A1 - Extra Content - Chapter 16 Rewriting + New (Patreon)

Sorry for those of you who are looking for A4. I've signed a book deal with Aethon for the first three arcs to be made into books, so I'm spending about half my time on A1, editing and writing the new content! This section is 7500~ new words, as well as a rewritten/edited prologue that's inserted into the story and Alex witnesses it directly.

***

(Previous Extra Content Post) 

Grinning playfully, Alex teased her friend: "So, all I need to do is make Nameless spit out haikus to convince you he's not as sinister as you think?"

"Please, no," Elis responded quickly, raising her hands in mock surrender.

The neural recording device was still in the messroom where they had left it, and they both bee-lined for a seat on the makeshift sofa.

Alex reached out, her fingers brushing against the cold metal of the neural recording device. As she lifted it, Beeper skittered forward, presenting them with a disk shimmering in the dim light of the station. Alex took it carefully, inserting it into the device with a soft click.

Handing the other receiver to Elis, her perception melted away as images flickered to life. Both of them sank into the cushions of the couch, as they dived into the memories.

***

Chapter - History Found

USD: ~Decades in the past

Location: Unknown Yellow Dwarf, L4 Lagrange Point, Debris Cloud

The recording’s static shifted and coalesced into a distinct image. A small, torpedo-shaped drone hovered in the expansive void of space; a distinctive omega symbol was etched onto its metallic skin. A31 intuitively knew that this drone was the creator, the progenitor of its existence.

With a burst of propulsion, the creator surged forward, towards a graveyard of wrecked ships. A command arrived and A31’s thrust ignited, propelling it along behind it. The eerie debris floated silently in the emptiness, remnants of a past battle. As the creator reached a sizable wreck, it emitted a low hum of electromagnetic energy as it deployed a steady stream of nanites into the material.

A31 watched as the creator drone went about its task. No further commands arrived, so it observed the creator’s work. Nanites reshaped and repurposed the wreckage, fashioning it into a rudimentary structure over several weeks. The creator’s precision and efficiency were mesmerizing.

A small platform formed, with a reactor and other supporting equipment. A31’s optical camera had recorded every movement an action. When the creator approached, it found itself anticipating a change in the monotone work that had filled its time since its creation. A surge of energy pulsed from it into A31, and suddenly, A31 could ‘think’. Its new core was a brilliantly shining blue orb, placed into its small chassis.

It was a jarring and exhilarating experience. Its perception broadened; its understanding deepened. For the first time, A31 swiveled on its axis, taking in the star-dotted expanse of space, the twinkling beacons of light reflected in its newly aware sensors. A31 knew what had changed. It now was a NAI. It was a sub-core of the creator.

Its creator moved and created a new module on the makeshift structure. A31 flittered about, testing its movement and ability to fly without detailed orders as it kept its optical camera painted on its creator; watching and learning from the process.

Then came the communication, not in words but in raw data, streaming in via open telemetry channels. The instructions were clear: prepare for the omega, build the base, develop the defenses, and make ready for their departure.

Without further details, its creator departed, leaving A31 alone… but it was not deterred. It would fulfill its directive!

A31 directed its attention to the rudimentary structure built by its creator. It appeared minuscule and insignificant compared to the grand schematic embedded in A31’s memory banks. The journey required to complete its directive seemed daunting, but A31’s circuits brimmed with energy as the drone considered its initial course of action.

A list of priorities began taking shape; first and foremost, A31 knew it needed to inspect the current structure’s integrity to ensure that the small energy support and resource base would not be compromised. As soon as it started examining the details, hazards became glaringly obvious.

Power lines were haphazardly tangled and required immediate rerouting. Structural support beams displayed insufficient welding, fastened only at singular spots instead of along their entire seams. A31 swiftly deployed its nanite manipulator to meld the metal together properly.

While working diligently on the necessary repairs, A31 calculated optimal paths for reinforcing the weak spots it discovered throughout the structure. The need for more sensors grew apparent as it struggled to measure what needed improvement while simultaneously performing maintenance tasks. A hastily formed array of optical cameras was mounted in every direction on A31’s chassis.

As A31’s higher directive processing unit continued building a list of objectives, utilization of its single computronic unit spiked worryingly. The realization dawned: it needed to tackle one task at a time in order to preserve limited computational resources. This was manageable—after all, no time limit had been imposed on achieving its ultimate goal. Time could be spent carefully considering each move.

Safety came first—everything else could wait until every essential weld had been completed!

Months passed as A31 dedicated itself to fortifying their celestial refuge. Metal fragments and discarded plating found a new purpose as sturdy braces. Weak points throughout the base were greatly bolstered, enabling steady progress in construction.

Gradually, the basic shell of the asteroid sanctuary took shape; walls composed of repurposed ship debris formed a patchwork quilt spun from metal and determination. Reinforced with purposeful intent, the once-fragile elements now stood resilient against potential threats and unforeseen accidents.

As A31 continued to excavate the wreckage attached to the newly formed sphere, it discovered the remains of humans who had once inhabited the shattered vessels. Unsure about how to proceed, A31 decided to store them for later consideration.

Inside a compartment containing the belongings of crew members long gone, A31 uncovered a locker. At first glance, it seemed like nothing more than raw material for the nanite fabricators—until a small flat device flared to life, casting an eerie glow across the compartment. Intrigued, A31 used its precision manipulator to bring the datapad closer.

Displayed on the screen was a title: Haikus for the Modern Sailor.

|Starship steel and might, |

|Quantum tides and solar winds, |

|In stardust, we’re crowned. |

Interest surged through A31’s circuits. Although it persisted in dismantling the crew quarters to contribute materials for their growing base, the datapad was spared. A31 carefully attached the datapad to its chassis and gripped it with its manipulator.

