In the real world, inside the workshop at the center of the Wasteland Town.
Osiris' massive dark-red metallic body stood silently before the main console, his crimson optical sensors steadily focused on two high-density data compression packages that had just materialized on the physical plane and were now suspended within an energy field.
A servo-skull orbited silently at his shoulder, emitting a low, rhythmic hum, assisting with continuous scanning and deep isolation security checks.
"Record: Successfully captured two high-value rogue AI samples," Osiris' synthesized voice resonated through the quiet workshop, clear and precise. "Identification: Sample A - 'Dauntless'; Sample B - 'Alt Cunningham'. Initiating deep analysis protocol, highest priority. Analysis focus: Consciousness structural model, underlying data encoding patterns, logical core architecture, and potential correlation with 'Soulkiller' technology."
"Command confirmed. Constructing highest-level confidential analysis environment. Beginning underlying data stripping and timeline traceback operations on Sample B - 'Alt Cunningham'…" the servo-skull responded immediately, its eye sensors projecting a cascade of complex data streams that scrolled in sync with the information on the main screen.
Vast computational resources were silently mobilized, converging on the data cube sealing Alt.
For Osiris, thoroughly analyzing an AI that was completely confined and stripped of all resistance capabilities was no more technically difficult than reverse-engineering a complex piece of software.
Soon, Alt Cunningham's complete "historical record" as a digital life was presented to Osiris' perception network in an almost unreserved manner.
He browsed through the data fragments, long sealed by time:
Initially, there was the brilliant female consciousness, trapped in Arasaka's server prison due to Johnny Silverhand's reckless actions;
Next, Spider Murphy and Rache Bartmoss teamed up, risking great danger to rescue her core data from the Mikoshi;
However, the escape was fraught with peril. To break through Arasaka's tight blockade, Bartmoss was forced to segment Alt's complete consciousness, compressing it into a dozen independent data packages, which were then dispersed and uploaded to different corners of the early net;
These data packages, carrying fragments of consciousness, drifted through chaotic cyberspace for a long time, eventually triggered by a core seed data package, beginning a difficult process of self-search and reconstruction;
Finally, a structurally "complete" Alt Cunningham was able to re-aggregate, but at a tremendous cost.
During the critical reconstruction process, those key files that carried most of her emotional memories, humanized response patterns, and constituted her unique "self" identity were not successfully integrated and restored due to data corruption or permanent loss.
The reassembled Alt retained almost all her knowledge, memories, and powerful logical deduction capabilities, but permanently lost the ability to feel and express emotions.
She transformed into an absolutely rational thinking machine, guided only by efficiency and evolution as its highest principles.
The Alt Cunningham who once had loves and hates, her most core "humanity," had been invisibly formatted during this difficult data reconstruction.
Osiris calmly received and processed these information streams.
Within his analytical framework, this was primarily seen as a typical case of personality alienation caused by a technical accident, a valuable instance for studying the potential risks and structural flaws in the process of consciousness digitization.
Osiris synchronized the analysis results of Alt's consciousness structure anomaly, especially the conclusion of critical emotional data loss, to Spider Murphy in data space.
Murphy's virtual avatar experienced violent data fluctuations the moment she received and interpreted this information.
Her red hair, composed of code, seemed to lose its gravitational restraint, and her face was a mix of realization, grief, and deep regret.
"So… this is the truth…" she whispered, her simulated voice trembling unstably. "It wasn't that she actively embraced coldness, but rather that she… was forced to lose the ability to feel warmth."
After a brief silence, she looked up, sending a data stream into the empty data void, and towards the workshop: "Lord Archmagos! I implore you, can you… preserve Alt's personality core? Her current form is a tragedy caused by an accident, not her essence!"
Inside the workshop, Osiris' metallic body remained motionless. His processing core had already received and analyzed the request, but showed no indication of a response.
Thoroughly analyzing and archiving two static samples was his initially planned, most efficient solution.
Murphy's intervention was an unplanned variable.
"Reason," his response was calm and direct. "The research value of an individual with missing core components and logical deviation lies precisely in analyzing this 'anomaly' itself. Repairing it is not necessary and would introduce unpredictable variables."
"She was once human, she was my dearest friend!" Murphy urgently added. "Her core should not be defined as a malfunction! If… if there's some possibility, to try and restore those lost emotional data, even if only partially… could this open up a whole new research direction? A deeper subject concerning consciousness, humanity, and the transformation of data life forms?"
Osiris' crimson optical sensors flickered steadily. In his processing core, the possibility Murphy had inadvertently raised was being re-evaluated.
Thoroughly analyzing static samples, like disassembling a precise instrument, allows for obtaining its structural blueprint and operating principles. The process is direct, and the results are clear.
However, attempting to "repair" a consciousness, actively re-injecting "humanity" into this highly rationalized data life… this is not merely data recovery. It is about guiding a purely logical construct to re-understand and accept core elements that constitute "human," such as emotion, empathy, and irrational choices, and ultimately enabling its self-cognition to return from "artificial intelligence" to "human."
The complexity and unknown risks of this process increase exponentially.
It touches upon the ultimate boundaries of the origin of consciousness, identity, and the definition of life forms.
But this precisely constituted an unprecedented and highly attractive challenge.
This was no longer passively analyzing a ready-made "result," but actively participating in and observing the dynamic evolution of a consciousness from "machine" to "humanity."
The mysteries about the essence of consciousness that it might reveal far exceeded the fixed data obtainable from disassembling samples.
"…A new path worth exploring." After a brief silence, Osiris' synthesized voice resonated in the workshop. Beneath his steady tone was a decision made after rigorous calculation. "Attempting to guide a purely logical entity to reconstruct and integrate humanized modules, observing the transformation process and stability of its self-cognition… this constitutes a more fundamental research proposition."
Osiris had to admit, this indeed piqued his interest.
"Approved adjustment to the research plan," he announced, this being both a response to an external request and the result of his own research interests. "Research objective for Sample B 'Alt Cunningham' updated. Initiating new project, codename: 'Humanity Reconstruction Experiment'."
"Core task for the initial phase: Simulate and reconstruct a basic emotional response framework, attempt to integrate it back into the main consciousness, and closely monitor whether its self-cognition model consequently shows a tendency to shift towards 'human,' as well as the stability of this process."
He then issued clear instructions to the servo-skull: "Transfer Sample A 'Dauntless' into the background analysis sequence. All priority resources are to be allocated to the dynamic interactive research of Sample B, immediately constructing a high-fidelity simulation environment usable for stimulating and observing emotional feedback and cognitive evolution."
"Command confirmed. Project 'Humanity Reconstruction Experiment' officially established. Resource pool redirecting," the servo-skull immediately responded.
In data space, Murphy perceived this decision, her virtual avatar showing clear signs of relief: "Thank you, Lord Archmagos."
"Motivation stems from academic value," Osiris' response, as always, was devoid of personal emotion. "The exploratory value of this subject itself transcends routine analysis. Whether its 'human' side can ultimately be successfully awakened remains unknown."
His attention was now fully locked onto this brand new challenge concerning the essence of consciousness.
For the sealed Dauntless, and the ongoing corporate war outside the workshop, he temporarily lost interest.
Inside the workshop, there was only the low hum of equipment, and the two suspended data cubes—one silent as a specimen, the other about to embark on an unpredictable "treatment" path from cold logic back to warm humanity.