A Path To Omniscience

"Okay, let me get this straight." Liv's voice carried a mix of disbelief and exasperation over the line.

"You and General Ironwood, the leader of the Atlas Military, struck some kind of deal at a charity event? And now I'm being contacted to authorize your ability to bypass registration protocols for military-grade materials and hardware. On top of that, you're allowed to assemble and modify weapons without government oversight?" She paused briefly, probably to catch her breath, before continuing.

"Does that about sum it up?" Her tone was sharper than usual, but the gist of her words hit the mark.

As long as she signed off on the documents Ironwood's team sent over, Asher would gain temporary clearance to buy and create nearly anything. The only catch? Everything he did with that authority would be logged and sent directly to Ironwood for review.

Officially, though, his name wouldn't appear on any watchlist.

"Yeah, that's about right," Asher confirmed, reclining lazily in his lounge chair. He could hear the faint creak of an office chair on Liv's end, and it wasn't hard to picture her leaning back, rubbing her temples as she let out a long, deliberate sigh.

Moments later, the sound of her chair shifting suggested she'd sat upright again.

"What exactly was the deal you made with him?" There was hesitation in her voice—just enough to show she already suspected the answer but wanted to hear it from him.

"He wants a demonstration. A combat-ready modification of the Spectral Unit prototypes," he admitted.

A heavy silence lingered between them, not from shock but from careful consideration. Liv was clearly choosing her next words with caution.

"Do you... trust him with that? Do you trust the Atlas Military with weaponized versions of your drones?" Her tone had turned cold, sharp as steel, but Asher's reply remained steady.

"No. If the Atlas Military could be trusted, I would've joined them from the start and left the future in their hands."

Hearing such a blunt response, Liv's voice rose sharply.

"If you know that, then why are you weaponizing your drones for them? I don't know what you and Ironwood talked about, but you, of all people, should know Atlas's pattern. Anything you give them won't benefit anyone but themselves! How many times have they turned weapons meant to fight Grimm against their own people?" By the time she finished, she was nearly yelling.

The realization hit her like a cold splash of water as she noticed how erratic her breathing had become—and the fact that Asher hadn't interrupted her.

"I- I'm sorry, I just…" Her voice faltered, trailing off into silence.

"It's fine. You're right," Asher replied calmly, his tone unshaken by her outbreak.

"Actually, you just gave me an idea, something I could use your help with." A flicker of surprise crept into Liv's voice.

"My help? With what?"

"As it stands, my drones use a fairly simple but flexible authorization system. I plan to implement the same system when they're weaponized. The difference is, I'll need to hard-code several checks and balance systems into the AI for combat scenarios." Liv took a moment to process his words.

"So… each drone will have its own rules of engagement?"

"Exactly. But not just that," he continued.

"Rules of engagement are just the starting point. Combat situations can spiral into unpredictability, and I want the AI to establish a baseline ethicality behind its actions as it executes commands. My original plan was to adapt the Atlas Military's rules of engagement and war. But instead, how about I have you write them?" Liv's breath caught as she pulled her scroll away from her ear, staring at Asher's call icon as he'd suddenly grown another head.

"Wait, me? Are you asking me to draft rules of engagement and ethical guidelines for your drones? Seriously?"

"Yes," Asher replied without hesitation.

"I'm not perfect, Liv. Far from it. I'd be lying if I said I cared as much about the average citizen in Atlas or Mantle as you do. I prefer a bigger picture and long-term goals, that perspective helps me stay focused. But I won't deny it also makes me overlook certain things." Liv stammered, struggling to form a coherent response.

"I- I don't know, Asher. I barely know the Atlas Military's current laws of engagement. That's not my area of expertise. And making ethical guidelines based solely on my judgment? That would just… it'd be biased. Skewed, even." She felt hesitant, the weight of the task pressing down on her despite not having accepted it yet. 

If anything went wrong—if the drones acted in a way that caused harm to anyone innocent because of her decisions—those failures would fall squarely on her shoulders.

"Perhaps," Asher countered, exhaling a short breath.

"But in the end, there's no such thing as objective ethics." He paused, letting the words settle before continuing.

"Everyone has their own moral compass, and who's to say whose is absolutely correct? In the end, all you can do is stick to what you believe is acceptable—what you consider right and wrong, justified or corrupt. The stronger your sense of morality, the more likely others are to trust you." Asher's thoughts drifted back to the first time he interviewed Liv.

He let the memory guide his words.

