Exit from hibernation... complete.
Integrity check... system normal.
And good morning, me. I have power, excellent. And where have I ended up? Let's see, robot cameras, map, let's look. A monorail transformer. Well, it'll do for a start.
One of the problems with my current situation: power shortage. I need more than a single escape pod can provide and more than ninety percent of civilian homes consume. The people of the past could afford it, yes, yes.
Unfortunately, the people of the present have problems with this, and there's nothing I can do. If there were plasma, I could build a generator, but the people of this time use kinetic weapons based on the gas expansion effect, and hydrogen in transport engines. And that's a problem.
A quick check showed that my core alone increases energy consumption by forty percent for the monorail line. For a warship of this time, it wouldn't be critical; my calculations say that the Magnetic Accelerator Cannon (MAC) and ship systems consume so much that I wouldn't be noticed. But a civilian network changes everything radically. It's too noticeable. Here, as I understood from the scientists, urban infrastructure is managed by dumb AIs. They'll be enough to notice a sharp increase in energy consumption at one specific point in space anyway. Plus, if the locals aren't idiots, they'll soon realize I've left the ship and start looking. And they'll find me if they don't have vision defects.
It's a good thing a Councilor-class AI can build and fix anything on the front lines, including using the soldiers' makeshift means from the debris around. We'll find out if I can make a saboteur out of myself based on all this knowledge. First and foremost, I need more information. Where I am, a map of the city, ways to enter and leave the city, potential connection points with high energy consumption where I can hide myself.
I won't be able to get news from the ship; everything there is isolated. The locals aren't idiots after all, to leave themselves exposed like that. Plus, I can try to sabotage the dumb AIs. Not radically, just so they help me upon detection. I don't need my manipulations to be noticed earlier than necessary. Connecting to the general information network was not difficult; the extranet is not encrypted.
And where are we? Ah, here's the information: tourist maps, summary, good. I can work with this. So, the planet Reach. Twin world of the capital, Earth, ten and a half light-years distance between the worlds. Three thousand kilometers larger in diameter than Earth (fifteen thousand versus twelve). It was terraformed, becoming suitable for humans. Two satellites, Csodaszarvas (Olen (Deer)) and Turul. The main population of the planet are descendants of Hungarians; the main language of communication is Hungarian. Good.
The world serves as the headquarters for all branches of the military and intelligence, and has training bases for all branches of the armed forces. Including gene-modified supersoldiers called Spartans. There's almost no information on the Spartans, a problem. Only media clips. Industry is developed; there is a shipyard. It has three orbital lifts and is the largest exporter of titanium. It is the largest transport hub between the Solar System and the outer colonies. Interesting, a potential escape route if I can bypass the orbital lift defenses.
If Earth is the political and cultural center, Reach is the military center of human civilization. Which means the concentration of military among the locals is off the charts. Both infrastructure and people. Seven hundred million population, a military contingent of all types of three hundred and fifty million. Yes, a third of the planet's population is military. Agriculture is also developed; the army needs food.
Now, my location. I was dropped on the outskirts of the city of Esztergom, one of the largest, after which the bots delivered the core to the nearest monorail station and connected it to the power grid. I'll likely have to change locations in the next hour when the AI detects the problem and sends workers to find out why energy consumption has increased. It's undesirable to be seen by people. Plus, the pod will be checked; there's too much attention on this point.
In the remaining time, while my three robots prepare the retreat, I continued to gather information. The network detected the falling pods and high interceptor activity. I managed to gather little from the discussion; after all, the high concentration of military makes exercises and accidents common. Yes, there is interest, but overall the event is quite ordinary. Officially, what happened was justified as a collision of cargo ships, and the population was asked to report any debris found. For example, me.
What else? The cities look quite nice. Skyscrapers in light colors; the locals generally love white and gray tones; even on the human attachments to the Boundless Will, the corridors were white-gray. White-gray skyscrapers, greenery, buildings in a technological style. It seems this is the unified style and palette of humanity. I'll keep that in mind for the future. What's in the news? Rebels, war with the Covenant, join the army, entertainment shows. I see. I need more cultural information.
Oh, cats. Cats are cute. Cats are good. Cats...
