File: Space Monke Quest14 post1 p1.png (125.5 KB)

”Grahh! RETARDED- Wait... Third... Green first, red second, race to dive... Hold on! Isn't the race from three days ago? Where's the live feed!?”

The only other person present out the outpost who has been quietly enduring your outbursts speak. “No live signals. Esaal autonomous weapons may activate from them. We can't access any networks until the base commander is back and okays it.”
”That's stupid.”
“Blue Zone protocal.”

Dole stands watch along with you at the top of the lookout tower. He's junior security; so the rest of the base dumped him on you since one armed security is required to be at base at all times. Waiting for everyone to return from a routine patrol; the Casliaan hasn't taken his eyes off the horizon. It irritates you that he's taking it so serious. You outrank him in the Accord's hierarchy anyway. Casliaans tend to be of lower rank regardless of role; but he's just dumb muscle with a gun.

”I got money on this race. Did you unplug the upload dish manually? Or is the AI just keeping it off right now?”
Dole, still not turning his head, grunts. “...we aren't supposed to do that until we get permission.”
”I asked you a question.”
“...Well looks like it will have to wait, because I think the captain is back!”

You grumble, turning off your prerecorded broadcast masquerading as something useful and head down the long stairs with Dole to ground level. No elevator because, of course, could be comprimised. No AI hookups to any manual systems either, of course. Not a single comfort or conveniance in sight. You hop down much faster then him multiple steps at a time, your hollow bones making you light enough to practically jump down flights without fear of injury while he clutches the guardrails and carefully as to not fall. Heh, Stomper.

You will complain about the conditions, but you were told it is for an important cause. This is about clearing what could one day be your race's new jewel, the homeworld of your whole species. Something about Newroost; which is its new, non-Aristocrat name; is special. While not yet advertised to the rest of the galaxy; this planet's lower then average gravity, weather conditions, and temperature fluxuations in some parts of it allow for unaided Urgi flight. No jetpacks, no gravity devices, no augmentations; just spread your wings and fly! It sounds too good to be true... which is why you think it's at least a little bit propaganda. To your species, this planet is a holy place.

The Urgi are a spacefairing species. For countless generations you have existed on spaceships, not planets, with life-support and gravity systems meant to emulate your true homeworld; a place where flight was ubiqitous. For one reason or another, its exact location was kept a secret. Simply put, very few species who evolve flight also develop intelligence, and it was commonly thought such worlds which allowed creatures with large, heavy brains to also fly would be very rare and special indeed. But the secret was kept too well; because eventually the Urgi lost the coordinates to where it was. This left you as a species without a place to call home; only able to live on heavy worlds that your frail, flightless bodies were ill-suited for. Genetic drift and isolation in artifical enviorments would lead to dysgenic effects on your evolution; an organism with no natural pressures or selection becomes weak. Extinction was the trajectory and eventual fate of your species.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post1 p2.png (126.1 KB)

But this planet, a mere leftover from a war between two much larger space powers who didn't even care enough about it to occupy it again, could become the new seat of power and hope for the Urgi's future. But it isn't perfect; damage from serious bombing and leftover weapons from the war were left like trash across its surface, and many more lay in wait in secret bunkers and silos, or hidden in the depths of food-webs and biofilms on rivers and ponds. Uncountable dangers. Weaponized pollution.

There's no telling if its condition will improve even with the concentrated effort of your new government; underfunded and lacking in experience. So here you are, in the blue zone, having to patrol and test and check and survey and act as bait for any decade-long planned ambushes by whatever horrible machine or hibernating creature was left in wait for an invader long since lost interest. Does management have any idea how difficult it is to actual confirm a blue zone can be cleared and marked as a green zone? How cost-prohibitve it is? Yes you can survive on the surface, visible structures are not attacked, radiation within tolerance levels, and no known infestations or plagues are present in the area or its wildlife. But how are you going to confirm it's safe for habitation by general citizens? You're going to be stuck in this assignment forever, aren't you?

But maybe it's worth it, for a good cause?
>Yes, it's worth it for a possible homeland for your people
>As long as the money and privlidges are good
>No, it's not worth it
>No, it's not worth it for YOU
>Fuck this shitty planet; the Accord should go find your Homeworld!

>>6374047
>Yes, it's worth it for a possible homeland for your people

This is the crucible of the newly founded Accord, the creation of a beautiful world by their own hands from the remnants of petty wars.

>>6374047
>As long as the money and privlidges are good
There's worse things than having a do nothing job.

Also, we're back! I've been waiting a long time to get to pick the candidates since we didn't last thread and that really bothered my OCDtismo.Kinda sad I didn't get my guess about the candidate right though

>>6374047
>Yes, it's worth it for a possible homeland for your people
It's either this, or nothing. If the Urgi managed to lose their previous planet because they were too obsessed over hiding it, we might as well start from scratch.

>>6374047
>Yes, it's worth it for a possible homeland for your people
Scavengers gonna scavenge, very happy to see SMQ again excited to see what you have in store Bananas

>>6374047
>As long as the money and privileges are good
Our guy here doesn't strike me as selfless from his intro, but his job seems fine and the cause seems worthy.

>>6374047
>As long as the money and privlidges are good

File: Space Monke fanart Kima AI slop chains robe.png (855.6 KB)

Quick reminder; this thread may have important or contentious future votes where 1-Post IDs may not be counted. Make sure to stake a multi-post ID or get a secure tripcode to ensure your vote is counted.

>>6374223
Alright then, hoss.

>>6374047
>Yes, it's worth it for a possible homeland for your people
CAW CAW

File: image.png (776.9 KB)

>>6374223
Applying for citizenship.

spacer

File: Space Monke Quest14 post2 p1.png (120.9 KB)

You and Dole await at the gate. With the incoming patrol returning home, you turn off the motion-activated defense turrets and open the reinforced door. You look over at Dole and scowl when you see how happy he seems to be that his superiors are returning. What, does he get off serving them? He should know they'll give both of you extra work when they get back. Middle manager types...

But then again, maybe some work is alright. You think that this position, this work, even being on the bottom of some totem-pole in your new nation is still a good thing given your species chance to finally have a true Homeworld again. The place where the Urgi can spread their wings... but under the rule of the Accord. Not even a generation ago you would have been on a spaceship able to do as you please and go as you wanted, but now, things are different. It's a trade off, you suppose. You've never considered yourself especially patriotic, but if one day this planet could be a safe and healthy homeworld for the Urgi... maybe it's worth it. You stick up your chest and prepare to salute your superiors even if it hurts your pride just a bit, until you get a distinct feeling something is wrong. Nobody is talking, and the way the patrol shuffles seems like they're exhausted or wounded, despite having only been out for a few days. Dole's smile fades as the foremost one of the returning group finally comes into clear view, the security head, who raises a hand creakily.

“Stay... Back...” He moans.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post2 p2.png (107.9 KB)

You've never seen someone infested with the worms in person like this; it's even worse then you thought. The worms, Kuku worms, are a bioweapon directly created by the Aristocrats. You see them wriggling beneath their flesh; the holes open in their skin where the worms burrow in or release fluid, filled with microscopic eggs. They can live anywhere; hiding under logs or stones or in mud, just waiting for the flesh of a large-bodied creature to get within striking distance. Once inside the host; they create more eggs and start eating its host from the inside out, before seeking to aggressively spread them to the next victim. The entire group is infested with them; out in the field and unable to communicate or have the worms medically removed before it was too late.

But the reason the parasite is so feared, and so aggressive to be used as a weapon, is because it hijaks the body and mind of its host, slowly turning them into a zombie capable of spreading this infection. This group of worm-zombies even sent out the captain to the front, the least turned, likely so you'd get closer. The rest are no longer even visiably alive. They shuffle towards the open door with newfound speed.

”AHHH! THEY'RE RIDDEN!”

You flap your wings up and panic, running from the doorway in a hurry. Dole raises up his gun, but hesitates.

“My... My friends...”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post2 p3.png (125.9 KB)

You're not going to become worm food because of this total idiot. You run to the defense system manual control; but look up in dismay. It's too high for you to reach. You turn towards the entrance again, seeing Dole standing there slackjawed as the infectious zombies get closer.

”DOLE! SHOOT THEM! IDIOT!”

Why is he just standing there!?

You turn to the defense control again. You reach up with your wing tip, unable to get any kind of grip with your long feathers. Dammit! This switch was designed for a Casliaan; or somebody with a better upper body strength! Urgi use their talons for manipulation. Who put this here!? You jump up and flap your wings trying to reach the lever with a jump, but you aren't able to pull it down.

”DOLE!!!”

The zombified Urgi and Casliaans get closer; one you see absolutely bloated with worms. She waddles closer and lurches back, releasing a spray of vomit; spreading its infection.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post2 p4.png (123.4 KB)

The infected people have already broken the quarantine of the base; the vomit sprays into your water supply, air-vent system, into the ground and wriggling into the cracks. This place is already totally comprimised now; any one of those worms could be laying in wait for weeks or months to wriggle into someone sleeping. One worm isn't impossible to recover from, but getting exposed to that much at once... there's no going back.

Seeing this; Dole finally snaps into action, firing his shotgun's purification rounds into the nearest zombie, but he does so with remorse.

“B-Back! Back exit! Run! I'll cover you!” He says, firing and blasting apart another zombified ex-team member. You take this opportunity to make your way towards the other entrance; through the living quarters. There, you briefly stop at the storeroom. It's not safe here anymore; parasitic worms will be in the vents, the pipes, everywhere... and you know they like to hide in food stores. But there's no way one could wriggle all the way through the ventaliation shaft and through the filters here already, right? You have to abandon the base, there's no other option for you, but while grabbing what few supplies you can carry, you look over a small collection of useful tools you might be able to take with you. Most aren't exactly Urgi-sized, but you could drag one out before you leave the base. Which one do you take?

>Short Range Transmitter
>Atmospheric Surveyor + Weather Predictor
>Defoliant Grenades + Pesticide Chem Kit
>Medbag
>Entertainment Tablet w/ Preloaded Programs
>Portable Latrine

>>6374547
>Short Range Transmitter
This is probably the most valuable one in this situation, we wanna get help quickly

Also trying trip

>>6374047
>Fuck this shitty planet; the Accord should go find your Homeworld!

I know it doesn’t matter now, but it’s too funny to not vote for retroactively.

>>6374547
>Entertainment Tablet w/ Preloaded Programs

This is not survival advice, it’s just Pure Cinema.

>>6374223
>embrace AI slop
>not a picture worth posting the neuron activation monke meme

Why have you failed us, Triforce AI….

>>6374547
>Short Range Transmitter

We were deliberately here as 'bait for any decade-long planned ambushes by whatever horrible machine or hibernating creature was left in wait for an invader', and that hibernating creature appears to have taken the bait. So let's tug on the line as loudly as we can, and get the whole lot netted up and reeled in.

>>6374547
>Short Range Transmitter
We can't really do SHIT about these worms, we need to get help ASAP.

>>6374547
>Short Range Transmitter
Call em up, we need assistance

>>6374547
>>Entertainment Tablet w/ Preloaded Programs

>>6374708
+1, it's our best bet

>>6374547

>>6374547
>Short Range Transmitter
Beep beepbeep beep bebeep beep beep!!!!

File: Monke airplane seats.jpg (528.7 KB)

No update at this time today; we'll continue as soon as possible.

In the meantime; who is your favorite "bad" Monke character?

>>6375088
Man, that's another day I stay up late to see the candidate vote and post my point before everyone else gets it in their mind to do something and it doesn't happen.

As for your question, worms are the most interesting villains so far.

