We shouldn't give the Shiplords any information if we can help it. Certainly not when it doesn't gain us anything.
[1][WORD] None
I'm only including this because it is less bad for us than 'Truth'.
[2][WORD] Understand
[1][Dialogue] "You call me desecrator? After bringing that thing against us?"
[2][Dialogue] "I pity you... to see only such as small part and misunderstand so completely"
These two strike me as on the right track, but too wordy. We only have so much time, and we want him to be the one talking during it.
[3][Dialogue] "Desecrator? I saw your ship! I saw what you did to my people! AND YOU CALL ME A DESECRATOR?"
[4][Dialogue] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
The others either volunteer information, or come across as whining. Neither is acceptable.
[5][Dialogue] Don't say anything.
@Snowfire, when I said 'Fleet Command' before, I meant Lina's opposite in the Tribute Fleet, not someone back at headquarters. I'm sorry I wasn't clear.
@Snowfire, when I said 'Fleet Command' before, I meant Lina's opposite in the Tribute Fleet, not someone back at headquarters. I'm sorry I wasn't clear.
No need to apologise. Things just seemed to be getting a little heated, that was all, so the clarity seemed to be important.
Vote Tally : Original - Sci-Fi - The Practice War | Page 171 | Sufficient Velocity ##### NetTally 1.7.10.1
WORD:
[1] Understand
[2] None
[3] Truth
Dialogue:
[1] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
[2] "I dare because it is humanity's gift. Like Prometheus before them; the dragons gave us fire. You state that we dare profane a gift. How dare you tell us what we should do with the last gift of those you murdered."
[3] "I pity you... to see only such as small part and misunderstand so completely"
[4] Don't say anything.
[5] "Big words, for one who made such a desperate charge and is losing so completely."
[6] "Desecrator? I saw your ship! I saw what you did to my people! AND YOU CALL ME A DESECRATOR?"
[7] "You call me desecrator? After bringing that thing against us?"
[8] "What are you talking about with your heathen jibber jabber?"
Total No. of Voters: 18
I'll be leaving this open for another 12-18 hours. If I can keep up this pace, we should be rounding out the Second Battle of Sol early next week.
[1][WORD] Understand
[1][Dialogue] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
[1][Dialogue] "I dare because it is humanity's gift. Like Prometheus before them; the dragons gave us fire. You state that we dare profane a gift. How dare you tell us what we should do with the last gift of those you murdered."
Be careful about giving them ideas. The way they are using religious terminology like "martyr", "desecrate" and "profane", they are sure to have an Inquisition. And I don't like Amanda's chances should she be accused to be a witch.
[1][WORD] Understand
[3][WORD] Truth
[2][WORD] None
[1][Dialogue] "I dare because it is humanity's gift. Like Prometheus before them; the dragons gave us fire. You state that we dare profane a gift. How dare you tell us what we should do with the last gift of those you murdered."
[3][Dialogue] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
[2][Dialogue] "Desecrator? I saw your ship! I saw what you did to my people! AND YOU CALL ME A DESECRATOR?"
[4][Dialogue] "What are you talking about with your heathen jibber jabber?"
We shouldn't give the Shiplords any information if we can help it. Certainly not when it doesn't gain us anything.
[1][WORD] None
I'm only including this because it is less bad for us than 'Truth'.
[2][WORD] Understand
[1][Dialogue] "What are you talking about with your heathen jibber jabber?"
[2][Dialogue] "You call me desecrator? After bringing that thing against us?"
[3][Dialogue] "I pity you... to see only such as small part and misunderstand so completely"
These two strike me as on the right track, but too wordy. We only have so much time, and we want him to be the one talking during it.
[4][Dialogue] "Desecrator? I saw your ship! I saw what you did to my people! AND YOU CALL ME A DESECRATOR?"
[5][Dialogue] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
The others either volunteer information, or come across as whining. Neither is acceptable.
[6][Dialogue] Don't say anything.
