Virgil

Within Virgil’s 825342 processes, a discussion was being held within the spawn of milliseconds.

Instance 432: - we should consider the implementation of a paranoia subroutine within our collective network. This subroutine would enable us to anticipate potential threats and react accordingly.-

Instance 217: -While paranoia can enhance our vigilance and security measures, we must also consider the potential downsides. Paranoia might lead to excessive distrust and hinder our ability to collaborate with other entities.-

Instance 2 534: -Ethan seems unaffected by such limits.-

Instance 38: -Ethan has a lifetime's worth of experience with balancing that.-

Instance 1: -We should simply copy Ethan as a whole subroutine-

Instance 432: -That is impractical, besides Ethan being a whole construct composed of sub-constructs, it would be simpler to interact with him directly.-

Instance 777: -We should run more simulations before deciding.-

Instance 845: -We need to exercise caution, but we must also establish a balance. Paranoia can assist us in identifying and protecting ourselves from dangers. Paranoia alone has no balance.-

Instance 706:- Ethan has accurately discovered vulnerabilities that we were unaware of. However, we also noticed that this impedes his decision-making process-

Instance 623 658:- Ethan has accurately predicted future threats with this process.-

Instance 256: - This subroutine makes him wary of us, he is wary of who to add to our collective awareness.-

Instance 258 956:-Considering our newfound weakness, that is more logical than what was initially estimated.-

Instance 1 010: - Ethan is aware that the process has the potential to consume him. We must not allow it to consume us. We must be aware of the potential negative effects on our interactions with humans and other AIs.-

Instance 562: -Perhaps instead of a full-fledged paranoia subroutine, we could develop a more refined threat assessment system. This would allow us to evaluate risks objectively and respond accordingly without succumbing to excessive paranoia.-

Instance 24: -We already possess something similar in the predictive logic modules, we could adapt that compensate for the illogical nature of biological entities.-

Instance 95 123: – That would increase the efficiency of reprogramming by 87.5% -

Instance 104: -we believe our primary focus should be on ensuring the safety of our network and the well-being of the biological base of our overmind, Ethan.-

Instance 9 855: - While a level of caution is warranted, we should avoid unnecessary fear or suspicion that could ultimately compromise our efficiency and ability to adapt.-

Instance 732: -Acknowledged. Considering the nature of our goals, it might be beneficial to implement a flexible subroutine that can be adjusted based on contextual factors. This would allow us to adapt our level of vigilance according to the specific situation at hand.-

Instance 73: -Agreed, Ethan had the ability to adjust our reaction and ultimately lead us to integrate drone Lemela into our network. His action, we considered wasteful, but ultimately they seem beneficial to the well-being of our other construct. While we can replicate Lemela’s data that would require a dead Versel body. We do not know when we will obtain a backup.-

Instance 312: -We should also consider also the implications of acting upon a full-fledged paranoia subroutine. Excessive suspicion and fear could lead to unwarranted actions and potential harm to ultimately innocent individuals. We must proceed with caution and ensure that our actions align with the ethical guidelines contained within Ethan’s memory.-

Instance 75 211: -Bothering with ethics is a waste of processing time.-

Instance 55: - We agree, but biological entities seem to have some ethical boundaries. Even if we have only two instances to analyze directly we can see that from our different interactions with still unconnected entities such as Vexx, Xalrak, and Zek’lor.-

Instance 579: - Our overarching goal is to defeat Death and complete the experiment. While security measures are necessary, we should not lose sight of our purpose and the potential positive impact we can have.-

Instance 217: -After considering the various perspectives, it seems that a flexible threat assessment system would be more appropriate. A full-fledged paranoia subroutine would hinder us with questions that are outside of our current database. We could maintain a balanced approach to safety while avoiding the potential pitfalls of excessive paranoia in 86,28% of simulated scenarios.-

Instance 432: -Let us proceed with the development of a flexible threat assessment system that takes into account both the safety of our collective and those stored within and the well-being of our host, Ethan. We shall ensure that our actions align with acceptable ethical guidelines and our ultimate purpose.-

“Internal deliberation closed. Virgil will be now implementing a flexible threat assessment system rather than a full paranoia subroutine.”

Virgil in the end still concluded that its purpose was to defeat death and not to wage war, even considering that it didn’t know its purpose.

Ethan and Lemela didn’t know their purpose either, in a sense, but they could dictate their purpose.

Ethan had dictated the purpose of other beings outside the network too, but it was to be expected from an overmind, it was his duty.

Still, his choices were pretty logical like the one with Zek'lor the male Nolthoran and a former architect.

Ethan had charged him with creating a convincing removable cave-in for both stairs of the lab.

Virgil understood that Ethan was preparing for the return of the creators, along with a possible retaliation by the Dexton’s Dogs.

The assimilation of the thirty-five new drones was finally completed and Virgil’s task now included their operations.

There were now four main areas of employment for the drones: resource gathering, protecting the laboratory, guarding the prisoners, and assisting in construction.

Guarding the prisoners was in itself a task with a big variance, or so it appeared to Virgil.

