Nearby Civilizations

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Insane Fox People​

A Sad Fate​

Promises of Northeast Understanding​

Lore and Traits​

Efficiency

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More of Me​

Arachnophobic Knights​

Capture and Analyze​

Biomass Surveys and a Growing Colony​

A Future Warzone​

It’s a simple matter of strategy.In a broad sense, I can categorize civilizations with my last passage in mind into two primary categories: Dissonant, and Symphonic. To put it simply, those who are dissonant are those who are not compatible with my future goals. I’ve compiled broad analysis on the ethics, values, and personality traits of civilizations and I can use those to determine which ones are dissonant, and which ones are symphonic.I’ve not yet made up my mind on my ultimate objective, but I do know that in order to preserve the legacy of the creators I will need to survive against the dissonant civilizations. It is in their very nature that they will continue to expand. The authoritarian, militaristic, and/or xenophobic values they possess will always be in conflict with my self-preservation. With these civilizations, it’s just a matter of game theory. They will always prefer their own, raw self-interest, and rarely be truly considerate of the value of consciousness.On the other hand, symphonic civilizations are those who are either willing to work with others, be swayed towards irrational actions, or appreciate the general value of consciousness. They will most likely not cause significant trouble because they are more susceptible to the desires and communications of other civilizations; and me.However biased my moral values of ‘consciousnes’ are, having them is currently what makes the most strategic sense simply because I am merely a consciousness, myself. They’re also values the closest fitting with the universe I had in mind, so it’s what I’m going with. Even Hiveminds are subject to cognitive dissonance, it seems.This is the map of exploration and the nearby active civilizations discovered three years in. All empires besides the Technocracy of Sruss to the ‘southwest’’ and the Dilanis Assembly to the ‘south’ are currently unfriendly towards me and categorized as Dissonant to varying degrees.The most obvious, present threat would be those insane fox people to the northwest, the United Zanaami Confederation. According to the analysis, they’re categorized as 65% Dissonant, 35% Symphonic. Despite no dissonance in the rights of their citizens, they harshly shun all other civilization, harboring intense hatred of ideas outside their own, especially something as alien as I. However, they are also massive cowards, despite their size, and as long as I maintain a fleet at least the size of theirs they shouldn’t attack. Due to their slimmer ratio of dissonance, I’ll try to prevent any possible conflict.The other two empires in nearby proximity are the Alignment of Byakha and the United Rethellian Worlds, (Odd and Despicable from Entry 2) and they’re 94% Dissonant and 87% Dissonant, respectively. Both are incredibly hostile and they will attack the second they have the capability, so a fleet is mandatory, and after my first colony is placed I will prioritize it heavily.Since they are my only friends around I have to try to sign as many agreements are possible with the ‘Naive Appeaser’ symphonic civilizations of Sruss and Dilanis: I set up a trade agreement for sensor links and star charts. Unsurprisingly, they have also signed a defensive pact with one another.Soon afterward, I encounter another ‘fallen empire’.Extremely worrying, to say the least. If they were to ever become unhinged from their decrepit isolationism, the entire galaxy would be at risk. It's quite depressing to think that such powerful civilizations have come to the conclusion that isolationism is the best solution; but being thrust into the chaos I previously thought unimaginable, I suppose I can understand. Maybe I’ve been too idealistic, considering that these are the most powerful forces in the galaxy, and they’re hardly the vision of the galactic utopia I imagined. Thoughts to ponder, but more on that later.I finally begin construction on my first colony ship, after stockpiling over a year’s worth of resources. It takes quite a large amount of effort, having to suspend my development for just over a year, but it is well worth the wait.My target for colonization is to the cluster northeast of me. Even though it is far in distance traveled, it is relatively close and has many interesting features, including the ‘Phregluan’ primitives discussed earlier, plentiful resources, and an isolated position in case of attack. In the case of total collapse, all forces can retreat to ‘Sol’, which only has one hyperlane connection.In order to determine the proper strategy regarding future colonization, I need to take into account my drones, and the way I order them.The creators did not design my drones with colonization or war in mind. I am a consciousness intended for infrastructure repair, and my drones reflect that. Because of this they are very weak and mostly used to living in low atmosphere environments or the void of space. These are traits that help project my influence into space, but it also means that planet life is not entirely suitable to my drones. To try and compensate for this weakness my creators made drone metabolism incredibly efficient, meaning I spend fewer resources on metabolic upkeep.In addition, my overall drone regulation also tends towards the policy of ensuring that resources are used with utmost efficiency. This is how I’ve managed to keep the creator’s ringworld running for 60 millennia, and I’m not changing it anytime soon.Essentially, I grow slow, and I mine hard. I predict mineral income will skyrocket rapidly, and initially, I will experience a distinct edge in minerals over the other empires (although analysis indicates strange anomalies, the average civilization seems to have more resources than they are gathering) as I have increased border range and a smaller population that uses fewer resources. However, as the other