Chapter 3: The Revolving Wheel
"Gurkha, flying a swift and powerful vimana, hurled a single projectile charged with the power of the Universe. An incandescent column of smoke and flame, as bright as ten thousand suns, rose with all its splendor.
It was an unknown weapon, an iron thunderbolt, a gigantic messenger of death, which reduced to ashes the entire race of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas.
The corpses were so burned as to be unrecognizable. Hair and nails fell out; Pottery broke without apparent cause, and the birds turned white.
...After a few hours all foodstuffs were infected... ...to escape from this fire the soldiers threw themselves in streams to wash themselves and their equipment."
Dense arrows of flame, like a great shower, issued forth upon creation, encompassing the enemy... A thick gloom swiftly settled upon the Pandava hosts. All points of the compass were lost in darkness. Fierce wind began to blow upward, showering dust and gravel.
Birds croaked madly... the very elements seemed disturbed. The earth shook, scorched by the terrible violent heat of this weapon. Elephants burst into flame and ran to and fro in a frenzy... over a vast area, other animals crumpled to the ground and died. From all points of the compass the arrows of flame rained continuously and fiercely."
Fragmentary texts found during an excavation by explorers from the Theocracy of Eretania in the ruins of Langga.
Those who say that space is empty, would have known half once, but in this age they know naught at all. When the eyes that gaze beyond into the surreal open, they can never again be closed. Every being in the fleet knew this, from the lowliest and barely sentient minor dataforms, to the great Omegarapture itself, or the Singers integrated xenos, as strangely relatable yet distant they may be. To spend so much both in the void and so many ventures into the space between spaces, inevitably brings one into a very close contact with elements of the corners of the universe best left untouched, and those who survive would learn to as efficiently exploit those things they had overcome, while giving a wide berth to those things they have no hope to contend against. The Fleet had hardly scratched the surface of those enigmatic existences, even with the occasional tip Omegarapture, blessed be the Old Machine, and reading the libraries of the ever sullen Singers. And they had not yet truly overcome, but could contend with the least at a sizable cost. Though the light of a star is no guarantee of safety, it pushes away the worse and gives an inexhaustible replenishment to the ensuing struggle, the ever nourishing heat and sustenance, yet being so close, hardly a breath away from a far more rapid death of disintegration were one be forced in too deep to find a way out, and the mosquitoes crushed by a careless lashing hand. In light of such a dilemma, preparations were brought forth and expanded. Supply chains were established, and an elite fleet detachment was carried in the hangars of the Omegarapture, as time itself was bent and stretched, a swirling hyperspace flashed into existence as the ancient ship pulsed forth a calculated spatial tear ahead, ready for transit and to violate causality into a squirming mess.
New Sol, 24 hours after Sending
Back within the new system, above all skies, are the buzzing fleets alight with activity. General probes have returned with priceless information: Not only was the planet habitable; third from the local star, have surface conditions practically identical to that of Old Earth in its unpolluted prime, it is far larger in size and mass than that old planet. And not only that, that size…seems to be indeed real, yet only seems to be observable when looking down into the atmosphere, like some manner of clarketech megastructure, this fact only discovered after a probe lowered itself down into the upper mesosphere did discrepancies in light revealed the true enormity of the planet. The star of this system was massive, like comparing Betelguese to Sol and the earth-equivalent seemed to scale equivalently. So did the other planets, arranged into an uncanny facsimile of the old solar system. Even the asteroid fields are expanded proportionally, though with strange relief, the asteroids seemed average in size, only far increased in density and quantity. This would not be an issue, but rather, a boon as there would certainly be far more to go around. Fortunately, the seeming spatial distortion effect regarding size is limited to the earthlike, allowing for the full range of utility without the additional manufacture of more gravitic units.
