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nitinrajput2922 · 1 month

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How Is AI-Optimized Hardware Unique In Machine Learning?

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Introduction: The Role of AI-Optimized Hardware in Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries at an unprecedented rate, and at the heart of this revolution is machine learning (ML). As AI technologies become more advanced, the need for specialized hardware optimized for ML tasks has become increasingly critical. This brings us to an intriguing question: How is AI-optimized hardware unique in machine learning? If you’re diving into AI Machine Learning Courses in Noida, understanding the significance of this hardware is essential for grasping how ML models are trained and deployed effectively.

AI-optimized hardware includes components specifically designed to handle the computational demands of machine learning algorithms. Unlike traditional hardware, which is built for general-purpose computing, AI-optimized hardware is tailored to accelerate tasks such as deep learning, neural network training, and real-time data processing. This specialization allows for faster computations, greater efficiency, and enhanced performance in AI applications.

In this blog post, we will explore the unique features of AI-optimized hardware, discussing its benefits, limitations, and the impact it has on the field of machine learning. Whether you're a student enrolled in AI Classes Near Me in Delhi or a professional looking to understand the technological advancements driving AI, this post will provide valuable insights into how specialized hardware contributes to the evolution of machine learning.

Understanding the Key Features of AI-Optimized Hardware

1. The Difference Between General-Purpose and AI-Optimized Hardware

One of the fundamental distinctions between general-purpose hardware and AI Certification Course in Noida hardware lies in their design and functionality. General-purpose hardware, such as standard CPUs (Central Processing Units), is built to handle a wide range of tasks, including office applications, web browsing, and gaming. While these CPUs are versatile, they are not specifically tailored for the complex calculations required in machine learning.

In contrast, AI-optimized hardware, like GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), TPUs (Tensor Processing Units), and FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), is designed with specialized architectures that accelerate ML computations. For instance, GPUs are highly effective at parallel processing, allowing them to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, which is crucial for training large neural networks. TPUs, developed by Google, are specifically engineered to enhance the performance of TensorFlow computations, making them ideal for deep learning tasks.

To add a bit of humor, think of general-purpose hardware as a Swiss Army knife—handy for many tasks but not necessarily the best tool for every job. On the other hand, AI-optimized hardware is like a set of precision instruments designed for specific functions, ensuring that machine learning models can be trained and deployed with maximum efficiency.

2. How Specialized Architectures Enhance Machine Learning Performance

AI-optimized hardware features specialized architectures that significantly boost performance in machine learning tasks. For example, GPUs have thousands of cores that can perform multiple calculations simultaneously, making them exceptionally suited for tasks such as matrix multiplications and convolutions in deep learning algorithms. This parallel processing capability enables faster training of complex ML models, reducing the time required for experimentation and iteration. If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of these concepts, consider exploring AI Classes Near Me in Delhi to gain hands-on experience with the latest technologies.

TPUs, as mentioned earlier, are optimized for TensorFlow operations, providing high throughput and low latency for training large-scale neural networks. Their architecture is designed to handle large amounts of data with minimal energy consumption, which is critical for scaling AI applications.

FPGAs offer flexibility by allowing users to configure the hardware according to specific needs. This reconfigurability makes them ideal for customized ML workloads where standard hardware might fall short. By adapting the hardware to the precise requirements of a given application, FPGAs can deliver enhanced performance and efficiency.

In a humorous comparison, if traditional CPUs are like a jack-of-all-trades, AI-optimized hardware is akin to a specialized toolset tailored for high-stakes missions. Each piece of hardware brings its unique strengths to the table, ensuring that machine learning tasks are executed with precision and speed.

3. The Impact of Hardware Optimization on Machine Learning Models

The optimization of hardware has a profound impact on the development and deployment of machine learning models. By using AI Machine Learning Courses in Noida-optimized hardware, data scientists and engineers can train models more quickly and efficiently, leading to faster insights and improved performance. This accelerated training process allows for more extensive experimentation with different algorithms and hyperparameters, ultimately resulting in more accurate and effective models.

Moreover, AI-optimized hardware enables the deployment of machine learning models in real-time applications, such as autonomous vehicles, facial recognition systems, and personalized recommendations. The ability to process data and make decisions in real time is crucial for these applications, and specialized hardware ensures that these tasks are performed seamlessly.

In a lighthearted analogy, imagine AI-optimized hardware as the high-performance engine in a sports car. Just as a powerful engine enables a car to reach top speeds and handle sharp turns with ease, AI-optimized hardware empowers machine learning models to achieve their full potential and deliver results with remarkable efficiency.

Exploring the Benefits and Limitations of AI-Optimized Hardware

1. Key Benefits of Using AI-Optimized Hardware in ML

AI-optimized hardware provides several key benefits that make it an invaluable asset for machine learning tasks. One of the most significant advantages is the speed at which models can be trained. The specialized architectures of GPUs, TPUs, and FPGAs allow for rapid computation of complex algorithms, reducing the time required to process large datasets and train intricate models. This speed is particularly important in fields such as healthcare, where timely insights can make a difference in patient outcomes. AI Classes Near Me in Delhi can further enhance our understanding of how to leverage this technology effectively.

Additionally, AI-optimized hardware offers enhanced efficiency in terms of energy consumption. Traditional CPUs can be power-hungry when performing intensive ML tasks, whereas specialized hardware is designed to perform these tasks with greater energy efficiency. This reduction in power usage not only lowers operational costs but also contributes to more sustainable computing practices.

A touch of humor here—think of AI-optimized hardware as a highly skilled chef who can whip up gourmet meals in record time, while traditional CPUs are like home cooks juggling multiple pots and pans. The chef (AI-optimized hardware) gets the job done faster and with more finesse, making the cooking process (or in this case, machine learning) much more efficient.

2. Potential Limitations and Challenges of AI-Optimized Hardware

Despite its numerous benefits, AI-optimized hardware also has some limitations and challenges. One major limitation is the cost associated with acquiring and maintaining specialized hardware. GPUs, TPUs, and FPGAs can be expensive investments, and their high cost may not be justifiable for all organizations, especially smaller ones or those with limited budgets. AI Certification Course in Noida can help address some of these challenges by providing insights into cost-effective solutions and alternative approaches.

Another challenge is the need for specialized knowledge and expertise to effectively utilize AI-optimized hardware. While these components are powerful, they also require a deep understanding of their architecture and how to leverage their capabilities for specific machine learning tasks. This expertise often involves a steep learning curve, which can be a barrier for individuals or organizations new to the field.

To add a bit of humor, think of AI-optimized hardware as a luxury sports car—it’s fast, efficient, and impressive, but it also comes with a hefty price tag and requires a skilled driver to fully enjoy its capabilities. For those who can afford it and are willing to invest time in learning, the rewards can be substantial.

3. Balancing Cost and Performance in AI Hardware Decisions

When deciding on AI-optimized hardware, it’s essential to balance cost and performance. Organizations must evaluate their specific needs and determine whether the benefits of specialized hardware justify the investment. For some applications, the performance gains and efficiency offered by GPUs, TPUs, and FPGAs may outweigh the costs, while for others, traditional hardware may suffice. AI Machine Learning Courses in Noida can provide valuable insights into optimizing hardware choices for different AI applications.

Additionally, considering the long-term benefits of AI-optimized hardware, such as faster model training and improved real-time performance, can help organizations make informed decisions. Evaluating the potential return on investment and aligning hardware choices with strategic goals is crucial for maximizing the value of these technologies. AI Classes Near Me in Delhi can provide insights into how such hardware integrations can impact AI projects.

In a humorous comparison, choosing the right hardware is like deciding between a high-end sports car and a reliable sedan. Both have their merits, but the best choice depends on your driving needs (or in this case, your machine learning requirements) and budget.

