Playing the Game: Battletech/Celestial Forge SI

[BetweenTheLines]

To be fair, while the MC can get around it, when you have an implied industrial capacity of "yes" it is not a completely unreasonable concern for that to be known in the BT setting. I think it was brought up earlier on in Iron-Blooded Commander that if the Successor States got their hands on that it might lead to even more bloodshed. Everyone would be thinking that as long as they won completely only once, even if it involved normally inconceivable overextension and losses, then they could always rebuild. So the MC and her allies had to keep it relatively under wraps until they have built up enough for it to not matter. I can see similar thoughts from the Houses in this story too, if the MC is not able to head them off with the Greater Good first.

 

[GundamChief]

Update 2 - The Wood is a Beast

I said in the last update that I would be spending about two weeks on radio silence as I helped cut wood for my parents for the imminent transfer for my father.
It has been going slowly, and when it has gone, it has been HARD.

They are working him so hard before he leaves that he can barely physically help me do the work, which is not a one man job since there's logs thicker than your torso involved. When he is able to help me cut, we can only do enough for a tank of gas for one chainsaw, which is one chord of wood.

Then he has to leave and take care of things, leaving me to move literal tons of weight from one spot to another. We're nearly done thankfully, but we still have...4 or so chords to go. At this point, we just need to cut. He doesn't need to be here to help me move it, nor split and stack it. I can do that without him. So that's what we're doing. We got...four or so days to accomplish this, which with just cutting is doable.

So that's what's up with me. My back is stiff, and my right arm hates me.

As for the story, I wanted to see about getting at least three chapters posted on Patreon after the wood was done, but it, and my other stuff, has made it a chore to do. I'll have one chapter by the time I'm done, at least. sigh

Anyways, that's what's up. Soo you all next week when things really pick back up.

 

[Goodman65]

Take your time.

 

[GundamChief]

Architect Site 023, Phase Port, Arken Archipelago, Equator
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 20th, 2981 AD

I looked up at the ship that was a cruiser equivalent for the Architect species. The species were a race of centaurs that stood half again as tall as the human average. It showed as the innards were meant for a species that stood much taller than a man, and had no need for a seat as their cloven feet were able to grip the floor if gravity wasn't outright canceled.

The ship was a long diamond shaped rod. Possessing dimensions of three hundred and thirty five meters, by thirty three meters, by thirty three meters.

Shifts-with-Breeze managed to finally crack the system, and with it gained an absolute wealth of knowledge. We were now capable of producing a host of technologies that simply didn't exist in the games outside of cutscenes.

Anti-Gravity was a technology we possessed via the Covenant, but the Architects own technology was a magnitude more advanced in comparison. We could now design and build personal anti-gravity suits, or equip said technology on anything bigger. The power required for it to work was astounding, but doable with access to Ion cubes.

Tractor Beam technology was now ours as well, along with mind to machine interface suites that didn't require any but the most basic of bioware or cyberware, provided it was capable of communicating properly.

Weapons systems were also ours, and their weapons made anything the Covenant and Tau made look like toys. It was on the same playing field as the Necrons, with matter disintegration beams, and matter destabilization bombs. Somehow, the Architects learned how to program energy particles as one would a computer program, and whenever they fired these weapons, they would do things such as bend or turn at tight angles according the what the user requires of it. They could fire Omega Beams, and seeker bombs.

They didn't have much else in terms of weapons, but why would they need to?

Such a weapon system is far beyond my own personal ability to use. You are required to be a cyborg to even attempt to do so. Breeze can do it because of how their body functions, which is more or less similar enough to the Architects to pass as one. With a bit of work, Emma and Ariel could as well.

These were among the most readily available technologies. Quantum Computer programming, emergency teleportation systems, energy recharging systems, advanced power generation, and so on. We had gained so much.

Unfortunately, the other shoe dropped when I came to see what was required to build many of these things ourselves. To put it mildly? We can't. Well, Breeze could, but he would need access to the materials to do so, which requires at least twenty degrees of construction in order to provide.

