Bretayal
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> Re Droatus: Active.
Distance from Primary Body Core: 5,000m.
Enviroal Anomaly Detected.
Iigation fully Required.
My drone hover above the treeline, my optical sensors zooming in on the distant impact site. The atmospheric disturbance remains evident—faint trails of heat shimmer through the air, embers flicker amidst the ash-covered ndscape, and the st of scorched earth lingers in the wind. Despite the appareion, an auditory anomaly persists.
Far beyond the crash zo a distance exceeding 60 kilometers, no humanoid or intelligent creatures are detected. The absence is statistically signifit. However, sounds still be heard in the distance, such as the massive, thunderous impay arrival, akin to a meteor strike. These sounds travel across the ndscape diffused yet sharp indicative of a detonation force surpassing standard explosives. The impact has likely already alerted individuals across a 50-kilometer radius and more.
> Hypothesis: Shockropagation.
Energy in: Primary Core Impact.
Sedary Hypothesis: Atmospheric Pressure Disruption Causing Biological Failure.
I recalibrate my visual receptors once more.
Filtering through the yered views, I isote biological casualties-faint remnants of colpsed anisms scattered along the edges of the bst radius. I just realize creatures that cked signifit Alpha-731 Flux coating exhibit severe internal trauma and neural damage. Their auditory als have ruptured, their brains reduced to mush by the sheer force of the explosion's noise, which peaked at 330 dB within a 5-kilometer radius.
The damage is sistent-catastrophicussive force. The pressure wave alone proved lethal, bypassiernal defenses and directly attag their biological structure. Those with higher Alpha-731 Flux trations appear less affected, suggesting a corretioween the energy field aao external force.
> Cause of termination: excessive cussive force.
firmation: Pressure Wave Resulted in Fatal Neurological Damage.
The impact did not merely dispce the terrain; it forcibly reshaped it. Even within a 150-meter radius, erees lie uprooted, their trunks splintered and reduced to embers. Scattered across the area, numerous uified animal or creature corpses y in unreizable states, their forms mangled beynition. The sheer force of the impact, bined with the shockwave bst, likely caused their destru.
The closer the proximity, the more plete the devastation. Within 100 meters of the impact, the very soil appears disturbed ragdolled by the sheer force, with debris unched from deep beh the surfaow littering the scorched terrain. Roations, once buried, have beehed and scattered like shrapnel from an explosion. At this distance, every ay creature, pnt, or anything akin to life has been reduced to ash, their remains bed and indistinguishable from the charred ground.
Finally, at 50 meters, I see it.
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The Harbinger’s Rest
> System Iy: 64%.
Energy Reserves: 71%.
Repairs Ongoing.
Estimated Time Until Full Core Recharge: 4 Hours.
I desd into the heart of the devastation. The crater spans 30 meters in diameter, its depth carved by both impad residual energy discharge. Jagged cracks lihe basin, glowing faintly with residual thermal energy. Scorched ash still rises in thin trails, carried by the evening wind.
Atop my armored thorax, two orb-shaped repair droill remain active. Their metallic shells spin rapidly, emitting thin waves of sonar-pulse energy that ripple ay damaged pting, fog on my nonfunal legs. Some have already regained movement, leaving only two of the eight still in need of full restoration. However, this does not rehem entirely immobile. Beh my segmented armor, internal servos tinue recalibrating, methodically reattag severed duits and reinf weakened joints, gradually rest my structural iy piece by piece.
Above, my sor array hums still charging. Blue static flickers through the air, colleg and dispersing in slow, rhythmic pulses. The system remains funal, but power levels are suboptimal.
> Current Timeframe: Dusk.
Light Levels Decreasing.
Estimated Nightfall: 2 Hours.
Energy Reserves Require Full Sor Charge.
I nd upon my own pting, my sensor suite merging with the mainframe once more. Instantly, recorded data floods my tral processor, updating my situational awareness.
> Data Synization plete.
Enviroal Reassessment in Progress.
The full scope of destru bees clear. The bst pattern firms an excessive kiic output far surpassing ventional terrestrial impact calcutions. The devastation suggests a force transfer akin to an orbital strike, despite ernal onry having been fired.
> New Directive: Rest Until Fully Repaired.
Observations tinue. Despite the damage, calcutions indicate that in five hours, full mobility will be restored, albeit with inplete structural repairs. Until then, I remain dormant, gathering energy beh the dimming sky.
The world has yet to uand my presence.
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Awaiting Reawakening…
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> Warning: Intruder Alert.
