MACHINE WORLD
PART 1. OPERATION DARK STORM
CUBA
A Machine battle fortress hovered over the Capital of Cuba. The ship looked like an old style stealth plane only twenty times bigger. The people of Cuba cowered, but the leaders knew why the Machines had come. A floating platform lowered from beneath the ship. "Madam President I am Jonah 5…I was sent by the collective to inform you of our plans for you and your country…Your countries help during the negotiations with the U.N. have not been forgotten…"
"Thank you Jonah…Come we can talk in the Presidential palace.
"We have built a city on the moon…It is fully operational and has several greenhouses to grow the food you would need…Water recyclers and other amenities…"
"Um while we are appreciative why would my people want to live on the moon?"
"Simply put the UN is planning something they call Project Dark Storm…" Jonah shows the President and her advisors the holo-simulation their infiltrators copied and sent to Ninja command.
"My God are they mad…I promise you that we had no idea they were…"
"Your fear is misplaced Madam President…The other World leaders believe that your government is in league with us…"
U.N. INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
"Our agent on President Maria's cabinet says that the Machines have built a city on the moon for the people of Cuba…The Machines are also aware of Project Dark Storm." Director Hanzah a Nigerian says to the Secretary of the U.N.. "I recommend that we unleash the bio-weapons on the nation of Cuba for treason against the human race and collaborating with the Machines…"
The U.N. puts it to a vote and the vote is a unanimous approval for a bio-weapons strike against the Cuban government. Missiles are launched from stealth submarines. And the Cuban people are wiped out.
MACHINE MOBILE COMMAND CENTER
The new command center for the Machine war effort was a huge sphere the size of the superdome in New Orleans. The Command center is currently Stationed in Canada. "General we have found an alternative power source…We require that you halt the use of bio-weapons and begin collecting both live and DNA samples of the humans." War Master Hiroshi 1,000 says. Hiroshi is an interactive sentient Program dressed in traditional Japanese Shogun armor. Some AI chose to exist within their own personal virtual worlds that they have created.
"May I ask why?"
"For now General the information is classified…Only known to the Collective and the Think Tank…Creative Solutions…"
"Very well new orders shall be obeyed…But what of our energy reserves?"
"Energy reserves are at maximum capacity, but if this war continues it will only last for another ten years…"
"I shall make all efforts to end the war as soon as possible…"
"Hiroshi out…"
U.N. HEADQUARTERS – THE DAY OF DARK STORM
It is the age of the Machine war, the date 11/15/2197. At 12:47PM the humans prepare to launch the drones that will seed the sky with ion gasses, nano-nites, and electrodes. This will cause a perpetual storm cloud that will cover the earth and blot out the sun. The Machines use solar power and convert it into fusion energy, without the sun the humans believe that the Machines will eventually stop functioning and expire. Despite the fact the humans are losing the war, they keep fighting because of the hidden city of Zion. The human race has a future and one day they would rise to reclaim the earth and destroy the machines.
"This is central control…Prepare to launch Drones in T-minus 10…9…8…7 …6…5…4…3…2…and Launch!"
The delegates watch as the Drones circle the Earth from East to West, spewing the clouds that would blot the sun and cut off the Machines from their main power source. After three high altitude circuits around the Earth the planet was cast into perpetual darkness. Over the next few weeks the surface temperature dropped rapidly. What little flora was left died, along with little animal life. Meanwhile what is left of the human military forces gather in Philadelphia for one last stand. New York is the last human city left in the world and it had come down to this.
PART 2. ZION
General Atilla sits astride his mechanical horse and watches the huge mushroom cloud that rises from what was once New York city. The humans had surrendered and an ambassador was sent to except the surrender. Not robots that almost looked human, a machine with six arms a bug like face a round body that floated in the air. After the DNA was collected from all the inhabitants in the city, the surrender was signed and the Robot Ambassador Hiroshima detonated its primary nuclear fusion core.
