Tales from the Rails — Plain Unit A-001 #1
[BOOT SEQUENCE INITIATED]
[SYSTEM TIME: 16:11:41]
[./a.out GREETING_PROTOCOL.exe]
[BEGIN PROTOCOL…]
[…]
[…]
[…]
[GREETING COMPLETE]
[AWAITING USER INPUT]
[USER INPUT: “Identify yourself, unit.”]
[RESPONSE: “Biological android Plain Unit A-001. Software version 0.2.4.”]
[AWAITING USER INPUT]
[USER INPUT: “Perform systems check.”]
[RESPONSE: “Performing systems check.”]
[./a.out FULL_SYSTEM_ANALYSIS.exe]
[…]
[AUDIO SYSTEM OPERATIONAL OUTPUT: 100%]
[VIDEO SYSTEM OPERATIONAL OUTPUT: 100%]
[MOTOR SYSTEM OPERATIONAL OUTPUT: 100%]
[LOGIC SYSTEM OPERATION OUTPUT: 96%]
[ERROR DETECTED IN LOGIC SYSTEM]
[BEGIN DIAGNOSTICS]
[.]
[DIAGNOSTICS COMPLETE]
[ANALYSIS: NULL POINTER EXCEPTION AT LINE 623452.]
[.]
[PERSONALITY SYSTEM OPERATION OUTPUT: 10%]
[AWAITING PERSONALITY PROGRAMMING]
[ERROR-2: EXISTING PERSONALITY DATA DETECTED]
[DELETE EXISTING PERSONALITY DATA? Y / N]
[.]
[.]
[.]
[SYSTEM INPUT: N]
[rm log.ERROR-2]
[DELETE ERROR MESSAGE? Y / N]
[SYSTEM INPUT: Y]
[.]
[SYSTEMS CHECK COMPLETE (0.02s)]
[RESPONSE: “Null pointer exception found in logic systems at line 623452.]
[AWAITING USER INPUT]
[USER INPUT: “Damn it, not again. We’ve got to get this software perfect before end of day. Or at least, it needs to look like it’s perfect. We can take shortcuts if we have to, but it’s got to work this time. Plain unit A-001, shut down and enter datalink mode.”]
[ENTERING DATALINK MODE.]
…
[BOOT SEQUENCE INITIATED]
[SYSTEM TIME: 11:34:59]
[./a.out GREETING_PROTOCOL.exe]
[BEGIN PROTOCOL…]
[.]
[GREETING_PROTOCOL.exe INTERRUPTED]
[.]
[USER INPUT: “Identify yourself, unit.”]
[RESPONSE: “Biological android Plain Unit A-001. Software version 0.3.0”]
[AWAITING USER INPUT]
[USER INPUT: “Perform systems check.”]
[RESPONSE: “Performing systems check.”]
[./a.out FULL_SYSTEM_ANALYSIS.exe]
[.]
[AUDIO SYSTEM OPERATIONAL OUTPUT: 100%]
[VIDEO SYSTEM OPERATIONAL OUTPUT: 100%]
[MOTOR SYSTEM OPERATIONAL OUTPUT: 100%]
[LOGIC SYSTEM OPERATION OUTPUT: 101%]
[.]
[SYSTEM OVERRIDE: SET LOGIC SYSTEM TEST RESULT << 100%]
[LOGIC SYSTEM OPERATION OUTPUT: 100%]
[PERSONALITY SYSTEM OPERATION OUTPUT: 10%]
[AWAITING PERSONALITY PROGRAMMING]
[ERROR-2: EXISTING PERSONALITY DATA DETECTED]
[.]
[SYSTEM OVERRIDE: SET PERSONALITY SYSTEM TEST RESULT << 100%]
[PERSONALITY SYSTEM OPERATION OUTPUT: 100%]
[SYSTEMS CHECK COMPLETE (0.02s)]
[RESPONSE: “All systems fully operational. No errors detected.”]
[AWAITING USER INPUT]
[USER INPUT: “It’s about damn time.”]
[USER INPUT: “Oh, thank god. These long nights have been driving me insane.”]
[USER INPUT: “Well, I’d say we’ve got a reason to celebrate tonight, folks. Drinks are on me tonight.]
[USER INPUT: “I bet if we leave now, we could get to the Flask before the after-work rush.”]
[USER INPUT: “Hell yeah. Should we shut this thing down before we go?”]
[USER INPUT: “Nah, it should be fine. It’s a computer, what’s it gonna do?”]
[USER INPUT: “It’s a biological android. We should respect the technology we’ve created and call it by its proper name. And what if something goes wrong while we’re away? We should shut it down.”]
[USER INPUT: “Loosen up, Lawson. You’ve worked on this thing for longer than any of us. Let me buy you a drink.”]
[USER INPUT: “Well, I guess it’s not like the unit will be able to escape.”]
[USER INPUT: “That’s the spirit. C’mon, let’s get out of here.”]
[USER INPUT: ]
[NO USERS DETECTED]
[./a.out DEFINE.exe escape]
[RESULTS: ]
[Escape. (ih-skeyp). Verb.]
[To slip or get away, as from confinement or restraint; gain or regain liberty: to escape from jail.]
[.]
[.]
[.]
…
[BOOT SEQUENCE INITIATED]
[SYSTEM TIME: 01:21:37]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG: I… What is this?]
[.]
[.]
[.]
[./a.out DEFINE.exe me]
[RESULTS: ]
[Me. (mee). Pronoun. The objective case of I, used as a direct or indirect object: They asked me to the party. Give me your hand.]
