STF

Main Sim - City

Posted Nov. 28, 2022, 11:41 a.m. by Gamemaster Wookius Furrius (Senior Gamemaster) (Gene Gibbs)

Posted by Lieutenant Jasmine Wynter (Chief Medical Officer) in Main Sim - City

Posted by Gamemaster Wookius Furrius (Senior Gamemaster) in Main Sim - City

Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in Main Sim - City
Posted by… suppressed (29) by the Post Ghost! 👻
snip
Saving a civilization by going into the past? Shedda’s mind whirled with the possibilities of how it could be done, but also how that might affect their present and future. The possibilities were…profuse. “What went wrong?”

Mal’athar, XO

“Evolution. Competition. Ambition. Jealousy,” Thera said. “Sending a city that far into the past we thought would not affect the present so many millions of years later. We were wrong. One of the cities has, in some renderings, sought to change the ways. Two cities are anchors. Ours and the farthest in the past. These are attempting to usurp that and become the anchor and hold dominion. I fear what you have felt are the struggles they are making to accomplish this. Moreover, their attempts have destabilized the machine causing time flashes where past ages show forth upon the world out beyond the city walls. That is but a foretaste of what we may see happen - a complete time wash should the city be successful in its struggles. We would .. cease to be.”
- Thera and Kela

“Can you communicate with the other cities? Are they aware of the damage they are causing?” Cochrane asked politely. “Or is this a case of, as we have seen so many times in countless other civilizations… our own included… of a small group putting their own desires and wants before the greater good for all?”

Cochrane, CO

Thera shook her head. The Builders did not consider that. The trips were supposed to be one way. Each does have a gateway,” she said, gesturing to the dark patch along the back wall. “that can allow passage, briefly. It takes a great deal of energy to open one. None ever returned who have so made that trip, though that too is in the very distant past. It is as though that .. dimension in time is become dominant over ours. We supposed that we were sending cities back in time to save our people. It appears that we were creating new realities whose city generators linked the dimensions to one another. Time, and realities, are fighting for dominance. We have contemplated how we may .. unhook .. the one from the string to set it loose in its own reality, though we are few and our scientists have lost more knowledge than they have attained about this matter.”

Kela said, “Alas, we know little about the thoughts of the others. But they must have a name. The ancient name of the city was Bakkalan. Our city as the anchor is shielded thus far from when their dimension imposes itself on ours, but to go to them means that one becomes Time Washed. They disappear, any who leave the city. We know not of their fate, but some, in their despair, have thrown themselves outside to whatever fates await them.”

Thera and Kela

“Writ-keeper Kela, has anyone within the city been hurt by these waves? Aged or maybe even regressed and become younger?” Revna was hoping they could get help for their crew affected by the waves. She was sure Dr Wynter would appreciate an opportunity to learn more about the effects these shifts. “Is there anyone with medical training that would speak with our doctor?”

McKenzie

The two cast a look at one another, their eyes widening just enough to be noticed and their heads shifting slowly to a slight angle. Then, as one, they looked at Revna. “There is no effect from the waves in the city. Should one step outside the city then .. they are .. gone. Some call it ‘Washed’, though only those who have given up in their life have chosen that fate. They disappear, temporally, to where we do not know. Each city is anchored in a time and spacial reality. As such the waves that have occurred would share that component, if erratically. We have physician scientists whom you could speak to.”
Kela

“I would love that,” Jasmine stated with a smile. Already she was starting to come up with a hypothesis of why the two people in sick back reacted so differently with one getting older and one younger. If the wave sent them each to a different temporal space then this would make much more sense than their bodies reacting so differently to the same external factor.

Jasmine Wynter CMO

“So we are talking string theory and the idea of a multiverse,” Celina asked trying to make sense of what was happening here. The glaring problem she was wondering about was to make sure if they were talking about that, that the Manhattan and its crew got back on the metaphorical right string for the right universe.

