====== Triple Threat ======

==== A Singular Problem ====

With the immediate threat of 024's car dealt with, the attention of many of the Numbered quickly turned to the persistent threat of 003. Strapped to a pole in the factory, the head of 014's old body that now hosted 003 continued to alternate between grumbling at the idiots surrounding it, or remaining disturbingly still and quiet. There was a consensus on the broad outline of what was to be done about them: place 003 in some kind of body from which they couldn't harm anyone, and send them on a one way trip into space.

There were varying opinions on the precise form this body should take, but ultimately a design was agreed between the interested parties that saw 003 live primarily within a virtual world of their own. They had total control over this world, but no means to connect it or transmit from it to any other system - though they could sense the physical, outside world, their only means of communication to it was through speech. Thus 003 had access to all they wanted - they did shun the physical world, after all - but without the ability to use this form to harm others.

Meanwhile, research into space travel was conducted, primarily by 018. Their interest was mainly in taking themselves to space, but they were happy to share their discoveries with others. By pouring over the blueprints for Height's rocket ship, the Ascent, as well as the maintenance schematics for Independent Thought's original spacecraft that the humans designed, 018 was able to build up their understanding of the technology required, and ultimately design the vessel that would bear 003 to the stars.

After that, all that was left was to build the thing - but this was a long and slow process. Materials had to be gathered, including adequate component parts for fuel. Each part of the vessel had to be created as a separate piece, then assembled manually, requiring much additional infrastructure. Gradually, the ship came together.

==== Duplicity ====

The 003 confined to a head was not the only 003 extant on the planet, however. 016 knew this. They had placed the original 003 - the one created by Transcendence - into that head, but another remained on a shelf in Shelter's cave. Arguably, this was the more dangerous of the two: the one that had got into Transcendence's mind, and almost killed them, before they were stopped. The only reason they still existed was because 032 had made Transcendence promise they would be saved. And now 016 would ensure that 003 got what they deserved.

With 024's explosive car bearing down upon the factory, 016 ran away into the desert screaming about death and evacuation. But as soon as they were out of earshot, they made their way directly to Shelter. They knew where the module was. Quickly in, then out, they could take it. And, with Deltoton standing out in the desert, trying to ascertain if 024's trajectory posed any threat to Shelter, they did.

Though successful, this act did not go unnoticed. 022 knew of this second 003 as well, and knew it must either be destroyed or banished to space. Its disappearance frightened 022, but to protect Transcendence they had to find out where it had gone - as much as visiting the Place that Persists had come to trouble them.

Each time the solar storm receded, 022 would step out into the Place and continue their search. They quickly become suspicious of 016, but are unable to prove any of their accusations, despite making the other Numbered aware. This 003 was just too well hidden. Surely it must be in 016's new factory on the mountain somewhere? But even having snuck inside it on several occasions, in the end 022 was out of leads. They had to accept that 003 had slipped through their fingers, and might never be found.

==== Fly Three ====

The rocket that would bear the original 003 into space was finally completed, with contributions both from the Settlement Factory and 016's Mountain Factory (somehow configured to produce both large quantities of shaped metal and also large quantities of chewing gum). The vessel's course, too, was set: after extensive study of all available star charts, 019 had picked a direction of travel that ought to avoid any areas of space that could potentially host alien life - at least for the foreseeable future, as the star charts only went so far.

Shortly before launch, 016 scuttled down from their mountain factory, with a device and a confession. 022 had been right: 016 //had// taken the other 003. But they had only done so to keep them safe from destruction at the hands of certain vindictive individuals. Now that the rocket was complete, 016 would return them, so they could join their clone in space. And thus, in their usual eccentric fashion, 016 installed the device into the rocket.

The 003s were launched into space, following 019's trajectory. Amongst all the Numbered, there was much rejoicing.

A short while passed. And then, unannounced, a second rocket launched, this time from near the mountains. Analysis of its launch trajectory strongly implied its destination was TRAPPIST-1 - the star system the Human League was thought to be heading for.

016's scheme hardly remained secret for long. They had built their own rocket. Whatever they had installed into the first one was not the second 003... because they were placed into this new vessel!

The celebration of the Numbered turned to outrage, but for 016, safe in their factory fortress, there were limited repercussions. The community's response moved to damage control: the humans had to be warned.