I don't think so it just sounds like that system has a lot of floating little black boxes when they get there they can just read them.
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The Practice War [Complete]
- Thread starter Snowfire
- Start date
- Original Sci-Fi
They might have a range limit, too.
No. The Courier was the Distress Signal. Tombstone was a black box / emergency backup. Remember the Process of Failure Interlude? The VI turned on the Tombstone Protocol - that is, it started writing backups of its intel to the distributed stealthed platforms we just found. Now we get to copy this intel, and if we are lucky and work hard we might be able to destroy all the platforms and deny the Shiplords the intel in the first place.
Actually, @Snowfire. The main update said that Mary's peeps were so excited over what our Minestry of Security found that they didn't even want to work on reverse engineering the point defense off of the network hub, but the interlude suggests that nobody has been touching the new info in any case. So what was Mary's group so exited for, again?
Shiplord porn stash. Really kinky shit. Now we've got blackmail on them.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
From the quest post, it seems unlikely that we get all platforms. There wouldn't be an inventory of the platforms existing within a platform, and supposedly the tribute fleet sends a broadcast when arriving and the subnet doesn't respond, so the tribute fleet doesn't have to know the location of the platforms either.
- Location
- Somewhere other than where I am.
The Shiplords still need a way to find/contact the Tombstone pods. If we can figure out how that works, we can deal with them ourselves, and maybe even set up a surprise for them. Also, listening for their ping would give us early warning.
Malaquez
[MUFFLED EUROBEAT]
- Location
- Singapore
You're doing it wrong dude.Check it out and roll for SAN loss
Personal Actions
You may select One (1) Personal action this year.
[] Work with Mary: Get back into the saddle as a scientist and finally take the time to work through the theories that Mary has been trying to get you to give a proper read for the last few years.
[] Make Something: You're a Potential, capable of working items into artefacts so far removed from their original form and function that they might as well be considered magic. It will take time, but the results will be worth it. [Start Practicing an object, write-in a general idea of what you want to make.]
[] Work with a Minister: Your Ministers are all experts in their fields, excellent on the job teachers for matters that you have little experience with. [Write-in which Minister. Chance to raise stats and/or gain Traits.]
[] Powerful Words: Your words have a Practiced strength to them, but that's a cheap thing to say when you have no real understanding of what's involved. In some ways it's exhilarating, being able to draw so easily on the strength of your Focus. But you worry about what could happen if you put Practice behind a wrong word. You need to hone this gift, learn its limits and strengths.
[] Eldest Legacy: You were one of those offered teaching by the Elder First, and so the message that they left applies as fully to you as it does the handful of others who received similar offers. Go to the door they left behind, and see if you can unlock what lies behind it.
[X] A Hidden Stash: The information cache liberated from the recent mission was massive, massive enough that Mary has roped you in to help sort through it all. Who knows? You might find something...else.
What...what in the name of the Practice are you looking at?! Is..is this Shiplord porn???
It's...it's just ships docking. Ship after ship, docking after docking. You have no idea what all the words and graphics meant, but you imagine that those were the sound effects and dialogue between the ships as they...docked.
Your mind pretty much short circuited after the first hundred pictures.
'Research': 12 (I actually rolled this, sooo....)
It was just folder after folder after folder-
When you came back to the conscious world, you found yourself surrounded by various empty alcohol bottles. And a hangover to end all hangovers. Everything wasn't helped by the constant banging on the door.
"Amanda! Amanda, open up!"
Oh god. Mary's gonna kill you.
You want them to annihilate the planet to the atomic level?
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
Yup.
Probably not a full download, there's no reason the hub would have uploaded its full database. These are black box systems, not backups for everything in the database.
>:]
This is exactly right.
There isn't really a shiplord network left anymore that you have access to. The Tombstone platforms don't communicate with each other at all. Your Ministry of Security's best guess is that they're designed to lie dormant until they receive a signal from a Shiplord vessel. Then they dump their entire archive to the ship.
Also putting stealth material on missiles seems to defeat the point. The composite is good, but it's not an active system. But if you're interested in trusting that the Shiplord's don't have a way to deal with their own stealth composites, then it could be a serious boost to your passive stealth capabilities.
This Interlude was written from a Ministry of Security perspective, and their focus is rather different. Operation Gauntlet secured a figurative (and somewhat literal) motherlode of Shiplord technology. Compared to what could be in there, particularly the active systems, point defence is boring.
