Mesan Alignment - Back on Balance

Annachie wrote:I suspect their best plan is to covertly support thr RF, while setting up a false MAlign home/whatever to be conviently, and visibly, destroyed.

Sigs wrote:And then what? Wait another 600 years to try again? I think the MA needs to get back to the basics, and utilize the KISS principle to the extreme.

What an interesting Machiavellian strategy. Sort of a parallel Darius solely for sacrifice and distraction. Just when you think you've uncovered Darius... PSYCHE! What's scary is that it wouldn't surprise me or be out of keeping with the character already exhibited by the foresight in MA planning and contingency. Annachie, you're working for the wrong team! LOL


Sigs, but what is the KISS principle applied to the MA? I certainly understand the recommendation. But then, it questions why they pulled the trigger on any of their operations in the first place if they were not ready to proceed or switch gears. And that thought takes us back to the fact that they were concerned about having to face a gargantuan League and its gargantuan negative influence on the galaxy at large regarding genetic slavery and all of the League's other anti-Malignant attitudes. They were also worried about allowing the League to continue as it was -- inexorably rolling towards mopping up the Haven sector. They had to react while they still had cannon fodder to "use" as their own pansies -- complete and utterly unaware -- against them. That requirement was important and instrumental to their plans. They didn't want a huge foe to have to deal with when they emerge.

Can they afford to simply crawl back into their hidey-hole and allow the galaxy to proceed forward as it is? They accomplished ridding themselves of the League, yes. But in its place has risen a more competent, deadlier opponent. The GA.

So in that way, aren't they back to square one when they do emerge? Still having to deal with a deadly opponent? Albeit a much smaller one. Or are things much better for them now that the League is gone?

In a nutshell, are they better off having to face the GA when they do ultimately emerge to do battle with mankind, or are they better off facing the GA than the League?

Eagleeye wrote:

ywing14 wrote:I am also interested in how many people the MAlign failed to get out of Mesa because of Gold Peak and Tourville. Obviously they moved their most squeamish and important folks out first. But it looks like they were unable to at least get out some people. I wonder what kind of hit they've taken on that end.

Doesn't matter - or that's at least, how it plan it to work. Because of that "final gift", Albrecht and Evelyn presented to Mike Henke - the explosions. My 2 cent say, that at least some of these explosions happened to be near enough to several collecting points to make sure they got >99.5% of the remaining Alignment-people on the evacuation lists.

But it only took one Simoes to rock the boat. Even .5 % of the evacuation can be very damaging, politically. Especially if those are the right/wrong % and especially if it shocks the survivors to WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFINS.

OTOH, there could always be MA 'Cleaners' in the vein of the mob on American tv, sent to rid the establishment of loose strings. If these survivors are smart, they'd seek asylum on Manticore.

I'm having trouble recalling the instances the suicide nanites have been used by the MA. One on Manticore with Lt. Meares, one on Old Earth with Rajampet and one on Haven with Giancola? Were there others? The MA has been quite stingy with the little assassins haven't they? Only one application per system?

None on Grayson. Perhaps Christians are immune to any other outside influence. LOL

None released in the Anderman Empire.

cthia wrote:I'm having trouble recalling the instances the suicide nanites have been used by the MA. One on Manticore with Lt. Meares, one on Old Earth with Rajampet and one on Haven with Giancola? Were there others? The MA has been quite stingy with the little assassins haven't they? Only one application per system?

None on Grayson. Perhaps Christians are immune to any other outside influence. LOL

None released in the Anderman Empire.

Prince Huang of the Andies, ambassador Webster on earth, torch, and I think one more on haven. Not to mention all the instances in the solarian league navy and marine corps who I can’t remember at the moment. Daniels with filerta, shit all the people Gaddis and the ghost hunters exposed.

cthia wrote:None released in the Anderman Empire.

