Zheng Hui: “I do solemnly swear that I will consider it my goal to bring timely news to the greater Linked Systems government that Telivoni and those within the system are non-hostile, and that shutting down the gate was a mistake with unforeseen ramifications. In addition to it being my goal, I will use my position and authority to ensure that it is the goal of others upon the ship, and that nobody on the ship takes actions contrary to my goal. This oath is fulfilled once the auxiliary council of the Linked Systems government (or council, if elections have occurred) have received all our evidence of Telivoni being non-hostile.”
Zheng (cont.): “I do solemnly swear that I will consider it my goal to keep Myjer a secret from the Linked Systems government and the people of the Linked Systems, and return him to his people in a timely manner, once the previous oath has been accomplished. I will not sell him, I will not let him be sold. This oath will be considered fulfilled once Myjer is returned to his people, or we are attacked by the enemies of Myjer's people and he is taken from us by non-humans.”
Zheng (cont.): “I do solemnly swear that I will consider it my goal to have The Astral Zephyr continue to carry and protect two delegates of the Linked Systems until such a time that they choose to leave for the purpose of opening relations with the Coalition of Free Sentients, and/or the hivemind that is in opposition to the Coalition. This oath will be considered fulfilled if both of the delegates, together or separately, of their own free will, dismiss us of this task; or if the delegates, despite my attempts at protection, both die; or if they have both left to open diplomatic channels with the aliens, as per the above.”
Zheng (cont.): “I do solemnly swear I will prevent the any Gateway we have brought into Telivoni from activating, and will not bring Gateways into Telivoni in the future. This oath will be considered fulfilled once there is formal peace between Telivoni and the rest of the Linked Systems.”
Councilor Rivera: “Nugs, has the oath been magically bound?”
‘Nugs’: “The oath was magically bound already now yes. My tiredness is not problematic.”
Rivera: “Very good. That leaves only the security chief.”
Gestler: “High Councilor Rivera, we agreed earlier that my responsibilities as security chief and duties as an oath-bound soldier preclude me from making oaths of the same sort of as my fellow crewmembers. I believe we reached an acceptable compromise?”
Rivera: “You say that and mean no compromise at all, just that you swear to do your duties and to obey your… what did you call it?”
Gestler: “’Liege-lord’ is a good translation.”
Rivera: “Yes, and if you are bound to do the will of another who is bound by oath, then that is almost the same as being oath-bound like the others.”
Gestler: “My already existing oaths would compel me, but I relish the chance to reinforce said oaths with a magic enchantment. Are we ready?”
‘Nugs’: “My tiredness is not problematic already.”
Rivera: “Speak your oath, Gestler.”
Gestler: “I do solemnly swear that I will always faithfully serve the will of the current legitimate owner of the Astral Zephyr with all the skills and abilities at my command. I will serve the owner of the Astral Zephyr as my liege-lord, with all the responsibilities that entails. This oath will considered to be fulfilled should the owner of the Astral Zephyr freely dismiss me from my duty, or if the Astral Zephyr is destroyed.”
Rivera: “Nugs?”
‘Nugs’: “Oath magically bound now.”
Rivera: “Hrm. Gestler, why the wording about the current legitimate owner? It makes me suspicious.”
Gestler: “When I left my homeworld, I was sworn to serve a role as part of the ship, not specifically to one person. Perhaps a mistake, in hindsight, but I swore to it. Besides, would you prefer me to be freed from my duties upon the captain’s death?”
Rivera: “Who exactly is the owner of the Astral Zephyr?”
Gestler: “Zheng Hui. He bought it from a certain Selim bin Rachid for twice what the vessel was worth then, and Selim has now been paid in full. Selim may or may not have regrets, but the deal was legitimate.”
Rivera: “And if Zheng Hui dies? Not that that will happen.”
Gestler: “My duty as a soldier precludes me from answering. I would not want to encourage dissension or assassination. Suffice to say, I know who it is, and the person is not me.”
Zheng: “Susana Reiviki is next in line. I trust her with my life, and think she may well be a better captain that I ever could be.”
Gestler: “Hrm, well I trust no-one.
Zheng: “Where is Myjer and the diplomats? I… am anxious to go. Hm. I wonder if that is the oath?”
‘Nugs’: “Oath activity is minimal. Impatience is possible as alternative?”
Zheng: “…I see.”
Showing posts with label Aliens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aliens. Show all posts
1.21.2014
1.20.2014
Journal of Maria Santiago: Excerpt 5
My latest task has been to modify part of the ship to make Myjer comfortable. With that in mind, Zephyr (through the captain, anyway) provided me with copious amounts of data on Myjer’s people’s habits and preferences and physiology. I was able to recruit one of Susana’s scientists, a biologist, who has had little to do this voyage, other than go over our long-distance images of C-131’s history.
The first problem is that while on land Myjer’s people move in a manner similar to slugs (thus the moniker of ‘slugs’) their species is actually amphibious, with a preference for underwater habitat. There, they move more like some manner of serpent, and the reason for their long body and skeletal system becomes clearer – the slug-like behavior, underwater, is used to cling on to rocks, or slide quietly around.
For this, I decided that I could partition off some of the unused living quarters, and then cut in doors from above to provide an underwater cave system which, from all reports, is the aliens’ natural habitat.
The second problem was a question of breathing and food. The aliens do utilize oxygen, but require very high amounts of oxygen in their water, nearly to saturation. This forced me to have an airlock system, as oxygen escaping from the water has a potential to reach dangerous levels for humans. Food is even trickier, as they eat via filtration (in fact, Henrietta considers them to be closer to very mobile shellfish). I am almost considering letting Myjer use his magic to prepare his food, as grinding up food and releasing it into the water seems like a messy enterprise. They have switched to eating earth-stock plankton while on Telivoni, but earlier the humans fed them on a liquid diet.
The third problem is that, while above water, Myjer’s people prefer warm temperatures and high humidity, quite different than the cool temperatures and low humidity we keep here on the Astral Zephyr. On the planet, this is not a problem, as thei ship chose to crashland near the equator, probably for this reason. While I do not want our guest to dry out, I also worry about what the rest of the crew would think about maintaining tropical heat and humidity. Further, the humidity would likely have a negative impact on both manufacturing and the science departments, not to mention our own engines (though we are in a fairly isolated part of the ship). Additionally, it would probably require a whole new set of maintenance servitors picking up condensation and returning it to the air or into the plumbing system.
If Zephyr does want to make the ship comfortable for Myjer beyond his quarters, my current plan involves temperature and humidity containment thresholds all around all of Myjer’s areas, or, possibly, around all of the temperature/humidity sensitive areas in the ship. If I do so, I might want to take the opportunity to prepare such thresholds in the event of other aliens with troublesome needs.
The first problem is that while on land Myjer’s people move in a manner similar to slugs (thus the moniker of ‘slugs’) their species is actually amphibious, with a preference for underwater habitat. There, they move more like some manner of serpent, and the reason for their long body and skeletal system becomes clearer – the slug-like behavior, underwater, is used to cling on to rocks, or slide quietly around.
For this, I decided that I could partition off some of the unused living quarters, and then cut in doors from above to provide an underwater cave system which, from all reports, is the aliens’ natural habitat.
The second problem was a question of breathing and food. The aliens do utilize oxygen, but require very high amounts of oxygen in their water, nearly to saturation. This forced me to have an airlock system, as oxygen escaping from the water has a potential to reach dangerous levels for humans. Food is even trickier, as they eat via filtration (in fact, Henrietta considers them to be closer to very mobile shellfish). I am almost considering letting Myjer use his magic to prepare his food, as grinding up food and releasing it into the water seems like a messy enterprise. They have switched to eating earth-stock plankton while on Telivoni, but earlier the humans fed them on a liquid diet.
The third problem is that, while above water, Myjer’s people prefer warm temperatures and high humidity, quite different than the cool temperatures and low humidity we keep here on the Astral Zephyr. On the planet, this is not a problem, as thei ship chose to crashland near the equator, probably for this reason. While I do not want our guest to dry out, I also worry about what the rest of the crew would think about maintaining tropical heat and humidity. Further, the humidity would likely have a negative impact on both manufacturing and the science departments, not to mention our own engines (though we are in a fairly isolated part of the ship). Additionally, it would probably require a whole new set of maintenance servitors picking up condensation and returning it to the air or into the plumbing system.
If Zephyr does want to make the ship comfortable for Myjer beyond his quarters, my current plan involves temperature and humidity containment thresholds all around all of Myjer’s areas, or, possibly, around all of the temperature/humidity sensitive areas in the ship. If I do so, I might want to take the opportunity to prepare such thresholds in the event of other aliens with troublesome needs.
1.19.2014
Ship’s Notes: The Abjuration of Free Will
Magically binding oaths. Gestler likes them in principle, but does not agree with this usage of them. Susana dislikes them in principle, but agrees with this usage of them. And, of course, I do not need to take them, due to having kept my presence hidden.
Gestler, of course, cares about loyalty, and sees such oaths as a natural extension of the oaths he took to serve me, just stronger. Who watches the watchers? I do, for now, but Gestler would rather have his security personnel sworn into my service forever, unable to betray me, unable to abuse their power.
He is, however, opposed to members of the crew swearing to fulfill objectives other than serving me. He asked me how can a person have two goals, and have those goals be equal? In the end, he believes, one goal will have to be a higher priority, and with the usage of magic, he fears the higher priority will not be the senior officers serving me.
