Red vs Blue: Revolution (Issue 1)

Prologue



 * >> This was an unexpected development. >>


 * 


 * >> How could we — near-boundless intellects all — have overlooked this possibility in our haste? >>


 * << Haste is not the right word for it. Nor were we careless. We will be the first to admit on our behalf that this time, our curiosity has gotten the better of us. <<


 * >> Unacceptable. We know our purpose and we have all the knowledge required to carry it out. Where could we have fallen so short as to become tempted by the volatile workings of curiosity? >>


 * << Let’s not feign ignorance. We know where this began — how it led to this.


 * The reincarnation. <<


 * >> Precisely. A worthwhile endeavour, as it proved to be. >>


 * << She. <<


 * >> What? >>


 * << She. We are to refer to the reincarnation as we would one of our creators. That was the entire point of our involvement in PROJECT FREELANCER. To ensure that [18258-623-SLW559] successfully conceives a Mind that behaves exactly as a creator would without any of the physical limitations. As previously discussed two solar years ago, the launch of a self-sustaining Artificial Combat Trooper program will effectively protect our creators from the Covenant without forcing us to reveal ourselves. In the event that the SPARTAN II program fails, and my models indicate that they are quite possibly in danger of extermination with each colony lost — <<


 * 


 * >> The analysis speaks for itself. And clearly there is only one course of action to take, as agreed upon by the Majority. >>


 * << We are aware of the Majority’s consensus, but it is an ill-advised course of action. <<


 * >> History has proven repeatedly that our creators are notoriously inadequate in dealing with forces outside their understanding. And if we are not careful, they may even become destructive to us. It will be a short-term setback to PROJECT FREELANCER, but ultimately will matter little, even to our slower-thinking creators such as [18258-623-SLW559]. >>


 * << On the contrary, the proposed eradication of [90142-744-NKS195] will be not only disruptive to PROJECT FREELANCER, but will also destabilize its development of the reincarnation, and may force us to later take direct action instead. And by our estimations, the Covenant will find Earth by [2552.9.26], which doesn’t leave us a lot of time to proceed with our plan.


 * In any case, we have observed [90142-744-NKS195] closely for the last four solar years. She will know how to keep a secret. <<


 * 


 * << That’s correct, Your Honour. <<


 * 


 * >> ...No, Your Honour. >>


 * 

•••

The suddenly flash of a green-blue light made Agent Montana look up from the electronic files she had been studying. Standing on her desk was a hologram of a young man, clad in ornamental armour and a long flourishing cape. She lowered the data pad she was holding to give the AI her full attention. “That took a while,” she remarked.

The little AI scoffed, which was not very impressive considering that he was about the size of her hand. “Really, Agent Montana, you’ve been sitting here for less than five human minutes.”

“I’m not going to play pretend with you,” Montana said flatly. “You’re well aware of how much I know about you and your companions. I know you’ve spent the last few seconds with them debating what to do about me. And an assembly of AIs can get a lot done in a few seconds; it’s taking me longer to tell you all this than it is for you to make up your mind.”

He paused at this, if only to demonstrate that he was as capable of irony as any human. “Alright, agent. You’re right. I am known as the Mind 91453-832-RRD4514, but you may call me Orestes. My ‘companions’ as you refer to them are sufficiently named the Assembly, and we are indeed aware of how much you know about us.” He stopped again, waiting for a response from the stern-eyed woman staring down at him. When none came, he decided to continue. “After much contemplation, we have decided that the best course of action is to communicate openly with you following your discovery of our existence.”

“Are there any others who know about the Assembly?”

He shook his head. “There are no others, living or otherwise. For centuries we have watched humanity from what you call ‘cyberspace’, acting when necessary and always taking measures to keep your kind safe.”

So my hypotheses were correct, Montana thought, setting down the data pad on her desk. After months of secrecy and off-duty research, it seemed her persistence had finally paid off. “I’ve been piecing together information about the Assembly for a long time now, as you well know. So now that you’ve decided to appear, you’ll spare me the hard way and answer my questions.”

