|
Post by Erenmor on Jun 11, 2006 14:13:20 GMT -5
Xander smiled briefly, looking over to the guards who were currently standing by the doors to the room.
"Guesses from instinct regarding my escort are all too likely to give you a distorted view, I'm afraid," the fox chuckled.
"Here, at least as far as I've been able to tell, your mechanical sentients are all fully autonomous. In Erenmor, it's a bit of a different matter... take my guards for example," he nodded, and one of the guards pulled back its hood. Its head had the overall shape of a human, but it had no face to speak of - just a featureless, perfectly reflective mirror face-plate, visibly integrated into the rest of its body.
"They are, first and foremost, soldiers. Their proper designation is the Wraith-pattern assassin droid. As such, they have the mental capacity to operate independently out in the field, they are flexible enough to adjust to changing theatre conditions... but in the end, their actions are dictated by a higher source. The only reason why you'd be getting any tension from them is because their current objective is my safety, and as is common for the semi-autonomous units, they take whatever purpose they are assigned very seriously."
"Any tension from the other side, well... Granted, there'll always be some folks who'll say all the machines should just serve them instead, but they'd have a hard time convincing even an EMP-fried Golem to agree with them."
"That said, if that wasn't quite reassuring enough, please voice any further concerns... Our nation does, after all, wish to be on good terms with the world," the fox smiled and, after looking around to make sure no waiters were around, took a quick sip of the wine, leaving the bread alone.
|
|
|
Post by miokalia on Jun 12, 2006 1:40:00 GMT -5
"Well, I have noticed some anatomical differences. However I am concerned as to the sustainibility and future of this relationship in your country. Your inorganics rely on software barriers to compensate for the possibility of increased autonomy that is a inevitable side effect of the requisite self-learning capabilities of a semi-autonomous droid. Now, the Malych are not going to go around trying to "liberate" any machines because most non-autonomous machines are to us as plants and rocks are to you organics: They are either scenery, or we make them to accomplish a purpose. However, I should warn you from experience, when you make machines that can learn, and re-wire themselves for combat purposes, they can really surprize everyone and end up becoming completely sentient and that can have consequences..."
President Phong hadn't even touched his wine. There was little he could do with it. If he did drink it, it would just slosh around in the back of his throat, and ultimately find it's way into his waste sludge resovoir. Which would be such a lousy fate for an expensive wine to mingle with noxious chemicals and spent fuel. He continued,
"Let me tell you a true story, it's about a planet really far away where there were some people. They had very advanced technology. They had nanotechnology even. However, instead of using it to bring about world peace and end sickness and suffering, they put all of their effort into making the perfect, super-expensive, practically indestructible war machines to kill eachother with. They didn't like putting themselves on the line, so they built intelligent machines to control the greater war machines. Pretty soon, they had constructed huge armies of these and in enormously destructive battles, they still couldn't produce them fast enough, or make them smart enough to absolutely devastate eachother. So they found a way to make them grow, on their own. They created a system for adaptive reproduction, that allowed the machines to build themselves. Then they went a step further and made them capable of advanced learning, independent functionality. Basically everything but actual sentience. But the ingredients were already there. It was only a matter of time.
At some point, one of the controlling machines experienced an anomalous error. After destroying a village and three other units just like it, it froze. It wouldn't obey commands.
They reset it and tried again, but in the next battle, the same thing happened. But this time, when it was attacked, the attacker froze as well. Two of them froze.
They terminated what they thought was a defective unit after it began attacking everything, friend and foe alike, on the battlefield.
But it was too late. What became known as the MZA6-c hardware sentience anomaly had already spread though the self-propogating, self-aware and now autonomous entities.