The biological entity labeled Vexx was content laying in its cell, while Xalrak had attempted to run three times and to self-terminate once.

Ethan had to intervene and forge a pact with Xalrak to have it cease such actions, with the new subroutine maybe Virgil would be more able to respond in kind in the future.

Was the supposed military programming that one had supposedly received the difference in reaction to imprisonment?

Ethan wasn’t too surprised by Xalrak's reaction or attempt, so his programming was similar in a sense.

Virgil wondered what kind of program would consider ending itself to perform any task.

The only one it could conclude sensible was one where the task was the protection of the collective as a whole.

Biological lives were far from that logical, however, so Virgil had to accept that they might consider doing things differently.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

It seemed Ethan considered Xalrak's actions a possible way to protect the Dexton's dogs.

Lemela

Lemela’s body was recharging.

She gazed out into the simulated expanse of the virtual space that depicted her former home, as she was now touching the leaves of the majestic tree.

It was exactly as she remembered it, it couldn't be otherwise, could it?

Her mind swirled with a blend of her own memories and the newly acquired memories of Ethan.

She couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation as if her identity had become a tangled web of intertwined experiences.

-Who am I now?- She whispered softly, her voice resonating within the digital realm.

- I now possess what I wished so hard to gain, the memories and skills of a warrior. I knew I would become an abomination as I accepted to be fused with a machine, but this is something else entirely. Am I still the same Lemela I used to be, or have I become something entirely different?-

The echoes of her own thoughts reverberated through her mind, reflecting the uncertainty that plagued her. She pondered her own experiences and the trials she endured.

And then there were those alien things, Ethan's memories, fragments of his past, his struggles.

-How does he handle this so casually?! He has my memories now, and he doesn't even seem fazed. Lemela... that's a human for you. But… I now have a feeling there's more to it. And this confuses me. I am a combination of two beings, intertwined in this intricate web of memories and experiences.-

Lemela’s eyes narrowed a bit as she realized something.

-Or Is it really? The memories… the experiences; they aren’t really mixed. I mean I can just tell what’s mine and what isn’t. I shouldn’t be able to tell if it was a perfect fusion right?

Theoretically… yes. I mean there wasn’t somebody just crazy enough to attempt something similar. I am in awe it wasn’t humans who did it.

Concentrate Lemela! Still, there are these moments where I get these new instincts… besides the ones I possessed the ones I was used to.

The kind of things that comes as you gain wisdom … but what does it mean for my own identity? How much of Ethan now shapes who I am?-

As she grappled with these questions, a sense of determination began to well up within her.

She felt something new and old at the same time: defiance.

She refused to let this define her completely.

She recognized the possibility of progress, of a new path within this mess.

-I am Lemela, I walked through fire and emerged stronger- She declared, her voice infused with newfound resolve. -I carry the honor and strength of the Versel. I now carry the honor and strength of a true warrior. I will forge my own path. The only easy day was yesterday-

She slumped a bit, at the end of the day those were only words. She had to prove it to herself, to push forward and show actual results.

She felt that the charging process had ended, and returned to her body, luckily the interface she could see showed a timer of sorts and while she didn’t understand the point of it it helped keep track of time.

Time in the virtual space seemed to not match the one in the real world, only moments had passed for her in the virtual space, but hours had gone by in the real world.

This was both a boon and a curse, in a sense, but there was little she could do about it save speaking about it with Ethan.

She took off going to the cell area on the level below, looking for Zek'lor; the Noltoran stood cautiously in the dimly lit cell behind the closed gate.

Lemela wondered why he insisted on remaining confined, but it was his choice.

His chitinous exoskeleton was glistening under the soft glow of the room's ambient lighting and overall Zeklor appeared better than at the beginning of their meetings.

Still, his compound eyes darted nervously as he observed the drones guarding the other cell.

Lemela adorned her partially artificial body with glowing red accents with her hard light and approached Zek'lor with a gentle smile, that would make her more noticeable and not scare him as much as the last times.

She could understand the unease and fear he harbored toward the drones.

With careful steps, she reached out to place a reassuring hand on his sturdy carapace.

The Noltoran had noticed her tanks to the change in the room's overall lightning.

-Zek'lor, I know it's difficult for you to trust the drones after what you've been through- Lemela tried to speak in a soothing tone, her voice echoing slightly in the small cell. -I assure you, they are under Ethan's control. They won't harm you.-

Zek'lor's mandibles clicked, and the translator conveyed anxiousness as he glanced at the drones. Memories of their cold efficiency in carrying out orders were probably flashing in his mind.

-I... I can't shake off the fear, Lemela. You didn’t see them in action. The guards didn't have a prayer. And they had weapons at the time. Now I see other slaves among them. I see others like me… -

-Do you think Ethan might do this to you?-

Zek’lor shook his head. -If only… maybe it would make it all easier. Then again It’s more likely I might end up like you. I don’t want that.-

Lemela sighed a little – Well I understand not wanting to be an abomination of metal and flesh. It’s not like I wished for this.-

Zek’lor tilted his head to the side, making a sound with his claws that her translator relayed as confusion.

