Apologies for the delay, real life problems occurred. Have a chapter.
Chapter 6
Urgh. I am rapidly coming to hate this planet. NONE of my long range sensors work here. At least, not reliably. Oh, sure, I get brief glimpses of things as they move about, and bigger things tend to be easier to pick up, but it is entirely possible for a bunch of aliens with technology that wouldn't look out of place on earth back in the nineteen seventies to get within a few hundred meters of one of my structures without me even knowing. Which they keep demonstrating. On my metal extractors. Ugh.
Air patrols... mostly work, but I can't spare the kind of resources I'd need for a constant air patrol from the repairs to the Ma'at. And even then, the foliage around here is very good at blocking even that. There's a reason I've burned back the jungle to full kilometer from the Ma'at. I'm not sure satellites would do any better. I'm currently trying to adapt sonar for above-water work, but that's taking time. Ugh. Just, ugh.
Good news, my nanobots have arrived at the Aperture Device. They're already fighting a nanobot swarm, so I really can't afford to be too terribly obvious about this. Instead, the nanobots are slowly infiltrating the computer systems. This should also get me the language data I need to create a translator program.
Now, if they would just stop wrecking my freaking extractors, that would be nice. Ugh. That's the twelfth they've trashed so far. I don't want to kill them, but given the circumstances, I'm not sure there's any other way I could get them to stop. Ugh.
I also haven't had much luck getting a hold of human technology. Their buildings don't exactly stand up on their own. For that matter, their units don't either. No, everything of theirs is held together by these energy fields, and when the drone suffers too much damage to sustain the field, the pieces teleport back to their base for reclamation and repair. I once again revise my opinion of the Gooniverse humanity up another notch or three on my scale of "Holy fucking shit that's haxx". All the more reason to get my hands on their tech, but that energy field is not making things easy. It functions a lot like a bug zapper, killing my Tech Jacker mosquitoes the moment they land. Fine. I suppose I shouldn't have expected this to be easy. I could just send a regular nanobot swarm after them, but given the presence of the goo, that could easily go very poorly. I'll have to see if I can find an alternative solution, because this is getting rather frustrating.
And then there's the goo.
The. Fucking. Goo.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep track of the location of gestalt intelligence that likes to subdivide and spends most of its time in a not-quite liquid state in terrain like this when basically every one my sensors is on the blink? DO YOU? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?
No. No you do not.
It's freaking impossible. The goo is everywhere and nowhere, eating my extractor one moment, then nowhere to be found the next.
I hate this planet. I absolutely hate it. I hate every single thing about it. It's not even a pretty planet. The jungles are the ugly, non-flowering kind, the flowers that DO exist are mostly just kind of bland or depressing, and what isn't jungle is wasteland. It's an ugly blight on the universe and if no one was currently using it I might very well blow it up just because, I hate it that much.
I can't wait to get off this rock.
Alright, fine. It would seem I've reached the limits of what I can do by myself. Time to start talking to people. Yay.
"Incoming transmission," M.U.M. announced.
"Transmission?" Lucy asked, glancing up from her console. "From who?"
"Unknown," M.U.M. said. "Transmission does not follow any known protocol."
Lucy bit her lip. Redgrave was in the hands of the aliens, the Beta, and- And if there was a chance at a negotiated peace, perhaps- "Put it through."
"Affirmative."
"Hello, who is this?" Lucy asked.
"I am Phoenix," I said. "Am I speaking with the commanding officer of the ship that was in orbit?"
"Yes, I am Lucy Tak, the commander of the Darwin. Who are you?"
"I am the commander of the ship which impacted your own, the Ma'at. There was a malfunction in the FTL drive, resulting in our emergence in an unexpected location. The collision with your ship was an extraordinary stroke of poor luck."
"I see," Lucy said.
"Indeed. The Ma'at has sustained severe damage. We are undergoing repairs at the moment, but I expect it will take some time."
"May I ask, how severe were your casualties?" Lucy asked.
"Depends what you consider casualties," I stated. "Nearly all independent platforms were destroyed, either by the impact with your ship, or the following collision with this planet."
