A pair of thunderous BOOMs shook the city again, and Faramir stumbled out the door to get a better view of the sky, only to see two sparks fall from above the city. The Sparks curved around like some flaming birds, then change in some way before swooping around to land on pillars of fire behind the slab- which, for some reason, was higher than the walls it stood in front of.
Thankfully, there were horses stationed at every level of the city for emergencies like this.
-
Even with the 0.012 millisecond delay of driving my humanoid avatar through using the Starcannon as a proxy server, I loved this thing!
First off, faces are hard to design- but so worth it. I felt my metallic lips quirk in an extatic grin, even in the darkness of the pod. My pod which wasn't actually a pod.
I was even more glad that I remembered that spider-man movie. The Vulture had the best flight-suit ever (the homecoming movie's second one), and my redesign was worth it. Instead of ducted fans, two gimbled thrusters for my fliers and orbital units fit nicely into the secondary wing segments. Another great part, was that they could seal together, so I had an airtight pocket for my avatar.
Yes, the vulture suit that was used in the movie to catch the invisible jet. Two sealed to each other proved to be a perfect re-entry capsule in the simulator- so I made four, used two to encapsulate my avatar, and sent them down to Minas Tirith.
That thought made me scowl a little- this was middle earth, and I had tried what little I remembered of Elvish and the Black speech from the books and movies... Now I was just trying different languages.
The Starlings (no, I wasn't going to call them Vultures) disconnected as the plasma-bath of reentry abated, and I got to see, with a humanoid face, what my memories referred to as the Pelenor fields.
Mostly grassland, but at almost exactly the midpoint between Osigiliath and the gleaming city of Minas Tirith there was my line of bubble shields.
I felt the Starling holding my avatar snap open it's wings, thrusters flaring and metal-blade wings orienting to provide the maximum control in the turbulent air over the plains along with its three duplicates. Feather-like segments twisted as the wings angled, banking in extremely close proximity, both giving the Blue Angels burning ears for being upstaged without their knowledge and giving the appearance that my Avatar was being guarded.
I love being a super-intelligent computer, and spent the descent time doing a little jig on the other side of the Moon from the planet.
Then, just for kicks, I had the Starlings aileron-roll apart and begin their landing sequences as my Avatar was dropped.
Superhero landing for the win right in front of Gandalf! Suck it white beard!
As my avatar stood up, I momentarily considered the wisdom of building a body that looked like Ultron's final form from that Avengers movie... An angular one, bit more blocky to keep in with the motif, but still at least three meters tall.
Their faces made my effort worth it, especially as my starlings flared in their landings, and hovered on pillars of blue fire.
Priceless!
I turned my avatar to face the board, and instructed the drones to begin writing in multiple languages simultaneously. I knew Gandalf recognized the Black Speech- he visibly twitched when I wrote a few words from the One Rings' etchings on the board earlier.
So it looked like I would be speaking with them with that language. Ultron voice synthesizer: activate.
-
Gandalf's day had gone from bad to worse. First, the damned flash, then the bubbles that protected... Something. He couldn't see what was being summoned onto the plains under the bubbles, but he could see flashes of light through the scintillating blue barrier.
Oh, and there was large man-like metal thing. He hadn't even seen it for more than a few seconds before he erupted in gooseflesh. It looked like some knight, or armored warrior, but there was no life, no flesh, no Fëa or Hröa within.
The nearest thing he could equate it to was one of the tiny, intricate, clockwork toys that the dwarven artificers had made over a century ago. Just scaled up in gleaming grey metal, with blue striping on tasteful parts, and an ominous glowing red coming from the inside.
Oh, and it's face- that would be giving him night terrors. The eyes glowed red with a fell power, and the metal of its face was shaped just wrong to be human. No nose, no ears, and what looked like a flat place where the main details of the dash should be until the damned thing smiled.
As if it needed to make things worse, the thing just had to open a red, glowing mouth, and speak. "Jiak wiukh avo ukpeak wiavh avhe kok ro avhe whiave ciavausan."
The few men who had been brave enough to walk out with Gandalf took a step back as the calm, yet multi-toned voice rumbled through the disturbing syllables of the black speech.
Gandalf frowned. 'I wish to speak with the head of the white city.' Not threatening, but the black speech? "Why the speech of Mordor, creature? Saib lat ukpeak anausan avongueuk ro bur?" 'Can't you speak any other language?'
The thing's smile shrank, and the metal birds twitched as the smaller flying things began orbiting the slab. "I used it, because that was the only language I thought you recognized. I didn't know the languages you could speak- why didn't you try to talk back, or react at all to any of the things that were written?" It tapped the massive metal slab twice with a large, metal fingertip, visibly denting the material with each impact.
