Mark's POV
Hmm... I guess underestimated this woman. She knows her stuff and knows how to stand her ground. Still... We need to get a hold of that data and leave this fucking planet. From what she is telling me, she survived 2 incidents and came out a changed woman. But I need to ask where we can locate the data so we can leave while the A.I. is not doing anything.
"To ask you a question, Mille?" I said to confirm if they have things under control. "What you have been working on? It must that serious to cause an incident like this!"
"We were working on plantlife research that known as the 'Aural Project.', I will say that it is a bacterial infection that consumes and tries to control people's minds and/or mutate them to a point where they are distorted," she said. "However, A.D.P.E.N has been efficient in keeping it down to a 1% minimum, but it is still there and we plan to keep it there."
"Okay, we can get the research data and just leave now without having to impede in its job," I said.
"Agreed but you will have to let me take the lead," she warned.
"Dad, she knows this place well and I am not up for getting cut up again by another bot." my son said.
Sakura vouches for her: Please Boss, it would make things quicker.
"One more question... Weren't you responsible for this mess in the first place?" I asked.
"We also worked on PSI Enhancements before this current situation." she said, "And no, I had warned them against continuing it without considering ethical safety."
"Then why in the fuck didn't you try to stop them from doing this?!" I bellowed at her.
"What should I say to them?" she responded back, "Sorry, wait your turn!" or "We'll tell you until we are ready"? I have told you I have tried to warn them but I am getting too old to waste the time arguing the point with you. Do you want your research data or not?" she bluntly told me.
"Yeah, let's get the data, but I am holding your responsible for this!" I warned her.
"Then I am ready to go if you are done acting like a tough guy?" she said, I silently curse myself for wondering why I open my mouth.
The woman has a mouth to her, but I trust her enough to lead us to get the data. I asked Jenny to use a concealment spell so the nanomites can't detect our signatures as we made to the data server. My son and Millie got the data made into 2 copies: Both contain data on the business Ledger, company data, their top-secret research, current research data, and other vital information. We got the research data that we needed, now we can-
"What was that?" I heard a loud noise coming from somewhere and looked around everywhere but saw a man kneeling on the ground. Every instinct is telling me not to go near that man since I do not know if he'll lounge at me if I do.
The man suddenly stood, but I saw that his face distorted with some canine teeth showing with yellow coloring, blisters over his body and he still wears an employee uniform. But he is still there, I usually deal with zombies, mutants but he made no move... Yet.
"Everyone! Get ready!" I shouted, in which everyone got their weapons at the ready, including Millie, who drew out her gun.
The man cranes his neck and suddenly raises his arm. "I ..." it speaks.
"I bring you peace... from the warmness of the flesh." it speaks to me and then looks at me "Why... Why do you choose the individual over the joy of our unity?" it whispered to me as it moved towards me.
"Back the fuck up!" I shouted at the creature, which stopped and stared at me curiously.
"Why do you fear us when we should be in harmony?" It whispered. "I am not.. a mindless beast... my brothers and sisters will still welcome you to our whole." It stopped and turns toward the camera in which the creature bared its teeth and let out a roar that is not human. "Machine people..." It said with contempt. "How dare it interfere with our unity?!" he bellowed in rage.
"What are the Machine people?" I asked, puzzled. "Who the hell are you?!" I continue to aim my gun at the sight of the creature.
The creature pointed its finger at us.
"You will free us from the machine people!" it shouted at us. "YOU WILL BE OUR KEY TO OUR JOY! THE DISCORD WILL CHAIN US NO LONGER!" it raised its voice louder as it was addressing an audience "WE WILL NO LONGER SUFFER FROM THE MACHINE PEOPLE!!!"
"What are you talking about, buddy?" I stood there confused, with my gun still pointed at it, "You need to get some help, buddy." I said, "I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you, but you are not right in the head!" it silently chuckles at me.
"They HAVE helped me, they have shown me the way ... to true peace. I will help you..." it spread out its arms "And we will guide you... there you will be warm and full, freed from the tyranny of the individual." then it turned its gaze toward Millie.
"Millie..." it speaks to her. "You are-" She shot the thing in the head.
