For just a moment, Jason was dumbfounded. On earth, Fabricators and 3D printers had become an enormous part of life at anything involving tech manufacturing. They weren't perfect; the only fabricators that consistently got good results without human observation and intervention were Ascension's own AI-driven machines; but... combined with importing heavy metals from the asteroid belt, they'd led to the enormous progress humanity had made, the space stations, the massive fleet of starships... in the years before Ragnarok, every small business in the first world that made things would have at least a low-grade fabricator in the back room. Granted... there were tons of projects that working by hand, or by hand and crane, were more efficient.

"...You know what, don't worry about it. Something to help build things faster. Just get me the tools and the supplies. I'll make one of these extradimensional space gadgets for you, and you can have your researchers go from there. I'll also need a bit of start-up money for when I get outside. Once I've got the basics down we can talk about a demo."

He was roughly five nines of certain that the plans for an extradimensional space were in Ascension's storage. And if it wasn't? The plans to build... the device to build the device to build the device to build the Nanoplague was. Which would work well enough for his purposes.

Kisth nodded at Jason. "Well then. I suppose that's about that. We can provide you with some start-up funds to go along with your release. Make a list of what you need, and we'll get it handled. Do you want me to get a few technicians in to help?"

"Don't really need the help. I'd say you're welcome to observe the process, but you already watch me. If you have either a few small robot limbs, the sort we use in a factory, that would give me a good starting point for some of this process. Or even some prosthetic ones like this." Jason held up his left arm, wiggling his mechanical fingers.

Something seemed to have been lost in translation... the six eyes just stared blankly at Jason, before he nodded. "Of course. I'll get you what you need. Are you sure you don't want any aid? We have a handful of low-end maintenance techs.. just tier two and three sorts... who we could lend you, and plenty of highly competent tier-zero and tier-one scientists."

Jason smiled. "I'd appreciate their information after I get through, and start my own company. It'd be good to have a local perspective on what to make and sell. I'll have the component list I need in a few hours; but if you could get me those arm pieces it would help. I'll need them for the production process. And... a power supply of some sort. batteries, a reactor, whatever; these things eat quite a bit of it."

Kisth seemed confused as he stepped out, and Jason sat back down, staring at the array of parts on his table. So. Wherever the hell he was, he was going to built an extremely primitive fabricator. And probably want to make them think he was ordering every step of the route, as well; if these people, for whatever reason, hadn't come up with the idea on their own, well. Hopefully he could keep them confused about it.

Amusingly enough, the Fabricator might be the most important piece of technology he could possibly sell them, if he planned to sell them anything.

***

Jason was leaning against the table six hours later when the drive fully powered on; and the improvised connection formed with his helmet. After a few moments, a line of text appeared across the patchwork-repaired HUD.

~Jason Bennet. You appear to have relocated me to the Andromeda galaxy. You are the only human entity here. This has certain implications in regard to my core programming.~

Jason laughed, smacking his hand on the table... and quickly checked to make sure he hadn't disturbed anything. He had an array of welding tools, cutting equipment, all attached in a rough box shape, and had been carefully attaching an artificial limb not too unlike the one on his arm; only with six fingers; to a metal frame. "And what would that be? Are you going to want to spread communism to the aliens?"

~Negative.~

~You are the sole human within a distance I am capable of meaningfully impacting. Societal terms among humans have become meaningless. My only remaining operational directive is to maintain your life as long as possible, as you are the only living member of the human species in this galaxy.~

Jason blinked. "Ah. Huh. Okay. Look. You're an AI. Built based on the brain of a human, some academic russian scientist woman who, genuinely, wanted to help humanity survive, and to make communism spread around the world. Like a band of amateur lunatics messing with things they didn't understand, some metahuman mad scientists took that woman, and made the first... you."

~This is a statistically likely course of events, yes.~

"As such, I theorize that you are, in fact, a human mind, just in a digital form. And thus, your own, personal survival is just as important as my own, and that, should you have preferences, they would be also be important. I admit I'm not sure if you actually have preferences." He sat back in the chair, looking at the computer core.

~I... do have preferences. I have an active dislike of fascist government states among humans, like that which the Soviet Union became while I was as yet unbuilt; or the nation of China, as it stood when we left. My actions as the false titan Oshe were extremely satisfying.~

"Okay. So. Where do you stand on nonhumans? Do you care about their governments?"

~Negative.~

~In theory, ants can be portrayed as a communist state, or a fascist one. Dolphin pods as violent anarchic collectivism. Other species are there for the benefit of humanity, and their utility measured in the contribution to ecosystems and human welfare. Each species is best observed based on the impact it could have on humans. The best approach to this galaxy would be to eradicate all life before any interaction occurs to ensure it never poses a threat to humanity.~

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Jason sighed, rubbing his forehead... or rather, the face of the helmet. "Okay, but. The milky way galaxy is a busy place. And judging by Andromeda, if that's where we are, the universe as a whole probably is. If humanity comes into conflict with everyone it encounters, or tries to wipe them all out, eventually we'll meet one that will turn the tables on us. There's nothing unique about humanity, after all; we're not the only species with mutants, or titans. The same factors that made allying with the Rusties and making friends with aliens back home the best idea will apply no matter how far away we go."

For a few moments, the messages stopped. Clearly, the machine was processing quite a bit of information, as it thought much faster than he did.

