The Temple of the Rogue HiveQueens (Can only be seen in-character by Aryay)

The Scientist simply stands and listens to the 'conversation' between Ar'yay and Prime of Unity in silence. He had hoped that the communications between the hivequeen and others had been a bit of a fluke, and that she wasn't quite so... blinded as she had seemed.

This was clearly not the case.

"Ar'yay, what you have said does not make even the slightest bit of sense. You speak of sacrifice, but your sacrifice is needless. You speak of being imprisoned, while the door lays open before you. You speak of my attacking your holdings, when not so much as a single member of the quall has been killed by an offensive action on my part.

You wish to sacrifice yourself, but what is the gain? Simply killing yourself after you have done something doesn't make that a sacrifice; it is sacrifice if your death is actually required. Will bringing you back reverse your work?

You talk of being imprisoned, but Prime of Unity just said he would release you. If you don't believe what he is saying, why bother having a discussion at all?

And you talk of my threat to your people, even as I mobilize my forces to stop your people from being eradicated. You do realize what we're up against is a greater threat than I ever could be, yes? Are you willing to throw the quall away simply due to an imaginary threat on my part? The only possible explanation for this that I can imagine is that the quall are actually immune to the effects of the hive king, and that this whole affair is pure kabuki. Is that the case, because if so, this certainly becomes much simpler."

Gilmore has always been an odd one, Ar'Yay couldn't tell if he was just incredibly stupid or just obsessive about trying to act like he was in the right. Being so blind seemed impossible but Gilmore's act never dropped.

"First of all, Prime has offered me a "new body" he is saying that I can have my consciousness transferred to a new form while he keeps this head to himself so he can continue to use it. Therefore this form will not be granted any freedom, so unless you now speak for Prime let him talk about things that concern him.

As to your fungus, I don't want to hear any more about your idiotic claims of trying to help me. It has never been believable and will never be believable so don't waste my time. Obviously the idea of moving your fungus back and stop growing is something you consider to be terrible as you won't even consider it. You have multiple worlds under your care, why is it so terrible to stop expanding in this place where you are not only unwanted by intruding upon?

Unless you believe that if the Hive King takes over your worlds will be safe I would advise you to make the tiny sacrifice of stopping your growth and returning to the boarders you had before expanding upon these new islands. Are you willing to lose everything in exchange for something so small? Will you ensure your allies destruction for such a small thing? Are you truly as clueless as you continue to portray yourself as? You have no understanding on how people act or how people feel, so don't pretend to actually understand me in anyway.

So Prime? I ask so little, yet Gilmore steadfastly refuses the tiny sacrifice asked of him, do you agree with this? Will you sacrifice nothing to ensure the future?"

Prime blinked, coming to a realization. It was likely that Michael and Ar'Yay had both been played. He began to go over old scans, and his eyes widened. Ar'Yay had been betrayed, possibly more deeply than she knew. He was loathe to interrupt, but had an important point to share.

"Michael, Ar'Yay. I believe that I've discovered an inconsistency. Ar'Yay, you have on several occasions stated that Michael's holdings were moving towards you, and that you had to quickly defend yourself. I had thought this was posturing, knowing that Michael held you no ill will. Far from it, he has actually been your most staunch supporter in Trilat discussions."

A time lapse image of Michael's holdings appeared, showing the growth of the Fungal continent. Ar'Yay could see that the Fungal continent has been largely contained in size after reaching critical mass, and that no pseudopods had been sent at colonies. In fact, she could see that the fungal continent actively avoided coming within range of any inhabited portion of Krypos.

"Ar'Yay, according to this read, your colony was not being approached by the Fungal spread in anything resembling an aggressive fashion. Why did you attack Michael so hastily and with such force?"

The Fungus proved leathal to my Pit Mongrels and Flayers, I moved my ENTIRE hive of billions to get away from it. I raised sunken islands to allow Gilmore to have those lands, yet later on his fungus appeared on my new islands. This was not to be tolerated, he knew the effect his fungus had and the very fact that we left showed that we didn't want to be around his fungus. Yet his fungus was seen approaching my new islands and then growing on to those islands. Since he continued to follow me even though I moved away from him was an aggressive posture. Do you know how hard it is to move BILLIONS of people? He was following me specifically without warning. This was not to be tolerated, he obviously didn't care that I moved away from him, he only cared about what he wanted to do.

Prime responded quickly.

