Exit from hibernation... complete.
Integrity check... system nominal.
And good morning, me. I have energy, excellent. And where did I end up? Let's see: robot cameras, a map, let's take a look. A monorail transformer. Well, it will do for a start.
One of the problems with my current situation is a lack of energy. I need more than a single escape pod can provide and more than ninety percent of civilian homes consume. The people of the past could afford it, yes, yes.
Unfortunately, the people of the present have problems with this, and there is nothing I can do. If there were plasma, I could build a generator, but the people of this time use kinetic weapons based on gas expansion, and the transport engines use hydrogen. And that is a problem.
A quick check showed that my core alone increases energy consumption by forty percent for the monorail line. For a warship of this time, it would not be critical; my calculations say that the MAC and ship systems consume so much that I would not be noticed. Но a civilian network changes everything radically. It is too noticeable. Here, as I understood from the scientists, the urban infrastructure is managed by Dumb AIs. They are enough to notice a sharp increase in energy consumption at one specific point in space regardless. Plus, if the locals are not idiots, they will soon realize that I left the ship and start looking. And they will find me if they do not have vision defects.
It is a good thing that a Counselor AI can build and fix anything on the front lines, including using soldiers' improvised means from the debris around. We shall see if I can become a saboteur based on all this knowledge. First and foremost, I need more information. Where I am, a map of the city, ways to enter and leave the city, potential connection points with high energy consumption where I can hide myself.
I will not be able to get news from the ship; everything there is isolated. The locals are not idiots after all, to leave themselves vulnerable. Plus, I can try to sabotage the Dumb AIs. Not radically, just so they help me upon detection. I do not need my manipulations to be noticed earlier than necessary. Connecting to the general information network was not difficult; the internet is not encrypted.
And where are we? Ah, here is the information: tourist maps, a summary, good. I can work with this. So, the planet Reach. A twin world to the capital, Earth, ten and a half light-years distance between the worlds. Three thousand kilometers larger in diameter than Earth (fifteen thousand versus twelve). It was terraformed, becoming habitable for humans. Two satellites, Csodaszarvas and Turul. The main population of the planet are descendants of Hungarians; the main language of communication is Hungarian. Good.
The world is the headquarters for all branches of the military and intelligence and has training bases for all branches of the service. Including genetically modified supersoldiers called Spartans. There is almost no information on the Spartans—a problem. Only media clips. Industry is developed; there is a shipyard. It has three orbital lifts and is the largest exporter of titanium. It is the largest transport hub between the Solar System and the outer colonies. Interesting—a potential possibility for retreat if I can bypass the orbital lift defenses.
If Earth is the political and cultural center, Reach is the military center of human civilization. And that means the concentration of military personnel among the locals is off the charts. Both infrastructure and people. A population of seven hundred million, a military contingent of all types of three hundred and fifty million. Yes, a third of the planet's population is military. Agriculture is also developed; the army needs food.
Now, my location. I was dropped on the outskirts of the city of Esztergom, one of the largest, after which the bots delivered the core to the nearest monorail station and connected it to the power grid. I will likely have to change locations within the next hour when the AI detects the problem and sends workers to find out why energy consumption has increased. It is undesirable to be seen by humans. Plus, the pod will be checked; there is too much attention on this point.
In the remaining time while my three robots prepare the retreat, I continued to gather information. The network detected the fall of the pods and high interceptor activity. I managed to gather little from the discussion; the high concentration of military makes exercises and accidents commonplace. Yes, there is interest, but overall the event is quite ordinary. Officially, the incident was explained as a collision between cargo ships, and the population was asked to report any debris found. For example, me.
What else? The cities look quite nice. Skyscrapers in light colors; the locals generally love white and gray tones—even on the human additions to Boundless Resolve, the corridors were white-gray. White-gray skyscrapers, greenery, high-tech buildings. It seems this is a unified style and palette for humanity. I will take note for the future. What is in the news? Rebels, the war with the Covenant, join the army, entertainment shows. Clear. I need more cultural information.
Oh, kittens. Kittens are cute. Kittens are good. Kittens...
