SL Huang - Up and Coming - Stories by the 2016 Campbell-Eligible Authors

Security door deactivated. This unit is being forcibly entered by Central Judicial on the premise of: Apprehending Citizen 79867.

Residential program security override from Central Judicial. This program is now shutting down.

(Prisoner detected. Vehicle doors secured. Containment program activated. Self-diagnostics complete. Navigation initialized.)

Scanning prisoner for possible weapons or artificial-intelligence devices. None found.

Warning: No personal comm unit present on prisoner. Please extend hand to biometric sampler.

Skin sample obtained. DNA matches Citizen 79867. Disregarding citizen weight discrepancy from Citizen Census Bureau records. Logging criminal apprehension of Citizen 79867 to Central Judicial.

Prisoner restraints in place. Jumper vehicle is now en route to Central Judicial Processing Station 8. Be advised: In order to prevent injury, do not attempt to escape restraints or jumper vehicle.

(Nightshade Command Program resumed. Self-diagnostics complete. Initializing delayed command sequence.)

Contacting Central Judicial Dispatch as Citizen 83404.

Thank you for contacting Central Dispatch, Citizen 83404. You have been previously identified in relation to: Case #79867A. Please specify request.

Request reward in conjunction with Case #79867A.

Forwarding request. Processing case details. Citizen 79867 has been verified as apprehended as of 1830 on April 23, 2136. Citizen 83404 is eligible for offered reward. Transfer reward to personal account now?

Yes.

A reward amount of 20000 credits has been transferred to the personal account of Citizen 83404.

Be advised: Until Citizen 79867 is in the custody of a Central Judicial Processing Station, this payment will remain pending. Withdrawal of credits from this transaction before it is finalized will result in a reversal transaction. Please acknowledge.

Understood.

Thank you for contacting Central Judicial Dispatch.

Detected disconnection. Continuing delayed command sequence.

Tracing judicial containment vehicle route from Residential City Tower 16C. Found. Citizen in containment jumper vehicle en route to Central Judicial Processing Station 8. Estimated arrival: 1913.

Comparing location of Central Judicial Processing Station 8 to Intercolony Transport Portal. Calculating optimal intercept route.

Optimal intercept route found. Analyzing specifications of standard judicial containment vehicle. Necessary speed calculated.

Reactivating commandeered passenger jumper vehicle. Initializing route.

(Status update to Central Judicial Dispatch complete. Estimated time until arrival at Central Judicial Processing Station 8: 10 minutes.)

In order to expedite processing, Central Judicial recommends that prisoners en route to station utilize available vehicle console in order to record statements and/or crime confessions. Would you like to utilize the vehicle console to record a statement or confession now?

No.

Response noted in official containment vehicle log.

Warning: Unknown vehicle proximity alert. This containment jumper vehicle will now attempt traffic maneuvers in order to maintain safe operating distance of—

Warning: Collision acknowledged at speed in excess of 80 mph. Navigational processing unit possibly damaged. Imminent impact with city infrastructure predicted within 15 seconds. Please remain upright in your seat to benefit from the full effectiveness of the vehicle restraint system—

Infrastructure impact. Analyzing crash damage. Steering capabilities inoperable. No other citizens detected within crash-site radius. Per Federated Colony protocols, the restraint system in this containment vehicle will now deactivate in order to facilitate possible life-saving maneuvers.

Restraints deactivated. Contacting emergency medical services in case of possible prisoner injuries.

Command error: Probationary citizens do not have access to high-priority medical services. Request moved to end of queue. Current queue position: 15. Estimated time until emergency medical service unit arrival: 30 minutes.

Please refrain from moving away from containment vehicle. Attempting to contact Central Judicial Dispatch.

(Nightshade Command Program running advanced diagnostics. Diagnostics complete. Collision predictions accurate. Damage to commandeered passenger jumper vehicle minimal.)

Delayed command sequence complete. Initiate new command.

Destination: Intercolony Transport Portal.

Warning: Damaged judicial containment vehicle has initiated prisoner escape prevention protocols.

Biometric tracking scanner detected. Modifying this vehicle’s EM frequencies to intercept.

Initiating barrage jamming of biometric tracking scanner. Be advised: Continuous barrage jamming will reduce available processor power of Nightshade Command Program to 55% and may cause passenger vehicle core to overheat.

Warning: Damaged judicial containment vehicle is initiating contact with Central Judicial Dispatch. Attempting network denial of service protocols. Be advised: Processor power reduced to 35%. Remaining processor power will execute basic commands only.

Continue to specified destination?

Yes.

Destination initialized. Vehicle now out of biometric tracking scanner range. Deactivating barrage jam. Processing power restored to 80%.

Initiate new command.

Report status of reward retrieval.

Award of 20000 credits successfully received and transferred to account of Citizen 83404. Transfer to anonymous payment unit?

Yes.

Contacting Federated Colony Credit Union. Requesting transfer from account of Citizen 83404.

Command error: Transaction still pending. Generating Federated Revenue Bureau approval code for immediate posting of transaction.

Applicable code applied. Transfer to anonymous payment unit successful.

Imminent arrival at Intercolony Transport Portal. Discarding Citizen 83404 identification and generating new identification.

Warning: Judicial search units detected at Portal vehicle entrance. Scrambling biometric signature.

(Central Judicial search program running. Scanning approaching passenger jumper vehicle.)

Command error: Unable to obtain clean biometric signature within vehicle. Attempting alternate organic analysis. Organic profile received. Comparing to Central Judicial criminal records.

Detected passenger is 6.8 kg heavier than the Citizen Census Bureau biometric record of Citizen 79867. Date of the most recent Bureau biometric record: November 18, 2135.

Running probability of weight discrepancy in Citizen 79867 since last biometric physical. Probability: 82% unlikely within Federated Colony Health Mandate Standards.

Aborting organic analysis. Passenger vehicle cleared for entry. Scanning next vehicle.

(Residential program activated. Self-diagnostics complete. Personalized morning sequence initialized.)

Good morning, Citizen 83404. The time is now 0715 on Tuesday, April 24, 2136. Climate within house: 22.2° Celsius, 29% relative humidity. Climate within orchid greenhouse: 30°Celsius, 73% absolute humidity.

Be advised: Necrotic roots discovered on two out of fifteen Paphiopedilum rothschildianum orchids. Immediate attention recommended.

Calendar reminder: Federated Orchid Society Hybrid Show is at 1700.

Warning: Possible suspicious activity present within last 12 hours on financial accounts. Check now?