The "Thargoid Threat" is Fake News!

Please make sure your plan involves evacuating Prof Palin first; I kinda like his work!

That we be a really interesting Trade off

Humanity can leave the Pleiades and Thargoids, but lose Prof Palin and his workshop and mods

Or

Keep Prof Palin and his workshop and mods but have to fight to do so
 
The Thargoids are really mad w/ Aegis, all their stations are being put to the torch.

Though I'm not happy w/ Aegis, they have shot at me, I'm taking the opportunity w/ some wing mates to hunt these aliens down, we've gotten five 5's w/ a wing of three.

In their death throes, they do emit cries of possibly pain and anguish (that's what they sound like to me) but I side w/ humanity. After all, it's Elite: Dangerous, not Elite: Cohabitation w/ Aliens.
 
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Dateline: The Galactic Enquirer. January 4th, 3304. Agricola's Ascent, Pleiades Sector DL-Y d65.

Galactic Enquirer sources have revealed that the "Thargoid Threat" is a manufactured one, created in a cooperative effort by the embattled executives at Lakon Spaceways and the cash-strapped Alliance.

The Agricola's Ascent orbital is crowded these days. One can’t walk anywhere without bumping into packs of feral billionaires who have flocked to the Pleiades region pursuing the latest topPercenter and Trustafarian pastime: “Hunting Thargoids.” Hundreds, perhaps thousands of these nouveau riche thrill seekers have left humanity’s boring bubble hoping to join the “elite” club of those who’ve successfully ambushed one of the peaceful alien space flowers in hopes of securing its heart for their trophy case.

Agricola's Ascent’s corridors and brandy lounges are filled with the swaggering machismo and raucous flamboyance these billionaires flaunt like a million-credit cloak. Ask them why they’re here and to their credit some will honestly reply it’s strictly for the thrill of the kill. But eight times out of ten the response will be some variant of “To save humanity from the growing xeno threat.” Those respondents are convinced their mission is truly that noble, that the reason they’re willing to sacrifice their billion-credit ships (if not their lives) is this “defense of humanity.”

But The Galactic Enquirer has uncovered highly placed sources that suggest the threat to humanity is a manufactured one. That makes many of these Dudley Do-Rights unfortunate sheeple, herded by a heretofore unimaginable galaxy-wide conspiracy.

Investigators at the Galactic Enquirer have sifted through thousands of pages of documents provided by the shadowy hackers famous for populating the GalactiLeaks Galnet site. Our intrepid journalists have uncovered secret emails documenting the manufacture of an interstellar, possibly criminal manipulation of public sentiment. And the conspirators? None other than officials at the highest levels of the Alliance, working in conjunction with Lakon Spaceways! Together they’ve seeded a campaign through the media channels of hundreds of worlds that goes far beyond the normal underhanded but legal persuasion techniques employed by common, high-value marketing campaigns.

Like with most crimes, all investigation takes is following the money.

Hundreds of the GalactiLeaks documents reveal increasingly frantic correspondence over the last eighteen months between Lakon Spaceways product development, financial, and marketing departments. These documents reveal C-level panic throughout Lakon’s highest executives. From the documents, it’s clear that early leaks citing underwhelming flight performance figures for Lakon’s massively hyped new Type-10 “Defender” resulted in an almost total evaporation of military demand for the heavy ship. Coming at a time when rumors of major market share lost to both Faulcon DeLacy and Core Dynamics for the fourth straight quarter shook investor confidence, the leaks triggered a catastrophic plunge in Lakon’s stock value. Lakon executives needed a miracle.

According to documents we discovered, company executives responded to their company’s Edsel moment by manufacturing a threat so serious, so existential, that the galaxy would become desperate for an answer. Enter the Alliance, whose own influence has steadily waned from its recent peak in 3300. As the major power driving Lakon to produce the Type-10 Defender before canceling half their contracts last year, the cash-strapped Alliance needed to cooperate with Lakon to avoid ruinous lawsuits.

For people who believe one should never let a good crisis go to waste, the sudden return of Thargoids was a godsend for Lakon. Although big, beautiful, and not hostile unless threatened or attacked, the lumbering space leviathans’ utter alien-ness made them the perfect foil for Lakon executives desperate to create a new market for their heavily armed and armored, 2250-ton, 500MM* Cr recycled space barge. [* Weight and value figures common for a Defender minimally outfitted for Thargoid hunting. –Ed.]

