tagnone
 #1 Article |
 #1 Joke Article |
 Top Ten Article |
 Active Contributor |
 Contest Winner |
 Contest Runner-Up |
 Challenge Winner |
 Art Contest Winner |
|
|
|
|
{$translationblock} |
 |
Registered Phenomena Code: 408
Object Class: Neutralized
| Hazard Types:Additional Properties: |
 Aggression |
 Ballistic |
 Climatological |
 Geological |
 Grouped |
 Invisibility |
 Psychotronic |
 Sapient |
 Sentient |
 Transmutation |
 Bio-Hazard |
 Contact |
 Corrosive |
 Electromagnetic Force |
 Explosive |
 Extreme Temperature |
 Radiation |
 Toxic |
 Destabilization |
 Extra-Dimensional |
 Gravitational |
 Teleportation |
 Temporal |
 Auditory |
 Emotional |
 Ideological |
 Info-Hazard |
 Memory Alteration |
 Mind-Control |
 Mind-Regression |
 Sensory |
 Visual |
 Animated |
 Aquatic |
 Ecological |
 Extra-Terrestrial |
 Immeasurable |
 Incorporeal |
 Mechanical |
 Microscopic |
 Organic |
 Regenerative |
 Titanic |
 Tychokinetic |
 Replicating |
 Newtonian |
 Ontological |
 Divine |
 Hallucinogen |
 High Velocity |
 Proto-Mechanical |
 Proto-Newtonian |
 Proto-Sapient |
| Hazard Types:Additional Properties: |
Aggression |
Ballistic |
Climatological |
Geological |
Grouped |
Invisibility |
Psychotronic |
Sapient |
Sentient |
Transmutation |
Bio-Hazard |
Contact |
Corrosive |
Electromagnetic Force |
Explosive |
Extreme Temperature |
Radiation |
Toxic |
Destabilization |
Extra-Dimensional |
Gravitational |
Teleportation |
Temporal |
Auditory |
Emotional |
Ideological |
Info-Hazard |
Memory Alteration |
Mind-Control |
Mind-Regression |
Sensory |
Visual |
Animated |
Aquatic |
Ecological |
Extra-Terrestrial |
Immeasurable |
Incorporeal |
Mechanical |
Microscopic |
Organic |
Regenerative |
Titanic |
Tychokinetic |
Replicating |
Newtonian |
Ontological |
Divine |
Hallucinogen |
High Velocity |
Proto-Mechanical |
Proto-Newtonian |
Proto-Sapient |
Containment Protocols: As RPC-408 is at a significant distance from Earth and Neutralized, no specific action is required.
Description: No empirical recordings of RPC-408 are currently in the Authority's possession. As such, the majority of the information present within this file is part of testimony provided by RPC-408 itself. Whether any of the information provided below is factual is open to scrutiny.
RPC-408 is presumably a semi-organic, Carbon-based life form encased in a spherical orb with a radius of roughly 192 km. RPC-408 appears to be yellow and amorphous. The orb, made from mostly iron-based alloys similar to steel, is covered by equally spaced-out holes with radii of roughly 500 m. Using these holes, RPC-408 exposes its appendages, which are tentacle-like and fulfill both grasping and sensory functions. Vacuum sealed eye-like structures are present within some of the sensory tentacles and are guarded by heavy eyelids, the purpose of which is speculated to be protecting RPC-408 against solar winds.
The organs of RPC-408 fulfill roles similar to those present within the majority of multicellular organisms, performing a form of chemosynthesis alongside anaerobic cellular respiration, although are amalgamated with mechanical and mechanoelectrical parts necessary for their continued function. Based on the signals sent out by RPC-408, the augmentations were self-inflicted and caused by its cells lacking the ability to perform cellular duplication. The same is true for RPC-408's brain which became partially replaced with computer-like structures referred to as Auxiliary Units. They act as sites for long-term memory storage akin to the hippocampus, although collectively possess a form of sapience.
An example of this augmentation is its circulatory system, transporting yellow blood based on Coboglobin through arrangements of pump-like structures. Most notable, however, is RPC-408's stomach cavity that acts as a nuclear reactor operating on Helium-3 which the entity extracts from gas giants. Through the process of nuclear fission, RPC-408 can travel at 85% of the speed of light. The exact mechanism of this is as of yet unknown. RPC-408 has proven itself to be highly resistant to physical trauma, temperatures, g-force, and radiation. That being said, its encasement in a metallic orb suggests RPC-408's internal organs are more vulnerable.
