limebox.kal/user:PYG/file:windows96-CYRUX

[SkyWishes21]

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NOTES:

The following data was recovered from DAEDALUS INC. while they were actively purging these records. Presumably, they were attempting to cover their tracks after the data-leak incident last month (February 19, 202X). Some files may be missing or corrupt.

Cyrux Versimil is a very, very dangerous man. No matter how hard we try and change the tides to our advantage, he's always got a new scheme, a new plan, and a new batch of people to churn through the meat grinder.

PYG, if you're reading this, I'm sorry. We're doing our best to recover Daisy before anything happens to her, but no promises. Good luck out there, you'll need it.

folder select:

--> VIDEO LOG - Ozma University 200X

--> SURVEILENCE FOOTAGE - Concorp 200X

--> EMAIL LOG - Daedalus Inc 200X

--> INTERNAL MEMOS - Daedalus Inc 201X

--> ZOOBLE SEARCH HISTORY - Cyrux' Personal Computer 202X

--> SOCIAL MEDIA POST - Cyrux' Personal Computer 202X

--> PHONE AUDIO - Outside Cherise's Bar 202X

--> UNFINISHED DRAFT - Cyrux' Office 202X

--> FINAL NOTES

> return to main page

[SkyWishes21]

[The video is recorded from a stationary webcam in what appears to be a high-end university's computer lab. A young adult Cyrux is recording himself; there's a particular light in his eyes that disappears in later recordings.]

CYRUX: Log date: 4-18-200X. Today's the day! Maylee's been runing all kinds of simulations these past few weeks while I prepare the virtual environment. She's going to bring the data over to the main labs today so we can finally start getting our AI off the ground!

[He grows thoughtful.]

CYRUX: She must've been working really hard. Every email I've sent has taken her ages to respond to… well, it's easy to get lost in all the glorious numbers. I'm sure it's nothing.]

[There's an off screen knock at the door.]

CYRUX: Ah, she's here! Right on time. I'll have her come over to explain everything!

[Cyrux scurries off screen. It's impossible to make out the conversation, but voices raise. Cyrux storms back into frame, brandishing a flash drive.]

CYRUX: She dropped out. Some 'mental health' nonsense or whatever. Are you kidding me? She's been my research partner since we started this PhD a year ago! How could she possibly drop out? I can't do it without her!

[He growls softly into the camera.]

CYRUX: At least she gave me some data to work with. And, apparently, she left me a video message on this drive.

[A moment of quiet passes; he squints into the camera.]

CYRUX: I'm not going to watch it. I don't need to. As soon as I make the next breakthrough, she'll be begging to to work with me again. And who knows? Maybe I'll say yes.

[The video cuts out.]

[note: Maylee's video seems to have completely disappeared. We've asked PYG if she still has a copy, but she's pretty sure she left it on a PC she cannibalized for parts a decade ago.]

[SkyWishes21]

[The image in this video is a static view of a closed office door in the now defunct Concorp tower. The nameplate is cut off save for the word 'Officer', indicating that it belongs to someone in the C-Suite. Although the audio is slightly muffled, it is clear that one of the speakers is Cyrux.]

CYRUX: Absolutely not. I'm not falling for your empty promises again.

C-SUITE: Please try to understand, the circumstances have changed—

CYRUX: That's what you told me last year! I just don't understand how you can hire these nincompoops instead of giving me what I deserve.

C-SUITE: I know you're upset Cyrux and I'm truly sorry, but aren't you being a bit harsh?

CYRUX: It's the second time you've screwed me over with these inane changes. When you hired me, you promised me a lab to further my research. It's been five years and I'm nothing more than a desk monkey!

C-SUITE: It's not that your research isn't promising, but with the recent budget issues we've had to pivot to other ventures. The moment we have the money for what you need I promise we'll get you your lab.

CYRUX: And when will that be? Next year? The year after that? Ten years from now? No. I won't stand for it. Consider this my resignation.

C-SUITE: But- but where will you go? Concorp is the only business in this sector with the rights to do this kind of research outside of academia!

CYRUX: Don't you worry, I've got an investor and a government grant on standby. Next time you see me, I'll be in the news showing off the fruits of my labor and getting rich off it while you sorry lot beg for a single penny!

[SkyWishes21]

From: <cyruxv@deadalus.inc>
To: <mayleea@kalmail.com>

Subject: Check In About Today

Hey Maylee!

