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Let's Play The Ur-Quan Masters
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Chapter 1: Meeting the Neighbors
Part 4: Concentrate and Ask Again
May 26, 2155
So last time, Hayes told us that someone was harassing us from Rigel. Naturally, that means I'm going to go and do something wholly unrelated!
I'll admit to being a little nervous about this route. I'm not sure I consider my fleet up to the task of violating Ilwrath space quite yet, but here I go.
This, I'm afraid, means that I'm not fortunate enough to escape Ilwrath detection on my journey. Our conversation is short and to the point, and leads to a battle between me and four Ilwrath avengers.
On the bright side, they only attack one at a time. On the down side...
These ones have functional cloaking devices.
I have three clues as to their location:
-Stars winking out of existence as the ship passes over them
-Asteroids bouncing off of their hull
-The position of the camera
Using these three clues, a long hunt takes place.
I lose about fifteen crew to a miscalcluation in the first battle. Another four in the third.
Total losses: 19 men. Back to the road.
We arrive at our destination, finding it thankfully devoid of Ilwrath ships. Instead, there is some other sort of aliens!
(fun fact: If you look closely at my conversation with the Ilwrath in chapter 0-2, they mentioned the race I'm about to met!)
Don't make any sudden movements!
PKUNK
It tells me that I must give you something... something to aid you on your noble quest! What, spirit? What must we give this young human? Mineral resources?... no. Important secrets?... no. Starships?... no. Then what IS it spirit, spit it out!
What?!... that thing? Are you sure? Okay. Here you go, Captain. Take this Clear Spindle. It is an ancient and powerful device built by the precursors hundreds of thousands of years ago. What does it do, you ask? I haven't the slightest idea.
Auspicious portents and serendipitious omens have foretold your arrival. Welcome alien guest to the home of the gentle and playful Pkunk - Children of the Cosmic Light, Hobgoblins of Joy, Seekers of Spiritual Truth, and other neat stuff like that.
ZELNICK
Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I am Captain Zelnick in command of the Vindicator.
PKUNK
Yes, yes. We know all that. We are not known throughout the galactic sector as powerful psychics for nothing! Of course we already know the answer to this next question too, but we enjoy conversation.
Why have you come here?
ZELNICK
Oh ....uh, no reason. We thought we'd just take this baby out for a little cruise and would you look at where we ended up.
PKUNK
My telepathic sensors are telling me that you are repressing something. Repress, repress, repress. What is it? Come on. What is it? I see a smile. You're smiling. Tell Pkunky the secret. Come on, nasty alien gonna tell Birdy Pkunky big secret?
ZELNICK
We are on a five year mission, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no... well, you get the idea. We're kind of exploring.
PKUNK
I sense a deeper reason, a deeper conflict. A conflict of immense proportion, a proportion of... deeper reason. A deeper thing that is... not too terribly deep. A conflicting deeper thing... uh, I'm not really sure what I sense. Are you sure there isn't something you want to say to me?
ZELNICK
I have come to ask you for your help in the fight against the Ur-Quan.
PKUNK
The fight. Always the fight. We Pkunk are Yin and you are Yang. I suppose the problem is that the Ur-Quan are a little more Yang than you are. Well, be that as it may, we are sympathetic to your concerns. We were not always the mystical, aloof -- and yet caring -- enlightened beings that we are now. If need be, we can still kick some serious butt! Let us unite and form an alliance!!
We will provide you with all of the crew, ships, and resources you desire. We will give you.....wait! I sense that you are offended by our crass material offer. Yes, I am ashamed. Any war mongering species could offer this... we are Pking! Children of the Stellar Breeze! We shall give you what all others could not! The greatest of gifts! We shall give you our love.
Ah, you are speechless. Do not talk now. I can feel the energy connecting us. Let us pat while the silence remains. Farewell... But wait! Before we go, as a small token of our love, not as a material gift, mind you, we give you 4 of our meager ships, fully crewed. Good luck!
That was easy! And now, my fleet is looking a little more impressive. The Pkunk ships aren't exactly powerhouses, but they have their role in a fight.
On the way around the system, I run into one of their ships, and have a brief conversation with them. It's significant enough that I'll record the relevant bits here:
ZELNICK
What's news?
PKUNK
Ahh, vague omens and mysterious portents. Tangled webs of fate intertwined with the branches of destiny, blown by the capricious winds of happenstance. News, news... uh, actually there is some news! It just happens that it has come to our attention that Dogar and Kazon, the two gods of the Ilwrath, may actually be a hoax. We don't know who this hoax would have been perpetrated by, but it seems someone has used these fictitious gods to send the Ilwrath down on us.
ZELNICK
I seem to be having a little trouble defeating the Ur-Quan Hierarchy.
PKUNK
Well, not advice exactly, but I can offer you plenty of moral support. ALso, I can tell you about another dream. Yes, perhaps I will tell you about my dream.
In this dream there was a small creature, fragile and weak. Above it loomed a much larger creature, dark and foreboding. The large creature was preparing to take the smaller one into its slavering jaws, when the little one looked up and said, 'Hold! Why do you do this! What you are doing is wrong!' This made the large creature pause, while it pondered the question. Then I woke up, and I'm not sure if the little creature got eaten or not. Come to think of it, it really wasn't much of a dream. I would have much preferred Awkky Birdy's dream.
Anyway, just thought I would tell you about that.
After swiping some radioactives from the outer planets, it's back on the road.
NEXT TIME: Interstellar Frungy League!
