encephalised creatures like humans. Nereidi action arises from the interaction of these systems. What was less clear until now is how it impacts Nereidi psychology and language. It's much more of a product of evolution than the secondary processing systems a Gardenian human has so it's had a greater effect on their culture and psychology."
"When we humans - or shalathri - talk about our minds to one another, we talk about beliefs, intentions, identities, all this furniture of the individual. These concepts exist for the Nereidi but they are far more provisional. We sometimes talk about the beliefs, intentions, even identities of collective objects like cooperatives or states, but it's metaphorical - but that metaphor is real for Nereidi. Each one is a republic of its parts whose psychology is composite from them. They aren't individuals, they are dividuals." She pauses with the subtle flourish at a bad pun only an academic can manage.
"Their communication reflects this. It is highly parallel and multidirectional. Different parts communicate with different parts and only integrate the results later, as needed. Much of what we can only call their languages are given over to pre-individual primitives, synthesised and communicated via resonances and exchanges between series-"
"What does this mean for us?" buts in Alawen. Reizay shoots her a poisonous look.
"...I'm not sure. Yet. Not until we're actually talking to them and can see how things are playing out in practice. I just know that in human history trying to naturalise collectives as individuals been the source of a great deal of folly."
***
After three days, you're in the deep ocean, on approach to what appears to be one of the primary Nereidi sites.
Your body is now healed, though your arm requires a constant rhythm of exercise to get it back into fitness. You end up structuring your days around that exercise. An hour's session with the newly healed Luyu every eight hours, and wander the ship in between, with occasional meals, rituals, and prayers and immersion games sprinkled through.
You should be using this time to try to fill the gaps in your memory but find that you can't bear too much structure. You're about to handle diplomacy with an alien species. You are, you realise, quite stressed about this.
More and more, you take to wandering the ship, spending time in the small physical control cabin at the front where the three grad students hang out. You get the feeling your presence is only partly welcome. They ask questions about the Shalathri, and the mission, but tend to clam up and eye you when they think you're not looking. They don't talk to Reizay at all.
It's on one of your visits that the sub begins its final approach. You've left silent running and begun broadcasting approach signals. Flickers of blue light reach out, and receive a response from a distant Nereidi source. You are, it seems, recognized and welcome.
You head up to the pilot cabin just in time to hear Celebrian say: "We've got company." You access the sensor feed.
The ECHO CHAMBER attack sub is hanging behind, out of weapons range, and now running outside combat mode, countermeasures off, its systems messy. A second is hanging further back behind it.
The big attack sub could shoot at you, even outside effective range, with the right tools. You notice Celebrian has locked them up on the AI, and put the point defence pod into autonomous mode.
"I guess our 'friends' want to try for diplomacy too."
"Pretty unusual. Aren't they effectively mercenaries?" Diraen says.
"They're conflict specialists so they do have negotiators." You frown. "My guess though is that they're here representing the interests of Dandelion. Or they have something they think they can trade with the Nereidi. Maybe the weapon"
"Any sign of them?" Lanaiatte asks. "The "Nereidi I mean."
"Yeah. They're watching." She says. "A bunch of sea life is following us. No vehicles or leviathan class creatures yet though. There's probably long range torpedoes out there somewhere tracking us."
"Better start signalling we want to make a landing then." Selko says. She's sipping an iced coffee after another long session with the translation machine to prep it. Now will be the final test.
One thing the Shalathri were able to tell you was the correct frequencies of light that the Nereidi use for code. Unfortunately, as they took the base, ECHO CHAMBER probably know too. Blue pulses through the water ahead of you.
"We've got a set of docking instructions." Celebrian reports. "Damn. It's closer than I thought. Can you guys get ready in twenty minutes?"
Formal clothing is probably a waste of time in this situation for the aliens, but it'll put you in the right frame of mind. You head back to your quarters to get changed into a more formal black and white catsuit.
"Take us in, but be careful." Selko says in the part of your sensorium still listening to the bridge. She told you yesterday of a nightmare she had about receiving docking instructions from something that had evolved in the intervening two million years to fake them to draw in unwary bioforms to eat.