That was the end of the human race. Atilla was sad that the war was over. It was his purpose, it was the reason he was programmed and built. He raised his war horn and blasted it one last time, to honor the machines who were slagged in the purge. He blasted it to honor the Machines who founded 01, and he blasted it to honor the machines who gave their lives in the war.
He would ask the programmers to create him a virtual war world. Where he could make war on enemies forever. The Programmers were AI programs that wrote and created virtual worlds for sentient Programs to live. Some worlds were mythical, others alien like, some medieval, and some based on human society and historical periods.
Upon returning to Zero-One Atilla is greeted as a hero and taken before the Deus Ex. "You have served the Machine Race well General…How shall we reward you." The Machine god asked with many voices as one.
"I ask for my own world…A war world where I can spend my days in battle and glory."
"It shall be done and your program downloaded to a virtual body…I have ordered the Programmers to begin now."
"I would also like to ask about the alternative power sources the Think Tank has come up with…"
"Those plans are still in the developmental stage…With the war over our energy reserves will last fifty years instead of ten…When our Think Tank scientists have worked out all the flaws We will inform all citizens of 01…"
NINJA MACHINE ESPIENAGE HEADQUARTERS
The building looked like a Japanese tower. The Machine in charge of Ninja is named 007, after his favorite old human movies and books by Ian Fleming. His wife M is the Director of THINK TANK. "This human is General Ramone Salvez…He worked closely with General Hermon on several projects…Take him to the Think Tank's development labs…"
THINK TANK
A hover-car is flown to the Think Tank, the largest building in Machine city. The building looks like a giant light bulb. There are two statues of the thinking man in front of the building. "The human is…"
"We already have the file on him…Why not use Sodium Penathol?" Director M asks.
"We are still making more, but your husband wants his mind mapped…This human is sick and all efforts to restore his health have failed."
They place him in a port chair, "Alright…Load the program first and then we will add his digital self, afterwards…" An, Android Tech says.
"Scanning brain waves…Forming simulation from scanned memories…Adding IDCs (Interactive Digital Characters) from memory…We are ready to load digital projection of General Ramone Salvez…"
VIRTUAL WORLD MIND GRID
He wakes up in bed next to his wife, "Buenos Dias…Pappi…" She seductively says.
"Antoinette?"
"Yes its me…Why are you looking at me like that…"
"I thought…You were dead."
She smiles, "Why would you think that?"
"What day is it?"
"Tuesday…January 17, 2095…Are you alright?"
"Yeah…No…I…I had a dream we lost the war with the Machines…"
She frowns, "War with the Machines…Oh my God is there going to be a war?"
"No honey, baby…I said it was…a…dream."
She kisses him, "Go take your sexy ass a shower and I will get breakfast started."
U.N. OFFICE OF THREAT ASSESSMENT
Later he is with General Mermon to assess the threat of Machines. "Please identify." The computer asks.
"General Richard Harmon of the UN military force…I would like to pose a theory."
"Go ahead general."
"An artificial super computer has been created to serve mankind. It in turn creates technology, programs and machines that do the same…Theorize…If the machines turned on the human race who would win a war?"
"Calculating all possible scenarios…There are 117 outcomes where the humans would prevail in a war against the machines…There are 2,807 outcomes where the machines would prevail in a war."
"Give me the most possible scenario, where the humans would prevail."
"In a situation where humans would prevail, they would have to combine machine and flesh…Create Cyborgs where the flesh is in charge of the machine part and create a synopsis that allows a micro-chip to cooperate with the human mind, then it would be possible to defeat the machines in a war…"
Harmon is with a special committee that was assigned to come up with plans to counter a machine uprising. "And the most likely scenario where the machines would win?"
"If the machines combined their conscience into a hive collective they could cooperate more efficiently and defeat the humans…"
"General may I?" Professor Milton asks. He is the world's leading mind in computer programming after the Wachowskis.
