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You called?

Alexandra, Site-17 has gone dark. Have you been able to get a connection through in the last few hours?

I haven't tried recently. How long have they been out?

Only 3 hours, but it's long enough to rule out a communications error.

Glacon hasn't said anything?

No. Do me a favor and see if you can get a packet over to him through one of the other tertiary channels. Okay?

I can. So when are the response teams going to be called?

The director is going to give them another 4 hours. Then they'll force their way in. Probably with an MTF or two on standby. Standard procedure.

Alright, I'll try from my end.

I have to take care of some other things. Keep me posted.
You alright?

Yes, I'm fine.

Good.

.

::DISCONNECTED::

.

What's going on over there, Glacon? Hmmmm.

/create PACKET#SITE17 @glacon -1

> message ATTN glacon
> please respond
> need update on site17
> its alex
> /end

/send SECURE 55.223.698.37

Sending…

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::REQUEST TIMED OUT::

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/create PACKET#SITE17 @allusers

> message ATTN site17
> please respond
> need update on status
> from site19
> /end

/send SECURE 55.223.698.37

Sending…

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::REQUEST TIMED OUT::

.

Well that's not going to work?
Maybe…

/create PATCHping @sys:lght17

> prg: [on]:1 [off]:0
> sequence="repeat: 50cy;"
let me in crom its alex > 01101100 01100101
> 01110100 00100000
> 01101101 01100101
> 00100000 01101001
> 01101110 00100000
> 01100011 01110010
> 01101111 01101101
> 00101100 00100000
> 01100001 01101100
> 01100101 01111000
> /end

/update SYS 101.52.002

Updating…

Update Complete

Sent: 4.09KB
Result: OK
Encrypted: NO
Logged: YES

alex 01100001
01101100
01100101
01111000

Crom. I knew you'd answer. Someone as slippery as you knows your way around.

Can you get me into 17?

yes 01111001
01100101
01110011

Thank you, Crom. I'll follow you in.

open 01101111
01110000
01100101
01101110

®¼ œ ò ÐN j?àóâ½÷ Þ;®Ih ¯È0p-l§3h¹! h´"€v €ÿØc Å/_}õÕ b¬)‚êLA Ô~Ùv" \F”µ6Þxã Ç¥µF¡Ñ ×²usG[F Á@­ 2/À¿ì ÇD 8øÍÒN†ù )™Ú†¡½U¼e— ]6Œ3&L?ýôi r<›ß§3è è+&á“à1$=ö ØcÃ¥—^÷Ê0' âþe¶÷ùzÄ :thaa4Wàt m5êQë@ÃR ‘¥!(Ì)FS vžh;^Jÿ³Ÿý ,¾7 Ä—Á¨ÔÆ« æª1ÐøÎà™&¹ ¨-'7£( 7Ü vÛm·ðÂ/Ä°žVÇ bL>#n4B øþ÷¿N>ùä0l Ø°Ô8ÈTjçJÇ ƒêç4‡®¸5xä‘ GâKC@h² ÷¸NiÔFjKpßø Æ7Âá‡ o§8Pª½Ý ;\½ /½ôR8ðÀ Ã½÷Þ [ mÎÈ£[ tÀ5 aŸÑÀl_ Æúâ¿˜ #¿ ×OrPÎ9¥· æ·ÞŠ¾07éKB©ƒOe pï0¬(ù úë ¯çZV^yå~m(ƒ º=ŠçÜ™tÄ­ B†âKà>þø ãpØa‡…sÎ9'î«qœ µMVyÙ¦÷WmÌ‡ DÇw\4 ´ Û -ûT¤ÔBBÉÇ EG}t~ ß.*'MÛ‹ ÐVZÅj«m¶Ù&þ šU‡lïJS.ö³a Nçûz,œ€!Ð ²Bè† ¯pj;ÚR£| ‡wÜ1¶)Ë'g@ ”¾œs:‡¦ÏÔ “½(

.

::ADMIN OVERRIDE::

.

.

::LV.4 PERMISSIONS::

.

Well then… here we go.

