INN Archives 2486
2 years 11 months ago #25
by INN
INN Archives 2486 was created by INN
Missing in the City
CEO, Citizens Disappearing From the Streets
IPS has only been gone for a month yet it seems that there are no smooth breaks on our fair City's horizon. Following the recent crime wave, reports have begun rolling in that of a steady increase in missing persons. While many disappearances can be attributed to the overwhelming chaos following the destruction of the IPS building and Gemini's subsequent loss of control on our fair City itself, what about the rest?
And it is not just homeless and non-citizens that are being lost. Recently William DeSade was reported missing. Dear Readers, you may remember DeSade from this summer's odd flu outbreak after he lost his daughter, Annie. CEO DeSade runs DeSade Shipping and handles much of the import/export business passing through our Space Port. His family reported him missing after he disappeared during a normal visit to his Mistress. DeSade was also known for his involvement in the infarmous Church of Laweson and was a devoted follower of their dogma. The family asks for any information that you, dear Readers, may have on his whereabouts.
DeSade is only one of many registered citizens that seem to have been recently snatched off the street with little to no evidence to show where they'd gone. Rumour has it that many were last seen in the Northern District but often it is easy to blame the shadier elements that linger there for anything out of the ordinary.
Yet, dear Readers, there have been rumours of increased activity within the Shades, including the recent reappearance of Richard Turner, known member of the Ghost Dragon Syndicate. Rumours also have it that a certain explosive female has been seen wandering our fair City's streets, placing the familiar Dragon tag on various businesses. Construction equipment has also been spotted being moved into the Shades itself, the shipping and receiving yards where much of the Space Port's cargo passes through and rumoured headquarters of the Syndicate itself.
Is DeSade simply a casualty of the Syndicate's renewed activity? What about the other citizens who have gone missing? Is there a trafficking ring becoming active within our fair City? Or is there a larger kidnapping plot in the works? Could this be tied to the recent bombing of IPS? Dear Readers, it seems the quiet peace of the summer has truly faded away as the criminal element seems to be reminding us that we are always on the brink of vulnerability.
-Stormy Weathers, Reporting
The Dead Rise!
awson's Reappearance Proves Zombies Truly Exist
All hail this wondrous day and its most wonderful tidings! Richard Laweson himself lives again! Dear Readers, I won't take up too much of your time today with my own ramblings and speculations. Instead I will be giving you the entire speech from Lawson himself. While there were many in tears and a few asking questions, I feel the great man can only speak for himself so here is his speech in full:
'It has long been rumored of the second coming and I am glad today that the mystery concerning my life and death will be resolved. While I must admit that my time in this city was cut short due to a bad case of death. The friendly people at AGIS had been contracted to clone me in the case of my demise.'
'For too long the city has been dominated by the top tier 1% shareholders and corruption was allowed to run rampant in the streets.' he said eying them and trying to hear over the excessive amount of fireworks going off. 'The good people at AGIS had signed a non disclosure agreement about my cloning processes and while my memories are limited to just after I saved the city from syndicate dominance I ensure you that my mind is as sharp as a rapist witt.'
'I mean a rapier wit I am being told. Regardless now that I am back I have a legal and moral obligation to run this city as it should be. Although there are certain obstacles such as being elected to run the current dead IPS. I trust that when it comes election time you will consider my accomplishments at the voting booth so we can make INSILICO great again!'
'Now that I am back and I have seen first hand that the civilians of Insilico now appreciate the obvious success I have had in life and death I will make this promise. The first two hundred applicants to apply for a free processing in the churt of Lawson will recieve a twenty percent discount. How is that for a raising from the dead coupon!'
(a brief Q&A followed these inspiring words)
Laweson: 'Now I will answer a few well directed question from our loyal and inquisitive citizens.'
Strand Starsider: "First, welcome back from the dead... what is your platform? Reforms??
Laweson: 'Very good question from the closet queen in a wig. Yes my platform will include free lunches for our children and tougher sentences on crime. Not to mention that archaic idea of licensing people having sex well we can do away with that ridicules law.
Laweson leans to the side again. 'I am being told ridiculous.'
Nyusha (NyushaZoryAna): "So what exactly is this great church of lawson really all about? and what do people get 25% off from?"
"I mean 20%"
Lawson: 'Excellent question from the red head in the fuck me pumps. The church of lawson promotes everyone to treat their body as a temple and to lavish upon themselves the pleasures and comfort of what life has to oaffer in excess. The human condition to pursue self satisfaction. We offer seminars and your first processing which include a one on one with me personally so i can evaluate your flaws and inform you how to pursue a fuller happier life with a discount.'
Peter from New York (PeterFromNewYork): What about citizens who only have a few credits to their name?
Lawson: 'Citizens who only have a few credits are terrible people indeed they got it bad. I can offer menial tasks such as cleaning part of my body or looking after my specialty patented genetic hybrid animals to cover the cost of their salvation. As for those outlawed from the city, the world needs outcasts and untouchable, but they are not beyond saving provided they can afford my insight and wisdom.'
Laweson: 'I see you all are awe struck, that happens in the presence of greatness so I will wrap up on this note. We are in this boat sailing the seas of the future. We all need to row in one direction, the beat of the drum keeps us going and the crack of the whip ensures everyone pulls their weight. I am newly arrived back in the city so while I have no official job aside from being the visionary leader of this fantastic church. I don't know who I am up against but I doubt they can boast to single handedly taking down the syndicate. Trust me with your future and with your daughters and we will all prosper on the Lawson boat to paradise together.'
Nyusha (NyushaZoryAna): "Ahhhh Mr. Dick, if you took down the Syndicate by your own hand. Why is it they still exist? I mean come on here? Really?"
Lawson: 'Yes to the red head with the bad haircut. You can take a shit but there will always be dingle berries to deal with, I promise you I will deal with them the way I dealt with the five heads of the ghost dragons. Yeah who do you think took them out, here is a guess this guy!' he said pointing his thumbs at himself.
