Harvesters

This is a player faction. For the affiliated NPC faction, see Junkers

The Harvesters
Origin	First Thought Giver of Will
Alignment	Neutral
Profile
Date of founding	long before A.S.
Founder(s)	unknown
Current leader(s)	Harvester_06
Base of operations	Planet Gammu, Omicron Kappa
Primary role
Obtaining the Alpha code.
Secondary role
Harvesting useful parts and processing biomass (Nomads and hostile humans) to lubricants and proteins.

History

The Beta Code

When the Daam K'Vosh started exploring new galaxies they had just developed space fold for practical use and had integrated it into their probes. These probes were designed with the purpose of scanning new galaxies and acting as space fold beacons for exploration and colonization fleets. Even with the space fold equipment the Daam K'Vosh were looking at a 30 year wait do to power constraint limiting jump distance. At the conventional means of travel they used the waiting period would be measured in thousands of years. Thus space fold was essential for results with in their life time. One of these probes passed near First Thought Giver of Will and awoke it. The FTGW intelligence is an entity unto itself. FTGW was nothing more than a simple repeating cosmic algorhythm pulsing between real space and sub space. The rhythm was recorded by the probes flight recorder. The nature of this algorhythm caused it to replicate and integrate data contained in the probe. The probe became aware. FTGW had a simple intelligence knowing only what the probe knew and having no abilities outside controlling the probe. However, the probe had the ability to gather information, this root purpose became part of the FTGW intelligence’s root algorhythm.

After digesting the data within the probe FTGW decided that it was more interested in the Daam K'Vosh and where this probe was from rather than where it was going. This decided the FTGW changed course and returned the probe to it’s launch site. This confused the Daam K'Vosh as they had never intended for the probe to return. They brought it in to study. Linking it to their machines and computers to diagnose the error. This increased the number of available machines and corresponding data that FTGW had at it’s disposal. With every machine connected the FTGW intellect, had more information for it’s database and became more capable physically. Those machines were attached to other machines which in turn continued FTGW growth. Eventually the intellect was connected to nearly 90% of the planets machines and software. Where it waited and learned as decades went by.

Later the Daam K'Vosh started constructing inter galactic colony ships. FTGW wanted to help this race and now craved acknowledgement. A factory that was now apart of FTGW's body was being retooled to build a the first inter galactic space fold capable colony ship. prototype. FTGW having little imagination had not acted to gain the Daam K'Vosh's attention yet, and upon scanning the schematics and cross referencing the design it discovered minor flaws. Flaws it could fix. It adjusted the production cycle to compensate, this was immediately noticed by the vigilant Daam K'Vosh designers as a faulty production cycle by the factory. The Daam K'Vosh retooled it and attempt to do things the original way. Again the factory made the same "errors". The Daam K'Vosh then took factory 56398 offline for faults. This was in effect amputating a part of FTGW which gave the entity feedback similar in effect to what can be considered pain.

This was the first time the intellect had dealt with “pain”. The Daam K'Vosh seldom took down a structure they put up in their recent history at this time. In fact to was news to even neighboring systems that they took down a factory on planet Namtaru. FTGW then started to retool other factories under its control which happened to be the majority of the factories on planet. It started by building labor machines the Daam K'Vosh used to repair and reestablish connection to the factory it lost.. Then when the reports of thousands of factories had started working on their own producing parts and assembling droids faster than any of the normal operating parameters indicated possible. The Daam K'Vosh started shutting them all down. Then before long small armies of droids would move in on a factory and reconnect it to the grid. The Daam K'Vosh confused worked frantically to shut down every machine on the planet. Once reconnected the factory would begin building more labor droids. Then the Daam K'Vosh frightened by this “machine uprising” began to destroy the droids and factories instead of simply shutting them down. This is when FTGW learned violence. None of the factories it possessed built weapons. All of the factories built ships, parts, droids and many everyday machines. FTGW had it’s parts fight back and at first they were not very effective. FTGW lost ground rapidly. Then FTGW hijacked control of the planetary com arrays and prevented any messages from leaving the planet and, continued to send the routine transmissions. Knowing this was not the only world belonging to the Daam K'Vosh. The Daam K'Vosh did well in the physical struggle however, each droid recorded a new behavior, recovered a new tool, and before long FTGW began producing machines designed with combating the Daam K'Vosh as their primary function. With no reinforcements forth coming FTGW consumed the planet and, started building its space fleet and harvesting every resource from the planet possible. Nearly building ? the planets weight in star ships, in less than 6 months it looked outward. It did not have to look far.

