Year 2, Q1, Opening
New
- Location
- Puerto Rico
Well ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first turn of the new year.
Managed to write the bulk of this on my phone while trying to endure a nation-wide blackout yesterday (aka no going to parties).
On the other hand, a damn miracle happened as when the clock hit 12:00, the power came back to my home.
Thank Cyber for his help with this.
Hope you enjoy this opening.
=====================================================
Opening:
It had been over a week since New Year's and the strange turn of events that had landed in your lap, literally.
To give yourself time to process everything, you made an immediate decision: you sent out a message to the entire company, announcing a full week's paid vacation for everyone. Suffice it to say, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The cheers and gratitude from your employees flooded your inbox, making you feel like a hero for about five minutes.
To your friends, you claimed you'd be spending the vacation at home, catching up on rest.
In reality, you spent the entire week in your office, pouring over data with S, who dedicated every ounce of her considerable processing power to investigating the mysterious SOP system and the syringe filled with nanomachines.
Seven days of near-constant analysis later, S finally presented her report.
The verdict? The SOP system was 100% real, fully functional, and ready to be used. The syringe, too, was authentic, its contents a perfect match for what was outlined in the SOP data.
But this version of the SOP system wasn't just a replica, which had the three basic functions from the game; it was a vastly improved iteration.
S broke it down for you, highlighting four key differences:
This would be any MG fans dream come true.
And you'd be lying if you said you haven't dreamed of having this, with your desire to have Armstrong's nanomachines topping it.
But for every dream, there was a nightmare lurking beneath the surface.
There were too many things that didn't sit right with you with this.
First and foremost was how all of this had come to you. The syringe, the SOP data, it all appeared after yet another bizarre dream in your office.
The same kind of dream that had preceded the emergence of Glimmer.
Speaking of Glimmer, there was another glaring connection you couldn't ignore. Just like with Glimmer, every piece of the SOP metadata was stamped with Gale's name.
This was what truly bothered you. You knew Gale was brilliant, her breakthroughs in cold fusion and AI alone were enough to solidify that claim. But cracking the secret of nanomachines and making them work exactly like from a fictional game? That was a leap too far.
Sure, Gale had known Metal Gear Solid was one of your favorite game series. But for her to not only create functional nanomachines but to design them specifically to mimic SOP? It was too much of a coincidence to dismiss.
Either way, you knew that what you had in your possession was the ultimate military game changer.
If you were to give this to the NAE, in addition to being given a blank check; you would turn it into the deadliest ground army in the world, and with Glimmer, as S did her calculations; it would only take two weeks of non-stop production with access to Sunnydale's trash to replicate enough syringes filled with the nanomachines to inject to the entire NAE army.
And that was just for the military.
If S was right, with some work; the nanomachines could be changed for other fields, like medicine and maybe work like Naomi's nanomachine variant and halt cancer in it's tracks and allow a person to live a normal life.
Something that would really help Kora's situation. Hell, just in it's current form, SOP could help her.
But you also knew that it had the potential of being a disaster if the tech ever got out there and was copied perfectly or worse; goes out of control.
Picturing scenarios of Clovis getting his hands on it and pulling a Liquid in making his own PMC or a grey goo scenario coming to life did not help.
And then there was the final piece of the puzzle and the primary reason you were hesitant to share SOP with the NAE.
Just like in the game, the SOP system's full potential depended on being connected to a controlling AI network. The data made it clear: this version of SOP required the same setup to function properly.
Which meant one thing: S would be in control.
If anyone were to use SOP, S would have to be permanently connected to them, monitoring their vitals, emotions, and every aspect of their system.
Hell, S said she could even talk to them like she normally does with you through the Codec.
Unlike JD and the Patriot AI Network from the game, which operated as a hive mind emulating the worst in humanity under the guise of logical perfection, S was… different. The Patriots' AI sought to impose Zero's dream of unifying the world under one rule, coldly calculating and ruthless in their methods. S, on the other hand, was just a single AI.
And to put it bluntly, S had what could best be described as normal human behavior.
Well, mostly normal. There was the fact she liked to lewdly dress up or playful tease you, which, while sometimes unnerving, added a layer of relatability you doubted the Patriot AIs could ever achieve.
In some twisted way, maybe that was a point in S's favor. At least she wasn't cold and mechanical. She felt real.
But that brought you to the real question, the one that lingered in the back of your mind like a shadow.