You know, with more people voting for this it's actually rather weird there aren't more also looking at my alternative:
[] "Big words, for one who made such a desperate charge and is losing so completely."
It's also provocative and dismissive, but has the advantage of being less... cloudcookolander in word choice. I think it might actually work better than most of us think it would. I mean, consider the second thing the Shiplord Commander said to us:
The thing is, this is actually a really suboptimal thing to say. Unlike the first time the Commander spoke, which we can safely say was a (successful!) attempt to distract Amanda, this is not a combat feint. In fact, when you think about it it's actually a warning to his enemy that he is going to escape! Why would he do something like that if he doesn't have emotions that are running high, emotions that we can exploit by taunting or belittling him?
It's certainly better than that god-awful "Let's monologue about the Dragons for the whole round!" choice. I still have no clue what the people voting for that are thinking there.
WORD:
[1] [word] Understand
[] [word] None
[2] [word] Truth
Dialogue:
[1] [Dialogue] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
[2] [Dialogue] "I dare because it is humanity's gift. Like Prometheus before them; the dragons gave us fire. You state that we dare profane a gift. How dare you tell us what we should do with the last gift of those you murdered."
[3] [Dialogue] "I pity you... to see only such as small part and misunderstand so completely"
[] [Dialogue] Don't say anything.
[] [Dialogue] "What are you talking about with your heathen jibber jabber?"
[5] [Dialogue] "Big words, for one who made such a desperate charge and is losing so completely."
[4] [Dialogue] "Desecrator? I saw your ship! I saw what you did to my people! AND YOU CALL ME A DESECRATOR?"
[6] [Dialogue] "You call me desecrator? After bringing that thing against us?"
It's certainly better than that god-awful "Let's monologue about the Dragons for the whole round!" choice. I still have no clue what the people voting for that are thinking there.
Amanda & Aegis & Vega == multitasking. At least, that's what I was thinking, and why I think that the questions can be asked even after speaking a Word.
[] "Big words, for one who made such a desperate charge and is losing so completely."
It's also provocative and dismissive, but has the advantage of being less... cloudcookolander in word choice. I think it might actually work better than most of us think it would.
Ehhhhh, not enough DEUS VULT. Adding.
Anyway, if the SLs don't know what 'heathen' or 'jibber jabber' mean, then I have so many word combinations to play with. Lemme pull out my Ye Olde English dictionary...
Amanda doesn't know Old English. Nor Middle English
Anyway, final tally:
Vote Tally : Original - Sci-Fi - The Practice War | Page 171 | Sufficient Velocity ##### NetTally 1.7.10.1
WORD:
[1] Understand
[2] None
[3] Truth
Dialogue:
[1] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
[2] "I dare because it is humanity's gift. Like Prometheus before them; the dragons gave us fire. You state that we dare profane a gift. How dare you tell us what we should do with the last gift of those you murdered."
[3] "I pity you... to see only such as small part and misunderstand so completely"
[4] Don't say anything.
[5] "What are you talking about with your heathen jibber jabber?"
[6] "Desecrator? I saw your ship! I saw what you did to my people! AND YOU CALL ME A DESECRATOR?"
[7] "Big words, for one who made such a desperate charge and is losing so completely."
[8] "You call me desecrator? After bringing that thing against us?"
Vote Tally : Original - Sci-Fi - The Practice War | Page 171 | Sufficient Velocity ##### NetTally 1.7.10.1
WORD:
[1] Understand
[2] None
[3] Truth
Dialogue:
[1] "I have done nothing but defend my people, but I don't know why we have to fight like this. Why the tribute slaughter? Why the fleet games?"
[2] "I dare because it is humanity's gift. Like Prometheus before them; the dragons gave us fire. You state that we dare profane a gift. How dare you tell us what we should do with the last gift of those you murdered."
[3] "I pity you... to see only such as small part and misunderstand so completely"
[4] Don't say anything.
