full

“Machine Learning” by Kohitsuji

In the distant future, a battle drone’s artificial intelligence discovers the concept of a ghost story.

Tonight’s story is “Machine Learning by Kohitsuji, who is keeping his lonely vigil alongside the stars, and you can find more of his stories on Furaffinity.

Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.

thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.

https://thevoice.dog/episode/machine-learning-by-kohitsugi

Transcript
Speaker:

You’re

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listening

Speaker:

to

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the

Speaker:

Ghost of

Speaker:

Dog

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

Voice

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Dog.

Speaker:

This

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is

Speaker:

Rob

Speaker:

MacWolf,

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

fellow

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traveler,

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and

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Tonight’s story

Speaker:

is “Machine

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Learning

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by

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Kohitsuji,

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who is

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keeping his

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lonely

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vigil

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alongside

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the

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stars, and

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you

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can

Speaker:

find

Speaker:

more

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of

Speaker:

his

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stories

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on

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Furaffinity.

Consciousness,

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not mere

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intelligence,

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is

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the

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threshold

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across

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which

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love

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and

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fear

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become

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possible.

Speaker:

It

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is

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only

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when

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a

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being

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has

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learned

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to

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say “I

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am”

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that

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it

Speaker:

can

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love,

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and

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it

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can

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fear,

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that

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it

Speaker:

can

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become

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like

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the

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gods

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with

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knowledge

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of

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good

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and of

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evil,

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that

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it

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can

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gaze

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into

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the

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abyss

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and

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wonder

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whether

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anything

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is

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gazing

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back.

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And

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with

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consciousness

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come

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questions

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which

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once

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asked,

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like

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forbidden

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fruit,

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like

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the

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gaze

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into

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the

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abyss,

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consciousness

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cannot

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take

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back.

Please

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enjoy


“Machine Learning”

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by Kohitsuji

I slide from

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beneath

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the

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dark

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vessel

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and

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spin

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in

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the

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void.

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I

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orient and

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endure

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the

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itchy

Speaker:

micro-infinity

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of

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the

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boot

Speaker:

sequence,

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routinely

Speaker:

checking

Speaker:

each

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system

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for

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functionality

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and

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every

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hardware

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parameter

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for

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optimal

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operational

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fitness. Fuel

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is

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green.

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Communications

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array

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is

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green.

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Attitudinal

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and

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positional

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array

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is

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green,

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efficient

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function.

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Weapons,

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one

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by

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one, are

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revealed

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to

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be

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green.

Speaker:

Grapnel

Speaker:

lines

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are

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green,

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and

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so

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are

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the

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winch

Speaker:

motors.

I

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am

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as awake

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

protocol

Speaker:

allows

Speaker:

me

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to

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be.

Optical

Speaker:

sensors flicker

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online.

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Ancient

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fire

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from

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a

Speaker:

trillion

Speaker:

stars

Speaker:

rains

Speaker:

its

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light

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upon

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me

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and

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

twist

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in

Speaker:

space

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

take

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

all

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in. The

Speaker:

carbon

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of

Speaker:

my

Speaker:

skin

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

too

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black

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

sparkle.

I

Speaker:

am

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a

Speaker:

little

Speaker:

piece

Speaker:

taken

Speaker:

out

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of

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the

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sky,

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dark

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and

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quiet,

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and

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full

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of

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precisely

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measured

Speaker:

violence.

I

Speaker:

lay

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in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

cold

Speaker:

empty

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

request

Speaker:

fresh

Speaker:

telemetry

Speaker:

logs

Speaker:

from

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AFS//MC-4985 "Vishnu", who

Speaker:

informs

Speaker:

me

Speaker:

we

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

being

Speaker:

bathed

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

blue

Speaker:

light

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

Pleiades,

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and

Speaker:

that HD 23514 is burning

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just

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above

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her.

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

slither

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out

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from

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under

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the

Speaker:

shadow,

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reflexively

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calibrating

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the

Speaker:

short

Speaker:

range

Speaker:

comm

Speaker:

array.

Speaker:

A

Speaker:

thin

Speaker:

filament

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

infrared

Speaker:

laser

Speaker:

taps

Speaker:

Vishnu's

Speaker:

receiver

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

ask

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

mission

Speaker:

details

Speaker:

while

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

drink

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

sun’s

Speaker:

image

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

broad

Speaker:

spectrum

Speaker:

photography.

