Agent Alaska
Artificial Intelligence: Beta (Instinct)
Sharpening a knife was a calming, repetitive time-killer and brilliant when you were on your own. However, as Alaska was finding out, around others it was liable to getting you killed by a certain black-armoured woman while one man cheered her on with snarky comments and the other stood awkwardly to the side, unsure of what to do.
“Keep it up, Alaska, I fucking dare you,” growled Texas. Wash not-so-subtly backed a bit off, keeping out of the potential field of fire. Wyoming held his ground, smirking at the events in front of them. Maybe he was a closet perv, wanting a catfight? Or were catfights only between women fighting over a guy? Alaska wasn’t entirely used to some of the slang yet. English wasn’t her first language.
“My apologies, Texas,” Alaska murmured, putting her knife back into its sheath. They had locked the door to this random supply room, separating themselves from the Flood. As she understood it, most of the Freelancers (the ones still alive, in any case) had done the same.
“What was that?”
Alaska tensed, Beta knowing full well the tone of someone out for a fight even if Alaska was still learning. She looked Texas straight in the eye (visor) and tried to look as calm as possible. She was good at that. Came from playing Russian roulette every week or so for two months a few years back.
Although, as she later learned, the gun hadn’t actually been loaded because her brothers didn’t actually want to kill her. But they would slap her if she got too freaked out.
“My apologies, Agent Texas… and artificial intelligence Omega,” Alaska said, much louder than the first time. Washington shifted uncomfortably and Wyoming leaned forward in interest and anticipation. Alaska turned to give him a calm, calculating gaze through her armour and he backed up a bit.
Alaska’s specialty was, frankly, assassination. Close up, but long distance if need be. Wyoming might be better with a sniper rifle, but she could take him hand to hand. Especially with Beta’s help.
“That’s better,”Texas smiled, predatory. Something was wrong with her. Was Omega taking over? Influencing her more than what he was supposed to? Every little bit of her body language screamed dangerous. Beta’s constant litany of move, get out, try to avoid her, you know you can’t take her wasn’t helping Alaska stay calm, no matter how she appeared on the outside.
“So what’s our next plan, chaps?” Wyoming asked.
Alaska remained silent, deciding that she didn’t particularly want to risk pushing Tex any further. She quite liked having her spinal cord within her body, thank you very much.
Wash, however, had no such qualms.
“Shouldn’t we just wait here for the Director to–?”
“Washington, any contact from the Director could be hours away,” Tex growled. The (presumably) younger agent wilted under her gaze, and Alaska let herself feel sorry for him despite being more than happy that it wasn’t her. “And that’s assuming he’s not dead and hasn’t left by now and can still contact us.”
“I’m not sure you’re giving him enough credit,” Wyoming cheerily replied. No one was ever quite sure when he was being sarcastic. It was like his voice only had three very similar tones. “I’m certain he would never abandon us here.”
“Well, without orders, what do we do?” Wash asked.
“There’s this little thing called initiative, Washington,” Wyoming informed him. However, he still looked to Texas for a real answer.
“We’ll wait for ten minutes. If we get nothing by then, we’re busting out and heading for the docks!” she announced, looking around and daring any of them to challenge her.
“Yes, ma’am!” the other three chorused.
After that, they fell into silence for about thirty seconds before,
“Knock, knock.”
“Wyoming, I swear toGod…”
“Come on, Tex. It’s not hurting anyone. Knock, knock.”
“Alaska, give me that knife,” Tex reached her hand out.
“Yes, ma’am,”Alaska replied, unsheathing her knife and was about to place it in Tex’s hand before Wyoming renounced his attempt at a joke.
“Sorry, sorry.”Ok, so it was only half-sincere, but still. Might be enough to appease the stab-happy woman before him. “I’ll stop.”
Tex nodded and let Alaska keep her knife. “Good.”
Silence fell once more, intensely awkward for Alaska and Wash although Tex and Wyoming couldn’t seem to care less.
Since Beta apparently felt the boredom too, he placed a countdown on Alaska’s HUD –of the remaining time before Tex’s stated ten minutes ended. It was a nice distraction considering the alternatives (talking to a socially stunted man, a homicidal woman or a smug bastard) and Alaska mentally thanked him. She sensed rather than heard his ‘you’re welcome’.
