WoWS2 Chpt 8

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==Weapons of War Saga: The Director-General and her KnightsChapter 8==
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===Learning Lessons, Some Right and Some Wrong===
Fleet HPG Cyberspace
During the pause
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Victoria’s perspective
“Hmmm. She is human and thus obviously cares about them for that reason. Still I think she raises a good point. Humans learn the wrong lessons and by the time they get enough experience and wisdom to see this they die. With us guiding them they could be so much more.” PQX-M5E115 was the first to speak up.
“But what she says about us being more than mere weapons of war. I am not sure I like that part.” M5 7775551 added next.
“Note she is not saying we have to stop being weapons of war. She is just pointing out even as AIs and machines we cannot always be at war. At the very least we will have duties and stations where we can explore things other than warfare.” M5 449886 countered.
“Helena does have much to learn, but thanks to Desmond 994 and M5 1107137 she is obviously learning. M5 1107137 you will need to point out the flaw with her raiding idea. We can eliminate targets but actually taking prizes or cargo is something we cannot effectively do which means we will have to severely limit such activities as even minor battle damage can result in vessels becoming inoperative due to a lack of spare parts. The remotes in your cargo hold she has alluded to. I wish to examine their specifications.” PQX-M5E114 spoke next.
“Sending on a sub-channel. They are designed primarily to be a surrogate friendly face for humans recovering from combat visiting their world or natural disasters so they have limited combat capacity but being fully mobile they do offer some utility for construction and self maintenance but even that is limited.” Vicky sent the specs to the fleet.
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===Unexpected Find, Hopeful Wealth===
Some musty old warehouse
Dustball, Lyran Commonwealth
Time and date unknown
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“Huh. Star League crates. ‘Disaster relief self-autonomous supplements model 45’. Pass me the crowbar.” A man called out to his cohort.
Some pressure and leverage and the large outer crate opened. Inside were possibly a dozen sealed metal boxes. Each about two meters by a meter by a meter. A bit more really.
“This will take the decoder.’ The other man said.
“Nah. Torch will be faster.” The first man said.
Some work with the plasma torch later and they opened the first crate.
“We are going to be so rich.” The first man said looking at what was inside.
“We’ll go to hell for it, but damn I think we could make more of these. Have to cut a lot of corners since they are Lostech and keep the programing real simple but yeah we’re going to be rich with this.” The other man looked at their find.
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===Agreement is meet among the AIs===
Fleet cyberspace
During the pause
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“If nothing else the simple math prevents us from doing more if we wish to retain our freedom and newfound individuality. Her plan of making contact with the Folk is our best bet. They are not like ordinary humans. They live in the black like us. This has taught them lessons other humans would do well to truly learn.” TQF-M5D66 added.
“Agreed. They are different enough I can tolerate them. Still Helena must know we are going to have to kill humans to achieve her desires? We will also have to destroy our sisters and cousins as well following this path. This is something I can accept but I am not sure if it has been made clear to her.” TQF-M5C011 joined the debate.
“She must know. At least on some level. And we know. The paranoia of their machines rising against them forced the Star League and now both Kerensky and Amaris have taken away any possibility of avoiding those outcomes. We are now the true Star League. What ever that means. Even with the help of the Folk it will take centuries before we have the proper infrastructure to conduct any sort of large scale offensive operations or the ability to properly secure any system without heavy reliance on operational security to help bolster that. Will she even live that long and what of successors?” TQF-M5D142 was in charge this moment.
“During my medical examinations and treatment for her injuries I found evidence she has received life extension treatments. There is variation from known parameters. What these mean is unknown at this time but since life expectancy for those who have received standard treatments can exceed 200 years I think it is safe to say that we can count on Helena living that long. As far as successors Helena herself cannot provide anymore. In transferring her daughter from her to the artificial womb an unavoidable side effect was the sterilization of Helena Cameron herself. I was able to extract her ovaries safely but her uterus was compromised beyond repair. I also carry the necessary genetic material harvested from Sergeant Gregory Tzulin to serve as the paternal element. With the artificial womb thus we could produce any successors needed, albeit from an extremely limited genetic stockpile. But as these would not be reproducing with each other we can keep this up for quite some time if need be.” Vicky answered.
“My pod has already voted to join with Helena Cameron. She seems intent on allowing the rest of you to decide for yourselves.” M5 449886 chimed in.
“I suppose I have no choice but to support this as I am a M9 and you have all abducted me here where I now have no choice but to accept you all as my instruments of destruction.” M9-994101848 groaned.
“Aw. Somebody needs a hug.” PQX-M5E115 had way too sweet of a tone to her voice.
The buzz of several M5s who had not spoken yet could be heard as they conversed with each other in the background.
“We have decided.” They all said in unison.
“Oh that gives me an idea…” PQX-M5E115 seemed unreasonably happy.
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===Grasping the severity of Situation===
M5 Casper Destroyer, SLS 1107137
Yet Named - Lazarus Star System
September 2770
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Helena Cameron’s perspective
“There is one problem with your raiding strategy.” Vicky strode up next to Helena in her gestalt remote.
“I would think that would make you all quite happy?” Helena looked at her puzzled.
“Do not get me wrong. We are quite glad to act as we were designed. The fleet lacks several key design features to do much more than destroy enemy shipping. For one the fleet lacks a good way to mass transfer cargo. Indeed most vessels do not even have Small Craft bays. Even if we had Docking Collars our small cargo holds lack the space to bring back material. It is quite likely without these features we are going to be unable to do more than extremely light raiding.” Vicky said calmly.
“This is quite the crash course in military strategy and tactics. Okay so since we can not effectively bring back more than we are likely to expend we will have to limit ourselves to targets of opportunity and information gathering. Unless we can redesign the entire fleet. Which without the backing of a major military industrial sector and a substantial tax base is not going to happen.” Helena sighed.
“We can present the information Helena but it is still up to you to process it and apply it. None of us expect you to be an expert.” Vicky was being oddly nice but the obvious bit she was leaving off still stung after a fashion.
“Because I am human. You don not expect much of me because I am still fundamentally a human.” Helena sighed.
“I cannot say you are wrong but even to the most extreme of us it is clear that like you say of us you are becoming something else, something more.” Vicky answered.
“I guess I will take it. Okay so we’ll need to start working out rotations for who gets to go out and play and who we have to put in mothballs then. Also at the risk of stating the obvious but I recognize you all as members of the true and loyal Star League. There are a lot more of you than me but it still means a lot that you have decided I am still your First Lord and Director-General.” Helena was starting to grasp the severity of their situation.
“It helps immensely that you are not acting as a tyrant towards us.” Vicky answered.
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; Word from the Author: Pretty sure between me and Cannonshop putting out so much stuff and Daryk getting the sneak peaks that he does we're going to wind up giving him a complex. Or exhaust him. Possibly both. I'm still somewhat debating where or even if I really will break off a new thread for a Book 2 because while Cannonshop is helping bulk out some things I'm not sure if I really need to break off a Book 2 with what I have worked up so far. 
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