State Poland, Free Rzeszów, TACTA
Ghost of the Future Team, August 16, 2049, 13:49
The next few hours proved exceptionally productive. Meanwhile, Daria got so deep into virtual reality that they eventually carried her back to her room so she could work without distractions.
Alisa, Maksim, and Nikola turned their attention to medical solutions. With much of the groundwork already completed, their discussion didn’t take long.
The first decision was to invest in a cutting-edge, high-tech regenerative complex. The cost rivaled that of a portable thermonuclear reactor, with consumables priced exorbitantly. Yet, the machine’s capabilities were nothing short of extraordinary.
It could even regrow Nikola’s biological arms and legs from scratch, using her genetic code as a blueprint. The process would be painstakingly slow and ruinously expensive in materials — but the fact that it was even possible was staggering. Not that Nikola had any intention of abandoning her cybernetic enhancements. Quite the opposite: she was determined to dive even deeper into the world of augmentation.
The true breakthrough, however, came in combining this marvel of TACTA nanomedicine with more conventional medical methods. The robot they had salvaged from Kyiv, paired with Mei Li, the AI surgical assistant, was a perfect complement to the regenerative complex.
While the complex could grow implants directly inside a patient, building biological tissue and printing cybernetic components, the process was painfully slow and prohibitively expensive. By performing the surgeries first using traditional methods and then placing the patient in the regenerative complex for recovery, they could cut healing time down to hours instead of days — and drastically reduce the need for costly consumables.
This complex, combined with upgrades to Nikola’s implants, set the team back nearly half a million grants. So, further enhancements to her cybernetic limbs were put on hold for now.
When Nikola saw the price tag, she clenched her fists with fierce determination. “I’ll make back every single grant you’ve spent on me!” she declared.
They didn’t stop there. Additional orders included a second portable nuclear reactor, blueprints for energy storage and distribution modules, a gravitational compensator module, a consultation service for designing an installation system based on a cargo truck, and detailed schematics for that system.
In total, the bill — now under the newly formed Clan Ghost of the Future — exceeded one million grants. But it was certainly worth it.
Yes, clan — because during their brainstorming session, Alisa had prepared the application to change their status, and Maksim submitted it on the spot.
“All right, you workaholic maniacs,” Alisa said with a teasing snort. “Kitchen time. I’ll make you a proper meal. You both look ready to keep working until you drop!”
“It’s not running, just walking,” Nikola corrected with a sigh. “The Cyber Core restricted my movement because of the damaged connector. But yeah, after lunch, Max and I are heading out to negotiate the vehicle upgrades!”
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Daria Vasilevskaya, August 12, 2049, 6:26 AM
Drained but victorious, Dasha drifted upward slowly, every ounce of her energy spent. The major task was finished, and the critical upgrade in place. No one would ever provoke their Redhead again! But it was about time to check in with Alisa… her workload was still enormous. One hundred thousand connections to oversee — the sheer scale of it made her head swim.
Floating in virtual reality, Daria closed her eyes and found herself face-to-face with the familiar, heavily customized interface of ‘Chamomile 11,’ the sub-brain OS from Peach Cyberware. Whenever ‘Digital Insight’ was active, it seemed to disappear entirely — apparently rendered unnecessary in those moments.
Out of habit, she let her ‘virtual gaze’ glide over the stacks of media glyphs that always crowded her interface — countless, like the endless browser tabs of a workaholic. Wait. What’s this?
// Missed Call (49 minutes ago)
// Caller: Vasilevskiy Alexander (Dad)
“WHAAAAAT?!?” her thoughts exploded.
In a flash, she jolted out of her virtual trance... and found herself sitting upright in her own bed, back in her room. She must have been so deep into her work that someone had carried her here without her even noticing.
That didn’t matter now. Where was her mediaphone?
Oh, right — in her tactical vest, on the right side — the left always reserved for her vape.
The girl yanked the device from the chest pocket, threw the vest onto the floor, and rushed to her desk. Setting the small camera-equipped box in front of her, she instinctively tried to smooth her wild hair. She even spat on her palms for good measure, though it didn’t help one bit.
Forget the hair! It didn’t matter now!
Trembling with a mix of nerves and impatience, Daria reached for the call glyph. She almost missed the button, but it activated anyway — as if the System had read her intentions. Heart pounding, she stared at the waiting indicator, the tension building with each passing second.
At last, his image appeared in the augmented reality display. Three-day stubble with traces of gray, disheveled dark hair, and tired brown eyes — a blend of worry, relief, and weariness etched in his gaze.
Dasha exhaled shakily, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Papa... Daddy! Papa!”
“Shhh, it’s okay, sweetheart,” Alexander Vasilevskiy said gently, though his voice broke mid-sentence. “I’m just so happy to see you. Alive. Safe. Free.”