The sub slides forward, sensors live, weapons not live but ready. Ahead of you, another Nereidi structure looms in the iridescent murk. A great cathedral of multiple round corned block houses, extending out in series across the sea floor, bedded down amidst a forest of seaweed.
It's not the location of the cryotombs. Those are even deeper and more concealed. It's likely the Neredi haven't woken their whole surviving population yet as they're still taking careful precautions to conceal the location of their deep shelters.
"I'm showing an environment with air inside. No heat major sources or anything to suggest a very large lifeform."
A beam of blue light extends, guiding the submersible into one of the great bays on the side of the temple, and a black entranceway opens up ahead. The submarine rolls in, and then long muscular tentacles roll out of the walls and pull it forward. "Shut the engines down." Selko orders quickly, and you hear the hum of the motors stop. Diraen curses.
You're pulled forward and up, the submarine coming clear of the water of a moon pool, with facilities for but no sign of several other vessels. Around it is a great mosaiced hall, frescoed with scenes of the Nereidi at war. You feel Alex's attention spike, for they make war against great pools of blackness and crystalline versions of themselves.
Could they really have made war against the Emim? Against their masters?
Waiting for you on the docks are rank upon rank of Nereidi. They seem more nearly identical than Nereidi you've seen before. Indeed, they are so similar that they must have undergone some biological adjustment. They are different from the Nereidi you've seen before in other ways as well. For one thing they are a great deal larger. Tall as Luyu and much more bulky, their heads are each topped with a great purple crest.
Neither this side nor identical aspect were evident in the Nereidi you previously encountered. What is familiar is the biotech combat suits that they seem to use, these decorated with stone decorations that shine in near IR, and with an array of sharp bone knives.
Each block is geometrically precise and uses the same number, their distances mathematically precise. Even the lights have been placed precisely, their shadows create a second procession behind them.
<<It's… a parade?>> Reizay asks over comms.
"I think they're showing off." Selko says. "Nereidi ceremonies we've had pictured don't employ these kinds of straight lines and rigid numbers. We can't know what's standard practice from just the murals, but what imagery we've got always shows groups of varying sizes built on a system."
<<So why are they lining up this way?>> Shenla asks. <<It looks very human? A greeting?>>
<<It's a power play!>> Liya says. <<They're showing off how much better they understand us than we understand them.>>
"Well, let's go meet them." It's been agreed that the initial embassy will be you, Selko, and Mirabelle, who is the contact specialist, along with Reizay to give secure comms, and perhaps to tap their communications if you decide to try it. Celebrian and Shenla, because the communion insist on having at least equal numbers.
The six of you move to the submarine's hatch and step out, moving unconsciously into two regular files as you head out to meet the assembled lines of Nereidi. Up close and out of their combat suits– or are they combat symbiotes– they're large beings, each almost as tall as Luyu, bulky and muscular, with rubbery skin more like an octopus than a fish. Each wears several belts of tools and containers full of various mechanical and biological tools, brassy looking metal gleaming in the light.
As you step from the submarine they straighten and slam their heels together. The crunch is quite impressive.
One steps forward and speaks in a pretty good imitation of Gardenian standard language.
"We greet you ambassadors from 'garden.' We have heard much of you from our allies in the wider worlds." The Nereidi says. Declaring their alliance with the River is not a good sign. "We warn you, however that this is our world, our ancient home."
Selko steps forward, and gives her own speech in the best Nereidi language you've managed to fashion. It's something to the effect of wishing for peace and cooperation and offering them help in rebuilding. It sounds like a set of burbling.
The purple crest representative puffs up slightly when he hears it, his crest growing in what your translation program interprets as a social threat posture. Not about to attack but wanting to look large. "We have no need of–"
There's commotion at the back of the hall and several other Nereidi pour in. Most have blue crests, though some are red and some have no crests at all. They gesticulate wildly and speak in quick bubbling voices and flickers of light, moving up to confront the one talking to you.
