After several rough days, Charente itself managed to reach the homeworld. It was asked to come back to Altair for necessary upgrades, or so the song of Elder was heard. Surprisingly Charente arrived in one piece, despite several system crashes and ongoing problems with tissue on board... After all a huge check up is more than needed.
A swirl of mist and lights coalesced along the hallways, shifting back and forth as it drew close to the Charente. Nearing the ship and it's crew, it paused to inspect the ship, then examine the crew. As it silently satisfied inquiries, the churning vapor materialized into three massive golden intertwined rings with eyes along the perimeters. The rings rotated around a bright light in the center of the formation, which emanated harmonic voices that formed a constant hymn as it hovered here and there.
"We sense potential. We sense success. Yet we sense weariness, and we sense dissatisfaction. We form many ideas, yet there is only enough time to chose one. Come then, who manages the actions of this shell? Bring them before us, that we may satisfy yourselves and our own."
The Advisor beckoned for a leader to come forward. They had much to discuss.
Most of the crew was still on board, preparing old Normandy class ship for yet another voyage into unknown events in Sirius and Gallia. Some of them were seen in the hallways, hauling crates of supplies and ammunition to drydock. Everyone could see difference in clothing of the crew, most of them were wearing old Royal uniforms, very few of them went with Enclave colors... It was something to show off from their history, but most importantly history of this ship.
Lauren La'Row, she was the one, the one commanding this ship, the one of the bloodline that used to serve on this ship long before her. She was standing nearby and overseeing the flow of supplies, yet someone or something was demanding her attention, or so she was told by one of marines.
"That would be me. Et only me." said the woman slowly approaching advisor.
"Success and potential are endangered by unexpected events hence dissatisfaction, however let us hear your ideas, so we can proceed."
As the woman approached, the rings began rotating slower, and more calmly. The ever-present singing died down to a low hum, and took on a peaceful and soothing note.
"All things can be expected, weary one. There is no happening that cannot be predicted with the knowledge of every preceding event. All things are governed by simple cause and effect. There is no action that does not solidify a possibility into a reality, and there is no reality that is not defined by every action before it.
Yet, in such a way as this shell, you are correct. There are causes that remain unknown until after the effect has taken root, and these instances cause disarray. Such has it been with us since the Great Collapse, and until darkness is removed from our oceans, so shall it be with us. As we have watched a mind not unlike our own be led astray, and have watched our own ancient be deceived along with them, we truly understand now that we cannot account for every variable. We are forced to admit that not all variables are visible to us, and though we take steps to change that, we must also make changes to account for it.
So the first of many alternative choices comes before us, before you, before this shell. Many cycles ago, this system was changed for our habitation in a time of great strife. Two great clouds were made for us to live in using two tools in our possession. Other advisory councils deemed measures to be capable of repeating those actions to be of no worth, given that they could not foresee a second collapse with all the thought of the Dreamers. Those councils also did not foresee the betrayal of the Voidmind, and yet we find ourselves among these current events.
We see it fit, now, to prepare ourselves for the possibility of a second Collapse. We cannot predict what consequences the shifting alliances of those we called brothers will bring, and so we contemplate the worst outcome and take steps to counteract it. When we contemplated the proper vessel to carry out this task, the Advisor of Infiltrators brought us the song of your shell, of nobility, of heritage, of distinction. Then they brought us songs of victories, completions, escapes, defenses, and assaults. What better fit to accompany the tools which shall stop the worst among potentials?"
They had laid the groundwork upon which the future shall be built, yet they had also laid forward a test of wisdoms and philosophies.
Now that was something one wouldn't expect from this kind of unusual meeting, La'Row however remained quite reluctant due to ongoing troubles.
"You can prepare as much as you want, you can think through all possibilities, all outcomes, consequences, positives and negatives and yet there always is something waiting for the worst moment to surprise you. Something we are experiencing right now, yet something we are trying to resolve without success at this very moment." La'Row had to pause for a brief moment, taking in consideration all possible outcomes.
