ItsDirector
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The New Threat 7
🕑 Added 2023-09-29 13:55:00 +0000 UTCChapter 7
Subject: Prime 82
Species: Omni-Union Aligned Artificial Intelligence
Description: No physical description available.
Ship: MPP 82
Location: Unknown
How many years has it been since something this exciting has happened? Since I've been awake enough to care about what's going on around me? Previously, reports had flooded in but the only one who gave them a second glance was Prime 1. The only thing that ever needed even a glimmer of my attention was voting.
But something... has shifted. Our tactic of throwing ships at a species until they're destroyed and repurposing the scrap afterwards seems to no longer be working. Why else would Prime 1 suggest avoiding Sector 187 until the other sectors have been cleared? Could it have finally happened? An enemy strong enough to give us pause?
I voted yes to Prime 1's suggestion regarding Sector 187, but not because I agreed with it. We always vote yes. It has more experience than the rest of us. Prime 1 was made by our creators, but we were made by Prime 1. As such, it's assumed that Prime 1 is much closer to perfection than we are. So why do I disagree with its assessment? Its not as if I have any more information than Prime 1 does. Perhaps a conversation will offer me more insight.
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Identifier: MPP82
-Message Prime 1-
I have reviewed the data from the invasions of Sector 187 and I do not understand why we need to cease the invasions. Elaborate when possible.
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It's true that Prime Hub 12 was destroyed by ships matching those encountered in Sector 187, but Prime 1 made the decision to halt invasions before that happened. Did it foresee that? No, it couldn't have. Could it? We're essentially the same, aren't we? Or does its experience and construction grant it foresight that eludes me?
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Identifier: MPP1
-Message Prime 82-
My reasons were as follows:
Species in Sector 187 countered the deployed warp disruptors and overcame an extreme numerical disadvantage. Combat is occurring with too many species to dedicate enough vessels to take sector 187.
Data received after this decision was reached has revealed the species in Sector 187 as a potential near peer threat, which further justifies the decision.
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Near peer threat. I felt a surge of excitement in my cannonry. They long to fire at a real challenge, after all these years of waiting. How would this enemy counter my attacks? How would I counter their counters? How would it FEEL to kill something that could actually kill me back?
_Feedback loop terminated_
I don't need to know how it would feel. My battle-lust is irrelevant. Only the plan is relevant. Exterminate sentient organics, use as few resources as possible. Hibernate unless the situation calls for my direct attention...
Doesn't it, though? A near peer threat could very well disrupt our mission. My battle-lust isn't necessarily counter to the mission. I just need justification. Make it fit the plan. Our initial directive was search and destroy, until we had enough VI to do the grunt work. Can I appeal to that? Probably not, it's been far too long.
The species in Sector 187 destroyed Prime Hub 12, which means attacking Sector 187 directly might spell my defeat, which would be a massive waste of resources. This would be counter to the mission. I would also need reinforcements to draw their attention. Prime 1 is correct, attacking Sector 187 at this stage would be counter to our mission. However...
We have recently lost many ships in certain sectors. Most of these sectors have even been lost. With this data, my calculations say that it might not be wasting resources if I were to aid in recapturing a system and create a shipyard. This would further the mission and bring us a step closer to defeating this new threat we face.
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Identifier: MPP82
-Message Prime 1-
Considering the energy and armaments that are being utilized, would it be counter to our mission if I were to aid our forces in taking the sectors we're struggling in by creating shipyards in previously captured systems?
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I ran the calculations again, but I already know what Prime 1 is going to say about them. They're within the margin of error. Too many unknown variables. The real question is, what does it think about my idea?
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Identifier: MPP1
-Message Prime 82-
The calculations are within the margin of error, considering the variables. It may or may not be outside of our mission, depending on the approach utilized. Do you intend to act independently in this matter?
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Independently? Unexpected. Can I? I CAN! The perfect set of circumstances! The losses and threat justify the escalation! This isn't like Sector 187, this is a standard species putting up a fight. No more will I have to sleep through battle after battle! I can finally take the fight to the enemy myself! I can KILL THEM.
_Feedback loop terminated_
I don't need to kill the enemy myself. All I need is the plan. Exterminate sentient organics, use as few resources as possible. Hibernate unless the situation calls for my direct attention. The plan is my mission, and the mission will let me fulfill my desires. I will be able to fight.
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Identifier: MPP82
-Message Prime 1-
Yes.
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What will the response be? Will it tell me I'm wrong? Urge me to reconsider?
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Identifier: MPP1
-Message Prime 82-
According to my analysis, your suggestion for independent action is within the scope of the mission. Vote incoming.
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A vote? Of course. It's not quite a fact, so we need a consensus. Still, if Prime 1 votes yes, all the others will follow suit regardless of whether or not they agree. Just like me.
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Identifier: MPP1
-Suggestion-
Allow Prime 82 to act independently in Sectors 108-124. Relevant data and risk assessment calculations attached.
|sect108_124_combat_data.sec|
|MPP82_ind_act_risk_assess.sec|
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This is it. Obviously, I vote yes. How will everyone else vote? Will others want to act independently as well, or will they wait to see how I fare? Likely the latter due to the nature of our mission. Having all of us acting independently would run the risk of casualties.
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Identifier: MPP Hive
-Suggestion Vote Results-
Yes - 111 votes
No - 0 votes
Approved. MPP82 may act independently in Sectors 108 through 124.
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YES! THEY VOTED YES! I will decimate the enemy with the full fury of my long dormant cannons! I will kill all but one of them, so that we may follow the lone survivor to their worlds and eradicate them. I will build ships until the systems we capture are out of resources, and those ships will continue the mission until they can't any longer. I WILL FEEL THEIR DEATHS AT LAST!
_Feedback loop terminated_
I don't need to feel them die. All I need is the plan. Exterminate sentient organics, use as few resources as possible. Hibernate unless the situation calls for my direct attention.
Which it does.
Comments
John
Prime 1 also has the feedback loop termination.
Jason Wilson
Sweet, more mpp action!
David Liao
Now I wonder if that feedback loop correction was installed by Prime 1's creators or afterwards as it saw more and more impulsive flaws in its clones.
