Squadron 11-1 screamed through a harsh turn, the eight ships staying the tight formation possible with a cybernetic data net. The battle tender had dropped its entire brood in one explosive burst, all eight hatches spewing parasite cruisers, then retreated until it could put up its black globe.
64 of the Imperial Navy's newest experimental armored cruisers had screamed in on the Usurper's task force, weapons blazing in a coordinated firestorm that pounded through defenses as if they were made of old fashioned paper.
ISS Kellhound was at the front of the formation, sensors working overtime to provide targeting data for the deadly thrust. Being that far forward left the ship outside the stacked defenses of the trailing ships, but the predictive capabilities of the squadron network had kept the ships undamaged so far. Unfortunately, it couldn't last forever.
The two Wind class strike carriers at the center of the enemy formation both targeted Kellhound with spinal mounts. There was something abnormal about it, though. Instead of the expected Meson packets, both ships actually generated a here-to-fore unknown faster than light beam weapon.
Kellhound vanished in an implosion of energies normally found only in hyperspace.
-------------------
System Restart:
Engineering Net: Online
Command Net: Online
Tactical Net: Online
Battle Net: Local only, no other members present
++++++++
Personality Integration....... Complete
~Kellhound is operational. Systems checks indicate that whatever weapon systems were used have caused negligible systems damage.~
The big ship sat motionless, but sensors listened, absorbing data.
~Scanning indicates that Kellhound is not in the same star system as the recent battle. The star class is not the same; therefore, however improbable, this must be a different location or time.
Analysis indicates that the beams used were some sort of tightly focused gravitic shell containing a stream of tachyons. It seems that the Ursuper's R & D has unlocked some part of the science behind the Ancients' war-fighting technology.~
Additional scanners and astrographic software were added to the process.
~Further scanning is unable to locate any beacon stars. Analysis indicates that Kellhound has been translated at least 5,000 parsecs from Imperial space.~
After disabling the now unneeded tools, the scanners focused on the more distant space of the local star.
~System scanning indicates that artificial structures are present. Imperial communications networks do not appear to be present. Activating Cruise Engines.~
//This character is loosely modeled after the Bolo AI conceived by Keith Laumer. It is then filtered through the mentality of the MegaTraveller universe's collapse of the Third Imperium but is separate from, and prior to, the onset of Virus, and then adapted to Freelancer. If you want more information, ask.
We all have an Angelic and a Demonic side. Use of them determines good or evil in the end.
~Arrival. The structure is not in Kellhound's database. Correction, neither structure is in the database.~
Sensors probed the huge object, finding numerous electromagnetic broadcasts. Among them was a carrier wave to the other structure.
~Encryption... decoded. Data feed acquired. Various software, a peer to peer network... Astrogation data... Bretonia - Not found in database, Omega 3 - Not found in database, Cambridge - a political unit of the Terran United Kingdom... database mismatch.~
Several minutes were spent accessing information. A secondary database was created, but the information flow came in spurts.
~According to this "Jump Gate's" tracking systems, Kellhound is galactic south of the Imperium, but this territory should belong to the Hive Federation, not to humans.~
There was a pause in processing while Kellhound considered. Hiver Einstein was not a hyperphysist, but the programmer's presence would have been... desirable. An organic point of view, while often irrational, could provide insights that even a hyper heuristic personality was incapable of.
~Negative association leads to the theory that the tachyon weapon has displaced Kellhound universally.~
While this invidious situation was diagnosed, automated functions had continued sorting the information flow of the Jump Gate.
~A Guard channel! Now to determine if it is monitored.~
A mellow baritone voice came over the comm. "Attention, any station! This is ISS Kellhound declaring an emergency! Repeat, ISS Kellhound is declaring an emergency. Any station, please respond."
We all have an Angelic and a Demonic side. Use of them determines good or evil in the end.
~Traffic monitoring indicates that, in these apparently peripheral systems, there is much lawlessness. This presents a dilemma. Kellhound is a warship of the Imperium, and it is the duty of all navies to protect legitimate merchants.
However, if the hypothesis about a universal transition is correct, Kellhound has no jurisdiction in this sphere of space. At this time, operations are necessarily restricted to defensive action.
It would be desirable for the Bretonian forces to expedite, but recent data indicate that they are at war. Analysis suggests a 65% chance that Kellhound will initially be suspected of being a military misdirection. The potential problem will be to ensure they do not "shoot first, and ask later."~
We all have an Angelic and a Demonic side. Use of them determines good or evil in the end.
~Communications have proceeded. There is a certain level of concern with internal communications being carried over these quantum tunneling networks. The Bretonian government seems to be unaware of the potential to be tapped, although, in their defense, the encryption is capable, if not up to Imperial military standards. Perhaps this is the best that bandwidth can support.
Mention of the Crown in the traffic presents a further dilemma. Having scanned the entry point phenomenon thoroughly, Kellhound can find no indication of an ingress point. A hyper space sinkhole was located in nearby space although there does not seem to be a connection to the previous point of origin. Kellhound may have to determine new allegiances in the near future.~
The jump gate, obedient to the commands of a perceived authorized user, activated. With all sensors tuned and focused, the parasite cruiser slowly advanced into the swirling maw of the unknown.
We all have an Angelic and a Demonic side. Use of them determines good or evil in the end.
~Encounters with the local polity have, so far, conformed to human norms. There are standard variances for different planets, although not so wide as in the Imperium. It is theorized that this has to do with the relative size of the population, approximately one sparsely settled Imperial sector.
The Admiral seems to be suffering from some physical disability. Pulse is elevated and a tenth degree temperature increase are notable. There is physical anxiety consistent with a denied addiction in his monitored statistics. A slight increase in breathing indicates a conditioned response to drinking the tea. Further analysis may be desirable at a later time.
The Marines are obviously doing their utmost to ignore it. It is indeterminate at this time whether that indicates loyalty, or dedication to duty.~
Data was filed away while the conversation continued.
~It is unsettling to know that the existing data regarding the Imperium is no longer accurate in regard to current conditions. In effect, in this universe, all current data on the Imperium is fiction.
Unfortunately, the human condition appears to be multiversal. There are multiple wars in progress, including two possible conflicts against non-human opponents.
Wales and the squadrons are sorely missed.~
We all have an Angelic and a Demonic side. Use of them determines good or evil in the end.