Canny Resolve of the Azure Host's page

Canny Resolve continues doing...whatever it is they do on a daily basis. The urges and desires of a mass constituency rarely leads to a regular schedule, doubly so for one whose mission is to get to know all they can about single-bodied beings. They keep their days busy, synthesizing new bio-strains to use in combat while taking part in k'drunn pheremonal dramas. They also commune with their hive fleet, relaying what they've learned while renewing their connection and knowledge of what the Azure Host has been up to. Recently, the rogue k'drunn known as the Splinter Fleets have been harassing biomass trade routes but a joint action alongside the Pearlescent Multitude routed their number.

Eager to meet the newest member of the crew, they seek down Lt. Krema, "Greetings, one who is designated Lt. Krema Reginald-Zretaden. It is refreshing to see one who deviates from the standard body plan of the Concord. The doctress of the ship is non-standard, of course, but your self and our selves are non-standard."

They pause, realizing the strangeness of what they just said, "Our apologies for the overly candid nature of our introduction. We are Canny Resolve, special representative of the Azure Host under the aupices of diplomatic semi-autonomy. We are pleased to be acquainted with you, and look forward to partaking in valuable work in the future."

…and this is my secondary, who’s a friendly if somewhat eccentric sentient swarm of bugs.

Pretty slammed with finals season, hopefully I'll be back up to speed with things soon.

Canny Resolve takes a quick but careful step back as they stow and needler and quickly retrieves their plasma rifle, firing a shot from it to take advantage of the newly applied genetic weakness.

Attack v EAC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Damage, Biohack: 1d8 + 4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 + 2 = 16

Taking a guarded step as I stow my needler and draw my plasma rifle.

Unfortunately my inhibitor isn’t that awesome. He just takes 2 extra points of fire damage.

Canny Resolve, ever the one to not quite read the tone of a room, chortles to Yusil (a bunch of bugs laughing is as uncomfortable as it sounds), "Dokkar bio-engineering. Quaint! The hive fleets can do it better!"

They fire a gen-hanced needle at the serial killer, designed to overcharge the fire response of the epidermis.

Attack v KAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Applying a genetics inhibitor to the Whip, giving him weakness 2 to fire damage.

Sounds good.

Canny Resolve draws their needler and follows suit.

”If this one is as bad as they say, it may not be of any import.”

What they said! Playing with y'all is always a great time. I can jump in with Legion while Canny Resolve is doing a sweep (unless out our ever-so-merciful GM has other sinister plans for them.)

"Understood. We will do a full sweep with whoever else we can manage to find."

Canny Resolve radios up the the ship, ”This is Ensign Canny Resolve. Unfortunate news. Phan and ourselves were out for a jog when we found Crewman Ravibakshi deceased. Initial assessment suggests head trauma, though Dr. Yusil would be able to condut a more thorough autopsy. Please advise on next steps to take.”

Canny Resolve's constituents buzz with activity. This is unprecedented, unbelievably so. They are saddened by this turn of events of course, but their grasp of death on an individual scale is shaky at best. "Please, we must examine what has transpired."

They approach the body and kneel down, constituent insects inspecting Ravibakshi with the eyes of a trained master of the organic sciences.

Medicine: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

"Why of course! We cannot say that it will have the same effect on us as it will on you, but rigorous exercise is a good way of maintaining constituent cohesion."

Canny Resolve spends their time working with their microlab, trying to synthesize any new novel strains of biohack based on the genetic material of this new planet.

They also spend time just taking in the experience, having never been planetside before.

Canny Resolve extends a hand to the man, though handshakes with K'Drunn rarely turn out to be pleasant experiences with single-bodied folk.

”In we go then!”

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Canny Resolve, too, takes a look at the fissure, though their constituents are distracted by discussions over the new samples of exotic bioforms they had retrieved from the creatures they killed.

Ope, sorry, didn't realize the map hadn't been updated to reflect that one near me going down.

Canny Resolve steps to the side, taking a shot with their plasma rifle at the creature nearest to them.

Attack v EAC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Attack v KAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Canny Resolve loads their syringe rifle, the needle inside containing a bevvy of compounds designed to cause greater damage when fire hits the body.

They fire at one of the oncoming creatures, hoping to test out K’Drunn science on new biomass.

With that they pull out their plasma rifle, a specialized Azure Host clone-skeined organism in the rough shape of a gun.