In the words of one Lakon Executive, from one of the discovered interoffice memos, “We need to make those weird-looking space daisies evil and threatening. There’s no other way we’ll unload all these flying pigs- er, “Defenders” [poop emoji] the damned Alliance decided not to buy! Ha! Coming up with a campaign to make floating daffodils reek of evil -- that oughta keep those marketing weasels in PR busy for the holidays!”

But the Lakon PR folks seem to have done the impossible. They’ve painted the Thargoid presence as a looming menace to our civilization. Despite resembling nothing so much as a giant flower and possessing a nature that seems nothing if not benignly inquisitive toward anything man-made, the Thargoids’ very otherness works against them. They’re so alien to us that even their sentience (and thus any possible guilt at even being able to form the hostile intentions accorded to them by Lakon Spaceway’s guerilla marketing) is still very much in question. What is known is that they’ve never initiated an attack on a human ship without that ship either firing first or at the very least aggressively infringing on the Thargoid’s immediate space.

But you don’t have to take this reporter at face value, gentle readers. Use your Randomius-given powers of logic. Ask yourself: If these aliens really posed an existential threat to humanity – or even to humans that didn’t provoke them first – would the Alliance, in conjunction with the Pilots Federation and other major powers, only award a measly two million credits as a Thargoid bounty? That’s a mere 2M credits for a kill, when defeating one involves the following hurdles and risks:

  1. Pilots must foot the bill to buy and/or outfit a ship (ideally the Defender, of course!) that costs at least 500-million credits and be willing to risk the associated 25-million credit insurance deductible if they lose the ship in combat. (And note, the Thargoid hunting builds that improve one’s chances run closer to 750M or even a cool 1B credits!)
  2. Pilots must foot the bill in hiring and paying a ship-launched fighter operator, without whom that pilot’s chances of survival, let alone victory, became low indeed – and pilots must do this understanding that even if they themselves make it to an escape pod, their hirelings will DIE if the pilot fails and loses his ship to the Thargoid;
  3. Pilots go into their hunting knowing that even if they succeed – which most will not do at first, if ever – their ship restock and repair will almost certainly cost almost half-a-million credits (and that’s for a solo fight against the weakest of the Thargoids!).
If you’re doing the math, you’re realizing that hunting one of these dangers to humanity virtually requires a multi-billionaire to put a billion in assets (and his life) on the line, and then offers him a net profit of about a million credits. It’s a laughable amount in a galactic economy that provides entrepreneurial pilots with profits that are literally fifty times that (or more), in the same amount of time, with a lot less investment, simply for ferrying passengers to remote starports (with little or no risk).

Your realization, gentle citizens, must be: That doesn’t add up! And Lakon’s marketing slogan, developed to rally humanity’s xeno hunters (and, coincidentally, sell lots of Type-10 Defenders!) waives all that financial consideration with a simple slogan: “You don’t do it for the money; you do it for humanity.”

There’s only one solution to this puzzle: Lakon Spaceways has convinced thousands of pilots to conduct genocide against the first and only alien megafauna we’ve ever encountered, for the sole reason of selling a ship that would otherwise be a market flop.

This must not go unanswered! Humanity is better than that!

[Copied from today's Galactic Enquirer by Cmdr Talion Camisade]
[Edited for the inevitable typos that creep in *right* after clicking "submit."]

And here I thought it was AEGIS tricking us into war...
 

verminstar

Banned
What surprises me more is that it took supposedly very intelligent people this long to figure out the obvious...there is no invasion and never was. Fer an invasion to happen, an enemy has to actually invade...in the case of the thargoids, they havent left the sector they were found in and arent attacking us unless provoked.

Hmm that does not qualify as an invasion...and you lot think yer smart? If dummies like me figured this out months ago, then what does that say about the few souls still clinging to the belief that the danger is real? Its like the 20th and 21st century in human history where there were new worldwide disasters being predicted every other day...after a time, the only ones who believed in these prophecies of doom were religious fanatics and the mentally impaired.

