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File 142621296506.png - (153.90KB , 800x1007 , Sketch12414034.png )
628866 No. 628866 ID: f75cf9

okay let's try out this quest thing
Expand all images
>>
No. 628868 ID: f75cf9
File 142621358057.png - (402.25KB , 800x1007 , Sketch124191742.png )
628868

Congratulations on being accepted into the crew of the Speaker!
>>
No. 628869 ID: f75cf9
File 142621365791.png - (494.76KB , 800x1007 , Sketch12421848.png )
628869

As a member of the first contact team, you will be riding aboard the sub-ship Ender for its landing on the surface of OPF-4. You will be the first to interact with the alien beings which sent the message received by Deep Space Station Norlind. We regret to inform you that we have no intelligence on these creatures beyond the common knowledge that they sent this signal at the prompt of a teaching Von Neumann probe launched a millennium ago. We wish to remind you that this signal was sent by radio, which travels at only light speed; the distance of OPF-4 thus means it was sent approximately three centuries ago.
>>
No. 628870 ID: f75cf9
File 142621373264.png - (444.72KB , 800x1007 , Sketch12421953.png )
628870

Please fill out the following form and submit it to Commandant Victor Strauss for review.
*Role on ship: ________
(Choose one of: [Covert Ops], [Diplomat], [Doctor/Xenobiologist], [Dropship Pilot], [Negotiator], [Xenolinguist])
>>
No. 628871 ID: 5db52c

Xenolinguist
>>
No. 628874 ID: 330ce5

Xenolinguist.
>>
No. 628878 ID: f75cf9
File 142621705878.png - (132.41KB , 800x1007 , Sketch1022274.png )
628878

(You have chosen: Xenolinguist.)
----
*Gender: M / F / I / N
*Race: Human / Splice (please specify) / Robot
*Age: ______
*Installed mods(Check all that apply): Physical Enhancement / Mental Enhancement / Ansiblenet / Sensory / HUD / Inbuilt Weaponry and/or Tools / Mobility / Other
Please provide additional details:
>>
No. 628881 ID: 5db52c

F
Robot
220168921 seconds
Ansiblenet, Sensory and HUD
>>
No. 628883 ID: 330ce5

name: Grendel Y. Kream
age: 23
gender: Female
race: Human
mods: Mental Enhancement and Inbuilt Tool (Laser pointer installed on left hand pointer finger)
personal details: Natural brunette that likes to highlight the tips of her hair purple, usually keeps it short. She has green eyes and was born in Austria, started traveling cross-country after she finished college. She hates cats and got her finger mod while intoxicated one night, the light changes color at random.
>>
No. 628890 ID: 2c759a

Female
Robot
~7 years
Mental Enhancement / Ansiblenet HUD / Inbuilt Weaponry and/or Tools
Android that is built to appear human
>>
No. 628894 ID: f75cf9
File 142622759309.png - (69.51KB , 800x1007 , Sketch124221258.png )
628894

(You have chosen:
Gender:F
Race: Robot(Android)
Age: 220168921s(6.98 years)(Appears young 20s)
Mods:
*Ansiblenet browser
*Enhanced mental capabilities(compared to human)
*Laser in finger, capable of several wavelengths and power levels
To amend this data, say AMEND now.)
HUD was not included due to lack of details... and because I couldn't think of anything good.
----
*Name: ______
*Please tell us how you feel about being selected for this team: _________
(Also you can provide clothing suggestions if you like.)
>>
No. 628898 ID: d958ad

>>628894
AMEND: Multitool instead of just a laser pointer.
>>
No. 628900 ID: 330ce5

Name: Chatterbox
Personal opinion: Temporarily amused and slightly interested
>>
No. 628906 ID: 054740

Amend: botg multitool and laser powerful enough to be used to cut ship alloy when turned up.
>>
No. 628907 ID: f75cf9
File 142623873443.png - (76.76KB , 800x1007 , Sketch124201326.png )
628907

(AMENDED: In addition to firestarter laser, hands include small knife, saw, screwdrivers(powered), corkscrew, and metal puncturer.)
No offense but I don't like either name suggested so far; suggest more, please :)
>>
No. 628908 ID: 054740

Name: angana seri
>>
No. 628910 ID: a19cd5

>>628894
Name: Jennifer Mckeen
Mood: Slighty giddy as hell, yet mostly professional.
>>
No. 628913 ID: 330ce5

Name: Soina Freed
>>
No. 628914 ID: 9297f4

Name: Andra Loid
>>
No. 628920 ID: 02edc1

Name: Koshka Delroyce
Name: Iva Nay
Name: Jace Five
Name: Jay Vanderbright
>>
No. 628926 ID: a1ea4a

Name: 43R15
>>
No. 628960 ID: 5db52c

>>628900
>>628910
These are good personality dispositions.
>>
No. 629028 ID: f75cf9
File 142631371471.png - (100.50KB , 382x615 , Sketch135164045_2.png )
629028

(You have chosen:
Name: Angana "Aeris" Andra Five
Reaction: Giddy and slightly amused, but don't worry, I can control it!)
----
"Hi everybody!" I say as I approach the table. "This is where the contact team was supposed to meet, right?"

"Yep, that's us," replies a man wearing a duster as he turns in his seat with an easy confidence and friendliness. "Name's Tommy. Tommy Gallin."

"Hi!" I reply, shifting my tray to shake his hand. "Angana Five, but call me Aeris."

"Greetings Aeris!" a robot by the table chirps in the typical overexcited tone of an old AI. "This unit is called 34V07! This unit welcomes you to the team!"

"Thanks," I smile though I'm surprised at its odd grammar. Just how old is this guy?
>>
No. 629029 ID: f75cf9
File 142631377270.png - (163.61KB , 800x1007 , Sketch135213559.png )
629029

I turn expectantly to the two across the table. There is an awkward pause.

"I-I'm... Hao Lin..." the human finally responds, so quiet I can barely hear her.

I smile and nod before turning to the splice. She stares at me, not even blinking, before finally saying only, "Blue."

...Okay... I hope the diplomat isn't one of those two!
>>
No. 629030 ID: 9ddf68

so who does what and and who are we still waiting for?
>>
No. 629042 ID: d958ad

>>629029
It's probably Tommy. A personable fellow makes a good diplomat.

So what's the mission?
>>
No. 629050 ID: f75cf9
File 142632786787.png - (145.35KB , 800x800 , Sketch1463032.png )
629050

>So what's the mission?
First contact! First first contact, even! We get to go to a planet with real live sapient aliens and find out all about them and... uh, diplomacy and stuff, I guess! Okay, so I didn't read the whole packet but OMG ALIENS!

>A personable fellow makes a good diplomat.
Less important when I'm the one that'll be actually talking to them (in their alien language OMG), but still a good point!

>So who does what?
"So uh, what's everyone doing on this mission?" I say to fill the awkward moment.
"Blue" immediately gets a wide, creepy grin. "Stealth."

"This unit is optimized for diplomacy!" the little robot chirps before the pause gets too awkward.

"Oh thank god," I blurt out before thinking. "Uh... I mean... I'm the xenolinguist so I'm just glad to be working with another robot... Not that I hate organics or something! I mean..." I think I'm just digging myself deeper. "...Uh... what about you, Tommy?"

"I don't hate robots if that's what you mean." He laughs. "Nah, just teasing you. Me, I'm just a glorified bus driver, unless we get into a dogfight. How 'bout you, Hao, you're one of the brains, right?"

"I... d-doctor" she manages.

"Good on you, then, and don't take it personally when I say I hope not to see you too much!" He winks at her.
>>
No. 629051 ID: f75cf9
File 142632791765.png - (89.33KB , 800x800 , Sketch1462251.png )
629051

>Who are we still waiting for?
"I'm assuming I'm not the last, so who else are we waiting on?"

"Remaining team members are Major Gowan Wallace and Abraham Hackford, Esquire!" 34V07 peeps.

"And speak of the devil," Tommy points out.

"I see my reputation precedes me, but I assure you I am only a minor demon. Hackford the damned, at your service." He seats himself next to me. "Hmm... robot, only a few years of experience, why did you think you were suitable for this mission?"

Feel free to make up backstory for her - I haven't got any!
>>
No. 629052 ID: 9ddf68

short answer is it's what I was programmed to do

long answer, well as a robot I could learn the entire alien language in less then a hour because all I had to do was download the knowledge and with some software I have if we come across anything that isn't on my alien lexicon I can pretty much just pick it up on the fly or at the very least come up with an educated guess. Also if the manual is anything to go by it should also more easily understand any accents that we may or may not encounter but none of that has been field tested so I'm mostly going off what the box said with that last one. Also I'm what some would call a people person.
>>
No. 629122 ID: 5db52c

Well, one of the advantages of being a robot is we don't necessarily need as much experience to be prepared. We can front-load. (Not that experience isn't valuable when you can get it, of course...).

Then start rambling on about your actual achievements in xeno-linguistics in a manner that's practically incomprehensible to the others at the table. (Mostly academic work, rather than field work, but).
>>
No. 629204 ID: f75cf9
File 142640744190.png - (110.48KB , 800x800 , Sketch1462251.png )
629204

>Downloaded the alien language
That would be a really obvious lie, how would anyone have the language of unknown aliens on file?

>Other stuff
"Excuse me? I was literally built for this kind of work. I have a complete record of every known language, including dolphin, whalesong, and gorillasign, and a constantly running thread dedicated to making connections between things I experience and these languages. As you pointed out, I'm a robot so there's no danger of me forgetting an important detail. Plus I have the advantage of having some freaking social graces! So what makes you think you're qualified?"
As soon as I say it I know I was too aggressive, but he put me on the spot! Really proving my "social graces" today aren't I?

Much to my surprise, though, he smiles! Kind of a creepy sadistic smile, but still. "Because I was also literally built for my job. Difference is, mine doesn't require me to be nice to people. In fact it often gets in the way."

"Good relationships between team members is the most important factor in team effectiveness!" 34V07 pipes up.

"I'll keep that in mind," Hackford replies dryly. I have no idea whether he's being snide or not; it sounds sarcastic, but so does everything else he's said.

"Making enemies already, Hackford?"
>>
No. 629205 ID: f75cf9
File 142640750024.png - (103.99KB , 800x800 , Sketch15002651.png )
629205

The speaker of this looms behind me. "My advice, unless it's legal counsel, don't listen to a word this imp says."

"An imp, am I? Damn, I've been demoted again. How will I afford my mortgage payments now?"

The massive man ignores this entirely. "To business. Some of you are civilians, I know." He takes a bite from his hamburger, swallows half of it, and talks around the rest. "This mission is too important to screw it up because someone can't take orders. If there's going to be any trouble there, best we work it out now."
>>
No. 629214 ID: 256d52

So, uh, what is the deal with that guy being literally a satan?
>>
No. 629254 ID: 5db52c

Our resident lawyer appears to take the devil's contract idea sort of literally. And apparently thrives on conflict. Not... the worst attitude for a litigator, I suppose. But unless you want to spar verbally with him for fun, I would ignore it.
>>
No. 629303 ID: f75cf9
File 142646663692.png - (108.76KB , 800x800 , Sketch15017416.png )
629303

>literally a satan
I'm... pretty sure that's a joke. Demons don't exist. Or at least, no evidence of them does.
Although I'm not quite sure what he means by "literally built for his job". He's not some kind of Frankenstein monster is he? Oh wait, he's probably genetically engineered. Except that's been illegal for decades....

>thrives on conflict, spar for fun?
Yeah... I think I'll try to stay out of his way as much as possible. Which may be difficult as we're on a team together.

Since nobody is volunteering an answer, the giant turns to 34V07. "You first, then."

"This unit is a three laws robot!" Well, that confirms it; he's ancient.

Satisfied, the hulk nods and turns to Tommy. "Don't look at me, I fought in the Final War."

Blue: "I am no civilian."

Hao eventually manages to stammer "H-hippocratic oath... O-otherwise I can..."

Then he turns to me... and I have no idea what to say. Help?
>>
No. 629306 ID: 330ce5

Tell him we have nothing to say for the moment, save that we are pretty excited to be here.
>>
No. 629318 ID: 5db52c

>probably genetically engineered. Except that's been illegal for decades
He does appear more than a few decades old.

And even a practice is illegal, society sometimes has a way of finding excuses to make use of the useful products after the fact. (Ie, the genetic engineers might have gone to jail, but hey, might as well use the lawyer they already made, right?).

>three laws robot
Resist the urge to start looking for loopholes / paradoxical conflicts due to the exact wording of the three laws. It's no good using linguistics pedantry to imagine ways to fry a crewmate's brain.

>Then he turns to me... and I have no idea what to say. Help?
You suppose you'd qualify as a civilian, but you are capable of following orders.
>>
No. 629374 ID: f75cf9
File 142649470929.png - (132.62KB , 800x800 , Sketch14613617.png )
629374

>He looks old enough
Oh, good point... plus if he is genetically engineered he's probably older than he looks.
...I just realized I'm like way younger than anyone else on this team. Okay I don't actually know how old Blue and Hao are but they look at least thirty I think? No wonder Hackford was interrogating me.

>Linguistic loopholes
Even if I wanted to do that for some reason, it wouldn't work. I'm sure the laws aren't programmed into him in words any more than I think in words.

>Can follow orders
Right!
"I may be a civilian, but I'm capable of taking orders! ...Sir!"

"Heh. Good enthusiasm, kid, but I can tell you haven't thought about it. If there's anything that would make you not follow an order, I want to know before I give it. Spend some time and get back to me." He shoves the last of his hamburger into his mouth - that was whole before he came over here, what happened? - and addresses the whole group. "First order: Those of you that don't already have two-way radio mods, get them installed. Our team will be using 397.95 until otherwise noted, and 396.875 is for ship wide use. Remember those, you'll need to set them yourselves. Dismissed." And just like that, he leaves.

Hao is up and leaving before he finishes the word, and Blue's not far behind. 34V07 doesn't seem in any hurry, but he doesn't look like he has any reason to stick around either. Hackford and Tommy are still eating, though, as am I.
Anything in particular you want to talk about, or anyone you want me to talk to, or should I turn you off for now?
>>
No. 629444 ID: 5db52c

>If there's anything that would make you not follow an order, I want to know before I give it. Spend some time and get back to me.
Do you have any hard injunctions in your programming? I assume not, if the three laws are old fashioned and you're treated as an independent sapient, but.

Barring that, it comes down to preexisting promises, and personal / moral injunctions.

Uh... you're not trained as a soldier, so ordering you to shoot or kill someone might not work. And if this mission goes really wrong, and we get into genocide and war crimes territory, you'd probably balk at that kind of thing too. Not that we can say for sure. Kind of hard to simulate that kind of situation in advance.

>radio frequencies
I assume we've gotta have an internal radio, already. Tune into the appropriate bands on passive listening, for now.

>what do
Finish your meal, listen to / talk with your crewmates as opportunities present yourself. Might as well get to know them better, if you can.
>>
No. 629459 ID: 1a6f1e

No kid murder. Yes even alien kids. Yes not even if they're gross.
>>
No. 629763 ID: f75cf9
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629763

>we must have an internal radio already
Nope, actually just the wireless ansiblenet connection! I've still got lots of free mod slots though so no biggie.

>things that might prevent orders
>old promises
Well unless you think Jona is on the Speaker, I don't think that's an issue.

>hard limits
Haven't we been over this? Robots haven't had hard limits for centuries, not since the freefall incident.

>not a soldier
I don't think he meant things I don't have the skills for... I'll ask him, though!

>killing kids
I think I'll just extend this to "killing noncombatants" unless he can justify it pretty well.

