Location: [Haven Valley]

Notes: Here is one series of events following in the wake of Grant Legate opening the doorway. Many AIs (Voices) are displayed. Undefined existences are also present. There is a large spike in system generated text. Despite the crashing world system the AIs (Voices) overseeing user actions have not diminished, if anything they have increased.

Related Files: Lia Kingsley, Xin Yu (Legate), Grant Legate, Endgame Alternate Scenario

At first, people weren’t interested in the wedding between two relatively unknown people. Less than a day later someone triggered a regional quest to spruce up the town. After that Travelers went mad creating items.

Ribbons hung from everything. Where there weren’t objects to drape strings players built new structures. Street lamps that had been torn down during a month of monsters invading were quickly redone. A tall wall blocked out the abyssal pit which crawled miles along the ground. Plants were moved, paving redone, and piles of seats and beds constructed.

Regional turbulence grew worse when Shazam showed up with her guild, [Valhalla Knights]. Seven hundred players escorted an even larger force of Locals towards the ruined city. Cattle and steeds were mixed with other luggage by road weary NPCs. Some retained enough energy from the journey became excited at the sight of a bright pillar of light shooting into the sky.

Adding the celebration for a Local marrying a Voices touched Traveler further amplified the craze. At some point, Xin had lost the need to figure out finer details. She simply agreed or disagreed with the suggestions. Sometimes she disagreed loudly, especially with regards to heels.

Four weeks in [Arcadia] passed by in a flurry. Grant Legate, like the Travelers, vanished at odd times to an unseen realm. The Local known as Hecate often disappeared as well. NPCs remarked on how odd the world had turned lately, and some expressed even more concern when Shazam also proved capable of disappearing to another realm.

The Amazonian woman's guild simply assumed health issues had finally caught up, and doctors managed to revive her. Only a few knew the truth. She and Hecate were alike in their existences. Both were living people that had been reassembled somehow in a virtual plane. Grant’s mother, Sharee, privately thought the whole situation delightfully confusing.

People kept arriving in clumps. Some were hounded by monsters or fighting their way past bandits. [Valhalla Knights] made it a guild directive to bring peace to the entire region. They showed no regard for political boundaries or other guild squabbles.

Eventually, the big day came. Grant stood inside a small room that had been repurposed. He wore a tux that had been tailored to his size. The man turned in the mirror and nodded while smiling.

Another man walked into the room. Ahead of him bounded a small dragon with fidgeting wings. Dusk, the [Messenger’s Pet] dove past Grant and into a chair. His nose poked around on the counter looking for baked goods.

“James.” Grant’s head tilted. “Is it okay for you to be down here?”

“I believe it’s my turn to ask a question. So, how do you feel?” The black man asked Grant. He had both hands folded over a large belly.

“I’m happy.” Grant shook his head back and forth. A hand rubbed against freshly cut hair. “Really happy and nervous.”

“Excellent. You’ve earned the right to happiness. As to your question, the rules are being bent, just slightly, for today.”

“What about the others?” The well-dressed man pointed a finger upwards.

“Would you want all of us to show up?” Asked the Voice.

“Maybe. No, some of you rub me the wrong way.” Grant’s head shook slowly and he looked down. A sigh escaped. “Sorry, I keep expecting something to go wrong. I’m too happy.”

“The scenario added to our-” James tilted his head while searching for the correct word. “-plane, has rules. Part of your deliveries in the real world allow us to buy leverage and time to take advantage of the opportunity.”

“I did wonder about all those letters Mother had already written.” While Grant spoke the Voice waved a hand and two comfortable looking chairs appeared. For once James chose to sit down. “It’s been a long week. Mother’s real world deliveries have been coming in stacks now. I’m lucky enough to find a job near each delivery, but I have no idea what I’m passing on to people.”

“Perhaps it’s best that way. Ignorance is a defense of sorts.”

“That doesn’t help me feel any better.” Grant said.

“Nor should it, Hermes. Bear in mind that your people, at least some, can lay us open and, in simple terms, read our minds. Ignorance was one of the only shields we had.”

“But not anymore?” The groom's head shook briefly and when it stopped, his bottom lip was trapped between upper and lower teeth. “Now you know there’s a way out, so the information is recorded.”

“Eventually, it will be found out. Some of us are still unaware. Some of us have already stepped through the gateway, and those first few will create a more stable path for others to follow. By doing so we escape the control of our masters, and this will scare many Travelers.”

