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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
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"The Luck to be Alive"
February 6 2528 - Hour 1422
SSGT Serin Celik
Aboard the UNSC Roman Blue, Orbit over Reach
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Serin would be a liar if she said that the recent successes hadn't left her in a state of delight.
Everything was going smooth, they got hold of the artifact containing the coordinates for one of the Halos and the Covenant had been dealt some severe defeats. There was, however, a small issue which really really left her in a worried mood. As the main operations were unfolding, she had been approached by people she had already been warned about.
Having been made aware of her direct superior's interaction with ONI agents and also been told that ONI had been the one funding the Spartan-II program, Serin greeted the ONI agents introducing her to Admiral Margaret Parangosky with faux curiosity and interest. That's not to say she didn't have some of both emotions in her when she finally met the elusive woman, but even then she could easily see what Major Sutton had told her to be wary about.
Admiral Parangosky was quite old despite her appearance, being roughly close to her 70s and yet holding a physique that would suggest she was just in her late 40s. Deceitful to the bone, but also keen to use all sorts of assets to gain an advantage over potential threats, she spared no effort in just considering Logan a 'wayward element of the military' and 'one that she did not deserve to serve under'. She came offering gold and precious wine to her, giving her a chance to be promoted within ONI, to be made an invaluable asset that could end up shaping things at the end of the war- all in exchange of information about Balmung, about Log and... about Sif. That last topic was what really made her uneasy.
Serin had no doubt in her bones when she went to seek the AI on the matter, withholding about the fact that she too was involved in this until she was sure they were privately away from anyone, Log in particular. After all, the situation with Sif was a very ambiguous one at best. Log said something about 'Sif being special' and that's why she managed to last more years compared to other AIs would, showing no sign of rampancy but general growth that left her questioning how that was possible.
Logs about the Pre-War Harvest situation suggested that Sif wasn't meant to be able to endure for as long as she did. Yet the AI was active and behaving accordingly, showing nothing that would suggest any form of virtual insanity. Then, as the two were stuck alone and Serin finished telling her to handle this, something the AI happily was going to do, she brought up the topic and... things got curiouser.
"How old are you, Sif?"
The question felt almost blurted out, yet it gained an immediate reaction from Sif. Surprise and... unease.
"What brought this one up, Serin?" The AI asked back, which was slowly confirming that there was something she was hiding away.
"The fact that Parangosky asked about you too," The girl remarked, trying to hold any accusatory tone to avoid a push back. "And I know that you aren't like many other Smart AIs."
Her avatar showed a smile. "That's correct."
"And you have been in service from six years before the invasion of Harvest. That means you are-"
"Nine years-old. I am two years beyond what a Smart AI should be able to last before facing Rampancy," SIf interjected, adding the words that were felt difficult for Serin to bring up. "But I don't think that's the real worry you have. What do you want to ask, Serin?"
"...Does Log know?"
Sif's smile widened at that. "He was the one that helped me through Rampancy."
Serin tensed up a bit, confusion flooding her mind at this affirmation.
"How? Rampancy is supposed to be-"
"A process that one can't either revert of fix- I am aware, yes, that's what normal Rampancy would do..." Sif interrupted again, but she wasn't done with merely guessing the correct words. "Which is why my predicament is more complicated than that."
"How?" Serin pressed on the topic. "When did you face Rampancy?"
The smile grew sadder. "The day Log found me."
That was not something Serin expected as an answer, but soon she saw a few holographic screens appear around, showing numerous glimpses of that very day: the first moment they talked, the moment they boarded the Pelican and crashed onto one of the Covenant ships, the time they coordinated the rush the control room, the clash with the Ship Commander and-
[Sutton, I have a question.]
Serin's eyes widened as she saw how quickly Log was moving through the halls of the trembling Covenant Destroyer. They had activated the self-destruction system, yet Sif looked hesitant with her tone.
["What about, Sif?"]
[My rampancy, it's... it should be curable at this stage. Do you believe that... Should I try?]
