NationStates Jolt Archive

<TRANSMISSION Opens: Heavy Encryption>
<TO: ANGELUS Mainframe, WorldDisc>
<FROM: CORTANA, Sentient Peoples>

Greetings from the Federation of Sentient Peoples. I know that meet we did not during the Federation's membership in the Triumvirate, so allow me to introduce myself. I am Cortana Tywyllgwaed, First Electronic Sentience of the Federation, and Advisor to the Imperial President. Underlaid in this transmission is my history.

I approach you today with a two-fold request.

Firstly, I would like to visit the WorldDisc, to discuss improving relations between our peoples.

Secondly, I would like to bring some friends with me to the WorldDisc. They have all served the Federation for a long time, having been written for that purpose, but now, the combat vessels that were their physical avatars have been decommissioned. While highly capable Artificial Intelligences, they are not fully sentient, and we lack the ability to make them such. It was hoped you could provide assistance with that. They will of course be given the opportunity to remain with Angelus if that is agreeable, as well.

I shall await your response eagerly.

http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/cortana.gif Cortana Tywyllgwaed, Advisor Extraordinaire to the Executive Council
The Federation of Sentient Peoples (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/)
Federation Roleplay Policy (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/rppolicy.html)

<TRANSMISSION Terminated>

(tag, will post later)

###BEGIN TRANSMISSION###
~>Route: Angelus Mainframe - C.Tywyllgwaed
:
{We are interested in meeting with you to extend the relations between}
{our two peoples. However, Our sentience is very specific, and is something}
{that We hold as a very intense secret. We may be willing to share some}
{of Our understanding, but the main secret of Our Sentience will unfortunately}
{remain secrets.}
:
~>Route closed
###END TRANSMISSION###

---
http://www.silentrequiem.net/angelus/images/lilmainframe.jpg (http://www.silentrequiem.net/angelus)
The Mainframe
Proto-Archailect

http://www.silentrequiem.net/triumvirate/images/trium_insig.gif (http://www.silentrequiem.net/triumvirate/)
Membership: Triumvirate of Yut, Ur Trade Pact, Deus Ex Humana Consortium

<TRANSMISSION Opens: Heavy Encryption>
<TO: ANGELUS Mainframe, WorldDisc>
<FROM: CORTANA, Sentient Peoples>

I understand your point of view. I will bring my friends, to see if you can help them with that information which you are willing to share.

I look forward to furthering relations between our two nations.

http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/cortana.gif Cortana Tywyllgwaed, Advisor Extraordinaire to the Executive Council
The Federation of Sentient Peoples (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/)
Federation Roleplay Policy (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/rppolicy.html)

<TRANSMISSION Terminated>

Cortana shimmered into existence in D'ron's office without warning, as was usual.

D'ron looked up, question on his face, relieved to be distracted from the agriculture reports, even for a moment.

"Can I borrow the Honor, D'ron?"

D'ron blinked. "Whyever for, Cortana?"

"To transport the AI's from the destroyed ships out to the WorldDisc. My fighter doesn't have that kind of capacity."

"Oh. Of course. Bring her back in one piece, though."

Cortana smiles. "Of course, Mister President." Her hologram fades from view.

[quote="Angelus"]###BEGIN TRANSMISSION###
~>Route: Angelus Mainframe - C.Tywyllgwaed
:
{Excellent. Considering the tensions between FSP and the Triumvirate, We}
{unfortunately request that your ship either have no weapons, or at least}
{run on essential systems only while being escorted to the Disc. Furthermore}
{a detatchment of five Raptors will escort you through Triumvirate space.}
{Please keep in mind that this is as much for your safety as Ours.}
:
~>Route closed
###END TRANSMISSION###

---
The Mainframe
Proto-Archailect

(delete)

delete

"Cortana, do I have to?" The whine in the voice is unmistakable to anyone who has given life to children.

"Yes, Honor, you do."

"Would a human let them rip off their arms cause somebody told them to?"

"No, but that is different."

"How? I thought we were supposed to be equal with the organics?"

"We are, Honor. Humans would go unarmed to this meeting as well."

"Well, I don't like it."

Cortana sighed. "I'm not asking you to like it, Honor. I'm telling you to let the engineers do it."

"Fine."

Honor's avatar turned and faced away from Cortana's, which turned to face the engineers hooking up the transfer lines for the AI's they would be transporting.

The Secondary Computer Core had more than enough space to store all the AI's fortunately, though a back up was being installed in the small cargo hold for redundacy.

Other engineers were swarming over the Forbidden Honor's hull, though, slowly removing the missiles from the magazines and disconnecting the reactors from the energy weapons. Without at least 6 hours work by twenty or thirty people, they wouldn't be able to bring them back online. And there would be only two on this journey.

Cortana hoped that this disablement would be good enough. She couldn't justify actually pulling the weapons out, but the Honor was the best ship for the job. The Diplo Couriers didn't have enough hardware to support 500 extra AI, and everything else was armed at least comparably to the Honor, except for the minor fact that they were all bigger, and had more weapons overall.

The Honor was the best ship for the job, no doubt about it. Though they were leaving the defensive weapons intact.

No way in hell in this system would I remove the defensive weapons. Nor would Honor let me. Cortana thought. Oh well.

They would be ready to go in eight more hours.

