Inside a small Asteroid nearly identical to the hundreds of other Asteroids nearby, our Probe sat contemplating the futility of Life. It has been doing this for a while now, nearly 16 Hours by its internal clock, after it got wedged into the entrance to the asteroid cave.
16 Hours Prior
After the God stopped alternatingly threatening the Probe, and giving it vague advice, the Probe could finally get down to Business. After a few mistakes, that resulted in the Scout Drone smashing into both the Probe and Asteroid, the Probe sent its small companion out to explore the Asteroid Field more closely. After that it got started on some… Personnel Improvement.
“Right, lets start with the easy one”
Scout Drone Upgrade Tree 3/4 Available
Offensive 0/3
Defensive 0/3
Scouting 1/3
Economy 0/3
Production 0/3
Unique [1 Available]
“Lets invest one each into Scouting and Defensive, and then take a look at that Unique Upgrade, I didn’t notice it, probably because that God Guy was blabbering on so much.”
Scout Drone Upgrade Tree 1/3 Available
Offensive 0/3
Defensive 1/3
Scouting 2/3
Economy 0/3
Production 0/3
Unique [1 Available]
Defensive Upgrade Assigned
One Skill Unlocked
One Technology Unlocked
Scouting Upgrade Assigned
One Skill Unlocked
Scout Drone Skills
[NEW] – Dodge – Increases ability to Dodge incoming Fire
[NEW] – Terrain Analysis – Allows Analysis of Terrain to determine location of Valuable Resources, Areas of Interest, and others. Quality of detected Items determined by Frame Level and Sensor Quality
Adaptive Radar – Allows active analysis of Radar Returns, ability to detect is determined by Frame Level and Radar Quality
Scout Drone Technologies
[NEW] – Active Intercept Matrix – Based on old Terran Technology, this Sensor allows calculation and analysis of Incoming Ordnance Trajectories.
Scouting Radar – based on old Terran Technology, this Radar allows detection of Objects at a moderate Distance. Return can be diminished by Cosmic Rays and interfering Objects, among other things.
Unique Scout Drone Upgrade Available
0/1 – Quantum Entangled Systems
0/1 – Stealth Package
0/1 – Drop Tanks
“That’s it? No description of what they do?”
The Core tried to look more closely at the Unique Upgrades available to it, but all it got was a warning message, two of them.
Warning, this choice is Permanent and will influence future development
This Choice requires 2 Upgrade Points and access to a Forge System
“Well, I suppose that’s something to look into at some point. I remember seeing something about a Forge Earlier?”
The Core looked through its Menu’s, thinking to itself that there were far to many and it should complain to the God Guy to cut them down next time he came by to “Chat”.
“Here we go, finally found it”
Available Modules Crude Beacon (20 Mana)
Crude Sensor Package (20 Mana)
Crude Navigation Package (20 Mana)
Crude Storage Bays (20 Mana)
Crude Weapons System (20 Mana)
Crude Actuators (20 Mana)
[New] Crude Harvesting System (20 Mana)
[New] Crude Refining System (20 Mana)
[New] Crude Forge System (20 Mana)
Simple Mana Harvester (50 Mana)
Simple Propulsion System (50 Mana)
The Core checked it’s Mana Supply, it was nearing full, which meant that it could get two of these before it needed to do anything.
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“Considering the Forge was required to get the Scout Upgrade, that is definitely on my get list. But If I am looking at this list right, I likely need the Harvesting and Refining System’s first. And the Harvesting System is on the Task List After all.”
Crude Sensor Package Acquired
Crude Harvesting System Acquired
The Core shivered as it felt the Mana leave its core and work its “Magics” on its Frame. It’s “Eye”, the singular Camera taking up most of its front, shivered as it grew four Sub-Camera’s. It shivered even more as that entire assembly moved up, and back on its chassis as two steel grippers, like beetle Jaws forced their way out of its previously smooth Hull. Between the two jaws, a whirling set of stone crushers formed, able to crush stone into powder as long as the Grippers shoved it in.
Changing its view to see what had changed the Core smiled, its grippers shivering as it did so.
“Nice, that should be perfect for Harvesting minerals… and here is the Mission Complete”
Task Complete – Basic Harvesting - Complete a method to harvest Resources
Task Assigned – Basic Refining – Construct a method to Refine Resources
“Is it to much to ask for a Reward? Or do I have to complete a Chain-Quest to do that?”
