PROLOGUE
SUBJECT INTERVIEW JOURNAL…
SUBJECT: JASON-078
DATE OF BIRTH: OCTOBER 30, 2510
INTERVIEWING AUTHORITY: HALSEY, CATHERINE ELIZABETH, MD, PhD (Civilian Consultant 409871)
1138 hours, September 1, 2517 (Military Calendar) / Circinius System, Circinius IV, New Constantinople
When I first arrived with Lieutenant Keyes at Vespasian Preschool, I was not sure exactly what I would find. I’ve read all of the reports regarding this subject, but nothing really stood out. Even the subject’s profile was average compared with the rest of the candidates. I almost skipped over this one in lieu of subject 138, but then something caught my attention: The subject plays chess.
He does not just pay chess, but he apparently plays chess well. According to Orlin, the Dumb Artificial Intelligence installed in the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, it had to repurpose a total of 7% of its overall processing power to beat the subject. I asked Dèjá to run the numbers and his play level was Class C, which was completely unheard of in anyone at the subject’s age. Of course, I had Dèjá completely erase all records of the tests from the AI’s memory, but that fact was still surprising. So, I decided to go ahead with the subject’s interview.
I cleared my presence with the school’s office. Thankfully, the ONI powers-that-be granted me enough of a clearance to get me through most of the useless bureaucracy that seemed to have cropped up on planets like this. The visitor badges that were given to us would grant access to every room on campus, regardless of the security procedures. And, if they did not, then I had a break-box in my handbag that could override any lock or simple AI.
My bioscanner lead me to one of the smaller classrooms just in time for the recess bell. Jacob pulled me to the side of the hall just as a stampede of children burst from the doors. It was thoughtful, but unnecessary. Most of them would simply have gone around any adult in the halls. I thanked him with a smile, which he returned, and checked the bioscanner again. The subject was still in the room.
I peeked inside the door and saw him. He was laying with his back resting on a holotable, staring out the windows. On the table was an animated anthropomorphic tiger with large cartoonish gloves. They were playing chess, but the subject was not even looking at the board. It was astounding. It was not just that, but he made a move and put the AI in check. Not only was he not looking at the board, but he was doing so and winning.
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To read more, visit Halo: Checkmate, book 1 - Opening Moves on fanfiction.net.
Please feel free to post your reviews/criticisms/critiques here and/or there as I thrive on them (positive and negative).
SUBJECT INTERVIEW JOURNAL…
SUBJECT: JASON-078
DATE OF BIRTH: OCTOBER 30, 2510
INTERVIEWING AUTHORITY: HALSEY, CATHERINE ELIZABETH, MD, PhD (Civilian Consultant 409871)
1138 hours, September 1, 2517 (Military Calendar) / Circinius System, Circinius IV, New Constantinople
When I first arrived with Lieutenant Keyes at Vespasian Preschool, I was not sure exactly what I would find. I’ve read all of the reports regarding this subject, but nothing really stood out. Even the subject’s profile was average compared with the rest of the candidates. I almost skipped over this one in lieu of subject 138, but then something caught my attention: The subject plays chess.
He does not just pay chess, but he apparently plays chess well. According to Orlin, the Dumb Artificial Intelligence installed in the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, it had to repurpose a total of 7% of its overall processing power to beat the subject. I asked Dèjá to run the numbers and his play level was Class C, which was completely unheard of in anyone at the subject’s age. Of course, I had Dèjá completely erase all records of the tests from the AI’s memory, but that fact was still surprising. So, I decided to go ahead with the subject’s interview.
I cleared my presence with the school’s office. Thankfully, the ONI powers-that-be granted me enough of a clearance to get me through most of the useless bureaucracy that seemed to have cropped up on planets like this. The visitor badges that were given to us would grant access to every room on campus, regardless of the security procedures. And, if they did not, then I had a break-box in my handbag that could override any lock or simple AI.
My bioscanner lead me to one of the smaller classrooms just in time for the recess bell. Jacob pulled me to the side of the hall just as a stampede of children burst from the doors. It was thoughtful, but unnecessary. Most of them would simply have gone around any adult in the halls. I thanked him with a smile, which he returned, and checked the bioscanner again. The subject was still in the room.
I peeked inside the door and saw him. He was laying with his back resting on a holotable, staring out the windows. On the table was an animated anthropomorphic tiger with large cartoonish gloves. They were playing chess, but the subject was not even looking at the board. It was astounding. It was not just that, but he made a move and put the AI in check. Not only was he not looking at the board, but he was doing so and winning.
----------
To read more, visit Halo: Checkmate, book 1 - Opening Moves on fanfiction.net.
Please feel free to post your reviews/criticisms/critiques here and/or there as I thrive on them (positive and negative).