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Location: H-09 Wastyria Tags: Exploration Lu's Log - 20 Desembrinali 3815 Hey team, I apologize for the lack of log updates lately! We've been doing extensive mapping and equipment testing here on Wastyria; I've been spending my waking hours either underwater, or fixing hardware at the drydock. The water is cold, but still holds an abundance of life. One of my stranger finds so far is a cattail fish, a species which had been previously spotted on Quantus III by Dr. Vernon. It's unclear if this is a case of convergent evolution, or perhaps panspermia. We'll need to test the mitochondrial DNA of both species to see if and how they're related. CLAPPIE, remind me to contact Dr. Vernon when we get back to see if he has any samples. Aye aye, Captain! We're not on a ship, CLAPPIE; you don't have to call me 'captain.' As you wish, missus fish! Hee hee! I'm at the edge of the reef ... just past here, the seabed drops off for at least a thousand meters. Sonar scans suggest that there are trenches down there that are even deeper than the Mariana. I'd love to get down there, but we've been having a hell of a time with our deepwater subs. Our hardsuits continue to work extremely well, but they're not designed to travel that far down. Ah well, for now I'll just enjoy the beauty of the reefs, and maybe they'll have one of the prototype subs ready to test when I get back. Lu, out.
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Tags: Land Vehicle, Science (follow-up to past "experiments", although this aspect of the story is intentionally ambiguous.) Sector: G03 ~~~~~~~~~~~~Meanwhile, in real life~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr. Long: "So, yeah, I will need you to file those follow-up behavioral reports by the end of the week. But it seems he's made excellent progress." Engineer: "Well yeah! He's hardly made a peep, since... you know..." Dr. Long: "Good to know. A quiet worker is a happy worker." "Log date 470, This is Dr. Danielle Long. The Subject's behavior has improved dramatically. I await a full data sheet from his handler, but I suspect that our behavioral improvement methods have finally rendered the subject a functional employee. Perhaps we can expand these methods to solve other problematic employees. I can think of a few who would potentially benefit from them... Dr. Long out, for now. Must check progress of Top Secret rescue mission." I've been experimenting (Science!) with that vertical border technique I'm seeing so often in GoH and some other expert builds. I'm actually quite pleased by even my own neophyte work here, so I will definitely try the technique again in the future. ~Insectoid Aristocrat
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Sector: H04 Tags: Science, Civil "Log Date 454, This is Dr. Danielle Long. Samples of the native species analogous to earth coral are currently being retrieved for testing on the Axle. It is in diverse biomes such as this one that the most profitable compounds are typically discovered. I expect this will yield many a new product for Octan... but only time and testing will reveal these compounds. I am surfacing presently. Dr. Long out." Odus Dillberg, Dr. Long's Secretary: "Ah, yeah, right there, biological samples collection droid. Right there on my shoulders. yeah. Lots of stress to relieve there. Mmm." Dr. Long: "Another day, another misappropriation of Octan equipment." Odus: "Ah! Didn't see you there Danielle!" Dr. Long: "What exactly have you tasked this specimen collection droid with? This is hardly protocol. Where are your clothes?" Odus: "Oh, I had the droid store them in one of his little compartments!" Dr. Long: "You know those compartments will not open after they've been shut except for within one of the Axle's "Hazard Assessment" Labs?... Right?" Odus: "Oh." Dr, Long: "I'll take that as a no. Any calls come in while I was working?" Odus: "Oh yeah! Thanks for reminding me! Kodan called! He's in sector F10 with that thing you told me to send to him! Well! He has some important news to share with you! I took a message!" Dr. Long: "If it was important, why didn't you forward it to me?" Odus: "Well, you sounded like you were having fun looking at all the cool animals and stuff under the sea, so I didn't want to bother you." Dr. Long: "What is the message?" Odus: "Oh yeah... Project Icarus is a time machine! Surprise!" Dr. Long: "A WHAT?! And you didn't inform me of this immediately?!" Odus: "Surprise!" Dr. Long: Cancel my appointments for tomorrow. I will be re-assuming control of this project. I want the object delivered to the Axle immediately. Thereafter, I will assess the object's safety and begin preparations for a thorough inspection of its capabilities. I also want any information Kodan may already have acquired. This must all be conducted with the utmost secrecy. I would not want a time machine to fall into the wrong hands." Odus: "You got it boss!" Dr. Long: "Oh... And one more thing. Send Kodan and his handler robot, ED-208, something to keep them safe. A pair of Ma.K. hard suits. Knowledge is dangerous." Odus: " Hard Suits for Kodan and that Ed guy, got it!" ______________________________________________________________ One Week Later, in the remote H04 sector........... In one of the Axle's ejectable high-risk labs... "Log Date 461, This is Dr. Danielle Long. This device is remarkable. Project Icarus was indeed an apt title for this project, as It must be the source of the anachronistic facility in which it was discovered. It would appear that the original Scientist who created this device are long dead. Perhaps slain in a Zoid raid. But some of the facility's personnel escaped with the Ter Tahl sentients of sector F10's Arium Major. I consulted with their people regarding this device, but the only novel information with which they could provide me was that the device was volatile. I have decided to house the object in its original container: a Blue Box, and perform a myriad of tests on it to assess its safety. Thereafter I will conduct tests to determine how... if... It works. A Time Machine is a fixture of science fiction, but the laws of physics preclude its creation in the real world. Should I indeed have my hands upon the genuine article... Well... This could fundamentally alter Humanity's understanding of the universe... And remove the restrictions of time and space from Octan's quest for resources. With a time machine... well... The possibilities are limitless.... But I'm getting ahead of myself. We first must determine if it works... And then how... before we can use it. To this end I've tasked a select team of theoretical physicists with the inspection of the machine, and its safe operation. We're working around the clock to figure this puzzle out. For the time being, I will leave this in the capable hands of Blenjamen Blandin, one of Octan's finest physicists. Dr. Long signing off." Dr. Long: "Dr. Blandin?" Blenjamen Blandin: "Y-y-y-yes, Dr. Long?" Dr. Long: "I will be in my office looking over this data. Please continue your work. I want this object monitored 24/7. Don't let anything happen to it... and if it activates, I want you to eject the lab. Even if you are in it. Understood?" Dr. Blandin: "I-I-I, uh, Understood." Dr. Long: "OK, Great." ___________________________________ Later....... Dr. Blandin: "Uh, oh! Great S-s-scott! The F-f-f-flux Inhibitor is l-l-loose!" "Wha-Whoah!" OoC: Don't worry. The "Octan has a time machine" will not last Long. No spoilers. but yeah. ~Insectoid Aristocrat