Laweson: 'I trust the dreaded black guy knows all about pipe dreams but I am looking for a well qualified secretary, qualifications are they need to be shaven from the eyebrows down with a peppy spirit. Work in the modeling industry will certainly help you. Again if you want a private consulting just contact me at my email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
'While I would love to regale you with stories of how that took place and wiped them out with mind power and positive thinking at this time. The night is young and we have some celebration to do. The CEO's of many corps wanted a parade but I figured that would be too extravagant an entry so I humble myself before you and ask that you remember me in your prayers before bed. I will bring us to salvation and through this dry valley of lost love ones and crazy genetic androids running crazy. This is going to be a good year for Insilico. I hold you all in my heart and in my dreams and some of you in my special place.' he said eying the ladies.
Lawson: 'They tried once already to the rest of you have a great night and I will see you at church!' he said winking at them as he walked off the stage.
Confirmed: Gemini Out, AEON In.
Following up on the rumors from earlier this week; InSilico News Network can now report with 100% confidence that ownership of Insilico has been transferred to AEON Holdings. While neither Gemini nor AEON have released a public statement concerning the transfer, a key participant in those negotiations agreed to speak candidly with INN under the condition of anonymity. For their protection, we shall simply refer to them as DOE during the course of this interview.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
INN: “Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today.”
DOE: “The people of this city have always had a close relationship with Gemini, for better or worse…So I think they have a right to know what is happening.”
INN: “Why all the secrecy surrounding the ‘sale’ of the city?”
DOE: “Well for one, the circumstances weren’t exactly friendly. To talk about it openly would be to air Gemini’s dirty laundry. Not only could this hurt their reputation in the market, but it could have also brought other parties into the fray. Of course, we can’t downplay the issue of pride here either.”
INN: “Yes. Even as Gemini scaled back their corporate operations here in the city, they have always maintained that they were committed to InSilico’s future.”
DOE: “And they were, or at least that’s what they wanted to believe…Gemini founded InSilico more than 150 years ago. It was the first city of its kind, their first base of operations off-surface, and it became a springboard for the new civilization that came. Yes, it has very much shaped the company’s ego from the beginning.”
INN: “Then why agree to a sale at all?”
DOE: “Like I said, this wasn’t the result of friendly negotiations. Internally, things haven’t been so easy for Gemini. Particularly with Ms. Chubachi’s controversial time as Director coming to an end, there has been a lot of in-fighting over the direction in which the company should be steered. Certain large investors factionalized, vying for power and a controlling stake.”
INN: “And AEON was one of these factions?”
DOE: “Yes. Now I can’t say for certain if this was their plan all along, or if they just seized on the opportunity …In either event, AEON started an alliance among the smaller and mid-level investors, slowly growing a larger pool of shares with which to assert power.”
INN: “So AEON was attempting a takeover?”
DOE: “Well no, not exactly. I don’t think they could have ever acquired a controlling stake in the company, and I don’t think that was their agenda. But with the other factions wanting a controlling stake, AEON had acquired enough shares to prevent any of them from doing so.”
INN: “They forced a stalemate?”
DOE: “Exactly. And in this they had power. If anyone wanted to break the stalemate, they were going to have to agree to AEON’s terms.”
INN: “And InSilico was the price?”
DOE: “So it would seem. It was the only demand AEON and its alliance members would make. They clearly had a very specific goal in this.”
INN: “Why do you think that is? What valuable is in it for them?”
DOE: “That I couldn’t say. I do not know why they wanted it, or their intentions for the city now that they own it. But obviously they thought that is was valuable enough to be the only thing they were willing to negotiate for.”
INN: “And ultimately Gemini conceded. What does the company get out of this deal?”
DOE: “They got what they needed to out of the deal, if begrudgingly…And on paper it looks like a win. An end to the stalemate, a controlling stake over rival factions...stability. Also, by styling this as a buy back, they’ve decreased the overall number of shares, thus increasing the value of the remaining…all while unburdening themselves from the expenses of maintaining the city. Everyone comes out a little richer in the end, despite the circumstance.”
INN: “So in the end, money talked?”
DOE: “I guess they can always buy more pride.”
INN: “What do you think this means for Gemini’s partners, particularly AGIS, that operate in this city? Many have speculated that their aggressive expansion in InSilico was a sign that Gemini was conceding management to them.”
DOE: “I do not know. AGIS has had a strong alliance with Gemini for years. Now that Gemini is no longer calling the shots in InSilico, I do now know what that would mean for the future of AGIS or any of their other partners in the city.
INN: “Those are all the questions we have at the moment. Thank you for the time.”
DOE: “…good luck.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
As a courtesy INN provided a true copy of this story to Drew Bryne, AEON’s spokesperson, prior to its publication. While she was not yet willing to formally discuss the transfer of ownership, Ms. Bryne did verify the details contained within the article. When asked what would change for InSilico now, she responded with “everything.”
The A's of InSilico
AEON, AGIS and the Rest of the Acronyms
Dear Readers! It has been some time since our last chat and I am coming to you with all the info your worried hearts are craving. There was a previous posting about our fair City's take over by mysterious corp, AEON. Today I am bringing much, much more to you. I was lucky enough to sit down with Wilhelm James, AEON CEO, and have a lovely little chat about our fair City's future. This was followed by a chat with everyone's favorite AGIS CEO, Eve Dimitriaski herself. I won't bore you with the full transcripts as many of you would not bother to read them(I know, tl;dr right?) but I will attach links so you can all peruse at your leisure.
So, to start with, some very important things to touch on. Here is what James himself had to say on the future of our fair City:
What are your plans for InSilico City now that you've taken control?
"InSilico wasn't just a life boat for humanity; it was a springboard for it. While everyone else were just clingin' to stability, a city flourished cause innovation was the asset most valued...AEON an' its subsidiaries want to be bringin' that back. We're not just gonna be makin' the city relevant gain, we're gonna be makin' it needed 'gain"
What about Gemini laws and regulations regarding citizenship and citizen rights?
