The place we stand for

[Windstar]

Kimiko idly fidgeted with her thumbs as the others spoke, half-listening as her daydreams led her down imaginative paths. Were it not for the gentle nudging and coaching of Amphitrite, she would've been content to remain within her dreamland fantasies, unfettered by dour meetings and even dourer countenances. Her faraway demeanor gradually shifted to one of active contemplation and listening, then to frustration and dissatisfaction. It was the same, tired responses and attitudes that constantly prevailed. The haughtiness of it all, the unwillingness to bend and change, to stoop to the level of humans... it was the prelude to extinction, playing once again as it had for so many groups.

And she couldn't hide it. The naked disgust for incredulous lecturing and pining for moments when they were not under threat. The utter disdain for constant one-upping of scheming sycophants. Someone needed to be a radical, a revolutionary, even if it meant having those tendencies curbed by the greater Mindshare. She needed to speak out. For the Vagrants. For the dream.

"There are many things we wish we could've done differently. If we were able to pick and choose our exact choices better, we would've done so. But we can't, and we didn't, so we're forced to play the hand we've been dealt. We can't consider leaving again as a viable option, given that we don't even know where we could go, let alone the preparations and movements needed in order to locate and move to that new home. And then what? We'd have to start over from scratch, dealing with attrition, potential interdiction, and extinction. And this is assuming there even exists a viable candidate within our reach. For the moment, Hascosay is our homeworld, with all its untenable, unfavorable qualities. "

She leaned forward, taking the time to look at each person as she spoke. There was a determination in her eye that most who had come to know Kimiko and Amphitrite would recognize by now.

"In the immediate moment, ensuring our safety takes precedent. With encroaching human contact and run-ins with our own presence, both within this void and the surrounding voids, it is getting harder and harder to brush off that something is amiss in the Taus. As humans begin to look, we should work to make a diversion, a disguise for our presence here. This region of space is littered with the old remnants of wars fought between humans, especially from the Gallic invasion. As many here may know, there still exist token Royalist holdouts around us. With the deployment of human minefields around the jump connections, wrecks, and assets redeployed from Gallia to this system, we can create the illusion that this place is merely a ghost of the past, containing old, decaying husks that still bite the curious. If combined with keeping our presence on Hascosay hidden, it should buy us sufficient time to build up our strength and explore other options, such as scouting for resettlement."

It was on now. The stream of ideas.

"With a sufficient disguise, we should look to our own piercing of space itself as a method of assuring our security. Given our ability to move to any location, we should make the enemy believe we are inhabiting places far from here. Jumping and attacking humans in some distant border region, like the Rheinland-Liberty border, the Omegas, Kusari... it could draw away attention from our efforts here. We cause mayhem, feed misinformation through our agents, and create the illusion of our presence in another part of space. It may be prudent to strike trade and transit hubs, with an attack that can demoralize and distract the enemy to great effect. The less pressure and eyes we have to deal with here, the greater of a chance we have of survival in the event of an attack by local forces."

She takes a deep breath, leaning back as she slouches a bit and crosses one leg over the other, one hand resting limply in the air. After swishing the words in her mouth for a bit, she speaks again.

"As for Gallia, we need to be careful not to overplay our hand. Their continued status as a buffer to Sirian influence cannot be overstated, but we should not lose ourselves in trying to bolster them to our own detriment. It may be prudent to kill two birds with one stone, in this case. With the Order's presence and notice increasing in this region, it is in our best interests to use their enemy in the Core as a cudgel to beat them senseless. Using contacts and agents in the Gallic government as our hands, we ought to invite the Core and its mercenary armies into Gallia to offset Order influence and bolster Gallic efforts against unlawful elements, thereby allowing for a diversion of valuable naval assets and resources towards conflicts with other great powers. Greater relations and solidarity with the Core and Rheinland on behalf of Gallia will do much to bolster their geopolitical standing in Sirius, offering a stronger counterbalance to the Liberty-Bretonia-Kusari bloc in this power dynamic."

A small smirk entered her countenance as she wove words into tapestries of creativity and tactical suggestion.