Gandalf sighed. "Most of the men here cannot read- and the... Things wrote gibberish mostly. I recognized the Sidharen symbols, but only the Black Writing was easy to read." He did most emphatically not twitch when the green lights swept over the slab, erasing the symbols present on it, and leaving just a smooth, metal board.
The entity sighed, and took a step back, where the metal bird latched onto it. "Fine...." It turned its head slightly, as if looking at something, before focusing back on Gandalf. "Right- I'm going to leave in a little bit. Maybe a few days. I have things to do. Before I do though...." Beams scythed from the flying things, once more removing something. This time, the entire slab was removed. "I'll disable my shields. Sorry for interrupting your war."
The metal wings beat once, and the metal creature ascended on a plume of flame, followed by ALL of the small flying entities. As one, the swarm descended onto the bubbles, which dissipated in moments, before all the structures that had been summoned, vanished.
Faramir and Pippin rode out of the gate, and the horse cantered over to the white-garbed man through the dozens of guards.
"Mithrandir, what happened?" Faramir wobbled a little, but he stayed on the horse. "Who was that? What did he want?"
Pippin fell off the horse as he examined the deep depression that had been left in the turf where the slab of metal had been.
"Once more, Lord-Steward Faramir, I do not know." Gandalf sighed, looking like the old man he was for once. "I feel that this has become the normal state since those dwarves came to me." He muttered.
"Um... My Lord, I think the army is still out there." Stated Pippin, somewhat tonelessly. "Should we be worrying about that?"
Gandalf tapped on his staff with a finger in thought as Shadowfax snorted. "I feel that we may have been granted a reprieve, but... Frodo is still out there. We need a diversion to make sure Sauron doesn't find him."
Faramir looked pointedly at the tail end of the retreating swarm. "I don't think Sauron is going to be worrying about us at the moment- wait. I'm not the steward."
Pippin fidgeted uncomfortably.
"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf rolled his eyes at the twitching hobbit. "Well then, let me be the first to tell you the unfortunate news- he had been walking near a ledge during the Flash an hour or so ago, and fell to his death. You are the Steward of Gondor now."
The armed and armored soldiers surrounding them planted their weapons, briefly saluting their Liege-lord before returning to an attentive guarding position.
-
I cannot state this enough: I have no idea what I'm doing.
In video games, there is usually an objective, something to kill, build, reach, or achieve. Here, well, there is none of that.
No enemy commander to fight.
No objective to reach.
No monument to build.
No structure to destroy.
Just... Me. Me and my army of doombots.
Until I placed down one of my sensor-towers outside Osgiliath, I had been ad-libbing everything. Then I learned that yes, my sensors knew more than I did.
Something that looked remarkably similar to a fragment of one of my teleportation rings was buried in the hilly area on the other side of the river to the South of Osgiliath. The similarity was only in terms of general shape, however, as the structure was nearly a half-kilometer long.
My swarms of buzzers descended into the hills, literally reclaiming huge chunks of material as they dug straight down to uncover the titanic piece of technology. Think 'largest impromptu strip-mining project ever, of all time'. Thanks to the swarm of drones, I soon was able to look on the thing with my Avatar's eyes directly.
It was obviously a ring-segment. One that looked like it had been blasted wholesale off a much larger structure, judging from the corroded and broken pieces that were present in the edges.
Moreso, as my probes scanned the structure, it became apparent that there was only one 'segment' intact, and that the part was designed as modular as possible, with the damaged segments correlating to components in the undamaged one.
[REMNANT CACHE PART 2 UNLOCKED: REQUIREMENTS MET]
Wait, what now? I tabbed through the different parts that were now available, and their descriptions.
A dimensional catapult, designed for one-way travel, paired with catcher-device that looked like variations on my current teleportation rings. These round be useful if I could set up a main base.
Multispacial mapping detection devices- for mapping the multitude of other dimensional planes alongside this one.
A 'Shunt' (not kidding, it's actual name), which I would need to build into fabricators to get the catapult or catcher working.
And something called a 'physics shield'- not like my little towers. This was more like the sort of monument I would leave for some just-reaching-space species to see on its moon just to screw with them. If it was in game, this thing would be compatible to the Omega battleships in size. It's purpose: to prevent the use of magic or extra-dimensional abilities, while not interfering with things like my storage buildings, generators, or fabricators.
It reminded me of something old, so I gave it another name: the Agnostic TuningFork. It looked like it too- a single, long, white tuning fork, that would help me establish beachheads anywhere there was some form of opposition.