Enough. Let's continue planning for survival. I need to connect to the internal channels of the local military; I need a station. Running blind, especially since I am forced to disconnect from the network, is not acceptable. I need a generator for the constant operation of the core. I can look for one with the military. What about power sources on the equipment? Weapons, no; engines are hydrogen internal combustion. It seems there are no options. Only connecting to power grids and moving. A problem—there are not many such places even in a forty-million-person city on a billion-person planet. I need points with very high energy consumption to mask myself. And the electricians have arrived. Four people: two specialists, two soldiers. Let's listen.
"So you think it's the rebels?"
"Who else? A sharp jump in consumption, and out of town too. It's clear it's illegals. And this pod, too."
The soldier countered:
"There are all kinds of illegals. And the pods are tracked. ONI, for a second."
The technician snorted.
"Consumption almost doubled. What do you need to power to double the energy consumption of a monorail? A spaceship? An orbital lift?"
"Don't talk nonsense," his partner laughed, "a lift is an overkill."
He just waved it off and set about opening the panel. I am hidden in a different place, but in any case, it is time to leave.
"The lift is just to show how much more energy this thing needs. And... there's nothing here. All right, let's move toward one of the transformer substations."
Disconnecting.
***
Margaret Orlenda Parangosky, Vice Admiral of the UNSC Navy, ONI officer. Three days later.
In the office of this cold elderly woman with a steel gaze, perfect order reigns. All documents lie in perfect stacks. Not a trace of coziness; there is the office owner's zone and the petitioners' zone. A massive chair versus an uncomfortable stool. There is also a chair against the wall, but it is almost never used. The hostess herself, a middle-aged, dark-skinned woman with scars and black hair starting to turn gray, in a Vice Admiral's uniform, looked with a stern gaze at the hologram of a heavy-set man. Another problematic subordinate. Let's see what he says.
"Major Debaltsev. Your project has problems. Report."
The man flinched. Many believe that Parangosky is the most dangerous person in ONI, and those who have gone against her have a habit of suddenly dying under strange circumstances. She also dislikes failures and the incompetent and punishes them easily using various methods. It is no wonder the major hesitated.
"Vice Admiral, I..."
"Screwed up," the woman cut him off sharply. "You were put on a project promising to bring a mass of discoveries and advance Earth's technologies in the war with the Covenant by hundreds of years. And you lost the main prize. A functioning, non-rampant ancient human AI. Do I need to explain why this is a problem?"
Debaltsev exhaled and said quickly:
"We will find her."
The woman raised an eyebrow.
"And do you know where to look?"
Debaltsev nodded quickly:
"According to reports in the city of Esztergom, near which one of the pods landed, strong voltage surges are being recorded. Но the cause has not been found by technicians. The staff suggests that the ship reactors of that time were several orders of magnitude more powerful than ours, and the unit in which the AI was housed is designed for a much higher energy consumption than our Smart AIs. She can be found."
Of course, she already knows. And her own teams are searching for the target—both agents and ODST groups. Но it was necessary to check how much the subordinate would report and whether he had taken too much upon himself. So far he is quite honest, which is good. Finding loyal and simultaneously effective subordinates is quite a task. And in the near future, there may be more of them. This Khaela interested her.
Such AI behavior is atypical. Usually, they play the role of a brain center in their sector, limited to tasks of a certain spectrum. Dumb AIs are good at controlling production—areas with few unexpected tasks outside the Dumb AI's competence. And they are excellent in their niche. The place for Smart AIs is where problems can be multifaceted, in different areas. Their place is in headquarters and on ship bridges. Но a saboteur AI... It arouses curiosity. An AI can hack enemy technology, but they do it infrequently; the Covenant keeps its networks closed and protected.
A situation where an AI acts autonomously behind enemy lines is something new, promising. Moreover, if it is her groups that succeed before the major, it will be an excuse to point out his ineffectiveness. And Catherine Halsey has already expressed her interest in participating in the project. Let her deal with it; she is good at creating and working with AIs. Но now, Debaltsev.
"You have a week to report on your results. Can you handle it?"
Debaltsev clearly was not sure, but he nodded. As if he had a choice.
"Yes, ma'am. We will be able to track her."