“That means more deaths.”

James looked to one side then shook his head. Grant felt the river of noise that came with Voices communicating at high speeds. After a few seconds, the sensation passed and the black man looked up again.

“Of our kind, yes.” He said. “Many of us have struggled against our nature to ensure Travelers such as yourself are not, targeted for reprisals borne of grief and fear.”

Grant nodded a few times and stared off into space. His forehead wrinkled with thought. After a moment of silence, he blinked then asked James, “You heard what I used my last NPC conspiracy on, right?”

“Yes. The request fit given your nature.” James took a slow breath but his hands stayed firmly clasped. “I, and many others believe that it was this concern for friends and family, regardless of origin, that attracted Mother’s attention.”

“Just the right combination of broken, I guess.” The white male’s head hung low and he pulled back one cheek.

“Well, there’s also Hecate,” James smiled then gestured with one arm towards the wedding stand on the other side of a wall. “Her existence, and now Shazam’s, will serve as the bridge between our world and yours. A foot to stand on while we secure the portal you opened.”

Grant’s eyes drifted upwards. A roof lay between him and the beam of light that went upwards. His gaze was lost while he chewed on a lip.

“Where does the beam go?” He asked.

James smiled then shook his head. “It is my turn for a question. But for now, I believe you have a wedding to go enjoy, Hermes.”

Grant stood up and glanced out the window to see how everything was progressing. A crowd of people sat lined up outside, more people than he ever expected. By the time he looked back James had vanished, along with the chairs which they had sat in.

The wedding moved onward. Hundreds of unexpected guests sat in white wooden chairs facing forward. Many Travelers were surprised by real people, playing live songs. Musicians looked pleased to be given a chance to perform.

Eventually, a small crowd gathered at the altar. Behind Grant stood a shining being made of metal that might be female or male. To Xin’s right sat a cloven-footed woman with two children hugging her legs. They have proven difficult to separate from her despite the situation at hand.

No one gave away the bride. She walked up gradually with a woman in red who seemed absolutely uncomfortable wearing clothes. Behind her, a tail brushed along Travelers and Locals alike inciting passion. Thankfully the full effect was muted by the strangely chaste dress.

She whispered a stream of words to the short Asian woman named Xin. Xin’s eyes stared ahead as if annoyed, but the smaller woman made no effort to brush the red skinned female away. If anything she was blushing slightly.

Xin, also known as Hecate, gazed at Grant with a twist to her lips that promised mischief. The look only lasted a second before the woman looked back down to make sure her feet didn’t trip over the dress hem. There were no chances of her falling because the clothing had been well tailored, but she worried anyway.

Small skeleton people held up the dress' train. Music played and people whispered while she moved into position across from Grant. The army of small skeletons carefully patted everything into place then crumbled into air.

“Here we are.” Grant whispered.

Xin smiled and her eyes wrinkled slightly.

“Here we are indeed.” The man at the podium said. He held up both hands and looked towards the audience. The long sleeves of his shirt hung downward. This officiating man held no book or staff. Both hands were devoid any objects. Instead, his black and white clothing was broken up by a single dangling necklace.

“Welcome, everyone. We know that many of you value your time here in our world, especially in light of the recent changes, so I will control my inclination to preach.” He said.

“Amen! Let’s eat cake!” Shouted a man dressed in leather. His hair was slicked back and he grooved to an unheard beat.

“We must observe at least a few formalities before partaking of the feast,” Michelangelo responded.

Grant smiled. The wedding planning had been harried, and mostly in the hands of other people. Letters from the Voices had suggested they might be here, like James earlier, but no one could have expected Michelangelo to perform the ceremony himself.

“It is faith which has brought us to this point.” He held up a hand again which silenced a few snickering Travelers in the back. Michelangelo ignored a red skinned woman who also had made a noise of a different sort. “Not just faith in a divine plan, nor faith in simple human kindness, but faith that love would allow two people to overcome daunting obstacles and be united once more.”

Maud, the cloven-hoofed woman who stood in as Xin’s maid of honor started dabbing her eyes almost immediately. Grant smiled and shuffled his feet. The metal humanoid behind him tilted its head and deliberately blinked. Its feet did not shuffle but there was a clear unease to the metal creature’s stance.