If you're talking about the "Assassin Nanotech" the first use was the 'Hofshulte Incident' where the Heir to the Anderman Empire (and his family) was attacked by his bodyguard.

There was also the assassination of Ambassador Webster in front of an Old Chicago Opera House(?).

There was also "Operation Rat Poison" that nearly killed Her Mousety on Torch.

Weird Harold wrote:

cthia wrote:None released in the Anderman Empire.

If you're talking about the "Assassin Nanotech" the first use was the 'Hofshulte Incident' where the Heir to the Anderman Empire (and his family) was attacked by his bodyguard.

There was also the assassination of Ambassador Webster in front of an Old Chicago Opera House(?).

There was also "Operation Rat Poison" that nearly killed Her Mousety on Torch.

Yes that was the make of the Andy incident.

Weird Harold wrote:

cthia wrote:None released in the Anderman Empire.

If you're talking about the "Assassin Nanotech" the first use was the 'Hofshulte Incident' where the Heir to the Anderman Empire (and his family) was attacked by his bodyguard.

There was also the assassination of Ambassador Webster in front of an Old Chicago Opera House(?).

There was also "Operation Rat Poison" that nearly killed Her Mousety on Torch.

ywing wrote:Yes that was the make of the Andy incident.

Thanks for the reminder. I haven't a clue why I didn't remember the incident on Torch with the parfum. Or with Webster. I don't rightly recall the Anderman incident.

ywing14 wrote:

Annachie wrote:The absolute first thing they should do, is study those treecats.

By now they must have reports of treecats acting as body guards, and that they can detect their nanoagents.

They must be curious as to the veracity, and concerned if they are true.

Anything else is secondary to that threat to their covert intelligence gathering operations.

They’ll definitely be following the research being published about them.

Or they could simply assume the veracity of the reports and adjust their assassination attempts for tighter control, in consideration of any nearby cat.

For example, in the vicinity of a cat, don't go active until the last possible minute. The payload is expendable anyway.

Weird Harold wrote:

cthia wrote:None released in the Anderman Empire.

If you're talking about the "Assassin Nanotech" the first use was the 'Hofshulte Incident' where the Heir to the Anderman Empire (and his family) was attacked by his bodyguard.

There was also the assassination of Ambassador Webster in front of an Old Chicago Opera House(?).

There was also "Operation Rat Poison" that nearly killed Her Mousety on Torch.

ywing wrote:Yes that was the make of the Andy incident.

cthia wrote:Thanks for the reminder. I haven't a clue why I didn't remember the incident on Torch with the parfum. Or with Webster. I don't rightly recall the Anderman incident.

That leaves Beowulf to be the only significant system where the little Nanotech assassins are unleashed. Beowulf, the true object of their affection. I suppose that little tidbit may have telegraphed a bigger plan in the works for Beowulf.

ywing14 wrote:
It took 200 years to get to the population level they are at on Darius.

Because they didn't want to risk accidental discovery and people asking uncomfortable questions. The population on earth increased 600% between 1800 and 2000, I think the MA can do much better with their technological start.

That's not all that quick. Darius works because they have genetic slavery there. Removing genetic slavery involves giving people freedom of movement. It is easy to keep the lid on one system right now. More systems and more freedom = more chances for things to go wrong.

So the alternative is what? Restrict the MA to Darius and try again in a couple of centuries? At what point does it become too much repeating the same thing over and over again before someone says enough is enough? Do you know what the definition of insanity is?

Not to mention it's the opposite of going back to basics and following the KISS principle.

How is that? By expanding away from the rest of humanity and building their society and increasing industry, population, territory and military it is all within their control. Staying and trying to manipulate multiple nations to do what you want them to do is a lot more complicated and a lot more likely to fail again and they will be in the exact same position as they are now, limited resources, limited industry, limited population and limited navy. If they can't build their own society far from humanity all on their own maybe they aren't all that superior to the rest of humanity, in fact they may very well be quite inferior.