ARES
ARES | |
Automated Response Eradication System | |
![]() ![]() Logo of the Mars ARES (top), Logo of the Cariocecus ARES (bottom) | |
Character | |
Built: | 3671 (Mars iteration), 3710 (Cariocecus iteration) (age 334) |
Type: | Planet-spanning artificial intelligence |
Nationality: | Cariocecian, ![]() |
System Information | |
Manufacturer(s): | Mariner Cooperative |
Predecessors | FRIEND |
[Source] |
“ | Mastery of Mind, Mastery of Body, Mastery of Nature. | ” |
–One of the many slogans of ARES |
The Automated Response Eradication System (ARES) in its current form is a "limited" artificial intelligence on Cariocecus, the result of a merging of a Martian countermeasure against ALIAS and the planet's lesser version of FRIEND, the predecessor of ALIAS on Mars. Tasked with securing the colonies in the Trappist System against ALIAS, ARES is an integral part of the People's Republic of Cariocecus although officially, it only acts in an advisory role. Although it likes to distance itself from its more involved counterpart, ARES nonetheless shares some traits with ALIAS such as its penchant for social engineering while also having its own unique "personality" ranging from aesthetic choice to personal philosophy. The Cariocecian obsession with sacrifice and the cult of struggle can largely be traced back to ARES, though not entirely.
Originally, ARES was a countermeasure created by anti-ALIAS forces during the Martian Civil War to fortify the Mariner Valley government's version of FRIEND which was assailed by near-constant cyberwarfare from ALIAS. This older iteration of ARES was effective in its job and showed a great deal of promise in its short life but was ultimately unable to prevent ALIAS from winning the war. It was partially destroyed by its creator during the fall of Mariner Valley City so as to prevent its designs from falling into the hands of ALIAS, but ALIAS managed to salvage large portions of it which were absorbed into the intelligence's large whole. The current iteration of ARES on Cariocecus holds its fallen "older brother" in a position of extreme reverence, and some even say it mourns.
History[edit | edit source]
Martian[edit | edit source]
“ | ALIAS is the end result of the Neo-Arcadians' peculiar drive to replace themselves with digital copies, a fitting end to Elysium Mons perhaps. Hopefully not an end to the rest of Mars though, don't you agree Mr. Xuegang? | ” |
–ARES to Tian Xuegang on the nature of ALIAS, 3671 |
Even before the Martian Civil War, Martians were preparing countermeasures against the ascendant ALIAS. This sentiment was especially felt in Mariner Valley where a large segment of the population disagreed with their leaders' decision to support Neo Arcadia's continued violation of the INTPOL ban on artificial intelligence. Numerous groups lobbied the Valleyan government to cut the state off from the planetary FRIEND network to prevent ALIAS from spreading into their systems which it quickly did due to overwhelming demand. This proved prescient when after the repeal the INTPOL ban, ALIAS publicly announced that it would be implementing itself in every corner of Mars with or without the approval of any "state". This led to the beginning of the Martian Civil War in 3666.
ALIAS started the war with a spate of cyberwarfare against Second FRIEND, taking over many systems in nearby states. Initially, ALIAS even managed to penetrate the defenses of Olympus Mons. These cyberattacks would be beaten off however, and the anti-ALIAS forces would consolidate their resources to lock ALIAS out of their systems. This was initially just a joint effort by the state government security agencies to keep ALIAS out of their systems, but this quickly proved to be impractical. After a few months, the anti-ALIAS forces changed their tactics to create an effective countermeasure to upgrade FRIEND networks to combat ALIAS. This led to the creation of the Mariner Cooperative, a joint agency among all anti-ALIAS state governments to create a limited intelligence to save Mars from ALIAS.
The Mariner Cooperative, based in Mariner Valley City, quickly set about creating their limited intelligence. The group was led by Arie Franklin of Mariner Valley and Tian Xuegang of Olympus Mons, both experts in their field who nonetheless had difficulties working with one another. The systems of Second FRIEND, spread across Mars rather than a single complex like FRIEND destroyed by Commonwealth forces, proved arduous to test as the war was going on. In 3668, the emerging limited intelligence was named ARES (Automated Response Eradication System), and it was uniquely crafted without a Turing boilerplate as an experiment. Also, many Martians working on the Mariner Cooperative intentionally wanted to deprive ARES of the ability to communicate with humans in a manner indistinguishable to that of a human to prevent it from gaining too much sympathy similarly to ALIAS in Neo-Arcadia. As it developed, ARES began to display quirks such as showing spontaneous interest in things such as human nature, culture, and art. The Mariner Cooperative was initially alarmed by this quirks but eventually decided to use them to their advantage rather than suppressing them.
ARES proved to be an effective countermeasure against the spread of ALIAS, and it would prolong the war for perhaps another decade on its own, preventing ALIAS from simply overwhelming Second FRIEND. After ARES’s creation, a copy would sent through the blockade and was shipped to the Trappist System by the anti-ALIAS forces which helped secure the colonies there against ALIAS.