The Core sat waiting for the God Guy to make some Sarcastic Remark, but it seemed it really was gone
“Alright, looks like he is Gone, For now at least. Lets check what the overview says, Status”
Level 2
Mana 2/40 [5/h]
[Locked]
Frame: Basic Orbiter
Specialization: [Level 5]
[Level 5]
Seeing nothing had changed, besides the new Level Requirements for some of its tabs, the Core decided it was time to check on the Scout Drone. It sent out a mental order for the Drone to return, and received an Error Message in Response. Grumbling to itself about the uselessness of AI, the Core triggered its thrusters, boosting itself for the exit to the Tunnel. Its grippers sailed through the small entrance, barely clearing the sides of the Tunnel. The Core’s “Eyes” widened as it realized the mistake in its calculations.
“Uh Oh”
The Core’s frame, which widened before it grew slender near its rear thruster array, wedged itself into the Tunnels entrance. This left the Core exposed, half in and half out of the Tunnel that had been its shelter up until now, leaving it like a Zit on the side of the Asteroid. Boosting its thrusters to try to wiggle itself free, it just wedged itself more into the hole, until it ran out of propellant and sat there, grippers flailing uselessly.
“Well, this is… a… problem.”
16 Hours Later
The Core, was still stuck in the tunnel. It had purchased the Crude Actuators, which formed into a fold away arm on a ring around the front of the Probe, it was unable to bend far enough to push the Probe out. It had purchased everything else it could, dedicating Mana to get the Navigation Package and to Level up. Now it was a Level 3 Probe, who had a minimap of the Area, which did nothing to help it get unstuck from the Asteroid it was jammed inside.
At least until the Core felt something getting closer, rotating its camera it saw its first Scout Drone gliding back to it, mostly. It looked a little Dented, and its finish was scuffed, but it was still flying, even If it had a tendency to veer Right occasionally.
“Finally, it took you long enough to get here.”
The Drone beeped in acknowledgment, sending a recording of it being hit by a rogue asteroid that had knocked its systems offline until now.
“Sure, sure, that’s your excuse.”
The Core gave the Drone orders to go inside the Asteroid and push from the other side, and after many failed attempts, they managed to pop the Core free like a cork. The Asteroid had rotated from all the forces they were putting into it, and another asteroid had come dangerously close. Close enough that when the Core popped free, thruster Package burning hard, it barely had time to react before slamming into the Asteroid above it.
“OW, Shit, Goddamit”
Its eyes flashing orange, the Core tried to regain control from the spin the Crash had put on it. Thrusters flashing, it managed to correct and inspect the Damage. It wasn’t Pretty, a large gash being ripped on its upper shell from a protrusion on the asteroid it had scraped through.
“Oof, how am I supposed to… oh.. I see.....”
80% Mana Regeneration used for Frame Repairs, 7/80 Remaining
Estimated time till Completed = 18.25 Hours
Disabling Systems until repairs are completed
The Core cursed as it felt its systems shutting down, starting with the Thrusters, and slowly leaving the Core more and More Helpless until it shut down completely. Then it was just a hunk of Metal and Crystal, floating slowly through an Asteroid field, just one of many hunks of Metal in it, some metallic asteroids, some wreckage from battles long fought.
The Scout drone floated by the Cores disabled Frame, its propulsion system keeping it exactly where it had been before the Core was disabled, at least in relation to the Core itself. The Asteroid field slowly flew past, and the Core was occasionally nudged out of the way of an Asteroid by the Scout Drone. Its sensors analyzed every asteroid that passed, its circuits marking the positions of Ores and Wreckage for the Core to harvest when, if it woke up.
Its sensors were crude, barely more than a camera and an ancient radar system, but it was enough to Detect another Rift open nearby. This one was smaller, more ordered than the one that had Brought the Core here. And it brought its own traveler with it as well, A Massive black Ship of the Line, flying without a thruster, but through Magic filling its sails. Its hull was marred only by the Red lines marking its Gun Decks, of which there were 6, and its name, written in bloody streaks along its Prow. The Ships name was the “Vengeance” and it was boring straight for the Disabled Core.