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We might want to get our defenses ready to go online in case anyone in the colony decides to shoot a missile or two at us for not taking them along.
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Mar 10, 2016 06:34
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RandomPauI posted:Fourth thought. Since this is a resupply depot and a repair depot they would have the means to theoretically outfit the freighters to go light speed, albiet days to weeks to months behind us. So some people could go with us and some people could do the upgrades until the freighters can follow us, right? This could work in theory. LowellDND posted:How many people are the commander and company? Will that max us out, or do we have room for rebels? You quickly recconect with the base and ask the acting commander how many people he has "Between two hundred and two hundred fifty, there are certainly others out there who aren't involved in the mutiny, but these are the people I could gather" RandomPauI posted:Edit: Question, could we safely transmit the info to earth using the asteroid belt once we leave? RandomPauI posted:We might want to get our defenses ready to go online in case anyone in the colony decides to shoot a missile or two at us for not taking them along. As far as you know the station doesn't have any missile tubes. It was never intended to fight off anything other than stray asteroids. On that note, a pinnicale being shot by a missile is pretty much dead.
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Mar 10, 2016 16:27
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##vote 2 K; J What are the numbers on the mutineers? Can we just give them one of the freighters? Let em go die. We want willing crew, not mutineers. The real thing is to make sure that no surprises make it back to the Achilles. Someone on this station is versed in the sneaky and ruthless use of explosives. Nothing and no one new are coming aboard until the situation is stabilized.
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Mar 10, 2016 22:02
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Can we make stem cells from DNA? Does the loyalist leader have saved copies of their DNA? If he brings the box, we dont need the rebels.
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Mar 10, 2016 22:27
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LowellDND posted:Can we make stem cells from DNA? Does the loyalist leader have saved copies of their DNA? See, I thought about this. If we just vent the atmosphere, we can stuff the corpses in an unmodified freighter and carry around our frozen warcrimes while we process them for viable sperm and ova. Halfway to 40k already. Just need to make a fancy chair for one of the corspesicles. But I looked up the minimum numbers for a workable gene pool and we're right on that threshold already. We should cross it with just the loyalists, depending on the gender ratio.
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Mar 10, 2016 22:50
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Fifth thought, if they want to leave and abandon the station we can message earth from here, and aliens might think it was the base.
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Mar 11, 2016 00:30
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LowellDND posted:Can we make stem cells from DNA? Does the loyalist leader have saved copies of their DNA? Cloning is a thing. It requires facilities this ship does not have and has a host of ethical and practical issues. Can it be done? Yes. It requires a bit more than just a dna sample. Specifically, the minimum is a very well preserved bone marrow sample. As for 2. No. That's not really a thing anyone does. TheCog fucked around with this message at 00:53 on Mar 11, 2016 |
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Mar 11, 2016 00:50
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We've got another place to visit, remember. Hopefully get a few more peeps there. ##vote 2. K, F With the caveat that the mutineers and other people we're not sure about stay on their own ships with non-critical supplies, rather than getting invited onto ours.
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Mar 11, 2016 01:42
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Probably update tomorrow, have other stuff to get done tonight. I haven't counted, but I think talking with the rebels in some capacity is winning? EDIT: Working on the update, but I don't know if I'll finish tonight. TheCog fucked around with this message at 02:11 on Mar 12, 2016 |
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Mar 11, 2016 03:36
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TheCog posted:Probably update tomorrow, have other stuff to get done tonight. I haven't counted, but I think talking with the rebels in some capacity is winning? To distract them as we plan to charges on their airlocks? Sounds good to me!
