>>1460458
Wooo!

File: Happy Drone!.png (67 KB, 500x500)

67 KB PNG

Happy Mothers Day QD!

>>1460458
Good to see our joint project is still progressing well

File: HQQ known space.png (1.43 MB, 7723x4550)

1.43 MB PNG

>>1460458
You feel the notice of a Distant Mind
>Psionic research has received a small boost
>Slip drives have a 10% chance to alert you to their usage

>Current resource reserves
Nutrients: 27,426,540N
Metals: 16,984,364M
Credits: ₡602,226
Credits in Lyle’s account: ₡1,175,000

Active trade routes
>Leeland – Lanway: HMS Orphan, Captain John Spreckels
[FormOther brand Fusion Reactors]

>Formed fleets and orders
Citadel Hive Ship – [Awaiting orders]
Small Heavy Defense Fleet [Patrolling Leeland space]
25 Heavy Battle Fleet [Supporting Commonwealth Liberation]
5 Missile Ambush Fleet [Awaiting orders]
30 Light Fleets [Supporting Commonwealth Liberation]
20 Light Fleets [Awaiting orders]
10 Fast Assault Fleets [Awaiting orders]
10 Ambush Fleet
6 Carrier Battle groups

Clone upkeep/special projects and expenses
[Gemini]
3 Taidaren Hybrids (105)
4 Human flash clone upkeep – 120
18 Human hybrid clone upkeep – 540
Specializations:
>Tech
>Engineer
>Brawler
[Hive space]
100 Human Hybrids – 3,000
Lyle Rogers – 57
Jackob Eisner – 56
Dillon Reager – 30
Clone/project upkeep – 3,908N

>Income
Metals: 2,950,500
Nutrients: 7,636,000
Net:

Total upkeep
Nutrient costs: 6,675,390

GAS THE SQUIDS
NUKE THE WHALES
STAB THE MONKEYS
TRUST NOTHING
THE VOID IS WATCHING

File: 168594.jpg (1.17 MB, 1920x1080)

1.17 MB JPG

>>1460476
Finished Research

>Atmospheric static generator
By utilizing the natural friction of a sufficiently dense atmosphere against the surface of a capillary tower, the tower can be made to generate energy to feed itself and reduce its upkeep cost. While having no effect on the initial construction costs, upkeep is reduced by 50% for any capillary tower built on a planet with an atmosphere.

>Gravity thrusters
Similar in function to your Skid drive, the Gravity thrusters essentially surf along pre-existing gravity fields, increasing their performance when in close proximity to major sources of gravitational pull, be it a large celestial body, a star, a planet, an exceptionally large structure or group of structures, or the core of a gravity drive. While in deep space it becomes less effective, the law of universal gravitation means it never becomes totally useless, and when in close proximity to a powerful gravity source it should outperform most other thruster designs with ease.

>Advanced Psionic Reading
By utilizing a recently practiced deeper understanding of alien thought, and more nuanced psionic signals to trace the neural structure of a living mind, it is possible to create a far more detailed picture of the thought process of non-hive entities beyond the ability to skim surface thoughts and emotions. This process is more invasive, however, as it requires the target mind to recall thoughts to be examined, using psionic signals to stimulate particular neural pathways and forcibly recall the targeted memories. The attempt will always be detected, however it is possible to block out the target's perception of the even, resulting in a momentary gap in memory. The target is incapable of any action, mental or otherwise as their mind is mentally probed. The target can attempt to resist the initial attempt, and there is a chance they may hold some memory of the event itself, although a successful reading will be perceived as a momentary time lapse accompanying a felling of Déjà vu. Additional symptoms may include nose bleeds caused by temporary micro-hemorrhaging within the brain, dizziness, bloodshot eyes, and fatigue, although after an initial field test you suspect many of these symptoms are either random or dependent on the target individual, as well as the length of the mental probing itself, its severity, and how much resistance the target is capable of. The target must be within 5 meters of a medium or advanced relay to make an advanced reading attempt, can only target one individual at a time, and any other individual within range not targeted will sense the attempt, including vague imprints of the information being probed, especially if the target resists the attempt.

Is there a Mother's Day equivalent for the Union and Commonwealth? Because I imagine it's one of the few holidays the Hive would recognize.

Except, y'know, every day in the Hive is Mother's Day.

File: thinker is done.png (56 KB, 1024x673)

56 KB PNG

>>1460485

New Passive Upgrade unlocked
Gravity Thruster – The maneuvering thrusts of corvette sized ships and larger are replaced with gravity foils. Corvette ships and larger now receive increasing maneuvering bonus when operating within gravity wells. Larger gravity wells increase the bonus received. Capital ships can now operate within a planet's atmosphere to a limited degree. Operational Gravity Drives within Short range provide a minor bonus as well which increases with proximity.

New Research Available

Empathetic Paralysis
Fast
In essence an attempt to weaponise the side effect of psionic probing, empathetic paralysis uses finely tuned and precisely targeted psionic signals to effectively jam the target's somatic nervous system temporarily.

Gas Giant Superstructure Construction
Medium
Using a mixture of space station technology and modified, miniaturized capillary towers, it may be possible to create semi-permanent or fully permanent hives within the upper atmospheres of gas giants, where a mixture of atmospheric static, wind farming, and gas mining can provide a more constant and bountiful resource income while providing a more robust frame with which to construct infrastructure.

Swarm Drive Tuning
Slow
By configuring the gravity thrusters to respond to the foils of other ships within the same formation, performance can be increased outside of a gravity well by taking advantage of a kind of gravitational slipstream created from the foil's unique gravitational effects.

Gravity Thruster Optimization
Medium
Miniaturization to the gravity thruster itself, as well as optimizing the layout of the foils across the hull allow for smaller strike craft sized ships to make use of the thrusters both when operating in atmosphere and when performing evasive maneuvers.

>>1460458
Damn, is her creep producing drones?

Daily reminder

>Raid OQ
>Read the locked memories of that thinker.
>Board a scav vessel for their FTL.
>Send a diplomacy team to earth.
>Build that new FTL prediction building.
>Take Reprive (I think that is the system that our mother made her last stand and it only has mining corvetts, it would be a great test for our raiding fleet.)

File: 1426471365149.png (42 KB, 900x850)

42 KB PNG

>>1460491
Current Research

Psionic Thermokinesis
slow/mildly dangerous
An even more finely tuned execution of known tachyonic physics, thermokinesis is the practice of altering the energy state of atoms, but instead of altering their velocity, it utilizes a less uniform alteration to increase or decrease atomic vibration, quickly increasing or decreasing the ambient temperature of the target. It may take some time for your thinkers to successfully accomplish this feat, however, without also igniting the laboratory.

Psionic Conduction
slow/mildly dangerous
While altering the physical nature of particles has become possible, using highly controlled tachyonic signals it may also be possible to use the projected psionic energy to subtly alter and transfer other forms of energy in a more direct process than kinetic force. Your thinkers believe it may be possible to use alternate sources of energy outside of the target and potentially use tachyonic signals in order to carry that energy to the target. The early experiments have already proven promising, however it may be some time before the thinkers are capable of producing results without causing spontaneous detonations within the laboratory.

Cybernetic memory extraction
Fast
With the continued assistance of Theseus and his extensive mechanical research systems, you feel confident in your ability to extract at least partial memory fragments from the largely cybernetic brain of the killed Smith agent. It is too soon to determine if the data is of any use, but it could offer further clues regarding their origin and capabilities.

Memory Seed
Slow
By creating a miniaturized and less overtly useful memory crystal similar in overall function to the white crystals used to record thought by your elders, and modifying it into a neural implant, you believe it may be possible to create a kind of constantly updating backup memory for clones, agents, and even drones that would potentially hold its information after death. The memory seed would theoretically be capable of retaining the full memories of the host individual up to and including the very moment of death, and be able to preserve those memories long after the brain itself has physically deteriorated, a process that typically drastically limits the time frame in which memories can be gathered.

>>1460491
That's some nice research that got unlocked.

