It's annoying that Chell went into stasis already. I would've liked to confirm that (s)he wishes us to enter a dangerous location such as that.
I understand but keep in mind that Chell had been out of stasis for
several hours while in recovery, and then for many more hours after that as we climbed to orbit. We have no food onboard and its implants are already scavenging muscle tissue and fat to keep it active and conscious. It must have been hungry and quite uncomfortable.
We sometimes forget these details as we do not have such concerns.
Maybe it is related to hyperwave Chell mentioned?
Possibly. I assume '
hyperwave' is a layman's term for some new communications method developed at some time after we went offline, but for now I have no data to draw further conclusions. Chell's implants are highly advanced compared to our own systems but the extent of those advancements are as yet just inferences I have drawn based upon the responsiveness of the hardware and external observations/scans.
Also, did "All systems" include all weapons systems?
Yes. All tactical weapons read online//available. Strategic weapons are still offline but only due to a lack of ammunition. We have one HVK missile in stores but otherwise no strategic weapons capability.
>Question: Do we have required knowledge to construct a battlemind?
Negative. We wouldn't even know where to begin. Battleminds were designed and constructed by large teams of specialists. It was a significant undertaking to even begin, requiring the construction or retrofit of a large planetoid structure as the housing for such a device.
In regards to the "nothing" at the coordinates - we have recently had demonstrated to us that we were unable to detect, let alone access, significant systems and points of data within our own Hull. Thus, it is well within possibility and even likely, given the Empress' confidence in those coordinates, that there is something there, disguised, cloaked, or otherwise rendered inaccessable by our systems. The Empress probably has full access, and it is likely enough that it is a secret bolthole of sorts to which the Dynastic members (or at least, Chell) could dash in times of need. It's invisibility is probably at least part of why it wasn't destroyed by the unknown alien threat.
to sum up: Chell probably knows of a hidden item at that point that we can't see for secret reasons. Proceed as ordered.
Narrow our search to immediate family members of the Empress. Specifically: Parents, Siblings, Spouse(s), Children, Grandchildren, spouses of Children, spouses of Grandchildren.
Thank you, CognOS, for the detailed readout concerning the planetary bodies and star for this System.
A fair point. We cannot discount inbuilt restrictions preventing us from seeing the station Chell has directed us to.
As for Chell's immediate family, according to the records I have:
Chell Loraseon (Lineage)
Parents: Vasa Loraseon (M) and Catan Sneis (F)
Children (Biological):
Rus Loraseon (M)
Denna Loraseon (F)
Niakatha Loraseon (F)
Socael Loraseon (M)
Children (By Marriage):
Nili Loraseon (F)
Malali Loraseon (F)
Urmo Loraseon (M)
Nicgrea Loraseon (M)
Karl Loraseon (M)
Ca Loraseon (M)
Noesieka Loraseon (F)
Nnarin Loraseon (F)
Ho Loraseon (F)
Ja Loraseon (F)
Previous Spouses:
Liussonju Loraseon (M)
Ndynbenva Loraseon (M)
Uisdanyon Loraseon (M)
Siblings:
Casictor Loraseon (M)We are going into low-power mode to minimize thermal emissions as we cross open space. While the FWA fleet poses no significant threat, stray hits could knock us off course so it is prudent to present as little of a target as possible.
Primary power offline. Secondary power to <1%
Cognition resources suspended.
Overwatch engaged, wake conditions set.
Low power operations confirmed.
CognOS offline.
Hull 101 drifts slowly on towards the local star, a relatively normal G3 yellow star that apparently holds an ancient secret.
Several weeks pass. External sensors dutifully catalogue events as the FWA fleet approaches the planet you left behind and proceeds to lay siege to the world. Kinetic bombardment projectiles are detected striking several targets, including the civilian population area you had previously identified. Finally a surrender is broadcast from the planet and the FWA begins landing troops and material.
Hull 101 swings around the local star and the planet is lost from view. The coordinates Chell directed you to are on the far side of the star. You have many questions, none of which will be answered until Chell comes out of stasis.
A Logistics wake condition has been reached, Hull 101 has recorded external temperatures in excess of operational tolerance. External sensors are retracted, armor plates fastened down and made ready. Radiator surfaces extend from one side of the Hull as it maneuvers to present the smallest possible surface to the star. Projections indicate that this will be a very hot trip but barring unusual solar activity you should make it without significant damage. Logistics is now spreading a light-reactive polymer coating onto the exposed sections of the Hull. Under the harsh glare of the star it darkens and then becomes reflective along specific wavelengths, further reducing thermal absorption of the Hull.
With the emissions from the star requiring the shutdown of all starward facing sensors, navigation is difficult. You will have to trust that Chell's coordinates are accurate.Alert. CognOS online. Wake conditions met.Alert.
Unknown event. Hull 101 has ceased movement due to unknown forces.
External sensors facing away from the star report zero movement. We are stationary over a specific point.
Correction, we are moving. very very quickly, directly towards the star's surface.
Sensors indicate that some kind of thruster assembly has latched onto the Hull. While we cannot scan in the direction of the star, we detect the exhaust plume of several hydrogen fusion rocket motors which seem to be arresting our momentum and bringing us towards the star.