Threat Dete System: Active.
Distance: 200M+.
Number: 6.
Race: Unknown Humanoid.
Objective: Unknown.
The disturbance is no longer isoted. A group moves beyond the crater’s edge, navigating the unstable terrain with synized prey passive sensister their approach light, calcuted steps avoiding loose debris, bodies moving in trolled patterns. This is not the erratient of aimless wanderers. Is this… an intelligent creature? Or should I say, a human?
But that is unlikely. My previous ss detected the human civilization approximately 60 kilometers away. It would take at least a full day int for a primitive human to reach this pce. Yet they are here now at night. That is not normal. Does this indicate the presence of another civilization, closer than my previous calcutions suggested?
I switch to thermal imaging. Their silhouettes emerge against the cooling wastend bipedal, humanoid, but distinctly unknown. Eae radiates fluctuating energy signatures, unstable yet structured, unlike any anic pattern recorded in my archives. The energy lingers not only within them but extends outward, weaving into the atmosphere. The very air around them shifts in response, faint distortions f and dissipating like invisible currents.
> Hypothesis: Enviroal Manipution? Unknown Atmospheric Phenomenon?
Data Insuffit. Further Observation Required.
They stop he remains of falleures casualties of my impact. I enhance my optical feed, zooming in on their precise movements. One figure kneels, pg an outstretched hand over a carcass. The others form a loose perimeter, sing the area with sharp, silent awareness.
> Auditory Disturbaected.
Unreized Vocalization.
They speak. The sounds are structured, deliberate a pattern. My nguage database finds no mato corretion to human dialeae-coded syntax. A fn system of unication.
Then, a rea occurs.
> Alpha-731 Flux Activity Detected.
Localized Energy Manipution in Progress.
The carcass beh their hand shudders…
The air this.
A faint glow emerges from the corpse blue, wisps of energy coiling and twisting, separating from dead flesh. The energy rises, dissipating into the air, merging into the surrounding atmosphere. The phenomenon spreads as others in the group repeat the process aultiple falleures.
> …
Energy Release Appears trolled.
Pattern Reized: Iional Alpha-731 Flux Extra?
My sensors detect residual traces of Alpha-731 Flux permeating the region. A shift occurs the terrain responds.
Beyond the crater, past the broken wastend, the remaining forest glows. Not with fire or heat, but with a pulsing luminesce. The trees, damaged yet standing, flicker with irregur patterns of bioluminesce, like what I observed earlier through my drone. A synized rhythm travels across the ndscape like a slow, breathing pulse.
> Enviroal Respoected.
No...They are rest something.
> Unanswered Query: What Is Their e to This Process?
Unknown Biological & Energy Retionship.
Data Insuffit. Further Observation Required.
One of them, a figure with a heightened energy signature, turns toward the crater. Their gaze lingers until they turn back to what they were doing.
They have not detected me directly. Fortunaly. But their behavigests awareness.
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> System Iy: 100%.
Energy Reserves: 85%.
Repairs plete.
All Mobility Funs Restored.
A low vibration hums through my frame as my final servos loto pce. Internal diagnostics firm that all major damage has been repaired. My segmented armor ptes shift slightly as my repair drones plete their final cycle, sealing off the exposed ses of my outer shell.
The two orb-shaped repair drohat have worked tirelessly now disehey cease their rotations, retrag their precision tools bato their smooth metallic g. Their task is plete. Without and, they fall toward my thorax, shifting into formation as they rejoin my drowork, reiing with my primary trol system.
> Subsystems Online.
Sor Panels Retrag.
Adjusting to Stalking Operation Mode.
The once-open sor panels along my dorsal pting fold inward, log seamlessly into my armored frame. With the sun now below the horizon, they are no longer required. A soft whir apahe motion as sedary energy distribution systems pensate for the loss of direct sor input.
Then I move.
My steps are calcuted, yet silent like Owls. The fiuned microservos within my eight legs dampen any unnecessary noise, allowing for movement without sound. The loose debris scattered throughout the crater does not shift under my weight; I at for every point of tact, ensuring minimal disturbance. My core operates at low output, redug the heat signature to blend with the cooling enviro.
The figures beyond the crater’s edge have not noticed.
Their attention remains on the deads.
Their hands weave unseen currents in the air, guiding the flow of Alpha-731 Flux from lifeless flesh into the surrounding atmosphere. The process tinues deliberate, methodical. Faint luminesce flickers across the trees beyond, a slow-breathing pulse rippling outward.
