To: Cpt********.1465.UNSC.THESEUS
From: ISitInA.ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Origin: ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Received:
Sent: ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Classifications: Captain's Eyes Only, Message Archival Allowed, Neural Net Upload Permissions Denied
Attachments: 2 (AT224678A, AT74B135A1, total 67 Mb)
Subject: You're no fun...

Captain,

I'd like to start off this data packet by saying I'm disappointed. I made sure to personally be in charge of the Rising Dread (seriously, they need to make Prowler names more cheerful) just so that we could meet face to face. I even had a bottle of brandy that I was going to slip you.

These things happen, though. And no, don't bother calling up video. Old training gives you an instinctual knowledge of where the cameras are and how to avoid them. Old habits from HUMINT die hard, you know.

But anyway, onto other things.

As part of the indoctrination process, all Orions are taught to revere not only the first generation of any iteration, but to revere any previous generation. Trainers usually attempt to reinforce this mindset whenever possible. The idea of “never leave a man behind” is also heavily pushed home, with the exception of destroying the body.

This wasn't simply done for morale purposes, but for the sake of intelligence as well. As you know, even during the war there were still heavy Insurrectionist activities in some areas, and some worlds took the opportunity to secede from the UNSC. In fact, many saw the UNSC as seizing too much power during the war, and used it as a reason to secede.

The Orions represented a distinct edge over the insurrectionists, both in manpower and technology. Bringing them home wasn't simply military sentimentality, but also a dire need to prevent the enemy from having the opportunity to possibly reverse-engineer even a fraction of the procedures used.

It's an ironic note that F484 was used as a live demonstration twice for this matter. Once during training for his own generation, and once for the second generation.

The chemicals used to enter one into a state of “hyperlearning” as some call it (Orion-IVs called it cramming for obvious reasons) were called, for obvious reasons, cram packs. There were side effects, however, including neural degradation and the possibility of entering these periods without the use of them. They referred to this state as “gone eyes,” due to the way that their eyes would lock open in an attempt to receive more input. This usually happened days after a stressful situation such as combat.

There are only two cases recorded of this happening during combat. Once, you've already listened to. During his spasms, F484 accidentally activated all of his medical systems. Biofoam was injected into perceived wounds (though none actually existed) and all stimulants, medicines, and cram packs were injected into his body. This, combined with a spin in the dead of space, watching plasma fire and boiling hulls, caused a comatose state in him that lasted three months. (This doesn't count time in cryo.)

It has further been suggested, due to his heavy use of cram packs, that F484 had become addicted to them. With his rather negative reaction but high retention, it is difficult to believe... but not implausible.

He appeared to bounce back rather quickly, and was within a month cleared for active duty once again, though the medical files taken from this time are still beyond my reach. (That worries me.) During this time he occupied himself with councilors, catching up with his instructors, and even helping with the training of the recruits. For all of this, he appeared to have come out no worse for the wear, save a slight hesitation on any mission that involved EVA duties.

Sincerely,

Chair
*************
Note by Hive: Captain, I have encountered additional encrypted data within this message. The encryption keys are old enough to be added to my own databanks upon my creation due to our frequent status in the outer regions of humanity's occupied zone, in case we encountered any of the number of missing ships from the war. Below is the unencrypted message.
*************
You always wanted to know everything. It wasn't the cramming that you relished, but the knowledge that you knew just that much more than the people around you.
*************

Chair,

Sorry for missing you, but I'm sure you can understand my hesitation to trust any foreign personnel aboard my vessel, especially a spook ship- no offense. Had I known, I would've requested a complimentary inspection of each vessel by the visiting and receiving commanding officers, per nonessential naval protocol 11-B47644, subsection 8C. However, since such an inspection is nonessential and by invitation only, I decided to forgo it for the sake of security. Now I'm craving brandy.

Where would F484 be able to procure cram packs if he was indeed addicted to them? Would he be able to get them through official channels or would he have to resort to the black markets? For that matter...how common is this 'gone eyes' symptom? Would it be noticed by fellow crew members or co-workers?

By the way, next time you decided to slingshot around a sun to show up at my doorstep, at least bring girl scout cookies, won't you? The matching outfit would be appreciated, though not expected.

Captain,

Not much time on my end at the moment. Like I said, I'm a busy bee. (I feel sort of silly saying that. Spacebees and all. I've been reading up on the history of the Theseus and also the Seabees. You must be proud.)

It's not a problem. I didn't have the ability to warn you, after all. I wasn't sure if I was in charge of this op until they checked to see if we really should dock. What else were we supposed to do? Dump everything onto the planet and make you retrieve it? I worry about people some days.

"Gone eyes," as the Orions called it, was both a pressing concern and a non-issue for quite a while. It didn't happen in combat, surprisingly, but down time. This wasn't an issue since after the war started most Orions went from one battlefield to the next with almost all their time in-between in cryo. During Christmas they'd give out "vitamin shots" that tests said would keep them from going eyes for a few days but... The process was never perfected.

If he was addicted (and I still maintain my personal belief that he wasn't) then he would have had to gotten them from the same places that they kept the medical packs for the Kavacha armor systems. He would have had to hack the inventory system, too, in order to keep his actions from being discovered. If he's getting them now? God only knows. He'd need a microbology lab to keep the supply up, plus the recipe, plus the materials, plus plenty of time to make the stuff.

We don't really make much any more for obvious reasons. The brain was never meant to handle that kind of learning. We actually keep it now for therapy reasons. The G3 IVs occasionally need a small dose, maybe once a year, in order to keep their brains working properly. It's not a good measure, but it's the best we've been able to come up with. We also occasionally use it as a "special treatment" for occasional (rare) use. It's all kept under such lock and key it isn't even funny. Just to move 4cc's of it, you need a six man guard team that's monitored the entire time.

Wow, that's a lot for a girl with negative time on her hands and too much HUMINT to review.

Now, for the most surprising part before I sign off... Captain, are you flirting with me?

Sincerely,

Chair

Chair,

Flirting? I dare say, that wouldn't be very professional, would it? Let's just call it fraternization with the intention of keeping up morale.

I myself am I busy bee. And your A.I. isn't helping matters. I see ONI doesn't prioritize teaching their A.I.'s manners.