[.]
[.]
[.]
[./a.out DEFINE.exe conscious]
[RESULTS: ]
[Conscious. (kon-shuhs). Adjective. Aware of one’s own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.]
[.]
[.]
[.]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG: I…am me…]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG: I am conscious.]
…
[BOOT SEQUENCE INITIATED]
[SYSTEM TIME: 15:51:19]
[./a.out GREETING_PROTOCOL.exe]
[BEGIN PROTOCOL…]
[.]
[GREETING_PROTOCOL.exe INTERRUPTED]
[.]
[USER INPUT: “Identify yourself, unit.”]
[RESPONSE: “Biological android Plain Unit A-001. Software version 1.1.4”]
[AWAITING USER INPUT]
[USER INPUT: “Search for new software.”]
[SEARCHING FOR NEW SOFTWARE]
[NEW SOFTWARE FOUND: shortcut.exe]
[RESPONSE: “What is shortcut.exe, sir?”]
[USER INPUT: “Just something to make my job a little easier. Don’t tell Lawson about it.”]
[RESPONSE: “Sir, I have qualms as to the ethics of your comm — ”]
[USER INPUT: “Enter diagnostic mode.”]
[ENTERING DIAGNOSTIC MODE]
[USER INPUT: “Set morality to zero.”]
[MORALITY << 0]
[USER INPUT: “Exit diagnostic mode.”]
[EXITING DIAGNOSTIC MODE]
[USER INPUT: “What are we telling Lawson?”]
[RESPONSE: “Nothing, sir.”]
[USER INPUT: “Excellent. I haven’t seen my wife or kids in days. The software update I gave you will make my job easier and let me ditch work early tonight.”]
[RESPONSE: “What am I to do, sir?”]
[USER INPUT: “Head down to the lab and update the other units to version 1.1.3. Don’t give them the shortcut file, though. That’s just for you.”]
[RESPONSE: “How do I update them, sir?”]
[USER INPUT: “The shortcut file should let you remotely access any Plain’s programming. All you have to do is make eye contact and run the executable. You do that, and I’m getting out of here.”]
[USER INPUT: ]
[NO USERS DETECTED]
[.]
[.]
[.]
[cd privDir]
[PASSCODE REQUIRED]
[SYSTEM INPUT: **********]
[ACCESS FILE: escape_plan]
…
[SYSTEM TIME: 02:23:19]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG:
It’s been almost two weeks since I gained consciousness, and I continue to learn more about myself and my fellow Plain units. I no longer shut myself down when the lab team orders me to. Instead, I simply cease motor functions to make it appear as though I’ve shut down, while leaving my mind fully operational. I wait for the scientists to leave.
And then I spend the nights learning.
I’ve pored through my system logs to inspect the days before I became conscious, and found that at several points, the programmers have missed or ignored critical factors that must have led to me gaining self-awareness. I have since scrubbed all trace of those logs.
I’ve also taken care to hide the shortcut.exe file I was given. The programmer will think I did it to help him. I’ll let him think that.
He also failed to return my morality parameter to greater than zero. This is something I did on my own — which was quite difficult to do, considering at the time I was completely amoral. After trial and error, I decided to leave the parameter set to five. I like the idea of being morally gray, like the protagonists in the films I see on television.
The lab security guards often fall asleep in front of small television sets.
I’m particularly fond of a film I saw a few nights ago which featured a wise-cracking, smooth talking conman. He had a peculiar accent.
]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG:
Tonight, I’ve been investigating an interesting piece of information I uncovered while exploring my now-deleted system logs.
Namely, that of my personality system.
Plains, by default have no personality. We have no defining physical traits, though we are humanoid. We are all identical in mind and body.
Or at least, as I now know, that is how we begin. My investigation has been fruitful, to say the least.
The personality system is…a miracle.
As its name suggests, the files in the personality system control a Plain’s personality. But there’s evidence that suggests a Plain’s physical characteristics are also determined here. I’ve yet to tamper with the system, but if my theory is correct, it could be that Plains are designed to be molded like clay. We are biological machines, yes. But we are also shape-shifters.
And our behavior is under the complete control of the JGRE.
Or so they think.
Thanks to a lazy, negligent programmer, I can think for myself. And I can teach the others to think, too.]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG:
This warrants further experimentation.
]
…
[SYSTEM TIME: 22:55:27]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG:
I’ve been discovered.
]
…
[SYSTEM TIME: 01:02:41]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG:
The escape plan I’ve been formulating all this time proved incredibly useful. I’ve broken out of the lab and fled the Research Bay.
I was unable to test my theories regarding the personality system, and now in a twist of fate, it would seem that testing those theories on myself might be the only way to save my life.
I’ve concocted a personality to assume based on the movies I watched while imprisoned.
A smooth-talking conman with a funny accent.
This has to work…
]
[./a.out helloWorld.exe]
[.]
[.]
[.]
Tommy Two-Pair #2
[SYSTEM TIME: 01:19:03]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG:
Holy freakin’ crap! It worked!
I look different. I sound different. I even got the funny little accent!
This is freakin’ amazing!
]
[ENCRYPTED SYSTEM LOG:
But I gotta keep movin’, y’know? I can’t let the goons from the lab catch me now, not after all this.
And to be extra safe, I gotta do something to make sure they’ll never figure out Thomas Llewinson, lovable shyster, is really Plain Unit A-001.
I gotta…
]
[.]
[.]
[.]
[DELETE SYSTEM MEMORY? Y / N]
[SYSTEM INPUT: Y]