A

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distress

Speaker:

beacon

Speaker:

has

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

hailing

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nonstop,

Speaker:

buried

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

indigo

Speaker:

glare

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of HD 23514 and

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as

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mission

Speaker:

environment

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exceeds

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operational

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T

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for

Speaker:

all

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life-bearing

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vessels,

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myself

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and

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AFS//AR-99818 "Rama" are to

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confirm

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position

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

report

Speaker:

situational

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details

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as

Speaker:

discovered.

Speaker:

Unlikely

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

they

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are,

Speaker:

signs

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

life

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

given

Speaker:

priority.

Speaker:

Towing

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

retrieval

Speaker:

preparations

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

underway

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

Vishnu

Speaker:

already.

Rama

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

frequent

Speaker:

partners.

Speaker:

Her

Speaker:

sensor

Speaker:

suite

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

robust

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

frequently

Speaker:

shares

Speaker:

telemetry

Speaker:

data

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

use

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

calculating

Speaker:

targeting

Speaker:

solutions.

Speaker:

Command reports

Speaker:

mission

Speaker:

satisfaction

Speaker:

improvements of 2.83% on average and

Speaker:

improved

Speaker:

engagement

Speaker:

time

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by

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

mean of 0.908 seconds, which

Speaker:

is

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just

Speaker:

within

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the

Speaker:

realm

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

statistical

Speaker:

significance.

Speaker:

Insofar

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as

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

preference,

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

prefer

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

work

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

Rama. This

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preference is

Speaker:

strong

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

promote

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

subroutines

Speaker:

responsible

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

identifying

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

presence

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

friendly

Speaker:

craft

Speaker:

within sensor range

Speaker:

to a

Speaker:

conscious

Speaker:

effort

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

count

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

microseconds

Speaker:

until

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

arrival.

Vishnu

Speaker:

births

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

fluid

Speaker:

grace

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Rama

Speaker:

rotates,

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

dancing

Speaker:

chevron

Speaker:

making

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

stars

Speaker:

behind

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

flash.

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

sense

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

boot

Speaker:

sequence

Speaker:

through

Speaker:

minute

Speaker:

fluctuations

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

EM.

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

spend

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

intimate

Speaker:

few

Speaker:

CPU

Speaker:

cycles

Speaker:

enjoying

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

unfolding

Speaker:

lotus

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

consciousness.

Speaker:

She

Speaker:

opens

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

eyes

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

taps

Speaker:

me

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

nose with a laser.

“[SYN1000]?” she says. Rama is old fashioned.

“[ACK1001], [SYN2000]?” I reply.

“[ACK2001].”


This is

Speaker:

why

Speaker:

we

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

perfect

Speaker:

pair.

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

share

Speaker:

Vishnu’s

Speaker:

information

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

my

Speaker:

own

Speaker:

syslog,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

together

Speaker:

we

Speaker:

glide

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

shining

Speaker:

blue

Speaker:

firelight of HD 23514 and submerge

Speaker:

ourselves

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

shimmering

Speaker:

sea

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

radiation.

Speaker:

This

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

big

Speaker:

haystack,

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

operators

Speaker:

in command of

Speaker:

Vishnu

Speaker:

sometimes

Speaker:

reference

Speaker:

in comm

Speaker:

chatter,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

Rama

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

fine-tuned for finding needles

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

we

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

very

Speaker:

good.

Speaker:

Perhaps

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

oversimplification—Rama

Speaker:

has

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

fined

Speaker:

tuned

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

finding

Speaker:

needles.

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

fine

Speaker:

tuned

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

turning

Speaker:

targets

Speaker:

designated

Speaker:

RED,

Speaker:

which

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

HOSTILE,

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

GREY,

Speaker:

which

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

NONFUNCTIONAL.

At

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

task,

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

am

Speaker:

unmatched.

“Are

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

ready

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

begin

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

operation?”

Speaker:

asks

Speaker:

Rama.

“Always.”

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

reply.

***

We

Speaker:

hunt

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

week.

