Post by veronw on Jan 28, 2023 18:11:36 GMT
Factions involved:
Meta-Sax
Iithorian Collective
CES
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/04/2022 7:56 AM
Lambofiti was uncertain.
So much had changed since entering this new demesne. Physics was different. People were different. Their way of life was rapidly becoming something risky, something uncertain for the first time in ten thousand years.
From a galaxy that took millennia to traverse to one that took a few days, perhaps a week. It was absurdity of the highest order. No matter how many times the high integer minds came together to simulate things, the end results were always the same. Within two or three Sax-generations, they would be extinct.
The first warning sign came when the monopole factories simply... stopped. The most foundational technology that they relied upon became non-functional entirely. Instantly, every mind had swarmed on the problem, trying to identify what went wrong. A quirk in particle physics in this universe made their underlying knowledge of monopole production no longer a complete, unified thing. Even their Unified Field Theory now had gaping holes in it. Subject matters long thought solved and trivial became open to debate and discussion.
It would be a different matter entirely if it wasn't something so existentially concerning for their ability to exist. Monopoles fed their cells, which fed their bodies, which fed the bioships, which kept their entire civilization functioning. Without them, they would die. A slow, dim, chilling thing as they gradually lost the energy to keep themselves as they were. The simulations of that had left Lambofiti with a degree of nightmares.
As did their options. Naturally occurring monopoles were a thing in this reality, fortunately. But, they were monopolized by a few key powers. Which meant, for the first time in their existence, they would have to rely on others to survive.
The bioship began the process of folding space - replacing the instant of self in the location is sought with its quantum-ideation: two powers agreed to talks. To trade. And here, they would decide their future.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 08/13/2022 4:32 AM
A bubble of warped spacetime promptly arrived in the system,popping shortly thereafter and revealing the shape of a sleek bio vessel. Inside,Uq'eik was fiddling with a variety of reports and articles,presented in the form of dataslates which danced around him.
With a gesture,they all vanished,leaving only the psionic ping from the ship's processing nodes to disturb him,they had arrived. Truth be told,the alien was furious. After the Post Umon disaster,they sent him to bargain with the CES and some polity none of them had even heard of? He should have been at the forefront of a fleet action,leading the effort to reclaim what,and who,was lost. At the end of the day however,it seemed he was "suffering from success" as they say. Being the chief diplomat of the Collective did mean he hardly ever saw combat anymore,Umon was just an aberration,a punishment,though one he actually appreciated.
Casting petty emotions aside,he had to get to business,representing the entire Collective was bigger than himself,bigger even than most of his colleagues. He'd be damned if he did not offer a stellar performance. Putting his "game face" on,Uq'eik calmly broadcasted an automated message that would be easily picked up by anyone in the system with the hardware. It was written in galactic common,signified their arrival alongside bring full of pleasantries and the like,the usual diplomatic bullshit as far he was concerned. Now all that remained was to be told where to actually meet these foreign delegates
Gose {CES, CHET} — 08/15/2022 3:53 PM
The man for the job was none other than Ingrumn himself. Having lead the Far Reach project that would actually supply the Monopoles towards the buyers, he more than any other CES representative would know how far they could push this trade deal without falling back on their promises against what looked to be capable and promising markets. After all, they lacked the tech to properly implement the resource into their industrial philosophy.
Still he wondered, as he reclined into the comfortable graphene weave of the luxury craft, how the CES even sought out these trade deals. Within their matrices of the homeland were databeams and volumes of such tremendous density of information that it might be pure-information solids, or at least he heard, all processed in thousands of optimisation softwares and databases that refined and stamped out the data into digestible information for each department. This was much beyond him, managing the Far Reach programme seemed far less of a nightmare than the people who had to deal with the upkeep of the IPD.
The stretched-out image of the craft and its two accompanying vessels snapped from the gravitational lensing of the alcubierre jump, the cassimir geometry spewed out the ancerium fuel, washing it from its insides and undoing the spacetime polarisation. The representative vessel emitted a hail that acknowledged their presence and their intentions, with the usual corporate lingo and other such characteristics expected from the megacorp. Still, they awaited for further instructions, as Ingrumn carefully flipped through the relevant data of their monopole extraction.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/15/2022 5:47 PM
Lambofiti observes through its senses as the two starships enter the system shortly after its arrival. The fellow bioship was definitely piquing its interest, but it politely kept scans to just visual. The CES ship's hail was quite unusual with its bombastic display of information, which the ship filed away for later processing.
It opened a channel, "Greetings and joyous exaltation at a meeting of The New. This one is Lambofiti, and will act as high integer representative of the Saxheelian Meta-Antecedent. This one has prepared a neutral environment within to host all associated groups. Physical umbilical's are available if the hangar proves unaccessable."
That sent, it opened its interior embassy sanctum and informed its population of the incoming delegation. This would be particularly tricky, and it was universally decided by Consensus that high integer intelligences would be needed to navigate the conversations sufficiently. The full ships population of 25,000 aided Lambofiti by contributing their own mental powers to it, while the bioship fitted out a very rare physical avatar.
Moments later, it felt it open a new set of eyes within itself, taking a moment to adjust to the dizzying sense of being inside its own body-mind. Staring at slender fingers for a moment, it breathed in, then moved towards the embarkation area to welcome to delegates. Clothing flowed from its skin, wrapping it in something elegant, but suitably covering while tattoos shifted over its body in accordance to the ancient Vasudan rituals. It was one once, after all.
Outside, its split consciousness spat out several drones to act as guidelights for delegate vessels.
Here we go.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 08/19/2022 1:18 PM
Uq'eik watched as the three parties were now locked in a sort of standstill. What in the Almighty's name was going on? He quickly checked his slate again and reassured himself that this was a CES system,causing his gaze to focus in on their ship. As expected of a corporation,it was full of flashiness and advertisements to the point of being an assault upon the eyes.
His disbelief only grew when the Sax vessel made a statement and invited them in. The alien buried its face within its palms for a moment
"Great. I am dealing with amateurs"
Regaining composure,he set his craft to carefully follow the drone which had approached them as guide. The bio construct did so expeditiously,making it to the much larger alien voidborn and docking. With procedures out of the way,Uq'eik stepped out into the hangar.
He was a familiar creature to be sure,upright and with four limbs,but also bearing a great many features alien by human or even humanoid standards. Most of the thing's form was covered in a fancy robe,white and red,a pallet occasionally by rows of small and circular object like buttons,themselves pitch black in tone. Two shoulder pads,almost ridiculously elongated and curving upwards,encrusted with gems to add to the fancy factor no doubt. The hands which peaked out of expansive sleeves were covered in a marble white exoskeleton,perforated by black seams. Each was made of five digits,one opposable,which in turn ended in sharp ends,like a needle.
The alien's head was equally unconventional,no features left uncovered by those white plates save for two masses of glowing crimson,the eyes. The seams here were much more pronounced and elaborate,making way for what appeared to be thin black cords,perhaps muscle fibers,to actively slither underneath. Its "cheeks",if one could call them that;were sunken,while its chin was long and thin.
A trio of horns sprouted from the lithorian's forehead,one straight up while the other two did so to the side before sharply curving upwards aswell,almost resembling a crown.
Uq'eik scoped out the foreign surroundings inquisitively,trying to make sense of them and locate what he hoped to be their host for this endeavour
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/19/2022 2:53 PM
The docked alien craft was cushioned and gently wrapped by various fields for ease of movement while room was made for the eventual CES representative's craft. Lambofiti found the process still quite foreign to be walking within themselves as they approached what clearly had to be the delegate from the Iithorians. What little they knew from the Net gave them at best a general idea on how to proceed, so Lambofiti decided the best approach was the old approach.
Vasudan of the ancient-era were more humanoid than not, and it was their original form that they chose to emulate. A lithe female with sharp features and squished almost felinoid nose, eyes with black sclera and golden irises, and a firm expression; she moved the flowing drapery around her chocolate skin to better demonstrate the ritualized tattoos that told the great story of her life. Stopping a few meters from the representative, Lambofiti bowed gently, swaying her arms out to her sides, "Welcome. I am Lambofiti; Saxheelian bioship. I will be representing our interests at this negotiation."
She gestures at the hangar around them - the soft golden light accented by the off-colored white walls which were the telltale sign of UV colorations, "If the conditions of the primary hangar are not suitable for storage of your vessel, please let us know. External docking is an option as well. The space for communion is being ritualized by my ship-kin and we still await the CES representative."
"We are honored that you agreed to engage in semiotic-adaptive exchange. As a moment of polite awareness, the entire polity will be observing the negotiations, and considerable local bandwidth has been redirected to tolerate the level of traffic. Should you need to communicate outside this vessel, there will be delays unless you choose to utilize your own systems. I apologize for this limitation, as normally I would be happy to act as a relay amplification. If you wish a brief tour while we wait, that can be arranged."
Gose {CES, CHET} — 08/24/2022 4:52 PM
The ship vagarously proceeded towards the saxheelian vessel, emitting the pink plumes iconic of the CES hydrogen-based fuels as it did. Soon, it introduced itself into the docking area. It was a sleek and modern adaptation to the exterior of the vessel, indicating a kind of luxury and officiality that obscured the tumerous hexagonal bulk of the interior modular design, the standard airlocks and the likes found not difficulty in opening nor did the landing gear had troubles being encompassed by the Saxheelian docking halls, and soon, the monolithic exterior was outercut by a landing wind, from which the representative descended.
What exited, was by all accounts, the most "normal" being within this docking area. A Mus'Vanus, standing no taller than 1,7 meters and sporting a mesmerising chromatic cloth in the manner of a business suit, shimmering in the colors of the CES' logo, a distinctive fiery orange, jungle green and deep blue. The most distinctive part of the lizardman was not the suit however, it was the augmentation upon his left eye. A kind of sleek metallic piece underlined the eye and slipped under the ocular globe at the corner, going inwards but not interfering with the eye's operation besides a small glint within.
The lizardman bows.
"Greetings. I am most elated to be here to represent the Far Reach Branch of the CES" - Visual features indicate that the elation may not be so grand.
Another figure emerges from within. It is a muscular, headless lizard, standing well over 2 meters of height. Its head ends in a cavety where a relatively small globe is located, almost hidden between gigantic trapezoids bulging against a tight, black and matte hexagon-patterned weave. It stands tall at the top of the ramp and does not descend.
The lizard snaps a small look back, and remarks:
"Ah - That is the ship guard. Standard company procedure."
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/24/2022 5:38 PM
Lambofiti had briefly hoped to give a tour of themselves prior to the arrival of the CES representative, but upon reflection decided it was an artefact of the relaxed sense of time that they had in comparison to the NSL who were present.
Returning the bow to CES representative, Lambofiti extends a greetings of their own, "Warm and pleasant welcome to you. The Meta-Sax are grateful for the willingness of yourselves and the Iithorians to negotiate in good faith in regards to this material."
Another saurian?.. The haleel will be overjoyed. Especially given their flamboyant attire.
While not looking at the monstrosity that had been brought aboard with their avatar - indeed, giving no visual indication of even noticing it - the shipself recoiled mentally at the creature. It quietly placed several dozen bacteria-sized observers in a loose magnetic orbit of its periphery to monitor it in case it did anything untowards.
So inelegant..
Brushing the thought aside, the avatar gestures towards the inward exit point of the hangar. The portals themselves were barren of any doors, or any other visible containment, "You will find we do not possess a closed-culture. Please forgive the curiosity of our people, as those present are acting as considerable hub-points for many thousands of others to observe this negotiation."
"If you are both prepared to move within, we may proceed to the chamber set aside for this work. If there are any specific requirements or conditions for the comfort of your stay, please, let me know."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 08/27/2022 3:00 AM
Uq'eik watched as the strange creature made a beeline for him. Internally scoffing at all the strange features,the tribal mixtures it had doused itself in,he never could fathom how the galaxy had so much strangeness to offer. Still,he kept up appearances,there was a job to be done and he was the one to fulfill it. He promptly returned the creature's bow with his own.
"I am Uq'eik of the Lithorian Collective,the pleasure is ours. Rest assured,this space is more than adequate for my craft's needs"
The knowledge that the thing speaking to him was the ship itself did come as a surprise. From where he hailed,only the Jingos themselves were blessed with such biomechanical prowess,he had to be respectful,even his instincts told him that.
Still,the fact that the creature actually hosted people here was strange. Sapient symbiotes perhaps? Attendants? He had heard of some Jingos who opted for this approach,but why would they be martyrs to diplomatic talks? Why would any population be? It was clear he was dealing with strange beings indeed,not surprising given the lack of intel they had to begin with.
"That will not be necessary,I can communicate with my kin anytime without delay or failure. But I appreciate the thought"
The lithorian turned to look as the more primitive CES craft made its debut and released their part of the representation. "Far Reach branch" the reptilian said,so they really did find monopoles somewhere in the halo without a doubt,something to keep in mind for when he returned to his seniors. Unsurprisingly,the diminutive reptilian had a lack luster biology,physique and bruttish augmentations of synthetic materiel.
The bombastic,borderline fibrous advertisement that it chose to clothe itself with only made Uq'eik sigh internally,but he wasn't the point of significance in this delegation. The alien was much more interested in the more bulky agent that accompanied them. Gazing down at this servant,clearly an attendant construct,though not biomechanical in nature. It seems of the two parties,this one was more adjacent to their line of thinking,once again something to keep in mind
He turned to their hosts once more,the interest in those two thoroughly worn out
"I have no requests,let us proceed"
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/29/2022 8:08 AM
Satisfied that both representatives needs were met in the moment, Lambofiti guided them further into the bioships interior. Despite the name, the walls and portals throughout were not squishy and fleshy, but instead articulated with layered architecture. The simple white and gold of the hangar transitioned into beige and shades of red as they entered a new zone.
From the vantage point of the hall, they could clearly see into the interior of the bioships O'Neil Cylinder and the vast for its size biome. Yet this was not their destination, for Lambofiti continued walking. At the end of the corridor was a simple looking lift, its door decorated in symbols and iconography which the Saxheelian guided them into.
"We will be arriving in the communion chamber momentarily."
The doors closed and then moments later opened, revealing the heart of a much larger structure. The ceiling arched high, with a second floor balcony filled with spaces that may well be seats depending on ones morphology. A pillar of light shown down through the top of the ceiling which itself was a massive star map. Golden lines began from various points before converging where the light began.
It was this center of light that Lambofiti continued towards, while gesturing at a pair of stations that had been specially prepared for the biology of both representatives, "Please, let me know if the simulacrum are not to your liking. These consoles will connect you with any computational aids or databases you may need, and also include Ancnet connections. Though, as I had advised Representative Uq'eik, my bandwidth is going to be limited due to the volume of Meta-Sax observing this in real time."
She stops once she reaches the light and turns to face both of them, "When you have settled in, we may begin."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/16/2022 10:07 AM
Uq'eik continued into the bioship's interior as he followed the avatar,taking note of the highly curated surfaces that worked to resemble those of artificial design more than the flesh,something which reminded him of his kind's own styles,usually reserved for those in high places or locations of particular culture. Suffice to say it was not the norm,but he'd more than gotten used after all the visits he'd undertaken to other races. This was simply a matter of slight disappointment
More curious however was the feeling of centrifugal force acting upon him,they were all spinning at a steady pace. No doubt the O'Neil Cylinder was enormous,with a pull so subtle no regular human or indeed most species could even note it,but his own senses were painfully aware. Very strange,he could have sworn these "Meta Sax" were described as highly advanced beyond the usual. Despite this,they seemed to not be above using more primitive,if cost effective,methods for achieving certain functions. Some of their organisms clearly needed a non zero G environment for its existence to have a purpose at all,but why not settle for standard gravity plating? Were they just stingy? More notes to file away into the depths of his alien mind.
At last they arrived at what could only be a meeting chamber. The lithorian promptly marched towards the nearest seat,regardless of its shape,convenience was irrelevant and he'd just as well stand for the whole ordeal if needed. He paid little mind to Lambofiti's comments about databases and digital aids,neither turning to face them nor vocalizing response,no use in treading that old road twice. He then turned to the reptilian and his cohort,one eye ever so slightly raised. Clearly,he was ready to start
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/16/2022 12:07 PM
Lambofiti observed the Representative assume the space that had originally been prepared for the CES. With the equivalent a mental shrug, they simply adjusted the stations according to the needs of each individual. The computers and chairs were a part of her overall body after all, no more challenging than telling ones cells to move hither or thither.