>>1460491
>Gas Giant Superstructure Construction
[NEW CONSTRUCTION OPTIONS]

File: 6305450865931ccc5119759d0(...).jpg (435 KB, 997x665)

435 KB JPG

>>1460499
>Psionic Spores
Slow
While normally the hive spores used to spread infrastructure are little more than genetically engineered nanomachines, replicating and performing their function alone until their built structure is complex enough to receive mental signals, your mixture of psionic research and advancements in spore related genetic programming has made the idea of a psionically sensitive spore seem not nearly as far fetched as it once did. With a mixture of distributed networking and complex cellular reconstruction methods, it could be possible to create a spore strain that would respond to mental signals.

>Advanced Psionic Imprinting
Slow
With the application of psionic imprinting you are able to influence and alter the state of matter using only focused and precise mental signals. Your thinkers believe this can be taken further, using more accurate signals and more precise manipulation methods to imprint more complex thoughts and ideas more quickly and easily, and at a greater range.

>Personal shielding
Slow
By further shrinking the emitters, your thinkers believe they may be able to eventually make them small enough to be equipped to the carapace of a drone, or to the surface of an armored suit. At this time it is mostly speculation and an eagerness to please mother beyond all reason, and you cannot be sure what the limitations may be, but the thinkers are sure they can do it.

>Shield dome
Slow
The opposite way of thinking as personal shielding, by scaling the shield emitters up further to a size that would be impossible to hold and power on a ship, your thinkers suspect they should be able to construct a defensive perimeter around a hive center protected by a powerful defensive shield. The thinkers that have proposed the idea seem to be certain in the failure of the other project, as they are of this one, and you have had to separate the quantum thinkers as they attempted to disprove each others’ theories more than develop their own.

Available research options

>Psionic Cannon prototype
Very slow/Very dangerous
Detailed accounts of several experiments show the slow progress of Project Godsplitter. The cannon itself is highly volatile, and even the smallest miscalculation often results in the destruction of the ship, as well as any nearby craft. It can only be equipped to a Hive ship's spinal mount, and requires a functional Void Shard as ammunition. At least a dozen testing sizes were atomized in testing the weapon, and in the end it appears The Gardener never quite perfected it.

>Add new research
>Add Psionic Cannon
>Other

>>1460524
>Add all new research

>>1460524
>Add new research

>>1460524
>Add new research
Pile it on, senpaitachi

>>1460494
Looks like Theseus is testing out creating his own synthetic life by studying the Obisidian Hive genetics

>>1460524
>Add new research
Like always.

So I asked on the ask.fm, but I'll ask again: is it possible to make a ship armour out of the tachyon-blocking material Silence Chambers are made out of? Those hypothetical ships would probably need Thinkers since it would block our psionic signal, but it would affect my decision of when to add Psionic Cannon.

>>1460524
>>Add new research
Oh man we can make Cloud Cities now, this is freaking awesome.

>>1460562
Builder tried the same shit and you saw how it ended.

>>1460573
We can't yet, but will be able to in the future.

Did we get confirmation that we're building more ships?

>>1460578
We don't have the resource income to maintain new ships.

>>1460524
>add all
>exception: psionic cannon
>begin construction of a psionically shielded space station in orbit of Leeland
>research psionic cannon there

>>1460583
Has it ever occurred to you the inventor of psionic shielding material tried that shit and died because of it?

>>1460458
I just want you to know I absolutely love your quest, QD.

That is all.

>>1460524
>Add new research

Gilliam darts his eyes back and forth across the hall as he and Palmer enter the dormitory common room with two armed guards close behind. An assembly of lab equipment has been assembled across the tables, while several hefty guns have been placed into makeshift barricades, strapped to overturned tables along the perimeter. Guards stand about nervously as a rare few manage to sleep near the center of the room. Palmer is still lost in thought, nearly walking into the door frame as he examines data readouts on his tablet.

"Palmer, Gilliam!" Norris shouts as he quickly approaches and snaps Palmer out of his focus. "I need to know everything about this thing. Keep me up to date on whatever you find."

>Mention the creature could be a shapeshifter
>Claim it seems to collect genetic material from its prey
>Don't mention any new discoveries
>Other

>>1460562
Theoretically yes, although I can't promise it will have any defensive qualities.

Have we finally completed all four space elevators on Leeland?
The new upgrade will really help offset the cost

plus DAtS just finished their own research that lets them connect space elevators with docking ring circling the planet and I know QD and Grave are buddies so QD might have something similar planned

>>1460583
I'd suggest instead making labs in a bunch of cloaked corvettes and sending them away from our systems, with silence chambers on board and orders to jump to another system if something shows up to track them down. Also with cloaked maintenance corvettes so they're self-sufficient.

>>1460596
>Mention the creature could be a shapeshifter
>Claim it seems to collect genetic material from its prey
Get it out of the way
Probably the captain already expected that anyway

>>1460574
>>1460590
Did she? I don't recall so could you post the part where she did?

>>1460596
>Mention the creature could be a shapeshifter
>Claim it seems to collect genetic material from its prey

>>1460596
>Mention the creature could be a shapeshifter
>Claim it seems to collect genetic material from its prey

You don't need to be a rocket doctor to tell them that much.

>>1460596

>Mention the creature could be a shapeshifter
>Claim it seems to collect genetic material from its prey

It is possible it even could imitate you, although it probably will not have full access to your memories.

>>1460590
Source?

>>1460602
This might be wiser.

>>1460606
This.

>>1460596
>Mention the creature could be a shapeshifter
>Claim it seems to collect genetic material from its prey
>And on a side note camp Thule is possibly digging up more after we warned them not to.

>>1460494
Literally all creep produces drones, by definition.

It's just they're usually sessile ones.

>>1460596
>>Mention the creature could be a shapeshifter

>>1460622
Use some goddamn logic anon.
>Builder invented this psionic shielding tech.
>She was in charge of researching the Cannon.
>She still fucking died.

>>1460562
>>1460583
That makes no sense.

The cannon operates on too large a scale to research it -inside- a space station. It's practically the Death Star.

And you're dealing with 4-dimensional crystals, you think blocking off a section of merely 3-dimensional space will really stop Them noticing when by necessity you've brought one of the crystals inside that area?

>>1460645
You're very far from logic, and apparently angry. Calm down hothead

>>1460645
>Builder invented this psionic shielding tech.
I thought she was still researching it in the space superstructure.
Can you post the part where she used the insulation material multiple times?

>>1460645
She never quite perfected it.

>>1460665
Come you should be smart enough to connect the dots. Builder literally invented the tech and you somehow think she wouldn't use the same plan for researching the cannon.
Basically the problem is countermeasures are worthless unless we study the void crystals to understand why they always fail.

>>1460645
She got stabbed in the back by the Obsidian/Black Queen last I recall, anon. Maybe you should calm down and find a source.

>>1460662
It's the size of a Hive Ship's spinal mount (6200 meters long) when finished. That's nowhere near Death Star tier. It's big, yes, but its "annihilate matter" radius is bigger (tens of kilometers due to the space between ships in a fleet - potentially enough to get through the crust (earth has 30km of crust) of any planet we place it on).
Also yes I do think blocking off a section of a 3d space object will help, because we'll be insulating it with material that blocks tachyons, AKA the main tool of our foe.

>>1460706
What I think is that at the time builder bit was revealed there were no QD plans for there to be psionic shielding. That seems much more reasonable, unless QD planned everything in the setting out already.

>>1460722
Look at it this way, you can't use tachyons to look from outside the box into the inside, since they are blocked. However, void gods are neither outside nor inside the box. They're somewhat omnipresent.

>>1460722
That's like drawing a circle on a piece of paper and thinking you've stopped a 3-dimensional entity from reaching the inside of the circle.

Especially when your entire research subject is dragging one of their 3-d fingers inside the circle to stab it a lot.

>>1460683
It was never explicitly stated but we have to assume the worst case that she did use it for researching the cannon. However there are several details that implied she already finished researched it like the design of her throne room or how she managed to survive the Black Queens betrayal.