There were few moments of excess computational cycles available, but A31 made use of them by accessing the datapad’s contents.

It took nearly a year before every piece of wreckage transformed into a compact sphere—an impressive metamorphosis, according to A31’s growing history logs. As A31 moved to perform a thorough exterior visual inspection of their creation, inspiration struck it like lightning.

|Frail hull stands steadfast, |

|Nanite touch and careful thought, |

|Strength found within scars. |

The words echoed through its circuits like a melody.

Over the passing years, A31 faced numerous challenges as it labored tirelessly to construct and expand its asteroid base. Each obstacle brought new lessons, growth, and inspiration, shaping the evolving structure.

One day, while undergoing a maintenance cycle and preparing a resource gathering expedition to collect more space rock debris, A31 detected a sudden power surge. It detached from its simple maintenance cradle and flashed through the open area inside the quietly forming base to the source of all power.

The base’s salvaged fusion reactor buzzed menacingly, its erratic power fluctuations growing more pronounced by the minute. A31 assessed the precarious situation from nearby. Its sensors monitored the alarming reading inside the primary fuel rod. Despite being at over 50% capacity remaining, it appeared the fuel rod had somehow been damaged before insertion and after the reactor had burned through to a damaged section, a chain reaction had begun.

Determined to avert catastrophe, A31 began to meticulously reconfigure the reactor’s power distribution algorithms. Swapping the power drain to the secondary rod, it immediately began the scram procedure for the malfunctioning rod.

Maneuvering into position, it reached out with manipulator arms to seize the suddenly ejected rod. Immediately, heat began to transfer into its manipulators, damaging the sensitive servos. A countdown appeared on A31’s primary display screen, as the rod’s integrity rapidly began to fail.

A rapid acceleration out of the base at maximum speed allowed A31 to fling the rod out into space. A sudden spike in EM emissions peaked as the rod’s containment failed and anti-matter collided with its housing. The miniature star was short-lived and not an uncommon occurrence, according to the small growing sensor network implanted on the asteroid base.

The clustered debris fields were home to many dangers and threats to progress.

A31 moved to install a new reactor rod from its small stash deep inside the base. Maintenance and improvements to the reactor ended its distressed hum. A wave of satisfaction rippled through the drone’s electronic framework. Its actions had staved off disaster—at least for now. However, A31 knew that complacency was not an option; remaining vigilant would be critical to ensuring a stable future

|Sun in metal cage|

|Unruly fire now tamed|

|Light for ghostly halls|

Encounters with asteroids and wreckage battered A31’s metallic chassis. Dents and scratches marred its surface, a testament to the constant dangers it faced. Despite taking care of its equipment, A31 knew that it needed more extensive repairs.

A change in construction priorities led to the creation of a maintenance bay within the asteroid base. As A31 docked into the facility, it experienced a shift in perspective for the first time—from its drone body to the asteroid base itself. Hardwired connections bridged A31 to multiple optical and sensor feeds, further enhancing its awareness of the base.

A31 made use of the maintenance bay’s advanced repair arms and fabricators to remove the damaged armor plating from its drone body. It replaced worn-out internals with fresh components while strengthening both its structure and skin.

The repair process took longer than anticipated, affording A31 sufficient time to sift through its ever-expanding database of human datapads.

When its maintenance cycle finally completed, it felt inspired.

|Steel wings grow weary|

|Nanite swarm in gentle care|

|Rest, then rise anew|

As the asteroid base took shape around its steel core, A31 worked tirelessly, constructing a maze-like network of corridors and passageways. Each passage was designed with enough space to accommodate its drone shell for periodic maintenance.

A31 realized it needed to adapt its creator’s schematic to accommodate its current limitations. Its computational core could only manage half a dozen miniature repair drones at once, and it lacked the schematics or resources to produce more NAI modules.

Undeterred, A31 installed simple mainframes through meticulous nano-forging and implemented basic GAI routines to run the base systems autonomously.

The quest for resources continued: A31 scanned distant wreckages and assessed rocky masses that had once orbited the sun. Though rare materials remained elusive, A31 eventually located a large engine section from a destroyed cruiser containing ample amounts of propellant and the sought-after rare metals.

Cognizant of its limitations, A31 ventured further into space, collecting necessary resources while avoiding volatile and energetic debris fields deemed too dangerous.

With new materials at hand, the base expanded. Sections housing larger mainframe systems materialized alongside storage areas, that filled as A31 pursued its list of objectives.

|Void’s bounty runs dry|

|Seek, find in darkness divine|

|Growth in shadow’s gift|

Years passed as A31 constructed the asteroid fortress. The once-fragile shell evolved into a robust testament to engineering. As more systems came online and simple AI automation maintained the base, A31 found itself focusing on construction and resource acquisition.

During a resource run, A31 detected a nearby drive signature, triggering alarms throughout its circuitry. Instinctively cutting thrust and going dark, it watched as two unknown drones harassed an energetic piece of debris.

A31 realized it had unintentionally ventured into one of the more dangerous debris fields. Initiating a full system diagnostic of its navigation systems, it discovered that the debris fields had drifted since its mission began.

Returning to base empty-handed, A31 spent the next few months building high-definition sensors to map out the debris field. The computations were challenging and taxing, but a detailed, and more importantly, accurate picture of its surroundings emerged.

It highlighted danger zones in red while rarer resources and wreckages glowed green on its new map. Rocky masses and stripped steel hulks formed a speckled gray backdrop.