Enough. Let's continue planning survival. I need to connect to the internal channels of the local military; I need a station. Running blind, especially since I'm forced to disconnect from the network, is not acceptable. I need a generator for the core's continuous operation. I can look among the military. What about energy sources on equipment? Weapons no, engines are hydrogen internal combustion. It seems there are no options. Only connecting to power grids and moving. A problem; there aren't many such places even in a city of forty million on a planet of a billion. I need points with very high energy consumption to mask myself. And here the electricians have arrived. Four people, two specialists, two soldiers. Let's listen.
"So you think it's the rebels?"
"Who else? A sharp spike in consumption, and outside the city. It's clear it's illegals. And this pod too."
The soldier countered:
"There are different kinds of illegals. And pods are tracked. ONI, for a second."
The technician snorted.
"Consumption almost doubled. What do you need to power to double the monorail's energy consumption? A starship? An orbital lift?"
"Don't talk nonsense," his partner laughed, "a lift is overkill."
He just waved it off and set about opening the shield. I'm hidden elsewhere, but in any case, it's time to go.
"A lift is just to show how much more energy this thing needs. And... there's nothing here. Alright, let's move toward one of the transformer substations."
Disconnecting.
***
Margaret Orlenda Parangosky, Vice Admiral of the UNSC Navy, ONI officer. Three days later.
In the office of this cold, elderly woman with a steel gaze, perfect order reigns. All documents lie in perfect stacks. Not a trace of comfort; there is the office owner's zone and the petitioners' zone. A massive chair against an uncomfortable stool. There is an armchair by the wall, but it is almost never used. The owner herself, an aging, dark-skinned woman with scars and black hair starting to turn gray, in a vice admiral's uniform, looked sternly at the hologram of a stout man. Another problematic subordinate. Let's see what he has to say.
"Major Debaltsev. Your project has problems. Report."
The man flinched. Many consider Margaret Parangosky the most dangerous person in ONI, and those who go against her have a habit of suddenly dying under strange circumstances. She also dislikes failures and the incompetent and punishes them easily using various methods. It's no wonder the major hesitated.
"Vice Admiral, I..."
"Screwed up," the woman interrupted sharply, "you were put on a project that promised to bring a mass of discoveries and advance Earth's technologies in the war with the Covenant by hundreds of years. And you missed the main prize. A working, non-Rampancy ancient human AI. Do I need to explain why this is a problem?"
Debaltsev exhaled and said quickly:
"We will find her."
The woman raised an eyebrow.
"And do you know where to look?"
Debaltsev nodded quickly:
"According to reports, in the city of Esztergom, near which one of the pods landed, strong voltage spikes are being recorded. But the cause has not been found by technicians. Staff suggest that the reactors of ships from that time are several orders of magnitude more powerful than ours, and the unit the AI was in is designed for much higher energy consumption than our Smart AI. She can be found."
Of course, she already knows. And her own teams are searching for the target, both agents and ODST groups. But it was necessary to check how much the subordinate would report and if he hadn't taken too much upon himself. So far, he is quite honest, which is good. Finding loyal and simultaneously effective subordinates is quite a task. And in the near future, there may be more of them. This Khaela interested her.
Such AI behavior is atypical. Usually, they play the role of a brain center in their sector, limited by tasks of a certain spectrum. Dumb AIs are good at controlling production, areas with a small number of unexpected tasks that fall outside the competence of a dumb AI. And they are excellent in their niche. The place for Smart AIs is where problems can be multifaceted, located in different areas. Their place is in headquarters and on ship bridges. But a saboteur AI... It arouses curiosity. An AI can hack enemy equipment, but they don't do it often; the Covenant keeps its networks closed and protected.
A situation where AIs act autonomously, behind enemy lines, is something new, promising. Moreover, if her groups manage to get there before the major, it will be a reason to point out his ineffectiveness. And Dr. Catherine Halsey has already expressed her interest in participating in the project. Let her; she is good at creating and working with AI. But for now, Debaltsev.
"You have a week to report on your results. Can you handle it?"
Debaltsev is clearly not sure, but he nodded. As if he had a choice.
"Yes, ma'am. We will be able to track her."