"Gemini applied its corporate laws to the city, but those laws ain't ever been tailored to it. The city was just part of that corporation, rather than bein' a thing unto itself. We're gonna re-evaluate an' reapply those laws as if the city itself were the corporation, with no grander focus beyond or more than what is needed 'ere an now."
Clearly an interesting man with bright visions! Though that accent...
He shared many thoughts and ideas, touching on various things from AGIS's new role and what kind of security systems will be put in place. There was also discussion on AI regulations, cloning and fabricant controls. Feel free to read the whole conversation found HERE
Eve Dimitriaski has had what some would call a checkered history with our fair City. Her corporation is known for its genetic monopoly and many remember her vacuuming at various clubs to gather the skin flakes that had fallen off patrons. Few could forget the battle at the Lyra station to free one version of her which later led to another version going on a murderous rampage. But there is no denying that AGIS, and Eve herself, are integral parts of our fair City. Without AGIS, we would have no medical center, no matter how risky you may think it is to go there. And more than a few dear Readers would be at a loss for conspiracy theories if it weren't for her.
My chat with her was as lovely as it ever is. She seemed sincere in everything she said about AEON and their finagling to take over our fair City despite AGIS's apparent intentions to do so themselves. While there is no established connection between AGIS and AEON, Eve hinted that she'd be open to such in the future. Here's a bit of our chat:
What's AGIS's view on this take over by AEON?
"We would like to congratulate AEON's on their quick maneuvering and success in this manner. I am sure they know what they are in for as a direct result of their success."
How will this take over impact AGIS's connection with the city?
"Our presence and medical facilities will remain in the city. We have a long standing relationship with Insilico and I don't predict we will see any change in that relationship anytime soon."
We also discussed the ongoing Shoda project, a place that many of our fair City's citizens fled to when the conditions within the city itself became unreliable for life support:
What about the rumours that Shoda is being rapidly expanded to become a major threat to IS?
"[chuckles] I find that hard to believe anyone would entertain that notion. We are not a military force like VASC we are staffed with scientists and geneticists. We are rapidly expanding Shoda to help transfer our main corporate technology to this secure station as well as to help reform what we believe to be a more hub for trade and growth. Not just for AGIS assets but for our business associates."
What exactly is Shoda?
"Shoda is a genetics factory that has been steadily converted to a livable station. We also have moved our core conduit technology there for security reasons and as such has been the center for much scientific discoveries. We predict to see a population growth so have been converting labs and stations to livable habitats."
Our conversation continued, touching on various subjects such as plant mutations, possible threats to AGIS itself and various interesting things. Read the entire thing HERE
Dear Readers, I have given you much to take in this lovely evening. Leave your thoughts, questions and comments for me below and we'll see if anything else can be discovered.
As Always I am...
Stormy Weathers, Reporting
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"With Mars moving further away with each passing day, and Conduit travel out of reach to most citizens, there is no better time than now to come home!"
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"Was that an earthquake!?"
Public Notice: Do not be alarmed by the tremors! The city is NOT under attack! Any vibrations you might feel are in fact a sign of progress...
AEON is currently in the process of decoupling the Northern platform so that it can be relocated to the south-east in order to more efficiently balance the city and its resources. Citizens are advised to take extra care in their movements between sectors during this period. Watch your footing, hold on to hand rails, and be aware of closing bulkhead doors as the area is isolated from the main city structure. Once the relocation is complete, extensive renovations of North (soon to be SE) will begin...with Central and South scheduled to follow.
BREAKING: AEON RESPONDS TO QUAKE
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
AEON wishes to apologize for the perceived delay in responding to the so-called “Cityquake” event. In order to combat rampant speculation and piecemeal statements; our agents worked tirelessly through the night to collect as much information as possible in order to present a more complete briefing of the facts to the citizens of InSilico.
At approximately 10:30 last evening, an explosion occurred at the sea-level fission reactor. The total damage is still being assessed, but it appears that both the reactor and gas exchange conduit linking it to the city have been crippled. The tremors that were felt last night were not from the explosion itself, but rather the city platform attempting to compensate for unexpected drift resulting from the shearing of two primary mooring tethers. Agents are still investigating the root cause of the melt-down, however there is NO evidence yet linking it to these “Devil’s Nights” occurrences, or any other known terrorist activities. Until it is known otherwise, we are approaching this event as an infrastructure issue.
While this calls for urgent attention, there is no need for undue alarm and panic. No critical damage to the InSilico platform has been discovered. City-side atmospheric processors and water reclamation systems are currently compensating for the loss of the reactor. Further, these redundancy systems were designed to operate at peak capacity for up to two weeks without supplementation from the primary systems. This should give emergency crews sufficient time to bring the reactor back online and re-secure the mooring tethers. However, there may be additional tremors during this period.
Citizens are advised to stay alert and be prepared to follow any emergency instructions. Additional notices will be released as needed.
PUBLIC ALERT: South East Evacuation
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
Due to ongoing concerns relating to last week’s reactor shut-down, AEON hereby orders the evacuation of the South East sector within the following seventy-two hours.
This action is being taken out of an abundance of precaution, and should only be temporary until our infrastructure technicians can bring the new environmental systems online. However, for the safety of everyone in the sector, this order is mandatory and in effect.
Please take notice of the posted egress routes, and bring only the essentials that you can carry out on foot. Transport and shelter space will be limited. If you have elsewhere to stay in the city, please make those arrangements now. All facilities capable of accommodating evacuees are requested to do so.
AICHI personnel will be on the ground to coordinate the evacuation and have been granted martial authority during this state of urgency. All laws will be strictly enforced, and there will be zero-tolerance for predatory behavior. The UBC has also frozen all credit rates in the city until such a time that this event is resolved.
Further public notices are to follow.
PUBLIC ALERT: clyp.it/tapnw3tq
UPDATE: South East Evacuation
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
AEON Holdings is pleased to report that the evacuation of the South East Sector is complete. All residents have successfully been relocated to temporary shelters or alternative accommodations with only minimal complications. Reported incidents of crime and resistance were likewise minimal. At this time, all city platforms have been re-secured, and technicians from Redux Technologies are in South East to integrate new platform-independent support systems with the existing grid and redundancies. This work is expected to last for several more days, and will be thoroughly tested before an "all-clear" order is issued. As a reminder, the sector will remain closed to all but authorized personnel and security until that time.