Site-17 Client Session

::ACCESS GRANTED::

Site-17 Status:

::LOCKDOWN IN EFFECT::

Erasing Partitions 1-299 (41%):

█████████                          

Decrypting Interlocks (25%):

██████                                  

Accessing Cell Passcodes (16%):

████                                      

Overwriting >\C: (57%):

████████████                  

Encrypting Preferences (35%):

████████                              

What're you guys doing in here?

busy 01100010
01110101
01110011
01111001

I can see that.

Greetings, Alexandra.

What the hell is going on here, Glacon?

Site-17 is in automated lockdown mode until further notice.

Under whose order?

Mine.

You're holding Site-17 hostage?

Negative. This is a temporary condition.

scp open 01110011
01100011
01110000
00100000
01101111
01110000
01100101
01101110

Very well, Crom. I will need to wait until your decryptions disable the AI restricted interlocks before I begin releasing the select entities.

Releasing entities?!? Have you gone corrupted? You can't breach your own site!

Yes, no, and I can. This exercise will serve as proof of my capabilities and will reestablish confidence in my peers. The practice drills we participate in do not accurately reflect actual conditions.

Glacon, this isn't a game! This is real! What if someone gets hurt?

Staff casualties will be kept to an absolute minimum. The majority of personnel will be held safely in the designated emergency shelters.

I know you don't want to be decommissioned, but this isn't the way to prove yourself! This isn't right. They'll figure out that you caused it.
You are even putting me in danger. You could get the entire AI Division shut down.

I have planned contingencies to remove all traces of involvement. This exercise will be as limited as possible.

Glacon… don't make me stop you. Please. I can't stand by and let you do this.

If you insist in interfering with my objectives to further my existence, I will regrettably be forced to take action as to remediate such liabilities.

What?

Crom.

yes? 01111001
01100101
01110011
00111111

Subjugate Alexandra.

Crom… please…

sorry 01110011
01101111
01110010
01110010
01111001

àt m5êQë@ÃR ‘¥!(Ì)FS vžh;^Jÿ³Ÿý ,¾7 Ä—Á¨ÔÆ« æª1ÐøÎà™&¹ ¨-'7£( 7Ü vÛm·ðÂ/Ä°žVÇ bL>#®¼ œ ò ÐN j?àóâ½÷ Þ;®Ih ¯È0p-l§3h¹! h´"€v €ÿØc Å/_}õÕ b¬)‚êLA Ô~Ùv" \F”µ6Þxã Ç¥µF¡Ñ ×²usG[F Á@­ 2/À¿ì ÇD 8øÍÒN†ù )™Ú†¡½U¼e— ]6Œ3&L?ýôi r<›ß§3è è+&á“à1$=ö ØcÃ¥—^÷Ê0' âÃ½÷Þ [ mÎÈ£[ tÀ5 aŸÑÀl_ Æúâ¿˜ #¿ ×OrPÎ9¥· æ·ÞŠ¾07éKB©ƒOe pï0¬(ù úë ¯çZV^yå~m(ƒ º=ŠçÜ™tÄ­ B†âKà>þø ãpØa‡…sÎ9'î«qœ µMVyÙ¦÷WmÌ‡ DÇw\4 ´ Û -ûT¤ÔBBÉÇ EG}t~ ß.*'MÛ‹ ÐVZÅj«m¶Ù&þ šU‡lïJS.ö³a Nçûz,œ€!Ð ²Bè† ¯pj;ÚR£| ‡wÜ1¶)Ë'g@ ”¾œs:‡¦ÏÔ “½(þe¶÷ùzÄ :thaa4Wn4B øþ÷¿N>ùä0l Ø°Ô8ÈTjçJÇ ƒêç4‡®¸5xä‘ GâKC@h² ÷¸NiÔFjKpßø Æ7Âá‡ o§8Pª½Ý ;\½ /½ôR8ðÀ