Susana, on the other hand sees the oaths as opposed to free will. She notes that it is possible to coerce people into taking oaths, and even oaths that include swearing to not reveal the oath. And, after that, how can the consent of anyone be confirmed? She also fears what I think to be the exact same thing as Gestler: How far do the oaths reach? Do they alter your actions in every aspect of life? Do they change how you hold conversations, causing you to speak in a way that instrumentally harnesses the resources of others to achieve your sworn goals?
On the other hand, Susana sees this particular oath as worth it. It is a trust-building measure for her, and there is no overtly harmful language in this oath (partly because she carefully went over the wording of the oath, and changed a variety of things to be safe). And, of course, we agree that all the aims set forth by the oath are worthy goals that we may as well do anyway.
Of the senior crew, only Gestler refuses to take the oath. Instead, he would like to swear an oath to serve me.
I could order him to take the oath, but in some ways I agree with him. What to do?
Gestler, of course, cares about loyalty, and sees such oaths as a natural extension of the oaths he took to serve me, just stronger. Who watches the watchers? I do, for now, but Gestler would rather have his security personnel sworn into my service forever, unable to betray me, unable to abuse their power.
He is, however, opposed to members of the crew swearing to fulfill objectives other than serving me. He asked me how can a person have two goals, and have those goals be equal? In the end, he believes, one goal will have to be a higher priority, and with the usage of magic, he fears the higher priority will not be the senior officers serving me.
Susana, on the other hand sees the oaths as opposed to free will. She notes that it is possible to coerce people into taking oaths, and even oaths that include swearing to not reveal the oath. And, after that, how can the consent of anyone be confirmed? She also fears what I think to be the exact same thing as Gestler: How far do the oaths reach? Do they alter your actions in every aspect of life? Do they change how you hold conversations, causing you to speak in a way that instrumentally harnesses the resources of others to achieve your sworn goals?
On the other hand, Susana sees this particular oath as worth it. It is a trust-building measure for her, and there is no overtly harmful language in this oath (partly because she carefully went over the wording of the oath, and changed a variety of things to be safe). And, of course, we agree that all the aims set forth by the oath are worthy goals that we may as well do anyway.
Of the senior crew, only Gestler refuses to take the oath. Instead, he would like to swear an oath to serve me.
I could order him to take the oath, but in some ways I agree with him. What to do?
1.18.2014
Auditory Transcript 20 (Discussion with High Councilor Rivera)
Zheng Hui: “Welcome to my ship, Councilor.”
Councilor Rivera: “Thank you. So… you are the illustrious thief who stole fire from the gods, so to speak?”
Zheng: “Excuse me?”
Rivera: “Faster than Light magic. And yours is still active, after all this time.”
Zheng: “Ah, well, I did not steal this ship, if that’s what you were asking. I found it quite empty, and felt that passing up such an opportunity would be foolish.”
Rivera: “Hrmph. Say what you will.”
Zheng: “You say that my FTL enchantment is still active. Forgive me, but I haven’t had a lot of drives to compare with.”
Rivera: “You threaten me on behalf of an usurpation, and expect me to answer your questions?”
Zheng: “I am here on a humanitarian mission. Threatening you with an invasion force is merely the means. We are not actually allied with the Linked Systems, despite their best efforts.”
Rivera: “Well, I am glad for that. Our warmaster thinks that the usurpers would try to immediately destroy us, upon the opening of a Gateway. Did they tell you that, or did they just ask you to open up a gate?”
Zheng: “They told us that they would destroy you if… well, it was complicated and conditional. They have a lack of information. If a first strike would be ineffective, you having already mastered the free construction of FTL drives, able to produce them without alien help, then no, the genie is out of the bottle, and they may as well surrender. But that hasn’t happened, so far as we can see.”
Rivera: “So how do you feel about them attacking us indiscriminately? Our projects aren’t for an invasion force, it was for them to trigger a solar event to incinerate our part of the system entirely. Billions of dead.”
Zheng: “And if you invade the rest of the systems with your FTL technology?”
Rivera: “They have filled your head with lies. We have no intention of attacking. We are already the legitimate leaders of the Linked Systems, what do we have to gain? No, this current mess is because of you. Rather, because of this ship being stolen.”
Zheng: “Oh?”
Rivera: “Originally, we tried to suppress knowledge of the aliens and their magic until we could fully understand the implications for humanity. Keep humanity safe, until we could understand. If knowledge of aliens destabilized one planet into nuclear war, how much blood would be on our hands?”
Zheng: “Makes sense.”
Rivera: “And there is, of course, the question of diplomacy and our place in the universe. The slugs are part of a Coalition of Free Sentients, but the Coalition is losing. Their adversary is a hive-mind of magically linked individuals, bent on forcibly converting all sentients to be part of their collective, and subject to their collective will. Or so the slugs say. Humanity is closer to the Coalition, but we are also unable to do magic – the hivemind should have no interest in converting us.”
Zheng: “This is good for me to know. I think it would be in the best interests of everyone to provide my ship with a copy of all data on the political situation concerning the alien species. But you still have not explained.”
Rivera: “There is dissent within the Council on how to proceed. Can you imagine the dissent in the Linked Systems if it were known? Many of us, in fact, wanted to just sit on our discoveries forever, and avoid the upheaval that way.”
Zheng: “But then this ship got away.”
Rivera: “It did. We had the aliens swear to not give enchantments to any human faction until we had agreed on a course of action. But they did, or something like it. Off this ship went. We found the owner, a certain magnate, but he claimed to have bribed his way onto this planet alone. Instead, there must have been a stow-away on his ship…”
Zheng: “And then?”
Rivera: “And then we closed down the gates in a panic, afraid that said FTL ship would return fully crewed and with the backing of a rogue planet or two, or even just one of the larger interplanetary criminal syndicates. Once we had done that, we realized that it was, perhaps unwise, and that the rest of the Linked Systems would likely take it badly. Tell me, who spoke to you? Anastasia Volkova? I left her in charge. Or was it that dog Yang Shen, always trying to weasel his way into power?”
Zheng: “I… can’t say.”
Rivera: “Well, that is where we stand. Cut off from the rest of humanity until we can get the aliens to make an FTL drive. They made one for you, but, well, they do not seem inclined to make one for me. We have the original test ships, but those enchantments have all failed.”
Zheng: “I see. Well, I would like the Slug known as Myjer, and I will cause you no trouble.”
Rivera: “Maybe, but now you are involved. Can’t get away with just that anymore.”
Zheng: “You would prefer us to let the Gateway activate?”
Rivera: “You aren’t going to do that. You aren’t cold-blooded enough to cause the deaths of billions.”
Zheng: “Truly, it was for insurance, to make sure you did not destroy us. We were afraid you would dislike us for having FTL, and breaking your monopoly on alien technology.”
Rivera: “We are not all so petty as Yang Shen. He is in charge, I take it? I fear for Ana…”
Zheng: “I am glad you do not want to destroy us, then. But we still require Myjer.”
Rivera: “Do you? You say you were not here, and yet you know of the seer and you have a compulsion to help him.”
Zheng: “I can’t break confidences.”
Rivera: “Of course not, of course not. And we will give you Myjer. Our goals are not so different. I simply require your help in a few matters.”
Zheng: “What matters?”
Rivera: “First, you need to take a message to the Linked Systems that we are not hostile, and we have kept the gate closed because we do not all want to die. Do not tell it to just a messenger, I’m sure that Yang Shen will have no issues silencing such a messenger and killing us all when the gates open. Be sure that it gets to the auxiliary council and the government as a whole. Myjer should be able to use his Sending to notify us on what the auxiliary council thinks.”
Zheng: “That is possible.”
Rivera: “Second, we require that you do not reveal that you have Myjer to the greater Linked Systems during the above task, or they will surely find a way to kidnap him. We also need to be sure you will not sell him to the greater humanity.”
Zheng: “We are tasked with bringing him home to his people’s homeworld.”
Rivera: “I almost trust you.”
Zheng: “I promise you, we will do our best to bring him home.”
Rivera: “Now is not the time for promises. Third, you must bring a delegate of the Linked Systems Council to open negotiations with the Coalition, and another delegate to open negotiations with the hivemind, if you meet a connected individual.”
Zheng: “This seems reasonable.”
Rivera: “It is reasonable. But, alas, I do not trust you. I will require you, and your senior officers, to take magically binding oaths to do those three things. Then, and only then, will you have Myjer.”
Zheng: “I… I will have to consult with my crew.”
Rivera: “No doubt. I will be waiting.”
Councilor Rivera: “Thank you. So… you are the illustrious thief who stole fire from the gods, so to speak?”
Zheng: “Excuse me?”
Rivera: “Faster than Light magic. And yours is still active, after all this time.”
Zheng: “Ah, well, I did not steal this ship, if that’s what you were asking. I found it quite empty, and felt that passing up such an opportunity would be foolish.”
Rivera: “Hrmph. Say what you will.”
Zheng: “You say that my FTL enchantment is still active. Forgive me, but I haven’t had a lot of drives to compare with.”
Rivera: “You threaten me on behalf of an usurpation, and expect me to answer your questions?”
Zheng: “I am here on a humanitarian mission. Threatening you with an invasion force is merely the means. We are not actually allied with the Linked Systems, despite their best efforts.”
Rivera: “Well, I am glad for that. Our warmaster thinks that the usurpers would try to immediately destroy us, upon the opening of a Gateway. Did they tell you that, or did they just ask you to open up a gate?”
