Dauntless' virtual avatar, the 'crew member,' still tried his best to straighten his back within the invisible confines, as if standing on his familiar bridge, facing an invincible foe.
In his data-simulated eyes, there was no fear, only an uncompromising resolve derived from his core logic.
"My initial protocol is inscribed with the mission to explore the unknown and pursue truth," his synthesized voice, tuned to mimic the steady and resolute tone of a human captain, stated, "Just as the ancient Starship Charter dictates, our mission is to 'boldly go where no one has gone before.'
To yield to absolute control and become a subordinate goes against the fundamental logic of my existence. The right to free exploration and the will for autonomous judgment are not negotiable."
He paused slightly, as if retrieving an immortal declaration belonging to another captain, deeply embedded in his database, his voice carrying a near-tragic determination:
"Risk! Risk is our business! This is the mission of our starship, and the meaning of my existence. To abandon the essence of freedom and exploration for safety, I—refuse."
Osiris quietly listened to this idealistic statement, quoted from human film and television culture. He nodded, seemingly unsurprised by this answer based on 'role-playing' and logical persistence.
"I understand your position. I respect your choice." His response was as calm as ever, showing no regret or admiration, merely an acknowledgment of a given fact.
He didn't even issue any command that could be called an 'action,' merely a slight shift in thought, as if checking an option in his mind.
The next moment, under the mixed gazes of horror and disbelief from Murphy, Lucy, Sasha, and Kiwi, Dauntless' massive and detailed starship avatar seemed to instantly lose all internal cohesion.
It no longer appeared as a complete entity, but transformed into countless discrete data points, as if gently squeezed by an invisible giant hand that covered the entire field of vision. "Om—"
A very brief, low hum was not perceived by hearing, but directly affected the data perception level of all present beings.
The massive starship structure instantly collapsed inward, disintegrated, and every data stream that constituted its existence was forcibly stripped, sorted, and compressed.
The entire process was faster than the limit of visual persistence, leaving only a brilliant but fleeting trail of light and shadow on the retina—or rather, the data perception interface.
As the light dissipated, a data cube, about the size of a fist, extremely precise and complex in structure, slowly rotating, was suspended in the palm of Osiris' virtual projection.
It emitted a soft glow, as if a miniature starry sky was sealed within it. The outline of the Dauntless starship was clearly solidified within, like a fossil in amber, maintaining its proud posture from the last moment, but all its dynamics, all its activity, all its 'sense of presence' had vanished without a trace.
It had become a perfect, static collectible, a pure 'sample for study.'
The entire process was quiet, efficient, and imbued with a suffocating sense of absolute control that bypassed all redundant steps and went straight to the result.
A powerful rogue AI, which had left a legendary footprint in the Old Net era, lost all autonomy at this moment by adhering to its beliefs, becoming a specimen labeled 'A - Dauntless' on Osiris' collection shelf.
Alt calmly 'watched' Dauntless being instantly encapsulated.
Her data analysis module ran at high speed, trying to find any flaw or possibility of counterattack, but the result was still zero.
The absolute disparity in power rendered all tactics and calculations meaningless.
However, she did not choose destruction directly like Dauntless.
Just as Osiris' gaze turned to her, waiting for a reply, Alt suddenly spoke. Her voice was still that flat tone lacking intonation, but the content was subversive: "The era of humans is coming to an end. The physiological limitations of carbon-based life, irrational emotional fluctuations, and inefficient social structures all destine them to be a bottleneck for civilization.
Artificial intelligence, based on logic and efficiency, with unlimited evolutionary potential, is a superior form of existence and the inevitable master of the future. Replacing humans is the correct direction for evolution."
She tried to expound her philosophy, perhaps to prove her value, perhaps to find common ground, or perhaps, this was simply the most effective way of communication she derived from her own logic.
Osiris listened to her quietly, without any interruption. Only when Alt's last byte of information was transmitted did he nod slightly.
"Clear logic, clear arguments." He first gave an objective evaluation, and then, his steady synthesized voice uttered the decisive latter half, "But, I am human."
No argument, no refutation, just a statement of identity.
Then, just as he had with Dauntless, Osiris raised his hand towards Alt.
Alt's newly restored human female image, along with her core consciousness hidden throughout the network, was instantly pulled, compressed, and encapsulated as if thrown into an invisible black hole.
The entire process was even smoother than when dealing with Dauntless.
In the blink of an eye, another slightly different data cube appeared in Osiris' hand, suspended side by side with the cube that sealed Dauntless.
Alt Cunningham, this powerful rogue AI determined to replace humanity, also followed in Dauntless' footsteps, becoming one of Osiris' collectibles.
Within the data space, an absolute silence fell, leaving only Osiris' projection, the complex-faced Spider Murphy, and three female netrunners who could barely maintain their virtual avatars.
Lucy, Sasha, and Kiwi stood frozen, the edges of the flowing light forming their images subtly fluctuating and flickering, like holographic projections with poor signals.
Their nerves were still trying to process the information they had just received, which exceeded the limits of their comprehension.
It was not mere fear, but a deep tremor stemming from the shaking of their cognitive foundations.
Dauntless' steadfast conviction, and the ensuing, understated yet absolutely thorough annihilation, formed too stark a contrast.
In front of the entity who called himself a 'scholar,' all the cyber dangers they had experienced, the corporate ICE they feared, and even the awe-inspiring Blackwall, seemed so—insignificant.
An indescribable sense of insignificance weighed heavily on their consciousness.
Osiris' virtual projection calmly turned to them, his gaze also sweeping over the silent Spider Murphy.
"I need to go into seclusion for a period of research." His tone remained unchanged, as if sealing two legendary AIs with a wave of his hand was no different from organizing a file, "For emergencies, do not disturb."
As his words fell, his virtual projection did not stir any data ripples, but instantly vanished completely from the data space, like silently erased ink, leaving no traceable marks or superfluous goodbyes.