exsilium | 2 ¤ Banker's Post

[Video]

[It is a very solemn Giovanni who addresses everyone today. Maybe it’s due to the cold which, admittedly was a problem that even an extra wrap could not quite solve, but more likely it was due to the book on Renaissance history that was sitting open faced on his lap. He had finally found the time to read the book he had traded Cat (a.k.a. Arya Stark) for and the manuscript held a grim glimpse into the future. ]

We are brought here, told that changing the past is the way to correct the future but I find myself wondering if that is true. Has anything that has been done really been for the best? Those who were native in Exsilium before our arrival have been nearly entirely wiped from history. Instead of correcting the troubles with these ‘nuclear bombs’ we have only plunged the planet into a deep cold. Now we are told we must do more of these missions to gather supplies and correct these new problems. Does it ever end?

I wonder how many of you agree with this. Is changing the past in this manner something you feel is right?

[His voice took on an even softer tone as he thought back on what he had read. ]

What would you do if you had future knowledge of a terrible event? Would you journey to the past to stop it from happening or would you be too concerned it might cause something even worse to occur?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This is true... But consider this.

It's not just the natives of this world now. It's one of ours - and more at risk.

Consider that we have not been able to mount a consistent offensive against them directly - nor could we, for there are so few of us against so many of them.

No, we could never attack them directly, but we could try more subtle attacks here in this time. I suppose I do not see the need to travel to other ages and involve so many others.

[Or at least this is a point he is struggling with right now. ]

... Honestly, we've got... How many functionally high-capability people on our side? Versus an enemy capable of duplicating any of us they capture.

One ill-placed traitor just slightly better than the last two, and we're done. Or worse.

Shifting time lets us negate their past victories. It could even, in a sense, bring the Exsilium we knew before back - by eliminating their ability or reason to launch those nukes, for example.

And remember, we have one advantage the United Earth cannot match - one we'd be abandoning if we stop using the tools of time.

Don't get me wrong, a few well-placed present day strikes could be of value as well... But they could also draw attention to us. Last time that happened...

Fighting a subtle war is something I understand, fighting one through time I... do not understand at all.

It may be I am too far behind on technology to make sense of any of it. I am not even entirely sure what you mean on duplicates. Even disguised there must be ways to discover their affiliation, communications that might be intercepted or actions that would mark them as suspicious.

[The vast majority of the cloning things happened before his arrival and he wouldn't understand it anyway. All of this advanced technology is FAR beyond his level.]

What I do know, is that what we have been doing so far seems to have the exact opposite effect we were hoping for. Si, we can return to the Earth, but life there is no better. Maybe it can be undone...

[He sighed. ]

What is this advantage, time travel? Can not the United Earth travel through time as well?

I actually don't think they can. Otherwise, we'd have lost far more than we have already.

Rather... I don't think anyone on this Earth can. They can send us outsiders back, but that's it. Or at least, that's the most logical explanation for why they need us.

Our own memories are ripple-proof; that is, we can know what changed when this world cannot. Victories attained like that can be perfectly stealth, often literally impossible for the UE to ever trace to Exsilium.

Way better than Persisted Greater Invisibility, let me tell you.

[Wow, is he glad he asked these questions now! This is an astonishing response!]

If what you said is true it would explain so much about our situation. Has any of the Initiative ever confirmed these theories?

That, I honestly don't know. The part about them not being able to go back in time themselves is conjecture.

[He nodded. ]

I will keep that theory in mind. It may be useful in deciding what course of action I should be taking next. Grazie.

Do be careful. Our foe is rather prone to feats of overkill.

It may also be of value to consider that they are not particularly prone to creative thinking. It may be a tool to use against them.

That is something to be cautious of! I would not wish to see another attack with those nuclear weapons, if it is still a weapon that exists in their arsenal.

From what I've heard, they've existed for centuries here. It's unlikely we've wiped them from their arsenal.

No, maybe not, but we could not say for certain until we see how the United Earth might have been changed.

Then quiet scouting is one of your proposed actions, I assume?

I'm decent at that.

Perhaps.

[But he is 'only a banker' and not good at scouting at all... Oh, forget it. He doesn't bother with the misdirection this time.]

You have had experience scouting and spying?

I have... Quite a few tools for such a job. Teleportation to familiar locations, shifting into the ether to step through walls, invisibility...

Magic's quite the force, I find. As is just knowing how to walk with quiet tread.

You have spying magic?

That must be endlessly useful. To walk through walls, there would be no place you could not travel.

Mind, that one's not perfect. I have to end the spell to be able to see anything of use.

Still, you could get in. Do you know if the United Earth or the Initiative has a way to guard against this power?

[It's made him curious now!]

I actually don't. It's possible, since they've cloned some people's powers... But not at all a sure thing.

Then it might still be possible to use it against them. If... the need should ever arise.

You're thinking of plans that don't call for that, then.

There are many things I could do. I am only trying to sort out my own thoughts and decide what is the best course of action.

[Vague but, he does like his secrets.]

If I find I do need some one who could move through walls could I contact you again?

Go for it. Network's the easy way to reach me, since I'm slipping between the moonbase and earth fairly often.

Then I will, if the situation calls for it. Grazie, you have been very helpful.

May luck be at your back.

2 ¤ Banker's Post

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