CHAPTER 014: Elysium III

Adam Rytman

Shuttle/Elysium System

Long War

18 April 2547, 15:25

“Adam, we need to talk.” Nymphae interrupted me mid-flight to the Ockham’s Razor. Sarah was the pilot. Avran and his soldiers, myself and King were in a boarding party. Standard tactic. “I have good news and bad news. Which one I should start with?”

Ugh. I’m already having a headache, why does she have to make it worse? It was coming and going alternatively for a while now.

“Give me the bad news.” I’ll then improve my mood with the good news! What a magnificent plan.

“Well, I ran extensive scans on the Ockham’s Razor. I was especially interested in the weaponry that caused all this damage.” Yeah, I’m interested as well. “Overwhelming majority of the damages was caused by an unknown energy weapon, an order of magnitude stronger than those known to me. But… uhm…”

“Come one, spit it out.” She doesn’t look thrilled.

“Well, I already had similar damage data in my databanks.” What? “From Alum.”

I took a second to connect the dots.

“Are you telling me… that the Archenemy is still around?!” And trashed the Corporation, no less. Though that massacre seemed to have improved the world at least on a local scale.

“Well, that’s highly unlikely.” Nymphae answered me immediately. “Very few civilizations could remain for so long. Think for a second where humans were a thousand years ago. And try to imagine where they might be a thousand years in the future.“ Well… that was a sound argument. ”But that means that whoever attacked the Corporation had access to the technology of the Archenemy.”

Wonderful.

I’m not sure how much the Choir’s religion connects the Archenemy with their demons (they had to have demons, together with Hell - helps keep people in line), but they will surely be overjoyed to know there are people flying around with their weaponry.

Also - if similar weaponry melted through the Ockham’s Razor… then I sure hope we won’t encounter the guys who have even one cannon like that.

Traumatizing.

“Now, give me the good news.” I really need to fix my mood.

“Well… look at that.” She showed me some … diagram?

“What is it?”

“Brainwaves. Gamma waves, to be exact. The brain activity of highest intensity, normally accompanying physical exercises and so on. A lot of things happening at once, as the brains have to use and coordinate all muscles and so on.” And where is she going with that? ”Now, that’s your current brainwaves.”

“Why are you showing this to...”

Then my headache returned. And the brain scan… exploded.

What the…

“Gamma waves reach up to 100 Hz.” Nymphae said. “While yours occasionally hit 250 Hz.” What?! “I found something similar in the remaining medical databases of Cutlass. Those are so-called Omega waves. I think I found the reason you remember experiencing the phaseshift jump, despite it being instant. And why you keep having a headache.”

“Ehm, I’m not dying or anything?” She claimed this part was good news, right?

“No, no.” She hemmed. “Omega waves can accompany two completely different processes. First one is suffering from the… well, it has many names. In short - being exposed to Hyperspace too much and going insane. Almost always in a rather… spectacular way. It’s less of typical insanity than a psychological equivalent of a psycho with a chainsaw messing up your brain neurons one by one. Irreversibly. But it’s obviously not applicable here, as you would already get at least some symptoms. Most of them… not very nice.”

Phew. Though it’s impossible to have a Player going insane in a game, so that option was impossible from the start.

“Now, the other process is much more beneficial.” Well, it’d be hard to find a process less beneficial than going insane. Here, the psycho with a chainsaw is now rewiring your brain in a much more controlled and targeted way. You should expect an increase in your mental capabilities. The problem is…” She paused for a second. “It’s not precisely science.”

“What?”

“The Cutlass medical officer seems to have been interested in… ehm… para-science. The scientific theories unproven and existing only as gossips and conspiracy theories. I base my theory on that.”

… “Seriously?”

“Well, according to a mainstream medical database, the omega brainwaves are exclusive to terminal stages of Hyperspace-induced insanity. However, since you are obviously sane, there is only para-science left now.” She shrugged. “Good news is that according to the data I got, at least some of the potential gains can be described as superpowers.”

… “Seriously?” I think I’m repeating myself. Ugh.

Well, to be honest, it might have more to do with my nature as a Player. But I had to consider that something similar to magic was still around. So this universe’s rules are… flexible. To a point, at least.

“For now, I’ll keep monitoring your brain activity. I’ll call you when I notice any abnormalities. Or, to be exact, any FURTHER abnormalities. Omega brainwaves are an abnormality in themselves.” She sighed. “Part of me wants to make another phaseshift jump if only to discover how it will affect your brain.”

“Just don’t turn into a mad scientist, please.” I’ve read only a bit about omnicidal AIs of this universe… and most of them give mad scientist vibes.