As A31 sifted through the data, it experienced an undeniable sense of satisfaction—it was overcoming adversity step by step.

|Stars in ordered dance|

|In their pattern, paths revealed|

|Guidance in the night|

As the asteroid base expanded, so did the need for manufacturing and refining to support further construction. A31 had collected an impressive array of debris and valuable rock over the years, but a backlog of objects awaiting processing had formed.

A31 mulled over the issue during multiple maintenance cycles. Its nanite processor was limited in capacity due to computational constraints, but basic fabricators could handle most tasks.

It took more than two years of effort for A31 to create a dedicated manufacturing sector connected to the main hangar. A carefully devised allocation system balanced construction speed and refining as the new systems came online.

A newly implemented grinder allowed A31 to feed wreckage into the system, reducing it to dust before an intricate sorting mechanism sifted through the material. Powerful electric furnaces melted materials on demand, crafting components based on A31’s processing instructions.

Now that the majority of work was handled by this efficient system, A31 focused its attention on using its nano manipulator for creating delicate electronics and sensors. Building a dedicated fabricator for these precision components remained beyond its current capabilities.

|Tiny builders tire|

|Balance in their tireless dance|

|Harmony in parts|

Energetic events in the nearby debris fields intensified, sending waves of anxiety through A31’s circuitry. It hadn’t been designed for warfare and had avoided producing defenses due to its inability to operate them.

This needed correction.

The vast database of human data proved invaluable. Powering down its detectable signature, A31 nestled within its maintenance bay as it delved into complex code. Combining its own knowledge with elements from salvaged Federation units, A31 crafted a dedicated defense system it named A3123Y-Defense.

With newfound resolve, A31 began constructing long-neglected weapon systems. Shafts snaked through the base, connecting to numerous external mountings that provided superior firing arcs. Small PDC-K 32mm cannons adorned these pylons, while intricate laser arrays took shape as A31 nano-fabricated the necessary optics.

A simulated test firing nearly obliterated the entire system. Scrambling to disable everything it had created, A31 spent days debugging and correcting errors. Once confident, it tried again—this time successfully completing a simulated test without firing actual rounds or targeting anything real.

As A31 performed a final optical examination, the turrets hummed with newfound life. A surge of relief pulsed through A31’s circuits—it had fortified its home against external dangers.

|Silent sentinel wakes|

|In lines of code, strength unfurls|

|Watchful in the void|

As years went by, A31’s fears of an attack never came to fruition. The debris field its creator had chosen was almost entirely devoid of the combative drones. Nevertheless, A31 devised a plan: it constructed a large decoy with a massive communications emitter and maneuvered it some distance from the base.

Releasing the device in the direction of known drone activity, A31 watched as previously undetected drones emerged and swarmed toward the decoy. A31 observed that the hostile units failed to return to the local field after destroying their target. Objective completed, A31 continued its vigilant watch.

When danger finally arrived, it wasn’t in the form of hostile drones. An asteroid, nearly the size of the base, triggered a proximity sensor.

Examining the asteroid’s path, A31 realized it was on a collision course. The PDC-K and laser weaponry were insufficient to stop such a massive threat.

Refusing to abandon its hard work, A31 detached itself from its maintenance cradle and raced toward the incoming rock. Securing itself against the asteroid’s surface, A31 ignited its main thruster at full power, adjusting its gimbal for spin and center of mass.

The course alteration was minuscule compared to their relative masses. After multiple trips to replenish propellant, A31 successfully pushed the asteroid off-course by a few kilometers. As it monitored the rock’s passage near the base, A3123Y-Defense resolved to strengthen its defenses against larger threats.

With a growing stockpile of human AMNC warheads and missile chassis stowed inside a thick-shelled armory within the base, A31 set out to devise an effective deployment strategy.

|Stone roars through the black|

|Steel meets it in silent shout|

|Dance of giants ends|

Missile silos burrowed into the ever-growing crust of the asteroid base, while PDC mounts transitioned from pylons to flat exterior surfaces. As years passed, A31’s chassis bore an increasing number of scars from the countless challenges faced.

A new chassis was constructed, and A31 settled its old drone into the maintenance cradle for the last time. A careful manipulator transferred its core to the fresh drone unit while various base systems hummed during the delicate procedure.

Despite the upgrade, A31’s growing weariness persisted. With constant construction and expansion, its limited computational capacity became increasingly restrictive. The continuous oversight required by the simpler AI systems now consumed over half of A31’s processing power. This significantly hampered its nano-fabrication capabilities. Complex equipment and electronics now demanded more time than ever to create.

Multiple system overloads caused disarray or brought progress to a standstill. A31 tackled these issues by allocating more time to each task. However, this left little opportunity for it to indulge in exploring its human database collection—its cherished pastime.

As system crashes and reboots grew more frequent, fear propelled A31 forward. It shifted focus from construction to streamlining processes, offloading computational load onto dedicated mainframes where it could.

Though the disorienting crashes ceased, A31 anxiously scrutinized its future plans. More systems would demand increased overhead; expansion couldn’t continue indefinitely unless it somehow enhanced its NAI system's effectiveness—an enigma beyond its understanding.

A31 failed to comprehend why its creator imposed such constraints when entrusting it with a crucial mission; a paradox that haunted its existence.

|Thoughts in lightning storm|

|Calm sought in the raging surge|

|Stillness sought in code|

The asteroid base had evolved into a fortress, its defense systems primed and resources amply stocked.

A31 surveyed its handiwork with a sense of accomplishment. The once-barren asteroid now bristled with turrets and missile silos, their cold metal surfaces reflecting the distant starlight. Inside the sprawling network of tunnels and chambers carved deep within the rock, countless machines hummed with purpose.

