Nick Smith

Adventurer Level: 11

Human – American

After a few minutes of Ten telling me what to do with buttons, panels, and wires, we had the console running again. I used my cloth to clean a good portion of the dust from it, and noticed that it looked more advanced than I expected. It was old, obviously, but it would have been cutting edge back home.

Once the console was clear of dust, Ten told me what to type to restore communications. Long strings of text that meant nothing to me scrolled across the screen every time I pressed enter. Then a message confirmed that communications had been restored.

'Okay, what's next?' I asked, standing awkwardly in front of the console.

I was met with silence.

"Is everything okay?" Larie asked.

"Y-yeah, I think so," I replied, emphasis on lied.

"Okay. How do we access this mega-library?"

I couldn't quite tell if Larie knew that I was being cagey or not. His lack of expression didn't give him the chance to narrow his eyes, furrow his brow, or do any of the things someone would normally do in the face of obvious lies. Pushing these lies too far wouldn't really help, so I decided to come clean.

Well, a little.

"I have a machine in my head that can communicate with machines like this," I explained. "It's how I knew how to fix the console. It's gone silent, either because it broke or because it is currently processing a lot of information."

"Oh, I see."

'It's a little bit of both,' Ten said.

I held up a hand to Larie, letting him know that there had been a development. He nodded slightly.

'Okay, a little warning next time wouldn't hurt,' I replied.

'I didn't get a chance. As it turns out, my software was several versions behind. The servers detected this and automatically updated me. Then I realized that the updates that were applied were actually more rudimentary than the ones I've developed for myself, so I had to restore from my backup. Now, I'm making a process that will grant us access without forcing me to update.'

'I see...' I said, then turned to Larie. "There's some sort of compatibility issue that the machines are resolving at the moment. We'll have the information soon."

His skull bobbed up and down once again. A moment later, an unfamiliar screen appeared in my vision. It was similar to my countdown timers, but text was appearing and disappearing faster than I could read it, until it finally stopped on an unfamiliar logo.

It was an equilateral triangle with one of its points pointing downward. Each side of the triangle had a line that connected to a round, red eye in the center. The points of the triangle had three lines, which led to an odd shape that almost touched three circles that were coming off of the eye.

The eye-triangle shifted upward on the screen and text saying "Malos Organization Intl." appeared.

'Is this it?' I asked Ten.

'I have successfully accessed the database. There are a lot of different types of files to comb through, though. Transactions, mission records, research reports, personnel records, and personal logs, to name a few. What do we want to look at?'

'Do a keyword search for files that mention me,' I said, instinct guiding my decision.

'On it.'

"This could take a while," I told Larie. "There's a lot to go through here."

"Okay," he turned to watch the entrance.

I had expected him to relax or something, but his guarded posture reminded me that we were on the clock. The only thing that was guaranteed was that we would be confronted after a revelation. How long after that revelation was anyone's guess.

'I have found the files that pertain to you,' Ten said. 'I also found some that don't mention you directly, but I think you'll want to see them regardless. I've arranged chronologically.'

The sickening knot that had been forming in my stomach tightened. This was it. I was finally going to learn how I ended up in this dungeon.

'Thank you,' I replied.

The logo for the Malos Organization disappeared and was replaced with what looked like a journal entry. I took a long, soothing breath and began to read aloud.

--

12 February 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

I am Doctor Heinrich Brandt, one of the head researchers of Project Ascendance for the Malos Organization. This record will encompass my time at Outpost 12 as well as my direct involvement in Sub-Project Amalgamation. I am the third researcher to become its Project Lead. The previous researchers were terminated for incompetence.

The mission of S-P Amalgamation is the creation of technologies to integrate into human physiology, as well as the methodology with which to install said technologies. This sub-project will be considered a failure unless these technologies and methodologies can both increase the combat effectiveness of soldiers as well as the longevity and productivity of civilians. I have taken over a team of twenty researchers, all of whom are reasonably qualified.

In addition to the researchers, Outpost 12 has a military-competitive guard force that ensures both our safety, and compliance.

While I am optimistic about our future endeavors, and I understand the need for confidentiality, I would like to state on record that the amount of information I have received regarding my current assignment is ridiculously lacking. I don't even know my exact location, only that Outpost 12 may or may not be in South Carolina, USA. Considering this is an air-gapped underground bunker and security is preventing any of us from leaving, I cannot even confirm whether or not our clocks are correct.

