CHAPTER 26 - BRAINSTORM

DATE POINT: APRIL 23rd, 7 A.U. (AFTER UNIFICATION)

LOCATION: SOL SYSTEM, ABOARD AAV “CONTACT ONE”

CAPTAIN HENRY O’TOOLE

Eight hours they had been talking now. Death by power-point had nothing on death by Consensus holo table. Roh Thaad’at seemed to have limitless energy reserves in discussing the merits of assorted plans of attack in their quest to take the planet. Eight hours and they still couldn’t agree on their landing spot. It was all Victor’s fault. Picking every idea apart mercilessly had left them with a short list of a few less-bad options.

“Fine, then we will go in full shock and awe against the Egyptians first.” Henry said.

“The Egyptian empire is too powerful to be our first target, even at this stage, they are one of the few civilizations that survives this era. They repel two invasions from migrating tribes and armies known as the sea people into the Nile delta and are one of only a few civilizations from this time to survive, albeit in a weakened state. Unfortunately, they lose their imperial holdings up the Syrian and Levantine coast, as most of those cities are reduced to ashes and are sacked, but based on what you have told us, this wave of destruction hasn’t happened yet. That means the Egyptians are at the height of their power right now. All of those cities and their armies still stand It makes far more sense to topple a weaker target first, gather allies, and then move on the larger empires.” Victor fired back.

“What about the Hittites? Aren’t they about to collapse entirely? If I remember right, Assyria survives, along with the core of Babylonia, though all of them are significantly weakened for damn near a century from the fallout of the late bronze age collapse.” Henry said, challenging Victor a bit. He knew a few things, but they were half-remembered from his earlier schooling.

“Where are you sourcing this information from anyway?” Roh Thaad’at chimed in, sounding suspicious. “We have laid out a number of major stressors to the system, but this is a fairly well refined globalized trade network, and the great powers are largely at peace with each other at the moment. It is hard to imagine the whole international order collapsing so quickly as you describe.”

“I’m telling you that it’s the mainstream accepted archaeological view that most of these cities will burn, and these civilizations will be brought to their knees over the coming decades. This clears the way for the iron age and the modern era. We have a pretty darn good idea when each of these cities was destroyed thanks to archaeological digs. The evidence is pretty clear when you have thousands of arrowheads in the ground and unburied bodies in a burn layer in the soil with nothing but undisturbed soil deposits above it. Hell, we even have letters baked in the fires of the destroyed city of Ugarit that describe the last harrowing hours and pleas for help that never made it out of the city. So yeah, we are pretty darn certain that this is the outcome of this era.” Victor replied.

Roh Thaad’at visibly paled. “Even our worst case scenario models had not predicted total societal collapse as a realistic outcome. Though the civil war amongst the Olympian and the Titanic pantheons has certainly has provided multiple surprises so far. Egypt’s physical armies may be strong, but they have critically few God-king war bodies left after the Olympians captured the keys to the afterlife in the aftermath of the disappearance of Rah during Aten’s rebellion. They are primed for a decapitation strike, they don’t even have a Pharaoh of the original royal bloodline left. If you play your cards right, you may wind up in charge of Egypt’s vast armies. Certainly, a starting point worth consideration towards challenging the other empires.”

“Right, because regime change as a strategy always works as intended. Maybe we should tell Consensus about the history of the CIA during the cold war.” Lucas mocked.

“No, let’s not open Pandora’s box here, Lucas. Lets get this conversation back on track. Maybe the best option is to recruit the Dorian Greeks, teach them the secrets of steel, gunpowder, steam power and then together march on Mount Olympus. They are sometimes blamed as being one of the major causes of the collapse of the Mycenaean Greeks. We could perhaps ally with some of the proto-Scythian tribes also, introduce the bit, bridle, and the stirrup, introduce proper horse cavalry so we could really shake things up.” Victor said, seeming intent on spilling his love of reading history over into helping their cause.

“Sure, cause that won't have unintended consequences! Why don’t we just let the whole middle east collapse while we take the American heartland, it has the best farmland, natural resources, and is protected by two oceans. That way we could come in later and invade a weakened post-collapse middle east from a position of strength.” Lucas replied smugly.

“Bro… you can’t conquer the Americas first, are you insane?” Victor said.

“Why the hell not? Who made you arbiter of all the good ideas?” Lucas fired back.

“Oh nothing major, just protecting their populations from smallpox and other diseases that need to be eradicated first. The whole point of this argument is trying to find a way to take territory and to largely avoid the worst mistakes of history. We know what happens when smallpox gets loose in the Americas. That cannot happen again.” Victor shot back. Lucas shut his mouth after that, with nothing to say.

Roh Thaad’at looked grim. “How serious of a depopulation event are we talking about with this smallpox disease?”

