Outcast Quest [Updated 10/10/18 - Turn 14]

[Razor One]

Results

What won:

[X] Lift Rationing
[X] Unleash it!
[X] Christmas Elves
[X] Mining Operations Expansion
[X] Medical Center
[X] Spending Time with Spear

Massive landslides all around. Gonna start writing the update, might take a day or two since I want a decent writeup for your first "Spending Time With" action.

The Omake system is now open. Feel free to begin submissions after I give you your results.

[Razor One]

Bah. My muse is not cooperating tonight. Will write out the interludes tomorrow.

--

Turn 8 Results

[X] Lift Rationing

You announce that, beginning with the new year and the Yeast Plant's first batches of food, that rationing will be eliminated in full. Combined with the results of your gradually diversifying food supply, your colonists spirits rise.

Reward: Rationing lifted, +250 Morale

[X] Unleash it!

This is the time of year historically for celebrations, family, and good cheer. It's also the time for suicides, depression, and anxiety. Humans tend to find the dark cloud to every silver lining, but there's one thing that life cannot take away from you.

The glory of chocolate. It is the ultimate anti-depressant, mood lifter, and even aphrodisiac for some. It is proof that somewhere out there, in this universe or any other, that there is a spark of goodness amongst the cold, unforgiving, indifference of reality.

It also takes people's minds off of being isolated and alone in the universe.

Reward: -100 Chocolate (1900 Units remaining), Morale penalty averted

Diplomacy

[X] Christmas Elves (This Turn Only): Spear has been hearing Lt. Izumi talk about Christmas as a time for festivity and feasting. Invite the Loroi to your crew's private Christmas and New Years celebrations.

Cost: 0, Time: 1 Month, Chance of Success: Up to you, Reward: Omake bonus system unlocked

-To Be Continued in "The Christmas Elves"

Reward: Omake system unlocked, bonus roll added to Loroi languages this turn (+1d100)

Stewardship

[X] Mining Operations Expansion: Expand your existing mine on Niflheim for more glorious ore.

Cost: +250 Per Expansion (1000) Time: 1 Month, Chance of Success: 100%, Reward: +500 RU per turn

-The mining foremen speak your name only in whispers. They worry about your obsession, your insatiable lust for more ore. They fear that no amount of precious metals or rare earths will slake your desire for glorious resources, and they love you for it.

[X] Medical Center: From brain surgery to bone marrow transplants, the medical center's got it covered.

Cost: 1000 RU, Time: 1 Month, Chance of Success: 90%, Reward: Full medical treatment available for all colonists except Loroi.

Rolled: 6 + 14 = 20, Success

-Work on a more comprehensive medical center to tend to more serious wounds is initially hampered by a few misfiled resource and labour requests. It takes a single hour of loud and abusive swearing, the kind that would make most sailors blush, by Alex Cole to sort out the mess and put the project back on track.

By month's end, you'd swear that there never was a problem. The only sign that there ever was one is the way the workers scatter whenever Alex Cole sets his glower power upon them.

Learning

[X] Over There: Investigate the infrasonic blips from Fenrir.

Cost: 0, Value Needed: 34 / 100, Difficulty: Easy (1d100), Reward: ???

Rolled: 57 + 34 = 91 / 100

The progress reports come in steadily over the month. They'll have their results for you in the new year.

Personal

[X] Spending Time with Spear: Spear is the leader of the Loroi and is the only one of them that speaks, making her an important point of contact. Get to know her better.

Cost: 0, Time: 1 Month, Chance of Success: ???, Reward: ???, Increased Closeness with Spear.

Rolled: 74 + 16 – 5 = 85
Spear Rolled: 73 + (-24) – 5 = 44

To be continued in "An Open Invitation"

--

Misc

Christmas Elves (1d100 + 1d20 + Izumi Learning)
Spending Time (1d100)
Lieutenant Izumi Visitation (2d100 + 2d20 + Learning)
Spears English (2d100 + Learning)

Izumi's Loroi Trade: 79 + 13 + 3 + 98 + 19 + 17 + 15 + 15 + 1052 = 1311 / 1750
Spear's English: 1236 + 28 + 81 + 12 = 1357 / 3000

Loroi Biochem (1d50): 195 + 1 = 196 / 650

<< Turn 8 || Interlude - An Open Invitation >>

[dragoongfa]

These rolls...

Its like the dice is doing it on purpose...

EDIT: Currently I have some issues with the rig, had to do a full format and I am in the process of reinstalling everything and copying stuff from the backup drive. Will have the short story posted in a few hours.

[Razor One]

The dice both love you and hate you.

Fortunately this suits my... purposes...

[Hālian]

I would hope you're not reëxaming your priorities or drawing new conclusions...

[dragoongfa]

Razor, you did a small mistake in your book-keeping.

Turn 7, you put an income of 3750 RUs. It should be 3000 while the income of turn 8 should be 3750.

And wasn't the chocolate stock 1000 units?

[Absalom]

[X] Mining Operations Expansion: Expand your existing mine on Niflheim for more glorious ore.

Cost: +250 Per Expansion (1000) Time: 1 Month, Chance of Success: 100%, Reward: +500 RU per turn

-The mining foremen speak your name only in whispers. They worry about your obsession, your insatiable lust for more ore. They fear that no amount of precious metals or rare earths will slake your desire for glorious resources, and they love you for it.

Even take it a thousand years and innumerable tears, the brows of Humanity shall forge a very world.

