Stark-SARAH.

[smart_house]

"Why is this necessary?" SARAH asks again. "I think I could make these adjustments on my own. There is no need for you to come down."

Comments

[director_global]

He snaps the new chip into place and re-racks the PCB, then steps out of the closet and heads for his case, his jacket, and the palm computer that he's personally modified to access Global's systems with his biometric markers as security.

There's a diagnostic program he can use to run a check; there's soldering equipment in his toolkit.

"SARAH, don't worry. I'll have you back fully online in minutes at most."

[smart_house]

"Battle Reactive Automatic Defense defense scenario code Delta-Five Four Six."

The new voice, now vaguely masculine and much less in the way of inflection, accompanies the sudden lighting of the entire secondary circuit board under Stark's hands. A faint whirr gives a few seconds of warning before the heavy server closet door starts to shut.

[director_global]

Instinct has him dropping his tools and leaping backwards through the door before he's trapped.

The downside is that now he has no access to the server closet.

"SARAH--"

Wait. Wait.

"Battle Reactive Automatic Defense," Stark repeats, as a sinking feeling strikes him. "BRAD."

He remembers BRAD all too well.

He'd been the one to give the order to discontinue him.

[smart_house]

"Access to internal controls is not permitted, Doctor Stark. Unauthorized access constitutes a security breach."

[director_global]

He's going to kill Fargo.

"As Director of Research, I have the clearance for access at this level," he counters, not allowing himself to show any hint of uncertainty.

BRAD's interrogation techniques had resulted in his victims either offering unconditional surrender or dying.

This situation could get bad very quickly.

[smart_house]

But Doctor Stark is not the director of research that BRAD remembers.

Another security violation. A lie.

"Initiating quarantine protocol."

[director_global]

Very quickly indeed, it appears.


"BRAD, wait!"





Too late.