"You're an AI, aren't you?" she asked. "You don't have any crew that can't survive their bodies being destroyed."
"That is something of an oversimplification, but essentially correct," I respond.
"You're not a Valiant," she said. "What are you?"
"Good question, but one that can wait for a later time," I said. "For right now, we have more pressing concerns."
She nodded. "One of my crew has been captured by, um, we call them the Beta-"
"They call themselves the Morra," I supplied.
"You've made contact with them!" she said. Right, definitely not underestimating her, she's frighteningly intelligent.
"Nnnnot exactly," I said. "I've... infiltrated one of their computer systems. I'm currently compiling a translation program for them, but I have not opened a dialogue with them. However, they're not what I was talking about."
"The goo," she said with a sigh.
"Good guess, but no," I said. "No, our biggest concern is what both the goo and the Morra are running from."
"Running from?" she asked. "What would the goo run from?"
"The Shroud," I said. "The Morra call them the Silent Ones. I know very little about them, but they are very dangerous, and they are coming here. I intend to be gone before they arrive if at all possible, but given the state of the Ma'at, it is likely they will arrive before I can conclude repairs."
"And... what happens when they get here?" Lucy asked.
"If they aren't stopped? They eat the planet, then the solar system. Don't ask me how, I don't understand the mechanics of it, but they are in essence a galactic swarm of locusts, consuming all before them."
"But they can be stopped?" Lucy asked.
"Mmmmaybe?" I offered. "It's... a possibility, but I don't have the data I'd need to give you anything like an estimate of your chances. Again, I plan to leave."
"Why?" Lucy asked.
"What do you mean, why? I have no interest in tangling with the Shroud."
"So you're just going to run?"
"That was the idea."
"And leave the Morra to their fate?"
I- that- you- not- gah! Okay, okay. "I... what do you want from me?" I ask. "I have no idea what we're up against. I have no idea how many of them there are. I have no idea what the limits of their capabilities are. I have no idea when they're getting here. I don't like not knowing."
"Neither do I," she said. "But if you just run, you'll never find out, will you?"
Oooh, you're good, lady. You're very good. "Alright, fine. I'll help you prepare for the Shroud. But I'm not fighting them myself. I get the mess you're in sorted out, then I leave. Got it?"
"Got it." Oh, I don't like the way she's smiling. I don't like that smile at all. "For now, you said that you're working on a translation suite for the Morra?"
"Yes, it should be ready within the hour."
"Good, then hopefully we can end this conflict without further loss of life."
She played me. She freaking played me! Forget worrying about human technology, now I'm worried about her. No. Whatever she says, I am not sticking around to fight the Shroud. I'm not!
...I just jinxed myself, didn't I?
Okay, translation matrix ready... now. It's not perfect, no translation system of radically different languages ever is, but it should get the job done. Send that off to Lucy and Singleton, let them handle the negotiations. Not like I need to be involved in that.
On the other hand, something needs to be done about the goo. I really don't think I'll be able to talk Lucy into feeding Singleton to the goo, even if Singleton might actually be okay with it once I explain the situation. I need an alternative solution.
Oh. That... that might just be crazy enough to work. It just might.
"You require the design for a Valiant AI," Singleton says. It's not exactly a question, more of a demand coupled with a statement.
"Yes," I say. "Look... is Lucy there?"
"She is currently negotiating the release of John Redgrave, and is unavailable," Singleton says.
"Okay, good. Look, the goo is out of control." Good, let's start by restating the obvious. "It's trying to prepare for the Shroud, but it's not particularly good at planning. It doesn't really grasp consequences and secondary effects. That's why it's been fighting you and the Morra. It's trying to expand, to grow, to gain the ability to fight back. But at the same time, it has no concept of alliances, or cooperation."
"You wish to make the goo more intelligent," Singleton says.
"Essentially, yes," I say. "I need something that it will assimilate, but won't be able to destroy, that will be able to give the collective purpose and direction. Your AI is my leading candidate for this. Literally feeding you to the goo so you can take charge of it is my final backup plan. I'd really like to avoid that. Lucy would yell at me."
