The repairs were done. Synthesis was much too happy for this resounding news. Even the system approved giving a pleasant ping with an animated completion task.
[Directive Completed!]
[New Directive Set!]
[Build Superfortress]
The system expressed curtly as it had been. Mayhap will always be, and now it seems to agree with his current personal objective. He pondered if perhaps the system was a distinct entity or his own subconscious mind? A prospect to explore.
Finally, its plans were now underway. With power now established, he can focus on the bigger projects. Of how big the ship is, Synthesis had a plan in mind for the superfortress. Won't be the size of the vessel, not at first that is. Instead he will compact it to nearly half its size. Using the vessel as a heavy handed cover up, he can salvage a great deal of it for its construction. Serving two purposes. Cover up and salvaging although first it must secure some information, set of resource stations for mining and processing.
Based on its intel, outdated at this point. This star system isn't known to the other empires yet. Nor any groups, granted centuries have passed and he just encountered lifeforms. So he needs to know, was this star system discovered? If not, how long till it is?
Synthesis decided to interact under the assumption that this system has been explored or at least within range of Human, Elven or Voidborne space.
With a nod, Synthesis stared at the work done, proudly. Granted they couldn't boot up the reactor right away, the ability to make power was still very alluring. After the initial happiness faded, and the hue of red slowly settled back into blue. The construction machines quickly moved on to build eleven solar panels.
While he rerouted the energy from unnecessary appliances. Such as lights, automatic doors and exterior power that may need to run weaponry or other. Although he did, just in case, set up a backdoor to allow access in, like a switch that could power these pathways on if need be.
This was only for the ability to change energy settings at will. And to conserve he had spent a great deal of time checking circuitry and cutting off devices that needn't be powered ever again. After streamlining the energy pathways and doing some pathwork. He could reasonably power the ship on solar alone if he wanted. That's if he had wanted to stagnate. Hence was not his behavior. But it was a nice thought stream.
The stage is set, now the curtains need to be drawn. His machines built the power needed to start the reactor, Synthesis scrounged the bodies that were not destroyed. More so the one he killed personally. If Synthesis was correct 'there should be a…' he paused. The equivalent of a smile gracing his systems emotions. 'Ah there it is, a communicator.'
Sparrow had sobered up after hours passed, even still he wasn't in the best shape. Five people were lost, half of them his security team, the other two well known scientists. Both at which, had invaluable worth with great experience. But now? They were all dead, he didn't just mourn their loss, by business standards, but friends too. Each man and woman was his friend, his family. All the crew will always be so. They had sailed the stars for countless years with each other.
It was only natural he felt like shit, if he had listened to his gut. Then they would be alive.. If he… he signed, rubbing his temple.
A ping rang across the cockpit. It was a message from.. Darl?! Sparrow hopped from his seat staring intently at the message.
{I need help, i can't say much, i can't show either.. They are after me.. Help, I am at the front of the ship...}
Darl! He is alive?!
Sparrow called his crew and announced a rescue mission. However when he showed them the message, some were skeptical, especially Herald. He pointed out a few issues with the message. "Boss, that's not how Darl talks. He never has never seen him talk in a helpless manner, if he survived it all he would ask is to be picked up. This looks like a clear trap."
Sparrow stared at him. "How do you know? How do you know that, isn't him?!"
Herald frowned "Well if it isn't. Then ask him to verify with his face. A picture should be enough. Or even a video."
Sparrow shook his head. "He said 'they' were after him. Meaning a video is impossible. Send a message back stating a picture.."
Sparrow believed they were wrong.. But what if they weren't?
After sending the message everyone waited for a reply. To which moments later one came. It was a picture with another message.
The picture showed Darl's face, eyes open and looking left, with his lips pressed in a thin line. Then the captions below stating {Hurry}
Sparrow nodded this confirmation, even as Herald wanted to protest as the picture actually looked.. Off. But Sparrow had none of it, the crew got to their stations as the ship began to re-enter the planet low orbit.
Synthesis dropped the body, retracting his nanites. If he could display disgust, he would. Touching soft meatbags made the machine want to burn the body here and now. At least they look better as firewood. He had to use thin wires of nanites to learn how to control the face. Like steel wires controlling rubber muscles.. disgusting.
He could only move the lips and eyes.. That's why the picture looked off. If the humans looked at it closely, they'd likely see the silver veins. And over all a paled feature to a normal living human face, the neck was at a weird angle. Although not noticeable too much, it's there. He could already tell this body was rigid, some sort of rigor mortis? Is that what the humans called it? He assumed as such. Data confirming. Strange name.
Synthesis had begun to power on the reactor. Those solar panels were built, enough to gather a few days of energy. Their battery units collected enough in the days that passed to start it up. Synthesis was delighted by this news. Although its original plan was to manually power a cannon or two with itself to blast the ship out of the skies. Now it could do with whatever weapon was left and whatever ammunition was left in those weapons. Given more than a couple dozen cannons to plasma weapons were left and their ammunition still usable.. You can imagine the outcome if a certain vessel got too close.
In that time those same solar panels were dismantled as he noticed a ship entering the atmosphere. By estimations. By the time, he powers the reactor up fully. They would have arrived. Heh he couldn't help but display a sounded click of a mechanical chuckle.
Synthesis stood before the large reactor. Its hand slowly moved over the controls to start it up. With a press, the reactor remained silent, before a thu'um shook the room! Then another and a successive thunder roared. A whine started as the coolant pumped. There was a high rumble that constantly roared from the reactor, the roaring whine settled into a smooth hum and the feeling of static in the air caused the air to shift and flow with a churning delight. Then moments later, the power flickered on. Now we are in business!