If this so called invasion is happening, then where is it happening? If one wishes to ignore this dire threat to our existance, all we need do is ignore the region they were found in and just enjoy the show of them invading the hell outta that one region. Its more like a sideshow at the circus than an invasion while humanitys greatest threat has always been, and always will be itself. They dont need to invade us, just contain us and we will eventually destroy ourselves...if I was a smart alien, thats what I would do and spend precious few resources achieving it. This is how warfare and nations were destabilized in the 20th century as the more powerful nations built and sold the weapons used by both sides.

Such underhand tactics are what made them powerful in the first place. If anything, its us who invaded them considering they were here long before us. Its like the early europeans when they discovered the Americas and the natives 'invaded'...how dare they be on our land before us, who the hell they think they are? Far as I can see, this is exactly the same thing...all thats different are the dates and the species ^
 
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I just don't understand why it _has_ to be so simplistic - "us" versus "them". It's cartoon-like and childish.

We only need look at ourselves to see races of many violent warriors, blood-thirsty, power hungry etc, intermingled with peace-loving, artistic, curious, creative, friendly, social beings to accept the following:
1) Some Thargoids may indeed be anti-Human, probably racist
2) Some Humans are definitely anti-Thargoid, probably racist (but assuming because of the alien context, they are exempt)
3) There may be a number of people/beings on both sides with a more open mind

I would like to be in camp (3), that doesn't mean that if I get attacked by a Thargoid I will turn over and die. But nor will I assume that being attacked by some Thargoids means all Thargoids are irredeemable and must be genocided.

I admit - however - that FDev may choose to not allow this more diverse possibility. Or perhaps have yet another twist up their sleeve.
 
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You need to use the AX_Kill Warrant Scanner to boost the 2M bounty before killing the Cyclops if it had any Col Region bounties before engaging...but it's never been about the money. War is about sacrifice and to unify the human race to step up or face extinction like many other civilizations such as those advanced, social, and peace-loving Guardians.

I don't think Thargoids are anti-human or racist. I bet they think we are simply delicious, especially when caught fresh from escape pods by their fishing vessels mistakenly referred to as "Interdictors."

-- Reference: "To Serve Man: A Definitive Cookbook (for The Discerning Thargoid Chefs)"


The Aegis toys we have now will be woefully inadequate when their warships show up...
 
This article is good old fed/imp propaganda to undermine Lakon and the Alliance!

How should a single megacorp and a financially struggling Alliance be able to instigate such a ruse?

I guess we all know who the real enemy is. It is the same one that pays the pirates to attack Alliance ships en route to the California Nebula.

They always blame the small guys
 
What surprises me more is that it took supposedly very intelligent people this long to figure out the obvious...there is no invasion and never was. Fer an invasion to happen, an enemy has to actually invade...in the case of the thargoids, they havent left the sector they were found in and arent attacking us unless provoked.

Hmm that does not qualify as an invasion...and you lot think yer smart? If dummies like me figured this out months ago, then what does that say about the few souls still clinging to the belief that the danger is real? Its like the 20th and 21st century in human history where there were new worldwide disasters being predicted every other day...after a time, the only ones who believed in these prophecies of doom were religious fanatics and the mentally impaired.

If this so called invasion is happening, then where is it happening? If one wishes to ignore this dire threat to our existance, all we need do is ignore the region they were found in and just enjoy the show of them invading the hell outta that one region. Its more like a sideshow at the circus than an invasion while humanitys greatest threat has always been, and always will be itself. They dont need to invade us, just contain us and we will eventually destroy ourselves...if I was a smart alien, thats what I would do and spend precious few resources achieving it. This is how warfare and nations were destabilized in the 20th century as the more powerful nations built and sold the weapons used by both sides.

Such underhand tactics are what made them powerful in the first place. If anything, its us who invaded them considering they were here long before us. Its like the early europeans when they discovered the Americas and the natives 'invaded'...how dare they be on our land before us, who the hell they think they are? Far as I can see, this is exactly the same thing...all thats different are the dates and the species ^

In total agreement. Now the "answer" to this dire threat is to sell the wallowing cow that is the Type-10? Just does not make any sense!
 
I just don't understand why it _has_ to be so simplistic - "us" versus "them". It's cartoon-like and childish.

