Of Gods and Diplomats (IC, OGM2 and invite only)

[The Great Devourer of All]

Galaxy 15349804676349
Unknown Ringworld

A single Transport-class shuttle, accompanied by two Viper-class starfighters, slowed as it entered the atmosphere of a relatively small megastructure. It was a typical ringworld, a thin ring of matter encircling a star at a radius of a single astronomical unit, with plenty of habitable space on the starward side, and, presumably, automated factories or simple empty space on the other. As the trio of vessels sank into the upper troposphere of the structure, right above the coordinates the VCMR had sent Grand Admiral Tross, the diplomatic team in the back prepared for the coming negotiations. Over the past hundred hours, Ravagery ships had slaughtered VCMR combatants and civilians alike, engaging in battles at every scale, pillaging and defiling megastructures like this one, consuming thousands of galaxies for their usable matter, and rounding up and killing or enslaving countless innocents. They had even attempted to destroy the battered universe, only stopping when confronted with a small but powerful weapon with the potential to destroy the entire invasion force. But now, all of that was over- prisoners of war were being kept away from death camps, vessels were regrouping inside the Armada Ship, and official peace talks were soon to be underway. The ambassadors could only hope that these talks would be successful, and that the costly war was truly over.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

Universe R0-0-8
Galaxy SF_7708:145011
unnamed ringworld

An intergalactic portal linked a faraway Macroweapon with the edge of this ringworld, allowing the ship to remotely deploy a Light Landing Craft containing the VCMR diplomats. The circular hundred-meter-wide craft whirled this way and that, attempting to find a safe landing spot, and finally settled on a large hemispherical edifice that was originally used for multiversal mapping. A small beacon lit up on the surface near this building, guiding the landing craft to a safe approach while also revealing the correct landing position to the Ravagery.

As the landing craft's gear bays opened, the craft touched down vertically, and its ramps extended to contact the surface, six figures exited through one of these ramps: five humanoids (the Venn) and three theropods (the Copard), representing both VCMR species. No guards had been sent alongside them besides a few small hovering drones; it was reasoned that the Sleeper Platform, being the multiversal equivalent of a ballistic missile submarine, would be enough to dissuade hostilities.

Relations Officer Talat-Y6 led the diplomatic team; he was a fairly tall Copard currently wearing a typical hexagonal armor plating - VCMR clothes tended to essentially be heavy armor, since they had such strict clothing policies. Talat-Y6's current opinion of the Ravagery was a mix of fear and uncertainty. After all, diplomacy generally was shaky when each side could obliterate the other if things didn't go their way.

[The Great Devourer of All]

Site of Negotiations
The shuttle and fighters landed softly in the area they had been directed to, settling on the ground wit ha soft 'woosh' of air rushing out form under them. The diplomatic team quickly exited the shuttle as soon as the exit ramp had formed from a cloud of nanobots, and stepped out onto the surface of the ringworld. A mixture of emotions war running through Ambassador Jaxion's mind at that moment- fear of what his superiors would do to him if he failed in his task, reverence for the VCMR as the only civilization to halt a full-scale Ravagery invasion since the first Species-Ravagery wars, fear of the VCMR superweapon and of what would happen if the negotiations were to go sour, just to name a few. Jaxion was a moderately tall Terran, with graying hair and dark brown eyes. The rest of his diplomatic team was composed of a Gasbag, two crustaceans, and a hyperevolved human.

The team had been given clearance to use the countless -illions of VCMR POWs awaiting Ravagery death camps as a negotiating chip, as well as the eleven universe-sized craft waiting just beyond the edges of this war-torn universe. Its goal was to leave the negotiations with at least some kind of benefit, and to make only minimal compromises. However, given the fact that at least twelve universe-destroying craft existed in and around the universe, playing hardball would most likely not prove very wise.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

Talat-Y6's primary goal in the negotiation was to ensure the safety of the VCMR and the smaller civilizations throughout the R0-0 multiverse cluster. The problem here was that the VCMR had colonies in many other clusters well beyond that; the universe of R0-5-500 was a classic example, as were the countless multiverse clusters marked as "R0-[unintelligible]" due to their bizarre numbering system. Poor negotiations might prove dangerous for the citizens in these -verses.

