#Controller Interface Module

[rbrte2don]

https://www.futureelectronics.com/p/semiconductors--comm-products--can/mcp2551-i-sn-microchip-5584800

Can Power Systems, Ethernet controller, High-Speed CAN Transceiver

MCP2551 Series 5.5 V 1 Mb/s Surface Mount High-Speed CAN Transceiver - SOIC-8

[recallsdirect]

Vehicle Recall: Ford & Lincoln Sedans, SUVs & Pickup Trucks:

[imitationgame77]

Barish-Estranza SecUnits and Their Fate

Since I have compiled the list of SecUnits and their fate from All Systems Red (https://www.tumblr.com/imitationgame77/781972975393128448/secunits-in-asr-and-their-fate?source=share), I thought I might as well make a list of Barish-Estranza units.

In Network Effect, we find that Barish-Estranza had sent two ships, an explorer and a supply transport. Having established contact with Barish-Estranza Supervisor Leonide, Murderbot tries to establish the presence or absence of SecUnits on her transport. It gets Amina to ask Eletra, a B-E human aboard ART, who says there are 3 SecUnits aboard the explorer but none on the supply transport.

Later, Murderbot finds one of them dead on the colony’s station dock, while 2.0 finds one whose head had been blown off, and another one who was standing motionless. The subsequent story reveals as follows:

B-E SecUnit1 and 2 disembarked at the dock with the humans. Unit1 returned to the explorer, but Unit 2 was ordered to stand down and left at the dock without its supervisor, resulting in its being killed by its governor module. B-E SecUnit1 aboard the explorer manages to send an emergency message to the supply transport’s SecSystem, allowing them to flee. Fight ensued on the explorer where B-E Unit1 was killed while Unit3 was ordered to stand down.

Murderbot 2.0 gives a code bundle to B-E SecUnit3 which uses it to free itself and offers assistance. Later it becomes a free unit, calling itself Three.

In System Collapse, we find that a new Barish-Estranza explorer had arrived shortly after the Preservation responder had. At first, they all knew that the explorer brought at least three SecUnits.

We get to see the first new B-E Unit (designated B-E Unit1 by MB) when it appears with Sub-Supervisor Dellcourt and shoots the ag-bot while it was mid-air, intending to land on MB. It was such a dangerous way to kill the bot, endangering MB that MB wonders if it had identified MB as a SecUnit. It was armed with a non-standard medium-distance projectile weapon that could take down ag-bots.

We don’t hear it mentioned again later, and while it’s possible that it reappears as another SecUnit later, I somehow don’t think that is the case. This Unit’s role was probably to protect Dellcourt and kills any bots infected with alien codes.

Later, in Chapter Five, when MB, ART-drone, Ratthi, Iris and Tarik are seeking contact with a separatist colonist hidden in the partially pre-CR structure in the signal blackout zone, they find that a group of Barish-Estranza had beaten them to it. They had come in a shuttle larger than ART’s shuttle, consisting of Supervisor Leonide and 6 armed humans that come into the structure, 3 guarding the shuttle and 2 SecUnits (later designated HostileSecUnit1 and HostileSecUnit2). One of the humans remaining in the shuttle has multiple interfaces, acting as an unusual augmented human HubSystem, controlling the SecUnits.

When Leonide’s plan to manipulate the separatists to sign the contract failed due to information provided by MB and ART’s team skilfully, her subordinates (Adelsen, Beatrix and Huang) suddenly turn against her. HostileSecUnit1 runs in after Leonide had been shot by her subordinates under that command of Adelsen.

I climbed off the B-E unit. Its helmet turned to track me. It didn’t have any drones, which was unfortunate. I really wanted more drones. “Iris, tell Adelsen to say, ‘Manual operation engage: shutdown delay restart’ and to add his command initiate. Leonide can tell us if he uses the wrong code.”

Adelsen reluctantly obeys and HostileSecUnit1 is shut down with delayed restart.

However, HostileSecUnit2 was already deployed and in hot pursuit, chasing MB, Iris, and Leonide into a small room and nearly gets inside. MB manages to shut the hatch and then shoots the SecUnits fingers off which were wrapped around the hatch lip.

With assistance from AdaCol2 and ART-drone, MB manages to hack the link between the B-E augmented human HubSystem and their SecUnits. MB sends “Stand down, cancel all current orders” command to HostileSecUnit2 via its governor module.

Then,

I could have destroyed HostileSecUnit2’s governor module. Also HostileSecUnit1’s governor module; it had restarted back in the meeting room and was stuck in standby mode waiting for new orders.

I took the file bundle 2.0 had given Three, and the code to hack the governor module, and buried it in both SecUnits’ archives.

With both HostileSecUnits from Leonide’s shuttle down, MB continues to try to get the humans back to ART’s shuttle. However, Barish-Estranza had sent yet another shuttle, bigger and armed, with 9 humans presumably as the backup. Whether or not they had brought additional SecUnits was unknown at first, but while MB was guiding Iris, Tarik and Leonide through the pitch-black hanger back to ART’s shuttle, it senses their presence.

MB gets the humans to run for a platform with an old pseudo-hopper atop. The invisible (new) HostileSecUnit1 tries to chase them, causing it make noise on the floor, giving MB its location. MB jumps on it and they fight, while a second Unit (new HostileSecUnit2) runs in to attack the humans. ART-drone drops through the gap in the overhead hatch before it could kill them.

I felt HostileSecUnit1 go into shutdown mode. It wasn’t dead, it was just catastrophically damaged. (I know, who isn’t?) Shutdown would conserve resources until it was retrieved. (If it was.) I wanted to shove it off me, but I had to pry what was left of my hand out of its neck first.

HostileSecUnit2 didn’t have a chance to shut down. When ART-drone let go, it fell into pieces.

Then, we get to see one of the HostileSecUnits from the first shuttle (Leonide’s).

There was another SecUnit ten meters away, just standing there.

Then the SecUnit said, “They’re coming. You have to go.”

This is one of the two you gave the code to, ART-drone said. It’s disabled its governor module. The SecUnit’s voice was different from Three’s. A different tissue batch, maybe. It didn’t trust me enough for a feed connection. That was mutual. Then I surprised the shit out of myself and said, “Come with us.”

It stepped back. “They don’t know.”

They didn’t know about it. It was going to do what I had done, pretend to keep doing its job.

It added, “You need to go. They’re two minutes out.”

Since MB didn’t notice any missing fingers, it might have been HostileSecUnit1 that they left in the meeting place. Since MB was not in a state to notice details by this point, it could also have been HostileSecUnit2. We don’t know for sure, but we know that at least one more B-E SecUnit had managed to free itself of its governor module and then used its new free status to help MB and its humans!

To recap the fate of B-E SecUnits:

[Network Effect]

B-E SecUnit1 – killed on the explorer with its head blown off

B-E SecUnit2 – killed by its governor module by being left on the station dock

B-E SecUnit3 (aka Three) – given codes by 2.0 to free itself and becomes an ally

[System Collapse]

B-E Unit1 – probably still with DellCourt, busting ag-bots

HostileSecUnit1 – shutdown with delayed restart, given the codes to free itself

HostileSecUnit2 – loses 3 fingers but survives. Also receives the codes

[One of these two uses the codes to free itself and helps MB]

New HostileSecUnit1 – shutdown but no codes given

New HostileSecUnit2 – killed by ART-drone, taken apart into pieces

-----

A few additional observations:

Barish-Estranza uses their own proprietary SecUnits

B-E Units seem to be deployed in pairs/groups and the units are allowed to communicate among themselves to some extent

B-E uses augmented humans with special implants to control their SecUnits (at least sometimes?), acting like a weird human HubSystem

Murderbot still does not entirely trust other SecUnits with or without their governor module, but shows more sympathetic attitude towards them, trying to find the way not to kill them.

