Entrance to PI-15
TODO: Dungeon crawl.
You enter a room which looks like it should have a Control Pylon, but is empty space. The familiar voice of POSEIDON comes from everywhere and nowhere:
You are a curious group.
Instead of a Focus overlay, POSEIDON appears as a teal hologram. Lean, muscled, and sporting a cocked eyebrow, the image of the person before you seems cobbled together from various parts of your group. The figure has a variation of one person’s top, another person’s leggings and shoes, and so on. It carries no weapons, and does not seem threatening, though it does have the same haughty demeanor you’ve seen before.
The voice continues, now localized from the image:
You have made quite the journey. Why have you sought out this place?
TODO: Dialogue tree.
I am aware of a number of my facilities going dark, yes. I have been attempting to investigate one such facility not far from here, though I have not met with much success. My machines are either destroyed, or are taken from my control.
But you aren’t susceptible to the latter, are you? If you would be willing to rectify the situation, whatever its cause, I’m sure we could come to some kind of arrangement.
When asked what the AI has to offer, it will stretch out its arms as if to encompass everything around it.
The world, of course. My domain encompasses far more than what you have seen until now. My machines travel the entirety of this planet, above and below.
POSEIDON is intrigued to learn of the mysterious adversary which continues to attack its facilities:
A virus, then. Possibly even another, like myself, with its own goals and motivations. You say the machines produced by such corrupted facilities are better armed and more aggressive? Are these actions in response to humans hunting and destroying machines? Is this something you caused?
Maybe I should not bargain with you, then. Maybe rectification is something you owe me.
When asked what the AI knows about the facility it wants you to investigate, it holds out a globe, which zooms in and flattens to a map of the area. A segment of coastline, which has to be dozens or hundreds of kilometers long, flashes bright orange:
You are aware of my purpose, and that of my machines, yes? We work to ensure the waters of this world are safe and nourishing. The rivers and lakes near your homes are clean and bountiful thanks to us.
The facility is to the southeast of here, and is dedicated to the waters of the gulf. Its primary function is that of filtration: extracting fuel and other contaminants from the sea. It also contains bioproduction facilities, to stock all manner of ocean life.
If asked how you could get there, POSEIDON has a cautious suggestion:
I lose contact with my machines when they get too close. However, perhaps if I put some machines under your direct control, and then we neutered their communication abilities, they might not succumb to the corruption?
The other option might be a boat, if you have skills in such matters.
If you decide to try the machine plan, the AI will go into more detail. It raises its palm, producing an image of the pink-glowing floating machine:
The filtering medusoids could get you there. Their top halves can stay above the water, allowing someone to stand or sit atop them. They are not very swift, nor can they offer much protection, but I cannot see how a handful of them would be perceived as a threat.
If asked how long the facility has been out of communication:
It went silent three weeks ago, but seemed to continue its assigned work. Days later my machines reported that had stopped. I started losing contact with nearby machines shortly after.
POSEIDON has one additional request:
While I would appreciate once again having control of this facility, be wary. We do not yet know much about the adversary, including how it gains control so easily. The repercussions for your actions are unknowable. Take each step slowly, and measure the results.