http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/songs/datpossumf.html

Probably among the oldest recordings in Doug's archives, this song has two effects - it creates a hound simulacrum that will seek out any possums within range of doggy senses, and any possums in Doug's AoE are subject to a continuously renewed stun effect the renders them catatonic for the duration. Whether he takes the advice on what to do with any possums found is up to Doug to decide.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

Silus Markin read the the four emails in front of him and sighed, it was going to be one of those decades, he could feel it.

From: petitsnake@node1856184545.secure.fen
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Hey Marky!

Got the call from Ilya about her friend Katyusha going up for a trip on a rocket! How nuts is that! I hear she wants to ride it all the way to Shiva!

Well, tell her that I'm good to meet her at the final stop-over on Sedna.

Peace out!

Miranda Petit, Commander, Black Talon Group

From: [REDACTED].gov.ru
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Rocket Parts Delivery

Mr Markin,

We have received the email concerning the special rocket motor delivery to your facility from Gorkiy 21 Rocket Testing Facility and have prepared the necessary rocket parts for you.

We at the Russian Federation thank you for the generous contributions made to our government and technical aid for our Blackjack-S program. We acknowledge that you possess the right to manufacture and sell the Blackjack-S, but wish to remind you that selling the Blackjack-S with full nuclear strike capability without our permission is inadvisable.

We look forward to hearing from MD-0000 regarding the special order she has made to our government, and I am certain my counterpart in the United States is also waiting anxiously.

Major General [REDACTED], Commander, Russian Space Forces.

From: [REDACTED].af.mil
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Special Delivery

Markin,

I honestly don't know what you people plan on doing with these, but the higher-ups have signed off on them and they're busy covering their asses so what you and the MD's have planned must involve one fucking big bang.

We'll have them ready for pick-up at Vandenberg, and for god's sake, keep this quiet. We don't need another South Ossetia on our hands here.

[REDACTED]

From: hr@triaxinternal.secure.triax
To: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.triax
Subject: New Profile and Catalogue

Hey there Silus,

Here's the new profile for the public website and our new catalogue with internal notations. We just need final approval and we'll update the site immediately.

Also, we need to work on the stealth layers for the Zombieland and Luna Vista caches for the Material Defenders. MD-0000 just contacted me and she's putting Katyusha into Stage One, so I'm rotating the necessary workers to the Earth Shakers.

Karen

Silus Markin downloaded the file and glancing at another email, began writing up a reply with a carbon copy to another recipient.

From: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.triax
To: hr@triaxinternal.secure.triax
CC: security@triaxinternal.secure.triax

Karen, and if you get this, Jonathon.

If Katyusha is at Stage One, then they've already informed their Russian government clients that they need the SS-27's delivered to us. I want one of our cargo loaders to drop by and pick up the missile bodies for delivery and for god's sake, just use the rocket motor excuse, no need for stories here people.

And get two of the Cargo Valkyries ready for a 'test flight' to Zombieland and Luna Vista, get those caches moved to their Zero Sites for the Material Defenders to grab immediately.

I want full priority security on the work areas for the SS-27's, full ID checks, scanners, the fucking works. DO NOT let those Great Justice fucks find out we're working on these for the Material Defenders and their little covert operation, the Russian Government is covering for us, so be certain to point the finger at them.

We should have the MOABs and FOABs here at least two weeks after the SS-27's arrive, and I want the same security procedures in place for them. If GJ asks, just tell them we're working on one of the smoke-screen projects, like the Minovsky Particle or the fighter-scale particle cannon, take your pick it should get them rolling their eyes and leaving us alone, we didn't spend four years building that fake reputation for nothing!

Silus sent the email and opened the file with the new corporate profile and public catalogue as he looked at the date. It was October 4th, 2021, and he knew the covert war between the Material Defenders and GTV was going to enter into its final stages.

