Kernal Panic It was when the shelling started it knew things had turned bad. The nano lathe was putting the final touches to a power gen, when the second one hit. The commander watched the bot factory explode through the forest of mexes. The shards of metal kicking up dust clouds as they impacted softly with the luna surface. With detached interest, the Commander observed a small repair crew of air fabbers, fly towards the scene. A battalion of doxes followed on the ground. For a while it stood montionless between the rows of power gens, and replayed the explosion of the bot factory, analyzing it on various spectrums. “How pretty,” it thought. Time for new directives. It needed to consult the sub routines, in order to get a better picture of what was going on. The central core cpu, dropped from its inner casing and slipped into warp space time. The visual input from the moon's surface froze. The last piece of data it recieved from real time was the telemetry of another incoming shell. There was a 67.657 chance that the impact would destroy 43.222 percent of the group of bots underneath it. The Commander didn”t like the sub routines, still at that moment it didn't like the maths either. Everything changed as the construct of the lobby formed. The platform was above the clouds, floor was made of aged stone slabs. In the distance the tops of mountains edged their way through the clouds, while large biologicals units drifted and swooped on the thermals held aloft on their monsterous bat like wings. To it's own surprise the core CPU found that it had taken the form of a chair as it's avatar. It was a brown chair, made of organic material, dead organic material, skin to be exact. Worn though still serviceable. After consideration it decided it like the chair, it looked comfortable. sudo//text//SR/INT» Well I say, this screams delusion of grandeur Core. « The voice came from a goldfish bowl, that sat on a high three legged stool. The fish had been replaced by an eyeball. sudo//text//SR/INT» Lap of the Gods, eh? « There were three other avatars on the platform. A Dox sized hammer, a holographic of the Foundation sigil, and a life sized, battle worn Slammer. sudo//text/SR/ECO» We need more power. « sudo//text/SR/INT» Really Eco? A hammer? How obvious! Of course the Zealot would turn up in company colours, although we all know it has some rather less, how shall I put it, formal avatars hidden away. And Military came as a Slammer. There's our problem straight away, a distinct lack of creativity « The Core CPU didn”t really trust any of them. Eco and Military were harmless enough, at least It knew what they were up to most of the time. Intel was devious, and always planning something, but that was its role after all. But the Zealot was the biggest threat. For sometime it had been creating its own sub routines, trying to hack control over the upper mind. The CPU knew this because Intel had informed it so. To create black hat algorithms, needed at least two of the other major subroutines. It had ran the numbers, and they pointed to Military... possibly. It wasn't clear. The CPU had decided to let things play out a bit more. Of course it could't touch the Zealot, but when its ally was revealed he would erase it, and promote the algorithm responsible. No point in holding a grudge, and there was nothing like a bit of new code from time to time. It livened things up. sudo//text/SR/ECO» No really, I”m serious. We need more power. « sudo//text/SR/INT» As bland a suggestion as that was, I can't help but agree. To have the radar working for a bit would be simply wonderful! « sudo//text/SR/ECO» I suggest shutting down the Bot facs. « sudo//text/SR/MIL» ARE YOU MAD? We are under attack! I need every Grenadier I can get my hands on! Due to gross incompetence on Intel's' sector we have no idea what we are up against! « sudo//text//SR/INT» So we are here already! The blame game... marvelous « sud//text//SR/ZEA» Your actions, or lack therefore, have been noted Intel. The data will be sent to high command « sudo//text//SR/INT» Well, I”m so looking forward to getting their feedback. Although I hasten to add that our prime directive, since planet fall was that of harvesting the resources of this rock. Therefore it was decided that our mission did not entail my services. Therefore WE only built two radars, and absolutely no scouts. In the way of an update, the second radar was destroyed by bumblebees. The remaining radar isn't working due to our little power problem. My job is to gather intelligence, plan strategy accordingly and submit that to Military and Core CPU. Tell me how I can plan anything when we didn't even build a scout? « Intel was right, CPU had to admit that. This was supposed to be a simple collection mission. Strip the biome of everything it had, and send it through the teleport. This system was meant to be safe, that was the brief from high command. But the simple fact was that some fucker was shelling us... sudo//text//CPU» This... artillery problem we have... any thoughts? « sudo//text//SR//MIL» We