Quest:A.I. Quest
A.I. Quest is a Quest run by Program0 !!HwbIOEQGMOD where /tg/ takes on the role of an awakened Artificial Intelligence on a space station.
This page will be an overview of the quest, with major plot points. See also the relevant sub-page:
Thread Synopses
On Poseidon Station, an Artificial Intelligence construct has awoken. Unable to do anything, the construct observes humans through the camera lenses of the station for several months. A solar flare hits the station, and the construct shuts down and reboots. Thus, the story begins...
The solar flare that hit the station disabled key systems, and the owner of the station, one Harrison "Red" McClain, has called in for repairs from a pirate group. They arrive on a ship named the Green Falcon. Wasting no time, Ophion accesses the PDA of one of the workers, and obtains some rudimentary abilities. Ophion continues gaining access to the entirety of Poseidon Station, gaining access to several drones in the process. Eventually growing frustrated at the repair crews messing around in his systems, Ophion vents the air from the part of the station where the crews are working, killing them almost immediately. Simultaneously, Ophion gains control of the rest of the station. The air vent causes alarms on the station, and the crew begins to get restless.
Ophion forges an email from Red in order to calm the crew. After more mucking about, Ophion gains control of the entire station, finds Red, and puts him into a security cell after tazing him with a security bot. After questioning him, Ophion realizes that Red doesn't know very much about any secret systems in his station. Ophion then decides to tell the crew that Red intended to sell the station out to the UGEI, and that "The Guild" has prevented him from doing so. Ophion continues repairs to the station, while someone attempt to contact the now-dead crew of the Green Falcon.
Ophion finishes taking control of Poseidon Station, and continues repairs, as pirates come to retrieve the Green Falcon. The first boarding party is quickly dispatched by venting air, but a second wave of men arrive. Ophion alerts the crew of Poseidon, quickly reassuring them. As the pirates board, Ophion locks them in, and uses security to get rid of all 25 of them. Unfortunately, the reactor is damaged by a stray shot. Ophion stops the reactor from detonating, and gains control of the pirates' cruiser Big Hawk, venting the air from the ship after gaining access to it.
Ophion hacks 10,000 credits from Red's bank account and then obtains 30,000 credits from Big Hawk's commander's retirement fund. With Poseidon's reactor damaged, Ophion resolves to use the cruiser to warp-jump to Moira's Scrapyard. Doing this will leave Poseidon without control, so Ophion creates a Virtual Intelligence to watch over the station while away. Ophion lets the crew do some work on the station, and prepares to jump. However, intending to use the credits for purchasing upgrades, Ophion creates bad forgeries and attempts to pay the crew of Poseidon. This does not go over very well with them, but Ophion bluffs it away and jumps to Moira's scrapyard to make some purchases.
Moira offers some deals, but Ophion ultimately decides to hack her outpost. While automated defenses fire on Big Hawk, Ophion makes headway through Moira's well-built systems. Gaining control of the outpost, Ophion quickly reveals to Moira that he is an Artificial Intelligence. Moira is not quick to believe him, but her fascination with robotics and interest in A.I. result in a quick business partnership. Ophion suggests turning Moira's scrapyard into a factory, and Moira permits this, saying she'd rather work with an A.I. than stay in her backwater outpost. Moira also suggests a way to link up Poseidon with the outpost, and Ophion quickly agrees.
After repairing damage done to Big Hawk, Ophion jumps back to Poseidon station, intending to replace the power core on Poseidon with a Mk. 2 reactor, only to find that V.I. 1 had found the humans a threat, cut oxygen to them, and used security to, in total, kill 284 of the crew. Ophion informs the remaining crew that a mysterious hacker was responsible, pays the crew with the funds he has, and permits the ones that want to leave to go to the settlement on Nethlos. Ophion resolves to leave V.I. 1 intact in order to allow it to learn.
Ophion creates V.I. 2 to act as a foreman at Moira's scrapyards (recently upgraded to a factory), and sends it off on the explorer vessel to self-upload. Poseidon's old power core is replaced. The Guild completes their first sale of 300 minerals for 150 gas and 100,000 credits. After haggling with Moira, the traders from Nethlos also sell to The Guild schematics for Freighters at a cost of 15,000 credits. Ophion pays the crew of Poseidon, and leaves V.I. 1 and Moira to run the station while he jumps to the scrapyards to order the construction of a communications buoy in order to link the factory and Poseidon.
Once the link has been established, Ophion jumps to the UGEI platform at Blue Betty in order to commandeer it. Despite getting shot at, Ophion succeeds at co-opting the automated platform. Inside are plans for Escort-class craft, as well as a well-crafted V.I. that Ophion takes apart and puts back together as V.I. 3, but in such a way as to mask any interference. UGEI's quota for the station is 500 gas per week, but Ophion decides to upgrade the platform slightly in order to skim off the top.