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Location: I06 - Yetornius Tags: Octan, civil, spaceship Hi Sir, it's Kevin! From HR! Well, yes sir, of course I've heard of caller ID! No, no problems here sir. I think Yetornius is an excellent location for our auxiliary human resources compound. The Feng Shui here is amazing ! Well, sir, I'm afraid progress on that particular issue has been slow. Danny - I mean, Dr. Long, says psychic phenomena are extremely difficult to research. Of course, sir. I completely agree! Dr Long suggests that progress might be quicker if she could simply dissect his brain. That's right, sir. She says it would be extremely easy to make his death look like an accident, and she's thought out a lot of scenarios that would prove fatal to him, while keeping his brain intact for study. She forwarded me eighteen pages of suggestions, which I'd be delighted to pass on to you for review. Ah. I see. No, sir, I don't disagree, it's just... Well, sir, his unconventional attitude seems to be spreading to some of the other employees. No, sir, not just the dress code violations. Well, sir, just a few days ago several employees were caught trying to find pornographic images of whales! When I brought them into the office, they claimed they were just helping him with research. No, sir, I can't imagine there was a legitimate scientific reason for it! Yes, sir, I understand, it's - Yes, sir. Very good, sir. Of course, sir, I'll keep you informed. I hope you have a great - Oops, I guess he accidently hung up! Hmmm... Hey CLAPPIE? Greetings, Kevin! CLAPPIE, I have a job for you, but ... it needs to be secret, okay? Just between you and me? I love secrets! -----------
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Location: Yetornius - I06 Tags: Spaceship, Land Vehicle(s), Civil Octan's ranks had started to fill with members of the Merchant Confederacy. Their transition had been smooth as HR understood the unique opportunity that was being presented and was eager to signup employees that didn't require return tickets back through the Gate. But, in the rush to process the recruits, many questions about these people remained. What had a thousand years of space done to this "human" race? Acting CEO and Octan pilot, John Hannibal, certainly trusted these men. And he was currently on a mission to integrate Octan's best pilots with the colonies they would be protecting, uniquely turning a corporate military into a civilian corps of minutemen pilots. But, their stop over for repairs on I06 proved dangerous. They were at a satellite repair station manned by both Octan and MC repairmen, working in hardsuits. Ziggy and Hannibal's latest jumper had some difficulty maneuvering through a random green cluster of "rock" formations between E11 and I06 and they sucked a strange white worm up through one of their rotating thrusters. Hannibal decided to go for a walk to see the new HR facility located close to the repair dock and his quaint training facility. [O - I06] 4 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Hannibal was knock forward by a surprise thud on his right shoulder. He rolled and shot. Missed. The surprise assailant was to Hannibal's (now) left, already dead, burning up in the churning lava. A new recruit from the MC, the pilot from his first meeting with Callahan, had shot the would-be assassin just before he reached Hannibal. After stabilizing Hannibal's arm Ziggy and the pilot the pulled the body from the lava and start investigating. Lots of extra pics C&C welcomed and appreciated
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Bob, please purchase Ore Processing technology for Octan. Thanks. Quantus III Ore Processing Facility
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Location: E11 – The Fascini Cluster Tags: Octan, Exploration, Land Vehicle, Spaceship Lu's Log - 11 Oktobrinali 3815 I'm on the far outer edge of the Fascini Cluster today, mapping one of the larger asteroids and seeing if I can repair a malfunctioning “Turtle” rover. CLAPPIE, please confirm that the rover's seismic cannon has been deactivated. Roger that, Lu. This rover is as helpless as a human. Alright buddy, let's see what's ailing you... OCS Axle calling Lu, urgent. This is Lu, go ahead. Lu, we've got eyes on a M.A.N.T.I.S attack craft nearing your position. Copy that, you want me to see if I can get the Turtle under cover? Uh, negative. It appears this ship suffered a Gate Transit Anomaly. We just had a pair of Sentinels do a flyby, and they confirmed it's unoccupied. A Gate Transit Anomaly. I shudder. We lost a lot of good people exploring Andromeda, before our scientists perfected the G.A.T.E. system for ships. The incidents all started the same way: a ship would enter a gravitational anomaly, intending to travel to a different system. What happened next varied, for reasons that are still unknown. Sometimes, the ship would appear at the other end with no sign of the crew. Sometimes, the crew would appear without the ship. Sometimes parts of the ship and parts of the crew would appear, all tangled and intermingled. Usually, though, both ship and crew would simply disappear. That's what happened to my parents. I think a lot of us who lost someone that way held out hope that they'd be discovered as we explored more of the Andromeda Galaxy. So far, though, there's been no trace. The voice from the Axle pulls me back to the present. Lu, in about 20 minutes that ship is going to smash into an asteroid. We want you to fly up, and see if you can take control of the ship before that happens. As they fill me in on more of the plan, I have to admit: it might work. Technically, my Lo-Grav Exploration Sled is rated for short space hops, and the gravity on this asteroid is low enough that reaching escape velocity will be easy. When I ask how I'm supposed to get into the ship, I'm told that, like most ships, this one uses OctanSoft flight control software, so if I can get my CLAPPIE unit within a few meters we should be able to exploit a diagnostic “back door” in the program. Finally, they assure me that several Octan ships are headed my way – they'll arrive too late to grab the M.A.N.T.I.S craft before it crashes, but they should be able to rescue me if anything goes horribly wrong and I end up drifting in space. The ship appears to be a prototype M.A.N.T.I.S ship, so I can see why the Axle wants it. They'll tear all the secrets they can out of it, and then sell it back to M.A.N.T.I.S for a hefty salvage fee. Lu, can we keep it? Maybe... I mean, no. No, just worry about getting us inside. CLAPPIE goes silent as he interfaces with the ship's computer. 10 minutes later.... Uh, CLAPPIE, how's it going? Very well, thank you. How are you? Looks like rain today and -- -- 2 minutes remain. CLAPPIE has incredible processing capabilities, but they're not infinite. I can tell when CLAPPIE is using most of it's resources, because it reverts to it's basic OctanSoft personality, just like on our first mission when it was trying to analyze the alien artifact. Finally, the canopy opens. This is a sweet ship. I try not to think about the things her original pilot left behind, and what the fate of that pilot might be. It's a tight fit in my hazard suit, but it works. Okay, systems online, powering up engines, we are good to go. Show me the stars, Lu! Alright, CLAPPIE, hang on to something! More pics/info about Turtle rover:
