THE SHIELD

[MikDaTv]

“I want to make something absolutely clear doctor. I don’t like you. I don’t approve of your methods. If I could, I would report you to the authorities and have you locked up for what you’ve done. However your genius is apparent and you are a great asset to anyone you work for so doing that would be like throwing away a perfectly good tool. That being said, ss long as you are funded by my company, and are under my employ, you will abide by my rules.” Charles Carmichael said through the holocom.

The old man in the white labcoat on the other end smiled back at him. “I’ve broken a few eggs to make some omelets in my day, but my enjoyment has always come from my work. Your funding makes that work possible so I will of course abide by any rules you come up with.” The holographic smile widened and Charles could have sword he saw a wink. “However, as you are aware of my usefulness, you are undoubtedly aware that people like me are in great demand, so you may want to make sure your funding is so good that I don’t feel the need to search for other employers.”

Charles scowled at this. He wasn’t used to being the one talked down to, especially not by scum of this caliber. “You’ll get the funding I give you and like it Doctor. You’re lucky General Synthetics is even taking this chance on you and we’re one of the only companies in the galaxy that can afford you.”

“If you say so.” The doctor replied. “When shall I begin work?”

“As soon as we can have you and your equipment transferred to your specially built facility here. Codenamed The Shield. State of the art, with all the newest toys. M234-P is a largely unexplored system. Evidence of a settlement in one of the asteroids exists but whatever it was isn’t there anymore.” Charles explained. “The Shield is nearly fully operational now and has all the design specs for some of our more advanced projects already installed in the computer system.”

The holographic doctor nodded. “I understand. I will have my facility packed up and ready for transport within the day. It’s a pleasure doing business with you Mr. Carmichael.”

Charles sighed and took a sip of his drink. “Wish I could say the same… Dr. White.”

[MikDaTv]

“Where shall we begind Doctor?” the lab aid in the lab coat asked. They had been aboard the space station free floating in the M234-P system for less than an hour.

Dr. White continued to glance through the data stored on the stations computer core “I’m interested in the holotech General Synthetics has created in the past five years. Some of the best on the market I’m told. That will be of use to use I believe. As for where we should begin, I want all the IS virus strains we have in storage double locked and secured aboard THE SHIELD as soon as possible.”

The lab aid took notes and nodded. “It will be done. Anything else Doctor?”

“Yes,” the doctor said, never letting his eyes lift from his work console. “Bring me all the data GS has on the command power suits and the heavy armor suits in use by the republic, and bring me all the data we’ve collated on the Mandalorian suits.”

“Got a new set of armor in mind Doctor?” The aid asked.

White shook his head. “A new weapon. First order of business is to make our new employers very happy. Once we do that, we can take over and employ ourselves.”

[MikDaTv]

“Forgive me for saying so Doctor, but this doesn’t seem as ambitious as our usual types of projects.” The lab tech said looking over the design overview Dr. White had drawn up. “A visor doesn’t seem like quite the kind of cutting edge technology we’re used to.”

“Its part of a bigger picture.” White replied, going through a stack of datapads. “This visor system will utilize all the latest of GS’s holographic technology and connect to a system the likes of which the galaxy has never seen. It will provide the user with up to date, real time, tactical analysis and combat information. It will protect the user from just about anything, and allow the user to see in the entire spectrum. It’s an all in one sensor package contained within a simple face mask.”

“I understand that sir, but it’s still just a visor.” The tech said, sounding unimpressed.

White snorted. “Baby steps. With our new restrictions placed on us by our employer our work cannot progress quite as fast. The Visor is just the first step in the design of something much larger. Is the cloning lab prepared?”

“Yes Doctor.” The tech replied.

“Bring up the gene profile for subject 218151 and begin embryo cloning. We’re going to need a few subjects. Also, unpack all our cybernetic surgery gear out of storage and place it in operation room 2. Have the cybernetics division begin researching all the latest and greatest implants, focusing on neural uplinks.” White orderd.

The lab tech smiled. “That sounds more like it.”

