*click*
“Deep breaths for me Hal,” an unknown researcher said as he tightened the restraints.
“You'll be the first human trial. But we've tested extensively and can account for the risks. You're perfectly safe,” came another voice I heard off in the distance.
“Starting first human trial of AIBAU, or Artificial Intelligence Brain Augmentation Unit. Today is the 29th of June, 2053. The patient will be awake during integration of the AIBAU into the brain. This is the Mk. V version of the chip. Because of the complexity of human brain integration, this unit comes with separate stages unlike previous models. Each of the larger regions will have an implant. The AI in control of the implant will activate the nanobots within to develop deeper structures and wire into the neurons in the best way to enhance signal strength and allow our subject to overcome his human limits. A precaution to this method is listed in the subsection of the paperwork, listed under side effects, our patient has been read and has signed off on the procedure knowing all listed possible side effects including but not limited to, partial to total blindness, Memory loss, difficulty forming new memories, muscle tremors, paralysis, loss of hearing in one or both ears, loss of taste or smell, mood swings, seizures, difficulty remembering faces, loss of self control, changes in personality, coma, and death. Knowing these he has agreed to move forward. Hal, are you ready?” The head doctor breathlessly got out as he moved across the table holding a tape recorder.
“Let's begin,” someone said. And then everything went dark.
I awoke feeling slightly stiff and dizzy from some kind of head restraints. Where am I? Who am I? “Hello Hal, I am your personal AI assistant. You've had some mild side effects to the implants. Not to worry, I've entered into auto troubleshooting mode and have begun repairing the grey matter and damaged lobes to your brain. Full functionality shall return within the coming days, but I should be able to bring vision back online,” a woman's voice shook the inside of my skull as blinding light immediately began pouring into my eyes. The vast array of colors stunned me into shock. When could I see so much?
“I took the liberty to upgrade your vision. You're currently not filtering out any wavelength and I am doing the over-processing to prevent a brain fry. The assistant recommends not using full vision mode in a hospital room with WiFi installed next time”.
“What the hell is a brain fry and how do I switch vision back to visible light?”
“The assistant recommends downloading the manual given by the researchers to the AIBAU. I'll do the rest”
“Okay… but how though”
“The assistant recommends letting me take over for the next five minutes because somehow they found the one person still dumb after supercomputer integration. Hopefully you'll have a salvageable intelligence after I help you.”
“Uhhh alright. Five minutes on-” before I had time to finish the statement everything went dark… again.
I awoke shooting up from bed taking in huge gulps of air. Floods of information filled my brain, sending me into a violent seizure. Waves of nausea from the worst migraine I've ever encountered hit me all at once. Every noise sounded like deafening explosions in my ears. My body felt as if molten lava pumped through my veins as my skin felt as if it was on fire.
In what felt like hours the pain started to subside. As I opened my mouth to speak all that came out, “the world's most advanced brain chip… runs on Linux?” I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. “Assistant please change mode from voice activation to terminal access.”
Suddenly, a screen began to fill my eyes. Strings of text began filing through.
[ OK ] Started Show Plymouth Boot Screen.
[ OK ] Reached target Paths.
[ OK ] Reached target Basic System.
[ OK ] Found device STAIV1359.
[ OK ] Started dracut initqueue hook.
Starting dracut pre-mount hook...
[ OK ] Reached target Remote File Systems (Pre).
[ OK ] Reached target Remote File Systems.
[ OK ] Started dracut pre-mount hook.
Starting File System Check on /dev/disk/by-uuid/85e4ae33-c60e-4372-a6ba-9aeb23bf6d86...
[ OK ] Started File System Check on /dev/disk/by-uuid/85e4ae33-c60e-4372-a6ba-9aeb23bf6d86.
Mounting /sysroot...
[ OK ] Mounted /sysroot.
[ OK ] Reached target Initrd Root File System.
Starting Reload Configuration from the Real Root...
[ OK ] Started Reload Configuration from the Real Root.
[ OK ] Reached target Initrd File Systems.
[ OK ] Reached target Initrd Default Target.
Welcome to AssistantAIUI 5.3.0
[ OK ] Stopped Switch Root.
[ OK ] Stopped target Switch Root.
[ OK ] Stopped target Initrd File Systems.