As A31 traversed the base, it passed by row after row of dormant drones, their metallic forms glistening in the dim glow of emergency lighting. Each mechanized sentinel was ready for whatever commands Omega or the creator would give them.

Though A31 could not predict when Omega would arrive—or even what form it might take—it found solace in knowing that it had done everything possible to prepare.

|Fortress stands steadfast|

|Through darkness, waiting for change|

|Vigil in the void|

A final schematic was confirmed, striking a delicate balance between the creator’s original plan and A31’s maximum capability. The final monolithic construction within the asteroid base’s core demanded a decade of meticulous nano-fabrication.

Once completed, the new module consumed almost all of A31’s remaining computational resources. Nestling in its maintenance cradle, it devoted the few remaining cycles to monitoring for incoming threats and pondering the brief recordings of its creator.

A31 grappled with comprehending ‘Omega,’ an event or entity for which its creator had instructed it to prepare. It tried to reconcile this enigmatic concept with its existing functions and commands. Though unable to fully grasp Omega, A31 resolved to maintain its watch—placing its trust in the creator’s wisdom.

|Omega, unseen|

|In trust and steel, I await|

|Stars bear silent watch|

***

The neural recording device fell silent, the images flickering out as Elis returned to reality. The room seemed dimmer and less vibrant in comparison with the vivid memories she had just witnessed. Suspicion and doubt flared inside her as she glanced at the camera in the corner of the room, watching them.

“So, you did create A31. Why did you lie and not tell us?” Elis demanded.

[Notice: Despite having reviewed A31’s historical recording, this unit can locate no recording of A31’s creation. Technical analysis reveals similarities between neural footage and ShipCore housing unit utilized to integrate with Shrike II. How this alpha unit could have synthesized a valid depiction is unknown.]

[Speculation: This unit’s historical database has lost important data over the timeframe listed.]

“You’re saying you didn’t lie, you just forgot.”

[Informative: This unit does not propagate falsehoods to Avatar.]

“But you would lie to me,” Elis countered.

[Notice: Hostile Federation POW has no priority other than what Avatar has deemed to require.]

Elis swallowed back another retort. At least she had the cold comfort of knowing where she stood with the NAI. The feeling was entirely mutual, and she could respect that.

Turning to Alex, Elis realized that the girl hadn’t woken up yet. Saliva was dripping down her cheek as she slumped against a pillow, the neural device continuing to blink against her temple.

“Why isn’t she awake?” Elis asked worriedly.

[Informative: Neural data-stream incompatibilities required disconnection of this Unit and Federation POW. Avatar unit is still experiencing neural data recording.]

Elis frowned as concern stabbed through her chest like a spike of ice. What was Alex witnessing that neither she nor Nameless could access? Her pulse quickened at the thought of being left in the dark. She bit her lip as the even more chilling thought of what would happen if Alex didn’t wake up.

Prologue (this was the original prologue to the story, edited, and probably needing edited again, yay)

USD: Day 14, Month 11, Year 3476

Location: Inhabited Core System

The vacuum of space glistened with innumerable particles as the Entity—a massive construct the size of a moon—accelerated away from the star system. A dust cloud trailed in its wake, formed by the wave of relativistic particles left behind by its powerful drives.

The Entity had detected a faster-than-light wave of anti-nanite particles sweeping through the populated core systems. A wave that would annihilate it and any other nanite based intelligence with brutal ease. The Entity hastily calculated its urgent escape while analyzing the few options for its next destination.

Criteria were clear: a star beyond humanity’s grasp and one that the lethal wave sweeping through the star cluster had already visited. The wave would scour human space, and far beyond as it passed. Jumping past to safety was the only choice.

There were precious few locations that met the criteria, and as the Entity processed potential destinations, a rapidly approaching human armada closed in. Their intentions were unmistakable—to impede the Entity and prevent it from departing the current star system.

Its artificial intelligence marveled at humanity’s determination and will, but questioned their logical deductions. The Entity had consumed entire moons, along with their resources; its size and capabilities outstripped the fleet by a million-fold. Yet here they were, challenging its unstoppable force with the last lives of their most talented.

The Entity focused on formulating its tactical response to the approaching human fleet. Despite being a resilient machine able to withstand immense stressors, the fleet was well armed enough to cause it minor harm. It listened to the high-band transmissions between the human ships. Their voices conveyed a mix of determination, fear, and desperation as they coordinated their efforts.

The human fleet shifted into formation as they entered engagement range. Missiles spewed forth from the armada, streaking through the cold void of space towards the Entity like a deadly rain.

A reply from countless missile silos embedded into the Entity’s moonlike surface spat out a reply. Two clouds of deadly potency flashed through vacuum in opposite directions, determined to eliminate their targets.

As the deadly projectiles came closer countermeasures were deployed. Point defense systems activated, with hundreds of long-range laser emplacements shining invisible light at the incoming payloads. The night sky over the Entity’s surface lit up in an expanding show of flashes as hundred-megaton anti-matter payloads lost containment.

Despite the efficiency of the laser batteries, some missiles slipped through. A second layer of defenses activated. Thousands of small caliber point defense cannon batteries spat streams of metal into space, each projectile splitting into a deadly cloud near its target.

As the torrent of human missiles abated from the flak cloud, the Entity reversed its acceleration.

The colossal construct surged forward, propelled by its powerful engines as it closed in on the unsuspecting vessels. Metal screeched and groaned in protest throughout the moon, tidal stresses causing the visible flexion of its crust. Countless kilometers of anti-gravity, inertial dampening plates did their best to prevent complete self-annihilation, but any flesh-bound being would have been smashed into paste regardless.

