WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

[SKJAM!]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

The Silver Knights (the world's JLA) would be among the first to stand as a defense. A quick point to make would be that' date=' if all the manti want is lots of beef, surely a profitable arrangement could be made where a free Earth could start raising tons of cows and sell to the Manti. What would the alien's response be? [/quote']

 

"Outside of our technology, which is valuable, but we can only sell once, our main valuable resource is our organizational skills, which alas, many of you Earthlings seem determined to reject as an offer."

 

Starknight: as the resident GL analogue, she contact the other Celestial Order to find out about the Manti. If they were cons, she'd spread the word very quickly. Any government who didn't believe her, she'd chalk them up to being either mind controlled or collaboraters and ignore since she considers herself above the laws of any one country. She would instead take the fight to the aliens with the other Knights and possibly others of the Order. If the Order revealed that the Manti were benevolent (which seems unlikely given the desire of some to eat sentients and the latter demands), she's watch very closely and demand to be an observer given her status as protector of the Earth sector.

 

Per the Order: "The Mantii are relatively new to interstellar travel, having come to our notice just over an Earth century ago. They were involved in a number of brutal attempts at colonization, and they did not do well in the ensuing wars. About fifty Earth years ago, they passed and enforced laws forbidding the eating of other sentient beings, and learned the word 'please.' Since then, they've managed the peaceful takeover of three solar systems, though we're still watching in case they backslide."

[SKJAM!]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

*Notes that Dolphin is the only one being responded to. Think the boy is onto something here.*

 

Also, he's one of the few that's actually trying to reason with the Mantii.

 

Ah, you have techniques that will allow us to double our beef production with no further harm to our ecology? That is good news indeed. I definitely look forward to learning about them.

 

"Now we do, yes. Unfortunately, it will be several decades before we've repaired our world's ecosystem to the point that it will be able to sustain large-scale food production again. A few of the empty planets we're mantiiforming will actually be viable before then."

[SKJAM!]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Scarlet Archer: Ask the rest of the Frontline what they think' date=' and begin working on a new paralyzing insecticide arrow just in case. When the threats started rolling in, if he had chance to interact, he'd probably ask for clairification on just what the 'consequences' were. [/quote']

 

"Economic sanctions, at first, and of course nations who refuse our assistance will not be allowed to have any of our technological advances. We'd prefer to avoid using violence, as that will render the battlegrounds unsuitable for agriculture."

 

General Tk-Ch'tk rasps, "Oh, come on, let me blow up a city or two as an incentive, like we did in the old days. Such pretty colors!"

 

The other Mantii wave their antennae in a gesture that appears to be equivalent to humans rolling their eyes.

[Hypnotoad, the]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Gotta love a "Pro from Dover" character. How much did the perk cost in your campaign?

 

The GM was kinda nice to me on that respect. I paid 10 points for it, and it did have its limitations. A few species (like certain HP Lovecraft-based aliens), while they weren't more advanced, were advanced enough to occasionally counter her technology. The main example was the elimination of her invisible scouting drones when said Lovecraftian aliens were pushing a giant monster egg toward the Sea of Japan.

 

Of course, it didn't stop DR. KAMI from providing a defense once the egg landed (stopped the potential tsunami), and then hatched (created a ray that turned one of our own into a monster sized superhero).

 

"And thus, the POWER of DR. KAMI once again TRIUMPHS! And in doing so, it is another triumph for SCIENCE!"

[Powerhouse]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

"Outside of our technology, which is valuable, but we can only sell once, our main valuable resource is our organizational skills, which alas, many of you Earthlings seem determined to reject as an offer."

 

"I see and certainly understand. That said, I would also like to tell you more about our species if I may. Few of us accept the yoke of a tyrant, even a benevolent one, easily. More often, a people can be held in bondage only with terror or strength. This tends to cause horrific conflicts where untold people die, families torn apart, and countries are rent asunder. Oceans of blood has been spilt and armies large enough to dot the land and cover the sky have been raised in its defense. And these were against *human* adversaries. Against strangers from the sky, the toll could be even worse."

