" And besides, I'm fairly sure none of us fall under a reliable category for them to trust, much less be manipulated by.”(https://imgur.com/dRSTbS9.png): “You really sure about that, Hugo? SK Anima supposedly was developing living weapons for the Devastation War in Parum. And who was the biggest living weapon created during that time (in more than one sense of the word)? Amaterasu, so I bet they’re connected somehow. And Arodatam seems to be using the future version of Katherine’s hunter blades. That would imply some degree of respect and trust if you ask me.”
" Nei, do you have any idea where Miun is right now?"(https://imgur.com/dRSTbS9.png):Murasaki, a surface map of Ragol please?
"And Arodatam seems to be using the future version of Katherine’s hunter blades.”
"And Arodatam seems to be using the future version of Katherine’s hunter blades.”
"Sorry, what? Who? Mine?" Katherine's attention suddenly snapped back to the conversation at hand.
Wears a 8012-TerceiromêsShi-Y nanosuit and wields Katherine Fangs. The twin indestructible blades of the legendary pirate hunter from long ago, thought forever lost after her final battle against the Aether Phantom Fleet.
"I've never heard of-- Oh, right, we're dealing with people from the future, of course I haven't. Or, is this also a, uh, current person? Who is Arodatam? "
(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg)“Tomorrow’s Champion” Arodatam Ogramac (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuUACx6urmo)(click to show/hide)
"And what does it mean my final battle! "
"Who the heck is this Aether Phantom Fleet? Some nobody pirates? "
(click to show/hide)
"There's no way I'd have been defeated!"
"I'm glad you recognise how magnificent my chest is, but I'm not sure that how I was made over a hundred years ago makes me that trustworthy now."(https://imgur.com/dRSTbS9.png):”A creator will always be biased towards their own creation no matter how much time passes. Even if you hold no loyalty to SK Anima, if she did participate in your making then she would certainly be interested in checking how you’re doing after so long. Show SK Anima how big your talent is and I’m sure she’ll share some juicy secrets about Arkas with us!”
"Ammy, Katherine. What do you think about trying to contact SK Anima and Arodatam yourselves? I think having anyone else around is bound to make them suspicious."
"Hmmm. Loathe as I am to split the party again, that idea has merit.(https://imgur.com/dRSTbS9.png): “I’m up for any plan that includes patching up that poor girl.”
Orakio is... essentially regarded as something like the patron saint of androids. He disappeared centuries ago as he left with some biomonster Queen to defeat Dark Force, and no one knows their ultimate fate. Miun, as you know, has been searching for her master for possibly over a millenium, though heavens only know how she's managed to stay operational this long.
Thing is, Orakio is ancient history. By most accounts, Miun has no business having data from the future, which leads me to think that her search may have taken her beyond time itself - her interference with time loops suggests that at some point she went looking for him in the future. Getting her to help us should be as simple as agreeing to help find Orakio.
I'm worried that she refuses to allow herself to be repaired, though. There's something in my dad's old lab that could help - a batch of nanomachines he'd initially designed for Murakumo. He uses a different kind now, something I fine-tuned to him specifically. I could try reverse-engineering to get back to that batch, but it'd be faster for us to just get a hold of my father's old work and hand a sample to Miun." Hugo notes aloud, mostly to himself.
"Ah, eheheh, even an entire day celebrating me? Gosh, that's kinda...."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png): “Truly a desolate future devoid of any hope. We must prevent it at all costs.”
"Oh. Well, I don't know? Would that even work? I personally feel like it'd seem pretty suspicious to be contacted by some one who probably shouldn't know they're even in that time, considering they're from the future and I'm not? I was going to say never met, but I guess this Arodatam person has met me, I just, like, haven't gotten there yet? Well, like, they've met me, but not me? Gosh, this is annoying. Anyways, how would we contact these people anyways if we, uh, do do this?"(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png): “There’s coordinates for where to deliver Chalybus products to each of the clients in the next cycles. It’s not guaranteed that the client will be there personally to pick it up, but at least somebody who’ll help us find them should be there.”
"Well, I suppose I could come up with some reason or other to try and be approaching them that isn't too ludicrous for a mercenary."(https://i.imgsafe.org/96/967c61dd6f.png): “Can’t you just say you’re looking for work?”
“Truly a desolate future devoid of any hope. We must prevent it at all costs.”
“There’s coordinates for where to deliver Chalybus products to each of the clients in the next cycles. It’s not guaranteed that the client will be there personally to pick it up, but at least somebody who’ll help us find them should be there.”