[MikDaTv]

“Good morning 138, how are you feeling today.” Dr. White asked the boy laying on the recovery table. Of course the word boy was not exactly accurate. Despite being only a few weeks old, the clone had the body of a fully grown adult male. His growth and aging had been accelerated in order to make the testing easier. Subject 138 would die of old age in a month.

138 pointed to a glass of water sitting at the nightstand beside the bed. “water.” He said hoarsely. He had been taught a very basic vocabulary, barely enough to form a complete sentence. They didn’t need him to hold down a conversation, they just needed him to express himself.

White passed him the glass and watched him drink. “Good news 138. The implantation was a success. The neural net relay is in place and functioning perfectly.” White said with a smile. “Tell me, how does this feel.” White pressed a button on his datapad, activating the small devices limited wireless network.

138 flinched and shivered as the implant at the base of his brain stem picked up the signal and started feeding his brain information. “Cold… Hurts.”

White looked over at the consol next to the bed monitoring 138’s vitals. Neural response was active, registering pain, but not at high levels. “Looks like there is some discomfort.” He said, recording the vitals and time stamping them for his notes. “Ok 138, I want you to think about, and tell me everything you know about… hyperspace theory.”

138 gave White a confused look. Obviously if they had only given him a barely functioning vocabulary they hadn’t taught him advanced multi-dimensional physics. That look of confusion faded though and suddenly a flurry of words came from him. “Hyperspace Theory deals with the physics of travel into, through and out of hyperspace as a means of overcoming the speed of light. Hyperspace travel is most commonly achieved using a hyperdrive, a device included on most long range starships. Hyperspace theory traces its beginning back to…”

White smiled and listened to 138 speak. 138 obviously didn’t know what he was saying, he was being fed this information via the implant in his brain, which got the words from a paper White had written and stored on his datapad specifically for this test. 138 was now reading it, word for word, without understanding the meaning of most of those words. He pronounced a lot of them wrong, but with practice, theoretically someone with such an implant could use it to gain access to any wireless network and all the information its attached to.

The purpose of creating such a device was to be a partner to the visor system his team was working on, but White couldn’t help but think about all the other possible uses. Such a device could be used to practically create thought controlled technology. The possibilities were endless. Yes it was a crude design that required dangerous and invasive surgery to implement but this was only the beginning.

138 finished his speech and looked terrified. Indeed, his vitals had risen slowly during his talk and the number were consistent with those of someone afraid for their life. White understood, he had just spouted a dialog that he didn’t understand, let alone hear before. To him it probably seemed like someone taking over his body and speaking through him. That thought made White wonder if it was possible. Through one of these implants, could he potentially control a sentient being?

He made note of the idea for possible future study and gave 138 a sedative to calm him down. They only had a month or so with this subject before he died and he was the only successful subject so far. They needed him for more tests so there was no sense in scaring him to death right now.

[MikDaTv]

“The uplink shares information with the implant via a connection right above the ear.” The technician said, showing White the prototype visor they had developed. “We had an idea to integrate the visor with a face mask to provide some protection.”

“A sound idea.” White agreed. “What about the holo emitters? Were those miniaturized successfully?”

The tech nodded and turned the visor around to show White. “The emitters were tricky but we managed to get it done. No idea yet what damage it might do to an eye or optic nerve, having holograms projected so close like that.”

“Eyes of various species are being cloned right now for physical experiments and I have the simulation department running computer models it as well.” White declared, well ahead of the tech in terms of what needed to be done for the project. “Is it functional yet?”

“Tests went well with Subject 138. There were some software glitches we needed to iron out but all the hardware worked. Of course 138 died so we couldn’t continue tests with him.” The Tech explained.

“Excelent. I want a report on the progress so far and a copy of all your notes filed in the computer core.” White ordered. “I also want your opinion on something. We’ve used ring carbon before to reinforce metal structures, but could it possibly be laced through a cloth or Kevlar medium to not only reinforce, but to act as a latticework for a liquid crystal data processing network?”