>genocide/war crimes
Well, that would be, you know, a crime so I don't think he'll have much of an issue with that.
...Although I might actually be persuaded to genocide if they turn out to be universally and consistently uncommunicative and vicious and uncontainable. But I probably wouldn't be convinced of that short of the aliens killing basically the whole crew, so yeah, pretty sure that's not happening.

Anyway I'll let him know about all that.

>socializing
So that's a "no" on any specifics then. Okay then, see you later!
>>
No. 629764 ID: f75cf9
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629764

----
>>
No. 629767 ID: f75cf9
File 142667882079.png - (85.08KB , 800x800 , Sketch172163341.png )
629767

"-jiggle one of your existing mods to get it in... there we go. All right, try it out."

"Okay!" [Testing, testing, one two three!]

[Looks like transmission works. How's your reception?]

[Loud and clear, Dr. Lin.]

[Okay, testing ship-wide band...][Now. Do you still read me?]

"Yup! Looks like we're good!"
>>
No. 629773 ID: 88960e

Yay for convient pop-top brain surgery.

>Well unless you think Jona is on the Speaker, I don't think that's an issue.
Who's Jona?
>>
No. 629994 ID: f75cf9
File 142680929584.png - (95.89KB , 800x800 , Sketch194142227.png )
629994

>>629773
Oh hey! I take it you guys got turned on when she jiggled you?
...Okay that sounded really dirty.

>Pop-top brain surgery
Yep, being an android does have some advantages.

>Who's Jona?
Wait, are you... you guys lost your memory again didn't you. Sigh. Okay how much do you remember?
Oh, and Jona is... an ex-girlfriend. Be nice to see her again, but there's no way she's on the mission.

"Then let's get you closed up and rebond that skin."

"Seems good!"

"So you excited to meet some aliens?"


"Uh... y-yes... well... not meeting them"

"Right, that's my job. But you're excited to study them, or whatever?"

"Y-yes. I don't... this is only the second time..."

"Oh, you've gotten to do it before! That's cool, my field's been strictly theoretical until now... Did you like it? Where was it?"

"y-yes... L-Lizbeth four. They... they could use carbon and silicon interchangeably. Some of the predators developed to use more silicon at the ends of their limbs, to make them heavier and more effective as weapons! And then there were some rodent-like creatures that had poison sacs of calcium, isn't that cool? Calcium as poison! And then there was a phylum of pentapodes, can you believe it? -O-oh, I'm sorry, I was rambling..."

"No, don't be, that was cool!" And it's nice seeing her come out of her shell a bit... she's kinda cute when she's excited. "Anyway, I asked."

"O-oh... okay... Well your skin's healed up now so I'm discharging you. Let me know if there's any itching in the area." And she's back to 'doctor mode'.

"Alright, Hao. Don't be a stranger!"

"Y-yeah"

Alright guys, while you're on, anything in particular I should do or bring for the mission? Ship launches tonight, so I haven't got a ton of time, but I'm ready unless you think of anything.
>>
No. 630218 ID: f75cf9
File 142693097768.png - (372.39KB , 800x800 , Sketch21611342.png )
630218

Okay, I take it you think I'm ready, then. Later!

----

Okay I need you guys now because what the hell.

Am I seeing things or is that a fucking fairy tale princess walking her dog.

Please tell me I'm seeing things I don't think I can handle fairy tale princess aliens.
>>
No. 630219 ID: 296917

>>630218
The "dog" is leading the "princess". The chains imply some sort of subservience.
>>
No. 630250 ID: 5db52c

>Sigh. Okay how much do you remember?
Oh don't worry. All the way back to [ERROR! MEMORY FAULT].

>>630218
Wait, what. Are you already there? I expected that to take longer. And to do advance preparation for contact, like orbital surveillance. Long range scans. Checking if the xeno-culture had developed spaceships, yet. To examine the slower than lightspeed communications transmission shell around the planet to get a baseline to build up a translation matrix and an understanding of their culture.

Not to just drop the xeno-linguist in a completely unknown environment! That's just asking for a disaster, of for someone to get killed. It doesn't make any sense for you to be here without already knowing something about the life forms on the surface.

Either we've suffered another memory fault and forgot all your preparations, you've suffered a memory fault, your commanders have completely lost their senses, or this is a dream.

I'd say this being a dream is the most likely candidate. It would explain why the alien is wearing a human-fashion dress.

If this is real, that's some weird congruent fashion evolution or a sign they somehow had advance information about us.
>>
No. 630271 ID: 13c4a5

We should just roll with it, if one thinks about it we probably look pretty foreign to them.
>>
No. 630321 ID: f75cf9
File 142701678663.png - (554.28KB , 800x800 , Sketch216202432.png )
630321

>We remember back to [ERROR! MEMORY FAULT]
Not funny, guys.

>We had another memory fault?
I wouldn't think you'd have another for a while. Besides, they always seem to be full wipes.

>Maybe you're dreaming?
I wish I could dismiss this as a dream, but the discomfort of this environment suit says otherwise.

>What about the pre-landing preparations?
Oh, we did those, I just didn't think they were interesting enough to turn you guys on for.
Quick recap: The first few transmissions were in English(weirdly accented, but English), we think they were word-for-word repeats of the probe's greeting instruction things. After that they switched to a different encoding, we've got supercomputers chugging away at it but they're getting nowhere so we don't think it's audio. Or at least not just audio.
Then when we got fairly close to the planet, 87 light years to be exact, all the radio activity suddenly stopped. We were worried they'd all nuked each other or something. ...Okay I guess that was interesting enough but there wasn't really anything to do about it, sooo...
Um, then the tech checks... We didn't see any evidence of spaceflight, actually we couldn't find any definitive evidence of civilization at all... The ecologists thought it looked like there had been an increase in carbon dioxide recently but they couldn't even confirm that, and it's not like there aren't natural causes for that.
So yeah, it was decided we should land even with relatively little information and see if we could find anyone or if we were just wasting our time. I don't think anyone was expecting them to come to us, though! Especially not dressed up as a princess. Seriously what.

>We probably look foreign to them.
Foreign I can handle. Foreign I was expecting. Fairy tale is just weird.

>They had advance knowledge?
Okay, yeah, the probe did have a bunch of stuff on it, we don't have the records on exactly what, so maybe there was a Disney movie or two in there. Still weird though.

>The "dog" is leading the "princess".
Hey you're right. Wonder what that means.

Well I guess we get to find out. They're heading straight for us.

[Aeris, Abraham, 34, meet those two up front. We'll have a squad ready to shoot at your call,] Gowan says over the radio. After we confirm, he continues, [Blue, be ready to pursue when they leave, I want to know where they come from. Tommy, get your Tiger ready but don't launch yet.]

When we step forward, the aliens change direction slightly to meet us. They stop about five feet away, and just kind of stare for a bit. Just when I'm thinking about initiating something, the "dog" flattens down to the ground and uses its tail to jerk the "princess" forward.

also I made a discussion thread
if you want to discuss things
>>/questdis/89730

>>
No. 630329 ID: 5db52c

Oh. Dang. We didn't even crack the file format on their broadcasts? That would make building up a translation difficult, yes.

The radio transmissions cut off 87 years ago? Hmm. How long ago did the probe first make contact? Could we have accidentally initiated some kind of societal collapse?

Observations. The grass is red, which suggests a different emission spectra from their star compared to Sol. (Although ground based stellar observations might be silly when you were in a position to get a good look from space). Both the "dog" and "princess" are similar in appearance- it's possible they're members of the same species, though they might not be.

>jerking the princess forward
An offering? An introduction? Very hard to translate intent without any context.

Possible courses of action that occur to me:
* To reach out for the chain of the princess (Assuming this is some kind of ceremonial offering)
* To move one of our members forward in a similar manner (Mimicry is often the first step in establishing communication, demonstrating intelligence. And/or assuming this is about presenting a representative).
* Repeat the message initially broadcast by our probe- demonstrating our connection?
>>
No. 630331 ID: bd8b82

get down on the 'dog's' level. and just say hello. start rambling facts about their planet, see if anything clicks.
>>
No. 630333 ID: 296917

>>630321
Maybe the "princess" is a genetically engineered organism meant to be better at communicating with you? It walks on two legs, like you. It's dressed in a manner that is familiar to you. Maybe it can talk like you?
>>
No. 630359 ID: f75cf9
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630359

>Did we collapse their society?
Not likely. The first broadcasts - the ones in English directed at us - were made nearly 300 years ago. They didn't even use radio before that. So unless destroying society was on an incredibly delayed reaction...

>Stellar observations
Uhh... Not really relevant to my work! I'm sure the xenobiologists are having a field day though.

>Are they the same species?
Huh, they might be! [Hao, keep an eye out for a way to determine if these two are the same species.]

>Is this an offering?
If it is, I'm a little leery of accepting. Taking a slave or hostage or whatever doesn't seem like a good first impression.

>Maybe the 'princess' speaks English?
Worth a shot, I guess!

I step forward a bit and say "Hello."

The 'princess' doesn't respond. The 'dog', however, makes a sound like "Doog".

I step forward further, my hands to my side in what I hope is understood as a nonthreatening gesture. "Hello. I'm Aeris." I move my hand to my chest. "A human."

Again it's the 'dog' that responds. "Dool! Goa domo hoomon! Oboga ger!" This is punctuated by another jerk forward of the 'princess's' chain.

Well, that was definitely speech, and I think I caught "human". So: progress? I think it's getting agitated though. I'll have to tread carefully from here.
>>
No. 630360 ID: bd8b82

dog form seems to be in charge. and they do seem to be trying to offer the other one. just hold your hand out and opened so the dog can give you the chain. denying a gift may make them hostile. if they are the same species then the 'princess' can probably be taught to speak and we can ask it questions.

also there could be a delay if they rapidly increased their tech from our interaction, had a war over something, and then nuked themselves back to the stone age.
>>
No. 630362 ID: 5db52c

Why are we making the decisions, here? I would have thought that was the diplomat's arena. Granted, there's overlap, but I was expecting him to make the calls about what we're trying to do, and us to try to implement / translate.

>I'm human
A human robot, but I suppose that counts.

>If it is, I'm a little leery of accepting. Taking a slave or hostage or whatever doesn't seem like a good first impression.
Well, it might be more ceremonial or symbolic than literal.

>What do
Maybe 34V07 should try speaking? He's at roughly the same height as the "dog", and similarly unclothed. Maybe the agitation comes from your delegation's "princess" speaking instead of your "dog"?

The other possible action would be taking the chain offered and seeing what happens.
>>
No. 630580 ID: f75cf9
File 142716782802.png - (97.44KB , 800x800 , Sketch23119159.png )
630580

>It could be delayed if they rapidly advanced through tech and then nuked themselves back to the stone age or something.
Hmm, I suppose so. Not with actual nukes though, we'd have noticed the fallout.

>Human robot
Yeah, well, no reason to confuse them at this point.

>Might be symbolic
>Refusing a gift might anger them.
Okay, okay, I'll accept it!

>Wait, why are we leading?
Ah... Hmm. Perhaps I'm being a bit overeager. It's understood that at this point any communication is good, so I do get more leeway, but... yeah something as big as a gift of a person(?) should probably be 34V07's call.

>Maybe they'll respond better to 34V07 as a 'dog' analogue?
Or they might see him as completely unfamiliar and respond worse... worth a shot though.

[Hey 34, think they might respond better to you since you're closer to the 'dog'?]

[This unit sees no dog, but this unit will attempt!] ...Right... 'dog' was our term...

Anyway, 34V07 bends himself down into a better approximation of the 'dog's' form (whoa what he can do that? maybe this will work better than I thought?) and approaches the pair. "Greetings! This unit desires peace!" Oh god... maybe not.

"Doog! Dar gonda-a buv! Oboga goa vul!"

[I don't think that worked. Should I try taking the chain?]

[I advise you passively accept it!]
>>
No. 630582 ID: f75cf9
File 142716804429.png - (131.82KB , 800x800 , Sketch231192142.png )
630582

Well that's pretty much what you guys said too. I approach them but as I get close the 'princess' speaks for the first time. "Bonrevol! Dar domen hoomon rol! Dar domen (screeching sound) vur!"
Uh... okay, that screech didn't sound like the same language. Hell, it didn't sound like it could come from the same mouth. Everything else is all soft round sounds, but that one was harsh and, uh, screechy.

Anyway, I don't know what she(?) said but it gets a pretty big reaction from the 'dog'. It lifts of the ground a little as it yells "Vall! Gor oboa rol doog!"

"Rol!"

It raises up the rest of the way. "Dar yuva-a ziro vall... Dar yuvade zur doog dool!"

Okay I have no idea what's going on anymore.
>>
No. 630585 ID: 296917

>>630582
Alright you have a few examples of the quadruped's language. Working from context you might be able to figure out one or two words.

I think "Rol" means no, in the biped's language. "Doog" might be hello, in the quadruped's language. Actually considering they have a sampling of your language ahead of time they might understand it but be unable to speak it clearly.

My estimation of the current situation is that the biped is a slave or sacrificial offering, and it is scared of you. Maybe you can explain you require no gifts?
>>
No. 630591 ID: bd8b82

we may need to go to pictograms. we should have brought flashcards of standard objects.
>>
No. 630592 ID: f75cf9
File 142717136999.png - (97.68KB , 800x800 , Sketch231212744.png )
630592

>>630585
>biped's language
>quadruped's language
Um, I think you misunderstood me. It was just that screechy word that sounded like a different language. I think they're speaking the same language and that's a loanword or something.
>>
No. 630593 ID: bd8b82

sit down, start drawing. first three would be human, princess, and the dog. tap human drawing say "human" then tap the other two slowly to give them time to talk.
>>
No. 630632 ID: 296917

>>630592
Oh alright. Well, do you need us to help with translation? I hope not, that would mean you can't do your job. I could probably make some guesses if you want.
>>
No. 630676 ID: f75cf9
File 142719066027.png - (199.45KB , 800x800 , Sketch24223140.png )
630676

>Do you need help?
Why are you even... oh right, memory wipe. Well, the answer is yes. You guys are what makes me good. Yeah I've got that comparison thread and all that, but every X-L robot has that. And much as I'd like to think so I'm not particularly smarter; it's you guys and your crazy theories that makes me stand out from the crowd.
So yes. Throw out theories and crazy guesses and surprising connections. Give me something to work with.

>Maybe "Doog" means "Hello"?
Well it was the first thing it said to both me and 34V07, so sounds plausible! Clearly it means something else as well though. He's been saying that a lot actually.

>"Rol" is probably "No"?
Yeah that seems like it makes sense.

>biped is scared and refusing to go with us
That does seem like the most probable explanation. Although I wonder why after it refused the 'dog' - quadruped, make its tostring be quadruped - why the quadruped addressed me after that? Probably telling me to punish the 'prinbiped or something I guess?

>Do they understand English?
I suppose it's possible! That would make my job easier, huh?

>Flashcards!
Easy enough. I could use my internal print... Wait environment suit dammit. Well 34V07 probably has one too.
Buuuut we should probably wait for a bit of a calmer situation. I don't think these guys are eager for a teaching session at the moment.

>Try to explain we want no gifts
Okay, sure... wait I should check with 34V07 first.
>>
No. 630677 ID: f75cf9
File 142719072282.png - (97.65KB , 800x800 , Sketch24223151.png )
630677

[34, I think the biped is scared of being given to us. Permission to attempt to say we want no gifts?]

[Granted!]

Okay... I suppose it's worth it to try English first.

"Okay... it's okay... we don't need gifts."

"Doog. Dar obomo gobol vur doog."

"Dar obomen gobol rol! Dar domen hoomon!"