Many more Meta-Sax were fully connecting now, straining the bioships overall capacity significantly. In a way, they were glad that these were relatively low level entities that communicated in a standard format for bipeds. Had she to deal with a high integer intelligence conversing at appreciable percentages of light, this would be far more challenging. Already, several members onboard had taken it upon themselves to act as nodal points for the others to spread some of the traffic around, which she appreciated greatly.
The noise inside the Consensus grew, as the Duality subdomain supplanted an element of her vision of The Real. Already, tens of thousands filled the stadium that had been setup in The Other to convey the conjected space-time they occupied. The murmur of sounds from the various aliens who made up the Clade were a constant drone in her mind, though not a distraction as much as they were a comfort. Focusing herself back into The Real more fully, she steadied her gaze upon Uq'eik.
Assertive entities aside, Lambofiti supposed this was going as smoothly as could be expected. Based on what information they had managed to gather, neither of the polities was exactly.. friendly.. towards the thinking processes of the Meta-Sax. Which required a bit of guile then on their part to handle things.
The woman turned her attention to the CES Representative, quietly waiting for the entity to indicate their readiness while glowing tuffs of something drifted down from the light above and flitted about the air on invisible winds.
Gose {CES, CHET} — 09/17/2022 7:43 PM
Ingrumn pondered as they moved inwards into the alien ship. The Meta-Sax were people that were, as the optical-neural feed indicated to him and as previous studies had show, "trustworthy". Time and iterations had altered several classifications within the IPD databases, whatever "trustworthy" meant in exact was already beyond the lizard, but whence the information reached the brain it triggered automatic responses that were not harmful, as such, it was expected that the subconcious, at least, understood it as a good thing.
However, he could not help but worry as he stared down the seat, and Lambofiti awaited his response. Would it be safe to interface with an alien's neural connection? Would corporate secrets be stolen away from the safety of his mind? If these Meta-Sax were advanced enough, would he even be able to tell that such a thing was happening, whence it did? - No matter. There was always a degree of trust in these deals. It was indicated to him that the monopoles were of such importance to these people that they'd expressly contacted two providers, so far apart and different, only seeking the material. This had the potential to be big.
Ingrumn nodded to Lambofiti, and awaited for Uq'eik to interface beforehand, keeping a steady eye, he soon realised that, even the large lithoid had no problems with such high-end, yet organic-looking technology. He buried his concerns, and what sliver of perplexification that showed through his expression was quickly dissolved back into an agreeable face. He bowed to Lambofiti, and proceeded to the chair. He made himself accomodated, before agreeing to the interface with a simple and slight nod of the head.
.
As the interface began, things would not go completely smoothly. Whilst the Meta-Sax were correct in assuming that the Mus'Vanus as a species were not beings capable of tremendous ammounts of individual computation, recent breakthroughs in biological interfacing allowed them to mount within their brains and eyes something called an "Argus" adaptation. It connected their mental stream to a dissoluted and exclusive channels of highly processed data, coming directly from an IPD node. It was a small but tremendous gateway.
The mind of the lizardman was like a receptable filled half-way. The Argus adaptation was a wormhole, capped at the rate which Ingrumn could process the information received, it suddenly found itself connected to the larger, Meta-Sax informational weave - A system not unlike the IPD, but in greater scale and tremendous refinement - The adaptation capped at its informational limit, the small wormhole spewed data forward, trying to supply what it thought was now a mind many millions of time larger than the previous one, before artificially reducing itself into the rates it had before the transition as an automatic failsafe. However, this short burst still supplied the Meta-Sax with a good deal of knowledge about the IPD, revealing to them the much younger and more rudimentary system of eerily similar nature.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 9:13 AM
Lambofiti had opened her mouth to speak, to intone the rituals required by their ancient noema when there was a tug within the Consensus.
This was extremely unusual, as the Consensus was a free flowing river - it was eternal in its movement. There was not meant to be any sort of tug or sensation of otherness. Yet it was there.
Within the Duality of The Other realm, the murmur of voices increased ten fold. A million minds instantly turned towards the source and realized with astonishment that it was the CES Representative. Ingrumn. Species Mus'Vanus. With a communications level wormhole implanted in his brain.
It was a surprise, a shock, an unexpected element. Doubly so when data started to spew forth from the mans mind into the Consensus. A wild fire hose attempting to fill a room of infinite size.
In The Real, Lambofiti turned to stare at Ingrumn involuntarily, compelled to by her real body's intense focus on stemming the leak, while in The Other there were hundreds of mental hands move about the aperture, directing and guiding the information outflow into pockets of subdomains that could be contained and studied at a later date. In doing so, they were trapped with the reality of giving the reptilian a vague dream-like connection to the Consensus and all it represented.
A million minds speaking at once. A space-time construct of infinite size. A tapestry of historic knowledge archived within. Subdomains of imagined realities bleeding in through the edges of the eyes. Yet, none of the Meta-Sax within echoed hostility towards this inadvertent intrusion. They radiated concern for him, and concern for the immaturity of the technology.
Lambofiti coughed into a closed fist gently and swept her arms wide, the flowing thin-silk robe billowing out around her, "My apologies. The connection is tenuous with other species, depending on anatomy. We, the Saxheelian Meta-Antecedent, welcome you officially to these negotiations and look forward to a long--"
-C
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 9:22 AM
"and fruitful trade relationship. As you are both aware, we are seeking access to this material."
The image of the compound in question fills the light-space where the bioship avatar stood. Monopoles - useless to most, the material of gods to the Meta-Sax. A literal lifeblood.
Steeling herself, she continued, "Monopoles in this universe are produced atypically to that of where we came from. Our manufacturing system involving particle accelerators has begun to return exotic particles not of this nature. While scientifically interesting, it is no use to us. It is our understanding that each of your societies has access to the material we require, and that you are willing to trade it in volumes that we find acceptable."
Adjusting the projection and condensing it, Lamobifiti displayed a timetable of material consumption, "As you can see, we will require approximately twelve to the factor of three atoms of the substance per galactic standard year. Given we know little to nothing of your respective societies, we are unable to proffer an immediate equivalent item for trade. So, we ask instead how we might meet your needs."
Folding her arms into her sleeves she looks at each of the Representatives, "You have seen but a glance of our technological abilities. While our strengths lay, obviously, in biological technologies, we are skilled as well in social development theory. The creation of cities, terraforming projects, orbital mechanics adjustments and so forth are within the realm of the Clade. What is it that your societies require?"
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/18/2022 12:13 PM
As Uq'eik sat down,microscopic membranes spread from his equally living garments and interfaced directly with the biotechnology of the Sax apparatus. In an instant,they plugged him into the Consensus,translating the conventional computational signals into psionic impulses which his analogue of neurons could understand. Ultimately this led to a very peculiar situation,as the system would fail to notice any kind of activity coming from the lithorian,as if not a single thought was whizzing around the alien's cranium. And yet this could not be,he very much was there,yet at the same time wasn't.
A blurry presence,an unseen interloper,a phantom. Uq'eik himself took note of this and sought to remedy it. The same membranes now shifted and modified themselves,gaining both luminescent and metamaterial properties,turning those same psionic impulses back into photons and delivering them in turn to the Consensus. It worked a little too well...
The haste with which he proceeded meant there was no time accounted for the linked nature of his race or the compatibility of their hivemind with mechanical and computational technologies,courtesy of a certain secret project. Uq'eik was in and fully noticeable,as was the absolute typhoon of counciousness that was The Lithorian Collective. A billion,a trillion,nay...nigh innumerable minds appeared in a flash,chittering,screeching,blurbing in unknown languages. Most were primitive,not even sentient,but rather insect like,simply relaying information and recieving command pings. Others were so vast as to be utterly beyond human,or indeed,biped comprehension,grand minds spanning vessels not unlike Lambofiti,then continents,then wholesale worlds.
This incident lasted an Interval that could be measured in the nanoseconds,enough for Uq'eik to realise and correct his mistake,hopefully also enough for atleast the CES operative not to have noticed.
Buffers and stopgaps were imposed,cutting everything but Uq'eik out,returning things to some semblance of normality.
He looked from side to side,almost embarrassed,before raising one hand
"I apologize,this is different from the Rhizome experience. It won't repeat"
Now he could truly be seen in the Consensus,and the representation was indeed odd to say the least. His intellect was not small by any means,quite the opposite actually,but that paled in comparison to another characteristic. His thoughts,his every jolt and signal,bouncing from neuron to neuron and eventually to other cell types,the creature's own interface labeled them all as propagating at ftl speeds. More curious,no signatures of wormholes or any spatial distortions,suggesting a different mechanism all together. Chemical sensors,electrical detectors and photonic recievers still picked nothing from the actual body. No thinking,whether biological or computational could be registered,this was a peculiar fellow indeed.
Uq'eik moved onto important matters,listening and watching Lambofiti's request and demonstration. He did the math in his head,the amount was indeed doable,and it seemed these people were truly desperate for it. Normally they would want SIGEC,but given the Sax's insular nature,it seemed unlikely they were integrated into galactic economy enough to possess desirable sums. Plan B then,good old bartering. First however,he needed more info
"You seem to consider monopoles as strategically absolute,I take it this means you require them to sustain yourselves? Derive work and produce energy,perhaps?" A soulless inquiry,one that aimed to better gauge just what the stakes of this deal were for the Meta Sax,and thus better devise their own tolls
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 1:41 PM
A dual of surprises in the span of a few moments. They had known very little of the Iithorians, but the brief connection to the Other gestalt made that lack of knowledge all the more acute.
Are they like us?..
Clearly not, given the chasing afterimage of so much noise, mixed with the uneasy sense of something being off about it. They had expected a fairly typical bipedal entity, but realizing that it was more akin to Lambofiti in the sense of being more an avatar, it altered the Meta-Sax perspective. Awareness of other shipkin intelligences and planet-spanning minds did make them reconsider the scope of engagement, however.
It was a curious mixture of apprehension and hope that filled the majority. They were outnumbered to a hilarious degree, and this other gestalt had been present here for presumably far longer. Given the biotechnological affinity, it made Lambofiti wonder at the potential for future cooperation.
She hesitated.
With vanishingly rare exceptions, peer-entities had been untrustworthy. It was an act of wisdom for them to be cautious, careful, considerate. Especially in light of the entities actual intelligence compared to the presumed baseline.
Meta-Sax within the Consensus adjusted swiftly to the newcomer; the first had been a surprise they weren't certain how to deal with, the second was much more flexible. Given its nature, and the nature of its people, it fit into a subdomain swiftly. Pulling at The Duality, they superimposed the subdomain against a backdrop of the room the three of them stood within. For all intents and purposes, it was the exact same space, just more easily modified to suit the need of the entity within.
The beings within the Consensus ensured that Ingrumn was kept "outside" the metaphysical area until such time as they could ensure his safety. Or if he even desired it, or became aware of it.
In an odd way, it was exciting. Typically, Joiners were the only ones who grew a sense of the Consensus and yet -C
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 1:52 PM
here were two entities who had found connection. In light of the apparently much sophisticated technical skills of Uq'eik's people, this was perhaps not terribly surprising. Still, in their long history this has not happened before, which made it New.
The New was always celebrated as such.
In The Real, Lambofiti remained as she was, but in The Duality which she shared with Uq'eik's connection, she smiled.
Unusual. Unexpected. But not unwelcome. Your physiological connection to the terminal can be refined further, if you wish it. This will deepen the connection to the subdomain we have built here. We were unware of your peoples experiential reality, or, truthfully, much about you at all. This illuminates much in a way that is appreciated.
In The Real once more, she adjusted the display and brought forth the facsimile of the monopole. It 'zoomed out' showing it contained within a nucleonic structure, with many enzymes and artificial atomic structures built around it, "Energy, yes. The molecular construct as seen here is capable of generating 89 terawatts of power per monopole. We have alternative power sources of far superior strength, but as we must needs still establish a presence, the creation of these delicate assemblies must wait."
The observant question was precisely why they had invited both representatives. In the case one understood the true value of the material, it was hoped that the other would be willing to negotiate down. In the hopes on not losing the lucrative contract, it thus would ideally balance the two factions against the Meta-Sax's needs. In theory, anyways. It was now a bit of an odd calculation, given what they knew of the Iithorians at this point.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/19/2022 11:14 AM
Uq'eik perused the reaches of the Consensus inquisitively,exploring while maintaining enough cognition to hold a stake in the talks. He had plenty of experience in spaces concerning the mind,from his own hivemind and its mental scapes to the vast Rhizome universes of the Ancnet. This Consensus was impressive,no less intricate than either of his previous frontiers,yet it was somewhat of a ghost town. A million voices was a pittance compared to the former and especially the latter places,making it awfully quiet,peaceful,yet perhaps to the point of ringing sensory deprivation.
He made no move as his mind became curtailed in a sub domain,away from the chorus,the CES representative,things just got even quieter.
"If you so desire,you may proceed,so long as it aids the negotiation". Short and to the point,as was characteristic of the alien by this point
In the real,he was contemplating the news. He had done his research on this,the process which the alien was describing. To use the monstrous magnetic fields of monopole plasma to decay atoms directly into photons and mesons,total conversion. Suffice to say,to harness the power of antimatter without the volatility had been an attractive avenue of approach for the collective since learning of its use on the ancnet. Now especially,as project Zalmoxius required new more potent energy sources to sustain the various other improvements conceptualized or in the works. Amidst all of this,the answer became clear
"We would be willing to export,so long as you are willing to share detailed data on the process,help us develop our own"
This was big,Uq'eiks actions here may earn him prestige the likes of which could seldom be imagined from the ranks of the Jingos. While he had no allusions of replicating the Sax's molecular apparatus ,he figured they could atleast figure out a design compact enough to put on a vessel.
Of course,in spite of its superior conversion rate,even these would fall short of their micro black hole modules. Even a molecular reactor could not hold a candle to massively subatomic singularities in confinement,doubly so if psionic manipulation fields were in effect for effective throttling. That however mattered even less,as that technology truly had no hope of seeing use outside the experimental and stationary anytime soon,though the intellectuals believed they might be getting close to a second rate alternative.He still figured they wouldn't mind this olive branch from beyond,it's always good to diversify power sources,lest they end up like the aliens before him
Gose {CES, CHET} — 09/19/2022 1:35 PM
Ingrumn's mind, and vision, metaphorically, was split asunder. On the left eye the IPD leaked through, a cohesive stream of recognisable data relevant to the information, the augmentation, capped and stabilised now in the dream-like state provided by the Meta-Sax and only achieved once before in the history of the Argus technology, was a possible game-changer. The system would be able to fully express the relevancy of its complex datasets to the average CES employee, without the necessity of cutting corners for understanding.
The right-side was the dreaming of the Meta-Sax, the quiet whispering and half-awakedness of his consciousness. As the augmentation stabilised, so did the connection. The bleedthrough halted now but focused on an elevated datastream isolated only within the lizardman's mind - he was the bridge that would connect the will of the system to the Meta-Sax.
He took a few seconds to get used to the feeling. It was like he was submerged within a pool, floating but not quite, puppeteering processes within a brain that was not quite his own. There was an echelon of thoughts that'd collapse from the intent towards the outcome, never quite full control, never out of reach. Slowly, he closed the gap and wrangled the information that came into his head, his mind took active part in soliciting and receiving the information, the true inception of a biological merger into the IPD had just happened, unbeknownst to Ingrumn, outside of CES territory, aided by alien technologies.
"Excuse me... The augmentation is very... experimental.
We didn't expect the bleedthrough..." - "Bleethrough" was a heavy word, it echoed within the halls of his expanded mind, it filled logs, it played iterations, it stimulated datasets and moved processes far detached from his presence, the optimisation process took hold my mere expression of thought, a coalescence of the recent experience slowly culminating into an adaptation that would not suffer from these issues, should the -C
Gose {CES, CHET} — 09/19/2022 1:42 PM
data currently gathered be sufficient.