The tech had to stop and think. Ring carbon wasn’t common. Essentially microscopic chain mail composed of tiny rings of carbon, Ring Carbon could be shaped and molded hundreds of different ways. They used it before to reinforce the durasteel in a suit of armor, but White was suggesting a flexable medium while also acting as a building point for some kind of crystal computing system. “I suppose it’s possible sir. It would be very expensive to make but theoretically you could lace a ring carbon mesh through just about anything. As for the liquid crystals, we’d need to find a way to keep the crystals attached to the lattice, but that also could work.”

“Thank you, I’ll draw up a possible outline and send it down here for review.” White said and left. Putting implants into Republic soldiers intrigued him as it gave him access to a pool test subjects he normally wouldn’t have, but at the same time, if he didn’t produce something the republic could use, then General Synthetics would cut his funding before he was ready.

[MikDaTv]

General Research Notes
Organism 14

Original samples taken from abandoned space pod of unknown origin.

Member presents in some ways as a fungus and in some ways as a virus.

Multi-cellular but with no set structure. Estimated that organism will survive so long as 4 or more cells are connected.

Each cell appears to have a duel nucleus system. One is classified as a static nucleus and one is classified as a dynamic nucleus.

Organism 14 in cellular form behaves as a virus, attaching itself to living cells and rewriting their structure so that they produce more Organism 14 cells. Once enough living tissue is infected and Organism 14 cells combine to form a large enough organism is stops this viral behavior and begins consuming biomass via normal multi-cellular organism methods.

The viral behavior state has been designated Phase 1.

Once it achieves sufficient mass to begin consuming and reconstituting biomass on its own it is considered in Phase 2.

The dynamic nucleus appears to be mimetic in nature, taking on characteristics of the biomass in which it consumes. The static nucleus remains unchanged however, storing the organisms original genetic structure. It is currently unclear what purpose this duel nucleus system has or how the two nuclei operate in tandem.

Once Organism enters Phase 2 and infests another living being, it begins to grow and assimilate the living tissue of its host. It's dynamic nucleus system allows organism 13 to mimic the tissue which is consumes, replicating it almost perfectly. Its growth is similar to that of a fungus, consuming biomass, growing its own and mimicking the tissues it's consuming so that the host doesn't immediately feel or notice that it's slowing being replaced.

Samples taken from the whole begin operating independently from the whole like a whole different organism. Take a sample small enough and it goes into Phase 1, infecting living tissue in order to reproduce. Take a large sample and it merely begins to behave as if it were a separate entity. No trauma or stress is recorded in any tests.

Speed tests confirm that Organism 14 can consume 400 pounds of living tissue (Test animals were Nerfs) in a little less than 3 weeks. The resulting mass was 400 pounds of lichen like material in that it grew and expanded similar to a fungus but maintained come characteristics of the biomass it consumed (the Nerf.) This sample has been designated Org14N.

Org14N was killed and examined today. Its containment lab was bombarded with high levels of heat and radiation until we were confident that every cell had been killed. Upon examination of the remains it was discovered that Org14N had begun developing rudimentary organs based off Nerf DNA. A series of hearts and circulatory system had been developed to regulate heat and carry nutrients from the outer edge of organism to its isolated insides.

It is unclear if organ development is a byproduct of some organic instinct or if the organism is actually showing intelligent self design. Research to follow.

It has been determined that a single Organism 14 colony acts as a distributed intelligence. Each individual cluster of cells has extremely limited intelligence but as the colony grows, the cell clusters form pathways which links the limited intelligences together. As the colony gets bigger and more and more cell clusters link together the colony as a single organism gains more intelligence. It resembles as a distributive network with emergent intelligence. Given the nature of its cell structure, so long as it has sufficient biomass to feed from, it is practically immortal. Given enough time, a large colony could potentially acquire great intelligence and learn from experience.

Combining Organism 14 with technology has proven ineffective. Since it only reacts when in contact with biomass, and that interaction begins and ends with "consumption" it is inert when in contact with any kind of non-organic technology.

10 Organism 14 colonies have been bread using basic plan biomass. Feeding of the colonies has been as uniform as possible so that each of the 10 is nearly identical in size and structure. With 1 as a control group, the other 9 were fed living organisms one by one. Each of the 9 began showing traits of the organisms that it had consumed.