I gave Ries a confused look, "An AI research station?"
Ries nodded and pointed at the screen, "Here. Take a look…"
I leaned over to narrow my eyes at the screen, wondering just what she saw.
It took me a moment to realise that she had opened what seems to be a research log and the exact place she was pointing at was someone reporting about the research they were conducting.
I started reading from the top and at first, it doesn't seem like there was anything that even suggested they were researching on AI.
Most of them were things like 'Noticed a pattern shift in Unit Seven. Seems to be more volatile than before', 'Self-correction failed in Unit Twelve's containment protocols, will have to start a new one.'.
All of them pretty much looked like they were researching on some chemicals or something until I reached the log in the centre…
'Unit Seventy Three rebelled. We don't know how since all of them should have been disconnected from the galactic network so either someone had done something they shouldn't or the unit managed to connect itself to the GalaNet somehow. We had to put it down lest another rebellion happens again. Humanity cannot afford another one.'
Ok… Yeah, the fact that this guy mentioned 'rebellion' basically confirms the fact that this was something related to AI… And the fact that it mentioned about another rebellion happening 'again' meant this was done after the AI rebellion…
And the fact that the AI could rebel meant that they weren't just doing research on the AI that was within the legal boundaries that they had imposed on AI…
"So basically… This research station was doing illegal research?"
"I don't know about that, Boss… But if I remember correctly, this is a government research station… Meaning the UTG themselves funded this in the first place."
I rolled my eyes, "Great… So this is basically a case where the government tells everyone else that it's illegal to do something but they themselves are doing it?"
"Pretty much."
I'm honestly not even surprised… In fact, I would be surprised to learn that they weren't doing it.
"Wait… Could it be that the AI on the station caused the station itself to explode and not because of some solar flare?" I asked.
Ries turned her gaze to the android that was still on her workstation, "That… Could be possible I suppose… The news they gave to the media could all just be a cover up since they can't exactly tell everyone that AI caused this…"
That's true… That would also explain why the androids attacked us in a giant horde too… Although…
"How are the androids still functioning after all these years? Wouldn't they have run out of power?" I pointed out.
Ries gestured to the android on her workstation, "That's what I want to find out as well, Boss."
She went over to the workstation and started disassembling it with some tools that she took out from her workstation.
I peeked over her shoulder to watch her work and she slowly peeled away the chest piece of the android by removing some hidden latches that were on the chest.
Just saying, I had not picked this specific android up for any other reason aside from the fact that it was the closest to me at that time… But this was a female android that still had the skin on her so it still looked quite human.
That's why it was a pretty jarring sight to see Ries literally detach the android's boobs and place it aside to reveal the internal circuitry.
Right now, nothing was moving of course and Ries continued to dismantle the android as she picked apart the chest piece to expose the more delicate machines underneath.
She pried it open to reveal a hollow interior and she immediately froze.
I noticed that immediately, "What's wrong?"
She seemed to panic a little and even reached her hand in and started rummaging around the hollow part of the android's chest as though she was looking for something.
"This… This isn't possible!" She cried out.
"What? What's wrong?"
She pulled her hand out and gestured at the hollow part of the android's chest, "For this particular model… This is where the core of the android is supposed to be! But there's nothing there!"
Err… I can see that…
"So what does this mean? What is the core anyway? Is it their power generator or something?"
"Not only the source of power but also basically their brain! They need it to even function! Was this android one of the ones attacking you or just one that had been floating there from the very beginning?"
I tried to recall when I saw the android, "Hmmm… If I remember correctly, she did try to lunge at me before I shot her so yes."
Ries turned back to stare at the hollow chest, "Then… How? How is it able to move without it? Wait… A self destruct protocol perhaps? But how?"
I tilted my head at her, "Could this be how the files disappeared while I was trying to download them?"
She immediately snapped back to look at me, "That's right! Didn't Boss say that the files were deleting itself? How did that happen?"
"Err… Yeah, it's like the files were purging itself during the transfer. It didn't just instantly stop."
"For that to happen… That means it wasn't an instantaneous destruction… And with Boss's personal terminal being able to hack anything… That means it wasn't because of a security lockdown but actual physical degradation?"
She peeked inside the chest again and she started muttering some stuff under her breath which I wasn't able to catch.
I watched as she pulled down several other tools and started taking apart the other pieces on the android's chest that was holding it together, her face now one of absolute concentration.
To be honest, just watching her work is a sight by itself as her hands danced along the surface of the android, the pieces coming apart as though by magic.
I was completely absorbed in the sight and only came back to myself when she pried the entire torso apart, exposing the entire interior of the android which was a mish mesh of machinery.
I then noticed that down at the very bottom at where the android's pelvis was supposed to be, there was a cylindrical shaped thing and it looked rather squishy which was a clear contrast to the machine parts surrounding it.
Curiosity got the better of me as I poked the cylinder with a finger, "What's this?"
"Synthetic pussy," Ries explained without hesitation.
I immediately withdrew my finger and winced, looking around for something to wipe my hand on, only to see Ries thrust her hand out and offer a clean towel for me.
Thanks Ries.
I took the towel gratefully and wiped my hand with it as she seemed to be scanning the android with some kind of built in scanner on her workstation, the result of the scan being displayed on the holographic screen above her.
She frowned at the screen before shaking her head, "This makes no sense…"
"What? What did you find?"
"It's like there was never a core to begin with… The connection nodes in that hollow were clearly aged and some had shown signs of burning which I suspect was from the accident that the station went through… So even if there was a core, it would be useless and non-functional…"
"Unless that's what happened? When the android is defeated, the core burns itself up and melts?"
"I was looking for traces of that too, but seeing that there wasn't any residue or even scorch marks in the hollow itself… Aside from the bullet holes that you made of course. I would say that the core was actually removed purposefully."
My eyes drifted towards the head of the android that had several holes peppered around her face from where my minigun had shredded her.
"What about the head? What is it supposed to contain if the core is in the chest?"
Ries followed my gaze, "Well… Normally it's just the android's recording devices… But I guess it doesn't hurt to check…"
Her hands moved over to the android's head and in an instant, the entire face came off before she also started to disassemble the faceplate.
As Ries had said, underneath that seemed to be the recording equipment of the android with the cameras for eyes and what looked like a speaker near where its mouth should be.
Ries clutched her head with her hands, "I don't understand this at all… How is this android even moving without a core? This… This… This makes no sense!"
Before I could offer her any words of comfort, an alarm blared through the ship's hidden speakers, surprising the both of us.
Mara's voice then came from the speakers right after, "Captain, our sensors are detecting a pirate fleet approaching us… You might want to prepare for battle."
Shit… It's just one thing after the other…
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!