"Fine, I guess. Just go show up and say hello. Maybe hope it doesn't go south and I have to start wrecking my future protege. Or, maybe, myself? I suppose that's still a possibility..."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):“I shall fully support you in such a task.”
"Oh yeah, Murasaki. I JUST got permission from your mistress to trade your bed for a Half-Illithid Pseudonatural Gelatinous Cube. I'm sure you'll find it very comfortable if you keep mouthing off to my co-workers."
"If Chalybus is smart enough, they probably already changed the location of delivery. It should be easier to stake out the place and try to follow the contact. Doesn't tip our hand too badly, and it should allow us to get more information from their exchange rather than crashing the party."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”Master Hugo, I do not think your co-workers are very good at the business of stalking anything around.”
"You wouldn't think it's suspicious for me to show up out of the blue at a famous scientist's lab asking for a job? I'd say that's too obvious a ploy. I'm not that hard down on my luck that I need to scrounge for employment."
"That's why I'm contributing to their continued existence. Their favorite food is uncomfortable pettanko maid sweat." Hugo replies without missing a beat.
"She kinda has a point about you guys being unsuited for stake-outs though. Ammy is several sizes too big to be inconspicuous and Katherine would get bored out of her skull in five minutes or less. We could use some more data on Arodatam's recent acitivity so we can take a stab at what she's looking for, would make Kath's insertion easier...
Though if I'm being honest, by far the biggest obstacle right now is to find Stephanie here a proper assignment." The spy mentioned the proverbial De Malmoth in the room. "I admit I don't know what you'd be most suited for. Can you give us a little pitch?"
"Look, given the circumstances, I figured we could use a little reinforcement. Mao used to be on our side but now we have to consider her a potential threat.
Don't worry, I checked her out. I have no reason to believe she'll squeal on us.
And Stephanie, for what it's worth, I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."
"I am a scientist with a specialization in mecha, personal arms and armor upgrades, and active research. I'm also skilled in the blade and techniques, and study the way of the sword and the old magics."(https://i.imgsafe.org/96/967c61dd6f.png):”Nice to meet you, hope we can be friends.”
Murasaki suddenly seems the happiest you've even seen her.(click to show/hide)
"Speaking of Arodatam, not only have I ran into her, I know her current location and I have some data from MAO's scans. I should also note that all of those and even the terrain seems to be from the future, except Red Ring Rica whom has come from the past and Nei which is a present one. Queen Alis seems to be uninformed of the current timeline and believes Immortal Steel to be evil. MAO got the two to stop fighting and help use explore the ruins. Currently Nei and Rica are still looking through the ruins while the two armies are camped on either side. They each possess 8 mecha per side. And before you ask, I'm pretty sure it's another Nei from my observations... But she still seems to know Hugo."Nei looks suddenly quite surprised.
"I doubt you're very sorry though. You should be well informed of my motives, goals and accomplishments Hugo. I'm surprised no one else know who I am,"
"Don't even know the guy. Not any more than the next person. Sorry, I may have missed several big moments in recent years..... Been, uh, busy and all. I don't feel like I'm treating this Dark Force thing with as much seriousness and the rest here."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”Too few people do. Indeed there’s a lot of other problems in the galaxy, and Dark Force often bids its time behind the scenes, only showing itself when it believes it has no other option.”
He reaches to headpat Nei and give it some scritches for good measure, which actually looks kind of adorable, though it might be a little embarrassing for Nei since he's scary good at them.Nei closes her eyes and purrs like a kitten once more.
"Hang on, sweetie, daddy's doing a little math in his head.(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png): “King Lashic and his forces. The entire earthling race thought they could control Dark Force through the Pandora’s box. The floating city of Lashute and their Rulakir king who lived for 1000 years on hatred. Zio’s cult. Kuran the possessed satellite. Mother Trinity’s rebellion. Kuhmhan the summoner. Dark Falz hosts Elder, Apprentice I, Apprentice II and Double to name a few. “
I don't know why yet, but the way past and future are getting mixed up in our current timeline is starting to feel more and more intentional. Either someone is crazy enough to use Dark Force as a catalyst for something bigger, maybe as a trigger... or someone wants all that rage and conflict here. It could even be Dark Force itself trying to gather strength. We know for a fact it has resurfaced throughout history no matter how many times it has been defeated; maybe it's looking into a way to gather all of its strength from multiple timelines at once in order to crush us once and for all. But I don't think it could do that alone."