Around the three minute mark, just as Alaska was starting to fall asleep in her helmet (she was almost certain Wash already had) a voice crackled from their radio. It was not the Director’s almost painful Southern accent, no –it was the Counsellor’s aggravatingly smooth voice.
“Team A, are you there?” he asked, almost soothingly which under the circumstances was rather inappropriate. “Can you hear me?”
Again, everyone turned to Tex to respond, which she did. “Hear you loud and clear, sir. Where’s the Director?”
“Right here.”While there was actually no scuffle or evidence of an argument to accompany the change in voice, Alaska couldn’t help imagining the Director unceremoniously shoving the Counsellor to the side as the other man fell on his ass with nary a complaint. “Texas, we have an objective for you.”
“So do we just stay here then?” Wyoming asked, settling in.
“My apologies. Team A, we have an objective for you,”the Director replied snidely. You couldn’t help but get that feeling that he viewed everyone in the room other than Texas in complete distaste.
“Tell us what to do, Director,” Texas demanded.
“The medical bay is currently under a great deal of pressure thanks to the Flood,” the Director drawled in monotone. “There are quite a few expensive pieces of equipment and personnel in there. Try to break through to them and help defend the area.”
“Sir, we do have a limited amount of ammunition,” Alaska pointed out. It was true. With the fighting beforehand, she only had a few clips left for her assault rifle and was all out for her pistol. And as confident as she was, she wasn’t too interested in trying to take out one of those things with a knife.
“Then pick some up, Alaska,” the Director snapped back. “There should be an armoury on your way there. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,”Texas answered for all of them.
***
Upon opening the door, the team found themselves in an empty hallway. Texas took point and was closely followed by Wash. Alaska and Wyoming walked next to each other –a fact Alaska wasn’t particularly happy about. She wasn’t all that fond of him and his stupid accent and he had the nerve to make fun of hers on her first day.
Of course, Utah had been the one to tell him to fuck off and say it was an awesome accent…
Alaska swallowed a lump in her throat. Ok, so she’d lost someone. A friend, maybe. Two actually, including Ida. Maybe more… but she had to stay focused! When she was safe, she’d see who she had lost and then grieve.
She could hold out until then.
The halls were still bright in this part of the ship, making it feel almost inappropriate compared to the horror the team knew was happening so close to them. No doubt about whether they’d get permission to dock with the Angel on my Shoulder now. They were lucky they hadn’t been blown to hell in some quarantine deal.
It wasn’t too far to the nearest armoury, and Alaska felt a little embarrassed for piping up when she really should’ve thought of this. The home field advantage seemed to be the only edge the Freelancers had. She shouldn’t waste it by not considering her surroundings.
“You two,” Tex hissed, looking back at the Freelancers bringing up the rear as she approached the door, “stay out here and guard. Wash and I’ll grab what we need.”
“Yes, ma’am,”Alaska murmured.
Tex punched in the door’s code a little more violently than necessary and she and Wash disappeared inside. The second she had, Wyoming turned to Alaska.
“Knock, knock.”
“Wyoming,” she said warningly, “don’t even start.”
However, Alaska’s warning lacked the same power Texas’ held.
“Come on, Alaska, just trying to have some fun,” he laughed. “Knock, knock.”
Alaska chose the different tactic of ignoring him. Maybe he’d stop, or maybe she’d be able to outlast him until Texas came back and he shut it.
“Knock, knock.”
Damn it.
“Knock, knock.”
Just a little bit longer. Hurry up, Tex!
“Knock. Knock.”
And Beta began whispering in that naturally hushed tone of his.
“Wyoming, shut it,” Alaska hissed, trying to concentrate on what her AI was telling her.
“Oh, come on, Ali. What’s the harm in–”
“Wyoming,” she said seriously, looking him straight in the eye even through the visor.“Please, shut it.”
And he did.
Something there. Around the next corner, watching. Something there. Beta seemed a little panicked, but he almost always was.
Beta, there’s nothing on trackers. How do you know? Alaska tried to gently question the AI, although she didn’t expect much. Beta was instinct, and nothing else. He just felt things.
I just know. I can feel it.
That was more or less the response she was expecting.
