Zoot Wars II

[Guest Scathane]

Because it would kill all cats?

 

This is a bad thing?

Well... What do you think would happen to the world mice population? Of course you could argue that they already control earth anyway...

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Lieutenant Commander Mitth reporting on Q-Branch developments:

 

Ideas being implemented. Prototype under development. Will provide full brief nearer the end of the week.

[DarthTofu]

Because it would kill all cats?

 

This is a bad thing?

Well... What do you think would happen to the world mice population? Of course you could argue that they already control earth anyway...

 

cue Ford Prefect to show up.

[BadSamaritan]

Well, when it comes to the mice, we can always just.... uhhh....

 

Feed then all to the Chinese?

[DarthTofu]

Well, when it comes to the mice, we can always just.... uhhh....

 

Feed then all to the Chinese?

 

Nope, turns out that we can't because the Chinese had a strict series of rules regarding vermin such as mice and rats that exempted them from eating them or using there pelts for any purpose other than fertilizer due to the black plague travelling upon such creatures in the form of fleas and the devastating effect it would have had on them if they ate such critters would not be pretty. *Glances back at his ridiculously long sentence* I really hate my World History class for educating me on that...

[Guest Scathane]

B.E.A.K. strikes again! Excellent post Tofu!

[DarthTofu]

B.E.A.K. strikes again! Excellent post Tofu!

 

Dost my ears decieve me? Did... Did Scath actually post something that wasn't degrading envolving my name? ITS A SIGN OF THE APOCOLYPSE!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!! Wait a sec- Zoot chewed off my legs! I'm DOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEED!!!!

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Q-Branch Follow-up Report.

 

Tunneling/hollowing of moon is going well.

 

Installation of matter/antimatter power generator(harnessing energy released when the two are combined) is running 3 hours behind schedule.

 

Retrievial of asteroids for test firing/calibration of Defense laser batteries is 3 days ahead of schedule.

 

Beginning work on a 'metal-crystal phase shifter' (MCPS) (see Champions of the Force page 72)

initial tests reveal approximately 35% effectiveness over small areas, 15% effectiveness over large areas

working on increasing power input with the hope and expectation of increasing overall effectiveness

 

Looking into creating and being able to control Ionic storms. Making progress on this can now create and maintain and control on Ionic storm approximately 1 mi.²

 

Quantum-crystaline armor still isn't cost-effective for large ships. However elite fighter squadrons are now being upgraded with QCA.

 

I also have a new lightsaber for DT. It is not affected by court hosts or were having some difficulties adapting it to Zoot (code-named and hereinafter referred to as FURBALL) fur though. Grand Admiral Tofu's recent exploits against FURBALL have given us at Q-Branch reason to believe that he is the right person to test our revolutionary lightsaber. The problems we've had have come from for recovered from the sites of FURBALL encounters.

 

We are still unsure what makes FURBALL's hair so different from any other cats. We had no seek and economically the FURBALL seems to have an extra pair of chromosomes. Before we can determine what they do we either need the original FURBALL or authorization to create a clone using the genetic material we already have. Grand Vizier Scathane, sir, this is your call and he ran to abide by your decision either way.

 

End Q-Branch Report

[Defender_16]

ACTIVATING UPLINK

WELCOME BACK COMMANDER

 

TRANSMISSION COMMENCES

Dear god the humanity...*ahem* I mean;

 

I strongly protest any attempt at cloning FURBALL at this place and time. A more through genetic analysis and evaluation are called for to rule out any chance of some sort of contamination.

We have no idea what mass replication of those genes will cause.

 

For all we know there could be some kind of FORCE at work that keeps the original FURBALL from self-destructing.

 

*Points at Mitth*

It's vital that any information you gain on target FURBALL is safely contained.

For all we know if things got into the wrong hands they could end up with cat-paratroopers.

http://www.sphrothsworld.com/Images/catgirls_salutetoveterans.jpg

*Shudder*

 

swebellion can't let a disaster like that unfold. We're counting on you.

 

Because it would kill all cats?

Good. That's the stuff we need then.

[DarthTex]

 

In the "General Discussion:Rebellion Community TC" forum, a post about ... FURBALL, has sparked an idea!

 

AdmiralFishface wrote:

 

No. He cannot be killed. But put to sleep, or distracted, maybe.