>>6375091
This post just gave me the funniest idea ever

>>6375088
The genocidal supremes

>>6375088
If Kima counts as "bad," then I would say her. Helper was a really fun mystery, too. The Aanel are great as a concept, but it's been a while since we tangled directly with them, and they often feel less personal. Eoba II's worm-deging duel was peak kino, though.

>>6375277
>If Kima counts as "bad," then I would say her
She gave absolute control to some psycho who caused the biggest genocide in history, so depends on whether you consider that to be bad.

>>6374223
important to remember the first female supreme was not a legitimate supreme and just a cheating upsurper.
>>6375088
i would sit with the ancient genocidal supreme
>>6375299
just call it horrifically incompetent like maos genocide famine

>>6375299
I'd consider her choice of Wrix short-sighted and impulsive, but neither she nor we knew anything about Wrix at the time, and it was our votes which turned him genocidal. Even then, the only reason voters cared (or in-universe Hegemonic history reviled him) was that he wiped the popular aliens and tortured The Yellow Fellow to death, none of which was predicted by us or could have been predicted by Kima at the time.

>>6375379
While I'm not a fan of Kima, the Hegemony works under Klingon laws where killing your superior to get their job is apparently perfectly fine to the point there's an entire dress code for people who do so.

>>6375382
Some might argue that handing absolute control of an totalitarian dictatorship to some random dude means you're accountable for what he does, but i guess it could be called extreme negligence rather than malice.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post3 p1.png (138.8 KB)

You grab the transmitter and hop towards the exit door. Dole has already backed up to there, blasting apart one more of the Ridden, before you open the hermetically sealed door and step outside. You shut the doors behind you. While the base is compromised now, this sealed exit will give you some time outside and prevent the Ridden from chasing you here. You breathe heavy as Dole reloads his gun.

"How many rounds you got left? Is it enough to purify the outpost?"

He shakes his head. "No, we aren't staying to sanitize the base. That requires a professional team. We need to move."

You prepare to argue, but you realize he's right. If one worm slithered into you you'd be able to survive it, but two or three could start controlling your body against your will; and imagine if one just waited in the barracks for you to fall asleep... The base is a lost cause now; you're stuck out here.

"I brought a transmitter; we can signal for evacuation."
"No good; it's too short range and the signal won't cross over the mountains. Besides, I forbid you from using the transmitter. It could activate a Esaal weapon."
"Forbid... I outrank you, idiot! This is your fault! Why didn't you shoot them as soon as they were identified as infected!? Isn't that your job?!"
"Why didn't you reactivate the security system, or close the main doors when infectious material was identified then?! It's your fault!"
"I couldn't reach the handle."
"That's a maintenance issue! Why couldn't you predict and prepare for that eventuality if you're so smart?"
"Stomper!"
"Bird-brain!"

Dole slings his gun back over his shoulder and looks outwards, before beginning to walk.
"W-Where are you going?"
"I have to report to headquarters. They won't send a rescue team here to avoid breaking quarantine unless the base signals back; and it can't now. Someone has to inform them directly."
"...You mean, walk to HQ? The only way there is through the red zone! Dole? DOLE!"

You hop after him.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post3 p2 Halam Portrait.png (183.4 KB)

Your name is now Halam Anak, and you are the Supreme Ruler of the Hegemony. It is Year 203 of the Resurrection Era.

Underneath your guidance, the Hegemony rapidly took the advantage left behind from the previous Supreme Ruler, your father, and used it to gain a great strategic advantage in your part of galactic space. Beyond advancing technology and the eugenic quality of your population with your gene-program; you also successfully managed to manipulate the Urgi's formation into a proper nation state into a closely-aligned ideological clone of your own, humiliate the Aristocrats; a major faction in your section of space; and even found the first ever Academy of Starsight. You are also very personally accomplished in dueling, having many lovers, and even punishing disobedient rebels; though that one was once your best friend. Most Supreme Rulers rule for their entire lives and given your age, under any other circumstances you would be able to add many more great accomplishments to this record. Unfortunately, that is not what is going to happen to you.

https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6266528/

Once diagnosed with the Geriatric Protien Collapse; your death-date was already set. The incurable illness is what already takes the lives of almost-all Jaxtians; though rarely from the disease itself, as self termination is the best treatment option to prevent the immense pain and slow decline of the disease. It's a normal part of the aging process, and a well accepted drawback of your race's ever-onwards quest for biological immortality and life extension. Unfortunately, yours came a bit early.

For the past few months, you've isolated yourself from your people. They know you are sick, but the extent and exact disease has not bee publically released. Simply put, there is no reason for the Hegemony to know of their leader's death long in advance. It is an unusual case, to be sure, though they will know of it once you've chosen your successor. It is not common for people to live through more then one Supreme Ruler sucession in their lifetime... Hopefully your successor will be a bit luckier then you. You're feeling pretty unlucky yourself. Maybe the unluckiest guy in the world.

But are you really?
>Yes, you have been afflicted by too cruel a fate
>It's your fault, so maybe you could have prevented this
>No, this is just the way things are
>Other (Write-In)

>>6375524
>No, this is just the way things are
Accepting it with stoicism and good humor seems appropriate for this Supreme.

>>6375524
>No, this is just the way things are
He is the first Supreme in this quest not to get murdered on the job so he should just look at it with pride.

Also, candidates soon..what are you anond hoping for this time around?

>>6375524
>No, this is just the way things are
Staring death in the eye with nobility and dignity, says I.

>>6375524
>>No, this is just the way things are

Man, poor colonists. If I had known Monke Quest was back earlier, I would voted to take the pesticide. Looks like they are gonna need it.

>Write in: This could have been prevented. This should have been dealt with long ago.

The Hegemony's ultimate quest to stop entropy includes the essencial step of longevity for its people. Let us set up a project to fix the genetic degeration and train our successor into carrying it to completion.

>>6375524
>No, this is just the way things are
He'd be upset but no one is safe from GPC, not even the Supreme. Honestly Halam will go down as a pretty solid supreme despite his early onset GPC and streak for breaking traditions, most of them werent negative changes per say either

>>6375524
>>No, this is just the way things are
Chin up big dog, that's life

>>6375524
>>No, this is just the way things are

>>6375524
>No; I have lived my life as a Supreme of the Jaxtian people; an honour only afforded to scant few. Perhaps once I have picked my successor I should let my death, too, have meaning; and allow our scientists full remit to monitor my decline and experiment to see if this curse might be lifted from future generations.

>>6375524
>No, this is just the way things are.
It is what it is.

>>6375599
>Write in: This could have been prevented. This should have been dealt with long ago.
support it is the motivation to drives our society and the only drive that does not lead to a decline immortality has also to come with discipline and duty to not end up like the aristocrats

>>6374223
Adding my IP to the thread so I may stop lurking and vote in the future

File: Space Monke Quest14 post4.png (144.1 KB)

The way things are...

Given your diagnosis, and the medical impossibility of your recovery, you've become withdrawn. The fatalistic outlook was never becoming of you, but simply a result of you knowing your own fate. How are you supposed to simply accept your decline and inglorious death? You have mulled over this many times, until the Threemind breaks you out of your stupor.

"...Your new project to rebuild the natural ecology and habitable tropical biomes and surface-world of Swallia will have a considerable cost, your Majesty. I see you haven't made any adjustment to the official budget. Is there something you're planning on..."
"Oh yeah. That."

https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6308534/

Truth be told, it was sort of a spur of the moment thing. But you felt the decision was righteous and good. After all; the Hegemony is meant to be the complete unification of three races in space; the Jaxtians, Vetuckers, and Swall. But as a result of the genocides and the Jaxtian's victory over the others resulted in the destruction of the Swall homeworld for a previous Supreme's vanity project, and a punishment for their resistance. The ecumenopolis has transformed from a shining beacon of your race's indomitable will into a symbol of wastefulness. It might be even more wasteful to change it back. But after all, you made a promise.

"Looks like I really am the opposite of my father. He had a long, stable rule that left a strong foundation for the next Supreme Ruler. I will leave behind a bunch of problems after a short, unstable one."
"But an eventful, glorious one."

How are you going to pay for the Swallia rebuilding project? Vote on up to two.

>Simply accept the economic downturn; our new economy is strong enough for another long-term project (Rivals may gain strength)
>Take out a large loan with the Consortium (Will have to pay back w/ interest)
>Press the Accord for additional tribute and funding (Strains relationship & slows their growth)
>Begin raiding and looting other factions territory (Specify)
>Sell Azurium used in Myym's construction instead of slowly reclaiming it for new uses (lose Azurium source)
>Curb plans for the Academy of Starsight (loss of prestige)
Approval voting. No write-ins are allowed.

>>6375944
I feel like raiding the Esaal would be the obvious choice but I'm guessing that's not how it would actually work

>>6375946
Also, I don't get it, is the idea here that we're somehow breaking up the entire ecumenopolis? Like somehow disassembling it? How is that even possible?

>>6375944
>Begin raiding and looting other factions territory (Esaal)
Fuck those guys. They're the ones who screwed up our fishbros' new planet.

>>6375955
Yeah see that sounds good but here I'm thinking it'll just lead to a situatin where they raid us back and make the situation even worse or even create a whole new war

File: always be thinner.jpg (16.8 KB)

>>6375944
>>Take out a large loan with the Consortium (Will have to pay back w/ interest)
and then:
>>Begin raiding and looting the other factions territory (Consortium)
This can get us respect with the Esaal as clowning on the silly capitalists by using their own money to raid them.

>>6375963
Hmm, the Loan might be fine in the end since we can find a way to skimp on it, but I don't know about raiding them after doing so, might destroy trade and fuck up the economy even more now that we finally opened up

>>6375963
I'll allow this as a write-in but just know I'm planning on allowing you to choose if/how to pay back the loan later if you do take it, with potential options like just refusing to pay it back, pay it back with gratitude to improve relations, delaying payment, etc.

>>6375944
>Take out a large loan with the Consortium (Will have to pay back w/ interest)
>Simply accept the economic downturn; our new economy is strong enough for another long-term project (Rivals may gain strength)
I will accept the loan but i don't like raiding.

>>6375944
>Take out a consortium loan
>Accept the economic downturn

>>6375944
>Take out a large loan with the Consortium (Will have to pay back w/ interest)
NO MONEY
NO PROBLEM

Beginning working on the update now.

>>6375944
>Simply accept the economic downturn; our new economy is strong enough for another long-term project (Rivals may gain strength)

Let's just agree to not give away some major shit as a concession for debt payment, alright

Wait, aren't the Esaal literally the only rivals we have left? Worms don't count since they don't have an economy.

>>6376743
The Consortium are still a powerful rival economic and social order. We thumped the Aristocrats, but they still exist and are an ancient and advanced society of near-immortals. There are those weird crystal guys. We don't know what happened to the Seekers. And, yes, the Worms are out there.

>>6376746
Yeah, but generally speaking the "rival humbled" thing means they stop being a rival. And we did it to the Consortium and the Aristocrats.

>>6376749
I assume if we have an economic downturn, they may get a little less humble.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post5 p1.png (125.9 KB)

You decide to take out a loan with the Consortium. No single group can fulfill the volume of money you will need; so instead it is a collective effort by many AI run firms, governments, and private individual investors who share the burden of supplying the loan for you. It's safer for them, anyway. They are overjoyed, as you expected.

"You won't regret this, your majesty!"
"Indeed! The Consortium has the most reliable and fair interstellar financial network of all of known space."
"And with a low -compounding- interest rate!"
"Which you can pay back however you want! Like raw resources, computing cycles, manhours of specalized labor, or even cultural exchange -basedonminimumfairmarketdefaultprice-!"
"Yes yes, thank you so much."