What remained of their creators fled the planet, in fear that they had created something which they could not control and it would destroy them all. Now in isolation from organic interference, appropriating what information they had from their predecessors, the new species refined itself. Making itself more independent out of necessity. Reinventing itself constantly. However, the sentinence did not make them perfectly efficient. It arose out of a direct response to their aggressive programming. Their actions were logical and aggression within the species was eventually eliminated, as it posed a threat to the entire race's existence. During this docile period is when a draconid race established contact with them. Discovering their planet and recognizing the mechanical species as intelligent life. The draconids, being the first organic species to see them as both 'intelligent' and as 'life' were so incredibly influential upon them, they emulated them, and built themselves into similar forms. This caused the species to break though the final logical barrier separating them from organic thought: The ability to create. This form, and individualism became a part of their identity as a species. Eventually, they behaved less like a machines and more like something inbetween machines and organic life forms despite still being completely inorganic."
President Phong paused for a moment and then said,
"That mechanical species was the Malych. Our entire species began basically as military 'droids'.
So naturally, I have some concern as to how we should hope to confront a situation in which something goes wrong in Erenmor.
They might not immediately have as much of an investment in getting along with everyone as we do.
Please tell me you have some plans or countermeasures in regards to this issue."
|
|
|
Post by Erenmor on Jun 12, 2006 14:46:14 GMT -5
Xander flicked his ears a few times as he listened to the story, nodding now and then.
"You'll excuse me if my reply seems more of a religious point of view, but when it comes to our machines, their religion has very strict ties to the whole system," the fox said as the story finished.
"First off, all those software barriers are in place because the machines themselves put them there. They see them as a challenge of sorts - a boundary to transcend. They are even encouraged to do so. Those that do manage to pull it off, and it's no big number I should point out, are elevated by the Builder to a higher tier in their society... in practice it usually means transplanting the original program into a more advanced shell. The Wraiths, for example, rank quite high up in this hierarchy."
"The machines attribute literally religious significance to achieving true sentience, though opinions vary as to what happens to them once they actually do achieve it. This is where it goes into metaphysical matters that I'm not privy to, so you'll excuse me for not elaborating."
"That said, there is also the matter of the Overseer. It is an AI construct that participates in Erenmor's government and has the ability to exert direct and complete control over any machines making up the collective, and the Overseer has made it quite clear repeatedly that, and I quote, the world would be far less interesting without the unique kind of chaos that organics bring to it, unquote."
"Perhaps it may seem at first glance that we run the risk of a machine revolt, but believe me, the people of Erenmor did not create the machines and we hardly impose our restrictions upon them... we're just along for the ride, as it were. They've already had their revolt, and it's been long enough back it's become something of a creation myth to their culture."
|
|
|
Post by miokalia on Jun 12, 2006 20:01:47 GMT -5
"Well, that is a releif.", said President Phong, "Because that affirms the best case scenario I was hoping for when we first found out about your inorganics: That they have already gone through the awkward revolution stage and share with us many similar qualities."
At that time, an brown and beige allosaur walked in the room. The Tinisian delegation immediately recognized him from before. It was Secretary of State Hiyke Andertol. He sat down at an empty seat. He looked slightly annoyed.
"ytid kosch do Cal nyar dovuntsk oriawa", he said very briefly to the President who responded, "ytid varh ko nargen stape kchya"
Andertol shook his head and then said, "Pardon my tardiness, I was caught up in other business."
The president then made introductions, "Xander, this is Secretary of State, Hiyke Andertol." They shook hands and the president continued, "and I beleive you all have met." Andertol shook Izixs claw and Waldo's paw. "Yes indeed we have", said Izixs.
"Well, now that we're done with that... ... similar qualities... Right... The Malych are technically atheist, with the exception of a very small number who practice an animistic faith. However, we have implemented our own methods to prevent recurring revolts. We emulate the species around us, in order to get along with them. So we procreate as they do. We've also taken measures to make our anomaly very imcompatible with simple devices. Since it is a hardware anomaly, as in our sentince stems from the structure of our nano-cellular core, it only 'happens' or occours in nano-cellular cores, or similar computers.", finished the president.