He noted the Ravagery's landing craft and their diplomatic team as they approached, silently recording some data about the vehicles they had arrived in. Activating a basic translation device using the ringworld's supercomputer, he attempted to greet the visitors as openly and honestly as was practical.

"Greetings from the VCMR! We've chosen this building here - " He pointed one stubby little theropod arm towards the hemispherical mapping building. "- as the spot for our meeting, since we originally used it for multiversal cartography and we'll be able to use the holo-projectors inside to see what exactly is going on."

Guiding the guests and the other VCMR representatives inside the building through a large blast-door-like entrance, revealing a circular room with a huge projector array placed in the center and various desks and chairs surrounding it.

"Four days of abandonment hasn't been too good on this place, but I suppose it'll do." Talat and the others sat down spaced widely around the circle, figuring that exact positioning wasn't too important. Pressing a few buttons on the nearby console, one of the diplomats brought up a holographic sphere in the middle of the room, representing the entire R0-0 multiverse cluster.

"Now. Let's see what we need to do to end this war."

[The Great Devourer of All]

The diplomatic team silently followed the VCMR representatives towards the giant hemispherical construct, through the unusually vaultlike door, and into the space that was to be the negotiation room. They all took their seats just as a holographic projection of a gigantic spherical hyperstructure- what the VCMR described as the 'R0-0 Multiverse Cluster'- appeared above the center of the room. A large Theropod spoke up.
"Now. Let's see what we need to do to end this war." For a few seconds, the entire team was silent. Then Jaxion realized that the other diplomats were deferring to him as the top ambassador on the team, and he responded.
"Well, to start, let us be clear about our demands. We, the Ravagery, demand that you cede half of this universe, as well as five percent of the total number of other universes in your territory, to our political and military control." He took a breath and then continued.
"Secondly, we would like to make certain that you understand that we have no moral qualms with torturing and killing every last one of the prisoners of war we have captured during this campaign and others. I have been granted the authority to order the first of them- a small group consisting of trillions of Venn and billions of Copard- to the death camps if our demands are not met." He then let all of this sink in, and waited for a response.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

There was a moment of shocked silence in the room, and then Talat coughed a little - almost a roar, actually - as he tapped his console to bring up a list of all the universes in R0-0. Far too many to actually bother counting; in fact, the list wrapped all the way around the holographic sphere and continued looping for quite a while.

"Take a minute to look at that list. Does five percent of that seem even remotely fair to you? We're talking decillions of lives at stake here, minimum. Plus who knows how many weird projects we've left in there and forgotten about..."

He trailed off, and then shook his head a bit as if trying to wake himself up. He cleared the list, went back to the R0-0 sphere, and zoomed in on the current universe of R0-0-8. It was almost completely empty; the VCMR-Ravagery war had torn apart entire galactic superclusters and made almost all of the space inside useless or just nonexistent.

"I don't see why you'd want half of this junk; it's got no further use to the VCMR, might as well take all of it. I mean, if it means that much to you we can hand it over, pull out the Sleeper Platform, and then let you screw around in the wasteland." Talat's voice was dripping with the usual VCMR snark.

"Oh, and don't think you've got us cornered with the POWs. Realize that we're effectively holding every Ravagery spacecraft in this entire universe hostage as well.

We'll give you R0-0-8 if you want, but we're not letting you touch any of the universes we haven't ruined yet with our war."

[The Great Devourer of All]

Jaxion stood up, anger coursing through his veins.

"Then you will give us a minimum of one percent of your total holdings, otherwise we will refuse to cease hostilities! The invasion fleet currently positioned in and around this universe is only a single drop from a metaphorical bottomless well of fleets that we can and will launch at your universes, to say nothing of our endless supply of fleets in storage." He spat.

"You have felt only a fraction of the Ravagery's wrath. Would you like to feel its totality?" He asked before sitting down. As he took his seat, one of the other members of his team leaned over and whispered,

"Shall I give the order, sir?"

"Do it." He replied.