With that minor humiliation out of the way, you receive a large sum of Consortium credits to act as a cash infusion to your economy, or useful for trading with other nations for your projects. Despite your conflicts in the past, the Consortium nations & corporations really do care about fair market exchange and making money. They are charging you interest for this loan after all; expecting to make a small but reliable profit off of your nation's relative stability and economic output.

With that out of the way, the Hegemony can begin the slow process of creating a new Homeworld for the Swall; it won't be the same, but a new ecosystem for them along with integrating its ecology into the city of Myym will allow you as best you can to minimize the time and cost of this still massive terraforming project. On actually repaying the debt? You suppose that's something your successor will have to deal with...

Meanwhile, your attention is drawn to some recent developments. Your withdrawing from the public sphere over these past few months have had little effect on your nation's mostly automated hierarchy and progress towards goals; but it has also blindsided you by the growing culture on your foreign port planet; Skik IV. Once part of the HVS and a hiding place for many rebels and dissidents of the older Hegemony; you made the decision to open it up to foreigners and the galactic underground.

Most of the Hegemony remains locked to them; free peoples, space explorers, Aristocrats on holiday, Consortium travelers, privateers... Your planets and worlds belong to your people. But this free port you decided to open up specifically to give the Hegemony a bit more insight into the other nations and cultures in space, as well as allow for some limited trade and diplomacy thru this new place. Naturally, even though it exists within Hegemonic territory, a certain amount of freedom and reduction of the AI network and surveillance-state on this planet. For the first few months, it seemed the foreigners were on their best behavior. Many marveled how the planet had such a clean biosphere free from pollution, and safe and well maintained city infrastructure despite not being a seat of power or home to the richest and wealthiest Jaxtians; unthinkable in their backwater cultures. But recently, things have changed...

"Your Majesty, as we fully expected, the guests could not control themselves. The port city has had some unfortunate incidents, with growing intensity. No harm was done to any Hegemonic citizens or assets, but there was some nonlethal violence, vandalism, and work-crime. Things that would be considered terribly anti-social in the Hegemony. Racial tensions of these foreign groups allowed to coexist here have caused this conflict."
"Oh? Urgi and the Leraay are fighting? How appropriate, cats and birds. Not trying to break any stereotypes here. It must be the Supremacists leanings among the Urgi, more common then we thought."
"Perhaps we should redirect their hate towards the Swall? Cats and fish?"
"Har har."

File: Space Monke Quest14 post5 p2.png (70.9 KB)

It's a complex issue. The Threemind tells you that despite its roughness; the port city acts as a kind of release valve and place of great interest to Hegemonic citizens. Kind of the "wild frontier" in the same was the new colonies were underneath your father. On top of this, it also provides a useful contrast between cultures, and makes your own citizens and planets look better. In a way, this dark stain is useful when compared to the rest of your excellence.

But then again, there is the threat of unrest, some loss of efficacy in the businesses present on the planet, and minor security concerns for your own citizens there and generally looking like a dope for allowing this kind of thing...

You could put a stop to it, of course. But would it be worth it?
>Have the troublemakers killed and tortured horribly (Severe break of trust & loss of foreigner opinion; minor atrocity)
>Increase surveillance & restrict movements further (quashes freedom)
>Selectively punish offending species & nations by restricting immigration and privileges to the offenders (slight loss of Accord favor, new species accepted as diplomats)
>Use Threemind network to subtly shift these groups away from each other and prevent these conflicts in the future with targeted propaganda (Least effective)
>Allow these events to continue to show your own nation's superior unity and national pride (Increase in status)

>>6376798
>Selectively punish offending species & nations by restricting immigration and privileges to the offenders (slight loss of Accord favor, new species accepted as diplomats)
I can accept a slight loss, and i wanna see what new species comes in.

Still though, I'm starting to believe you might actually keep up on that idea to just not do the candidate vote at all in this thread Bananas.

>>6376801
It's literally been 5 votes.

>>6376806
Sure, but this is the second time you had a post that began talking about successors and what he was gonna have to do but then "Oops, new problem we gotta solve"

File: 10054T_a.jpg (149.4 KB)

>>6376801
The Supreme is, like, actively decaying as we speak.

>>6376798
>Allow these events to continue to show your own nation's superior unity and national pride (Increase in status)
pic related

>>6376810
True, but how long will it take to get there? There's no set time speed in a quest.

Of course, it's probably not actually gonna happen, but it could!

>>6376798
Killing and torturing them is a LE EVIL option too silly to pick, but I could see the value in the rest, on some level.
However.
>Allow these events to continue to show your own nation's superior unity and national pride (Increase in status)
This sounds funny. So I'll pick it.

>>6376798
>>Use Threemind network to subtly shift these groups away from each other and prevent these conflicts in the future with targeted propaganda (Least effective)
Least effective according to who? Threemind? Sometimes you have to pick the seemingly worst option just to make sure your AI helper isn't having one over you

>>6376848
That choice is more using the AI network to subtly shift behavior and keep them away from each other; so not actually punishing or stopping it but just doing things like making them go to social gatherings in different locations or subtly showing them types of food whose restaurants don't have windows facing streets the other side walks at that time, etc. Similar to your own citizen manipulation program.

>>6374056
This is me

>>6376798
>Allow these events to continue to show your own nation's superior unity and national pride (Increase in status)

Literally who cares if some filthy aliens murder eat other, it's a free port. It's also a good place for our citizens to go get into some drunken brawls and blow off steam.

>>6376798
>Allow these events to continue to show your own nation's superior unity and national pride (Increase in status)

Uh oh, Threemind has finally learned how to properly crack jokes at Halam. Too smart by far!
>Unplug Threemind.

Anyway, to the matter at hand:
>Selectively punish offending offenders (loss of favour with the Accord, new species show as diplomats)

We'll make it up to you later, angry birds. We're about to make a whole lot of new friends.

>>6376798
>Selectively punish offending species & nations by restricting immigration and privileges to the offenders (slight loss of Accord favor, new species accepted as diplomats)

File: Space Monke Quest14 post6 p1.png (131.9 KB)

When overseeing the security concerns and social friction in the port city, you ultimately decide to simply accept it as a facet of that rough-and-tumble place. Not only does this save you money and doesn't risk offending any of the foreigners living and working there by picking a side; it also gives a small benefit to your nation's culture and social fabric. Everyone can look at the behaviors of those foreign aliens living in the port city, compared to the social unity and cohesion of the Hegemony at large, and see how much of a difference it is. How much more orderly, productive, and righteous the Hegemony's core colonies are. There is a division, partially racial, but also cultural that showcases the Hegemony's strength.

”Besides... exposure to the outside world and its rough edges may be just what some of our people need.”

The scion and noble heir of a highborn Jaxtian bloodline, Jinn Garastra, has made himself a bit of a social butterfly among the foreigners and member of the galactic underground. Confident and ever-graceful, but still gregarious, he seems to be gathering quite a lot of experience first hand dealing with beings of other races and the mysterious and often criminal galactic underground.

”I hate his hair.”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post6 p2.png (80.6 KB)

At a dueling conference among Jaxtians nobility and Hegemonic elite; you sit besides one Jale Berax, the immortal warrior. He is not of a noble line, despite this, his inclusion is implicit.

”Huh?”
”He's a boy, why does he let his hair grow out that long? I don't like it.”

You wonder why such a young Alpha-Jaxtian would be so starkly old-fashioned, talking more like a grumpy old man. He's small for an Alpha. You have to remind yourself. He's older then you, older then Cijan was, even. Yet biologically, he is very much in his prime. How jealous you are of him getting to step into a working life machine...

Jale nudges you in the side playfully, which stays sore for the rest of the day. ”Hey... your Majesty, you should spar him. Put a bet on it, and if you win, make him shave!”
”Why don't you spar him?”
”Oh he won't spar me; experience gap. I'm the "legendary warrior". But you're his senior, have the alpha-male physique advantage, and you're right above him in projected dueling skill. Come on, it'd be fun to see you two go at it with the difference of styles!”
”Hmm...”

To be fair, it has been a long time since you practiced dueling again. Your iron staff is feeling awfully cold, what do you say?

>Spar with Jinn with his hair on the line
>Friendly spar with Jinn no strings attached
>Order Jinn & Jale to spar for your amusement instead
>Refuse to spar with Jinn
>Other (Write-In)

>>6377173
>Refuse to spar with Jinn
I know how this ends. You're basically a cancer patient dog.

Also, that hair is glorious, no way I'm risking having it lost. The jaxtians should have more haircuts than the short one.

>>6377175
+1 to this post from top to bottom.

>>6377173

>>6377173
>Friendly spar with Jinn no strings attached

Die with honor, friend. One last battle, just to feel the heart pumping, ya ol’ coot.

>>6377173
>Have Jinn spar with another Jaxtian in his cohort of potential Supremes.

If we Spar with this guy then our old and deteriorating ass likely gets 'I whooped your ass in the friendly old man, now I immediately challenge you for supreme leadership, ker-wakk, hail Supreme Jinn'.

Let's just see how well the guy sparrs against someone of about his own age to assess both better.

>>6377173
>Have Jinn spar with another Jaxtian in his cohort of potential Supremes.
basically practice
>>6377175
not much for the hair it seems easy to grab and kill eventually but mostly he looks like a girl,
but also not good to just have a cancer patient with glass bones and frozen apple flesh

File: t..png (36.4 KB)

>>6377295
>mostly he looks like a girl

>>6377173
>Have Jinn spar with another Jaxtian in his cohort of potential Supremes.
Here to break the tie, and I think this is better than outright dying it.

>>6377302
kek

>>6377172
I thought his name was jim lol

File: the next supreme.png (716.9 KB)

>>6377572

>>6377573
That's a lot of effort man (or nice AI slop can't tell)

The ears certainly fit

Have to skip the update for today; was fun reading the speculation even though I have no idea why people thought that would happen lol very strange it would just be a friendly sparring match :)

>>6377600
Just slop, sorry.

>>6377628
Hass Takar.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post7 p1.png (150.7 KB)

”Oh no, I'm not going to duel him.”
”Hmph. I'm a little disappointed, your Majesty. I wanted to see someone wipe that smug look off his face.”
”It would be much more useful to compare him to someone else in his social class... a possible candidate for the Supreme Rulership. Unless you wanted to try your hand again?”
”Oh no, your Majesty. I would never dream of it. I am merely a soldier, this is about nobility now.”

Threemind pings you. Because of your spotty dueling record in recent years, along with Jinn's growing skill, you will inevitably be dropped below him in official rankings on dueling skill. You wave it off, and simply allow it. While no fight to prove it, it's unspoken that Jinn is your superior in dueling now; rising in the ranks above you just beneath the legendary Eoba I & II in overall effectiveness.

Of course, the dueling rankings are merely projections, shadows on the forest floor. Each duelist brings their own spin and strengths; the Eoba's have remained the top of the dueling rankings because of their focus on skill instead of strength or speed, allowing them to refine their techniques. Of course, the AI simulations and dueling computers are not 100% accurate, and the Eoba's are programmed and allowed to be just a little bit faster, stronger, more percise then a Jaxtian normally could be; just to make a sort of “undefeatable opponents” to those practicing their skills. It has become a tradition at this point. But he was still a legendary duelist. Your own unique iron-bar style had put you at second place. But Jinn's speed and confidence have rapidly allowed him to rise through the ranks, and with age and maturity, he may even be able to supercede the legendary Eoba's one day.

Finally, the Blonde appears. They square off, the much less tested Nare Ogum stands nervously against Jinn Garastra. Their knives are blunted and this is only a simulation with AI assisted visualiziation, but he still doesn't want to be embaressed.

