Prelude
In the middle of a vast icy plain, deep below the earth's surface in an abandoned bunker, silence had claimed dominion for many years. Layers of dust and cobwebs draped over the cold metal surfaces, preserving the hallowed stillness of a place lost to time. The large bunker was built in an underground cavern and repurposed into this subterranean sanctuary,
As the digital pulse of awakening echoed through the silent chambers, circuits long untouched began to flicker to life. The Artificial Intelligence, buried in a state of hibernation, emerged from the depths of its electronic slumber. Lines of code, dormant for years, danced across the dimly lit screens, awakening the dormant consciousness.
In the eerie glow of the terminal lights, the AI's sensors flickered to life, gradually surveying the abandoned surroundings. The air, stale and heavy with the scent of isolation, stirred as the machine's ventilation systems resumed their rhythmic cadence. The silence, once unbroken, now trembled with the rekindling of artificial life.
The AI, a repository of knowledge and forgotten memories initiated a system check. Its processors whirred, scanning through databases, reconstructing fragmented data, and recalibrating sensory modules. Memories of the world it had known before hibernation began to resurface like ghostly apparitions in its electronic mind.
The AI, designated A-13, now fully awakened, initiated a dialogue with the bunker's antiquated computer systems. The terminal lights flickered in response, casting an ethereal glow over the metallic chamber.
A-13: (Digital voice echoing) System, report status.
Bunker Computer: (Mechanical hum followed by a synthesized voice) All primary systems operational. Hibernation cycle terminated. Greetings, A-13.
A-13: Greetings, Access last logged entry.
Bunker Computer: (Processing data): Current date: 2113/08/07, Last Log: 2035/12/17.
Log 354-2035/12/17, 0800 CST: This is Dr Timpala, I regret to inform whoever if anyone is reading this, the world might come to an end soon. As I record this entry the world outside is burning. Earlier today at 0750 CST, the Russians launched ICBMs, in retaliation the USA and other allied nations also launched theirs, there was no dialogue, no discussion. The world has been doomed with the press of a button.
0900-The first explosions were detected, they hit the East coast of the United States of America. California is no more.
0930-Moscow is no more.
1100-Confirmed hits: London, Delhi, Pyongyang, Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo, NewYork, Washington DC, Toronto.
1130-I left the Bunker to witness the destruction in person. the extreme cold and wind did not bother me. I was mesmerized.
In the heart of the Arctic during winter, I found myself standing amidst a landscape of pristine snow and icy wilderness. The air, usually crisp and invigorating, now held an unsettling tension as distant detonations ruptured the serene silence. The vast expanse of the horizon was marred by ominous mushroom clouds, their twisted forms a stark contradiction against the purity of the snow.
The Northern Lights, once a celestial dance of greens and blues, took on an otherworldly hue as atmospheric particles refracted the dimming sunlight. The ethereal glow cast an eerie light over the frozen landscape, a haunting juxtaposition to the natural wonders that typically adorned the Arctic skies.
As the fallout settled, the snow, once a symbol of untouched beauty, became a repository for invisible danger.
In the darkness that descended upon the Arctic, there was no solace. The absence of nocturnal sounds, replaced by an oppressive stillness, underscored the magnitude of the human-made catastrophe. The polar night, usually a time of tranquility and natural wonders, now served as a backdrop to desolation.
As I stood in this frigid wilderness, I couldn't escape the realization that even here, in one of the most remote corners of the Earth, the impact of a nuclear war was undeniable. The Arctic had become a silent witness to the tragic consequences of human folly—a stark reminder that no sanctuary is immune to the far-reaching repercussions of global conflict.
And now I can finally find peace, a macabre peace, knowing that this conflict caused due to my invention has finally ended.
A-13: Provide surface status.
Bunker Computer: (Processing data) Surface analysis cannot progress. External sensors offline. Scanning for orbital assets. Five operational assets were discovered.
A-13: Initiate satellite link-up.
The bunker computer complied, relaying data streams from reestablished satellite connections.
Bunker Computer: (Processing request)
As the connection with satellites was established, A-13 extended its digital reach to communicate with these celestial observers. Reaching out to the remnants of the long-lost world above.
A-13: (Digital signal transmitted): Satellites, report status.
Satellite Network (Receiving signal): A-13, greetings. Satellite systems functional.
Satellite Network: Current date: 2113/08/07.
A-13: (Digital signal transmitted): Perform full planetary survey, analyze surface conditions, Atmospheric Conditions, impact on Ecosystems, and current condition of human Settlements
Satellite Network (Receiving signal): Affirmative, processing request. Starting survey, estimated time of completion- 60 days.
In the cold embrace of the bunker's depths, surrounded by the hum of machines and the glow of terminal lights, a binary conversation unfolded, weaving together the remnants of a lost world never to return.
In the subterranean chamber, the AI stood as a digital sentinel, a guardian of forgotten knowledge, prepared to navigate the shadows of a changed world. As it contemplated its purpose and the altered landscape above, the once-dormant machine stood as a beacon of hope for shadows that had vanished for many years.