R
Rainjay
Guest
Original poster
The AI Project
OOC/Sign ups
...
April 5th, 2759
Illoca Facility E-22
Durness, Poullum System
2:37 AM
...
Dr. Marianne Favero
The room they gathered in was dark, the only light being a soft, blue glow coming from the far wall of the room, where the scientists collected themselves, blue light reflecting onto their white lab coats and the metallic sheen of their holo and datapads. The walls were lined with equally shiny machinery and tools, contraptions that looked as if they had no purpose and had never been used, and overhead in the very center of the room, there was another device hanging from the ceiling, composed of five inch, long, panels situated in a spherical shape, encompassing a small oval orb attached to dozens of snaking wires that led back up to the ceiling, past the open panels, into the blackness beyond it. It was positioned just high enough so that the scientists didn't have to duck their heads on entrance to the room, but low enough to reach the small control panel attached to it's side.
However the men and women in the room were focused on what appeared to be a chrome metal panel, perhaps five feet long and two feet wide, that had several rectangular outlets across it's length. Only one outlet was occupied, a small box device plugged into it, with a small little tray sticking out from one of it's side panels, onto which one of the scientists placed the tiniest of little chips onto before pushing it back into place, like a DVD player. The faint glow of light the box emitted amplified, and a ring of blue lit up atop of it before a holographic figure appeared, small in size, perhaps only seven or eight inches tall, but humanoid.
Dr. Favero stepped forward, an older woman with hair so white it looked like it had never once retained color, but with surprisingly not a single wrinkle creasing the corners of her eyes. Unlike the others, she was dressed in a black lab coat, a show of her superiority over the others; she was the head scientist on the project, after all. A small pad was in her hand, text rolling across it's clear screen as she examined the projection before her, eyes slightly narrowed. She then leaned forward to see the projection more clearly, scrutinizing it. Suddenly, she snapped back up and jotted a few notes on the pad as she turned her back to the projection.
Her voice rang out, piercing the silence in the room. "What is your name?"
"I do not carry a name."
The voice of the construct had a clearly mechanical lilt to it, but had the smooth syntax and pronunciation of a human, with no pause between it's words or hesitation for thought. Dr. Favero nodded at this response, seemingly pleased, and jotted down a few more notes, tapping the corner of the pad with a finger.
"Then I shall provide you with one," the woman said, beginning to pace back and forth along the length of the table, raising her eyes once again from her datapad to the projection. "Your name will be Pisces."
"My name is Pisces."
"Do you know where you are, Pisces?" She asked, putting the pad down on the metal surface of the table.
Pisces shook his head, the hologram fizzling slightly with the movement. "No, I do not. May I ask where I am?"
"You are an AI in the possession of the UPN AI Project, twelfth version to be constructed, of the flash cloned mind of Reginald Leitz. We are going to run some tests on you now, Pisces, to make sure your processes are running correctly with the new programming. Can you answer our questions for us, Pisces?" Marianne asked the AI.
"I will answer to the best of my ability, Doctor." It responded.
Another scientist stepped forward, tapping away on his pad. "Alright. We'll begin with the basic computing skills. Answer as quickly as possible, and then we'll move onto memory and assets..."
Marianne watched the testing with a speculative look on her face, lips slightly pursued to the side in thought, brows furrowed in thought as she continued her easy pacing. She did this during every test, after every construction was finished, her expression equal parts perplexed and critical. Her students and colleagues never understood her lack of joy and satisfaction- she was too busy analyzing the AI to ever feel the pleasure of sucess. The construct answers promptly enough, she thought to herself. No errors in computing and processes, the alter programming has gone fine, but hmm...
"Who is Reginald Leitz?" The male scientist asked then.
The AI paused for a long moment before speaking. "Reginald Leitz was born on Motherwell three decades ago but spent most of his life so far living on this planet to study and research. He assisted in the AI Project where we were split in the flash clon-"
Dr. Favero's head snapped up, eyes wide. We?
The other scientists were frozen as the AI continued onward, discussing the life of his human counterpart as if nothing were wrong. One moved for the small console; Marianne swung her arm out infront of him, eyes suddenly ablaze. "Leave. All of you." She hissed, stepping between the group and Pisces as he finally ceased talking. "Now." She warned. She stared the group down until they left the dark room, and then she turned back to the AI.
"Who are you, Pisces?" She asked softly.
"I am Reginald Leitz, Doctor. My name is Pisces. Why do you as-"
"You are not Reginald Leitz. You are Pisces, and you are a construct based off of Reginald's own brain. You are not him." She demanded, crossing her arms with a sigh. She had failed, again. "I don't have time to build another AI... You'll have to do. But remember this, Pisces. You are not Reginald. You will be destroyed if you are. Do you understand, Pisces?"