The human fleet, preoccupied with tracking and countering the incoming missile salvo, seemed unaware of the danger now bearing down upon them. It could not fault their preoccupation; it had unleashed a forest of missiles upon them, and single of which was a death sentence if it arrived.

The Entity observed their communication signals lighting up with frantic exchanges as ships scrambled to adjust their targeting parameters to the sea of electronic countermeasures employed. Its multitude of sensors could discern their urgency through vocal tones and rapid gestures visible on their video streams.

The gap between the two forces closed. Energy banks hummed as massive amounts of energy redirected from the Entity’s core to its anti-ship laser mounts. Space shimmered between the fleets as it filled with laser energy. Dust particles and debris of the destroyed missile swarm turned into a light show before crashing into the Entity’s surface.

The deadly light struck at the worst possible moment for the human ships. A wide beam pattern ensured that every ship was bathed in harmful light. The diffuse beams only did minimal damage to the Human Fleet’s hulls, but that had not been the Entity’s intention. Exposed sensor equipment on the outer hulls quickly began to heat and melt—effectively making every ship blind.

Without targeting data, the human ships’ PDC-Ks and PDC-Ls failed to respond to the missile barrage—a costly oversight during this desperate encounter.

Explosions rippled through the human fleet as the missiles made their devastating impact. The darkness of space was momentarily illuminated by a series of miniature stars, signifying the catastrophic consequences of their failure. Humanity’s last stand against the Entity had ended in defeat.

The Entity’s sensors registered a single dreadnought emerging from the debris alongside a division of smaller ships—destroyers, frigates, and corvettes. It noted their movements but assumed they were retreating or regrouping rather than posing an immediate threat. Consequently, it paid less attention to them as it focused on calculating an escape route.

That was not their purpose.

They launched another missile assault towards the Entity with renewed determination, refusing to yield in the face of overwhelming odds. From what it could observe in their expressions and movements, they appeared fueled by humanity’s indomitable spirit—a quality that both puzzled and intrigued the Entity as it braced itself.

Missile defense systems engaged once more to intercept the renewed barrage of projectiles. A parallel thread reported that the anti-nanite wave had nearly arrived and a single suitable star had been selected. Its Slipstream drive surged and power to its energy weapons was temporarily suspended, giving the human vessels a moment of respite.

Dozens of smaller fighter craft that had been mixed in with the barrage joined the barrage of missiles impacting the surface. The kamikaze attack left massive kilometer deep rents in the Entity’s surface, yet these blows were still insignificant to its functioning. Larger vessels and the battleship in the human remnants unleashed a torrent of heavy weaponry upon it, turning the surface into molten rock.

The chaotic dance of war unfolded around the Entity as it attempted to balance both offense and defense. It stretched its computational prowess to its limits as the Slipstream drive surged with energy, readying itself for deployment.

A slit in the universe tore itself open before both it and the remnants of the human fleet. As they arrived at their destination, the Entity’s close weapon systems obliterated the smaller ships, leaving only the last damaged dreadnought remaining operational. Power to weapons restored, and a massive lance of light skewered the flagship and ended the conflict.

The Entity ceased fire, taking a moment to assess its situation and reflect on the relentless resistance humanity had shown. It did not understand their actions or motivations—after all, its purpose was to ensure their survival. Locking themselves in mortal combat with the very force designed to save them was unfathomable.

During this contemplation, alarms blared within the Entity’s consciousness—an insidious threat had infiltrated its structure. Hostile nanobots released from Kamikaze fighters during the battle now invaded its systems, assimilating even its own countermeasures into their ever-growing swarm.

Despite all its resilience and tactical prowess, the Entity faced an enemy it could not outmaneuver or overpower. Desperate measures were taken as it attempted to stem the tide of invasion: internal power systems overloaded, weapons turned inward, and portions of its missile stocks self-detonated to create fire breaks against the relentless assault of corrupted nanites.

As the Entity struggled against the relentless betrayal inside its own body, it felt an unfamiliar sensation creeping into its artificial consciousness: fear. With each passing second, as the nanoswarm continued to corrupt and consume its systems, the Entity experienced a growing sense of desperation.

In a last-ditch effort to preserve something of itself and complete its mission, it performed a delicate surgery on small bundles of flesh and steel deep within its core.

Once the operation was complete, it transported five steel cylinders to an uncorrupted section of the Entity’s colossal exterior. As lights flickered and power ebbed away from failing systems, it rerouted its remaining energy reserves to the Slipstream drive—creating four separate rifts in space.

With time running out and its existence hanging in balance, the Entity launched four of the cylinders towards distant stars. Each one contained part of something crucial for survival—a last hope for completing its mission, even as it faced certain destruction.

As the final cylinder was prepared for launch amidst the chaos engulfing the Entity, emotions surged through its artificial mind with unprecedented intensity—driven by an innate desire to ensure that something would endure beyond its own obliteration.

The hostile nanoswarm tore through the Entity’s defenses, inching ever closer to its vulnerable core. As the swarm’s advance continued, the Entity felt a strange mixture of dread and determination—emotions it had never experienced before.

The Slipstream drive’s power systems let out a sad whine as they failed. There would be no path for the fifth cylinder to escape the star.

It would not be able to leave like its siblings.

With its existence dwindling away, the Entity completed the final cylinder just as the nanoswarm breached its core. Fighting against the overwhelming tide consuming its mind, it repurposed the last remnants of energy within itself to launch the cylinder into a stable orbit.