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Mar 11, 2016 19:35
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1. E Let's see where the game takes us rather than having a preset trope 2. K;J I too would like to talk to the rebels, but don't want anybody mutinous with us. As they're only doing a short hop to Earth let them take any of their supporters with them on all but one of the frigates (thus ensuring they can only take minimal cargo). If it is possible also use any non-missile weapons to sabotage their freighters' Comms (or send marines on a covert OP) thus reducing the chances of the Messengers tracking them back to us. If they head to Earth they die for their stupidity, if they head anywhere else humanity has an extra slim chance of survival. Pack the remaining craft with the loyalists, double bunking and re-allocating to Achilles as necessary. Try and salvage food/science supplies for cargo. Do not send a message to Earth from this location as it might still draw Messenger attention even if they think it is the station rather than an undiscovered ship; we don't want their close attention here. If their speed is slower than ours maneuver Achilles to right angles from the plane caused by the intersection of the line between the base/Messenger1 and the last plotted path of the remaining Messengers; then send a focused message towards the base with a proposed destination/rendezvous. Do everything as quickly as possible as the other Messengers may turn up soon, but this gives us additional resource and a more viable breeding population should they/we escape. If diplomacy is not an option, use excessive force to get whatever loyalists we can. (I'm sure we'll find some derelict alien wreck or other to furnish us with some infernal devices to replace any spent armaments.) Suggestion to the thread if this plan works: Offer any of our crew the chance to return back to Earth with the rebels? This might remove some of the most likely mutineers?
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Mar 12, 2016 01:12
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That last one is a good one. "If you think this is a bad idea and want to go back to earth and probably die with the rest of humanity go ahead. I'm not going to stop you and it's your right, I want everyone who's on board on board (captain's joke there hahaha oh god)".
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Mar 12, 2016 01:33
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 You've made up your mind. You're going to talk with the mutineers. There's a chance Jacob is unhinged, or not telling you the full story, and you're not gonna risk acting rashly. Not now, when every decision you make could decide the fate of humanity. You at least owe it to the people on board that station to try to get as complete a picture as possible. Your staff don't all agree, of course, but there are no protocols that define these situations. No guidebook on what to do when order has completely collapsed. The discussion threatens to go on, but you call for silence. "Comms, connect me to Agrippa again please" you request, politely. A few seconds later, a response. "Captain, glad to hear from you again" there's a tangible note of relief in there. Did he think you were just going to bail? "What's the plan sir?" he asks, his tone expectant, hopeful. The tone of someone who is reaching for salvation."I want to talk to the mutineers". There's a second of stunned silence. "Say again please?" "I want to talk to the mutineers.". A few seconds of incoherent mumbling, before Jacob can actually form coherent words again. "But sir... how? I can't let them in here, what if they use it as a chance to seize comms? How do I get in contact with them? Captain, why? " This line of questioning irritates you, you understand the man is under pressure, but if he wants deliverance, he has to be willing to work for it. You don't let this irritation seep into your voice however. "Use the PA, have them send one person to comms. Its a risk, but one we have to run." it is a risk, but you're banking on the mutineers being at least somewhat rational, and not wanting to piss off the guy who can blow up the station. "You can let them know if they try anything, I'll make sure there are consequences." there's a long, deep, intake of breath from the other side, followed by a long pause. "Yes sir" Jacob replies, his tone deeply resigned. "I'll get right on that". The transmission ends, cut from the Agrippa. Now, you wait. Ten minutes. Twenty. You and your staff discuss contingencies, infiltration methods to rescue the acting commander and loyalists. You prep for a negotiation session, and discuss what terms you're willing to negotiate. Some stuff you're more wiling to fold on than other, but you can all agree that the priority is to reduce loss of life and preserve resources. Thirty minutes. Forty. There's palpable tension in the bridge. You knew this could take a while, but there's a need to get it over with, just sitting here, with the MESSENGERs in the background of everyone's thoughts, waiting for anything at all to happen is, in its own way, tiring. The sooner you can finish here, the sooner you can put distance between you and whatever is going on in mars. Fifty minutes. An hour. You're about to have food brought up to the bridge, when Gregor speaks. "A transmission from Agrippa sir." You feel the pang of adrenaline that comes with the possibility of action. "Put them on" you say. A