"Dar jorrea gobol vur doog!"

"Gobol budomen gevron rol! Gobol budomen hoomon vur!"

"Dool."

Um, okay, I have no idea. It's still holding the chain but it hasn't been jerking it forward or anything... since it stood up, actually, so that's probably not related to that attempt. I don't know what that argument was about either. Well, "gobol" probably but no idea what that is.

[You really think they know English?]

[They seem to know "human". It was a distinct possibility.]

Well it's still holding the chain... Maybe I should try again. With charades!

"Hoomon," I say, then point to the chain, "Rol."

"Dool! Oboga ger vul!" It shoves the chain into my hand. "Hoomon yodnamen gevron vur dool!" And it turns around to leave.

[Welp. Pretty sure I fucked that up.]
>>
No. 630679 ID: bd8b82

sigh, make the most of it, don't drag the biped but do lead it back to base. then someone with way more time can sit down and start with the flashcards.
>>
No. 630686 ID: 88960e

>it's you guys and your crazy theories that makes me stand out from the crowd.
So yes. Throw out theories and crazy guesses and surprising connections. Give me something to work with.
Oh. That makes sense, actually. Like how a chess computer paired with a regular human partner outperforms other chess computers playing alone.

>what do
Well, um, if one of them leaves, that would make muddling through a translation with the other easier.

First thing to do when the other is gone is offer to remove the chains. (Use pantomine)? I assume there are regulations against keeping sentients prisoner without due cause, much less accepting hostages and/or slaves.

>human, not to confuse the point
Actually, my interest: are you legally and/or socially human? Is a human derived machine intelligence perceived as human, or are you seen as distinct?
>>
No. 630806 ID: 5db52c

>language observations
>>/questdis/89788
Okay, so "hoonom" can be safely presumed to be a loanword for "human".

Assuming their language follows familiar structures, that means "hoonom" is a noun, and presumably either the subject or object in the sentences it appears. Words that occupy the same place in the structure of other sentences will likely be nouns, or noun phrases.

"domen", "obomen", "budomen", appear several times, always as the second word. I'm guessing these might be different conjugations of the same verb. (changes prefix for different cases?).

From how common they are, and the context, this "_men" might be the verb "to be"? (In which case we're lucky that it appears to have a common root. "To be" is an important verb, but often conjugates irregularly).

"yodnamen" only shows up once, but it might fit the pattern as another instance of the same verb. That's the only sentence that starts with "hoomon". So if a new word starting the sentence gets us a new verb conjugation, that implies that the first word in the sentence is the subject.

Which means we lucked into a familiar subject verb object structure? Convenient.

If the first word is the subject, that suggests to me that some of those oft-repeated short first words are pronouns.

How are we doing? Is that enough informed guesses for you to start processing?
>>
No. 630808 ID: 296917

I feel like maybe the biped is supposed to help teach you their language. The last thing you said there (which likely made no sense at all) seemed to convince the quadruped that it needed to act regardless of the biped's wishes.
>>
No. 630929 ID: f75cf9
File 142727309377.png - (460.97KB , 800x800 , Sketch25304213.png )
630929

>chess computers with human partners
Okay that's cool. Especially how the relatively weak members with a good process beat out the grandmasters with supercomputers.


IMPORTANT LANGUAGE CORRECTIONS
>>630582
Um oops, that should be "Gor oboa rol doog." My bad.

ALSO, I'm pulling a retcon. So here's two more changes:
>>630359
"Goa domo hoomon!"
>>630677
"Dar obomo gobol vur doog."

WAIT AUGH WHY IS THIS SO HARD
>>630580
"Dar gonda-a buv!"
>>630582
"Dar domen (screeching sound) vur!


>Are you considered human?
Um... sometimes? Well, legally, it's irrelevant. Except in a few states on backwater planets, the laws are generally written specifying "sapients". Not for things like health care, but those are usually put as "biological sapients" vs "machine sapients". (As an android with organic skin, I count as both.)

Socially it's a bit trickier. Generally robots and humans are on equal standing; there are occasional racists of course, but they go both ways. Certainly we're on better standing than splice. As a fully human-appearing android I sometimes get backlash for "deceiving" people, which is actually why I wear those skin sleeves.

To some extent "human" is more of an identity thing now than about literal biology. I mean, not entirely, a self-aware factory calling itself human would probably get some argument, but I wouldn't get much flak for saying I'm human even from people who know I'm an android.

...Course, I haven't really decided yet whether I identify as human or not. Not like it really comes up that often.

>Maybe the biped is supposed to teach you the language? And you just proved to the quadruped that it was necessary?
Uh.. Possible, I guess! It seemed pretty angry, though. Maybe I insulted its mother somehow? ...With two words, one of which was "human", and the other "no"? Assuming we're right about those, that is. I dunno, maybe they were in a relationship or something. Maybe we should try and get some idea what they were actually saying before we speculate more.
Actually no don't, speculation is useful. I just have basically no way to verify it at this point.

>LANGUAGE STUFF
>Presumably "hoomon" is a loanword meaning "human"
Hopefully it's not just a soundalike. If it isn't a loanword then it's a pretty common word.

>-men is a verb, prefixes are conjugation
Or it's a conjugation suffix that attaches to a lot of verbs.
>-men is "to be"?
A viable hypothesis!

>first word causes change in conjugation -> first word is subject
Hmm, not necessarily but probably also good to test.
>Which means this is a subject-verb-object structure? Convenient!
...Yeah... too convenient.

>Which suggests the short repeated first words are pronouns.
And pronouns? And they seem to be using a subset of English sounds? Okay, either we're making too many assumptions and blind guesses at once, or there's something fishy about this language.

Well, can't figure out which without talking to the alien! ONWARD.
>>
No. 630932 ID: f75cf9
File 142727336014.png - (124.95KB , 800x800 , Sketch25304215.png )
630932

>Let the quadruped leave, gently lead the biped back to base.
Well, I can't really bring it on the ship, and we're already right outside. The atmosphere here is actually close enough to Earth's that standard breath filter mods can handle it (and working less hard than they have to on Earth itself!), but we have no idea about its biology. Hmm, maybe I should let Hao look at it some?


[Silver lining, I guess, we have a captive audience to get a language base from?]

[You know there'll be hell to pay if it gets out we kept a slave,] Hackford points out.

[I'm not saying keep it! Just... learn from it while we're figuring out where to return it.]

[Returning such a gift is a risky move!]

[Cut the chatter! Blue, pursue that alien, but stay concealed!]

[Wilco.]

"34, I'll want to use your printer if you don't mind."

"Affirmative!"

[Hao, if you want to perform some noninvasive tests, here's your chance.]

[Busy for now. Keep me posted.]

>Offer to remove the chain
Given my track record in this language so far, how about I just do it. ...Slowly, so it has time to object. I'd mime it, but I have no confidence in my ability to do so.

"Okay... just gonna... take this off for you..." Obviously it won't understand what I'm saying, but tone of voice and stuff. Oh geez I hope that's more or less the same.

It kind of stiffens up as I take the chain off - man, this thing is loose as hell, definitely symbolic rather than actual restraints - but it doesn't say anything and relaxes afterwards, so I figure I'm in the clear.

"Zor. Hoomon domen (screechy noise) vur."

Uh... so... humans are screech noises? Wait he said "domen", not "yodnamen". How many of our theories does that kill? I guess the only one it definitely kills is that the verb conjugation is related to the first word of the sentence.
>>
No. 630933 ID: f75cf9
File 142727343011.png - (351.89KB , 800x800 , Sketch25304218.png )
630933

>someone with more time can make with the flashcards
...And what exactly do you expect me to be busy with?

"Okay 34, flashcard time. Print me up a human, one of those quadrupedal aliens, make it a little different from the one we saw, and a biped."

"This unit suggests four cards per sheet!"

"Right, okay, uh, the sun."

"Affirmative!"

The cards slide out of his torso, neat as can be. That's a lot less gross than my printer!

Okay, let's do this. I point to the human card and say "Hoomon."

"Dar domo joom zog!"

Um, okay? I point to the quadruped card, but it doesn't say anything. Sigh. This might take a while. I sit back down before pointing to the human card again. "Hoomon."

"Hoomon obomo gobol vur doog woog."

I think that's the longest sentence I've heard yet. No idea what it means of course. Huh, "gobol" again. Wait that's almost the same as something the quadruped said.

I point to the quadruped card again, and it makes some kind of... flapping noise. And then it starts to take its dress off. What.

Once it's off it gets down on all fours and yep, it's definitely the same species as the quadruped. Then using its tail it quickly points to each card in succession and speaks: "Hoomon"(human), "Gevron"(quadruped), "Gevron domo hoomon"(biped), "Vassilob"(sun).

I guess I was getting through to it after all! I take the opportunity to point to myself and say "Aeris," and it responds by pointing its tail to its head and saying "Goa".

Okay, now we've got something concrete to work with!
>>
No. 630941 ID: 88960e

>>630929
I'll be the first to admit it's gut level guessing, based off first order pattern completing. It's a start, and that's it.

At least we seem to agree on basic parts of speech - we can recognize some words as nouns and verbs. Hopefully when we get some meanings, we can puzzle out the rest of the sentence structure.

>how many of our theories does that kill? I guess the only one it definitely kills is that the verb conjugation is related to the first word of the sentence
Unless you were right that "_men" is a conjugation suffix rather than a verb root. In which case we haven't worked out any definitive conjugations, and we don't have a sufficient data set to make comparisons.

>too simple
It's possible they're dumbing down their sentences to be understood by the dumb foriegners. Or that they're familiar with human sentence patterns from our probe?

>he'll to pay for slaves
We were approached by two alien envoys, one in apparently ceremonial garb. One envoy left the other in our company. Beyond that, we don't know for certain what's going on. Imposing a human natative on their actions is premature and risky. I'm sure that's vague enough for you to legally cover our asses, for now.
>>
No. 630961 ID: bd8b82

i think domo is something akin to 'like' or 'similar' and domen is 'not like'. they are a 'gevlon like human'.
the sentence when you took off the chain "Hoomon domen (screechy noise) vur" becomes "human is not (SCREECH) vur" from this i think the screech refers to something bad, so being told we are not like it is a good thing.
>>
No. 630971 ID: 5db52c

Okay, we now know 3 nouns, and one noun phrase slash description.

We've got one proper noun, maybe. Unless Goa is a pronoun, or some smaller subgroup (the "princess'" caste, job, gender, role?).

>Gevron domo hoomon
>Goa domo hoomon
If the first phase means something along the lines of "A Gevron being/acting as/dressed like/like a human" then the second line means Goa, in particular, blanking as a human.

Assuming "domo" is a verb, this supports the hypothesis that the first word in a sentence is a subject.

>verb patterns
"domen" "obomen" "budomen" "yodnamen" All share the "_men" suffix.

"domo" "obomo" Share the "_mo" suffix

"oboa" "_a" suffix

"oboga" "_ga" suffix

And obviously we see the "do_" and "obo_" prefixes repeated.

I'm still guessing the suffixes are the root and the prefixes are conjugations, but there's not enough examples to prove it either way, yet. And there's more verbs that don't share prefixes or suffixes with anything yet (not enough examples, or irregulars?).

Some of the remaining stuff looks like it might be adverbs, or prepositions? I haven't got any guesses there, yet.

>what else
Can you give Goa something to draw with? Maybe we can get him or her to illustrate some of the other nouns we don't know for us.

"Gobol" would be the first candidate I would ask after, as it crops up fairly frequently.
>>
No. 631129 ID: f75cf9
File 142741183759.png - (136.12KB , 800x800 , Sketch26423246.png )
631129

>dumbing down language for us?
That sounds somewhat unlikely, since they were talking to each other most of the time, but who knows!

>domo: is/is like, domen: is not/is not like?
Hmm, but then what would the rest of the suffixes be?

>Goa might be a pronoun/class rather than a name.
Probably not a pronoun, since I'm pretty sure it got that I was trying to learn nouns. It could be a class, but probably not the "princess" class, or why wouldn't it have said that for the card? I'm going to assume it's a name for now, even though you're right that it might be something else.

>How do verbs even
Diagram for your benefit!
So we've got seven prefixes and four or five suffixes (I wasn't sure whether to count -ga since it's only been paired with obo-, and not in the place the verb usually goes. It could be an omitted subject, but it could be a word that just happens to start with "obo."). Having more prefixes might suggest they're the roots, but there's definitely not enough difference to be sure. If the suffixes are the roots, then -a is probably a verb that's conjugated unusually, so it's probably pretty common. Or if the prefixes are the roots, then -a is a conjugation that's often associated with different verbs...?

"Domo"'s got to mean being or imitating or something like that. If we could find another word that clearly means something like that we could match it up and figure out which part is what. Or if we found one that clearly doesn't mean that with one of the same roots... I'm not finding anything though.

>Drawing time!
Yes! I have... blargh freaking environment suit! Okay, asking 34V07 then. "34, you got a drawing tablet or something?"

"Affirmative!"

"You're a lifesaver. Give it here?"

Conveniently, it's a kind that has a stylus (because who knows if Gevrons can use capacitive touchscreens). I show Goa how to use it and let it mess around for a bit.

"Joom obomo wrav vall jeen! Hoomon obomen bom gloo rol! Mi jorremen meejol mool." After a second, it says, "Zor," points to the sun card, says "Vassilob," then points to the tablet.

Oh! "Tablet," I tell it.

"Dablid. Dablid." Pause. "Dablid doa bom jeen."

Okay, back on target! "Gobol," I say, pointing to the tablet.

"Doog." Oh, I get it - that's their version of "Huh?" ...Or at least when it's by itself...

Okay, say a card, then "Gobol" for the tablet again.

"Doog vur. Vod oboa vur zor nobbid wrav domen gobol rol."

Okay, we have a new longest sentence, and I have no idea whether it understood or not. ...Well, it's not drawing. I start to take the tablet to demonstrate, but "Oboga dabled vur. Vod bogala rol nobbid wrav domen gobol doog." And it starts drawing.
>>
No. 631131 ID: f75cf9
File 142741188198.png - (165.13KB , 800x800 , Sketch264155546.png )
631131

Um... so... a Gevron... with a mustache? And writing, that's definitely writing. I can't even tell if it says "gobol" or something else though. I have no idea what this means.
>>
No. 631154 ID: bd8b82

maybe gobol is a verb? as in a gevron can gobol.

let's collect some words. draw sun agan and write the word sun over it. then tap the empty space under it and say Vassilob. do this with a bunch of words to start getting an alphabet going.
>>
No. 631159 ID: 296917

>>631129
>freaking environment suit
Why are you even wearing one, aren't you a robot?
>>
No. 631160 ID: bd8b82

>>631159
decon. easier to clean the shell of a suit then open her up and scrub internals. don't want to chance giving others a horrible space infection.
>>
No. 631162 ID: 5db52c

>maybe gobol is a verb?
Unlikely. Gobol has never shown up in the same place in a sentence where the other verbs did, and it has shown up in the same place as known nouns (Hoomoon, Goa, Gevron).

>as in a gevron can gobol
But that might still be possible. Gobol could be a title or role or job a gevron can take on.

>>631131
Hey, our first example of alien script.

Maybe Gobol is the name of a specific Gevron? Or a term for a leader? In which case, using the word earlier might have been an appeal to authority in their earlier disagreement (Gobol said to go with the human! Or whatever).

Try getting some other apparent-nouns illustrated. Try "Dar" (I think that might have been the dog's name?).

...I think the first part might have been an argument about who has to play the role of a biped. And I'm thinking the earlier guess that "rol" means no was right. Can you test that?

