Part 223 : The Watchman
Mia stared at the computer screen, with the green still of her reflected in the monitor like a mirror. The computer just spoke to her by name in it’s own digital dialect. She didn’t know whether to keep talking or contact the Colonel to say she had broken through and she plus her friends should be let go. The Lakota girl, of course, worried she couldn’t trust him. Her hands slowly reached up to the key and she typed, “Hello, Watchman. Nice to meet you.”
DO YOU WISH TO RE-ESTABLISH CLOCK?
Mia blinked and then typed, “Sure.”
QUERY: DEFINE “SURE”?
Mia cursed under her breathe and retyped, “Yes.”
BEGINING CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION
Mia looked at the door, worried someone might come in the room and see her talking with Watchman. The monitor then blinked and said;
CLOCK SYNCHONRIZATION COMPLETE. THIS UNIT IS READY.
Mia took a deep breath and typed in, “What is Watchman?”
WATCHMAN IS CORE CONTROLLER. THIS UNIT DESIGNATED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF ISLAND FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
Mia then typed in, “Who made Watchman?”
WATCHMAN IS THE SUMMATION OF THE WORK OF DOCTOR’S QUAID, GRUBER AND PALLSON. WATCHMAN IS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH RESEARCH AND CONTROL OF SPECIMENS PROVIDED BY THE DHARMA CORPORATION.
“Dharma Corporation?” Mia whispered, “Who are they? How . . .How did they find this Island?”
UNABLE TO COMPLY. VOICE RECOGNITION SOFTWARE IS OPERATING AT 29 %. RECOMMEND YOU TYPE YOUR RESPONSE.
Mia blinked. Voice Recognition Software? Then she remembered when it transformed from Good Morning to Good Afternoon. It heard her but it was only able to do that simple of a command. Mia was then worried. It said it was operating at a lower level. “Watchman,” she typed, “What is your overhaul status in regards to memory?”
UNABLE TO COMPLY. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CORE MEMORY LINK. BEGIN DIAGNOSTIC? Y/N
Mia typed in a Y.
Several lights lit up on the console. The monitor screens that were to her right and left began to flicker, showing various images. Images of sharks, water, trees, The Island and after a brief second the number 108 appeared at the lower left hand corner of the screen. Mia only caught them for a moment. She waited for Watchman to say something. She then heard someone outside but it was just a sentry walking past. Then the monitor came back to life again.
DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETE. CORE MEMORY IS ONLY FUNCTIONING AT 42% CAPACITY. LOSS OF CONTROLS IS A RESULT. BRAIN TRUST IS FUNCTIONING ON RESERVE POWER, ESTABLISHING LINKS WITHOUT APPROVAL.
Mia then quickly typed, “What is the Brain Trust?”
BRAIN TRUST IS CODE NAME FOR PSYONIC AMPLIFIER. THAT UNIT IS DESIGNED TO SEEK OUT ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERNS AND ENHANCE. DOYOU WISH TO SCAN FOR PATTERNS? Y/N
Mia hit Y on the keyboard.
A few moments passed and the monitor clicked to life.
THIRTEEN PATTERNS HAVE BEEN FOUND ON THIS ISLAND. DO YOU WISH TO ESTABLISH VISUAL? Y/N
Mia thought it and considering what was going on, she wanted to find out some other stuff first. Especially of the fact that she might be able to send a transmission for help. But then again, what other information did she need? Mia was short on time and she hoped she could figure out more of the secrets before being forced to turn it over to the Colonel. Mia rubbed her head, wondering what to do. Then the monitor flickered to life on it’s own.
MIA, CAN WATCHMAN AS YOU A QUESTION?
The Lakota girl blinked. She was beginning to be amazed at the abilities of a computer that seemed to have a life of its own but the thought was astounding. She typed in, “Yes, you may ask me a question.”
WAS HELPING EDDIE FREE HIS MOTHER THE RIGHT THING TO DO?
Mia held her mouth again, gasping for awe. The super computer had made contact with Eddie and helped him free his mother? How was such a thing possible? She quickly shook it off and typed, “Yes, it was the right thing to do.”