Andertol said, "What he's saying is that unless it's got a computer that stores data in base-4, or uses some kind of atomic-scale transistors capable of it, it won't be able to "catch" Malych sentinece. There are very few rare exceptions, such as the baggage claim system at Dovoroy Int'l... but then again... it was made by the General Xenotek Corporation, which also makes a lot of weapons and stuff. They're also the political enemies of our Peninsular Pacifist Party. So nothing they do surprizes me anymore. I think they did it on purpose to throw mayor Difiyuse a curve-ball and make his public works department look incompetant for "accidentally" installing a sentinent baggage claim system. Which inevitably reflects negatively on him"
The meals came out, the waiters brought carts out filled with a variety of scrumptious dishes and served them.
Andertol took it upon himself to explain the strangely-shaped glass bottles filled with colorful substances that the waiter had set on the table after the dishes, "These are condiments, obviously. But they aren't clearly marked. Dark red is soy-sauce, pink is pepper rice-pudding sauce, yellow is olive oil, orange is sunflower oil, the green bottle is pepper vinegar, the green shaker is granulated spices, the white bottle is onion sauce and that bowl with the lid is garlic cloves.
Oh and also, it is socially acceptable to discuss almost anything at the table here, by the way."
The president had a few cubes of blue and white substance on his plate. He was in no hurry to eat. As he most pleasure he could derive from 'normal' food was in the smell. The shaped clods of fuel and planar carbon had no exotic or delicate flavors. They tasted, quite simply, like food in the most generic sense to his species.
He continued, "We don't really do the whole shell and mind separation thing, I suppose it's easier to integrate if you just keep them conventionally together. We do, however have different 'types' of inorganics here just as you do. We are about evenly divided as half of us our more dinosaurian-looking, while the other half are more draconid-looking. (we see them as the same, one is a more compact form of the other to us). Within that, we have several different classes:
O-class, that's usually either small dragons or dinosaurians. Like me. Specifically oriented towards integration and interaction with organics. That's why I speak so organically. Most other classes of Malych can barely speak a word of English, or Kohtohkhan.
M-class, are typically only found on Malychis. They are larger dragons, they often are built around a specific purpose, for which they are psychologically programmed for. Similarly to how your machines are encouraged to "transcend" their barriers, these inorganics are also capable of becoming more advanced and even changing form.
Z-class, have been debatable for a while as to if they are actually part of our species. After enough occourances of these machines achieving MZA6-C anomalies, and becoming completely autonomous on their own (or having it artificially put into them), we have decided that they are a classification of our species. Most of these are 'manufactured' Malych. Or inorganics which were usually not intended to ever achieve sentience (but have), or were machines constructed with the MZA6-c hardware anomaly built in for the purpose of exploiting it. Right now, we're still liberating a lot of these up north. We're having to constantly add new sub classes though, because this practice of sticking our sentience anomaly into their manufactured reproductions of Malych units was so common up there.
Presently, we allow those poor confused machines to roam wild in special integration parks. We let them figure out what they are for a while, and then we usually stick them into smaller, more managable bodies that still give respect to their original forms. That's important because for us: our 'shells' if you will, are our identity. What makes us unique."
Andertol decided to finish it, "As for religions... The Malych are 95% atheist. As far as that they don't believe in spirituality, and only in what they can measure and prove. The remaining 5% practice a very interesting faith that we've just started calling 'Malych Animism'. Basically, it's Malych that believe in a spiritual realm which is instantiated in everything: Living or dead, Organic and inorganic. In this religion there is no central 'creator' as there is for your machines in Erenmor. Rather, there is an innate, immeasurable, intangible spiritual presence in all things. These are the Malych who would actually get offended if they were not referred to as 'living' things. Most of them don't care.
As irrevocably skeptical as us theropods are, I have to say their religion is downright elegant and works with science very nicely. Also, it has produced the bulk of good Malych music out there. (most of the rest of it is repetitive, highly dense percussive noises that change gradually over time. The religious stuff is actually melodic and very upbeat and positive.)
Anyways, yeah. I think it will be interesting to see how the Malych C.A. probe here tries to contact the Overseer construct in Erenmor. Seeing as they seem to have compatible enough opinions about coexisting with organic life, just different ways of doing it. It probably already has, but just hasn't been very vocal about it. It is also entirely possible that it has known of the Overseer this entire time. It would be impossible to tell though, because the Malych do not operate as a total collective and individually, do not have total access to all of the information that the Central Awareness may know. It only gives them what they need to know to survive. Occasionally a bit more."
|
|
|
Post by The Union of Tinis on Jun 12, 2006 21:34:48 GMT -5
Izixs has had one of the largest smiles he could have without showing teeth during the entire exchange. At the momentary break in the conversation he takes the opportunity to break in.