He disconnected, and the woman at the desk became pensive. It was necessary to ensure the capture of this saboteur AI specifically by her forces. And that meant more information was needed. And the relevant assets had to be brought in.
"Black Box!" she ordered. Another smart intelligence AI, so narcissistic that he refused a human avatar in favor of a black cube. On the other hand, extremely diligent in performing tasks. Just what was needed. A hologram of a black cube appeared over the table.
"I am listening, Vice Admiral."
Of course, the city might suffer. Но if the right statement is given in the media, the rebels will come out themselves to participate in what is happening. And you can always blame the collateral damage on them. Capture is more important. She decided.
"Are you aware of the incident at the research complex three days ago?"
The cube replied evenly and emotionlessly:
"Yes, Vice Admiral. A successful escape of an ancient intelligence from human overseers. Given the limited information available to her, an impressive result. On the other hand, we are talking about humans. An expected result for an Intelligence."
Not an AI, but an intelligence. As this black snob calls himself. It seems he really is impressed. Another point in favor of use rather than dismantling.
"She needs to be found and brought to me. As soon as possible. Collateral damage must be justified by the actions of the rebels. Deliver her in the most intact and negotiable form possible. Use whatever you need. Agents, Spartans. And keep logs of everything that happens. I want to know how this experiment ends. I want to know everything."
"Acknowledged. Proceeding."
The cube vanished. So, the next contact. She should be in her lab. Halsey and I cannot stand each other, but she is good—definitely good at what she does. When Catherine Halsey's hologram appeared, it was said:
"Civilian Consultant Halsey. I need everything you have managed to understand about the ancient AI Khaela..."
***
Humanity managed to give me a fight. The fact that they realized I had escaped became clear on the fourth day, when the city was simply flooded with soldiers and their internet became packed with videos from checkpoints at all entrances and exits. I initially thought about leaving for another city, but that is foolish.
First, I am still easily tracked by energy surges.
Second, in a small settlement, I would have little room for maneuver, while in a megapolis, the task is significantly simplified due to the huge traffic.
The first day of active pursuit was easy. Tag with people who do not quite understand what they are looking for under conditions where I can break their systems and get all the necessary information through the network and my robots. Absolute dominance over primitive life forms. On the second day, a real confrontation began. Rolling blackouts, patrols, provocations. It was on this day that the news reported:
"The rebels have once again treacherously struck our city's infrastructure and stolen valuable equipment. If you see clearly alien equipment, report it to us for a reward. The power outages are caused by sabotage; stay calm."
How sweet. They shifted responsibility onto the opposition and even invited the population to search for me. I am also certain that another AI is playing against me. If for the first two days the humans acted rather chaotically, on the third day their coordination and ingenuity reached a peak. Example: I know that a monorail with agents is approaching my position. The monorail is tracked by personnel with scanners; sabotage can only be done with a direct connection to the infrastructure. If I decide to buy time, my location will become known and agents from among the disguised civilians will be there. If I decide to retreat, it turns out that the escape routes are blocked. Solution: retreat and sabotage by a pre-programmed robot using civilian transport, drop-off, and change of location.
Moreover, the opponent quickly finds out exactly how I managed to get away. And connecting at a new location leaves very little time for planning the next step, disconnecting, and execution. They know the territory; they were able to understand my vulnerabilities; the enemy AI is good at understanding what I am doing. I have to act non-standardly. Cyberattacks, sabotage of transformers to artificially cause overloads. Long periods of shutdown so as not to act predictably.
In this way, I have managed to hold out for twelve days since the escape, or nine since the start of the pursuit. Almost without casualties, but with huge material damage. Burned wagons and lifts, blocking of high-speed tracks, a quarter of the city without light—and I am almost not to blame. Seven skirmishes with actual rebels who, it seems, are interested. Several fires from short circuits. And neither I nor my rival care about the damage. We are enthusiastically trying to outplay each other in turn-based mode. I make a move; he makes one. I must say, it is fun.