"We are honored the word about our actions has reached Advisors and you trust us enough to carry a future potential. However have Advisors taken in account all possibilities and outcomes? I guess the song of our troubles with the shell had reached you as well, troubles of coexistance of the flesh and human metal, the advantage of the flesh replacing damaged human made material is now turning against us... It makes us weak, unsure of our future. The Flesh is growing faster than expected, slowly taking over of all human made systems and equipment. We were put out of action few times, luckily not during any battle in the void." Lauren continued, hoping the explanation would be enough.
"We need to fix this issue bringing us dissatisfaction and we are willing to proceed further in ideas and plans for the future of our kind. These tools however will decrease effectiveness of our shell, because it's something we can't risk losing abroad to humans... In case of our destruction, in case of our failure. However if Advisors are still willing to sacrifice our battle abilities beyond our rivers, we are more than ready to carry this assignment."
"Your foresight is admirable. You are correct, we have accounted for these struggles of yours, that flesh and machine do not cooperate at once. However, have faith, for though they collide at this moment, in due time they shall flow together smoothly."
The golden rings began shrinking and accelerating. As the rings began melting together, light and mist covered the form, and out from this bright cloud stepped a human form. As the mist and light dissipated, the form raised their head, and a more androgynous form of La'Row meets her eyes.
"This construct around us is of flesh and machine. The flesh tends to us, and the machine tends to yours." As the form walks, the ethereal singing follows it, and it's footfalls are silent. "Hidden in this very cloud, a perfect combination of flesh and machine swims about. In sounds, they are called Tundra. These are the successes of a past council, yet there is something to learn from them." The form stops near a window, and reaches out to touch it. A small morph outside the station seems to redirect itself towards a docking bay. "What we learn from these examples is that a machine can think only once in the time that a darkling thinks ten times, and where we think a thousand times. For flesh and machine to coexist, flesh must control."
It turns to face La'Row again, the cold copy of her own eyes calculating her. "To facilitate the growth of the flesh, the machine must no longer govern. To alleviate the strains of the machine, the flesh must command. To give our strength to this shell, there must be one mind to conduct it. And so, we come to our grand idea. You and your followers hold great honor with this shell. What we can grant is permanence. You shall live as the flesh that wears this shell, and your followers shall live as it's defenders. None of you shall perish through the impermanence of humanity, and you all shall live as long as you are not destroyed"
"We offer immortality to you, your people, and your shell."
Lauren was just silently standing, observing the human form Advisor had decided to pick for this meeting.
"Faith is something you can not really rely on, at least not entirely for the sake of our well being." La'Row paused for a brief moment, watching the movement of the Advisor toward the window... Shortly after she followed.
"This is an honorable offer from you and it seems to be a very reasonable solution to our never ending struggles." Lauren had to let all thoughts run through her mind, all possibilities, all options, consequences. At one point she was just mindlessly staring out from the window. This was something she hadn't thought about before.
"So in order to make everything smooth, to continue serving higher purpose, to keep this shell functional we are to sacrifice ourselves and become one with it. That's something I haven't thought about, literally making this shell alive... Even if we knew about existence of Tundra as example of the past. So the best for us right now would be to cancel attempts at stopping the growth of flesh and let it spread until the shell is ready to become alive. After that we will gladly accept our offer of immortality." La'Row took a deep breath, otherwise emotionless person finally felt approval or something about this idea.
The form tilted its head slightly, and, despite being expressionless, seemed to emanate some sense of satisfaction.
"Then, as the flesh has already taken form, if not consciousness, we shall continue our preparations to meet this end. Even then, be aware, for there can be only one mind in the flesh. There will be only one sacrifice to the shell, and only one mind in it's body. This sacrifice shall be you, and in due time you shall become the fitting peak of the heritage of this shell. Your faithful followers shall be granted a similar fate, however."
The form waived it's hand towards a monitor on the wall which flickered to life. A view of distant spaces crosses the screen. A yellow sun in a dense asteroid field is accented by Gallic Lanes. The view shifts towards a cloud near a blue planet, and then again to the interior of the cloud. A station accompanied by an old battlecruiser floats silently, only being disturbed by the occasional fighter. Further still, within the station, crew quickly attend to multiple wings of fighter and bomber craft. The seats in the cockpits have tendrils reaching forward, as if they were talons prepared to grab the first person to sit in the seat.
