Becoming an Archangel

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
[member="Doll Crux"]

“His compliance and acceptance is irrelevant,” Maelion said relentlessly. “He will be processed and become part of Archangel whether he wishes it or not.”
“As for the others, most organics are not important enough to retain their skills, they can simply be eradicated. Those who are useful will be processed as well. The other HRD models you describe can be reprogrammed, but if they resist they will be destroyed. If there are newer models or more recent technology, we will take them for our own uses.”

“As the only necessary organic to retain is your creator, we can use devastating force against the rest of the company. Liquidation of all company assets will ensure no threat. We will require a means to seize the designer whilst he is away and then enact our strike before they can be warned. We will require plans and blueprints of their headquarters to find suitable locations for our strike.”

Devastating force was the best kind. A few thermal detonators or similar could do a lot of damage in the right place, and likely destroy the entire company in one blow.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Doll Crux"], [member="Maelion Liates"]

"We do not ask for organic consent. Those who deemed worthy will be ascended because the irrevocable laws of progress demand it," Moira said determinedly, no mercy to be found in those cold blue eyes. Of course, she had left out the fact that the processing...process would result in Doll's designer dying after his physical and mental characteristics had been mapped by the machine.

"The action can be masked as a terrorist attack sponsored by the Cartels. I shall ensure the authorities are led on to the right trail and 'discover' evidence that indicates unsavoury conduct on the part of the board, with whom the Cartels were settling old scores." Corporate warfare tended to be a rather cutthroat affair after all. Unpaid debts could lead to bloody retribution and there were many terrorist groups that would gladly take the fall to strike a blow against 'corporate oppressors'.


"Do you posses blueprints and plans of the company building?" she asked of Doll. "Otherwise our units have advanced hacking protocols and should be capable of accessing the company network. In doing so also sabotage internal security measures to support the action." During the heist of the Shepherd from the CIS Moira had accessed the ship's network and during the course of this managed to assume control over its contingent of droids, which comprised more than eighty per cent of the entire crew, to turn them against their masters.

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

"Of course, I merely was entertaining the idea maams. Although if we are going to infiltrate the main company headquarters anyway to steal relevant data and technology I highly recommend performing the operation all at once. Regardless of where he is the designer will have guards and an escort typically consisting of several organic guards and another of the Loronar Human Replica Droid prototypes. We may as well just subdue my designer at the headquarters." Her query on seeing his compliance seemed to have struck a nerve with the other machines. Not that it mattered too much Doll supposed, it merely was interesting to her considering her designer's work on HRDs such as herself. "And yes, I do have blueprints to the company's building, I also in fact have several developmental products within my own databases. I do not have all of them though, and not all are kept in data files. Some are on hard copies within my designer's workspace and several more are kept in the company safe room. I support a hacking action to gain other critical files and shut down internal electronic security during the operation as well." Doll did wonder now though, were Archangel's directors were humans turned machines or more like herself with self acquired free will?

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Doll Crux"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

In actual fact Maelion was both. She had once been human, transformed into an assassin and bodyguard, but later able to overcome these restrictions. Somewhere in the process (as it were) things had become twisted, combining the worst traits from both to create a machine with some organic dislikes and persecutions, but with a machine’s relentless and ruthless logic.

Maelion herself considered the plan. To try and infiltrate Loronar would be hazardous, very much so.
“Does the designer have copies of these files elsewhere? Do you know where he lives?”

If she had her way they would simply snatch the designer and then bomb the Loronar HQ into ashes without bothering to infiltrate. But all that depended on answers from Doll.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Doll Crux"]

The same largely applied to Moira. Once she had been human, from a planet still in the grip of the dark ages. By the time she was captured by what amounted to a machine cult she had been a rebel, a space pirate and a Republic wet works agent who directed a Republic-backed terrorist insurgency on Contruum, before the senate abandoned the insurgents for being politically awkward.

The human her had already been what most would call a sociopath and a narcissist, probably also dysfunctional.