"People should learn to stop trying to control forces they can't understand."(https://imgur.com/dRSTbS9.png): “But wouldn’t that mean that people would’ve never started using fire and so still living in dark cold caves and neither me nor you would’ve been created?”
"Murasaki, you just earned yourself a smack on the head for missing the point completely.(https://i.imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png): “Dark Force may end defeated each cycle, but it still succeeds on leaving a long trail of ruined civilizations if not whole planets destroyed in its wake. There’s plenty of ruins in the galaxy to testify that.”
Here's the thing: Dark Force may have taken on new forms, but it was consistently the same entity throughout. The simple fact that it has changed depending on who it controlled and which methods it used each time suggests that it's learned from its mistakes. And yet it sees a consistent pattern of failure because each civilization adapts to fight it too."
”Now bear with me because we get a little bit hypothetical, but what if it is intentionally manipulating time so that it can analyze the exact reason for its defeat and immunize itself? If it can get everyone that ever defeated it at each other's throats, hey, bonus.(https://i.imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”An interesting thesis, which makes me question if this Dark Force in this scenario wouldn't be an ‘evolved’ version from many future cycles, and thus much more dangerous than its previous iterations, growing stronger with each defeat. In that case getting the ones that defeated it before to stop fighting each other and join our cause may be the best path to success. More important, this way I would be able to experience the pure bliss of serving queen Alis.”
If that's how it goes, we have another item on our list besides stopping a potential future genocide war on all organickind.."
"You know ladies, the SOP for turning enemies into assets at the academy was to wipe their memories clean, reprogram their minds, and then clone the resulting dolls. You should really count yourselves lucky that I find those methods particularly distasteful and that you're useful enough for me to keep you out of jail. Believe it or not, the bombs are there for your safety, not mine. Anyone who cares to look into why you're working for me will find that blackmail is a lot easier to overlook than actual loyalty. I may be older by newman standards, particularly first generation, but none of you are newmans.
So I suggest you think loooooong and hard about your life choices. Particularly within earshot."
"Nei, I would never make more of your sisters. For one thing, I know your opinion on the matter, and I respect it. For another, after seeing how your head got turned around by that video footage, I'm afraid they could be manipulated against us... or worse."
"As for the ruins on Ragol... not necessarily, Murasaki. There's enough attention on the planet's surface that someone else is bound to find them first. If previous patterns are any indication, by then the current incarnation of Dark Force will start moving in earnest. If anything, we should avoid touching Ragol as much as possible for the time being."
"Alright. We have records of Red Ring Rico having met Dark Force before... possibly even being taken over. So if we're going looking for those ruins, we absolutely musn't let her get to them first. I want you guys to shadow her and report her movements to me. If it seems like she's close to finding the ruins, you're going to need to provide a distraction to throw her off-track."(https://i.imgsafe.org/b7/b7efb3f0cd.png):”Sure thing!”
"If you didn't care the least bit about me, you wouldn't have gotten as angry as you did by the acts you were shown. I'm not letting someone use your love to get at us through me ever again."(https://imgur.com/dRSTbS9.png):”That’s sweet, but I think I would’ve got pretty angry at somebody who was helping awaken Dark Force and all the other things shown in those videos. Red Ring Rica's gonna get an harsh scolding the next time I see her at least.”
"Speaking of your mistress, Murasaki. How capable are her einst drones when searching for delicate intel? I need a survey of the ruins left by Dark Force's previous incarnations. Seems like a job that could be done particularly well by a hivemind."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”Unless you want them to find delicate food, my mistress’s drones are pretty terrible at scouting by themselves.”
"You mean her being around Murasaki here is fine and healthy? Babe, you need to learn quite a bit more about human interaction.”(https://i.imgsafe.org/4a/4aa9d424e4.png):”Dressing as a maid to cover one’s insecurities is normal by human society standards, they have cafés and events year round for that. Murasaki may have an inferiority complex since Katherine’s prettier, stronger, younger, braver, kinder plus her great legend’s only starting and will leave a lasting legacy without needing to resort to cheap gimmicks.”
Anyways, we're not hurting for options, but we may be hurting for time. Anybody feels like there's one location or another we should be checking first? Any criteria is fine provided you can explain it.”
