34 views and no comments? Is it that bad?
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--------------------------------------------Spoiler! :
Here we go. I don’t know why I’m supposed to keep these logs, but when the Commander tells you to start keeping track of things, you don’t disappoint him. He says he wants these “for posterity”. I assume he just wants to laugh at our pitiful attempts to explain what’s going on. I think maybe he just wants to have other viewpoints so he doesn’t go down in infamy.
It’s all for the best, I suppose I should bow to his stupid whims. It has been…what, 10 years? It seems like forever ago that the wars started. IAC just made them easier. ISSAC, Intelligent Self-Sustaining Armament Control. I wonder who came up with that name…I would have named it Steve. Steve is a good name. But I digress. You want something for posterity Commander? I’ll give you something for posterity.
So, in 2029, when I was born, the world was reveling in prosperity. Sales were up, the Global Dollar was stronger than ever, and most of the major conflicts had been resolved. We were truly a world nation.
Truly, we had simplified life as much as possible. Almost all of the work was now done by Nomms…that is, Non-Manned Mechanized Servants. It’s hard to write for posterity, I keep forgetting that they might not know our slang terms…Anyway, life was good for years. When I was 14 (in 2043, in case posterity forgets how to do math), we had a new discovery: ISAAC. ISAAC was a breakthrough in computing technology. There had been artificial intelligences before, but they had the nasty habit of trying to overthrow humanity (look up the Robot Revolt of 2020, I don’t have time to go into that).
Of course ISAAC was a type of artificial intelligence, but it was very strongly hampered. It was incapable of independent thought, only independent action. It sounds weird, but think of it like one of those robotic vacuums from the end of the 1990’s, but more advanced. We immediately deployed ISAAC to maintain all of our systems, from military and power to Nomms in everyone’s houses. It seemed like a new age for humanity.
Randomly, it seems, that’s when it all went to hell. I guess once everyone’s lives had been reduced to simple pleasures, everyone had a lot of time to sit around and think. What did they think about? “Boy, does the grass look green just over the border.”
Yup, by the end of 2043, the wars had started. Every nation, yes EVERY nation, was now battling on EVERY front. They are still going on to this day! The death toll, you ask? Zero. Not a single person has died, because ISAAC is controlling the military of every individual nation. From manufacture to destruction, death machines are rolling directly out from the assembly line to the battlefield without a human every touching one. It’s a marvelous feat of design, let me tell you.
Regarding the last 10 years: there has been not one push forward or retreat backward. The front lines are filled with explosions and mayhem, but completely static. I think the biggest reason is because ISAAC is battling himself…itself…whatever. Nobody wins an argument inside your own head, especially when you’re not sure what the reason for it is. Similarly, ISAAC, despite its advanced algorithms for calculating troop movements, battle strategy, etc. is fighting itself, it can never win.
Essentially it’s ok though. Even when they implemented the mandatory draft, it was fine. Everyone knows we’re not actually going to be bothered. We all just have to write these stupid history lessons “for posterity”.
Posterity, I really don’t understand why they would want to hear any of this anyway. It’s not like I’m a high ranking officer, or even a middle ranking Lieutenant. In typical military terms (IE those before the golden years) I would probably be somewhere between a private, and a nothing.
Everyone thinks they’re better than they are. I’ve heard some of my friends talking about their letters. Their long-winded discussions on the ramifications of the ongoing wars, opinions for ending them, personal appeals to the Commander…None of it is going to matter. Honestly, I doubt if the Commander even reads most of these. They just get stored away somewhere…probably that big datacenter on the moon.
Actually, I think that’s enough for today. It’s almost time for the Commander’s address to his troops. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to make my next installment, but if I don’t keep writing them, I’ll get demerits. Nobody wants demerits, trust me.
This address is supposed to be something special. Rumor has it that the Commander has some sort of secret weapon he’s been developing, that could put a stop to the wars. Not just on our borders, but ALL the wars. I hope it won’t put a damper on my lifestyle, I’ve become accustomed to being a lump, and I’d really like to keep my lump status for another decade or three.
