A Path To Omniscience

"Alright, let's see..." Asher muttered, eyes fixed on the projection from the Optical Interface Terminal. A cord extended from the control panel of the terminal toward an empty spot in the workshop, where an SU-P-01 sat connected to the cord through a hidden port at the back. The drone had coupled thrusters, meaning that two were able to pivot in opposite directions, while another set faced the opposite way of those two at all times.

As if on a timer, the drone's thrusters suddenly shifted downward and activated. It rose about a meter off the ground before the thrusters pointing the opposite way kicked in, canceling out the upward lift and bringing it to a smooth stop. The gravity dust and an internal gyro kept the drone stable, even without continuous propulsion.

With the drone plugged into the terminal, Asher could see a live projection of its performance, complete with metrics and data, even tracking its inner workings mid-flight. At a glance, everything seemed fine, but Asher quickly spotted an issue.

"Hmm, the left-side thrusters are outputting around eight percent more thrust than the right," he noted. It wasn't a major problem, but still one that needed addressing. If one thruster worked harder than the other, the weaker one would strain itself to maintain balance.

In situations requiring precision, the drone would drift. Worse, if it reached top speed, the imbalance in forward thrust would send it spiraling out of control.

Stepping back from the terminal, Asher flopped into his chair and kicked off the ground, rolling over to his computer. It was already on, displaying a live feed of the drone's programming as it was in flight. Without missing a beat, he started tapping away on the holographic keyboard, running diagnostics.

Ten minutes later, he pushed away from the desk and turned to look at the drone, still hovering calmly in place.

"There doesn't seem to be a problem with the programming. Makes sense, considering I wrote it myself. In that case, it must be a hardware issue." With that, Asher stood up from his chair, walked over to the Optical Interface Terminal, and pressed a button on the control panel.

A second later, the drone powered down, lowering itself to the ground before shutting off completely. Walking over to it, Asher disconnected the cord from its port and returned to his chair.

It looks like I'll have to use the Nexus Space.

In the blink of an eye, Asher's consciousness slipped into the Nexus Space, his mental form appearing there, naked. He was going to be quick, so there was no point in bothering with clothes. 

The platform he'd built in the Mexis Space hadn't changed much, aside from being cleaned up a bit—he'd removed the clutter and junk he'd once brought in. He still wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to do with the Nexus Space. He could turn it into a mobile workshop, but that would be costly—much more expensive than his workshop in reality.

A lot of his equipment was connected to Frostvale Manor's power grid. Setting it up in the Nexus Space would require an isolated power source, not to mention the necessary infrastructure to support everything. And then there was the matter of making sure the power source was strong enough to run it all yet affordable to replace when it ran out.

All in all, it just wasn't worth the cost or effort right now.

Still, even without all the equipment, the Nexus Space is still superior to my workshop.

In Asher's hand was his drone. With a thought, it floated out in front of him, suspended by the telekinetic abilities he had while in this space. With another thought, the entire drone came apart—every bolt, screw, and unwelded component disassembled like a set of Legos, floating there layer by layer. 

Anything brought into the Nexus Space was analyzed and assimilated far more quickly than if Asher let it do the assimilation in the real world. This wasn't exactly a cheat, though, because he needed a certain level of understanding about whatever he planned on bringing, what it was, and how it worked. He wasn't sure about the exact percentage yet. 

In any case, he may have used technology from the future revealed to him by the Nexus Space to build it, but he was the creator of the SU-P-01, so his knowledge of it had already surpassed that of full assimilation. And because the drone was in the Nexus Space, all the information on it was being split and constantly updated live. 

It was like having two frames of reference.

On one side, he had the drone's ideal form based on his blueprints and specifications—the 'perfect' version that he had envisioned.

However, in the Nexus Space, he gained a second perspective: knowledge about the drone in its current, realized state, with all the wear and tear from testing and any possible faults. It was all available to Asher's mind, and a real-time comparison to his idealized version made spotting issues easy.

"Oh, so that's the problem." In an instant, Asher identified the issue, and with another thought, he returned to the real world, holding the SU-P-01 as if it had never left his hand. 