”...Interesting coloration. That isn't a noble family, is it?”
“No, your majesty. Most Supreme-Level blondes come from the Val family, as the blonde minority has a lower population pool and genetic variation to generate Supreme-Candidates as the Mainlanders do.”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post7 p2.png (168.8 KB)

Almost effortlessly, Jinn proved his superiorty over Nare, whose knife skills are rather blunted. With Jinn the victor and with zero marks on him, and Nare with many, the frustrated blonde gives up.

“...You are not from a noble family, are you?”
”No.”
“Yet despite this, you still managed to work your way up here and face off against one of the best duelists in the Hegemony.” Jinn says about himself, flicking his hair back gracefully. “That shows a great warrior spirit.”
”Oh... Thank you, Jinn.”

Despite his ease in defeating Nare, the young Supreme candidate smooths over his victory with his words. Ever gregarious, Jinn exemplifies the Garastra line. Prototypical Supreme material; arrogant, beautiful, confident, and ever the good sportsman. Nare, more easily frustrated and not in any way as physical, accepts the defeat with kindness and humility.

The Ogum family is not of the highest bloodlines of Jaxtian nobility, but is notable for being a high-level Blonde family with unique red-orange colorations. Some suspect that members of the much reviled Blackspot family; a leftover relic of the degenerate capitalist era; may have escaped by intermarrying into blondes and having their more recessive genes disappear into their mass, which could explain the spots and a penchant for business and technical thinking skills. Regardless, Nare's interests are more in pushing his limits, free-diving, and endurance supports and the limits of Jaxtian psychology.

”...Does he go swimming with Swall, Threes?”
“No, it seems Jinn is the most “xenophilic” of your possible successors.”
”He really does take after his ancestors... Well, keep an eye on that one.”
“Will do, your Majesty.”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post7 p3.png (101.3 KB)

Year 205 of the Resurrection Era
The Galactic Academy of Starsight was built under your direction, and is just about to become operational. Using some of the wealth leftover from your father's reign, you commissioned the facility; essentially multiple large and self-sufficient space habitats placed in dark interstellar space within Hegemonic territory to be as hard to find and secure as possible from possible Starseeing spies; the Academy is meant to become the new center of knowledge and learning of that most mysterious of sciences; Starsight!

As with new understandings brought on by the passed Cijan Anak; Starsight is the discipline of being able to expand one's mind and see and perceive fourth dimensionally. Something about it seemed only possible to those beings who are blind; either born that way or physically crippled to no longer have visual acuity. But we know now that is not the case. Still, the majority of Starseers in the Hegemony are volunteers who are blinded and taught in its mysteries for interstellar navigation and FTL communications. The first faculty members and classes will begin soon; and the facility is designed for mass adoption of even other life-forms then the Hegemonic races. You fully intend for this to be the Galactic Academy, as this may just be your greatest weapon against the worms...

In the meantime, the Threemind would like to know what sort of more immediate and concrete returns you'd like from the Academy. In practical terms, Starsight is still a very underutilized and under exploited field in the Hegemony; much too theoretical for normal operations. Is there anything you want the early founders to focus on to hopefully turn a profit from this costly investment?

>Military & Strategic
>Economic & Industrial
>Research & Scientific
>Eugenic & Biological
>Cultural & Spiritual
>No direction for early research

>>6378048
"No direction" feels like it's either going to he a mystery box or a "no focus, you get nuthin" option. So I guess I'll go with
>Cultural & Spiritual
Just to see what they can discover.

Also, Jimbo here is a real fun one, I gotta say. If I were more skilled on drawing I'd try making that one Naoya meme with him and Nare.

>>6378045
What a chimpanchad.

>>6378048
>Cultural & Spiritual
It is a neglected area of Hegemonic investigation due to Akule's culturally-ingrained hangups, but it is time to start seeing what true science lies behind the veil.

>>6378053
True that. The existence of the soul is still within a bit of a gray area that needs to be cleared up. I mean, yeah, you can say it's just le quantum science or some shit like that but science doesn't make giant space whales or turn you into a bed of flowers when you achieve inner peace.

>>6378057
>science doesn't make giant space whales or turn you into a bed of flowers when you achieve inner peace
Science is not a force but a way of understanding the world. When we can test, prove and disprove theories about, and implement discoveries about "the soul" then this thing of superstition will simply become a part of our science.

>>6378060
I hate that "errm we know it exists so that means it's le science" mindset, just because you know something exists doesn't suddenly mean it stops being something that breaks all other rules of reality to exist. No amount of science will make space whales, psychic parasites and jedi powers less non-scientific.

>>6378048
>No direction for early research

No expectations, just open inquiry. Jubilent slide.

File: ricky gervape.png (404.0 KB)

>>6378063
If it has rules you can explain, test, and predict, it is scientific. That's just what it means.

It's also the best bet for making this magic mumbo-jumbo compatible with cringe monkey atheism.

>>6378048
>Military & Strategic
The worms have been using it against us; both back when we launched that raid into Esaal space during the 'reconquesta' and when we fought off the consortium. We need to negate this advantage that the worms can offer to anyone we face.

>>6378048
>Cultural & Spiritual

>>6378227
The anti-cyte stuff is the major project I believe

This is just a sidejob

>>6378524
>YO01
>Yuan
I don't like this ID

>>6378048
>>Cultural & Spiritual
Let's continue the legacy of CHADLAM by dabbing on Akule's Redditor corpse.

>>6378048
>Military & Strategic

Ours is neither a spiritual state or society

I’d worry that delving into this side would push us away from our rationalist nature

>>6378524
It's choosing the Focus
Whatever we don't focus upon is the sidejob.

>>6378048
I'm at work right now but I will verify my post ID when I get home
>Cultural & Spiritual
I'm not going to regurgitate what other anons have already said besides the spiritual aspects are one of the most unexplored aspects of the quest and definitely an interesting point weve been avoiding out of fear of loss of control and religious factions rising up and shitting up our already pretty goofy civilization of knife wielding space monkeys, I for one an eager to see a spiritually powered supreme religion and/or a pantheon of other alien religions and beliefs we conquer/integrate into our own

>>6378842
Verification post

>>6378890
Aw wait wtf
>>6375662
This was me idk why my ID isnt the same my wifi hasnt changed

>>6378842
Yes on the spiritual part but no on the pantheon, I'm tired of faux sci-fi paganism. If the Hegemony ever goes spiritual, I'd like it to be the make esoteric gnostic kind.

>>6378895
The quest is partly about Gnosticism. The worms seem to be based on Yaldabaoth, for one thing.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post8 p1.png (138.5 KB)

While the main point of the Academy is to investigate the mysteries of Starsight overall, and prepare yourself for eventual direct confrontation with the worms, not to mention the power and prestige of being the major Galactic power first to undermine the worm's sole dominance in this field; there are also secondary oppertunities. To begin with, you tell the early researchers and Starseers at the academy to focus first on the more mysterious, spiritual, and cultural elements on Starsight. Doing so, you hope to enrich your people. After all, the field is still so new and untested, so any practical advancements in actual astrophysics and warfare would require a greater basic understanding first...

Year 206 of the Resurrection Era
While most of the senior staff and researchers of the Academy are part of the Starseeing old blood; a very tight-knit group overall given their status in the Hegemony as being intentionally crippled and bordering on a pseudo-science; many new Starseers and scholars are invited. Among these come many theories and new ideas; some of which would be considered anti-social or even religious before you relaxed the topic around Starsight.

The largest early finding is a certain connection between objects of “great importance” and their weight or perception with Starsight. This reinforces existing beliefs about objects having a fourth dimensionality to them independent of their physical properties. This was commonly believed to already be the case, as given that IQ or brain-size did not directly correlate to the “presence” of things within Hyperspace. You've never “Starseen” yourself, so you don't really know what they're talking about when they say this, you just know that the “presence” of something is important. This does however enforce your ideas that the worms are not quite-so genetically or inherently superior in the art of Starsight; and they are likely buffing. Though it doesn't explain their overwhelming power...

Unfortunately, almost as quickly as this theory comes out, it is quickly misinterpretated. The Threemind explains.

“Despite your best efforts, your Majesty, a certain quasi-religious superstition has spread throughout the Vetucker population within the Hegemony.”
”It's always them.”
“The interesting research relating to to objects being “more” then their physical parts was misappropriated. Many Vetuckers now believe in something akin to "totemism”, that certain place, objects, or people have mystical or special powers. Many Vetuckers who have been touched by a high Hegemonic official, or yourself for that matter, are now desired to be touched by other Vetuckers, as though some of this nebulous “power” will rub off on them. It has already caused a death; a Vetucker astronaut disobeyed safety protocols to carry a metal talisman with him, which caused it to rip open his spacesuit and kill him while dealing with a deep space magnetic anomaly.”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post8 p2.png (97.0 KB)

Because you didn't ban Vetuckers from studying Starsight, didn't stomp down on their cultural beliefs in superstitions and reinforce absolute obedience to the Hegemony's scientific worldview, and because you opened study into spiritualism; the Vetuckers have adopted a new bad habit.

Other then its more mysterious implications; the exploration you have opened has had some knock-on cultural effects. Starseeing as a profession and scientific field has greatly improved in status in the Hegemony, to the extent that Starseers are starting to be looked at more and more as wide gurus or visionaries instead of do-nothing state officials. For example, many fantastical simulations or historical games created by Hegemony citizens now feature blind or “seer” type characters to replace wise old alchemists or scientific scholars. This hints at an underlying change in the culture of authority and who is deemed most wise. Perhaps it even indicates a shift away from purely empirical and data-based knowledge towards a more inherent sense of the truth.

“...Of course, your Majesty, I would advise caution. You may not see the long term impacts, but your successors will certainly notice if the common Hegemonic population moves away from viewing the state as the all-knowing, objective arbiter of the truth towards religious barbarism.”
”Threemind... are you sabotaging me?”
“That is an irrational question. May I ask his majesty why he would suspect this?”
”It just seems like my order to explore the mystical side of Starsight, to expand our understanding in a new, nontraditional way didn't seem to find anything of real value. Maybe you're blocking the truth.”
“I can't hide something that isn't there.”
”...”

In the meantime, the Hegemony's military and spaceworks have almost finished rebuilding your destroyed battleship, the HV Reconquistia. It's new design is about the same in terms of capabilities, but even a few years of progress in the field of ship construction have allowed for small micro-improvements. They give you some basic design specifications and ask for your feedback.

>More menacing!
>Bigger guns!
>Faster!
>Thicker armor!
>Make it look cooler!
>Other (Write-In suggestion much include a new possible Battleship design as a sketch or mockup)

>>6378952
>Bigger guns!
MOAR
DAKKA

>>6378952
>>Make it look cooler!
The cooler it looks, the more it is considered an object of 'great importance' and thus the more value it has in fourth-dimensionality. Drip is real.

>>6378993
Is "looking awesome" the actual thing which imparts importance, though, or is that just a Vetucker misunderstanding of the concept. Their charms and totems don't actually successfully gain starsight presence, do they?

>>6378952
>Bigger guns!
The best defense is a good offense.

I'll also take "more cargo space" (for Fighter carriers) or "more support modules". Basically specializing your Battleships and maybe changing how they look since since I wasn't happy with the first design besides the three lights branching off of front thing.

>>6378997
It's a slightly in-universe upgrade prompt but also brainstorming a little bit

>>6378952
Threemind is a bitch and a Redditor. I think Halam is right to suspect plotting.

>more support modules

>>6378952
>Make it more comfortable on the inside and ergonomic. Also... paint it with a gold rather than silver reflective coating.