"Your procurement of such different suppliers leads us to believe that your necessity to this material are far above the common demand of the market." - He predicted. After all, what are the demands of the market but massive ammounts of data previously studied, but now revised once again, drawn in from the AncNet, recalculated, seeking trends that put in evidence the weakness of the Meta-Sax, even despite the gargantuan gap in capability between the CES and them.
There was a moment of resurgence now, a partial realisation of the processes that took hold. To someone skilled enough in an art, doing something is not a conscious but rather automatic process. The conscious took hold, the link between him and the IPD shattered as his very ego started to prevent a consistent dataflow. It was like being emerged from a lukewarm bath. He still did not faulter, but regathered himself and started again.
"We are not in a compromised financial situation. The markets are plentiful even in the times of war...
Alas we suggest a trade deal not in currency but in technology. The CES has great demands in processing power with our expanding networks, of which you assuredly have knowledge of whilst researching our conglomerate." - This time, there was no echo, but like every person, the frailty of awareness started to diffuse and the holds of the system started to permeate again.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/20/2022 8:28 AM
Uq'eik's presence in the Consensus stirred much debate within the morphogenic body. Do they let it explore further? Expand the subdomain? Contain it until they can learn more?
It was utterly unexpected that not one but two distinctly alien beings would end up accidentally interfacing with the Consensus and survive the action. Typically, in their home universe, it was an unassailable domain in which none but their own kind could interact with. Even Joiners took many months of adaptation before they could truly see or hear anything in the Consensus let alone influence it. Yet, here they were.
Perhaps they should reconsider their timetables.
If the space-time construct of the Consesus had been altered by the fundamental shift in local physics, then it was possible that a Joiner would be able to acclimate far more rapidly than back Home.
Lambofiti kept herself as guardian over the subdomain replica of the chamber alongside Uq'eik, carefully observing the entities mind within that space. Not enough to probe intrusively or rudely, but to ensure stability in connection and to sense if he tried to push at the boundary. This was new and unusual, they needed to be cautious. They were but a drop upon the surface of a star compared to their kin at Home, they lacked the resources they typically had and thus had to react accordingly.
I doubt it would aid in negotiations in the direct sense. Rather, it has potential for deep cultural exchange.
Truth be told, so did the idea of sharing their technology.
Which brought the bioship to the current moment to process what had been placed as an equitable medium of exchange. For Uq'eik, it was the monopole technology and for Ingrumn it was computers, which for the Sax meant biological quantum machines. Vila.
Hmm.
She looked back to the reptilian, briefly pondering how he would have reacted had Just Visiting been here instead. She could sense her shipkin, far away, exploring a strange star and aiding an even stranger people.
Gently, she ushered his afterimage's subdomain into something soft, quiet, peaceful. They didn't pry into his mind and were swift to remove any accidential information bleedthrough - it was only polite - so they substituted sounds and sensations with something the other reptilians among them enjoyed. It was an interesting mind. These Mus'Vanus had potential in many ways, especially in light of their early development of things the Meta-Sax themselves both took for granted and created many, many milennia ago.
Perhaps their path is similar to ours as a collective whole?..
The data still coming from him was simply folded into the subdomain, letting him deal with the elements on his own either consciously or subconsciously. It was itself a little bit of a test of his wisdom, to gauge the proper potential of the Mus'Vanus and thus determine the nature of the eventual relationship with the Saxheelians themselves.
Stilling her thoughts, she folded her arms into her sleeves and peered at both the alien guests. With a slow nod, she acknowledged their words, "Apologies are unnecessary, bleed through of this nature happens from time to time. Though, we confess to finding your implant rather fascinating, Representative Ingrumn."
Deciding that standing was growing tiring, she conjured a chair from the ground and sat down, a languid leg perched upon the other, "To address the sharing of technology, and thus both of your trade stipulations: the more sophisticated the element, the more than mere technology is required to create it."
She steepled her fingers as she leaned back, "Let us postulate that technology and society are inextricably linked; you cannot have one without it being affected by the limitations of the other. Thus, for the monopole mitochondria, it is not simply a matter of teaching you how to create it. It is a matter of teaching you how to be us."
Lambofiti tilted her head at them, "To express the functions of the technology appropriately would be to convey to you the nuances of Saxheelian cultural attitudes. Admittedly, this is itself a misnomer, as we are but one Clade of many millions with our own culture and belief systems. How we ourselves utilize the mitochondria is uniquely ours. But, to build it demands a way of thinking and way of being. An infrastructure of beliefs."
"To aid you in the development in it is an act of cultural exchange. More than exchange, an act of cultural intercourse. What would we gain from your people, Representative Uq'eik, I wonder? We are not opposed to this action, but it is the will of the Consensus that we inform you of the full consequences of it."
Looking over at the reptilian, she let a smile settle upon her lips, "The problem becomes two-fold for yourselves, Representative Ingrumn. Once more, we are not opposed to the sharing of a simple biological quantum computing mechanism that would aid you in these efforts, but, we caution as to their use. Consider the full implications of such a technology within the paradigm of your society. You are correct in presuming we researched both of your societies, though there was greater data of the CES - or at least, it was more readily accessed."
"A quantum machine in of itself represents a mode of thought. A different paradigm of existence. Consider; markets, as I understand the term, " she was pulling it directly from the Ancnet in real time, "is a result of profit-driven competition between different subentities. Corporations, I believe is the label. Would markets survive the application of the ability to accurately predict flow outcomes? Would it endure if competitors had the equivalent of a weapon of mass destruction but in the digital flavor? If you could crack the encryption of your peers who lacked a quantum machine, what would the result be?"
She paused, letting the moment sink in, then continued, "As I said, we are willing to trade with both of you. We simply wish for you both to understand the.. results of such exchange. It has been an ancient policy of ours not to share technologies, out of concern that it could result in conflicts or such, " she rolled a wrist nonchalantly, "the usual concerns really. Yet, this universe does not function the way we are accustomed to, and it would be foolish of us not to establish healthy trade relations with others that possess such interesting potential, or such interesting capabilities."
"Ultimately, is it our desire to built a positive reputation among our peers in this galaxy. To coexist, to help, to aid, and to create when we can. If these are the things you desire in trade for the quantity of monopoles we require, then we will accept those terms. We offer an alternative as well; rather than teach how to construct the devices, we will provide them to you and offer oversight in their maintenance. This reduces the memetic potential significantly."
"Or, perhaps you wish to embrace this act with us? It is a part of our nature to exchange the self as such, though we did not expect to be doing so with such speed."
Her smile lingers as she flips her attention between both of the aliens present, curious as their response.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/23/2022 9:56 AM
Uq'eik was patient,not prodding or testing the limits of the subdomain once his conciousness was entrapped within. Afterall,he knew full well not to do anything potentially disrespectful or threatening in a meeting,this wasn't his first go at things of this nature.
Still,he couldn't help but raise an eye at Lambofiti's explanation. Unsurprisingly,they accepted the exchange,not having much of a choice to begin with. The talk of memetics and cultural congealment was surprisingly self aware and thoughtful of the creature. This only cemented his respect for the advanced peoples,seemingly aware of how the universe truly operated behind the petty boundaries established by sapient minds,just like them.
Patterns,laws,proceses ancient beyond time and immutable beyond tampering were the real bedrock upon which the political game of the galaxy was played. One thing led to another,cyclic patterns,disturbances of the smallest details changing the whole,insurmountable improbability. The concept of thesis,antithesis and synthesis that the Sax was referring to was one such thing,the ultimate fate of two opposing bodies coming in contact,repeated in various shades and tints since the first instant of time unfolded. The lithorians were aware of the concept,having dedicated an entire monument to its universal reach,but that was a story for another time.
Regardless of how much he agreed with the philosophy as a whole,he couldn't help but think the intellect was exagerrating it. Afterall,this technology was unlikely to see much use beyond the military domain,and the Collective already lived in the throes of post energy scarcity. He figured that change,if any occurred at all,would be minimal and controllable,though he could not project the same sentiment on the deal that the CES opted for. That outcome would indeed be interesting to witness
"I believe it would be best for us to possess manufacturing capability,even if it is more rudimentary than your own. You must understand,self sufficiency takes precedence over logistics lines in this time of soaring hyperfuel scarcity."
The lithorian sneered behind the marble plates covering its head,believing to have checkmated the other side with an infallible argument. The thought of maximizing his own accomplishment in the eyes of the Jingos took precedence,and securing technological assets certainly went beyond simple shipment deals in terms of contribution to the Collective
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/25/2022 2:09 PM
Lambofiti considered this for a moment.
"Yet, the reverse should hold true, should it not?"
She gestured at him, "Should we not then also seek self-sufficiency over this material? Would it not be wise, strategically, to ensure control over any source of the substance?"
The moment sat there, undisturbed.
Certainly, it had dawned on them immediately to seek out the sources these two nations used to either create or harvest monopoles. A starving man seeking fertile soil to grow a crop to reap. Or perhaps, a thirsty man in a desert desperate for a cup of blessed water, knowing all too well that a lake must be found to sate their true thirst.
"You would state that the cost of fuel is a concern for you, in a situation in which we, who have no existing power base, nor existing super-structural element, can ill afford to absorb the needed logistic strain."
The woman stood, the flowing lines of her living clothing cascading across her form, "Rather, through this proposed arrangement, we both endure a shared cost. You seek to maximize your benefit, as you should as a Representative, but do not mistake this for simple desperation in which terms may be dictated to us."
"They are to be negotiated in good faith, are they not? In light of this, consider the benefits of the arrangement. As we have no fixed space that matters to us, we are free to embark into your territory, to have one of us assist in the direct creation and management of these materials."
"As you said so yourself, even if it is more rudimentary, you would rather produce it of your own accord. However, it is not a matter of simply handing you a schematic. This is an apex technology, amongst our most mature. There is the semiotic barrier to consider, as well as the gap in our mutual organic technological origins. Compatibility with these systems is in play, as is control over the technology itself."
"We will not condone the sharing of it with non-involved parties. It is to be monitored, carefully."
-C
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/25/2022 2:20 PM
She unfolds her arms, humming as she scanned through the Ancnet, a mild vacancy in her expression as she does so, "I believe this is called "IP Law". The intellectual property of the Saxheelian Meta-Antecedent comes with stipulations of use. Among them, retention of licensure to would be clients or trading partners."
An absurd prospect to them, but, one that was clearly in need of deploying. Beyond the memetic risk, there was the very real possibility of it being sold to unknown parties. The results of which could potentially be disastrously bad. All it would take is one ambitious empire getting their hands on it, and suddenly they'd be running around trying to conquer everyone.
No, better to assert some of the locally accepted economic terms, see if they can monitor the technological utilization. Perhaps even use it as a means of garnering additional support. It did help ever so slightly that Uq'eik made the argument that he had as it lent naturally to this conclusion.
"Naturally, as the medium of trade is monopoles rather than any standard form of currency, this comes with additional burdens upon all involved parties. This balances out, in our perspective, with the potential boons gained through its use. To reiterate this position: in exchange for the licensing of monopole-based mitochondrial machines, the Meta-Sax will have a monitoring presence in their production and use. The monitor will act as aid and consultant in their production by your people."
We only need one of you, after all.
The use of this technique left a sour taste in her mouth. But, they could ill afford to simply be taken for granted lest that became their reputation.
Gose {CES, CHET} — 10/01/2022 1:09 AM
Ingrumn recoiled slightly as the load of the leakage was folded into the subdomain. It percolated back through his mind and quickly integrated with the main flow again, the processing reached a zenith that was far away from the mind of the lizardman, which only received a minuscule portion of leading information from his augmentation. The lizardman pondered for a moment, about the strengths of the CES and what Lambofiti had said. His mind was fed biases that were judged by the system as lucrative and resilient, it interpreted and applied. He soon spoke:
"I understand the concerns, our societies differ in many ways, we would also be resentful to relent certain technologies we possess, lest a backlash from these same markets cause ill returns.
Still. You must be aware that the strengths of the CES do not lie within what we ask in the trade. We have survived without the usage of advanced processing, and we could still. Likewise, we have not destroyed markets with our paradigmn, not within the context of the galactic market. The edge it will give us is advantageous, but the backlash you presume is far beyond the scope achievable by our business at the moment." He probed deeper within the internals of the IPD, what was the true scope of the system? A side of his mind was immersed within a world of abstract data, as he awaited Lambofiti's inevitable, and undoubtedly wise response.
The other half of his mind was occupied interpreting Lambofiti's previous response. The CES was far bigger than he was, he stood right now in a position he barely understood, and that likely no other Mus'Vanus had ever been, in a symbiosis with the system that was the backbone of the corporation. He could see that it was a conjoined mass of coherent patterns that moved within directions determined by biases and external stimuli. How could a change like QAI alter these movements? It was a bid in the end, he believed that the system would integrate and resolve the functions of the new -C
apparatuses, for their effects were something that not even he, in the position of temporary power he held now, could calculate.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 10/01/2022 11:42 PM
Uq'eik would have rolled his eyes if he had such capability,frustrated by the sheer moronity of the opening statement. The alien would have loved nothing more than to hammer home that which was painfully obvious
"Yes,but that is not on the table"
Too abrasive,provocative,he figured. Certainly not the kind of thing you'd be flauting at the first diplomatic meeting. He'd just have to keep collected and endure more of this drivel
The alien's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as the opposing intellect droned on. For all its advancement and cognitive prowess,it was experience which made all the difference. How could they,living so lavishly as hermits,even begin to comprehend the challenge and skill inherent to operating in the galactic economy. Especially nowadays,when the system they stood over was falling apart at the seams?!
Oh yes,the desire to speak up only grew. Keep collected,keep stoic,they need you for their very survival,they'll cave. That line of thinking kept surging along the lithorian's synapses,a little mantra to maintain his confidence.
He initially scoffed at the mention of intellectual property,by far one of the more idiotic premises produced by the single-minded. They had played upon it in their deals with RANGSI,now they were on the recieving end of this absurdity. That's when it donned on him,Lambofiti didn't trust them. His eyes shot wide for but a moment,how could this be? They'd spent years building up their image,keeping constrained and ameable,repenting for...
That data leakage,they saw into the intricacies of the lithorian hivemind. Did they see their past? What they had done?! Could they have witnessed...
The alien grinded his palms under the table in a nervous manner,so hard as to produce sparks,though the pearly white material of its epidermis remained pure and clear in spite of it.
This was disastrous,he'd have to report the suspicion with utmost haste. More importantly,they'd have to monitor the Sax religiously,if only to confirm whether or not said worries were well founded. His attitude changed completely,the deal did not seem so bad afterall. They needed that Sax ship in their territory,it was the only way to conduct their investigation without raising suspicion.
He gave a side glance to the reptilian,having understood the subtle threatening beneath all the ship mind's posturing. Atleast one of them had figured they were actually competitors looking to sell the same product,not friends of any kind. There was no other choice,he had to agree to the terms or risk going back empty handed wholesale.
An internal sigh followed. Very well played on the Sax's part,dangling their lives for leverage in such manner,he certainly did not think they had this kind of backbone. It would have to do,Uq'eik still had no allusion that his kin wouldn't try to reverse engineer their boons regardless of the intruder in their space,but that prospect only angered him. The credit,the status,the POWER. It would go to whatever reclusive bore worked their nervous the hardest in the lab,when it could have been HIM.
A low grumble emanated from the creature. Finally,it locked eyes with Lambofiti,defeat oozing from their glowing substrate,then nodded.
"Yes,I believe these terms are...acceptable."
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/02/2022 11:26 AM
Lambofiti looked first at Ingrumn, considering his words. Whether they were accurate or not would remain to be seen, but for the time being it didn't really matter. They needed the materials from both societies to build a far excessive stockpile, and with both of the Representatives apparently agreeing to the terms for a mediated licensure, the Meta-Sax would be able to meet that quota.
Immediately, The Others within the subdomains set to work executing various tasks and modifying the timetables that had been established the moment they realized they couldn't go Home.
With the excess, they'd be able to build structures that would have taken many decades in a thousandth of the time, as well as begin on a much more sensitive project.
Yes. This would suffice.