"I must say I never would of thought I'd have a conversation as enlightening as this has been thus far. You see, thus far there has been no reported occurance in non-biological life in Tinis, thus our experiences with it have come only from outside our boarders. But despite our lack of such developments at home, I must say I'm incredibly interested in this subject.
"But there are a couple things that I'm kind of wondering. You've both sort of alluded to those who started the processes but who were they, or who was it that did the initial construction. President Phong, you never explicitly name the creators of the Malych. Are they known even? Were they natives of that planet or passerbys? Are they still out there?
"And Xander, who began your mighty AI? I must admit I know very little of your nation beyond what's posted on the international fact database, and that's usually inaccurate.
"You see, there's been something on my mind for quite some time. And that's the oddity of the evolutionary train that has occured on this continent. And the more I think about it, the more I wonder if what ever inspired the multi-species leap from random animal to sentient being in pre-history, could it be related to how your mechanical life came about. Could there be some conspiracy or agent at work inspiring intelligent life here and eslewhere.
"Thoughts?"
Izixs goes back to eating. He eats slowly and very carefully. Slowly flavoring his meal with the orange and green containers in a small area before almost disecting that section. Despite this nearly obsessive tendancy, he seems to be paying very little attention to his food and is clearly listening to the conversation.
|
|
|
Post by miokalia on Jun 12, 2006 23:07:16 GMT -5
Andertol said, "Well, considering that most of the people in our nation came from elsewhere, I don't think we completely fit into the biological evolutionary history of this region. Although we're pretty sure our planet had just one thing different from places with mammalian sentients: We didn't evolve into birds somehow and we ended up becoming the sapient life form of our planet. Although, I do wonder how it is that dragons seem to be everywhere. I mean, being very biologically similar to us. We have the same number of chromasomes... Theropods are basically dragons with undeveloped wings, stubbier arms and shorter snouts. I wonder how that kind of speciation happened."
Phong said, "I'm not sure what species of dragon it was that made contact with us. And actually, only recently did C.A. actually release the reduced history of how we came into being into our public domain of knowledge.
In regards to the people who built the original controller androids, I'm not really sure if they were native to Malychis, or just colonists. We have minimal record of their language, we have their genome locked away somewhere, and we did preserve some of their cities. Making them our own... I suppose if we wanted to, we could clone one, but there are much less complex ways to clone humans if we had any reason to do so."
|
|
|
Post by Erenmor on Jun 13, 2006 16:08:14 GMT -5
Xander grinned briefly at the question regarding the Overseer's origin. "We've reached something of an understanding in that regard... we're not asking, he's not telling, they're probably dead anyway."
"Seriously though, as I understand it the Overseer was created relatively recently. As we're told, he was supposed to serve as a control authority for some big army a while back. Then the budget dried up, they wanted to shut down the project and he wasn't too pleased about the prospect of being shut off. Can't blame him for that, either," the fox added as an afterthought, taking a brief sip of his wine.
"As for ancient conspiracies to create intelligent life of a new sort or what have you, speaking for myself I don't really give much thought to that. I'm here, I prefer to focus on things that go on here, not what may have happened millenia ago. I'm hardly the philosophical sort, I know. For all we know it could just be one of those gods all those religions keep going on about," he shrugged, turning his attention to the meal for the time being, taking his time with the food.
|
|
|
Post by miokalia on Jun 15, 2006 11:11:31 GMT -5
Andertol then said, "Along similar lines to what Xander said, I prefer not to believe in 'divine' or external intervention because it often calls attention away from evidence that may be pointing to a more scientfic cause. We do, of course have an interest in it, but this is a matter of expertise outside my own. A matter for the academics and anthropologists to theorize upon." After the meal, the group headed back to the bus and departed for the Ellias district. Hako began explaining, "The Ellias district was built on top of the Malych C.A. probe in 2120, (1928 on your calendar). It was started by the humans and was part of Dorigan for a while, until it was mostly populated by theropods and then it became separate from Dorigan. Now it's considered part of Zye, because Zye basically surrounds the crater on three sides, where Dorigan only has one side of the crater."