Oh no, she'd never harm such a dear friend.
Make you restore all the files you corrupted/deleted and then re-index them? That's more like it. Without using Practice. She'd know the difference
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After that memetic booby trap leaks on the net, they won't even need to.
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
No, no. That's on the other stuff that you captured. You know, the relay and surveillance stations, combat platforms, etc
Mini-turn: Requiem for a Dream - Part 1
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
You are Amanda Hawk, and it's hard to disguise your anxiousness as you watch Mary running through her final checks before letting you at the Elder's Door. Her face has acquired a few more lines since she took over the Science Ministry, but then so has your own. Running a government is hard work, but you know it's not just that.
She's explained as best she can what she thinks you're about to step into, but some of the science is just beyond you. You weren't sure if the fact that Mary herself wasn't completely sure about it all was something to feel good or worry about. Being told that you were probably about to step into something that humanity had only the barest theoretical knowledge of was an interesting experience. It hadn't changed your mind, though.
According to Mary, the Elder's Door was a Quantum Nexus. Exactly what that meant was another story. In simple terms, although she'd been able to advise you on several things, no one had the slightest idea of what might be on the other side of it. Deep scanning of the mountain made you reasonably certain that the door wasn't a portal, but that was no guarantee. Of course, if that was the case the Elder First had built somewhere else for it to take you to. Somewhere you'd never found.
That was another of those things you weren't sure if you should be happy or worry about.
You dropped your arms as Mary stepped away from the console, a sure sign that the scan was complete, and cocked your head.
"Everything alright?" You asked, then restrained a wince. Stupid question. You were about to step into a door that defied all current human science.
"About what we expected." Mary said, stepping up to you. She seemed irritated, but not with you. "There's a sympathetic link forming between you and the Elder Door. We saw it happen with Lya, the Elder First taught Potential we were able to convince to come out here last year. I've been able to refine the scanners from that, but there's not much we can do with it without the tools we're currently trying to build." You nodded.
"I understand, Mary." You did, too. Your friend was so used to being able to tell you what you needed to know, and now she couldn't. You reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "What can you tell me? Anything could help."
"In simple terms?" Mary managed the ghost of a chuckle as you nodded emphatically. "The Nexus has been…keyed to recognise certain Potentials. It has a regular oscillation on certain frequencies, but that changes when someone like you or Lya gets close. You know I've been trying to build something to make sense of those emissions, but we've not been able to finish it yet." She frowned, then shook her head. "Anyway, our theory is that the Elder Door is shifting itself into phase with you, and that should let you pass through it. I…can't really give anything more than that."
"You've given plenty, Mary." You said, pulling the woman who had been your best friend for almost forty years into a quick hug. "Thank you."
"I just wish I could do more." She said softly as you pulled back, and you shook your head at her.
"I know, Mary. But you've given me far more than I'd have had without you." Mary sighed, then nodded.
"I guess." She steered you over to the table at the side of the room, and you gasped as you recognised some of the items on it.
"You…where did you get these?" You asked, staring at the small collection of Practiced items from your past. "I thought I lost half of them."
"It took a little effort to track them down, but it was important." You looked a question at your friend. "If you're going to take anything apart from your clothes with you into the nexus, it needs to be attuned to you. You haven't put a considerable amount of Practice into anything since you became President," from another that would feel like an attack, but not from Mary. "So I asked the Circles to help me find some of the old items you made in your past."
"I see." You said slowly, shaking your head a little as you looked down at the collection of what were almost old friends. "How many, Mary? It can't be as simple as finding them, it never is." She chuckled.
"One. There's some sort of phase limit involved in the transition from everything we can tell. Try to put too much through and it'll either bounce or only let some of it through. Needless to say we don't want to find out which actually happens." You blinked, then nodded very quickly.
"That makes a lot of sense." You looked down at the items again, running your hand across them and remembering what you'd made them for. "You really think I'll need one of these?"
"I can't imagine the Elder First designing this so you could take something unless they wanted you to do so." She replied.
"Point." You looked back to the items on the table. This was going to be a hard choice.
This is a Ranked vote. Please number by preference.
[] Concert Set – This detached headset was something you made in the Institute, one of your first Practiced creations. You wanted a way to be heard more clearly, and to put your words into people's hearts. You thought you'd lost it during your time founding the rest of the Circles, but it had been invaluable pursuing that task.