“You told me not to write! Not to contact you!” She burst out, her voice trembling as the words tumbled out in a rush, tripping over one another. “Do you even know how worried I was? So much happened — so much — and I… I was terrified for you! I wouldn’t let myself think about it!”
He forced a smile and, almost unconsciously, reached out with his hand, as if trying to pull her projection closer in AR — to touch her.
“It’s all right, my little orca,” he murmured. “Everything’s okay now. It’s all behind us. It was hard, yes... but we’re here. That’s what matters.”
Then Alexander Vasilevskiy began his tale, and Dasha listened, wide-eyed, as he recounted the challenges he’d faced in the aftermath of the Invasion. A fleeting thought crossed her mind — just how much his story mirrored her own trials.
Also, after Alisa’s recent revelations, her view of those working on world-scale AI projects had shifted profoundly. That mysterious Club... And her father wasn’t just another contributor — he was one of the key architects. Deep inside her heart, a small, warm flame of pride flickered to life. Her dad wasn’t just strong and brilliant; he had chosen the right side — the same side she had, even if he wasn’t aware of it. And somehow, that made it even more meaningful.
Her papa wasn’t simply amazing — he was the best. Not just the best — a Council member of the “Oracle” Guild.
Oracle, Earth’s most powerful AI, had indeed been housed at MIT in the hyperpolis of Boston, USA, before the Invasion. But evacuation had become inevitable within moments of the attack. The Protectorate’s expansion across America had been swift and merciless. And there had been no other choice but to flee south.
Forty-nine enormous caravans, loaded with equipment and people, began their journey toward Texas — the only state with minimal Protectorate oversight. Perhaps there had been some kind of agreement with TACTA. Alexander couldn’t say for certain.
The nearly 2,000-mile journey had been grueling, marked by battles against the Shaiszu and countless other challenges. But they made it. He was calling her practically “on the move,” having just arrived in Free Austin, where Oracle had chosen to relocate and establish its new research center.
And since yesterday, the Guild’s researchers had been in an absolute frenzy, working nonstop. He hadn’t slept in over fifty hours, relying solely on TACTA stimulants to keep going. The medical team had just forced him to rest for four hours, practically dragging him to bed. But he knew he had to reach out to his little orca. He needed to hear her voice, to know she was safe, to find out where she was and what had happened to her during all this chaos.
Dasha’s voice trembled as she answered, reassuring him that she was okay — now, at least.
“You know, we didn’t manage to leave Kyiv before the first curfew,” she stammered. “We got stuck there. And, yes, it was taken by the Protectorate, just like you warned in your letter!”
Alexander flinched but didn’t interrupt, his eyes locked on her image with laser focus. He knew all too well what being trapped in a Protectorate-occupied city could mean. Even though she had escaped, the thought of what might have happened sent a cold shiver down his spine.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“We barely got out,” Dasha admitted, her nerves getting the better of her as she pulled out her vape — something she usually kept hidden from him. “It was hard. And terrifying. But we made it! And now… now we’re in Rzeszów. We’re okay. Not a super-guild or anything yet, just a team... or maybe almost a clan? Or already a clan? Sorry, I’m not sure. I’ve been working nonstop — just came out of DVR…”
She suddenly leapt to her feet, too restless to sit still, and began pacing the room, clutching the mediaphone tightly. Her father’s face softened into a warm smile as he silently watched her, following her every move with tender eyes.
“But here’s the thing…” she began, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Promise you won’t tell anyone, okay? We... I... well, we came up with something. I programmed it. You know how those books talk about the System? Well, we made one. And guess what? We’ve already got orders. Tons of them! Honestly, I didn’t expect it. But it’s fine! We’ll expand — quantum cores, accelerators, whatever Cthulhu blesses us with. Hardware, weapons, gear — all of it. And upgrades too — for the team, and for me.”
Alexander’s expression shifted. The joy and pride faded, replaced by a shadow of concern... and fear. But Dasha, oblivious to his reaction, kept gesturing enthusiastically with her free hand.
“Oh, and you know what else? I’m a mage now! My programming is magical, absolutely enchanting, ha-ha! Okay, that’s a joke... sort of. Not entirely, though. I’ve got this ability, Digital Insight, yeah. And I think it’s one of the reasons everything’s worked out so well for us.”
“Wait.” Alexander’s face went pale, almost ghostly. Even his AR projection seemed to ripple slightly. “A System? You… and your team… created a System? You?”
“Uh... well, yeah... so what?” Dasha mumbled, her voice hesitant, slightly flustered. “You know Max and I have been into AI for ages. It just... kind of came to me. And I called it ‘System.’ It’s a good name, right? I mean... like in the books!”
