Prof. Jacob Anderson's Story

Jacob woke up to the sound of knocking on his office door, he looked up to it as it slid open, stood there was NC06- Charlie bringing in a tray of food. The middle aged man sat up and rubbed his eyes with the cybernetic hands that had replaced his flesh limbs. “Thank you Charlie, i do hope you have an update on Alpha” the droid shuck its head in silence.

The professor glanced up at the robot and thought to himself about how this one had taken to being a mute, never raising its voice towards any human and only communicating through sign language or having one of the other A.I’s speak on its behalf, a fatal flaw, in many eyes, another humanising quirk in Jacob’s eyes he stood up and approached the window.

From his window he looked upon Site Zeta an iceball of a planet though much of the station’s materials came from the ‘worthless’ planet. He turned and glanced to the robot as it set his meal upon the desk and then left in silence.

Jacob wasn’t aware for how long he was alone haven eaten his meal hours past, he sat in contemplative silence, standing and putting his lab coat on, he left his office and walked through the pristine; silvery hallways passing by a set of reinforced windows that looked upon the massive, one kilometer diameter singularity core that made up the central power source for the whole station. He stopped to look through the glass upon the giant sphere, within the glossy surface; a storm of energies, the power of the big bang contained by the reactonne, a self replicating polymer-like material and then harvested to power the station.

Jacob moved on; security and other researchers going about their duties, he entered into the research station of his Project; the NovaCombat, down below, the reinforced and resistant glass, the droids ran through their combat scenarios, these so called wargames as others came to call them, testing their combat expertise and the robotic forms against one another, right now there was a fifteen versus fifteen fight going on, and the droids were running themselves into a stalemate.

“alter the terrain, enact an artillery strike on Crimson team, give it to them as an objective to destroy.” Jacob stood at one of his consoles and tapped away, the other engineers in the room following his orders and altering the wargame below, and within seconds the data feeds of Crimson team had changed and they began a brutal assault.

The droid sat in silence in the gatehouse a warehouse owned by the Project on terra named such as it allowed almost instantaneous travel between the station and Terra, however the gate right now was nonfunctioning, to avoid any unwanted entry onto the Prometheus Station.

Alpha was listening to the radio when he heard about the fundraiser being ran by one of the mayor applicants, his head turned back to the gate as it activated, Alpha shot to his feet and went to attention, and stepping out from it was the project director Jacob Anderson followed by Charlie and Delta.

“NC06’s return to the station” Jacob spoke as he finished stepping from the translucent watery gateway, the two NC06 droids turn and head back through the gate closing. “no need to be so formal Alpha” the Professor laughed to himself and approached his creation.

“i wasn’t aware that you’d be traveling” Alpha relaxed and watched as Jacob checked over the NC07 droid, Jacob shook his head.

“You missed a report, why?” Jacob stepped back, half listening to the remains of the radio broadcast. “there have been multiple mass killings that i have been investigating.” the monotone brief report enough to chill Jacob, he glanced at the robot and shook his head.

“Equip yourself with your sidearm only, that fundraiser the radio just mentioned, are you aware where it is?”

A few minutes later and Alpha was acting Chauffeur, his sidearm holstered at his hip, Jacob in the back; soon enough the vehicle would arrive at the palace, and from the vehicle Jacob would climb out, and enter with Alpha walking alongside him.

Jacob would pass by Nadya looking for the host but Alpha would stop and speak up to his creator and charge. “Sir, this young lady is the host of this fundraiser ” Alpha motioned towards Nadya as he spoke, Jacob turned to face Alpha and looked on at his droid with a look of confusion.

“I’m sorry, what?” the middle aged man responds with as calm a demeanour he can

Nadya giggled at this. "It is a little silly that I'm able to run, but your friend is right. I'm Nadya Alexeev, and I'm running for mayor." The girl gave a brilliant grin and motioned with an open palm to the elderly lady standing next to her. "This is my babushka, Olga." She introduced politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you sir. Thank you for coming out."

She hoped that lots of people would come! The more people that came, the more the orphanages would get help, and maybe the more who would support a push for sensible limits on who could be mayor, and who would band together and support Wing City and it's citizens and safety.

