Cyber Core, Chapter 65, Pause To Review The Situation

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[Next] ​ #Log Entry: Project Day 0019 ##Addendum 64: ​

I spend a full clock-cycle analyzing possibilities. I've got six adolescent male Humans locked and barricaded inside my foyer. They're still wheezing for breath and recovering from their panicked flight to 'safety', so I figure I can gamble a clock-cycle to pay less than full attention to them. ​

The pack of 16 forest wolves, consisting of what I temporarily consider two pairs of wolves in 'scouting parties', a large 'hunting party' of 9 adults, and a trio of adults chivvying along a good half-dozen energetic pups, mills around the exterior of the foyer. The scout-pairs circle around the exterior, obviously reticent to walk along the shaped-stone exterior walkways. But eventually, the two who followed Fancy Hat and Big Hands' scents from the foyer over to the resource-collection point screw up their courage and continue out onto the platforms, all the way to the part where the two Humans rested and leaned on the handrails while visually scouting out the rest of my growing facility. ​

The wolves don't seem anywhere near as impressed by all of my construction, and proceed to cement that in my assessment by leaving their 'marks'; one on the handrail just past the furthest point where Big Hands stood, the other against the rear exterior wall of the collection-mechanism housing. ​

At least they go about it in a quick, businesslike manner and don't try to scratch anything, or leave other more pungent materials lying around as evidence of their visit... ​

"Okay, Joachim, I think I can figure out what to say to the boys to manipulate them the way we need," Jilalyn says over the radio, returning my active awareness to my defenders. ​

"But just to make sure, is there any way you can let me hear what they're saying? Over." ​

I re-activate the avatar on 'his' wall in the main suite's living room, specifically so I can wince at the very idea. ​

"Yes, Jilalyn, I can," I answer, a clock-cycle later. "I can re-route the signals from the microphones in the foyer to the radio-channel." ​

"And I believe you said something about speakers in the underground stairwell area, but how about in that main stairwell? Over." ​

"Not at this time. I can fabricate one per floor in about..." I pause to re-calculate 'minutes' to 'Jilalyn-breaths'... "Um. I'll need over a thousand breaths, even pulling enough nanites to divide the fabrication process up between all six of the floors I have set up at this time. Over." ​

"So, nothing in the stairwell itself right now, but none of the other doorways actually go anywhere," she says, almost half to herself. ​

"Hey, Joachim," Scinjir asks, a curious note in his voice. "I've been meaning to ask something, uh, over." ​

"Jilalyn? Do you have more questions, or may I address Scinjir's for a a bit? Over." ​

"Oh, no, no, go ahead, you two. I'll need to adjust a couple of strategic points... Over." ​

"Thank you. Yes, Scinjir, what is it?" ​

"I've been wondering why that thing, the 'resource collection point' you call it, isn't attached directly to the side of the foyer. Over." ​

"And I've been wondering about why you have those little doors along the side of the resource-collection tower, come to think of it," Snatdrure chips in. "Over." ​

"Very good observations, you two. And the answers to both questions tie in to each other. To begin with, consider the stairwell. It's fairly comfortable to maneuver up and down on, more than wide enough for three or possibly even four very friendly Dwarves to use them while standing side by side, if we use Snatdrure as an example." ​

"I think I'm a bit on the slender side, but I haven't exactly been keeping up a proper Dwarfhold diet while we've been on the move," Snatdrure comments. "Over." ​

"Well and good, since that helps answer my question. Try to imagine the noble aristocrat of your choice, even from the Clan lands or the Hoeffschtaeder Barony, let alone anyone from the Ducal States, descending or ascending those stairs. Over." ​

"Oooh, they would hate it," Scinjir replies, after less than 3.27 seconds of thought. "Well, the ones who're more inclined toward pomp and ceremony and privilege, anyway. A few of the military folk might not be all that unhappy about it..." ​

"... Though they might have a problem with a few of the tactical elements, like all those windows," Snatdrure cuts in. "Remains to be seen how much of a problem they'll have with how thick they are, and I'm getting the distinct impression that you can make effective repairs in the middle of a fight, Joachim. Is this so? Over." ​

"To a point, yes. I don't have the supplies of nanites and power to handle such tasks at maximum efficiency while an enemy is bombarding me, but I will say that field-weapons used against me will have to deliver a lot of damage to more than one place, very quickly, to keep breaches in my defenses open long enough for attackers to take proper advantage. Though what they can expect once inside is a separate matter. Over." ​

