What's going on? Aidan asked his companion.
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Astra asked instead of immediately replying.
Let's go with the bad. Aidan sighed.
Well, this isn't an armory, Astra began. It's a listening outpost. The AI collected every kind of signal on the continent and stored it in its logs.
Aidan frowned at the revelation. First of all, how's that even possible? We're a mile underground. Second, why does it matter? As far as I know, we don't have any comms yet. There shouldn't be anything to pick up.
Well, I'll answer your second question first since it's still related to the bad news, the AI replied. Apparently, we do have comms. Or at least someone in our camp does. There have been signals originating from Camp Plymouth. Worse, it's a type of quantum communication technology exclusive to the Progenitors—someone has been holding out on the rest of the camp.
Astra had been right. The information didn't hint at anything good. Were you able to find out who they were communicating with? Do you have the logs of the conversations?
The signals go from Camp Plymouth to the location of current-day Taiwan. From there, the call goes to China.
Aidan's stomach churned. It was actually far worse than he initially thought. This wasn't a case of a secretive engineer working on something in private. No, this was espionage.
Can you get any information from the communications themselves?
No, Envoy. Astra answered. The data is encrypted beyond the point I can access at my current level.
Aidan just nodded tiredly before rubbing his temples with his knuckles.
Alright, Aidan decided. Let's claim the structure, receive our rewards, and I'll talk to the team to come up with a plan.
The envoy rose to his feet as Wang led the gnome girl, Ariza, toward him. The curious beastmaster looked wide-eyed at the destruction left over from their pitched battle.
"Hey, Ariza." He said to her in Gnomish.
She detected the pained exhaustion in his voice.
"Are you alright, Aidan?" She asked before gesturing to the battlefield. "I heard all the noise, and there were so many explosions that parts of the mineshaft collapsed! I was worried you wouldn't make it, and then everything went silent. I thought you died! I was going to investigate, but I remembered what you told me. I didn't think I'd ever be so happy to see that giant Wang!"
The stream of rapid-fire words cheered the envoy up. He softly chuckled and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We're alright—just a little banged up. In a few hours, we'll be completely fine."
The gnome nodded before looking behind him at the Progenitor building.
"So what is it?" She asked.
"Well, I'm about to tell everyone. I'll send the important parts to you via our psychic link."
Switching languages, Aidan addressed his troopers. "Alright, guys, we need to talk about our loot."
The troopers gathered themselves together and made a casual half-circle around their leader. When they were settled, Aidan continued.
"It turns out that building is a Progenitor listening station."
A wave of realizations hit his team, but Weir put the facts together. "So we're probably looking at finally getting our hands on communications equipment."
Aidan nodded. "Likely, but you also need to know that the station has been picking up signals from our camp."
Guzman frowned. "How is that possible? We don't have that kind of equipment."
Aidan shrugged. "Apparently, someone does, and what's worse, whoever is using has been communicating with the Chinese. We can assume that anything in the camp has been compromised, including our location."
"Well, we need to tell Marsh we have a leak," Guzman said flatly. "Maybe he'll finally get our government to think of this mission as a military assignment rather than a scientific adventure."
Aidan nodded his agreement and was about to change the subject when the ordinarily reserved Doc asked the question everyone else had missed while thinking about the spy.
"Steele, forgive me for asking, but how do you know this? Are you somehow in communication with the installation?"
For some reason, Aidan hadn't anticipated the question. It caught him off guard, and he knew he could've lied. The envoy could've tried to do some handwaving and chalk his knowledge up to his psychic powers. After all, that's the explanation he gave to Ariza through their link.
He needed to conceal strategically important information from the gnomes, and as much as he liked the young Azapazil, he couldn't completely trust the shrewd gnome race as a whole. However, he wanted his team to know the facts. If there was a spy back in the camp, the men in front of him were the only people he could trust. Imperfect vessels as they were, he was confident that they wouldn't betray him.
"Well, Faraj," Aidan spread his hands. "To answer that, I have to let you guys in on a secret. Before I tell you, I need you all to swear on your honor as my brothers that you won't let a word of this conversation leave this cavern. Not to your family, not to your friends, and certainly not to our own government."
Aidan looked into the eyes of the men around him and extracted a silent nod from each. When he got to Guzman, his old friend sloppily grinned. The bright whites of his teeth served to highlight the visage burn on his face.
"Stop being so melodramatic, Aidan." He looked around at the rest of the team before punching the envoy on the shoulder. "This secret that you have…" Guzman said seriously. "Is it going to cause us to break our oaths to our country?"
The envoy shook his head. "No, I'm concealing it because it might be the only thing that ensures the success of our nation in the System. The information simply can't be leaked."
"Then I'm almost offended you had to ask," Guzman stated. "We've all got your back—even Agerwal."
Aidan chuckled with the rest of the team but then said seriously. "I'm not a diplomat. I'm—"
Are you sure you want to do this, Aidan? Astra interrupted him and caused his words to falter.
The envoy knew Astra was bringing up a genuine concern out of his best interest. He owed a sufficient explanation.