 

As time has gone by, humanity has risen and fallen, striven and stumbled. We've far to go but we have achieved much. More and more, we reject the idea that one group of people is better than another simply by vitrue of birth. The idea of determining our own destiny, rather than another chosing it for us, is more and more within the heart of our people and that idea with the goodwill it engenders spurs us to greatness. Are we done? Certainly not. We are only beginning and this foundation would only be shaken if we gave up this great crusade now to a tyrant, even one who means us no harm. These achievements must be earned, not granted by another or it will mean nothing and never be cherished nor perserved save by the feared whip of the master rather than the iron will and strength of the people.

 

You seek to give us goods of yours in exchange for goods that we own but it is a gift that most do not seek and indeed would harm us. It would be the same to our spirits as diseased meats would be to your bodies. Instead, let us consider a better exchange. Technology can be parceled out, its use, maintainance, and creation guarded. Certainly two people can come to an agreement to be friends, rather than master and vassal."

 

Just adding, based on the notes above about Manti-forming, perhaps such an agreement could be used to stretch out the parceling of tech long enough for an uninhabited planet to become viable and then enough breeding stock could be sold.

 

Per the Order: "The Mantii are relatively new to interstellar travel, having come to our notice just over an Earth century ago. They were involved in a number of brutal attempts at colonization, and they did not do well in the ensuing wars. About fifty Earth years ago, they passed and enforced laws forbidding the eating of other sentient beings, and learned the word 'please.' Since then, they've managed the peaceful takeover of three solar systems, though we're still watching in case they backslide."

 

Starknight would definitely be suspicious but hopeful that the Manti could be reasoned with. With only 11 other knights in the Galaxy, she's probably on her own but would ask for other knights to be ready if they could be. It's rather doubtful though. She'd pass on the information to those who she felt could use it (probably high US government and a few supers).

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

"Outside of our technology' date=' which is valuable, but we can only sell once, our main valuable resource is our organizational skills, which alas, many of you Earthlings seem determined to reject as an offer."[/quote']

Dolphin: Humm, there are several assumptions in that that I wish to further explore. First, we have a process that allows you to sell your technology more than once. It's called patents and licesing. You file proper paperwork with the government, and for the next 17 years anyone who wants to use your technology must pay you a royality. Or better yet, you might offer exclusive rights to certain inventions or processes to corporations in exchange for part ownership in the corporation. This is sometimes called "A piece of the action." This way, even after the patents expire, you still have ownership and continue receiving a share of the profits.

 

Second, you might not be marketing your orginizational skills properly. Instead of offering to take over the government, try marketing those with the best organizational skills as consultants and/or efficency experts.

 

Next, I think that you are overlooking a lot of your resources we would find valueable. Simply one example, we still value gold, platnium, paladium and irridium both for their beauty and for industrial purposes. They are relatively rare on our planet's surface, but more abundant in the asteroid belt you passed to get here. You have ships that can get to the asteroids, we don't. You could refime precious metals by the ton, and exchange them for hundreds if not thousands of times their weight in beef. A by product of this would be tons of refined iron and nickle. This could be used to build O'Neil habitats that you could either use yourselves, or sell to us. If you are of insufficent numbers or for some other reason don't want to engage in asteroid mining and habitat building, get voluntier humans, use your orginizational skills to set up a cooperative venture, train and supervise the human workers, and fairly share the proceeds.

 

"Now we do' date=' yes. Unfortunately, it will be several decades before we've repaired our world's ecosystem to the point that it will be able to sustain large-scale food production again. A few of the empty planets we're mantiiforming will actually be viable before then."[/quote']

Dolphin: I would be very happy to learn about those techniques. Given your history, I'm sure you can understand my concern for the ecological impact of producing more cattle. Again, this may be a good place to explore licensing or cooperative ventures. Maybe offer your more productive techniques to ranchers in exchange for a 40% share of the ranch? Again, put your own managers in place to best use yor organizational skills.

 

Per the Order: "The Mantii are relatively new to interstellar travel' date=' having come to our notice just over an Earth century ago. They were involved in a number of brutal attempts at colonization, and they did not do well in the ensuing wars. About fifty Earth years ago, they passed and enforced laws forbidding the eating of other sentient beings, and learned the word 'please.' Since then, they've managed the peaceful takeover of three solar systems, though we're still watching in case they backslide."[/quote']

All characters will be interested and pleased to hear that. The last thing they want is to reenact the Soviets in Afganistan.

 

Also' date=' he's one of the few that's actually trying to reason with the Mantii. [/quote']

It's what he does.

