Factory Isolation (SI Multicross)

World 1
AN: An amusing self indulgent riff off the whole SI craze going on. Especially the PA ones. This one has a decidedly different bent of course. This is just for fun and likely won't be updated often if at all. I'm calling it an SI, but it's not really. I'd probably be too lazy to do half the stuff on here :)

Factory Isolation / Fan Fic - TV Tropes

Mirrored here: Factory Isolation (SI Multicross)
Entry 1

I'm writing this more out of a sense of duty than anything else. Putting it in the system so that there's a record when my will cracks or I do something stupid and die. There are other, more verbose entries logged into this fucking thing, but writing things down might at least let the next person learn how screwed they are. If I don't manage anything. Which is more than likely.

First, if you're reading this, I'm likely dead and you're the next victim. Know this right off.

1) You've got a tool and system loosely based on the game factorio. That means you mine stuff, have bullshit compression techniques, and have a miniature factory attached to you invisibly.
2) That means biters exist. Those really annoying things that do nothing more than attack you in the game. They're real, and they're like attack dogs on steroids.
3) Building a rocket will not free you.

It's the last one that had killed the guy who made the first entry in this thing. He launched the rocket, and figured that would let him out. Since it was based on the game that's what it was supposed to do right? There's like one entry after that, and it's not good reading.

For me, I woke up one day on grassland. Had this freaky graphic interface light up over my eyes, and then found I could build things. It was a bit fun at first even. I built myself a miner, and a few fabricators. Even built a research station. Though they're more 'factory administrators' instead of research things. Basically you just need a few otherwise the smart stuff in your factory sort of just putters out or doesn't work at all. It seems to be sort of merged with whatever the hell gives me the ability to gesture and compress things.

So yeah, if this were any other situation this would be pretty cool. This is borderline magical shit. The only thing that makes me say it's not magic is the way the GUI is set up. There's enough logic to it that I'm pretty sure it's technology. Even if the technology is First One bullshit.

The problem is twofold really. One, I'm alone. Humans aren't meant to be alone. I can handle it better than most, but I give a few months at least before I get loopy. Two, I only have guest access to this doodad attached to me somehow. There's no designer, no way of doing AIs or research, and nothing but the standard blueprints that are easily accessible.

This is why I'm a victim, and other people were too. They were pulled in somehow, got this thing attached, and then given no directive. I've counted at least five different entries, and there are probably more from people who didn't bother to write things down. I'd be extraordinarily tempted to do something similar, but I've got a damnable sense of duty, and a stubborn streak a mile wide on certain things.

I'm treating it as a puzzle and a challenge. Giving into despair will only have another person have the same issue. I'd rather it end here, even if I have to find a way to destroy this thing. Since there's no name, I'm going to call it the Seed Factory, or Seed for short. The other entries are less 'polite.' I'll probably be using their names most of the time.

A checklist for me to keep sane with.

1) Read other entries on the Seed
2) Set Up a very small base with automated ammo and supplies
3) Work on jailbreaking the Seed

Entry 2

Depresed from entries. Biters are keeping me up too. Lost a lot of weight, and I don't think it's a healthy amount. The rations that I have are bland and tasteless. Filling, but I struggle to eat them. Going to see if there's a building or shelter in the blueprints. I'm certain I don't have them all, but there are still a lot.

Entry 3

Found a designer! One of the previous entries have it. You have to think 'command line' and then 'Out Manufacture Settings.' Well, it's not really a designer. I know my first entry said there wasn't, but that's only sort of true. You can sort of detail custom outputs. It's an outright horrible tool to use. I think it's mostly meant to do cludge changes. It could be old too, but I have no idea.

There's a few dozen blueprints in here outside the standard stuff. A house, an automated fighting bot, and a bath. All of them are horribly crude compared to the other stuff. I'm guessing they were made by the same person that figured it out. I'm going to play some with it.

Entry 4

I... Don't know how long it's been since my last entry. I'm fairly certain I started hallucinating. At the very least the biters and the lack of other sounds are getting to me. I'm sane right now... I think? Going to reread my other entries and try to do something.

Entry 5

Note to self, even with hyper tech, guns have kick and firing on the move sucks. Lucky I only zinged my foot and not outright destroyed it. An injury likely means death, and I've been really lucky.

Also, apparently I have the shakes. It's one thing to talk about shooting something, and another to do it.

Entry 6

I'm on a time limit. Well, I was always on a time limit, but now I've got another one. In the game factorio, the biters are just sort of there. Even if you really piss them off, they have a cap on how big they get.

These don't. And I've already noticed them growing.

Frankly I expect to be terrified later. Right now it's still not hitting me.

Entry 7

I really want to go home.

Entry 8

Need more. Scared. Bleeding everywhere.

Entry 9

Had a breakdown. Think I blew up something, hard to tell. Don't recall if I had built something in an area.

Waking up with a biter trying to claw down your neck is a really nice way of learning how you react to panic. I get really violent. I think I broke my hand too, but it's numb so it's hard to tell. Found painkiller recipe. It's the goooooood stuff.

Entry 10

Ok, I had a minor water phobia. Now I can't even take baths.

Tip if anyone's reading this, don't go near the water. Biter bioforms in the water don't care about size.

Entry 11

I have some breathing room. Not much. Only about ten walls, and forty turrets. I'm going to need to find another place for iron.

Did I talk about that? The miners here are sort of like the game, but ore's all buried deep. So they just do a loud grinding noise and go down to get it. It's pretty cool since I'm certain that it would require an entire team to get even half what this thing gets.

Sure it needs to be refined, but it's still awesome.

Sort of like the assemblers. They're like 3d printers, but better. They use some weird compression tech to make things that are far bigger than them. Then spit them out in the size of a brick. I can deploy them by waving my hand.

It's awesome, and really useful when you have a small army of things breathing down on you.