EDDIE’S ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERN DOES NOT MATCH THE MAJORITY OF THE PATTERNS ON ISLAND. THIS UNIT IS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION IT IS UNTAINTED.
Mia typed in, “Define Untainted.”
MOST OF ELETROMAGNETIC PATTERNS ARE IN STATE OF DECAY. EDDIE’S PATTERN IS FLURISHING. IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FLURISH.
Mia was almost brought to tears. The super computer’s logical way of thinking was assuming that Eddie had more to offer due to his pattern but it was simply a result of age. The patterns of the others were decaying cause they were getting older. The Lakota girl decided not to questions; but she still needed answers. “Watchman,” she typed, “When were you created?”
THIS UNIT WAS ESTABLISHED AS OPERATIONAL ON AUGUST 15TH 1955.
“August fifteen,” Mia blinked.
The Lakota girl nearly freaked. The numbers had come up again. If August fifteenth was placed together, it was 815, the exact same as the flight number of their airplane. Mia then started to remember her good friend Locke and the establishment of destiny. He said everything happened for a purpose; what was theirs? “Watchman,” she typed, “What is in the Hatch?”
QUERY: DEFINE “HATCH”?”
“Damn it!” she banged her hand on the console, remembering that Hatch was a term they coined. Obviously Watchman knew it as something else. She wanted to know what it was capable of doing. Mia closed her eyes and thought. This was a super computer that was created 50 years ago. That could only mean it’s terminology was based on an older type slang and language. Mia then reached up to the keyboard and typed in, “Main Menu.”
The screen flickered on and then it read
> SECURITY SYSTEM CHECK
> ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERN SCAN
> SUBROUTINE PROTOCALS
> SPECIMEN STATUS CHECK
Mia then stared at it and typed in, “Security System Check.”
CHECKING . . . . . . .STATUS OF SECURITY SYSTEMS IS ACTIVE.
MECHA IS ONLINE.
MOLE IS ONLINE.
MONOXIDE IS ONLINE.
MONSTRO IS OFFLINE.
Mia immediately typed, “Why is Monstro offline?”
CHECKING . . . . .MONSTRO IS NOT RESPONDING TO DESIGNATION. ESTABLISHING LINK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. MONSTRO IS RESPONDING . . . REQUEST DESIGNATION CHANGE ACCEPTED.
“Designation change?” the Lakota girl blinked.
MECHA IS ONLINE
MOLE IS ONLINE.
MONOXIDE IS ONLINE
POLLIWOG IS ONLINE.
“Polliwog . . .is Monstro?” she smiled, “He . . .he wanted to be named Polliwog, cause Eddie called him that!”
POLLIWOG IS TRACKING PATTERN BUFFER. ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNAL MATCHES POLLIWOG TRACKING PARAMETER. ESTABLISH VISUAL? Y/N
Mia then got very curious. That was the second time it mention the ability to establish a visual of something it was tracking. She wondered if it could do that for real. Mia typed in Y.
WORKING . . . . SKY-EYE IS ACTIVE. SCANNING FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERN.
“Sky-Eye?” Mia wondered.
Then the screen to her left came on, showing a picture of the Earth. Mia then quickly leaned forward. “Satellite pictures?” she gasped.
Then the screen changed again, looking at the earth clouds. Then it changed again, looking at the ocean. Then it changed to the Island. Mia had to keep from jumping up in joy that she nearly found out where they were. Then it changed again, showing a closer view of the island. Then it showed some trees, and then it showed a group of people tied to posts. “What the hell?” she whispered.
Then it stopped on Tony Largo.
“Tony . . ..is the tracking Pattern for the Polliwog?” Mia gasped.
The image of Tony was tied to a post showed her with some concern. She was certain the picture before that showed more people tied to posts. She quickly typed in the keyboard, “Watchman, go back one frame.”
The screen flicked up one image and then showed the people at the posts. Mia looked closely, realizing it was all her friends. Jack, Locke, Kate, Marita, Tony, John and the other survivors of the tail section. They trusted up like witches about to burned at the stake. She slowly rubbed her hand on the screen where she saw John. Mia started to get upset. The Colonel had broken his word. How would they leave peacefully, if they were tied up like they were about to be executed?