<< | ^^ | >>
Chapter 1: Meeting the Neighbors
Part 4: Concentrate and Ask Again
May 26, 2155
So last time, Hayes told us that someone was harassing us from Rigel. Naturally, that means I'm going to go and do something wholly unrelated!
I'll admit to being a little nervous about this route. I'm not sure I consider my fleet up to the task of violating Ilwrath space quite yet, but here I go.
This, I'm afraid, means that I'm not fortunate enough to escape Ilwrath detection on my journey. Our conversation is short and to the point, and leads to a battle between me and four Ilwrath avengers.
On the bright side, they only attack one at a time. On the down side...
These ones have functional cloaking devices.
I have three clues as to their location:
-Stars winking out of existence as the ship passes over them
-Asteroids bouncing off of their hull
-The position of the camera
Using these three clues, a long hunt takes place.
I lose about fifteen crew to a miscalcluation in the first battle. Another four in the third.
Total losses: 19 men. Back to the road.
We arrive at our destination, finding it thankfully devoid of Ilwrath ships. Instead, there is some other sort of aliens!
(fun fact: If you look closely at my conversation with the Ilwrath in chapter 0-2, they mentioned the race I'm about to met!)
Don't make any sudden movements!
PKUNK
It tells me that I must give you something... something to aid you on your noble quest! What, spirit? What must we give this young human? Mineral resources?... no. Important secrets?... no. Starships?... no. Then what IS it spirit, spit it out!
What?!... that thing? Are you sure? Okay. Here you go, Captain. Take this Clear Spindle. It is an ancient and powerful device built by the precursors hundreds of thousands of years ago. What does it do, you ask? I haven't the slightest idea.
Auspicious portents and serendipitious omens have foretold your arrival. Welcome alien guest to the home of the gentle and playful Pkunk - Children of the Cosmic Light, Hobgoblins of Joy, Seekers of Spiritual Truth, and other neat stuff like that.
ZELNICK
Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I am Captain Zelnick in command of the Vindicator.
PKUNK
Yes, yes. We know all that. We are not known throughout the galactic sector as powerful psychics for nothing! Of course we already know the answer to this next question too, but we enjoy conversation.
Why have you come here?
ZELNICK
Oh ....uh, no reason. We thought we'd just take this baby out for a little cruise and would you look at where we ended up.
PKUNK
My telepathic sensors are telling me that you are repressing something. Repress, repress, repress. What is it? Come on. What is it? I see a smile. You're smiling. Tell Pkunky the secret. Come on, nasty alien gonna tell Birdy Pkunky big secret?
ZELNICK
We are on a five year mission, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no... well, you get the idea. We're kind of exploring.
PKUNK
I sense a deeper reason, a deeper conflict. A conflict of immense proportion, a proportion of... deeper reason. A deeper thing that is... not too terribly deep. A conflicting deeper thing... uh, I'm not really sure what I sense. Are you sure there isn't something you want to say to me?
ZELNICK
I have come to ask you for your help in the fight against the Ur-Quan.
PKUNK
The fight. Always the fight. We Pkunk are Yin and you are Yang. I suppose the problem is that the Ur-Quan are a little more Yang than you are. Well, be that as it may, we are sympathetic to your concerns. We were not always the mystical, aloof -- and yet caring -- enlightened beings that we are now. If need be, we can still kick some serious butt! Let us unite and form an alliance!!
We will provide you with all of the crew, ships, and resources you desire. We will give you.....wait! I sense that you are offended by our crass material offer. Yes, I am ashamed. Any war mongering species could offer this... we are Pking! Children of the Stellar Breeze! We shall give you what all others could not! The greatest of gifts! We shall give you our love.
Ah, you are speechless. Do not talk now. I can feel the energy connecting us. Let us pat while the silence remains. Farewell... But wait! Before we go, as a small token of our love, not as a material gift, mind you, we give you 4 of our meager ships, fully crewed. Good luck!
That was easy! And now, my fleet is looking a little more impressive. The Pkunk ships aren't exactly powerhouses, but they have their role in a fight.
On the way around the system, I run into one of their ships, and have a brief conversation with them. It's significant enough that I'll record the relevant bits here:
ZELNICK
What's news?
PKUNK
Ahh, vague omens and mysterious portents. Tangled webs of fate intertwined with the branches of destiny, blown by the capricious winds of happenstance. News, news... uh, actually there is some news! It just happens that it has come to our attention that Dogar and Kazon, the two gods of the Ilwrath, may actually be a hoax. We don't know who this hoax would have been perpetrated by, but it seems someone has used these fictitious gods to send the Ilwrath down on us.
ZELNICK
I seem to be having a little trouble defeating the Ur-Quan Hierarchy.
PKUNK
Well, not advice exactly, but I can offer you plenty of moral support. ALso, I can tell you about another dream. Yes, perhaps I will tell you about my dream.
In this dream there was a small creature, fragile and weak. Above it loomed a much larger creature, dark and foreboding. The large creature was preparing to take the smaller one into its slavering jaws, when the little one looked up and said, 'Hold! Why do you do this! What you are doing is wrong!' This made the large creature pause, while it pondered the question. Then I woke up, and I'm not sure if the little creature got eaten or not. Come to think of it, it really wasn't much of a dream. I would have much preferred Awkky Birdy's dream.
Anyway, just thought I would tell you about that.
After swiping some radioactives from the outer planets, it's back on the road.
NEXT TIME: Interstellar Frungy League!
<< | ^^ | >>