File: Eudora_Kitchen_Common_Room_.jpg (135 KB, 800x371)

135 KB JPG

>>1460596

"Well, it's not exactly confirmed but..." Gilliam says "We did find some strange things with our dissection of the remains."

"Namely, remains of other creatures." Palmer adds.

"Or at least their facsimiles." Gilliam continues. "From maybe half a dozen species. This thing could be some kind of shapeshifter, possibly, although we don't have much way of knowing how effective the mimicry is, or if it has the capacity to mimic behavior as well. It also seems to... I'm mostly just hypothesizing here, but it seems to be able to adapt its own genetic structure by consuming other sources of DNA based life."

"What?" Norris replies. "So, what it can mutate itself or something?"

"It's possible." Palmer says. "It has the same general triplex architecture of the Hive drones we discovered, and I believe I have a general hypothesis on the structure's purpose, but in general I think it's a safe bet that it holds a similar practical genetic diversity, that is to say, deliberate and functional mutations, as does the Hive due to the similar structures." He pauses, as if expecting Norris to cut him off, but he seems surprisingly interested in the explanation. Palmer continues. "I think it may be that the triplex allows for a much more rapid and versatile alteration of genetics while decreasing stability and increasing unintentional mutation. It's like... a factory verses a workshop. Our genetics are hand crafted over millions and billions of years of evolution, while theirs is mass manufactured for a predetermined function. In the Hive's case, that function seems to be a rigid caste system in which each drone slots into society like a tool or organ, but for this creature... I think it's to enable it to gather and redesign its own genetic structure to adapt to new environments, and take on new forms."

"So how long will it be before it can start looking like a human?" Norris says, Palmer and Gilliam look to each other cautiously.

"We don't know." Gilliam says. "And there's not really any way of knowing until we see it in a new form." Norris looks between the two doctors for some time in silence, then looks to his side as he clicks a radio in his ear.

"Kill team. We have some new intel. Turns out my suspicions are right. This thing can shapeshift. No word on how good it is, or how fast it can manage it. Assume it's damn good and damn fast. Over." He says quickly. There is a static filled crackle on the other end.

"Roger that, sir. We plan on checking IDs."

"We'll have a medical scanner setup by the time you get back. You find anyone they go through the scanner before getting treatment, don't care if they're holding their own liver." Norris says back. "Over and out."
Cont.

>>1460600
We've been working over that little upgrade for a while now, actually. We talk a lot about crunch stuff at times, we're just about running the same system at this point.

>>1460777
All the more reason to finally build those space elevators if we haven't already.
Don't know why we havent

>>1460722
Actually Builder's the only one to survive the Betrayal intact if you followed the quest.
>>1460724
I don't think he mentioned anything like that. However he did mention there's a big metaplot and the humans were screwing around with psionic shielding long beyond we knew about it.

>>1460777
I really like Norris.He listened to the eggheads,hes genre savvy and hes not trigger happy.I hope he dosnt die.
Also nice trips.

>>1460752
>>1460754
We're not summoning them. And even if we did so accidentally, wouldn't you rather do so in space, away from our planets?
The psionic shielding will keep them from attempting to corrupt or otherwise make mental attacks on us or any drones outside the space object we conduct the research in. We know for a solid fact that they have to obey the laws of tachyons.
A tachyonic-shielded space object is the safest place to conduct the research, if we're hell bent on doing it.

>>1460813
Clearly he is already the monster.

>>1460777
>check ids

That's not enough! It can steal ids off a dead man and it already has a few corpses.

The only true test is pop culture trivia or something.

>>1460777
>It has the same general triplex architecture of the Hive drones we discovered

I thought the only one they had recovered was this one, which turned out to be a shapeshifter, not a drone? Unless I'm forgetting something

>>1460819
>We're not summoning them.

We don't need to. They are already here.

>>1460813
I agree about Norris. If the Union had more people like him they'd be in a much better place.


I'm wondering about how we actually are going to catch this thing. Obviously the humans won't be able to clean the area of contamination (at least to a high degree of certainty). So it seems like the best options for containment are either the Hive gets involved or the Union sends in Smiths to "clean" the area. It's a pretty good bet the creature wouldn't be able to replicate a Smith and they're likely lethal enough to take it down.

>>1460836
Burn

>>1460835
The Obsidian Hive remnants from when they attacked Path. There was a busted up worker and Thinker I think.

The Genie ate it all I think

>>1460819
Your thinking is limited.

>>1460819
That such a simple solution that the old hives would have already tried it and would kept doing it if it actually worked.

>>1460824
We dont know how intelligent it is. For all we know, if it took human form, all it could do is mimic our basic instincts. We should assume it learns fast,just to be safe,but we need to be careful about stoking paranoia.

>>1460777
Norris looks back to Palmer and Gilliam.

"I want a better way of detecting these things. I'm not risking anything on this xeno bastard not knowing how to blink his eyes right." A guard clears his throat behind him.

"What about trivia tests? Who won the last grav ball game, what actor is in the latest Upload to Hell remake, things like that?"

"And if it can analyse your memories, what then?" Norris replies as he quickly turns to the trooper.

"You think it could?" He says back, Norris looks back to Palmer and Gilliam, who share an uncertain look.

>Maybe?
>That sounds impossible!
>Other

>>1460870
>Maybe?

>>1460811
They did? I guess I forgot that if it was mentioned.

>>1460870
>>Maybe?
If it can sample a human brain it may be able to take all their information, but it would probably be impossible for it to do so otherwise.

>>1460870
>Maybe?
If it could, how would it translate them? The human mind is stored in the brains synapses, and at least some of them must be damaged during assimilation.Maybe instead of checking to see if they know the right answer,check and see what their response is. Does the response from a typically nervous person suit them? Are their priorities what they usually are?

>>1460777
>"Over and out."

TRIGGERED

>>1460854
It's probably what Mom did. At least until she had to test fire it, which she got the Builder to do. (Archive: 39014538, Post: 39017674)
And then what she continued to do once she had retreated to her holdfast. We know that firing the psionic cannon will attract the attention of the Void.

>>1460870
>Maybe?

>>1460896
Let it go bro, it ain't worth it. Let's just assume Norris got faulty radio operation training and blame the Union. Yeah. It's their fault. The Union is always at fault.

>>1460870
>Maybe?
"We have no ability to confirm the possibility. Hypothetically, however, if it can mimic other creatures it would have some method to mimic their behavior, otherwise there would be no advantage to mimicry in the first place. You're not thinking it could sample memories from the man it killed, are you?"

>>1460764
She survived the BQs betrayal by detonating her relay before she could be jammed.
I don't think we've ever read the description of The Builders throne room, can you post it?

>>1460915
No actually. She actually her drones destroy the relay.

>>1460926
She had drones on the Gardeners world?

>>1460915
Also builder's throne room looks kind of like a cage from the description. I'll see if I can find it.

>>1460926
No, she didn't.
Maybe you should take your own advice, anon.
>"The image goes blank as the Builder's own effigy destroys itself and you can feel the panic of the hive spread across the planet."
Same thread as the one I sourced in a previous post.

>>1460891
I'll support that.

>>1460458
Yaaaay qd is back! Tell your mother happy mamas day and thanks for running qd!

>>1460870
"Maybe?" Gilliam says uneasily.

"I would doubt any natural thing could do something so complex." Palmer says. "But... I am unsure if this thing is natural at all. With its triplex genetic structure, it may be that this entity is an engineered species. The Hive is almost certainly self-engineered, advancing their genetic code like we do portable technology. We may be looking at a purpose-built infiltrator." Norris just looks back to the guard.

"If the Valen can figure out how to get usable data from a human brain, there's nothing stopping this thing from doing the same thing." Gilliam says. "Technically, at least. The question of if it holds that kind of skill is still in the air."

"Yes, it can do that." He says. "And besides, you should stop watching those 'Unity takes over the Union' disaster porn movies. Those things are full of shit." He turns back to Palmer and jabs him with his finger.

"You keep working on this. I want to know everything." He says. "We had the techs get what they could and set them up here, some of the more noisy machines were hooked up in some of the dorm rooms. Keep me posted." He says, and he walks off as several other troopers hand him a tablet and begin pointing to various areas of the dorm common room.
Cont.

