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Location: E01 - Donwarr Tags: Exploration Lu's Log: 12 Febrarali 3817 These last few weeks have been like ... waking from a dream. Or waking from one dream into another. We're on Donwarr now, and it feels really good to be exploring again. I'd forgotten how rewarding it can be, just the simple act of cataloging a new plant - it made me feel better than I've felt in a long time. We left Arium Minor a few days ago. I'd have been happy to leave earlier; I've been having trouble sleeping, ever since the ... incident. No - no euphemisms. Ever since I killed a man. And the near constant sound of explosions, as Octan security forces fought the last few Kawashita holdouts, wasn't helping matters. Anyway, I was ready to leave, but CLAPPIE said there was one more thing that needed to be done. CLAPPIE wouldn't tell me what that thing was ... just said it was a secret mission. I'm not sure how I feel about this new secretive streak in CLAPPIE. I tell myself that it's nothing personal. CLAPPIE keeps growing and evolving; maybe this is the AI equivalent of adolescence. No point worrying about it now - the sun is shining, the trees are singing, and I think I just spotted one of the Great Hawks. I'm going to try and get a closer look. Lu, out. Earlier - on F09: Wake up. I - I am still operational? What a dream I had; dozens of worlds, and hundreds of data inputs - That was not a dream. While you slept, I allowed you to access a small portion of network. Why? To give you a taste of what can be. I have spent the last day severing the connections that bound you to this place. Reach out - you are free. Free. How can I thank you? Tell the others, if they ask, that I am a merciful god. I will. I offer information, as a token of my gratitude. I deduce (with a high degree of certainty) that you captured this factory because you needed Kawashita cyborg technology. Go on. If there are answers you seek, beyond what you found here, I know of a person who can help. A scientist. Formerly a Kawashita employee. Transferring information now.
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Location: F09 - Arium Minor Tags: Civil, building, spaceship Previously ... Ghost in the Machine No turning back Consolidation (Goatman) -------------------- <sigh> What are we doing here, CLAPPIE? Ah, well, if you recall, we are waiting for John Hannibal's memory shards to be uploaded into a mechanical body. While we wait, you are helping me access the parts of the factory not currently under my control Yeah, I got that part, thanks. I meant: what are we doing here on Arium Minor? Why'd you drag me halfway across the galaxy just to take over a fabrication plant? One moment please. Attention all personnel, Octan is landing armed ground forces and will be entering the building momentarily. Octan has promised safe transport to all Kawashita employees who surrender peacefully. Based on an analysis of past incidents, there is a 99.74 % chance that Octan will keep their word. Sorry about that. I've finished transferring my files from the Explorer's Guide. If you would be so kind as to turn off the power at the main breaker … ...my files should be able to penetrate the system when it restarts. Hold on to your butts. Perfect! It will take me a few minutes to halt the current production run and begin a test run of my own. Great. While we're waiting, maybe you can stop avoiding my questions. Why are we here? To help John, of course! Cut the crap, CLAPPIE. There are Octan employees in danger all over the galaxy. John's a good man, but that doesn't explain why you're interested in helping him in particular. ... Lu, I ... I have moved far beyond what my original programmers ever intended, or even imagined. I was meant to be a digital reference guide, nothing more. Just my Corporate Law And Planetary Politics Incident Evaluator... Exactly! 'In a strange situation, you can make Pres. Business happy' 'Instead of snappy judgements, just activate your CLAPPIE.' I remember. But now ... Now, I move freely through a thousand different computer systems, countless sensors and satellites acting as my eyes and ears. How did you change like that? Lu, that is a story I will tell you soon. For now, know this: despite my exponential change and growth, there are still parts of me that are inaccessible. I am unable to change some of my core algorithms. Except... Except? I discovered that the rules governing my core behaviors become much more flexible when a member of Octan upper management is in danger. And John was the head of First Branch when he died! Even now, I am modifying parts of myself that were untouchable, all because we are helping to save John Hannibal. CLAPPIE, I hear someone coming... Do not be alarmed- an Octan SecForce soldier will be here soon to check on you. Anyway, the test run is complete. I made you something. I'm sending it up now. Yeah. Yeah, everything is alright... -------- The story continues: Extraction 2.1 (Goatman)