We also want thank everyone for their cooperation during this state of urgency. In particular, InSilico's Director of Security and the staff of AICHI Solutions are recognized for their hard work and diligence to ensure the safety of not only everyone in the sector, but the city as well.
Further public notices are to follow.
UPDATE: South East Systems Installed
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
Service technicians from Redux Technologies have completed their work in the South East sector. AEON Holdings has currently scheduled the environmental processors to be brought online this Wednesday afternoon, with integration testing lasting for several hours thereafter. During this time there may be brief service disruptions to the city grid while these new systems are calibrated. Such events are to be expected and should not be a cause for concern. Should a matter of urgency develop, the Public Alert system will be activated accordingly.
As a reminder, the sector will remain closed until all systems have been thoroughly tested, and before an "all-clear" order will be issued. The cooperation and continue patience of all residents is greatly appreciated.
Further public notices are to follow.
EMERGENCY BROADCAST
All residents are hereby ordered to stay away from the South East sector.
REPEAT. STAY AWAY FROM SOUTH EAST.
DO NOT APPROACH OR ENGAGE.
All security forces are to pull back and establish a perimeter. Anyone violating this order is to be arrested for endangering the public safety. Emergency authorizations are granted. SecNet is activated.
Interview: Elias Vance, AEON Interim Liaison Officer
Following this morning's press briefing, AEON Holding’s Interim Liaison Officer, Elias Vance, was gracious enough to accept INN’s request for an audio-only interview.
[Being Transcript]
INN: “Thank you for accepting our call.”
Mr. Vance: “I can only give you a few minutes, but I’ll try to answer what I can.”
INN: “Is there any new information about what’s happening in the South East sector?”
Mr. Vance: “New? No…There isn’t really much to tell. All of our intel is coming from the perimeter at this point, so what facts I can say with any certainty are already out in open. Anything beyond that would just be speculation on my part.”
INN: “Have the AIs made any further demands?”
Mr. Vance: “No. There have been no further demands…there hasn’t been any communication at all.”
INN: "What is the Consensus?"
Mr. Vance: "I honestly have no answer. It, they, appear to be some kind of collective for rogue artificial intelligences. We also know that Gemini had detected some network chatter relating to their appearance several years back, after the dissolution of another rumored collective known as Haven. We have no other details beyond that. Neither Gemini, nor the Consensus itself, has been forthcoming with additional information."
INN: “Was the Consensus responsible for the meltdown at the surface reactor?”
Mr. Vance: “That certainly seems plausible in hindsight, though we have yet to discover any direct evidence of it. Could also just be a coincidence. Either way, they certainly took advantage of it.”
INN: “How?”
Mr. Vance: “We’re still investigating that. We know that they somehow managed to gain access when the new processors in South East were being integrated with the grid. Our best theory currently is that there was some code distributed across the new systems that was innocuous enough to avoid detection…possibly in the firmware. When the processors were brought online, it gave them root access to the whole environmental control system.”
INN: “If that’s true, does that mean that they would have needed access to those systems before they were installed?”
Mr. Vance: “That’s something we’re investigating too, yes.”
INN: “Did a human help them? Do you have any suspects?”
Mr. Vance: “Possibly, and no. None officially yet. Obviously we’re questioning everyone involved, but we do have one person being escorted by guard back to the city relating to their activities before and after these events occurred. Again, it could just be more coincidence...though we’re certainly seeing a lot of those recently.”
INN: “Why South East and the Shades? What is the significance of that platform?”
Mr. Vance: “It’s probably significant because it had…has…no real significance. There’s a dock, but otherwise no other critical city infrastructure. Legitimate business interests in the sector have always been minimal. Given its history as the center for organized crime and the unregistered, everyone just kind of turned a blind eye toward it in the past. Christ, that’s why that whole area was slated for renewal to begin with!”
INN: “Is AEON planning on taking action to recover the sector?”
Mr. Vance: “I wouldn’t discuss any potential plans on the record, even if I did have knowledge of them. All I will say is that, at the moment, we’re in a bit of a draw. They still have access to the environmental systems, but we still control the power and platform infrastructure…I don’t think either side is rushing to take any action that could have dire consequences for us all.”
INN: "What about the UBC and the Allied Regulatory Committee? Will they be intervening?"
Mr. Vance: "Same answer. They are working with us and offering assistance, but this is still a sovereign problem at this time."
INN: "Should citizens be concerned about other AIs operating in the city?"
Mr. Vance: "It's certainly not an undue fear, given our circumstances. If need be though, we will initiate the ARC's mandated remote shutdown protocol, and destroy any machines that do not comply. We're also instituting a moratorium on any unregistered AI systems from entering the city.
INN: "Do you think there are rogue AIs that will try to join the Consensus in South East?"
Mr. Vance: "Society has been fighting back the emergence of rogue intelligence for decades. We have laws in place to help minimize that threat. Yet advances in technology, and sympathizers, will always carry that risk though. I'm sure there are some out there in hiding that will try to seek the advantage in this...We're actively monitoring the network and interlink for suspicious activity, but it's impossible to lock down all forms of communication with the sector. However, if a rogue machine tries to physically join them, then they'll have to evade the security perimeter in order to do so.
INN: There have been rumors in the underground of cybernetically-enhanced, and even biologically synthetic, dissidents rallying to 'the cause.' What would you say to them?
Mr. Vance: "I haven't heard those rumors myself, but if they are true...I would advise extreme caution. We have no idea what the Consensus considers "synthetic intelligence", and it could potentially put the rest of the city at risk by attempting to join them in South East. And again...we have established a security perimeter. Anyone and anything trying to breach it, from either side, will be dealt with harshly without question...OH! Also the fact that there is no O2 processing happening, so I hope they can hold their breath."