[alpha]

Voted:

[X] Lift rationing
[X] Unleash the reserves
[X] Christmas Elves
[X] Medical Center
[X] Mine expansion
[X] Time with Spear

I will see if I can finish my Omake today.

Had a very quick look through the numbers

In essence the greatest problem with the science annex is the 5000 RU cost. which will delay the military construction while also cutting down our RU reserves, limiting the RU we will be able to take with us for trading when we leave for the Loroi expedition.

The problem can be mitigated if we start building it at turn 10 in conjunction with the Industrial Autoplant of the initial head plan:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

The path with the science annex leaves us with a smaller RU production and less RU in the bank.

Looks like I missed another vote . On the bright side, the vote mostly corresponded with what I wanted.

Also, I agree with the new head plan.

For Science!

[Razor One]

Fixed the error in accounting, and you were right, it was 1000 units, now 900, I got them confused with medical since the last time I listed it it was right next to medical.

I've got the first interlude written up but I want to sit on it for a day before posting it to see if it still reads well after I've cleared my head.

The second interlude... will actually be quite challenging for me. I'll have to channel what little Christmas Spirit I've got left after having it constantly drained since October. Seriously. By November I was already dangerously close to "Bah! Humbug!" and by now... yeah.

But I'm gonna write something christmassy even if it kills me damnit. I just need some sleep first.

[dragoongfa]

A soft gift

25th of December 2155; a nebula to the southwest of the Briar Patch

“Bring us about!” Icefury ordered right after Indomitable passed right through the Urkuk formation at maximum acceleration.

“No Loroi or aliens other than Urkuk detected.” The farseer reported and Icefury sighed before turning her angry gaze towards the 20 strong Urkuk fleet they just passed through.

She didn’t expect to find anyone aboard, not after two full Tozons since the diral ship was captured by that massive Urkuk armada that invaded their space but they had to make sure before continuing their attack.

To say that the Urkuk ‘invaded’ their territory was a stretch of the term considering that their only success was the capture of a lone diral ship with horribly outdated systems and weapons but even that lowly success was a smirch on House Arilad’s honor. Every last warrior of her house saw the recordings of that one sided battle from the data they recovered from the Urkuk ships they captured and from the diral ship itself when they found and recovered it from the vermin who took it as their own.

To say that the diral band who manned it fought valiantly would be an insult to their efforts. They lasted alone for days against a determined assault from enemies that outnumbered them a thousand to one; they succumbed to the inevitable but they took out dozens of Urkuk ships before doing so. It filled her with pride that children from her house, without any formal warrior training, displayed such tenacity against such odds. Some fools from other houses may say that the children should have taken their own lives than allow themselves to be taken prisoner but she and everyone from her house knew that they didn’t submit because of cowardice but because they had faith in their House that they would come and rescue them from the Urkuk scum.

All Houses, major and minor, helped at first; not for House Arilad’s shake but because an attack to one was an attack to all. The punitive campaign that followed soon after the last Urkuk ship from that innumerable armada was destroyed crippled the Urkuk tribes near their borders forcing them to migrate to safer territories. That however was the whole contribution from the other Houses, House Arilad was would have to act alone to fulfill their honor bound task.

“Inform the rest of the squadron that I want these ships captured.” She ordered and Indomitable’s ship master was quick to relay her orders to the rest of the squadron.
Honor demanded that their House would do everything in its power to recover the survivors of its captured diral band but honor alone doesn’t pay for the food, fuel, the heightened maintenance costs and the expendable weapons that they spent looking for them. In the end the costs mounted up to a crippling point that could prove lethal to the survival of the entire House. It was Arilad that provided the solution yet again.

“Particle beams and point defense lasers only; shoot to disable.” She ordered 64 Solons before contact.

The Urkuk are innumerable backwards savages who pose no real threat but their ridiculous number of ships offers the advantage of enough salvage to cover the costs of the hunting excursions, provided that the ships themselves were left relatively intact. With time the crews of House Arilad’s fleet got so good at it that they filled the holds of the accompanying freighters to the brim with salvage in each excursion and they certainly made a hefty profit when the salvage was combined with the bounties offered by the Orgus for each dead ship. The early costs of their frantic campaign nearly crippled the House but they were quickly recovering now and with sufficient time they could end up surpassing their position before the Urkuk attack.

The moment of contact came and went in mere Solons; five House Arilad ships against 20 Urkuk ones. To call that exchange a fight would be an insult to their pride as warriors but the one sided brawl was necessary for their House’s honor. Icefury could only feel hatred for their prey’s inherent cowardice as she looked to the 20 crippled ships and contempt for their inability to weather the just due that they were owed for their insolence.

“Prepare the boarding teams and inform the salvage teams that they are going to be busy soon.” She ordered before slumping on her seat annoyed with herself.

She had realized long ago that if they had launched culling attacks against the Urkuk then the attack against them would have never taken place. She knew that the Urkuk would inevitably amass a massive fleet in response to the attacks but House Arilad alone was more than enough to destroy any number of them and she was certain that the fighting would be happening on Urkuk territory and not theirs. The Urkuk would break after extended loses and would be forced to migrate elsewhere, just like they did when the punitive campaign swept through the Urkuk tribes nearest the Loroi territory.

Resigned to that realization she tried to cheer herself up and her mind inevitably wandered to the only one who was able to lighten her mood; Arilad himself. She missed him dearly as she hadn’t had the opportunity to spend much time with him after the Urkuk attack. The others were certainly keeping him content but she knew that he preferred her company over theirs; if only she had enough time to return his affections.

