Writing Prompts

A spot for collections of Outsider-related original fan fiction and related works.

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novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

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Always assuming that the databanks of the Bellarmine remained reasonably intact, I'm pretty sure the Loroi would be able to recover a 'goodwill package' of human culture and trivia, originally intended to be used/given away by the diplomatic staff. This would be something the Mizol would call dibs for... Beryl, as a Listel, would be interested in about everything, though I can totally see her guilty pleasure being rifling through Ellen Kirkland's - or Alex's - personal belongings.

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dragoongfa
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by dragoongfa »

I am pretty sure that it takes a lot more time to send that much information over a distant sending but lets go with it as an exception.

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Zarya
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by Zarya »

I have no good idea or fixed opinion about this. But we could stick to "very high information density" to set it apart from normal sanzai.
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In New Frontiers the focus is mostly on the interactions between Nathan and the Loroi. While going they discover that - in some ways - they may enhance each other’s abilities. Arioch didn't touch this yet in Outsider - so this is highly speculative - but I like to explore in what ways the combination human plus Loroi has benefits.

We sorta know that direct contact comes with "higher bandwidth" than "wireless sanzai", and in the fanfics there’s speculation about the scenarios under which telepathy between the species could occur. The sanzai wave in New Frontiers with its high information density + high bandwidth over a long distance is going beyond that. The idea here is also that it teaches the wider diral group more about Natan. Does it come across as plausible? Probably not so much... (in that case I could tune it down).

The exception might be that this only works with the pure of heart that still are virgin - it happens only once :mrgreen:
Edit: have added some thoughts. And I am a messy thinker so have edited multiple times.
Last edited by Zarya on Sat Aug 11, 2018 10:59 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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dragoongfa
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by dragoongfa »

Currently working on the next part of Beacons, mainly character development stuff.

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dragoongfa
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by dragoongfa »

Done for now, I hope that people will appreciate Tempo just a little bit more :)

novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

Zarya wrote:I have no good idea or fixed opinion about this. But we could stick to "very high information density" to set it apart from normal sanzai.
In addition, those were highly specific information, and not a complete "brain dump", so it could be imaginable that it was sent along on the 'carrier wave'... And, we had left it unspecified how long Natan and Argent were at it.... :mrgreen:

novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

dragoongfa wrote:Done for now, I hope that people will appreciate Tempo just a little bit more :)
One cannot really hate Tempo. Sure, as a Mizol she'd know which buttons to press and even use her allure to maximum effect, but she was quickly overwhelmed by emotions she never had an idea existed. Her choice of methods had been questionable and caused lots of trouble, but her intentions were ultimately good. Kind-hearted Beryl quickly found it in herself to forgive her, and Alex could do no wrong to follow Beryl's gut feelings, especially since she was the aggrieved party.

As for why Beryl is so accepting of Tempo, and maybe Pure Sand in opposite to Brightshield? Apart from the obvious, Brightshield needling Beryl, there might be another reason, too... :)

novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

Huh, everyone collectively gone on vacation? Not even one post since Sunday, save mine ... everywhere on this forum.

Regardless, working on a new part of Beacons.

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dragoongfa
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by dragoongfa »

Yeah I am vacation till Monday

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Razor One
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by Razor One »

I was about half way through something for New Frontiers but recent updates have forced me to shelve it until I can rework it.

Combine that with a certain MMORPG's expansion launch and time has been a bit tight for me these last couple of days.
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novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

Razor One wrote:Combine that with a certain MMORPG's expansion launch and time has been a bit tight for me these last couple of days.
Ahhh, that explains much - I'm pretty sure I know which MMO you mean :)

Anyway, another installment of 'Beacons' is up, as promised. And one (or two) sort-of overlooked characters made a grand reappearance and turned out to not to be that unimportant after all.

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dragoongfa
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by dragoongfa »

Just make sure not to turn the story into (too much of) a teenage fantasy. Will try to post a part using a laptop I borrowed.

GrandAdmiralFox
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by GrandAdmiralFox »

Well, been playing with a LOT of ideas these days while working on a few projects... and this is one of them. Basically the Orgus didn't meet canon humanity, but the Iron Haegemony (from something I've been working on called 'the Iron Galaxy', which is influenced by Sins of a Solar Empire, Haegemonia: The Legions of Iron, Sword of the Stars, Imperium Galactica series, and Battletech with a hefty transhuman background), and the Iron Haegemony send two flotillas -each consisting of a massive exploration ship and five escorts- towards Lori and Umiak space to ensure that under no uncertain terms that the Iron Haegemony will be dragged into their conflict...

Now, for the writer's prompt/'Tribble':

Iron Haegemony Navy Ship Samantha J. Carter -Explorer-Class Exploration Leviathan- CIC, 'Naam' System -Iron Haegemony Designation PD-1515/141- 853 Light Years from Sol; June 22nd, 3025

Commodore Malcom Reynolds frowned as the Samantha J. Carter and her escorts exited subspace, the shock of exiting the layer of reality via a light-blue tunnel through space. Intelligence from Orgus refugees had indicated that the systems in Sector 1515 were the perfect spot to encounter the Lori and/or the Umiak. The proplyd disk's sensor disrupting capabilities made it a prime spot for ambushes, but exiting near the disk is a necessary risk as simply exiting in open space while actual combat is happening is the epitome of stupidity. Still, the flotilla had been extremely lucky that the two fleets had been far too busy trying to kill each other than seeing the massive neon sign saying someone's there in the system's Zenith Point.

