∝Transmission 004: Transformed Boundaries

[gauntletmods]

[outside the windows, the anomaly racks the ships, whipping them about and even making the station quaver. this unsettling turbulence continues for days before a bright light blinds those on the station to the space beyond, lasting several hours before it finally dims. relative serenity returns to the space outside, and not long after, the voice of DIVA sounds from the Spheres, but something isn’t quite right about her.]

Th░s ░s Đ░Ʌ▓, g░˄░ng not░ce to ▓ll non-comm░ss░oneḋ ▓nḋ f░elḋ-enl░steḋ p▓rsonn░l.

The ▓nom▓l░ h▓s p▓sseḋ from th░s s▓ctor ▓nḋ c▓n no long░r be ḋ░tect▓ḋ. S░stems ▓re ḋ▓m▓geḋ b▓t funct░on▓l ▓nḋ ▓re c▓rrentl░ ░n░t░▓l░z░ng. Est░m▓teḋ t░me to full s░stems reco˄er░: fort░-e░ght ho▓rs.

P░rsonn▓l ▓re to be ▓d˄░seḋ th▓t the sh░ps h▓˄e b░en neg▓t░˄el░ ▓ffecteḋ b░ th░s ▓nom▓l░. Đ▓e to sp▓ce- t░me w▓rp░ng, sh░ps ▓esug░ ▓nḋ Đ░meter h▓˄e f▓seḋ ░rre˄oc▓bl░ ▓s well ▓s sh░ps H▓wk░ng ▓nḋ Stell▓. Đ░▓gnost░cs ▓re be░ng run to ▓ss▓re th▓t the result░ng sh░ps ▓re sp▓ceworth░, ▓nḋ the crew of ▓ll sh░ps ▓re be░ng restr▓ct▓reḋ. For the t░me be░ng, crew pre˄░ousl░ ▓ss░gneḋ to the Đ▓m░ter sho▓lḋ r▓port to the ▓esug░, ▓nḋ crew from the Stell▓ sho▓lḋ rep▓rt to the H▓wk░ng. Ple▓se ret░rn to the sh░ps ▓s s░on ▓s poss░ble.

▓utom▓teḋ s░stems ▓re cur░entl░ ḋown, ▓nḋ non-comm░ss░oneḋ crew ▓re short-st▓ffeḋ. ▓s ▓ result, f░elḋ-comm░ss░oneḋ crew ▓re requ░st▓ḋ to ▓░ḋ non-░omm░ss░oneḋ crew ▓s the░ ▓re ▓ble. F░elḋ-comm░ss░oneḋ cr░w, ple▓se check ░our Sph▓res for ▓n ▓ss░gnment roster of requ░reḋ t▓sks bef░re we ▓re ▓ble to ḋep▓rt fr░m th▓ T░rl░z.

▓s ▓lw▓░s, ░ou ▓re ex░ecteḋ to obser˄e ░nterg▓l▓ct░c ▓ll░▓nce regul▓t░ons. ▓nother ▓nno▓nce░ent w░ll be m▓ḋe when ▓ll s░stems ▓re funct░on▓l ▓nḋ the ch▓░n of comm▓nḋ ░s r▓storeḋ.

[Note that this is a visual indication that DIVA’s auditory functions are not working properly. As such, her speech sounds somewhat garbled, littered with intermittent bouts of static and mispronunciations. Despite this, characters should still be able to understand her for the most part. The translation is as follows:]

This is DIVA, giving notice to all non-commissioned and field-enlisted personnel.

The anomaly has passed from this sector and can no longer be detected. Systems are damaged but functional and are currently initializing. Estimated time to full systems recovery: forty-eight hours.

Personnel are to be advised that the ships have been negatively affected by this anomaly. Due to space-time warping, ships Uesugi and Demeter have fused irrevocably as well as ships Hawking and Stella. Diagnostics are being run to assure that the resulting ships are spaceworthy, and the crew of all ships are being restructured. For the time being, crew previously assigned to the Demeter should report to the Uesugi, and crew from the Stella should report to the Hawking. Please return to the ships as soon as possible.

Automated systems are currently down, and non-commissioned crew are short-staffed. As a result, field-commissioned crew are requested to aid non-commissioned crew as they are able. Field-commissioned crew, please check your Spheres for an assignment roster of required tasks before we are able to depart from the Tirliz.

As always, you are expected to observe Intergalactic Alliance regulations. Another announcement will be made when all systems are functional and the chain of command is restored.


DETAILS

It’s finally time to get the ball rolling, and we’re so glad you guys have stuck around! If you’re wondering what’s going on, basically the four ships have been consolidated into two. The remaining ships, the Uesugi and the Hawking, retain their names because their outward appearance and construction are the most dominant in the features of the new ships. The Demeter and the Stella, respectively, now form specific regions of the new Uesugi and Hawking.

In addition to this transformation, the chain of command has also shifted. With the disappearance of the previous commanders, the Alliance has sent two of their own: The Uesugi is now under the command of Leon Menaeus basiliscos and Jaden Farix kerhah has been put in charge of the Hawking. You can contact either of them through voicemail here and here respectively, but they may or may not be terribly cordial.

And what’s going on with DIVA? Because of the anomaly and the number it did on the ships, DIVA is currently trying to recover from the mess as well. While she’s got a few bugs in her systems and this is evidenced by various small malfunctions throughout both of the ships, it appears the Commanders aren’t too concerned with this fact. If anything, the crew feels heartened by their arrival - but whether it’s warranted or not is yet to be seen.

Both ships will be departing shortly after all members of the crew are on board, so be sure not to tarry in returning. The Commanders haven’t forgotten the mission and it’s time to get back into business, malfunctions and disrepair notwithstanding.

Those returning to the ships will find no shortage of tasks awaiting them, whether it’s something simple like sweeping up bits of debris, or helping with repairs, or trying to work out a new map of the changed interiors of the Uesugi and Hawking.

As a result of the changes, several things in the mod journal have changed as well! Most changes are minor; they reflect the merging of two ships. All crew assignments in the taken list have been adjusted. Former Uesugi crew are now part of the Uesugi: Combat Division and Demeter is the Uesugi: Medical Division. Hawking crew are now the Hawking: Science Division and Stella inhabitants are the Hawking: Civilian Division. These changes in assignments can be seen in the updated and revamped Crew Manual, the appropriate sections in the applications page, FAQ, and even the Admiral's message to newcomers!

Most of the changes have been cosmetic, but you'll find that the biggest changes have been in the Crew Manual, namely in the crew facilities sections. There are now defined levels, or sectors, where different features are located. Like all crew quarters on the Uesugi are now located in Sectors 34-36, along with the viewing decks and lounges. But where there might have been other combat-related facilities on the Uesugi are now things like the medical bay, science labs, and the biospheres within their own sectors. The docking bays, now located in Sectors 18-24 on the Hawking, do have a space limit now, up to three Gundam-sized mechas each (and should we ever max out the capacity the docking bay sectors, things can be adjusted.) Travel between the sectors can be done through the use of transportation pads--just say which sector you want, or pull it up on the menu, and off you go! These aren't to be confused with the transporter stations that only work for ship-to-ship travel. These are located at the bow and stern of the ships.

Also, we've added a new banner ad and a new pimp code entry in the mod journal! Feel free to use both/either ads to promote the game! Coding can be found here!

And as a bit of housekeeping, we wanted to ask all players, if it hasn't been done already, to be sure to put your application for Gauntlet into either your profile or have a link on the profile leading to your application. Thank you!

If anyone has questions, comments, or concerns about anything, please comment to this post and the mod team will get to you ASAP.