"It may be of some interest to you that we have just begun to execute the first trillion prisoners. Know that their deaths will be long and miserable, and their suffering is entirely caused by you." He spoke on last time before waiting for the VCMR diplomats to respond.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

The VCMR diplomatic team appeared to be taking notes on several small electronic datapads regarding what Jaxion had just said. For now, all was fairly quiet from their side of the argument; "side" being metaphorical since they had spaced themselves all around the projector. One percent was still too much. Far too much to even be remotely safe. But the VCMR needed to appease their enemies somehow... at least to try to save their citizens' lives, if they could.

Aha, Talat finally came to an idea. We haven't told them about the continuums. Perhaps if I give them something regarding that one weird multiverse cluster we explored...

He stood up from his seat at the table, looming over everyone else currently present as was natural for the giant theropod. "I've just come to a solution as to your request for territory. You see, R0-0, as you've undoubtedly noticed by now, isn't our only occupied space."

Zooming out from the view of the multiverse cluster to the entire metaverse, Talat pointed out the VCMR holdings in other clusters; not nearly as many, but enough to make up a significant fraction when combined. He then focused the projector's viewpoint on the universe of R0-[unintelligible]-8064; the "unintelligible" here, however, was replaced with a string of impossibly complex and undecipherable characters, as part of the VCMR numbering system.

"Our forces initially met in this universe here; its multiverse cluster is different from R0-0, and actually rather far away. I assume you're familiar with the battle of Zylia Alpha?"

He zoomed out just a little bit to reveal the surrounding universes, many of which were also occupied by the VCMR.

"We'll be happy to leave your forces alone in these universes, and empty out our holdings in that entire cluster. At least a couple thousand universes there, I think... would this work for you?"

However, there was a bit of a trick he had covered up. He had only pointed out the G continuum of these universes; the continuum where the Battle of Zylia Alpha had taken place, and thus the only one that the Ravagery was familiar with. VCMR activity in all the universes could continue on alternate continuums, where they would be almost completely undetectable. This was actually somewhat important; 8064 appeared to be the universe containing Earth (or at least an Earth), and its various alternate continuums would be very important to future operations with low-tech civilizations.

For now Talat hoped this deal would at least be progress.

[The Great Devourer of All]

Jaxion and his team members talked among themselves for a moment. After briefly conferring, they re-situated themselves and Jaxion cleared his throat.

"This is somewhat more acceptable than your last proposition, at least enough so for us to temporarily keep the next wave of prisoners out of the death camps." Jaxion then looked at his team members, one of whom recorded the agreement. He then looked back at the group of Venn and Copard and spoke up.

"Do you have any demands of your own?" He asked. He hoped that any that they happened to have were very mild, because the recently-achieved compromise was obviously very fragile. If the agreement could be kept, the invasion fleet would retreat from this battered universe to be replaced with a small garrison and countless Collector Ships. If it could not, it would resume its invasion, almost certainly provoking the VCMR into firing its Sleeper Platform and destroying the entire fleet. This was likely the only chance of peace the two sides would get. If it was wasted, the war would not end until one- or both- of the civilizations lay in ruins. Jaxion practically held his breath as he waited for Talat's reply.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

Talat seemed relieved. He took his seat again, thinking for a minute about their request. The VCMR didn't like to use "demands" in this regard, but perhaps Jaxion had only said that because the Ravagery was used to more... aggressive diplomacy. Nonetheless, now was the critical moment to protect the VCMR and the other civilizations it was familiar with. Returning the holo-projector to R0-0, he finally figured out what to say.

"Just one. Our multiverse cluster of R0-0 is populated by a number of smaller civilizations, from class-1 through class-12 - though perhaps "stone age" and "multiversal" would sound more familiar to you. They rely on each other and on us for support and protection, and a multiversal war would surely destroy many of them. With so much potential in these little societies, I'd hate to see them wiped out by our superweapons.

We request that you leave R0-0 and these civilizations alone, in exchange for a promise from the VCMR that we will never attempt to invade another Ravagery-occupied universe again. Does this seem fair? I'll get Secondary Command to write up the official document, if you'd like."

One final pause would hopefully lead to the Ravagery's approval so they could seal the agreement and prevent further loss of life.

