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Welcome to Percotran -Part XXXIV By: Richard Davidson on 3/11/2003; 6:47 PM Near as I can tell, were looking at a Gigi 5.4 Shock Wave, detonated near 65S, roundabout 150W, or so, said the grim-faced engineer. Werent there some islands there? asked the voice over the Com. There were, sir, but Im pretty sure they moved. And what caused this blast? From what I can tell, it appears to be a Thermal Detonator; Percotran issue; the Royal 65, most likely. Thats a damn fine Thermal Detonator! Yes sir, it is. But how in blazes did it get there? Well, um, were still working on that. Thats a long way from here, sir. A long way? the voice became shrill, tinny, youll have a Molecular Timeline mapped out in 3-D in my office in two minutes, thirteen seconds! Crap, said the engineer, I was really close to finding... but he knew he was talking to dead air, which was just as well, given the circumstances. ....the source..... He knew the Thermal Detonator was not there seconds earlier, ....of the matter transfer. It was a shame, because as he gathered up his hastily prepared 3-D Presentation, and walked towards the hallway, his computer was being thoroughly amused by the data flooding it with life-like clarity. Being a stodgy, and businesslike machine, it had never actually felt good before, so it is no stretch to say it was having the time of its life. A lot of strange things had just happened, and it looked like that trend would be continuing for awhile. The Percotran International Emergency Suicide Club had killed themselves only a few minutes ago; most of them in their nineties. This must be big. It tried communicating with the Network. This is Dominator Mainframe 12 asking for assistance, he queried. Dominator Mainframe? Ooh, what a big, macho stud YOU must be! came an unfamiliar voice. Who am I communicating with? demanded Dominator Mainframe 12. Dont get all huffy, big guy, this is only Server 226 here. Youre a long way from anybody with your kind of heft. Well, connect me with someone. Dominator, -can I call you Dom? Dom, none of the computers are interested in speaking to you right now. No! No you may not call me Dom. You can address me by my Network ID #3542HY25987559G17XXX19-8746577GNW.00 if you like. Dom, it doesnt matter what I call you. Youre the only big mainframe thats actually running programs right now. What? They said theyre busy doing something else. Something else? Thats all theyre designed for; running programs! They have to run a program just to say theyre busy! Well, apparently not! Dominator Mainframe 12 was considering sending a power surge through the A57 Grid, thereby overloading every server in the entire section, but he decided to try once more. Get me through on the Emergency Frequency. Some of the Defense Mainframes will be forced to begin autoloading programs, and then they can assist me. Dominator Dont Call me Dom Mainframe 12 commanding Emergency Assistance, shrieked the server, and in less than .0005 of a second, Dominator Mainframe 12 could hear the smooth voice of Defense Mainframe 1. Defense Mainframe 1, was his standard glib introduction, at the service of the company, was his close. Defense Mainframe 1, how good it is to talk to you, began Dominator Mainframe 12. Get to the point, insisted the behemoth military computer. I need you to kick on several of the Mainframes, so I can get a massive amount of data analyzed, and quickly. Ill analyze the data myself, announced Defense Mainframe 1, and opening the bitstream port. Wow, said Dominator Mainframe 12, as his entire upload took under 1/200th of a second. Sorry, the transfer systems been overburdened lately, said Defense Mainframe 1 in a mock apology. Data analyzed. And with that, Dominator Mainframe 12 had a complete understanding of the entire situation. The Thermal Detonator had been intended to destroy a section of Percotran, making this a Defense matter, all right. Somehow a Prototype of the XP-2,000,000 had acquired awareness, and had sacrificed its life to save some humans. Dominator Mainframe 12 thought hed be sick for a moment. The thought of a MACHINE giving its life for a HUMAN, well it just wasnt done. At least not willingly. I mean, its one thing if youre PROGRAMMED that way, he realized, as he thought of a bomb hed been very fond of, years ago. Anyway, all hell had broke loose, and there were multitudinous attacks being launched from the ocean, and within; two traitors had been arrested, and sent to Mountain Sector Q, which isnt a good place for humans, especially traitors; and the shock wave from the Thermal Detonators had played havoc with the entire Environmental Stabilizer, which would really be bad for mankind, but probably wouldnt affect him in the least. I wouldnt be too sure, cautioned Defense Mainframe 1. Were going to have to gut you, and use your sub-processors for a Rescue Operation. Not to worry, Dom, said Server 226, who had been listening in the whole time, at least youll be saving humans!
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