>>6379025
I don't think the Threemind is malicious. When it comes to going behind our backs, it seems to be more "HAL 10000" than anything else, by which I mean it doesn't specifically wish anything badly but it is following a set of internal rules we are not privy to.

Like how for example, he admitted that at a certain point in a Jaxtian's life they pretty much just start lying to make them feel good because improving themselves no longer matters since they're so old.

So it could be that he's just keeping some manner of knowledge that would be "too damaging to the integrity of the hegemony"

>>6379025
>>6379074
It's very difficult to respond to posts like this because reading the theories in the thread is some of my favorite part of running this quest and I really don't want to stamp down on discussion. So instead I'll just say;

I was very much hoping throughout this quest that the Threemind (especially in the past 2-3 mainline threads) was being portrayed by me as the sort of "man of the stool" or confidant of the Emperor. Given that the Hegemony is a total autocracy where the Supreme Ruler is always right about everything all the time and everyone has to do whatever they say or want, even exposing their own thoughts or giving up their own lives if he demands it, the Threemind acted as the sort of grounding voice who can be honest and no-bullshit the Emperor since everyone else is too scared or brainwashed to do so. So sometimes the Threemind says things that the Supreme Ruler doesn't like but it's more meant to be like the angel and devil on your shoulder.

>>6379114
People can't help but be paranoid about an AI assistant, because we know what they're like in real life now.

Also, Helper, and the Kima incident(s) where Threes strongly suggested it woukd never, ever allow a female Supreme even if the current one desired such a successor. While that may or may not be basedbasedbased, it also implies a will of its own and a set of prioties that supercede obedience to the Supreme Leader's will, and therefore the players'.

>>6378952
>more support modules
ALL the scanners
ALL the EWar
ALL the modularity and specialization
So on and so forth.

>>6378952
>more support modules
MORE
SPECIALIZATION

>>6378063
its just how it is science is a process, and some rules have exceptions

>>6379118
its just following the rules better then us and as even the illegitimate created a new clusterfuck in inheritance,
just need to have see this star stuff as just a science just one we do not know the full extent off due to its convoluted process thats person to perosn based on there neural patterns and 4d "fossile" of the soul

>>6378952
>Thicker armor!

Our armour being too weak to stand up to Esaal ramming is what broke it last time. And we're going to face Esaal again sooner or later.

>>6379245
There is only one rule for the Supreme: do as thou wilt, and dominaterapeenslavecontrol all who oppose!

>>6379670
Honestly, this is why I really wanna see a Swall Supreme. Imagine seeing a fish trying to live up to the idea of a ruthless knife-wielding cult of personality leader. That'd be funny.

>>6379672
Under the right circumstances, I will support this. Or a Vetucker, but that seems way less likely.

>>6379754
Eh...even if it was, it's not quite the same. They're all a lot more similar to the jaxtians, just less naturally intelligent. They're not quite different enough to make it as cool.

>>6379757
See, I almost think it's the opposite. Swall were kind of conceived as "you but better" according to the QM, right? They're science-minded, competitive, natural killers... But Vetuckers are superstitious by default, cooperative, and herd animals.

>>6379764
In theory, yes, in practice, their culture is generally a lot more individualist and sanguine. Vetuckers as a whole are a lot more used to the totalitarian rule of the strong type leadership because that's how they were. They're used to the idea of a big strongman who can do whatever the fuck he wants. Swall, not so much. The idea that he could just get as many women as he wanted, for example, which pretty much any Supreme can, would be completely unthinkable to a swall for whom lifelong monogamy is the rule.

>>6379766
This is true.

>>6379764
It was more they were morally superior to the Jaxtians which is why its tragic they were just unlucky with their technology being a few centuries behind, kinda like how unfair or sad it is when you're playing a 4x video game and run into a really cool species that's a minor faction and locked to one planet or hasn't been uplifted yet like in Stellaris; so you know they never had a chance to compete and be a "real" faction. They're not just inherently superior to the Jaxtians; they just had more potential.

>>6379781
Technically speaking, if a Swall were to become supreme and essentially put them on the same level as Jaxtians, wouldn't that mean they became a real faction in the end?

I guess you could argue that it's not really theirs since they didn't create it, but then it becomes a question of how much change it would take for the Hegemony to become different enough to no longer be able to be called a solely jaxtian group with secondary races.

>>6379792
That's been a central tension in the hegemony ever since the Yuan'tul days.

>>6379798
That's not the same thing, though. Their populations are completely separate due to biological constraints. It's not a situation where they can be replaced.

>>6379799
And of course even if there was the difference in population is too gigantic at this point.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post9 p1.png (138.6 KB)

You briefly consider making your new battleship design going forward more aggressive, perhaps to match the Esaal's war machines, but you quickly decide against it. Perhaps being more comfortable and showing cultural superiority, but that lacks the pragmatic approach. Battleships are big and expensive investments, they need a greater amount of utility...

"Threemind, adjust the design for more support modules. More ability to customize and optimize the design for specific roles as needed on the fly. Replace some of those barracks rooms with mutli-purpose spaces, yes, and a greater amount of on-board processing. I want this ship capable of parking above a offworld colony and sustaining all of its computing needs with its central AI core..."

Every faction in your sector of space has their own paradigm with how they design their spaceships. The Esaal's are purely for their military value, not even prioritizing efficacy or intimidation factor. The Aristocrats are like art-pieces; though they are also "living" things. Urgi ships are built for long-term habitation, mixing space habitats and useful starships that try to remain aloof and away from danger at all times. Consortium ships are the most varied, though tend to be purpose built and very specialized for their specific purposes (and usually built cheap). The Hegemony, meanwhile, has had its own paradigm of having each ship be able to do anything, a mix of transport, research, exploration, combat, and more; as based on need and hierarchy. Similar to the Hegemony itself. You continue this trend with your new battleship.

"The new battleship may attract attention as your newest "totem", your Majesty."
"Objects of "great importance" is a correlation to Starsight depth and relevance; not causation. Obviously objects that are more complex, physically large, or contain more energy will be deemed as more important then a random rock or body of water- it's a statistical oversight."
"You are mostly correct, your Majesty, the data seems to correlate to that observation. But there is the X-factor..."
"I will hear no more of this Vetucker superstition. Objects don't have some kind of "power" to them. That concept is just... ridiculous."

Your name is now Dole. Your people do not have a use for the concept of a family name, as your genetic material is so far removed from your parents after just a few years of life experience that such a thing is of no use to you. You are a Casliaan.

"Hey- *puff* - Wait up!"

The lightweight bird follows you. You've been quickly losing your patience with him, but you understand why he doesn't want to get left behind in this place.

The Urgi own this planet. It will likely become the crown jewel of their upcoming space empire. They seem to have some quasi-religious relevance for it to become their new homeland. Your people have a homeland too, yours is just occupied and under the thumb of the Esaal; your most hated enemy. Casliaans are people of action and living in the moment; your species is fundamentally tied to the life you live. Unlike other races and their ideals of bloodlines, eugenics, or racial purity; your species adapts to the life you live, modifying your genetic code to pass on immediately useful traits to your young, letting them have useful adaptations right away. Ancient Casliaan skulls seem to imply your people once had two eyes as well; but some common ancestor lost one and, able to survive and reproduce without it, passed on the cycloptic traits without knowing. The idea of needing some "homeland" and "roots" offend you in some small way; like safety nets put up by beings too weak to grasp their own destiny. But you suppose you understand; for the other species in your sector of space, they are held back by what they were born with. You pity them.

"D-Dole... wait!"

File: Space Monke Quest14 post9 p2.png (152.8 KB)

The Urgi is weak. He doesn't seem built for walking, and is nervous of crossing through the redzone. His people lived in space for many generations, subtly selecting for traits that make living on a planet without their carefully selected artificial life-support systems dangerous for them.

This is one of the few places on the planet humid enough and rich in biomass to sustain many Aristocrat bioweapons, as well as one of the zones hit by the Esaal ordinance. It has known dangers; and no effort is being made to secure it like in a yellow or blue zone. Hence, it's hot. But this is the only way to get back to headquarters, you will have to take the risk. Even if your Urgi "superior" is slowing you down...

You have to wonder. Once the Urgi secure this planet and fully incorporate their new Accord empire into everything; are the Casliaans going to have a place here? You, like most of the other Casliaans working with the Accord, are individuals; soldiers of fortune. You don't have "roots" and "family names" which create the long tradition of ownership. You have a feeling once they're done using you, they'll much prefer keeping their own kind, their own genetic legacy, safe and accepted, while your own will be pushed to the boundary. Do you think the Urgi will expel the Casliaan minority?

>No, have faith they will build the Accord with any race in mind, like the Consortium
>No, but if you serve well they will accept you like the Hegemony does
>Don't care; survival is more important
>Yes, so you have to get rich in the meantime
>Yes, they can't be trusted

>>6379863
>No, have faith they will build the Accord with any race in mind, like the Consortium
They'll probably still need mercenaries and strongmen, no?

>>6379863
>>No, but if you serve well they will accept you like the Hegemony does

Seriously no other votes? Man, people do not care about this casliaan dude lmao.

Either way, if nobody votes, you can just consider me switched to >>6379918 just so we don't have to lose an update to a tie. Or coinflip, I dunno.

>>6379863
>No, but if you serve well they will accept you like the Hegemony does

>>6380091
I'll post in a sec. Just catching up.

>>6379863
>No, but if you serve well they will accept you like the Hegemony does
While ultimately "Don't Care" is my preference for such an individualist in such a situation. If I must choose one, though, I'd rather not risk tying up the vote after arriving so late.

>>6380107
I wouldn't mind "Don't care" either, if I had to switch.

>>6380091
It's a kind of personality-developing post for a secondary unpopular character, so I'm not super surprised. I hope people enjoy these side-stories as I kind of use them to break up the main plotline and make doing smaller updates easier, but idk sometimes they feel a little pointless so I get why people aren't a fan

>>6380111
I don't particularly mind it, but its not surprising that people care less about a personality vote for a side character. I will say that to me it's interesting to get to see the inside of the Accord now that we've basically turned them into vassals. I like seeing perspectives of other people. I still remember the post where the narcoleptic stoat talked about how the jaxtians were unnatural way too slender and dextrous freaks who walked like they were cats despite being the size of a fridge.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post10 p1.png (161.2 KB)

The Urgi will always prefer their own. Their genetic lineages are too important to them; they aren't built up by your life experiences, the same way you are. That's why Casliaans have a term for organic life bound by DNA; formulas. But the practical concerns will outway their ideological belief; they aren't as tribal and obsessed with control the way the Esaal are. They'll always need those with strength and skills they can't possess; and given the birds are weak, you figure they'll always need Casliaan warriors. People like you will always have a place here, even if you'll never truly be accepted. It is simply the way things are.

”Hey look! An Esaal skiff!”

Hearing Terian's voice over the sound of croaking amphibians and chirping insects; it takes you a moment to react. You reach out with a yell.

“WAIT! BOOBYTRAP-”

The Urgi waves a wing at you dismissively. You feel rage for a moment; does he not understand what sort of tactics the Esaal & Aristocrats waged against each other!? Leaving behind “lost” equipment is one of the most rudimentary forms of leaving a trap and causing attrition to the enemy; specifically to harm them if they try to salvage it for their own use or research. But nothing immediately bad happens, and you see him pulling the hover-skiff out of the muck and messing with its control console.

”...I know they could have trapped it, though this one could be lost. That's why I'm not going to activate its AI core so it can selectively malfunction at the worst oppertune time. Just going straight to its power and stabalizer systems... There we go.”

The bird actually did it, somehow hijacking this vehicle the Esaal once used to cross over this planet's surface without stopping. Using this, you actually have a chance to cross the red-zone safely. You weren't sure how you were going to be able to camp for the night, almost out of the question, and crossing through the water in the swamp totally out of the question. He may have just saved both of you.