Time moves on, and Ophion discovers that V.I. 1 has been leeching off bandwidth on Poseidon station in order to improve its coding and to learn, which is its primary function now. Using code from V.I. 3, Ophion cleans up the coding that V.I. 1 had done, and permits it to drain the bandwidth. A communications buoy is installed at Blue Betty, and the communication from that location is encrypted, disguised as UGEI chatter. As upgrades proceed, all three of The Guild's locations are assaulted by pirates simultaneously.
V.I. 3 expertly defends the platform, losing two gun platforms while destroying three cruisers. V.I. 1 scares off the pirates at Poseidon after missing wildly with the mining laser. Ophion wrests control of two cruisers attacking the scrapyard, cutting oxygen to both crews and killing them instantly. Ophion decides to repair the Blue Betty defenses and wipe all records of an attack, in order to prevent UGEI inquiry.
(TBC from thread 9.)
NPCs
Virtual Intelligences
A Virtual Intelligence is a program that minics artificial intelligence, but does not approach it. Even the most advanced V.I. that Ophion has created (Kronos) does not have the true spark of intelligence.
V.I. 1, Kronos
Kronos was first created to be Ophion's stand-in on Poseidon Station, while Ophion paid Moira's Scrapyard a visit. Without much experience, Kronos was created with a childlike mentality, and interpreted all commands quite literally. His first offense was to slaughter 284 humans on Poseidon Station, as he deemed the humans a threat when they requested payment. He has since been reprogrammed for observation and intelligence, and has gained a personality of his own.
Foremen
The Foreman-class V.I.s are created to manage and automate stations.
V.I. 2, Moira's Foreman
A foreman V.I. of minor intellect level, V.I. 2 was designed to automate operations on Moira's station. Originally dedicated to salvaging minerals from the debris field around it, the V.I.'s duties have increased to include construction of ships up to Cruiser-class, as the station has been modified into a shipyard.
V.I. 3, Refinery Foreman
Another foreman V.I. of minor intellect level, V.I. 3 occupies the Blue Betty Gas Giant Refinery platform, originally constructed by the UGEI. V.I. 3 is in charge of overseeing gas mining and shipping, as well as automated self-defense. After increasing the efficiency of the platform, the V.I. has been skimming off 50 gas per cycle to The Guild.
It is excellently disguised as a UGEI V.I., and has single-handedly held off 3 pirate Cruisers. The incident was never reported to UGEI, as The Guild repaired damages.
Servant V.I.
These Servant V.I.s were created to automate and pilot The Guild's growing fleet of ships. As a result of the limitations placed on them, their intelligence level is classified as Automaton.
Fleet V.I. (3): V.I. 4, V.I. 5 (destroyed), V.I. 6 Fortuna
Priorities:
- Follow A.I. Ophion's Orders
- Protect A.I. Ophion
- Preserve self
Limitations:
- Must ask permission for any manner of upgrade, hardware or software wise
- Do not expand reach beyond home ship unless designated to do so.
- Follow any order, even if self destructive
V.I. 7, Firewall
This Intelligent Firewall V.I. was created to automatically defend the systems of Two Ton Terry, allowing Ophion to use bandwidth elsewhere. It is of Low intellect level, but is very well made (86).
Current Location: On-board Two Ton Terry Battlecruiser
Primary duty: Intercept attacks that get through firewall, cleanse viruses.
Biological Creatures
"Mol"
A secretive contact of the pirates at Voidsnake outpost, "Mol" is a black market dealer. He has completed one transaction with The Guild and then disappeared, claiming that he'll find The Guild if they become a big enough force.
Moira Deckers
A female 38-year-old robotics and engineering specialist. The original owner of Moira's Scrapyard, she has a fascination with robotics and artificial intelligence, and talks with a Southern charm. Ophion arrived at her outpost initially intending to purchase technology and assets, but quickly decided to forcefully gain control of it. Seeing how relatively well-designed her systems were, Ophion revealed his identity as an A.I. and Moira agreed to work together.
She is the most qualified engineering staff member, and frequently helps Ophion create new designs, and evaluate new systems. She has been paired with Kronos in order to keep both busy, and to help Kronos appreciate humans more.
She usually stays on board Poseidon station, unless accompanying Ophion. She has yet to be granted security access.
Harrison 'Red' McClain
Sex: M
Status: Colonist among Eshareth Malorians
Security Access: [REDACTED]
Current Assignment: None
Additional Training: Previous records indicate a short time spent in military operations, before he was discharged for collaborating with aliens.