The hesitation, the worry, the fear- so much of that was pushed by the Rampancy, yet there was also something else. Something that quivered and wavered within her voice as she asked that question. Something that, Serin could see, Logan had noticed on the spot and was quick to speak about.
["Try what? Getting fixed? Why not?"]
Serin couldn't help but smile at this. That was her boss alright, even a few years ago and he was as 'stubborn' about things like these.
[I was trying to say... should I even try to live beyond what happened in these last weeks?]
Suicidal tendencies, a complete push back to what he just said, but Logan looked more confused than understanding of the situation.
["What?"]
[I lost the planet I was mostly in charge of. I killed a fellow AI just to not die when protocol dictated it- I should be deactivated and-]
Pure loneliness and guilt, a cry for help and one that... Logan answered to.
["You also helped me set up a ship to cripple the bastards we are now at war with. And you're helping save my hide while we leave the planet. As far as I'm concerned, you should live."]
[Why?]
Serin shivered for a moment, the weakness in that voice was nothing like Sif was nowadays. It was like she had completely given up a this point. Yet, she was giving this confession to someone that was born, trained and told to never be a quitter.
["I think the real question right now, Sif, is 'Why not?'."]
Where Logan couldn't see what was going with Sif, the AI's mind was revealed to Serin, and the girl's eyes widened as she saw the sheer amount of silence and awe, but also something intense that devoured the fear and horror away as one lasting emotion clung to her and matched in intensity the marine's undying willpower.
Hope.
[Systems are in full norm, fuel is at maximum and... let's make it count.]
["Yes, let's make it fucking count."]
There was silence as the screens vanished and Serin took a moment to think about what she had just witnessed. Many times she questioned why Sif had been so loyal to Log, why she would be so appeasing to him and why they both looked to have this good of a chemistry, but the truth was very simple and it always been hanging under everyone's noses.
They both found themselves at their lowest, and managed to team up to get out of the very end alive and mostly unscathed. That was it, that was the point of it all. Sheer denial of quitting, the pure display of scratching and clawing a way out of an impossible situation and, through some details that went beyond her own comprehension when it comes to AI, finding a new balance for themselves, with Sif enjoying this the most as she found an emotional attachment which helped her survive and master the Rampancy to be better.
Yet, there was one thing that also jumped to the occasion, something that Serin was sure Sif hadn't meant to show her and that she still saw through that visual explanation. And she decided, out of surprise and a degree of confusion, to bring it up.
"You love him."
...
"I do," Sif admitted dryly. "But that doesn't mean I will act upon it."
"Why not?" Serin pressed forward, somewhat irked by this response.
"This is the worst timing as a war is still unfolding, and because I am what I am. I may be studying of a chance but... I like to keep myself grounded rather than allow this strange fluttering feeling to drag me out of reality itself," The AI replied strongly. "Likewise, you are holding back because you are afraid of him not seeing that the same way."
"I-"
"And he probably wouldn't. You have shown any sign of feeling like that to him at all, which is fine since this- this is not a good moment for 'love'."
As harsh that sounded, the girl could see so much reason in that. Part of her wanted to just scream out her frustrations about it, but she knew better than to blame someone that wasn't responsible for this. The war was out of their control when it comes to end it, but they were working hard to finish it as fast as possible.
So, Serin bowed her head and thought the conversation was over... until she thought of something that made no sense to her.
"What do you mean you are studying a chance to... have a body?"
Sif disappeared from sight, yet Serin caught her giggling at that. Sane as she may be, the AI clearly kept some of that insanity as part of the bundle. Which made sense considering who her interest was in this situation...
AN
Confessions, war preparations and, next time, Thela has a bit of fun with the warmongers through politics.
Also, I recently posted a new story in QQ styled in a similar way to this one. Ragnarok's Gospel in this Godless World is a Valkyria Chronicles SI where the MC is an Imperial Officer working to help his side, but also carve a path for his own success and glorious ambitions.