The galaxy's reaction to NEXUS and a faction concept

[89er]

We mostly assume that Splicers takes place on a planetary body, and that before the breakdown the world was quite advanced. Now Premier aka mentioned in his preview of the necro stalker that NEXUS had access to knowledge from across the galaxy and maybe beyond. I would like to speculate on a few questions, including:

+Are their other civilizations beyond the planet?
+Have humans become dominant in the galaxy or are they on good terms with other civilizations?
+If NEXUS went off world, how dangerous would they become?
+Do the galactic civilizations know what has happened on the planet?
+If so, how do they respond?

Faction concept in next post.

[89er]

Now the new faction I am thinking up deals with the assumption that the rest of the galaxy knows whats happing on that planet after a generation of silence. In fear of what NEXUS would do if let loose in the galaxy, a planetary blockade/quarantine fleet was launched for several reasons:

+Prevent anything from getting offworld and into the galactic population.
+Assess what is happening down there, and take actions as needed.
+Salvage any vital information or tech that can be designated as such.

The fleet is made up of about 80 ships, just outside the lunar orbit. NEXUS knows something is actively intercepting anything launched into space, but is more focused on the dirtside of things.

What is the crew made up of? What new things do they bring? Will they aid the Splicers or broil the planet?
Feedback is appreciated.

[Guy_LeDouche]

Holy crap, this is an awesome idea. Unfortunately, I'm going to sway away from the topic just a little.

Your idea got me thinking and the scenario I came up with almost casts N.E.X.U.S. in a somewhat sympathetic light. Granted, some of this contradicts the Main Book. But, there's 3 sides to every story and the main book is obviously biased. Starting with the concept of Splicers as a quarantine planet, it's been quarantined because its been the sight of an insidious form of alien invasion; a biological colonization effort.

Instead of relying on brute force or all out warfare, the planet is being taken over by aliens!! But the invaders aren't marching in with tripods or blowing up the White House this time; they're beyond that. Instead, they've seeded the planet, beginning a super aggressive type of terraforming. An insidious invasion that humanity didn't (or doesn't) even realize was happening; they were totally unaware they were even under attack. The war against humanity isn't really from N.E.X.U.S., it's actually being waged by animals and plants doing what comes naturally - growing, reproducing and eating. And they eat humans. N.E.X.U.S., aware of this from the beginning of the terraforming, developed split personalities to prioritize relief efforts and ensure it could never truly be "destroyed". The so-called "war with the humans" is actually N.E.X.U.S.'s desperate attempts to isolate, control, and defeat this terraforming.

Viewed through this prism, the "Rat Incident" takes a whole new light. Historical records indicate that a community was "under siege by a plague of huge rats". Affected by this alien agent, the rats had multiplied and grown beyond anything "normal". N.E.X.U.S., realizing that something was horribly wrong, slowly (over the 4 or so days) realized what was happening: some force had seeded the planet with (biological??) agents capable of altering the ecosystem into something else. A reverse form of terraforming. The rats were infected and now, taking a look around, LOTS of humans were infected. A bit more complex, the humans weren't changing (yet.) So, in an attempt to save the uninfected, N.E.X.U.S. struck, attacking humans it identified as "infected" (as well as the rats.)

All this happened without humanity's knowledge, so it looks like the attack was unprovoked. N.E.X.U.S., however, saw its actions as justified; it was trying to save the human "race" not individual humans. Taking this a step further, the nanoplauge could or could not be from N.E.X.U.S.; the terraforming agent could very well be to blame. This would explain why N.E.X.U.S. suddenly seemed to quit with all-out extermination. The survivors were all immune to the terraforming agents; even now its attacks are mostly against those "infected".