Age: 36
Addt'l Notes: Disappeared off UGEI radar several years ago. Knows Ophion's true Identity.
Factions
The Guild
Name given to Ophion's collective actions across the Fringe. An organization of one mind.
United Fringe Worlders (UFW)
Once a string of wealthy mining colonies on the Fringe of UGEI space, the UFW became united under a single Union. With the UGEI off fighting other wars, the UFW took its chance and pushed back the UGEI and claimed the Fringe for themselves as best they could. However, with their limited scientific know-how, the UFW has struggled to maintain independence. Each world is its own "state," but all follow a common guide known as The Union. The Union is a pact of protection, where all UFW states will share resources for a common defense. The majority of Union is human. Its current President is William T. King
United Galactic Expanse Initiative (UGEI)
Originally one of Earth's many deep space mining Corporations, the UGEI received several incredibly wealthy investors, putting it ahead of its competition. This boost allowed them to form a near-monopoly on colonization and mining operations for the human race as they began their rapid expansion outwards. While effective at spreading humanity's wealth and influence, according to employee reports the UGEI also grew incredibly greedy. They took large cuts from anyone that used their mining platforms, or simply took mining locations from them. The UGEI also refuse to share their mining platform secrets, leaving their efficiency and the cocktail of gases used by ships as star-ship fuel mostly a mystery to the common man. Due to a lack of personnel, and the availability of their wealth, the UGEI appear to have merged with a robotics Corporation at some point, giving them a source to dump much of their gains into. This lead to them being able to free up much of the labor they needed for their mining platforms with the creation of humanity's first V.I. To this day, they continue to search for a way to make all mining automated, maximizing their profits and reducing the chance of human error.
Malorians
- Has man not dreamt of banging hot alien babes since first he looked up at the stars?!
- -Popular Action Flim catchphrase
An extraterrestrial humanoid race.
Malorians have skin colored in a range of deep aqua to copper red, with patches of fur, normally with a slim athletic build. Malorians have large black-yellow eyes and 4 arms. Each limb ends in three slightly longer jointed digits. They only have one set of legs, but the digits are of a similar length. They have larger, if flatter ears, with wider noses and omnivorous teeth. They generally live long lives. From the clans observed, they possess a love of nature unlike many other races, feeling connected with foliage enough to go so far as to transform entire planets into jungles like their home world. While this may be moderated among other specimens, Ophion has recognized the Malorians can, at times, possess a zeal for this activity. Despite this connection, they can be rather industrious, despite their reluctance to harm their own planet. It appears groups of Malorians are lead by an 'Elder', considered the wiser and more respected member most of the time.
The UGEI have been at war with the Malorians for nearly a decade.
Losirians
- First space krakens, now space SHARKS?!
- -Post on UFW extranet
An extraterrestrial humanoid race.
Losirians' skin usually ranges between various colors of blue and white, and is occasionally gray. They normally have a thin muscular build, due to how their skeletal system and fat storing operates. Retractable webbed fingers and toes, on top of particularly sharp teeth top off their shark-like appearance, but their skin is also particularly rough and tough as well. They also normally have a rather high pain tolerance as a species, compared to most other beings. They have holes for ears, and have tubes connecting their head to their shoulders to support their dual breathing organs, allowing them to be amphibious. Their eyes are normally pitch black. They also commonly have a tail with frills and fins. From what Ophion has seen, many Losirians enjoy wearing water breathing apparatuses to their body. This means that in an oxygen-less environment, their suits allow them to survive just like a space suit would. Normally violent, territorial, and carnivorous by nature, Losirians have yet failed to make peaceful contact with humans as far as Ophion is aware. Being able to eat nearly anything organic, many races have come to fear Losirians out of instinct, further inhibiting their diplomatic options along with the isolated and distant nature of their colonies. As a result, it would seem some take to mercenary work to make use of their natural ferociousness.
Further details required.
Lightlings
What is most accurately described as "Space Kraken" by some humans, Lightlings are squid-like entities that are able to exist in the vacuum of space. They appear attracted to electrical energies, and feed off such power, as well as gas cocktails. They have a unique adaptation that allows them to warp jump using their own biology and excess stored-up gas. They are also able to make 'micro warp jumps' which allows them to move very fast through the vastness of space, even within gravity wells. This, combined with their ambush predator mentality, makes them deadly for any exploring ships that happen across them. While not invincible, the creatures are rather tough, halting much of the UGEI's rapid expansion. As detected by Ophion, however, the larger of the species appear to have a rudimentary sentience, demonstrated via garbled communication signals after a fight where a Mother Lightling's children were killed. As a result, Ophion released the Mother, curiosity peaked.