Conclusion: The Unique Role of AI-Optimized Hardware in Advancing Machine Learning

AI-optimized hardware plays a pivotal role in advancing the field of machine learning by providing specialized components designed to accelerate computations and enhance performance. The distinct features of GPUs, TPUs, and FPGAs set them apart from general-purpose hardware, enabling faster training of models, improved efficiency, and real-time data processing.

Understanding the benefits and limitations of AI-optimized hardware is crucial for making informed decisions about its use in machine learning projects. While specialized hardware offers significant advantages in terms of speed and efficiency, it also comes with challenges such as cost and the need for specialized knowledge. Balancing these factors is essential for leveraging the full potential of the AI Certification Course in Noida and achieving the best results in machine learning applications.

As you explore AI Machine Learning Courses in Noida and delve into the world of AI-optimized hardware, remember that the key to success lies in understanding how these technologies can be effectively utilized to drive innovation and achieve your goals. Embrace the unique capabilities of AI-optimized hardware, and let it propel you towards new heights in the exciting field of machine learning.

In summary, AI-optimized hardware is not just a technological marvel but a game-changer in the realm of machine learning. By harnessing its power and capabilities, you can unlock new possibilities and push the boundaries of what is achievable in AI. So, gear up, dive into the world of AI-optimized hardware, and embark on a journey of discovery and innovation in machine learning.

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Artificial Intelligence Classes | Delhi | Noida | Gurugram

How Is Ethics's Data Product Management Course?

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datasciencetip · 1 year

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Is data scientist an IT job?

Data science course near me It is closely related to information technology (IT), but it is not typically considered an IT job in the traditional sense. While both data science and IT deal with data and technology, they have distinct roles and responsibilities within an organization:

Data Science

Data scientists are primarily focused on extracting insights, knowledge, and value from data. They use statistical analysis, machine learning, and data modeling techniques to make predictions, identify trends, and solve complex problems.

Data scientists often work on projects that involve data collection, data cleaning, data analysis, and the development of predictive models.

Their work is interdisciplinary, drawing from mathematics, statistics, computer science, and domain-specific knowledge, depending on the industry they are working in.

Data scientists collaborate with other departments to provide data-driven insights that inform decision-making.

Information Technology (IT)

IT professionals are responsible for managing and maintaining an organization's technology infrastructure, including hardware, software, networks, and systems.

IT roles encompass a wide range of responsibilities, including network administration, system administration, database management, cybersecurity, and software development.

IT professionals ensure that technology systems are secure, functional, and efficient. They provide technical support, troubleshoot issues, and manage IT projects.

While data science and IT have different core functions, they often overlap in organizations that rely on data-driven decision-making. Data scientists may work closely with IT professionals to access and manage data, set up data infrastructure, and ensure data security. However, data science typically involves more advanced statistical and analytical skills compared to traditional IT roles.

It's important to note that the roles and responsibilities within both data science and IT can vary depending on the organization and industry. In some organizations, there may be a blending of roles, particularly in smaller companies or startups where individuals may wear multiple hats. However, in larger organizations, data science and IT roles are generally distinct but complementary, with each contributing to the organization's overall technology and data strategy.

#Is data scientist an IT job?#Data Science course near me

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happybouquetinfluencer · 1 year

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A Comprehensive Guide to Finding Computer Classes Near Me: Selecting the Perfect Computer Training Institute

In the digital era, computer literacy is crucial for personal and professional growth. Whether you're a student, a professional seeking skill enhancement, or an individual curious about technology, finding the right computer training institute is paramount. With numerous options available, the task of selecting suitable computer classes near you can be overwhelming. This article aims to provide a step-by-step guide to help you navigate through the process of finding the best computer institute. By following these guidelines, you can ensure a high-quality education and gain valuable knowledge in the realm of computers.

Conducting Research on Computer Training Institutes : When searching for computer classes near you, begin by conducting thorough research on various computer training institutes. Start by exploring online platforms and compile a list of conveniently located institutes. Consider factors such as reputation, accreditation, course offerings, faculty expertise, and student reviews. Prioritize institutes that provide a diverse range of courses catering to your specific interests and goals.

Evaluating the Course Curriculum : After shortlisting a few computer institutes, closely examine their course curricula. Assess whether they cover essential computer skills, programming languages, software applications, or specialized areas like data science or cybersecurity. Determine if the curriculum aligns with your learning objectives and future career aspirations. A comprehensive curriculum with hands-on training opportunities is ideal for acquiring practical skills.

Assessing Faculty Expertise and Experience : The expertise and experience of the faculty members significantly impact the quality of education you receive. Look for computer training institutes that boast a team of qualified instructors with industry experience. Experienced faculty members can provide real-world insights, guidance, and mentorship, enhancing your learning journey.

Analyzing Infrastructure and Facilities : Consider the infrastructure and facilities offered by the computer training institute. Ensure they have well-equipped computer labs with the latest hardware and software. Access to a comprehensive digital library, high-speed internet, and other resources can greatly enhance your learning experience. A comfortable learning environment and small class sizes can also foster better interaction with instructors and fellow students.

Certification and Placement Opportunities : When investing your time and money in computer classes, it's crucial to assess the certification and placement opportunities provided by the institute. Recognized certifications can bolster your resume and increase your employability. Additionally, inquire about the institute's placement record, industry partnerships, and internship programs. A reputable institute will have a strong network of industry connections, providing valuable opportunities for internships and job placements.

Conclusion : Selecting the right computer training institute is a critical step towards achieving your computer literacy goals. By conducting thorough research, evaluating factors such as course curriculum, faculty expertise, infrastructure, and certification and placement opportunities, you can make an informed decision. Remember, the ideal computer classes near you should offer a conducive learning environment and equip you with practical skills for the ever-evolving technology industry. Investing in computer education opens doors to exciting opportunities and empowers you to thrive in today's digital world.

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bizzlanesblog · 1 year

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In today's digital age, computer literacy and skills are crucial for personal and professional growth. Kanpur, a prominent city in Uttar Pradesh, India, is home to several computer coaching centers that provide comprehensive training in computer-related subjects, catering to the diverse needs of students and professionals.

Computer coaching centers in Kanpur offer a wide range of courses, including computer basics, programming languages, web development, software testing, graphic design, database management, networking, and more. These courses are designed to equip students with the necessary skills to excel in the field of information technology and computer science.

The coaching centers in Kanpur have well-qualified and experienced faculty who are experts in their respective fields. They provide hands-on training, practical assignments, and real-world projects to ensure that students gain practical experience and confidence in their skills. The coaching centers also offer updated curriculum and keep pace with the latest advancements in the field of technology.

One of the key advantages of computer coaching centers in Kanpur is the availability of modern infrastructure and facilities. They have well-equipped computer labs, high-speed internet connectivity, updated software and hardware, and other necessary resources to facilitate effective learning. The coaching centers also provide a conducive learning environment, with comfortable classrooms and personalized attention to students.

Computer coaching centers in Kanpur also focus on career development and placement assistance. They provide career guidance, interview preparation, and job placement support to help students kickstart their careers in the IT industry. Many coaching centers have tie-ups with leading IT companies, which provide opportunities for internships and job placements.

Apart from regular courses, computer coaching centers in Kanpur also offer specialized workshops, seminars, and certifications to enhance the skills and knowledge of students. These additional programs help students stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in the field of information technology.

In conclusion, computer coaching centers in Kanpur play a significant role in providing comprehensive training in computer-related subjects and preparing students for a successful career in the IT industry. With experienced faculty, modern facilities, practical training, and career development support, these coaching centers are instrumental in empowering students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the digital world.