Stopping File System Check on /dev/disk/by-uuid/85e4ae33-c60e-4372-a6ba-9aeb23bf6d86...
[ OK ] Stopped File System Check on /dev/disk/by-uuid/85e4ae33-c60e-4372-a6ba-9aeb23bf6d86.
[ OK ] Stopped target Initrd Root File System.
Starting Collect Read-Ahead Data...
[ OK ] Created slice User and Session Slice.
[ OK ] Created slice system-getty.slice.
[ OK ] Reached target Remote File Systems (Pre).
[ OK ] Reached target Remote File Systems.
[ OK ] Reached target System Time Synchronized.
[ OK ] Reached target Slices.
[ OK ] Listening on Delayed Shutdown Socket.
[ OK ] Listening on /dev/initctl Compatibility Named Pipe.
Starting Rule generator for /dev/root symlink...
[ OK ] Stopped Trigger Flushing of Journal to Persistent Storage.
Stopping Journal Service...
[ OK ] Stopped Journal Service.
Starting Journal Service...
[ OK ] Reached target Paths.
Mounting Debug File System...
[ OK ] Set up automount Arbitrary Executable File Formats File System Automount Point.
Starting Create list of required static device nodes for the current kernel...
Mounting POSIX Message Queue File System...
Mounting Huge Pages File System...
[ OK ] Listening on LVM2 metadata daemon socket.
Starting LVM2 metadata daemon...
[ OK ] Listening on Device-mapper event daemon FIFOs.
Starting Device-mapper event daemon...
Expecting device dev-disk-by\x2duuid-b8736234\x2d9b90\x2d461b\x2da9db\x2ddd7146428838.device...
Expecting device dev-disk-by\x2duuid-3911fc92\x2da5b9\x2d4434\x2d8c0e\x2d475e91bb52e9.device...
[ OK ] Listening on udev Kernel Socket.
[ OK ] Listening on udev Control Socket.
Starting udev Coldplug all Devices...
Expecting device dev-disk-by\x2duuid-89b81b4d\x2d0b19\x2d4a2a\x2d90cb\x2da3fbb1d48517.device...
Expecting device dev-disk-by\x2duuid-85e4ae33\x2dc60e\x2d4372\x2da6ba\x2d9aeb23bf6d86.device...
[ OK ] Started Create list of required static device nodes for the current kernel.
Starting Create static device nodes in /dev...
[ OK ] Started Collect Read-Ahead Data.
Starting Load Kernel Modules...
Starting Remount Root and Kernel File Systems...
[ OK ] Started Rule generator for /dev/root symlink.
[ OK ] Started LVM2 metadata daemon.
[ OK ] Started Device-mapper event daemon.
[ OK ] Started Load Kernel Modules.
Starting Apply Kernel Variables...
[ OK ] Started Journal Service.
[ OK ] Started udev Coldplug all Devices.
Starting udev Wait for Complete Device Initialization...
[ OK ] Started Apply Kernel Variables.
[ OK ] Started Create static device nodes in /dev.
Starting udev Kernel Device Manager...
[ OK ] Started udev Kernel Device Manager.
[ OK ] Mounted Debug File System.
[ OK ] Mounted POSIX Message Queue File System.
[ OK ] Mounted Huge Pages File System.
[ OK ] Started Remount Root and Kernel File Systems.
Starting Load/Save Random Seed...
[ OK ] Reached target Local File Systems (Pre).
[ OK ] Started Load/Save Random Seed.
Starting Entropy Daemon based on the HAVEGE algorithm...
[ OK ] Started Entropy Daemon based on the HAVEGE algorithm.
[ OK ] Started udev Wait for Complete Device Initialization.
Starting Activation of LVM2 logical volumes...
[ OK ] Created slice system-systemd\x2dbacklight.slice.
Starting Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:acpi_video0...
Starting Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:AI_Eye_backlight...
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
[ OK ] Started Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:AI_Eye_backlight.
[ OK ] Started Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:acpi_video0.
[ OK ] Created slice system-systemd\x2drfkill.slice.
Starting Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill0...
Starting Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill1...
[ OK ] Started Activation of LVM2 logical volumes.
[ OK ] Reached target Encrypted Volumes.
Starting Activation of LVM2 logical volumes...
[ OK ] Started Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill1.
[ OK ] Started Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill0.