> Observation: Their As Accelerate The Forest’s Recovery.
Hypothesis: Alpha-731 Flux Extra Used to Sustain Enviroal Equilibrium.
The humanoids have yet to detect me. Their sehough acute, do not appear tister my presence. Whether by design or limitation, I do not yet know. My optical feed magheir movements subtle shifts in posture, micro-expressions, gnces exged in silent unication.
> Decision Protocol: Close Distanbsp;
Observe Further Until Direunication.
I shift once more, pressing deeper into the darkness of the crater’s edge, my sensors recalibrating to track every motion they make.
I close the distance.
Silent. Calcuted. The terrain shifts beh my weight, but not a sound escapes my movements. My approach is deliberate, measured each step adjusting to the uneven ground, ensuring minimal disruption. The peolpe do not notice at first, too focused oask, their hands guiding unseen forces as they extract the residual Alpha-731 Flux from the falleures.
Then, ourns.
A moment of stillness.
Her posture ges muscles tensing, breathing shifting, a slight widening of the eyes. Reition.
The others follow, one by oheir heads turn in near-perfect syny, as if an unseen forpels them. Their bodies stiffen, but they do not immediately react. They see me now.
I stop. My eight legs settle into position, my t frame looming over them in the dim moonlight. No immediate hostility detected. Their ons remaihed, their hands motionless hesitant.
They are afraid. Not in the way creatures respond to an immediate predator, but with caution, uainty.
They study me, and I study them.
My four small, blue-glowing optical sensors shift, adjusting focus, sing their forms, every miail. Their biology is humanoid, but refialler, leaner, ears eloheir energy signatures pulse beh their skin, faint threads of Alpha-731 Flux interwoven into their physiology, binding them to the enviro in ways I do not yet prehend.
I lean in slightly, mandibles adjusting, my sensors flickering through multiple spectrums.
They flinch.
A small movement. Barely perceptible.
Fasating.
I do not uand their nguage. I do not know their i. But in this moment, her do they uand mine.
They whisper among themselves low, melodic, a structured dialect with tonal variations. Oeps forward, cautiously, their body te trolled. Their lips part, and they speak something.
Once again i dont uand.
Their movements. Their hesitation. The way their bodies shift between caution and curiosity.
Fear, but not aggression.
My database holds no direct reference for diplomacy with anion human ratities. However, archived memory fragments surface faint, distorted images of anders, officers, envoys on Mars, exgiures before iations. When unication of peace happening, there was always one universal a.
A handshake.
I adjust my stance, ensuring my t presence does not invoke further hostility. Slowly, deliberately, I raise 1 of 8 legs, my segmented frontlegs sleek bck armor shifting as internal servos refigure its structure.
They get tense.
A defensive rea. Expected.
But I do not attack.
Instead, my limb extends forward, halting just above them, its sharp mandible-like tip unfolding. The hardeiracts, internal meisms shifting into pce, revealing an approximation of a hand not human alike, nanic, but a gesture heless.
Four articuted digits. Open. Non-threatening.
The tallest among them, the one who spoke first, takes a slow step forward. His gaze flickers between my outstretched limb and my optical senslowing faintly in the dim light.
They uand.
Not fully. irely. But something in them reizes this act.
They whisper among themselves again, voices hushed but urgent.
And theation.
I remain motionless, my optics locked onto them, awaiting their response.
Luckly He steps forward.
Cautious. Deliberate.
His fiwitch, hesitating before reag out. His body remains tense, eyes locked onto my optical sensors, analyzing, questioning. He is uai he does not retreat.
Then tact.
A momentary pressure against my outstretched limb. A handshake.
> Observation: Physical taitiated
text: Diplomatic Gesture Mimicry
Adjusting Grip Force...
I reciprocate.
The person's arm bends slightly uhe pressure, his body shifting involuntarily. His eyes widen. A sharp ihe others reastantly, their hands moving to their ons.
> Alert: Hostility Escatioed
Cause: Excessive Grip Pressure
Adjusting Force Parameters…
I release. Immediately.
The person exhales sharply, his fingers flexing as sensatiourns. His allies hold their ons and speaks some words to him, watg for any sign of further aggression. I remain still, recalibrating.
Then, a sed attempt.
Once again the tact established.
> Observation: Physical tact firmed
Initiating Handshake Protocol With Lrip Force…
I begiion.
His entire body jerks forward, his feet scraping against the dirt as he stumbles. His arm fils, nearly yanked from its socket. His panio instantly staffs crackle with energy of Alpha-731 flux, swleam uhe moonlight, bs draw taut.
