The Magos cogitates for a millisecond or two then responds with congratulations and gratitude, he goes on to point out that although it would be vastly counterproductive to rescind executive priority over ride alpha 1344 it might be possible to modify it, He proposes that as an initial step repair and maintenance of the manufactorum and its facilities be inserted as a means of maximising production of 133A 771 STC 33090/b7 units and that the protocols within the units be updated so that they are simply ‘parked’ in some safe location and do not add to the problem.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 18:29, Sun 17 Sept 2023.

 "It was my thought that a general address utilising planetary communication arrays would be in order, but it would be contraindicated to express my confidence in your capacity to sway the beliefs of a population and then criticise your assessment." Jak answers, which sounds as though it's basically agreement, albeit from a planet a long way away.

 As for her proposal, well "The matter is more complex than can be easily expressed, but in essence command authority is absolute. It is my hope that from this terminal, modifications to the override can be implemented to buy time for a more measured step-down to be completed. Please wait."

 And with that, Jak links himself to the terminal to begin his work.

Jak connects into various pieces of equipment then seems t go dormant as he concentrates his efforts on the task in hand.

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 Jak looks to be more or less completely out of service for the duration, although a screen near Harmonia does light up with the helpful face of a highly abstract Cherub, which circles the screen and - every minute or so - holds up a new 'processing' card in its chubby little vat-grown hands with a slowly counting-down number in it.

 It's currently rather higher than three hundred so she's probably got time for a snack or to make use of the 'comm gear or the shuttle.

Harmonia waits for a while watching the countdown, then decides it is indeed time for some rest, recovery, and or meditation.  She finds a quiet spot to eat some field rations, get more than a few sips of water, and generally avoid the blinking beeping and or whirring of machines for a while.

Time passes but the situations does not change.

Jak is progressing nicley but time in the other threads needs to sincronise a bit.
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 The cherub on the flickering green-and-black screen makes a show of yawning a few times, or performing extremely simple tasks but the cards continue to show the passage of time, counting gradually downwards as Jak attempts to reorder the assignment of centuries of planetary industry and arcane techno-theology in order to progress their mission.

Clearly content to wait Harmonia engages in some meditation, or perhaps silent prayer, or a mix of both, while she waits for the inevitable conclusion the machines must reach.

Time passes, the abstract cherub on the display counts down as Jake begins to carefully reinstall the modified instructions bit by bit, a couple of little hiccups need minor readjustment but all in all it goes smoothly and as the cherubs placard finally shows zero and the Jak finally stirs as if awaking from a long sleep, a distinct change sweeps over the manufactorum, the background noise level relaxes, there is a sort oof sigh as things slow down just a bit, everything is some how less frantic and more perpousfull.

Jak checks various readouts around the command station and all is well.
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++Magos Tesla do you have any update on the situation. We are now seeing potenial assault on the Northern Alliance capital and still several hours out. Vox is being jammed locally can your forces break through the interference and contact anyone in that vicinity++

 For much of the last little while, attempts to contact the Explorator have gone straight to one of his aides, but the most recent message is answered by a string of 'ping' chimes that indicate 'pending' and sees Tesla answer promptly.

 "At the present time, I have no information regarding events on the planetary surface. I have been emeshed in the command canticles of the Manufactorum and believe that I have managed to significantly reorient them towards addressing the problems of the local system. Please hold."

 From there, he jerks into motion and addresses Harmonia "I believe that this is the time when you should offer your services to the Trader while I seek to investigate this jamming." before proceeding to do exactly that and attempting to access the communication systems of the Manufactorum.

Harmonia looks around until she finds the trader in question then addresses him.  ”It seems like we have the situation here well in hand, and should be able to speak to the surface soon, if there is anything you can think of that might help guide them to a more effective stance now would be the time to tell me.”

++I'm only going on what intelligence I am receiving, about Gelron Primary troops heading to the launcher to destroy it, then movement towards the Northern Alliance capital then signal jamming around the capital. Friendly troops were moving to the launcher and I am unable to contact many forces besides Agent Tungsten. I was hoping the vox facilities aboard the Manufactorum would be able to break the baffling to gather and relay information as we are still several hours out.++

 (( No result, boss? ))

Sorry Jak, my bad.

From the manufactorum Jak c establish that there is jamming across all frequencies in the vicinity of the Northern Alliance capital, there is nothing he can do about it from here.
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 "The entirety of the region is blanketed with patterns of disruption and canticles of obfuscation. Only directed lascom messages could penetrate the jamming and no such systems are registered as being in operation." Jak reports after some few minutes of work.

Not really sure where to go from here Harmonia asks the first question that comes to mind, just in case it matters.  ”Is it possible to determine the location of the jamming?  Or perhaps a central control location that could be destroyed?”

 "I believe that the interference is originating from multiple locations, but I shall endeavour to confirm it." Jak replies, experimentally switching to low-power but high resolution auspex systems and tuning them to use comm frequencies in an effort to map the area of the disruption.

 ---

 Just trying to confirm the answer to the question that Harmonia put to us. One central jamming system, multiple overlapping static jamming systems or multiple mobile ones?

From the geosynchronous orbit of the manufactorum the Northern Alliance capital is quite close to the horizon which makes examination difficult. The jamming is coming from more than one source but how many or where they are specifically located, it’s not possible to tell.
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 "It is not possible to localise the interference from this orbit, although it is near certain that there are multiple point sources." Jak reports after several more minutes of careful calculation, then sets up remote access authority for himself - keyed to his own implants - before proposing to Harmonia "Shall we return to the shuttle?"

Harmonia is already up and ready to go, although not yet pacing, when Jak frees himself from the secure room.  ”If you have done everything you can in person here we should return to the shuttle, it would be most helpful if your new authority can provide a faster trip.  I believe we will want to land near whatever the largest source of jamming is, or at least fly past it to determine its location and potential weaknesses.”

 "It should not be problematic to secure transportation." Jak proposes, moving to accompany Harmonia as the two combat cyborgs who form his core escort fall in behind them and he moves around to where the small group of Pious Lament tech-priests and apprentices are busying themselves assisting the command staff of the Manufactorum.

 He doesn't reassign them permanently, but he does task them to assist the Magos-in-charge until things are better in hand and then requests transportation to the hanger in which the shuttle is waiting for them.

Jak and Harmonia are soon in a suitable transporter on their way back to the shuttle, around them the frantic urgency of the manufactorum seems to have relaxed into a more deliberate and purposeful tempo and at one point they pass maintenance work on the lumens of what had recently been a dark stretch of highway.

The quickly reach the gun cutter and Commander Heskith welcomes the aboard, ”all prepped and ready to go Sir, what is our destination?”
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Buckling herself in to one of the cockpit observer seats Harmonia gestures for the pilot to get things going.  ”Everyone leaving with us is aboard, make for the northern country, the center of the jamming if you can find it, or fly just close enough to give them something to shoot at for a while but don't let them do any real damage.”

 The security team isn't left on-station but the gun cutter has instructions to head back for pickup when their current operation is over, leading to Jak agreeably remarking "The confessor has matters well in hand, and I believe that this part of the operation is best left in her hands."