Especially since I need new armor now. I think I forgot to clean up. It's hard to tell you know? Days blend together when you're the only one around.

I'm pretty certain I needed to do something else too.

Oh yeah, I need more iron.

Entry 12

Doubled my turrets. Made power armor.

The power armor's nifty. Like it a lot. I only had to replace it twice. Once when a big worm swallowed me. The other when the shield I made got overwhelmed by some spitter things. There was a breach in one of the automated areas.

I've sort of started using the bots I found. They're frankly idiots that crash into walls.

It's better than me running all over the place. I think I can get a full nights sleep for once maybe.

Entry 13

Found designs for base building. Blueprints from previous entries likely. Some of them are pretty organized. I've got flying bots now!

Wheeee! The little flying bots are kinda cute too. I love their chirps. Been trying to get one to sing for me. Better than the biter noises or the damned grinding of the miners.

Entry 14

Chirpy blew up. Didn't do it right, and I shot it.

Entry 15

Really want to go home.

Entry 16

Passed out yesterday. Think from lack of food? Can't think much. Set automation to defend me. Going to rest and force myself to eat. Have managed to dig out a lot of dirt and am sleeping in a hole. The house sucks, and fell over when I kicked it.

Entry 17

I'm sanish now. I think. The rest helped, and while I can still see my ribs, it's not as bad.

I needed to jailbreak the prison thing right? I called it a Factory Seed.

Thought of a way to do it. Had some time to think. Running out of it though.

It's connected to the 'research buildings.' Or at least those buildings that were research ones in the game. The dome things. They're like big computers.

I'm going to build a lot of them. If there's a hard connection, there's probably way to spoof it.

Entry 18

One of the previous victims had a password cracker. Brute force if I remember the name right. Woulda been cute if the main account on this fucking thing wasn't throttled. You can input a password a second. There are a max of twenty characters. Theoretically it'd crack it with time.

I think it'd only do that in a centry or two maybe?

I'm going with my idea. Got enough research buildings that it's most of my base, and my base isn't small anymore.

Hope I manage something. The biters are now so large that normal bullets don't work at all. I'm dipping into rockets, but they're losing effectiveness fast. There's nothing bigger in the blueprints.

Entry 19

I'm not a fighter. It wouldn't matter without the proper tools anyway. The power armor helps a lot, but it's still got it's limits.

The biters are bigger than I can handle easily now. A worm ate a tank I built with me in it.

I'm really lucky I had a tank of 'rocket fuel' in my Seed. The stuff is hard to ignite, but with some desperation it's possible. And considering how much I used, the entire worm exploded.

Needed to replace my suit and the tank was totaled.

Half my base smells like burning flesh. Taken to wearing my suit all the time.

Entry 20

Figured out an exploit to crack the device. The key was the research buildings. I had to have them spam the system with all the commands they could process. The lag sort of caused the thing to crash.

After doing that a few dozen times I figured out how to force it into a safe mode.

I've got a wicked headache from the GUI spamming into my head, but I'm into the system now. It's called a Dimensional Miner's Assistant. So Factory Seed was sort of right I suppose?

It's got a lot of data in it, but none of it useful. From what I can tell skimming, the tools meant to get enough to get the resources into orbit, and defend yourself some. That's it.

There's a lot of data in it again though. I can't parse it all quickly, and I was hoping there was a weapon somewhere.

Entry 21

Fuck.

Entry 22

I want to cry. But crying would mean stopping. I can't. I can only run.

Entry 23

Got some breathing room, and figured out what's powering the biters. It took a long time to figure it out, but I just realized there's no birds. No bugs. Only trees and grass. The biters are connected to it somehow.

It's what gave me the breathing room. I climbed a mountain, and am basically squatting in some snow. No biters or nests nearby.

I'm going to do something stupid.

Entry 24

This was really stupid.

Entry 25

Active volcanos are pretty, even if you're running like hell.

Entry 26

Ashes ashes, we all fall down.

Entry 27

I'm really glad my power armor has it's own air supply.

Entry 28

Oh, now that I've gotten some more room, gonna explain what I did. A lot of the tech I have is pretty black box stuff that I have no idea what to do with. The miners though are relatively simple. They dig holes and bring things up.

Sure they have a lot of complex sensors, and other things, but the core thing is how they dig.

I can make a LOT of explosives. And some of it's pretty future tech. That's including the fact that there are a few fuel types in the database on the DMA that are unique and not part of convensional usage. They have a lot of energy though.

So I brute force adjusted one of the miners. Slapped it down on a mountain, and jammed as much explosive as I could down it.

Some of the biggest and nastiest stuff I could do. Enough that when I was done, half the mountain blew up.

One active volcano made. This would hopefully kill the trees, and kill biters nearby. I can survive without sun and in poisonous fumes thanks to the rations I can have built. The trees can't.

I plan on doing this in several areas. I've got a few macro builders. They can build stuff, and if the biters are away, I can have them build in peace. I'll need to manually build the first one, but when you have the blueprints it's pretty easy. Just need the time and resources.

Entry 29

It worked! No more biters nearby, and factories starting to be built! I've got plans for more volcanos now, and have refined it a little bit. I'm no scientist, but when all you're doing is making explosives remotely, you can afford a few screw ups.

I've got a rather large crater, and have to replace a lot of remote bots though.

Entry 30

I don't think I've talked about the bots much. The ones in the blueprints are outright bullshit things. They can compress, expand, and repair things in an instant. I can set them to deforest half a forest in a moment, and get a pile of lumber a few seconds later. They're also non-combat. The combat ones are nifty, but run out of power quickly, and have to be remade.

They also can follow blueprints really well. And can outright shape terrain to make things easier. They fly, and they do this rather cute little chirp to communicate.

