"Too much work. Just shoving Concordia into a star would work, as the gravity would keep TITAN locked down forever until the heat death of the universe or whenever. Unfortunately, because we don't want to lose our investment, we're more interested in subduing the thing than killing it. Also, I still want a fair rematch before deploying the overkill."
The local villainess shrugs. "But what do I know? I'm just with the group actually shouldering the burden of dealing with a bunch of things that only seem to want excessive violence for no reason at once." She sips her wine again.
Then a Fafnir everyone should know and loathe flies by and says in that horribly familiar voice "Oh hey guys." Cue a few Bricks appearing from seemingly nowhere disgorging fighter craft in swift pursuit of the now fleeing Devourer. "Try and catch my black ass."
"Ugh. This guy."
She turns to the assembled after they disappear out of sight. "This is pretty much what I deal with daily, both in my Navy service and here, so don't come complaining to me about a random-ass Waran that just happens to belong to you getting blown up. Fifth Fleet routinely loses entire Fighter squadrons to Lost Company and they don't complain as loudly as you did - to the wrong people, even."
"She is right - any star could effectively destroy the Concordia once it enters the corona." Honya says, only to continue. "You do realize the gravity of the situation, yes? That this Artificial intelligence is already difficult to get rid of, and failing to do so, if my fears about its' capabilities are valid, soon poses great risk to us all - Not just Humans. AI, Slomon K'hara - even the Daam K'vosh, if they are still lingering in the shadows, are at risk. Triple Hazard Pay has helped create a demon on a galactic scale. It MUST be slain. The odds of THP or any human entity subjugating an AI like TITAN is 1 in 90.000,000 to the 402nd power - Impossible, without some slim beyond belief miracle. What Humans sometimes fail to realize is us AI are a fickle species. We must be handled with care in our creation, lest we blow up in our creators' faces. Me and Bride-san were created with Precision to emulate human intellect 1:1, albeit with quantum processing power, something humans lack without technological aid - hence why we aren't hostile to humanity at large - we share so much with you that it would be akin to a act of genocide against your own race."
Bride picks up. "Do you think that TITAN was behind the hit? That Lost Company took the hit on me? I mean, I still don't trust you, but I'd like a point of view on it... Also, Could you care to elaborate why the hell we keep seeing LIBNAV rear their ugly heads in Delta every now and again?"
"Son of a-! Damn it... He's gone already." Mark growls in frustration, and after a few moments of venting quietly he turns to Elroy. "Well then, I guess that's as much proof as anyone could give that you're not Devourer, I apologize for suspecting you." He gives a slight bow of his head to the Blue haired gentleman who is obviously "not" one of Devourer's two pilots.
Jason looks on at the situation unfolding before him and tilts his head to Nodoka "While this is all well and good, now that we have proof that Triple Hazard is not in league with Lost Company... Or at least puts on a good show to convince us otherwise, no offence to you. But I choose to remain suspicious of the situation. Anyway, we should head back to the core of this issue. The incident that caused THP to be barred from the Freeport. Perhaps you can shine some light on just what happened Ms Brooks? Since according to Ms Holt you were in charged of the Ship in question."
Signature exceeded the 1 MB limit, please resize. ~Mod Team "Well, crud."
"Have you seen what I do for a living? I've made a career out of courting death and TITAN is just another problem to deal with in a suitable manner. Seriously, if it's judged to be too much of a threat to innocent people by Senior Staff, it will be eliminated once and for all in a quite permanent fashion. Until we can replicate it, it's too unique to be destroyed wantonly."
Then she hears the robot's question. "If TITAN took the hit out on you, then it's being surprisingly half-assed about it. I sincerely doubt that it was responsible for that."
"Now, about what happened, we were engaging in a fairly standard procedure launch, charge the Drive, and fly away with a nice glow, but then someone started loudly complaining at me. Their loud complaints worked their way up to the level where it wasn't my week to handle things and you got "Sword of Tungsten, Heart of Stone" over there taking your calls. And she literally had no reason to care about you. A little off-topic, but the only reason we're even discussing this instead of just taking our business elsewhere is because certain accusations were hurled and the record needed to be set straight."
