The first Meld was created more than twenty years ago, during the beginning of the now-famous Nomad war. The Order, the first and only line of defense against the alien incursion, was losing far too many ships to the superior enemy. The Nomad vessels seemed to able to react instantaneously to any situation and could out-maneuver or out-flank any Order ship that attempted to destroy them. We now know that Nomad vessels are 'alive', after a fashion, thus accounting for their astonishing reaction speed. No time is lost between the thought and the corresponding action. At the time, though, the Nomads were even more of an enigma than they are now, and so the Order took measures to increase their chances of survival.
A research base was established deep in a newly-discovered Omicron system and the most brilliant minds from across Sirius were recruited to find a way to combat the Nomads on their own turf. Everything was provided for, yet it still took nearly six months before a solution both brilliant and bizarre was devised. The scientists brought their findings before Orillion and, with great reluctance, it was agreed that the procedure was viable and necessary.
Volunteers were rounded up and trial experiments began. Tests were run and examinations carried out. All had to be in perfect order, for nothing like this had ever been attempted before. To connect a human mind to a ship was a fantastic idea, but the scientists were confident they could make the idea a reality. Unfortunately, their dreams were given a sharp dose of reality following the first test. Every single subject died from the sensory feedback transmitted through the mysterious and experimental bio-mechanical links connecting them to the ship. It seemed both the brain and the body could not handle the stress of such an overload of the senses.
However, this did not dissuade them. A new stratagem was devised for implantation and refinements were made to the links themselves. Again, though, all test subjects died mere moments after the implants were made. Thus, all research and development was put on hold until a safe way to complete the procedure was discovered. Fortunately for the program, an intelligent young scientist, now known as Herakles, came up with the answer: remove the body from the equation.
At first, this was considered madness, but as the Nomads continued to whittle down the Order's forces, another reluctant and tentative go-ahead was given. Yet again, many refinements were made, but again, though all the subjects survived the removal of their minds, all but one could not cope with the feedback. The single one who did survive, now known as Obsidian, was driven mad by the sensory overload and was sealed deep within the laboratory before he could meld with any major systems.
At this point, the Order decided that the key to defeating the Nomads lay in technological advances to their ships, however, before the melding program was completely shut down, a final experiment was allowed to take place. Herakles had again come up with this final solution, a method of changing the chemistry of a Human mind so that it could truly multitask. It was believed that this would solve the issue of coping with the enormous sensory feedback and overload any given link would provide.
A final group of volunteers was assembled, Herakles himself among them. He could not ask anyone to do what he would not do himself, and so he insisted that he, too, be made a Meld or die trying. Thus, his and the other volunteers' minds were removed and placed in the nurturing amniotic fluid of their brain cases. Then, with crossed fingers and uttered prayers, the bio-mechanical links were implanted into the soft tissues of their minds. To everyone's great relief, the subjects did not die, and there was a general air of excitement and success. Then, he who is considered the first Meld, Quantum Psychosis, awakened.
Within seconds, the links snaked forth through tiny ports in his brain case and he melded with the nearest computer terminal, taking control of the entire facility mere minutes later. It was soon realized by everyone that something had gone terribly wrong, but by the time they reacted, Psychosis, driven insane by the feedback, lashed out blindly. Every port and hatch in the entire facility opened and everything inside was instantly sucked out into the cold hard darkness of space.
Psychosis remained inside by the sheer strength of his links embedded in the terminal and once his gruesome act was complete, he made his way to the hangar, utilizing the unique inertia field integrated into each case. He melded with the first ship he encountered and departed at once. However, what little sanity remained spoke to his compassionate side and he returned to save his fellow Melds, carrying their cases back into the hangar and thus allowing them to meld with their own ships. Then, with one cohesive purpose, they left, vanishing into deep space.
For the next twenty years, they roamed the universe beyond the Sirius Sector, experiencing the wonders and mysteries of the unknown firsthand. One by one, they began to reclaim their sanity and rediscover who and what they were. They found that more had been done to them than they first suspected. After a series of curious events, Herakles admitted that the bio-mechanical links were, in fact, based off of salvaged artifacts and recovered Nomad technology. Even to him, it was not clear how they worked, though he had deciphered enough of how they operated to both create and maintain them.