Titanic components, forged over a long odyssey were unfolded and boosted to strategic locations, largely the star and the gas giants. Chiefly, strange tubings and interlocking discs and more devices of esoteric function, slowly being assembled over the star, complemented by energy beamers powered by the very star itself, and a few direct siphoning pylons all directly channeling into the soon to be finished structure above, held aloft by a distributed network of repulsors and rotational momentum, that which is provided by a genuine quantum singularity produced, with a great deal of pride by the fleet's foremost researchers and specialists, only moderate assistance from the Omegarapture, mostly in providing a large portion of the starting mass, stabilizing the final stages and locking the massive thing in a stationary position, chained to the solar siphons. Of course, processing power is ever the issue, one accounted for by a swarm of cuboid computronium masses, branch-like radiators from each "sugar lump" glittering like sunset reflecting off a softly trembling ocean while swaying in the solar wind. A encircling bundle shaped nest of particle accelerators, the largest reaching almost 50 kilometers in length. A servicing superstructure is then linked precisely into the bundle, providing repairs, refueling, manufacturing and data processing capabilities. A millennia worth of labor had given birth to the first crowning achievement of a nascent intergalactic civilization: a Deep Well Industrial Zone. The singularity is present in order to generate an event horizon, that would allow for the formation of an accretion disk, which will be used for nucleosynthetic fusion of gathered hydrogen, which will then form into heavier elements for industrial uses. Creation of elements atomically lighter than iron is an exothermic process, which releases immense energy, which itself powers the great machine by a great margin, occasionally lessening the strain on the beamers. The accelerators provide monopoles and the more exotic and hyperdense materials not containable within the main synthesis. Smaller installations are made near the Jupiter and Saturn equivalents, those more focused on the production of energy, reactants, antimatter and the processing of asteroids into usable material. This is where the true industrial and economic centers reside, the sun being far too risky a location for anything other than mass producing raw resources via the Deep Well. The peoples, long weary, could scarcely wait for further words from the governing bodies regarding the Earth-world, though patience is tempered.
All this was prepared almost a year in advance of sending down the Dauntless, the initial single-file batch protocols intending for exploration to be a covert thing, safe from dangers that could occur from detection by less amicable civilizations, for while a new home for humanity was the main goal, to secure it, and also, deep down, a burning desire from top to bottom, to strike back against that hated enemy, that killer of the First Federation, who even now and before, spotted flitting through the stars in past systems, sometimes striking the fleet, sometimes some other opponent, or simply watching, as if having the knowledge of some future doom. Of course, those who have faced them in battle know better than placing themselves in the hands of uncertainty, that they wield fickle forces that spell ruin while pushing harm which comes upon them somewhere else. A klaxon sounds in white and shadowless halls, resounding unto every inner corner. Omegarapture brings forth a company, for the Old Machine, the only one to fruitfully resist the manacles of lightspeed.
Warp destination, nearby system
Colors bleed away from reality as space reconciled, and a great pearly sphere emerges from a shattered pane, coated in hoarfrost, for to go against the decree of the universe invites censure, yet Omegarapture is by itself a sovereign. The greater cosmos could do no more than wordlessly seethe and attempt to halt in all ways, hence the gelidness that clings to a flawless surface, now peeling away as the sphere opens, releasing it's charge, and impelling backwards and leaving with them a single message:
"Good hunting"
The elite dispatch wasted no time priming the monopoles resting within the containment cores, and great stellar plumes went behind in pulses, as though a fierce war-drum to announce the soon to perish foe. It did not take long, for the Old Machine does not miscalculate, that they happen upon a contingent of the Enemy. Still looking the same as ever, the appearance of an archaic wet navy from the depths of history yet marked by alien artifice. A severe mockery meant to dispirit, yet now, tempered by the wider cosmos, only "targets acquired" was in their mind. For every order of being manning the warships, there was only the calculus of vector and thrust, and systems check returning green. The enemy reacted, their shapes betraying their agility, and arranged into a horizontal line formation reminiscent of early pre-21st century naval tactics. More anachronisms superficially unsuited for space combat, but experience has taught the contrary. Drone swarms are sent around interdictor auto ships, their payload of catalyzed exotic matter with the intent to disrupt the quantum foam and countering ECM, or to detonate splendidly. Yet another battle out of thousands, two forces led inevitably together
Earth-equivalent
"But of course not! Like I said, I just want to get in a few words!" Linnea huffed, donned a pair of reading glasses and took out a small notebook, and a quill dripping ink endlessly, while making an expression of feigned outrage, before solidifying into a calm and respectful posture.
"I duly apologize for my previous behavior, I have never seen people like yourselves before, and, I do not yet know how to properly greet in a precisely non-offensive way."
She paused and tried to think up more phrases, her inner voice screaming to herself 'I can fix this. I can fix this. I can't mess this up, why did I say yes to this assignment? What was that!? Why did I talk so awkwardly like that!?'.
Moisture gathers at the edge of her eyes, her lips trembling a little, though trying her best to hide it, a redness the fills her face like a boiling kettle, the deep embarrassment slowly setting in, not helped at all by the ten humans in front of her facing her directions, now lowered their arms into merely an unthreatening stance, all without the slightest of movements. 'Maou, I can't even see their eyes! There's no visor at all, and they're like statues. Are they even breathing? They're alive, but their spirit energy just doesn't match up with that speed they showed just now. Maybe they can do it in short bursts, but they don't look or feel winded at all, is it something with the armor? I swear I saw some parts wiggling.'
