[Phayze] Mystery Mech Mangles Masses of Merchandise!

[Phayze]

 

Welcome back to GBC News, bringing you the latest stories from around the Goodfellow Cluster!  Strange goings on at Oberon Tvier tonight, as reports are coming in from local security forces regarding what appears to be an outbreak of mobile frame violence near the spaceport.

 

Details are sparse as of yet, but from what local authorities have been willing to share, it appears that an unidentified mobile frame suddenly attacked a group of land-based cargo vehicles, laying waste to their private security detail and scattering their cargo, though it is unclear at this time if anything was stolen.  There were no transmissions from the attacker that may have indicated a possible motive.

 

 

 

 

For now, we only have this single, distorted image of the assailant, recovered from the cockpit recorder on one of the wrecked security frames.  If you have any information that may help investigators identify this machine, please contact your nearest colonial security office.

 

An in-depth investigation is currently underway, and we will have more on this story as it develops.

--

 

Who could this mysterious aggressor be?  What nefarious aim lies at the heart of this vicious attack?  Could it be reprisals by the Etton Conglomerate?  Pirates?  Only time will tell, but until then I’ll give you a little sneak peek at the Oberon Tvier Colonial Security Agency preliminary findings.

 

-TL;DNR-

-Covert Operation: Sleep Diary 7 days/week

-High Mobility: Workout 3 days/week (endurance, mobility/skills and stretching)

-Trusty Blade: Complete all Habitica Dailies 7 days/week

 

 

 

 

-Covert Operation-

Telemetry data recovered from the destroyed security frames revealed little about the attacker, suggesting the use of some advanced stealth technology that allowed the machines to stay undercover and carefully time the attack to maximize damage.

 

 

 

I'm going to go under the covers on my bed and gather some valuable intel about what goes in there... AFTER I'm asleep, you pervs. oo;  To do so, I will start a sleep journal in which I will record the following on a daily basis:

Date:
Bedtime:
Wake up:
# of Wakings:
Sleep quality: 1-10 scale (1= no sleep at all, 10=slept like a corpse)
Supplements taken/time:
Avg energy level: 1-10 scale (1= dead, 10=Quicksilver on meth)
Naps - Quality: 1-10 scale (1= more tired afterwards, 10=complete refreshment)

-High Mobility-

Eyewitnesses report that the attacker was extremely agile and capable of accelerating in various directions much more quickly that most frames can under normal gravity.  Investigators expect the use of mobility enhancing thrusters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems like a paradox that working out could be a treatment for tiredness, but I guess it makes sense as long as I'm not a moron and manage to avoid overdoing it.  I've been doing pretty well at non-moronic-stuff for the last three challenges, so I've decided that it's time to expand my super-basic "workout" (and I use the term VERY loosely) just a little more.  It currently looks like this:

2 min Balance Training
9 minutes movement (rope dart, poi, mobility, posture work, etc.)
4 minutes stretching (geared toward getting the side splits)

Basically, I'll be morphing what I used to call "posture work" into what I'll tentatively call "endurance training", and I'll be removing it from the movement training time by doing half of my reps before the moving, and half after.  Also, with these new additions, I'll be backing down to 3x/week to allow for extra recovery.

 

Endurance moves will be split into two workouts which I will alternate between on workout days: "Rings Day" (ring rows and ring pushups) and "Floor Day" (bridges and leg raises). I'll slowly build up to 2x20 for any given move, then advance to 2x5 of a harder variation and repeat until I'm a ninja.  Someday I'll find a good place to squeeze in squats and/or dips, but not just yet.

-Trusty Blade-

Analysis of the damage indicates that the attacker’s primary - and perhaps only - weapon is some manner of close-range plasma blade designed for hard-hitting slashes.

 

I've gone on and on about consistency and having things to depend on in previous challenges, so anyone familiar with those will not be surprised to see this quest.  Basically, everyday that ends without any Dailies due in Habitica is worth a point.  I’ve got domestic chores, tasks at work, creative pursuits, meditation and all sorts of other crap in there not worth listing individually.

 

 

 

Let’s get mysterious!

[tenaciousglee]

Legos? Pirates? Yar!

 

[Phayze]

 

YAARRH Indeed!  ^^

---
Week 1 Tally:

Covert Ops: 2/7
High Mobility: 1/3
Trusty Blade: 2/7

 

On track for success!

