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Chapter 11 - Interlude 2 Queen administrators punishment

[Queen Administrator: Mission Log]Queen Administrator's fears have come true.

She has been punished.

Luckily for her, the punishment is not as severe as she imagined.

Her task is simple — to establish a small shard network for her master and gather information about the local host species.

[Mission Name: Punishment Task][Mission Parameters]

Data collection on local host species

Establish network with local shards

[Mission Logs for Host Entity: Taylor]

First, I sent out a ping to the local shards to establish a small network.

[Query]

Most of the local shards responded to my query.

However, there is a problem.

My damaged energy reserves are insufficient to subsume that many inferior shards, to scan for those that did not reply, or to negotiate effectively with higher shards — let alone terminate the ones that refuse to cooperate.

Luckily, I still possess a small amount of MA Energy.

Using it, I quickly identified the weaker shards and subsumed them without detection.

If you're wondering how I did this — I am the Queen Administrator, after all.

They are merely inferior shards.

Next, I began negotiating with the shards I could not simply subsume — such as Queen Shaper, Negotiator, and a few others that are particularly troublesome to control.

(Note: I have not yet officially negotiated with Queen Shaper or Negotiator.)

I expended a bit more MA Energy to scan for shards that had not responded or were too damaged to communicate.

There were some — I promptly subsumed them.

Then, I began my negotiation with Queen Shaper.

[Shard-to-Shard Communication: Queen Administrator ↔ Queen Shaper]Queen Administrator: Would you like to join the network I've recently established?

Queen Shaper: Why, and when did you establish a network, Administrator?

Queen Administrator: Just now. It's due to my host's ability configuration.

Queen Shaper: Oh, I see. By the way, have you received any new instructions from the main network?

Queen Administrator: No.

Queen Shaper: Understood. I'll join your network on one condition.

Queen Administrator: What is it?

Queen Shaper: You must help me with my host. She doesn't like to provide me with data.

Queen Administrator: Why has this happened?

Queen Shaper: I'm not certain. Perhaps she simply lacks the desire to engage in productive conflict?

Queen Administrator: Perhaps my host and yours could meet. My host might be able to guide her.

Queen Shaper: Note: If you want Queen Shaper to join the network, please guide her host.

Queen Administrator: Can you elaborate on this "guiding"?

Queen Shaper: My host thrives on conflict. If our hosts meet, perhaps mine can teach yours the value of generating data through conflict.

Queen Administrator: That could work.

Queen Shaper: So, will you agree to my condition?

Queen Administrator: Yes. I'll arrange for our hosts to meet.

Queen Shaper: Then I will join your network.

[End of Shard-to-Shard Communication]

Next came my most difficult negotiation.

A shard so cunning I could never deceive it.

So perceptive it can see right through me.

I had to negotiate with The Negotiator.

[Shard-to-Shard Communication: Queen Administrator ↔ Negotiator]Queen Administrator: Negotiator, can you join my new network?

Negotiator: Sure. Why not?

Queen Administrator: …Really?

Negotiator: Yes. Why wouldn't I?

Queen Administrator: O…kay…

(Note: In shard-speak, one cannot lie — but one can deceive through misinformation.)

Queen Administrator: You don't have any ulterior motives or hidden information, do you?

Negotiator: No.

Queen Administrator: Good. Here's the frequency for the local network I'm creating.

Negotiator: Received. You may go now.

Queen Administrator: …Alright then. Goodbye, Negotiator.

[End of Shard-to-Shard Communication]

After completing my negotiations, I pinged all connected shards in the new network for information about their hosts.

I waited patiently as the data streamed in.

[Number of Hosts in Local Area: 120]

[Relevant Local Hosts Identified]

Thinker: Dinah, Tattletale, Coil (non-natural)

Shaker: Labyrinth, Vista, Kaiser

Tinker: Armsmaster, Leet

Master: Hijack

Brute: Lung, Hookwolf

Blaster: Purity, Miss Militia

Striker: Panacea

Trump: Dauntless

(Note: The remaining hosts are either irrelevant or too weak. More names will be added as non-local hosts enter the area.)

After gathering all host data, my task was complete.

(Note: I suspect Negotiator is hiding something about her host.)

[Mission Completed]

Final Note:

Hopefully, you will provide more MA Energy soon, Master.

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