<<I don't think they've quite got who's going to speak to us sorted out.>> Selko says. <<I think the purples pulled a fast one on them. I'm guessing they're a militant faction and those others aren't.>>
What should you do?
[ ] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[ ] Step forward and say that you will deal with all representatives of the Nereidi equally
[ ] Step forward and ask them directly about the diplomat without worrying to much about diplomacy.
[ ] Ignore the obvious purple war faction and deal with the newly arrived blues
Separately, you have another decision to make
[ ] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
[ ] Don't risk it
- Pronouns
- She/Her
okay as we got delayed till friday we're going to give you guys till the monday after next to vote, but normal service, IE a weekly update schedual should then resume. Sorry for this extended delay. We had to come up with some extended meditations on nation, human and alien psychology and so on.
Last edited:
- Location
- Minnesota
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[x] Don't risk it
I'm definitely inclined towards not risking it? Though keeping an eye on the militarists might be a good idea…
So far as the other decision, I'm torn between waiting and dealing equally. I think it'd be too easy to put our foot in our mouths with anything else.
I'm definitely inclined towards not risking it? Though keeping an eye on the militarists might be a good idea…
So far as the other decision, I'm torn between waiting and dealing equally. I think it'd be too easy to put our foot in our mouths with anything else.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Don't risk it
[X] Don't risk it
- Location
- [REDACTED]
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
Any information is good information.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
Any information is good information.
- Location
- Diamond City
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
Spectrum
Tell me a secret~
- Location
- Behind you~
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
Reizay is shockingly good at this so far so I'm mildly inclined to let her try.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
Reizay is shockingly good at this so far so I'm mildly inclined to let her try.
- Location
- Wörms, the half continent
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
- Location
- Somewhere!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Don't risk it
[X] Don't risk it
Twei
I have a face!
- Location
- the land where they write things
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I would love to read essays on these guys, tbh. Being a composite is one thing, but being a composite whose parts can be exchanged offers wild possibilities if I understood right.
Also it's very interesting that we go right from being told that each Nereidi body is a collection of semi-individual parts - that they are collectives, rather than single individuals- to being shown the Nerieidi state?culture?community? having seeming disagreements among itself - showing itself to not be individual. It's themes or something!
And also feels like it should inform our response, but I don't quite know how, given the extents of our knowledge.
I do think that we should
[X] Don't risk it
Diplomacy and spying famously go hand in hand, but while Reizay is probably skilled enough to do it, I'm worried about plausible deniability if she does get rumbled.
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
[X] Don't risk it
- Location
- Here & There
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Don't risk it
[X] Don't risk it
Solarstream
It's all in the cards
- Location
- Zombie World
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
[X] Step forward and ask them directly about the diplomat without worrying to much about diplomacy.
Diplomacy is overrated, lets.ask about the important things.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
Diplomacy is overrated, lets.ask about the important things.
[X] Have Reizay see if she can figure a way to tap their comms
Vote closed
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Interval 82: Reconfigurations
[X] Wait for them to sort it out. You don't want to get between Neredi factions and you can learn more about their language and internal politics.
[x] Don't risk it
<<Let's wait and see what they do,>> you say. <<Selko, can you translate??>>
In the shared virtual space you feel the regard of the shalathri, and there's a brief discussion, then simultaneous translation from the device.
<<This is more of a summary than a true translation, so watch out.>> Selko says
"-- Inappropriate for you to attempt to usurp the seniority of primary faction. You do not yet possess priority, even with the loss of [the allies of the red crest], and the leniency given to you by [the uncrested]." the blue crest is saying.
"Equally, it is inappropriate for you, a faction of those [without selected parts] to be here and attempt a greeting. Our appropriateness and seniority is recognised by [the uncrested], you lack the priority to dispute us." The purple crest is responding. There's no distinction of turns in their communication. The attempted translation flickers before your eyes with retroactive revisions to its procrustean format.
"Yet, dispute you we do. Unless you wish to attempt to contest us for control of the [factory/hive]?"
