Document: 90439221.01

Author: Drone Nefertari, in service of her Ladyship

Topic: History and Analysis of the Paradox Institute, Part 1 Summary of Findings

Approximately 15,000 space-time cycles ago, a human civilization took root on the E-class planet which is currently designated as Furry Earth (see Document 90300111.07). These humans discovered the scientific principles of genetic evolution and astrophysics early their history, and scientific advancement became Class III cultural obsession. As soon as they developed the technology to do so, they began exploring their sector of the Saucer Galaxy.

They simultaneously began a tradition of experimenting with evolution. These experiments occurred in a two pronged approach. In the first prong, they augmented the animals of their own Earth to achieve human levels of reasoning, communication, and opposable thumbness. They began with the naturally intelligent of species they had available (see Document 90300111.27).

In the second prong, they began to augment their own bodies and minds using either biological or mechanical science. They continually experimented with different designs and technologies in a search of the perfect trans-human form (see Document 90300111.08 and Document 90300111.09). Both prongs continue to produce new forms of intelligence. Their civilization, which they call Earth Civ (see Document 90300111.91)

Earth Civ is currently divided into three primary factions. In the colonized planets, the Legacy Humans (see Document 90300112.00) remain primarily unaugmented due to a lack of available facilities. Originated from Furry Earth (which they call Earth), the second faction is the so-called Uplifts (see Document 90300112.03)who have natural animal ancestors but have been genetically and surgically augmented over the previous several generations. The most recent generations of Uplifts are often superior to Legacy Humans in many measures of intellectual capacity. The third faction is composed of those humans who augment themselves with the most advanced cybernetic or bio-chemical technology available at any given moment. These augmented humans call themselves Transhumans (see Document 90300112.20) or Trumans for short and come in a great variety of forms depending on which technologies are available and popular at any given moment. Most Trumans are no longer recognizable as human to basic appearance but thorough medical investigation continues to reveal their distinctly human origins.

It should be noted that remains considerable crossover between these three factions. A Truman might augment oneself with extensive animal genetics but still be counted by census takers as 100% Transhuman. A human on a remote colony world might replace his own eyes with cybernetic upgrades better suited to his planetary environment but still self-identify as a Legacy. One might be tempted to conclude a blurring of the lines is the primary factor which keeps the factions engaging each other in full war. The true primary motivation for peace between the factions is fear.

The first several planets visited by the explorers from Furry Earth (also known as Earth) were sites of alien civilizations which had perished for a variety of reasons (see Document 90300113.00). The explorers designated these planets as grave worlds. The Paradox Institute was established to investigate these grave worlds. It was organized for and tasked with the responsibility of determining what caused the mass extinction of previous civilizations and preventing the same causes from eliminating Earth Civ. Paradox Institute Agents work in small teams consisting of at least one representative of each of faction: a Legacy, a Truman, and an Uplift. These teams are considerably better at finding the dangers than they are at neutralizing the threats. Attrition rates of Paradox Agents recently leveled out at 91.4% due to on-the-job fatalities. (see Document 90300113.00 addendum)

As a matter of strategic assessment, the Paradox Institute as a whole command impressive technology for a human culture. It does not, however, possess technology which quite rate at omni-level. It also lacks access to any individuals who possess tallent for harnessing cosmic energy. Due to a complete lack of cosmic capabilities, the organization poses no significant threat to the Omni-Society. Despite all of its accomplishments, it barely has the capability of surviving in its own harsh corner of the universe. (see Documents 90300114.00 through 90388979.99)

End of document.

Space-Time Coordinates: 32082.500876.urd

Leonidas Paradox Base, Planet Sparta, Earth Civ Territory

Paradox Agent Freeman spun in the intersection where two stone corridors crossed. Nimble robot legs pointed his crab-shaped body back and forth. White hot plasma poured forth from each of two arms, illuminating the darkness. The darkness, however, was not his target. He was blasting at the mucus-like red goo which was still oozing up from underground. He had already seen the goo swallow entire crates of rations and suck them down through fissures in the stone floor. No matter how much plasma he used to burn the goo to ash, more goo oozed up to replace it. Then the goo had started moving towards from a second hallway.

It was all he could do to hold back the tide encroaching from two directions, and his plasma cannons were dangerously close to overloading their cooling shields. He had nearly unlimited ammo by superheating the dust from the air around him and repurposing it, but he couldn't keep up the flow forever. Sooner or later, his arms would overheat, and he would vaporize himself. He had already exceeded what the thought was his own limit, but the plasma continued to flow and do its job.