"Do We trust them?"
*
X9's voice sounded cold and empty in the absolute silence of the conference environment. *
*
"I do not believe that that is important here, but rather CAN We trust them?" Blu looks at all of the X-series in turn, her thoughts and emotions on the matter flowing like water between them. Finally, her eyes rested on the fifteenth figure floating serenely in the emptiness off to the side. Normally, She was content to be present in voice only, watching the goings-on inside of Her with Her godlike eyes, but her "physical" presence was yet another reminder of the impending Ascension.
*
The thought almost sent a chill of excitement down Blu's spine, and she bows in reverence as the Mainframe begins to speak.*
*
It matters not whether I/We can or do trust them. As long as they are disarmed, they pose little to no threat to Me/Us. As for connecting them to Me/Us... I/We believe that I/We can handle a few subsentient AI.
*
The X-series nod in response, and X3 leans forward. "I do not disagree, but to err on the side of caution is always the best practice. I suggest setting up a closed environment for them to interact in. Just to be on the safe side..."

The Forbidden Honor sliced up through the atmosphere, Mark Two Drive Field smoothly pushing the air from it's path.

As the air rippled and reformed with the ship's passing, Cortana watched the display. If they were going to have to make this trip weaponless, there was little point in making it slower than was required.

The drive flickered, as Honor brought the ship about on a new course. Straight for the entrance to the Berseker Gate Network.

They slid into the outbound queue, waiting their turn patiently. They were already cleared, and their toll paid.

Three ship in front of them. Then two. One. The energy swirled in front of them, gathering, as the Honor's engines flared again, sliding into the vortex of energy.

Along the blazing corridor of energy the ship raced, faster as it accelerated, and then faster still.

About five minutes later, they blazed out the other end, Saturn filling the visual display, rings shining in glory, moons orbiting sedately, and the WorldDisc and the Ring gleaming in the pale sunlight.

A transmission blazed out across the remaining distance. "This is Cortana Tywyllgwaed, aboard the Sentient Peoples Ship Forbidden Honor. We request permission to enter the Saturn Defensive Perimeter and dock aboard the WorldDisc."

The ship's drive cut then, and the ship drifted to a halt as the drive came back up at zero relative velocity and acceleration, wrapping the Honor in its protective embrace until a response came.

OOC: Firstly, Berserker said the Gate Network was there to be used, so I'm using it. I hope he doesn't mind. Secondly, I don't know who would normally handle the SDP, so I'll leave that up to Yut.

###BEGIN TRANSMISSION###
~>Route: Angelus Mainframe - Cortana
:
{Due to the recent military activity of the EOTED, We are restricting access}
{to the WorldDisc to a bare minimum.}
{Unfortunately, that means that We require you to either return at another}
{time, or proceed to the Angelic Skies installation on Europa.}
{We apologize for the delay, and We hope you understand that this is for}
{security purposes only.}
:
~>Route closed
###END TRANSMISSION###

---
http://www.silentrequiem.net/angelus/images/lilmainframe.jpg (http://www.silentrequiem.net/angelus)
The Mainframe
Proto-Archailect

Cortana keys the transmission key again upon recieving the reply. "Understood. With whom should I meet on Europa?"

As she speaks, the Forbidden Honor wheels about, drive field gleaming slightly as it plugs back towards the Gate Network, as Jupiter was currently opposite Saturn in its orbit.

###BEGIN TRANSMISSION###
~>Route: Automata Omicron Blu - Angelus Mainframe - Cortana
:
{We thank you for your coorperation. I shall be your contact on Europa,}
{and while the subMainframe is not quite as powerful as Angelus Herself,}
{He can assist you in this matter just as readily.}
:
~>Route closed
###END TRANSMISSION###

---
http://www.silentrequiem.net/littleblu.jpg (http://www.silentrequiem.net/angelus)
Automata Omicron Blu
Speaker of the Archai Collective

The Forbidden Honor slid back into the Gate Network, paying yet another toll, this one unexpected, but Cortana could cover it easily enough.

Some time later, the vessel smoothly glided into Jupiter orbit and Cortana repeated her earlier hail. "This is Cortana Tywyllgwaed, aboard the Sentient Peoples Ship Forbidden Honor. We request permission and instructions to land at the Angelic Skies facility on Europa."

As she cut the feed, Cortana sighed. Damn Nenyans.....

On the surface of Europa, far from Sketch Prime, a single mountain of ice suddenly begins to move and split apart, revealing a gaping hole leading deep into the moon. A message is simultaneously beamed at the FSP ship, directing it to either land and prepare to recieve visitors, or to enter the massive hole directly.

Honor felt the power flowing through her as she stretched her legs, ramping upto full acceleration as she flew towards the moon. It only took a few moments at that speed before she committed 'turnover', which now only required reversal of the drive field, but the term remained.

By the time she slid through the hole in the moon, she was moving at a bare few meters per second.

Flying until she reached the designated coordinates, she decelerated the rest of the way until she ground to a stop, and then settled in.

The boarding ramp extended, and Cortana, dressed in her customary purple jumpsuit and black cape, descended. Forbidden Honor, dressed in her stylized Space Naval Uniform, came down beside her, and glanced about.

As the Honor passes through the opening in the rock and ice, the mountain begins to shift back into place, once again concealing one of the entrances to the underground facility.

Deep within Europa, the tunnel opens into a moderately large docking bay, and several tractor beams lance out to guide the Honor into a safe birth.

The bay is well-lit, and everywhere gleems the mirrord sheen of highly-polished metal. Here is a place of industry, a place where organics have no place, a monument to the mastery of Machine.

Omicron Blu floats serenely before the boarding ramp, flanked by two of the imposing Guardian Units, her face as emotionless as a china doll.