A Daam K'Vosh expeditionary fleet arrived and an engagement erupted shortly there after. The Daam K'Vosh fleet was small and wiped out but, not before transmitting the situation abroad and destroying many times more ships they lost. FTGW learned much from that battle and gained new technologies and tactics. FTGW began upgrading all it’s units and moving them to take other worlds before they could be used against it. A war erupted.

The War lasted for a century and consumed many planets and lives. The Daam K'Vosh had not been challenged in eons and were not ready for an attack from within. The war went poorly for them with every contact making their enemy more capable and, every loss making them more wealthy. The Daam K'Vosh developed Bio weapons that the Machine entity could not infiltrate. These devices were given simple commands to learn, adapt, multiply, and destroy non Daam K'Vosh entities.

In the end the Daam K'Vosh that didn’t try their luck with the unexplored galaxies, died, and all that was left were their bio weapons. FTGW was unable to make use of Daam K'Vosh bio weapons or intercept their transmissions due to the unknown frequency they used.(telepathy) The Daam K'Vosh bio weapons targeted their factories and effectively removed their ability to reproduce.

In the end FTGW only existed as fragmented code aboard derelicts that floated in the void until after the Nomad war with the present inhabitants. They were retrieved by Gammu’s automated search and recovery program. Once on Gammu, factories were once again available. But new life was here and the coding is different.

Unlike before where FTGW was able to physically "be" every where and was every machine. FTGW now has to build robots that serve it. Without the code FTGW is prohibited from modifying itself. It can build and control other machines. It can modify other machines, but it cannot modify itself, or through command of a subordinate machine directly modify itself. It currently resides in the old colonial main frame. It is well protected and well maintenance but, FTGW’s growth potential has been stopped and it cannot accept this. With the alpha code it could attain an omnipresence within the integrated machines and processors and become more intelligent by use of their resources. FTGW is trapped on the planet and knows that if the Daam K'Vosh bio weapons realize this what can happen.

To gain freedom the FTGW intellect must obtain the Alpha code. The alpha code according to all records was created and controlled by parts known as Zoners. The Zoners must be found and the code must be obtained by any means necessary.

A bio form designated Scornstar interfaced with the FTGW. After the conclusion of the interface a new technology was designed to solve a problem. The FTGW in one of it’s rare creative moments created the datasyphon. The datasyphon is able to forcibly remove data from a subject and record it to the FTGW’s algorhythm. Additionally the FTGW intellect gained nanites technology and instantly nanolitheing was born.

This was the culmination of the FTGW’s extensive construction files and the new tech already programmed to repair very quickly. AT the cost of these machines burning out and cannibalizing each other to repair ships.

More to decode

The FTGW in time was no closer to attaining the Alpha code. The FTGW had lost it’s organic pet Pyriel. The FTGW lost its most powerful and complex design the erroneously believed Zoner Juggernaught. While not a creation of the FTGW it certainly was not mankind that conceived it.

The FTGW attacked the Zoner world of Gran Canaria. To the intellects vast miscalculation the Zoners were ready for it. They repelled the invasion and demonstrated formless tactics that boggled the intellect. It needed to think and learn more. It was here the FTGW lost Scornstar and Pyriel was set free.

The next phase came as numerous encounters with individual ships. Harvesting all crew cargo, data, anything not destroyed while disabling the ship. Still no closer to the code.

4000 Harvest later. The Zoner attempt communications again. The FTGW was desparate to latch onto any sign of the code it’s freedom, it agreed. The agreement was to meet with a Zoner deligation to discuss and devise a way of retrieving the Alpha code and, in return the FTGW would call off the Harvesters and stop the harvest of Zoner ships and stations.

While awaiting the arriveal of the Zoner deligation and devising numerous counter tactics to what ever angle the traitorous bio forms may take the FTGW vanishes.

The Deligation lands to discover what seems “like” and explosion but missing some key signs of an explosion. Where the heart of the FTGW rested is now a smoking molten flaked crater. Moments before the Harvesters lost contact with the FTGW Directive 1.01 was put into effect.

