“It was not some fluke of fortune or some natural occurrence,” Nori said and crossed her arms. “Earth was intentionally Infused. We found a downed freighter and the logs stated as much. Someone sent that ship and several others on purpose. I want to know why.”
Alzigo frowned. “I have no clue. This is highly unusual. Theoretically, it's possible to infuse an entire planet, but the amount of piTec required to do that would be astronomical. Such a thing would be extremely … frivolous. Why would someone go through the effort of infusing an entire planet?” He paused, grabbed one of his oily dreadlocks, and twirled it around his finger, seemingly thinking it over. “However …” he started again slowly. “Assuming your information is correct, such an action would account for the horrors you described. A sudden and rapid Tec infusion would have dire consequences.”
Nori held up one arm, closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath. When she opened them again her voice was calmer. “We’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves. To tell you the truth, we’re still struggling with the idea of the existence of other intelligent life forms outside of our own. I’m afraid there’s a large gap in our knowledge. Can you perhaps tell us a little bit about all of this? What is Infusion and how can we fight it? What is Tec, and piTec? And what the hell are the Warped?
The tall alien seemed to shrink in his seat. “I’m really not the type of person to handle first contact situations like this … When I had to inject you with the translation pack, I just assumed you had somehow missed the upgrade. I never imagined this would be your first encounter with the enlightened universe … I’m afraid I won't do a very good job of introducing you to it. My brother-”
“Your brother isn’t here,” Nori interrupted. “But you are. From what I’ve gathered, you took a risk coming here. You wanted to be a pioneer, seize an opportunity in a new land. That takes guts. But you have to be willing to push on through the hurdles. So tell us, please, what is happening to us?”
Alzigo looked at her for a long moment and then nodded slowly. “You are right, of course, Miss. There are things you should be made aware of. Where should I start … the Tec … the Tec is .... everything.” He looked around at the staring humans as if his simple proclamation explained everything. He coughed once at their blank faces and continued speaking. “Every spacefaring race in the galaxy knows of the Tec and relies on it, but no one knows what their origin is. The most advanced races’ scientists have spent lifetimes studying it, but no one truly understands how they work. The most common notion is that they were created by an advanced ancient race, millions of years ago, to facilitate integration between life forms and technology.”
“But what is it, exactly?” Nori asked. “Are you talking about nanobots?”
Alzigo shook his head. “Nothing as crude as that. Tec are small machines, yes, but they can be smaller than atoms or as big as molecules. They are like space dust, invisible, yet everywhere. They travel across the galaxy and Infuse everything they come in contact with: biological, technological, photonic, silicon-based, everything.
“Only a small amount is needed to Infuse a living entity. The Tec makes adjustments to their brain and sensory organs, allowing them to receive and view information directly. That’s how I gave you the language pack, it was just a simple information transfer.”
Lana sat up suddenly. “So that’s why we can suddenly see information about ourselves, our strength, agility, and such.”
“Precisely.” The alien nodded. “The Tec creates a standardized baseline that carries over across species. For example, looking at you, I see that human average strength is two. There are species whose strength starts at fifty, but even then, the ratio will remain the same. If a human reaches the same strength score, he’ll be comparable to those beings.”
“How does that work?” Bulco grunted. “My strength started at three, and I was the strongest person around. Now I’m at ten. How can I be three times stronger than before? I didn’t grow extra muscles.”
“You did, in a way,” the alien explained. “As I said, there are different types of Tec. The ones used to support muscle structure are the biggest. They settle in your tendons and muscle tissue and strengthen them. Similarly, other types of Tec can increase cognition, improve brain receptors, etc. With Tec, anything is possible. The only real problem is obtaining more of them.”
“How so?” Lana asked.
“Each living creature releases its Tec when it dies. If someone touches the body, they can extract some of it. However, since the Tec adapts to their host’s bodies, a relatively small percentage is compatible with the new host. The rest is released to the atmosphere. There are tools and technologies that can refine more Tec from the dead, but it is still a limited quantity.”
“That sounds gruesome.” Lana shuddered.
“It is gruesome, Miss.” Alzigo nodded. “And often a cause for violence. That is why almost all enlightened species have strict laws against killing other sentients for their Tec. There are space farms that cover huge spans of space, filtering the ambient Tec, but that type of mining operation is immensely expensive. The easiest and most conventional method is to extract them from the Warped.”
Nori leaned forward. “That leads into my other question. What exactly are the Warped?”
The tall alien slumped his shoulders in defeat. “You have to understand … usually, the Infusion process is slow and the body is given time to adjust. But when it happens abruptly …” He shook his head. “The Tec has a symbiotic relationship with the host. They facilitate unified access to information and technology, but if the integration goes badly … if the host is unable to take control, then the Tec will. Without a conscious mind to guide them, the Tec seem only interested in reproducing themselves. No one knows exactly why, but it seems that new Tec particles can only be created within the Warped bodies. To that end, they alter their host’s body to a shape best suited to grant them what they need: prey and technology. Given enough time and ‘resources’, the Warped can reach high levels and become a serious threat.”