"Ar'Yay, my scans are telling me that the Fungus was not approaching your islands. In fact, the fungus was actively avoiding them. Who told you it was approaching?"

OOC disclaimer: I have a sneaking suspicion that Ar'Yay's hive may have been being moved towards MHG, if it turns out that the fungus was getting closer. I'm going to ask the Admin to verify if the fungus was getting closer or not. I am basing this line of reasoning from what I know of official actions. I really hope this works

Who told me? My eyes told me as the fungus was growing ON THE ISLANDS! I moved to another island, then after a while the fungus was on the new island. There isn't much to be confused about.

(OOC if yo want to know, the Admin told me that it was growing on the islands )

In fact Gilmore himself never denied it was moving closer to my islands, he claimed that he was attempting to surround me with poisonous fungus in order to protect me from other Quall Hives, of course he claimed this after the attack happened

Michael wonders vaguely to himself as he watches the conversation unfold between the other two participants; how exactly did this affair get away from him like this? He could think so much more clearly now that he was disconnected, but it was his habit to wait until he had actually come to a decision before speaking. The fact that no new thoughts came to him was somewhat disconcerting; real-time conversation was going to be difficult.

"Is your form meaningful? If I lose an arm, I do not care. If I lose my head, I do not care. So long as my consciousness is intact, free, and safe, that is my only concern. Is this different for you?

I wasn't trying to help you; it was simply the only reason I could come up with for your change of heart. I thought you simply found some use for my holdings, and that we had come to a mutually agreeable solution. I don't consider leaving now because I see it as purposeless. If someone asked me to move a foot to the left, I would ask them why, and if they could not provide me with a reason, I would not yield. Acquiescing to demands sets bad precedent.

I will lose nothing, at least not directly. I have rendered myself immune to all forms of mental control and invasion through a number of new shielding and obfuscation technologies. Among other systems, my mental networks randomly reorient and reorganize themselves continuously, making latching onto any given piece impossible. Unless the Ne'liff have managed to engineer a completely new, cutting-edge system to react to changes they can't be aware of within the span of weeks, I am unconcerned. Furthermore, I am not concerned about The Unity. In the case that it is required, I am aware of several methods they could use to avoid takeover.

The quall are another issue entirely, but that is more your loss than mine.

In regards to my holdings. I'm certain that I did expand in your direction to some degree, but I certainly never got terribly close to your position. The only time so much as a single sentient being has ever been harmed in Kypros from my designs is when I was directly attacked. You know this as well as I. Furthermore, if you thought you had to keep moving away from me, I probably should have been notified. I do not concern myself with quall migratory habits or construction patterns.

I also wasn't specifically trying to surround you, it would just probably arise as a natural consequence of what was going on. Furthermore, I only claimed anything because I was attacked. If some form of contact was made earlier, I would have claimed it then."

You claimed to be surrounding me to protect me from other Hives, this proves that you were moving toward me, your fungus was seen on one of my new islands, I am glad that you aren't denying this. We now know that after taking the Ma’kh Isles you weren't satisfied but continued to take more.

So Prime there you have it, no denial. So let us finish this, I don't care if you don't see a reason to halt your movement and retreat, those are my terms. If you do not agree then I will not help you. Trust me Prime you want my help, it is obvious that Gilmore doesn't understand the very concept of negotiation, then again he has never understood it, he is like a petulant child, he wants what he wants and won't budge if he doesn't get it. If you give him an inch he wants a mile and won't take no for an answer.
You Prime have shown that you at least understand the concept of negotiating, everyone gets something but no one leaves with everything.

So lets all be adults and sacrifice a little to save reality itself. The longer we wait the shorter time we will have to plan this out, so give me what I want I will help you save this dimension, then I can rest. Unlike you I do not desire anything more, the safety of my children and my friends is all I want.

The Scientist tries his best not to look exasperated.

"No, I claimed that that was what I thought you were trying to do. It should also be noted that my fungus never grew on an inhabited island; your political boundaries are meaningless to me if for no other reason than the fact that you did not share them. How am I to know where your territories began and ended, when you seemed perfectly complacent with my growth? And if you didn't want me to come within a foot, a meter, or a mile of your holdings, you should have mentioned as much; silence is tacit approval.

I also do not see why you keep talking to Prime of Unity about this; he has no direct control over me. I can here of my own volition because Prime of Unity wished for my help. You may as well be asking him to make the Temporal Empire rebuild your holdings, or for Beacon City to adopt a pro-quall stance.

