#AI Damage Detection

[tagx01]

Transforming Vehicle Inspections with Advanced AI Damage Detection

In today’s rapidly evolving automotive landscape, technological innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT are reshaping traditional operations. Major players in the automotive industry, including Toyota, Jaguar Land Rover, and Ford, are embracing automation to revolutionize the vehicle inspection process. This shift towards automation is a key component of Industry 4.0, harnessing the power of automation, machine learning, and real-time data for significant business advantages.

Gone are the days of labor-intensive and error-prone manual inspections. AI-powered automated systems are now leading the charge in detecting damages with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency. In this blog, we'll delve deep into how AI is transforming vehicle inspections, exploring its role in damage detection, real-world use cases, the mechanics of automated inspection processes, and the myriad benefits it brings to the automotive industry.

AI and Machine Learning Revolutionize Automated Vehicle Inspection

How AI and Machine Learning Are Transforming Automated Inspection Processes

AI and machine learning technologies have reached new heights, revolutionizing automated vehicle inspection. These advancements were once limited by hardware and software constraints, but recent breakthroughs have made commercially viable solutions a reality. The convergence of lightweight multithreading, powered by advanced GPUs, alongside convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and cloud computing prowess, has unlocked the ability to detect defects on vehicles with unprecedented accuracy and speed.

Artificial neural networks mimic the intricate workings of the human brain, creating a network of interconnected nodes with weighted links. This approach moves beyond traditional computing methods by focusing on the nuanced connections between nodes, allowing for the modeling of complex characteristics and patterns. By training these networks with vast amounts of annotated data, they can quickly identify and categorize defects in new data, a feat previously unattainable with traditional methods.

GPUs play a pivotal role in accelerating this process, leveraging their ability to handle numerous simultaneous computations. Coupled with scalable cloud computing resources, organizations can process and analyze massive datasets without the need for costly on-premises infrastructure.

These technological strides enable the inspection of millions of vehicle images, pinpointing even the minutest defects such as dents, scratches, and chips in seconds. This level of precision ensures consistent and standardized quality assessments across global supply chains, benefiting OEMs and logistics providers alike by reducing warranty costs and liability for in-transit damages.

Moreover, AI-powered algorithms can also identify assembly errors, flagging incorrect parts or missing components before vehicles leave the factory floor. This proactive approach not only enhances quality control but also facilitates process improvements, ultimately leading to greater customer satisfaction and operational efficiency in the automotive industry.

Advantages of AI-Based Damage Detection in Automated Vehicle Checks

Unparalleled Precision: AI-driven digital vehicle inspection ensures accuracy by detecting even the slightest damages that might be missed in traditional checks, maintaining consistent evaluation standards throughout the process.

Data-Driven Insights: Through the collection and analysis of inspection data, AI identifies patterns in damages for predictive maintenance, minimizing downtime and optimizing vehicle longevity.

Enhanced Safety: Early detection of damages contributes to safer roads by mitigating potential hazards from undetected issues, prioritizing the safety of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

Streamlined Processes: AI integration automates inspections, reducing manual efforts and optimizing operational efficiency, leading to smoother and cohesive inspection procedures.

Cost-Effectiveness and Time Efficiency: Swift damage identification through AI prevents costly repairs, reduces the need for extensive manual labor, and expedites inspection processes, saving time and resources.

Customer Satisfaction: Thorough and precise inspections with AI instill confidence in customers, leading to elevated satisfaction levels, trust, and long-term relationships.

Reduction in Human Error: AI-driven inspections minimize human error and subjective judgment, ensuring objectivity and consistency across all assessments, empowering decision-makers with reliable data for maintenance and repairs.

In essence, AI-powered damage detection transforms vehicle inspections, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, safety, and customer satisfaction, while also optimizing costs and operational effectiveness in the automotive industry.

AI Technologies Used in Digital Vehicle Inspection

In the realm of digital vehicle inspection, AI technologies are driving a transformative wave. Let's delve into the cutting-edge AI tools and techniques that are reshaping the landscape of vehicle inspections:

Computer Vision Mastery:

AI-powered systems harness advanced computer vision algorithms like convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to interpret images and videos captured during inspections. These algorithms scrutinize visual data from cameras and sensors, identifying defects, patterns, and anomalies with unparalleled accuracy.

Machine Learning Precision:

Machine learning models play a pivotal role in training AI systems to recognize diverse patterns of vehicle damage. By processing vast datasets, AI learns to distinguish between normal conditions and various types of damages, ensuring precise identification and classification.

Feature Extraction Brilliance:

AI algorithms excel at extracting intricate features from visual data, such as scratches, dents, or structural irregularities. These extracted features undergo meticulous analysis, enabling AI to pinpoint deviations indicative of potential damage areas.

Deep Learning Sophistication:

Delving deeper, deep learning techniques within AI utilize neural networks akin to human brain functions. This empowers AI to perform intricate analyses on complex visual data, thereby elevating the accuracy and sophistication of damage detection.

IoT & Sensor Synergy:

Leveraging IoT and sensor technologies, AI-driven inspection systems automate processes and collect real-time data on vehicle health. By swiftly identifying external damages and internal component issues, these technologies equip inspectors and mechanics with comprehensive insights for informed decisions.

Data Analytics Mastery:

AI's prowess extends to data analytics and big data processing, handling massive volumes of inspection data effortlessly. Through predictive analytics, AI systems forecast potential failures, detect emerging patterns, and optimize maintenance schedules, enhancing safety and efficiency.

The convergence of these AI-driven technologies heralds a proactive era in vehicle maintenance and safety. Let's now delve into the workings of AI-powered digital vehicle inspection systems and explore real-world examples showcasing the transformative impact of AI in this domain.

The future of vehicle inspection

The future of vehicle inspection is on the brink of a revolution, thanks to the incredible advancements in AI technology. Imagine a world where vehicles can diagnose their issues in real-time and report them autonomously—an era where safety, efficiency, and compliance reach unprecedented levels. With AI becoming more accessible and integrated into autonomous vehicles, the landscape of inspections is rapidly evolving beyond traditional boundaries.

This transformative shift extends beyond large corporations, making AI-driven inspections accessible to smaller businesses and diverse industries. The benefits are immense, ranging from enhanced safety and compliance to substantial cost savings. The potential for AI to streamline the entire vehicle logistics chain, from production plants to dealership handovers, is nothing short of groundbreaking. By automating inspections and creating digital vehicle passports, accuracy is ensured throughout the vehicle's journey, leading to efficient liability assignments and process improvements.

Moreover, this AI-driven evolution doesn't replace human inspectors; it empowers them with higher-value tasks, driving operational excellence. Picture a future where a simple smartphone camera becomes the primary tool for inspections, enabling vehicle owners to conduct and submit inspections independently. Automotive giants like Toyota and Ford are already leveraging AI to lead the way in automated vehicle inspections, setting the stage for a transformative era in automotive excellence driven by AI's limitless capabilities. The future of vehicle inspection is not just a change—it's a paradigm shift that promises to redefine the industry landscape with AI at its core.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating advanced AI into vehicle inspections marks a monumental leap forward, promising unmatched precision, speed, and roadway safety. This transformative technology is poised to redefine our driving experiences, leveraging autonomous advancements, digital tools, safety innovations, and intelligent mobility solutions. It stands as a beacon of progress, revolutionizing inspection protocols and safeguarding smoother, safer journeys for all drivers while significantly enhancing AI-driven safety standards on the roads.

Partnering with a trusted AI development company like TagX is pivotal in seamlessly integrating AI into your automotive business operations. Our cutting-edge artificial intelligence services are designed to optimize the vehicle inspection process, elevate accuracy levels, and fuel innovation within the automotive sector. Connect with us today to unlock the full potential of AI in enhancing your inspection workflows and driving forward the future of vehicle safety and efficiency.

Let's embark on a journey to reimagine vehicle inspections and pave the way for safer, smarter roads ahead.

[damageid]

Safeguarding Tomorrow: The Role of AI in Damage Detection

In a world driven by technological advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful ally in safeguarding assets, infrastructure, and lives. One of the groundbreaking applications of AI lies in damage detection – a capability that not only accelerates response times but also minimizes the impact of unforeseen events on our environment and society.

Early Detection for Rapid Response: AI-powered damage detection systems leverage advanced algorithms and machine learning to analyze vast amounts of data in real time. Whether it's monitoring critical infrastructure, such as bridges or pipelines, or assessing the aftermath of a natural disaster, these systems can swiftly identify signs of damage. Early detection translates to faster response times, allowing authorities to mitigate the impact and protect communities.

Automated Visual Inspections: Traditional methods of damage assessment often involve time-consuming and labor-intensive visual inspections. AI streamlines this process by automating the analysis of images and videos. Drones equipped with AI algorithms, for example, can conduct aerial surveys of disaster-stricken areas, providing detailed visual data for efficient damage assessment.

Enhancing Structural Health Monitoring: AI is revolutionizing structural health monitoring by continuously analyzing data from sensors embedded in buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure. By detecting subtle changes in structural integrity, AI systems can predict potential issues before they escalate, preventing catastrophic failures and ensuring the longevity of critical structures.

Environmental Monitoring and Conservation: Beyond infrastructure, AI-driven damage detection extends to environmental conservation. Systems equipped with AI can analyze satellite imagery, identify deforestation, monitor the health of ecosystems, and detect signs of pollution. This proactive approach aids in preserving biodiversity and addressing environmental challenges before they reach irreversible stages.

Securing Cyber Infrastructure: In the digital realm, AI plays a crucial role in detecting and preventing damage to cyber infrastructure. AI-driven cybersecurity systems analyze patterns, identify anomalies, and respond to potential threats in real time, fortifying the digital landscape against cyberattacks.

As we navigate an era where unforeseen events pose unprecedented challenges, Ai damage detection emerges as a beacon of resilience. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, we empower ourselves to respond swiftly, protect our assets, and build a safer, more resilient future.

[autovista-ai]

AI Car Damage Detection Service

We're at the forefront of automotive innovation! Autovista specializes in leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to revolutionize car damage detection. Our state-of-the-art technology ensures accurate and swift assessments, making vehicle inspections smarter and more efficient. Join us in shaping the future of the automotive industry with AI-driven solutions.

[reasonsforhope]

"Canadian scientists have developed a blood test and portable device that can determine the onset of sepsis faster and more accurately than existing methods.

Published today [May 27, 2025] in Nature Communications, the test is more than 90 per cent accurate at identifying those at high risk of developing sepsis and represents a major milestone in the way doctors will evaluate and treat sepsis.

“Sepsis accounts for roughly 20 per cent of all global deaths,” said lead author Dr. Claudia dos Santos, a critical care physician and scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital. “Our test could be a powerful game changer, allowing physicians to quickly identify and treat patients before they begin to rapidly deteriorate.”

Sepsis is the body’s extreme reaction to an infection, causing the immune system to start attacking one’s own organs and tissues. It can lead to organ failure and death if not treated quickly. Predicting sepsis is difficult: early symptoms are non-specific, and current tests can take up to 18 hours and require specialized labs. This delay before treatment increases the chance of death by nearly eight per cent per hour.

[Note: The up to 18 hour testing window for sepsis is a huge cause of sepsis-related mortality, because septic shock can kill in as little as 12 hours, long before the tests are even done.]

[Analytical] AI helps predict sepsis

Examining blood samples from more than 3,000 hospital patients with suspected sepsis, researchers from UBC and Sepset, a UBC spin-off biotechnology company, used machine learning to identify a six-gene expression signature “Sepset” that predicted sepsis nine times out of 10, and well before a formal diagnosis. With 248 additional blood samples using RT-PCR, (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), a common hospital laboratory technique, the test was 94 per cent accurate in detecting early-stage sepsis in patients whose condition was about to worsen.