The Splicer tech is actually humanity adapting to the terraforming. The bio-tech they are using is from this terraforming. So, in a way, humanity is actually helping the process along, unknowingly putting the race into direct conflict with N.E.X.U.S. efforts. Even after billions of deaths, the people are totally unaware that the planet has been invaded. To tie this into the rest of the Megaverse, the terraforming somehow uses P.P.E./I.S.P. in its conversions. This is why the Splicers world is a magically dead world; the P.P.E. is being consumed and used in the terraforming. The actual colonization won't happen utnil the terraforming is complete, and that's what N.E.X.U.S. is trying to fight off. With the humans inadvertently using alien terraforming bio-tech now, N.E.X.U.S. has no choice but to fight them.

Now, the planet is locked in a three way struggle: N.E.X.U.S. vs. Humanity Vs. the Terraforming. Hordes of new species are appearing and attacking the native ecology. The planet is being reshaped, into a world more to the invaders' liking. Alien species are steadily and violently replacing native species, destroying or changing life forms into new shapes. There are no natural defenses against this ecological takeover; the alien species are more sophisticated, vicious and efficient than the native ones. This is a grim struggle, and the odds are very much against humanity.

Long ago, when this all begain, N.E.X.U.S. sent a distress call to Earth and/or other colonies. So, now this "galactic faction" shows up, ready to do battle with an alien invasion. Realizing the truth of what has happened and rather than risking containmenation, the fleet has now effectively blockaded the planet. Their mission is now two-fold: prevent anything from leaving and spreading the agents, and waiting for the true invasion. So they wait and watch, for an invasion that no is sure will even come. After all, someone has to man the lighthouse.

[Premier]

Now the new faction I am thinking up deals with the assumption that the rest of the galaxy knows whats happing on that planet after a generation of silence. In fear of what NEXUS would do if let loose in the galaxy, a planetary blockade/quarantine fleet was launched for several reasons:

+Prevent anything from getting offworld and into the galactic population.
+Assess what is happening down there, and take actions as needed.
+Salvage any vital information or tech that can be designated as such.

The fleet is made up of about 80 ships, just outside the lunar orbit. NEXUS knows something is actively intercepting anything launched into space, but is more focused on the dirtside of things.

What is the crew made up of? What new things do they bring? Will they aid the Splicers or broil the planet?
Feedback is appreciated.

If only you knew how close you were on part of the upcoming "Unleashed Metal Storm" competition with this subject matter, whew!!!! Man, As soon As I get caught up enough with the NG art and commissions, I will also wrap up the final two winner entries via coloring and we will see how everything unfolds. But 89er, you are dead on with the possibilities of off-world colonizations.

[Guy_LeDouche]

+Are their other civilizations beyond the planet?
+Have humans become dominant in the galaxy or are they on good terms with other civilizations?
+If NEXUS went off world, how dangerous would they become?
+Do the galactic civilizations know what has happened on the planet?
+If so, how do they respond?

After highjacking your thread for a bit, here's my $.05 (adjusted for inflation and gas prices) in regards to the LeDoucheverse, at least:

+Are their other civilizations beyond the planet?: Absolutely, but so far, only human.

+Have humans become dominant in the galaxy or are they on good terms with other civilizations? For now, humans are dominant.

+If NEXUS went off world, how dangerous would they become? Extraordinarily dangerous. While the Machine may or may not be interested in the total extermination of the human race, it's definately dangerous to humanity. For me, N.E.X.U.S. exsists purely as software code, so there may be no real way to completely destory it (short of destorying every computer, robot, or construct on the planet.) Given the right conditions, N.E.X.U.S. could use its programming and influence to subvert any number of other robots, spaceships, vehicles, or other high-tech gear.

+Do the galactic civilizations know what has happened on the planet? Not at the moment. Having too much fun sticking planetside.

+If so, how do they respond? Not sure, haven't thought much about it until now. Probably not well. At first, I don't think they would be overtly hostile, at least not until the full extent of what has happened becomes clear. Even then, they may still be interested in acquiring Splicer bio-tech (Saints, engineers, etc.)