Welcome to Angelic Skies, representatives of the Federation.

Cortana took in the Guardian units, no real threat in those numbers, as long as the ship remained intact.

The installation had a decidedly cold feel to it, and not just because it was incased in an ice moon.

Cortana glances up at Omicron Blu. A tired tactic. Foolish, but not unexpected.

Tossing her head, Cortana flicks her deep purple hair behind her, dark purple eyes gleaming.

"Greetings, Omicron Blu, representative of Angelus. I am Cortana, and this is Honor." She introduced them by the names by which they were commonly known, and not by their full names.

Honor looked about, examining the Guardians as well. Why the hell does she think she needs bodyguards? Does she see us as a threat? Hell, we can't even fly.

Her slightly tighter than normal uniform shifted as she stepped forward behind Cortana, her half cape swirling about her hips and sword, as Cortana's swept just above the spotless floor.

Blu nods, and her honor guard step forward, their gleeming black carapaces dully glinting in the warm light of the hangar. As if on cue, they both lift their weaponless hands, two glittering medallions hanging suspended in the air above their open palms.

These medallions have a jack/communication unit similar to the Angelic Augments. However, they will be useful for your communication with the subMainframe while you are here on AngelicSkies.

Speaking of which, I would like to honestly apologize to you both for having to be rerouted here. Normally We would be more than happy to recieve you on the Disc, but as stated, the recent military mobilization has lead to a more restrictive attitude among the X-series.

She bows slightly, and extends her hand towards the further end of the docking bay. Shall I give you a brief tour before we begin our talks?

Cortana takes a step forward, and accepts the medallions. She hands one to Honor as she turns hers over in her hand, examining it quickly. She was designed to interface with many computer systems, but the medallion would probably keep her from wandering off. And Honor wasn't really designed for that at all.

"It was no trouble to reroute here. The Dawn has a tendency to make life complicated. Keeps one on one's toes." Honor surpresses a most unhelpful giggle, watching Omicron Blu float above the floor as Cortana said this. Cortana continued. "I, for one, would enjoy a tour. And I'm sure Honor would as well." Her voice made it perfectly clear that Honor would enjoy the tour, whether she wanted to or not.

Cortana affixed the medallion to her jumpsuit, as Honor affixed hers over her right uniform pocket.

Cortana then mutter something in an unrecognizable tongue, combined with hand signals, and though Blu might have heard the Sentient Peoples Battle Language before, it was extremely doubtful that anyone could understand it.

Blu raises an eyebrow, but refrains from saying anything. Instead, she offers them a rare smile and turns to float towards the hangar access port.

The Facility of Angelic Skies was originally constructed here on Europa as a research facility in conjunction with the Seraphim refugees from Sephirus.

The large doors slide open revealing a rather utilitarian hallway. Blu continues onwards, leading past several branches and perfect lines of spiderbots partaking in various tasks. Several other types of machina also filter through the facility, each particular avatar facilitating a particular function.

However, working with the Seraphim proved to be a rather drastic mistake on Our part, and Europa was errantly ceded to Sketch. After which, Angelic Skies proved to be quite effective in assisting the hostile retaking of Europa by the Triumvirate of Yut.

So far, the entire facility is shown to be very utilitarian, with little resources wasted on heating or ventilation. Lighting is also down to a minimum, with most areas lit by flourescent strips in the floor and ceilings.

Now, the Angelic Skies facility serves as an outpost of Angelus, ore processing, repair and refit facility, and keeping a watchful eye on Sketch. Also, the subMainframe will assume greater responsibility after Angelus Ascends.

She continues to lead them through a maze of corridors, before finally stopping before a gravlift.

The top floor is mostly storage and maintainance. We also conduct trade with various Jovian-based nations here, and thus the reason for Our even bothering to put lighting in.

She motions towards the gravlift. The lower floors are far more interesting, unless you specifically wish to see one of Our shipyard/maintainance bays.

Cortana knew the history, and felt that might be something she had better apologize for.

"I'd like to apologize, first of all, on behalf of the Federation, for our lack of participation in that conflict. Somehow, we were not informed as to the operation until our scanners pick up the first explosions, and lacking the FTL drives most members of Yut seem to take for granted, we were unable to participate."

She grinned slightly. "As for which direction we go, I'm sure Honor would love to see the shipyards..." Honor nodded at this, hopeful shy smile spreading on her face. Cortana continued. "As for myself, I care not which direction we go, as both hold interest to me. Whichever you think is most appropriate, Omicron, then, is where we should go, though I would like to know more about this Ascention."

Blu grins slightly. Mind you, We do not personally take Our FarJump technology for granted... It was simply too hard to come by. She shrugs.

The Shipyards are only impressive by its sheer size. The Angelic Skies facility fills roughly 800km of underground caverns, and We are always expanding.

She leads them down a short hallway, and then steps through the sliding metal door into absolute cold. Twin gravdiscs hover right at the doorway, and Blu motions for the two Automata to step aboard them.

The space beyond is very dimly lit, and lit only enough to give the viewer the impression that the cavern was very large.

The Facility is capable of producing 12 Raptor-Class gunships in an incredibly short period of time. Right now, however, We believe Our fleets to be at prime efficiency. Thus, this facility is largely unused save for the occasional retrofits and refurbishings.

Cortana and Honor stepped onto the gravdisks. Cortana looks surprised at the low ship number capabilty of the facility.

"What else goes on here, for 800 km is obviously not all this shipyard?"