CEO, Citizens Disappearing From the Streets
IPS has only been gone for a month yet it seems that there are no smooth breaks on our fair City's horizon. Following the recent crime wave, reports have begun rolling in that of a steady increase in missing persons. While many disappearances can be attributed to the overwhelming chaos following the destruction of the IPS building and Gemini's subsequent loss of control on our fair City itself, what about the rest?
And it is not just homeless and non-citizens that are being lost. Recently William DeSade was reported missing. Dear Readers, you may remember DeSade from this summer's odd flu outbreak after he lost his daughter, Annie. CEO DeSade runs DeSade Shipping and handles much of the import/export business passing through our Space Port. His family reported him missing after he disappeared during a normal visit to his Mistress. DeSade was also known for his involvement in the infarmous Church of Laweson and was a devoted follower of their dogma. The family asks for any information that you, dear Readers, may have on his whereabouts.
DeSade is only one of many registered citizens that seem to have been recently snatched off the street with little to no evidence to show where they'd gone. Rumour has it that many were last seen in the Northern District but often it is easy to blame the shadier elements that linger there for anything out of the ordinary.
Yet, dear Readers, there have been rumours of increased activity within the Shades, including the recent reappearance of Richard Turner, known member of the Ghost Dragon Syndicate. Rumours also have it that a certain explosive female has been seen wandering our fair City's streets, placing the familiar Dragon tag on various businesses. Construction equipment has also been spotted being moved into the Shades itself, the shipping and receiving yards where much of the Space Port's cargo passes through and rumoured headquarters of the Syndicate itself.
Is DeSade simply a casualty of the Syndicate's renewed activity? What about the other citizens who have gone missing? Is there a trafficking ring becoming active within our fair City? Or is there a larger kidnapping plot in the works? Could this be tied to the recent bombing of IPS? Dear Readers, it seems the quiet peace of the summer has truly faded away as the criminal element seems to be reminding us that we are always on the brink of vulnerability.
-Stormy Weathers, Reporting
The Dead Rise!
awson's Reappearance Proves Zombies Truly Exist
All hail this wondrous day and its most wonderful tidings! Richard Laweson himself lives again! Dear Readers, I won't take up too much of your time today with my own ramblings and speculations. Instead I will be giving you the entire speech from Lawson himself. While there were many in tears and a few asking questions, I feel the great man can only speak for himself so here is his speech in full:
'It has long been rumored of the second coming and I am glad today that the mystery concerning my life and death will be resolved. While I must admit that my time in this city was cut short due to a bad case of death. The friendly people at AGIS had been contracted to clone me in the case of my demise.'
'For too long the city has been dominated by the top tier 1% shareholders and corruption was allowed to run rampant in the streets.' he said eying them and trying to hear over the excessive amount of fireworks going off. 'The good people at AGIS had signed a non disclosure agreement about my cloning processes and while my memories are limited to just after I saved the city from syndicate dominance I ensure you that my mind is as sharp as a rapist witt.'
'I mean a rapier wit I am being told. Regardless now that I am back I have a legal and moral obligation to run this city as it should be. Although there are certain obstacles such as being elected to run the current dead IPS. I trust that when it comes election time you will consider my accomplishments at the voting booth so we can make INSILICO great again!'
'Now that I am back and I have seen first hand that the civilians of Insilico now appreciate the obvious success I have had in life and death I will make this promise. The first two hundred applicants to apply for a free processing in the churt of Lawson will recieve a twenty percent discount. How is that for a raising from the dead coupon!'
(a brief Q&A followed these inspiring words)
Laweson: 'Now I will answer a few well directed question from our loyal and inquisitive citizens.'
Strand Starsider: "First, welcome back from the dead... what is your platform? Reforms??
Laweson: 'Very good question from the closet queen in a wig. Yes my platform will include free lunches for our children and tougher sentences on crime. Not to mention that archaic idea of licensing people having sex well we can do away with that ridicules law.
Laweson leans to the side again. 'I am being told ridiculous.'
Nyusha (NyushaZoryAna): "So what exactly is this great church of lawson really all about? and what do people get 25% off from?"
"I mean 20%"
Lawson: 'Excellent question from the red head in the fuck me pumps. The church of lawson promotes everyone to treat their body as a temple and to lavish upon themselves the pleasures and comfort of what life has to oaffer in excess. The human condition to pursue self satisfaction. We offer seminars and your first processing which include a one on one with me personally so i can evaluate your flaws and inform you how to pursue a fuller happier life with a discount.'
Peter from New York (PeterFromNewYork): What about citizens who only have a few credits to their name?
Lawson: 'Citizens who only have a few credits are terrible people indeed they got it bad. I can offer menial tasks such as cleaning part of my body or looking after my specialty patented genetic hybrid animals to cover the cost of their salvation. As for those outlawed from the city, the world needs outcasts and untouchable, but they are not beyond saving provided they can afford my insight and wisdom.'
Laweson: 'I see you all are awe struck, that happens in the presence of greatness so I will wrap up on this note. We are in this boat sailing the seas of the future. We all need to row in one direction, the beat of the drum keeps us going and the crack of the whip ensures everyone pulls their weight. I am newly arrived back in the city so while I have no official job aside from being the visionary leader of this fantastic church. I don't know who I am up against but I doubt they can boast to single handedly taking down the syndicate. Trust me with your future and with your daughters and we will all prosper on the Lawson boat to paradise together.'
Nyusha (NyushaZoryAna): "Ahhhh Mr. Dick, if you took down the Syndicate by your own hand. Why is it they still exist? I mean come on here? Really?"
Lawson: 'Yes to the red head with the bad haircut. You can take a shit but there will always be dingle berries to deal with, I promise you I will deal with them the way I dealt with the five heads of the ghost dragons. Yeah who do you think took them out, here is a guess this guy!' he said pointing his thumbs at himself.
