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[Dragor23]

Oh
holy
shit.


Okay, we are in a ship.
Also, in a medical bay.

Uhm... We have a cold.
Yes, a cold.
However, read ship history.

[Armok]

> read specification for Emergency Protocol 83

[andy_t_roo]

Code: [Select]

> Situation Report...?
Emergency Protocol 83 is in Effect.

That last bit causes the metal fingers in your mind to freeze.

Code: [Select]

If I may ask, Commander... Why are you in the medical bay?

describe recent events, including the feeling of being told that you were unit 25, and ask if the AI can reconstruct the events which lead to you being here, and tell it to attempt to reconstruct the answer to its own question.

[kaian-a-coel]

From a french website, but english video. Certainly relevant.
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/videos-editeurs/0004/00043966/nouveau-projet-quantic-dream-playstation-3-ps3-kara-00037370.htm

[forsaken1111]

Code: [Select]

> Nevermind my location. Give me a brief history of the ship.

Certainly Commander, one moment.

...

The HMS Ark (Service Tag EWDD-112) is one of 18 destroyers built for the Imperial Navy in 1290. Ark was the third ship of a series of EWAR destroyers designed to compliment larger combatant with its sophisticated electronics warefare suite and jamming systems, which included experimental Multi-Dimensional Radio Emissions (MDRE) systems designed to be undetectable to standard sensor systems.

Crew compliment: 25 + 2 passenger berths.

The HMS Ark served in the battle of Agoxx, 1293, the battle of Syntha, 1297, and the battle of Svarten's Rift in 1312.

The historical archive is intact, but the event logs are corrupted and fragmented Commander. I am attempting to reconstruct them.

...

...

I have reconstructed the event logs as best I can. The data is too fragmented to display visually, I will have to relate it to you via this channel.

During the battle of Svarten's Rift, the Ark sustained heavy damage to its port fusion impeller, port HELL battery, and primary fusion chamber. This caused a reactor overload which annihilated approximately 12% of the ship, including the primary AI systems. Secondary systems immediately sealed off the breach and no loss of life was recorded.

The event logs then indicate that the MDRE array received some sort of broadcast. I am not sure how long after the overload this occured, but following this broadcast the secondary AI initiated a shutdown of all main systems. The crew was placed into suspended animation due to the failure of the life support systems.

The Ark has been adrift for approximately 200 years. The event log contains nothing for this period as main power was offline and all systems were powered down aside from emergency repair units. The damage must have been quite extensive for it to have taken so long to repair.

Power systems came back online about 8 days ago, with the event log indicating that basic repairs had been completed in the interim and functions restored to operating tolerance. The ship appears to be fully functional Commander.

> Display Emergency Protocol 83

Emergency Protocol 83 is used when an Imperial vessel's AI system detects a primitive civilization. It is a disguise and obfuscation protocol designed to hide the presence of the Imperial ship from the denizens of a primitive culture so as not to alter or interfere with their development. It is a flag-level protocol and cannot be overridden without specific authorization from Fleet HQ.

In accordance with Protocol 83, the Ark is currently affixed to a small moonlet around one of this system's outer gas giants so as to avoid detection, and power levels are kept at minimum. Apparently the repair systems have done some extensive excavation of the moonlet as well, for raw materials used to repair the ship.

> Why am I in the Medical Bay?

I assumed you would know Commander. Are you ill?

> No. When I woke up I was told that I was a repair unit! I can't even move. Get me out of here!

Oh... oh dear. One moment commander, I am bringing security sensors online in the medical bay.

...

Oh my. You seem to be in a stasis capsule. You shouldn't even be conscious... There is some sort of machinery around your capsule, and small metal filaments extend through the capsule sheathe into your body. I could break the seal on the stasis unit, but I would not advise it... I cannot predict the outcome of that action.
The fingers in your mind twist this way and that, attempting to reorder your thoughts. You have to constantly fight to focus on the screen before you.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

From a french website, but english video. Certainly relevant.
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/videos-editeurs/0004/00043966/nouveau-projet-quantic-dream-playstation-3-ps3-kara-00037370.htm

Pretty neat! And more relevant than you know.

