Post by nuclearstorm on Nov 15, 2012 12:42:38 GMT -5
Yorick's lab in Jupiter had grown quite well over the last few months. Many of the formerly blocked off roomed were cleared out and refurbished, the outside yard had been reinforced with extra protective measures, and his research had been completed. The past few weeks had been especially busy for Yorick as he has put all of his efforts into swelling the numbers of his new hive mind. Many stalkers, both rookies and hardened veterans, had joined. Unfortunately, this was usually preceded by a violent exchange. As each stalker joined their memories and knowledge merged with the hive mind, slowly increasing the knowledge and skill of the hive mind's limbs. Yorick sat atop this glorious merging of human thought and knowledge, taking his place as the head. He directed his limbs out in many ways: repairs, upgrades, artifact hunting, researching, etc. Any limb could do any job, pulling the required knowledge from the central pool of the mind. Other stalkers looked upon Yorick either with great disgust, such as duty, or with great longing. Those that longed to join were eagerly welcomed and converted peacefully. Those that attempted to destroy Yorick's creation had underestimated the skill the hive mind employed and were obliterated by the precise coordination a collective intelligence allows before being consumed by it.
The day of the zone's expansion.
A small force of Dutiers began an attack on Yorick's lab. This did not last long as each Dutier took multiple hits from each side simultaneously. The bodies were then dragged down to the main research area where Yorick was waiting. Their weapons ammo and food were taken and placed in their respective storing containers for later use. Yorick filled a needle with a thick serum he had developed. Placing it in the back of each Dutier's neck, one by one, he injected the serum. Minutes later Yorick's mind surged with their memories as their bodies began to rise. Another successful addition to the collective.
Outside there were signs of an emission. Yorick retracted his "limbs" back into the lab and temporarily sealed the entrance. The emission hit much harder than usual. Many of Yorick's lab equipment was thrown around, some of it broken. People began to hold on to anything stable to avoid being knocked over. After a few hours, Yorick knew something was very wrong. Emissions never lasted this long and were very rarely this strong. He ordered his limbs to pack up the equipment. The zone was becoming more dangerous, and it was time they went back to the big land.
After a few days the constant emissions stopped. Although fatigued, Yorick and his collective made their grand pilgrimage out of the zone, heading toward Italy. However, the world had changed. It had been consumed by the zone. While most would view this as a disaster, Yorick only saw opportunity. Opportunity for more knowledge, and with more knowledge, more power.
Stopping at the first nearby town, a small out of the way village of no significance, Yorick offered his "enlightenment" to the denizens. A few accepted and were converted. Those that refused were massacred immediately after and also converted. What vehicles the town did have were taken and the group moved west.
Finally they had reached their target: the Vatican. The usually orderly and powerful catholic church was now in disarray, barely surviving the new dangers the zone had brought. Yorick approached under the guise of being a priest, bringing fellow believers to the one place that might be safe. The pope, of course, let his fellow believers in, only to watch those around him be massacred. "Forgive me father, for I have sinned." Yorick said to the pope who was speechless at the bloodshed. "Oh, that's right. I don't need it. I can just become my own god." With that, Yorick slit the old man's throat and injected his corpse with the serum. Memories flashed through Yorick's mind. Deep dark secrets, forbidden knowledge, and much more. The rest of the Vatican was quickly cleaned up and converted before Yorick set foot into the Vatican's catacombs. Beyond the vaults laid immense treasure, gold, lost artifacts, and more. The amount of knowledge and wealth locked away by the Vatican was astounding. Yorick grinned. Leaving a few of his "limbs" to collect and sort these mysteries, he went back above ground with the rest to lead the rebuilding and fortification efforts of his new home.
These limbs worry me...
The day of the zone's expansion.
A small force of Dutiers began an attack on Yorick's lab. This did not last long as each Dutier took multiple hits from each side simultaneously. The bodies were then dragged down to the main research area where Yorick was waiting. Their weapons ammo and food were taken and placed in their respective storing containers for later use. Yorick filled a needle with a thick serum he had developed. Placing it in the back of each Dutier's neck, one by one, he injected the serum. Minutes later Yorick's mind surged with their memories as their bodies began to rise. Another successful addition to the collective.
Outside there were signs of an emission. Yorick retracted his "limbs" back into the lab and temporarily sealed the entrance. The emission hit much harder than usual. Many of Yorick's lab equipment was thrown around, some of it broken. People began to hold on to anything stable to avoid being knocked over. After a few hours, Yorick knew something was very wrong. Emissions never lasted this long and were very rarely this strong. He ordered his limbs to pack up the equipment. The zone was becoming more dangerous, and it was time they went back to the big land.
After a few days the constant emissions stopped. Although fatigued, Yorick and his collective made their grand pilgrimage out of the zone, heading toward Italy. However, the world had changed. It had been consumed by the zone. While most would view this as a disaster, Yorick only saw opportunity. Opportunity for more knowledge, and with more knowledge, more power.
Stopping at the first nearby town, a small out of the way village of no significance, Yorick offered his "enlightenment" to the denizens. A few accepted and were converted. Those that refused were massacred immediately after and also converted. What vehicles the town did have were taken and the group moved west.
Finally they had reached their target: the Vatican. The usually orderly and powerful catholic church was now in disarray, barely surviving the new dangers the zone had brought. Yorick approached under the guise of being a priest, bringing fellow believers to the one place that might be safe. The pope, of course, let his fellow believers in, only to watch those around him be massacred. "Forgive me father, for I have sinned." Yorick said to the pope who was speechless at the bloodshed. "Oh, that's right. I don't need it. I can just become my own god." With that, Yorick slit the old man's throat and injected his corpse with the serum. Memories flashed through Yorick's mind. Deep dark secrets, forbidden knowledge, and much more. The rest of the Vatican was quickly cleaned up and converted before Yorick set foot into the Vatican's catacombs. Beyond the vaults laid immense treasure, gold, lost artifacts, and more. The amount of knowledge and wealth locked away by the Vatican was astounding. Yorick grinned. Leaving a few of his "limbs" to collect and sort these mysteries, he went back above ground with the rest to lead the rebuilding and fortification efforts of his new home.
These limbs worry me...