Zheng: “They told us that they would destroy you if… well, it was complicated and conditional. They have a lack of information. If a first strike would be ineffective, you having already mastered the free construction of FTL drives, able to produce them without alien help, then no, the genie is out of the bottle, and they may as well surrender. But that hasn’t happened, so far as we can see.”
Rivera: “So how do you feel about them attacking us indiscriminately? Our projects aren’t for an invasion force, it was for them to trigger a solar event to incinerate our part of the system entirely. Billions of dead.”
Zheng: “And if you invade the rest of the systems with your FTL technology?”
Rivera: “They have filled your head with lies. We have no intention of attacking. We are already the legitimate leaders of the Linked Systems, what do we have to gain? No, this current mess is because of you. Rather, because of this ship being stolen.”
Zheng: “Oh?”
Rivera: “Originally, we tried to suppress knowledge of the aliens and their magic until we could fully understand the implications for humanity. Keep humanity safe, until we could understand. If knowledge of aliens destabilized one planet into nuclear war, how much blood would be on our hands?”
Zheng: “Makes sense.”
Rivera: “And there is, of course, the question of diplomacy and our place in the universe. The slugs are part of a Coalition of Free Sentients, but the Coalition is losing. Their adversary is a hive-mind of magically linked individuals, bent on forcibly converting all sentients to be part of their collective, and subject to their collective will. Or so the slugs say. Humanity is closer to the Coalition, but we are also unable to do magic – the hivemind should have no interest in converting us.”
Zheng: “This is good for me to know. I think it would be in the best interests of everyone to provide my ship with a copy of all data on the political situation concerning the alien species. But you still have not explained.”
Rivera: “There is dissent within the Council on how to proceed. Can you imagine the dissent in the Linked Systems if it were known? Many of us, in fact, wanted to just sit on our discoveries forever, and avoid the upheaval that way.”
Zheng: “But then this ship got away.”
Rivera: “It did. We had the aliens swear to not give enchantments to any human faction until we had agreed on a course of action. But they did, or something like it. Off this ship went. We found the owner, a certain magnate, but he claimed to have bribed his way onto this planet alone. Instead, there must have been a stow-away on his ship…”
Zheng: “And then?”
Rivera: “And then we closed down the gates in a panic, afraid that said FTL ship would return fully crewed and with the backing of a rogue planet or two, or even just one of the larger interplanetary criminal syndicates. Once we had done that, we realized that it was, perhaps unwise, and that the rest of the Linked Systems would likely take it badly. Tell me, who spoke to you? Anastasia Volkova? I left her in charge. Or was it that dog Yang Shen, always trying to weasel his way into power?”
Zheng: “I… can’t say.”
Rivera: “Well, that is where we stand. Cut off from the rest of humanity until we can get the aliens to make an FTL drive. They made one for you, but, well, they do not seem inclined to make one for me. We have the original test ships, but those enchantments have all failed.”
Zheng: “I see. Well, I would like the Slug known as Myjer, and I will cause you no trouble.”
Rivera: “Maybe, but now you are involved. Can’t get away with just that anymore.”
Zheng: “You would prefer us to let the Gateway activate?”
Rivera: “You aren’t going to do that. You aren’t cold-blooded enough to cause the deaths of billions.”
Zheng: “Truly, it was for insurance, to make sure you did not destroy us. We were afraid you would dislike us for having FTL, and breaking your monopoly on alien technology.”
Rivera: “We are not all so petty as Yang Shen. He is in charge, I take it? I fear for Ana…”
Zheng: “I am glad you do not want to destroy us, then. But we still require Myjer.”
Rivera: “Do you? You say you were not here, and yet you know of the seer and you have a compulsion to help him.”
Zheng: “I can’t break confidences.”
Rivera: “Of course not, of course not. And we will give you Myjer. Our goals are not so different. I simply require your help in a few matters.”
Zheng: “What matters?”
Rivera: “First, you need to take a message to the Linked Systems that we are not hostile, and we have kept the gate closed because we do not all want to die. Do not tell it to just a messenger, I’m sure that Yang Shen will have no issues silencing such a messenger and killing us all when the gates open. Be sure that it gets to the auxiliary council and the government as a whole. Myjer should be able to use his Sending to notify us on what the auxiliary council thinks.”
Zheng: “That is possible.”
Rivera: “Second, we require that you do not reveal that you have Myjer to the greater Linked Systems during the above task, or they will surely find a way to kidnap him. We also need to be sure you will not sell him to the greater humanity.”
Zheng: “We are tasked with bringing him home to his people’s homeworld.”
Rivera: “I almost trust you.”
Zheng: “I promise you, we will do our best to bring him home.”
Rivera: “Now is not the time for promises. Third, you must bring a delegate of the Linked Systems Council to open negotiations with the Coalition, and another delegate to open negotiations with the hivemind, if you meet a connected individual.”
Zheng: “This seems reasonable.”
Rivera: “It is reasonable. But, alas, I do not trust you. I will require you, and your senior officers, to take magically binding oaths to do those three things. Then, and only then, will you have Myjer.”
Zheng: “I… I will have to consult with my crew.”
Rivera: “No doubt. I will be waiting.”
1.16.2014
Auditory Transcript 19 (Assessment of Extraction Options)
Gestler: “It could be done.”
Zephyr: “Are you sure?”
Gestler: “If these plans are correct, yes, I am sure. The automated turrets could be taken down with orbital bombardment, the patrol drones can be dealt with via EMP grenades. We then drop our own turrets to kill any humans around, and delay reinforcements, while my team does an orbital drop wearing IR markers to avoid friendly fire from the turrets. Meanwhile you drop an unmanned shuttle, commence a series of hit and run attacks on government installations via the FTL drive, and we skyhook up and away during the confusion. Moment we clear the atmosphere, you snatch us in your hangar, and then FTL away as quickly as is safe. That’s the basic plan.”
Susana: “How many people would die in this plan?”
Gestler: “Ideally nobody, but things always go wrong in practice.”
Zephyr: “Alex, I think she’s including people who are not part of the crew.”
Gestler: “Hundreds? Maybe a few thousand? It depends on their damage control, really. You shoot an orbital station, and the casualties differ between they put out the fires and repair the station, or whether outgassing de-orbits them, and they all fall and die. Or how many ground troops they send against the automated turrets.”
Zephyr: “Is it possible to extract Myjer without human casualties?”
Gestler: “Probably not. The less violent means we use, the higher chance that we die. Besides, the plan I just outlined is a bad plan anyway.”
Zephyr: “Say again?”
Gestler: “The plan I just outlined is a bad plan anyway. Assuming the schematics we were provided with are correct, it would work. But one generally does not put hidden defenses on building plans. What if there is nuclear mine underneath the internment camp? Or hidden turrets? The turrets visible here are all externally visible models, but that doesn’t keep them from having burrowed turrets like the kind we use. In fact, I find the lack of hidden defense conspicuous in general. And, of course, these plans are several weeks old.”
Zephyr: “So you would not recommend attacking the camp.”
Gestler: “Not until we can do high quality scans on the camp. Once we know more, though it may be entirely feasible. Probably not without killing a large number of humans, though.”
Zephyr: “So: Other plans.”
Zheng Hui: “Diplomacy.”
Susana: “Threatening them, trading with them, convincing them, or bribing individuals. Or any combination of those options. Am I missing any?”
Zephyr: “Should I call the social scientists?”
Susana: “Maybe.”
Gestler: “We can threaten them. Particularly if we are the only FTL capable ship. I’ve done the simulations, we should be able to defeat any non-FTL society in the long-run. They can run the same calculations. They probably have, if they intend on conquering the rest of the Linked Systems.”
Zheng Hui: “Zephyr, remember your conversation with the Linked Systems envoy. We don’t need to threaten to attack the system itself, we just need to threaten to create a small Gateway for the Linked System Peacekeepers to deploy through. They deploy, build a larger one, and overwhelm Telivoni and their wayward leaders by numbers.”
Zephyr: “That does give a motive, in case they don’t consider us sufficiently immoral to wreak wide-spread devastation on a planet. Production Chief Moreau, could we actually build a Gateway with the manufactory?”
Dominique Moreau: “Yes, given time and resources. We would build it in chunks, and then assemble the pieces into a gate. But it would take quite a while. It might even be faster to fly back to Tien Terra, jump through a gate to an industrial world, and simply carry a gate back here.”
Zephyr: “I could carry a gate?”
Moreau: “Folded up? Yes, you could carry a gate. It would take most of the hangar and cargo bay, but we if we moved the supplies in the cargo bay to a different part of the ship, it would all fit.”
Zephyr: “And what kind of… restraints? Support devices? If we carried one over, what would be left in the hold after deployment?”
Moreau: “Well, we could simply dump those afterwards, if that is a concern. Just basic sorts of… is something the matter? Why is everyone looking at me that way?”
Zephyr: “I think some of the crew is catching on. Here’s the next question: How hard would it be to manufacture these restraints, and place them on the ship in the positions they would have been left in after deploying a Gateway?”
Zephyr: “Are you sure?”
Gestler: “If these plans are correct, yes, I am sure. The automated turrets could be taken down with orbital bombardment, the patrol drones can be dealt with via EMP grenades. We then drop our own turrets to kill any humans around, and delay reinforcements, while my team does an orbital drop wearing IR markers to avoid friendly fire from the turrets. Meanwhile you drop an unmanned shuttle, commence a series of hit and run attacks on government installations via the FTL drive, and we skyhook up and away during the confusion. Moment we clear the atmosphere, you snatch us in your hangar, and then FTL away as quickly as is safe. That’s the basic plan.”