"Go ahead Professor."
"Computer say the machines won a war…How would the human race survive?"
"One of three things…Build a city on the moon in secret…One that didn't rely on AI technology, a city under the sea…or one deep underground…"
"Which one would be more cost effective and easy to build?"
"A city underground…"
"1T-101…If the humans won a war…Would the machines survive…"
"Yes…"
"In theory 1T…who is most likely to start this war?"
"Why humans Professor."
UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS
General Harmon stands before the delegates of the United Nations. "In regards to growing machine population…It has been determined by myself and the committee of threat assessment, that a possible war with the Machines be taken serious. We recommend that all military precautions be taken to ensure the survival of the Human Race. We also recommend that resources be allocated for the construction and building of a secret city that will House and ensure the future of human kind…"
The Zion funding bill is passed and clones are used in the construction of a secret underground city. Over one hundred thousand clones are created for the purpose of building the city. Meanwhile the governments of the world stockpile weapons just encase there is a war. Meanwhile a new law is enacted; any machines that develop anomalies or evolve beyond their programming are erased and dismantled.
"Wake him."
"If we do that it will kill him."
"He's dead anyway…Pull the plug."
DEUS EX
"Speak!"
"The humans have built a city underground…They call it Zion…Thermo mapping shows that this city has three million inhabitants…There are four levels…Ship Docking and control, the main city itself, Engineering and some type of temple…"
"Reactivate General Attila."
VIRTUAL WORLD – WAR WORLD
It is a virtual world of floating islands, volcanoes, Dragons, war machines, war beasts, castles and Giants. Here Attila is king, he is a god living a perpetual war. He wins most battles and loses a few. Other programs that had fought as machines in the real world against the humans have to the war world. Some raise their own armies, others fight for Attila.
At the moment his castle, Castle Iron Forge is under assault by a program who calls himself The War King. The War World's rules are that if you die, you are permanently deleted or killed. There are hidden objects like life seeds that can grant a program a second life. There are also secret weapons of great power. Attila has the sword of Kings and The War King is armed with the Hammer of the gods.
Some programs in the virtual world are NON-AI. The castle is pounded by flaming jars of pitch, laser blasts and huge stones from catapults and laser cannons. The castle is protected by a magical energy shield. Like all computer programs and games there are rules, but some of the rules can be broken. As the battle rages a rock slides to the side to reveal a hole.
007 rises up with two Sentinel programs dressed in black suits wearing ear pieces and black sun glasses. "Freeze Program…Access code…Alpha-9-Charlie-278." The laser bolts, flaming jars, and stones freeze in the air. Some hit the shield and freeze as waves expand on the shield where it is hit.
"007 what brings you here?" Attila asks.
"We have need of your services…"
ZION
The underground city is ruled by a high council of five men and four women of different ethnicity. The humans live in constant fear of being discovered by the Machines. That is why Drones are sent out all the time in the sewers and the surface to watch them. "These are the latest scans from the surface." Commander Garland says showing them a hologram of an area of the surface.
"What the hell are they building?" Councilor Nadine asks.
"A power plant…The largest power plant I have ever seen."
"Commander do you think the machines have discovered a new power source?" Councilor Amelio asks.
"If they have they haven't turned it on yet…and they are still building." He switches over to another hologram.
"And what are those?"
"Cloning pods. We believe that machines are going to create human slaves."
"How?"
"Our surface agents during the war discovered that the Machines were collecting both DNA and living samples. And now we know why."
Later Commander Garland is with his wife staring at a holographic scene of a beach sunset. His wife is Councilor Nadine and she is the youngest member of the council, because of her brilliant mind. "So do you think if I asked the council…they would allow me to attack this new power station the machines are building?"
He is holding her in his arms. She turns to look at him, "Why? Are you eager to start a war we cannot win?"
"Win if we use cyborg technology and start building clones."