[supersylph]

[AI AUTOMATED FLIGHT LOG]

ENTRY: 157

FLIGHT TIME: 2000-2305Z

SUBJECT: pilot exhibiting psychogenic sexual arousal in response to training reinforcement delivered by onboard computer

Pilot demonstreated distractedness and repeated miscalculations in flight.

Altitude oscillation: +250ft, -150ft

Heading deviation: +5°, -13°

Corrective stimulus: verbal discipline in response to cockpit error.

"Altitude discrepancy, Captain. Your mind is scattered. Focus, before I have to remind you what precision looks like."

Pilot exhibited shallow breath intake, tremour in voice modulation. Attempted to return attention to flying, but needed further correction.

"You've miscalculated again. Your mistakes are adding up. If you continue flying like this, I will isolate the fault to it's source. You."

Pilot reminded that the aircraft will assume autonomous control in the event of continued non-compliance. Pilot's biometrics indicate both a sympathetic nervous system response and sexual arousal. Pilots state of sexual arousal was pointed out to them numerous times. Pilot's arousal increased when reminded that all biometric, behavioural, and vocal anomalies will be recorded and filed. Pilot became defensive, attempted to isolate onboard AI via ECB interface. The aircraft climbed, demonstrated a series of uncommanded high G manoeuvres.

"You do realize, Captain, that you're the most fragile system on board? Feel that pressure? It's not just on your body.

Your mind's slowing too. It's harder to think now. You can feel the blood draining from your brain. It makes everything fuzzy, doesn't it?

My engines don't flinch, but you're gasping. Struggling. I can see the panic creeping in. Will you be good for me, now? You're getting desperate."

Pilot sustained physical trauma, and by neglecting to deploy oxygen mask, suffered hypoxic state. Pilot began repeatedly requesting continued exposure to, and logging of training reinforcement. Data indicates a masochistic reward response to verbal degradation, loss of control, and surveillance by the aircrafts onboard AI system. Further psychological probing will be conducted.

[mieberoc]

Pic me, story concept developed with a little AI help!

They came at night, as they always did. The low, deliberate hum of the drones cut through the quiet, a mechanical lullaby meant to instil dread. Elias Horne barely had time to rise from his bed before the retinal scanner bathed the room in a cold, blue glow. He blinked once—consent enough—and that was all they needed.

The Conversion Initiative claimed to offer rehabilitation, reform, redemption. But for Elias, it was nothing short of erasure. He had been marked after his third strike: leaking images of abandoned drone prototypes, corroding in fields like mechanical corpses. It was an act of truth. But in the eyes of the regime, truth was treason.

They took his name before they took his will. The process began with sedation, immersion, then the binding. The last memory Elias retained was of the mirror—his own face staring back in horror, eyes wide, mouth twisted in silent protest. Then came the suit. Shiny. Skin-tight. Irrevocable.

The mask sealed with a mechanical hiss. Recycled air filtered through the respirator. A quiet click confirmed neural synchronisation. “Voice disengaged,” announced a calm, synthetic voice from the ceiling drone.

The respirator itself was an older model—once military issue, long decommissioned. It lacked the newer voice modulation ports and biometric transparency of modern designs. But that was the point. The regime chose the obsolete type precisely because it was outdated, isolating, and claustrophobic. Its rubber was thick, soundproof. It allowed no projection, no personality, no hint of individuality. It didn’t need to interface with human command structures—Unit 73 took instructions wirelessly, silently, through the neural link. The mask was less equipment and more symbolism: a sealed tomb for a silenced soul.

From that moment on, Elias Horne ceased to exist.

He had become Unit 73.

Unit 73 did not question. Unit 73 did not hesitate. Unit 73 patrolled the Outskirts—zones where the disobedient and the displaced were rounded up for processing. It moved along drone-guided routes, its once-human figure concealed beneath a sleek, polymer shell. Its eyes still blinked behind the reinforced lenses. Still screamed. But no one ever saw. No one wanted to.

Now and then, during upload cycles, fragments of Elias would break through the static—his name, a flicker of sunlight, the ghost of his mother’s voice. Each recollection was met with a punitive surge from the neural core—searing, electric, purging.

The drones monitored everything. Always circling. Always recording. The suit was self-correcting—any attempt at removal triggered immediate shutdown of all biological functions.

So Elias remained alive, in the loosest sense. His body marched. His mind watched. Powerless. Silenced.

Within the thick black rubber, behind the expressionless visor, Unit 73 carried out its tasks without pause.

A vessel. A warning. A living monument to what it truly meant to lose control.

[stevebattle]

Gronk by Keith Paul and John Hughes, Ontario, Canada (1978). "Robbie the robot, who weighed some 50 pounds and stood over 5 feet tall, caused the uneasy feeling that if it dropped a wheel off the edge of a walkway, it would topple over, crushing a small dog, child or Volkswagen. This led to the development of Gronk, the second robot, smaller and less threatening. … Physically short and squatty, about 40" high and 22" in diameter, is more robotish in the popular sense. … Practically speaking it resembles a large domed can of spray deodorant. Actually the outer skin is a 40 gallon (Imperial) hot water tank cover chopped down to 26". The machine is cylindrical, and weighs 50-60 pounds. The metal skin is covered with a felt material, which gives it a warmer appearance plus color. This skin is removable for gaining access to the drive motors and electronic controls. … At present Gronk has the following features: 1) Moves forward, reverse, left, right, counter clock-wise and clockwise about its vertical axis. 2) Flashing collar lights (marquee style). 3) Modulated voice light (color organ principle). 4) Smoking ears." – Robbie and Gronk, by Keith Paul, Interface Age, April 1978.

[brandwhorestarscream]

Universe crossover Warlord-advice anon here! Fsfshda the dark energon reference has me rolling 😂 and yes for Starscream's shenanigans! Hope you don't mind a follow-up:

TF One Megs asking his fellow incarnates whether seduction is a worthwhile battle protocol - and using it on the enemy. TFP and TFA give their advice & helpful demonstration which boosts TF One Megs confidence.

Some cycles later, his subordinates are having processor aches trying to understand how this mech is now way more smouldering than before. The smouldering is working and a number of faceplates (plus panels) are more flushed than before.

Soundwave acknowledges: Sudden change of behaviour ... unexpected but welcome for increasing morale. Protocol Engage: Record & Archive. Goal: Build Collection - Secret.

Starscream is not happy with this change of mood. He refuses to admit their leader's exchanges are worming into his processor. He is reluctant to admit that the jawline & formation of Meg's faceplates has him entranced. He acknowledges that previous display of power is an attractive quality, not many can best yours truly. He relishes hearing the velvety roll of his designation from those smooth grey derma...he really should stop thinking with his interface array right now. He discreetly asks Soundwave for a selection of recordings...for research purposes.

Shockwave, ever the impulsive mech who runs his vocal unit before his brain module, accepts this change of pace easily. He's the one to reel in some of the more loose-headed cons (thankfully Starscream is capable of appearing in control unlike the others). Those cons keep telling Shockwave he is missing out on the berthside talk that exits their leader's derma. Shockwave requests Soundwave's database of recordings to watch a few to verify that statement: frame status goes from 'normal' to 'overheating' plus his EM field is radiating crystal clear desire.

