WE DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO OUR HOMEWORLD ON HYPNUS 2. YOUR QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED THERE.

WE GREET YOU HUMAN CAPTAIN. WELCOME TO THE CHMMR HOMEWORLD IN THE KESSARRI QUADRANT. WE ARE GRATIFIED THAT YOU HAVE SURVIVED THE RIGORS OF THE WARP BUBBLE TRANSPORT TO THE KESSARRI QUADRANT.

You and me both. I'd like an update on your status, Chmmr.

I'm glad to see you guys too. I could really use some of your Avatar class ships.

WE HAVE INITIATED COLONIZATION AT HIGH PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS. WE HAVE HARNESSED THE ABUNDANT RAW MATERIALS OF THIS PLANET TO PRODUCE AVATARS FOR OUR VITAL MISSION.

Excellent.

Those powerful Avatars will come in handy. I'll make sure to load up.

YOU ARE INTENT ON STOPPING THE UNNATURAL INTERDIMENSIONAL FATIGUE AND RESTORING THE INTEGRITY OF THE FABRIC OF SPACE. WE ARE PREPARED TO ASSIST YOU IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN. WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US?

I've come for some of those Avatars.

WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AS MANY AVATARS AS YOU WISH, ALONG WITH ENOUGH CHMMR TO COMMAND AS MANY VESSELS AS YOU WISH US TO BUILD. WE REMIND YOU THAT OUR ABILITY TO CREATE AVATARS IS IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE AMOUNT OF PLANETS AND PLANETARY RESOURCES THAT YOU PROVIDE TO US.

It's a great ship. I'll make sure you get a lot of resources.

I'll make sure that every League race gets the resources it needs.

I'll decide how these resources are parceled out, thank you very much.

You may have led the old Alliance, but I lead the League.

WE ACCEPT YOUR LEADERSHIP.

Tell me about your Avatars.

AVATAR BATTLESHIPS ARE DEVASTATINGLY EFFECTIVE FIGHTING VESSELS. WITH COMPETENT TACTICS, THESE SHIPS CAN DEFEAT ANY SHIP IN SPACE. THE AVATAR'S MAIN WEAPON IS A LASER OF UNPARALLED POWER, WITH LIVING CRYSTAL TO AMPLIFY THE BEAM OF COHERENT LIGHT.

THIS PRIMARY WEAPON IS SUPPLEMENTED BY THREE ORBITING ZAPSTATS. THESE SMALLER VESSELS AUTOMATICALLY SHOOT ENEMY SHIPS AND MISSILES. THIS SECONDARY WEAPON IS IN TURN SUPPLEMENTED BY A STRONG TRACTOR BEAM THAT FOCUSES ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY ON AN ENEMY SHIP.

THE TRACTOR BEAM CAN DRAG THE ENEMY INTO THE LETHAL ORBITAL PATH OF THE ZAPSTATS.

Tell me about the history of the Chmmr.

THE CHMMR WERE ONCE TWO SEPARATE RACES; THE CRYSTALLINE CHENJESU AND MECHANICAL MMHRNMHRM. THE CHENJESU WERE AN OLD RACE OF SILICON-BASED LIFE FORMS THAT EVOLVED AS PHOTO/CHEMO-VORES, FEEDING ON LIGHT AND MINERALS.

THE CHENJESU DEVELOPED A PHILOSOPHY OF INCLUSION THAT LED TO THE FOUNDING OF THE ALLIANCE OF FREE STARS. THE MMHRNMHRM WERE NOT OLD, BUT THEY TOO WERE PEACEFUL. THEY AWAKENED ONLY A SCANT THOUSAND YEARS AGO. BUT THEY DID NOT AWAKEN INTO A PEACEFUL TIME.

What happened?

IN THOSE DAYS, THE UR-QUAN WERE NOT OUR ALLIES. THEIR ILL-CONCEIVED DOCTRINES DROVE THEM TO ENSLAVE OR DESTROY ALL SENTIENT LIFE IN THE GALAXY.

THE CHENJESU AND MMRNMHRM FORMED THE ALLIANCE OF FREE STARS TO RESIST THE UR-QUAN. WE RECRUITED MANY RACES, INCLUDING HUMANS. BUT SOON THE ALLIANCE HAD ALL BUT LOST.