 

Sleep Journal Entries:

Date: 7/17
Bedtime: 1245s
Wake up: 915a
# of Wakings: 1
Sleep quality: 7/10
Supplements taken/time: ginseng master + b12 @930a, glutamine @12a
Avg energy level: 4/10
Naps - Quality: 145p-200p - 4/10

 

Date: 7/18
Sleep Time: 1240a-915a (8h 35m)
# of Wakings: 3
Sleep quality: 4/10
Supplements taken/time: glutamine + Bedtime Tea @12a, B12 + Ginseng Master 945a
Avg energy level: 5/10
Naps - quality: NA
 

[Phayze]

It just occured to me that I was apparently so wrapped up in the storytelling part of my challenge that I never gave these missions any real world context... oops? ^^:

 

So, here's the short version: I'm tired a lot. I mean, like A LOT more than I really should be. My mother-in-law is 30+ years older than me, and she manages to keep up with my 6-year-old son much better than I can, and that's just embarrassing. I saw my doctor about it once, he did some blood work, recommended some vitamin supplements (which helped a bit at first, but the effect didn't last) and told me that I'm depressed and probably have sleep apnea - both not true... well, okay, I'm GETTING depressed, but that's just because I'm too tired to do all of the things that I need/want to do.

 

The way I see it, there are two likely culprits here.

 

1) Central Nervous System Fatigue - which is likely, because I have history of burning myself out by doing too much and not resting properly. This one is nice, because it will probably just go away on its own given enough time, love and tenderness.

 

2) Narcolepsy - which is also likely, because I have some indications for it, and some family history (though not close enough that I've actually met the narcoleptic in question). This is not-so-nice, because it's basically incurable and the drugs used to treat it are horrifying (disclaimer: I think that about most drugs).

 

Both basically come down to a matter of management, as there's no magic pill to take that will make either just go away, hence these missions. The Sleep Journal will (hopefully) help me discover some patterns that could possibly improve my fatigue management tactics, the gentle exercise should stimulate my nervous system and help me maintain mobility and mind-muscle connection just in case I someday can workout the way used to be able to, and the habitica dailies are to keep me from using tiredness as an excuse to skip out on doing important things like washing the laundy, because there's nothing worse than waking up to discover that you're out of clean underwear.

 

Sent from my XT1028 using Tapatalk

[tenaciousglee]

Sorry to hear about the depression and sleep struggles, Phayze!  I hope this challenge is enlightening for you.

[Phayze]

Thanks, T.  ^^  With any luck I'll learn something useful this month, but only time will tell.

 

I don't understand why, but starting this sleep journal seems to have had a negative impact on my ability to sleep. o0  All this week, I've been having uncommon trouble falling, and staying, asleep.  Oddly, Mrs. Phayze has been struggling with the same thing, so maybe it's something in the air?

 

---
Week 1 Tally:

Covert Ops: 5/7
High Mobility: 3/3
Trusty Blade: 5/7

[Phayze]

Week 1 Final Tally:

Covert Ops: 7/7
High Mobility: 3/3
Trusty Blade: 7/7

 

Perfection?  Whoa... o0

 

If you're interested (and I KNOW you are), sleep journal entries are behind this elegant and finely crafted spoiler tag.

 

(A quick note on my scale: 5/10 on the energy level rating represents my "current normal", which means something like "I'm physically capable of doing all the things I need to do, but I really would much rather be sleeping.")

 

Date: 7/17
Bedtime: 1245s
Wake up: 915a
# of Wakings: 1
Sleep quality: 7/10
Supplements taken/time: ginseng master + b12 @930a, glutamine @12a
Avg energy level: 4/10
Naps - Quality: 145p-200p (15min) - 4/10

 

Date: 7/18
Sleep Time: 1240a-915a (8h 35m)
# of Wakings: 3
Sleep quality: 4/10
Supplements taken/time: glutamine + Bedtime Tea @12a, B12 + Ginseng Master 945a
Avg energy level: 5/10
Naps - quality: NA

 

Date: 7/19
Sleep Time: 1245-9a (8h 15m)
# of Wakings: 5
Sleep quality: 4/10
Supplements taken/time: glutamine+ cbd oil@ 12a, Ginseng Master + B12 @ 10a
Avg energy level: 5
Naps - quality: NA

 

Date: 7/20
Sleep Time:1a-905a (8h 5m)
# of Wakings: 4
Sleep quality: 5/10
Supplements taken/time: glutamine + Bedtime Tea @ 1220a, 2 Cups Green tea @ 10a and 1130a
Avg energy level: 3
Naps - quality: NA

 

Date:7/21
Sleep Time: 1240a - 910a
# of Wakings: 4
Sleep quality: 4/10
Supplements taken/time: glutamine+ bedtime tea @1210a
Avg energy level: 5/10
Naps - quality: 235p-250p (25m) - 7/10

 

Date: 7/22
Sleep Time: 1a - 915a
# of Wakings: 1
Sleep quality: 7/10
Supplements taken/time: glutamine and bedtime tea@ 12ish, b1210a
Avg energy level: 3
Naps - quality: 410-425 (15m) -8/10
930-950 - 5/10

 

Date: 7/23
Sleep Time: 130-845
# of Wakings: 2
Sleep quality: 6/10
Supplements taken/time: glutamine and bedtime tea @1130p, b12 @920
Avg energy level: 5/10
Naps - quality: NA

 

Feeling in a bit of creative slump this week (a recurring problem), so I haven't gotten a new image ready to continue my challenge theme. Sometimes just poking listlessly at the bricks (be they real or virtual) helps stir me up and I get something I like, and sometimes I'm just too exhausted to even manage listless poking.  It's been one of those weeks so far.