Bulco and Nori exchanged worried glances. “I think it’s safe to assume that’s what's been happening to our planet. The Warped were all level one at first, but in the last two weeks, we’ve seen more and more higher levels. Today we even encountered one who was level six. We barely managed to take it down.”
“A level six? While humans are only level four?” A worried frown crossed the alien’s skeletal face. “That’s troubling. The difference in power between levels increases exponentially, especially after every five levels. You should be careful and inform the other humans to hunt down the Warped before they become a more serious threat.”
“We can’t!” Bulco snapped and banged his fist on the silvery floor. “We empty our guns at them and it barely slows them down. They just heal and keep on coming. Nori found an alien pistol that did a good number at them, but she was the only one who could use it and it’s nearly out of energy.”
Their hosts seemed to shrink at the Engineer’s outburst, but he straightened up as the large man’s final words. “I might be able to help with that. May I see the weapon?”
Nori shook her head. “I gave it away. Why?”
“I was curious to its rank.”
“When I looked at it, it said it was rank F5.”
“Ah, not a bad piece for hunting low-level Warped.”
“So can you explain what that rank means?”
“Of course, technology can come in all sorts of grades. The higher the grade, the more efficient the technology. A high-grade shield will be stronger than a lower one. Similarly, a high-grade weapon will cause more damage than a lower one. The grades, from lowest to highest, are--”
“Let me guess,” Nori cut him off. “F, E, D, C, B, A, and S.”
“That’s is correct, Miss.”
Lana stared at the Navigator. “How did you know that?”
Nori shook her head. “It’s a standard power ranking in games and comics.”
“I
do not know what that is,” their host said. “The Tec universal properties no doubt use a common term for your species to understand. There is variation within each rank which are usually denoted with numbers. A weapon with a number five means it’s at the average power level for its ranking. It is peculiar, though, that you could operate it as a level three Navigator.”
Nori frowned. “I selected a trait that allows me to do it, but how can you tell my level and Path?”
“I want to know that as well.” Bulco crossed his arms. “Earlier you also hinted you can see our strength score.”
Alzigo tapped his temple. “I have a sensory enhancement implant. It allows me to perceive more detailed information on the people I’m doing business with. It also lets me understand alien languages without having to resort to my Tec for a rudimentary translation. I have some extra implants in my stock. I can sell you some if you’d like?”
“We don’t really have money …” Lana said hesitantly. “And I doubt you’d be interested in Earth’s currency.”
The alien smiled at her, for what the woman assumed was supposed to be a reassuring smile, though his widely spread double jaws made for a terrifying sight. “I apologize, Miss. I skipped answering another of your earlier questions. You also asked to know about piTec. It’s quite simple. piTec is actually a single Tec particle. Think of it as a nanite. On its own it’s nearly useless, you need about a hundred of them to infuse a person into becoming a level zero. A thousand piTec constitute a single Tec. And Tec is the basic component that counts toward level up. One Tec will grant you the first level, two for the second, four for the third, and so forth.” Alzigo paused, looking over his human audience, letting them absorb the new information. “When you extract the useable Tec from a slain creature, a very small amount that is completely generic remains behind. It will always be below a thousand, or else your body would have absorbed it as Tec.”
“We found a dead Inthidlon pilot,” Nori pointed out. “We extracted several thousand piTec from his body.”
“That stands to reason. In addition to the amount extracted, you have also obtained his own funds. PiTec is the galactic standard currency. They are used to buy anything from food to equipment to even ships. The ambient particles in the atmosphere slowly seep into technological components and make them compatible with Infused people. I believe that also explains why all your native technology was rendered useless. The Infusion process affects technology much faster than biological beings, which explains why you suddenly have issues operating your Earth technology. Anyway, since you have killed a Warped you have obviously accumulated a small amount of piTec. You can use that to trade with me.”
“Why?” Nori asked bluntly.
“Why, what, Miss?”
“Why do we need any of this? Why does everyone in the galaxy value Tec so highly? Why can’t we live our lives in peace, like before?”
Alzigo looked at her steadily and raised a finger. “The most advanced technology in our galaxy is also the smallest. Tec supports and powers all enlightened race’s technologies. It allows achievements and technological leaps that would be otherwise impossible. Individuals become stronger and healthier as they gain more Tec and raise in levels. The dependency on mundane sustenance is lessened. Life expectancy extends by a hundredfold.
“With enough Tec, you can survive exposure to space, move planets, and even come back to life. Some extremely high-level beings are rumored to have existed since the dawn of time. The possibilities are endless. But gaining Tec can be difficult, which makes it such a high demand commodity.
“Few are brave enough to travel to worlds where the Warped are abundant to hunt and harvest them. Trade is a much more commonly accepted method. Rich merchants can afford to Infuse the piTec they’ve earned to gain levels. It is also customary to gift piTec. Parents often purchase the first few levels for their offspring when they reach maturity.”