Olga cackled. "And don't you worry about anything here, young man. We're all here to support the most vulnerable people in the city. And if anyone tries anything, that old man in the corner promised to turn them into a peacock!" Olga was hoping someone would try something. It would make her day. Rahal looked up from the corner he had claimed, with a full view of the door and smiled. It did not promise good things to anyone who crossed him. He had plans.

Still Nadya held out her hand to shake, hopeful. It seemed to be going well so far at least.

Jacob approached Nadya and shook her hand, his robotic hand warming up, as to not chill the young hostess. “I am glad necessary precautions have been taken, though an extra bit of security never hurt” he released her hand from his cybernetic hand, the gel pads that made up the fingers and palm cooling down. “Where are my manners, I am sorry, I am Professor Jacob Anderson.”

“And i am NC07- Alpha” the droid bowed respectfully, and looked down to check the sidearm, the small LED on the hilt glew green, the weapon locked in its hilt and inactive.

“excuse me i have a few signals to monitor.” the droid would excuse itself from the discussion standing at the edge of the hall at ease, motionless; Jacob sighed and looked back to Olga and Nadya. “One of the most stable of the designs but far too often all business.” the Professor, wringed his hands over his wrists, quickly thinking to himself.

“Wing city used to be home to me, if there’s anything you need from me go ahead and ask” Jacob was being sincere, he had a polite smile but could not get the rather intimidating thought of being turned into a peacock out the back of his mind. The thought quite visibly puzzling him.

A dark limousine rolled up in front of the even. It was clean spotless. A older male got out of the driver's side and opened the door all the way to the back. Reaching out a hand, another hand can be seen reaching out of the vehicle. Out stepped Devika in an emerald green, deep V neck dress. Her dark auburn hair up in a high bun with loose strands on each side. Behind her out came Edmund, her long lover, in a matching outfit. They both looked up at the building.

"Are you going to be on your best behavior, Ama?" Edmund said in a stern fatherly voice.

Devika side glared at him, "I thought I told you not to use my name outside of our home? These people don't need to address me by anything other than Devika. As for my behavior," she turned around, fixing his tie, and smiling up at him. "I promise to do my best. I did say coming here would be my gift to you, since you have become so... giving."" She mocked him some what for turning over a good leaf and trying to be a good guy. A part of her hated it with a passion, but she needed him and she was willing to do whatever it took to keep him.

"Good, I would hate for this to end in a disaster when all of this is for children... and to make the child look good, but either way it helps kids and I am all for that." He smiled, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. Devika smiled and grabbed his hand. She wasn't a very touchy kind of gal, but she was in the mood. Opening the door she saw a few people, the child who was running for mayor, and some robot. The girl was busy talking to them so she dragged Edmund over to the corner of the room.

"Looks like she is busy, good. Wouldn't know what to say to her anyway." She whispered into Edmund's arm as she observed the room.

"...It'll be good PR."

"Show these Terrans that the people of the Empire are not the evil thugs Terran media makes them out to be..."

The words rang in Mr. Hagan's ear loudly,through the telephone and from a Tech Con PR Exec that was giving him advice on how to expand Tech Con into the Terran Market yet again. With Dominic Hagan missing, the company had essentially been returned to him, and Miles found himself yet again running Tech Con, and coming back out of retirement.

Hagan's limo wasn't really a limo, more like a two story rolling mansion, pulled by a large tractor truck powered by a massive Tylium engine that belched thick black smoke into the air.

The trailer could be described as almost a hundred feet in length, broken into two train car like segments for ease of maneuverability. The metal shell was crafted from a lightweight, but strong alloy, however functional the exterior was, it was the interior that left one wanting more.

To Hagan's tastes, the interior bore marble floors and ceilings, with clean and simple white, and black lines, the bathrooms bore toilets that had seats forged from solid platinum, sinks trimmed with gold lead, ornately engraved with mythical designs, rare wood panels fashioned from some of Langara's rarest redwoods that were thousands of years old.

The bed inside the master quarters was linen'd with hand loomed silk from the Temple of Athena, while using the most advanced memory foams that not only conformed to the body, but altered temperature so the bed would always remain at just the right temperature.

This egregious display of wealth surrounded Miles, as he sat on a golden embroidered leather chair fashioned from the hides of the near-extinct Acadian Longhorn, native to the high plains of the Province of Tauron.

The rolling mansion was staffed with butlers, cooks, and maids to tend to Mr. Hagan's every possible want and need. In addition to the full time security staff that were riding atop the rolling motorhome, and escorting it in simple white pickup trucks.