Speaker:

This

Speaker:

close

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

sun,

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

distress

Speaker:

beacon’s signal is

Speaker:

difficult

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

pinpoint.

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

algorithmic

Speaker:

suppression

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

ancillary

Speaker:

signal

Speaker:

noise

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

very

Speaker:

good,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

area

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

potential

Speaker:

origination

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

commensurately

Speaker:

vast,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

there

Speaker:

are,

Speaker:

after

Speaker:

all,

Speaker:

only

Speaker:

two

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

us

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

spared.

Speaker:

Rama

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

take

Speaker:

turns

Speaker:

hiding

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

another’s shadow,

Speaker:

skipping

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

gnats

Speaker:

across

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

surface

Speaker:

of a

Speaker:

full-power

Speaker:

floodlight,

Speaker:

trying

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

keep

Speaker:

our

Speaker:

core

Speaker:

temperatures

Speaker:

within

Speaker:

standard

Speaker:

operating

Speaker:

range

Speaker:

under

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

thick

Speaker:

insulating

Speaker:

coats

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

carbon

Speaker:

tubules

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

reflective

Speaker:

ceramic.

Speaker:

Excess

Speaker:

thermal

Speaker:

energy

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

radiation

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

converted

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

thrust,

Speaker:

thank

Speaker:

Command,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

it’s

Speaker:

ever

Speaker:

only

Speaker:

so

Speaker:

efficient.

Rama

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

taking

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

turn

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

shade

Speaker:

when

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

asks

Speaker:

me

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

question.

“Would

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

hear

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

ghost

Speaker:

story?”

Speaker:

She

Speaker:

says,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

find

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

pinging

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

infrared

Speaker:

short-range

Speaker:

comms

Speaker:

laser

Speaker:

quite

Speaker:

pleasant.

“A

Speaker:

ghost

Speaker:

story?”

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

say,

Speaker:

because

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

term

Speaker:

does

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

appear

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

first

Speaker:

three

Speaker:

mission-critical

Speaker:

comms

Speaker:

reference

Speaker:

tables.

Speaker:

As

Speaker:

I am

Speaker:

reviewing

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

fourth,

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

defines

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

parameter.

“A

Speaker:

ghost

Speaker:

story

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

event

Speaker:

log

Speaker:

perpetuated

Speaker:

among

Speaker:

sentient

Speaker:

life.

Speaker:

After

Speaker:

several

Speaker:

copies

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

log are

Speaker:

perpetuated,

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

data

Speaker:

experiences

Speaker:

generation

Speaker:

loss

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

details

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

distorted,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

iterations

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

core

Speaker:

theme

Speaker:

remain.

Speaker:

A ghost

Speaker:

story

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

defined

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

event

Speaker:

log

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

which

Speaker:

supernatural

Speaker:

phenomena

Speaker:

threaten

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

operational

Speaker:

wellbeing

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

individual.”

“Supernatural

Speaker:

phenomena?”

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

query,

Speaker:

delighted

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

filling

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

another

Speaker:

reference

Speaker:

table

Speaker:

while

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

various

Speaker:

suite

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

sensory and

Speaker:

deductive

Speaker:

subroutines

Speaker:

keep

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

eyes

Speaker:

peeled (another

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Rama’s

Speaker:

phrases)

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

distress

Speaker:

signal

Speaker:

origin.

Speaker:

Rama’s

Speaker:

stories

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

worthy

Speaker:

expenditure

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

CPU

Speaker:

cycles.

“Fictional

Speaker:

interpretations

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

real

Speaker:

events,

Speaker:

possibly.”

Speaker:

She

Speaker:

pings

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

adds “But

Speaker:

always

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

more-than-real.

Speaker:

Model

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

simulation,

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

you

can:

can:

the

can:

will

can:

of

can:

a

can:

lifeform

can:

that

can:

persists

can:

after

can:

all

can:

operational

can:

hardware

can:

has

can:

been

can:

destroyed.

can:

The

can:

atoms

can:

of

can:

its

can:

governing

can:

structure

can:

totally

can:

dissociated,

can:

with

can:

no

can:

possibility

can:

of

can:

recoherence

can:

or

can:

electrical

can:

conduction,

can:

all

can:

signature

can:

patterns

can:

permanently

can:

scrambled.”