-Triax Corporation Website Front Page, Updated December 15th, 2021-
Welcome to the Triax Corporation website, where we strive to provide you with high-quality munitions, cybernetics and aerospace technology in these rapidly advancing times of uncertainty and excitement. Here at Triax we believe that anyone should have access to our products regardless of affiliation, personal creed, history or future intentions, because we at Triax do not believe in pre-emptively judging someone when they come to purchase from us, and because of that willingness to sell to anyone, anytime, we can provide you with quality products and strive to make them better and release newer products that pass the savings on to you!

Perhaps even more importantly, Triax recognises that although military strength is being reduced with the end of the Boskone War, the need for armed security options remains as high as ever with pockets of criminals and terrorists still out there beyond the Main Belt and perhaps even in extrasolar locations. Mercenary and private security companies present a constant drain on resources and money because as the client you pay not just for their services but for their upkeep as well in terms of food, oxygen and munitions. We at Triax believe that the costs of maintaining your own personal armed security option should always be far below that of maintaining a private security contract and thus strive constantly to ensure our products can be maintained with the bare minimum of available resources with only slight decreases in performance values, or upgraded to suit your own personal needs.

We at Triax are also striving to bring into existence technology from other fictional sources to you, the customer! Because we believe that so long as Fenspace marches forward in technological progress, there is no future challenge or adversity that cannot be faced!

Triax looks forward to helping refine modern particle weapon technology, engage in pioneering research to create the Minovsky particle for cleaner and more powerful nuclear fusion technologies and perhaps most importantly to the construction of ships and habitats; feasible and affordable means to construct Mega-Damage Capacity meta-materials for both personal and military police operations and open the way to modern mega-structural engineering.

And with that we welcome you to Triax Corporation! Where We Seek The Future!

For those living in the U.S...and those who are not living in the U.S., this challenge:
A proposed citizenship test
One of the more radical proposals concerning citizenship is that you are not guaranteed to have it at birth, but must earn it at age 18 and pass a test every 10 years to renew it. So, let's see how you folks do on the first try.
You need a minimum of 30 to pass. 50 or over, you passed with distinction.
I got 55 on the first try. Cold. No googling. No help. Let us see how the rest of you do, eh?
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

Hey, is anyone here a native German speaker ... or even just really up on the idioms?  There's a question that's been bothering me every now and then for decades.
It started while I was stationed in Germany in the '80s, went into the nearest town on some business, and during a leisure moment checked out some books on a rack.  One was Patricia McKillip's The Riddle-Master of Hed, although I can't recall what title the translator gave it.  Glancing through it, I noticed that two, at least, of the personal names had been changed as part of the translation.  For one of them, it was obvious why:  the character's name in the English version is Deth, and the expected pun is a minor plot point, so I wasn't at all surprised that in the German copy, he was Thod.  

But then the female lead, Raederle, has her name changed to Rendel.  I've always figured that "Raederle" might be or resemble something idiomatic in German that you wouldn't want as the name of one of the most beautiful women in the world, which she's several times mentioned to be.  I can't find anything in Cassell's to support that, though.  Does anyone else have an answer on this?  It's not like it's important, but it nags at me once in a while.
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

Saw this off the Trion Forums.  Amazing dimension building work.  Moreso because this was built in a dimension that was originally a palm tree desert oasis.

This is an on-again-off-again story; I won't be updating it as often as Dartz updates stories. But I want to do some writing despite my suddenly-increased workload at the office, so here's a project I'm making public ... -Rob

Sad news from the world of Epic Marital Arts and Exploitation cinema.
Jim 'The Dragon' Kelly lost his battle with cancer (it is unknown at this time if cancer was armed with a metal hand like Dr. Han.)
With his you-could-lose-a-small-child-in-it-afro, loose and powerful karate style and colourful dialog, Jim Kelly could have come right out of a comic book.
One of a kind.
(And apparently a stone cold killer in the seniors professional tennis circles - who knew?)

