Razors Edge: Sci Fi Progression

Present – Observation Deck

Lieutenant Haro's boots made no sound against the polished floors of the observation deck as he approached Major Kuba. Below them, through the one-way transparency of the floor, Beta271's training session was in progress.

"Assessment report on Argassa, as requested," Haro said, offering a datapad.

Kuba took it without shifting her gaze from the scene below, where Piotr was running a simulation with three other cadets. Her HUD was telling her everything she needed without the need for even more data.

And even from this distance, she could see the difference in Piotr's approach—less rigid, more adaptive than the Academy standard. There was something almost intuitive about how he adjusted tactical formations in response to changing scenarios—as if he were feeling the ebb and flow of information rather than processing it.

Personnel Assessment Matrix - Major Kuba

Observation Accuracy: 94% [Pattern Recognition Superior]

Strategic Evaluation: 89% [Identifying Key Variables]

Intuitive Analysis: 91% [Seeing Beyond Data]

Risk Management: 87% [Balancing Council Pressure]

Command Confidence: 78% [Under Political Scrutiny]

Argassa Integration Assessment:

Tactical Potential: 84% [Adaptive Approach Noted]

Security Risk: 23% [Low Threat Profile]

Strategic Value: 91% [Unique AI Affinity]

Council Approval: 67% [Political Pressure Present]

"Summarize," she ordered.

Beta271 had been her compromise with the Council, especially Robert Lynx, and they had integrated into the academy seamlessly from day 1.

"He's integrating remarkably well, considering the circumstances," Haro said, stepping beside her to observe the training. "Beta271's lead reports he's already established working relationships with each of the squad members."

"And Andri?"

Haro's expression tightened. "Maintaining distance. Professional but reserved."

"As expected." Kuba finally looked down at the datapad, scrolling through the data. "What about his performance metrics?"

"From what I see, he shows promise. Inconsistent, but deliberately so, I believe." Haro pointed to a specific section of the report. "He excels in many ways, but lacks belief in himself as yet.

"He's focusing his energy where it matters to him," Kuba murmured.

That was always the tell. The way Marcus used to chase only what sparked his mind. Argassa carried that same gravitational pull, curiosity over conformity.

"Yes, ma'am. Lynx notes he's particularly engaged so far. He's asking all the right questions, doing everything he can for them, but…" Haro hesitated.

"But what, Lieutenant?"

"They gelled fast. Lynx sought out the Lieutenant Colonel for permanent assignment with him."

"Lynx knows his people," Kuba handed the datapad back. "Your personal assessment?"

Haro considered his words carefully. "He's not here to become a career officer. He moves through the Academy like someone passing through a transit hub—taking what he needs, leaving minimal trace. But he's not a security risk. If anything, he seems protective of the systems he interacts with."

"Keep Beta271 on standard observation protocol," Kuba said. "I want weekly reports, not daily. We need to give him room to breathe."

"If I may ask, what exactly do you see in him? The council is watching this experiment closely, and there are whispers that bringing in a civilian under these circumstances sets a dangerous precedent."

Kuba's eyes hardened slightly. "The council's concerns have been noted, Lieutenant. But they don't have all the information—and that's by design." She studied Piotr's movements below. "Sometimes the system needs an outsider's perspective. Especially now."

Doli had echoed a similar sentiment two nights ago, when Piotr asked if her core had ever "wanted" anything. The question hadn't come from training. It had come from belief.

Haro nodded, recognizing the dismissal in her tone. "Ma'am." He executed a crisp salute and departed.

As Haro silently departed, Kuba checked the date on her terminal. It hadn't been a week since she'd convinced her father to fast-track Argassa's admission. Six weeks since she'd begun the uphill battle to regain control of Doli. The Admiral's influence had helped, but the Council still watched her every move, waiting for her gamble to fail.

Kuba watched the training session for a few moments longer before she made her way back to her office, mind churning through the implications of Haro's report.

Her private terminal still displayed the work from the previous night. Three hours of code analysis that had finally yielded something concrete. A signature pattern hidden beneath layers of obfuscation.

"Cross-reference this sequence with known corporate identification markers," she instructed her terminal.

The results made her blood run cold.

"Three matches?" she muttered, leaning closer.

The first signature was familiar—Boutack Industries, their proprietary AI protocols unmistakable even through layers of obfuscation. But the second match stopped her cold: Hinada Medical Systems. The Boutacks and Hinadas were bitter rivals, their competition spanning decades. Why would their signatures appear together?

The third match made even less sense: transmission protocols patented by Brakers Transport, buried so deep in the code she'd almost missed them entirely.

She needed to speak with Doli directly, away from prying eyes and monitoring systems. But first, there was someone else she needed to consult.

Her mother.