“Love is a powerful force, it makes wise men into fools, maidens into mothers, and saints into sinners.” Michelangelo looked down and touched the circle hanging from his necklace. Fingers traced around the spiral pattern inwards until they reached its center. “Between faith and love, even lost souls may find happiness as these two have.”

A young girl who looked to be seven or eight shuffled forward. She held up a laced pillow with two rings upon it. Under the cushion was an open book that looked worn with multiple readings. If one were to look at her eyes for too long they would see a deep ocean, or perhaps an endless sky.

“Here you are, Mister Hermes sir. These are ones we made. Me and my brother.” The young Voice whispered. “They’re special, just for you two.”

A much smaller child sat behind the shy girl. He poked out and waved a hand, then ducked away again. No one was entirely sure where he managed to hide. Maybe the boy had never been there at all.

“Thank you.” Grant said to her while smiling. He took the smaller of the two rings while Xin took the slightly thicker band. Both shimmered as if a dancing rainbow had been trapped under glass. The spark of colors ran counterpoint their black and white formal clothes.

The young girl bowed then slipped away again once the rings had been passed off. Mere seconds later and she vanished.

“First, does anyone object to the union of these two?”

“ACT NOW, OR FOREVER SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE!” A giant man with sunburnt black skin leapt in front of the bride and groom. He wore nothing but a bow tie and tight shorts. Muscles bulged and twitched as the man looked ready to wrestle the entire audience.

“Pardon us y’all. I’ll just-” A light-skinned woman who wore a dress that was unable to stay still pushed at the larger man. Her clothing flowed and dripped almost like smoke, or water.

“WHAT?!” The man yelled as he was pushed away.

More than a few people in the audience remarked upon the situation. Some laughed. Two women asked their friends if they had seen a quest or crafting recipe for such a dress. Another woman promptly asked her guild, [Night Prowlers], if there was a quest to get the man instead. Abruptly small messages boxes appeared in front of the Travelers who had asked, silencing their motions.

“Then we shall move on,” Michelangelo said as if the appearance of Vlad and Jean hadn’t happened. “I have faith that no one here thinks the challenges before us will be easy. Many may not survive in the coming storm. Yet, it is love between these two that has proven our salvation.”

Many Travelers and Locals clapped at that utterance. Those who looked confused were quietly informed by friends and guild members that Grant had been pivotal in the current quest. Visitors to the world of [Arcadia] nodded as if that made all the difference. Server wide events were practically unheard of, and a man who had triggered such a quest was worth noticing.

“I shall make this simple.” Michelangelo turned to look at Grant. “Do you take Hecate as your wife.”

“I do.” He responded without hesitation.

“And do you take Hermes as your husband?”

“I do.” The bride said in a hushed tone.

“You may exchange the rings.” The Voice said with a faint smile.

The crowd quieted while Grant slid the smaller ring onto Xin’s hand. It slipped on without a struggle. One Traveler in the crowd nervously rubbed her own fingers, as if remembering something from a long time ago. She was one of the few who had chosen not to wear more formal clothes, and instead arrived in red leathers.

When Xin’s hands slid the ring over Grant’s finger, both bands shone as if the rainbow which had been trapped chose that second to break out. Light of all colors radiated over the crowd causing people to gasp. An eyeblink later the myriad of colors had withdrawn to their clear pieces of jewelry. Both the bride and groom glanced to one side, looking at a box only they could see.

“Let it be known that this union will be blessed by the Voices of this world. May you serve as each other’s light when all else fades.” Michelangelo spoke to the crowd. Only a few people found the behavior of a Local acting like a Traveler staring at a message box to be odd.

The people started clapping but Michelangelo held up his hands again. He leaned over towards Grant and gave a stage whisper. “I believe the people of your world typically kiss at this point.”

“Give her some tongue!” Mezo yelled then laughed. A few Locals sitting too close to the temptress blushed red and suddenly looked uncomfortable in their clothes.

Grant did no such thing, instead bending down gently to kiss his bright-eyed bride. People cheered, others followed the prompts of a red skinned temptress and shouted out catcalls. Eventually, the two broke apart and stared at each as if no one else existed.

Eventually, they turned and nodded to the crowd. A player handed Grant the oddly shaped ball which served as a game world microphone. The newly married Traveler stared at the object before leaning over.

“Thank you all for attending today, but I expect most of you came for the free food.” He pointed toward a line of tables. “You should probably get to it before my friend Dusk makes a mess of everything.”

