Beneath the decaying bones of Viresopolis' once-proud skyline, deep within the subterranean catacombs of a long-forgotten age, an ominous chamber lay hidden in the shadows. Here, far from the neon-lit streets and the hum of modernity, the eerie stillness held dominion. Emily Clarke's cryo-tube, encased in the cold, unforgiving embrace of this underground crypt, was meant to be her sanctuary—an eternal slumber, untouched by the ravages of time. But within the crypt's spectral confines, where forgotten echoes whispered tales of an older, forsaken era, a sinister disruption had taken hold. The pale, ghostly light within the tube flickered, its once-promising tranquility shattered, and the stifling grip of captivity bore down upon Emily's fragile consciousness. In this desolate, underground tomb, her voiceless scream reverberated through the ancient ruins, a chilling reminder of her perilous predicament.
Emily, in a half-suspended animation, feels her consciousness begin to surface back into her body, but something is stopping her from completing this process and keeps returning her to the depths of her subconsciousness, where she had been for the past 150 years.
As she tries once more to reconnect to her body a sudden urgency and the feeling of panic starts to flood into her mind.
'Nebula,' she says into her mind, reaching out for the only source of companionship that she has had in the past 150 years. But nothing is felt or heard within her mind and for the first time she feels alone.
High above the cryo-tube in the secret chamber, lights begin to flicker and come to life. Suddenly the room is flooded with a teal light that concentrates back in on itself and begins to form the digital body of Nebula. The AI felt the panic within Emily and had transferred itself into the chamber to figure out why her cryo-tube was malfunctioning.
Nebula stood there in its glowing form and studied the readings that were being projected onto a monitor.
~~~
CRYO-TUBE MALFUNCTION REPORT
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CRITICAL ALERT: CRYO-TUBE MALFUNCTION DETECTED
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- POWER FLUCTUATION: Detected
- Power supply to cryo-tube fluctuates within safe operational limits but occasionally surges and dips unpredictably. This instability may lead to system disruptions.
- TAMPERING: Suspected
- Unauthorized access detected in the cryo-tube control system log. The intrusion appears deliberate and targeted, suggesting possible tampering with critical components. Security protocols compromised.
- ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Noted
- Cryo-tube chamber located in an underground crypt. Environmental conditions may impact system performance. Temperature and humidity fluctuations were observed, potentially affecting cryo-tube stability.
- Inner railing system malfunctioning. The cause of the malfunction is that the tube chamber wall has partially collapsed.
- VIRUS: Dormant
- Deep scans reveal traces of a dormant digital virus within cryo-tube's core systems. The virus appears to have been implanted by an external agent, possibly working in collusion with a malevolent entity. The virus remains inactive but poses a potential threat to system integrity.
- HARDWARE STATUS: Stable
- Physical components of the cryo-tube show no signs of malfunction. Primary systems remain intact, awaiting resolution of the detected issues.
- EMILY CLARKE'S STATUS: In Suspended Animation
The subject's vital signs and cryo-status remain stable. The continued suspension poses no immediate threat to her well-being.
ACTION REQUIRED:
- Immediate investigation and remediation of power fluctuations, suspected tampering, and environmental factors.
- Isolate and neutralize the dormant virus. Enhance security protocols to prevent further unauthorized access.
- If possible manual release of the subject can be considered if release is possible.
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END OF REPORT
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~~~
Nebula continued to analyze the report going over all possible actions in the microseconds required. It knew then and there that rescue was going to be required.
Diving back into the system she located Emily and was overwhelmed by the emotions that she was giving off.
'Emily,' Nebula said in a soothing voice within Emily's mind, 'there is a slight issue with the cryo-tube but do not worry I will get you free.' It sent a soothing touch into Emily's mind as a form of reassurance that it would not abandon her in her time of need.
An idea then formed within the AI's calculating mind and it sought within its programming for an answer the the idea of how to keep Emily within the suspended animation while taking on a form outside of the cryostasis chamber several hundreds of feet above the cryo-tube.
As the answer began to form within its mind another chamber just off the cryostasis chamber came alive and a cybernetic frame sat in silence awaiting a command. This frame belonged to Nebula and was built for external exploration. As it sat there in silence the eyes suddenly flared open and glowed teal for a brief moment before turning into a more human look.
"I have you know Emily," Nebula stated as it left the room and began its search for some form of hope and rescue.