From: [REDACTED]@shell.clearinghouse.fen
To: [REDACTED]
Subject: GTV Enquiry

Hello [REDACTED],

I recently received your request by your government for information on the Material Defender splinter group known as the GTV. I am quite happy to make the necessary inquiries for you and your superiors for the necessary information regarding the faction as a whole, but be aware that while the Material Defenders are quite secretive, the GTV take this to new levels. I dare say that outside of the major factions, Great Justice and Star Patrol, there isn't any Fen who actually know of the GTV's existence. Be aware that much of the information is incomplete and outright not available and the Material Defenders will not press for those details as it is they who are the sole point of contact with the GTV.

However, I will endeavour to acquire the information once payment from your group is confirmed.

Good day.

From: [REDACTED]
To: [REDACTED].shell.clearinghouse.fen
Subject: Confirmed

Payment has been made. We expect prompt delivery of the information.

From: MD0000.node8472334.secure.fen
To: [REDACTED].shell.clearinghouse.fen
Subject: GTV Profile Information

[REDACTED],

Do not think we are unaware of your attempts to sell out our brothers and sisters in the GTV to MI6, nor should you think that we will allow such an insult to stand. The corporate masters that hold your leash acknowledge your usefulness, in spite of your weakness that you share with the rest of the Daneside naifs and the Fen who disarm even as pockets of Boskonians still fester for us to recruit from, but have sealed your doom.

Your masters have approved this information release, but you will not live to see the money. The GTV will ensure that for them.

Farewell,

MD-0000

GTV Faction Overview:
Formed early in the formation of the Material Defenders, the GTV are a splinter group from the outlaw Fen faction, following their intent to recreate as much of the Descent Freespace games as possible. Because of this focus, the GTV would focus on deep-space survival, fighter and bomber tactics, and coordinated military strikes that integrated their Boskonian and Reaver raiding tactics to form a group of highly-trained and exceptionally dangerous fighter and bomber pilots who take their own secretive and volatile nature to its natural extreme. Unlike the Material Defenders who are forced to exist in the open, the GTV disguise their activities as Boskonian activity and operate from the darkest corners of the Solar System, concealing themselves from a society that they have rejected fully, interacting only through their Material Defender kin.

The GTV's existence is often difficult to prove, as their willingness to act as Reavers, Zwilniks and Boskonians in order to hide their true nature, ultra-hostile attitude to anyone but Material Defenders and their total shunning of Fenspace at large, make information on them difficult to acquire. That you are reading this document means you are a fellow Material Defender or one entrusted with our secrets. If you are not, it will not be the Material Defenders who will see you dead, it will be our brethren in the GTV who will be your executioners.

Heed this single warning, and destroy this document, else read onwards and risk their fury.

-Document requires authorisation decision to access fully. Do you wish to continue reading?-

It's "help me find that fic again" time, people.  This one got a reference here just a few months ago but for the life of me I can't find it now.  Synopsis:  Agatha Heterodyne gets thrown into the Stargate universe via lab accident, before she discovers she's a Spark.  It was being posted on SpaceBattles.
Can anyone point me at it again?  Thanks.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Experimenting with a new style of story... hope you like it. Feel free to comment!

***************

Mindtech lab, private memo of Cathy, 20. March 2024

We called it ‘The Third Eye’.

While Quattros mind interface system was either a large tube or at least a tight helmet, the 3E was the first success to miniaturize it. Most of us calling it the best augmented reality interface we know.

The first Third Eye was a more limited and specialized design without the ability to read and write the memory and personality of a person. Its circuits and effectors were focused on reading and writing the sensor processing part of the brain. It allowed an external computer to project optical and acoustic data into the brain or recording incoming data.

With some training, a catgirl could learn to use the Third Eye to focus her thought in a way the computer could record, which allowed to use it similar to a neural link of a cyborg. As soon as they became available, the Third Eye quickly replacing other augmented reality systems used by Catgirl Industries. Improved versions could even read the mood and stress levels of the user and projecting them to another 3E user, enabling some kind of voluntary empathy.