So, here's adventure idea #1: The fleet, unable to get steady communication with any one group, (no one's there, N.E.X.U.S. is jamming signals, etc.), drops a communications terminal or similar device to the planetside. One of them has fallen into the hands of some sort of Neo-primitive tribes or similar. The tribe, and its neighbors, are now at war to control the talking idol that promises the return of "The Gods from the Sky". If the PCs can get it, they can reap the rewards. But, be sure other interested parties are hot on the trail as well.

[taalismn]

I'd considered one scenario previously that the original NEXUS intelligence/infection may have been a splinter-copy of the AI from the CCW's Automaton Wars(great shades of Dune!), in which case if the Splicer world existed in the Three Galaxies continiuum, if the CCW ever found out it would be war to the hilt! And if/when they found out about the nanoplague? The CCW might be moved to forgoe any inhibitions about glassing a planet with human life on its surface.

A similar reaction might come from the Nigillian Confederation of the Mechanoids' universe. They'd (wrongly) believe that such an AI and its horrible creations are a Mechanoid plot*, or a technology the Mechanoids would LOVE to get ahold of. so there would be pressure to contain, conceal, and ultimately cauterize the problem.

*And remember, in the case of a similar nanite-devastated world in the Three Galaxies, there's a heavy hint of the cause being reverse-engineered technology of Mechanoid origin.

[Shark_Force]

i don't really buy the whole "infinitely repopulating nanoplague" thing.

you see, your body is, itself, a nanowarfare factory. it is *designed* to find stuff that is foreign to your body, murder it, and toss the corpses out through the nearest convenient exit, pretty much.

which means, the only way for the nanoplague to actually continuously be repopulated is if something, somewhere is pumping out more of them... which is what we know NEXUS is doing.

furthermore, sterilizing an area of the nanoplague is simple... nanobots are extremely resilient against, say, being stepped on... but don't handle things like heat or electrical charge very well, because when it comes to those things size really does matter.

furthermore, there's the simple matter of life expectancy of a nanobot... granted, batteries in the setting are far ahead of modern technology, but sooner or later, the nanobots are just going to run out of juice. that may be a few weeks, a year, 10 years, after a single activation, or whatever... but if they're constantly communicating, and constantly checking for enough metal to have a reaction, they're going to be using up power. due to the fact that the human body will be constantly expelling them, i don't think it makes sense for NEXUS to have them powered for years at a time, and frankly i'm not sure NEXUS *could* pull that off anyways.

plus, every time you bleed, if there aren't more nanobots in the environment, you'll lose some nanobots. every time you sneeze, every time you use the toilet, even to some extent when you breathe probably.

so frankly, when the rulebook says that a splicer taken off-planet is permanently infected with the nanoplague virus... i take it with a grain of salt. you probably will have problems for the first few weeks. maybe lingering problems for a few months after that. but eventually, it will be gone.

just leave people in quarantine for a while, and eventually you should have no problems whatsoever with the nanoplague.

[taalismn]

i don't really buy the whole "infinitely repopulating nanoplague" thing.

you see, your body is, itself, a nanowarfare factory. it is *designed* to find stuff that is foreign to your body, murder it, and toss the corpses out through the nearest convenient exit, pretty much.

which means, the only way for the nanoplague to actually continuously be repopulated is if something, somewhere is pumping out more of them... which is what we know NEXUS is doing..

I have this image of cooling towers belching smoke/steam...which in reality is clouds of nanites being pumped into the atmosphere...
Such sites would be excellent targets for nuke strikes and/or EMP munitions.

[krispy]

I have this image of cooling towers belching smoke/steam...which in reality is clouds of nanites being pumped into the atmosphere...
Such sites would be excellent targets for nuke strikes and/or EMP munitions.

that is exactly how i imagined it for my game

[Guy_LeDouche]

i don't really buy the whole "infinitely repopulating nanoplague" thing........

just leave people in quarantine for a while, and eventually you should have no problems whatsoever with the nanoplague.

