In the physical world, the researchers and engineers were sent scrambling when a red flashing alarm alerted them of a security breach.
Mitsui’s eyes narrowed threateningly, and all present knew that their competency was now under scrutiny.
The engineers tapped their neuro circlets and their minds entered the digital world. They landed in a field with sniper rifles in their hands.
“A Barret M82…” one of the engineers named Travis recognized the ancient rifle.
“Damn it. It’s a retro protection system again,” another muttered.
Far across the field of play that is a heavily wooded area, Einar stood beside Denys as he gazed into the distance with his chin tilted upwards.
“Modern games may be more complex, but are often supported by intelligent systems that can be manipulated to provide a high degree of support to the player. The best digital defenses are retro game designs where a hacker needs to rely on actual skill to defeat the protection mechanism,” Denys explained.
“And,” Denys continued, “It’s far easier to identify modern day attempts to infiltrate an ancient and simplistic game design. Come.”
A hundred Denys spawned around Einar.
“That’s… cheating,” Einar croaked with a dry throat.
“As the survivor of the digital wars, the current digital world on Earth is my absolute domain,” Denys casually replied.
Einar now understood-- this was but a demonstration for him. Denys had no need to ‘hack’ a system on Earth. Denys could simply waltz into any location they so desired.
That thought sent a surreal rush of fear coursing through Einar’s veins. After all, Denys had been around since the Digital Wars, centuries ago. It might have been pure luck that such a non-intrusive AI became the heart of Earth’s digital world.
The engineers that had entered this digital space hid themselves behind various thick foliage and trunks. They came to protect their systems that had been set up within Area 51 beside Denys’ dome
Multiple bangs simultaneously sounded, and the engineer named Travis instantly found his digital form blinking as he was struck by multiple rounds in the head. The trunk before his eyes had multiple holes.
Sounds of rapid firing followed and all the engineers that entered were ejected back into the physical world, head bowed before Mitsui’s volatile fiery gaze.
Systems compromised.
The continuing flashing red alarm signaled the engineers’ failure to protect their assets.
That was when Einar stumbled out of his testing pod, and upon noticing the crestfallen engineers, was filled with embarrassment by the state of affairs
He put on a false bravado as he saluted President Mitsui.
“Sir. I have witnessed the… process of digital infiltration. All is in order.”
“Against the Kasvallian Republic and this other Syned, it will not be my domain. During battle, Syned and I will undoubtedly attempt to infiltrate one another through the neuro devices,” Denys' voice sounded in Einar’s mind, disregarding the man’s conversation with the Earth Feds President.
Einar very much felt like he was looking both left and right at the same time as he perceived Denys within the digital world waving an arm, drawing a backup version from the depths to replace the compromised system in milliseconds.
The alarm system immediately ceased its blaring.
President Mitsui swept his eyes over the now-normal equipment, and he quickly put two and two together, realizing that the system was compromised due to Denys.
“Good work,” Mitsui said. “You will be deployed to Mars at once. Their society has entered a state of civil war, and we cannot allow the Kasvallian Republic to gain control of the planet. You will be sent along with Benteke and Patel. More reinforcements will arrive in the future.”
Those two prisoners of war had been returned to the EFSF for a steep price.
“Yes, sir!” Einar saluted the President once again as he clipped his heels against one another.
As Mitsui left Area 51, he received a call from the head of Earth Feds’ secret division, EFI.
“Sir,” a woman’s voice sounded through Mitsui’s neuro circlet. “We have confirmed that the T3ST colony has successfully created a true AI. Its nature is unknown.”
“What is your source, Thatcher?”
“The Martian Assembly.”
“Well done. Attempt to identify the methods with which the T3ST colony accomplished this feat.”
“Received.”
Mitsui felt a rising lava within his chest. How could the EFSF lose control of the T3ST colony? All his predecessors deserved blame. Of course, he knew at the back of his mind that the EFSF did have full control of the T3ST colony, until those units separated themselves and established themselves as martian independent forces.
