FINALLY

its like every quest im following keeps getting delayed
its a nightmare

>>41400116
Dude I know that pain like the back of my hand.

Gotta get to dat trading hub, gotta get dose bodies, dem biomasses

>>41400179
I can't wait until we get nav data to the nearest naturally habitable planet.

>Sadly I have to cancel
I waited all week for this and even woke up by 9am (live in Asia), so reading that ruse cruise almost put me on the rage train!

Spore Quest is best quest.

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Control: 130
Control range: Planetary

Titanium Mining (Joker): 180t/day | 2520-1260 every two weeks | Material Capacity: 3780

--Biological Assets:
Golden Galleon: 11 humans, 1 warrior-type, 2 carrier-type, 1 proto-brain, 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 turtle.

Joker: 34 humans, 2 warrior-type, 1 turtle, 1 goldfish, 1 Stage 1 Mind.

--
Two of your human hosts and your warrior-type form stand in the engineering room above the decimated remains of the dead android.

Roughly seven days have passed since the Golden Galleon first reached Joker. In just short of a week's time the Platinum Falcon will pass by the Charlie station. No distress signal has been sent out to warn the FMC of the incidents that have occurred here.

Dealing with the platform is of the most immediate concern, as is deciding how to deal with the Golden Galleon, which is currently behind its time table by three days!

There's also the matter of this "Xanadu" business.

Two particular options stand out to the spore: Fudge records to make it look like the Golden Galleon refueled, and then proceed with the story that there was an engine failure during the trip, and the Golden Galleon never knew about the loss of Charlie's crew. Alternatively: Call for an FMC patrol, and have them come and investigate the incident (and possibly try to take them too).

How will the spore proceed for now? Pick any of the following options:
>Erase the Golden Galleon's second refueling record from the system to allow it to feign an engine failure mid-journey (1d100)
>Call in the incident with the subspace communicator and request an FMC patrol vessel come and investigate
>Attempt to get further information from the android and the transmission (1d100)
>Collect and dispose of the bodies, including the one in space
>Other? (Write-in option! Lots of things to do with Charlie)

>>41400360
>Control range: Planetary
soon

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>Attempt to get further information from the android and the transmission (1d100)
>Collect and dispose of the bodies, including the one in space

Let's puzzle this out.

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>41400360
>Attempt to get further information from the android and the transmission (1d100)

Rolled 55, 44 = 99 (2d100)

>>41400360
>>Erase the Golden Galleon's second refueling record from the system to allow it to feign an engine failure mid-journey (1d100)
>Attempt to get further information from the android and the transmission (1d100)

>>41400360
>Erase the Golden Galleon's second refueling record from the system to allow it to feign an engine failure mid-journey (1d100)
>>Call in the incident with the subspace communicator and request an FMC patrol vessel come and investigate

Gotta keep up that "WE ARE NORMAL HUMAN BEINGS!" Facade. Also, it could get us an FMC ship before we arrive at the larger station.

Rolled 7 (1d100)

>Attempt to get further information from the android and the transmission (1d100)

Rolled 78, 53 = 131 (2d100)

>>41400425
Seconding

When we get a planet to spare, we should have the population carry on, save for a single individual we don't infect by choice. To see how long it takes him or her to realize everything's fucked.

We need to put crew on the refueling station. Can they mimic the dead mens' voices?

>>41400468
Supporting this, because spores need reality television too.

>>41400468
He can be infected, just don't have his personality dormant. Release him from control basically.

>>41400468
no

>>41400527
NoFunAllowed.png

>>41400425
>>41400457
(Ouch.)
>Erasing records
The spore sets his sights on the refueling logs of the platform, and erases any evidence that the Golden Galleon made its second trip. This allows the Golden Galleon to successfully feign a malfunction on the second leg of the trip to Jacksona. With the maintenance reports on the ship already being abysmal because of constant failures, the breakdown will come as a surprise to nobody.

>Attempt to get further information
The spore's hosts try to sift through the data on the android's mind, but your warrior form did a lot of damage when it punched it square off its body and across the engineering room.

Likewise, attempts to recover the communication that caused this event result in nothing. It seems the communication self-erased, and the spore is unable to recover any of the erased data.

Perhaps the information that the spore knows of now can be researched at Jacksona?

>>41400483
>can we mimic the crew
Mimicking their voices would be doable, but FMC occasionally performs inspections, and even repositions personnel. A ruse like that wouldn't last very long at all.

With the ruse in place, how will the Golden Galleon proceed? If it leaves as it is, the Platinum Falcon will be forced to call in the situation once it arrives and finds everyone dead, and the station abandoned.
>Leave Charlie and head to Jacksona?
>Stay and do something else? (Write-in)

-- (Joker)
Progress has been made on the enlargement of the cavern, which is now a quarter completed. The mining equipment left by the Golden Galleon has been assembled and the increased rate has been added.

(I've also added a maximum capacity for the resources. You could, in theory, litter the surface of the planet with mined materials, but this would be rather suspicious)

Do anything with Joker?
>Write-in

>>41400724
>Head to Jacksona
>Make a giant titanium dick on the surface of joker.

>>41400724
>Leave Charlie and head to Jacksona?
We got a schedule to keep. Fill the air with spores just in case.

Make a moderately sized titanium dick on Joker. Don't want to be too suspicious.

>>41400724
>Leave Charlie and head to Jacksona?

Continue normal operations on Joker.

>>41400724
Head to jacksona, but take android with us to attempt to learn a bit about robots by dismantling it carefully.

Joker should use some spare titanium to Reinforce the warriors, and possibly create armor for the stage one mind.

>>41400824
Ill support this.

>>41400824
Smart, and kinda safe, i like it.
Seconding.

I missed the last thread. What do out warriors look like?

>>41400724
Head to jacksona, but don't fill the air with spores. When we dock it could trigger bio hazard scanners. Instead just fill one room with spores, hydroponics. Also see if the chef can whip up some lovely infected treats for any inspection or maintainance crews to come aboard.

>>41400912
I meant fill the fueling station air with spores for the Platinum falcon. Maybe we can infect them too.

>>41400954
Still a bit risky. If we fail the contaminated spores would lead back to our planet, and spores left on the station would be out of our control. We can try to infect the falcon at Jacksonia. We will be docked there at the same time.

>>41400061
Nigga post a link on twitter, i was wondering why you didn't post one and had to search for it.

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>>41401032
(Got it. Thanks for the reminder. Nobody has missed anything really important yet!)

>>41400824
>spare titanium to reinforce the warriors
A small amount of your extra titanium is put to work giving the warriors reinforced shells and titanium claws.

Your titanium warriors are now resistant to station rounds and can slice up most materials, excluding anything harder than titanium.

You try to put some titanium on your Stage-1 Mind on Joker. It takes and makes it a little more resistant, but you suspect that you would have to do this every time you expand that mind.

>make a titanium dick
In extrapolating expectations, the spore has a host craft a small statuette of a human male's reproductive parts. Roll 1d100 to determine the quality.

>Head to Jacksona; take the android
You load the android on to the Golden Galleon and set a course for Jacksona.

While en route to the system the spore also takes some time to study it, and it learns a bit about robotics! (Learned: Basic Robotics)

Do anything else before arriving at Jacksona?
>Roll 1d100 and arrive at the Jacksona system
>Write-in

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>41401070
Make sure the android is hidden away. perhaps in hydroponics.

>>41401011
Well if the falcon reaches Charlie before us there will be a lot of questions..

Rolled 73 (1d100)

>>41401070
Aside from hoverracing just arrive

Rolled 86, 9 = 95 (2d100)

>>41401070
Arrive
First roll is dick, second is the other
Also yeah hide the android parts

Rolled 3, 14 = 17 (2d100)

>>41401070
3rd round of 100s

>>41401070
Do the infected bodies we have still in the gas station?
if so i vote that we take them to the mind on the ship.

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>41401070
>>Roll 1d100 and arrive at the Jacksona system
IT IS TIME

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>>41401206
>bodies
>include them into the mind
The bodies are too destroyed for you to do anything with. Their heads have been melted and burned by an industrial welder, and their bodies have been gored and shot. The android was a bit of a...