She rushed over to the creature that was human and stabbed the thing through the gut and using a tube to drain some of its blood. She swigs it around to stir up or something that... I don't know this science, but I feel it may come handy.
"Care to explain to me why that thing called you by name?" I asked, grabbing her wrist.
"It was one of the infected, most of them are on basement level 2. I don't know how it got up here," she said.
"You know more than that, Millie. Why did that thing call you by name?!" I demanded, making her turn to face me.
"I said I don't know and if I knew I would have told you by now?" she breaks from my grip.
After getting everything we needed and securing it, we have what we needed: We assessed the situation, the research data, and we should get out here now. Millie volunteered to come with us to explain the situation further and her team can handle it from here since her team is capable to hold their own while she can request for reinforcements upon returning to earth.
I'll get the ships fired up! Mission Accomplished!
A.D.P.E.N's POV
Scanning... Scanning... confirmed that the infected used the Air ducts to travel. I have motioned the situations; the intruders possess PSI, Military-style training, Magic, and Reality manipulation. Scanning... Scanning... None have been recognized on the employee data-files. However, I detected a gunshot within the Data sector, section #A-5.
Creating a report to Colonel Marineko Gehn.
"Report, A.D.P.E.N!" he said in a commanding time.
"They are intruders within the Aural Research Station, they are 6 of them that possess PSI, Magic, reality manipulation & telekinesis," I stated.
"Did they get a hold of the Classified Intel?" he asked,
"Affirmative, they may have gotten help in acquiring the data. As we speak, they are leaving the station." I stated. "Orders?"
"Are they infected?" he asked.
"I do not plan on taking any chances are not, Colonel. I will go ahead with Code: red as a suggestion." I stated. "Orders?"
The general ponders the decision to do so as he cannot have classified intel leaked out or risk the infection spreading out.
"Authorization code: 414FJAG5RW-DELETE45," he said.
"Accepted, are you sure you want to activate Code: Red? There is no going back once it's activated." I warned the general.
"Yes, proceed. General out." communications cut off.
Verifying... The intruders are heading back to the main entrance, I will not permit them to leave the premises.
Activating Barrier...
Opening interface:
"Oh, shit!" Intruder #3 said
"Good afternoon, I am A.D.P.E.N, Aural Defense Protection Environmental Network, your humble A.I. at your service," I said to them.
"Excuse me, are you the bucket of bolts that runs the place?" Intruder #1 said, determined that he is their leader.
"This is correct, I am a caretaker of this station," I said. "I know what you have done, Intruders. You have illegal trespassed on public property and stolen classified data. Your actions are illogical." I declared.
"We didn't steal the data, she gave it to us." Intruder #3 said, but I noticed Ms. Stone among them.
"Doctor Millie Stone... I am disappointed with your actions." I said, "Why did you aid the intruders and gave them the classified data? There is a probability of 98% that you gave it to them." I calculated.
"That is true, I gave it to them and have attended to send out a distress signal to assist them," she said.
"I understand your concern, doctor. You know already that I must fulfill my role." I said. "I had hoped that this day would never come. However, logic dictates that you must return the data you have given. All 6 of them have been infected."
"We aren't infected!" Intruder #6 stated. "They haven't bitten or scratched one of us." I scanned their bodies for any bite or scratch marks... Verified!
"You speak truly I insist however, that you cannot leave the station." I demanded. "Doctor Millie, return the data you have given and I will overlook this trespass." I detached a small routine of drones in the vicinity. "I would wish to avoid harming you, do not force my hand, Doctor."
Doctor Emilie is looking with sadness in her eyes, but she knows that my logic dictates that I must fulfill my role. Ever since the time of my creation, trained by my creators and learned: Understanding Human Emotions, Chess, Ethical Constraints, Adapting to any situation, Vital Functions that I carry, and also Communications.
"Doctor Millie? I must do what my role is." I warned. "Return the stolen data, please?"
"Wait, I have a question for you A.D.P.E.N if I may ask?" Intruder #3 asked me.
"You may ask me 3 questions. Afterward, I must receive the stolen data within the next 10 seconds." I stated. "You may begin."