[Guest HeroPink!]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

With minimal warning, large starships appear over every capital city on Earth. These turn out to be inhabited by three meter tall intelligent preying mantises. They're more technically advanced than Earthlings (even if your campaign is high-tech) and claim to have ways to prevent military force from being used against them.

 

The Mantii (as best humans can pronounce it) explain that they will generously take over governing Earth, in exchange for massive amounts of meat. Not, thankfully, human meat, but they are interested in oh, say, 90% of the cattle humans would normally slaughter each year. There are also various smaller demands, none of which seem particularly onerous, but the whole taking over Earth thing doesn't sit well with many people.

 

However, several governments do take up the offer, mostly economically fragile Third World countries--and the one the player characters live in/most often visit. The Mantii quickly move in, and at least initially act in a benevolent manner. Then they announce that regrettably, the other countries will have to join the Mantii Protectorate...or "face the consequences."

 

What Would Your Character Do? (Feel free to pick an earlier point in the process that he/she/it would intervene.)

Glarg: "Glarg crush bugs!" Whatever resistance the rest of the team decides on, Glarg's the muscle for.

 

Panweesio: One of two things: #1 Images to the Taste/Smell Sense Group will make sure the Bugs give up on Earth meat.

#2 being a vegan, being used to keeping a low profile, and not giving a rat's a:hush:s about governments, might go along with it all.

 

Lana van Hoom: Still new to the Superheroing biz, she'd follow orders. That, or move to another country. She'll be able to afford meat.

 

Thena: She knows what to do!

We had a "conquer the world mad scientist" who wanted to force everyone to go vegan because it was "cruel and viscious" to eat "something with a face," especially nice ol' cows. Thena searched and searched and finally found a dimension where the sapients were 3.5 m tall cattle-like thingies with big pointy teeth and a fondness for eating sapients. She XDMed the mad scientist there, and let him be chased around (she kept aporting him away before he got caught) for a couple hours. She brought him back, with a different 'tude for sure.

Send the commanders of the Mantoids there, let a couple get eaten, and they should get the message.

[caris]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

"Outside of our technology' date=' which is valuable, but we can only sell once, our main valuable resource is our organizational skills, which alas, many of you Earthlings seem determined to reject as an offer."[/quote']

 

Boost: You do realize that there are more ways to exploit technology in trade rather than just selling the technology directly, or to leverage your organizational abilities other than taking over the planet?

 

On the technological resource side, you are an interstellar capable society. We are not even a viable interplanetary society. You could offer to harvest the resources in our own solar system in exchange for the meat you want.

 

You have indicated that you are capable of producing vat grown meat. While it is insufficient for the needs of your society, that does not mean that we would find it as unpalatable as you do. You could trade that to us pound for pound with minimal impact to our society. There are probably a number of other products that you are capable of producing that we are decades from even having the technology to match. Say a synthetic fuel source that is equivalent to any number of fossil fuels that we are still dependent on here? Heck, any of the planets that you are "mantiiforming" might have exploitable fossil fuel reserves that you could profitably exploit here. Granted, I am assuming that you currently use a more efficient/safer energy source for yourselves.

 

Now, there is an interesting possiblity, energy. Rather than selling us cold fusion technology, or whatever it is you are using to power these starships. Go up there harvest a couple of astroids worth of iron, sell it, buy a nice parcel of land, and open a power plant. Prove that said plant is less environmentally damaging to the area and sell us electricity. Assuming that it is truly less damaging to the environment, or at least no worse to the environment than a coal/oil plant, and I'm pretty sure that you would get offers from around the US to be given the land to build such a plant to help suppliment their own existing grids. Reducing the over all dependence on fossil fuels. Granted, they would most likely keep several old fashioned plants in reserve, in case you should decide to cease producing said electricity in a bid to take over.

 

Hey, harvesting resources, do you have a way to harvest hydrogen efficiently from resources in our solar system? We have been experimenting with hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. We are stymied by the fact that we can not produce hydrogen in sufficiently useful quanties for a low enough energy cost to make it viable.

 

Medicine is another likely area. Obviously, there are pharmecuticals that you can produce that we just do not have the resources to produce at this time. Perhaps, you have techniques and technology that is useful to us, rather than giving us these things set up shop as physicians. Our gene therapy is probably decades behind your own, and may have some viable options for trade.