>dick
>86
The host produces a high-quality statuette. Not the greatest level of quality possible for a statuette such as this, but you know that if you could get this statuette off Joker and into the hands of a merchant, you could probably sell it as a work of art and make a bit of spending money.

The host puts it on display in the bridge.

-- (Jacksona I)
(I misspoke in the second post about the seven days. The trip to Charlie took three days, followed by three days back, with an additional day for mining, followed by three days to Charlie, and then three days to Jacksona. All in all, 13 days have passed in this quest! It's already been nearly two weeks!)

An additional three days of time pass before the Golden Galleon arrives at Jacksona. A whole two weeks of existence!

The Golden Galleon exits subspace within view of Jacksona I and lunar trading station. The station is a sprawling complex of industry, communications, and ship docking ports. It also sports a small repair yard for maintaining vessels like the Golden Galleon.

Several other freighters like the Golden Galleon are moving two and from the station, and a couple of FMC patrol corvettes are patrolling the area. On the moon below, there is a small military base with docking ports for up to ten destroyers, as well as a bay for the corvettes. Strangely enough, all but two of the destroyer ports are vacant.

Jacksona's lunar station hails the Golden Galleon.

"Golden Galleon, this is the Fringe Mining Corporation's Silver Rush Spaceport. You're several days behind schedule. Please enter the docking pattern immediately. Director Pearson will meet you upon arrival."

Your captain host acknowledges the request and enters the docking pattern.

>>41401575
Oh boy a "Director". Any Frenchmen on this ship to give him a greeting?

>>41401575
Is the statue hollow? I kinda want to rig it to jizz spores.

>>41401633
Seconding.

>>41401633
Nah man, we didn't roll a 100.

>>41401575
>recorrection on the time table
(As is true with every quest, I'm wrong about something! It has actually only been, let's say 8 days total. So it's day 8, and in 6 days the Platinum Falcon will leave for its scheduled run to Joker)

>>41401633
>rig a spore disseminating mechanism into the statuette
(fuck it. Roll 1d100)

After waiting in queue and docking, the Golden Galleon finally enters into one of the freighter docking ports of the station. Various docking tubes are extended to the ship and its cargo bay, and the captain and his bridge crew disembark to meet Director Pearson.

As they do so, the cargo bay begins its offloading of the titanium from Joker.

"Captain Buchanon, you're late," says the voice of Director Pearson the very moment your captain host steps out of the docking tube. He is an average looking human, as old as the captain. The captain has had few dealings with the man, and only knows him as FMC's director for this region.

"And a 'hello' to you as well, Director. The Golden Galleon suffered some engine failures and our journey from Charlie was delayed. You know how these freighters can be. Hell, we almost didn't even make it to Joker!"

"I don't know, but no matter. It's an annoyance, but since we have yet to procure a second route for your ship it won't really alter the time table. Still, I'm scheduling your ship's engine for an overhaul. Take the Golden Galleon to the shipyard as soon as the unloading of the shipment is completed. It should only take about five days to complete."

Pearson hands the captain a large quantity of paperwork for him and the chief engineer to begin signing.

"After repairs are completed, your ship will perform supply runs throughout Jacksona until its next scheduled journey to Joker. Should be roughly 20 days from now."

Any questions?
>Ask about the lack of a second assignment
>Ask about the military vessels
>Ask about "Xanadu" (suspicious)
>Write-in

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>41401925
>Ask about the lack of a second assignment
>Ask about the military vessels

>>41401925
>>Ask about the lack of a second assignment

>>41401925
>Ask about the military vessels
>Write-in
Are there any rec rooms or rest areas? Send some crew to start leaving spores in drinks or food in fridges.
Maybe see if we can't find a potted plant or something to infect.

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>41401978
Seconding

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>41401925
Ask about lack of second assignment

Roll for dick

>>41401925
>>Ask about the lack of a second assignment

>>41401925
>Ask about the lack of a second assignment
>Ask about the military vessels

>>41402027
Well, I don't think we're getting ultra ropes, but this is acceptable.

>>41402027
Your host applies the concept of nebulizers to the statuette. With a reservoir of spore-infested water, it can now release a mist of spores on a timer or manually.

The spore fails to see the effectiveness of such a device, but who knows?

>Ask about the lack of a second assignment
Pearson adjusts his glasses and sighs.

"Since the loss of Delta the pirates have become a bit of an issue. Frankly, we're surprised they haven't shifted over toward the Charlie route, but we suspect that it's not of enough value for them to consider. Presently, routes Echo through Gamma are lost in addition to the destruction of the Delta refinery. That's all I'm authorized to say at this time."

"What about the Jacksona's destroyer contingent? I saw that all but two of them are gone."

"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information. Suffice to say, and including what I just told you about the rampant piracy, there are matters elsewhere that need tending to."

Pearson and the captain part ways. As instructed, the ship is unloaded and then redocked with the station at its shipyard.

A repair crew from the station is escorted into the engineering bay and they begin ripping apart the ship's engines from inside and out. The hydroponics bay is, of course, locked down tight.

>>41402379

Offer some "refreshments" to the engineering crew for the hard task of ripping the ship apart.

-- (Silver Rush Information)
The Silver Rush is a large lunar station built mostly above ground, with support for two dozen commercial vessels. It has a great many tourist attractions and accommodations, as well as a trading hub. It is owned and operated by the FMC. From this location, the FMC maintains a number of outposts in the fringe. The station has a fluctuating population that usually hovers around four thousand, and includes a large security force.

Collectively the crew of the Golden Galleon and Joker have roughly 135,000 credits at their disposal, most of which comes from the bridge crew and the command staff. This isn't a large sum by any means, but it could certainly buy some things.

Just as well, with the knowledge of the command staff of Joker the spore could forge requisition orders to try and get some equipment for Joker, such as a geothermal generator.

What sort of economic pursuits would you like to engage in? (Choose any or all)
>Attempt to forge a requisition for a geothermal generator (1d100)
>Attempt to forge a requisition for something else? (1d100)
>Head down to the trading hub and look around for something to buy
>Head down to the trading hub and find something specific (write-in)
>Head down to the trading hub and ask around about "Xanadu"
>Head down to the trading hub and ask about the outpost on the Delta route
>Head down to the trading hub and ask about other things (write-in)

>>41402419
Seconding this.

>>41402379
Oh yeah, by the way, you're a badass OP.

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>41402449
>Attempt to forge a requisition for a geothermal generator (1d100)

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>41402449
>Attempt to forge a requisition for a geothermal generator (1d100)
>Head down to the trading hub and look around for something to buy
>Head down to the trading hub and ask about the outpost on the Delta route

>>41402449
>>Attempt to forge a requisition for a geothermal generator (1d100)
>Head down to the trading hub and ask about the outpost on the Delta route

Rolled 16, 72 = 88 (2d100)

>>41402449
>>Attempt to forge a requisition for a geothermal generator (1d100)
>>Attempt to forge a requisition for something else? (1d100)
schematics of ships and stations.

>>41402449
>Head down to the trading hub and find something specific (write-in)
Sell the cat and have it shed, spreading spores through its fur or something.

>>41402419
This
>>41402449
>Attempt to forge a requisition for a geothermal generator (1d100)
>head down to the trading hub and spread some spores around on produce and such.

>>41402379
Yes... good, this is good.

That means they'll be highly tied up on other fronts which should give us lots of breathing room.

>>41402449

Do not forge a requisition for a geothermal generator. Right now we do not want anyone asking pointed questions about Joker.

I vote to head down to the trading hub and to look for something to buy. Of particular interest I would see if we can figure out where some of the food supplies are coming from. Or maybe we can get something like mace and rig it to spray spores instead.

>>41402571
who says its for joker?
Hell i'm not sure this ship will come back after this run.

>>41402449
Why ask questions when we can simply ABSORB THEM INTO THE EVER EXPANDING HIVE MIND.

>>41402449
>>Head down to the trading hub and ask about the outpost on the Delta route

So nobody is authorized to know about what happened to Echo, Foxtrot, and Gamma?

>>41402599
>who says its for joker?
You're using the credentials of the Joker command staff to request it retard.