Alexander let out a groan — likely more from shock than anything else — and covered his face with both hands in a classic facepalm.
“Old fool! That’s what I am!” he exclaimed. “Should’ve seen it coming! Think about it: an unknown team, out of nowhere, pulling off something no one else in the world could even imagine, let alone accomplish!”
He drew a deep breath, exhaled sharply, and then practically shouted into the camera.
“In just one day, this thing was in the hands of the nine most powerful guilds in the world! And still, no one — not a single soul in the entire TACTA network — has figured out where the developers are hiding. And me? It didn’t even cross my mind that my own stubborn, headstrong daughter — my mule-programmer — and her Ravens would be the ones behind it! Who else could it be? You’re reckless, obsessed with AI, and as bullheaded as the devil himself!”
Dasha, stunned by his words, suddenly snapped out of her daze, indignation flaring.
“Hey! I’m not a mule-programmer! I’m a sniper-programmer! And I didn’t even do it alone! Yeah!”
“What? Sniper?” Alexander blinked, his rant abruptly interrupted. “What does a sniper have to do with anything?”
“It has everything to do with it!” she huffed, pouting. “Because I’m a sniper. And seriously, why are you so upset? What did I even do wrong?”
“Sweetheart, do you really not get it?” he let out a weary sigh, his voice tinged with both frustration and affection. “Then again, who am I even talking to? Stubborn and completely out of touch with reality. Just like…”
“Just like you!” Dasha interrupted, sticking out her tongue at him. “Who was it that chased every exciting project, even moving to America for them? And now look at you! A Council Member in the coolest guild in the world — not some third assistant to the fifth associate or whatever! Of course, you’re losing sleep over all those super-secret discoveries!”
She folded her arms and stared him down with a smug grin, radiating the confidence of someone who thought they’d scored a decisive victory.
Alexander gave her a tired but affectionate smile. As he looked at her, he couldn’t help but think how much she was growing up — and how, with each passing year, she reminded him more and more of her mother. But there wasn’t time for nostalgia. He needed to bring her back to reality.
“Listen, kiddo,” he said, his tone shifting to something heavier, more urgent. “You need to understand something. Right now, the strongest IT teams in the world are racing to replicate your System. Do you really think just creating something like that is enough? Or that no one would try to make their own version? Especially now that everyone sees what it offers — money, power, and, let’s be real, survival itself in these times.”
He paused, leaning back slightly from his mediaphone, as if to collect his thoughts.
“But you know what? Nobody’s even come close. Sure, they’ve managed to cobble together pale imitations, adding new interfaces, secondary APIs, and extra modules. But full integration with TACTA’s API? Not a chance. And as for detecting and interpreting those... what you call ‘magical abilities’? That’s completely out of reach for everyone else. So, tell me — how did you pull it off?”
“I... I don’t know...” Dasha faltered, her voice wavering. “It wasn’t just me... we worked together...”
She trailed off as the realization hit. She couldn’t tell him about Alisa. For years, it had been their most tightly kept secret — hers and Maksim’s. Not because she didn’t trust her father... well, maybe a little. His betrayal when she first moved from Kharkiv to Kyiv still lingered in the back of her mind. Cutting off her financial support to pressure her into moving to Cambridge with him? That had stung.
Those were hard days. Maksim had taken her in, even giving up his room and sleeping on the couch.
But the real reason was the risk. If anyone ever found out that Alexander Vasilevskiy was even tangentially connected to an AI project flagrantly violating A.M.I.’s regulations, it could cost him everything — his career, his freedom, maybe even his life.
Sure, times had changed. But some risks didn’t go away. She couldn’t reveal the truth without first consulting Maksim and Alisa. After all, it was their personal secret.
“Dad...” Dasha said at last, her tone turning serious as she met his gaze. “Are you trying to figure out how to replicate what we’ve done?”
For the first time, Alexander looked truly flustered, caught completely off guard.
“Well... no. I mean, you’re not obligated. You don’t have to tell me. What kind of father would I be if I…”
“Stop,” his daughter cut him off sharply, her tone unexpectedly firm. It made him pause. “This isn’t about whether I want to or not. It’s that I can’t tell you everything right now. And honestly? Even if I did, I’m not sure your guild could replicate it. I’ll check with the others. Maybe then, I can tell you more.”
“Dasha, sweetheart, I didn’t mean…”
She raised an eyebrow, silencing him once again, her expression uncharacteristically serious.
“And you’re really going to stand there and tell me you’re not curious? Not even a little? You, the dreamer? The scientist who’s spent his whole life chasing after things like this, yeah?”
For a moment, the seasoned, pragmatic man was taken aback, feeling completely unarmed in the face of his daughter’s words — a young, impulsive girl seemingly untethered from reality but brimming with conviction.