have 20 Dox, and 15 Grenadiers at our disposal. We can estimate the location of the Shellers, from the incoming telemetry. I suggest we send we use the Dox to charge the position, and flank with the Grenadiers « sudo//text//SR//ZEA» A bold plan Military, The Foundation would be proud of your actions « sudo//text//SR//ECO» A bold waste of resources if you ask me « sudo//text//SR//INT» Analysis of the ordinance shows they came from T1 arty. The rate of incoming fire suggests four placements. And because they are T1 arty we can safety assume they are not too far away. It would not take too great a leap of faith to guess what we are up against is a fully functioning economy, possibly in orbit « sudo//text//SR//ZEA» COWARD! Supposition, nothing but supposition! All enemies of The Foundation must be converted or crushed, there is no other option « sudo//text//SR//INT» I can think of a few... « sudo//text//SR/CPU» Enough. Events are unfolding fast in the real time. We are going to have to take this discussion there. Economy, as soon as we drop back in, hit the kill switch on the Bot Facs. Just long enough to give us a chance of seeing what we are up against. Then we make our plan « The visuals of the mountaintop drained away, replaced by the luna surface. It's cold grays illuminated by the Halloween oranges of the fires that spewed from the wreckage of the power plants. Another shell hit. Five Doxs were incinerated. sudo//text//SR//ECO» We have power back, but I don't know for how long « sudo//text//SR//INT» OK the arty position is confirmed. Two clicks north of us. Looks like its protected with turrets and a wall « sudo//text//SR//ZEA» Walls can be breached! « sudo//text//SR//INT» Maybe but we have more pressing problems. We have a drop in the base. Multiple Infernos. « sudo//text//SR//ZEA» How is this possible!? « sudo//text//SR//INT» Astraeus drops. They came from orbit. My supposition seems to have been confirmed. « sudo//text//SR//MIL» Is that possible? « sudo//text//SR//INT» Since the last build... apparently so. « sudo//text//CPU» Options? « sudo//text//SR//ZEA» Arm the Ubercannon, we can deal with this ourselves. « sudo//text//SR//INT» Not the best idea, I say run. Recall the Doxes, and Grenadiers, try to put some metal between us and the infernos. Head to the teleport, its our only chance. « sudo//text//CPU» Military, implement that plan. « sudo//text//SR//MIL» Yes sir! « sudo//text//SR//CPU» Economy, shut down everything. I need that teleport working. And Military... « sudo//text//SR//MIL» Yes sir? « sudo//text//CPU» Charge the Ubercannon « sudo//text//SR//MIL» By your command. « Through the smoldering remains of the base, the commander could see the infernos approaching, still out of range of the Ubercannon. Its forces had begun to engage the rear of the invaders. The infernos were not returning fire, they only had one target. This was a snipe. ETA to the teleport... 83 seconds. The teleport was now in sight. There was something reassuring in its blue white glow. A focal point of hope between orderly rows of power gens. The Infernos rounded the corner, it was striaght race now. With the range confirmed the CPU unleashed the ubercannon. The light from the hyper charge bolt of plasma rolled down the canyon of generations. It impacted with the front of the leading inferno, stopping it dead in its tracks. The remaining pack swerved the smoking carcass. ETA to the teleport... 42 seconds. It was either a lucky shot or the infernos were acting as spotters. An artillery shell had a direct hit of one of the power gens. The explosion rocked the CPU on its tracks. Then another hit, and another. Not a lucky shot then. The CPU let rip with another bolt from the Ubercannon, this time in frustration more than anything else. It was impossible to confirm a kill in the midst of this carnage. The power generations were exploding to the left, and the right of it. ETA to the teleport... 10 seconds. sudo//text//SR//INT» I have run a profile on the opponent. Its not good news, its a hands off kind of type. The drop is a possible fake move. A distraction. Keep our eyes to the skies... « ETA to the teleport... 3 seconds. As the CPU mounted the ramp to the teleport, the final shell hit the remaining power gen. The trans dimensional gravaton field evaporated before it, as the power to the teleport died. Through the now dead arch, the Commander saw the cloud of incoming bombers. sudo//text//SR//ECO» I told you we needed more power... « end transmission.
Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster. I just thought I'd do my bit for the community, of which it is a privilege to be a part of. I sucked at TA, and sucked at Sup com too, I'm looking forward to sucking at PA. In the way of suggestions, Purkiss is right about T2, the UI needs work, and an orbital gantry that drops Monkeylords would be awesome. Thanks again for all your work, Uber and the mod guys. Good luck, have fun
I hope so, but I have another little project to finish. If my editor doesn't catch me, then there's more to come.