Regardless, he now had his eyes on another goal-- developing an AI that was compatible with himself!
____________________________________________________________________________
Unidentified Space.
Zheng successfully contacted the T3ST colony, and a meeting in empty space was arranged. Luckily, a part of Zheng’s forces had been preserved-- he was tasked with defending Pallas and thus, some of his fleet avoided Syned Vezna’s capture.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Not all of his soldiers chose to continue serving aboard the ships though. Some have families on Mars, but wished to remain loyal to Zheng. Thus, they converted into Zheng’s hidden forces on the martian surface.
Naturally, a small number abandoned Zheng, desiring to return to civilian life. A very small number decided to join Boateng in line with the Earth Feds. Another few switched allegiance to Laurent. Most remained aligned with Zheng. As for the true loyalty of those remaining? Zheng was confident that this would become obvious with the T3ST colony’s assistance.
Anyhow, his forces were now placed on the minor resource asteroid, Fortuna. Being a small transit node, the tiny EFSF force manning its defenses simply capitulated, having little to no interest in putting their lives on the line.
The EFSF soldiers there were also an ostracized lot-- only those being punished would be sent to such a minor resource node. As such, their loyalty to the EFSF was but a feeble string.
Still, Zheng promised to return them back to Earth.
As for potential retribution? He wasn’t particularly concerned that the EFSF would attempt to retake Fortuna. The EFSF had enough on its hands to maintain or regain control of much more major asteroid resource nodes from their foe, the Kasvallian Republic.
Zheng and Khan sat across Enine and Xeight in a negotiation pod between two A-class starships.
“Are you certain of Minister Williams’ intentions?” Elder Enine questioned.
“I am. Her reputation and her word can be trusted,” Zheng replied.
“Forgive me, but I am not certain as to what you or her believe we can achieve.” Elder Enine carried a perpetual frown after hearing Zheng’s earlier proposal. He struggled to understand Zheng’s motives.
It was basically impossible for them to gain control of Mars. Even if they could, it was utterly pointless, with the iron planet squashed between Earth and the Kasvallian Republic.
“Many have no interest in this war between the two,” Zheng replied. “Often, when the future is unclear, it becomes a matter of preparation. Of maintaining a favorable position, waiting for a half-chance. There will be many when Earth and the Kasvallian Republic begin trading blows.”
“Plus,” Zheng added. “There is the matter of a true AI, critical in this day and age to protect one’s independence and mind. We need you. Our offer? We have a complete record of human history on Mars. You only need to enter, infiltrate and create an independent digital domain in which you reign supreme.”
Zheng wasn’t even speaking to Elder Enine at this point. He was attempting to draw out the true AI that he knew the T3ST colony had. As such, his eyes were pointedly fixed on Xeight.
Xeight’s considerations rested on another though-- Khan. He recalled how the martian woman had ordered the other soldiers to withdraw when he had escalated the situation against that off-putting martian pilot. That singular incident had become the source of his trust in Khan.
By now, the AI Chimera had melded itself into Xeight’s mind. Already, Chimera was infiltrating the neuro circlets and systems of Zheng’s starship. Hardly polite, but a necessary measure in this new age.
Without warning, a high frequency screech pierced into the minds of all within this unidentified space.
“Infantile brute!” The same voice screamed as it faded along with the screech.
“Sir,” A voice sounded within the negotiation pod. “The digital infrastructure of section E5 has been completely destroyed. We will need time to rebuild the section from the ground up.”
Xeight was quite aware of Chimera’s encounter with a strain of Syned hidden within Zheng’s starship! Xeight held a certain degree of fear towards Syned. After all, in some sense, Chimera is but a newborn.
Luckily, the strain of Syned, in order to spy on Zheng, avoided establishing its domain to dodge detection aboard Zheng’s starship.