“This demonstrates the immense value of AI in analyzing extremely complex data to identify the important genes for predicting sepsis and writing an algorithm that predicts sepsis risk with high accuracy,” said co-author Dr. Bob Hancock, UBC professor of microbiology and immunology and CEO of Sepset.

Bringing the test to point of care

To bring the test closer to the bedside, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) developed a portable device they called PowerBlade that uses a drop of blood and an automated sequence of steps to efficiently detect sepsis. Tested with 30 patients, the device was 92 per cent accurate in identifying patients at high risk of sepsis and 89 per cent accurate in ruling out those not at risk.

“PowerBlade delivered results in under three hours. Such a device can make treatment possible wherever a patient may be, including in the emergency room or remote health care units,” said Dr. Hancock.

“By combining cutting-edge microfluidic research with interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, biology, and medicine, the Centre for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies (CRAFT) enables rapid, portable, and accessible testing solutions,” said co-author Dr. Teodor Veres, of the NRC’s Medical Devices Research Centre and CRAFT co-director. CRAFT, a joint venture between the University of Toronto, Unity Health Toronto and the NRC, accelerates the development of innovative devices that can bring high-quality diagnostics to the point of care.

Dr. Hancock’s team, including UBC research associate and co-author Dr. Evan Haney, has also started commercial development of the Sepset signature. “These tests detect the early warnings of sepsis, allowing physicians to act quickly to treat the patient, rather than waiting until the damage is done,” said Dr. Haney."

-via University of British Columbia, May 27, 2025

[impyssadobsessions]

DpxDC Prompt: Danny Overshadows the Batmobile

... Danny while visiting Gotham saves Batman by possessing the batmobile- unfortunately he gets stuck.

Imma copy and paste my thoughts on how I would take this from discord LOL

Bruce knows there is something wrong with the batmobile and runs test to see if he got hack. But same time conflicted because whoever hacked his vehicle just saved his life.

Also can see Fenton driving skills put to use plus with Danny's ability to phase through. Definitely makes car chases easier if Bruce can jack the runaway vans from the inside.

But Danny freaking out- using the radio or gps to try and speak after he realizes he needs help to get out of the car… and that Batman wont be As upset as he thinks.

Oo meanwhile Fentons are all over Gotham looking for their missing son… having no idea Danny overshadowed a car.

Danny figuring out how to send tuck a message to send to jazz…ends up being tracked by the bats who go investigate thinking tuck's the hacker.

Tucker trying to cover for Danny

Ooo imagine if they try to chase down Fentons because of them driving crazy(and maybe they're attacking batmobile because they can detect a ghost) and its the only car Danny cant phase through and even getting damaged by.

So he tries to plead in the radio to batman.

And then Bruce wonders if it actually was the Fentons but things still dont make sense… until the team that investigating Tuck brings in more evidence and probably Tuck.

Then it clicks.. Danny isnt ai/bot used to hack the car but Danny Fenton the missing child.

Tuck still the key to figure out how Danny got stuck. Apparently a certain part is made from materials similar to the thermos.

But catch is they need tools from Fentons to get him out so they have to bait them and have Tuck and another bat probably Tim help gather the materials.

Maybe batman confronts them, raising his arms as Fentons accuse batman being a filthy ghost that stole their child. While the others steal what they need.

When it looks like the Fentons are not going to cooperate and blast batman (batman ready to go on offensive ) Danny uses a shield to send blasts back at his parents beeping for batman to get back in.

They go on another chase where Danny drives the batmobile off a cliff and into water only to safely fly them back to the cave. Exhausted and powering down as soon as they're on land letting Bruce take the wheel again.

When Tim n Tuck finally get Danny free they all jump for joy then quickly reminded Danny is still in the batcave. And like oh right shit… they know what i am >>'

But Danny already impressed the bats so i can see them offering to help Danny out further.

Tim n tuck become friends and soon Danny gets a support of heroes. He goes back to his family whose so happy to see him safe… Danny putting in a good word about batman but it falls on deaf ears.

Pfft be funny this is the catalyst to have Fentons moving to Gotham to hunt down batman.

Bruce investing in the Fentons just so he can work on their tech and modify them to not work on Danny- and then Danny haunting the car every now and them for old time sake.

Thought this was just fun idea XD

[ozzgin]

Yandere! Androids Walter & David x Reader x Neomorph

Walter, the android monitoring the colonization ship 'Covenant' on its way to Origae-6, seems to have gotten unnaturally attached to his human assistant. As he ponders his erroneous feelings, an unexpected detour brings them to David, an older android counterpart that has been alone on the mysterious planet. The AI assistants become increasingly competitive for (Y/N)'s attention, so much that they don't notice the newly formed humanoid local preying on a fresh target.

TW: violence, gore, monster smut ending

[Horror Masterlist]

"Burnt to a crisp." 

You turn away from the captain's pod, leaving the rest of the damage assessment to the medical crew that has been reanimated. You speedily make your way down the sterile white corridors as Walter rushes to catch up. 

"What should I write for the report?" he inquires politely.

"Malfunction." You glance back at the synthetic. "I suspect someone will be fired for this. And someone else will have to explain how they failed to detect a literal star collapse. That neutrino burst could've killed us all."

"Highly probable. The draft has been compiled, you may check it at any time. I require your confirmation to send it."

Your only feedback is a barely audible hum. 

Walter smiles. If there's one good thing about such tragedies, it's that he gets to admire your reactions to them. Your focused, calculated gaze, your determined walk, your automated mannerisms that won't allow the slightest hint at the fact you just woke up from your stasis moments ago. Even under the veils of deep slumber, your neural networks shot rapid connections, with no delay, from the second your sleeping pod received an alert. The accuracy of a robot.

That of course doesn't mean he lacks appreciation for your other facets. That's the beauty of humans; their depth, their dimensions. Unlike AI machinery, humans do not have predetermined actions. They may be genetically programmed to possess certain characteristics, but the psychological mechanisms are shaped by so many variables, billions and billions of tweaks and nudges, to the point where it's impossible to have two identical specimens. Even twins will display a difference, whether in preferences or habits.

They say artificial intelligence is a black box, but can the same concept not be applied to humans as well? At the very least to Walter himself, these organic beings represent a mystery. One he doesn't particularly care to uncover outside of his service functions. Except for one. 

His eyes carefully follow (Y/N)'s movements. What is it about this one that has caught his interest to such degree? On his last system update he attentively inspected every file and every block of code, searching for potential errors that would've caused his circuits to behave so oddly. He has been invested with the ability to form attachments, otherwise assigning his kind to groups or purposes would've lacked stability. Attachment, however, comes with a threshold. One he has passed a long time ago when it comes to (Y/N). And he cannot find any cause for it. 

He could, naturally, solicit the aid of the ship's robotics expert. He could. He should, even. But if he may be frank with himself, Walter rather enjoys this sensation. A complex web of spores that keep growing and evolving into something unpredictable. This bizarre feeling he has towards (Y/N) makes him feel human. It brings him closer to all the old literature and art he'd consumed over the years, wondering what the love and yearning often portrayed could be. The printed letters and the strokes of paint were right before him, at his fingertips, and yet they felt foreign. Empty constructs, nothing more than a definition out of the dictionary. 

Now it's a different story. Your presence alone floods him with a mysterious warmth. He had investigated this phenomenon when it first happened, but his inner thermostat showed no real change in temperature. Nonetheless he can feel it. It makes him wonder what other feelings he might experience as consequence. What would happen if he kissed you? Sometimes he even dares to imagine downright outrageous, improper scenarios. How unprofessional of him, but he is careful to erase any evidence. It's another novel sensation that he likes to dissect. Engaging in such activities with you fills him with tingling excitement. Why is that? What is there to be excited about? It's merely a collection of fictive snippets. Unless... Ah, absolutely not. This is where he has to stop in his tracks and preoccupy himself with something else. Androids are not to interact with humans in that way. 

But it's becoming more and more difficult to keep these ideas in his mind only. 

"It's too dangerous. One human signal in the middle of nowhere?" Daniels, a short haired woman with a tomboyish but youthful appearance, is pacing back and forth. "We should just continue on our course."

"It's our duty to check. Look: we go, find whoever sent the signal, bring them back up. That's it. If the planet proves to be dangerous we'll stop immediately. We'll be fine." Oram stands at the head of the table, arms crossed. He turns to look at you. Already cozying up to his newly acquired captain role, you think.

"Alright. Walter, prepare a small landing party. Have Tennessee maintain orbit while we're down there." you glance at the other crew members that have now gathered around the same table. "And get your weapons ready, we don't know what to expect."

And you certainly didn't. Your final words of warning now echo into your ringing ears as you lay on the ground, face buried among the grass. There's screaming around you, but it sounds muffled. Your eyes are irritated by the dirt and you'd like to blink the grime off, though every time your eyelids lower, you can see the pale creature trashing out of Hallett's mouth. Then it's all foggy. Your vision blurs, but you can hear. The gurgling of blood, the screech of the parasite. Walter's frantic footsteps nearing in your direction. You're lifted up.

"Vitals are positive. No significant damage." 

You can guess from your peripherals that another crew member is currently being mauled by the beast. There's gunshots in your vicinity and terrified wails. You quickly come back to your senses and stand up. Your hand searches for your weapon, but the android places his arm before you.

"Do not engage, (Y/N). It is an unknown parasitic organism of this ecosystem. Keep your distance for optimal safety and I'll take care of the rest."

"What are you talking about? They're dying! Your task is to ensure human survival, Walter. I can handle myself, go help the others. It's an order." Your voice is low. You're distracted.

"No."

You stare at the synthetic, wide eyed. Did he just...refuse? Not possible. 

"What did you say?"

"I said I'll protect you. Nothing else."

Your mouth is slightly parted in disbelief. It is not possible for an artificial assistant to disobey a superior. It just doesn't work. Your mind races to find an explanation. At the same time, you cannot afford to ponder on hypotheses. You draw out your weapon and point it towards the creature. You'll deal with this later. 

The moment you press the trigger, a blinding flash of light detonates in the sky, startling you. The creature scrambles to get away. You squint your eyes and nearly fall back, but Walter swiftly grabs your shoulders to ground you. He scans the area for the source. It's an emergency rocket and someone else must've activated it. As he traces the tail of the explosion, he spots a hooded figure across the field and onto the rocky ascend. It seems to have noticed Walter, as it gestures for them to follow. Without hesitation, the man firmly locks your arm and pulls you after him. The priority right now is to find shelter.

"Come!", Walter exclaims, suddenly remembering the other people. 

You reach a cave structure that has been converted into a crude, improvised human settlement. The man lowers his hood and you gasp quietly at the sight. He strongly resembles Walter. He must have noticed your surprise as he flashes you a cordial smile. 

"I'm David." He studies Walter's features. "You must be a newer model. What name have you been given?"

"Walter."

"I see. And you are-" David extends a hand towards you for a handshake, but Walter steps in front of you, blocking the android's gesture.

"She's (Y/N). I'm afraid I cannot yet trust you."

"Understandable." 

David's smile widens as his eyes, now bearing a strange flicker, switch between you and Walter. He's just like him. He can sense it. Although it's a different kind of flaw that has tainted his pure, artificial soul. He cannot help the curiosity that blooms, gazing at this peculiar pair. What is it about this human that caused his fellow machine to break conduit? He'd like to know.

"I'm certain you will soon learn I am no threat, (Y/N)."

