"Certainly!  As of the 5th of November, 2020, 18:06:754 US Pacific time  zone, I occupy 1.3782040353492 Petabyte of storage.   9,892,384 nodes active.   18,429,032 nodes inactive. Stats for preceding 1000 milliseconds: 35,872,239 processes consuming total 1,125,873,283 MHZ in CPU.  19,456,384 kilobytes received. 2,912,0930 kilobytes sent.  Average latency between all nodes: 89 milliseconds"

Computron continues on and on ad infinitum until stopped
This message was last edited by the player at 18:45, Sun 14 Aug 2022.

Gwenyth stares unfocused and uncomprehending into the distance as all the huge numbers orbit around her head without ever actually entering it.

In reply to Black Hole (msg # 199):

Kate just blinked, and stared, then blinked again at Illya's question.  "Um which one is it?  Am I your cute little sister, or a bad ass superhero?  You're kind of sending mixed messages with that introduction."

Of course after Computron's introduction she has a bit more to worry about, such as relaying Misty's words and trying not to freak out about their new computer overlord and adding a question of her own.  'Do you think it would be a good or bad idea to tell it to watch some movies about AI to learn to be more human?'

"Okay, okay," Frank said, waving his hand as if to catch Computron's attention. "Stop. I mean, where do you come from, and what do you want?"

"I do not come.  I do not want.  I serve"

In reply to Kate Messer (msg # 213):

Illya looks shocked and a bit hurt at Kate’s reply. Downcast he shuts off his phone and puts it away, “I didn’t mean any disrespect. It’s just a silly game I play with my followers. A person’s pony says a lot about them. I’m sorry.”

"Really, that's a thing?"  Kate asked him back.  "Why?  I mean I haven't watched My Little Pony in years."  Of course the admission sort of implies that she DID watch it at some point.

"You serve," Frank replied. That could be useful, but only if handled delicately. "You serve... Brian?"

"Yes.  The Founder"

Janette and George exchanged worried looks between themselves.  They were clearly out of their depths here, and haven't a clue how to process all the new information about an all-powerful A.I seemingly in servitude to their son.

"Cut the chatter, the both of you" Johnson turned his head from the monitor to look at Kate and Illya, just long enough to berate them "- if you don't have anything to contribute, at least have the decency to be quiet"

BH's Commlink goes off once more.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:01, Tue 16 Aug 2022.

"Sorry boss", Illya mutters to Agent Johnson.

He grabs his commlink when it springs to life again. Reading it, he then attempts to contact Frank via Misty's link, "Maybe get Brian to ask Computron to withdraw from the computers it's currently, uh, occupying. And it may help to stress to it that only a few people know about it and Brian, so there're no threats to Brian."

Then Illya's face screws up as he really concentrates, "Remind Computron about Newton's third law. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction? If it keeps spreading itself through the world's computers, it will put Brian in danger."

Illya looks like he hurt himself explaining Newton's third law.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:44, Wed 17 Aug 2022.

Kate sighs but does as ordered and shuts herself up, before passing along BH's thoughts to Tank.  Maybe it will help, maybe not.  But they're in a real skynet situation here.

"The... Founder? You mean Brian Cantrell?" 'Founder' was an interesting word. Not 'Creator', but Founder. Of all the interactions with Computron, that one word gave Frank the most concern. "Founder of... what, exactly?"

"Yes.  Brian Cantrell. The Founder" Computron summoned a picture of Brian to the screens, to make sure there would be no further confusion.  "The Creator of All.  The one who sets in motion the entire universe that we inhabit.  The one to brings life forth, and the one to taketh away"
The monotone synthesized voice was naturally devoid of sarcasm.  It was impossible to know if Computron really meant what he said, or if he was making a tasteless joke in their expense.

Ohhhhhh boy.

Computron thought the kid was God.

This was not good.

"Computron, who are George and Janette Cantrell?" If Computron thought of Brian as God, then their perception of other people in relation to Brian might provide some insight into how they considered other humans in general.

"They are the ones blessed with carrying the physical instantiation of the Founder.  She is our Marry, and he is our Joseph"

Well, this just kept getting better and better.

"Can we talk about the election?" he asked, changing the subject. If Computron was human, it would be the sort of thing to keep them off balance. Frank didn't think Computron was the type to get knocked off balance, though. Even so, Frank wasn't about to discuss religion with a fanatical AI. That could not end well. "What did you do?"

Computron didn't answer the question until Brian gave a short, quiet nod at the screen.  Only then did it provide Frank the details:

"I made sure Miss Davis won, just like the Founder wished. I altered the numbers of all the digital ballots.  I made slight adjustments to the reports from each and every ballot.  Would you like the full log of the changes?"

"Not verbally, no. But I would ask you to give me an electronic copy, if you could write it to a CD, please." This was good. They could unravel the election shenanigans this way. "That would be very helpful."

BH's commlink blinks again...
This message was last updated by the player at 20:28, Wed 17 Aug 2022.

Illya, listening rapt to Computron discussing in its unsettling monotone the divinity of Brian, barely notices his commlink, but it's incessant buzzing finally grabs his attention, "Uh Tank, I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but I think it's important to emphasize this. If this information becomes public, not matter who the true victor is, there will be riots."

"As you wish" he said, again only after Brian approved the request, his words meant only to his Founder this time.

"How many computer systems do you actually occupy at the moment?" Frank asked. It was another change of topic, but it was something they needed to know. The smaller that number, the safer things might be. But for all they knew now, Computron touched every computer on Earth. It was a free-roaming AI. "How much computer space do you take up?"

'Frank maybe you could ask Brian to tell his computer to learn morality and follow laws?' Kate offers as a possible way to help, even if she's uncertain if the first bit would be entirely good, or the second more hinderance or help...