Just a few more days of testing and putting the AI through a couple of simulations, and the prototype should be ready. Then I think it's about time I put on a little show for my parents.

=====================================•=====================================

June 25th, 2033

"It feels nice to finish work at home a bit earlier than usual for once," Vance said with a soft sigh, leaning back in his chair. The glow of the computer screen dimmed as he finally closed out the fifty-page document he had just reviewed. Across the office, Nillia was standing there, having just finished sending a message on her scroll. Once done, she placed it aside and cast a slightly tired but genuine smile in his direction.

"Agreed. If nothing else comes up, maybe we'll get to eat in our room for once instead of here," she mused, her voice carrying a bit of hopeful relief.

"Truly living the dream," Vance chuckled, the sound of their laughter filling the quiet office. As the moment faded, Vance's eyes drifted toward her, his smile softening. He gestured for her to come over to him.

Nillia smirked as she sauntered over, her heels clicking against the hard stone floor. Circling his desk, she sat herself on his lap with a sigh of her own, leaning into his warm chest. The quiet of the office settled around them once more. It had been a while since they got to simply enjoy each other's presence.

But as time passed, the atmosphere began to shift—subtly, yet undeniably.

"You know... it has been a while," Vance murmured, his voice low as his hand slid over Nillia's thigh. His touch was slow, fingertips gliding across the soft, bare skin just beneath the hem of her knee-length pencil skirt. Feeling him, Nillia's breath hitched, her eyes narrowing slightly as a mischievous smile curled on her lips.

"Oh? You want to do it here?" She whispered, looking at him and leaning closer, her dark hair brushing against his face.

"You know the staff are always walking past our office. They might hear us." Her words were playful, but the slow stroke of her hand over his shoulders made it clear she didn't really care about being overheard. Her other hand had already begun toying with the buttons of his shirt, each one loosening with practiced ease. 

Vance's lips twitched into a knowing smirk.

"Well, we do pay them to be discreet, don't we?" His voice had dropped into a sultry murmur that sent an all too familiar shiver down Nillia's spine.

"Mmm... I guess we do..." She purred, her breath hot against his ear.

Their lips locked together the next second. There was no hesitation, no teasing build-up—just pure, raw hunger as their mouths moved against each other. Nillia's body pressed firmly against his as their tongues danced together, tasting and exploring one another like they had so many times in the past.

The normally quiet, businesslike office was soon filled with the sound of their fervor.

Vance moved his hands, hiking her skirt higher without breaking eye contact, just enough for Nillia to shift in the chair and straddle him, her legs wrapping around his waist. Her hair cascaded down like a curtain as she kissed down the length of his neck, her fingers deftly working to unbutton the rest of his shirt. 

But just as her hands were about to move lower, a sharp knock echoed through the room, freezing them both in place. They exchanged a glance, their breathing ragged, the haze of lust slowly clearing from their eyes.

"Maybe they'll go away if we ignore them," Nillia whispered, still hovering close to him, her lips just a breath away from his. She was half-serious; after all, the servants knew better than to disturb them when they didn't answer after the first knock and wouldn't knock again unless it was important. 

But a second knock came moments later, and Vance groaned in frustration. Reluctantly, he leaned forward as Nillia slipped off his lap. She quickly adjusted her skirt, smoothing the fabric with an irritated huff, while Vance rebuttoned his shirt, which Nillia had been ready to yank off of him. 

Once they were both decently presentable, they shared an annoyed glance before speaking in unison, their voices filled with irritation: "Come in."

The door creaked open and a blonde-haired, emerald-eyed Lavi stepped into the room with a bright smile, though it quickly faded as she caught sight of their expressions. Although it was unofficial, Lavi was essentially Nillia's personal maid, and she was accustomed to seeing her employers in various moods. But something about the way they were staring at her now just made her stomach drop.

Huh? What did I do? Is something wrong with my uniform? 

Lavi thought frantically and glanced down, checking herself over as quickly as she could. Everything seemed fine, but the cold tension in the room gave her another impression. 

Nillia, sensing the young maid's discomfort, took a silent, deep breath. 

"What is it, Lavi? This must be important..." Her voice held an edge of impatience, but she was clearly trying her best to dial it back.