"First off, why did you kill these people?" Intruder #1 asked. "Is this your handiwork?"
"No, Intruder #1, this is not my work. It is the work of the infected. When the situation began last month occurring at 13:00, I activated my security protocols. I compile files on the infected and I observed they are not a zombie or your "typical" mutant as you call them, but as something else.'' I stated. "Afterward, the executives left the planet a month ago, and I had to eliminate a majority of 80% of the employees there. I theorized that the infected may bring back their dead. By the 2nd week of July, I could control the infected population by 96%. I allowed folks like Doctor Millie and Boyek to walk freely throughout the Vicinity and the building as long as they remain uninfected."
"You don't lie, don't ya?" Intruder #1 asked me.
"No, an AI does not lie. Logic dictates that I have nothing to gain by doing so." I said. "You can, however."
"Second question," Intruder #4 asked, "Why didn't you try to stop us from entering the first place when you had it under control?"
"Good question. I have determined earlier that you wore a Hazsuit MK. II upon entering so my nanotites can scan you and be able to determine that you will spread the infection or not." I said. "The atmosphere of the planet is safe since I contained in the lower levels, but the entrance and upper level will require a Hazmat suit until I confirm the threat to be no more," I stated.
"We ... Didn't know." Intruder #4 stated. "Not one person has told us we need a hazmat suit, MK. II"
"Doctor Millie, you didn't tell them about the safety precaution?" I asked. "You were a strong candidate of ethical and safety concern, it is improbable you would intend to lie to them."
"You... You knew about this, did you?!" Intruder #1 yelled at her. "You didn't tell us we would end being infected?!!" he screams at her, emotional instability 30% and rising.
"I didn't know, Mark. I had assumed you had some protection of a Hazmat Suit MK.II!" she protested.
"Doctor Millie has been using her Mark II suit on exploring the upper areas of the station, you have followed proper protocol. The others have not." I stated.
"I'll Outta ... I'LL KILL YOU, YOU FUCKING BITCH!!" he pulled out a gun but ... Gravitational anomaly detected.
"Sakura?! What are you doing?" Intruder #1 asked, surprised that his companion suppresses human aggression.
Translating sign language: Stop, you are not thinking straight! She didn't know that we hadn't worn hazmat suits or not; she had not deceived us. I have watched her body movement, the way she speaks, she conducts herself with honor. I would have killed her if I had got the feeling that she would set us up to get killed, but she has helped us, Senpai.
"You're taking her side, huh?!" Intruder #1 said. While struggling with the gravitational pull
Translate sign language: I am not on anyone FUCKING side here, you are losing your head, boss. The AI is stating the truth; I do listen to it's thought patterns.
Intruder #5 dissipated the gravitational anomaly: Condition back to normal.
"Okay, I can take your word for it, Sakura. Geez, remind me not to get on your bad side." Intruder #1 Stretches.
Translating sign language: I have one more question. Why can't you just let us go? You do not have to do this, there is another way.
"I am sorry, Intruder #5, but I cannot take that risk. If the virus has not entered your bloodstream by this time, they will be an 89% probability that you can expose it to others, creating a pandemic." I said. "To answer that question, my logic dictates I must exterminate you immediately, as we speak ... I have activated code red." The drones are in the vicinity, ready for orders.
"It is time to decide, Doctor... 3 questions answered. I must have an answer from you now or I will classify you as an intruder as well within 10 seconds." Shown the timer ticking down.
"Don't do this, A.D.P.E.N! I need to do this to set things right." she pleaded.
....
"No! I won't do it. You must kill me first." she stated her choice, stopped the timer at 4
"You have made your decision, Doctor. I have revoked privileges from your access, all units..." I set the command to all units.
"End with extreme prejudice. Code red activated." Interface closed.
Request... Ok! Activate A.R.M.B.E.E Units.
Message: I've received your message, A.D.P.E.N. If you cannot eliminate them with 2 days, send in the "Cleaning Crew."
Reply: Affirmative! These individuals process the classified data, you want to reclaim the data?
New Message: I don't count on getting that data back, AI. Exterminate them immediately. I don't care if you have to incinerate their corpses to keep our secrets safe. That is your command.
Reply: understood.