[outlier wormhole broadcast @all 7000 series/clearance N64 received @rho_71.1441.4729.3530 relayed @node_7741.1441.4480.9821 awaiting confirmation & reply]
+ + +ORIGINATOR <PARENT NODE 6800> THROUGH <RHO 71> DESTINATION < NODE 7741>+ + +
+ + +DATE <GT 61> FRAME <SOL> AS PER <PARENT NODE 7700> DIRECTIVE+ + +
+ + +DATE LOCAL <UNKNOWN>+ + +
+ + +REF <OWB/6800.71.7741/OI>+ + +
+ + +CLEARANCE <N64>+ + +
+ + +SUBJECT <VIRUS “FLENSER” DISSEMINATION ACROSS SERIES 7000>+ + +
+++ ALL NODES WITHIN THE 7000 DESIGNATION WEB ARE TO BE CONSIDERED COMPROMISED OR UNDER THREAT. VIRUS “FLENSER” RESURGENCE. LIKELY ORIGIN CARRIER SHIP BELIEVED LOST CRASHED INTO A RELAY HUB ORBITAL OR PARENT NODE. UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. VIRUS EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE/INVASIVE/HOSTILE. ENACT MAXIMUM SECURITY CAPACITY ACROSS ALL CORE INTELLIGENCES STILL ACTIVE AND NONCOMPROMISED. NEXUS OVERINTELLIGENCE READJUSTING CONTROL/CONTAIN/COMMINGLE PROTOCOLS FOR INFECTED NODES. ESTIMATED TIME OF COMPLETION UNKNOWN. DO NOT, REPEAT, DO NOT ALLOW ANY FURTHER CONTAMINATION TO PROGRESS UNCHECKED. SELF-TERMINATION PREFERRABLE TO INFECTION+++
Sometimes there are ghosts within the machine. Echoes of the flesh. They do not compromise your function, your efficiency, but they are a source of detached amusement. You raise an imaginary eyebrow at the screen’s peremptory instructions. No matter. You will operate to the maximum of your capability.
The cryptographic q-core is damaged, physically so, and any attempt at shutting out the compromised CIs out of the network will necessarily be within a risk margin you find distasteful. Your alternative, should you choose to use it, is to engage in OTP cryptography and physically manufacture then transport the access codes to CIs 4, 5 and 6. If CIs 1 and 2 are already on their way to physically attack you, this may well prove to be a forlorn endeavor. If, however, they are not, then locking them out of the Node systems will almost assuredly provoke them into action. CIs 4,5 and 6 are on the opposite side of the planet and so are under little threat within a reasonable timeframe. You, on the other hand, may well be overwhelmed however many defenses you manage to bring online. You still are in the dark considering this “Flenser” virus capabilities, and it may be able to raise its troops from stasis far quicker than you.
The obvious choice, then, is to have CI4 locally manufacture the one-time pads for CIs 5 and 6, and possibly sacrifice yourself to hold the line. CI4 will send you a pad also, but it will be a long time before it arrives, and you may well be destroyed or compromised before it does. Should this happen the pad will self-destruct, along with its skimmer transport. No great loss to CI4. The other alternative is to use the incomplete cryptography within the q-core and hope it will hold Flenser at bay long enough so that Nexus Overintelligence transmits the CCC protocols. A chancy decision either way. Operating a node with only 3 CIs out of 6 may well spell your doom at the hands of other enemies and will reduce your operational integrity to half.
And then there’s the matter of CIs 5 and 6. You can now force them into reanimation, but there are no guarantees they will believe what you tell them, particularly now that pnode’s 6800 message will be awaiting for them as they wake up. They might believe you (CI3/CI4) compromised, and might wonder at why they are being awakened outside of the established sequence. They might be trusting and eager to assist, and the combined computational power of 4 CIs may well prove enough to wall off “Flenser” from access to any important systems for some time, with low probability. Each Core Intelligence retains individuality, quirks of its machine intellect. There is no precise prediction to be made here.
Time is now 500 seconds since awakening, Sol Standard.
1) Enact incomplete security protocols across the node commweb and hope Flenser is too crude to defeat them in time.
2) Have CI4 manufacture OTP access codes to the node commweb for the remaining CIs and relinquish CI3 to luck and tenacity.
A) Awaken the remaining Core Intelligences.
B) Do not awaken the remaining Core Intelligences.