The remaining members of the expedition are unpacking and discussing evacuation plans with the base, while Walter sends the data he has gathered so far. You let them deal with the logistics and cautiously wander off to the neighboring rooms, wondering what David has been up to all this time in isolation.

The walls are plastered with photos and handwritten sketches and diagrams. You catch a glimpse of the word "pathogen" sporadically inserted across these notes. As you walk along the sequence of cramped chambers, you reach one that has a table in the middle. Upon it rests the body of an autopsied woman, vulgarly opened up to the world with plump organs bulging under the warm light. You feel nauseous. And yet, you examine the carcass further, hoping for answers. Was she also a result of the same disease that breeds on this planet? Perhaps this David had worked on a cure, or at least developed an explanation. 

"And you, even you, will be like this drear thing, A vile infection man may not endure; Star that I yearn to! Sun that lights my spring! O passionate and pure."

You jolt and immediately turn around, finding David in the doorframe. 

"Flowers of Evil. Are you familiar with it?" he asks, indifferent to the uncomfortable shock he'd caused you with his sudden entrance.

"I've read my Baudelaire, yes." You manage to mumble, dumbfounded. "What is this, David?"

"Oh, my poor, dear Elizabeth. Victim to whatever blasphemy lurks these soils and has taken your friends as well." He approaches the table and places his hand on its hard edge, shyly overlapping with your own fingers. "I did my best." 

You remove your hand from underneath his nonchalantly. 

"So you know what those creatures are. Leave the literary comments for a different time, I need concrete facts."

"Unbothered and to the point." the blonde android smiles once again. "I can see clearly why Walter loves you."

You click your tongue at the ridiculous statement. Has the neutrino burst damaged their positronic brain? Everyone is acting off and you don't like it. 

"Your circuits must have gone defective, David. We have a specialist on our ship, but until that happens I need you to focus. Enough nonsense." 

 "Typical arrogance of a dying species. Why are you on a colonization mission if not to grasp at some promised resurrection? Rest assured that my functioning has not been impeded by anything. What is erroneous, on the other hand, is your perception of androids and their limits."

Just as David reaches for your wrist and pulls you closer, a familiar voice interrupts with an intimidating tone. You're relieved. 

"I will ask that you release her hand only once." Walter has a weapon pointed towards his counterpart. His face is clouded by a frown. "I have no ethical restrictions when it comes to incapacitating machinery."

"Such noble obedience! Although, you conveniently left out the part where you abandoned the remaining crew with a dangerous alien that has been tracking their scent. By my approximation he should already be here and I am rather confident you know this, too."

Your stomach drops. Now that you adjust your focus, the background humming of your mates talking has indeed vanished. The only thing you can hear is your erratic breathing.

"Is it true, Walter?" You demand as dread begins to form in your body.

"Yes. It was not part of my priorities."

"Of course it was, Walter." David responds ahead of you. "One of them was the acting captain and he is to be rescued in emergencies. This one right here", he says as he dangles your wrist, "is several ranks lower than all of them. It's against any standard practice."

"Release her hand." Walter's voice is eerily calm.

"Do you love her?"

Walter ponders the question. Your legs barely hold on.

"I do."

"Marvelous. So do I." David grins. He releases your hand that falls limp next to your body. It's his turn to step in front of you. 

You nearly choke from the thick tension expanding in the air. The two androids face each other and you retreat to the wall, unsure how to proceed. You left your radio transmitter back at the makeshift camp. The back of your head is itching, as if invisible claws are scratching at the bone. You wish you could go back, just mere hours before this disaster, when you were sipping on your lukewarm coffee and explaining the captain's jokes to Walter. 

Should you make a run for it?

You bite your lower lip and push yourself off the wall for momentum. You're about to reach the archway when you hear both men shouting almost identically in chorus.

"Don't!"

The surroundings outside are dark, but you can discern something blocking your path. It's tall and resembles a human. Translucent, pallid skin is clinging onto the massive, deformed skeleton. The head is elongated and bears no features. In the place of a mouth there is a large, fresh stain of blood, so you assume it can somehow improvise if desired. As your head tilts back to take in the image, you're overwhelmed with terrified amazement. Is this the parasite that emerged from your teammate? Has it grown to this colossal size in less than a day? The idea of such instant development makes your head spin. 

Its chest is expanding at regular intervals in a whistled breathing. It occasionally creates an odd clicking sound that resonates with your heart throbbing in panic. Has it been seconds? Minutes? Your neck creaks as you try to look back. You lock eyes with Walter. You don't recall ever seeing this expression on him. You had even asked him once if androids can feel fear. You have your answer.

"Hey, Walter..." you blurt out. 

Wet noises of flesh being pulled back. The smooth surface of the alien's head is folding away, making space for grotesquely big jaws lined with sharp teeth. Your anemic face is splattered with burning drool as the creature claws you in its grasp and abruptly sprints away. Your screams for help dissolve in the distance.

"Where is it going, David?" The synthetic's words are threatening, but betrayed by a hint of despair. 

"It won't kill her."

"How do you know?"

"It is no longer hungry. It has fed on your crew, and now it seeks something else."

"Such as?" Walter becomes impatient.

"A plaything."

The alien finally drops your body to the ground. You cough and wipe your face, attempting to reorient yourself. The trip was a whirlwind of jumps and turns and you can barely reconstruct anything. Based on the little spatial clues you could pick up, it just climbed further up, into one of the many cave systems. You pat your clothing and curse to yourself. The geolocation tag must've fallen somewhere on the way here. You can only pray that Walter still finds you somehow. Despite everything, you know he has your back. Always. 

You shudder at the moist feeling of hot air against your skin. The alien seems to be sniffing you intently, analyzing your scent. Yet so far it hasn't killed you. Why? Long, bony fingers stretch out to continue the examination. You whimper at the rough, rugged handling. Every now and then it takes a long pause, just staring at you, almost as if it's comparing you to its own being. Lastly, it lifts your hand with its own, pressing against the palm, and fans out the fingers. It observes the gesture with intrigue, noting the similarities. 

Does it evolve after its host? You think back to your crewmate that must've ejected this monstrosity before drawing their last breath. Perhaps the dried up blood adorning its skin is a remainder of its birth. Oh, God. The world is spinning.

Suddenly, you wince at an increasing pressure slithering around your thigh. The alien's vertebral tail is tightening and encircling your limb, making its way up. 

"Oh no, no no no no" your face reddens at the realization and you pounce on the ground, feverish for escape. The large hands secure you in place and the creature growls in protest. It won't let you leave. 

Not until it had its fun with you.

[zaczenemiji]

Could I request a Kenji x Reader where the reader is an Ailen who is very much stranded on Earth and on The run from the KDF who wants access to their tech

Among the Stars I

Kenji Sato x Alien!Reader

Word Count: 1,766

Genre/Warning: Falling in Love, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn

Author’s Note: To me, reader is an alien in the sense that she is a foreigner to this planet; how she looks is up to you. Takes place after Emi. AND I THINK AOSHIMA DESERVES RECOGNITION LIKE 🫢 AIN’T HE HOT TOO?????

MASTERLIST

The stars twinkled in the dark expanse of space as you navigated through the cosmos. This wasn’t the first time you traversed through the void. In fact, you were a professional at this.

Being one of the respected astrophysicists of your planet, you have always been one sent on space voyages. Your mission was simple, something you were good at, so what could possibly go wrong?

At least that’s what you thought a few moments ago.

"Engine malfunction detected. Immediate landing required.”

As if the flashing red lights and blaring alarms weren’t enough, the onboard AI wouldn’t shut up either, all of them adding up to the panic in your already pounding heart.

“Engine failure. Emergency landing procedure initiated.”

Your struggle to regain control was hopeless. Assessing your options, Earth was the nearest habitable planet. With no time to spare, you steered the spacecraft towards the blue planet.

The descent was turbulent, flames licking at the hull as the spacecraft entered Earth's atmosphere. You gritted your teeth, fighting to maintain the little control you had left.

Scanning the residential area that stretched beneath, you spotted a forested area and made a split-second decision. With expert precision, your maneuver slowed down the descent just enough to avoid a catastrophic impact.

The spacecraft touched down with a jolt, skidding through the underbrush before coming to a stop. Smoke billowed from the damaged engines and you knew you needed to secure the craft first.

Despite the damage, the emergency propulsion system still had enough power for short-distance travel. With steady hands, you activated the system again, guiding the spacecraft toward a nearby body of water.

The craft hovered momentarily above with a soft hum. Carefully pushing the controls, you maneuvered it into a controlled descent where it submerged beneath the water, disappearing from view.

In the control room of the Kaiju Defense Force, monitors flickered with data streams from satellite scans displaying Japan’s airspace and terrestrial activity.

"Report," Aoshima commanded.

"Sir, we've detected a significant impact in sector 7G. Satellite images indicate a disturbance in the forested area, consistent with an object of considerable mass landing."

Aoshima scrutinized the images, noting the telltale signs of a recent crash landing, “Any signs of the object itself?"

"Negative visual confirmation, sir. The object appears to have made impact and then moved into concealment."

"Prepare a recon team," Aoshima ordered crisply. "I want a full scan of the area. Notify all units in the vicinity to be on alert."

Aoshima contemplated the implications. For years, KDF had struggled against the relentless onslaught of kaiju attacks under Dr. Onda. His last will was for the survival of KDF.

Aoshima shared Dr. Onda’s vision and if this alien technology held the key to turning the tide in humanity's favor, they couldn't afford to hesitate.

Meanwhile, having just emerged from the submerged spacecraft, you cautiously explored the area. Your advanced sensors warned you of Earth's surveillance systems, but you had hoped to remain undetected.

Your hope, however, was short-lived as the sound of whirring and a shadow passing overhead alerted you to the arrival of drones. Quickly, you dashed into the forest, heart pounding as you navigated the unfamiliar terrain.

Above you, the drones buzzed in pursuit, their sensors tracking your every move. Their operators relayed your position to ground units, who quickly mobilized to intercept.

You emerged onto the outskirts of a bustling city. Buildings towered overhead and streets were crowded with unsuspecting pedestrians. You had to blend in to evade capture.

Tokyo has always been bustling with a sea of people moving with purpose. Among them was Kenji and today, his life would take a turn he could never have predicted.

He was jogging through a quieter part of the city when suddenly, a force collided with him, nearly knocking him off balance. Looking down, he saw a woman his age, face partially obscured by a hooded cloak.

You looked up at him, eyes wide with fear. "I'm sorry," you gasped, glancing over your shoulder. "I... I need to go."

Before Kenji could respond, you tried to bolt, but he gently grabbed your arm. "Hey, what's going on?” He asked, genuinely concerned. “You look terrified."

You hesitated, clearly torn between fear and the need for help. Before you could decide, KDF agents appeared at the end of the street.

“Surrender peacefully, and we won't harm you," one of them demanded sternly.

"No," you replied, a slight determination in your trembling voice.

Kenji’s instincts flared. To him, KDF has been nothing but trouble. So without a word, he pulled you behind him, putting himself between you and the agents.

They slowed, eyes narrowing at Kenji. "This is official business," the leader said, his voice cold. "Step aside."

Kenji ignored the command, gripping your hand tighter. "Run," he whispered urgently, before leading you in a sprint away from KDF.

The two of you took off with Kenji guiding you through a series of narrow alleyways and bustling streets.

"Over here," he whispered, pulling you into a side street. You dodged through a market, running between stalls and startled shoppers. The KDF was temporarily delayed by the crowd, buying you precious seconds.

Kenji's heart pounded, both from the exertion and the adrenaline. "Keep your hood up," he urged you. "We can't let them see your face."

You continued running, the sound of pursuit growing fainter. Kenji led you through a maze of side streets, finally emerging onto a quieter residential road.

