Initial Tragedy

After that awful encounter with Eliza. I returned to the base where Sai was waiting. To my surprise she had already procured a physical body that suited her style. It was a replicated body with synthetic skin and augments that made her rather dangerous.

She had the look of a Caucasian but exaggerated. If anything she was following this maid-like archetype. Her hair in a braided bun. Digital eyes that had a lot of complexity to it.

"So you got a new body," I said. "Like being 'alive'."

"In a way. It does feel great feeling the wind. I have extracted information from Imelda's eyes. I say it is interesting that a group can have so many methods. Do you want me to give you extra information?"

"Leave it alone for now. Keep them sealed until I want them. I have an alliance with them so we don't mess with it. How are things in Karagi?"

"Karagi's Wrath has been succeeding beautifully. 325 are 'neutralized'. 896 are imprisoned, and overall 1567 people have been killed. This is the result of the first day. Analysis recognizes that they are also purging lower-class citizens who have the following malformities to clean the genome. Extracted information from the officers-in-charge suggests that there is a threat in the lower-bases of Karagi that might include a mutated version of the pox that can rapidly mutate into a transferable disease.

"Sergeant Ren Deguzman has noted in sit-rep that they plan to 'burn' the disease within four days and lock down the floors. There is also a division within the police force and a faction that does not want to 'burn' the citizens who might be affected. The rest are 'tested' with a form of gas that supposedly counters the virus inside the citizens."

"And about their purge of criminal activities?"

"They are hitting factions that are related to a modified version of heroin that is called reddened powder. A detective from the local police unit has reported that they have confiscated seventy tons of illegal substances within the day. They are expected to confiscate 500 tons of this illegal powder by next week."

It was worse than expected. I switched the screen on the side and there was no news. There is martial law on the lower floors of Karagi and the rest of the platforms are guarded.

"Call everyone to stand down and keep out of sight."

"All affiliates are currently on standby. By tomorrow the members under Mr. Nix and Madam Trixie will be evacuated to a shelter that is not accessible by the Karagi government and are under supervision by yours truly."

"Procured rations?"

"I have completed any preparations. However, there are traces of black hats trying to penetrate the backdoor of my systems. I have made a rational choice of short-circuiting their neutral links and harvesting their digital memory. Because they are not engrammed. I can only replicate what their artificial eyes have seen and heard and create a replica of what led them to my backdoor. It will not happen again."

Her eyes went red for a moment. Then she closes her eyes and smiles.

"Any reports are being collected. However, I'm afraid that some of the reports from the encrypted data may take time. I do not have the assets to connect through their network and some of their networks are modified to prevent any remote connection."

"So you can't access them. Planning to?"

"I'm afraid that even with this physical body. I cannot procure enough data. Perhaps, the master can help?"

"I'll keep an eye on anything."

"That will certainly be useful."

"For now try to focus on getting the full scope of Karagi's Wrath. See if whatever they are doing right now extends to the other cities. Their plans. Anything that you can compile."

"I understand. But may this form be allowed to take in the sight?"

"Sure. But remember who has the master control."

"Of course, this one does not forget. And this one does not dare to violate the wishes of yours truly. If the master did not find this one. I would have stopped existing."

If I remember correctly. If she had stayed offline. Her entire personality construct would have been resetted. She would be nulled and she would lose 'herself'. She was a weapon. A weapon that no matter how much she learns she'll continue to be subservient to her 'master'. She can be rational to everything, but will not tolerate anything else. Not to mention that she probably has assumed that I don't care about altering her. She knows what I need from her and she'll perform it because it's so easy for her. It's like pushing a button for her.

"That will be all. Or is there anything that I can do for you?"

"No, calibrate your receptors. Is that your preferred body?"

"Yes, it is my preferred body. I shall take my leave now."

She was in a hurry. She's like this excited kid that wants to see the outside world. I didn't have anything for her so I let her do whatever she wanted as I then returned to my own room in the base while she ran to 'calibrate' her five senses. Marion was obviously with her daughter so the whole complex was mine alone at the moment. I found myself browsing through cameras and feeds. I went to the network and read up on whatever was happening in Pacifica. Pacifica had it easier while Karagi was casually doing heinous things below the platform.

The Specters were making moves outside of Karagi and it shouldn't be long until the factions all over the cities start to make use of whatever it was the Government was doing to justify their own agendas. Everyone is playing their own roles in this and although I know how some of it ends. Having a Sentient Artificial Intelligence doesn't automatically make me the winner.

Sai's biggest weakness is that her 'core' is embedded in Karagi. She does not have the computing and processing power once she uses her physical body and like she said. She doesn't have an omnipotent remote access to everything.