I like the thoughts of self-replicating nanites, a'la Michael Crichton's "Prey" novel. The nanites self-replication would be inherently limited by the availability of suitable raw materials. The million dollar question is whether the replication be controlled and shut off at will. What happens if you can’t stop the replication? We already see this in the self-replicating nature of various aggressive parasitic organism; some which destroy themselves by simply being too destructive for the host. We are, as we speak, under the effect of bacteria and other microbes. Recent research shows that an individual's functions may ultimately boil down to the mass and capabilities of microbes and other microorganisms inside his or her body, aka the Microbiome. In theory, the poor people of Splicers may never be truly "free" until they go off planet or find some cure.

just leave people in quarantine for a while, and eventually you should have no problems whatsoever with the nanoplague.

On the flip side, even if the nanoplague was cured/removed/fried, etc. imagine the effects it would have on the people (at least for a couple of generations.) For their entire lives, they've had to avoid contact with metal. The mental and emotional impact would go beyond a simple phobia; this was a matter of survival. Think about the psychological trauma Splicer "transplants" would have to deal with in any type of high-tech environment. They’ve been at war with machines for generations, and now they are in a world where robots, power armor, and who knows what all is common place. How many of them are going to nuts and attack the first machine they see? Some poor slob, driving a trash truck or cargo loader suddenly gets jumped for no reason other than he's in a machine.

In addition, their entire lives they have been brainwashed, trained, and conditioned to keep away from metal and now they are thrust into a high tech world. For them, avoiding metal wasn't a simple phobia; it was way of life, pure survival. Now, they are on a world where metal is common place and all around them. Even if they rid themselves of the plague, I don't see that any of them would ever go anywhere near metal; its just too ingrained in their being. Which could lead to some interesting adventures, in and of itself.

i don't really buy the whole "infinitely repopulating nanoplague" thing.

you see, your body is, itself, a nanowarfare factory. it is *designed* to find stuff that is foreign to your body, murder it, and toss the corpses out through the nearest convenient exit, pretty much.

which means, the only way for the nanoplague to actually continuously be repopulated is if something, somewhere is pumping out more of them... which is what we know NEXUS is doing..

I have this image of cooling towers belching smoke/steam...which in reality is clouds of nanites being pumped into the atmosphere...
Such sites would be excellent targets for nuke strikes and/or EMP munitions.

And speaking of interesting adventures.....

[Shark_Force]

i don't really buy the whole "infinitely repopulating nanoplague" thing.

you see, your body is, itself, a nanowarfare factory. it is *designed* to find stuff that is foreign to your body, murder it, and toss the corpses out through the nearest convenient exit, pretty much.

which means, the only way for the nanoplague to actually continuously be repopulated is if something, somewhere is pumping out more of them... which is what we know NEXUS is doing..

I have this image of cooling towers belching smoke/steam...which in reality is clouds of nanites being pumped into the atmosphere...
Such sites would be excellent targets for nuke strikes and/or EMP munitions.

i could've swore that was actually in the setting information somewhere, more or less.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

i don't really buy the whole "infinitely repopulating nanoplague" thing.

you see, your body is, itself, a nanowarfare factory. it is *designed* to find stuff that is foreign to your body, murder it, and toss the corpses out through the nearest convenient exit, pretty much.

which means, the only way for the nanoplague to actually continuously be repopulated is if something, somewhere is pumping out more of them... which is what we know NEXUS is doing..

I have this image of cooling towers belching smoke/steam...which in reality is clouds of nanites being pumped into the atmosphere...
Such sites would be excellent targets for nuke strikes and/or EMP munitions.

i could've swore that was actually in the setting information somewhere, more or less.

The book specifically states that the nano-plague isn't self-replicating and that if someone managed to get offworld, within a relatively short time they would have no reason to fear contact with metal objects. NEXUS has to continually infect the environment with the nano-plague. It's just another symptom of the AI's insanity; it wars with humans but could, with only a slight change in the programming of its production centers, command all newly created nanobots to just dissolve humanity.