Check, now.
Alaska didn’t understand how some people got so close to their AI, using manners and pleasantries. Beta had never seemed remotely interested in such things and didn’t really have much of a personality. He wasn’t annoying, and Alaska was grateful for his assistance, and in a way liked him a lot better than many of her other co-workers… but the way Utah had treated Iota made no sense to her.
Beta activated Alaska’s armour enhancement, a simple sonar system with a range further than the motion trackers and the ability to determine the size and exact location of enemies (and allies) much more effectively.
Alaska checked the imaging coming up on her HUD. Nothing.
Looks like you were wrong this time, Bee. It wasn’t the first time his instincts had led him astray, but it wasn’t very common.
Maybe not. Camera.
Alaska frowned, considering this. If there was a camera, it was likely it was just the Director or Counsellor… but that had never set Beta off before. Was the high-stress situation just getting to her AI?
“Ali, what’s going on?” Wyoming whined, becoming impatient with her silence.
“Do not call me that,” she ordered. And then, “Beta thought there was something there. It’s just a security camera.”
“Control your AI,” Texas’s voice came unexpected, right behind her. Alaska avoided jumping in surprise, Wyoming did not.
“It’s nothing to worry about, Texas,” Alaska assured her. Wash handed her a few more magazines and Alaska pocketed them, giving him a nod in thanks.
“The med bay’s entrance is right around the corner. Stay close,” Texas looked over each of them, and Alaska quashed the childish temptation to poke her tongue out. She was pretty sure Texas would be able to tell, somehow. She also quashed the temptation to say that she knew where the damn med bay was, thank you.
Now, two out of the four Freelancers here were suited for either long range or stealth combat. Those styles of combat are next to impossible when you must cross a narrow(-ish), brightly lit hallway filled with enemies that mob you the second the see you.
Which is exactly what the team was faced with as they rounded the corner, the med bay’s barricaded entrance a good 25 metres away and more enemies flooding in from two connecting hallways further down.
As the first group of Flood tightly packed near the barricade turned almost in slow motion to meet the newcomers, Beta screamed fire! into Alaska’s
mind.
And that’s what she did.
Artificial Intelligence: Beta (Instinct)
Sharpening a knife was a calming, repetitive time-killer and brilliant when you were on your own. However, as Alaska was finding out, around others it was liable to getting you killed by a certain black-armoured woman while one man cheered her on with snarky comments and the other stood awkwardly to the side, unsure of what to do.
“Keep it up, Alaska, I fucking dare you,” growled Texas. Wash not-so-subtly backed a bit off, keeping out of the potential field of fire. Wyoming held his ground, smirking at the events in front of them. Maybe he was a closet perv, wanting a catfight? Or were catfights only between women fighting over a guy? Alaska wasn’t entirely used to some of the slang yet. English wasn’t her first language.
“My apologies, Texas,” Alaska murmured, putting her knife back into its sheath. They had locked the door to this random supply room, separating themselves from the Flood. As she understood it, most of the Freelancers (the ones still alive, in any case) had done the same.
“What was that?”
Alaska tensed, Beta knowing full well the tone of someone out for a fight even if Alaska was still learning. She looked Texas straight in the eye (visor) and tried to look as calm as possible. She was good at that. Came from playing Russian roulette every week or so for two months a few years back.
Although, as she later learned, the gun hadn’t actually been loaded because her brothers didn’t actually want to kill her. But they would slap her if she got too freaked out.
“My apologies, Agent Texas… and artificial intelligence Omega,” Alaska said, much louder than the first time. Washington shifted uncomfortably and Wyoming leaned forward in interest and anticipation. Alaska turned to give him a calm, calculating gaze through her armour and he backed up a bit.
Alaska’s specialty was, frankly, assassination. Close up, but long distance if need be. Wyoming might be better with a sniper rifle, but she could take him hand to hand. Especially with Beta’s help.
“That’s better,”Texas smiled, predatory. Something was wrong with her. Was Omega taking over? Influencing her more than what he was supposed to? Every little bit of her body language screamed dangerous. Beta’s constant litany of move, get out, try to avoid her, you know you can’t take her wasn’t helping Alaska stay calm, no matter how she appeared on the outside.