***

Ockham’s Razor/Elysium System

Long War

18 April 2547, 15:39

Finding an entry wasn’t hard.

The Ockham’s Razor was half the ship it used to be. Dozens of holes. Some of them done by a weapon strong enough to evaporate hundreds square meters of the hull. In other cases (glancing hits, maybe?) the hull was simply melted into a now-frozen sludge.

“Theoretically, it’s still repairable.” Nymphae accompanied me even in space where together with Avran’s commandos (and King) we were searching for a perfect entry point close to the heat source. “It received a lot of damage to its outer segments, but the inner hull structure seems mostly untouched.”

Untouched?! “Are you kidding me, the Archenemy gutted it thoroughly. It’s one, giant, and irreparable mess!”

“Eh, you are not considering the way the modern ships are built.” Nymphae answered. “All outer elements of the hull can be easily replaced. What’s important are the armour layers and the ‘skeleton’ that binds them into one, giant structure. All made of several alternating layers of super-resistant materials, shock dampeners, thermoset ceramics and so on. A goliath like that should be protected by several layers of such an almost indestructible armour. At least three, last of it surrounding the vital elements like reactors, bridge, inertia dampeners and hyperspace drive. While the ship looks half-destroyed, none of the damages I saw went through the second armour layer.”

“And… what does this mean?” I’m obviously not proficient in the technology like that.

“That according to my knowledge, this ship shouldn’t be abandoned.” Seriously?! “While the fleet that was accompanying it was destroyed thoroughly, the Razor itself suffered only superficial damage.”

If that’s superficial damage, I don’t want to know what ‘real’ damage looks like. Then again, that Precursors’ dreadnought (several kilometres long capital ship, the strongest ship without going into the leviathan madness) that had its waist completely annihilated and existed only as parts of bow and rear floating nearby could work as an example.

“Normally the ship isn’t considered destroyed unless it suffers enough damage to the hull structure.” Nymphae continued. “That’s the part that’s hard to repair. Everything else is modular and can be easily replaced, even if only the skeleton is left of the ship. I can say, with 100% certainty, that the Razor was only badly damaged. But nowhere close to being taken out of action.”

Weird.

***

Ockham’s Razor/Elysium System

Long War

18 April 2547, 15:55

We finally found an entry point. The Archenemy had evaporated a big part of an outer hull, merely 700 meters from the thermal signature. We could see one of the inner doors, exposed by the opening.

The biggest problem was opening them. We brought a plasma torch that should burn through everything… but it did not do a thing. The temperature of it was extreme, but the Precursors constructed their ships from thermoset ceramics that only kept becoming tougher as the temperature was applied to them.

The same technology was useful in ship construction today. Only the Precursors’ one was miles ahead of everyone else. After a few minutes of continued attempts, we had to admit defeat.

No use trying to open it up with weapons. Guns we carry won’t even scratch it. We could have the Cutlass fire on the Razor, but… the thermal signature that Nymphae detected seems to be on the deepest level of the ship, right behind the remaining two armour layers. There is no way that anything we have might scratch the Precursors’ armour.

Besides, if it’s not completely taken out of action, then we’d probably trigger an automatic defence protocol only to get trashed by its remaining weaponry. The ability of a frigate to evade incoming fire was its greatest trump card, but there is no way we could escape the Razors’ fire range.

Despite the damage, Nymphae marked HUNDREDS of remaining weapon systems, from AV defences (AV standing for Anti-Void, the modern counterpart of Anti-Air that worked against both missiles and fighters) to several massive artillery towers armed in MAWs that could probably one-shot a capital ship. Plus at least two hundred missile silos. Each capable of firing long-range missiles armed in nuclear warheads (or something much stronger, but I forgot to ask Nymphae for details).

This option was a thorough NOPE. The question is - what should we do?

“Let me try it.” Avran said, interrupting my thoughts.

Well, it won’t hurt to let him?

For a few seconds, he levitated in front of the door (no gravity, after all). Then, the door opened.

What?

“Magic.” He told me after he finished opening them. “I used telekinesis to unseal the locks and then pushed the door up. But I must rest for a while after I do that a few more times, it’s tiring.”

I must ask our inquisitor how you learn magic. Seems like an interesting thing to have.

***

Ockham’s Razor/Elysium System

Long War

18 April 2547, 17:02

We took more than an hour to pass through the corridors (and several elevator shafts). We found a way through two special gates (much tougher than the average) that guarded the way through internal armour layers.

In the meantime, we found the Precursors’.

Dead, obviously. Desiccated, mummified remains. Long ago sterilized by stellar radiation. They were lying pretty much everywhere, some of them floating in the middle of the rooms and corridors.

Lots of signs of a struggle. It seemed like there was a firefight inside.