Rolled 21 (1d100)

>>41402546
Seconding on schematics.

>>41402546
>>41402449
Almost forgot try and get fertilizer for the plants.

>>41402611

Because right now the size of our "ever-expanding" hive mind is limited to 140 and there are over 4000 people on the station, to start with. Until we can increase our control size, I vote we keep all new infected individuals dormant unless we have a compelling reason to do otherwise. Dormant spores don't count against our control limit, right (since the dormant spores on the gas refinery didn't count against the limit).

>>41402546
>>41402640
>requisition
>schematics

What.

Why the hell would Joker have a legitimate need for ship construction methods.

This is going through official channels guys. You're making a request from the infected Joker command staff for something that they need to improve efficiency.

Also, geothermal generator request will cause an inquiry, you found a geothermal power source? So it's slightly questionable if you don't want attention on the future Brain Cave.

>>41402659

That is a fucking brilliant idea. This, this, this!

>>41402680
Yep, getting a geothermal generator is riskier than we want to try at this point. Don't go for it.

>>41402666
But every human infected is a net win for control. They provide brain power to the spore.

Control doesn't just come from the big brains, human hosts are a net gain for Control too, it's why infecting more and more of the Galleon crew allowed you to infect more people at once.

When you controllled two humans, you barely managed to infect one new person. When you controlled 9, you managed to nab seven at once.

>>41402680
Thank Xanadu there's at least ONE part of the hive mind with common sense.

Gotta keep it on the down low unless we want to get flamed.

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>41402449
>>41402449
>>Head down to the trading hub and look around for something to buy
>>Head down to the trading hub and ask about the outpost on the Delta route

Negatory on requisitioning anything yet.

We want to find, instead, geothermal power plants in human space all on our own to copy. As well as the place they produce fertilizer.

>>41402666
>>41402744
This.

Also we can gradually build proto-minds on the very station we're consuming in isolated areas.

Become the station of horrors.

>>41402463
>you're a badass OP
(Sometimes you just have to say "fuck it" and go with the flow)

>>41402419
>try to infect the repair crew
The spore thinks it could make an attempt to infect the repair crew by distracting them with refreshments. It may not be easy, but it's doable.

>Roll 1d100 to attempt infection

>forge a requisition for the Geothermal Generator
Your captain comes up with a very convincing requisition for a geothermal generator for the Joker outpost. In it, the "commander" talks about how they found a proper geothermal source and how the generator would reduce the need for fuel for the reactors and allow the outpost to be slightly more self sufficient. The spore makes a note of mentioning how it will save the FMC money.

The requisition is filed without issue, and the requisition officer seems favorable to the request. Geothermal generators aren't that expensive.

>ask about the Delta route outpost
The captain hits up the trading hub for information. Most of what is said about the secret Delta outpost is that it's some sort of research lab. Some people say it's a military outpost where the FMC is producing ships. Some theories are simply outlandish. The idea of it being a research lab fits the rumors you had learned from your hosts.

>requisition schematics
Totally impossible. However...
>attempt to trade for schematics
The captain tours around the trading hub and finds an information broker. He has some tech schematics for sale. If you press him hard enough, he might even have some weapons schematics. Most of it is very expensive, and you likely can only buy one or two items.

Many of the things he has for sale the spore already has knowledge of, but there are some items among his stock that stand out.
>Try to convince him to let you see his black market items (1d100)
>Purchase a geothermal generator schematic (20,000)
>Purchase an improved ship's engine schematic (200,000; 1d100 to haggle)
>Purchase something else? (Write-in; 1d100 to haggle)

Rolled 85, 79 = 164 (2d100)

>>41402855
>Try to convince him to let you see his black market items (1d100)

Also infect roll

Rolled 28, 96 = 124 (2d100)

>>41402855
>Try to convince him to let you see his black market items (1d100)
>Purchase a geothermal generator schematic (20,000)

>>41402871
Seconding.

>>41402877
Why, we're probably getting a generator in the near future?

Rolled 81, 99 = 180 (2d100)

>>41402855

First roll is for the infection attempt, second role is for purchasing something else. I vote we purchase information from an information broker. Ask him where the good food (for the elites and officers) comes in. Make it seem like we're trying to sneak in some quality food for ourselves for the next voyage. Then, once we know where the food is kept, make an attempt to spore it!

>>41402898
Hot damn this is good.

Rolled 8, 72 = 80 (2d100)

>>41402855
>Infect
>black market items

>>41402892
So we don't have to tear it apart to learn how it works. For future generators, for maybe figuring out how to create one with pure biomass.

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>41402855
can we roll to infect the black market guy?

>>41402892
i think its because you would have to dismantle the geothermal generator to learn how to make more and that would require a roll.
better to just buy shady blueprints that risk getting FMC attention.

>>41402892
Thirding this, we don't need to waste money on a generator schematic when we already have a generator. Much more important is establishing control over the station. Maybe we can get this broker to give us some actual information on where the military ships went and what happened to gas refinery's. Alternately,
>>41402898
We can use this great roll to get a jump infecting the command staff of the station.

>>41402871
Uh, I know the QM didn't actually describe the environment in which we're talking to this information broker, but I suspect it is too public to grab him and breathe spores into his mouth.

Or he might be behind safety glass. Him being into dangerously illegal stuff on the side.

>>41402871
>>41402892
>>41402877
>>41402898
You guys against trying to do this?
>>41402936

>>41402983
Remember, we were able to infect someone with just a sneeze. It doesn't need to be conspicuous.

Rolled 83 (1d100)

How About we buy some bulk fertilizer? Make an excuse about how the hydroponics is running out and you want to be fully stocked. Haggle roll .

>>41402990
I'd be cool making an attempt.

>have to leave for class
>remember I have internet on my phone
I just realized we live in the future. I can infect worlds with spores while pretending to learn Kanji.

You did

>Collect and dispose of the bodies, including the one in space

...right?

Those corpses should contain dormant spores inside them that you don't want lying around.

You should also track down where the Platinum Falcon is, or when it will arrive at this station, and try to get at least one of the crew infected on the Falcon.

>>41402871
The hosts on the Golden Galleon offer some refreshments to the repair crew of the Silver Rush. Most flatly deny it and ask your people to stop interrupting their work. One of them does accept the offer and take some water and a cookie. He's a younger lad.

This Silver Rush repairman succumbs to your spores. His knowledge is small, and he mostly is there to do hard work, but you learn a great deal about the Silver Rush. The station is a bustling place on the outside, but paperwork on the inside. Countless incidents with tourists and travelers has resulted in the station declaring a hefty alcohol limitation for the station. Now visitors and residents can only order up to an equivalent of three glasses of alcohol per week, and not more than one glass in a single day.

Security is tight, and the officers heavily patrol the public areas of the station. Especially with the increased piracy, the FMC is on the lookout for pirate informants. So far they've been rumored to have caught two trying to sabotage the subspace communications array with a listening device.

For the moment, the repairman continues his duties. He won't be off his shift on the Golden Galleon for a few hours.

>>41402877
(I'll take the 96 for the convince roll)
The broker caves in to your requests, and reveals information about a spinal laser. It's an old military tech that produced a high-output laser weapon that can melt through ship hulls. Most FMC ships mount at least one spinal laser in additional to smaller laser batteries.

Because you've worked him over so well, he'll sell it to you for the 135,000 credits you currently possess and some random information about FMC's Delta route, which is pretty hush hush outside the company.
>Pay him 135,000 and a little information for the spinal laser schematics
>Pay him nothing
>Attempt to infect him and steal all his shit (1d100; very difficult)

>>41402990
I'd be fine with making an attempt. We just can't make it obvious or it could easily backfire.

>>41403021
I'd be okay with doing this too.

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>41403073
>Pay him 135,000 and a little information for the spinal laser schematics
than we do this
>Attempt to infect him and steal all his shit (1d100; very difficult)
so at the very least we still got what we came for.

>>41403073
>almost no booze

Jesus. Where is the recreation here then, what do people do instead of go for drinks to socialize, relax, and let their guard down to get spored?

>>41403073
>>Pay him 135,000 and a little information for the spinal laser schematics

>>41403106
As long as you fail to do it in a deniable way. A sneeze or something.