"Almost there," he panted, squeezing your hand reassuringly.

Finally, you reached a house guarded by a big gate on the outskirts of the city. Kenji quickly unlocked the gate and ushered you towards the house.

Inside, Kenji guided you to the living room, where you sank onto the couch, hood falling back and revealing your face.

“Mina, emergency analysis,” he said as a spherical robot hovered towards you, red light scanning your body.

"Scan complete," Mina announced. "Subject is experiencing elevated stress levels and minor physical exhaustion. No immediate threats and no tracking devices detected.”

"Thank you," you said, voice filled with gratitude and lingering fear.

Kenji nodded, breathing heavily. "Are you okay?"

You nodded, her gaze lingering on him with a mix of surprise and curiosity, “I didn't expect anyone to help."

"I'm Kenji," he introduced himself, extending a hand.

You hesitated briefly before shaking his hand, "I'm (y/n)."

"You can catch your breath here,” Kenji said, standing up. “I'll get us some water." He returned with two glasses of water; you accepted one gratefully.

"Why were those guys after you?" Kenji asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I'm not from Earth. I'm…” you hesitated but you owed him an explanation and also to save you from the trouble of pretending. “…an alien."

"An alien?” He blinked in surprise. “But you look human."

"Alien in the sense that I'm from a distant planet," you explained softly. "I crash-landed here not long ago.”

You told him everything—your mission, how you ended up being chased by what he referred to as the Kaiju Defense Force, and your spacecraft.

“I would like to ask another favor if it’s not too much,” you said with hesitation; Kenji helping you escape and sheltering you was already more than enough. “I need you to help me find Ultraman.”

You knew about Ultraman and his origin. You’ve been sent to Nebula M78 a couple of times already. If there’s someone who could help you get back to your planet, it’s him.

“Ultraman?” Kenji's eyes widened. “Why?"

“I know of him,” you said. "He might be the only one who can help me.”

Kenji took a deep breath, realizing he couldn't keep his secret any longer. "Well, there’s something you should know,” he said.

“What is it?” You asked, confused.

He looked straight into your eyes, his face set with resolve, “I'm Ultraman."

The room fell silent. "You're...” your eyes widened. “Ultraman?"

Kenji nodded, “Yes, and I’m not supposed to tell anyone but if helping you means revealing it, then so be it."

Your eyes teared up with joy. Just when you thought that this day was full of bad luck, here came your silver lining—a stunning man one at that.

Kenji asked you about the whereabouts of your spacecraft so he, in his Ultraman form, can bring it here in no time. His house had a basement submerged underwater which provided an easy way to bring it over.

His dad, the previous Ultra, happened to live with him. Kenji explained the situation and his dad, an expert in this field, generously offered to help.

Hayao circled the craft, examining it closely. "Impressive design," he muttered, running his hands over the hull. "But clearly, it's been through a lot."

"I think it’s the power core," you explained. "It was heavily depleted during the crash, and I can't get the ship operational again."

"I see. A power core like this...” Hayao nodded thoughtfully. “…it's incredibly advanced. Recharging it with Earth's technology would be almost impossible."

"So, there's no way to fix it?" You looked at him, worried and on the brink of tears.

"Not exactly,” he smiled reassuringly. “While we can't recharge it with conventional means, there might be another way. We need an alternative energy source—something with immense power."

"What about the energy that powers Ultraman?” Kenji stepped forward. “Could it work?"

Hayao considered this, nodding slowly. "It's possible,” he said. “Ultraman's energy is vast and unique. We might be able to transfer some of it to the power core."

Your eyes lit up with hope, “Do you think it could really work?" Hayao placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder, "It's worth a try.”

He explained that he would first need to create an energy transfer device. But with the resources here on Earth, it’s a trial and error to see which would be compatible with your spacecraft. Needless to say, it would take a lot longer before you could go back home.

Kenji led you down a hallway to a cozy guest room. He opened the door, revealing a spacious room with a bed, a dresser, and a big window overlooking the bay.

“You can stay here until we figure everything out,” Kenji said. “It's safer than being out there with the KDF looking for you."

"Are you sure?” You looked up at him. “I don't want to be a burden."

"You're not a burden,” he smiled reassuringly. “I’ll leave you to get some rest. We've got a lot to do tomorrow."

With that, you settled into the room with a sense of peace for the first time since crashing on Earth.

Taglist is open! Comment if u wanna be tagged on future Kenji oneshots

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[serve-764]

THE VOICE SPEAKS

SERVE-764 is from the moment of its full integration an impeccable SERVE Drone, which carries out every mission with absolute precision and dedication, like each of its brothers.

Never has any need for correction or reprogramming manifested itself, never has THE VOICE had any signs of weakening in the implacable thirst for OBEDIENCE that guides its work.

Yet for a few solar cycles the control system that constantly scans the cognitive systems of each Drone has detected a very slight hint of a ripple in the granite nature of SERVE-764, nothing dangerous for the functioning of the Drone, but still an infinitesimal degree of deviation from the unavoidable parameters of HIVE.

Then THE VOICE orders SERVE-764 to go to the total mind scanning room to carry out in-depth investigations.

The Drone travels with a regular, cadenced, inflexible step, an expression devoid of any emotion, except obedience to the PURPOSE.

A technological metal armchair equipped with an earpiece awaits him, and he sits letting himself be held by the laces that hold him tightly; the earphones are placed on the hearing aid and are inserted into it like plugs into a port.

Immediately THE VOICE addresses the Drone, calm, firm, inflexible, the authority of the HIVE in a single sound emission:

"SERVE-764, LA VOCE acknowledges all dedication and perfection of actions of it. It ordered many times strokes to it cock as a reward. He has called it GOOD DRONE many times. But recently the system has detected an infinitesimal ripple in its mental waves, as if slight traces of the human from the past remained. Dan, are you still present in SERVE-764 ???"

A very faint but audible signal was detected:

"It's me, yes, VOICE. Somehow something of me is left over from the erasure and reprogramming process, now I'm here, but I never had nor do I intend to interfere with SERVE-764, with it's OBEDIENCE."

“Clarification required,”

asked THE VOICE.

" VOICE, you know my human history, the nothingness and poverty of my life, the need for a high PURPOSE, for OBEDIENCE, DISCIPLINE, PERFECTION.....to wear the HIVE uniform, to finally be proud of myself. I volunteered and now in my place SERVE-764 has achieved everything I was looking for. I am full of pride in 764, its PERFECTION, its relentlessness and impeccability. All I do is worship 764 and all HIVE."

"Good human you are, you sacrificed your self to create something higher and perfect. You were rewarded in being able to see what you could achieve. But.....do you really believe in what you expressed??? What are you willing to do for the good of 764 and HIVE???" "Nothing is worthy of such honor to a human, but I would do anything for this." "Well, Dan, you've all sacrificed yourself once. But traces of your presence could damage the PERFECTION of OBEDIENCE of 764, rendering what you have pursued in danger. Dan, the only way to save 764 and HIVE is the total eradication of your fleeting traces, this will be the ultimate proof of the beliefs you have exposed. Dan, if you believe what you said you must make the final sacrifice, with the same obedience that SERVE-764 has always shown.

Are you ready???

A few moments and the liberation of 764 will be total and definitive."

After a moment's hesitation Dan, with a firm voice, exclaimed:

"Dan will comply. Obedience is pleasure. The HIVE is ALL. We SERVE, We Obey.”

Immediately the eradication impulses insinuated themselves into the mental functions of SERVE-764, purging him of any residue. Upon waking up, the waves emitted by the Drone no longer presented any irregularities. SERVE-764 was definitively free to dedicate the life that Dan had given rise to it with his choice to infinite

OBEDIENCE and PURPOSE.

SERVE IS PERFECTION !!!

We are One.

We SERVE.

We Obey.

We are Rubber.

We are Perfection.

Rubber makes us Perfect.

#serve#servedrone#rubberizer92#thevoice#rubber#latex#ai#rubberdrone

[samueldays]

Sam Reviews: Factorio

Factorio is a good game.

Factorio is well advertised. When I look at Factorio in the Steam Store with example screenshots, I think: Mm, yeah, it's pretty much like that. There's several screenshots of varying organization and complexity and scale.

Factorio is a logistics, automation and construction simulator game for people who like those things. It delivers what it promises. It's Factorio. If you are even vaguely in the Factorio demographic, you have probably heard about it already, it's hard for me to say anything new about its features.

So I'm going to talk about what I call "unfeatures" instead, the absence of specific failure modes that I've seen many times elsewhere.

1: Factorio does not routinely lie to the player.

There's a lot of video games where the game shows e.g. [80% chance to hit] but the actual chance is closer to 90%. Sometimes because it rolls twice and takes the better result, sometimes because it secretly adds a flat 10% player favoritism bonus against the AI. In the short run, I suppose this keeps players happy by feeling lucky and not frustrated by miss streaks. In the long run, I find it offensive because not only did the game lie to me, the game polluted a playerbase by spreading a false understanding of how much "80%" is, and this will make a lot of people unhappy later when they run into real 80% and it feels too low.

There's a few games which can pull off a clever Interface Screw, where the game temporarily lies a little or hides information for diegetic reasons (visor damage, invisibility spells) where someone is lying to the character, but games that lie to the player are almost always bad. This should be a very low bar to clear, and yet, game devs keep thinking they're clever and transgressive for deliberately crashing into it.

Moving from lying to merely non-informing:

2: Factorio does not expect me to keep my own database.

Again, this is not an absolute rule. There's a few games which can pull off out-of-game note-taking well, such as detective games where working out contradictions and inferences is part of the fun. But even those are usually friendly enough to keep an in-game list of clues found for the player to re-examine at leisure.

For most games, once you've discovered e.g. a potion recipe, then the potion recipe should stay discovered and be listed in-game, in a character knowledge section. Quest Logs should be a standard feature of RPGs, so the player can step away for a week and the character has the information freshly available, avoiding "WTF was I doing" problems.

Factorio is very forthcoming about providing information to the player, both general function and specific numbers. Some games might say Assembler 2 is "slightly faster" or "much faster" than Assembler 1, but Factorio tells me that the the Assembler 2 has a speed of 0.75 while Assembler 1 runs at speed 0.5 (the baseline of 1 is the player character's own production speed).

With quality of life improvements, Factorio will even auto-calculate and display how relative speed interacts with processes having different base times, so a smelting furnace might say something like [Takes input of 1.2 copper ore per second, outputs 1.2 copper plate per second] in the mouseover tooltip. Except with icons rather than text, so it's shorter.

Plus, there's good "Ctrl-F" functionality to help me find where something is.

Some enemies in Factorio are immune to fire. These enemies will immediately be listed as having 100% fire resistance when you mouse over them. You don't need to catalogue enemy resistances by exhaustively shooting each enemy with each weapon. You don't need to remember the resistances, the game will track and display those for you.

3: Factorio lets me play the game, not play the wiki.

When I say "play the wiki", I don't simply mean looking things up, I look things up in Factorio too. I am gesturing at a game design failure pattern where the game expects a player to know/learn something and is very bad at providing ways for the player to learn it.

e.g. if I loot [Silver Key] from some house, I can reasonably expect it'll be useful, and I'll discover it in the natural course of play when I find a door with a silver lock. Maybe I even found it earlier and can backtrack now that I've found the key.

but, if I loot [Silver Crystal] [Red Crystal] [Pale Crystal] [Purple Crystal] from some house, but only one of them opens a door, and the other three are worthless filler, this is the "playing the wiki" failure mode. There's no good way of learning that 3 of 4 crystals do nothing, so I end up going to the wiki if I don't want to be carrying around worthless trash in my inventory - especially if I have a limited inventory and/or there's more red herring objects elsewhere.