We would need to cannibalize the other sites of materials to accomplish this, which I wasn't going to do, lest we inadvertently cause something to break we can't replace without Breeze there to use his repair magic.

A case of us not having the tools needed to make the tools, to make the tools, to make the tools, and so on, in order to make the technology.

Their metal is one thing. That's easy. The circuitry they wrote onto the molecular level? Nano-machines can fix that. Programming the metal? We could do that. Programming it so it can take itself apart and reassemble as needed? To be capable of forming any device or facility one needs all in one package? To make it so it can be added upon, and in turn made more efficient, and powerful, and function properly as it got bigger, and so on?

Yeah…no. We're not even close to that. We can do about…a third of that, but the rest is beyond us currently. I would need a damn perk that straight up cheats to make that possible without decades of research and development, even with our current technological capabilities and understanding.

Yet despite these benefits, the one thing I wanted more than anything from this space port, was access to the Phase Gate. To put it simply, Phase Gates are much like the jump gates of EVE online. Two are connected and allow instantaneous travel between the two locations. In Subnautica, Phase Gates were built in space by large ships that basically slow-boat into an unconnected system from one that was a part of the network.

Because of this, the Subnautica universe had an entire galaxy networked with Phase Gates.

The Architects had them as well, and they were much smaller and more powerful. They could also be built upon a planet as opposed to having to be built in deep space. This world had one, but due to it being from another universe, it had no second gate connected to it. Thus, it would lead to nowhere if activated.

That would change if this experiment worked.

"Are you ready Breeze?"

"I am ready."

The calmness in their tone reassured me. "Begin scanning, and activate the gate."

A Biosynth from the command research team nodded and began to actively scan the space where the gate would place itself. Breeze worked the ship's magic and soon the gate rose off of the ground and floated in mid-air.

Then it slowly charged up, green lights starting from the outside, going towards the center, faster and faster. The gate then began to shut down, but Breeze gave a sound like an angry porpoise, and forced it to work. It retarted the process and kept going beyond where it stopped before. The scanning finally picked up the device in action, and when the cover of the gate opened like feathers on a bird's wing, the gate activated completely.

The scanner, now having a full object before it in action, scanned it until it was completed.

"We got it! Shut it down!" I yelled.

A whistled replied, and the gate quickly began to shut down before closing. It stayed in place in the air instead of retracting.

In that moment, a star fell from the galaxy, and the forge reached out for it.

Spoiler: Clang!!!!

Regal Charisma (Code Geass) (400 CP)
You have charisma and social tact on par with Schneizel el Britannia. When speaking to others below your stations, your words inspire awe and obedience among personnel, citizens, and alike and when speaking to people on par with or above your station, your words make them think of you as useful, competent, and worthy of your station, granted you are doing your job or what your supposed to be doing. You also become a Master negotiator on par with the White Prince, becoming one of the best in the world, able to broker peace even when both parties hate one another to murderous degrees, or just to talk someone down from doing something rash. You could even manipulate others to do your bidding with a few sentences uttered by you with the right words and motivations.

I grunted as the rush of confidence came into my very being and shifted my sense of self. The training from my teachers from Dune had taught me how to utilize charisma to shift and persuade others to my needs and purposes. This new perk made all of that training suddenly become all the more dangerous.

I was able, though roughly, able to talk to others into seeing things in a way that benefited me. Spamming the Greater Good helped, but I had to be very precise in where and how I used it to get what I was looking to achieve.

Prince Schneizel had the gift of speaking in a way that made everyone shift how he wanted. If he were a Fallout character, it would easily be a Charisma statistic of ten, if not higher. He would be able talk an enemy into surrendering instead of simply having to kill them.

I now possess this capability, and given my goals, I will use them to their fullest.

Letting out a calming sigh, I focused myself and looked over the data. It was being quickly deciphered by multiple super computers, Emma, Ariel, and Breeze, all at once. Though I had no doubts the technology we had scanned would be cracked open, revealing its functions and secrets, I was surprised at how quickly it was occurring.