>>41403073
Pay him nothing. Buy tons of fertilizer instead.

>>41403073
>>Pay him 135,000 and a little information for the spinal laser schematics

Too risky.

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>41403073
>>Pay him 135,000 and a little information for the spinal laser schematics
>Attempt to infect him and steal all his shit (1d100; very difficult)
It'll be inconspicuous, and should we fail we won't push our luck.

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>41403141
Seconding this.

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>41403073

Pay him the 135,000 for the schematics and info.

Then (only after the transaction has been completed) attempt to infect him in a deniable way (like a sneeze).

Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>41403073
>Attempt to infect him and steal all his shit (1d100; very difficult)

>>41403156

Fuck yeah!

>>41403156
hue
huehuehuehuehheueu

>>41403156
FFFFFFUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKK

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>>41403156
>Rolled 97

And then the spore was a space merchant.

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1008 KB GIF

>>41403150

>>41403156
Yes yes yes yes yes.

Is the Golden Galleon still airtight and sealed while in dock, or is it exchanging air with the station?

If it's sealed, and--more importantly--it can stay sealed for as long as it stays here, and thus won't trigger any bio-alarms in the station.

We might want to do something to fill the air with spores for the engineers' sake.

But again, only if you can keep the spore-saturated air in the ship from later spilling out into the station.

>>41403333
Or we can infect an engineer and have him "accidentally" disable the biometric scanners without anyone noticing. Also we'd have to have a way of controlling 4,000 people when we can barely control 30 with the control we have now.

>>41403404
More hosts = more brain power, and once we control ~10 station dwellers, it wouldn't be hard to make a new brain in one of their quarters to boost our limit exponentially.

>>41403404
But that's not how it works. Humans don't use up Control like additional pylons.

Control dictates our growth rate, our infection capacity.

Remember back in the cafeteria, infecting the third human ever?

Control limited the number of people you can add to your biomass at once. it didn't limit the number you can have total in the end.

Control grows proportionate to the number of highly-intelligent brains you have, and humans qualify as a net positive in Control like that. So infecting more humans causes exponential growth in ability to infect more humans. More humans means more Control, etc.

At the moment we could infect maybe 130 new humans, I assume, out of the thousands that would breathe our spores.

But once they were fully under control, we could infect 260 humans. Then in a little while, 520.

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>>41403066
>collect the bodies
(It's assumed that you didn't to maintain the ruse. You can choose to retcon that if you so desire. Keep in mind, the cause of death of those bodies is about as obvious as is possible)

>>41403021
>buy fertilizer
The spore knows that the requisition for fertilizer for both Joker and the Golden Galleon will go through without a hitch. Fertilizer is extremely cheap because of how necessary it is, and how easy it is to make in this day and age. An intern might raise an eyebrow about the sudden spike in fertilizer usage, but they'd probably just assume you were running a still or something. FMC has a lot of rules and regulations, but is more reactionary in upholding them.

Acquiring any extra, however, would require some convincing.
>Try to get an extra supply of fertilizer (1d100)
>Don't

>>41403156
>97
(Already starting writing up that failure too...)
Your captain host makes a fantastic effort to transmit some spores the broker's way, and the broker fails to recoil in time to avoid it. He goes quiet, and succumbs to your control.

The new information broker host transfers copies of all his schematics to your captain, including the schematics for things that you already understood such as the ship's engines and reactors.

You gain the following new schematics: Level 2 Engines, Level 1 Spinal Laser, Geothermal Generator, Ship/Handheld Geological Sonar.

You also gain a partial schematic (25%) on Energized Titanium Hull, which seems to be some sort of armor that provides additional resistance to laser weapons and is used on modern ships escort-sized and larger.

You also learn some information about the pirate faction, known as the Rising Fringe, which seems to have rebellion-esque roots.

In regards to Xanadu, the broker has no useful information. He once heard a rumor about a high-ranking FMC scientist who was working on a Project Xanadu at some top secret lab. Though, he also heard it was a project to turn all humans into androids.

>>41403404
more people = more brainpower

plus merging and mutating vectors into giant masses of brain

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>41403490
>>Try to get an extra supply of fertilizer (1d100)
need dat nutrition

>>41403490
>>Don't
Just consider where the fertilizer factory is and look into finding their engineers.

>>41403490
>Though, he also heard it was a project to turn all humans into androids.

Competition? Is diplomacy in the Spore's language?

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>41403490
>Try for fertilizer

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>41403490
>Try to get an extra supply of fertilizer (1d100)

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>41403490
>Try to get an extra supply of fertilizer (1d100)
kek all dat tech and saved creits.

>>41403567
>>41403555
>>41403546
>all these amazing rolls to get synthetic shit

>>41403490
since we know the information broker couldn't we use him to find out where the illegal booze places are and infect those?
Also who is up for getting some robots?

>>41403608
Nah man, I only go for that all nat-ural shit.

>>41403622
Robots cannot be infested, and thus CANNOT BE TRUSTED!

>>41403490
What was the DC on that infection roll?

>>41403644
figured we could automate some shit and make a larger brain.
>>41403657
probably 90

Just think of all the EXPERIMENTS we can perform with a station of 4,000!

>>41403738
Wrong quest bro.

HQQ on Sunday.

>>41403738
I wonder what a 50 man brain mass can do.

>>41403769
I don't know that quest.

>Can't stay awake

Go on without me anons, we can infect it all.

>>41403657
Usually my high-difficulty DCs are 85. In an extreme case I might go as high as 90, but that usually only happens if you're pushing the limits of spore physiology or something.

>>41403546
The spore succeeds in acquiring two extra supplies of fertilizer. Enough to fuel the growth of two escort-class ships, or a ship and the advancement of the Stage-1 Mind.

>>41403622
>illegal stills
If there are any illegal stills on the Silver Rush they're extremely private. With the combination of a hefty security presence and corporate military people don't make much effort to produce illegal booze.

People will occasionally try to make a profit with illegal booze, but they're always shut down inside of a week.

--
With the information broker in your grasp, the captain also gains an additional 150,000 credits bringing your total up to a 285,000. That information broker had quite an account.

He also possesses some information on the military base connected to the station, commonly referred to as the Silver Rifle (officially: FMC Military Staging Outpost 10015). It used to have a garrison of only 250 soldiers, but that number has nearly tripled since Delta. Now there are 700 soldiers garrisoned there and a training complex to replicate ship and station environments. They also will occasionally run landing operation drills on Jacksona I itself using the destroyers with landing pods and gunships.

FMC has been gearing up their military in the region hard in response to the Rising Fringe.

The broker also knows that those missing destroyers headed off toward the Echo route. Supposedly there's a pirate shipyard there.

The trading hub is still open for a couple more hours. Would the captain like to buy anything else?
>Purchase some additional fertilizer; you can buy roughly three supplies for 15,000?
>Find something specific? (write-in)
>Do nothing

In the time it'll take to perform a trade or return to the ship, the station will enter "night time."

>>41403881
>Purchase some additional fertilizer; you can buy roughly three supplies for 15,000?
>Find something specific? (write-in)
hookers

>>41403881
Purchase additional fertilizer. At night, try to find prostitutes.

>>41403881
>>Purchase some additional fertilizer; you can buy roughly three supplies for 15,000?

>>41403881
>>Find something specific? (write-in)
Buy more cats. And rats. Small pets that can run fast.

>>41403923
Oh yeah, lets check out animals available.

>>41403881
>other
Find a rec or exercise room.

>>41403916
This is actually an extremely good idea, and has my full support.

>>41403881
Visit the Chinese buffet.

>>41403881
>Purchase some additional fertilizer; you can buy roughly three supplies for 15,000?
>Find something specific? (write-in)
Red light district and pet stores.

>>41403936
why?

>>41403881
Attempt to fraternize with the humans who work in the food court equivalent as they get off shift.

McFringe's employees will be the next vector.

>>41403976
i was thinking the poor would be good targets.

>>41403963
Because face to face interaction between vectors and nonvectors is a good idea.

>>41403881
Find hookers to infect and spread.

>>41403958
>Find hookers, of all breeds.