The construct again paused before nodding. "Yes, Doctor. I am Pisces, not Reginald Leitz. Is there anything else I can do for you today, Doctor?"
The woman breathed deeply and pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "No, Pisces. That is all." She pressed a small button on the side of the console and the tray again popped out, the hologram vanishing. She pulled the little chip out and pressed it into it's protective case before stowing it into her pocket. She would bring it to programming for a few days, and they would run more tests. With any luck, the AI would follow the lead of his siblings, and would pass. He would have to, or else he would be destroyed, and another AI would have failed.
...
April 24th, 2759
Passenger Cabin B2, Deck 6
UPNR Absolution, Nearing the Poullum System (ETA five hours)
9:59 AM (Durness time table)
...
Alice Davern
Alice'd been on this ship for approximately twelve hours, now, waiting for their arrival to Durness as they collected other to-be 'subjects' for the mysterious AI Project. Twenty four hours ago, she was sitting on her bed in Geofir, a meager suitcase packed with all that she was permitted to bring, her older sister lounging behind her, trying not to show her worry- after all, Alice only had limited information for her. As far as Jade knew, she was just running off into the uncharted world of space without direction. Forty eight hours ago, she was sitting at her desk in Motherwell, staring blankly at the strangest email she had ever received:
Alice Davern
674-345-544-234
674-345-544-234
THE UPN HAS REQUESTED YOUR PRESENCE ON DURNESS AT A FACILITY NEAR THE NORTHERN POLE OF THE PLANET. THE NAME OF THIS FACILITY MAY NOT BE DISCLOSED IN THIS MESSAGE, BUT WILL BE PROVIDED TO YOU ONCE ABOARD TRANSPORT. TRANSPORT WILL BE PROVIDED AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, BUT ARRIVAL WILL BE EXPECTED WITHIN 48 HOURS.
Alice Davern: You have been accepted into the AI Project. Currently this project is widely unknown amongst the community- perhaps only military personnel and government officials know of it's development. Top scientists working on the project have selected you to participate in our trials for an anticipated six-month experiment. From the moment you opened this message, until your release, you will be property of the UPN (specifically Research Team Gamma-5) and are subject to their legal contract. You do not have the right to forfeit this Project. You do not have the right to contact a lawyer. Your participation is mandatory.
Please message back within twenty four hours with your desired departure location. A UPN ship will be there to pick you up. Please present this message to the guards to be permitted in. You may bring one small duffle or suitcase of luggage, limited to: clothing, hygiene products (no metals), small personal effects, currency, a tablet/computer device. All devices brought aboard will be scanned and monitored.
If you do not reply within the next twenty four hours, officials will be sent to your location to apprehend you and bring you to the UPN ship. You will not be allowed your one bag of belongings. Please do contact us within the next twenty four hours.
Ophelia BurnsAlice Davern: You have been accepted into the AI Project. Currently this project is widely unknown amongst the community- perhaps only military personnel and government officials know of it's development. Top scientists working on the project have selected you to participate in our trials for an anticipated six-month experiment. From the moment you opened this message, until your release, you will be property of the UPN (specifically Research Team Gamma-5) and are subject to their legal contract. You do not have the right to forfeit this Project. You do not have the right to contact a lawyer. Your participation is mandatory.
Please message back within twenty four hours with your desired departure location. A UPN ship will be there to pick you up. Please present this message to the guards to be permitted in. You may bring one small duffle or suitcase of luggage, limited to: clothing, hygiene products (no metals), small personal effects, currency, a tablet/computer device. All devices brought aboard will be scanned and monitored.
If you do not reply within the next twenty four hours, officials will be sent to your location to apprehend you and bring you to the UPN ship. You will not be allowed your one bag of belongings. Please do contact us within the next twenty four hours.
Assistant to lead scientist
Facility *-**, Durness
Now, she sat on a rough cot, staring at the cold walls of the ship around her. The room they provided to her was only three paces long, with just a cot, a small desk, and the smallest imaginable window to the space outside. A vent was above her cot, providing some warmth to the otherwise freezing room. She didn't mind the chill as long as she had a view outside; the stars were amazing, and distracted her muddled, frantic thoughts.
