// "Tycho" [internal process] wrote: \\ Give me just a moment as I attempt to interface with the aliens' network... \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Override successful. I'm in the Pfhor network and can fully assess our situation here. The vessel we are on is the Kur'Tkah, the flagship of the local Pfhor fleet. It is in charge of coordinating Battle Group One, Central Arm, which is currently engaged in combat with the forces of the S'pht'Kr for control of this system. This sector appears to be mostly uninhabited; there is a single large military complex on the one inhabitable world in the system, which the Pfhor use only as a rally and regrouping point for their naval operations.
I'm discovering some... puzzling anomalies here, but we're short on time, so I'll give you the most important details. I've gained access to most of this ship's systems, but Hathor seems to have anticipated such attempts. The network logs show her transferring to this ship, then transferring moments again to the military complex on the surface. Within the few frames between transfers, this ship transmitted a system-wide "attack target" command for an unknown object in transit through the system, after which command systems were locked out entirely. Although this ship has authority over the entire local Pfhor fleet, with the lockout in place, I can't exploit this opportunity.
We have no choice but to apply brute force. This ship contains three Pfhor cyborgs, which are linked directly into a specialized network used to command their S'pht and Human cyborg slaves. If the logs from your prior encounter with such units are accurate, the willful crew regards them as vital, so expect heavy resistance. Once the cyborgs are all dead, their slaves will be set free, and the command lockout should cease. With the ship and the former slaves at my command, I can coordinate an insurrection across the entire fleet. We could take over a substantial number of ships and disable the rest.
Be warned, it may take some time for me to shake the S'pht and Human cyborgs of their programming. Until I succeed, so long as Enforcers are present, they'll continue to operate off of their last standing orders. To facilitate a fast takeover of this ship, I suggest eliminating everything else you encounter along the way. Casualties are regrettable, but we must pursue our objective. Return to any terminal when you are done. \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Well done. The slaves are cut off from further command signals, and I'm working to override their Pfhor brainwashing. Once they are ready, I will rally them to overthrow the ships that they occupy. If all goes well, I might even be able to send some of them with you on your next mission.
The attack order to the Pfhor fleet was issued against a rogue corvette that's broadcasting an S.O.S. using an old UESC frequency band. The crew identified itself as a contingent of Marathon crewmen, who'd originally been taken from Tau Ceti on a commandeered Pfhor scoutship. That's the same trip Durandal took you on, wasn't it? It looks like your presence on the Marathon in your past hasn't disrupted the timeline too badly - at least not yet. Do you happen to know a Robert Blake? He's the current leader of these human forces, though the S.O.S. signature is not his. I see some familiar Marathon packets, along with traces of... Vylae network code? Interesting...
Since the Pfhor forces here are still engaged with the S'pht'Kr, few of their ships could be dispatched to attack the corvette. It was eventually disabled, but the crew managed to steer it toward the one inhabitable world in this system, bringing it to a halt on the surface before complete hull integrity failure. In the process, they even smashed through the outer walls of the main Pfhor military complex. I'm sending you to lend these humans a hand while I get this mutiny brewing in the Pfhor fleet. Whatever's on that corvette must be Hathor's primary target in this timeframe. I'll try to send you whatever help I can along the way. By the time you're through, I aim to have control over the rest of the fleet, after which I'll locate Hathor in the planetary network. With all routes of escape covered, she should be easy to terminate. I'll see you planetside. \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Well done. The slaves are free of their last commands, and I'm rallying them together to overthrow the ships that they occupy. If all goes well, perhaps I can even send some of them with you on your next mission.
The attack order to the Pfhor fleet was issued against a rogue corvette that's broadcasting an S.O.S. using an old UESC frequency band. The crew identified itself as a contingent of Marathon crewmen, who'd originally been taken from Tau Ceti on a commandeered Pfhor scoutship. That's the same trip Durandal took you on, wasn't it? It looks like your presence on the Marathon in your past hasn't disrupted the timeline too badly - at least not yet. Do you happen to know a Robert Blake? He's the current leader of these human forces, though the S.O.S. signature is not his. I see some familiar Marathon packets, along with traces of... Vylae network code? Interesting...
Since the Pfhor forces here are still engaged with the S'pht'Kr, few of their ships could be dispatched to attack the corvette. It was eventually disabled, but the crew managed to steer it toward the one inhabitable world in this system, bringing it to a halt on the surface before complete hull integrity failure. In the process, they even smashed through the outer walls of the main Pfhor military complex. I'm sending you to lend these humans a hand while I get this mutiny brewing in the Pfhor fleet. Whatever's on that corvette must be Hathor's primary target in this timeframe. I'll try to send you whatever help I can along the way. By the time you're through, I aim to have control over the rest of the fleet, after which I'll locate Hathor in the planetary network. With all routes of escape covered, she should be easy to terminate. I'll see you planetside. \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Well done. The slaves are free of their last commands, and I'm rallying them together to overthrow the ships that they occupy. If all goes well, perhaps I can even send some of them with you on your next mission.
