The Return of Malfeas IC

[horus42]

The four of you are standing on the bridge of Watson's ship, along with the squad of Dragon-Blooded commandos, being briefed by your new commanding officer, a Full Moon Caste Lunar: Commander Tarkas. The Thark stands over nearly everyone in the room, with the exception of Passionate Defender of Orthodoxy, and all four arms are crossed over his broad chest.

Despite his large stature and commanding nature, he's actually quite soft spoken in normal speech. "Men, the Empire is facing its greatest threat since the end of The Malfean War. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how serious this is. All we know now is that Malfeas has returned, and he's destroying worlds. He isn't destroying everything in his path, only specific planets. They've reported being attacked by demons, before all contact is lost. Do we have any questions?"

[Perdue]

Siku is listening attentively to what the commander had to say. His eyes glance to the other people in the room for a moment and back at the commander.

"Is there any patterns to the destruction of these planets compared to the others?"

[sun_tzu]

Major Berger looked around her. The armored redhead was still trying to get a feel for the situation - since her exaltation, it was harder to predict how the brass would handle her.
"What sort of fleet does the Stellar Intelligence have at its disposal, sir?"

[Maugan Ra]

Watson, a slender looking man with golden eyes, grinned slightly and nodded his new teammates. Hearing the Major's question, he turned back to the Commander.

"I'd like to know that too. The Mercury is a fine ship with a fine crew, but it's always good to know what we might be getting into before I have to outfly them."

[horus42]

Commander Tarkas shrugs with his upper pair of arms. "The only discernible pattern is that the planets report large-scale demonic attacks on a single target before Malfeas destroys them. Some are important, heavily-populated worlds, others are backwater moons with only a few million colonists. Some aren't even controlled by The Empire, so it can't just be revenge for his imprisonment. Our best intelligence at this point suggests that Malfeas is searching for something. Something he didn't have in the last war.

As for his fleet, it rivals our own in size. Tens of thousands of Capital Ships, hundreds of thousands of smaller warships, millions of personal fighters, untold billions of foot-soldiers. Simply put, this is a war that we might not win."

The Thark turns his attention to towering Alchemical. "How much aid can we expect from Autocthon? Having another Stellar Intelligence take the field on our side could really turn the tide in our favor."

[JollyChris]

Passionate Defender of Orthodoxy towering over everyone else in the room looks down uncomfortably at the Lunar Commander unused to the lack of a soulgem in his face. "Autocthon probably isn't aware of Malfeas return. Yugash was sent ahead to scout and prepare for Autocthon's return as such communication is difficult to establish and maintain." He pauses carefully considering his words "When i left our leaders were still disagreeing on how Yugash should respond. I couldn't stand by and let Malfeas grow in strength while they pointlessly argued so i came here to fight. If you can provide evidence that Malfeas is looking for something that will make him stronger that should force them to respond."

[sun_tzu]

"Then that should probably be one of our strategic priorities," said major Berger. "Autochton joining the war effort could turn the tide of the war." She paused. "It has been said that tactics win battles, strategies win campaigns, and logistics win wars. Do we know what resources Malfeas's army is most dependent on, and which of those we could cut off?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Well, let's see about obtaining some useful information then."

With that, Watson holds out a hand, positioning it as though he was holding up a tiny insect. A moment later, he is, a small green arachnid seemingly formed out of solidified light taking form balanced between his fingers.

"What is Malfeas directing it's forces in search of." he says to it softly. The spider shimmers and disappears once more as Watson turns to look at the rest of the group.

"The Celestial Mountain is fantastically well informed. Malfeas is a Steller Intelligence, but it still has to communicate with it's ships, and my colleagues overhear everything. And I do mean everything. You just have to know the raw data you're looking for."

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Making use of Efficient Secetary Technique. Provides the exact answer to one question I ask, so long as it can be expressed in factual answers and not something like intent. So the spider should be able to get access to the identification of whatever Malfeas is searching for.

It's a wonderful little technique.

[horus42]

Commander Tarkas nods. "I'll send word to my superiors, and have them negotiate with the followers of Autocthon, see what they can do. As for Malfeas' fleet, they take everything they need from the surrounding worlds, but like an army, cutting them off from food and water is the best way to shut them down."

After a few moments, the holographic spider returns to Watson's hand. "Malfeas is searching for a set of schematics and code that were scattered after the last Malfean war."

[sun_tzu]

"That's a handy skill," Berger observed. "Although additional data would be good. What are these codes and schematics for? Allowing the rest of the Stellar Intelligences to return? Something else?"

[JollyChris]

"Hmm make sure you mention those codes when speaking Yugash. They may have more information on them."

[horus42]

"We'll make finding that out our first priority." Said Commander Tarkas.

[JollyChris]

"So commander what are our orders?" Defender says eagerly.

[horus42]

"We find Malfeas' next target, and see if we can't intercept that data. Mr. Watson, pull up the Star Chart."

