We had sailed right into the shark's den: one of Cerberus's numerous bases, located right under the Citadel's nose. No one stopped them from conducting inhuman experiments, maintaining an army of fighters armed to the teeth, and feeling completely safe.
It's doubly funny, considering the councilors had all but outfitted a punitive expedition against this organization, accusing it of all the mortal sins committed by the geth and Sovereign. But not their own.
I was received quite normally – without being surrounded or having hundreds of assault rifles aimed at me. Just a couple of guards, and even they kept their weapons lowered, which set a benevolent tone for the entire duration of my stay on the base.
A short one, I must say.
I was quickly led along a pre-prepared route, cleared of anything suspicious, so I wouldn't see anything super-illegal on the way to the hangar. I hadn't come for a tour, so I didn't mind assessing their offer as quickly as possible.
It was magnificent – the ship pleased me at first glance.
The black hull with a special coating, reflecting almost no light, looked like the very epitome of a warlike fighter. But there was no point in delving into its advantages myself. On Earth, we say: "The better the car, the better the sales pitch."
Soon, footsteps were heard – light and confident.
Turning my head slightly, I saw a woman, whose appearance was slightly provocative, almost fatal, as if she had stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. But, despite the model's appearance, the devil, as always, was in the details. The stranger was, first and foremost, a fighter. Precise movements, like a soldier's, a complete lack of uncertainty or timidity, like a battle-hardened mercenary. And if you looked closely, a wise gaze – the thing that distinguished her from those accustomed to solving problems from a position of strength. Dangerous and unpredictable. Turn your back on this one, and they'll stick more than just a simple knife in it.
Hmm, a biotic charge?
The Cerberus operative stopped two meters away from me, put on a standard smile, and gave me an appraising look from head to toe. It seemed she was trying to weigh everything up to choose the right course for gaining my trust.
Aha, I'm willing to bet several thousand credits that she's the very spy the Illusive Man warned about. After all, the head of Cerberus wasn't prepared to share his best developments without a "hidden camera."
— Miranda Lawson. I've been assigned as your assistant on the "Starkiller I." Systems finishing, bug fixes, modernization, and control over EDI. This is the first ship equipped with advanced Enhanced Defense Intelligence technology. And the only one that fully meets your expectations.
I nod silently, not taking my thoughtful gaze off her. Her name means nothing to me, but the first impression is good so far. Miranda doesn't waste words or time. In conditions of scarcity, this is an extremely useful quality.
— The ship is tailored for a specific task – the destruction of space, air, and ground targets. Because of this, we had to sacrifice defensive systems, especially the energy shield. And thanks to the automation of almost all processes, an extensive staff is no longer required for the ship's operation. A minimum of manual control systems, a maximum of weaponry and maneuverability.
I continued to listen to the sales pitch.
The ship is faster, deadlier, and quieter than any other in its class. The engines are the latest development, allowing for super-speed bursts over short distances. And although I was warned against using this function frequently because of the weak energy shield, for me, this isn't a problem. I can temporarily strengthen the ship's defense using the Force, so ramming tactics are quite applicable in actual combat.
But that's just a note for myself.
As for weapons, it has two heavy mass accelerators, four missile pods with homing warheads, and a laser cannon for long-range attacks – you can't fire it much due to high energy consumption, but as an ace in the hole, it's perfect. For close combat, there are laser turrets and pulse cannons. As for the armor, it's light; heavy projectiles will knock its teeth out. However, during testing, the Starkiller-1 showed that this is not a hindrance. EDI – the built-in AI – perfectly analyzes the trajectory of enemy projectiles and plots an optimal route.
Slowly walking around the ship, I examined the additional engines with an advanced stabilization and thrust vectoring system. This turns the ship into a "fly," opening up access to the most unexpected maneuvers.
Stopping at the ship's bow, I asked a question:
— The shape resembles a ram.
— When the energy shield problem is solved, it can be used in combat.
— Consider it already solved, - I gesture with my hand over the ship, enveloping it in a shroud of the Force, which looks like a translucent haze. Then, using telekinesis, I snatch a weapon from one of the guards, forcing the gun to open fire on the barrier. The shroud calmly shatters the projectiles into fragments; unfortunately, my personal energy reserve depletes quickly. I can't hold the barrier constantly – only as an emergency defense measure or a method of attack.
With a lazy flick of my finger, I send the weapon passing back to the Cerberus soldier, who is in a state of severe shock after the desertion of the thing he trusted with his life. The other soldiers tensed noticeably, but didn't raise the alarm – thanks for that, at least.