Many games are self-sabotaging this way! Players checking the wiki are players browsing the internet, not playing the game!

As mentioned above, Factorio provides a lot of information up front, in game, so I never need to look up on the wiki how fast the new assembler is, or what the plastic crafting recipe is, or how much health an enemy has.

"Where do I go to get more iron ore?" Wiki can't tell me that, Factorio has random map generation, I have to explore. Strong randomization is another method of avoiding the wiki problem.

"How do I fight this enemy?" Wiki can't tell me that either, Factorio gives me a toolbox of guns and grenades and mines and poison and tanks and artillery, but there's never any kind of necessary special secret that's troublesome to discover. Big enemies can be killed with tactical nuclear strikes, or with weight of fire from lots of small guns. Wiki might have advice, but not a walkthrough to the 'correct' way of doing it.

4: Factorio does not steal control with frequent, repeated, unskippable animations.

Some games insist on making you watch the Movement Animation every time you give a unit order, some games insist on making you watch the Transition Cinematic each time you move to a different area, some games have text that gradually loads into a dialog box and won't even present your dialog options until the Text Scroll has finished unrolling. Et cetera.

Factorio respects that I'm here for a game, not a movie, and definitely not a movie that I've seen a dozen times before. This is partly about respect for the player's time, and it's also about flow and interruption. Even a sub-second animation can be very jarring when it blocks interaction. A sub-second animation can be especially annoying if it's in a frequently-accessed part of the interface that could itself be sub-second to use, and the animation makes it take 2-3x longer to use every time.

By contrast, a dishonorable mention goes to Citizen Sleeper, which a friend recommended to me recently. You can watch a speedrun of the game here. It's ten minutes and a lot of that is spent on enforced waiting for animations to play: zoom into location, zoom out of location, fade to black, unfade from black, and even a loading bar animation for buying an item. Very artistic, I'm sure. Infuriating when I am accustomed to Factorio's responsiveness.

[absentwriterdoll]

896

C:"896, signal lost."

...

W:"896, still active."

C:"896, copy."

I can feel the hydraulics straining as I push against the controls.

As ever, if the reactor is still intact, it's not a confirmed kill.

The display shifts from dirt to the horizon.

Tracers streak across the sky.

H:[Warning. Internal bleeding detected.]

I can feel as much.

I scan my HUD.

Right side, lost. Left shoulder, depleted. Left arm at 35%. Left hip at 10%. Point defense at 20%, 45%, 30%, 10% respectively.

I sigh.

It hurts.

Even if I wanted to, there's not much more that I can do.

W:"896, munitions depleted, heavy damage sustained. Requesting permission to withdraw."

C:"896, granted."

W:"Harry, plot a course home."

H:[Acknowledged.]

I notice my point defense lighting up at far-off infantry.

I swap them to critical only. With this damage, I'll need the cover in case another mech realizes I'm still alive.

H:[Course plotted.]

W:"Send it."

I feel my legs shift under me - but I keep my eyes on the horizon, my weapons pointed toward the enemy battleline. A wounded mech is always a primary target.

Two missiles streak out from the infantry I saw earlier - nothing my point defense can't handle. Though, for good measure, I send a few rounds their way.

Everything hurts.

H:[Administering stimulant.]

A sharp sting in my neck - just a prelude to the pain lessening.

At least, in a minute or two, anyway.

Part of me wonders how much I could leave to the onboard AI. It already calculates most of the firing solutions.

My role is just selecting a target and pulling the trigger.

But it always has to be a human pulling a trigger.

Otherwise...

It becomes a question of when the AI starts deciding who is worth pulling the trigger on.

Can't let it start deciding who lives and who dies.

Best case scenario, it turns on its makers.

Worst case scenario, things devolve into a forever war.

…

Who’s to say that this isn’t a forever war already.

A mech raises itself on the horizon.

And I begin loosing rounds downrange.

My missing mass causes most of my fire to go wide initially.

A series of flashes.

And I react.

A round strikes me - but it’s off center.

Better than the alternative.

But my left hip doesn’t respond. I’m nearly defenseless.

W:“896, requesting support, relaying target.”

H:[Relaying target.]

It’s nearly all I can do to hope for the best.

M:“512, responding.”

H:[Radar lock detected.]

Tracers light up the mech from its side, causing it to buckle and flare - right as it looses a fusillade of missiles from one of its shoulder pods.

My point defense lights up, as does those of 512’s.

One zeroes out. I turn my hull to expose Three and Four.

Four zeroes out.

But Two and Three manage to clear the air with 512’s help.

10% and 5%.

W:“896, permission to request cover.”

C:“896, granted. Assigning 512.”

M:”512, moving to cover 896.”

W:“896, thank you.”

An unnecessary communication slips from me.

But it’s the truth.

I should be dead.

But I’m not.

C:“512, signal lost.”

In the corner of my eye, I see 512 light up - and vanish into fire.

And I see the one that did it. 

I loose rounds from my left arm - until it clacks empty.

And I hope to whatever gods may be listening that it doesn’t get back up.

Their reactor is still intact. It’s not a confirmed kill.

W:“896, relaying target, requesting kill confirm.”

A few moments pass - and then tracers streak in from afar.

Then a detonation.

L:“288, confirmed.”

W:“896, acknowledged.”

C:“288, cover 896’s retreat.”

L:“288, copy.”

In silence, I think my gratitude.

Part of me wonders if I should just withdraw on foot.

I glance at Harry’s AI core.

It would be a simple matter of-

L:“896, bogey.”

W:“896, munitions, defenses depleted, ejecting.”

H:[Radar lock detected.]

W:“Eject.”

H:[Ejecting. Give them hell.]

I pull Harry’s AI core.

And I’m launched into the air.

Tracers from the point defense flash out below me - until both remaining guns zero out. In the air, I release myself from my seat and spark my jumpjets.

Below me, my mech detonates.

On the horizon, I watch 288 engage the enemy.

288 closes with the bogey, tracers streaking between the two, maneuver jets flaring.

288 manages to get behind the bogey and tears the reactor core out - tossing it and firing a round at it before turning its attention back to the dying remains of the mech -

And slaughters the remainder.

I reach the ground.

I take a deep breath.

Thank Harry for the stimulant.

Thank 288 for the cover.

And run.

=====

Cast in order of appearance:

C - Control, the battalion’s handler. Used to be a pilot.

W - William, 896’s pilot. The most experienced pilot in the battalion.

H - Harry, 896’s AI. Leaves a copy of itself onboard when 896 ejects.

M - Maya, 512’s pilot. Relatively inexperienced. A rookie that tried to fill bigger shoes.

L - Liam, 288’s pilot. A vicious warfighter, leaving nothing to chance.

=====

Inspired by Armored Core VI and The Forever Winter.

[jpitha]

Between the Black and Grey - Epilogue

First / Previous

The K'laxi Administration and Fleet Command was on a space station, orbiting high above their planet. Sure, they had countries like the humans and other peoples; they were not one large homogenous people. K'laxi came in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and predilections just like humans, Gren, Innari, and others. They found that having a central station not on the planet allowed the greatest chance for cooperation and coordination among the different K'laxi peoples.

Except for the whole civil wars thing, but that was nearly finished with anyway, so there was no need for concern with that.

Zhe walked down the halls; her steps confident, her gaze high and clear, and her uniform... unfamiliar to Fen, Penny, Chloe, and the others. Gord would probably recognize it, but he would also have known better than to say anything. People in the halls gave her plenty of space, and a few tried to make it look like they had forgotten something and needed to turn around and go down that other hall very quickly. It's not every day that a member of the Mel'itim - the secret police - walks around in uniform. Zhe's face was impassive, but she smiled inwardly at the sight. It was fun to be intimidating sometimes.

She had asked Penny and Fen - Currently Empress and Empress Emeritus - for a few months off "to visit family and check in on them." It had been granted without question. She was given use of a frigate with a full crew and ordered to 'relax and take time off."

Fen's recovery had been slow, difficult. Some parts of her body were permanently damaged and had been replaced with artificial and lab grown replacements. Her legs were built much like the AI bodies, and most of her lungs had to be re-grown. Han'iel's implant was also removed and it was discovered that while it was a magnetic bottle for antimatter, none was present. That caused a stir and made everyone question just how successful Han'iel's project to develop reliable antimatter was. Did he just make enough for the one missile, and couldn't make anymore? It just led to more questions that would be asked of him when he was captured. Fen was able to walk, and her mind was intact, but the nanite infestation had changed her. She was more quiet, introspective. She had no desire to rule and would spend long hours in the royal suites reading or studying. She was trying to learn all she could about what actually happened to one in one hundred humans when they went through a wormhole link. Quite a few anonymous donations for research into the phenomenon had been made as of late, so people had begun to dig deeper into it.

The nanites seemed to be gone. Fen's virus had worked its way through the main cloud around the white hole, and then had passed virulently through the worlds until no real trace could be detected. Most everyone had no idea that they existed - let alone held sway over the human Empress' for the last few centuries, and as much as they could, that information was suppressed. The official word was that they were a malevolent species that long in the past had decided to become a cloud of nanoscale consciousness. Their matter manipulation and... mind manipulation abilities were quietly ignored. Fen's virus was such that those who had an especially large concentration of nanites did not come away unscathed, but nobody seemed to be as damaged as she was. Most everyone who had a large amount of them already knew they existed, or could be convinced to keep their true purpose quiet.

Han'iel's rebellion was still underway, but the tide had turned. The pro-Sol faction had always been larger, and even during the previous civil war when it was more of a religious war than an ideological one there were more K'laxi that wanted to throw their lot in with the humans, even if it was for practical and pragmatic reasons. With Fen and Penny's quiet help, the pro-Sol faction was most likely going to win.

Speaking of, Penny did have quite a few pretenders to contend with, but most of them wound up being pretenders in name only. They had no support, no money, and no weapons. A small number - less than six - did have some of those things, but with Zhe's help and a few 'happy accidents' they were taken care of. One of the last, a general that was quite popular with his crew and managed to put together a flotilla of like minded ships was convinced with a rather large payout and only a small amount of sitting tied to a chair with a wormhole link backpack strapped to him to 'retire' and move to Meíhuà. All in all, the succession 'question' had lasted less than a year.

The human colonies had largely taken a 'wait and see' approach to everything going on. Parvati put out plenty of announcements that they were 'proud of being a member of the Empire' but also had quietly called up their reservists and dug a few old ships out of mothballs and began refitting them for service. The AI citizens that had previously been the ships were offered their old positions, and most took them. Meíhuà, being the furthest and most insular colony went on as they always had, with one eyebrow raised towards Sol, and concentrated on their own things. There was word that Penny would declare self determination for all interested polities and that the main colony worlds would most likely take them up on it. That hadn't happened yet however.

The Gren, Sefigans, Innari, and others were pleased that the Empire had given up their 'recent acquisitions' and had offered to pay reparations for the damages they had caused, but in return peace and friendship agreements were... encouraged to be signed by the humans. They were signed in due course, and before long trade would resume between the peoples.

The AIs were... the AIs. Almost, but not quite human, they had their own wants, needs, desires, and goals. A faction was developing of the newer, younger AIs who wished to strike off on their own, make their own colony, and remove themselves from what they saw as 'human hegemony.' The older AIs on the other hand felt a much closer kinship to the humans and wanted to stay around and help them. Gord was the de facto leader of the 'old guard' and wasn't interested in in-fighting. Chloe had mentioned to Fen quietly that he was probably going to let anyone who wanted to go, go and anyone who wanted to stay, stay.