[Maugan Ra]

"Aye, sir." Watson replies, striding over to a control console and tapping in a series of commands. He continues speaking as he works. "Unfortunately, chances are that Malfeas itself doesn't know what the schematics are for. If it knew, we'd know. It probably found the first part somewhere, recognized the inherent value and set about piecing the rest of it together."

With a faint shimmer, a map of the galaxy appears in the centre of the bridge. Every world known to man is marked on it, with considerable amounts of information on each available on each icon. With a swift gesture, the Sidereal marks in glowing scarlet the worlds that Malfeas has destroyed so far. A few moment's contemplating, and he narrows the viewpoint down to a particular world.

"There. That's the next world that Malfeas intends to target which I can get us to first."

Spoiler

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Will make use of Efficient Secetary technique again if needed to find the exact planet.

[horus42]

The commander gasps, clearly taken by surprise. "That's Barsoom... That's my homeworld..." He straightens up to his full height, and shouts. "Get me Admiral Harshaw on the horn. We need to let the fleet know. Mr. Watson, set course for Barsoom."

[Maugan Ra]

"Very well sir. Ladies and Gentlemen," Watson says, speaking to the bridge and everyone in it, his new team and the dragon-blooded commandos in particular. "I am about to break the laws of physics for our convenience. Please, whatever you do, no one touch the controls while we're in flight, and no one attempt to exit the ship."

He spins on one foot and marches into the centre of the bridge, snapping orders to the crew around him as he goes. They fall into a well practiced routine with the ease that speaks of superior training and experience - the Sidereal clearly only accepts the best on his ship. As he reaches the pilot's seat, Watson begins to glow. At first it is a subtle thing, a barely noticeable outline, but it continues to expand until the entire room is bathed in brilliant yellow light. You notice the movements of the crew have sped up, limbs flying over the control panels far faster than any mortal should be able to move. And outside the window, space begins to bend.

Before everyone's eyes, the black void of space turns blue, and then a pure, featureless white. The Mercury rockets forwards, hurling itself into the pale abyss with what might almost be eagerness. As astrological calculations dance in hologram form throughout the bridge, James Watson spins his chair around to regard the rest of you, the intricate sign of his caste glowing on his brow.

"Normally, this trip would take about thirty six hours, but that would be too late. So I bent space in half to create our very own Dragon Line and half the distance, which explains the light show." he explains, indicating the white void outside the windows. "And then I sort of ignored inertia and acceleration to triple our top speed. We'll be arriving in low orbit around our target in about six hours. I intend to put the Mercury into a stable orbit and meet you in the shuttle bay. I don't know exactly how long we'll have before Malfean forces arrive, but it should be a decent length of time."

Spoiler

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Right. Using the following charms:
- Efficient Secetary Technique, to gather the answer to the question 'Where in the Barsoom system are the schematics we seek located. 2 motes.
- Mirror-shattering Method to turn the world white and double our speed as we move outside of reality. As a helpful side-effect, this ability renders us immune to anything inside reality, thus allowing us to, say, take a shortcut through a black hole. 5 motes.
- Ten motes to activate my anima power and triple our travelling speed.
- Four motes, one willpower to use the Auspicious Sail Excellency at full power. This automatically turns every dice in the pool I roll to a success. In this case, that's at least eleven successes, which I expect should be sufficient to bring us out of totally-not-hyperspace as close to the target as is remotely safe.

[sun_tzu]

"You're saving us 30 hours," said major Berger, with a small smile. "That might make all the difference in the world for the people of Barsoom."
She turned around. "Commander Tarkas, what defenses does Barsoom have at its disposal?"

[horus42]

Watson:

Spoiler

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A patter spider appears to answer your question: "In a manse, located in the ruins of the city of Warhoon"

Commander Tarkas turns to Berger. "We have a group of small defensive fleets, but all of the tribes don't often cooperate. Nowhere near enough to turn back Malfeas' entire fleet."

[sun_tzu]

Watson:

Spoiler

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A patter spider appears to answer your question: "In a manse, located in the ruins of the city of Warhoon"

Commander Tarkas turns to Berger. "We have a group of small defensive fleets, but all of the tribes don't often cooperate. Nowhere near enough to turn back Malfeas' entire fleet."

Berger nodded. "Well, we have several hours to prepare. Anything you can tell us about Barsoom could be of use, commander." And hopefully, there will still BE a Barsoom once the dust settles. How many people live there? We can't allow Malfeas to wipe out billions...

[horus42]

"It's not a very heavily populated world, only a few hundred million Tharks are left alive. There are plenty of places for the schematics to be hiding, since before the Cataclysm, we used to be a much more important world, so Barsoom is covered in ruins. There are dozens of small tribes who are almost always at war with each other over resources, and we don't get much Imperial attention, since we're a frontier planet."

[Maugan Ra]

"The schematics are in Warhoon." Watson notes. "In a ruined manse, to be specific. The Mercury can't enter the atmosphere... well, it could, but not without some spectacular flying and a lot of collateral damage... but I'm going to bring us in overhead and launch the shuttle rapidly."

