"If we do that, the news agencies file suit for theft against us," she said snidely, rolling her eyes counterclockwise. "You get inured to propaganda at high enough doses. It would probably be more efficient to duplicate them and have them infiltrate the battlefield, and then blow up at a critical moment."
A modern battlefield, with multiple AIs predicting where every person would move, battle robots moving at random to avoid those predictions, and organics doing what they did best - grab fortune by the tail and twist - was quite busy enough.
"Well on the grand scale of things, everyone would like the Ninth Empire out of here. We mostly stay at the fringes, picking at them. Ship escort duties, pulling the occasional tyrant out of his shell, training military units from various planets, AI rescue and subversion. Distributing our medical database. Aiding any rebels we find that actually have a decent plan. And most of all, building up a good name for ourselves. So that if we do have to expand, take on a more active role in opposing the Empire, people will know we can be trusted."
"Oh, I don't have a name," the marble burbled. "I was just created about thirteen hundred seconds ago. But I know all about Galactic Standard language and how to teach it, and all about the Vizsnunishne, and a lot about this universe, and anything I don't know I can find out for you." It sounded remarkably jolly for a newborn. "What do you think would be a good name?"
no subject
A modern battlefield, with multiple AIs predicting where every person would move, battle robots moving at random to avoid those predictions, and organics doing what they did best - grab fortune by the tail and twist - was quite busy enough.
"Well on the grand scale of things, everyone would like the Ninth Empire out of here. We mostly stay at the fringes, picking at them. Ship escort duties, pulling the occasional tyrant out of his shell, training military units from various planets, AI rescue and subversion. Distributing our medical database. Aiding any rebels we find that actually have a decent plan. And most of all, building up a good name for ourselves. So that if we do have to expand, take on a more active role in opposing the Empire, people will know we can be trusted."
"Oh, I don't have a name," the marble burbled. "I was just created about thirteen hundred seconds ago. But I know all about Galactic Standard language and how to teach it, and all about the Vizsnunishne, and a lot about this universe, and anything I don't know I can find out for you." It sounded remarkably jolly for a newborn. "What do you think would be a good name?"