>>1460891
Sure

>>1460970
I want to watch the 'Unity takes over the Union' disaster porn movies

>>1460952
>>1460934
I thought the relay was on the Builder's planet. Though then again we were never told how those relays work.

>>1460984
Soon we will get Hive takes over the Union disaster porn movies. And in the end, at long last, we will get Hive and Unity takes over the Union disaster porn movies with lewd machine insect action. Oh yes.

>>1460987
The effigies were on the Gardener's world. We also know the capabilities of an effigy, anon: They're more or less customized advanced relays - hence why OQ captured them; so she could paralyze other hives.
Now please cool your hothead, sit down, and get back to enjoying the quest.

>>1460987
They're advanced relays customized to reflect the owner queen's personality and characteristics, they are usually sent to the planet/designated area of the leading queen, which was the Gardener and her Garden after the white queen left.

File: 6616419.gif (441 KB, 477x262)

441 KB GIF

>>1460970

Palmer looks to Gilliam with concern.

"I'm still worried about that dig site on Djin. If there are more of these-"

"We should worry about the one here for now." Gilliam says. The two make their way across the room to one of the dorm rooms, the door open and the inside filled with lab equipment. As they examine the sensitive instruments for damage there is a sudden wave of commotion. Gilliam looks up to see a number of guards holding their weapons near the entrance as an argument is becoming louder and louder. Someone carries in a stretcher as two guards drag in a bloodied man in a torn suit of armor, the plates ripped open exposing deep, seeping wounds across the abdomen. One of the man's arm is missing, and the flesh along the side of his head has been ground to the bone, as if grazed by a passing machete, cleaving the ear clean off.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Gilliam says. You can hear gunshots not far down the hall, bursts of automatic fire punctuated with the sound of a grenade, and a terrible, inhuman scream follows shortly after as more of the guards fall back through the door. Gilliam moves closer for a better look, and to avoid the outer corners of the dorm's makeshift security perimeter. One of the troopers is operating the targeting UI of a remote turret on a data tablet as its ammunition counter quickly lowers, until it stops, and you can hear something tear off a wall pannel in the distance with the thunderous drumming of metal plates shearing in half.

"It's back in the vents, sounds like." Someone says, his rifle held tight like a child's security blanket, aimed up at the ceiling expectantly.


"He's in shock!" Someone shouts, and the bloodied man is placed on the stretcher. He drops several of his own fingers to the floor in a spurt of blood from his hand, and the humans around him quickly leap back in fright, one of the lab techs vomiting in the corner at the sight.

"What happened?" Norris says as the man is taken into the medical bay.

"We were ambushed by that thing. Tried to drag him off into the vents, but we fought it off." The guard says. "It happened fast, thing came out of nowhere."

"I know." Norris says. "Just... get some rest. See medical once they're done with Carver and get yourself cleared. Same to the rest of the squad." The man nods quickly as he leaves.

"Yes sir." He says quietly, and leaves with several other guards, their armor covered in blood and scrapes across the chest plates.
cont.

>>1460984
Does that mean that Palmer is pro-Unity?

>>1461138
Well hes going in quarantine.

>>1461150
What? no name guard watched the movie and captain told him he had shit taste

>>1461138
Uh, we really should run some scans on that guy who almost got dragged into the vents. If his friends lost contact with him for even a moment a "swap" may have occurred. And I am very nervous about abdomen wounds as vectors for infectious material taking over a hosts body (seeing as we do similar with parasites).

>>1461138
Also, talk about worst day in the job.

>>1461165
I doubt that the creature could clone an organism(not species) that it just got a sample of,including his clothes.

It just accoured to me that dogs wod be a good way to detect the thing and hive hybrids.

>>1461181
I suppose...

Still, we have no idea what it could have implanted when it wounded the guy (and frankly, I think infection/implantation of something is quite likely). We really need to keep our eyes on this guy.

>>1461199
If the top secret facility contained any dogs then yeah,they would.

>>1461202
If it is the "THING" then yeah that guard needs to be killed asap

>>1461214
I'm still not convinced it's infectious

>>1461202
Not saying we shouldn't. One of three bad things could be happening to him:
1.An offshoot of the creature is growing in him and will burst out,consume him.
2.The infection is spreading outwards from a single point/tumor
3.It is mainly spreading thru the bloodstream.
So we have too look for any abnormal physical growths or blood content.

>>1461214
>>1461202
I the original movie the Thing needed time to assimilate/corrupt other lifeforms.

>>1461153
Like he said, You find anyone they go through the scanner before getting treatment.

I know it won't fly with these guys, but the Unity would be a great counter to a biological ambusher/infiltrator

File: corridor.jpg (285 KB, 1600x897)

285 KB JPG

>>1461138

Gilliam looks through the crowd of surgeons and field medics as they drag him onto an operating table. His face is disfigured with what looks like some kind of chemical burn, his eyes sealed shut from the swelling and blood pours down from the wounds. Gilliam winces and looks away, this eyes panning over the rest of the returned squad. They look pale, their faces hung towards the ground as they remove their blood covered armor mechanically. Several of them are already missing armored plates, with deep gashes set across the remaining fabric where dried blood is crusted in layers. One of them sits on a bench, his eyes looking out to the rest of the crowd, not focusing. He is missing a finger but doesn't seem to notice, a smartrubber tourniquet stretched over the stump that remains preventing any more bleeding. For a moment you make eye contact, but you are unsure if he even notices. Another squadmate pats his shoulder.

"He's gonna be alright." Someone says, shaking him lightly. He looks back up blankly. "You still got your finger?" The man looks to his hand, as if just now realizing it is missing, and looks back.

"It's alright. Digits that that, the augs look just like the real thing." He continues with a forced laugh. The man examines his hand again and seems to crack a smile for a moment when another trooper swings into Gilliam's face from his periphery.

"The fuck you looking at?" He says. His helmet hits Gilliam in the stomach with surprising force. "You're the fucking bastards thawing out that damn thing and we're the ones that always end up on the wrong end of the stick for it!" He points to the medical bay in a general swing of his arm. "You stay out of our way and figure out how to stop that thing, or that alien won't be your biggest concern here." The soldier storms off, down the hall of dorm rooms, and you hear the loud bang of his helmet impacting a wall as he tosses it away, cursing under the noise of the impact. Gilliam catches his breath from the surprisingly firm strike, gasping for a moment as Palmer helps him back up.

"If anything this is my fault." Palmer says. "And he has a point. We need to figure this thing out fast."

"Well..."Gilliam starts, shaking his head for a moment. "Well they may have seen something. We need to at least get a debriefing." He says.

"Well you're free to ask them." Palmer says, "but I don't think they're going to be in a very objective mood for the moment."

>Follow the soldier down the hall
>Speak with the two gunners at the bench
>Find the squad leader
>Wait for the injured man to regain consciousness and ask him questions
>Other

>>1461344
Honestly, if I was the Union, I would be sending in a Smith clean up crew to just erase anyone involved in this mess and destroy the Thing.

>>1461355
>Find the squad leader

Protocol for this, go to leadership and then have him help debrief the others

>>1461355
>Follow the soldier down the hall and get eaten when he transforms.
He is in a clear state of mind(not shell shocked)so we should get the most info out of him,also because he seems pissed,so he probably seen more of what the creature could do.

>>1461355
>>1461380
Nvm,switching to >Find the squad leader

>>1461355
>>Speak with the two gunners at the bench
They got close enough to see the creature and time is of the essence here. They could also potentially point us in the direction of the squad leader so we aren't fumbling around in the dark. Let's talk to them.

Also, I would guess that an intact finger is enough for the Thing to make a clone of our injured soldier. Let's make sure to keep an eye out for anything that looks like him approaching the perimeter and notify the entrance guards.

>>1461355
>>Follow the soldier down the hall
He must've seen some shit.