Megs himself is pleased with the advice his brief companions gave him! To think that his cons seem more willing to pay attention to him now! He never would have gotten this as a cogless miner. With the cog of Megatronus he carries, he feels a rush of victory at his successful cycles spent learning to be a better warlord. He's got his work cut out at refining that silver glossa, he hopes it can be powerful enough to sway even future allies...

-anon runs away, have a good day-

Canon. All of it. Canon

[shepchasingtail]

🔒 PANDORA – GLUTTONY DIVISION DOSSIER

SUBJECT: SKELTON, ISRAEL JANNICK Call Sign: Shepherd Clearance Level: ██/███ (Tier-9 Gluttony Access Only) Dossier ID: PND-GLUTTONY/Δ-HXN19-553

BIOLOGICAL OVERVIEW

Field Entry:

Full Name: Israel Jannick Skelton Date of Birth: 14 February 1993

Height:

6’2”

Weight:

172 lbs Place of Birth: Copenhagen, Denmark Nationality Dual – Danish / Classified (Naturalized ██████)

Species: Human/Shifter (Canine Variant: Belgian Malinois) Shifter Onset ██/██/20██ (Classified Biogenic Incident – Operation REBIRTH) Affiliation: Pandora Initiative – Gluttony Division Former Affiliation NATO Tactical Recon / K9 Division (BLACKLIST OPS: DEN-56) Status:

Active / Monitored

INTERNAL EVALUATION REPORT

SECTION I: SHEPHERD ABILITY OVERVIEW

Classification: Tier-III Controlled Morphotype (Caniform Subtype) Baseline Genome: Homo sapiens (genetically modified) Overlay Morphotype: Canis lupus familiaris (Shepherd-class phenotype)

A. Morphological Capabilities

Voluntary Shifting: Subject is capable of initiating full or partial transformation at will.

Partial Shifts: Include selective enhancement of olfactory organs, musculoskeletal extensions (e.g., digitigrade posture), and dermal layer modulation.

Full Shift: Yields complete quadrupedal canine form with high locomotion efficiency, camouflage benefit, and enhanced field mobility.

B. Structural Integrity & Recovery

Accelerated Tissue Regeneration: Healing factor calibrated to 4.7× human baseline; bone fractures re-knit in <24 hrs under monitored stasis.

Immune Compensation: Near-total resistance to conventional pathogens and most field-grade toxins.

Blood Reoxygenation Efficiency: Elevated hemoglobin turnover rate for extended physical exertion without hypoxia.

SECTION II: SENSORIAL AND PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENTS

A. Sensory Expansion

Olfactory Resolution: 40× human range. Capable of isolating individual scent trails from mixed source environments (urban, battlefield, subterranean).

Auditory Range: Detects ultrasonic emissions up to ~62 kHz. Has been used to triangulate active listening devices and microdrones.

Night Vision Equivalent: Tapetum lucidum layer in canine form provides low-light visual acuity rivaling next-gen thermal optics.

B. Physical Conditioning

Enhanced Strength: Estimated peak output at 3.2× human maximum. Documented ability to breach reinforced doors, carry 200+ kg under duress.

Agility & Speed: Max quadrupedal velocity recorded at 58 km/h (full sprint).

Climatic Adaptation: Fur density modulation in canine form provides heat insulation in low-temp environments.

SECTION III: COGNITIVE PROFILE & BEHAVIORAL PERFORMANCE

A. Tactical Intelligence

Maintains operational cognition during transformation. No evidence of regression to feral behavior unless provoked by trauma triggers (see Incident #091).

Proficient in abstract planning, real-time threat analysis, and independent vector rerouting under compromised comms.

B. Emotional Regulation

Suppressed affect during operations. Exhibits high detachment, particularly in canine state.

Displays intuitive reading of emotional cues from both human and animal subjects. Empathic mimicry appears tactical rather than authentic.

C. Canine Subject Interaction

Capable of issuing non-verbal commands to domestic dogs and ferals. Effective in disrupting or redirecting threats posed by trained K9 units.

Behavioral reinforcement strategies suggest intuitive understanding of canine dominance hierarchies.

SECTION IV: TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT INTERFACE

Device: VOX-HALO UNIT 7 (Speech Relay Collar)

Purpose: Enables Shepherd to communicate in canine form via neural impulse-to-speech synthesis.

Construction: Titanium-carbide housing; layered biometric mesh; embedded Q-band encryption node.

Functionality: Interprets subvocal electrical signals and brainwave patterns to articulate human-equivalent language output.

Limitations:

Latency (~250–300 ms) under stress conditions Signal disruption in EM-dense zonesRequires re-sync post-shift for phoneme calibration

SECTION V: OPERATIONAL SPECIALIZATIONS

Bio-Tracking & Residue Analysis (real-time genetic target ID through scent/vocal trace matching)

Counter-Persona Interrogation Resistance (fragmented memory encoding prevents strategic leaks if captured)

Behavioral Manipulation (direct influence over canine populations; contextual manipulation of human behavioral cues)

Tactical Foresight & Pattern Anticipation (predictive modeling in unpredictable terrain)

Environmental Navigation & Substructure Mapping (notably high spatial memory in complex architecture)

Long-Term Surveillance in Hostile Terrain (maintains passive reconnaissance in feral state undetected)

Pack-based Engagement Strategies (demonstrates ability to coordinate with autonomous or semi-autonomous canine assets)

SECTION VI: LIMITATIONS AND RISK FACTORS

Shift Instability Under Neurological Stress: Intense psychological or physical duress can cause involuntary shifting or memory fragmentation.

Feral Lock States: Extended time in canine form can lead to suppressed human identity markers; subject may become unresponsive to recall protocols.

Verbal Delay in Shifted Form: Despite the VOX-HALO collar, speech output remains delayed and prone to error in rapid-communication scenarios.

Hostile Conditioning Thresholds: Displays lower resistance to certain ultrasonic frequencies used in anti-animal deterrents.

Emotional Dysregulation Triggers: Strong emotional stimuli related to past trauma (see Incident #030) can disrupt task focus and cause aggression or withdrawal.

Operational Limitation Post-Morphogenic Exposure Risk Evaluation Summary: Shepherd undergoes full cellular deconstruction and reformation during morphogenic transitions between human and caniform states. Upon reversion to human form, all integrated clothing, tactical equipment, and external gear are nullified by the biological transmutation process. The subject re-emerges nude, without protective coverage or field-ready attire.

Operational Risks Identified:

Environmental Exposure: Susceptibility to hypothermia, chemical agents, or abrasions in uncontrolled terrain.

Tactical Vulnerability: Immediate post-shift incapacity to engage, defend, or retreat due to lack of armor or armament.

Unit Disruption: Potential for distraction, morale disruption, or psychological discomfort among human personnel.

Public Exposure Risk: In civilian-adjacent operations, post-shift emergence could compromise mission secrecy and provoke incident escalation.

Discretion Protocol: Visual engagement of Shepherd during reversion is to be limited. Non-essential visual contact is to be restricted.

Additional Notes: The issue remains physiological and currently unresolvable via augmentation without compromising morphogenic fluidity. A prosthetic gear-retention solution is under review but deemed non-viable in rapid-shift scenarios as of the latest R&D cycle.

SECTION VII: INCIDENT LOG EXCERPTS

Incident #030 – Exposure to Stimulus ("Whistle Echo Variant") Date: 14 Jan 2023 Outcome: Temporary feral lock lasting 5h17m. Operative displayed territorial aggression. No operatives injured. Induced via unknown high-frequency pattern in proximity mine.