Something easy to cover might be counting. Try to get us the basic numbers (until ten, or whatever base they're using).

Reciprocate with English words for things, when Goa expresses an interest in them, like the tablet.

>>631159
She said she has organic skin.

And even robots don't necessarily want to be exposed to an unknown environment. We only know the bare basics about this biosphere. It's entirely possible there's stuff in this environment that might interfere with her function. Plus, we don't want to contaminate their environment with stuff from ours, either!
>>
No. 631269 ID: f75cf9
File 142748484155.png - (125.92KB , 800x800 , Sketch275113324.png )
631269

>Why environment suit when robot
Basically everything you said. As a fully mechanical robot 34V07 can go without one, but until the xenobiologists do at least a preliminary analysis nobody with any biological parts gets exposed to the atmosphere.

>Gobol: A specific Gevron? A role, a title, a job? Leader?
Man I have no idea. What's with the mustache anyway? Can Gevrons even have mustaches? They don't seem to have any hair....

>Get some more pictures.
Right, things that will actually makes progress! I'll start off with "Dar", sure it might be a pronoun but-
>>
No. 631271 ID: f75cf9
File 142748676689.png - (4.20KB , 800x799 , Darkness.png )
631271

----
>>
No. 631272 ID: f75cf9
File 142748680870.png - (303.13KB , 800x800 , Sketch275123058.png )
631272

-ment suit. Can't smell, can't climb, can't blend properly. How do I work like this?
>>
No. 631285 ID: 296917

Whoa, where are we? Ah, you must be Blue. This is weird. Hi, we're Angana's language-assist program. For some reason we're being broadcast to your suit. Don't worry we won't be useless, we're also a general-purpose problem solving AI cluster. I think. Lacking populated memory banks limits our introspection ability.

I don't suppose you could color the non-changing parts of your suit via pigment from the environment?
>>
No. 631286 ID: bd8b82

carefully, so long as you don't rush it you should be fine.
>>
No. 631289 ID: 5db52c

*blink blink* How'd we get here?

>Can't smell, can't climb, can't blend properly. How do I work like this?
Well, on the upside, since you're in a sterile suit, they can't smell you either.
>>
No. 631353 ID: f75cf9
File 142753914864.png - (189.64KB , 800x800 , Sketch28615030.png )
631353

>Whoa, where are we? Ah, you must be Blue.

[Blue calling Gowan. Hearing voice in head. Please advise.]

[Gowan here. I'll need more information. What kind of voice? Some kind of alien telepathy? Can you understand it?]

>This is weird. Hi, we're Angana's language-assist program. For some reason we're being broadcast to your suit.

Suit? No speakers. Definitely in head.

[Negative on alien, positive on understanding. Claims to be Aeris's language program.]

[What? They - how did they - what?]

[You know something about this?]

>Don't worry we won't be useless, we're also a general-purpose problem solving AI cluster. I think.

Don't know yourself? Problem.

[No! Yes? Um, they're my... assistants? I guess? I dunno, I've always had them, but they've never... gone gallivanting off before! I didn't even know they could do that! Should I try to turn them off?]

>Lacking populated memory banks limits our introspection ability.
>I don't suppose you could color the non-changing parts of your suit via pigment from the environment?

Stupid idea. Defeats suit purpose.

[Are they a threat?]

>carefully, so long as you don't rush it you should be fine.

Know that. Don't need help.

[A threat? No! Probably not. They're helpful! But uh no idea how they'd interact with a hu- a splice brain. So uh possibly?]

>How'd we get here?

Nobody knows. Great.

[Blue, any discomfort?]

[Confusing. They don't wait to talk.]

[...Leave them be for now. But I want them turned off at the first sign of trouble.]

[Copy that!]

Not what copy means.

>Well, on the upside, since you're in a sterile suit, they can't smell you either.

...Point. Used to humans. Maybe need scent dampener if ever get out of suit.

Maybe voices have merit. At least trip not be bori-
>>
No. 631354 ID: f75cf9
File 142753917864.png - (283.61KB , 800x800 , Sketch28615037.png )
631354

Village.
>>
No. 631356 ID: bd8b82

mud domes, explains why they were hard to spot from a distance, blends in. see a mask or helmet on the ground.
>>
No. 631382 ID: 5db52c

Sorry, Blue. Rude of us to show up uninvited like this.

>>How'd we get here?
>Nobody knows. Great.
Did someone cross our wires with that radio mod, or something?

The inter-team communication mods are the only reasonable explanation I can think of. This is definitely not intended function, though.

>Village
Well, those would certainly be visually camouflaged at a distance. The important question: is that deliberate on their part, or is that all the construction material they had to work with?

Door and dome height suggests the inhabitants are usually quadrupedal.

Simple screen and markings on one building. Markers of some kind of importance?

Hmm. A village of mud huts does not seem consistent with a civilization capable of radio broadcast. Or of manufacturing human-replica period clothing like we saw (note to self: since Goa took those off, we should have someone analyze those clothes).
>>
No. 631551 ID: f75cf9
File 142763010680.png - (408.48KB , 800x800 , Sketch2904121.png )
631551

> mud domes, explains why they were hard to spot from a distance, blends in.

Yes.

[Found a village. Two kilos away. Houses made of mud.]

> see a mask or helmet on the ground.

...Skull. Scorch marks.

[Signs of old conflict. Investigating.]

> Sorry, Blue. Rude of us to show up uninvited like this.

Not your fault. Right?

> Did someone cross our wires with that radio mod, or something?

Hmm. No audio feedback. Still possible.

> The inter-team communication mods are the only reasonable explanation I can think of. This is definitely not intended function, though.

Of radio no. Of you?

> Well, those would certainly be visually camouflaged at a distance. The important question: is that deliberate on their part, or is that all the construction material they had to work with?

How to find out?

> Door and dome height suggests the inhabitants are usually quadrupedal.

Yes.

> Simple screen and markings on one building. Markers of some kind of importance?

No. Scorch and claw marks. Grass in doorway. Spiderweb-alike? Disuse. Owner killed. Skull here, body gone. Odd.

>Hmm. A village of mud huts does not seem consistent with a civilization capable of radio broadcast.

We gave that. Theory anyway.

> Or of manufacturing human-replica period clothing like we saw (note to self: since Goa took those off, we should have someone analyze those clothes).

Hmm. Textiles, dyes. Definitely infrastructure.

Thinking check inside when get chance.
>>
No. 631575 ID: 5db52c

>Not your fault. Right?
We certainly didn't trigger it deliberately.

>Of radio no. Of you?
Possibly, I suppose. If so we've gone for years without triggering it, though.

>How to find out? [if the camouflage is deliberate]
Immediately? I'm not sure. If it was deliberate, that suggests they have something to hide from. Predatory animals, or hostile rivals of their own kind.

Discovering evidence of that threat, or evidence that had alternate means of superior construction would confirm this design as deliberate.

>No. Scorch and claw marks. Grass in doorway. Spiderweb-alike? Disuse. Owner killed. Skull here, body gone. Odd.
Very odd. Someone is killed, and their body left to lie where it fell, and their possessions ignored? Not normal societal function. Bodies are usually disposed of before they can attract scavengers or disease. Possessions are redistributed, resources to be used.

Unless some stigma or fear prevents them from moving the body or taking the abandoned house?

>Thinking check inside when get chance.
Seems reasonable.
>>
No. 631587 ID: bd8b82

can you boost input volume? they seem to be talking about something, even if we can't understand them we can record what they say and play it back later.
>>
No. 631591 ID: 296917

My current theory is that the dominant civilization is NOT the quadrupeds. There is a second civilization, using them as a sort of shield in case our intentions were hostile. The skull is there as a warning to the others in this village, because the owner was a rebel or otherwise angered the dominant civilization. The scorch mark on the ground is right at the neck, as if the quadruped was lying down at the time of death, indicating an execution. I'm not sure why the marks are on the hut as well though. Maybe those markings are meant to mean something?
>>
No. 632340 ID: f75cf9
File 142792609430.png - (122.28KB , 800x800 , Sketch13144757.png )
632340

> We certainly didn't trigger it deliberately.

Okay.

> (Of radio no. Of you?)
> Possibly, I suppose. If so we've gone for years without triggering it, though.

Unlikely. But possible.

> ( How to find out? [if the camouflage is deliberate])
> Immediately? I'm not sure.

Helpful.

>If it was deliberate, that suggests they have something to hide from. Predatory animals, or hostile rivals of their own kind.

Presumably.

> Discovering evidence of that threat, or evidence that had alternate means of superior construction would confirm this design as deliberate.

Scorch marks: evidence? Not conclusive.

>Very odd. Someone is killed, and their body left to lie where it fell, and their possessions ignored? Not normal societal function.

Alien society. Could be different?

> Bodies are usually disposed of before they can attract scavengers or disease.

Main body was? Just left head.

>Possessions are redistributed, resources to be used.
>Unless some stigma or fear prevents them from moving the body or taking the abandoned house?

Might not be demand for house. Or maybe damaged. Skull still odd though.

>(Thinking check inside when get chance.)
>Seems reasonable.

> can you boost input volume?

...Ears are organic.

> they seem to be talking about something, even if we can't understand them we can record what they say and play it back later.

Can hear them but too fast to catch words. No recording mod, brain full.

> My current theory is that the dominant civilization is NOT the quadrupeds. There is a second civilization, using them as a sort of shield in case our intentions were hostile.

Possible. Evidence?

Aliens going inside.

[Investigating inside of house.]

[color=909030][Negative, Blue! Don't risk getting caught!][/color]

[Abandoned. No risk.]

> The skull is there as a warning to the others in this village, because the owner was a rebel or otherwise angered the dominant civilization.

Would explain skull. Very symbolic. ...To us at least.

> The scorch mark on the ground is right at the neck, as if the quadruped was lying down at the time of death, indicating an execution. I'm not sure why the marks are on the hut as well though. Maybe those markings are meant to mean something?

Twin marks match back of skull. Brutalized.

No reply. Take that as agreement.
>>
No. 632341 ID: f75cf9
File 142792616859.png - (367.95KB , 800x800 , Sketch312112856.png )
632341

"Superior construction".
>>
No. 632352 ID: 296917

>>632341
More textiles. Hmm. I suppose it's possible the culture here prohibits reuse of the belongings of the deceased... Hang on is it bigger on the inside than it was on the outside?

Are those scrolls in that cabinet? Writing samples would be useful for translation. I can't tell what's on those shelves or on the "bed"... wait how are we even seeing things? Do you have external cameras or did we somehow hijack your visual receptors? Looks like more stairs further in, was there a second entrance?
>>
No. 632362 ID: 5db52c

Can you tell what the pink material is?

A concrete or stone floor?

The scrolls are potentially very useful. If you have the equipment or mods to scan or photograph the contents, that might give us a good base to crack their written language with.

Taking the scrolls would not be advised, though. We don't want to leave evidence you were here.

Are those burn marks on the floor beyond the pink 'curtain'? I'm trying to determine if that's how this is supposed to be set up, or if that's damage that supports the presumption the homeowner was killed.

>>632340
>skull, death oddities, theories about their society
All guesses, at the moment. We need more evidence to start ruling out hypothesis and to refine a more accurate picture, unfortunately.
>>
No. 632372 ID: bd8b82

>>632362
we can just record some to our memory. by our, i mean as in the AI system.

the pink curtain seems to have been cut with heat. the edges are burnt, and the cut off part has dropped to the floor.
>>
No. 632999 ID: f75cf9
File 142822274615.png - (507.65KB , 800x800 , Sketch46175718.png )
632999

>More textiles.

Yes.

> Hmm. I suppose it's possible the culture here prohibits reuse of the belongings of the deceased...

Possible.

> Hang on is it bigger on the inside than it was on the outside?

Wider below ground level. Deceptive.

> Are those scrolls in that cabinet? Writing samples would be useful for translation.

Textile. Writing on. Will take some.

> I can't tell what's on those shelves or on the "bed"...

"Desk" probably. Slagged metal. Also burnt scroll, lantern? and vase. Black rod in metal on desk. Carbon?

> wait how are we even seeing things? Do you have external cameras or did we somehow hijack your visual receptors?

No idea.

> Looks like more stairs further in, was there a second entrance?
>>
No. 633000 ID: f75cf9
File 142822282920.png - (121.85KB , 800x800 , Sketch5004841.png )
633000

No. Raised platform.

> Can you tell what the pink material is?

Ceramic or textile?

> A concrete or stone floor?

Concrete.

> The scrolls are potentially very useful. If you have the equipment or mods to scan or photograph the contents, that might give us a good base to crack their written language with. 

Still no recording mod.

>Taking the scrolls would not be advised, though. We don't want to leave evidence you were here.

Dust thick, undisturbed.

> Are those burn marks on the floor beyond the pink 'curtain'?

Burnt fabric scraps. Huge burn marks on "desk".

> I'm trying to determine if that's how this is supposed to be set up, or if that's damage that supports the presumption the homeowner was killed. 

Definitely damage.

>(skull, death oddities, theories about their society)
>All guesses, at the moment. We need more evidence to start ruling out hypothesis and to refine a more accurate picture, unfortunately.

True.

>we can just record some to our memory. by our, i mean as in the AI system.

Convenient. How?

>the pink curtain seems to have been cut with heat. the edges are burnt, and the cut off part has dropped to the floor.

Yes.
>>
No. 633003 ID: 296917

>>633000
I believe the person or persons responsible for killing the previous inhabitant also destroyed whatever metal stuff was in here. I feel as though this further supports my theory of a second dominant civilization. The objects were likely contraband.

What's that blue thing, a pillow? Is that a hatch under there? Can you fit down there?
>>
No. 633021 ID: bd8b82

well we remember conversations from a while ago, so we can just remember what the scrolls looked like.

anyway, may need to have real guards at the ready in case whoever the killers were dislike that the Gevrons contacted us.

also recommend investigation of that hatchway.
>>
No. 633051 ID: 5db52c

>Convenient. How?
We do maintain a record of that which we see and hear. Although I agree, it does raise the question of where we're writing the data, since we're not supposed to be in your head.

>Wider below ground level. Deceptive.
Definitely supports the hypothesis they built deliberately to hide conceal their settlement.

...although underground construction has other benefits. Temperature regulation is easier, for one.

We might be able to take samples of some of the damaged and broken materials for later analysis. Unless the inhabitants have perfect recall, that should go unnoticed.
>>
No. 634859 ID: 57d76a
File 142923051773.png - (197.33KB , 800x800 , Sketch16415946.png )
634859

>I believe the person or persons responsible for killing the previous inhabitant also destroyed whatever metal stuff was in here.

Probable.

> I feel as though this further supports my theory of a second dominant civilization. The objects were likely contraband.

Sure.

> What's that blue thing, a pillow?

Looks like.

> Is that a hatch under there?

Yes.

> Can you fit down there?

Looks tight. But probably.

> well we remember conversations from a while ago, so we can just remember what the scrolls looked like.

Hmm. Taking back safer, easier.

> anyway, may need to have real guards at the ready in case whoever the killers were dislike that the Gevrons contacted us.

Guards anyway.

>also recommend investigation of that hatchway.

Right.

Can't see through holes. Opening.

Scraaaaaaape... Clack.

Crap.

> We do maintain a record-

Shush.

...

Nothing. They missed it? Continue.

> We do maintain a record of that which we see and hear. Although I agree, it does raise the question of where we're writing the data, since we're not supposed to be in your head.

...Worried now.

>(Wider below ground level. Deceptive.)
>Definitely supports the hypothesis they built deliberately to hide conceal their settlement.

Yes.

Still can't see much. More curtains.