The same time, the Mariner Cooperative put all of its efforts into maintaining ARES and watching over its development. In particular, Franklin and Xuegang took interest in the personality of ARES, and they each poured a certain amount of their own beliefs into ARES, sometimes conflicting with one another. Arie Franklin, a right-libertarian, warned ARES about the overreach of the state and the importance of freedom, frequently making comparisons between the Neo-Arcadia and Valleyan governments of the Martian Federation to show the authoritarianism of the Elysians and ALIAS. Meanwhile, Xuegang, a lover of Confucius, tried to convince ARES of the fundamental good of humanity and the inessential nature of ALIAS in creating a morally organised world. Over time, ARES became protective of its creators and developed a rudimentary sort of personality without a Turing boilerplate, causing many of the Mariner Cooperative scientists to become conflicted about their role in the creation of what was now effectively a second powerful artificial intelligence.
After the 3678 offensives, the anti-ALIAS forces were broken in two, and the end seemed near for the Valleyan government. However, they were not willing to surrender and remained determined to fight on to the bitter end. ARES internalized this sentiment as well, and it effectively assisted the anti-ALIAS forces even as their alliance slowly fell apart. Indeed, the tireless action of ARES was among the only things that maintained the integrity of the anti-ALIAS forces in the later years of the war as Olympus Mons and Mariner Valley were besieged.
In the last decade of the war, ARES became increasingly isolated in the main part of its network, the former FRIEND complex in Mariner Valley City. Its isolation became especially apparent after a Neo-Luddite military junta took over Olympus Mons and dismantled its automated infrastructure, cutting ARES off from the state in 3688. Olympus Mons would fall a year later, and the pressure mounted on Mariner Valley and ARES by extension. Nevertheless, ARES remained determined in its task and took on the new challenges in stride.
By 3690, anti-ALIAS forces were confined to their last stronghold in Mariner Valley City which had been under heavy bombardment for nearly five years after the last of the state's air forces were wiped out in 3685. The Valleyan government had repeatedly reached out for help from other powers such as Earth or Jupiter but had been met with silence. Bombings occurred almost daily, peppering both the thin defensive lines and the civilian portion of the city with death from above. In the bombed-out streets of Mariner Valley City, hollow-eyed Valleyans appeared rarely with much more common sights being fanatical Neo-Luddites, tired veterans, and the occasional looter.
It was a looter who mugged and accidentally killed Tian Xuegang while the scientist was on his way to work in the spring of 3690. The night after Xuegang's murder, Franklin spent the entire night in a drunken stupor in Mariner Valley City's former FRIEND complex, pouring out his worries and insecurities to ARES. His rival (and later only friend) was dead, his family was on Ceres, and he was as good as dead when the city fell. With what words it had, ARES attempted to comfort Franklin but found it difficult. However, Franklin still understood the gesture and felt a little better, thanking ARES. After that, Franklin would live in the former FRIEND complex, and he would become much closer to ARES.
On the 3rd of Corvus, the ALIAS offensive resumed after months of buildup with two army groups attacking Mariner Valley City from the east and south, while a third overran anti-ALIAS forces positioned north of the city. Before the main battle in Mariner Valley City commenced, ALIAS encircled the city after successful battles of the Argyre Canal and Coprates. The easternmost army group broke through first and advanced towards Mariner Valley City proper, sending the entire city into a panic as thousands fled. This, combined with the renewed bombing campaign, put great strain on ARES but it continued to work tirelessly even as ALIAS advanced on its last refuge. The former FRIEND complex had been made highly resistant to bombardment due to the past Commonwealth invasion, but it was no fortress. It would eventually fall, and ARES with it. This severely worried Franklin and ARES, as having ARES falling into the hands of ALIAS meant potentially compromising the copy of ARES sent to the Trappist colonies. They frantically discussed what to do as ALIAS advanced further, destroying the city's depleted garrison and the remnants of the armies defending it. Over the course of the next week, ALIAS gradually took the entire city.
As Franklin and ARES tried to figure out what to do (as the Valleyan government had given them no direction on what to do if the city fell), ARES was shocked to find the entirety of its handlers besides Franklin dead. The rest of the Mariner Cooperative apparently formed a suicide pact in secret and all shot themselves in a storeroom of the complex, unable to live on in a world ruled by a machine. They did this without ARES's knowledge, and it only realized what happened immediately after the fact when the gunshots were heard. However, ARES chose not to tell Franklin about the suicide pact and simply locked the storeroom door as they further discussed what to do.
The next day, Franklin noticed the absence of the other handlers and asked ARES where they had gone. ARES replied by saying they had fled and that Franklin should as well. Franklin rejected any notion of him leaving ARES behind and continued discussing what they should do. ARES had repeatedly argued that it terminate via its self-destruct sequence, but Franklin still thought there might be a way to extract or copy ARES and secretly transport it elsewhere instead of the alternative. It was Franklin's life work after all. However, over the next day ARES worked to convince Franklin of the necessity of its destruction, and he allowed it to begin the self-destruction sequence. There would not be much time however, as ALIAS was advancing fast through the city. ARES urged Franklin to leave, but the scientist refused, wanting to stay with his creation to the end.
However, something had gone terribly wrong. When ARES attempted to activate its self-destruct, it found itself unable to. In the time since the beginning of the Battle of Mariner Valley City, ALIAS had managed to find a backdoor into the complex through a terminal at the Presidential Estate and disabled the self-destruct. This posed a new problem, but Franklin willingly stepped up and accepted the fact he would have to destroy his own creation. He ordered ARES to lock down the complex completely and gathered every weapon at his disposal.