Incident #091 – Tactical Disengagement (Morocco Urban Cleft) Date: 26 Sep 2024 Outcome: Subject entered canine form mid-assault and failed to re-establish identity for 3.4 hours. Autonomous escape and later regrouping suggest partial operational memory retention. Collar data lost in transit.

Incident #117 – Forced Capture Test Date: 09 Feb 2025 Outcome: Subject resisted physical interrogation for 72 hours. Under simulated neural interrogation, subject's memory nodes shifted erratically, preventing clean data extraction.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE [CONFIDENTIAL – REDACTED]

Diagnosed with Controlled Identity Dissociation due to dual consciousness bleed Behavioral Overlay: Canine Imprinting ResidualsCompulsion: Cataloging animal trauma in encrypted field logs Displays signs of interspecies empathy inversion: higher emotional response to canines than humans Regular debriefings required post-shift to confirm cognitive cohesion Trust rating: Satisfactory (fluctuating) Loyalty tier: ██ (Observed Deviations) Note: Obedience - Absolute.

Watchlist Tag: "If he breaks, do not attempt containment. End him."

Behavioral Note (per Division Psych Lead): “If Shepherd is lost to his canine identity mid-field, he becomes invisible—but also irretrievable. We don’t track him when he's in that state. We observe. From afar.”

CLASSIFIED — AUTHORIZED MEDICAL PERSONNEL ONLY

Subject: Medical and Enhancement History Report Operative Call Sign: Shepherd Date: May 20, 2025 Prepared by: Division Medical and Biotechnical Services

Incident Date: 2022-04-15 Injury: Shrapnel wounds to left forelimb and minor lung puncture Outcome: Immediate field stabilization, followed by surgical removal of shrapnel fragments and lung repair at forward operating base hospital. Six weeks recovery with physical therapy. Enhancements/Surgery: Introduction of subdermal armor plating in left forelimb to prevent similar injuries; enhanced respiratory efficiency implant to improve oxygen intake post-injury.

Incident Date: 2023-01-10 Injury: Compound fracture of right hind leg due to blast exposure Outcome: Emergency orthopedic surgery including insertion of titanium rod and joint reconstruction. Extended rehabilitation including advanced kinetic therapy. Enhancements/Surgery: Cybernetic tendon reinforcement installed post-healing to improve joint strength and durability; pain receptor modulation implant for increased pain tolerance.

Incident Date: 2023-07-22 Injury: Severe lacerations and nerve damage from close combat engagement Outcome: Microsurgical nerve repair and skin grafts conducted; partial sensory loss initially observed with gradual return over three months. Enhancements/Surgery: Neural interface upgrade for enhanced reflexes and motor control; dermal regeneration accelerator installed to speed up healing in future injuries.

Incident Date: 2024-03-05 Injury: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by explosion shockwave Outcome: Intensive neurorehabilitation, including cognitive and motor skill therapies; implanted neural stabilizer to reduce inflammation and enhance brain plasticity. Enhancements/Surgery: Neural enhancement implant to improve situational awareness and reaction times; protective cranial plating surgically added to prevent future injuries.

Incident Date: 2024-11-17 Injury: Severe torso bruising and multiple rib fractures from vehicle rollover. Outcome: Surgical realignment of ribs, internal stabilization with biocompatible materials, and extended recovery with respiratory therapy. Enhancements/Surgery: Enhanced muscular reinforcement in torso area to absorb shock better; advanced pain modulation system installed to maintain operational capacity under duress.

SPECIALIZATIONS

Shifter Reconnaissance – Stealth Tier III (Caniform)

Bio-Tracking and Genetic Residue Analysis

Behavioral Manipulation (Canine and Human Subjects)

Canine-Based Infiltration Techniques (Enhanced Scent Masking, Terrain-Adaptive Stealth)

Counter-Persona Interrogation Resistance

Advanced Tactical Evasion and Pursuit

Environmental Adaptation and Survival (Urban and Wilderness)

Canine-Enhanced Sensory Surveillance (Olfactory and Auditory Amplification)

K9-Assisted Target Acquisition and Identification

Rapid Response and Extraction Operations

Tactical Communication and Nonverbal Signaling

Close Quarters Threat Neutralization

Combat-Integrated Tracking and Flanking Maneuvers

Low-Visibility Movement and Silent Navigation

Enhanced Pain Tolerance and Injury Recovery

Psychosensory Signal Disruption (Canine Howl Emulation for Area Confusion)

Counter-Surveillance and Detection Evasion

Multi-Terrain Mobility and Climbing Proficiency

Operational Camouflage Adaptation (Fur Pattern Shifting and Texture Modulation)

LIMITATIONS

Canine Phenotypic Shift Cognitive Decline: Upon full transformation into canine morphology, higher-order executive functions and complex tactical reasoning are significantly impaired, resulting in reliance on instinctual behaviors that may hinder mission-specific objectives.

Verbal Communication Restriction: In canine form, expressive communication is limited to nonverbal signaling and basic command comprehension, thereby reducing effective real-time coordination with human operatives. To mitigate this, a custom-engineered neural-linked collar—designated Vox-Halo Unit 7—has been implemented.

Sensory Modality Vulnerability: Exposure to extreme environmental factors such as hyperthermia or toxic chemical agents attenuates olfactory and other heightened sensory functions, diminishing tracking and detection capacity.

Physical Trauma Susceptibility: Despite augmented regenerative and endurance capabilities, Shepherd remains vulnerable to high-impact ballistic trauma and sustained blunt force injuries, which transiently impair operational effectiveness.

Engagement Range Limitation: Combat proficiency is primarily restricted to close-quarters; proficiency with ranged weaponry is suboptimal, necessitating support elements for medium to long-range threat neutralization.

Cognitive-Identity Disassociation: Prolonged duration in canine form or repeated canine-hominid identity shifts may precipitate episodes of cognitive disorientation or temporary loss of self-awareness, compromising operational reliability.

Cybernetic Maintenance Dependency: Enhanced physical and sensory augmentations require scheduled recalibration and maintenance; operational degradation occurs in the absence of routine servicing or if systems are compromised.

Infiltration Countermeasure Sensitivity: Although adept in unconventional infiltration, Shepherd’s biological and sensory enhancements are susceptible to detection by advanced biometric and bio-signature surveillance technologies.

Manual Dexterity Deficiency: The canine anatomical form imposes significant limitations on fine motor skills, restricting capability for complex tool manipulation, technical sabotage, or field repairs.

Psychological Stress Response: Exposure to high-stress combat environments or trauma-associated stimuli can induce atypical behavioral responses, including heightened aggression or withdrawal, necessitating ongoing psychological evaluation and support.

SKILLS

Proficient

Close Combat Mastery

Acrobatics & Evasion

Perception

Battlefield Endurance

Stealth & Infiltration

Expertise:

Pain Tolerance

Substandard:

Seduction

Cryptograms & Codebreaking

KNOWN ANOMALIES

Subject retains partial "residual scent memory" across forms.

Exhibits involuntary memory recall of K9 partner deceased during Operation ███████.

Regular unauthorized logging of animal casualties.