>Purchase additional fertilizer
You blow 15k on three supplies of fertilizer which are quickly loaded in just before the station goes into night mode. Because the ship is in the shipyard being repaired there aren't many people paying attention, and none that would care.

>Buy more animals
While the fertilizer is loaded the captain quickly detours to locate a pet salesman, and finds one.
>Buy another cat (1,000)
>Buy a German Shepherd (5,000)
>Buy a chameleon (2,000)
>Buy a colorful parrot named Poly (4,000)
>Buy an ancient dinosaur fossil (20,000)

>Find hookers
Roll 1d100 to locate hookers.

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>41404086
LOCATE HOOKERS

FOR THE HIVEMIND

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>41404086
>German Shepard
>Fossil (queue bone inspection joke)

Rolling for hookers

>>41404031
And don't forget the gay hookers.

>>41404086
>Buy another cat (1,000)
>Buy a colorful parrot named Poly (4,000)

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>>41404086
>>Buy another cat (1,000)
>>Buy a German Shepherd (5,000)
>>Buy a chameleon (2,000)
>>Buy a colorful parrot named Poly (4,000)

Infect ALL the things!

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>41404086
>Buy a chameleon (2,000)
>Buy a colorful parrot named Poly (4,000)
Think in terms of what we have and what we can gain.

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>41404086
Buy another cat.

Rolling for hookers.

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>41404086
>Buy another cat (1,000)
>Buy a chameleon (2,000)
>Buy a colorful parrot named Poly (4,000)
>Find hookers

The chameleon might allow us to make stealth forms!

>>41404127
A cat is good as a spy no one will be suspicious about if it wanders.

We could use at least 3 cats, really.

>>41404086
...why are they selling fossils in a pet store?

>>41404184

Actually, that reminds me. How much money did the broker have? We add it to our supplies, right?

>>41404184
novelty,it makes sense once you colonize enough areas you are bound to find fossils of shit or ruins/tombs.

>>41404207
Never mind, apparently I can't read.

>>41404207
285,000
-015,000
________
270,000

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>>41404207
>With the information broker in your grasp, the captain also gains an additional 150,000 credits bringing your total up to a 285,000. That information broker had quite an account.

Reread.

>>41404208
>find fossils
>of dinosaurs
>on planets that aren't Earth

Rolled 62 (1d100)

Hooker roll.

>>41404184
>why are they selling fossils in a pet store?
They're popular with children and collectors. He insists that the fossil is genuine, and you see no reason to doubt him. It looks like it used to be some sort of shelled creature.

>Buy a cat
>Buy a chameleon
>Buy Poly
Your captain host buys all three animals.

All in all, he spends 22,000 credits at the trade hub. Your total is now 263,000 credits.

>Find hookers
You send the captain out to find hooker. The captain strikes out in most of his attempts, being one-upped by fancy private freighter with nice suits and big mustaches.

He does, however, find one hooker willing to lay with him, and on the Golden Galleon no less. She likes ships. The captain pays her for her services by infecting her in his quarters before they even have a chance to begin.
>Stow the hooker away in hydroponics to use her brain later
>Send her back to her job, for now

-- (Night Time)
Your captain returns to the ship. The repair crew returns to their dormitory between the shipyard and the station.

With the station being as large and as secure as it is, the spore feels that any attempt to take control of it in its present state would be a very lengthy endeavor, not to mention highly dangerous. The thought of controlling thousands of minds and hundreds of soldiers is tantalizing, however.

>Attempt to begin the takeover of the Silver Rush station.
>Abstain from doing so, for now.

-- (Joker)
With the geothermal generator schematic, you can make your own with a few days of work. It'll even speed up your work in the cavern by roughly a week. It will cost 80 titanium to produce the generator. You'll also get a second one through the requisition that you could put on another geothermal source, if you find out.
>Make a geothermal generator (80 titanium)
>Don't

>>41404417
>Send hooker back to her job
>Don't take over the station
>Build a generator

>>41404417
>>Send her back to her job, for now
>>41404417
Overtly? No.
>>Abstain from doing so, for now.

>>41404417
>>Make a geothermal generator (80 titanium)

We gotta use the titanium.

>>41404417
>>Send her back to her job, for now
This will obviously speed up infection rates.

>Abstain from doing so, for now.
Wait until we have infected people with higher clearances for more access.

>Make a geothermal generator (80 titanium)

>>41404417
>Send her back to her job, for now
>Abstain from doing so, for now.
>Make a geothermal generator (80 titanium)

>>41404417
>Send her back to her job, for now
Don't take over, just infect people slowly via the hooker, broker, and engineer when chances seem optimal.

>Make a geothermal generator (80 titanium)

>>41404417
>>Send her back to her job, for now
>Abstain from doing so, for now.
>Make a geothermal generator (80 titanium)

>building a generator.
>when we already have one given to us by the company.
>that they will expect to be used.
c'mon guys use your brains

>>41404417
What about the repairman we infected?

>>41404538
then use it

its not like you only have to use one

>>41404538
80 titanium is a very small amount given our weekly output and quickens the completion of the primary mind's base. We could potentially find another geothermal vent elsewhere on the planet and have a generator ready to go for that.

>>>>41404417
Use the fertilizer to upgrade the mind into stage
1

>>41404547
we need to find a second geothermal source to use it, one that we might not find if QM decides to teach us a lesson about thinking ahead.

>>41404578
This.

>>41404417
Don't take over the station yet, but try to slowly spread the infection. Maybe before we leave we can find a place to store a stage 1 mind with the new fertilizer (perhaps the info broker has an empty warehouse), but that should not be a priority. Send the whore back to her job. She should hopefully be able to infect several other people. One big advantage we have is exponential growth with infection.

>Send her back
The hooker loiters on the ship long enough to make a convincing shift, and then returns to her job. Most of the johns have gone for the night, but she does get paid to infect some tourist on a freighter that runs weapons-grade glass from Jacksona I to the core systems.

Like the hooker and any additional Johns she infects, you can disappear them on your ship before you leave and use them for their brains.

>Abstain
The spore decides not to make any large effort toward infecting the station. With a population of thousands, and hundreds of security officers and military personnel such a thing would be beyond dangerous.

For the moment, time passes without issue.

The Golden Galleon has gained a new store of pets, including one Poly which the captain has elected to hang in the bridge. He occasionally spouts words of wisdom gained from his previous life with a freighter captain.

"Space Imps charging weapons! Squawk!"
"Never overload the steam assembly!"
"Pawn to D4."
"Space the body and erase the personnel file!"

The usual stuff.

The Golden Galleon still has a couple days of repairs left before it starts freighter duty in the system, and then finally returns to Joker.

Speaking of Joker, the Platinum Falcon has recently returned from an assignment and docked with the station. You see them pick up the geothermal generator, as well as some supplies meant for Joker. It's getting close to time for them to head back.

>Greet the Platinum Falcon's captain?
>Leave them be

-- (Joker)
>Build the generator
Your workers craft the geothermal generator and hook it up to the source with some armor shielding to protect it from mined debris. The local power source allows the miners to charge larger machines and their tools, and work faster. It shaves off a week from the estimate.

For another 10 titanium you can make a handheld sonar for geological surveying.
>Make a sonar and send someone spelunking? (1d100)
>Don't)

>>41404725
>Most of the johns have gone for the night, but she does get paid to infect some tourist on a freighter that runs weapons-grade glass from Jacksona I to the core systems.
oh yes

>>41404725
>Greet the Platinum Falcon's captain
>make sonar device
>infect new animals
What abilities they give us?

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>41404725
>>Greet the Platinum Falcon's captain?
Fraternize.

>>Make a sonar and send someone spelunking? (1d100)

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>41404725
>>Greet the Platinum Falcon's captain?
Lets go say hi.

>Make a sonar and send someone spelunking? (1d100)
Might as well spend them resources.

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>41404725
>Make a sonar and send someone spelunking? (1d100)
Upgrade mind to stage 1.

>>41404803
It is stage 1.

if you're talking about the one on the Galleon that's fucking pointless. you don't unlock anything special or really needed by having a second stage 1 mind.

>>41404776
We getting rid of Windows though.