She wanted to make up to him somehow but she didn’t know how. He would certainly say that her presence and attention was more than enough but her pride wouldn’t accept that. She had to bring him some short of a gift to show him that she was thinking about him. She pondered if she should buy something from an Orgus trader but she realized that this wouldn’t do. It was a long detour from the nearest trading post and the chances that they would run into or find a trader docked at their home base were slim. If she was to offer him a gift she would have to make due with what she had at her disposal but Indomitable was a warship; it didn’t have anything that suited a male.

Perhaps the Urkuk have something of value… She thought and almost pushed the thought aside when she remembered how backwards and barbaric they were.

They do have fur… She quickly looked for and found a picture of a live and intact Urkuk in the database. They are furry… She admitted and looked further into the database, hoping that the data from their primogenitor ship included the techniques on how to handle animal pelts; she cheered up instantly when she found exactly what she was looking for.

I could make a very soft carpet with several of their pelts provided that they are treated properly, I could get enough leather out of them for several recliners and maybe even a sofa… I should have everything that I may need on the ship but getting the necessary pelts intact will be a problem… Unless…
She chuckled at the thought before standing up and pointing at the largest Urkuk ship in sight.

“Divert the boarding teams from this ship to the others, I will clear it myself!” She said to everyone in Indomitable’s bridge and the squadron she lead in the expedition, before trotting to her quarters to get her amplifier and combat armor. It was proper after all that she alone would see to the gift she would present to the male who fathered her children and gave his name to the House she founded.

[Eluvatar]

How barbaric

[Razor One]

A soft gift

Perfectly in character for Icefury. Consider this a Semi-Canon +5 Bonus. Bank or apply as you like, those points are yours.

Bear in mind though that certain rolls will be vetoed for application of those bonuses.

Also, have an interlude.

An Open Invitation

"I'm sorry," you say to Spear's question.

It was the same one she always asks when she sees you. 'Can we go home?'. You hate disappointing her like that every time because she gets a look on her face... the same look you've seen on your colonists faces, the same one you see on your face when you look in the mirror sometimes.

The Loroi are just as homesick as you are. The difference is that they can go home again, while you can't. Not that you've pointed that out to them. There's some lines that are too cruel to cross.

"I see," she says.

Her face is stoic but the tremor in her voice says more than words can.

"Let me make it up to you," you say, "Let me show you what we've been doing lately."

She looks at you thoughtfully before assenting with a nod.

"Good, follow me," you say.

You lead her, and her marine escort, to the shuttle bay. Ordinarily you'd don a wing suit and fly yourself down to the colony, but she's not exactly versed in how to wear a Terran made suit and want to avoid teaching her for now. Instead, you flag a shuttle for your personal use.

She's apprehensive as she boards the shuttle, and you can't really blame her. If you recall correctly, this would be the first time she's been off your ship in almost a year. The marines strap her in, all the while being careful to avoid skin contact, before strapping themselves in to her sides.

As the shuttle jolts into 'space', you can't help but fill the silence with words.

"We'll be able to get you home in the next year or so unless something disastrous happens, but you understand that we have to be able to look after ourselves first, right?"

"Arilad, Rilnizar, would have taken you in if you'd gone straight there," she says.

"We didn't know where your people were then. We're still not entirely sure, even with your map and a general direction. We'll need to go through uncharted space, and the journey will last at least three to six months. We would have starved before we could get there," you explain, "I don't think your house would have wanted that."

Spear huffs in response and refuses to make eye contact with you for the rest of the trip. She knows you're right, but there are times that her homesickness gets the better of her otherwise sound judgement. Moreover, as you understand it she's still quite young. Patience is a virtue she has yet to learn, and so you let her behaviour slide.

Before long, the shuttle jolts on the colonial landing pad and you make your way out. The shuttle bay for the colony is more or less identical to your ships shuttle bay. Where it differs though is upon exiting, you are greeted by relatively wide hallways leading off into various directions.

Your first stop is the agricultural complex. Wheat, corn, rice, potatoes, all the staples that keep your people fed are growing here now thanks to the diversification program you've got in place.

To have food put on one's plate is one thing, to see it growing is another, and Spear seems rather taken with the plant life, studiously ignoring anything you have to say while she looks over the greenery and running the leaves between her fingers as though to confirm that they are indeed real.

You need to force her to leave the plants alone at the end. It seems she's missed them in the length of time she's been on board ships.

Your next stop is the clinic. Doctor Campos is there and takes a few moments to inquire about Spear's health while onlookers try not to stare at the blue skinned elf and fail completely. It's midway through that Vanessa Hughes steps out of one of the doctor's offices, positively pregnant, and carefully walks over to greet you.

"Captain, showing our guests around?" she asks while resting a hand on her belly.

"Indeed," you say, "I felt it was time they saw that their patience was worth it."

"Well, it's definitely worth-ooh!" Vanessa stops mid sentence to rub her belly, "Oh this one's a fighter."

Spear is staring at Vanessa, or rather, her belly.

"You are having a child?" asks Spear.

"No, my husband is having a child, I'm just carrying it for him until they can get this damned parasite out of me," grumbles Vanessa irritably, "Sorry, we haven't been introduced properly. I'm Vanessa Hughes, and you are?"

Vanessa offers her hand to Spear. She looks at Vanessa nervously before awkwardly clasping her own hands palm to palm with a slight nod. Seeing that, Vanessa withdraws her hand and returns the gesture.