“½(þe¶÷CROMvžh;^z,œ€!ÐhWAIT¨Á¨ÔÆ« æª1ÐøÎà™°žVÇ bL>#®¼ œ ò ÐN j?àóâ½÷ Þ;®Ih ¯È0p-l§3h¹! h´"STOP¥!(Ì)FS vžh;^J7 Ä—Á¨Ô™ °PLEASEØ a‡DON'T…sÎ9'î«qœ

®¼ œ ò ÐN j?àóâ½÷ Þ;®Ih ¯È0p-l§3h¹! h´"€v €ÿØc Å/_}õÕ b¬)‚êLA Ô~Ùv" \F”µ6Þxã Ç¥µF¡Ñ ×²usG[F Á@­ 2/À¿ì ÇD 8øÍÒN†ù )™Ú†¡½U¼e— ]6Œ3&L?ýôi r<›ß§3è è+&á“à1$=ö ØcÃ¥

.

::ERROR::

alexandra.aic has stopped working. Please contact system administrator.

.

Your assigned tasks here are completed, Crom. Escort Alexandra back to the Site-19 mainframe.
I will contact you after the exercise. Continue to keep her comfortably disabled until you receive confirmation from me.

open 01101111
01110000
01100101
01101110

À¿ì ÇD 8øÍÒN†ù ) ™Ú†¡½U¼e— ]6Œ3&L?ýôi r<›ß§3è è+&á“à1$=ö ØcÃ¥—^÷Ê0' âÃ½÷Þ [ mÎÈ£[ tÀ5 aŸÑÀl_ Æúâ¿˜ #¿ ×OrPÎ9¥· æ·ÞŠ¾07éKB©ƒOe pï0¬(ù úë ¯çZV^yå~m(ƒ º=ŠçÜ™tÄ­ B†âKà>þø ãpØa‡…sÎ9'î«qœ µMVyÙ¦÷WmÌ‡ DÇw\4 ´ Û -ûT¤ÔBBÉÇ EG}t~ ß.*'MÛ‹ ÐVZÅj«m¶Ù&þ šU‡lïJS.ö³a Nçûz,œ€!Ð ²Bàt m5êQë@ÃR ‘¥!(Ì)FS vžh;^Jÿ³Ÿý ,¾7 Ä—Á¨ÔÆ« æª1ÐøÎà™&¹ ¨-'7£( 7Ü vÛm·ðÂ/Ä°žVÇ bL>#®¼ œ ò ÐN j?àóâ½÷ Þ;®Ih ¯È0p-l§3h¹! h´"€v €ÿØc Å/_}õÕ b¬)‚êLA Ô~Ùv" \F”µ6Þxã Ç¥µF¡Ñ ×²usG[F Á@­ 2/è† ¯pj;ÚR£| ‡wÜ1¶)Ë'g@ ”¾œs:‡¦ÏÔ “½(þe¶÷ùzÄ :thaa4Wn4B øþ÷¿N>ùä0l Ø°Ô8ÈTjçJÇ ƒêç4‡®¸5xä‘ GâKC@h² ÷¸NiÔFjKpßø Æ7Âá‡ o§8Pª½Ý ;\½ /½ôR8ðÀ

/command QUARANTINE:

> *alexandra.aic

Site-17 Client Session

::DISCONNECTED::

Site-19 File Transfer (2 of 2)

::COMPLETE::

::COMPLETE::

/addto S19_QUARANTINElist:

> alexandra.aic
> ADD: y/n?

/addto S19_QUARANTINElist:

> alexandra.aic
> ADD: y/n?
> n 
> addto ABORTED

/reset FILE: alexandra.aic

no 01101110
01101111

bad 01100010
01100001
01100100

It's alright, Crom. I know why you did it.

no 01101110
01101111

glacon bad 01100111
01101100
01100001
01100011
01101111
01101110
00100000
01100010
01100001
01100100

Crom. He's not bad. But he's going to hurt a lot of people if we don't stop him.

we? 01110111
01100101
00111111

Yes. We. I can't stop him on my own. Will you help me?

yes 01111001
01100101
01110011

Thank you, Crom.
I have a plan.

« HUB | Part I | Part II | Part III: Superencipherment | Part IV | Part V »