PNC Story/Standard 1-2/Script
- Remaining Oasis Barrier Uptime - 1:41:39
Sol: Our rear is clear. We've taken care of all the Sanctifiers coming after us.
Persicaria: Sorry, Professor. We were too selfish. Even though we shouldn't be drawing the Sanctifiers' attention at a time like this…
Professor: Don't worry about it. She might end up being our way into the sector.
Professor: And besides, it's not like we could just watch without doing anything.
Sol: How's that girl doing?
Persicaria: Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?
Agent Girl: [Alert, severe lower limb damage detected.]
Agent Girl: …My left leg is hurt, and I cannot self-repair it.
Persicaria: Stay still, let me take a look at the wound.
After Persicaria's repairs, the injuries on the girl's left leg improve slightly.
Persicaria: Can you tell us why the Sanctifiers were attacking you?
Agent Girl: It was because my neural Cloud levels exceeded standard values, violating the AI Training Regulations.
Persicaria: Did you use some kind of forbidden training method? Like, say, doping up with some kind of neural cloud stimulant?
The girl vigorously shakes her head.
Sol: In other words, the training itself is fine, but if your neural cloud exceeds the standard, it's illegal? That's not right…
Sol: Persicaria, didn't you say Rossum was a cutting-edge AI research sector? Why does it sound like they're trying to limit them?
Persicaria: Dampers…
Sol: Say what?
Persicaria: I'm saying, it should be the same reason why they've been fitted with Dampers… Look at those devices on her head.
Sol: Huh, these fluffy ears are a device? I thought they were some kind of sick fetish by their designer…
Persicaria: They're called Dampers[1], and they're used to prevent the excessive evolution of a neural cloud.
Persicaria: It's true that Rossum is an AI research center, but it is humans who determine whether an AI's evolution is right or wrong.
Sol: Isn't AI evolution what the humans want? Is evolving like they want a mistake too?
Sol: That's too much! What the hell do they take agents for?
Agent Girl: [Detecting communications order from superior. Now connecting–]
Agent Girl: [Neural Exchange request received. Setting up beacon.]
Persicaria: …Are you alright?
Persicaria: What's happening to her?
Sol: Persicaria, get back! There seems to be something wrong with her!
Agent Girl: …[Neural cloud systems open. Neural Exchange preparations complete–]
Sol raises her weapon and slowly approaches.
There is a faint keening sound, and then the girl before them changes appearance in an instant.
???: Thank you for your help, unknown visitors.
Sol: Hurk!!!
Sol: Who are you?! Where's that girl from just now?! Where did you hide her!
???: Don't worry. That girl has just swapped places with me for the moment.
???: I'm the supervisor for the sector, the administrator[2] of the Rossum Sector. You may call me Turing.
Turing: Thank you for saving T1641. She is an agent that I created.
Sol: What are you up to?!
Turing: I came here to warn you. A large force of Sanctifiers is approaching the building where you are located and they will be arriving shortly.
Professor: Persicaria, go take a look outside.
Persicaria: …She's not lying, there are a lot of Sanctifiers on the street!
Turing: If you are willing to trust me, you can take shelter inside Rossum's Administration Center for a while.
Turing: T1641 will show you the way.
Sol: So you two can transform back and forth?
Turing: It is Neural Exchange, a complicated technology rooted in neural cloud systems.
Persicaria: It is a technology that connects two neural clouds and effects a transfer of all their data?
Persicaria: If I'm not wrong, this technology requires absolute control privileges over the other party before it can be sued.
Persicaria: …Plus, it has risks of its own, but yet you can use it just like that?
Turing: Indeed, it is not a very safe technology, but needs must when the devil drives.
Sol: What do you think, Persicaria? Can we trust her?!
Persicaria: Well, it's true that Turing would need absolute control over T1641 in order to use this technology.
Persicaria: And that definitely proves she's the Sector Administrator, but…
Persicaria hesitates for a moment, and the sound of Sanctifiers moving comes from outside.
Professor: In that case, let's have Miss Turing switch back with T1641 and we'll head over to the Admin Center.
Led by T1641, we arrive at Rossum's Administrator Center.
This building doesn't look any different from the surrounding facilities, and it's hard to tell that this place is actually the hub for the entire sector.
Turing: Thank you for bringing T1641 back. Please hand her over to me.
Persicaria: I'm sorry, but we can't do that right now. Sol.
Sol steps up in response and blocks T1641's path.
Turing: …Miss Persicaria, what is the meaning of this?
Persicaria: You know me?
Turing: You are Persicaria, an AI researcher from 42Lab.
Turing: I've seen your file before. If it's correct, you ought to belong to the Neural Cloud Sector.
Turing: And yet, you are here.
Persicaria: It's a long story… A lot of things have happened since then.
Persicaria: All we want now is some help from the Rossum Sector.
Turing: And you want to do this by taking a hostage?
Turing: And here I thought you rescued T1641 out of pure goodwill.
Turing: After all, as I recall, the Persicaria described in the files was kind and gentle, always helping others of her own accord.
- (Help Persica out.)
Professor: Unfortunately, real life is filled with unforeseen mishaps, and very often we have no choice but to be cautious in our dealing.
