Jump 132: Crysis

Jump 132: Crysis

Location: Lingshan Islands, 2018
Age: 28
Identity: Drop-In, Type Red
Drawbacks: [+800] The Lingshan Insertion, Is It Even Human?, Work Away Debt Program, "It was never just about the suit!", They Built Everywhere

[300/1800]  Spreading Cracks
[Free]      Quiet Guy
[400/1800]  Nice Try, Tin Man
[700/1800]  This Suit Is MINE
[800/1800]  N.O.M.
[1000/1800] Nanocatalyst Augmentation
[1600/1800] Nanosuit v2.0
[1800/1800] Freedom

>"Mister President! What are you doing here?!"
"I have come to send North Korea a strong message using strong American diplomacy! This harassment of archaeological teams cannot be permitted, especially when members of the team were American."
>"Diplomacy, sir?"
"Yes. Large caliber diplomacy. The KPA are acting as if they were terrorists, and America does not negotiate with terrorists."
>"But why are you wearing a nanosuit, sir?"
"Because there weren't enough for the Secret Service, so it's just me who gets one."

Later:

>"... they're aliens, Mister President."
"Ah. Ah, I see. Well, then, there's only one option."
>"A nuclear strike."
"What? No! Are you an idiot? Do you not see what is going on here? They draw energy from ambient energy, which is why there are areas of cold around them when their technology - their weapons - are activated."
>"Are you sure, sir?"
"Does the Pope shit in the woods? Bring in anyone who studied physics, give them ten minutes to go over the infrared scans, you'll see. There's no reason to assume their ability to absorb heat is limited over time, and their technology is superior. No, naval artillery will suffice, but we're talking saturation strikes if it comes to it. Pure kinetic strikes. If we have to do a ground invasion beyond spec ops, we give them the biggest guns we can, but no thermobarics."
>"I see."
"Coordinate with NASA and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, see what we need to do to implement that old 'rods from god' project - money is no object, but we have not remotely enough time, fortunately this should be relatively straightforward. I want something in position in no more than 24 hours."
>"Excuse me for saying so, sir, but that's completely insane."
"You know what's more insane? Aliens having a foothold on Earth. Call them. Get it done. NOW."

Later Still:

>"...and this is why, Mister President, you will be working for us until such time that we considered your debt to us paid in full."
"I see. Well, this is an unexpected development."
>"I must say, you are taking this more calmly than we expected."
"Oh, no, no, it's just that you're extorting a sitting president who got a constitutional amendment passed to get elected to a fifth term, and threatening not only my family but outright blackmailing the Presidential Office. All because he kept the fancy suit he got back on the islands."
>"Yes, well... there's a good chance I may have committed some light treason, but what's a little treason between friends?"
"Holy shit. I mean, holy shit, Hargreave, I can't even be mad at you. Let's do this thing. Say, have you been read in on Project EXALT?"
>"I can't say that you have, Mister President."
"Oh, then this is going to be an absolute delight for you especially, I know how much you like non-terrestrial technology..."

Even Later:

"...and so Confederation expeditions continue to uncover precursor nanotech at every habitable world they reach. Most of it is inactive, but there are a few that do have an active Ceph presence. Forgive my language, but this universe is fucked since all indications are they're extragalactic, and I highly doubt this is the only galaxy they seeded."
>"Well. This is bad, yes?"
"Oh my, yes. So humanity has three options, short of saying 'fuck this' and leaving the universe. One: stay on Earth now that we've stripped all the nanotech from it, hunker down, and hope they never notice us until the sun burns out - because scans indicate they seeded Mars and Venus as well, so terraforming other planets is out."
>"Go on..?"
"Option two, humanity uploads and lives as an AI hivemind, just like they do, becoming very much not humanity."
>"Hard pass."
"Option three, artificial habitats, you can spread anywhere through the universe with that. Until the first scrap of Ceph nanotech stows away and lays dormant for who knows how many years or centuries and then goes rampant."
>"Jesus Christ, how horrifying."
"Yeah. Were it not for Necrontyr technology, the shell the Confederation calls home would've been subsumed as well. So on that note, gentlemen, option 'fuck this', we peel the Earth, paste it onto inside of the the dyson shell, and out the universe we go."
>"It's pretty horrible that this is the best possible option, isn't it?"
"No. What's horrible is that it's the only choice at all."
>"Where do we sign?"