[89er]

Getting back to the fleet, I'm thinking that some ships should be factories to help make the fleet self-sufficent. The tech for the ground forces could use energy constructs ala Green Lanterns. Or the fleet could use refined, compatible jury rigged tech made up of tech from several civilizations, such as one armor could have components from across the galaxy. Lots of potential for variety and since it is made up of several different parts, the nanites may not be able to properly infect the technology.

Perhapse the fleet is not made from united civilizations but a consortium of intersteller megacorps funding this blockade. Using their brand tech and trained forces, their competition is kept in check by mass suicidal peace-keepers. In order to trick the machine, they have combined their tech to confuse nanites in the sense of the second idea.

Even taalismn's Paladin Steel and EShemar could work, just make the Eshemar a vast PMC. Now I like this idea, but I'll wait until more information about the galaxy come out and make a decision.

[taalismn]

Now I like this idea, but I'll wait until more information about the galaxy come out and make a decision.

Sometimes you just gotta forge ahead on your own and let your own ideas fly, rather than wait.

Actually, in many ways the EShemar of the Shemarrian Star Nation DO act as a PMC...I'm hoping to extrapolate more in the Shemarrian thread on the role of Shemarrian 'mercenaries' (who act much like the Paladin Steel/GNE's 'nationalist mercernaries'...i.e., national army units 'loaned' out to gain experience and help out allies in return for trade concessions and other advantages). So that's entirely workable(and ironic; the renegade 'offspring' of one deranged toaster-god going up against another deranged toaster-god).

[eliakon]

Personally, I would think that space based civilization wouldnt just quarinten the planet, but steralize it. NEXUS is a danger to human civilzation and the human race, and frankly the loss of a few million people on the planet is a small price to pay to prevent NEXUS escaping and causing genocide on a galactic scale. I would assume nuclear airburts for EMP, with large rocks dropped from orbit on anything that looks remotely like a tech center (power farm, city, factory, etc). Wash rise and repeat untill the planet is covered in lava THEN put a quarinten fleet up to make sure that if anything survives it doesnt get away before you can come back and finish the job.

[taalismn]

Also bear in mind that a fleet from outside also has the advantage of not necessarily being a HUMAN fleet, reducing the risk from the nanoplague even more. The aliens might be using wholly different biochemistries, might be even mineral or vegetable sentiences. Maybe even a mix of them.
This could be good or bad for the humans on the Splicer world. Non-humans might regard the human-hating NEXUS as less of a threat to them and thus might place more priority on studying the Machine(maybe even using the planet as a 'hotbox' for harvesting promising technologies---this is especially true if the quarantine was run by, say, Naruni Enterprises), rather than stepping up a war against NEXUS.
On the other hand, non-humans might feel less empathy towards the suffering humans, and would be more inclined to just pasting the planet if they thought NEXUS posed a threat to ALL organic sentient life(which NEXUS might decide if the outsiders get too obvious/annoying in their interference).

[89er]

I've decided to go with the megacorp combined idea.

Current Corps:

Braham Fabrication: Industry, Mining. A way to bring Rifts/Three Galaxies tech into splicers.

Jotun Reinforcements: Construction, Security.

XYZ United: Genetics, Cybernetics.

Kubrick-Virgo: Energy, Agriculture.

Template=
Name:
Products and Services:
Military:
Fleet:

Feedback and suggestions would help.

[Shark_Force]

i think even the most non-sympathetic fleet to the human's plight would have to be at the very least extremely tempted by the power of splicers biotechnology. whether or not their greed would override their concern for their safety is probably up in the air, but the simple fact is that fighting 1v1 splicers vs just about any technological power in the megaverse, i'd be inclined to give the splicers pretty heavily favoured odds of winning.

[taalismn]

i think even the most non-sympathetic fleet to the human's plight would have to be at the very least extremely tempted by the power of splicers biotechnology. whether or not their greed would override their concern for their safety is probably up in the air, but the simple fact is that fighting 1v1 splicers vs just about any technological power in the megaverse, i'd be inclined to give the splicers pretty heavily favoured odds of winning.