As the two Nereidi signal to one another they adopt different forms. The purple crest seems to grow with distention and elongation of its parts.. The blue drops lower on its haunches, flukes and manoeuvring surfaces twitch open across its body and its eyes narrow into the centre of its head.
You remind yourself that you can't anthropomorphise, or Terranise, alien body language.
"You threaten us with the dissolution of necessary resources. You are selfishly damaging the whole."
"And you with war with an interstellar body. Do not speak of selfishness while you seek such a ridiculous goal."
"They could be minions of the ones behind the sky."
"These are beliefs you hold to justify your own absurd position."
The moment suddenly seems to snap. The purple crested one takes a step back, stabs an injector into its flesh and then, abruptly, eviscerates itself. You watch frozen as it disgorges clusters of organs onto the floor and then grips an arm and pulls it free with a succession of wet pops. Long thin strands of tendonous ichor stretch and snap. Its colleagues crowd around it and you lose sight.
<<Did it just kill itself?>> asks Reizay.
<<No. Or yes.>> says Mirabelle. <<But I think it's fine. I think they're… building some new ones.>>
The blocks of purples clear back, allowing a gaggle of blues forming into a series of differentially numbered blocks to approach you. But behind them, a new, or partially new, purple-crested Nereidi is picking itself off the floor.
<<That's fast,>> says Luyu, watching from the sub.
<<They've had a lot of time to improve it.>> says Shenla. You finger an itch on your arm.
<<Keep the channel clear.>> You say, curtly.
"Humans, you are welcome," says the purple. "We advise you, you are now on the 'territory' of the Nereidi. You are welcome."
The blue glances at the purple. Predator eyed, you think. You're learning as you go. "Yes. We certainly extend all courtesy." It says. "And hope that this will be the course of productive dialogue which will allow us to rebuilding. Tell us, do you have names?"
Selko bows slightly. "Yes. I am Selko, empowered to negotiate by the inhabitants of the islands surface." She gestures behind herself to the recently recovered Mirabelle, who's been doing her best to fade into the background. "This is the representative of the fleets above, Mirabelle Ultima. And this is Doctor Stella Anastasius, an advisor to us, who seeks knowledge you have."
You step forward and make your own bow. First contact proceedings usually have each species make its own curtseys, as everyone knows not to assume or take offence at them. It's one of the ways you learn what they are. The blue shuts its mouth and flashes a light code, as does the purple speaker.
"I am Blue Crest Diplomat." Says Blue.
"And I am Purple Crest Diplomat 2." Says the purple. The Blue flashes a set of light patterns which the shalathri identify as contempt.
"We have an environment prepared for you so you will not simply need to stay within your vehicle." Says the Blue. "We'll shift it around so you can access the spaces directly once you've inspected it."
"Of course. Thank you." Selko says. The six of you fall in together with the two Nereidi speakers, the rest of the Nereidi dispersing away from you. The moon pool room has a pressure lock, which takes you out into a large antechamber where several vehicles are waiting. Unlike much of the Nereidi technology they aren't biotech, but rather four wheeled rovers with intricate gearing sets. They're fitted with seats, who's organic coating remolds themselves as you sit down.
"How are these powered?" Selko asks the Nereidi as you board one.
"Retention springs." You're pretty sure that's not actually correct, or some simplification at least, but it doesn't smell volatile.
The two vehicles set off into the corridors. The design is familiar now, but it's bigger here, bigger and more crowded. Much of the place is coated with living plants, but there's stacks of containers, and Nereidi, everywhere. Even the Riverine scientific base was not so crowded with equipment. You pass huge jars that give off an organic scent, blocks of arcane machinery, limbered up River technology including a very intimidating looking disruptor cannon, and a line of harnessed deep sea amphibians.
The corridors are heavy with traffic. Nereidi of various shapes and sizes move about, watching you. Many of them have murals of Nereidi conducting business related to the base, patching leaks, building things, catching and defeating infiltrators. Alex whispers in your ear. "Very high information content. They themselves are storage mediums."
