SDN Worlds 4 Commentary Thread III

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

One moment, menacing the Voyageurs with dangerous weapons, then the next going all adorable and cutesy-pie and "Aww can I keep them?"

I mean, the anime references and Japanese-language mean nothing to me, but I think I get what Shinn is talking about here.

You got it perfectly. In hindsight, maybe using Higurashi as my reference was a poor idea, but it really was the first thing that came to mind when I read Baerne's latest story post. I gotta lay off the animus and mangoes, man...

[Master_Baerne]

The problem with The Understanding was that it gave one all the wrong ideas of scale for dealing with minor powers. For a first-rank navy such as the Ascendant Starfleet, sending a dreadnought division, a battlecrusier squadron, and a brace of heavy cruisers to escort a diplomatic mission was simply good manners. For the Voyageur Republic, it was a blatant intimidation tactic, and they had made their grievances known. Loudly, and without quite realizing that the Ascendant ships in their system wouldn't have needed to move to slag the capitol of the small state. This vast disparity in power, for Lady ir Tampi (used to the careful, painstaking manuevering to no real end imposed by The Understanding), was almost enough to provoke cackles of hysterical laughter.

I'm not entirely sure I follow how The Understanding is affecting the situation here, Baerne; you're too subtle for me. I mean, aside from Lady ir Tampi being frustrated by her inability to indulge in bullying and gunboat diplomacy and taking it out on the poor hapless Voyageurs...

As I'd been thinking about it, The Understanding is the diplomatic community's awareness of the military balance of power; barring an unusually sneaky sneak attack or coalition warfare, no first-rank power (read: player nation) is in serious danger of destruction. Because of this, I was figuring that most international controversies would be largely diplomatic in nature, leading to constant attempts to outdo or embarrass other powers. This would naturally impose a certain amount of caution on diplomats, since what they're doing has more effect on the balance of power, through making or breaking alliances, than anything else.

Lady ir Tampi is used to this. Therefore, when presented with a situation where what she's up to has no real effect on the balance of power, she got a bit carried away. This will cause problems later on.

French keyboard? That means you can type... in character, Baerne!

I don't get why anyone would send 1000 points worth, or something, of battleships with divisions of BCs or dreads just for diplomacying. Unless I was deliberately intimidating someone (which might be what the Ascendancy is doing!), I'd just send a couple of paleocruisers and leak radiation in orbit of their planet while sending diplomaticoes to chitchat.

Then again its because my own ship divisions are too busy watching the Byzantines and Solarians!

Man, a low-orbiting paleocruiser would totally leak enough radiation to cause auroras and probably fuck with unshielded planetside electronics. Like a perpetual EMP!

True, I can type in character now, with accents and everything! But it bothers me to have to press two buttons to get a period and only one for a semicolon, much as I like them.

The ships are all there for reasonable reasons, I thought - the dreadnoughts and cruisers are there to protect the repair ship which is itself there to fix the damaged ships of Battlecruiser Squadron 17. It seems like intimidation to the Voyageurs because they hadn't seen anything the size of a battlecruiser before the battle. The Ascendancy likes its battlecruisers and it really likes its repair ships, and so sent along sufficient force to make sure that nothing happened to them. Reasonable precautions, given that the local pirates managed to hurt 17th Battlecruiser enough to need a repair ship, and not a really major outlay of force... but the Voyageurs feel more threatened by that, not less.

I must say, I love the idea of Bragulan diplomats bringing their own radiation to make things feel more like home... maybe they've got portable radiation generators in their diplomatic suites, next to the cryogas canisters and the vegemite?

RESULTS: I found a stray nation, and I brought it home. Can I keep it?

After reading that latest passage, I'm now imagining Lady ir Tampi as Rena Ryuugu from Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, menacing Mr. Airnmann with a billhook before pulling a complete 180 and going "Omochikaeri!"

Thanks, Baerne. Thanks.

Pleasure to be of service. Can't say I've ever seen the show, but that picture is awesome.

[Simon_Jester]

Seeing the Sheppoes paranoia regarding ESPers, I'm inclined that they won't see the ESPer-heavy Centrality with good eyes, and that's putting it mildly.

I have plans for Bart Blade of the BLAND Corporation, never you fear...

[PeZook]

I must say, I love the idea of Bragulan diplomats bringing their own radiation to make things feel more like home... maybe they've got portable radiation generators in their diplomatic suites, next to the cryogas canisters and the vegemite?

Well, they already proved their consulates are an ecological catastrophe in the making, but then again...nature is subordinate to the will of Byzon!

[Lonestar]

Sanctioned Pysker usage in the Shepistani Republic/Federation is so compartmentalized that not even the BLAND Corporation is aware of it!