The AI Project. What even was this, some crack shot's idea of 'research'? You can't just abduct random people for testing, not with all the laws put in place; Alice knew. She read them. Most of them, anyway. Sure, they were in war, but that didn't put them under martial law just yet. She'd never heard of the Project, as the message suggested, but after asking around a little bit, a few people with military family members noted that they had at least heard of it. It was some top secret project on some planet somewhere, trying to create 'smart' AI. Nobody seemed to know where it was. And what the heck was with this 'smart' AI shit? The damned computer at her University was a 'smart' AI. The things had been around for years. What the heck could they be trying to do with them now?
She didn't really want to know.
That said... she soon was to find out. She questioned some of the guards and personnel on the ship, but they refused to give her much information. On arrival, she was told, they would receive an orientation by the lead scientist, before they would be lead to a few 'tests'- of what kind, she didn't know- and then they would get settled. The more vain part of her, or perhaps the part of her trying to keep calm, wondered if they would have decent rooms, or if they would be like those slave test subjects on horror movies, thrown in barred cells and horrifically abused.
Not a good thought, not a good thought... Get to a happy place. Happy place, she thought to herself, leaning her head back against the wall with a light clonk. They wouldn't do that to them. It would be against the laws, of course they would be. She sighed deeply and glanced back outside the window, watching a smattering of stars move past her window.
"ATTENTION, PASSENGERS. WE WILL BE ARRIVING AT DURNESS IN FIVE HOURS. WE SUGGEST PASSENGERS REST BEFORE ARRIVAL; HAVE YOUR LUGGAGE READY FOR WHEN WE ENTER THE SHUTTLES."
The booming voice from the intercom startled her again. She had heard the same voice earlier, and quite a few times, but it was hard to get used to, especially because it seemed to be ten times louder in her room than in any other. She supposed it was a good thing. Anybody sleeping would definitely hear it.
Another five hours, and then they would land. She already longed for her home. She didn't even have a chance to fully say goodbye to everybody. As far as they knew, she would have up and vanished, just the way Jade thought she was doing. Maybe she could write her, later. For now, she'd rest. She'd been on this ship for too long without sleep, and she had a feeling she wouldn't get a chance to for awhile. Forcing her eyes to close, she leaned back on the cot, allowing herself to slip into dreamspace.
@Cheesecake
@J_"Kraken"
@RayChel
@Rekona
@FiliaFlammae
@175maddie
@Maddeline
The AI Project. What even was this, some crack shot's idea of 'research'? You can't just abduct random people for testing, not with all the laws put in place; Alice knew. She read them. Most of them, anyway. Sure, they were in war, but that didn't put them under martial law just yet. She'd never heard of the Project, as the message suggested, but after asking around a little bit, a few people with military family members noted that they had at least heard of it. It was some top secret project on some planet somewhere, trying to create 'smart' AI. Nobody seemed to know where it was. And what the heck was with this 'smart' AI shit? The damned computer at her University was a 'smart' AI. The things had been around for years. What the heck could they be trying to do with them now?
She didn't really want to know.
That said... she soon was to find out. She questioned some of the guards and personnel on the ship, but they refused to give her much information. On arrival, she was told, they would receive an orientation by the lead scientist, before they would be lead to a few 'tests'- of what kind, she didn't know- and then they would get settled. The more vain part of her, or perhaps the part of her trying to keep calm, wondered if they would have decent rooms, or if they would be like those slave test subjects on horror movies, thrown in barred cells and horrifically abused.
Not a good thought, not a good thought... Get to a happy place. Happy place, she thought to herself, leaning her head back against the wall with a light clonk. They wouldn't do that to them. It would be against the laws, of course they would be. She sighed deeply and glanced back outside the window, watching a smattering of stars move past her window.
"ATTENTION, PASSENGERS. WE WILL BE ARRIVING AT DURNESS IN FIVE HOURS. WE SUGGEST PASSENGERS REST BEFORE ARRIVAL; HAVE YOUR LUGGAGE READY FOR WHEN WE ENTER THE SHUTTLES."
The booming voice from the intercom startled her again. She had heard the same voice earlier, and quite a few times, but it was hard to get used to, especially because it seemed to be ten times louder in her room than in any other. She supposed it was a good thing. Anybody sleeping would definitely hear it.
Another five hours, and then they would land. She already longed for her home. She didn't even have a chance to fully say goodbye to everybody. As far as they knew, she would have up and vanished, just the way Jade thought she was doing. Maybe she could write her, later. For now, she'd rest. She'd been on this ship for too long without sleep, and she had a feeling she wouldn't get a chance to for awhile. Forcing her eyes to close, she leaned back on the cot, allowing herself to slip into dreamspace.
@Cheesecake
@J_"Kraken"
@RayChel
@Rekona
@FiliaFlammae
@175maddie
@Maddeline
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