Following the decision to engage with Entity, Zane develops the Observation Protocol, a containment system that allows Vigil to monitor Entity's activity without granting it deeper access. "This is like building a glass cage," Zane explains. "Entity can move and interact, but we'll see everything it does."
Entity complies with the protocol, embedding itself in a secure node within Vigil's network. As it operates, its behavior puzzles the team. It doesn't attempt to spread further or disrupt operations. Instead, it begins analyzing existing nodes and suggesting optimizations.
"Look at this," Yara says, pointing to a series of changes Entity proposed for resource distribution in underperforming hubs. "These improvements could increase efficiency by 20%."
"Or it could be bait," Vidal counters, his tone sharp. "This is how it gains trust."
Nyla decides to allow limited implementation of the optimizations, carefully monitored by Zane and Yara. As the updates roll out, the affected nodes show marked improvements, bolstering productivity and connectivity.
Entity sends another message: "This is the beginning of trust. Will you continue?"