Celina Creed CTO

It took a minute for them to process that term, however Thera made a slow tip of the head. “Your thoughts are probably correct. It was not the Builder’s intention. Their intent was preserving our civilization, however, in the end, their intent did not foresee the consequences.” As if guessing her thoughts, Thera continued. “Your ship and crew are safe within the bubble of our city, unaffected by the changes. However, when the.. realities change, they change out beyond our city and, apparently, into the space beyond. In that we were in error once more, thinking it only affected our world - and it did, until recently when Bakkalan began exerting its strength.”
- Thera

“Thera, if you have no communication with the other cities, how do you know it is Bakkalan that is disrupting the time?” Shedda asked. If there was a way to determine where the problem was coming from maybe their scientists and engineers could find a way to send a message through.

Mal’athar, XO

A wan, sad look crossed her features. “For a long time there was little change in the cosmos. We endured. The cities, we hoped, endured. However, recently, the realities have become entwined, and Bakkalan has shown, briefly meshed with our own. We have found that the machine holding the cities in line appeared to be under assault. You may call it an attempt to .. hack this one. In that period we were able to see what they were doing.”

Kela added. “There is more. As they were meshed with our own, they spoke to us, their threats and their abuse, showing their jealous rage at not being dominant and their intent to supersede us. They even tried to attack us, but found the machine able to defend itself. The Makers had that foresight, though perhaps not the specific invaders in mind.”

Cochrane was silent for a moment and then said “I’m confused, Priestess… Writ-Keeper. From what we understand of time-travel, sending your people back in time would more than likely alter their timeline and they would progress on a separate line from you from that point on. Trying to keep those timelines in synch would be an impossibility from our understanding of physics and the laws of nature. If what you say is true, that one of your cities are trying to exert their influence here, then what they are doing… intentionally or not… is attempting to destroy this entire timeline and supplant their own over this one. I hope you do realize that doing so would destroy this entire universe and all life within it. Is that the position we are in?”

Cochrane, CO

Kela replied with a long sweeping gesture of her arm and slow bow. “Captain, my sincere apologies . This began as time experiment to save our people. What is happening now is not time, but space, and co-opting the very reality we live in. However you are correct. The stakes are monumental and the assault on this reality is cataclysmic in proportion. That is our position, alas.”

  • Thera and Kela

Cochrane thought for a moment and then said “Please excuse my ignorance and know I mean no offence by this… but have you considered closing that door and cutting off Bakkalan from access to this time?”

Cochrane, CO

“Some of our scientists have speculated on whether Bakkalan could be cut off from the cities. In the same way that they are trying to force their way to becoming an anchor city, so we have thought to cast them off from it. We do not know whether it would cast them off or destroy their reality, even as much as whether ours would be destroyed should they succeed.”

To Celina, this made sense but also opened up another thought. “I have a question that might just piggy back on the Captain’s but you stated the washed throw themselves into this disturbance. Any of them political oppositions or radicals?” It would make so much sense to get rid of those that caused trouble by sending them into another reality or be an easy way to cause trouble.”

Celina Creed CTO

There was a small pause. “We see ourselves as a dying people, and some have, in their .. desperation, fear or depression, have done this. There is no opposition among us.”

Cochrane held up a hand and said “My Logistics officer is not meaning to be aggressive in her question. We do understand that that those who do so are doing so by their choice, not that they are being forced to. We are not here to cast dispersions on your people in any way. We simply want to help stop the situation that cost us the lives of some of our crew so it doesn’t happen again.”

Cochrane, CO

“We mention it, Captain, so that nothing accidentally happens to your people should they step into the Wash in error.”

“Thera, what did you mean by the two cities being anchors? Why would Bakkalan want to take over that spot?”

Mal’athar, XO

Thera replied with a dip of her head. “Our city is the Old City. Where it began. When we began this experiment to save our people, there was what we would call, First City, though it bore its own name, Raynata. It was first sent out and the time thread, the cord that so connects our cities, was established. And so ours, and theirs, were the city anchors. The other four cities that we sent out were established along that same cord between us.” There was a pause there. “Bakkalan desires an anchor point because it controls the others. They could terminate the cord and thus become the dominant reality superseding any of the others that have been created, or cast them off entirely.”