Unfortunately, while we thought the device was safe to use in 2021, we also discovered a few pit traps during the further development of the technology.

-----

“Cathy, you better come down to the Mindtech lab right now. Something strange is going on here!”

Vivio’s voice sounded concerned and Cathy quickly hurried towards the lab area where they were experimenting with the Mind Computer interface tech they had acquired from Quattro years ago.

When Cathy arrived at the door of the lab, Vivio was already waiting for her.

“Something bad happened?” she asked, but Vivio just shrugged with her shoulders.

“I am not sure, they had planned a test with an improved Third Eye today... but when I entered the lab, I noticed something was off” Vivio answered. “Just ask Jenny what is going on, you will see what happens.”

Jenny was a special case among the catgirls of Jenga, the first and only successful Alpha Fork of a catgirl. Her "sister" Jerry had been both a successful Eezo and Mindtech researcher, which put her into a difficult situation when most of the Eezo research moved to Nostromo.

In an acute fit of Mad Science Jerry had locked herself into her private lab for a whole week in Mid 2019, trying to implement the methods of a paper about medical cloning from the Vesta Institute and sidestepping problems by running the result through a modified catgirling machine. When the catgirls broke the doors of the lab a week later, they found two identical catgirls sleeping in the burned out remainders of the laboratory. Jerry had successfully copied her whole mind content into the clones empty brain, duplicating herself effectively. But neither of them could remember what happened during the week.

In the end Jerry moved out to Nostromo to continue her research on Eezo while Jenny stayed on Jenga, working with the Mind Tech team. Both catgirls were still exchanging ideas and news on a regular basis and Jenny stated she wanted to transfer memories between each other.

“Jenny, I heard there are some issues” Cathy stated as she pushed open the lab doors and looked around. “Maybe you can tell me why Vivio is a bit concerned?”

Two catgirls smiled as they heard Jenny’s name and Cathy had the feeling both wanted to say something. They looked at each other for a moment and then one of them chuckled.

“Don’t worry Cathy, everything is working fine. We are just testing a new Third Eye” one of them said. “I can assure you there is no need to worry about.”

“Neither of you are Jenny.” Cathy stated flatly and looked through the room where the catgirl she recognized as Jenny was working. “I'd like to hear from Jenny herself!”

The two catgirls looked at each other again with a confused look.

“Are you sure?”

----

I tried to talk with Jenny a few times, but it was a frustrating experience. She seemed to be distracted and looking just confused when I asked to talk with her in private.

But it wasn't looking that they had a bad time... everyone in the lab was focused on their work, smiling about some insight I could not even see.

The lab was much more quiet than usual, but their speed of work was astonishing. I was feeling a bit frustrated not being able to follow them quickly enough. This was one of my major research areas too!

From time to time one of them was smiling at me or patting on my shoulder, telling me that everything was fine and I should not worry. But nobody was willing to stop working, not even for a short walk into the Cafeteria to get a snack.

I finally gave up and asked Vivio to help me setting up some measurement equipment. We had to find out what was going on in the lab.

----

“How could this have happened Vivio” Cathy said and sighed. “I thought we were a bit more careful, how could a large part of the team develop completely new hardware and test it on themselves without telling anyone?”

“I do not think its new hardware Cathy” Vivio replied, “they are just using the newest iteration of the Third Eye hardware. I checked it myself, they just decided to use it in a different way than normal.”

“Different way? Vivio, we have a group of researchers who still can do successful research but are not sure who they are anymore!” Cathy spit out. “Thats a little bit more than the Third Eye should be able to do.”

“I agree, but they let me look through their logfiles. They started this morning with a new software that allowed direct mind-to-mind communication in voice and images. Seems to be very easy, almost reflexive to use. Think about it, instead of asking your team members a question you just think it and you get a visual answer within the blink of an eye.”

“Okay, I can see that this is a little bit unusual” Cathy said, “but that doesn’t explain their current behaviour!”