“So what’s our next plan, chaps?” Wyoming asked.
Alaska remained silent, deciding that she didn’t particularly want to risk pushing Tex any further. She quite liked having her spinal cord within her body, thank you very much.
Wash, however, had no such qualms.
“Shouldn’t we just wait here for the Director to–?”
“Washington, any contact from the Director could be hours away,” Tex growled. The (presumably) younger agent wilted under her gaze, and Alaska let herself feel sorry for him despite being more than happy that it wasn’t her. “And that’s assuming he’s not dead and hasn’t left by now and can still contact us.”
“I’m not sure you’re giving him enough credit,” Wyoming cheerily replied. No one was ever quite sure when he was being sarcastic. It was like his voice only had three very similar tones. “I’m certain he would never abandon us here.”
“Well, without orders, what do we do?” Wash asked.
“There’s this little thing called initiative, Washington,” Wyoming informed him. However, he still looked to Texas for a real answer.
“We’ll wait for ten minutes. If we get nothing by then, we’re busting out and heading for the docks!” she announced, looking around and daring any of them to challenge her.
“Yes, ma’am!” the other three chorused.
After that, they fell into silence for about thirty seconds before,
“Knock, knock.”
“Wyoming, I swear toGod…”
“Come on, Tex. It’s not hurting anyone. Knock, knock.”
“Alaska, give me that knife,” Tex reached her hand out.
“Yes, ma’am,”Alaska replied, unsheathing her knife and was about to place it in Tex’s hand before Wyoming renounced his attempt at a joke.
“Sorry, sorry.”Ok, so it was only half-sincere, but still. Might be enough to appease the stab-happy woman before him. “I’ll stop.”
Tex nodded and let Alaska keep her knife. “Good.”
Silence fell once more, intensely awkward for Alaska and Wash although Tex and Wyoming couldn’t seem to care less.
Since Beta apparently felt the boredom too, he placed a countdown on Alaska’s HUD –of the remaining time before Tex’s stated ten minutes ended. It was a nice distraction considering the alternatives (talking to a socially stunted man, a homicidal woman or a smug bastard) and Alaska mentally thanked him. She sensed rather than heard his ‘you’re welcome’.
Around the three minute mark, just as Alaska was starting to fall asleep in her helmet (she was almost certain Wash already had) a voice crackled from their radio. It was not the Director’s almost painful Southern accent, no –it was the Counsellor’s aggravatingly smooth voice.
“Team A, are you there?” he asked, almost soothingly which under the circumstances was rather inappropriate. “Can you hear me?”
Again, everyone turned to Tex to respond, which she did. “Hear you loud and clear, sir. Where’s the Director?”
“Right here.”While there was actually no scuffle or evidence of an argument to accompany the change in voice, Alaska couldn’t help imagining the Director unceremoniously shoving the Counsellor to the side as the other man fell on his ass with nary a complaint. “Texas, we have an objective for you.”
“So do we just stay here then?” Wyoming asked, settling in.
“My apologies. Team A, we have an objective for you,”the Director replied snidely. You couldn’t help but get that feeling that he viewed everyone in the room other than Texas in complete distaste.
“Tell us what to do, Director,” Texas demanded.
“The medical bay is currently under a great deal of pressure thanks to the Flood,” the Director drawled in monotone. “There are quite a few expensive pieces of equipment and personnel in there. Try to break through to them and help defend the area.”
“Sir, we do have a limited amount of ammunition,” Alaska pointed out. It was true. With the fighting beforehand, she only had a few clips left for her assault rifle and was all out for her pistol. And as confident as she was, she wasn’t too interested in trying to take out one of those things with a knife.
“Then pick some up, Alaska,” the Director snapped back. “There should be an armoury on your way there. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,”Texas answered for all of them.
***
Upon opening the door, the team found themselves in an empty hallway. Texas took point and was closely followed by Wash. Alaska and Wyoming walked next to each other –a fact Alaska wasn’t particularly happy about. She wasn’t all that fond of him and his stupid accent and he had the nerve to make fun of hers on her first day.
Of course, Utah had been the one to tell him to fuck off and say it was an awesome accent…
Alaska swallowed a lump in her throat. Ok, so she’d lost someone. A friend, maybe. Two actually, including Ida. Maybe more… but she had to stay focused! When she was safe, she’d see who she had lost and then grieve.