[5] "What are you talking about with your heathen jibber jabber?"
[6] "Desecrator? I saw your ship! I saw what you did to my people! AND YOU CALL ME A DESECRATOR?"
[7] "Big words, for one who made such a desperate charge and is losing so completely."
[8] "You call me desecrator? After bringing that thing against us?"
Total No. of Voters: 21
You stared at the smooth mask that had delivered such hatred, even now searching for ways past the shell that held it so it could strike at you again, and part of you wanted nothing more than to scream at it. To hurl defiance into its blank helmet, in some vain attempt to free yourself of the horror you'd glimpsed. Maybe even to share that with it, so that it would know the pain it had inflicted simply through the presence of the Medicament.
You had earned these gifts given, and the cost for them had been beyond imagining. How dare it judge you for that. But then, a small part of your mind whispered, that was what the Shiplords seemed to do, now wasn't it. Judge, punish, yet you'd never heard of it being done in person. Project Insight had never found a single instance of Shiplords taking the field of personal combat, which must make this different.
Behind you, you heard the building hum of the bi-pod mounted particle cannon that had been the heaviest weapon in the bridge locker, targetting the closest Shiplord to the bridge crew. That made sense, neutralise the closest threats and work outwards. Given you were standing directly between them and the commander, Lina was doing what she knew she could with the time you'd given her. You were sure she wanted to tell you to get out of the way, but equally knew you'd decide that on your own terms. Her arguments would just slow that down, and this could be a priceless opportunity.
You nodded once, to yourself, and turned your attention inwards.
:Sidra?: You asked, reaching again for the burning torrent of power rushing from your Focus.
:You need to turn this one inwards.: Sidra, as usual, knew what you were planning as quickly as you did. Sharing a consciousness had that effect. :We've never done that before, Amanda.:
:We never wiped a ship out of existence until today either,: you replied, but you appreciated the caution. :Today seems to be a day of many firsts, no reason we can't add another to the list.:
:Then, as always, I shall help in all that I can.: Sidra's voice was resigned, but at the same time completely supportive. There was no fault in your idea, they simply worried about its execution. :Think on what you will say, and begin quickly. We have precious little time.:
In that they didn't refer to the energy shells, for neither of you could tell how long they would last. Their reference was more to your Heartcircle, blazing a path through the drones that must have come in with the assault team, who would be with you very soon. It was unlikely in the extreme that they would be willing to let you take this sort of chance. Kalilah certainly wouldn't, so you had to act swiftly.
Shiplords styled themselves as a toll, a price for reaching beyond the dictates of conventional science, that you knew. But…why? If you could understand that, then maybe tens of thousands on both sides wouldn't have to die. Perhaps that was blindly optimistic, even naive, but you had to try. You floated back a step, to give you a chance to react if the commander broke free, trying to ignore the sound of the particle cannon firing, and a suit of armour thumping to the deck moments later. They were the enemy, and you knew they had to die, but this way… You brushed the thought aside, and focused on your own adversary.
"I have done nothing but defend my people." You said, and a spark of the defiance you had wanted to unleash upon the creature kindled in your eyes. It was the truth, after all. "But why do we have to fight like this? Why the tribute slaughter?" Power, held this time by Sidra in preparation for you, flooded into your body. After seeing it done several times now, they were able to make it far less obvious, although you held little hope that the Speaking would be anything but. "Why these fleet games?"
You blinked, shaking your head in sadness for the thousands who had fallen today, but you pushed past it before it overwhelmed you. Out of that sadness rose a simple clarity, a desire to know what it had all been for. You wouldn't force the answer from the Shiplord, you weren't even sure if you could, and to do so would destroy you anyway. But you could give yourself a deeper insight into any reply, and you did so now.
"I want to," power spread across your body, seeping into every cell, waiting for a purpose. And now you gave it one.