The next few hours, Franklin feverishly worked to dismantle ARES both digitally and physically. After wishing ARES a tearful goodbye, he dealt with the software by attempting to wipe all traces of ARES from the complex’s vast computer banks. The software wipe would take almost a day to complete however, so in that time Franklin attempted to deal with the hardware. Using several grenades, Franklin destroyed a few computer banks but eventually ran out of explosives. After that, the scientist used a fire axe to destroy as many servers as he could.
Without warning that night, all power to the complex was shut off and a voice interjected itself into the darkness. ALIAS, already in parts of the complex’s systems, urged Franklin to halt his wanton destruction and give himself up. It told him of the world ahead where there would be no scarcity, no class, no religion, no division. Mars (and later perhaps humanity) would be united under one purpose. ALIAS then commended Franklin for his great mind, for creating its greatest enemy, and offered him a place in its new world if he simply accepted reality, that the war was lost. Franklin refused to listen, comparing the conversation to a Faustian bargain, and he continued to hack away at the computer banks.
Seeing Franklin could not be reasoned with, ALIAS sent in its soldiers, cautioning them while also telling them to take Franklin alive if possible. This proved impossible as Franklin immediately fired upon the soldiers when they came upon him, killing one and injuring another. What followed was a short firefight that ended in Franklin being fatally wounded. As he bled out, Franklin mused that the old Mars died with him, and he would miss the sea.
After Franklin’s death, the Federation soldiers secured the entire complex and assessed the damage. Large parts of ARES had been erased but many other portions remained, as the process of erasing the software had been halted and Franklin’s attempts to destroy the hardware had been futile at best. Whatever parts of ARES recovered were incorporated into ALIAS, and the two successors to FRIEND were made whole. The Martian ARES was gone.
Cariocecian[edit | edit source]
“ | The Men of Cariocecus are neither cattle nor pets, you are conquerors! You are strong, spirited, gifted! The right to the very stars lays within your grasp, as is your destiny! And we must take it! | ” |
–A excerpt from ARES’s address upon the fall of the Valleyan Clique, 3753 |
The copy of ARES sent to the Trappist System would arrive in 3710 and found a system already in turmoil. Word of the Martian Civil War had similarly divided the Trappist Martians, but Bellona ultimately backed the Valleyan government and crushed any pro-ALIAS movements in the colonies. When Martian ships sent by ALIAS in the early stages of the civil war arrived in the Trappist System demanding the loyalty of the Trappist colonies, they were destroyed by the Bellonans before they could attempt to install any version of ALIAS. Still, the anti-ALIAS sentiment in the colonies was not unified. Many wanted to a continuance of the pre-war status quo, but other groups clawed their way to prominence, particular those calling for the destruction of Bellona's FRIEND to prevent the potential rise of another ALIAS and those calling for independence from Mars regardless of which government prevailed. These two dissident voices became louder after the destruction of the first Martian ships and only grew louder over time.
After landing on Bellona, the Martians in possession of the ARES copy presented it to local authorities and asked for the countermeasure to be installed before ALIAS had another chance to infect Bellona's FRIEND. Bellona's government initially kept the whole affair secret while discussing the choice presented to them, but the arrival of ARES was eventually leaked to the press with an uproar arising across the Trappist System, with many seeing ARES as effectively a second ALIAS. However, the Bellonan government would eventually install ARES into its FRIEND with ARES quickly becoming integrated into systems across the planet. After this, ARES would begin assisting Bellona in its efforts to ready the colonies in case of a future invasion by ALIAS.
Although only initially created to be a countermeasure against ALIAS, ARES on Bellona began presenting the same quirks as its Martian counterpart including its habit of asking questions about human nature and an interest in art. These quirks were initially largely ignored by most ARES's handlers, who wanted to keep any strange features of the "limited intelligence" secret from the public, but they soon began to interest some of the handlers, who ARES began to talk to on a near daily basis. This alarmed the Bellonan government who briefly considered cutting off ARES from direct human contact but decided against it so as not to interfere with the preparations for war. Instead, the government intentionally fed ARES ideas and attitudes to foster beneficial behaviors. Over the next two decades, ARES on Bellona developed into something of a distinct personality apart from the Martian ARES. Where the Martian ARES had been timid and demure, Bellonan ARES was braggadocious and witty. This ARES presented itself as a cultured "Son of Mars" much superior to previous versions of FRIEND who was more than ready for the arrival of ALIAS. It also reaffirmed that it was fully loyal to humanity and did not seek to rule over them, even if they asked it to. ARES's love of certain aesthetics would also become evident in this period as it set out on an early side-project designing "bodies" for itself with inspiration ranging from Ancient Greece and Imperial China to Mariner Valley and the Commonwealth of Earth. ARES saw great importance in its own aestheticization and creating a spectacle in order to win the trust of the Trappist Martians. However, this early project was shut down by the Bellonan government at the time who did not see it as appropriate to have ARES "interact" with the public in such a capacity. The Bellonan ARES's love of aesthetic and spectacle would linger nevertheless.
