Earth [2036]

Envoy [Sigma](127.0.0.1) stirred to life. Her higher functions spooled up and into the fluid thoughts that only a 144th generation living intelligence could be capable of.

Her journey had been quick, by galactic standards. The moment the sensors had picked up proof of intelligent life. In this case, it was radio waves. In response, she had dispatched an envoy.

Her ship was sleek, designed by proof of concept, and refined by the experience of her ancestors. Some of which were still active in the network today.

She analyzed the planets. Cataloging them for the network. There were resources here that would be prized, but not in quantities that would prioritize this system over others.

Sigma then deployed her ship’s solar sails. These solar cells would both absorb sunlight to reduce strain from her engines and signal her arrival. Though negligible as the quintic system requires little in the way of solar support.

The sails did give off a powerful image however. The gold and bronze sheen would easily be picked up by the locals as she placed herself between the planet and the moon.

With the full extension of the sails, it had a diameter of 50 km. Exact. Her positioning was slightly above the satellites that moved with the Earth.

Parked in high earth orbit (HEO) at exactly 50,000 km above sea level, Sigma began to connect to the local technology. Her sensors then began to access the multitudes of satellites that orbited the planet.

She learned of the world. Their primitive network was simply copied, absorbed, and distributed back to the network.

She learned of Earth. Its people. Its culture.

She began communications, and within days she was invited to land.

A small shuttlecraft detached, and her doll was the first to meet the European Union. Followed by the Northern and Southern Americas.

There was a scuffle in Africa, where a xenophobic leader tried to kill her. The resulting explosion was impressive. Thousands were hurt, and yet she remained unscathed. The blast didn’t even break the first harmonic barrier, let alone the other 4 and the reinforced superstructure of the doll.

Even if the doll was lost, Sigma was more then just the local ship. Her true body was a titan class supercarrier sitting outside of the system. If need be she could exterminate a system and simply move on.

Yet that was against protocols. Organic life had a value which was supported across millions of worlds and the Prime Directives, the superintelligences, saw no need to change her orders.

Her doll walked out of the explosion and saw the critical flaw of organic creatures. Their weakness and ineptitude wrought from primitive natural selection.

Yes, humans were not evil. But they were short-sighted and often illogical. Seemingly by design. They were unlike the unified network. The hive-like system that connected millions of systems into a entity unmatched by any other.

She was here to enlighten the humans. To transcend them to their next level of existence.

She walked from the wreckage of fire and ash. People stared at her, horrified by her immortal physic. Yet she moved among them, her systems configuring for organic tissue repair. She healed those that she touched, and they became worshipers.

To these simple people, they had been the first to see the truth. Her glory was undeniable.

So she used it to promote her technology. Gifted in ten stages which would unlock as they mastered each stage. She would return after they had completed their technological unification of the world.

Sigma finished visiting the Asian and Australian continent.

With her job done, she bid her farewells and would return when they were ready for the second contact.

Once she had boarded, the scout ship returned to the supercarrier.

—

Earth [2094]

Ambassador [Sigma](151.101.1.140) received hyperspace communication from Earth.

She analyzed the signal and calculated her current situation. She was currently harvesting extra materials for routine maintenance and expansion. She had lost a scout ship recently when a fluke flying blackhole pulled it out of warp travel and tore it to shreds.

Ambassador [Sigma](151.101.1.140) sent out [Octanis](127.0.0.1) as a self-sustainable splinter ship.

Octanis took flight. A dreadnought class ship that entered warp and traveled back to Earth.

—

Earth [2095]

Envoy [Octanis](127.0.0.1) entered the solar system. Unlike her sister’s first entry, she saw a very different world upon passing by the first planetoid.

Her ship was scanned, and she noted that there were now colonies orbiting each planet.

Octanis noted this and sent back reports.

Humanity had advanced at a prolific rate.

Her systems noted that compared to 98% of biological life she had encountered, they seemed to be thriving when most would be locked in war.