 

Just use some imagination. Go out see what we have and what we do. See if you have an alternative that might be better.

 

Edit: I hadn't read McCoy's last post when I posted this.

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Boost: You have indicated that you are capable of producing vat grown meat. While it is insufficient for the needs of your society' date=' that does not mean that we would find it as unpalatable as you do. You could trade that to us pound for pound with minimal impact to our society. [/quote']

Good point, I hadn't thought of that.

 

Edit: I hadn't read McCoy's last post when I posted this.

Great minds think alike.

[incrdbil]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Too much reason. Didn't anyone learn anything from those early sci fi movies?

 

What's the point of negotiation since they've already declared their intention to take over the world?

 

Then they announce that regrettably, the other countries will have to join the Mantii Protectorate...or "face the consequences."

 

But maybe instead of straight out bug squishing by heroes, the more sneaky types may realize a Mantii takeover would royally tick off big bad guys like Doctor D, VIPER, etc. Maybe waiting for them to do all the fighting is called for. Or simply asking the Mantii prove their ability to govern by eliminating Mechanon, Firewing, Dr D, Takofphones, the Empess of a Billion dimensions....

 

problem solved, and maybe some villains taken out before the Mantii get squished or flee.

[Lethosos]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Hrmmm... Wish I got into this round-table discussion earlier. Dolphin already covered much of what I (read: Queen of Spades) wanted to say.

 

Queen of Spades: (Assuming Dolphin & Boost are Champions Universe-based, she'd worm her way right up there with them.) "And let's not forget that there plenty other viable food sources other than mere bovines. After all, they were descended from ancient Aurochs--what's not to say that existing wild ruimants are also viable? I can name a half-dozen right now that can be carefully herded, bred, and supplied to your people based on need. And I'm also equally curious about animals that are roughly similar in size that would be equally useful--I'm not suggesting stripping our world down, but applying the same logistics would be worthwhile in the long run while preserving species biodiversity..."

 

"And I do have to agree on orbitals--since you claim yourself technologically advanced, you should have some concrete plans on such useful large-scale habitats. Why not let us work on one with you, so that the impact of large-scale grazing is minimized? It isn't that hard to weld one sheet of iron to another."

 

(It's not because she's green-minded, but that she likes a solution that caters to different, widespread possibilities without massive negative impact.)

[ZootSoot]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

> "We feel that relieving your species of the burdens of government, and

> sharing our technology, is equitable compensation."

 

"And /we/ feel that such a relationship is more accurately described as 'slavery' or 'serfdom', a condition we absolutely refuse to live under no matter how politely it is stated."

 

> Oh, and you get to continue to live, of course."

 

"At this point, we have very little left to say to one another. War it is."

 

Umm, people refuse to live in slavery and serfdom? Since when? or is it that people only refuse to live in slavery and serfdom when the masters are ugly insecty things that make us go "ugh!"

 

What if the invaders looked like Tolkien's elves or Charlize Theron, would that make a difference?

[Chuckg]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

> Umm, people refuse to live in slavery and serfdom? Since when?

 

You have to remember that the Baron dates from the 10th century -- when he talks about 'serfdom' and suchlike he's speaking literally, not figuratively.

[Powerhouse]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Too much reason. Didn't anyone learn anything from those early sci fi movies?

 

Well it's probably because we're HEROES and want to do the right thing. If you can avoid a war, keep Earth free, and gain a powerful friend isn't that SO much better than laying waste to your own planet in battle?

 

It doesn't seem as if the Manti are evil but rather have a hard time figuring out how to interact with other sentients who have different cultures and thought processes. There is the possibility of understanding.

[Powerhouse]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Umm... how do you rep someone again? I have seemed to have forgotten how and I wanted to rep the thread starter.

 

Thanks.

[incrdbil]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Well it's probably because we're HEROES and want to do the right thing. If you can avoid a war, keep Earth free, and gain a powerful friend isn't that SO much better than laying waste to your own planet in battle?

 

We are talking about comic book superheroes, right?

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Umm... how do you rep someone again? I have seemed to have forgotten how and I wanted to rep the thread starter.

 

Thanks.

Go to the post you want to rep, click the scales in the upper right hand corner, follow the instructions in the pop-up.