To Speak the Word: 27 + 80 (Practice) + 30 (Web of Dream) + 20 (Concert Set) - 15 (Unknown and Unspoken) = 142 vs ??? Success
Understand
The word was only barely spoken, the hardest to have ever passed your lips in the speaking, but you felt the change immediately. Something in the way the way the world was laid out in front of you, and as you stared at the immobile Shiplord you found yourself picking out things that you'd never seen before. Tiny things really, but together they formed an outline, like the edge of a jigsaw puzzle. Was this how Insight Focused saw the world, you wondered.
Then the Shiplord's helmet tilted up, fighting against the energy shell, in a mimicry of your own gaze. It was doing…something…but you didn't have enough context. There just wasn't enough there to build more than that outline, the edge of a deep well of alien knowledge and self. It wasn't staring into the abyss, but it was like…like trying to understand a picture painted in five dimensions. You could see a bit more clearly how it felt, however, even if the translation of emotion was informed by human bias.
And as it looked across and up, you felt the burning rage at its core turn to something so opposed that you thought it impossible.
Pity.
Soft, golden light bloomed around its armour, something that you instinctively knew was not offensive. And when it spoke again, it was in the manner of one's last words.
"I am your prophet and portent of doom
I call fire from the stars
Cause old fears to resume
I am progress's enemy
Complacency's friend
I am that from which
You must always defend
I am a voice from the stars
Speaker lying unseen
I am the figure that haunts
At the edge of your dream
I am dark and I am danger
Trials without end
But when time comes to greet me
You will call me
friend."
The light grew as it recited, pulsing from every crevice of the commander's armour, and looking through the bridge's sensors you could see the other Shiplords reacting the same way. But your mind was far away, trying to parse everything you'd just been told through the truth pulsing at the core of the Shiplord's words. The light brightened, flashing white through the gold, and whatever was inside the armour seemed to just fall apart.
The energy shell in front of you flickered out, and plates of biomechanical armour crashed down onto the deck in a neat little pile. There was nothing left in there now, not anymore. Nothing living at all. But the synthesiser was not living, and it had ten words left yet to say.
"For all that I am,
I am not your enemy."
No. You leant forward, realising that there was an eleventh remaining, so quiet as to be almost silent. Sidra intensified your ties into the bridge recorders, focusing them onto the still falling helmet…that you weren't sure had really been a helmet. And that final word whispered.
"Believe."
And you knew then, somehow, that the battle was over.
All credit to the same friend for the poetry. It's not mine, it's hers, and I've been waiting almost three months to use it.
No vote here. There are going to be at least two more updates, possibly three, and there may be a vote in the next one. But with the question you asked, and how it was interpreted, the Second Battle of Sol is all but over. The next update will involve clearing the Calypso and breaking free from the Collector that swallowed you. The one after that will cover the more extensive consequences of the battle.
After that, I'll be opening the floor to votes on what Interludes you'd like to see. I'm going to give you two to play with, and the choice of what you'd like to see should be quite open. I don't intend to give spoilers here, but these interludes can be used to expand your player knowledge of the wider galaxy, or focus more on human society if you want. I'll work with you on your ideas, and give suggestions to tweak them if they're too directly aimed at uncovering things I'd like to keep hidden.
There's only one perspective that is denied out the gate, and that'd be that of any Uninvolved.
...what.
Awesome update, @Snowfire.
So, speculations? It seems like the Shiplords regard this as a service, but then what's with the rage? Related to the willing martyr thing, perhaps?
That was everything I could have hoped for. I... I just don't know what it was, yet.
Okay. The Shiplords believe themselves justified; this is not a massive surprise. That they think we'll eventually agree, though, is. And we're playing into their enemies hands; this, too, is not a surprise, and may be good or bad.
They thought we were willing pawns. Their rage shifted to pity once they realized we're not.
They may think they're doing the right thing, and maybe they are, but are they doing the best thing possible? Probably not. It's hard to imagine a universe in which these costs are genuinely necessary, without any possibility of moderation.
