The Chiron Chronicle III

[Cyber]

Private Jakob Weiss
2nd Spartan Impact unit
Personal diary

We´ve been travelling now for two days through Free Drone territory.The locals have been quite nice.They better be, as two of our most experienced units helped them to destroy a advancing mindworm boil.Boy, those guys got rich with planetpearls.

Yesterday, we heard a rumour that some quys from the 4th unit went to have some fun in one of the living quarters in the nearby farms.
They raped and killed one woman, but as they were trying to get away, their unit commander caught them and now their lying dead on one of the nearby fungusfields.Well, that should make a good example for the other brainwashed idiots in our ranks and believe me, there are plenty of them here.Personally, I´ve never liked war, but what could I do when I was chosen as a "proud" volunteer for this new unit.
Anyway, the incident is pretty *hush-hush* as nobody wants this to become a major problem.

We should be clear from Free Drone territory in couple of days.Now we even know where we´re going.The Hive, Hives capital base is our first target.
The Free Drones were so kind as to give us the coordinates of all the Hive bases and even enlarged our taskforce with three old and battered Laser rover units.They´re wisely keeping their distance from our units, as our guys don´t like to share the pillage of war.We had good laughs from their rovers, that looked as if they´ve just crashed into solid stone, and stupid commanders, who couldn´t even divise a simple attack tactic.

Today, I had a strange feeling.As if something powerful had scanned us, completely.A unnerving feeling of somebody watching you.Even stranger was that nobody else felt it, though I felt it chilling me to the bones.People have always told me that I have special talents.Maybe this is one of them.

We´ll be in attack range of the Hive base in about two weeks.And I am about to be reassigned to man a rover turret in the first attack wave.Just my luck.
Well, a little excitement and experience won´t kill me, or in this case maybe will.






[This message has been edited by Cyber (edited November 20, 2000).]

[DarkCloud]

Opening Statement

Prokhor Zakharov

-Recorded by Julie Pye of the Data Angels
-Recorded by Morgan Baker of the Morganites

Dear people of Chiron, I have had nothing to do with any so-called executions of those 'Cyborgs', as will be found out; also, none of my researchers, Including Ben Vines-Waites have intentionally killed a human being or cyborg.

The ones which died, died from accidents; we attempted, with their permission to improve them, but we failed in the first generation. In the second generation, all went well, but the 'Cyborgs' grew arrogant and disloyal and attempted to escape. This they accomplished after a short skirmish at the labs and was hushed up quickly so as to prevent any others from thinking they could run a country better and leave.

Thus, I intend to prove that I am wholly innocent and that the Cyborgs had no reason to run away from my country and people. They only did this because they believed themselves better than us, the original humans, who helped them become what they are.

This disregard disgusts me, and hopefully it will disgust you as well.

(Zakharov walks back to seat and faces forward, hands in front of himself with a scowl on his face)

[DarkCloud]

Hive Troop Orders
To People of the Hive
From the Commander

Greetings Gentlemen,

Intruders have been spotted, calling themselves the Spartans, you shall defend against them.

You shall dig holes in the ground and plant imploding bombs in them, you may question this judgement as it is against the UN Charter, but I ask you this, Is the One Path, worth the sacrafice of the UN Charter; for if we do not win this war with the Spartans, our One Path, One Ideology will be shattered in return for bitter war, bitter conflict, bitter despotism.

Thus have I spoken, thus have I said.

[[LordLMP]]

NAUTILUS SAILORS NEWS

Sea Colony Pod completed...

The Sea Colony Pod being built at Safe Haven has been completed and it is now being loaded. It will leave port tommorrow to its destination, escorted by our Impact Foil Privateer.

Some people are worried about planetmind upholding her threats of hostility if we establish another base.

Chief of Economy predicts a booming economy...

Our Chief of Economy predicts that our economy will be booming when the trade routes for the trade alliance our properly established. It mainly because we have the biggest merchant fleets in the seas.


[This message has been edited by [LordLMP] (edited November 23, 2000).]