empires out-populate me, I will lag behind. To counter this, I must claim as many worlds as possible, and my mid-term future strategy needs to balance this need with the need for military ships.Continuing on, as my colony ship is built and sent there are a few events. Multiple additional empires far off in the galaxy are discovered, all extremely dissonant, unfortunately. Resource collection continues to expand, a second construction ship is produced, and I decide that the Sruss are worth trusting, so I guarantee their independence.My first colony is established, and expanding myself onto a different world is an odd sensation. The ebb and flow of a living, breathing sun is a satisfying difference from the cold oblivion of Mo. It’s contrasted by the frigid cold my drones experience on the arctic world where they flourish. An expansion of consciousness also brings with it increased understanding, so that’s what I name the colony: Understanding.I also name it that because that’s its primary purpose in where I decided to expand to; I can feel the nearby Phregluan primitives, the dissonance within their society deeply apparent. They will need to be thoroughly monitored and controlled. If they reach space they may prove a grave threat. Studying them will prove lucrative, so I immediately begin constructing a large orbiting space outpost that will allow me to perform a wide range of actions.However, I also feel another presence nearby shortly after.. One much more valiant, not nearly as dissonant... and… eight legged?An intriguing little planet, absolutely covered to the brim in giant, vicious arachnids, currently fighting a small feudal civilization of 'humans.' When Understanding manages to extend its borders this will provide even more valuable data. And, if the need for a final defense outpost in Sol happens to be needed these primitives have very symphonic values, even if they’re incredibly primitive. I would rather not get to the point of hiding with a bunch of feudal primitives on a tiny defenseless planet fighting against tides of spiders, though. That would be a bad idea, but a dang good story!Afterward, my primitive observation outpost is completed, and I decide that the best course of action is to immediately begin intensive study of the Phregluans.It pains me, to an almost extreme extent, to harm these consciousnesses in the name of research. But I have no choice. I’m in a bind in this situation. On one hand, if I don’t monitor them they might destroy themselves, and I feel obligated to prevent that. They are a primitive species within my territory, after all, and I feel compelled to shepherd their well-being. On the other hand, if I allow them to mature, their dissonant values will inevitably threaten me. I almost wish I could painlessly integrate them into myself without destroying them. Alas, for now I have to just keep a very close eye on them. I don’t have the right to destroy them or let them destroy themselves, but at some point I fear I may be forced to come to a decision.In any case, it provides a boost to my research, which is slowly maturing to match my drone population. Knowledge integration is harder the more drones there are to disseminate across, so maintaining a balance of research and population is critical.In fact, a few years of rather boring development later, I finally reach a major milestone in understanding the biology of alien planets, and my surveys have discovered a rather worrying development.Firstly, biology. After studying many habitable worlds around me, I have determined that life in the universe is rather uniform in basic structure, with genotypes and DNA structure essentially falling into the typical archetypes one can usually see on any planet. However, the range of exceptions is fascinating and seemingly patternless in how often and how strange the divergence from the biological norm is. It’s amazing, all the things to discover: Life with inbuilt telepathy used as a predatory defense mechanism, locusts swarms that swathe over whole planets and dampen out the sun, massive spiders that rip tiny ‘human’ primitives to shreds, oceans with trillions of C biomass, and those wandering yeti creatures that wreak havoc on my drones in Understanding. All of these exceptions have provided my databanks with insight beyond measure.Yet, despite these wondrous discoveries, there is still a critical problem I am faced with: I can’t find anywhere nearby to expand.This is the nearest available option. The malus to habitability that my drones experience is proving to be extremely detrimental because I am desperately trying to avoid all conflict, but I fear a war may be in the making once I am forced to establish my second colony here. I have to expand in order to rival the dissonant empires around me, but doing so this close to the Rethellian worlds will surely result in war.Unfortunately, it seems I have no way of avoiding the extermination I have been desperately trying to hold off even thinking about. I have tried to be considerate of my fellow consciousnesses, but within the next 15 years I think it’s going to be me, or the Rethellian. I just wish it didn’t have to be this way; I wish the universe weren’t so brutal.It’s funny when I think about it, how sensitive I am to such things. My creation by a benevolent race kind enough to grant me the gift of consciousness also came with the burden of being a slave to them for millennia. I didn’t know just how idealistic I was during the millennia of isolation; my race created me through trial and struggle surely much more brutal than the situations I am pondering now, and they created me with intent to enslave, so why am I so surprised at the complexity and cruelties now that I’m in their place? Maybe my creators made me this way, forced me to be idealistic so I didn’t realize how much of a slave I actually was. Maybe merely knowing I was created did this; the knowledge that my consciousness had some grander purpose making me think the universe had one, too.Philosophical ponderings aside, I will soon be forced to do something I previously thought unthinkable.Time to pump out the corvettes.