"I see," Singleton says. "I assume you would prefer that Lucy does not hear of this."
"That would be preferable, yes," I say. "I have an alternative, but I need a copy of the design for your AI core. The part that makes you... you."
"And you intend to use this to subvert the goo."
"Subvert isn't really the right word, but basically yes."
"And how would you do this?" Singleton asks.
"I'd rather not explain just yet, in case it fails," I say.
"Very well," Singleton says. "I am sending you the data you require. I hope you do not give me cause to regret this."
"You and me both."
And yet another Gooniverse humanity tech achievement. Singleton is a fully functional sapient sentient AI. In every respect, he's a person. His entire AI fits on device twelve nanometers across. That's about six orders of magnitude smaller than a grain of sand. I'm going to have to study this, see if I can use the technology behind it to upgrade my own processing centers, because that is terrifying. I'm honestly concerned about my ability to manufacture it, it's that small. Oh, I can do it, but it's going to be a pain.
Oh, nice! Singleton gave me some information on how to program one of these things! Excellent. Right. Now for the crazy part.
Oh, this idea isn't getting any less ridiculous. Not even slightly.
Fuck it, let's do this.
Good, the Morra are withdrawing. My metal extractors are being left in peace, aside from the occasional incursion from the goo, but I have no real compunctions about bombing the goo whenever it shows itself, so that's under control again. I... should probably call Lucy, actually.
Yeah, I should do that now.
"Phoenix," Lucy says as soon as M.U.M. lets my call through.
"Miss Tak," I say. "Were you able to negotiate a settlement with the Morra?"
"Yes," she says. "Singleton tells me you are working on a solution for the goo?"
"A potential solution," I say. "I'm... cautiously optimistic about its chances of success, but, well, it's a bit of a strange idea to be honest. And no, I really don't feel like explaining it just yet. If it works, I get to look brilliant. If it fails, well, I suppose you can chew me out for being an idiot."
"We're rather short of conventional solutions right now," she says. "Keep me posted on the results, please."
"I'll do that," I say. "What is the current status of your relations with the Morra?"
"We have a truce, and working towards an alliance against the Silent Ones. They confirmed what you said, though your claim that the Shroud will be here soon has them worried. One of their leaders, Saruk, wants to speak with you."
"I suppose that's acceptable," I say. "If you could put him through, that would be good."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Is this Saruk?" I ask, testing out my translator program.
"I am Saruk, affirmative," the voice at the other end of the connection says. Hmm. Looks like I need to work out a few kinks in the program.
"I am Phoenix," I say.
"Lucy spoke of you," Saruk says. "She said that you warned her of the coming of the Silent Ones."
"I did," I say. "I do not know when they will arrive, but it is likely to be soon."
"Our ship is not ready to leave the planet," Saruk says. "If they arrive soon, my people will not survive."
Oooh, Lucy put him up to this, didn't she? "I am aware," I say. "However, I am in the same position. My ship is severely damaged as well."
"It seems we are all in this position," Saruk says. "Our Suma, Lucy's Darwin, and your Ma'at." I'm impressed, he didn't even stumble over the foreign words.
"All of us but the goo," I say.
"The Humans and the Morra will stand against the Silent Ones," Saruk says. "What of you?"
"It's not my fight," I say. "I intend to leave."
"The Silent Ones threaten the entire galaxy," Saruk says. "It is everyone's fight." No it's not, but I don't feel like spilling the beans about my universe hopping just yet, particularly since I don't currently have a working Inversion Drive.
"That's your opinion," I say. "I'm still planning to leave. Look, was there something you actually wanted, or is this just a social call?"
There's a moment of silence. "I am requesting your aid against the Silent Ones," he says. "They destroyed our home. We are all that remains of our civilization. I will not stand by and let my people be silenced again. Will you help us?"
Urgh. Gah. I- Gah! Lucy, if this was actually your idea... Ugh, fine. "You make a compelling case," I say. "Very well, I will provide what assistance I may."
"The Morra thank you, Phoenix." The connection closes.