voice, Jacob again. "Captain, I did as you asked..." he pauses for a second "It seems they don't trust me any more than I trust them, they're not willing to come up here" you're about to interject, but Jacob hurriedly continues "But they want to meet." You allow him to keep talking. The desire to meet, at least, is praiseworthy. "They sent a note, with conditions." he waits, making sure you're listening. "Go on" you urge him. "First, they will only meet in person, in docking bay B. You are invited to send a pinnace. Second, they will only meet with the Captain. You can bring whoever else you like, but if the Captain isn't there, there will be no negotiation. Third, if the negotiation does not begin within the next hour, they will be forced to take action." He trails off. You take a second to consider. "Thank you acting commander" you say, your tone measured. "Give us fifteen minutes to consider what we're going to do." you signal to Gregor to cut the transmission, even as Jacob starts trying to say something. You have all the information you need. Your staff explodes into discussion. One thing is clear, there's a clear consensus against putting the Captain in harms way. Half your staff urges you to act preemptively, hit them before they "take action". Others say to send a negotiator in. Petra suggests that since no one on the mutineers side actually knows what you look like, to send in someone else claiming to be the Captain. You consider your options carefully.... You... 1. A. Know a trap when you see it. You're not going to bother with any "negotiation". Send the marines in to rescue the loyalists and then get the hell out of dodge. Pergrino is very much in favor of this idea B. Are done with this. Leave. They can sort things out on their own. C. A, but do the whole "let out all the oxygen and have everyone die" thing instead of rescuing the loyalists. Sorry acting commander! D. Are going of course. Get a pinnace, 11 marines and yourself, and go negotiate. E. D, But as per Petra's suggestion, send in a trained psychologist pretending to be the Captain. F. E, but instead of a trained psychologist, you're sending in one of your officers. Write in who. G. Are going to wait. See what action the mutineers take. H. B, but fire a missile into the base before going. I. are thoroughly overwhelmed, contact earth, with all the risk that implies. They're probably not gonna be happy it took you this long to contact them. J. Send in an empty pinnace. No idea what you intend to accomplish with this. Do it anyway. K. Send in a negotiator and 11 marines. Don't lie, simply let them know the Captain isn't going to be negotiating. L. K, but a senior officer instead. Write in who. M. I have some other brilliant plan. Write in. If you voted to send a mission in, whether it included you in it or not, what's the plan if they stop responding? 2. A. Destroy the station. One missile will get the job done. B. Send the marines in to rescue the loyalists and possibly the negotiating team if they can. C. B, but just the negotiating team. D. B but just the loyalists. E. Use the marines to take the whole ship. F. Vent the oxygen from the station. G. Just leave. H. I have some other brilliant plan. Write in. Voting for the Kate thing is closed, I'll count later. TheCog fucked around with this message at 19:21 on Apr 26, 2016 |
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Mar 12, 2016 18:29
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##vote 1 A; D, E 2 B
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Mar 12, 2016 19:02
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##vote 1. L;A;D 2. C 1L Sent in Kate, senior enough to be taken seriously and competent enough to get the job done. Also like playing Russian Roulette with not knowing the status of our relationship; can she double-cross us with the marines there ensuring loyalty. Make sure Kate is aware of the backup plan and that action against her will result in the death of the base personnel. 2 if our away team goes offline we still don't have info from both sides, or know that they actually exist. If we get her and any of the marines out we can then have further thoughts about rescuing any other personnel or blowing the joint.
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Mar 12, 2016 19:32
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##Vote 1 A 2 D Yeah, I was willing to give them a chance, but if they want to gently caress around we'll just leave.
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Mar 12, 2016 20:25
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##Vote 1)A 2)F Lol! We're their only hope and they want to gently caress with us? Also, after we've snatched the loyalists tell the traitors they can have a freighter and enough supplies to get back to earth if they GTFO asap, make no transmissions and leave the rest of the supplies. Any deviation from that option will see the forfeiture of all equipment, ships and resources including their lives by way of a giant loving missile. Anyone who wants to go with them back to earth is welcome to go with no hard feelings. If we encounter any booby traps we will blow them up. If they attempt anything dumb we will blow them up. If they look at us funny we will blow them up. Outrail fucked around with this message at 22:04 on Mar 12, 2016 |
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Mar 12, 2016 22:02
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##Vote 1. A 2. F I agree with Outrails plan.