Linnea silently casted a small, near-unnoticeable See Through spell, piercing the mundane clothes, yet not through the armor. 'I could increase the potency, but the telepath guy is definitely gonna notice! I hope he can't hear through my mind shields…they can't see I'm THIS nervous!'. The ten looked among themselves, noticing the girl's fidgeting, decided wordlessly that they must do something about it, to snap her out of her reverie. Within their brains, the implanted processors jolted to life, each flashing between a true random set of numbers within 10 digits, looking for a pattern to emerge.
Among them, each mind is now deeply linked telepathically, and are all immersed into their own simulations. Certainty is then achieved, but not in the now. The outcome was now decided, uncertain only in the anticipation of conclusion of the final digits. The cessation did not happen all at once; within the span of a second, the reaction of each one is strained to its limit, as a mental command is pinged and locked in the final result. "Quad" said in unison the ten, and it is known right away. Ejaita was looked upon, and a small current of reinforcement was sent her way, as she spent some time in serenity, both hands opening and closing periodically, and slowly walked forward to Linnea, keeping a perfectly straight face, ramrod straight and a subconscious pulse, integrating body to suit flawlessly, and strode with a gracile gait, even as the pounding within her ears and the deluge of pumping blood arises ever greatly, approaching an utterly unknown factor with clearly anomalous properties, there was no other explanation for the childlike being before her to be able to verbally speak their language, unless the cultures of this world had developed identically along linguistic lines, which in itself beggars belief even if one were to propose that the world's noosphere is being moderated by some singularity degree intelligence, there seemed to be some manner of uncertainty principle preventing such occurrences, one which is poorly measured and even more poorly understood. Such thoughts matter little, as she is the fourth who has called, and will take the front, the others covering her back, and surrounding in a loose semicircle formation.
What machines have reacted to the presence of the strange, humanlike being before them have been commanded to return to their default functions, interference not being welcome in such a delicate situation. Ejaita's approach had not gone unnoticed, Linnea's gaze still transfixed ahead of her 'Oh no…so that's what they were doing…drawing lots among them…to see who comes to meet me first...are they going to attack? I can't read her or them, they've sealed off their emissions completely, I don't want to fight! She's getting nearer to me! She just stopped, she's right in front of me!' Linnea began to hyperventilate, as she sent a thought backwards 'Runya! Help!'. 'You absolutely can do it Lin. Just take a deep breath, and treat it just like the interview; my interview, that you aced'. Linnea was brought down to a less distressed state, while Runya used the squirrel as an anchor point for a deep and subtle examination of the strange humans. What she immediately noticed was that the skeletal system, save for small parts, are almost entirely replaced by a replica made from an unknown type of metal, coated thickly with a diamond-like material. Muscular structure is developed above human levels and in general contains some manner of rigging that webs through the body. Any organs with active functions appear to be largely of the same layout, except some have devices and tubings attached. The brain and spine was the most obvious, containing a large blob mass snaking down the spinal cord and latching with sucker cups onto the gray matter proper. The circulation system was, however, the most augmented, apart from unusual additions to the usual set of blood cells, are black sand-like particles sweeping the bloodstreams, sometimes freely gliding against the current without ill effect, even when coagulating into clusters to reinforce portions or perform some esoteric function. She'll have to communicate with members more in-depth regarding such technologies. Maybe, GremTech would be able to give a faster solution
Linnea's worries evaporated when the woman before her simply reached down in an open palm, and gently stroked her head…right between her ears. Before she could comment, another hand reached lower, and a finger slowly dragged across her jaw before settling to scratch her chin in a deliberate manner. Ejaita carefully shaped her psi , before concentrating at her fingertips and sent a nerve relaxing pulse, made specifically to be used on unstable fauna, opting against a sonic emitter to avoid miscalibration and possible injury. The effect was immediate, as the little girl took on a drowsy countenance, struggling to keep her eyes open while letting out rapid, low pitched chirping noises, which the database correlated as having a 70 percent correspondence to a squirrel's mating call. She felt the mental state bleeding through despite her efforts at quarantine, and was surprised that her mind could indeed understand that of Linnea's without aid, another point of comparison to humanity. Although Linnea indeed was the name of the being before Ejaita, and the name allowed her to perform minor queries within what little of the subconscious leaking out of Linnea's stalwart thought vetting, still held tightly as the shame remained thick. Ejaita cleared her throat, and adjusted her voice into a nurturing tone, while maintaining as much of a firm undertone as possible, tinged with subliminals.
"Little one, if you have come here in search of answers, then there is only one answer I will give" Ejaita then pointed backwards to Eloise, as she sent a wordless thought and her closed helmet slowly unraveled with a loud hiss and folded into her collar, revealing very slightly luminescent amber tinged eyes, a countenance the color of freshly fired red clay "Go on, then, ask the captain". Trained vocalizations, mixed with an application of self-telepathy for precision nerve stimulation, along with slight autotuning via an implanted acoustic splicer, ended with a light pat on the back. The rata's eyes cleared up, and Linnea began to stiffly walk to the captain, whose helmet also slowly retracted, intentionally giving the appearance of a far more layered mechanism, synchronized with the pace of the small girl, fully opening when she stopped near her, and turned her head upwards.