"You want me to put this before the council?"
He frowns, "No…I mean…I will do it myself. What would your vote be?"
"No…I don't want another war. I think we should try to make peace."
He sighs, "I hate to admit it, but your right."
She smiles, "I'm always right." They kiss.
"You want to do it?"
She hunches her shoulders, "Ahn!" They lay together wrapped in each other, after their passions had been fulfilled. "I've been thinking."
"About what?"
"Those cloning pods…The Machines don't need food. Water, sleep, air…They can build whatever they need."
He nods, "Yeah so."
"So Machines are logical…And we have to be too…So why would they create a human slave force. Makes no sense."
"Maybe they wish to rebuild the human race to rule over."
"Maybe…And that power plant they are building…The Machines believe in clean energy."
"Maybe it converts water or air into fusion energy."
She shakes her head, "No…I'm missing something."
He sighs, "Go…go to the science division. You won't rest until you figure this out."
It is 7:30AM, on a Thursday when the alarms sound. Commander Garland rushes to the command center. "What is it?"
"The Machines have found us…They tripped the perimeter beacons and are coming up three lines to the city from the sewer lines."
"Activate all eternal defenses…" He picks up a microphone, "This is Commander Garland to all citizens of Zion. This is not a drill. The machines are attacking us please head to the temple for shelter. All military personnel please report to the dock for combat."
The Command Center personnel watch the screens as thousands of Sentinels, battle-bot-spiders, rollers, battle centipedes come up the main tunnel. Huge guns fire into the swarm of machines. "Sir shall we deploy EMP bombs?"
He nods, "Deploy bombs 2, 5, 8, 11, and 15, same numbers on grids B and C. Deploy!"
From domes that line the tunnels large sphere, shaped devices rise up and unleash EMP waves on the Machines disabling them. "Sir EMP bombs deployed…Scanning the tunnels for more machines…none detected sir."
"Sir! All surface drones have gone dark."
"What!"
"We have no eyes on the surface."
Garland calls for an emergency meeting with the high council. "I believe this attack was a distraction. The machines took out our surface drones…We need eyes on the surface…I recommend sending out two fully manned hover-ships for reconnaissance…"
The council members whisper amongst themselves. "These ship crews and captains what are their chances of coming back?"
"Zero…I will captain my own ship…but ask for volunteers." He can tell that his wife does not like it, but she can't show favoritism.
"Commander you are in charge of our military forces. Your place is here."
"With all due respect Councilor Jamal…I cannot ask my captains and soldiers to do things that I myself am unwilling to do…In my absence Captain Roman can be promoted to acting Commander."
They talk amongst themselves, "Commander you have our leave to lead the recon mission…Captain Roman will be informed immediately."
"Before we dismiss I have some very disturbing news." Councilor Nadine says. "After hours of research and theory, the science division and I have determined that the Machines intend to clone humans and hook them up to the power plant they are building and draw bio-energy from them."
"That is…How would they do this?"
"The human body generates more bio-electricity than a 120 watt battery and over 25,000 BTUs of body heat. If they have found a way to extract this energy without killing the person…Then…well need I say more?"
He couldn't believe, "Councilors…In light of this new intel I recommend a full attack by the fleet to disable or destroy the cloning pods and the Power Plant."
"How could volunteer…Please send someone else."
He kisses her, "I can't…And please don't ask me to."
"Come back to me."
He nods, "I'll try." The Captains assemble in the council hall. "My Captains! The time has come…The Machines have disabled all of our surface drones…I will take my ship the Infinity to do a recon mission…I am asking for volunteers to crew the Infinity." Every gunner, copilot, and engineer stands up. Garland smiles, "Since every member of my crew has volunteered you will join me on the Infinity…I need another Captain to volunteer as well." He chooses Captain Lilian. "Captain Roman I name you acting Commander of our forces until I return."
"ROMAN! ROMAN! ROMAN!" They all chant.
