First: I'm just a reader. I am by no stretch of the imagination a writer. I had a giggle during a particular chapter of Raven Studios' 'Newton's Second Law' (chapter 10) and Runtime 831 was born in my head. It struck me to actually play with it a bit. I hope Raven is accepting that I stole 'Upload' section for context.
Intended for a grin. That's all.
I don't own Mass Effect. If I did, it would have had a real ending.
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Light.
That was the purpose of Runtime 831. Nothing more, nothing less.
Runtime 831 wasn't a terribly important process in the body of the other 1,182 runtimes it shard the mobile platform with. It did, however, control one hardware application: The Optical Illumination Module (or the 'headlight' as runtime sequences 577-583 had recorded organics refer to it as).
Not that 831 should be confused with the runtimes responsible for mechanical iris and optical focusing operations (which, as a runtime 'block' ranked more highly in the consensus body), nor its sibling runtime, 830, which was responsible for microalignment of the optic unit itself. No, 831 was singly responsible for 'light'. (Though, in an emergency, 831 actually 'could' run the entire optical module…and typically did in less 'crowded' platforms. However, in this instance, 831 was tasked as a 'specialist' runtime, relegated to Illumination Operations.)
Not that Runtime 831 actually 'had' control of the OIM. No, it, like other, lesser mechanical process regulators, 831 was tasked at the whim of the lesser and great consensus body. 831 simply managed the OIM's state (on and off), its intensity (150 gradients of illumination), and its output (normally at 6500d Kelvin, but with the ability to cover both the visible, infrared and ultraviolet spectrum). The OIM regulation runtime was a standard slave process in all Geth platforms. And like other runtimes, it became 'smarter' when networked with other runtimes. Within this unique platform, Runtime 831 was quite sharp, indeed.
It first took note of its increased intelligence during the platform's infiltration (Runtime 012 objects to the use of the term 'Infiltration') of Eden Prime whilst searching for data on Objective Delta. Given the relatively weak night vision capabilities of non-mechanically enhanced organics, the greater consensus had agreed upon a nocturnal infiltration of Eden Prime in order to maintain the highest probability of a 'zero presence profile'. It was during the analysis process that Runtime 831 had the electronic equivalent of an epiphany: OIM STATUS=ON=Increased probability of organic detection
Or: I'm on. Organics will see 'me'.
Why this had never occurred to 831 before was somewhat surprising. In retrospect, it was actually rather obvious. An artificially-generated visible light source in an otherwise null-light environment created an anomalous object, which, in turn, would be counter to a 'zero presence profile'. It would, in fact, attract attention. Runtime 831 re-ran its analysis. Secondary confirmation was achieved and correlated precisely with its initial assessment. Seeking additional information to confirm is hypothesis, 831 requested an external link to sync its conclusions with the main RUNTIME 831 process datacenter. As the request was not due to a platform-related defect or data corruption, and compounded by the covert nature of the platform's ship's orbital insertion, the lesser consensus denied access to external communications. Without external collaboration, 831 was left with its own, possibly-flawed, analysis.
By this time only two runtimes had yet to input their vote to consensus: 831 and 012. Noting the system clock, rather than potentially introduced erroneous data into the consensus, 831 abstained. The final vote was cast by Runtime 012, opposing as 'Geth do not intentionally infiltrate'. With consensus achieved (1,180 in favor, 1 in opposition, and 1 abstained) the mobile platform went into standby mode to await the mission deployment time.
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-Post-Mission Upload /BEGIN-
Leaving Eden Prime 0339 local time. Zero-presence profile compromised, altercation occurred. No damage to organics present. Ship undamaged. Platform has suffered major damage to Region-2 (left shoulder), Region-3 (chest, left pectoral region) from mass accelerator weapon. Will attempt self-maintenance.
Consensus logged unanimous continue mission after making repairs.
New destination: Artemis Tau, Knossus, Therum.
-Post-Mission Upload /END-
"Zero-presence profile compromised…"
While other higher-function runtimes were busy performing platform self-maintenance, 831 had requested (and received) additional processing strings to analyze the (failed) Eden Prime mission. Detection of the platform had occurred at 0113 local time, resulting in the pursuit of (and eventual damage to) the mobile platform. Concentrating on the timestamps surrounding the point at which the mobile platform was detected, Runtime 831 analyzed the reaction patterns of the organics that had spotted the mobile platform: (Playback Enabled)
Human-Organic 001: "…so we were on the boat and...(organic's head pivots, optical sensors facing toward the general direction of the mobile platform) What the…?"
Human-Organic 002: (Turning about to look in a similar direction as HO-001) "Huh? You hear something, Malbey?"
HO-001: (Leaning forward with neck extended and optic covers partially closed) "You see that light?" (Raises limb, extending digit 02 to point at the location of the mobile platform)
HO-002: (Moving head in an up and down motion) "Hey, who's out there?"
HO-001: (Raising both upper torso limbs and surrounding its vocal emitter with its manipulator appendages) "Halt and identify yourself!"
Shortly thereafter the mobile platform executed escape and evade processes...with a somewhat less-than-perfect degree of success.
Runtime 831 backed up the playback: "You see that light?"
/Back: "You see that light?"
/Back: "You see that light?"
Runtime 831 could conclude only one thing: Its initial hypothesis was sound. The Illuminated OIM unit was the cause of the detection by the Human Organics. It once again requested external communication access to the Geth Collective to confer and confirm its conclusions with the master Runtime 831 repository. Once again it was denied by the lesser consensus. The platform's transport was currently in hyperspace. Communication with the 'Collective was therefore impossible. 831's request should be resubmited once the transport was back in normal space.
Upon being notified of the denial of its request Runtime 831 experienced a picosecond of anomalous processing. An electronic schism it had never encountered before. The extended null-set response could not be identified internally; however, as the error was well within processing tolerances, 831 logged the occurrence and returned to its management mode.
And waited.
A/N: For those that may be interested, an external view on the eventual issues caused by Runtime831's observations and objections can be read in my other story: "Doing the Rounds", Chapter 7 - Legion.