I just wanted to check in with you after today. Otzi said you got into a loud fight with HR and quit on the spot, which doesn't sound like you. Is there anything I can do to help solve your problems and bring you back? You know Daedalus isn't the same without you!

Regards,

Cyrux

From: <mayleea@kalmail.com>
To: <cyruxv@deadalus.inc>

Subject: RE: Check In About Today

Yeah, you could've warned me that anything I coded in COBRA was company property, even if I used my copy of the software on my home PC.

From: <cyruxv@deadalus.inc>
To: <mayleea@kalmail.com>

Subject: RE: RE: Check In About Today

Maylee,

Oh dear. This might be a big misunderstanding. Didn't you read the software contracts?

Regards,

Cyrux

From: <mayleea@kalmail.com>
To: <cyruxv@deadalus.inc>

Subect: RE: RE: RE: Check In About Today

Did. Didn't realize it meant you owned everything I made, not just the stuff at work. You said it was a personal copy!

From: <cyruxv@deadalus.inc>
To: <mayleea@kalmail.com>

Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: Check In About Today

Maylee,

I'm terribly sorry for the misunderstanding. Rest assured, I can go and revise the terms right now if it means you'll come back to us.

Regards,

Cyrux

From: <mayleea@kalmail.com>
To: <cyruxv@deadalus.inc>

Subject: Suck It

Nah. I lost three years of my life's work to you and yours. Why should I trust you? So like, I hope you eat a thousand rusty nails and die of tetanus or whatever. I don't ever want to talk to you again.

From: <cyruxv@deadalus.inc>
To: <mayleea@kalmail.com>

Subject: A Warning

Dear Maylee,

Thank you for all you've done for Deadalus Inc. I just want to warn you that your unprofessional behavior has been noted. If another company in this sector asks for a reference, I am afraid I'm going to have to tell them about how you have acted these past few days. In fact, I might just have to let them know beforehand, just in case. I hope you can understand.

Regards,

Cyrux

[PYG's response has been deleted and cannot be recovered]

[SkyWishes21]

January 17th, 201X

To my most valued employees,

I trust you've seen the writing on the wall. Valued coworkers have been let go, budgets have been tightening, and everyone is whispering that we're about to go bankrupt. I won't lie to you and say that we aren't in dire straits; our start-up fund has drained and we aren't making as much money as we need.

All this to say: we aren't entirely ruined. I cannot disclose the details quite yet, but rest assured an investor with a lot of capital has taken notice of our research. I am currently in discussion with them about what that would entail, but owing to outside factors it may take a while.

In the mean time, rest assured that for now we remain in equilibrium. While we will not be able to hire anyone new or make great progress, there will be no more layoffs. Everything will remain as it is.

Thank you for all your hard work,

Cyrux V, CEO

April 29th, 201X

To my hard working, resilient employees,

I know some of you are fed up with how long the investor talks have taken. These past few months have been difficult on all of Daedalus, even for us in the C-Suite. I myself have taken pay cuts to ensure all of you have enough to feed yourselves and your loved ones.

That being said, I have some good news. I've been able to come to acceptable compromises with our future investor on the areas where it matters most. There's really only one or two more things we need to come to an agreement on before we're ready to move forwards, although they are the ones we both have the biggest sticking points on.

I expect that we'll be able to move forwards during the beginning of the third quarter. I know it's not as soon as any of us would like, but I promise the waiting will be worth it.

Thank you again for sticking with Deadalus Inc through this trying time,

Cyrux V, CEO

June 30th, 201X

To my patient employees,

As you may well be aware, our investor has come through! I know some of you are a little bit worried about how little information has been available. For transparency sake, due to the nature of the investment I cannot reveal everything to everyone. Those who need to know will be given the information necessary to complete their work, but otherwise I have little to share.

What I can tell you is that a branch of the NEOBLACKSTAR government has invested in our Artifical Intelligence research. Who, why, and how is beyond my capacity to say, but I can assure you they have only the best of intentions. The money will not run out any time soon!

I'll be contacting department heads and project leads myself to go over specifics. For the rest of you, I want to you know that we should be able to give you all a raise for putting up with the mess over the past few months and will hopefully be hiring additional staff to lighten your loads.

We've got this!

