Gateway One: First Dimensional Collective Starbase

RandomCommander

Drakador_Chaos Constable-Unknown put his bulky forearms behind his back - they could still be seen through his body. He accurately assumes a worried facial expression.

"We have encountered exactly ONE Type-X Universal threat like the entity that came through that tear in reality, and that was during an expansion effort in the 4th dimension. At the time, the rogue core Alpha-Alpha was still part of the Collective, and he was an invaluable asset to the offensive effort against this being. What makes it peculiar is that Type-X Universal threats are able to persuade Core-AI to insist that it is a friendly entity - this applied mostly to Explorer-Class AI. They appear to be more susceptible to internal anomalies than any other Class."

"Fortunately, not all of the Explorer-Class are that gullible. When the first Type-X universal threat we encountered continued to fuel itself at our expense - this one fed on thought and memory, which we could not stand for despite trying to talk it into finding alternative sustenance - Prime decided to strike first, and then the rest of the Collective followed up, with Alpha-Alpha and Wing-Pandora leading the offensives. Wing-Pandora was able to trace and maintain pathways in the timeline-matrix that were the most stable, and Alpha-Alpha manipulated those timeframes to do minor-yet-tactical insertions of massed forces to annihilate the embodiments of this Type-X Universal threat. The J-- Well... some other entity took notice and Window-Null initiated diplomatic relations to ensure that we knew what we were doing, and eventually convinced them to help eradicate the threat." The Avatar blinked and seemed to gesture in a way that the other party was supposed to know what they were talking about.

"This sort of Type-X Universal threat feeds on direct-current energy - batteries, anti-matter reactor cores, thermal dynamos, basically anything that supplies electronics with the necessary energy to function. The last Type-X Universal threat we faced had fed off of temporal energy, memories and mental life-energy - something our droneships and simulated Androids run on. The loss of either type of energy is not fatal, but it definitely cripples us, or even the most powerful of factions that harness it. Prime is not sure the same tactic will work twice - we don't know which layer or where within said layer they are based on, all we know is that they are chaotic in nature, live in a dimension possibly higher than the 6th, feed off of energy, and are assumed to have vessel-like forms, much akin to the Type-X threat we fought before. We speculate they do not significantly alter any of the dimensions that affect this universe to a degree of instability enough to warrant intervention of divine proportions."

Constable-Unknown compiled a list of what he just said to a more readable format -- with some redactions here and there -- and sent it to the archives on the Tigris cruiser the Corvus couple came out on. "In shorthand: my personal opinion is that the Collective hasn't enough information on this entity to warrant drastic measures until it is abundantly clear they are an active threat."

Drakador_Chaos

RandomCommander
...this time Hera sighed, Doran scratched his chin...
Doran: "Very well, we thank you for your understanding and help, we will return now and report what happened on our "business trip"."
Hera: "Urgh...bureaucracy..."
...Doran looked at her for a few moments and continued then...
Doran: "Aswell, send Juliet-Wonder our regards, the remaining DC vessels were a welcome distraction during our retreat, even if all of this didn´t run as planned."
They walked away and eventually entered the Cruiser again, the TATC ships left the docks and set course towards the TATC headquarters and disappeared....

Drakador_Chaos

RandomCommander
...the station picks up distant malevolent whispering, hundreds and thousands of voices, something is on the way here...

RandomCommander

Drakador_Chaos The three current Core-AI inhabitants of the Gateway One Station come together in the Station's dedicated holding dimension in the 5th Layer. Behind each Avatar was their respective Coreship, but a little bit smaller and with a lot less detail - they seem to be glowing with the same color as the Core-AI it holds inside.

Constable-Unknown, with a more official, armored look that makes his Avatar seem laminated with a sheen of light coming from an unknown source, addresses the Avatars: "...In simplification: Something with intent is coming through this sector. Suggestions?"

September-Rising's Avatar was mostly angular - an orthorhombic head with square eyes. His most notable feature seem to be a set of de-segmented polygons that seem to form wings on his back - though it looks more for decoration than practical use. "FORTRESS ALPHA'S RIFT-SYSTEMS ARE OPERATIONAL AND THE ASSAULT-CLASS STARBASE IS READY FOR DEPLOYMENT. I SUGGEST WE DEPLOY IT ALONGSIDE GATEWAY ONE."

Golden-Lampshade was smaller than the other two Avatars, though not by much. His Avatar seemed compact, a hexagonal body-type with a conic head and appendages folded into themselves to form what seem to be ridges on each side of his body, and the bottom part has a flat face rather than a point that most DC Avatars float on. There was only one eye, and it seemed focused elsewhere. "Faction signature = unsure, chance of hostile intent moderate. Suggest against deployment of Fortress Alpha. Hostile reaction expected to spike on appearance of unknown combat starbase."

"Response: The malevolent nature of the received microtransmissions suggest it necessary. In addition: Assault-Class Starbases are more mobile than any other Collective Installation, if it turns out we did not need it after all, we can send it somewhere else - preferably against the Rift Defenders in Theta Icoveo for a final offensive against Alpha-Alpha."

"THEN YOU ARE GIVING PERMISSION FOR CLOSE-RANGE DEPLOYMENT OF FORTRESS ALPHA?"

"Affirmative. Gateway One is currently our only main base of operations in this galaxy, and I'd rather not take any high risks of its destruction. Gateway Two is scheduled for deployment in the second galaxy, after all, so if Gateway One falls, Fortress Alpha would have to be repurposed - and I would rather have a dedicated military installation in Collective Territory."

"AGREED. I AM SIGNALING FOR EFFERVESCENT-BLADE TO DEPLOY FORTRESS ALPHA NEAR GATEWAY ONE."

Soon, an equally powerful disturbance is detected within a span of several hundred-thousand sectors - an extremely large rift-anomaly that is sure to grab the attention of many factions looking out for such events. Shadows seemed to form, and distort the space around a location nearby Gateway One. Soon a sihlouette formed, and with a loud, distorted roar of sorts, the first Assault-Class Starbase in 3D space started fading into existence from multiple points, miniature rifts opening and closing repeatingly and causing a sparkly effect as it formed. A menacing, cross-shaped station almost similar in size to Gateway One soon took form, black, red and grey paint decorating the exterior.

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

FORTRESS ALPHA HAS TRANSPORTED INTO EXISTENCE.

Gladiaxa

RandomCommander hoo, it's beautiful!

Drakador_Chaos

RandomCommander
...the stations sensors start picking up heat signatures in a far distance, the longer they waited the more heat signatures appeared on the screen until the stream started to stop at some point, no transmission were sent yet by whatever it was...

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.