Mass Democracy

A New Discovery.

October 2184. Super Earth. Ministry of Defense Office.

Another Liberty Day had come and gone, a fleeting celebration amidst the encroaching shadows of war. While the event had provided a brief respite for the personnel of the Ministry of Defense, the stark reality outside their fortified walls was far less celebratory. On the Western Front, a precarious buffer had been established between the DSS and the relentless Automatons following the hard-won liberation of Lesath. Though the DSS remained secure during its final construction phase, the clankers were tireless in their aggression, relentless in their pursuit of new territories. Casualties were mounting, with both SEAF and Helldivers bearing the weight of the conflict, while the Eastern Front remained a volatile cauldron, the Gloom still a dark threat, and the Terminids rampaging unchecked.

"Countless problems with no end in sight," the Minister of Defense muttered, the gravity of the situation pressing heavily on his shoulders. His mind was troubled by Helldiver Jason's ongoing predicament, a situation that had been dragging on for far too long. "He should be checking in right about now." As if summoned by the Minister's thoughts, a holographic screen flared to life, revealing Jason in his private quarters aboard the Super Destroyer SES Aegis of Integrity.

"I thought you might be late this time. Report," the Minister commanded, his voice steady but laced with the tension of ongoing warfare. They had followed this routine nightly since Jason had first alerted him about the drone situation.

"With the death warrant you've placed over my head and the lives of my men on the line, sir, I can't afford to skip these briefings," Jason snapped back, the weight of his responsibilities clear in his voice.

"It's more of a warning than anything else. What intel do you have for me?" the Minister pressed, preparing himself for yet another grim update.

"Nothing that I haven't reported previously; no major shifts on the battlefield. However, I've stumbled upon something of significance." Jason reached around his waist, retrieving a tactical tablet and typing furiously. After a moment, he displayed a holographic screen toward the Minister.

"What am I looking at?" the Minister asked, leaning closer, his focus sharpening.

"I recovered this from one of the facilities. It took a significant amount of effort to stabilize the system long enough to extract anything worthwhile. What I discovered, sir, is another covert operation orchestrated by the Ministry of Science; they found something." The tablet displayed an image of a massive object, reminiscent of a tuning fork, captured by a reconnaissance probe.

"This object was located around 2083. Its purpose remains unknown; it was under investigation during the First Galactic War, but the project was abandoned as the conflict escalated. I can't ascertain its true nature, but considering how this place has you rattled, I wouldn't gamble on leaving it unchecked." Jason secured the tablet back at his waist, the tension palpable.

The Minister's mind raced. He was right; if the archives from Copper 9 were any indication, this was a discovery that could not simply be ignored.

"Do you have coordinates for a retrieval team?" he demanded, urgency flooding his voice.

"I can transmit them once our communication concludes, sir. Anything else you require?"

The Minister paused, weighing his options carefully.

"Take off your helmet." He requested this every time they spoke. Letting out a sigh, Jason unclipped and removed it, revealing the hardened features and steely gaze beneath. The Minister leaned back into his chair, after scrutinizing Jason to ensure the Helldiver hadn't been compromised yet.

"You may re-don your helmet. I expect your report tomorrow night, same as before." With those words, the holographic display shifted, revealing a new screen showcasing the coordinates of a planet in the southern expanse of the Milky Way—Vorlaxia.

"Another concern to add to the list," the Minister murmured, knowing that reallocating forces from the frontline could lead to catastrophic consequences.

Glancing over the star map, he accessed another holographic interface, inputting the name Vorlaxia along with its sector. Moments later, a folder materialized, displaying the findings of the Ministry's past investigations.

Transcript from the research logs:

"After over two years of study, we are abandoning this system. The object, fifteen kilometers in length, lies dormant but is composed of a metal unknown to our databanks. Its age is estimated in the millions of years, and its surface is nearly indestructible. This could be one of the oldest artifacts we've ever found."

The Minister's hand tightened

A secondary folder appeared beneath it. Clicking on it revealed a clearer image of the object, far more defined than the one on Jason's tablet. The sight was unsettling—this was no human artifact, nor the creation of The Cyborgs or The Illuminated from the First Galactic War.

Pressing a button on his desk, the Minister summoned one of the ministry operatives, who appeared in another holographic display.

"Yes, sir?" the aide asked, standing at attention.

"How many Helldivers and SEAF units can we extract from the Eastern Front without causing significant disruption to our war effort?"

"At this moment, we can at minimum withdraw approximately fifty SEAF divisions and four fleets, each comprising twenty Helldivers Super Destroyers, eight Super Cruisers, six Super Battleships, and potentially three Super Carriers, without incurring significant repercussions, sir. Is this operation related to the situation at Copper 9?"

The Minister shook his head, his resolve firm.

"No, it's something else entirely. Prepare this group for deployment by morning. I'll send you the intel to brief them on their mission."

One nagging thought echoed in his mind: this discovery could potentially assist in the completion of the DSS. While it was approaching its final stages of construction, the Vorlaxian object might expedite the process or enhance its structural integrity. The DSS would be the linchpin of the ongoing conflict, and the Automatons would unleash everything in their arsenal upon it.

He silently prayed to Super Earth that this new enigma would not unleash horrors to rival those of Copper 9.