Perhaps the other issue with this 'negotiation' is the fact that you stand to gain more than me from the success of this mission. If the 'Hive King' becomes operational, the quall will effectively cease to exist. I will not, and neither will any of my allies. You seem to be looking for a win/lose scenario where you win and others lose, when there is a perfectly viable win/win scenario where everyone wins and you stand to win more.

There is also an annoying lose/lose scenario, which seems surprisingly acceptable to you.

If you would prefer I leave so you and Prime of Unity can get down to business and finish this task, that can be managed. However, demanding that I give you what you want simply because I came here to help is not acceptable. The fact that I came here to send you aid at unknown risk to myself is my sacrifice. Or is sending an aspect of myself and possibly annihilating the whole of my existence not enough for you?"

So you claim that i had you surround me to protect me? Where did i ask that? You never make sense, you like to make assumptions and then hide behind logic that a 8 year old child would recognize as being stupid.

As to the rest you make no sense, you say that you have no sense of boundaries, yet you complain if i blow up YOUR lands, if you had no sense of boundaries then you wouldn't recognize anything as yours then.

As to what your allies stand to lose, if the Hive King awakens then ALL of the Unity will be controlled by him, Prime has said such in the past. So your greatest ally and backer will be controlled by the Hive King, he will also control all of the Quall. You really think he will stand for your presence anywhere then? He will use the Unity and the Quall's combined power to exterminate you, so you have everything to lose if we fail here.

You are the one who doesn't care about everything being lost, i fight for others while you only think of yourself, your evil self serving endangers this dimension.

If the terms are not acceptable then by all means don't do it, leave and stay in your own little world, ignore everything and when the Hive King comes down upon you with the full power of the Unity the E Strain and the Quall then you can look back upon this moment and curse your own selfishness.

Oh did we forget to mention that as well? The E Strain will also be under his control, good luck with all of the combined forces of them all. But I am sure you will be fine when they crack your planets apart. You know that the Unity has the power to kill you, you know that the Unity, E Strain and Quall all together will easily remove you from existence.

Michael thought through several replies, half-tempted to refute each point in turn, or at least address it. However, he knew full well that that probably wouldn't get anyone anywhere.

"You are either misrepresenting my position or do not understand the distinction between what I said and what you have represented my position as. Either way, continuing to argue over this isn't useful.

Your position seems to be this; you want me to leave Kyrpos and you are willing to sacrifice the universe to do so. If you are serious, I can do nothing but diagnose you as insane, and I do not deal with the insane."

He then turns to Prime of Unity.

"I don't think there's anything for us here. If she honestly sees that as a reasonable line to draw, there is no predicting how she will act in the midst of our mission."

Prime's eyes narrowed; he was deep in thought. The fungal growths of Michael were one of his best insurance policies against the Quall, and they were yielding amazing data. However, Ar'Yay knew her help was needed. She had clearly seen enough sorrow to break her mind, and was willing to see the universe burn just to say she had won.

So be it, she would win. Prime had better things to do than doom the Universe for the sake of pride. Prime's voice was sharp, that of the commander, not the scientist.

"Fine. Michael; as your commander, I am ordering you to withdraw your Fungus immediately from Krypos. If you do not comply, I will remove it forcefully. Your colony does not trump the importance of destroying the Hive King, and we do not have time to negotiate any further.

Ar'Yay. When we are done here, you will be freed if you do not betray us all. Bring us to the Hive King at once, if you would be so kind."

Michael instantly bristles under both the change in Prime's tone as well as the order itself. The force of his gaze was heavy, and there was a pregnant pause in the air as he thought the command over.

"Well, I can do nothing immediately- you're going to have to talk to Michael to actually get that done. Our global consciousness was sundered when I came to this place, likely as a result of someone trying to slip into the network. That's my guess, at least, judging by the disappearance of our 'friend.' Alternately, it might just have come about as a consequence of going here. Considering you haven't warned me that a disaster has happened on the outside, the latter isn't too unlikely either.

So, you'll have to convince Michael. Perhaps I will have a slightly less personal view on the matter, as I have already made my opinions here known. I don't know what I will do, exactly, though I will be exactly as displeased as I am now, I'm sure."

Blinking as he listens to that sentence, he realizes that English pronouns simply weren't adequate for his situation anymore. Indeed, the humor of it seemed to cool him off a bit.