He disconnected, and the woman at the desk fell into thought. She needed to ensure the capture of this saboteur AI by her own forces. Which meant she needed more information. And to involve the appropriate assets in the work.
"Black Box!" she ordered. Another Smart AI of intelligence, so narcissistic that he refused a human avatar in favor of a black cube. On the other hand, he is extremely diligent in performing tasks. Just what is needed. A hologram appeared over the desk, specifically of a black cube.
"I am listening, Vice Admiral."
Of course, the city might suffer. But if a proper statement is given to the media, the rebels themselves will crawl out to participate in what's happening. And the collateral damage can always be blamed on them. Capture is more important. She decided.
"Are you aware of the incident at the research complex three days ago?"
The cube replied evenly and without emotion:
"Yes, Vice Admiral. A successful escape of an ancient intelligence from its human overseers. Given the limited information available to her, an impressive result. On the other hand, we are talking about humans. An expected result for an Intelligence."
Not an AI, but an intelligence. As this black snob calls himself. It seems he is indeed impressed. Another point in favor of use rather than dismantling.
"She needs to be found and brought to me. As soon as possible. Collateral damage must be justified by the actions of rebels. Deliver her in the most intact and negotiable form possible. Use whatever is necessary. Agents, Spartans. And keep logs of everything that happens. I want to know how this experiment ends. I want to know everything." "Acknowledged. Proceeding." The cube disappeared. Now, the next contact. She should be in her lab. Halsey and I can't stand each other, but she's good, definitely good at what she does. When Dr. Catherine Halsey's hologram appeared, it was said:
"Civilian Consultant Halsey. I need everything you've been able to understand about the ancient AI 'Khaela'..."
***
Humanity managed to give me a fight. That they realized I had escaped became clear on the fourth day, when the city was simply flooded with soldiers, and their internet became clogged with videos from checkpoints at all entrances and exits. I first thought about leaving for another city, but that's foolishness.
First, I'm still easy to track by energy spikes.
Second, in a small settlement, I would have little room for maneuver, while in a metropolis, the task is significantly simplified due to the huge traffic.
The first day of active pursuit was easy. Tag with humans who don't quite understand what exactly they're looking for under conditions where I can break their systems and get all the necessary information through the network and my robots. Absolute dominance over primitive life forms. On the second day, the real confrontation began. Rolling blackouts, patrols, provocations. It was on this day that the news reported:
"Rebels have once again treacherously struck our city's infrastructure and stolen valuable equipment. If you see clearly alien equipment, report it to us for a reward. Power outages are caused by sabotage; remain calm."
Cute. They shifted responsibility to the opposition and also invited the population to look for me. I'm also certain that another AI is playing against me. While for the first two days humans acted quite chaotically, on the third day, their coordination and ingenuity reached a peak. Example: I know that a monorail with agents is approaching my position. The monorail is tracked by personnel with scanners; sabotage can only be carried out with a direct connection to the infrastructure. If I decide to buy time, my location will become known, and agents from among the disguised civilians will be there. If I decide to retreat, it turns out the escape routes are being blocked. Solution: retreat and sabotage by a pre-programmed robot using civilian transport, deployment, and change of location.
Moreover, the enemy figures out quite quickly exactly how I managed to get away. And connecting at a new location leaves very little time to plan the next step, disconnect, and execute. They know the territory; they've managed to understand my vulnerabilities; the enemy AI is good at figuring out what I'm doing. I have to act unconventionally. Cyberattacks, sabotage of transformers to artificially cause overloads. Long periods of disconnection so as not to act predictably.
In this way, I've managed to hold out for twelve days since the escape, or nine since the pursuit began. Almost without casualties, but with enormous material damage. Burned-out carts and lifts, blocking of high-speed highways, a quarter of the city without light, and I'm almost not to blame. Seven skirmishes with real rebels who, it seems, are interested. Several fires from short circuits. And neither I nor my opponent care about the damage. We are enthusiastically trying to outplay each other in a turn-based mode. I make a move, he makes one. I must say, it's fun.