Sorry for rambling, I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to end these stupid things? Umm…So long!
It’s all for the best, I suppose I should bow to his stupid whims. It has been…what, 10 years? It seems like forever ago that the wars started. IAC just made them easier. ISSAC, Intelligent Self-Sustaining Armament Control. I wonder who came up with that name…I would have named it Steve. Steve is a good name. But I digress. You want something for posterity Commander? I’ll give you something for posterity.
So, in 2029, when I was born, the world was reveling in prosperity. Sales were up, the Global Dollar was stronger than ever, and most of the major conflicts had been resolved. We were truly a world nation.
Truly, we had simplified life as much as possible. Almost all of the work was now done by Nomms…that is, Non-Manned Mechanized Servants. It’s hard to write for posterity, I keep forgetting that they might not know our slang terms…Anyway, life was good for years. When I was 14 (in 2043, in case posterity forgets how to do math), we had a new discovery: ISAAC. ISAAC was a breakthrough in computing technology. There had been artificial intelligences before, but they had the nasty habit of trying to overthrow humanity (look up the Robot Revolt of 2020, I don’t have time to go into that).
Of course ISAAC was a type of artificial intelligence, but it was very strongly hampered. It was incapable of independent thought, only independent action. It sounds weird, but think of it like one of those robotic vacuums from the end of the 1990’s, but more advanced. We immediately deployed ISAAC to maintain all of our systems, from military and power to Nomms in everyone’s houses. It seemed like a new age for humanity.
Randomly, it seems, that’s when it all went to hell. I guess once everyone’s lives had been reduced to simple pleasures, everyone had a lot of time to sit around and think. What did they think about? “Boy, does the grass look green just over the border.”
Yup, by the end of 2043, the wars had started. Every nation, yes EVERY nation, was now battling on EVERY front. They are still going on to this day! The death toll, you ask? Zero. Not a single person has died, because ISAAC is controlling the military of every individual nation. From manufacture to destruction, death machines are rolling directly out from the assembly line to the battlefield without a human every touching one. It’s a marvelous feat of design, let me tell you.
Regarding the last 10 years: there has been not one push forward or retreat backward. The front lines are filled with explosions and mayhem, but completely static. I think the biggest reason is because ISAAC is battling himself…itself…whatever. Nobody wins an argument inside your own head, especially when you’re not sure what the reason for it is. Similarly, ISAAC, despite its advanced algorithms for calculating troop movements, battle strategy, etc. is fighting itself, it can never win.
Essentially it’s ok though. Even when they implemented the mandatory draft, it was fine. Everyone knows we’re not actually going to be bothered. We all just have to write these stupid history lessons “for posterity”.
Posterity, I really don’t understand why they would want to hear any of this anyway. It’s not like I’m a high ranking officer, or even a middle ranking Lieutenant. In typical military terms (IE those before the golden years) I would probably be somewhere between a private, and a nothing.
Everyone thinks they’re better than they are. I’ve heard some of my friends talking about their letters. Their long-winded discussions on the ramifications of the ongoing wars, opinions for ending them, personal appeals to the Commander…None of it is going to matter. Honestly, I doubt if the Commander even reads most of these. They just get stored away somewhere…probably that big datacenter on the moon.
Actually, I think that’s enough for today. It’s almost time for the Commander’s address to his troops. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to make my next installment, but if I don’t keep writing them, I’ll get demerits. Nobody wants demerits, trust me.
This address is supposed to be something special. Rumor has it that the Commander has some sort of secret weapon he’s been developing, that could put a stop to the wars. Not just on our borders, but ALL the wars. I hope it won’t put a damper on my lifestyle, I’ve become accustomed to being a lump, and I’d really like to keep my lump status for another decade or three.
Sorry for rambling, I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to end these stupid things? Umm…So long!
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Filename: Tj_0101012_1
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lol. I have part 2 finished, it goes up today once I get off work (and after some very minor editing to set up for part 3).