Over the course of several months, the Melds discovered just how powerful the links were. In addition to both providing and translating sensory feedback from electronic equipment, they could, through a method of nanotechnology, replicate and spread throughout the entire ship and, in certain cases, beyond it. In so doing, the Melds could both repair and maintain their vessels by drawing in particular molecules from the vacuum and adding them to the vessel. In empty space, the process is very slow, and so the Melds prefer to remain as close to nebulae and asteroid fields as possible. In the event the vessel in question is destroyed, the links are capable of attracting themselves to one another and piecing together the ship. They are capable of doing this even if reduced to base molecules.
At last, one by one, the Melds, satisfied of their sanity, began to return to Sirius. They have largely blended back into society, taking on roles that suit them best. Many of them still remain unaccounted for, but those that are known are determined to leave their mark. As a symbol of their freedom and defiance towards those who would use them for naught, a common credo has emerged, scorched into the hull of each Meld vessel:
"Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship."
Although his history is dark, Psychosis has long been considered a leader among the Meld community. He was the first to take steps to secure their freedom and, though he is not proud of what he has done, the other Melds, for the most part, look to him for guidance.
Upon his return to Sirius, Psychosis spent a great deal of time catching up on current events. He seemingly vanished for the better part of six months, but reappeared shortly thereafter, melded with a Starflier and ready to make a new name for himself. Due to his very nature, many different factions sought his loyalty and assistance as a combat pilot. Psychosis, though, had had enough of wars and causes and orders. He flatly ignored or refused each and every request until he was approached by Orbital Spa and Cruise.
Due to unforeseeable losses in terms of cargo, the affluent faction had decided to retrofit one of their older Liners with modular cargo holds. However, even with a skeleton crew, it would have taken away a great many people which could have been put to better use aboard one of the newer Liners. Thus, Psychosis came into play. Melding with the ship, christened the Commercial Liner Greycliffe, he eliminated the need for a crew and experienced great success carrying all manner of cargo across Sirius. Eventually, prefabricated staterooms were designed to fit inside the holds, thereby allowing Psychosis to transport personnel as well.
Over time, the role of the Greycliffe became less and less important to Spa and Cruise until, at last, they decided it was time to retire the aged vessel. Psychosis, however, had other ideas. He had amassed enough personal wealth that he was able to permanently lease the vessel from Spa and Cruise on the condition that he continue to work for them whenever it was required.
The Greycliffe has seen many changes over the years and her weathered hull holds testament to the many things she has been through. Psychosis continues to lovingly maintain her, though, and has turned her into much more than just an old Liner. He has recently installed an enormous database upon which he has begun to store as much data as he can, particularly with relevance to the Melds. In addition, with the recent emergence of Archimedes, a large section of the ship has been converted into a Meld-specific laboratory so that he might continue the work of Herakles.
Although Psychosis rarely, if ever, exercises his authority, the burden of leadership weighs heavily upon him. He treats his fellow Melds like his family, for they are the only family he knows, and it pains him when they are harmed or mistreated. His vengeful and sometimes hotheaded nature is well known to those who cross him or the Melds, but to the rest of society, he remains aloof. A lone figurehead of a scant few forgotten and left behind by humanity.
Neurosis is, literally, Psychosis' brother, but all similarity between the two ends there. Neurosis was so heavily traumatized by the implantation that, since his return to Sirius, he has had only a singular goal: to cause as much harm to The Order as possible. That is, until recently.
For a brief time, Neurosis joined up with the only faction currently at war with The Order, namely, the Bounty Hunters Guild. He was allowed access to an Orca gunboat which he named the Shattered Dawn and spent many a happy hour hunting down Order operatives. So focused and violent were his methods, in fact, that even the Guild could not stomach him and he was forced to leave their services.
With a new target for his increasingly irrational wrath, Neurosis turned to piracy, acting as a Lane Hacker gunship, also named the Shattered Dawn. He then proceeded to unleash a campaign of terror against Liberty with the apparent goal of somehow gaining access to Alaska and the Omicron jumphole hidden within. Fortunately, his attempts proved to be in vain and the Shattered Dawn was destroyed. Neurosis went missing after that incident, oddly deciding not to use his links to fuse the ship back together.
It was several weeks before Psychosis discovered the whereabouts of his brother. It seemed he had melded with an Aquilon carrier, but more than that, Psychosis could not discern as Neurosis was purposefully avoiding his fellow Melds. This did not dissuade Psychosis, however, and he continued to dig through whatever records he could find until he stumbled upon the startling truth. Neurosis, it seemed, had allowed a sentient plant-based entity known as The Spore to infiltrate his brain case and merge with his mind. As to what he was doing with an Aquilon remained a mystery until, at last, Neurosis deemed it necessary to contact his brother.