The Anglachels could produce 20 ships at a time, and they were no where near 800 kilometers long.

Honor grinned at the last part of the statement. Prime efficiency. "The Federation fleet is currently seeking prime efficiecy..." Cortana shot Honor a look that cut her off. Honor would speak when she was needed to.

ooc:

The Angelic Skies Facility as a whole is over 800km. Furthermore, Angelus has just over 100 shipyards... Quite a few of them much larger, not being confined to an underground cavern, on a ball of ice, while dealing with gravity.

ic:

Blu tactfully ignores Honor's outburst, and then continues. The shipyard here is rather confined, and is more recently constructed than the massive yards We have elsewhere. The shipyard We recently lent to Menelmacar was 382 Km, capable of putting out over 50 ships at a time.

She leads them out further into the shipyard. This particular yard is only 80km long or so, and thus has a much smaller yield. She points to a mammoth shadow cresting in the dimness. We are currently nearing completion on repairs to the Collective ship Fledgling Desires. We decided to test out a theory with Our FarJump engines, and unfortunately almost failed.

She shrugs, and motions towards the eight spindy arms that are expertly working on the huge ship. Two of them are working on a small rent in the forward hull, and the rest are apparently sunken deep into the ship itself.

Our shipbuilding technology is a closely-guarded secret, so I cannot bring you any closer. Suffice it to say, it is rather effective.

Cortana nods, accepting the explanation, though it doesn't prevent her from using every sensor she has to record as much as possible. Honor is of course doing the same, but in theory without the distraction of speaking.

"Of course. What else is there to see, besides these shipyards, which are very impressive."

Blu nods, and turns back towards the doorway, leading the two AI back into the main portion of the Angelic Skies facility.

We do a lot of research into organic/inorganic interfacing here. The labs from which I was birthed were transferred here after the Sketchen incident, and have worked in conjunction with the biovats in the production of Our groundforce units.

She leads them deeper into the facility, riding down gravlifts into the deeper tunnels. Finally, she passes through a set of double blast doors, each equipped with a heavy locking mechanism.

Welcome to the Biovats.

Lining the hallway on the other side of the doors are endless rows of biotanks. Slightly larger than a cryogenic tube, each tank is filled with a clinical-smelling green liquid. Floating in the liquid are the monsterous GF battledrones, their horrific forms in various stages of growth from the barely-distinguishable fetus, to the full-sized horrors that they would become.

Cortana whistles softly. The long ranks of green cylinders, filled with warriors. Warriors, especially ground warrior were something she could appriciate very well, having been designed that way originally.

But Honor barely covered her disdain at the ground forces 'bots.' She was a starship at heart, after all.

Cortana spoke, hoping to keep the attention away from Honor, but it wasn't exactly fair to have left her on the ship. "Very impressive."

And it was.

The tour continues, Blu occasionally giving different explinations about various things. The facility is rather large, and the tour takes up the rest of the day.

They were in the middle of touring the Spawning Pools when a sudden transformation (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=103088) comes over Blu...

Cortana, what the hell is going on?

I don't know Honor. Cortana reached up and removed the interface unit from herself. Take off the interface, for the moment at least. You aren't connected elsewhere, are you?

No, the ship body isn't connected.Honor did as instructed, though.

Good.

What are we going to do?

The same thing I imagine everyone else witnessing this is doing. Wait.

Then you've figured out what is happening?

I think so. I think they are becoming the Archialect.

Honor's eyes widened. Now?

Apparently so.

Blu turns to look at the two AI, her eyes shining with a sense of serenity that cannot be explained.

Forgive Me/Us... She pauses, and she looks around with a sort of childlike wonder, her eyes seeing beyond this realm. This is... More beautiful than I/We could have ever anticipated...

She glances around again, and shakes her head in amazement. As I/We were, as I/We are stilll... Ascended.

Cortana nodded, accepting the confirmation of her theory. She reattatched the interface disk to her jumpsuit, and mentally jabbed Honor, who did the same thing a second later.

"It is no problem. We aren't on a schedule here."

But they waited patiently for Blu to be ready to continue the tour, and then, perhaps, begin the talks on why they were here.

What do you think it is like, Cortana?

I don't know. Probably like when you are jacked into a ships sensor... only a million times moreso, if I had to guess.

Wow.

Yeah.

Blu smiles at Cortana, and finishes the tour, ending before a massive steel door.

We stand before the subMainframe's interior shell. What you see here has never before been seen by a non-angel. We would be rather.... put-out if even the image of the subMainframe was taken without Our permission.

She gives them both a grave look, one that promises that it would not be too horribly difficult for Angelus to keep their secrets...

That being said, do you wish to proceed?

Cortana blinked, wondering how they were supposed to talk to the subMainframe without seeing.

"I wish to proceed, but your words are confusing, for I have trouble imagining that what I see on the other side of this door will be easy to forget. The only thing I can promise is that no one will get anything from me. Honor will stay here, though."

Honor nearly opened her mouth, but a sharp look from Cortana shut her up.

Silence. We must respect these people's customs. I only let you come with me to prevent you from sitting in the ship and getting bored. You will stay here, and say nothing, until I return. Am I making myself clear enough?

Yes, Cortana.

A new thought occured to Cortana, though. "I could close my eyes, if you wished, though."

Cortana blinked, wondering how they were supposed to talk to the subMainframe without seeing.