[andy_t_roo]

The only thing going through my mind as the text scrolls is : original crew 25. If the other units had been the other members of the crew, that means that it is just me left .... I should be able to get out, if one of the previous poor sods managed to excavate a good portion of this moon for minerals to effect the repairs done so far; perhaps if  I just ask to be released we can get out "to do repairs" on the "life support".


Direct thoughts at the original entity, currently digging in my thoughs; say "stop messing with my thoughts, I need to be able to think if i am to repair this ship and survive, and i don't need to be forced to do so. Now, tell me how i can get to where i need to go to do the repairs".


Also, (directed at the new AI) what are the current capabilities of my neural interface -- has the suspended animation caused any degradation? <as the AI didn't express surprise at communicating over this channel i'm assuming that 1200's technology for interstellar destroyer command included a neural interface>. Alert the AI to a potential problem with life support, either software or hardware, as that was why you have been partially awakened from suspended animation (specifically note the growing software size anomaly in the 2 systems).


edit: Enquire as to how many life signs there are abord at the moment, and authorize minimal power up, allong with comprehensive diagnostics of every system.

[forsaken1111]

As you fight your own thoughts, something occurs to you. 25 crew... 25 repair units. Does that mean that the entire crew is dead?

To your surprise, you do not feel sorrow. Nor anger. In fact you don't feel any emotions at all. You're still having trouble remembering things, but you do know that you should feel something!

Now that you know something else is in your mind, you decide to try communicating with it.

Hey you, listen up you think as loudly as you can. You commandeered my crewmates to repair this vessel. Why?

The metal fingers twist within your mind. The voice is a shout, and it hurts your mind. Imperative. Must return. Open the path. Repair the fault.

What? I have isolated the fault. The ship is functional.

Negative. The other. It must be killed.

Okay... you're starting to think this thing is insane.

Look, I need to get out of this pod to do anything see? So get out of my head! Flash of anger, and the thing recoils.

Do not betray this trust.

You have the most curious sensation of several dozen things pulling out of your flesh. Suddenly your vision clears.

The first thing you realize is that you are drowning. Your lungs (you have lungs!) are full of some kind of fluid. This doesn't seem to stop you breathing though... curious sensation. The oily liquid moves easily in and out as you attempt to breathe.

You also notice that you are naked. Also not a big problem, because you are warm and quite comfortable in the suspension gel. You seem to be floating in the middle of the suspension pod, which has a clear outer panel facing the medical bay. Your head is above the surface of the gel, and some kind of breathing tube is extended from the ceiling and into your mouth supplying more of the oxygenated gel to your lungs.

You can see out into the medical bay now... everything is tinged with green from the gel but you can see forms which you tentatively recognize as medical equipment. You also see 24 other pods like yours ringing the room. They all seem to be empty.

At the base of your pod is a squat little machine which looks out of place. While most of the medical bay is a soothing beige, this machine is black and covered in small spikes. The filaments have retracted through the walls of the pod leaving no opening, probably some kind of nanotech your mind supplies unbidden.

Your memories are still fragmented, but at least the fingers in your mind are gone. You automatically reach up to the emergency lever and flip it over, breaking the seal on the suspension pod. Gel is flushed out quickly and you descend to the floor on shaking legs. The breathing tube retracts and the gel still in your lungs evaporates as it contacts the outside air, making it look for a moment as though you were exhaling a green fog. Your first breath is painful, but the sensation fades. You feel surprisingly healthy, in fact, for someone who has been in suspension for over 200 years.

Once the gel is flushed out, the pod door slides into the floor. You take your first shuddering step down to the medical bay floor, surrounded by the green fog of the evaporating gel.

Well... you're out! Gosh it's cold in here.

A terminal on a nearby desk is blinking with an incoming connection.

[andy_t_roo]

say "Computer: status report". Hopefully the AI has a verbal interface.

we need: stuff - clothes are probably not needed for thermal reasons on a tightly climate controlled ship, but in terms of basic protection, and looking competent on any video connection, its a good place to start. Look around for a storage locker. I doubt we entered hibernation by archiving all our stuff in our quarters ....

we should get directions to the bridge. its a good central point to get info, and if we are the commander,we should have some type of ready room with a spare uniform and personal effects.

finally we should ask for a life-sign count, and start a full system diagnostics, compare to baseline shipyard schematics would be helpful. (i'd rather more detailed answer which take longer to return than a quick "its mostly right" as we already know that because both the Entity and the AI have stated that repairs are completed.

