Glowing Energy?

"Is that what that was?"

(OOC: I don't remember if Teresa was inside the circle or not.)

(OOC: Well the reason Thorgood contacted the University of Planet is because they have had interaction before.

Teresa was not inside the circle.)

"Your people do not have chalkcircle timewarp transport?"

Academician Zakharov accepts Doctor Thorgood's offer to meet on the Spotlight.

"We do not. We have a method of teleportation that is termed 'transporters' which break down matter into energy and reconstruct it but it is looked down on as barbaric to send a person into it. Would I be correct in assuming that upon completion of our mind link that I would be sent back? Kidnapping, even though it was not your intention, will be the assumption of what has happened to me. Combined with what had happened prior with the ships of our states, it would be likely, and most unfortunate, that we will declare war on your people wrongly."

"You can return now if you'd like. Though it was my impression that you wanted to perform a task that required physical presence. And our form of transport would be termed time travel by you, I believe. You are never broken down."

"I see." He then initiates the mind-meld.

Ambassador Eliza is, like the others, stunned by the sudden disappearance of the Jedi. Unlike the others, well maybe not the Gar"zhog, Eliza is relieved that the Hildenburen is gone. While the others are no doubt discussion the disappearance of the Jedi, the Ambassador approaches the Gar'zhog hoping to not be initially noticed by the others

"It is the desire of my government that we speak in private, when it is available for you to do so" Eliza says in almost a whisper. She smiles, a gesture possible wasted on the Gar"zhog. "There are things I believe we could discuss that are mutually beneficial to defeating our common enemy."

(OOC: Well I'll wait till you guys want to include me in the science part because I don't want to seem like the all-knowing godmodder)

(OOC: For clarity's sake, Panpan's character revealed to us what he learned from the Gar''zhog already, so you all do know this IC.)

The Burninites do not disturb Eliza. They seem busy trying to decide whether or not to tell the Rheans immediately that their Jedi was kidnapped, or to give it a few minutes hoping he'd show up again. Teresa is on for telling them now, Jenova for waiting with the 'no sense in worrying them overmuch' argument.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Zakharov shows up on the Spotlight, Thorgood gets right down to business.

"Well the easiest idea I think I've come up with so far is what I call the strange-matter-anti-invasion-cannon. I'm assuming that the aliens use the method of transport we've already observed on sensors for their fleets. So whenever a sensor net picks up an alien signal, we rig teleporters to dump strange matter all over it the moment it appears.

"All this would require is for all involved nations to upload a macro onto their sensor networks so our teleporters can hit them with strange matter over the largest possible area.

"However this is incomplete, because there are still parts of the galaxy they could invade from with no sensor coverage, and they might try to come with a different transport method. But it's a start. Have your people any ideas?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The mind meld with the Hildenburen is much less helpful than the one with the Gar''zhog. Although the Hildenburen are bipedal, their brains are apparently wired a bit differently. They're much more impressionistic and less literal, it would appear. The Hildenburen also have a big book of everything, but it's digital. The Hildenburen clearly recalls reading a bit of it about the Gar''zhog betrayal, which is to say that the Hildenburen were helping the Gar''zhog in some way, he recalls, when they, without explanation, attacked their helpers.

The Hildenburen views the Gar''zhog as excessively warlike. Views them as the scum of the Earth. Apparently the Hildenburen believe that they are winning the intergalactic war, though they couldn't do it without their hundreds of military alliances with other races. Most of those survive, but sometimes they do not. If they do not, which happens 43.87% of the time, the Hildenburen usually still succeed in repelling a Gar''zhog takeover of a galaxy, and take it for themselves.

Sarek, after learning this, finds himself back in the Craftworld, no sign of the Hildenburen.

Raising an eyebrow again upon returning, he calmly states what he learned from the Hildenburen. He then asks the Gar"zhog, "How did they exploit you, so to speak? From the Hildenburen viewpoint, you betrayed them after they helped you."

(OOC: Panpan, both believed that the Hildenburen are winning.)

Zakharov nodded, and said, "Interesting idea, certainly. Not unfeasible. However, my thought on this is that perhaps it may be a good idea to try to figure out how to create more attrition for these enemy forces in general. If we could force them to expend resources, but doing small but constant damage to them through perhaps a more spread out version of this method, and make it difficult for them to gain footholds, perhaps they may decide that fighting here is not of benefit to them."

(OOC: Fixed.)

Thorgood nods as well. "Though I'm not certain that both armies will come without support. It seems likely that one is slightly stronger than the other.