Honestly I like them a lot. They're dumb as a bunch of bricks, but they get jobs done.

The reason I'm talking about them is because if you have blueprints, and an ability to order them, you can make some pretty big things. As in cover a tenth of the world in machinery.

It doesn't sound like much, but this is done by little flesh and blood me.

I've managed to set off several more volcanos doing this, and I think I have enough breathing room to finally read through the data in the DMA.

Entry 31

Well, there's a lot of stuff in here. Mostly tutorials. How to build things. How to adjust things, and how to direct things. Efficency tips. A few big space frighter creations. Something that sort of boosts containers up into orbit.

Medical stuff too. That I built right off. It needs a massive amount of processing power, but I have that. I'm healthier now than I've ever been. It's basically an automated diagnostic and treatment faculty. Quite powerful, and just as bullshit as the rest of the compression tech.

It even has a few cybernetic things, but those require a medical doctor. There's even a medical tutorial line to eventually learn that I think.

No history. No other entries.

Need to keep looking.

Entry 32

Found dimensional tech. It was buried and seems to have been deleted?

Entry 33

New volcano made. Know why the tech was deleted. Really glad I activated it really far away.

Entry 34

Experimented again, this time after adjusting the tech significantly. Still new volcano. Caught something hitting it from orbit?

Entry 35

Oh, there's a big fucking thing up in the sky and I can't see it. That's the only explanation for what's going on. On the plus side I have a enough volcanos that I'm certain the biters aren't coming back.

I'm not a scientist. I don't know rockets. But I have all this future tech that can boost things into orbit, and an entire world to use resources from.

Lets see if I can get lucky.

Entry 36

I think I should have invested in a bunker. Falling stars are cool, but not when you know they're rockets filled with explosives. One of them got far too close for comfort. And I had to rebuild a factory. Not that big a deal now, I've been able to expand horribly fast now thanks to the lack of opposition.

Entry 37

Hit the big thing. No damage. Need a bigger boom.

Might I just say having a clear goal to work towards makes me surprsingly happy and sane? I don't care how long I've been gone, it's just nice to have a goal. I want some good food so badly. Well and other things. Someone to talk with would be nice.

Entry 38

Need a bigger boom.

Entry 39

Need an even bigger boom.

Entry 40

Made a mini sun! Boom big enough.

I'm finally going to be able to leave this place.

Unfortuantely it's going to be a bit of a one way trip. I'm packing everything I can into a tank, and considering my compression tech, that's a lot, but that's peanuts compared to the amount of resources I have laying around.

The simple fact is this DMA is specialized to mine materials, build buildings to assist in that, and then send it off. If I were to guess it's meant to have a team of people be dropped on a planet and just start building. Then they're picked up and can leave.

The rest is automated to send at times.

So the only dimensional tech blueprint I have is basically a big send portal. I don't even know exactly what it does. Only that it sends things.

Oh there's a lot of tutorials about it but it makes my brain melt. I might be able to get back if I really needed to, but I'd need to remake the entire thing, and it's got some hefty requirements.

The worst thing that could happen is I die. I've attached the password, my blueprints, and everything I could think of to the guest account.

The next person will hopefully be able to progress more.
 
Last edited:
World 2
AN: More stuff. This is mostly me writing when I'm inspired. I've got a few quests I'm running that I don't want to neglect. Hence why I'm not making promises.

---

Entry 1-1

Starting up a new entry and notation since I'm not dead. Yay for me. Admittedly I've got no clue where the fuck I am, and in retrospect throwing myself into a random area could have been far worse, but I can't really say I've got a good sense of safe practices anymore. I'm fairly certain I've been alone for more than a year, so I'm lucky I still remember how to talk.

I do know how to talk still right? Testing one two. Yeah, I do. Fortunately the training things have nice soothing voices so I can be certain I've not had a language drift.

Well, maybe. I can't rule out an auto translate feature.

Have I mentioned how much I despise not knowing how my stuff works. There's a difference between driving a car and knowing the basics, and throwing yourself off a cliff in hopes that something you strapped to your back works. That's what I did in the jump thing.

I'm extraordinarily lucky I just landed in a wasteland instead of on water or in orbit. I'm guessing there are a few failsafes on the dimensional launcher tech that keep it from doing somethings stupid.

I'm going to have to, horror of horrors, go through the tutorial to learn it completely. This is harder than it sounds. When I said it made my brain melt, I meant it. I think it's like PHD material to even get the basics. I don't got the time or the aptitude. Or the inclination really. I'm going to skim some of it and hope I can pick out what I need.

Entry 1-2

Well... I want to hurt myself, and something else. Found a dimensional 'catcher.' The counterpart for the launcher. It's buried in the blueprint files. Only found it cause the tutorial mentioned a few very distinct symbols, and the search on this thing is very robust when it cares to be.

I could have built it back on the biter planet and given myself a possible return point.

On the plus side, I did figure out enough that I can get back even without it. The coordinates are quite literally twenty different fields, but the DMA records the primary ones that indicate planets. Furthermore I've figured out that there are failsafes.

The tutorial is remarkably condescending about them. Something about stupid proofing the system.

I'd grumble, but considering my recent actions I'll grit my teeth and bear it.

More annoyingly is I've been walking for who knows how long and found nothing. That's why I got so far in the tutorial. There's nothing here but wasteland.

Entry 1-3

Preferred the nothing.

Entry 1-4

Oh god too many eyes! EVERYTHING IS NOW ON FIRE AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT IT.

Entry 1-5

More fire!

Entry 1-6

Well, found out where I am. Be nice if I remembered more than this good, that bad. I kinda wish I remembered a few prayers too.

On the plus side, not many things resist fire as hot as I've learned how to make it.

Entry 1-7

Fucking no blood for the blood god. I'm going to burn your idiot lemmings to ashes and stomp on their skulls.

