UTG: Unknown
Location: Unknown yellow dwarf system
----------------------------------------
"Finally Im done!" I screamed elated. It had taken WAY to long to finally be done with my priority list. At least the part I was currently able to repair, that is. And even that had taken an entire three days. Three days that the Federation and the Association had used to shoot at each other directly over my head. Whatever, I at least got a sufficient amount of fusion rods from them. Unfortunately, even though I had searched through four different shipwrecks, I had been unable to find any survivors. In some ways that was good for me, but I wouldn`t have minded some company and support in repairing the outpost. "Aso, please give me the outpost`s status."
[ ASO-17309 STATUS REPORT ]
[ Operational Status: Preservation Systems: 100% ]
[ Operational Status: Life-Support Systems: 85% ]
[ Operational Status: Sensor Systems: 78% ]
[ Operational Status: Defensive Systems: 60% ]
[ Operational Status: Energy Systems: 60% ]
[ Operational Status: Camouflage Systems: 50% ]
[ Operational Status: Computer Systems: 26% (GROWING) ]
[ Operational Status: Utility Systems: 1% ]
[ Operational Status: Weapon Systems: 1% ]
[ Operational Status: Industrial Systems: 0% (OFFLINE) ]
[ Operational Status: Propulsion Systems: 0% (OFFLINE) ]
[ Operational Status: Communication Systems: 0% (OFFLINE) ]
[ Overall Operational Status: 38.4% ]
[ Inner Outpost Integrity: 62% ]
[ Inner Hull Integrity: 53% ]
[ Outer Hull Integrity: 18% ]
[ Shield Integrity: 100% ]
[ Overall Outpost Integrity: 58.3% ]
[ Show spaceship list as well? ]
[ Y/N ]
I honestly was impressed with myself. Sure, the outpost still sucked completely, but it was worlds better than a few days before. In the short time I had, I got the outpost integrity up to over 50% and more than doubled the overall operational status. That was an achievement! Although I had to admit, I originally did the outpost a disservice. Overall, the condition of the outpost hadn`t been that bad. After all I still had all the means to repair the outpost and the framework still stood as well. By now I truly believed that one day, I may be able to completely repair the outpost. "Okay, Aso, I need a new priority list. I want to have the outpost in perfect condition again as fast as possible. What is needed for that?"
[ The fastest way to completely repair ASO-17309 is to bring the industrial systems back to full functionality. ]
[ INHERITOR PRIORITY LIST ]
[ 1. Manual restart of industrial systems. ]
[ 2. Manual reconnection of industrial systems to main operational systems. ]
[ 3. Manual restart of deactivated computer systems. ]
[ 4. Manual reconnection of disconnected computer systems. ]
[ 5. Using Inheritor-Protocols for creation of new individual AI. ]
[ 6. Respair Electromagnetic Creation Field. ]
[ 7. Repair Nannite Production Plant. ]
[ 8. Restart communication systems. ]
[ 9. Manual recaliration of communication systems. ]
"Only nine things? Really? I thought you would throw a few dozen things at me." I said, slightly perplexed.
[ Nannites are able to repair outpost to currently maximum operational status possible, given enought time. This task requires no further actions from inheritor than the ones already mentioned. ]
"Aso, about how much time are you speaking? How long would it take for the nannites? Because I know that I would take months, if not years, by myself for the task."
[ Nannites would approximately need 61 days or two months to reach currently maximum operational status possible. ]
"Only two months? That`s good! We definitly do it like you said than! Please, lead the way!"
[ Path to industrial centre highlighted. ]
"So, now that I have time again, do tell me. What`s going on above us? Do I have to expect a boarding command bearing down on me in the next hours?" This question wasn`t even asked in jest. Two days ago, the Association, as well as the Federation, concentrated their fleets around this moon. I didn`t need anything else to know we had been found. After Aso gave me detailed records about all the space battles fought in the system over the last years, one thing became very clear. The Federation had no idea about aetherian presence in the system. Their enemies had been just as clueless. But the Association was different. This was their first attack on the system, and it seemed like they already had bases on the fifth and sixth moon of the third planet. It was totally possible that they had planned to secretly expand their influence int he system to the third moon as well. That was when they identified aetherian presence on said moon somehow. In turn, they did the only sensible thing. They temporarely stopped their actions in the system entirely to make sure the federation wouldn`t notice anything before it would be to late and assembled an invasion fleet. Somehow, and I really had no idea how, the Federation found out about the Associations plans anyway and send their own fleet that way. My bet was on them having spies in the Association, but in the end I just didn`t know. Two days ago, the Federation somehow found out as well and instantly changed their focus from "bit by bit push the Association out of the system" to "fuck it, push them away from the third moon, whatever the consequences". Now, whatever side managed to win, would most likely instantly turn their focus on me. And I would really like to have at least some measure of defence in place once that happens. Anyway, back to Aso`s answer.