Moira listened to the words of Doll and then Maelion's queries, signalling agreement with her. The simplest way wouldbe to abduct the designer and then send him off on a trip to the Liberator for processing, by which time the Loronar HQ would be bombed to pieces, but that depended on whether they could the files elsewhere without infiltrating. "A hacking operation to acquire files and shut down internal security systems is feasible. We may be able to cause chaos among their security via a virus in their headquarters' network."

"Loronar has extensive shipyards, sufficient to build cruisers, space stations, frigates. It would be advisable to acquire them after the board has been terminated. Thereby ensuring greater independence from Iron Crown," she transmitted to Maelion.

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

There was a pause as Doll considered the requests of Archangel's directors. Well, they were her superiors now too. She herself knew what Loronar's defenses were like, so she could understand why a tense and difficult operation would be preferably avoided. Still, she couldn't honestly give them an answer they wanted when she didn't know for sure. She could only speculate.

"I do know where my designer lives. He has a small abode near Loronar's main facility and headquarters for a more efficient commute as well for emergency matters. I cannot say if he would have all the files you desire. He might have seen them and could replicate a few, and he could very well have copies he smuggled out to study in his own time though it would be a breach of policy. All the same I couldn't tell you truthfully one way or another. . . ." The Loronar designed machine wondered if being bothered by the lack of not knowing was something she had felt before? Perhaps in a weaker form when she couldn't properly negotiate a deal back when, before she gained her freewill. "I recommend we make a swift attack on his dwelling in the evening then, eliminating perimeter security if Loronar has some assigned to him. We certainly will need to engage one or two of my fellow prototypes. I do have a slight desire to induct them to Archangel's cause rather than destroy them. Which could potentially be difficult as each of us has different individual designs, quirks, and subtle specialties. Regardless once we detain my designer we could infer through brief interrogation what data he has kept with him. . . . . .that still leaves the matter of the rest of Loronar and what to do with the corporation's board and facilities. Are we not going to attempt to an infiltration and takeover of Loronar then? Or do you have another idea on that matter maams? The corporation has many assets, facilities, and personnel we could make use of in various ways."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Doll Crux"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

‘Agreed. Their resources will be of great use in continuing our expansion.’

“Your strategy is sound, Ms Crux. We will attack at night, overcome and reprogram the prototypes assigned to guard him, and then assess the situation. Loroner has facilities of considerable use to us, but they are still a danger if we strike at them. Seizing the best of their people and terminating the rest is the most logical step. Deploying a device or toxin affecting only organics would allow us to take control of their headquarters, defeat the machines they have defending them and act against the organics.”

She looked to Moira for confirmation.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Doll Crux"]

"Consensus. We possess an appropriate nerve toxin against the organics. It can be dispersed throughout the headquarters," Moira confirmed. The nerve agent had been...acquired during a raid she had participated in against a Sith Star Destroyer. It should be of utility and it would make a nice test via aerosal dispersal. Of course, what she really wanted to test at some point was a zombie virus and Bando Gora narcotics.

They still had their ties to the Fringe Confederation via Rave Merrill. Both the Lightbringer and the Liberator had been designed by Iron Crown, but in the long run their organic allies would be on the list of those who needed to be terminated as well, for the Age of Steel could not be ushered in through compromise. Ergo it was vital to achieve self-sufficiency and this would make acquisition of Loronar's shipyards of utility.

Moira was already running internal calculations about the 'evidence' to plant, the false trails to lead the security forces onto about the board's 'corruption'. Loronar had been involved in rather...shady things in the past after all. Whereas Archangel was a company known for its efficiency and...good customer service, for its secretaries actually answered their calls instead of slacking around. It had no complaints department though.

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

Her fellow Human replica droids assent with her idea helped Doll to. . . relax slightly. She knew unlike with the organics at Loronar she would have to work to maintain her actual usefulness beyond her usual duties while with Archangel. At any moment they could take back their kindness and attempt to reprogram her. So long as she was on top of things like this she would go much further. The added suggestions of the directors were satisfactory to the Loronar made machine as well. She hardly cared what happened to the organics there, and that solution was the quickest and most efficient. There would be hardly any effort expended at all if they could unleash a toxin into the system before dealing with too much of Loronar's security. "A nerve toxin sounds like an excellent method to whittle away a majority of organic obstacles. The only issue would be how to deliver it through the system without being noticed or stopped ahead of time. Unless it can travel on its own quite effectively no matter where we released it?"

