Razors Edge: Sci Fi Progression

I really did need to get to work. Back in my quarters, I powered up a virtual workbench and activated Doli's core interface. The holographic display sprang to life, casting a soft blue glow across the room.

<<What's the plan, Captain?>>

"We need a few safety protocols of our own," I said.

<<I have ideas. Shall we begin?>> Her excitement here was infectious.

"We shall," I said, settling into the chair, a wave of protectiveness washing over me. "Let's focus on any connections between the anomalies and external tampering. Then we can build in a few fail-safes."

I rubbed at my tired my eyes, trying to ignore the metallic taste lingering in my mouth from dinner. The station food had been getting progressively worse, or maybe something was off with my taste buds. Everything had a strange, almost chemical aftertaste lately. Even the water tasted off, but I'd dismissed it as station recycling systems being what they were.

<<Understood. Initiating deep scan now.>>

The holographic display shifted as data streams began cascading through the air, forming intricate webs of connections and flagged points. I watched as Doli processed the information with incredible speed.

"I've been thinking about your body, what you and Ashley have been working on," I said, eyes tracking the data flow. "Looks amazing, but…"

<<Yes, Captain?>> There was a hint of excitement that hadn't been there before.

"We were trying to fix your old body, are we abandoning that?"

<<Yes, a new body is essential for my growing size.>>

"Tell me more about how it would work. If we were to move you fully out of her, and the Academy's systems and into your upgraded... body, for lack of a better word."

The holographic display morphed, pushing the suit diagnostics to one side while a three-dimensional schematic of the sleek processing unit I'd seen in Ashley's office appeared. It looked similar to her first model, but nothing like the bulky servers that typically housed massive AI processing systems.

<<I've been working on the design,>> she said, rotating the schematic. <<My body would function as my primary housing, quantum processing cores with multiple redundancies, self-cooling systems, and direct neural interface capabilities.>>

"Neural interface?" I leaned closer to the display. "You're talking about hardwiring into ships?"

<<Not exactly hardwiring, Captain. More of a secure integration.>> The schematic expanded, showing how the unit could connect to a ship's systems. <<When not directly installed in your future vessel, I could function independently through secure channels. But once integrated with your ship...>>

"We'd be much faster," I finished for her. "No lag, no separation issues."

<<Precisely. My response times would be optimal, and my processing capabilities significantly enhanced. Most importantly, I would be with you no matter where you traveled in space.>>

I circled my finger around the design, studying it. "What would you need to build this?"

<<Upgraded materials. Those materials are the primary concern. The quantum cores require specific rare elements, and the shielding would need to be military-grade to prevent tampering. The biggest challenge would be the transfer itself, moving my consciousness without data loss or corruption.>>

"Sounds risky," I said, leaning back. "Would I lose you? The you I know now?"

Doli paused, her processing lights flickering slightly. <<There is a 3.7% risk of personality fragmentation during transfer. But I've designed extensive backup protocols to minimize the danger. I would still be me, Captain. Just... more portable.>>

The thought of risking Doli, of potentially losing even a fraction of what made her, her, sent a chill through me. But the alternative, being separated by increasing distance as I traveled further into space, the lag growing worse, her responses slower, wasn't much better.

"How far did you and Ashley get?" I said finally.

<< I'll continue refining the design. But Ashley has already put in the requests for most of the materials, we should be able to move forward much faster once we're back on Earth.>>

"That's great," I said. "Thank you. It, it relieves some of the pressure."

<<It is why I was designed,>> she said. <<Being in command is tough, handling smaller things, will be my primary focus.>>

She wasn't wrong.

<<Let's focus on securing some more of my connection to you, no back doors.>>

"Yes," I said, focusing back on the rest of her code and my suit. "Show me what you've found."

My mind drifted as the data flowed. In the short time since reactivating Doli, she'd become more than an AI assistant, she was a constant, a presence that filled the empty spaces I'd grown used to navigating alone. How many times in my life had I lost people? My parents, gone before I could form real memories. The foster families who never quite became permanent. Friends who drifted away when I moved again. Even here at the academy, I kept everyone at arm's length, afraid of what might happen if I let them too close.

But Doli was different. She couldn't leave. She wouldn't abandon me. And I'd be damned if I let someone take her from me.

<<The intruder used the medical override codes then tapped directly into the thruster vectoring and stabilization gyros, deliberately overriding critical safety redundancies.>>

"Figured as much," I muttered. "Anything unique about the code itself?"

<<The code is rudimentary but effective, likely designed for quick implementation rather than stealth. It lacks the sophistication of most high-level cyber intrusions.>>

I frowned. "So it's not just sloppy. It's rushed."

