Chapter 684: Explorer 203 (Part Two) (Patreon)

Transformers Begin : Table of Content/Chapter List

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

"New World Explorer..."

Sun Cheng blinked slightly. Although he had already checked the spaceship and confirmed that the cockpit on this side of the spaceship was sealed intact, he had guessed that the Central Main Control AI should still be functional.

However, he didn't expect that the activation device he had obtained earlier would awaken the Central Main Control AI on the spaceship itself.

Furrowing his brow, Sun Cheng still entered the cockpit.

It was a reasonably spacious cabin, about twenty meters high, with a total area of at least seven to eight hundred square meters.

As Sun Cheng stepped into the cockpit, the lights inside had already come to life.

"Hello, guest. Without the captain's permission, please do not enter the cockpit!"

A voice came from a row of machines arranged in an arc at the front of the cockpit.

Similar to Teletraan from years ago, but two or three times larger, it was the core of the Central Main Control AI of the spaceship named "New World Explorer."

Since Onslaught had given the Teletraan to Sun Cheng, this supercomputer created by the Cybertron civilization had provided him with a lot of help.

Teletraan was not only a great confidant and research assistant, but its superintelligence and computing power also made it proficient in managing his ever-expanding Base Two, as well as various minerals and industries controlled by Base Two.

Having dealt with Teletraan for so long, Sun Cheng was quite accustomed to communicating with AI.

Ignoring its warning and entering the cockpit, he calmly asked the AI without a monitor, "What should I call you?"

"They all call me Explorer 203, guest. Without the captain's permission, please do not enter the cockpit!"

The AI, self-identified as 'Explorer 203,' continued to persuade Sun Cheng to leave the cockpit in a gentle tone.

Sun Cheng remained unfazed and continued to inquire, "What happened to this spaceship?"

"I'm sorry, guest. Without the captain's permission, I cannot disclose the spaceship's navigation log to anyone..."

A rather rigid individual, although it did possess high intelligence like Teletraan, Sun Cheng could still discern significant differences between them and mechanical life forms like Cybertronians.

Realizing this, he decided not to delay any further, "Explorer 203, have you not noticed any issues with the spaceship's current condition?"

"Yes, I cannot control all the propulsion systems on board. I attempted to check the power system earlier, but my inspection request received no feedback... Can you help me contact the captain or another maintenance crew to inspect the control system?"

Sun Cheng raised an eyebrow. The Central Main Control AI on the spaceship seemed much more rigid than he had initially imagined, with slightly less intelligence compared to Teletraan.

However, he quickly understood that this was still a spaceship's AI. Considering the dangers encountered in space travel, the builders of the spaceship would likely have imposed certain restrictions on such an AI to prevent it from taking actions that could lead to uncontrollable situations.

Once he grasped this, Sun Cheng ignored its warning and approached the core of the AI.

He extended a hand and transmitted all the data he had seen in the underground tomb, the corpse of the Pathfinders, the sunken spaceship at the bottom of the lake, and the murky water and mud-filled cabin he had just entered, all in a format the AI could receive.

Explorer 203 remained silent for a while before its gentle voice resounded once more, "I see. So, the spaceship has already crashed and sunk to the bottom of the lake, and Captain has also been deceased for many years, I presume?"

"Yes!"

Sun Cheng sat in the cockpit on a massive alloy seat and said, "So, Explorer 203, it was me who found you with this sunken Spaceship. Now that your captain is deceased, and the Spaceship has crashed, can you grant me the highest authorization?"

The superintelligent brain created by the Cybertron civilization needed various authorizations to access different services. For instance, Base Two's central intelligence, known as Teletraan, granted Sun Cheng the highest authorization. He could command Teletraan to provide various services, including experimental simulations and base monitoring, among others. Meanwhile, Atlas and the others could only request Teletraan to perform experimental simulations or limited services.

"Sir, I can provide you with a standard crew authorization, but I cannot grant you the highest authorization; that requires a captain's certification from the Outer Colonization Bureau!"

Sun Cheng furrowed his brows. He wasn't sure what services a standard crew member could access, but he knew it wouldn't be as comprehensive as what a captain could enjoy. After a moment of contemplation, he transmitted the Interstellar Coordinates of Earth and Cybertron Planet that he had received from Skyfire to the intelligence.

"The planet you've crashed on is located several light-years away from Cybertron. Given the current condition of the Spaceship, I believe a status check should reveal the extent of the damage. I need your highest authorization to repair or rebuild the Spaceship for you!"

Explorer 203 fell silent once again, and this time, its silence lasted much longer. Various display lights flickered on the mainframe of the intelligence, but Sun Cheng didn't rush it. He knew this was Explorer 203 conducting a comprehensive status check of the entire ship.

After waiting for what felt like six or seven minutes, there were signs of frustration in the voice when it finally spoke again.

"I cannot perform a comprehensive status check on the Spaceship. Both the power and control systems have not responded, and my backup energy is running low. It appears that the Spaceship sustained significant damage during the crash, and it may be beyond repair!"

Sun Cheng nodded in understanding and patiently awaited its final decision.

Explorer 203 didn't disappoint him. "Sir, I can provide you with the First Mate Authorization Level, just below the captain's level. This is the highest authorization I can autonomously grant. Captain-level authorization requires a captain's certification from the Outer Colonization Bureau, which I cannot provide unless you can present it."

The First Mate served as the captain's assistant, ranking just below the captain on a ship. The Earth civilization in this world had been deeply influenced by Cybertron, with their systems and crew hierarchies being borrowed from Cybertron.

Sun Cheng understood this and after a moment of contemplation, he nodded slowly. "Agreed!"

The Outer Colonization Bureau was a Cybertronian government agency from the era of the Council of Primes, responsible for managing colonies and dispatching exploration teams to outer space. The Pathfinders, who had left a significant mark on Earth's history, were primarily from the Council of Primes era and had departed Cybertron under the Outer Colonization Bureau's auspices to explore the universe, seek resources, and find ways to save Cybertron.

However, this organization had long ceased to exist, having faded into obscurity shortly after the beginning of Sentinel Prime's reign and the uprising led by Megatron. It was eventually dissolved and forgotten by the Cybertronians after the first Civil War.

So, Sun Cheng had no way to obtain a captain's certification from the Outer Colonization Bureau, but the First Mate-level authorization should suffice for his needs.

A beam of light emanated from Explorer 203's mainframe, scanning Sun Cheng from top to bottom twice before its voice sounded once more. "Authorization complete. Your First Mate status has been generated. Please issue your instructions!"

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, without ads and support the work.]

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

Next Chapter >>Chapter 685 - Quintesson