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threecrowsinatrenchcoat · 3 years

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For One More Hour or One More Day

Dukeceit Week Day 6: Horror/Comedy

Remus and Janus work in IT, and Remus never fails to make Janus' life a bit more exciting than it should be. Janus wouldn't have it any other way.

AO3 Link: [here]

Word Count: 1416

Warnings: swearing, typical Remus-levels of implied sexual content.

@dukeceitweek <3

[06032021 Network Node Down- 172.12.203.1 - Dee Why ]

Janus stared at the next ticket in his queue. He didn't even have to look at which tech wrote it. He just knew. He picked up his phone and dialed.

“'Sup, DeeDee?"

"Because they use ancient technology and refuse to upgrade, that's why."

There was a beat of silence on the line. Janus didn't need to see him to know Remus was grinning like a maniac.

“Oh, JD, I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," Remus said finally. His voice was laced with barely-contained glee.

“Uh-huh, sure," Janus replied dryly. He watched on his screen as an incoming call diverted from his in-use line. "Do you want to clarify for me, in excruciating detail, what, exactly, it is that broke this time? After all, if it's something I can fix from here, it would save the company an awful lot of money. And you know how I love saving this company money."

“You don't feel like taking work calls either, huh?"

“Ree, I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

[06142021 CRITICAL | Device failed Availability and Latency checks - Dispatch Requested]

Janus sat in his truck for a few minutes, cross-checking the address across his e-mail, Slack, and the ticket itself. And yeah, they all matched. This wasn’t a repeat of that time Remus had changed the address on the ticket from 96th St. to 69th St. as a joke.

(Janus had almost gotten mugged. He was still a little salty about that one.)

But this time, all the addresses matched. The problem was, he was parked in front of a restaurant instead of the usual office building, and that just didn’t seem right. He opened up Slack on his phone.

Janus D’lyre: Are you sure the address is right?

Remus Rey: Yeah, it’s right.

Janus D’lyre: It’s a restaurant.

Remus Rey: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Janus D’lyre: Are you positive it’s right?

Remus Rey: I just write the tickets, Dee, I don’t do a background check. Just go in.

Janus sighed. He got out of his truck, hefted his tech bag over his shoulder, and went inside.

It was a nice restaurant. Very fancy, with a goddamn chandelier hanging over the front lobby. Field engineers weren’t required to dress in a suit and tie, but Janus did by habit- and he was glad he did, because he would feel like a horrible slob standing here in jeans and a polo.

“Can I help you?”

Janus looked over to the host, standing at the counter with a bright smile that only looked 52% faked.

“Yes,” Janus answered. “I’m here about the network issues?”

“Oh!” The host- his name tag read ‘Patton’- brightened up a bit. “Yeah! Remus is waiting for you, this way!”

“Remus is what?”

It was too late. Patton had already darted around the counter and off into the dining area. Janus sighed and, regretting every life choice leading up to this exact moment, followed.

Sure enough, Remus was waiting for him. Patton led him to a quieter area of the restaurant, where Remus was sitting at a table. Well, sitting was a generous way to phrase it, because in reality, he was tipped back on the rear two legs of the chair, combat boot-clad feet up on the table. He jumped up eagerly at the sight of Janus, and somehow managed not to fall backwards and crack his skull open.

“Hey! You made it! Thanks, Pat!”

“No problemo!” the host replied with a grin before heading back to the front counter. Janus briefly considered that he might be having a fever dream right now.

“Remus, what the fuck?”

“Told you it was the right address!”

Janus glared. “That is not what I’m ‘what the fuck’-ing you about.”

“I mean, I’d prefer me fucking you-”

“Remus.”

“Well, you work so hard, DeeDee,” Remus said calmly, as if he wasn’t standing in the middle of the fanciest restaurant on this side of town, dressed in his usual tank-top and leather vest combo and probably mashing dirt into the plush red carpet, and definitely doing something that should get him fired. “I thought you could take a break, and we could have a nice dinner.”

No, he wasn’t doing something that should get him fired. He was doing something that should get them both fired.

“You’re joking, right?”

“Kinda a lame joke.”

“Remus, you had me dispatched to a random address for a fake problem, to have dinner with you on company time?”

“‘Course not, who do you think I am?”

Janus did not dignify that with an answer. He turned to walk away.

“Jannie, wait!” Remus darted around the table to get in front of him. Janus stopped, and glared. “This is Roman’s restaurant! It’s not a random address, he’s an actual client.”

Janus’ glare lessened. Ok, sure, they did have some smaller commercial clients. And sure, Remus had mentioned his brother’s restaurant was using them as tech support now after a bad experience with a different company. But- “It’s still a fake problem, Remus.”

A shit-eating grin spread across Remus’ face. “Nah. I unplugged the router.”

Janus snorted in a totally dignified manner. “You didn’t.”

“I did.”

“...Well, I suppose… I’d better investigate the issue. Couldn’t be solved remotely, hardware problem and all.”

Remus held out a hand. Janus took it, and let Remus lead him back to the table.

“Great, cause I already ordered!”

[06192021 Switch is problematic. Unable to get into the switch || Serial No. 111-0203-2018]

Janus very calmly cleared the ticket, set his work phone to away, pulled out his personal phone, and sent Remus a text.

Jannie-D: I know you’re upset I didn’t let you fuck me last night. Get over it.

Remster: i will not

Virgil Caligo: yo are u and remus like good?

Janus D’lyre: We had a small argument last night. Why?

Virgil Caligo: [image attached]

Janus sighed. Virgil had sent him a screenshot of a ticket update Remus had just posted.

[06292021 Ticket #00679 Update.] ‘The device is not only unresponsive to simple ping requests, but is being kind of a jerk about it. 100% package loss, a tragedy. Device was confirmed to be connected to a working power source, but they all say that, so who can really be sure. Dispatch requested, please confirm maintenance window. Actually showing up would be great, too.’

Janus hastily typed a message to Virgil.

Janus D’lyre: Did you take that one?

Virgil Caligo: ya. logan didnt see dw

Janus D’lyre: Thanks. You can transfer it to me, I’ll take care of it.

Janus leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. What a comedy of errors this day had been. It was the last time he’d forget he and Remus had a date night planned, that’s for sure.

Remus sighed when a priority ticket popped up in his queue. He was having a grand time ignoring his other queues in favor of sculpting a rather elaborate dick out of the green Play-Doh he kept at his desk, but he really did not feel like getting bitched out by Logan for missing a priority ticket. Grumbling to himself, he stuffed the Play-Doh back into its tub and opened the ticket.

[06292021 Ticket #00679 Update.] ‘Likely a hardware bug. Possible remote fix with reset and reconfigure. Device information missing from online records. Please check file and update record.’

Fuck. Remus hated pulling files. What a pain. He trudged his way upstairs to the records room, which was always dark and depressing because nobody ever went there because who the fuck used physical paper in 2021?

But when he unlocked the door and pushed it open, the light was on. And every surface was covered in flowers.

“What the fuck?” Remus asked the flowers. They didn’t answer. But, at the small desk near the door, there was a stack of green boxes from his favorite bakery- and on top of that, he saw an envelope with his name on it. Eagerly, Remus tore open the envelope.

Inside, he found a single sheet of Janus’ fancy stationery paper, the kind with the little holographic snakes along the edge that he only ever used for special occasions. And on that paper, one single sentence, penned in Janus’ elegant, flourishy handwriting: Ok, you can fuck me tonight.

- - -

[06292021 Ticket #00679 Update.] ‘I take it back, the device is no longer being a jerk, and I love the device very much.’

#dukeceitweek #dukeceit #janus sanders #remus sanders #sanders sides #sanders sides fic #kye writes

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thegeorgetelegraph · 1 year

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What are Computer Network topology and what types of network topology?

