I Am The Swarm

“They don’t seem friendly. Sound the alarms, elevate the war alert level, and prepare for combat!” commanded Admiral Heaton, as he monitored the approaching fleet and directed the defensive lines into position.

Warship engines roared to life, weapons charged, and gun barrels turned toward the incoming threat.

Compared to the Swarm, which had already shown no inclination toward aggressive measures, this new faction posed a far greater threat to the Rikens. While their intentions remained unclear, their intimidating approach hardly suggested a peaceful visit.

“Admiral Heaton, if their target is our defensive line, should we fire the first shot?” a staff officer asked tentatively.

“Fire? Are you kidding? The Swarm is here—this isn’t our problem,” Heaton snapped, though he paused to reconsider. “That said, the Swarm’s logic is often impossible to predict. If these newcomers attack the Twin Star Defense Zone and the Swarm does nothing, then we’ll have to handle it ourselves.”

“Understood, Admiral.”

“Report! We’ve received a broadcast message from the direction of the unknown fleet,” a communications officer suddenly announced.

None of the factions involved had communication channels with each other, leaving public broadcasts as the only means of contact. The Rikens had previously tried hailing the Swarm, but their efforts were met with utter indifference.

“Can we decode it? Let’s hear what they have to say.”

“What?!” Several generals echoed the sentiment, their astonishment palpable.

Languages evolve uniquely within each civilization, shaped by a myriad of cultural and biological factors. For an entirely unknown faction to independently develop a language identical to that of the Rikens was not just improbable—it was impossible.

The only plausible explanations were unsettling. One possibility was that the newcomers possessed overwhelmingly superior technology, allowing them to infiltrate Riken networks, intercept data, and crack their language. Yet their brash and unrefined demeanor seemed at odds with such a level of sophistication.

The second, more likely possibility was even more alarming: the Rikens had been under this faction’s surveillance for an extended period. If so, their language would have been thoroughly documented and decrypted long ago. Considering the earlier theories regarding the “Treasure” starship, this explanation seemed dangerously close to the truth.

“Damn it, these guys didn’t even bother pretending, did they?” one general growled. To an advanced species priding itself on its intelligence, the revelation of prolonged surveillance was a humiliating blow.

“Forget our pride for now. What did the message say?” Admiral Heaton redirected focus, brushing aside the bruised egos of his peers.

The communications officer hesitated before replying, his voice trembling. “They said they come from the great Daqi Empire and demand our unconditional surrender. They warned us not to bring misfortune upon ourselves.”

The bluntness of the message was almost too much to bear. Instinctively, the officer took a step back, fearing the wrath of the gathered generals. The sheer audacity of the statement was dripping with mockery.

“What?!” one general bellowed, seemingly unable to process such a terse and direct approach. “No greeting? No formalities? Just straight to demands?!”

“Are they insane?” another general muttered, aghast. “They’ve completely discarded even the most basic diplomatic protocols. Honestly, the Swarm’s silence feels more respectful than this.”

“Arrogant and ignorant! Arrogant and ignorant!”

“They completely disregard us!”

The senior Riken officers were seething with rage. The communications officer, feeling the tension rise, instinctively took another step back. As he debated whether to quietly exit the room, General Hamis turned to him abruptly.

“Is there any other information besides this message?”

The communications officer thought carefully, ensuring he hadn’t missed anything, then shook his head. “No, General, nothing else.”

“No other transmissions in unknown languages?” Hamis pressed.

“None, sir. Only in our Riken language.”

Hearing this, Hamis’s fury reignited. “Damn it! I knew the Swarm could understand our language!”

“That’s hardly surprising, is it? Over the course of several wars, many of our soldiers have likely been captured by the Swarm. For a technological civilization, cracking a language once they have examples is trivial.”

“True,” Hamis admitted, though the realization did little to soothe his frustration. “But this reinforces my suspicion—the Swarm is the wild card here.”

“Indeed. The Swarm remains as enigmatic to this so-called Daqi Empire as it is to us. Otherwise, with their arrogance, they would never miss an opportunity to show dominance over the Swarm.”

“Does this mean we’re just that weak?”

“Don’t be so self-critical. I’m now certain the Swarm aren’t natives of the T85 Star System. Otherwise, how could two neighboring civilizations like ours and theirs be treated so differently? Why would we be surveilled, while they remain untouched?”

“You’re right, but I can’t help feeling we’re missing something,” another officer murmured thoughtfully.

“I’ve got it,” Novaul interjected, his tone decisive. “Based on our analysis, the Daqi Empire likely isn’t the true owner of the Treasure starship. They seem more like errand-runners. Given the advanced technology of the civilization behind the scenes, the spatial barriers that constrain us might be no obstacle to them. If that’s the case, then perhaps this entire star region is under their surveillance. So…”

“So how has the Swarm, with technology far inferior to theirs, managed to break through their watch, evade their surveillance, and maintain their mystery?” Hamis finished, grasping Novaul’s line of reasoning.

“Exactly! It’s a glaring contradiction!”

“Could it be because they’ve followed a biological technology path?” another officer speculated.

“Scientific principles are universal,” Novaul countered. “Whether mechanical or biological, they’re just expressions of those principles. Even we have many technologies rooted in biology. There’s no need to mystify them.”

Meanwhile, aboard the flagship of the Daqi fleet, Prince Diallo reclined in his command chair, his cracked, volcanic-textured jaw resting thoughtfully in his hand.

“Even the suzerain has refrained from providing further information on this Swarm. Clearly, there’s something unique about them,” Diallo mused. “But how do they do it?”

“Your Highness,” Aslit ventured cautiously, “I’ve previously speculated that their history may include a genius who, early in their civilization’s development, treated a suzerain-level threat as a hypothetical enemy and meticulously prepared their society while hiding their true strength until now.”

Diallo shook his head. “That doesn’t hold water. Achieving this level of secrecy and advancement requires more than a single genius. It demands the unwavering cooperation of their entire species. Do you think that’s likely? Moreover, the suzerain hasn’t even provided basic information, like their language or scripts. This goes far beyond mere concealment.”

“Yes, which leads to my second hypothesis,” Aslit continued. “The Swarm may be outsiders. They could be an advanced intelligent species that, for some reason, ended up in this star region. Their high level of technology from the outset would make sense, but their history before that would be a blank.”

“That does seem plausible,” Diallo agreed, “but there are still inconsistencies. A civilization large enough to migrate wouldn’t escape the suzerain’s surveillance. And for a displaced species to rebuild to this extent would require significant time.”

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