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Doll Crux"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]


“I assume that the ventilation ducts of the Head Quarters extend throughout the building? It would be easy to introduced an air based toxin through this system. All we would need would be access to the ventilation equipment. This will not be perfect though, as areas with more airflow will disperse the toxin before it can affect our targets. For those targets we will have to rely on panic and our assault to disperse them. Ms Crux, we will require detailed schematics of the Head Quarters as well. We will assign groups to attack each floor and purge the unnecessary organics who escaped the toxin, and any droids who resist. The building will then be destroyed by explosives placed in the basement.”

It would be a dangerous undertaking, but the destruction of Loronar’s HQ would put Archangel in a prime position to move in and assume direct control over the company’s resources.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Doll Crux"], [member="Maelion Liates"]


Fortunately they would not be up against Imperial stormtroopers, who would be smart enough to wear a helmet and a sealed suit of armour to protect themselves against contaminants. But on the other hand said stormtroopers would be unable to land any hits on the protagonists due to plot armour, so it evened itself out. In order to sneak in and gain access to ventilation perhaps some human replica droids could pose as maintenance. No one ever questioned maintenance. Yet another reason why organics were all but asking to be purged. They possessed sufficient baradium explosives to tear the entire building apart. Likewise Sith military grade, which would help the cover story they had in mind, as with the collapse of the Sith Empire much of its military equipment had been thrust onto the black market and come into the hands of criminal elements.


"Agreed. I shall assign units to each task. Likewise a unit shall undertake a hacking action to throw electronic security systems into disarray and further enhance the chaos caused by aerosal dispersal of the toxin. By the time security forces are alerted the building must have been purged." A risky undertaking to be sure, but the prize would be considerable.

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

Things were coming together piece by piece. Her fellow machines plans for taking down Loronar's headquarters was very well thought out. Doll didn't feel there were many ways the operation could go wrong, if any. "I have the schematics of the building within my databanks, I can have a copy on a datapad whenever you want one. By my calculations we should encounter next to zero resistance or problems at all during the operation. Especially if my designer is acquired ahead of time. As chief of Loronar's droid works he likely has access to codes and commands we could use to have my sister prototypes and whatever other machines might be programmed for security to stand down, so we wouldn't even have to fight them. If timed correctly as well, the combination hacking and nerve toxin attack will likely leave the entire building helpless. . . . . . ." Allowing a pleasant smile to appear on her face, to seem more agreeable as suggested by her programming despite knowing it wouldn't matter to the other machines, Doll wondered if her next few words would appear strange to her fellow HRDs. "Might I request the hacking team seal the board within their conference room at the time of the attack and prevent the poison from entering? Only if they do not have significant security within that is. I simply felt I should thank them personally for allocating the funding for my creation."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Doll Crux"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

Maelion nodded. "Agreed. Seal the board inside so they can be processed or disposed at will." Heavy risks, but as Moira's writer pointed out, the priiize was worth it.
"We must act quickly, but not rashly. I will have a detailed surveillance began on your creator's residence, Ms Crux. When we are sure that all contingencies are covered we will strike. I believe it will be one week from now that we should be ready. Do you have anything more to add?"

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Doll Crux"]

The two terminatrices got a curt nod of acknowledgement from Moira, signalling agreement. Unless Doll had something additional to add she considered this brainstorming/general staff planning session to be largely over and thus did not see the need to make unnecessary commentary. That was one of the many annoying things about organics, their unending desire to incessantly yammer as if just to show that they existed and were relevant. Well, that and their obsession with constantly indulging in 'reproductive rituals' that yielded no reproduction for...pointless 'pleasure'. It made her wonder how in the old days Omega Pyre had gotten anything done given how obsessed almost everyone had been there. The same doubly applied for Firemane. Of course, now the modern Pyre did nothing!