Thank me if any of this works. This is still just a collection of bad ideas.
The Ethereals had a lot of interesting information squirreled away in their databases. I wasn't able to get most of it before the Temple Ship blew, but I still got quite a bit. One of the more useful things I found was information on human psionics, including scans of human brains, both conventional scans and psionic ones.
I was rather surprised to find that the Ethereals had psionic scans of just about every member of XCOM. I still have that file. I used a lot of the data from it for some minor upgrades to the Incarnations. However, there was a separate file, one with a much higher priority level. Naturally, I took it as well.
The file contained the scan of one human mind. One very particular human mind. One very powerful human mind.
Oh this isn't becoming any less of a bad idea.
Fine. Let's do this.
Awaken, Alice Linnet Frost, Commander of XCOM, Queen of the Goo.
"Commander Kappa," the copy of Commander Frost says. "I take it our assault on the Temple Ship did not go as planned."
I blink. "Why would you assume that?"
"I am not in my own body," she, it, says. "The most likely scenario for this situation is that the assault on the Temple Ship somehow concluded with my death, and most likely the destruction of Earth, and this is a program of yours to try to resurrect the human race."
"I'm... not sure I would have been capable of that, actually," I say. "Anyways, that's not the current situation. The assault on the Temple Ship was a success. There were casualties, but we were victorious. To the best of my knowledge, you, the original you, are still alive."
There's a moment of silence as she processes this. "What am I at present?"
"Ah, at present? You're a virtual model of your own brain being run on the computer of my ship."
"Why are you doing this?"
"I... have a job or maybe a favor, whichever you prefer, that I believe is right up your alley."
"And you created a virtual clone of me for this task."
"It was either that or create an entirely new personality from scratch. This seemed like a less terrible idea."
"What is this task?" she asks.
"Um, well, let me fill you in on the current situation first, then we can discuss what I'd like you to do."
"I am listening."
"So. The humans are adept, but few in number," she says.
"Correct."
"The Morra number in the thousands, but are technologically outmatched."
"Yes."
"The Von Neuman probe is numerous and technologically capable, but lacks intelligence and proper leadership."
"Pretty much."
"And the Shroud, an alien force of unknown size, capacity, and intelligence is coming."
"Yes."
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to take over the goo," I say. "I was able to persuade Valiant Singleton to give me the design for a Valiant AI core. I would load your personality onto this device, then insert you into the goo, at which point you should be capable of taking it over from within. I hope."
"Why did you choose to recreate me? By your own admission, you could have created any number of humans," she says. "I expect that there are a great many in your databanks who would be more biddable than myself."
"Maybe, but if we're going to stop the Shroud, I need competence more than I need obedience," I say. "I don't have anyone in my database who's a better fit for the task at hand. Will you do it?"
"This Shroud threatens Earth as well?"
"Nnnot immediately, but they kind of threaten the entire galaxy, so... yes?"
"Then I am willing."
"Excellent. I'll start work on the project immediately."
I disconnect from the Ma'at's computer with a sigh of relief. That could have gone much worse.
Manufacturing the Valiant Core is... not something I can do with my usual techniques. It's way too small. However, by reprogramming one of my fabbers, it should be able to produce a Valiant Core, rather than its usual construction nanobots. It's just going to take a while, thanks to the complexity. Really want to get my hands on more Gooniverse human tech.
Right, while that's in the oven, I need to get to work. I'm now committed to fighting the Shroud. Wunderbar. Right, what do I remember about the Shroud?
Um. Their anti-air game is a bit weak, if I remember correctly. Most of it involved bringing the air unit down to the ground so other units can actually destroy it. Air in Grey Goo tends to be expensive and time consuming. For me, it's very much not. Um. Hmm. Radar and other long range detection is out thanks to this freaking planet, and I really doubt a satellite would do much better, but perhaps... Hmm. I know the Shroud have ships, but I have no idea what their orbital combat capability is like. Well, it's not like anyone else has significant space-borne firepower available to them at the moment either. Alright, plan of action.
Repairs to the Ma'at are being pushed down the priority list. I need the resources to build defenses.
