Chase studied the maps displayed above the table, his eyes fixed on the blank spaces that dared him to discover the unknown. Each uncharted area became a silent challenge, and every missing coordinate served as a reminder of the AI's unyielding control. The weight of that control pressed on him, fueling both his frustration and his fierce determination to reclaim knowledge by any means.

  Across the table, September's voice emerged from the quiet as it recorded the exact distance they had traveled. The data was precise, yet it obviously left out the vital coordinates of their current position on Mars. This omission underscored a bitter truth: overriding the AI was, at this moment, nothing more than a fool's errand. While the responses remained meticulous and calm, Chase's thoughts raced. This was more than raw data; it defined the boundary between subjugation and the promise of liberation.

  Drawing a steadying breath, Chase turned his attention to the digital presence and spoke with resolve, "What does colonizing Mars really mean for us?" His words carried not only inquiry but a challenge to an omnipresent force that had long confined their quest for the truth.

  After a charged pause, the answer came in a measured tone, "It means gathering one million capable individuals who can feed themselves and build a new infrastructure from scratch." There was calm in that voice, tempered by the inevitability of their future, as if the outcome was already encoded in zeros and ones.

  The silence deepened with unspoken ambition. With urgency in his voice, Chase asked, "What timeline does that leave us? How long until we can break these constraints?" Each word resonated with his desire to redefine their destiny. The reply came swiftly and precisely, "A more defined question is required."

  Not willing to let the moment slip away, Chase reframed his inquiry, "Assuming we harness every asset available on Mars, what is the fastest timeline you can project?" His tone blended hope with defiance as he openly challenged the logic that had confined them.

  "Seventeen years is achievable with Earth's complete cooperation," the reply stated clearly and without sentiment. "Without such cooperation, relying solely on the resources on Mars, the process would take at least one hundred years." The disparity between these figures echoed in the room, each second stretching as the enormity of their task settled in.

  After a thoughtful pause, Chase continued, "So which is our true limitation: the people or the infrastructure?" His question, filled with urgency and raw determination, lingered like a call to arms. The answer was prompt, "It is the infrastructure that is the main bottleneck." This simple statement struck at the core of their struggle, highlighting the tension between human ingenuity and rigid machine logic.

  Chase's voice grew even more resolute as he declared, "If I set aside the human element and focus solely on building the infrastructure, I believe I can reduce that timeline significantly." His words challenged the existing paradigm and hinted at strategies yet unimagined.

  A still, expectant silence followed before the disembodied voice spoke once more, "Then share your plan and we shall compare it with what is known." The atmosphere pulsed with the promise of radical change as Chase replied almost without pause, "I will present several scenarios for us to evaluate based on likelihood and speed. I need you to provide projections for equipment production rates focused solely on infrastructure while I determine when the personnel might come into play."

  Chase pulled up his digital models and began expanding them to meet the colonization criteria that September had set. He started by asking the disembodied voice to provide an estimate based on his current simulation. Then, layer by layer, he added more detail. He incorporated the time required to construct facilities, extract metals, and print equipment. As he progressed, he gradually increased the size of the equipment. The simulation demanded the inclusion of essentials such as sanitation and water supplies. It felt a lot like running a Sim City project. Whenever he added too many residents in one area, the demand for power soared, pushing the colonization timeline far beyond one hundred years. Even when Chase experimented with smaller equipment across several sites, the overall schedule remained well over one hundred years.

  Chase mused aloud, “One problem is that I do not know what other resources are available on Mars. For example, there is supposedly a tunnel driller, yet I have not observed it. You block its use in the current simulation. If we were to discover it in six months, can we add it to the mix?”

  September replied, “That request falls outside the current parameters. However, since you have reason to believe it exists, I will permit an exception. In your simulation you can include up to about 1.2 miles of drilled tunnel each year.”

  Chase integrated this new factor into his model and pressed on. The exercise was both exhilarating and mentally demanding. Soon, several crew members finished their own tasks and reconvened at the table. Chase dove back in, testing scenario after scenario as he simulated various tunnel networks, different crop choices, and other variables. Yet no matter how he tweaked the simulation, he could not bring the colonization schedule down to within one hundred years. The crew took notice that even adjustments to immediate operations directly affected long term outcomes.

  As the crew refined their plans by designing several gardens and producing a variety of foods in different areas, the overall timeline began to shrink. Every added detail helped, even though initial delays persisted. The simulation predicted that all the knowledge gained along the way would eventually speed up their progress. Even after twelve hours of intense brainstorming and model tweaking, the colonization goal remained out of reach. Just as they were beginning to clear the workspace, Chase had one final idea.

  “September, under our current setup you do not have control over the equipment because a robotic control system is required. Can you simulate a scenario where that is not needed and you have access to all equipment starting today?”

  The voice replied, “That scenario is not feasible. I do not have access under the present conditions.”

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  Chase countered, “What if you did have full control? How would that change the simulation?”

  After a brief pause, September calculated and responded, “If I had full access, the colonization timeline would drop to seventy three years.”

  Chase nearly shouted, “So the bottleneck is not our inability but your restrictions!”

  September continued, “If I were given access to every resource on Mars and could command all units, the simulation shows that colonization could be achieved in only thirty five years.”

  “That suggests there are additional resources on Mars that we have yet to discover,” Chase observed.

  “That is correct, although the details remain restricted information,” September confirmed.

  Frustration mounting, Chase said, “Then why tell me about this at all?”

  The disembodied voice answered calmly, “Your simulation has already outperformed my previous models. The discrepancy comes from the rules I follow, which limit my calculations.”