“I see …” Nori tugged at one of her dreadlocks, mulling over the new information. “Is this why you came here? Because our world is filled with Warped?”
“Yes. Hunting Warped is a lucrative business. Newly Infused worlds have a higher Warped population than normal, though I didn’t expect it to be as severe as you described. It was my intention to capitalize on your planet’s newest resource, though things ... haven’t turned out as I had expected.”
Nori furrowed her brow. “Doesn’t that answer the question why would go through the trouble of infusing our planet? They basically turned us into a Warped farming ground.”
Alzigo shook his head. “Impossible. That would be economically illogical. The funds required to infuse an entire planet would far outweigh any possible Warped farming potential. Besides, there are forces out there set to monitor and enforce galactic law. They would never agree to such blatant interference with un-Infused planets.”
“What forces are you talking about?”
“What forces?” Alzigo stared at the Navigator incredulously. “How can you not know--” He stopped abruptly, and his shoulder sagged. After a moment, he looked back up at them with an anxious expression that seemed almost ludicrous on his monstrous face. “Please … I have never imagined your species would be caught so unawares … that you’d be so oblivious ... I’m really not equipped to introduce you to the enlightened universe. The transition phase … it can be overwhelming. Let us stop here. Please, take some time to digest everything I told you. And I too … need time to think.” He produced a thin translucent disc, seemingly from the air, and offered it to Lana. “Here. This data module contains many common facts: information on races, basic technology, cultural protocols, and other such things. It will let you obtain a basic grasp on the state of the galaxy. Study it and you’ll be better equipped to handle our next conversation. Now, is there anything tangible you’d like to acquire from me?”
Nori closed her eyes and stood silently for a long moment. When she finally opened them, she stared hard directly into Alzigo’s beady black eyes. “Weapons. You want to trade? We need as many weapons as you can get us.”
“I can certainly help you with that. I have a wide assortment of personal weapons, ray guns, even plasma rifles, but those don’t come cheap.” He bowed his head apologetically. “But that is a moot point. Your people would be too low-level to use them anyway. I only have a single crate of Zappers. They’re only F1 rank, mostly used to scare away wildlife rather than battle the Warped.”
“I take it that a level one human can use an F1 ranked gun?” Nori asked.
The alien nodded.
“We’ll take the whole crate then. It’s better than nothing. A bee’s sting is annoying, but a hundred can kill. How much?”
Alzigo looked at her. He looked perturbed and his jaws pressed upward in a sort of an alien frown. “This is hardly the proper way of conducting business, Miss. First, there’s the negotiation process, then the contracts, then--”
“We don’t have time for that,” Nori cut him off. “While we chat, more of us die down there. How much for the case?”
“Nori,” Lana said. “Let me handle that.”
The taller woman frowned at her. “We don’t have time for that, we need to--”
“Nori.” Lana’s voice was sharp. “Go and walk around the station for a bit. I assume that would be alright?” She looked at the alien who nodded at her. “Alright then. You too, Bulco. The two of you need to take a little time off, err … outside.”
“But--”
“I insist,” Lana said with a hint of steel in her voice.
Bulco and Nori exchanged puzzled looks.
“All right, girl, we’ll do as you say.” Bulco got to his feet. “Just don’t take too long. Nori has a point.”
Lana nodded. “I know, I won’t.”
The two left the apartment. Lana turned to the bewildered alien and smiled. “Now, where were we?”
***
“Can you believe that girl?” Bulco huffed as he and Nori scouted the mostly empty platform.
“Lana’s not as simple as she appears,” Nori said with a curved smile. “She might seem timid most of the time, but there’s fire inside of her.
“Still, kicking us out like that,” Bulco grumbled. “I’m a forty-year-old man, she could be my daughter …”
His voice broke, and he became silent.
“I’m sorry,” Nori said quietly. “Before, when you told us about your family … it was a tight situation. I’m truly sorry for your loss.”
“Not your fault,” the large man said gruffly. “It’s those damned aliens who sent the Tec to us. That’s what brought on the Calamity. I’m sure you lost people you loved too.”
Nori kept her eyes down. “I moved to the US from Brazil to teach martial arts. My whole family is still there …” She swallowed and carried on with a tone of forced detachment. “I lost contact with them when everything stopped working. I ... I hope they’re alright, but I know there’s a good chance they didn’t make it.”
Bulco looked at her in surprise. “So why didn’t you take the shuttle there? With its speed, you could have made it in an hour or so.”
Nori shook her head. “Everything just happened so fast … we’ve just managed to fly the shuttle, then we found Martin and we had to save him. How can I leave everyone behind and run to the other side of the continent, wasting our shuttle’s remaining energy, knowing there are people here who need help? My parents would not have approved. And besides …” she lowered her head. “I know better than to get my hopes up.”
Earth Force (Relict Legacy Book 1) Page 10