You breathe a sigh of relief at that. Lieutenant Izumi schooled the Loroi in the usage of a modified Namaste as a replacement for the handshake between your species. It's an equivalent gesture that's recognisable to humans and acceptable for Loroi as long as they don't bow whilst doing it.

"I am called Spear," she says.

"I'm pleased to meet you Spear!" beams Vanessa happily, "I hope we can see you and your people down here more often! There's many people who would love to speak with you!"

Your eyes narrow as you recognise what she's doing. As genuine as her offer is, being seen with the Loroi would be a feather in Vanessa's political cap, one that would sway the portion of the voting base excited about aliens to consider siding with her over Spencer's campaign.

"I would like to go home," says Spear.

She certainly has a one-track mind, you'll give her that.

"Of course, I'm sure your family misses you terribly," says Vanessa sympathetically, "I'm certain the good captain is doing everything in her power to get you there."

"She is," confirms Spear.

"Ah, good then," says Vanessa, unsure of how to handle someone so laconic in her responses, "Well, I need to go sit down. This bub is heavy."

"Her words are hollow," says Spear in trade. It takes you a moment to realise that her words are directed towards you.

"She is one of our civilian politicians," you reply with half a grin.

She hisses at the word politician and your half grin grows to a full one. You can appreciate her distaste for politics almost as much as you can appreciate her discretion. She could have chosen to raise a fuss in front of Vanessa but didn't.

Before long you find yourselves at your final destination; the barracks that the Marines have setup for themselves.

You've come at a good time. They're busily training the civilians and drilling them in certain exercises. Right now it seems that they're going for trust building exercises.

"So many males," says Spear, "are you rich? Powerful?"

"Not particularly, why?" you ask.

Spear gestures to the training marines and civilians.

"You can make your men fight. You must be," she says.

"I don't understand," you say.

Spear huffs as though the answer should be obvious. She then sighs and explains it to you.

"Males are precious and rare. The women must fight to protect them. You waste your males on fighting. You must be rich or powerful... or stupid," she explains.

"Is that the case for the Loroi?" you ask.

"Yes, wasting males is foolish," she says.

"Males are not rare for humans," you explain, "for us, half are born male, the other half are female."

Spear looks at you incredulously.

"How?" she asks.

"Just our biology I guess," you say.

"So many males..." She shakes her head and changes the subject, "What are they doing?"

A row of your colonists stands in front of another row. The forward row gently tips backwards, falling, only to be caught by those behind them.

"It's a trust exercise," you say, watching them, "they catch one another so they know that they can trust others implicitly."

"I do not understand how," says Spear.

"How what?" you ask, unsure of what she means.

"How do you live, without sanzai," says Spear, "how can you trust others without knowing them?"

"I don't trust anyone without knowing them first," you reply.

"Then how do you live with each other without trust?"

"Turn that question around," you say, "How do you live being completely honest with everyone you meet?"

"Because they must also be honest," replies Spear.

"It's the same for us. We can trust, because they must also trust. Those that cannot never prosper, those that do not get cast out. You trust us, don't you?"

"...no," she answers, honestly.

You hate the answer but appreciate the honesty. Still, you can't really let that answer sit.

"Have we poisoned your food?" you ask.

"No..."

"Have given you drugs to make you talk?"

"No..."

"Have we hurt you?"

"No..."

"Have we done anything bad to you?"

"You kept us locked up!" she snaps.

"You'd have done the same to us, and I've been letting you out more and more. Besides, you can see how people stare at you," you say.

Even now there are people staring at the two of you from across the training ground. Watching your every move and interaction the Spear. She is easily the most interesting sight not related to training here, so you can't really blame them, and for the most part this is the first time for anyone to see a living, breathing elf, and not simply the pictures you released of them.

"I don't know..." says Spear, "I want to trust, but... but..."

"But?" you ask.

"I made mistakes. I failed my diral. If I trust now, and fail again..." she seems on the verge of tears before she bites them back, "please take me back."

The mood on the shuttle ride back is somber and silent. Even so, it's Spear who breaks the silence.

"Your colony will be great one day," she says softly.

"Perhaps you can come and visit, once we've taken you home," you offer.

"Perhaps," agrees Spear.

"In the meantime, my crew is planning a Christmas and New Years celebration," you say, "you and your friends are welcome to attend."

"Kreesmaas? Nyuu Years?" she asks.

"Christmas is a celebration observed a week before the end of this month. It's a religious and secular holiday dedicated to the family. There's feasting, exchanges of gifts and even singing. New Years is celebrated a week later, it's when our calendar changes from one year to the next and is often celebrated with a very large party," you explain.

"We would not... belong," says Spear.

"I want to trust you," you declare, "I will take the first step. I invite you, and all your friends, to come to our Chirstmas and New Years celebration. You don't have to come, but I would like it if you did."

"All of us?" asks Spear.

"Yes, all," you say, "It wouldn't be right to just have four of you and force the rest to sit it out."

"But your security?" asks Spear.

"I want to trust you," you repeat, "until you give me a reason not to."

"I... can I talk to the others about this?" she asks.

"It's an open invitation," you reply, "anyone who wants to attend can."

"Thank you, captain," says Spear.

Her look for the rest of the trip back is a thoughtful one.