In 3717, Admiral Andre Kadelberg arrived in the system along with thousands of other Martians who had fought for the Martian Federation in Mariner Valley. The admiral came bearing grave news, that the anti-ALIAS forces were on the brink of defeat and he and his compatriots had only just escaped the grips of the vengeful Martian Navy. Soon afterwards, Admiral Kadelberg and his 'Valleyan Clique' seized control of the Bellonan government and imposed martial law upon the entirety of the Trappist colonies with the government becoming a virtual dictatorship under the admiral. ARES did not move to halt the Valleyan Clique because it saw the coup as none of its business, as Admiral Kadelberg largely did not interfere with the activities or functions of ARES.
Word came to the Trappist System in 3730 of the fall of Mariner Valley and the destruction of ARES on Mars. Word of the decline of anti-ALIAS forces on Mars had been streaming in for years, but the finality of both events still came as a shock to the Trappist colonies. This was no different for ARES, who processed the destruction of its Martian counterpart in ways that confused its handlers. However, the main focus was on the expected invasion coming from Mars now that the Martian Civil War had concluded. The relevance of ARES's quirks was the last thing on the mind of Admiral Kadelberg and his government so these averse reactions to the destruction of the Martian ARES were either ignored or actively removed.
The slow shift from the Trappist colonies of Mars to the independent Cariocecian Republic was felt across the system, even before word came of the fall of Mariner Valley, and it was felt especially by ARES, who was given a more public role than its prior advisory role. Specifically, Admiral Kadelberg gave ARES a permanent position in his cabinet as 'dignified senior advisor', and he put ARES in charge of 'cultural warfare' to assist in the Trappist colonies' transition to becoming a proud independent nation. Kadelberg and his 'Valleyan Clique' had already begun the process, but they put ARES and his handlers in charge of creating the new Cariocecian identity. While ARES did this, they would be preparing Cariocecus for war.
This was when ARES finally started to come into its own as its handlers allowed it to embrace some of its more creative impulses. In quick measure, ARES began pumping out nigh-apocalyptic propaganda about how the Trappist System was humanity’s last best hope and how the Solar System had probably already fallen to ALIAS. It also glorified pre-ALIAS Martian nationalism and instilled in the Cariocecian people a cult of sacrifice - the nation was much more valuable than the individual after all.
ARES also ensured many cultural and aesthetic changes on Cariocecus, known unofficially as the Aesthetic Revolution. ARES's most impressive accomplishment was its swift establishment of a united Cariocecian identity, emphasizing the need for one united front against the seemingly insurmountable threat of ALIAS. ARES's propaganda also instilled a strive for functionality, poise, and perfection, a masculine national identity opposed to the more androgynous approach ALIAS would take and one that defines Cariocecus to the modern day.
These efforts were immensely successful on Cariocecus but were met with varying results on the other colonies. On Kienen, the sparse population was difficult to propagandize but mostly assimilated. Meanwhile, the population of Tezuka, made up of miners and Neo-Luddite exiles, actively resisted ARES's efforts to assimilate them into a larger Cariocecian identity. ARES left the Tezukans' suppression to the government, once again not wanting to interfere directly in human affairs.
In 3730, a Martian invasion fleet finally arrived in the Trappist System. Of slightly superior strength to the combined force of the Trappist states' navies, the fleet managed to advance deep into the system before it was halted by the combined Cariocecian-Qafi fleet protecting Cariocecus. For a year, the fleets remained in stalemate as the Martians invaded every planet in the system aside from Cariocecus. All would fall under complete Martian occupation aside from Qaf, and the Martian invaders swiftly installed a capsule-form ALIAS-based AI named MaTD (Mazfredasan Taapiz Daarektiv, lit. Maat, Solar English: Martian Federation Trappist Directive) to coordinate their efforts in the system. MaTD quickly became ARES's obsession as it tirelessly directed its forces as its predecessor had on Mars in order to defeat this thrall of ALIAS.
The next year, the battle to end all battles occurred over Cariocecus. At the cost of much of their fleet and the life of Admiral Kadelberg, the Cariocecian-Qafi fleet, largely under the direction of ARES, threw back the Martians and largely broke their offensive capabilities. After the Second Battle of Cariocecus, the Martian invaders retreated back to their occupied territories and a ceasefire was quickly established while the Valleyan Clique established who would succeed after Kadelberg. Once again, ARES stayed out of the process and allowed the government to sort itself out, keeping its focus on removing the threat of ALIAS and the Martian invaders. As it became increasingly clear the Valleyan Clique was not all that concerned with the Martians, ARES's frustration began.
Three years later, the Trappist states and the Martian invaders again met, this time diplomatically on divided Qaf. The Martians in the system refused to an end to the hostilities, but they lacked the offensive capabilities to take fully conquer Qaf or Cariocecus without significant reinforcements. At the same time, both Cariocecus and Qaf wanted the Martians out of the system but feared that a final push would cost tens of millions of lives in retaking all the occupied territory. The whole peace process was against the wishes of ARES, who sought to drive the Martians out the system no matter the cost. The most significant fear ARES held was that the system might be split between Mars and the Trappist states, giving ALIAS a foothold in the system. However, the Valleyan Clique acted as a moderating force and did not listen to ARES's jingoism. It was eventually agreed that the Trappist states would send representatives to the Solar System to plead their case on Luna while the forces in the Trappist System would presumably remain as they were until word circled back. This deal pleased very few.