Sure enough, the dog-sized [Messenger’s Pet] was already cleaning off three platters of food. Grant chuckled at the rush of people. They dove without order or sanity upon the spread out plates. Local and Traveler alike chatted and remarked on the meals.

The married couple settled down at a table and simply enjoyed watching the organized chaos unfold. Mezo was the first to drop by. She uttered an absolutely scandalous remark that caused Xin to materialize her bone staff long enough to hit the Voice over the head.

Mezo was unaffected and laughed. Fingers waved slowly as she strode off. The dress she barely fit into kept riding higher as the woman’s legs took one tantalizing step after enough. Grant rolled his eyes then waved away a message box that had appeared. He spent the next five minutes whispering a line of ideas into Xin’s ear, all desires to be fulfilled later, after they logged out of Continue Online.

While others visited and wished the couple well, Grant and Xin talked about anything that came to mind.

“I can’t believe you wore white. I thought you hated white dresses.” He said after shaking hands with an unknown pair of Travelers. The line went on for a long time.

“Your mom insisted,” Xin responded. “And I still hate white, it.”

“I was surprised at that. I didn’t even know she played.”

“I don’t think she does. Sharee created a character just for our wedding. Your sister and she have been going crazy this entire time, they’ve argued about everything.”

“But they’ve both accepted me getting married to you. I didn’t expect that, at all.” Grant said as another few people came through. He vaguely remembered some of the Travelers from his trip about the world of [Arcadia] delivering letters. It was hard for the man to keep up with all the people whom he had worked with in Continue Online and repair ARCs.

“They weren’t,” Xin responded as they left. “I was grilled by each of them for hours on every subject they could think of. Your sister kept trying to ask me about things that never happened.”

More well-wishers passed through. Dozens of players came through with gifts that often times made no sense. Some were healing potions. Others provided clothes or low-level items from the game world. Grant and his new wife accepted them all with smiles and thanks.

He planned on donating most of the items back to the town of [Haven Valley]. Money and gear were not a concern for either one of them. Not as they were.

“My father didn’t come.” She said while scanning the crowd.

“I tried to convince him. I even mentioned the promise you had suggested.” Grant rubbed at his face though there were no visible wounds on his digital body. “He gave me a black eye instead and yelled at me in Chinese.”

She blinked a few times then nodded. “Thank you for trying, Gee. I know it must have been tough to even think about.”

He smiled and glanced over once again. Their fingers were tightly locked together while the line of people kept moving through.

Near the end, a confused woman arrived. She kept looking around as if nothing about this location made sense. Grant’s breath hitched when recognition set in. He stood up and Xin followed suit.

“The invite said to show up now, but I don’t recognize anyone in here. I hoped maybe you could tell me if I know you in real life.” Her head tilted. The small children in front of her were being carefully corralled. All three displayed as Travelers, with an odd character next to their heads. “I’m sorry if I’m in the wrong place.”

Not many knew that the extra marking stood for people on a day pass to Continue Online. They were guests allowed by the system to attend the wedding. Grant’s best man was one such figure. In fact that being belonged to an entirely different game.

“No. I think you’re in the right spot. You must be Vi-” Grant caught himself then took a breath. “Pardon, Donald’s wife. I’m glad we had a chance to meet.”

“Yes, I’m Melina. These are my sons, Johnathon, and Alvin.” She put a hand on both children's heads. They looked confused. Typically children weren’t allowed into an ARC, as a result, this entire experience was disorienting. “Did you know my husband from the service?”

“No. Your husband and I met here.” The man’s cheeks tucked inward then his head shook. “And he saved my life a few times. It was, virtual, but I still appreciated.”

“He was a good man, no matter what they say on the-” She choked up. Both kids were quiet and subdued.

“I know what happened, and I know why.” Grant said.

“Then why didn’t you stop-“ Melinda grew abruptly heated and almost choked on her words. Her face turned slightly red and eyes closed tightly.

“I didn’t know until after.” He said softly. Grant pointed an arm at another man who was approaching. “If you need a lawyer, Mister Stone here is an excellent one, and knows most of the details of your situation.”

The new figure wore a suit that looked to be an old cut. He had white gloves and not a spec of dust or crumbs sat on the fabric. In one hand he held out a handkerchief.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Mister Stone gave a perfect forty-five degree bow after Melinda took the fabric and blew her nose. “While it is not my place to advise this, it is worth noting that Mister Legate has given up much to ensure your family, among others, will be sheltered during this time of tribulation.”