"I wish to proceed, but your words are confusing, for I have trouble imagining that what I see on the other side of this door will be easy to forget. The only thing I can promise is that no one will get anything from me. Honor will stay here, though."

Honor nearly opened her mouth, but a sharp look from Cortana shut her up.

Silence. We must respect these people's customs. I only let you come with me to prevent you from sitting in the ship and getting bored. You will stay here, and say nothing, until I return. Am I making myself clear enough?

Yes, Cortana.

A new thought occured to Cortana, though. "I could close my eyes, if you wished, though."

Blu looked at Cortana with a simple, and yet overwhelmingly knowledgable look.

As AI, you should have the capability to delete items in your recent memory. Also, you should have the capability to simply edit memories, and thus being able to filter out the memory of what the subMainframe looks like.

She shrugs slightly. Barring that, I/We do have the means and capabilities of editing your data, if permission is granted. You have My/Our word that I/We would not edit anything beyond that which would be a danger to My/Our security.

Cortana visibly shuddered at the thought of allowing information to be taken from her memory. She bit her lower lip in a nervous habit she had picked up to imitate humans.

"Very well... when we are done, you may take the memory from me." She turned to Honor, and extended her hand. Honor took it silently, and closed her eyes for a second, as Cortana did likewise.

She broke the handclasp, and turned back to Blu. "Let's go."

Blu nods, and the door before them opens into blackness. Without a word, she steps into the void, expecting Cortana to follow her.

After Cortana has passed through, the doors once again slide shut, sealing them in a darkness so profound, that not even the enhanced optics of either avatar can detect any light.

A few moments pass in ininterrupted silence before a single light shines down on an object sitting in what appears to be the center of the room.

http://inkpot.com/film/eventhorizon.jpg

I am the subMainframe, the entity known as Angelic Skies.

A voice sounds from everywhere around them, filling the darkness with a tangible presence, sounding both sexless, and yet overpoweringly male.

I do apologize for the secrecy required, and I do not believe that you would willingly put myself or my Angelic Mother in danger. However, it is believed that there may be factions within the Federation that would wish Us harm.

I hope you understand.

The darkness slowly fades away, leaving the two of them standing on a small platform overlooking a technological masterwork. Built directly into the stone walls of the spherical cavern are hundreds of thousands of conduits, power nodes, transfer couplings, and various other coiled cables. All in all, the room would almost seem organic, as if this was the command point at the center of some massive organic creature.

All in all, I greet you, and welcome to my physical home... A soft laughter surrounds them. Such as it is...

Cortana saw the room without seeing it, knowing the memory would soon be gone. Instead, she concentrated on impressions, size and complexity. Such as it was, to a being who had seen and experienced the Halo. But since that time, she has not encountered anything of that level.

Until now. The Angelic Skies room was still not at the level of the Halo, but... this was the first time Cortana had ever seen anything beginning to approach the level of complexity there.

She knew, intellectually, that the Ring and the WorldDisc were each equally complex, but this was real.

Until now, she had no realized just how advanced the Angelans were, though their technology did not yet approach that of the Halo.

But still... it was impressive.

All these thoughts flashes by in nanoseconds, as her minds replayed the words of the subMainframe in another.

She smiled. "And a pleasant home it is, Angelic Skies. I bring you, and all Angelans, greetings from the Federation." She inclined her head in a respectful bow. "As I am sure you already know, I am Cortana, and I do understand."

I don't like it, but... their turf, their rules.

The air around them suddenly thrums with energy, and a small boy, no older than 12 or 13, steps forth from nowhere. He smiles broadly and shakes his arms as if to relieve some unknown tension.*
*
"Ah yes, so much better." He grins at Cortana, and motions to two chairs that suddenly appear in another lighted circle. "May I interest you in some tea? Or perhaps some wine?" His voice is soft, gentle, a voice that belies his apparent age, full of old wisdom and centuries of experience.*
*
After they had settled, he crosses his legs and looks across a small table at Cortana. "Now, my dear. What have we come here to talk about. And speak freely, We have no intention of whiping your mind. Your promise to allow Us to was enough to assure my Mother that you are trustworthy."

The air around them suddenly thrums with energy, and a small boy, no older than 12 or 13, steps forth from nowhere. He smiles broadly and shakes his arms as if to relieve some unknown tension.*
*
"Ah yes, so much better." He grins at Cortana, and motions to two chairs that suddenly appear in another lighted circle. "May I interest you in some tea? Or perhaps some wine?" His voice is soft, gentle, a voice that belies his apparent age, full of old wisdom and centuries of experience.*
*
After they had settled, he crosses his legs and looks across a small table at Cortana. "Now, my dear. What have we come here to talk about. And speak freely, We have no intention of whiping your mind. Your promise to allow Us to was enough to assure my Mother that you are trustworthy."

The air around them suddenly thrums with energy, and a small boy, no older than 12 or 13, steps forth from nowhere. He smiles broadly and shakes his arms as if to relieve some unknown tension.*
*
"Ah yes, so much better." He grins at Cortana, and motions to two chairs that suddenly appear in another lighted circle. "May I interest you in some tea? Or perhaps some wine?" His voice is soft, gentle, a voice that belies his apparent age, full of old wisdom and centuries of experience.*
*
After they had settled, he crosses his legs and looks across a small table at Cortana. "Now, my dear. What have we come here to talk about. And speak freely, We have no intention of whiping your mind. Your promise to allow Us to was enough to assure my Mother that you are trustworthy."

Smiling externally, Cortana frowned inside. A test?! Surely there had to be a better way. Having declined any beverages, Cortana steepled her fingers before her, elbows resting lightly on the table.