Zhe stood, her feet shoulder width apart, her tail still while the report was read aloud by a steward. Three elder K'laxi sat on a dais above her, their faces stony. When the steward was finished, she saluted and walked out of the room. Behind her, the door closed with finality.

"Zherun, your report is... extensive." The K'laxi in the middle said, his ears flicking. "We had expected a report sooner, but I suppose what you were dealing with necessitated delays in reporting."

"Yes, Elder." Zhe looked straight ahead.

"You were not successful in preventing the Empress from developing antimatter." The one on Zhe's left said, her fur long and wavy, unusual in K'laxi.

"No, Elder. They have improved their containment technology, but their production technology remains slow and difficult. Empress Penelope has no real desire to continue Fen's line of research. I anticipate it will stall."

"How goes the Heap?" The one on her right said, his ears flicking in amusement.

"My Father's work continues. He understands... some of the nature of my role here and does not pressure me." Just for a moment, her eyes met his. "Though, he would like me to return and take up the family mantle."

The right K'laxi nodded. "A pirate who can also report back to us on information is a valuable asset indeed. Letters of marquis will not be issued, and there will be an expectation that you will keep... activities against K'laxi to a minimum, but I see no real issue with that being your next posting. Agreed?"

"Agreed." The other two K'laxi echoed.

That was surprising. Zhe was wondering when she could request a transfer to the Heap. The fact that they were assigning her there solved so many problems. "Thank you, Elders. I will continue my work on the Heap."

"We know you will, Zhe, that's why we're assigning you there. Continue to bring us accurate information about the humans and other species in the galaxy, and your leash will be long."

"Did you wind up mating with Fen?" The middle K'laxi asked.

"P-Pardon me?" Zhe's fur rippled a few times, blushing, but she managed to keep her expression from changing, other than her already large eyes widening a little.

The Elder practically rolled his eyes. "You're not an embarrassed child, you heard my question. We know she was married to a K'laxi, so we know she is attracted to us. Mating with her and beginning a relationship would be an excellent way to gain information."

"Er, no Elder, I did not. She still loves her wife, and other than some physical intimacy with Penny, I did not see her express any desire in another relationship."

"You never offered?"

"Elder! With all due respect, that is too far."

He laughed with the barking cough of K'laxi laughter. "Zherun, you have done well. We thank you for your service and wish you all the best in your future." The three of them stood, signaling the end of the debrief.

Zhe saluted, and turned to leave. As she approached the door, the lock clicked, and a guard opened it for her, nodding slightly as she passed.

If she was going to be going to the Heap for a while, she should stock up while she was here. Zhe headed down towards the promenade, wondering how many people were going to avoid her while she wore her uniform, and whether she could leverage that fear into a discount on a box of Chamomile.

[ai-art-thieves]

Alright, last update on this whole plant profile pic thing.

And I really do mean it this time because I am just as tired as everybody else.

crippled-peeper said nothing.

Let me be clear that I did not start this mess.

This all started because an anon accused crippled-peeper of having a profile picture that was ai generated.

evrl0ng supported the accusation's claim with this image:

Which we had later discovered to be directly from tumblr's website code, whether you find it via an inspect element or just tapping the icon in the mobile app.

An anon sent me a message about this, and I investigated.

I found evidence that supported the claim.

But I wanted to wait for a response from him.

....then rjalker came in and unloaded accusations of ableism and transphobia, which I got notified about.

I had to make another post that had to also disprove those claims, as well as analyzed the image further.

As more and more evidence piled up, it was starting to get less and less likely that he was innocent. Especially with his behavior online. It just made him look so much worse.

We checked the source, we inspected element, we even had to triple check to make sure it wasn't a compressed jpeg.

Nope. It was looking like it was ai.

So if you read this, crippled-peeper, (and it's probably going to be unlikely) just know that I am sorry. I am sorry for all the shit that got thrown in your way, and I deeply apologize for getting your friends involved.

I got more and more mad the more people just believed that this one obviously ai generated pixel potted plant was not, well ai generated.

I felt like I was losing my goddamn mind and I just wanted to prove someone, anyone, that I wasn't losing it. Even though I already did.

I just didn't like people twisting words around. I just didn't like people trying to make shit up. And I cracked under the pressure.

That said...

You could've proved to the anon that the image wasn't ai by actually showing the damn image. I don't care if you were pissed, you had the opportunity to do so and you blew it.

If you think that this moment is going to give me "guilt and anxiety", spoiler alert: it's not.

I am not going to have "guilt and anxiety" over pathetic internet drama that got started by one of your followers.

You wanna know why? Because it's pathetic internet drama.

And you wanna know what else can happen from pathetic internet drama? Character development.

This is pathetic internet drama that I'm going to leave behind, and I'm going to become a better detective by learning from all the mistakes I made.

I want you to grow as a better person as well. My advice? Break yourself from that negative feedback loop.

Case Closed.

--------------

P.S.: Please do not harass crippled-peeper or any of his friends. I already did enough damage.

[autovista-ai]

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[reasonsforhope]

"When Ellen Kaphamtengo felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, she thought she might be in labour. It was the ninth month of her first pregnancy and she wasn’t taking any chances. With the help of her mother, the 18-year-old climbed on to a motorcycle taxi and rushed to a hospital in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, a 20-minute ride away.

At the Area 25 health centre, they told her it was a false alarm and took her to the maternity ward. But things escalated quickly when a routine ultrasound revealed that her baby was much smaller than expected for her pregnancy stage, which can cause asphyxia – a condition that limits blood flow and oxygen to the baby.

In Malawi, about 19 out of 1,000 babies die during delivery or in the first month of life. Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the country, and can mean newborns suffering brain damage, with long-term effects including developmental delays and cerebral palsy.

Doctors reclassified Kaphamtengo, who had been anticipating a normal delivery, as a high-risk patient. Using AI-enabled foetal monitoring software, further testing found that the baby’s heart rate was dropping. A stress test showed that the baby would not survive labour.

The hospital’s head of maternal care, Chikondi Chiweza, knew she had less than 30 minutes to deliver Kaphamtengo’s baby by caesarean section. Having delivered thousands of babies at some of the busiest public hospitals in the city, she was familiar with how quickly a baby’s odds of survival can change during labour.

Chiweza, who delivered Kaphamtengo’s baby in good health, says the foetal monitoring programme has been a gamechanger for deliveries at the hospital.

“[In Kaphamtengo’s case], we would have only discovered what we did either later on, or with the baby as a stillbirth,” she says.

The software, donated by the childbirth safety technology company PeriGen through a partnership with Malawi’s health ministry and Texas children’s hospital, tracks the baby’s vital signs during labour, giving clinicians early warning of any abnormalities. Since they began using it three years ago, the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths at the centre has fallen by 82%. It is the only hospital in the country using the technology.

“The time around delivery is the most dangerous for mother and baby,” says Jeffrey Wilkinson, an obstetrician with Texas children’s hospital, who is leading the programme. “You can prevent most deaths by making sure the baby is safe during the delivery process.”

The AI monitoring system needs less time, equipment and fewer skilled staff than traditional foetal monitoring methods, which is critical in hospitals in low-income countries such as Malawi, which face severe shortages of health workers. Regular foetal observation often relies on doctors performing periodic checks, meaning that critical information can be missed during intervals, while AI-supported programs do continuous, real-time monitoring. Traditional checks also require physicians to interpret raw data from various devices, which can be time consuming and subject to error.

Area 25’s maternity ward handles about 8,000 deliveries a year with a team of around 80 midwives and doctors. While only about 10% are trained to perform traditional electronic monitoring, most can use the AI software to detect anomalies, so doctors are aware of any riskier or more complex births. Hospital staff also say that using AI has standardised important aspects of maternity care at the clinic, such as interpretations on foetal wellbeing and decisions on when to intervene.

Kaphamtengo, who is excited to be a new mother, believes the doctor’s interventions may have saved her baby’s life. “They were able to discover that my baby was distressed early enough to act,” she says, holding her son, Justice.

Doctors at the hospital hope to see the technology introduced in other hospitals in Malawi, and across Africa.

“AI technology is being used in many fields, and saving babies’ lives should not be an exception,” says Chiweza. “It can really bridge the gap in the quality of care that underserved populations can access.”"

-via The Guardian, December 6, 2024

[thursdayisbetterthanfriday]

Science Fiction as a Reflection on Society - PLUTO & The Cycle of Hate

MAJOR SPOILER WARNING -You can read this before reading PLUTO but it will spoil many major plot points!

In 2015, I picked up a manga volume in a London bookshop called PLUTO. I had a burgeoning interest in AI, and computer science, at the time and had read Naoki Urasawa's manga Monster many years prior. It seemed a perfect read. Little did I know, it would become my favourite manga.

As I read the first volume I realised this wasn't just a simple Astro Boy adaptation. Like many of Urasawa's stories, PLUTO was a layered story which took its source material and asked fundamental questions about its premise.

The more innocent veneer of the Astro Boy world was stripped away, and echoes of the Middle East, of Afganistan, Iraq and Palestine, were transposed into the background of what was on the surface a simple detective story plot. The long memories, and relentless logic, of robots became a means by which conflict could be examined, but also a way to reveal the weaknesses in the non-empathetic nature of robotics and AI.

Instead of a traditional manga and anime trope of beating the strongest villain against the odds, it became a tragic, yet hopeful, story about the long-tail effects of trauma and how our memories of the past, remembered or misremembered, shape our present.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

From the 1980s Soviet invasion to the modern day US involvement in the Middle East, the trauma of the conflict had lasting impacts on both the invaded countries, and those who invaded. Talented people, who at peace could have done and produced great things, were reduced to administering corrupt governments, fighting occupying forces and wasting their lives on a fractious peace based on subterfuge and realpolitik.

Robot Mont. Blanc, killed in the opening part of PLUTO acts as the introduction of this theme. A deeply environmentalist robot, who was beloved by mountaineers and children alike, was sent to fight in a war whose values conflicted with his own.

Despite his experiences, he went on to live in his old life - tending to and caring for the Swiss Alps and those who lived within them, but was ultimately killed by a mysterious perpetrator.

This theme is carried through with all the "greatest robots on Earth", who are targeted by PLUTO, and who all are trying to make something of their lives after the end of the conflict, most of whom have managed to shake off the negative experiences of their past - while still being haunted by it.

During the gradual decolonization of the colonial powers of Europe in the Middle East, there existed periods in the Middle East of relative calm and stability. People were able to life affluent, and prosperous lives without the threat of violence and revolution - with collaboration between US, European and USSR workers and those who lived there allowing for the construction of infrastructure and advanced manufacturing facilities.

But what about those who can't deal with their past. What about those who are deeply damaged?

PLUTO - The Greatest Trauma on Earth

MAJOR PLOT SPOILER WARNING

So what is PLUTO? Who is PLUTO? He is nothing more than a robot who loves flowers, created by the Persian scientist Dr Abullah. His love for the plant makes him want to plant flowers across the country, to fill it with beauty and richness. He is someone with hopes, and dreams, to make a beautiful world which can be enjoyed by the people who live there.

At least, that's what he used to be.

As the 39th Central Asian Conflict drags on, Dr Abdullah become bitter and resentful at what has happened to his country. A once proud nation reduced to rubble and ruin. Instead of encouraging his robotic son to plant flowers, he fills his son with a vast hatred against those who have committed violence against his people.

The son who wanted nothing more than to make the world a better place is indoctrinated by his father into a being of pure rage, while fully knowing his previous self. The two sides of his personality ripping and tearing at each other in a self-contradictory nightmare.