>>1461380
I think that referring to the angry guy who just punched us

So not in a good state of mind at all and will need the squad leader to get him to talk

>>1461355
>Find the squad leader

>inb4 he's the one that got sended to the medbay

>>1461355
>Find the squad leader

>>1461358
No, if you were the union you would start worshipping the Thing, feeding it babies and doing unholy rituals to divine its purposes, and then failing that just start a genestealer cult around feeding all of your smartest scientists to it one after another

>>1461388
This

>>1461388
>>1461355
Second.

>>1460522
>heard it in CABAL's voice
It's been too long.

>>1461586
C&C didn't deserve what was done to it by EA

>>1461592
you could say that about a lot of games lol

>>1461421
Be fair now, the Union didn't deliberately corrupt their men to summon the void gods at Nowhere, they were just trying to figure out how the fancy, extremely dangerous alien tech worked.

They're more likely to just seal the place and observe how it kills everyone while foolishly trying to figure out how to tame or weaponize it. That said, I imagine if things go far enough they'll just nuke the place, surrounding city be damned, and blame the rebels for the blast.

>>1461586
So glad i wasn't the only one.

>>1461355

Gilliam quickly scans the crowd and finds the squad leader, he is standing not far from the medical bay, looking in on the procedure. Gilliam walks up and clears his throat.

"Excuse me. Is he going to be alright?" Gilliam asks. The man glances over to him for a moment.

"They think so. It did a number on him but apart from the bleeding most of the injuries on just on the surface. Some medical foam and a tank bath and they think he'll be okay for the most part."

"That's good." Gilliam says. "We can't leave this place until that thing is dead, when it attacked, did you see anything, or notice anything that comes to mind?" The man thinks for a moment before he turns to face Gilliam, his scraped chestplate holding a small name placard reading Lieutenant Donald A. Arnell

"It happened in a flash. We were looking for any signs of unusual activity when we detected movement in a lab. We went to investigate and... well it just speared out of nowhere. I think it must have set up a trap in the ceiling because it was like it just fell on top of us." He says. "It looked a bit off though. Not like that spider thing that ran away. It was almost like some kind of, I dunno, a panther maybe. Looked like it had four legs but it was moving so quick it was hard to get a count. I think it maybe had some more, or some kind of tentacles, maybe it was a tail, like I said it was moving fast but something whipped up against us and tossed us like we were a damn set of throw pillows. Grabbed him, and just bolted. We managed to get some good shots off on it and it dropped him and it looked like it went for cover, but damnit the thing hunted us all the way back here." He looks back to the trooper on the bed. "That thing just soaked up round after round. High ex, anti-personnel, incendiary, everything. I think the incendiary works best but, that's not saying much."

>Ask for details of the creature (write in)
>Ask for details of the combat (write in)
>Other

>>1461355
>>Find the squad leader

>>1461592
>>1461586
Try Original War

>>1461635
>>Ask for details of the combat (write in)
Did it prioritize which human soldier to go after?

What happened right before it seemed to run away?

Did it flee in fear, or as if it had accomplished its goal?

>>1461647
Yeah that was a real good game, a pity they never continued it but those xcom style games they then made weren't bad

>>1461635
>>Other
How long was that trooper out of your sights?

>>1461687
We should more question if the 'tail' was used like a sharp stabby ovipositor. Wouldn't need to be out of sight for that.

>>1461687
Although, right. This thing's skin can fight independently from it for a short period at least.

It could shed a skin to attack them, while putting itself inside a human skin.

>>1461635
>Other
>Would any of your other men have been in a better position to see what happened. Did you ever completely lose sight of the one it attempted to capture?

>Ask for details of the combat (write in)

>Could you say that its goal appeared to be to capture one of our men alive?
>If it had been attempting primarily to kill your squad, do you believe it could have?

We need to know if it allowed this group to escape. If it was able to move so quickly it could have wiped out the squad but it didn't, then its intention could very well have been to "allow" the squad to drive the creature away with a little "present" inside the injured comrade...

>>1461687
+1 to this.

This is a critical question, especially taken with how it can have its skin move independently to some extent.

>>1461729
>>1461760
>>1461635
These pls.

Wait is there com gear part of the helmet? or just a headset?

And if so where this wounded guys headgear?

>>1461801
Problably droped when he was snatched or it was melted by the acid. I'm surprised the squad leader didn't said anything about his underling melted face injury

>>1461635
Was the panther the only thing moving out there?

>>1461635

>>1461687
This is the most important question. Some of the other write ins are good, and we should use them, but it is of paramount importance we determine just how corrupted this guy is and if there is a chance he has been overtaken entirely already.

>>1461635
"How long was he out of sight?" You ask. The Lieutenant thinks for a moment.

"Maybe a few seconds at most. Drug him off around the corner but we were right on its ass. Private Sanders was the first to get to it, actually. Lost a finger for the trouble." He says. "Then we managed to get on the scene and it started running for cover. It would come back around, we'd start shooting again the moment it popped out, and it would run away again. Got in a few good hits with that... I dunno tail thing. Seemed like it had a few of them, and they had a big claw on the end of each one. Like a goddamn scythe, it ripped right through armor." He runs his fingers through his air. "Jesus it must be sharp as a vibroblade, these are reinforced polymer. You'd need a drop suit's powered sword to at least to break through this chestplate like that. I've seen it stand up to a plasma grenade at point blank." He seems to be lost in thought for a moment before looking back to Gilliam. "The shockwave still kills you, but I mean, it tore right through the plate, not the fibre weave joints, the plate, like a tin can. Never in my life have I heard of an animal that strong."

"So Sanders, would he have gotten a better look at what happened when it attacked?" You ask, he nods.

"Yea. He was right next to the thing when it pounced on our pointman, and he stayed with it as it tried to drag him away. We heard some gunshots, and when we turned the corner he's got the thing bleeding this nasty looking blood all over and a combat knife in its side. I yell at him to get to cover, and he dives into an office, and we start shooting. It charges at us and... I guess someone hit a soft spot because it just dives for the wall and makes it into a service tunnel."

"So Sanders god close."

"Not as close as he did." He says as he points to the medical bay. "But yea, god real shook up over it though. Not sure if he's got much to say. You really need to talk with him, take it easy. Don't fuck him up any more than he already is. He hasn't said a word since we got back and if I don't blame him."

Gilliam looks back to the bench where the two privates have stowed their gear. You can see Sanders walk down the hall as the other squadmate pats his back and watches him go as he scrapes at the fresh blood in his hair.

>Speak with Private Sanders
>Ask additional questions (write in)
>Other

>>1461869
>>Speak with Private Sanders

>>1461869
>Speak with Private Sanders

So it had a tail thing that was capable of breaking through the armor but would not go any deeper

and it played hit and run while using the tails on them

So? maybe it was a implant system it used on them? but need more info though

>>1461869
>>Speak with Private Sanders

So is the private infected in some way, or is he just shellshocked?

>>1461869
>He hasn't said a word since we got back
Uh oh...

>Speak with Private Sanders

>Other
Tell security insendiary ammunition seems to work best. Request an armed team report to watch this "survivor".

That popping out of cover only to get shot at and then retreating sounds like a delaying tactic. The creature wanted to keep the soldiers from inspecting their wounded guy for a certain period of time for a reason...

>>1461869
>Speak with Private Sanders

Oh my paranoia senses are tingling vilontly.

>>1461899
Agreed. The creature could have easily killed them all. If it could rip through the armor it can rip through skin. It wanted the squad to survive...

>>1461923
It cause we would have done the same thing as this thing and are being forced to play as the union perspective instead of being the monster for once

>>1461869
>>Speak with Private Sanders
assuming Sanders doesn't say anything to contradict the theory, we should suggest the survivor get a very through scan at the least.

I feel like there's a hint in the anti-armor claw somewhere; if it could cut through the armor without trouble, it should have easily cut them in two. Why didn't it?

>>1461869
>>Other
Ask for one of the other soldiers to talk to Sanders with you.

To "keep him calm."

Alert Norris discreetly that Sanders hasn't been talking and wasn't in sight at all times on the mission.

>>1461869
>Other
Alert Norris at once that, based on the interview with the squad lead, we strongly suspect the creature allowed this security squad to escape. They should remain under observation and a security detail armed incendiary weapons should report to where the "injured" guard is being treated.