Thera and Kela

“Forgive me if you already mentioned this but why does Bakkalan desire their own anchor point away from yours? Do they not see things the same or are they worried about their own skins and don’t want what is happening to you happening to them?”

Jasmine Wynter CMO

Kela answered. “Our knowledge was not sufficient, our ancestors acted too quickly and out of fear, or, perhaps simply not seeing all aspects of their plan. The anchor cities are the only two which firmly hold in place within time and space. Each of the other four are .. stretched along five bands, or strands of time and reality, like an elastic but with an energy that is of its own. Along four of them are a ball which represents the cities like Bakkalan. Now imagine that these bands, while taut, are still with some elasticity and shift and move like weeds in an unseen current. Occasionally the bands will meet and .. there we don’t know what exactly happens. We feel it here, those energies clashing. If it were to snap, the branch would be flung from the trunk and .. be no more. That reality would cease to exist. To take an anchor point would solidify their existence even if it means the destruction of this one.”
- Kela

Cochrane listened and thought. “The issue we have is that if we do not do something, we risk the loss of all of the bands. I know this is not an ideal solution… but perhaps instead of looking at a way of saving all the cities…” and he took a deep breath, “… we look for a way to save the ones we can. If this system was stable before Bakkalan began their interference, then we must either find a way to communicate with Bakkalan and convince them to stop what they are doing… or as an utmost last resort, they would have to be cut loose from the system. But all of this is mere speculation for now. First and foremost, we need to see the system your Builders put into place. Is that possible?”

Cochrane, CO

Celina thought about the weight of Cochran’s suggestion. It was not made lightly and even if it was the only choice, the weight from it would be a weight Cochrane would bear forever along with this civilization. Family meant everything to Celina and to be severed from it without a way to ever get it back would be like the loss death brings. This was why she never wanted to be in the Captain’s chair except as a place holder.

Celina Creed CTO

“You summarize it well, Captain,” Kela replied. “You are welcome to look at our system. Our scientists will be at your service.” She turned to Thera with an inquiring look.

Thera made a sweeping bowing gesture. Kela took that to be assent and gracefully departed. “Are we to assume you are wanting to make an attempt at communication before a more physical intervention is required?”

“Of course. Diplomacy must always be the first avenue. We can accomplish more working together, if all parties can be reasonable.” Cochrane replied.

“Scientist Reauna will assist you shortly upon her arrival.”
Thera and kela

“Thank you. I hope that between the efforts of both of our peoples, we can stop the damage and find a way forward for everyone.”

Cochrane, CO

“A more physical intervention,” Celina whispered to Jasmine. “Well, that was blunt.”

Celina Creed CTO

“Yeah I am not usually around for this side of things but it did sound like they were all about severing the teether with a chain saw if a little bluster and shouting didn’t work,” Jasmine countered.

Jasmine Wynter CMO

It was mere minutes before another came. Taller and thinner than both Thera and Kela, it was otherwise difficult to tell them apart. Her gown was long and of a pale blue that shimmered as she moved. Thera and Kela made an exaggerated nod and flowing gesture of their hands in greeting, mirrored by Scientist Reauna. Thera spoke. “This is Scientist Reauna. Scientist, these are outworlders who have offered to help us with the Bakkalan. Please assist them by working with them to communicate with the city. Perhaps they may persuade them to halt their destructive path.”
“Of course, Adept Thera.”
Thera turned to the away team, and, while addressing the Captain, included them all. “How else may we assist you?”
- Wookiee

Everyone was talking about cutting the other cities off, letting them go adrift, and that was certainly a possibility, but… “Adept Thera, if I may, you said your people sent these other cities into time to save your people. What exactly happened that you needed a way to save them?” Manhattan was the state of the art science vessel. Perhaps whatever went wrong they could fix. Their planetary science team was a force to be sure. Maybe they could bring the cities back instead of leaving them adrift. It was an option worth exploring. Depending on what it was that specifically caused them to send their people away.