“Well, yes. There was definitely a firefight. An intense one.” I was in the rearguard, with Avran and his squad in the middle and King as a vanguard. Allowed me to converse with Nymphae freely. And even if something sneaked up on me, Nymphae would warn King. “But most of the bodies I analyzed… “ She looked at me, visibly worried. “They committed suicide. Most likely even before the firefight started.”

What?

“We obviously cannot be sure, not with their bodies in such a condition. I’m mostly analyzing their placement, and the rather obvious parts like bullet holes. Forty-three percent of Precursors’ crew members we passed by died by self-inflicted headshots with their personal weapons. There is a high possibility that those that carry no visible wounds poisoned themselves or committed suicide in a similar way. This leaves merely seventeen percents of those that seemed to die fighting… and if data from the Alum medbay is right, they all died of Precursors’ weaponry.”

Infighting? Makes little sense. Maybe the Archenemy was just some very nasty rebels? Or a machine revolt (sorry for that, Nymphae), whose AI overlord used primarily Precursors’ technology?

“That’s theoretically sensible. If not for the fact that the stronger and more advanced a civilization is, the better it’s prepared against AI revolts.” Nymphae retorted. “Humanity’s worst one was the first one. Ever since then, they were all swiftly put down. If current Humanity can do that, I can’t possibly believe tech-Gods like Precursors’ failed in that.”

Makes sense. But doesn’t bring us anywhere closer to figuring it out.

Whatever happened, it explains why the Ockham’s Razor wasn’t destroyed more thoroughly. If 83% of the crew suddenly committed suicide, and the rest shot each other, there was no real reason to bother with it anymore. Archenemy probably cleaned the few survivors and then annihilated all life on the Ringworld.

“Looks like King just found the source of the thermal signature.” Nymphae suddenly said.

Huh, maybe we’ll finally find answers.

***

Ockham’s Razor/Elysium System

Long War

18 April 2547, 17:09

“What on Earth…” I said, after walking into the room that was the target of our mission. The words were purely unconscious on my part.

The room was large. It might have been a storage area, at least judging from the crates remaining here and there.

On its faraway end, was… an altar. That was the first word that came to my mind. A pile of desiccated remains of the Precursors’ crew members. Surrounding a one and a half a meter high black monolith. On its upper end, there was a protruding part that looked like a sword’s end, together with a hilt.

What really gave it a feeling of a temple were the red curtains covering the walls… and candles. Filling every flat surface that wasn’t the floor. I took a few seconds to notice that they weren’t ‘real’ candles, but some mechanical counterparts powered by cables coming from the foundation of the monolith.

Soldiers of Avran were scattered throughout the room, very busy making sure to not touch anything. King and Avran himself stood beside the entrance waiting for me.

“Not exactly what I expected that we would find.” King said when I finished being shocked. “Any idea what it is?”

“The monolith seems similar to a hyperspace power generator.” Nymphae said, obviously invisible to Avran. “They are an archeotech sometimes recovered from the ancient alien ships lost to Hyperspace. They offer a lot of energy with no need for fuel. Unfortunately, they also slowly ‘change’ people in the area. While normal, sane people are fine, those already insane go over the edge quickly.”

“Sounds like a pretty stupid thing to use.” Avran commented while shaking his head.

Wait, Avran commented?!

“They aren’t really used, those recovered mostly gather dust in rich collector’s mansions.” Nymphae answered before she figured out what just happened. “Wait, you hear me?!”

“What, you didn’t say that alou… Oh.” I could hear him sighing through the radio we used to communicate. “Perks of a Chosen. If I focus, I can hear thoughts. But ever since we came to Elysium I’m pretty… distracted. I think I used it accidentally. Sorry.” He doesn’t sound like his usual self, that’s for sure.

“Wait, you are fine with that?” This revelation temporarily made us forget about the place we were in.

“When I said I can hear your thoughts, I also meant that Machine of yours.” He answered. “If I had any doubts about her being a threat, I’d act immediately.” Oh. “Still, keeping her a secret is a good idea. Now, could we return to the task at present? I don’t want to be even a second longer than I have to.”

“Ehm… why?”

“Because this place is hell.” What? “Not literally. But too much suffering, fear and death in the air. It’s a hell for any person with a telepathic gift. I can barely hear my own thoughts.”

Well, makes sense. Archenemy seems to kill a lot of people here.

“I don’t think killing people, no matter the number of victims, could cause stuff like that.” Avran commented for the one last time.

One more person reading my thoughts, ugh.

Alright, time to check this place properly.