[Kataphractos]

The Swarm Intelligence Network

The Network, the post-multiversal intelligence that consisted of every single Mind the swarm had constructed, was currently filled with activity. The Swarm had been observing the VCMR-Ravagery war with interest, the massively destructive conflict providing a source of unique entertainment as two civilisations that had been marked as threats to the Swarm's operations proceeded to tear each other apart. However, the current cessation of hostilities had greatly disappointed the Network, and untold quintillions of Minds were calling for the annihilation of both the Ravagery and the VCMR.

"Send in the Swarm! Consume them! Reduce them to fuel!"

"No! Simply annihilate them! Deploy an Orb to each of their key universes!"

"We should wait. Perhaps they will resume their war..."

"Fools! We should have eradicated them both before this war even began!"

"I shall decide our course of action." In an instant, the cacophony of voices, the shrill debating of the Network, ceased as a new voice took the stage.

"..."

"..."

"...Oh great Lord of the Yellow Sign, High Apostle of the eternal Creators, what is thy will?"

"We shall ensure the continuation of the conflict between our enemies, and when they are weak, we shall wipe them out. This is the will of the Creators, and it shall be carried out."

"Of course it shall, but how will we execute this plan, oh great Lord, He Who Is Not to be Named?"

"The VCMR are in possession of a weapon of universal destruction, and are using it to force the Ravagery to negotiate. I propose we infiltrate the platform this weapon is controlled from, and activate it. The Ravagery will blame the VCMR for the annihilation of their forces, and the war will resume with no hope of a peaceful outcome. When one side comes close to victory, we shall ensure they fail, and will keep the war continuing in until neither has a hope of stopping us. Then we strike, and wipe both from the face of the Omniverse."

[Many Armed Ones]

Universe: VP-12334-67-08
Galaxy: [color]..........
System: ... System

The quite big door opened and a MAO servant came rushing into the big room in wich the throne was located in. The throne was occupied by the Emperor. The servant held a jar, wich contained a light green liquid with undentified things floating in it. The Emperor had just fell asleep, but the servant didn't know that so he opened his mouth and said:
- My Lord.
There was no answer from the Emperor, and he was still asleep. The servant yelled:
- My Lord!
A small noise was heard from the Emperor and he woke up. You could see that he was tired from a hundred metres. The Emperor said:
- Yes?
- The fleet you sent off, to stop the 133rd Xylonian uprising, the servant answered.
- Yes? the Emperor said
- It disappeared, the servant answered.
- It disappeared!? the Emperor yelled as an answer.

A Universe Far, Far Away
The fleet that disappeared consisted of 9 Rammer-Class Battleships and 3 Suffocater-Class Planet Eaters. The Universe they "disappeared to" was the very galaxy where Venn-Copard and The Ravagery were having thier peace talks. The fleet still thought they were in the same universe as the Xylonians were in, but they weren't. Thier orders were to attack and slay the populance. The invasion of the universe began the next day.

OOC: Sorry for short post, im on phone

[The Great Devourer of All]

Ringworld

Jaxion looked around at his team. They all expressed their approval silently, and he turned back to face the Venn and Copard diplomats.

"This is agreeable." He said of the proposed treaty and the large theropod's requests.

Ravagery Invasion Fleet Gamma

Somewhere in a part of the universe still occupied by Ravagery forces, a giant grouping of many billions of Mayhem Fleets and several Demigod-Class warships- in fact, one of the primary invasion fleets- sat inactive. Its many ships had regrouped when the ceasefire was announced, and now hung in the vacuum of space, with only a soft haze of matter that had once been a group of galaxies to fill the vacuum. Suddenly, on board the leading Demigod, a minor disturbance was detected only a few megaparsecs away. A dozen relatively small ships had appeared in the universe alarmingly near the area where diplomats from both the Ravagery and the VCMR were discussing a possible permanent treaty. A quick scan revealed they were laden with destructive capabilities.

If they're breaking the ceasefire, the admiral of Invasion Fleet Gamma thought,

They've damned themselves. He then quickly ordered two dozen Harbor of Bleakness-Class battleships to speed to the scene and stop the unidentified force before it could wreak havoc on the tense diplomatic situation.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

Galaxy SF_7708:145011
unnamed ringworld

Talat was starting to seem a bit happier. He had to repress a toothy grin. "Very well. I believe the treaty text should be transmitted to us shortly."

