Tell me Jake, are you really prepared to live the nightmare that such an existence could become?”
“Not really sir,” Jake admitted. “Nevertheless, do so I must.”
***
The Captain had never been more proud of his Nearkin. Every single one of them wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of their lives sharing Jake's last voyage aboard. Yet once they understood the benefit they could give him by allowing their Hypersleep chambers to be slightly modified. So that their dreams could be networked and manipulated to provide a way to test the details of the limitations they intended to impose upon Jake, his AI and his nanites. The Nearkin went from trying to insist on turning the entire voyage into one long multi-generational ‘awakening’, to nearly all of them seeking to maximize their hypersleep time. Though, of course, those who did spend any time awake wanted to spend most of it in Jake's company.
The resulting proposed honor code had seemed perfect to Jake and the Captain several times. Before the Nearkin's dreams stopped highlighting more potential flaws that required fine tuning. Some of the time spent waiting for the Nearkin's dreams to find those flaws was put to good use transforming Jake's shuttle into a multi-layered containment chamber. As well as the building of a special launch cannon that could send it into the heart of the Omega7 singularity. In which case, the outermost layer of the containment system would also deploy a synthuel powered subspatial jump, also aimed at the exact center of Omega7. At the same precise moment of subspatial insertion, a modified sidereal portalization circuit would attempt to simultaneously open a portal to the same coordinates. Meanwhile, also at the exact same time a high intensity surge of alternating electrical current would be sent through the synthuel tank, even as it's primary stabilization field was disengaged.
In addition to which, the Resonance would start generating an intense gravitational signal jamming field. Specifically designed to prevent any gravitational optimizer from successfully manipulating Omega7's gravitational field. This carefully choreographed pattern for total annihilation, was to be instantly activated if the Captain couldn't determine that the symbiotic conversion of Jake's nanite's had gone exactly as planned.
It was a choice the Captain would need to make quickly. Because if they only succeeded in damaging his nanites copy of the original nanosymbiotic pact, rather than successfully merging it with the new ‘one of a kind’ honor code, then the nanites could conceivably go rogue. Since Jake's nanites would then be even more unstoppable than any of standard guild design, it would be difficult to contain them for long. If even one of them were to escape the confinement field, it would threaten the very existence of all life, everywhere.
On the other hand, if the Captain decided that they were in fact successful, then the containment systems would be deactivated. Its components could then be used as raw material to reconstruct an improved version of Jake's shuttle. Which would still be launched, as the Resonance powered it's way away from the singularity. Though instead of being sent into Omega7, it would be launched into an elliptical orbital path around it. A path from which it could use the singularities mass to enable an abnormal subspatial jump with a far greater range than normally possible. This would make it impossible for even guild technology to track his course as he began his planned exile from guild controlled space.
To facilitate this project, Jake issued to the Resonance, a special license to use some of Hillside's restricted technology. This license came with strong limitations on what information could be shared with anyone in general and with the guild itself in particular. This included certain details of how Hillside's sidereal portal technology worked. It also restricted certain details of the synthuel technology. Which would enable the Resonance to accumulate far more energy than otherwise possible.
That would prove very useful in the event that they didn't actually have to destroy Omega7. Because then the Resonance would need most of that power to push itself out of the singularity's massive gravity well.
It was a very formal occasion. The Nearkin had seen to that. There were few words spoken but the depth of sorrow found in the music they wrote and played for the occasion was positively heartrending. The Captain decided it was a very good thing that he had long ago insisted that every single crewman aboard, including himself, learn to perform their duties with their eyes closed. Because their eyes might as well have been closed since not a one of them could see a thing through the involuntary tears the sad music evoked.
When the concert was over, the Captain spoke the only words that were to be spoken.
“You honor us Jake with your courage,” The Captain began. “I, your Captain and the Nearkin, your crewmates, all of us bid that you accept into your heart our profound love. Know that you will live in our hearts for so long as our hearts exist. We shall have no peace in our hearts until we know that you are safely on your way to your chosen place of exile. We will not burden your heart with much speaking. We are confident that our music said it all better than any words could ever do so. Instead we shall honor you with our silence.”
Then the Captain set aside the scroll he had quoted from memory. At which point the Captain and all of his Nearkin, suddenly saluted Jake. They all held to a rigid posture of attention while Jake returned their salute. Then he eventually turned and entered the isolation chamber and activated the preprogrammed sequence.
First half of Jake's prime nanites each constructed, temporary dedicated function medical nanites, to fulfill any cellular bio-dependency functions they normally performed. Meanwhile the other half of his prime nanites nearly depleted Jake's personal reserves of nano-morphic material. As they remotely constructed enough special function micro-robotic augmentation nano-shells. To provide each one of the first half of his prime nanites with personal transition vehicles. Each complete with built in power tools, especially designed for working with trans-spatial resonance grade crystal. By the time the nano-shells were ready for activation, the first half of Jake's prime nanites were in position to individually imprint and inhabit their new disposable shells.