Sticking a genetic inhibitor biohack on the syringer and then firing before switching to my plasma rifle. If I hit then it’ll have essentially a weakness 2 to fire damage.

"Unusual lifeforms, coming towards us!"

They try to ascertain just what the creatures may be, or at least similarities to anything they know about.

Life Science: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Canny Resolve gets out of the vehicle, hovering just above the ground as they look around for any anomalies.

Canny Resolve, after a bit of acclimation to planetside life, takes to their duties with gusto.

With substantial knowledge of the natural world biologically programmed into them, survival in unfamiliar environments comes naturally to them. They sign on to either one of the excursions, full of gung-ho and gusto.

Canny Resolve nods, "Entirely. Watch this."

They spend a moment shifting their constituents into a perfect sphere before separating some portions from the main bulk to create the image of a smiley face, shifting back soon after.

"That symbol is meaningful to you humans, is it not?"

When they have a minute, Canny Resolve pays a visit to Sandy. Juveniles of the species were unheard of to the k'drunn, and they were an interesting opportunity to learn more about the humans they've been assigned to learn about. Besides

"Greetings, small human designated Sandy. If you happen to remember, we are Canny Resolve of the Azure Host, though you may call me Canny or Canny Resolve...or perhaps CRAH...or CROTAH...or any combination of the previously mentioned names. We wished to inquire about your wellbeing, seeing as we were one of the parties to assist in your discovery upon this ship."

They think for a minute before chuckling and saying, "We have come to an amusing realization. We have only been active for five years. You, small human Sandy, are older than us by a good margin."

This did not make sense to Canny Resolve, not one bit. A human, in their larval stage analogue, on the ship?

They holster their gun, looking down at the kid. Canny Resolve is friendly but odd as they always are, "Hello juvenile of the human species. It is good to meet you, We are Ensign Canny Resolve. What is your name? How did you find yourself to be here?"

Canny Resolve nods, "Then let us proceed with all haste."

Canny Resolve broadcasts back to Rudo, "Status update: confused. Unknown assailants were accosting CPO Adelstein, up until both assailants abruptly vanished. Assailants were revealed to have been former antagonists of Adelstein. Their purpose on the ship and how they could have gotten here is unknown"

I'm guessing my blindsense didn't pick them up after they vanished?

Canny Resolve fires at the other thug, loading another needling with the muscle restricting agent.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Attacking with my needler at the other thug, applying the same minor inhibitor biohack to give a -1 on attacks for 6 rounds.

My shot also did Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 damage, and applying a -1 attack penalty for 6 damage

Canny Resolve quickly switches to their needler rifle and takes aim at one of the thugs, quickly injecting an agent into their needler that would slightly weaken the thug's muscles to make attaching harder. They fire off a shot, though it likely goes wide.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Canny Resolve turns to Ravibakshi, "Maintain your eyes here. We shall investigate."

With that, they open the engineering main door, weapon at the ready.

Canny Resolve’s unwavering but odd politeness does not falter, ”Timely and exigent greetings! We are in urgent pursuit of an unknown individual that was last seen running away towards engineering from Lt. Williams quarters. Has anyone run through here?”

"Very good, thank you Liutenant."

They broadcast to security, "Unknown male in Lt. Williams' quarters, individual fled towards engineering. Intent is to give pursuit, please advise."

Canny Resolve, in a moment of remembering how humans act, shakes their head, ”Negative. Did he leave the room or take any objectionable action?”

”Copy, advancing now, backup will be requested as needed.”

Canny Resolve draws their plasma rifle and quietly advances forward, keeping an eye out for anything that might be amiss.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Canny Resolve had let their mind drift to life in the hive fleet, of the singular drive to collect information and biomatter balanced against the thronging multitudes of the collective’s countless sentiences. It was strange, for it’s will to be but a dull thrum in their mind.

A scream. That is strange. Singular purpose yet again, this time to do the job assigned to them. They broadcast quietly over security channels, ”Disturbance on the lower deck. Scream of unknown origin. Best course of action unclear, please advise.”

Uncanny Resolve cracked me up.

”What is that saying you humans use…busy as a bee?” Several constituents chuckle as they continue, ”Command has me patrolling the engineering wing. It is a rather dull posting. My off hours have been spent well. The sensorists of the Amethyst Throng have just released a new pheromonal drama. Excellent as always.”

