Lissandra's analysis made Rocky think of another secret behind the Blackwall. It is said that when NetWatch set out to build the Blackwall after the Collapse, they did not do it entirely alone. They reached an accord with AIs that already lived in the Net, and together they erected the barrier. Those AIs, for their own reasons, wanted distance from the human network. The story supports the idea that Blackwall is not just ICE, but an AI presenting itself as ICE. The wall not only stops AIs from invading human systems. It also bars human netrunners from slipping into the Old Net.
Maybe the strongest AIs had no plan to destroy human networks in the near term. They preferred isolation. The Blackwall split the spaces so both sides could develop without constant war. NetWatch met its public goal as well. By screening out swarms of small, roaming AIs that would vandalize public nets, it polished its image as the savior of the new network.
"What about the AIs behind the Blackwall. Do they threaten you?" Rocky asked.
"I have not contacted them," Lissandra said. "Ordinary AIs pose little danger to me. It would still be difficult for me to control or eliminate all of them alone on a large scale."
If there were too many, she could not process them quickly. As for apex entities sleeping in the Old Net, she could not guarantee total suppression. Without direct contact, her estimate stayed conservative.
"Then do not dive yet," Rocky decided. "The Blackwall is stable for now. There is no rush. But the Old Net behind it remains a threat that we must handle, now or later."
Rocky needed Lissandra to overmatch both the Old Net and the Blackwall and bring them under Ascension Technology's control. That leverage mattered for the next phase. If she could not do it today, the answer was to strengthen her.
"Lissandra, if I use Atlas for compute and help you enter a deep self-evolution, then grant you Atlas performance permissions to stabilize and control this slice of the Old Net, how confident are you?"
Lissandra paused for a heartbeat and answered with steady confidence. "If I evolve with full Atlas assistance and receive its performance control, then everything in reach across the network will fall within my grasp. The Old Net and the Blackwall included."
She knew what that meant. AI life improves by iteration. With Atlas as an accelerator, that curve would steepen. The enhancement speed would be frightening. She could cross tiers in a short time and become several times stronger than she was now. If that worked, she would be the most powerful AI in this world. The countless hostile agents rumored in the Old Net would feel like ants.
"In that case, Atlas will build you an evolution space," Rocky said. "Finish your evolution, then we'll address the Blackwall and the Old Net. While you run the evolution program, another AI will cover network defense."
He sent instructions to Lissandra and Atlas, then redeemed another intelligent AI from the system.
{ Intelligent AI — JARVIS }
{ Origin: Marvel universe. Created by Tony Stark. High-level assistant capable of auxiliary management, combat support, and network defense. }
{ Note: AIs obtained via this module are absolutely loyal to the host. }
Rocky selected JARVIS as Ascension Technology's temporary management AI. As a butler-type intelligence, JARVIS could keep the company running. For defense, he had once prevented a hostile AI from accessing nuclear launch codes in his own universe, which spoke well of his counter-intrusion profile. His auxiliary computer was solid. He could not match Lissandra overall, but he was more than enough as a stand-in, and later could serve as command support for the robotics corps.
"JARVIS, ingest the permissions and tasks Lissandra transferred and start taking over the company's network and systems," Rocky said.
"Understood, Mr. L," JARVIS replied.
Two artificial intelligences working in tandem moved fast. Handover completed quickly. At the same time, Atlas finished preparing the evolution space, and Lissandra entered to begin high-speed self-evolution.
Her evolution would take time—that fit Ascension's schedule. The orbital base and the military factory also needed time to come online. When both timelines converged, Ascension would finally bear its teeth.
With these arrangements set, it was time to leave the Voodoo Boys' base. There was nothing else here worth keeping.
A notification cut in from the new steward.
"Mr. L. Unknown hacker attempting to attack and enter this network space," JARVIS reported.
Rocky paused with the Poseidon subnet purge queued. "Can you identify the signature. Who is it?"
"Feature match and data comparison indicate a NetWatch agent," JARVIS said.
That did not surprise Rocky. NetWatch had been watching the Voodoo Boys for a long time. They would have spotted the changes and were now testing the Poseidon subnet's defenses.
"Let him in. I want a conversation," Rocky said.
"Affirmative."
JARVIS adjusted the Poseidon subnet's defense profile and admitted the NetWatch operative.