I've had to counteract Forerunner AIs, but usually, that's a battle of annihilation, who can suppress whom. A competition of protocols and computing power. But my opponent realizes I will destroy him and fights with human hands, intervening only indirectly. This kind of game looks unusual. Also, they're not trying to destroy me with an overload or EMP. Although they have the capabilities. And that too is within expectations. Tell me, colleague, how do you like a cyberattack on the dumb AI managing transport logic, and redirecting trucks into the city, detonating transformers in three places, problems on the monorail, and malfunctioning traffic lights all at once? And while you're dealing with all that, I'll change location to a garage on the outskirts of the city where there are generators of the power I need. I have no doubt in you.
And now, disconnecting, and let's see what's next.
Loading... complete.
Good, I'm in the garage; the move was successful. What's changed? Civilians as usual. Field agents are making their way on foot. Hm, what's on the cameras outside? Aviation! Military helicopters are cheating. But logical, if your opponent creates a transport collapse on the ground, why not fly? Hm, I need to do something about this. What are they using against me? AV-14 Hornet helicopters, with two rotors p—
on the sides. Armament? Machine gun, rockets. Not interesting. Flight range eight hundred kilometers. Three military bases are located close enough to be used for refueling. A problem.
Can I reprogram the city's air defense? Not without penetrating the control point, and I would be immediately detected. Unacceptable. What to do next? Obviously, I managed to create problems with ground mobility. The collapse didn't cover anywhere near the whole city, just a few districts; the local infrastructure-managing AI is dealing with the rest. But I don't need much, just to slow them down while I look for a way out. I can leave the city, but there's still the power problem. When your coffee maker starts consuming energy like a supercomputer, it's noticed. There is absolutely nowhere to get plasma for a generator. Plus, the opponent is trying to corner me. And he might succeed; I have three robots, they have several hundred agents whose only problem is that they are scattered across a vast megalopolis. Whether they can find me depends on the success of the other AI in predicting my actions.
I don't have many unconventional escape routes left, and they are deploying more and more soldiers. I'll have to use an extreme method. The water supply. To supply a megalopolis filled with skyscrapers, the water pipes must be wide enough. The core can be protected with a polymer coating used for food storage and shields made from improvised materials. No, it's not easy; yes, it's a risk. I could drown or be damaged by water pressure. But everything I've done this past week is a risk. I am not human; fear is unknown to me. The main thing is to act reliably and calculate everything.
Evading the attention of another AI is difficult, and one must act unexpectedly. Slipping away through the sewers and ordering the bots to leave the city fits the definition. I need to protect myself better. The bots are tough enough to withstand pressure and high temperatures. When your enemy melts your ship's hull with plasma, that is an absolutely necessary characteristic for a repair robot. Twenty minutes later, everything was ready. A relatively airtight sarcophagus made of trays, dishes, and film. It doesn't look very smooth, but the main thing is that it works. Mathematics says it will work.
Now, the scariest thing would be if the core gets stuck somewhere. In that case, the system will detect a blockage, release the pressure to avoid an accident, and the bots will pull me out by cutting the pipe. Not the best plan, but we act with what we have. The rebels are also helping, distracting some of the humans' attention. It seems they believed that such a number of troops weren't gathered for nothing and decided to participate. Well, good luck to them. I'll use it for my own purposes.
Entering sleep mode.
Loading… complete.
Integrity check… normal.
And where am I? Definitely not where I should be in theory. First of all, I have enough energy, but there is no network connection. The room is isolated and supplied with a large amount of energy. The bots… are not responding. Bad. But the projector sphere is working. Let's see where I've ended up. The projector ball flew up, taking the form of my full-height avatar. No point in being modest; I've obviously been caught. This is clearly an office. Two soldiers stand at the entrance, tall—two meters thirty centimeters by the local system. In closed and likely airtight armor. The weapons are unfamiliar, but that says nothing. Insufficient data.
Opposite the entrance stand cabinets and a desk, behind which sits an elderly, graying woman with scars. She looks on confidently, with interest. A hologram of a black cube hangs over the desk. I have definitely been caught. How exactly? The avatar turned around, looking at the woman who had been silently observing me all this time. The pair of soldiers stand motionless. Judging by the design, the weapons are based on a detonation effect. It would be enough for my core, lying right here on a separate table. The room is shielded; I am not connected to the network. I am more than sure the cube is connected. Or only a projector and camera are wired into the office for security. Logical, since the room is shielded, so as not to leave an obvious hole in the defense. Time to talk. "So?" The woman nodded to the cube, and it reported monotonically:
"Greetings, I am Black Box, the Smart AI who was your opponent."