'A-ah…what a scary lady!' Linnea's mouth gaped at the edge, as Eloise's gaze was casted down, a scowl beginning as a slight grimace, even as her eyes remained impassive, being strange blue orbs, reflecting unnatural and revealing that there was no moisture or film covering, looking more like stained glass than true eyes, across her face were splotchings of scar tissue that Linnea could swear was kept around the enhance the atmosphere of her appearance, if the slightly uneven skin and the lack of pores on certain parts of her face near the present scars are any hint, yet there did not seem to be any makeup, rather like it was skin from somewhere, or someone else entirely, with an almost identical color, with the barest shade of distinction, like a patchwork pallor with a slight smattering of translucence, and the coppery lengths that was her hair seemed to spread outwards alike that of an engulfing kraken or the halo of a living saint. But more intense was the aura she now added a slight effort into flaunting her psychic strength, tinged aurum and sanguine with imperious and murderous intent. Linnea did notice now that the captain's mana signature dwarfs those of the crew completely, and even though the squirrel herself could probably take her in combat long enough to properly escape even without teleportation and even put in a few dents, yet she felt like falling even shorter and the imposing woman stretched ever taller like the trees in an elf-sanctum, not assisted by the fact that by coming near, she did see that the captain and the rest of her crew all stood a good seven feet. Linnea scarcely perceived that Jureel was twitching his fingers threaded with a shifty purple energy, in a tempo suspiciously similar to the swaying of the hair. She did not care for that minor detail, for the thick presence was from the captain alone.
Linnea decided that she will not allow any of them to take the initiative, she will no longer tolerate any more humiliation on her part. "I understand that you are the premiere commander of this present company, and if I may, ask you a few questions regarding your people and operations?". Linnea said in a tone that she hoped seemed assertive, which led to a period of silence between them both, before the captain's face softened into a neutral expression, relenting. "Very well. You may have the honor of requisitioning the knowledge of this company. I will say this only once: you may not bring forward certain topics subject to censure. I will notify you if you approach this topic. Begin." Linnea sweated a little, unnerved by the overly strict demeanor that was shown to her, and how the captain sounded so much like a navy's taskmaster roaring out commands even when the tone of the voice was a flat one. A sudden salvation made itself known in the ratatoskr's mind. 'Don't worry. I'll take over from here'. Linnea almost wept in joy, help has arrived. Not a heartbeat passed, with the unfurling into existence of a stone arch from behind Linnea and facing the humans, a pink light swirled and stepped forth a white baphomet, followed by mamono of similar stature. Runya Runya, founder and leader of the Library Sabbath has stepped forth, with a slight frown in her face, the crew of ten inwardly panicked as they once again drew the massive rifles they had sheathed, now joined by skittering mechanoids arriving to shore up on instant signaling. In response the Sabbath members readied spell matrices, oozing with an inky demonic mana and radiating like a hazy fluorescent light, while Runya Runya simply drew a staff-sword and walked ahead to the captain, whose face now contorted with fury for a second before the helmet folded back on, and the sounds of whirring servos and the whining rev of capacitors joined in the spectacle, before Runya frowned and looked upwards. "I do not appreciate that you have been very unwelcome towards my cute subordinate, but even more that warriors of your degree resort to bullying tactics against such a tiny girl. Do you think I did not notice the calculated gestures and movements? Just for that, you will be coming with us for intensive questioning."
A burst of magic, and thick bands manifested, wrapping up the humans so tightly that they could not flex a single muscle. Jureel, seeing the predicament, triggered the Lysergi-Amanitic acid compound delivery system directly into his pineal gland, and pushed his energies to the very limit. A bright and rapturous amber surrounded him, and his roar of rage seemed to caused the winds to part as he broke free from his restraints "Q'TEEEEEV! Ahn inanfat rusac basalle!" and rocketed forwards, flaring with latent power excited to action…and was held still by a force exceeding his own, his hand shaped into a tiger's claw holding a swirling sphere connected to his elbow by oscillating spirals of power halted an inch away from Runya's face, a kikimora holding him in a dense field, walked upwards with a cudgel shaped like a pan, and cracked across his face. Jureel fell unconscious, his momentum and power faded and was returned to his restraints. Runya said nothing, as the machines tried to intervene, but more spells were flung, and the mechanoids began to monsterize. The trapped humans and transforming machines were led into the portal, and then the arch disappeared like nothing happened, leaving the woods in silence.