Yeah, I think so, Astra. You said it yourself, I need to surround myself with people I trust.
I said an envoy needs competent subordinates, the AI disagreed.
It's the same thing, Aidan replied.
"Sorry, I was having a conversation," Aidan said before laughing. He could tell the team was confused by their leader's erratic behavior, but instead of addressing it, he continued explaining.
"I have a unique Class called Envoy. It's something like a diplomat but on behalf of the System. Each species only has one, and I have an Artificial Intelligence that helps me out as one of my Class attributes. My role in the System is to ensure that all human factions are united before the complete assimilation of the System."
"Assimilation?" Wang rumbled.
Aidan nodded. "From what I understand, this is the real world, and our own is like a bad copy. Eventually, everything in our world will become a part of the System. I don't know how or when, but when it happens, we will be exposed to the other sapient races of the galaxy."
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There was a stunned silence as everyone digested the new information. Aidan gave them a minute or so before elaborating. "There's a risk to being the Envoy. Just because I have the Class doesn't mean it can't be taken away. There are ways to take my powers and the progenitor-built AI assisting me. That's why it's such a big secret. We need this edge against our adversaries, and when we reach the universe beyond, we'll need her help to carve out a safe place for our species."
He pointed at the progenitor installation behind them. "It's also why I know what that building is and what's likely to be inside it. While we were fighting the drones, my AI was battling the AI that runs the facility. It was through her victory that we discovered we have a spy."
Guzman nodded slowly. "Okay, I see why you're keeping it a secret, and I'm glad you trusted us enough to tell us. But what do we do next?"
"Well, let's go inside and see what spoils we can find. After that, we'll need to share what we can with the gnomes before reporting the new information to Marsh. For now, we should consider any engrams or other tech we find to be Top Secret. We don't know who the spy is, and it's strategically important that we don't reveal that we have a way to track their communications."
Aidan took a breath before something up the mission as he saw it. "I say we scavenge what equipment we can share the rest with the gnomes, and then look to Marsh for our next steps."
Authority increased to level 11! You have earned 55 experience.
Leadership increased to level 11! You have earned 55 experience.
Diplomacy increased to level 6! You have earned 30 experience.
The notifications only confirmed what Aidan already knew. His team was on his side. Guzman gave him a slight smile before agreeing to the plan. "Alright, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we trust you, Aidan. Let's get this over with."
Aidan nodded and then led the way into the facility. His team followed behind him, and Ariza brought up the rear. When Aidan glanced back, he could feel that her overwhelming curiosity over the Progenitor station quickly subsumed any suspicion Aeiza may have had over his words. She carefully observed every destroyed drone and would even bend down and pick up one piece or another as she followed the team. As he watched her, she glanced up and caught his eye with a sly smile.
Don't think I don't know there's something you're not sharing, Aidan.
Aidan gave her the equivalent of a mental shrug and replied honestly. Of course, we're not telling you everything, but your people haven't told us everything either. I can promise that we have nothing but good intentions for the gnomes of Stalakmitzil. There are just some things that we want to hold back until our relationship is stronger.
That's fair, Ariza agreed. Besides, I think our people will be good friends in the future.
Why do you think that? Aidan wondered.
Because the gnomes don't naturally like to make war, the girl simply said. It isn't in our nature. We prefer exploration, trade, and art over weapons. You humans seem like the opposite. We're like two interlocking sprockets that make the whole machine work.
Aidan frowned at the assessment of his species but figured the girl did have a point. Humanity's history was marked by one conflict transitioning into the other. Sure, beautiful parts of human society weren't hard to find. However, there was far more bloodshed than there were shining moments.
You might be right in some ways, Aidan admitted. But the world on the surface isn't a peaceful place. We don't have the luxury of closing our doors and hiding away. Hopefully, the gnomes and the humans can come to an understanding that works for us both.
I think we will, Ariza flashed a dimpled smile.
Their conversation ended when the party crossed the threshold of the building. They found themselves in a relatively empty dome. The floor was spotless white with geometric patterns etched to make them look like a complicated puzzle that had been painstakingly put together. Cradles that looked like charging racks were embedded into the walls, and three massive replicators took up most of the space opposite the door. In the center of the room, a smaller dome was embedded into the floor. Above it, a purple hologram of the continent was floating in the air.
Looking at it, Aidan could see a lone signal being transmitted from their camp to a space far to the west. Periodically, another hologram would pop up with a recording of the various communications the station was intercepting before it would disappear again. Aidan could tell the Chinese possessed several communication devices if the number of pop-ups was anything to go by.
The team circled around the hologram and inspected the various equipment along the walls. Aidan walked up to the hologram and placed his palm on top of the emitter. He was rewarded with a System message.
MISSION: Explore and clear the Progenitor ruins, passed!
REWARD: Engram for a quantum communications system
Aidan checked his inventory to find that a small item that looked like a computer chip had appeared. Apparently, these were the engrams that every nation on the Earth was competing for. The envoy had to admit that it didn't look as impressive as he had assumed. He reflected that sometimes the most dangerous things could come in the most innocuous-looking packages.