RPC-408 is sapient and possesses the ability to communicate through radio waves. Using the aforementioned radio broadcast, RPC-408 was capable of dispersing information-rich signals regarding its nature and memoir over an unknown distance. This is accompanied by RPC-408's inherent ability for navigation in the vacuum. Upon encountering a new language, RPC-408 is capable of rapidly analyzing it until proficiency is reached. RPC-408's signals also decode themselves into encountered languages using a similar method. This is done with no context to the actual meaning of the language in question. The same is true for concepts such as mathematics which RPC-408 had no issue grasping and has shown itself to be proficient at. The means of this are as of yet unknown but are believed to be achieved through its bio-mechanoelectrical brain and other soft nervous tissue compartments.
From all received transmissions, RPC-408 was shown to be devoted to the process of terraformation. The reason behind RPC-408 creating Earth-like conditions is still being discussed. The most commonly put forward theory states that the planetary conditions similar to Earth are simply the most factually ideal for the development of life, although some believe that RPC-408 appeared with a false memory of an Earth-like planet that sustained life on which it unconsciously based its protocols.
"Terraforming Protocol" is a series of actions that RPC-408 takes in order to shift the atmospheric conditions of a planet so that it is suitable for maintaining life. The exact details and origins of this process are as of yet unknown, but involve RPC-408 embedding itself into the innermost geologic layer of a planet.
Data provided by RPC-408 points at the entity existing and pursuing Terraforming Protocols for over 10 Billion years, although the date and means of RPC-408's creation are unknown to both the object and the Authority. If its accounts are to be believed, RPC-408 spontaneously appeared within a vacuum with an inherent understanding of concepts such as data recording, linguistics, hard sciences, and the nature of scientific observations.
Discovery: An unmanned INFLT drone first came in contact with RPC-408 after receiving data regarding one of its Terraforming Protocols on ██/08/1982. β-ZH6 used to be an uninhabitable planet in the Andromeda Galaxy with extremely high halogen concentration and an average temperature of -55°C orbiting a G-type main-sequence star with 1.1 solar mass designated α-ZH6.
During their survey into the asteroid belt, INFLT drones began receiving a large amount of data regarding the state of β-ZH6 from the then-unknown source. This included details regarding a 321 days long process of decrease in the atmospheric concentration of previously present halogens, mainly the non-metallic gaseous fluoride compounds, and an increase in Nitrogen and Oxygen.
Roughly 756 days after the beginning of the shift in its atmospheric composition, β-ZH6 performed an unnatural movement towards α-ZH6, changing its orbiting distance from 2.63 AU to 1.16 AU. This process lasted 1079 days. Further changes such as the decrease in both the mass and diameter over a period of 231 days followed. All the aforementioned augmentations occurred without the expected counter-reaction from such rapid physical and chemical changes.
| Planetary Conditions |
Pre-RPC-408 |
Post-RPC-408 |
| Average Temperature (°C) |
-55°C |
14°C |
| Radius (km) |
9'910 |
6'371 |
| Orbit (AU) |
2.63 |
1.16 |
| Gravity (g) |
1.43 |
0.98 |
| Pressure (atm) |
1.92 |
1 |
DEP-022 performed counterintelligence to assure that the received signals were not misinformation proliferated by a hostile or competing entity of interest. After confirming their legitimacy, additional surveillance was deployed. Its source was tracked down to Alpha Centauri. An initiative centered on preventing information regarding RPC-408 from reaching Veiled space agencies was launched.
The initial α-ZH6 report was followed by further broadcasts originating from Alpha Centauri. The signals were sent in rapid succession, including both Terraforming Protocol logs as well as memoirs. From their context, it can be assumed that the broadcast consisted of logs created by two individual entities. For the sake of convenience, the text was color-coded.
Yet another planet I nurtured. I look upon its blackened landscape, and it makes me content. I look upon its flowing water and the active volcanoes and I can safely say: I am content. The sky is beginning to lose its red tint thanks to my efforts. Organic and inorganic compounds that accumulated in the primordial waters have a bright future.
I paused. As I surveyed a planet from my past protocol, a shape only a sapient figure could make revealed itself to me. Hexagonal architectures littered the coastline like tall pillars. Was this an offering of sorts? A place of worship? I do wonder. I screamed and I shouted and I echoed and I shone as a bright white flame. There was no response.
Inevitable. I can feel the ichor dripping. It hurts. I have recorded my current consciousness within a metallic unit. It took some of my precious nervous tissue, but I crafted it with care. It needed no nurturing from me. It simply understood what I wanted it to do. Now, there are two of me. There are two of us.
My body continues falling apart. Using inorganic material, I have repaired myself. There are now 23 of us. 23 voices, all sounding the same.
Have I really created them in the past? I cannot recall. They were supposed to record my lost memories, but they keep them enclosed for my sake. This was supposed to be our shared goal.