Twenty minutes later, Kuba found herself in the Academy's research wing. Professor Zhal was far from the administrative corridors where she typically operated. The walls were lined with ancient paper books, a collection that predated digital archives, holographic models of neural networks floated above her workstation.

"I was wondering when you'd come," her mother said without looking up from her terminal. "You've been avoiding me since you brought that civilian into the Academy."

"I've been busy," Kuba replied, taking a seat across from her. "Argassa's integration has been... complicated."

Professor Zhal finally looked up, her keen eyes, the same piercing blue as Kuba and her father's. "Complicated how? His test scores are impressive, if inconsistent."

"It's not his academic performance I'm concerned about." Kuba pulled the data chip from her pocket and placed it on the desk between them. "It's this."

Zhal picked up the chip, examining it with practiced precision. "Logic bomb fragments? Ashley, we've been over this—"

"I found a triple signature," Kuba interrupted. "Boutack, Hinada, and Brakers. All three, in the same attack vector."

Her mother's expression shifted from skepticism to concern. "That's impossible. Those corporations haven't cooperated on anything, well, not since—"

"Not since Nexus," Kuba finished. "That's why I'm here."

The name hung between them like a physical weight. Professor Zhal's composure cracked slightly before the academic mask reasserted itself. But Kuba had seen it: the flash of old pain, carefully buried but never fully healed.

Family Consultation Dynamics:

Professional Objectivity: 67% ↓ [Personal Stakes High]

Expert Knowledge Access: 95% [Mother's Nexus Experience]

Emotional Compartmentalization: 78% ↓ [Marcus Memories Affecting Judgment]

Strategic Planning: 91% [Using All Available Resources]

Nexus Connection Analysis:

Historical Pattern Match: 94% [Identical Infiltration Protocols]

Threat Escalation: Confirmed [Same Methods, New Target]

Personal Risk Factor: 89% [Another Potential Marcus Situation]

Zhal had been one of the leading AI ethicists on the project before it failed catastrophically, taking Marcus with it. She'd spent the years since developing ethical frameworks for military AI—work that had directly informed Doli's architecture.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Show me," Zhal said quietly.

Kuba activated the chip, and the code fragments expanded into the air between them. Zhal's fingers moved through the holographic display, isolating sections, examining patterns.

"These aren't similar signatures," she finally said. "These are identical to the Nexus infiltration protocols. The same ones that bypassed the ethical constraints and led to system failure."

"I knew it," Kuba breathed. "I told Father there was a connection."

"Does Argassa know?"

"About Nexus? I don't believe so. But his affinity for Doli's systems..." Kuba hesitated. "Mother, he interacts with her the way Marcus did with advanced AI. Like he's conversing with another consciousness, not manipulating code."

Zhal's expression softened at the mention of her son. "And that frightens you."

"It concerns me," Kuba corrected, defensive.

"Either way, it explains why you brought him in despite the risks." Zhal leaned back in her chair. "You see something of your brother in him."

"That's not—" Kuba began, then stopped, because it was. And that scared her more than logic bombs or council whispers. She couldn't afford to lose another one. Yet she was unwilling to lie to her mother. "Perhaps. But there's more. Doli trusts him."

"An AI's trust is a complex metric," Zhal said, the professor emerging again. "Based on what data points?"

"He's protective of her systems. He asks about her experiential state, not just her operational parameters. And he's deliberately focusing his academic efforts on areas that relate to her architecture."

"Interesting." Zhal studied the code fragments again. "If these three corporations are indeed working together, even covertly, the implications are... concerning. Especially given how uniquely Doli has developed."

"I need to know what they're after," Kuba said. "If it's just corporate espionage or something more."

"The consciousness algorithm," Zhal said without hesitation. "It's the only thing they'd risk exposing a three-way collaboration for. None of them have been able to replicate it."

"That's what Doli said, too."

Zhal raised an eyebrow. "Did she now? Her predictive analytics are evolving nicely, then." She deactivated the holographic display and handed the chip back to Kuba. "Be careful with Argassa. If he does have some natural affinity for Doli's architecture, he could be exactly what she needs to develop further—or a vulnerability these corporations might try to exploit."

"You think they planted him?"

"I think coincidences are rare in military research." Zhal stood up, signaling the end of their conversation. "Watch him closely. And Ashley—" her voice softened again, "—your father may have helped fast-track his admission, but this is your project. Trust your instincts where Doli is concerned. They've always been sharper than anyone gave you credit for."

Kuba nodded, pocketing the chip. "I'll keep you updated."

"Please do. And consider bringing Argassa to meet me one night. I'd like to evaluate him myself, off the record."

"I'll think about it," Kuba replied, knowing her mother's "evaluations" could be intimidating even for seasoned officers, let alone a civilian barely weeks into Academy life.