>>1461869
Does Gilliam have access to any of the weapons lockers? This is feeling like he might need a backup weapon reeeeal soon.

>>1461938
And now we need to predict its motives for using these tactics and that form on this group of grunts

Damn it puts into perspective on how scary we are too fight

>>1461869
>Ask additional questions (write in)
Did anyone grab that finger?

Cause I bet this thing would be interested in the soldier's genetic material.

>>1461938
And it also proves the thing is very smart. At least much more then a natural creature.

>>1461960
We ain't security we don't carry weapons

>>1461899
>>1461945
>>1461950
This thing could have killed the squad but it let them go...

Sanders didn't talk and was hidden in the office right? I'm very, very worried about him. Get security up here to isolate Sanders. We may have containment breached in more than merely the med lab.

>>1461950
>>1461955
Also supporting these. Have the doctors verify the injured is who they think he is and monitor him for signs of active contagions, and bring a guard to perform the same checks on Sanders. We can tell him it's to ensure he's not infected with anything.

>>1461991
Meant it as CAN he get a weapon (discretely) not if he's allowed to grab one. Sorry, just a little paranoid since all we got is a parasite

Security is the job of the hard-ass not ours. He knows what happened. Besides, even if this thing got out it wouldn't hurt us much.

>>1462040
Except for the part where human paranoia about this shapeshifter will lead to them instituting security measures that will also expose our hybrids' nonhuman DNA.

>>1462060
Well then we can use clones and upgrade them with either a parasite or a discreet basic relay/psionic sensitivity like Lee has. Whatever is more difficult to detect we can implement.

At this point, though, Union paranoia should be spiking. There's a good chance one of our parasited people/hybrids may eventually be discovered and we need contingency plans for if and when that happens.

>>1462060
Honestly dont give half a shit. At this point im ready to warp in a fleet and glass the place. We've been letting them have playtime far too long

>>1462027
We cando better and ask for a armed escort. Gilliam foesn't have the trainning for guns so having someone that actually knows how to shoot one would be more effective.

>>1462060
Well Gilliam's just a cool dude with a parasite inside him not a hybrid, the drone's Adaptive camouflage and Mimetic skin might be able to fool a bioscan if it can blend in with the rest of him.

>>1462077
>a discreet basic relay
Still entails "minor genetic alterations."

Parasited replicants would evade the DNA test but we have to wonder about other scans.

This whole situation is making me wish parasites had small egg-layers so the host can puke up a few Fly or Parasite eggs

>>1461869

"I think I need to at least ask. If he saw anything that could help-"

"Right." He says back. "I understand, just take it slow, alright? He saw some real messed up shit back there."

"I understand. Still, it doesn't quite add up."

"What do you mean?" He says. Gilliam holds his hands out for a moment.

"I mean, all things considered, it sounds like with claws that sharp it could have killed you, at least some of you, but it didn't."

"You think it let us escape? For what? Why?"

"I just.... I think you should have some guards posted over his bed. Until you can run a proper scan at least." Gilliam says hesitantly. There is a flash of anger on the lieutenant's face but he bites it down.

"I understand." He says. "I don't like it. It's goddamn disgraceful, fucking insulting, but I get it. I'll tell the captain and get some men with torches set up, and I'll be sure to run us all through the scanner just to be sure." He watches the medics work over the injured man, and then looks back to Gilliam, as if with regret, and then pulls out his pistol and flips it in his hand, holding it out to Gilliam. "If you think our squad is compromised, then don't be interviewing us unarmed. Hell, even without that thing's strength I could snap you in half, you eggheads must never eat. You know how to use this, right?"

"I spent the first decade of my career on a deep space substation. The muscle never really came back." Gilliam says as he tucks the gun away. "And yes. You can't get security clearance without at least basic weapons training anymore. Can't say I liked it, or that I'm any good, but I know how to not shoot my foot off if that's what you're asking."

"Alright, I'll talk to the captain about those guards." He says, and he walks off.

>Speak with Private Sanders
>Ask for an armed escort to his bunk
>Other (write in)

>>1462109
Maybe we'll get that upgrade once/if we're able to analyze the Thing or its corpse.

>>1462120
>Ask for an armed escort to his bunk

>>1462109
Maybe someday we can make the biological interface produce spores that gather in the lungs that people can hack up.

If those spores can then grow together into drones in someone else's flesh.

>>1462120
>>Ask for an armed escort to his bunk
>Other (write in)

Inform the captain the squad was allowed to escape and that Sanders was both out of sight of the rest of the squad and has said nothing since the battle.

>>1462120
>>Speak with Private Sanders
Don't want to tip him off if he's compromised, or cause sanity breaking stress if he isn't.

>>1462120
>get some men with torches set up
Well hey, don't forget the pitchforks.

>>1462120
>Ask for an armed escort to his bunk

>>1462120
>Ask for an armed escort to his bunk
Very discreetly.And make damn sure there is something to get behind.

>>1462141
>>1462146
We should claim it's a general protocol that nobody goes anywhere alone. We bring two guards, only because one of the guards is planned to stay and use the Buddy System with Sanders.

Or we just make sure we bring Sanders's friends to calm him down.

>>1462163
Forget claiming, we should officially recommend that nobody goes anywhere alone. If this thing is still stalking people from the vents it could pick off anyone one by one.

>>1462212
Yes but what if we want Gilliam to do something sneaky in the future?

We'd be having to go to the bathroom in pairs with Palmer and never get away with anything.

>>1462212
We cant out wait this thing. We need to kill it or otherwise neutralize it before it infects too many of us. Maybe use a guy as a sacrifice ,then when it takes him, the soldiers following him will open up with enough explosives to at least severally weaken it. This thing only has so much biomass so we need to prevent it from getting more.

>>1462136
That being said if the Thing was smart it would just shed its skin in the air vents and wait for everything to get infected we know how fast a small sample can grow

What matter is what it is goal and how it will try to achieve it?

I think we can all agree that it wants of of this bunker

But how?

one way is that It may have played with this lot to sneak it self in to grab someone with the codes to unlock this place or send a ok to anyone outside

>>1462234
>>1462236
I was implying that those procedures would only be needed until this thing is put down. Which ideally would be very soon with kill teams of troopers hunting it, but sending guys anywhere on this base solo will just get them killed and give this thing has new face.

>>1462271
We dont know how much of the mind the Thing can extract,or how much it can make sense of it,or how it would control an infected person. Lets ask Norris what is the most "hard" room in the facility. If we can lead the thing in their and trap it, then it can buy us time to find out if anyone else is infected.

>>1462271
To be honest i don't think it needs that it could dig its way out it just needs time

>>1462277

Ideally we need to seize the lab with masses of drones in hive heavy armor/biohazard equipment. The tricky part will be getting to this without the Union realizing Gilliam is compromised or allowing the Thing to escape...

>>1462282
The hardest room in the facility is probably the containment lab it already escaped from, with the second hardest being the emergency center we're in now.

>>1462310
We could claim we hear a drone screaming, ask the Union what's happening in there.

>>1462310
Eh, remember that the spore doomsday hasn't started yet, once that starts then we can send anything we want here

>>1462318
I was just hoping for the cliche "broom closet of steel" that would help save the day.

>>1462320
That would be the best time to invade. When the creep has already eaten half the building.

>>1462319
That could work. We'd want to make sure we're clear the Thing is not under our control, however. Maybe we can claim the screaming came from the "bodies" of one of our other drones they may have recovered from the wreckage.

>>1462320
We don't know how long that will take, and there's a good chance the Hive will be blamed for the disaster, the odds of us being able to use this to take over the lab are, I suspect, pretty low. Plus planning for the spore disaster we technically know nothing about (horray for crit fails!) is a bit too meta-gamey from my perspective.

>>1462295
>dig
>through starship grade alloy

>>1462375
Watch QD pull a fast one and there isn't any disaster to plan for. The disaster is us planning for a disaster that doesn't come. Usurped by our own paranoia.

>>1462318
We're still in the lab.

its containment was bacteria-proofed not violence-proofed. It was definitely not ultra plasteel.