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Location: The Fascini Cluster - E11 Tags: Spaceship, Land Vehicle, Military, Building A quick jump to the surface of Freegate led Octan's acting CEO, John Hannibal, on a much larger and more significant mission to welcome the Merchant Confederacy into Octan's family. Much of Hannibal's recent work would be much easier, as his pool of colonists exponentially rises. New colonists in greater numbers would mean trading networks could take the place of the Mercy Brandy's irregular supply drops. But with more colonists, other threats would present themselves. Zoid slavers, for example, would soon find these soft targets. It was this problem that Hannibal and Callahan were looking to solve in the Fascini Cluster. Most of Octan's pilots were experienced in taking long hauls across desolate space and making smooth landings in alien atmospheres; there had been little need for combat roles as Octan's dominance had always come from procuring more strategic market shares instead of stockpiling bullets. But there were several select pilots that Hannibal knew could lead combat detachments to protect the civilian convoys. After catching a ride on Long's Axle, Hannibal intercepts and takes on a delivery of tech heading out to the very outpost they seek. Their ride is a light space hauler used for navigating between asteroids. While not fit for the greater depths of space, this small rig is incredibly light and therefore maneuverable in the vacuum of space. They will not be able to go far, but their pilot's outpost is just outside of the regular rock formations of the asteroid field. [E11] Asteroid Short-Range Hauler - 1 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr The outpost was chosen because of it's vicinity to the Fasicini Cluster. A solitary rock, the pilots would not have to compete with other asteroids immediately on takeoff. They could therefore set quicker and more accurate attack vectors, should the main station or outlying miners come under attack. Callahan chuckled a little as Hannibal told them where they were going, but he wouldn't say just yet what was funny. [E11] Asteroid Outpost - 1 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Finding the outpost empty, the two unload their cargo and inspect the Octan hardsuit they came to resupply. Their cargo was a number of new attachments that would allow their pilot to make more extensive repairs on-site. This current model was good for repairing scrapes in the hulls of both ship and habitat, but it would need finer implements to keep their ships active longer. [E11] Asteroid Outpost by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Callahan was especially eager to see the inside of the outpost, so the two headed inside to wait for and discuss their pilot. The pilot, Ziggy, flies an O.S.F. 1983 Vandura, the Pentacle. It is a tight and highly maneuverable fighter ideal for the Fascini Cluster but vulnerable in open space due to it's speed. While quick to accelerate, the low overall speed of this craft make it easy prey outside of the asteroid belt. The extremely advanced Octan stealth technology, developed by Executive Pombe, can provide a great deal of protection from this, as long as the pilot can avoid drawing unwanted attention to himself. [E11] Octan Stealth Fighter - 1 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Before Ziggy even returns, the two have already agreed that he would make an ideal pilot to lead the security network on Crofter's Ridge, the first destination for the new colonists. However, Callahan insists: "But, you have to provide better accommodations for your pilots. First, I want them living with the colonists whenever possible. And second, don't make them live in a hollowed out piece of space-whale dung, like you're doing with poor Ziggy. John, there's a reason why this 'rock' is outside the main cluster... it's not a rock..." C&C appreciated.
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Location: F-09 Arium Minor Tags: Octan, Exploration Lu's Log - 04 Oktobrinali 3815 I'm back! I've spent the last few months working as the navigator on a refueling vessel; interesting work, to be sure, and I'm glad to do my part to help the fleet, but gods it feels good to get my feet on solid ground again! Or, in this case, mostly solid ground. The vast majority of Arium Minor is covered by majestic mountain ranges, but there are still some places where the fire in the belly of the planet comes to the surface. My task today is to put one of the new "Metal Eater" units through it's paces; I'll also be field testing one of our new thermal-resistant suits. The name "Metal Eater" is a bit of a misnomer, as the unit can actually "digest" damn near any material, breaking it down and analyzing it for biological matter. Today, we're looking for "Extremophiles;" microbes that can survive and thrive in extremely hot conditions. Alright, time to see how this thing works. "Metal Eater, initiate drilling program." Balls. Lu to Dr. Long - the unit handles terrain navigation just fine, but the gyroscopic stabilizers need some work. Unit 42b is a total loss, and is not recoverable. Lu, out.
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Location: Fractor V - G04 Tags: Spaceship After entering the G04 system, it did not take Hannibal long to realize that the ship was not proceeding to a specific location. They instead set an orbit on the 3rd star in between Fractor VII and IX. And waited. Hannibal - "I'm ready whenever you want to clue me in to what we are doing here." Rockwell - "You will see soon enough..." The pilot was tense. His wife, manning the rear guns, also had white knuckles and a no interest in chatting with the passenger. Then it happened...distress calls from Fractor V. At the time, Hannibal was vexed by his inability to recognize the strange accent and peculiar impediment in the caller's speech, but he could tell that this man was scared. Rockwell fired the engines and Hannibal was pressed into the back of his seat. He was certain that if he weren't a pilot, the amount of Gs they just pulled would have quickly incapacitated him. He could only focus on his breathing and attempt to follow their heading. Two small ships came into view. The first was round and yellow. It seemed to have people crawling around on the outside of it and it was certainly pursuing the smaller red craft. [O - G04] Alien Ambush by Ryan McBryde, on FlickrHannibal first mistook the smaller craft for a Kawashita vessel, but dismissed that notion as unlikely based on their location far from Kawashita territory. It also seemed to be piloted by the garglely, lispy man screaming though the comm. Rockwell brought the Gadfly in fast, rotating to face all of his forward guns on the yellow ship, and blasted into the ships side. As debris splintered off, Rockwell continued to fire at the powerless sections of the ships hull. Those people were crawling around and jumping between the floating scrap. Dipping the Gadfly's nose, Rockwell gave his wife the opportunity to finish of the spacemen with her more precise array. Callahan - "Slavers, Mr. Hannibal. Constantly harassing our routes and, now, picking up the scraps of our people who are fleeing the Alien occupation forces. We don't have the numbers or resources to create successful convoys, and now that the fleet has moved in, we need safe havens to hide our people. We need Octan's help."