 

The key word is "distracted". My idea works like this: a catnip laced ... ball of yarn. BUT, not your ordinary ball of yarn This special ball of yarn has at its center some secretly ... uhhh ... "procured" (yeah! that's the word), ST Federation replicator technology. A small anti-matter powered replicator would constantly replace yarn as it's unwound from the ball. Making an almost "perpetual" ball of yarn. Now, the ball of yarn will not last forever, BUT ... working with a small squadron of multi-colored (camouflaged) ballS of yarn, the "target" maybe distracted for a good portion of time. In that "relative safety" portion of time, PHASE II would start. PHASE II requires the placement of "AI" chips in the balls of yarn, to control the "nanite" infused strands (of yarn). When working together as a single "unit" the AI will control the "nanite" infused strands from the balls of yarn to "immobilize" the "target". If sufficient resources are devoted to the project, it could possibly become a ... permanent "containment" apparatus?

 

Please post all comments/suggestions/recommendations/modifications, etc.

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Commander Tex, Q-Branch will investigate your idea. I will personally head that investigative team. I hope to have results by the middle of next week.

[DarthTofu]

Can you get me a pair of legs while your at it? FURBALL ate mine... Oh yeah, and a new left ear... and right hand... Heck, screw it, you guys want to make me a whole new body while your at it?

[Guest Scathane]

I also have a new lightsaber for DT. It is not affected by court hosts or were having some difficulties adapting it to Zoot (code-named and hereinafter referred to as FURBALL) fur though. Grand Admiral Tofu's recent exploits against FURBALL have given us at Q-Branch reason to believe that he is the right person to test our revolutionary lightsaber. The problems we've had have come from for recovered from the sites of FURBALL encounters.

* "Mitth! Come in, Mitth!" Nothing but static and the occasional crackle that communication devices seem to make for no apparent reason. Scath stared into the distance of the space that made out his command center. He had just received intel that Tofu fallen to the lure of Zoot - also known as loot - and that he had now joined opposing forces, he wasn't the first that had fallen... Zoot allures... but maybe Tofu could yet be saved, they'd just have to wait and see... Scath shook out of his apathyand turned to face matters at hand:

 

We are still unsure what makes FURBALL's hair so different from any other cats. We had no seek and economically the FURBALL seems to have an extra pair of chromosomes. Before we can determine what they do we either need the original FURBALL or authorization to create a clone using the genetic material we already have. Grand Vizier Scathane, sir, this is your call and he ran to abide by your decision either way.

Scath punched away at his keyboard, typing a message to Mitth. He informed him of the possible defection of Tofu, as well as taking the utmost care with Zoot chromosomes because of the disasters former attempts had generated. Perhaps Mitth and D16 could create a secret weapon together...* Edited January 21, 2006 by Scathane

[BadSamaritan]

Bad Samaritan awoke, a sour taste in his mouth. He smacked his dry lips a few times, tryng to get the taste out of his mouth. Pointless. It stuck to his tongue.

 

He bagan to roll out of bed, but he felt something strange under him. He slowly sat up, his back cracking with the movement. He looked at where he had lain, and saw a hairball. It looked fresh. A message.

 

He picked up the offending hairball, and tossed it in the trash. Normally, he would wonder why there was a hairball in his bed when he did not own a cat of any form. But for now, all he could think of was his morning cigarette. He reached for his pack, and pulled out one of the sticks that lay within.

 

Putting it to his lips, he scrounged his lighter from the floor where he had thrown it last night. Striking the lighter, he began to bring it to his mouth when he saw movement from the corner of his eye. He turned his head, but saw nothing. Shadow.

 

Lighting the cigarette, he inhaled deeply, the acrid stench filling his mouth and nose. He held it in, reveling in the sensation it brought to him. He exhaled slowly, letting the smoke drift from his lungs. He stretched, wringing the knots in his arm-muscles out. As he did so, he glanced over to the window. An unusually bright window. The shades were drawn open. Odd.

 

It was then he saw it. A triangular ear. A slanted eye. Starign at him, daring him to come to the window. Cat.

 

He sat there a moment longer, and the animal vanished. He had been found. And he had been warned. Knowledge.

 

He smiled, and jabbed the ciggarette down into his ashtray. He didn't care. He liked this game. A game of cat and mouse. But he did have to wonder to himself. Who was cat, who was mouse? Only time would tell.

[DarthTofu]

The power that is Zoot compells you. I stand before you, changed and enhanced by Zoot! I have become a master! I am more powerful than any who dare challenge me! You shall burn and I shall laugh! My cup shall run over with your blood and all will parish. Now FEEL MY WRATH!!!!!!