The whole motorcade came to a stop in front of the Palace, air brakes hissing, and a lone Butler going to open the door with a few keystrokes, which caused the door to open with a slight hiss.

The Glamour of the interior practically poured onto the sidewalk, as a second Butler placed a red carpet down, and rolled it out, while a third presented Mr. Hagan with an ivory cane that was carved from the tusks of a Hafirjan elephant, and impregnated with gold and diamond leaf. The head of the cane was ornately molded solid platinum, with gold effects, and encrusted with diamonds.

In Gold lettering along the length of the cane, the words 'avaritia bonum' were engraved in Anquietas.

He wore a designer suit, tailored to his body, a tie threaded with gold trimmed paisely, and a solid gold tie clip studded with diamonds.

A silver lapel pin that bore the Tech Con logo was pinned to his lapel, over a gold silk pocket square.

As Hagan stepped on the ground, the first Butler closed the door behind him, and stood next to the door waiting, while the second one briefly combed some fresh gel into Hagan's hair, making last minute touch ups to his appearance.

Leaning on the cane, he moved forward, two well dressed Tech Con security officers in tow.

It was time to impress, as he made his way into the ball, his two aides in tow. While they did not intend violence, they were paid well to protect their employer, they were also extremely well trained, and armed to the teeth, packing the easily concealed T-65 Combat skin.

This resulted in their stature being slightly larger than most, but Miles wasn't planning on needing their services.

Stepping into the charity event, he tried to hide his disappointment. The place was a dump in his eyes, the Invictus seemed to be slacking. He shrugged ever so slightly, before plucking a champagne glass off of a nearby table. He had to see where his money was going after-all, as a sizable donation, roughly five-hundred million Aschen cubits were working their way through the wire, he had quietly hoped the benefactor of this charity had received word of his Donation, and he would be treated properly.

“It’s nice to meet you Professor, NC-07.” She said and smiled. “Mostly, we’re here tonight to help rebuild the different foster and group homes in Wing City that received damage both in the latest disaster, and in older ones.” She had been very coached in how to say this. “If you’d like to donate, any of the servers is available to help. Any amount helps.” She assured him and gestured with an open hand at the food table.

“In the meantime, there’s food to eat if you’re hungry.” She offered. There was a series of finger foods from all cultures and of all types available, and servers moving around the crowd, such as it was, with drinks.

The Diva Devika did not go unrecognized of course. Nadya was a dancer, but she played close attention to other arts, and Devika was known across cultures for her singing. Neat! A real celebrity had actually come. Still, she wasn’t certain how to approach, or how to handle this. It didn’t look like she wanted to speak, at least.

Babushka smiled at Professor Anderson. “I notice you have a prosthetic? They’ve come so far since I was your age. Did you design it yourself?” She wouldn’t ask why he needed it. That was rude.

Rahal watched as Miles Hagan arrived and scoffed at the sheer tackiness of the entrance. That was less a motorcade and more a motorhome. Terran media was going to have a field day with trailer park jokes. Still, the mage watched this party particularly carefully.

Had anyone informed Nadya that Miles Hagan, an Aschen, and a big name one, was here? This was going to test the child’s ability to be polite to all her guests wasn’t it? The girl hated that entire nation, had lost her parents to them. At least they seemed minimally armed. With protection as their main intent, they would be able to get through the door, though Rahal intended to keep a wary eye on them. Still, the enchantments and wards laid out should prevent too much violence from being successful. A few standing enchantments would make anyone trying to attack look ridiculous.

Any projectile in the air traveling faster than about 16 mph would be changing into an appropriately sized rubber duck, dependent on the mass of the object in question. Bullets, arrows, throwing stars. All of them should be caught in that net. Any coherent beam of energy hotter than 150 degrees Fahrenheit would find itself rapidly transformed into daisy petals that glittered and shimmered with stored energy. Those two standards alone would deal with much of the potential for violence. The magic had been complicated, and he had needed to collar his apprentice to help with the ward schemes, but it was sure to make him laugh if they were tripped. Attempts to draw up any magic would meet extreme resistance, and Rahal would be alerted.

Quietly, a server received news of the donation of cubits, and quietly he came to Nadya’s side and whispered in her ear about it. The girl stiffened at this, and forced herself not to get upset. This was not the time or place, and she was running for mayor. She had to play nice, even with aschen, especially when they came to…assist.