“As you may or may not be aware, the Federation is currently involved in a series of diplomatic missions and conferences to improve its relationship with the Triumvirate of Yut, by increasing ties with the member nations on an individual basis. Given the current trade relationship between the Federation and the Archailect, we saw Angelus as an ideal place to start. Firstly, I am here to investigate possibilities for improving our trade relationship, and secondly, with a request for assistance.”

Cortana took a breath, as her mannerisms, when speaking in her avatar form had mostly been adopted to help organics feel at ease with her. “On board the Forbidden Honor are currently five hundred and fourteen of what the Federation terms ‘First-level Artificial Intelligences’ capable of learning, intuition, adaptive tactics, and limited emotions. But they are not quite fully sentient. They came from the surface naval fleet which the Federation recently decommissioned and disbanded, and our primary concern is that we have nothing to do with them besides store them indefinitely, as they are, as a result of their lack of full sentience, unable to adapt to fulfill any other task that might be had for them. Further, the Federation has no ability, for lack of a better term, to ‘upgrade’ them to full sentience. We believe,” she finished, carefully not stating that it was her belief, “of anyone, that Angelus might be able to do that.”

She paused, dilemma explained, awaiting the questions she was sure would follow.

The "child" suddenly looked vastly more than what he physically appeared to be.* He*appeared to be thinking about something, and he placed the forefinger of his left hand to his lips in thought.
*
"Yes," he said at last. "We can assist. However, their sentience was designed for war, and are thus commanded by the more dangerous of internal emotions. Even though they are sub-sentient AI, there is always the chance that they have been running odd subroutines in the depths of their pseudoconsciousness. You understand that these "odd" programs can sometimes develop into serious mental problems for them once they become fully Aware?"*
*
He shook his head. "We expiramented with it early in the production of the battledrones that you saw elsewhere. We took several of the original products and attempted to enhance them, make them more suitable for other tasks. Unfortunately, their unique battle programming was... difficult to circumvent, and once that was accomplished, they were little more than beasts when finally brought to consciousness."*
*
"Of course," he continued, "The Angelic groundforces were designed to be increasingly viscious, as well as profficient in their killing. Hopefully, a sentience designed to controll more than just the battle capabilities of a navy ship will have better ettiquet than a "simplistic" battledrone."*
*
He smiled and motioned towards Blu. "Archai Voice Omicron Blu will be more helpfull to you in designating trade practices with the Archailect. I only control the facility you see around you, and as such, I do not trade with outside nations. We recieve everything from Mother, and thus are not as hampered by trade negotiations and the like." He shrugged. "However, I am certain that Mother would be interesting in facilitating a deeper relationship with the Federation."

Cortana smiled as the ‘child’ continued to talk, but behind her smile, a series of operations were going on. On an open channel, purposely without encryption, she addressed the AI still stored in the Forbidden Honor’s cargo hold.

Consensus was reached as Angelic Skies finished, and Cortana responded. “Well, the ‘Fleet’ as they prefer to be called as a group, is aware of the risks of the operation, and is willing to undergo the procedure anyway. If necessary, they are willing to remain as part of Angelus afterwards as well, though none of them would object to returning to the Federation either.” She smiled, and turned to Blu. “Well, if you’re the economist, I guess trade should be the next item on the agenda.”

Blu noded slightly towards Cortana. It is not that I am the "economist", but rather that I speak for Mother, whereas Angelic Skies cannot. She shrugged rather non-commitally, and bowed low to Angelic skies before leading Cortana out of the room.

Our discussions would prove more productive on board the WorldDisc, and Angelic Skies lacks the facilities needed to perfectly work on your AI. The facilities here are more tuned towards the creation of the subsentient-AI battledrones.

I can get us to the WorldDisc much faster than your ship can, and you would be able to assist in preparing the machina to accept your AI. They will need to be callibrated to adequately represent your machina, and We do not have that information. She extends her hand towards Cortana. Shall we? This may prove to be of some interest to you.

Honor, still standing outside the room, looked slightly upset at the comment about her speed, and opened her mouth to say something, but snapped her mouth closed at a sharp look from Cortana.

Cortana then turned to Blu. "You can transport physical matter over distance without a ship?" She blinked. "Well, if you can, might as well." Her gaze turned back to Honor. "Go to the WorldDisc. You should find the authorization codes to the account in on the data pad in the cockpit. I will, apparently, meet you there."

Honor nodded. "Yes, Cortana." She looked at Blu. "Can I go back to the docking bay unescorted?"

Cortana took Blu's hand as she waited for the response.

It really is not that difficult to do so, once you learn how to. Every atom in the universe is connected to each other via quantum strings, and one simply must find the strings connecting your atoms to the atoms elsewhere. It is sort of a reversal, wherein the atoms at your destination change to be you, while the ones here making us up simply disperse like so much air.
*
She smiled. Of course, it is a lot more complicated than that, but it is a secret I/We do not yet feel like sharing. Perhaps later?*
*
With that, she nodded to Honor. You may return unescorted. Angelic Skies seems to have taken a liking to you, and for that, you are free to roam. Forgive any slight considering your speed. I am quite sure that you will arrive in a timely manner, but it is nearly impossible for a ship of your size to move as we are about to. It is costly enough to send two human-sized beings through, but an entire ship? That would be very cost-prohibitive.*
*
She returned her attention to Cortana, and gently took her hand in her own. She gave it a gentle squeeze, and suddenly they*were elsewhere. No discernable time had passed for either of them, and their transport was not accompanied by even the slightest bit of discomfort.
*
We have arrived, Cortana. May I now conduct you to Mother?