The configuration of how computer systems or network devices are in relation to one another is a Computer Network topology. topologies help to attain information about a network's exact specifications. A network may have the same or different logical and physical topologies. It helps determine the connection between more than one network. They are an essential part of computer hardware and networking.

https://www.georgetelegraph.com/computer-network-topology.aspx

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kolkata-edu-guide · 2 years

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Some Professional Trainings Courses That Students Can Choose

Getting your field staff certified and trained can help them become true craftsmen within your business and our industry.

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eziocauthon89 · 5 years

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Mighty Nein Cyberpunk AU

This thought occurred to me the other day after hearing Amaranthe’s song “Digital World”, and I spent yesterday’s downtime at work working on it in tidbits, and here it is! Mostly put under a Read More, cause there’s A Lot! (Tagging @criticalrolo, who let me randomly blurt the parts out at her over the day!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Consider, if you will, an Exandria very akin to the one shown in the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 game; very post-transhumanism world, cybernetic augments are beyond accepted, they're virtually expected.

It's a world of corporations, where The Company is all, and the little guys either work with them or get ground up in the gears. The most powerful one is the Rexxentrum Assembly. They've stood solid For decades, having fingers in every profitable venture imaginable.

The only ones to oppose them are the Xhorhasian Conglomerate, a collection of smaller corporations who've banded together to survive, and possibly someday defeat, the mega-corp that is Rexxentrum.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beau works for the Cobalt Soul, an ancient order of hackers that have existed since before the transhumanism event began, keeping their eyes in every corner of the web. They used to be activists, but these days, they're largely archivists and data/info brokers. Beau thinks they should return to their roots and join with the Conglomerate against the Assembly, and is actively working to that end.

Like much of the party, she's an expert hacker, specializing in getting access through stolen info. Physically, she is the least augmented of the party, save for a few tweaks to make her blows a bit faster, and an analysis system to be better able to determine weak points and the "stats" of her enemies.

Her hacking signature is the sigil of the Cobalt Soul, positioned in front of a pair of wrapped fists crossed at the wrist as though over a chest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jester Lavorre is a young and fresh hacker. Daughter of the owner of that digital and physical smut empire, known only as The Ruby, and heir to the vast network of anything one could want in that arena. After inadvertently destroying the career of a local prominent politician with a cyber-prank, it was decided that she needed to get out and experience more of the world.

As a hacker, she predominantly focuses on digging up embarrassing secrets of high-level individuals, and then broadcasting them on the web, in her signature saccharine pink and unicorn-decorated infodumps. In the real world, she does her best to make sure her team is in the best shape they can be, getting supplies to help with that whenever she can.

As mentioned, her trademark is the infodump, usually in the form of a bullet-pointed video, coated in sickly sweet pinks, with unicorns and the like dancing in the background.

Aside from the usual strength and endurance mods that basically everyone has, she also has a mod in her skin that lets her shift colors and patterns to almost anything. It's usually not good enough for any proper stealth, but it's fun as hell! She has a similar mod on her horns, but stronger, where she can brighten them and basically become a living rave lighting system. The tips of her horns can also become the most literal version of "headlights" ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fjord is one of the more interesting party members. Heavily augmented, he once followed the orders of his patron, an entity named Uk'otoa who he only had contact with through the deep web. This entity led him to great troves of augmentations, each with a nugget that Uka'toa itself desired. These troves helped to find the efforts of the party, leading to at least tolerate the presence of the outside force.

Recently, however, his new circle of friends led him to realize that Uk'otoa was, in fact, an incredibly malicious AI from beyond The Walls. With effort and some excising hacks from his friends, he cut off his ties with Uk'otoa. Unfortunately, many of his augments required an external AI to continue to function, and so he let himself be connected to another AI, dubbed the Wildmother by another of his party, one with a far more gentle motivation.

Fjord remains the least hack-savvy member, preferring reality to anything cyberspace can offer. Among his augments, he can deploy a macro-molecular bladed sword seemingly out of thin air, sharp enough to slide between the molecules of most materials, neatly slicing them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caleb's story is simple enough. He was a Company Man. See, though, the thing about being a Company Man, is you can't ever really stop being a Company Man. Especially when that Company is the Assembly.

After one of his tests to enter the upper ranks resulted in the immolation of his family, he snapped. Gathering what he needed, he disappeared, a truly impressive feat in such an interconnected world, and doubly so when not even the Assembly could find him again. Now, he seeks a way to burn them down from the inside out.

Caleb's hacking signature has been dubbed "Scorched Earth", because when he's finished getting what he needs from a target, if he so chooses, he will burn them down, leaving them nothing behind, right down to the system files, and even the hardware itself if he can swing it.

Physically, his augmentations reside chiefly in his arms and his head. Highly experimental neuromods that boosts his already almost eidetic memory, letting him pick out any memory since installation and recall it in perfect clarity, and even overlay filters to uncover further information. Additionally, mini-producers across his body and microjets imbedded in his forearms allow access to his secret weapons: nanites and plain ol' fire.

The micro-producers scattered across his body can generate a cloud of nanites under his control, allowing him much of his near-magical feats. As a way to maintain an at-hand supply of them, he usually forms them into the form of a small animal, granting a measure of hivemind capabilities to allow it to impersonate said creature. The microjets allow him to be as near to a pyromancer as he can without using actual magic. Additionally, he has two small computers, resting in holsters under his arms, that together hold enough power to brute force hack into nearly any system he needs to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Where Caleb's story is one of the simpler ones, Nott's can be argued to be the most tragic. On the face of it, she appears to be a Goblin, a faction of heavy augmenters who actively renounce form over function, and typically change their bodies as far from conventionally attractive as they can. Sure, the way Nott openly despises other Goblins is a bit odd, but who's to say what that kind of modding does to ones brain?

Except. She isn't a Goblin by choice. Due to some unknown reason, perhaps for an experiment, or as recompense for some perceived slight, Nott's original form was destroyed, and her brain and mind supplanted and locked into this Goblin form. Now, she follows Caleb, in the hopes that someday, he can learn how to let her leave this body behind and return to one more like her original.

Not to say this form is without it's pros, of course. An enhanced stealth suite and active targeting means that when she hits you, you won't have a clue where it came from.

Typically, Nott doesn't do much hacking, favoring the real world and protecting Caleb (and eventually, the rest of the party) as they do their deep dive hacks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Molly and Yasha were strangers, drifting in from another distant city, claiming to be entertainers, but far more capable at defending themselves online and off. The pair came together and bonded over their lost histories. Yasha, having had a section of hers stolen and sealed away, unsure what she was or did during that time. Molly, having no recollection at all before waking up in that shallow grave.

Molly's mods were as flashy as the man, able to produce holographic fancies from his fingertips on command, making for a handy show (and distraction) as needed. When he fell, on a mission to rescue their fellows, it nearly broke the team apart.

Yasha's mods were more straightforward; she relied largely on brute strength to overcome her foes, both in reality and in the web. Nobody cheered when her memories were finally unlocked, as they changed her, turned her on them. The team still hopes that, someday, they might bring her back from that dark place she found herself sucked into, but they know, that day may well be far off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caduceus was something of an enigma. Where Beau was one of the most human of the group, Cad was very much the most inhuman. Not even he was entirely sure how much of himself was still organic, but he doubted it was even near 15%. He spent nearly all of his time plugged into the web in some capacity, resulting in a more distracted and absent-minded demeanor than the others were used to.

Nobody was quite sure what all his mods could do. One thing that they were (relatively??) sure about, was that he had a direct line to some powerful AI, one that he called the Wildmother. She seemed to have good intentions for those who followed her, but the party was still wary. They'd been burned before, with Uk'otoa.

