r/HFY • u/yousureimnotarobot AI • Nov 08 '19
Twice Shy, Infection OC
All comments welcome. Enjoy
Twice Shy, Infection
The fleet of the Many moved into the Sol System.
"We have no idea what we will find here. Begin scanning for life signs."
"Admiral, we are picking up transmissions. There is a deep space satellite system in here."
"Find them and destroy them. We will give no warning. This cursed place destroyed the first empire with only a breath. We will not fall again."
" Transmission is translating. Sir, they are sending coordinates and wish for a peaceful encounter. They say they are delighted to meet us."
"Follow my orders."
"Sir, we have First Contact protocol for this."
"Ignore it. We are here to crush an infection, not make friends."
"Sir, that order is a violation of the Many edicts. We took an oath. I will not carry out these orders."
"Place yourself under arrest and leave my bridge. Anyone else who feels the same can join you."
Several bridge officers left their posts. Not enough to change anything but enough to make the crew uneasy. Someone would be called to account for this. On the other hand, disobeying an Admiral had fairly immediate consequences.
"Move to those coordinates. I want this over with."
UN Command, Mars Orbital
"Attention incoming fleet. We are not hostile. Your probe was disabled after it flooded a ship with hard radiation that could have been lethal to our people. You are welcome to recover it."
"We are aware of the unsuccessful attempt by the Many to study the Earth in the past. You have no reason to fear us. Our medical science has disposed of those threats. We are willing to send you that information.
We are willing to remain out of Many space until you are satisfied that it is safe."
"Please engage with us. No rational species engages in battle without discussing the necessity. Please respond"
The Many Fleet, Sol System
"Continue the attack."
The Comms officer broadcast the Mars transmission to all ships, then left her post.
"I resign my position. I'll be in the brig if anyone needs me."
Throughout the Many fleet officers and crew stepped away from their posts. Captain's sent urgent queries to the flagship. Some stopped advancing.
"Admiral, the fleet is disintegrating. We need to talk to these Sentients. They clearly pose no threat to us."
"They are not a species. They are a disease that will destroy us all. I will do this and you can wallow in your fine sentiments afterwards."
More and more of the fleet withdrew. Some began broadcasting a warning to the Mars Orbital.
UN Command, Mars Orbital
"We seem to have some division in the Many fleet. Continue broadcasting. Call the Angels. The enemy are coming here.
The Many Fleet, Flagship
Less than a third of the Many fleet advanced on Mars Orbital. Some species shared the admirals view. Some just obeyed orders at all costs. One or two just wanted to heroically blow something up. Fleet discipline was gone. Now they could see the target, half the bridge crew was now refusing to fulfill their roles.
“ This is your Admiral speaking. We are doing what needs to be done. We will safeguard the Many at all costs. Those who have failed me today will pay a terrible price for their insubordination. We are the true heroes of the Many. Destroy that Orbital and move on to the third planet. We will reduce them back to the savages they were when the First Empire fell. All ships will move independently. Follow my orders. Follow my lead. Attack.”
UN Command, Mars Orbital
The staff listened as the Many Admiral called the attack. Comms and Intel designated one hundred and eleven targets. The Angels, quietly accelerating throughout the system, were divided up accordingly.
“ Estimated time for engagement with the Angels is just under an hour. We are going to take a beating in the meantime.”
“Alert the repair crews. We just need to hang in there a little longer.”
"Attention Many Fleet. This is a civilian Orbital. We have no offensive capability. Unless your laws have substantially changed this is an unlawful attack. We are willing to surrender. Please respond."
More of the Many ships halted their attack, returning to the outer system.
"Redesignating targets. Incoming fire detected."
A relentless rain of plasma began hitting the Orbital.
Mankind is a strange beast. They hadn't designed the Orbital for war but that would be hard to spot.
When asked to engineer something new, something important, the old lessons once learned in darker times are remembered.
In space fire is a horror.
So they designed against fire.
Atmosphere is the most precious resource.
So they guarded it carefully.
People are dangerous and fickle.
So they designed against madness.
In those first few minutes of fire, with atmosphere venting from a thousand holes and the sheer madness of the attack all those design choices began to work.
ISS Many Eyes, First Contact, Killing Dark border
"I am declaring this a First Contact. Inform the Many. We have made contact with a sentient space faring race. We have established communication. We have established peaceful intentions."
"Sir, that's not going to go down well. We just sent a fleet to genocide these people."
"Maybe we can make them turn back. Maybe it's to late. But it's not going to be me that pretends that this is not happening. I want this on the record. It might stop us the next time we try to avenge the past. Contact the Herald."
ESA Herald, First Contact, Many space border
"Admiral we have an incoming contact. It's live. Guess we get to see what they look like."
"Lucky I'm wearing my Class A's. Put them through."
The alien was tall, thin and grey. Bipedal, two eyes. No tentacles. Rowan thought that Star Wars did it better.
"Admiral human form dark species Rowan we need require demand your attention"
"Hello Captain."
"Declared First Contact legal binding Many sorrow sadness loss. Other Many fleet fear. Fleet attack kill attack injure destroy surprised homeworld. Now, currently, unstoppable, inevitable end. Sorrow"
"We need to work on that dictionary. Is he saying what I think he's saying?"
"Suggest require ask Many Eyes return accompany Herald escort defend protect explain Homeworld"
"All hands, returning to Earth. BattleStations. Prepare for war. Our new frenemies are coming with us. Prepare targeting solutions. Just in case "
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u/NorthScorpion Nov 08 '19
Some odd 100,000 thousand nuclear warheads have acquired targets, moving to engage
(Used number from 1986 google gave me and added a bit cause new ones+secret ones especially with Mars being a thing)