Probe runs a quick diagnostic on his Avatar, and finds that some of
it's software has developed....bugs.
"Clips indeed," mutters Probe to himself as he looks down at the gathering.
"Whatever! And speaking about what ever, what in the name of Johnny C.
is going on here? Oh, but I don't like the looks of this!"
******************************************************************
G looked at C, and then at the target below. For ages on end, G had
done it's duty and waited. Now, at long last, yet ANOTHER ship had finally
come.....to be transported!
"So....long it has been," whispered the humanoid figure that looked
to be made of clay....and not much else. Once they had looked like their
Masters, but time had taken it's toll. No longer looking even a little
human, the lumps of magical clay.....golems.....looked down at the ship
that would be sent elsewhere for trade and goods in far off places and
times. As the finishing touches are being made on the large gem that makes
the transport unit, a rumbling thunder comes from behind the golems. Thirty
figures turn, and stare (as well as a figure with no really visible eyes)
as a metallic conveyance lands. A muttering goes up from the confused golems.
The craft must be magical in order to fly, but there is no magic.....nothing
emitted from the metallic body. Something, however, is making the golems....angry
and nervous, though. Anger builds, but is suddenly held in check as.....a
paradox steps out of the conveyance. A man that magical probes show isn't
a man. A metal construct in the shape of a man....but with no magical source.
Nothing in the collective experience of the ancient golems even remotely
resembled this event. It was....fascinating and exciting!
The paradox spoke......
"I know I am going to regret asking," the paradox says in a language
that is instantly translated by built in translator spell modules. "But
what in the hell do you think you're doing?"
"We....are only doing what we were made to do." murmurs C. "Transporting
cargo.....sideways in time. Why?"
"Oh," mutters Probe in relief. "Here I thought that you were gonna fry
the......" The penny dropped, and it dawned on Probe.....as to what the
clay figure was ACTUALLY saying!
"By the bleepin Prime Blueprint," Probe swears reverently, and then
goes on in a louder voice. "DON'T!!"
"Why?" the thirty golems ask together, puzzled.
"You'll be killing millions of innocents," Probe explained. He then
explains (editing out classified material) the war that had happened between
the Enemy and the Alliance. As he went on, he got more agitated, and got
the golems agitated....and angry at the Enemy. Near the end, the golems
were ready to march out and rip the living #$#@! out of the Enemy, barehanded.
Probe had seen much action, and upon gaining true sentience, had volunteered
to stay in active service instead of retiring to a posh cybernetic resort.
Probe had learned to.....hate. Then golem G throws Probe a curveball.
"But.....how could the Masters allow the Enemy to do all this?" G asks
in puzzlement. The golems murmur at that, and Probe blinks in puzzlement.
"Who are you talking about?" the AI asks. "Who are the Masters?"
"The....Atlantians of course!" H says in shock. Paradox or no, this
entity MUST know about the Masters. They were the center of the Transport
group's existence!
"I know of no Atlantians," Probe finally says sadly. "Their island nation
is but the stuff of myth and legend. It sank beneath the waves....you see....."
This brought on a flurry of heated debate between the golems. One side
argued that that was what all the transmissions and rumors from wandering
golems a few thousand years gone had said. At the time, the Transport group
had seen that the rogue golems were dangerously unbalanced, and thus should
be terminated to put them out of their misery. The others shouted it was
blasphemy. Finally, one golem wandered near the door that lead to the restrained
human inside and.......screamed in renewed fury! A flying tackle by the
cyborg is all the is prevents the enraged magical construct from killing
the struggling were-jackal. Probe can see that each wants to tear the other
apart. Probe slams the door closed and the enraged golem suddenly grows
calm, and then puzzled.
"What....happened?" the clay figure asks the cyborg.
"Apparently you have something against lycanthropes," Probe states angrily.
A cooler part of the AI wonders where he'd picked up so many....human characteristics.
The rest of the AI told that part to stick to business.
"The.....Doom's day option was used?!" a dozen golem's shout, shocked.
This time, it is Probe who listens, and grow amazed and angered.
Details were sketchy since it wasn't the Transport group's venue, but
it boiled down to this. Wizards had developed a curse who's purpose was
to break up team cohesion of some faction in the Atlantean government by
inducing madness and/or generally antisocial behavior into it's victims
(i.e. the beast inside would control the actions of the victim....making
effective large scale resistance impossible). But, it was found to be TOO
effective, so it was to be held back as a.....threat to keep the rowdy
in line. Apparently, it also had the bad side effect of driving a golem
up the friggin' walls in anger.
"But....it didn't work," G says sadly. "Our purpose for existence is....gone."
Probe looks at the forlorn golems, thinking rapidly.
So'kay, the AI reasons out. Atlanteans were some type of super
human race.....Christ on a crutch.....a magical, mythical Master Race.....Shit!
Idiots who destroyed themselves over some petty political squabble ? Sound
all to #$^&$ familiar. Seen it in countless burned out.....nuked out
Mirrors. Sad to see it here......
"Well," Probe says finally. "Perhaps I can supply you guys with purpose,
eh?"
The golems perk up at this, pathetically. Soon, the Alliance has a new
set of recruits.....three Transport groups to be exact. Another Alliance
AI, Seeker, is recruited to play sheepherder to the golems (who find needed
material for.....long overdue maintenance from a deceased mage's desert
stronghold).
But what am I supposed to do with these magical freaks?! asks
the vexed Seeker over channel. They keep asking the most idiotic questions
about my basic functions! It's like they have no idea of what science is!
Briefing said that the planet had relied more on Magic than Science,
Seeker! Probe chides. Next time pay attention, OUT!
Probe looks at the magical transport gem/mechanism (a monster of a beast
that would make any jewel thief drool). It is now not glowing. The gems
will no longer play any role in keeping ordinary traffic out of the Channel.
The menace that had kept away all human traffic.....is done.
Probe, curious as to where the ship that had sailed past the Transport
group was heading, shot off into the night.
Perhaps they could tell Probe what could be done with his passenger/prisoner?
-
 Spotting the boat below,
the sled descends.....
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