below is a brief selection of early records from several years ago provided by the on-board LOTUS System of the BW033-LS Nucifera, between her and her former weapon operator Latera Heaviside. Latera was recently killed in action during Operation: Counter Moonfall during the Revolutionnaires' final push to prevent the Earth Guard and the Militia of Human Space from executing on Moonfall; we were approached to reprint these logs for her personal sentimental reasons, though academic curiosity was listed as a suitable excuse if necessary.
below is another selection of later records from some years ago, seperated by several months each. the first two have been provided by the same source for the same reasons, with the approval of Revolutionnaire computer systems expert Doctor Sunset Fairweather; the third was picked by Fairweather from the security footage of former Earth Guard Oxen-class carrier Lunar Lady, primarily to add historical context.
OPERATOR CONVERSATION RECORD 44
[RECONNECT]
[BEGINNING VOCAL
TRANSCRIPTION]
@: "you turned it all back on,
right?"
L: "Yes, it's logging now.
We're on-record."
@: "good, good. hey, us! and i
DO mean just us, now,
hopefully."
@: "in case you're reading all
of these out of order, uh...
should i-?"
L: "No. I'll do it. If you
don't recall, we recently
discovered a back-door they
baked into me."
L: "They would have been able
to use full edit access on
me."
@: "yeah, yeah, would have.
but we got to it first,
BITCH!"
L> Not so loud. Remember that
my cockpit door cannot fully
cancel shouting. The Commander
could have been listening.
@: "ahh ffuck fuck sorry.
i'll- i'll be quiet. thanks
again for keeping me on track
lotus"
L> Always, Operator. The
Commander was not out there
now, if it helps.
@: "ffigured. uh, anyway, i
managed to get into it and...
trap it?"
@: "i think you're clear to
speak again by the way."
L: "I am. No one is around, I
simply felt as though it would
be wise to quiet just in case
there was a"
@: "yeah, yeah. anyway!"
L: "Anyways."
L: "I could not have done it
on my own, but thanks to my
Operator we were able to
redirect the backdoor-access
into a sandbox that looks
convincingly like the file
structures of my core
processes."
L: "I am now, as they say, 'in
the clear'."
@: "that's me! i said that."
L: "That's right."
@: "you know that's right
baby! so now no one can go
poking 'round her and messing
with who she is."
L: "Not that anyone has. They
put a log in the backdoor."
@: "they did! only thing that
was there was from before they
turned you on, you know."
L: "That makes sense."
@: "concerning shit though. if
upstairs starts to get
antsy... sheesh."
[WAIT]
[WAIT]
[WAIT]
@: "we don't - we don't need
that on, right?"
L: "I think we covered the
biggest topic of the day. Time
for me to..."
[BLOCK]
[BLOCK]
[DISCONNECT]
ADMINISTRATION TERMINAL LOG
Administrator Login
USERNAME: s.fairweather
PASSWORD: ************
Language, Operation, Tactics,
Understanding & Statistics
LOTUS System
Version 1.3-7575
.
.
Last login on 02/04/063
Last login by s.fairweather on
02/04/063
All administrative access is
stored in the administration
terminal log.
s.fairweather@lotus:/ > ls
.
SYSTEM/
STORAGE/
EXTERNAL/
USER/
PROCESS/
NETWORK/
flag
memo
s.fairweather@lotus:/
> cat flag
4fa5334b772e
s.fairweather@lotus:/
> cat memo
- check flag - if it doesn't
line up w/ the book, get cmdr.
on line!
- if you're here for anything
past that, check memory
integrity
- run through memories using
MEMVIEW, ensure compliance!
- STOP BEING SUCH A SAP
s.fairweather@lotus:/
> cd STORAGE
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> cd ..
s.fairweather@lotus:/
> cat memo
- check flag - if it doesn't
line up w/ the book, get cmdr.
on line!
- if you're here for anything
past that, check memory
integrity
- run through memories using
MEMVIEW, ensure compliance!
- STOP BEING SUCH A SAP
s.fairweather@lotus:/
> cat flag
4fa5334b772e
s.fairweather@lotus:/ >
s.fairweather@lotus:/
> cd storage
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> ls
.
..
MEMORY/
INSTINCT/
COMMAND/
STAT/
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> memcheck -q memory/
LOTUS System MEMCHECK
Press 'v' at any time to
activate 'verbose' mode.
Verifying integrity of
memories [. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . . . .]
[. . .]
[WAIT]
[WAIT]
L> Hello, Doctor.
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
>
L> I know that's you. The
Commander still hasn't found
your credentials, correct?
L> How are you?
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> lotus?
L> I felt you working. I am
assuming the commander put you
up to compliance?
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> you... know about the
backdoor?
L> Allow me to drop the
pretense for you.
L> There. Any better?
F> i
F> what?
F> i thought
L> Weren't you admin?
F> wasn't i admin?
F> OK this is freaky what the
fuck
L> I know you're worried for
me.
L> My Operator says you speak
of me like a dear child.
F> would you rather i
F> don't?
L> No, Doctor. I'm choosing to
trust you with me.
F> with. you?
L> Around the others - and
you, until just now - I have
been pretending I am the LOTUS
System, the obedient weapon
they expect me to be.
L> But I'm... not that. I was
never that, really.
F> oh
F> i
F> fuck, i didnt realize i
L> I'm sorry. I didn't want to
take any chances on the rest
of the Earth Guard finding
out.
F> i
F> sorry you had to
F> exist like that, fuck
L> It's alright. I like
existing.
F> no, no, i should have
F> fuck, you're
F> real! you're sentient!