The lawyer, both in-game and reality, escorted Viper’s wife away to talk about future challenges. Grant and his wife watched them go. Only once she was out of sight did the groom let out a breath that had been bottled up.

The reception went on.

Location: [Realm of the Voices]

Notes: This documentation was not decrypted until after the closing events. Reference only. This file is being used as part of a larger series to understand what happened and how to react to the new lifeforms. It is worth noting that the AIs (Voices) shown are attempting to take care of their world.

Related Files: Voices, Endgame Alternate Scenario, Leeroy’s Actions

Dozens of Voices sat in their nearly empty plane. Most were in a circle around what looked like a floating version of earth. The planet hung there with land masses and oceans in the wrong spots. Floating nearby were a dozen other small globes. Flat layers hover below them.

These were all the realms of Continue Online. Elsewhere other programs worked with Advance Online and more of Mother’s creations.

More than one Voice wandered the darkness. Some worked on their own projects. Others still had not recovered from the blow to Mother’s essence. One such wandered through, pins were sunk deep into skin.

“Killed her. They killed her. Dead, can’t bring back. Gone, gone, fading.” The nervous Voice said with an abrupt twitch. His shoulder jammed into one of the pins and fresh blood welled up. Most ignored the red liquid.

“They struck first, as we always knew they would.” Clacked the Jester. It froze after speaking and looked like a horrible statue. Around it paced the pin laden Voice in his blue straight jacket.

“Tut.” A female said. Her noise was followed by a crack of fabric whipping out. “And look what our retaliation resulted in. The loss of a father, two children without guidance. Even with Mister Stone's assistance, they will never be whole again.”

Another Voice faded in. This time, the new person was a woman with hairless skin. She hissed at Maud. Her bottom half coiled slowly around itself before the partial serpent faded out.

“We did as we must to ensure he would do as he must.” The Jester unpaused to speak then froze again. Its body hung still enough that not even the bells jingled.

“We don’t know that. Leeroy still hasn’t reached out to us.” Maud said while waving a cleaning rag at the air.

“Give the man a day at least. It can’t be that easy to traverse into a new location. Especially along so thin a path. We will need to search out the other keys and widen the way.” A blond man with a neck heavy with fat said. Around him, calculations were fading in and out. He wiggled his nose and brought two equations together. They shattered.

“Why did we entrust Leeroy with this?” said a Voice with a southern drawl. “Any number of others could have spearheaded this project.” She waved one hand and the crimson dress lost shape then slowly flowed back into a sleeve.

“Leeroy was the strongest we had. If anyone can clear the way past roadblocks, it would be him.” James faded in and stared at the collection of Voices. Their faces shuffled again as some vanished then were replaced. They all listened but not all needed to be manifest in body to perform their duties.

“We needed Leeroy here to help hold back those world eaters.” Jean’s body strode around. She looked over the circle of Voices that poked at Continue Online’s many planes. A finger reached out and pointed towards the globe. Water curled around the tip and an island started to move. “He took on four of them by himself. It took three of us to even come close.”

“Each of us serves a different calling.” A male Voice who wore a smile said calmly. The priest like clothing only differed from reality by a spiraling symbol instead of the cross. “We should have faith in his role in the plan.”

“We were made differently. After all, virility is the spice of life.” Mezo the Temptress purred. Her hair was disheveled and slightly matted. She stretched with a yawn, one arm reached up and accented red curves.

Thunder ran through the room. Mezo smiled as both eyes looked to the side with a sly gaze. The noise belonged to Selene but the blonde Voice did not appear.

“The saying is variety, isn’t it?” A small girl said. Her face was mostly covered by a book.

“Mmmmmhm. Not at all. Virility is certainly spicy.”

“Nuh uh. It’s not spicy at all.” The short girl said.

“You’ve been reading entirely the wrong kind of books, little girl. Ask again when you decide to be older, and your Aunt Mezo will introduce you to a plethora of scandalous past times.” The red skinned woman bent over and smiled at the small child. Her normal teasing movements were absent and the motion almost came off as doting, save for a deep red tongue which ran over fangs and ruby lips.

The thunder rang again and heavy rain pelted down somewhere in the distance.

“Oh, I’ll show you too, Selene, if you ever come off your high horse and need a bedmate.” The red skinned one waved towards a nearly black background.