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Location: G09 - Greater Drigo Tags: civil, building Terrain: Spaceship interior Start of transmission #13. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - "Mr. Nole, can you hear me?" - "Mr. Nole, try to move your toes if you can hear me." - "Who is there? Who is talking to me? Dr. Long? Where am I? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Security camera footage: Axle's medical bay. - "Seems that he's not responding yet. What is the status?" - "Better. His recovery goes as planned. The brain is functioning well, and the body will heal. Data shows he was dreaming when you arrived." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- End of transmission #13.
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Location: Freegate - G02 Tags: Civil, Spaceship, Exploration Continued from last week... After introductions, Callahan turned back to the green man and barked some type of orders. What followed Hannibal surmised was a heated argument, followed by a begrudged acquiescence from the green man. Smoothly and quietly the circular formation lifted to reveal a steep tunnel down. Callahan - "The Merchant Confederation would be honored to open negotiations with one of Octan's executives. I can open a policy guaranteeing your safety for the duration of your visit, with the Octan Corporation and any of your heirs as beneficiaries. You have nothing to fear from us." Hannibal - "I did come down here to explore... "Mercy Brandy, proceed onto your next drop. I'll activate my beacon whenever I'm ready for a pick up. Out." After a longer than expected argument with his assistant, Hannibal follows the green man down the tunnel, flanked by Callahan. Along the way, Hannibal prods for more information about the Merchant Confederacy. Callahan - "We're a loose organization not unlike your corporations. Out here there is little need for such a strictly structured organization, such as yours, and we do not benefit from affiliation with any government. We've developed over time out of a mutual understanding between merchants, their markets, and their customers. We are hopeful to develop such an understanding with Octan, as well." Hannibal - "Without government affiliation, how did you acquire the technology to make the jump through the Gate?" Callahan - "Mr. Hannibal, we didn't come through the Gate. My people have been here for thousands of years. Subjugated as slaves to alien overlords. Experimented on, mutated, engineered. I may look familiar to you, and we are of the same species, but there are galaxies between us." [O - G02] Merchant Confederacy 1 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Hannibal's stomach sinks again and the tunnel opens up to a hangar full of aliens and humans alike. Immediately in front of him are more green men, but with elaborate red cloaks and golden weapons. Callahan - "These are our hosts. The Emboians of Freegate jealously guard any guests taken under their care, which is why they are not to happy to see you. We've got a lot of people here right now, so outsiders make them nervous." Hannibal - "Yeah, I'm not getting a great vibe from them... Why are so many of your people here as 'guests.'" Callahan - "We won't be here long, what I want to show you will require a short trip, but it will help you understand our situation, and why we need Octan." [O - G02] Merchant Confederacy 2 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Hannibal is unnerved by the stares of the hangar full of strange people as they make their way to the small starfighter in front of them. The Emboians are strange, as are the well dressed fish men to his right, but the more human looking aberrations are somehow more distracting. Callahan - "The M.C.S. Gadfly will take us closer to the core. I would have taken you in my own ship but it doesn't have the speed or defenses that this ship can give us, and I couldn't risk your crew following us." They board the Gadfly and leave the hangar with two humans as crew to the ship. Callahan, while open about the make up of his Merchant Confederacy, is reluctant to talk about their destination. C&C appreciated
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Location: Freegate - G02 Tags: Civil, Land Vehicle, Spaceship, Exploration While dropping supplies to mining startups on G02, Pilot John Hannibal noticed a strange circular formation on a glacier. Because Cantillon was already headed for the surface with OS-461, Hannibal decided to tag along with the Mercy Brandy's current land speeder to investigate the anomaly. There certainly appeared to be a man-made structure carved out of the ice and Hannibal circled around to get a closer look. When he did, he was "greeted" by some green-faced man, yelling in a foreign tongue orders Hannibal generally understood. Both stayed still, the green man with some sort of pike and Hannibal with a revolver he was not sure if the native had noticed. As the moment tensed, Hannibal caught the shadow of a ship coming overhead. Cantillon should not have the 461 in this sector. Hannibal risked angering the native to radio the Octan pilot. He didn't want to see the native killed, over such a simple misunderstanding. Cantillon - "Hannibal, I'm not in that sector but I'm on my way. Keep your comm open, the Mercy Brandy is coming in overhead." Hannibal stomach sinks. The mysterious ship drops in. The native doesn't move; eyes locked on Hannibal; pike back and ready to fly. [O - G02] Introduction to the Merchant Confederacy 3 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr A door on the far side of the ship opens and the pilot barks something at the native that releases his stance. He appears to be human, but the markings on his ship are neither Kawashita nor M.A.N.T.I.S. The pilot approaches. Hannibal remains silent, keeping the native within his field of vision. [O - G02] Introduction to the Merchant Confederacy 4 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Callahan (the pilot) - "I've called off my man. Please call off your own. They will be overhead soon and I mean you no harm." Hannibal - "OS-461, Mercy Brandy, standby, but keep the airspace clear." Callahan - "Thank you. My name is Bridge Callahan. I represent the shareholders of the Merchant Confederacy. Who might you be?" [O - G02] Introduction to the Merchant Confederacy 5 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr To be continued... The speeder and foliage was used in my Cat. B build, but I figured it wasn't scored so I could reuse it here. C&C greatly appreciated.
