"Complete destruction of the Tribute Fleet, or at least of its FTL capable vessels." You shrugged unhappily. "I like that option far less than the others, which is why I deliberately gave it more credence in my analysis. After eliminating likely sources of interference, and taking into account the logistics capabilities of the deployed fleet, loss of all FTL capable craft at a minimum was the only option I could recommend. I do not like that analysis, Captain, but it is solid."
"Unfortunately, Analyst Izhn, I find myself in agreement with you."
It's notable that this is quite literally the LAST thing that they wanted to happen, including something that they disproved on the grounds that the damage was TOO LIMITED:
Mind, this should all come with an important caveat: "the last thing thing they wanted to happen" is NOT the same as "the worst thing that could have happened".
They could just be bemoaning the shear amount of paperwork this could generate, as opposed to a more conventional, if existential crisis. We're still lacking some bits of context here. For example: which of our six new buddies had to be "chastised" for mucking about with the Tribute system? Or does that particular race not have a seat on that little council, by proxy or otherwise?
To clarify here. The Shiplords were able to work out the general direction, in interstellar terms, that the Insight probe came from. That is a large area of the galaxy, when all's said and done.
They know a race somewhere did something to cause it, but they don't know who it was. Finding out is a current priority, but Tribute Fleets aren't responsible for that.
They know a race somewhere did something to cause it, but they don't know who it was. Finding out is a current priority, but Tribute Fleets aren't responsible for that.
Given their comments about special circumstances generally being "messy", I'm worried to find out how they'd react to fully realizing that this bit of weirdness was accidentally caused by a race that was trying to figure out how to fight off its first ever Tribute Fleet, and that said race then managed to completely destroy a Tribute Fleet that that was reinforced by a Medicarment ship.
I'm worried that "caused multiple different kinds of 'special circumstances' in a single tribute cycle" is the kind of thing that sends off alarm bells of "this species isn't worth the effort".
Given their comments about special circumstances generally being "messy", I'm worried to find out how they'd react to fully realizing that this bit of weirdness was accidentally caused by a race that was trying to figure out how to fight off its first ever Tribute Fleet, and that said race then managed to completely destroy a Tribute Fleet that that was reinforced by a Medicarment ship.
I'm worried that "caused multiple different kinds of 'special circumstances' in a single tribute cycle" is the kind of thing that sends off alarm bells of "this species isn't worth the effort".
This is another of those 'you don't know' answers, I'm afraid. Not even Insight really understands how they were detected, let alone how they were perceived by the Shiplords (presumably) that caught them.
This is another of those 'you don't know' answers, I'm afraid. Not even Insight really understands how they were detected, let alone how they were perceived by the Shiplords (presumably) that caught them.
This is another of those 'you don't know' answers, I'm afraid. Not even Insight really understands how they were detected, let alone how they were perceived by the Shiplords (presumably) that caught them.
And the recognition of what Amanda was doing. That 'how can you live' sounded like (one interpretation) 'if you do this you should be dead', and that implies that 'this' is something known. Or mixed up with something looking/sounding/feeling similar.
@Snowfire Did the possibility of not attacking the shiplords, and the shiplords not attacking the remnants of earth exist at all? Because all the options seemed to line up with kill the xenos, or die in the glory of battle. If the road existed could you trace it out, please? Following the shiplords demands doesn't seem terrible for humanity, just different. If there would have been no mass genocides then I really can't see the problem with following the shiplords. The only obstacle I see is resentment for the genocide, but nothing more.
You gave the shiplords faces, but I feel you did a horrible job at delivering the "your enemy has a mushy motive, understand?". It has no consequence to the plot I can see, and is really not as big a deal as Amanda made it out to be. Humanity has pasted the shiplords as an enemy. However, we are an enemy to the shiplords because humanity is refusing to conform to their power. They have to stamp us out due to "flimsy reason" instead of sitting down with our human leaders, talking this issue out, and allowing us to grow in power, knowledge, and mistakes on our own. Heck they could have allies in many of the younger races if they went this route, or at least gave the younger races an actual choice in their personal development. Instead they have gone the creepy not-a-gardener route, growing civs towards some undefined goal with traits somehow approved by the controllers of the shiplord military.