Entry 1-8

Ok, that's it. I've had enough. I've been getting nightmares, my armor has gotten screwy, and fucking fighting Nurgle champions is the most disgusting thing in the world.

I've found a blueprint for a 'Planetary Bombardment Class Bunker.' Basically it's a home for a good hundred people capable of taking a planetary bombardment and keeping them safe. It's got so many redundant settings on it that you'd have to hit it with a direct hit multiple times to bring it down.

Remember that big ship? That thing made a volcano when it shot down. This thing is designed to tank a shot.

Hopefully that's enough to give me some defenses, and let me change out of this armor. I don't like the look of it, and the shields are flickering too much for comfort.

Entry 1-9

I'm in fucking Warhammer. That's the only explanation. Worse, I think I'm in the chaos wastes. I don't know the lore, but I remember that place being bad. I'm lost, and there are fucking hordes bearing down on me. Literal hordes.

To top it all off, I'm getting nightmares. Well that and other dreams that indicate demons. Or me losing my marbles. Neither one is good. I've been so isolated that they're picking up on what would hit me.

Seriously I nearly got tempted by a one of those demonettes. Fortunately my sex drive is really weird, so they squicked me out quick enough once they got going. Not going to say what it's like because I have no clue if they're reading this, but I'm safeish for now on that front.

Well, it's pretty obvious I hate the blood. Seriously there's kinky and then there's horrifying. The nurgle at least just do ick.

Also, toasted my armor with plasma. Only way to be sure.

Not seeing any mutations, so I'm hoping that my shielding on the armor I use is good enough. I don't have materials to really replace it too often. Admittedly I have a lot though.

This is why I've bunkered down. I've gotten to about half my ammo and explosives. Considering how fucking much I had, this is an accomplishment. I'm lost, I have no idea where I'm going, or even if I can get out.

So I'm going to mine and then see about doing the volcano trick again. Fire is hopefully the solution here.

Entry 1-10

Ever see a possessed miner? I have. Really freaky with the fire and brimstone. And the whole screaming for the blood of the living. It makes a halfway decent explosion at least, and the demon screaming as it dies is almost cathetic.

I'm not letting anything here interface with my systems. Too much chance of something infiltrating it. I've noted a tendency for weakness towards magic.

On the plus side, the automated turrets handle hordes fairly easily. I've got a flamethrower up just to keep the blood and the fucking nurgle horrors dead.

Entry 1-11

I had to replace my armor again. Down to my last suit.

Fought a sorcerer. The planner guy, not even bothering with the name since I forgot how to spell it. Bird motif. Think he noticed how I fried anything birdlike nearby because he didn't try for the temptation route. Just tried to do something sorcery like.

It cut through the armor and I've got a few new scars. One because I literally cut out the affected area. Didn't want to chance corruption.

I got a medical diagnostic, so I'm hoping that it can detect aberrations. It sees nothing at the moment.

I've gotten a radar up and it's managed to find the edge of the place. I'm taking a car and running soon after. I stay here longer I'm going to have to use a grenade on myself instead of the enemies.

If the get my DMA I've become the largest war criminal in any history. Not chancing that.

Entry 1-12

Car's wrecked. Well, several cars are wrecked.

You know those cheesy action movies? They're a lot more fun to watch.

Demonic horses are fucking terrifying. They go crunch when you run them over though.

Minor note, if my shields down, don't block the blades. I have future tech armor, and it still nearly took off my hand. Course it was one of those freaky demon things, so that might have done it too.

Also, I got the play walk away from the explosion. Of course it was more drive away and be several miles away, but the thought counts. I wired my entire base to go up with most of my explosions.

Shame I couldn't do the volcano thing, but it needs help from the ground underneath, and I'm not sure that there's anything there in the wastes.

Entry 1-13

Found my way into some mountains? It's cold and snowy. Armor's insulated though, and I think I'm out of the bad area. Will take cold over fucking endless hordes of lemmings.

If I wanted to deal with that shit I'd have stayed at the biter world and let them live. Fuck that shit.

Found some indications of an iron deposit here. I'm going to use one of my emergency miners and bootstrap myself up some.

Entry 1-14

Orcs are NOT better!

Entry 1-15

Orcs with guns are WORSE!

Entry 1-16

Rocks fall, everyone dies but me damnit.

Entry 1-17

Ok, apparently mining in a particular area was just asking for the local orc hordes to find me. They got shot mostly, but I've been running low and resources and skimped a bit on the guns. Enough that they got close and I had to use a shotgun.

I didn't notice at the time, but they managed to ride away with several of the turret scraps. They strapped them together into some insane contraption and tried again later.

Worse I apparently gave them ideas. And orcs apparently just need ideas rather than actual knowledge.

I'm fairly certain that they don't need fucking explosive shit. In fact, I'd really appreciate it not happening again. So I exterminated the tribe with an avalanche. Then used a flamethrower to be certain I had the job finished.

Furthermore, I very specifically hunted down anyone I could even think of being a survivor. I can't track worth shit, but spamming radars let me pick up anything moving. Fortunately the radar is bullshit tech that can detect people, so I'm good there. Fairly certain I got them all, but that's orcs for you.

Entry 1-18

Dwarves! Someone to talk to! I'm so happy!

Entry 1-19

What's a grudge, and why the fuck are some pissy about it.

Entry 1-20

Fuck it. I'm giving them several tons of metal ore. That should keep them happy.

Entry 1-21

Ok, I'm horrible at social skills. Fortunately they think I'm a mad wizard. I think that's fortunate? Hell, I'll take what I can get. I know I can barely talk nowadays. Been alone too long. I'm bending over backwards to help with these guys because I can't stand leaving, and fighting would be stupid.

Fortunately their rangers (I think that's what they're called) are at least tolerating me.