She could hold out until then.
The halls were still bright in this part of the ship, making it feel almost inappropriate compared to the horror the team knew was happening so close to them. No doubt about whether they’d get permission to dock with the Angel on my Shoulder now. They were lucky they hadn’t been blown to hell in some quarantine deal.
It wasn’t too far to the nearest armoury, and Alaska felt a little embarrassed for piping up when she really should’ve thought of this. The home field advantage seemed to be the only edge the Freelancers had. She shouldn’t waste it by not considering her surroundings.
“You two,” Tex hissed, looking back at the Freelancers bringing up the rear as she approached the door, “stay out here and guard. Wash and I’ll grab what we need.”
“Yes, ma’am,”Alaska murmured.
Tex punched in the door’s code a little more violently than necessary and she and Wash disappeared inside. The second she had, Wyoming turned to Alaska.
“Knock, knock.”
“Wyoming,” she said warningly, “don’t even start.”
However, Alaska’s warning lacked the same power Texas’ held.
“Come on, Alaska, just trying to have some fun,” he laughed. “Knock, knock.”
Alaska chose the different tactic of ignoring him. Maybe he’d stop, or maybe she’d be able to outlast him until Texas came back and he shut it.
“Knock, knock.”
Damn it.
“Knock, knock.”
Just a little bit longer. Hurry up, Tex!
“Knock. Knock.”
And Beta began whispering in that naturally hushed tone of his.
“Wyoming, shut it,” Alaska hissed, trying to concentrate on what her AI was telling her.
“Oh, come on, Ali. What’s the harm in–”
“Wyoming,” she said seriously, looking him straight in the eye even through the visor.“Please, shut it.”
And he did.
Something there. Around the next corner, watching. Something there. Beta seemed a little panicked, but he almost always was.
Beta, there’s nothing on trackers. How do you know? Alaska tried to gently question the AI, although she didn’t expect much. Beta was instinct, and nothing else. He just felt things.
I just know. I can feel it.
That was more or less the response she was expecting.
Check, now.
Alaska didn’t understand how some people got so close to their AI, using manners and pleasantries. Beta had never seemed remotely interested in such things and didn’t really have much of a personality. He wasn’t annoying, and Alaska was grateful for his assistance, and in a way liked him a lot better than many of her other co-workers… but the way Utah had treated Iota made no sense to her.
Beta activated Alaska’s armour enhancement, a simple sonar system with a range further than the motion trackers and the ability to determine the size and exact location of enemies (and allies) much more effectively.
Alaska checked the imaging coming up on her HUD. Nothing.
Looks like you were wrong this time, Bee. It wasn’t the first time his instincts had led him astray, but it wasn’t very common.
Maybe not. Camera.
Alaska frowned, considering this. If there was a camera, it was likely it was just the Director or Counsellor… but that had never set Beta off before. Was the high-stress situation just getting to her AI?
“Ali, what’s going on?” Wyoming whined, becoming impatient with her silence.
“Do not call me that,” she ordered. And then, “Beta thought there was something there. It’s just a security camera.”
“Control your AI,” Texas’s voice came unexpected, right behind her. Alaska avoided jumping in surprise, Wyoming did not.
“It’s nothing to worry about, Texas,” Alaska assured her. Wash handed her a few more magazines and Alaska pocketed them, giving him a nod in thanks.
“The med bay’s entrance is right around the corner. Stay close,” Texas looked over each of them, and Alaska quashed the childish temptation to poke her tongue out. She was pretty sure Texas would be able to tell, somehow. She also quashed the temptation to say that she knew where the damn med bay was, thank you.
Now, two out of the four Freelancers here were suited for either long range or stealth combat. Those styles of combat are next to impossible when you must cross a narrow(-ish), brightly lit hallway filled with enemies that mob you the second the see you.
Which is exactly what the team was faced with as they rounded the corner, the med bay’s barricaded entrance a good 25 metres away and more enemies flooding in from two connecting hallways further down.
As the first group of Flood tightly packed near the barricade turned almost in slow motion to meet the newcomers, Beta screamed fire! into Alaska’s
mind.
And that’s what she did.