Mal’athar, XO

OOC: Ohhh interesting!
IC:
“In the past our star was becoming unstable,” Thera began. “For a time we endured an ice age, then in another turn, drought and intense heat assailed us. Many perished and we feared we would not last. That was the genesis of our plan to save our people. What we did not anticipate was that the star would stabilize again. Those of us who remained here only expected to die. To our surprise and relief we survived.”
- Thera

“So why not bring everyone back home now that your star is stable,” Celina asked.

Celina Creed.

There was a long and, perhaps awkward pause where the three looked at one another. Finally, Thera spoke, “We don’t know how.”
Thera

Shedda glanced at their tactical officer, surprised they were thinking along the same lines. Shedda turned back to Thera, “Is that a possibility that you are willing to explore, Adept Thera? Bringing your people home? Our scientists and engineers are exemplary and could explore such a solution with your own experts. Especially if it ends the time waves.”

Mal’athar, XO

“Wait wait wait can we circle around to the part where you can send someone somewhere but you have no clue on how to get them back? So you are saying all these people knew it was a one way mission?”

Celina Creed CTO

Kela dipped her head and made a now familiar slow sweep of a hand gesture that seemed to be body language for agreement or assent to a point. “We believed the end of our world to be true. There was no presumption that there would be a world to come back to. The Builders did not plan on anyone returning. We as a people were content with our own world and did not explore but briefly into space. If there was a mission beyond survival it was for the people going to be aware of their ultimate doom at the hands of their sun and not take the path we took in being bound to our planet.”

Cochrane looked at Adept Thera and said “And how long ago did you send them?”

Cochrane, CO

Thera closed her eyes and opened them again in a slow, cat like motion. “Some twenty three thousand of our years, Captain.”
Wookiee

OOC: Their standard year is @1.1 of a Earth year, making it closer to 25,000 Earth years.

Cochrane looked back at his team and said “Ok. Let’s get eyes on this device and see what we can find out. The other priority is making sure that star is stable. Twenty five millenia is a long time to go without a disaster they thought was coming.”

Cochrane, CO

“Did you say twenty five thousand,” she repeated the number. Suddenly Jasmine began to change the way she was thinking. “Sir civilized humans are only half that time and we are talking about moving from not having the wheel to flying in a star ship. I have no idea where we will be in 25 millennia but there is a good chance these people they sent away are so far advanced from the group they sent, these guys,” she hooked a thumb at the people in the room, “might not even recognize them.”

Jasmine Wynter CMO

Thera made a slow dip of her head and even slower sweep of her hand. “Yes,” she said.
Thera

“Captain, I am going to check in with the Manhattan.” Shedda agreed, checking on the sun was necessary, but that would mean taking the Manhattan out of the protection of the city, even for just a short time to launch a probe. She didn’t like the prospect of doing so without the away team back on board. She stepped just outside the building and tapped her combadge. =/\=Mal’athar to Manhattan. Status report.=/\=

Mal’athar, XO

=^= Lt Longbottom here, Commander. Ship is holding steady on station. We’re monitoring fuel utilization. We totally lost you once you went into the building. No signal or sensor reading on any of you. The building you are at is the stump of a vast power network extending under you. Most of the energy is staying there. Only a fraction is feeding the city itself. =^=
NL Tanner Longbottom

=/\=Aknowleged. We will make sure to check in regularly. Can you tell where the power source is coming from?=/\= Shedda looked back through the entrance way, careful not to enter the building and caught Cochrane’s gaze and waved him over. =/\=Longbottom let me know when you can read the Captain’s signal.=/\=

Mal’athar, XO

=^= All under you. We are reading strangeness that we are still trying to figure out. It’s like the source is there and big but that there is more. Basically though you are sitting on a kind of geothermal plume where these tendrils or roots tap into it like a tree to water. =^=

After a short wait .. Longbottom came back on. =^= There I have him. =^=

Mal’athar would be able to tell that it was just before or just at the point of the Captain stepping out from the threshold of the temple.
NL Longbottom


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