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Mar 12, 2016 23:04
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##vote 1. F 2. B I know it'll be more satisfying to space the traitors, but not everyone on the base is a traitor. Just 10-20% of the base's civilian population. If you vote to kill the base, you're killing 80-90% of the civilians who had jack squat to do with the uprising. So, yeah, really bad idea.
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Mar 13, 2016 01:29
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Okay, with that said, just composing my thoughts here in quick reply. Question for the advisers. How would the insurgents react if we told them that we were planning on getting their help to save humanity, that we were counting on the base and the personnel being in tact, but that because of their actions we won't take that chance any more so we're going to leave them to their own devices?
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Mar 13, 2016 01:40
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gently caress these guys. Edit: Changing my vote to the deadman's switch plan outlined in my next post. ##vote 1. M Not Alex fucked around with this message at 14:40 on Mar 13, 2016 |
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Mar 13, 2016 04:36
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This isn't one of those situations where we can kill a lot of people and be confident in our ability to get more people really quickly. We don't know how many people are at the science base, we don't know if we'll lose people along the way or how many we'll lose. At least issue an ultimatum to cooperate or die.
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Mar 13, 2016 05:59
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RandomPauI posted:At least issue an ultimatum to cooperate or die. A warship addressing an unarmed and immobile station has an certain amount of cooperate or die implicit in all its communications which they have cheerfully ignored. But you have a point. Screw this. Drop a proximity fused warhead outside the docking bays, give loyalist guy the codes to disarm it or set it off, and tell the dumbass mutineers that if they ever want to leave this station to play nice with its new commanding officer. Then boogie. We can come back after the situation has resolved itself. Not Alex fucked around with this message at 14:40 on Mar 13, 2016 |
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Mar 13, 2016 14:37
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Update tomorrow in all likelyhood.
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Mar 14, 2016 02:30
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RandomPauI posted:Okay, with that said, just composing my thoughts here in quick reply. The general response is that it would be a tossup, they don't have enough information to assess, it could be anything from riots, to suicide, to sobbing, to rising above their current situation. You don't even know who's leading them, which makes any assessment pure guesswork. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm currently working on the update. I don't know how long it will take. However, there's a minor point that requires voting on. We're going to call this 3. 3. Ralth Pendercost, Chief of security wants to go with his men on the mission. This is obviously exposing a senior officer to risk. Its your decision if he goes or not. A. He can go B. The risk is too great, he's staying here TheCog fucked around with this message at 18:24 on Mar 14, 2016 |
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Mar 14, 2016 18:16
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##Vote 3. A I say let him go. Experience is super important to have when they'll be operating cut off from command.
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Mar 14, 2016 19:09
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If he lives it'll mean they have a better chance if success. If it's a TPK than its one less military type leader to rise up in mutiny. ##vote A
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Mar 14, 2016 22:25
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##vote 1. D No time to play games. Broadcast that any hostile action will be met with the complete destruction of the station and go. 2. A No bluffs, no half measures. 3. A Can't rely on the chain of command to keep order anymore. We have to balance military advantage with political reality. Always a sucker for humanity on the edge stories. Captain Feng has the potential to go full tyrant or messiah complex with this setup, either of which would be interesting.