(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”You appear to be misguided about my Mistress’s priorities, Master Hugo. She wants to take a fertile world for herself, more specifically Ragol. How exactly does this ruin investigation plan helps her reach this objective faster? If I tell her to turn her resources to the exploration of ruins somewhere else, she will not be pleased at all and may just start taking a more direct approach to Ragol. ”
“Murasaki, feel free to report our current line of investigation to your mistress. Her drones may not be the best pick for the job, but surely she might know someone who is. The AA is a more complicated matter, but... I think we can persuade them to let us be for a little while longer if we claim that the recent attacks on the Black Market have led to the possibility of a dangerous element in Ragol that we need to investigate. Which is not entirely wrong, really."
"Do you think Arodatam will get jealous if we all show up with her?"
”Dressing as a maid to cover one’s insecurities is normal by human society standards, they have cafés and events year round for that. Murasaki may have an inferiority complex since Katherine’s prettier, stronger, younger, braver, kinder plus her great legend’s only starting and will leave a lasting legacy without needing to resort to cheap gimmicks.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png)"And see, Old Maid? It's not just me."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):“You don’t know how it’s to be hated by everybody else. To not have any friends or family. When I don the maid outfit, people look at me with something other than hate or disgust, they care about me. I didn’t want to become a maid mercenary, but what choice did I have? If I take out this outfit, there’ll be nothing of me left...”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png):"Excuse me, but our last problem I solved by throwing my naked shirtless self at you, and WORDS, thank you very much. "(https://i.imgsafe.org/4a/4aa9f9a386.png):”O-Only after you tried tentacles on us. Invisible, incorporeal tentacles from the Light knows where!”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png):"And I would never waste tentacles on someone who's even remotely as fast as Katherine at slicing shit up. "
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png):"You misunderstand, Murasaki. I was talking about stalling the AA, not your mistress. If she takes over Ragol and then Dark Force takes her over, then we're plane-shifting onto a whole new level of 'screwed'."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”If you aknowledge the possible results of your request, I shall do as you ordered after you leave.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png):"You may report to your Mistress as you see fit given the circumstances, Murasaki. But I want to speak to you privately after this meeting is over."(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”As you say, master Lotushand.”
By the time they say "4", Hugo has already transmitted his own ID. If nothing else, it should buy him a little time.(https://i.imgsafe.org/73/738b05bbdf.png): “An older ID, but it checks out with code P.O.M. Accepted.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png):"Amaterasu, just visiting."(https://i.imgsafe.org/73/738b05bbdf.png):”87% match with code A.L.I. Accepted.”
"I'm Stephanie Googanheek, I spoke with your boss before. Would you see if she would speak with us?"(https://i.imgsafe.org/73/738b05bbdf.png):”73% match with code A.F.U. Accepted. Please wait a moment...”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Hey, that's rude. Are you saying that I should start ageing just so actual old people feel better? And I thought you'd like my company..."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png): "Katherine Matyr Yoshka at your service."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png):"Anyways, we're not looking for a fight, just a meeting, face to face, with Arodatam, please."
In a few seconds a new communications channel opens towards those of you who presented forth their IDs:"I mean, I am suppose to be the ultimate soldier gene wise, so me no longer aging after my prime is ideal. However there is more going on here. Something we are currently trying to sort through" She was a bit surprised, as it seems that Arodatam seem to view her as an old friend.
(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg):”Hugo? Ammy?? Steph??? How is this possible after so much time? And how can you look so young? No, you can’t be real! You must just be clones or some ARKAS trickery! To think they would try to play such a low trick… Get out of my garden at once! I don’t have time for the likes of you!”
Catching up, Katherine followed suit on transmitting her I.D. to the mechs."Paranoia doesn't mean you're crazy... Well at least not crazy in a way to be concerned about in our situation."
"Katherine Matyr Yoshka at your service." She half salutes, half waves in greeting.
At Hugo's analysis she puts on a questioning face. "What? Are we walking into a crazy person's house you're saying?"
(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg):”They infected you with that vírus to exploit a flaw in your design but you actually aged pretty well, Ammy, how could you forget? No, you’re just some copy! But that crossed arms pose, that piloting style, that way of talking, just like I remember it, never shared with anyone... I was so lonely after you were gone, Ammy… So many regrets for the things I didn’t tell you when I had the time… Have you come back just for me? But I can’t be with you now, Ammy. I have an important job to finish. So please just wait a bit longer... ”"Not to give into the paranoia, but a proper copy would share the same tendencies. I assure you we are not copies though, I don't think it's even possible to copy me without certain gene keys." the Googanheek family was a definition of healthy paranoia after all.
