A History of Power : SI ....cont'd....
Year 2033, Lagrange Point 5, AEGIS
a novella by Graystone
The Artificial Environments had first appeared in the early 2020's after the development of the Keering thruster in 2013. The thruster was a brilliant innovation allowing development of the orbital stations which had quickly become the focus of the new expansion.
The AE's represented the most valuable real estate in the Solar System. Only the most prestigious and powerful of firms could afford private space here.
AEGIS was a real rarity, a private consortium had funded the Environment with one intention, providing a secure home to one of the most powerful AI's yet developed. FINN (Financial Information Neural Network) was in complete charge of the myriad functions that required precise control on AEGIS, it was in effect his body. To understand how complete his control was, one only had to listen to the frustrated voice coming from the incoming craft that was approaching a docking port on AEGIS,
"Dammit Finn, patch me through, right now, I don't care what it is." Jill said, she sounded angry.
The cultured accent of the machine replied.
"I am sorry Jill, this is a Code Gray, no patches while I am monitoring an alert and blocking intrusion."
Jill realized it was futile. SI's AI Finn, had some of the most sophisticated ICE (defensive software) ever developed, if not the most sophisticated. Everyone remembered the attack of the Matsushita BLAT, a PARA AI Destructor Virus in 2015. SI at that time had been dependant upon the Intel AI's, and the death of Erin (Early Reasoning Intelligent Network) had paralyzed SI and as a result, markets world wide. The PAIDV attack had created havoc and had led to the initiative that developed FINN, he was not likely to bend on a security issue.
"Ok, Jill, your call is going through."
The screen suddenly cleared and her previously placed call connected. She recognized the speaker as one of the majority owners of a large telecommunications firm.
"You called Fred, what can I do for you ?"
"Listen McKinney, I gotta see one of the Dryers, it is important."
"You know that isn't possible." she told him, "What can I pass on ?"
"It is about our space on SI, you have got to take a hand, we are getting slammed for something that isn't our fault, tell Brad if it happens again, we will opt out."
"I'll pass it on Fred, thanks" she hung up.
"Whats he talking about Finn ? "
The slight hum lasted only a millisecond before Finn responded.
"I have looked Jill, I think he is mistaken, I have placed blocks on two hundred and seventeen participants ranging from 12 to 72 hours. No basis for an opt out exists."
"Thanks Finn."
....cont'd..... |