He sits back and smiles. "And since we can't really stop Malfeas from destroying the world with force, let's use bait. Retrieve the schematics, retreat to the Mercury, call him up and gloat about it. It does have the disadvantage of getting an angry planet-sized super being angry at us... but he won't be going after Barsoom."

[sun_tzu]

"Sounds like a plan to me," said Berger. "Commander, on the admittedly major assumption that we do manage to retrieve the schematics and taunt Malfeas, would it theoretically be possible to thusly bait what armies he sends after us into a trap?"

[JollyChris]

"Baiting a planet sized being into chasing us sounds like exactly the sought of thing to get me a lecture from my vats crew." He says with an eager smile. "Does the Imperial Navy have enough ships to even hurt Malfeas? In Autochthonia it's said that only the exalted could stop the Stellar Intelligences."

[Maugan Ra]

"Yes, and I'm not supposed to break physics like this without submitting an application form days in advance. I tend to find that if you succeed, the lectures have a way of not actually occurring." Watson says, waving off the idea of official censure in dismissive fashion. "That said, hurting a Steller Intelligence isn't an easy thing to do. They're ridiculously powerful, both in essence terms and a regular physical sense. Plus, they're smart. I mean, I have a quantum computer in my head for searching the data archives, but those things make such levels look like child's play."

He shrugs. "Still, you shoot something in what passes for it's face enough times, and it will die. Explosives help. I'm sure there's several teams of my comrades going over everything they know about how to kill these things right now. Start by saving the world... possibly plural... First, I reckon."

[sun_tzu]

"Baiting a planet sized being into chasing us sounds like exactly the sought of thing to get me a lecture from my vats crew." He says with an eager smile. "Does the Imperial Navy have enough ships to even hurt Malfeas? In Autochthonia it's said that only the exalted could stop the Stellar Intelligences."

"The Imperial Navy has exalts," Berger pointed out. "Additionally, back in the war, there were multiple Stellar Intelligences. This time, hopefully, Malfeas is alone...and I doubt even it can stand up to the entire galaxy on its own. Malfeas needs its armies, like any other would-be conqueror."

[Maugan Ra]

"And back in the War, the Empire was massively larger. Stronger. Maybe not better, but still. You really have no idea." Watson taps a few controls, and the holographic map display changes to show a map of the Central Empire. Over it, he imposes an outline of the Imperial Empire-that-was. The difference in scale is staggering - the former could fit into the latter a half dozen times and still leave room to spare, at the least.

"I wanted to fix this, you know, once upon a time." Watson says wistfully, staring up at the map, and you are forcefully reminded that he is likely much older than his youthful appearance indicates. "A lot of us do, when we first learn about the past and take up our duties. And the vast majority eventually learn better, and strive to keep things from getting any worse. The ones that don't tend to die, or burn out trying to do the impossible."

[sun_tzu]

"And back in the War, the Empire was massively larger. Stronger. Maybe not better, but still. You really have no idea." Watson taps a few controls, and the holographic map display changes to show a map of the Central Empire. Over it, he imposes an outline of the Imperial Empire-that-was. The difference in scale is staggering - the former could fit into the latter a half dozen times and still leave room to spare, at the least.

"I wanted to fix this, you know, once upon a time." Watson says wistfully, staring up at the map, and you are forcefully reminded that he is likely much older than his youthful appearance indicates. "A lot of us do, when we first learn about the past and take up our duties. And the vast majority eventually learn better, and strive to keep things from getting any worse. The ones that don't tend to die, or burn out trying to do the impossible."

Berger looked over the map, remaining silent for a few seconds.
"I get what you're saying. But I believe this galaxy can still be fixed," she says, her tone tone more...informal than earlier. "Maybe not through the first methods that come to mind. Probably not through force of arms. However..." her eyes wandered over the map again, "...if I had to choose between an empire that was stronger and an empire that was better, I'd choose better. In the end, nations ought to exist for the sake of their population, rather than the other way around."

[Maugan Ra]

The Sidereal fixes Berger with an inquisitive gaze. "An interesting philosophy, and not, I think, one that would hold much favour in the Imperial Court." he says slowly, intrigued by the inherent possibilities. An impish grin takes form on his lips.

"Tell me, Erin Berger, Exalted of the Dawn... what would you do? If Malfeas is stopped, and the galaxy is saved... if you master your strength and all the might of the Empire lay at your feet. If the fate of billions hung on your every word and action, what would you do first? Before anything else?"

The Solar cannot help but remember an old proverb - 'Beware of a Sidereal asking questions'.

[Perdue]

Siku was listening carefully to what everybody had to say and the kind of place that they would need to infiltrate and what was needed for their next mission. Apparently they were planning a direct approach on the matter. What was malfeas looking for? Siku mostly wondered about it. Right now, there was a more important mission, baiting Malfeas away from Barsoom.