SIVA and the Exodus Project

I wanted to make this post to help tie in the RoI SIVA storyline into the global Destiny story. While on the surface it may appear that SIVA is a story spin off without relation to the original story, it is in fact not true. So this post is a bit of a historical backdrop that hopefully ties the two together. In the Golden Age, Clovis Bray the man and namesake of his company, creates the warminds. The warminds are among humanity’s greatest creations. Hardened AI bunkers used to develop research and protect humanity. A group of scientist on Venus, part of the researching organization called the Ishtar Collective, are investigating another race which has appeared in our system, the Vex. This research results in new technology, technology that allows alternate timelines to be viewed via a machine called “The Device”. What purpose did the Device serve? [spoiler] From Vex 5: “The purpose of the system is intelligence, you see. It’s stenciled right on the hull: SxISR. Special asset.” [/spoiler] Under the supervision of a warmind, the scientists use the Device to gather intel. And the intel is alarming. Viewed timelines foreshadowing coming darkness and chaos. Thus the Exodus Project. A golden age effort to colonize humanity beyond our solar system. The name is interesting and I consider telling. Exodus is not an expansionistic term. By definition, Exodus is mass departure, withdrawal, or evacuation. I think the term Exodus implies the project’s goal was to get off earth to avoid the coming darkness. I also stress the term “beyond our solar system”. Colonization within our solar system was already occurring. Colonies on Luna, Mercury, Venus, Mars, etc, existed already. This is a deep-space project, as the submind in Old Russia 4 states: “we will be nine billion miles away” which conveniently puts things outside the edges of our system, well past Pluto. All those colony ships sitting the in Cosmodrome? That was where it all occurred. Under Rasputin the warmind’s direction, a massive and aggressive colonization effort was put in place. We know the name of some of those colony ships. Exodus Blue is one (crucible). Exodus Red is another (Old Russia 2). The Device intel about the coming darkness? Rasputin had this intel, and he was acting on it as noted in Old Russia 3. [spoiler] “Rasputin quietly moving another doomsday weapon into Earth orbit. And all the other launches too, not just weapons but people, the colonization schedule pushed up…as if the need to disperse is now imperative.” [/spoiler] But in order for this colonization effort to take place, tools were needed: SIVA. From RoI, we have a pretty negative view and understanding of SIVA. We view scenes and grimoire showing an aggressive swarming cloud of nanobots attacking and infecting those around it. SIVA corrupting the environment and being bastardized by Fallen in an attempt to gain power. But SIVA was meant to be a colonization tool. Given the proper directives, SIVA is a non harmful swarm of nanobots capable of constructing colonies. It doesn’t need food, sleep or power, so it can be sent deep into space on long journeys. When the Iron Lords found records of a golden age construction technology capable of building up colonies at an advanced rate, they saw SIVA as an opportunity to restore what was lost. But what the Iron Lords did not know, is that even Golden Age humanity was not without their flaws. Humanity couldn’t just leave SIVA as a construction tool, they wanted to weaponize it as shown below. The Iron Lords thought they were searching for a peaceful, colony building version of SIVA, but little did they know, SIVA could be used in a military manner was well. One thing Bungie did that I like in this DLC is the flavor text on the raid gear across all 3 classes when put together in order of record documents a golden age conversation between a WB and a CL. WB being Willa Bray, and CL being General Chen Lanshu (reference Old Russia 3 card). Here is the total conversation between Willa Bray (works for Clovis Bray) and General Lanshu from the raid gear: [spoiler] CL: Let’s get right to it. How can Clovis Bray help the Exodus project? WB: We’ve found a way to push our matter encryption technology even further. Habitats, equipment, repairs of all kinds – all of these can be made from one material. SIVA doesn’t expire, degrade, or forget. It can remain dormant even on long voyages. Nearly any problem a deep-space colonist could have, SIVA can fix. CL: And how long do the effects of SIVA last? WB: Well, SIVA requires no external power source, so….forever. Just give it a directive, and it won’t stop until it gets a new directive.” CL: This sounds like it could be invaluable to Exodus colonists. But Malahayati has some concerns. (my addition, Malahayati is an exo sub-mind of Rasputin and friend of General Lanshu, see Old Russia 3 card) WB: Generally, poorly worded or malicious code is the fault of the programmer, not SIVA itself. CL: Doctor Bray, I’m sure you’ve realized SIVA’s applications extend beyond colonization.” WB: I’m not sure what you mean, General. Is this still about the Exodus program? CL: The Exodus program would be interested in exploring SIVA’s defensive applications. WB: General, my team did not intend for SIVA to have military applications. CL: Willa, some of history’s greatest inventions began as unintended side effects. [/spoiler] So humanity expanded SIVA’s capabilities. And Rasputin holds the keys to assigning SIVA’s directive. In Rasputin 6, Rasputin gives SIVA the directive to kill the Iron Lords and we see what happens. How different the scenario would have been if Rasputin had used SIVA for its original purpose. The why rasputin did what he did is another topic for another time. This is an important narrative because many have the perspective that SIVA is some uncontrollable force. It is very much controllable with right directive. And based on Old Russia 4, we know that Rasputin placed SIVA in at least one of the colony ships (likely Exodus Red). In fact, in re-reading the Old Russia 3 card (released with TTK), I believe we had the first documented SIVA sighting back in the Golden Age. As General Lanshu is gliding (in a glide suit) around the colony ships in the cosmodrome, she “…waggles her wings at a [i]cloud of passing sensor mites[/i]…” So the SIVA story arc is a continuation and expansion of the previous story. All the work that Maya Sundaresh (and others) did to research the Vex and create the Device, ultimately derived the intel which uncovered the threat (Darkness, the collapse) which SIVA was used to help address (Exodus project). It is also interesting that the parallel paths that Rasputin took lay the ground work for two of our Factions, the Future War Cult and Dead Orbit. We’ve already linked the Device to the FWC, but the SIVA colonization is right in line with Dead Orbit. Rasputin is both arming himself for the inevitable battle to come (ala FWC) and trying to get everyone off planet (ala DO). In fact, I would consider the SIVA backstory as the backdrop for the origin of the Dead Orbit faction, much like how the Vex research and the Device was the backdrop for the origin of the FWC. Hopefully this helps put SIVA in perspective regarding the Destiny story so far. Links to referenced cards http://www.ishtar-collective.net/cards/ghost-fragment-old-russia-2?highlight=Russia http://www.ishtar-collective.net/cards/ghost-fragment-old-russia-3?highlight=Russia http://www.ishtar-collective.net/cards/ghost-fragment-old-russia-4?highlight=Russia http://www.ishtar-collective.net/cards/ghost-fragment-vex-5?highlight=Vex