Artificial

-~-~-~-

[Initializing. Initializing. Initializing.]

     ‘…is…waking…’


     ‘…mess up…’


     ‘…we should…fine…adjustment…’


     ‘…told you…worry…necessary…’

[Parse code XB71K4L. Loading audio-only mode. Audio receptors initialized. Parse code XB75P6W. Sensor adjustment... Complete.]

     “…tchhh. I told you she was fine.”

     “What was with the jolting earlier though? And she still isn’t moving.”

     “Different slave chip model. Just shut up and watch.”

[Parsing…Parsing. Core Engine initialized. Data link established – security code 58XJ4WS01AEON1XKA0. Security key validated. Linked to H.I.V.E. Full system initialization, authentication validated. Security key validated. System initialized. Awaiting core files.]

     “Told you.”

     “Well, forgive me for being concerned. I invested a lot of money on this prototype.”

     “Yeah, Whatever. Here we go. This…”

[Receiving personality files. Receiving security keys. Receiving data packets. Data transfer complete. Switching to deep processing mode. Sensor shutdown.]

     ‘…wait what?’


     ‘…clueless…used for the new chip…’


     ‘…older…didn’t have to…faster…’


     ‘…you retarded…miracle of science…Miranda…genius with…still a puppet…’


     ‘…maybe…doesn’t mean…use those systems...can…’

[Deep processing mode initialized. System shutdown.]

-~-~-~-

     “Damn it all!”

     General Jaeger groaned in frustration as the latest intelligence report was uploaded to the tactical map and another cluster of blue dots were replaced by red. Two months ago, the map was predominantly filled with blue dots marking the position of allied troops, having surrounded the few bastions of red marking the remnants of the former regime.

     “What the bleeding hell… the 32nd Regiment wiped to the last man? How?”

     Now though, the tactical map looked suspiciously like the meal Ensign Ran puked out the day before. The map was now a sea of red, with a few pockets of blue holding defensible but untenable positions. His aide, normally composed and stoic, was pasty-faced.

     “We don’t know sir. Communications ceased with them at the same time. Sensors didn’t pick up any large energy reading – there were localized explosions at the positions of our armored vehicles but our mine detectors didn’t sense anything beforehand. Intel thinks that they’ve been compromised again somehow and that the 32nd was ambushed. It’s the same situation as with the 13th last week. It’s ridiculous, but I think Intel is right. Short of a nuke, I don’t know what possibly could have taken out an entire regiment in seconds.”

     Ridiculous. Jaeger was inclined to agree. A full regiment being wiped out in a short enough time that no communications could be made? Not a minefield. Not tactical nukes or any other large-scale energy weapon. But every last man, every vehicle wiped out before a counterattack or any communications could be made? The Praetorians didn’t even have enough funds to fully equip their infantry – what kind of superweapon could they even have afforded that could have accomplished this?

     Just what the hell was going on here?

-~-~-~-

     “Unit 4 is performing better than expected.”


     “I suppose it’s not really much of a surprise– Dr. Miranda’s work on the new slave chip was revolutionary.”


     “Has the unit reached our projected cost-performance ratio yet?”


     “With all due respect, Unit 4 has outperformed the efforts of Units 1-3. Her processing powers are far superior to anything we’ve used before – we’ve managed to completely penetrate the rebel communication systems. Unit 4 alone was also responsible for coordinating the destruction of the last three rebel divisions we’ve wiped out.”


     “I don’t suppose Unit 4 is mass producible.”


     “No. Not unless Torus can reverse engineer Dr. Miranda’s chip. And he’s busy on the new weapon tech that we’ve extricated from the rebels.”


     “Regrettable. But get someone else on the weapon tech. We need Unit 4’s technology.”


     “What? With due respect, we’ve regained control over half the country. At this rate, Unit 4 will bring us victory in a few weeks.”


     “I agree. But once the rebels are defeated, we need to re-solidify the regime. We cannot afford to lose control so quickly again.”


     “I see your point. General Vern?”


     “No. Vern is a brute. He can handle guns, but he’s too rash and too rebellious. He brings nothing but instability. We will need to put him down after the rebels have been defeated.”


     “I see. The Archduke’s son, then. A bit young though, isn’t he?”


     “Yes, but moldable and charismatic. Once we’ve solidified power, we may very well have to arrange for an accident but that’s not in the near future.”


     “Reasonable. Well then, I will return to headquarters and inform Torus of his new orders.”


     “Very well. May the Praetorian watch over you.”


     “And you as well.”

***