Finally you arrive at your rooms, beyond another garage, where the vehicles are left to be wound by tendrils of black biology. Through the resulting pressure lock is another bay like the one you were greeted in, complete with the submarine being brought in through the moon pool.
The rest of the rooms are probably another power play. It's filled with simulacra of human objects made from Nereid coral. A table, chairs, benches, an ersatz copy of a shrine on one wall which Reizay makes a face at. Food, beds, showers. You give Reizay a subtle signal to begin her counter surveillance procedures and turn to thank the Nereidi.
"Thank you for the rooms. They seem quite comfortable," you say. Vague niceties echo around the group. Blue and Purple begin to enquire after Selko and Mirabelle's intentions. They were introduced as leaders of the group. You, just as an 'advisor', seeking 'knowledge'.
And yet one of Purple Diplomat 2's eyes is fixed on you. One of Blue's, as well. They've probably encountered a few 'advisors' from the River.
"What knowledge exactly do you seek?" asks Purple. It has a second face, peeling out from under its shoulders. Blue makes no comment.
You frown to yourself inside. The Purples do not seem a friendly faction. It's pretty obvious their fascist display was showing off how much they understand human psychology as a power play. That's an indication of some hostility. On the other hand however, being honest here could get you what you want.
On the third hand of course, Mirabelle and Liya are both here, and could easily reveal everything you say to Mara.
[ ] Indicate your interest in the diplomat directly.
[ ] Indicate your interest in the war depicted in the wall Frescos
[ ] Indicate merely your interest in Nereidi history more generally.
[x] Don't risk it
<<Let's wait and see what they do,>> you say. <<Selko, can you translate??>>
In the shared virtual space you feel the regard of the shalathri, and there's a brief discussion, then simultaneous translation from the device.
<<This is more of a summary than a true translation, so watch out.>> Selko says
"-- Inappropriate for you to attempt to usurp the seniority of primary faction. You do not yet possess priority, even with the loss of [the allies of the red crest], and the leniency given to you by [the uncrested]." the blue crest is saying.
"Equally, it is inappropriate for you, a faction of those [without selected parts] to be here and attempt a greeting. Our appropriateness and seniority is recognised by [the uncrested], you lack the priority to dispute us." The purple crest is responding. There's no distinction of turns in their communication. The attempted translation flickers before your eyes with retroactive revisions to its procrustean format.
"Yet, dispute you we do. Unless you wish to attempt to contest us for control of the [factory/hive]?"
As the two Nereidi signal to one another they adopt different forms. The purple crest seems to grow with distention and elongation of its parts.. The blue drops lower on its haunches, flukes and manoeuvring surfaces twitch open across its body and its eyes narrow into the centre of its head.
You remind yourself that you can't anthropomorphise, or Terranise, alien body language.
"You threaten us with the dissolution of necessary resources. You are selfishly damaging the whole."
"And you with war with an interstellar body. Do not speak of selfishness while you seek such a ridiculous goal."
"They could be minions of the ones behind the sky."
"These are beliefs you hold to justify your own absurd position."
The moment suddenly seems to snap. The purple crested one takes a step back, stabs an injector into its flesh and then, abruptly, eviscerates itself. You watch frozen as it disgorges clusters of organs onto the floor and then grips an arm and pulls it free with a succession of wet pops. Long thin strands of tendonous ichor stretch and snap. Its colleagues crowd around it and you lose sight.
<<Did it just kill itself?>> asks Reizay.
<<No. Or yes.>> says Mirabelle. <<But I think it's fine. I think they're… building some new ones.>>
The blocks of purples clear back, allowing a gaggle of blues forming into a series of differentially numbered blocks to approach you. But behind them, a new, or partially new, purple-crested Nereidi is picking itself off the floor.
<<That's fast,>> says Luyu, watching from the sub.
<<They've had a lot of time to improve it.>> says Shenla. You finger an itch on your arm.
<<Keep the channel clear.>> You say, curtly.
"Humans, you are welcome," says the purple. "We advise you, you are now on the 'territory' of the Nereidi. You are welcome."
