To: Dr. Thallia Thorn | From: Wisp Innovations

[Fairchild]

Incoming transmission
Atka Research Station, Sigma-17

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Sender: Nikita Nagrebetskiy, Wisp Innovations
Recipient: Dr Thallia Thorn
Subject: Project Vergil

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Dr Thorn,

My name is Nikita Nagrebetskiy and I am the head of research team currently working on a Wisp Innovations project codenamed Vergil. I was informed about your field of expertise by our mutual acquaintance Jera and your willingness to join a project related to that. As the project is currently in its initial stages, I hope you understand that it's bound by a strict secrecy agreement. However, since Jera considers you trustworthy and I suppose you could be a valuable addition to Vergil, I'm going to brief you in.

A couple of months ago Wisp was contacted by a specific group operating inside the Edge Worlds which had found a very interesting species of bacteria. I would imagine they didn't know what exactly it was and just wanted some quick profit, however after investigating those bacteria we found that they have some unique properties. To be more precise, we found out that by pairing it with nanobots they could be used from inside the human brain to interface the neural impulses.

Having found that, I contacted Ageira to request assistance as we obviously had been on the brink of discovering something extraordinary. While Wisp research teams certainly have some brilliant minds at our disposal, we lacked the computer science knowledge to develop that kind of nanobots. Currently it's a joint project between Ageira software and hardware experts as well as Wisp pharmacologists and microbiologists, myself included, but having other independent scientists could make this project complete even quicker - especially ones with the kind of experience you have.

Now, if you are interested you are welcome to visit me at Atka. Here I can make all the research notes available to you - they unfortunately cannot be sent over the Neural Net for security reasons.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
Nikita Nagrebetskiy
Wisp Innovations

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[Jazzi]

Nagrebetskiy, It is a pleasure.

Jera mentioned she would contact you concerning some work, but I was not expecting to be given an offer to be brought into such an ambitious project. You need not worry about confidentiality Nikita; the impact your work could have if handled in the wrong hands is deterrent enough. Nonetheless, send over a copy of your secrecy agreement so that it may be signed and returned.

It is needless to say, I am interested for a number of reasons. It has been a long time since nanobots we're given serious scientific consideration, and it is a fascinating usecase you are developing. Success in this project could lead to numerous steps in other regards. However, there is a serious concern stirring within me about the... ur, potential of these neural interfaces. Direct interfacing could revolutionise human existence, but at the same time... what is to stop this technology being used to control people? Have you given thought to these potential moral conflicts?

I shall be arranging my journey to Atka shortly. May the stars keep you until then.

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C47 - Origins | C47 - Operational Database

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[Fairchild]

Incoming transmission
Atka Research Station, Sigma-17

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Sender: Nikita Nagrebetskiy, Wisp Innovations
Recipient: Dr Thallia Thorn
Subject: Re: Project Vergil

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Dr Thorn,

We are here to give the people the tools they need to ascend. You may say that this technology could be used for enslaving people, but so can anything else. Admittedly, anyone capable of using words can manipulate millions of people. Humans invented print, computers, the Neural Net... every single one of those things can be used for malice and indeed they were. But at the end of the day, people managed to create something beautiful out of them, something good that outweighs the evil. I expect this to be no different.

I expect your arrival at Atka soon.

Yours sincerely,
Nikita Nagrebetskiy
Wisp Innovations

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Attachments:

(...)

The Recipient [Thallia Thorn] must:

1. keep the Disclosor [Wisp Innovations, LLC.] Confidential Information [Project Vergil] strictly confidential;
2. not disclose the Disclosor Confidential Information to any person without the Disclosor's prior written consent, and then only under conditions of confidentiality;
3. use the same degree of care to protect the confidentiality of the Disclosor Confidential Information as the Recipient uses to protect the Recipient's own confidential information of a similar nature, being at least a reasonable degree of care;
4. act in good faith at all times in relation to the Disclosor Confidential Information;

(...)

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