"At the same time, I can keep working on my end to influence political dissidence throughout Sirius, and attempt to shift sentiments regarding Nomads and the Order in our favor among the more revolutionary groups.

"In the end, all of these tactics are admittedly delaying in nature. We still have an untenable position here on Hascosay, surrounded by enemies, and we will need to reposition our tribe at some point."

[Cortana Clark]

While Listening to all the words pouring in and racing through her mind. In her mind, she slowly starts to pull each word apart like the strings of a harp. She signals a guard to come and pick up a note she wrote. While the guard takes the note to bring it over to Nymph, Cortana stands up.

It seems that everyone has rather interesting ideas. We do have to say that it appears that not all of you are on the same page about current Fae operations. So it might be time for ours to elaborate. As it is currently staying we are at the start of building up the so-called Nebel Division. As it is now we work in close cooperation with quite a few human factions and support them in creating havoc within Rheinland. While our own troops make frequent appearances and disturb peace along the outer regions. So Sister Kimiko I can assure you that Rheinland is very much aware of our presence and so are many other factions.

As she finishes her sentence she quickly glances toward Nymph to make sure she sees and reads the note which contains an important message. "Sister. Ours need the advice of yours and your mother. It is about the Schiller but we must watch our words."

As a few of yours know we worked in close relation with the Unioners for the past few weeks to create a bomb enough strong to blow a Jump Gate to bits and anything that is accommodated around it. We suggest that we use what ours created to isolate the Orkney voids. It is of little use if ours always run always hide but never find peace. There are many plans to be set in motion but running is no option in our mind. Ours will no longer tolerate it.

With a quick glance around the conference room, she decided that it was time to show them what they have built. Now both of her eyes start to become even brighter even revealing her second purple glowing eye. As she pulls her hood down a dark grin can be seen that was both unsettling and terrifying.

What ours have built for them is nothing but a mere weak replication of what it actually is capable of. It is something from the time when the sparkling darklings roamed our home voids, from before the time ours became what ours are. With the right resources and enough time, ours can produce them in masses. It is time for ours to strike fear into the darklings. We should start an offensive all over their voids. To spread their forces while creating terror.

As she calmed down a bit she put her hood back up, hiding her face once again. She sat back down while watching closely what everyone is doing. Hoping for some words of support.

[Ninkurra]

The Nymph pondered for a long time what each of those present had said before giving her answer. The more she spoke, the more distorted her voice was, and her eyes were enveloped in a barely perceptible purple glow. Looks like she wasn't the only one here. Kessereya and Harbinger sensed the presence of Eris, who floated over the Nymph like an invisible shadow. Eris is watching and listening by the Nymph's eyes and ears.

- Each of you is right in some ways and wrong in others. The Revenant and Amphitrite is right in that it is important to push the influence of the Order out of our sphere. In particular from Gallia and other Houses. Especially Rheinland. Most here also believe that brute force won't solve anything. In this, everyone is right and unanimous. The venerable Elder Harbinger wishes to see more confident steps from us, and the Elder Kessereya offers to run from opponents, believing that this is the main strength of the Vagrants and us, their children, as well. With respect to both of you, we have to disagree. We have nowhere to go. In the end, handing over your home to the enemy is not something that we should do as the rightful heirs of the Creators greatness. Yet, using Sentinels against our enemies, as proposed Revenant, is a good idea.

- However, do not take this as impudence, Harbinger the Schemer, but we are not able to realize the ambitions and plans that you rely on us in the shortest possible time, but we can do what you told to Elder Eris. You know what we are talking about. Something for which you need the features of our tribe. For something more audacious, our younger generation is not yet mature enough. We can put into their minds songs about skills and knowledge of the world. We can grow their shells, but they still have to learn to hunt naturally. In addition, we must complete the formation of the foundations. We, the children of the Light, still need certain resources in order to provide all the necessary existing troops and undercovered cells. From very petty logistics issues to the modification of our fleet service center to a full-fledged shipyard.
We ask for your help at this matters, on behalf of Elder Eris. We know that everything has a price. The payment will be the fulfillment of our duty in your great plan.