We only need look at ourselves to see races of many violent warriors, blood-thirsty, power hungry etc, intermingled with peace-loving, artistic, curious, creative, friendly, social beings to accept the following:
1) Some Thargoids may indeed be anti-Human, probably racist
2) Some Humans are definitely anti-Thargoid, probably racist (but assuming because of the alien context, they are exempt)
3) There may be a number of people/beings on both sides with a more open mind

I would like to be in camp (3), that doesn't mean that if I get attacked by a Thargoid I will turn over and die. But nor will I assume that being attacked by some Thargoids means all Thargoids are irredeemable and must be genocided.

I admit - however - that FDev may choose to not allow this more diverse possibility. Or perhaps have yet another twist up their sleeve.

[Stepping out of the character fun for a sec]
If FDEVs plat it "All humans join the noble war against the evil Thargoids!" Then no thanks!

Not that I am against combat, it is 80% of what I do in ED! It just turns our space sim into just another "shoot-em-up!"
 
One question and one which hasn't been answered yet: Who was the alien race that guided Jaques out of hyperspace to safety?
 
You need to use the AX_Kill Warrant Scanner to boost the 2M bounty before killing the Cyclops if it had any Col Region bounties before engaging...but it's never been about the money. War is about sacrifice and to unify the human race to step up or face extinction like many other civilizations such as those advanced, social, and peace-loving Guardians.

I don't think Thargoids are anti-human or racist. I bet they think we are simply delicious, especially when caught fresh from escape pods by their fishing vessels mistakenly referred to as "Interdictors."
-- Reference: "To Serve Man: A Definitive Cookbook (for The Discerning Thargoid Chefs)"



The Aegis toys we have now will be woefully inadequate when their warships show up...

No It is the human's who are the racist xenophobes! You show it perfectly here. Terms like "They will eat your children" have been used throughout human history by racist regimes to advance their agendas!

[All in character fun ya know!]
 
I've just been interdicted by Thargoids 220 ligt years away from Maia (HIP 20491), which is right on the edge of the bubble, they appear to be getting closer
 
I've just been interdicted by Thargoids 220 ligt years away from Maia (HIP 20491), which is right on the edge of the bubble, they appear to be getting closer

Me, too! Hence my new article, "The Thargoid Presence Is Closing In"
 
[Stepping out of the character fun for a sec]
If FDEVs plat it "All humans join the noble war against the evil Thargoids!" Then no thanks!

Not that I am against combat, it is 80% of what I do in ED! It just turns our space sim into just another "shoot-em-up!"


I totally concur, I have often said that this is an interesting social experiment, where humanity shows its true colours. If it's not understood, 'kill it'
 

verminstar

Banned
One question and one which hasn't been answered yet: Who was the alien race that guided Jaques out of hyperspace to safety?

Thargoids. Humanity need only be contained...why spend the lives of yer own when ye can keep them confined and let them tear each other apart by infiltrating their command and support infrastructures with minimum resources. Allow them to believe yer a benevolent alien species by being intentionally and obviously merciful and non aggressive. Throw in the odd few more aggressive cabbages now and then to keep the amused...some of them might even be dumb enough to start thinking we are as divided as they are.

Humans are best classified as an advanced and intelligent virus...like the swarms of insects on their first planet they fed off called locusts, they move to a resource rich area and breed and grow...much the same as a virus. At every point in their entire history, their species flourish when vast new resource rich territories were discovered, as is to be expected as this follows a logical pattern in nature.

However, humans are alien to what they discover and take the resources but give nothing back but disease, sickness and death. They could be dangerous if aggressed however, although they appear to have severely slowed down in technological progression by actually forgetting things their ancestors knew how to do a thousand years before them.

And so the only way humans can expand is by discovering new areas for their sickness to spread to...also much the same behaviour as a virus. In nature, an indigenous species eventually acquires an equalibrium with its surrounding environment. As seen by their violent and primitive history, this pattern has been the driving force behind their entire survival.

Humans themselves wrote books about these exact same tactics...it was as though they gave us the cure to the disease through self enlightenment after they destroyed the planet that spawned them and infected the surrounding area. All we need do is contain them...the individuals are irrelevant but having them move their hive structures across unspoiled territory simply cannot be permitted. The sickness has infected enough of the galaxy as it is, but stay benevolent in our actions. Humans arent exactly the most colourful flower, so they fairly easy to confuse and this is a real sweet one if they fall for it ^
 
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