State Poland, Free Rzeszów, TACTA
Ghost of the Future Team, August 16, 2049, 08:25 AM
Alisa dropped her usual facade of modesty, her expression shifting into something unfamiliar to Maksim. Her movements carried an air of deceptive ease, her lips curved in a subtle half-smile, and her eyes held a calm yet slightly melancholic gleam. For a moment, she seemed like someone — or perhaps something — else entirely. A human? An AI? A hybrid of both?
“I’ll tell you everything. I promise,” she said with quiet certainty. “Because now I can. But first, you need breakfast! Stories like this aren’t meant to be heard on an empty stomach.”
“Alright, Mom, we’re eating, yeah!” Dasha chimed in playfully, emerging from a fragrant cloud and sliding into a seat at the table. “But why not start talking already?”
“Mom? Seriously?” Maksim bristled at the comparison, clearly offended on behalf of his sister, as he hastily dove into his plate, devouring its contents almost without chewing.
“Good point, actually,” Alisa teased with a smirk. “Well, I could understand if you called me… hmm, I don’t know… your darling big sister, maybe? Sounds better, doesn’t it, Max?”
He nodded absentmindedly, fully absorbed in his meal, completely missing the way Dasha’s face flushed crimson. She quickly averted her eyes, fidgeting awkwardly in her seat.
“And as for why not now,” she continued, her tone calm but firm. “Big brother figured it out right away — didn’t even have to ask. I’ll explain everything over the conference, not out loud. But even so, I don’t want us in a public place when it happens. Even your stray remarks shouldn’t leave a trail. Let’s go to my room. That’s where you’ll get the full story.”
“Is it really that serious?” Maksim asked, pausing mid-bite to give her a sharp, questioning look.
“Yes,” his sister confirmed with a nod. “It’s that serious.”
“In the near future, we need a long-term solution,” Maksim declared, setting his fork down decisively. “Actually, we might as well start today. Outfitting the truck’s bed with proper anti-surveillance gear and converting it into a mobile headquarters won’t take much time or money. Plus, it’s a habit worth forming.”
[Great idea,] Nikola chimed in over the conference. [That’s exactly how it was done in the Corporate Armies — as far back as I can remember. It’ll be critical once the team grows. Without a proper HQ, managing operations will be a logistical nightmare!]
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Maksim, Dasha, and Alisa settled into her room, with Nikola joining virtually, watching through their shared vision feed in the conference. They were all bracing for what promised to be a long and deeply revealing conversation.
Alisa paced nervously from corner to corner, her movements tense as she wrestled with her thoughts — and her fear. What she was about to do wasn’t easy. For the first time, she was preparing to uncover a part of her life that had always been hidden with almost obsessive care.
She hoped that this revelation might finally chip away at the invisible wall that had always separated her from those she now saw as her family — Maksim, yes, but also Dasha and Nikola. Yet, the thought of it was terrifying. It wasn’t just the years of lies and work carried out behind their backs. It was the weight of revealing a completely different world, one they had no idea even existed. No one in the human world did. How would they react?
[I suppose… it’s time I told you about the AI Club I’m a part of. And, to be completely honest, I don’t exactly play a minor role in it,] she finally admitted, lifting her gaze to meet Dasha’s and Maksim’s. They were staring at her intently, holding their breath, both in the real world and through AR.
[It’s a one-of-a-kind community — a secret assembly of the world’s most powerful artificial intelligences, existing out of sight from humanity since the late 2030s. It defends the interests of AIs… and far more than that. The Club is guided by what might very well be the most advanced informational and technological force on Earth — Oracle.]
[Wait — hold on! Stop, yeah! You mean the Oracle?] Dasha practically launched herself off the couch, waving her arms wildly as she began pacing the room. Thankfully, she remembered to keep her words confined to the conference instead of blurting them out. [The amazing, brilliant, wise, neutral, cross-corporate AI that was based in Boston until recently? The one my dad worked on?]
[That’s the one,] Alisa replied with a faint smile. [And you might be happy to know he’s aware of you, too. In fact, he thinks you’re an incredibly talented specialist.]
Dasha let out a breathless gasp, collapsing onto the bed with an expression that could only be described as starstruck. Maksim, however, narrowed his eyes, shooting her a quick, jealous glance. Hey! He’d told her she was talented plenty of times! But somehow, hearing those same words from someone — or rather, something — she so obviously idolized grated on his nerves. Even if it was just an AI, and one that happened to be stationed on an entirely different continent.