Several subvila were tapped by the bioship and plucked from their respective vatbays by servitor organisms to be set aside for transport to the CES systems once they'd officiated things.
As for Uq'eik, Lambofiti had been watching him closely - more out of concern for his safety in the Consensus than for the intent of spying on him. The physical reactions were.. surprising. It did, however, lend credence to the more cautious nature of herself and her subclade kin in presuming that neither faction was particularly trustworthy. No, they had others they could call allies. These two were providers of materials, and should be seen through that lens.
To that.. the question arose of looking at the information bleed through that had happened. Data was everything, it could well be an element that provided critical intelligence at a key moment. Or an albatross that hung them all. Knowing what to do with it then became the markings of a true wise one among the Clades.
What to do..
We would welcome any input you have on which of us you wish to be present within your space. A list of names and profiles can be provided through the link here, if you wish.
A cheeky opportunity to gauge what he responded with-
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/02/2022 11:34 AM
as well as to genuinely gather what the Iithorians would want for their part of the exchange. Smallships were already moving to grow the needed infrastructure around Ladon to process the materials.
Humming softly, she returned her attention to the only true monoform present, "As you say, Representative Ingrumn. We only seek to ensure stability and prosperity for all. If the vila will suffice as a trade medium under the licensure and use terms, then they will be yours. Please provide us with an amount of the machines that would be required."
As if it was an afterthought, she added, "And be aware, most of them are intelligent entities in of themselves."
Nodding as though this was simply to be expected, Lambofiti peered back into Uq'keiks face, musing over the burning stare that sat there, "As we have reached an accord with all parties involved, I believe it suitable to state that this trade-mission has reached its conclusion. With some speed, I might add."
Taking a breath, she bowed deeply, her arms wide as she intoned, "Ge and Tel grants us passage through the moment. Invocation of the ritual right of communion has been concluded. Noema states that all processions have been met. We-who-is-us celebrate at this first material realization within Unknown-domain. Advancing time-state procession is in play."
Righting herself, she smiles and simplifies, "A simple ritual for ourselves, forgive the indulgence. With the formalities out of the way and the trade negotiations concluded, would either of you care to open the floor to other items of importance? I see no reason to end a delegation so soon when there is much and more that can be gained from each other."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 10/04/2022 12:47 PM
Uq'eik took little solace in the officialisation of the trade deal,his mind wracked with the far more important question of what the Sax knew,how they knew it and how to proceed. Firstly,the creature's membranes began to shift and change again,translating his thoughts more slowly as they added decoys,false trails of cognition,effectively censoring his inner working from the Consensus without dropping activity and thus raise suspicion.
He paid little mind to the Sax's taunt or ritual,nor its gaze meeting his own,but the contents of its lines did start to coalesce into the outline of a plan. First,he redistributed enough brainpower to the subdomain and answer the intellect's inquiry.
"Preferably the most capable you possess. Our main territories lie outside the galactic disk,and quite far at that,nestled between the Austral psionic pole and the adjacent tachyonic one."
The alien sneered again. He could have routed them to one of their galactic holdings,could have offered to have the ship use their megastructure for transit,yet he did not. This was deliberate,as for all the muddied facts and half truths that spilled out of its mouth,the lithorian was crystal clear on one thing,it was a hellish journey
For all the Meta Sax's technological prowess,they were still outsiders to this universe,that much was clear. Adapting to a whole new model of physics was always a challenge,especially when translating to ancerium catalyzed ftl,they must have surely been inexperienced.
Even for well experienced natives,the similar journeys up to the boreal zoned could only be performed by qanis runners,vessels built and packed with fuel in such amounts so as to resemble the disgustingly inefficient chemical rockets of ancient days,to say nothing of the top tier ftl drives employed aswell. All in all,it seemed almost impossible their vessel could actually make the journey and have the means for a return trip.
The lithorian's sneer only grew,for they could not leave unless the Collective allowed it,ample time to run their investigation. Surely his peers back home would be proud of this conniving move,there was some relief in that fact. Going back to the matter at hand,there was still a need to butter up to the race,they had to break any thin ice the leakage might have formed,or risk getting into trouble over what was gleamed,or worse,they could be blackmailed
"In the context of additional agreements,the Lithorian Collective happens to find itself in a favorable position amidst the hyperfuel storage. Perhaps,given adequate discharge,we could deliver quantities for your use."
He opened up with the heavy hitter right off the bat,not to mention letting the ship mind pick the payment of its choosing. Clearly,this was so far the closest attitude displayed by Uq'eik to what some may call "friendly".
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/07/2022 5:28 PM
The bioship avatar hummed in consideration.
Our most capable ship..
The first of the "Ancerian Born" bioships had been ascended not scant hours ago and they would certainly qualify. She accessed the Ancnet again, scanning for information on the unknown zones of space.
The distances were indeed quite far, too far, in fact, for anything remotely resembling sufficient trade volume.
Lambofiti stared at this information from behind false-eyes, the bioships attention diverting between several tasks at once. Assembling the dossier for the candidate they believed best suited for the role. Assessing the possibilities of hostile encounters on the way. Gathering the usual archivist minds together who would be inclined to know how, historically, such things turned out and what to look out for. Still puzzling over the curious case of the CES and what the Meta-Sax should do with them on a longer time scale..
Am I correct in presuming you will be delivering the monopoles to a location of our choosing?
Beyond any consideration, this was critical. If the Iithorians could not deliver the material and thus forced the Saxheelians to pick it up themselves, it made the deal a bit of a non-starter given the limitations of the ridiculous catalyst required to bypass whatever physical deformations occurred to make this universe so unforgiving. Which contextualized the Representatives comment in an interesting way.
"Hyperfuel? I see. The substance is always useful as a trade medium with other entities, and given the desperation many smaller polities have for it, I have no doubt we would be able to put it to good use in shoring up relations. What quantities of the substance would you be willing to part with?"
She brokered the stage with her kin in The Duality, "And more importantly, what do we wish to trade for it."
Technology was less important, so what would the Iithorian desire?..
Art. History. Planetary surveys. Star charts. Anomalies.
Ah, perhaps that.
-C
Or, perhaps it would be too risky. Not in the sense of danger to the Saxheelians, but rather, in the sense of over-extending the reach of this encounter and causing.. issues.
What would they value?
The bioship wracked her brain while The Others debated in the chasm of their gestalt. It would depend on Uq'eiks answer.
Gose {CES, CHET} — 10/13/2022 6:01 PM
Knowing that this trade deal was secured released some of the tension within Ingrumn. It was an important step forward in the plans of the CES, the idea of integrating their processing systems within various types of architectures was already up in debate in the higher chambers of decision making, lightly touching the ears of Expedites such as himself. These devices, by their power, would play part in swaying opinions. A diversified computational architecture could only bring them advantages, after all.
"The deal is done, then. We shall deliver the requested material whenever the proper logistics are established... " Then, it happens again, but this time, Ingrumn "catches" it. It is like a motor skill that was only half-awake. Not quite cybernetic in nature, but still, almost reaching the cognisant. He feels, as if with a third mental arm, manipulating the weaves of the system that his adaptation connects. He mentally probes, with informational fingers through the adaptation, the complex relief of the datasets, the moving chains of information flowing between his subconscious hands like shifting sands that read his mind. This is not the function of the adaptation, what could be causing this?
For a second thought is aided by faraway processors, seeking that which is unique to the now. He comes to a conclusion:
"I believe that your systems have shown capable of communicating with ours to some degree, given you stabilised the informational bleedthrough. We could seek further exploration of this possible communication, it seems advantageous to my neural augmentation in unprecedented manners.
...
As for the AI we ask, it'd also be wise to see how well they adapt to our paradigmn, if my previous assumption is true, then they shall be valuable additions."
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/19/2022 4:15 PM
Lambofiti nods in consideration. It wouldn't be unusual to do such a thing.. A learning experience for these low level vila would only lead to improvements in their abilities after all.
She nods again at him, "Granted. The vila will participate in whatever forums you have assigned to them. Additionally, we will grant the use of Consensus comms relay for experimentation with a subject expert. In exchange, we ask for mining opportunities within your space, specifically around B type stars, or similar giants."
Turning Uq'eik, she intones, "The Meta-Sax would like to offer in exchange for the hyperfuel the commissioned creation of a mobile habitation structure. We are quite experienced with these, and I have no doubt that you would be able to discern a capable use for it. As we are still in process of establishing logistical networks and supply lines, we would ask in exchange for the Iithorian people to provide the raw materials, whilst we provide the expertise in design and growth."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 10/23/2022 12:48 PM
The lithorian was now starting to get back in the flow of things mentally,as far as he was concerned,he'd at last outwitted the ship intellect into their demands. In spite of this,there was still more to discuss on,not to mention the loose ends. He gave a subtle nod to Lambofiti's secretive message,assuring their weariness was unfounded. Indeed,with their pride and joy,the Aje,transporting goods to them would be trivial,as would be the relocation of the Sax ship to their own territories,but they didn't need to learn that last bit.
The creature now wracked its head to process the Sax's latest offer. A construction project,one of a mobile station no less. He certainly could think of a myriad uses for it,projecting influence of all sorts to the corners of the galaxy could prove invaluable. With their own industry too focused on armament programs,this deal could not have come at a better time.
"Yes,we will gladly accept this proposal. We should be capable of shipping roughly 50 kilotons of hyperfuel to you on a monthly basis. Dare I build upon this deal,could we perhaps also rent a handful of your vessels? Their capabilities could prove most fruitful for our current quotas and projects. Rest assured,they will be rewarded separately in accordance with their performance"
There was but one more matter that needed to be tied up. Glancing to the side at the CES operative,the lithorian could only think of how the Sax proved far more cunning than he realized,more than willing to nudge them back should they overstep bounds. Nevertheless,the two of them supplied the polity with the very lifeblood the civilization needed. The only hurdle was the fact that they were competitors....yet perhaps they did not have to be. Should they work together...the horizons would suddenly be broadened,but someone needed to make the first step.
Uq'eik decided to take that plunge
"Seeing as we will undergo regular contact while delivering the Meta Sax their critically desired produce,I believe it is only logical to become more acquainted ourselves. Is there any need your company has which the Lithorian Collective may be capable of satisfying?"
He hoped the businessman would be capable of reading between the lines there,but there was still not guarantee they'd approve regardless
Gose {CES, CHET} — 10/26/2022 6:51 PM
Ingrumn motions with his hand as if to signify leniency, the added terms seem not to bother the representative much. He nods agreeably, adding: "Cosmical bodies will seldom lose potential even if both of our greatest efforts to seep them of their resources were undertaken. This will certainly further develop our relations, and we'd appreciate the proximity of contact with our trade partners, after all. You shall be provided with the suitable locations."
The lithorian then suggested the furthering of relations. Although the lizardman seemed of a lower type of species, comparatively to the vast mind-spaces that both Lambofiti and Uq'eik consistently communicated with, the arts of diplomacy were still as much true to him as they were for both the others. He picked up on the nuances of "critically" and "logical", the implications made clear.
However, it was not here that such deals should be made, should the CES wish for contact with the Collective. The risk of quickly turning future prospects with the Meta-Sax into an internal conflict by pushing them to act upon the prospect of their very demise was too great, although Ingrumn knew that, should they act upon such, it'd surely be the Collective under their aim, not the minute Far Reach Branch under the scrutiny of several other sovereign nations which also inhabited the distant cluster.
"The CES as a whole is willing to trade with many. Should you be interested in our products and services, we recommend a visit to our Headquarters." - This was agreeable, easily passable as simple propaganda, but not outright saying no or yes to Uq'eik's suggestion.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/26/2022 9:06 PM
Lambofiti wrinkled her nose at the mention of "renting" some of them. She found the concept at first opaque enough to warrant investigation and the resulting returns of her search inquiry made her unsettled.
"Rent" had far too many connotations.
First, she decided to address Ingrumn, "Excellent, we will arrange to allow technological observation of the platforms we utilize. It isn't much, truth be told, but simply seeing the process can inform a society on the many modular options available when you alter biotechnology as we have. Additionally, we will give the CES first trade rights on the materials, in case anything of criticality comes up that we do not have need for. I believe that it would be useful for us to explore the potential stellar sites in detail, so as best to expand on the potential benefits for us both and begin building estimates on the total volume of matter being moved."
Turning to Uq'eik, she steepled her fingers, "I am pleased that you find our proposal acceptable. 50 kilotons of hyperfuel monthly will meet our requirements for this interaction."
She paused, giving the thought some weight, then spoke evenly, "Representative Uq'eik, please explain in greater detail this.. "rental" arrangement you had in mind. Surely, you are aware that there is naught but people here? Renting us as though we were property is out of the question. However, I trust that this was not the intended message nor the intended request, so I ask that you enlighten me and my kin."
Within the small bubble that contained him, Lambofiti continued her observations. Nothing seemed invasive, nor did it appear that he was attempting to breach the Consensus. Still, she was cautious - as was the nature of any sane Pathfinder.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 11/25/2022 8:38 AM
Uq'eiks faceplates chittered and shifted,grinding noisily against eachother,mirroring the annoyance he felt within. The ship intellect had interpreted his proposal in the worst possible manner,putting to light just how fast the good grace was fading from the room. It seemed everyone had just about reached their limit and it would be best to wrap things up soon. A shame,he hoped there would be more to it than this.
"Your hardware is impressive,thus we could make use of its capabilities for a price of your choosing. I fail to see how relocating these vessels would be of any relevance to their intellects and inhabitants,let alone impact their well being. Surely,they can sustain themselves and continue to peruse your fabricated scapes without issue"
In truth,Uq'eik was almost taken aback. In their opulence,had these creatures forgotten the concept of toiling in the aspiration of greater goals and values? The idea was alien to the lithorian,terrifying even. This disgustingly selfish mindset was anathema to all he knew and certainly made a few gears grind in his head. Still,this was not the first time the galaxy philosophically baffled him,and he thus remained well composed externally.
Diverting his gaze to the CES operative,he was confident the subliminal messaging was understood and was not negatively recieved. Likewise he realized leveraging their statuses in front of the client was a poor choice at best,preferably left to future,one to one ventures.
"Yes,it would seem such a visit is in order" Uq'eik replied,confirming the lizard man's verbose diversion. Another bullet point added to his seemingly never ending mental list: to meet with these reptilians and further discuss their..."commercial avenues"
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 11/25/2022 8:58 AM
Lambofiti hummed in consideration, tapping an index finger against her elbow. Uq'eik thought of the universe in a very different way from them; taking this into account, she pondered if the word choice was less a deliberate attempt to imply a state-of-engagement and more just a way of expressing a more benign concept.
At face value, yes there was no issue at all with simply going to another's space - invited of course - to aid or otherwise participate in activities. They had done this many times in the past. To do so in contract, however, was more unusual, and the Ancnet had been vague on the nature of such things.
"Hmm.. they could yes. Any of us would but need access to a star of any type. Forgive me if I overstepped, I was unfamiliar with the concept and the local information net had a rather curious definition of renting. If this instance is mutual-aid oriented, then of course it will be given. As I said earlier, we aim to assist and build positive relations with the civilizations of this galaxy."
"As for price, may we request something a bit unusual? We would like introduction to commercial peers of yours, to see whom has materials that we may exchange for. While the agreements we have made today will handle our physical needs, there is still the spiritual need. We thrive in the opportunity to meet new peoples, new cultures, new ways of being. As it stands Due To An Issue will be heading to your region of space to learn more of yourselves and aid in the creation of the mushine reactor."
Within the Consensus, she sent out a ping among her shipkin to see if any volunteers would be willing to step forward. The Iithorians were unusual, so she put it as a higher integer request, to reduce any misunderstandings. She had full faith that in time there would be mutual semiotic understanding.
-c
"Ah, one more question actually, related to the requested medium of exchange. If you are collaborating with any mutual-aid organizations or medical organizations, would you be so kind as to refer us? Our skills in the subject are extensive and we have a long history of deep space rescue operations. Unfamiliar as we are with the galaxy and its cultures, it behooves us to seek connection through well known members of the community like yourselves."
The bioships thoughts swam to the domestic hospital ship of the Clade and how eager it had been to offer help when possible. She stuffed a small smile into the corner of her heart to hide the fondness for them.