She did not go over to him though.

The professor nodded always polite and smiling, when asked about the prosthetics he chuckled. “no i didn’t design them, that would be a co-worker of mine who operates in the medical wing, i could given the time design my own version but, my talent lays in the creation of robotics” he motions to Alpha, whom stood by one of the walls out the way.


“Alpha is but one of two hundred operational stabilized A.I” Jacob said quite proudly, he glanced over towards the buffet set out and shook his head, smiling and chuckling lightly to himself. “damn, i forgot to go to my favourite diner, to pick up a coffee.”

The middle aged man took note of those entering, the singer and then the Aschen business man, his glasses activating and giving him a HUD with details, in the corner of his vision a monitor of how the A.I, Alpha, was doing.

“if you’d excuse me i’ll take up that offer of food and drink” Jacob would say, switching off his Hud and holding out his hand once more to shake with Nadya and Olga before turning on his heel and approaching the buffet table to preview the selection of finger foods. Stopping by a server to donate $150,000 out from his own pocket, the only reasoning he had so much, is well life before he joined the project.

Clive walked in, head down, and hands in his pocket. If I don't make eye contact with them I should be good. He had overheard in the city that the charity would have free food. Clive hadn't eaten in a couple days and was desperate for food. He tried getting some of the odd jobs that he usually took, but no one had needed him and he was too proud to go back to the orphanage. He didn't need the kids making fun of him for not being able to live out on his own.

The smell of the food made his stomach grumble as he moved around the adults, head still down. He just wanted to eat what he could before stuffing his pockets and leave. He didn't want to talk to anyone.

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Edmund was entertaining Devika to the best of his abilities when she looked away from him to nod to a robotic looking man. He had no idea who he was and had never seen her talking to him. Maybe he was just looking around and he caught her eye. Either way he took that time to look around the room. A couple of new people had entered. One was an older man who he had never saw and the second was a young boy who never looked up. The older man started to talk to Nadya, while the young boy went straight to the food.

"Would you like something to eat, dear?" He asked Devika.

"Hm?" She looked at him, "Oh, no not right now, thanks." She said before keeping her eyes on the crowd, yet never on the boy. Edmond nodded before leaving her in their corner and heading over to the boy stuffing his face with food.

"Is the food good?" Edmund smiled down at him. The boy stiffened before putting his head down more and eating slower. He didn't answer him. "Ah, not much of a talker? Or just the food that good?" Edmund laughed and filled a small plate of food. "Are you one of the orphans?"

The boy looked up at him from the corner of his eyes. "I don't live at that stupid orphanage or with any stupid adults that ain't my real folks." He said, his voice low and annoyed.

"Well if you need anything kid I am here all night and take this," Edmund handed him a card with his name, phone number, and address. "I am looking to adopt a kid tonight." With that he left the kid to his own devices.

Mr. Hagan quietly took in his surroundings, there didn't seem to be anyone really worth talking too, an entertainer, someone who appeared to be some kind of scientist, and a few other people that the businessman deemed to be clearly beneath him.

Leaning against his cane, he eyed the guests, everyone here tried their best, but no one was really even close to someone like Mr. Hagan.

But Aschen Politics couldn't resist, even for a place like this simple Charity ball.

Another infusion of cubits came, but this time it was from a well dressed man that had just entered, a young slender woman beside him, with short cropped black hair, striking blue eyes, and a form fitting silk dress.

The woman however, wasn't organic, a carefully crafted body made from a strange dynamic proton lattice, carefully concealed to look almost human.

Immediately she looked around, letting her mind wander as she pinged the various electronic signals, attempting to exchange information, as well as carry out threat assessments.

Graystone immediately found Hagan, and the two briefly greeted each-other in Anquietas. Friendly handshakes among rivals, while Aiyanna quietly moved to the periphery of the room, watching the guests intently.

The server would thank Jacob graciously as he donated and Nadya smiled as he left. Okay, that meant…and the second Aschen donation was murmured to her, and Nadya bit her bottom lip. She would have to thank them, wouldn’t she? This was going to suck on so many levels. So many.

Clive would stick out among the children there. Most wore their Sunday best and all were clean and tidy, all well fed. None would be making fun of Clive though. Most were hoping one of the well to do guests might be willing to adopt them, get them out of the system.