Stephanie sighs heavily as she prepares herself for evasive actions. She enjoyed a good fight, but this really wasn't the time or place for this sort of thing. She looks back to her passenger, "Hold on tight, this may get a little dizzying." She looks back forward, her emerald eyes becoming red with dot patterns in them, "Exia ready to eliminate with extreme prejudice!" Teresa braces herself on her controls, "Yea yea, let's go!"(click to show/hide)
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png): "Forces of Fog? Oh! One of you mentioned them, right? That was those super pirates I totally destroyed singlehandedly! Or, well, will destroy? Hah, this'll be a cake walk!"(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): ”Will? You can explain that later, but do not let your guard down. Destroying their main force costed me. A lot.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Once I prove it, see if you can't explain this virus a bit more... I've not been sick a day in my life yet, and I don't want to start now,"(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): ”Not to worry Ammy, if we upload you into DAUGHTER you’ll never need to suffer through it again.”
Teresa would also transmit her I.D.(https://i.imgsafe.org/73/738b05bbdf.png): ”63% match confirmed with code O.F.D. Accepted”
"I mean, I am suppose to be the ultimate soldier gene wise, so me no longer aging after my prime is ideal. However there is more going on here. Something we are currently trying to sort through"(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): ”No such thing as ideal genes, that’s why DAUGHTER was created. But we can talk about that later, focus in the battle for now!”
"Not to give into the paranoia, but a proper copy would share the same tendencies. I assure you we are not copies though, I don't think it's even possible to copy me without certain gene keys."(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): ”Sounds like something a copy would say. Looks and memories are easy enough to falsify, let me see if you can put your blades where your words are.”
"Hold on tight, this may get a little dizzying."(https://imgur.com/BlYDvNd.png): ”Why does this things keep happening to mmmeeee!”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): "Must we always be interrupted by people with more guns than common sense when we're trying to have a conversation?(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): ”Now that sounds like something the real Hugo would do, trying to get the shortest easiest path. But if you’re the real thing, then you should be able to figure those on your own fast enough.”
Arodatam! Any tactical advice? Weaknesses to exploit? You've got the most experience fighting these things!"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): "I am the 'old' Hugo, not that you'd believe me right now."(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg):”Seeing is believing, so let me see it, the terror technomage in action.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png): "Well, I guess I'll start testing these waters then and see how they hold up! Take notes Hugo!"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Can't we go with firmware or hardware updates and not backups? I'd rather avoid the problem than have dozens of me going around because of a copying mistake,"(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): “...But there already should be dozens of you going around because of a copying mistake, Ammy. Or will be? It took us some time to find that out. Wait, nevermind I said that, Ammy!”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/80/8031983760.png):"Hate to break it to you, but combat skill wouldn't prove anything either"(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg):”Wouldn’t expect a scholar like you to understand, ‘Stephanie’. Sometimes the best way to understand each other is through direct battle, the clash of beams, the roar of missiles.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/d8/d8c5933a08.png)"Its normally my job to provide support fire in mech battles. I'll be watching your backs."(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg):”And you still keeping that old doll around? Better than nothing I guess. Arodatam, Wildraubtier Schnabel MK III High Mobility type, attacking! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuUACx6urmo)”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): "Huh. I guess at least their ramblings are making a little sense..."(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): “Wait, you can make sense of their gibberish?”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png): "Gosh.... Some day they'll make one slightly more durable than wet paper. These repair costs are really killing me!"(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): ”You’ll need to wait a bit, the Wildbrautier MK II will have even thinner armor for trying to cut costs, but the MK III will finally have proper durability. In the meanwhile a shield may’ve been a good long-term investment. Going to be?”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png): "You're right Arodatam, there probably wasn't anything left of your old Wildraubtier, eheheh."(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): ”I don’t recall it being lost this way! Wait, I can’t recall how it was lost at all, so long ago...”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png):"Don't be so dramatic! I took out, like, four of you. AND! You shot ME first so get off your high horse, you out-dated cosplay giant! I don't even know you!"(https://i.imgsafe.org/ed/edcec98516.png):”Not this body, but you will know my previous form one day and destroy hundreds, thousands, millions, virtually all of us… But you won’t because I’ll be taking care of you before that!”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Why do no maids I meet ever actually do maid work? It's always attempted murder,"(https://imgur.com/O0yPxHQ.png):”Now that hurt me. I worked so hard finding and securing those hot springs, cleaning before, preparing the drinks and snacks, then cleaning up after you were finished...”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "You're already in the past fighting enemies from the future. Working with yourself isn't going to do much more damage than that already has."(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg):”Your future, my past, tomato, tomatoes. But yeah guess that if there was a line we’ve already crossed it long ago so may as well keep going and see what happens.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "I wonder what that says about the nature of time... I imagine it would add something to proposals about divergent multiverses rather than a single timeline, unless this timeline can also contain information that it can't fit in a stable loop..."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): "Yeah, time loops and paradoxes are the stuff of logical nightmare, Ammy. Careful you don't herniate your brain.”(https://i.imgsafe.org/44/44dae901a3.jpeg):”My head hurts Hugozinho!”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): "I'm guessing you're not aware that you're stuck in a time loop yourself, Arodatam. Our problem is actually very similar to yours. We're trying to clean up a mess of the future that's spilling over into our present - their past.(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg):”That’s all very old news for me. And it shouldn’t exactly be a surprise for you either. Ever heard of entropy? There’s only so much hydrogen for the stars to burn in the universe. It’s still pretty far away from your time, but I was the one who had to live through it. Ok I was uploaded to DAUGHTER by the time things started to get really ugly but you get the idea. Wondering each cycle if we would finally run out of electricity and all shut down for good. As resources became scarcer, of course wars broke out over what little was left. Even magic ran down to a trickle. The signs should be already visible right now, we just closed our eyes to them.”