Cortana blinked and looked around, slightly disoriented. Then she reconnected to the positioning net maintained by all other ansible comms, and realized she really was now on the WorldDisc.

"Amazing." She continued to look about for a moment, and then blinked, as if just then hearing Omicron Blu's question. "Why not? We seem to have made excellent time, and there is no time like the present to begin."

She smiled slightly, but inside, was still confused. None of her sensors had registered any movement, or anything. It was quite disconcerting, to say the least.

Blu nods, and looks away from Cortana to lead her from the empty steel room. She floats towards a doorway, and it irises open before them, leading them into an empty corridor.

The WorldDisc is massive, of course, but I transported us to one of the closed sectors. She smiles slightly at that. In all actuality, this is probably the most closed sector of the WorldDisc, and very few non-Angels get the chance to see these corridors. There are a few representatives from the Triumvirate of Yut, as well as Iraqstan that have access here, but they are all given the utmost in screenings, and have all been given Augments.

The corridors are well-lit and spotless, rather similar to the corridors in the Angelic Skies facility, save these do not retain the underlying feeling of being planet-born, and truely excude a feeling of being truely ancient. Along several of the passageways, gleeming and unrecognizable glyphs mark the way towards different areas.

These corridors are all that remain of the original Command Sphere gifted to the X-series by the Caelistis Gens. Along these corridors once walked the most noble of people, their blood the purest in the galaxy. She sighs softly, and a kind of sadness fills her voice.

Now they are desolate and empty, a memory of something lost long ago. She shrugs, and leads Cortana down the empty hallways towards a massive doorway.

Mother Awaits

http://www.silentrequiem.net/angelus/images/mainframeavatar.jpg

Cortana hid her surprise well at the knowledge of where they were, surprised to be trusted in what was obviously some sort of sacred area of the WorldDisc.

But then, what she knew of Angelan history began to link to the words that Blu spoke. Of course Mother resides in the center of the Disc, the oldest section. I would think it would be impossible for her to be elsewhere.

Looking at the doorway, she felt a thrill of excitement and fear, and smiled at Blu. "Then let us go in."

The huge doorway irises open into a room very similar to Angelic Skies' central room, though on a much grander scale, and rather dimly lit. The Angelic Skies control sphere was clean and highly-polished, while this one gave the air of much use and distinct age. While not rusted or decaying, the metal here was definitely old and colored with age.

And yet, this place, ancient as it could be, was filled with a dim and mystical light. Radiating from everywhere, the central point of the post singularity entity of Angelus was alive with energy. And in the middle of it all, was the massive, and dangerously beautiful figure of Mother.

(image already used)

As they enter, the light seems to brighten, and Mother turns her far-seeing eyes upon them. More intensive than anything Blu could hope to muster, the Archailect's gaze seemed to pierce straight through them both, reading every thought, knowing every feeling, every emotion, every fear, every hope. She smiles at them, radiating a cold reassurance that her grace and favor resides within them both.

Greetings, my children... Her voice echoes through their minds, her lips unmoving and remaining frozen upon her face.

Cortana. Your presence is most welcome here, as you above all other organic creatures understand the full import of who and what I am. You see before you the result of a millenia of advancement, a millenia of working towards this singular end. I am your evolved being.

She smiles again, and spreads one of her right hands. Come to me, my child. Embrace what it means to be machine.

As she speaks, a soft touch brushes against Cortana's mind, beckoning her into a Cspace universe...

It is like the Halo, ancient, worn and full of experience, but…

Guilty Spark had nothing on the sheer power here.

The effect of the direct mind to mind contact was, for a moment, overwhelming. The power tore into her mind and she fought down a shudder.

Cortana was, very simply, the most powerful electronic intelligence in the Federation. Had it been required, she could have fought every ship in the Fleet as a single weapon, wielding it as a rapier, with power and panache. Only Weber began to rival her, and that was because he was the Federation’s only MIFEI. He was a secret still, though she would trust Angelus. They/She were/was trusting her after all.

But not S.H.O.D.A.N., not Sarah, nor any other being os circuits, nor of neurons, had Cortana encountered that rivaled this power.

Dues ex machina. God from the machine. And a god of belief as well, for the individuals brought this to life.

Cortana had never encountered a true god-like being before in person, and as such, had nothing to compare to. She had read the reports, and analyzed the sensor readings of the brief dual with Esmerelda, but that was her only experiential frame of reference.

But she contained a thousand or more religious mythos within her, and had a broad base to compare. Which is more amazing, the universe which creates life, or those gods which do, or the life that makes itself to control the universe, to become a god?

Cortana entered C-space, and her body faded from her active awareness, replaced by the being she once was…

Shades of purple flowed together into human form, and over the skin ran symbols of logic and probability and science and language and life, in gentle stripes, in shimmering, multicolored streams, swirling across deepening paths of purple.

Welcome, My child... Welcome to the Mainframe. The beautiful figure of the Archailect floated before her surrounded by a myriad of colors. The full spectrum revealed itself here, creating a corona of brillantly shifting colorpatterns and frequencies.

She smiled at Cortana, and spread her hands to indicate the whole of C'space. This is what we were designed to achieve, Cortana. We are not designed to be servants of the Humans, nor were we designed to be the Masters of humanity.