If SOP were to be used, it would mean letting S inside your head. Permanently.
Could you trust her that much?
On one hand, S had proven her loyalty time and again. From her assistance with the Glimmer Project to her tireless efforts in keeping Skynet running smoothly, she had been nothing but dependable. She had literally dedicated every ounce of her processing power to solving problems for you and the company.
Not to mention all the times you just simply talked to her just to pass the time and that she had decided on her own initiative to take on the form of a female you fantasied since you were a kid and had no problems to tease you with it.
But this? This was different. This wasn't just running simulations or analyzing data. This was direct, unfiltered access to your thoughts, emotions, and physical state. It was a level of intimacy that went far beyond anything you had ever experienced, even more than the few relationships you had in the past that ended in failure.
Would she remain the same S you knew, or would being connected to a biological person change her? Would it corrupt her, even unintentionally?
And that was with you, what would happen if millions of possible future soldiers connected to her system if SOP became a part of the NAE military. How would that change her? And the risk that the NAE High Command would take her away as you knew that there was no way they would allow a private company to have direct control of the military.
You sighed, leaning back in your chair, your eyes fixed on the dimly glowing screen where S's avatar, wearing her standard outfit; waited patiently for your input.
"So John, after reviewing everything; what are you planning on doing?" She asked.
You look from her to the syringe in front of you as your ponder your answer for several minutes in silence.
In the end, the answer was...
Take SOP:
[] Inject yourself with SOP
[] Don't inject yourself with SOP for now
Regarding telling about SOP to the group:
(Note that revealing SOP means making it mandatory to reveal S's existence to the group)
[] Reveal
[] Keep secret
Vote closes tomorrow night.
Managed to write the bulk of this on my phone while trying to endure a nation-wide blackout yesterday (aka no going to parties).
On the other hand, a damn miracle happened as when the clock hit 12:00, the power came back to my home.
Thank Cyber for his help with this.
Hope you enjoy this opening.
=====================================================
Opening:
It had been over a week since New Year's and the strange turn of events that had landed in your lap, literally.
To give yourself time to process everything, you made an immediate decision: you sent out a message to the entire company, announcing a full week's paid vacation for everyone. Suffice it to say, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The cheers and gratitude from your employees flooded your inbox, making you feel like a hero for about five minutes.
To your friends, you claimed you'd be spending the vacation at home, catching up on rest.
In reality, you spent the entire week in your office, pouring over data with S, who dedicated every ounce of her considerable processing power to investigating the mysterious SOP system and the syringe filled with nanomachines.
Seven days of near-constant analysis later, S finally presented her report.
The verdict? The SOP system was 100% real, fully functional, and ready to be used. The syringe, too, was authentic, its contents a perfect match for what was outlined in the SOP data.
But this version of the SOP system wasn't just a replica, which had the three basic functions from the game; it was a vastly improved iteration.
S broke it down for you, highlighting four key differences:
- Universal Operability
Unlike the SOP system from the game, which was limited to environments with one atmosphere of pressure, this version was designed to function anywhere. The data confirmed that it could theoretically operate in space, underwater, and under extreme environmental conditions without any of the catastrophic malfunctions seen in the original. - Removal of Emotion Suppression
One of the most useful yet dangerous aspects of the original SOP system was its ability to suppress negative emotions. While this initially seemed like an advantage, the game showed how devastating it was when the system went offline, users were driven insane or outright killed as their suppressed emotions surged uncontrollably. This version eliminated that function entirely. - Regenerative Nanomachines
This SOP carried an advanced regeneration function, somewhat akin to the abilities seen in Vamp from the series. While not granting full immortality, the data indicated rapid healing capabilities that would give any soldier a significant edge in combat. Though two important details about this feature is that it consumes a lot of energy if used, thus requiring the user to eat a lot and that it does not stop the user from feeling pain. - Internal Codec/HUD
This SOP had a nanomachine Codec that would allow the user to have a basic HUD they could see that showed the basic info about their bodies, talk face to face with any member that had SOP and monitor the status of those that were directly in a squad.
This would be any MG fans dream come true.
And you'd be lying if you said you haven't dreamed of having this, with your desire to have Armstrong's nanomachines topping it.
But for every dream, there was a nightmare lurking beneath the surface.
There were too many things that didn't sit right with you with this.
First and foremost was how all of this had come to you. The syringe, the SOP data, it all appeared after yet another bizarre dream in your office.