"Y-Yes, it is!" Lavi stammered, standing a bit straighter.

"I was doing my daily check-in on the Young Master, and I noticed he had the staff helping him move some things. When I asked, they said they were taking them to the backyard. Then, when I spoke to the Young Master, he told me I was right on time and that he had something he wanted to show the two of you in the backyard and that I needed to fetch you both."

Lavi watched as the hidden hostility in her Sir and Madam's eyes faded at the mention of Asher, causing her to let out an internal sigh of relief.

The Young Master is probably the only person you can mention who can change their attitudes like that. 

Meanwhile, Vance and Nillia exchanged glances. It had been so long since Asher had called for both of them, especially for something outside, that they couldn't even remember the last time it happened. Their initial wariness was replaced by curiosity. Vance rose from the office chair and the two gestured for Lavi to lead the way.

As they walked down the hall, Vance muttered, "Well, this should be interesting."

With Lavi leading, the three of them headed to the back of the manor. They passed through a set of glass doors onto the backyard deck, made entirely of stone, with two staircases leading down to the garden. Just like the front yard, the backyard had been designed by Nillia.

Trees lined the property's edge, forming a natural barrier that prevented anyone from looking in. At the far end, there were flowerbeds filled with flora from across Remnant, surrounding a large pond with two smaller pools branching off. The ponds were teeming with vibrant fish, a living menagerie of colors.

Though the landscape appeared natural, a variety of hidden machines maintained it all—pond filters to keep the water clear, temperature regulators for both the water and soil, and more.

At the center of the open lawn stood Asher, who looked up with a smile and waved at his parents. Next to him was a large metal box, twice his height, connected by cables to a device in his hands that resembled a small laptop or mobile terminal.

Lavi excused herself, but she and a few of the staff who had helped Asher carry his equipment to the yard stayed nearby, curious to see what would happen.

"So, what did you want to show us?" Nillia asked, her gaze settling on the metal box and the device Asher was holding.

"Well, you both know I've been working on something for a while now. I've finally finished, and I wanted to give you a demonstration." Both of Asher's parents raised their eyebrows. He didn't really allow them into his workshop after a very short initial tour, but thanks to Lavi's daily updates, they knew he'd been working on something.

Still, they didn't know what it was or that he planned to show them today.

"Oh? Well, don't keep us waiting," Vance said, intrigued by what their son had created.

Obliging them, Asher turned to the device in his hand and began pressing a sequence of buttons. The metal box connected to it suddenly came to life. In the next moment, hatch covers—similar to those on missile launchers—flipped open. There were three rows of hatches, four on each row. As each one opened, something shot out from the box, a blur moving rapidly into the air.

Both Asher's parents and the staff watching were startled as the fast-moving objects became clear.

They were drones—twelve sleek, white drones with smooth, polished surfaces.

"They're called SU-Ps—Spectral Unit Prototypes. There are twelve in total," Asher explained as he pressed another button. The drones, which had been flying around seemingly at random, suddenly stopped and returned, hovering in a perfect grid formation in mid-air.

Now that they were still, the numbers etched into their sides were visible, each one labeled from 01 to 12.

"Whoa, what are those?" A staff member asked, peering out through the window.

"They kinda look like oversized mint candies, but they're flying. Did the Young Master make them?" Another asked curiously.

"No way! He probably bought them from somewhere," someone else chimed in.

Lavi, however, remained quiet. She had been tasked with keeping an eye on Asher while he worked in the workshop, ensuring he didn't injure himself. As such, she had visited him daily, and though she didn't know exactly what he was working on, she recognized these drones.

She had seen them back when they were just a mess of wires and circuits, and now, seeing them in their final form, she was in awe.

"I..." Nillia was at a loss for words, staring at the hovering drones. Whatever she had expected, this wasn't it.

"Asher, you made those?" Vance asked, needing clarification. Asher glanced at him, puzzled by the question, and nodded.

"Of course I did."

"You mean, like, you bought a kit and assembled them or something?" Nillia added, getting the same confused look from Asher.