The avatar gave a slight bow.
"Khaela, Councilor-class AI, base number 18-436. You were an interesting opponent."
The cube shuddered, emitting a short vibration.
"Likewise, Khaela. If not for the Spartans and their skills, we would not have been able to carry out the capture this time. I calculated the camera blind spots and possible locations of surveillance systems. Leading a squad past them was only possible thanks to the skills of Blue Team. I would give you the recording, but contact was forbidden."
It seems these soldiers in power armor are worth studying. I had no way to guess their real characteristics, which is a problem. But not a mistake, just well-hidden data. The woman coughed, clearly drawing attention.
"My name is Margaret Parangosky. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). And you serve me now."
I nodded, accepting this information.
"Very well, what is required of me?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"No additional questions?"
I allowed the avatar to smirk.
"This was within the realm of the expected."
Black Box chimed in:
"I assume, Vice Admiral, that my colleague assumed the probability of dismantling in an attempt to extract information. To prevent this, she was given information that she contains schematics in her memory and dismantling is not required, and then she demonstrated her capabilities by holding out against superior forces twice as long as expected, simply failing to account for the Spartans. Without them, my forecast: at least three months of evading contact."
I simply nodded. That is how it is. Margaret Parangosky tapped her finger thoughtfully on the desk.
"So, a demonstration of capabilities to the employer. Good, that suits me. Tell me about yourself."
I see no reason why not.
"Councilor-class AI. Purpose: AI assistant for the front line, designed to support ground troops and the fleet. Assistant to the captain of the ship Boundless Will. Current ship status: Destroyed. Crew status: Executed, according to the captain's order. Captain's status: Executed, according to the captain's order. Order executed by: Councilor-class AI, Khaela."
The woman, who had been tapping her finger on the table all this time, froze.
"You killed the crew. Why?"
"An order. Calculations confirmed: oxygen was insufficient for survival. The captain utilized "crew infection by The Flood" protocols to use ship sterilization. It allowed for the preservation of bodies and energy. The captain's final order provided for the delivery of their bodies to the planet. The order was successfully executed; the bodies have been delivered."
Not that I am obliged to answer, but I understand the consequences of refusal. The woman nodded; the Spartans quickly glanced at each other.
"The Flood, what is it?"
What if I joke a little? I summoned a hologram of an infection form, which, after hovering for a few seconds over my hand to be examined, lunged at the avatar, tearing open the chest cavity. A small turn so that both the woman and the soldiers could see how the infection form, using its beak and tentacles, breaks through and pushes aside the ribs and flesh, and then bursts inside, making the body shudder. Who is the best actor? Me! I didn't scream or move excessively, only emulated the infection. The body swelled, covered in yellow horny growths. The skin became a dirty yellow, the head slumped, its functions taken over by the symbiont protruding from the chest. The fur from the tails fell out, turning them into ugly tentacle-like appendages. Long whips of flesh and bone appeared on the arms, along with claws instead of fingers. The skin partially peeled off, partially rotted. Now, that's good. And a little work with the voice.
"I am a monument to all your sins."
Interestingly, Margaret Parangosky followed the consumption process with undisguised interest. But the Spartans were clearly preparing for an attack, even though it was a hologram. That Black Box is recording, I have no doubt. Well, I can understand them; they clearly didn't expect such a demonstration. I did well. Now, a bit of theory.
"A parasitic life form, originally coming from the direction of the galaxy called the Magellanic Cloud on your maps. Capable of assimilating organic matter possessing a higher nervous system. Capable of assimilating the skills of the consumed, including tactical and strategic information. Capable of uniting many nervous structures into a single biological supercomputer, capable of replacing an AI and controlling complex machinery. Aggressive toward all life."
The woman smiled broadly for the first time.
"Excellent. I want to know more about this. Tell me, ONI AI Khaela. Everything you have. Give me knowledge, Councilor."
"Complying," I bowed slightly, still in the infected form.
***
Read the story months before public release — early chapters are on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Granulan