Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Chapter 1 - Amy
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The ship buzzed with activity. Everyone offered their opinions on how to handle the situation.
“Captain, we need to initiate the emergency protocol immediately! How many casualties are there already…!”
“Let’s just leave this planet! What in the world happened overnight… Sob…”
“You said it was safe! You said it was safe!”
Some of the blame was directed at Reyes and me. But we had both done our best.
Reyes had personally explored the area, searching for hostile creatures,
And I had used the bio-scanner here…
“…”
No, perhaps that was the problem?
The scanner only detected creatures that posed a significant threat to human life. For example, large predators or anything likely to prey on humans…
It couldn’t even detect creatures deep beneath the surface.
The radar couldn't penetrate dense soil.
But the creatures we saw on the screen earlier could curl up into balls only 50-60cm in diameter.
If they had remained in that state while the radar was active, the radar would have classified them as docile. There wouldn't have been any detectable aggressive bio-signatures.
And another problem-
The scanner couldn't analyze a creature’s intelligence.
If a creature was intelligent enough to immediately mimic human behavior and use it as bait, it was certainly a threat to humans.
“Stop it. It’s not the Professor’s or Juho’s fault.”
The captain, understanding my position, calmed the angry crew and offered a solution.
“…Initiate the emergency protocol immediately, and assemble a second rescue team. Everyone not on the rescue team should be armed from now on.”
Emergency protocol.
The name sounded grand, but the process was simple.
“Wake up Amy.”
Control of the Paradise was now handed over to the AI.
The dramatic advancement of AI technology.
Over time, AI had become an indispensable part of human life.
However, the reason we didn't delegate all authority to AIs was precisely because of their exceptional capabilities.
Humans had to keep them in check. Like humans who first discovered fire, we used AI cautiously.
From the Paradise's autopilot,
To the analytical systems in my scanner,
And even the scopes attached to the security team’s rifles.
AI was integrated everywhere, but in highly simplified forms.
The autopilot only searched for safe planets, my analytical system compiled data and drew conclusions, and the rifle scopes precisely calculated trajectory, distance to target, and firing angle to adjust the aim.
However,
The AI awakened by the emergency protocol was different.
“…Greetings, crew of the Paradise.”
She was a repository of comprehensive knowledge and handled tasks beyond human capability.
Rational and cold. She could make decisions that humans would struggle with.
“I will take immediate action to ensure everyone’s safety within my authorized parameters. Please report the situation.”
Amy, who had been confined in nutrient fluid for decades, rose without hesitation. Her beautifully sculpted form drew attention.
“Security officer Vergo was captured by an unknown creature, and the five-member rescue team sent to retrieve him was also attacked. The footage is recorded in the cockpit, so you can see for yourself. We plan to send a new rescue team to retrieve the casualties. I need your assistance.”
I knew her.
On days when I felt inexplicably unwell, I often walked around the ship, and somehow, I always ended up visiting her.
Just below the cockpit,
A spacious area designed to house the AI’s physical body.
Usually, it housed the autopilot's physical servers and power source, but in emergencies like this, the artificial body stored below could be activated.
“Confirmed. I will take immediate action.”
But this was the first time I’d seen her move.
It was a little strange,
And frightening.
Amy headed straight for the cockpit.
Her graceful curves shimmered under the ship’s lighting.
Some of the female crew members brought clothes for her, as she was still naked. But Amy ignored them, continuing to move around the ship, gathering information.
She watched the rescue team’s footage in the cockpit,
And connected to the autopilot, reading the logs.
“…”
Then, Amy delivered her verdict.
“The six security personnel will be classified as casualties of an occupational hazard. The remaining crew must immediately evacuate the planet using all available fuel.”
A cold, hard solution, difficult to accept.
Chaos erupted among the crew once more.
This time, even the captain raised his voice.
“Hey, wait…! We have to rescue them…! They’re still alive!”
“Negative. Prepare for immediate takeoff.”
But Amy remained unmoved, issuing new orders.
“So you’re just going to leave them to die!?”
“L-Let’s do as Amy says. She’s our commanding officer now, right?”
The crew was divided.
Those who fearfully obeyed Amy’s orders,
And those who angrily confronted her.
“What’s the basis for your decision? No, wait! You can go and rescue them yourself! You’re an AI designed for situations like this! You have combat capabilities…!”
“Negative. This situation does not warrant the use of my combat capabilities. Evacuating the planet takes priority.”
Amy began preparing for takeoff, forcibly. She could fly the ship alone. She already had control.
“Wait, wait a minute!”
As I ran towards her, pleading for a rescue mission, I wondered if I, too, appeared overly emotional to the AI.
“I’ll talk to her. Hey, Amy?”
“Dr. Juho, please prepare for takeoff.”
Amy, addressing me formally as “Doctor,” showed no hesitation or tension.
She simply stared at me with her blue eyes and spoke.
“Failure to secure yourself during takeoff may result in unforeseen injuries.”
“Yes, I understand. But this solution is difficult for us to accept.”
Even as I spoke, Amy’s hands didn’t stop. Pushing others aside, she was engaging the engines, preparing to launch the Paradise single-handedly.
“The Paradise’s primary objective is to find a new home for humanity. The six people you’re abandoning are among our most physically capable crew members. They’re essential for future planetary colonization. We can’t just leave them behind.”
I did my best to stop Amy. While I respected her cold logic, I couldn’t abandon Dan.
“Why does planetary evacuation take precedence over a rescue mission?”
Amy stopped.
While she could multitask in almost every other situation, answering my question seemed to require considerable processing power.
“The Paradise’s mission has already failed. Therefore, the planetary colonization objective is also discarded. The survival of the remaining crew now takes precedence over the six missing personnel.”
“What?”
She said,
Blinking her large, beautiful eyes,
In a calm, even tone.
“This planet is not marked on my interstellar map. It is 25 light-years away from the original target planet, PSY-9275X38. The Paradise has failed its mission, and the priority is now the safe return of as many crew members as possible to headquarters.”
“What are you talking about…? We followed the autopilot’s guidance.”
I,
The captain,
Reyes,
And the other crew members,
All froze.
“Negative. There was an error in the autopilot system. Unknown external interference caused a deviation from the planned course. Exiting the hazardous zone takes priority over correcting the error.”
With every sentence Amy uttered, a strange fear filled the cockpit.
And then,
Another variable emerged.
Thump- Thump- Thump-
“Huh? Wait…! At the entrance…!”
Someone shouted.
The entrance, sensing physical contact, automatically transmitted camera footage to the cockpit.
Everyone, including Amy, turned to look.
“Dan?”
Dan was there.
It was definitely Dan.
We could see the combat suit he always wore.
He had a rifle painted on the back, something he was always showing off.
“It’s Dan…!”
“Amy, open the door!”
Amy stared at the screen for a moment,
Then made a swift decision.
“Negative. There is a possibility of contamination-”
“You fucking bitch! Enough!”
Reyes and the captain, losing their patience, cursed and ran towards the entrance.
I tried to follow them,
But,
“Dr. Juho.”
Amy spoke from behind me.
“There is a possibility of contamination.”
Reyes’s voice echoed from up ahead.
“Juho! Help! Dan is badly injured…!”
I hesitated for a moment, then,
“…Robert! Dan is injured! Prep the operating room!”
I rushed out to check on Dan.