 

Lightning shot from Tofu's hands, burning the air around him, heading straight for-YOU!

[Krytos]

The arc of lighting flung itself through the air, streaking the night sky purple.

Krytos felt the lightning heading towards him, but did not panic.

Raising his hand, and waving it as to swat a fly, he deflected the first wave of lightning and absorbed the rest.

 

With a smirk painted across his face, Krytos boasted at Tofu.

"You may be almost as strong as me, though you are no where near as experienced or wise. That comes with time."

 

And as fast as the lighting had crossed the vast planes of Earth, Krytos faded into the night.

[Defender_16]

The destictive crackle of force lightning filled the air. Up ahead were DarthTofu and Krytos a respectable distance apart. Bright purple lighting lancing out from the former toward the latter.

 

Krytos despelled it as if it were nothing.

 

"Son-of-the-sith! They're both Force users!"

 

Defender took the opportunity to duck behind a stack of PM's that had been piling up and pulled out a force user stats guide.

 

"Force use...light, dark, grey.... here we are; attacks.

...Lightning... A ha! Blocking!"

 

Block

This is a modified version of deflect that allows the Jedi to deflect a ranged attack without the use of a lightsaber. If the Jedi does not have some sort of protective gear (such as an armored gauntlet), or an item that can withstand the ranged attack (such as an energy shield or suitably dense material), the Jedi must spend a Force Point to use this ability. (Force Points spent in this way do not add the usual bonus dice to d20 rolls that the Jedi makes in the subsequent round.) Block doesn't allow the Jedi to extend the defense beyond the Jedi's position, and all other rules concerning deflect (defense) and deflect (attack) apply.

 

"Right. Okay, I have no force abilities to speak of though."

 

Peeking out from behind cover he could see Krytos saying something he couldn't quite make out before dissapearing into the shadows.

 

"Going to have to make a run for it I guess."

 

Closing the stats guide he made sure that the rest of the cargo was secure in the backpack. The DNA samples had to reach Q-Branch if they were going to stand a chance. He had a complete listing of all DNA pertaining to genus felis. If the samples could be compared perhaps a difference could be found that would help against FURBALL.

 

DarthTofu had defected, or been turned against his own will. In either case it didn't matter. He may have been a superior officer but they were in different divisions. Tofu may not know what he was up to. He peeked out from cover, unholstering an E-11 just in case.

 

With no sign of anyone having remained behind, Defender tightened down the black cap matching the officer's uniform he had borrowed and sprinted out into the darkness.

 

"I sure hope Mitth is ready to analyse the hell outta' this stuff!"

[Guest Scathane]

* Scath looked worrisome... As was normal, he couldn't make anything of Bad Samartitan's last intel. However, the Grand Admiral left relevant keywords in his messages which generally seemed to consist of nonsense. This time, they spelled mayhem: 'Pointless', 'message', 'shadow', 'odd' and 'cat'... Moreover, he had learned that Tofu was reaking havoc near Titusville and that Cape Canaveral had all but fallen to Tofu's dark doings. With Cape Canaveral in Zoot's claws, they dark forces had struck a heavy blow to their opposition; it wouldn't be long before Zoot would reveal himself...*

[DarthTofu]

DarthTofu looked upon the space shuttle sitting on its launch pad. A momentary spasm passed through him, a cry of pain and anguish almost escaping his lips, but within a second he was calm, cool, and composed again. Zoot had been displeased with his failure, but was forgiving enough to propher another task. A fleet was needed for Zoot's attack, thus the need to adapt these space shuttles. Zoot, genius that he was, had adapted Tofu to the point where such tasks were possible, and with a simple lfick of his hand he had control over nearly everyone in the vacinity, forcing them to modify and create. The newer model shuttles would be next to useless even when they were completed, but they would be able to reach the International Space Station with their materials that much faster, and then begin to convert it to a ship building vicinity.

 

Nearby the Appolo and Mercury rockets were re-fueled, packs of napalm inserted into their tips. These rockets could make it to the moon or farther, something Zoot knew and was prepared to take full advantage of. In their current state these rockets had little by way of guidance system due to a perplexing and seemingly un-breakable code that was sending the flight information to Huston Texas. Texas... Tex... DarthTex.... another spasm shook Tofu, this time a horse yell escaping his lips before the jaw clamped down and his eyes blazed with yellow light.