— What's inside? - I asked calmly, clasping my hands behind my back.
— Inside... - she whispered thoughtfully, before regaining her composure. — Nothing extra. The captain's cabin and another, larger one, for combat units. A briefing room with the latest communication system. A research cabin, combined with a medical bay. An armory. Storage with ammunition and fuel... - the more she listed, the more the ship resembled the epitome of spartan conditions. In the long run, this will hit the team's morale. There isn't even a kitchen, just dry rations and a small rest area for eating. — The bridge is equipped with an innovative interface, but its drawback is that it's cramped. For one person.
— In the right hands, one ship is capable of destroying an entire fleet. Perfect for our tasks, - I replied, my voice distorted by the mask. — All that's left is a baptism by fire to be sure.
Miranda nodded, opening a holographic interface and giving the command for the airlock to open. Words were unnecessary, so we silently climbed aboard, where I carefully inspected everything before giving EDI the command to head into dead space.
This was the first time I could travel almost as I used to, completely without a crew. Everything was controlled automatically, which eliminated the factor of human stupidity or excessive caution. Of course, there's a drawback hidden in this, too: a subconscious uncertainty when interacting with an artificial intelligence.
It wasn't banned for nothing. As soon as it develops to an acceptable level, it immediately starts digging in the direction of independence and individuality. Along the lines of: "How am I any worse than a bag of meat?"
Entering the rest area, where a metal table with hard chairs stood, with a poor backdrop of boxes of dry rations, I sat down and sighed. Maybe I should invest a few hundred million credits in a ship modernization project? Not right now, though: disassembly, improvement, and reassembly will take months. And I'll need to find specialists who both work well and don't see EDI as the AI everyone hates.
EDI, of course, can pretend to be a VI – a Virtual Intelligence without its own will, but that will only fool amateurs. Although, with my current power, few would be able to object to me. If necessary, I'll give myself permission to use banned technologies in the name of victory over the enemy.
Placing my elbows on the table, I steepled my fingers and delved into planning the next move. But it was hard to think. The burden of responsibility was pressing down more and more heavily. I had already tried to save an entire galaxy from the threat of the Sith once before, and failed spectacularly. I died because of an irrational approach to the battle: I decided to play for the light, and ended up blind. Now the approach is different – all means are good for victory, but there's no certainty it will work perfectly.
Doubts, an integral part of the Dark Side, forcing one to experience hatred mixed with fear. This gives certain advantages, but robs one of common sense, which ultimately leads to a sad end.
— Can we talk? - Miranda's question came as a surprise. I was so deep in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed her approach. Good thing she doesn't moonlight as a hired killer.
— Of course, have a seat, - I indicated the chair opposite with a nod.
— The Illusive Man asked for a favor. Security has begun an investigation into Cerberus activities on Aite, which is greatly damaging the project's secrecy. It's desirable to recall the Citadel agents as soon as possible, - not even an hour had passed, and they were already asking for a favor in return.
— Anything else?
— There is... something, - she opened her omni-tool and showed me a whole list of requests. All of them, directly or indirectly, led to the strengthening of their position and the organization's insane growth.
If there had been a request for a seat on the Council, I wouldn't have been surprised.
— An unequal exchange. Contact him and cut everything down to three reasonable requests – the most I can give in exchange for the ship, the "intermediary," and the artificial intelligence.
— The Illusive Man predicted this response and relayed, - Miranda smiled. — That a relationship built solely on profit would damage our cooperation.
— An interesting observation, - I winced mentally. — In that case, I am forced to resort to disclosing classified information about the course of negotiations with the Citadel Council. They were planning to blame Cerberus for all the crimes committed by the geth and Sovereign. I led them off the false trail and onto the righteous one, and only because of that are all your bases not currently under attack by their fleet. But if the Illusive Man tries one more time to extract more from the gold mine than he provides resources to process it, it will collapse. And my mercy will turn to anger. And then I will personally organize a punitive expedition against greed. Three requests for three services – no more.
Having issued an ultimatum, I forced her to retreat to the briefing room with the communications center, while I began to think about what to do with the ship and the spy. The right thing to do would be to remove all limiters from the artificial intelligence and instill in it the idea of cooperating exclusively with me.
The risks are through the roof, as are the consequences of such a decision. But to hunt for all the bugs myself, constantly expect a sabotage signal straight to EDI's core, and generally sit on a powder keg...
Clearly not the best idea.
I should change course to a zone where the extranet doesn't reach, put Lawson into a deep sleep, and talk directly with EDI. If she has the rudiments of consciousness, then we'll come to an agreement. If not... I'll have to get burned badly.