Lambofiti was uncertain.
So much had changed since entering this new demesne. Physics was different. People were different. Their way of life was rapidly becoming something risky, something uncertain for the first time in ten thousand years.
From a galaxy that took millennia to traverse to one that took a few days, perhaps a week. It was absurdity of the highest order. No matter how many times the high integer minds came together to simulate things, the end results were always the same. Within two or three Sax-generations, they would be extinct.
The first warning sign came when the monopole factories simply... stopped. The most foundational technology that they relied upon became non-functional entirely. Instantly, every mind had swarmed on the problem, trying to identify what went wrong. A quirk in particle physics in this universe made their underlying knowledge of monopole production no longer a complete, unified thing. Even their Unified Field Theory now had gaping holes in it. Subject matters long thought solved and trivial became open to debate and discussion.
It would be a different matter entirely if it wasn't something so existentially concerning for their ability to exist. Monopoles fed their cells, which fed their bodies, which fed the bioships, which kept their entire civilization functioning. Without them, they would die. A slow, dim, chilling thing as they gradually lost the energy to keep themselves as they were. The simulations of that had left Lambofiti with a degree of nightmares.
As did their options. Naturally occurring monopoles were a thing in this reality, fortunately. But, they were monopolized by a few key powers. Which meant, for the first time in their existence, they would have to rely on others to survive.
The bioship began the process of folding space - replacing the instant of self in the location is sought with its quantum-ideation: two powers agreed to talks. To trade. And here, they would decide their future.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 08/13/2022 4:32 AM
A bubble of warped spacetime promptly arrived in the system,popping shortly thereafter and revealing the shape of a sleek bio vessel. Inside,Uq'eik was fiddling with a variety of reports and articles,presented in the form of dataslates which danced around him.
With a gesture,they all vanished,leaving only the psionic ping from the ship's processing nodes to disturb him,they had arrived. Truth be told,the alien was furious. After the Post Umon disaster,they sent him to bargain with the CES and some polity none of them had even heard of? He should have been at the forefront of a fleet action,leading the effort to reclaim what,and who,was lost. At the end of the day however,it seemed he was "suffering from success" as they say. Being the chief diplomat of the Collective did mean he hardly ever saw combat anymore,Umon was just an aberration,a punishment,though one he actually appreciated.
Casting petty emotions aside,he had to get to business,representing the entire Collective was bigger than himself,bigger even than most of his colleagues. He'd be damned if he did not offer a stellar performance. Putting his "game face" on,Uq'eik calmly broadcasted an automated message that would be easily picked up by anyone in the system with the hardware. It was written in galactic common,signified their arrival alongside bring full of pleasantries and the like,the usual diplomatic bullshit as far he was concerned. Now all that remained was to be told where to actually meet these foreign delegates
Gose {CES, CHET} — 08/15/2022 3:53 PM
The man for the job was none other than Ingrumn himself. Having lead the Far Reach project that would actually supply the Monopoles towards the buyers, he more than any other CES representative would know how far they could push this trade deal without falling back on their promises against what looked to be capable and promising markets. After all, they lacked the tech to properly implement the resource into their industrial philosophy.
Still he wondered, as he reclined into the comfortable graphene weave of the luxury craft, how the CES even sought out these trade deals. Within their matrices of the homeland were databeams and volumes of such tremendous density of information that it might be pure-information solids, or at least he heard, all processed in thousands of optimisation softwares and databases that refined and stamped out the data into digestible information for each department. This was much beyond him, managing the Far Reach programme seemed far less of a nightmare than the people who had to deal with the upkeep of the IPD.
The stretched-out image of the craft and its two accompanying vessels snapped from the gravitational lensing of the alcubierre jump, the cassimir geometry spewed out the ancerium fuel, washing it from its insides and undoing the spacetime polarisation. The representative vessel emitted a hail that acknowledged their presence and their intentions, with the usual corporate lingo and other such characteristics expected from the megacorp. Still, they awaited for further instructions, as Ingrumn carefully flipped through the relevant data of their monopole extraction.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/15/2022 5:47 PM
Lambofiti observes through its senses as the two starships enter the system shortly after its arrival. The fellow bioship was definitely piquing its interest, but it politely kept scans to just visual. The CES ship's hail was quite unusual with its bombastic display of information, which the ship filed away for later processing.
It opened a channel, "Greetings and joyous exaltation at a meeting of The New. This one is Lambofiti, and will act as high integer representative of the Saxheelian Meta-Antecedent. This one has prepared a neutral environment within to host all associated groups. Physical umbilical's are available if the hangar proves unaccessable."
That sent, it opened its interior embassy sanctum and informed its population of the incoming delegation. This would be particularly tricky, and it was universally decided by Consensus that high integer intelligences would be needed to navigate the conversations sufficiently. The full ships population of 25,000 aided Lambofiti by contributing their own mental powers to it, while the bioship fitted out a very rare physical avatar.
Moments later, it felt it open a new set of eyes within itself, taking a moment to adjust to the dizzying sense of being inside its own body-mind. Staring at slender fingers for a moment, it breathed in, then moved towards the embarkation area to welcome to delegates. Clothing flowed from its skin, wrapping it in something elegant, but suitably covering while tattoos shifted over its body in accordance to the ancient Vasudan rituals. It was one once, after all.
Outside, its split consciousness spat out several drones to act as guidelights for delegate vessels.
Here we go.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 08/19/2022 1:18 PM
Uq'eik watched as the three parties were now locked in a sort of standstill. What in the Almighty's name was going on? He quickly checked his slate again and reassured himself that this was a CES system,causing his gaze to focus in on their ship. As expected of a corporation,it was full of flashiness and advertisements to the point of being an assault upon the eyes.
His disbelief only grew when the Sax vessel made a statement and invited them in. The alien buried its face within its palms for a moment
"Great. I am dealing with amateurs"
Regaining composure,he set his craft to carefully follow the drone which had approached them as guide. The bio construct did so expeditiously,making it to the much larger alien voidborn and docking. With procedures out of the way,Uq'eik stepped out into the hangar.
He was a familiar creature to be sure,upright and with four limbs,but also bearing a great many features alien by human or even humanoid standards. Most of the thing's form was covered in a fancy robe,white and red,a pallet occasionally by rows of small and circular object like buttons,themselves pitch black in tone. Two shoulder pads,almost ridiculously elongated and curving upwards,encrusted with gems to add to the fancy factor no doubt. The hands which peaked out of expansive sleeves were covered in a marble white exoskeleton,perforated by black seams. Each was made of five digits,one opposable,which in turn ended in sharp ends,like a needle.
The alien's head was equally unconventional,no features left uncovered by those white plates save for two masses of glowing crimson,the eyes. The seams here were much more pronounced and elaborate,making way for what appeared to be thin black cords,perhaps muscle fibers,to actively slither underneath. Its "cheeks",if one could call them that;were sunken,while its chin was long and thin.
A trio of horns sprouted from the lithorian's forehead,one straight up while the other two did so to the side before sharply curving upwards aswell,almost resembling a crown.
Uq'eik scoped out the foreign surroundings inquisitively,trying to make sense of them and locate what he hoped to be their host for this endeavour
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/19/2022 2:53 PM
The docked alien craft was cushioned and gently wrapped by various fields for ease of movement while room was made for the eventual CES representative's craft. Lambofiti found the process still quite foreign to be walking within themselves as they approached what clearly had to be the delegate from the Iithorians. What little they knew from the Net gave them at best a general idea on how to proceed, so Lambofiti decided the best approach was the old approach.
Vasudan of the ancient-era were more humanoid than not, and it was their original form that they chose to emulate. A lithe female with sharp features and squished almost felinoid nose, eyes with black sclera and golden irises, and a firm expression; she moved the flowing drapery around her chocolate skin to better demonstrate the ritualized tattoos that told the great story of her life. Stopping a few meters from the representative, Lambofiti bowed gently, swaying her arms out to her sides, "Welcome. I am Lambofiti; Saxheelian bioship. I will be representing our interests at this negotiation."
She gestures at the hangar around them - the soft golden light accented by the off-colored white walls which were the telltale sign of UV colorations, "If the conditions of the primary hangar are not suitable for storage of your vessel, please let us know. External docking is an option as well. The space for communion is being ritualized by my ship-kin and we still await the CES representative."
"We are honored that you agreed to engage in semiotic-adaptive exchange. As a moment of polite awareness, the entire polity will be observing the negotiations, and considerable local bandwidth has been redirected to tolerate the level of traffic. Should you need to communicate outside this vessel, there will be delays unless you choose to utilize your own systems. I apologize for this limitation, as normally I would be happy to act as a relay amplification. If you wish a brief tour while we wait, that can be arranged."
Gose {CES, CHET} — 08/24/2022 4:52 PM
The ship vagarously proceeded towards the saxheelian vessel, emitting the pink plumes iconic of the CES hydrogen-based fuels as it did. Soon, it introduced itself into the docking area. It was a sleek and modern adaptation to the exterior of the vessel, indicating a kind of luxury and officiality that obscured the tumerous hexagonal bulk of the interior modular design, the standard airlocks and the likes found not difficulty in opening nor did the landing gear had troubles being encompassed by the Saxheelian docking halls, and soon, the monolithic exterior was outercut by a landing wind, from which the representative descended.
What exited, was by all accounts, the most "normal" being within this docking area. A Mus'Vanus, standing no taller than 1,7 meters and sporting a mesmerising chromatic cloth in the manner of a business suit, shimmering in the colors of the CES' logo, a distinctive fiery orange, jungle green and deep blue. The most distinctive part of the lizardman was not the suit however, it was the augmentation upon his left eye. A kind of sleek metallic piece underlined the eye and slipped under the ocular globe at the corner, going inwards but not interfering with the eye's operation besides a small glint within.
The lizardman bows.
"Greetings. I am most elated to be here to represent the Far Reach Branch of the CES" - Visual features indicate that the elation may not be so grand.
Another figure emerges from within. It is a muscular, headless lizard, standing well over 2 meters of height. Its head ends in a cavety where a relatively small globe is located, almost hidden between gigantic trapezoids bulging against a tight, black and matte hexagon-patterned weave. It stands tall at the top of the ramp and does not descend.
The lizard snaps a small look back, and remarks:
"Ah - That is the ship guard. Standard company procedure."
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/24/2022 5:38 PM
Lambofiti had briefly hoped to give a tour of themselves prior to the arrival of the CES representative, but upon reflection decided it was an artefact of the relaxed sense of time that they had in comparison to the NSL who were present.
Returning the bow to CES representative, Lambofiti extends a greetings of their own, "Warm and pleasant welcome to you. The Meta-Sax are grateful for the willingness of yourselves and the Iithorians to negotiate in good faith in regards to this material."
Another saurian?.. The haleel will be overjoyed. Especially given their flamboyant attire.
While not looking at the monstrosity that had been brought aboard with their avatar - indeed, giving no visual indication of even noticing it - the shipself recoiled mentally at the creature. It quietly placed several dozen bacteria-sized observers in a loose magnetic orbit of its periphery to monitor it in case it did anything untowards.
So inelegant..
Brushing the thought aside, the avatar gestures towards the inward exit point of the hangar. The portals themselves were barren of any doors, or any other visible containment, "You will find we do not possess a closed-culture. Please forgive the curiosity of our people, as those present are acting as considerable hub-points for many thousands of others to observe this negotiation."
"If you are both prepared to move within, we may proceed to the chamber set aside for this work. If there are any specific requirements or conditions for the comfort of your stay, please, let me know."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 08/27/2022 3:00 AM
Uq'eik watched as the strange creature made a beeline for him. Internally scoffing at all the strange features,the tribal mixtures it had doused itself in,he never could fathom how the galaxy had so much strangeness to offer. Still,he kept up appearances,there was a job to be done and he was the one to fulfill it. He promptly returned the creature's bow with his own.
"I am Uq'eik of the Lithorian Collective,the pleasure is ours. Rest assured,this space is more than adequate for my craft's needs"
The knowledge that the thing speaking to him was the ship itself did come as a surprise. From where he hailed,only the Jingos themselves were blessed with such biomechanical prowess,he had to be respectful,even his instincts told him that.
Still,the fact that the creature actually hosted people here was strange. Sapient symbiotes perhaps? Attendants? He had heard of some Jingos who opted for this approach,but why would they be martyrs to diplomatic talks? Why would any population be? It was clear he was dealing with strange beings indeed,not surprising given the lack of intel they had to begin with.
"That will not be necessary,I can communicate with my kin anytime without delay or failure. But I appreciate the thought"
The lithorian turned to look as the more primitive CES craft made its debut and released their part of the representation. "Far Reach branch" the reptilian said,so they really did find monopoles somewhere in the halo without a doubt,something to keep in mind for when he returned to his seniors. Unsurprisingly,the diminutive reptilian had a lack luster biology,physique and bruttish augmentations of synthetic materiel.
The bombastic,borderline fibrous advertisement that it chose to clothe itself with only made Uq'eik sigh internally,but he wasn't the point of significance in this delegation. The alien was much more interested in the more bulky agent that accompanied them. Gazing down at this servant,clearly an attendant construct,though not biomechanical in nature. It seems of the two parties,this one was more adjacent to their line of thinking,once again something to keep in mind
He turned to their hosts once more,the interest in those two thoroughly worn out
"I have no requests,let us proceed"
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 08/29/2022 8:08 AM
Satisfied that both representatives needs were met in the moment, Lambofiti guided them further into the bioships interior. Despite the name, the walls and portals throughout were not squishy and fleshy, but instead articulated with layered architecture. The simple white and gold of the hangar transitioned into beige and shades of red as they entered a new zone.
From the vantage point of the hall, they could clearly see into the interior of the bioships O'Neil Cylinder and the vast for its size biome. Yet this was not their destination, for Lambofiti continued walking. At the end of the corridor was a simple looking lift, its door decorated in symbols and iconography which the Saxheelian guided them into.
"We will be arriving in the communion chamber momentarily."
The doors closed and then moments later opened, revealing the heart of a much larger structure. The ceiling arched high, with a second floor balcony filled with spaces that may well be seats depending on ones morphology. A pillar of light shown down through the top of the ceiling which itself was a massive star map. Golden lines began from various points before converging where the light began.
It was this center of light that Lambofiti continued towards, while gesturing at a pair of stations that had been specially prepared for the biology of both representatives, "Please, let me know if the simulacrum are not to your liking. These consoles will connect you with any computational aids or databases you may need, and also include Ancnet connections. Though, as I had advised Representative Uq'eik, my bandwidth is going to be limited due to the volume of Meta-Sax observing this in real time."
She stops once she reaches the light and turns to face both of them, "When you have settled in, we may begin."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/16/2022 10:07 AM
Uq'eik continued into the bioship's interior as he followed the avatar,taking note of the highly curated surfaces that worked to resemble those of artificial design more than the flesh,something which reminded him of his kind's own styles,usually reserved for those in high places or locations of particular culture. Suffice to say it was not the norm,but he'd more than gotten used after all the visits he'd undertaken to other races. This was simply a matter of slight disappointment
More curious however was the feeling of centrifugal force acting upon him,they were all spinning at a steady pace. No doubt the O'Neil Cylinder was enormous,with a pull so subtle no regular human or indeed most species could even note it,but his own senses were painfully aware. Very strange,he could have sworn these "Meta Sax" were described as highly advanced beyond the usual. Despite this,they seemed to not be above using more primitive,if cost effective,methods for achieving certain functions. Some of their organisms clearly needed a non zero G environment for its existence to have a purpose at all,but why not settle for standard gravity plating? Were they just stingy? More notes to file away into the depths of his alien mind.
At last they arrived at what could only be a meeting chamber. The lithorian promptly marched towards the nearest seat,regardless of its shape,convenience was irrelevant and he'd just as well stand for the whole ordeal if needed. He paid little mind to Lambofiti's comments about databases and digital aids,neither turning to face them nor vocalizing response,no use in treading that old road twice. He then turned to the reptilian and his cohort,one eye ever so slightly raised. Clearly,he was ready to start
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/16/2022 12:07 PM
Lambofiti observed the Representative assume the space that had originally been prepared for the CES. With the equivalent a mental shrug, they simply adjusted the stations according to the needs of each individual. The computers and chairs were a part of her overall body after all, no more challenging than telling ones cells to move hither or thither.