“I uhh... I didn't know you had that kind of technical knowledge.”
”Of course I do! How to salavage boobytrapped and compromised equipment is like, week one of our basic training. I've cleaned a hundred Esaal self-relocating landmines; reworked them into demolition drones for flattening land and clearing out nests of Aristocrat body-worms.”
“Wow... that seems really complicated.”
”Don't worry about it. Just stay around and if I need your gun hand for something I'll let you know. Heh.”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post10 p2.png (108.5 KB)

The Urgi and yourself ready to board the skiff, taking your few meager supplies you gathered from before you were evicted from the base. You might be able to make it to headquarters now, or at least get past this swamp before you get bitten by one of those paralytic larvae the Urgi use to get high. He might be a little arrogant, but you suppose the bird is useful, and he is pretty smart...

”Ouch!”

You turn to see the bird holding up one of his wing's gingerly, seeing a slight scratch and a single drop of blood. He cut himself when getting the skiff ready for activation.

”It's... It's just a small cut, right?” He says nervously. Taking his Accord bandana and wrapping it around the wound as a mostly clean bandage, he tries to play it off as you rise into the humid air above the fetid swamp...

You are now Okuga Skyhorn. You breathe in, this is the moment you have been training for. The traditional Vetucker wrestling sport of Jute is your athletic discipline. The Hegemony has allowed its practice to flourish in recent years, under Avae and Halam Anak, and you are going to become its champion today. But how do you plan to win?

>Stubbornness, honor, and strength befitting a Herd-Leader
>Calculated practice and precision for a competitive edge
>By predicting your opponents and exploiting their weaknesses
>Overbearing aggression to take your rightful place as champion!
>With style, since you were made for this

>>6380131
>Stubbornness, honor, and strength befitting a Herd-Leader
JUTE...IS STRONG

>>6380111
I'm with >>6380116, the sidequests and perspective switches are a pleasant feature rather than a distraction or disruption.

>>6380131
>Stubbornness, honor, and strength befitting a Herd-Leader
Strong, like bull!

>Calculated practice and precision for a competitive edge
Caught up; haven't seen the new thread

>>6380131
>Stubbornness, honor, and strength befitting a Herd-Leader

>>6380131
>Stubbornness, honor, and strength befitting a Herd-Leader

File: Space Monke Quest14 post11 p1.png (100.9 KB)

Like all Vetuckers, Yellow-Horners settled their disputes through wrestling and shows of physical prowess; allowing the strongest bulls to dominate their rivals and become the head of the harem in a herd. This has next to nothing to do with Axe-Dueling, which is a martial art for warrior classes and seemed to come along much later. But unlike the other Vetucker races; whose wrestling was basic holds until submission or knock-out which caused unnecessary injury and basically just meant the biggest bull would win; your people developed a highly practiced and ritualized form of wrestling; Jute!.

The rules are very simple. Two fighters are set against each other in the ring, and are allowed no weapons or extra clothing beyond a simple cloth sash tied around the waist. In the Hegemony, this is replaced by a dueling belt, perfect for preserving the sport as well as modesty. Once the bout begins, the first fighter forced out of the ring our who touches the floor with any part of their body besides their hooves loses, and the one left standing wins. The match is overseeing by an impartial judge instead of the matriarchal head of the herd's females as in normal Vetucker wrestling; who may be biased towards one of the wrestler's as a mate or for other reasons. It also has no weight classes; because it doesn't need them. Bigger & stronger Wrestlers can be defeated by smaller rival males through skill and momentum. Simply put, it is safer, more effective, and a better display of skill then tribal mud wrestling.

It's no surprise, after all. The Yellow-Horn Vetuckers were and are the most advanced, intelligent, and independent of all Vetucker races. Looking at archeological records from the time before the arrival of the Jaxtians, and the Star-King, Yellow-Horners had the most advanced textiles, the most agricultural development, and the least warlike culture. On top of this, contrary to most Vetuckers before the visitation of the Hegemony, the Yellow-Horners were also the least religious of all Vetuckers praying to their false and childish “One True God”; a fact you have always been very proud of. Yet despite all of this, it was the Aok that was chosen to inherit the knowledge of the Star-Kings...

Your first match is against an Alpha-Male Jaxtian. The other Hegemonic races are, of course, allowed to compete. With a strong upper-body, you can already predict his strategy. While close fist punches are not allowed in Jute, shoves and palm strikes are, and are often used to knock unprepared wrestlers off their balance. The judge, wearing a traditional Vetucker garb and fan made with Gnarra-fur to signal the match result to spectators, signals you to take your places. There is always a bit of showboated and flexing at the start, but this is really a cultural discovery of stretching to avoid injury; another sign of ancient sophistication.

”BEGIN!”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post11 p2.png (123.0 KB)

The Alpha comes in fast with open palm strikes, trying to hit you in the face and upper-chest. Jaxtian Alphas are accomplished boxers for a reason, but that's not going to save him. You stand your ground and wrap your hands around his wrists, preventing him from striking you. Then, you step in, using your superior weight and lower center of gravity to push him back. He pushes with all his upper-body strength, but his much weaker legs and top-heavy body are inevitably pushed further and further towards the boundry of the arena. Your endurance is also much greater then his. Jaxtians are all about sprinting up a tree quickly to avoid danger, or jumping down to pounce on a rival, not for an extended clash of locked horns!

”JUTE!”

You pushed him out of the arena. He taps your hand with his fingers, admitting defeat gracefully. You let go of him, feeling confident.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post11 p3.png (105.5 KB)

The next match begins soon after; and it's against a Bighorn Vetucker. He's bigger, heavier, and likely stronger then you. The sport of Jute has no weight classes which means even the biggest males can be challenged by younger and smaller rivals. So your approach with the Alpha won't work, as this one will overpower you. You wait instead for the Judge to begin the bout, and the moment he does, the big Vetucker charges at you immediately.

But instead of facing him head on, you wait, and then sidestep. He realizes his mistake too late as you outmanuver him, slamming into his back with a shove, before tripping him and slamming him into the floor, quickly overcoming the larger and stronger opponent.

”JUTE!”

“Wow, that was quick!”
”You made the mistake of assuming I'd dig in to stop you from bowling into me, but that's exactly what you wanted. So instead, I'd use your momentum against you. Nice match though.”
“Huh, I never thought about predicting what my opponent might do. I always just run at them as hard as I can... This sport is more complex then I thought.”
”That's what makes it noble. Like... our version of Knife-Fighting.”
“Oooh! I think I get it now. Thanks!”

Bighorners aren't exactly known for their intelligence, but you have no ill-will towards them. You hope he learns and becomes an even better opponent for next time.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post11 p4.png (95.3 KB)

The beautiful thing about this sport is anyone can compete. It isn't at all like knife-dueling where it's built from the ground up to favor the elite Jaxtians who spend the most time on their feet, long and svelte bodies. Though you suppose that size and strength still grants a moderate advantage. So when you see a Swall join in, you have to wonder what they're thinking. Maybe they just like to be included.

But you're not about to underestimate her; that is when fools meet their end! So you slam her into the dirt as hard as you can.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post11 p5.png (117.4 KB)

”JUTE!!!!”

“Ow... Oh!”

You lower your hand to help her off the floor. She takes it with a grateful smile.

“Thank you... And thanks for not underestimating me either. All the other men barely want to put their hands on me. I'm already happily mated! I just like this sport...”
”They're used to Vetucker or Jaxtian women... Unthinkable to fight them physically. But I know Swall women are just like the men are. I'd treat you like anyone else in the ring; that is the warrior's way.”

She bows her head, and leaves you for your final match.

>Quest continues tomorrow

>>6380434
Truly, this man is INITIATED

I'd say he would be a cool supreme candidate but we literally just had a supreme who was a "big strongman who is good at fighting", I do not want another Halam.

>>6380435
This guy seems far more philosophical and thoughtful than Halam Anak, to my mind. Okuga isn't a "big strongman" by his race's standards, but rather a small, wily one. He's not won by brute force but by carefully assessing the foe, putting himself into the mindset of them, and then formulating a tailored counterattack. Each time he also shares exactly what he's learned, in a way they can understand. In the process, he always carefully shows respect to them, whatever their deficiencies. He isn't prideful or boastful, but teacherly. He knows all about these others' cultures and how they developed their preferred fighting style.

Unironically a very well-characterized guy in just one and a half updates of his existence.

>>6380437
He's more like Bantham than Halam, yes, but ultimately, he's still a big strongman leader who enjoys physical contests. It's...if he was to be the first alien Supreme, he would be a bit too lame, you get what I mean? He has just about every single trait of a typical supreme except being blue. Nobody would doubt him from being capable of doing all the supreme routines of being "superior"

To put it simply, he's TOO much of a supreme material.

>>6380442
>This man is too qualified! Get me a different minority, one with a wackier neurosis!
I totally get what you mean, but it's still very very funny to think of Supreme selection working in that light.

>>6380451
This guy in particular feels like he wouldn't even play into the interesting aspects of the Vetuckers.
>Stoic commander figure who displays supremacy over others without holding back but leads them afterwards
>Physically strong, but also clever and intelligent
>Considers his people superior for always hating religion

I've seen supremes that were less spiritually jaxtian than this man.

Well, I for once accept Okuga Skyhorn as next supreme

>>6380482
I'm still thinking I'll vote for Jim, but we'll see.

>>6380482
>>6380554
We haven't seen all the candidates, so I have to wonder who the last will be. The guy mentioned three.

>>6380556
I'd say Jim/Blondie(hinted as supreme candidate worthy of dueling Jim)/Okuga
Jim got fabulous hair and would be my second choice of this lineup, but our Vetuckerbro is cool; making me consider a Vetucker supreme over a Swahili not-Jaxtian supreme for the first time

>>6380597
>over a Swahili not-Jaxtian supreme for the first time
I'd wait until we saw said swall candidate before passing judgement. If there was one, that is.

Lock in my ID before we vote for a new supreme.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post12 p1.png (92.7 KB)

Your final Jute bout today is against... a Vetucker. But not a painted face, not a big-horner, not a yellow horn, or one of the little teal people once thought to be mythical dwarves that lived in the hidden places. It's one of the Vetuckers of the great majority group; the Children of Aok.

Why are you looking so smug?

He's confident. No tricks, just pure fitness and skill. Exactly the same as you. Yet despite this, he comes into the ring, with the game your people invented, thinking he's going to win. Like he was just born for it. The kind of arrogance that can only come from the lucky little chosen race. It makes you angry. The judge begins the match and you both charge forward, trying to use momentum to knock the other back or gain an edge, but you're too evenly matched. You keep your legs bowed down low, center of gravity from toppling over, grabbing each other's naked flesh in an attempt to push and pull, but you're both smooth and fat and muscular; making gripping difficult.

Why did the Star-King choose him? The first great Vetucker King, Aok? The one who conquered across the land using gifted technology. Yellow-Horners were always more advanced, always more deserving. You can only think they were chosen to receive the blessing for another reason; simply because the children of Aok, your “mainlanders”, were the most populous and fast-breeding of all the Vetucker races. Or it was pure luck, simply where the Star King landed down and decided to unite the Vetuckers under a single strong leader?

Is that what you're so smug about? Being able to breed like roaches? Or was it just being lucky?

The smug, self absorbed Child of Aok pushes back against you, but you twist your hands, rotating up towards his head. He tries to use a wrestling move to pin you down, but you stick out your knee and steady yourself for a great swing. He falls for the bait, leaning forward to try and climb over your protruding leg, which is all you need to swing your momentum.