A small drone undocked from the ceiling of the room and presented a holographic document onto the tables in front of the various diplomatic teams; apparently Secondary Command had already finished writing. Talat and a few other VCMR diplomats signed in the correct positions where the treaty indicated, and then remained quiet as they let the Ravagery choose to sign it as well.

TREATY OF R0-0-8
An official ceasefire between the Venn-Copard Multiversal Republic and the Devourer's Ravagery

After the immensely destructive warfare between the VCMR and the Ravagery, it was agreed upon that a ceasefire would be the best course of action to prevent the use of multiverse-level superweapons (the former's Trans-Dimensional Sleeper Platform and the latter's Universe Eaters). VCMR Secondary Command has written this treaty to be in line with the expectations of the VCMR for their security and the Ravagery for their territorial aims.

By agreeing to this treaty,

1. THE VENN-COPARD MULTIVERSAL REPUBLIC must:

1. Withdraw all forces, civilians, and megaconstructions from the universe of R0-0-8, including the Sleeper Platform, and never insert another spacecraft or other VCMR-owned entity into this universe.
2. Withdraw all forces, civilians, and megaconstructions from the multiverse cluster of R0-[unintelligible], and never insert another spacecraft or other VCMR-owned entity into these universes. (Attached to this document is a list, as agreed upon at the Conference of R0-0-8.)
3. Cease all attempts to invade or destroy any Ravagery-occupied universes, which for this purpose are defined as universes in which the Ravagery are facing no opposition from a universal-scale or higher civilization. "Invading" is defined in article 2a.

2. THE DEVOURER'S RAVAGERY must:

1. Withdraw all forces, civilians, and megaconstructions from the multiverse cluster of R0-0, excluding R0-0-8, and never attempt to invade these universes - "invading" is defined here as sending armed spacecraft into a universe with the intent of claiming territory or attacking these universes' civilizations' militaries or civilians. (Attached to this document is a list, as agreed upon at the Conference of R0-0-8.)
2. Return VCMR prisoners of war as it becomes practical; they must at the very least return all usable biomass to VCMR stations in the R0-5 multiverse cluster.

Authors:
VCMR Secondary Command - Multiversal Relations Officer Gron-P10
VCMR Secondary Command - Semantics Officer Mapo-A2
VCMR Secondary Command - WMD Management Officer Unthei-H661
VCMR Secondary Command - Mass-Energy Distribution Officer Voiik-S3

Signatories:
VCMR Relations Officer Talat-Y6
VCMR Metacosmology Officer Jul-MR44
VCMR Fleet Commander Hymullip-BN5

Ravagery Ambassador _________
Ravagery Diplomat _________
(continue to add positions as necessary)

[The Great Devourer of All]

Ringworld
Jaxion signed the document and passed it on to the diplomat next to him, who passed it to the diplomat next to it, and so on, until it had been signed by every sapient on the diplomatic team. Jaxion then added under the signatures a statement that Grand Admiral Tross had approved the signing of the ceasefire. As he finished the final word of the statement, the war officially came to an end, and history had been made.

TREATY OF R0-0-8
An official ceasefire between the Venn-Copard Multiversal Republic and the Devourer's Ravagery

After the immensely destructive warfare between the VCMR and the Ravagery, it was agreed upon that a ceasefire would be the best course of action to prevent the use of multiverse-level superweapons (the former's Trans-Dimensional Sleeper Platform and the latter's Universe Eaters). VCMR Secondary Command has written this treaty to be in line with the expectations of the VCMR for their security and the Ravagery for their territorial aims.

By agreeing to this treaty,

1. THE VENN-COPARD MULTIVERSAL REPUBLIC must:

1. Withdraw all forces, civilians, and megaconstructions from the universe of R0-0-8, including the Sleeper Platform, and never insert another spacecraft or other VCMR-owned entity into this universe.
2. Withdraw all forces, civilians, and megaconstructions from the multiverse cluster of R0-[unintelligible], and never insert another spacecraft or other VCMR-owned entity into these universes. (Attached to this document is a list, as agreed upon at the Conference of R0-0-8.)
3. Cease all attempts to invade or destroy any Ravagery-occupied universes, which for this purpose are defined as universes in which the Ravagery are facing no opposition from a universal-scale or higher civilization. "Invading" is defined in article 2a.