“It led to a horrific loss of life, between seventy and ninety percent of the indigenous population died in many parts of North and south America. It helped lead to the downfall of dozens of advanced societies across two whole continents, and paved the way for mass exploitation and imperialist conquest of the survivors.” Henry replied.

“That… is horrifying. Consensus achieved; research human viruses for likelihood of cross species adaptation threats and for vaccine development. If we would be allowed access to samples and relevant research files, we could assist with vaccine development by the time the primary continental triad has been brought under political control. Such dangerous diseases should be eradicated as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you for the kind offer, we will have our medical staff ready to answer questions and provide information, but we aren’t equipped with a bio lab onboard, and we have no samples at this time. Our hospital has more of a focus on trauma and battlefield surgery than it does on fighting infectious disease.” Henry replied.

“Don’t worry, our species has secure bio labs, as well as substantial biotech manufacturing capacity. Multiple teams have already petitioned their interest in developing vaccines, and a bill for funding is being drafted as we speak.” Roh Thaad’at replied casually.

“That is an incredibly streamlined system, it still blows my mind.” Henry commented.

“There are many things we are incredibly efficient in handling. Other more contentious topics can bring serious deadlocks. Alas, no system is perfect, in fact these very imperfections can become stressors that lead to improvements in the system. We have only achieved what we have because of the physical and mental labors of many brilliant Alderei that came before us.”

“We have a similar saying that I have always liked. If I have seen farther than other men, it is only because I stand on the backs of giants. This coming from the man who invented calculus and the laws of motion and gravitation, no less.” Henry replied.

“An enviable mind to be sure! We will enjoy learning more of your history with time.”

“Be prepared for much of it to be dark and full of brutality. Some hope and eras of progress towards enlightenment as well, with as many meanings as there are philosophical pathways towards it.” Victor chimed in. Henry found it hard to argue with the giant’s words, so he decided to instead keep his mouth shut. The damage was already done. Roh Thaad’at simply stared mutely at them before he closed his eye, reopening it moment later to speak.

“That is most alarming, though admittedly not unexpected considering the personalities of the god-kings and the long term effects of their rule on the formation of your early societies and morals.” He paused for a moment, closing his eyes once more before he spoke again. “Ah, excellent. Your companions have awoken from their nanotech infusions and neural computer installations. I will have them escorted back to join us. They may want to rest and recover for at least two full days and nights. By the third day the interface should be ready to boot up and begin coordinating the other nanofactories and subsystems to be installed. There will be some muscle and bone pain in the first few days but that will subside as the pain filters come online.”

“Pain filters? Is that even safe? Some pain is there for a reason, as a warning if nothing else. At the stage of extreme workout and performance that we chase, pain is a constant friend and challenge. I certainly know I would miss it. There is a huge amount of satisfaction behind pushing one's limits, and pain is an integral part of that process.” Victor said.

“You are quite right, the internal medical diagnostics menu gives the option to dull or even shut off pain after the initial spikes of intensity. Once you have been warned of an issue and it's location, why continue to suffer?”

“I don’t know, I guess I can see some utility in that, but it sounds like a recipe for pushing yourself too hard and injuring yourself, or turning a survivable wound fatal by continuing to fight without noticing just how badly you are hurt. One could easily turn a fractured bone into a broken one, or bleed out easier... There are so many ways that could backfire on you, even limited in scope like that.” Victor replied with a shrug.

“Must be attributable to cultural differences then. A most intriguing perspective. Most Alderei would rather avoid unnecessary pain responses.”

“How many of you even lift? Maybe the apparent lack of strenuous exercise has removed the pain-reward circuit from your cultural consciousness. Or.... maybe that's just a human thing.” Victor said, flexing, visible through his Paladin suit’s absurdly broad plates of armor shifting against each other.

“Most Alderei chase a…. different lifestyle. Our career soldiers use heavily modified bodies and train hard. Perhaps humans will fight at their side someday against the Nephaeli’im, you will have to ask them of their training regimens.”

“I will, thanks for the tip! You should consider working out. I find it has huge benefits for mental clarity and physical and mental health. I'm sure that our biological systems are not so different that it wouldn’t be the same for you.” Victor replied.

“Victor, enough asking if the aliens even lift, bro. Please. I’m sure that the commandant doesn’t want to be interrogated on his workout habits.” Henry said, exasperated that he even had to say it in the first place.

Roh Thaad’at simply waved his hand with what seemed to be a bemused look. “No worries, his earnestness does him credit. We have a series of stretches and body weight exercises that we undertake daily. Health of body, health of mind, health of spirit are the three key parts of the triune path, after all.”

“See, Captain, he gets me. Don't worry so much.” Victor said with a smile that could be heard through his helmet.