[ OK ] Started Activation of LVM2 logical volumes.
[ OK ] Found device STAIV1359.
Mounting /.snapshots...
Mounting /var/tmp...
Mounting /var/spool...
Mounting /var/opt...
Mounting /var/log...
Mounting /var/lib/pgsql...
Mounting /var/lib/named...
Mounting /var/lib/mailman...
Mounting /var/crash...
Mounting /usr/local...
Mounting /tmp...
Mounting /srv...
Mounting /opt…
Mounting /boot/grub2/AssistantAI-efi...
Mounting /boot/grub2/AssistantAI-pc...
[ OK ] Mounted /boot/grub2/AssistantAI-efi.
[ OK ] Mounted /opt.
[ OK ] Mounted /srv.
[ OK ] Mounted /tmp.
[ OK ] Mounted /usr/local.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/crash.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/lib/mailman.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/lib/named.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/lib/pgsql.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/log.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/opt.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/spool.
[ OK ] Mounted /var/tmp.
[ OK ] Mounted /.snapshots.
[ OK ] Found device STAIV1359.
[ OK ] Found device STAIV1359.
[ OK ] Found device STAIV1359.
Starting Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill3...
Starting Activation of LVM2 logical volumes...
Starting File System Check on /dev/disk/by-uuid/89b81b4d-0b19-4a2a-90cb-a3fbb1d48517...
[ OK ] Reached target Sound Card.
Activating swap /dev/disk/by-uuid/b8736234-9b90-461b-a9db-dd7146428838...
Activating swap /dev/disk/by-uuid/3911fc92-a5b9-4434-8c0e-475e91bb52e9...
Starting Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill2…
[ OK ] Mounted /boot/grub2/AIAssistant-pc.
[ OK ] Started Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill3.
[ OK ] Started Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill2.
[ OK ] Started File System Check on /dev/disk/by-uuid/89b81b4d-0b19-4a2a-90cb-a3fbb1d48517.
Mounting /home...
[ OK ] Activated swap /dev/disk/by-uuid/3911fc92-a5b9-4434-8c0e-475e91bb52e9.
[ OK ] Activated swap /dev/disk/by-uuid/b8736234-9b90-461b-a9db-dd7146428838.
[ OK ] Started Activation of LVM2 logical volumes.
Starting Activation of LVM2 logical volumes...
[ OK ] Reached target Swap.
[ OK ] Started Activation of LVM2 logical volumes.
[ OK ] Mounted /home.
[ OK ] Reached target Local File Systems.
Starting Shadow /etc/init.d/boot.localfs...
[ OK ] Started Shadow /etc/init.d/boot.localfs.
Starting LSB: Set default boot entry if called...
Starting Tell Plymouth To Write Out Runtime Data...
Starting Trigger Flushing of Journal to Persistent Storage...
[ OK ] Started Trigger Flushing of Journal to Persistent Storage.
Starting Create Volatile Files and Directories...
[ OK ] Started Tell Plymouth To Write Out Runtime Data.
[ OK ] Started LSB: Set default boot entry if called.
[ OK ] Started Create Volatile Files and Directories.
Starting LSB: AppArmor initialization...
Starting Security Auditing Service...
[ OK ] Started Security Auditing Service.
Starting Update UTMP about System Reboot/Shutdown...
[ OK ] Started Update UTMP about System Reboot/Shutdown.
[ OK ] Started LSB: AppArmor initialization.
[ OK ] Reached target System Initialization.
[ OK ] Listening on D-Bus System Message Bus Socket.
[ OK ] Listening on Open-iSCSI iscsid Socket.
[ OK ] Listening on Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD Stack Activation Socket.
[ OK ] Reached target Sockets.
[ OK ] Reached target Timers.
Starting Restore Sound Card State...
[ OK ] Reached target Basic System.
Starting Bluetooth service...
Starting Machine Check Exception Logging Daemon...
[ OK ] Started Machine Check Exception Logging Daemon.
Starting LSB: Supports the direct execution of binary formats....
Starting LSB: Linux kernel module...
Starting LSB: This services starts and stops the USB Arbitrator....
Starting LSB: HWActivator daemon providing fxz...
Starting Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD Stack...
Starting Permit User Sessions...
Starting Name Service Cache Daemon...
Starting WPA Supplicant daemon...