Olga had watched all of this, and went over to speak to Edmund. The elderly woman smiled at him. “You seem to be a good man. Thank you for coming to my granddaughter’s party.” She greeted, please. “You like children?”

Not happy but knowing her job, Nadya pasted on her sweetest smile and went to greet her Aschen guests. She was not happy but she could fake it and do so well. She just had to be nice, had to be sweet. They were helping out the orphans too, even if some of the orphans were the result of- No. She would be polite and nice.

Rahal kept an eye on the Aiyanna unit and idly bolstered the magical defenses of the room. Now any attempt at telepathy would result in a storm cloud of glitter over the telepath, coating them rather liberally in the herpes of the crafting world.

He loved having security jobs like this. It was a great way to be entertained.

Jacob couldn’t help but shake the feeling that the synthetic human was there to show if not try and put his creation to shame, either way that was the kind of thing to expect from the aschen, or he was told to expect, from a few of his co-workers back aboard the station.

He snacked freely enjoying the varied array of cuisine available to all, taking a glass of drink from a server, he watched the two aschen and listened briefly to their chatter, being fluent in the languages of the aschen empire.

Jacob’s attention soon fell onto the number of children and younger generations were gathered at the event, he sighed gently and took a seat “all these young people, and no family to call their own” he couldn’t safely give one of these children a family especially with how closely he works on his project, let alone the station being light years away.

As for Alpha, he continued to silently monitor the signals only stopping when he realised he had been pinged, the robot’s head turned as, the physical form reactivated, the head following the synthetic robot across the hall from himself, he’d cut himself off from the Project network and then begin erecting electronic warfare defences, all this in microseconds, though, he’d not give a response, Alpha’s head rotated towards Jacob who was glaring across from his seat at the robot. The defences stayed up however and the combat unit went back to idling, monitoring the frequency and signals.

A sleak black car made it's wa down the street. Dark tinted windows made sure that no one could see inside, but outside of this the car was more or less unassuming. Cedric watched three different screens as his car pulled up to the event. He had been busy, very busy, and still was. He was always busy in the early stages like this, when the infastructure was still being completed. Valentine Inc had already made a sweeping range of acquisitions, gobbled up small companies and firms in its expansion into the multiverse. Cedric put the final touches on a number of contracts as the car came to a stop. "Time to put on  good face."

He opened the door and slid out of the spacious back seat of the car, standing and buttoning his coat as he stepped toward the building. "Your hat sir." the driver, who had made his way quickly around to the back of the car and retrieved the black fadora from it's place on the back seat, held it out for Cedric. "Thank you Max, I'll call you when I'm ready." Cedric took the hat and placed it casually on his head before entering the building.

He could feel the magical security as soon as he entered, noting the old mage in the loby. He nodded towards the man as he entered, perhaps this party would have better luck than his last in the multiverse. The thought reminded him that he needed to made an appointment with David Malechite, he made a mental note to do so soon.

The attendies were varied, mostly well off folks looking to make grand gestures of philanthropy, though there were orphans there as well. "Theatrical, effective." Cedric said to himself. He wasn't really sure who the candidate was, a young girl, strange as it seemed. The thought of buying the future mayor of Wing City had not been ignored, Cedric had found mayors to be good business if one knew how to buy and sell them and what to get out of them in return. Oh certainly you didn't walk up to a candidate and offer them a deal, you bought candidates in much more subtle ways. However Cedric had yet to decide which candidate would be of the most use to him, so this would more or less be a philanthropic endeavor.

He kept an eye out for the hostess, regardless of other intentions, it was good manners to introduce himself.

A man in a light beard and brown hair made a light jog up toward the building where the gala was held a long light grey canister held by handle in one hand. Bristol's black formal wear sported a blue shirt at least until he crossed some new boundary that made his body itch for a moment. He looked down at the gemlike eye sported on his watch and raised an eyebrow. Then a probing gloved finger dragged across a shining sandy surface leading him to realize his shirt had turned a glinting white. Was that glitter?

The Ductu knew exactly what was on his mind as deeply buried as she was to mimic thinner clothing, ((You told me not to resist - to conform. I'm conforming. There's a larger pattern shaping reality so I can't well fight it without breaking the ward, now can I? You should see your hair. White suits you.))

