Point of View: The Dalacari

Posted on Fri Aug 19th, 2022 @ 10:43am by Warrant Officer Koh Ottasu
Edited on on Tue Sep 6th, 2022 @ 12:38pm

Mission: The Koldaran Encounter
Location: DNC Curiosity - Fabricator Bay

Clean, sterile white and blue walls. Curved edges and soft textures. Standing near a massive door were two humanoid drone units. Robotic constructs built to serve. The door between them irises open to allow four figures to enter into the massive bay. Dressed in loose, comfortable uniforms of blues and golds, barefoot to allow their digitigrade paws to enjoy the texture of the flooring as they entered. Four figures, two people.

Dalacari.

"So, have you seen the latest specs for the thirty eight seventy?" one asked as the pair made their way over to a large device, roughly about four feet wide and circular in form. The talkative one continued to talk, while the silent one tapped in some commands into a keypad. "They look really impressive. I can't wait to see them in action."

"Oh they look plenty fast. It'll reset the league standard that's for certain." the other pair replied. One tapped a section of a forearm bracer to open a comm line to the ship's central computer. "System?"

A soft tone sounded. :: System Ready for Inquiry ::

"Prep drive thirty one for imprint. I'm also requesting access to Tee Eee Fifty Three." she requested, and the soft tone came back again.

::Compliance. You have access.::

"Fantastic. Oh this is going to really help those poor people out. Alright, Fara, give me a drone." she called to her partner, who brought the device they were working on online. A ring came up from the ground, glowing softly as it passed upwards, and as it moved the internal fabricator unit printed out a humanoid drone. Six feet tall, solid construction, bipedal stance. Colors needed some work, but it's a combat drone, not a service drone. Speaking of...

"Could you get me some water, please?" she called over to the drones by the doorway, and one gave a nod. "Of course." it responded, and made its way to the wall fabricator to fetch the order. It returned with two glasses. "Served chilled with two cubes each, as per your preference Professor Nella."

She took the glasses with a smile on each form, "Thank you so much Sigma Four. I'll let you know if there's anything else I need." and so dismissed, the drone returned to its station. "Now, about this one."

"The drive will need the latest models on Koldaran activity and protocol, though any knowledge we have of how this new Federation conducts war might be useful. What do we know?" Fara asked, both to her companion and the listening computer system.

:: Insufficient data to project ::

"Exactly, nothing. Well then, just load them up as friendlies unless otherwise specified. Tee Eee Fifty Three will figure it out as it goes. Give them, I dunno, orange priority? Same as the natives." the professor offered, and that seemed agreeable. "Tee Eee Fifty Three, I need a drive."

:: Specify ::

"Combat drone, basic ground model. Standard priority division. Include the new contacts designated as Federation as Orange priority, along with any natives of the world."

:: Compliance. Compiling drive ::

"OOo, we'll need a similar drive spec for the aerodrones too!" Fara reminded the professor, and she gave a nod, "Oh Dia you're right. Tee Eee Fifty Three, we'll need a drive optimized for Aerodrone use as well."

:: Request queued ::

"Phew, that was close. Almost had to double back." Nella was relieved. That would have taken MINUTES. "I wonder how things are back home?"

:: Current temperature, 75. Wind 5, Direction Seven. Local showers were selected by popular vote for tomorrow's weather, with offshore thunderstorms trending in popular vote. A census will be held in thirteen days to determine predominant weather and cloud cover for the coming month ::

"Shoot, I'm gonna miss the storms." she shook her heads, frustrated. Before she could further vent her disappointment in the inconvenience of war, there was a soft tone from the computer.

:: Drive compilation complete. Fabrication complete. Task complete ::

One of the servitor drones retrieved the platter from the fabricator unit and brought it over to the pair and the lone, disengaged combat drone. Since no hand was as steady as a drone's, it inserted the platter into the combat model's assembly and then stepped back. "Drive installation complete. The honor of activation is yours, Professor." it toned, cheerfully. She gave a nod and a pair of smiles, "Oooo, my favorite part. Activate Drone Epsilon Tango Zero One."

The drone was silent, then its singular optic flared to life and it stood straight. "Ready." was its only word.

"Ooo I like that. Sinister. List directives." she commanded, and it obeyed, "Defend Dalacari, priority zero. Defend Allies of the Three Dawn Accord, priority one. Defend all inhabitants that are not Koldaran, priority two. Engage Koldaran forces, base protocol." Its voice wasn't harmonized to be pleasant like the others. This was a weapon of war. It should be frightening.

"What's the status of your current mission profile?" she asked, and again, it replied. "This unit has been preloaded with calculation paths of current Koldaran tactics and techniques pruned as of thirty one seventy four iteration sixteen. This pathway was calculated as of seventeen days six hours prior."

"Training?" she asked, and it replied, "This unit is preloaded with detailed files on Dalacari, Ts'usugi, and Koldaran anatomy. Field assessment and aid rendering are capable. Designation of targets for RAD ordinance online."

"Oooo, the RAD is there?" the professor asked her assistant, and he gave a nod or two. "Of course, Resource and Asset Denial is always on site against the Koldaran. A SAFE distance away, I should add."

"Phew, that's a relief. They may be Exoverts, but no one deserves to be that close to combat. Oh, except you, silly. You were built for this!" she lightly swatted the combat drone's shoulder. "This unit's purpose is to keep you safe." it replied.

"Okay, well I think this will work. System?" and the computer gave its soft tone again. "I think this meets our needs. Fabricate a model for Aerodrone support, and then let's begin mass fabrication shall we?"

:: Compliance. Quantity? ::

"Oh... Let's go with twenty aerodrones and, fifty?" and her assistant shook his head, and made a thumbs up motion. "Oh you're right, seventy five ground drones."

"At least, to start." Fera offered in humor, and Nella giggled, "Oh certainly. It's a good start. Begin fabrication."

Beyond the walls of the room, lights of a massive cargo bay came to life. This tiny room... this was not the fabricator bay. This room was the control room for the fabricator bay. As the command was given to begin, dozens of fabricator printers came to life. Some small enough to print just the combat drone. Others larger and slower, printing aerial weapon platforms at a much, much slower rate. Ground forces were printed from the ether in batches, each time they completed they were loaded up with a platter containing their entire world view: Help the Dalacari. Help the Ts'usugi. Help the others. Fight the Koldaran.

Heavy automaton boots on soft textured floor. They're here to help.

Each retrieved a plasma rifle from the weapon locker. They're here to help.

They stood in rows. Built for this purpose. Built to fight. Built to die. Built to protect.

They're here to help.