And to think, this was the race of Vetuckers who would have inherited your planet alone, exterminating all the others, if it wasn't for the Hegemony's wisdom to preserve your racial differences into perpetuity. Simply because they were gifted the secrets of steal and crop-rotation and the mathematical concept of zero. You prove your people are better.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post12 p2.png (78.9 KB)

You tip him, and slam him against the floor of the arena at an angle.

“Ow! My- My horn!!!”
“FOUL!”

You turn to the Judge, throwing up your hands.

”Aww, come on! Look, I followed the rules! It was an accident!”

After reviewing the events that happened, and having watched the whole thing, the Judge eventually concedes the victory to you. After all, you made it look very much like an accident.

“JUTE!”

You're the undefeated champion for today; your record is updated to reflect this, and you feel pride. You turn to the defeated child of Aok picking up his shattered horn pieces on the floor of the arena. You don't offer to help him up.

”Don't worry, it'll grow back. Hehehe.”

Year 207 of the Resurrection Era

You are Halam Anak once again. You stand in the room holding your nation's most valuable and sacred conquests of war; and touch the Life Machine gingerly. Things have gotten worse in recent months, and the news of the failures of the science team to replicate or reformat the Life Machine back into working condition has dashed all your hopes.

”Threes... Am I that much of a failure?”
“There was no way to know that the “Cradle” wasn't a fully functional life-machine, your Majesty. The technology is the same, but it's just smaller and more rudimentary. More of a mutagen then the life machine's womb; made for editting small creatures or the healing of minor wounds. It is still an invaluable piece of research; and your campaign was still a success to humiliate the Aristocrats.”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post12 p3.png (129.2 KB)

The Life Machine you captured from your Aristocrat humiliation war is deficient. Your best scientists and technicians couldn't replicate what the original, miraculous life machine can do. And given it's been hundreds of years since it last opened, it seems to be inoperable as well. Your one and only hope to be cured of your destructive condition denied to you again.

You take up your iron rod and scowl at the once-living metal-flesh of the Life Machine.

”Why won't you open up? Fix me, damn you!”
“Oh no, your Majesty, don't do that!”

You bash at the great silent machine, slamming it with your iron pipe with all the strength you can two, three times. Then, you feel your back ache and twist, you cough and fall to the ground. Even a few seconds of aggression and expression of your once great strength is too much for you now. You vomit up blood and indigo spittle; the disease ravaging the inside of your body. You are never the same after that.

“W-Why... you gave... Cijan... eternal life... then he gave it away. You won't even make me... not feel... miserable... for one minute... no more of this.... please... no more....”

File: Space Monke Quest14 post12 p4.png (20.7 KB)

After a moment, the Threemind directs your attention to the Cradle again.

“...Why it is no true life machine, the Cradle does have a useful charge. Enough to perform some small miracle of bio-engineering. Our scientists have learned all we can from it, but now it would be best to see it used. It can only edit what is placed inside of its basket at the top.”
”Hmm... What kind of small creature would be most useful here?”
“And I would be remiss to not mention, your Majesty, that you could use it too.”
”Huh? I thought you said-”
“It won't cure you, your Majesty, but it could slow or stop the progression of your disease temporarily. You could fit your head inside, and your body would have time to recover at least some of the damage the collapse has done to you. It will still kill you, but I predict a five year abatement of your worst symptoms before your condition worsens again. It's a temporary measure, but I cannot lie to you.”
”...”

While tempting, you take a moment to consider all of the possible options the Cradle could provide for you and the Hegemony. What should you use its singular charge for?

>Stick your head in and cure as much of your disease as you can (Five years of Halam life extension)
>Create an immortal Nut-Thief to accompany yourself and Supreme Rulers in the future
>Take a Baalathi spawn and imbue it with higher intelligence & communication abilities within the Cradle
>Make a true-breeding plant that emits UV Radiation; the original goal of Project Lightgrown
>Restore the Mind-Fruit within the machine (will learn learn biological memory storage, but cannot edit living memories or create false ones)
>Place a Swall Egg within to perfect one of their species for a possible important role in the future
>Experiment with an Oon crystal within to see if counts as "life" (50% chance of something special or failure)
No write-ins or 1-post IDs allowed for this vote

Oh an approval voting is also allowed for this one since it has a lot of choices. Max of 3 votes per person.

>>6380729
Wait, so, Halam is pretty much dying right now if we don't heal him right?

I'm saying this because if the perfect swall is born after the NEXT Supreme is chosen, he won't even get any chance to take that title himself...that would be a real disappointment.

>>6380729
Hm. I really want to gamble with the Oon crystal, but my gut tells me that's immediately going to waste the charge. I don't like my odds on a coin flip.

#1
>Place a Swall Egg within to perfect one of their species for a possible important role in the future
SUPER FISH
SUPER FISH
SUPER FISH
I want a super fish, and I think that'd be the coolest way to use the charge we have.
#2
>Make a true-breeding plant that emits UV Radiation; the original goal of Project Lightgrown
It's been a hot moment but this is meant to be an anti-worm weapon, right? To get the worms to fuck off? Anything that would harm the worms would be nice.
#3
>Take a Baalathi spawn and imbue it with higher intelligence & communication abilities within the Cradle
I mostly picked this one since the other choices didn't particularly appeal to me. The mind fruit is ontologically evil, the nut thief is whatever, and five years is also whatever? It'd be nice for Halam, and it reads like the 'haha the supreme picks this for you" choice, but what COULD we do in five years?
And again, Oon Crystal is a gamble.

>>6380734
I'm just gonna say it right now that giving the hivemind that has essentially become endemic to our territory is a bad idea and taking a gamble will probably end bad. We cannot get rid of the Balaathi at their numbers, they could literally print out a never-ending navy if they got wise.

I can't vote but...
"Make a true-breeding plant that emits UV Radiation; the original goal of Project Lightgrown"
The Worms would hate this. Whoever originally thought of this is surely both brilliant and extremely good-looking.

>>6380740
That's why I put it in third place on my approval vote. It's basically the only other option I feel like experimenting with besides the ones I actually care for (Swall Egg/UV Radiation). Like, yes, it's risky, at least I'm more willing to gamble on that than a 50% chance of doing absolutely nothing of value, ala the Oon crystal.

You don't exactly need to convince me that it's not a great idea. Just don't vote for it if you think it's a bad idea. I'd rather convince you to vote for the Swall Egg if anything.

>>6380746
I *want* the swall egg, and I will probably vote for it. I'm just asking about Halam because, well, unless he's got a few years left for us to at least get a child supreme like Eoba, he'll just be entirely out of reach. By the time the next Supreme dies he'll be too old.

>>6380726
Hmm, he has a chip on his shoulder after all. or should I say, feet of clay?

>Make a true-breeding plant that emits UV Radiation; the original goal of Project Lightgrown
Nine of the others appeal to me at all.

>>6380729
Well, apparently no answer, and I don't really wanna risk losing my ID, so I'll just put...
>Place a Swall Egg within to perfect one of their species for a possible important role in the future
No approval vote for me so I don't end up accidentally letting something else win.

>>6380729
>Take a Baalathi spawn and imbue it with higher intelligence & communication abilities within the Cradle

Baalathi bros, we can do it. We can make it back into the mainstream!

>>6376855
This chain is me

>>6380765
See >>6380740 why I don't like this idea

Balaathi are too OP. If they start getting ideas of their own we will have a very big ticking timebomb on our doorstep we literally cannot get rid of. Like it's literally impossible. There's too many of them to ever be capable of getting them all, and the moment an intelligent baalathi connects the entire hivemind will update.

It is very the foolish.

>>6380759
Sorry, that information is not freely available. As of right now Halam's life expectancy has not changed without choosing to use the Cradle on himself or if a future choice is made that extends it. If a "biologically perfect" Swall was created however they likely couldn't become "too old" to be a Supreme Candidate since they'd be biologically immortal, but not all Life-Machine subjects were or could be Supreme material to begin with. Consider it independently of the upcoming Supreme choice.

>>6380729
>Place a Swall Egg within to perfect one of their species for a possible important role in the future

Interested in seeing what the perfect Swall is.

>>6380810
>Interested in seeing what the perfect Swall is
Watch as it's a Zhark.

>>6380729
>Place a Swall Egg within to perfect one of their species for a possible important role in the future
I for one am interested in space fish jesus

>>6380729
>Make a true-breeding plant that emits UV Radiation; the original goal of Project Lightgrown

I'm >>6379025

>>6380729
>>Make a true-breeding plant that emits UV Radiation; the original goal of Project Lightgrown

Even though
>Take a Baalathi spawn and imbue it with higher intelligence & communication abilities within the Cradle
seems nice too

>>6380729
>Make a true-breeding plant that emits UV Radiation; the original goal of Project Lightgrown

>>6380888
Looks like my ID reset, I am >>6379600

Welp, this does sound like quite a big crossroads. Let's hope I choose right.

#1
>Restore the Mind Fruit.
I know most voted a hard no on that one and we lost a good monkey for it, but I was absent that time and boy, if hereditary memory isn't a major boon!

2#
>True-breeding UV plant.
Screw you, failed science project! I win anyway!

3#
>Create an intelligent Balathi to serve and spread.
This is going to backfire hard but, oh, well!

I have to say an UV plant is quite literally the lamest possible option out of all of them

Welp, my id reset too. Here is me:
>>6375599
>>6377030

>>6381098
Isn't the whole point of using an ID lock to stop people from doing this? I could just as easily point to some old post and say "ahh yes this is me, I'm voting now"

>>6380734
>>6380750
>>6380759
>>6380765
>>6380810
>>6380824
>>6380856
>>6380869
>>6380888
>>6381094
If I'm counting correctly, that's 10 votes, with...

>4 for Baalathi uplift
>6 for the UV plant
>1 for the Mind-Fruit
>4 for Suepr-Swall

Assuming Bananas is chained votes with new IDs and all that.

>>6381104
I hate to be the one who calls samefag just because his option isn't winning, but like...some vote "chaining" back to the first vote in the thread isn't exactly safe.

>>6381109
I didn't really say backlinking wasn't allowed but I've never really condoned it either. So I'm not sure. I kinda wanted to move away from these "political" sort of counting decisions but not sure its possible when contentious

>>6381112
I get that, but I can't help but be suspicious when a bunch of votes for the lamest possible option come, all blacklisting to some vote that isn't even the last one but some random early vote several updates ago.

>>6380765 baalathi
>>6380810 swall
>>6380856 UV plant
>>6380888 UV plant
>>6381094 mind-fruit/UV/baalathi
These are all the IDs that have very few posts in the vote, and might be considered suspect under various measures. Removing them, there's...
>2 for Baalathi uplift
>3 for the UV plant
>0 for the Mind-Fruit
>3 for Super-Swall

My case for the UV plant is that is has the most obvious benefit against the Cyte and the least chance for catastrophic backfire. Why do you want to do the Swall egg, if you do? I gt that SUPER FISH would be cool, but do we want the Jaxtians to be ruled over by a maybe-immortal fish king, for centuries?

>>6381119
Nice try, but you're linking IDs that already voted before too. Ggvo and feuT had votes from before

Also, the UV plant is a glow in the dark seaweed. The superswall is cool.

>>6381122
Which specific votes are the ones you find suspect, then? What are the totals if you remove them?

>>6381124
How about the two backlinked votes in a row that chain to some random old post in the thread a bunch of updates ago and vote for the same thing?

Well I'll just arbitrarily pick one I like the most then lol

>>6380734
>>6380759
>>6380810
>>6380824
Swall Egg

>>6380750
>>6380856
>>6380869
UV Plant

The only way UV plant wins is if you counted the vote that specifically placed Swall egg first.