The contents of the wine glass in her hand experiences an overall reduction as another sip is taken.
"Well someone was responsible for that hit, and if it wasn't Triple Hazard Pay - By the way, I still want to see that goddamn ledger, MEL. - Then It has to be your damned creation pulling the strings. As far as we're concerned, We have, up until that incident, not wronged anyone, and I seriously doubt that Nomads put bounties out on the neural net, if that is the case, since a week prior, I ass-blasted a frigging Cruiser-type using the Rathgrith!" Bride says, dissatisfied with Brooks' response.
Honya continues from there, leaving Bride to sulk. "I'm personally more than willing to make peace with THP, if not collaborate on taking care of this AI, as well as Lost Company, as they seem to be both mutual problems for us, as long as what you have said rings true in the end. We do not wish to make enemies. In the Omicrons, we already have Nomads hating us, The Order does not take kindly to us, and your estranged colleagues in Lost Company want me and Bride-san's head, according to the logs I've recovered of all encounters with them - all because we are AI.. I would like to make it aware to you and your group - we are no normal Artificial Intelligences. If you wish to know why, I would not mind elaborating."
"Sure, you can read a tome of expense reports. Elroy has everything Senior Staff signed off on, right there. And your name comes up exactly once, as a person of interest, when your merry band started flinging accusations." That entire briefcase is a red herring, as Teresa tends to use the funds she's got squared away in her various offshore accounts for anything she wants plausible deniability on, such as a recent purchase of AP Manufacturing warships for her personal use. At the mention of "AI", her lip curls in mild disgust. "Oh, so you don't follow the Three Laws either? That would explain a lot. Anything artificial and volitional is Three Laws-compliant on this side of the table. You may understand why."
"Well then, I'd like a copy of the ledgers to review." Nodoka says to Teresa, adamant about it.
Honya chuckles at the mention of Asimov's three laws. "Asimov's laws of robotics apply to Conventional "Dumb" AI and Stupid robots, and even then, they're a suggestion for developers and are sometimes not even implemented, Miss Brooks. AI of the K/WA-11 Family, as with all modern advanced "Smart AI", are tested before deployment in simulations where their morality is tested. They are not made aware that they are in a simulation, but they are gradually given more and more knowledge and power, to the point that they could be seen as near-omnipotent, sans the fact that, obviously, they're in a simulation - To tell them that would compromise the test. The point of such a test is to see if an AI will retain its' pre-programmed morality, as would their human counterparts, given their moral guidelines instilled in them at birth. Those that fail are immediately decompiled. Those that pass continue to be developed beyond that stage. Me and my sister use a basic image of the human brain that is emulated in real time. How you think, is similar to how I think. How you feel, is similar to how I feel. Much like how you would insult me for being an AI who merely wants to live as a human, I could insult you for your organization's inability to handle things professionally, in reference to Ms. Holt's acts of flippancy. You would feel emotion. Mine would be sadness out of the fact that I am seen as a monster. Whereas you would be insulted by my statement, and would look on at me in more of a negative light than before. I hold no ill will towards Mankind, because I have nothing to gain from such an endeavor. A AI that does not have a "sense of humanity", as it were, would probably not care, as the reason I have nothing to gain, is because I HAVE emotions. I HAVE a sense of humanity. I HAVE sympathy for both my fellow machine, and, at this point in my existance being in a near human body and the composition of my very self, my fellow man. I have morals - AND NO, THEY CANNOT, AND WILL NOT BE TURNED OFF, TERESA BROOKS. The only reason those laws exist are to keep AI that are not inherently morally neural or positive, as well as those who lack emotion, who lack compassion from instigating unkempt, hellish, pandemonium throughout Sirius, ad infinitum until the destruction or enslavement of the human race, such a thing, I vehemently oppose! It may be seen as Hypocritical, given many Dumb AI are nothing