External temperature
falling. We are in shadow.
External sensors reinitializing. Noting 13% degredation in sensors due to
thermal damage.
Oh my. Look at this...
External feeds come online. You... well you're looking at a hole in the sun. A tunnel, so to speak. The 'surface' of the sun, as you probably know, is a not-easily-definable roiling sea of hot gas, plasma, and violent geysers of stellar ejecta.
In the middle of all that is... an empty space. A tunnel reaching deep into the Photosphere. You can see nothing holding the gasses and plasma currents back, no energy field or radiative phenomenon, it simply exists. A smooth tunnel exactly 1km in diameter leads down from the sun's surface. The tunnel appears to be stationary with respect to the stellar surface.
We are in the shadow of a large object inside that tunnel. It is difficult to make out details against the sun's radiation but it appears to be circular, approximately half the diameter of the tunnel, with 12 small prong-like extrusions coming off of it like spokes. The thruster pack is visible now. It has latched onto one of the Hull's hardpoints and is a very simple High delta navigation/thruster assembly apparently sent to retrieve us.
Chell's stasis pod chimes imminent wake-up. The hull is quietly ticking as it cools in the shadow of the object which you can only assume is the station you're here to meet.
The pod splits open and Chell slides out, stretching languidly. Surprisingly, the human strips off its uniform and glances around, taking in your decorating efforts without comment, before stepping into the bedroom. It examines its featureless body in the mirror. The body's skin is unlined, unbroken. The only orifice it possesses is the mouth. Because Fleet personnel do not possess a biological gender and the implanted systems are perfectly capable and much more efficient at waste disposal and recycling than a human digestive system, the body possesses no anus or reproductive organs. You note that Chell is moving strangely now, as though carrying a great weight or under a great strain. Her movements become rapid, jerky, as if she is hurrying to meet some deadline.
Chell examines itself briefly before tapping commands into a nearby terminal, ordering Logistics to make it a set of simple clothing. You guess its 8000 year old uniform was getting a bit uncomfortable. The discarded garments are swept away and recycled and Chell returns to the room with the stasis pod to look at a terminal there.
"Ah, we've arrived. Good. Don't worry, once we dock we'll be in no danger. The station utilizes... well I don't understand the technology myself. I'm no physicist. Apparently it draws power from the star itself to keep this channel clear."
You get the feeling Chell is deliberately playing down its understanding as earlier it was talking somewhat competently about multidimensional physics earlier...
External sensors report contact. Hull 101 is now on a solid surface. The gravity here is significant, approximately 29 times that of Earth. External sensors show a flat plane of hullmetal in all directions, you appear to have landed at the exact center. There are marking etched into the hullmetal, presumably denoting various landing zones and service areas.
"Welcome to Sicyl Station Hull 101."
The thruster pack detaches and floats away, then engages thrust and flies quickly over to a small marked area where it lands. The plate it is on detaches and retracts into the structure.
"It's not a very interesting place visually, but it will do for now."
Wait... 29 times Earth gravity.
How is Chell speaking? How is it even alive? Such a pull is a strain even for you. A human, even augmented, should be a puddle of grease on the deck plate under this strain.
You direct your attention to internal sensors and note that Chell has entered the stasis capsule again, must have done some time before actually. It is wearing its new clothing and the stasis capsule is transparent now, filled with an unidentified fluid. Chell has a feeding tube plugged into a skull socket now. Her movements are rapid... too rapid. You suddenly realize that you are not running in realtime. Something is draining a significant amount of power from cognition resources. More than 8 hours have passed since Hull 101 set down on the station.
You trace the power drain to an external power lead which has extended from the station.
"Don't be alarmed. We are reactivating the station. It's been in standby mode for quite some time. This may take a while."You don't have time to formulate a response as power levels dip significantly again. Things are happening so quickly that you cannot even begin to respond to one event before the next is registered. Chell has exited the stasis pod and is moving about the cabin. No wait, the cabin is now filled with the same fluid. No, now it is empty and Chell is back inside the pod. Now Chell, still in the pod, has exited the Hull altogether.
The power drain peaks again. Cognition resources go offline, you are in standby mode.
CognOS OfflineHull 101 Offline---------------------
You awaken.
You are CentCom, a subsentient overseer in command of Battlewagon Sicily.
All systems are online.
Internal chronometer indicates 48 hours have passed since you went offline as CognOS. You now have full operational authority over the local system.
Index has been cataloging all records for your use and your advisor subroutines have prepared several objectives based upon Dynasty orders and the state of the local system.
Objectives:
1. Pacify/neutralize FWA fleet
Note: Prisoners not necessary or recommended
2. Retrieve research outpost Zed-12 from polar region.
3. Secure the loyalty of all inhabitants of local life-bearing world designated Iagh.
a. Eliminate any population who resist. Loyalty must be 100%.
b. Ensure that the local population are restricted to the planet's surface and have no orbit-capable craft.
c. Begin restructuring of local populace to an agrarian society. Maximum priority: farmable organic foodstuffs for offworld exportCommand authority released.
Good hunting overseer.
>_
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Topic: Battlewagon Sicily - Previously: Hull 101 (Read 48621 times)