[] Multi-tool – A leftover from your time rebuilding the broken cities of Earth, this is probably one of the most Practiced items you ever created. A decade spent using it to channel your Focus into physical change has turned the basic device into a sleek thing of almost dizzying utility. Unfortunately, you've since forgotten half of its functions.
[] Void Crystal – Even now neither you nor Mary are sure how you created this, or what it's meant to do. A seemingly featureless black-body crystal, its remained completely impervious to analysis, classification, or physical damage. Mary's kept it ever since you created it with her after your first decade as a Restorer.
[] Nothing – Maybe Mary is right, but your skill with Practice has grown in ways that you're not sure even the Elder First believed possible. These items would only distract from your newly born gift, and after your work bringing the world together as One you are not entirely inexperienced.
She's explained as best she can what she thinks you're about to step into, but some of the science is just beyond you. You weren't sure if the fact that Mary herself wasn't completely sure about it all was something to feel good or worry about. Being told that you were probably about to step into something that humanity had only the barest theoretical knowledge of was an interesting experience. It hadn't changed your mind, though.
According to Mary, the Elder's Door was a Quantum Nexus. Exactly what that meant was another story. In simple terms, although she'd been able to advise you on several things, no one had the slightest idea of what might be on the other side of it. Deep scanning of the mountain made you reasonably certain that the door wasn't a portal, but that was no guarantee. Of course, if that was the case the Elder First had built somewhere else for it to take you to. Somewhere you'd never found.
That was another of those things you weren't sure if you should be happy or worry about.
You dropped your arms as Mary stepped away from the console, a sure sign that the scan was complete, and cocked your head.
"Everything alright?" You asked, then restrained a wince. Stupid question. You were about to step into a door that defied all current human science.
"About what we expected." Mary said, stepping up to you. She seemed irritated, but not with you. "There's a sympathetic link forming between you and the Elder Door. We saw it happen with Lya, the Elder First taught Potential we were able to convince to come out here last year. I've been able to refine the scanners from that, but there's not much we can do with it without the tools we're currently trying to build." You nodded.
"I understand, Mary." You did, too. Your friend was so used to being able to tell you what you needed to know, and now she couldn't. You reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "What can you tell me? Anything could help."
"In simple terms?" Mary managed the ghost of a chuckle as you nodded emphatically. "The Nexus has been…keyed to recognise certain Potentials. It has a regular oscillation on certain frequencies, but that changes when someone like you or Lya gets close. You know I've been trying to build something to make sense of those emissions, but we've not been able to finish it yet." She frowned, then shook her head. "Anyway, our theory is that the Elder Door is shifting itself into phase with you, and that should let you pass through it. I…can't really give anything more than that."
"You've given plenty, Mary." You said, pulling the woman who had been your best friend for almost forty years into a quick hug. "Thank you."
"I just wish I could do more." She said softly as you pulled back, and you shook your head at her.
"I know, Mary. But you've given me far more than I'd have had without you." Mary sighed, then nodded.
"I guess." She steered you over to the table at the side of the room, and you gasped as you recognised some of the items on it.
"You…where did you get these?" You asked, staring at the small collection of Practiced items from your past. "I thought I lost half of them."
"It took a little effort to track them down, but it was important." You looked a question at your friend. "If you're going to take anything apart from your clothes with you into the nexus, it needs to be attuned to you. You haven't put a considerable amount of Practice into anything since you became President," from another that would feel like an attack, but not from Mary. "So I asked the Circles to help me find some of the old items you made in your past."
"I see." You said slowly, shaking your head a little as you looked down at the collection of what were almost old friends. "How many, Mary? It can't be as simple as finding them, it never is." She chuckled.
"One. There's some sort of phase limit involved in the transition from everything we can tell. Try to put too much through and it'll either bounce or only let some of it through. Needless to say we don't want to find out which actually happens." You blinked, then nodded very quickly.
"That makes a lot of sense." You looked down at the items again, running your hand across them and remembering what you'd made them for. "You really think I'll need one of these?"
"I can't imagine the Elder First designing this so you could take something unless they wanted you to do so." She replied.
"Point." You looked back to the items on the table. This was going to be a hard choice.
This is a Ranked vote. Please number by preference.
[] Concert Set – This detached headset was something you made in the Institute, one of your first Practiced creations. You wanted a way to be heard more clearly, and to put your words into people's hearts. You thought you'd lost it during your time founding the rest of the Circles, but it had been invaluable pursuing that task.