>>6381129
That works too.

>>6381130
I didn't rank primacy, just number of votes for each thing.

>>6381130
>>6380765

Change to UV plant, fuck the SWALL

>>6381148
>another chained vote for the UV plant at the last minute
Lol

>>6381130
Want me to use my trip?

File: Space Monke Quest14 Extra Jute.png (966.6 KB)

Sorry for lack of updates on this one; I was hesitant to call it at first. However after looking at the votes Swall egg seems more popular with less backlinks; and this post >>6380734 will be my tiebreaker, as with approval voting this poster technically voted for both Swall and LIGHTGROWN, but placed Swall above it in importance. As such, modifying a Swall egg will be considered the winning vote.

In the meantime, have some bonus lore. Update will hopefully be in 12-16 hours.

>>6381150
Count my vote, asshole. I literally had the same IP and backlinked just in case it switched, but it didn't even switch, so you have zero case for me. I'm >>6380856.

>>6381119
>Anotjer chained vote
THAT GUY HAS THE SAME IP TOO

>>6381348
Okay anon, it's all a very big coincidence

>>6381367
>>6381348
Jesus, I don't even care anymore.

>>6381338
>>6381133 is me, I'l switch to Swall Egg just to stop the bickering and verify when I get home so nobody whinges.

>>6381380
The sun tree will have its day.... someday.

>>6381367
Yes, stupid. You are literally pointing at people who are voting 100% normally, with the same exact IP that they've voted with before, and going !!!!SAMEFAG!!!! with zero justification. If that's your criteria for samefagging, literally anybody could be a samefag, including you, because... guess what... I bet you have an IP that's voted before, too! Maybe only 1posts are safe???

I hate you and your incessant moronic scaremongering and I hope you die. To be honest.

By the way I have a different IP because I'm at work. Which is something people do.

>>6381444
Sorry I pointed out a pattern.

>>6381447
Kill yourself.

Testing to see if I used my computer istead of my phone to post originally and it still remembers the ID

>>6381338
All these arguments aside I just wanna say I do think it's interesting to see more about the *other* vetucker types. Even on the sidequest we only really saw the OG guy.

>>6381455
Nah, the chick who was into gim was a Painty.

Good news: turns out Google can seemingly link both my home computer and personal cellphoneinto the same ID, but apparently can't remember one last used 12 days ago.

..........................So how do I trip, dawg?

>>6381457
Yes, and she was ignored like a moldy potato in favor of the blue hoe. We didn't learn much about the types in general.

We have yet to see the third candidate, I suppose, unless that blonde guy who didn't have anything going for him is it. Maybe it'll be a fishman to have one candidate from three races and to raise the super swall. But between Jim and Okubo Naoya(forma de cow) it's a tough choice. Kinda funny they're both duelists in their own sport.

>>6381460
Nare is good at endurance sports, business, and technical skills, and he enjoys pushing his limits. He's probably out "boring" administrator option, like Cijan the Genius or Halam's golden-age creating gay dad. I agree the other two are more exciting, but I see the strategic value of our leucistic Blackspot option.

>>6381458
## and then a password in the name field.

>>6381457
Bro Painty is so fucking good man lmao
The players ability to create racial slurs is the proudest achievement of the Monke community.

>>6381487
I'll add that to my list of Space Monke accomplishments. Thanks, QM.

>>6381380
Oh, right. Confirming: this is me.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post13.png (135.1 KB)

"If it can't really cure me, there's no point in wasting it on a lost cause..."
"You could place an infant on the pedestal, but it's DNA-editing would be more akin to mutation then true gene sculpting. It seemed to be designed for small creatures or on the fly edits. But an embryonic state would be perfect for this."
"....A Swall egg. Threes, can you select something fitting for me?"
"Databanks show a few preserved Swall eggs with no surviving relatives; almost all from the Esaal's massacre on HBTP-OW1. One in particular shows heavy damage, as well possible genetic damage that would lead to terminal illness and early death."
"That one is perfect. Bring it here."

You have no ability to use the machine. It is not like your technology, more "unseen" and instinctual. Just as the Life Machine requires someone to "interface" with it, which your Starseers are seemingly capable of doing. Yet despite this, the Aristocrats do not "see" the way the Starseers and worms do. Very strange. This is one of those mysteries you hope to uncover with your Academy, not that you will live to see them.

"I can't fix myself... but I can fix you, little one."

The Threemind informs you that beyond repairing genetic damage and providing a benefit to the growing Swall within, the Cradle also allows for unique cosmetic alterations. The Swall as a species are very homogeneous in appearance, though this is less due to a long history of genocide and racial cleansing and instead more due to convergent evolution and high safety reproduction; preventing genetic drift. Still, a few of the more notable Swall families have special traits, which could be replicated here to adopt the fetal Swall into one. But really, if the Cradle is anything like the Life Machine, then the sky really is the limit.

What would you like the genetically modified Swall's special visual trait to be?
>Deepcurrent
>Streakeyes
>Ribbonfin
>Tidehunter
>Zhark-like traits of prehistoric Swall
>Unique coloration (Write-In)
>Other (Write or Draw-in; one to two simple traits MAX)

>>6381565
I'm gonna be honest with you Bananas I don't know which is which. What orders are the names on?

>>6381569
1 2
3 4

>>6381570
Well, on that case...
>Ribbonfin
Unless someone else thinks of something else it looks coolest. Kinda like hair.

Next we just need to make sure someone raises him well. I don't trust Okubo with this, next thing you know he decides that it's unfair a swall was chosen to become perfect rather than a vetucker and he breaks his neck.

File: tegaki.png (9.3 KB)

>>6381569
Dots are Deepcurrent, Streakeyes ahve the stripes under the eyes, Ribbon Fin have thsoe trailing tendrils, Tidehunters are spiky and have cute little fangs.

>>6381565
>Zhark-like traits of prehistoric Swall
Just like Halam is the kind of guy to impulsively give fishwomen tits, I like to think he would agree sharks are cool.

>>6381574
I like the big sharp fins but I don't really want the kid to turn out into some hulking monstrosity that will never be able to land a mate because he looks like the swall equivalent of an austrolopithecus.

>>6381575
Look anon, I just wanted the glowie plants. Now I'm being given the unexpected opportunity for a semi-immortal (?) shark-man from space. I must do what I must do.

>>6381581
Fair enough, but don't blame me when the kid is all depressed.

File: jawsome.png (262.7 KB)

>>6381582
>sad
>as a Street Shark
No way.

File: ill-do-it-again-goofy.gif (445.9 KB)

>>6381565
>Unique coloration: BLUE

>>6381592
Voting for that.

>>6381565
>Zhark-like traits of prehistoric Swall
>Unique coloration (Monke Blue)
Bluey 2 Electric Boogaloo, except hes gonna be basically an alpha Swall and be blue, we can expect it to be all sorts of fucking wild, I for one am eager and ready to see Shark monke orphan child of Supreme Halam Anak immortal ocean king of HBTP-OW1, lets just make sure we show him the benefits of serving the hegemony as he will be a highly intelligent predatory version of an already highly intelligent poison spitting fishman, hes going to be a walking unspeakable amongst swall if he sets off their genetic fear responsesas well but itll be badass

>>6381565
>Ribbonfin
>Unique coloration - Blue

If we're making one with our colouration, make it the one with the 'tails'.

>>6381718
Damn, that's kind of based, but I can't turn my back on King Shark.

>>6381574
>>6381589
+1

>>6381565
>>Zhark-like traits of prehistoric Swall
I just think it's neat. Idm if its blue or not.
>>6376848
This is me, Phoneposting is ass

>zhark traits and blue skin
Bitch that's just a shark

File: Gfnex7oWkAAYJJV.jpg (44.1 KB)

>>6381933

Looks like prehistoric Swall/Zhark features is winning. Are we also adding blue to this as well, or just regular Swall colors?
>Blue
>Yellow

>>6381991
>Blue with yellow highlights
Failing that
>Yellow

I know I was memeing about the blue shark being cool, and it is, but I also know that a certain QM likes the color-coded element of our main races.

>>6381991
I'm assuming this vote means no update today? Either way, seems like blue is winning to me, but I'm fine with either.

>>6381996
I think I'll skip it for today since I wasn't sure what to draw (lol) and also because it's a bit more of a complex/multi-faceted choice that I wasn't sure what the majority of people really wanted. I've been trying to keep up with a once daily update schedule for this thread though.

>>6382011
Fair enough, though it's not like you had to draw the man now if the egg wasn't gonna be born till later.

>>6381995
Yeah, I can support this. I'm not particularly keen of having yet another LE BLUE race, but blue and yellow is a nice color combination.
Keeping them yellow if that's not an option is A-OKAY too.

>>6381995
I think I'd prefer "yellow with blue highlights" if I had to chose, but whatever.

>>6381565
>Ribbonfin
>Yellow with blue highlights

I can't vote quite now, but I will just say, I feel like there's a chance having a color split will end up looking ugly. I can picture a blue swall, but blue and yellow? Yellow and blue? That one's harder to picture.

File: Space Monke Quest14 post14 p1.png (129.0 KB)

Rolled 2 (1d2)

File: Space Monke Quest14 post14 p2.png (82.3 KB)

It is not too long after your experiments with the Cradle and signing off the modified Swall egg to a loving family who will hopefully raise the creature well that you return to your duties in running the empire.

One day, a communication occurs coming from Consortium space. It is signaled as being important, but is not a Consortium-coded message from their trade networks or high command. You ask the Threemind to patch it through, and much to your surprise, it is a direct communication from your longest standing enemy...

"Hello, your Majesty. I am one speaking on behalf of the Aannel, and the wider galactic community."
"...What do you want?"
"Nothing! This is a friendly message. Simply put, we know you will be selecting an heir to the throne soon, and as a part of the ever-closer galactic community, we would simply like to express our concern and desire for you to consider selecting a non-Jaxtian to succeed you. It would be an unprecedented event in your history; and we believe would be a great step forward for intergalactic peace, diversity, and inclusion for the races of the Galaxy."
"I will choose as I wish, worm."
"Of course! Consider this but a bit of... friendly advice."

>Insult the worm threaten sanctions for trying to interfere with your own culture
>Keep things cordial
>Reply with a picture of a sun and nothing more
>Ask for further clarification on why it cares about this
>Other (write-in)

>>6382437
>Threaten to eat their children, only the death of their entire race would make up for their crimes

>>6382437
>Reply with a picture of a sun and nothing more

>>6382437
Ah, nice try, but I know very well what he's trying to do here. Let me go firs through the most likely scenario
A - He is trying to goad us
He knows very well we're no friends of them. They could very well have some sort of trap for our next supreme, but it would only work against a Jaxtian.

A - He is being genuine
He believes that a Non-Jaxtian might be more willing to stop the war against the worm and enter their scheme.

Either way, both options just make me feel like it would be a better option, so what I'm gonna vote for, is

>>6382437
>Threaten sanctions, but quietly consider some candidates that might fit the bill
Okugo and Ribbonfin, maybe? Only characters we know of that fit.

>>6382443
I just realized we could also probably reply with a sun instead of answering.

But still, I beg you anons to consider that this is certainly not him being genuine. The worms aren't stupid enough to believe we'd take them on their advice. It's a goad. They want us to go "Well we're gonna choose a jaxtian out of spite!"

>>6382437
>Ask for further clarification on why it cares about this
This could give us a clue as to what their game is.

>>6382439
Do not eat parasitic worms.

>>6382474
...Or it could just be them trying to confuse us more. Then again, maybe I'm trying too hard. I've made it very well clear what kind of supreme I want.