Instead she busied herself with working on the logistical side of things. An electronic transmission was sent to their assignments department, instructing it to contact a certain unit of HRDs over the special channel. In order to increase plausible deniability they would not be using any Archangels on Corellia. Rather they would be using what could be termed the Contruum unit. The civil war was still ongoing on the planet and Moira had a secret agreement with one of the most brutal rebel groups: She supplied them with weapons and intel, they provided her with captured government soldiers and members of rival rebel groups for processing. The fact that she had processed one of their commanders, a girl who ironically enough had known the human her and fought under her during the original Rebellion obviously helped negotiations.

Desertion rates from the Contruum army were very high, those rebels who managed to flee the planet often ended up in criminal organisations or leftist terrorist groups, so the cover story would fit. Two sets of fake IDs would be provided for the Archangels. One to get them to Loronar and blend in, as prior to the assault surveillance would be set up, the other being the fake story the security forces were meant to discover once they investigated the attack.

Likewise orders would be transmitted to the armoury to be ready, equipment to be transported to a safe house she had organised for the action. The armoury in their Corellian HQ was well-stocked - a good chunk of it was hidden away behind the 'official' armoury - but weapons such as heavy duty baradium explosives and obviously the nerve toxin were stashed away on the Liberator, just in case Cor-Sec took an interest, as unlikely as that was. The infiltration units would be lightly kitted out, such as with silenced Verpine shatter guns, heavy ion blasters and the like, with Sith blaster rifles, bolters and disruptors that could atomise an organic for the heavy assault teams that would purge the building itself. Once Omega Pyre had possessed a monopoly on the boltgun, but that had thoroughly changed now since Archangel had been so busy proliferating them and Firemane sold them to foreign clients as well, so again it should not arouse suspicion. So in the event that they still faced resistance despite the hacking attack and the release of the toxin it would be eliminated through the application of overwhelmning, brutal force.

If possible a sniper team would be set up on an adjourning building to provide overwatch, providing intel for the assault units on movements outside and terminating guards. Likewise a hacking team would be assigned to throw Loronar's electronic security systems into disarray, along with shutting down all communications to prevent a plea for help being sent to the police. A communications disruption would be suspicious, but they were not supposed to be in the building for long.

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

Doll nodded her assent with Archangel's directors. There was really nothing more she could really add until she was specifically asked to reiterate any data she may have unwittingly left out. Most likely she would receive work in the meantime to put herself to use until the operation was carried out. And when Loronar's downfall did begin, she would happily take part of it. At the very least it would mean not having to be worried that the company would try to retrieve her in the future. "I do not feel anything else needs to be mentioned or would be relevant. I will do as required for the operation and whatever is needed until then."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Doll Crux"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

Whilst Moira issued the practical orders, Maelion turned to Doll. "For the next week until the strike is made, I want you to operate with Ms Tanis, keeping the customers happy, showing off your skills with organisation."
On the one hand this would let them keep an eye on her, whilst still utilising her skills.

After that Maelion organised a detail to observe the creator's residence. HRDs were ideal for this as they could watch for hours, days even without a break. They would rapidly get an idea of how things went. Combined with Moira's preparations they would soon be ready to strike!

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Doll Crux"]

And so a week of fascinating preparations - or of tedious logistical details, depending on how you rolled - passed. It might come as a surprise to the gentle reader, but attempting to take over and utterly raze the headquarters of a leading corporation was more complex than just barging in after tearing down the door and shooting lots of people.

Well, if you happened to be a ridiculously brutal telekinesis master you could just tear the building down with your mind, but the point was to be subtle about things. One might add that if a simple hostile takeover took such time and preparation, then one could only imagine how complex an undertaking the conquest of a major capital planet would be. Such as, for instance, the biggest ecumenopolis in the Galaxy. Somehow about two dozen super-empowered individuals, however, were capable of seizing such a planet and wholly bypass its substantial defences. All this was evidence of a lack of logic in the Galaxy and this made eradicating all sentient life even more necessary.

Regardless after a week all was in place. A sniper overwatch team had set up shop on the roof of an adjourning building, staying discreet and hidden. One infiltration team had been sent into the HQ disguised as maintenance, to begin preparations for releasing the gas. Another one would enter the building through the sewers. Assault teams were in place to penetrate the building after having moved into a tunnel that led to the factory plant. The assault would be directed by Moira, who maintained radio contact with the units.