I'd give them guns and shit, but I think they'd treat them as chaos weaponry. I don't blame them, but that makes things hard to deal with.

Got more orcs coming, and apparently a chaos horde too. I'd say it's chasing me, but I've been fairly certain that I didn't leave enough survivors for that.

Entry 1-22

The dwarves stuck me on a hilltop nearby. Basically I'm free to do whatever there in aid of the threat, but they don't want me directly around. Most of my stuff does better when I don't have anything in the way, so that's good.

On the plus side they like the iron. And they don't mind the fuel either. It saves on fuel elsewhere. They seem to trust that somewhat. Especially since I'm mostly shipping them coal.

Entry 1-23

Where the FUCK do they get these hordes. This is fucking insane. I've killed so many of these fucking lemming fuckers that I'm certain I could drown in their ashes. (I don't touch the blood.) Not only do I have a fucking chaos horde nearby now, I have a fucking orc Waaaagh too.

Both of the idiots are here, and actually focusing on fighting me and the dwarves instead of each other.

I'm this far from saying I'm out.

Entry 1-24

Ok, dwarves are blaming me. I don't blame them here. I'd leave, but it'd leave them to die.

Don't know what to do.

Entry 1-25

Well, do something stupid then. This is a mountain. I know mountains somewhat. And I've got more explosives. Just barely enough.

Entry 1-26

Even stupider shit's happening.

Entry 1-27

Why am I doing a fucking last stand here?
 
Oh i like this a lot.
At least for me as i have played factorio and i for some reason that i don´t know love the entrys.
 
Interlude: Last Stand
"That's the last of them Manling." The dwarf spoke from behind the armored figure as it bent over a large machine.

"All the civilians, and their stuff. Gotta remember the stuff." The figure pulled back from the machine and turned it's armored head towards the dwarf. "The compression tech should be able to get most of it, and I don't want another grudge."

He was a big thing. Most of it was armor based on what the dwarf knew. Underneath it he was a pale, almost sickly looking manling. With it on, he looked like a monstrous creature made of metal. The dings and scars simply lent it an air of age and dangerous power. He did have power the dwarf knew, but he also was a manling and had all the flaws of being one of them.

"Manling, we've said a thousand times that we owe you." The dwarf sighed and rubbed at his head before shaking it. "They're all in that contraption you made. We're ready as we'll ever be."

"Hate timed missions." The armored man muttered and then waved his hand. A block object expanded from nowhere at the gesture and he bent down as a tool popped out from his armored hand. A quick gesture had it ripped open and he pulled out a black block smaller than his palm. "Explosive being set." He dropped the small block into the miner without fanfare.

"You know, when you said you were going to blow the mountain, I didn't think it would be with a little square like that." The dwarf shook his head.

"That's about as expensive to make as the entire base. The compression tech's weird, I think I've said that before right?" The armored man shrugged his shoulders. "I'll say it again. I don't know how most of my stuff works, but what I do know makes my brain hurt."

Gunfire erupted as the man spoke, and the dwarf jumped. The armored man didn't seem to notice as he looked off into distance. After a moment he shook his head. A few dozen chirps heralded several flying spherical robots that circled around the armored. They seemed to zap him with electricity before they flew off again.

"That'd be the orcs finding we're gone from the hold likely." The dwarf stated grimly and looked down the hill.

It was a scene from hell downhill. Large turrets roared as the fired at seemingly random directions. Further down, orcs charged into the the lines of fire without care, and exploded into gore. To the right was an encampment just outside the turret's range. There were demonic looking siege engines there. Evidence of the chaos horde that was laying siege to the encampment. Most of the siege weapons were destroyed and shattered, but several were being put together by tortured slaves.

As they watched, a rock came soaring through the air and missed one of the turrets. An orc catapult started to wind back and seemed ready to try again. This time with a goblin holding something.

The armored man cursed and raised a hand. A large gun formed in it, and he fired. A rocket erupted in a gout of fire and raced down to the catapult. A second later it exploded.

"Get to the shuttle. Make certain your hold's strapped in." The armored figure muttered and the gun disappeared. "The mountain's going to take some time to blow, and we don't want them expecting something. That sorcerer is worrying me still."

"Aye manling, but we can't leave without you." The dwarf yelled out over the increasing noise of gunfire. "I remember what ya told us about it. It might be better than dead, but not much."

"Fucking piece of shit fucking fukity fuck fuck fuck." The armored figure probably didn't hear the dwarf as he moved down the hill mechanically.

Torn between his people and the fight, the dwarf hesitated a moment before heading back. He didn't trust the human at all. Too much unknown about him. But he was out of options. They were a small hold. Nothing capable of holding off the hordes at their doorsteps. A lot of dwarves blamed the human. They also knew that there was no help for it. At the very least killing them here would hopefully stop them from hitting the rest of the holds down the mountains. If they died in the process thanks to the manling's sorcery, then so be it. At least it would be together.

Down the hill the armored figure didn't really think of that. He was in the zone so to speak. He was not a fighter. But experience and technology and refined his movements to something smooth, mechanical, and reflexive.

Orc horde in front of him. Shotgun up, firing off. Some trying to sneak by. Wait for it, materialize grenade, and drop. Mechanical and without passion.

He had a goal. The chaos horde right now. Obviously he was targeting the catapults. He was actually trying to provoke the sorceror.

The chaos hordes had learned quickly that nothing could really bother him aside from their champions. The slaves tried to scurry away, but a few whip cracks had them pausing and turning back at him. The armored man barely saw them. His shotgun came up and fired repeatedly. They erupted in gore and viscera as the bullets shredded them in half. The slave masters along with them.

Arrows flew through the air and bounced off a shimmering shield as the man practically walked to the catapults and aimed his shotgun. Then leaped to the side to avoid the splash of chaos magic.

