Gateway One: First Dimensional Collective Starbase

RandomCommander

Drakador_Chaos More and more ships of both Assault- and Explorer-Classes begin appearing between the two stations.

Suddenly, a feeling of sorrow and sadness overwhelms all of the Collective. For but a brief moment, every ship, android and mechanical contraption linked to the Collective ceases to move as they contemplate... something sad. Constable-Unknown was first to snap out of it as he received an unknown transmission.

"Yes, my leader? Confirmation Required... Affirmative. Query: Which faction is-- Are you sure? I agree. As you wish."

"WHO IS IT THAT CONTACTED YOU?"

"To quote a Terran expression: 'You know damn well who it is.' We have orders to not engage unless they fire on us first."

"SHOULD I MOVE FORTRESS AL--?"

"Negative: Keep it here. No risk."

"'Bad feeling' intensity > Expected intensity."

Drakador_Chaos

RandomCommander
...a humongous Hunters Fleet eventually arrives at the perimeter of the station, unrest grew in the Core-AI´s as they stared in awe at the sheer mass of the ships, yet their orders did not allow them to engage combat, in the leading positions were several Maws and Warpiests, followed by every single known Hunters species, some actually unknown to this point, even an Abominate Heart seems to be with them...
image https://i.imgur.com/dPxLsdq.png

image https://i.imgur.com/LmdSpk1.png

image https://i.imgur.com/ltG1Sc8.png
(It goes on like that for a while.)
...despite their massive size and numbers they do not seem to take any interest in both the stations, slowly moving past them towards an unknown destination...

RandomCommander

Drakador_Chaos Despite orders to not engage, the Collective's numbers kept growing. Other Core-AI Assets were beginning to gather, but the orders were passed on to them, too, and so they only watched.

Constable-Unknown tries to track the Hunter fleet's movement and predict where they are headed, but some power from the sudden wave of sadness still remained within him, and so he aborted the process.

Yielding: As long as they do not engage, I find that I care not about their final destination.

Drakador_Chaos

RandomCommander
...eventually the fleet passed by the station, apparently without even taking notice of the station and the defenders and moved on...
...despite the abortion of the process the approximate traveling vector led through several other factions territories and then...there was nothing beyond the borders, the galaxy ended in the void of space, a considerate amount of lightyears to the next galaxy...
...something definitely seemed off but the fleet had passed by without even caring about their surroundings...

jbox1

An SC108 - Dungbeetle Freighter warps in, acompanied by a Lightning MK 2 and a Lightning MK 1. Their weapons are online. Active communications are present between the Dungbeetle Freighter and the Lightning MK 2, containing analytical data. They hail.

This is as much as we could fit onto the ship, so take your pick!

TRADE OFFERS AVAILABLE

Food

10 week ration packs (100 Credits each)
5 Sandviches (10 Credits each)
3 KG fresh fruit and vegetable (50 Credits each)

Hardware

2 Small FTL drives (3,000 Credits each)
1 Crew Bunk (250 Credits each)
3 Small Drone Cores (4000 Credits each)
1 Explosie Charge (2,000 Credits each)

Weaponry

1 Electro Bolt (3,000 Credits each)
3 Small Lasers (2,000 Credits each)
1 Scavanger Grade Poking Stick (2,000 Credits each)

RandomCommander

jbox1 The Station hails you - it must be the overseer, Constable-Unknown speaking.

/Transmission Start/
"Greetings, friend Scav-an-gers! We have expressed a particular interest in quite a few of your items for sale!"

"Ah.. but these... 'Credits...' we haven't exactly gotten a good estimate of what their value in this universe is. We can try to use this alien currency, though we much prefer a trade of items. Here are some things we feel you might be interested in..."
/Transmission End/

The Overseer sends a few packets of data regarding... trade offers of their own? They seem pretty expensive, but some of them are really interesting:

Non-functional Slipspace prototype (Unknown Credit Equivalent)

It seems this prototype is the only one that has managed to successfully cross the slipspace barrier and back, but on the return trip, the Collective observed that it had broken down, and every attempt to restore functionality has - for the most part - failed. The Collective are good at manufacturing and repair, but even then some things are just too broken down, even for them.

It is entirely possible this could help with the development of very basic Slipspace technology, making it cheaper to develop it!

Hollowed-out Explorer-Class Beacons [5] (81,000 Credit Equivalent Per)

The Collective seems to have an assortment of Beacons, which are armored transmitters in a dimensional level. However, these beacons (on sale, no less!) are stripped of most of the technology the DC have - plasma repeaters, Integrity fields, Bubble shields... but Drone Cores, a Drone Controller and a modified (using Microtech) Sensor array are built-in!

Original cost is estimated 108,000 Credits - the Collective must be off by 25%.