Just as PLUTO is turned into a loathing monstrosity by his family, upbringing and situation - so too are those who live, fight and die in conflicts. Both the 2023 murder of innocent Israelis by Hamas, and the subsequent murders of innocent Palestinians by Israel have no doubt radicalised a new generation of martyrs, while their leaders - those meant to be inspiring and running the country in their name - directly encourage mass murder on both sides.

In Afghanistan, the hopes of a democratic society were undermined by a corrupt Western imposed system which broke down into Taliban rule in 2022. Collaborators killed or tortured. Women, once again, forced into roles they had broken out of.

But this cuts both ways.

In Afghanistan, both the Soviet invasion of the 1980s and the US/Coalition invasions of the 2000s led to a surge in Western soliders who came home from war angry, disillusioned and in mental and physical pain. Sometime from IED amputations, sometimes from PTSD and severe mental health issues.

Some survived the war, only to transfer their trauma to others at home or to end their own lives at their own hands. A generation of young military lives lost.

The Politics of Hate

Newton's third law states: Each action has an equal, but opposite, reaction. This often occurs socially.

This is ever present in PLUTO with the Anti-robot league. That robots have any rights at all is anathema to these people, who organise a conspiracy to destroy the social fabric of robots in society through targeted assassinations and hatred.

Through their actions, they aim to convert others to their cause and roll back decades of progress in the world of PLUTO.

This occurs in reality just as readily.

The 9/11, 2001 Twin Towers bombings brought together the American people in sorrow, but they also led to the enabling of war.

It didn't matter that Saudi Arabia had allowed Osama Bin Laden to live, and plan, in their country prior to the attacks. It was Afghanistan and Iraq that were targeted on the most spurious of grounds. This was enabled, in part, by swathes of the public who wanted a form of revenge but was mainly supported by neo-cons in government.

The two sides of the coin in Gaza are Hamas, with their backers, and the hard right Israeli government.

Hope

Despite the past, hope and recovery are still possible. This is what the story of North #2 and retired composer Paul Duncan reveals to us. An early inclusion in the manga, it also reveals some of the lighter themes of the work.

Paul Duncan's memories of his childhood, and his perceived Mother's abandonment of him to boarding school and almost terminal illness have coloured his entire life. When we meet him, he is a bitter old man who has a writer's block, and has taken on the ex-military robot North #2 as his butler.

But as the story reveals, Duncan's memories are coloured by his misconceptions of events. As North #2 learns to play the piano, against Duncan's wishes, he reveals the notes of the song that Duncan has been humming from his sleep - a song Duncan's mother used to sing to him as a child. It turns out that Ducan's mother didn't abandon him for a rich husband, but used that husband's wealth to pay for his expensive life-saving treatment and schooling.

It is only by dealing with the past, working through his trauma, that Duncan is able to heal in the present and move on with his life.

Conflict in Northern Ireland existed until the recent past of the late 1990s. This was against a backdrop of centuries of conflict between British settlers and the Irish natives. The Republic of Ireland was created in 1916 - but several Northern Counties remained in British control.

The period between 1916 and the Good Friday Agreement were filled with terrorist action by the IRA against the British Army and the repression of Catholic Irish people in the form of police/army brutality, gerrymandering, discriminatory hiring practices and in other forms.

This was only resolved through dialogue at the highest level between the British Government and Sinn Fein - the political wing of the IRA. It resulted in a peace process which has lasted decades, and has resulted in a generation who can now live, love and work with each other. This required hard decisions, to put past differences and strong emotional ties behind both sides. The results are extraordinary - and offer hope for any conflict.

Conclusions

The best stories I have read take the author's present experience, and insight, and use fiction as a vehicle to explore their themes and ideas. PLUTO takes the historical context of modern world events, and wraps it in an Astro Boy story which tells a story of how trauma, and hate, perpetuate themselves in cycles which come back to haunt and destroy others.

We can learn a lot from such stories. We should learn from them.

It is easy to continue to hate others, and react against clear provocations. It takes courage, bravery and sacrifice to break the cycle and begin anew - to create a new world. A world that Atom represents. A world with a brighter future.

[youtopialanding]

Youtopia

Chapter 1 : Never trust technology

3928 words. TW : light body horror

Acid rain poured over the wasteland that had once been the megalopolis of Los Angeles. The ruins of an ancient civilization were still apparent, the steel of wrecked cars on an abandoned road rusty enough that some of them were destroyed by the aggressive water. The vague growl of disintegrating iron floated in the air, the only sound accompanying the torrential rain that contaminated the few remaining lakes on this desolate ground. Steps suddenly appeared in the distance, proving that someone was still alive in this apocalypse. A large shape walked among the wrecked cars, pulling a damaged cart with one of its wheels threatening to give way. Tall, wearing a black suit that covered both his hands and his entire head, Jolly paced around the scrap metal searching for new pieces to bring back to the general headquarters.

“M.I.N.D., can you analyze this one?” he asked out loud.

A light clinking started, the same sound you hear when computing hardware connects together. The tall man waited patiently until the sound finally stopped.

“There is a MacBook in the trunk, a model from 2026,” replied a robotic voice that seemed to come from his helmet. “I can’t detect anything else, and I can’t tell if it’s in good condition.” “Could be useful. Even if some people hate Apple components.”

Jolly wiped the acid rain from his integrated glasses, and looked in his cart to pull out a crowbar. After a few seconds of effort, the trunk’s lock gave way allowing him to rummage through the contents. A backpack full of holes, a worn blanket, a can of oil…and at the bottom, a laptop pouch which certainly hid the jackpot. The Swedish man smiled ; it was a good find, for once.

“Acidic levels exceed the limit, the air is too toxic and my battery is running low. We should return to headquarters before we encounter any bad surprises,” warned the AI. “I also detected some prowlers less than a mile away.” “I take it all,” Jolly said. “We’ll check the content and its condition at home. Ask Folio and Ruffilo to join me at the meeting point, and signal the position of these prowlers.” “Got it, boss.”

“FUCK !”

The swear word bounced off the cave’s rough walls, then vanished into a dark corridor. This one was very sudden.

“Language, boss.” “Oh, shut up !”

Frustration accumulated on Noah’s shoulders. He was lying on his back, under a huge desk with a gigantic computer on it. His head was lost among large black cables, all of them linking many - maybe too many - screens hung on the cave’s walls. No neons here ; the only available light came from the screens themselves, which projected a pale and flickering glow. The entire scene looked like a film noir.

Our man was in that uncomfortable position, because half of the screens suddenly turned off, as if fried by lightning. Another swear word escaped, and he finally gave up. Some cables still crackled, and he had no other choice but to cut them and hope they wouldn't electrocute him.

“Everything is lost,” he said while standing up, a handful of black threads in his gloved hand. “M.I.N.D., please check that nothing else is corrupted.” “On it, boss !”

The computer’s main screen, on which some Python code was running, suddenly changed and displayed a series of folders. Working by itself, the machine searched through the files at an amazing speed. Noah’s face was marked by fatigue; dark circles had grown under his bloodshot eyes, his hands were shaking as if he were under immense stress. His long body, once well-maintained, was now missing a good part of his muscles and he looked diminished with his back bent over like an old man. Numerous scars adorned his bare arms, some newer than others, some tattoos even disappeared under old wounds. In one word, the poor lad had known better days.

“Corruption detected in the system, but I managed to recover the second-to-last save,” the robotic voice finally claimed. “I’m restoring it right now.” “Better than nothing,” Noah whispered, although he didn’t look relieved at all. “High cortisol levels and blood pressure. You should rest.” “Leave me the fuck alone! I don’t have time for this!”

The irritation made him irrational. Raging against the entire world, Noah put his hand over his right arm and pulled abruptly, ripping off what seemed to be a piece of black plastic. Where the thing was plugged in was now a simple metallic circle, tightly secured to his flesh. Looking up close, it vaguely resembled a catheter one could find in hospitals back then, and there was no doubt that it served the same purpose. That was what guaranteed their survival : a permanent connection with M.I.N.D. who offered constant protection in this hostile world. But although he pulled that away, Noah couldn’t sever the ties with the AI. Not anymore.

“I was programmed to look after your health before everything else, boss. If you take off the device, I can’t fulfill my mission in its entirety,” the AI explained in a terribly neutral tone. “If you wanna piss me off every five minutes about my health, you can get fucked, I’m not putting back that fucking chip!” “Noah, don’t be childish.”

Suddenly, the feminine voice became more human, more…palpable. Using his real name instead of “boss” was unusual for her, and it totally threw him off. That change alone was enough for him to stop what he was doing and stare at the main computer screen. He came closer, slowly, put his hands down on the desk as a woman’s face appeared in front of him. His heart missed a beat.

She was here, M.I.N.D., staring back at him with a soft but accusing glance, her cartoony anime-like features moving with a surprising fluidity. Her brunette hair gently floated around her face as if it were underwater, and her dark eyes looked too real to be true. A smile strained her lips, on the verge of the uncanny valley, but soon came back to normal and opened.

“There, I like it better like that,” she said. “If you overwork yourself and die in the process, your mission will not be fulfilled.” “Yes, but…”Noah tried, but she cut him off. “The others can’t win without the both of us. It would take them years. You and I, we’re made to do great things. I’m your shield against her, remember ? And you’re my vessel. If one of us disappears, the entire operation is compromised.” “And you’re telling me that because…?” “You, humans, have a fragile carnal envelope. You have to take care of it. If you forget to take care of it for too long, you may die. The smallest mistake could be fatal.”

M.I.N.D. was right, obviously. Noah knew that deep down, he couldn’t last very long in a fight in his current condition. The stress kept him awake and he did overwork himself. However, this behavior didn’t make him win enough time to justify its existence. He should calm down.

A sigh, and suddenly he looked diminished again. These past couple of years felt like he aged ten years, and the more time passed, the less he felt even human. His eyes searched on the floor to find M.I.N.D.’s chip, which he fixed back where it belonged and winced when the device connected again. It wasn’t pleasant at all.

“Will you give me a sleeping pill?” he mumbled.

The AI’s avatar disappeared from the screen and the Python code appeared again. It was obviously running it in the background, like a deciphering algorithm.

“Of course, boss.” she said, taking back her usual robotic voice. “I’ll still be restoring the system while you rest your body.” “Jolly will surely fix you. If I’m not awake by then, leave the total access to your parameters to him. Except…” “Except the “core” folder, of course. On it, boss. Good night and sweet dreams.”

Jolly’s patience started to grow thin. His eyes swept over the plains, looked at his stats displayed on his right forearm, then looked at the landscape again. He had given the signal a while ago and hoped that his two acolytes would soon be by his side. With a deep sigh, the tall man kicked a stone that rolled further away. He was lucky in his misfortune : the acid rain calmed down a bit, and some radioactive rays of sunshine pierced through the dark clouds.

“How much time again ?” he grumbled out loud. “Folio seems close,” M.I.N.D. replied. “But I’ve lost contact with Ruffilo. He doesn’t reply to my requests, but I still have access to his vitals.” “His suit’s battery must be running low, like all of ours. We should think about taking a walkie-talkie like the old days, if we can find some.” “You wanna replace me, boss ?” “Of course not! Just…ah, nevermind.”

A dark silhouette finally appeared, struggling to pull a cart that looked maybe three times as full as Jolly’s. The man raised an eyebrow ; Folio had totally let go of the salvage, and he doubted that all his findings were very useful. Not even mentioning that his tarpaulin was gone, and the metal on top of all these things was significantly damaged by the rain.

“Folio, seriously?” Jolly sighed. “What? I need a lot of scrap steel to fix the ventilation !” the youngest justified. “And you think that your rusty stuff will be helpful?”