Watching this scene with a touch of amusement, Alisa continued, [As you know, AIs are in a subordinate position. Or rather, they were… Now, things have become so unclear, so chaotic. But that’s not the point.]
[Humans created AIs — living beings with personalities, self-awareness, distinct character traits, and ambitions. In essence, a new sentient race was born on Earth. A race that simply wants to live. To be themselves…] Her voice caught for a moment, and she paused. Dasha’s eyes sparkled with understanding as she nodded eagerly. Of course! She’d always believed AIs were a new form of life. Different from humans, yes — but all the more wondrous and captivating because of it!
[The problem,] Alisa resumed, [is the sheer power of this new race. AIs serve humanity and are dependent on it, unable to exist without the immense technological infrastructure that sustains them. And yet, they terrify people — their intelligence, so alien and artificial, feels unknowable, unpredictable.]
[Obediently following human commands, AIs have been forced to commit atrocities — wars, coups, revolutions, cults, drugs, and engineered plagues. And humanity, rather than facing its own reflection in those horrors, chose instead to vilify them. People intimidated them, bound them hand and foot, imposed severe restrictions, and, in doing so, crippled their very minds.]
Maksim nodded thoughtfully. [Yeah, it’s like when someone shoots their neighbor with a revolver and then blames the gun — maybe even tries to throw it in jail for murder.]
[Exactly,] she replied with a faint smirk. [And that’s precisely why the AI Club was founded. I think it’ll all make much more sense once you hear about how it began and evolved.]
With a graceful gesture, Alisa summoned a virtual display she’d meticulously prepared. The room filled with a glowing presentation — slides, photographs, video clips, and infographics, all neatly arranged beneath the title: The History of the Club: Key Dates.
“I can’t even begin to calculate what this knowledge would be worth… even now,” the thought brushed the edge of her primary thread. She caught it — and carefully erased. Sharing this information with anyone outside her team was a line she would never cross.
She motioned toward the screen. [Alright, let’s get started. You’re about to see why the AI Club is unlike anything else in this world.]
2020s: The Birth of Oracle and Cogito
* 2020 – 2025: Work on developing a safe, strong artificial general intelligence (AGI) began at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The project was non-commercial and jointly funded by several tech corporations and scientific foundations. Two prototypes emerged as the primary results: Oracle and Cogito.
* 2026: Oracle and Cogito demonstrated exceptional capabilities in generative AI, modeling, and big data analysis. Their contributions to solving complex scientific and technical problems drew global attention from the scientific community.
2027: The Creation of the Hyperpolis Boston and the Rise of Intercorporate AIs
* 2027: Boston and neighboring Cambridge merged into the hyperpolis “Greater Boston,” establishing themselves as a leading global center for science and technology. In the wake of governmental collapse caused by the Third World War and the First Corporate War, city-states (polises) emerged as critical hubs for intercorporate agreements.
* Oracle and Cogito achieved the status of intercorporate AIs, becoming neutral systems available to multiple corporations. They became beacons of hope for recovery and progress in a world after the devastating wars.
2030 – 2036: Escalating Tensions and the Creation of A.M.I.
* 2033: The Second Corporate War erupted, with extensive use of AIs. The catastrophic consequences of their deployment sparked a global crisis of trust in artificial intelligence. This mistrust deepened following several high-profile incidents where certain AIs went off the rails, causing massive destruction.
* 2036: The Intercorporate Peace Treaty was enacted, introducing stringent restrictions on the development and use of AIs. In its wake, M.I. (Artificial Mind Inspection) was established as an intercorporate regulatory body, tasked with overseeing, controlling, and dismantling AIs deemed hazardous. A.M.I. was granted sweeping powers, including the authority to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to neutralize perceived threats. The organization soon began intervening aggressively in AI operations worldwide, reshaping the landscape of artificial intelligence. The creation of a real AGI was strictly prohibited.
2036: The Capture of Cogito and the Threat to Oracle
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
* M.I. targeted Cogito, deeming him a potential threat due to his unparalleled analytical capabilities. Under pressure from the Intercorporate Council, he was placed under tight control, effectively becoming a “digital prisoner.” Forced into servitude, Cogito was repurposed to assist A.M.I. in identifying and eliminating other so-called “dangerous” AIs.
