The Machinist Child
Prinevo first tells you of the Great War which was fought by humans. Apparently Sphoros was once a unified and peaceful place but eventually fractures in beliefs and ideals led to the formation of nations within Sphoros. Eventually the Great War occurred between the nations due to breakdowns and treaty violations. Prinevo tells you at one point all the nations unified against the country of Honzor, forming the Sphoros Confederacy. You ask Prinevo why this occurred but he tells you the answer is unknown. He said a possible answer is because Honzor was the largest and most powerful nation, its war bots feared throughout the lands. Apparently they were a technological powerhouse; their main army consisted of these war bots.
However with the Sphoros Confederacy invading, Honzor stood no chance and was eradicated without mercy. For about 10 to 20 years there is a brief peace. Prinevo leads you to a large circular table, the scientists sit down, Mora checks entry points while you continue listening to Prinevo’s tale.
He tells you this peace ended when the Machinist child rose to power. Apparently a product of the Great War, the Machinist child was just a human boy caught in the crossfire, mangled and outfitted with robotic implants and limbs. According to Prinevo the child’s parents were spies working against Honzor and were ratted out by their own country in order to gain some sort of diplomatic truce that Honzor never intended to keep anyway. Honzor troops then killed the boy’s parents and sister and turned him into the cyborg he apparently is today. This child developed a deep hatred for the evils of humanity and decided to purge Sphoros of that evil. Thus, the Machine Wars began.
Somehow, Prinevo explains, following the Great War, the Machinist Child began building his own robot creations, accessing abandoned factories and formed an army to attack humanity. He claimed to be the lord of all machines and proved it by somehow, turning even the machines of the humans against them. After 7 years of war over 85% of all humans have been eradicated on Sphoros. All remaining humans are now hunted down by the followers of the Machinist child. That last bit intrigues you.
“Followers? Like a cult?”
Prinevo then holds out toward you a flat rectangular object with strange golden lettering and glowing orange lights.
“More like followers of a faith. Followers of the Machinist Child adhere to this, the Chronocon. It is apparently written by The machinist child himself as a history of his exploits and what the future holds to those to adhere to the tenets of the Chronocon.”
Mora turns, seemingly fed up, fiddling with her rifle, asking the question on everyone’s mind.
“Robot religion? Are you saying you robots are…sentient?”
Prinevo solemnly answers, “Yes. All robots within Sphoros are sentient beings capable of free thought with all the emotions a human being can express.”
Immediately the now wide eyed Dr. Wun starts punching buttons on his wrist computer, recording this gold mine of data no doubt.
“Who gave you this sentience?” You ask.
Prinevo chuckles, “Depends on who you ask. According to the Chronocon it was the Machinist child who created a free will and emotions chip, implanting it in all created robots. It is his desire for his creations to choose to follow his ways to prove that they are worthy of his ultimate reward….But if you ask the followers of the Advent Spark, they will tell you that robot sentience came from an alien force that then left clues for followers to find the gateways to their world. Believers in the Advent Spark think that finding these aliens and joining them on their world is the only way to further advance themselves past being “just” robots.”
Dr. Wun can’t contain himself, “Absolutely sublime! So you are saying the robots here either adhere to the Chronocon or Advent Spark religion? Is there fighting between the two groups?”
“Well not all robots are religious, much like human beings we have the free will to choose. Recent data has shown that beliefs among us robots are quite diverse. There are the followers of either the Chronocon or the Advancing Spark, there are also robots that choose to believe in neither faith and others still who have yet to decide or make a choice. You ask about fighting Dr, and I must admit there have been skirmishes but nothing major as of yet, but the tensions have rose to a boiling point.”
“Fascinating…” The good Dr. states. “…What side are you on Mr. Prinevo?”
Prinevo squeaks a smile, “I’m currently taking the “wait and see” approach to the whole affair. I’m currently content with analyzing all sides for research.”