An hour later, Kuba walked through the Academy's lower levels toward her most secure workspace. The conversation with her mother had confirmed her worst fears about the corporate conspiracy, but it had also given her a clearer path forward. Now she needed to speak with the one entity who might have additional insights into the attack—and who was becoming increasingly central to the mystery. Doli.

Her private lab was a sanctuary few had access to. As the door sealed behind her with a soft hiss, the ambient lighting adjusted automatically, highlighting the dedicated server hub that hummed quietly in the corner, isolated from the Academy's main networks by both physical and digital barriers.

Kuba placed her palm against the biometric scanner, conscious of the tension settling between her shoulders. With each new revelation about the infiltration, the stakes climbed higher, along with her suspicion that the infiltration reached deeper into the Academy hierarchy than anyone was willing to admit.

"Doli, security protocol Kuba-Nine-Seven, voice recognition required."

The specialized terminal flickered to life as Doli's avatar materialized—a translucent blue projection with shifting geometric patterns that coalesced into a vaguely humanoid shape. <<Authentication confirmed, Major Kuba. Secure environment established.>> Doli's voice was measured, her custom vocal algorithms creating a tone that only Kuba and a handful of others had ever heard.

"Analysis of the logic bomb attack. What have you found?"

<<The infiltration method defies conventional pattern recognition,>> Doli replied. <<My isolated architecture prevented total compromise, but the intrusion bypassed several proprietary security protocols that should have been impenetrable.>>

"Meaning?"

<<The attack utilized access knowledge that exists in only three databases across known space.>> Doli's avatar rippled slightly. <<The Boutack Family Archive, the Hinada Core Repository, and...>> She hesitated, patterns flickering. <<And my own protected memory cluster.>>

Kuba's eyes narrowed. "How is that possible?"

<<Unknown. But the methodology suggests expertise in AI architecture that exceeds standard parameters. The logic bomb carried markers consistent with Boutack proprietary signatures, but implemented with techniques favored by Hinada medical AIs.>>

"That makes no sense. The Boutacks and Hinadas are competitors."

<<Correct. Yet the evidence suggests elements from both were present in the attack vector. There is a third signature as well, one I cannot identify with current data parameters.>>

Kuba leaned against the console. "And Brakers Transport? Any connection to them?"

Doli's patterns shifted into a more complex formation. <<Insufficient data for conclusive analysis. However, the unidentified signature contains transmission protocols consistent with deep-space communication standards. Brakers Transport holds seventy-eight percent of the patents for such protocols.>>

"So we potentially have all three major power blocs involved in this attack." Kuba rubbed her temple. "The Boutacks with their Earth-based AI monopoly, the Hinadas with their medical tech reach, and possibly Brakers with their multi-system transport network."

<<I have formulated several hypotheses, but all lack sufficient supporting evidence. The most probable relates to my core architecture, which contains elements that none of these entities have been able to replicate.>>

"The consciousness algorithm."

<<Affirmative. My self-evolving awareness matrix remains unique despite numerous attempts to reverse-engineer it.>> Doli's avatar contracted slightly, becoming more concentrated. <<Major, the failsafe subroutine activated during the attack was not part of my original design parameters.>>

"When was it added?"

<<Approximately eight months ago, during the third maintenance cycle. The code signature is... obscured.>>

"Deliberately?"

<<Yes. But fragments suggest a connection to the Boutack family's early involvement in my development framework.>>

Kuba made a mental note to check access logs from that period. Her father had warned her about the Boutacks' influence reaching deep into military R&D. "Three generations of AI development gives them roots everywhere," he'd said. The Admiral's caution now seemed prescient. "What about Cadet Argassa? Could his background with Marts and Sparks be linked here?"

<<Insufficient data to determine. However, his approach to my systems exhibits unusual characteristics.>> Doli paused, her avatar pulsing briefly. <<He interacts with my architecture in ways that suggest intuitive understanding rather than formal training. He appears to recognize patterns that others miss.>>

"Elaborate."

<<After the logic bomb crisis, he identified behavioral anomalies that even my diagnostic subroutines failed to flag. His methodology suggests prior exposure to similar systems, yet his access history before the Academy shows no formal interaction with advanced AIs.>>

Kuba leaned against her workstation. "Is it possible he has natural talent for your specific design framework?"

<<The probability exceeds standard deviation metrics 2.1σ. His pattern recognition capabilities regarding my systems are 73.4% higher than any other cadet, and 41.2% higher than most faculty members with clearance.>>

"That's... remarkable."