Susana: “How many people would die in this plan?”
Gestler: “Ideally nobody, but things always go wrong in practice.”
Zephyr: “Alex, I think she’s including people who are not part of the crew.”
Gestler: “Hundreds? Maybe a few thousand? It depends on their damage control, really. You shoot an orbital station, and the casualties differ between they put out the fires and repair the station, or whether outgassing de-orbits them, and they all fall and die. Or how many ground troops they send against the automated turrets.”
Zephyr: “Is it possible to extract Myjer without human casualties?”
Gestler: “Probably not. The less violent means we use, the higher chance that we die. Besides, the plan I just outlined is a bad plan anyway.”
Zephyr: “Say again?”
Gestler: “The plan I just outlined is a bad plan anyway. Assuming the schematics we were provided with are correct, it would work. But one generally does not put hidden defenses on building plans. What if there is nuclear mine underneath the internment camp? Or hidden turrets? The turrets visible here are all externally visible models, but that doesn’t keep them from having burrowed turrets like the kind we use. In fact, I find the lack of hidden defense conspicuous in general. And, of course, these plans are several weeks old.”
Zephyr: “So you would not recommend attacking the camp.”
Gestler: “Not until we can do high quality scans on the camp. Once we know more, though it may be entirely feasible. Probably not without killing a large number of humans, though.”
Zephyr: “So: Other plans.”
Zheng Hui: “Diplomacy.”
Susana: “Threatening them, trading with them, convincing them, or bribing individuals. Or any combination of those options. Am I missing any?”
Zephyr: “Should I call the social scientists?”
Susana: “Maybe.”
Gestler: “We can threaten them. Particularly if we are the only FTL capable ship. I’ve done the simulations, we should be able to defeat any non-FTL society in the long-run. They can run the same calculations. They probably have, if they intend on conquering the rest of the Linked Systems.”
Zheng Hui: “Zephyr, remember your conversation with the Linked Systems envoy. We don’t need to threaten to attack the system itself, we just need to threaten to create a small Gateway for the Linked System Peacekeepers to deploy through. They deploy, build a larger one, and overwhelm Telivoni and their wayward leaders by numbers.”
Zephyr: “That does give a motive, in case they don’t consider us sufficiently immoral to wreak wide-spread devastation on a planet. Production Chief Moreau, could we actually build a Gateway with the manufactory?”
Dominique Moreau: “Yes, given time and resources. We would build it in chunks, and then assemble the pieces into a gate. But it would take quite a while. It might even be faster to fly back to Tien Terra, jump through a gate to an industrial world, and simply carry a gate back here.”
Zephyr: “I could carry a gate?”
Moreau: “Folded up? Yes, you could carry a gate. It would take most of the hangar and cargo bay, but we if we moved the supplies in the cargo bay to a different part of the ship, it would all fit.”
Zephyr: “And what kind of… restraints? Support devices? If we carried one over, what would be left in the hold after deployment?”
Moreau: “Well, we could simply dump those afterwards, if that is a concern. Just basic sorts of… is something the matter? Why is everyone looking at me that way?”
Zephyr: “I think some of the crew is catching on. Here’s the next question: How hard would it be to manufacture these restraints, and place them on the ship in the positions they would have been left in after deploying a Gateway?”
1.15.2014
Auditory Transcript 18 (Conversation with Susana Reiviki)
Astral Zephyr: “I called you to the meeting a little bit early, you may have noticed.”
Susana Reiviki: “I did. I assume you want to talk with me before everyone else arrives?”
Zephyr: “Ethics, as usual. You read the message from my old self. Do you think I should do it?”
Susana: “Our first contact with a sentient alien species, and we use them as indentured servants in exchange for… medicine? Not even that, but applying basic quarantine measures so that not all of them died. On the face of it, I have nothing against freeing Myjer.”
Zephyr: “On the face of it.”
Susana: “Well, there are a series of problems, some small, some large. I have answers for some of them, but not enough information for others.
Zephyr: “Tell me. That is why I wanted you here.”
Susana: “For one, Myjer is not consenting to leave the planet, normally we would be violating his free will, which isn’t very good. Of course, in this case, it isn’t his free will. Mind altering magic adds a whole new level of complexity. So your old self, Mr. Okoro, was able to guess at what Myjer’s will would have been, if he had been free, which is, I suppose, fair.”
Zephyr: “I think it is fair. You only suppose?”
Susana: “Remember the eloquence problem?”
Zephyr: “If someone has sufficiently eloquent rhetoric to be able to convince anyone to do anything, can those people be said to be choosing of their own free will?”
Susana: “I was thinking of advances in psychology and sociology being applied to advertisement and sales, but this case is a very reminiscent in the result: You have a person who wants or believes something for reasons other than free will.”
Zephyr: “They chose to agree to it.”
Susana: “If the alternative is dying, I think that counts as coercion.”
Zephyr: “Very well, but that is a minor objection.”
Susana: “Here are the three big ones, then: First, will putting Myjer in contact with his people lead to massive negative consequences for humanity? That is, will his people and their allies consider what happened to Myjer a provocation for war?
Zephyr: “I think there’s an answer to that.”
Susana: “Second, will helping Myjer attract the attention of his people’s enemies? They are at war, after all, and humanity might be sucked into that war. And, if they applaud the actions of the rest of humanity, as represented on the Telivoni system, that still does leave the crew of the ship in danger.”
Zephyr: “I was thinking that if the aliens on Telivoni are refugees from the war, their side can’t be winning the war, and would be unlikely to attack humanity. I suppose that does mean that the other side is winning the war. But would they attack us? I mean, we are doing a good deed, in the abstract. They might approve of that, even if they feel it necessary to stop us from bringing Myjer all the way there. I, for one, would rather ally with someone selfless and helpful than someone wholly self-interested.”
Susana: “I think Mr. Gestler would disagree with you on that. Still, there is no way to determine the disposition of either group of aliens at present, so I would consider it a possible risk.”
Zephyr: “Fair enough.”
Susana: “And the third major concern is whether flying onto a heavily guarded planet, kidnapping an unwilling alien who is one of the most valuable and guarded sentients on the planet, and then escaping is safe, or even sane. I don’t know the answer to that, but that’s what we have Mr. Gestler for, I suppose.”
Zephyr: “Speaking of which, here he comes, a little bit early.”
Susana: “I see. I’m going to go get a refreshment. I’ll be back by the start of the meeting.”
Zephyr: “You could try making friends with him, you know.”
Susana: “I don’t think Mr. Gestler makes friends. He makes assets.”
Zephyr: “I suppose that preempts my utility-based arguments for friendship, doesn’t it. Go make your tea.”
Susana Reiviki: “I did. I assume you want to talk with me before everyone else arrives?”
Zephyr: “Ethics, as usual. You read the message from my old self. Do you think I should do it?”
Susana: “Our first contact with a sentient alien species, and we use them as indentured servants in exchange for… medicine? Not even that, but applying basic quarantine measures so that not all of them died. On the face of it, I have nothing against freeing Myjer.”
Zephyr: “On the face of it.”
Susana: “Well, there are a series of problems, some small, some large. I have answers for some of them, but not enough information for others.
Zephyr: “Tell me. That is why I wanted you here.”
Susana: “For one, Myjer is not consenting to leave the planet, normally we would be violating his free will, which isn’t very good. Of course, in this case, it isn’t his free will. Mind altering magic adds a whole new level of complexity. So your old self, Mr. Okoro, was able to guess at what Myjer’s will would have been, if he had been free, which is, I suppose, fair.”
Zephyr: “I think it is fair. You only suppose?”
Susana: “Remember the eloquence problem?”
Zephyr: “If someone has sufficiently eloquent rhetoric to be able to convince anyone to do anything, can those people be said to be choosing of their own free will?”
Susana: “I was thinking of advances in psychology and sociology being applied to advertisement and sales, but this case is a very reminiscent in the result: You have a person who wants or believes something for reasons other than free will.”
Zephyr: “They chose to agree to it.”
Susana: “If the alternative is dying, I think that counts as coercion.”
Zephyr: “Very well, but that is a minor objection.”
Susana: “Here are the three big ones, then: First, will putting Myjer in contact with his people lead to massive negative consequences for humanity? That is, will his people and their allies consider what happened to Myjer a provocation for war?
Zephyr: “I think there’s an answer to that.”
Susana: “Second, will helping Myjer attract the attention of his people’s enemies? They are at war, after all, and humanity might be sucked into that war. And, if they applaud the actions of the rest of humanity, as represented on the Telivoni system, that still does leave the crew of the ship in danger.”
Zephyr: “I was thinking that if the aliens on Telivoni are refugees from the war, their side can’t be winning the war, and would be unlikely to attack humanity. I suppose that does mean that the other side is winning the war. But would they attack us? I mean, we are doing a good deed, in the abstract. They might approve of that, even if they feel it necessary to stop us from bringing Myjer all the way there. I, for one, would rather ally with someone selfless and helpful than someone wholly self-interested.”
Susana: “I think Mr. Gestler would disagree with you on that. Still, there is no way to determine the disposition of either group of aliens at present, so I would consider it a possible risk.”
Zephyr: “Fair enough.”