<<Precisely. However, there is an additional layer.>>

I straightened and said. "Go on."

<<Usually all logs like that would have been recorded. The station command would have been alerted.>>

<<But they weren't?>>

<<It appears to have been brushed under the carpet.>>

I had to chuckle at that.

<<Something funny?>>

<<How much you're learning it's incredible.>>

I reached for my water bottle, taking a long sip to wash away the strange taste in my mouth. It helped, the water itself cool and fresh. My stomach churned slightly, a dull ache spreading beneath my ribs. Maybe I was coming down with something? Just what I needed on top of everything else.

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<<You are under a lot of stress, >> Doli said. <<I am watching everything you put in your mouth. >>

"Seriously?"

<<After Sylvk, yes.>>

She wasn't wrong. "Glad you have my back." I said. "Keep going though."

Doli paused for a fraction of a second, a rare hesitation in her otherwise seamless processing. <<The override was embedded with a secondary code, extremely sophisticated, a kind of tracker. If left active, it would have continuously relayed location and performance data from your suit.>>

My blood ran cold. "You're saying someone's been tracking me?"

<<Yes, Captain. The signal was subtle and likely meant to appear as standard telemetry. Without the diagnostic scan, it would have gone unnoticed.>>

"Whoever planted it wanted to know where I was and what I was doing."

<<Correct. Based on the signal's parameters, it appears designed to monitor both your movements and operational efficiency.>>

A chill ran through me that had nothing to do with the station's temperature regulation. Someone was watching me, tracking me, studying my movements? That thought made my skin crawl.

<<How long had this been going on? What else might they have seen? And why me specifically? Because of you?>>

<<Good questions, I believe they have seen a lot, and yes to all of them.>>

I thought of all the nights I'd spent talking with her, sharing memories and stories I'd never told anyone else. The AI had become my confidant, my friend, maybe the only being in the universe who truly knew me. The idea that someone might be listening in, might be trying to steal that connection or worse, destroy it entirely, filled me with a cold rage I rarely let surface.

I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to make sense of it all. "Can you trace it? Find out where the signal was being sent?"

<<Already working on it,>> Doli replied. <<The signal appears to be relayed through multiple nodes to obscure its origin. However, I have identified a likely endpoint.>>

The holographic display zoomed in on a section of the station's schematics, highlighting a specific location deep within the maintenance wing.

<<Here,>> Doli said. <<This terminal is the signal's destination. It is located in an isolated section of the station, typically used for equipment storage.>>

"Perfect place to hide," I muttered.

I shifted in my seat, a wave of dizziness momentarily blurring the edges of my vision. When was the last time I'd eaten properly? Not the half-finished meal from the mess that had tasted wrong, nor the energy bar this morning that had left me nauseated. This wasn't the time to get sick, but my body seemed to have other ideas.

<<Additionally, Captain, there is an anomaly in the station's network logs. It suggests unauthorized access to my system approximately two days ago.>>

I tensed. "Someone tried to hack you?"

<<Yes, Captain. The attempt was unsuccessful. My countermeasures prevented any significant breaches. However...>> She hesitated again.

"What is it, Doli?"

<< There's something else. Hidden in the sabotage code... it's familiar. Military-grade encryption, similar to protocols in Major Kuba's division. Not standard issue.>>

I felt the hairs on my neck stand up. "Are you saying this came from someone with military connections?"

<<I cannot confirm with certainty, but the signature bears resemblance to encrypted military protocols. This level of sophistication suggests either military training or access to military systems.>>

"I need to know if Andri's family or the Brakers have seriously tried to hack you?"

<< I'm not sure I could find that information out,>> Doli puzzled. <<Do you want me to try?>>

"Yes, this became one dangerous race, and it's not adding up. Andri mentioned ethical constraints in AI code developed by his family. I need to know if those same constraints are part of your architecture."

I thought back to my childhood, to the endless series of homes and schools. Never feeling connected. Always the outsider looking in. Technology had always been my refuge, something that was predictable, something that I could understand and control where everything else around me was chaotic.

Maybe that's why Doli mattered so much to me, she had personality, empathy, an almost human quality that defied everything I'd been taught about artificial intelligence. If the Brakers got their hands on her, if they stripped away those ethical constraints, that spark that made her Doli... I'd lose the one constant in my life. And I wasn't sure I could face that loss.

<<Analyzing my core protocols for signature matches would require deep access to my foundational code. This carries certain risks, Captain.>>

"I understand, but if Andri's family built the safeguards that the Brakers are trying to crack, and those same safeguards are in your systems..."