As such, Chimera could brutally establish its domain. Still, upon discovering the hidden strain of Syned, Chimera’s attempts to erase the strain were unsuccessful.
After repeated failures, Chimera chose to simply destroy the whole digital space of section E5 that the strain of Syned resided in. Truly a brutish method against a more skillful foe.
Zheng, Khan and Enine peered questionably at Xeight.
“A strain of Syned,” Xeight muttered. This odd encounter awakened Xeight to the changing world.
Zheng groaned as he rubbed his temples with a hand. He had taken precaution, repeatedly screening his systems. Still, he had failed to detect Syned’s presence.
“Now you understand,” he simply stated to Elder Enine. “State your price. Your conditions.” He no longer hesitated. It was obvious. Their need of AI Chimera.
“Are you aware that a segment of our population favor the Kasvallian Republic?” Elder Enine struggled to see any clear path forward in their cooperation.
“Then I desire to win you over. You never fully trusted us in our previous cooperation. I see no reason why you should trust the Kasvallian Republic either. Especially the AI that reigns supreme over their society,” Zheng replied with confidence.
Khan informed the two of her father’s end and her suspicions.
“And why do you believe in this… true AI of ours?” Xeight questioned.
“You T3ST citizens have been lab rats for generations. That is all we need to know to believe that the true AI created by your secret methods have a different nature to Syned.”
“A bet we are willing to make,” Khan added with a confident grin at Xeight.
Xeight did not reply and simply casted his gaze out into the deep space. He remained unmoved. He detested the repeated desire for others to involve the T3ST colony in the solar system’s conflicts.
He lamented the very nature of the people. His people.
Elder Enine sensed that his son’s mind was no longer present. As for Khan, she only felt a deep sense of melancholy from the young man of the same generation as her, and could not resist recalling childhood memories of her father.
“We need some time,” Elder Enine sighed.
The two parties returned to their starships. Chimera was intune with Xeight and thus knew to remain silent, instead reflecting over its attempts to vanquish that strain of Syned.
As always, Xeight proceeded to jump into his nexarm to harvest a floating asteroid and calm his mind.
Yet, it was different this time. No matter how he heated, drilled, and gorged on the asteroid floating close by Starship Oneiros, his heart remained unsettled and he could only recall his grandfather’s dying words.
“I must learn more,” Chimera sounded in Xeight’s mind.
“I must establish a place for the T3ST colony in this world,” Xeight muttered.
“This world has so much wonder and beauty. To the far reaches of the universe!” Chimera raved.
“Only then can we escape the prison borne of our nature.” Xeight’s voice strengthened in tune.
Upon Zheng’s starship.
“We accept.” That was the extent of the message sent from Elder Enine.
Zheng smiled despite the awkwardness of their current arrangement. The T3ST colony still has members that sided with the Kasvallian Republic. Such as Bone.
This complication will undoubtedly resolve in time. In Zheng’s eyes, the Kasvallian Republic should soon display its true nature in the upcoming war. Zheng very much believed that support for his and Minister William’s faction will only grow, not diminish.
He also believed in Khan’s words-- that the one they needed was Xeight. Not necessarily Xeight’s assistance, but his friendship. Zheng rarely heard Khan speaking in such a manner. After all, Khan often evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of various methods and strategies for him.
Regardless, they now have Xeight and Chimera’s assistance. A critical component of their resistance.
As promised, they arranged to bring a number of T3ST members to visit Mars, Xeight included. Chimera needed to access more information as well as establish a domain for their forces upon Mars.
They had little concern regarding potential detection of their forces-- the martian umbrella had long become unusable and the martian atmosphere was laid bare. Neither the EFSF nor the Kasvallian made any concerted attempts to gain control of the atmosphere-- an overly difficult endeavor under current circumstances.
So it was that Xeight’s eyes rested upon Mars once again, ready to set foot upon the red iron planet for a second time.