That's another scary scenario...let the Splicers be triumphant AND aware of other technological societies out there and they might boil out into the galaxy with their own brand of biotech. The extremists might figure that it's their mission to bring down the metal tech societies before they become breeding grounds for the next NEXUS(this might be especially true if NEXUS escapes a Splicer victory by sending itself into space in hopes of subverting other advanced tech societies into NEXUS nodes. The Splicers would be reversing the quarantine to raze other worlds they suspect of harboring NEXUS 'seeds' and forcing them to adopt lower tech and biotech.

[Jedrious]

i think even the most non-sympathetic fleet to the human's plight would have to be at the very least extremely tempted by the power of splicers biotechnology. whether or not their greed would override their concern for their safety is probably up in the air, but the simple fact is that fighting 1v1 splicers vs just about any technological power in the megaverse, i'd be inclined to give the splicers pretty heavily favoured odds of winning.

That's another scary scenario...let the Splicers be triumphant AND aware of other technological societies out there and they might boil out into the galaxy with their own brand of biotech. The extremists might figure that it's their mission to bring down the metal tech societies before they become breeding grounds for the next NEXUS(this might be especially true if NEXUS escapes a Splicer victory by sending itself into space in hopes of subverting other advanced tech societies into NEXUS nodes. The Splicers would be reversing the quarantine to raze other worlds they suspect of harboring NEXUS 'seeds' and forcing them to adopt lower tech and biotech.

Enter the Denlech Outriders

[taalismn]

i think even the most non-sympathetic fleet to the human's plight would have to be at the very least extremely tempted by the power of splicers biotechnology. whether or not their greed would override their concern for their safety is probably up in the air, but the simple fact is that fighting 1v1 splicers vs just about any technological power in the megaverse, i'd be inclined to give the splicers pretty heavily favoured odds of winning.

That's another scary scenario...let the Splicers be triumphant AND aware of other technological societies out there and they might boil out into the galaxy with their own brand of biotech. The extremists might figure that it's their mission to bring down the metal tech societies before they become breeding grounds for the next NEXUS(this might be especially true if NEXUS escapes a Splicer victory by sending itself into space in hopes of subverting other advanced tech societies into NEXUS nodes. The Splicers would be reversing the quarantine to raze other worlds they suspect of harboring NEXUS 'seeds' and forcing them to adopt lower tech and biotech.

Enter the Denlech Outriders

Except that even the Denlech use SOME metal technology. Even they might not want to give up their blacksmithing for biotech(which can, in its way, be as problematic as advanced AI).
For example, if you're familiar with David Brin's 'Practice Effect'

Spoiler:

In the far future advanced biotech is the preferred technology for colonists using limited aperature dimensional gates. Just about everything is replaced by grown bio-engineered tools, including transport and computers. It works just fine for the humans until contact and war with an alien species results in a vicious biological warfare agent destroying nearly the entire infrastructure of the colonies, resulting in loss of records, defense capabilities, and even the knowledge of the wheel as a means of transportation.

[taalismn]

I've decided to go with the megacorp combined idea.

Current Corps:

Braham Fabrication: Industry, Mining. A way to bring Rifts/Three Galaxies tech into splicers.

Jotun Reinforcements: Construction, Security.

XYZ United: Genetics, Cybernetics.

Kubrick-Virgo: Energy, Agriculture.

Template=
Name:
Products and Services:
Military:
Fleet:

Feedback and suggestions would help.

Genetics and Cybernetics suggests some rather shady dealings if the company has an in-house military force. We're probably talking soldier augments and gene-boosting. ESPECIALLY if they're in bed with the Free Worlds Council and aware of both Splugorth Biowizardry, the Gun Brothers and the TGE's Invincible Guardsmen. Maybe a few contacts on the side with the CCW's black projects aimed at countered the aforementioned. Of course, on the surface the company does medical research and gene therapy.

