Discovery #32

[saikyocivrobo]

[1] First things first, once again thanks to everyone who kept talking to me when I wasn't myself. If you didn't do it, I probably wouldn't be able to regain my senses enough to tell you how to disable Prometheus. Who knows what might've happened then... Oh, and everything I said back then? I wasn't being myself, so don't take it to heart. In fact, it's best if you forget it all. Cough cough.

Anyway. When I was insane, there was a direct connection between my mind and Prometheus' database. I managed to pull out some vital information out of it, and I think I owe everyone an explanation. Grab something to drink and sit down, this is going to be long.


Two ancient, powerful creatures used to reside on Earth. I say used to, because only one of them is still here. I guess you could call them gods, but I don't think they really are divine beings. More like ancient aliens with ridiculous powers. In any case, one of them is Baphomet, the same one we fought, and he's deeply connected to nature. The other one is Artifex, connected to technology. Artifex loves humanity because they create more and more inventions and devices, while Baphomet despises them for spoiling the natural world. But make no mistake in calling Artifex good. He's still a jerk.

The two of them got on each other's nerves constantly, but when the Second Impact happened, everything broke lose. Baphomet decided to kill humanity for causing all the destruction to Earth, Artifex didn't want to let him. They fought for 15 years. Neither had the ability to kill the other, but in the end Baphomet managed to banish Artifex to a dimensional pocket. He's still there, and I doubt he'll ever break out. Before he was banished, though, he managed to build two robots and send them to different locations, to help humans fight against Baphomet's minions. Yup, that's Prometheus and Epimetheus. They had an additional purpose, though - enter a contract with a human pilot, hone his skills and abilities over time, but also slowly drill into his psyche, to make it vulnerable. And when the time is right? Make him go crazy, make him hate all Baphomet represents. Artifex cannot kill his rival, but humans can. He doesn't care about our planet, as long as we're safe as a race, and Baphomet is gone. See what I said about being a jerk?

What Baphomet said is true. He is deeply connected to this planet - if he dies, all of Earth's biosphere dies with him. We obviously can't have that, but we can't let him run around and do what he wants either. He's resting in hiding somewhere now, waiting until he recovers his full strength. I don't know when that happens, but we have a few weeks, maybe months. When he appears again, we'll have another solution ready for him. And I happen to know just what it might be.

I managed to find plans for a mechanism in Prometheus' database. It seems to copy the effect of the ability Baphomet used on Artifex. It was never completed, but it might be our best chance here. I remember it so well that I can draw the schematics from memory... But I cannot build it myself. I'm a chemist, not an engineer. I will need help constructing it. Please, lend your help to me.

[2] [Werter is watching Prometheus and Epimetheus run inside giant hamster wheels. The wheels are connected to a power generator.]

Run, run, you still need to make many more gigawatts to make up for the trouble you caused. And no complaining! You got off easy anyway.

Comments

1

[fermionprincess]

Sir Werter, I am so disappointed in your words!

How could you trifle with a maiden's heart like that?

[saikyocivrobo]

But I just said it, princess... I wasn't being myself when I said that!

[fermionprincess]

Regardless, should an individual open her fragile heart to you, it is only acceptable to either refuse or acknowledge the feeling on the spot! To toy with her emotion by responding only later, amidst battle - how cruel.

1

[mad_copycat]

(Tatsu is staring at Werter from the side lines in silence. It is obvious that she is still upset. Werter's words cut her deep and it shows in her eyes. She sighs deeply and turns away from Werter.)

...Tatsu knows a bit about engineering from information that Dr. Stephan uploaded into Tatsu to help with repairs of Fur-...Shinryu. Tatsu will help here and there if possible...But first Tatsu needs to repair Shinryu.

[saikyocivrobo]

You're offended, aren't you.

Sorry for that. I wasn't being myself. Prometheus put me into a bit of a "humanity rulez grr" mode.

[mad_copycat]

...Tatsu would be lying if Tatsu said Tatsu wasn't offended or still angry. But at the same time Tatsu knows you weren't you...And there was some truth to your words. Tatsu is a mimic. Tatsu not human no matter how you look at it...Or how much Tatsu wish Tatsu was.

However, what really made Tatsu mad was you turning against the lounge. Tatsu know Tatsu just an AI but the lounge is Tatsu's family and to see family fight...It might be the only thing that can cause Tatsu to feel pain.

1

[the_awakened_idol]

[Aaaaannnnddddd Miki is going to greet Werter in person with a slap across the face.]

There now we can forget about it.

Re: 1

[saikyocivrobo]

Ow.

I'd lie if I said I didn't expect that to happen. I had it coming.

[the_awakened_idol]

Well I had to get revenge somehow...it was a pretty sick burn.

1

[emorangerpink]

When I said we could find another way, I thought we'd have to spend forever going through the library in Arkham or something like that...

Re: 1

[saikyocivrobo]

Fortunately that won't be necessary. Prometheus has a whole library inside him, instead. I didn't manage to access all of it, but I accessed enough.

[emorangerpink]

Well I can help you figure out how much of what it needs we've got and how much we'll have to hunt for, at least.

...I'm surprised Artifex is so unpleasant about artificial life.

1

[azure_savior]

So it was less a gradual change and more like flipping on a switch?

[saikyocivrobo]

Yes.

But what was gradual is Prometheus slowly draining my mental barriers, to make me more vulnerable to the attack. I'd probably resist it at the very beginning, when I only started piloting.

[azure_savior]

Certainly was a long con, at any rate. Any idea if Artifex left any others behind though? It would royally suck if we dealt with Baphomet properly only for some random person we've never met to arrive and do what you were hoping to.

[zetahatsudo]

[He was still going over the data regarding the clusterfuck of a mission, but there was a detail that bugged him.]

You said that Baphomet was more likely to be an alien than he was a god, right? How the hell did he become so tied to the planet that his death would result in the death of Earth's biosphere?

[saikyocivrobo]

I can only guess. Maybe being able to form such connections is normal for whatever race he belongs to? I didn't manage to dig up that information from the databanks.

2

[hobo_lantern]

Hey, Rival. What are you doing with these two divine artifacts?

[saikyocivrobo]

How does it look like? Making them pay for trying to make us instruments of divine will without our consent, of course.

[hobo_lantern]

So I finally managed to beat you, eh?

1

[can_not_fly]

These guys sound like jerks. And they want to say they're gods! What nerve!
You kow, I'd get more annoyed if it wasn't because they're actually doing a pretty good job of impersonating gods, down to having zero foresight. [Palutena sighs]

[saikyocivrobo]

Baphomet doesn't strike me as the kind that likes to plan a lot. And Artifex forgot to take human element under consideration. It almost worked, but almost makes a big difference.

Hmm... Technically, aren't you two aliens as well?

[can_not_fly]

I more meant that if Baphomet dies and the Earth's biosphere goes, well, humans living in this planet ARE part of its biosphere and depend on it for survival. For someone who claims to like the humans' inventive qualities, killing everyone not in the colonies seems rather a waste of possible talent.
What?! Everyone?! [Pit sounds downright horrified, by comparison to Palutena's mostly tired-sounding voice]
As for Baphomet, well, between all these alien monsters, without humans to defend it I don't think there would be much of a natural world left for him to bind to, anyway. Not that I'd expect him to be the type to think that far ahead, as you say. Nature gods rarely are. [Foreshadowing, me? Why I never!]

They may not be made of divine essence, but they definitely do act a bit like the genuine article.

2

[socialinsect]

Alexi watches them with an amused expression. They're certainly comical.

"Are you the partner of one of those?"

[saikyocivrobo]

Indeed, the white one.

...Who are you?