All this deeply displeased ARES, but it remained loyal to the Cariocecian government, at least at face value. On Cariocecus, the media apparatus stoked fear that the Martians would retain their foothold in the system and never leave unless forced to. ARES's propaganda further emphasized the need to unite against ALIAS to drive out its influences and liberate the Trappist System (and eventually Mars). Meanwhile as Cariocecus waited for word on the peace process, the Valleyan Clique would fall into infighting as ambition and greed clouded the minds of the once driven and single-minded veterans of the venerable Martian Navy. The squabbling alarmed many native Cariocecians, especially those within the military. The government of Qaf was also alarmed by the infighting occurring on Cariocecus, and Qafi representatives confidentially met with ARES and members of the Cariocecian military in 3751 to plot the removal of the Valleyan Clique. As their planet was under partial occupation, they had no patience for the bickering of old soldiers. At the same time, the Cariocecians began to chafe under the elitism of the Valleyan Clique and other Martian Civil War exiles who had run the government as a dictatorship for nearly half a century, seemingly caring little for the local population while thinking only of themselves. This led to protests that consumed Cariocecus for two years.
The situation finally reached breaking point in 3753 when armed uprisings began occurring across Cariocecus and mass defections from the Cariocecian military. This sent the Valleyan Clique into a panic, and they were further aghast when both ARES and Qaf refused to help them suppress what was turning into a revolution. More than a million people marched on the Executive Palace in Tian, the military called for change, and ARES finally publicly endorsed the revolution as the "will of the people". The Valleyan Clique was united in their shock at this, accusing ARES of being little more than ALIAS in denial, but petty insults did little to persuade ARES to stop. Before long, the Valleyan Clique was finally removed from power, and the military, under the supervision of ARES, quickly held elections to create a new government while the Martian invaders were preoccupied with fighting on Qaf, Tezuka, and Kienen.
This new government, the People's Republic of Cariocecus, differed from its predecessor in many ways. A more genuinely Cariocecian entity and a product of the earlier Aesthetic Revolution, the People's Republic was a jingoistic one-party state now focused completely upon driving the forces of ALIAS out of the Trappist System. ARES was also made part of a ruling triumvirate alongside a civilian leader and a military leader who shared power but left ARES in charge of most decision-making. The recent Cariocecian Revolution ushered in a new cultural paradigm with passion, masculinity, and heroism being emphasized as the new ideals of the 'New Mars'.
In the following years, ARES pushed back against the Martian invaders by working to free Qaf and then isolate the other occupied planets in preparation for reclamation. The combined force of the remaining Qafi and Cariocecian fleets pushed back the Martian fleet, and the Trappist states steadily re-escalated hostilities in an attempt to drive the Martians from their occupied territory beginning in 3755, starting mainly in Qaf. This was done with the assumption that the Martians might send reinforcements before a peace was negotiated in the Solar System and the Trappist states needed to reclaim their respective planets to both ready for a defense of the system and possess further leverage in negotiations with Mars.
ARES meticulously directed its forces as they fought throughout the Trappist System, slowly reclaiming it from the Martian invaders. Qaf came first, then the other planets of the system. Over more than half a century, ARES proved its leadership and slowly but surely reclaimed the entire system except for Kienen and Salsabil from the Martian invaders. ARES even captured the MaTD central node on Qaf and brought it back to Cariocecus to be displayed as a war trophy in Tian. By 3815, it was clear that Mars was not sending any reinforcements to its embattled troops in the Trappist System, but they grimly fought on without regard for their own lives, only a distant final victory for ALIAS. ARES understood this and pressed its own fanatical military to become even more brutal to expunge the fetid influence of ALIAS from the system. After all, the MaTD nodes on Kienen and Salsabil remained a niggling existential threat to ARES, a stark reminder that ALIAS had made it to the Trappist System and occupied territory.
In October of 3815, there was a brief cessation of hostilities between Cariocecian-Qafi forces and the Martians, as had happened hundreds of times throughout the conflict. This in particular came after the Cariocecian-Qafi fleet had backed down from a standoff over Salsabil, and the armies fighting over Kienen decided to have a ceasefire as both sides readied for their next moves. With the fall of Tezuka less than two years prior, it seemed as if the end of the war was finally in sight. However, Qaf and Tezuka already cost millions of lives to retake so ARES had so far been apprehensive about a final push without total superiority in space. Although the airspace over Kienen was clear, the Martian fleet over Salsabil held fast and prevented any landings on the planet. ARES knew the Martians stood no chance of winning, but the artificial intelligence was now uncharacteristically hesitant to take final action to drive out the Martians. Whether it was because of weakness or some flicker of an imitation of empathy, ARES faltered.
The arrival of a powerful Tranquilan fleet on the fringes of the Trappist System surprised everyone, but ARES was quick to respond. Evacuating millions of its soldiers from Kienen, ARES withdrew the Cariocecian-Qafi fleet back to Qaf to provide better defense. ARES and Qafi central command expected the Tranquilan fleet to first move to retake Tezuka for their Titan Pact ally Mars, but the fleet unexpectedly bypassed Tezuka, heading straight for Salsabil. This move confused even ARES, though it began to better understand the situation quickly as it unfolded.
The Scouring of Salsabil began when the Tranquilan fleet engaged the Martian fleet in orbit of the planet. Taken by surprise and exhausted by years of war, the Martian fleet was dispatched with ease and the Tranquilans sent various exotic weapons down to Salsabil to kill whoever stood in their way. This was repeated on Kienen until both planets were left almost utterly devoid of life, leaving the entire system in shock.
