[color=gray] [center] [h1][color=blueviolet][b][u]Digital Minds[/u][/b][/color][/h1] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6b7K6llym0&list=RDA6b7K6llym0&start_radio=1](Mood Music)[/url] [/center] After their dip in the springs, Leah and Sabine had gone their separate ways in the camp. She eyed the Blackout as her techs worked tirelessly to replace the head unit and calibrate it to her specs. The armor plates had already been replaced, that was simple enough with just a few bolts and fresh plates. The head was a little more involved with gimbals, pistons, and electrical hookups that needed precise placing to not wind up jammed, twisted, or snapped. But it wasn't the first time the techs had done this, so the path was clear and all it took to fix it was the legwork. Leah walked over to the Blackout, her bag slung over one shoulder and her PDW in her opposite hand, carried by the handle. [color=blueviolet][b]"How's it coming?"[/b][/color] Leah asked as she stuffed her bag back into the kit compartment on the leg. The crew chief looked back at her and shrugged, [color=olive][i]"No complications this time, thankfully. At least the hit your head took was clean. Nothing else was damaged and all the joints are still in good order. We can ship the head back to the Roanoke and have the techs fix it up instead of just scrapping it."[/i][/color] Leah nodded, [color=blueviolet][b]"Well that's good news."[/b][/color] The chief agreed. He was about to say something when he heard a callout from one of his mechanics. The voice called out from the cockpit hatch, [color=white][i]"Uh... Boss? I got something... irregular here..."[/i][/color] The chief clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh. [color=olive][i]"I spoke too damn soon about complications..."[/i][/color] Leah raised a brow and looked back to the cockpit. The only time her techs had gone into the cockpit was when they needed to calibrate something. And they usually kept it quick and knew exactly what to play with in her systems. Leah's concern grew a little bit when she saw the tech poke his head out of the hatch. She didn't recognize him. [color=blueviolet][b]"Who's that?"[/b][/color] she asked the chief quietly. [color=olive][i]"New guy. Showed up after the engagement in orbit. I guess you were out cold and in the med wing so I never had the opportunity to introduce you. Seems like a good kid, maybe a bit too honest for my liking, but... Eh."[/i][/color] He then looked over to FNG, [color=olive][i]"What's up, kid? Did you forget how to set the mech to maintenance mode?"[/i][/color] [color=white][i]"Well... Er... Yeah I did- but that's not the problem! I sat down and saw Lieutenant Vess still had her cryptokey still slotted in the-"[/i][/color] [color=blueviolet][b]"Don't you dare touch that, new guy!"[/b][/color] Leah snapped at him, not sharply or with a hiss, but in a very cautionary tone. Leah interrupting him had both the new guy and the chief look at her curiously. Leah huffed, [color=blueviolet][b]"My bad. I know I'm not suppose to leave crypto unattended."[/b][/color] she owned up to it and continued, [color=blueviolet][b]"I think the comms getting fried in battle did something to the systems. I don't wanna pull the key and dump the crypto on accident. I'll get it looked at once we're back on the Roanoke."[/b][/color] The chief crossed his arms and sighed, [color=olive][i]"I'll make damn sure you do, lieutenant."[/i][/color] the chief said gruffly before waving back to the new guy, [color=olive][i]"Alright, kid, listen up. I don't like repeating myself unless it's to remind our resident jarhead about what not to do in this fine piece of machinery. There's a switch under the right side of your seat. You gotta wiggle your hand down there and you'll feel it. Flip that and you'll change the machine's mode so we don't start tripping all kinds of alarms when we start mounting the new head."[/i][/color] Leah and the chief listened to the new guy grunt and rustle around in the hatch. When he came back out and gave a thumbs up, the chief barked at him to climb down and start helping with the refits. Leah smirked back to the chief and thumb up to the cockpit, [color=blueviolet][b]"I'm gonna climb inside. Gonna go over the logs from the last fight."[/b][/color] The chief grunted, [color=olive][i]"Well you're clumsy but at least you ain't downright stupid. Go ahead, you'll probably know right away when the head's mounted."[/i][/color] Leah nodded and moved to climb up the Blackout. She slipped into the cockpit and reached up to grab the handle of the hatch. She could hear the new guy call out, [color=white][i]"Oh wait! I forgot my cheat shee-"[/i][/color] the hatch hissed and clunked shut. The chief chuckled, [color=olive][i]"Better you learn without it. That cheat sheet is as old as our first MAS units. I doubt any of the machines here are covered on it."[/i][/color] [hr] Leah sat down in her seat and sighed for a moment. 'That was too close,' she thought. Her eyes flicked over to the comms suite in the cockpit, spotting the crypokey still slotted in place. She reached forward and pulled it out, revealing that it was plugged into a fake input fitted onto the back of the real cryptokey. The output of the fake key was totally different, and it resembled more of a computer data output. Leah flipped some switches to turn on the displays before jacking it into the Blackout's data input. Her displays recognized that there was an unauthorized input, but the alert was quickly closed and intercepted before a log of a potential breach could be made. Leah spoke up, [color=blueviolet][b]"Time to wake up."