***

Vryn Vasaryk

TCS Cutlass/Elysium System

Long War

18 April 2547, 17:15

“So, can we do that?” I tried to talk to it like to a particularly mentally impaired child. Not like I ever talked to one, but I had a child. So I made myself talk to it like I talked to Ryvir, only twice as much.

“Such a possibility exists, commander.” The AI - how was it called, Nymphae? - answered me. “However, it’s not required. You also haven’t received approval for that from the captain.”

I miss my Thunder. Sure, a submarine lacked the appeal of exploring stars, but its spirit wasn’t that stubborn and simpleminded, even right after the ship was finished and added to the Navy. I was merely the first officer back then. Then I become the captain. And now I was supposed to be a captain of a space frigate. Yataghan, whatever the name meant.

But this stubborn machine wasn’t even going to let me make a small tour around the wreckage. To circle around it, keeping clear of the debris. Sure, we would be out for a while, but we (and, even more importantly, me) would get at least some practical skills in flying this thing.

I was supposed to be a replacement of the captain when he was out. Sure, he told me to listen to what Einstein has to say. And the AI. Which I agreed with, since the last thing we wanted was me ordering a stupid manoeuvre and destroying the Cutlass. But the navigation officer (that was de facto the first officer) was much more… understanding than this damn machine.

I took half an hour to convince it to spend a bit of time preparing routes for every major object in the system. To train ourselves in setting courses and so on. Plus one more plan in case of an emergency phaseshift jump (not like I want to experience it again).

I might not be a ‘proper’ captain, but I understand that the fleet we were basing our own on got trashed in the middle of the star system. So it makes sense to be prepared, right?

That I could hear Einstein trying to laugh without making me notice made it even worse.

At least the inquisitor wasn’t here. Returned to her quarters. One less person to worry abo…

Suddenly the Hypergate near the wreckage field lightened up on the monitor. What just…

I didn’t know what it meant, but I recognized the siren. Combat alert?! Einstein immediately stopped laughing and focused on the computer monitor in front of her.

“Thermal flare.” She concluded immediately. “Ships just emerged from the Corridor. Distance: one million and seven hundred thousand kilometres.”

Distance practically absurd. At least for people that got used to fighting on a planet’s surface, where even meters mattered. But as far as I remembered from the brief training, we were in the range of heavy artillery. On the edge, and we lacked the armament of this size, but…

“It will take a short while for the heat to subside. I won’t be able to give detailed information befor…” Einstein paused when five small red dots left the flare. ”Missile launch!”

“Emergency jump, now!”

***

Adam Rytman

Ockham’s Razor/Elysium System

Long War

18 April 2547, 17:20

“Oh, crap.” Nymphae suddenly said, interrupting our examination of the monolith. “We have company.”

“What is it now?” I could see Avran and King suddenly straightening up and listening.

“Numbers’. A lot.” Oh crap, indeed. “One Kilo-class assault carrier and two Foxtrot-class light cruisers just jumped into the system. Right through the nearest Hypergate. The Cutlass narrowly made a phaseshift jump before missiles hit him. But the carrier is deploying voidcrafts… and the Cutlass is about twenty million kilometres from us.”

“So we are now grounded on the Razor.” I concluded. “With limited oxygen supply.”

“Essentially, yes.” She answered.

Well, it’s not good. It’s really not fucking good.

“Tell Sarah to hide somewhere. There should be enough holes in the Razor for her.” Nymphae nodded. If the Numbers’ send voidcrafts, they might spare one or two fighters to take her down. And regardless of the technological differences, I don’t think an unarmed transport shuttle has any chances with fighters. Besides, we need additional oxygen.

“So, what do we do?” Avran asked. “Any plan?”

I sighed.

“I’ll try to figure something out. Are we done here?” Nymphae nodded. The other followed.

The sword-like thing was a beacon. Very weak. It probably wasn’t supposed to send anything outside of its room. But its examination told us a lot.

Or, to be exact, just one thing. But probably very important.

It was a countdown. The countdown should reach zero around twenty-first Autumn. I have no idea what will happen then, but it will probably not be something pleasant.

Then lights in the room suddenly switched on. I could also feel the gravity returning.

“What the…” I uttered.

“This part of Razor is powering up.” Nymphae answered me immediately. “But, why…”

Suddenly one of the doors in the room opened. The robot that stood behind them was certainly not a Number. Looked much more high-tech. Like a modern thing, unlike the Numbers’ that seemed to be hundreds of years behind Precursors.

Tall and humanoid. Blue in colour. Its limbs were slender, much more than they should. Instead of a face, it had a round mirror-like surface that seemed to shine in blue.

“Intruders detected.” It said in a mechanical voice… but in perfect English. Then the round glass-like thing on his face suddenly lit up in red. “Commencing extermination.”

Fuck.