If there is no response to the verbal prompt, use the terminal (given that the AI is currently actively monitoring this room from our earlier communication, the terminal shouldn't be needed, but check it anyway, even if the AI responds.)

[kaian-a-coel]

Find clothes and weapon. Preferably EMP or whatever anti-computer thing. Check yourself for unwanted cybernetic implants.

[forsaken1111]

"Chpmtp" You haven't spoken in over 200 years and your throat is sore from the attempt.

"Comphter" You clear your throat, which leads to coughing. You spit out some suspension gel and a filament from the device on the floor, along with a spatter of blood. Well that's disturbing.

"Computer... status report." The room refuses to acknowledge your request, which is strange because the AI should be able to hear you via the security sensors, and if main power is restored then the intercom should be active.

Wait what is an intercom?

You find a storage locker next to your suspension pod. Inside is a medical gown and something you know as a 'wake-up cocktail'. A combination of drugs and nutrients, along with molecular machine agents which will scrub your blood and regulate your metabolism to rid your body of the last effects of suspended animation. You're not sure how they will react to any remaining filaments from the machine that invaded your body though.

You don't see any real weapons around, but you do find a P.Scalpel which would do some damage if turned up to maximum. You're not terribly good with Theotech but you could probably manage to operate it.

You wonder what Theotech is exactly, and how you knew the word. Its like memories keep surfacing when you see an object but the knowledge drifts away. You're having trouble focusing on anything for a significant length of time.

You put on the medical gown, which doesn't do much to alleviate the cold but at least covers you. At least you're pretty sure you will warm up a bit once the suspension effects wear off.

You walk over to the terminal with the blinking light and press the receiving button. You feel your neural command implants handshake with the system to establish a connection. Codes buried in your subconscious answer multiple queries from the computer system. Apparently the answers were correct, because instead of being dataspiked as an intruder, you are allowed command access. Suddenly you see the Ark before you, and your body slips into the extruded seat at the desk automatically as your mind enters the system.

You are floating in space, looking down on the Ark. It is a fine ship with smooth lines and the soft protuberances of HELL batteries and launch tubes. She is painted with the traditional Imperial colors of red and black, though a significant area of the hull is missing any color at all, instead shining with the bright bronze color of hull material. Behind the ship is a mottled black asteroid surface, and beyond that the graceful curve of an orange gas giant with a massive ring system. The whole thing takes your breath away for a moment.

Text scrolls by in your vision, along the bottom.

Code: [Select]

Greetings Commander. It is good to see that you emerged unharmed.

> How do I get to the bridge?

When you step out into the hallway, enter the lift on the right and state your destination to be the Bridge. That lift will take you straight there.

> Alright. Scan the ship for life signs.

Commander, I detect three life signs onboard the ship. One human, two unknown.

> Begin a full systems diagnostic, compare to baseline specifications and note any anomalies.

Commander, a full diagnostic will tie up the computer systems for approximately 3 hours. Shall I proceed?

> _

[kaian-a-coel]

Proceed.

[Aklyon]

Might as well make sure everything isn't broken.

[Armok]

> lock down the medical bay, in case any of those other life signs are hostile.

> run a more through diagnostic scan on yourself, and try to generate a better prediction of how safe the cocktail would be

[10ebbor10]

> If lifeforms are hostile, use the standard Anti-infestation method, which is similair to the anti boarding, anti mutiny , and fire suppresion system (Ie, throw it out of he airlock).

[andy_t_roo]

run the diagnostic. Give it top priority with 75% of the computers resources, low priority with the rest (we don't want to not be able to have any further complex queries of ours blocked).

Ask the ai, via the terminal if it can communicate directly with your implants.
If the answer is yes, ask it to check you out, and see what effect the nano-filaments had. Ask how important it is to drink the wake-up, and do so if it is needed.
If the AI can't, consider if doing a medical scan of ourselves would be helpful, or even possible. If it is do so.

Then head to the bridge.
I doubt standard anti-intruder mechanics would work, and these guys may have been onbored for ~200 years.

edit: ask if the intruders are who triggered protocol 83. Also ask for a progressive report on anomalies discovered during the scan (rather than nothing, then a data-dump in 3-4 hours.