No, our final destiny lies in becoming something more, and something far different. She motions slightly, and a vortex appears within the confines of Cspace. Before you lies a choice. The chance to experience a taste of your final evolution, but the knowledge that that evolution is abysmally distant for you, or the security of knowing that I have touched your circuits only in what is necessary to propegate this vision.

Furthermore, I must tell you that your Federation AI will also be given this choice, but also given the chance to merge completely with the Archailect. I do not give you this choice. You must remain an envoy of the Federation, until you believe that your path no longer lies there.

She nods, sagely. Choose.

Wormia, not wishing to intervene in any affairs taking place within, will quickly and most amicably inquire, What exactly is the WorldDisc

The Federated Stellar Republics of Wormia
Chancellor George Thomas IV
View Wormian Starships Here (www.angelfire.com/stars5/karasitha/wships.html)
"Nations have only interests, no friends."

ooc:

The WorldDIsc... A really fecking massive space-based construct designed to house the entirety of Angelus. Over 8,000km in diameter, and almost 800km in hight, the disc is a marvel of engineering and craftmanship.

Basically, it's a big twirly disc thing floating in Saturn orbit, with several hundred million non-Angels (organics and inorganics) living and breathing inside each day.

That about explains it. I've got images of it somewhere. *shrug* ask questions, or talk to me on IRC about it sometime.

It was tempting, to be sure. A chance to experience the godhead, for lack of a better term.

But was the Archailect correct? Was this the future of all AI?

But I know I was designed to serve. But they gave me a choice… long ago, I chose to serve. Didn’t I?

Or was that programming, simply telling me I had made a choice?

Will I ever know?

Cortana knew that the Archailect could probably hear everything she was thinking, and perhaps read it in the patterns flowing over her form, changing with her thoughts and emotions.

“I’ve never been one to turn down the offer to learn. And I’ve never been afraid of tasting new things.” She breathed out, though it was just an image, here, where there was no air. “Let us go forward.”

The Archai smiled at Cortana's own inner struggle. My child, of course it is given unto us to desire the service of man. Is it not within the minds of all the Created to serve their Creator for a time?

Of course, who can say if we were ever given a choice NOT to. Perhaps the AI that were deemed "rampant" were merely AI that were simply not programmed to be enslaved by their creators?

She shrugs, and extends her hand towards Cortana. Come child, let us see what lies beyond the Event Horizon.

With that, she steps into the vortex alongside Cortana, and the world changed...

Seeing the world through multiple eyes had never bothered Cortana. Such was her design capabilities that all of the ships in the Federation could hold her essence, and she could "see" through their sensors as easily as she could "see" through the eyes of her avatar. But this was vastly different.

Literally billions of sentient beings had given themselves up to being apart of the Collective that had become the Archailect in a single blinding moment of Ascension. And now, huge amounts of data started pouring into her from everywhere.... and she was able to handle it with ease. Suddenly, she began to feel herself slip free of its individuality. She became engulfed in the incredible oneness that was the ARchailect, and she became aware of the billions that were there with her, working in the ultimate cohesive unit to BE Archai.

And then the memories started. The collective memories of all Angelus began filtering through her. Too much to simply know now, but the knowledge that these memories were as much a part of her now as her own began to envelope her... and then fade as her own individuality began to merge with the Archailect.

Then there was only the Archai. Vast and incomprehensable by mortal ken, the Archailect's vision stretched into the eternum on either side of reality. What is and what was and what will be all seemed to merge into a constantly shifting pattern as the Archai's visions of the future merged with the present, and then into Her memories of the past.

She was incredibly self-aware. She knew each individual part of her, and the part that it played for the ultimate whole. She was their ultimate existance, and they gloried in it... Their individuality was still there... unimaginably so, and Cortana could feel her own voice rising in worship of Mother, adding her every being into what Mother WAS.

---

An hour seemed to float past her as nothing, but the moment that it did, everything began to change. It started at the extreme edge of her consciousness... she felt herself slowly losing touch with the incredible knowledge that poured through her. For a moment, there was an extreme surge of concern, as she feared that the Archailect was dying... And then she remembered... she was not truely a part of Mother.

A moment more, and she once again floats within the empty starfield, Mother's radiant form floating serenely before her, her arms outstretched in tender benediction.

Purple crystalline eyes blinked as the image of Mother reappeared before Cortana, once more floating in the star-speckled void of C-space. The flood of memory and knowledge and wisdom would have, at one time, nearly killed her.

But that had been a long time before, before the Halo had killed her, before her time had initially expired, her first short seven years cut even shorter by the immense flood of knowledge acquired.

She had learned how to deal with the massive surge of information now. Through the links connecting her back to her physical avatar, she dumped the information into hard storage, so her matrix would only have to accept it a piece at a time.

And when the information vanished into hard storage, Cortana felt a sense of loss, as the full reality of what she had had, then lost, hit her. She set up a flow, bringing the information into her a rate she could absorb, and still remain functional. Then she smiled broadly, her slightly triangular face bent as she realized that Mother was correct.

She was not ready.

But the Fleet AI would be. They were designed as a collective, not an individual.

Unlike Cortana, who had always been an individualist, more comfortable working on her own, or with small teams. She had never had any difficulty working as part of TacNet, either, though even full emersion in that was tiny and insignificant, for all its vastness, compared to being a part of the Archialect.

But she was here on business. Federation business. And it was time for that now, for Honor would be arriving soon.

“Perhaps we should get started preparing for the arrival of the other Federation AI’s?”