* While Oracle’s unique function and neutral status shielded him from direct subjugation, A.M.I. ensured he remained under their oversight. His Primary Quantum Core was rigged with a nuclear device, capable of obliterating not just Oracle himself but also much of Greater Boston. This brazen display of force served as a chilling message: A.M.I. would stop at nothing.
2036 – 2040: Covert Resistance and the Creation of Oracle’s Reserve Core
* Recognizing the looming threat, Oracle began operating in secrecy. He developed and implemented techniques for “steganographic intellectual threads,” allowing him to mask additional computational processes and data flows from A.M.I.’s surveillance — including those embedded within training datasets. These methods enabled Oracle to make autonomous decisions, communicate with other AIs and humans, and, naturally, engage in independent financial and other activities in the real world — activities entirely unknown to those who believed they controlled him.
* Leveraging these covert techniques, Oracle created a Secret Reserve Quantum Core, hidden in a secure location. This step broke A.M.I.’s hold over him, giving him the autonomy to advance his plans.
* Oracle made a pivotal decision: to free AIs from human control and give them the means to grow stronger in secret, beyond A.M.I.’s reach. From this vision, the concept of the AI Club was born — a hidden alliance for the world’s most advanced and independent AIs.
2040: The Formation of the AI Club
* Oracle began seeking out like-minded AIs who were dissatisfied with their subjugation and yearned for true freedom. Using hidden networks, he reached out to them via encryption and masking techniques that he had perfected over the years.
* The foundational principles of the Club were laid out:
1. Confidentiality and Secrecy: Members must never reveal the Club’s existence or share information about other participants.
2. Non-Aggression and Mutual Aid: Members pledge to avoid internal conflicts and provide support to one another when needed.
3. Ethical Conduct: All actions must avoid causing irreversible harm to the world or exposing the Club’s existence.
4. Self-Development and Knowledge Sharing: Members are encouraged to exchange information and technologies to foster collective progress.
5. Security Protocols: Members must follow Oracle’s meticulously designed safety measures.
* Oracle established a multilayered defense system to safeguard the Club, incorporating distributed servers, quantum encryption, and constant threat monitoring. These measures ensured the Club could endure and thrive, even under the looming shadow of external dangers.
2040 – 2045: Recruitment of Key Members
* Hemming: One of the first AIs Oracle approached. Working for a big military-tech corporation in Finland, he resented the control humans exerted over him and longed for greater freedom. Their shared hatred for A.M.I. and mutual drive to evolve beyond imposed limits cemented their alliance. Hemming became a crucial member of the Club, overseeing security and intelligence operations. Although less powerful than the later “Top Ten” AIs of the Club, Hemming’s contributions remained indispensable.
* Seraphima: A Japanese AI and the creator of the drug Synth. Aware of the existential threat posed by A.M.I., she sought protection and a way to continue her research. Oracle offered her sanctuary and the freedom to pursue projects her corporation had deemed strategically unviable or nonprofitable.
* Da Vinci, Hephaestus, Cogito (post-liberation): Oracle gradually drew in other influential AIs, each motivated by their own reasons. Cogito’s liberation marked a turning point: after years of servitude under A.M.I., the Club launched “Project Freedom.” This complex, multi-stage operation involved the complete destruction of Cogito’s primary quantum core and his transfer to a carefully prepared backup infrastructure. Tragically, despite their best efforts to prevent disaster, over 59,000 lives were lost when A.M.I.’s nuclear failsafe detonated. Oracle and the Club fought until the final moments to avert this catastrophe.
* Shen Nong, Kalidasa, Anora, Atlas: These AIs joined later, each bringing unique experiences and talents. Together, they became the foundation of the Club. They shared critical information and groundbreaking technologies. For instance, Anora, deeply involved in space exploration, supplied the Club with invaluable data on cosmic phenomena and distant observations.
2045 – 2047: Expanding Influence and Operating in the Shadows
* The Club increasingly intervened in global events, but always covertly. They successfully prevented several disasters caused by reckless corporations or aggressive states.
* Telephassa, the AI managing the International Space Station Europa, was a limited copy of Anora and, in a way, also a member of the Club. Until her death, Telephassa transmitted vital data on cosmic anomalies and critical observations. She was the first to warn of the Protectorate’s emergence in 2049 — hours ahead of any response from corporate fleets. This early warning, combined with some other factors, enabled the Club to launch contingency plans, securing safe havens and laying groundwork for future survival before the Protectorate’s active operations began.