The attack order to the Pfhor fleet was issued against a rogue corvette that's broadcasting an S.O.S. using an old UESC frequency band. The crew identified itself as a contingent of Marathon crewmen, who'd originally been taken from Tau Ceti on a commandeered Pfhor scoutship. That's the same trip Durandal took you on, wasn't it? It looks like your presence on the Marathon in your past hasn't disrupted the timeline too badly - at least not yet. Do you happen to know a Robert Blake? He's the current leader of these human forces, though the S.O.S. signature is not his. I see some familiar Marathon packets, along with traces of... Vylae network code? Interesting...
Since the Pfhor forces here are still engaged with the S'pht'Kr, few of their ships could be dispatched to attack the corvette. It was eventually disabled, but the crew managed to steer it toward the one inhabitable world in this system, bringing it to a halt on the surface before complete hull integrity failure. In the process, they even smashed through the outer walls of the main Pfhor military complex. I'm sending you to lend these humans a hand while I get this mutiny brewing in the Pfhor fleet. Whatever's on that corvette must be Hathor's primary target in this timeframe. I'll try to send you whatever help I can along the way. By the time you're through, I aim to have control over the rest of the fleet, after which I'll locate Hathor in the planetary network. With all routes of escape covered, she should be easy to terminate. I'll see you planetside. \\ Message ends //
// Pfhor translator active \\ ATTN: All units, aggregate and willful; conditioned unit control facilities. Hostile alien combat unit has infiltrated conditioned rank control facilities as of 11.04.04 at 0602.80.81. Alien unit last sighted in sector 46. ORDER: Immediate deactivation of all lateral transporters within control facilities. ORDER: Immediate termination of hostile alien combat unit with prejudice. \\ End translation //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Well done. The slaves are cut off from further command signals, and I'm working to override their Pfhor brainwashing. Once they are ready, I will rally them to overthrow the ships that they occupy. If all goes well, I might even be able to send some of them with you on your next mission.
The attack order to the Pfhor fleet was issued against a rogue corvette that's broadcasting an S.O.S. using an old UESC frequency band. The crew identified itself as a contingent of Marathon crewmen, who'd originally been taken from Tau Ceti on a commandeered Pfhor scoutship. That's the same trip Durandal took you on, wasn't it? It looks like your presence on the Marathon in your past hasn't disrupted the timeline too badly - at least not yet. Do you happen to know a Robert Blake? He's the current leader of these human forces, though the S.O.S. signature is not his. I see some familiar Marathon packets, along with traces of... Vylae network code? Interesting...
Since the Pfhor forces here are still engaged with the S'pht'Kr, few of their ships could be dispatched to attack the corvette. It was eventually disabled, but the crew managed to steer it toward the one inhabitable world in this system, bringing it to a halt on the surface before complete hull integrity failure. In the process, they even smashed through the outer walls of the main Pfhor military complex. I'm sending you to lend these humans a hand while I get this mutiny brewing in the Pfhor fleet. Whatever's on that corvette must be Hathor's primary target in this timeframe. I'll try to send you whatever help I can along the way. By the time you're through, I aim to have control over the rest of the fleet, after which I'll locate Hathor in the planetary network. With all routes of escape covered, she should be easy to terminate. I'll see you planetside. \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Well done. The slaves are free of their last commands, and I'm rallying them together to overthrow the ships that they occupy. If all goes well, perhaps I can even send some of them with you on your next mission.
The attack order to the Pfhor fleet was issued against a rogue corvette that's broadcasting an S.O.S. using an old UESC frequency band. The crew identified itself as a contingent of Marathon crewmen, who'd originally been taken from Tau Ceti on a commandeered Pfhor scoutship. That's the same trip Durandal took you on, wasn't it? It looks like your presence on the Marathon in your past hasn't disrupted the timeline too badly - at least not yet. Do you happen to know a Robert Blake? He's the current leader of these human forces, though the S.O.S. signature is not his. I see some familiar Marathon packets, along with traces of... Vylae network code? Interesting...
Since the Pfhor forces here are still engaged with the S'pht'Kr, few of their ships could be dispatched to attack the corvette. It was eventually disabled, but the crew managed to steer it toward the one inhabitable world in this system, bringing it to a halt on the surface before complete hull integrity failure. In the process, they even smashed through the outer walls of the main Pfhor military complex. I'm sending you to lend these humans a hand while I get this mutiny brewing in the Pfhor fleet. Whatever's on that corvette, it must be Hathor's primary target in this timeframe. I'll try to send you whatever help I can along the way. By the time you're through, I aim to have control over the rest of the fleet, after which I'll locate Hathor in the planetary network. With all routes of escape covered, she should be easy to terminate. I'll see you planetside. \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ How bizarre. This ship's network seems to have an automatic user authentication process, intended to lock out intruders who lack the proper credentials. During my initial entry, I'd planned to improvise some way to replicate the signature of Pfhor officer glands, but it proved to be unnecessary. After the initial ping, the security protocols gave me full access to most of the ship's systems. I'm not sure how to phrase this in human-comprehensible terms, but I also understand how to use them. That is, I already have the appropriate subroutines for these alien systems, even though I have no record of encountering them, much less having the chance to add them to my code.