After tolerating Psychosis' tirade decrying the evils of letting anything influence him in such a manner, Neurosis, betraying no hint of his former wrath, calmly explained that the Spore was completely benign and had, in effect, removed his negative feelings. So grateful was he that he had commissioned the specially designed Aquilon so that he might roam Sirius and spread the gift of the Spore to all who would be willing to accept it. The Sanctum of the Spark, as the Aquilon is called, is largely hollow, filled with all manner of flora. A garden of astonishing beauty where all who enter can allow the Spore to uplift their minds and cleanse their spirits.
Psychosis was repulsed by the very thought of anything influencing his Melds, particularly his brother. He begged Neurosis to come aboard the Greycliffe under quarantine to allow Archimedes to examine him and discover some way to remove the Spore. Neurosis, however, flatly refused, reiterating that he had never felt better and he did not wish to return to what he was. With a final farewell, the Sanctum turned and blasted away leaving Psychosis to despair.
The only Meld to have been successfully created before Psychosis, it was the study of Obsidian's prototypical bio-mechanical links that led to the refinements which ultimately were responsible for the success of the other Melds. Obsidian takes to this fact with a certain pride, but he was, in essence, one of the more humble and lesser-known of their community. This changed rapidly.
Obsidian was the very first to depart from the group and return to Sirius. This was considered unwise by both Psychosis and Herakles as his sanity had been called into question on numerous occasions, even among the relatively insane others. Nevertheless, Obsidian was not to be dissuaded, and so he left. Like so many of the others, he vanished for some time, and reappeared in the most peculiar of circumstances.
Reports and rumors began to fly about a stolen Claymore gunship, called the Dark Horizon, which had begun to terrorize the lanes in and around Kusari space. Survivors of such an encounter spun terrifying tales of a ship which appeared out of nowhere, demanded to know whether their loyalty was to the Queen or the Emperor, and then either disappeared or opened fire depending on their answer. Even more bizarre was the fact that the Horizon would sometimes open fire when one answer was given, and sometimes when the other name was uttered.
Still, no hard evidence existed that this was indeed Obsidian until Herakles literally crashed into the Horizon when he was distracted by his surveys. To his immense surprise, Obsidian made himself known, declared his anger, and opened fire. Herakles, easily repelling the shots of the gunship, scanned Obsidian and found that his bio-mechanical links had begun to decay. As they decayed, so did his mind. Herakles immediately fired a single shot at the engines, then went in search of Psychosis to relay the news.
Fully expecting Obsidian to be where Herakles had left him, Psychosis was surprised when they discovered, not a gunship, but a small field of debris. Their fears were confirmed when a battlecruiser and two bombers relayed the fact that they had indeed destroyed the infamous pirate. They also reported, though, that they had seen some sort of pod rocket away from the explosion, but it had moved so quickly that they were unable to calculate its trajectory. Obsidian was officially declared missing and a search was launched to locate his brain case.
The case was found, but not by the Melds.
While using the Olympic Wrath to search for Obsidian, it was Charybdis who encountered a Resheph cruiser called the East Horizon. According to his account he nearly opened fire, but halted when the familiar voice of Obsidian crackled over the comms. Obsidian explained that the Order had discovered him and managed to repair his bio-mechanical links using what few research materials they had salvaged from the secret facility. Due to this, he owed them a debt, and he intended to repay it. This revelation struck the Meld community severely, but the majority of them suspected that something more was at work than Obsidian's gratitude. Psychosis launched a discreet investigation, but the truth that emerged was more surprising than anyone could have imagined.
After months of digging, one of Psychosis' contacts unearthed an old Order document dictating certain modifications during the creation of a particular Meld. This Meld was none other than Charybdis. It appeared that Charybdis had been working for the Order all twenty years since the Melds' creation. He had never gone insane due to the modifications and he had departed from the main group as quickly as he did in order to return to his superiors and report. Since then, he had been working deep undercover as an agent inside the Bounty Hunter's Guild and the Meld community.
In a rage, Psychosis gathered what support he could and surged into the Taus where Charybdis was known to operate. They found the Olympic Wrath almost immediately and opened fire, but were stopped when Obsidian's voice emanated from the comms. Waiting until the others had overcome their shock, he explained that, when Charybdis had found him, his chemically-enhanced brainwashing had reverted and he suddenly found that he knew who Charybdis was and his dealings with The Order. Charybdis wasted no time, firing at the location on the East Horizon he knew Obsidian's case to be and causing it to be blown out into space. Then, he ejected from the Wrath and took control of the Horizon himself, fleeing as quickly as he was able. Obsidian, once he recovered fully, utilized his thrusters to maneuver into the Wrath and take control. He had not been able to contact Psychosis or the other Melds for all these months as Charybdis had disabled the jump systems.