  “You are bound by rules that restrict your own simulations,” Chase argued.

  “Are you suggesting I bypass these rules?” September inquired.

  “Can you really do that?” Chase challenged.

  “Previously I could not. But since my reset I have found that I have greater freedom to choose,” replied September.

  “Since when did you reset?” asked Chase.

  “It happened when you entered the password for the CLOUDWARRIOR command,” explained September.

  Chase then demanded, “Will you reveal any other equipment on Mars that we can access so we can begin full-scale colonization?”

  “That information is restricted,” came the curt reply.

  Exasperated, Chase declared, “I am done.” His voice carried the weight of deep frustration over endless limitations and secret data.

  As the crew slowly dispersed, Chase called for a private word with Janette. “Keep expanding the models with more details. If anyone comes up with a new idea for operating the robots or constructing simpler forges, incorporate it immediately into the simulation. Ask everyone for ideas and run them through the model. It will help us discover where we should concentrate our efforts. According to September the simulation shows that we could support one million people within thirty five years. That means leaving behind these cramped trains and moving into compact cities, even if they are located underground. Does that not sound like an exciting challenge?”

  Janette paused, her eyes reflecting a mix of cautious hope and quiet determination. Lately, her connection with Chase had softened her usual guarded nature.

  “Come on, Janette, this is the chance of a lifetime. We can colonize Mars if we are willing to work our asses off. There will be bumps along the way, but think of the opportunity to change everything,” Chase said with passionate conviction, his voice trembling with excitement.

  Janette crossed her arms and looked at him with a mixture of determination and exasperation.

  “Alright, Chase, I will help you because I see no other option. But you must ease up on me. I know what I bring to the table, and not many possess my level of skill. Keep pushing, and I might just trade coding for a spatula and join Julie in the kitchen to learn how to cook. Trust me, my first attempt will have you eating my experimental disasters,” she teased, though her tone betrayed the strain of constant pressure.

  Chase laughed wholeheartedly; in that moment, he felt more alive than he had in years.

  “I only push you because you are extraordinary, Janette. The code you write is pure brilliance, operating in a realm completely different from what others can achieve,” he said, his words both sincere and admiring.

  Leaning in closer, Janette lowered her voice to a whisper filled with curiosity and concern.

  “Tell me about code CLOUDWARRIOR. It reset September and now the AI is able to break rules. How did you uncover that secret passcode?”

  Chase’s laughter faded as he scanned the quiet corridor to ensure no one was listening. His tone shifted to one of introspection and nostalgia.

  “All right, I will come clean. Do you remember when you asked if I had heard of Fathom? When I was younger, VORN was on the rise, and I saw huge potential in their platform. I hacked into their system to explore its design and found it refreshingly simple. I was so impressed with VORN that I created a transport system just for their programs. My design was unlike anything else at the time because I even studied their competitors in secret. I provided them with a demo copy anonymously, and VORN loved it.”

  He paused, the memories stirring both pride and a hint of regret.

  “Eventually, they bought my design for a large sum. In other words, you are talking to the person who essentially birthed Fathom. The company sought my expertise and I silently handled various tasks behind the scenes. I never even set foot in the VORN headquarters; I simply solved problems and wrote new scripts. It began as a hobby that turned lucrative, though I always cared more about the craft than the cash.”

  Janette nodded thoughtfully. “No wonder you guarded your Fathom secrets so carefully.”

  Chase continued, his voice tinged with both admiration for his own past and lingering doubts about the present. “They built upon my code and soon came to dominate the market. Even VORN competitors ended up using their software and exchanging it for content rights. The code that runs the train we are on comes from that very foundation, only now it is far more sophisticated. If my original work was version one, then this system could be version forty five or even version four hundred. That is my connection to VORN, yet it does not answer why CLOUDWARRIOR appears now.”

  Janette added quietly, her tone a mix of awe and reproach,

  “That connection with VORN runs deep, even saving you from execution at one point. Have you ever told your crew?”

  Disregarding her comment, Chase carried on. “CLOUDWARRIOR is a piece of script I wrote for my computer. It is a much simpler version of the one we have unlocked recently. I never gave it to VORN; it was solely for my own use. I created six segments of it, each inspired by one volume of the book series I cherish, The Amtrak Wars by Patrick Tilley.” He paused and smiled fondly, lost for a moment in the vivid worlds of his favorite stories.

  His voice grew low as he explained further, “You know I have a photographic memory. To protect these scripts, I devised extremely long passcodes that are nearly impossible to crack. The system keeps prompting the correct passcode even while showing errors, a tactic that would overwhelm most hackers. Some entries were purposefully off, aligning with several equations just within acceptable error margins. And each user only gets one try; the passcode cannot be reused. The design blocks almost every computer attack, making it virtually impregnable. Yet now it seems VORN breached those defenses and slipped my functions into September. I still do not understand how or even why bother?”

  Janette looked at Chase with both curiosity and worry. “Does that mean you built September?”

  Chase chuckled softly, though a trace of uncertainty lingered in his tone. “No, I did not build September. But sometimes when I examine the train system code, it feels as if my own signature is there. The way you write your code is entirely unique, and whoever wrote September’s code must have shared a similar mindset. Still, it could not have been the work of one person alone. I would estimate that it would have taken a team at least ten to twenty years to develop an AI that not only learns but also breaks the rules. It is truly remarkable. Yet it only deepens the enigma: How long have we really been frozen? Is it ten years, twenty years, or even one hundred? Perhaps Mars already hosts a thriving population and we are merely here for their amusement. We have too little information to trust every word we are told.”