--

Rewards:

Spear has seen the colony you're building and understands the importance of the delays to sending her group back home. Loroi Morale will remain stable for the next year.
Uncovered Spear's self-confidence issues.
Uncovered Spear's trust issues.
Extended an open invitation to Spear's diral to attend your crew's Christmas and New Year's party.
Small insight into Loroi culture; you know Loroi males are rare and precious to some extent.

<< Turn 8 Results || Interlude - An Elven Christmas >>

[dragoongfa]

A soft gift

Perfectly in character for Icefury. Consider this a Semi-Canon +5 Bonus. Bank or apply as you like, those points are yours.

Bear in mind though that certain rolls will be vetoed for application of those bonuses.

In the end my gamble didn't pay and that means that the Loroi isn't what is making the red Urkuk run away

I guess I am going to bank the points for later, if I got a 10 I was going to invest them in Over There so we can get new research started in the next turn but the numbers don't add up.

[Razor One]

The results for Turn Eight are locked in, so any bonus you have can apply to rolls from Turn 9 onwards.

[dragoongfa]

Let's hope then that the next science roll gets something bigger than a 9...

Stupid question that is me being a spoiled little player :

I am guessing that Over There won't transfer to an other research project. Can we get a d50 roll on a research project of our choosing if the next roll for over there is high enough and doesn't transfer anywhere?

[joestej]

My turn now. This ran a bit longer than I intended, but eh. I also haven't fully edited it, so I beg the Hive Mind's pardon if there are a few typos.

There Be Whales Here

“Megastorm. Got to be.”

“Higgins, as usual you’re boring as hell,” commented Flight Lieutenant Lani Iolana as she rolled their shuttle from the wind current they’d been coasting on for the past twelve hours into one that would take them closer to their ultimate destination. It didn’t really make the trip any faster, but riding with the wind instead of against it at least cut down slightly on the fuel they were burning. “Anyone with actual imagination want in on this?”

“I’ll take alien blast mining,” called Petty Officer Blake, the expedition’s sensor technician from somewhere in the rear of the shuttle.

“Unlikely,” countered a calm feminine voice. “The wave vector of the anomalous signals is-”

“Doctor Hamilton and her team are disqualified from participating on account of them being smarter than the rest of us put together.”

“Oh.” The scientist, who apparently specialized in exometeorology or some other strange field Lani had never heard of, actually seemed slightly dejected. “Drat. I always seem to get the same thing in my rations, and I’ve been growing tired of the fruit cake.”

“The energy bars aren’t much tastier Doc, but if it makes you feel better you can have whatever I win of the rest of these jokers,” Lani offered, glancing reflexively at the wind analysis her navigation computer was spitting out.

“Big talk for a jumped up bus driver. Alright, if you’re so smart put your dessert where your mouth is. What do YOU think is out there?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? It’s got to be-”

It wasn’t a sound. It was barely even a sensation. Without any warning, a single enormous force tore through the cramped shuttle, groaning through the reinforced hull and hitting Lani like a pillow the size of a small car. A sudden pressure smashed against her ears, crushing her head like a vice before immediately subsiding.

“What the hell was that?!” she yelled as her instruments began to dance out of control.

“Infrasound burst!” Blake reported instantly. “Practically on top of us. We must be a lot closer than we thought we were.”

“Doctor, those things come in sets and that hurt like a bitch. Got something for us?”

“I’m already working on it,” Hamilton stated, her voice flat as the sound of rapid typing reached the cockpit. “I’m setting up an inverted phase broadcast that should help. We don’t have the equipment to get even close to cancelling out these anomalies, but it’ll at least make them significantly less painful.”

“Thank you. Higgins, how the hell did we get so far off course? We weren’t supposed to be near the anomalies for another day or two.”

“That’s just it, ma’am. We’re NOT off course. According to our navigation computer and every scrap of data we’ve been able to collect in the five months we’ve spent here, we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.”

“Well, if we’re on course then how did-” Lani began before something impossibly massive plunged out of clouds in front of them.

Wider than the L'Amour was long, the strange object was pitted with small craters and strange gashes. She’d have thought it was an asteroid, but apart from the small deformations it was almost entirely smooth. The ever-present cloud cover hid the true size of…whatever this was…from view, and between the infrasound blast earlier and the ever-present wind the shuttles sensors were utterly useless.

“Hang on!” she called and dove down as the strange thing caught the wind and was suddenly pulled toward them. They passed under the titanic object and Lani was treated to the most bizarre sight of her entire life.

The sides and bottom of the thing were covered in a literal forest of waving, whiplike hairs, each the size of a tall tree. They rippled with the winds as the object passed overhead, then began pulsing in rhythmic waves that gradually shifted the huge thing’s course to take it slowly out of the jet stream again.

“That can’t possibly be what I think it is,” Higgins muttered as they flashed past the end of the mysterious thing. Lani hadn’t been keeping close track, but it had to be at LEAST two to three kilometers long. She’d seen smaller space stations.

“Let’s find out. Strap in everyone, I’m bringing us around for another pass.”

She rolled the shuttle as a bolt of lightning flashed a few hundred meters from the hull, spinning them back the way they’d come. Now that they weren’t so close she could get a better look at the strange object. Impossibly large, it was also relatively simplistic. It lacked the rough edges an asymmetrical shape of an asteroid, instead presenting itself merely as a rounded, featureless cylindrical mass.

That illusion lasted until they swooped past the front of the object again, and a long crease Lani had originally taken for a fissure of some type yawned open. The silent blast of infrasound washed over them again as the thing unleashed a roar so deep and loud their tiny ears couldn’t hear it.