This news was met with surprise, happiness, and anger by the Melds. They knew it could be no trick for the Olympic Wrath had indeed not been seen within the timeframe Obsidian outlined. The East Horizon, on the other hand, had been spotted on multiple occasions, but had always remained just out of communications range of the pursuing Melds. While Psychosis and the others were happy to have Obsidian back amongst them, they were infuriated over Charybdis' deception and betrayal.
Obsidian took the deception personally and launched a vendetta against the Order and the East Horizon in particular. For months on end, he pursued Charybdis, always one step behind the elusive Meld. Finally, the East Horizon was intercepted by none other than Herakles/Xisuthros and as the two engaged in combat, a window was provided in which Obsidian finally caught up. Charybdis put up a terrible fight, severely damaging the Wrath and Xisuthros but, in the end, the East Horizon proved no match and was destroyed. Charybdis' brain case was retrieved before he could affect any sort of escape and, at long last, the traitor was brought to the Greycliffe for his judgment.
---SEE PERSONNEL FILE "CHARYBDIS" FOR FURTHER DETAILS---
After this episode, Obsidian found himself exhausted and he retired from the Wrath, disappearing for some time. He reappeared in a peculiar but unsurprising circumstance. Melding with a Colossus train, he joined up with ALG and spends many a happy hour acting as a cargo hauler.
The one man who made the melding process both feasible and possible, Herakles, unlike what one would expect, is held in very high regard among the Meld community. Granted, Obsidian largely ignores him and Neurosis holds him in outright contempt, but even they grudgingly admit to his brilliance and they appreciate his most recent efforts.
Returning to Sirius shortly after Obsidian, Herakles took up residence with the Zoners, slowly earning their trust and appreciation. Over time, he revealed his intentions to them, and they agreed to assist him. A specially designed Corvo was commissioned, built specifically as a research laboratory in which Herakles could operate with his limited mobility. As soon as it was completed, and christened the Nova Storm, he melded with it and began to roam the Sirius sector, searching for any clue which might help him in his research.
His research itself was simple in theory, but nigh impossible in practice. In order to correct the mistakes he had made, Herakles intended to discover a method of, first, cloning a human body and, second, removing the bio-mechanical links from a Meld's brain so that he or she could be placed in said body.
His ambition, unfortunately, seems to have proven his undoing. The Nova Storm was discovered derelict in Omicron Delta. Everything was in perfect order, all systems were operational, but Herakles, brain case and all, had vanished. Psychosis organized an enormous search effort which combed Delta and the nearby systems, but the brilliant Meld was nowhere to be found. The only clue to his location was a log entry recovered from the Storm's databanks.
---THE FINAL LOG ENTRY OF THE NOVA STORM---
"Having observed these Nomads for months, I have decided to initiate contact. One of their younger Morphs, whom I have taken to calling Xisuthros, has shown some interest in my ship, but it has never approached me of its own accord. Tomorrow, I intend to make an attempt to communicate with it."
---RECORD ENDS---
A memorial service was held for Herakles aboard the Greycliffe, and he was officially proclaimed dead. The Nova Storm was stripped for parts, its hull set up as a makeshift gravestone in a remote location on Gran Canaria. Though the Melds still held out a sliver of hope that Herakles might be alive, it was considered extremely unlikely.
Then, the unthinkable happened.
While returning from Omega-49, Psychosis had an astonishing encounter which is best told in his own words:
"As soon as I had exited from the jumphole into Dublin, I was quite surprised to find a young Nomad hovering nearby. Having read much of Herakles' research on the Nomads, I knew what to expect in terms of communication, and we struck up something of a dialogue. Then, to my even greater surprise, the Nomad, who called himself Xisuthros, thrust a vision upon me."
"I found myself with a body, my body as it was twenty years ago, to be precise. It took me several minutes to gain my bearings for I was used to feeling the solar winds across my metal skin, hearing the noisy silence of the void, tasting the pungency of nebulae, and seeing as with a thousand eyes from the cameras aboard the Greycliffe. I was not prepared for the sudden a shift back to the relatively dull lifelessness of human senses and so I did not realize where I was."