At this point the inner isolation chamber began generating a special carrier wave. Which was designed to cause the crystal to gently resonate. At a frequency that made it's molecular structure somewhat malleable. While at the same time providing the nano-shells, with a powerful external power source. The shells descended on the the crystal and each one in turn locked onto an individual crystalline molecule. Then it used the power of the energy stream to isolate that molecule within it's own sidereal bubble universe. While also maintaining the molecule's relative position within the crystals resonance field. As each layer of microscopic bubble universe formed, the crystalline layer beneath it became accessible to the nano-shells manipulation.
These nano-shells were anchored in a pattern of 6 sets of 4 of these bubble universe. That were manipulated until they were arranged in a cohesive tetrahexahedral pattern. Which could be folded inwards upon themselves. Thus forming an inverted cluster of micro-siderealities that actually occupied less physical volume than a single one of the original molecules had previously.
In this way each of Jake's prime nanites built around itself a new crystalline form. That could replace the functionality of 24 unconverted prime nanites. Each of which would have certain trans-spatial capabilities that would not have been possible any other way. Thus even though only one out of every six prime nanites actually returned to Jake's body his effective prime nanite strength increased fourfold. Of course that includes the one in six return from the 2nd wave consisting of the other half of his existing prime nanites. Which the returning enhanced nanites provided with enough nano-shells for them to go build their own sidereal bubble clusters.
The remaining 83% of the bubble clusters continued subsuming the crystal matrix core into one big super cluster of interconnected bubble universe. With each occupied sidereality bubble linked by a shared virtual tetrahexahedral facet with the entire super cluster of unoccupied ones. This was in addition to the
one in six shared facets that also linked each of the 17% of the bubble clusters that had returned to Jake's body with the five that did not return.
As the supra-tetrahexahedron was slowly folded in on itself the inner resonance was slowly adjusted by minute alterations in the relative positions of all the original crystalline molecules within the virtual matrix of the resonant pattern. Until that pattern was that of Jake's brainwaves resonating within the superstructure of the wave form that would be generated by the new clone of the Star Dragon's reconstructed AI.
Then just as the entire sidereal bubble multiverse finished folding in on itself to it's final cohesive form, the AI woke up.
It was a very near thing. There were actually three possibilities. First the AI could have rejected the new reality of it's existence and simply shut down. Which it very nearly did. The deciding factor was it's acceptance of the fact that Jake's mind would at this point also shut down. The AI was too loyal to Jake to willingly permit that to happen.
The second thing that could have happened is that the virtual nanosymbiont could have lost it's grip on reality. Freeing all the new supra-nanites from the limitations imposed by the nanosymbiotic pact. Which would result in something so dangerous. That if the Captain had even the slightest notion that it had occurred, he was honor bound to activate the destruct sequence. Which would use the power of a collapsing supermassive singularity to destroy the very subatomic particles that Jake and his containment system consisted of. That too was a very near thing.
Ultimately however, the Captain decided that Jake had succeeded and instead activated the launch of the core module of Jake's new ship. Which Jake had already named ‘DragonStar’. Then the Captain and his Nearkin crew sang a farewell to Jake, as his new ship began it's slingshot departure orbit around the intact, silent, starving monster, known as Omega7. Then the Captain wondered if he would ever be absolutely sure that he had really made the right decision.
Chapter 42 LosLand Revisited
The old seeker emerged from the waters of the Risp in almost the exact same spot. As the ancient legends said he had first appeared to help their first king to build the stronghold between the falls, that became his castle. The seeker had planned on following an old goat trail up the side of the Thunderhead mountain until he reached a concealed entrance to the tunnel system, which lead to the chamber behind the falls. Yet he had hardly taken three steps before he was challenged by a well concealed watchman.
“That's far enough old one,” the watchman said. “My orders say your going to have to go the other way that I might present you to the captain of the guard.”
The old seeker stiffened for a moment.
“Are you sure your orders apply to very old men?” the old man asked as he slowly turned to face him.
“I'm sorry to inconvenience you,” the watchman replied. “But nobody comes here without being presented to my captain, per order of the King.” Then as he got a better look at the old seeker, the watchman added, “I'm afraid the orders are quite specific sir. There are to be no exceptions.”
The old seeker sighed.
“Very well, I'll go and tell your captain of your vigilance,” he promised.
“Thank you for understanding sir!” the watchman replied. “And I'm sure you also understand that I'll be accompanying you to him.”
The old one sighed again.
“Would it serve if I were to pledge on my hearts honor?” the old man inquired. “That I will make presenting myself to your captain my first order of business when I get there?”
“Please take no offense sir,” The watchman answered. “I doubt not that your word is true. That being so I'm honor bound to provide any honored guests, such as yourself, with an ‘Honor Guard’ lest mischance should befall you.”
“It's just that I was looking forward to smelling a few flowers,” the old seeker tried again. “And poking at a few holes in the ground along the way.”
“Then it is certain that I'd be remiss in my duties,” the watchman asserted. “Not to escort you, so that I may report any such unplugged holes in these grounds.”