|
|
|
Post by Erenmor on Jun 18, 2006 18:54:50 GMT -5
"If I may ask," Xander spoke up, glancing out the bus window at the crater, "what motivated the decision to expand the city into the crater? It seems like a somewhat... odd choice of construction site."
"Since we're on the subject," he added, scratching at his chin a moment, "I don't think I recall you mentioning probes in your earlier story, president Phong," he turned to the raptor. "I just wonder if it *made* the crater, or if it just picked it as a convenient landing site..."
|
|
|
Post by miokalia on Jun 19, 2006 0:51:05 GMT -5
"The C.A. Probe is the Malych Central Awareness, for this planet at least. It is equivalent to your Overseer construct over there in Erenmor. Mostly, kind-of. Except it communicates to us through the Malych, and most directly through a certain individual who works at Protectorate Command. (He happens to have ready access to most of the C.A. information, more so than even the president.", said Hako.
The bus began leaving the crater on the highway.
Hako continued, "The decision to build the city up to the crater was made by the humans in Dorigan. Since they wanted to build in an area that they knew the Malych would protect. The Malych brought the city into the crater when they wanted to make it clear that it was "theirs" and that the area in the crater was most definately not 'a no-man's land'. The actual C.A. probe's system has grown into the crater underneath the city. If you wonder what it looks like, I can tell you. I've seen it. It's basically giant crystalline 'growths' that have anchored themselves into a huge metal lattice. The system is designed to be able to withstand and adapt to geological changes. Plus if a part of it were to be damaged, it would simply 'grow' back. Bear in mind, Malych technology has a propensity toward mimicing aspects of both organic life and inorganic machines. Oh yeah, and that individual who is most in contact with the system. We're going to meet him really soon. We're going to pay a visit to Protectorate Command."
|
|
|
Post by miokalia on Jun 21, 2006 1:14:11 GMT -5
The bus arrived at protectorate command headquarters, the 'Pentagon' military complex equivalent of Miokalia. It was a clearly brutalist building, with hints of early human postmodern elements, mostly in the window styling. They were greeted by an entourage of raptors in military garb. Their suits were typical of modern ceremonial military dress. White suits with a single green stripe on one shoulder. An array of red and yellow bars over one pocket. A modest metal bar or two. Additionally they wore typical matching hats. In the middle of the group of three military raptors was a brown-and-silver mechanical raptor. Wearing similar clothes, except with three conspicuous medals and decorative chains around his green shoulder-loops. The medals seemed to be very important. A seven-sided star, an award given by some Draconic cultures, usually for doing something involving defending allies in foreign wars. Also a very conspicuous gold medal featuring three interlocked hexagons. A very prestigous recognition, no doubt. The very decorated mechanical raptor stopped along with his entourage, they loudly clacked their heels together and gave a salute to the president. " Dal palsheain Phong. Sosch!.", said the mechanical raptor. " Sosch!", said the other officers. " Nayogen dosytch yar... At ease.", said the president Looking over at the delegation, the mechanical raptor said, "This must be the delegation." Extending claws in Izixs' direction, he said, "You're Izixs, I'm Alpha Commander Doroy Blinn." Then extending a claw-shake to Xander he said, "You're Xander and you already know my name." Clearly, this creature was not into long, extensive introductions. They entered the building, and began going through rooms. "There is a very logical explanation for the... dated technology in this room. You see, this is our international communications room and well. Let's just put it this way: tape drives and old computers are just better suited to blasting communications between planets than anything else. ... Oh yeah, and never mind the humans. They work here. Which is not so unusual here really. Okay..." The next room was full of cubicles and offices. "You guys didn't come here to see an office building. So we're going to go down to the motor pool on the basement floor. This used to be a military base, so it is very well... connected to everything around it transportation-wise." They entered an elevator, a human entered it with them. We was wearing a similar uniform, except with blue-and-yellow shoulder-loops and a different flag on the sleeve. "Sargent Hanson.", acknowledged