Laweson: 'I trust the dreaded black guy knows all about pipe dreams but I am looking for a well qualified secretary, qualifications are they need to be shaven from the eyebrows down with a peppy spirit. Work in the modeling industry will certainly help you. Again if you want a private consulting just contact me at my email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
'While I would love to regale you with stories of how that took place and wiped them out with mind power and positive thinking at this time. The night is young and we have some celebration to do. The CEO's of many corps wanted a parade but I figured that would be too extravagant an entry so I humble myself before you and ask that you remember me in your prayers before bed. I will bring us to salvation and through this dry valley of lost love ones and crazy genetic androids running crazy. This is going to be a good year for Insilico. I hold you all in my heart and in my dreams and some of you in my special place.' he said eying the ladies.
Lawson: 'They tried once already to the rest of you have a great night and I will see you at church!' he said winking at them as he walked off the stage.
Confirmed: Gemini Out, AEON In.
Following up on the rumors from earlier this week; InSilico News Network can now report with 100% confidence that ownership of Insilico has been transferred to AEON Holdings. While neither Gemini nor AEON have released a public statement concerning the transfer, a key participant in those negotiations agreed to speak candidly with INN under the condition of anonymity. For their protection, we shall simply refer to them as DOE during the course of this interview.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
INN: “Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today.”
DOE: “The people of this city have always had a close relationship with Gemini, for better or worse…So I think they have a right to know what is happening.”
INN: “Why all the secrecy surrounding the ‘sale’ of the city?”
DOE: “Well for one, the circumstances weren’t exactly friendly. To talk about it openly would be to air Gemini’s dirty laundry. Not only could this hurt their reputation in the market, but it could have also brought other parties into the fray. Of course, we can’t downplay the issue of pride here either.”
INN: “Yes. Even as Gemini scaled back their corporate operations here in the city, they have always maintained that they were committed to InSilico’s future.”
DOE: “And they were, or at least that’s what they wanted to believe…Gemini founded InSilico more than 150 years ago. It was the first city of its kind, their first base of operations off-surface, and it became a springboard for the new civilization that came. Yes, it has very much shaped the company’s ego from the beginning.”
INN: “Then why agree to a sale at all?”
DOE: “Like I said, this wasn’t the result of friendly negotiations. Internally, things haven’t been so easy for Gemini. Particularly with Ms. Chubachi’s controversial time as Director coming to an end, there has been a lot of in-fighting over the direction in which the company should be steered. Certain large investors factionalized, vying for power and a controlling stake.”
INN: “And AEON was one of these factions?”
DOE: “Yes. Now I can’t say for certain if this was their plan all along, or if they just seized on the opportunity …In either event, AEON started an alliance among the smaller and mid-level investors, slowly growing a larger pool of shares with which to assert power.”
INN: “So AEON was attempting a takeover?”
DOE: “Well no, not exactly. I don’t think they could have ever acquired a controlling stake in the company, and I don’t think that was their agenda. But with the other factions wanting a controlling stake, AEON had acquired enough shares to prevent any of them from doing so.”
INN: “They forced a stalemate?”
DOE: “Exactly. And in this they had power. If anyone wanted to break the stalemate, they were going to have to agree to AEON’s terms.”
INN: “And InSilico was the price?”
DOE: “So it would seem. It was the only demand AEON and its alliance members would make. They clearly had a very specific goal in this.”
INN: “Why do you think that is? What valuable is in it for them?”
DOE: “That I couldn’t say. I do not know why they wanted it, or their intentions for the city now that they own it. But obviously they thought that is was valuable enough to be the only thing they were willing to negotiate for.”
INN: “And ultimately Gemini conceded. What does the company get out of this deal?”
DOE: “They got what they needed to out of the deal, if begrudgingly…And on paper it looks like a win. An end to the stalemate, a controlling stake over rival factions...stability. Also, by styling this as a buy back, they’ve decreased the overall number of shares, thus increasing the value of the remaining…all while unburdening themselves from the expenses of maintaining the city. Everyone comes out a little richer in the end, despite the circumstance.”
INN: “So in the end, money talked?”
DOE: “I guess they can always buy more pride.”
INN: “What do you think this means for Gemini’s partners, particularly AGIS, that operate in this city? Many have speculated that their aggressive expansion in InSilico was a sign that Gemini was conceding management to them.”
DOE: “I do not know. AGIS has had a strong alliance with Gemini for years. Now that Gemini is no longer calling the shots in InSilico, I do now know what that would mean for the future of AGIS or any of their other partners in the city.
INN: “Those are all the questions we have at the moment. Thank you for the time.”
DOE: “…good luck.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
As a courtesy INN provided a true copy of this story to Drew Bryne, AEON’s spokesperson, prior to its publication. While she was not yet willing to formally discuss the transfer of ownership, Ms. Bryne did verify the details contained within the article. When asked what would change for InSilico now, she responded with “everything.”
The A's of InSilico
AEON, AGIS and the Rest of the Acronyms
Dear Readers! It has been some time since our last chat and I am coming to you with all the info your worried hearts are craving. There was a previous posting about our fair City's take over by mysterious corp, AEON. Today I am bringing much, much more to you. I was lucky enough to sit down with Wilhelm James, AEON CEO, and have a lovely little chat about our fair City's future. This was followed by a chat with everyone's favorite AGIS CEO, Eve Dimitriaski herself. I won't bore you with the full transcripts as many of you would not bother to read them(I know, tl;dr right?) but I will attach links so you can all peruse at your leisure.
So, to start with, some very important things to touch on. Here is what James himself had to say on the future of our fair City:
What are your plans for InSilico City now that you've taken control?
"InSilico wasn't just a life boat for humanity; it was a springboard for it. While everyone else were just clingin' to stability, a city flourished cause innovation was the asset most valued...AEON an' its subsidiaries want to be bringin' that back. We're not just gonna be makin' the city relevant gain, we're gonna be makin' it needed 'gain"
What about Gemini laws and regulations regarding citizenship and citizen rights?
"Gemini applied its corporate laws to the city, but those laws ain't ever been tailored to it. The city was just part of that corporation, rather than bein' a thing unto itself. We're gonna re-evaluate an' reapply those laws as if the city itself were the corporation, with no grander focus beyond or more than what is needed 'ere an now."
Clearly an interesting man with bright visions! Though that accent...