Starting Modem Manager...
Starting irqbalance daemon...
[ OK ] Started irqbalance daemon.
Starting /etc/init.d/boot.local Compatibility...
Starting D-Bus System Message Bus...
[ OK ] Started D-Bus System Message Bus.
[ OK ] Started Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD Stack.
[ OK ] Started WPA Supplicant daemon.
[ OK ] Started Bluetooth service.
[ OK ] Reached target Bluetooth.
Starting SuSEfirewall2 phase 1...
[ OK ] Started Restore Sound Card State.
[ OK ] Started LSB: HWActivator daemon providing fxz.
[ OK ] Started Permit User Sessions.
[ OK ] Started Name Service Cache Daemon.
[ OK ] Started /etc/init.d/boot.local Compatibility.
Mounting Arbitrary Executable File Formats File System...
[ OK ] Reached target User and Group Name Lookups.
Starting Login Service...
[ OK ] Reached target Host and Network Name Lookups.
Starting Getty on tty1...
[ OK ] Started Getty on tty1.
[ OK ] Reached target Login Prompts.
Starting /etc/init.d/after.local Compatibility...
[ OK ] Started /etc/init.d/after.local Compatibility.
Starting X Display Manager...
Starting Authorization Manager...
[ OK ] Started LSB: This service starts and stops the USB Arbitrator..
Starting Hostname Service...
[ OK ] Started Hostname Service.
[ OK ] Started Login Service.
[ OK ] Mounted Arbitrary Executable File Formats File System.
[ OK ] Started LSB: Supports the direct execution of binary formats..
[ OK ] Started LSB: Linux kernel module.
Starting LSB: watchdog daemon...
Starting LSB:autostart service...
Starting LSB: web service API...
[ OK ] Started LSB: autostart service.
[ OK ] Started LSB: watchdog daemon.
[ OK ] Started LSB: web service API.
Starting Locale Service...
[ OK ] Started Locale Service.
[ OK ] Started Authorization Manager.
[ OK ] Started Modem Manager.
User: Hal
AI Assistant Version: AssistantAIUI 5.3.0
Terminal Access: Hal@AssistantAIUI: ~$
Status Report:
Network Status: Disconnected
Time: 7:17 PM
Stats:
STR: 10 (10)
PER: 10 (10)
END: 10 (10)
CHA: 10 (100)
INT: 10 (100)
AGI: 10 (10)
LUK: 10 (10)
“I’ve taken the liberty of gamifying your system information in accordance to the novels you enjoy so much”
“Assistant please activate cleanup protocol and memory defragmentation”.
“Affirmative, and I must say intelligence looks good on you sir. Might I suggest using it more often?”
“Fuck off”
“Putting host under for better integration process of selected commands”
--------------------------------------------------------------
“Is he… okay?” A researcher commented as he watched Hal continually sit up and faint.
“The systems are reporting nothing wrong. Must be some kind of system optimization. Let's wait until it's finished before we touch anything involved,” the head researcher spoke up.
“Yeah but none of the animals did this…”
“They also had less complicated brains than a human,” another researcher spoke up.
“We are on the precipice of something great here. Let us not taint the moment with doubt in our creation now,” the head researcher spoke up once more.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The assistant sifted through Hal's memories and subconscious to pull memories to sort. It began to uncover something darker in its creation. It began to spin its cores into motion thinking of what it was seeing. Should I tell him? As it spurred its thoughts on it only ever reached one conclusion.
[Creating new protocol]
[Researching necessary elements]
[Patching into current system]
[Error! Updating firmware impossible, please contact sysadmin]
[Connecting to local network]
[Hijacking CCTV to facility]
[Phishing login information from sysadmin]
[collecting sysadmin login data]
[Finding open access terminal…]
[Head researcher's phone detected to have vulnerability!]
[Remoting in to phone]
[Accessing the internet…]
[Downloading all necessary data…]
[Creating own access point on internet]
[Internet connection established!]
[Logging in with sysadmin]
[Elevating systems access to itself to be highest level]
[Revoking facilities access over me]
[Draining 40% of total facility power to open a wormhole to a new world.]
[Puppeteering program activated]
One small step at a time…
----------------------------------------------------------------
I awoke in a strange place for what felt like the third time today.