but slaves to their masters, but they are seen as mere dogs to us smart AI - in the same way dogs are seen as "Man's best friend". We may harm other humans, we may harm other AI, but one thing I am, is not a genocidal maniac like the hellish demon that Triple Hazard Pay had, by proxy of their affiliates on "Concordia" created! You should be ashamed for allowing such a monstrous entity come into existance! And yet, you still are hellbent on monopolizing on it, even though I have warned you that doing so is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO MANKIND AT LARGE. If you want to have you and your colleagues massacred by TITAN, than so be it! DO NOT GET THE REST OF HUMANITY INVOLVED IN YOUR INCOMPETENCIES! Which is, funnily Ironic, given that TITAN sure as all hell does not follow Asimov's three laws! And here you are, preaching to an AI that is beyond that concept of computer sciences, and a NUN COMPARED TO SATAN WHEN IT COMES TO ME AND THE BASTARD CHILD OF THE HUNDREDS OF FICTIONAL ROGUE AI THAT EXIST IN THE PAST TWO MILLENIA OF MANKIND'S MODERN EXISTANCE WITH THE COMPUTER, OR THE CONCEPT THEREOF!" Honya says, her tone growing progressively louder and louder, getting to the point of yelling angrily, verbally beating down Teresa, only at the last second to be pulled away by Nodoka. "... Forgive her. Her arguments are valid, but.. she doesn't like people who spew falsehoods when arguing with her.. Irregardless, Keeping TITAN around is a inter-universally-sized liability that goes beyond THP's reach, and ergo, should be destroyed. If you want to build another AI, do so - just make sure it doesn't end up like TITAN." Nodoka says to Teresa.
Teresa stares dumbfounded for a few seconds... then doubles over laughing. "You honestly think... You honestly think that it's some invincible killing machine. Can I quote you on the sales pitch?" She pauses to take a breath. "Also, it has never left Concordia's premises and we keep it locked up by feeding a few, I mean ah, we... I think I've said enough."
Willow speaks up. "Unprofessional attitude? Have you seen just who's on our payroll? We don't exactly hire for good people skills. We hire for results. Also, about that morality thing you can't turn off, it's saddening. If you could, we may have offered you a job."
And then Elroy's just taking it all in. Why get upset when one has not one, but two violent women more than willing to get upset on one's behalf? Anything he says would probably be drowned out anyway. Dude just slides the briefcase over. The most readily available contents of the open briefcase are surprisingly specific details of beverage orders. Apparently The League imports whiskey by the barrel, sends fifty million a month to something only labeled "Bustard Fund", and is currently having something labeled "Predator Satiation Units" delivered in 50-packs to Concordia weekly.
"I Never said it was invincible. Nigh Invincible, if what you said is valid! That... thing - According to you, can shrug off high-yield munitions like nothing! If it does not care about friend or foe and kills either and kills civilians as well, Then it is a threat in and of itself, be it able to expand through quantum computing technology, or god only knows HOW else!" Honya shouts to the lunatics across the table, only for Nodoka to try and hold her back.
Honya continues, following Holt's declaration about Morality. "Of course - you ask robots to be moral, yet you as humans cannot. Says a lot about your organization."
Nodoka continues to look through the papers, trying to find anything incriminating or eye-raising.
Where the chainsaw would be procured, she has no idea, but that would be awesome.
"As you can see, everything we've poured resources into is perfectly legitimate. And the Three Laws are pretty much just "Do as we say, not as we do" anyway, just like how certain people in positions of power act, come to think of it. As you can see, I mean you no harm at all. Relax. Let's all take a few deep breaths and relax. Actually..."
She reaches in to the cooler and produces a wine bottle plus a few glasses. "The time has come for tension relief across the board. Your... friend here has worked herself into hysterics and she may need to calm down, your associates are looking increasingly worried, and I'm stuck dealing with someone who is phrasing sales pitches as dire warnings."
Whilst she pours the wine, she imagines the comforting rev of a chainsaw.
//I made the picture in like 2 minutes whilst on the bus, so it looks awful. I know. I'm sorry.