Chapter 3.3: a belated meeting

[yhlee]

At 0800 local time, Ashari sends out a notice that everyone [= all the PCs and associated NPCs] should assemble for a planning meeting at 0830 in Conference Room A (the ballroom from last night).

At the same time, Ashari specifically messages Dar and asks her to set out a quick breakfast for the meeting, "nothing elaborate necessary, sorry about the short notice." [Dar is free to argue with this over the messaging system.]

Ashari will be in Conference Room A at 08,00 themself, pacing around and muttering and looking agitated, for anyone who shows up early. Among the early birds are Gerae, who keeps checking a nanny-cam app on his slate that keeps an eye on Fluffy and the baby Vraselian pseudo-dragons, and Istradez, who is looking around wistfully for non-sweet food.

ETA:
When most of the group has assembled, Ashari, still clearly ill at ease, says abruptly, "Some of you may be aware of the staggering emptiness of this timeline. I have decided that we need to evacuate, and soon, even though it means abandoning the base. Discuss."

[Please feel free to continue/wrap up threads from the previous move, Ch. 3.2. I will be responding to some threads there shortly.]

[Jedao's report to Sasha and Reshad will be forthcoming in a comment to this post shortly, once I remove a certain catten from my desk.]

Comments

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[zuhrovet]

This isn't about emotions, it's about the path of the fucking righteous. But Alaric has won the point.

Sasha makes herself taste her duck bun, which is weirdly spongey, and chew it as if she enjoys it. "Seyli and Jedao are fully capable with our weapons systems. I've run through the simulations. Xiulan and Mafyyil have the reaction speed, but may not be familiar with our instrumentation. Deyna would also require a tutorial." She smiles at Ashari with the inner joy of a person who has just imagined Fyedlet at a laser turret and is still eating breakfast.

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[yhlee]

Jedao stirs slightly. "I'm familiar with warmoth weapons instrumentation and can take that role," he confirms, "but do we know whether use of those weapons causes harm to, or is objectionable to, the moths themselves?"

EDIT: [Alaric in particular should feel free to answer this; otherwise, I'll have Remi speculate. Or someone who's contacted Cantata could ask it, etc.]

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[stormglass]

“I’ve used weapons systems on - and piloted - craft of comparable size, but haven’t had the chance to learn on a moth,” Xiulan supplies in response to Sasha’s comment. “More than glad to learn. It’ll be good for us to have the coverage options.”

She looks over at Jedao’s question with interest. So many things to consider now, knowing what’s at the heart of the ships.

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[hoardingpearls]

Reshad's experience with weapons is limited nto the personal, but the conversation gives enough room to think of something else.

"Cantata," she says aloud, as well as passing information via grid, "Can you hear me? There's a couple of questions best directed to you."

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[yhlee]

"Hello!" Cantata says via the grid, and hums/sings a pleasing low chord, which the mothlings warble back at it. "I don't know if the weapons on the carapace hurt to use. I do think I had some very weird dreams the last time the ship was in combat, but I don't know if that happens when the weapons are used while I'm awake. Perhaps I will have some exciting dreams!"

Jedao murmurs, "If only all combat had side-effects as benign as a minor drug trip..."

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[flowersforgraves]

Deyna tries not to visibly perk up at the mention of weapons systems. She's much more comfortable with action -- even potential action -- than waiting to plan out logistics. She's looking forward to learning this new set of controls. It won't be anything like driving a refuse trailer, she's certain, but it can't be too difficult. She misses having a specific task.

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[yhlee]

Ashari's gaze flicks to Deyna. "After the immediate exigencies of the evacuation are handled," they remark, "I trust the team will train backup weapons officers. The more redundancy the better, I'm sure. Any other considerations?"

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[slybrarian]

"The weapons we've got are almost entirely invariant," Alaric adds. "Missile racks, coherent light weapons, a couple sandcasters and missile countermeasures. It's possible the jammers might affect your senses, but the rest should be a matter of mechanical stress on the ship's structure. Not even much of that since missiles and beams don't have the kick of a coilgun or heavy particle beams, I doubt you'd feel it in the drive bay. My guess would be that the dreams would be the result of the extra manuevering involved. We can do some controlled tests later."

Re: the meeting proper - paging everyone

[yhlee]

"I would love to be involved in tests!" the Cantata says. "After we do some good sprinting, of course. I was told there would be sprinting because we need to leave this place behind. How hard do I need to sprint?"

Ashari coughs, looking nonplussed by the Cantata's enthusiasm. "We'll let you know what the timetable is. The sooner the better, really."