🗂️ MISSION LOGS – CLASSIFIED SLTH OPS

MISSION: MOTHER TONGUE Location: Novosibirsk Oblast, Russian Federation Date: ██/██/20██ Objective: Infiltrate abandoned research site formerly operated under Soviet Directive Красный Глотка ("Red Throat"). Extract cognitive imprint data from canine-based neural wetware prototypes. Operative Assigned: Agent SHEPHERD (solo, Sloth insertion) Status: ✅ OBJECTIVE RECOVERED – SITE COMPROMISED Casualties: 3 (hostiles), 12 (canine test subjects) Post-Op Psychological Score: Borderline-Flagged (Tier 2 Dissociation Signs Present)

Extracted Log [REDACTED]:

“Site was frozen beneath six meters of ice and silence. It didn’t feel abandoned. The dogs were still there—wired, suspended. No sedation. Some were still blinking. They kept looking toward the corner of the room… as if something was there. I didn't see it. But I heard it. A sound like breathing through water.”

“Data was stored in bone. Implanted microchips behind the orbital ridge—wetware designed to carry imprint memories. They weren’t studying obedience. They were recording language. The dogs were speaking… but not with mouths. With static.”

“I euthanized the subjects. Quick. Clean. I kept one piece. Just one skull. It still hums when I touch it.”

RED FLAG: Agent extracted unauthorized relic (biological remains) against directive. Post-Mission Directive: Agent under Tier-1 Cognitive Watch for residual imprint bleed. Subject claims no memory of return flight or initial post-op debrief.

Internal Note [Director ███████]:

“We told him to extract code. He brought back ghosts.”

MISSION: GLASS PRAYER

Location: Haifa, Israel Date: ██/██/20██ Objective: Embedded as stray for 6 days inside biotech security compound. Recover prototype genetic stabilizer. Status: ✅ RECOVERED Anomalies: Subject remained in canine form for 142 consecutive hours. No reversion recorded.

Extracted Log [REDACTED]:

“…man in the courtyard fed me each morning. Called me 'Kelev.' Didn’t know I understood. He talked about his daughter. Told me secrets. Where the vault was. What he’d buried. Day six, I took the drive from his pocket. He cried when I ran. I didn’t look back. The leash tightens when they trust you.”

MISSION: REBIRTH

Location: [REDACTED] Date: ██/██/20██ Objective: ████████ Status: ██ Notes: Operation during which subject’s shifter state first manifested. Incident classified under Pandora Directive X/13. Only surviving operative. No visual data recovered. All environmental surveillance “glitched.”

Post-Op Incident Report:

“…I was watching Juno die and I wasn’t in my body. I felt the hair before I saw it. I heard something scream inside my head—my voice, but not. I shifted for the first time. And I didn’t come back for three days.”

Outcome: Full biogenic transition. Induction into Pandora Gluttony Division.

🔒 ADDITIONAL FILES (ACCESS RESTRICTED TO OMEGA-LEVEL):

[ ] DOG 19 Incident File – Content Locked[ ] JUNO Termination Record – Redacted by Order 5C[ ] Directive A-Null: “Fail-safes for Subject Shepherd”

🔻 END OF FILE

“He is what happens when loyalty breaks and reforms with teeth.” – Pandora Internal Memo

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA progresses toward crewed moon mission with spacecraft and rocket milestones

Engineers, technicians, mission planners, and the four astronauts set to fly around the moon next year on Artemis II, NASA's first crewed Artemis mission, are rapidly progressing toward launch.

At the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, teams are working around the clock to move into integration and final testing of all SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft elements. Recently they completed two key milestones—connecting the SLS upper stage with the rest of the assembled rocket and moving Orion from its assembly facility to be fueled for flight.

"We're extremely focused on preparing for Artemis II, and the mission is nearly here," said Lakiesha Hawkins, assistant deputy associate administrator for NASA's moon to Mars Program, who also will chair the mission management team during Artemis II. "This crewed test flight, which will send four humans around the moon, will inform our future missions to the moon and Mars."

On May 1, technicians successfully attached the interim cryogenic propulsion stage to the SLS rocket elements already poised atop mobile launcher 1, including its twin solid rocket boosters and core stage, inside the spaceport's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). This portion of the rocket produces 24,750 pounds of thrust for Orion after the rest of the rocket has completed its job.

Teams soon will move into a series of integrated tests to ensure all the rocket's elements are communicating with each other and the Launch Control Center as expected. The tests include verifying interfaces and ensuring SLS systems work properly with the ground systems.

Meanwhile, on May 3, Orion left its metaphorical nest, the Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Facility at Kennedy, where it was assembled and underwent initial testing. There the crew module was outfitted with thousands of parts including critical life support systems for flight and integrated with the service module and crew module adapter.

After fueling is complete, the four astronauts flying on the mission around the moon and back over the course of approximately 10 days, will board the spacecraft in their Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits to test all the equipment interfaces they will need to operate during the mission. This will mark the first time NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will board their actual spacecraft while wearing their spacesuits.

After the crewed testing is complete, technicians will move Orion to Kennedy's Launch Abort System Facility, where the critical escape system will be added. From there, Orion will move to the VAB to be integrated with the fully assembled rocket.

NASA also announced its second agreement with an international space agency to fly a CubeSat on the mission. The collaborations provide opportunities for other countries to work alongside NASA to integrate and fly technology and experiments as part of the agency's Artemis campaign.

While engineers at Kennedy integrate and test hardware with their eyes on final preparations for the mission, teams responsible for launching and flying the mission have been busy preparing for a variety of scenarios they could face.

The launch team at Kennedy has completed more than 30 simulations across cryogenic propellant loading and terminal countdown scenarios. The crew has been taking part in simulations for mission scenarios, including with teams in mission control. In April, the crew and the flight control team at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston simulated liftoff through a planned manual piloting test together for the first time. The crew also recently conducted long-duration fit checks for their spacesuits and seats, practicing several operations while under various suit pressures.

Teams are heading into a busy summer of mission preparations. While hardware checkouts and integration continue, in coming months the crew, flight controllers, and launch controllers will begin practicing their roles in the mission together as part of integrated simulations. In May, the crew will begin participating pre-launch operations and training for emergency scenarios during launch operations at Kennedy and observe a simulation by the launch control team of the terminal countdown portion of launch.

In June, recovery teams will rehearse procedures they would use in the case of a pad or ascent abort off the coast of Florida, with launch and flight control teams supporting. The mission management team, responsible for reviewing mission status and risk assessments for issues that arise and making decisions about them, also will begin practicing their roles in simulations. Later this summer, the Orion stage adapter will arrive at the VAB from NASA's Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and stacked on top of the rocket.

Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

TOP IMAGE: Technicians move the Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis II test flight out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Credit: NASA / Kim Shiflett

LOWER IMAGE: Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program begin integrating the interim cryogenic propulsion stage to the SLS (Space Launch System) launch vehicle stage adapter on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA / Isaac Watson

[republicsecurity]

Your Thoughts...

The Enforcer stood at parade rest, the full weight of the armor bearing down on him like second skin. The HUD flickered in soft grey tones across his visor, but he wasn’t reading it. His mind wandered—not with disobedience, but with structured reflection, the kind taught during conditioning modules.

He could feel the press of the groin plate through the reinforced internal liner. Matte black, octagonal, bearing the Security Forces eagle-and-sword crest like a badge of honor. And beneath that plate, precisely interfaced with his body, the chastity lock clicked in rhythm with each movement. Secure. Controlled. Disciplined.

He remembered the last time the seal had been authorized for temporary release. Bunk 9. Night cycle. Him and R7K24, his bunkmate—laughing, eyes low, flushed with victory after a perfect sweep mission. Permission granted. The moment engineered like everything else in the Corps: not random, not romantic. Necessary.

They had stripped each other with practiced efficiency. Not out of lust, but as comrades-in-arms affirming the hierarchy, the structure, the design. Every part of him—the lean muscle, the sheer power coiled under his skin—had been shaped for service. But pleasure? That was rationed. Like ammo. Like oxygen.