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>41404725
>Greet the Platinum Falcon's captain? Only if it's something our captain would normally do.
>Make a sonar and send someone spelunking? (1d100)

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>41404826

Stage 1 is smarter than a stage 0.5
The whore alone can infect several people per day, and those infected people can in turn probably infect at least one person per day. We should try and build a stage 1 mind on the station if we can hide it somewhere. If hiding is impossible, of course, we should probably just cancel the whole thing.

Also, Let's greet the platinum Falcon's captain.

>>41404826
Anon it makes it easier to infect, plus we could always combine the both of them later.

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>41404849
Seconding.

>>41404867
Of course it's smarter. But we already have a stage 1 mind, so we gain nothing by increasing the secondary brain's smarts. It improves nothing. We are as smart as the smartest brain. There's no point in upgrading all of them.

And no, you shouldn't build a giant sporebrain on this station when you don't even have an extra, ludicrously expensive subspace crystal to install in it to connect it to the other two brains. Not even if it's hidden.

>>41404872
We aren't going to hit the ceiling on Control anytime soon if at all, given control will increase exponentially with the exponentially increasing number of regular human hosts anyway if a mass infection method is found.

>>41404978
Nah man, when we link our brains with the subspace beacons, they act as one, thus increasing our capacity.

Fuck it, do the engineers have any wireless communication method of their own like cell phones on them?

If they don't we can just brute force them all to get infected once we seal the doors of the Galleon after they come in again in the morning.

In engineering no one can hear you scream.

>>41405004

Yes. Plus, if we leave a brain on the station, we can continue to infect it slowly even without a subspace crystal as it will be smart enough to think on its own. Without a brain on the station we will have to stop infection until we return, which could slow us down greatly.

>>41405018
Sounds a lot like Engineering school.

>>41405004
That disproves like nothing I said. I said 'smarter' not 'has more Control'. They pool Control. "Smarts" is a more abstract, not mechanically defined thing.

>>41405043
I meant "capacity" as general brain capacity, intelligence and control. Also, this >>41405037 is also a valid argument for leaving a brain on the station (if we can find somewhere safe to store it).

>>41405070
Any brain we leave will become an NPC we cannot observe stranded in the middle of potentially hostile humans, which is too risky even if hidden.

To make progress here, we need to infect the most powerful species in the universe. The cooks.

Have jonesy the cat from the galleon, not the one we just bought, beg for food from fast food workers coming in to their shift in the morning maybe.

We ever going to get a map of known space maybe?

>>41404978
>don't even have an extra crystal
Correct. Without an Amethitium crystal any brain left on the station would independently attempt to grow and control the station the moment you leave, and you will eventually have to leave.

-- (Joker)
>>41404890
You send a man with a sonar spelunking into the caves for a whole day. He finds that the network of tunnels is more expansive than originally thought. He discovers additional pockets of titanium that can be used for later. In addition, a smaller cave further down would make a good spot for storage. You could store roughly 500 titanium down there.

Just as the day is about to end the sensor picks up a small deposit of tungsten. You think you could use it to strengthen the blades of your minions, and perhaps even other things.

-- (Silver Rush)
Captain Buchanon goes to greet the captain of the Platinum Falcon. He seems like a busy guy. Because of scheduling, the captain rarely speaks to the Platinum Falcon's crew.

"How's Beta route?" Buchanon asks?

"Hm? Ah. Buchanon." They shake hands. "Beta route is quiet. Not looking forward to heading by Joker on Charlie route, what with all the piracy. I hear the Rising are rising. What's it like out there?"

"Everything seemed fine when the Galleon passed through. Joker is same as always. Charlie platform is as bureaucratic as ever."

The other captain chuckles. "Sounds good. Hopefully nothing bad will come our way when we pass through. I'll miss the scorching heat of Beta though, when I'm on that arctic wasteland."

One of the Platinum Falcon's bridge officers comes and collects their captain to sign paperwork.

"Been a pleasure, Buchanon."

Their captain departs, and you look at the docking ports for the Platinum Falcon. Nothing can prevent the discovery of Charlie, but you could definitely delay it by trying to take the Falcon.


(This, however, will be a matter for next time. This episode was a bit more dead, but a lot of things actually got done.)

>>41405240
w-what

already over?

I look forward to our next!
What did the animals give us?

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>>41405191
>a map of known space
(When you took the information broker's mind you also did get some space charts. I neglected to make mention of it simply because they don't exist yet! I'll try to find some time out to make some sort of hex map of the fringe for you guys.)

>>41405240
(As you may have already heard, there will NOT be a Spore Quest next week. The next Spore Quest is being delayed on account of SGDQ. So the next Spore Quest will take place on Sunday, August 2nd.)

(As always, feel free to ask any further questions about the quest. I'll be sticking around to clarify things)

>>41405314
Hex map noice

>>41405300
>w-what
>already over?
Sorry. I know it's a shorter session. I prefer to break up Spore Quest into episodes with major events, because they will usually take hours to get through. I'd rather not start an attempt to take over the Platinum Falcon, or do other such things, and then have to end it an hour or two from now and interrupt things. Especially since there will be a big break between sessions.

>>41405309
>Animals
Right!

>>41404787
>What abilities do the animals give
Learned: Rudimentary camouflage, Foul Language (Master), Fierce Loyalty (Expert)

Rudimentary camouflage allows you the ability to change the pigmentation of your warriors. It's not terribly useful in man-made locations, except in low-light conditions where it will make them slightly harder to see. On planet surfaces, and especially during weather, they'll become harder to see.

>>41405314
How much time is the Galleon staying at the station for? As I recall, it would usually stay there for a 2 week refit (unless I am remembering incorrectly). Are there 12 days left, or is it fewer because we were delayed traveling?

>>41405350
Damn, i was hoping for atmospheric flight capabilities from the burd
How does loyalty work?

>>41405314
SGDQ< what is SGDQ.
>mfw i have no meatwad.

>>41405379
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SGDQ

>>41405394
thanks, friend.

>>41405361
>How much time is the Galleon staying at the station for?


>It should only take about five days to complete."
>"After repairs are completed, your ship will perform supply runs throughout Jacksona until its next scheduled journey to Joker. Should be roughly 20 days from now."

You're here for five days. He said it right there.

>>41405415
You can just fucking google it moron.

>>41405417

Ah, okay. I think I may have been a bit misunderstood. Jacksona is only one planetary system, correct? So that means we'll be able to control all the spores present in the system (including on the station) for at least 20 days then. I suppose I should have clarified given the difference between the Jacksona system and the trade station we're currently on.

Those 5 days can be stretched if we infect all the repair engineers and make them slow down by a day or two.

>>41405457
Good point. If we get an infection vector going from the whore house (infect all the whores on the station), we should also be easily able to discreetly spread our spores, hopefully with special emphasis on the elite of the station.

>>41405314
>The next Spore Quest is being delayed on account of SGDQ.
On account of traveling to Minnesota to attend as an audience member, or as one of the speedrunners?

>>41405314
Ah, well then I believe this will be the last instance of this quest that I'll be able to participate in for awhile, as I'm shipping out in less than a week.

It's been a good run guys, try to keep us alive until I get back.

>>41405361
>how long
So in retrospect there were some slight discrepancies with the time tables.

It's intended that the journey to and from Joker from Jacksona takes 6 days, followed by a 1-day maintenance period.

After that, if the Golden Galleon had a second assignment they would embark to that one as well. It would take them roughly two weeks to complete both assignment.

I said that every two weeks a ship comes to Joker, and they alternate. Evidently that was a slight error, so I've had to make a slight change.

After the two weeks of fringe hauling, the crew gets a 4-day vacation, and then does freight work at Jacksona.

This usually entails picking up shipments from the planet and taking them to the station, grabbing fuel from the local large refinery at Jacksona II, and even transporting goods to and from capital-sized freighters that come to collect all the mining supplies.

So during that last stretch of time during which the Golden Galleon will be doing random freight, you'll probably be making glass shipments and loading minerals onto a superfreighter.

Or at least, that's what you assume will happen...

>>41405436
>only control spores for 20 days
Correct. Unless you somehow find a way to produce and leave a mind here with an Amethitium crystal (which you presently lack) you have no way to remotely control spores in Jacksona once the Golden Galleon leaves.

