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They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 3:38 am
by Charlie Schroeder
Charlie had his people in trying to teach them what was coming.
Behind him was a board with strange names and seems to suggest Comstar intentionally turned off the HPG network.
Christian looked mystified at how this guy got promoted before him. Mitsuri seemed concerned for Charlie. Bill just seemed concerned.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 4:15 am
by Yoko Lee
Yoko was in the library too. She wasn't here to read a book or listen, she was here to look at the Mech Pilots Illustrated swimsuit issue in peace. ...for the articles, of course.
Still, the fact that something was going on certainly didn't get overlooked and she would occasionally look over, hearing snippets of what was being said by the man wearing sunglasses indoors.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 5:06 am
by Charlie Schroeder
"OK. We should start over. Trust me. This is important. We will be facing a force unlike anything we have ever seen before if I am right. I hope I am wrong. I hope this is just my lack of sleep getting to me. But we can't take that chance."
Charlie sighed. If he can't convince his subordinates of what's coming, how can he convince others. Maybe starting with the true history of the Inner Sphere is too much. "OK. Let's look at what we do know. The HPG network is down just as there was word of a major pirate push. Look at what we did when we got here. The first thing we did was cut communication, before we hit the valuable points."
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:54 pm
by Yoko Lee
Yoko found herself paying more attention to the seminar than the models in the magazine. Maybe it was because she was one of two who manned communications usually, but all this talk about the networks and things being cut off nagged at her a bit.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:20 am
by Charlie Schroeder
Christian spoke up. "OK. Even if that makes sense," it clearly didn't to Christian, "it's a far leap to say: ALIENS!" He tried to keep the mocking tone out of his voice sense he was talking to his superior officer but failed a bit at the end.
For his part, Charlie took no offense. This was something he was used to. "But who would it be cutting off the HPG network? We're doing the invading. If it was the Lyrans, we'd get some kind of help. The Republic wouldn't want to cut off their people. Pirates do not have the tech for such an operation unless they are backed by a major power. But what major power is going to risk getting cut off from the C-Bill or the HPG network? That leaves who? Comstar? Do they have an army hidden away somewhere?"
They did. Comstar was also controlled by aliens. But since the major controversy in the Truth community was if the aliens controlling Comstar were in league with the aliens Kerensky led the Star League to fight or if they were a separate force. It was best to not try to confuse. Regardless, these aliens were invading soon.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:26 am
by Yoko Lee
Yoko raised her hand from the table behind the unit Charlie was speaking to.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:29 am
by Charlie Schroeder
Charlie notices the hand. "Oh. Charlie Schroeder at your service. Can I help you?"
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 1:10 am
by Yoko Lee
"Yoko Lee, communications. But I've seen criminal and pirate activities in the past. They can do some pretty amazing things if there's incentive in there for them. Why say they'd need too big of a backing if they were hoping to profit from the conflict in some major way?"
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 2:36 am
by Charlie Schroeder
This was an entirely sensible point. Sadly, Charlie was not in his most sensible state having been unable to sleep and the recent events triggering his paranoia.
"There were reports of a large pirate invasion before the communication got cut off. It'd be one thing if it was only us. We'd be an unusual target, since there are planets closer to the Periphery. But, possible, I guess, due to the invasion." Christian clearly decided this was the only explanation other than Comstar screwing up and stood up and started to say something.
But Charlie talked over him. "But a large invasion doesn't make sense. Pirate nations survive by not pissing off the Great Houses too much. An invasion would likely lead the Commonwealth ending them once and for all. Maybe if we were in another Succession War."
Bill was worried now. This was making sense. Not the aliens. But a possible invasion. At least, it is something that should be considered. "Maybe the Dracs? They could have went around the Republic." It did seem doubtful, just sort of brainstorming. "If you're right about the invasion." He didn't want to seem crazy to the others. At the very least, he could get Charlie to focus is paranoia elsewhere. He liked Charlie. He was a good boss.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 12:40 am
by Yoko Lee
"If anyone could pull it off that we know off, it would be the Combine. Would be good timing too. But still, I suppose it really WOULD be difficult."