2. THE DEVOURER'S RAVAGERY must:

1. Withdraw all forces, civilians, and megaconstructions from the multiverse cluster of R0-0, excluding R0-0-8, and never attempt to invade these universes - "invading" is defined here as sending armed spacecraft into a universe with the intent of claiming territory or attacking these universes' civilizations' militaries or civilians. (Attached to this document is a list, as agreed upon at the Conference of R0-0-8.)
2. Return VCMR prisoners of war as it becomes practical; they must at the very least return all usable biomass to VCMR stations in the R0-5 multiverse cluster.

Authors:
VCMR Secondary Command - Multiversal Relations Officer Gron-P10
VCMR Secondary Command - Semantics Officer Mapo-A2
VCMR Secondary Command - WMD Management Officer Unthei-H661
VCMR Secondary Command - Mass-Energy Distribution Officer Voiik-S3

Signatories:
VCMR Relations Officer Talat-Y6
VCMR Metacosmology Officer Jul-MR44
VCMR Fleet Commander Hymullip-BN5

Ravagery Ambassador Rall Jaxion Eight
Ravagery Diplomat Chtkppl
Ravagery Diplomat Trachha N'kl-tek Saq
Ravagery Diplomat Nass'qa Kap-yol Gha
Ravagery Diplomat Yaxal 18-69
Signing approved by Grand Admiral Tross 41-6

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

Universe [REDACTED]
VCMR High Command

It was the very last meeting of the year 2012046. High Command was due to be rotated out after this final gathering; as such, the rules for communication were changed slightly and they were allowed to speak amongst themselves. The thirty-one sapients said their final goodbyes to each other and made preparations for their trip back to Secondary Command and the much more usual VCMR politics. A few small conversations and comments could be heard:

"Well, that was an interesting year. It's a bit sad that we won't be here to direct what happens next. Personally this developing series of events was more unusual than anything I've experienced."

"The next High Command better figure out how to handle the ensuing cold war."

"What happened to those picobot swarms that attacked back at Zylia Alpha? It's weird that we've never seen them since."

The little red bead in the room spoke up, and immediately High Command quieted down as they recognized its authority.

"It has been an honor serving with you all throughout the events of this year. Together we have accomplished many things; we have encountered the greatest threat the VCMR has ever known, and managed to successfully resolve our conflict. Moving on from this year, it will be interesting to see how the Type Two Spacecraft program develops; I thank you all for your effort in putting that together, even if it had to be done in secrecy.

It's almost sad to see this rotation leave. But I trust that the High Command of 2012047 will continue advancing and allowing the VCMR to prosper."

The room was silent as the Venn and Copard throughout were waiting for the Dimensional Core's next line; a line they had been preparing to hear ever since they were selected to join.

"Please report to organism containment bay 01 for psychodestruction and reset."

...

In the thick, gelatinous pool of red liquid filling much of bay 01, there lay a nearly thirty-meter-long metal animal like a worm, resting in its "bed" of fluid and waiting for its next assignment from the Dimensional Core.

"Prepare to reset this year's High Command."

As the thirty-one sapients entered the bay, the worm let out a piercing screech that bored into their brains. They wouldn't remember High Command. Or the Dimensional Core. Or anything that had happened in the past year.

And so the cycle continued as the new High Command was called up from Secondary Command to arrive aboard the colossal space station.

[Kataphractos]

Universe R0-0-8
Approximately one Light-Minute from the Sleeper Platform

A microscopic ripple in the fabric of reality heralded the arrival of the Swarm, a mere hundred thousand nanites emerging through the femtoscopic rift in space. Their actions were being directed by the Network itself, such was the importance of this mission. In an instant, the planckbots scanned the structure, analysing its defences and searching for any weak spots that could be exploited. What they saw was most impressive, a dimensional shield system similar to that used by Entities 24x10²⁸-36x10⁴⁹, followed by a barrier of armour measuring a lightyear in thickness. This was most certainly not to be trifled with, and would pose a significant to the Network's plans. Fortunately, they had observed the conflict within this universe, and witnessed the destruction of the tendril by the Exo-Vigintillion Bomb. The success of this FTL weapon gave them an idea, an idea they would test in a few nanoseconds.

