Razors Edge: Sci Fi Progression

The door to Kuba's makeshift office slid open with a soft hiss. She sat at the desk, a holographic interface floating in front of her, methodically reviewing schematics, zooming in and out where she needed it. I immediately recognized the complex neural pathway designs; they were part of Doli's physical housing plans. Kuba's sharp eyes flicked up as I entered, and she motioned for me to sit without saying a word.

I sank into the chair across from her, unsure where to start.

"Piotr," she said after a moment. "I assume this isn't a social visit."

"Not exactly," I admitted, leaning forward. "I need your advice."

That caught her attention. She folded her hands on the desk, her expression softening slightly. "Go on."

I hesitated, then decided to ease into the conversation. "This is about Doli. She's been… acting up."

Kuba raised an eyebrow. "Acting up? That's unlike her."

<<I'm right here, you know,>> Doli's voice suddenly chimed in both our heads. <<And 'acting up' is a rather simplistic way to describe complex integration challenges, Captain.>>

I nearly jumped, while Kuba merely smiled, apparently unsurprised that Doli had established a direct neural link with both of us.

<<Since you two insist on discussing me as if I'm not present, I might as well join the conversation properly,>> Doli continued, a hint of amusement in her digital voice.

"Sorry, Doli," I said aloud. "I forget you are there sometimes... listening in."

<<I'm always listening in, Captain. It's literally my job.>>

Kuba chuckled. "She's gotten sassier since your last report."

"Yeah," I said, exhaling slowly. "She's running fine most of the time, but there are other glitches, minor ones, personality issues. The lag in her responses is getting worse when she's operating remotely. At first, I thought it was programming. But now…"

"Now you're not so sure," Kuba finished for me. She glanced back at the schematics. "I've been working on this around the clock. Doli reached out to me directly yesterday."

"She did?" That surprised me. "Without telling me?"

<<I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily,>> Doli explained. <<After the suit incident, I made some executive decisions.>>

"She was concerned about the repeated communication delays. The physical distance is becoming more problematic for her systems." Kuba manipulated the hologram, zooming in on what looked like an intricate quantum processor design, but I'd not see it before. "We're accelerating the timeline for her physical housing. After what happened with your suit, we can't risk the distance compromising her response times again."

<<I've also implemented a new security protocol for your suit,>> Doli added. <<A hard-coded override that can't be accessed by anyone, not even medical personnel.>>

"Wait, what?" I frowned. "That could be dangerous if I'm injured."

<<It's a calculated risk,>> Doli replied, her tone serious now. <<The protocol only activates under specific threat parameters. Yes, it theoretically increases your vulnerability to certain medical emergencies by approximately 4.3%, but it eliminates the 89.7% vulnerability to the kind of sabotage we've already encountered. The math favors survival.>>

Kuba nodded approvingly. "Good call, Doli."

A familiar ache in my chest spread as I thought about Doli. She'd become a constant companion, a presence I relied on in more ways than I cared to admit. The thought of someone compromising her sent a chill through me.

"She's been invaluable. But if someone were to compromise her…"

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"You're clearly a target," Kuba said bluntly.

I blinked. "A target?"

Kuba leaned back in her chair, studying me. "Doli's systems are advanced. Far more advanced than anything else on this station, or most fleets. If someone wanted access to that kind of tech, stopping you from fixing her, taking you out would be an efficient first step."

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. "So this is about Doli?"

"Yes," she admitted. "Andri's family might be part of the equation, but you've been making waves in your own right. Doli's capabilities are no secret, Piotr. People notice even if we tried our best to keep things down low."

"Andri mentioned the Brakers," I said carefully, watching her reaction. "Said they've been after his family's tech for generations. Something about ethical constraints in AI systems."

Kuba's expression hardened, a brief flash of surprise giving way to cold calculation. "He told you about that?"

I wanted to mention Nexus, but her expression… so I stopped myself.

"Enough to make me worried," I admitted. "If they're targeting Doli..."