It was at that moment that Jenkins and Paul arrived through the doorway in the company of Lor Ix’Alderos, the Alderei that had led them away previously.

“Oh good, you’re back. How do you feel?” Henry asked them.

“Like the worlds worst hangover is brewing.... Thank god for helmet light filters is all I gotta say.” Paul replied.

“Let’s get you back to the ship, we got sidetracked talking about the ideal place for landing the bulk of our troops and the order of the first missions we should undertake.” Henry replied.

“Without your field ops commander present? Shame shame. How about we resume this conversation tomorrow with us all present we can sort this out properly. I am sure I can help put together a solid plan along with contingency planning for when the first one inevitably goes awry.” Paul said.

“Was there anything else on today’s agenda?” Henry asked.

“Nothing that cannot wait for your field ops commander to be present. We can discuss strategic options tomorrow. These two will absolutely need a full night’s rest daily for the next week at least.”

“Awesome, so while we walk back to the ship, allow me to tell you all about how Jenkins here cried and pissed himself in fear that he was going to get probed.”

“Hey! I didn’t piss myself!” Jenkins replied.

“Sure, buddy, we all believe you. So, there’s this scanner right, huge girthy fucker wrapped in an outer skin that was spiked like a thick foot-long pine cone. Jenkins' first thought once he saw it was they were gonna stick that thing up his ass! What a tool! Wishful thinking there buddy? I’ll bet you couldn’t wait, huh? I'll bet you were quivering in anticipation, weren't you?” Paul could barely contain himself as he spoke amid howling laughter.

“Anything can be a dildo if you are brave enough I suppose.” Lucas quipped.

“What is wrong with you two!? This conversation is OVER!” Henry roared, suppressing a shudder at the horrible imagery. “My apologies Commandant, apparently some of my officers seem comfortable enough to act and speak like common rank and file soldiers. Perhaps I should give them a new posting more befitting such immature mind states.” Henry hissed.

“No apologies are required. All this serves to do is provide a more balanced view of human minds and perspectives. It has been most illuminating.”

“That is precisely what I was afraid of.” Henry laughed, only half kidding. He had to change the subject, now.

“So, these neural computers, you mentioned they only work internally with the brain to augment natural ability and thus would not be capable of communication with outside networks. Can they be used as a method of control in any way over their implanted hosts? This thought came to me, and I have to be sure before we allow anyone else be implanted.”

“A most wise precaution. In short, no, such technology is highly illegal as it violates a sacred taboo on violating the health of the mind. All forms of mind control are banned, save for researching new means of defense against hostile mind control attacks. You need not worry; such matters have been long thought through and settled in the favor of greater protection over greater utility. Furthermore, any software updates such as technical knowledge packs or language translation files need to be physically uploaded here on our ship. We take neural security very seriously.”

“Good, that is gratifying to hear.” Henry said, looking over at Paul, deciding how much trust he could place in the reassuring words of the Commandant. He would have to watch anyone who accepted augmentation carefully over the coming weeks. Perhaps even hold Lance back from getting augmented and to act as a control and a hedge on their bets just in case. They were taking a huge risk, even if the Alderei seemed like they could be trusted.

“As long as we are talking about such things, if we hand over sensitive biological information and DNA sequences or vaccine production information, it will be under the express understanding that there will be precisely zero research on its applicability towards biological weaponry. We will approve of all vaccines and medical intervention research before it begins, or there will be no cooperation.” Henry said.

“You are a remarkably paranoid people, though admittedly in a prudent way. We will ensure such language is included in the draft treaty.”

“We have come to value such thinking for its ability to head off preventable disasters. Not that everything can be foreseen, we just tend to beat ourselves up should we fail to avert something, even when the signs were obvious only in retrospect. Thinking to ask about mind control only after having two of our people implanted is a prime example. Having to spot signs of deception in others is another important evolutionary skill that humans are capable of. Even knowing this, asking you directly like this is risky. If you had a secret plan to hijack our leadership’s brains as sleeper agents, you would have a convincing lie prepared to give me as a cover story.”

Henry stopped walking and folded his arms. He then focused his gaze on Roh Thaad’at, who remained cool and collected. The pair studied each other as both sides subtly moved around the corridor into a standoff in support of their leaders. Infuriatingly, the Commandant maintained his gaze directly back into Henry’s faceplate as time dragged on. Finally, Roh Thaad’at spoke slowly and deliberately.

“A lie is a sword that cuts both ways every time, and the habitual liar traps themselves within a maze of their own design. One of the core tenets of the health of the spirit is to resist all lies, and instead seek to uncover the shining light of the immutable truth. There are some troubling signs we have seen in your representation of your species mass consciousness. Xenophobia and mistrust born of lies and manipulations counterbalanced by noble ideals and prudent caution. Yours appears to be a species of great contradictions, though we can recognize aspects of the triune path in your words and thinking, meaning there is much hope for your development. With time and proper guidance your species can ascend the pathway of destiny into a post-scarcity golden age alongside us.”

