Milliways - GP Archive: Nebulae & Niebelungen V.2

[Harry Krishna]

Jump Drive Research

Human scientists have been attempting to create an improved version of the current standard jump drive. The early results from their tests have turned up some unexpected results.
First of all, we need to explain their top-secret research methods. When asked to go into details about the methods used in the labs, Professor Farmswarmth of the Mars Institute of Technology responded: "It's top-secret. We're not supposed to tell the public that our entire experimental process is based on the philosophy 'Let's try this,' and entering random values into a bunch of bogus equations. If I were to tell you that, my funding would be cut and I'd have to go get a real job." I then reminded him that it was cut back in the 700's, after Humanity got bored with discovering new races and the first war with the WQ was coming to an end.

With that in mind, he went on to explain that while they haven't had any breakthroughs yet, per se, they have learned some interesting things, the kind of things you find at the end of a quiz show: you know, those things that nobody has heard about in the last few centuries.

One such find was that when, in your calculations for jumping into hyperspace, if you divide the square root of a negative number by zero, as you jump, the entire universe is destroyed! No need to worry, though. A whole new one, identical to the old one, is created at the same instant. One theory is that maybe it just seems like the same instant, but is really eons later, but you can't tell. The only way you could tell is if you were outside of the universe, and had an hourglass that works in zero-g. Unfortunately, nobody has ever been able to leave the universe and come back with any memories of the outside, um, existence. Which doesn't even exist. Anybody who tells you it does exist is a danger to our way of life, and must be terminated immediately.

Speaking of being outside of the universe, some jumpers found themselves in an alternate universe after exiting a jump. This universe is virtually the same as our own, but it seems as though some event in the course of history has prevented the Nijarin from coming into the scene. There are several ships existent in that universe that do not exist in ours. This has led Professor Farmswarmth to believe this alternate universe is probably about a century ahead of ours in the timeframe. The PSF was abandoned long ago in that universe. Humans will be happy to learn that, yes, they eventually improved upon the Renaissance. Other major improvements in this other universe is the amount of fuel a ship can store and the efficiency of ships while fighting. However, those who did experience this phenomenon noticed that everything moved slower, probably due to a slow server. Thus our universe will eventually pass the other on our separate timelines.

If it was an alternate universe in our future, then theories that the universe is expanding are wrong. It appeared that it had shrunk to almost half its current size.

Some of the pilots they came across in the alternate are eerily similar to those here. The alliance system is the same. They even recognized an alternate version of the Dark Knights.

With no foreseeable breakthroughs on the jump drive, Farmswarmth decided it was time to try something drastic. He shaved his bald head. He then exclaimed that the Alskant will probably steal this idea, too, and probably improve upon it as usual. The thought of an Alskant removing the entire top half of its head came into mind. So I left.

Personally, I think this guy is nuts. I mean, come on, an improved Renaissance? In my dreams!




Leaders of a Pact?

Word has it among the hushed information dealers who ply their trades in the shadows of the ports and saloons, that the days of Death Control's tyrannical raids and planet busts will soon draw to a close. Such rumors have been heard before, often turning out to be nothing but hopeful thoughts spreading rampantly throughout the galaxies, but several sightings recently of top clan members coming out of secret meetings in the backrooms of a WQ saloon may indicate a uniting of several top clans for some strategic purpose.
Latenight revellers at The Cloaked Dagger, a local WQ hotspot, who had their eyes trained on more than the writhing dancers saw head Crusader Harry Krishna among the crowd. Krishna, a long-time regular at the Dagger, was accompanied by the legendary OmegaRenegade, notorious ~Shadow~ of the Shadow Guild, and the enigmatic Jedimax1 of the Rebellion. They were last spotted moving through the crowd as they made their way to the back offices of the place.

Could such a Super Alliance exist? Many are skeptical, including a decrepit old port manager. "What are the odds they don't just stab eachother in the back when they get the other clans to 'trust' them?" he said. If indeed such a pact has formed, than there is little doubt that over the next several weeks, we could be in a bloodbath such that the galaxy has never seen. -Moon Eye




Ode to Kryptic*Mystique

She has no time for losers......sparkly spangles have no affect on her.
You wanna trade, give her a fair price or she'll curse you to the nine hells of Lacerta.
But when you see her smile, ahhhh the hard fought victory of a well turned phrase causes the laughter to spill like a new spring waterfall, cool, crisp, clean and refreshing.
Thank you KM for brightening our days and nights......



AF back in action!

In a major step for the Alpha Factor alliance, an attack on the planet in sector 3255 was carried out recently. This planet bust was a joint effort between AF and The Elves. The operation was led by ShadowStorm. After an unspecified number of attacks, and a small but undisclosed mishap on the part of the attacking team, the planet's defenses fell and the planet was claimed by AF.
According to witnesses, four of the attacking ships were destroyed by the planetary defenses, and at least one other attacker was killed during the attack. There were kills marked for the attackers as well, and inside sources say that Everett was also in this bust and was personally responsible for at least 3 kills.
-an Ik''Thorne Trader




I Got Those DC-Busting-My-Planet Blues

Spent all day making the CA runs
Hauling forces and supplies by the tons
Dropping scouts and CD's hither and yon
Even some mines for DC to land on

Watching the turns whittle away
Hoping to keep those DC villians at bay
Watching my screen, looking for signs
To see which players may be benign


Building our planet watching it grow
Seeing the forces pile up like snow
Watching the players board, growing with fear
Appallingly evident DC is near


Watching the firefight, safely from fed
Feeling badly for mates, soon to be dead
Seeing them slowly tear down our work
Reading the taunts in globals, you jerks!


The minefield is ruined, the planet laid bare
You can tell right away DC has been there
Counting the pods, mourning the loss
Playing while working, don't get caught by the boss!


Revenge untasted, bitterness reigns
Hoping for recompense, or the end of the game
8O wishing to rebuild once again
To spend all those turns and see them in pain.



War on two levels

As more and more traders become ejected into space pods, there is no longer any doubt that this is war. However, the war no longer remains contained within the realm of lasers and missiles, but now leaks into the communication systems of traders everywhere.
If not carefully darting between port to port, praying to avoid any hunters out there, most traders can sit back and enjoy the verbal fireworks of taunts and challenges that, periodically, flood the global message system.

More often than not, the verbal combat is focused against members of the Death Control alliance, often angry against the loss of planets and merchandise.

Is it only a matter of time before the flood of threats bleeds into the war and intensifies it? This reporter can only watch and wait, wishing for peace to wash this blood-stained galaxy.



Ode to an Escape Pod

There once was a pilot called freon
Who all the hunters would key on.
Lest fighting begin
Sure, he might win,
But only like once in an eon.