Many more Meta-Sax were fully connecting now, straining the bioships overall capacity significantly. In a way, they were glad that these were relatively low level entities that communicated in a standard format for bipeds. Had she to deal with a high integer intelligence conversing at appreciable percentages of light, this would be far more challenging. Already, several members onboard had taken it upon themselves to act as nodal points for the others to spread some of the traffic around, which she appreciated greatly.
The noise inside the Consensus grew, as the Duality subdomain supplanted an element of her vision of The Real. Already, tens of thousands filled the stadium that had been setup in The Other to convey the conjected space-time they occupied. The murmur of sounds from the various aliens who made up the Clade were a constant drone in her mind, though not a distraction as much as they were a comfort. Focusing herself back into The Real more fully, she steadied her gaze upon Uq'eik.
Assertive entities aside, Lambofiti supposed this was going as smoothly as could be expected. Based on what information they had managed to gather, neither of the polities was exactly.. friendly.. towards the thinking processes of the Meta-Sax. Which required a bit of guile then on their part to handle things.
The woman turned her attention to the CES Representative, quietly waiting for the entity to indicate their readiness while glowing tuffs of something drifted down from the light above and flitted about the air on invisible winds.
Gose {CES, CHET} — 09/17/2022 7:43 PM
Ingrumn pondered as they moved inwards into the alien ship. The Meta-Sax were people that were, as the optical-neural feed indicated to him and as previous studies had show, "trustworthy". Time and iterations had altered several classifications within the IPD databases, whatever "trustworthy" meant in exact was already beyond the lizard, but whence the information reached the brain it triggered automatic responses that were not harmful, as such, it was expected that the subconcious, at least, understood it as a good thing.
However, he could not help but worry as he stared down the seat, and Lambofiti awaited his response. Would it be safe to interface with an alien's neural connection? Would corporate secrets be stolen away from the safety of his mind? If these Meta-Sax were advanced enough, would he even be able to tell that such a thing was happening, whence it did? - No matter. There was always a degree of trust in these deals. It was indicated to him that the monopoles were of such importance to these people that they'd expressly contacted two providers, so far apart and different, only seeking the material. This had the potential to be big.
Ingrumn nodded to Lambofiti, and awaited for Uq'eik to interface beforehand, keeping a steady eye, he soon realised that, even the large lithoid had no problems with such high-end, yet organic-looking technology. He buried his concerns, and what sliver of perplexification that showed through his expression was quickly dissolved back into an agreeable face. He bowed to Lambofiti, and proceeded to the chair. He made himself accomodated, before agreeing to the interface with a simple and slight nod of the head.
.
As the interface began, things would not go completely smoothly. Whilst the Meta-Sax were correct in assuming that the Mus'Vanus as a species were not beings capable of tremendous ammounts of individual computation, recent breakthroughs in biological interfacing allowed them to mount within their brains and eyes something called an "Argus" adaptation. It connected their mental stream to a dissoluted and exclusive channels of highly processed data, coming directly from an IPD node. It was a small but tremendous gateway.
The mind of the lizardman was like a receptable filled half-way. The Argus adaptation was a wormhole, capped at the rate which Ingrumn could process the information received, it suddenly found itself connected to the larger, Meta-Sax informational weave - A system not unlike the IPD, but in greater scale and tremendous refinement - The adaptation capped at its informational limit, the small wormhole spewed data forward, trying to supply what it thought was now a mind many millions of time larger than the previous one, before artificially reducing itself into the rates it had before the transition as an automatic failsafe. However, this short burst still supplied the Meta-Sax with a good deal of knowledge about the IPD, revealing to them the much younger and more rudimentary system of eerily similar nature.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 9:13 AM
Lambofiti had opened her mouth to speak, to intone the rituals required by their ancient noema when there was a tug within the Consensus.
This was extremely unusual, as the Consensus was a free flowing river - it was eternal in its movement. There was not meant to be any sort of tug or sensation of otherness. Yet it was there.
Within the Duality of The Other realm, the murmur of voices increased ten fold. A million minds instantly turned towards the source and realized with astonishment that it was the CES Representative. Ingrumn. Species Mus'Vanus. With a communications level wormhole implanted in his brain.
It was a surprise, a shock, an unexpected element. Doubly so when data started to spew forth from the mans mind into the Consensus. A wild fire hose attempting to fill a room of infinite size.
In The Real, Lambofiti turned to stare at Ingrumn involuntarily, compelled to by her real body's intense focus on stemming the leak, while in The Other there were hundreds of mental hands move about the aperture, directing and guiding the information outflow into pockets of subdomains that could be contained and studied at a later date. In doing so, they were trapped with the reality of giving the reptilian a vague dream-like connection to the Consensus and all it represented.
A million minds speaking at once. A space-time construct of infinite size. A tapestry of historic knowledge archived within. Subdomains of imagined realities bleeding in through the edges of the eyes. Yet, none of the Meta-Sax within echoed hostility towards this inadvertent intrusion. They radiated concern for him, and concern for the immaturity of the technology.
Lambofiti coughed into a closed fist gently and swept her arms wide, the flowing thin-silk robe billowing out around her, "My apologies. The connection is tenuous with other species, depending on anatomy. We, the Saxheelian Meta-Antecedent, welcome you officially to these negotiations and look forward to a long--"
-C
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 9:22 AM
"and fruitful trade relationship. As you are both aware, we are seeking access to this material."
The image of the compound in question fills the light-space where the bioship avatar stood. Monopoles - useless to most, the material of gods to the Meta-Sax. A literal lifeblood.
Steeling herself, she continued, "Monopoles in this universe are produced atypically to that of where we came from. Our manufacturing system involving particle accelerators has begun to return exotic particles not of this nature. While scientifically interesting, it is no use to us. It is our understanding that each of your societies has access to the material we require, and that you are willing to trade it in volumes that we find acceptable."
Adjusting the projection and condensing it, Lamobifiti displayed a timetable of material consumption, "As you can see, we will require approximately twelve to the factor of three atoms of the substance per galactic standard year. Given we know little to nothing of your respective societies, we are unable to proffer an immediate equivalent item for trade. So, we ask instead how we might meet your needs."
Folding her arms into her sleeves she looks at each of the Representatives, "You have seen but a glance of our technological abilities. While our strengths lay, obviously, in biological technologies, we are skilled as well in social development theory. The creation of cities, terraforming projects, orbital mechanics adjustments and so forth are within the realm of the Clade. What is it that your societies require?"
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/18/2022 12:13 PM
As Uq'eik sat down,microscopic membranes spread from his equally living garments and interfaced directly with the biotechnology of the Sax apparatus. In an instant,they plugged him into the Consensus,translating the conventional computational signals into psionic impulses which his analogue of neurons could understand. Ultimately this led to a very peculiar situation,as the system would fail to notice any kind of activity coming from the lithorian,as if not a single thought was whizzing around the alien's cranium. And yet this could not be,he very much was there,yet at the same time wasn't.
A blurry presence,an unseen interloper,a phantom. Uq'eik himself took note of this and sought to remedy it. The same membranes now shifted and modified themselves,gaining both luminescent and metamaterial properties,turning those same psionic impulses back into photons and delivering them in turn to the Consensus. It worked a little too well...
The haste with which he proceeded meant there was no time accounted for the linked nature of his race or the compatibility of their hivemind with mechanical and computational technologies,courtesy of a certain secret project. Uq'eik was in and fully noticeable,as was the absolute typhoon of counciousness that was The Lithorian Collective. A billion,a trillion,nay...nigh innumerable minds appeared in a flash,chittering,screeching,blurbing in unknown languages. Most were primitive,not even sentient,but rather insect like,simply relaying information and recieving command pings. Others were so vast as to be utterly beyond human,or indeed,biped comprehension,grand minds spanning vessels not unlike Lambofiti,then continents,then wholesale worlds.
This incident lasted an Interval that could be measured in the nanoseconds,enough for Uq'eik to realise and correct his mistake,hopefully also enough for atleast the CES operative not to have noticed.
Buffers and stopgaps were imposed,cutting everything but Uq'eik out,returning things to some semblance of normality.
He looked from side to side,almost embarrassed,before raising one hand
"I apologize,this is different from the Rhizome experience. It won't repeat"
Now he could truly be seen in the Consensus,and the representation was indeed odd to say the least. His intellect was not small by any means,quite the opposite actually,but that paled in comparison to another characteristic. His thoughts,his every jolt and signal,bouncing from neuron to neuron and eventually to other cell types,the creature's own interface labeled them all as propagating at ftl speeds. More curious,no signatures of wormholes or any spatial distortions,suggesting a different mechanism all together. Chemical sensors,electrical detectors and photonic recievers still picked nothing from the actual body. No thinking,whether biological or computational could be registered,this was a peculiar fellow indeed.
Uq'eik moved onto important matters,listening and watching Lambofiti's request and demonstration. He did the math in his head,the amount was indeed doable,and it seemed these people were truly desperate for it. Normally they would want SIGEC,but given the Sax's insular nature,it seemed unlikely they were integrated into galactic economy enough to possess desirable sums. Plan B then,good old bartering. First however,he needed more info
"You seem to consider monopoles as strategically absolute,I take it this means you require them to sustain yourselves? Derive work and produce energy,perhaps?" A soulless inquiry,one that aimed to better gauge just what the stakes of this deal were for the Meta Sax,and thus better devise their own tolls
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 1:41 PM
A dual of surprises in the span of a few moments. They had known very little of the Iithorians, but the brief connection to the Other gestalt made that lack of knowledge all the more acute.
Are they like us?..
Clearly not, given the chasing afterimage of so much noise, mixed with the uneasy sense of something being off about it. They had expected a fairly typical bipedal entity, but realizing that it was more akin to Lambofiti in the sense of being more an avatar, it altered the Meta-Sax perspective. Awareness of other shipkin intelligences and planet-spanning minds did make them reconsider the scope of engagement, however.
It was a curious mixture of apprehension and hope that filled the majority. They were outnumbered to a hilarious degree, and this other gestalt had been present here for presumably far longer. Given the biotechnological affinity, it made Lambofiti wonder at the potential for future cooperation.
She hesitated.
With vanishingly rare exceptions, peer-entities had been untrustworthy. It was an act of wisdom for them to be cautious, careful, considerate. Especially in light of the entities actual intelligence compared to the presumed baseline.
Meta-Sax within the Consensus adjusted swiftly to the newcomer; the first had been a surprise they weren't certain how to deal with, the second was much more flexible. Given its nature, and the nature of its people, it fit into a subdomain swiftly. Pulling at The Duality, they superimposed the subdomain against a backdrop of the room the three of them stood within. For all intents and purposes, it was the exact same space, just more easily modified to suit the need of the entity within.
The beings within the Consensus ensured that Ingrumn was kept "outside" the metaphysical area until such time as they could ensure his safety. Or if he even desired it, or became aware of it.
In an odd way, it was exciting. Typically, Joiners were the only ones who grew a sense of the Consensus and yet -C
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/18/2022 1:52 PM
here were two entities who had found connection. In light of the apparently much sophisticated technical skills of Uq'eik's people, this was perhaps not terribly surprising. Still, in their long history this has not happened before, which made it New.
The New was always celebrated as such.
In The Real, Lambofiti remained as she was, but in The Duality which she shared with Uq'eik's connection, she smiled.
Unusual. Unexpected. But not unwelcome. Your physiological connection to the terminal can be refined further, if you wish it. This will deepen the connection to the subdomain we have built here. We were unware of your peoples experiential reality, or, truthfully, much about you at all. This illuminates much in a way that is appreciated.
In The Real once more, she adjusted the display and brought forth the facsimile of the monopole. It 'zoomed out' showing it contained within a nucleonic structure, with many enzymes and artificial atomic structures built around it, "Energy, yes. The molecular construct as seen here is capable of generating 89 terawatts of power per monopole. We have alternative power sources of far superior strength, but as we must needs still establish a presence, the creation of these delicate assemblies must wait."
The observant question was precisely why they had invited both representatives. In the case one understood the true value of the material, it was hoped that the other would be willing to negotiate down. In the hopes on not losing the lucrative contract, it thus would ideally balance the two factions against the Meta-Sax's needs. In theory, anyways. It was now a bit of an odd calculation, given what they knew of the Iithorians at this point.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/19/2022 11:14 AM
Uq'eik perused the reaches of the Consensus inquisitively,exploring while maintaining enough cognition to hold a stake in the talks. He had plenty of experience in spaces concerning the mind,from his own hivemind and its mental scapes to the vast Rhizome universes of the Ancnet. This Consensus was impressive,no less intricate than either of his previous frontiers,yet it was somewhat of a ghost town. A million voices was a pittance compared to the former and especially the latter places,making it awfully quiet,peaceful,yet perhaps to the point of ringing sensory deprivation.
He made no move as his mind became curtailed in a sub domain,away from the chorus,the CES representative,things just got even quieter.
"If you so desire,you may proceed,so long as it aids the negotiation". Short and to the point,as was characteristic of the alien by this point
In the real,he was contemplating the news. He had done his research on this,the process which the alien was describing. To use the monstrous magnetic fields of monopole plasma to decay atoms directly into photons and mesons,total conversion. Suffice to say,to harness the power of antimatter without the volatility had been an attractive avenue of approach for the collective since learning of its use on the ancnet. Now especially,as project Zalmoxius required new more potent energy sources to sustain the various other improvements conceptualized or in the works. Amidst all of this,the answer became clear
"We would be willing to export,so long as you are willing to share detailed data on the process,help us develop our own"
This was big,Uq'eiks actions here may earn him prestige the likes of which could seldom be imagined from the ranks of the Jingos. While he had no allusions of replicating the Sax's molecular apparatus ,he figured they could atleast figure out a design compact enough to put on a vessel.
Of course,in spite of its superior conversion rate,even these would fall short of their micro black hole modules. Even a molecular reactor could not hold a candle to massively subatomic singularities in confinement,doubly so if psionic manipulation fields were in effect for effective throttling. That however mattered even less,as that technology truly had no hope of seeing use outside the experimental and stationary anytime soon,though the intellectuals believed they might be getting close to a second rate alternative.He still figured they wouldn't mind this olive branch from beyond,it's always good to diversify power sources,lest they end up like the aliens before him
Gose {CES, CHET} — 09/19/2022 1:35 PM
Ingrumn's mind, and vision, metaphorically, was split asunder. On the left eye the IPD leaked through, a cohesive stream of recognisable data relevant to the information, the augmentation, capped and stabilised now in the dream-like state provided by the Meta-Sax and only achieved once before in the history of the Argus technology, was a possible game-changer. The system would be able to fully express the relevancy of its complex datasets to the average CES employee, without the necessity of cutting corners for understanding.
The right-side was the dreaming of the Meta-Sax, the quiet whispering and half-awakedness of his consciousness. As the augmentation stabilised, so did the connection. The bleedthrough halted now but focused on an elevated datastream isolated only within the lizardman's mind - he was the bridge that would connect the will of the system to the Meta-Sax.
He took a few seconds to get used to the feeling. It was like he was submerged within a pool, floating but not quite, puppeteering processes within a brain that was not quite his own. There was an echelon of thoughts that'd collapse from the intent towards the outcome, never quite full control, never out of reach. Slowly, he closed the gap and wrangled the information that came into his head, his mind took active part in soliciting and receiving the information, the true inception of a biological merger into the IPD had just happened, unbeknownst to Ingrumn, outside of CES territory, aided by alien technologies.
"Excuse me... The augmentation is very... experimental.
We didn't expect the bleedthrough..." - "Bleethrough" was a heavy word, it echoed within the halls of his expanded mind, it filled logs, it played iterations, it stimulated datasets and moved processes far detached from his presence, the optimisation process took hold my mere expression of thought, a coalescence of the recent experience slowly culminating into an adaptation that would not suffer from these issues, should the -C
Gose {CES, CHET} — 09/19/2022 1:42 PM
data currently gathered be sufficient.