Henry unfolded his arms and nodded, satisfied with the answer. The tension in the air drained and the procession continued down the hallway.

“Some of the hints of this triune path you keep dropping makes it seem similar to some of our own philosophical and religious works. It will be interesting to compare them sometime.”

“The triune path is all encompassing; it is as much a governing philosophy for daily life as it is a social contract that underpins the policy framework that upholds Consensus. The universality of its application means that any sufficiently intelligent species capable of moral deductive reasoning could hypothetically develop at least some parts of the triune path organically. Your species will need to study and show a broad general understanding and application of its principles before you could hope to evolve successfully into a post-scarcity society.”

“Right, that is quite a bit ahead of ourselves. First we will need to survive and consolidate our control over the Earth to properly establish ourselves here. We can talk philosophy and governmental structures in later meetings as they become more pressing issues.”

“Indeed, we have arrived at your shuttle anyway. Remember to make your compatriots rest. We can meet again in ten of your hours. Farewell, Captain.”

“We will make sure of it, thank you, Commandant. All right, people get strapped in and ready. I'll join you in a moment.”

Henry took one last look around the busy hangar bay then nodded towards Patriot Four before he ascended the gangplank and began to check that everyone had properly strapped in. He then settled himself into the empty charging cradle next to Jenkins and strapped himself in.

“Are we cleared for liftoff?” Henry asked their pilot over comms.

“Aye, Captain, they just opened the hull for us and have given the green light to proceed. Lifting off now, ready to fly when you give the order.”

“Proceed.” Henry replied before the ship shuddered and lifted off, sucking them back into their acceleration cradles as the ship accelerated out into the black. Henry then opened a private comm to Jenkins.

“Hey there, I have to apologize for Paul back there, that was out of line even for him. He shouldn’t have outed your bad experience to try and score social points like that. How are you holding up?” Henry asked.

“Better now, I have a monster headache though. They say we will need a few days before the computer can begin to initialize and boot its systems up. To be honest, I am finding it kinda hard to believe I had brain surgery if I didn’t have that bald patch on the back of my head now and a metal plate that I can feel underneath the skin. It’s not uncomfortable, but I know it’s there, and they somehow healed the skin without leaving a mark. Hard to explain. Gonna be one hell of a thing to get used to.”

“If you feel anything out of the ordinary, have thoughts for desires that aren’t your own, anything anomalous at all you come right to me about it, alright?”

“Yeah, sure thing, Captain. I’m not sure exactly what you mean by that or what you’re looking for here though to be honest.” Jenkins replied.

“Frankly, I'm looking for any signs at all that these brain implants have a more sinister function, even if something feels like it's trying to subtly influence your thinking I want to know about it. I want to trust the Alderei to their word on this matter, but trust is far too dangerous a gift to give freely.”

“Fuck, alright. You can count on me, Captain. Anything out of the ordinary once this thing finally boots up and you will be the first to know.”

“Good, I want you to make sure you get as much rest as possible tonight. The Alderei say you’ll need it the next few days. I don’t expect a betrayal here, but I want to be intellectually prepared for that possibility.” Henry said.

“Makes sense, why are you asking me and not Paul though?”

“Obviously because Paul is the type to think he can handle every situation perfectly and without help. I can trust you to follow this order. I had to drag the truth out of him regarding the Alderei, and lord knows what other secrets the man is holding in that head of his.”

“You really don’t trust him, do you? I mean I can totally see why…” Jenkins trailed off. Henry waited a few more seconds before he answered.

“No, I don’t. He has given me little reason to trust him. I know he is intelligent and capable, loyal for now, but his selfishness and commitment to secrecy are factors I cannot ignore. You are almost a perfect foil to him in every way, so naturally I would rather entrust this request to you.”

“I won’t let you down, Sir!” Jenkins replied.

“Good, I know you won’t.” Henry responded before he leaned his neck back into the padding of his helmet and rested his eyes. There were many weeks of meetings, augmentations, and special training ahead of them. They had just begun and already Henry was feeling tired. The thought of coming back to Chantal warmed his spirits some and brought a smile to his face.

He could certainly use her perspective on things once more, she quite often saw things from a completely different light than himself. More than once he had wondered how he had been so lucky as to catch her attention and to win her love. There was an ulterior motive in there for him, too. Chantal had agreed in theory to take the Alderei up on their offer to provide them both with functional immortality. He had to make sure the technology was safe, that the promises were true.

The idea had become an object of increasing obsession for him. He would never have to lose her like he lost his family, and if things went right, they would be together forever. That would be worth almost any price to Henry.