The Awakening - All Begins with Zero
Written by Nathan Greyman, Sally M. Stec, Terrie Durgin, and G.Paul Stec
Three crafts docked together travel, cloaked in the darkness of space. How long had the shroud rendered those on board dormant, completely unaware of measured time and distance?
Occupants of each vessel, called Vectorbots, are sentient mechanical beings known to themselves as Senmechs or simply Mechs. The primary directive was put in place light years ago: Locate the Eye of the Universe, the Eternal Energy Source.
Secondary resource missions began on full power as solar energy was readily available. Power cycles ebbed and flowed throughout their interstellar quest; various stars providing power along the way.
Vectorbots required solar light to sustain their power. When their energy charge waned, Vectorbots placed themselves in upright cubicles. Solar energy harnessed by their ships flowed into the cubicles providing the necessary power to sustain every Vectorbot.
During cycles of exploration, in stasis and unaware, the three Vectorbot ships periodically regrouped for unconscious synchronization. While in this state, the Vectorbots power mode decreased, activity halted in temporal limbo.
Linked together, the ships - Avlynn, Sorvoc and Nullfork, slowly advance towards a distant star, navigation handled by the vessels’ vector programing. Their mission would once again resume when the viable star was reached and all systems fully recharged.
A horizon of light washed over the conjoined vessels, the star’s brilliance activating the exterior solar panels. Zero, Leader of the Coseks, was first to feel the star’s elixir of energy.
Sensing his awakening, Zero broadened his shoulders, suddenly alert to the vast energy coursing through the center of his chest. It was only moments until Zero’s charge was complete. Now, it was time to wake the others.
Steadfast, Zero made his way to the controls. Three sensors to wake all the other Vectorbots: Coseks, Sineks, and Taneks, three brackets of distinction.
Pausing, Zero considered past conflicts with the Sineks. “Troublemakers” he reflected. The Taneks, “Dutiful and efficient but overall flat thinkers,” a tinge of humor crossing the edge of his mind.
Quiet enveloped the ship. All Vectorbots were synchronized by recessed data buried deep in their subconscious, a secret isolated fragment in the shared brain unknown to all but Zero.
The secret fragment stored limitless essential data collected during explorations. When added to the shared mind the mission was strengthened to reach the Eye of The Universe, the Eternal Energy Source.
Brushing his fingers over the controls, Zero momentarily contemplated the Awakening. Would the Three Brackets be civil or conflicted at the next encounter?
The Mission overrides past transgressions and infighting. Dutifully, Zero engaged the sequence. The Awakening for all Vectorbots commenced.
Line by line, Mechs from each ship and bracket grew alert, transitioning from their deep slumber, receiving the essential energy for their solar resurrection.
As the Awakening unfolded, Zero stood tall. Knowledge of his fairness was widely recognized by all Mechs.
Closing on the star, Zero reflected on his secret. He knew data would be stored, hidden within each Mech’s fragment. The unpacking of incomplete data would lead to corruption of the Directive. A successful reveal solidified the potential for limitless revelations.
Fully charged, each ship now undocked and locked on three alternate coordinates, slipped away from each other. Entanglement Drives engaged, in an instant the individual ships jumped from view enveloped by the immeasurable space of infinity.