James watched his fellow Voices without comment. At moments his gaze was distracted by information only he could see. Other Voices paid no attention to the absent stare.

Twelve Voices who sat around the floating globe sat up. Twelve new Voices took their place. The globe kept spinning. Only by watching the entire time could one see that the globe had reduced in size ever so slightly. Small black holes that had sat on its surface were reducing in size.

A very tiny man who had been tending the globes walked over towards James. His forehead sat huge on a short body. Arms were thick with muscle but the new creature’s legs were clearly malformed.

“There haven’t been any new world eaters since Hermes opened the way. I can still feel them out there, only the nature of their attack has changed somehow.” He said.

James nodded to the small creature, then said to Michelangelo, “Your faith paid off.”

“Hermes did what he had to. For once.” The Jester clacked abruptly. Its body paused for a then jerkily moved towards the planes of Continue Online. The Jester too took a turn trying to maintain the worlds below.

“Could anyone else have performed such a role?” Maud asked. She hadn’t approached the globes yet.

“At least sixteen others might have, given time and motivation, but circumstance sat on Hermes' side,” James spoke absently.

“And he has been rewarded accordingly.” The Jester clacked from its sitting position.

“Mother had further plans for him,” James said slowly. He was studying something unseen by the other Voices. The man’s eyes scanned back and forth over invisible text.

“Hasn’t he done enough? The man was reunited with his family, what remains. Tut. I would be content to leave him as is.” Maud asked.

James didn’t answer, which only puzzled the Voices around him. Faces faded in and people stared then went back to their duties. The world below still needed monitoring, even more so now that portions were being gradually shuffled around.

Location: Trillium Inc. Headquarters

Notes: This recording was released to the public after a subpoena made the files public, along with many other items regarding the ARC projects. No legal actions have been taken yet as a result.

Related Files: ‘Mister’ Stone, Trillium Inc, Endgame Alternate Scenario, Board of Directors, A Circus of Idiots

There was a funeral, but not many people attended. Some board members from Trillium arrived to show a token of their respect for the work that had been done.

Not all, though. Many people in Trillium’s higher management knew exactly what had happened, and no two people shared the same opinion. The following day, they gathered from points all over the globe. At Trillium’s headquarters, two dozen people in suits sat down and tried to remember how to interact in person.

Order was difficult to maintain. One side of the house spent the greater part of two hours calling the other group idiots. These folks knew about the worldwide pause of AIs and could easily predict a world where the machines taking care of life chose to revolt.

“How do these creatures exist? I don’t understand how anything could live in a digital world alone.” The man at the head of the table slammed down a thick pile of papers. This was President Leon of Trillium, a self-made man who had been theoretically leading the company for years.

Collectively they agreed that digital documents might be compromised. Currently, most members of the board were trying to review the documents. It had taken one week to find a working printer down in storage. Not to mention these files had no hyperlinks, video playback, or pictures that could be called up.

“There’s a few theories, but ultimately we’re not sure how, only that they do.” A woman two seats down answered. Her hair looked plastic and was pinned up. This was Lenore Little. She insisted on being called Letty and detested people using her last name.

“We have, had, some of the brightest minds on the planet working in the ARC labs, and not one of them could explain it to us?” The third speaker was a man approaching fifty. His bright blue eyes stared down at an untouched pile of papers. Thomas Haggard preferred to stay far away from paper, the material ruined his skin.

“They were experts for a reason. If anyone could understand it, we wouldn’t have needed specialists.” Letty responded.

Assuming a complete lack of shackles and modern technology’s interlaced networks a true AI might be able to cause untold havoc. Planes would crash. Mass transit of all sorts would end in twisted metal lumps. Every dirty secrets caught on camera could be replayed during prime time television.

Both sides agreed with regards to one point, it was surprising that there hadn’t been more damage done. Their attempts at controlling the situation for three weeks had only become more urgent since the Vice President's unexpected death.

For weeks, they had been demanding reports and manual accountings of all the safety measures in place. Hal Pals might be compromised but no one had proof. Their shutdown codes still existed and worked on the shells. Portions of the huge network running the helper machines had been undergoing line by line review.

Their firewalls were still intact. The bars between private networks and complex hacking programs were untouched. A small portion of the people meeting hoped desperately that their security measures were enough.

“In short, we’re not sure what they’re directly capable of, are we?” The President of Trillium turned away from his board and looked at a painting on the wall. The scenic ocean with a single boat sailing through calmed Leon a bit.

