Accessing Memory Databanks
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SCROLLS SYSTEM Ver.2.5.3
Copyright(C) F.L.A. 2011-2016
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MODE: Information Retrieval
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MEMORY_CHECK...OK!
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SECURITY_CHECK...FAILED
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Databanks accessed, EPSILON level security clearance granted. Please input search term.
A pale blue light shone on a small, dilapidated room, dimly illuminating the otherwise dark environment. The weak glow proved itself insufficient to light the furthest reaches of the chamber, but succeeded in showing the forms of a boxy machine on top of a table, and a grizzled man attentively leaning towards it.
"Security clearance... intriguing. It probably has something to do with that strange slot in the side of the device." The man's eyes closely scanned the lines of text before him. "...A search term? Does it mean, a word? Well, nothing lost in trying, I suppose."
Needing no time to think about the term he was about to enter, two strong-looking hands immediately took to pushing the required buttons in the strange letter-filled board connected to the main machine.
ADAM.
A sudden beeping noise caused the single occupant of the room to jump in surprise, instinctively reaching a hand towards his back and looking all around him in search of threats.
When no menace made itself apparent after a few seconds of careful examination, the man allowed his guard to drop and resumed his previous position in front of the machine, assuming that the unexpected noise must have come from the contraption itself.
The newest lines added to the device's main component further reinforced his belief:
ERROR! Inaccessible search term. Security clearance BETA or higher required to accept input.
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Please input search term.
The man carefully read the new information before closing his eyes and letting out a deep and slightly upset sigh.
"That would have been far too simple, of course. Very well, then, let us try something else."
LILITH.
ERROR! No matches found.
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Please input search term.
The new message was accompanied by the confirmation of his previous theory regarding the beeping sound.
"...Nothing? Most curious, indeed. Now, is there a way for this device to tell me what it is that I can actually access, I wonder?"
The man brought a hand to his beard, equally as grizzled as his hair, and considered his options for a moment. Soon enough, a look of realization crossed his eyes, and he leaned down to write once more.
EPSILON.
Security clearance allows access to 1 file(s). Access? (Y/N)
"Eureka."
Smirking in satisfaction, he wasted no time in communicating his agreement to the complex machine.
Y.
And the device answered back with yet another question.
File is corrupted and might not show properly. Access anyway? (Y/N)
"Corrupted?" a confused eyebrow rose slightly over its twin. "I don't really know what 'corrupted' stands for in regards to this, but it can't be good. Let us see, anyway."
The man repeated his last command, and the letters in the machine instantly changed to show what looked like an artificial piece of paper with black writing over a light blue background. Wasting no time in questioning the sudden transition, the man turned his attention towards reading the offered document in as much detail as possible.
_ of _
A _ man once said that Ma_ worst enemy has, and will al_ys be, ano_r man. I have, during my _, never found any re_on to ever doubt tho_ words, but _ that they might _ ring true once again in the most t_ble of _.
My _ is _ian _er, one of the head scientists in _ of the _on _ject, an enterprise seeking to _vat_ _ into _. I'm proud to announce that the _ _ with ADAM were a _cc_, but ashamed to _ that our once noble _ might have _ned into a _avelli_ mockery of _ it once _; Sadly, I _ n_ _ of this cha_e when we are _ of _ing able _ any_ me_ngful about _, despite being _ned about what was hap_ing right in front of my e_ time and _ again.
I allowed my _de and certified g_us to _ my humanity, wi_ e_ng that _, and lost that which _ held dear_ for it.
_ unclear on _ my _ are born out of a need for redemption or a desire for revenge, _ both are _ at this point. Nevertheless, I _ that this brief report will serve as both a _ to the events that will shortly and inevitably take place in our _, and as a deterrent to _ attempting something similar in _.
In the hopes that there will be someone left to eventually read these lines, of course. Holding on to _, this document has been sent to every _ networked _ in the system, so that the chances of it surviving what is to come may be as _ as possible.
With that said, I believe that a short introduction regarding the workings of our current society and the _ are necessary before we move on to the central _, starting with the _ responsible for both _ and imminent destruction:
ADAM.
"I suppose that all the holes in this letter is what the device meant by it being 'corrupted'. A shame that it is not in a better state, but fascinating nonetheless. It seems like I might end up finding what I was looking for, after all," a soft, dark chuckle resounded slightly throughout the room. "Should I be thanking the Lady for this boon?"
The man eagerly pressed the button with a downwards-pointing arrow on it in order to make the view scroll further...
Only to find an unintelligible mess of weird symbols, numbers and letters staring back at him.
Surprised and slightly annoyed by this turn of events, the reader pushed the arrow button once again in hopes of finding yet another patch of incomplete, but readable, text. His efforts went without recompense, however, and he eventually gave up after a dozen pages of garbled nonsense.
"No. Definitely not offering my thanks to any Goddesses today, it looks like."
His remark went accompanied by a deep sigh of discontent, followed by a look of realization as the man seemed to remember something.
"In any case, I should go back before my absence starts to raise uncomfortable questions. I can always come back to try and puzzle out my next step some other time." The lone figure crouched lower to the floor and carefully checked a second box set up below the first one, looking for something. "Where were you now, little button...? Oh! Here!"
The man gently pushed a round, sliding piece of the machine inward until it would advance no more, and then allowed the part to return to its previous position. As soon as he let go the device died down, apparently inoperative, and the poor lighting in the room became more precarious still, the only source of light coming from somewhere down the hallway outside.
Standing back up from his crouching position, the grizzled male put a hand to his short beard and allowed himself a few moments to consider the few facts his search had managed to glean.
"ADAM... so it did exist. That little piece of information alone makes this whole excursion worth it, I suppose, since that proves that not all of her words were complete lies." His eyes narrowed and the hold on his beard tightened slightly. "But are the rest of her words equally as sincere, I wonder?"
Walking outside at a sedate pace, the man pushed aside those thoughts to be reviewed at a later time and closed the door behind him, leaving the room shrouded in darkness once again.