Dark Angel Research HQ, Tolb
The Ultra Slow Hyperspace Observatory Vehicle finally chugged into the Tolb system. The Poch scientists hailed the station, were cleared to land, and, after a hearty meal of Saraine's gourmet cooking, were ready to cut the research time on the Singularity Beam by 1/3. That night, Shamay had a disturbing dream. It may have been the aftermath of the fried Zidagar cheese balls, but she began to wonder about using the singularity research to attack the Acarra in hyperspace. Remembering how tractor beams had been useless on Grundy's ship in hyperspace, Shamay posited that perhaps Acarran weapons might be useless, too, and the ships vulnerable, if some more Ultra Slow ships were waiting in ambush for the Acarra ships to jump through. Of course, the risk was that the hyperlink might be destroyed. But, it was worth a new line of research.
Poch
Mamajama positioned her fleet, with Grunadulator's ships, around the Poch system. The entire planet was in mourning from the losses of so many mercenary families in the Battle of Dewe. The drought, however, was finally beginning to break. With the rains, the crisped fields of Poch began to green again.
Nemnel
The reports from the slug researchers in Nemnel indicated that they had begun to understand the slug's language. Certain combinations of clicks and movements seemed to be commands to get food, or to attack, or to begin to form larvae.
Remembering some of the *****anzee language research from Old Earth, Mamajama had a large panel with multicolored buttons with painted symbols on it placed in the slug enclosure. This way, the larger slugs could push buttons to request more Grivans, munb leaves, to communicate more, etc. The slugs quickly took advantage of this symbolic communication, but couldn't find a button that said, "Let us out of here!" because that button wasn't on the panel. One button would play video footage of the battle of Dewe, and it seemed that the slugs couldn't get enough of watching their mates attack the Acarra. Judging by their agitation and gestures toward the screen, they were critiquing the battle.
ETC: Slug (Shamtul and Ghalok, but the Nemnel researchers don't know that) language learned: 4 posts
ETC: Singularity Beam research completed: 1/3 off whatever Shade had before.
ETC: Hyperspace ambush ship prototype: 6 posts
OOC: This is weird. Whenever I write "*****" in this post, some editing program seems to replace the word with asterisks. Is this some new taboo word or what?
(This message has been edited by mamajama (edited 04-20-2002).)