"Oh, of course," is all Snatdrure has time to say, before Jilalyn calls again. ​

##Addendum 65: ​

"Joachim, I have the beginnings of a plan," Jilalyn sends. "...But I need to know if you can fabricate at least one 'speaker' about halfway down the stairwell in the next hundred breaths, and at least one somewhere outside the stairwell on the main floor. And both of them need to sound good enough that the Humans won't get suspicious about the sound-quality. Can you do that, over?" ​

"Yes, Jilalyn," I answer. "If you need additional assistance in guiding the boys all the way down the stairs as quickly as possible, I have a few other options, over." ​

"Let's try not to get too complicated, Joachim, but what do you suggest, over?" ​

"I can control the individual electroluminescent panels, either making them brighter or dimmer, or even causing them to turn on and off in a sequence intended to guide anyone in them upward, or downward, or 'forking' after I've finished building the rest of the floors and connecting them to both stairwells, over." ​

"Sorry, 'forking'?" Scinjir asks. "Uh, over." ​

"Imagine, please, some sort of emergency on the third floor up from the ground," I begin. "For that floor and the ones below, the fastest path to safety leads downward, but for those on the fourth floor and higher, it is upward to the valley ridge and out in that direction. Hence, the flashing lights would go in two different directions, depending on where someone stood in the stairwell, over." ​

"Oh, wow, that makes a lot of sense," Sinjir says, and I can see him nodding. "Over." ​

Snatdrure joins the discussion. "So, what are you offering, Joachim, over?" ​

"If Jilalyn wants to 'shepherd' the Fuin-Braetehls down the stairwell, I can manipulate the lights on the upper levels to seem as if they're weakening, while the ones further down give the impression that they still have 'oil' or 'magic'. As the Human at the head of the group descending the stairs proceeds, I make it seem like the lights behind them have 'flickered out', and the ones ahead of them might start flickering or dimming, over." ​

I can't quite manage to make out Snatdrure's expression, but her tone holds guarded approval. "Not bad, not bad at all," she allows. "So that takes care of the main stairwell. Now, how about leading them to the 'maintenance' stairs that goes downward? And while we're on the subject, why didn't you set up both stairwells to run the whole height from the beginning, Joachim, over?" ​

"Priorities, mostly," I answer. "When I ordered the nanites to build the two, I wanted to provide a single, simple point of access to the underground, and another one that led up from the valley-floor to the top of the ridge. And honestly, I have to say that adding access to the other underground floors through the main stairwell makes a great deal of sense; the plans from which I work make a lot of distinctions between 'public' areas and ones with access limited to maintenance personnel. Apparently, this is both for reasons of safety and keeping guests from interfering with staff who are not nanites going about their business. But again, I don't have the resources necessary to do that right now, so we'll have to work with what's available, over." ​

I get an alert from the nanites in the washrooms. It makes sense that the six boys would start investigating as soon as they had recovered, and the same when this is the first time that the 'universal' symbols for 'men' and 'women' have appeared on this world. ​

"I feel obliged to point out that at least two Fuin-Braetehls have decided to investigate the restrooms," I transmit, before anyone else has an opportunity to contribute further. "One to the men's and one to the ladies. Jilalyn, if you like, we could probably leave them to their comforts for at least a little bit." ​

I can hear the Halfling woman's frown in her voice. "As I said before, I would very much rather not let them recover themselves too much, too soon," she says. "Even if they are a pack of rowdy Human boys literally looking for trouble, there's always the chance that someone who's gotten enough rest might pause before taking the bait, over." ​

"I submit that it would give me the time I need to set up the door we need to let them into the Labyrinth on the 3rd sub-level so that I can also seal them in again as quickly as possible, but I defer to your judgement," I answer. "May I encourage the three of you to vote while I abstain, over?" ​

Jilalyn eventually finds herself outvoted, with Scinjir and Snatdrure taking the 'measure twice, cut once' philosophy. ​

"All right, then I guess I'll take a meaningful break for a bit," she says. "I've still got half a synth-block and my own water-skin left. So, while I'm enjoying my meal, Joachim, may I ask you to explain exactly what is a 'zip line'? I don't know you well enough to guess but I must admit considerable curiosity..."

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