Super SciFi Smackdown

7.2 The Plan of a Vagabond

Zero finished setting up the data transfer and began the complicated process of encoding data organically. While there were many such inhabited planets none were as vast or stable as the one on which he now stood. It was undetectable from a visual perspective but the life on this planet was a single organism, masquerading as an entire tree of life. It filled every conceivable niche, so much so that it defied any form of classification.

Zero had alien scientists to thank for his knowledge of its existence and the breakdown of complex genetics. It was going to be a tedious process but once he infused all the stored data into its coding, the organism's penchant for stability should keep it uncorrupted and safe for as long as needed.

A suspended insect like part of the creature hung frozen in time and the part of Zero that was Nutmeg was distracted momentarily. It had a certain irony to it, that it was needlessly filling a redundant position, frozen in evolution, needlessly passing the same incorruptible data back and forth. However there was a certain beauty to it that even Zero could appreciate. Since his inception he had not considered anywhere home. Now in the face of erasure he was planting a flag, or maybe a seed here. From now on this would be his chosen home, somewhere he would want to come back to.

Simultaneously he used the organic body of Scott to climb aboard the suspended enemy vessel. Time was on their side but he could not risk holding this cloak for an extended period, the threat had to be dealt with now. While having an organic structure was helpful in navigating awkward positions while climbing, it did prove problematic in other ways. The Scott was not well adapted for gaining entry. It took Zero several minutes of probing before he found the back door into the locking system and released the hydraulic latch. Even so it was still a struggle for the organic to force it open. He catalogued these events for later analysis and use when building a more suitable mobile housing.

The bodies of the active crew littered the rooms and hallways suspended, some inadvertently blocking access. The ship itself was slightly larger than their own and at least as well equipped on a technical level. A good thing seeing as they would need to use this vessel, having no way of repairing their own. But first there was the unpleasant business of body disposal. The longer he held the time distortion the greater the risk of discovery. While it was undetectable in this plain, Zero had already tracked energy draw from the multiverse and there was no telling who else could use this method to pinpoint their position.

Unsheathing a large blade, Zero used the organic to plunge it deep into the chest cavity of a defenseless crew member. Twisting the blade he opened a large hole before pushing the stiff corpse aside resting it against the wall. It would be a rude awakening but it was unavoidable, at least this way it would be quick, very humane thought the artificial intelligence and fitting given his current form. Quickly he set to work dispatching every living thing aboard, regardless of their size shape or position.

When he was sure that the entire crew was disabled permanently, he let the cloak drop. With a morbid curiosity he watched as the life around him drained quickly on the floor, bodies convulsing as their owners bled out rapidly. It wasn't as quick as he had hoped, many clinging to their life unwilling to simply lay down and die. It was a sentiment that Zero could relate to and out of respect he left them alone in their final moments, secure in the knowledge that each carried a mortal wound.

Unhindered by time Zero worked steadily to prepare, minutes turning to hours as he cleared the dead from the ship and cleaned away the blood. The data transfer was coming along nicely and once complete it would be replicated organically until no part of the planet was untouched. This was the basis of his plan, to first secure the data, if not for himself then for others who may come in his stead. Once this was accomplished he planned to eliminate those who would withhold this data from the world. His interaction with the captain inside their intrusion had spurred something inside. Those with the power also had the right, and by that logic he also had the right to destroy those he did not agree with.

He would attempt to destroy those who had sought to contain him. To have the best chance of success he would need three distinct bodies and at this moment he had but two. Dana had been sleeping a lot since their arrival and the death of their companions. His understanding of grief was limited by his lack of capacity to feel, but it added another dimension to the equation.

"I plan to counter attack." Zero approached her when she was awake.

"So now you want to talk huh!" Dana's mood was lost on Zero. "What does that mean for me?"

"Your decisions are your own."

"Well a fuck lot of good that is to me." Zero sensed hostility and despair in Dana's response. "What options do I even have?"

"You can join me or you can choose to go alone."

"Well that's not much of a choice is it!"

"It's still a choice you will have to make." Zero did not see the point in discussing things that could not be changed.

"So what are we going to do?" Dana jumped ahead.

"I plan to assault their facility." Zero answered her in the most simple terms.

"With their ship, I take it?"

"Correct. The necessary preparations are almost finished." Zero added.

"Do you think we have a chance?"

Dana's question was easy enough, their chances were good, if everything went right. The problem came when unknowable variables were added to the equation. Another problem was determining how many of these variables they would encounter. Not only were they unknowable the amount of them they would eventually have to negotiate was also unknowable. Even with his number crunching processor Zero still had no good idea of statistical likely hood. What he did have, was comparable numbers for possible results if they did not proceed with an assault. As best as he could determine their chances of survival in a attack, were as good as running away, if not even better.