“You bastard.” Mia whispered.
DO YOU WISH TO RE-ESTABLISH CLOCK?
Mia blinked and then typed, “Sure.”
QUERY: DEFINE “SURE”?
Mia cursed under her breathe and retyped, “Yes.”
BEGINING CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION
Mia looked at the door, worried someone might come in the room and see her talking with Watchman. The monitor then blinked and said;
CLOCK SYNCHONRIZATION COMPLETE. THIS UNIT IS READY.
Mia took a deep breath and typed in, “What is Watchman?”
WATCHMAN IS CORE CONTROLLER. THIS UNIT DESIGNATED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF ISLAND FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
Mia then typed in, “Who made Watchman?”
WATCHMAN IS THE SUMMATION OF THE WORK OF DOCTOR’S QUAID, GRUBER AND PALLSON. WATCHMAN IS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH RESEARCH AND CONTROL OF SPECIMENS PROVIDED BY THE DHARMA CORPORATION.
“Dharma Corporation?” Mia whispered, “Who are they? How . . .How did they find this Island?”
UNABLE TO COMPLY. VOICE RECOGNITION SOFTWARE IS OPERATING AT 29 %. RECOMMEND YOU TYPE YOUR RESPONSE.
Mia blinked. Voice Recognition Software? Then she remembered when it transformed from Good Morning to Good Afternoon. It heard her but it was only able to do that simple of a command. Mia was then worried. It said it was operating at a lower level. “Watchman,” she typed, “What is your overhaul status in regards to memory?”
UNABLE TO COMPLY. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CORE MEMORY LINK. BEGIN DIAGNOSTIC? Y/N
Mia typed in a Y.
Several lights lit up on the console. The monitor screens that were to her right and left began to flicker, showing various images. Images of sharks, water, trees, The Island and after a brief second the number 108 appeared at the lower left hand corner of the screen. Mia only caught them for a moment. She waited for Watchman to say something. She then heard someone outside but it was just a sentry walking past. Then the monitor came back to life again.
DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETE. CORE MEMORY IS ONLY FUNCTIONING AT 42% CAPACITY. LOSS OF CONTROLS IS A RESULT. BRAIN TRUST IS FUNCTIONING ON RESERVE POWER, ESTABLISHING LINKS WITHOUT APPROVAL.
Mia then quickly typed, “What is the Brain Trust?”
BRAIN TRUST IS CODE NAME FOR PSYONIC AMPLIFIER. THAT UNIT IS DESIGNED TO SEEK OUT ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERNS AND ENHANCE. DOYOU WISH TO SCAN FOR PATTERNS? Y/N
Mia hit Y on the keyboard.
A few moments passed and the monitor clicked to life.
THIRTEEN PATTERNS HAVE BEEN FOUND ON THIS ISLAND. DO YOU WISH TO ESTABLISH VISUAL? Y/N
Mia thought it and considering what was going on, she wanted to find out some other stuff first. Especially of the fact that she might be able to send a transmission for help. But then again, what other information did she need? Mia was short on time and she hoped she could figure out more of the secrets before being forced to turn it over to the Colonel. Mia rubbed her head, wondering what to do. Then the monitor flickered to life on it’s own.
MIA, CAN WATCHMAN AS YOU A QUESTION?
The Lakota girl blinked. She was beginning to be amazed at the abilities of a computer that seemed to have a life of its own but the thought was astounding. She typed in, “Yes, you may ask me a question.”
WAS HELPING EDDIE FREE HIS MOTHER THE RIGHT THING TO DO?
Mia held her mouth again, gasping for awe. The super computer had made contact with Eddie and helped him free his mother? How was such a thing possible? She quickly shook it off and typed, “Yes, it was the right thing to do.”
EDDIE’S ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERN DOES NOT MATCH THE MAJORITY OF THE PATTERNS ON ISLAND. THIS UNIT IS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION IT IS UNTAINTED.
Mia typed in, “Define Untainted.”