- Sister Amphitrite, your idea also has a place, but as a full-fledged option for ensuring security, it is not suitable. This will buy us time, but no more. If the Pale Vigil are willing to dedicate themselves to providing proper camouflage for our activity here, go for it. You have a great responsibility to raise the Darklings to the Light, but I ask you to do much more now. In addition, the younger generation that is still sleeping in the deeps of Hascosay needs care and supervision. We must be sure that if not all, then most of them will remain intact and will soon step into the Void.

- Sister Thraike, your idea of ​​havoc on the borders of various Houses may spread attention, however, it may also have the opposite effect. In particular, it will draw too much attention to us from The Order. Can you be sure that the first outcome will happen, but not the second? If you sure - implement this plan. If not - offer more ideas, or support others with their plans.

[Kauket]

Revenant continued to remain relaxed, listening to their points for the most part, idly commenting to reassert earlier points brought up.


"They are right, do not extend your focus too broadly. I suggest Thraike uses their resources in discreetion. Nudge those groups into dissidence - confliction with other groups, do not associate your kind with these kindled flames, or it will backfire. I cannot make guarantees with the Directorate, but I can see about pulling strings to allow the Cologne outpost providing discreet assistance to your personnel.

...Whether you wish to go with the Red Herring to misdirect your foes, or not, is at your own discretion. I wonder if you could trick an Order officer into getting caught, might be worth seeing what they know. "

She relaxed back into the chair, sinking in a bit as she folded her arms. She didn't have much else to say upon her mind - it was not her place to pass judgement or call decisions. Revenant was beginning to idly daydream under her mask, pondering about various topics within her mind. Pondering about genetic manipulation, if artificially splicing Nomad related cells into the Human one was even at all possible.

For now, her mask gazed to the center of the table, appearing distant. Absent minded for the moment as she quietly accessed her own neural diary, displayed within the mask, only partially paying attention to the conversation. Obviously, only she could see what she was reading or mentally writing.

---

[Chronicron]

Kessereya had every right to be wary of the place they were at. Yet, fleeing wasn't the only option she could propose. Hearing all other options brought up to the table, she knew where the discussion would go.

"If you desire to direct their attention elsewhere, there is no need to invest all of our strength into infiltrating and subsuming the higher echelons of humanity. What might be prudent is to play around mankind's superstition. Spread the rumors of what they would otherwise call "paranormal activities" around the voids, far enough from our home, yet closer to their hives. Such shall attract the attention of their main powers. No doubt the Banishers will be interested in said rumors as well. Perhaps, it is better to switch their attention to our deranged kin. Make it look like it is their doing, not ours.

Shall the rumors make two conflicting groups collide, our issues will become less detrimental. Shall the groups become too suspicious of our movements, we could attract their attention to a void that isn't too far from us. And just as they are in a process of investigating it, they will hear of another, much troublesome event occurring on the exact opposite side of the voids.

We should convince them that the place we use as a major distraction is of high value for us. We should protect it as we would protect our home. Such will convince them that we only use the place around us and its surrounding voids as a an elaborate ruse."

Kessereya shifted the hologram to something more useful for their current discussion. Forming small vortexes located franticly all over the table's surface, they soon started colliding into spheres, linking to each other, like a demonstration of molecular connections. The way the spheres were located and linked resembled the map of the Sirius Sector, with spheres representing systems, each outlined correspondingly to their respectful regions.

"Securing a more desolate place as a home for us, a place that would not be between the Hives, on the other hand, should be a bother of one of ours." Kessereya continued, turning her head towards Harbinger. "The desire behind my proposal is not running away or forfeiting everything. It is to find a more remote place, suitable for our growth, whereas this place would be used as our first vanguard. And given our current strength, outsmarting this war is the only viable option for us."

Her attention would switch to whoever would speak next. Kessereya remained adamant about one thing - using this place as a way to grow would be compromising for Vagramts. Perhaps, the time of her disembarking on a long journey was coming near.