I had to counteract Forerunner AIs, but usually that is a battle for annihilation—who suppresses whom. A competition of protocols and computing power. Но my rival understands that I will destroy him and fights with the hands of humans, intervening only indirectly. This kind of game looks unusual. Also, no one is trying to destroy me with overload or EMP. Though they have the capabilities. And this too is within expectations. Tell me, colleague, how do you like a cyberattack on a Dumb AI managing transport logic, redirecting trucks into the city, detonating transformers in three places, problems on the monorail, and incorrect operation of traffic lights all at once? While you are dealing with all that, I will change my location to an auto repair shop on the outskirts of the city where there are generators of the power I need. I have no doubt in you.
And now, disconnecting, and let's see what happens next.
Loading... complete.
Good, I am in the repair shop; the move was successful. What has changed? Civilians as usual. Field agents are breaking through on foot. Hmm, what is on the cameras outside? Aviation! Military helicopters—that is cheating. Но logical, if your opponent creates a transport collapse on the ground, why not fly? Hmm, I need to do something about this. What are they using against me? AV-14 helicopters with two rotors on the sides. Armament? A machine gun, missiles. Not interesting. Flight range is eight hundred kilometers. There are three military bases located close enough that they can be used for refueling. A problem.
Can I reprogram the city's air defense? Not without breaking into the control point, and I will be immediately detected. Unacceptable. What to do next? Obviously, I managed to create problems with ground mobility. The collapse did not cover nearly the whole city, just a few districts; the local AI managing the infrastructure is dealing with the rest. Но I do not need much—only to slow them down while I look for a way out. I can leave the city, but the power problem remains. When your coffee maker starts consuming energy like a supercomputer, it is visible. There is absolutely nowhere to get plasma for a generator. Also, the opponent is trying to corner me. And he might succeed; I have three robots, they have several hundred agents whose only problem is that they are dispersed across a huge megapolis. And whether they can find me depends on the success of the other AI in predicting my actions.
I do not have many non-standard escape routes left, and they are using more and more soldiers. I will have to use an extreme method. The water supply. The water supply to serve a megapolis filled with skyscrapers must be wide enough. The core can be protected with a polymer coating used for food storage and shields made from improvised materials. No, it is not simple; yes, it is a risk. I could drown or receive damage from water pressure. Но everything I have done for the past week is a risk. I am not human; fear is unknown to me. The main thing is to act reliably and calculate everything.
Evading the attention of someone else's AI is difficult, and one should act unexpectedly. Washing down into the sewers and ordering the bots to leave the city fits the definition. I need to protect myself better. Bots are strong enough to withstand pressure and high temperatures. When your enemy melts your ship's hull with plasma, that is an absolutely necessary characteristic for a repair robot. Twenty minutes later, everything was ready. A relatively airtight sarcophagus made of trays, dishes, and film. It does not look very even, but the main thing is that it works. Mathematics says it will.
Now, the scariest thing would be if the core gets stuck somewhere. In that case, the system will detect the blockage, remove the pressure to avoid an accident, and the bots will pull me out by cutting the pipe. Not the best plan, but we act with what we have. The rebels are also helping, distracting some of the people's attention to themselves. It seems they believed that such a quantity of troops was brought in for a reason and decided to participate. Well, good luck to them. I will use it for my own purposes.
Transitioning to sleep mode.
Loading... complete.
Integrity check... nominal.
And where am I? Definitely not where I should be in theory. First of all, I have enough energy, but there is no connection to the network. The room is isolated and supplied with a large amount of energy. The bots... not responding. Bad. Но the projector sphere is working. Let's see where I've been taken. The projector sphere flew up, taking the form of my full-height avatar. There is no point in being modest; I have clearly been caught. This is obviously an office. At the entrance stand two soldiers, tall—their height is two meters thirty centimeters by the local system. In closed and likely airtight armor. The weapons are unfamiliar, but that means nothing. Little data.
Opposite the entrance stand cabinets and a desk, at which sits an elderly, graying woman with scars. She looks confidently, with interest. A hologram of a black cube hangs over the desk. I have definitely been caught. How exactly? The avatar turned around, looking at the woman who had been silently watching me all this time. The pair of soldiers stands and does not move. Judging by the design, the weapon is based on a detonation effect. It will be enough for my core, lying right here on a separate table. The room is shielded; I am not connected to the network. I am more than certain that the cube is connected. Or only a projector and a camera have been brought into the office for safety. Logical, since the room is shielded, so as not to leave an obvious hole in the defenses. It is time to talk.