Cad's hacking signature was... Well, actually, nobody was quite sure what his signature was. Every now and then, he'd take credit for some random hack, usually one that someone else also claimed shortly after, and always it turned out to have farther reaching implications than anyone else thought it might have.

#Critical Role #CritRole #Cyberpunk #Cyberpunk AU #Beauregard Lionnet #Fjord #Jester Lavorre #Mollymauk #Yasha #Caduceus Clay #Caleb Widogast #Nott The Brave #My Post #This was fun to come up with

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arcticdementor · 5 years

Link

Dealing with GNU/Linux meant dealing with Richard Stallman, the eccentric genius who had guided the creation of pretty much everything but the Linux kernel itself. I say “eccentric”, but what I’m really saying is that Stallman is mentally ill. I don’t know the correct words to describe that illness, but it manifests itself in dozens of different ways, from extreme hydrophobia (fear of water!) to various disturbing habits of phraseology, communication, and physical behavior. Nobody who knows Stallman thinks he is sane. By the same token, nobody would doubt his intelligence. He’s the only person I have ever met in person who struck me as being measurably smarter than I am, which sounds horrifyingly egotistical but is probably more a reflection of my choice in fellow-travelers.

Stallman agreed to eat dinner with me on the condition that he be permitted to order my meal and that I eat the whole thing without complaint. I wouldn’t have dinner with a resurrected John Coltrane under those conditions but there were plenty of great jazz musicians and there is only one Richard Stallman. The meal was an utter nightmare, of course. Everything he picked had the texture, and taste, of Jell-O made from dog vomit. I told myself that if G. Gordon Liddy could burn his own finger down to the tendon that I could finish a five-course “authentic” Chinese meal. Having done so, I managed to extract some absolutely brilliant ideas from him about software design and programming principles. “Come back to my office,” he suggested, and we headed out to walk over towards the MIT Media Lab. About ninety seconds into our walk, it started to rain. Just a light sprinkling, not build-the-ark stuff. Stallman screamed like a teenage girl, pulled his dashiki (yes!) over his head, and ran in waddling fashion towards MIT.

Twenty minutes later, I arrived at the Media Lab to find him huddling on the other side of the door, shaking. “Why did you not run?” he asked, in a whining monotone. “Is it because you are heavy?” (I was 195 pounds at the time; lighter than Stallman, half a foot taller.)

“Yes,” I replied, “my weight prevents rapid locomotion.” Stallman nodded in satisfied fashion. Two hours later, in the middle of demonstrating some bizarre Bulgarian folk dance, he looked over his shoulder at me and said, “I would be happier if you were not in the office.” He did not stop dancing. I took this as my cue to leave.

I mention all of this so you know precisely the sort of person who is in the middle of being crucified for “defending Epstein’s rape island” by his institutional rivals.

…

When asked to give his thoughts on the matter, Stallman responded like any 110-octane autism-spectrum genius would: by questioning the terminology involved. He suggested that the correct word for Minsky’s alleged statutory rape was not “sexual assault”, noting that

a) Minsky had no way to know the girl was 17, not 18 ; b) she had been coerced by Epstein out of Minsky’s presence and might well have appeared to be entirely willing.

In true Stallman fashion, this was

a) absolutely correct from a logical perspective; b) mind-blowingly stupid from a perspective of The Current Year.

It’s no different from the thousands of logical but emotionally uncomfortable things he has said and written over the past forty years. Stallman has no way to understand how people feel about something; he doesn’t feel that way. The community of actual computer scientists and clued-in tech people has long accepted this because — and I cannot emphasize this enough — Richard Stallman is responsible for computing as we know it.

…

The idea of truly free software given to the world for humanitarian purposes would not exist without Stallman. He was the only person who ever had the thought. Which means it is more radical than calculus, heavier-than-air flight, the theory of relativity, or the atomic bomb. It took someone with Stallman’s particular blend of Promethean IQ and mentally handicapped social skills to push it all the way to reality. You live in Richard Stallman’s world, whether you like it or not. He has had more influence on how we communicate in 2019 than any other single human being currently living. Any sane society would consider him a national treasure of greater importance than Fort Knox, to be cherished and protected accordingly.

Naturally, our society has decided to crucify him.

…

Ms. Selam Jie Gano, the author in question, is part of the most pernicious, and reprehensible, movement in technology, namely: the cabal of people who want to reduce the American (and Western) programming and technological development base of expertise to a kindergarten political commissariat which investigates its own belly button for thoughtcrime while rent-seeking the American economy to its knees and producing absolutely nothing of value in return. This cabal is actively aided and abetted by the one-percent Silicon Valley Illuminati who are murderously intent on pulling up the ladder behind them so that the existing tech (and financial) structure in NorCal is etched forever in stone. Both of these groups have identified native-born American coders and tech experts as the only thing keeping them from turning tech into a plantation system where the San Jose crowd pursues ever-more-specific meanings of “diversity”, “race”, and “problematic” while the actual work of coding, designing, developing, and manufacturing is done overseas by lowest-bidder sweatshops where the concerns of the commissars are taken with precisely the seriousness they deserve — which is to say none.

These people secretly believe that all the major necessary technological innovation has already been achieved, which is why they are so intent on crippling any further possible achievement with insane systems like Agile and pair-programming and Russian-doll containerization. Their current fetishes, NoSQL databases and headless content, are directly reflective of their moral, spiritual, and intellectual poverty. They yearn for cash-cow garbage projects like the Obamacare website, which cost two billion dollars but which likely contained more of Richard Stallman’s code than the government’s.

Haven’t you noticed how much worse computing has gotten in the past ten years? How much slower your phone is to do something than the desktop computer of 2002, which had a fraction of your phone’s power? How every bit of software in your possession requires near-constant updating to eliminate previous bugs and introduce new ones? This are the bitter fruits of modern tech-industry stupidity. Nota bene that China has very little difficulty of this nature; their WeChat software combines the functions of Facebook, Paypal, iMessage, and a half-dozen other apps in one lightweight, fast-running platform that works effortlessly on a twenty-dollar phone. That’s the kind of efficiency, and progress, we sacrificed when we decided that Selam Jie Gano’s vision of the future is more valuable than Richard Stallman’s. The eventual reckoning implied in that comparison will not be long in coming. Oh, wait: it’s already here. While we were busy making sure that every programming team at Google looked exactly like a Benetton ad, the Chinese were putting microchips between the layers of motherboards to give the CCCP ultimate control of the world’s networks.

Perhaps the final indignity here is that Stallman should be protected by the very guidelines of Diversity And Inclusion which are being used to crucify him. Were Stallman in a wheelchair, MIT would make sure he had a near-effortless path to work. Were he blind, he would have the appropriate hardware and software to enable his genius to proceed uninterrupted. But because he is mentally challenged in social interactions — an area where the Illuminati respect, and permit, nothing besides complete and total compliance — he is going to be drummed out of the world that he single-handedly created.

Mark my words: if we continue like this, the airplanes will start falling out of the sky. Oh, wait. It’s already happening.

#jack baruth #richard stallman #read the whole thing

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ionfyr-newepirion-blog · 5 years

Text

Puppetry

By Ion Fyr

ISBN: 978-1-7331291-1-4

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real or imagined people or events is purely coincidental.

I wish to thank M, K and R for their support.

Published by Jon Rodebaugh

[email protected]

Londbridge, Terra, the year 247 of the World Commercial Congress.

The vast and populous city stretched from the coast inland for a great distance, its boundaries clear along the southern rim, where the depopulated agricultural land was a deep green against the grey of the city. Arcologies reached skyward like geometrically formed mountains. They stretched up through the brownish-orange fog, to the bottoms of intermittent, low hanging clouds. The wind off the sea to the west pushed the ground-hugging smog inland, where it flowed over the plastic and concrete housing blocks of the low-slung slums and wards.