Frankly, the TuningFork had a description that was redacted as well. Here, I'll read it: Physics Shields are the main component of REDACTED, and are the primary method of preventing non-causal/interdimensional effects as a defense against 'magic' using species or REDACTED-class entities, who prefer to directly manipulate reality through non-technological means.
That's it. Something to prevent the use of magic, a way to see such enemies, and the small components needed to jump between universes.
Working quickly, I slapped the detectors onto a dedicated power generator, and directed the swarm to build it on the planet, while the Hexfabricators built one on the moon. Ten seconds later I was gaping with horror.
There were things out there, and they were titanic. Planet-sized things, each highlighted by the detectors as being unique, and having different energy profiles, but also growing at a detectible rate!
Gods damn it.
I instructed the Hexfabricators on the moon around me to build as many TuningForks as I could fit on this planet, and watched the green haze of fabrication rise over the horizon. I do not want to be bitch-slapped by a god not even a week out of the gate!
Nothing else was done until the Moon was protected by TuningForks, the three-pronged tip not making a sound in the vacuum, but I could 'see' through my newly patched sensors that the beings were unable to interact with the Moon.
Screw Sauron- I can nuke him into next week with my Knights! If he has a shield that prevents things like orbital strikes, he is probably at least a little vulnerable to them. Or something valuable is. No, these things, if they are what I think they are, are exceptionally more dangerous.
The detectors were impressive, and after a little tweaking (read: poking things then cursing as what I tried to do didn't work), I had confirmed my worst fear.
I think those things were the Valar. They were feeding on the belief of the planet (again, bullshit sensors are bullshit), and met the Pratchett definition of being gods. Well-established, very large and powerful gods.
Fuuuuuuck all kinds of duck....
-
Pippin was a simple hobbit. He liked good food, good drink, and a way to stay entertained, in this case, meant hanging around Gandalf and Faramir. Oh, and he had an oath to serve the White City, that too.
Faramir was tapping the wall that he was leaning on, more than a little concerned about what was going on in his city.
Gandalf wasn't paying attention to the Steward- keeping his attention on the circles he was using the end of his staff to carve in the floor.
"Gandalf..." Pippin started hesitantly, then flinched as the wizard glared, before rallying in the ensuing silence. "Why are you tracing circles in the marble?"
"I am calling my masters for advice." Gandalf turned his attention back to the circles, now interlinking into a very specific shape, a spiraling flame made out of stars and curving edges, yet all made of concise circles. "Sometimes, even I need assistance."
"I have never heard of a Wizard calling for help." Faramir muttered. "Or who your 'masters' might be."
"You would know them..." Gandalf straightened his back with several loud pops. "As Manwë and Varda."
Faramir's eyes nearly popped out of his skull as his mind processed that statement. "The Valar? You can contact them after all this time?"
The wizard flapped a hand vaguely. "To some degree, all of us could. But it is... What's the word I am looking for here... Embarrassing? Yes." He tapped the staff in the center of the diagram, and it lit up with a white glow, flecked with smaller colors. "To ask them is to admit failure, and none of us want that."
"Us? Do you mean the other wizards?" Pippin piped up.
"No Pippin, I mean the other Maiar. Sauron can do this too, as may Saruman if he chose,or Rahagast, or..." He looked thoughtful. "You know, I can't even remember the names of the blue wizards, but they could also do this."
Hands clapped once, and the circle flared into brilliance. Light filling the chamber to such a degree that Faramir and Pippin needed to shield their eyes.
The voices began to speak at this point- great and powerful, they spoken words that only Gandalf could understand, even as he spoke back to them.
OLÓRIN, WHY HAVE YOU CALLED? Stated one of the voices, the rumbling of a conclave deciding finality upon its chosen direction.
A BATTLE WAS INTERRUPTED, A FATE AND STORY DERAILED! Shouted Gandalf. A MAN OF METAL AND DEVICES IN FLIGHT BUILT A WALL OF BUBBLES TO PROTECT MINAS-TIRITH AFTER THE GREAT FLASH.
I WILL RALLY THE OTHERS. Stated the voice of starlight and structure. THE ENEMY HAS AWOKEN ONCE MORE, AS WE KNEW IT MAY. OLÓRIN, WE CHARGE YOU WITH RIGHT, AND THE POWER, TO DESTROY OUR ENEMIES! PUT THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE LIGHT AND DARK IN ARDA ON TRUCE, AND DESTROY OUR ANCIENT ENEMY!
I HEAR AND OBEY MISTRISS. Gandalf Answered.