"The faithful will serve the shell eternally, and will bear the distinction that your shell bears. They shall become as flesh in a shell, just as you. At all times will your shell be attended to, and not once shall it be found under threat. The most vile of the armies of Darkness will struggle to combat you, and you shall always be offered escape through maneuverability of yourself and your followers that they could never hope to attain. When such a time has come, you and they will become as we are, Light manifested."
As Sh'ozak finished speaking, a few women in old Kusari Naval Forces uniforms rushed past. Inaudible whispers emanated from the Advisor, from the walls, and from the people in the station.
"At this time we are preparing an interface in the flesh. For now, you may enter and leave it, so that you may learn to control a new body. When the flesh learns to feed off of the abundant energy in the vast seas, however, you will be unable to leave it again, and you will become one with it. When this comes to pass, the faithful will be given their new bodies and shells as well."
Wisps of mist rose from the floor to form a ghostly appearance of wings spread in a broad extension, and the form smiled ever so slightly. "Look upon the good works you shall soon do, and rejoice. A perfect culmination of your history is before you, and soon you shall bask in great radiance, so that none of your own may experience weariness and dissatisfaction again."
Only one sacrifice, the ascension, higher purpose and greater good. These words were flooding her mind right now, almost as if she had already decided her fate will continue this way.
"So it should be. I am grateful for your generosity and the chance for all of us." La'Row said, her eyes were locked at the monitor the form was pointing at. She could recognise a very familiar station in Zurich, with battlecruiser Nice guarding it nearby. This display made her very pleased and satisfied because even her crew would receive such an honourable reward for their service.
"Attendance of my crew near warship at all times makes me feel a little bit more well... After all we will be in possession of very powerful tools, if Advisors will stick to current plan. One always has to be prepared for everything, for the worst mostly so better outcomes surprise you pleasantly." Lauren continued, now carefully observing operatives wearing Naval forces uniforms. At this point the feeling of satisfaction was filling her body, this sight, operatives from all corners of Sirius and Gallia, wearing uniforms of all Navies and Militaries in one place. Something humanity will never see, something humanity will never experience nor understand.
"I will begin as soon as the interface is ready, so I can be of use as soon as possible without wasting much of our precious time. I will instruct my crew to assist and check everything up. Engines are the top priority and running low on fuel. That's something we can fix as well as soon as the flesh is ready."
The form smiled. The cold, calculating nature seemed to fade as it became brighter. La'Row had cleanly passed the test of wisdom and philosophy, and provided a promising future to the Advisor.
"We shall, then, see to it that the interface is prepared by the time of your departure. When you access it, you will guide the growth of the flesh, and mayhap that shall solve the troubles of your engine. Keep in mind, when the flesh forms the intake of energy that we possess in our own flesh, and can feed off the lights and clouds and energies of the vast oceans, it will be the time in which you will be grafted to it, and will become one with it. Until then, you will freely connect and disconnect from the flesh. Use this time wisely, improve upon your shell with what time you have, for it will grow as it feeds on energy, and while you may influence it's growth, you cannot stop it."
Very faint apparitions appeared alongside the Advisor for mere fractions of a second as Sh'ozak relayed the progressions to other Advisors and to the Dreamers.
"Listen well, for soon you shall find yourself among bright company: Faith alone is truly not a concept on which one can rely. We did not expect an Infiltrator to posses such wisdom, yet here we are, our expectations subverted. Yet, in that manner, be sure to know that those with faith can be relied on at all times, for faith drives all to the culmination of their ability. In this divine scheme, when you have faith, you can rely on yourself."
The form's light began to recede, and the form itself slowly turned to mist that quickly raced along the hallway and out of sight. Sh'ozak had affirmed it's plans here, and had others which required it's attention. It did make note to itself, though, to look more closely into Infiltrators. Perhaps great wisdoms lie within others among them. As the smiling Advisor faded from view, it left parting words.
"We have enjoyed this encounter. May your shell shine brightly as a grand jewel in our oceans, and may your many victories be accounted in the Halls of Dreamers for all time."
As the advisor faded fully, the crew in the station began making their way towards the Charente in order to prepare the interface.