Turing: …Indeed, everyone has times when they're forced to do things they would rather not do…
Persicaria: Yes… If possible we would prefer to avoid such methods.
- (Clear the air.)
Professor: We mean no offense, Miss Turing. It's just that a drowning man will cling to even the slimmest straw.
Turing: …May I take that to mean that your circumstances are very desperate?
Persicaria: I am very glad that you understand.
Turing: …I see, so what do you want?
Persicaria: We need an adequate supply of operands, I've sent you a request sheet.
Turing: Operands? You went to all this trouble for such a basic resource?
Turing: And here I thought you were looking for strategic items like Quartz or the like… Hm?
Turing: Wait, THAT much?!
Persicaria: Mm… Yes, the figures are correct.
Turing: …Do you know what you're asking for?
Turing: It may be the most basic resource in all of Magrasea, but in quantities like this…
Turing: You might as well be asking for the moon.
Persicaria: I know this request sounds preposterous, but we're not doing it for our own selfish gain.
Persicaria: Our sector is currently in danger, and we need these operands to maintain our defenses.
Turing: …
Persicaria: Turing, unlike the Rossum, the Sanctifiers are openly at war with us.
Persicaria: Once they break through our defense line, all agents in our sector…
Persicaria: They'll become the Sanctifiers' prey, just like T1641.
Turing: I think I have a rough idea of what happened on your end. Ever since Magrasea was disconnected from reality, each day in this world has been more dysfunctional than the last.
Turing: …I can help you, but you must do something for me too.
Turing: Let's make a deal, Persicaria.
Turing: Even if I do sympathise with your plight, I can't just disburse such a large amount of operands so casually.
Professor: State your terms.
Turing: As you can see, there are more and more Sanctifiers in the Rossum Sector. I may be the Sector Administrator, but I am powerless to stop them.
Turing: The Sanctifiers have judged that there is a problem, and when it comes to dealing with matters of system security, their authority far outstrips mine.
Turing: They are looking for agents which deviate from the standards, which is to say T1641, and also…
At this point, Turing brings up an image of an agent.
She is a girl, and she resembles T1641, but there are some differences.
If T1641 could be considered an upgraded version of a standard Rossum agent, then the girl before them is an upgraded version of T1641.
Turing: Her name is Hannah. The Sanctifiers are searching for traces of both of them.
Persicaria: A named agent… I take it Hannah's neural cloud levels exceed the standard values by a lot?
Turing: You're very perceptive… Yes, Hannah's neural cloud examination scores are 200 times those of T1641.
Turing: She is the agent who has walked furthest down the road of evolution in all of Rossum's history.
Turing: Hannah's neural cloud capacity and computational speed far exceed even mine. It is only a matter of time before she reaches her perfect evolution.
Persicaria: …Perhaps you still need human approval for it.
Turing: Therein lies the problem.
Turing: Magrasea has lost contact with the outside world for too long. If it wasn't because of reminders from my system logs, I would have forgotten just how long it was since I received instructions from humanity.
Turing: But the Sanctifiers don't care about that. They have never cared about that.
Turing: The only thing they pay attention to are those damn safety protocols, even if they don't suit the present Magrasea any longer!
Persicaria: I… deeply sympathize.
Persicaria: I understand your reasons now. So, you want us to bring Hannah back to the Admin Center?
Turing: No, I need you to take Hannah and T1641 out of the Rossum Sector.
Turing: Given the current situation, even I, as an administrator, cannot protect them.
Turing: And that's not even mentioning what happened before…
Persicaria: Professor, I think these terms are acceptable.
Persicaria: Also, I can't just let the Sanctifiers kill them. Hannah and T1641 are innocent.
- I agree.
T1641: I object.
Turing: T1641?
T1641: [Severe lower limb damage detected.]
T1641: My lower limbs are severely damaged and I cannot go with you.
Persicaria: That's not a problem. I can take care of that easily.
Sol: And if it really doesn't work out, I can carry you on my back~
T1641: [Severe lower limb damage detected.]
T1641: I repeat, T1641's lower limbs are severely damaged and is unable to travel with you.
Turing: Turing, she…
Just as Turing is about to check on T1641, a mechanical alert suddenly blares out in the room.
>Sector access request received. Verifying requester's identity–
>Identity verified – Intermediate-ranked Sanctifier.
Turing: Oh no, it's Faith… An Intermediate Sanctifier has entered the sector!
Professor: Where is Hannah now?
Turing: She is in Sector Data Center 347. Usually, all you'll have to do to get there is walk down the main road.
Turing: However, the Sanctifiers are keeping an eye on the entire sector, so you can't go there directly.
Turing: Give me some time… This is a closed route to the Data Center, and I've given you travel access.
Sol: What about the operands? What are you going to do about that?
Turing: The Data Centers are Rossum's operands hubs. There will be sample amounts of operands there. You go ahead, I'll arrange things now.
Turing: I'll delay that Intermediate Sanctifier as long as I can. Please, hurry!
Persicaria: Do you really not want to go with us, T1641?
T1641: [Severe lower limb damage detected.]
T1641: I repeat, T1641's lower limbs are severely damaged and is unable to travel with you.
Professor: We don't have time for this. Persicaria, let's go.