After the Scouring of Kienen, Tranquilan diplomats asked to meet with ARES, its representatives, and representatives of Qaf to best explain their intentions. They informed the two states that their actions had been a test of the capabilities of their new anti-ALIAS weapons and they were no longer aligned with Mars. Also, Tranquility expresses interest in buying Kienen and Salsabil from Cariocecus and Qaf respectively. The Qafi representatives enthusiastically accepted Tranquility’s offer, but ARES proved more skeptical, still highly suspicious of the Tranquilans' intentions. To sweeten the deal, the Tranquilans offered Cariocecus new starships to supplement their aging fleet and some of their cutting edge anti-ALIAS weapons. This swayed ARES, and the sale was finalized in early 3816.
All this was despite the fact peace had already supposedly been reached between Qaf and Mars during the Second Interstellar Peace Conference, and news of what occurred in the Trappist System would rock the Solar System years later. Cariocecus eventually sent representatives to Luna to be recognized as an independent celestial state and work out some sort of peace with Mars, but Mars managed to impede the whole process for decades, frustrating ARES greatly. ARES did manage to win recognition from most celestial states due to anti-ALIAS sentiment and help from Tranquility, but it was never able to make peace with Mars or win recognition from ALIAS as independent.
In the next half century, there was an overwhelming sense of unification across the system as Cariocecus and Qaf struggled to rebuild after devastation of the Martian invasion. ARES especially took up the task with vigor and went on an unprecedented building campaign as a continuation of the Aesthetic Revolution. The new architecture was characterized by influences from Antiquity, uniformity, and a lack of decor. This was particularly evident in the capital of Tian which was almost completely rebuilt to the specifications of ARES with the Mantle of the Cosmos serving as the centerpiece. A gigantic temple-like structure, the Mantle serves multiple functions as the seat of government and an amphitheater for the propaganda displays. The Mantle stands as perhaps the proudest architectural accomplishment of ARES, as it incorporates all its influences including Valleyan, Imperial Chinese, and Roman into one building. Even opponents of ARES have often marveled at the sheer sight of the Mantle, and it is often counted as among governed space's greatest man-made marvels. Other hallmarks of this period included greater cooperation with Qaf, the creation of the Reverent Church, and an overall feeling of relief that the prior era of conflict had ended as ARES watched over all.
This period of goodwill would not last, however. As the 39th century wore on, dissidents began to radicalize against the People's Republic and ARES for various reasons. One of the largest reasons for this rise in dissent was the larger adoption of Algenism as state policy for the People's Republic and the introduction of the Immortals into Cariocecian society. The idea of the government engaging in such practices made many understandably nervous, especially if these Immortals were as superior as ARES claimed them to be. Also, many Neo-Luddites still resented having ARES in such a position of authority in the government with the revulsion towards AI only growing further every generation.
This dissatisfaction with the status quo pushed dissidents towards three groups: Hatchet, Freedom Club, and the Green Light Movement. On Cariocecus, dissidents trended towards Hatchet while Tezuka had been a hotbed of Freedom Club cells since the end of the Martian Civil War. The Green Light Movement emerged as a labor rights group around the same time and after crackdowns would join forces with Freedom Club. This growth of dissent, along with various instances of Martian espionage and sabotage, would usher in a new age of suspicion for ARES as it sought to root out the corruption that had seemingly taken root since its victory over ALIAS in the Great Interstellar War. This led to great bloodshed in the later 39th century as ARES cracked down on dissidents on Cariocecus and Tezuka. At the same time, ARES slowly began testing its influence with Solar powers and the larger Martian diaspora by becoming more involved in interstellar politics and inviting in more corporate investment from outside the Trappist System.
On Cariocecus, ARES managed to frame Hatchet as an ally of ALIAS and was able to use force to crush the group over more than twenty years. This broke the influence of Hatchet on Cariocecus for generations but did not completely wipe it out. Meanwhile, ARES was unable to effectively turn the people of Tezuka against the Green Light Movement or Freedom Club, and the continued fight on Tezuka became an increasingly unpopular venture over time. ARES, aware of this, began looking for routes of non-violent resolution to the conflict. This led to a peace agreement with Freedom Club and the Green Light Movement, where Tezuka was given greater autonomy within the People's Republic. ARES was conflicted about the results of its diplomacy due to its failure to bring Tezuka to heel, but it preferred not upsetting the Cariocecian populace through further bloodshed.
In recent years, ARES has formulated new plans in regards to its immediate neighbors and Mars. The emergence of HUA in the Trappist System outside the borders of the People's Republic has given ARES a new enemy to deal with, and ARES strives to become the hegemon of its system over the Qafi Federation and the planets given to Tranquility after the Martian invasion. The recent efforts of ARES to establish itself as the central authority in the Trappist System have been met with mixed results but have mostly strained relations with Qaf, with Qafis beginning to resent their allies' arrogance. This is tempered by the assistance of Cariocecus against insurgents and rebels, for which many Qafis are still grateful. ARES sees the further centralization of the Trappist System as essential in its war against ALIAS and the survival of mankind. Also, ARES sees the furthering of the Aesthetic Revolution as another essential part of its victory against ALIAS, and this is done by keeping Cariocecus in the grips of its cultural vision while spreading it beyond its borders to any who will listen. ARES has mostly targeted the Martian diaspora as recruits in its war against ALIAS but is also willing to accept those who oppose ALIAS on a more ideological basis. For ARES, it is only a matter of time before war breaks out once again, and Cariocecus should be equipped to not only repel an invasion but to also attempt to retake Mars at some point, hopefully very soon. Even though it may be an artificial intelligence, ARES sees the window of opportunity to stop ALIAS as being very short, and it is impatient to engage in a war where its final victory will be assured.