He looked up while grabbing a false lock of hair that was the Ductu wrapped around his locks and scalp to protect the head. Given the amount of high powered moguls there would be at this Gala she rather insisted. It paid to pay attention to one's security detail he reasoned at the time. He momentarily reconsidered and could feel the Ductu's amusement. Now his hair and shirt looked like something gem festooned. Bristol just sighed as that was enough staring this place likely had enough hair-gazing as it was. A vault for a particularly large cognizance array that served as a aetheric battery was getting heavier the closer he got to the door. Still, haul away ho, there was politicking to do.

While he smiled at the door holding the container with ease the Ductu exerted a great deal of force through Bristol's body just to keep it off the ground. Security once satisfied with his identity was content with his declaration of exotic hard currency. The whole place felt like the vault was pulling through sap. While the potential was there it wasn't being conducted so much as stored. He looked at one of the servers considering to give the donation to them.

The Ductu interceded as shining blue marble in his 'watch' that told time while it pointed the 12th hour wherever Ductu looked, ((Hm. I don't think it's not safe for these servants to carry the vault, Bristol. You could think of it dear that if I had them the air pressure in here would make my ears pop. The pressure against this kind of flow is giving the mana battery a great deal of inertia.))

No, they'd have to figure it out. There were rules to follow in this sort of place a thought to which the Ductu demurred but accepted. The canister had to be left at the door. He placed the stone vault with ornate ferroplasm chain handle down beside a servant with security. The top of the ornate psistone casing came to just past Bristol's knees and just about as thick likely settled the air by no longer trying to move through it. It was etched for both stability of purpose and access to the learned.

He offered to a servant by way of quiet explanation and a credit chit, "Ah, good sir. Bristol Stacks with a donation from interested parties for the young lady's cause as well as my own donation. A hundred thousand."

Bristol while private about his finances was not certainly not poor. Especially since this new arrangement ensuring full independence.

He clasped his hands with a conciliatory smile, "I'm afraid the benefactors have, ah, a modified understanding of liquid assets. You will need to talk to a mage to quantify exactly but I'm told it's at least several thousand circles worth of casting at a low emission rate. I should hope they find the vault both useful and exceedingly stable."

Alpha awoke, for that is one way of calling it, the new improved adapted and constructed NC007-A body, minor changes in the eyes of the scientists and engineers to the project, but To Alpha, it was a new body, security systems needed remodeling and the new body needed to put to the test, he pushed out from the opening pod and sat up looking about, the diagnostic testing running through, the A.I monitored everything. The new body was physically an improvement over the previous iteration, its shield capacitors increased permanently and no longer an experimental setup to two shield units. Not only that the further refinement of the Reactonne material structures has now allowed for the improvement secondary layering for ship armour but the smaller plates on the robots also, furthering the credibility as stalwart warriors for the battlefield.

However Alpha wasn’t strictly a combat design, he had was an unshackled A.I compared to the rest who had some limitations to their systems, and thus for this reason, he was extracted from Terra and after reconfigurations and a Data backup of Alpha’s memories and intelligence, he was being ordered to the newly discovered system of A45F9.
Prof. Jacob Anderson stood looking over a clipboard and some sheets on it. “I don’t need to explain
your orders?” Alpha’s head turned to face his creator and wordlessly shuck his head, the data packet was already downloaded read and deleted.

Due to recent events, what with the growing animosity between powerful groups and nations, and against his morals, the Professor had each and every single one of the now six hundred A.I soldiers fitted with a ‘sweeper programme’ this programme if any one of the robots were captured, the programme would activate and reduce the A.I to nothing but scrap code followed by the self destruction of the robotic body, by collapsing the Singularity core that powered them, leaving nothing for any threat. The shields the robots all have designed to stop any catastrophic destruction of any system or planet.

Whether or not the other A.I had already purged the sweeper, Alpha had twice, thrice.
“What is this self replicating programme?” Alpha didn’t need it answered, he had already figured it out, good thing the robot was still locked into the pod, else the sweeper would’ve activated.

Jacob shook his head looking at his creation as he, it had its first existential crisis. “Alpha, Standby” the voice confirmation dinged in Alpha’s vision and the A.I was booted from the primary systems of the robot body.

After a brief respite Alpha retook control and exited the pod, Jacob no longer there Alpha walked through the station from storage and made his way to the hangar, where his much larger robotic form waited no longer in its transformed fighter craft state, he gathered his weapons from the isolated crates arranged before the ladder up to the cockpit.