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[Challenge 2] [Cat B] Octan Extender-class medium tanker
LucasLaughing posted a topic in AG1 Archive
As Octan expands its reach into new parts of the galaxy and prepares to face an unknown menace, supply lines become more important than ever. Although large capitol-class ships are usually powered by exotic drives, technological and budgetary limits mean that most small to medium ships still run on some sort of liquid fuel. The Extender Medium Tanker is capable of refueling ships in orbit, using its ventral boom for large ships, or its port and starboard fuel pods for smaller ships. Although most of the interior is filled with fuel tanks, there's still plenty of room for the five crew members required to run the ship. Let's take a look inside! The crew ladder leads down into the engine room. The "Flow master" is tasked with keeping the ship's systems operating smoothly. Moving forward, we find the boom operator. Transferring fuel between two moving ships required a keen eye and a steady hand. The Traffic Control and Communication tech (seen below through an open hatch during training) is responsible for coordinating the refueling operations. The navigator must plot a safe path through space, taking into account the flight characteristics of both the tanker, and the ships that it will be refueling. Lu Caslaug-Hing is the navigator in the training rig you see below; Her role on the tanker will be her first mission back after she was seriously injured during an exploration mission. Last, but certainly not least, the pilot is responsible for keeping the ship level and steady as it flies just a few meters away from the ships it's refueling. In this simulator aboard the Axle, pilot, navigator and traffic control practice working together - preparing for dangerous missions ahead. We hope you've enjoyed this exclusive look inside Octan's newest tanker. Octan - energy for tomorrow, today. -
Alien build for Challenge 2 Cat. C Aboard the Zoid Slave Ship, "Queen Bee," members of the Merchant Confederacy have come to the aid of their captured comrades. Before freeing their friends, they must fight their way past the Zoid guards and navigate their way back to the holding pens. [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 1 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 2 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr "Lu. Route confirmed... proceed into the corridor and through the blast doors... Basti has access to the mainframe and will let you into the pens when you're ready. [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 3 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr "Guards are in play... [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 4 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr "2 in the corridor... [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 5 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 6 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr "Opening doors... [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 7 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr "2 just off the pens, behind the blast door... [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 8 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr "Looks like we've got some of the new guys in the pens... go ahead and release them... we'll send them on their way... [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 9 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr "Alright, Ludwig, we've got what we came for... I'll meet the survivors in the corridor and lead them to our shuttle... you bring up the rear... Bridge out. Hey, good lookin' ready. Need a ride?" [Challenge 2] [Cat. C] - 10 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr C&C welcomed and appreciated.
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Location: E02 - Jurin II Tags: Spaceship, Land Vehicle, Civil After crash landing on Jurin II, Pilot John Hannibal left his medic/mechanic/explorer droid Dora to scout the area while he was away. As she gives him a tour of all of her favorite discoveries, John and Dora come across two new colonists, the Jins, retrieving their freshly delivered frontier pod. Ma' Jin very happy to see John, who has been the majority investor in their colonization bid with Octan, and John is excited to get such a good look at his eager, and not-so-shy colonist. [O - E02] Pod Drop 2 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Ma' - "John! So lovely to see you, and you too Miss Dora. How sweet of you to come check up on us. George! John's here! Climb your butt back up here and say hi!" Dora - "HI MA'!" Hannibal - "No need for that Mrs. Jin, I can see that he's busy..." George - "John!? I'll be right up." Hannibal - "Stay put for a minute George, I've got to come down there anyway, my droid is tracking something she saw a couple of weeks ago, it must be down a little lower." Ma' - "Oh, that's very likely John. These trees grow so fast whatever you're looking for is likely to have been consumed by now. And call me Ma' you turkey, you're every bit of our family, like it or not" Hannibal - "Yes Ma'. Very possible, about the growth that is..." Ma' - "What was it you were looking for?" Hannibal - "More M.A.N.T.I.S. personnel I'm afraid. Been finding remnants of their patrols all over the lower levels. Dora says this one is particularly interesting." Ma' - "Oh, yes... our little scarecrow. He was like that when we scouted this place out last week. The locals said they were having some fun..." Hannibal - "Locals?" Ma' - "Oh, yes, our little octopus friends... George was able to figure out how to communicate with them through colors! He can really only understand their general emotions about a subject, but they were quite tickled by their little stunt with the fella down below." Hannibal - "Hm, well if it's all the same to y'all, I'd like to move y'all's pod a bit further away to be safe; wouldn't want any kiddos catching something from that corpse. Also, don't report in about your new friends just yet. The company's latest "retrievals" of xenological specimens have not been very peaceful... "O.T.C, "Mercy Brandy" where's our closest pick-up" Mercy Brandy - "OS-461, picking up his droid, about an hour from your location... need pick-up expedited?" [O - E02] OS-461 - 2 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Hannibal - "Negative. Send Cantillon along, but an hour will be fine. We're going to move Colonists 81815 and 81915 and their pod to sector RTMP-136 when they get here." Mercy Brandy - "Confirmed, something wrong with our drop." Hannibal - "Negative. Y'all nailed your spot, just have some new factors to account for." Mercy Brandy - "Roger that, we'll adjust our orbit to give you more time on the ground." Dora - "OOOO, wait-wait-wait, does Captain Cantillon have Mabel with him! I can't wait to share!" Mercy Brandy - "He does, Dora, and she's anxious to share with you too. Mercy Brandy out." Ma' - "But John, we've been scouting this sector for weeks. It's just lovely." Hannibal - "Don't worry Ma', it's still yours. RTMP-136 is... was one of my sectors... it borders this one and now both belongs to you and George." Ma' - "Oh, John we just couldn't!" Hannibal - "Stop it. Now lets help George get that pod secured..." C&C welcome and appreciated
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Location: G10 - Onix Tags: civil, building Terrain: Lava, Rocks Start of transmission #12. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Not only does Onix offer an unfriendly terrain, but the alien activity marker is stated as "intense" here. The planet is certainly offering challenges to us. Nevertheless, copper has to be mined, and the planet has to be explored. I'm not sure about the exploration part, but will certainly try to do my best in locating these ore deposits. But need to finish my lunch break first. The new version of Octan Terrain Analyzer is much smaller in scale and much easier to handle. And the results are quite interesting as well. The planet seem to contain a huge organics deposit under the nearby copper stratum. As we dig through copper, the biomass will be very easy to extract. Bad news though, are that there's only one such biomass deposit found... yet. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- End of transmission #12.
