Division Details

Rogue Drones
Ticker	RD
Leads	Authochthonian, Chevalleis, Myxx
Archivists	Authochthonian, Chevalleis
Status	Unknown
Channel	AJ: RD
Staff
Research	Chevalleis, Myxx, Yuni/Unit Commune, Brawyn78, Authochthonian
Contributors	Hilen Tukoss, Authochthonian

The Orphyx Program

Overview

It is not known when exactly the Orphyx program took place or what the Orphyx program end goals were due to the heavy censorship of information by CONCORD but what is understood is the researchers were using radical new programming techniques alongside the latest cutting edge hardware to create an advanced artificial intelligence drone that seems was intended to operate below the threshold of sentience and thus avoid Concord directive omega-one-five. At some point near the programs completion the drone appears to have self activated and gone on the rampage, killing many people and causing extensive damage before apparently leaving the research station via an airlock. The Orphyx program is of particular note due to so many of subsequent rogue drone incidents seeming to involve researchers who had worked on this project. The current whereabouts and status of the Orphyx drone are unknown.

Concord Report

The catastrophic end of the Orphyx program led to an investigation by CONCORD Special Projects Office (SPO), With clear jurisdiction over investigating unusual and secretive projects run by the Empires, the CONCORD SPO forced an official investigation on the XXXXXXXX corporation when large numbers of their staff were killed by the malfunctioning AI unit under development, the Orphyx. As the SPO's report states, because so many XXXXXXXX staff were unfortunately killed in the Orphyx incident the collated interviews of the survivors paint an incomplete picture of the events that transpired before the Incident occurred.

Prior to the Orphyx entity malfunction the SPO had received anonymous tip-offs concerned with the development of the program, run by XXXXXXXX though they were deemed too vague to support an investigation at the time. However the closer monitoring of open GalNet communications, XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX and XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXX was approved by the Inner Circle and intelligence was slowly gathered on the potential nature of the XXXXXXXX project. This early information formed the primary intelligence that fuelled the Orphyx Program investigation in the wake of the disastrous malfunction. By the end of the investigation large quantities of personal GalNet logs, requisitions and official corporation research records that had been subpoenaed from XXXXXXXX.

As summarized in their report, the SPO's conclusion was that there was no substantive evidence to indicate that the intended outcome of XXXXXXXX's research was in contravention of CONCORD law, and that the incident was genuinely unforeseen and unexpected by their personnel. However, given the unique nature of this incident the investigation team found the current directives surrounding AI research and development insufficient in key considerations. The lead investigator suggested that the Orphyx Program would have been classified as potentially dangerous by the SPO much earlier had the newer proposed directives been in effect. The report levied the suggestion that the current directives, Concord directive omega-one-five, be revised to assist in the identification of potentially dangerous projects. The revised Concord directive omega-one-five was ratified by the CONCORD Assembly.

The following are excerpts from the CONCORD Orphyx Investigation Report.

• CONCORD SPO, Approval Committee Log

After review of application for research permit into drone cognitive applied for by the XXXXXXXX corporation we have decided to reject the application at this time. XXXXXXXX currently have 23 such permits active at this time, with 17 being utilised by the XXXXXXXXX laboratory. Also, the Oversight Committee has obtained several independent, yet anonymous concerns in the course of the last month regarding the Orphyx Project listed under the same laboratory. Further review will be applied after a period of two standard EVE months.

• XXXXXXXX, Personal Log (Subpoenaed from XXXXXXXX by the SPO Orphyx Investigation)

Our permit was rejected by the narrow minded bureaucracy over at the SPO. Nevertheless research into Project Orphyx proceeds apace and even without this permit we have many avenues to explore. Professor Bohat thinks he will have the prototype ready with a few weeks. Once the final tweaks to the software are completed we will be able to match the two, and our dreams will begin to become realized. Interesting times indeed.