Aidan, I've pulled all the map data from the terminal and applied it to your minimap. It doesn't have enough detail to completely replace exploration, but I have marked scores of other progenitor structures for you to review later.
Aidan was impressed with his companion's abilities. He would be able to use this information to rapidly increase the development of his faction.
"What do these replicators make?" Weir asked as he was studying them. "It won't let me interact with them like the ones back in camp."
Aidan glanced up.
The largest one makes the combat drones, the medium-sized one makes psi-weaponry, and the smallest one makes the observation drones. Astra answered. I don't see one for the siege drone, so it was probably here to guard the facility. If you put your hand on them, I can scrape the schematics.
"My AI, Astra, says that they make the drones and their weaponry," Aidan answered as he made his way to Weir. "They make everything except the big bastard."
The rest of the team made their way over while Aidan placed a palm on each of the replicators.
I've got them, Astra informed. It doesn't look like there are any more materials to create the drones. It seems each drone is composed of several specialized and somewhat rare components. It won't be something that humans will be able to make without adjusting the schematics.
"They're out of materials," Aidan informed the rest of the team without bothering to translate for Ariza. "They require some specialized materials that we won't be able to replicate for quite some time."
"That sucks," Agerwal frowned. "It would've been nice if we could replicate a bunch of those Siege drones and use them to build our position in the System. We'd be able to destroy anyone or anything that so much as farted in the wrong direction."
Aidan shrugged. "Yeah, but Astra scraped the schematics from the devices anyway. We might not be able to create exact copies of them, but maybe the researchers back at camp can come up with something similar."
"Just schematics? Not full engrams?" Weir clarified.
Aidan shot him a look. "Just schematics for the drones, but I got an engram for the quantum communications. What's the difference?"
"An engram straddles the line between a memory and a schematic," Weir answered. "Schematics tell you what to build and where to put it. Engrams are like having someone teach you how to build things and why. Engrams can be adapted for other purposes because it's teaching you something fundamental about the technology. That's a lot harder to do with just schematics."
Aidan nodded his understanding. "So we probably won't be getting psi-powered drones any time soon."
"Nope," Weir sadly agreed. "At least we'll be able to adapt the quantum comms to other things like our helmets and future vehicles."
"Anything else here that could be valuable, Weir?" Guzman asked.
Weir took an appraising glance around the room. "In my semi-professional opinion…yeah."
He pointed at the charging cradles, "I'm sure those can be repurposed to charge our weapon magazines. Whatever power generation this facility operates off of would also be nice."
He lowered his hand and shrugged. "Also, the central comm display would look wicked in a command center."
"The drone armor would be powerful, too," Wang added. "Our lasers did practically nothing. If Aidan hadn't brought a kinetic rifle, we would've been sent for respawn many times."
"That's true," Weir agreed with the heavy trooper. "Even if we can't create drones of our own, we can repurpose the existing scrap to make a new generation of armor for ourselves."
"I'm mostly interested in those psi shields," Aidan commented. "I'm not sure how they're powered, but if we could put small versions on every trooper, our survivability would skyrocket."
"At the very least, we should take whatever emits the psi shields with us." Guzman agreed. "I don't like the idea of letting the gnomes figure them out, and our gnome friend didn't see the shields in use, so the council won't know about them."
Aidan agreed in principle with his friend but wasn't sure he was ready to betray the gnomes so soon in their relationship. He was about to say something when Faraj beat him to the punch.
"I agree that the technology is strategically important, but we should not be breaking our deal with the gnomes so soon. After all, they have advanced technology themselves. It might be worth it to work on the shields together."
"I think Faraj is right," Aidan said. "Plus, the gnomes have an embedded cultural distrust for psionics. Ariza is the only psionic in their village. They might not even want the tech, but it would be a sign of good faith on our part."
"You know better than me," Guzman readily admitted. "So what do we want to walk out of here with, then?"
The team looked at Weir, who seemed to be lost in thought. After a couple more minutes, he finally replied. "I think the best tactical use of our time would be to salvage all the materials from the drones we can. We should focus on armor plating, synthetic musculature, and sensor technology. After that, we get the psi shield emitter from the siege drone—if our fearless leader didn't junk it—and as many rifles as possible."
Aidan nodded before adding. "Strategically, we ask for the comm station and leave the replicators for the gnomes. Meanwhile, we work jointly with them on all the technology like the power source, psi shield generator for the building, and the charging racks."
The team nodded their assent, so Aidan ran the idea past Ariza.
Do you think your people will accept those terms?
Ariza thoughtfully nodded. I think so…we aren't that interested in the weaponry—especially if we come to some agreement with you humans for protection. The tech that would most benefit our people are the ones that we would work jointly on.
With everything decided, the team exited the building and began scavenging as many pieces from the drones as possible. Aidan focused on the siege drone at Astra's behest. By the time they were done, the battlefield had been picked apart, and the team's inventories were bursting with armor scraps, drone parts, and psi weaponry. Astra got a complete schematic of the siege drone's localized psi-shield as an extra benefit.
With everything of immediate value claimed, the team headed back to Stalakmitzil.