Day 7

System Activation Code:

41108

Life Support Systems: Full Capacity. . .100%

Power Unit: Charging

. . .

. . .

Power Unit: Full Capacity. . .100%

Project: PUPPET, Operational for the seventh time.

I am operational once more. Today is an observational day. My Caretakers shall watch me as I interact with a number of environments and scenarios, and gauge my progress from the first day.

I take a breath, stepping into the artificial environment chamber I am assigned to today. This is purely for show, since I do not require oxygen to function.

Data Stream Process: November 12th, 1992. Observational tests must be conducted including but possibly not limited to

Flight reaction time

Environmental sensory response

Heat and cold tests

My Caretakers have set up cameras throughout the artificial environment to monitor my performance. I hope to please them and live up to their expectations. Anomaly, error. Feelings of hope are not part of my programming. My report to Caretakers at a later point.

I have made exceptional progress, or so one of my Caretakers says through a microphone as I fly through the path they have charted for me. The wind whips past my face and sensors under my skin tell me that this place is cold. Wet. Forest-like. I am flying through a jungle environment, leaves and branches lightly smacking against my hard skin.

"All is according to plan, is it not, Ms. Krovinski?" My speech has improved significantly in the past few days, as I have stored data of all manner of languages and dialects and reserved this information for later. I have met a variety of human in my time under A.G. Industries' observation.

"It certainly is, A.G. You're doing brilliantly and the readings we're getting back are right on par with out expectations. Good job." She is exceptionally complimentary regarding my progress, and I suspect she is fond of me. I believe the human emotion she is feeling now is "pride". I am also proud, if it can be called that. Proud of... myself. Anomaly, error. May report to Caretakers at a later point.

SUBJECT:

Karolyn Krovinski

Age: 34

Profession: Technician and analyst with A.G. Industries.

Relationship: Healthy

Health status: Average

I continue my flight. I am to head upward now, on course, until I have reached as high an altitude as my body will allow. I sail upward, finding the wind a pleasant sensation now. Even as it prickles my skin intensely it is very nearly... exciting. The sky above me is a gray, cloudy color and it looks as though rain may occur within the environment. Must prepare internal processes for -

- A FLASH OF GRAY BEFORE MY OPTIC SENSORS

INTRUSION, INTRUSION, INRTUISSOonHHGHHF7Y48TT9(U878YHR789&(&WUFDWEI*

CODING1148857767674

ALERT

I see gray... floating gray, smooth gray... it is terrifying. I feel... fear... it pulses through me. Gray... pulsing gray... and then a smile! A wicked smile unlike anything I have yet seen, an anomaly like I have never known, a source of horror and pain the universe over I must reportportportporrrrttrehhhhhhhdgdjhgkuvjhfgdxvxbcnvmkhliukhjyghfdbgjhkhiuoyk

INTRUSION HAS LEFT

OPTIC SENSORS RETURNING TO NORMAL FUNCTION -

As I come to my senses and my optic sensors return to normal, I am struck with a sudden impact.

Clang!

I abruptly strike a metal pole sticking out of the ground in my artificial test environment. Intelligence tells me this is an electrical unit designed to give power and substance to the test environment I now inhabit. This information does me no good as I careen off course and hit the very convincing illusion of mud beneath me, sliding a few feet before coming to a halt.

ERROR IDENTIFICATION CODE UNKNOWN

SOURCE OF INTRUSION UNKNOWN

EMOTIVE RESPONSE UNINTELLIGIBLE

UNKNOWN FUNCTION OCCURRING, ERROR CODE:

776496922291085

3455536488392-12

AB364657999

"A.G.! A.G.?! Report in, what the hell happened out there?" I hear the buzz of Dr. Krovinski's response but am hesitant to answer with the whole truth. More analysis of the anomaly, this... intrusion into my optic sensors is needed. Personal analysis may yield more beneficial to A.G. Industries researchers.

"I faltered. A sensor under my left cheek went off abruptly too powerfully and I could not reorient before... before I struck the pole." Abruptly afterwards, "I'm sorry."

"No need to be, Unit A.G. We'll get you back in the labs and run some tests, find out what's wrong with that... nerve... of yours." This is a different voice, not Ms. Krovinski's. It is deep, thick with apathy and years of experience in the world of the Objects. This is Louis J. Rockwell, CEO of A.G. Industries. I am overwhelmed with a feeling once more, not unlike the feeling I experienced when the intrusion hit.

Regardless, I must return to the lab.

Time for... sleep. Recharge time.

System Shut Down in progress...

. . .

System shutdown complete.

Activating protocol for Recharge.