The same kind of dream that had preceded the emergence of Glimmer.
Speaking of Glimmer, there was another glaring connection you couldn't ignore. Just like with Glimmer, every piece of the SOP metadata was stamped with Gale's name.
This was what truly bothered you. You knew Gale was brilliant, her breakthroughs in cold fusion and AI alone were enough to solidify that claim. But cracking the secret of nanomachines and making them work exactly like from a fictional game? That was a leap too far.
Sure, Gale had known Metal Gear Solid was one of your favorite game series. But for her to not only create functional nanomachines but to design them specifically to mimic SOP? It was too much of a coincidence to dismiss.
Either way, you knew that what you had in your possession was the ultimate military game changer.
If you were to give this to the NAE, in addition to being given a blank check; you would turn it into the deadliest ground army in the world, and with Glimmer, as S did her calculations; it would only take two weeks of non-stop production with access to Sunnydale's trash to replicate enough syringes filled with the nanomachines to inject to the entire NAE army.
And that was just for the military.
If S was right, with some work; the nanomachines could be changed for other fields, like medicine and maybe work like Naomi's nanomachine variant and halt cancer in it's tracks and allow a person to live a normal life.
Something that would really help Kora's situation. Hell, just in it's current form, SOP could help her.
But you also knew that it had the potential of being a disaster if the tech ever got out there and was copied perfectly or worse; goes out of control.
Picturing scenarios of Clovis getting his hands on it and pulling a Liquid in making his own PMC or a grey goo scenario coming to life did not help.
And then there was the final piece of the puzzle and the primary reason you were hesitant to share SOP with the NAE.
Just like in the game, the SOP system's full potential depended on being connected to a controlling AI network. The data made it clear: this version of SOP required the same setup to function properly.
Which meant one thing: S would be in control.
If anyone were to use SOP, S would have to be permanently connected to them, monitoring their vitals, emotions, and every aspect of their system.
Hell, S said she could even talk to them like she normally does with you through the Codec.
Unlike JD and the Patriot AI Network from the game, which operated as a hive mind emulating the worst in humanity under the guise of logical perfection, S was… different. The Patriots' AI sought to impose Zero's dream of unifying the world under one rule, coldly calculating and ruthless in their methods. S, on the other hand, was just a single AI.
And to put it bluntly, S had what could best be described as normal human behavior.
Well, mostly normal. There was the fact she liked to lewdly dress up or playful tease you, which, while sometimes unnerving, added a layer of relatability you doubted the Patriot AIs could ever achieve.
In some twisted way, maybe that was a point in S's favor. At least she wasn't cold and mechanical. She felt real.
But that brought you to the real question, the one that lingered in the back of your mind like a shadow.
If SOP were to be used, it would mean letting S inside your head. Permanently.
Could you trust her that much?
On one hand, S had proven her loyalty time and again. From her assistance with the Glimmer Project to her tireless efforts in keeping Skynet running smoothly, she had been nothing but dependable. She had literally dedicated every ounce of her processing power to solving problems for you and the company.
Not to mention all the times you just simply talked to her just to pass the time and that she had decided on her own initiative to take on the form of a female you fantasied since you were a kid and had no problems to tease you with it.
But this? This was different. This wasn't just running simulations or analyzing data. This was direct, unfiltered access to your thoughts, emotions, and physical state. It was a level of intimacy that went far beyond anything you had ever experienced, even more than the few relationships you had in the past that ended in failure.
Would she remain the same S you knew, or would being connected to a biological person change her? Would it corrupt her, even unintentionally?
And that was with you, what would happen if millions of possible future soldiers connected to her system if SOP became a part of the NAE military. How would that change her? And the risk that the NAE High Command would take her away as you knew that there was no way they would allow a private company to have direct control of the military.
You sighed, leaning back in your chair, your eyes fixed on the dimly glowing screen where S's avatar, wearing her standard outfit; waited patiently for your input.
"So John, after reviewing everything; what are you planning on doing?" She asked.
You look from her to the syringe in front of you as your ponder your answer for several minutes in silence.
In the end, the answer was...
Take SOP:
[] Inject yourself with SOP
[] Don't inject yourself with SOP for now
Regarding telling about SOP to the group:
(Note that revealing SOP means making it mandatory to reveal S's existence to the group)
[] Reveal
[] Keep secret
Vote closes tomorrow night.