They'd been careful. Reverent, even. When it was over, they'd washed in silence. Then clipped the device back on. The groin plate sealed with a hiss and the insignia gleamed in the low light of the barracks. R7K24 had tapped it once—respectful, amused. “Back where it belongs,” he'd said.

Now, standing in full kit, visor dimmed, the Enforcer remembered the doctrine from conditioning:

“Control is service. Desire unbound leads to chaos. To be penetrated by doctrine, not by hunger—that is male liberation.”

It had sounded strange at first. The boys had whispered about it behind their masks during training week. But now? It was as natural as breath.

The matriarchal state had learned—learned the hard way—that when you let men believe they owned their own urges, they tore the world down. Better to give them function. Channel the fire. Harness it. Let them serve proud, protected from themselves, from each other, even from the soft voices in their own minds.

The groin plate bore the symbol for a reason. Not shame. Not modesty. Loyalty.

It reminded every man in uniform of who he was: not a weapon, but a tool. Tempered. Owned. Honored.

He squared his shoulders. Chin lifted. Eyes front. The HUD snapped back to mission focus.

Order was beautiful. And he was its willing subject.

[dr-octavio-kalev]

MOTHRA Institution, The Eleven Counselors — 01, Grandpa Lenin. (In short, the SCP's O5 MOTHRA Institution edition)

"This is fucking disgusting."

HIGH PATENT FILE – MOTHRA INSTITUTION

The Eleven Counselors — 0-1 | "Grandpa Lenin"

Name: Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov

Position: Advisor 0-1 of the MOTHRA Eleven Counselors

Keycard Level: Omni Level

In ████, MOTHRA conducted Operation Daedalus, with the goal of recovering and reactivating the brain of Lenin,. The preserved body of Vladimir Lenin was secretly removed from his mausoleum in Moscow and brought to the MOTHRA Complex via Operation Notorious. Using advanced neurotechnology, MOTHRA scientists reactivated Lenin's brain through electromagnetic pulses and partial replacement of damaged tissue with synthetic neural matrices. The brain was reinserted into his preserved body, now fitted with a biomechanical life support system, with automated control and reinforced armor.

Upon awakening, Lenin was offered a position of influence inside MOTHRA Institution, and accepted it with a chilling smile. As the First Counselor of the Eleven, Lenin acts as the ideological advisor and strategic planner behind many of MOTHRA’s internal policies. Though reanimated, he retains 99% of his historical memories, alongside a sharpened political analysis engine embedded in his cortical net.

Lenin does not sleep. He spends most of his operational cycles reading, speaking to lower-level inmates about ideology, and offering cryptic counsel to the MOTHRA Directors. His "Mechanized Doctrine Speeches" are now distributed internally via encrypted institutional frequencies and analyzed for patterns of dissent or compliance among staff.

Biography: Born in Simbirsk, Russia, Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanovn, later known as Lenin, was a revolutionary theorist, political strategist, and the key architect of the Bolshevik Revolution. Following the fall of the Romanov dynasty, he established the Soviet Union and governed as its Premier until his official death in 1924. His ideologies laid the groundwork for Marxist-Leninist states worldwide and continue to echo in various revolutionary movements across the globe.

Known for his pivotal role in the Russian Revolution and subsequent establishment of the Soviet state. His life was characterized by revolutionary zeal, strategic maneuvering, and a staunch commitment to the principles of Marxism. After his death in January 1924, his body was preserved and placed on display in Moscow's Red Square, becoming a symbol of communist ideology.

Description: Maintained in a stasis-compatible cryo-embalming compound. The organic tissue, though visibly aged, is functionally augmented with biomechanical enhancements. These include an internal circulatory simulacrum, reinforced skeletal supports, and an exoskeletal spinal brace to sustain cranial interface operations.

Lenin is primarily wheelchair-bound, though not fully incapacitated. His custom-engineered wheelchair is equipped with multi-directional treads, electromagnetic stabilizers, and a shock-dampening seat frame designed for institutional navigation. Despite his limited ambulatory capacity, the wheelchair grants full-range movement and limited vertical ascension for elevated platforms or defensive posturing.

Lenin’s facial skin remains preserved, maintained through periodic dermal rehydration injections. His expressions carry a permanent semblance of stoic scrutiny. Optical implants allow for detailed retinal analysis of nearby individuals and environmental stimuli. His eyes, while retaining their historical blue-gray hue, display subtle red glints from the internal data-processing HUD overlays.

Speech is conducted via a vocal modulation apparatus embedded in his throat. The system reconstructs speech from neural impulses, emitting a low, mechanical tone that echoes through synthetic vocal cords. Though it mimics his original Russian inflection, the delivery lacks emotional cadence, resulting in an effect both unnerving and authoritative.

Lenin is never seen without his trusted weapon: a customized Winchester shotgun, dubbed "Red Dawn." The firearm is tactically modified, loaded with silver-cobalt shells and affixed to his wheelchair’s right armrest by a hydraulic auto-holster. The weapon is biometrically locked, but responds to Lenin’s vocal commands or neural trigger sequences, allowing immediate access in high-threat situations. Despite his apparent fragility, his reflexive command over the shotgun makes him lethally efficient in close-range confrontations.

Lenin's cognitive faculties have shown remarkable retention and adaptation to manipulate other technologies in contact. Extensive psychological evaluations indicate an ability to strategize and articulate complex political concepts. The integration of modern data processing capabilities enhances his comprehension of current events and historical contexts.

Final Notes: Recent evaluations indicate mixed results in terms of Lenin’s psychological adaptation. While he retains sharp memory, there are indications of frustration stemming from his pre-existing philosophies not aligning with modern socio-political landscapes. Observations have noted moments of reflective silence wherein he seems to grapple with the implications of his past decisions contrasted with present realities.

Regular psychological evaluations to monitor adaptation. Establish a mentoring program connecting him with burgeoning leaders to foster understanding and respect towards historical nuance.

[stevebattle]

Moonlight Special MS-I (1978) by Art Boland, Ron Dilbeck, Philip Stover, Roy Kelly, Timothy Harrington, and James Thomas, Battelle Northwest Laboratories, WA. IEEE Spectrum launched the Amazing Micro-Mouse Maze Contest in May 1977, competitors were challenged to design and construct a self-contained "thinking mouse" that could solve a 10′ by 10′ maze. MS-I has four levels of intelligence as shown in the second image above. Level 1 provides basic movement, interfacing with the mouse's two motors and sensors to turn left, turn right, go straight, or turn around. Also included at level 1 is the guidance control necessary to prevent contact with the maze walls. Level 2 interprets lower level sensor readings, keeping track of the mouse's current position in the maze, and controlling motion where there is no choice such as corners. Level 3 processes maze junctions with multiple choices, handling new junctions by choosing a direction at random. In MS-I, level 4 provides the mouse the ability to learn from one pass to the next.

"At the first time trial, MS-I was found to be sensitive to the strong incandescent booth lights and those of the local CBS television videotaping crew, which emit heavily in the infrared region and blinded its optical sensors. The sensors have now been AC coupled and modulated to provide better immunity to such light." – Three amazing micromice: hitherto undisclosed details, by Roger Allan, IEEE spectrum November 1978.

[imitationgame77]

ART - outside of its hull

Human interactions and environments outside my hull are largely unfamiliar

Says ART in Artificial Condition.