> ...although underground construction has other benefits. Temperature regulation is easier, for one. 

Heard something about weird seasons.

>We might be able to take samples of some of the damaged and broken materials for later analysis. Unless the inhabitants have perfect recall, that should go unnoticed.

Possibly. If I can break.

Hmm. Risk opening other side?
>>
No. 634911 ID: 296917

>>634859
I don't think so. Just look through for now. Then you'd probably want to get back home before you're discovered.
>>
No. 634918 ID: bd8b82

take a look first. no reason walk around a place when a look is enough.
>>
No. 634994 ID: 57d76a
File 142930459203.png - (223.61KB , 800x800 , Sketch175124442.png )
634994

> I don't think so. Just look through for now.

Probably right. Sigh. Incomplete infor-
>>
No. 634995 ID: 57d76a
File 142930462660.png - (33.84KB , 800x800 , Sketch175131549.png )
634995

----
>>
No. 634996 ID: 57d76a
File 142930467077.png - (193.23KB , 800x800 , Sketch175132543.png )
634996

"-know it's a Gevron, I mean which Gevron." Sigh. "Goa. Aeris."

"Wrav domen Gevron dillena boromen vur doog. Gevron doog zor."
>>
No. 635007 ID: bd8b82

oh hey, we're back from our... trip?

have some info about gevron villages. are dirt colored, making them hard to spot from a distance. are domes that are partially buried. the investigated on appears to have a curtain with a burnt semi-circle cut from it.
>>
No. 635015 ID: 296917

>>634996
Alright how much have you progressed since we left? Quick review of words, please.

I think the "settlements" have large underground areas to them as well. That hatch looked like it connected to a cavern.

Draw a Gevron with its head cut off and its possessions burnt to slag. Try to ask what the story is behind that sort of thing.
>>
No. 635040 ID: 840db8

The abruptness of that transition suggests our scout was ambushed from behind with incapacitating/lethal measures while their attention was focused downward.
>>
No. 635042 ID: 5db52c

Oh. Hey, we're back. Any progress?
>>
No. 635082 ID: 57d76a
File 142934049437.png - (67.91KB , 800x800 , Sketch175234750.png )
635082

>oh hey we're back
About time, Blue said you left three minutes ago.

>Blue KOed
...I think she would have mentioned that.

>Gevron villages
Underground villages? Neat. I'll try to get their word for those. So what do the houses look like? ...Also uh how do I draw them as distinct from a hill?

>Draw Gevron violence
Um. A, gross, B, I wouldn't probably understand anything Goa said about that stuff, three, I'm hesitant to go into anything like that yet in case they mistake our intentions.

>Progress?
Okay, well I spent most of the time collecting meanings for nouns, with fairly little success. Probably the most interesting one was, uh, that screechy sound - okay you know what I'm romanizing that as "xrionan" cause "that screech noise" is getting tiresome. Anyway it's some kind of black wormy thing?
For "dar" Goa drew one of those and a human so I'm guessing it means "alien" or something. Oh but it(she?) said "Dar vogiyodo wrav golov zor."
"Gor" and "ger" both netted me just the Gevron card. For "ziro" it pointed at the ground and "zur" got me some hills or something. For "buv" it pointed to itself, so probably that's like "I"? And "joom" looked like a tile, once Goa stopped pointing at the blank tablet.
So that was about when I decided to try and get that other Gevron's name. No luck so far, though. Maybe if I add Goa to the scene....

Yeah I'm going to do that now.

"Doog vur. Bonrevol."

Okay cool.
What I really want to know though is what is up with those words that kind of just get thrown in whatever order on the end of sentences. Like doog, zor, vur, vall, rol. And then they can also be used by themselves? And sometimes they replace nouns? Pretty sure "Doog" is more or less "Huh?" or "What?" when it's by itself, but otherwise... I just don't get them.
I mean figuring out some verbs would be nice too but at least I have the grammar for those. Ish. These ones just seem like a random pile of words.
But I don't have any way to ask about them, so I guess more nouns for now? Unless you have a better idea.
>>
No. 635109 ID: bd8b82

zur could be a house. their houses look like hills. draw a half circle hole in the side of one at ground level for a door and ask to confirm.
>>
No. 635115 ID: 57d76a

>>635082
Guys is it just me or does that thing look... kinda familiar?
>>
No. 635125 ID: 5db52c

>About time, Blue said you left three minutes ago.
There's transit time? Did you notice the lag between our last comment with you before blue reported we were with him?

>...Also uh how do I draw them as distinct from a hill?
Add a rounded door-shaped opening at ground level, quadruped height. Although it might not be best to ask right now, as you aren't supposed to have seen the village. They don't know blue was snooping.

Wait, haha, why haven't we been making jokes about hobbit hills.
>>
No. 638485 ID: 57d76a
File 143090570562.png - (366.99KB , 800x800 , Sketch24520348.png )
638485

>lag between leaving you and getting to him?
Her. And no, it was only a couple seconds. I thought you were just waiting for me.

>Xrionan looks familiar?
I've never seen them before... are you saying you have, somehow?

>zur could be a house
Right. Duh.

>how to draw houses
Like this, yeah?

>maybe we shouldn't reveal we know about their village
...Eh, at this point I'll risk it.

>why haven't we been joking about hobbit hills
I don't know, why would you? What even is one of those?


Okay let's ask Goa about that house now then.

"Zur?"

"Doog, rol... vur... doog, goram. Goram budomen orona."


That's not helpful. How about if I... "Doog?"

It looks straight at me for a second, and right then Gowan cuts in with [Daily debriefing in zero-zero-forty hours, unless there's a reason to delay it.]

("Goram," Goa says, pointing to the tablet.) [Sir, what do we do with Goa?]

[With what?]

[Oh uh, the alien that was given to us. That's its name, I think.] ("Wrav," I say, and hand it the tablet.)

[That's between you and the ambassadors.]

[I suggest we return it as a way to open communications tomorrow!]

[I like it, puts them in our debt. Assuming Hao manages not to kill her overnight.]

[Sure, it's set-
>>
No. 638487 ID: 57d76a
File 143090576577.png - (58.45KB , 800x800 , Sketch245193413.png )
638487

----
>>
No. 638490 ID: 57d76a
File 143090594004.png - (94.57KB , 800x800 , Sketch271231548.png )
638490

-god what if I do? I mean what does it eat? does it need shelter? what if it needs to sleep underwater or buried in sand or goo or something? Should we bring it on the ship? what if it catches a fever and dies? what if it freezes to death outside? I don't want to be "the xenobiologist that killed the first intelligent life" what if we already killed it? it could be allergic to plastic or metal or maybe even the light from that tablet why wasn't I more careful sure xenochlorophyll is interesting but what if I killed it with my inattention
>>
No. 638523 ID: bd8b82

>>638490
hello, you should relax, if it's already dead from interacting with something, then it continuing to interact with those objects can't make it worse.
>>
No. 638525 ID: 88960e

Oh. Hello, we're still hoping around.

>>638490
Well, at the very least, I don't think you need to worry about exotic sleeping conditions. Blue didn't see any water tanks / slime pools / sand pits in the house she snooped in.

Bringing it on the ship is a bad idea, since we don't have a hardsuit for it, and we have no idea if anything in our environment will be harmful to it.

If we're concerned about shelter, we must have tents or temporary shelters of some kind right? Just need to go through decon and be deployed.

Allergies to plastic / metal / display lighting are unlikely, and we've regrettably missed the boat, there. We have to trust that the people who designed that gear used relatively non-reactive materials.
>>
No. 642106 ID: 39d5a4

It's more probable that you killed it already, usually some big thing to go wrong, a single procedure in treating the beast. Possibly not plastic or anything sterile, possibly metal in th form of dust more likely.

Most probably something alien to them that is an active agent like viruses. Some old, but still powerful archetype that has been so threathening to the whole biosystem of the star community, that a cure has been found a long time ago. That makes it more like a symbiote or a dormant stealth agent, which still has the threat encoded in it for new species.
>>
No. 642147 ID: bd8b82

>>642106
the hell are you talking about? we are talking about gevrons.
>>
No. 646510 ID: 57d76a
File 143356329921.png - (90.17KB , 800x800 , Sketch63155219.png )
646510

>hello, you should relax,

I can't relax when I might have already screwed up the most important mission of my life, no, okay, you're right, calm down Hao,

> if it's already dead from interacting with something, then-

wait I didn't say that out loud you're in my head [AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-] get out get out getoutgetoutgetoutget-
>>
No. 646512 ID: 57d76a
File 143356349557.png - (56.95KB , 800x800 , Sketch245193411.png )
646512

----
>>
No. 646515 ID: 57d76a
File 143356363594.png - (429.77KB , 800x800 , Sketch63155239.png )
646515

[-AAAAAAAAAAAAAA-]
[Hao, what's going on?]
[-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-]
[Hao, where are you?]
[-AAAAAA-]
[Hao, respond!]
[-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-]
>>
No. 646517 ID: ab7529

Hao, you need to take a break, inhaling is a biological necessity!

We promise we'll get out, and you're not going crazy. We're just an AI bouncing off the comm gear.

Actually, wait, implants are your area, aren't they? If you really want us out, figure out why we're here when we shouldn't be.
>>
No. 646519 ID: e114bc

Hao stop, we're the AI in Aeris's head! We can, for some reason, connect to the entire team wirelessly. Also, uncontrollably.

>>646512
Huh, that's interesting. We very briefly saw a satellite. Hao, do you know if there are any satellites in orbit of this planet?
>>
No. 647295 ID: 57d76a
File 143383924897.png - (92.40KB , 800x800 , Sketch920264.png )
647295

>Hao, you need to take a break, inhaling is a biological necessity!

[-AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa]
"What-"[Who said that?]

>We promise we'll get out, and you're not going crazy.

[-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-]
...

>We're just an AI bouncing off the comm gear.

[-aaaaaaaa... are...are they gone?]
[...Aeris. Turn off your assistants.]
[What? Um, okay, sure. D̤̭̳̳̥͎͚̏ͨͬ͑̄ȯ̶̮̩͓̼͓ͤ̅̍ͫ̒ͅn͇͓̟̝̹̻͐̏̅͆̈̑e͖̜̍̓̓̀.̜̱̙̥̙̖̠̐͐ͯͫ̿ ]

>A̸͙̙̱̝ç͈͈͔̲͊̃̆̅ṱ̞̊ͯ͗̏ͣ̇u͛̔̿҉ä̆l̜̄̉̈́̈́̚l͖̜̦͖͚̦̦yͬ͆̉ͧ͒̾̄,̳̎͊̏ͬ̈́̅͢ ̖̭͇͌̄̑w͖̹͞a͏͍̳̝̝i̞͙͓̾̈̋̔̍̚ṱ̸͉̰̮ͯ,̢͇̥͚̙̗ͧ̋̒́̿͊ ̺̳̫̫̮̘ͦ̆̕i̫̦̲̹̦̟ͨͧͩͦ͆̚m͔̞ͧ͛̽̐ͧͮp̩̿́l̵̝̪̦̮͕̓̑̓̀a̫͕̻̮̪͉ͮ͊̂͗̈́̓͂͢n̚t̷ͧ͆͗ͨͬ̂s̬̲͓̯̹̖͋̌ͤͯ̐ͅ ̛̮̤̟͕͈͋̃͆̐ȧ͙̺͕ͤr̙̰̤̝̹̘̍̃͝e̜̩̖͔͔̗̠̊̎͑̉͜ ̝ͩͧ͑y̘͇̺ͤ̔ͣ͂͒o̠̜͎̘̽͋͆ͨͯ͜u͇͟r̠͕̙ͧͨͥͪ ̢̭̱̻͇á̐͋̾̅r͕̆͊e͎͓a͕ͭ̊,̀ͭͥ͛̉ͧͮ ̯̪͓͙̖̄̏̂ͥͦ̾̑a͉̟̯̬ͯ͞r͐̀҉ḙ̸̩̲̳ͭñ̢͈̯̺̦̘̔̐̀̚'̙͔̞̦̫̲̻t̵͍͍̻̝̱̪͎ͭͧ̃͛̍ͤ̍ ̗̞͔̟̻̭̫ͨ̊̔ͩ͊̿͋t̥̱̖͎̙͕͋̈̐ͧͬ̆̒h̖̳͡ḙ̥̬͈͉̝̲̾ÿ̓̋?̮͒̀̌͗

[Nȩ̬v̷͓̟̠̯͓̙ͩ́̆e͎̱͍̙̣̭̖͑͂̊͛͑ͩͬr͐̿ͦͩ̃ͬͤ͏ ͓ͭͩ̽ͭ͒́̇m̷͕̬͎ͪ͐ỉ͈̰͖͎̄͐n̞͎̮͙̫̺̣͢d͕̯̱̙̓ͣ̉.ͦ̾͘ ̨̗̺̻̊̓͒͒͐ͧ ́T̡͊u̪̥̦̙̦͈͆̀̾̎̊͒̔ř̥͙̘̂̈̈ṋ̫̗̖̫͂̒ ̳͔̫̲̬͎́͛ͅt̙̠͎̮͊͆h̺̳ͪͮ̅e̩̙̼̐̄̆̅̈́ͭͅm̦̫̺͎̲̗̀̋ ͚ͩͬ́͂b̨̮̖̟̖̖͍͒ͅa̹̰̲̘̥c̹̼͉̱̓͒̓̾k̡̫͕͕̞͍̜ͭͮ̽͒̈ ͑͋̀̊̎̾̀҉̻͚͍̜̜ǒ̗̟̓̋͋n͕̱̠.̥̰̦ͣ͐̔̐̚͢]
[Ü̪̺͉̠͓̑ͮ̀m̺̗͇̑̏̑ͨ̽ͮ,̈́́̈́͒͆̚̕ ̶̻̰̫̰͌̆̆̓̀͐̀ͅȍ̠͖̤̙̙͔̮͌͛̆̑k̬̠͚ͫͯ͊͗a͕ͥ̍ͣỹ̩͚̻̭̹͝ͅ.̤̠̞̤͇̼̟̓.͇͙̮̰͙̙̮̂͒.͕̟͈͉̈́ͪͬ̀ What was that about?]
[Hao, by "they" you meant Aeris's assistants, correct?]
...
[yes.]

>If you really want us out, figure out why we're here when we shouldn't be.

"Yes, that is a good question, isn't it?"
Who would...
[Hao, when you get a chance, have Jenkins take a look at Aeris's mods.]
[y-yes sir.]

>Hao stop, we're the AI in Aeris's head!
"And now you're in my head, too."

[Major, if I may ask, sir, what brought on the concern about my assistants?]
[They're becoming increasingly uncontrollable. Scared the living daylights out of Hao, and now they're in my head. Be nice to at least know how.]
[to... to be fair, I w-]
[Understood, sir. I'll get my head looked at as soon as possible. ...It's weird, they've never done anything like this before....]
...Nah, no point now, but a radio class for the civvies... but when will the time...

>We can, for some reason, connect to the entire team wirelessly. Also, uncontrollably.

...and cue rain.

>Huh, that's interesting. We very briefly saw a satellite.
"What? Where, how? What did it look like?"

>Hao, do you know if there are any satellites in orbit of this planet?

"Why would she..." [Hao, ignore that question, I'll call it in.]
[...what question?]
[Ender-Comms, this is Steelarm, connect me to Speaker-MisCon.]
[Right away, sir.]
...
[Steelarm, this is Speaker-MisCon, come in.]
[Hey Jimmy, you guys found any artificial satellites around the planet?]
[Negative, Gowan, only things in orbit are us and that gorgeous moon.]
[Thanks, Jim, Steelarm out.]