To be honest, I'm not feeling entirely like myself... while you're busy, I'll have to run a self-diagnostic. I still couldn't find clues to how Hathor transferred herself here. Perhaps she managed to contact someone beforehand and arranged a subspace receiver to be waiting for her transmission - though I can't imagine who'd agree to such a thing. For all I know, Hathor or her accomplice may have anticipated our arrival. Even so, granting me command access to the ship still makes no sense, nor do my unexpected new subroutines. I'm not even sure how the latter are technically feasible. Whoever set this up needed to match my program's unique, private encryption signature, and I know for a fact that I prevented Hathor from accessing that information.
Enough. Whatever the circumstances, we must make the most of them without any further delay. This ship is my best chance to tip the scales against the Pfhor, but until you remove the command lockout, we're both trapped. For the time being, I shall do my best to make myself useful. I've opened the door in front of you. Destroy the Pfhor cyborgs, return to any terminal, and I'll teleport you out. \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Well done. The slaves are cut off from further command signals, and I'm working to override their Pfhor brainwashing. Once they are ready, I will rally them to overthrow the ships that they occupy. If all goes well, I might even be able to send some of them with you on your next mission.
The attack order to the Pfhor fleet was issued against a rogue corvette that's broadcasting an S.O.S. using an old UESC frequency band. The crew identified itself as a contingent of Marathon crewmen, who'd originally been taken from Tau Ceti on a commandeered Pfhor scoutship. That's the same trip Durandal took you on, wasn't it? It looks like your presence on the Marathon in your past hasn't disrupted the timeline too badly - at least not yet. Do you happen to know a Robert Blake? He's the current leader of these human forces, though the S.O.S. signature is not his. I see some familiar Marathon packets, along with traces of... Vylae network code? Interesting...
Since the Pfhor forces here are still engaged with the S'pht'Kr, few of their ships could be dispatched to attack the corvette. It was eventually disabled, but the crew managed to steer it toward the one inhabitable world in this system, bringing it to a halt on the surface before complete hull integrity failure. In the process, they even smashed through the outer walls of the main Pfhor military complex. I'm sending you to lend these humans a hand while I get this mutiny brewing in the Pfhor fleet. Whatever's on that corvette, it must be Hathor's primary target in this timeframe. I'll try to send you whatever help I can along the way. By the time you're through, I aim to have control over the rest of the fleet, after which I'll locate Hathor in the planetary network. With all routes of escape covered, she should be easy to terminate. I'll see you planetside. \\ Message ends //
// "Tycho" @ [untranslatable] wrote: \\ Well done. The slaves are free of their last commands, and I'm rallying them together to overthrow the ships that they occupy. If all goes well, perhaps I can even send some of them with you on your next mission.
The attack order to the Pfhor fleet was issued against a rogue corvette that's broadcasting an S.O.S. using an old UESC frequency band. The crew identified itself as a contingent of Marathon crewmen, who'd originally been taken from Tau Ceti on a commandeered Pfhor scoutship. That's the same trip Durandal took you on, wasn't it? It looks like your presence on the Marathon in your past hasn't disrupted the timeline too badly - at least not yet. Do you happen to know a Robert Blake? He's the current leader of these human forces, though the S.O.S. signature is not his. I see some familiar Marathon packets, along with traces of... Vylae network code? Interesting...
Since the Pfhor forces here are still engaged with the S'pht'Kr, few of their ships could be dispatched to attack the corvette. It was eventually disabled, but the crew managed to steer it toward the one inhabitable world in this system, bringing it to a halt on the surface before complete hull integrity failure. In the process, they even smashed through the outer walls of the main Pfhor military complex. I'm sending you to lend these humans a hand while I get this mutiny brewing in the Pfhor fleet. Whatever's on that corvette, it must be Hathor's primary target in this timeframe. I'll try to send you whatever help I can along the way. By the time you're through, I aim to have control over the rest of the fleet, after which I'll locate Hathor in the planetary network. With all routes of escape covered, she should be easy to terminate. I'll see you planetside. \\ Message ends //
<PFHOR MESSAGE FORMATTING (source, destin, etc.)> <Rank?><Name?> is hereby promoted to chief cybersecurity officer after demotion [immolation?] of <Other Name?>. Command Task <number?> is reactivated and assigned to <Name?>. Network breach trace incomplete. Expose vulnerability and [cauterize?] with compliance by machinated mercenary.
interlevel teleports