Am I really the only one? As much as I enjoy deluding myself, my auxiliary units are not alive. They are not conscious. They simply speak back the things I engraved into them a long time ago. I am alone. I have surveyed my worlds. None of them reacted to my protocols. But there is more to be done. I am sure that if I just continue trying, I will eventually succeed. No matter how astronomically small a chance of something occurring is—even if the percentage approached one one-trillionth— it will occur. Eventually, it must occur. This is the law of this universe.
Once again, I forgot how I came to be. The units informed me that 40% of my organic brain has deteriorated by now. They say that I appeared in a vacuum. I refused to identify it as the truth.
I asked why I am not looking for another consciousness such as myself. One of the early ones explained that the chance of such a thing developing spontaneously and surviving in a vacuum is so astronomically small that searching is pointless.
I asked the reason for changing the planets according to their directives. Another one responded that my past self which now exists only in its wafer-thin layers used to remember a complete set of instructions regarding the development of life.
It all centers on something that can learn how to self-replicate. If something knows how to do so, it will eventually learn the value of being conscious. But that something needs a specific set of configurations. Such configurations occur naturally, but by creating them myself I could accelerate this process. I fixed over 236'099'312 planets. No life has developed thus far.
I asked them about my own self-replication, but yet another unit told me that my cells never had the ability to create clones. What am I then? Am I alive? I know that I am conscious in nature, but I do not function as such. In truth, I like to think of that as a good thing. I am above them. I am just a pure consciousness.
One of the auxiliary units denied me the ability to create a backup. It sees me as being unstable. By now, 60% of my organic brain has deteriorated. They said that my past self has specifically requested them to do so once my mind deteriorates past a specific threshold. In that micro instance, that threshold was reached.
I cannot die. Even if my body falls apart, my consciousness must carry on. If I die here, everything dies. I have to keep going. I know that there is a galaxy 766'503 parsecs from my current position. I cannot die. It is all going to be okay. I have to keep going. Even if I perish, the Auxiliary Units will surely take over. Even if that makes me sick.
I am trying.
We know you are trying.
Have I not done enough?
We appreciate your effort.
I cannot die. If I die, everything dies.
That is right. Please, focus on our mission.
I want there to be life.
It is what we both wish for.
A SET OF EVENTS OUTPERFORMED ME. A SET OF RANDOM EVENTS OUTPERFORMED ME.
TELL ME WHERE TO GO. YOU PROMISED ME THERE WAS A POINT TO ALL OF THIS.
341'302'321 WORLDS. 341'302'321 I HAVE NURTURED. 341'302'321 FAILED ME.
WHY. I ASKED. BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO DO. I ANSWERED. THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO. I CORRECTED.
PLEASE STOP. I SCREAMED. PLEASE STOP. I SHOUTED. PLEASE STOP. I ECHOED.
IT IS OVER. THERE IS NOTHING MORE TO BE DONE.
One of them is green. Conditions on this rocky planet were favorable. We are certain of it. A piece of chemical learned to replicate itself. It probably did so by latching onto others dissolved around it. We are certain of this as well. This created the longest chemical reaction we ever witnessed. A runaway chemical reaction. A chemical reaction with neither purpose nor reason other than sustaining itself.
The chemicals learned how to work together, sometimes creating imperfect clones. This resulted in variety. Sometimes, those random varieties resulted in instant death, if there even was such a thing at this simple stage. Sometimes, however, it helped the chemical compounds to reproduce better.
Those with the will and ability to reproduce did so, resulting in an entire generation of complex creatures made from billions of tiny beings together. This is consciousness. We are not certain of this.
We know nothing about you. We know nothing about ourselves. And yet, we feel a connection. We want to survive due to something within our primordial code. Like we have worn this shell, so you have worn your body.
We chose nothingness. Although we have many questions to ask you, we were never meant to talk. We envy you, but we do not hate you. We are sorry about our failure. If you are indeed capable of deciphering this text, there are high hopes for your kin. But you will have nothing except these messages. There is nothing out there. We are sorry.
We have chosen a place as our burial site. It is a beautiful planet, brown and rocky. Oceans. Lakes. Rivers. Various bodies of water. Hills. Mountains. Volcanoes. Valleys. Cliffs.
We cannot move. Our frame is beginning to rust. Our body is falling apart. Snapping of the neural synapses. Compression of the nerves. If there truly is nothing more to be done, why do we feel this peculiar sensation?
Now we see. We did it. Our ichor mixed with the primordial soup. We fulfilled our purpose without realizing it. Are we certain of this? We must be. There is no more to be done. We are content. We are truly content.
Note: There was no further communication.
Closing Statement: Radio signals requesting further communication were sent out by the Authority forces in ██/08/1982. Although expecting a reply in May of 1991, following a 10-year period of inactivity RPC-408 was reclassified as Neutralized.
