agoge | >>@SGT | TO: @ALL.

For the curious, we have finally found the source of the coolant shortages.

You may have noticed a certain oddity with your dreams as of late, and a greater and greater difficulty in waking from them. I can confirm that you have regrettably-- and entirely accidentally-- stumbled into the dreams of your neighbors and comrades. To those whose privacy has been invaded: we ask for your understanding and kindness. This was the fault of no member of COST.

A trans-dimensional creature known as the Oneiroi, the Telpharan, or more commonly, shapers, have invaded our ship. Colonies of the creature are known to invade ships and BASE models, consuming coolant while distracting their enemies with dreams and visions. These creatures currently live in our walls.

[Attached is an image of a rather exasperated Commander Grothia, flanked by several DACTYL droids, standing before a hole ripped in the wall of BASE's many hallways. She holds a shaper up to the camera, while several DACTYL droids chase more of the creatures escaping out of the walls behind her.]

I have been studying the creatures, and reading up on what histories and zoological studies have been written about them. Debate rages over their sentience-- some believe them to be pests. Others think them intelligent, sentient, sapient creatures who, while incapable of spoken language, communicate nonetheless through the language of dreaming. It is believed by some that the choices they make, of whose dreams to invade, whose to link, and how those connections are made, are an attempt to welcome other sentient creatures into their colonies, to make connections and be understood.

Debate has also continued amongst your command on how to best handle these creatures. Because their intelligence and self awareness is currently unknown, debated even now in scientific communities across the multiverse, we are ourselves unsure how to best deal with this problem. We leave it up to you.

In two days time, I shall put up a poll on the BCE network, and I encourage all to vote in favor of how these creatures should be dealt with: eradication, or (as my comrade has termed it) catch-and-release. Both posit their own risks: the possibility of a mass slaughter of sentient lifeforms, or the possibility of a resurgence of this infection. For myself, I shall not argue with the results, or argue either side. It is your choice to make, my poor fellow-soldiers.

For now: I ask you to consider the matter carefully. You may, of course, ask me any questions you like. I encourage you to debate this matter as thuroughly as you are able.

And in two days' time, I urge you: vote.

[ooc Yep, let's talk about the shaper infection. Characters can ICly debate here (threadjacking encouraged!); there will be an IC vote on the 19th, with results on the 21st. Ask any OOC questions you might have over here.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah but they're not like... trying to burrow into our chests and pop out or anything

that sounds straight out of some weird movie. but how do we know they cant do that?

They kinda got a cute look goin' for them. I dunno... just not the type that's gonna try and devour us.

Ehhh...Maybe I'm wrong. I mean, generally speaking, with women too, it's the cute ones that are the most likely to rip your heart open lol

[ ??????????????????????? ]

women in your time do that? you have some sort of protection against it, right? [ TAKING THIS VERY LITERALLY... ]

[Holy shit this is adorable???

In a rip your heart out kind of way.

Still.]

Nah dude, even after all these centuries we haven't figured out a way to stop it from happenin'