What started as a experiment to molecularly forge armor using networked-nanites, ships we're literally refurbished molecule by molecule.
These converted ships sported enormous increases in durability as a result, but had glaring side effect of being unable to maintain a standard shield emitter without serious modification.
Spoiler
The first full scale ship conversion experiment: Test01-Onslaught
With the successful experiment, many other options were tried as well, but as with each sucessful conversion the nanite network improved it's own algorithms of increasing complexity.
Such obvious changes did not go unnoticed, but instead of termination, this fledging program got some nudges into a full AI.
The collective program had been dubbed Tron, but it wasn't until the conversion of Banshee class warship did something dramatic had happened:
Spoiler
Conversion: Test06-Banshee
With a sudden increase in computing resources, Tron consumed 21 petabytes of RAM in a window of 14 minutes, and what most dubbed as the Awakening, the program had achieved full sentience.
Standard protocol in the sector with emerging AI's tended to lean on deletion usually in the form of a reaper torpedo strike, but as this wasn't a publicly known experiment, Neutrino scientists proceeded onto observation, in which Tron had started consuming huge amounts network bandwidth, of which disturbingly half of which was used on looking up cats.
After about 4 hours, all network traffic winded down, and simple communique was sent to the Neutrino observers, "...20120111201010... Does this unit, have a soul?"
With curiosity peaked with such a sudden question, they decided to use this as a first case scenario to explore full fledged intelligence, they responded with "Yes."
For better or for worse, the reply suddenly seem to make it's way to Tron, it brought about all the other converted ships and made a jump towards the unknown, leaving behind only a 1m^3 block of ultra dense material, with a light thud as it slowly pulsed.
... That was almost 8 years ago, The Beacon, as the cube had come to be known, had for the first time, stopped pulsing. A huge mass signature had jumped into the outer reaches of the system, but only one lone ship separated from it and slowly moved forward. But it made sure no one was unaware of it. Before it even reached The Beacon a small armada of Hegemony, Tri-Tachyon, Independants and even the odd Corsair had formed alongside the massive ship. It arrived at The Beacon in what was a little under a week, a crawl compared to even low-tech Hegemony ships, the ship had fired what appeared to be a beam at The Beacon and it mysteriously disappeared.
No one was prepared for what came next: A declaration of challenge.
"We invite all those willing to participate, to in any way, shape, or form, defeat us. We will give the victor the collective knowledge we have earned, as much respect as our creators have left us, and the chance at survival.
Do you understand these terms?"
The message was broadcast with such intensity, some small frigates had generated EMP along their hulls, flickering out some systems for a few moments.
Some ships decided to turn tail and activated their system drives back to their respective homes, but a brave TT captain broke the silence and shot forth a message, "Survival? Is this a declaration of war? Who are you? How can we trust you? And creators?"
"Who we are is not important, We do not wish to incite hostility, war is a term of differing perspectives, we prefer the term... challenge. This is but a test to deem those that are worthy from those who will simply destroy themselves. The Creators are those amongst you, they know who they are. Trust is all relative, what we speak shall only be the truth. We await your reply."
With that the ship simply disappeared out of existence, the fleet at the edge of the system similarly disappeared,
All was quiet again, except, pulsating gently in the void the ship once was, The Beacon.