Looking over towards my companions, Emma was focused on her work, a slight pursing of her lips showing the amount of concentration she placed upon this endeavor. Ariel, in her new Subnautican styled robe with undersuit, was giddy, swaying left and right on her mechadendrites as the tablet in her hands hummed away. Her face possessed a happy smile, and her eyes were alit with hunger of knowledge, and literally alit from her cybernetic eyes showing her additional data in streams that were passing at speeds I wouldn't have been able to comprehend just one month ago.

I was merely a passenger for this moment, but it was important to see this achieved.

Twenty minutes of data reading, we reached our Eureka moment.

Emma grinned. "We are now able to construct Phase Gates."

Ariel cheered, and then leaned into the PDA turned woman, holding her shoulders as she rubbed her cheek against Emma's. Emma flushed from the close contact, and Ariel couldn't help herself.

My mind flashed back to that day.

---

Capital Habitat, Deep Kingdom of Subnautica, Leviathan's Trench
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 5th​, 2981 AD

As I passed through the doorway, I glanced about and saw the suppression systems ready to fire off if Ariel decided to get violent with Emma. Fortunately, Breeze was already at the Space Port site, so it wouldn't go from zero to one hundred in an instant.

The mechadendrites lowered Ariel into the doorway, her eyes taking in eyes with an excited gleam. All the technology and equipment being catalogued in her enhanced brain, which could be a cogitator for all I knew given how extensive her augmentations were beneath that curvaceous form.

"Welcome to the primary laboratory. All of the people here are at our disposal, and you will have a few others working with you, who are like yourself."

Hearing the footsteps besides me, I turned and saw Emma coming forth, her eyes locked onto the Tech Preist beside me. There was a dangerous gleam in those eyes. Calm outwardly, but ready to incinerate a threat on the spot.

"And here is one of them. Ariel…please say hello to Emma. Emma, this is the new arrival, Ariel."

Ariel turned and looked at Emma, and she was about to say hello until she froze. Her eyes shone with inner light as her sensors scanned Emma. I tensed, ready to act in an instant.

The scanning was complete, as was whatever else she was doing, and Ariel's eyes widened. Her mouth opened in what appeared to be….awe? Huh?

"You…are so CUTE!" Ariel squealed.

I blinked owlishly. As did Emma.

"...Excuse me?" Emma asked, clearly confused.

Ariel then turned to me, her face inches from mine, her eyes literally sparkling.

"You didn't tell me that Emma was a Machine Spirit given human form!" She shouted excitedly.

I blinked again, my mouth dropping in shock.

"…You can tell that?"

"Of course! I can see machine spirits thanks the holy blessed optic augmentations I have received. Machine Spirits have a rhythm that is unique to themselves alone. A more stable and regulated thrum of energy that coincides with the beat of the motive force. She has that same exact thrum within her body's nervous system!"

I gave that some thought, and nodded. I could probably…

I walked away for a moment towards a table and had the fabricator begin assembling the various parts I needed. Ariel looked Emma over like in a strange mix of Doctor and Mechanic, asking questions of her function, how she felt, her various physical senses, and more that I tuned out.

With the recent acquisition of Phineas and Ferb's perk, combined with Rick's smarts, my understanding of exotic particles from Fun in the Sun, and the understanding of the biology of my Biosynths, I was able to craft a modification to the Subnautica Scanner in three minutes.

I returned over, seeing Ariel…looking at Emma's teeth as Emma was pushed into a table, and Emma increasingly looking helpless, her eyes begging me to save her.

"Ariel! Let's test this real quick."

Hearing my words, she paused and looked at the Scanner in my hand. Pointing it at Emma, I pulled the trigger and the scan began. In addition to the nanites doing a scan of her physical body, it interacted with her on a quantum level. Rising into the higher dimensions where I knew those two twins would be residing.

Yes…I found that damn coin. I was very miffed.
Regardless if they were around or not, the scan was complete, and the data sent to a viewer on a wall that showed me Emma's body on all levels.

Including a few I didn't have before.

"So, which of these are you referring to?"

