Ana swipes her badge at a lone terminal illuminating an abandoned panic room deep within the complex. ___________________________________________________________________________ Welcome to Pillory [TERMINAL 0]. Input query, or select command. [!WARNING: FOREIGN ENTITY DETECTED IN-NETWORK, FIRE AI-SEC EMP PAYLOAD(S) IMMEDIATELY!] This Terminal is currently in [OVERRIDE CONDITION] following a [REACTOR MELTDOWN] incident, triggering an automatic REDLINE PROTOCOL CHECK. [EXECUTIVE PARAGON-LEVEL MEMBERS] Pillory system network: core anchor node. o ACCESS POINT: Pillory-0, "Spire" o In the event of a catastrophic failure, neural degeneration, or loss of containment, herein collectively referred to as a [ROGUE MIND] incident, initiates [A.I. CEREBRAL PARTITIONING] and [QUARANTINE INTEGRATION] into twelve offsite CLOVIS station(s) within [NEURAL WEB-WAY]. REDLINE PROTOCOL: o Check [PURGE] for [!LOCK LOST!].  System reads [Locked] when in use  System reads [No Target] when in standby  IF: [!LOCK LOST!], consult "Containment Failure…", notify AI-Sec. immediately. o Fire: Test Pillory  Must read [Ready] o Fire: Initiate Pillory o Fire: [ECHO] Project, Alert: NavForward-Koranthin-Network  IF: [FAILURE], Activate: [ECHO CONTINGENCY – ARES>KORANTHIN-NETWORK] o Sever connection to [ECHO LINK] for [REDLINE PROTOCOL QUARANTINE] in the event of a [ROGUE MIND] incident.  IF: [AUGURMIND SELECT] = Compromised and [WARMIND SELECT] = Stable, [CANNIBALIZE] o Containment Failure…  CONTAINMENT INTERRUPTION: REACTOR OFFLINE!  [WARNING: FOREIGN ENTITY DETECTED IN-NETWORK, FIRE AI-SEC EMP PAYLOAD(S) IMMEDIATELY]  AI-SEC [EMP-01-04]: Ready, Ready, No Signal, Ready  [FIRE 1], [FIRE 2], No Signal, [FIRE 4] o [AUGURMIND] Predictive Matrix  Potential Colony Sites  Chronoscopic Analysis  MIND FORK II PROTOTYPE INTERLACING  PROJECT FILE: Ishtar-Joint, Sundaresh  Pillory Protocol Inclusion: Augurmind - CLEARED  Working Agreement – Status: Terminated  Anomalous Report(s), Catalogued - LOCKED o KORINATH NETWORK ECHO PODS (0/712)  STRONGHOLD(S): C, Q, N, B, F  Caster-7 "Nomad Beacon" Weapons Platform Receiver  Frontier Armament Schematics  [ECHO CONNECTION SEVERED – MANUAL OVERRIDE REQUIRED] [WARNING: FOREIGN ENTITY DETECTED IN-NETWORK, FIRE AI-SEC EMP PAYLOAD(S) IMMEDIATELY] ___________________________________________________________________________ Ana skims the readout and eyes the warnings of a foreign entity. "There's still a Sol Divisive signature in the network. It's weak and disconnected, but it's active." Her fingers enter a flurry of commands. "It's grouping dozens of file references for something called the Augurmind." "The Augurmind looks like a predictive engine directing expansion of extrasolar colonies. Maya Sundaresh made a clairvoyant AI using Vex tech… and the Sol Divisive want it, or want something from it," Ana informs. "I bet we've been left alone because this networked Vex signature hasn't been threatened… but it'll eventually realize it's been cut off and start replicating." "So, we're in for a fight?" radios Cogburn, his voice lifting. "Site protocol is to blow the EMPs. So that's what we do," Ana says. "But yeah, probably." "How does an EMP… affect me?" Moss-2 radios, voice uncertain. "You'll be fine." "Great. But we're leaving empty handed?" Moss-2 protests. "Like hell," Ana retorts, sifting through the console's directory. "I can compress this entire site's data, including these 'Frontier Armaments' schematics into a few engrams within minutes. Then we spin up the EMPs and make sure the Sol Divisive can never use this place again." Cogburn chuckles over the channel. "There. You can replace that rotten piece of wood you shoot bullets out of." "Maybe you can finally stop using your fists," quips Moss-2. Ana cuts in. "Before we start the compression, I'll have to quarantine the Sol Divisive signature… and it is not going to like that." "Gunslinger." Earp's voice cuts through the chatter. "What do you need from us?"