[ The Association forces are in the process of getting destroyed, but they refuse to budge an inch from their position directly above us. The Federation forces also take bigger and bigger losses the longer they fight. By current fleet cohesion and battle data, the Federation will win the battle in the upcoming days. The only reason the battle doesn`t end in hours is that both sides are hesistant to fully commit to an attack, which could end both ways. ]
[ Industrial centre reached. ]
Indeed, I stood before a shut door, with a small terminal next to it. "Say, Aso, is it really secure to have the terminal to open a door directly next to the door? What if the ship gets boarded?" I asked a bit curious.
[ No one would dare to board a ship of the Aetherian Ampire. ]
"Please, can you tone down the arrogance? You are an AI, no a aetherian, so please don`t fall for this" aetherian superiority" propaganda okay? Just because the Aetherian Empre was powerful doesn`t mean that such a lax attitude towars security should be taken."
[ This units last answer was not a feeling for superiority or propaganda, but a fact that was proven in over 14.000 different wars. A normal aetherian terminal can be completely deactivated, destroyed or even exploded with the correct authorisation. It has 216 different protection measures and blockers in place, is permanently monitored by an sub-AI and hat 13 different ways to selfdestruct in place. The more important the terminal, the even higher the security measures. ]
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
[ Additionally every Aetherian Empire ship has at least 25% of the total amount of crew members additionally added as ASS-Troopers. ]
[ Furthermore has a ship of the Aetherian Empire five different ways to selfdetonate in place, all completely secure and protected from enemy interference by- ]
"My god, Aso, I got it okay? In reality the Aetherian Empire and its people were a bunch of paranoids that were too lazy to add even more security measures, or they would have. But yes, now I understand very well why no eon would want to board an aetherian ship. Just jumpstatr the terminal please so I can be done with it."
[ Local terminal jumpstarted. ]
"Thanks." I said while again just completely butchering the operator code again.
[ Operator Code wrong. ]
[ Acess rejected. ]
[ WARNING! ]
[ INTRUDER DETECTED! ]
[ Outpost reactivates automatic defensive measures! ]
[ Inheritor-Protocol #2-A override! ]
[ Operator rights accepted. ]
[ Access to industrial centre granted. ]
And the heavy door parted before me, only for me to see a completely dark room. "Aso, what happened here?" I saked, by nowhaving stopped to comment on the state of the different parts of the outpost anymore.
[ Local electrical grid malfunction detected. Automatic repair initiated... ]
[ Processing... ]
[ Processing... ]
[ ERROR ]
[ Local electrical grid can currently only be repaired via local industrial systems terminal. ]
[ Path to local industrial systems terminal highlighted. ]
"Is the local industrial terminal even working with the local electrical grid down?" I wondered aloud.
[ Every local terminal has an autonomous power supply in place for emergencies with an average live expectancy of 1.500 years. ]
"Right, I forgot, aetherian paranoia. Even if everything falls apart you, the terminals still work." I said sarcastically.
[ Local industrial systems terminal reached. ]
[ Local industrial systems terminal jumpstarted. ]
One I looked at the terminal, I instantly let out a cheer. I finally got a properly organised terminal again! While some terminals were organised, most just... weren`t. It was an absolute catastrophe in most cases and even just sorting through and organising it took hours at best. And that was just WAY to long! But the properly organised ones normally just took a few minutes at most before I was done. Overall, I needed less than twenty minutes to reactivate the local energy grid and reconnect it to the main energy grid. Than I spent an hour restarting the industrial systems themselves, which were mostly in an suprisingly good condition, considering that I was currently in the most damged part of the station. The renonnection of the industrial systems to the main operational systems only took ten minutes and that was it. Less than two hours after I gained my new priority list, two things on it were already done.
[ Path to command centre (computer room) highlighted. ]
"Ah, back to the command centre? The last time I was there was on my first day since my awakening. I didn`t know our computer systems were there."
[ Computer systems of ASO-17309 are distributed over the entire outpost. The two core nodes are placed in the engineering centre and the command centre. Restarting or reconnecting of computation units in the two central nodes is enough computing power to create and handle a new individual AI. ]
"Ah, okay. Thanks for explaining. How is the situation above?"