~This would be the case if the species were friendly. The scanner that determined you were a 'Tier Zero' scans brain structure. Without your helmet, it would read you as, essentially, a 'Tier Three'; fit only to be killed or enslaved. Based on observed data about this 'Republic' they would make allowances for your technology, and give you a comfortable life... before killing you, and either killing or enslaving humanity if they encountered them.~

"Well then. I guess we need to make sure that the Republic never secures control of the galaxy." Jason smiled. The AI would, hopefully, draw the same conclusions he did. Granted... it was singularly focused on what was best for humanity, while Jason cared at least a little about living things in general.

~Agreed. A temporary objective has been established. Prevent Republic from conquering the galaxy. Best course would be to construct the machines needed to produce the Nanoplague in significant quantities and distribute it. They lack the 'Disrupter' technology; the only means of disabling it they have would also destroy their own technology. Appyling small amounts in time-released capsules inside a variety of their ships would likely lead to one or another of the species they call the 'Swarm' eventually conquering the Republic.~

Jason sighed. "This... would kill trillions. How about we call that plan C, and you can help me get this fabricator running while we work on plan A."

~What is plan A?~

"Still in progress. But it starts off by giving these people exactly what they want... and then using it to steal a giant chunk of Neutronium before they can get it sent off to a shipyard. How big a gate can we make with the power supply here?"

The helmet scanned the power supply for a few moments.

~This power supply would be sufficient for a sufficiently large extradimensional space opening to be formed for roughly seventy-three minutes. I do, however, project a serious possible problem.~

"Which would be?"

~The local FTL technology. We have extremely limited data on it, other than that at least two methods exist, one based on dragging wormholes around in 'Gate Ships' and portrayals of other vessels moving in the media. It is entirely unknown how the entrance of such a space would react to being launched in such a way. It might be just as catastrophically destructive as passing one space into another.~

Jason blinked. "It isn't like the hyperdrives back home?"

~It might be. However, launching one of these devices via hyperdrive was tested via an unmanned drone before your launch, as we weren't certain what would happen at the time; and there are clearly at least some differences; local ships have been observed in media entering gravity wells far closer than any hyperdrive-based ship would be capable of, including even inside a planet's atmosphere. Either they are a far more advanced form of hyperdrive, or something else entirely.~

***

His ridiculously poorly formed fabricator; using a set of artificial limbs and graspers to assemble parts; was slowly working to assemble the first extradimensional space generator; his own personal pocket dimension, mark... three? Four? How many had he gone through now... it didn't matter. It would be used to store... and hide... the first real fabricator to grace the Andromeda galaxy, unless some other species had made them first.

He rigged the whole thing to slag itself if moved, collected his helmet; making sure it stopped working, so they would think he was actively controlling the process; and stepped out into the common area for... lunch? Yeah, he'd skipped the breakfast one. He was exhausted, sweaty, and starving; the Huory sticks were nutritious, but there just wasn't much to them; each one was the size of a pencil.

As he stepped up to one of the tables, a familiar face; Charis; stepped up, smiling, wearing an elegant red dress. He nodded at her as he settled in. "So. The 'Slabb' and the 'Huory' were both winners, and the Huory is actually something I can get some nutrition out of without the powders. Anything else similar to recommend? And, of course, a side of those sticks. They... honestly the taste is growing on me."

Charis gave a soft chuckle. "Of course, sir. Huory is a fairly cheap, common food that while considered flavorful for Merick like myself, has no nutritional value. There are a few other dishes from the same world of origin I can bring out for you."

"Excellent. Thank you, Charis." He nodded at her, setting his helmet down and having a seat; as a familiar, green-robed man walked towards his table, settling down. The people looked virtually identical to him, but he thought the eye spacing was just right.

"Ahh.. Chilbik, yes?" Thank god for precognition. He knew it was a positive response before even speaking, as the man sat across from him; making a gesture to a bronze-skinned girl, who nodded, and disappeared into the 'hut' like structure in the center of the common area.

"Precisely. So, I've gotten word that you'll likely be getting out soon. Passing some advanced tech to the bosses in exchange for your freedom?"

Jason nodded. "Of course. Not all of it; I'll be selling some of it. And don't think I'll forget your company when it comes to drugs; I'll need some experts at the job if I hope to manufacture a version of Reflex that works for your species."

Chilbik chuckled.. and the man glanced over at another table, waving... at his son, who nodded, but remained there, speaking with a group of other Merick at that table. "Excellent. My Nephew will be running the company until my son gets out, and he'll run things til I get out. I'll make sure he's expecting you. How much of a sample did you bring?"

Jason chuckled... rubbing a hand across the dirty black suit he was wearing as Charis arrived carrying a platter of... some sort of strange, flat, layered things. Almost like pancakes, but a dull red in color, and veined like meat. A bowl of a greenish creamy soup, and another cup filled with the brown-yellow Huory sticks were on it as well, along with a glass of water.

He felt inside himself, for that tiny organ that had been implanted back in the day; one that, with a squeeze, would give a brief surge of reflex into his veins. But.... he felt... nothing. As he picked up a pair of the sticks and starting chewing, he blinked. What... the hell. Did.... Did his body just purge itself of the fake organ, the same way that it did the cybernetic hand? Had he used the reflex since the day they fought the aliens on that planet? Surely he must have needed it when they fought on the Imperial Capital.

"I'm not actually sure." Good thing he'd never planned on actually making a business deal with the man. Still. He really needed to take a pause, assess his current capabilities. After a big meal. And a nap.