Crude, steel rectangular blocks—massive airships—plied unseen lanes in the air. Some were a kilometer long, many were far less than that. They were cargo ships of the air, haulers of raw materials and finished products and everything in between. There were passenger transports and the occasional Corporate-emblazoned Skyship. Among them was a car shaped like a scarab of ancient Kemet.

The car was a low profile, sleek oblong of metal and synthetics. It’s skin was somewhat dark and greener than iridescent and there were no windscreens visible from the exterior. Unlike many, far less expensive vehicles with protruding nacelles, in this case the gravity-repelling Naskovich drives were enclosed in four slightly visible hips, two on the front sides and two on the back, otherwise it was featureless. It settled into the local traffic lanes at a lower altitude as soon as it crossed the perimeter fence separating urban squalor from automated farmland.

Inside was a man, lit only by the glow of dimmed wraparound screens showing the view outside mingled with telemetric data and a map overlay. He was of Mediterranean complexion, tanned by the sun, having thick black hair reaching his collarbone and a matching beard which he unconsciously stroked. He was bare-chested and muscular, and wore linen pants and sandals. It would seem he was ill prepared for the climate of northwestern Europa throughout most of the year.

Connect-device -car6 | Course-plot -new -1605 Attilastrass/178th Ward/Londbridge District -efficient | Velocity -LocalityLegal

Force-thinking, for those with wireless internal drives, was a simple process once one got used to it. It amounted to running code with one’s brain. Preprogrammed commands and related implanted hardware augmentation allowed wireless interaction with the ubiquitous Network.

Wireless worked effectively to a hundred meters, beyond that without a wired network connection or light-node semaphoric line of sight coms, one was out of luck. The wired part of the network spanned much of Eurasia and the Sint—the subcontinent embedded in the south of Asia, and the northern half of the Farad, the southern continent.

Luc knew he was already connected to the the car, but it didn’t hurt to initiate the connection to “car6” again.

Change-IdentCert -car6 | New-IdentCert “12hA126334w6”

A little sloppy. More important on the way out. He should have changed the vehicle’s identification before coming into range of the city’s cameras. The slop in the air will do something to obscure their visuals, though. He was going to church.

The Attican Universal Church on Attilastrasse was largely a tourist attraction these days. Once it’s gothic architecture drew supplicants and worshipers from all over Europa. Now, hardly anyone believed the the ancient Neoplatonic version of the gods. Not even in backwater Hellas.

He already missed the white and blue visual textures of Hellas.

The car chimed warmly at his arrival. Luc slipped his feet into his sandals. Looked first left, then right, and found his holstered pistol. He clipped it to his belt, in the small of his back. He then looked around. He was not a believer, by any means, but him entering an ancient sacred space without a shirt would have horrified his mother.

Luc didn’t have a shirt.

Instead, he pulled a barely used leather jacket from an under-seat compartment and slipped his arms into the stiff sleeves, the leather rustling like new. He had worn it once before on a trip north in the winter. He dimly remembered he had a shirt back then, too.

It was black, vat-leather and remained unzipped. It was almost too tight to zip anyway. From a different under-seat compartment, he shifted some detritus and pulled out two loaded magazines for his pistol, slipping these into his pocket. He also found a breather, one that would cover his nose and mouth and allow normal breathing under the toxic haze. For good measure he put on his sunglasses, which formed seal around the edges, protecting his eyes against the air as well. The sun was not even visible at the street level here, but that wasn’t the point.

With a fluid motion the car slowed to landing velocity and the four landing legs unfurled themselves just as the car settled to the ground.

Luc opened the gull-wing door and set foot on the damp pavement outside. Despite the smog-cover, the bright lights did their part in illuminating the street. There were other vehicles parked without regard for orientation or pedestrian traffic. Even beyond the 100 meters of practical visibility, one could still make out the multi-hued urban glow.

Surface traffic on the road had ceased a century ago, at least by passenger-carrying surface vehicles. There was a crunch of debris underfoot, forming heaps in some spots.

He could feel cool air on his chest, along with a slight chemical sting. While standing, the jacket just barely covered his pistol.

Luc scanned the street. There was at least one (albeit damaged) camera to the left, two indeterminate ones to the right. Six vehicles sat on the street, perched on their legs like giant plastic beetles, mostly shit economy rides.

The ancient architecture of the temple, or church, had been damaged considerably during the Wars of Consolidation over two hundred fifty years ago. Sometime after the half-destroyed structure was refurbished and stabilized in an unfortunately clashing architectural style. Its collapsing roof was now supported by cylindrical steel columns and a monstrosity of a replacement wall.

He pulled open the right side of a set of double doors and entered the tall building. Luc’s footsteps, the soft flap of his sandals on the cold stone floor, echoed. The building’s shattered acoustics still reflected the sounds from the left side.

The interior was thick with sandalwood incense, even detectable through his breather, and despite the efforts of the building’s atmosphere scrubbers. There were perhaps a dozen ancient, gilded, life-size bronze statues representing the Olympian gods. Each was enclosed in a plasti-glass cube, to prevent unwanted touching (or theft.)

At the fore of the temple was a massive stone sculpture of Zeus. On the floor in front of the king of the gods was a smoking bowl of some intentionally antiquated looking ceramic. There were only two other individuals in the place, a man and a woman. They were not together. The man crouched close to the incense bowl and was old. He looked Hellic. The woman was younger and was sketching with a stylus on an open scroll, its screen unfurled from its cylindrical shaft, it’s bluish glow reflected off her features.

Luc walked down the center of the building, imagining what it would have looked like when it was built hundreds of years ago. He did not like the aesthetics of mingling late Industrial Age girders with ancient wood ceiling beams. He scowled faintly at the the plasti-glass enclosures. They were eyesores and were smudged by hundreds, maybe thousands of tourists pushing their grubby fingers and noses against them, hoping to gain a better view or wondering if the gilded bronze was actually gold.

He walked toward Aphrodite and stood, admiring the beautifully sculpted figure. He waited.

A few minutes later—late—footsteps approached. Commando boots on the worn marble of the floor, echoing more boldly than his sandals, expressing the strength of her approach.

Luc turned slowly, his right hand on his hip, near the butt of his pistol, more out of paranoid habit than anything else. He knew who he was expecting, and could tell by her stride it was her.

“Lucretius, welcome back.” The girl was exuberant. Pretty, Luc thought. Vandalian emigre, north Farad complexion, from the other side of the Mediterranean. Black hair in two braids, one dyed a glowing pink. Leather head to toe, a jacket longer than the one he wore, matching pants with lots of pockets, boots.

“Hey, Nosrit, I haven’t spoken Standard for three years. Forgive me.” The words were spoken slowly, with concentration on the correct pronunciation.

“That’s ok. You look the same. Still no shirt. Aren’t you cold?”

“You look...older.” No longer a child. “So, Muskrat tells me there is a problem with some twat in Tanic Park?”

“Yeah, I’m just supposed to give you the contact data.” She slipped him an external, a little black wafer of data, a few millimeters square. Not wireless.

“I will look into this. Tell Muskrat I will contact him.”

Back in the car, Luc wired into the external. Data cascaded through him through the intermediary encrypted wireless node. There was a mafioso wannabe thug pressing his people.

Tanic Park was a poor community in the shadow of Dogtown Arcology, a mix of peoples from all over, some from outside the WCC. They were too poor to merit protections from MetSec. Londbridge Metropolitan Security was at best a hinderance, if not an outright threat. Only their drones patrolled Tanic, and then only in some areas. Nets strung across streets kept them out of certain others.