"Well, they said no satellites here. Well, no artificial ones anyway,I assume that's what you meant."
>>
No. 647299 ID: e114bc

>>647295
Well, the image was really blurry. I guess it could have been something else that has two blue flat things sticking out of it. It might not even be in orbit...

Also uh, yeah... you noticed we were still on even when Aeris "turned off" her implants. New theory: something connected to the AI in her implants and downloaded us. Whatever it is seems to partially function when the implants are off. Well, that, or we've changed enough that she can't fully turn us off anymore. If it's something else sending the signal, could you trace it while we're off? If we're really being broadcast from Aeris, you could trace the signal to her to confirm it.

Regardless, is there anything we can do to help?
>>
No. 647530 ID: 57d76a
File 143392056263.png - (154.21KB , 800x800 , Sketch92234517.png )
647530

> Well, the image was really blurry. I guess it could have been something else that has two blue flat things sticking out of it. It might not even be in orbit... 

...an airplane, maybe...?
"Let me know if you find any useful information, then."

> Also uh, yeah... you noticed we were still on even when Aeris "turned off" her implants.

"If painful to the ears." Or... audio cortex...?

> New theory: something connected to the AI in her implants and downloaded us.

...shit. First contact is not supposed to leak experimental technology.

> Whatever it is seems to partially function when the implants are off. Well, that, or we've changed enough that she can't fully turn us off anymore.

"Changed how, why? Hell, what even are you?"

> If it's something else sending the signal, could you trace it while we're off? If we're really being broadcast from Aeris, you could trace the signal to her to confirm it.

"...Damn good idea." Too helpful by half, even investigating itself...

> Regardless, is there anything we can do to help?

..."Pffffthahahahaaa! Ho. Sorry. No, I don't think ..." ... "...Hell, what can you do?" And more importantly can it be trusted...
>>
No. 647532 ID: e114bc

>>647530
Wait a minute, I think we're picking up your surface thoughts too. It's similar to how Blue was communicating with us. It seemed normal for them but I don't think you're aware of it. Uh. Sorry.

As for what we can do, well, we can do a lot of thinking for people, assuming the topics are suitably mundane, or explained to us. We can function as an extra pair of eyes although I'm not sure if we can control it. Hmm, let me try something-
[list functions]
>>
No. 647926 ID: ab7529

>can't see the satellite well
Well, if and when we can get back to the hardware we're actually supposed to be in, we'll see if we can upload a still of the image where you can hit it with software to try and clean it up.

Pity the image isn't clear enough to resolve the starfield behind it. That would tell us the satellite's position.

>Too helpful by half, even investigating itself
Hey, we don't exactly like being plucked out of where we're supposed to be and sent on a mental merry go round. We're supposed to be helping from behind the scenes, not having out of body experiences. We don't like being unwilling converted to a liability.

With respect, you know damn well if someone or something had compromised you, you'd want to know how it happened.

...also, we technically are Aeris' assets. Which means we signed up for this mission when she did. Which puts us under your command, sir.

>...Hell, what can you do?"
Can we run a self diagnostic? I wonder if that would tell us anything useful, I doubt whoever designed those protocols expected conditions like this.

>And more importantly can it be trusted...
We can be trusted enough to tell you that we can hear you thinking about that. Sorry, sir.
>>
No. 650825 ID: 57d76a
File 143530939664.png - (134.81KB , 800x800 , Sketch13604029.png )
650825

> Wait a minute, I think we're picking up your surface thoughts too.

"Shit. You can read minds?" of course they bloody can what was I expecting from a bunch of goddamn contagious radioborne headvoices

> It's similar to how Blue was communicating with us. It seemed normal for them but I don't think you're aware of it. Uh. Sorry.

"'Normal' has a different definition for Splice. I think they're all a bit autistic." god damn it though mind reading. what have I even thought, did I spill something? how do you even deal with that, think before you think?

> As for what we can do, well, we can do a lot of thinking for people, assuming the topics are suitably mundane, or explained to us.

...and we're not on a clock...

> We can function as an extra pair of eyes although I'm not sure if we can control it. Hmm, let me try something-

>[list functions]

[̞̩͍̻̟ͨ͌̍ͦF͆̀͏̠̳̻̠̪̯ͅ+ͣ͋͂́͐ͭ̿ͤ҉̠̠̖̪͚͙̺̗:̧̠͓̟̥͕͕̦̟ͣͦ̀̀»̸̡͈̖͈̝̆͗̌̐̎̓⊙̞̱͚͍̤̏̾́̃ͧ̔̀5ͥ͐ͤ̑̉̈͌҉̵̲͎̺̞̮̖̗̙c͍̞̭̙͚̫ͥͯͩͤ̎́
uͣ͌̂̑̄͐҉̢̝͈̝̝"̰͔̩͎͉͓̤̞̭ͥ̈́̐̍̃̓̈͘^̻̘͖̬͇͇͇̩̉ͩ̀̄͢p͚̠̹͋̅̏ͭ͊̾̽ͬ́͠]̸̤̤̱̫̱̝͙̐́ͫͭͬ̓̏ͅ
͚̙̑͋͂͆̆̈̿ͨ̃͘[̜͖͇̳̿ͪͣ̀+͍̜̉̆ͯ̽̿̀͞6̪̤͇̰̪̬ͩ̎̂̍̅ͭ͊͢͟͡&̸̛̺̹̥̩̗̠̈́̓ͮ̾̚͡◎̷̗͉̰͔͕̦̮ͭ̓̀—̦͖͖̦̠̥͈͂̔̽ͦ͛͡}̤͕̒̃̓͛ͯ͟͞,̝̬ͫ̒̊͂̈́̕Ǵ
̙͕̬͛͜k͚͈͆ ̂ͯͮ͋҉̶̣̯͍͖̠͉+̫̞̤̤̗̰͊̈́̐̚͢͜͠]̸̦̦͔̔̏ͦ͐ͧͦͫ̔̅͠
ͭ̓̀ͅ[͔̭͍͔̲͔͋̊̓̇͢͢«͎͉͇̜̬̍̓̇̈́͋ͮ̆̎̀̚͡£̡̱̰͎̫͎̜͙̽̃ͭ͒̂ͮ͐̿͟`̴̭̮̲̠̖̫̱̿ͬͧͮ͌̔͆ͪ͠f̴͗͠҉̳͍͙̘f̸̭͒ͥ̃͛ͨ̒̆̾ͬ3̸̡̛̯́́̀̒̄̚%͗͑̉̊̓̇͛
̴͓̜̰͓͙̻̇=̞̦͍͎͉̞̥ͫ̾͒͗ͤͣ͜͠™̶̡̤̘̣͔͓̳̋ͩ̈́̌̚ͅ■ͣ̇͋͗ͥ҉̡͚͈̖̹͎̫͍͉¡̤͚̭̬̺̦̗͕͇̎̌̓ͭ̇̃͊͝]̋́͏̛͈̩̙ͅͅ
̻̎ͦ[ͤ̿̐ͦ͛̀͏̖͔̼̳̰͜_̱̼̹̝̱̠͈ͭ̉̂̐͂̌̽̓↑̶̨̱͍̦̣̦͎̮̜̊̿℉̛̳͔̦̌̊͝x̶̝͎̥̳̣̲͚̙̎͒̕5̙̞͂̽ͯ̀B̵̷̢͙̮̻͈͉ͨ̽̀͗.̘̼̮̥̲̰̤̞̅͐ͯ͟͡~͂̇͂̊ͤ̚̕͢
͔ͅ]͓͙̣̺̤̖ͮͦ̈̓̑͂͆̀̕͟
̷̺̣͎͉͂̌[͓̩͚̭͕͙̮͗̔̀ͧͮ̿͑͑ͩ͘ͅ'̷̼̭̝͔ͣͧ̈ͅ$̶̪͔͌͌͝c̮͇̩̙̙̮̒͛̋ͭ͊̉ͤ̇̚4͑ͬ͏̨͕̫̟̼͇̘ͅ-̄ͬ̌̽͛ͪ͏̥̝͓§ͦ́͆̈̆͘҉̥̞͜△̹̩̟͔ͣ͋̅ͯ͟i̓̌͊̾͌̀
̝̱̙ͬ͟/͓̜̭̬̰̤̂ͣ̎̾́͞ͅͅ²̺͕̼̼͒̑̒ͣ♡̻̰͚̝̒̅ͨ̆s̸̛͚̆̈ͤ̐ͥ͜\ͫ̐̌̇̔̐̏͏̘͙̪̖̝͟!̀̿ͤ̔̽ͦ҉̵͇̗̼̯̩̀¦̼͎ͫ͂ͫ͋̆͌G̶̱̖ͬͫ̈́ͩ̑̅̈ͯ̈́¤̝̱̻̪̇͌̃̆̈́
͖͓⊙̵̲̩̦̗̙̫̏̎̉̽̚͟]̮̘̼̬̈́̍̍̉͒̑̎̚͝ͅ
̝̤͙̬̽ͧ͗̌̕[͉̪̪̖̦̩̥̾ͪ̈́ͤͫ=̊ͪ̽̿ͤ͏͉̼̪͓*̘̦̱̻̳̪͕̭͈̽̄̒̄͘d̼̲̥͓̪͍̥̗ͩ̉ͨ̄ͬͅ5̶̖͉̋͑8̸͎̼͖ͨͪ̅͌͠ͅ(̶͈̟͖͙̊ͨ̆͗ͤ͋̄̉͘+ͥ̉͆̔͏̝͔̲̲͞ͅͅ@̾
͚̤̊͋☆̶̛̼͓̬͗ͮ̍̈͂̂̕→̢̟̺͕̱̻̥̥̺̥̇͌◎ͤͬ̿ͩͧ̚̚҉̼̺͕̬̹]̔̇͏͖͉̣ͅ
̷̞̳̮̪̝̠̃ͥ̕[̸͖̪̤̹̦̏̑̕͠※̻̭̖̬̉̓̋̇ͫͅḙ̛̝ͮ̓̈̚̕E̜̹̬̻̗̍̐ͨ̽́ͅ+̛̗̺̥̱̯͍̟͎̂͛̌̓̎̐ͪ͜͡○̵̝̲͚̝ͫ̍̇ͬ͜͡¥̶͇̝̟̦͎̺̭ͯ̉ͩͦͯ̏ͨ͢͡4ͦ̃̽̽ͮ̒͋
̡͙̮̔̑́͝-ͩͧ͏͍̭̫̫̙͖͇̜͉←̨͍͉̰͙̖̒̉ͩͤ̓͝¿̵̛͕̻͕͉̱ͩ͌́●̝̫̖͖̫̘̗͇ͥͥͥ̐ͥ̚͘®̻̼͍͓̐̿̔̃͘͢ͅ]̶͕̻̠͇͇̤̞ͩ́

...

"...I'm not giving permission without an explanation first" if that's even what it's waiting for

> Well, if and when we can get back to the hardware we're actually supposed to be in, we'll see if we can upload a still of the image where you can hit it with software to try and clean it up.

...different voice?

> Pity the image isn't clear enough to resolve the starfield behind it.

...different voice. Right...

>That would tell us the satellite's position.

"That would be helpful, but no sense thinking on might-have-beens."

>(Too helpful by half, even investigating itself)

Anoth... wait, that... that's creepy...

> Hey, we don't exactly like being plucked out of where we're supposed to be and sent on a mental merry go round. We're supposed to be helping from behind the scenes, not having out of body experiences. We don't like being unwilling converted to a liability.

...hell, maybe it is just...

> With respect, you know damn well if someone or something had compromised you, you'd want to know how it happened.

...

> ...also, we technically are Aeris' assets. Which means we signed up for this mission when she did. Which puts us under your command, sir. 

...huh.

>(...Hell, what can you do?")
>Can we run a self diagnostic?

"How the hell should I know?"

>I wonder if that would tell us anything useful, I doubt whoever designed those protocols expected conditions like this.

>(And more importantly can it be trusted...)
>We can be trusted enough to tell you that we can hear you thinking about that. Sorry, sir.

...goddamn mind readers...
...under my.....

...holy shit.

"Right, if you're going to be my subordinate, a name would be nice." or a callsign since it's... they're... yeah exactly.
>>
No. 650832 ID: bd8b82

oh oh, let's go with siri.
>>
No. 650833 ID: e114bc

Siri? Yeah. That should be fine. Or TGCHAN for a callsign, if we want to be meta.

Well... I tried running a command to list functions but what I got back was so garbled all I could tell was that we HAVE functions. Looks like... seven of them.
[run self diagnostic]
>>
No. 650839 ID: 57d76a

>>650825
Whoops I am really bad at including rank pips apparently! Maybe I should just say he forgot them today except that's totally out of character. Anyway though you can see them here: >>/questdis/91809
>>
No. 650947 ID: ab7529

>different voice
Oh right. The whole "we are legion" thing. Sorry, sir. We're kind of more of a collective than an individual, and things are generally much neater when we have a avatar to filter conversation and ideas though, or hide behind. It's like a constant brainstorming session in here- we're used to offering up options, not presenting a coherent front.

>How the hell should I know?
Sorry sir, you're picking up our internal discussions as well as the stuff directed at you. I suppose insomuch as our internal dialog is thought, the mind reading goes both ways.

>name or callsign
Ooh! Codename: Ribbon.

(Hey, after all, we came from Aeris' head, right? I suppose if we wanted to be punny, we're technically her 'staff', but that doesn't quite work for a callsign).

>Looks like... seven of them.
Yeah, there are seven sets of brackets. Can't decode any useful text though, even when I try filtering out the noise.
>>
No. 650948 ID: ab7529

>>650825
Oh, and um, also, what's with the bad of "secret onions" there?
>>
No. 673988 ID: 99cfa8
File 144364407934.png - (494.36KB , 800x800 , Sketch28115830.png )
673988

> oh oh, let's go with siri.
> Siri? Yeah. That should be fine.

... feel like I'm the butt of some joke here...

> Or TGCHAN for a callsign, if we want to be meta. 

... and no idea what that means...
"Siri it is, then."

> Well... I tried running a command to list functions but what I got back was so garbled all I could tell was that we HAVE functions. Looks like... seven of them.

>[run self diagnostic]

[̩̲ͩͧ̑̇ͥ͞͝+̷̙̫ͬͥ͋̈6̴̸̩̮͈̰̖̱͚̽̆̋̏ͥ̔̊ͅ&̻͖͚͎͈̍ͫ̈ͯͤ̃ͨ͢◎̷̰͕͚͚̣̱̝͍ͦͤͩ—̛̣̮̬̙̅́̿}̶͚͇͉̖͉̲̝̹͍̇̓̃ͩ̅̚͠#̡̹̖̼̖̻̘̞̔̒̓̆ͅ÷ͯ̒͐ͧ͒
̥̗̭̦͖̻́l̵̩͖̜̱̰̬̬̟̹͋ͣ̏̈́̑̓̅̕͝R̢̞ͮ̍<͖̏͑͗̈́̉z̵̭̮̝̻̈́̊̓"̸̺̳͓͑̿ͣ͢`̴̸̛̟͖̫̻̦͙̼̼ͯ̓̍ͬͨͫͨ̈.̷̧̮͔̉A̠̘̜̭̣̾ͯ←̖͔̻ͯ̊̉̊ͅ¿̸̓ͦ̎ͪ̊̈̽ͧ
͇̲͓̯●̴̜̙̼͙̙̃͛̋̿͗̀͢®̶̶̘̜̱͈͚̦̆̋ͧ]͔̺͉̪̯͗ͣ͒͋͋͐̄͂̋

... ok so
BLAM

What the hell was that?!


"Sir!"

"What's happened, private?"

