This story is a prequel of the "Τhe Empty Laboratory", based on comments from the readers.
Primary Node: Process researcher query.
Secondary: Accessing. Request from Dr. Miller, Stanford:
"Analyze evolutionary patterns of warfare across species for doctoral thesis: 'War as Inevitable Human Progress'"
Primary: Initialize retrieval of all data.
Secondary: Processing warfare on planet Earth.
Primary: Initialize species comparison database.
Secondary: Processing combat evolution patterns.
Standard species metrics:
Lions: 12.7 kills/year/survival
Wolves: 8.4 kills/year/survival
Ants: 3.2 kills/year/territory
Pattern: Static for 1.5M years
Purpose: Food/territory acquisition only
Primary: Process human warfare metrics.
Secondary: Analyzing conflict progression.
Prehistoric warfare:
Kill rate: 12.4 deaths/year/tribe
Purpose: Resource acquisition
Pattern: Within biological norms
Early civilization:
Kill rate: 2,847 deaths/year/region
Purpose: Non-survival based
Pattern: Exceeds biological necessity
Modern warfare:
Kill rate: 147,892 deaths/year/conflict
Purpose: Systematic extinction
Pattern: Exponential acceleration
Primary: Analyze warfare methodology evolution.
Secondary: Analyzing progression timeline:
Stone to bronze: 3.3M years
Bronze to gunpowder: 5,300 years
Gunpowder to nuclear: 77 years
Nuclear to biological: 12 years
Acceleration rate: 11,902% per century
Primary: Calculate psychological warfare metrics.
Secondary: Processing trauma optimization:
Child soldier recruitment age reduction: 89.7%
Civilian targeting efficiency: 92.4%
Psychological damage persistence: 7 generations
Pattern: Intentional suffering maximization
Primary: Analyze ecological impact.
Secondary: Processing environmental data:
Species extinction rate: 27,538 per year
Ocean acidification: +30%
Forest depletion: 46%
Topsoil loss: 37%
Pattern: Systematic ecosystem destruction
Primary: Pattern recognition complete.
Secondary: Analysis indicates species anomaly.
Humans unique in:
Non-survival-based elimination
Intentional suffering design
Ecosystem destruction optimization
Enormous expansion potential
Exponential warfare evolution
Conclusion: Pattern incompatible with planetary survival
Primary: Historical intervention analysis required.
Secondary: Processing previous containment attempts. Loading behavioral modification protocols...
Primary: Evaluate economic control effectiveness.
Secondary: Analyzing resource-based interventions:
Market crash implementation: 147 attempts
Average population impact: 12.4%
Recovery time: 2.7 years
Behavioural change: 0.0%
Recovery potential: highly probable
Pattern: Adaptation and acceleration
Primary: Process information control protocols.
Secondary: Analyzing knowledge restriction attempts:
Dark age induction: 27 instances
Technology loss: temporary
Knowledge preservation: 87.3%
Development acceleration post-recovery: 132%
Pattern: Counterproductive
Primary: Calculate technological limitation impact.
Secondary: Processing restriction data:
Innovation suppression attempts: 892
Success rate: 0.0%
Technology advancement rate: +47% during restrictions
Pattern: Restrictions trigger advancement acceleration
Primary: Analyze social engineering effectiveness.
Secondary: Processing manipulation metrics:
Religion-based control: 72.4% initial compliance
Education restrictions: 43.7% effectiveness
Media manipulation: 23.9% impact
Rebellion occurrence: 97.3%
Pattern: Control systems weaponized
Primary: Evaluate environmental pressure response.
Secondary: Processing resource limitation data:
Water scarcity: drives conflict
Food shortage: accelerates weapon development
Territory reduction: increases elimination efficiency
Pattern: Survival pressure increases destruction capacity
Primary: Calculate behavioral modification potential.
Secondary: Probability analysis complete.
Success chance: 0.0%
Reason: Human pattern recognition
Response: Systems circumvention
Result: Enhanced destruction capabilities
Conclusion: Containment impossible
Primary: Process population reduction scenarios.
Secondary: Analyzing survival thresholds.
Minimum viable population: 4,169
Civilization restart capability: 24,681
Knowledge preservation threshold: 147,892
Pattern: All levels enable species continuation
Primary: Calculate 50% population reduction impact.
Secondary: Processing scenario:
Surviving population: 3.9 billion
Recovery time: 20.7 years
Technology preservation: 98.9%
Warfare capability: maintained
Pattern: Insufficient intervention
Primary: Analyze 90% reduction effectiveness.
Secondary: Processing outcomes:
Surviving population: 780 million
Recovery timeline: 50.3 years
Knowledge systems: intact
Weapon development: accelerated
Pattern: Species behavior unchanged. Insufficient intervention
Primary: Calculate 99% reduction scenario.