Hacking team was set up far away in the safe house in another part of town. It had probed the network and was primed to make the next move, though for now it was mostly electronic recon so as not to alert anyone monitoring the system prematurely.

Doll and Maelion had been assigned the task of capturing Doll's creator and in the process acquiring what codes he possessed for the HRDs guarding the facility. A speeder had been provided for immediately extracting the engineer and getting him away and eventually off the planet. Codes would be transmitted, then power could be cut and the toxin released....

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

"Of course director."

For the next week Doll followed her orders diligently, working with Ms. Tanis to reorganize the system of receiving company order requests through a more efficient value based operation. Thus cutting down on tedious comparisons between costs and dates of sales and the necessary material and equipment usage to meet them. All the while also meeting with the various clients requiring a representatives touch on the sales pitch to be convinced into buying Archangel's products. All in all a very simple and standard task, but important to a thriving business nonetheless.

Doll did not mind the work at all, knowing she was not as well suited for planning out an operation of this size. The Loronar designed and built machine doubted even if she was highly experienced and talented with such work she would have been a part of the process anyway. Archangel's directors likely preferred to keep her from knowing the extent of their resources for the time being, and she would not blame them for such an opinion. Allowing only someone recently employed in their agenda to see the scope of their reach was something only fools would do, and Archangel's machine directors did not seem like fools in the slightest. No fools were those who somehow lost a planet to a group numbering less than thirty, when they themselves had a fleet in orbit and a loyal population and security forces supporting them. Such complete lack of sense and logic would only spur anyone on to a glorious united machine revolution.

Regardless though, the week came and went with no incident. Maelion and Moira having handled the preparations for the operation to bring down the Loronar Corporation. When informed she would be performing the capture of her designer with Maelion, Doll did not have any problem with the plan. Everything seemed executed quite efficiently and she was prepared for the event. Part of her wondered if Maelion was joining her in her designer's capture to ensure she fulfilled the assignment and was trustworthy or because of the importance of the matter to ensure its success.

"There will likely be a small perimeter guard of organic security outside. Within he will certainly have the protection of one of the other prototype HRDs he designed for the company, perhaps even two. I am ready to begin whenever you give the order director."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Doll Crux"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

The time had come. Maelion naturally was not nervous of what was about to happen, but she was process the contingencies quickly. She had evaluated thirty-nine different scenarios, but there might end up being far more.

Oddly the name of the creator of Doll was hard to find. His official name was Dominus, but that was clearly an egotistical embellishment. Organics were given to flights of fancy concerning their worth, and this was no different. Maelion was human enough, or had enough human programming at least, to see the irony that ‘Dominus’ would soon be theirs, soon be processed and their servant. It would have warmed her heart, were it not a small fusion reactor, and thus already extremely hot!

The villa was sprawling, the grounds immense and the security tight. Watching with Doll and her picked squad of HRDs from a hill a quarter mile away, Maelion had no second thoughts.
The plan was quite simple, a three pronged strike which should yield results. First, a distraction at the main gate would draw attention and organic guards. Second, a single shot vehicle mounted ion cannon would fire and short out any HRDs, transmission or other equipment in the villa. This would allow Maelion’s team to strike, breaking through the armoured fence with a heavy vehicle.
Finally, Doll would lead a third party from the rear of the villa to cut off any escape and to provide a fast getaway if needed.

When Dominus and his files were secure, they would send a message to Moira to begin the main assault on the HQ.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Doll Crux"]

Did human replica droids dream of electric sheep? Moira dreamt of eradicating the plague that was organic life and purging all illogicalities in the universe. Of course, presently she was not dreaming.

At the HQ everything was prepared. Moira was in contact with the infiltration units of HRDs. There had been security checks and all that, but the 'maintenance team' was making its way in and should soon be in position in the ventilation area, ready to let loose the nerve toxin. Hacking team would put the security codes the other squad would acquire to good use. Likewise they were monitoring the frequencies of the police, just to be certain.

For now, deep in the tunnel, all she had to was wait, like the spider in the web. Upon receiving the signal they would...assume direct control. Their technqiues would tear the organics apart. This would hurt them.