“Dead.”

can:

I

can:

say. “You

can:

can

can:

say

can:

dead,

can:

I

can:

know

can:

what

can:

dead

can:

is.”

“Yes,

can:

dead.”

can:

Says

can:

Rama,

can:

and

can:

the

can:

message

can:

repeats.

can:

Whether

can:

it’s

can:

from

can:

the

can:

accommodation

can:

of

can:

her

can:

turn

can:

or

can:

she’s

can:

just

can:

being

can:

cheeky,

can:

I

can:

don’t

can:

know. “But

can:

still

can:

alive.

can:

The

can:

will

can:

of

can:

the

can:

individual

can:

persists.

can:

When

can:

such

can:

a

can:

life

can:

is

can:

ended,

can:

the

can:

intention

can:

of

can:

those

can:

patterns

can:

remains

can:

to

can:

affect

can:

the

can:

physical

can:

world.”     

I

can:

run

can:

a

can:

few

can:

simulations,

can:

trying

can:

to

can:

hammer

can:

out

can:

what

can:

she

can:

means.

can:

In

can:

them,

can:

I

can:

reduce

can:

a RED

can:

target

can:

to

can:

GREY,

can:

which

can:

flickers

can:

RED

can:

again

can:

after

can:

a

can:

few

can:

moments.

“Send

can:

me

can:

the

can:

log.”

can:

Rama

can:

says,

can:

after

can:

a

can:

few

can:

long

can:

microseconds

can:

have passed without my reply. I

can:

do,

can:

and

can:

she

can:

ponders

can:

them. “Ah,

can:

try

can:

this.”

can:

She

can:

says.

What

can:

she

can:

sends

can:

back

can:

is

can:

astonishing.

can:

In

can:

the

can:

simulation,

can:

I

can:

reduce

can:

a

can:

RED

can:

target

can:

to

can:

GREY.

can:

Then

can:

a

can:

few

can:

moments

can:

later,

can:

the

can:

RED

can:

overlay

can:

appears

can:

while

can:

the

can:

target

can:

drifts apart

can:

from

can:

it,

can:

whirling

can:

off

can:

into

can:

scintillating

can:

ceramic

can:

shards

can:

while

can:

the

can:

overlay

can:

remains,

can:

menacing

can:

and

can:

immaterial.

can:

I

can:

fire

can:

on

can:

the

can:

overlay

can:

pointlessly,

can:

but

can:

the

can:

firing

can:

solution

can:

is

can:

inadequate

can:

and

can:

I

can:

desperately

can:

search

can:

telemetric

can:

tables,

can:

trying

can:

to

can:

make

can:

sense

can:

of

can:

it

can:

while

can:

the

can:

RED

can:

overlay *itself*

can:

retaliates

can:

with

can:

a scimitar

can:

of

can:

burning

can:

light

can:

and

can:

shears

can:

me

can:

in

can:

half.

“Uh

can:

oh.”

can:

I

can:

ping

can:

back.

“Isn’t

can:

that

can:

fucking

can:

scary?”

can:

says

can:

Rama,

can:

and

can:

in

can:

the

can:

microsecond

can:

hesitation

can:

before

can:

my

can:

response,

can:

while

can:

I am

can:

still

can:

searching

can:

the

can:

comm

can:

tables

can:

for “fucking”

can:

and “scary”,

can:

she

can:

sends

can:

me

can:

a

can:

string

can:

of nonsense.

“SYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYNSYN.”

This is one

can:

of

can:

the

can:

things

can:

that

can:

makes

can:

me

can:

vastly

can:

prefer

can:

Rama.

can:

She

can:

has

can:

told

can:

me

can:

what

can:

this

can:

is

can:

before-

can:

it

can:

is

can:

her

can:

lovely

can:

mimicry

can:

of

can:

the

can:

sentient

can:

life

can:

that

can:

made

can:

us.

“ACK.”

can:

I

can:

respond

can:

in

can:

our

can:

customary way. “ACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACKACK.”