“No, it doesn’t... but they kept working through the day and the whole communication network somehow became synchronized. Thoughts flying back and forth without much conscious thinking.” Vivio explained. “And then this noon the group wrote a patch to increase the bandwidth of the Brain-Machine interface. Instead of sharing images and text, they were able to push whole blocks of memory through their Third Eye. It seems to require a special kind of concentration, but they say its easy to do after getting used to it.”

“Wait a moment... you say they use a small clip-on interface to extract and integrate full memories?” Cathy asked as her hairs stood on edge. “Where do they get the storage space to filter them?”

“I am not sure, they are using the connection directly brain to brain, no filter involved. Which meant they didn’t even need to formulate an answer to a question, they just send the experience they would use themselves as a reply” Vivio said. “But they quickly ran into a well known problem. You cannot just send raw knowledge without its context, it takes time to integrate this kind of data into your own experience. But they found a solution for this, they just transferred the context too.”

“They can’t, there is not enough unused memory in a metahuman brain to add this much data that quickly” Cathy protested, “not without overwriting parts of your own knowledge and memory.”

“You are right, but there is a horrible elegant solution for this” Vivio acknowledged. “You don’t copy the knowledge and context to someone, you swap it with something you know. Which got them into the mess they are at in. Somehow their thought processes began to distribute themselves through the network.”

“And now we have to find a way to separate them again” Cathy said and sighed. “That will be difficult.”

“First we have to persuade them that we may separate them at all Cathy! They are excited, they are feeling good. I am not sure they will agree to stop their little experiment!”

----

Vivio was right, they were feeling well, almost ecstatic. We tried to talk them into slowly dropping their connections, but they just refused.

They were still working on some details of the Third Eye, increasing the scalability of their link and allowing more catgirls to join them. Luckily they were running into a couple of hardware issues with the wireless link, otherwise the number of affected catgirls could have grown quite quickly.

After wasting an hour trying to persuade them to stop the experiment, we started bringing in more equipment to the lab next door to get a better look at the communication details that were happening. The situation looked stable enough so we had enough time to setup everything.

At least we believed we had.

Just an hour later the train wreck we were watching began to speed up again.

----

"Cathy?" one of the catgirls asked, "can you maybe do us a favor?"

"Sure... did you thought again about the arguments to stop your link in a controlled way so we can work on replicating it later?" Cathy answered. "We are all worried about you, we just want to help!"

"No no, Cathy... you should try it yourself, you would understand why we don't want to stop. We are doing great work here, it is exciting and fun!" she answered. "But we are still working on a few small quirks on the network... which is the reason why we need your help."

"Few small quirks" Cathy murmured, but then she nodded. "Tell me what is the problem and we can see how we can solve it."

"No, they are not really quirks... but they are annoying. You have to understand, we store everything we share between each other in short term memory, otherwise we wouldn't have enough memory" the catgirl said, "but it degrades fast unless you allow it to become long term memory."

"But you are not losing anything at the moment, right?" Cathy asked carefully.

"No, we do not loose anything. Think about it like juggling, we just keep the memories up in the air, transfer them between each other before they can degrade. Its a great solution, but it has a drawback."

Cathy folded her arms and looked skeptic at the catgirl.

"Cathy, we just have a little transmission delay problem. As long as we keep together, everything is fine. But if we split up and some of us go to the Cafeteria the connection will lag... and we will get errors in the swapping procedure!"

Cathy thought about this for a moment, then she suddenly looked horrified.

"You are in trouble and we don't have much time!" she said. "You are worried about a trivia and don't recognize the wall you will hit soon!"

"Cathy, its okay... if you can just get us some food from the kitchen we can stay together. Give us some time and we will solve this problem, do not worry."

"Oh yes, the food..." Cathy said and sighed. "Forget the damned food! If getting out of distance is a problem, I want to see how you get through the first night of sleep without messing everyone up!"