• DED Incident Site Report Summary

After a comprehensive review of incident at the XXXXXXXX offices on XXXXXXX station we can still not ascertain the cause. Our current theory points to a simple drone malfunction, however the sheer breadth of damage inflicted not to mention the unanswered questions of exactly how it managed to activate and control the XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX leaves us with many unanswered questions. The list of confirmed missing personnel is currently at 3 including the director of the facility. Exact fatalities have yet to be counted given the level of dismemberment making an accurate assessment of the dead impossible at this time. There was also extensive damage to several rooms and corridors, however there was no damage to airlock 5-FG which we believe the Orphyx used to escape.

• DED Forensic Investigation and Information Retrieval

Data retrieval has turned up minimal leads. It appears most of the research data was wiped. The investigating officer is convinced someone copied it before we got in but so far we have been unable to determine who or why. The forensics report has come back and one of the missing persons has been accounted for after body parts were found scattered over a wide area. The director of the facilities is still unaccounted for although apparently we may have one arm, but that is still awaiting ID tests and the other missing person is XXXXXXXXXX, the director's personal assistant.

Suspected Illegal Cognitive Research

The exact date of the following projects is unknown due to much of the data being redacted by CONCORD in the Code Aria Inquiry report due to its possible connection to the Orpyhx AI program, all that is known for sure is the last recorded case occurred in Y.C. 109 and since then no more suspected cases have been discovered, this has lead people to conclude that the AI program has been lost or destroyed

The following summaries have been taken from the report catalogue of the CONCORD Special Projects Office, the SPO. The files have unfortunately been heavily Redacted.

Magnus: A ship designed as XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXX XX XXX XXX XXXXXXXX, created by XXXXXXXX, broke free of moorings and went rogue. Last know travel vector leads towards the Drone Regions.

Creoptolemus: Advanced self and remote repair XXXXXX for use of XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX. Combined with XXXXX-XXXXX technology in efforts to have self-maintained civilian and military drones, XXXXXXX XXXX reported missing. Key engineers and scientists have been identified as former Orphyx project members.

Lazara: The XXXXXXX complex in orbit of XXX.XX.XX fell silent on XXXXXXXXX A reconnaissance flight to the area revealed that the facility has suffered extensive damage to structures. Of most note was the total absence of station personnel. Manned modules were found to be breached and exposed to vacuum. Analysis suggests some form of boarding equipment was used to access the modules, no occupants were found. The Lazara XXXXXXX XXXXXXX drone was not found in its assigned storage hangar. Hypothesis raised after the incident suggests that the Lazara’s higher functions were disabled and might require fresh XXXXXX material in order to restore XXXXXXXX analysis functionality. Location of the Lazara is currently unknown.

Prosperia: The Prosperia search & recovery unit, while undergoing semi-autonomous field trials, failed to return to base. The XXXXXXX Navy control ship was dispatched to locate Prosperia and determine the failure. Prosperia was not found but in XX different locations derelict civilian vessels were found. Each stricken ship was found with its hull torn open and cut down to its reactor core. It was determined that the reactors were now inert and in the cases where the ship used a propulsion system of XXXXXXXXX origin, partially dismantled with components removed. It has been suggested that Prosperia might have executed redundant search and recovery routines and acquired the ability to XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX.

Heaestus: Next generation construction drones, codenamed Heaestus by the XXXXXX developers XXXX XXXX was designed to XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXX XXXXX installed into a construction platform before implementation in the actual build, and discard wastage at its own discretion. This would lead to a more efficient build of the outpost overall. Fire alarms at the XXXXXXX XX facility mobilised the local security force. The report afterwards states that multiple fatalities were recorded and there was extensive damage to the storage bay after a completed batch of XXX prototype Heaestus drones, earmarked for a test deployment later that month, activated and attempted to break free of the facility. Investigation teams recorded XX dead and XXX destroyed drones accounted for, as well as a breach to the outer wall via underground pipe conduits. Current location of the remaining XX Heaestus drones is unknown. It is not likely they survived an attempt to pass through the atmosphere of the XXXXXX planet intact.