He shared many thoughts and ideas, touching on various things from AGIS's new role and what kind of security systems will be put in place. There was also discussion on AI regulations, cloning and fabricant controls. Feel free to read the whole conversation found HERE
Eve Dimitriaski has had what some would call a checkered history with our fair City. Her corporation is known for its genetic monopoly and many remember her vacuuming at various clubs to gather the skin flakes that had fallen off patrons. Few could forget the battle at the Lyra station to free one version of her which later led to another version going on a murderous rampage. But there is no denying that AGIS, and Eve herself, are integral parts of our fair City. Without AGIS, we would have no medical center, no matter how risky you may think it is to go there. And more than a few dear Readers would be at a loss for conspiracy theories if it weren't for her.
My chat with her was as lovely as it ever is. She seemed sincere in everything she said about AEON and their finagling to take over our fair City despite AGIS's apparent intentions to do so themselves. While there is no established connection between AGIS and AEON, Eve hinted that she'd be open to such in the future. Here's a bit of our chat:
What's AGIS's view on this take over by AEON?
"We would like to congratulate AEON's on their quick maneuvering and success in this manner. I am sure they know what they are in for as a direct result of their success."
How will this take over impact AGIS's connection with the city?
"Our presence and medical facilities will remain in the city. We have a long standing relationship with Insilico and I don't predict we will see any change in that relationship anytime soon."
We also discussed the ongoing Shoda project, a place that many of our fair City's citizens fled to when the conditions within the city itself became unreliable for life support:
What about the rumours that Shoda is being rapidly expanded to become a major threat to IS?
"[chuckles] I find that hard to believe anyone would entertain that notion. We are not a military force like VASC we are staffed with scientists and geneticists. We are rapidly expanding Shoda to help transfer our main corporate technology to this secure station as well as to help reform what we believe to be a more hub for trade and growth. Not just for AGIS assets but for our business associates."
What exactly is Shoda?
"Shoda is a genetics factory that has been steadily converted to a livable station. We also have moved our core conduit technology there for security reasons and as such has been the center for much scientific discoveries. We predict to see a population growth so have been converting labs and stations to livable habitats."
Our conversation continued, touching on various subjects such as plant mutations, possible threats to AGIS itself and various interesting things. Read the entire thing HERE
Dear Readers, I have given you much to take in this lovely evening. Leave your thoughts, questions and comments for me below and we'll see if anything else can be discovered.
As Always I am...
Stormy Weathers, Reporting
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"With Mars moving further away with each passing day, and Conduit travel out of reach to most citizens, there is no better time than now to come home!"
*Vouchers offered in partnership with the Mars Midway Transit Authority. One per registered citizen. Departing flights available on a first come-first server basis. Non-direct flights only, with passage through Mars Midway Station en-route to InSilico. Checked baggage fees not included. Vouchers not redeemable in full or in part after two weeks.
"Was that an earthquake!?"
Public Notice: Do not be alarmed by the tremors! The city is NOT under attack! Any vibrations you might feel are in fact a sign of progress...
AEON is currently in the process of decoupling the Northern platform so that it can be relocated to the south-east in order to more efficiently balance the city and its resources. Citizens are advised to take extra care in their movements between sectors during this period. Watch your footing, hold on to hand rails, and be aware of closing bulkhead doors as the area is isolated from the main city structure. Once the relocation is complete, extensive renovations of North (soon to be SE) will begin...with Central and South scheduled to follow.
BREAKING: AEON RESPONDS TO QUAKE
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
AEON wishes to apologize for the perceived delay in responding to the so-called “Cityquake” event. In order to combat rampant speculation and piecemeal statements; our agents worked tirelessly through the night to collect as much information as possible in order to present a more complete briefing of the facts to the citizens of InSilico.
At approximately 10:30 last evening, an explosion occurred at the sea-level fission reactor. The total damage is still being assessed, but it appears that both the reactor and gas exchange conduit linking it to the city have been crippled. The tremors that were felt last night were not from the explosion itself, but rather the city platform attempting to compensate for unexpected drift resulting from the shearing of two primary mooring tethers. Agents are still investigating the root cause of the melt-down, however there is NO evidence yet linking it to these “Devil’s Nights” occurrences, or any other known terrorist activities. Until it is known otherwise, we are approaching this event as an infrastructure issue.
While this calls for urgent attention, there is no need for undue alarm and panic. No critical damage to the InSilico platform has been discovered. City-side atmospheric processors and water reclamation systems are currently compensating for the loss of the reactor. Further, these redundancy systems were designed to operate at peak capacity for up to two weeks without supplementation from the primary systems. This should give emergency crews sufficient time to bring the reactor back online and re-secure the mooring tethers. However, there may be additional tremors during this period.
Citizens are advised to stay alert and be prepared to follow any emergency instructions. Additional notices will be released as needed.
PUBLIC ALERT: South East Evacuation
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
Due to ongoing concerns relating to last week’s reactor shut-down, AEON hereby orders the evacuation of the South East sector within the following seventy-two hours.
This action is being taken out of an abundance of precaution, and should only be temporary until our infrastructure technicians can bring the new environmental systems online. However, for the safety of everyone in the sector, this order is mandatory and in effect.
Please take notice of the posted egress routes, and bring only the essentials that you can carry out on foot. Transport and shelter space will be limited. If you have elsewhere to stay in the city, please make those arrangements now. All facilities capable of accommodating evacuees are requested to do so.
AICHI personnel will be on the ground to coordinate the evacuation and have been granted martial authority during this state of urgency. All laws will be strictly enforced, and there will be zero-tolerance for predatory behavior. The UBC has also frozen all credit rates in the city until such a time that this event is resolved.
Further public notices are to follow.
PUBLIC ALERT: clyp.it/tapnw3tq
UPDATE: South East Evacuation
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
AEON Holdings is pleased to report that the evacuation of the South East Sector is complete. All residents have successfully been relocated to temporary shelters or alternative accommodations with only minimal complications. Reported incidents of crime and resistance were likewise minimal. At this time, all city platforms have been re-secured, and technicians from Redux Technologies are in South East to integrate new platform-independent support systems with the existing grid and redundancies. This work is expected to last for several more days, and will be thoroughly tested before an "all-clear" order is issued. As a reminder, the sector will remain closed to all but authorized personnel and security until that time.