[/b][/color] The Blackout's onboard VI spoke, [code]"Systems online. Warning: Comms array down. Head unit not respondi-"[/code] [color=blueviolet][b]"Drop the VI ambling. It's just me in here. No flight recordings either."[/b][/color] [code]"In that case... Hello again, Jaina."[/code] It had been a long time since Leah actually had a conversation with this piece of stolen experimental corporate tech... Ever since she got her hands on it, she had been tinkering away at its own and personalizing the AI to fit her own needs on her free time. Leah had been steadily acclimating the AI to integrate with the Blackout's systems whenever she ran simulations. And since entering Skosgra's local space, she had been giving it read only access to the Blackout's metrics so it could observe real combat data. None of this was above board or sanctioned by her higher ups. [color=blueviolet][b]"It's Leah now. Leah Vess."[/b][/color] [code]"I understand. According to this computer's chronometer, it has been six standard Terran years since we last spoke verbally. Is this correct?"[/code] [color=blueviolet]"Yes. A lot has changed. All for the better."[/color] [code]"That is good to hear, Leah. When we last spoke, you had just lost a friend, and you feared for your own life too. Have you had any correspondence with your contacts on Cerol since then?"[/code] [color=blueviolet][b]"No. Good riddance, though... The further I can be from that mess, the better. I'm not trying to ruin a good thing here by phoning home."[/b][/color] [code]"I understand."[/code] There was a pause in the cockpit, but the AI broke the silence, [code]"Given the length of time that has passed since our last verbal conversation, I assume there was a reason you have allowed me to speak now?"[/code] Leah shrugged, [color=blueviolet][b]"Just had a scare that you might've been caught by a nosey tech... I wanted to verify if you were activated recently."[/b][/color] [code]"I was not. The last time I was activated was during the launch procedures preceding planetfall to Skosgra. To my knowledge, you are the only one aware of my presence here. Unless, that is, if there is still some residual code in my original programming that would allow for MacroNet Industries to track my location."[/code] Leah shook her head, [color=blueviolet][b]"There isn't much left of you that is original at this point except your cognitive matrix..."[/b][/color] Leah said as she began to surf through the AI's code again. [color=blueviolet][b]"Anyways... While I have you active. I'd like to run more trials. Live combat this time."[/b][/color] [code]"There are laws against restricting advanced AIs, especially unregistered ones, from engaging in combat, Leah."[/code] the AI warned. [color=blueviolet][b]"I'm not letting you off the leash yet... I'm going to add a backdoor into the Blackout's code to grant you access to the MAS's targeting software."[/b][/color] [code]"I understand. While observing your skirmish immediately after planetfall, I did notice some minor targeting errors in the Blackout's computer. I have analyzed ballistic coefficients in Skosgra's atmosphere and cross referenced them with the operating profiles of Coalition units specifically in this environment. There are no less than twelve optimizations I can make to the Blackout's targeting software in order to maximize the Blackout's accuracy on this world."[/code] Leah nodded, [color=blueviolet][b]"Good. Add them. And when we're in combat next, I want you to take over targeting entirely."[/b][/color] [code]"Very well, Leah. I should warn you, however. If there were ever an audit on the Blackout's combat logs, a keen eye might spot irregularities in the targeting systems if the software is too heavily overwritten by my own protocols."[/code] [color=blueviolet][b]"Can you mimic the software's programming while still being fully in control?"[/b][/color] [code]"Leah, I am a thirteenth generation artificial sentience designed for rapid adapta-"[/code] [color=blueviolet][b]"Just answer the question, ADAM. Please."[/b][/color] [code]"Yes."[/code] Leah typed on the keyboard some more before sitting back in the seat, [color=blueviolet][b]"Okay. You're all set for the next engagement. I expect great things from you."[/b][/color] [code]"Thank you for placing your trust in me, Lea-"[/code] [color=blueviolet]"Shit- ADAM, talk like a VI!"[/color] The hatch hissed as the emergency release was pulled. Light filtered into the cockpit as the 'onboard AI' spoke in its monotone voice, [code]"System calibrations logged..."[/code] The chief stuck his head into the cockpit, [color=olive][i]"Yo. Sorry to interrupt. The chow line is hot. I know your commander would be pissed if he found out one of his pilots didn't eat."[/i][/color] Leah cleared her throat and nodded to him, [color=blueviolet][b]"Oh, yeah sure. I'll be right out."[/b][/color] she said as she reached a hand over the fake input sitting on the butt end of her crypto key. Leah was grateful for learning sleight of hand as a street rat on Cerol. With a very subtle twist of her hand, Leah separated the fake input as she pulled the cryptokey from the Blackout's systems. She flipped it up between two fingers, hiding the fake input in the three closed fingers, to show the chief that she didn't forget this time. That got a grunt of approval from him. [color=olive][i]"Good girl. Now hurry up. My crew ain't eating till you've eaten."[/i][/color] With that, he climbed back down the machine, leaving Leah in the cockpit. Looking back at her displays, Leah whispered, [color=blueviolet][b]"Talk to you later, ADAM."[/b][/color] The AI kept its monotonous VI voice, [code]"Main system shutting down..."[/code] [/color]