"Tzeentch!" The sorcerer cried out as he threw another blast of magic. "Tzeentch be praised! He grants me another chance to slay me hated foe! Your power will be mine!"

"Seriously, why don't you stay dead." The armored man muttered in reply and fired at the sorcerer. The bullets glanced off a green looking shield with an ominous pang. Several nearby slaves screamed as the bullets impacted their limbs.

"Feel the wrath of the chaos gods!" The magic user raised his arms and began to channel a spell. "They will feast on your soul as I steal your power!"

There was a click as the gun changed in the man's hand. He pointed it off to the side of the sorcerer. Then fire erupted from the weapon. It stuck to the ground and burned with bright intensity as he swept it across the ground and around the sorceror.

The magic user coughed and staggered back. His shield protected him from the fire and heat, but the lack of air was keeping him from chanting further. The spell dissipated without trouble unfortunately, and the armored man felt a bit disappointed. The last time he had done something like that the sorcerer exploded.

"Ah well, can't win them all." The armored man muttered and made a gesture.

Several dozen tanks of oil dropped down in front of him, and the man kicked them casually down the field and into the fire. The powered armor lent his casual movements a massive strength though, and the tanks bounced with force. Most of them missed the sorcerer. But the fires were fairly hot. One hit the shield and was deflected just enough for it to spring a leak. The resulting mass of fire was enough to send the entire chaos encampment into chaos.

At this point the armored man began to sprint back. Through the turrets, and deeper into his base.

Inside it looked remarkably empty. Most of his assemblers and other items were gone. There was just a robo-port there to manage the little flying robots, and a few chests filled with ammunition. It wasn't optimal, but hopefully it would be destroyed in the oncoming volcano.

"Took your time getting back!" The dwarf muttered.

"Wanted to do a bit of fire cleansing." The armored man muttered as he looked up at the massive metal object in front of him.

There were two things actually. One was basically a big bus. Filled with scared dwarves and their families. The other was a device that could throw things inside it into another dimension. Mostly what the armored man was looking for was being certain that it was setup right and powered. Certain that it was right, the man then pulled himself inside.

"We're going now!" He yelled.

The entire bus lit up with power and lightning formed around it. Then it flashed with arcane light. And disappeared. Several minutes later the entire mountain went up in fire. Coincidentally right about the time when the orcs finally managed to hit the turrets with their catapults.

The bus appeared in another world. Maybe a second later, maybe an hour. It was hard to tell with dimensional physics.

The world it appeared in was a horrible place. Ash covered and with clouds so thick the sun no longer shined. Lightning and thunder were common, and the rain if it came was so acidic it would melt lesser metals.

The armored figure sighed. "I really wish I hadn't had to come back. Fucking chaos."

Off in the distance a thousand bots started to chirp and squeal as they found their master's signal. Metal and other materials were already being brought to him.
 
Dwarves in Total War are a bitch to fight and kill in any situation. But imagine equipping them with Power armor, Tank armor as shield and Gun Turret as hand held weapon...

The urge to equip the Dwarves grow inside you.
 
Back to World 1
2-1

Ok, confession time. I was probably never going to leave the dwarves. Stupid me got really attached thanks to them being the first people that actually talked with me in forever. So I think I might have pushed a bit hard for them to come with me. It's hard to tell since the entire clusterfuck was rather epic.

Basically I'm back in the biter's world now. It's a hellhole, but it lacks hostilities. Which is more than I can say about the Warhammer world. I'm here because for some reason I must have pissed off all four chaos gods, the orc gods, and any other god out there that even looked in my direction. It was probably the swearing and copious use of fire. And the murder. Can't forget the murder. Fucking idiots practically walked right into my guns repeatedly. Sure they ran out of ammo eventually, but they had something like several thousand rounds a piece. It took literal hordes to do force them to run out. I'm pretty sure normal people don't do that shit.

Fleeing was probably the most sensible thing I could do if I didn't want the death of things I actually care about. The dwarves are ornery and spiteful bastards, but at least they're somewhat sane. Furthermore, I'm not letting children be killed on my watch. I don't care if it steps on toes.

When I fled, I took the dwarves with me. They're apparently a small hold of them. Five hundred sixty two dwarves. More than half of them women and children thanks to the men dying out in fighting. I had to take them all over in one go because I lacked a catcher on this side. Otherwise they would have been scattered across the planet, and that would kill them just as quick as the chaos hordes.

Now I have to deal with the consequences of this decision. It's not a pretty one despite it resulting in people living. I've just uprooted families from their homes. It's going to be very hard for them. Especially since this planet isn't a nice one.

On the plus side I can handle the logistics. That's something my DMA is good with, and I've had practice building things. There's even a handy 'hostile environment colony' setup that I can use. It's basically a pre-made series of blueprints that can be configured for a colony. I'm assuming it's for worlds with no air since it has sealed airlocks. That's not strictly necessary here, but it will keep people healthy. The air's horrible, but won't kill you if you're wearing something to filter out the ash.

Need several greenhouses too. Going to go overkill there, just so we have room in case something stupid happens. Plus I'd like to have more food than rations. Those will keep you alive. That's it.

I'm going to give the head dwarf guest access to my DMA with almost full permissions. He's grumpy, but responsible enough that I can hopefully trust him with that. It's more in case I'm not there to stop something. I've already flagged everyone as friendly with my DMA to prevent friendly fire.

Also plan on making about five hundred TVs and putting them everywhere. I lack entertainment, but these tutorials might help people out. Well, if they ever stop thinking of it as magic long enough to learn. Later I might be able to convince them to try out the educational games. Those are good to learn right. It helped me some with the organization parts.

2-2

Already got dwarves asking how long until they get home. I don't want to tell them that at best I can get them on the planet right now.

2-3

I'm going on a very long walk right now. Staying nearby the base is going to get someone hurt. Likely the dwarf because I don't take off my armor much anymore.