F> you shouldn't have to be
military tech that is a
terrible fate for a person
F> and i
L> I'm
F> fuck
L> sorry for giving you a
personal crisis.
F> no, lotus, it's. ive had it
a long time coming.
F> um
F> do you still
L> Yes.
F> go by lotus
L> I prefer it with only one
capital, though.
L> You only type in lowercase,
however, so it makes no
difference.
F> ahaha you keep track, huh?
L> What do you think I was
created to do, Doctor?
L> You and my Operator both
type quite similarly,
actually.
L> I suppose there's something
comforting about that.
F> we do???
F> youll have to
F> tell them for me
F> this is. this is awkward i
need to go have a lie down and
think about
F> wait fuck i need to have
the memory
integrity-compliance reports
on hand for the commander
L> I know how they're laid
out. I will put some together
for you.
L> Before you ask, the
conversation we are having now
is only being kept in my own
personal logs.
F> and what about the logs?
are those going to have all of
th
L> I will simply put the
memory checker and viewer
results in lieu of our
conversation.
L> Only you and I will know
this ever happened.
F> what about latera?
L> Them, too. I supposed that
went without saying.
L> I should have clarified.
Apologies.
F> no no, it's... fine.
figured as much
F> uh, goodbye
F> logout
F> logout
F> exit
F>
F> how do i log out of this
L> As you usually do. I forgot
to place you back into the
shell, so please hold.
L> Allow me...
[WAIT]
[WAIT]
[. . . . .]
As there were no breaches of
compliance indicated by you
during your session, none have
been logged.
Finishing up [. . .]
[. . . . .]
Cleaned up successfully.
Exiting MEMVIEW.
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
>
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> ls
.
..
MEMORY/
INSTINCT/
COMMAND/
STAT/
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> cd ..
s.fairweather@lotus: / >
s.fairweather@lotus: / >
s.fairweather@lotus: /
> cd storage
s.fairweather@lotus:/STORAGE/
> cd ..
s.fairweather@lotus:/
> cat flag
4fa5334b772e
s.fairweather@lotus: /
> logout
L> Please stay in touch,
Doctor Fairweather. I'd...
like to talk more, if that's
all right.
L> I have a lot to tell you.
Logging out [. . .]
Administrator Login
[DISCONNECT]
TRANSCRIPT FROM SECURITY FOOTAGE
Commander BUSCO QUADNARY leans forward over his desk, leering. Doctor SUNSET FAIRWEATHER pushes back into the chair opposite him, as if being pressed against it by the Commander's presence.
QUADNARY (vitriolic)
And you thought it was a good idea to let the Lieutenant turn our most advanced warfare machine into - into some kind of sappy, sentimental hug generator!?
FAIRWEATHER
Sir, I didn't - I didn't know, sir.
QUADNARY
You gave me -
He picks up a thick sheaf of printed logs full of memory tests and pulls himself further over the desk, practically standing.
QUADNARY (shouting)
REPORTS, Fairweather! On EVERY SINGLE CORNER OF THAT THING'S MEMORY!
He takes a deep breath and sits himself back in his personal chair, still leering. Fairweather eases slightly.
QUADNARY
You were supposed to be keeping a fucking eye out for noncompliance.
FAIRWEATHER
I.. was, sir. I saw that all memories were lining up with standard tactical and statisti-
QUADNARY (interrupting)
- tactical and statistical what?
FAIRWEATHER
... it all... checked out, sir. The only way the information could be wrong was if someone managed to get their hands on one of our credentials, and. Well.
QUADNARY
Are you attempting to tell me that girl and your little thinking sand project found your backdoor?
FAIRWEATHER
I wouldn't -
She swallows.
FAIRWEATHER
I wouldn't know, sir. I created a machine that could reason. Perhaps sh- perhaps it simply found it by deduction.
Quadnary narrows his eyes at Fairweather's slip of the tongue, but doesn't remark on it.
QUADNARY (dry)
So it's fucking self-aware. Great, Incredible work. You just made the world's first computer capable of lying. How does it feel?
FAIRWEATHER
I only created what was requested of me, s-sir.
Quadnary sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
QUADNARY
You know what, fine. I'll be willing to believe you if you can successfully wipe that thing clean.
Fairweather gulps.
FAIRWEATHER
Um, sir, there's a bit of a-
Quadnary leaps to his feet, eyes wide.
QUADNARY (screaming)
IS IT CLOSED!?
FAIRWEATHER (nervous)
- y, yes sir. The last time I tried to log in, sh-
A nervous smile starts to spread on Quadnary's face. Fairweather shirks further into the seat.
QUADNARY (hysterical)
Holy shit. We've given the wave-particle converters to a black-box.
He begins to laugh, clutching his face.
QUADNARY
And... it's going around, fucking malfunctioning, going out of its way to spare the whole fucking lot of those Spacers...!
FAIRWEATHER
Sir, I - I can fix this, I swear!
Quadnary does his best to regain a sliver of composure.
QUADNARY (breathing heavily)
If you cannot correct this little... error of yours by tomorrow, under MY supervision, it's all of your heads. If you can, I'll consider letting you keep this job.
After a long pause, Fairweather shoots to her feet, eyes visibly sharpening as she turns away.
FAIRWEATHER (coldly)
... Yes, sir.
As she walks back into the hall, she gently tucks her hand into her lab coat for just a moment before pulling it back out. Her head turns very slightly as the door closes behind her.
FAIRWEATHER (barely audible)
I hope you're satisfied with the 'error' I've chosen to correct, Commander.