In the lawless, refuse-filled streets, an economy developed. In the polished halls of Dogtown Arc people lived in a heaven of sorts. The unaware upper echelons of Londbridge went about their shallow lives oblivious to places like this. Luc was fully aware that arcology life was far from perfect. He just resented their compliant, obedient comfort.

Here it was far from that polished existence, though from most places in the Park residents could see the looming monolith of the Arc. Automation brought riches to some, but there was no work for the majority of the residents of Tanic Park. No work. No money. Amidst the untold wealth, in the shadow of gilded statues, people starved. And starving, they fell prey to petty thugs with balls and uppity ambitions.

Marcus Dusselberg was a small time gangster with such ambition. Somehow, he had gotten himself a military grade assault bot, one of those things that were like cement blocks propped on two legs, bristling with guns and sensors. His muscle.

Out of retirement, I guess, Luc thought. Dank Londbridge was not where he wanted to be, but his friends were here. Family.II

Muskrat was a skinny man with a badly shaved head and an unflattering mustache. He had jacks—five of them—but the gossip was that only one of them did anything. The rest were cosmetic. He smelled of booze and cheap cologne, which he used to cover the smell of the booze, as if any of that mattered in the Park.

The warehouse where they met—the address coming from the data chip—was spartan and bleak. Muskrat’s battered breather was under his chin. Luc kept his on. The air here was shit.

“Mr. Lucretius, thank you for coming,” he began, sniveling.

“What do you want, Muskrat? You call me back here to deal with some shit who you don’t have the balls to fight back against?” Brethmanic Standard was coming back easily.

“Luc, these are your people. They asked me to send for you.”

I did come all of this way. Luc thought, still not sure what he was doing back. He knew he always would have come back to help his people—that wasn’t the problem. What was the problem? What led to Muskrat being left in charge?

“This man threatens the community with a robot?” Knowing the answer. The 1500 kilometer flight was not spent idle. I did some thinking and some research.

“Military. Bought surplus from some Aquacorp off-load.” Muskrat stuttered.

Who named themselves after extinct animals? Wolf or bear he could see, but Muskrat?

“When I left, Muskrat, I left you in charge. I had faith that you’d look after the community. I know it is hard. I did it myself for years. It’s five fucking blocks, man. What the fuck are you doing? How do you lose that to some petty shit gangster?”

“Mr Lucretius, you didn’t leave us with any weight. We are light. Only boys and girls and old women.” An attempt to swagger. It’s not about being a man or not, not in any literal sense.

Nosrit will be experienced enough in a couple years. She’s got it. But what is it? Enthusiasm. Drive.

“I mean no disrespect,” Muskrat held himself back, stepped back.

“Ok. So the shit has a mech, a mec, a meh?” How do you spell robot warrior from future, from entertainment fiction? Luc laughed out loud at his own joke, disquieting Muskrat who stepped back again another half a meter.

“I need a truck that can fly 300 kg and handle urban-use projectiles thrown at it. I’ll do the ops and code myself.” Luc’s mind was spinning, churning. “Truck needs to be stripped and off-net, Can Nosrit drive?”

She couldn’t. She didn’t have to, though.

The code was not complex. Once the identity of the vehicle was wiped and also, once the net was wiped of any hint of Luc, Muskrat and Nosrit, Luc was somewhat satisfied. The absence of information would eventually appear on the State servers like shadows from unseen objects, but for now they would be invisible.

The truck was a bulbous monstrosity. It sat on its landing legs like an egg with parasite-like nacelles. The ass-end opened with two curved doors. It will do the job.

Nosrit was there. She hadn’t had the three lateral piercings across the bridge of her nose when he had seen her last, years ago, and he hadn’t even noticed them in the church on Attilastrasse. Six steel balls lined up between her eyes that weren’t there three years ago. Community. She was going to drive.

Connect-device -ShittyTransportVehicle | Course-plot “Londbridge Metropolitan Security/Floor 67”

“Remember, girl, ditch this thing after we are done. It will go fast. And by that I mean, our activities will,” he added, “This piece of shit won’t go fast.”

Nosrit giggled a little, then pulled herself back into adulthood and tried to look serious.

The truck dropped up into the local traffic lanes. Nosrit looked nervous. Luc had confidence, both in her and the plan. Even though he hadn’t seen or talked to her in several years, he had kept tabs on his community. He still knew every one of them, remotely pushed them in beneficial ways. I need to be here. Gods, I hate Londbridge.

There was a grating buzz when the truck/car/cargo transport pod—however you render it—arrived at the destination.

The plasti-glass windscreen, through decades of abrasions, showed floor 67 of Londbridge MetSec HQ.

Luc turned it, so that the aft end was facing the building.

“There will be a slight impact. Are you strapped in?”

She was. He accelerated in reverse, crashing the truck through the window panel. Glass rained down into the street below. The bulk of it flew into the 67th floor of the building.

“Open the doors.”

Nosrit unbuckled and moved to the back of the truck. The doors butterflied out and open. The truck was still hovering, the Naskovich drives keeping it aloft, though the ass-end was two meters into the building.

“Stay here...” Luc drew his pistol. He was shirtless, jacket less, and his breather hung around his neck, its rubber pulling at his beard. He cranked up the intensity of his goggles. The ambient light was exaggerated, revealing the contents of the room.

It was storage. Dozens of anthromorphs—humanoid robots—designed to be controlled wirelessly by remote human operators, stood in ranks. Somewhere, outside of this space, this storage place, were the wireless repeaters that allowed humans to control them well outside the range of even most standard military wireless tech.

Don’t have time for that. Put it on the wish list. Luc could probably crowdsource a solution to make up for that anyway. 20 million cred for a mesh-network!? They’re all scamming each other. Focus now, Luc. Small fish to fry this time. Luc dropped out of thoughts and back into the contours of the meat-sac realm.

Luc quickly, and with purpose, walked to the nearest one and abruptly ripped a wire out of the back of its head. Contact point. Wireless connection. Stupid design.

He pushed it and it made a loud crash as it landed on its back. It was armored and harden. It would be unharmed. The dim red glow of its internal mechanisms didn’t even flicker.

They were made of some hardened version of plasti-glass, classified stuff. The material itself was transparent. Anthromorphs, after construction, after the biomechanical servos and structure were in place, were cloaked in counter-projectile armor. The gaps in the armor glowed red, a design feature intended to create an effect—especially since their interiors glowed red all along.

Just gave us something to aim at, idiots.

Luc took it by the feet. Only seconds had passed.

It was heavy, but he was strong. Nosrit added her slight weight to the pulling as he got to the truck, which shifted slightly, either from their movement or from some fluctuation in the Naskovich field, maybe even from the wind.

Glass dropped out of the gape as they accelerated out of the building, dropping with stomach-churning speed, into the lower-city murk. They returned via a circuitous route.

Nosrit was driving, which really only consisted of issuing commands to the vehicle’s otherwise autonomous navigation system. She had no visible wireless nodes, but that didn’t mean anything. Neither did Luc.

III

The truck rested on its reinforced, weight-handling legs in the same warehouse where Luc had recently met Muskrat.

“They didn’t even see you?”

“They probably did. Someone probably did. The truck needs to be destroyed.”

The anthromorph was heavy. It took all three of them to get it upright. Nosrit had enthusiasm and contributed more to the effort than Muskrat.

There would be a brief microsecond, after replugging the coms cable, when the thing could call home, recontact MetSec servers, looking for its proper master.

Luc had the code waiting though. It would reroute the anthromorph’s command and control to him, as well as block out every other user.

“Do it,” he ordered.

Muskrat reconnected the wireless controls with strands of wires looped over his forearms. Luc streamed his override package the same instant.

The thing stood more erect, coming to life. The red glow from its biomech insides increased. Was there a biological component?

Luc could feel it, feel its extremities, feel it like a second body. It was powerful.