[[LordLMP]]

Free Drones
TO: Drone Taskforce
FROM: Commander Harran

To all Free Drone units, we have entered Hive territory. Prepare for battle, so spread out your units. You know how treacherous the Hive are, so watch yourselfs.

It seems the Hive has already detected the Spartans. The Spartans will get themselves killed arrogantly and overconfidently entering the Hive.

So we shall not make the same mistake, and lets show the Spartans we are a force to be reckon with.

For freedom!!

Commander Harran

[XWaste]

Trial Transcript

:Start of case: speaker Clara Iota-8

The duty has been laid upon me to lead the case for the plaintiffs. I will not kid anyone - this is going to be a long case. For the pleasure of the court I have prepared a list of some three hundred witnesses which will make up our initial call.

copies handed to the court baliff and the defence

Also to be submitted for evidence will be a direct link up to Inspiration point where we will show the conditions in which the sympathisers where kept and, even more gruesome, the remnants of mass graves that have have discovered since our the liberation of Inspiration Point by the Cybernetic Consciousness.

We also have some 800 gigabytes of evidence procured from the University databanks, including news reports from times of events mentioned, security and police reports, surveylance logs, research documents and communications between the accused.

Many of the details are horrendous. The tortures the Researcher Ben Vines-Waites perpetrated in the name of research has left many permanent scars on those who survived. The legacy of these times led to eight years of self-imposed exile before the Cybernetic Consciousness felt capable enough to risk reintroducing themselves to the world.

And throughout this, everyone will be asking themselves one question...why? Why has the current administration of the University of Planet gone to such lengths to exterminate the Cybernetic Consciousness?

Let me first raise this point. What did the consciousness represent? When the augmentation was introduced there where many willing converts, knowledge and research is respected in the University and the ability to greatly improve cogitive functioning was irresistable to many. It was soon discovered that those of the consciousness formed strong bonds to each other. What did this mean? To the current administration it meant a very real opposition to their power. That there existed a group of people that could easily communicate ideas to each other, and unite behind their spokeswoman Aki Zeta-5 meant that for the first time their hold on power was not absolute. The current administration - those of the accused acted in the same way as any tyrant from old earth when their position was threatened...they tried to eliminate it.

Look how quickly the people of the accused plunged this continent into war to protect their interests, look how quickly they capitulate when faced with defeat and desperately try another tact like rats fleeing a sinking ship. The members of the accused are people that will stop at nothing to secure their power, nothing at all.

Listen to the very words of Prokhor Zhakharov.

'but the 'Cyborgs' grew arrogant and disloyal and attempted to escape.'

Escape from what? If their existed no persecution, no reason to escape then why would they seek to. Arrogant and disloyal he calls the consciousness at that time - arrogant and disloyal because they called for the rights deserved by every human, rights they called for and as a response received torture and death.

Members of the court, I am ready to call my first witness....

OOC - I don't really know the form a case like this would take...too much judge Judy and not enough real court experience (thankfully)

[Cyber]

Urgent Message
To:Colonel Santiago
From:Commander Von Halzburg

Sir, problems on the way.Early this morning, our forward scouts encountered massive and newly planted mine fields.The 4th and the 1st Impact units suffered some minor losses, but nothing serious.Most of the mines were made specifically for infantry and didn´t do much damage on our rovers.However, because of this encounter, we´ll have to significantly slow down, as we have to bring out what little mine sweeper equipment we have.
Furthermore, I think the Hive has somehow detected us, as they have planted these minefields, and predicted where to plant them.
From now on, I suggest we move on carefully.We are not fighting against peacekeepers.
Also, Our radars have detected something that looks like a collection of bunkers, in a somewhat hilly region.if those are truly bunkers, we´ll have to go through hell to cleanse them.
The commanders from the Drone units are constantly disobeying my orders and as I am the commander of this taskforce they are clinging on, I call the shots.They think they can hoard themselves a big loot or "rescue" people from the Hive cities, by staying behind and giving us the dirty job.
So, I gave them a choice, either to go to the front line or turn right back home.
I reckon, they figured out that they´ve come this far so, there would be no turning back without loot and people.
We should be near The Hive in another two weeks.

