Message Received: September 10th, 2517 from artificial intelligence 'Déjà' (DJA 0552-1) as requested by Dr. Catherine Halsey (CC-409871)
To Vice Admiral Michael Stanforth, Head of the Office of Naval Intelligence Section Three:
I have completed the final selection of candidates for the Orion-II program before the September 11th deadline, as requested. The names and personal information for each and every prospect are in the attached file below, as well I have also attached character profiles should you be interested.
Admiral Parangosky has also established that the first day of Orion's training should take place on the 24th, which, albeit a tight deadline, would still allow us to go ahead with our swap. I feel that I must mention that no word of the clones must reach Admiral Parangosky.
So long as we maintain operational silence, direct oversight from Admiral Parangosky remains unlikely. Fortunately, Flash clone viability remains at 15 weeks under controlled laboratory conditions, further lowering the probability. This will allow families to process their loss while ensuring operational discretion remains uncompromised.
Lastly… about your suggestion of keeping Lieutenant Jacob Keyes for the remainder of the project, I am afraid I must decline the offer. Instead, I would like to formally request that he be transferred from his position as my guardian back to the fleet, as well as be rewarded with a commendation. He has fulfilled his duty with exemplary conduct. Nevertheless, I believe his own morals against the project would possibly lead to a breach of the program. Therefore, I believe he being stationed aboard the USS Magellan as a full Lieutenant would protect the secrecy of the program and quiet any suspicions he might have had.
I am unsure when we will be able to talk or meet again, but thank you, Michael. I sincerely hope that you end the war before my work finishes.
Catherine Halsey
Head Of Research
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New Entry:
September 16th
After months together, Jacob and I parted company, Amicably, I think.
He's a brilliant thinker, a superb tactician, and a good man. And because of these things, I had him reassigned to the fleet. Near the end, his suspicions surrounding the project had grown, and he'd even somewhat confronted me on his vague understanding. However, after a short argument, he dropped the subject and did not bring it up again. Probably sensing that I would take action, should that have been the case.
His intuition serves him well.
Perhaps he was right with the little he said, or maybe he wasn't, but at this point, my work has come too far. I suppose I'd sound like a mad scientist if I said I wanted to see the project through to its end, but, nevertheless, I believe in its potential.
Moving on, the first couple of candidates have begun to arrive, and so the first phase of indoctrination has begun. They're being told why they were taken… why their mission is critical for the fate of all humanity. Some understand the task, some only bits and pieces, but all of them miss their families…
My team of ONI child psychologists assures me that after 6 months under Mendez' tutelage, they won't remember their names, much less their families, but it seems they like the rest of ONI.
Candidate 058, Linda, built an intelligence network to monitor her teachers. 117, John, dominated a 45-win streak in King of the Hill after our departure. He also managed to correctly guess the result of a coin flip ten times in a row, a 1 in 1024 probability to occur...Something unlikely to happen...
And David, 003… no matter the test, no matter the obstacle, he refuses to be broken. It's not just strength—it's something deeper, something unyielding. If John is lucky, then David is inevitable…
I am enroute back to the Fleetcom facility so this will be the last entry before the project begins in full. Training begins in just a few short days and I will be stuck there for 12 years. As is the current timeframe.
I hope I can look back without guilt of my choices, but I doubt my colleagues will share the sentiment.
END LOG
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A small little mini chapter to tide you over till the weekend.
Enjoy