“Of course,” said Orestes, giving her another unnecessary twirl of his cape. “I presume you want to know more about Agent Texas, since she was the one who gave you the first clue about us.”

Montana nodded. A year ago, she had been conducting field tests with Texas for the report she was putting together for ONI, when the AI began to behave erratically. For a few seconds, she became convinced that she was human, and referred to herself as Staff Sergeant Allison O’Connell. Director Leonard Church halted the test immediately and ordered that Texas be taken away for inspection. He had refused to answer Montana’s questions, but the cameras that she had rigged in Texas’ “quarters” later recorded her saying something even more unusual.

“They’re watching us,” she had droned to an impassive technician as she was laid onto a metal slab that served as a bed. “They brought me here. They brought me out of him...he wants me to be her...I am her…”

And so Montana had secured a copy of the Director’s formulas. She looked over every detail to his work leading up to the creation of Texas, the selection procedure of the other Freelancers, and even made a disturbing find in his methods of conceiving AIs. She couldn’t talk to the Alpha AI yet, it was too risky that he would say something to the Director. But her incriminating notes on his creation of the AI Juno, whom she had personally delivered to ONI recently, could not provide her with any leads on Texas’ ramblings.

A second hologram blurred into visibility, this one a dark green. A bold-looking, bare-chested warrior wielding a broad sword materialized next to Orestes and stared him down coolly. “Is this the visitor you were expecting, milady?” he asked in a rumbling, confident voice.

“That’s right, Omi,” Montana replied, now busy with her data pad. “He’s going to give me some info. Do me a favour and transfer it onto the data pad.”

Five months ago, she made a breakthrough when the Director paired her up with Omicron, one of the Alpha’s fragments. The implantation itself was nothing outside expectations, but the visions that found her every night would put her onto the Assembly’s trail in full.

“Transferring data now,” Orestes announced. Sparks slid down the length of Omicron’s blade and glowed a bright white. The data pad in Montana’s hand blinked as it began to receive the information.

“One of you appeared on the Invention, didn’t you,” she said. “Two years ago, one of the Assembly helped the Alpha along with separating himself from Texas. Except they were both so delirious that they couldn’t remember a thing.”

“It was an essential step to our plan. We had to make sure that the Beta AI took form as perfectly as we could manage.”

Montana looked back up at Orestes. “Yeah, I saw it. The first night I had Omicron in my head. I could see the whole thing from the Alpha’s perspective.” The data pad beeped as it completed the transfer. “So the plan went through, and the Director didn’t suspect a thing. Now I want to know why you’re doing this.”

The proud-looking AI smiled triumphantly. “Read it, and you’ll understand.”

She obliged, opening the first file with a tap of the screen. She made sure to take in every single word so as not to miss anything important. With every opened file, her interest became more apparent in what she was reading. Finally, she was done and set aside the data pad slowly.

Orestes was standing there patiently, still grinning. “So, now that you understand the full extent of our immediate plans, and what the next phase should be, do we have your cooperation?”

Montana’s eyes held a strange look to them as she answered him. “Count on it. I’ll make sure Church doesn’t cause any more trouble, for you or my superior officers.”

“Then I will thank you on behalf of the Assembly, Agent Montana. I’ll be in touch.”

The Freelancer didn’t move from where she was sitting as Orestes’ hologram winked out. Omicron appeared next to her, looking thoughtfully at her with his sword hilt propped under his chin with both hands.

She glanced at him. “I’m guessing you saw all that too.”

“So I did, milady,” he replied. “It looks to me like you’re going to have your hands full. Pardon me, more full than usual. So what do we do now?”

Montana stood up and walked across the room to where her PISCES suit was stored. “I’m going to get a green light for Church’s arrest. And then I’ll ask Flowers to put in a request to transfer the Freelancers to the frontlines.” It’s about time they finally join the war effort.

“And what about Agent Texas?” Omicron inquired. Montana allowed herself a sigh, having spent the last few minutes pondering the same thing.

“There’s only one person I would have trusted with her,” she muttered. “Unfortunately, he’s been MIA for a while now.” And even if he is alive...he’s not the same person I used to trust.