[Christantine The Great]

Dream to Capt. Svensgaard...

You have sent many people onto such a small earthisle. Why is this? Is this a new colony? Remember...

Dream to Datajack Roze

My planetworm has learned much since it has arrived at the trial. There is one thing I do not understand. Why does earthuniversity lie about killing earthcyborg?

[XWaste]

trial transcript

witness #37 - Store Owner Sasha Beta-4

Clara Iota-8: PLease describe to me what happened to you once you had been captured and placed in the laboratory.

Sasha Beta-4: Well at first not a lot happened. I was kept in an isolated cell, it was surrounded by an emp field so that it would block communication with the rest of the consciousness. Four days later I was taken to a smaller cell and... I can't remember much what happened - at first everything went dark and then all these lights started flashing and all these images started spinning around me and I think I went into some kind of seizure. I woke up back in my original cell. With my meal where some pills, I was told I what not get any more food until I took the pills. I refused and then they came in the cell and beat me and forced me to take the pills. The next day they repeated the process, they took me to the small cell and everything would go crazy and the second time I had a major panic attack and thought I was going to die. I was strapped by my wrists to a bar in the middle of the chamber so I was hanging there, I couldn't even hide my eyes with my hands and closing them didn't help, the lights would still flash right through and the noises.... My timer malfunctioned during this time and I lost track of how many times this happened to me. I didn't really know much about the rescue, its taken me a long time to reach the point where i could work again... I still get nightmares and have some damage to my short term memory that no amount of programming has been able to fix yet.

C I-8: Thankyou Sasha

...

witness #38 - Psychological Researcher Ivor Beta-3

C I-8: You where also captured and placed in the laboratory?

Ivor Beta-3: Yes, that is correct.

C I-8: Where was your cell Ivor?

I B-3: Mine was the closest to the test chambers, so I could often hear what the researchers where saying.

C I-8: And what did you learn Ivor, why where they conducting these atrocities?

I B-3: There where a few different things that they where doing, but all had the same goal. Things like the sensory bombardment tanks which the previous witness described used to be used in old mental institutions on earth, they could provoke schizophrenic episodes in biologicals. They wanted to test the parameters of the enhancement, see how much it could stand before it would break or malfunction. Me they would place on a table and attach electrodes to sensitive areas. They wanted to see how much pain the algorithm could divert, what sort of functioning level I had at different pain levels and if there was a breaking point.

C I-8: But why did they need this information, do you know?

I B-3: Yeah, the thing is though Ben Vines takes the credit for the algorithm it was really developed by Aki Zeta-5. She never submitted her research data to the University Archivers, she had big arguments with Zak, about needing measures passed to protect the knowledge and guidelines for its ethical use, as peoples lives where at stake, but Zak wouldn't pass it. As things got even more tense he basically asked Ben Vines to 'reverse engineer' us and find some way that he could break up or control the consciousness. The tortures where only one part. Many consciousness where simply attached to nodes to try to decrypt the source code. These had to be strapped so they couldn't move at all, to prevent the changes the movement my cause to the algorithm output which would corrupt the decoding. They had to be fed on drips, and often they would forget to replace the bags so that they would basically starve. Many of the people where subjected to this for weeks on end. This has had permanent effects on some people psychologically. Much of the research I have been working on has been on research the effects of this sort of treatment and how to help the people that suffered. In ten years we still have a long way to go.

c I-8: Tankyou Ivor

...

[DarkCloud]

Witness Statement

Senior Researcher Ben Vines-Waites

The evidence shown against me by the Cyborgs, will prove insubstantial, as, they concented to the 'mutilation' of their bodies in the name of science. In fact, they only hurt as much as you might if you were under anastesia in surgery. Thus the scars are there, but they are improved and superior humans overall.

I, and my assistants have made them the perfect humans; but they do not acknowledge this, they merely accuse me and my assistants of vulgarities and destruction of their bodies.

You may ask, why was I not a cyborg- I answer this by saying that I was scheduled to be made into one when the thrid generation came out, and the entire University would be made cyborgs. But since the 'accident' this will not be possible, for we fear that there is faulty programming in the cyborg.