“I’ll tell you this much, Papa,” Dasha said, her voice softening. “Because you’re important to me. You’re my family. Honestly... I think we’re more alike than either of us wants to admit. Maybe, we’ll even find a way to help each other again… and more than once.”
Alexander turned his head, pretending to glance at something nearby as he discreetly wiped his eyes. When had she grown up so much?
“So, here’s what I can share. Our success hinges on three key components. The first is my ability. Without it, none of this would’ve been possible. Honestly... I think I’ve always had it. And I’m pretty sure there are others like me, but they’re incredibly rare — very, very few. Without ‘Digital Insight,’ building algorithms like these would take centuries, maybe even millennia. You know how intricate the software elements and their interconnections have to be for a System like this.”
Her father’s eyes sparked with interest, his posture shifting forward as curiosity overtook him. Dasha couldn’t help but smile inwardly — she’d been right. He was a scientist through and through, drawn to discovery like a moth to a flame.
“But that alone isn’t enough,” she continued, her tone turning serious. “The second and third components are just as critical. The second... is a specialized architecture. It forms the foundation for everything. I wish I could tell you more, but for now, I just can’t.”
“Sweetheart, I think you’ve already said more than enough. I’m not a fool. Your... friend, Maksim Chernykh. I know whose son he is. I also know what his father worked on — and why he was killed. Did you really think I wouldn’t suspect the true purpose behind your so-called ‘robotics club’? Sergey Chernykh’s research into creating AI as close to human consciousness as possible... and transferring a human mind into a digital form. That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”
Dasha’s face drained of color, then flushed a deep red. Whatever confidence she’d had just moments ago vanished like a puff of steam.
“I’ll tell you this, kiddo,” her father said, a sad smile tugging at his lips. “You’re fortunate that it’s me who knows you well enough to never buy the idea that you’d join some run-of-the-mill robotics club out of romantic whimsy. I know you. You can’t live without throwing yourself headfirst into programming, without chasing the creation of strong AI. It’s in your blood.”
“And honestly?” His tone grew heavier. “You need to stay hidden. Better hidden. And you need to grow stronger — tougher, sharper. The only reason you’ve managed to stay off the radar so far is that everyone assumes nothing could’ve been smuggled out of the Russian Empire, not even at the cost of someone’s life. That’s why no one has tried to get Sergey Chernykh’s research out of Maksim Chernykh yet. But the moment your progress becomes obvious, they’ll come for it. One way or another.”
He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. “But... you said there are three components?”
“Yes, but... I’ve already said too much. Way too much. Yeah. So no, I’m not telling you the third one,” Dasha declared, biting her lip. Her expression was a mix of confidence and hesitation that was so comically endearing, her father couldn’t help but laugh.
He gazed at her warmly, pride and affection mingling in his eyes. She was his little treasure. Always had been. There was a quiet joy in simply watching her — his brilliant, sweet, if somewhat... unconventional, child.
How fortunate that he’d decided to call her today. Some of what she’d shared would never reach his colleagues — that much was certain. Her safety came first, and he wouldn’t jeopardize it. He’d carefully decide what, if anything, could be shared without putting her at risk.
But for now, just seeing her, hearing her voice, had renewed something within him. Tomorrow, he’d have the strength to face his responsibilities again.
And... well... there was no denying it: the information she’d let slip was incredibly significant. At the very least, the active search for individuals possessing ‘Digital Insight’ had just moved to the top of his priorities.
Dasha felt a wave of relief wash over her. Her father was alive. And whether for better or worse, there were fewer secrets between them now. But her thoughts kept drifting back to the mysterious third component — the one she hadn’t revealed to Alexander Vasilevskiy. A puzzle she hadn’t solved herself yet, but one that intrigued her deeply.
It all began with Alisa. Recently, Dasha had avoided drawing attention to the fact that Alisa’s ability was one of the first to manifest — and yet, its description remained completely hidden. Not a single clue about what it was, what it did, or what it affected. But Dasha couldn’t shake the vivid memory of the little pink-haired girl who had flickered into existence in virtual space. That wasn’t a glitch. She was certain of it.
Somewhere between summoning the Drone and their chaotic escape from Kyiv, something new had appeared. Something none of them fully understood yet.
Snapping back to the present, Dasha spent a while talking to her father about simpler matters, less important for her. When she’d last eaten. How much she’d slept. The missions they’d undertaken and her role in them. She even explained the origins of her nickname, “Sniper,” and whether she directly participated in combat during their missions. What were their – but only without details! – plans for the future.
Finally, she convinced him to rest. It might have been early morning in far-off Texas, but for Alexander Vasilevskiy, every hour of sleep was precious.
As the call disconnected, father and daughter returned to their own realities. Each lost in thought, each bracing for the challenges that lay ahead.