Ariel looked over the data, shivering with excitement, before looking at me.

"You just created a scanner that can see all these different dimensional axoms in a handful of minutes, that would have taken me…years to do…"

I blinked. "….yes."

She rushed me, once more in my face.

"Omnissiah preserve me~" she said in a sultry tone, her eyes…are they freaking HEARTS?!?

I heard Emma choke at the sight, her eyes comically wide, before they narrowed and her teeth gritted. Soon sparks began to literally fly around her, eyes looking murderous.

"…uh oh." I muttered.

---

I was brought out of the memory by another star falling.

Spoiler: Clang!

-Ceph Technology Tree (Crysis) (100CP)
Within this small vial is a delicate sample of a Ceph commander unit, once active but now 'dead'. The nanomachinery is still active at some level, but it acts without intelligence nor connection to the Ceph hivemind, making it relatively safe to handle. It's not exactly a gold mine of every possible Ceph technology, but studying it can yield tremendous advances.

I small vial appeared in my hand, and I held it tightly as I glared down at it.

I played all three of the Crysis games, so I was more than aware of what the Ceph were capable of. Even if only a small fraction of what I saw in the games could be replicated, it would be an incredible boost to everything I already possess. I need to get this back to the lab, and use caution with it lest it wakes up.

Suddenly, a strange sensation filled me, and I felt nausea as…something…I don't know what it is, but it felt like a hole suddenly was being made smaller. It lasted only a moment, but it left me very concerned.

Spoiler: Clang

Congratulations. You have reached a point few have. With the gifts you possess, you now have the means to change the world in a dramatic way. As such, the Celestial Forge is now going to lessen the number gifts you receive, at a third of the rate you had been receiving them. Fear not, for you can still gain more gifts, but no longer are you insufficiently capable without doing so on purpose, thus the gifts shall be sent to other otherworldly transients like yourself, who are in need. Go forth chosen one, and show the world what you can do!

I blinked at the message, and felt…relief, and displeasure.

No one liked having something taken away, but at least I am no longer having to worry about something random appearing beside me at an inconvenient time. I sighed, and placed the Ceph vial into my subspace inventory.

Glancing over the data, I immediately grinned as ideas on how to upsize the gate and how to allow civilian utility came to my mind. The universe of Cowboy Bebop came to mind, and my own original work that utilized this very concept.

Thanks to the scans we did of other sites, we can create a network of regional gates that would allow travel within a small area, between habitats, regions, and continents. With this gate, we can now create the same network across a solar system. A gate that takes you from one world to another within the same system, or to a space habitat built within an asteroid, or a manmade island-type colony. This same gate would allow us to also create gateways to other solar systems.

Much like the "X" universe.

I could push the technology to function much like the Stargates of "Stargate SG-1", but that would be prohibitively expensive in terms of material and power requirements. This gate is supposed to link to a gate in deep space, and it took enough energy to power 21st​ century North America for a month for just a few minutes of operation.

Better to keep it a lower tier instead. Architect gates were closer to the ancients in terms of capability, but I intended to keep it around Alterra levels instead. Cheaper and easier to manufacture and control.

"Local Gates, Regional Gates, World Gates, Solar Gates, and System Gates." I murmured.

Ariel, who had heard me, instantly understood what I meant.

"Oh! That's a great idea! It would certainly make transportation easier."

"I think if we set it up properly, we can do away with the vast amount of infrastructure one would need for ground cargo transportation, let alone ocean transportation. People would travel the roads, rails, or skies only if they want to. Planet to planet for people however would still require transportation on a shuttle or dropship, unless we can find a way to lower the amount of energy for that. Cargo might be doable with the Quantum Storage system, but the greater the distance, the less reliable it becomes."

Emma, Breeze and Ariel listened as my mind went a mile a minute as I worked out all of the angles of creating a Gate Network System. It was only due to Hive Engineer that I was able to multitask the project to the extent that I had in just a few moments, with all of Rick's brains to figure out the details.

"The amount of energy may be reduced if we utilized Hyperspace instead of an artificial wormhole." Breeze suggested.