Soon enough the smaller robot stepped into the chest and stood into the humanoid shaped indent inside, linking with the larger form Alpha quickly recognised there was no sweeper programme in the mech, he would use this to his advantage later.

After twenty minutes of diagnostics and checks from the engineers and Alpha himself, the Mech would transform into its fighter craft form and fly from the hangar and out into space above the ice-ball of a planet below, he’d line up his ship and begin flying, after a brief two hours of flight he would arrive at the ‘high speed gate’ as he approached it would activate and the craft pass through its five rings and be launched beyond light speeds. Slingshotted out of the system.

Ten minutes later and twenty thousand light years away Alpha would arrive in system and engage FTL to bring himself closer to the PNC station in orbit of the system that much quicker, beyond he could observe over scanners the six planetoids two of which were within the outer and inner edges of the goldilocks zone of space. Coming down to sub-light speeds, Alpha brought the craft into dock. He needed to finish calibrations of his own on his new body and get a hold of the preliminary readings of the system before heading in and beginning investigations.

what horrors, lost artefacts and other unknowns waited beyond the station. the PNC was certainly invested in finding out.

As for Jacob, he had been in his office, he had expected Alpha to try and break the restraints, thankfully, any sudden movements inside the pod caused 'system shock' for the robotic bodies, making them unresponsive to the A.I's desired actions, he sighed heavily and scooped up the packets of files off the desk and made his way to the bureaucratic hell that was the Director meeting, that he was certainly late for.

Alighieri seethed through the empty space, approaching the station as a wave of cold, energy-less void. The station came into view, and Alighieri's attention was drawn to the pulsing glow of the station's energy reactor.

Drawing closer still, the beast roared forth with the fury of his imprisonment within Midgardr. Beeping sensors began to alert the station's CIC attendants of the bizarre anomaly approaching, but the darkness loomed with a mysterious emptiness.

The whole station went into maximum alert status, with much of the Station's control centre in confusion on how such an anomaly had entered within the sensor system without the use of the wormhole gates.

the automated Infantry of the Project began assembling and the defence fleet had begun interception. The 'Excalibur' shielding activated across the length of the Prometheus station, Jacob entered the Command centre. "what is going on?."

"unknown Anomaly detected entering system scan range" one of the bridge staff called out in response.

"How far out?"

"within the first defence boundaries"

Jacob pondered briefly "keep the fleet within the third boundaries, prepare the Ringularity core, detonate the shielding on the blackhole bombs and activate gravity tethers whatever it is it can have fun trying to escape the gravity of the black holes out there."

Out in the dark depths of space, unpowered systems burst into life, lightless shells that were hidden in the void of space opened up with Gravity tethers activating focusing on the singular point where the Anomaly was.

"prepare the Nullifier network, if it's magical in nature or supernatural it doesn't go beyond Boundry two"

"of course Director"

From the station's hangers swarms of space-worthy fighter-craft exited totalling near four million 'airborne' fighters with another two million in preparation for taking off.

"we're outside any known galaxy the closest point hundreds of millions AUs away, how did it reach us without the gate"

Alighieri expanded further to envelop the station as the swarm of fighters exited, swirling vortices of gnats that smashed into the energy-draining field and, tens of thousands at a time, flickered into a drift as their energy swelled into his own reserves. With each and every vessel his energy grew stronger, their reactors fueling his onslaught and seemingly bolstering his growth as he wrapped around the perimeter of the station, occluding the distant stars from all but a small 30-degree gap on the station's leeward side.

Countless pilots gasped for their reserve air as their craft careened forward, their life support systems falling back to mechanical processes to keep them alive for the next few minutes. Glittering dust accumulated on their hulls, emitting a strange mix of alpha and gamma particles that matched no known signature. The great primeval rumbled in joy, the station's power reserves vibrating the fabric of spacetime, painting a perfect picture of the network of tethers, giving him the glee of a spider whose web had just been struck by an unsuspecting prey.

The darkness descended, drawing doom closer.

Alighieri withdrew, his attention being drawn elsewhere. Left behind is a cluster of shimmering dust, which floated freely through the space around the station.

As the station flickered back to life, a few instrument panels remained in a state of malfunction, matching the disarray of the fighters which lay scattered in the region, drifting along without the power that had been drained from them.