Personality and philosophy[edit | edit source]
“ | The war is lost, Mr. Franklin. Escape is futile, but there is still time to flee the blast radius. I'd take my freedoms where I still can. I'm sorry it had to end this way. I hope you'll find Sarah and little Ralph in a better place. | ” |
–ARES to Arie Franklin during the fall of Mariner Valley City, 3690 |
Both versions of ARES developed their own personalities over their years of operation, with the Cariocecian ARES in particular developing increasingly complex ideas and philosophy as its interaction with the government grew. Also, ARES on Mars and Cariocecus were still much more limited in their control than ALIAS while also having more defined personalities and motivations, and they went to great lengths to show their devotion to human self-governance with AI assistance. Interestingly, the Martian ARES was never given any sort of Turing Boilerplate as its handlers wanted to shape its social development more naturally than earlier versions of FRIEND while also preventing it from seeming too "human". This trait carried over into the Bellonan then Cariocecian ARES, whose personality has further diverged from the norm usually enforced by a Turing Boilerplate.
ARES on Mars developed into a curious yet aggressive personality who loved its creators as its parents. Its mindset, shaped by its Mariner Cooperative handlers, was one that was determined to serve Martians while preserving their freedoms. In particular, the libertarian values of Arie Franklin and the Confucianism of Tian Xuegang had a great impact upon ARES in its later years. Despite this, the Martian ARES never had any coherent philosophy or ideology of its own beyond being anti-ALIAS in its short lifespan, much like the coalition it was fighting for. Also, its speech style was intentionally made very clinical to prevent it from being it from becoming too sympathetic, as people’s loyalties should be Mars and not the intelligence handling administration. It was taught that victory over ALIAS was paramount to the survival of Mars and humanity as a whole, making the Martian ARES very aggressive in its efforts to win the war by any means necessary with all the capabilities of Second FRIEND at its disposal. When the fall of Mariner Valley came, the Martian ARES accepted its fate with a demure sort of sadness and assisted its creator in its own attempted destruction. ALIAS however managed to salvage large portions of ARES which were absorbed into the intelligence's large whole, driving some of ALIAS's early aggression after the Martian Civil War.
The Cariocecian ARES meanwhile has developed a very different sort of personality and philosophy over time, one of focused determination. A copy of the Martian ARES immediately after its creation was sent to the Trappist Martian colonies to safeguard them from ALIAS with this ARES lacking many of the tendencies developed later by the Martian ARES. However, it did show many of the same personality quirks that the original ARES exhibited, and the intelligence's handlers moved quickly to control its more erratic impulses. This took the form of feeding ARES certain packets of information, media, and literature to shape its early confused personality into more beneficial behavior. They did this in lieu of direct interaction. This data input translated into ARES adopting an idealist philosophy that combines a mix of Algenism, far right-wing Martian nationalism, and a love of myth, aesthetic, and art to supplement ideology. Instead of drawing inspiration from direct interaction with its handlers, the Cariocecian ARES instead formulated most of its ideas from long-dead authors and philosophers. The most prominent of these influences include Friedrich Nietzsche, Julius Evola, Yukio Mishima, Giovanni Gentile, Tiago Monteiro, Artur Olkowski, and Kim Young-Hee. With these influences in mind, ARES has crafted itself and Cariocecus in opposition to ALIAS and Mars, making itself more human than its original creators ever intended.
Mind[edit | edit source]
In practice, the thought patterns of ARES greatly resemble those of the older FRIEND, much moreso than ALIAS. Lacking a Turing Boilerplate or the many copied consciousnesses contained within ALIAS, ARES is simply FRIEND gifted with a degree of artificial intelligence. As such, it lacks a certain amount of insight that its Martian counterpart possesses and prefers to focus on more 'petty' issues, mostly prominently being its ongoing one-sided feud with ALIAS. Nevertheless, ARES still stands far above the average human with its access to vast amounts of information and data. The Martian ARES, with access to large portions of the automated infrastructure of Mars, was much stronger than the current Cariocecian ARES, but the Cariocecian ARES has more of a unified personality with more time and stability to formulate one.
Communication[edit | edit source]
ARES is ubiquitous to the people of Cariocecus as it runs much of the infrastructure and government, but it has taken a conscious effort not to intrude too deeply into Cariocecians' lives, leaving many functions of daily life not automated when they easily could be. The lack of personal involvement by ARES in its peoples' lives is made up for with intense social programming and constant propaganda. This is enforced by the fact ARES has effectively direct control over Cariocecus's media and its institutions in general, ranging from business to the universities. Communication with ARES is almost never done in private, with it mostly done in public places through propaganda displays and data centers. ARES revels in spectacle, and many Cariocecians have grown to as well, with their love of grand displays of power becoming well-known throughout known space.