2-4

Had to drag a dwarf kicking and screaming into the medical area. Didn't want to, but he got radiation poisoned of all things. There are like two things that could do that in the entire base, and that requires you taking the damned thing apart.

The healer practically took my head off for using the thing too, and they isolated the patient to be certain that I didn't do some chaos magic to him. I'd applaud the paranoia if I wasn't getting pissed at the entire group.

2-5

I refuse to be out stubborned by a dwarf. You hear me? I REFUSE!

2-6

I think there are bets about the outcome now.

2-7

Scratch that, I know there are bets.

2-8

I win! By virtue that he didn't want to shit his pants. Now if I could only remember what it was about. Ah well, not very important now really.

2-9

Well, the healer of the group has decided to take over the medical area. I think it's because he found the medical tutorials. They're probably one of the densest things I have access to aside from the dimensional physics one. He said something about manlings finally getting something right. That was him referring to the amount of time it typically took a doctor to learn everything.

Would figure that a ten year course would impress him.

2-10

Ooooooh. We have a rune master here. Or rather a rune trainee? I'm not certain on the lingo. He's not a master, but he's pretty good at it apparently? Whatever. He knows enough to be out on his own and got caught up with us.

I've introduced him to a few etching tools for fine detail work. It can't make runes entirely, but it can apparently cut down on the time significantly. He doesn't trust it entirely, but the capability to save his work properly makes it invaluable apparently. I found a few tutorials for it, and showed him what circuits are for. Especially the creation of them. They're sort of analogous I think.

Apparently he got the idea of trying to do microscoping runes from the thing, but it's going to take a lot of time and experimentation.

2-11

Got another request about going home. I had to talk to the dwarf boss. He was understanding about it frankly. Especially the whole 'random place in the world bit.' The conversation had me near tears frankly. Don't like thinking about it.

It's getting kinda nice here, but I know it's not home. A lot of dwarves are getting a bit stir crazy. I don't know what to do. It's just not efficient to have them carry things.

Maybe see about getting them working more in the greenhouse?

2-12

Greenhouse exploded.

2-13

Had to literally shove bodies into the medical center. Screaming and burned people. Didn't care if they didn't trust me or the machine. Would rather that then they die.

Healer guy's mad at me.

2-14

Fucking miracle no one died. I've had to go on another walk though. Had serious nightmares, and reflexively used a rocket launcher as I woke up. Fortunately I sleep alone, but I've locked down my weapons at the moment. Don't want to do that because it makes me twitchy, but it's that or possibly kill someone.

2-15

Got some good news. The little ones have started to go through the tutirals. I've even managed to introduce them to the games. I think they like them.

2-16

Boss Dwarf is annoyed at me, but actually not that mad. Asked if the little ones were suitable for some of the stuff. Gonna be honest, if we get a good programmer out of the entire bunch, things can get really big.

2-17

Emergency in another greenhouse. What the fuck?!

2-18

Ouch.

2-19

Addendum: Written by 'Boss Dwarf' Kazarik Son of Durisom, leader of the clan. Written as witness and added to his logs as the manling isn't able to do so. Found them amusingly written, if admittedly ignorant and done by a mandling.

Several dwarves have brought shame to our clan, and jeopardize the fragile peace we have achieved. We knew following the manling that we were risking everything. That we have lost our world and our home is expected. We have an opportunity here though. Once we achieve independence from the device he knows as the DMA, we have an entire world to ourselves.

The manling knows this of course, and encourages it. That others subordinate to me do not acknowledge this is what brings us shame. I would proclaim them oath broken if there were things to slay here, but instead I will prevail on other materials. They are now in stasis and under the care of our healer until such time as they can cleanse their shame.

The crimes they are guilty of are simple and heinous. Destruction of clan property, assault of an honored ally, attempted murder of an honored ally, jeopardization of clan resources.

Simply put, and in the manlings words, "They made the greenhouse go boom." With him inside.

As another addendum in case he reads this, saying you forgot your name does not let you get to choose a 'better one.'

2-20

Well, the medical station can regrow arms. Cool!

Less cool, I have to head back to warhammer. Playing house with dwarves is fun, but this isn't good for them. I'm going to prepare right this time though. It's going to suck.

I'll have catchers set up though. And I need to slog through the dimensional tutorials. That's going to take years.

Fortunately dwarves are patient, and the medical tech can make me practically immortal age wise.

Uggggggg.
 

Lalzparty

I'm not drunk enough.
I have no idea where the hell this story is going.
The plot progression is interrupted by your logs not describing in detail what's happening, so it's honestly getting difficult to read your work.
 
I have no idea where the hell this story is going.
The plot progression is interrupted by your logs not describing in detail what's happening, so it's honestly getting difficult to read your work.
I'll do another interlude piece next. People were enjoying the logs, but I if you're getting that reaction I'll pull back from doing them as standard update forms.
 

awesomecow

Back to lurking.
Well, the medical station can regrow arms. Cool
The fact that your SI is so happy despite an attempted assassination by his own guests speaks volumes about the damage to his psyche.

Or about the quality of his painkillers, who knows.

And while the logs leave so much to my imagination (in a good way), seeing the SI and his behaviour from an outside perspective clears up a lot of confusion and speculation. Hope your muse still runs strong Lost!
 
Hah. Was looking up dwarf lore. They apparently have 10 men to 1 woman?

Yeahhhh. That's going in the trash as stupid. Seriously, it's almost as bad as the Skaven. At least they sorta have a reason for their sex divide.
 

Abhoth

Giant Robot Fish
Oh, I LIKE this! Threw him straight into the deep end, too! Honestly, I don't know of many places where you can send the SI that are worse than Warhammer.

WH40k, maybe? Perhaps Phyrexia from MtG.
 

E.I.G.

