from: persephone II, E.Tate
to: the council
" i m really happy that F-23 takes the seat, - cause i must admit that i am ... again... completely lost whats going on here. harvesters in general are still a complete puzzle for me. the alpha code, and all the alien stuff. - i just manage to follow good solid politics like the theta conflict.
but machines hunting our society for something whatever it is ... well, i m glad that they don t come to omicron delta, cause i wouldn t know what to do about them. - there s enough trouble with the blue squids around, - but at least those are not piercing our minds with cryptic voices anymore but go about their business silently.
from what i hear about the harversters, they are very very talkative. nothing i can deal with, an AI that doesn t stop babbling about stuff i don t know about.
well, good thing you guys have it under control - so i can maintain the persephone - its a funny ship, so big, i still find rooms i never knew they existed. "
Comm ID: Malaclypse
I've reviewed FTGW's "conditions" It seems fairly clear that only one ship is "invited", Dessie or smaller.
However, it seems we may send along more than one "part" for the encounter. If we consider this as simply a fact-finding and research mission, then we should identify those Zoner parts who can be most effective at the task.
Alan Groteck, the young programmer, comes instantly to mind, if he is available.
F-23 Shamus would be a likely candidate, as he more or less achieved "first contact", at least with Pyriel/Scornstar. He could also represent our own sentient "machines".
I will also approach the aforementioned Pyriel, now convalescing in Baffin, about accompanying the expedition to Gammu. The F-unit which now contains Pyriel is functioning optimally, but Pyriel the entity is still somewhat uncommunicative.
TAZ's "Wunderhund" Fnordie has had little success using his telepathic abilities on Pyriel or other Harvesters; but he could also be made available.
I would suggest that a pair of "fresh" eyes would be beneficial.. someone with an impartial yet critical outlook on the situation. The elder "Y" sister comes to mind, Ms. Kyte.
Oddly enough, that adds up to Five, which satisfies a rather important tenet of the TAZ's faith. Comments?
Mal
........INCOMING TRANSMISSION..........
........COMM ID Pyriel...........................
**A small titanium chrome sphere hovers into the holo projection**
I am Pyriel.....Or rather what is left of him...me.
I have just recovered mostly from my mistaken association with the Harvester intelligence First Thought Giver of Will.
I must decline. Going back to Gammu. I will never look upon Gammu again except maybe to watch it consumed in a super nova.
Zoners your hands are clean and have no blood on them. The intellect is not of Zoner origin. The intellect seems to be left over from the catastrophe that ended the riegn of the Daam Kavash as, are the Nomads.
If you go to Gammu I suggest sending volunteers that will go knowing they will not return. Furthermore, I suggest you send them heavily arms and armored. They should place and anti matter detonation devise on the CPU of this FTGW. I say kill it.
That thing made me harvest my m other, send my brother into exile, and abandon my duty to the Order. I came into contact with it while exploreing deep within the old colony looking for tech the machines had and legaly had no claim to, being they were abandoned machines. I sought to creat a weapon I could wipe out all Outcast and many of thier cardamine customers out with. I sought to make cardamine extinct on Malta.
This was because of a quest for vengence. This quest has cost me my home, both of them on Java and on Manhatten. It has cost me my friends, my family, my humanity and my very body. Please make this machine pay! You are all just parts to it anyways.
Please understand Malaclypse, I am thankful, I will asist in whatever way I can but, going to Gammu is the only thing I will not do.
Forgive me for not going. I can assist in any other way, just ask I will be listening.
While I understand Kyte's selection, there won't be much she can do if it turns south in her "Tadpole" I trust, in my absence, she will be looked after? *smiles knowing that this has already been considered.
Fyre
Understood, Acknowledged and Accepted. Will have the Tadpole outfitted for the journey. This is going to be... interesting.
I can't say I fully understand what this Pyriel guy is going through with the FTGW thing, but I DO know what it's like to have a part of yourself taken away against your will.
I know what I said about pride, glory, & survival last week, but if I don't volunteer myself for this...apathy may end up killing me instead.
If it's all the same, I'll join you lot.
Screw pride, screw glory...I do this for the TAZ.......If I survive, I'll be stronger for it.
...& if I don't, I'll finaly get to see my wife again.
*Incoming Transmission*
*comm ID- Mike Agathon*
If I may give a suggestion, it may destabilize things to have a large armed fleet go to the meeting, it may be prudent to have a standby fleet of ships hiding in the nebula in Omicron Gamma incase things go wrong. Or at FP 9, ready to respond.
This way we have ships nearby to help if needed but, not close enough to cause problems with the negotiations.
Comm ID: Mama Dis
*Now, all you you go back and read the FTGW transmission. I believe you'll find the offer to visit was made to a single ship.. no escorts, no sword boys waiting in the wings.. no nada.
*Now, Reggie Waverly has kindly offerred the sumptuous services of the "Bafflin' Queen" for the journey. Reggie's staff maintains an excellent kitchen and bar; and all your primate needs will be attended to.
*I now have confirmations from the following volunteers: Shamus, as "first contactee"; Sebastian Wrath to replace the missing Alan Groteck as our techie type; Riley Mackenzie for moral support and a taste of Eire; Ms. Kyte as our newest and freshest pair of eyes on the TAZ; and of course, Reggie as Captain and tour guide. I am still waiting for a decision from Fnordie and/or his faithful primate companion, Rick Deckard.
*I appreciate F-23 Pyriel's reluctance to return to Gammu. Certainly he must harbor some very traumatic memories of his "past life". But, it would certainly be helpful to have someone with first-hand experience along as well. Pyriel, Malaclypse has assured me that if you will join the expedition, he will offer you either the means to return to your IMG past; or, if you would prefer, to become a permanent member of the TAZ. After all, hon, you're now a Fnordette, and we do take care of our "own".
*I would like the Council's permission to proceed with this expedition, keeping in mind that the entity Pyriel has warned us that it may indeed be a one-way mission. Malaclypse is also of the opinion that we must take advantage of this invitation, or risk a prolonged and indefinite impasse with this "Machine Alliance".
*Comments, please.*
Dis
Well now, it's a tight toss of the dice no matter how you look at it. Maybe the Harvesters have weighted dice, maybe not, no way to tell. Card up the sleeve? Pardon the gambling metaphors, but they're all appropriate. As I said before, I'd be willing to go. You'd need more than a little luck in something like this, eh?
But I digress, wish you all the best of... luck. You're prolly gonna need it.
~ Vic
*Incoming Transmission*
*comm ID- Mike Agathon*
Well it certainly has my blessing. Do we know when this exchange is to take place?