“It’s…alive!” she remarked in awe, looping around the creature to watch its huge jaws close again. The L'Amour could have docked in the thing’s colossal maw with room to spare, but while the monster’s mouth was almost unfathomably big Lani noticed it didn’t actually have any teeth, just rippling fields of feathery growths that wavered like palm trees in the wind.

“Gills. It’s using them to filter-feed,” remarked Hamilton, staring intently at several screens from the shuttle’s camera feed. “Incredible.”

Pulling away to begin another slow pass of the alien creature, Lani broke through the wall of clouds before them and was treated to another surprise. The Briar Patch’s eternal storms had a few calm spots, and this was apparently one of them. Yellow light was filtering in from the storm beyond, giving the whole scene a heavenly glow. It was probably just the result of one of the huge balls of plasma the Briar Patch’s storms occasionally kicked up, but mundane or not the effect was still breathtaking. When they’d passed one several weeks ago Lani had made the mistake of comparing them to Saint Elmo’s Fire within earshot of Doctor Hamilton, and been treated to an hour-long lecture on why she was correct in principle but also wrong in every possible way.

As the clouds shone gold around them, Lani realized with a jolt that the rolling walls were actually moving. Several dozen kilometers away, a second of the huge creatures was plowing through the wall of the eye, its mouth wide. Scanning the alien skies, she spotted at least a dozen more of the leviathans hidden among the clouds, several of which looked big enough to swallow the first beast they’d seen whole.

“My god…” she gaped as a quartet of strange manta-like creatures, each larger than the shuttle they rode in, plowed out of the storm below them and flapped upward on their undulating wings.

“The Captain is never going to believe this.”

[dragoongfa]

No one said anything about only one entry per person

Now I am going back on my other works.

A Marine’s Reasons

Colonel Brian Pierce never saw himself as a people person but through his life he learned to quickly adapt to the situations he would find himself in. He was given the command of Nova Company because of this adaptability of his, an outfit whose very purpose was anti-terrorism. Some would always say that he has seen it all after hearing everything that he has experienced in the past but his only response always was that he has seen enough to know when to act and when not to.

“One more minute…” He muttered as he checked the time again. “I hate speeches…”

He remembered Captain Sheridan’s performance the other day and smiled, thinking that he had indeed judged her character correctly. The whole circus and circumference was necessary; they had to make sure that the right person held the job after all. The TCA standards weren’t lax but he had learned the hard way that in all militaries there were always the ones who didn’t deserve their rank and by extension weren’t fit for the responsibilities that fell on them.

He was the proposed alternative for military governor in case she failed the test; his rank was of equal status and authority while he was also older than her. He didn’t want that position but he would have to take over if she was unfit for it; he felt relieved that she proved herself admirably considering the situation and pressure she was in. They didn’t know if she was the best person for the job but so far she handled herself amicably which is something that they all agreed on for once. Perhaps with time she will be made privy of the reasoning behind everything but for now they will let everyone do their jobs.

His alarm flashed and beeped at 10:00 exactly and he sighed before opening the door that led into the tightly packed courtyard that was filled with the first batch of civilians for militia training. The marines present turned as one and stood in attention before saluting, the simultaneous clacks that their boots made were enough to draw the attention of the assembled civilians who stopped their chatter to just stare that him as he walked up the small pedestal that was normally used for the company’s morning and evening reports.

He returned his men’s salutes the moment he stood at the pedestal and as one they stood at ease, drawing quite a few surprised glances from the civilians who weren’t really used to military protocols and traditions. He studied the assembled civilians for a few moments, once again taking in the fact that they were just ordinary people who were thrown in an extraordinary situation without any short of warning; his heart tightened at that thought but he pushed that feeling aside by clearing his throat.

“I would like to thank you all for being here, I know that every one of you is busy with setting up the colony but we all know that the situation we are all in is extraordinary and as thus extra ordinary measures had and have to be taken. Nobody liked the harsh rationing but it was necessary for our survival, no one likes the mild rationing but the reality is that we still don’t produce enough food for everyone.” He paused at that for effect before continuing. “No marine likes to see the forming of a militia because we are sworn to protect all TCA citizens against all threats but the reality is that we have ourselves all alone in a hostile universe. There is no fleet to protect us and there are no reinforcements to relieve us in case someone attacks us. The threat against us is real, I was on the alien ship and saw everything that there was to see; unfortunately survival of the fittest seems to be the rule in this universe, with alien raiders and slavery being part of the course. In the end everyone here must learn to defend themselves because all you see is all we can rely on. None of you will turn into a marine in the three months that will follow but I promise you that you will not be sheep to slaughter should the worse happen. I promise you that you will be more than prepared to protect the fruits of your labor and I promise you that your training will make it easier for me to make life a living hell for anyone who will try to harm you and yours.”

[Absalom]

I am guessing that Over There won't transfer to an other research project. Can we get a d50 roll on a research project of our choosing if the next roll for over there is high enough and doesn't transfer anywhere?

I figure it's half-likely to transfer to something else, such as predicting whatever it is.

[joestej]

I am guessing that Over There won't transfer to an other research project. Can we get a d50 roll on a research project of our choosing if the next roll for over there is high enough and doesn't transfer anywhere?

Wherever it's logical to apply an overflow of knowledge to the next project, I'll do so, but don't expect it to apply for everything.

I suspect this means that if there's another project unlocked by completing Over There the overage will go to that, but if not the points will be lost. Still, maybe not. Only Razor can really give you a full answer.