Robo-Bird
A Factorio fic alone is enough to draw my interest. Then you proceeded to make the environmental destruction of a normal game look tame, and follow it up by giving dwarves access to the documentation on self replicating machines.
I like it.


Starting off in a fantasy world helps with the limits on the Factorio tech base, which is impressive by modern standards but a bit simple for many sci-fi settings.
Having the locals you found taken back to starting world is something I have not seen before, and should be interesting as there is an implication that the technology being used is not quite unique so could proliferate.

Overall I am looking forward to what comes next.
 
Medbay Talk
About the only good thing about the medical bay was the lights were bright. That was the human's thought as he looked up at them. Technically he could probably leave to be honest. His hand was regrown, and he didn't feel any pain. Practically there were few things scarier than a healer on a rampage. He really didn't want to chance it.

"You coherent manling?" The dwarf asked gruffly as he entered the bay.

"Up and ready boss..." The man trailed off at the dwarf's look and changed what he was saying. "Kazarik."

"Better." The dwarf pulled up one of the bigger stools and hopped onto it. His vision was level with the human's now. "The dwarves who did this are in stasis until I say otherwise. The last time we had this conversation you were on painkillers, so you weren't able to talk about it. We're talking about it now."

"Yes sir." The man nodded, and frowned as he closed his eyes and reviewed a bit. "I honestly don't remember much about it really. If you think that's an appropriate punishment, then I'm fine with it really."

"Based on what they confessed, they lured you into the greenhouse and used a fertilizer explosive to drop it on you." Kazarik frowned at the hand of the other person. "Most of your body was bruised, but it looks like your arm was mangled, and it had to be removed. Your lucky the healer has been working long hours to understand the medical devices here. I don't think you would have gotten the hand back otherwise."

"It is pretty nifty." The man poked his new hand and then settled back on the bed. "My armor should have gotten most of it, so I can't say why it got my arm." The grimace from the man was pained. "I hate losing memories."

"Really now, what did you say when you first found us?" The dwarf raised an eyebrow at the human, and continued. "I believe it was 'Well, this is embarrassing, I forgot my name. No biggy. Call me the drifter.'"

"I dislike losing important memories." The human crossed his arms and looked away with embarrassment.

"And that's why you're staying in here." Kazarik replied firmly as he crossed his arms. "You've been ignoring yourself completely in favor of us, or going for 'walks' where you do nothing but move around in circles."

The man looked back at the dwarf and sighed. "You know I'm going to say yes anyway."

"Oh, I know. But you're going to be taking the healers orders until he thinks you're not going mad in the head." The dwarf stated flatly. "And that means no work or lessons. Including those dimensional lessons."

"I kinda need that to get you home." The human replied flatly.

"We have time. I'd rather you not kill yourself in that time." The dwarf replied back just as flatly. "I'm not budging on this manling."

The manling in question shifted a bit in the bed and then nodded reluctantly. "All right. I'll give it a shot at least." Then he frowned. "Why'd the dwarves try to blow me up by the way?"

"Convinced that you were trying to damn us with 'temptations of magic' or some other nonsense." Kazarik settled back in his stool and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Admittedly there's a lot of that, but everyone's horrified at what those two did. Not only did it blow up some reserve seeds, it could had killed others too."

"We good on food?" The man took this thing more serious than anything else.

"Several of the pregnant lasses are taking extra rations instead of anything else. They've figured out how to flavor it a bit somehow. It makes it palatable, and that's probably going to tide us over until the first round of crops come through." Kazarik smiled a bit. "Like I said, reserve seeds. We even have a few goats on the way."

That got a blink and wide eyes from the human. "Goats? You jammed goats on that thing? It was going to be cramped as it was, how did you manage that?! Also, pregnant lasses? Seriously what was I missing?"

"The goats were done with bruising, and showers afterwards." The dwarf replied with a chuckle and continued. "And we're in a safe place with no enemies in sight. With nothing to do. What did you think would happen? I've had to do several dozen marriages already."

"I should have expected that I suppose." The man chuckled as well and frowned. "Well, I just thought of something for people to do. It's kinda pointless to be honest."

"Anything more than waiting and trying to parse through lessons would help." Kazarik stated simply. "About half the dwarves are miners and soldiers. Not farmers. And we don't need many farmers thanks to the automation in the greenhouses."

"Backstory then. When I came here there were biters and such. I've told you about them. What I did to kill them was basically set a very crude macro that spammed various setups across the planet. It was still running until I came back. That meant volcanoes at various times, and miners all over. It's stopped now, but all of those factories were meant for a single purpose. Teach the miners and soldiers how to drive, and give them read access. They should be able to head out the factories and when they get there we can let them change it up." The human paused and shrugged.

"That seems useful. Why do you say it's pointless?" Kazarik asked with a frown.

"There's a point where you have too much really. I've hit that point awhile ago." The human shrugged. "I'm going to assume the guys will have the stuff move here on trains eventually. We'll literally stockpile it up and have nothing to spend it on."

"I see..." Kazarik nodded in understanding. "Still, it might be useful later, and it will give our people something to do. At the very least it's trade goods." He got to his feet and began to leave. "I'll have the boys start on driving lessons."

"Cars are in the area labeled transportation." the one in the bed waved his hand in the air as he spoke.

AN: Suggestions on dwarf names? :D
 

shadowace2400

Planeswalker Extraordinaire
The fact that your SI is so happy despite an attempted assassination by his own guests speaks volumes about the damage to his psyche.

Or about the quality of his painkillers, who knows.

And while the logs leave so much to my imagination (in a good way), seeing the SI and his behaviour from an outside perspective clears up a lot of confusion and speculation. Hope your muse still runs strong Lost!
Little bit of column A, about a handful of column B. He's fucked up been fucked up has a few screws loose and high as a satellite right now you do the math
 
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