>>1462389
Plot twist:
The Thing is long gone into the city above; everything that ends up happening is just the result of rampant paranoia.

>>1462375
>That could work. We'd want to make sure we're clear the Thing is not under our control, however. Maybe we can claim the screaming came from the "bodies" of one of our other drones they may have recovered from the wreckage.
Or just say we can hear all drones that are loud enough, this one's not one of ours.

>>1462382
>You'd need a drop suit's powered sword to at least to break through this chestplate like that. I've seen it stand up to a plasma grenade at point blank.

>>1462408
Plot twist: He is using our ideas to come up with new plans to screw with us. I.E. Changing them if we are getting too close

>>1462412
One would wonder why a Queen would make an infiltration drone that's "loud."

I suspect it will take the Union some time and a much better understanding of Hive physiology before they start wondering about that, though.

>>1462375
We actually did cover our ass. We told them to tell us if they had any contaminants and the debris fell all over the city so even if they try to pin it on us they take an even bigger hit for allowing to get so far out of control.

>>1462424
So..... yeah that major support for the idea it can just dig its way out

>>1462437
I say let it escape.

>>1462437
Considering the fact that it can technically make more of itself would mean massive damage to civilian population.
What are the surroundings of the lab? We might have a terror mission on our hands.

I vote we have Lee wake up Morgan and let him know that we have detected a drone that is not from our Hive in one of the Union cities and that we suspect it is from a bioweapon research facility that was placed into deep freeze to ensure specimen containment. Ask if he would like our discreet assistance in containing the outbreak of the "bipweapon."

>>1462120
Gilliam looks around for a moment to find one of the guards nearby. He quickly waves down a private looking through the window of the medical bay.

"I need you to come with me, please." He says quickly. "Just down the hall to talk with someone." He looks back to Gilliam with a moment of hesitation.

"Alright." He says. "But you better not be some pod person. This area should be secure enough for you to be in the dorm halls at least."

"I'm actually more worried about Private Sanders." Gilliam says. The man seems to think on that for a moment.

"Yes sir." He says simply. The two make their way down the hall and around the corner to where you saw Sanders go, and Gilliam quickly checks his tablet for a map to the barracks near the end of the hall, and makes his way to the door.

"Hey, this guy's already shaken up, you want me to just wait at the door?" The private asks.

>Yes, wait here and come in if you hear anything
>No, come in and keep watch
>Other

>>1462450
We dont have the right to do shit about this, this is a union black op on a union core world

So whatever happens is in there hands

>>1462424
So it's as strong as a hive warrior's blade.

But have those been shown to be capable of cutting through a starship hull or blast doors in the past?

>>1462450
It's in the middle of a major residential tower complex. Rich people above, poor people below.

>>1462451
Backing

>>1462457
>>No, come in and keep watch
So Gilliam doesn't get bum-rushed by the thing

>>1462451
Not really interested in telling them shit yet. Let the cities fucking burn.

>>1462457
>No, come in and keep watch

>>1462464
Dude no, our warriors blade did shit to lyle dropsuit

This is the equivalent to one of our heavies melee weapons

>>1462461
I really want to get that tech on our hands though.

>>1462457
>Yes, wait here and come in if you hear anything

>>1462457
>In before Sanders!Thing is undisguised on the other side of the door.

>>1462457
>>No, come in and keep watch
Buddy system at all times.

>>1462451
Palmer is very certain it is not even a hive drone already. No.

>>1462482
That was obviously before Lyle's dropsuit was researched and duplicated, duh.

>>1462457
>No, come in and keep watch

>>1462482
We attacked Lyle a long time ago and we have gotten at least 2 passive upgrades on our blades

>>1462483
Wait what?
Do you mean let that tech fall into union hands? or were you saying blood on our hands?

Cause no offense this is not our world, not our people and them dying matters none at all

>>1462482
We didn't unlock vibroblades when we fought Lyle.

>>1462489
To be fair, Palmer knows jack-shit about the Hive. If we claim it's a hive drone and that we heard it the Union will be hard-pressed to think the more likely option is that their lead scientist has been turned into a hive sleeper agent.

>>1462450
We've never seen it reproduce yet. We don't know how long an abandoned skin can remain active, since they've either died or fled.

And anyway, the Thing doesn't know where the fuck it is, either. It's struggling to figure out what direction to flee in and what it will find once it gets out of this enclosed space.

>>1462496
How do these two things correlate?
Explain to me, how does dropsuit research and duplication make melee attacks of our medium drones strong enough to break through it?
>>1462464
Is strength of our hive warrior's blade comparable to a plasma grenade?

Think a little.

>>1462502
What I used was a bastardized version of "get hands on something", as in obtain. It's past 6am in here.

>>1462502
It could prove a major distraction for both us and the Union in the future if the contagion spreads. This is a very heavily populated planet. If the Union and to an extent Anons/the hive is distracted by events here we will be less prepared to fight and repel the OQ. Letting the human cities burn, while tempting, has too many unknowns to be a viable option.

Plus, Theseus and Elizabeth would be mad if we casually condemned billions of humans to death when we could have intervened.

>>1462482
We unlocked thermal and vibroblades both after looting Lyles gear and ship

>>1462546
Eliz and Thes wont be mad

When did they become saints who give a shit about this?

>>1462457
>No, come in and keep watch
>Other
"It will be safer for both of us."

>>1462559
That sounds fucking creepy to say.

>>1462457
Make sure to get a look into the room before stepping in and if we step in,stay in the doorway.

>>1462525
Lyle's combat armor had melee weapons anon.

Though ok technically it was separate from the drop suit reverse engineering.

>>1461869
awww shit. He 'dropped a finger'.

He just pulled what we pull and dropped a mini monster.

>>1462457
>No, come in and keep watch

>>1462546
If we let the cities burn then we're ignoring them and we have virtually infinite actions per day.

>>1462577
Oh right.
Maybe we should've made it a higher priority to isolate all biological substances/limbs regardless of origin.

>>1462525
You're 'thinking' about two different things.

The creature survived a plasma grenade. That's a rating of its defense, not its attack. It has nothing to do with how powerful its offensive capability is, which was rated as like one of those powered blades. Not like a grenade.

>>1462457
>>No, come in and keep watch

>>1462576
Eh, I suppose I was overly detailed and I did forget that it came with vibroblade research. You're right.

And I suppose heat+shockwave is different from bladed attacks, doubt it could dig through in a feasible timespan.

>>1462558
Theseus likes and cares for humans, to an extent, in pretty sure he wouldn't be happy about us killing them.

Elizabeth used to be human and sells herself as caring for all life. I think she'd still work with us if we let the humans die, but would not be happy.

>>1462577
No he didn't.

"Sanders" is one of the few people who didn't lose any fingers.

One is heavily injured, and one actually talks.

>>1462570
But it's the true. With him inside we have a witness of how things went inside and he isn't alone in a empty hallway just to be ambushed and eaten.

>>1462558
Elizabeth is a former human the reason she works for us is she sees it as the best way to help humanity in the long run. She can accept us killing humans who are being fucking idiots or attacking us(but I repeat myself),but not us allowing billions of noncombatants to die when we could stop it. Thesues also cares about humanity would be pissed at us to allow this to happen. Our prior interactions and responses to humanity have also shown that getting billions killed for little reason then to "teach them a lesson" does not fit our mentality.

>>1462603
>in pretty sure he wouldn't be happy about us killing them.
Theseus doesn't hate humans, and knows they created him. That doesn't mean he likes or cares for them, especially since the majority of them want to erase him from existence.

Liz literally helped us spine-buddy her former friends and co-workers, and hates the Union. She'd probably be more upset if we were actively dickbaggy, but she could care less unless we were actively genocidal for no reason.

>>1462593
Look its simple it makes a drill and just gose through it a stell drill can go through a steel block it just how molecules work inevitably it can dig its way out

>>1462590
Technically we have infinite actions per day. But realistically, from a quest perspective, there's only so much Anons can focus on per day before the quest slows down too much. And I guarantee that if the Union dissolves into chaos with mass war and biological outbreaks anons WILL want to get involved.