If we fail, organic life as we know it will cease to exist and a galaxy-wide war will deplete every natural resource as well as any hope for the future. That a big enough reason for you?"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): "Well aren't you a nihilistic ray of sunshine? Yes, we get that you're old and you lived through it. From our perspective, though, this shit is coming down now and we're not gonna sit here with our thumbs up our asses while it happens.
Our enemy already knows what kind of moves we make in the future, and we have more limited resources than they do information-wise. So our best bet is play to what they already know. We think they're setting up Dark Falz to wipe out this civilization early, survive and grab the spoils, banking on the assumption that they can wipe out that ugly motherfucker where we failed.
Now I can pep talk the shit out of you until you give up and help us, or you can tell me if you come from a future where THIS has happened."
Hugo shows her some stills from the "Nei got brainwashed into hating him" collection.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png)"Sorry about that, I needed to address the virus problem."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png):"It's fine if you give Kathy the keys to all your cool stuff. What we're lacking most right now is intel. So cough it up baby, it's exposition time."
Hugo cracks open a disk and produces popcorn.
“Katherine. You’ll be the one with the access and command codes to my stuff. You decide when and how to best use them. Don’t share them with anybody else. I only really trust myself nowadays and you’re me after all, so technically I’m not sharing with anybody else by letting you have them. Also need a new ride? Can let you have one of our models. ”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png)"Don't be silly. Clearly if I had been at that business for any amount of time my nickname for myself would be Devil King Hugo, Fucker of Galaxies. But perhaps more to the point, if I needed anything from you, intel about things I already know would not be among those.
The explanation for that is a lot simpler. Someone gave Nei this footage hoping to turn her against me. I managed to talk her down, and that's when we stumbled upon that data. Who was that again? Her name escapes me at the moment, a poor android wandering the desert.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png):"No, nothing unusual about Hugo."(https://imgur.com/dRSTbS9.png): “That’s what Rolf said when entering a biofactory taken over by my sister...”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png)"As for Hugo, well, I mean, he is weird, but, like, if I didn't sort of trust him.....I do still feel pretty much one hundred percent sure I could take him. Sorry Hugo, haha."(https://imgur.com/YlKXyi7.jpg): “Yeah we can, problem is that Hugo’s kinda of a coakroach that you kill one and another Hugo pops out almost instantly, never figured out where were all his clone stashes.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/33/3334a1c5b3.jpeg) "This is Damarius Whitelaw, Commander of The White Company. We have detected large amounts of collateral damage to the surface of the planet as well as unusual space-time anomalies of an unidentified origin. We are approaching what appears to be the area most affected. Hold your fire, we're from Parum.Arodatam’s minions lock their guns to the new arrival but don’t shoot.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/33/3334a1c5b3.jpeg) "We have no idea what the hell happened down there but we're here to help.(https://i.imgsafe.org/73/738b05bbdf.png): “ID confirmed. Pausing extermination protocols.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/33/3334a1c5b3.jpeg) Damarius just looks confused as Arodatam talks about events that he's never heard of and him doing things that he's never done.(https://i.imgsafe.org/a4/a4f00b1dff.png): ”Honestly speaking, if you understood all of this right away then I would be quite suspicious.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png)"The future, Whitelaw. She's talking about the future. Or at least one possible future.