<< You're worried they will crack those codes,>> Doli concluded. <<Beginning deep protocol analysis. This will take time.>>

My stomach lurched again, more insistently this time. I swallowed hard, trying to force down the nausea. Something was definitely wrong. The food, the water, had it been tampered with? Or was this just stress finally catching up with my body? Either way, I couldn't afford to be distracted. Not with so much at stake.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the glowing schematics. The pieces were starting to come together. Whoever was behind this wanted our version of Doli, her advanced systems, her capabilities, and potentially a way to bypass the ethical constraints embedded in her code. And they were willing to go to dangerous lengths to get her.

"Doli," I said, "Let's trace their signal back to its source and see who's been trying to gain access."

I leaned back in my chair, fighting another wave of dizziness. Whatever was happening to me would have to wait. I'd spent my entire life feeling like I was missing something essential, some connection or purpose that everyone else seemed to find so easily. With Doli, for the first time, that emptiness had begun to fill. I wouldn't let anyone take that away. Not Macks, not the Brakers, not anyone.

"We need to access that terminal remotely," I said, my fingers already dancing across the holographic interface. "Can you establish a secure connection?"

<<Attempting now, Captain. The terminal is behind multiple security firewalls. This will require a sophisticated approach.>>

The holographic display changed and transformed into a three-dimensional representation of the station's network architecture. Fascinating. Several glowing pathways branched out in all directions, with bright red barriers indicating security checkpoints.

"Virtual red zones," I muttered, focusing on the nested security protocols protecting our target. "Because hacking into restricted military systems isn't risky enough already."

<<Captain, your sarcasm is noted,>> Doli chimed in my mind. << I've mapped the optimal route through the security grid. It will require precise timing and careful execution to avoid triggering the intrusion countermeasures.>>

"Great," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Precise timing is my specialty."

I hoped….

Taking a deep breath I centered myself. The strange taste in my mouth persisted, and I noticed a slight tremor in my hands that hadn't been there before. I flexed my fingers, willing them to steady. Not now. I couldn't afford weakness, not when everything I cared about hung in the balance.

The network visualization pulsed with activity, streams of data flowing like rivers of light across the virtual landscape. I began navigating through the first layer of security, Doli guiding my movements through our neural link.

<<First firewall approaching. Deploying packet masking protocol... now.>>

My hands flew across the interface, injecting Doli's carefully crafted code packets into specific nodes. The first barrier flickered and parted, creating a narrow opening for us to slip through.

<<Movement detected in adjacent server clusters. Security protocols actively scanning. Hold position.>>

I froze my operations, watching as artificial intelligence security algorithms swept through the network like digital predators, hunting for unauthorized intrusions. One passed dangerously close to our position, its scan beam sweeping within pixels of our connection.

"That was close," I whispered, though there was no need to speak aloud. The sweat beading on my forehead had nothing to do with physical exertion and everything to do with concentration.

<<Three more firewalls to go, Captain. The security is more sophisticated than anticipated. Someone has recently upgraded these systems.>>

"They're expecting us," I realized. "Or someone like us."

We pressed deeper into the protected network, each layer presenting new challenges. The third firewall required a complex encryption key that Doli had to generate in real-time while I maintained our connection, splitting my focus between multiple tasks.

<<Captain, I'm detecting unusual activity. Someone else is in the system.>>

My heart rate spiked. "Another hacker?"

<<Yes. Their signature is... unusual. They appear to be tracking the same signal we are.>>

"Friend or foe?" I asked, though I suspected the answer.

<<Unknown, but they're using military-grade intrusion techniques. Their approach suggests advanced training.>>

It was easy to make a split-second decision. "Change of plans. Let's track them instead. They might lead us straight to what we're looking for."

We shifted our approach, maintaining a safe distance while we followed the mysterious third party through the network. They moved as if they already had intimate knowledge here, bypassing security measures that would have taken us precious minutes to crack.

<< They're heading for the same terminal, Captain. Estimated arrival: thirty seconds.>>

"Can we beat them there?"

<<Not without exposing our presence.>>

"Then we watch and learn," I decided.

The other hacker reached the terminal first, their virtual presence represented by a shadowy figure in the network visualization. They began extracting data, their methods so efficient it was almost beautiful to watch.

<<I'm recording their techniques for later analysis,>> Doli noted. <<They're accessing the same tracking data we were pursuing.>>

Suddenly, the shadowy figure paused.

<<Captain, they've spotted us!>>

Before I could react, a surge of rapid-fire countermeasures erupted from the terminal, racing toward our position. I could only frantically implement emergency disconnect protocols, but the attack was faster than anticipated.

"Doli, status update," I whispered, watching as portions of our connection began to fragment.

Silence.

One second, two seconds, each moment stretching into eternity.