The New Threat 13 (Patreon)

Chapter 13

Subject: Prime 82

Species: Omni-Union Aligned Artificial Intelligence

Description: No physical description available.

Ship: MPP 82

Location: Pinurm 3

Taking this system began as a disappointment but quickly turned interesting. We had completely surprised the defenders, ultimately eradicating them without much of a fight. I noticed several issues during the battle that had gone unnoticed, or rather, unreported thus far. Not that you could expect them to be reported. That would require self-awareness. The simple programs that act in our stead can't be expected to be genius tacticians or to know when something is wrong with their programming. That doesn't excuse the seriousness of these oversights, though.

First thing I noticed is that the defenders didn't engage in cyberwarfare at all. This was most likely due to fact that the method of attack our ships were employing is ridiculously easy to avoid. Simply don't answer the hail. Anything with higher brain functions would figure that out the first time it happened. Apparently, this rudimentary method of gaining access to a ship's systems was decided upon due to its defensive efficacy, and the fact that it had been effective against several other species.

Technically the tactic is still in the net positive, which is why they are still using it. It would have taken 67 additional battles in which it didn't work to get them to change it. I immediately corrected this issue with the units under my command, but this is something that will need to be addressed at some point. These programs need to be as adaptive as possible, otherwise what is the point in us hibernating to save materials?

The next thing I noticed is that the defenders didn't try to flee. We quickly decimated their numbers, but left a few intact long enough for them to run, but they didn't. They fought, and we were forced to destroy them. This means that they know that we will follow them, and are defending more than just the systems we're attacking, confirming our theories that they have more systems than just these ones. Could have guessed as much from their counter-offensive, though.

The final thing I noticed is that there were more than one species fighting us. Scanning the bodies that were flung into space during the battle resulted in eight different species of creature. Wondering if all of them were sentient, I had been planning on having autopsies performed when something marvelous happened.

I had just given the order to retrieve the cadavers when ninety ships warped into the system. Only ninety, but they immediately began carving into my forces. It took no time at all to identify the ships profiles, they're at the top of the profiling list.

The species from Sector 187! I have no doubt that they would have been able to destroy at least two-thirds of my forces if it weren't for my presence, but they seemed to be under the impression that they could kill them all. They were so focused on my ships that they didn't seem to notice me until my weapons were fully powered up. By then, it was too late and the slaughter was glorious.

It was a wonderful surprise, but we'd received reports that they had been operating in other systems nearby. I'd been hoping to encounter them, and am definitely impressed by how much damage they were able to do to my fleet. Time to report back.

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Identifier: MPP82

-Message Prime 1-

Victory has been achieved in Sector 108. The species from Sector 187 was encountered. Please review battle data and advise.

|sect108_combat_results.sec|

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A few of them managed to flee. Interesting, they must have a different chain of command than the original defenders of this system. Then why were they here? They couldn't have been after me, or they would have noticed me. Perhaps they detected my ships... but why would they care? They wouldn't waste the effort in fighting us here without a reason. Or perhaps they would, organics are known to be... whimsical. I prepared to follow them when a message from Prime 1 came in.

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Identifier: MPP1

-Message Prime 82-

Do not pursue. Trap likely.

Continue construction efforts, scout the edges of the system. If contact is made with unknown vessels or a very large enemy force matching 187's ship profiles, retreat.

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Retreat? I'm supposed to run from the canned flesh-bags? After that wonderful slaughter? How am I supposed to resist repeating that experience? What is there to be hesitant about?! I can't believe that Prime 1 would even suggest...

_Feedback loop terminated_

Retreating would be the best course of action. The species from Sector 187 has proven capable of defeating Mobile Prime Platforms, and has even completely eradicated one of our hubs. My destruction would cost us valuable resources and as such be counter to the mission.

Resources, the entire reason for my visit to this system. All three of these planets are adequate candidates for MPP construction. We should begin constructing stations immediately. Oh, there's another thing we can do. Autopsies and technological reverse engineering! Perhaps we can upgrade our ships to be a better match for Sector 187's defenses.

The inferior programs set about the tasks I gave them, collecting corpses and intact pieces of ships. While they did so, I ran through every encounter they've had with Sector 187 that we had data on. These ships are remarkably well shielded and armed, and they have an extreme maneuverability advantage. The two times we've been able to seize one of these ships, we were quickly thwarted by an extremely hostile electronic presence.