Someone earlier commented about planning ahead, and this sort of ties in to that. In traditional gamer style, wasting time and being a packrat will better prepare you for future events.

>>41405484
This is technically true. If you roll well you can get some good infections going. At the very least, you can use them like cattle and turn them into warriors, carriers, and ships back at Joker by stowing them away on the Galleon. You could even use them to make a larger mind without eating in to the crew or the Joker staff further.

>>41405526
Awesome! One last question. Do we know where the food is stored/how it is transported throughout the system?

Thanks again for running. It's been fun.

>>41405526
I would favor keeping all humans as sleeper agents and just buying more and more fertilizer and nutrients.

>>41405526
How many stds are under spore control thanks to the hooker and guy that ordered a hooker

Not many people use hookers.

But everybody eats. Cookers before hookers.

>>41405514
We'll certainly try

>>41405526
Thanks for running!

>>41405498
>On account of
I won't be present, but I will be watching. Spore Quest gets my mostly-undivided attention for the better part of a day, and I spend a lot of time coming up with ideas for what to do next.

With SGDQ I won't have the mindset to do that, and it'll eat into the quality of the quest. It's more of a precaution. Frankly, today's episode was a bit lacking for similar reasons.

Plus, you all should be watching SGDQ instead of playing Spore Quest anyways!

>>41405514
>shipping out
Good luck Concerned-Kun.

>>41405579
>food storage
>logistics
A good question. Most of the food would be shipped in on the superfreighter from the core worlds, with additional supplements of locally-grown food from hydroponics. Jacksona I, for instance, has a hydroponics facility for growing food to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to the Silver Rush, the Silver Rifle, and the planet's inhabitants.

>>41405601
>STDs
In the future they've made a lot of head way dealing with STDs. There are still a couple holdouts. You've only gained one so far, and believe it or not, it was from that tourist.

>>41405636
You all are very welcome!

>>41405622
Ha!

>>41405526
That settles it.

We need to hide a brain on that station.

>>41405666
Interesting...what std? Can our spores study it just by being in that body?

I also wonder how many diseases we encountered in total so far.

>>41405694
No we don't. We are not leaving something we can't observe and that can fuck up without us just cuz we're in a hurry.

>>41405725
Why are you assuming as soon as we leave the thing it's going to do a full on assault and be all over galaxy net news within the week?

>>41405738
Why are you assuming it won't?

>>41405694
There are 20 days and 60 meal times in which you have the opportunity to infect people who buy prepared food, once the cooks are infected.

Odds are it won't be necessary.

>>41405773
Because that would be retarded and immediately compromise itself?
Kinda fails it's only objective to 'GROW' if it gets stamped out.

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>>41405666
Here's hoping I can find my way into SAD/SOG (CIA Covert Operations) eventually. Hopefully after basic and all that other shit I'll have Internet access again, and be able to hop back into this great quest.

>>41405773
Honestly, If it follows the general mindset our main mind has had thus far, it really shouldn't. As long as we don't leave it around long enough to develop a personality of its own, it should focus on just passively spreading its spores and managing those it infects as if they were just going about their normal duties.

>>41405716
>What STD?
Uhhh... Let's say it's space gonorrhea? That's pretty harmless, right?

>>41405738
Once you leave the brain will do what you do best: Grow. It'll try to take over the entire station. You're essentially leaving a clone of the spore behind.

That may be a good thing, since it could take over a good portion of the station. It also may be catastrophically awful, like a repeat of the android incident, except with 800 armed soldiers and security officers instead of one android with a welder and a pistol.

Players are welcome to try though. I won't stop you guys from trying.

>>41405694
>>41405725

Actually, it sounds like we only need to get a brain into the planetary system, not onto the station itself, to be able to control everything in the gravity well. Perhaps we could grow a brain on the ship and attempt to discreetly hide it on an asteroid or something. It would be much easier than hiding a brain on a heavily militarized station where it could easily be discovered.

You could have stolen the subspace crystal at Charlie at least, along with the android.

That shit's rare.

>>41405773
It won't because it is an extension of ourselves, just one that has been cut off. It will continue to act based on our interests at the time of seperation, and those include not throwing itself at a metaphorical explosive wall of spikes.

>>41405839
>You're essentially leaving a clone of the spore behind.
Which would make it a slow-burn spore, methodically picking off inhabitants until it reaches critical mass then?

>>41405877
>optimistic bullshit i made up

>>41405844
>>41405886

Disregard this>>41405877
, I was already writing before OP posted.

>>41405804
All growth requires risk taking.

>>41405839
So, what's to stop a spore mind from transmitting to a human subspace beacon and vice versa?

They can do that right?

>>41405880
Yes. It would attempt to take the station one by one, and then expanding the number of hosts it takes step by step until it can take them all.

The main concern is that it only takes one severe fuck-up for everything to unravel.

It's the most heavily trafficked station in this part of space, and sees hundreds of ships every week, including superfreighters and military vessels. It also supports a planet with a greater population (about 10,000), and a large refinery.

It'd sort of be like taking over a small town in Montana, and then trying to take over Seattle.

Progression wise we should maybe take over the pirate base or the shipyard before consuming Jacksona...

>>41405999

Do you mean the pirate base that is currently being attacked by military destroyers? ...

Yeah, there's no way that could go wrong.

>>41406036
We take over the military destroyers first, then fire warriors from them into the base, then we have two destroyers and a pirate fleet.

>>41406048
Let's go ahead and make a Penis shaped Capital ship that consumes smaller ships while we're at it.

>>41405953
>So, what's to stop a spore mind from transmitting to a human subspace beacon and vice versa?
Well, the people manning those beacons would be able to tell that they were receiving strange signals. Especially something as strange as the psychic-like connection used by the spore.

They wouldn't be able to do a whole lot about it, but it would definitely confuse them. Beyond that, the spore has never tried to use a standard human transmitter. There's no way to know until you've tried.

>>41406036
The spore now knows that the Rising Fringe is a somewhat large operation. They've taken over at least three of the FMC's routes. Beyond that, the only information the spore knows is that they built a shipyard at Echo and the FMC sent their garrison to try and destroy it.

You'll find out next episode whether or not they succeeded.

Have one of the crew go to various food places to order food and then complain.

Complain loudly and demand to see the head chef. Then have a coughing fit.

>>41406036
All large locations currently will have a chance of catastrophic failure. Failing to take over the pirate base itself is probably the least damaging in the the pirates aren't going to be alerting the government and populace about the spore before the the destroyers maybe destroy them.

Parrots are intelligent and have decent longterm memories. Can we probe the parrots memories to see if it overheard or saw anything interesting?

>>41406071
The principles of Subspace Theory itself should indicate how messages are targeted at a particular subspace beacon, or all of them, right?

What knowledge of the target does it take to address it to one or multiple beacons? And how could it be intercepted or eavesdropped on?

>>41406112
What happens if we take the pirate base but still get wrecked by the destroyers?

>>41406126
We'll then have probably salvaged at least a good number of warrior forms from pirate populace.

>>41406157
Ok, so, lemme get this straight. You want to send the only ship we have, the one that is currently on freighter duty in Jacksona, to a pirate base, whilst eight, fully armed, military class ships are already enroute to the base, but have orders to destroy it?

>>41406122
Subspace beacons are semi-targeted. The signal is pointed at a region of space. Typically they come with encryption to keep other transmitters from eavesdropping.

The way the spore's subspace communications works is a bit different. It's simpler in some ways, but more advanced in the grand scheme of things. If it wasn't obvious by now: The spore's existence in and of itself allows it to communicate through subspace.

It can send pinpoint communications back and forth between its nodes without having to sort of spray and pray in the traditional way that human communication works.

For humans, I guess you could think of it like subspace-augmented radio, while the spore's is more like subspace-augmented psychic laser communications. Does that make sense?

>>41406118
See >>41404725 for some of the parrot's usual phrases at present.

He may say more and more interesting things depending on the situation at hand!

>>41406227
I have to agree with you here, there's no way that could possibly end well. We just sit tight for 20 days, hold down the fort, and slowly grow until we've taken over before anyone's even realized the threat (sleeper cells for the win yo).