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Mar 15, 2016 04:17
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 "Mr. Penderscot, get your men ready" you say simply, "there will be no negotiation under duress". It looks like both Kate and Petra want to object, but your tone indicates finality. Ralth locks eyes with you, and replies with a simple "Yes sir!" he prepares to leave the bridge, but hesitates for a second, ah, yes, that, "You may accompany them Mr. Penderscot. But come back alive, it'd be unforgivable to lose an officer of your caliber." A sincere smile of gratitude spreads over his face. You think its the first time you've seen that from him. "Thank you sir" he replies, saluting sharply as he exits the bridge. You've scored some points with him today, certainly a good thing. "Comms, get me the Agrippa one more time please". The connection is made quickly and Jacob once again nervously picks up. "Yes Captain?", "We're getting a pinnace ready to negotiate" you lie, knowing the rebels might be listening, and not wanting to tip off their hand, "You and your men should get ready to move however, you might have to get out in a hurry if things go sideways". You place a subtle emphasis on "get out", you wish you had a way to get an encrypted transmission over, but there's no time to figure it out, you just hope Jacob is smart enough to understand what's going on. As he replies, there's a tautness in his voice, an edge that wasn't there before. "I understand Captain, we'll be ready to move at your command." You're not sure he does, but you've done your part "Achilles out" you say simply, cutting the transmission. Meanwhile, in the armory, 24 marines are now as well armed and armored as you can manage. They're equipped with the standard Ship Assault Rifles, although no one has used a SAR on a ship to ship assault on a working vessel in three decades, since before the martian war. Even then it was boarding an unarmed freighter. The issue is not with the weapons of course, but with the difficulty of boarding something going even a tenth of the speed of light. SAR's are designed to be a modern, effective, weapon that doesn't compromise the health of the ship. They have two firing modes, fragmentation and armored. In fragmentation mode, they fire ceramic bullets, designed destroy flesh but impotent against hard surfaces. In armored mode they "fire" short range microwave beams, designed to fry armored target. You don't have one, but aboard battle cruisers there would also be one or two ARMOUR, with firepower equivalent to a tank. Instead, you have two grenade launchers, equipped with chemical rounds, and a number of breaching charges, and cutting tools. You marines are wearing armored vac suits, protected with ceramic plating and designed to maximize mobility in difficult environments. Like all your crew, their comms are implanted in their retinal display. Ralth has words for them before they board, while the man is not the most articulate, he knows how to motivate his men. "Alright, you know the details, but I'll cover them one last time. We're participating in one of the first ship to base boarding actions in history. We have 150 to two hundred hostages to save. We just have to get out alive against an enemy of unknown numbers and strength. We're going to do it and get back before the captain unleashes his tender mercies on the mutineers. We're going to do it right, because we're the last marines left in the galaxy." there's a loud hurrah, before they quickly board the pinnace. The mission plan is relatively simple. As the mutineers control the docking bays, you're going to make a controlled breach in the middle of the base, disembark both pinnace, reseal the control breach, split into two groups, group one will travel travel down the length of the main hallway, secure the comms center, escort the civilians to one of the freighters, which group two will have already secured. Then group two will provide security for the freighter and civilians while group one goes and gathers the other two groups of civilians. Then they'll take the freighter and rejoin the Achilles, while the pinnace are ordered to autopilot back to the ship. It has a lot of moving parts, but should fulfill all the objectives in the time you have. You can just watch. You and the entirety of the bridge, via the retinal feeds in your marines. Penderscot is in charge, you are in charge of him, but your authority is strategic not tactical, and you should not override him except to abort the mission. Doesn't mean you can't, but you shouldn't. The beginning of the mission goes off without a hitch. The pinnaces make their approach and clamp to the main hallway, like vampire bats to a particularly succulent vein, and the marines disembark, entering systematically from the breech. On the bridge you all watch them, seeing what they see, hearing the tight controlled chatter as they reseal. They're clearly nervous, as for most of them this is their first real space action. The tension on the bridge is... sweltering. They split into two, Penderscot leading the group headed to the bridge, Wilkens the one headed to the freighter. Surprisingly its the bridge crew that first encounters signs of life.Half dozen civilians, huddled in a corner. They don't even seem to notice the marines. Penderscot orders an approach, and everyone on the bridge holds their breath. "Drugged to all hell" the man comments, lifting and dropping the civilians arm, as the civilian barely seems to notice. "Get'm walking" orders Penderscot, as he sends half his team forward, scouting towards the bridge. A exploratory probe around the corner for team freighter reveals what you already suspected, the rebels hold the freighter. There's an improvised barricade, welded in place, along with half a dozen bored looking men and women, holding very improvised weapons, mostly mining tools. Penderscot and Wilkens confer, and a minute later, there are six dead rebels, looks of surprise still painted on their face. The airlock leading to it is very much sealed. The team prepares to breech. This is interrupted however, as Penderscot's scout bends another corner. Dozens of improvised limpet mines cover the hallway, wall to wall, providing a difficult approach. Certainly a dangerous one... You... A. Let Penderscot handle it. He's got it B. Abort the mission. This is too dangerous C. Do something else, write in. Anything that takes charge away from Penderscot is going to be a metaphorical kick in the balls for him and the marines, but they'll do it. TheCog fucked around with this message at 03:40 on May 11, 2016 |
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Mar 15, 2016 15:23
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Also, I regret to inform you fine folks that this is the last update in the next ten days or so. I'm visiting my girlfriend whom I haven't seen in months. I'd like to update during that time, but I'll be busy.