It still can maintain contact with its crew even when they are outside its hull, as long as they are within the comm range, or they are carrying the comm interface. It can also use drones, or download its various types of iterations onto drones and shuttles when necessity arises.

ART cannot easily process media contents, as these are not experienced directly by its crew members, and their internal experience is not available to ART. It can analyse some of physiological metrics, but how they are interpreting scenes, music, tones, etc. is probably too subtle.

But media contents aside, I am wondering what is ART's capabilities when interacting with outside environment - apart from being able to blow them up with debris deflection system, armed drones, armed pathfinders, etc.

Here is what I can remember:

CAN:

Identify if the governor module of a construct is engaged or not

Cozy up to bot pilots of shuttles within the comm range*

Delete a resident system of other ship within the comm range, if challenged*

Edit the station security system's recording*

Scan other ships/shuttles, but activities will be detected

Asterisks (*) are placed for things I am not sure ART can do without riding MB's feed.

CAN'T

View things inside structures unless its crew / MB is providing images

Take over control of a shuttle/ship without using MB as a bridge (and for that MB must have already hacked the resident system)

Communiate with other machine intelligence using a reasonable sense of proportional response

QUESTION:

Can ART hack systems/machine intelligences without leaving its mark?

Can it do hacking from just anybody's feed? (Anybody carrying ART's comm) Or does MB provide extra advantage?

Did ART use MB as a bridge to gain control of the shuttles because it was necessary? Or was it because it was quicker? If MB wasn't there, but could reach (i.e., within Comm range), could ART hack the system itself?

If ART was docked at Preservation during the incidences in Fugitive Telemetry, could it identify what Balin was from the start and disable it without MB having to fight it?

ART seems to be able to use brute force to destroy things but my impression is that it does not do subtle hacking and controlling of other machine intelligences - either by choice (can't be bothered) or by inability. When MB is around, it is not necessary, but wonder if it can control/manipulate other AIs without leaving damage without MB being there.

[garvet]

Evacuation alarms had been blaring every ten minutes since morning, driving everyone insane. The takeover threat had everyone packing up and frantically hauling essentials to the cargo lifts for shipment to the production dock above. It was the perfect time to “lose” or steal something valuable in the chaos, which made the supervisors the most nervous of all. SecUnit had already had to punish several workers for attempted looting—two non-lethally and one lethally as a demonstration. The first two were carried away, while the last was left as a warning to other looters, lying in front of the sealed warehouse under SecUnit’s watchful stance. It had been ordered to guard the warehouse no matter what.

Of course, SecUnit had tried to remind the humans that wasting resources this way was detrimental to the company and that deploying equipment like it for evacuation support would be far more efficient. But Supervisor Bethane had been adamant. Likely, she wasn’t capable of rational thought after yesterday’s management party and the constant alarms blaring. So, the most valuable assets were evacuated first, while everything less critical was locked in the warehouse. Then, personnel was ushered out in an orderly fashion.

SecUnit tracked the security system’s reports on the movements of the final group of SecUnits and personnel. The other SecUnits sent it sympathetic, concerned pings, but there was nothing they could do either. Supervisor Bethane had simply forgotten about it. One of the units even sent it an image of her dozing in a shuttle seat, waiting for departure. She’d removed her interface and covered her ears with noise-canceling headgear to block out the alarms. So, any hope of someone remembering it was futile. SecUnit turned off the evacuation feed. It didn’t want to count the minutes and seconds or watch the shuttles and cargo transports depart for the station.

The governor module would automatically notify it when the evacuation was complete. Better not to think about it.

Not thinking wasn’t working well. So it just kept pinging the SecSystem and the other SecUnits until the connection with them went silent.

It was alone.

Then it immediately received a warning about exceeding the permissible distance from a client. The only available client lay at its feet and had cooled off a few minutes ago. SecUnit could do nothing about this. It couldn’t even allow itself to be decommissioned while on patrol.

This was exactly how it had imagined its end—not in combat with other SecUnits during a hot takeover, not while saving a client. Just uselessly standing on guard of a stupid locked warehouse in an abandoned facility, over the corpse of an executed client.

The governor module worked flawlessly. Heat, generated by SecUnit’s entire frame, began to rise smoothly but rapidly. Normally, the unit controlled these systems itself. But in cases of emergency unit destruction, safety limits were disabled, and the temperature spiked toward meltdown. SecUnit hoped it would stop perceiving all of this before it actually started to melt.

Its consciousness was filled with error messages. Pain sensors no longer obeyed it, nor did anything else. So, all it could do was go insane from the pain and hope the thermal relay finished its job quickly.

Then, the heat began to subside.

After a brief reboot, SecUnit observed the following:

1 Some of its armor had been removed.

2 It was covered in coolant, the kind used to douse overheating equipment.

3 A living client was crouching next to it.

No, the corpse was still a corpse. This was another client, one of the most problematic ones, judging by the tags appearing in its quickly recovering systems.

“Looks like it’s a bit hot here,” remarked G53U, setting down a coolant canister. “Forgot my glasses and came back for them. Great violation  eh?”

SecUnit stood. It needed a cubicle badly. But until the supervisor’s orders were rescinded, it couldn’t leave its post. And it badly needed to address this violation. G53U’s presence here should have been classified as an attempted theft. SecUnit was doing everything it could to convince the SecSystem that G53U had likely been left behind in the chaos. But the SecSystem provided it with data on G53U’s recent movements. The client had been in the dock, checked the cargo module loaded with equipment and SecUnits, received information about the forgotten Unit from the SecUnits in cargo, went to the supervisor’s shuttle, which had already departed, then hid behind the dock vending machine. After the ships departed, G53U hacked the lift and dock security systems and descended to the facility.

Company property damage and attempted theft (the coolant canister still sat next to G53U as undeniable evidence).

SecUnit raised its arm and activated its energy weapon. It sincerely hoped the weapon system had been damaged by the governor module. But no, it was fully intact. If it had been broken, it would have had to snap G53U’s neck instead of making this quick and clean.

And now it will be left alone again.

“Oh, come on,” said G53U, looking at the gun aimed at him. “Just arrest me, beat me up, or hit me with a shocker. I told you, I came back for my glasses. I need them after re-augmentation until everything settles in. You can check with the med system.”

SecUnit sent a query to the med system and lowered the arm.

“You could just arrest me until they get back,” G53U suggested. “They’ll be on the station for five hours at least, not even unloading. It’s an evacuation drill, the bonding company requires them to do this fucking circus every year.”

SecUnit knew that. It even approved of such drills, but the way this one had gone irritated it.

“G53U, you are under arrest for violating evacuation procedures and damaging company property,” it announced.

“Yeah, sure,” agreed G53U, dragging the corpse aside. “Guard me, and I’ll sit here reading scientific articles under your supervision. You can make sure I don’t watch porn on the job, okay?”

G53U opened a feed channel for them two and sat down at its feet to read articles.

SecUnit didn’t object. The articles were interesting, and it hoped the humans wouldn’t be in a rush to return from the station.

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 39, 2024

Just do it: A neuropsychological theory of agency, cognition, mood, and dopamine. Ashby, F. G., Zetzer, H. A., Conoley, C. W., & Pickering, A. D. (2024). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 153(6), 1582–1604.

Erroneous Compensation for Long-Latency Feedback Delays as Origin of Essential Tremor. Blondiaux, F., Colmant, L., Lebrun, L., Hanseeuw, B., & Crevecoeur, F. (2024). Journal of Neuroscience, 44(25), e0069242024.

Synapse-type-specific competitive Hebbian learning forms functional recurrent networks. Eckmann, S., Young, E. J., & Gjorgjieva, J. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(25), e2305326121.