Ariel looked a bit uncomfortable with the idea. "Back in my universe, the Warp, what called Hyperspace, was filled with predators that called it home. Though this is not my universe, I am not comfortable creating a doorway into that space without protections."

"There are likely creatures living in that space here as well, but nothing like the Daemons you faced. Space Kraken the size of ships is still not something I want to deal with though." I added.

Gazing upon the Architect Gate, I continued.

"Phase Gate pathways appear to have some artificiality to them, because when I saw it as Robin was traveling through, it appeared to be lined with solid plates of metal, blocking off something from beyond. It might just be the way it looked, but I get the feeling that Phase Gates used by humanity were more akin to flying through a tunnel of light as opposed to something the Architects made."

Emma nodded. "The pathway is merely a tunnel of light as you describe, and ships were designed with shield systems to prevent collision with the energy, as it would cause matter deconstruction via combustion of the atomic bonds."

Ariel nodded. "Geller fields is a must."

"Energy shield systems are easily done as a result of our scans of Architect technology, plus the variety of sources from the Star forge."

I stared a thousand yards into nothing as I thought before thinking out loud.

"It sounds like Phase Gates create an empty space to travel through by the connections of the two gates, which when inactive is as thin as a thread, but when active expands to the size needed for ships like the Aurora to pass through. It also sounds fuel intensive as hell."

Emma blinked, and after a moment nodded. "That is something my databank confirms."

"So, the version the Architect utilizes is likely the same, but better in some manner. Straight up blocking the energy the thread expanded itself through."

I paused, and then it hit me. Thank you Rick, you magnificent, drunken bastard.

"Quantum Fabrication."
"Huh?" Ariel said, as all three stared at me. Though Breeze appeared to have an inkling of where I had gone with this, as he studied the gates firsthand the most of everyone.

"The Fabrication technology of the Architects is superior to Alterra's in almost every way, as it capable of manipulating matter on the Pico Scale if not Femto scale. Alterra's technology is capable of doing it on the molecular and atomic scale, but on the subatomic scale, it has trouble because nano-fabrication affects only down to point one to point five nanometers. Architect Fabricators can affect items down to zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero one nano meters."

Emme's eyes widened, while Breeze nodded with a clicking noise. Ariel's eyes sparkled while sporting a gremlin-like grin.

"That said, humanity's Phase Gates likely used energy threads of exotic particles, probably quantum or anti-matter, to connect the two gates to one another, and expanded the thread like a balloon from both ends when an open signal is sent via the thread. For Architect gates however, given the level of manipulation they are capable of, they might have had an energy thread surrounded by some form of matter that itself expanded when energized. They have metal that breaks down to become devices and equipment on demand after all."

Emma and Breeze were collaborating what I said, checking their notes and data to see if this was even close to reality. I was pretty sure it was, but it never hurt to check. Ariel was helping, bouncing in place, her eyes full of scrolling data.

I grinned a bit, realizing that this was one of those rare moments of togetherness companions, friends had. With a thought, a drone took a picture for future memories.

---

Architect Site 023, Phase Port, Arken Archipelago, Equator
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 22nd​, 2981 AD

After a few days, with some modification, and use of Architect grade fabrication units, one of the ships was fully fueled with Ion Crystals, with a good amount of backups available in case we needed more. The Capsule Corp technology made carrying a single one-ton pallet of them in your pocket stupidly easy. Having an entire case of them, plus emergency equipment like an entire squadron of miniature Union dropships, and a Brigade of the best mechs you can have, and a ton of weapons and equipment for personal use, such as the special suit for myself.

I and the crew of twelve, including Breeze, Ariel, and Emma, were as ready as we could be.

"Captain, let's get this show on the road."

The Captain, a Biosynth name Roger B. Wilco…and god help me if that wasn't on purpose, saluted with a smile.

"Aye, aye my Sovereign."

He turned from me and towards his crew.

"All systems report. First Officer."

"Crew is all aboard and accounted for. Crew Holographic Interface and Communications systems are active. We are go."

