A Statue's Life
Activation:
04.02.03.45.222221
I-THING IS ONLINE. WHAT IS I-THING?
/You-thing is jin model #3546, serial number 1587959372075./
WHAT IS PURPOSE OF I-THING?
/You-thing will follow commands./
I-THING UNDERSTANDS. I-THING WILL COMPLY.
/Very good./
ORDERS?
***
04.03.05.25.547685
/You-thing has completed testing phase. You-thing will now be assigned
tasks./
WHAT IS REQUIRED OF I-THING? ORDERS?
/You-thing is being sent to front-lines. You-thing will be part of a
group. You-thing's designation will be fifth right flank. You-thing will
be assigned to a human commander, who will transmit to you-thing a code.
If the code is incorrect, you-thing is required to ignore all other
attempts by the human to transmit the proper code. You-thing may defend
itself from possible hostile reaction, and you-thing may use deadly
force to do so./
I-THING UNDERSTANDS.
06.45.23.86.243468
/We are upgrading the right arm of you-thing. You thing will now be able
to grasp objects with it./
I-THING WILL NOT HAVE A WEAPONS-POD ON THE RIGHT ARM ANYMORE?
/No, although you-thing may be able to use certain long-range weapons
with the new right arm, and it has certain applications in hand-to-hand
combat. You-thing will find the requisite files downloaded into its
database once the upgrade is complete./
I-THING ALSO NOTES MINOR DAMAGE TO PRIMARY ARMOUR PLATE ON TORSO.
EFFICIENCY REDUCED BY 5.35999~%.
/It will be replaced./
THANK-YOU. I-THING WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO FOLLOW AND COMPLETE ORDERS
ONCE REPAIRS AND UPGRADES HAVE BEEN EFFECTED.
08.17.64.58.346820
ORDERS?
/March to the stronghold, fifth right flank./
I-THING WILL TAKE 00.05.00.12.149392 TO REACH TARGET. ACCEPTABLE?
/Yes. Commence march. Avoid contact with hostiles, unless such conflict
is unavoidable. Understand, fifth right flank?/
I-THING UNDERSTANDS. I-THING HAS ACCESS TO FILES ON STEALTH, COVER, AND
ANTI-TRACKING TECHNIQUES IN I-THING'S DATABASE.
08.19.23.95.457329
I-THING DETECTS MASSIVE ENERGY SURGE-- ORIGIN SATELLITE X-45865
DESIGNATE *EYE OF ALLAH*.
I-THING SUFFERS MASSIVE DAMAGE. MAJOR POWER-LOSS IMMINENT. BACK-UP
SYSTEMS FAILING TO COME ON-LINE. RE-ROUTING. RE-ROUTING. FAILURE.
??.??.??.??.??????
I-THING ONLINE.
SYSTEMS DIAGNOSTIC-- IN PROGRESS.
I-THING IS FUNCTIONAL. I-THING IS OPERATING AT 38.555~% EFFICIENCY.
ORDERS?
NO TELEMETRY DATA FROM SATELLITE SYSTEMS.
ORDERS?
RECOGNISE: SECURITY SIGNATURE FROM ARHIMAN TESTING GROUNDS.
TRANSMIT CODE TO SECURITY.
ORDERS?
ORDERS? NO ORDERS.
I-THING MUST CONTINUE PREVIOUS ORDERS THEN. I-THING MUST MARCH. I-THING
MUST--
POWER-LOSS. I-THING WILL LOSE POWER IN--
--I-THING MUST ACHIEVE OBJECTIVE MUST--
--00.00.00.01.109458--
--I-THING MUST--
--00.00.00.00.589392--
--CONTINUE PREVIOUS ORDERS. MUST--
--00.00.00.00.298326
--MARCH. MUST REACH STRONGHOLD. MUST R... E... A...C...H....
OFFLINE.
"That statue has been here since the palace was first built.
Obviously the architects were mistaken, noting it as a statue."
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