As the experintal device approached the end of its incubation process, the artificial Incubator began to generate a lot more activity.
The sensors picked up increasing emissions of all kinds. From heat to vibrations, the Incubator had clearly grown more energetic even as its integrity began to suffer.
Just as designed, the final minutes of the Incubator were spent on sacrifice.
Just as the original VOBM sacrificed its own vitality and high-quality matter to supply the final nutrients to its maturing embryo, the artificial Incubator broke itself down in order to feed the hungry experintal device.
The transfer process did not encompass matter alone. It also channeled notable amounts of E energy that the artificial Incubator previously accrued.
From parent to child, an age-old tradition took place once again, only this ti involving completely artificial constructs as opposed to genuine organic beings.
It was this aspect of the ongoing incubation ritual that started to produce deviations.
Although the Larkinsons and their consultants did not have a good idea of what to expect, they could still use their judgnt to determine what was normal and abnormal behavior.
At this mont, the artificial Incubator generated far more emissions than Ves and the others had projected!
"Why is the Incubator generating so much excess heat?! This is not supposed to happen! It was specifically designed to channel as much energy to the experintal device as possible." Gloriana complained.
She was right. The partial smart tal construct should have reached a stage of completion where it should easily be able to receive and store a large amount of electrical energy.
When Ves inspected the relevant section of his workstation, he noted that the nearly-complete experintal device had indeed reached the required stage.
Other readings showed that it was absorbing energy without too many issues aside from the problems associated with excess heat exposure.
Ves voiced his own thoughts. "According to my interpretation of the data, the interaction between the Incubator and the experintal device is largely unfolding as intended. The latter is receiving the appropriate amount of energy. However, that still leaves a large amount of unused energy that has erged from nowhere all of a sudden. It is this unexpected accumulation of energy that is causing the Incubator to release so many emissions."
His wife furrowed her brows in consternation. "This does not make sense. I am certain that we have not fed the artificial Incubator with excess materials or a large enough quantity of high-energy matter. I cannot deduce where it draws all of its excess energy from. It cannot simply appear out of vacuum, correct?"
Dr. Zeron Khabeel chose to make a remark.
"I believe that the origin of all of this excess energy is obvious. It is a consequence of an excess input of E energy."
That answer sounded more plausible than others. Although the short answer left out a few links, Ves imdiately beca convinced by the answer.
"Maybe you are right, Zeron, but where is it getting all of that additional energy from?" Ves scratched his head.
The ritualist looked around before settling his gaze on the tier 2 galactic citizen.
"I see now. We have completely overlooked a number of variables. The short answer is that you are responsible for the complications that have occurred so far."
"I knew it!" Gloriana quickly said. "It is always Ves that is at fault! What did you do this ti?!"
"Nothing! I haven't done anything crazy this ti! We all worked together on this project. Did you really think I could sneak in a few surprises when there are so many people around ? You know as well as I do that I have made a serious effort in restraining my creative urges. I admit that I felt tempted to implent additional ideas and innovations, but I rejected them due to the need to get the basics right."
His explanation caused Gloriana to relax, if only slightly.
"Hm, you are not lying. I believe you, but that does not discount Dr. Khabeel's words. What is it about you that is responsible for the deviations?" She wondered loudly. "Doctor?"
The ritualist was waiting for this. Since no one guessed correctly, the ritualist briefly explained his suspicions.
"We have been overlooking a major variable when it cos to working alongside an individual as exceptional as your forr patriarch. That is the complications arising from the use of a kinship network."
Ves blinked all of a sudden. Out of all of the possible answers, he honestly did not expect to hear that the Larkinson Network may be responsible for the odd readings and activity!
"You will have to explain that further. Do it quickly." He commanded.
"The chain of logic is not that difficult to comprehend, sir. Just think about what we have been doing. We devised a ritual around the artificial Incubator that has not accounted for the influence of a strong and well-designed kinship network. This web connects many individuals to each other. Theoretically, this can enable a prominent individual to channel the power of the entire collective. While nothing as drastic as this has occurred, even an unconscious draw from the power accumulated by the kinship network can produce a myriad of changes."
Although this explanation made sense, Ves still harbored a bit of skepticism.
"I would have noticed if I was channeling a lot more energy than intended."
"Perhaps it did not involve the direct transfer of E energy, but other forms of energy that are less detectable." Dr. Zeron Khabeel gently responded. "In my opinion, you occupy a very high position in the hierarchy of your Larkinson Network. You are the founder and forr patriarch of your clan. You are also its most successful inventor and ch designer. All of your contributions place you in a position of supre importance. Is it not a surprise that you can influence the minds of many of your Larkinsons and draw small amounts of power from them to amplify your own activities? So long as you continue to maintain your grip on your kinship network, you will never truly work by yourself."
Ves continued to furrow his brow in thought. He could vaguely understand the other man's argunt and may even agree with them. Still, that did little to soothe his unease at the bizarre situation.
"If… if you are right, Dr. Khabeel, then all of my work is connected to this phenonon. Everything I do will get amplified no matter whether I want it or not. This is certainly annoying for us all. Our models and calculations have beco largely useless due to all of the changes."
The more he thought about it, the more he beca convinced that the Larkinson Network indeed played an unexpected role.
The ritualists failed to account for this variable because they never directly worked alongside a tier 2 galactic citizen.
Now that they beca aware of it, they felt confident they could revise their models and produce more accurate numbers.
However, that was a matter left for later. At this ti, it was more important to stabilize the ongoing experint and make sure it did not blow itself up in the process.
Gloriana and the others had already begun to implent ergency asures in order to siphon away the excess heat and so on. It was easy enough to bleed away the excessive heat.
Once the artificial Incubator began to show signs of resuming a more normal trajectory, it had finally reached the end of its life cycle.
The non-organic Incubator began to fall apart.
Many parts of its hollow structure got cannibalized by the experintal device.
At this point, the ritual not only strengthened the creation of the potential source of stolen resonance, but also fed it with lots of 'nutrients'!
This caused the ergence of a smart tal construct that vaguely ford a large but rippling sphere.
This was the base form of the experintal device. Ves could feel that it had truly co to life through his own sharp senses.
Just like the previous experintal product, the second device possessed a sense of both unity and separation.
Many groupings of nanomachines comprised of sentient inorganic components.
Compared to last ti, the SICs were considerably stronger and more intelligent this ti.
While Ves needed to get closer in order to study the SICs in greater detail, he could already tell from distance that they were undeniably higher in quality.
In fact, the increase in strength, responsiveness and other factors exceeded his expectations.
They were a lot stronger and more functional than he expected!
This was both good and bad.
The good news was that the stronger SICs increased the success rate of their experint.
The bad news was that the stronger SICs may also cause problems if the experintal device ever lost control!
Ves grew concerned and quietly activated a few security asures in case this went wrong.
He even called Saint Rosa Orfan to bring her ace ch a little closer in case they needed to borrow her power.
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