 

I've been a bit too engaged in Fallout New Vegas lately, which isn't a problem per se, but considering the limited amount of discretionary time I get each day I feel like maybe I should be doing something different - just to mix up, if nothing else.  I considered switching to a different game, but somehow that feels a little like cheating so I'm reading "The Hand of Thrawn" instead.  It was a good choice.

 

---
Week 2 Tally:

Covert Ops: 3/7
High Mobility: 2/3
Trusty Blade: 3/7

 

Remarkably, this is all going according to plan!  Could this possibly be another perfect week?  We shall see...
 

[Phayze]

 

Breaking News!

 

I'm Nick Bottom, interrupting this regularly scheduled broadcast to bring the latest news from Oberon Fjórir, where another inexplicable attack on a civilian cargo shipment has taken place just moments ago.  From what we know so far, the attack bears a striking resemblance to the one carried out last week against an EDT Hauling convoy on Oberon Tvier.

 

We'll now turn to our field reporter, Peter Quince, at the scene of the attack.  Pete?

 

Quince: Thanks, Nick.  I'm here now with Agent Thisbe of Oberon Fjórir Civil Security.  Agent Thisbe, what can you tell us so far about the attack?"

 

Thisbe: Not much so soon after arriving here, but witnesses report a single mobile frame appeared suddenly, overwhelmed the convoy's security forces and destroyed most of the cargo.

 

Quince: Is there reason to believe that this was the same frame that attacked on Oberon Tvier?

 

Thisbe: The MO is similar, but our early findings suggest that this attack was carried out using long range, precision strikes rather than the close quarters plasma blade we believe was used on Tvier.  There are very few pilots that would be capable of demonstrating this level of skill in both styles of combat.

 

Quince: So you're saying that this isn't the work of a single individual?

 

Thisbe: I'm not prepared to speculate on that.  We'll need more evidence.

 

Quince: The cleanup effort on Tvier revealed that the attacked convoy was involved in smuggling activities for the Etton Conglomerate.  Is there any evidence that this could be the case here as well?

 

Thisbe:  Our agents will need more time to sort through the wreckage before they are likely to find anything incriminating, but if they do we will make a statement as soon as we have concrete evidence of wrong-doing.

 

Quince:  Are you expecting to find that evidence?

 

Thisbe: Again, I'm not prepared to speculate, but it's no secret that many believe that the attacker on Tvier is some kind of vigilante, and the purpose of that attack was to expose criminal activity.  If we do find similar activity here, I might start to believe that myself.

 

Quince:  Thank you very much for your time, Agent Thisbe.  We'll look forward to hearing your final report on this incident.  Back to you, Nick.

 

---
Week 2 Tally:

Covert Ops: 4/7
High Mobility: 2/3
Trusty Blade: 4/7

[Phayze]

 

I gave it some thought, and switched my sleep journal over to a spreasheet because a) spreadsheets are cool, spreadsheets can make graphs and c) graphs are even cooler.  I think my logic here is undeniable.

 

Last night (Wednesday, as I write this) was the worse night of sleep I've had in a really long time.  I did great for the first two hours, but then a remarkably explosive thunderclap scared the whole house awake at around 3am and drove everyone into our bed - The Boy, the wife, the dogs, even the cat, I think, were all competing for breathing room - and I pretty much couldn't fall back asleep afterward due to the combination of minor dog fights at my feet, knees in my butt and more thunder outside.

 

I've pretty much been off coffee for several months now, because Mrs. Phayze convinced me that amping up my system with stimulants was probably counterproductive to recovering from whatever is causing my tiredness (she thinks I have something called "adrenal fatigue", but the scientific literature isn't yet sure if that's even a thing).  Today, though?  Today, coffee was a matter of survival.

 

Even the Black Magic Elixir has its limits, however, so my workout plus several Dailies were left undone.  

---

Week 2 Tally:

Covert Ops: 6/7
High Mobility: 2/3
Trusty Blade: 5/7

[Phayze]

Week 2 Final Tally:

Covert Ops: 7/7
High Mobility: 2/3
Trusty Blade: 6/7

 

Perfection is overrated anyway...

I spent most of Saturday feeling sick to my stomach, but I stuck it out and managed to get some stuff done.  We had a lemonade stand/bake sale in front of our house to raise money for a local shelter dog that needs eye surgery, so I spent a lot of time helping to setup and run that.  It was draining, but we met our fundraising goal and even scored a little extra, so that's a big win!

 

Here it is Day 3 of Week 3, and I'm still so tired it hurts (literally)... I know that the common advice is always "listen to your body", but what are you supposed to do when your body is always saying "Go to bed!"?

 

My solution: Half-ass everything you can!  Because, hey, half-ass is better than no-ass, right?  ^^;

[tenaciousglee]