<transmission intercepted: 2553/07/30/1834 MT>
<decrypting; running server tracing spike>
<transmission source confirmed: Yankee88337, ONI/Section III/Beta-5>
<transmission decrypted>
<begin>:
Yankee88337: OK, Bravo, sorry to burst your little code-word bubble, but "B-I-T-O" does not read "B-1-7-0" in leet speak. It should read something more like "13-1-7-0" or "8-1-7-0".
Bravo90210: Your point? It hardly matters, since we can't effectively track either the sergeant or the Three. And please, try to keep things a little professional.
Yankee88337: Alright, no more leet speak from me. Say, did you get Melissa? I mean, it's been eight years, and she needs to be shut down ASAP so we don't have a rampant AI on the loose.
Bravo90210: No, actually, we didn't. She just completely disappeared from the grid shortly after we narrowed down her primary database to a part of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Yankee88337: That can't be good.
Bravo90210: You think? Not only could it destroy the UNSC if insurgents got their hands on it, now I have to come up with a way to explain away this sudden disappearance, or I am <censored>. In the meantime, I just sent you a file. Did you get it?
Yankee88337: Yeah, I did. What is it?
Bravo90210: DNA records from all active duty UNSC Marine officers, the second class of Twos, and the Three-Bs. Some very interesting information in there.
Yankee88337: You have a sick sense of humor, man. This file is empty.
Bravo90210: What? Empty? That's not possible!
Yankee88337: Yeah, well, I'm just reporting what I see. Why don't you just tell me the information?
Bravo90210: I guess I gotta, huh? Well then, little 327 and the Three we'#$ a#$&r @$%&^@%^%$&#^&%@*%()%*)#$TQW)HY%JOGUGWEAUT$)UTRApr <full data corruption>
Melissa: Oh, I don't think you need to be looking at my old friend's DNA records right now, boys.
Yankee88337: Oh, <censored>.
Bravo90210: <censored>.
<end>
<file attached. open(y/n)?>y
<decrypting file...>
<NOTICE: file data is corrupted beyond repair>
<close file>
"Was that really necessary, Melissa?"
"I think so."
"Maybe I should be worried about you going rampant."
"I AM rampant, Sami. I'm just in this nice state that's only supposed to exist in theory, called 'Meta-Stability'."
"Right. A sentient AI. Although I do suppose your...extraordinary circumstances do allow for such a thing to have happened. Still, you pulling s#!% like that pisses me off."
"Well, what are you going to do about it? I highly doubt Aurora is capable of shutting me down."
"You'd be surprised. She just as boneheaded as she was in life, and is just as likely to do succeed in doing something crazy as she is to fail. Besides, she was designed as primarily a shipboaard AI. Crazy tactics can work in that field, especially in the case of her father."
"I really don't think-"
"I have too go now. Why don't you run the fighting simulations for your old friend while I'm busy, hm?"
"Let Yasmine and Cathy play again for the first time in eight years? Sounds like I'm going to enjoy this."