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Mar 15, 2016 15:25
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##Vote 1. A You don't get to be the head of marine security on the navy's only stealth ship if you don't know how to handle things like this. Let him make the call on how to best handle this situation. I'm sure he has dealt with booby traps before. It's not like marines don't have any experience fighting insugencies. Have fun on your trip! I'll be looking forward to the next installment when you return!
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Mar 15, 2016 15:43
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Day Man posted:
##vote 1. A All that. Also tell him we don't want any casualties. Zero tolerance. Don't get anyone killed. Seriously.
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Mar 15, 2016 19:21
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Outrail posted:##vote ##vote 1. A This, in a fight to continue the human species every individual counts. This should be a ground rule from now on.
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Mar 15, 2016 23:19
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I love how the thread is going from "kill them all" to "we're the last of humanity so no unnecessary risks". And by love I mean hate. Because that points gets raised, then ignored whenever it's inconvenient.
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Mar 15, 2016 23:37
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They were threatening to wipe us all out, whether they knew it or not. We need those supplies but we don't need the mutineers. We do need our people if we are indeed at the minimum threshold for genetic viability. Every man or woman we lose is another stranger we have to source from somewhere. I can't wait until we get the chance to implement an eugenics program.
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Mar 16, 2016 01:59
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RandomPauI posted:I love how the thread is going from "kill them all" to "we're the last of humanity so no unnecessary risks". And by love I mean hate. Because that points gets raised, then ignored whenever it's inconvenient. They are talking about zero MARINE casualties. I think, it's kinf of ambiguous. But you still sound kind of like a dick. ##vote 1. A
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Mar 16, 2016 04:24
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Outrail posted:They were threatening to wipe us all out, whether they knew it or not. We need those supplies but we don't need the mutineers. We do need our people if we are indeed at the minimum threshold for genetic viability. Every man or woman we lose is another stranger we have to source from somewhere. Hah, it wouldn't be a chance to implement one at our current numbers, it would be a requirement. Multiple children from multiple partners with a carefully controlled pairing scheme. Rather unsavory. But it beats the alternative.  Also, how is extracting the loyalist from this station getting us our supplies? I was under the impression that the plan was military supplies here and smart people at the research station. If we pick up random people here and lovely civilian supplies at the science station I'm going to be so mad.
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Mar 18, 2016 04:58
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Oh, I thought this was our only real stop. Who's at the science station?
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Mar 20, 2016 16:32
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Outrail posted:Oh, I thought this was our only real stop. Phone posting, and away from my notes, but from memory, Callisto has a few hundred civilians (2000ish total I think) and basically all the scientists that for one reason or another were disliked in the earth scientific communities. To be assigned to Callisto as a scientist is to basically be exiled from ever working at a prestigious research center. It was originally a NUSSR/American joint effort, that eventually also included the pan-asiatic coalition.
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Mar 20, 2016 18:15
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| # ? May 14, 2024 12:25 |
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We definitely need to pick up some scientists that have violated earth ethical codes and are likely working on all manner of dark poo poo up there. Up that science bonus/meddle in things that man was not meant to see/gaze into the abyss etc. Also out of the box thinkers are more likely to come up with out of the box MESSENGER murdering tech.
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Mar 20, 2016 18:59
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