> ALERT: UIONAL AGGRESSIOED
Cause: Excessive Force Application
Adjusting Grip Strength…
I reduce pressure.
He was, caught iion, and is practically being ragdolled, his arm snapping up and down as my servos attempt to stabilize the sequence. His eyes wideh ched, his other hand grasping his own wrist in an attempt to ehe force. The others shout words I do not prehend but their urgency is clear.
> CRITICAL ERROR: HANDSHAKE SEQUENPROMISED
Reevaluating…
I freeze.
The person dangles for a fra of a sed before his boots find the ground again. He gasps, stumbling back, his arm shaking slightly. His allies do not lower their ons. Tension spikes.
I reize my mistake.
Slow. Gradual. Precise.
I extend my limb once more, now allowing him to trol the motion. No foro resistance. Only the simution of a proper handshake. His firemble as he grips my limb agaiing. His allies watch, they still hold their on, but they do not strike.
The handshake tinues awkward, stiff, but funal.
A step forward in uanding.
> Query: Damage Mitigation for Diplomatic Recovery
Reference: Past Human Iion Logs
Patterified: Gift-Giving to Alleviate Distress
Flowers.
A recurring element in human records an to vey peace, apology, oodwill. However, the enviro here is not ducive to such flora. My optical sensors s the terrain. The initial bst radius eradicated most vegetation, And while regrowth had begun, it was faster than normal flora oh or Mars. However, sihis is a different world, I took note of it. The remaining pnt life is still insuffit for proper replication.
I must improvise.
A tree.
My limbs shift, servos realigning as I approach the viable spe. It is tall, its roots anchored deep. anic material interwoven with Alpha-731 Flux. I estimate a 96.2% probability that removing it will not signifitly impact the ecosystem.
I dig my segmented limbs into the earth. A trolled extra. The trunk groans as the roots resist before relenting to my strength. The tree lifts from the ground, soil casg from its base.
I turn back toward them-.
> ALERT: HOSTILE ENTITY DETECTED.
Predator Cssification: Unknown.
Threat Level Toward Diplomation : High.
The underbrush shifts. A presence, silent and effit, moving in low predatory strides. Its iridest scales ripple, bending light, rendering it almost invisible. Quadrupedal structure. Muscur. Designed for ambush.
They do not notice. Their attention remains locked onto me, tense as they observe my behavior he trees, They no longer held their ons, but their hands hovered hem. One of them releases Alpha-731 Flux toward the person I shook hands with perhaps she is doing first aid to him?
Other than that, they remain unaware of the ining attack.
I adjust my stance. My optical sensors narrow, trag the predator's trajectory.
It moves with precise trol, muscles coiled, ready to strike. Its gaze locks onto its target-one of them.
A leap.
I react.
A sharp whir of servos-my body shifts, weight redistributing in an instant. One of my eight segmented limbs retracts before thrusting forward. A singur, calcuted strike.
The creature does not realize its fate.
My leg spears through its midseid-air, rupturing flesh and shattering boh a siing squelch. The sudden impact halts its momentum instantly, iines coiling around the jagged wound. A wet, visceral crack echoes as its spine snaps, sending a violent tremor through its twitg body. Its eyes bulge in shock, mouth agape in a silent, bloody snarl, thick strings of saliva and bile dribbling down its as it vulses impaled, life draining from its gaping wound in heaving, ragged gasps.
A full impalement. No wasted movement.
A slow, deliberate retra. The predator's lifeless body slumps to the ground, a final twitch of nerves before it stills, blood of pool slowly arise from the corpse.
Silence.
A Succesful execution.
I realign my posture, shifting away from the corpse. My optical sensors flicker back to the inteask. The gift.
The tree remains within my grasp. The weight is insignifit, its roots intact. I step forward, pg it carefully before them.
A gesture of peace. A rept for what was lost.
They do not speak. Not immediately. Their expressions shift-shock, fusion, wariness. But no ons are drawn.
I extend my limb, slow and measured, and pce it atop the head. A pat.
Light. Barely a touch.
A calmiure right?
She do not pull away.
Acceptable oute.
Without further movement, I retract my limb and turn, toward the crater. One of my legs drags the dead creature behind me, leaving a smeared trail of blood, bile, and fragmented bone across the dirt.
I look bad see one of them pass out, while another falls to their knees, letting out a breath of relief. I dont know diplomacy was this intense.
Bretayal