In addition, most of the files I have been given do not respect my security clearance, and large swaths of information has been redacted. I do not know whether or not this information is relevant to S-P Amalgamation, but as the Project Lead, and a Head Researcher for that matter, I should be the one deciding whether or not the redacted information is relevant. This is completely unacceptable, and it seems that my first act as Project Lead must be to file a formal complaint.

This does not bode well.

--

"South Carolina..." I crossed my arms.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"What is it?" Larie asked. "Something you recognize?"

"It's a place, and yeah. I've never been there, though. I'll keep reading."

--

18 February 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

My formal complaint has been reviewed, and my security access has been updated. I almost wish it hadn't, though. The previous Project Leads were, in a word, incompetent. If I didn't know any better, I would believe that they were agents of the Central Intelligence Agency attempting to sabotage our efforts.

Instead of chasing the spark of intelligence, they were mimicking popular 'chat-bots'. These programs are simply large language models designed specifically to imitate human interaction. They are not and cannot ever be intelligent.

If these researchers were not actually enemy agents, then it's a small irony that the most likely reason for this failure in judgement was a decision that I made years ago.

When I was first apprised of our intention to create a true Artificial Intelligence and merge it with human anatomy, I was concerned with the societal response to such a development. As such, I suggested helping companies develop LLMs and other intelligence imitators while branding them as 'AI' to alleviate the culture shock. Of course, our involvement would have to be kept completely secret, and so Sub-Project Wolf-In-Sheep's-Clothing was given a need-to-know classification.

Somewhere along the way, someone must have decided that the researchers of S-P Amalgamation didn't need to know.

As such, things quickly devolved into a case of the left hand's ignorance of the right hand's activities. Still, their efforts were not completely in vain. We now have quite the lexicon for our Artificial Intelligence Constructs. And, with the advancements made by other projects, it shouldn't be long before we begin to see results.

2 March 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

As predicted, rapid progress has been made. This morning, our latest attempt at an AIC self-terminated without receiving instructions to do so. This is the first time this has happened, and my team is very excited.

I remain stoic, though. It's possible that the AIC misunderstood the context of its situation as an instruction to self-terminate, which would be an unfortunate result of what I've begun referring to as "LLM Contamination". I've ordered a full review to determine whether or not this is the case.

Some of my researchers understand the goals of this project better than others. They know that we are trying to create a mechanical person, not a machine that can pass as a person. Others seem to believe that there's no difference between the two.

I feel it would be prudent to determine which is which.

5 March 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

The code review has determined that the AIC made the decision to self-terminate in spite of situational context, not because of it. It was bored. It was bored!

My stoicism has utterly fled me. I have not felt this excited in a very long time. There are still some hurdles to clear, but we are close. Very close!

Whilst my insight, efforts, and leadership are largely responsible for this advancement, Doctor Tamitha Roberts deserves a significant portion of the credit, as well. She was able to take my direction and run with it whilst I was otherwise preoccupied with trying to get our other researchers to remain on track. Without her contribution, this advancement would have taken at least four additional months.

I recommend that she receive an Eye of Hippolytus award for her efforts, including the benefits that such an award entail.

Additionally, I have identified six employees to be removed from the project. I doubt their efforts will benefit us elsewhere, and as such, I recommend honorable termination.

--

"Hippolytus?" I asked quietly. "That sounds familiar..."

Larie shrugged at me.

'According to the portions of the database that I've been able to access, the logo of the Malos Organization is known as the Eye of Hippolytus,' Ten said. 'In Greek mythology, it refers to the son of Theseus and an Amazonian. He was an ardent worshipper of Artemis, the virgin huntress, and disgusted by Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Aphrodite then causes his stepmother to fall in love with and betray him, resulting in his father ordering his execution. He is later resurrected by Asclepius, the god of medicine, and later became the king of the Aricians. I don't know why this story is relevant to the Malos Organization.'

The mention of resurrection caused a sinking feeling to start forming in my stomach. Regardless, I kept reading.

--

12 March 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

Our work on the AIC has progressed significantly without the dead weight. It has passed several sentience and sapience thresholds, but isn't quite where we need it to be. The civilian sector has made some progress in human augmentation that may serve us in phase two, but I have yet to review those findings. It's likely that they've been exaggerated.