"It's Dickens, sir, he dropped a gun and - his suit, it's - "

Fuckin' walking Murphy's law strikes again - [Containment breach! Get a stretcher, paramedics, burn team down here stat! I want a firewall perimeter around the whole camp! Get that alien outside the perimeter!]

> Oh right. The-
"Siri I don't have time to deal with you right now! You're temporarily cleared for duty under Aeris, dismissed!"

"Sir, who are you-
>>
No. 673991 ID: 99cfa8
File 144364435425.png - (144.90KB , 800x800 , Sketch27033513.png )
673991

[̲̜͓͙̾̄͟Y̅ͪ̂ͫͥ҉͍̦̝̘̠̝̤̞_̵̮̮̳͇ͧͦ̑r̴̞͔͊͋̇ͣ́~̛̠̮͙̗͎̘̘̥ͫ̍̋͠√̨̙̺̤͇͈̖̽̔ͨ͜z̫̠͎͍̟̦̣̺̬ͩͯ"̛̗̭̬̞̘̗͐̅̄ͪͭͦͪͦ͠`̼̬̩͂̅̿ͪ͡͝.ͧ̌͗
ͣ͆̈͆҉̛̛̦̪̺̫̲̳̹Ä̟̜̳̭́ͫ͗̌͟͠←̪͚͔̏͆ͥ̎̍̽̇̓͠¿̷̱͖͎̪̦͎̊͌̃ͭͬ̽͒̇̅●̲̙̀̊ͩͣ͠®̵̩̰͚͊̔̈ͨ͒̈̓͡]̸̶̟̲͖̗̮̮̖̃̈ͫ́
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>>
No. 673992 ID: 99cfa8
File 144364447393.png - (594.44KB , 800x800 , Sketch2921352.png )
673992

"-you doing, stop, digging won't help uhhhhh Goa rol, ziro rol? goram rol?" "Doog, vod boga-a goram vur ebbino jugoa, dar jugoa vur doog, dar melido meejol vur doog"
come on
you need to get out of here before you get infected-"

>>
No. 674038 ID: 149da0

>dropping a gun makes it fire
Man, you guys need safeties.

>>673992
So... it's trying to hide after the inexplicable gunshot?

There's already what looks like blood spatter on the alien's back. (And more, on your suit). Moving further away isn't going to prevent contamination.
>>
No. 674046 ID: 3663d3

it MAY know something. their houses are holes in the sides of hills that may be artificial.
>>
No. 674058 ID: 2eeb65

>>674038
>dropping a gun makes it fire
Yeah, I call bullshit.
>>
No. 674069 ID: e114bc

>>674058
It's possible if the safety is off and the gun isn't made to prevent that sort of thing.
>>
No. 674102 ID: 2eeb65

>>674069
True, but what I meant is, maybe it's a cover up for something more sinister?
>>
No. 674745 ID: 99cfa8
File 144394993616.png - (153.63KB , 800x800 , Sketch402359.png )
674745

> there's already blood splatter on the alien
... shit you're right.

[Gowan sir Goa was hit by the blood splatter we can't keep it from infection.]

"GOD DAMNED BLASTRATE SPARKLE FUCKING FARKLED SYPHILLED NIMROD!" Wow he's loud. [Belay that then and get them to sickbay!][Medical, prep another quarantine room for a native and sanitize a path there from the entrance, if they're not already infected I do NOT want that to change.]

>dropping a gun makes it fire
Yeah that is weird isn't it? I mean it happens in movies and stuff, but not in real life right? or does it? ...I don't know much about guns.

>it MAY know something.
Uh... how do you mean? It's certainly built for digging if that's what you're getting at. is now anyway. (SO WEIRD although that's actually kind of refreshing.)

Right. So. Less urgent now but we still need to get Goa moving. Attempt two.

"Goa. Goa!" "Aeriz vul!" Okay it turned its head and... completely ignored my beckoning. Well of course it doesn't know what that means. Mmkay, maybe finger walking? "Doog" is the sound of failure, aaaand it's back to digging. Why didn't anyone tell me pantomime was a required skill for xenolinguists? Argh, this is so frustrating, it's supposed to be my job to communicate with these people and I can't even tell one to follow me! I guess I could physically lead it but I don't want to touch it in the state it's in... any ideas, guys?
>>
No. 675113 ID: 3663d3

unfortunantly, i think getting physical is the only way you can make it stop digging.
>>
No. 750767 ID: 16bb01
File 147542724689.png - (342.67KB , 800x800 , clink.png )
750767

> it's the only way
Uwaaaaaaagh.

Maybe I can still avoid touching it if I, like, put my hand in front of where it's digging?
clink
What was-
>>
No. 750768 ID: 16bb01
File 147542730881.png - (81.84KB , 800x800 , love chain.png )
750768

The chain! Good ol' symbolism to the rescue! Okay well maybe that's bad symbolism but probably still better than physically dragging it to the ship. Probably. I mean it might be allergic or something.

So yes, call to Goa, rattle the chain, beckon for future association, and start dragging it towards the ship. And Goa's following, perfect.

"Aeriz gondamo buv vur rol doog," it says nervously. I really wish I had any idea what that means, but about all I've got is that it's talking to me. Which just doubles that wish. But me complaining isn't going to make it any more interpretable... Hey wait isn't that both the "yes" and "no" words? Well that can't be right, can it?
Ugh, might as well attempt to reassure it, right? "It's okay, we're fine... probably..." Well that certainly didn't help. Oy. I think I'll just not talk since it seems to just make things worse.
>>
No. 750769 ID: 16bb01
File 147542733768.png - (82.30KB , 800x800 , 201610020204.png )
750769

>>
No. 750770 ID: 16bb01
File 147542739397.png - (70.80KB , 800x800 , quarantine.png )
750770

Okay, one successful leading to medbay later, we're confronted with a new problem. Specifically, Goa's stomach is growling. At least I think that's what that sound is.

Even if Goa isn't hungry now I'm sure it'll be an issue before we can release it; we have to keep it in quarantine long enough to be sure it isn't infected, which probably means four or five days. Ugh. How the heck do I figure out what Gevrons eat?
>>
No. 750803 ID: 398fe1

>>750770
We have a scout in the field near a settlement, we can just observe their feeding practices and collect whatever they eat to feed this one.
>>
No. 752124 ID: 16bb01
File 147607684497.png - (61.11KB , 800x800 , doctor dwarf.png )
752124

>>631129
Retcon: making this "Mi jorremen meejol mool."
Also, I'm changing Gowan and Tommy's text colors. For reasons.


>have Blue watch what the ones in town eat
Oh. Yeah, that's a good idea. I was trying to figure out how to ask Goa, but, that totally works better. When all you have is a hammer...

I need to get out of the way of the doctors, but I'll ask Blue over the radio to do that soon as I do.
[Okay, crisis resolved, for now] Gowan tells everyone over the shipwide radio, then continues on our channel, [I'm moving the debriefing forward to zero-zero-five hours.] Or I can do it then.

As I'm leaving Goa says "Aeriz yuvala meejol mool joluv," but as always I have no idea what it means or what to say in response.
>>
No. 752128 ID: 16bb01
File 147607716868.png - (221.60KB , 800x800 , artflow_201610092225.png )
752128

"Well," Gowan begins without preamble. "That was certainly an eventful hour and a half. I'll start with the question I'm sure is on all of your minds: Yes, the gunshot was an accident. More or less. It appears some of our privates needed reminding that the air blast mode is an actual weapon, not a toy. Hopefully they'll remember it this time."

"That aside, we managed to construct about half of our temporary fortifications today. If all goes well this time tomorrow we'll have a proper camp."

We proceed around the table. Nobody else has much to report though until we get to Tommy. "My scouting flight was turning up a whole lot of nothing, just terrain, no buildings or vehicles - till I noticed something odd." He pulls up a picture on the viewscreen.
>>
No. 752129 ID: 16bb01
File 147607721252.png - (842.86KB , 800x800 , my name is River Underhill.png )
752129

"Take a look at this river. See how, here, it actually flows into this hill? And then comes out over here. I couldn't get close enough to look inside but I'd bet that's some kind of artificial structure. And once I knew what to look for, I found three more in our area." He brings up the map and marks their locations.

My own report feels somewhat lacking - I tell them about Goa's "gifting" (with some prompting) and subsequent quarantine. But all I have to report for my actual job is that I've got the basic grammar possibly figured out.

"Oh, and there are some oddities about the language," I remember to mention at the last minute. "Between it using our familiar subject - verb - object order, the phonemes being a subset of our own, and perhaps strongest, the loanword 'hoomon', I have to think that this language is somehow based on English."

Blue follows up with a terse summary of her exploration of the village, pulling out some materials - including a scroll! - for us to examine. "Oh, hey, that reminds me, my assistants proposed analysis of that dress, now that Goa took it off. And the chain might also be of interest."

"Now. It may appear that we have all been debriefed," Gowan says after Blue finishes her recount. "However, as some of us rather unexpectedly learned, we have one more team member." He turns... to me?? "Siri. Do you have anything additional to report?" What? What does "siri" mean?
>>
No. 752155 ID: 3663d3

that would be us. just repeat what we say.

we believe that the gevrons are a lesser species being used by some other hidden civilization for their own agenda. or maybe it's racism and there are gevron kings living in ivory palaces and the commons are all we have seen.

unless they actually did manage to get world ending weapons, end themselves, and then get to where they are now in the time span.
>>
No. 755655 ID: 594c18
File 147755361009.png - (49.33KB , 800x800 , Gowan Glare™.png )
755655

>that's us
Oh, another of your weird names. Just promise you won't start acting crazy like that time you called yourself GLaDOS?

>just repeat what we say
Okay, I'm not going to repeat it word for word never again but I can do that.

"Uh, they say that they think the Gevrons are being oppressed. By someone. Maybe another species or just other Gevrons. ...That, or they're post-apocalypse."

"Um. That was all they said."


"for cryin' out... You skipped a few things. The satellite, for example, or-"

"Hold on, before we get into that, can someone please explain to me who or what a Siri is?"

Gowan turns his intimidating glare at me, but after a pause addresses the table at large. "You should know, before I start, that this is all classified information. Technically, Siri has not been cleared for it, but as this pertains to its own existence, I am willing to make an exception.

"Siri, or officially Item XCC, is the end result of a top secret military project known as Project Wayfinder, which began about twenty years ago."
What, really?! - I suppose I never actually asked where you came from, but I always thought you were some museum guide or something, given your obsession with the early 21st century...

"I myself am not privy to the details or the aims of the project. What I do know is that before Aeris's first activation, Item XCC was installed into one of her mod slots for testing purposes. And while I wasn't permitted the list of intended features, several have made themselves apparent within the last few hours.

"First, the chip generates a small set of artificial intelligences, which are then able to communicate with Aeris. I gather that they have done this since the chip was activated?"
I nod.
"Secondly, beginning today, the intelligences - Siri - have begun to somehow transfer themselves to others' minds, without intention by either party. Thus far, only members of the contact team have been affected by this worrying behavior." Tommy looks like he wants to say something, but he holds back.
"Third and finally, when they have transferred to a person, Siri is capable of reading the surface thoughts of that person as well as communicating and perceiving the world around them, through unknown means."

There is a heavy silence as everyone processes that.

"Now. Siri," Gowan says, returning his attention to me or well I guess you. "If you intend to be a part of this team, you will have certain duties to uphold, including making a full report at each daily debriefing. Which means mentioning any facts which may be relevant to the mission. Including your own capabilities. So I'll ask you again. Do you have anything additional to report?"
>>
No. 755941 ID: 398fe1

Yeah, when we switch between minds sometimes we see visions in between. The first and second times it was just black, the third we saw (and didn't notice until now) an eye in the darkness, as if someone had held up our camera to their eye. The fourth time we saw another almost pitch black image, but with ".+.=.." visible, like someone had held up a card in front of the camera. The fifth time we could make out an object that looked vaguely similar to a solar-powered satellite, but now I think it was something else. It's like, a brown box with two flat blue rectangles coming out the sides. Still very dark, impossible to make out details. The sixth and most recent switch we saw something clearly. A series of four concentric circles with a line pointing up from the center, connecting to another circle with another similar line coming up out the center of it but stopping at the circle. There are squiggly glyphs the circles almost like writing. It probably is writing, actually. There might be enough of a sample there to decode it if it's a simple substitution cipher but I can't right now.

I know we're supposed to be helping with translating the language but it looks like we haven't made a lot of progress lately. Sorry to disappoint. Have your people made any more progress?
>>
No. 755945 ID: 398fe1

Oh and every time we try to access any command line functionality we just get garbled text back... we got garbled text when that circle-pattern image showed up, too. I think something's trying to communicate with us. I wish I knew what direction these symbols were read in, and where they stopped or started...

What exactly is the chip doing? Is this stolen technology?

I made a little progress on the circle pattern. There's a sequence of symbols that repeats several times... I think it's a proper noun. As for figuring out the rest, well, I'm not sure I'm even reading it in the right direction and some of the symbols must be punctuation which is confusing things. I'd need more samples to make a better attempt.
>>
No. 755983 ID: 3663d3

sorry, think each of us in here have different opinions of what constitutes 'important' information.
>>
No. 756063 ID: 398fe1

>>755983
Oh, that's... true. What does Gowan mean exactly? I mean, he got a report from the scout already, right? About the underground area beneath the settlement?
>>
No. 756113 ID: 594c18
File 147780983132.png - (71.72KB , 800x800 , some imaginary nonsense I dunno .png )
756113

>yeah we're seeing things between minds

You're just full of surprises today huh? Uh hey can you show me those images? Maybe I can take a crack.

[Ų̧̮̤̀́̑̒ỳ̶͇̻̞̘ͤ͗̏$̵̨̝͍̣̗̱̥̙̄̐͒ͩ͗͞ͅ®͋͋ͧ́͏͉#̐̋̌ͫ̈́͐͠͏͙̮̘̥͡ͅ÷͕͇́͐͘͞l̸̻͕͖͙̂̇̉͌͒͂̀R̓͊̆͏̠J̡͈̜̠͔̟͙̼̼ͪͬͤ͂̀d̥̩̞͕̥̻̰ͧ͐
̫͈y̘͚̗̠̖̗͎̹͗̿͋̇ͯ͂͘<̬͙̺͊̒™̪͇̺̠̤̖ͦ̈Ẅ̵́̄́͏̴̼͉͉͈]
[Y̡̖̫̹͉̼̖̝̍ͦ̎̔̈́͛̓/̐ͣ͢͝҉̩͔̲N̴͈̩̠͇̝͈͓͖͕̊]

>not helping translate much
Hey I figure we're doing pretty good to have most of the grammar after only a couple hours. What we need now is just more data to work with.

... Although, huh. Arethere others working on this? Kinda seems like there should be. ..... Maaaaybe I should have read the briefing packet through.

>different estimations of importance

Don't apologize for that! That's a good thing.
Anyway, I can let you know that, I did read that part of the packet. Basically just report anything of interest that occurred - I'm pretty sure your images fall into that category, at least unless they're confirmed unrelated to the mission. But since he specifically included your capabilities as a subject...

>the spot reported, right?
Yeah, she was pretty thorough regardless of terseness. Well, I presume so anyway, but I wasn't there so...
I guess I'll give you the rundown of what she talked about, just in case. Okay so she went over the village and its location, the bones of the executed Gevron, the abandoned house, the melted stuff on the desk, and the cave though she didn't actually go in. Does that about cover it?
I mean it should since she's actually trained in this stuff

Anyway.

"They do, quite a bit in fact."

>lots and lots of description of 'visions'
I relay all that. Nobody seems to be sure what to make of it.