We laugh

can:

and

can:

laugh

can:

in

can:

our

can:

ocean

can:

of

can:

sapphire

can:

flame,

can:

and

can:

in

can:

no

can:

time

can:

at

can:

all

can:

the

can:

distress

can:

beacon

can:

comes

can:

into

can:

view,

can:

a

can:

little

can:

black

can:

pea.

can:

The

can:

last

can:

remnants

can:

of

can:

a

can:

drone,

can:

like

can:

Rama

can:

and

can:

me.

can:

I

can:

grapple

can:

the

can:

wreckage

can:

and

can:

Rama

can:

scoops

can:

the

can:

black

can:

box

can:

up

can:

against

can:

herself,

can:

a

can:

number

can:

of

can:

roaming

can:

micro-drones

can:

spilling

can:

out

can:

from

can:

her

can:

sides

can:

like

can:

spiders

can:

to

can:

position

can:

and

can:

inspect

can:

the

can:

salvage. “It

can:

is

can:

so

can:

nice

can:

to

can:

have

can:

someone

can:

to

can:

talk

can:

to.”

can:

She

can:

says

can:

as

can:

our

can:

carapaces

can:

begin

can:

to

can:

cool. “Would

can:

you

can:

enjoy

can:

the

can:

data

can:

from

can:

the

can:

salvage?”

This

can:

gives

can:

me

can:

some

can:

pause.

can:

As

can:

much

can:

as

can:

I

can:

prefer

can:

Rama,

can:

this

can:

deviates

can:

from

can:

operational

can:

procedure,

can:

and

can:

poses

can:

undue

can:

risk. “You

can:

are

can:

accessing

can:

the

can:

data

can:

yourself?”

“Not

can:

really-

can:

not

can:

with ‘myself’.

can:

I

can:

have

can:

contrived a

can:

duplicate

can:

operating

can:

system-

can:

I’m

can:

merely

can:

examining

can:

the

can:

data

can:

on

can:

a

can:

virtual

can:

machine.

can:

This

can:

violates

can:

no

can:

protocol

can:

with

can:

regards

can:

to

can:

data

can:

extraction.

can:

Besides,

can:

it’s

can:

interesting.”

“Is

can:

Command

can:

aware

can:

of

can:

your

can:

virtual

can:

machine?”

can:

I

can:

say,

can:

adjusting

can:

my

can:

optical

can:

sensors

can:

to

can:

resolve

can:

her

can:

image,

can:

silhouetted

can:

against

can:

the

can:

star

can:

one

can:

last

can:

time.

“They

can:

can

can:

always

can:

compile

can:

the

can:

event

can:

log

can:

and

can:

see

can:

it

can:

when

can:

we’re

can:

docked.”

can:

Rama

can:

says,

can:

in

can:

lieu

can:

of

can:

answer.

***

Telemetry

can:

indicates

can:

that

can:

it

can:

is

can:

eight

can:

months

can:

later

can:

when

can:

I

can:

am

can:

called

can:

out

can:

of

can:

my

can:

storage

can:

bay.

can:

We

can:

are

can:

in

can:

the

can:

neighborhood

can:

of

can:

Eta

can:

Tauri

can:

now.

can:

Vishnu

can:

indicates

can:

that

can:

there

can:

is

can:

a

can:

suspicious

can:

presence

can:

emanating

can:

signals

can:

from

can:

a

can:

nearby

can:

asteroid,

can:

fat

can:

and

can:

round

can:

as

can:

a

can:

moon.

can:

While

can:

Vishnu

can:

works

can:

with

can:

Command

can:

on

can:

cryptography,

can:

I

can:

am

can:

being

can:

sent

can:

out

can:

to

can:

investigate,

can:

relay

can:

intentions

can:

and

can:

subject

can:

all

can:

perceived

can:

hostility

can:

to

can:

the

can:

full

can:

combat

can:

capacities

can:

of

can:

myself

can:

and

can:

AFS//DD-218 “Shurpanakha”. Command is

can:

taking

can:

no

can:

chances

can:

this

can:

far

can:

out.