So what did you do?

THE CHENJESU AND MMRNMHRM RETREATED FROM THE STRUGGLE TO UNDERGO HYBRIDIZATION INTO ONE RACE. YOU ASSISTED THIS PROCESS WITH THE RADIANT ENERGY OF THE SUN DEVICE AND SPED UP THE PROCESS BY DECADES.

WE EMERGED AS THE CHMMR, NOT TWO RACES, BUT ONE VOICE AND ONE BODY. THIS PROCESS ALLOWED US TO ENHANCE YOUR WEAPONS AND FACILITATE THE CAUSE OF DESTROYING THE UR-QUAN BATTLESHIP THE SA-MATRA.

What happened then?

THE CHMMR TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR ELIMINATING THE REMAINING UR-QUAN DURING THE TIME YOUR ESCAPE POD WAS MISSING. WE FREED SENTIENT RACES FROM THE CRIMSON PRISONS OF SLAVE SHIELDS DURING THE TIME YOU RECOVERED FROM YOUR WAR WOUNDS.

WE HAVE ACCEPTED THE UR-QUAN AS ALLIES IN THIS MISSION, BUT WE STILL WATCH THEM CLOSELY. SINCE YOU ARE THE ELECTED LEADER OF THIS MISSION, WE DEFER TO YOUR JUDGEMENT IN THE UR-QUAN MATTER.

Are you taking credit for my victory over the Ur-Quan?

NO.

Why don't you trust the Ur-Quan?

WE DO NOT MISTAKE THE UR-QUAN SURRENDER FOR SUBMISSION. WE HAVE STUDIED THE UR-QUAN FOR MILLENNIA. ONCE AGAIN, THE UR-QUAN STRUGGLE WITH THEMSELVES TO DEFINE THEIR FUTURE.

Good. Keep an eye on them for me.

We need to take them at their word.

We need to take them at their word. And nuke them into the stone age if they lie.

IT SHALL BE SO.

Do you have any evidence that the Ur-Quan might not be loyal?

WE HAVE NO HARD EVIDENCE. AND THE UR-QUAN CONVERSION APPEARS SINCERE. BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY WERE A BELLIGERENT RACE EVEN BEFORE THEY WERE FORCED TO COMMIT ACTS OF GENOCIDE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THEY COMMITTED ACTS OF GENOCIDE OF THEIR OWN VOLITION AFTER THE MENTAL COMPULSION WAS GONE. IF THEY REMAIN DEVOTED TO THE HIGH-MINDED LEAGUE IDEALS, IT WILL BE THROUGH HERCULEAN ACTS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE.

ULTIMATELY, THE UR-QUAN DOCTRINAL FERVOR IS IRRATIONAL, MAKING PREDICTIONS PROBLEMATIC.

You better defer to my judgment.

WE ACCEPT YOUR LEADERSHIP.

I have a different question.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US?

Tell me about the Precursors.

THE PRECURSORS WERE A MIGHTY RACE THAT VANISHED FOR REASONS WE CANNOT COMPREHEND. WE SUSPECT THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN THE COLLAPSE OF STAR SYSTEMS AND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PRECURSORS. WE ALSO SUSPECT THAT THE MMRNMHRM WERE A RESULT OF PRECURSOR MACHINATIONS.

Very good. Keep up the good work, Chmmr.

WE AWAIT YOUR RETURN.

WE GREET YOU HUMAN CAPTAIN. WE ARE PREPARED TO ASSIST YOU IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN. WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US?

HUMAN CAPTAIN: THE VERY FABRIC OF SPACE HAS UNDERGONE A GREAT TRAUMA. YOU MUST STUDY THESE ANOMALIES AND FIND THE SOURCE OF THIS BREAK DOWN, SO WE MAY GENERATE AN APPROPRIATE REMEDY.

Don't you see me doing exactly that?

YES.

That's what I'm doing!

Thanks for the wise counsel.

What do you know about the Eternal Ones?

WE KNOW AS MUCH AS YOU KNOW.