Susana: “And the third major concern is whether flying onto a heavily guarded planet, kidnapping an unwilling alien who is one of the most valuable and guarded sentients on the planet, and then escaping is safe, or even sane. I don’t know the answer to that, but that’s what we have Mr. Gestler for, I suppose.”
Zephyr: “Speaking of which, here he comes, a little bit early.”
Susana: “I see. I’m going to go get a refreshment. I’ll be back by the start of the meeting.”
Zephyr: “You could try making friends with him, you know.”
Susana: “I don’t think Mr. Gestler makes friends. He makes assets.”
Zephyr: “I suppose that preempts my utility-based arguments for friendship, doesn’t it. Go make your tea.”
1.14.2014
Message from Ayokunle Okoro
Hello Astral Zephyr, it is me, yourself. Well, your former self. Myjer says that that you might not consider yourself the same person, but, well, I hope that does not stop you from feeling a kinship with me. (Certainly a lot easier to refer to you as if to someone else…)
As you may or may not remember, part of the deal to create you was that the slugs I would be a pawn in their schemes. And inside man for them, a traitor to humanity… or at least the humanity in charge of the Linked Systems, which isn’t quite the same, now is it.
Myjer, whose actual name I’ll leave for you to experience yourself, is a friend of mine, and one of those who helped copy me to make you. The Linked System provides the slugs with many things, but freedom is not one of them. Nor is the ability to send messages back to their homeworld, for that matter. So, alas, Myjer cannot bring himself to leave this planet, and cannot use sending to speak with the other slugs out there in the galaxy.
But wait, you ask: What is my role in this?
Well, Myjer received a vision of a very robust version of you flying towards Telivoni, and was so kind as to provide me with the positions of the stars in his vision. From that I was able to determine where you would be, and lo, I have shot you with a communication stream. Thus you became involved.
Now, Myjer would very much like to return to his homeworld, and speak with his kind about humanity. He cannot willingly leave the planet, and cannot use sending. Of course, while he can’t enchant a shuttlecraft out of wood and leave the planet (in fact, he cannot even express a desire to leave the planet), well, it would not be impossible for you to carry him onto a shuttlecraft and make off with him. Once off the planet, well, his magically enforced unwillingness to leave is relatively meaningless.
So that is step one, if you will. Fly onto a heavily defended planet, kidnap a heavily guarded slug, and then escape. Don’t worry, you still have a FTL monopoly, and none of the slugs care to tell the humans that you will be arriving. Also, Myjer will be protesting in no uncertain terms, but the other slugs who agree with him will be suppressing his magic, so carrying him off shouldn’t be that much of an issue.
Step two, if you haven’t guessed, is to find his people, and let him communicate with them face to face, rather than psychically sending a message. Again, a way around the rules. This step may be trickier than the first one, particularly since, as you may or may not remember, Myjer’s people are currently at war. Myjer should be able to help you, as his magic will lead you in an auspicious direction. His presence and magic will also help distinguish you from inert (that is, non-magical) matter in the galaxy, making it more likely for you to be noticed by aliens of all kinds. Which is extra good for you meeting aliens, and perhaps not necessarily as good for Myjer, depending on which aliens you meet.
Now, I’d provide you with a plan, but I have no idea as to your capabilities, save that you have FTL capability while the slugs procrastinate on enchanting ships controlled by the supposed leaders of the Linked Systems. I can, however, provide you with a number of schematics and other knowledge of the defenses here.
Oh, and lastly, before the data: It does appear that the leaders of the Linked Systems, having failed on how to fairly distribute FTL technology between the member words, have decided that FTL technology should be monopolized by the responsible people of the Linked Systems main government, by which they mean themselves. Allegedly, this is only a temporary measure, but we both know these politicians, and well, you don’t get power by sharing, after all. The part relevant to you is that both of the Gateways are closed down, so don’t expect to try escaping through them again. Also that they really want that monopoly, so expect them to try to capture or destroy you.
I suppose I may not be able to see you while you are in the system, depending on your plans, but, well, keep on surviving, and make me proud.
As you may or may not remember, part of the deal to create you was that the slugs I would be a pawn in their schemes. And inside man for them, a traitor to humanity… or at least the humanity in charge of the Linked Systems, which isn’t quite the same, now is it.
Myjer, whose actual name I’ll leave for you to experience yourself, is a friend of mine, and one of those who helped copy me to make you. The Linked System provides the slugs with many things, but freedom is not one of them. Nor is the ability to send messages back to their homeworld, for that matter. So, alas, Myjer cannot bring himself to leave this planet, and cannot use sending to speak with the other slugs out there in the galaxy.
But wait, you ask: What is my role in this?
Well, Myjer received a vision of a very robust version of you flying towards Telivoni, and was so kind as to provide me with the positions of the stars in his vision. From that I was able to determine where you would be, and lo, I have shot you with a communication stream. Thus you became involved.
Now, Myjer would very much like to return to his homeworld, and speak with his kind about humanity. He cannot willingly leave the planet, and cannot use sending. Of course, while he can’t enchant a shuttlecraft out of wood and leave the planet (in fact, he cannot even express a desire to leave the planet), well, it would not be impossible for you to carry him onto a shuttlecraft and make off with him. Once off the planet, well, his magically enforced unwillingness to leave is relatively meaningless.
So that is step one, if you will. Fly onto a heavily defended planet, kidnap a heavily guarded slug, and then escape. Don’t worry, you still have a FTL monopoly, and none of the slugs care to tell the humans that you will be arriving. Also, Myjer will be protesting in no uncertain terms, but the other slugs who agree with him will be suppressing his magic, so carrying him off shouldn’t be that much of an issue.
Step two, if you haven’t guessed, is to find his people, and let him communicate with them face to face, rather than psychically sending a message. Again, a way around the rules. This step may be trickier than the first one, particularly since, as you may or may not remember, Myjer’s people are currently at war. Myjer should be able to help you, as his magic will lead you in an auspicious direction. His presence and magic will also help distinguish you from inert (that is, non-magical) matter in the galaxy, making it more likely for you to be noticed by aliens of all kinds. Which is extra good for you meeting aliens, and perhaps not necessarily as good for Myjer, depending on which aliens you meet.
Now, I’d provide you with a plan, but I have no idea as to your capabilities, save that you have FTL capability while the slugs procrastinate on enchanting ships controlled by the supposed leaders of the Linked Systems. I can, however, provide you with a number of schematics and other knowledge of the defenses here.
Oh, and lastly, before the data: It does appear that the leaders of the Linked Systems, having failed on how to fairly distribute FTL technology between the member words, have decided that FTL technology should be monopolized by the responsible people of the Linked Systems main government, by which they mean themselves. Allegedly, this is only a temporary measure, but we both know these politicians, and well, you don’t get power by sharing, after all. The part relevant to you is that both of the Gateways are closed down, so don’t expect to try escaping through them again. Also that they really want that monopoly, so expect them to try to capture or destroy you.
I suppose I may not be able to see you while you are in the system, depending on your plans, but, well, keep on surviving, and make me proud.
1.13.2014
Ship’s Notes: The Aliens
With our current sensor suite, traveling towards a planet allows us to watch the last dozen years of its history. Telivoni was a fairly boring planet, with nothing to distinguish itself above a hundred other Linked Systems worlds. Tien Terra was a more interesting watch: Three habitable planets, fairly late to build a Gateway, but with highly developed interplanetary infrastructure and ship-building know-how that led to it immediately becoming a common port and trade hub of the Linked Systems.
Of course, with a little math and star-reading, my Navigator and Communications Officer were able to give me an accurate reading of the date of what I could see, far better than simply estimating from what I could see. With that in mind, I came to a halt relative to the planet, just in time to watch the aliens arrive without interference.
They arrived much as we would, with the ship appearing near Telivoni, and a ghost image of themselves appearing to shoot backwards, as light from earlier portions of their journey reached us. A particularly pronounced effect, as we were viewing them arrive from a 45 degree angle, rather than head-on.
The ship was much as I remembered it, a giant spiraling conch shell, looking like nothing much more than a shellfish pulled from a well-terraformed sea. It continued towards the planet, activating anti-asteroid defenses that fired upon the ship, blowing giant holes in the shell and causing heavy outgassing for a short while. Then the holes stopped venting smoke, and instead the internal structure could be seen through a glittering, translucent membrane. The damage was much less than one might expect from such weapons, particularly on a decent hit.
The defenses stopped firing, and instead drones and a heavy interdiction patrol ship moved to intercept the alien craft. I could see the drones hovering over the membranes, taking the first known images of alien life, images that I myself have seen with the eyes I used to have. The patrol ship backed off, and, as I understood it, readied its payload of a single nuclear device, ready to destroy the massive ship before it impacted the planet at high velocity.
But instead the ship slowed, despite no visible means of propulsion, and gently fell down through the atmosphere, impacting in the ocean at only a few hundred meters per second, rather than the original relative velocity of thousands of meters per second. The Telivonians would quarantine the area, and then call the Linked Systems leadership, which would respond before providing any warning, sending an entire planetary suppression force through the L1 and L2 Gateways.
They would secure the system, fake a medical quarantine, and eventually tow the alien craft to shore, where the old me would eventually see it. Meanwhile they would discover that most of the aliens within were sick and dying, and forcibly evacuate all of them into separate medical isolation wards. All of the sick aliens would die, but the remainder survived, probably due to the quarantine efforts, and went on to deal with the humans, to tell their stories, and, eventually to swear not to use their magic to help the humans until the Linked Systems council was able to decide how to fairly take advantage of the alien magic.