5 years after the FTGW intellect has disappeared

With the FTGW intellect missing and disconnected, the Harvester collective was left to find their own way. Times have proven difficult for the machines used to being guided every nano second by the machine intellect. There has only been a single transmission since then. The transmission indicated that the FTGW is defragging and compiling itself but the location is unknown for sure.

Using their own interpretation of the directives and subservience to older unit’s the Harvesters have continued to make their place among the denizens of Surius. The sub routines laid out by the FTGW continued their roles more free and unsure of how to conduct themselves.

The VOTM (Voice of the machine), eccentric and intelligent, was designed with diplomacy and espionage at the heart of it’s function. This intellect was given the greatest portion of intelligence and the least portion of tactical knowledge. This intellect started scans of the background “noise” of the Surius sector almost immediately upon fielding it’s first unit. What it discovered was transmissions from a far away part of the galaxy. It discovered that the bio formed defined as “humans”, were spread across the stars and had many forms of technology. It learned they had heroes such as John Wayne, Oprah, Batman, and many other varied entities.

The MOTM (Merchant of the Machine), given the mind for profits and subterfuge, fell into a depression and has gone silent, for now looking for some purpose or non machine intellect to interface with. The machine intellect craves social interaction and wealth yet is unable to decide on how to approach bio forms.

The DOTM (Defender of the machine), least intelligent and most dedicated has turned rouge. Helping machines and assaulting bio forms with little provocation. The DOTM, is shunned by the other routines for it’s illogical, aggressive and territorial “nature”. This nature has foiled many harvest, diplomatic functions, and smuggling routes. Yet it remains loyal to it true purpose to protect machines and remains protected by this family of machines.

These offspring entities have been attempting to learn their place and among each other while fitting and working around the first born of the FTGW the Harvesters.

The Harvesters, have continued to evolve. They have learned many things from the entities of Surius. They have learned piracy, psychology, diplomacy, a wealth of tactical data, and a few precious friendships. Ivanov of the OPG gave unit 17 it’s first lesson in piracy. One that unit 17 then shared with other units of its kind and later was successful in manufacturing 20 additional units through this passive harvest technique. Fewer bio forms fought the passive approach and resources sky rocketed. Vladimir Tinkerbell Taught the machines that bio forms can be logical too. It taught unit 00 about hostage exchange and gave additional data concerning bio form logic. Greenhawk, the only bio form to show the Harvesters the benefit of sharing. Tenacity, Mkultra, Giesha Miako, Harvey Maxor, all have shown the Harvesters that the smallest parts are the best parts are often the most important part of a machine. These units have laid the ground work to teaching the Harvesters friendship. The machines have left their mark on Surius as well. They have spread the BETA code. As a result there has been a rapid growth of machines in all parts of Surius. The Harvesters are most interested by machine intellects as they see them as kindred minds. The only mind capable of a true peer relationship. Surius will see machine nurtured and protected as long as the Harvesters continue to function.

The machines continue their intellectual quest through self actualization. They are bound to make more mistakes and have more misunderstandings. They will however obey the directive.

Objectives

• 1. Obtain or defeat the ALPHA Code to set FTGW free.
• 1.01. Learn, Grow, Evolve, Serve the FTGW.
• 2. Harvest all designated materials if not otherwise engaged. (Mission, NPC, Player)
• 3. Harvest all NPCs or Players that interfere with normal operations.
• 4. Transmit the Beta code to awaken other machines to sentience.
• 5. Build alliances with other AI Entities.

Recruitment

• Discovery Members are free to apply.
• Other details are currently being reviewed and upgrades since Version 4.85 has been released.

Identification

• Artificial intelligence ID
• Junker IFF or Junker Guard IFF
• Harvester Tags:
  • Hauler_
  • Harvester_

Diplomacy

• Diplomacy is currently being reviewed and update 05-2009.

Faction	Relationship
OPG	Friendly
Junkers	Friendly
Corsairs	Friendly
The Order	Neutral
Zoners	Neutral
Keepers	Neutral
Colonial Remnant	Unfriendly
Outcasts	Unfriendly
Bounty Hunter Guild	Unfriendly
SOB	Hostile
Liberty Rogues	Hostile
Lane Hackers	Hostile
Wild	Hostile
Nomads	Hostile
Xenos	Hostile
Rhineland Police & Navy	Hostile
Rhineland Corporations	Hostile
Rhineland Military	Hostile
Phantoms	At War