“Most wise I’d say Mr. Prinevo...most wise.” A typical scientists’ response to situations you think. While this is all well and good, and you appreciate the history lesson of a place you’ve never known about until a couple days ago, you have to have Prinevo answer the main question that concerns you and your crew.
“Prinevo, our main goal here is to get back home. Is there any way we can disable the disruption field from the sphere that will allow our propulsion systems to function again?”
Some of the archaeologists give you stern looks, obviously mad that you’re trying to get away from the find of the century as fast as you possibly can.
“Oh Mr. Koda…I did so much wish for you and the Drs to stay here and learn more about our fine society!” Yeah…fine society you think, one where humans are hunted down to near extinction.
“I just want to find a solution to our problem first and we all concern ourselves with research later.”
“Ahh...a very tactical human, I think the rebels would like you Mr. Koda! Hmmm…let me compute what I could do to help you fine people…”
“Well you opened the port hole and led us here; you must have access to the systems controlling the disruption fields, right?” Mora asks. Prinevo suddenly seems uneasy, a bit shakier. You think you see a screw fall from his waist.
“Well young human….I must admit I sort of…hacked the codes to access the port hole. The Machinist followers control the portholes, but when my lab scanners picked up your ship, I just couldn’t let you all just die out there! And I know that’s would of happened because that’s what they usually do! They don’t allow any humans into the sphere, I had to do something…even if it was…illegal.”
Great now you are parading around with a crime committing elderly robot.
Mora, always the hot head is becoming agitated and struts towards Prinevo,
“I don’t care if what you did was illegal, but obviously we won’t get a warm welcome if these Chronocon Machinist nuts or whatever they are, find us!”
“Oh…well…I thought...” Mora is arguing with a shaky robot who is gripping his beard wires in fear, it’s almost comical.
“No “you thought”! We need a plan to get out of here, these Machinist goons must have a way to track who opened one of their portholes!”
“No, I’ve taken many precautions, there’s absolutely no way they could find-“
Suddenly a large explosion rips through the conference room throwing rubble and dust everywhere into the room. You shield your eyes from the debris, then view the shadow of a huge, gangly, hovering robot. Clearing the dust with air blowers, the hover bot enters through the hole in the wall it created. It’s black with red striping and crimson bulb eyes. It has gangly appendages, one looks like a laser machine gun, another looks like a probing tool, and other is producing an electric bolt of energy. The machine bellows a fearsome siren cry.
However with the Sphoros Confederacy invading, Honzor stood no chance and was eradicated without mercy. For about 10 to 20 years there is a brief peace. Prinevo leads you to a large circular table, the scientists sit down, Mora checks entry points while you continue listening to Prinevo’s tale.
He tells you this peace ended when the Machinist child rose to power. Apparently a product of the Great War, the Machinist child was just a human boy caught in the crossfire, mangled and outfitted with robotic implants and limbs. According to Prinevo the child’s parents were spies working against Honzor and were ratted out by their own country in order to gain some sort of diplomatic truce that Honzor never intended to keep anyway. Honzor troops then killed the boy’s parents and sister and turned him into the cyborg he apparently is today. This child developed a deep hatred for the evils of humanity and decided to purge Sphoros of that evil. Thus, the Machine Wars began.
Somehow, Prinevo explains, following the Great War, the Machinist Child began building his own robot creations, accessing abandoned factories and formed an army to attack humanity. He claimed to be the lord of all machines and proved it by somehow, turning even the machines of the humans against them. After 7 years of war over 85% of all humans have been eradicated on Sphoros. All remaining humans are now hunted down by the followers of the Machinist child. That last bit intrigues you.
“Followers? Like a cult?”
Prinevo then holds out toward you a flat rectangular object with strange golden lettering and glowing orange lights.
“More like followers of a faith. Followers of the Machinist Child adhere to this, the Chronocon. It is apparently written by The machinist child himself as a history of his exploits and what the future holds to those to adhere to the tenets of the Chronocon.”
Mora turns, seemingly fed up, fiddling with her rifle, asking the question on everyone’s mind.
“Robot religion? Are you saying you robots are…sentient?”