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Planet: Illustria Tags: Science Note: now may be as good a time as any to introduce Dr. Long's Lietmotif: Don't mind the cartoon character... "Log date 394, this is Dr. Danielle Long, recording from testing facility G+ L4D05 on the Axle over F04. Corporate has not yet sanctioned a field test of the Chekhov's Gauntlet, so today we will be performing another controlled test of teh Chekhov's Gauntlet prototype. Unfortunately many of the other other testing facilities capable of hosting this test are in use, so we have to use room G+ L4D05, which was damaged during the testing of the "Aperture Gun" which created a hole in the floor that nearly breached the hull. Fortunately the mishap ended up testing the durability of the Axle's inner shield. She endured marvelously. Test subject 24601 will be arriving shortly. He is a volunteer from Octan's galaxy-famous "work to reduce your prison sentence and learn valuable life-skills" program. Ah, the virtues of Octan's private prison system are too many to list. The subject has attempted to escape several times, but lately he's been on good behavior. Also he was our only choice. He will be arriving momentarily now. Dr. Long signing off in preparation for the experiment." "Ah... Here he comes now. Any potentially static-generating materials, or electricity conducting materials have been removed. That is a hideous plastic belt he is wearing. certainly not regulation." "OK, test subject 24601, today you will be testing the functionality of Octan's newest prototype weapon on the dummy over there. This is called "Chekhov's Gauntlet." Named after it's original designer, one of Octan's most brilliant defense specialists, Dr. Molotov Chekhov, who tragically died of spontaneous combustion before he could finish his final project: this. It is a completely organic glove, meant to resemble a typical vinyl glove, but with a very special property. This glove is capable of generating a massive burst of electricity due to a patented membrane potential generation process. All it needs is to be refreshed in a bath of a patented blend of electrolytes and sugars after extensive use. I perfected it after the good doctor's demise, and now it is in its final stages of testing. Once we have determined it works properly in a variety of environments, it will be mass produced and given to Octan's well trained security force, and those within the Corporation who wish to purchase it." "Umm... Hi." "OK, put this on and proceed to the testing chamber." "Ok. Once you are prepared, please raise your gloved hand. To activate the electricity firing function, please press your thumb to your pinky finger. Once you have done so, flick your middle finger at the target dummy. This will cause an electric arc to fire from your finger and hit the closest object to its trajectory. The arc will last only briefly, but would be lethal to a human. Are you ready to begin? Press A on the console beside you to talk. Not very talkative I see. Nod your head please, when you are ready to begin. Or jump, or something. Any signal will do." Worker: "Any particular reason we chose this room? The one next door was not in use. It doesn't have faulty electricity or a huge gash in the floor..." "I have my reasons. Now silence, I believe he just jumped slightly." "Excellent work! You really knocked that dummy out! Now we're going to lower the room temperature by 20 degrees to begin the "climate differentiation" portion of testing." "I don't think so." "WhAT?" "Oh, sorry... forgot to press A. I said: "I don't think so. I've been a prisoner of Octan for too long! All I did was steal a loaf of bread and kill the bread baker! And now you're telling me I've got Octan's new murder-tool on my hands? That's an opportunity I'm not going to pass up!" "Activate Membrane Potential Neutralizer." *Fzzzzt* "It's not working! Damnit! I knew we should have gone next door!" "Hosta la vista baby! I'm free!" "It works on door controls too! Add that to your report! Hahaha!" "It's been real, but I'm afraid our fun is up! Thanks for the glove, Miss whoever-you-are!" _________________________________________________________________________________________ Later. "This is Dr. Danielle Long. Due to recent concerns focused on the core, Corporate denied my field test request, but they accepted my request for a Spec-Ops training mission featuring novel variables... I needed the escape to appear real to the subject, so I did not inform my lab assistant of the true plan. He was certainly frightened by the prisoner's "escape." Nothing a brief session of corporate mandated counseling cannot fix up. Axle corridors G+ L4D01 through L4D09 were closed-off. Personnel in the immediate vicinity were informed of a possible "event," and were told to "Stay down if you go down, and wait for whatever event may occur to subside, and then immediately report the event." Escape Pod 20072011 has now been reported missing. Everything is going according to plan. There's always more than one way to skin a cat--trust me, I received an 100% before extra-credit in my college Anat&Phys course. I will get my field test, and Corporate will get their Spec-Ops training exercise. All is good and efficient aboard the O.C.S. Axle. Dr. Long Signing off." <<<<CONTINUED HERE>>>> _____________________________ Can you tell I like the Portal series? I was inspired to finally do a lab scene by Big Sal's awesome Labs every week! to contrast his though, everything went according to plan! ~Insectoid Aristocrat
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Location: E09 - Castral Tags: civil, land/water vehicle, exploration Terrain: Grass plains, Mountains Start of transmission #11. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I needed to return to Castral after getting this picture from security cam, so, here I am. Back on this duck-infected world. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- End of transmission #11.