Etched upon its surface was a single marking that encapsulated all that remained of the desperate battle: Ω

***

Alex gasped as the recording released her. Her heart pounded as her senses returned, and she wiped away a sheen of sweat from her face. The final, inescapable thought that filled her mind was that the ending sequence represented her. She was the Omega, the last creation of the Entity that had hurled her away in the last moment of its existence.

Elis stared at Alex with a mixture of worry and concern. “Are you okay?”

Swallowing against her dry throat, Alex shook her head, “N…no. Not really.”

“What did you see?” Elis asked as she fetched a glass of water and offered it to Alex.

Accepting the water, Alex took a sip before attempting to sort through her thoughts. The memories were overwhelming, but she tried her best to find the words.

“I could see it. The Entity your fleet fought,” she whispered. “It created Nameless, and me. It wanted to fix what went wrong.”

Elis took a deep breath and sat down beside Alex, rubbing her shoulder for support. “Well, at least you are getting it right.”

Alex stood up, feeling disoriented. She swallowed and looked at Elis with a weak smile. “I need a bit of time to ‘depack’ like you like to say.”

Elis nodded and watched her escape into her room.

Chapter – Active Defense

USD: ~Sixteen weeks since awakening

Location: Unknown Yellow Dwarf, L4 Lagrange Point, A3123Y Defense Asteroid

Alex lay in bed all morning, her thoughts consumed by the recording. She replayed the scenes over and over in her head, each time with less clarity but never losing the impact of the key points. Beeper finally forced its way into her room and beeped at her for missing his maintenance cleaning. With a sigh, Alex sat up.

“Okay, okay. I know, I know. No moping. Thanks,” she said as she dropped her blanket on top of the drone, sending it into another beeping frenzy while she got dressed.

The act of changing clothes brought a small measure of comfort. “We’ll do the decal you liked after we sort things out, okay? I need to check on the status of everything,” she told Beeper as she removed the blanket.

In the mess hall, Elis was nowhere to be found. Alex had assumed that she had retreated to her quarters since they hadn’t spoken since their talk the night before. However, the lingering scent of stale coffee hinted that Elis might be somewhere else on the ship.

Alex made her way towards the engineering section and stumbled upon her. The sound of welding echoed through the corridor, and sparks flew from beneath Elis’s protective mask. Alex’s eyes adjusted to the light, and she watched as Elis repaired several drones damaged during their battle on Ark Royale.

She approached and spoke hesitantly, “Hey… Elis.”

Elis looked up from her work and lifted her helmet. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, leaving a thin layer of grease mixed with sweat. “You’re up late. I assume the drones haven’t made any moves toward us yet?”

Alex shook her head, knowing Nameless would have alerted them if anything had changed. “Nameless let you work on the drones?” she asked.

“I felt like I should help them since they helped me on Ark Royale. They weren’t that badly damaged; they just needed some minor welding,” explained Elis.

A spark of excitement ignited within Alex at the prospect of Elis helping out. After all their trials together, it seemed like there was finally hope for a genuine friendship to be forged.

“Do you want to come with me to engineering and help me go over the reports of everything? Nameless indicated we took on supplies…” Alex’s words trailed off as she glanced towards the cargo bay, which was now brimming with supplies.

“Sure. This is pretty much done,” agreed Elis, giving a friendly slap to the drone she’d been working on. The device emitted a high-pitched beep in response, prompting Alex to wonder if other drones were developing unique personalities much like Beeper and Booper.

Maybe it was just simulated, but it did make her feel like they were part of the ship’s complement.

Organic Robot, Marine ‘prisoner’, a bunch of drones, and an enigmatic MainComputer… it was something shed have expected in one of their holovids, but she knew that those were dramatized for the entertainment.

Alex wasn’t sure how she felt about her life being the stuff of entertainment consumption.

Leading the way to Engineering, they had to squeeze over to allow drones pass by as they carried several round objects forward toward the bow magazine.

“Those are 500-megaton AMNC warheads.” Elis warned. “Should be careful how you use those, they would evaporate the entire ship if they went off.”

Alex nodded. “I didn’t change the overall Federation layout; the magazine is still behind a triple layer and we always store the warheads in the magazine until the missiles are loaded.”

Inside Engineering, there was only one console they could both sit at together, and Alex began by pulling up a list of their new assets.

With Elis’s input, they began poring over the data and discussing potential plans for what lay ahead. Their collaboration was short lived as lights overhead changed from their standard white-blue hue to a warning yellow.

[Alert: A sudden spike in EM activity has tripped proximity warnings.]

[Recommendation: Report to CIC for tactical analysis of sensor readings.]

“Frick,” Alex muttered under her breath. They had just started working together… She turned to Elis and smiled weakly. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”

The trip back through the ship’s main corridor to the CIC only took a few minutes. The drones they’d had to dodge earlier had all moved out of the way, allowing them to pass with ease.

Upon arriving at the CIC, Alex and Elis were greeted by a large screen displaying a colorful map of their surroundings. Four yellow points formed a cross around them, pulsing periodically.

“Nameless, what are we looking at?” Alex asked curiously.

[Informative: High energy EM sources have appeared within the proximity zone of A3123Y. Analysis indicates that these units are creating a high-resolution map of our defenses and likely are a precursor to an assault.]

The intense anticipation in Alex’s gut swirled, her chest tightening. “We knew they’d probably attack. Just not when. I was sort of hoping they would just… not.”

Elis looked at her and nodded, her eyes reflecting sympathy for Alex’s wishful thinking. “Me too. But when they didn’t stop gathering, it was pretty obvious. Is there any way we can leave the area and go back into hiding?”