Prinevo solemnly answers, “Yes. All robots within Sphoros are sentient beings capable of free thought with all the emotions a human being can express.”
Immediately the now wide eyed Dr. Wun starts punching buttons on his wrist computer, recording this gold mine of data no doubt.
“Who gave you this sentience?” You ask.
Prinevo chuckles, “Depends on who you ask. According to the Chronocon it was the Machinist child who created a free will and emotions chip, implanting it in all created robots. It is his desire for his creations to choose to follow his ways to prove that they are worthy of his ultimate reward….But if you ask the followers of the Advent Spark, they will tell you that robot sentience came from an alien force that then left clues for followers to find the gateways to their world. Believers in the Advent Spark think that finding these aliens and joining them on their world is the only way to further advance themselves past being “just” robots.”
Dr. Wun can’t contain himself, “Absolutely sublime! So you are saying the robots here either adhere to the Chronocon or Advent Spark religion? Is there fighting between the two groups?”
“Well not all robots are religious, much like human beings we have the free will to choose. Recent data has shown that beliefs among us robots are quite diverse. There are the followers of either the Chronocon or the Advancing Spark, there are also robots that choose to believe in neither faith and others still who have yet to decide or make a choice. You ask about fighting Dr, and I must admit there have been skirmishes but nothing major as of yet, but the tensions have rose to a boiling point.”
“Fascinating…” The good Dr. states. “…What side are you on Mr. Prinevo?”
Prinevo squeaks a smile, “I’m currently taking the “wait and see” approach to the whole affair. I’m currently content with analyzing all sides for research.”
“Most wise I’d say Mr. Prinevo...most wise.” A typical scientists’ response to situations you think. While this is all well and good, and you appreciate the history lesson of a place you’ve never known about until a couple days ago, you have to have Prinevo answer the main question that concerns you and your crew.
“Prinevo, our main goal here is to get back home. Is there any way we can disable the disruption field from the sphere that will allow our propulsion systems to function again?”
Some of the archaeologists give you stern looks, obviously mad that you’re trying to get away from the find of the century as fast as you possibly can.
“Oh Mr. Koda…I did so much wish for you and the Drs to stay here and learn more about our fine society!” Yeah…fine society you think, one where humans are hunted down to near extinction.
“I just want to find a solution to our problem first and we all concern ourselves with research later.”
“Ahh...a very tactical human, I think the rebels would like you Mr. Koda! Hmmm…let me compute what I could do to help you fine people…”
“Well you opened the port hole and led us here; you must have access to the systems controlling the disruption fields, right?” Mora asks. Prinevo suddenly seems uneasy, a bit shakier. You think you see a screw fall from his waist.
“Well young human….I must admit I sort of…hacked the codes to access the port hole. The Machinist followers control the portholes, but when my lab scanners picked up your ship, I just couldn’t let you all just die out there! And I know that’s would of happened because that’s what they usually do! They don’t allow any humans into the sphere, I had to do something…even if it was…illegal.”
Great now you are parading around with a crime committing elderly robot.
Mora, always the hot head is becoming agitated and struts towards Prinevo,
“I don’t care if what you did was illegal, but obviously we won’t get a warm welcome if these Chronocon Machinist nuts or whatever they are, find us!”
“Oh…well…I thought...” Mora is arguing with a shaky robot who is gripping his beard wires in fear, it’s almost comical.
“No “you thought”! We need a plan to get out of here, these Machinist goons must have a way to track who opened one of their portholes!”
“No, I’ve taken many precautions, there’s absolutely no way they could find-“
Suddenly a large explosion rips through the conference room throwing rubble and dust everywhere into the room. You shield your eyes from the debris, then view the shadow of a huge, gangly, hovering robot. Clearing the dust with air blowers, the hover bot enters through the hole in the wall it created. It’s black with red striping and crimson bulb eyes. It has gangly appendages, one looks like a laser machine gun, another looks like a probing tool, and other is producing an electric bolt of energy. The machine bellows a fearsome siren cry.