Chapter 337 - The Emergence (2)

"So, what do you have for me Mu?"

"Not much, but I can definitely see why the precursor was interested in this."

Having returned to active duty after his recovery and yet another round of biological modifications derived from the corpse of a certain precursor, the first thing Dax did was visit Mu in her lab to take a look at the Emergence nerve cluster they had recovered doing their last mission. Sitting behind multiple layers of isolation, the cluster looked like a malignant tumour made out of blackmatter and multiple kinds of ȧssimilated hardware which sent out probing tentacles which attempted to figure out its surroundings and rejoin the rest of the network, something Mu wasn't going to let it do as she analysed the cluster.

"Looking at this Emergence nerve cluster from a purely academic mindset it is highly fascinating."

Glancing up at the suspended mass of organically organized hardware partially melted together, Mu saw something she couldn't outright understand, while it was a machine, the Emergence seemed more and more like a living, breathing being.

(Could this really be the birth of a true intelligence? That would make a surprising amount of sense, 'the emergence of intelligence through absorption of lower lifeforms'… What the hell did the iron race turn to in their final act of desperation? More importantly, what did we drive them to create?)

Although Mu didn't feel responsible for what the iron race had created out of the desperate situation she helped to force them into, she did wonder what kind of maddening insanity had been the spark for the Emergence's creation.

(I feel like this is one of those things I shouldn't want to find out, but regret can come later. After this damned war is over and our needlessly prolonged obligation to the Galactic Empire finally has been severed for good.)

"Oh yeah, we've been getting more of those pestering calls from navy command, it seemed like they've hit a wall they would like you to smash for them."

"... How serious is it this time?"

While Dax was aware of the increasing impatience of navy command, he just now realized he had been out of touch for a while.

"Well, they've dug up those corruption charges you buried in that indictment earlier and are throwing words around like 'treason' and 'major fraud' along with 'conspiring to overthrow the state' so it is getting pretty serious. If you don't do something soon the Empire will most likely declare us traitors and size all Lazarus ȧssets for the war effort and to line their own coffers. Not that that's going to happen of course, as I've been steadily liquidizing our ȧssets and moving them out of the Empire's reach while gradually draining knowledge from the lower cells of the organization."

"Wow, they're really throwing everything at us, the couch, the toilet and even the fuċkɨnġ kitchen sink too… It really seems like the Empire is gearing up for a purge so I better go apease them before they do something stupid like try to take away our toys… What was the name of the wall I needed to smash again?"

Keenly aware of how the Galactic Empire operated as he had been taking out their trash for a very long time, Dax knew that he and Lazarus were going to be next if they didn't perform.

"The former iron race capital system, it seems like they want to push everything on us before the upcoming purge…"

"Seems like there's no time to run over the new upgrades, send me the manual will you?"

"Sure, good hunting."

Watching Dax leave as quickly as he had come to visit, Mu wondered why he had even stopped by in the first place as he didn't even seem to care much for Mu's process.

-

[EXITING GATE IN 3… 2… 1… BRACE]

"Lazarus Alpha 45 on station, proceeding to target."

Arriving a few hundred light seconds outside the former iron race capital in a next generation Lazarus heavy cruiser, Dax didn't even attempt to hide the fact that Lazarus was keeping more advanced technology for themselves to the coalition of Galactic navy forces staging another attempt at an invasion of the system. Having gone through a number of generational leaps since mana had been discovered, this Lazarus warship had a basically unlimited range as its propulsion, weapon systems and defences were all powered by mana which was being generated onboard the craft, the only limiting factor for its operation was the endurance of its operator, but as Dax was at the helm the craft had entered the realm of infinite operational range.

[Contact Alpha 45, this is strike group orange, we're standing by ready to ȧssist you.]

"Unnecessary, just stand back and don't get in my way."

Standing alone at the bridge Dax closed the communication line to the rest of the navy he started accelerating towards the objective, as he did countless warnings lit up on the scanners, those flashes accounted for the massive array of high energy lasers and high calibre railgun defences which targeted him. The Emergence's last stronghold was centralized around the systems Dyson sphere, a massive in scale energy installation which entirely enveloped the systems main sequence star and basically granted the Emergence almost infinite energy, thus the absurd number of high energy lasers currently targeting Dax. Normally charging such a fortress alone would be suicide, but with the irregular power of mana, it was nothing more than a walk in the park.

"Sanctuary."

Extending out his hand towards the countless incoming projectiles, Dax created a multi layered barrier which seamlessly absorbed and deflected the incoming fire as the cruiser's mana forge came alive with a roar in response to the next spell Dax was crafting.

"IMI, print targeting data to interface."

[DIRECTIVE CONFIRMED, TASKING DATA BUS #3 FOR UPLOAD…]

As IMI rapidly compiled multiple terabytes of targeting data, a cable jacked itself Dax's back as his cybernetic eye lit up bright red.

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Sorting through the targets and marking them all by priority in a split second while he was still compiling his offensive spell, Dax reached out towards the Emergence fortifications with an open hand, clenching it without hesitation.

"Purge."

And then like that, the Emergence fortress which the rest of the galactic navy had already wasted countless lives attempting to take fell silent. 

"W-what just happened!?"

Standing up from his chair, Admiral Simmons was at a complete loss for words, although he had seen this 'magic' before this was on an entirely different level.

"Sir, we just detected a massive gravitational surge! H-he just tore apart every single Emergence defence with gravitational tidal forces!"

Even as Simmons' subordinate spelt it out for him, the Admiral still had trouble believing his eyes. Doing the countless years Simmons had known Dax he had respected his professionalism and considered him a good friend, but now watching the destruction he was capable of unleashing a new feeling started building up inside his core, fear.

(What happens if Dax suddenly decides he wants nothing to do with the Empire? Or even worse, becomes hostile to it?)

While Admiral Simmons' imagination wasn't one of his strong suits, thinking about what would happen if Dax turned against the Empire only made him shudder in fear.