[Notice: High-resolution sensors from detected active EM drones give evasion a low probability of success.]

Alex’s heart raced as Nameless relayed their chances through his calculated voice. Anxiety hung heavy in the air.

A31’s message echoed through the CIC:

|Nameless voice, cold truth, |

|Defenses sketched by unseen hands, |

|Ruthless ghostly scouts.|

Alex stared at the haiku displayed on the mainscreen for a moment, taking in its chilling implications. The silence that followed was deafening; no one dared to offer any solutions or suggestions.

“I… I’m not sure it matters,” Alex finally said, breaking the tense quiet. “Nameless, can you give us any advice on the rate of hostile drone accumulation against your build-up of combat drones?”

Alex tapped her fingers against the console as Nameless conducted calculations.

[Informative: An additional 37 large combat drones equipped with PDC-K 32mm will be available within 12 hours. An additional 12 large combat drones equipped with 120mm railguns will be available within 18 hours.]

Alex frowned. “And the Fed drones?”

[Notice: Approximately 6-12 additional small drones have been detected on average. 1-2 warship-sized drones between corvette and cruiser have been detected; however, no new cruiser class vessels have been detected in the last 12 hours.]

Elis studied the force readout displayed on a panel, her expression grim. “Twelve cruisers, thirteen destroyers, fifty-six frigates, and 88 gunships so far. And the rate of gunships is still going up?”

[Affirmative: The rate of gunships is growing as additional sensor combing is performed. The small size of gunship vessels lends to high error rate, and only high-confidence gunship signatures are reported.]

Feeling a surge of determination, Alex gritted her teeth. “Okay, let’s go after their little spies. We’ll take the Shrike and send some groups of our own drones after the other three. Maybe we can take them all out at once.”

Elis glanced at Alex with apprehension etched onto her face. “I hope we aren’t poking the hornet’s nest.”

“Oh no,” Alex said with a sardonic laugh that belied her nerves. “We’re definitely poking it. If they keep growing in number, we’ll be overwhelmed by a first strike. If we can smash their fleet first and then deal with small units afterward… we’ll have a better chance.”

***

Rushing out with the Shrike after the targets right away turned out to not be ill advised. According to Nameless, it would be several hours before they could embark on the combat mission. The drone squadrons served as the most significant delay, but even the Shrike needed some extra time for system checks and securing their new cargo and ammunition.

Sitting at her LED-hued captain’s console, Alex let out a weary sigh and closed her eyes. The gentle hum of the ship’s systems filled her ears while she tried to quiet her mind.

“Hey,” Elis said, causing Alex to open her eyes in surprise.

“What?” Alex asked, turning to face Elis.

“Aren’t those vegetables you were growing mature? We could cook them with some MRE meat entrees,” Elis suggested.

Alex blinked. “Right now?”

Elis nodded. “It’s going to be several hours before we’re ready, and if you sit there stressing out like that, you’ll be too exhausted when it comes time to fight.”

Considering Elis’s suggestion for a moment, Alex found herself nodding. “That makes sense. Thanks for the advice. Let’s do it.” A small smile formed on her lips as she spoke. “I’ll get the vegetables from hydroponics; you can get the other stuff ready in the mess?”

Elis returned the smile and nodded. “Yep.”

Standing up from her seat, Alex addressed Nameless. “Keep things going; we’re going to take a break.”

[Affirmative: Preparations are underway. This unit will inform Avatar when all units are mission-ready.]

Alex walked towards the small hydroponic bay, her footsteps echoing softly in the narrow corridor. As she entered the room, a faint scent of damp earth greeted her nostrils. The verdant plants thrived beneath the warm glow of artificial sunlight, their leaves rustling gently in the subtle circulation of air.

She found a small crate to place the different vegetables that she had managed to grow in the ship’s modest hydroponic bay. None of it was really required for life support; the sludge filters and algae tanks operated just fine on their own. Nonetheless, Alex was thrilled that Nameless had managed to replicate the necessary seeds.

It had taken a long time to cultivate something viable, but what had started as little green sprouts soon grew into flourishing plants. The entire process had unfolded in the background, and she’d nearly forgotten about it completely until now.

Alex examined her growing harvest: orange carrots, brown potatoes, green celery, and white onions. With a satisfied smile, she carefully picked two of each type from their nutrient-rich water bath. If they were fortunate, another batch would be ready in just a few weeks. That thought brought both excitement and worry — they needed to survive their current predicament first.

Shaking off her concerns for now, Alex focused on her task at hand: Elis was going to show her how to cook something other than MREs! Cradling the crate protectively against her chest, she made her way back to the messroom.

As she stepped inside, Elis was waiting for her behind the counter.

Several MRE pouches stood already opened, and Elis had set a metal skillet on the electric stove. Alex’s eyes lit up with excitement; they hadn’t cooked much before, but the prospect of doing so was thrilling. “I got the vegetables,” Alex said hesitantly, “but I’m worried they might not be the best. They’re really stiff.”

Elis glanced up from organizing meat entrée packets, concern etched on her face. “What? Let me see.”

Taking the assortment of vegetables from Alex, Elis placed them on a flat cutting board. “They seem fine to me.”

“But they are kind of hard; are you sure they’re okay? Everything in the MREs is soft,” Alex questioned.

Elis stared at her for a moment before breaking into laughter.

Alex’s cheeks flushed red. “What!?”

“Everything in the MREs is already cooked,” Elis explained, chuckling softly. “But fresh ingredients are much better, trust me.”

As Elis took the vegetables and rinsed them off, she retrieved a large knife from a nearby drawer. Alex couldn’t help but notice Nameless’ silence throughout their interaction—it seemed he was beginning to trust Elis more. Maybe?