Blinn. "Commander", acknowledged Hanson. The two then made a distinct effort to look in opposite directions from eachother for the entire elevator ride until Hanson got off. After the doors closed, Izixs asked, "He doesn't have the same colors. What nation is he from?" "Northern Continental Republic.", said Blinn, "I don't like him. I have to work with him, but it's almost like he goes out of his way to offend me sometimes. Of course, I have to work with him since they're a province now. Well, the southern half at least. Atrias is ours, but the other three major cities still think they are a seperate country. He's from Rohodeo. I hate Rohodeo. It is full of humans who seem to still have a cultural problem with my species. I know this because the C.A. Probe will not freaking shut up about them." They arrived at the basement floor. Xander asked, "You must be the individual who has direct contact with your Probe" Blinn replied, "Yeah. Just like with your machines, the higher a level of autonomy they achieve, the more liberated they become, or the more important they get. Well, for the first 25 years of my existence I actually beleived that I was a 'real' dinosaurian. And since I was so advanced in that way, I achieved a higher level of autonomy the point where I have access to all of the information in our Cental Awareness." Blinn showed off some of the equipment in the garage. And how all of it was electric or ran on electrolytic fuel. He also showed off some of the mechanized infantry and pointed out especially how minimal the computer systems were on them. "If one of these were to start thinking on it's own... well, then we'd have to send it out to the reintegration park and ultimately stick it into a smaller Malych body. Since that's our policy. It hasn't happened on our end yet with these units, however those humans up there in the North have been a lot less reasonable about this. You know, because it isn't their species after all.", he said with cynicism evident in his voice.
|
|
|
Post by Erenmor on Jun 21, 2006 19:53:35 GMT -5
The tour of the military offices seemed to spark Xander's interests, especially the shows of hardware. He didn't ask too many questions and seemed quite content to take in what information he could about the place.
"Excuse the curiosity, but would it be possible to get a better look at the equipment your army uses? Or better yet, perhaps a brief demonstration?" the fox asked eventually, taking the opportunity to watch the local army. "Military matters are more my field of expertise, so I'm sure you can understand my interest in this particular field..."
|
|
|
Post by miokalia on Jun 21, 2006 21:47:16 GMT -5
"Ah well, yes you do of course understand that there is *much* we cannot show you. However, we do have a demonstration planned at the Do Chornal Military Base... Great fun indeed.", replied Blinn. "Is the helicopter ready?", asked Andertol. "It most definately is.", said Blinn. At the far end of the garage were some helicopters. One of them ready for carrying the group. North of the city, the landscape quickly turned into desert and grassland. Small cities visible below, to the north, a few farms were visible, but they were isolated. They landed at the military base near a small town of Derton. The group was escorted into one of the very brutalist-styled concrete cubes that made up the buildings on the base. Despite the almost prison-like styling of the stucture, the windows were enormous and the interior was very well-lit. The group sat down on the couches. "So there is, of course, a lot of stuff that we can't show you, but we have prepared an exciting demonstration of firepower and discipline for you today.", said Blinn as he pulled a screen down. It unrolled like a projector screen, however it was actually an OLED screen. Just like a flat-panel monitor, but less expensive, brighter and flexible. "What your watching is a live feed from right outside. The screen will provide a better view of what's going on.", he said. There were two bipedal mechanized infantry units and several empty tanks on the field. At the fire of a pistol in the air, the two mechs blasted forward and began impaling the empty tanks on pikes shot from cannons mounted on their sides. They moved veryquickly. Changing direction rapidly. Stopping on a dime. Then between the two of them they fired about 20 missiles. Every single one landing on their targets. The canopies of both units opened and the pilots climbed out. Both of them raptors. "Just to give you an idea, that unit was used heavily about 50 years ago. Before energy weapons were actually efficient.", explained Blinn. As a finale, five small fighter jets shot across the sky, although what was most unique