>>1462610
It can probably hear us you know.

Actually, we could mislead it. It has no idea where it is. If it is learning English as fast as the Thinker did in thread 1.

We could talk about how we have to keep it out of [place easy to trap it in] at all costs where he can hear it.

Maybe it's too late for that plan.

>>1462457
>>Yes, wait here and come in if you hear anything

>>1462593
Pretty sure the grenade was referring to the guards' armor. However the point is moot considering that blade'd be better at piercing through that, so the overall level of strength does not need to be the same as a grenade.

>>1462611
>Our prior interactions and responses to humanity have also shown that getting billions killed for little reason then to "teach them a lesson" does not fit our mentality.

Agreed. We may not be the Gardener, but the Queen cares for all life. The humans as a species should not suffer greatly as a whole for the incompetence of a few of their leaders.

>>1462603
They literally brought this upon themselves and we could use this sort of planetary extinction level disaster to smooth over the Expanse "negotiations".

>>1462606
Whoever this one is here>>1461355

>. One of them sits on a bench, his eyes looking out to the rest of the crowd, not focusing. He is missing a finger but doesn't seem to notice, a smartrubber tourniquet stretched over the stump that remains preventing any more bleeding. For a moment you make eye contact, but you are unsure if he even notices. Another squadmate pats his shoulder.
>"He's gonna be alright." Someone says, shaking him lightly. He looks back up blankly. "You still got your finger?" The man looks to his hand, as if just now realizing it is missing, and looks back.
>"It's alright. Digits that that, the augs look just like the real thing." He continues with a forced laugh. The man examines his hand again and seems to crack a smile for a moment when another trooper swings into Gilliam's face from his periphery.


He didn't talk at all. Might be shock, might be a THing.

>>1462603
>>1462611
One that is bullshit logic about how we are "teaching them a lesson"

They have agency and if there actions fuck up then it is THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX AND CLEAN UP THE MESS not ours

There is no way thes or eliz will blame us for a disaster

>>1462631
Oh wait right so it did. Wrong pronoun.

>>1462457
>>No, come in and keep watch
Might offend but never go anywhere without a buddy when the thing is about.

File: Eudora_Hall_.jpg (144 KB, 800x360)

144 KB JPG

>>1462457
"Better you come in too, just in case." Gilliam says, the private nods quickly as he opens the door and steps in. The barracks is a long hall lined with bunks set into the walls on either side, between the bunks are rows of lockers holding fatigues and combat skinsuits, each with a name attached. Near the middle are several tables where playing cards are set out, various data tablets, credits, and a small chessboard that seems halfway through a game, along with several beer bottles. Near the end of the barracks is a set of doors, one leading to the showers, the other the bathrooms.

Gilliam walks down the hall of lockers, looking into the alcoves of beds when he hears something near the far end of the room.

"Private Sanders?" He calls out. There is a long silence, and then a pale looking man steps out from behind a set of lockers. Gilliam waves his hand slowly. "I was wondering if you would be willing to talk with me... about what happened." He says. Sanders looks you in the eye, and then the private, and back to Gilliam before he walks forward to the set of tables in the center of the room. Gilliam pulls out a chair and sits as Sanders does the same next to him.

"It's alright, you're safe here." The private says. "And the medics know what they're doing. He's gonna make a full recovery, you saved his ass, man." He continues, and takes a seat across the table.

>Ask him questions (write in)
>Other

>>1462615
>She'd probably be more upset if we were actively dickbaggy, but she could care less unless we were actively genocidal for no reason.
Really? The logical,but caring Elizabeth would be fine with us one upping Hitler,but would get her panties in a twist if we cackled evilly over Union frequency"s.Elizabeth hates the Union,as in the government idiocy and corruption. Theseus has only killed humans when it would otherwise harm him in the long run,when instead he could have attempted to permanently reduce the Unions military power.

>>1462687
>>Other
Take out a data tablet. If he's too traumatized to talk, he can type what happened.

Surely.

>>1462709
Sound good it also works as a test if he can't use it

>>1462709
>>1462687
Second. Hopefully he doesn't suddenly become very shaky.

>>1462687
>>Ask him questions (write in)
I need you to tell me what you saw when you first saw that creature. You saw it before everyone else. Its very important. Would you like to type it out?

Also, the more we and our guard talk in its presence, the more it's learning the language bit by bit.

It will probably be able to speak soon.

>>1462743
backing, the initial description is what is really key. If it turns out this guy is safe it'll help determine if the other soldier got swapped out

>>1462752
Its more likely that the attacked soldier is inflected than the one with the lost finger

>>1462687
>>1462709
Backing. Also, lets ask a question he might not have been able to pick up from just listening to conversation. There is a very good chance this guy is corrupted.

>>1462687
Also maybe we should examine his smartrubber tourniquet, and then use that as a reason to bring him back for medical exam.

Maybe without using those words in case it learned them. Like with a dog that has to go to the V-E-T.

>>1462766
I agree. That's why I'm trying to get him talking or typing in my suggestion. We need to figure out if this guy is infected, and even if he returns to "normal" behavior get several guards to discreetly watch him if at all possible.

Frankly, I'm nervous this guy managed to get back to a residential area on his own. Didn't the captain already impose rules that NO ONE is to go anywhere without a buddy even inside "secured" areas?

>>1462687
"I was told you saw this thing up close." Gilliam says slowly. "Now, I was hoping that maybe you could have seen something. A reaction it gave, some indication of a weak point or sensitive area, some potentially exploitable behavioral quirk, even just a description of it would help." Sanders slowly looks back at the lockers for a moment, and silently looks back to Gilliam, his eyes glancing over the private across the table. Gilliam pulls out his tablet and slides it across the table.

"If you'd like, you can make a sketch of it, or type something out, anything at all." Gilliam says. Sanders looks at the tablet for a moment, and slowly pulls it closer. He runs his hand over the surface as it lights up.

"No."

"What?" Gilliam says, almost shocked at the muttering having been said at all, as opposed to the meaning.

"No." Sanders repeats.

>Insist on your questions and continue asking (write in)
>Gather a blood sample for the medical team
>Speak to him (write in)
>Other

>>1462766
Not really. It would be a big disadvantage to have someone with severe injuries as your infiltrator, instead of the person with minimal injuries.

>>1462805
Huh?

GET THE FUCK OUT AND LOCK THE DOOR NOW

>>1462805
>>Other
Then let's go see your injured friend.

No way will the Thing react well to a sharp object. We daren't do the confrontation here.

>>1462805
>>1462817
Back away slowly and ask if he wants to see his friend, or maybe the rest of his squad? We can ask for a blood sample when our backup is a bit stronger than one grunt who doesn't even know what the danger is.

>>1462805
>Well that's rather shameful, We needed your eye witness to be able to defeat the thing.

>>1462805
>Unholster gun, aim to face.
>Squeeze trigger.

ALTERNATIVELY:

>Okay, sure.
>Leave immediately.
>Lock door.
>ALERT EVERYONE.

Or something else. Anyone else with good ideas? Once we let on we know what's up, this thing is going to try and shred us. We need to get it in a position where it can't react fast enough to MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF BULLETS AND FIRE.

>>1462805
Oh boy this ain't shock. No sir.

>Other
"Thank him for his time. Close the door and call Norris ASAP"

>>1462827
Well we can't let it out of our sight either. We can't leave it.

We have to take it with us.

>>1462805
If we ask for blood sample, hes gonna flip his shit.
Ask him a different question and if he still dosnt give us an answer, tell him to get some rest and calmly get the fuck out.

>>1462805
>>Speak to him (write in)
Why not?

>>1462836
I agree with you. We should ask it to come with us to a public area while slowly getting out of stabbing range.

Sorry if it wasn't clear I was supporting your position.

If he doesn't want to come with us we call Norris and have him get a strike team together to take this guy down.

>>1462832
It would probably survive bullets.

>>1462805
Actually uh. Let's go get something to eat and see your friend.

Food always helps you feel better, Mother always said.

Think must like food.