"Your procurement of such different suppliers leads us to believe that your necessity to this material are far above the common demand of the market." - He predicted. After all, what are the demands of the market but massive ammounts of data previously studied, but now revised once again, drawn in from the AncNet, recalculated, seeking trends that put in evidence the weakness of the Meta-Sax, even despite the gargantuan gap in capability between the CES and them.
There was a moment of resurgence now, a partial realisation of the processes that took hold. To someone skilled enough in an art, doing something is not a conscious but rather automatic process. The conscious took hold, the link between him and the IPD shattered as his very ego started to prevent a consistent dataflow. It was like being emerged from a lukewarm bath. He still did not faulter, but regathered himself and started again.
"We are not in a compromised financial situation. The markets are plentiful even in the times of war...
Alas we suggest a trade deal not in currency but in technology. The CES has great demands in processing power with our expanding networks, of which you assuredly have knowledge of whilst researching our conglomerate." - This time, there was no echo, but like every person, the frailty of awareness started to diffuse and the holds of the system started to permeate again.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/20/2022 8:28 AM
Uq'eik's presence in the Consensus stirred much debate within the morphogenic body. Do they let it explore further? Expand the subdomain? Contain it until they can learn more?
It was utterly unexpected that not one but two distinctly alien beings would end up accidentally interfacing with the Consensus and survive the action. Typically, in their home universe, it was an unassailable domain in which none but their own kind could interact with. Even Joiners took many months of adaptation before they could truly see or hear anything in the Consensus let alone influence it. Yet, here they were.
Perhaps they should reconsider their timetables.
If the space-time construct of the Consesus had been altered by the fundamental shift in local physics, then it was possible that a Joiner would be able to acclimate far more rapidly than back Home.
Lambofiti kept herself as guardian over the subdomain replica of the chamber alongside Uq'eik, carefully observing the entities mind within that space. Not enough to probe intrusively or rudely, but to ensure stability in connection and to sense if he tried to push at the boundary. This was new and unusual, they needed to be cautious. They were but a drop upon the surface of a star compared to their kin at Home, they lacked the resources they typically had and thus had to react accordingly.
I doubt it would aid in negotiations in the direct sense. Rather, it has potential for deep cultural exchange.
Truth be told, so did the idea of sharing their technology.
Which brought the bioship to the current moment to process what had been placed as an equitable medium of exchange. For Uq'eik, it was the monopole technology and for Ingrumn it was computers, which for the Sax meant biological quantum machines. Vila.
Hmm.
She looked back to the reptilian, briefly pondering how he would have reacted had Just Visiting been here instead. She could sense her shipkin, far away, exploring a strange star and aiding an even stranger people.
Gently, she ushered his afterimage's subdomain into something soft, quiet, peaceful. They didn't pry into his mind and were swift to remove any accidential information bleedthrough - it was only polite - so they substituted sounds and sensations with something the other reptilians among them enjoyed. It was an interesting mind. These Mus'Vanus had potential in many ways, especially in light of their early development of things the Meta-Sax themselves both took for granted and created many, many milennia ago.
Perhaps their path is similar to ours as a collective whole?..
The data still coming from him was simply folded into the subdomain, letting him deal with the elements on his own either consciously or subconsciously. It was itself a little bit of a test of his wisdom, to gauge the proper potential of the Mus'Vanus and thus determine the nature of the eventual relationship with the Saxheelians themselves.
Stilling her thoughts, she folded her arms into her sleeves and peered at both the alien guests. With a slow nod, she acknowledged their words, "Apologies are unnecessary, bleed through of this nature happens from time to time. Though, we confess to finding your implant rather fascinating, Representative Ingrumn."
Deciding that standing was growing tiring, she conjured a chair from the ground and sat down, a languid leg perched upon the other, "To address the sharing of technology, and thus both of your trade stipulations: the more sophisticated the element, the more than mere technology is required to create it."
She steepled her fingers as she leaned back, "Let us postulate that technology and society are inextricably linked; you cannot have one without it being affected by the limitations of the other. Thus, for the monopole mitochondria, it is not simply a matter of teaching you how to create it. It is a matter of teaching you how to be us."
Lambofiti tilted her head at them, "To express the functions of the technology appropriately would be to convey to you the nuances of Saxheelian cultural attitudes. Admittedly, this is itself a misnomer, as we are but one Clade of many millions with our own culture and belief systems. How we ourselves utilize the mitochondria is uniquely ours. But, to build it demands a way of thinking and way of being. An infrastructure of beliefs."
"To aid you in the development in it is an act of cultural exchange. More than exchange, an act of cultural intercourse. What would we gain from your people, Representative Uq'eik, I wonder? We are not opposed to this action, but it is the will of the Consensus that we inform you of the full consequences of it."
Looking over at the reptilian, she let a smile settle upon her lips, "The problem becomes two-fold for yourselves, Representative Ingrumn. Once more, we are not opposed to the sharing of a simple biological quantum computing mechanism that would aid you in these efforts, but, we caution as to their use. Consider the full implications of such a technology within the paradigm of your society. You are correct in presuming we researched both of your societies, though there was greater data of the CES - or at least, it was more readily accessed."
"A quantum machine in of itself represents a mode of thought. A different paradigm of existence. Consider; markets, as I understand the term, " she was pulling it directly from the Ancnet in real time, "is a result of profit-driven competition between different subentities. Corporations, I believe is the label. Would markets survive the application of the ability to accurately predict flow outcomes? Would it endure if competitors had the equivalent of a weapon of mass destruction but in the digital flavor? If you could crack the encryption of your peers who lacked a quantum machine, what would the result be?"
She paused, letting the moment sink in, then continued, "As I said, we are willing to trade with both of you. We simply wish for you both to understand the.. results of such exchange. It has been an ancient policy of ours not to share technologies, out of concern that it could result in conflicts or such, " she rolled a wrist nonchalantly, "the usual concerns really. Yet, this universe does not function the way we are accustomed to, and it would be foolish of us not to establish healthy trade relations with others that possess such interesting potential, or such interesting capabilities."
"Ultimately, is it our desire to built a positive reputation among our peers in this galaxy. To coexist, to help, to aid, and to create when we can. If these are the things you desire in trade for the quantity of monopoles we require, then we will accept those terms. We offer an alternative as well; rather than teach how to construct the devices, we will provide them to you and offer oversight in their maintenance. This reduces the memetic potential significantly."
"Or, perhaps you wish to embrace this act with us? It is a part of our nature to exchange the self as such, though we did not expect to be doing so with such speed."
Her smile lingers as she flips her attention between both of the aliens present, curious as their response.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 09/23/2022 9:56 AM
Uq'eik was patient,not prodding or testing the limits of the subdomain once his conciousness was entrapped within. Afterall,he knew full well not to do anything potentially disrespectful or threatening in a meeting,this wasn't his first go at things of this nature.
Still,he couldn't help but raise an eye at Lambofiti's explanation. Unsurprisingly,they accepted the exchange,not having much of a choice to begin with. The talk of memetics and cultural congealment was surprisingly self aware and thoughtful of the creature. This only cemented his respect for the advanced peoples,seemingly aware of how the universe truly operated behind the petty boundaries established by sapient minds,just like them.
Patterns,laws,proceses ancient beyond time and immutable beyond tampering were the real bedrock upon which the political game of the galaxy was played. One thing led to another,cyclic patterns,disturbances of the smallest details changing the whole,insurmountable improbability. The concept of thesis,antithesis and synthesis that the Sax was referring to was one such thing,the ultimate fate of two opposing bodies coming in contact,repeated in various shades and tints since the first instant of time unfolded. The lithorians were aware of the concept,having dedicated an entire monument to its universal reach,but that was a story for another time.
Regardless of how much he agreed with the philosophy as a whole,he couldn't help but think the intellect was exagerrating it. Afterall,this technology was unlikely to see much use beyond the military domain,and the Collective already lived in the throes of post energy scarcity. He figured that change,if any occurred at all,would be minimal and controllable,though he could not project the same sentiment on the deal that the CES opted for. That outcome would indeed be interesting to witness
"I believe it would be best for us to possess manufacturing capability,even if it is more rudimentary than your own. You must understand,self sufficiency takes precedence over logistics lines in this time of soaring hyperfuel scarcity."
The lithorian sneered behind the marble plates covering its head,believing to have checkmated the other side with an infallible argument. The thought of maximizing his own accomplishment in the eyes of the Jingos took precedence,and securing technological assets certainly went beyond simple shipment deals in terms of contribution to the Collective
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/25/2022 2:09 PM
Lambofiti considered this for a moment.
"Yet, the reverse should hold true, should it not?"
She gestured at him, "Should we not then also seek self-sufficiency over this material? Would it not be wise, strategically, to ensure control over any source of the substance?"
The moment sat there, undisturbed.
Certainly, it had dawned on them immediately to seek out the sources these two nations used to either create or harvest monopoles. A starving man seeking fertile soil to grow a crop to reap. Or perhaps, a thirsty man in a desert desperate for a cup of blessed water, knowing all too well that a lake must be found to sate their true thirst.
"You would state that the cost of fuel is a concern for you, in a situation in which we, who have no existing power base, nor existing super-structural element, can ill afford to absorb the needed logistic strain."
The woman stood, the flowing lines of her living clothing cascading across her form, "Rather, through this proposed arrangement, we both endure a shared cost. You seek to maximize your benefit, as you should as a Representative, but do not mistake this for simple desperation in which terms may be dictated to us."
"They are to be negotiated in good faith, are they not? In light of this, consider the benefits of the arrangement. As we have no fixed space that matters to us, we are free to embark into your territory, to have one of us assist in the direct creation and management of these materials."
"As you said so yourself, even if it is more rudimentary, you would rather produce it of your own accord. However, it is not a matter of simply handing you a schematic. This is an apex technology, amongst our most mature. There is the semiotic barrier to consider, as well as the gap in our mutual organic technological origins. Compatibility with these systems is in play, as is control over the technology itself."
"We will not condone the sharing of it with non-involved parties. It is to be monitored, carefully."
-C
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 09/25/2022 2:20 PM
She unfolds her arms, humming as she scanned through the Ancnet, a mild vacancy in her expression as she does so, "I believe this is called "IP Law". The intellectual property of the Saxheelian Meta-Antecedent comes with stipulations of use. Among them, retention of licensure to would be clients or trading partners."
An absurd prospect to them, but, one that was clearly in need of deploying. Beyond the memetic risk, there was the very real possibility of it being sold to unknown parties. The results of which could potentially be disastrously bad. All it would take is one ambitious empire getting their hands on it, and suddenly they'd be running around trying to conquer everyone.
No, better to assert some of the locally accepted economic terms, see if they can monitor the technological utilization. Perhaps even use it as a means of garnering additional support. It did help ever so slightly that Uq'eik made the argument that he had as it lent naturally to this conclusion.
"Naturally, as the medium of trade is monopoles rather than any standard form of currency, this comes with additional burdens upon all involved parties. This balances out, in our perspective, with the potential boons gained through its use. To reiterate this position: in exchange for the licensing of monopole-based mitochondrial machines, the Meta-Sax will have a monitoring presence in their production and use. The monitor will act as aid and consultant in their production by your people."
We only need one of you, after all.
The use of this technique left a sour taste in her mouth. But, they could ill afford to simply be taken for granted lest that became their reputation.
Gose {CES, CHET} — 10/01/2022 1:09 AM
Ingrumn recoiled slightly as the load of the leakage was folded into the subdomain. It percolated back through his mind and quickly integrated with the main flow again, the processing reached a zenith that was far away from the mind of the lizardman, which only received a minuscule portion of leading information from his augmentation. The lizardman pondered for a moment, about the strengths of the CES and what Lambofiti had said. His mind was fed biases that were judged by the system as lucrative and resilient, it interpreted and applied. He soon spoke:
"I understand the concerns, our societies differ in many ways, we would also be resentful to relent certain technologies we possess, lest a backlash from these same markets cause ill returns.
Still. You must be aware that the strengths of the CES do not lie within what we ask in the trade. We have survived without the usage of advanced processing, and we could still. Likewise, we have not destroyed markets with our paradigmn, not within the context of the galactic market. The edge it will give us is advantageous, but the backlash you presume is far beyond the scope achievable by our business at the moment." He probed deeper within the internals of the IPD, what was the true scope of the system? A side of his mind was immersed within a world of abstract data, as he awaited Lambofiti's inevitable, and undoubtedly wise response.
The other half of his mind was occupied interpreting Lambofiti's previous response. The CES was far bigger than he was, he stood right now in a position he barely understood, and that likely no other Mus'Vanus had ever been, in a symbiosis with the system that was the backbone of the corporation. He could see that it was a conjoined mass of coherent patterns that moved within directions determined by biases and external stimuli. How could a change like QAI alter these movements? It was a bid in the end, he believed that the system would integrate and resolve the functions of the new -C
apparatuses, for their effects were something that not even he, in the position of temporary power he held now, could calculate.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 10/01/2022 11:42 PM
Uq'eik would have rolled his eyes if he had such capability,frustrated by the sheer moronity of the opening statement. The alien would have loved nothing more than to hammer home that which was painfully obvious
"Yes,but that is not on the table"
Too abrasive,provocative,he figured. Certainly not the kind of thing you'd be flauting at the first diplomatic meeting. He'd just have to keep collected and endure more of this drivel
The alien's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as the opposing intellect droned on. For all its advancement and cognitive prowess,it was experience which made all the difference. How could they,living so lavishly as hermits,even begin to comprehend the challenge and skill inherent to operating in the galactic economy. Especially nowadays,when the system they stood over was falling apart at the seams?!
Oh yes,the desire to speak up only grew. Keep collected,keep stoic,they need you for their very survival,they'll cave. That line of thinking kept surging along the lithorian's synapses,a little mantra to maintain his confidence.
He initially scoffed at the mention of intellectual property,by far one of the more idiotic premises produced by the single-minded. They had played upon it in their deals with RANGSI,now they were on the recieving end of this absurdity. That's when it donned on him,Lambofiti didn't trust them. His eyes shot wide for but a moment,how could this be? They'd spent years building up their image,keeping constrained and ameable,repenting for...
That data leakage,they saw into the intricacies of the lithorian hivemind. Did they see their past? What they had done?! Could they have witnessed...
The alien grinded his palms under the table in a nervous manner,so hard as to produce sparks,though the pearly white material of its epidermis remained pure and clear in spite of it.
This was disastrous,he'd have to report the suspicion with utmost haste. More importantly,they'd have to monitor the Sax religiously,if only to confirm whether or not said worries were well founded. His attitude changed completely,the deal did not seem so bad afterall. They needed that Sax ship in their territory,it was the only way to conduct their investigation without raising suspicion.
He gave a side glance to the reptilian,having understood the subtle threatening beneath all the ship mind's posturing. Atleast one of them had figured they were actually competitors looking to sell the same product,not friends of any kind. There was no other choice,he had to agree to the terms or risk going back empty handed wholesale.
An internal sigh followed. Very well played on the Sax's part,dangling their lives for leverage in such manner,he certainly did not think they had this kind of backbone. It would have to do,Uq'eik still had no allusion that his kin wouldn't try to reverse engineer their boons regardless of the intruder in their space,but that prospect only angered him. The credit,the status,the POWER. It would go to whatever reclusive bore worked their nervous the hardest in the lab,when it could have been HIM.
A low grumble emanated from the creature. Finally,it locked eyes with Lambofiti,defeat oozing from their glowing substrate,then nodded.
"Yes,I believe these terms are...acceptable."
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/02/2022 11:26 AM
Lambofiti looked first at Ingrumn, considering his words. Whether they were accurate or not would remain to be seen, but for the time being it didn't really matter. They needed the materials from both societies to build a far excessive stockpile, and with both of the Representatives apparently agreeing to the terms for a mediated licensure, the Meta-Sax would be able to meet that quota.
Immediately, The Others within the subdomains set to work executing various tasks and modifying the timetables that had been established the moment they realized they couldn't go Home.
With the excess, they'd be able to build structures that would have taken many decades in a thousandth of the time, as well as begin on a much more sensitive project.
Yes. This would suffice.
Several subvila were tapped by the bioship and plucked from their respective vatbays by servitor organisms to be set aside for transport to the CES systems once they'd officiated things.
