Episode description[edit | edit source]
Throughout the Golden Branch Star Sector, leaders leap into action as news of a new, galactic threat spreads. Minerva's Steiger sisters move their invisible fleet into position. The Rapid Evening digs in deeper to their new outpost in the sector. Rigor stirs from it's slumber. And on Counterweight, Ibex knocks on a door.
This week on COUNTER/Weight: Everything is Temporary
Easy come, easy go
Contents[edit | edit source]
Opening[edit | edit source]
“
A note echoes through the halls of the September Institute’s two vacant laboratories, repeated once and then again and then again, shifting in tone until it becomes an old song from the days of Earth, somehow passed down countless millennia. And Sinner Twelt, Provost-Regent Twelfth, whistles it as he goes about his work.
As fog rises above the tanks of liquid coolant and metallic cylinders inject data itself into flesh, Twelfth opens v-screens around him, trying to tune into what’s happening across the sector. But with the storm raging on September, he can only get splotches of the goings-on. A fleet moving here. A new treaty there. A refugee crisis. A gala. A quake. See how they run. He doesn’t need a clearer picture to know that everything is moving according to plan. Everyone else in the sector is running blind through a maze. He is the only one with real perspective. His whistles turn to singing as he slips on gloves. And deep below Mode City, it sings too.”
Plot[edit | edit source]
Austin does a brief recap of all the factions' goals, and gives Minerva Strategic a new, secret asset on September based on the recent events of the ground game with Paisley Moon.
Since Ibex said he's planning to warn people about Rigour and AuDy told him to speak to Grace, they decide to play out that scene. Loyalty and Grace rest in the background, having their own conversation, while Ibex arrives to meet with Vicuna with Kobus as mediator. Vicuna thinks Rigour's just a fairy tale, until Ibex shows her images of Rigour's emergence on Ionias months ago. He fears that with no stellar bridge to collapse this time, they'll need to work together; he'll make concessions to Grace if that's what it takes. Vicuna agrees to speak with Grace, and Ibex leaves a micro-SB with a weapon on it for Grace's arm as a gift before putting on a pair of sunglasses and stepping back through a portal.
The Righteous Vanguard are letting go of their goal to seize Counterweight, which will cost them morale, income, and the ability to make further moves this turn.
The Hands of Grace's goal not to attack any faction for the next three turns remains the same; this turn they simply make enough money to pay upkeep on their fleet.
Minerva Strategic pulls together a huge fleet from the combined forces of countless OriCon businesses in the sector and throws it at September, with plans to put together a second fleet soon. Unfortunately, September's transport lockdown goes into effect here, leaving the ships of the fleet blockaded and looming overhead. Sylvia suggests that they would have been visible in the previous ground game episodes on September.
The Rapid Evening work to create a base of influence on Minerva XII. They roll badly against Minerva's counterattack, but their space marines, Kiva Helsing's crew, are barely fazed, and only injured because they were slow in setting up a shield generator.
In a scene, Ibex visits Sokrates, and Integrity opens the portal for him. Sokrates and Argus, who's acting as their bodyguard here, are immediately on the defensive. While Sokrates cares about the betterment of the sector despite their enmity, they're very displeased when he threatens Argus. They agree to help in exchange for the Demarchy gaining a place on Counterweight, and Integrity stops them from outright punching Ibex as he leaves, putting his sunglasses back on.
The Golden Demarchy immediately gains a base of influence on Counterweight, and reactivates the Netted Wave, assigned as a psychic assassins asset due to their stealth tech.
The Odamas Fleet are still making their way to Kalliope, with Ionias now in their forward path.
Rigour and Petrichor attempt to break through from the Slate Mineral Cooperative mine into Mode City, but Voice begins collapsing pieces of the mine to force it down. Natalya is spit out of Rigour into the mine to counter-hack amid the explosions, while Rigour begins to focus its attention on her as it prepares to get up.