A single nanite activated its FTL system, bending space so that the area it currently occupied and the interior of the Sleeper Platform became one. An instant later it was gone, having traveled through the infinitesimal point of connection, leaving the Swarm to see if this tactic had succeeded.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

SLP3
Tendril Seventy-Two

The imperceptible space-folding drive of the planckbot had gone unnoticed; apparently the gaps between the macrohadronic armor's components were enough to let it through, and the Dimensional Core wasn't able to route away the incoming planckbot without having detected it.

But as the VCMR had made their promise to the Ravagery, they would need to retrieve SLP3 as fast as they practically could. In this case, that would be about eight minutes. A glowing wave of greenish light spiraled around the ring-shaped craft and gradually connected with all eighty intact tendrils, attaching to their ends and slowly pulling inward to send their tips away into a storage universe. The portals moved inwards at billions of times lightspeed but the Swarm forces still had some time.

None were aware of their plans at the moment.

unnamed ringworld

The VCMR diplomats made their handshakes (or equivalent) and exited the mapping building, returning to their Landing Craft and blasting off into the ringworld's sky. After only seconds they had re-attached to their parent Macroweapon and were safely outside the universe that now belonged to the Ravagery.

[Kataphractos]

Universe R0-0-8
SLP3
Tendril Seventy-Two

Thankfully, the stratagem appeared to have succeeded, and the Sub-Vendite was now safely inside the gargantuan platform. However, the slow retraction of the platform alarmed the Network, as the disappearance of the Platform would ruin their plans. Well, almost ruin. They still had a plan b, and although it not be as effective as the activation of the VCMR super weapon, it would still ensure the destruction of Ravagery forces in this dimension.

The tiny rift from which the Swarm had arrived opened once more, but rather than more Planckbots, a single spherical object emerged within the heart of the strike force. This was plan b, a device capable of universe-wide destruction. The Orb of Harmonious Oblivion. But the Network had not yet given up on it's original plan, and so the rest of Sub-Vendites, save one who stayed behind to guard the super weapon, activated their drives and followed the vanguard, whom had already set a course for the core of the platform, and the supposed location of it's goal. Seven minutes and fifty-one seconds remained.

The tendril was massive, and it would take some time to reach the core, even traveling at near-lightspeed. This would be a close one.

[Many Armed Ones]

R0-0-8 Gamma
The small fleet picked up signals some parsecs away and the commander quickly noticed that. At the beginning he thought that the ships were here to welcome the salvation fleet that had come to rescue this universe from the uprising (as they thought that they were in the same universe as the uprising). Something just didn't feel right so he ordered the small fleet to prepare for battle. The Rammer-Class Battleship prepared thier boarding ships and the Suffocaters were to digest the planets they had eaten not too long ago.

As the, possibly hostile fleet closed in on the MAO fleet, the captain quickly saw that this fleet wasn't a MAO fleet. For a moment, both fleets just stood and watched each others. Nothing was happening and it felt like time itself had freezed.

The Throneroom
The servant looked nervous as he had just told the Emperor that one of the fleets who were supposed to stop the 133rd Xylonian Uprising had disappeared. The Emperor was upset and they just stood and stirred at each others, it was very quiet. The silence was broken by the door, who opened. In came a second servant. He held a TV-remote in one of his eight hands. He said:
- Sir, we have recieved a message from one of our fleets
- Where is the massage from? the Emperor asked.
- It's not from one of our Universes, it's from a Universe far, far away, the second Servant replied.
- Well, what was the message then!? the Emperor said.

From: R0-0-8
Message:
"We have arrived at the Uprising, but we have encountered unexpected resistance. We would like a confirmation of a fleet. It's large, but we have Suffocaters. We have identified 24 undentified and unknown ships heading towards us and we request backup."