"My only problem with this tactic is that it leaves a lot to our assumptions, like that they will travel here with the same method, and that they will both come, and that we'll have enough strange matter sitting in stasis near the center of the galaxy to pull this off."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Gar''zhog takes a moment to think. "I do not recall the answer to your question," it says. This should be confirmed by Sarek's previous meld. "This event occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago. It may have been a history question at some point, but I do not recall."

"In any case, my commanding officer is calling for me to return to base with a report, so if you do not mind, I must go. The one called Eliza may stay for a moment after the rest go, if it likes."

Zakharov pondered briefly, and replied, "Perhaps a more general method could work? We could do friend or foe scans instead. Response time may be somewhat slower, but it should work on a more reliable basis than scanning engine signatures."

OOC: Assuming everyone has left, if not, this will happen it every has.

IC:

After waiting for the others to leave the room, Eliza approaches the Gar"zhog. "My people do not wish to end up slaves of a foreign empire. We see the Hildenburen as you do, an enemy with whom undoubtedly already knows much about us through their kidnapping of our people. If we're going to fight with you, my government and my peoples ask only that your provide us with all biological data on the Hildenburen themselves. We believe we can use such information to our advantage help in the coming battle."

"The old Earth Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu said, 'For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.' If the reasons for your fighting are so long ago that you have forgotten your very cause, perhaps it is time to cease these hostilities."

(OOC: Veridia you are diabolical )

Thorgood grins. "I hadn't thought of that. Someone will need to write a macro for all ships to upload that will cause their hyperdrives or whatever devices they use to emit a certain frequency that we'll designate as friend. For that, though, we'll need a tighter sensor grid.

"I think it's a start. I'm glad your people agree that there may be better nonmilitary solutions to this. In any case, if we agree in principle and agree to start working on this project, would your people mind writing the macro? I'll write the macro for our teleporters and call the other powers to see if they'll agree to the plan."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Gar''zhog shrugs at Sarek. "It is not I who remembers, nor is it I that must. Your Son may be correct, but this is the way things are. I must react to my situation."

The Gar''zhog squints suspiciously. It quickly gets over it, though. After all, it has nothing to lose granting this request. It activates one of the machines in its ship with one of its tentacles. It produces a book somewhere, which the Gar''zhog lifts and hands to Eliza. Or, tentacles to Eliza. Er...

In any case, the Gar''zhog ship disappears in a blue ball of energy once everyone has vacated the ship.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TO: All Spacefaring Races
FROM: Consul Jenova Incinerator, Burnination

The Burninite council believes that it is best that we should coordinate our efforts and tactics against any invaders to this galaxy, and we have picked up messages with similar content from some of your transmissions.

We suggest a meeting at the time and coordinates attached.

Sincerely,
Jenova Incinerator

[Attachment]

Eliza flips through the pages and is amazed that it is in legible script. Pleased, she requests to be sent back to her ships to report back to her government. She makes no mention of the book per say, and hopes that no one will ask questions before her request to teleport is granted. Given previous experiences, she assumes she'll be teleported almost before she can get the entire request out of her mouth.

TO: Consul Jenova Incinerator, Burnination
FROM: Hochmeister Paul III von Guelderlaand

Agreed. Unfortunately recent events has pushed all of my resources to their absolute edge and preparations for the coming invasion require my full attention. I will however send recently promoted Paladin Komtur Jager to represent the Ordenreich. He was the Knight Commander who led the Ordenreich fleets when our ships initially disappeared and he is the only one of our people who directly talked to these... Gar'zhog. He is supervising the defense of the Ordenreich core worlds and will be granted full authority by myself and the Ordenreich Council to make decisions and represent the Ordenreich at your meeting. I am sending him to your coordinates now. Good day Consul.

Fur Den Auftrag

To: Consul Jenova Incinerator, Burnination
From: Planetary Governor Pravin Lal, the Planetary Governate of Alpha Centauri

Greetings. We have received your message and believe that it is in the best interests of all parts of the galaxy to cooperate on this matter and create a plan to defend this galaxy from the encroaching extragalactic species. I am able to attend personally, alongside Commander Andreus Aaron, so that our interests are best represented and that any agreements made can be easily enforced.

Respectfully,
Pravin Lal

***

Zahkarov says, "No problem. I'll get the presentient algorithm writers on it immediately, I am sure it should not take too long for them to devise such a system."

TO: Burnation
FROM: Dominion of Veridia Prime

We can understand the necessity for cooperation given the current crisis. The Dominion shall send Triumvir Flavian Sabinu, Supreme Commander of Dominion Forces, to discuss with yourselves and other galactic species possible options of defense.

(OOC: Panpan? You passing?)

They take it up.

(OOC: OK, will respond after my micro final exam. Gonna be studying for it now.)