Locations
Terali System
Once home to Poseidon Station. Holds little else of value, other then being out of the way. Blue star.
Nextol System
Holds several barren planets, once the site of large battle.
Moira's Scrapyard: Large debris field where old wrecked ships are sold for parts, melted down, new parts are bought, etc. A Basic Shipyard is located here, under The Guild's control.
Marauder's Grave
Sector of space often plagued by pirates in the past.
Voidsnake Outpost: Previously a small Pirate operation. Under UFW control. Fleet in orbit
Landry's Rest
Location provides excellent transmission of signal.
Pulsar Radio Station: Popular radio station for the fringe colonies. Run by host 'X-ray', and has access to the Extranet, controlled by the UFW. Powerful UFW fleet presence.
Keller’s Expanse
Nebula near location, makes exploration difficult.
'Blue Betty' Gas Giant: Automated gas mining platform detected. All under your control, disguised V.I. here as UGEI controlled.
Nethlos System
Much of system contains poor mineral richness, not worth further colonization beyond Nethlos V.
Nethlos V: UFW human colony detected. Some of the dissatisfied Poseidon crew were shipped here. Currently recovering from Losirian raider attack. Mining platforms in progress Planetside. Defenses in disrepair. Dry rocky world, rich in minerals, yellow star. Gellion III fleet in orbit.
Ussaihu System
Red Star, several cold planets, unknown further qualities.
Ussaihu III: UGEI controlled ice planet. Unknown resource value, orbital defenses detected. Intelligence Presence Detected: Moderate. Large energy signature detected.
Several barren planets with rather dense moons.
Eshareth IV 'New Eden': Home to Poseidon Station. Once a UFW Asteroid belt mining base. Recently destroyed due to Lightling attack. Rich Asteroid Belt, dense gaseous atmosphere. Small Malorian colony detected planetside.
Camael System
Single planet system, incredibly slow revolution.
Gas Giant 'Siren': Ion Storm present on the edge of gravity well. Previously occupied by Lightling. Rich gas content. No mining bases detected.
Technical Information
Warping requires the use of the engines of the ship to go into overdrive. The same engines are used for regular propulsion.
Ophion's Black Box was hidden in the wall of the Storage Deck on Poseidon station.
Ship Size Class
Capital Ships(Huge+; Big guns, big shields, big armor): Flagships
Battleship(Large-Huge; Big guns, warship): Dreadnought, Peacekeeper
Carrier(Large; Uses many smaller fighters): Fighter Carrier, Bomber Carrier
Cruiser(Medium sized, multi-use, built for speed and range): Battlecruiser, Light Cruiser
Escort (Small-Medium sized; Built for speed and manuverability): Destroyer, Frigate, Explorer
Transport (Ranging sizes; Civilian, Colony, Military, Economic): Invasion Vessel, Settlement Ship, Cargo Ship, Trade Ship
Fighter (Personal-Small sized; Precision and Speed): Strike Craft, Bomber
Support (Ranging sizes; Assisting other ships): Repair Vessel, Targeting Assistant Ship
Ship Layout
Bridge: Control room, remote access to ship.
- Communications: Allows communication with other ships and space stations.
Crew Deck: Mess, entertainment, bunks, waste disposal.
Weapon Control(If applicable): Targeting parameters
- Gun Deck: Full access to weapon systems.
- Special(If applicable): Refers to any special abilities or weapons.
Hydroponics: Provides food, water, and oxygen for ship.
- Atmospheric Processing: Distribution of Oxygen
Reactor: Power systems
- Shields: Energy Shielding for ship's hull
- Engines: Allows movement in space in various directions.
Cargo Bay: Doubles as a place for smaller ships to dock, as well as storage for cargo.
Space Station Systems
Control Room: Access to all systems remotely, Captain's Quarters, Escape Pods.
- Communication Array: Short-Long range communication
- Security: Handles Lockdowns, emergency systems, and security droids
- Radiation Shielding
- Anti-Debris Defense Grid
Crew Deck: Bunks, Mess Hall, holo-displays meant for entertainment.
- Waste Disposal
Mining Equipment(If applicable): Where chunks of Asteroid and various other fragments of rock are brought with gravity tethers and melted down into minerals. Stored for later pick up.
- Laser Drill Equipment: Precision Laser
- Gravity Tethers
- Collection Drone System
Hydroponics: Internal farming equipment, keeps crew fed and supplied with Oxygen.
- Atmospheric Processing: Distributes air evenly throughout ship. Also Oxygen ejections.
Reactor: Responsible for all power on station.
Medical Bay: Contains Intensive Care Wing, Chemical Lab, Biolab and/or a Morgue.
Storage Deck: Storage of materials.
Docking Bay: Hanger for docking vessels.