What Taylor does have, is an endlessly curious and sentient swarm of bugs that seems to have decided that Taylor is their friend.

Canny Resolve's many voices are jovial as they see the man, "We greet you warmly! Let us retrieve ourselves a drink, and then we wish to talk to you."

They make their way over to the drink dispenser, filling a cup with a combination that's even parts liquor and sugar syrup.

Sitting is an odd concept to Canny Resolve, but they do it to maintain appearances for other crewmember's comfort. Their constituents begin flying down to the cup, supping on the alcohol and sugar with great enjoyment.

"So, how fares your self's day?"

Yep.

I'd been using it previously, but they would work just as well...little hard to say with hive minds.

Whoops, accidentally made that last post as Legion.

”Ah, yes. You are registering a v’nirr. Ah, how best do we phrase it? Begin imagining a computer with an external datachip to improve it’s functioning, yes? V’nirr are similar, an engineered organism which is designed to biologically and psionically interface with our collective will to improve our constituents. They lack the intelligence of k’drunn, but are engineered from our template.”

Canny Resolve’s constituents shift as a larger mass rises to the ever-shifting surface of their body. It looks similar to the beetle-dragonfly hybrids that makes up their body, but it is larger and has many more antennae and specialized sensory organs. Constituents crawl in and out of a large cavity in the middle of it, and Dr. Yusil picks up a stronger but fundamentally different psionic resonance from it.

Canny Resolve buzzes into Dr. Yusil's office, "Good day, doctress of the ship. We have still not completed our medical examination. Several of our constituents have insisted we complete it to properly proceed with protocol. We understand our physiology is foreign to the Space Force, so we will do what we can to ease your efforts."

Without a face to read expressions on, it's a little hard to exactly tell what Canny Resolve is thinking, but it's tone is mirthful as it says, "That sounds quite distinctly like two names."

"Don't have much personal flight experience then," he nods, translating the metaphor with ease. "I've heard about some pilots experimenting with telelocation to place themselves 'inside' their ships, as it were. Make it an extension of yourself in a way simply fondling controls could never replicate"

Canny Resolve chuckles, an odd sound coming from approximately a bajillion bugs, saying at the same time with another segment of it's constituents, "We cannot say we had the pleasure to learn your name. Or is it names? At times it is hard for us to tell with the single-bodied."

"To ask how our vessels fly would be as if we asked how you know how to control your own body. They are extensions of the hive's collective will, as are we."

”The Emerald Swarm? Pompous attention seekers. The Convocation of the 18th and 551st cycle gave them honors for their triumphs against the splinter fleets and now they think they’re too glorious by half.”

Canny Resolve, for lack of a better word, pivots at the waist to face Taylor, the constituents of it’s body shifting the direction of their form.

It hover-walks over to Taylor and says cheerfully, ”So we hear you admire the works of the K’drunn. The works of the Emerald Swarm, more precisely. They are flashy, we know this well. We hail from the Azure Host, having been granted the privilege of diplomatic autonomy to represent it’s interests. Drive to Succeed, it is thought among the other hives, was controlled directly by the mind of it’s hive fleet. It hardly seems fair, but the Emerald Swarm has never been much of one for playing fair.” As it speaks, the many buzzing voices become less cheerful. A close observer would notice that Canny Resolve has placed a “hand” on it’s plate and is rapidly devouring the food. A benefit of having many, many mouths.

The swarm-being shrugs, ”Our apologies. We have entirely forgotten our manners. The hive fleets are prone to bickering like the brood-mates of the single-bodied. We are Canny Resolve of the Azure Host, and speak as one when we say we are extremely pleased to be here.”

As Legion takes their seat, quite possibly the most unusual member of the incoming crew makes their way into the room.

The door to the lounge slides open and a swarm of sky-blue insects (which upon close inspection resemble a cross between a beetle and a dragonfly) in the rough shape of a humanoid swarm walks in, it's feet only barely touching the ground as it makes it's way to the buffet table.

The sound of a thousand thousand small voices all at once emanates from it's form, "A delicious looking array of biomatter! The Orion Space Force does not disappoint. We are excited to try all of this. The wandering hosts see little use for diverse biomass portfolios."

With a plate consisting of small amounts of every type of food at the buffet, Canny Resolve looks around the room for anywhere to sit as constituent parts of the swarm land on the plate, taking small bites of whatever piece of the meal suits their fancy.