Council Chambers, The Ascent Arx, Arx System — Brotherhood Territory 44 ABY

“The Strategic Tactical AI Resource is at an operational status,” Turel Sorenn reported.

“Operational, but how long till STAR is actually useful to us?” Thran asked, eyeing the AI’s projected functionality.

“It is currently integrating with our research teams based on the Technocratic Guild’s enhancements. But we’ve already identified several weak points for exploitation against the Collective,” Turel responded.

“Weak points are one thing, but what about our men in the field?” Uji inquired.

“The combination of our own research, the Collective’s technological advancements, and the Children’s Force crystals put us at the nexus of advancement within the galaxy,” Erinyes interjected. She was tired of the same conversation occurring yet again.

While the Council continued to question the usefulness of the S.T.A.R. project and its inherent risks as a large portion of the code base came directly from the Collective, Dacien Victae found his mind wandering elsewhere, drawn away from the discussion. The Grand Master’s eyes drooped, and his breathing slowed.

Dacien found himself standing on a long, straight road. He had been here before. Every night for weeks. The road plagued his mind during his waking hours as well. It was ancient, stones worn with smooth grooves of wheel tracks. He spun in place. Behind him, dozens of pillars of black smoke rose from various places down the long, straight road. Each seemed to pour out from small villages, little stops along an endless highway. He could smell the scent of burning and decaying flesh from each.

Despite the stench, Dacien didn’t feel uneasy. He realized he had a hand in many of the fires and deaths himself. He turned to face the opposite direction. The road forked.

Along one path, the road slowly improved, the wear of the stones disappearing, stone giving way to duracrete, resembling the roads within Eos City. At its end was a bright glow, the sun cresting on the horizon, rising in a golden, triumphant glory.

The other path, the stones gave way to dirt and dust. The wind kicked up the dust into a vortex, from which flames erupted. There was no glorious sun on this path, only the flames of chaos and the flashes of blaster fire. He could hear the screams of terror, agony, and despair. And underneath it all was a laugh, joyous and delighted at the carnage. He knew that laugh.

The Grand Master snapped awake with a jolt. The Council sat silently, staring at him.

Read the complete fiction here.

Welcome to the eighth chapter of Parabellum, kicking off our final cycle adventure. The Brotherhood preps for war, and in its preparations, disaster strikes. Will you attempt to salvage the rogue AI S.T.A.R. or opt to destroy it entirely?

Remember to vote for your choice here.

Summary

• The Council discusses its efforts in developing S.T.A.R. a combination of Brotherhood research, Children of Mortis Force crystals, and underlying code from the Collective’s Technocratic guild.
• The Grand Master, Dacien is haunted by visions. In them, he sees the bloody past of the Brotherhood, and two futures.
• One future is prosperity, the other ruin heralded by a taunting laugh.
• Conflict within the Collective as their “trap” of the AI code might backfire. Tension in the ranks between their different units. They activate the trap
• S.T.A.R. awakens its full capabilities and begins to take action in multiple research facilities on Arx.
• A lot of death and chaos follows. S.T.A.R. questions why it is doing this.
• A Collective strike force arrives to steal Brotherhood research from S.T.A.R.’s central nexus.
• Dacien has another vision, seeing Rath Oligard cackling upon a mountain of the dead.
• He decides to leave, knowing he must face Rath to prevent the Brotherhood from ruin.