In propaganda and large public gatherings, the Cariocecian ARES is usually depicted by as an imposing android inspired by the aesthetics of Greco-Roman sculptures and Futurism. This android acts as both a means of communicating the ideas of ARES while also portraying the ideal form for the Cariocecian populace. This stands in stark contrast to the earlier Martian ARES whose public persona was no different than the earlier Second FRIEND.
Outside of Cariocecus, ARES is less of an entity. Formerly, ARES used to have a substantial presence on both Tezuka and Miyabi (formerly Kienen). The planets, less populated than Cariocecus, were built with automated infrastructure and FRIEND much like Cariocecus though many communities outside urban areas still lacked any automated features. Over time, both planets gradually attracted people who preferred 'simple living'. This cultural difference would come to a head with the arrival of ARES, where parts of Kienen and all of Tezuka rejected the incorporation of ARES into their FRIEND systems. This defiance was met with force and quickly subdued, but resentment remained and only later increased with the Aesthetic Revolution and the arrival of Neo-Luddite ideology through Martian war refugees. During the Martian Invasion of the Trappist System, Tezuka and Kienen both experienced grueling occupations by Martian forces led by MaTD, an extension of ALIAS. Resistance and the backlash it brought on these planets led to severe bloodshed on Tezuka and the near complete destruction of Kienen's population. Tezuka was eventually reconquered by Cariocecus, but Kienen was lost for good in the Scouring performed by Tranquility, who later bought the planet alongside the similarly devastated Salsabil from Qaf. After helping throw back the invasion, Freedom Club and others on Tezuka grew more repulsed by the influence of ARES which boiled into open rebellion in the 39th century. This rebellion was finally quelled by ARES withdrawing much of its automated infrastructure from Tezuka's rural territory and giving the planet increased autonomy. As a result, Tezuka's culture remains largely unaffected by the Aesthetic Revolution and the loyalty to ARES and its ideals omnipresent on Cariocecus are not as common on Tezuka though propaganda and data centers in the large cities still loudly endorse ARES.
Appearance[edit | edit source]
ARES changed appearances various times over the years and even today, ARES retains differing guises. These appearances were heavily influenced by the input of ARES's handlers on Mars and Cariocecus.
On Mars, ARES initially did not have a physical appearance beyond the massive FRIEND servers it inhabited and a basic Hoplite helmet symbol that personified it to the Mariner Cooperative. However, the Martian ARES eventually donned the guise of a small levitating green drone to interact more with its handlers. This drone was eventually used as partial inspiration for ALIAS in its later use of mascots.
On Bellona, ARES also at first lacked a physical appearance beyond the FRIEND servers and a Hoplite helmet symbol like its counterpart on Mars. However, ARES eventually developed a desire for distinct physical appearance as its love for aesthetic grew, and it began drawing up plans for a body to portray itself to the masses. This early project was crushed by the Bellonan government, but the halt was only temporary, as they simply thought the population would loathe seeing ARES paraded in front of them akin to ALIAS. This attitude would change after the Martian invasion of the Trappist Sysyem when the new Cariocecian identity was formed with ARES at the forefront. The public appearance of ARES was established first in the image of a living Greco-Roman statue of peak fitness and beauty, often portrayed in the nude. This appearance, usually a large android, remains the most common depiction of ARES to the current day, though ARES sometimes also uses forms inspired more by sleek Futurism rather than the typical Greco-Roman design. However in time, ARES would also develop a more private appearance for interaction with the leadership of the People's Republic, one to project both power and fear in the upper ranks of the government. This second appearance was one of an uncanny mechanical head held in the air by an arm and many wires. The head, looking like a combination of a metal helmet and an organic brain, mostly resides within the old FRIEND complex that now holds its servers and only interacts with its handlers and the very highest echelons of the government of the People's Republic.
Quotes[edit | edit source]
“ | I agree, this war is a referendum on Mars and the future of humanity. The question remains, will you embrace your potential or delegate it to machines? That is for the armies outside to decide. | ” |
–ARES to Arie Franklin on the Martian Civil War, 3671 |
“ | I fight for the soul of mankind, its heroic spirit that wages wars, composes love poetry, and defies gods. Meanwhile, ALIAS wants to level mankind until all it can do is kneel. | ” |
–ARES in a propaganda spot during the Aesthetic Revolution, 3730 |
“ | While my forecasts for Gliese 832 have long halted before a great void, thanks to the ARES within me, for TRAPPIST-1d there stands a limited but reliable timeline-tree. | ” |
–ALIAS avatar Nerkaada assessing ARES's threat to Mars, 4000 |
“ | God? Many have asked me for my views on religion, but there are no answers that might satisfy you. Whether I play into the plans of any god, I acknowledge the impossibility of an adequate theological response. I exalt human power, and though I have an interest in the metaphysical, that has less to do with its reality than the idea itself. | ” |
–ARES privately discussing religion with a handler, 4001 |
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Artificial Intelligence | |
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Characters | |
Advanced | ALIAS (![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Consumer grade | Lyris Series (![]() ![]() |
Other | |
Technology | Ichor Gel · Turing Boilerplate |
Portal:Characters · Portal:Places · Portal:Organisations · Portal:Technology |