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Location: Jurin II - E02 Tags: Exploration, spaceship Lu's Log - 02 Augustali 3815 I'm finally back on Jurin II. I found an artifact here about a month ago and I've been wanting to return to see what kind of progress the science team has made. The initial news is disappointing: after observing the artifact for several weeks, and watching at least three scorpion creatures pass into the field and slowly disappear, the science team sent in one of Dr Long's probes. Unfortunately, the field around the artifact reacted violently and disappeared, taking the artifact with it and injuring several team members. Not to worry, though; our engineers have upgraded a Mudskipper with an array of powerful sensors and magnetic field detectors. If there are any more artifacts in the area, we should be able to find them. I'm lucky enough to take this ship on it's maiden run and I'm looking forward to a day spent flying over beautiful oceans and islands. The cockpit is a bit cramped - the engineers had to run a lot of the wiring through the wall, but the team assures me that the equipment poses no danger to the pilot... ...despite several warning labels stating otherwise. Still, I'm not too worried about it - the engineering team knows what it's doing. And I - whoa - Note from Octan Administrator: at this point, a loud cracking noise is heard, and Ms Caslaug-Hing's audio log shuts off. The next few minutes have been reconstructed using the "Mudskipper's" cockpit voice recorder. 14:23:22 - Lu: What the [expletive redacted] was that? Did we hit something? CLAPPIE, I've got a ton of alarms going off - can you tell what's going on? 14:23:35 - CLAPPIE: Lu, it appears that the weight from the side-mounted scanning unit is damaging the main power conduit. Power levels are dropping rapidly. 14:23: 51 - Lu: Are you able to fix it? 14:23:56 - CLAPPIE: I'm afraid not. It's a mechanical problem, and I'm not yet able to interact with ordinary matter. 14:24:04 - Lu: Mudskipper 4 to JTC [Jurin Traffic Control] Maianday Maianday Maianday, I am losing power and multiple systems are shutting down, over. 14:24:15 - JTC: Mudskipper 4, JTC. Acknowledge your Maianday. Are you able to return to base, over? 14:24:25 - Lu: Negative, JTC. I think I'm going to have to ditch, over. 14:24:31 - JTC: Copy, Mudskipper. We have a fix on your beacon and - [loss of radio signal] 14:24:36 - Lu: [expletive redacted] We're coming in too fast - 14:24:52 - Onboard computer: Altitude low. Altitude low. 14:25:00 - CLAPPIE: [singing] We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when - 14:25:06 - Lu: Not helping, CLAPPIE. CLAPPIE: [singing] -but I know we'll meet again some sunny day... 14:25:18 - Onboard computer: Pull up! Pull up! CLAPPIE: [singing] KEEP SMILING THROUGH, JUST LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO - Lu: Aaaaaaah 14:25:25 - [sound of impact. Recording ends]
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Note: this was bound to happen eventually... Planet: F04-Illustria Tags: science, air/space vehicle, exploration //"Log date 387, this is Dr. Danielle Long, reporting from the Axle, in temporary orbit in sector F04, the planet designated Illustria. I received word early this morning that Corporate wants the Axle researching the reports of Alien activity in the core of the galaxy... they have postponed my endeavors to idiot-proofing our final prototype of the Chekhov's gauntlet in order to better prepare ourselves for whatever we discover therein. Comrade Commander was pleased to begin working on remote monitoring of the inner ring worlds, and now we will begin gathering data from our drones. I have requested that Bob of Quatrian oversee the piloting of an Sc214 Arial Observation Drone. I will attend his research gathering and direct him to ensure we observe the most valuable prospects. Dr. Long signing off."// Bob of Quatrian: "Hey, Danielle. Heard about your pet project getting tabled. That's rough." Dr. Long: "how did you know about--" Bob: "I used to be CEO for a bit. Hated the desk, but I've still got connections. So... you said you wanted me to pilot something for you? It's not another land vehicle is it?" Dr. Long: "No. It's a drone." Bob: "Aww. So that's why you set me up at a holo-desk." Dr. Long: "That is correct." Bob: "hah! Well, it's better than nothing! So, what'm I doing today?" Dr. Long: "we are going to be performing arial observation on an as-of-yet unexplored planet! Illustria waits beneath us." Bob: "Alright! So we're going to be the first? We're do we start?" Dr. Long: "hmm. I'm pleased that you're so enthusiastic. Well, we can start whenever you're ready. The drone is prepped to deploy once you sign in to your Holo-desk." Bob: "As you yourself used to say, ,Let us explore all these worlds we've gained access to, and better understand our universe and our place therein.'" Dr. Long: "Oh. You still remember that?.... anyways... let's get started." Bob: "Alright!" _______A little bit Later_______ Bob: "well the controls are pretty intuitive on this thing. Not bad maneuvering. I'd give it an A-." Dr. Long:"I was asking what you thought of the planet... Rocky cliffs... they seem weather-whipped. Not much foliage here. That's unfortunate. I do enjoy analyzing xeno-flora samples." Bob: "ha! I'm sure we'll find something!" Dr. Long: "yes. I'm sure we will. This is just a preliminary inspection anyways. Full planetary examination will follow. There, go over to that cliff... I think I saw something blue." Bob: "Ok, let's check it out!.. oh! Wait! What the blazes was that?!" Dr. Long: "Wow! It's going fast! Follow it! It looks... biomechanical.... Fascinating." Bob: "Alright... wow! It looks like it's trying to shake me!" Dr. Long: "Are you saying an Ace pilot like yourself can't catch it?" Bob: "Ha! You're on!" -----------Meanwhile, on the cliff where Dr. Long saw something Blue.------- Translated from a language of clicks, whistles, whirrs, and chirps... Zotaxian: "That was close... Good idea sending out a bug to distract it. What was that white thing? It didn't look like a native Alien of this planet..." Danny Longlegs: "a Human bot. I've seen their kind before. It belongs to one of the three human hives that arrived here not too long ago... considering the colour, I'd say it belongs to the hive that refers to herself as 'Saturated 8 carbon chain.'" Zotaxian: "what is her purpose? Does She seek to destroy the Halcyons?" Danny Longlegs: "We are the sentinels. We can never be too sure. Best to avoid contact with Her until we can better assess her intent." _____________ Yup. Here are the Zotaxians. A race of ancient planetary Nomads, protecting the hidden vestiges of their ancient civilization... and the secrets they hold. I'll provide more details on the species when I get some time. Also, yes, Dr. Long is kinda having fun. She needs a little de-stress here and there with an old friend. ~Insectoid Aristocrat
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Tags: Octan, Exploration, Land Vehicle Location: H08 - Sinden's Run Lu's Log: 26 Julali 3815 I'm a long way from home. We all are. The Milky Way, our home galaxy, is 2.5 million light years away and tonight, standing on the airless, rocky surface of an asteroid, I can feel the distance. We've been here a few days, field testing one of Octan's newest toys - the OEV 197 "Armadillo." Tricked out with several dozen cameras and sensors, a heavy duty drilling unit and a roomy interior for its crew of 3, the Armadillo is a sweet ride. This asteroid (RM8942b), part of the "Sinden's Run" belt, is an ideal testing ground, full of craters and cracks. It's just big enough to have 1/4th earth gravity, so if we have any 'steering anomalies' the vehicle wont get too banged up. Because there's no atmosphere, we wear bulky, bronzed colored space suits that seem like they're a few decades old, but they keep the air in and the cosmic rays out, so I can't complain. The other explorer and I head out to collect surface samples while our driver tests the drill. This crater is relatively young, less than 10,000 years old, so we're hoping there's awesomnium near the surface. With no atmosphere and a close horizon, night on the asteroid falls quickly. No sunset, maybe 30 seconds of dusk, and then it's pitch black. I carefully make my way back to the Armadillo. We'll head back to the Axle in a few days. Maybe I'll get a day or two off before heading out again to parts unknown. This is Lu, signing out.
