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[forsaken1111]

Code: [Select]

Excavation smartfab reporting

Sensors indicate approaching lifeforms
Plasma weaponry detected

Smartfab worker drones taking hostile fire, request support

[Armok]

((um, so what do i find out from the two windows I opened last post?))

[Archangel]

"Send in reinforcements. First priority is defeat of the hostiles, Second priority is to capture some humans for questioning."

[forsaken1111]

BCC-014 is fully absorbed in it's graphs of the anomaly. So far it has discovered that the anomaly appears to be a sphere opaque to all radiation, and all mass inside having been destroyed. It seems to have first grown from nothing, then stayed the same for some time, and then grown again this time orders of magnitude faster. ((I handled this by PMs, just writing a summary here for other players))
BCC-014 brings up two new windows:- one showing records of the point where the anomaly first appeared according to calculations, in slow motion, and zoomed to fit.- one that, using billions of data points from obscured galaxies rather than just a few from stars, smoothly graps the anomaly's radius over time.

Your data indicates that the phenomenon came into existence at the exact point where Unknown Event 2E616 was observed, an unusual increase in a star's luminosity which lasted 17 years and ended 3 weeks prior to the anomaly's appearance.

Your second window shows that the anomalous region grew very quickly across a large volume of space, then stopped for no apparent reason before expanding again extremely quickly and then stabilizing.

"Send in reinforcements. First priority is defeat of the hostiles, Second priority is to capture some humans for questioning."

"BattleComp Online - Requesting weapons-free for ship main guns."

CompCent does not reply or comment.

[Archangel]

"Permission to use all but the main cannon granted."

[forsaken1111]

There is a long silence, then BattleComp says, "Acknowledged."

Code: [Select]

BattleComp reporting

Activating main weapons array

Acquiring target...

ERROR - Unknown emissions detected
ERROR - Unknown emissions detected
ERROR - Unknown emissions detected

Sensor failure detected

Autotargeting initiated - Bombardment Pattern

...

Area neutralized
"BattleComp reporting, hostiles neutralized."

[wolfchild]

Scan for hostiles futhur affield, if detected, you are authorised to use maximum force

[forsaken1111]

BattleComp: "More lifeforms detected beyond effective range of main weapons array. Scans indicate the humans are erecting a military base of operations."

CompCent: "Cease hostilities. Standing orders are to attempt communication even in the face of hostility and agression."

BattleComp: "BattleComp offline."

[Armok]

"Ok, I have revived the data and I think it is time for a preliminary report and summary:
The Anomaly:
The anomaly appears to have originated here"
BCC points to a screen showing the star that flared before, where it points a black sphere starts growing from where he points on the star, gobbling it up and then soon thereafter the planets.
"There is nothing of any kind escaping this sphere, not even gravity, which suggests the objects are destroyed. However, later data as we will see indicates that there likely at least exist exceptions to that."

The view on the screen zooms out, and the stars are dimmed while the the background galaxies are enchanted, resulting in an uniform speckled grey. a perfect circle of pure blackness spreads out from the anomalous stars, darkening everything ominously. Then, suddenly, it stops, and the only thing that lets you tell the recording wasn't simply paused is the time stamp in the corner. Then, suddenly, the blackness pops to about 1/5th bigger, and then is motionless again. then the entire screen turns black as the ship entered hyperspace.
"over the course of 6 days the anomaly grew to a radius of 132 lightyears, then it stopped instantly for about 24 hours, after which it grew to 158 lightyears in radius over the source of 20 minutes.

It goes without saying that things of this nature almost certainly are caused by an intelligence. And the way in which it stopped and then resumed indicates whoever created it are still alive inside and can control the process.
However, as the anomaly was observed by visible light, it would have occurred over a millennia ago. FTL communications on record show no reports of any anomaly. This apparent paradox will be my next area of inquiry. " BCC turns the window away from the rest of the subprocceses indicating the end of the presentation, and goes back to study.

it brings up windows showing:
 - all known FTL phenomena.
 - search for any data on life arising in stars.
 - search for anything known about time travel technology.

[dragnar]

"We know that whatever the anomaly is, it has not killed the species living inside, because they are still alive hundreds of years later. We also know that during the time of the anomaly the humans struck a decisive blow against their enemies in this region. CompCont mentioned the blow was a new sort of displacement weapon. Hmm...

CompCent, which empire, Human or Thrane, was located closest to the anomaly? What if the humans found some way to use the mass of the initial star to fuel a mass teleportation of a large chunk of their enemies out of the area? They would be able to crush those left behind, then regroup before reversing the teleport to  do the same to the rest of the Thrane. Of course, this theory only works if the majority of the overlap is within Thrane space."

[dragnar]

"Also, I just remembered that BCC constructed a large number of small recon drones. Send those out to try and get more data on our surroundings."

[Phantom]

(Oh god oh god oh god oh god THE HUMANS ALREADY MADE XCOM. THE ONES WITH POWER SUITS.)
"Oh dear. Is smartfab still operational? If not, prep one for another mining operation but don't send it outside yet. If yes, bring the current one inside. It's just gonna get shot at more."

[Kashyyk]

"No," Soleroi says, his attire shifting to military DPM, "keep Smartfab there, we need the material. Give it a number of armed drones an an escort, and if we have the 'flatpack' ability (similar to how Smartfab was stored), erect stationary anti-personnel defence systems in Smartfab's vicinity."

[Armok]

Without a word, BCC runs a search, opens a window, and throws it in the general direction of the tacticians.It is the design file for a combat drone. basicaly, it's a BFG with legs and wings, about 5kg. Looks like a backwards dragonfly. Extremely fast and agile, and with good camouflage. Best of all, it is small and easy to mass produce using current resources. There are links in the file to different models in the series using different weapons and specializations.

[Kashyyk]

Catching the window, Soleroi scans it. "Perfect. CompCent, My suggestion is a small number, say 4, combat drones equipped with high calibre, rapid fire weapons with a large magazine. These will provide covering fire from entrenched positions around smartfab, while a larger group, say 12, drones equipped with high accuracy single shot weapons to eliminate opposing personnel when pinned by the 4 entrenched drones. there should also be approx. 4 Drones equipped with high explosive, armour piercing weapons, designed for neutralising armoured vehicles. These 20 drones form a squad. A squad should be stationed with smartfab as guards, while 3 more are kept on ship as both reinforcements and mobile strike forces."