“Data-Management.” Galatea stated, her voice resolute and convinced. And I had to agree with her, it was the one ability that set me, us, apart from other beings, the ability to seamlessly integrate with a computer and coordinate large amounts of data.

“Agreed. That means our job would be to facilitate and coordinate individuals or groups to work on a problem. In addition, it would be good to have aerial surveillance capabilities, similar to the drones we used to keep an eye on things in New Brunsburg.” I joined her in our shared mental space and we started to draw up the necessary tools to fulfill such a role.

It would take dedicated coms, relatively simple gadgets, likely in the shape of headsets or something similar, with little more function than a two-way channel to a communication-hub, where I would reside, to deal with the incoming information. While I could manage relatively large amounts of data onboard, using the clusters of nanites in my body, I would want a dedicated system for large-scale operations. That meant the best way would be some sort frame, maybe similar in scale to the flight-frame, but with equipment to handle hundreds of connections and the computing power to allow me the management of them. I had no desire to cook myself, as I had done while locating Sophia, so I would have to design the frame with that in mind.

And it should either have its own energy-generation, most likely meaning a fusion-reactor, or a large energy-storage in the form of energy-crystals. Which would be the better solution depended on the exact mission-parameters. If the main-purpose was to provide mission-control during a scourge-incursion, the energy-crystals would be perfectly adequate, but if the purpose was to provide mission-control for the recovery-efforts after a natural disaster, something that might take days or even weeks, energy-crystals just would not be enough.

I felt my face contort into a frown as I tried to figure out which was the better version, either had its immense uses. After a few moments of deliberation, I decided to design two versions, maybe even built them if I was able to acquire the materials, allowing for both eventualities. The biggest problem would be that a version with its own generator would be quite large, more a van than the smaller frame I had first envisioned.

Another thing I needed to consider was logistics, the best would be to integrate the control-frame and the flight-frame into one, allowing me to rapidly deploy in a wide area, even globally if I reworked the flight-frame during construction. The current flight-frame was made for relatively short flight-distances and the engines were configured as such. If I redesigned it, I would be able to push it into a configuration that allowed me high-altitude supersonic flight capabilities, and that would give me the ability to get anywhere if I so wanted. I had refrained from going there before, mostly because I had been worried about high-altitude flight and the easier detection caused by sonic-shockwaves. Unless I was considering leaving the atmosphere, there was no way around those and to do that, I would have to go back to the drawing board. Not that it was not an interesting challenge, essentially designing a spacecraft or space-station, but it went back to the whole ‘international upheaval’ thing I had worried about earlier in the morning. A lot of people would get very nervous knowing that a private person had the means to easily travel into space. Simply dropping a nice, solid rod, maybe with some heat-shielding, from an orbital structure would create an impressive impact.

With a mental shake of my head, I pulled up the original blueprints for the flight-frame and started re-doing them. I needed to add ports for surveillance-drones, computing power, radio-equipment, alternative ways to transmit signals, after all, I had already experienced that the Scourge was able to jam radio, so maybe data-transmission via laser, using the drones as relays?

My smile grew wider as I joined with Galatea, enjoying the challenge to design the new platform.

“...Metis?” A voice broke into my furiously working mind, the new, improved flight-frame having taken tangible form. For a moment, I was disorientated until I pulled myself together to the point that I knew that I was Metis and was being addressed. Opening my eyes, I needed to blink away spots caused by the sudden intrusion of light, blinding me a little. Once my eyes were working fine, I was aware enough to recognise Technica, standing in front of me with a worried expression on her face.

“What? Yes, I am awake.” the words dropped from my mouth before my brain had a chance to fully engage.

“Are you alright? I talked to you six hours ago and you suddenly sat still, closed your eyes and I could see that you were thinking. But that was six hours ago and you look like you didn’t move a muscle in those six hours.” Technica asked, her voice worried.

“I am alright, do not worry about me.” I assured her, causing her to mutter “To late for that.” under her breath.

“No, really. It is part of my power, a trance, if you will, that allows me to completely focus on something, getting incredible ideas and quickly working through a problem. I considered your question and came up with this.” I started, guiding her over to one of the wall-screens, using it to present my design.

“I think what makes me truly special, even amongst Powered, is my ability to process information in real-time, allowing a wide-ranging mission-control. But to use that, I need to link with every single operating unit, be it a each person or Powered or linking with small squads, either would work. The easiest way to do that and to allow communications during emergencies is to bring my own system, that was the premise. That means I need to provide simple communicators, that link into a aerial surveillance system, report their position to it and obviously allow communication between the field-unit and the base-station, namely me.” I began, displaying a simple one-sided headset with a small microphone. It was no great deal, it looked similar to what could be bought in hundreds of computer-parts stores but it had a longer range, almost two kilometers, used encryption and a dedicated channel. I had considered adding a small heads-up display, something projected over the user’s eye so I could relay map-data but had rejected the idea, at least for the mass-produced version.

“These link into the aerial surveillance system, I used something similar back in New Brunsburg.” I continued, now displaying the football-sized drones, complete with multiple cameras, the alternate transmission-systems and relays. There was a small sidebar with their exact specs and I noticed that Technica quickly went over them. The drones were good but they were not tremendously exciting.

“And finally, the drones link to the base-station, into which I would be plugged in.” Now, I pulled up the mostly finished information on the new and improved flight-frame, almost twice the size of the old one. It now looked more like an actual aircraft, albeit a vertical landing one, with small, stubby wings and additional engines, to loft the bulk, There were slots to carry and charge a complement of ten drones, allowing to cover about twenty square kilometers. In addition, the communication-aspects of the frame were obvious with various antenna and com-dishes visible in the rendering.

“Now, this is the idea for a rapid-deployment situation, sadly only able to operate for 20 hours, with global range. I am planning to add a larger version that would need something akin to your helicopter to carry it into action while being able to sustain operation for much longer, likely weeks, the limiting factor being maintenance, not energy-storage.” I finished my presentation, enjoying the look of surprise on Technica’s face. After a moment, she caught herself but was still smiling.

“Quite impressive. And yes, it is certainly something that can be incredibly useful, communication is quite important and mission-control can be difficult, especially when deploying with local forces. But you already know that, you participated in an anti-Scourge operation, didn’t you?” I nodded, shuddering a little at the memory. Back then, things could have gone rather bad, the Scourge was not an enemy to be underestimated. I pushed the memory of that day and the surrounding days away, not wanting to think about the events that had happened temporally close.

“It’s not a combat role, but that is just fine with me. You can do more from that module, directing people, than you could do by charging into the fray.” Technica nodded with approval once more.

What she did not know, as I had carefully hidden it, was that the complement of camera-drones could be exchanged, either completely or partially, with a different sort of drones, ones that were only partially designed. They exchanged the flight and observation-features with a rail-gun, similar to my rifle, moving around like a mix between a dog and a spider. With those, I could have teeth, if I wanted to, and teeth that I had no compunction against sacrificing. But those were something Technica did not need to see, or know about, not without some pressing need.