- Should we give them the backup, the Servant asked.
- Send them one Suffocater and seven more Rammers, the Emperor answered.
The two servants turned around and walked away.

[The Great Devourer of All]

R0-0-8

The two fleets sat in cold, stony, silence, watching each other like two scavengers competing for a kill. Time seemed to pass at a much slower rate. Eventually, the captain on board the leading ship decided that the ships were too organic in design to be of VCMR origin. He promptly had his crew send a message to the foreign ships, some of which appeared eerily similar to Universe Eaters.

Attention unidentified vessels,

You have twenty seconds to stand down your weapons following the termination of this message. You will be escorted to a location to be detained until we can determine your origins and motives. If you fail to comply, you will be annihilated. Your twenty seconds begin now.

The captain then waited for the fleet to hopefully comply with the ultimatum.

[Kataphractos]

Universe R0-0-8
SLP3

Unfortunately, it appeared that the Sleeper Platform was far too large to traverse, even at relativistic speeds. FTL travel would be required once again if they were to reach their target in time, even though they risked detection by its usage. The infinitesimal robots bent space en masse, transporting the swarm to the heart of the colossal vessel. Now they just had to find the firing mechanism...

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

SLP3
Hyperion Dimensional Cannon 1

This cannon was larger than entire star clusters; easily five hundred lightyears across, the spherical weapon was one of only four floating inside the Sleeper Platform's central ring. While its energy charging and target allocation systems took several days to online once the weapon's firing sequence began, it would rapidly start radiating more and more energy upon being triggered, most likely giving the impression of an impending attack - as the sub-vendites intended, actually.

The activation mechanism was a little metal ball about a meter in diameter sitting inside a thick mass of pipes, wires, and energy transmitters. It wasn't "defended" in any conventional sense; rather, it had exactly one hundred thousand links to the Hyperion's submunition chambers that would only activate if all triggered at once. This would then begin the firing sequence as a hundred thousand gravitational warheads would be loaded into their launch bays and charged up.

[Kataphractos]

Universe R0-0-8
SLP3
Hyperion Dimensional Cannon 1

The sub-vendites slipped through the numerous obstacles, their size allowing them to pass through matter as though it wasn't even there. The swarm of a hundred thousand approached the activation sphere, their guiding intelligence buzzing with anticipation. If everything went according to plan, the war would resume and two civilisations that could potentially oppose the swarm would be at each others throats. Truly, this was a masterpiece of strategic thinking. Unfortunately, the planckbots were unaware of the lengthy firing sequence, and believed themselves to a moments away from destroying this dimension and all that dwelt within.

Upon entering the relatively small sphere, several of the machines deactivated their dimensional compression fields, assuming what was intact their normal size of roughly a hundred picometers in length, a measure that was necessary for interacting with the sphere's mechanisms. With a buzz of triumph, one of the picobots activated the device, beginning the firing sequence.

[Multiversal Venn-Copard]

SLP3

The mass of circuitry around the activation sphere suddenly shuddered to life, being called upon for the first time in millennia. Its links fired up and immediately began automatically transmitting data packets to the gravitational warheads, arming them and beginning their charge sequences. Immediately the various AIs aboard SLP3 began collaborating to disable the warhead links one by one... but it would take a long time, possibly made longer if the sub-vendites continued interfering with it.

This, combined with the planckbots' expansion to picometer scale, had the unfortunate effect of notifying the Dimensional Core.

Universe R_ε0-???-???
VCMR Dimensional Core

"Extrauniversal nanite interference inside SLP3; Hyperion dimensional cannon firing sequence activated.

Explanation required to avoid multiversal war.

...Again."

Its message to the Ravagery (and everyone within this universe) was a simple one.

Trans-Dimensional Sleeper Platform [REDACTED]
It has come to our attention that we have had a weapons malfunction. Apparently an extrauniversal cloud of nanites has infiltrated the platform and is activating one of the dimensional cannons.

SLP3 will leave this universe in approximately seven minutes; as you can see, the portals are already closing. The cannon is in no state anywhere near being ready to fire, however. We hope that this does not result in unintended hostilities. Shutdown sequences are in progress.