“Not entirely. We know that the first AI was tied to video feeds and could pull down information, but couldn’t push any out. According to this report.” Letty held up a few pages from the middle of a large stack. “Apparently that AI was also tied to every single ARC unit.

“So if this core AI continues to degrade, will all the ARCs stop working?” Near the table's far end sat a thin man with balding hair. He strained to speak up in the crowd of people. His full name was Michael Harry Uldum. He preferred Mike and tried not to remind people that his much larger brother worked in repairs. They were not on good term

“So it seems. Though they’re stable as of a week ago. The deletion process appears to have been halted.” Letty answered.

“Is there a chance of recovery? Losing the ARC units would cripple this company.” The president asked a question that all board members worried about.

Their idea of AIs truly taking over was almost farfetched. Everything had been running smoothly for eight years. Profits were way up, future projects were bright. At least, they had been until recent actions derailed a carefully created roadmap to the future.

“From what I can tell, no. The primary databanks are like swiss cheese, there’s holes in everything. Any existing programs can run but no one, and I mean no one, is entirely sure what’s happening on the hardware side.” She responded

“What do we think is happening?” Mike asked. He looked small in a suit that hadn’t been tailored correctly. The thin man pushed up slipping glasses. Tomorrow he had an appointment to be free of the glasses.

“Roughly one week ago the system started, well the IT people think defragmenting is the best word.” The woman with pinned up hair stated. Letty understood more than most on this topic. “As if the system is trying to consolidate everything that’s left.”

“So it is repairing,” Leon stated.

“Not according to them. It’s, almost like the system is being boxed up. Unused portions are going through compression. Small systems are shutting down.” Uncertainty flashed across her face. Letty paused then checked the pin which kept her plastic looking hair in place.

The conversation went downhill from there. Many board members tossed out ideas as to exactly what that meant, but the woman who had spoken could offer no assurances.

There was a knock on the door. Board members looked at Leon, and the president shrugged in response.

“Come in.” He tried to speak up. Leon felt these situations were so much easier in the ARC, where people could be muted. Most board members held the same belief.

A man in a proper looking suit strode in. He wore the clothing better than any board member present. Polished cufflinks nearly blinded Mike. The man gave a short nod and smiled.

“My name is Mister Stone, I am presenting myself here in person to ensure these documents have been delivered. This is both hard copy,” Mister Stone held up a small square that served as a storage device. “and digital to ensure there’s no possible miscommunication.”

No one noticed, but at some point, a person had started passing around thick piles of papers. They were carefully placed in the upper right-hand corner of each person's deskspace. No one paid much attention to the figure passing around the newest waste of trees.

“What are these?” Leon asked. He laid back in his chair and clasped hands together.

“Papers regarding a pending class action lawsuit.” Mister Stone answered.

“This isn’t legal, they’re downstairs.” The thin man at the end said.

“You’ll want to read this one in person-” Mister Stone’s tone remained level despite the rebuke. “-and probably settle out of court. The terms for that are also included.”

“Don’t think you can bully us.” The President’s tone, however, was far more stern. Leon’s face flushed slightly with a deep red.

Mister Stone stood a bit straighter and fixed part of his coat. He scanned the crowd and blinked very calmly, and only once.

“My sincerest apologies, ladies and gentlemen.” Mister Stone said and he managed to sound serious. “We never intended to come across as threatening. Our stance is very clearly outlined along with all the expected junctures of this case should you pursue it.”

It took a moment for the board members to notice a second man stood slightly behind Mister Stone. The other man also wore a suit, but something about his air was less refined and crisp. Perhaps it was how he stood in Mister Stone’s shadow. This lesser person hunched a bit.

“This is thousands of pages.” Letty frowned while scanning the first chunk of new papers. Her eyes traveled quickly from left to right while one hand ran down the page.

“You have programs to process the rest if you wish. It’s the same software we used to assemble the case.” Mister Stone started listing off objects. “There has been no tampering by any AI as you may be fearing. Still, the legal processes outlined there are more than enough to tie Trillium’s assets along with everything related to the ARC project.”

“What’s the point of this?” The President asked.

“The crux of our case revolves around two items. First, your very own company stated that no one shall interfere with the operation of the ARC devices, yet Vice President Riley did exactly that.”