The blue glances at the purple. Predator eyed, you think. You're learning as you go. "Yes. We certainly extend all courtesy." It says. "And hope that this will be the course of productive dialogue which will allow us to rebuilding. Tell us, do you have names?"
Selko bows slightly. "Yes. I am Selko, empowered to negotiate by the inhabitants of the islands surface." She gestures behind herself to the recently recovered Mirabelle, who's been doing her best to fade into the background. "This is the representative of the fleets above, Mirabelle Ultima. And this is Doctor Stella Anastasius, an advisor to us, who seeks knowledge you have."
You step forward and make your own bow. First contact proceedings usually have each species make its own curtseys, as everyone knows not to assume or take offence at them. It's one of the ways you learn what they are. The blue shuts its mouth and flashes a light code, as does the purple speaker.
"I am Blue Crest Diplomat." Says Blue.
"And I am Purple Crest Diplomat 2." Says the purple. The Blue flashes a set of light patterns which the shalathri identify as contempt.
"We have an environment prepared for you so you will not simply need to stay within your vehicle." Says the Blue. "We'll shift it around so you can access the spaces directly once you've inspected it."
"Of course. Thank you." Selko says. The six of you fall in together with the two Nereidi speakers, the rest of the Nereidi dispersing away from you. The moon pool room has a pressure lock, which takes you out into a large antechamber where several vehicles are waiting. Unlike much of the Nereidi technology they aren't biotech, but rather four wheeled rovers with intricate gearing sets. They're fitted with seats, who's organic coating remolds themselves as you sit down.
"How are these powered?" Selko asks the Nereidi as you board one.
"Retention springs." You're pretty sure that's not actually correct, or some simplification at least, but it doesn't smell volatile.
The two vehicles set off into the corridors. The design is familiar now, but it's bigger here, bigger and more crowded. Much of the place is coated with living plants, but there's stacks of containers, and Nereidi, everywhere. Even the Riverine scientific base was not so crowded with equipment. You pass huge jars that give off an organic scent, blocks of arcane machinery, limbered up River technology including a very intimidating looking disruptor cannon, and a line of harnessed deep sea amphibians.
The corridors are heavy with traffic. Nereidi of various shapes and sizes move about, watching you. Many of them have murals of Nereidi conducting business related to the base, patching leaks, building things, catching and defeating infiltrators. Alex whispers in your ear. "Very high information content. They themselves are storage mediums."
Finally you arrive at your rooms, beyond another garage, where the vehicles are left to be wound by tendrils of black biology. Through the resulting pressure lock is another bay like the one you were greeted in, complete with the submarine being brought in through the moon pool.
The rest of the rooms are probably another power play. It's filled with simulacra of human objects made from Nereid coral. A table, chairs, benches, an ersatz copy of a shrine on one wall which Reizay makes a face at. Food, beds, showers. You give Reizay a subtle signal to begin her counter surveillance procedures and turn to thank the Nereidi.
"Thank you for the rooms. They seem quite comfortable," you say. Vague niceties echo around the group. Blue and Purple begin to enquire after Selko and Mirabelle's intentions. They were introduced as leaders of the group. You, just as an 'advisor', seeking 'knowledge'.
And yet one of Purple Diplomat 2's eyes is fixed on you. One of Blue's, as well. They've probably encountered a few 'advisors' from the River.
"What knowledge exactly do you seek?" asks Purple. It has a second face, peeling out from under its shoulders. Blue makes no comment.
You frown to yourself inside. The Purples do not seem a friendly faction. It's pretty obvious their fascist display was showing off how much they understand human psychology as a power play. That's an indication of some hostility. On the other hand however, being honest here could get you what you want.
On the third hand of course, Mirabelle and Liya are both here, and could easily reveal everything you say to Mara.
[ ] Indicate your interest in the diplomat directly.
[ ] Indicate your interest in the war depicted in the wall Frescos
[ ] Indicate merely your interest in Nereidi history more generally.
- Location
- Here & There
[x] Indicate your interest in the diplomat directly.
