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[Wintermute]

No rest for the wicked, I see.

[Random Person]

Indeed.

[icekatze]

hi hi

Ok... now it is time to flee?

It isn't worth it Stillstorm, Alex is telling the truth! There's no mystery to unravel by staying, just, erk, gah. *gasp* Its ok, I'm better now.

[Siber]

I wonder if Beryl was supposed to be that forthcoming with strategic information.

[osmium]

Perhaps not, but I think it's probably still useful for the new Humaniti diplomatic officer to know stuff about the common enemy. Also it is quite general information and isn't really too specific like how the "far sensing device" works would be.
-O

[CptWinters]

Time to beat feet. Or whatever Navy guys (and blue space alien warrioresses) do whenever they "advance in a rearward direction."

Also Arioch, I really like the vignette with the three command staff. I'm not sure exactly what about it strikes a chord, but it is very... picturesque? They look like they are conferring on something of gravity and great importance.

It's very military. I guess that's the best way to put it.

[manticore7]

Looks like Bellermines gonna get pasted after all, wonder if were going to see whos bodies got recovered.
Anyway its good to hear from Beryl again.

[fredgiblet]

I wonder if Beryl was supposed to be that forthcoming with strategic information.

If he's an Umiak spy then he already knows, if he's not then he should be aware of the situation since it's important to understand the capacities of both sides.

[NOMAD]

Time to beat feet. Or whatever Navy guys (and blue space alien warrioresses) do whenever they "advance in a rearward direction."

Also Arioch, I really like the vignette with the three command staff. I'm not sure exactly what about it strikes a chord, but it is very... picturesque? They look like they are conferring on something of gravity and great importance.

It's very military. I guess that's the best way to put it.

never saw it that way thx's

@osmium: good point, its is very general info but I would like bring up that tempo made alex: A) diplomate B) military attache C) a capt too: that the information give by Beryl makes sense for a person in that position, well at least to me.

The other question is: if the 51st does run, can it, from a dead stop with a fresh ( well torpedo stocked) larger force on an intercepting course at roughly 15-20G. I know loroi ships are faster, than umiak but I having trouble seeing the 51st fleet getting out of harm way without taking more damage ( although they are turned away from the incoming fleet, but are they pointed toward the jump point ? )

[Siber]

I suspect I'm too used to much modern fiction and entertainment, the kind where the plot is powered by poor communication and withheld information. Seeing a military character actually being forthcoming is novel!

[GeoModder]

And now strike group 51 is positioned between two hostile fleets...

[TheUnforsaken]

Discretion is definitely looking to be the better part of valour now

And Arioch, not to nit-pick or anything, but I noticed a typo in Beryl's third speech bubble in the second pannel...you've added an extra 'u' to confounded.

[icekatze]

hi hi

I am starting to see the benefit of the Umiak's more efficient engines. Previously, I thought that a charging fleet would have been ripped to shreds, but they only lost a 17% of their numbers. Granted they probably expended all of their torpedos and light craft, but it is clear that battles aren't always decided in a single pass. It makes more sense now why the Loroi have to hit and then run, because they'd run out of fuel.

[Arioch]

And Arioch, not to nit-pick or anything, but I noticed a typo in Beryl's third speech bubble in the second pannel...you've added an extra 'u' to confounded.

Thanks for the correction.

[Rosen_Ritter_1]

I wonder if Beryl was supposed to be that forthcoming with strategic information.

Well they COULD throw him in a cell and not tell him anything. But that didn't offer THEM much insight about the strategic information about humanity that they want to know about. That's why they got Alex as a diplomat, and are exchanging info with him. And it's not like this particular information isn't common knowledge to all the combatants in the region.


More importantly, what benefit would Beryl have in not telling Alex that the Loroi ussually achieve a high kill ratio against Umiak? What's the advantage of making a prospective ally think you're weaker than you actually are? She's also trying to gain his trust, so truthfully collaborating non sensitive information that meshes with what he's seeing right now is the ideal course of action.

[osmium]

Just to note ignoring if it's in the right direction or not the only real factor is closing time at the given velocity, as the Loroi have a variety of directions that are perpendicular to the Umiak fleet's direction of travel and all they need to do is clear the Umiak's weapon range by the time the current Umiak fleet passes their current position. I feel like the Umiak's best option is to accelerate in the same direction the Loroi retreat in, not accelerate forward and hope for a flyby, of course it really depends on what the distance is, that cloud might very well be providing the Umiak with ample room to gather speed reducing the time the Loroi have to sidestep the advancing Umiak charge. Although it's always good to remember the rule of thumb that you pretty much have to *want* to engage unless something is up (like that cloud). The Loroi have the advantage that they *might* be able to do a fighting retreat sort of thing and force the first pass to be outside of Umiak weapons range but within the Loroi's as they retreat, it is really the fact that the Loroi are "holding" position defending this wreckage.
-O

[Trantor]

So that´ll be Hells Bells for the Bell.
Sadly there´s no time to tow Thunderbolt near to the wreckage and blow it up so that the remains would mix.
I wonder if the Umiak will return to explore Bell´s leftovers.

[manticore7]

don't think so , I think the Loroi will be quite thorough in their distruction of the Bell even if they were in a hurry.

[Trantor]

don't think so , I think the Loroi will be quite thorough in their distruction of the Bell even if they were in a hurry.

But even this leaves evidence behind. I´m pretty sure the Umiak can analyze that there´s something strange going on.
Mixing up the debris with Loroilitter would make a terran ship more undetectable.

[Tamren]

Time to de-ass the area! Alex had better say goodbye to the Bell in a hurry.