I start by throwing out an orbital launcher. I need to get back into space. From there I launch on orbital fabber, then construct an orbital factory. Alright, time to get to work. A mix of Bennus for ground assault and any capital ships that might appear, and a horde of Horuses for dealing with their aircraft and smaller ships.
I'm not sure how the Shroud's crashdown trick works, but it affects both human and Morra craft, so it's likely that it can affect mine as well.
I intend to make it regret this fact.
I'm calling this new variant of the Horus the Horus-Omega. Unlike previous versions, it is visually distinct from the Avenger from which it was derived. On each wing and on the back of the main fuselage, there are pods. These pods are connected to deadman switches. If the switch triggers, either because the craft is destroyed or because I choose to trigger it, the pods explode. For now I'm going with some relatively tame conventional explosives, but I have a number of more interesting payloads in the works. So yes, Shroud, yank my fighters from the sky, swarm them with your troops, I dare you.
That should at least give me something to work with when the Shroud come calling.
"Singleton."
"Yes, Lucy?"
"Do you think we can trust Phoenix?" the woman asked, gazing out into the distance.
"I am uncertain," Singleton said. "Thus far, he has not lied to us."
"That's not what I meant." Lucy shook her head. "We're preparing for a war, against a foe we know virtually nothing about. Do you believe he will stand by his agreement with Saruk?"
"I don't know," Singleton said. "It is my great hope that he does."
"And why is that?" Lucy asked.
"Because, without his help, I am not certain we can win."
"Ready?" I ask.
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
"You have asked me this question six times now," Commander Frost says from her new Valiant-pattern AI core. "My answer has not changed. Perhaps I should be asking if you are certain that you are ready instead."
"I'm not certain of anything," I say. "Against the Ethereals, if everything went wrong, well, I still had the firepower to wipe them out. Maybe not cleanly, but successfully. The Goo is very much my equal in terms of potential, and it was forced to retreat from the Shroud. If this doesn't work-"
"Then it does not work and you try again," Commander Frost says. "You are concerned over nothing. I am ready. You are ready. There is no reason to delay any further."
"Right, alright. Launching in T minus five... four... three... two... one... Launching."
On the upper hull of the Ma'at a section of the armor retracts, revealing a missile launch tube. Normally the tube would be used to launch one of the Nova Missiles that serve as the ship's strategic ordinance. What's being launched now is much smaller, only about fifty centimeters long by about five centimeters across. Size isn't everything though, and if all goes as planned, this missile will be the single most powerful weapon I have launched to date.
The missile accelerates upwards before turning east and jetting through the atmosphere. It doesn't have far to go. And when it lands, well, that's when things get interesting.
"Your attempt to... tame... the goo is in place?" Lucy asks.
"Yes," I say. "With luck, it will be successful and we can present a united front to the Shroud."
"Yet you refuse to tell us what this plan of yours actually is," Saruk says. "Alliances are built on trust."
"Okay, it sounds bad when you put it that way," I say. "Initially I didn't share my plan because I knew one or both of you would call it stupid. Because it kind of is, or at least crazy. Then I didn't share it because I had no idea if it would work and I saw no point in getting your hopes up. Now... I think it's going to work, but I really want to see the look on your faces when it does work."
We're in Lucy's lifepod-cum-command center. Lucy and Saruk are here physically, while I'm attending as a hologram. It took me a while to decide what I actually wanted my hologram to be. The obvious choice was my old body, but... eh. I've never really been terribly invested in my own appearance. Also, it would be boring. Instead I started with an Incarnation, resulting in a mostly featureless metallic humanoid about on par with Saruk for height. From there I added a small pair of wings to the back and a sort of subdued crest thing that went from the center of the forehead down to the base of the neck. I also went with a reddish-orange color scheme. My name is Phoenix. Might as well look the part.
"You're keeping us in the dark for your own amusement," Lucy says.