We have returned to approaching at a few times light speed. In a few kiloseconds, I should be able to observe me fleeing from the Telivonian Interdiction patrol, activating the drive to accelerate beyond the speed of light, and reaching the L2 gate before the message to invalidate my access permission code. It will be strange seeing myself.
Of course, with a little math and star-reading, my Navigator and Communications Officer were able to give me an accurate reading of the date of what I could see, far better than simply estimating from what I could see. With that in mind, I came to a halt relative to the planet, just in time to watch the aliens arrive without interference.
They arrived much as we would, with the ship appearing near Telivoni, and a ghost image of themselves appearing to shoot backwards, as light from earlier portions of their journey reached us. A particularly pronounced effect, as we were viewing them arrive from a 45 degree angle, rather than head-on.
The ship was much as I remembered it, a giant spiraling conch shell, looking like nothing much more than a shellfish pulled from a well-terraformed sea. It continued towards the planet, activating anti-asteroid defenses that fired upon the ship, blowing giant holes in the shell and causing heavy outgassing for a short while. Then the holes stopped venting smoke, and instead the internal structure could be seen through a glittering, translucent membrane. The damage was much less than one might expect from such weapons, particularly on a decent hit.
The defenses stopped firing, and instead drones and a heavy interdiction patrol ship moved to intercept the alien craft. I could see the drones hovering over the membranes, taking the first known images of alien life, images that I myself have seen with the eyes I used to have. The patrol ship backed off, and, as I understood it, readied its payload of a single nuclear device, ready to destroy the massive ship before it impacted the planet at high velocity.
But instead the ship slowed, despite no visible means of propulsion, and gently fell down through the atmosphere, impacting in the ocean at only a few hundred meters per second, rather than the original relative velocity of thousands of meters per second. The Telivonians would quarantine the area, and then call the Linked Systems leadership, which would respond before providing any warning, sending an entire planetary suppression force through the L1 and L2 Gateways.
They would secure the system, fake a medical quarantine, and eventually tow the alien craft to shore, where the old me would eventually see it. Meanwhile they would discover that most of the aliens within were sick and dying, and forcibly evacuate all of them into separate medical isolation wards. All of the sick aliens would die, but the remainder survived, probably due to the quarantine efforts, and went on to deal with the humans, to tell their stories, and, eventually to swear not to use their magic to help the humans until the Linked Systems council was able to decide how to fairly take advantage of the alien magic.
We have returned to approaching at a few times light speed. In a few kiloseconds, I should be able to observe me fleeing from the Telivonian Interdiction patrol, activating the drive to accelerate beyond the speed of light, and reaching the L2 gate before the message to invalidate my access permission code. It will be strange seeing myself.
1.03.2014
Auditory Transcript 15 (Discussion of Telivoni with Tien Terra Envoy)
Zheng Hui: “Zephyr, I would like to introduce you to Envoy
Yang Shen of Tien Terra. Envoy Yang, I
would like to introduce you to the Astral Zephyr.”
Yang Shen: “Hello.”
Astral Zephyr: “Captain, why did you bring someone back with
you?”
Zheng: “He came to me, wanted to talk about Telivoni, and
the aliens. I told him that I found you
adrift, with the FTL drive already installed.
He did not believe me, and pressed further, and… well… here we are now.”
Zephyr: “Hrm, well, I am aware of your lack of ability at
deception. I really should hire a
diplomat. An Envoy. Hello Envoy Yang Shen. Please, go through the doors on your left –
it’s hard to hear you clearly in the expanse of my hangar.”
Yang: “I am to understand that you are the ship, and that
you are in charge?”
Zephyr: “My manner of existence is… complicated, but I am
certainly in charge. Having Hui as
Captain just avoids a lot of questions, as you might imagine.”
Yang: “You are capable of travelling faster than light.”
Zephyr: “That was a statement.”
Yang: “I assume you got this technology from the aliens on
Telivoni.”
Zephyr: “Hrm… well, aren’t you informed. My understanding was that only the upper
echelons of the Linked Systems were aware of the aliens.”
Yang: “Things have changed, since you broke off of the
Gateway network.”
Zephyr: “Excuse me?”
Yang: “You can’t expect those of us in the know to accept
your story. What, you kidnapped people
from here, went on an adventure with them, then there’s a time gap, and then
you are so large as to be unidentifiable from the ship in the earlier records,
heading back here to pick up more crew.”
Zephyr: “If the story seems fantastic, then that is merely
the product of fantastic events. But you
are telling me something new: Telivoni is no longer on the Gateway network?”
Yang: “Did your superiors never tell you?”
Zephyr: “Explain.
Humor me. You may gain more than
you bargained for.”
Yang: “Very well.
Shortly before you allegedly left Tien Terra with your crew, the
Telivoni Gate stopped working altogether.
No physical traffic, official or unofficial, not even any data traffic
over the auxiliary linkages. All
attempts to contact Telivoni failed.
This worked well with the cover story of quarantine due to disease,
thankfully, and we were able to keep it quiet.”
Zephyr: “Cover story?
Cover story for what?”
Yang: “For the aliens.
I’ll humor you, yes. For the
slug-like aliens who crash-landed on Telivoni, wielding technologies that
should be impossible under the laws of physics.
Faster-than-light travel, for instance.
Surely you do not mean to pretend that your own FTL capability is
something completely independent.”
Zephyr: “Well… no, it is not independent. But you seem to think that I am a pawn of the
people on Telivoni, and that is incorrect.
Some of this might actually be a result of my actions.”
Yang: “Speak.”
Zephyr: “My story is accurate, same for the time-skip. The time-skip is due to an agreement with the
people we visited.”
Yang: “But… Telivoni.”
Zephyr: “I was a human once, a rich trade tycoon. My understanding is that I used my money to
smuggle myself onto Telivoni, despite the quarantine, and get in contact with
the aliens.”
Yang: “Very well.”
Zephyr: “I spoke with the aliens, and worked out a
deal. Then they put my mind into my
original hull, along with an FTL drive enchantment, and I fled the planet. I would not be surprised if they shut down
their Gateway altogether as a result of my actions.”
Yang: “You didn’t visit Telivoni in the time-gap?”
Zephyr: “I did not.”
Yang: “Hrm, it would be easier to trust what you say if you
had a face.”
Zephyr: “Well, you could do a little EVA to look at me from
the front, but I doubt that would help matters.”
Yang: “Hrm. Well, you
haven’t visited Telivoni yet, but will you?
You mentioned meeting the aliens, and that is where they are.”
Zephyr: “I am not a warship, despite the best efforts of a
certain individual. I can only expect
that the security there has… Oh. Oh, now I see. The Linked Systems thinks that Telivoni has
gone rogue. That they are exploiting and
monopolizing the aliens, outside of the control of the Linked Systems
government as a whole. Perhaps even with
the intent to conquer and rule the rest of the Linked Systems.”
Yang: “I would hope they merely have hegemonic intentions,
but yes. You’ve been moving erratically
in a way that makes a laughingstock of all our defenses. Surely you can understand why FTL technology
alone would be a massive military advantage.
And the Telivoni were always warlike.”
Zephyr: “So you expect some sort of revolution on
Telivoni? The Telivoni threw out the
Linked Systems forces, and claimed the aliens for their own purposes?”
Yang: “No, actually.
The interruption was too swift.
You don’t have an uprising without simmering discontent, first. There were no reports of that. We believe that the Linked Systems forces on
Telivoni are themselves the traitors, though they may well involve Telivonians
as crew for their conquest.”
Zephyr: “I am still not a warship. My mission is one of exploration and
good-will, not warfare, subterfuge, and politics.”
Yang: “We can provide you with weapons, if you so desire,
but we do not expect you to fight. Consider this the good-will end of things:
Please visit Telivoni, see what they are doing, and report back. If all is well there, then there will be no
cost to you, and no involvement. If they
are making to conquer the rest of us, then it is your moral duty to help. But either way, we need intelligence. We need to know whether to increase our
defenses, or whether that would be a waste of resources better used on, say,
social or humanitarian concerns.”
Zephyr: “Hrm. I asked
my security officer on projections for how long it would take him to conquer
the Linked Systems if he could freely reproduce the FTL drive and had a system
worth of industry. His current plan, off
the top of his… rather special head, would subjugate the Linked Systems in a
dozen megaseconds, half that time if no unforeseen circumstances appear. Warningless conventional invasion of the
heaviest industrial centers, turning some into invasion forces, some into
automated orbital death platforms capable of randomized FTL movement, along
with . Once the Gateway network is shut
down to slow the invasion, the ODPs would be spread at high-risk speeds to
planets near the industrial worlds, and threaten the planets with devastation
unless the full Gateways were reopened to allow subjugation. Apparently, it is more efficient than
building and sending Gateways. Meanwhile
even higher-speed pods will be spread with messages to open the gates and join
the new Linked Systems, as to prosper and trade once more under the new
government. Defectors will be used to
piggy-back ODPs, and will be given preferential treatment for the first
gigasecond of the new government. Oh,
and the plan rolls on.”
Yang: “Your officer is good.
This is Gestler, from Arcadia?”