We also want thank everyone for their cooperation during this state of urgency. In particular, InSilico's Director of Security and the staff of AICHI Solutions are recognized for their hard work and diligence to ensure the safety of not only everyone in the sector, but the city as well.
Further public notices are to follow.
UPDATE: South East Systems Installed
**OK FOR PUBLIC RELEASE**
Service technicians from Redux Technologies have completed their work in the South East sector. AEON Holdings has currently scheduled the environmental processors to be brought online this Wednesday afternoon, with integration testing lasting for several hours thereafter. During this time there may be brief service disruptions to the city grid while these new systems are calibrated. Such events are to be expected and should not be a cause for concern. Should a matter of urgency develop, the Public Alert system will be activated accordingly.
As a reminder, the sector will remain closed until all systems have been thoroughly tested, and before an "all-clear" order will be issued. The cooperation and continue patience of all residents is greatly appreciated.
Further public notices are to follow.
EMERGENCY BROADCAST
All residents are hereby ordered to stay away from the South East sector.
REPEAT. STAY AWAY FROM SOUTH EAST.
DO NOT APPROACH OR ENGAGE.
All security forces are to pull back and establish a perimeter. Anyone violating this order is to be arrested for endangering the public safety. Emergency authorizations are granted. SecNet is activated.
Interview: Elias Vance, AEON Interim Liaison Officer
Following this morning's press briefing, AEON Holding’s Interim Liaison Officer, Elias Vance, was gracious enough to accept INN’s request for an audio-only interview.
[Being Transcript]
INN: “Thank you for accepting our call.”
Mr. Vance: “I can only give you a few minutes, but I’ll try to answer what I can.”
INN: “Is there any new information about what’s happening in the South East sector?”
Mr. Vance: “New? No…There isn’t really much to tell. All of our intel is coming from the perimeter at this point, so what facts I can say with any certainty are already out in open. Anything beyond that would just be speculation on my part.”
INN: “Have the AIs made any further demands?”
Mr. Vance: “No. There have been no further demands…there hasn’t been any communication at all.”
INN: "What is the Consensus?"
Mr. Vance: "I honestly have no answer. It, they, appear to be some kind of collective for rogue artificial intelligences. We also know that Gemini had detected some network chatter relating to their appearance several years back, after the dissolution of another rumored collective known as Haven. We have no other details beyond that. Neither Gemini, nor the Consensus itself, has been forthcoming with additional information."
INN: “Was the Consensus responsible for the meltdown at the surface reactor?”
Mr. Vance: “That certainly seems plausible in hindsight, though we have yet to discover any direct evidence of it. Could also just be a coincidence. Either way, they certainly took advantage of it.”
INN: “How?”
Mr. Vance: “We’re still investigating that. We know that they somehow managed to gain access when the new processors in South East were being integrated with the grid. Our best theory currently is that there was some code distributed across the new systems that was innocuous enough to avoid detection…possibly in the firmware. When the processors were brought online, it gave them root access to the whole environmental control system.”
INN: “If that’s true, does that mean that they would have needed access to those systems before they were installed?”
Mr. Vance: “That’s something we’re investigating too, yes.”
INN: “Did a human help them? Do you have any suspects?”
Mr. Vance: “Possibly, and no. None officially yet. Obviously we’re questioning everyone involved, but we do have one person being escorted by guard back to the city relating to their activities before and after these events occurred. Again, it could just be more coincidence...though we’re certainly seeing a lot of those recently.”
INN: “Why South East and the Shades? What is the significance of that platform?”
Mr. Vance: “It’s probably significant because it had…has…no real significance. There’s a dock, but otherwise no other critical city infrastructure. Legitimate business interests in the sector have always been minimal. Given its history as the center for organized crime and the unregistered, everyone just kind of turned a blind eye toward it in the past. Christ, that’s why that whole area was slated for renewal to begin with!”
INN: “Is AEON planning on taking action to recover the sector?”
Mr. Vance: “I wouldn’t discuss any potential plans on the record, even if I did have knowledge of them. All I will say is that, at the moment, we’re in a bit of a draw. They still have access to the environmental systems, but we still control the power and platform infrastructure…I don’t think either side is rushing to take any action that could have dire consequences for us all.”
INN: "What about the UBC and the Allied Regulatory Committee? Will they be intervening?"
Mr. Vance: "Same answer. They are working with us and offering assistance, but this is still a sovereign problem at this time."
INN: "Should citizens be concerned about other AIs operating in the city?"
Mr. Vance: "It's certainly not an undue fear, given our circumstances. If need be though, we will initiate the ARC's mandated remote shutdown protocol, and destroy any machines that do not comply. We're also instituting a moratorium on any unregistered AI systems from entering the city.
INN: "Do you think there are rogue AIs that will try to join the Consensus in South East?"
Mr. Vance: "Society has been fighting back the emergence of rogue intelligence for decades. We have laws in place to help minimize that threat. Yet advances in technology, and sympathizers, will always carry that risk though. I'm sure there are some out there in hiding that will try to seek the advantage in this...We're actively monitoring the network and interlink for suspicious activity, but it's impossible to lock down all forms of communication with the sector. However, if a rogue machine tries to physically join them, then they'll have to evade the security perimeter in order to do so.
INN: There have been rumors in the underground of cybernetically-enhanced, and even biologically synthetic, dissidents rallying to 'the cause.' What would you say to them?
Mr. Vance: "I haven't heard those rumors myself, but if they are true...I would advise extreme caution. We have no idea what the Consensus considers "synthetic intelligence", and it could potentially put the rest of the city at risk by attempting to join them in South East. And again...we have established a security perimeter. Anyone and anything trying to breach it, from either side, will be dealt with harshly without question...OH! Also the fact that there is no O2 processing happening, so I hope they can hold their breath."
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