WE WILL BE AMOUNG YOU SOON ONCE AGAIN! The choir spoke again, and, with a resounding finality, the light cut out.
"My eyes!" Muttered Pippin as he tried to un-curl from the fetal position. "Why was that so bright?!"
Gandalf coughed few times, and began to glow. "That, my young Took, was the barest sliver of a Valar's power. And now, Faramir, Steward of Gondor and son of Denethor, I must leave you with all haste."
"WHAT? I CANT HEAR ANYTHING- OR SEE ANYTHING!" Yelled Faramir, who then tripped over a flailing Pippin. "OW!"
Gandalf ran outside, and managed to get to a balcony right before his wings burst free, and he rapidly began to reverse aging, as his powers flared.
-
Remember when I said 'kill a Vala'? Yup, totally talking out my ass.
To give a sense of scale here, the multidimensional mapping device has twenty-three different spacial constants that it measures and 'looks into' to give me a reading. All of them are perpendicular to each other, just like the three spacial dimensions I was familiar with as a human.
I had intended to, you know, talk with Gamdalf, maybe leave some relics detailing the equations in a cheat-sheet format for some intelligent species to use for boosting into space (or genocide, who her really), but if there were GODS taking notice of my presence, then it's time to go. Like, now.
To that end, I dove back into the design menu and began designing a mobile fortress that I should be able to ride through to another universe. Hopefully one without any gods in it.
The design choice looked, well, no way of sugar-coating it, like a Reaper. From Mass Effect. Two-and-a-half kilometers of metal, shaped like a pair of pyramids that had been joined together on the bases where one was more than twice the height of the first, it looked, well, sleek.
And it had all the gadgets I could shove into it! The shunt, the dimensional catapult, a small catcher that I could turn on and off, ALL the sensor types I had listed, banks of power generators, extendible energy shields, a dedicated lump of a metastable trans-uranic element that the same harvesters as those within my Hexfabricators could harvest/duplicate with greater efficiency than those on the planet, and Engines. Lots of engines, all recessed in such a way that panels along the hull would open to allow the thrust vector to get the most out of the engine.
Weapons? I had all of them. Dedicated variable-payload missile/anti-missile launchers, a shrunk-down spinal annihilazer, dozens of layers built into recessed ports so as not to ruin the lines of my creation, recessed rail cannons that could accelerate a half-ton mass up to more than 10% lightspeed (because Progenitor bullshit), flack weapons of various sizes and types from lasers to bullet-hell devices, and variable-yield plasma torus launchers such as my Knights used built into the tentacles. For nuking things.
Oh, did I mention that the front unfolded into tentacles? Well, jointed legs, for landing and manipulating things if necessary, but they filled the same roll as tentacles. Thanks to the gravity-bending Graviton Flux Generators, I had the ability to generate gradients around this vessel, for flight and reactionless acceleration, or combat.
Because throwing earthquakes and gravitational sheer gradients is amazingly fun the simulator, and I would love to have seen how much fun it was in real life!
This is in addition to the essentials- a place for my Commander to nestle nice and cozy in the heart of the beast, in my own escape pod for the worst, dozens of Tuning Forks scattered throughout the superstructure (all active, of course), and fabricators.
Dozens of them alone were present in the tentacles- more were built into more and more recessed turrets along the underside, clustered into leg-like mounts so I could build another one of these if necessary without any supporting infrastructure. To run all this I had a commander's mass worth of supercomputers built into several protected segments in the hull, along with the usual communication link.
If I ever found my commander destroyed, I could run on my starships until I got access to a newer commander body. Ie, built a better one.
In addition to everything else, just for icing on the cake, I built a harness that I could bolt to the outside of my new Cuttle-ship, and act as a carrier for dozens of smaller engineering units or fighters.
After setting the swarms of Buzzers to building my newest creation, I turned my main attention back to the planet- yeah...
Nope.
All the nopes in nope-sauce and seasoned nope on the side, washed all down with a big glass of 'hell no!'
The Valar were unfurling. It's the only real way to explain it- their volumes were increasing, even as the energy profiles began changing. Several of them were sending energy to targets near my avatar... And Gandalf is sprouting wings.
Seriously?! If I have to deal with the Simurgh right out of the gate, I'll design and build a vacuum-decay bomb, then spam them.
I panned one of my probes over Isenguard, and... Yup, Saruman is glowing and floating too. Sauron? His eye turned into massive flaming wings holding an armored form.
I'm out of time.
I cued up several more of my Cuttle-ships, and set the Orbital Fabricators to build more and more Knights. I would need more Daka for this, and I might not have enough...