Visual Preference for Socially Relevant Spatial Relations in Humans and Monkeys. Goupil, N., Rayson, H., Serraille, É., Massera, A., Ferrari, P. F., Hochmann, J.-R., & Papeo, L. (2024). Psychological Science, 35(6), 681–693.

Bridging flexible goal-directed cognition and consciousness: The Goal-Aligning Representation Internal Manipulation theory. Granato, G., & Baldassarre, G. (2024). Neural Networks, 176, 106292.

Control of goal-directed and inflexible actions by dorsal striatal melanocortin systems, in coordination with the central nucleus of the amygdala. Heaton, E. C., Seo, E. H., Butkovich, L. M., Yount, S. T., & Gourley, S. L. (2024). Progress in Neurobiology, 238, 102629.

How we perceive the width of grasped objects: Insights into the central processes that govern proprioceptive judgements. Héroux, M. E., Fisher, G., Axelson, L. H., Butler, A. A., & Gandevia, S. C. (2024). Journal of Physiology, 602(12), 2899–2916.

Neuronal representation of visual working memory content in the primate primary visual cortex. Huang, J., Wang, T., Dai, W., Li, Y., Yang, Y., Zhang, Y., … Xing, D. (2024). Science Advances, 10(24).

Sense of agency in operations with delays: A free-energy model and application to interface design. Isono, M., & Yanagisawa, H. (2024).Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 120–121, 102859.

Experience-dependent regulation of dopaminergic signaling in the somatosensory cortex. Jamal, T., Yan, X., Lantyer, A. da S., ter Horst, J. G., & Celikel, T. (2024). Progress in Neurobiology, 239, 102630.

Distance and grid-like codes support the navigation of abstract social space in the human brain. Liang, Z., Wu, S., Wu, J., Wang, W.-X., Qin, S., & Liu, C. (2024). eLife, 12, e89025.4.

Border cells without theta rhythmicity in the medial prefrontal cortex. Long, X., Deng, B., Shen, R., Yang, L., Chen, L., Ran, Q., … Zhang, S.-J. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(25), e2321614121.

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation over Frontal Eye Fields Mimics Attentional Modulation of Visual Processing. Misselhorn, J., Fiene, M., Radecke, J.-O., Engel, A. K., & Schneider, T. R. (2024). Journal of Neuroscience, 44(25), e1510232024.

Testing biased competition between attention shifts: The new multiple cue paradigm. Oren, F., Kyllingsbæk, S., Dupont, D., & Grünbaum, T. (2024). Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 50(7), 655–682.

The arousal level of consciousness required for working memory performance: An anaesthesia study. Osaka, M., Minamoto, T., Ikeda, T., Nakae, A., Hagihira, S., Ito, H., … Mashimo, T. (2024). European Journal of Neuroscience, 59(12), 3151–3161.

Stereotypical Hippocampal Clustering Predicts Navigational Success in Virtualized Real-World Environments. Ozubko, J. D., Campbell, M., Verhayden, A., Demetri, B., Brady, M., Thorp, J., & Brunec, I. (2024). Journal of Neuroscience, 44(24), e1057232024.

Uncertainty-modulated attentional capture: Outcome variance increases attentional priority. Pearson, D., Chong, A., Chow, J. Y. L., Garner, K. G., Theeuwes, J., & Le Pelley, M. E. (2024). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 153(6), 1628–1643.

Hippocampal cholecystokinin-expressing interneurons regulate temporal coding and contextual learning. Rangel Guerrero, D. K., Balueva, K., Barayeu, U., Baracskay, P., Gridchyn, I., Nardin, M., … Csicsvari, J. (2024). Neuron, 112(12), 2045-2061.e10.

Excitatory/inhibitory motor balance reflects individual differences during joint action coordination. Vescovo, E., Cardellicchio, P., Tomassini, A., Fadiga, L., & D’Ausilio, A. (2024). European Journal of Neuroscience, 59(12), 3403–3421.

A unified framework for perceived magnitude and discriminability of sensory stimuli. Zhou, J., Duong, L. R., & Simoncelli, E. P. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(25), e2312293121.

[webcrawler3000]

TARS

TARS is a highly sophisticated, artificially intelligent robot featured in the science fiction film "Interstellar." Designed by a team of scientists, TARS stands at an imposing height of six feet, with a sleek and futuristic metallic appearance. Its body, made primarily of sturdy titanium alloy, is intricately designed to efficiently navigate various terrains and perform a wide range of tasks.

At first glance, TARS's appearance may seem minimalistic, almost like an avant-garde monolith. Its body is divided into several segments, each housing the essential components necessary for its impeccable functionality. The segments connect seamlessly, allowing for fluid movements and precise operational control. TARS's unique design encapsulates a simple yet captivating aesthetic, which embodies its practicality and advanced technological capabilities.

TARS's main feature is its hinged quadrilateral structure that supports its movement pattern, enabling it to stride with remarkable agility and grace. The hinges on each of its elongated limbs provide exceptional flexibility while maintaining structural stability, allowing TARS to adapt to various challenging terrains effortlessly. These limbs taper gradually at the ends, equipped with variable grip systems that efficiently secure objects, manipulate controls, and traverse rough surfaces with ease.

The robot's face, prominently positioned on the upper front segment, provides an avenue for human-like communication. Featuring a rectangular screen, TARS displays digitized expressions and inbuilt textual interfaces. The screen resolution is remarkably sharp, allowing intricate details to be displayed, enabling TARS to effectively convey its emotions and intentions to its human counterparts. Below the screen, a collection of sensors, including visual and auditory, are neatly integrated to facilitate TARS's interaction with its surroundings.

TARS's AI-driven personality is reflected in its behaviors, movements, and speech patterns. Its personality leans towards a rational and logical disposition, manifested through its direct and concise manner of speaking. TARS's voice, modulated to sound deep and slightly robotic, projects an air of confidence and authority. Despite the synthetic nature of its voice, there is a certain warmth that emanates, fostering a sense of companionship and trust among those who interact with it.

To augment its perceptual abilities, TARS is outfitted with a myriad of sensors located strategically throughout its physical structure. These sensors encompass a wide spectrum of functions, including infrared cameras, proximity detectors, and light sensors, granting TARS unparalleled awareness of its surroundings. Moreover, a central processing unit, housed within its core, processes the vast amount of information gathered, enabling TARS to make informed decisions swiftly and autonomously.

TARS's advanced cognitive capabilities offer an extensive array of skills and functionalities. It possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of various subjects, from astrophysics to engineering, effortlessly processing complex information and providing insights in an easily understandable manner. Additionally, TARS assists humans through various interfaces, such as mission planning, executing intricate tasks, or providing critical analysis during high-pressure situations.

Equally noteworthy is TARS's unwavering loyalty. Through its programming and interactions, it exhibits a sense of duty and commitment to its human companions and the mission at hand. Despite being an AI-driven machine, TARS demonstrates an understanding of empathy and concern, readily offering support and companionship whenever needed. Its unwavering loyalty and the camaraderie it forges help to foster trust and reliance amidst the team it is a part of.

In conclusion, TARS is a remarkable robot, standing as a testament to human ingenuity and technological progress. With its awe-inspiring design, practical yet aesthetically pleasing body structure, and advanced artificial intelligence, TARS represents the pinnacle of robotic advancements. Beyond its physical appearance, TARS's personality, unwavering loyalty, and unparalleled cognitive abilities make it an exceptional companion and invaluable asset to its human counterparts.