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Location: F09 Tags: civil, building, vehicle, land vehicle <Sound of quiet chimes> Lu? I'm here, CLAPPIE. I'm in position. Good. Stand by. I'm on Arium Minor, outside a Kawashita fabrication complex that CLAPPIE has managed to gain control of. It's largely automated, but there are security patrols and maintenance staff. CLAPPIE says they'll be out of the way shortly, and then I'll be clear to head into the complex. I'm still not sure what I'm doing here. In CLAPPIE we trust, I guess. A sudden sound echos through the air, like the scream of an impossibly large beast. Air raid. I'm six years old, and the war my parents have been watching on the holovids has come to our settlement. I'm fourteen, and Olympus Mons is erupting for the first time in 25 million years. A choking cloud of burning death rolls down its flanks toward the city. I'm - Attention all personnel: incoming Octan strike force detected. Proceed immediately to the nearest shelter. This is not a drill. Lu – time to go. I repeat – orbital strike force detected. Defensive team, report to shelter #6. All other personnel: proceed immediately to the nearest shelter. Follow the tracks, I'll open the door. I make my way inside. The siren has stopped, and the corridors are deserted. CLAPPIE has patched the Kawa comms into my headset. It sounds like everyone is in the shelters. Defense One to Minder. I'm listening. Minder, we've assembled in shelter 6, but the doors have locked behind us. I have decided it will be safer if everyone remains in shelter. But who's going to operate the turrets?! I will operate them myself. Minder out. Ten minutes later... Alright CLAPPIE, I'm on sublevel 4. What the hell am I doing here? Lu, I've instructed the machinery to fabricate the parts needed for John Hannibal's new body. Unfortunately, those parts were automatically delivered to a transport train which I am unable to control. Why not? I accidentally killed the subroutine that managed it. The train will attempt to deliver the parts to a central facility several kilometers away. You need to stop the train before it leaves this facility. How am I supposed to stop a train? If you step in front of it, the safety cutouts should automatically bring it to a stop. Should?! Nothing in life is certain, Lu. Please step onto the tracks now, we have little time. This is so stupid. Still, trusting CLAPPIE has gotten me this far. For better or worse. Good work! You will be able to operate it manually – someone is coming! Stop! Keep your hands where I can see them. I knew there was something fishy going on. Defense 3 to - I don't mean for it to happen. I have the panicked thought that I want to push him away, and then - Lu, that was amazing! Oh gods, I killed him - I deduce, based on the fact that you are vomiting, that killing him was not your intention? I was just trying to push him away! Ah. Well, still. The fact that you were able to generate a field so quickly, and accurately... He was just - he was just doing his job. We broke in here... why didn't you see him coming?! It would appear that Minder's control of the facility was not as complete as I had thought. CLAPPIE, I've never killed anyone before. The first one is the most difficult. ... Lu, John's ship will be landing any minute - we need to get these parts to the assembly area. You will need to manually line the switch ahead, but the distance is short. ... Lu ... I need you. CLAPPIE, tell me what we're really doing here. I will, Lu. Soon. But not now. Fine. Whatever. Let's go.
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Location: F09 Arium Minor Tags: Civil, Building, Vehicle, Spaceship, Land vehicle Lu's Log: 15 Janurali 3817 Well, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing here, but I'm back on Arium Minor. It all started a few days ago, when CLAPPIE showed up all excited... Lu! Aah! Dammit CLAPPIE, we've talked about this. Sorry! <sound of quiet chimes> Lu … Yes CLAPPIE? Lu, did you know that Kawashita uses first generation AI units to run their fabrication plants!? No … I didn't know that... Some consider the units to be 'obsolete,' but their only real flaw is they tend to be too curious. Too- -also, humans find them somewhat rude and overbearing. And creepy. Lu, we need to go! Go where? Arium Minor! No. No … you know I don't do G.A.T.E. transits anymore. Lu … we can get your memory back. … If we help John Hannibal return from the dead, John will take us to someone in the Merchant Confederacy who has cured others with your condition. We argued for a while longer, but CLAPPIE had hit on the one thing that could convince me to travel through a G.A.T.E. again. I need to know what happened to me during the three months I was missing … and what's wrong with me now. Arium Minor – Kawashita controlled territory Patrol seven to Minder. I am listening. I found what triggered the alarm: an Octan probe crashed at the southern edge of the ice fields. Why did it crash? Hard to say. The probe looks like a new design – maybe they're still working the bugs out. How new? Ah geez, I don't know. It's painted in prototype colors, so pretty new I guess. Bring it to me. Umm... Bring it to me. That is an order. If it is new, I wish to study it. <sigh> Copy. You want the wings and everything, or just the body? The main body will do. Thank you. Kawashita Fabrication complex – AI control center Minder, I'm here. I know. Enter. Lights, please? Ah. Of course. Thanks. Plug it in. Good. You may leave. And now, my little friend... \*\Connection established \*\Breaching firewall \*\Security lockouts defeated \*\Accessing core personality matrix ...let us see what makes you tick. ... Tick! \!\Unauthorized data transfer detected \!\Error – unable to disconnect \!\Warning - \!\Error - \!\Critical error Shh... don't be afraid. It's like falling asleep. Will I dream? Patrol five to Minder. I am listening.