>>41406338
Could we infect a whole bunch of people while we're here and then leave the spores dormant for when we return to take the place?

we should remove the crystal from the Charlie platform, and also anything we can loot from it without breaking the refuelling option

>>41408798
No shit. That's the obvious choice here if you're not stupidly impatient.

sage for this thread is dead let it go OP is not coming back why did you think bumping was a good idea.

If the Falcon is gonna arive sometime soon assuming the wholr Charlie debacle doesn't delay it too much then we should mine another one of those crystals so we can build a subspace capable mind on it.

And we can have all the resources ready to go that way.

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>>41409059
KNOCK KNOCK!

Though I'll be done about an hour from now.

>>41408798
>leave dormant hosts when we return
The more hosts you can get while you're here, the better your eventual attempts at a takeover will be.

>>41408941
>remove the crystal
You could also mine more at the asteroid at Joker.

>>41409288
Once the Falcon arrives, you'll be able to mine again.

By the way, here's the full listing for what is basically the only ship you can make at present:

Escort-class Spore Ship: 3 Brains, 530 Titanium, 4-week gestation, 1 biomass supply.

Standard Titanium Hull, Level 2 Engines, Level 1 Reactor, Level 1 Sensors and Comms, Subspace Communicator, Level 1 Spinal Laser, Geological Survey Sonar, Small Fuel Storage.

Crew: None. Passenger space: 10. Cargo Capacity: 150

An escort-sized vessel with a spinal laser and a titanium hull. It features a special sensor for locating mineral deposits, and a small storage capacity for passengers and crew.

That should give you an idea of your ship production capabilities. For every gestation pod you make in the cavern after it's hollowed out (you can make two), you can put out one of those every two weeks, as long as you can provide the brains and biomass.

Speaking of which, one biomass supply is the equivalent of one supply of fertilizer. You got three extra supplies, and both the station and the ships hold one. In this context, a biomass supply is the material required to make something rather large, like a spore mind or a ship, or a really big minion of some kind (say, a giant walker with a laser on it).

To give you all a better idea of things, the capabilities of the spore are ultimately what you players want it to be. Could be Flood, could be Combine, could be whatever. When the spore starts to get industrious (coming up very soon) your horizons will broaden significantly.

There is a reason why you've learned all those things! They can be applied with creativity!

>>41409819
Have any of you seen "The thing (1980-is or 2011 version)". We could become something like that, except smarter and with space stuff.

>>41409845
I legitimately have not seen The Thing. I know of it, I just haven't properly seen it. I think I've actually seen more of the game than I have the movie, in retrospect.

>>41409861
watch it, that should give you some good ideas about it.

>>41409861
Just YouTube "the thing sightings" and it'll give you 11 minutes of video of the monster doing its thing.

>>41409819
So will we notice if someone we have infected (like that tourist that gave ghonarrea to the hooker) travels away and keeps infecting more and more people?

Cause if that guy decides to leave the system before we get back he could potentially infect another hooker at another trade hub who in turn spreads it even more.

Or does a spore mind have to be present during the infection process and it will not spread whilst dormant.

>>41410489
>sometime down the line we get to a world that's already half infected for us.
>that tourist happens to be the quagmire of interstellar hookers, unwittingly spreading us across the galaxy

>>41410489
>a dormant infecting more people
Impossible!

In all seriousness, the cells go dormant in the host body, like a sleep mode of sorts. Even if the spores were spread to another body, they wouldn't be able to consume and reproduce in the new host. They'd just be destroyed or absorbed.

>>41409819
Wit a minute. Those biohazard scanners have a filter right? A list of things that gets through so the bio alarms don't go off ever time someone has a cold. Why don't we infect a hacker and have him covertly add the spore to the whitelist of diseases and organisms allowed on the thing we are trying to infect?

>>41409819
We just gotta hope none of our dormant hosts get extensive bloodwork done before we get back. Our spores might get noticed.

>>41410520

We can try this, but it does have some risk. Since this is a military instillation, we would have to be confident our "hacker" would not be detected altering the parameters of their important biological warfare subsystems. If he was detected, that would put a lot more scrutiny on the spore or at least its biological profile - the opposite of our intent.

>>41410622
But what about the smaller ships that dock at stations we control (We'll eventually control a space station)? We hack their bio scanners and flood the docking station with atmospheric spores.

>>41410680
>we'll go into the engineering section of every ship that docks and secretly hack their internal sensors to not trigger biological contamination alarms.
Uh... good luck with that?

>>41410520
>why don't we infect a hacker and have him covertly add the spore to the whitelist
It's not so much that the spore is being detected, because that would imply that it can be recognized. Basically the sensor is detecting that there's an unknown biological contaminant in sufficient quantities to be of concern.

So basically you'd be hacking them to not work at all. The distinction is very minor, however. Either way, you're making them not work.

Something to note, however: The spore doesn't actually know how to hack. You've yet to encounter an actual hacker. At most, the spore could circumvent security measures by forcing factory resets, or manually toggling things and circumventing the computers entirely. Hacking isn't an option as of yet, however.

In the past, you've either interacted with unlocked terminals or had a host with the key.

>>41410795
Sorry. Thought hacking would be a at range thing. Scrub that idea.

>>41410795
Okay guess we just need to focus on not getting found for now.

Can we bring the infected's consciousness forward but alter the chemical composition of the brain so he's willing to assist the spore even while its dormant/away from a brain?

>>41410884
I think we'd need "knowledge: human biology (Master)" before we can do that. At this point it's be a DC 90 challenge at BEST.

>>41410899
But for the future, is it possible? Altering personalities and influencing conscious minds..

>>41410925
Let's infect a few more doctors and download a few medical books from space Amazon

>>41410943
Let's infect a few philosophers with differing outlooks on life and blow our hivemind.

>>41411076
Let's infect a pothead and ponder if we infect others or we infect ourselves.

>>41410795
Would it be possible in anyway to alter our infection spores to act more like a "benign" virus, that doesn't require direct control in order to spread, but isn't sapient itself (basically cold cells)?

Oh wow, people are still around
>>41406227
and to clarify, no. I did not mean our current only ship. I meant the escort ship we're probably definately going to be building back on joker that will probably be manned by nothing but warrior and carrier forms. But I suppose that's thinking too far ahead.

>>41411385
Oh, then yeah, I can totally get behind that when we reach that stage.

>>41411435
Hopefully the falcon will arrive at Joker and provide us with more vectors and biomass and someone to get our warriors on the asteroid to mine the rest of those crystals before we have to leave Jacksona. Unless we manage to take over Jacksona by then.

Surprised people are still around as well. We can probably take over the station pretty easily if we just grow slowly. That's the thing about exponential growth.

Let's say, for example, we start with only 1 infection vector, the prostitute. If each infected individual infects only two others per day (something that should be pretty easy given how easily the spores spread) we will be able to go from controlling one person on the station, to controlling the entire station of over 4000 people, in at most 12 days. And all this we can do without firing a shot. Stay the course, and we're home free.

>>41411544
Actually, I miscalculated. The spore hosts need to only infect one other person per day and we will have the entire station inside 13 days...

Take that as you will.

>>41411668
So as long as we don't get to ambitious.. which we will... things should go fine!

>>41411544

Not an bad plan.

Also, here's a fun idea: what if we used our basic camouflage skills on our ships? We could make them look rocky and asteroidish in appearance - then we could power them down and float them around asteroid fields for later.

>>41411544
First we must find a way to remove the bio scanners without anyone noticing. After that we're home free. And if anyone comes for an inspection we turn on the bio-hazard sensors but keep the spore mutated creations inside some closets which we disable the sensors in.

>>41411544
My vote is for the prostitutes we infect to prioritize the soldiers.

>>41409819
>Could be Flood, could be Combine, could be whatever.
we flood now

>>41412864
Why not...

Flombine

>>41413551
i prefer the Comood

>>41413726
Hysteric soon to be Vector: "W-What are you?!"
Spore: "We are *dramatic pause* THE COMOOD!"
Vector: "What."

>>41414079
perfect

bang

Autosage engaged

Hello darkness my old friend...