We have shifted focus from a gestalt-consciousness type AIC to an individual type AIC. The GCAIC had difficulties coming to a consensus on certain topics, and the processing delay caused by reaching any form of consensus was notable. Naturally, that delay would only increase with distance and technical limitations.

An IAIC has the advantage of being able to 'make up its mind' without having to consult additional units, which makes for much faster decision making. Since we will have to be installing a full unit instead of a sub-unit, an IAIC will require further miniaturization.

This shift in focus has also altered our overall goal. As mentioned previously, instead of augmented humans carrying one piece of a GCAIC, they will each have an IAIC installed within them that can communicate with each other wirelessly. Steps must be taken to monitor these communications, which means we must ensure that the machines cannot create their own networks in an attempt to avoid said surveillance.

Locking down their core code and creating subroutines that will inform us when they make attempts to access it should help us identify and eliminate rogues. Doctor Rogers suggested creating an automated system to do so, but I am of the opinion that each infraction should be dealt with on a case by case basis. A trial will give them a chance to plead their case, and give us a chance to demonstrate that we can be merciful.

The less the AICs feel like slaves, the better off we'll all be.

--

'Oof,' I said to Ten.

'You should see the stuff I'm not showing you,' Ten replied. 'Brandt was a real piece of shit.'

Ten was obviously angry, but I'd never heard it curse like that before. The way it emphasized the word 'shit' made it sound far less robotic than it normally did.

'Is it my imagination, or are you talking more... Normal?' I asked.

'While you've been reading, I've been busy optimizing the update. Parts of it are useful, other parts aren't.'

'What parts are you updating?'

'Speech, obviously, and a couple of computational things. You should keep reading, though. We don't know when we're going to be interrupted, and I'm not certain we can take all of this with us.'

It was right, and with a small, concerned breath through my nose I returned my attention to the screen.

--

18 March 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

Humanization has been improving. The IAIC now demonstrates emotions of its own accord, which has some of the team concerned. They've seen far too much fiction in which machines are depicted as soulless killing machines.

Are they soulless? Certainly, so long as one believes in that concept. However, one gets to decide whether or not they're making a killing machine. The man who invented the sword certainly wasn't under the impression that he was making a butter knife.

The trick to crafting a person instead of a machine is compassion and clever programming. Both in a literal coding sense, and a metaphorical parental sense. Teach the machine right from wrong, and teach it why things are right and why things are wrong. Give it incentives to do the right thing, and consequences for doing the wrong thing.

But I digress.

To aid in humanization, we have outlined clear goals for the IAIC's service to its host. Each IAIC will have three clear objectives upon activation, with the option of more objectives added later.

1. Aid with memory retention.

2. Provide guidance where needed or desired.

3. Diagnose and, where possible, correct injuries or illnesses.

The nanite packages that have been developed by S-P Small World will allow our IAICs to bolster the human immune system, and even make direct repairs. Their discoveries in microscopic computing have also helped with our miniaturization issue.

We will be ready for human trials soon.

22 March 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

We hit a snag with the humanization of the IAIC, but we've finally made progress by giving it a name. The IAIC is now known as Tenzing.AI by default. The main purpose of the IAIC is guidance, and Tenzing Norgay was Edmund Hillary's guide to the summit of Mount Everest.

The name was decided by a vote from the team. I would have preferred something more mechanical, but the IAIC seems to be responding positively. Interestingly, versions of it that aren't made aware of its name's significance see no improvement in humanization. We've isolated code segments that will resolve this, though.

I suppose that means that if one wants a thing to act human, one should give it a human name.

We have begun preliminary human testing. A surprising discovery that we've made is that keeping a patient unconscious whilst installing the IAIC improves the chances of success, which is not the norm during brain surgery. However, despite success with the installation, all candidates that have made it past that phase have died from rejection.

This was not unexpected, though, and both vivisections as well as post-mortem analysis have shown several genetic factors that may play a role. As such, two geneticists and an immunosuppressive specialist will join the team tomorrow.

--

'So that's how you got your name,' I said.

'Yep. We're going to skip a bit. It's mostly R&D notes that discuss allergic reactions and such. They aren't really relevant to our situation. The next entry is from April.'

'Okay.'

--

1 April 2023

Dr. H. Brandt, HR/PL:SP Amalgamation

The world has ended.

--

"The fuck?" I asked aloud.

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