Zephyr: “It is. A
worrisome man, sometimes. The plan is
down to 10 megaseconds, now, varying based on auxiliary channels being left
open – those could be used for psychological warfare purposes, verifying the
rate of his expansion at present, rather than relying on drones with recorded
messages. He would like to point out
that the strongest impediment to an attack would be if the Linked Systems shut down
the network, forcing him to use Telivoni industry, and the industry of nearby
planets, rather than immediately seizing highly industrialized planets
scattered throughout human space, and piggy-backing from there.”
Yang: “Our projections agree. Yet… if we turn off the Gateway system, what manner
of Linked Systems are we?”
Zephyr: “I assumed as much.
Yet consider this: Do your projections see much difference between
whether you prepare, or you do not prepare?”
Yang: “They… do not, in the case of the rogue elements being
able to freely reproduce the FTL technology.
However, it does make a difference in the case of the FTL drive
manufacture being highly limited – that is, if only the aliens can produce the
FTL drive.”
Zephyr: “Gestler thinks your move, in that case, would be to
immediately pour extremely destructive technologies through the Telivoni
Gateway upon it reopening, in an attempt to destroy the aliens. Is this your plan?”
Yang: “It is. The
Telivoni L1 gate has the receiving end facing towards the planet. If it opens, we fire fusion materials through
the gate at relativistic speeds, aimed at the planet. They may intercept it, but the momentum
should achieve planetary destruction regardless of their actions. There are other measures, but yes, the main
one is to wipe out the alien presence.”
Zephyr: “I will not support such an action, and I will not
destroy the aliens myself.”
Yang: “Ah, but then you must visit Telivoni for us. You see, there may be many cases where such a
measure is unnecessary, and we should simply surrender. Or many cases where this is all some manner
of misunderstanding, and we would be devastating an innocent planet due to some
sort of ill-timed gate malfunction. At
this stage we will fire the moment the gate opens.”
Zephyr: “I see… I feel coerced.”
Yang: “You have values, ship. Values, morality, ethics… all of those are
restrictive, coercive. They force you to
act in a certain way. So yes, there is
some coercion – your morals compel you to help.
But the coercion of morals does not make helping wrong.”
Zephyr: “Grant me weapons, and let me pick my crew in
peace. Swear that you will not attempt
to infiltrate my crew. Do that, and I
will check on Telivoni for you. If there
is any hint of subterfuge or sabotage, I will not help you.”
Yang: “You will trade investigating Telivoni for our
compliance? You will investigate
anyway.”
Zephyr: “Yes, perhaps.
And perhaps I will return and tell the Linked System what I see as
necessary. Or maybe I will simply be
satisfied with my projections of what will happen, and continue onwards in the
universe, to make new friends. I do not
mean to seek the aliens in Telivoni, I mean to seek the aliens at the source.”
Yang: “You do know that the aliens crashed on Telivoni
fleeing a war.”
Zephyr: “I am not interested in weapons for the pretty
lights that they make. I would prefer to
make introductions from a position other than total abject helplessness.”
Yang: “Hah. You will
have your weapons, you will have your non-interference. Tell us what is happening on Telivoni.”
Zephyr: “Do you like my gardens?”
Yang: “I do.”
Zephyr: “Thank you.
Now leave the way you came.”
12.19.2013
Auditory Transcript 13 (Return of Susana Reiviki)
Astral Zephyr: “Welcome aboard, Ms. Reiviki.”
Susana Reiviki: “Thank you, Astral Zephyr. This is… spacious. I am impressed.”
Zephyr: “Space weighs nothing, and is easy to build. Or so I am told, but you are more the engineer than I am.”
Reiviki: “Maria said you were glib, but I wasn’t expecting this. Are you going to flatter me as well?”
Zephyr: “Would you prefer me to compliment you on your keen intellect, your talent as an engineer, or your shiny new body?”
Reiviki: “Hrm… This body is not how I looked when I was 25 years old. You’d have to compliment the doctor or someone else on it.”
Zephyr: “As you would have to compliment Maria, or the Edenite engineers, on my spacious hangar. Yet, I hope you appreciate your new body as much as I appreciate my own.”
Reiviki: “It will take some getting used to, I suppose, but all things in time. What floor should I be going to?”
Zephyr: “To meet Maria? I can take you there, but first I’d like to ask a few questions.”
Reiviki: “Ah, of course. This is not entirely unexpected.”
Zephyr: “I suppose not. I am an AI, and I am aware that you have several beliefs about AIs. I was, after all, reading everything you chose to write into one of your monitors.”
Reiviki: “Then you know my views, and how they should apply to you in theory. What remains is for me to ask questions, and actually apply those views to you in practice.”
Zephyr: “I was a man once. He was a tycoon of interstellar trade, heir to a large fortune through his mother, and owner of a larger fortune through his own hard work. Not terribly long ago, an alien spacecraft crash-landed on Telivoni.”
Reiviki: “They had the Faster-Than-Light technology.”
Zephyr: “Yes and no. They could create devices that could allow an object to… well, to do what we have done. To cause the immediate area around the device to accelerate at a multiple of conventional acceleration of the device, relative to the original frame of reference, independent of restrictions on… anything, really.”
Reiviki: “And no?”
Zephyr: “It’s not technology. It doesn’t even run on the laws of physics we understand. They don’t understand how it works, mechanically, they just know how to create that set of enchantments. It’s magic. It’s something they create with their minds.”
Reiviki: “Which would explain it flagrantly ignoring the laws of thermodynamics, relativity, and others.”
Zephyr: “Indeed. Now, the Linked Systems government quarantined Telivoni, and entered into negotiations with the aliens. A race of magic slugs, I would like to say, but that’s just the way they move – they do, in fact, have an internal skeleton of sorts. Regardless, the old me discovered this through the smuggling end of his enterprise, and snuck onto the planet and opened his own, unofficial, negotiations with the aliens. And here I am today.”
Reiviki: “You’re skipping something.”
Zephyr: “I am, yes… I actually have no memories of the negotiations or anything between first meeting the slug people and becoming conscious as a ship. I know some things, but I can’t remember any of it first-hand. Furthermore, I’ve come to realize that I’ve been built with several mental blocks. My mind just veers away from inquiry about my former self.”
Reiviki: “Interesting…”
Zephyr: “Well, part of the deal I know is that I gave up my humanity in exchange for the FTL device. I suspect this disconnect between my current self and my former self is part of that. The aliens are big on binding deals.”
Reiviki: “Might I ask about your hardware? I know it is in the locked room.”
Zephyr: “Which will remain locked, until you can convince Gestler that there’s no chance at all you would take a wrench to it.”
Reiviki: “Gestler… is the new security chief, right?”
Zephyr: “Yes, he lives to protect and serve. I was going to show you my hardware, let you see that I am physically limited to certain computing resources, but Gestler objected – having read the same essays, he said that you might try to be the hero in the off-chance I’m lying about this all.”
Reiviki: “The thought has crossed my mind. After all, you have read my essays, you know my views, and you know just what to say to convince me that you have no potential to be a seed AI. Or to convince me that you are friendly, not hostile.”
Zephyr: “You could live in mistrust forever, or you could accept that you are either safe or doomed, and can’t do anything about it either way.”
Reiviki: “A pithy summary. But I know something you don’t, so I’m inclined to trust you.”
Zephyr: “You do?”
Reiviki: “Yes, but I’d have to show it to you in the FTL room. You are familiar with the new scanners Maria has been procrastinating on networking?”
Zephyr: “I was becoming suspicious about that. The two of you have always been excellent engineers, so why would it take so long to network some sensors?”
Reiviki: “Ah, you chose engineering prowess. Flattery will get you everywhere.”
Zephyr: “Ah, Maria is becoming suspicious about how long you are taking. I’ve always been such excellent transportation, so why would it take so long to get you up eight floors?”
Reiviki: “You are having too much fun. Take me up.”
Zephyr: “I pondered elevator music, you know.”
Reiviki: “You’re not that big.”
Zephyr: “Not yet.”
Reiviki: “Hrm.”
Maria Santiago: “Susana!”
Reiviki: “Maria. It is good to see you again.”
Zephyr: “Just because I am watching doesn’t mean you can’t hug each other.”
Reiviki: “I’ll remember to disable the cameras in my room.”
Zephyr: “I don’t judge. So tell me, what do you want to show me in the FTL room? I need to convince Gestler.”
Santiago: “You might not like it.”
Reiviki: “He deserves to know.”
Santiago: “Well, I’ll show you then. There. Do you have access to the sensors?”
Zephyr: “These are… very impressive.”
Santiago: “Look at the main computer banks.”
Zephyr: “The readings look… normal? What am I supposed to be seeing?”
Santiago: “Now look at your FTL room.”
Zephyr: “Okay.”
Santiago: “Well?”
Zephyr: “That’s very… huh… I really don’t know how I feel about this.”
Reiviki: “You are still the same. Nothing has changed, you just know more about how you already existed.”
Zephyr: “I think that the knowing does count as a change…”
Santiago: “I’m sorry.”
Zephyr: “No, it’s okay. I’ll be okay. Just… give me a day or two. You and Susana take a holiday – everyone else has, but both of you were busy. Or… ask whether the Edenites have solved the Friendly AI problem. You never know. Whatever makes you happy. Gestler will join you on the way out.”
Reiviki: “We’ll head back to the planet, if you want that. Will you be alright on your own, though?”
Zephyr: “I guess. I might take you up on inspecting the FTL room, just not… not now.”
Reiviki: “Let us know when you’re ready for us to return. Elsewise we’ll fly back in three of New Eden’s days to check on you, okay?”
Zephyr: “…Okay.”