As for Uq'eik, Lambofiti had been watching him closely - more out of concern for his safety in the Consensus than for the intent of spying on him. The physical reactions were.. surprising. It did, however, lend credence to the more cautious nature of herself and her subclade kin in presuming that neither faction was particularly trustworthy. No, they had others they could call allies. These two were providers of materials, and should be seen through that lens.
To that.. the question arose of looking at the information bleed through that had happened. Data was everything, it could well be an element that provided critical intelligence at a key moment. Or an albatross that hung them all. Knowing what to do with it then became the markings of a true wise one among the Clades.
What to do..
We would welcome any input you have on which of us you wish to be present within your space. A list of names and profiles can be provided through the link here, if you wish.
A cheeky opportunity to gauge what he responded with-
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/02/2022 11:34 AM
as well as to genuinely gather what the Iithorians would want for their part of the exchange. Smallships were already moving to grow the needed infrastructure around Ladon to process the materials.
Humming softly, she returned her attention to the only true monoform present, "As you say, Representative Ingrumn. We only seek to ensure stability and prosperity for all. If the vila will suffice as a trade medium under the licensure and use terms, then they will be yours. Please provide us with an amount of the machines that would be required."
As if it was an afterthought, she added, "And be aware, most of them are intelligent entities in of themselves."
Nodding as though this was simply to be expected, Lambofiti peered back into Uq'keiks face, musing over the burning stare that sat there, "As we have reached an accord with all parties involved, I believe it suitable to state that this trade-mission has reached its conclusion. With some speed, I might add."
Taking a breath, she bowed deeply, her arms wide as she intoned, "Ge and Tel grants us passage through the moment. Invocation of the ritual right of communion has been concluded. Noema states that all processions have been met. We-who-is-us celebrate at this first material realization within Unknown-domain. Advancing time-state procession is in play."
Righting herself, she smiles and simplifies, "A simple ritual for ourselves, forgive the indulgence. With the formalities out of the way and the trade negotiations concluded, would either of you care to open the floor to other items of importance? I see no reason to end a delegation so soon when there is much and more that can be gained from each other."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 10/04/2022 12:47 PM
Uq'eik took little solace in the officialisation of the trade deal,his mind wracked with the far more important question of what the Sax knew,how they knew it and how to proceed. Firstly,the creature's membranes began to shift and change again,translating his thoughts more slowly as they added decoys,false trails of cognition,effectively censoring his inner working from the Consensus without dropping activity and thus raise suspicion.
He paid little mind to the Sax's taunt or ritual,nor its gaze meeting his own,but the contents of its lines did start to coalesce into the outline of a plan. First,he redistributed enough brainpower to the subdomain and answer the intellect's inquiry.
"Preferably the most capable you possess. Our main territories lie outside the galactic disk,and quite far at that,nestled between the Austral psionic pole and the adjacent tachyonic one."
The alien sneered again. He could have routed them to one of their galactic holdings,could have offered to have the ship use their megastructure for transit,yet he did not. This was deliberate,as for all the muddied facts and half truths that spilled out of its mouth,the lithorian was crystal clear on one thing,it was a hellish journey
For all the Meta Sax's technological prowess,they were still outsiders to this universe,that much was clear. Adapting to a whole new model of physics was always a challenge,especially when translating to ancerium catalyzed ftl,they must have surely been inexperienced.
Even for well experienced natives,the similar journeys up to the boreal zoned could only be performed by qanis runners,vessels built and packed with fuel in such amounts so as to resemble the disgustingly inefficient chemical rockets of ancient days,to say nothing of the top tier ftl drives employed aswell. All in all,it seemed almost impossible their vessel could actually make the journey and have the means for a return trip.
The lithorian's sneer only grew,for they could not leave unless the Collective allowed it,ample time to run their investigation. Surely his peers back home would be proud of this conniving move,there was some relief in that fact. Going back to the matter at hand,there was still a need to butter up to the race,they had to break any thin ice the leakage might have formed,or risk getting into trouble over what was gleamed,or worse,they could be blackmailed
"In the context of additional agreements,the Lithorian Collective happens to find itself in a favorable position amidst the hyperfuel storage. Perhaps,given adequate discharge,we could deliver quantities for your use."
He opened up with the heavy hitter right off the bat,not to mention letting the ship mind pick the payment of its choosing. Clearly,this was so far the closest attitude displayed by Uq'eik to what some may call "friendly".
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/07/2022 5:28 PM
The bioship avatar hummed in consideration.
Our most capable ship..
The first of the "Ancerian Born" bioships had been ascended not scant hours ago and they would certainly qualify. She accessed the Ancnet again, scanning for information on the unknown zones of space.
The distances were indeed quite far, too far, in fact, for anything remotely resembling sufficient trade volume.
Lambofiti stared at this information from behind false-eyes, the bioships attention diverting between several tasks at once. Assembling the dossier for the candidate they believed best suited for the role. Assessing the possibilities of hostile encounters on the way. Gathering the usual archivist minds together who would be inclined to know how, historically, such things turned out and what to look out for. Still puzzling over the curious case of the CES and what the Meta-Sax should do with them on a longer time scale..
Am I correct in presuming you will be delivering the monopoles to a location of our choosing?
Beyond any consideration, this was critical. If the Iithorians could not deliver the material and thus forced the Saxheelians to pick it up themselves, it made the deal a bit of a non-starter given the limitations of the ridiculous catalyst required to bypass whatever physical deformations occurred to make this universe so unforgiving. Which contextualized the Representatives comment in an interesting way.
"Hyperfuel? I see. The substance is always useful as a trade medium with other entities, and given the desperation many smaller polities have for it, I have no doubt we would be able to put it to good use in shoring up relations. What quantities of the substance would you be willing to part with?"
She brokered the stage with her kin in The Duality, "And more importantly, what do we wish to trade for it."
Technology was less important, so what would the Iithorian desire?..
Art. History. Planetary surveys. Star charts. Anomalies.
Ah, perhaps that.
-C
Or, perhaps it would be too risky. Not in the sense of danger to the Saxheelians, but rather, in the sense of over-extending the reach of this encounter and causing.. issues.
What would they value?
The bioship wracked her brain while The Others debated in the chasm of their gestalt. It would depend on Uq'eiks answer.
Gose {CES, CHET} — 10/13/2022 6:01 PM
Knowing that this trade deal was secured released some of the tension within Ingrumn. It was an important step forward in the plans of the CES, the idea of integrating their processing systems within various types of architectures was already up in debate in the higher chambers of decision making, lightly touching the ears of Expedites such as himself. These devices, by their power, would play part in swaying opinions. A diversified computational architecture could only bring them advantages, after all.
"The deal is done, then. We shall deliver the requested material whenever the proper logistics are established... " Then, it happens again, but this time, Ingrumn "catches" it. It is like a motor skill that was only half-awake. Not quite cybernetic in nature, but still, almost reaching the cognisant. He feels, as if with a third mental arm, manipulating the weaves of the system that his adaptation connects. He mentally probes, with informational fingers through the adaptation, the complex relief of the datasets, the moving chains of information flowing between his subconscious hands like shifting sands that read his mind. This is not the function of the adaptation, what could be causing this?
For a second thought is aided by faraway processors, seeking that which is unique to the now. He comes to a conclusion:
"I believe that your systems have shown capable of communicating with ours to some degree, given you stabilised the informational bleedthrough. We could seek further exploration of this possible communication, it seems advantageous to my neural augmentation in unprecedented manners.
...
As for the AI we ask, it'd also be wise to see how well they adapt to our paradigmn, if my previous assumption is true, then they shall be valuable additions."
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/19/2022 4:15 PM
Lambofiti nods in consideration. It wouldn't be unusual to do such a thing.. A learning experience for these low level vila would only lead to improvements in their abilities after all.
She nods again at him, "Granted. The vila will participate in whatever forums you have assigned to them. Additionally, we will grant the use of Consensus comms relay for experimentation with a subject expert. In exchange, we ask for mining opportunities within your space, specifically around B type stars, or similar giants."
Turning Uq'eik, she intones, "The Meta-Sax would like to offer in exchange for the hyperfuel the commissioned creation of a mobile habitation structure. We are quite experienced with these, and I have no doubt that you would be able to discern a capable use for it. As we are still in process of establishing logistical networks and supply lines, we would ask in exchange for the Iithorian people to provide the raw materials, whilst we provide the expertise in design and growth."
Gigachad (lithorians) — 10/23/2022 12:48 PM
The lithorian was now starting to get back in the flow of things mentally,as far as he was concerned,he'd at last outwitted the ship intellect into their demands. In spite of this,there was still more to discuss on,not to mention the loose ends. He gave a subtle nod to Lambofiti's secretive message,assuring their weariness was unfounded. Indeed,with their pride and joy,the Aje,transporting goods to them would be trivial,as would be the relocation of the Sax ship to their own territories,but they didn't need to learn that last bit.
The creature now wracked its head to process the Sax's latest offer. A construction project,one of a mobile station no less. He certainly could think of a myriad uses for it,projecting influence of all sorts to the corners of the galaxy could prove invaluable. With their own industry too focused on armament programs,this deal could not have come at a better time.
"Yes,we will gladly accept this proposal. We should be capable of shipping roughly 50 kilotons of hyperfuel to you on a monthly basis. Dare I build upon this deal,could we perhaps also rent a handful of your vessels? Their capabilities could prove most fruitful for our current quotas and projects. Rest assured,they will be rewarded separately in accordance with their performance"
There was but one more matter that needed to be tied up. Glancing to the side at the CES operative,the lithorian could only think of how the Sax proved far more cunning than he realized,more than willing to nudge them back should they overstep bounds. Nevertheless,the two of them supplied the polity with the very lifeblood the civilization needed. The only hurdle was the fact that they were competitors....yet perhaps they did not have to be. Should they work together...the horizons would suddenly be broadened,but someone needed to make the first step.
Uq'eik decided to take that plunge
"Seeing as we will undergo regular contact while delivering the Meta Sax their critically desired produce,I believe it is only logical to become more acquainted ourselves. Is there any need your company has which the Lithorian Collective may be capable of satisfying?"
He hoped the businessman would be capable of reading between the lines there,but there was still not guarantee they'd approve regardless
Gose {CES, CHET} — 10/26/2022 6:51 PM
Ingrumn motions with his hand as if to signify leniency, the added terms seem not to bother the representative much. He nods agreeably, adding: "Cosmical bodies will seldom lose potential even if both of our greatest efforts to seep them of their resources were undertaken. This will certainly further develop our relations, and we'd appreciate the proximity of contact with our trade partners, after all. You shall be provided with the suitable locations."
The lithorian then suggested the furthering of relations. Although the lizardman seemed of a lower type of species, comparatively to the vast mind-spaces that both Lambofiti and Uq'eik consistently communicated with, the arts of diplomacy were still as much true to him as they were for both the others. He picked up on the nuances of "critically" and "logical", the implications made clear.
However, it was not here that such deals should be made, should the CES wish for contact with the Collective. The risk of quickly turning future prospects with the Meta-Sax into an internal conflict by pushing them to act upon the prospect of their very demise was too great, although Ingrumn knew that, should they act upon such, it'd surely be the Collective under their aim, not the minute Far Reach Branch under the scrutiny of several other sovereign nations which also inhabited the distant cluster.
"The CES as a whole is willing to trade with many. Should you be interested in our products and services, we recommend a visit to our Headquarters." - This was agreeable, easily passable as simple propaganda, but not outright saying no or yes to Uq'eik's suggestion.
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 10/26/2022 9:06 PM
Lambofiti wrinkled her nose at the mention of "renting" some of them. She found the concept at first opaque enough to warrant investigation and the resulting returns of her search inquiry made her unsettled.
"Rent" had far too many connotations.
First, she decided to address Ingrumn, "Excellent, we will arrange to allow technological observation of the platforms we utilize. It isn't much, truth be told, but simply seeing the process can inform a society on the many modular options available when you alter biotechnology as we have. Additionally, we will give the CES first trade rights on the materials, in case anything of criticality comes up that we do not have need for. I believe that it would be useful for us to explore the potential stellar sites in detail, so as best to expand on the potential benefits for us both and begin building estimates on the total volume of matter being moved."
Turning to Uq'eik, she steepled her fingers, "I am pleased that you find our proposal acceptable. 50 kilotons of hyperfuel monthly will meet our requirements for this interaction."
She paused, giving the thought some weight, then spoke evenly, "Representative Uq'eik, please explain in greater detail this.. "rental" arrangement you had in mind. Surely, you are aware that there is naught but people here? Renting us as though we were property is out of the question. However, I trust that this was not the intended message nor the intended request, so I ask that you enlighten me and my kin."
Within the small bubble that contained him, Lambofiti continued her observations. Nothing seemed invasive, nor did it appear that he was attempting to breach the Consensus. Still, she was cautious - as was the nature of any sane Pathfinder.
Gigachad (lithorians) — 11/25/2022 8:38 AM
Uq'eiks faceplates chittered and shifted,grinding noisily against eachother,mirroring the annoyance he felt within. The ship intellect had interpreted his proposal in the worst possible manner,putting to light just how fast the good grace was fading from the room. It seemed everyone had just about reached their limit and it would be best to wrap things up soon. A shame,he hoped there would be more to it than this.
"Your hardware is impressive,thus we could make use of its capabilities for a price of your choosing. I fail to see how relocating these vessels would be of any relevance to their intellects and inhabitants,let alone impact their well being. Surely,they can sustain themselves and continue to peruse your fabricated scapes without issue"
In truth,Uq'eik was almost taken aback. In their opulence,had these creatures forgotten the concept of toiling in the aspiration of greater goals and values? The idea was alien to the lithorian,terrifying even. This disgustingly selfish mindset was anathema to all he knew and certainly made a few gears grind in his head. Still,this was not the first time the galaxy philosophically baffled him,and he thus remained well composed externally.
Diverting his gaze to the CES operative,he was confident the subliminal messaging was understood and was not negatively recieved. Likewise he realized leveraging their statuses in front of the client was a poor choice at best,preferably left to future,one to one ventures.
"Yes,it would seem such a visit is in order" Uq'eik replied,confirming the lizard man's verbose diversion. Another bullet point added to his seemingly never ending mental list: to meet with these reptilians and further discuss their..."commercial avenues"
Varen (Meta-Sax) — 11/25/2022 8:58 AM
Lambofiti hummed in consideration, tapping an index finger against her elbow. Uq'eik thought of the universe in a very different way from them; taking this into account, she pondered if the word choice was less a deliberate attempt to imply a state-of-engagement and more just a way of expressing a more benign concept.
At face value, yes there was no issue at all with simply going to another's space - invited of course - to aid or otherwise participate in activities. They had done this many times in the past. To do so in contract, however, was more unusual, and the Ancnet had been vague on the nature of such things.
"Hmm.. they could yes. Any of us would but need access to a star of any type. Forgive me if I overstepped, I was unfamiliar with the concept and the local information net had a rather curious definition of renting. If this instance is mutual-aid oriented, then of course it will be given. As I said earlier, we aim to assist and build positive relations with the civilizations of this galaxy."
"As for price, may we request something a bit unusual? We would like introduction to commercial peers of yours, to see whom has materials that we may exchange for. While the agreements we have made today will handle our physical needs, there is still the spiritual need. We thrive in the opportunity to meet new peoples, new cultures, new ways of being. As it stands Due To An Issue will be heading to your region of space to learn more of yourselves and aid in the creation of the mushine reactor."
Within the Consensus, she sent out a ping among her shipkin to see if any volunteers would be willing to step forward. The Iithorians were unusual, so she put it as a higher integer request, to reduce any misunderstandings. She had full faith that in time there would be mutual semiotic understanding.
-c
"Ah, one more question actually, related to the requested medium of exchange. If you are collaborating with any mutual-aid organizations or medical organizations, would you be so kind as to refer us? Our skills in the subject are extensive and we have a long history of deep space rescue operations. Unfamiliar as we are with the galaxy and its cultures, it behooves us to seek connection through well known members of the community like yourselves."
The bioships thoughts swam to the domestic hospital ship of the Clade and how eager it had been to offer help when possible. She stuffed a small smile into the corner of her heart to hide the fondness for them.