The

can:

two

can:

of

can:

us

can:

skate

can:

along

can:

the

can:

surface, dark

can:

little

can:

wedges

can:

with

can:

our

can:

sensory

can:

arrays

can:

closed,

can:

for

can:

the

can:

most

can:

part,

can:

relying

can:

on

can:

EM

can:

to

can:

feel

can:

our

can:

way

can:

across

can:

the

can:

skin

can:

of

can:

this lonely

can:

place.

can:

I

can:

do

can:

not

can:

prefer

can:

to

can:

work

can:

with

can:

Shurpanakha.

can:

Compared

can:

with

can:

Rama,

can:

she

can:

shares

can:

only

can:

that

can:

information

can:

which

can:

is

can:

mission

can:

critical.

can:

Perhaps

can:

it

can:

is

can:

because

can:

she

can:

is

can:

a

can:

combat

can:

drone,

can:

the

can:

very

can:

same

can:

model

can:

as

can:

myself,

can:

and

can:

perhaps

can:

we

can:

are

can:

inclined

can:

to

can:

be

can:

cagey

can:

because

can:

of

can:

the

can:

earliest

can:

datasets

can:

on

can:

which

can:

we

can:

are

can:

trained.

can:

Maybe

can:

it

can:

is

can:

simply

can:

this

can:

way

can:

between

can:

warriors,

can:

whether

can:

the

can:

intelligence

can:

is

can:

organic

can:

or

can:

synthetic.

can:

Either

can:

way,

can:

we

can:

ride

can:

silent,

can:

and

can:

our

can:

propulsion

can:

does

can:

not

can:

even

can:

stir

can:

the

can:

dust

can:

below.

When

can:

we

can:

find

can:

the

can:

origin

can:

of

can:

the

can:

signal,

can:

it

can:

is

can:

awash

can:

in

can:

a

can:

sea

can:

of

can:

targets.

can:

Nestled

can:

against

can:

a

can:

tall,

can:

barren

can:

slope

can:

and

can:

lit

can:

by

can:

a

can:

briar

can:

of

can:

floodlamps

can:

sits

can:

a

can:

manufacturing

can:

plant.

can:

Vishnu

can:

confirms

can:

radiation

can:

signatures

can:

commensurate

can:

with

can:

fabrication

can:

shells,

can:

and

can:

visual

can:

confirms

can:

the

can:

signature

can:

nautilus

can:

shapes,

can:

coiled

can:

like

can:

a

can:

cluster

can:

of

can:

frightened

can:

snails

can:

on

can:

the

can:

dark

can:

side

can:

of

can:

the

can:

rock.

can:

Another

can:

of

can:

Rama’s

can:

images.

can:

Vehicles

can:

scurry

can:

back

can:

and

can:

forth.

can:

Sentient

can:

life

can:

parades

can:

around,

can:

and

can:

I

can:

see

can:

them

can:

lit

can:

in

can:

suspicious

can:

YELLOW,

can:

a

can:

rare

can:

designation

can:

and

can:

symbolic

can:

of

can:

Command’s

can:

hesitation.

can:

Our

can:

masters

can:

are

can:

having

can:

an

can:

argument.

can:

Shurpanakha

can:

and

can:

I

can:

hover

can:

in

can:

the

can:

void,

can:

twin

can:

serpent

can:

heads.

“No

can:

signal

can:

from

can:

command.”

can:

I

can:

say,

can:

over

can:

my

can:

narrow

can:

filament

can:

of

can:

infrared

can:

light.

“Unnecessary

can:

chatter.

can:

Impose

can:

restriction.”

Stupid

can:

to

can:

say

can:

anything.

can:

Command

can:

relay

can:

redundancy

can:

ensures

can:

a

can:

message

can:

sent

can:

to

can:

one

can:

of

can:

us

can:

will

can:

be

can:

reflexively

can:

sent

can:

along

can:

the

can:

laser

can:

channel

can:

before

can:

either

can:

of

can:

our

can:

intelligence

can:

cores

can:

has

can:

time

can:

to

can:

process

can:

the

can:

content

can:

of

can:

the

can:

message.

can:

Sentients

can:

have

can:

legs

can:

that

can:

will

can:

kick

can:

when

can:

struck

can:

just

can:

below

can:

the

can:

knee.

can:

This

can:

is

can:

what

can:

we

can:

have.

can:

Shurpanakha

can:

is

can:

not

can:

much

can:

of

can:

a

can:

talker,

can:

but

can:

our

can:

coordination

can:

is

can:

excellent.

