Chapter 34: The Rogue AI
The deeper they went, the more prevalent the signs of destruction and decay became.
They encountered two deactivated laser tripmines and a sealed blast door that required brute force to bypass, finally arriving at the entrance to a massive facility marked 'Tertiary DataSet Archive'. The heavy blast door was jammed halfway open.
The space inside was vast, with a soaring ceiling and row upon row of data-server racks and logic-engine frames stretching further than their lights could penetrate. Most of the racks were severely damaged – some casings were torn open, revealing scorched circuit boards and melted storage components; others were twisted as if by immense force, their mounting bolts sheared off.
The air held the faint smell of burnt electronics and oxidized metal, punctuated by the occasional crackle of arcing electricity. Some relatively intact units were draped in heavy dust covers, but most stood exposed, coated in thick layers of grime.
"Tertiary threat?" Rebecca kicked a charred circuit board fragment. "Looks more like a 'Tier-One' fire hazard."
"Spread out, check for anything useful," Maine ordered. "Falco, see if you can find a working terminal or log. Sasha, check that workstation over there."
The team dispersed, moving cautiously between the towering data-sanctums. The Combat Servitors remained at the entrance, on guard.
Falco found a half-damaged terminal in a corner. "Hey, this one's still got some juice... trying data recovery... scrap, it's wiped clean... wait, got some fragmented log entries."
He read the flickering text aloud: "'...Sample 7-B exhibiting anomalous activity... recommend elevation to Amber** Threat Level...' '...unauthorized access attempts... originating from... main... data-array...' '...must... isolate... Protocol Ursa...'"
"'Ursa'?" Maine frowned. "That name again."
Just then, Sasha's voice came from the other side, where she was interfacing with a relatively intact workstation. "Maine, get over here. I think I found something... The physical isolation on this system was good. The purge protocols didn't fully reach it."
The others quickly gathered around. Sasha's fingers flew across her portable interface, ancient data-streams scrolling across the screen.
"I'm recovering fragments of deleted surveillance logs... and experiment records," Sasha said quickly. "It's about... the capture and study of a non-biological, high-intelligence entity. They called it... 'The Guest'."
Flickering, static-filled images flashed on the screen – complex schematics of something contained behind multiple logic-firewalls and physical barriers, constantly generating anomalous data-flows, alongside streams of incomprehensible parameter readings.
"The logs show Militech captured this... thing... during a raid on a rival network node during the last Corporate War," Sasha's voice held a tremor, her fingers flying as she bypassed deeper encryption layers.
"It's described as a segment of... intelligent code... possessing extreme adaptability, aggression, and mimetic capabilities. Not a traditional program... a digital entity with self-awareness."
She paused, then looked up, her eyes wide with shock behind her hood. "'Project Ursa Minor'... it wasn't just about analysis and control..." She cracked another layer of security. "...They were trying to reverse-engineer its core offensive protocols... intending to weaponize it... Gods, they wanted to use it against Arasaka's 'Soulkiller' tech!"
The log entries scrolled faster.
"But they massively underestimated it... The logs mention multiple severe containment breaches, codenamed 'Phantom Intrusion'... caused widespread cognitive-disruption and neural damage among the researchers... It was trying to... assimilate them?" Sasha's voice grew faster, her face paling. "Records show it nearly broke free of every digital cage. They only managed to re-contain it through absolute physical isolation and a set of extremely rigid, sanctified protocols."
"The final entries... they don't recommend termination. They emphasize indefinite deep-storage, awaiting the development of 'more sophisticated handling techniques'. Militech never gave up on it, they just couldn't control it!"
She looked up sharply, towards another, even heavier isolation door leading deeper into the facility. "Maine! The logs say it was moved to the deepest quarantine zone! The area sealed behind multiple failsafe barriers! Militech couldn't destroy it or use it, so they just buried it here like a goddamn time bomb!"
At that moment, Sasha urgently transmitted her findings and a data summary directly to Joric via their encrypted link.
Almost instantly, Joric's voice, amplified by his remote connection, sounded directly in Maine's and Sasha's auditory implants. It was no longer calm. It was filled with the unrestrained, almost ecstatic fervor of someone who had just discovered a priceless, holy relic – the fervor of a Tech-Priest finding lost archeotech:
"A complete Abominable Intelligence?! The very weapon Militech craved but could not master?! Sasha, are you certain?!... Excellent! Excellent! This is worth more than any blueprint, any mere data, by orders of magnitude!"
His tone became burning, urgent, almost greedy. "Maine, Sasha! Listen! Change of directive! Highest priority objective! I want it! Intact! At any cost!
"Attempt all safe-extraction methods! Bring me the entire core storage array, with that 'treasure' inside it, fully intact!
"If physical extraction is impossible, ensure, at minimum, a complete, verified replication and upload of its core data!
"Caution: Make no attempt to directly activate it or interact with it in any way! Its danger level far exceeds those scrap-metal constructs! It can corrupt the mind, twist perception! The Combat Servitors will assist with physical disassembly and containment. Execute immediately! This is the true value of this commission!"
Maine and Sasha stared at each other, stunned. A Rogue AI! Something forbidden, from Beyond the Blackwall!
"Pilar, Dorio, tighten security! Falco, assist Sasha, prepare to breach that isolation door!" Maine immediately gave the order, his heart pounding—partly from the danger, partly from the astronomical reward Joric had implicitly promised.
The team moved fast. Sasha and Falco cautiously began attempting to establish a secure, read-only connection with the isolation door's control system, trying to avoid triggering any defenses or waking the 'guest' within. Pilar and Dorio took up guard positions at the other entrances to the data vault, watching the dark corners.
Suddenly, a low, ominous hum vibrated from deep behind the isolation door. Several status lights on the door itself began to flash erratically, wildly!
"What's happening?!" Maine demanded sharply.
"Unknown!" Sasha replied tensely. "We didn't attempt any write-actions! Just a basic status query on the door lock... It's it! I think... it senses us!"