The Cyborgs escaped for no good reason; they merely defied us when we told them that we must observe them in a captive environment for the period of a mere 6 to 12 months. We would feed them and treat them well, but they refused to accept our kindness, and escaped.

Witness Statement

High Military Officer Jean Crupolt-King

The army was mobilized by Zakharov to contain Cyborg agression, remember, we did not recognize them as a country and thus did not declare war on them first, we did not make the first strike, the Cyborg agressors did, in an attempt to assimilate us into their faction. Their programming is faulty and their ideology is mistaken.

When the cyborgs escaped from the research complex, I was called into duty with my militia troops the supress the uprising, but was nearly killed by a cyborg, who had acquired a Plasma Gun and was firing on innocent researchers.

If the army had not been there, the Cyborgs would have killed a great many more civilians.

Witness Askance

Head Academian Prokhor Zakharov

I must ask this of the court, that by observing how badly the Cyborgs treated us, the return of any at Inspiration Point that wish to join the University once again.

[DarkCloud]

Witness Disclimer

General Hising Han-Diego

Cyborgs, Friends, Data Angels. I truly did not participate in this, as you call it, 'persecution of the Cyborgs', I was merely following my leaders' orders and thus, ordered the destruction of all in their units that attacked our cities, unless they visibly surrendered.

As none of the Cyborgs seemed to want to surrender, we annihilated the small scouting unit; perhaps they did not know how to surrender, perhaps they were merely being defiant. We may never know, but it was ultimately their own fault for their failture to surrender.

[DarkCloud]

University Sun-Governor
1-28-2121
Volume 19, Issue 28

New Law in order

A new law has been passed that bans meat with more than 5oz from being served at stores and restaurants to make our faction the healthiest and longest lived with the best production rate and least sick calls.

Reporter Nils Ricks-Sparr

[[LordLMP]]

dream to planetmind

Yes, I remember... yes, I intend to establish another base... to better connnect trade routes for the trade alliance... data angels are planning to build a sea base... peacekeepers already have... why threating my faction and not theirs?... My faction has done nothing to you or your mindworms... done nothing to your fungus fields... also, expansion is better than overcrowded bases... where pollution may rise... and you threating my faction for it... I choose expansion... my faction will defend themselves... other factions expand on land... why not threating them?... why pick on my faction who has done nothing wrong... while there are other factions that has...


After waking up, he orders the Laser Foil Diamond Shark to escort the Sea Colony Pod with Impact Foil Privateer

[DarkCloud]

Trial of Academian Zakharov

Files Quoted

quote: Yeah, the thing is though Ben Vines takes the credit for the algorithm it was really developed by Aki Zeta-5. She never submitted her research data to the University Archivers, she had big arguments with Zak, about needing measures passed to protect the knowledge and guidelines for its ethical use.

Zakharov- I would like to comment on this, Ben Vines-Waites developed the algorithm on his own; Aki and he were in competition to make the best creation of a project possible. However when Aki refused to release her files to the cause of improvement to the human genome, I seized the files and meshed the program with Ben's and thus we created, as we thought then- the 'Perfect Chimera.'

-About the ethical use. As far as my interpretation of the UN Charter holds, ethical use is this 'As long as the subject is ready, willing, and able, and does not complain about the treatment- then you may do what you wish to them to further the Human Species.' remember that is not a direct quote, merely my interpretation of the law.

[Christantine The Great]

OOC: I am going to experiment with a Progenitor speech pattern (Not much of a poet like Planet in game). Tell me if you like it.

Dream to Capt. Svensgaard...

Pirates: live in the oceans of Planet. Others: live on the land of Planet. Humans: land mammals. Pirates: humans. Inquiry: Why do Pirates live in seas? Answer: Because of a fear of what land holds. Fear: humans.

Planet: fear: oceans taken away.


Dream to Datajack Roze

University: committers of great crime. Crime: killings. Killings: many cybernetic peoples. Planet: horrified. Planet: evidence for Data Angels. Evidence: bodies.


OOC: Please tell me if I am adding too much of a Progenitor feel to Planetmind.