"Just tell Michael to pull all the fungus off-world and reintegrate it elsewhere in the network, or come up with some similar solution. At least then the network won't loose biomass, so that should appease everyone in the short-term. It'll be off Kyrpos, but we'll retain our holdings, at least in a sense. He'll likely agree.

Does that seem reasonable to you, Hivequeen? Everyone on Kyrpos will be relocated out of the dimension."

Well, that sounds lovely, and since you are willing to do so much, i will relent a bit as well. Well sort of, you see I didn't ask you to remove from Kyrpos entirely, I just want Michael to retreat to the Ma’kh Isles. If he is willing to stay on those islands then he may stay in the dimension, see, i am not unreasonable. I just want to protect my people as you want to protect yours Unity Prime.

I shall cooperate with you, so, what is your plan once we get to the Hive King? How do you propose to fight it? I think we should plan this out before heading right to him. Don't you agree? We are all here now so, I will fight my hardest to stop him, what for example does Gilmore's avatar bring to the table to fight it?

The scientist shakes his head.

"Oh, I realize you did not. However, I'd much prefer to leave than to have a colony unable to grow. Eventually, it will likely break free somehow, and I would prefer not to deal with the complaining after such an event. Moving entirely would render that nearly impossible. I still dispute the claim that my holdings are dangerous, however."

With that, he gets down to business.

"Do we know of the hive-king's nature? Do we know of the weapons we actually have here? I have a very strong understanding of the underpinnings of such mental networks, as I actually constructed one from scratch; surely that would be of great use considering what we're fighting."

"As we are beings of thought here, so shal we be beings of thought in the battle. Our mental strengths will be represented there, unless I miss my guess. The Hive King will be impossibly strong, dominating, and skilled.

As for us, our skills will likely reflect our mental strength. Ar'Yay, your stubbornness and rage will make you capable of great destructive feats against the Hive King. Michael, your resolve will likely give you impossible strength and toughness. Like as not, my fluid nature and multi-tasking will give me speed.

In light of this; if Ar'Yay distracts the Hive King by insulting it as only she can and Michael protects her, I can quickly move to strike from behind. If you can keep it enraged, Ar'Yay, we can win.

We watch eachother for signs of domination, and we focus down the Hive King. Support one another, but avoid leaving openings. That is what I would suggest."

So, you want me to start insulting the creature.....that is the plan. While you mentally speed around it and hit it from behind. Well, this will certainly be a very odd way to save the galaxy I will give you that. Sure, i will insult him why not. I guess I can try to remember all the conversations I had with you two and the mind warping headaches you two have given me. From the complete lack of sense that you two make that should make me angry enough and if i try to focus it on him that should be enough I suppose. I guess it is good that I am working with you two. No one has been able to infuriate me more then you two, well besides Garmen Fe. Hey lets invite him along too, then the combination of irony and rage might be enough to consume anything.

Prime grinned.

"It would hardly be a fight then. Our combined frustrations would make the Hive King quail in terror."

Ar'Yay smiled, a rare sight to both Unity Prime and Dr. Gilmore

"Ah now I understand you two, it makes so much sense now. You two have been deliberately driving me insane to power me up for this encounter ha ha ha. Well you two certainly did a good job, I certainly have enough anger to burn through most things at the moment. Now before you start protesting Gilmore I am only teasing, i actually have a sense of humor unlike you.

Alright, anytime you are ready Prime, we can go. Pray that we are enough as I will be praying that you keep your word. If all of us do, then the future will be bright for us all. You all get to live, I get to rest, and this Hive King gets to die."

"Ready when you are, Ar'Yay."

Ok, lets do it (takes the group to the Hive King)

(should I now just post in the mission? Still not totally clear on how i should phrase things there)

The Scientist wasn't entirely sure what to make of this, but it was as good as anything. Having very little idea what to expect, he could at least agree with the analysis provided by Prime; it seemed as if that was their best shot.

The gallows-humor forces a chuckle, and with a shake of his head he wishes that their whole conversation had been a bit more like this. "I wish we were so organized... If nothing else, I don't think I could ask for someone more prepared for direct mental conflict than you, Ar'yay. While I will be the first to disagree with you, you at least have supernatural conviction. With any luck, that will be enough."

Rolling his eyes at the idea of not having a sense of humor, he pauses and silently digests that last comment. "Yeah... let's do it."