"No, I designed the blueprints and built them myself." Asher wasn't the type to lie about something like this, but it seemed so hard to believe. How could a fourteen-year-old build twelve drones in an attic? Sure, he had access to equipment, but owning tools and knowing how to use them were two different things.

And even though they were aware Asher had ordered a lot of books, the idea that he had not only read them all but also applied that knowledge in such a short time felt almost absurd.

Without trying to ease his parents out of their shock, Asher continued, "Anyway, they can do a lot more than just fly around. They don't have all their features yet, but the primary ones are working."

He pressed another series of buttons on the device, and the drones paused for a moment before shooting off in every direction.

"At top speed, they can fly subsonic casually, and nearly Mach one at full throttle. The onboard AIs do have some trouble maneuvering at that speed though, but more training data should improve that." His parents were only half-listening to him, their attention fixed on the drones as they zipped around the yard.

The small sensors at the front of each drone emitted scanning beams as they flew, quickly mapping the entire backyard. In just a few minutes, they had covered every inch, even going so far as to scan over Asher and his parents as well. Once finished, the drones returned to their formation.

"There, the model's done," Asher said, turning the device in his hand toward his parents. The screen was small, so they stepped closer to see. When they did, their eyes widened in disbelief.

On the display was a detailed digital terrain model of the backyard, complete with data. The drones had collected all sorts of information, from average temperatures in specific zones—the areas around the pond and flowerbeds were unusually warm compared to the rest of the yard—to wind speeds, air quality, and other metrics.

It had even listed that it detected three living beings within the area—Asher and his parents.

"They're equipped with high-speed scanners that can quickly create a model of the terrain they scan. There's preset data for things like different types of plants, but the onboard AI can also recognize things it hasn't been trained to identify. For example, I didn't give it any data on humans, but it still figured out we were living beings," Asher explained.

His parents were speechless for several moments until Nillia finally spoke.

"Asher, this... is incredible! I can barely believe it." Her voice was full of a mix of emotions—confusion, amazement, and above all, pride. Truthfully, no matter what Asher had shown them today, they would have been impressed. After all, what kind of parent wouldn't be proud of their child's hobby?

As long as no one was getting hurt, and it wasn't some kind of unhealthy obsession, it was fine.

But this? This was on a whole other level.

"Your mother's right—you've really outdone yourself, Asher. But what are they exactly? And how are they floating like that?" Vance asked, still staring up at the hovering drones.

"Well, I designed them as reconnaissance drones. They use gravity dust for flotation and are fully autonomous once given a direct command. That could be used for anything from patrolling and scanning specific regions, navigating to coordinates to assess unknown areas, or even exploring caves. The sensors aren't light-based, so they work perfectly fine in the dark, though it does hinder the AI slightly since it's trained with a lot of visual data," Asher explained.

"Fascinating…" Vance murmured, rubbing his chin. Asher could already see the gears turning in his father's head, and he wasn't the only one. After her initial amazement wore off, Nillia started pondering a few things as well.

"How long can they stay active, and what's their operational range?" She asked.

"They can fly for about thirty-six to forty-eight hours in surveillance and navigation mode. But if they encounter complex terrain or need to make evasive maneuvers, that drops to twelve to sixteen hours. In their lowest power state, with minimal movement and simple monitoring, they can last up to seven days." The metrics Asher was giving sounded unbelievable—there wasn't a single drone on the market with such long operational times.

"As for their range, it depends. If you want direct communication without a relay tower nearby, it's around eighty to a hundred-sixty kilometers, depending on weather, terrain, and obstacles. Obviously, if they're being used for cave exploration, that range drops significantly. But their autonomous range lasts as long as the battery. They've got a kind of memory, so they can always find their way back to where they started, as long as they aren't knocked off course or have their memory and sensors heavily damaged." 

There was a lot more technical information Asher could dive into, but he decided to leave it there. He could already tell he had his parents' attention, which was exactly what he wanted.

I guess it's time to set the hook.

"So, what do you two think?" Asher asked, his expression bright. His parents exchanged a glance. What did they think? It was incredible that their son had built something like this. Honestly, they were mostly curious about what he intended to do with it.

Seeing their hesitation, Asher smirked slightly before adding, "You know, I'd be willing to sell them to you. For a price, of course."