Plasma Cannons [4 S, 1 M] (5,000 CE Per Small, 15,000 CE Per Med)

Plasma cannons used by the Explorer-Class of DC Ships. What makes them pretty effective is that they only use energy, and do not require manned crew! This makes them pretty expensive, however.

You are going to need at least two of the smallest size to be able to reverse engineer and ultimately create the smallest available plasma cannon, which will unlock the ability to develop the larger sizes. Or you can just buy them here, cheap!

Trader-Class Defender Droneships [8] (49,850 CE Per 2)

...those are on sale? Really? Well, they have low technology for the Dimensional Collective, but these basic drones do a good job defending freighters with their array of electrobolts. They also seem to be retrofitted for civilian use - they are not attached to the network of drones that the Collective controls.

It's on a Buy-one-get-one-free basis.

The Overseer suggests the following trade:

4 10-week Ration packs
3 Small Drone Cores
Explosive Charge
Electro Bolt
Scavanger Grade Poking Stick

for

2 Defender Droneships
1000 Credits

You can take that deal, or you can try for another trade, though there's no telling what the Overseer thinks as a good or bad deal - he's not a Trader-class AI.

jbox1

RandomCommander DEAL!

RandomCommander

jbox1 ((How do you manage to format the text to be big and center-aligned like you had in your transaction deals?))

jbox1

RandomCommander Trade secret...

https://forum.cosmoteer.net/d/3514-getting-started-with-factions-guide/50

RandomCommander

jbox1 I'll have you know, The Explorer-Class specializes in making the unknown KNOWN.

---- ASSETS GAINED ----
+ 2 Retrofitted Light Defender Drones
+ 1,000 Credits
---- RESOURCES LOST ----
- 4 10 Week Ration Packs
- 3 Small Drone Cores
- 1 Explosive Charge
- 1 Electro Bolt
- 1 Scavanger Grade Poking Stick
---- DIPLOMATIC ACTIONS ----
Dimensional Collective status is now friendly

/Transmission Start/
"We thank you kindly for this trade and wish you a safe journey home. Your purchased drones are undocking now with orders to escort."
/Transmission End/

The New Scavangers are now in Excellent Standing with the Dimensional Collective.

[deleted]

Why do they hate Alpha-Alpha so much? He does the same thing, just differently.

RandomCommander

~~ROBOT POLITICS~~

The DC Fears Alpha-Alpha for his instability. The Fallen Rogues Leader is really damn good at his over-arching job, it's just that, sooner or later, it's all going to implode upon itself and the end result will be a lot worse for the galaxy.

OR SO THEY THINK. The Dimensional Collective have been wrong many times before (Ironically, they are currently incorrect more than half the time), so maybe Alpha-Alpha will get another chance at being a part of the Collective?

[deleted]

RandomCommander Üf
well I sure help nothing bad happens to him.

RandomCommander

A message was received about a dangerous virus being sent to locations across the galaxy, and the scientifically-inclined androids onboard Gateway One are hard at work at researching a possible cure for it. The Explorer-Class Core-AI Boundless-Vertex is also assigned there to assist Constable-Unknown with the research and synthesis of the cure.

RandomCommander

RandomCommander
Another message was received - this time from Fortress Alpha. All biological and/or civilian entities were to be hastily relocated before a certain freighter arrives. The DC formally apologize for any inconveniences caused for any factions that were trying to work together with Gateway One, and promise this worrying endeavor was for ensuring galactic stability... or something along those lines.

[deleted]

A frieghter arrives but this time it's not a mystery who it is, blah blah, it lands and the Doctor steps out.
His eyes turns green as he sees the security and AI awaiting his arrival, but as he notices the lack of anything else, his eyes turn pink and he glances around as if scanning the station.
Doctor: Where are all the Squishies? Do you not trust me?

RandomCommander

One of the androids turns to the Doctor.

"Squishies? You mean the... well, we had orders to either evacuate them or put them in a safe place under constant supervision. It came from the Assault-Class, they are pretty serious about security measures. Can you blame them? Assault-Class Androids and Droneships have the least life-expectancy since they constantly get into conflicts, so of course they are going to be over-protective..."

For an android, it talks in a rather human tone... and it's rambling, too.

[deleted]

RandomCommander
The Doctor smacks the Android in the face.

RandomCommander

A loud metal CLANG sounded as the doctor smacked the Android in the face.
"OW! What did I... Sorry, I talk a lot..."

[deleted]

RandomCommander
Oh, cool! These guys can feel pain...

RandomCommander

"Well, just a simulation. Or so I'm told. It's like I feel it, but it doesn't actually hurt... it's kind of an interesting thing that in my android body I can--"

So much as a suggestively hostile hand twitch and the android shuts right up.