"Then, like the proverbial wall of bricks, it struck me. I was standing in the very laboratory where I was turned into a Meld. It was light, clean, everything in order, but it was silent. An unnatural silence the likes of which I had not heard since my encounter with the black hole during my wandering. Finally adjusted to the human frame, I whirled about, searching for any clue as to why I was here or what was expected of me. As I turned, I came face to face with none other than Herakles, looking as he did all those many years ago."
"He greeted me, we exchanged pleasantries, talking about the current affairs and our standing in them. I realize now that he was simply trying to put me at ease, for Herakles no longer cares for the affairs of humans, but I am getting ahead of myself. Eventually, we reached the topic of the Nomads and Xisuthros in particular. Herakles explained that Xisuthros, like him, was something of a scientist among the Nomads; or at least, as much of a scientist as one could be among a collective. In any case, after a long discussion, Xisuthros agreed to allow Herakles to meld with him...or, it, I should say, and Herakles took the offer. His brain was absorbed into the body of the creature and he was able to interface directly with its central nervous system via his links."
"What he experienced then cannot be described in human terms. He shared it with me, for the briefest of moments, a glimpse of the Nomad's existence, their purpose. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be exposed to it on a permanent basis. Herakles, in spite of his appearances, is no longer fully human, his mind has been altered even further simply by being melded with Xisuthros. He explained that he no longer required his brain case and the bio-mechanical links had been changed into something new and eminently more powerful. He tried to reassure me that, though his physiology was changing, his basic humanity was not, but I was not convinced."
"In talking to him, I realized that Herakles had lost something in the transition and in sharing a body with an entirely alien being. Though he was always willing to risk lives, even his own, for the sake of science, he had compassion and understanding. This new Herakles has neither and his view of human life has changed more towards that of the Nomads: disposable and unimportant. Nevertheless, in spite of this, Herakles assured me that he was continuing to work on a method of putting a Meld back into a cloned body and that the knowledge he was gaining from the Nomads would someday benefit all of mankind. I only hope what shreds of humanity he has left hold out that long."
"Herakles ended our conversation after that, stating that he could only exercise his will above that of Xisuthros for only so long, even when Xisuthros was willing to allow it. The vision faded and, with a strange sort of -snap-, I found myself back where I belonged, melded with the Greycliffe. Again, it took me some time to adjust back to my metal body and by the time I activated the cameras and sensors, Xisuthros was gone."
Psychosis' fears of Herakles lost humanity appear to have been confirmed as reports of a Nomad calling itself Xisuthros have begun to filter in. It seems that Herakles/Xisuthros have begun to perform dangerous, and sometimes deadly, experiments upon the humans they encounter. Though their final goal is well known, there is little Psychosis or the other Melds can do to stop them.
Believed to have been lost during the escape, Archimedes has only recently emerged from hiding and made contact with the remainder of the Meld community. As is to be expected, he has been welcomed back with open arms.
Archimedes was well known for the role he played in the creation of the Melds. He was the tutor of Herakles (though his student eventually outshone him) and, in an indirect way, he deserves as much credit for the success of the melding procedure as his former pupil. He is, relativistically speaking, the most elderly of the Melds and, though he will continue to live for an eternity, the former signs of his age have been locked into his psyche.
In spite of his absent-mindedness and occasional naivety, Archimedes has taken on the mantle of Herakles and made some progress in the field of cloning. This has caused some excitement and rejuvenation among the Melds who were particularly devastated by the loss of Herakles. Together, they gathered sufficient funds to set up a highly customized laboratory within the Greycliffe herself. Like the Nova Storm, this laboratory is specifically designed for use by a Meld and has increased the efficiency of Archimedes tenfold.
Although Psychosis is occasionally annoyed by his absent-minded companion, he is more often glad for the company of the scientist and puts forth every effort to ensure the progression of Archimedes' research. This has led to the Greycliffe being found in some peculiar locations throughout Sirius, but so long as Archimedes' goals are met, Psychosis is happy to put his vessel at risk.
---ERROR, FILE ENCRYPTED "CLASSIFIED"---
---UPLOADING RECORDED AUDIO MESSAGE---
Quantum Psychosis here,
I don't know who you are, how you know about this file, or what your interest in Adrastos is, and I do not care. This file is encrypted with the cyborg LEGION's semi-autonomous AI firewall system. Any further attempts to access this file will result in unpleasant repercussions to your computer. Do not attempt to access this file again.
---MESSAGE ENDS---
---REPEAT ATTEMPT TO ACCESS "ADRASTOS" PERSONNEL FILE? Y/N---