If the shiplords found a highly advanced civilisation that they could absolutely not destroy even if they had millions of years to develop the tech to do so. Would the shiplords still attack the civ? If no, that shows they have intelligent minds capable of planning for the future. Meaning they could have talked with humanity instead of curb-stomping humanity. Or, it shows that every civ that reaches that level is immune due to "flimsy reason". If yes, that shows the shiplords are honour bound and the majority of their actions are not their fault when promises must be kept (especially mass genocide, spreading stupidity, being dicks when you have a weapon no one can beat, not knowing what porn is...).
I was about to write a longpostTM in response to this, but @universalperson nailed the thrust of any argument I'd be making. Simple answer? No. Not in a million years. Not when conceding to the demands of the Shiplords would cost billions of lives. Let me touch on something however.
The Shiplords, as should be evident from the interlude, have a motive that they feel justifies everything they do. If they actually enjoy doing so is very much up for debate. Said interlude is also written from a Shiplord perspective. Not a human one peeking in.
As the world begins the slow process of moving back towards normalcy, there are two decisions that rise to swiftly dominate all other matters. One you'd expected, maybe even dreaded, and another that far more pleasant. But then, anything was pleasant compared to what you'd discovered during the battle. A truth you'd wanted to run from, but that you just couldn't. To wait would only make things worse, and you would not lie about something like this.
"Have you all read the briefing packets?" You asked your cabinet as they sat, a few unsteadily. The revelation had shaken them deeply, and you could see the pain clear on Mary's face. Of all those present, she might be the most affected other than yourself. It had been her father, after all, who had led humanity to the First Secret.
A wash of soft affirmatives was your only answer, and you only barely heard the whispered yes from Mary.
:Sidra?: You asked, using the distraction of pulling together the hardcopy report in front of you as cover for your sudden resolution.
:I can give you two hours without unseating anything.: That was more than you'd hoped for, but you weren't going to complain.
: Do it.: You sent firmly. :Thank you.:
Sidra's reply was a gentle thing, more emotional caress than words, for they knew how important Mary was to you. Looking down at the packet in front of you banished those thoughts faster than you'd ever thought possible, however, and you took a steadying breath as you looked up again.
"I've not called you here for advice on this, I'm afraid. I will accept it, of course, but some of what I have decided I cannot compromise." There was an edge to your tone that only a handful had ever heard. You tapped the report in front of you with a single finger. "I will be addressing humanity on this matter tonight. I will not keep this from our people an hour longer than I must, and now that my own belief has been confirmed, I see no reason to delay."
There was less shock than you'd feared, and only the barest disagreement.
"Do you have your remarks planned?" Kazuki asked first, his expression drawn, and you nodded gratefully.
"I do, but I'd appreciate it if you could look them over for me." You left out the part where you didn't have them finished yet, and he managed a faint smile. For the last few years, the State Department had been operating in something of a holding pattern, and it was easy to understand his worry.
"This is very fast, Amanda," Marcus began, and you shook your head, stopping him there.
"I know why you want to keep this quiet, Marcus. You're worried about the reaction, I understand that. But," you shook your head again. "I can't keep this secret. I won't. Humanity needs to hear this."
"But aren't you worried about how they'll react?" He demanded, voice raw with emotion. "You told us what you felt when we thought we'd lost you. You stopped that, but this would be letting it loose all over again. We all know the consequences, but do you really think you can convince humanity of that? Especially now?"
You looked back at Marcus, meeting the wild emotion in his eyes with your own. He wasn't just asking for humanity, you realised; he was asking for himself. How to react to the horrific truth of how the Shiplords used the organic Tribute they collected. To find that seven billion lives had been nothing more than the raw materials of your oppression, and not react with purest rage. You saw Vega open her mouth, an answer rising quickly to her lips, and part of you wondered.
What was the answer?
This is confirmation that what you have suspected for a while now is indeed the case. The Shiplord do use the biomatter they take from their Tributaries, at least some of it, to build and repair their ships. Amanda has confirmation of this, and will be addressing humanity on the matter.
It falls to you now to decide how she will do so. This vote is an immediate response to Marcus, but it will inform Amanda's eventual statement to the world.
[] Appeal to the past, to the work of the Elder First before you, and all they gave to rebuild a humanity that was more than just a weapon.