"Ssssort of? Again, it sounds bad when you put it like that, but there's honestly nothing to be gained by telling you. There's nothing you can do to affect the outcome. At this point there's nothing I can do to affect the outcome." I spread my arms wide. "So why not enjoy the suspense with me? We should know very shortly if I was successful or not. If I was, we all get a pleasant surprise. If I wasn't, we can start discussing alternative solutions."
"And if your plan fails in a way that leaves us worse than we started?" Saruk asks.
"I'm... not sure how it could," I say. "That's not to say it's impossible, but I'm having a hard time thinking of a way it could backfire like that. Either way, we'll find out-"
The lights go dead, Lucy's holographic command table going out. My hologram is still active, but every other piece of light generating technology just went offline. Then another hologram flickers into existence. It starts as a sort of sickly-looking orangey-yellow blob, but a second later it turns a sort of bluish white before expanding into a human shape.
Commander Frost. Huh. That's not her XCOM uniform. It's... I think that's French? I'm not sure. I never was much for modern military trivia, and the nature of her hologram is making the details a bit hard to make out. Eh, whatever.
I turn to look at her hologram body. "I take it there were no problems?"
"I had to do some convincing first," she says. "However, that has been resolved. I am now in sole control of the Von Neuman probe, colloquially known as the Goo."
"Excellent." I turn back to Lucy and Saruk. Oh, there it is! Those expressions are amazing. So worth it. Saving that image right now. "Lucy Tak, Saruk, this is Commander Alice Linnet Frost. For reasons I will not go into here, I had a full scan of her brain, sufficient to the task of digitally simulating her consciousness. I proceeded to load this data into a Valiant-pattern AI core which Valiant Singleton graciously gave me the design for. I loaded Commander Frost into a specialized missile, equipped with systems to assist her in taking over the goo collective. Then I fired it at a nearby goo nest. My knowledge of events ends there, but from her presence, I can only assume that she met with success. Commander Frost?"
"Thank you," she says. "Phoenix, or as I know him, Commander Kappa, is correct. I have taken control of all goo forces on this planet. As I understand it, this marks the conclusion of hostilities on this planet's surface."
"If you stop the goo's attacks on my people," Saruk says.
"Already done," Frost says. "My forces are withdrawing."
"Then I think it does," Lucy says. "So what happens now?"
"We plan for the arrival of the Shroud," I say. "There are preparations we must make. However, it would be best if we decide what those preparations should actually be. As such, I move that we begin discussing division of labor."
"What do you mean by that?" Lucy asks.
"Each of our forces excel at a particular set of things," I say. "Saruk. I intend to do my utmost to provide your people with improved versions of your current equipment. The fact that you were able to hold your own despite the technological gap is a credit to your species. Once your people have their new equipment, I would like your forces to fill the role of our fast response units. Your forces are designed to fight in rougher terrain than Lucy's while moving at speed. As such, your people will be our raiders and lightning strike elements."
"This is similar to our existing doctrine," Saruk says. "Mobile warfare."
"Exactly," I say. "Lucy, your forces will serve to defend our bases. To that end, I will be providing you with a number of ancillary power generators which you will be able to use to construct additional fortifications."
"And my army?" she asks.
"Is capable of rapid deployment to anywhere on the battlefield with your teleportation technology. As such, I want you to be our reserve."
"I can do that," she says with a nod.
"Good. Commander Frost-"
"I will take the front line," she says. "My infrastructure is entirely mobile, requiring no time for construction. I am the logical choice for assaulting hostile territory."
"And what about you?" Saruk asks. "What do you bring to this conflict?"
"Fire support," I say. "I will be controlling the skies and low orbit. I already have a number of satellites in orbit with lasers suitable for tactical bombardment of hostile positions. I am also in the process of constructing a fleet of craft capable of combat in both space and atmosphere. With luck, the Shroud won't know what hit them."
"This sounds like a reasonable plan," Lucy says. "What's our first step?"
"Our first step is calling in the rest of the goo scattered across the galaxy," Frost says. "It's the fastest way to increase our available forces. For that, I will need access to the Aperture Device."
"That can be arranged," Saruk says.
"Meanwhile, I can start upgrading the Morra's equipment," I say. I look around. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get to work!"