 

A sith lord and servant of Zoot- that was what he had become. None could challenge him anymore- none could dare to! They may be faster, have some more expertise in different areas, but he was nigh invincable! He smiled to himself... Yes, this would be a difficult battle... But victory would be all the sweeter for it. The small voice continued to yell hoarsly within his head. Tofu smiled all the wider for it.

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Mitth pulled up his email and saw the message from Scath. "Tofu defected, huh, go figure. Good thing we couldn't find him to send him the saber..."

 

As Mitth sits at his computer he realizes that D16 may need some help delivering the DNA samples. He searches for the comm code and upon finding it makes the call. "Defender, can you read me? I'm dispatching a Q-Branch shuttle to pick you up. It's equipped with both ysalamiri and QCA. They'll have your comm code and will be in touch to pick you up. If you can just keep your head down long enough for them to get to you your safety is guaranteed. Mitth out."

 

Mitth then pulls out his directory and looks for the base security commander to inform him that the defense systems need to be brought online immediately. "This is Lt. Commander Mitth_raw_nuruodo. I've just recieved a report that make me believe that our defensive systems need to be activated right now. We must be prepared to protect all space based installations from FURBALL's forces. Tofu has gone over to FURBALL's side and has taken control of Cape Canaveral. There is a lot of increased activity there and we can't allow anything to come from it."

 

He next called the on duty researcher for the defensive laser batteries. "This is Mitth. I'm calling to confirm that our defensive batteries are callibrated and on-line."

"Yes, Commander, we just finished callibrating the last one this morning. We can now defend the installation from an SSD."

"Very good, Corporal. Keep me informed."

 

Mitth then fills out his paperwork and logs off his computer.

[Defender_16]

Defender was still running, his breath starting to turn ragged. "Need... to get... in shape... again... ho-god."

 

Uncertain weather he was being followed or not he took the chance to cut through the deserted 'Site Feedback' section of the forums. Stacks of long dead posts and threads lay everywhere. Ducking behind a larger stack he checked the comlink to see if the shuttle Mith had sent was getting any closer. Instead, all of the com channels were filled with static.

 

A black painted shuttle rose up over the forum section divider running on repulsorlifts. A bright searchlight shining from underneath was flickering across the area searching for him.

"Is that the shuttle?" The com was still filled with static. Was FURBALL trying to slow him down from reaching the shuttle?

Standing up he started waving his arms.

"Hey! Over here!"

 

Almost instantly the shuttle rotated in place and swung the spot light over onto him. As sooh as it was in line with him the Laser cannons fired.

"Oh! SONOFA-!"

The curse was cut off as he dove under cover again. Laser Cannon bolts filled the air, deleting entire forum threads. Not that anyone would miss them really but it meant less cover.

 

The sound of a Concussion Missile launch filled the air and he knew it was over. The orange explosion lit up everything in the area. Then there was the sound of crashing metal.

 

Metal? He shouldn't be hearing that, he should be dead!

 

Opening his eyes and standing up Defender could see the brightly burning wreckage of the shuttle. A Skipray Blastboat was decelerating and descending towards him. As it neared the ground the hatch opened and the co-pilot came scrambeling down the wing to help him.

 

"Q-Branch. Sorry for the late pick up we couldn't find you for all of the jamming in the area. Think that shuttle was responsible for it."

 

"Whatever. Let's just get out of here!"

[DarthTex]

I'm sitting with my boots on the desk, sipping a margarita and snacking on nachos at my (local) secret hide-away in the basement of the Alamo. I'm enjoying myself (even more with the margarita ) and giving myself an "atta boy". You see, this past weekend weird things were happening ...

 

Luckily it was a wet/cold weekend, so I stayed inside putting off the outdoor chores 'til later. That's when my computer chimed. A "red" flag had gone up. Somewhere, somehow, someone was starting to go through "sensitive" systems. I immediately pulled up data on the username/password. It was an old code, but according to the system still legitimate. I was going to ignore it when another "red" flag had gone up. The "data" being requested was ... odd, but vaguely familar. I did a trace of the data request: it appears to be coming from a gov't surplus control van once owned by NASA It was decomissioned right after shutdown of the Apollo moon missions. Uh oh, someone's attempting to shut me out of the system. The data request is for updated coordinates for the Moon, and the signal is originating from Cape Canaveral! That can only mean one thing ... TOFU Which only means he's trying to destroy Mitth's secret project on the Moon! Quickly working, I start to update the coordinate logarithm for the Moon. Crap! the power went out! My backup system kicks in, and I only have 5 minutes until system shutdown. Tofu couldn't kick me out of the system, so he's shutdown part of the city power grid! Clever Tofu, but not good enough I think I got everything entered correctly before the system goes dead. Now I'm wondering how long the "locals" will take to get power restored. I guess I'll find out tomorrow if I succeeded.