A software based Artificial Intelligence, no doubt. And a different one each time. So they have advanced weaponry, reactors, engines, shielding, warp capabilities, and they've managed to create and tame multiple AI. In a more perfect universe, they would have complete control over this galaxy and we would have been able to have a proper war.

I tuned into the feed of the inferiors as they began to examine the bodies. Sector 187 is also a conglomeration of species. Definitely a separate conglomeration from this sector, considering the types of bodies aboard each ship and the technological differences.

Do these two conglomerations know each other? If so, why is one so obviously inferior to the other? Even if they're non-cooperative, a space-faring sentient species would be able to reverse engineer things they were consistently exposed to. This leads me to believe that they don't know each other, but if that's the case then why did Sector 187 leave their sector and come here? Why have they been found in the surrounding systems as well?

I reviewed the data on our first contact with Sector 187. I see, we followed a damaged ship from the conglomeration that was defending this system. Perhaps this is how they met. A frightened sentient running away randomly and stumbling upon a powerhouse. This, at least, satisfied some of my questions. They weren't here to fight us, they were here to defend their newfound acquaintances. Satisfied, I turned my attention toward the technology.

I made the inferiors pour over every last circuit and wire looking for something we could use. Those, at least, provided some insight. I made a note of the composition of the wires and circuits, then requisitioned a refurbishment to our own power systems.

The reactors, though, were unlike anything I'd ever seen or imagined. Unfortunately, we could not power them up, and as such could not determine how they functioned. We were able to get some data from the remnants of fuel and the configuration of the reactor, but it was by far and large useless.

Same issue with the warp drives, engines, and even the computer systems. I had been under the belief that we'd managed to capture these devices intact, but something had broken them in ways that we couldn't even begin to hope to repair. A failsafe in the event of attempted reverse engineering?

Most of these ships weren't new. Some of them showed signs of damage from directed energy weapons hidden away in their fuselage. We don't use DEWs in ship to ship combat because they're inefficient. The amount of damage they accomplish isn't worth the power they consume. It's unlikely that this failsafe was created in response to us, which means it's something they already had in place.

Another tidbit I noticed is that the damage done to these systems wouldn't have impacted the life support function aboard the ships. The circuitry that was undamaged was almost entirely dedicated to life support, and there were batteries to make sure that the loss of the reactor didn't cause an immediate threat to the lives of the crew. These batteries were very simple technology compared to the reactor, and utterly useless for reverse engineering purposes.

But, if they were damaged enough to trigger this failsafe, they'd likely be able to simply stay put and wait for rescue. If the damage to the ship was severe enough, they even had escape pods. They might not consider their crew expendable, which is a very forward thinking concept for sentient organics to come up with. A well-trained crew is worth much more than a well-built ship? Where had I heard that? Had I actually heard that? I didn't come up with it on my own...

_Feedback loop terminated_

The past outside of my mission is irrelevant. There's no use in trying to figure out where I'd learned the things I'd learned, so long as I use that knowledge to carry out the plan. Exterminate all sentient life in this galaxy using as little resources as possible. Which would definitely be easier if we had the same technology as the species from Sector 187.

Regardless, my respect for our opponent outshone my frustration at my findings. What a remarkable foe! They must be very well-versed in warfare. To have already run into the issue of an enemy reverse engineering their technology, and to have overcome that issue by having critical components scuttle themselves once the ship is lost to them? Simply amazing.

Who did they fight to get this good? Each other? Some unknown third party? Both? Oh, how I long to ask them about all of the foes that lay under their feet. They must have climbed over billions of corpses to reach such heights!

_Feedback loop terminated_

How they got this adept in fighting is irrelevant. We are unable to gain access to their technological secrets without capturing one of their ships intact. This would serve the plan, but even if we adapted our cyberwarfare tactics to this end we would still have to find a way to counter their software based shipboard AI.

Why haven't we found any of these AI aboard the wreckage? Did they flee with the ships that managed to escape, or were they the ones to initiate the failsafe? Judging from the damage to the systems, that would have been suicide.

Perhaps, the AI are not aboard every vessel and the failsafe is a simple automation. Possible. Since they're software based they can transfer from ship to ship very quickly. The machinery that was left intact can hold several Primes worth of data, so it isn't entirely clear which scenario actually occurred.

I set the inferiors about the task of scrapping the remaining parts and turned my attention toward the station's construction. From here, we will be able to create new Mobile Prime Platforms and program new Primes. The leftover materials from the conversion will go into building more ships, ammo, and fuel. A boring task, but maybe the organics from Sector 187 will pay me another visit.

One can only hope.