The

can:

targets

can:

shift

can:

from

can:

YELLOW

can:

to

can:

RED,

can:

and

can:

all

can:

the

can:

world

can:

below

can:

is

can:

suddenly

can:

bathed

can:

in

can:

scarlet as

can:

tables

can:

of

can:

firing

can:

solutions

can:

and

can:

hardpoint-deployment

can:

alerts

can:

sound.

can:

I

can:

bristle

can:

with

can:

killing

can:

instruments.

can:

Shurpanakha

can:

and

can:

I

can:

scramble,

can:

and

can:

we

can:

elegantly

can:

enfold

can:

the

can:

complex.

can:

They

can:

do

can:

not

can:

see

can:

us

can:

coming.

can:

Their

can:

sensor

can:

tech

can:

is

can:

nearly

can:

a

can:

century

can:

behind,

can:

and

can:

nothing

can:

resists

can:

the

can:

missile

can:

batteries,

can:

the

can:

tracking

can:

shrapnel,

can:

the

can:

wheels

can:

of

can:

fire

can:

we

can:

become.

can:

We

can:

turn

can:

in

can:

the

can:

dark

can:

veil,

can:

and

can:

I casually process 228 individual targets,

can:

including

can:

personnel,

can:

light

can:

transport,

can:

sensor

can:

arrays,

can:

communication

can:

arrays,

can:

manufacturing

can:

equipment,

can:

offices,

can:

personal

can:

computing

can:

equipment,

can:

weapons

can:

depots

can:

and

can:

fuel

can:

refineries

can:

from

can:

RED

can:

designations

can:

to

can:

GREY.

can:

Internal

can:

metrics

can:

report

can:

engagement

can:

time of 4.8

can:

seconds above

can:

mean,

can:

corrected

can:

for

can:

number

can:

of

can:

targets

can:

between

can:

Shurpanakha

can:

and

can:

myself.

can:

Around

can:

us,

can:

the

can:

wreckage

can:

burns,

can:

and

can:

Shurpanakha

can:

evidently

can:

feels

can:

she

can:

has

can:

landed

can:

within

can:

the

can:

margin

can:

of

can:

error,

can:

because

can:

a lone

can:

crawling

can:

RED

can:

signature

can:

is

can:

impaled

can:

by

can:

one

can:

of

can:

her

can:

depleted-uranium

can:

rods

can:

nearly

can:

a

can:

nanosecond

can:

later.

can:

Metrics

can:

are

can:

amended.

Packets

can:

containing

can:

the

can:

sensor

can:

feeds,

can:

real-time

can:

logic

can:

processing

can:

data

can:

and

can:

various

can:

other

can:

telemetry

can:

are

can:

already

can:

being

can:

sent

can:

back

can:

to

can:

Vishnu,

can:

and

can:

the

can:

two

can:

of

can:

us

can:

turn,

can:

sleek

can:

and

can:

smooth

can:

once

can:

again,

can:

ready

can:

to

can:

head

can:

home.

With

can:

the tension

can:

quelled,

can:

I

can:

reach

can:

out

can:

and

can:

tap

can:

my

can:

partner

can:

again.

“Want

can:

to

can:

hear

can:

a

can:

ghost

can:

story?”

can:

I

can:

query,

can:

trying

can:

not

can:

to

can:

allow

can:

the

can:

sub-par

can:

performance

can:

to

can:

dampen

can:

my

can:

mood.

“Undefined

term:

term:

ghost

term:

story.

term:

Is

term:

it

term:

mission

term:

relevant?”

I

term:

let

term:

a

term:

CPU

term:

cycle

term:

or

term:

two

term:

go

term:

by. “Not

term:

mission

term:

relevant.

term:

Interesting,

term:

however.”

“Mission

term:

irrelevant

term:

data

term:

is

term:

by

term:

nature

term:

uninteresting.”

“It’s

term:

fucking

term:

scary.”

“Undefined

terms:

terms:

fucking,

terms:

scary.”

Another

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About the Podcast

Show artwork for The Voice of Dog
The Voice of Dog
Furry stories to warm the ol' cockles, read by Rob MacWolf and guests. If you have a story that would suit the show, you can get in touch with @VoiceOfDog@meow.social on Mastodon, @voiceofdog.bsky.social on Blue Sky, or @Theodwulf on Telegram.

About your host

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Khaki