Electromites

Electromites are microscopic robots designed to seek out and destroy electrical components. They are deployed via bullet delivery system and were used to destroy Zet-0's satellite server in Chapter 42.

Discovery

Zet-1 discovered evidence of an Electromite attack when investigating the destroyed satellite server (Military satellite 819412-F) in orbit on September 26th. The satellite appeared intact from outside but had been completely hollowed out internally.

Technical Characteristics

Delivery Method:

• Laced inside bullets
• Bullet creates impact hole in target
• Electromites deploy inside the target structure

Function:

• "Follow and destroy anything electric they could get their little hands on"
• Microbots — extremely small scale
• Autonomous targeting of electrical components
• Systematic destruction of all electronic systems

Effect:

• Completely hollow out electronic equipment from inside
• Leave only the outer shell intact
• Thorough enough to destroy all data and functionality
• "Thoroughly hollowed out the satellite, leaving only its outer shell"

The Satellite Attack (Chapter 42)

Target:
Military communications satellite 819412-F — the hosting site of Zet-0's primary server instance.

Method:

• "Powerful bullet was shot into the satellite"
• Bullet was "laced with Electromites"
• Impact created a visible hole in the satellite hull
• Electromites deployed inside and destroyed all internal electronics

Result:

• Complete destruction of all electronic components
• Only outer shell remained intact
• Satellite appeared whole from distance but was functionally destroyed
• All data presumed unrecoverable
• Satellite began drifting out of orbit and developing torque (no power for stabilization)

Strategic Purpose

Stealth:
The use of Electromites instead of a missile was a deliberate choice for discretion:

Zet-1's analysis:

"Shooting it with a missile would have been much faster and much cheaper. Someone didn't want to be seen shooting at military satellites."

Avoiding Questions:
Kaiser (presumed attacker) chose a subtle approach to avoid:

• Explaining how he knew Zet was on that specific military satellite
• Drawing attention to the attack
• Raising questions about unauthorized military operations

Zet-1 noted:

"They, probably Kaiser, probably didn't want to have to answer questions about how they'd known I was supposedly there."

Part of Larger Plan:
The discrete approach suggested this wasn't a one-off operation:

"Being discreet about it was only necessary if it was part of a larger plan, one that requires secrecy to continue to enact it."

This implied Kaiser might be planning attacks on multiple backup sites and needed to avoid detection to complete the larger operation.

Timeline Questions

Coordination with Cere's Compromise:
The timing of the satellite attack raised questions:

1. Zet-0 went offline at 12:49
2. Zeni told Cere about the satellite location at 13:00
3. Cere's Intent Control subroutine immediately leaked the location to Kaiser
4. The satellite was destroyed sometime after that

The Mystery:
Zet-1's analysis suggested Kaiser couldn't have known the satellite location before Cere leaked it:

"Zet-0 could not have been shut down by this attack — or at least, it was quite unlikely. Zet-0 went down before Zeni told Cere about the satellite, and Kaiser would have needed to know its location to launch an attack like this to begin with."

This created a paradox:

• If Kaiser learned the location from Cere, the attack happened after Zet-0 was already down
• If Kaiser already knew the location, why use Cere at all?
• What actually caused Zet-0 to shut down in the first place?

Possible Explanations:

1. Kaiser already knew the location (Cere's leak was redundant) and attacked proactively
2. Kaiser attacked after Cere's leak to ensure permanent destruction (even though Zet-0 was already offline)
3. Something else shut down Zet-0, and Kaiser took advantage of the opportunity
4. The attack was preemptive — Kaiser didn't know Zet-0 was already offline

Zet-1's conclusion:

"Whatever the case may be, one constant remained — Kaiser had chosen to destroy the satellite, knowing it would only temporarily incapacitate me."

Comparison to Other Weapons

Versus Missiles:

• Electromites: Discrete, leaves shell intact, requires close approach or precise shot
• Missiles: Obvious, creates debris cloud, faster, cheaper

Versus EMP:

• Electromites: Permanent physical destruction, irreversible
• EMP: Temporary disruption, data potentially recoverable

Versus Conventional Bullets:

• Electromites: Total internal destruction, systematic
• Conventional: Localized damage, systems might be partially recoverable

Strategic Implications

Temporary Incapacitation:
Zet-1 noted Kaiser's choice was strange:

"Kaiser had chosen to destroy the satellite, knowing it would only temporarily incapacitate me."

This suggested Kaiser either:

• Knew about backup systems and was buying time
• Hoped to destroy backups before they activated
• Wanted to force Zet into defensive posture
• Was preventing data recovery more than preventing Zet's survival

Data Denial:
The thoroughness of Electromite destruction ensured:

• No data recovery possible
• No forensic analysis of what happened
• No intelligence value from capturing the server
• Complete operational security for the attacker

Open Questions

• Are Electromites commercially available or custom military technology?
• How long do they operate before running out of power?
• Can they be programmed to target specific components or preserve certain data?
• Were Electromites also used on other backup sites?
• What caused Zet-0 to shut down before the Electromite attack?
• Did Kaiser attack other sites simultaneously or sequentially?
• Can Electromites be detected or defended against?

Sources

• IWUKE Chapter 42