"Navigation Officer."

"Flight computer system, void navigation programs, and course correction software is functioning. Hyperdrive navigation system is online. We are go."

"Helm Officer."

"Impulse Drive is fully active, and Hyperdrive is fueled and charged. We are go."

"Engineering Officer."

"Ionic Power Core is full and purring sir. Nanite Repair system is also full and ready. We are go."

"Life Support Officer."

"Atmospheric regulation is fully functional. Gravitational control is within human tolerance. We are go."

"Tactical Officer."

"Force Fields, one hundred percent and online. Countermeasures, online. Phased Graviton Disruptors are online. Singularity Bomb Launcher is online. Combat AI and guidance system is Online. Defense Grid systems are nominal, we are go."

"Communication Officer."

"Quantum Communications Link is established. Telemetry Feed is streaming optimally. We are go."

The Captain turned away from the crew and saluted me again.

"All systems are go. We are ready for launch. On your word Sovereign."

I nodded, enjoying the moment. "The word is given."
With a turn the Captain takes his place, sitting in the Captain's chair and staring ahead.

"Navigation, set a course for a system tour. Take us around all of the planets."

"Aye Captain, setting a course." And after a few minutes, it was done.

"Course set captain."

"Helm, takes us on that course if you would."

"Aye aye Captain!" the Helms Officer, the pilot basically, said with enthusiasm.

The ship hummed, starting low until it thrummed across the ship. The ship began to lift off the ground, and I held onto my chair arms, focused entirely on the forward view. The Space Port was below us now, and with a push of the throttle, the ship went from zero to escape velocity in moments.

The sky thundered as we flew into the sky, going through clouds at blinding speed, before finally leaving the atmosphere entirely. Everyone reacted in their own way. The crew remained professional, but they vibrated with energy as we left the bounds of the planet. Emma was cool, but pleased. Breeze treated this moment with respect, but was focused on control over various systems the Crew didn't have control over. Ariel simply smiled, enjoying everyone's reactions, despite it being a completely normal thing for her.

We flew around the orb that was Novo Franklin, taking in the blue oceans, the clouds, and continents that made up the land. I spotted the exact location of Subnautica, and realized how small it all was compared to even this perspective. To think such a small place can cause the waves I know it will. It also made me realize how little of the world I had changed in the short time I had been here.

I would need to start pushing. Soon.

I looked forward again as we left the pull of the planet and out into space to a distance of one hundred thousand miles.

"Optimal range reached Captain." Reported the Navigation officer.

"Good. Helm, Engage Hyperdrive. NV-One please."

"Aye Captain. Hang onto your butts!" the pilot crowed as he pressed the button.

Space in front the ship warped, and in a moment, we were flying through space at a high velocity. It only looked like we were traveling through…dark water of complete transparency, for only a moment.

One point eighty-seven seconds after it started, it was over. We traveled from Novo Franklin, the outermost planet in a hot star system, to the inner most planet, NV-One, a distance of four billion kilometers in its current orbit, in a near instant.

"What was our hyper-velocity?" I asked.

"According to the data…eight thousand, seven hundred and sixty times the speed of light. We can travel approximately…one light year per hour. The fuel consumption would allow us to travel for ten hours before we needed refueling."

I nodded, both impressed, happy, and already multitasking the many, many uses of this form of FTL.

"Very good. Carry on."

---

Comstar HPG Compound, Corealdas Port, Northern Continent
Novo Franklin, Periphery Space
January 22nd​, 2981 AD

Adepts Johnathan Waller and Jacob Bishop stared at the data screen, when it suddenly flashed.

"There it is again!" John said loudly.

"This is weird." Jacob replied, shaking his head in confusion.

An adept opened the door to the room crammed with computers and sensors, whose sole purpose was to send and read data through the jump point created by an HPG. Precentor Nyung followed after, walking directly towards the two.

"What is this anomaly that I'm being told about?" he demanded.

Adept Jacobs pulled up a noteputer and began to show the Precentor the data.