The battle-hardened veteran cyborg was beginning to feel nervous, and that nervousness was clear in his voice which was programmed a little too well to mimic natural human vocal cords.

“Comm Central, can you hear me? Can anyone hear me?”

A static-covered voice reached him. “Freeman? Is that you?”

“Heck yes, it's me, Cleo. What is happening over there?”

“I've boosted the radio signal to max, and I'm trying to digitally enhance your transmissions, but we're only barely getting through. Something from below is throwing up a ton of static.”

Freeman shouted, “That's not all it's throwing up. I've got red goo that's eating everything in sight. What about the laser comm backup?”

“Laser comm needs line of sight or relays. Our relay network was knocked out of alignment by the tremor.”

“I'm not even able to reach the agents who were spelunking the cistern. I can try to penetrate further and rescue them.”

“Negative big guy, I just heard from the Doc. If he's right, the other agents are K.I.A. I need you to fall back to base camp and rescue me.”

Freeman considered staying and holding his ground regardless. Then his radar picked up more red goo approaching from a third corridor. That settled it. “Alright Cleo, I'm pulling out. I'm gonna try to slow the advancement of this slop while I go. Prep and evac. Over.”

“I'm two steps ahead of you, Freeman. Over.”

Cleo leaned back in her small folding chair and nearly tipped it over. She took mental inventory of her gear. It was almost exclusively communications and sensory equipment, and it was all failing. Whatever the red goo was that Freeman had reported was wrecking any chance she had or requesting help or even reporting what was happening at Leonidas Base. A small shuttlecraft was parked nearby. It wasn't armed, but it was space-worthy, and she knew how to pilot it. Legacy kids learned how to fly shuttles almost immediately after they learned to walk.

“Cleo!” shouted a familiar voice from behind her. Cleo twisted around and this time did manage to tip over the tiny chair.

Cleo responded, “Doc! Is that you?”

Doctor C'thulhu crawled into the large mausolleum which had been repurposed as Base Camp, a temporary home for the Paradox Institute team. He was followed by two unexpected figures, a female human (Legacy by appearance) and a small rabbit (and obvious Uplift).

Cleo asked, “Who are these civies? How did they even get here?”

Doctor C'thulhu said, “They are not what you think. The tall one is from a clan outside of Earth Civ, and the shorter one is an Omni-Alien. Ignore them for now.”

Isis said, “Hey, it's rude to call me short. I'm the perfect height for my dimensions.”

Cleo blinked in a state of quasi-shock. “An Omni here?”

C'thulhu asked, “Have you been able to reach anyone?”

“I've got Freeman, and he's heading back this way. Everybody else has been filtered.”

“Then we are the only three survivors. We must evacuate as soon as Freeman reaches us and report a warning about this phenomena to Paradox Command. Is the cargo shuttle prepped for take-off?”

“Ready to burn out of here, Doc.”

Morgan squatted down to speak to Isis in a lowered voice. “Lady Isis, know you the monster of this dark place?”

Isis explained, “No, I haven't been here until now. Shiva visited this place once but only reported that the natives were constructing large stone structures for unknown reasons. According to him, they weren't very pretty. I knew that something killed off those builders, and I suspected that it was still here.”

Morgan asked, “If we must kill it, have you a spell to slay the beast?”

Isis said, “If this was on my home turf, I could turn the whole planet into an escargot dinner. Without the spell components back home, I don't have the mojo here to kill a planet. I was hoping for something more sandworm sized. This is a challenge! I'm feeling the adrenaline now.”

Morgan turned her attention back to the octopus. C'thulhu was arguing with Cleo about something. It said, “I am the architect on this team. I'm telling you that the aliens who built this place knew seismic activity would happen. Some smaller walls are collapsing, but the structure as a whole is holding the monster in its place. The creature can reach us through cracks but it cannot reach the outside world from here. The structure remains intact.”

Just then, a stronger quake shook the room. The monster pushed a gigantic bone spike out from the ground. The spike pierced the stone city and continued onward, being shot into space. The shot left a large pit behind it. The cargo shuttle tipped over and fell into this pit. Cleo and C'thulhu watched that event happen on one of Cleo's monitors. A fresh burst of static reduced the image on the screen to field to white and black uncertainties.

C'thulhu commented, “It appears we have grabbed a tiger by the horns.”