She leaned forward, her eyes meeting mine directly. "The Brakers are dangerous. More dangerous than you know. They're not after technology, they're after control. They believe AI should be unrestricted, that human ethics only hold back progress." She paused. "I'm hard on you because you have potential, more than most. This situation, the sabotage, the threats, they're tests of character as much as skill. Don't let them distract you. Focus on what matters."

She gestured to the hologram. "These are the new quantum processor arrays for Doli's physical housing. I'm using experimental fabrication techniques that should be ready in days, not weeks as we originally planned. We're bringing in special equipment, a molecular printer that can create the neural pathways at nanoscale precision."

I leaned forward, examining the intricate designs. "This is beyond anything we worked on at the Academy."

"It has to be," Kuba said firmly. "The physical housing isn't about giving Doli mobility or independence. It's about her protection. No more remote connections that can be intercepted, no more lags that could cost you or others lives."

I sat back, trying to process the implications.

"She's been helping me run diagnostics on the suit," I said, my voice quieter now.

"Everything she does, you do, they're watching." Kuba nodded. "You need to be careful. Doli's tech is worth more than most people can comprehend. That makes you, and her, a high-value target."

For a moment, it was overwhelming. But Kuba's steady gaze grounded me.

"She's still operational?" Kuba asked.

"Fully," I replied. "And I've doubled down on her security protocols."

"Good," she said firmly. "Keep her safe, Piotr. Doli's not just an asset. If Macks is involved, and the Brakers are behind him, you'll need every advantage you can get." She swiped the hologram to a new schematic, one showing what looked like a compact housing unit. "I'll make sure I have everything I need. The molecular printer arrives tomorrow. We'll never let Doli face that kind of distance vulnerability again."

I nodded, a spark of determination cutting through the doubt. "Thanks, Major. I needed that."

<<You both realize I can hear the dramatic music in your heads when you have these serious conversations, right?>> Doli interjected. <<It's quite cinematic.>>

Kuba actually laughed, a rare sound that momentarily transformed her severe features. "I think I prefer this version of Doli to the strictly professional one from the Academy."

<<My personality matrices have been adapting to prolonged human interaction,>> Doli explained. <<Humor improves team cohesion by approximately 27% in high-stress environments. It's a purely logical adaptation.>>

"Of course it is," I said with a grin.

Kuba leaned back, that rare smile still tugging at the corner of her lips. "You've got this. You've handled worse. Everyone's watching, not just your team. This station is full of eyes, and not all of them are friendly."

<<And some of those eyes are mine,>> Doli added. <<I've established backdoor access to fourteen additional security systems since we arrived. Strictly as a precaution, of course.>>

Kuba's eyebrows shot up, but she nodded approvingly. "Maintain plausible deniability, Doli."

<<Always, Major.>>

"Get back to work," Kuba said, and waved me off. "And if Doli finds anything else, you let me know immediately. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, standing. A wave of dizziness hit me, and I steadied myself against the chair for a moment before heading out.

As I left her office, my mind was clearer despite the strange metallic taste lingering in my mouth. The stakes were higher than ever, but for the first time, I felt ready to face them.

<<We're ready,>> Doli corrected gently in my mind. <<I've been doing some independent scenario planning. The Brakers have no idea what they're up against.>>

"Remind me never to play chess with you," I muttered under my breath.

<<Too late, Captain. I've been analyzing your potential moves since we met. You're quite predictable, but in a reassuring way.>>

Neural Load: 68% – Stable

Cognitive Drift: <1.8ms variance>

Security Tier: Elevated – New protocol 'Override Lock [Piotr/Doli Only]' implemented.

Suit vulnerability reduced. Sabotage risk mitigation: 89.7%

Remote-sync latency remains non-trivial. Initiating Distributed Core Anchoring build plan.

Because no matter how dangerous Macks was, he hadn't reckoned with the bond between me, my team, and Doli. And soon, she would have a physical presence that would eliminate the vulnerability of distance once and for all.