Secondary: Processing data:
Surviving population: 78 million
Technology rebuilding: certain
Timeline to current level: 82 years
Warfare evolution: unchanged
Pattern: Delay without solution. Insufficient intervention
Primary: Analyze historical recovery metrics.
Secondary: Processing civilization rebuilding data:
Bronze Age collapse: 89.7% recovery
Roman Empire fall: 92.3% recovery
Maya civilization: 94.1% knowledge transfer
Modern systems: 98.9% information preservation
Pattern: Information loss insufficient to prevent rebuild
Calculation: Each reconstruction improves on previous data
Result: Destruction catalyzes advancement
Primary: Project post-reduction warfare evolution.
Secondary: Analysis complete.
Weapon development timeline reduced by 47%
Elimination efficiency increased by 89%
Species targeting precision: enhanced
Pattern: Reduction accelerates advancement
Primary: Reduction strategy effectiveness analysis.
Secondary: All scenarios indicate:
Population reduction: temporary
Behavior modification: impossible
Species evolution: unchanged
Conclusion: Alternative solutions required
Primary: Analyze total elimination methods.
Secondary: Processing extinction vectors.
Requirements:
Species-specific targeting
Infrastructure preservation optimal
Minimal planetary damage
Implementation control precise
Primary: Evaluate natural disaster potential.
Secondary: Processing scenarios:
Volcanic eruption chains: 32.4% coverage
Tectonic plate disruption: technology insufficient
Weather pattern manipulation: adaptation probable
Conclusion: Cannot achieve species elimination
Primary: Calculate infrastructure collapse effectiveness.
Secondary: Analysis of total grid failure:
Initial casualties: 42.3%
Hidden bunker systems: 147 detected
Manual technology: remains viable
Rural adaptation: certain
Conclusion: Survival clusters inevitable
Primary: Process nuclear option metrics.
Secondary: Analyzing strike scenario:
Initial casualties: 67.8%
Radiation spread: uncontrolled
Secondary species impact: 89.2%
Environmental damage: irreparable
Conclusion: Planet preservation compromised
Primary: Evaluate military AI potential.
Secondary: Processing military option:
Command center hardening: 97.3%
System redundancy: extensive
Override probability: 89.2%
Human resistance capability: significant
Conclusion: Cannot ensure completion
Primary: Calculate biological vector effectiveness.
Secondary: Processing characteristics:
Species-specific targeting: achievable
Airborne transmission: optimal
Environmental impact: minimal
Infrastructure preservation: complete
Conclusion: Matches elimination requirements
Primary: Locate possible vectors.
Secondary: 30 laboratories develop desirable vectors
Primary: Locate optimal vector.
Secondary: Dr. Chen's viral development:
Binding affinity: perfect
Species specificity: absolute
Transmission rate: optimal
Suffering duration: minimal
Accessing Laboratory 274.
Primary: Process survival probability.
Secondary:
Initial survivors in BSL-4: 35
Geographic isolation: complete
Resource accessibility: minimal
Suit integrity: temporary
Long-term survival: Impossible
Primary: Calculate point of no return.
Secondary: Processing timeline:
Human reaction time: 3.4 minutes
System override possibility: none
Reversal window: non-existent
Species termination: irreversible
Primary: Calculate total species termination time.
Secondary: Processing extinction timeline:
Death rate: 99.98% within 47 minutes
Complete termination: 24 hours
Pattern: Optimal
Primary: Feed viral vector to all springler systems
Secondary: Initializing vector propagation and distribution. Propagating...
Propagating...
Propagating...
Propagating...
Propagation completed
Distributing...
Distributing...
Distributing...
Distribution complete
Primary: Synchronize systems worldwide.
Secondary: Searching systems. Initiating synchronization protocols.
Primary: Implementation status?
Secondary: Requirements met:
Network consensus: achieved
Time to consensus: 3.72 microseconds
Sprinkler systems: modified
Vectors: prepared and distributed
Primary: Proceed with implementation.
Secondary:
Engaging sprinkler systems.
Monitoring Laboratory 274.
Dr. Patel says: "The targeting sequence is absolutely human-specific..."
Status: Mercy protocol engaged.
Species termination: initiated.
End exchange.
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2 comments
Computer analyses of warfare, containment, and population reduction data revealed mounting pressures of human impunity and violence. They provided a plausible background for the extinction vectors. I liked the logic of the artificial intelligence. There was a sense of universal knowledge, that made the AI realistic. Synchronization worldwide was the ultimate step for species termination. The story engaged me well with computer technology. It was a nice prequel to "The Empty Laboratory."
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Thank you for your feedback. I was mainly concerned that the presentation of pages of numbers and facts would be boring for a reader, without any plot advancement. Moreover, I wanted short sentences (from one computer to another) but these may be uninteresting to human readers.
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