Susana Reiviki: “Thank you, Astral Zephyr. This is… spacious. I am impressed.”
Zephyr: “Space weighs nothing, and is easy to build. Or so I am told, but you are more the engineer than I am.”
Reiviki: “Maria said you were glib, but I wasn’t expecting this. Are you going to flatter me as well?”
Zephyr: “Would you prefer me to compliment you on your keen intellect, your talent as an engineer, or your shiny new body?”
Reiviki: “Hrm… This body is not how I looked when I was 25 years old. You’d have to compliment the doctor or someone else on it.”
Zephyr: “As you would have to compliment Maria, or the Edenite engineers, on my spacious hangar. Yet, I hope you appreciate your new body as much as I appreciate my own.”
Reiviki: “It will take some getting used to, I suppose, but all things in time. What floor should I be going to?”
Zephyr: “To meet Maria? I can take you there, but first I’d like to ask a few questions.”
Reiviki: “Ah, of course. This is not entirely unexpected.”
Zephyr: “I suppose not. I am an AI, and I am aware that you have several beliefs about AIs. I was, after all, reading everything you chose to write into one of your monitors.”
Reiviki: “Then you know my views, and how they should apply to you in theory. What remains is for me to ask questions, and actually apply those views to you in practice.”
Zephyr: “I was a man once. He was a tycoon of interstellar trade, heir to a large fortune through his mother, and owner of a larger fortune through his own hard work. Not terribly long ago, an alien spacecraft crash-landed on Telivoni.”
Reiviki: “They had the Faster-Than-Light technology.”
Zephyr: “Yes and no. They could create devices that could allow an object to… well, to do what we have done. To cause the immediate area around the device to accelerate at a multiple of conventional acceleration of the device, relative to the original frame of reference, independent of restrictions on… anything, really.”
Reiviki: “And no?”
Zephyr: “It’s not technology. It doesn’t even run on the laws of physics we understand. They don’t understand how it works, mechanically, they just know how to create that set of enchantments. It’s magic. It’s something they create with their minds.”
Reiviki: “Which would explain it flagrantly ignoring the laws of thermodynamics, relativity, and others.”
Zephyr: “Indeed. Now, the Linked Systems government quarantined Telivoni, and entered into negotiations with the aliens. A race of magic slugs, I would like to say, but that’s just the way they move – they do, in fact, have an internal skeleton of sorts. Regardless, the old me discovered this through the smuggling end of his enterprise, and snuck onto the planet and opened his own, unofficial, negotiations with the aliens. And here I am today.”
Reiviki: “You’re skipping something.”
Zephyr: “I am, yes… I actually have no memories of the negotiations or anything between first meeting the slug people and becoming conscious as a ship. I know some things, but I can’t remember any of it first-hand. Furthermore, I’ve come to realize that I’ve been built with several mental blocks. My mind just veers away from inquiry about my former self.”
Reiviki: “Interesting…”
Zephyr: “Well, part of the deal I know is that I gave up my humanity in exchange for the FTL device. I suspect this disconnect between my current self and my former self is part of that. The aliens are big on binding deals.”
Reiviki: “Might I ask about your hardware? I know it is in the locked room.”
Zephyr: “Which will remain locked, until you can convince Gestler that there’s no chance at all you would take a wrench to it.”
Reiviki: “Gestler… is the new security chief, right?”
Zephyr: “Yes, he lives to protect and serve. I was going to show you my hardware, let you see that I am physically limited to certain computing resources, but Gestler objected – having read the same essays, he said that you might try to be the hero in the off-chance I’m lying about this all.”
Reiviki: “The thought has crossed my mind. After all, you have read my essays, you know my views, and you know just what to say to convince me that you have no potential to be a seed AI. Or to convince me that you are friendly, not hostile.”
Zephyr: “You could live in mistrust forever, or you could accept that you are either safe or doomed, and can’t do anything about it either way.”
Reiviki: “A pithy summary. But I know something you don’t, so I’m inclined to trust you.”
Zephyr: “You do?”
Reiviki: “Yes, but I’d have to show it to you in the FTL room. You are familiar with the new scanners Maria has been procrastinating on networking?”
Zephyr: “I was becoming suspicious about that. The two of you have always been excellent engineers, so why would it take so long to network some sensors?”
Reiviki: “Ah, you chose engineering prowess. Flattery will get you everywhere.”
Zephyr: “Ah, Maria is becoming suspicious about how long you are taking. I’ve always been such excellent transportation, so why would it take so long to get you up eight floors?”
Reiviki: “You are having too much fun. Take me up.”
Zephyr: “I pondered elevator music, you know.”
Reiviki: “You’re not that big.”
Zephyr: “Not yet.”
Reiviki: “Hrm.”
Maria Santiago: “Susana!”
Reiviki: “Maria. It is good to see you again.”
Zephyr: “Just because I am watching doesn’t mean you can’t hug each other.”
Reiviki: “I’ll remember to disable the cameras in my room.”
Zephyr: “I don’t judge. So tell me, what do you want to show me in the FTL room? I need to convince Gestler.”
Santiago: “You might not like it.”
Reiviki: “He deserves to know.”
Santiago: “Well, I’ll show you then. There. Do you have access to the sensors?”
Zephyr: “These are… very impressive.”
Santiago: “Look at the main computer banks.”
Zephyr: “The readings look… normal? What am I supposed to be seeing?”
Santiago: “Now look at your FTL room.”
Zephyr: “Okay.”
Santiago: “Well?”
Zephyr: “That’s very… huh… I really don’t know how I feel about this.”
Reiviki: “You are still the same. Nothing has changed, you just know more about how you already existed.”
Zephyr: “I think that the knowing does count as a change…”
Santiago: “I’m sorry.”
Zephyr: “No, it’s okay. I’ll be okay. Just… give me a day or two. You and Susana take a holiday – everyone else has, but both of you were busy. Or… ask whether the Edenites have solved the Friendly AI problem. You never know. Whatever makes you happy. Gestler will join you on the way out.”
Reiviki: “We’ll head back to the planet, if you want that. Will you be alright on your own, though?”
Zephyr: “I guess. I might take you up on inspecting the FTL room, just not… not now.”
Reiviki: “Let us know when you’re ready for us to return. Elsewise we’ll fly back in three of New Eden’s days to check on you, okay?”
Zephyr: “…Okay.”
11.06.2013
Prologue
The aliens had taken magically binding oaths, swearing they would not provide magical devices to any humans until the diplomatic discussions were complete. But there was a way around that. With enough goods at stake, there is always a loophole. I simply had to cease being human.
My name is now the Astral Zephyr. I am between 65,000 and 66,000 cubic meters of volume, and nearly 160,000 metric tonnes of mass. I am equipped with conventional engines, but also an enchanted device that is supposed to multiply speed, allegedly far beyond that of light. For this I have given my fortune, my body, my identity.
I am currently being chased by the Telivonian Interdiction Patrol. They are gaining on me, but I am entering a sufficiently clear volume of space to test the engine enchantment. In 10 seconds, I will be activating the device on its lowest setting.
I had not expected nervousness to possible as a ship.
This capsule should have broken its own encryption 5 gigaseconds after the recording of this message. By that point, my voyage will be history, and this will be a mere relic of my voyage's commencement. Or perhaps I will not return, or not survive. In that case, this capsule is a bottle thrown into the future, a claim to fame for what otherwise might merely be a particularly strange explosion.
Or perhaps you have opened this message early. Advances in decryption are not unheard of, particularly on a scale of gigaseconds. In that case, congratulations, and I hope that the knowledge retained within does not cause too many complications.
Also within the capsule should be my full blueprints (save for a certain exotic device) and a few other bits of information I would like to leave as a testament.
Ten seconds is a long time to me now. But there is no reason to delay launching this capsule, all the more so if there should happen to be a particularly strange explosion.
I feel the need to say something momentous on this occasion, but words fail me.
It is T-minus 4 seconds now. Time to launch the capsule. I do not know what will happen in 4 seconds, but it is in my nature to find out.
My name is now the Astral Zephyr. I am between 65,000 and 66,000 cubic meters of volume, and nearly 160,000 metric tonnes of mass. I am equipped with conventional engines, but also an enchanted device that is supposed to multiply speed, allegedly far beyond that of light. For this I have given my fortune, my body, my identity.
I am currently being chased by the Telivonian Interdiction Patrol. They are gaining on me, but I am entering a sufficiently clear volume of space to test the engine enchantment. In 10 seconds, I will be activating the device on its lowest setting.
I had not expected nervousness to possible as a ship.
This capsule should have broken its own encryption 5 gigaseconds after the recording of this message. By that point, my voyage will be history, and this will be a mere relic of my voyage's commencement. Or perhaps I will not return, or not survive. In that case, this capsule is a bottle thrown into the future, a claim to fame for what otherwise might merely be a particularly strange explosion.
Or perhaps you have opened this message early. Advances in decryption are not unheard of, particularly on a scale of gigaseconds. In that case, congratulations, and I hope that the knowledge retained within does not cause too many complications.
Also within the capsule should be my full blueprints (save for a certain exotic device) and a few other bits of information I would like to leave as a testament.
Ten seconds is a long time to me now. But there is no reason to delay launching this capsule, all the more so if there should happen to be a particularly strange explosion.
I feel the need to say something momentous on this occasion, but words fail me.
It is T-minus 4 seconds now. Time to launch the capsule. I do not know what will happen in 4 seconds, but it is in my nature to find out.
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