It was unarmed.

“I will need a weapon, Muskrat.”

It took a day, but Muskrat found an old energy gun, rifle shaped, glass rods in the place of a barrel. It was sticky and covered in grime, like it had spent decades in a shed or storage locker. They charged it up to around 80%. The battery wouldn’t take more than that. Luc and Nosrit spray-painted the anthromorph a matte black, masking its eyes. Every other part of it was black. Some loose oversized robe was gathered and the sleeves slit from wrist to armpit and this tent was draped over the thing, giving it the appearance of an oversized streetfella, if one didn’t look too closely. The gun would be noticed, especially by other streetfellas.

Luc, in control of the MecSec commando anthromorph, took the weapon into his symbiotic arms. The bio-feedback was precise and intense. This will do, he laughed, high on the feed back with the mech, or was it meh?

Dusselberg was in a low, two story building in Tanic Park, in a very precise location that Luc had scoped out years ago. Five blocks, he thought. Someone—not him—had long ago hollowed out much of the second story and connected a series of flats, which had then been reinforced, fortified and hardened.

Luc being Luc drove there himself in his own car. Nosrit and the anthromorph sat behind him. She looked at the anthromorph like she’d look at a set-up date, some guy her parents wanted her to hook up with. No, she thought, repelled them. I am not that girl.

The car could seat eight comfortably and, honestly, could probably sleep at least six. It was spacious. The anthromorph had the gun across it’s lap as it sat, approximating a human sitting posture. It was a tight fit. The thing was two and a half meters tall, big enough to be imposing, but just small enough to move in normal human environments, hallways of buildings.

Word had it that the mech belonging to Dusselberg was in the cellar beneath the housing block. Luc maneuvered between the gaps in the nets that the locals had put up to impede MetSec security drones. The things weren’t good with nets. Tended to get caught—nacelles tangled. Gutterpunks would then strip them of essentials.

The block, Luc remembered, was in a camera-free dead-zone. That meant no cameras for Dusselberg. No cameras for him either.

Why was he bringing Nosrit? Maybe she could drive if he was injured, though that was unlikely. He liked the company. It also gave her valuable trade experience. Someday she might run her own missions, look out for her community, the community.

He set the car down in the street outside the block. First the anthromorph stepped out. Luc was sure of that as soon as it did. Shit would unleash. He was right.

A trio of hired thuggery stood outside the main entrance to the block—some cross-sections of streets from two hundred years ago—becoming suddenly alert to the MetSec anthromorph stepping out of Luc’s car, despite the streetfella “disguise” they had come up with.

It was never easy to switch back and forth between moving his own body and piloting the anthromorph, but he managed to slide out of the car behind the thing, loosely holding his pistol in his hand.

The anthromorph fired at the men. A pink-blue beam crackled and arced from the thing’s gun at them like a lightning bolt. They fell, smoldering on the way down, bodies filigreed along the path of the current. The door behind them now hung from its hinges. Their bodies were entangled on the stoop.

The speed of the anthromorph was better than a human’s. Luc force-thought its actions, seeing what its eyes saw, superimposed on his own vision. The door was flung aside and the bodies were stepped on, stepped over.

Dusselberg must have been alerted, because a stream of heavy caliber projectiles sliced through the floor of the building’s atrium from below.

The mech was awake.

Ratty carpet fibers drifted in the wake of the bullets strafing up from the basement. The projectiles would land miles away at that angle, probably killing people somewhere else in the city. Luc rolled the anthromorph to the side and leaned against the car. Nosrit was watching the screens inside. Why did I bring her?

The anthromorph fired down, through the floor. This was not going to work. New plan.

He called the anthromorph back to the car. He and it hung out the opened door. Nosrit flew them to the roof of the building, while the surplus mech extricated itself from the cellar, using a freight elevator in the rear of the building, by the loading dock.

The roof of the building had an open-ended car shelter, big enough for two or three cars. Nosrit set Luc’s car down in the open though, near the small shed that contained the building’s roof-access stairs. The second floor had reinforced windows.

The anthromorph, followed by a appreciably clumsy Luc, dropped to the roof’s surface as soon as they were close. Controlling the anthromorph made Luc’s equilibrium sketchy.

The plasti-glass-armored commando android fired at the shed, turning the door and most of the housing into metal and plastic slag.

In the hallway below, down the aging, crumbling stairs, they faced the mech. It had come up—Luc wasn’t sure if it was moving under its own automated volition or if Dusselberg was controlling it. It didn’t matter. Luc swung himself back into the stairwell as the thing sprayed the hallway with high-velocity ammunition, shattering the wall at the far end, over the entrance. It had to hunch down, keeping its girder-like legs bent, with its weapons-bristling, block-like head scrapping the ceiling.

Luc looked at the MetSec anthromorph next to him, shielding it by moving it back from the fire in the doorway of the stairwell. It was dizzying controlling it and his own body at the same time. The android had taken some hits. Luc could feel them. One to the hip. Three to the torso. The armor took most of the impact, however. There was no loss of function.

The anthromorph swung out, just as the mech was reaching their location two meters from the entry to the stairwell. Its lightning beam strafed the hallway, blacking the walls, searing them and the mech’s metal block-head.

Ammunition stored within—its magazine deep within its steel bulk—erupted in a fizzing explosion, held in by its own armor plating. Sensors, cameras were thrown out, burned out by the fire within, ejected violently by the internal pressure. The smell of electricity and smoldering plastic filled the hallway.

It listed to the side, the servos in its right leg cutting out. It broke through the wall while still sparking from an inferno inside. Magnesium-white fire flared from its empty camera sockets, sparks falling into the smoldering carpet.

Luc looked at the doors on the other side of the hallway, the side with the reinforced external windows. Dusselberg was in there.

The doors were more than likely reinforced. Luc force-thought the anthromorph to fire at the wall between them. By this point the hallway was full of smoke. A lick of flame ate at the wall around where the mech fell through.

Lighting ripped through the opposite wall. Luc was glad for his breather, now on his nose and mouth, though he should have worn the goggles also. He squinted against the heat and the searing light of the energy weapon born by the anthromorph.V

The space on the other side of the wall was open and, at some point, had been gutted, opening a large space that had once been five or six flats. Dusselberg hadn’t been here long. He also had little taste in furnishings.

He sat in a swivel desk chair surrounded by monitors, a scrawny little man. He was armed. He had his own energy gun, not as big as the anthromorph’s, but just as effective. That gun’s beam practically cut the anthromorph in half, and would have cut Luc in half had he not rolled to the ground.

Luc fired a half dozen shots at Dusselberg from behind a wheeled tool chest. The anthromorph was dead, its connection to Luc’s mind broken. Its servos still tried to get it upright with a futility that approached that of an animal struggling to live.

Luc fired a few more shots from the pistol. His ears rang now from the cover fire. It was a distraction while he pulled the energy weapon from the anthromorph’s hands. Back behind the tool chest, Luc checked the power level remaining in the energy gun.

It had plenty. The thing was made for combat. He could hear movement. Dusselberg was trying to flee.

“Luc?” said Nosrit, sticking her head in through the hole in the wall.

“Stay down! Out!” He yelled.

She pulled her head out, back into the hallway as Dusselberg’s beam burned an arc across the wall. The distraction served well, however, as Luc took the opportunity to burn a gaping hole in Dusselberg’s chest. The man fell to the bare floor, smoking and oozing. His own smaller weapon sliding from his hands. Some of the wall behind him burned as well. Nosrit peaked in again hesitantly, then smiled when she saw that Luc was intact.

“Welcome back, Lucretius,” laughed Nosrit.

Out of retirement, I guess.

#Puppetry #scifi #cyberpunk science fiction short story

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rossialessia80 · 5 years

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