That generally seems to match up to the information we've got... I didn't realize I had such a central role in that future, though. Pretty terrifying when I think about it.
Unfortunately you were out of commission for my dark rise to power so we're still missing a critical piece of information. But since you didn't mention Nei once even when you were talking about biomonsters, I can hazard a guess as to what drove me insane in that future. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't just shoot me down.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/a4/a4f00b1dff.png):”They’ve may’ve managed to brainwash Katherine, but then you came. Ammy and Hugo and Stephanie and Damarius and Nei and you succeeded in freeing me.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Bad Future Katherine here should more or less have the gist of it across. Turns out that time travel is possible after all."(https://i.imgsafe.org/a4/a4f00b1dff.png): “We’re always traveling in time Ammy, forward if nothing else.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Long story short, we've already proved time isn't some stable iteration, so we're trying to stop Hugo from becoming the end of the world, the Administration from winning the Devestation War, and something about future pirates. Which would be easier if the future wasn't becoming easier to learn about than the past."(https://i.imgsafe.org/a4/a4c9377e58.png): ”Ammy, the Android Administration already won the Devastation War before I, Katherine was even born. Maybe even before Hugo. There’s no changing that unless you figure out a way to go back even further.”
(https://i.imgsafe.org/33/3334a1c5b3.jpeg): "So you're Katherine from the future who is now in the present but with no knowledge of how that happen. That explains the temporal anomaly at least. What are we supposed to do to stop this? Even with Bastion I'm not capable of stopping a fleet that can set up that sort of blockade."(https://i.imgsafe.org/a4/a4c937718d.png):”Yes, I’m Katherine Matryoska. And I eventually stop the Aether Phantom Fleet. Most of it at least. So you could just wait. Or if you want to stop it sooner, your best bet would be figuring out where and how they will appear from and prevent it at the origin. Shame Katherine’s confident doesn’t seem to have revealed any interesting intel last battle about that. Right, Katherine? The psycho maid didn’t let out anything useful? No last private messages before being destroyed that you managed to overhear?”
Hugo looks visibly disturbed by the image. He actually needs a moment to collect himself.Nei starts shaking violently and makes an expression even Hugo has never seen before.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png)"For once, being in the past grants us an advantage. Arodatam can access the records of the blockades so we can prepare the best strategies to keep their damage to a minimum.
We will need to employ as many battleships as possible in order to keep the supply lines working. Mechas work out great for attack and defense but they make for horrible transportation.
But that's only a paliative measure. If we want to keep the Phantom Fleet menace contained, we'll need to figure out where they came from in the first place. That should allow us a preemptive assault."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png) "Oh! I recorded a lot of messages from the fleet boss just now, yeah! It, uh, struck me kinda odd... Like, what they are doing, were doing? Will be doing? Ahm, it isn't what they want to happen?"(https://i.imgsafe.org/a4/a4c937718d.png): “...I’m not quite sure what to make of this. Stephanie? Hugo? Damarius? You’re kinda supposed to be the big brains around here.”(click to show/hide)
Hugo moves to embrace Nei, one hand going behind her head to scratch her head to calm her down.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png) "Nei, NEI! Easy girl. That picture is from something that hasn't happened... yet. It could very well be something that never comes to pass for you or anyone else. Deep breaths. Deep breaths."
"Wait a second. Why destroy the Phantom Aether Fleet when we can use them to our advantage instead?"
"Wait a second. Why destroy the Phantom Aether Fleet when we can use them to our advantage instead?"
"Just because mecha have taken the forefront doesn't mean they can't be useful in many other ways. Besides, it seems to me like all they really need is a little bit of love."
"The White Company is always accepting new recruits and has no problems with battleships. Bastion always ends up in the thick of it," Damarius says with a grin.
"...oh shit.
I just realized - we may have to get there like, right fucking now."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png)"Stop thinking about her. If you see her again, I want you to flee. No matter what's at stake, okay? I don't want you to ever, ever fight her again."
"Eh, maybe keep those images to yourself, okay Aryk?"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/80/8031983760.png): "It's unusual that you speak so friendly of me Arotadam when I've just recently meet everyone here. From what I can tell Hugo is an alright person, even if he is a bit odd about how he goes about things. That said, he does feel likely to be villain material... Not withstanding the fact even my own mother is villain material and I'm probably a couple of choices from it myself."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/80/8031983760.png): "Where was I in all that? If I disappeared that probably means I was killed at some time. Or did I get stupid and attack Dark Force by myself?" she stops and looks thoughtful.