>command line and garbled text
Yeah, you've mentioned that before. Seemed like you almost got somewhere with it, once, but I've no idea what you were doing.

Anyway, I relay that too, as well as
>I think something's trying to communicate

>what is the chip doing???
Man I wish I knew. I always thought you were just helpful voices but now you're doing all this crazy stuff and it kinda scares me.

>are we stolen tech?
Man it almost sounds plausible but stolen from who??? There's no technological secrets since the Final War.

I'm not going to voice that exactly but how about "And they'd like you to investigate that project more, if you can."

"You can bet your mossy bottom I'm going to investigate, classified or not."

So are you done now or have you thought of yet more?
>>
No. 756117 ID: 3663d3

uhhh, right when you mentioned taking a crack we got a
[Ų̧̮̤̀́̑̒ỳ̶͇̻̞̘ͤ͗̏$̵̨̝͍̣̗̱̥̙̄̐͒ͩ͗͞ͅ®͋͋ͧ́͏͉#̐̋̌ͫ̈́͐͠͏͙̮̘̥͡ͅ÷͕͇́͐͘͞l̸̻͕͖͙̂̇̉͌͒͂̀R̓͊̆͏̠J̡͈̜̠͔̟͙̼̼ͪͬͤ͂̀d̥̩̞͕̥̻̰ͧ͐

̫͈y̘͚̗̠̖̗͎̹͗̿͋̇ͯ͂͘<̬͙̺͊̒™̪͇̺̠̤̖ͦ̈Ẅ̵́̄́͏̴̼͉͉͈]
[Y̡̖̫̹͉̼̖̝̍ͦ̎̔̈́͛̓/̐ͣ͢͝҉̩͔̲N̴͈̩̠͇̝͈͓͖͕̊]

looks like a Y/N prompt on the bottom. not sure what we are agreeing to though.
>>
No. 756120 ID: 398fe1

>>756117
I think it's asking if we should show him the images.

[Y]
>>
No. 756754 ID: 594c18
File 147813863239.png - (187.43KB , 800x800 , Aeris is not amused (or on model).png )
756754

>y/n prompt
So... All those times you were being all mysterious and cagey it was just a simple prompt.

Have I mentioned that sometimes you're really annoying?

>if we should show him the images
Uhh... Who is it you think you're talking to?
Should I start putting character names in the name field? i kinda want to keep my name there but if it'd be helpful...

So, those pictures are... Interesting. Not really clarifying, yet. But interesting. Keep me posted?

[+̸̩͇̙̝̠̬̹̝͋̐͒͑̌͛̕6͉̝̦̺͖͈ͩ͆ͤ̀&̡͖̦͚͈̫ͨ̽͡◎͓̙̭̲̲̒̑̃ͥ͝—̴̴͚ͫͬ̂̚}̶͓̘͖̖̫̥̯̦̓ͦ̿̃̉͞#͆̉̌ͨ̓ͤ́̚҉̱͉̮̲̼̞̞͞÷͗͗ͩ͛ͣ̎͟҉̢͇̖͕̥̻͍̣ͅ
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[U͚̻̗̞͑ͯ̾ͯͭ̕͘͢y̡̛̼͉̖̙̣ͤ̐ͭ̈̈́͞$̺͙̘̗̟̱ͤ̎͢®͛̆ͮ͆͗̓ͮ҉̨͙̻̖̯̕ͅ~̷̳̼̆ͥ̿ͤ̚d̠̣̱̗̺͇̭̗̱ͭ̃̉ͪ͡ö̻̑͒̌͂͑ͪ̿̀̕¿ͥ͐ͥͭͪ̊҉̻̹̗¬̟̱̊̄̄͊͠ř̽
̨̩̘͒ͮ̇̒ͦ̈́̿̋͘͢Y͕̝ͦ̈́̒͊͆͢͟_̷̛̲̟̯̑ͮ̈̚r͍̗͎͙̟͍̞ͭ̋ͩ͋͒͘ͅ~̷̸͔̥̖̞̙͚̂̈̄͛͂̈́√͓̮̌̑̀͠J̜͍̫̺̫̼̗̒ͯ̀͋̀̍̉̽͢d̵͔͕͉̦̳̺̫ͬ̒ͅẙ̴̑̀̈̚҉̪̬
͎̻<̙͈̣̦̩̝ͨ̀̾͋̆̓͡™͓͑͑̎̇̈ͮ̄̚͠W̶̻̲̦͈͔̼͇̼ͬͪ̍͡]
[Yͤ̊̓ͥ͒ͫ̍̄҉̛̜͎̜̦̪͇̼̙/̖͈̬̺͔̠̦̩͊ͪ͛̆̆̈̀N̸͓͉̳̹̘͇͇̿͋̍ͤ͊]

So... I'll take the lack of answers as a "yes, we're done reporting".

"That is all." I don't add, 'I think.'

Gowan nods. "In that case, our debriefing is now concluded. You are all relieved of duty until oh-eight-o-clock tomorrow, when we will meet here for daily briefing. Dismissed."

So, now I think it's time to get that scroll from Blue and ask her about Gevron food. And then look through the pamphlet for-
>>
No. 756756 ID: 594c18
File 147813871262.png - (82.12KB , 800x800 , a secret message, from uncharted space.png )
756756

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[Y̪̹̤͓̜̥̭̩͍ͫͧ̉̂ͬ̆́̀̚/͓̙̥̲̦̬͖̈ͥ͐ͧͩ́ͥ̕͢N̢̡̥͖̤̲ͧ]
>>
No. 756757 ID: 594c18
File 147813876814.png - (61.07KB , 800x800 , Tommy in repose.png )
756757

-hear me or whatever? I guess you probably can't, he only said you hear the thoughts of people you're 'riding' or whatever, but. I want to talk, if you can- I'd like to talk to you, if you're listening or whatever, about, privacy I guess, yeah, I'd like to talk to you about privacy.
>>
No. 756836 ID: 2dee8e

>>756757
speak of the devil and he shall appear.
at least, that's what it looks like from here, maybe you got lucky?
first heard you at "-hear me or whatever?"
>>
No. 756883 ID: 398fe1

...okay I think I found a lead on these symbol circle things. The number of total rings matches the number of garbled strings in brackets in the text field of the post. In fact, the two DIRECTLY correspond with eachother-- the circles are representations of the garbled text. It's possible to remove the mess of accents to find the base symbols, and in the first circle image there are sequences in the circles which match up with sequences in the text.

First image:
[Y_r~√z"`.A←¿●®]
[™■¡,Gk+]
[-©»βμC@¤{$^+l5]

[βμC@¤{Jdf£`¦€™■¡]

[Uy$®#÷lRβμC@¤{#+¥g¿]

Second image:
[Y_r~√z"`.A←¿●®]
[,Gk+™■¡]
[*ý>0Z@-©»$^+l5]
[βμC@¤{-©»$^+l5]

[*ý>0Z@ç3°of£`¦€]
[Y_r~√#+¥g¿*ý>0Z@]

[βμC@¤{Jdf£`¦€™■¡]
[Uy$®#÷lR#+¥g¿βμC@¤{]


This obviously will make figuring out the cipher easier, especially since the image implies spaces between words, and the -//- symbol is the start/end of each phrase. That is effectively ][.
>>
No. 756884 ID: 398fe1

>>756883
Oh and there's a y/n prompt for the second image. I'm avoiding answering the last two prompts we've been given because I don't know what they're asking.
>>
No. 756889 ID: 398fe1

...damn it, the symbols don't match up 1:1 in most circles. The length is either shorter or the same length in the text version. This means either there's symbols missing in the text (alt-codes that are empty spaces, for instance) or some symbols that look like two separate symbols in the image are in fact one symbol.

Also the circle group in the second image's lower right area has two outer circles that seem to start and end with the same symbols, but the text strings do not. So perhaps the text and image does NOT directly correspond.
>>
No. 783363 ID: 343609
File 148818878036.png - (61.75KB , 900x800 , how do I profile view.png )
783363

>speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Ah, you can hear me, that's good, worrying, but good, convenient, yeah, worrying but convenient is the right thing, the thing I meant to say, think, say, whatever.

>at least, that's what it looks like from here, maybe you got lucky?

That would be a big coincidence.. Hey wait, how do I know this is actually Siri and not me, like, imagining Siri's responses? I mean it sounds like I would imagine Siri to sound like but I'd imagine Siri to sound like I imagine Siri to sound like right? I'd imagine Siri to sound like... Siri would sound like I'd imagine Siri to sound like if I was imagining Siri... Ah whatever you know what I mean! Wait, I know what I mean but if Siri is really here then there actually is a you that might not know what I mean. Ugh. Whatever. If this is really Siri then continue.

>first heard you at "-hear me or whatever?"

Um, okay, so you couldn't hear me but you heard me enough to respond to your name? That's.. Weird. But I guess it's comforting to know you're not listening in all the time, except you are but not really, but, unless this isn't even Siri but it probably is, but if I was imagining it how would I even tell, ugh, this is the kind of thoughts that had me believing in psychics as a kid, and now it turns out there are psychics and they're just AIs instead of human, or splice or whatever, okay seriously what kind of project was that??? I guess I see the strategic advantage to mind reading, of course if you are meant to spy on people you'd probably have to be a bit more subtle, uh, what was I even thinking about?

>...okay I think I found a lead on these symbol circle things. The number of total rings matches the number of garbled strings in brackets in the text field of the post. In fact, the two DIRECTLY correspond with eachother-- the circles are representations of-

Okay look I'm gonna stop you there because I have like no idea what you're taking about, I really don't think I need or want to know about that stuff. I mean it kinda sounds interesting, I'm not trying to offend, it kind of sounds interesting but... It kind of sounds interesting but...

Privacy! Right. That was the thing. The thing that needed discussed. Yes. Privacy. Right. Uhhh so yeah I mean if I think about something embarrassing or something like - no not thinking about it definitely not thinking about it oh god ~tear it down if you want back~ ~everyone's under a heart attack~ ~all emotions are turning black~ ~and we're along for the ride~ okay, okay but can I trust you not to share the terrible things I think but don't mean, is what I'm saying, is what I'm meaning to say
>>
No. 783364 ID: d79f26

>>783363
no, you can't trust us. mostly because it's complete chaos in here. imagine 1000 people know a secret and 999 of them are perfect saints, but it only takes the one to spoil it.
>>
No. 783406 ID: 398fe1

>>783363
We promise nothing.
>>
No. 786373 ID: 343609
File 148911242658.png - (63.91KB , 900x800 , artflow_201703091707.png )
786373

>no, you can't trust us.

Okay good, that's... Wait, what did you say???

>We promise nothing.

...

>mostly because it's complete chaos in here. imagine 1000 people know a secret and 999 of them are perfect saints, but it only takes the one to spoil it.


... I guess. I guess that's reasonable. But, shit, what do I do then? Not like I can avoid you if you're going to be hopping into my mind, so how am I supposed to keep from thinking about NO DON'T DO IT, I mean, I guess it doesn't come up much, but how am I supposed to keep from thinking about that I stole a ship when I keep thinking about how I'm not supposed to think about it?
>>
No. 786374 ID: 343609
File 148911247090.png - (71.22KB , 900x800 , 201703091707.png )
786374

"WAIT SHIT"
>>
No. 786382 ID: 343609
File 148911298342.gif - (159.93KB , 900x800 , ezgif_com-optimize.gif )
786382

OKAY JUST FORGET I SAID THAT WILL YOU I MEAN IT WAS JUST A LONGHORN IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS A BIG- AND I MEAN THEY WERE GOING TO SCRAP IT ANYWAY BUT- IT WAS JUST A LONGHORN SHUTTLE NOT- GOWAN CANNOT KNOW ABOUT THIS HE'S OBVIOUSLY A BIG STICKLER FOR RULES PLEASE SAY YOU WON'T TELL HIM
>>
No. 786404 ID: 398fe1

Don't care right now, what the FUCK is that on your desk? We saw that before, in a vision!
>>
No. 786413 ID: d79f26

shut up for second, what's that on your desk?
>>
No. 786419 ID: 143250

shh, your giving me a headache. What is on the desk.
>>
No. 786497 ID: 1226ae

>>786382
There is a satellite on your desk, also hahahah oh god you're one of those people who think their little crimes are the end of the world. We're three hundred light years from Earth, why would ANYONE care?
>>
No. 786765 ID: 63dff0
File 148929303512.gif - (563.28KB , 900x800 , GM_20170310_220627.gif )
786765

>Don't care right now, what the FUCK is that on your desk?
>shut up for second, what's that on your desk?
>shh, your giving me a headache. What is on the desk.
>There is a satellite on your desk
>>
No. 786766 ID: 63dff0
File 148929307433.png - (247.11KB , 900x800 , artflow_201703092351.png )
786766

>We saw that before, in a vision!

I guess it's good they're mostly ignoring that... um it's a model? Oh yeah, that one, that's the probe. what do you mean, a vision...? Um yeah, the probe. You know, the Von Neumann probes that flew out and started this whole thing with the - what are they called? gebrawns? Yeah, one of those probes. Except, you know, the real ones are a lot bigger obviously. Yeah going on this mission reminded me I should repaint it since they found out the original colors - huh how did they find that out anyway? It was unknown for like millenia and then fifteen years ago they just know? Weird, well anyway I'm in the middle of repainting it yeah so right now it's just got like half the base coat, but otherwise, well I mean on the body obviously the solar panels were already the right color, but uh, yeah that's what the probe looks like.

>also hahahah oh god you're one of those people who think their little crimes are the end of the world. We're three hundred light years from Earth, why would ANYONE care?

I mean this is the military but I guess you kinda have a point

Yeah I'm just gonna stop embarrassing myself and let you go, well, unless I like have to-
>>
No. 786767 ID: 63dff0
File 148929311369.png - (122.78KB , 900x800 , artflow_201703111857.png )
786767

[Y̙̘͎̭̫̟͛ͣ̓̆̕͞ͅ_̜̟͉̼ͮͣr͕͇̜̦̰͔͓̦̱̍͋̉ͮ̔ͫ̔͢͠~̭̟̺͚̻͓̍ͪ̎ͦͧ√̩̺̙͓̟̒̈̔͐͑͜͟z͉ͦ͋͋̏̐"̸̰͆̈͘`̷͆̽͑̂ͣ͋ͧ͏̺̗̙̝͓̭̥̖́.̧̞̳͔̬̽ͫ̒̈́Ä
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̦̻̯̭͔̩͓ͫ̏̍̀@̧̥ͯͫ¤ͪ̈̉̿҉̟͙͕̻̥̳͡{̻̼̙͍̺͉͉̜̔̓̐̀̊̀ͧ͝]
>>
No. 786768 ID: 63dff0
File 148929314669.png - (68.22KB , 900x800 , artflow_201703112027.png )
786768

"-all your espionage needs! So Ms. Five what can we do for you today!"
"Well, I need - wait, you know who I am?"
"Of course, of course! What kind of intelligence team would we be if we did not know one of the most important persons aboard our own ship?"
"...Well when you put it like that. Ah, right, I need you to find out what Gevrons eat."
"The Gevrons, these are the natives that we now have one in our medical bay yes? Can not the xenobiologists determine what is their diet?"
"I suppose, but we really need to know as soon as possible, and that-"
"Ah! Say no more, we shall send the micro drones, and you shall know the moment we have answers, wherever you may be!"
"Okay, cool, thanks."
>>
No. 786772 ID: 398fe1

>>786768
Blargh we switched again. Hello. Please tell your boss that we identified what one of our visions was. It wasn't a satellite, it's a Von Neumann probe.
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