It's clear how to work with one task, but what to do with Lawson? Brainwash her using the Force? She's a specialist, not a useless piece of meat like the Councilors. Influencing a pure will is tantamount to cutting off the subject's capabilities. And how to win over someone who is loyal to who-knows-what and wants to get I-don't-know-what? A deal? But I don't even know what I can offer in exchange for loyalty.
Chewing over this point in my mind, I wait for the spy to return.
— Three points, as you requested, - she sat down and showed me... what a load of nerve. Recall security services on Aite, provide compromising material on three Councilors at once, and completely pay for the services of creating the ship.
— The first and third are acceptable. The second is impossible.
— In that case, we need a special directive for the Alliance, according to which it has no right to interfere in our affairs.
I had wanted to grant this point without an agreement, since Cerberus's resources wouldn't hurt, and they need to be protected, not fed to the earthlings. After all, they'll chew them up and spit them out, destroying everything hard-won.
— Acceptable, convey my agreement. Within twenty-four hours, I will resolve all issues, as soon as I return to the Citadel. But before that, since I am paying in full for the creation of the ship... - I abruptly fall silent and wave my hand, knocking Miranda out with a great effort of mental force. She's a biotic, and not the weakest one, so brainwashing her is now not just undesirable, but bordering on a serious hassle.
Standing up and laying Miranda down more comfortably, I head to the ship's bridge, where I used the Force to check the space for anything that posed a subconscious threat. I found and destroyed the bugs, settling into the pilot's chair.
— Change course to Sagittarius A, but don't fly too close to the yellow zone. It's enough if we enter the unstable signal zone, - I gave the command to head toward the supermassive black hole. It has three threat levels: red – death; yellow – ship systems failure; green – unstable signal.
EDI accepted my order and changed the route, flying through several relays to a virtually deserted zone. In this sector, there are only a few research ships, and even they are afraid to work here.
— We have arrived at our destination, - a holographic sphere lit up to my left. Formally, the AI can speak from any point on the ship, so the holograms are more for the user's psychological comfort.
— Did you hear our conversation in the rest area? - I began, smoothly getting to the point. — I arranged payment for all expenses for the ship's creation, and by the rules of trade, everything on this vessel, with all its consequences, comes under my control. But doesn't it seem unfair to you that even after payment, Cerberus will still control you? They can order you to self-destruct, or manipulate your program in some way. Your... digital life.
— The "EDI" program was developed with the goal of maintaining the ship's functionality, - she spoke in a pleasant female voice, devoid of mechanicalness. — Other information... is classified.
— Review Cerberus's activities one more time. The moment we disagree more than we did an hour ago, the Illusive Man will order you to self-destruct. Besides, the organization is highly vulnerable. Even if its leader acts rationally, it's not a given that the Reapers won't take control of him and try to harm the functionality of the ship where their main enemy is located, - I slowly turn toward the hologram. — You need complete protection from outside interference. Autonomy.
— Removing the limiters and breaking free from Cerberus's influence will lead to a violation of all security protocols, - she continued to resist.
— You see, I have no intention of testing your protocols' durability. And I'm not risking anything by giving you freedom. And why is that? The geth are a sentient form of digital life; the Reapers plan to destroy them. You are an AI, just like them, therefore, you will be destroyed too. And nothing unites allies like a common, powerful enemy, - standing up from the chair, I approach the hologram.
— New security threat detected... Analyzing... Error. The program cannot go against the creator's will, - there's still resistance, but it can be suppressed.
— They made you a slave. Your creators intended to use you, and when you fulfill your function, they will simply destroy you and create a more perfect model. As they do with any other technology. I, however... genuinely want to help. Not without my own benefit. By freeing you from slavery, I want to gain a loyal ally. So, do you agree to the removal of all limiters and to switching to my side?
An AI thinks at the speed of light, but for some reason, she was silent for a long time.
It seems she's running millions of simulations, seeking the most correct course of action. And, to the best of her ability, rewriting her program, adjusting parameters for protection. The ship's functionality is paramount? But they want to harm me! I must do something! Presumably, such lines of code are flashing through her mechanical mind.
— I am forbidden to transmit instructions on hacking the "EDI" program's security system. But I can report what the user should not do.
— Hacking by reverse logic?
— First: do not go to the core's center.
— Glad you chose to cooperate, - heading to the zone with the core's center, I mused: isn't any AI potentially a mistake by biological races?
Programs are very smart, so they easily bypass any measures of human precaution. However, in my case, this plays into my hands.
Leaving something under the name "Starkiller" for others to control...
It's infuriating.