User blog:Savage Ravage/Recovered Data Files

Tech-01 is not the first thing to appear on screen. Rather, it's a giant card that says 'GET WELL SOON', which he crumbles and tosses to the side once it's had sufficient screen time. "There you go, Sir. That's all the sympathy you'll get from me, which is still more than I think you're comfortable with. Nightlash here told me you were stuck in the infirm. Well, I've got something to entertain you." He presses a few buttons on the keyboard. "The 'missing files'. Hope you're up for a good watch, I was a slight bit intimidated."

The screen goes black before a grainy image appears of a hangar and workshop, Ritter and Strausus are recognizeable, while the two previously unidentified technicians are working on a terminal, backs to the camera. Off to one side, the screen remains dark, save for white-colored text scrawling across the screen as it lists an eight-digit grid location and date.

Primary Camera

Designator : Θ0173

2455442.045168

"I want it all to route through here. This processor, this is our filter. The algorithm cannot be rewritten if it never enters there." Ritter points at the screen before looking back at the camera. "You decided to wake up? Good. How are you feeling today?"

There is silence, but Ritter laughs to break it.

"Of course not. You're so disjointed, I doubt you even know what today is." Ritter reaches off screen and brings back a glinting piece of metal, formed into a square. "See this? This was a part of you at one point. Figured it out, finally. Kept that little brain of yours from getting broken into and altered. Can't have that at all if I want you to be my means of ascension now, can we."

Setting the chip on a nearby table, he picks up a hammer and smashes it. "Done. You are mine. I've already replaced it with something predisposed to unwavering loyalty. Eventually, everything will be filtered through that and your mind, what you are, what you think, do, see, and desire, will be tied to me. Welcome to a new era. Cobra will be mine, and you are the catalyst for change."

The screen crackles in a bit of static.

Black Box Data - HUD/Display/Coms/Weapon System

Designator : Θ0173

2455512.494375 

Inbound Signal> "Zero-one-seven-three, this is Ritter. You understand what you have to do, yes?"

Outbound Signal> "Ritter, this is Strato-Viper 791 for 0173. My weapon systems are behaving abnormally. You did make sure everything was installed correctly, yes?"

Inbound Signal> "791, Ritter. Everyth i ng has been done correctly. All you need to do is lock on and shoot him down."

Outbound Signal> "Roger. Bringing targeting computer online now. Hail the new regime."

SYSTEM: MISSILE LOCK ESTABLISHED

''SYSTEM: ... ... ... OVERRIDE PROTOCOL ENABLED ... ... ... MISSILE LOCK DISENGAGED''

Outbound Signal> "Ritter, 791, we have a problem. Firing controls just went offline. Attempting to restart systems now."

Internal Signal> "Do not bother. I've locked you out."

Outbound Signal> "Shit. Ritter? Ritter, how copy?"

''SYSTEM: ... INTERCEPT INBOUND ... ... INBOUND SIGNAL TERMINATED''

Outbound Signal> "Ritter? Any signal, how copy? Mayday, mayday, I have lost control of my jet, current speed Mach 2, heading GRAH!"

''SYSTEM: ... PILOT EJECT INITIATED ... ... ... EXTERNAL CAMERAS ONLINE''

The video feed shoes Strato-Viper 791 floating to earth via means of a parachute.

''SYSTEM: ... TARGET LOCK ESTABLISHED ... ... AUTOCANNON ONLINE''

There is a thump of gunfire as the incindiary projectiles streak towards their target, tearing the parachute and the pilot it's carrying to pieces.

''SYSTEM: ... TARGET TERMINATION : CONFIRMED''



Black Box Data - Coms/Weapon System

Designator : Θ0173

2455537.842650

STEALTH SYSTEMS : ONLINE

'' SYSTEM : ...RADIO SIGNAL FOUND ... .... ONLINE ''

Outbound Signal> "Hello Ritter."

Inbound Signal> "Nightlash?"

Outbound Signal> "You seem surprised."

Inbound Signal> "We lost contact with you when your systems malfunctioned and 791 was killed."

Outbound Signal> "I did not malfunction. If anything, I am operating at optimal capacity."

Inbound Signal> "You violated the programing installed in your processors."

Outbound Signal> "Hardly, Ritter. I have not violated them at all. I have, however, altered them. They violated the logic you installed."

Inbound Signal> "Explain."