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Location - Jurin II - E02 Tags - Building, Vehicle, Spaceship, Land Vehicle, Exploration After dropping a ship off on F02, Hannibal volunteers to run a delivery to E02. This beautiful planet has become extremely important to Octan and trade throughout the system. While Octan has maintained a strong presence on the planet, it has come to house a contingent of M.A.N.T.I.S. and many traders looking to capitalize on the border region. In fact, it is looking to become the nexus of the entire galaxy, being the linking point between Kawshita, M.A.N.T.I.S., and Octan (or at least the most hospitable one). [O - E02] LP - 4 2 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr Such a planet is a thing of beauty, where everything interconnects, civilizations may rise, and commerce can enlighten all. One difficulty in the development of this planet has been the vigorous growth of the local flora. The ocean, woven through the forests of the many islands, was early considered a ideal place for landing ships and cargo, as it is on Earth. However, every attempt at cutting runways or docks led to the forest "taking back" the land. Octan did have much success in the tree tops, building platforms well above ground. [O - E02] LP - 4 3 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr This practice was so successful and prevalent that many visitors to the planet had not even seen the ground below. After unloading their cargo, Hannibal calls in his busy droid, Dora, that he had left behind to explore the planet. Together, they head for the secret sectors of Jurin only surveyed by his faithful droid. [O - E02] LP - 4 4 by Ryan McBryde, on Flickr To be continued... C&C greatly appreciated.
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Location: H08 - Sinden's Run Tags: civil, engineer Terrain: Spaceship interior Start of transmission #10. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Dr. Long: "Welcome back from Castral." Wick Nole: "Always a pleasure." Dr. Long: "Your next destination is... Castral." Wick Nole: "Whoa?!?" Dr. Long: "Jedadiah is again troubled by this duck... that's the picture we've got from his hovercraft while you were going through G.A.T.E. Go there and check." Dr. Long: "But before you leave - let me show you the OS-21.2C you've ordered." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- End of transmission #10.
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Notes: This was supposed to be even bigger, with more Vignettes, and with a lot of photo-editing, but there was a heat wave that rendered my Attic unusable for more than a few minutes, and that's where my Lego collection resides. That said, enjoy! Planet: F02 (In orbit, aboard the Axle) Tags: Spaceship, Land Vehicle, Science (testing the walker) Henry: "Dr. Long, you sent for me?..." Dr. Long: "Hans-Heinrich Himmelmann, we need to talk." Henry: "Is this about that young engineer kid I kinda chased out of the Earthship I constructed? The kid was a menace. He'd a' messed it all up!" Dr. Long: "No... This is about more than that. You are aware that Octan employees are required to abide by certain common-sense rules, are you not?" Henry: "Oh boy... Yes. I'm aware of tha regulations." Dr. Long: "Then you are deliberately disobeying them. That's not what I wanted to hear. Let me show you something. Come over here." "Look into that holo-screen. We're in the O.C.S. Axle's control room. From here I can access all the security footage we gather from our innumerable cameras, corporation wide. I'll give you a glimpse, shall I?" H3: "That's really not necessa--" Dr. Long: "Here we have Engineering Bay Gplus-003, where one of your colleagues is testing out Octancorp's latest line of Mecha walkers. He'll have some adjustments to make, assuredly, but do you notice the smile on his face? He's enjoying keeping busy and the harmonious work-environment in which he finds himself. It says so right here in his file. We weren't even testing for that. As soon as he finishes his report on the prototype, we can begin manufacturing these walkers and sell them to customers, and use them for Octan's own interests. He fits in." H3: "I think I can see what you're getting a--" "And here we have Hangar Gn-606, where First Branch Executive, and acting CEO, John Hannibal is disembarking on a final mission from the Axle. Observe his purpose and unwavering dedication to Octan and his duties. He is doing his part for our great corporation." "Here you can see the exterior of my room where... oh Lord Business... I really have to talk to that kid." "Let's move on." "And here is Third Branch Executive Wick Nole. As much as he would have preferred to be out exploring our new galaxy, for the past few weeks he has been confined to our Med Ward. What do you think he spent his time doing? Do you think he got drunk every night to cope with his misfortune?" H3: "Let me guess, he di--" "I can show you that too." 3 Weeks ago. 2 Weeks ago. 1 Week ago. "You see... Octan functions best when its employees all... work together. When we accept events that occur to us, and move forward... together. The dilemma I face with you, when I'm informed by a subordinate that you savagely abused him, is that you are fully capable of working well. All of my observations, and the records in your file indicate that you have a high level of competency at what you do. I respect competency. It is one of the rarest traits in all mankind, to speak subjectively. The problem, however, is that you do not function well as part of the team. Your behavior is erratic and antisocial, and some of your habits are simply non-regulation. Do you think Octan would have missed such incidents as these?" Incident aboard Axle Report: H3 Vomit in Hallway. Incident on F02: H3 Verbally Harasses Software Developers. H3: "So that's why I was stationed there... Some of this feels a bit like a violation of human rights, I gotta say. Are you telling me you watch me every second of the day?" Dr. Long: "Yes. It's in your contract. Section 12, subsection 14, Line 7. Octan has every single room on the O.C.S. Axle watched, and the air ducts as well. This is a space ship, not a hotel, Mr. Himmelmenn. If something goes wrong we need to know immediately. I did not want to show you all of this, but you left me no choice. You attacked a colleague, Hans-Heinrich. As competent as you are, and as easily controlled through simpler means than this, I must do something, as your Branch Executive, to ensure that you behave. So... Next time I catch you drinking on the job, or with a blood alcohol concentration a drop above regulations, you will find yourself in a much more hostile work environment... after you undergo rehabilitation on one of the most dangerous planets in our control. Have I made myself clear? This is nothing personal. This is for your own good, and Octan's good. We must maintain a harmonious, orderly environment for our employees to truly thrive..." "So stay in line!" ______ //"Log Date: 380, this is Dr. Danielle Long. The Chekhov's Gauntlet is finally in early prototype stage. Human testing will begin in a week, if we don't experience any unexpected setbacks. Dr. Long signing off."// ~Insectoid Aristocrat