“You act as though you think you know who I am,” the old seeker observed.
“Yes!” the watchman confirmed. “I suspect that I have a fairly good idea of who you might be. Shall we go? You may take your time if you wish sir. Your even welcome to smell a few flowers along the way.”
When they reached bottom of the path they were met by a full squad of guardsmen, all in their best dress uniforms. A tall solidly built blond man wearing a captain's uniform spoke up immediately.
“Welcome learned one, welcome to Twin Falls,” the captain said.
He then indicated by gesture, that the seeker should follow him as he turned around and led the way to an unadorned brick building on the outskirts of the town. The inside of the building was comfortably furnished. The seeker was quickly escorted to a room with a table and a few chairs. There was a fireplace in the far corner of the room, in which a well tended fire burned. The captain gestured towards the chairs at the table as he spoke.
“Do feel free to sit down and make your self comfortable while we wait for word of the kings pleasure, learned one,” the captain offered. “It is however, uncertain how long we shall have to wait. So in the event that you are thirsty or hungry, I bid that you but let one of the guardsman know. They will be glad to fetch for you fresh water or to brew a cup of tea from the kettle hanging over the fire. And as your nose might have already told you, the other kettle has in it a most excellent soup.”
It was in fact only a short while later that a guard entered to room to announce the King's presence.
“Behold, ‘King Otmer, the rebuilder’ enters the room,” he loudly proclaimed.
The captain was instantly on his feet and was standing at ‘parade dress’ attention, before the guard had quite finished the word ‘behold’. As the king entered the room the old seeker, who had remained where he was seated, spoke up.
“Ahhh there you are, old friend,” the seeker said. “I was wondering when you would show up. Though I thought you preferred the name Darg?”
Then he promptly scooped another spoonful of soup into his mouth. The king, who was resplendently dressed in a well tailored fine leather jerkin with matching leggings and boots, that looked somewhat more suitable for a well heeled woodsman than for a king, smiled warmly.
“Oh do remain seated old friend,” King Otmer said. “No matter how much it distresses the good captain here. I trust that you find the soup delicious? It's my own recipe you know. And yes, most of my dearest friends still call me Darg.
It's been nearly two years since you tasked me with rebuilding all of LosLand, as you call it. I think you'll be happy with my progress.”
As he said that, much to the obvious distress of the captain of the guards, king Otmer picked up a large cup from the fireplace mantel and using it like a ladle, scooped a cupful of soup from the hanging kettle. Then the king unceremoniously seated himself, not at the head of the table but directly across from his guest.
“I have a feeling that the ‘good captain’, as you called the worthy gentleman here, who seems about to pass out if he doesn't resume breathing,” the old seeker replied. “Has grown used to being distressed while in thy Lordship's presence.” Then with a gesture towards the officer in question he added, “Perhaps it would be best if you invited him to sit down, old friend, he's beginning to look a bit weak in the knees.”
At this point the captain, who's pallor was changing from a pale gray, to a light pink, could contain himself no more.
“That wouldn't be appropriate sir!” he protested. “My lord may choose to ignore proper etiquette, but I cannot.”
Then with a chuckle and a sideways look at the king, the old seeker spoke directly to the captain.
“Nonsense, my good man!” the seeker contested. “You ignored ‘proper etiquette’ yourself when you spoke without waiting for your kings leave.”
The reddish hue tha
t had begun to show in the captain's face disappeared as his pallor suddenly became that of white ash.
“But!” the king interrupted. “He has had my leave to speak his mind, from the moment I gave you permission to vex him by remaining seated.” Then speaking directly to the captain the king added, “Seriously captain, I know my lack of respect for etiquette and protocol does vex thee. But you also know full well that you have had my permission to not only speak up in my presence. But to even, on occasion, to interrupt me. From the moment I gave you permission to call me Darg, nearly half a year ago. Besides, even if I hadn't, we were both testing you so strongly, that it wouldn't be reasonable to expect you to contain yourself.” At this the captains pallor began to return to it's normal hue and he returned to his stance of formal parade attention. At this, the king sighed.
“Actually captain, I have much to discus with my friend here,” his King explained. “I was about to dismiss the guards. So that we might talk freely. But I trust your discretion and value your opinion enough that I invite you to stay. As well as to share in the discussion as among three friends. Can you do this captain?”
“If that is your order sir,” the captain replied. “Then I can do aught but to try. Though it is difficult for me to so lightly set aside the fact of your kingship.
Still, since you invited me to speak my mind. Is it wise to so readily dismiss the guards? I can assure you that there isn't one of them who would breath a word of anything they might overhear.”
“That is most certainly true,” the old seeker interjected. “But it is most certain that the things we will talk about will contain some things that would only serve to frighten them. Besides, if ‘I’ intended to do your king any harm, neither your guards nor indeed even your entire army, would be able to stop me.”
When he heard this, the good captain's pallor once again turned ash white. At the sight of which, king Otmer sighed again.
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