MOST OF ELETROMAGNETIC PATTERNS ARE IN STATE OF DECAY. EDDIE’S PATTERN IS FLURISHING. IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FLURISH.
Mia was almost brought to tears. The super computer’s logical way of thinking was assuming that Eddie had more to offer due to his pattern but it was simply a result of age. The patterns of the others were decaying cause they were getting older. The Lakota girl decided not to questions; but she still needed answers. “Watchman,” she typed, “When were you created?”
THIS UNIT WAS ESTABLISHED AS OPERATIONAL ON AUGUST 15TH 1955.
“August fifteen,” Mia blinked.
The Lakota girl nearly freaked. The numbers had come up again. If August fifteenth was placed together, it was 815, the exact same as the flight number of their airplane. Mia then started to remember her good friend Locke and the establishment of destiny. He said everything happened for a purpose; what was theirs? “Watchman,” she typed, “What is in the Hatch?”
QUERY: DEFINE “HATCH”?”
“Damn it!” she banged her hand on the console, remembering that Hatch was a term they coined. Obviously Watchman knew it as something else. She wanted to know what it was capable of doing. Mia closed her eyes and thought. This was a super computer that was created 50 years ago. That could only mean it’s terminology was based on an older type slang and language. Mia then reached up to the keyboard and typed in, “Main Menu.”
The screen flickered on and then it read
> SECURITY SYSTEM CHECK
> ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERN SCAN
> SUBROUTINE PROTOCALS
> SPECIMEN STATUS CHECK
Mia then stared at it and typed in, “Security System Check.”
CHECKING . . . . . . .STATUS OF SECURITY SYSTEMS IS ACTIVE.
MECHA IS ONLINE.
MOLE IS ONLINE.
MONOXIDE IS ONLINE.
MONSTRO IS OFFLINE.
Mia immediately typed, “Why is Monstro offline?”
CHECKING . . . . .MONSTRO IS NOT RESPONDING TO DESIGNATION. ESTABLISHING LINK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. MONSTRO IS RESPONDING . . . REQUEST DESIGNATION CHANGE ACCEPTED.
“Designation change?” the Lakota girl blinked.
MECHA IS ONLINE
MOLE IS ONLINE.
MONOXIDE IS ONLINE
POLLIWOG IS ONLINE.
“Polliwog . . .is Monstro?” she smiled, “He . . .he wanted to be named Polliwog, cause Eddie called him that!”
POLLIWOG IS TRACKING PATTERN BUFFER. ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNAL MATCHES POLLIWOG TRACKING PARAMETER. ESTABLISH VISUAL? Y/N
Mia then got very curious. That was the second time it mention the ability to establish a visual of something it was tracking. She wondered if it could do that for real. Mia typed in Y.
WORKING . . . . SKY-EYE IS ACTIVE. SCANNING FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PATTERN.
“Sky-Eye?” Mia wondered.
Then the screen to her left came on, showing a picture of the Earth. Mia then quickly leaned forward. “Satellite pictures?” she gasped.
Then the screen changed again, looking at the earth clouds. Then it changed again, looking at the ocean. Then it changed to the Island. Mia had to keep from jumping up in joy that she nearly found out where they were. Then it changed again, showing a closer view of the island. Then it showed some trees, and then it showed a group of people tied to posts. “What the hell?” she whispered.
Then it stopped on Tony Largo.
“Tony . . ..is the tracking Pattern for the Polliwog?” Mia gasped.
The image of Tony was tied to a post showed her with some concern. She was certain the picture before that showed more people tied to posts. She quickly typed in the keyboard, “Watchman, go back one frame.”
The screen flicked up one image and then showed the people at the posts. Mia looked closely, realizing it was all her friends. Jack, Locke, Kate, Marita, Tony, John and the other survivors of the tail section. They trusted up like witches about to burned at the stake. She slowly rubbed her hand on the screen where she saw John. Mia started to get upset. The Colonel had broken his word. How would they leave peacefully, if they were tied up like they were about to be executed?
“You bastard.” Mia whispered.
posted by Jason | 10:29 AM
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