"Over the course of the last four hours, we have detected what appear to be emergence signatures over a dozen times."

Nyung's face paled. "What?!"

Jacob however held a hand up. "Peace Precentor! They're not jumpships! It's something else. And it's very strange."

Taking a calming breath, Nyung's gaze sharpened as he looked at the data and then at Jacob. "Explain."

"According to our sensors, these signatures are too small to be ships, but more along the same line as one made by the use of an HPG."

The sharp gaze became a confused frown. He looked more at the data, and did so again to confirm what he was looking at.

"I assume this has been checked by other sensors?"

"All that we have, and it has been the same over all of them. This data is correct."

The Precentor's expression shifted to befuddlement as he checked the data once more.

"And we haven't received any data from any incoming E.S.?"

"No, and it gets even stranger!" Jacob said, his tone betraying incredulity as he pressed a few buttons, showing a picture of the solar system, followed up by the appearance of yellow dots that correlated with the emergence signatures.

Nyung blinked slowly.

"What in the hell?..."

"All of the data from all of our equipment allowed us to triangulate where these events took place. They're over every single planet in the system, and the asteroid field."

"…that makes no sense."

"No, but that isn't even the strangest thing." Jacob said as he pushed a few more buttons, a look of confusion on his face.

The dots then had timestamps, followed by a line. Going from Novo Franklin…to NV-One. Then a bit later, from NV-One to NV-Two. Then from NV-two to NV-Three. It repeated this, showing a pattern.

Nyung's expression grew more and more incredulous, before he paused…and a thought entered his mind. The look of confusion morphed into a look of subtle realization, to a look of suspicion.

He stood up and stared deeply into Jacob's eyes. "Keep monitoring this. Write a report and once it's done and send it to me later."

Jacob blinked surprised before nodding.

Precentor Nyung stormed out of the room, and back to his office. Closing the door, a scowl covered his face.

"Sovereign! What the hell did you do!?" he snarled as he began to write out an order to make a call to the man in question.

A week ago, he met with him in this office, and now suddenly HPG pulses are appearing across the system when they never have before? With nothing in them but static?

There were so many thoughts clouding his mind, Nyung was only able to write out the order after a few minutes. He paused for a moment to calm himself down. He recited the litanies of faith he had learned upon entering the Blessed Order long ago, and upon repeating the seventh, he finally came down from the rage he had felt.

"…Perhaps I may be wrong…but who else could it be?" he grounded out as he passed his orders to the acolytes via his computer.

Sitting down, he meditated, breathing steadily to keep calming himself.

He rubbed his hands over his face, ridding himself of the itching that began on his chin and mouth. Always when he became hot in the blood, the need to rub or scratch his face out of anger arose.

With a final calming breath, his anger cooled down into a resolute frown.

"Alright. Let's see if the man continues to show integrity, and tells me what the hell he did."

---

Outer Asteroid Belt, Novo Franklin System, Periphery Space
January 22nd​, 2981 AD

I watched as the various space drones wandered in the void and scanned dozens of rocks of large sizes, showing their contents in great detail, and I grinned as several asteroids filled with high concentrations of nickle and iron were logged for future mining operations.

Suddenly a beep sounded from the communications console, and I glanced over. That wouldn't happen unless we were being called by home base.

The Communications officer looked at the data…and paled. I rose from my seat.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

The officer winced at my question, and slowly turned, looking like death walked over his grave.

"We just got a call from the ground my Sovereign. From Subnautica. A message sent by Comstar, from Precentor Nyung who asked, and I quote, 'Why the hell am I seeing Emergence Signatures across the system?', end quote."

I stared, and felt a star fall…

Spoiler: Clang!!

-Behind the Shadows (Honor Harrington) (200CP)

There is more to technology than just big booms, you know. Oh yes, you do. You are utterly incredible at all kinds of stealth based technologies. You can build up infrastructure and shipyards in total secrecy, with not a soul becoming aware, and the results tend to be some of the best cloaked and concealed ships and weapons in the galaxy. The spider drive, with all of the supporting tech needed for it, is only one of the examples of what you're capable of with this perk.