[] You had spent decades of your life putting the world back together, and you trusted that work deeply. Marcus might not be of the Circles, but he was part of this one, and that bond was stronger than any rage.
[] Let Vega answer.
[] Write-in
I was going to make this longer and meld it with the other issue present, but I realised as I was getting into it that this decision was too important to just skate over and meld with another one. Amanda going ahead with talking to humanity was a given, there was no way she was going to do anything else. How she goes about that, beyond not wanting to let humanity turn itself into a crusade, is something that should be your choice.
Due to the extremely character focused nature of this section, it will be made up of smaller interludes to allow proper focus on the matters involved.
To clarify here. The Shiplords were able to work out the general direction, in interstellar terms, that the Insight probe came from. That is a large area of the galaxy, when all's said and done.
They know a race somewhere did something to cause it, but they don't know who it was. Finding out is a current priority, but Tribute Fleets aren't responsible for that.
Um, if the Tribute Fleets are not responsible for finding out what tripped their active anti-Insight defenses, then why was there a Medicament ship helping them? Was the Medicament ship supposed to be there as a routine 'first assessment' add-on? Or do the Shiplords just routinely, arbitrarily screw over Tribute races just because they happen to be in the same quadrant of the galaxy as an anomaly by adding on ships that a Tribute race shouldn't be capable of defeating?
Given their comments about special circumstances generally being "messy", I'm worried to find out how they'd react to fully realizing that this bit of weirdness was accidentally caused by a race that was trying to figure out how to fight off its first ever Tribute Fleet, and that said race then managed to completely destroy a Tribute Fleet that that was reinforced by a Medicarment ship.
I'm worried that "caused multiple different kinds of 'special circumstances' in a single tribute cycle" is the kind of thing that sends off alarm bells of "this species isn't worth the effort".
Eh. I'm beginning to think that there's just not much point in trying to analyze the thought patterns, or whatever they use, of the Shiplords. They dont seem to respond to stimuli in a rational, rule-based, or even predictably irrational manner, and make decisions that run at cross-purposes, or even directly counter to, their own goals.
I think at this point we'll be better off treating the Shiplords like any other chaotic system, such as the weather: use Insight to predict any storms on the horizon, and otherwise just build up our levees and prepare.
It should be fixed now! I am incredibly embarrassed. I got so caught up in showing the interactions that I forgot to put in what they were actually interacting about
[X] You had spent decades of your life putting the world back together, and you trusted that work deeply. Marcus might not be of the Circles, but he was part of this one, and that bond was stronger than any rage.
[X] You had spent decades of your life putting the world back together, and you trusted that work deeply. Marcus might not be of the Circles, but he was part of this one, and that bond was stronger than any rage.
Um, if the Tribute Fleets are not responsible for finding out what tripped their active anti-Insight defenses, then why was there a Medicament ship helping them? Was the Medicament ship supposed to be there as a routine 'first assessment' add-on? Or do the Shiplords just routinely, arbitrarily screw over Tribute races just because they happen to be in the same quadrant of the galaxy as an anomaly by adding on ships that a Tribute race shouldn't be capable of defeating?
Although exact coordinates would be impossible to find due to the nature of the emergency disconnect, it is possible that if the defences they encountered were Shiplord in nature it may lead to a stepped increase in deployment figures in the outer spiral.
So to answer your last question, yes, they do. Because the advancement of a Tributary is far less important to them than ensuring that the source of that intrusion is discovered.
So to answer your last question, yes, they do. Because the advancement of a Tributary is far less important to them than ensuring that the source of that intrusion is discovered.
Ah, so the Tribute Fleets are partly responsible for discovering the source of the intrusion, and the 'advancement of a Tributary race' is at best a secondary concern. If that's the case, why bother playing pretend softball at all, if the Medicament add was supposed to screw over humanity anyway? If the Tributes are all just some game the Shiplords play in between Serious Face time, why the pretend pussy-footing at all, in the face of something that's potentially Serious Business? Are the Shiplords built around a video game AI?
As for the vote:
[X] Let Vega answer.
Aside from Amanda, Vega's the closest we have to a pacifistic hippie on the Cabinet; she's sure to agree with us!