[Force Lord]

Sanctioned Pysker usage in the Shepistani Republic/Federation is so compartmentalized that not even the BLAND Corporation is aware of it!

So compartmentalized that the Shepistani government itself has trouble remembering it exists?

[Lonestar]

So compartmentalized that the Shepistani government itself has trouble remembering it exists?

"Dr. Blitzschlag, good evening. Wade, so good to see you." Winter looked at Vlad who had immediately shut up and was scanning the area, making appropriate beeping sounds like a production model APE. Winter continued to stare at him, but Vlad resolutely remained in character. Two Shepistani Republican Guardsmen were standing behind Winter in RT-56 power armor. Behind them was a pysker and her handler. The pysker was wordlessly moving her mouth, every now again she would grimace in Wade and Blitzschlag's direction.

[Force Lord]

Whoops.

[Simon_Jester]

I like Force Lord's explanation better anyway.

[Force Lord]

Thanks Simon.

[Shroom Man 777]

It's not like the BLAND Paper is going into the intricate details of the rare examples of sanctioned psykers used by Shepo/Domino secret organizations and special forces, particularly when the paper isn't about military stuff but is rather about corporal punishment and abolishing breastfeeding and making couples sleep on separate beds like in the Flintstones.

True, I can type in character now, with accents and everything! But it bothers me to have to press two buttons to get a period and only one for a semicolon, much as I like them.

The ships are all there for reasonable reasons, I thought - the dreadnoughts and cruisers are there to protect the repair ship which is itself there to fix the damaged ships of Battlecruiser Squadron 17. It seems like intimidation to the Voyageurs because they hadn't seen anything the size of a battlecruiser before the battle. The Ascendancy likes its battlecruisers and it really likes its repair ships, and so sent along sufficient force to make sure that nothing happened to them. Reasonable precautions, given that the local pirates managed to hurt 17th Battlecruiser enough to need a repair ship, and not a really major outlay of force... but the Voyageurs feel more threatened by that, not less.

Oh right, they were there to defend against pirates (and not just make a courtesy call), so a HUEG force does make sense. I forgot that. Poor Voyageurs, having their cakes and eatings its toos!

I must say, I love the idea of Bragulan diplomats bringing their own radiation to make things feel more like home... maybe they've got portable radiation generators in their diplomatic suites, next to the cryogas canisters and the vegemite?

Yes. Backpack RTGs!

[Simon_Jester]

The last of the originally-planned Dr. Susie posts is now up. There may, however, be an unplanned epilogue in light of recent events...

[Shroom Man 777]

Aw, Dr. Susie!

There may, however, be an unplanned epilogue in light of recent events...

Eheheheheheh.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

And so we learn why the Imperium and Bragulans, together, hate the Tau with a vindictiveness unrivalled...

[Simon_Jester]

First half of a Dr. Susie epilogue is up. Second half... tonight or tomorrow.

[Mayabird]

I apologize for being such a slow writer. I've been trying to work on one little story to get it out of the way but it's taking too long and frustrating me to no end.

But I do promise there is crazy stuff to come. Eventually. And then maybe diplomatic stuff. *sigh*

[Shroom Man 777]

I can't wait for the, eherm, twist!

[PeZook]

Man, those Pendletonians must've been really desperate to hire this guy

[RogueIce]

First half of a Dr. Susie epilogue is up. Second half... tonight or tomorrow.

An epilogue in the prologue? Madness!

[Shroom Man 777]

Man, those Pendletonians must've been really desperate to hire this guy

They tried to get Yuri Orlov, but vulture thought the job was suicide and handed it to his good friend Nah Oslo instead.

(Everyone hates Nah)

[Simon_Jester]

Man, those Pendletonians must've been really desperate to hire this guy

No doubt they were. One wonders what Governor Tarkington's policies are...

[Steve]

Man, those Pendletonians must've been really desperate to hire this guy

No doubt they were. One wonders what Governor Tarkington's policies are...

Actually, by this time he's got a multi-national committee looking over his shoulder (Hiigarans and ESR, maybe Ascendancy if Baerne wants to sign on) so his more aggressive policy aims will not necessarily be approved.

[Simon_Jester]

Aaaand the other half of the Dr. Susie prologue-epilogue is up. Bart Blade's evil proposal does not go unanswered!

She can kill you with her brain, but chooses to exercise restraint...

[Mayabird]

At last, the first glimpses inside the society of the Refuge. This is also the in-story introduction of Panic Node and its buddy Swearing Node, who will likely be appearing many more times later.

Additionally, yay for Dr. Susie!

[Darkevilme]

Aaaand the other half of the Dr. Susie prologue-epilogue is up. Bart Blade's evil proposal does not go unanswered!

She can kill you with her brain, but chooses to exercise restraint...

Simon, bravo. That was...incredibly enjoyable.