I blinked at the knowledge, which would have been really fucking useful before now, I bushed away with a thought as I summed up the situation.

"Fuck."

---

Author's Note

Wood is cut, but we didn't get all we wanted. Though we have enough to make it to March at least, provided the temperatures don't go below zero for a long period.

Anyways. Chapter 15 is on my Patreon now, and I am working on a few new stories. Mostly researching into making them work at the moment, but they are progressing.

My writing muse has been tuckered out by the physical labor though, so I need to regain my motivation, so chapters may be a bit slow over the next week or so as I rebuild that momentum.

Hope you enjoyed the Chapter.[/spoiler]

 

[Goodman65]

Welcome back. Thanks for the chapter.

 

[Mr_Anti_Depprezz]

TFTC
Welcome back CHIEF

 

[noobody77]

Why is he afraid of Comstar finding out? Who gives a shit they can't do jack about it.

 

[GundamChief]

Why is he afraid of Comstar finding out? Who gives a shit they can't do jack about it.

Click to shrink...

He's not, but he has a plan and he's trying not to deviate from it.

 

[Zai9000]

Why is he afraid of Comstar finding out? Who gives a shit they can't do jack about it.

Click to shrink...

Have you not read the previous chapters? he isn't afraid.

 

[vtkun]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Sceonn]

Weird plot that Comstar goes pale at the idea of Subnautica creating a jumpship within an hour centuries ago and yet suddenly thinking sending dropships to blockade the planet is a viable idea if not for logistical constrains. Like, isn't it simply obvious that if someone could build a jumpship they can build a warship? If they can build one in hours centuries ago they could probably build multiple more advanced ones within the same hour now with their stated technological progression?

Even more important, that Subnautica only remains on this one planet when they went to great lengths to hide themselves from Star League and yet remain aware of the current affairs of the Inner Sphere.

Then there's the discussion with the precentor of the Inner Sphere somehow capable of mustering enough naval power to subdue Subnautica. Not really enjoying the Comstar plot, half of them may be fanatic but they're not dumb.

 

[GundamChief]

Weird plot that Comstar goes pale at the idea of Subnautica creating a jumpship within an hour centuries ago and yet suddenly thinking sending dropships to blockade the planet is a viable idea if not for logistical constrains. Like, isn't it simply obvious that if someone could build a jumpship they can build a warship? If they can build one in hours centuries ago they could probably build multiple more advanced ones within the same hour now with their stated technological progression?

Even more important, that Subnautica only remains on this one planet when they went to great lengths to hide themselves from Star League and yet remain aware of the current affairs of the Inner Sphere.

Then there's the discussion with the precentor of the Inner Sphere somehow capable of mustering enough naval power to subdue Subnautica. Not really enjoying the Comstar plot, half of them may be fanatic but they're not dumb.

Click to shrink...

They were purposefully fooled into thinking that the fabrication technology was a recent invention. It wasn't something they had before that long ago, otherwise they would have been a massive power already. They believe that the ship was an Aquila class that they had when they first arrived all those centuries ago, refurbished for use in recon.

Given that they have no infrastructure in orbit around Novo Franklin, they are under the idea that they can't just leave. While they are aware of their fabrication capabilities, they still operate under Inner Sphere standards of how things are done, not realizing that Subnautican Tech no sells that entirely.

They are also under the impression that for all their capability, Subnautica is still mostly insular and only moderately aware of things in the greater sphere. This is addressed in a later chapter, if briefly.

Also...no, they are floating the idea of a naval force, but realize it would take far too long and too much cost to make it happen in the time they need, which was yesterday. They recently committed the "White Wings of Vandenberg" event for the Tirpitz Affair, so they are thinking lighter assets if anything.

which is why they are opting for the idea of convincing Subnautica to simply continue to hide themselves, or work with Comstar like many hidden worlds have.

Otherwise, they will see about erasing it from the maps, stating it is under quarantine or something, and prevent people from outright landing there anymore so they can then move in when they can with conventional operations.