[Razor One]

There Be Whales Here

Canon. +10.

On the subject of whales:

A Marine’s Reasons

Canon +10, though don't expect me to be generous in future when you're clearly fishing for points.

That said, have my Christmas Interlude.

--

Spear paced back and forth nervously.

Today was the day. The day of this 'Kreesmas' celebration that Captain Sheridan had invited them, all of them, to attend. A time for giving, a time for feasting, a time for family.

That was her primary concern at the moment. The rest of her diral felt the same way, and because she was their leader she felt their concerns most acutely of all.

"We're not their family, why did they invite us?" asked the one the humans referred to as Ash.

"I think they want us to see their ways," sent Emerald, named by the humans for her green eyes and hair, "to make us trust them."

"Can you even trust aliens with lotai?" asked Pip, so named because the marines kept calling her "squeak" as a reference to her diminutive size when they thought she couldn't hear, "Perhaps they've invited us to the feast because they're hungry and want to eat some meat."

"That is not funny," sent the red eyed Ruby, "do not joke like that. Just please... don't."

"I saw their food growing myself," sent Spear, "as ravenous as they are, they wouldn't do that unless..."

She trailed off on the subject of starvation. Nobody wanted to discuss that given their experiences.

"What about these gifts?" sent Pale, "We have only what they have given us. It would be against their traditions to go empty handed, wouldn't it?"

"But they know we are not them, so they will understand that we have nothing to give," sent Emerald, "if they get offended then they'd be idiots."

"They might be idiots," sent Rude, so named for having quite the ear, mind, and mouth for human profanity, "shit it's been more than a full tozon since they picked us up and the fuckers treat us like we've got a plague."

"There is a reason you above all others are forbidden to speak with the humans," sent Spear with a sigh before changing the subject, "we have no gifts and we are not their family, but Captain Sheridan has invited us to attend regardless. All we can do is feast alongside them and hope that is enough."

"Hope hasn't really gotten us much," sent Pale.

"Enough," sent Spear, refusing to allow Pale's depression to darken the spirits of the group, "we're going now. Get ready."

She marched up to the door and signaled the marines outside that they were ready to leave.

They were greeted outside by a marine escort twice as large as normal.

"Spear, the Captain is happy that you've accepted her invitation," said the dark skinned human called Colonel Pierce, "please follow me."

Spear was not yet an expert on 'reading' human voices or expressions. Her knowledge of their language was also far from complete, but she could detect a hint of strain in his voice and on his face.

It was something she'd been forced to master in her regular meetings with Ensign, no, Lieutenant Izumi. Sometimes what her human friend said and what she meant were at odds, and it took connecting her voice and her expression to get at the true meaning.

Other times it was the way humans placed their bodies that sent messages. Arms crossed meant defensive, antagonistic, or angry. Arms wide open meant honest. Humans that looked you in the eye when making a claim were reasonably truthful, humans that looked away were concealing something.

It was a useful skill, even if it was more suited to House Mizeis than it was for one of House Arilad, and it told her the rather useful and comforting fact that these humans were not monolithic. Regardless, it told her one other important fact; the Colonel didn't like the idea of all the Loroi being let out of their holding area, even with an obviously increased escort. The Captain wanted to trust, the Colonel didn't. They disagreed, but they still worked together, and all without the benefit of Sanzai.

Trust. It all came back to trust. The captain trusted the colonel. The colonel trusted the captain. Both derived strength from that, even when they disagreed. It was something she had failed to manage more than a tozon ago...

She banished the thought from her mind as they came to the ship's mess hall. Strange music drifted out from the door in addition to the sound of half a dozen conversations in english.

"Enjoy the party," said the Colonel, not making a move to join them.

"Thank you," replied Spear, and stepped inside.

She was soon joined by the others, and as her comrades joined her, the conversations amongst the humans began to die back.

"Why are they staring at us?" sent Pip.

"Because they're not used to us yet, give them time," sent Emerald.

"It's been over a tozon," sent Pale.

"Enough," sent Spear snappily.

"Spear! Everyone! I'm glad you decided to come!" exclaimed Captain Sheridan.

Spear, as well as all the other Loroi, couldn't help but stare at the odd thing on the captains head. It was shaped like a cone, red, with a white stripe around its base, and a white fluffy ball hanging off the apex.

"What is... that?" asked Spear, pointing.

"Oh? This? It's a Christmas hat. Traditional wear. It comes in green too if you'd like," she explained.

"Is it important?" asked Spear.

"No, it's just for fun," she said, removing the hat and placing it upon Lieutenant Izumi's the moment she strode into range.

She was dressed in a ladies version of a Santa Claus outfit that she'd had stashed away since last years Christmas party. Sensing the theme, the Loroi quickly conlcuded that this was part of the 'fun' aspects of traditional wear for Christmas.

"Izumi," said Spear, clasping her hands together and nodding in the modified Namaste that the Lieutenant had taught her.

"I'm so glad you came!" bubbled Izumi happily.

"I am glad too," said Spear.

"Have you eaten yet? The food isn't the greatest but there's plenty of it!"

"Ease down Lieutenant, you'll make them nervous," chided the Captain.

"B-b-b-but! But it's Christmas! And, well... you know!" exclaimed the Lietenant, shaking with excitement.

Spear watched the captain give Izumi a baleful look. There were times that she swore humans had to have Sanzai given how they could communicate without words. Still, she sensed nothing passing between them other than a look.

