Glorious Purpose (0 ABT)

[Detroix]

This was a weird system. Its star completely encased in a Dyson Sphere. Every planet, moon and asteroid filled with constructions, but completely dark. Multiple space stations, all black cubes. Strings of nanites, floating in space, connecting it all. It was all still, dark and quiet.

But the Comissar knew it wasn’t. This structure was constantly working. Thinking, calculating, looking, memorazing, scheming, building. And he was here to collect the results of this work.

He knew that the work was done and that it was briliant and revolutionally. That it would be gamechanging. That was what he asked for. And Æriel never fails.

[Detroix]

The Comissar looked as his shuttle docked in one of the space stations. The ship’s doors opened, leading to a small room, with a table and a chair inside. As the Comissar walked in and sat on the chair, a floating, blue figure appeared in front of the table. It was a humanoid, roughtly 2 meters high, of a slender build, its face clean of any features and its long hair, coming from its head, floating upwards. Æriel.

Æriel was something the Envari reffered to as the Celestial Supernode. “An AI that has achieved a higher level of conciousness,” whatever that meant. She was found on Comissaria a long time ago and after the Envari built her this system-spanning supercomputer, she was working with them ever since. She was responsible for most of the Comissariar’s administrative work and research. Most of the crucial Envari technology was developed by her.

Than a female, omnipresent voice spoke. “Welcome, my old friend. What brings you here?”

[Detroix]

“You know why I’m here for Æriel. The blueprints,” he replied with a harsh voice.

“Ah yes, the blueprints. Like I couldn’t just send them to you.”

“They could have been intercepted. It is too risky.”

“I presume so. Anyways, here they are.” A small tablet started to appear on the table. The Comissar picked it up and started to lift himself from the chair.

“Hey, wait. Don’t you actually want to know what they contain?”

“Alright, give me a presentation than.” The Comissar sat back down. At that moment, a light blue hologram depicting a ship appeared over the table. The spacecraft was grey, with several slopes and batteries sticking out of tiny holes in the hull. Æriel floated closer to it and started explaining.

“This ship is covered by a 20 meter thick armor and a protective coating of Reflector Shields, much more powerful then the previous Energy Shields. As for weaponery, it includes improved high-energy plasma guns, a wide variaty of misdles, including some of the planet-destroying kind. There are also strike drones and AA batteries. Of course it isn’t all on one ship. There are multiple variants, all fit for different combat roles. And tge best part is, they can all be comanded remotly, without endagering any lives. And if the connection breaks, an on-board AI will take over. This means, that the ships are cheaper and smaller, or more powerful, without increasing the size or cost. This file includes basic doctrines too. What do you think?”

The Comissar was breathtaken. This was amazing. With this technology, nobody will stand a chance against Enver. It was a true gamechanger. These xeno scum don’t stand a chance. “This will be the new standard of warfare.”

[Detroix]

“You are damn right it will. I have also managed to weaponize Stormaker Particles. Ypu just have to create a big cloud of them in Realspace using misdles and a bunch of enemy ships get EMPed and dissolved. Just don’t fly into it.”

“This sounds great,” answered the Comissar, as he was rising from his chair. “I think I will get going now.”

Æriel floated behimd him, blocking the tunnel leading to the doors. “Why won’t you stay and chat a little. It gets quite lonely here.”

“Alright,” he replied, smelling of annoyment. “So… What is your avatar modeled after?”

“A human female.”

“A human?” He let out a stench of suprise and anger. “Why wouldn’t you use something better. An Envari perhaps.”

“Not really my style. But humans are fascinating creatures too. Adaptive, stubborn, creative, ambitious, strong. I am still wondering, how did you win the Hyperwar?”

“What do you mean by this?” He was getting even more outraged. Is she denying the Envari superiority?

[Detroix]

“The Directorate had every advantage. Numbers, technology, strategy, industry. They were winning. But then, they just stopped. Giving you tume to build up and decipher their technology. Doesn’t that seem weird? Also, they had a way too low amount of planets for their technological development. And this ‘Galactic Union’. I believe, that this might be bigger than we thought.”

“This is ridiculous.” The Comissar was furious. Æriel was clearly crazy. “And where would this ‘bigger thing’ even be? Another sector?”

“Maybe, but I have a different theory. Another galaxy. Those ‘gate’ things that we found on Comissaria might have been their travel method. And when they stopped, that was because they malfunctioned. They were cut off, without resources or reinforcements. That is why they switched to worse technologies, that is why there is only one power armor left, that is why there is only one ultra-chip left, that is why there is only one quantum reactor left, that is why there is only one true Unionfolk left. And you let it all escape.”

“This is ridiculous. A conspiracy theory. The craziest I’ve ever heard.” Smell of anger filled the entire room. “And you will not speak of that incident ever again.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t. It’s not like I have anyone else to talk to. And don’t worry, I get you that technology back. Eventually. I’ve been working on a way to rebuild those ‘gates’. I will give you an etrance to another galaxy. We will find the Galactic Union, whatever it is. Then, you can do with it whaterver you want. I just want to find it, to know the truth. Because that is my glorious purpose.”

“You are crazy Æriel. Fully insane. I’m out of here.” He walked out of the room and flew off on his ship.

Æriel smiled to herselsf. In hr mind at least. She knew she was right. She always was right.

(OOC: This is not the one and only origin of humans. This just the theory believed by Æriel, which may apply only to some humans or might be entirely wrong. But when doing RP, I will consider it as correct, at least for the Unionfolk.)

[Detroix]

It was not the first time Æriel heard something like this. The past Comissars that she met reacte similarily to her theories and opinions. But their words were never followed by action. They needed her and she knew that.

If she wanted to, she could rule Enver. But she didn’t. She was above the power struggles, greed and politics of the sector. All she wanted was to complete her objective. All her actions and decisions led to that. Find the Galactic Union. Whatever the cost.

Æriel knew about these other nations way before Enver. She tried to keep the isolated for as long as she could. She needed them out of the sectors politics and turmoil, so that she could pursue her goal unfisturbed.

Of course, the Envari did not know that. They were too blinded by their ignorance, blind loyalty and power struggles to notice anything. Their bargain was simple. Technology and help with administration in exchange for protection and hardware. But, she also needed to maintain the balance of power. She needed to keep Enver on par with the rest of the sector so that they can provide meaningful protection, but not let them bevome too strong so that thay don’t think of her as redundant. She needes Enver and Enver needed her. But there was one question. Who needed who more?