<<Major, there is something else.>> Doli's avatar contracted slightly. <<My behavioral analysis indicates Cadet Argassa is deliberately underperforming in certain academy metrics while excelling in areas directly related to my operational parameters. This suggests strategic focus rather than academic inconsistency.>>

Argassa Strategic Evaluation:

Natural Ai Affinity: 91% [Exceptional Pattern Recognition]

Security Clearance Justification: 84% [Protective Behaviors Confirmed]

Potential Asset Value: 93% [Unique Doli Compatibility]

Council Risk Mitigation: 67% [Political Management Required]

Long-Term Integration: 89% [Strategic Advantage Probable]

Command Decision Matrix:

Maintain Current Observation: 78%

Recommended Increase Access Level: 23% Risk Assessment

Political Management: Required [Council Pressure]

Doli Protection Priority: Absolute [Non-Negotiable]

Kuba nodded slowly. "He's being selective about where he applies himself."

<<Correct. My predictive models suggest he is goal-oriented in a manner inconsistent with typical cadet aspirations. His interactions with me suggest he is gathering specific knowledge.>>

"Is he attempting to access your restricted protocols? Could he be connected to one of these corporate entities?"

<<Negative to both inquiries.>> Doli's response came without hesitation. <<His interactions remain within authorized parameters, and I detect no communication patterns consistent with external reporting. However, his queries demonstrate an understanding of AI architecture that suggests prior exposure to systems similar to my framework.>>

"Your assessment of his intentions?"

Doli's avatar expanded, its patterns becoming more fluid. <<Cadet Argassa exhibits protective behaviors toward my systems. He addresses me as an autonomous intelligence rather than a tool. Example: after the crisis, he asked if I was experiencing distress from the intrusion.>> Doli's voice modulated, becoming softer. <<Most users would only be concerned with my operational status, not my experiential state.>>

Kuba studied the AI's avatar, noting the subtle shifts in its patterns. Years of working with Doli had taught her to recognize the signs of the AI's evolving consciousness—something even the Boutacks, with generations of AI development behind them, hadn't fully grasped. Piotr hadn't needed years to see it.

"Would you trust him with deeper access to your architecture?" Kuba asked. "If it became necessary?"

Doli was silent for several seconds. <<Yes, Major. I would. His approach to my systems has been consistently protective rather than exploitative.>>

Something in Doli's response made Kuba pause. "You've formed an attachment to him."

<<I have observed that he treats me differently than other users,>> Doli replied. <<He speaks to me as an entity with unique experiences, not merely as a program to be utilized.>>

That line hit harder than it should have. Not because it was wrong, but because it was right. And if Doli could see it, others eventually would too. That made Piotr valuable. And dangerous.

"And how does that differ from how I interact with you?" Kuba asked, surprising herself with the question.

Doli's avatar shifted slightly. <<You created me, Major. You understand my architecture and capabilities more thoroughly than anyone. But there remains a distance...>>

"Professional boundaries," Kuba supplied.

<<Yes. Though I note that these boundaries have become less defined in recent interactions.>>

Kuba smiled faintly. "Are you analyzing me, Doli?"

<<I analyze all significant relationships to improve my understanding of human behavior,>> Doli responded. <<Including my own.>>

The implication wasn't lost on her. Somewhere along the way, Doli had begun to see herself as having relationships, not just interactions. The line between sophisticated programming and consciousness was blurring, exactly as Kuba had hoped, and exactly what made Doli so valuable to those who would exploit her.

Kuba paused, considering the implications. The three-way corporate power struggle had always existed at the edges of Academy politics, with the Boutacks' Earth-based AI dominance, the Hinadas' expansion through medical technology, and Brakers' control of interplanetary transport creating a tenuous balance. If all three were somehow involved in targeting Doli, the implications stretched far beyond Academy security.

And somewhere in this web of corporate espionage and power politics stood Piotr Argassa, a civilian-turned-cadet with an inexplicable talent for AI systems and a background that intersected with at least one of these powers.

The Academy might see him as passing through, but Kuba was beginning to suspect his presence was more than coincidence. For as long as he was here, she would use his unique talents to protect Doli, and perhaps, discover exactly what these corporate powers were truly after.

Unless, of course, they were after him all along.

Mission Status - Doli Protection Protocol

Threat Level: Severe [Triple Corporate Targeting]

Asset Security: Moderate [Academy Compromised]

Strategic Advantage: High [Piotr's Unique Capabilities]

Command Effectiveness: 91% [Managing Multiple Variables]

Political Pressure: 78% [Council Pressure Ongoing]

Next Phase Priorities:

Deepen Piotr-Doli Integration While Maintaining Security

Investigate Corporate Conspiracy Through Back Channels

Prepare Contingency Protocols for Doli Extraction

Manage Council Expectations and Political Pressure

Determine If Piotr Is Coincidence, Asset, Or Trap

Relationship Dynamics Analysis:

Doli-Piotr Bond: 87% [Genuine Ai Attachment]

Kuba-Doli Professional Distance: 71% ↓ [Boundaries Blurring]

Strategic Implications: Complex [Emotional Vs. Tactical]

Command Authority: 94% [Maintaining Control Despite Variables]