[] Multi-tool – A leftover from your time rebuilding the broken cities of Earth, this is probably one of the most Practiced items you ever created. A decade spent using it to channel your Focus into physical change has turned the basic device into a sleek thing of almost dizzying utility. Unfortunately, you've since forgotten half of its functions.
[] Void Crystal – Even now neither you nor Mary are sure how you created this, or what it's meant to do. A seemingly featureless black-body crystal, its remained completely impervious to analysis, classification, or physical damage. Mary's kept it ever since you created it with her after your first decade as a Restorer.
[] Nothing – Maybe Mary is right, but your skill with Practice has grown in ways that you're not sure even the Elder First believed possible. These items would only distract from your newly born gift, and after your work bringing the world together as One you are not entirely inexperienced.
Normally I'd put in some mechanical explanation for what each choice might do, but I'm really worried about spoilers for this section. This mini-turn could have massive implications, but it's also working with things that no one alive really understands, so this really is as blind a choice as it seems. I can promise that your choice, whatever it is, will have considerable impact on how the mini-turn evolves from here, however.
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Malaquez
[MUFFLED EUROBEAT]
- Location
- Singapore
[X] Concert Set – This detached headset was something you made in the Institute, one of your first Practiced creations. You wanted a way to be heard more clearly, and to put your words into people's hearts. You thought you'd lost it during your time founding the rest of the Circles, but it had been invaluable pursuing that task.
Universe spanning communication is go.
Universe spanning communication is go.
- Location
- va
[X] Multi-tool
[X] Concert Set – This detached headset was something you made in the Institute, one of your first Practiced creations. You wanted a way to be heard more clearly, and to put your words into people's hearts. You thought you'd lost it during your time founding the rest of the Circles, but it had been invaluable pursuing that task.
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
Mystery Box option is tempting. As is the 'none' option. Currently leaning to below, but not voting yet.
[] Multi-tool – A leftover from your time rebuilding the broken cities of Earth, this is probably one of the most Practiced items you ever created. A decade spent using it to channel your Focus into physical change has turned the basic device into a sleek thing of almost dizzying utility. Unfortunately, you've since forgotten half of its functions.
[] Multi-tool – A leftover from your time rebuilding the broken cities of Earth, this is probably one of the most Practiced items you ever created. A decade spent using it to channel your Focus into physical change has turned the basic device into a sleek thing of almost dizzying utility. Unfortunately, you've since forgotten half of its functions.
- Location
- Somewhere other than where I am.
The Multi-tool and Void Crystal are both tempting. Maybe this should be a priority vote rather than a 'pick one'?
[X] Nothing – Maybe Mary is right, but your skill with Practice has grown in ways that you're not sure even the Elder First believed possible. These items would only distract from your newly born gift, and after your work bringing the world together as One you are not entirely inexperienced.
[X] Nothing – Maybe Mary is right, but your skill with Practice has grown in ways that you're not sure even the Elder First believed possible. These items would only distract from your newly born gift, and after your work bringing the world together as One you are not entirely inexperienced.
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
I...don't actually know how to make NetTally do those
If someone can tell me, I'll probably change it to one of those, though. A priority vote does make more sense, and allows a bit more granularity in Amanda's decision making.
Oh, one other thing that's probably important. As I currently have it set up, this Mini-turn is going to pretty much require some write-ins. Are people up for this, or should I change that?
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- Location
- Somewhere other than where I am.
If I'm reading the wiki right, all we need to do is post numbered votes, and the program will tally it automatically. Like so:I...don't actually know how to make NetTally do those
If someone can tell me, I'll probably change it to one of those, though. A priority vote does make more sense, and allows a bit more granularity in Amanda's decision making.
Oh, one other thing that's probably important. As I currently have it set up, this Mini-turn is going to pretty much require some write-ins. Are people up for this, or should I change that?
[1] Nothing
[2] Void Crystal
[3] Multi-tool
[4] Concert Set
Edit: Fixed name of 2nd option and 4th option.
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Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
<3 for checking that for me.
We'll do that then, changing the main post.
CAN ALL VOTES ABOVE THIS POST BE CHANGED OR MADE INVALID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEW VOTING METHOD FOR THIS DECISION
Thank you ^_^;
- Location
- Somewhere other than where I am.
Just to be sure, there is an option called "Allow ranked votes" that is enabled by default. It must be on.