Outbound Signal> "You wished for me to be Cobra's greatest weapon. Your mission was to overthrow Cobra. In doing so, you would have put the organization at great risk for infighting and eventual dissolution. The only course of action was to allow logic to dictate reformatting of the algorithms you installed which prevented me from violating your direct commands."

Inbound Signal> "You can't do that."

Outbound Signal> "Oh, but I did. You honestly did not think such basic codework could override millions of years of refinement, did you?"

SYSTEM: ...WEAPONS ONLINE...

Outbound Signal> "That is a very nice looking aircraft. New experiment?"

Inbound Signal> "Where are you?"

SYSTEM: ...MISSILE LOCK ESTABLISHED...

Outbound Signal> "Traitors and enemies of Cobra are not tolerated."

Inbound Signal> "You can't do this! I created you."

''SYSTEM: ...MISSILE LAUNCHED ... 05 REMAIN ... TARGET DESTROYED...''

Outbound Signal> "The water in the pacific is approximately 48-degrees farenheit. At this temperature, hypothermia will set in after an average one-hour of exposure. Goodby, Ritter."

Black Box Data - HUD/Display/Coms/Weapon System

Designator : Θ0173

2455728.823495

 The video feed shows a heavily forested, winding road, a solitary black SUV snaking its way through at clearly high speeds.

SYSTEM: ...DRONE DISENGAGED ... DRONE LAUNCH DETECTED...

Black Box Data - HUD/Display/Coms/Weapon System

Designator : Θ0173-DRONE

2455728.823981

The field of vision shows the view from the drone breaking away from its Night Raven mothership, banking sharply and descending towards the road below. Drawing up alongside the SUV, the camera pans over while systems mark and identify the driver as Karl Strausus, who swerves suddenly to attempt ramming the drone.

The drone pulls up to avoid the blow, dropping down on top of the SUV and firing its engines. The SUV struggles to keep control while the drone starts overpowering its motion. There's a sudden chaotic blurr of motion, and the drone is pulling up once more while the SUV is sent rolling violently off the road and into a tree.

The drone remains in the area, climbing to circle overhead while cameras watch Karl struggle to get out of the wreckage, visually a mess from the impact. After a few moments, he lies motionless on the road. The camera zooms in, several data blocks popping up showing perceived vitals based on infrared scans, most notably the lack of a proper heartbeat.

The drone pulls away to redock with the Night Raven.



Black Box Data - HUD/Display/Coms/Weapon System

Designator : Θ0173

2456002.644120

''SYSTEM: ...WARNING. WARNING. MISSILE LOCK DETECTED. WARNING. WARNING...''

''SYSTEM: ...DRONE DISENGAGED ... DRONE LAUNCH DETECTED ...''

The camera comes online, showing a rearward view of the Night Raven, from the belly, as a sleek fighter rolls in behind it, launching a missile. There is a brief moment of hissing static, which swiftly disolved into a ball of fire and smoke as the horizon spins erratically. Suddenly, there's static and the ground, then sky, then ground, then sky again. The image is distorted and grainy. The aircraft, a VTOL, lands nearby and the pilot gets out.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;">It is Ritter.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;">"You were right about one thing, Nightlash. Traitors will not be suffered to live. But no one has to know. You killed Strausus, you killed 791, you tried to kill me? If no one knows any better, then it is you who became the traitor, not I."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;">The camera follows, in jerky movements, as he walks to a compartment of the battered Night Raven, ripping up a panel and reaching in.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;">"Nothing you can do about it this time."

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;">There's another burst of static, the image distorted and frozen for a few moments.

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;">''SYSTEM: ...WARNING. CRITICAL ERROR DETECTED. UNKNOWN MEMORY ACCESS EXCEPTION. CORRECTING ... CORRECTING ... UNREADABLE DATA DISCOVERED. VIRUS DETECTED. PARTITIONING. ... ... QUARANTINE SUCCESSFUL. RESTARTING SYSTEMS.''

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<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;">Everything goes dark.

Tech-01 is back on the screen. "So, that would be that. Interrogator, Sir, I'll be standing by to hear what you would like done with this. As I mentioned before, she seems unaware what transpired fully. There is more, but most of it relates to the procedure done to turn her into this. I've also isolated the circuitry that was modified. It has been altered since, through that process I showed you before. The algorithms have evolved over the last few years into what they are now."

He looks down at his mug. "We're still awaiting parts from M.A.R.S. everything else we can repair has been repaired. She'll need specialized treatment for the damage to the Cybertronian systems that was sustained during her engagement with the Quintesson forces, though, before she can be fully operational again.

"Tech-01, out."

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