"RSDs* outbound, comprehensive sensor-net in 50 seconds."

Combat has always been decided with whom has the best information, and the Iron Haegemony's extensive investment in RSDs gave Iron Haegemony vessels an immense advantage compared to pretty much everyone else. As a wise man said: Information is ammunition, and worth far more their mass in depleted uranium.The real problem isn't the Lori or the Umiak, but the proplyd disk and anyone hiding in there. Even though the Iron Haegemony had fought numerous other races within the Local Sphere, there is no telling what can happen in combat.

"Set the flotilla to Condition Yellow immediately," Commodore Reynolds ordered, "Don't want to get found with our pants around our ankles right now." The CIC quickly responded with 'aye sir' and went to work. The shields quickly snapped on as capacitors and ammo racks readied for possible combat. The flotilla's complement of strikecraft were being readied for launch at a moment's notice while the alert craft were launched for immediate patrol. Within 30 seconds, the flotilla was as ready as it could ever be for an attack.

"Sensors are getting a better resolution on the battle we've detected when we arrived in-system. AI analysis indicates two fleets fighting it out. Exact numbers currently unknown due to electromagnetic clutter."

Reynolds frowned, that meant that the RSDs are going to be important, as they'll bring more viewpoints and counter the two sides' less-than-stellar omni-directional scrambling capabilities.

"CONTACT! Bearing 045 by 055! Single unknown of unknown configuration!"

"Can we identify it?" Reynolds asked as he began ordering the flotilla to go to combat alert.

"Nothing recognized in the warbook sir." The Iron Haegemony had seen many different designs from just as many races, from the angelic graceful lines of the Minbari to the brutish misshapen scrap heaps of the Zuul and everything in between. The ship on sensors however was unlike anything that the Iron Haegemony had ever seen before. The vessel is of frigate classification given it's shape and dimensions... but that's about all that can be reasonably hypothesized about the vessel.

"Prepare first contact package and prepare to upgrade to Condition Red," Reynolds ordered, "Sound battlestations." The XO nodded as she pressed the button for battlestations.

(Will edit more later)
____
*Remote Sensor Drone, basically a semi-autonomous drone with limited stealth features to maximize sensor effectiveness.
Last edited by GrandAdmiralFox on Thu Aug 16, 2018 10:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

dragoongfa wrote:Just make sure not to turn the story into (too much of) a teenage fantasy. Will try to post a part using a laptop I borrowed.
No worries. I imagine his time portside as a moment where his human morale values kick in, as...
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Sending his encounters to Beryl was his subconscious trying to fess up to her in a way of "Look, I went behind your back, and I want to come clean with it", but without the chance to send to her he would face the trepidation of doing something without her knowledge or consent - and that would be "cheating on her" by definition. Alex is too straightlaced for that.
...having some rather harmless fun in a simulator arcade and Alex coming into contact with civilian Loroi or perhaps the other races of the Union. But, when it comes to Loroi, the civilian ones might be even more tongue-tied around him.

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dragoongfa
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by dragoongfa »

Loroi civilians don't know how to speak and they are bound to be an extreme rarity in places that warriors frequent so I doubt that Alex may run into one. Running into a Neridi or a Barsam, that's far more likely.

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Werra
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by Werra »

Loroi civilians don't know how to speak
Where is this from? I thought civilians run guilds and trade businesses and all that stuff.

@Frontiers
For a bunch of teenagers without any life experience, the Diral seems rather knowledgeable.

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dragoongfa
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by dragoongfa »

I think that it was in the Loroi questions thread, vocal speech is something that warriors are expected to partake in and as a rule of thumb only civilians who need to speak over long range comms know how to speak trade. Everything else is handled telepathically and via text. A civilian freight captain should know how to speak trade but a mechanic doesn't (the merchant shipping in Nezel should be primarily military freight transports and personnel carriers and as such they are bound to be run by warriors as parts of the Union's merchant marine branch).

novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

I think him coming into contact with a civilian Loroi may turn out like a dockworker facing him, looking as if she has seen a ghost, and Alex trying to smile at her encouragingly would make her break into running away in terror... :)

novius
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by novius »

Werra wrote:@Frontiers
For a bunch of teenagers without any life experience, the Diral seems rather knowledgeable.
They think they are. But for starters, there is one fatal flaw in their idea. Just think, what would a military outfit - and the Mizol surely are one, if it'd be only a recon/scouting/surveillance/investigative crew - do if they're faced with a stampeding horde of beasts, maybe facing some casualties? Call in for more firepower.

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Zarya
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Re: Writing Prompts

Post by Zarya »

novius wrote:
Werra wrote:@Frontiers
For a bunch of teenagers without any life experience, the Diral seems rather knowledgeable.
They think they are. But for starters, there is one fatal flaw in their idea. Just think, what would a military outfit - and the Mizol surely are one, if it'd be only a recon/scouting/surveillance/investigative crew - do if they're faced with a stampeding horde of beasts, maybe facing some casualties? Call in for more firepower.
Teenagers are often underestimated. And writing dialogue isn’t my strongest point.

Per the earlier pieces, the Soia ruin is at a two hour walk from the Stronghold. That and twenty killing machines on the loose, of which two are pregnant, should provide a temporary buffer. Pulling out as originally required by the Mizol still is an option.

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