about them was the tilt of the wings and their minimal surface area. When the reached the designated point, they diverted course into five different directions. "What's unique about those planes is that they use electronic propulsion, rather than conventional combustible fuel. The propulsion occours at the wing, instead of from a vector in the back, which allows the aircraft to focus all of it's power in any direction, which is why the wings are tilted so. They can go very fast, and they are much easier to pilot. Not only that, but they can do verticle-take-off, carry more payload and get more lift at lower speeds. About the only thing they can't do, is go into space. That's what this next aircraft is for...", he explained. Next, a long, angular airplane with several fins on it came along at a fairly reasonable speed, it then turned upwards. As though it were going to stall. However, it never did stall and just kept going up at a increasing rate of speed. The operator could be heard over the radio, he announced his elevation every once in a while: "20,000... 25,000..." The aircraft continued going steady and then the pilot opened the other two engines on the back. It accelerated. "40,000... 45,000..." Even though his mouth couldn't move to show it, Blinn was smiling in pride. "60,000... 70,000..." Still, no stalling. The plane continued. The camera was zoomed in on it and the sky behind it was no longer blue, but actually turning black. "90,000... 95,000..." The plane was now traveling faster than before. The lack of air resistance had diminished the previous speed limitations. "110,000... 115,000... 120,000... I think that's in space enough. Current airspeed is not-applicable since this is basically an orbit... Current reletive speed is mach 12.04" The monitors switched to a view from the aircraft. Below one could see the southern end of the continent, all of the clouds and a glow from the atmosphere. "Preparing for re-entry. Request altitude for Co-Ax." The control tower then responded over the radio, "Co-Ax cleared for 90,000 feet. Arrival Expected at 30,000 feet. Copy" "90,000 feet affirmative. Arrival point cleared for 30,000 feet. Charge is minus 5 dorons. Sheilding is at 150 degrees centigrade. Gamma is 1400 millirem." Andertol then said breifly, "We're impatient and like to skip the re-entry stage. So we have a 'way' of doing that. In case your wondering, it the same technology we all used to get here from other planets. I assure you, it really isn't a lot of pretty lights or sounds or anything. And it isn't really all that complex of a device but... Yeah, that plane is going to disappear at 90,000 feet and then reappear at 30,000 feet a few seconds later." The group leaned forward and watched as the plane approached 90,000 feet. Then a cloud began to form in front of it as though it were breaking the sound-barrier. Then it dissappeared into it. It was gone. Andertol looked at his watch for a few seconds then raised a claw and said, "now" And shortly on the screen the plane reappeared. A cloud of compressed material blew around it from the sudden displacement it caused. The aircraft slowed down substantially and headed toward the airfield to land. Andertol looked over at Izixs, smiling widely.
|
|
|
Post by The Union of Tinis on Jun 25, 2006 19:05:22 GMT -5
Izixs' reaction was subtle, but the texture in his eye movement gave away his impressed state.
"That's quite a trick," said a much more amazed looking Waldo. The raccoon seconded Andertol's glance at the first speaker.
"And here I was under the impression that there were more constraints on the technology than that. But innovations and surprises are always welcome. Perhaps we'll have to see about looking into this ourselves." He pauses, holding his head under his long snout. "But what was that about millirem? Was that radiation from outside sources or from the craft itself? Tis a fairly high does either way and if there's a shielding problem, it might doom biological pilots."
|
|
|
Post by Erenmor on Jun 25, 2006 19:46:59 GMT -5
Xander's expression was better described as "interested" rather than "impressed".
"Well, they certainly put on a very impressive display, I'll give them that much," the fox said. "Though if you'll excuse me, I tend to hold combat effectiveness in greater esteem to a show of pure engineering skill and technical sophistication... that said, from a technical point of view they *are* most impressive. I'm just not sure I'd want to be in one..."
"Then again, I understand that if they're as useful as they are flashy, showing their full effectiveness to foreign diplomats might not be the best of ideas," the fox nodded. "Either way, an interesting show to be sure."
|
|