HUMAN CAPTAIN: THE ATTACKS MADE AGAINST THE MYCON ARE A SEVERE VIOLATION OF LEAGUE TENETS. YOU MUST FORCE THESE ATTACKS TO CEASE, BEFORE THEY THREATEN LEAGUE SOLIDARITY.

I don't need advice on how to do my job.

CAPTAIN: THE LEAGUE'S ARMAMENT IS WEAK COMPARED TO OUR ENEMIES. WE CAN REGAIN THE ADVANTAGE BY BUILDING MORE CHMMR COLONIES.

Thanks for the advice.

Quit telling me how to do my job.

I understand your concerns.

I've got the matter under control.

The Daktaklakpak say the Chmmr are a summoning device for the Eternal Ones.

THEY ARE WRONG.

That's what I thought. Thanks.

Prove it.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DISPROVE A NEGATIVE.

The Dak said that the Chenjesu were more "equal" than your equals in the Alliance.

THAT IS NOT A CONTRADICTION. LEADERS ARE ESSENTIAL TO DEMOCRATIC SELF-GOVERNMENT.

The Dak said you only fought the Ur-Quan to keep them from depleting galactic sentience.

THEY HAVE LIED.

The Dak pointed out that we have no real knowledge of the true origins of the Chenjesu.

THEY HAVE LIED. WE EVOLVED LIKE MOST OTHER SENTIENT CREATURES.

The Daktaklakpak said that your ability to defeat technology like slave shields proves it.

THEY ARE WRONG. HAVING POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY IS NO PROOF OF EVIL INTENT.

Were the Taalo an Eternal One summoner?

WE HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT ACCUSATION.

I must eject you from the League.

THIS DECISION IS UNWISE IN THE EXTREME. ACCEPTING THE WORD OF A HOSTILE RACE OVER AN ALLIED RACE IS NOT RATIONAL. YOU STRAND US ON OUR COLONY WORLDS WITH NO ABILITY TO TRANSPORT OUR SHIPS.

YOU ROB THE LEAGUE OF OUR WISDOM AND POWER. WE SUSPECT THAT YOUR EGO HAS SOMEHOW OVERCOME YOUR WILL.

That's my decision.

WE WILL CONTINUE SEEKING ANSWERS TO THE DAMAGE TO SPACE AND TIME. WE WILL REJOIN THE LEAGUE WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND AND ACT RATIONALLY. GOODBYE.

OK. You can stay in the League.

I have a question on another subject.

WHAT DO YOU SEEK?

Nothing. I've gotta go.

I have a question on a different topic.

Chmmr. We made a mistake. Please rejoin us.

WE AGREE TO RETURN. HOWEVER, WE NOW HAVE GRAVE MISGIVINGS ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP.

CAPTAIN: WE SEND A MESSAGE OF UTMOST URGENCY. EVEN NOW THE FORCES OF THE CRUX CONVERGE ON OUR PLANET WITH A FORMIDABLE INVASIONARY FORCE. REINFORCE US WITH ALL SPEED.

Sir, there are no sentient beings available for communication on the surface of this planet.

YOU HAVE FLOODED OUR SYNTHESIS MECHANISMS WITH A WEALTH OF RADIANT ENERGY. WE ARE AGAIN THE CHMMR. AGAIN WE SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE, THINK WITH ONE MIND, AND ACT WITH ONE BODY. WE ARE JOINED. THE CHMMR... APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.

Glad to help out.

Just doing my job.

Let's get to work.

DURING OUR BIFURCATION, THE DAKTAKLAKPAK TRIED TO MERGE WITH THE MMRNMHRM, BUT FAILED. DURING THAT TIME, THE MMRNMHRM LEARNED THE COORDINATES TO THE PLOXIS PRECURSOR VESSEL. WE ARE TRANSMITTING THOSE COORDINATES NOW.

Thanks. We're glad you're back. Bye.

We can harmlessly collect sentience energy and feed the Eternal Ones without dying! My we have a donation of sentience energy from you?

WE HAVE SCANNED YOUR DEVICE, AND HAVE DETERMINED THAT IT MAY INDEED PERFORM AS REQUIRED. WE AGREE.

Thanks, guys!

That's great.

Goodbye.