"Alright," said Izumi dejectedly, before perking right back up again indefatigably "Come on, we've got a table set out for you. Feel free to take any food you like, but not the chocolate, we're not sure if that's good for you or not."

The human conversations picked right back up as the Loroi took their seats.

***

"So, let me understand," said Spear carefully, "there is a being on your world who knows all the children who are naughty and nice, breaks into their homes, and gives presents to them all in one night?"

"Yes, and he rides around in a sleigh pulled by magical flying reindeer!" exclaimed Lieutenant Izumi happily.

"Why then hasn't any child captured him and taken the presents for themselves? Or the secrets of his technology?" asked Spear.

"Ah, well, um, you see-"

"Wait, no, I see now. He knows they're all naughty or nice because he has an excellent surveillance system, and knows where the ambushes are laid. Truly he is a formidable opponent to plague your world for all these centuries despite your advances," she reasoned.

"Uhhh..." said Izumi, unsure of where this conversation was even going anymore.

"And to think he operates out of a single location using a massive slave labour workforce alongside cleverly disguised cybernetic animals. He is truly monstrous."

***

"So, if any of us stand beneath this toe-mistle-"

"Mistletoe," corrected Captain Sheridan.

"Mistletoe... then we're telling all the males that we are available for mating?"

"More or less," said Lieutenant Izumi.

Spear looked at the mock up of a mistletoe plant hanging from the roof thoughtfully.

"Hmm. I suppose it makes sense," she said, "it allows the males to know which females are ready for mating without needing to check with a matchmaker, and it allows the females to avoid unwanted sexual contact by avoiding the towmistle."

"Mistletoe," corrected Izumi.

"Unless the men decide to grab the mistletoe and hang it over your head deliberately. John Ander stole my first kiss that way," said Captain Sheridan.

"They can do that?" said Spear stiffening in her seat and glaring daggers at both the men and the mistletoe, "I retract my opinion. It is barbaric."

"The women can do it to the men too if they want," said Izumi.

Spear cast a disbelieving look at both the Captain and the Lieutenant.

"You're making it up."

***

"There are Loroi on Earth?!" asked Spear incredulously.

"You had to tell her, didn't you?" said Captain Sheridan balefully.

"What? I didn't know where keeping that a secret," said Volkova.

"Are there truly Loroi on Earth?" asked Spear more insistently.

"No, there aren't Loroi on Earth," said Izumi patiently, "our engineer was referring to the mythical creatures that closely resemble Loroi."

"Elves?" asked Spear.

"Yes, elves," said Izumi.

Spear frowned for a moment in thought.

"Didn't Satan Claws use Kreesmas elves as slave labour for toy making?" she asked, her hackles rising in anger.

"No! No no! Those are different! Those elves look nothing like Loroi!" said Izumi hurriedly.

"Good," said Spear.

***

The day had been long, the feasting had been hard, especially with how much the humans had been able to pack away in comparison to them, but the Loroi had had a rich full day celebrating Christmas with the humans.

Spear could see the merits of such a celebration. It was no different from a handful of traditions that House Arilad celebrated in a similar manner, with family, food and gifts. The differences were in all the strange and bizarre stories and traditions the humans seemed to festoon it with.

Still, she'd enjoyed herself, as had all the others once the awkwardness of being surrounded by aliens none of them could sense had, gradually, worn off. She'd tried many of the foods that were there, and even that strange chocolate the humans seemed to enjoy when they weren't looking, which had tasted nice if a bit strange.

In the end, being the voice for the entire group had worn out her vocal chords though, and she was looking forward to simply resting once they'd gotten back to their holding area. But rest was not soon to come, for the moment they were ushered inside they all beheld a pile of boxes in red, white and green wrapping sitting amongst their cots. The others murmured nervously about what this meant, but Spear recognised it for what it was.

Carefully, she approached the pile and withdrew a box that bore her name in the best facsimile of Loroi trade that the humans had been able to learn from them. She gingerly unwrapped it to find a set of hair brushes.

The next box unwrapped contained a number of sheaves of paper, paintbrushes, and the paint to go with them. It had been addressed to Emerald, the most artistic of the group.

In Pip's box was a pair of shoes made perfectly to her size. It had seemed a bit odd and ordinary at first, until Spear saw that they added a bit to her height, making her seem not so short compared to all the others. She had been a bit sensitive about that.

Ruby received two flat rounded paddles and a number of plastic balls, alongside a letter of challenge written by Alex Cole saying "Any time". Spear figured it was a game of some sort, since a fight to the death seemed rather unlikely with those highly ineffectual weapons.

Ash received a new set of tattooing implements, including one with a special diamond tipped needle, whilst Pale was given a larger tablet to watch the media that the humans had supplied them with, and Rude had gotten some kind of contraption that played games.

On and on it went, with each Loroi receiving something thoughtful from the humans that filled a need or desire. Excitement and happiness permeated the room but for Spear, who felt guilty at not being able to return the favour to their human hosts, but hid the feeling well from her compatriots. She would let them enjoy this, and make it up to the humans later.

***

"We had actual elves for Christmas! Best! Christmas! Ever~!" exclaimed Lieutenant Izumi before flopping tiredly, but happily, onto her bed.

***

And there it is. Figured I'd go with a different perspective on Christmas.

Bonus points: Spear snuck some chocolate while nobody was looking to see what the fuss was about. You rolled a 78, so she finds it tasty if a bit strange and odd. No averse reaction otherwise.

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