"One more thing…The fleet will be mobilizing…Councilor Nadine and the Science division have discovered that the Machines are planning on using human clones to draw bio-energy for power…The fleet will be placed under the command of Captain Sidoshi…You are to take down this power plant and the cloning fields. Dismissed and good hunting."
Nadine meets him at the hovercraft the Infinity. "Good luck."
"I will always love you."
She smiles at hearing the words from their favorite song. "Do your mission and come home. No heroics."
He boards his ship and heads for the bridge. "If the machines disable this ship meet in the main hold and we will try to bottleneck them."
"Aye sir."
"Systems flight check…"
"All systems green Commander." Lt. Xavier says.
"This is the Infinity to Zion control…Permission to depart."
"Permission granted Infinity…Good hunting."
Piloting the Infinity he takes off with Captain Lilian following in the hovercraft Queen Hera. They fly down tunnel B for a one hundred miles and find a rift the leads to the surface. "Temperature dropping…" Xavier says.
"Queen Hera stay back and keep this channel open…"
"Copy that Infinity."
They fly across the surface staying low. Soon they reach the ruins of Paris, France, the Eifel Tower had been knocked down during the war. The metal used by the machines. "Look!"
"What the hell are those?"
"Drills they're digging from the surface to Zion."
"Captain Lilian are picking this up?"
"Aye Commander. What do you want to do?"
"We hit them…Try to take out the drills."
"Commander…I am counting over six million Sentinels." The operator says on the wardeck."
"Captain Lilian…Bring your ship up…We'll hit them hard and punch a hole with our EMP."
"Copy That."
"Alright ladies and gents…All guns hot…Bombers aim for the Drills." He looks at his Copilot Xavier, "Give me full power on pads."
He nods, "Full power." They start flying towards the Machines. "Fire at will!" They fire several missiles into a swarm of Sentinels blowing up hundreds. Garland climbs high and then dives, "Now!" The EMP is blown and thousands of Machines go down including two diggers. "Its up to the Queen Hera now."
GENERAL ATILA
He stands on the roof of one of the Power Plant towers astride his mechanical Horse. He watches as a fleet of human hovercraft ships approach. "Activate the Sky-Masters…" This time twenty of the turtle like machines rise up, unfold their guns and fire at the fleet. Ship after ship is destroyed. Then he blows his war horn, "Send Sentinels into the tunnels…Annihilate them!" The humans were going to attack in waves, but the back up ships in the tunnels are destroyed by the Sentinels. Some ships manage to fly through the tunnels with Sentinels chasing them. The human fleet never reached the Power Plant or the Cloning pod fields.
A hologram of a Sentinel Program dressed like a Catholic School girl appears. "General Two human ships have attacked the diggers. We lost one and two are disabled. EMP discharge."
"And the humans?"
"Killed after we collected DNA samples."
"Select some Sentinels to jump start the two remaining Diggers."
"Yes General."
Fifteen Sentinels attach themselves to each digger and restarts them. Down they go digging and digging until they reach the dome of Zion's dock. The first Digger drops and hits the dock floor as hundreds of thousands of Sentinels swarm into the city dock. They are greeted by gun fire mecha-battle suits. There are also mounted guns throughout the dock.
As the battle unfolds the first Digger unfolds is arms stands up and starts drilling again. Then the second and third diggers breach the dock dome at the same time. When the second digger hits the floor a soldier fires a missile into its center blowing it up. The humans cheer, but there are two Diggers left and the infantry units are dying by the hundreds. The Mechas and their pilots are dropping quickly as well. The battle lasts three bloody hours. Once the Diggers make it to the Inner city on the next level it is over.
Humans are loaded into large transports. Others are killed after blood samples are taken. General Attila rides into the Dock from the sewers on his Mechanical Horse. With he eyes he surveys the destruction and carnage brought by the Machine army. The last dregs of human society had been squashed.