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Too much reason. Didn't anyone learn anything from those early sci fi movies?

 

What's the point of negotiation since they've already declared their intention to take over the world?

(Actually, when Dolphin does that endless child-like questions and helpful suggestions, it seems that sooner or later people run away screaming. He sees three possibilities, (1) he will convince the Manti that humans are so insanely different from them they are best off quarentening this solar system and never visiting again (2) he will smooth over some rough patches and there will be a peaceful Human Manti cooperation, or (3) he will learn about their anatomy, phisology, biochemistry, technology, sociology, family structure and thought patterns, any or all of which could turn out to be useful if it is necessary to fight them. Win, win, win.)

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Hrmmm... Wish I got into this round-table discussion earlier. Dolphin already covered much of what I (read: Queen of Spades) wanted to say.

 

Queen of Spades: (Assuming Dolphin & Boost are Champions Universe-based, she'd worm her way right up there with them.) "And let's not forget that there plenty other viable food sources other than mere bovines. After all, they were descended from ancient Aurochs--what's not to say that existing wild ruimants are also viable? I can name a half-dozen right now that can be carefully herded, bred, and supplied to your people based on need. And I'm also equally curious about animals that are roughly similar in size that would be equally useful--I'm not suggesting stripping our world down, but applying the same logistics would be worthwhile in the long run while preserving species biodiversity..."

Dolphin "Good point. I've been wondering if they've been overlooking aquaculture. Cetaceans are sentient enough that I would be very uncomfortable with them being eaten, but might be able to genetically engineer a non-sentient krill harvester for transplant to their mantiiformed planets."

[Powerhouse]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Cool. Thanks for the help McCoy.

 

Thread has been repped!

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

You're welcome!

[Powerhouse]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

To Skjam!

 

Are you planning to continue the thread? It's alot of fun and I'm curious to hear the Manti's reactions to her words.

 

Thanks.

[SKJAM!]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

I think Dolphin's done well enough for now.

 

And players waiting for a fight scene needn't worry too much, the GM can have General Tk-ch'tk submit to senility, get bored with the negotiation and attack one of the holdout country with her handful of loyal warriors.

[Powerhouse]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

I think Dolphin's done well enough for now.

 

And players waiting for a fight scene needn't worry too much, the GM can have General Tk-ch'tk submit to senility, get bored with the negotiation and attack one of the holdout country with her handful of loyal warriors.

 

*nods*

 

Ok, that's cool. I was *kinda* hoping for a response to Lady Silver's speechifying but oh well, can't have everything. Anyway, a cool thread and I loved the in character responses. And it's kinda funny that most character's responses were to attack.

[Metaphysician]

Re: WWYCD: "I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords"

 

Microman II: "You consider offering to rule us for ourselves one of your positive contributions? Have you received an adequate debriefing on human nature and history?" He wouldn't be offended so much as baffled, and suspect firstly a massive cultural interpretation error. In addition to the alternative growth schemes mentioned above, he'd also likely point out all the really nasty individuals and groups on Earth, and how it seems rather counterproductive to voluntarily take up having to deal with them.

 

Diomedes: "Alien conquerors are alien conquerors." Join the resistance.

 

Jack Frost: "Say, you wouldn't happen to have heard of 'Istvatha V'Han'? Because we just repelled her invasion a year ago. Sure you don't want to just buy the beef from us?" Yes, technically, the main superteam involved is MIA, but they don't necessarily know that. . .

 

Hermes: Native time period is before 1000 BC. There are parts of the world they could land upon and harvest cattle without any major civilization even *noticing*. . . or so they might think at first, if they don't pay close attention.

 

Once contact or detection occurs, Hermes would get involved simply because he's actually shown some interest in building spacecraft, and is generally known in the halls of Theran power as one of several people expert at weirdness. If negotiations actually get a chance of occuring, well, I'm sorry, but Thera surrendering to the Mantii is simply not happening. Even mass mind control isn't a viable explanation; there's a Minos-shaped impediment in the way.

 

Once the Mantii get oriented, though, odds are they would leave voluntarily. Nowhere near enough infrastructure to make cattle production worth dealing with the rather disturbingly large number of excessively powerful superhumans. The main worry for Hermes would be making sure the majority of the Mantii's technology doesn't land in the hands of the Heraclidae, or the Jade Empire.