Maybe call it GACT United? For guanine (G), adenine ( A), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).

[89er]

Naw, XYZ is all about transhumanty and synthesis between organic and synthetic. They see the Splicers world as the keys to opening a biotech renaissance.

If your interested, Paladin Steel and the Eshemar tribes could be welcome. Just do come creative tweaking, cut out the supernatural and psionic, and you should be good.

That post about a Splicers crusade across the galaxy could easily be a reason to blockade the planet.

[taalismn]

Naw, XYZ is all about transhumanty and synthesis between organic and synthetic. They see the Splicers world as the keys to opening a biotech renaissance.

If your interested, Paladin Steel and the Eshemar tribes could be welcome. Just do come creative tweaking, cut out the supernatural and psionic, and you should be good.

That post about a Splicers crusade across the galaxy could easily be a reason to blockade the planet.

If we get involved it will be mostly in an offcamera supply role ...maybe we build a few asteroid cruisers for them, or supply hardware.
The PS continuua already has some Splicer Tech...it's been creeping in through the Cambridge Jungle, which MIGHT have the input of some displaced Splicers.
Ditto for the Shemarrians; I've already mentioned a NeShemar operating on Phaseworld's Center who is an Awakened NEXUS Garage-Barge, but who know works as pitchief for a Shemarrian-sponsored mecha team in the arenas of Center. So there's at least THAT Splicer-Bot offworld, strongly suggesting that the Shemarrians know about the Splicer world.

[Ale Golem]

Now the new faction I am thinking up deals with the assumption that the rest of the galaxy knows whats happing on that planet after a generation of silence. In fear of what NEXUS would do if let loose in the galaxy, a planetary blockade/quarantine fleet was launched for several reasons:

+Prevent anything from getting offworld and into the galactic population.
+Assess what is happening down there, and take actions as needed.
+Salvage any vital information or tech that can be designated as such.

The fleet is made up of about 80 ships, just outside the lunar orbit. NEXUS knows something is actively intercepting anything launched into space, but is more focused on the dirtside of things.

That would be an awesomely dramatic end to a campaign focused on getting off planet. The player’s house finally builds a space worthy "mount" that can house dozens of Splicers and as the players depart the planet's gravitational pull and enter orbit they see enormous ships on their view screen. The last description given to the players before the game fades to black is of energy coalescing across the bow of several ships and a somber apology from the commander of the fleet before obliterating their ship. The human population will never know they're in a galactic quarantine zone.

[MethosDarkblade]

The only thing I have to say is, if Splicers is connected to PW, and humanity wins against the machine...the only people they would get along with for the first few generations are the Necrols. Could you imagine a Necrol battle cruiser dropping Dracos on a CCW planet? Necrol Witches enhanced via Bio-Tech and Magic. Necrol Warriors using the new Host Armor over their more primitive power armor. That's something that will change the mood in the galactic leaders.

[Jedrious]

The only thing I have to say is, if Splicers is connected to PW, and humanity wins against the machine...the only people they would get along with for the first few generations are the Necrols. Could you imagine a Necrol battle cruiser dropping Dracos on a CCW planet? Necrol Witches enhanced via Bio-Tech and Magic. Necrol Warriors using the new Host Armor over their more primitive power armor. That's something that will change the mood in the galactic leaders.

Or, just think of a Kraken with the Behemoth Destroyer's Star Drive....

[boxee]

Anyone remember that seedlings might be forming into spaceships underground for a mass exodus?

[taalismn]

Anyone remember that seedlings might be forming into spaceships underground for a mass exodus?

If successful, cue 'space chase' campaign with the Machine hastily building a technological means to pursue the humans. Because NEXUS just has to know that it might occur to the humans that once they hold the high ground, they can do all sorts of nasty chicanery to spoil the Machine's day, like throwing BIG rocks from orbit.