Athol: Munitions disposal drone prototype under development from XXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX XXXX. Investigation teams from DED dispatched to review claims from eyewitnesses of an attack on a test launch ship owned by XXXX XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX were met with limited co-operation from the corporation. Pressure applied from within the XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX government on our behalf revealed the nature of the scheduled test flight of the Athol class drone. The drone was tasked with the test recovery of a live heavy warhead from the range site in nearby deadspace, while the test launch ship stationed outside the area of deadspace. Further investigation showed the munitions disposal drone, slated for deployment evaluation with the XXXXXXX XXXXXXX within 3 years, was officially reported as destroyed during recovery. However witnesses report seeing the drone returning from the test site, then leaving again seconds before an explosive device was detonated on the outer hull of the science ship. XXXX XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXX denies this was the case. A full investigation of the event proved inconclusive and fragments of the test drone were produced, having been salvaged from the scene of the accident.

The Creoptolemus Project

Overview

The Creoptolemus project was intended to create an advance system repair program to be used in conjunction with new hardware to produce a self-maintaining repair drones for civilian and military use, with the prototype being designed for use on Capital class ships. Many of the researchers involved in this project had formally worked on the Orphyx program, the Creoptolemus project programming research bore enough similarities to the previous Orphyx program for CONCORD to charge all involved based on this evidence and their testimony with being in violation of Concord directive omega-one-five.

The Researchers that were charged were Yansi Kuschev, Missay Johanas, Wren Josua, and Project Leader Erean Lefou . All of them were employed by the same company (suspected to be CreoDron).

Initial conclusions of Rogue Drone threat became more diverse as testimony from Wren Josual brought to light the loss of several smaller AI programs unrelated to the main project, at best this was criminally negligent operating procedure and at worst a deliberate effort to carry out illegal covert research on the 'lost' AI programs in direct violation of Concord directive omega-one-five.

Extract From CONCORD Report

Investigations into XXXXXXXX’s continued AI research programs

Interrogation record of employees Yansi Kuschev, Missay Johanas, Erean Lefou, and Wren Josual of the XXXXXXXX corporation. Chief intelligence officer Kyrin appointed to the interrogation of the XXXXXXXX employees listed, Yansi Kuschev, Missay Johanas, Erean Lefou, and Wren Josua. The aforementioned employees having recently worked with the automated repair systems AI codenamed Creoptolemus.

Conclusions of the interrogations have been delivered to Inner Circle for examination and further steps will be taken from there. Recommendations have been issued to detain and charge the four suspects in accordance with Concord directive omega-one-five, based on following evidence.

Interview with Erean Lefou

Officer Kyrin: And this brings us to are next problem Mr Lefou, these files show that even after the Orphyx AI went rogue, you yourself continued research in the form of the Creoptolemus program. Could you explain to us the reason you continued such illegal research?

Erean Lefou:

The program I worked on, Creoptolemus, is on an entirely different level than Orphyx. The AI was created to work in a single specific area, and built to stay within set boundaries.

Officer Kyrin:

The data we recovered from your team's lab points out that the AI had potentially developed awareness. How are you so certain an aware AI wouldn't overcome your limits?

Erean Lefou:

I told you, it was given a specific guideline, it was made for automated repairing. Freeform thought isn't part of it like with Orphyx, it's just an advanced system repair program whose only freedom, if you can call it that, is that it gets to decide how to best repair its carrier. It was no more self aware than a simple environmental control system.

Conclussion

Mr Erean Lefou alone has given us grounds to charge him and his team with violation of Concord directive omega-one-five, and it is our recommendation that Inner Circle appoint a team to investigate the company in greater detail and track the location of the missing AI.

Sources

See: Code Aria Inquiry