 

Well, that's what happened. I logged in this morning, to find Krytos has defended an attack by Tofu, Scathane reports the entire Cape under Furball's control, and Defender_16 has successfully eluded termination. Small victories, but victories none-the-less. Apparently my quick coding worked. I just wonder how long it will take before Tofu realizes the updating coordinates to the Moon are actually progress reports for calculating the last digit of PI? A transcendental number that never ends!

[DarthTofu]

Tofu glanced at the long stream of numbers and recognized them, though he wasn't sure as to what they were. It didn't matter seeing as they were innacurate. He had done the Math himself, figured out the moon's circuit and pathway and knew exactly where it would be when. It was increadible what one could do with a sheet of paper or two and a gigantic NASA telescope.

 

Glancing at the second program, his hacker program, he noted its progress. The first five digits of an eighteen digit encryption had been cracked and were displayed to him. Usually people would put a word, or something with some form of significance in a password, but in this case it wasn't as simple as the "ABC123" variety. The numbers and letters seemed to be random, almost impossible to memorize unless you knew a code to crack them. Anyone working on something of high security knew not to make something terribly easy to crack, yet at the same time not to make a hard copy of it to help remember it. Either whoever had shut him out had been doing so in haste and therfor not attempting to remember the encryption, simply making it hard to crack which would be foolish, the encryption did have some lost significance, or it was a Trojan horse designed to throw him off the trail as the numbers currently being fed to him clearly were. Thus with the ability to make mission control take place from Cape Canaveral it was necessary to rerout it to a new location manually which had not already been braced with enough security to crush an elephant. Currently China and Russia posessed flight-control technologies, and of the two Russia would be considerably easier to steal from what with there being far fewer people there to note a figure appearing.

 

That meant that it would have to be China seeing as the unnexpected was to be expected and it was already unexpected for Zoot to head after new flight control technology and it would be even more unexpected for someone to expect them to take the even more unexpected route of stealing from China. Tofu stopped. His head was beginning to hurt from thinking too hard about a bit too much.

 

So, if it was to be China a tremendous amount of power would be necessary to keep that many people from noticing their technologys being stolen, far beyond Tofu's capabilities. He activated the hologram and knelt before it, a towering green figure standing before him enlarged to many times his normal size.

 

"My master..." Tofu spoke, "I require your assistance in this matter..."

 

Will Tofu stay on the dark side? Will he suddenly desert Zoot in a last-minute ditch and save his former comrads? Find out eventually in another exciting post on: Star Wars Rebellion Forums!!1

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Mitth walks to the docking bay to meet D16. As the door opens he sees D16 walking towards him. "Defender, I'm glad you made it. Lets get those samples to the lab, then you can get settled into your quarters." They talk the whole way to the lab, then a private takes D16 to his new quarters.

 

As Mitth was beginning to examine the newly delivered samples he got a call from the SigInt Department. "Lt. Commander Mitth speaking. What can I do for you?"

"Commander, this is Signals Intelligence. We just intercepted a conversation between Tofu and FURBALL. Tofu was attempting to enlist FURBALL's help and in the end was told no."

"Do we know Tofu's objective?"

"Yes sir. China's flight control technology."

"Very well. Make sure the Grand Vizier gets a copy of both the audio and the transcript of that conversation. Keep me posted. Mitth out."

 

Mitth then went back to his new samples. He was having a hard time concentrating though. He decided to take the samples to his personal safe; a safe to which only he knew the code to. The safe contained all of Mitth's personal research as well as a lot of the ideas he had been coming up with since before he even joined the SWR forum. The contents of that safe would soon prove to be vital to the survival of the anti-FURBALL forces. He decided to give D16 a call and have a meeting with him to see how they should proceed w/ the samples, as well as what to do in light of the new SigInt. "D16, I need to see you in the confrence room, there should be a non-com standing outside your door with instructions to make sure you don't get lost while you are staying with us. Just tell him that you've got a meeting with Lt. Commander Mitth in the confrence room adjacent to his private office. I'll see you soon."

[Evo]

Evo... a new cadet fresh out of Q-Branch academy makes his way to the conference room.

 

“Cadet Evo reporting for duty Major Mitth_raw_nuruodo.â€