[ View forces cohesion? ]
[ Y/N ]
"Sure but please add in our own forces as a third party as well, if it is possible to account for it in an understandable way. I want to know exectly how much influence I can take in the fighting above if needed."
[ Federation forces fleet composition (Aetherian Empire ship sizes used): ]
[ 2x Corvette ]
[ 4x Cutter/Corvette Hyprids ]
[ 7x Cutter ]
[ 11x Patrolship ]
[ Total ship count: 24 ships ]
[ Association forces fleet composition (Aetherian Empire ship sizes used): ]
[ 1x Corvette ]
[ 2x Cutter/Corvette hybrids ]
[ 7x Cutter ]
[ 3x Patrolships ]
[ Total ship count: 13 ships ]
[ Aetherian Empire forces fleet composition (Aetherian Empire ship sizes used, classified by operational strength): ]
[ 1x Cruiser/Destroyer Hybrid (ASO-17309 current operational strength) ]
[ 1x Destroyer (ASF Aurora) ]
[ 1x Frigate (stationary, strongly damaged. ASF Honos) ]
[ 2x Corvette (ASF Nox, ASF Nyx) ]
[ Total ship count: 5 ships ]
"Wait, we have ships on the station? Actual working spaceships?! ASO! Why didn`t you tell me sooner?! This is a fucking gamechanger!"
[ Inheritor was informed multiple times about the presence of functionig space shiphs on the station but rejected to see ship cohesion of ASO-17309. ]
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOU-" That was the moment I remembered. "Oh. Every time you showed me the status report of the outpost right?"
[ Inheritor is correct. ]
"Im such an IDIOT!" I'm such an idiot, I screamed while repeatedly smashing my head against the nearest wall. "WHY THE FUCK DIDN`T I NOTICE THIS SOONER?!"
[ This unit cautions inheritor to stop self-harming activities before actual damage to inheritors body occurs. ]
Sighing I stopped, agreeing with him. I still had an outpost to repair. Sure, I may have ships at the ready, but if one percent of the weapon systems and 60% of the defensive systems amounted to this outpost being a Cruiser/Destroyer hybrid, what was already stronger than anything the Federation or Association fielded, the station would have to be an absolute monster if it worked completely! Actually, I could just ask Aso. "Hey Aso, as what type of ship would this outpost rate with its full battle capabilities?"
[ ASO-17309 would overall rank as a Battlecruiser if only based on battle capabilities. ]
"Hm, only as a Battlecruiser? I had hoped we would be able to reach the rank of Battleship, but seeing that the station has Carrier aspects and is only a halfsphere it makes sense, I guess."
[ Even as a fullfledged Battlestation instead of an outpost and as a full sphere, ASO-17309 would lack severely in every single aspect to be classified as a battleship. Even ASO-17309`s full battle capabilities barely justify the outpost to be ranked as Battlecruiser instead of a Battlecruiser/Cruiser hybrid. ]
"Yeah, the Aetherian Empire definitly went completely nuts with their ships. I can see why they were seen as undefeatable. Say, Aso, whats the biggest ship the Aetherian Empire ever built?"
[ The biggest ship the Aetherian Empire ever built was the ASF Titan, a (DATA LOST) with a diameter of (DATA LOST). It stood as a movable habitat and it`s sheer size made it impossible to ever be destroyed. It`s one of the greatest achievements in the history of the Aetherian Empire and should theoretically still exist somewhere. ]
"Of course data lost, what did I expect? Allthough the comment that the biggest ship the Aetherian Empire ever built is still around somewhere, even though it seems like it hadn`t been a warship. A shame. Would have loved to get my hands on this one day otherwise. Okay, Aso, I change my question. What`s the biggest WARSHIP the Aetherian Empire built which sizes you actually know of?"
[ The Noctis-Tartaros ship type were warships of the Juggernout ship class. They were spherical and had a diameter of 4.2 kilometres. ]
"4.2 kilometres... Are you kidding me Aso?" I asked, slightly shocked. I mean, I knew the Aetherian Empire had been crazy, but who would ever build such giants?! Well, besides the Aetherian Empire, obviously.
[ This unit is incapable of lying to inheritor. ]
[ Destination reached. ]
"Yeah, that`s what I had expected. You know what, Im just going to forget what I just heard. Instead, I will concentrate myself on repairing the outpost. Yep, that`s what Im gonna do. I never heard anything."
And that`s exactly what I did, hoping to just ignore the traitorous thought that tried to inform me, that I had no idea what I actually got myself into.