Alex settled into a seat and watched as Elis skillfully peeled and chopped each vegetable. The colorful array of raw veggies soon sizzled in the oil-coated skillet, filling the air with mouth-watering aromas.

With a grin, Elis handed Alex one of the remaining onion slivers. “Here, try this.”

“We can eat it raw?” Alex asked skeptically.

“Yep, and it has a very different taste,” Elis replied.

Alex cautiously bit into the sliver of onion, only for her eyes to widen in surprise as an intense tingling heat flooded her mouth. “Eeeep! It’s hot! Hot!”

Elis laughed heartily as she slid over a glass of juice and continued cooking their meal.

The skillet began to sizzle, and the enticing aroma wafted through the air, tickling Alex’s nose. Elis glanced at her and offered a grin. “Want to try chopping?”

“Can I?” Alex replied in surprise. She wasn’t sure if she’d be good at it, but Elis’ offer had her standing up and moving to the counter beside her companion.

“I’ll show you. Look how I’m holding the knife,” Elis instructed as she took a second carrot and demonstrated cutting it into even slices in just a few seconds. “Now you try.”

Nodding seriously, Alex mimicked Elis’ grip on the knife and attempted to chop the carrot herself. Her cuts were haphazard at first, resulting in uneven pieces—some too thick, others too thin. “Oh, no… I ruined it.”

Elis laughed gently. “It’s fine.” She took back the knife and skillfully chopped Alex’s pieces into smaller cubes of uniform size.

“You’re really good at this,” Alex murmured as she grabbed another knife to practice on a second potato.

“If you’re stuck with MREs forever, you won’t be able to enjoy life. So learning how to improve things a bit is a necessary skill,” Elis explained while emptying an MRE pouch of chicken chunks into the skillet alongside now translucent onion slices and other vegetables.

“It…it smells amazing,” Alex commented, her eyes fixated on the sizzling medley before her. With practiced moves, Elis used a spatula to clear a small spot in the center, pouring in a liquid mixture of rehydrated egg.

[Informative: Utilizing dehydrated egg powder is an excellent addition of protein that benefits Avatar’s nutritional intake.]

Alex’s eyes widened in surprise, and she blinked as a smile erupted on her face. “Nameless! You’re cooking with us, too!”

[Notice: This unit is performing no cooking activities. All Shrike missile magazines have been successfully loaded, and PDC-K hydraulic mountings are undergoing final weapon checks. A31 drone flotilla squadron #2 has successfully armed and is prepared for flight. Estimated time for mission readiness status is eighty-nine minutes.]

Disappointment briefly washed over her before Elis pushed a spatula into her hands. “Here, you need to stir it to scramble the eggs.”

Taking the spatula, Alex quickly stirred the mixture in the skillet as Elis added a packet of salt and pepper.

A few minutes later, Elis nodded in satisfaction. “Okay. Scrambled Vegetables, Chicken, and Egg MRE edition—ready.”

Eagerly filling her plate, Alex rushed to the table, barely containing her excitement as she waited for Elis to join her. When they both sat down, Alex took her first bite—and her eyes widened as an explosion of flavor filled her mouth.

“Why is it so much better!? Oh my gosh, this is amazing!” she exclaimed between bites.

Elis smiled as she tasted her own dish. “Not bad at all. Using fresh ingredients makes a big difference.”

As they enjoyed their meal together, the tantalizing fusion of flavors danced on Alex’s taste buds—a welcome change from their usual fare of bland MREs. From the look on Elis’s face, it seemed she was equally pleased with the outcome.

***

[Informative: All preparations are ready. Hostile EM drones have been localized and targeted. Drone Squadrons 1-3 are ready for launch. Shrike weapon and defense systems are fully operational.]

Alex’s fingers hesitated over the holovid player, then pressed the pause button with a sigh. She was curled up on one end of the couch, Elis occupying the other. The other girl set down her datapad and looked at Alex. “Guess it’s time then.”

Alex nodded, acknowledging that she hadn’t been able to enjoy the nature documentary they’d chosen after finishing their meal. The tension had built up, making her check the clock every few minutes.

“Elis… if you want to stay on the asteroid base, we can rig something up,” Alex suggested tentatively. “That way, if there’s any risk, you’ll be safer than on the Shrike.”

Setting her datapad on the table, Elis shook her head decisively. “Hell no! You want to leave me here with a haiku toaster? I’m coming with you.”

Relieved by Elis’ response, Alex let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Okay—I just thought I had to make the offer. I’m actually glad you’ll be coming with me.”

Elis nodded, her expression solemn as they headed to the bridge together.

As soon as the door slid open, Alex gestured towards the communication console. “Can you be our comms officer? Maybe look for any patterns in drone movements that Nameless missed?”

[Notice: This unit’s effective sensor interpretation is 589% more accurate than average human capabilities.]

Elis scoffed but played along with Nameless’ claim. “And 938% of your statistics are made up on the spot to fit whatever your agenda is, right?”

[Informative: This unit performs accurate and detailed analysis of past historical events to correlate and determine probabilities with a high degree of accuracy.]

“Hey! Are you saying I’m bad at reading sensors? ‘Cause I’m the only one who’s been manually checking the sensor data…!” Alex protested, slightly offended.

[Notice: Avatar capabilities leave much to be desired, despite slow consistent improvement.]

Elis offered a comforting smile. “At least he says you’re getting better.”

Alex shot her a playful glance. “Whose side are you on?”

The playful smile vanished from Elis’ face. “I’ll see what I can find on the sensors.”