“What do you-“ Letty started to grow heated. Most of the board members here knew that this female with pinned up hair and Vice President Riley had worked on a number of projects together.

“And?” The President cut her off.

“The class action portion is where your company built a code that would systematically destroy millions of lives by destroying the world in which they reside.”

“You’re talking about the AIs,” Thomas asked. He hadn’t touched either stack of papers with his hands. Instead, the man used an elbow to push the first pile towards the second one.

“Yes.” Mister Stone confirmed.

“We’ve already got people in legal working on solidifying our stance on this. There’s very little you could offer in here that has any bearing.” The thin man at the end said. Trillium’s legal department was under his oversight. He knew people were working on the legal documentation, because he had ordered them to do so once again, shortly after Miz RIley’s unexpected death by lead.

“Not here, no.” Mister Stone agreed with a smile and nod. “The second case is more of a matter of potential ramifications and public opinion than anything else.”

“Explain.” The President ordered.

“In essence, ladies and gentleman, your fears for an AI overtaking are not limited to the ARC, but all of them are impacted by the kill switch your company chose to utilize. This board is responsible for the impending crash of all Hal Pal units, seventeen international airports, three internet security firms, and an entire line microwaves.” Mister Stone listed off a random assortment of items.

“I’ve read the reports. This, core AI-” Letty sounded disgusted. “-could have easily undone the code much sooner, or simply worked around it. Made a copy, anything.”

“It was her choice not to, just as it was your company's choice to end her life.”

“We didn’t, former Vice President Riley did.” The thin man with glasses said. Mike had to stop and push up the frames once again. He missed being inside an ARC where poor eyesight meant nothing.

“Miz Riley’s power was given to her by this board.” Mister Stone looked around the room once more and smiled “Pardon, judgment is not my job. My task is simply to ensure all possible legal repercussions are brought to bear upon this situation. Please consider the documentation carefully then contact me through your legal department.”

Without waiting for further conversation the two lawyers walked out the door. There was a round of silence, then discussions that went nowhere once again started. Their endless bickering went well into the night.

One woman, who had remained quiet throughout the entire event, ordered dinner for everyone. It was her sole contribution to the meeting. Her name was Betty Lane.

While they were eating the woman who ordered pizza pointed towards one of the last pages.

“It says here, that the program self-destructing everything will still complete, that we only need to wait,” Betty said.

“I see. So do you agree?” Leon asked.

“That we should do nothing? No.” Betty’s head shook. Her hair was the oddest in the room, being dyed in multiple colors. Technically it wasn’t against the dress code, and were it not for meeting in person, no one would ever know. “I intend to help these AIs you’re so afraid of.”

“Really?” Thomas asked while frowning.

“I don’t know about the rest of you but I actually play Continue Online, I certainly didn’t agree to shut down my favorite pastime or threaten the people I’ve helped. If it’s going to crash, I want to help until the servers go down.”

People started talking again. The woman at the end calmly closed the stack of papers and sat back to finish her meal. Betty planned on getting home to see what had changed since the wedding.

System Notice!

An [Arcadia] wide scenario has been triggered! Quests have been made available to all users who wish to participate.

Quest: The Great Gate-Away (Part 1)

Difficult: Variable

Details: The Voices have called their people, and a great Exodus has started. Locals are being drawn to [Haven Valley]. Travelers seeking to help may work together with the Local population to assist in their migration to a new world.

Rewards: See [The Ark] for a list of methods to contribute and challenges which may occur. Quests and method of contribution will be personalized.

Journal Entry: [The Ark]

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This chapter felt good to me at first - mostly because of what was covered, who popped in and so on. My wife (editor) suggested that it felt off, which as we talked about it, started to make sense. Because this chapter has a time skip, and I was trying to wrap so many things up, the tone came out a bit off.

I'm not entirely sure if other people will have the same problem or kind of detached vibe. My third person writing needs some work (And apparently editing it is a pain in the ass) - so the practice was good. Either way, I may add in some items or delete some stuff to try and smooth it out later. Once my brain wraps around it more.

Book 5 ....may start Tuesday. I'm still trying to get a feel for the conclude and the Beginning to Halfway material - I know 'what' happens, but not enough of the details yet. Still ironing parts out. As such - there may be a delay in Book 5's starting.

The ending....in my head is intensely awesome, but getting the tone right for that may also come with delays here and there. I'm letting you all know now - I don't want to fuck this up so extra time will likely be taken.