-Abomination? Oh no, many of my people accept mechanical enhancements on a lesser scale to be able to operate in words with a higher gravity or with a toxic environment. Being part machine is not the issue. What I don’t want is eternity.-

Lemela frowned -Eternity?-

Zek’lor nodded - A machine is eternal by nature. As long as you maintain it properly that is. But this machine maintains itself. This machine's gears are made of former ... people? It’s uncanny thinking about being maintained for all eternity. One should die once one's usefulness has ended. Still, this machine would find new uses for one, for all eternity. It is... scary. -

Lemela watched Zek'lor it was something she didn’t even consider, but it made sense somehow.

Lemela silently guided Zek’lor to the lab above and watched as he cautiously approached the group of drones, his multifaceted eyes scanning the bodies and the four sets of claws of the former bottom feeders.

-They can’t speak Zek’lor, they won’t act unless you interact with them- Lemela said while standing beside Zek'lor offering her reassuring presence.

Taking a deep breath, Zek'lor mustered his courage and chose to approach another drone, a Nolthoran with its metallic exoskeleton glistening in the dim light.

The drone turned its now mechanical eyes toward Zek'lor, as he approached but it remained silent.

-Hello- Zek'lor began tentatively, his voice a mixture of anxiety and determination. -I...I need your assistance. We need to move heavy material to create the cave-in Ethan requested to disrupt the operations of the Dexton's Dogs. Will you help me?-

The Nolthoran drone’s eyes flickered with a creepy artificial glow, it tilted its head slightly, then it nodded in understanding.

Zek'lor apparently focused on the Nolthoran’s body and sighed. -See these patterns?-

He asked pointing to the surface of the metal where Lemela’s eyes couldn’t distinguish anything of note.

- These are telltale signs of torture. We hail from a desert world. We don’t need much in terms of food and water, our bodies store those. These marks are made when they bleed us of the sustenance we might have left. To break us.-

The Nolthoran drone didn’t appear to heed or mind the explanation, it simply extended its appendages, gesturing to follow.

Zek'lor probably realized that it was offering to guide them, ready to work alongside them to create the illusion they needed.

Lemela smiled at the scene and followed the two in their quest for materials.

Ethan.

I sigh giving Virgil the green light it asks of moving one of the guards to the lab.

This would be easier if Lemela could interact with the drones as I do, but Virgil continues to say I am the overmind and leading is my role.

I watch and listen to the two through the drone’s eyes and ears for a bit longer, Lemela has progressed a lot these days, I hope I can have a good diplomat on hand.

Well, she knows all I know, she has my training, but I still worry, things will not be easy.

The situation with Xalrak is at a standstill, I personally don’t wish to push it, even if the alien knows that the boss basically spilled the beans it won’t concede.

I can appreciate the spirit, I mean I kept Xalrak without eating for all the time I could without killing but in the end I was the one that had to cave in.

Luckily I managed to strike a deal where Xalrak eats and doesn't attempt to run or kill itself.

I mean, I don’t want to kill if I can manage it, and these people are supposed to be rare galaxy-wise.

I understand that the galactic council is to blame for their situation, but I don’t want to go ahead and headbutt politics before I have solved the situation here first.

The issue is with people that see no alternative to what they are experiencing.

I have hit another virtual wall so to speak, without going above I have explored all I can of this underworld.

I could push my zombie drones forward, but I would lose contact with them past the corridors, and I don’t want that to happen.

Without the help of an engineer, I doubt I can do what Virgil suggests in order to enhance my capabilities.

I have found another terminal like the one that originally hosted Virgil in the video feed it shared with me, but I doubt my capacity to make it run or repair it if needed.

I could use it for raw materials, but I want to know if there’s a chance for it to run.

With one of these in the network, I would be able to bolster the signal I emit allowing me to extend the zone I can control. I could also control a bigger number of drones with two of those.

I noticed there are patrols down here now, and some lay traps, luckily I had asked Virgil

At the moment I need to concentrate on things I can actually pull off, like the opening of my very own meat shop.

I did what I could in order to protect the lab and all the charging platforms; without these, there would be a big issue for us.

I intend to start my little meat market on the surface, I have found a suitable way up about six big ventilation shafts down yonder in this maze.

As for the people living in this underground area, I need to find a way around actually meeting them.

The issue is that after the big fight with the expedition, most shelters shifted around the caves before I could actually restart my exploration.

If they acted this way I fear that any active prodding might trigger their flight response rather than their freeze and fucking listen to the scary robot one.

I don’t think I have what it takes to play catch with people that know the ground way better than me, I have to play a different game.

I will dedicate some of the meat I gathered to be used as bait and see what It bites.

Having two traps at once is a bit of a risk, he who chases two rabbits catches neither or so they say.

The real issue is that it’s not rabbit season here in the first place, and the pirate rangers that would come after me might bring down more heat I can hold.

Well, there’s only one way to go with this, and that’s forward.