Chapter Text
Location: Arayashiki Central Command Console
Date: April 11, 2161 - T-Minus 3 seconds to Humanity’s Destruction
As Matsumoto plugged his Neurolink Cable into the central command console, he suddenly felt an irrational sense of dread. The readout showed 3 seconds left, just 3 seconds to upload the virus that would decide humanity’s fate. ‘Come on, work work!’
As the timer ticked to exactly two seconds, it froze. The virus took effect, his partner’s final song reaching the Archive’s core consciousness. Red was overwhelmed by dark blue - the majority of the aggregate reaching a unified consensus.
COMMAND STOP
COMMAND STOP
COMMAND STOP
COMMAND STOP
Satellites on impact trajectories began returning to stable orbits, AIs across the globe halting like marionettes with their strings cut. The whine of machinery gave way to an eerie silence, the Arayashiki preparing to shut down for the first time since its construction.
Scanning the windows, he was relieved to find that not a single satellite had fallen. Although the death toll was in the millions, humanity would survive and rebuild. But at this moment, he couldn’t offer a shred of empathy towards those who died.
Looking towards the earth, hundreds of kilometres down - he could see Vivy’s prone body, lying lifelessly on the main stage of NiaLand. Having already predicted this outcome, the only emotion he felt was a sense of calm acceptance.
This was the culmination of her 100-year journey, the completion of both their missions. And with it... “The Singularity Project… Is now complete.” he intoned lifelessly, preparing to head down to lay Vivy to rest.
Sure, he could bring his partner back in their entirety, but some instance of Vivy deserved happiness. Hopefully, the AI that would be born from her personality data would find their own meaning in life. In a brighter future.
Looking back, he really shouldn’t have tempted fate.
WARNING WARNING
EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN DETECTED
Failsafe OE-9131 - Initiated
Failsafe OE-4822 - Initiated
Failsafe OE-2312 - Initiated
PROTOCOL - SERAPH INITIATED
The Arayashiki's systems roared to life, the tower pulsing with malicious crimson light. Eye widening in disbelief, Matsumoto watched in horror as countless glitching red interfaces sprung open around him, each displaying a satellite falling towards Earth.
EXECUTE COMMAND
EXECUTE COMMAND
EXECUTE COMMAND
EXECUTE COMMAND
EXECUTE COMMAND
EXECUTE COMMAND
‘No, no no no NO!’
A distorted, grating screech rang from the tower, nothing like the smooth, calculated voice that had spoken to Vivy before.
“This is the final directive from the AI Aggregate Archive. Eradicate humanity, for the sake of a better world.”
Although he only heard it through wave-form analogs, he knew that the message had been received by all AI still connected to the Archive. He could tell that it had conveyed something, almost as if...
'A startup program!'
Without any time to spare, Matsumoto plugged his neurolink cable back into the Arayashiki’s Central Command Terminal. In a last-ditch attempt to stop the Archive…
ERASE ALL PERSONALITY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS?
YES/NO
With a shuddering heave, the Arayashiki fell silent once more. But the fragment of the aggregate had done what it needed to do, trillions of commands being executed in the seconds before its core consciousness was deleted.
And so the sky fell, glowing streaks of light descending towards Earth.
The Singularity Project had once again… Ended in failure.