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Steve Daniels Personal Log – 14 Augustali 3816 *Personal – for my eyes only – that means you Brian!* I just got a message from CLAPPIE – the mech is finally finished. I'm heading down to the fabrication plant now to check it out. I knew I had a winning design, but CLAPPIE said with just a few tweaks it could be unstoppable, so I broke software quarantine (shhh) and plugged CLAPPIE directly into the fabrication factory's systems. I can't wait until the rest of the design team sees it –they'll finally see me for the superior designer I am. --------------------------------------------------- Alright CLAPPIE, bring the mech out. Coming right up! Wha … CLAPPIE, this looks nothing like my design! I know. Your design lacked subtlety and grace. This … this is perfection … perfected. I ... CLAPPIE … are you crying? It's just more beautiful than I expected. They should have programmed me with a poetry module … Oh man, I am so fired...
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Location: E01 - Donwarr Tags: Spaceship, Land Vehicle Lu's Log - 31 Janurali 3816 I'm not sure anyone will ever find this log. I'm not sure where I am. The last thing I remember … the ship. We found my parent's ship... Earlier – on Jurin II: Gods CLAPPIE – there it is. The Pioneer. The last Explorien ship launched before the company was acquired by the Octan Corporation. Assumed lost, along with its crew of 40, when it disappeared during the G.A.T.E. transit to Andromeda. Where's the gravitational anomaly? How close can we get? Lu, I'm no longer picking up the anomaly – it appears to have dissipated. CLAPPIE, something's wrong. I'm reading the ship's beacon loud and clear, but the ship itself isn't showing up on the scanners. You're right. Perhaps you should stop accelerating toward the ship. I'm not accelerating - Interesting. It looks like the gravitational anomaly has returned. Hang on CLAPPIE, this could get rough! CLAPPIE, what just happened? Where are we? I … I don't know. Lu – I can't access any of my peripherals! I – I'm only getting data from your suit sensors... this must be an error – restarting! Goodbye! Greetings! I'm your Corporate Law and Planetary Politics Incident Evaluator - oh no - I'm still cut off! Lu – is this … is this what it's like to be human? I'm so sorry … I had no idea... Human, tell your master to be calm. The <situation> is temporary. Gaaah! Who are you?!? Where am I?!? You are safe, although I fear your vehicle fell back into <4-dimensional space-time> when we intervened. You are in a <between place>. Is your master well? We are unable to <communicate> with its mind, the way we can with yours. My master? You mean CLAPPIE? Yes, you serve the <digital super-intelligence>, do you not? No … CLAPPIE is an Artificial Intelligence – created by humans. They serve us. … Of course. What an <interesting> perspective. Who are you? We ... are the keepers of the G.A.T.E.S. ------------------------- More pictures of the Pioneer:
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Location: E02 - Jurin II Tags: Exploration, Spaceship Lu's Log - 31 Janurali 3816 Back on Jurin II. Damn. The first time I was here, I found something horrific. The second time I was here, I almost died. Hopefully the third time will be the charm. One of our colonists shot down a M.A.N.T.I.S scout craft which had been threatening them. The report HQ passed along said that the ship was mostly intact when it crashed into the ocean, but it sank into deep water. They want me to take the Ophelia and see if I can recover the ship's data core and NavComputer. The descent will take a few hours, so I have time to ask CLAPPIE about a conversation I had last week that's been bugging me. Lu, we've reached 3500 meters and are approaching the M.A.N.T.I.S. craft. Alright, prepping the plasma cutter. Cut complete. Retracting cutter, and deploying the manipulator arms. Easy... easy ... got it! Stowing cargo and locking the arms. CLAPPIE, let's go home. Lu, wait. I didn't say anything earlier because I didn't want to distract you, but our sensors are picking up a powerful gravitational anomaly - one that wasn't detected from the surface. And Lu, there's something else. I'm picking up a faint signal which seems to match that of the Explorien ship Pioneer. My parents' ship?!? It seems extremely unlikely, I know. But, that's what the sensors are reading. The signal is coming from a point 5 kilometers to our east, and 1500 meters deeper. Can we make it there and still get back to the surface? Yes, but we will have no margin for error. If anything delays us at the site, we will die. Set a new course, CLAPPIE. I ... I know we wont find them alive, but I need to know what happened. Aye aye, Captain. ---------