(https://i.imgsafe.org/80/8031983760.png): "Was I secretly working with the Fucker of Worlds in the background But what about Teresa? Or my mother and Team Silver for that matter?"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Phantom fleet... ghost ships?" Amaterasu muses, looking thoughtful, then snapping her fingers, "Got it! This wouldn't be the first time something like this happened. Every now and then a destroyed or scuttled battleship will start moving. AI malfunctions are common but it's a bit more than that; all those rumours of ships coming for vengeance aren't so far from the truth.
"Anyway, to get an entire fleet of the ships with any sort of co-ordinated intelligence, you would need a massive graveyard--and some sort of equally-massive collection of AIs and computers to help it along. Like, say, the Steel Garden--at the core you have an entire fleet of scuttled but intact ships, AI that know they've been abandoned, and sufficiently out of the way and impassable that nobody would think to check before it was too late.
"Damarius, if I guide you past the gravitational and spatial anomalies, will you take us there? I think we'd be able to stop this Phantom Fleet before it gets going."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/80/8031983760.png): "And, of course, I can call Team Silver."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/6719b150a3.png): "True, that. It did kinda feel like they just want a place to be accepted... That wouldn't be that hard to do, yeah?"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): "Just because mecha have taken the forefront doesn't mean they can't be useful in many other ways. Besides, it seems to me like all they really need is a little bit of love."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/33/3334a1c5b3.jpeg): "The White Company is always accepting new recruits and has no problems with battleships. Bastion always ends up in the thick of it,"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/b6/b6d4ee54f4.png): "Probably that the Aether Phantom Fleet knows exactly where it's from as much as we do, so if they send anyone else into the past..."
: ”Finding a place to be accepted is hard.”
"I hate to interrupt what is certain to be a joyous occasion for all involved, your ladyships, but I was hoping you could tell us if anything important has happened in this area of late." ...and why the apparently coherent 'leader' of their group has suddenly fallen silent, but he chooses not to voice that at this time.
"Crap. I remember at least one of those guys being bad news. Murasaki, can you pull the data we got back when Nei came aboard, if you'd be so kind?"
"Ships, I believe that I can crew you all if that is what you wish,"
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png): “Ah, I was expecting you to pipe up eventually.Time in this are appears fickle, this time distorting over what seems like months before there’s a reply.
I understand your concerns, but first I would like to know which ship I'm addressing, if that's alright. "
(https://i.imgsafe.org/33/3334a1c5b3.jpeg): "Convenient? I am effectively disbanding The White Company in order to give all of you purpose in order to prevent waste and conflict. No one should be thrown away, even if you technically aren't people. Also I prefer ships to humanoid mecha and am willing to accept any and all of you into The White Company as replacements for those who are going to give up their current mechas to repair and pilot all of you. I am also giving up over half of Bastion's own crew as a part of this effort. It isn't convenient, but I hope it will be worth the effort and if you ships decide to join me in forming a new White Fleet then it just might be a dream come true."
(https://i.imgsafe.org/67/671a22f5e7.png)"Very well, Matilda II.(https://i.imgsafe.org/73/738b71e16b.png): "Investigations? Logs? There were both. But my previous captain blocked me from observing either and then they went missing too and there was nobody left to give me permission to access them. 86% chance they were paranoid I was infected with android spyware after the Parum revolution. But you should be able to access the logs manually if you come inside me. Can also confirm some other organic life has been disappearing since then. Nothing unsustainable. 67% probability of miscalculation due to lack of maintenance."
I can understand why you would be suspicious of us. At first brush, I couldn't really give you any guarantees other than Captain Whitelaw has already offered.
I imagine your crew did not take these disappearances without alarm. Surely there were investigations. If you have any logs of those, I would be very much interested in perusing them. I do not know whether we have the instruments necessary to conduct an investigation of our own, but since it seems we'll be here a while, we may as well try to discover where your crew has vanished to. If you have any data as to whether any organic lifeforms on board such as trees or plants or even animals have likewise disappeared, I'd like to see those as well."
Likely cause: spacetime distortion we're in. Prolonged exposure may result in us and/or Whitelaw's crew subject to same phenomenon. Where possible, confine knowledge of this situation to our party and bridge crew only. Advise reviewing logs of soon-to-be-crewed ships where possible to see if they were similarly affected and/or how they ended up in this portion of space.
Oh, has anyone disappeared from this ship I'm on right now?"