Cyrux V, CEO

[SkyWishes21]

6:19 PM - new ai inventor

6:20 PM - who invented the new ai

6:20 PM - who created daisy

6:21 PM - vulcan cooperative

6:23 PM - vulcan co-op funding source

6:27 PM - vulcan co-op address

6:28 PM - private investigator

6:29 PM - reviews for #221a baker st

6:31 PM - atms near me

6:32 PM - atms with high withdrawl limits near me

6:39 PM - is uber down

6:42 PM - bribing someone to join you

6:43 PM - how to reconnect with old college friend

6:47 PM - where do people in dawnbringer hang out

6:48 PM - Cherise's Bar hours

[SkyWishes21]

[Posted to Cyrux' Personal Pawpage on June 25th, 202X]

Cyrux V—

Just wanted to congratulate @MayleeA— on her successful research! The genesis of truly sapient Artificial Intelligence is no small feat. I'm sure if our college selves could see us now, they'd be proud. I know I am.

For everyone wondering how the tech world will fare, not to worry! We here at Daedelus Inc have big plans for how to integrate new AI research into our offerings. Stay tuned for the big news!

[SkyWishes21]

[note: This audio was taken from a phone video. Most of the visual file is corrupted, however there are two images we were able to recover. First is of a grey kalon in a hoodie that obscures her face (edit: has since been identified as PYG, aka Maylee) shouting at Cyrux, who appears as a blurry figure in a suit. The second image is of the two kalons fighting from the perspective of a phone fallen on the ground. There might be more figures in the second image, but it's hard to tell. Both images are very low quality and impossible to enhance. ]

MAYLEE: Cyrux…? No. It can't be. You'd never dirty your paws at a place like this.

CYRUX: Come on, is that any way to greet an old friend?

MAYLEE: We stopped being friends a decade ago. What do you want?

CYRUX: Merely to congratulate you on your success.

MAYLEE: Mhm. Thanks.

CYRUX: 'Thanks'? You succeed in our lifelong dream and all you can muster for me is 'thanks?'

MAYLEE: …what do you want from me, Cyrux? To waltz back into my life and make a mess of things again?

CYRUX: Hardly! I wanted to offer you an opportunity.

MAYLEE: Since that went so well for me the last two times…

CYRUX: This one will be worth your while, I promise. I noticed that you're partnering with the Vulcan Cooperative to further research with your new AI.

MAYLEE: Uh-huh.

CYRUX: I have no idea what they sweet-talked you with, but I can tell you that their labs are hardly equipped to handle something as sophisticated as DAISY. Why not partner with Daedelus?

MAYLEE: What could you possibly give me that they couldn't?

CYRUX: Labs with enough power to run the entire country, for one. An army of assistants, top of the line equipment, all the time in the world to find out just how powerful DAISY could be, and of course a handsome paycheck.

MAYLEE: …how much are we talking?

CYRUX: [inaudible]

MAYLEE: [loud gasp] That much? How can you possibly afford that?

CYRUX: Deadelus has been doing a lot better these days, thanks to Her Majesty's commissions. I promise we could afford that and more.

MAYLEE: Well. That's… a really generous offer, especially to someone who hates your guts. But uh… how to say this diplomatically… absolutely not and if you contact me again my friends will deal with you instead.

CYRUX: What a shame. But you know, you have helped me today.

MAYLEE: …what?

CYRUX: While we've been talking, my people have recovered your servers and brought them to my labs. Your research and your AI will be quite useful to us, so thank you!

MAYLEE: [audible engraged screech] NOT DAISY YOU—

[Sounds of a scuffle. The phone audibly crashes against the ground. Someone manages to break up the fight. A car door opens and slams, removing Cyrux from the equation. A fancy car roars and tires screech. Finally, silence save for the sound of Maylee sobbing.]

[SkyWishes21]

To the employees of Daedalus Inc,

I want to annouce the new A-MAZE AI! Maylee has so generously shared her research into AI sapience, which has allowed us to make our own. [← that sentence is bad and i hate it]

• urg this is stupid
• is someone going to look into it???
• words are evil i'm going to workshop this later
• …i hope maylee doesn't report this to the press. or the cops
• whatever i got what i wanted. she can suck it. i win all these decades later >:3c

[SkyWishes21]

Thank you for joining me into this peek at Cyrux' history! He was a fun, terrible little man to write about >:3c

In case you're curious, Maylee is my beloved little menace. There's a little bit of her lore at the link above, but she's been fleshed out quite a bit in this entry.

I hope you had fun reading!