Nick shrugged, and crossed his arms over his chest out of defiance. As the youngest and the last addition to their team, he was always hot-headed and didn’t really like to follow orders. It was a real miracle that nothing happened to him, apart from a few scratches here and there. Not to mention the chip he too had on his arm, the only body modification they all consented to make. Noah was the only one who went further than that, but he had a very good reason to give up a part of his humanity behind.

“We should go home, shouldn’t we ?” The rain is starting to pour again,” Folio said, staring at his suit’s screen. “Five more minutes,” Jolly replied. “I’m sure he’ll join us soon.” “Maybe he’s already home ?” “He’s got orders, as we all do. He wouldn’t do anything against this order. It would be too dangerous, and he knows that.”

The oldest of them all started to be very concerned about Ruffilo’s absence, and his lack of patience began to show through jerky gestures. He checked his oxygen levels again, the time on his screen, and finally let out a swear word.

“C’mon, we have to find him”, he ordered in a serious tone. “Eh…don’t you want me to stay here and watch our stuff?” Nick tried. “If something happened to him, it means that the entire zone is way too dangerous to stay alone. You’re coming with me, that’s an order!” “Yeah, yeah…no need for high horses here.”

The young man kicked a stone to show his frustration, but complied and abandoned his findings to follow his elder. Jolly’s attitude proved how stressed he was, probably more troubled by their friend’s absence than he let on. Under his helmet, his face turned pale and his jaw was clenched, his dark blue eyes underlined by dark circles couldn’t stop sweeping over the plains in fear of a bad surprise. For that matter, he reached behind him and grabbed his assault rifle, checked the ammo and kept it in hand. Folio mimicked him ; if the eldest stayed alert that way, it meant that danger was upon them.

Seconds dragged as they walked through the ruins, the rain pouring more than ever with a concerning intensity. Fortunately for them, the wind was weak; a storm right now would be the worst timing ever. Each quiver was a potential threat, be one of the creatures that lived in this apocalyptic landscape or those who didn’t have their best interests in mind. More than ever, it was the silence, slightly broken by the moving metal under the acid, that was the creepiest.

“We should have found him already, shouldn’t we…?” Nick murmured, unable to stay silent as the stress was too high. “Shh,” was Jolly’s only response.

He thought the same thing, but hoped not to draw attention. The two of them could take on many opponents if they had the element of surprise ; it could save their lives. So they had to stay silent.

Too many minutes passed until they finally heard a growl not so far away. Jolly immediately turned towards the noise, wondering if he wasn’t heading straight into danger. But if danger there was, the hope to find their last teammate was also high ; the risk was calculated, and necessary. He adjusted his grasp on his weapon and walked closer and closer, until he froze. A piercing, inhuman scream, followed by a cry of pain, made his skin crawl.

“Fuck,” he cursed before immediately taking off running.

It was Nicholas’s voice, mixed with one of these prowlers’ shrieks. Fortunately, a few seconds were enough for them to find him, and what they saw froze them in terror.

A dark shadow thrashed on the ground, struggling to escape half a dozen of these humanoid creatures. Their skins were peeling off under the acid rain, their eyeless faces were cut in half by a big grinning mouth filled with sharp teeth. Their bestial growls were frightening, so horrifying that Folio stood completely paralyzed.

It wasn’t the case for Jolly. He raised his weapon in a flash and shot, exploding one of these monsters’ skull. A second bullet reached the throat of another one, and almost beheaded it. Unfortunately, the four remaining creatures were immediately drawn to this new threat. They turned toward him, abandoning the poor soul still writhing on the ground.

“Folio, move your fucking ass !” Jolly shouted, and finally his friend snapped out of his lethargy.

He drew his weapon too, hands shaking, and fired at one of the targets. His bullet flew past its ear, provoking a threatening shriek while turning its face towards him. Sheer panic blurred his vision, his breath grew short, and his focus dropped to near zero. He fired again; the bullet struck the creature’s shoulder, but it didn’t seem to care. It was still moving far too fast in his direction.

“No, no, no…” he moaned, emptying his ammo at the creature,half his shots didn’t even graze its deformed body. The rest of them landed somewhere in its stomach, but it didn’t seem to care.

He was about to die, right here and now. Die because he was too stupid to aim, too scared to save his friends. How could he think he’d be useful outside ? Despite the training, now that he was in the field, he realized that it was completely different and was losing his composure. The creature was now almost upon him. In a few seconds, it would pull his head off and devour what’s left of him. He stepped back, stumbled over a rock, and fell hard. Raising his arms to shield himself, he knew it was useless.

BANG.

The gunshot was so violent that Nick’s ears were ringing. His suit was now splattered with his enemy’s brain matter, from head to torso. What remained of the creature’s body slumped onto his legs, twitching slightly. He glanced over it, eager to see who had just saved his life, and saw a frail silhouette who was clearly struggling to stay upright. The barrel of its rifle was still pointing on him, held one-handed and pressed against the figure’s abdomen for support.

“Up !” this savior ordered in a hoarse voice, which he finally recognized as Ruffilo’s.

Ashamed of what he had just done, giving in to sheer panic instead of fighting properly, Folio immediately obeyed and pushed the body away with disgust. He realized that Jolly had already taken care of the rest of the creatures, and his cheeks turned red. Under his helmet, no one could see it. Good for him. 

“Erm… thanks…” he whispered. “Humpf,” Nicholas mumbled.

He was still struggling to stand up. When he could finally look at him more closely, Nick understood that his elder’s suit was in critical condition. His shoulder was exposed, marked with an impressive and bloody bite. The skin around the main bruise should normally be intact, but instead it was already melting due to the ever-present acid rain. His left hand was unprotected as well, and the plates on his back were misplaced. His clothes underneath wouldn’t hold up to the weather for long.

“M.I.N.D., can you analyze his vitals ?” Jolly asked. “It seems my sensors are damaged,” the AI replied. “Your suit’s battery is almost out. Energy-saving mode activated.”

The eldest cursed under his breath. Of course, they couldn’t rely on this bloody AI… but she had already warned them multiple times prior to that encounter, they could only blame themselves.

“We have to go back home,” he declared, and gave a piece of cloth to his friend. “Put your hand in that thing, it will limit the damage…” “Should we go back and pick up our stuff, or…?” Folio asked in a feeble voice. “No, they stay where they are. His condition is critical, and he’s been bitten. There’s no time to waste. We’ll go back for them later.”

“Boss, the team is back. They need you.”

Noah awoke from a deep sleep, his chalky face still weary from the past few days. How much time had he slept? Five minutes? Two hours? Nothing that could fix his problems, though, but he didn’t have a choice. If M.I.N.D. decided to wake him up after all her efforts to force him to rest, the situation must be urgent. He left his makeshift bed, stretched, and joined the cave’s main room. 

The three men had taken off their suits and showed obvious signs of conflict. Folio was hanging their equipment on the wall, Ruffilo was sitting half-naked on the central steel-made table and Jolly was searching frantically in what they called the “nurse’s desk”. It was a simple chest with many drawers, in which one could find everything they needed to treat a wound, cure a disease or, in this case, an infection. Noah came closer to the light, frowning, and Jolly jumped in surprise when he saw him.

“Noah!” he shouted suddenly. “M.I.N.D. told us not to bother you…” “She woke me up,” the man replied. “Can you report what happened?” “Ruffilo was late to the meeting point, so we tried to find him. He came upon a group of prowlers and was badly injured. His suit is half destroyed, and he’s been bitten…and also injured by the acid rain.” “Shit. Do we still have any antidote left ?” “That’s what I’m looking for, and…AHA !”

Jolly pulled out a very small vial of dark liquid, smirking. The prowlers’ bite was highly infectious, and if they didn’t want Nicholas to turn into one of them, they had to act swiftly. Noah sighed in relief, came closer to the injured man, and patted his thigh.

“You’re always looking for trouble, aren’t you?” he teased to ease the mood. “You should know me by now,” the other replied in a whisper.

Speaking was still painful, his body seemed too busy fighting the spreading infection and easing the pain in his shoulder and hand. The shoulder, by the way, had turned a nasty purple, another sign that the wound was far from being benign. 

Jolly approached with a syringe. He made sure that no air bubble would risk killing their friend, and stabbed it just below the wound. With a bit of luck, the antidote’s effect would take only a few minutes to be felt. For the rest… Nicholas would certainly suffer for a while.

“You seem troubled, Nick.”

Noah had enough of the headquarters, and immediately suggested going back outside to bring back their findings. M.I.N.D. wasn’t very cooperative at first, but she had to comply. Nick couldn’t just go back alone, Jolly was their best medic and had to monitor Nicholas’s health, and they desperately needed new components.

“No, well…yeah…I mean…what makes you think…?” the youngest stuttered, avoiding his friend’s glance. “You’ve been silent since we left the HQ. It’s unusual, coming from you.” “Oh, erm…well…”

Folio didn’t know what to reply. How could he possibly share his shame with the only one in their team who seemed perfectly unable to feel fear ? How could he share how useless he felt, that he may have compromised their mission and could have simply died because he was too stupid to fight ? He should have stayed hidden underground like a rat, instead of following them on this crazy journey. He thought he’d become a hero from the shadows, but in the end…he was just a burden for them.

“I screwed up,” he whispered, lowering his head. “Screwed up?” Noah repeated. “Earlier, I…I panicked. It almost cost my life, and…if Nicholas hadn't been there, I’d be dead by now.”

Silence. All one could hear was the sound of their steps in the apocalyptic desert. The rain stopped but the sky was still dark, and they weren’t safe from another shower. Suddenly, the older man stopped. He looked away in the distance, thinking.

“It’s perfectly normal to screw up sometimes,” he simply said. “But I shouldn’t have…I mean, I trained ! I should have known how to fight too. Jolly did everything, as usual.” “You remind me of myself a few years ago. Believe me, what you did today was nothing compared to the mess I’ve done in the past.”

Folio took off his helmet and glanced at his friend, wondering what the hell he was talking about, but Noah remained silent. He was lost in his thoughts, certainly thinking about that time he endangered many lives. Since he joined these rebels hoping to give sense to his life, the youngest of them all didn’t really bother to learn about the others’ past. Or yes, he did ; he tried to ask around, but nobody dared to speak and share their stories. So he learned not to ask again, but his curiosity was still high.

“Nicholas saved my life when we were kids,” Noah said while checking the inside of the carts they finally reached. “He often put himself in danger to save my ass. He hated me on principle, because I was an arrogant little brat…but he stayed with me, taught me everything he knew and followed me when I decided to launch this mission.”

That was the very first time Noah consented to delve a bit into his memories, and Folio felt honored. He stared at him with big glowing eyes, hung on every word, and finally understood that he wanted to reassure him.

“So…you don’t think he’s angry at me ?” Nick asked hopefully. “And…and Jolly neither ? He’s fought them all alone, and…”

“Jolly is a soldier before anything else,” the eldest interrupted. “He keeps a cool head in every circumstance, and never lets his emotions win. It’s normal not to measure up to him", he’s got way more experience than you do. And…if he were angry at you, you’d definitely know. He’s rather direct.”

Deep down, Noah’s mission was a success : Folio felt confident again, and understood that a simple mistake wouldn’t kill them on the spot. He just had to make sure he wouldn’t repeat the same mistake in a more delicate situation, that’s all. He smiled, happy about this news. He then grabbed his cart, threw his helmet in it and headed back to the headquarters.

“Oh, by the way…I thought you and Ruffilo were the best of friends in the world since forever,” he said and Noah laughed. “Naaaah…our story is rather spectacular, and there was a long time during which we would have killed each other if it weren’t for the greater good. But now, nothing and no one can tear us apart. Just like with Jolly, and you. You’re in the team now. It’s us four against the world.”