Many other people wouldn't have even considered what Charlie was saying, but not Yoko. It wasn't as if she thought he was right or was a conspiracy nut or anything herself. But she was generally open minded and didn't like jumping to conclusions either way.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 3:32 am
by Charlie Schroeder
Charlie tried to suppress his sigh. It was ridiculous to think the Combine would invade in this way. It was clearly the Gloarkazarian Empire. But at least preparing for the Dracs would be preparing. "Alright." Charlie writes the Draconis Combine on the board. "I have my doubts, but the possibility should be explored. Could the Combine realistically make such an invasion without peeling too much from their other border?" The question seemed genuine and directed at Yoko who he suspected knew better than anyone else than anyone in the room. Though he did glance to Bill who being an Outworlder might also have some idea about the Combine.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 3:58 pm
by Yoko Lee
Yoko shrugged in response, "No idea; I was a casino dealer back home, not a politician or soldier. Just saying it fits with the ethos the government runs by. Suppose it's no more likely than aliens though, given all the difficulties there would be..."
She leaned back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling momentarily to think before looking back down at the white board, "If it WERE some sort of alien lifeforms, where do we think they'd be coming from or attacking from then?"
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 3:38 am
by Charlie Schroeder
"Well, it's commonly assumed the direction Kerensky went was where the aliens originate from. But it's possible he could have been performing a flanking maneuver or that the aliens themselves are performing such a maneuver against the SLDF descendants."
Mitsuri spoke up for once, "Wait. Why do you think Kerensky went to fight aliens?" She sounded curious more than anything. The Taurian did not particularly hold Kerensky in high regard. Though she also did not carry a grudge like some of her country men.
"It makes about has much sense as the largest army in the Inner Sphere running away because people with smaller, weaker armies preferred to make war on each other and wanted him to get out of the way." Bill and Mitsuri, being from the Periphery, felt uncomfortable with how much sense this made. Not that they believe his theories about the aliens. But the idea that a man with that much power would just leave the Inner Sphere without making his own play? That didn't feel right either.
Knowledge: Alien Conspriacies:
6d10o10k4 32
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:52 am
by Yoko Lee
"Hm, interesting... think it's being kept from us then? If they're sophisticated and close enough to effect our communications, surely someone would've seen or heard some sign of these things. Not that we'd have much knowledge alone here and on planet."
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:57 am
by Charlie Schroeder
Charlie nods. "Comstar would certainly know."
"Because they're alien?" Christian interrupts with somewhat mocking tone.
Charlie glares at him. "That is one possibility." Christian would regret this when Charlie was handing out the assignments after the next combat. "If there are alien infiltrators, Comstar would be perfect with its control interstellar communications, international banking, and as a religion, asking for blind faith from its devotees and strangeness can be considered the natural oddity of a religion different from their own."
Somewhere, a Comstar agent felt Blake smile upon him. "Y" was doing his job on conspiracy forums. Making sure no one is too close to the truth by leading to the wrong conclusions. After all, if the person pointing out anything suspicious about Comstar was also saying it was because Comstar was secretly controlled by aliens, the Illuminati, or his favorite, resurrected Egyptian mummies, they'd be ignored by most people. He loved his job.
Charlie, not knowing one of his favorite "Truthers" was thinking about people like him lightyears away, continued. "Though it may not only be Comstar. There is nothing really to gain by revealing the truth. After all, if they could somehow get the alien technology for themselves, they'd have an advantage for the next Succession War. Why alert the other nations who might not know of their existence?"
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 4:58 am
by Yoko Lee
"Wait... infiltrators... you mean, like, in disguise?"
The possibility didn't seem IMPOSSIBLE. After all, Comstar was pretty secretive, right?
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 11:12 pm
by Charlie Schroeder
Charlie nods. "I remember tales of the wonderous things the Star League could do with medicine. An advanced civilization would likely have advanced genetic manipulation technology. Perfect for spies." Charlie knew when he was getting too into the Truth for the uninitiated, so he pulled back a little. "Admittedly, this is a little bit conjecture, but it does explain some of the oddities of history, such as the mysterious white fighters that attacked Taurian Forces. The Vandenberg White Wings have been a Periphery myth for ages, but no one could say who or what they really are."
Bill leaned back. "My grandfather said they were the descendants of the SLDF." Mitsuri looked downed and mumbled, "My mom said they were aliens." Christian looked confused. He never heard of some Periphery myth. Really, just because some hicks didn't know how to read didn't mean aliens were real.
Re: They Are Coming! (D11 EE, Library)
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:56 am
by Yoko Lee
"Advanced disguise techniques, hm? Wouldn't mind getting our hands on that sort of thing..."
Yoko leaned back again, thinking about the possibilities for genetic manipulation and organic disguises.