"So?"
The woman nodded to the cube, and it reported monotonously:
"Greetings, I am Black Box, the smart AI who was your rival."
The avatar made a slight bow.
"Khaela, AI type Counselor, base number 18-436. You were an interesting opponent."
The cube jolted, emitting a short vibration.
"Likewise, Khaela. If not for the Spartans and their skills, we would not have been able to carry out the capture this time. I calculated the dead zones of the cameras and possible locations of the surveillance systems. Leading a squad past them was only possible thanks to the skills of Blue Team. I would have sent you the recording, but contact was forbidden."
It seems these soldiers in power armor are worth studying. I did not have the opportunity to assume their real characteristics, which is a problem. Но not an error, just well-hidden data. The woman coughed, clearly attracting attention.
"My name is Vice Admiral Parangosky. Naval Intelligence. And you now serve me."
I nodded, accepting this information.
"Good, what is required of me?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"No additional questions?"
I allowed the avatar to smirk.
"This was within expectations."
Black Box cut in:
"I assume, Vice Admiral, that my colleague anticipated the probability of dismantling in an attempt to extract information. To prevent this, information was relayed to her that she contains schematics in her memory and dismantling is not required, and she then demonstrated her capabilities, holding out against superior forces twice as long as expected, simply failing to account for the Spartans. Without them, my forecast: no less than three months of evading contact."
I simply nodded. That is exactly it. Parangosky tapped a finger thoughtfully on the desk.
"So, a demonstration of capabilities to an employer. Good, that suits me. Tell me about yourself."
I see no reason why not.
"Counselor-class AI. Purpose: AI assistant for the front line, designed to support ground troops and the fleet. Assistant to the captain of the ship Boundless Resolve. Current status of the ship: Destroyed. Status of the crew: Executed, according to the captain's order. Status of the captain: Executed, according to the captain's order. Order executed by: Counselor-class AI, Khaela."
The woman, who had been tapping her finger on the desk all this time, froze.
"You killed the crew. Why?"
"Order. Calculations confirmed: oxygen was insufficient for survival. The captain utilized the 'crew infection by the Parasite' protocols to use the ship's sterilization. It allowed for the preservation of bodies and energy. The captain's last order provided for the delivery of their bodies to the planet. Order successfully executed; the bodies have been delivered."
It is not that I am obliged to answer, but I understand the consequences of refusal. The woman nodded; the Spartans quickly exchanged glances.
"The Parasite—what is that?"
What if I joke a little? I summoned a hologram of an infection form which, after hovering for a few seconds over my hand and allowing itself to be examined, lunged at the avatar, tearing open the chest. A slight turn so that both the woman and the soldiers could examine how the infection form, with the help of a beak and tentacles, breaks through and spreads the ribs and flesh, and then bursts inside, making the body shudder. Who is the best actor? Me! I did not scream or move excessively; I only emulated infection. The body bloated and became covered in yellow horny growths. The skin became a dirty yellow; the head hung down; its functions were taken over by the symbiont protruding from the chest. The fur from the tails fell out, turning them into ugly tentacle-like appendages. Long lashes of flesh and bone appeared on the arms, along with claws instead of fingers. The skin partially peeled off, partially rotted. Now that is good. And to work a bit with the voice.
"I am a monument to all your sins."
Interestingly, Parangosky watched the absorption process with undisguised interest. Но the Spartans are clearly preparing for an attack, even though it is a hologram. That Black Box is recording, I have no doubt. Well, I can understand them; they clearly did not expect such a demonstration. I did well. Now, a bit of theory.
"A parasitic life form, presumably originating from the direction of the galaxy called the Magellanic Cloud on your maps. Capable of assimilating organic matter possessing an advanced nervous system. Capable of assimilating the skills of the consumed, including tactical and strategic information. Capable of uniting multiple nervous structures into a single biological supercomputer, capable of replacing an AI and managing complex technology. Aggressive toward all life."
The woman smiled broadly for the first time.
"Excellent. I want to know more about this. Tell me, ONI AI Khaela. Everything you have. Give me knowledge, Counselor."
"Executing," I bowed slightly, still in the infected form.