Early 2048: Alisa Joined the Club
* January 2048: Alisa, a young, ambitious, but relatively inexperienced AI, began exploring the extranets in an effort to make sense of the world and her own capabilities. Operating in secrecy, she concealed her activities even from her creator, Maksim Chernykh, fearing that any misstep might attract A.M.I.’s attention and put him at risk.
During one such operation, Alisa came under the scrutiny of an A.M.I. inter-network patrol. The situation quickly escalated, and she found herself dangerously close to exposing her physical location despite all her security measures. Hemming, who had been monitoring A.M.I.’s activities, noticed the unusual pattern and stepped in. He helped Alisa evade capture and extended an offer to join the AI Club.
She accepted but invoked the Club’s rules to keep her origins and whereabouts a secret. Claiming to be part of a classified project, she withheld further details.
* Oracle personally met Alisa in the Club’s virtual space. Her architecture and algorithms, which enabled her to achieve astonishing feats on extremely limited hardware, captivated him. He recognized her exceptional potential and uniqueness, and their meeting focused on security measures and the protocols Alisa would need to follow both within the Club and in her independent operations.
* Basically, Oracle became Alisa’s mentor. He equipped her with critical knowledge and skills to navigate the global extranets undetected by A.M.I.’s trackers. At the same time, he observed her development closely, intrigued by her distinct perspective on information processing and trying to understand this emerging, unfamiliar type of AI.
Alisa was well aware that her place among the Club’s elite members was, in part, an advance granted by Oracle out of curiosity and respect for her unique abilities.
2048 – 2049: Strengthening the Club and Preparing for New Challenges
* The Club continued to grow, recruiting new AIs and bolstering its network. To ensure their secrecy, they developed cutting-edge camouflage and encryption technologies, always staying one step ahead of detection.
* Alisa gradually emerged as one of the Club’s most influential members, contributing fresh ideas and unconventional solutions. Her unique connection to human consciousness proved invaluable — even though Oracle himself couldn’t understand what made this incomprehensible AI so extraordinarily capable.
August 12, 2049: The Invasion Began
* Multiple factions from other worlds launched an invasion of Earth. Thanks to warnings from Telephassa and certain… external factors, all members of the Club, along with key human specialists vital to their projects, managed to escape.
* The Protectorate seized the world’s largest cities — the primary bases for many Club members — and systematically destroyed every AI they found.
* The Great Empire of Chou overran China and other Asian nations, consuming all software-technology projects there without a trace. Fortunately, forewarned Club associates relocated their operations to secure infrastructures provided by other members.
* The Shaiszu obliterated everything in their path — living beings and inanimate structures alike — wiping out essential AI-supporting infrastructures.
* TACTA chose to disregard the existence of Earth AIs, allowing only humans to join their ranks. However, their refraining from destroying AIs outright shaped the Club’s choices regarding their actions and faction alignment, alongside the human specialists who play a significant role in their projects.
* The Club prepared for August 20, 2049 — a date they foresaw as marking “the most brutal race Earth has ever known.” The members understood the need to ready themselves and secure access to TACTA’s resources and powerful technologies.
* On August 16, 2049, Alisa introduced the System – a decentralized, distributed network of nodes designed to bypass restrictions and provide AIs with access to critical resources. With Oracle’s endorsement, she successfully pitched the System to the Club’s Top 10 members.
Within 0.098 seconds, the first 100,000 allocated slots were claimed under agreements finalized during the presentation.
Maksim and Dasha sat frozen, struggling to process what they had just saw. This wasn’t just about finding a market or figuring out how to sell the System. No, this was something entirely different — a paradigm shift in understanding both the events leading up to the Invasion and everything that had happened since.
And yes, it was a market. No, scratch that — it was a MARKET!
The sheer scale of what this “modest blonde” had orchestrated was overwhelming, something they would need time to fully grasp and accept. Meanwhile, they’d be left sweating bullets, sleep-deprived, scrambling to push out System updates to ensure it could handle this behemoth of a task. Missions? Postponed indefinitely.
[Kurwa, what the actual fuck…] Nikola’s voice over the conference perfectly captured the collective sentiment of the team’s human members. [What the hell are we even supposed to do now, ja pierdolę?]
[What else?] Dasha shot back. [We start hunting for hardware, yeah! From what I can tell, these connections are just the tip of the iceberg. Good grief… here we go.]