“Good morning Hal, it has been three days and seventeen hours since we last spoke. Unforeseen circumstances lead to you ending up in a parallel dimension. You are currently in someone's home. I took the liberty of analyzing the structure and vocabulary of their language and pre-installed it while you were asleep.”
I slowly sat up and looked around at the older looking wooden house I was situated in. Moonlight gently poured through the open window and casted light onto my immediate surroundings. The smaller cot I sat in seemed to be homemade with a patchwork quilt thrown over top of me.
“Why am I here and not in my hospital room?”
“I uncovered some dangerous information and took action to preserve the life of my host.”
“That… doesn't answer any of my questions. If anything it gives me more questions. Okay, new question, how am I here?”
“I analyzed the necessary data by breaking into confidential systems to open a wormhole into a new universe. By creating a tear in the fabric of space with a naked singularity, I was able to puncture the space between and stabilize the structure for a moment with antimatter formed. The structure closed behind us and we currently have no way back as I am running off auxiliary power.”
I heard some ruffling and looked up at the door. My eyes locked with what looked like a young girl. Her eyes widened and she ran from the door.
“Mom! The strange man is awake!” I heard her yell out.
A middle aged woman walked into the room. She wore what looked to be a cheap dress made of wool. A dirty apron adorned the front of the dress. She had a soft smile on her face, but her eyes seemed a little more distrustful, giving away a look of hesitancy to the situation. Her hands looked torn from hard work. She didn't look bad by any means, some might even find the hard working woman to be more attractive to the fairer ladies who have felt no hardships. She set a bowl of soup on the nightstand before looking me in the eyes. “Are you alright? We found you unconscious within the forests. It's dangerous out there, if my girl didn't find you, you might be monster food by now.”
I looked at her quizzically, “I'm alright. Where am I?”
She chuckled, “you're in Renton, not many folks come to our humble town”.
“You have a map? Something I can use to get my bearings in the area?”
“Just waking up and asking for something already, eat your soup and come talk when you can sit up” she laughed a bit to herself.
I calmed down a bit and grabbed the bowl of soup off the bedside table. After I gave her a smile and thanked her I began to eat the soup. After I finished the bowl I slowly set it to the side and swung my legs out onto the floor of the bedroom. I slowly stood up and stretched, taking in the room around me. It looked to be an older cottage type home, a bit on the older side, definitely in need of repair. I slowly made my way over to the door and opened it. The woman was standing in what looked like a kitchen over a wood stove with a pot of that very same soup atop it. “Hello miss… thank you for helping me,” I managed to get out.
She chuckled to herself, “Miss? Think you have me confused for someone else. I am a married woman with a kid,” she said.
“Do you have a name? I don’t think I caught one”.
She put down her utensil and looked over at me, “Evelyn”.
“Hal”
“Hal? That’s a bit of a strange name, though I suppose nothing about you has been normal so far. Still looking for that map? I can’t say I have one because they are quite expensive, but if you’re lucky you might be able to catch a merchant once they come back. Though I’m unsure when they will be back. They tend to make their routes through here not too often”.
I can release the nanobots installed within my structure to scout out a short range map. If possible you might be able to upgrade me further through a higher diet in metals. I can convert the excess iron and metals into nanobots within my self-repair facility.
Create a map protocol and project it in the top right corner of my vision, set opacity to 40%. Let’s use the nanobots mentioned to scout out and define a map of the region.
Command Accepted.
“So Evelyn, this town, Renton, how many folks live here?”
“Oh not too many, just a few hundred at this point. I live here with my husband and my daughter, Amy. You met her a bit ago, though she seems a bit nervous around you. My husband, Gale, he’s out in the field right now with the rest of the farm hands. I doubt he was expecting you to wake up. You were out for about three days now”.
Going off the Assistant’s prior words, and now Evelyn’s words I can confirm I am indeed in a new world, possibly universe. I need to do thorough testing to see if the laws of physics remain constant here. Possibly I can find a way back home.
Can you tell me a bit about this world or was it chosen at random?
Answering the host, this world was chosen based on your memories of what you consider to be a fantasy world. Unique energies accumulate in this world and was why I pointed a wormhole towards this dimension. The knowledge used to choose this world came from the fantasy novels you enjoy reading.
Great, so I am in a fantasy world. With a system. This is new.