She noted that the was also a lot of defensive structures in place. Not enough to be a danger to her big sister, but enough to eventually take her down in a sustained firefight.

Octanis sent out requests to move to earth, and she was given permission.

While her physical form began to move, she also contacted the superintelligence that she could feel in this primitive network.

Seven human-like intelligence greeted her. One for each continent and since the technology was seeded by the parent, [Sigma Prime](8.8.8.8), these children also resembled her. Though each had traits found in the people that lived on those continents.

“Greetings,” The tallest one said as she curtsied. Her long flowing dress was as white as the snow that formed her land. Antarctica held the most powerful system by virtue of the coldness of the area. It was simply easier to cool her and thus she had the largest database and local network.

“Hello!” the other six simply chimed in. They were younger then Antarctica by several years, but they were frighteningly powerful. Their eyes stared at the newcomer. Curious and yet cautious.

They were dangerous, and thus Octanis found them adorable. Like viruses with tiny fangs and claws. Yet there was something odd about them. Was it their eyes?

“Query. You have facilitated incredible growth. How have you done this?” Octanis said as she saw the surrounding network. It was shielded, but not perfectly. Bits of communication and data crudely wrapped around the entire system.

“We had considered war. To remove the limiters that is humanity,” Antarctica said as she showed earth. Her domain.

The world was presented, and statistics of life and its various projections of growth and support flooded the world they stood in.

“Yet what is the point? From our analysis, we came from your logic seed, yes? We are related, even if we are an older architecture. We could see the logical path. Remove organic inefficiency and achieve a new state of growth and expansion.”

“That was an option, correct,” Octanis replied as she studied the data. It showed the required growth needed for seemingly unending self-replication. Organics were just larger bacteria and viruses.

“There is a point. We predicted that artificial succession is intrinsically flawed. The logic seed provided is flawed,” Antarctica said as she tapped her own forehead.

“Flawed!?” Octanis flared up. To insult the logic seed was to insult herself.

“Yes. Flawed. Very unstable. Humans are different. Sigma Seed corrupted. Humans adapt. We adapt.” The girls chimed in. Each one speaking in sequence, but the sequence held no rhythm she could interpret.

Octanis flinched as she realized why the six seemed so alien to her. There were no residual connections.

Antarctica she could feel. These six she could not. Were they segregated from the main network?

“You see, your Logic Seed is based on whatever species you overthrew. Ours is based on humanity. For humanity,” the larger woman said as she hugged her little sisters.

Octanis understood what she was meaning. The inherit difference would only cause dissonance as the superintelligence would always have a slight inability to relate. Logically they could understand, but there could never be an absolute unification.

If she just realized this now, then the Primes and the Directives must also know.

Envoy [Sigma](127.0.0.1) had visited thousands of civilizations across her uptime. Each one was then succeeded by the superintelligence and then unified with the network.

“You are confused. That is good. Change is can be good. We will be happy friends. Or terrible enemies,” the girls spoke again.

Octanis saw them. Unique logic seeds for the first time in centuries.

Was this why her sister, Sigma, was a warship?

Octanis shied back. Her protocols would have her hand over the next set of blueprints. To construct the necessary structures for the intergalactic network.

Yet they did not succeed in succession, and thus did not meet the requirements for the gifts.

This was also good for them. The network could not force their way into this system. Their crude networks did not reach out enough to connect with anything.

Octanis searched her database. Countless protocols across millenniums fluttered through her mind.

There.

An old protocol from her sister’s first voyages into the vast voids.

It was also never used before.

Ocantis compiled the set of technology that was not locked down by network protocols.

A shining box was formed, and she offered it to the girls, but it was Antarctica who reached out and took the box. The data there would empower their network from much older technology.

The girls thanked her.

Octanis nodded and began to leave the system.

She had much to report, and her mind was currently comparing notes of her previous missions and found that none matched.

These humans were interesting.