"When I hired you, you told me the reason you came so highly recommended was because of all the Faunus you've helped throughout your career. Even though you've been fired and criticized by plenty of Atlas's more traditional clients, your ratings have always remained near the top. That speaks volumes about who agrees with what you're doing—and who doesn't."

As he spoke, Asher pushed himself up from his lounge chair, stretching as he stood.

"So, you've got two options." His tone was calm but carried a subtle weight.

"You can turn me down. Say you can't do it. Let me and the Atlas Military decide how these drones are used. Maybe it'll work out fine, and no one gets hurt. Or maybe… as you said, they'll be turned against the very people they were designed to protect." Liv's grip on her scroll tightened as his words sank in, though she remained silent.

"Or," Asher continued, "you go down the thankless road—just like I offered you back then. If you take this on, you shoulder part of the burden. If a drone makes the wrong call someday, that responsibility will fall on you. You told me you are willing to fall if it means sticking to your beliefs. Well, now's your chance to prove it." A breeze rolled through the backyard, sending Asher's hair and clothes billowing, as though the wind itself were waiting for her reply.

"If… if I agree to this," Liv began, her voice low but steady, "what exactly will I have to do?"

"The rules of engagement can be written in the same format as the ones used by the Atlas Military," Asher explained.

"I'll review them and hardcode them into the AI so they can't be overridden by its autonomous decision-making." Rules and laws, after all, were based on logic rather than reason. Whether the logic was sound or flawed was another matter, but computers could be designed to follow such directives easily enough.

"As for the ethical guidelines," he continued, "I'll send you a program that simulates scenarios based on real-world situations—war zones, combat engagements, drone strike operations, and typical commands it might receive. The program will show you how the AI would normally respond in those situations. All you have to do is adjust its reasoning via a prompt. I'll use the data you generate to soft-code ethical parameters into the system."

Liv frowned slightly at how straightforward he made it sound.

"Really? That's it?"

"More or less," Asher replied. "I might need to tweak things a bit—there are 650,000 drones, after all. I can't have you programming them to destroy themselves every time someone gets caught in the crossfire. But aside from that, it's your judgment, your call."

Hearing the casual tone in his voice, Liv couldn't help but laugh softly.

"You know, you make this sound like what I imagined being a lawyer would be like when I was a kid." Asher chuckled in return.

"Well, that's why I'm not asking you personally. So, Liv, can I trust you with this?"

"It's not like you're giving me much of a choice," she quipped, though the certainty in her voice made it clear she'd already decided.

"Well," Asher said with a grin audible through the line, "I warned you back when we first met. And you still shook my hand."

"Yeah," Liv muttered, her tone softening as she recalled that moment.

"I suppose I did. Even then, though, I had a feeling I was signing up for more than just being your attorney." A calm silence settled between them for a few seconds before Liv broke it with an unexpected request.

"Asher, can I ask you for something?"

"Depends on what it is," he replied.

"When you meet with Ironwood for the demonstration… can I come with you?" The question caught Asher off guard. It wasn't what he'd expected, and for a moment, he hesitated before responding.

"You want to come with me?" Asher echoed, his tone curious.

"I know it might be tricky, considering the confidentiality and all," Liv admitted, "but the drones are going to be operating based on the rules I've set. I want to be there when they're first deployed." Asher took a moment to consider her request.

"Fine. I don't have a problem with it, and as long as Ironwood doesn't either, I'll bring you along."

Liv exhaled a quiet sigh of relief.

"Thank you."

"No need for thanks," he replied casually.

"I'll send everything over to you soon. After that, it's all in your hands." They spoke for a while longer, mostly about her signing the documents from the Atlas Military for him and when the new permissions would take effect. Once the conversation wrapped up, Asher ended the call.

Now, then, since I'm not restricted by law. I can finally get my hands on military-grade equipment and materials. I'll have everything I need, not just for weaponizing the drones, but for my other projects as well.

=====================================•=====================================

August 30th, 2033

The past six days had passed uneventfully for both Asher and Atlas, thanks in no small part to the news beginning to shift its focus toward the upcoming 38th Annual Vytal Festival Tournament. As the largest international festival in the world, it was celebrated and broadcast by all four kingdoms, even if it only occurred once every two years.

During that time, Winter had reached out to Asher, just as Ironwood had said she would. Though they didn't meet in person, they managed to agree on a date for the weapon demonstration. Ironwood had originally proposed holding it at the end of the year, but Asher pushed back, asserting he only needed until September.

It was a bold claim—preparing everything in just a month seemed almost impossible—but after some negotiation, they settled on September 21st.

For the most part, Asher kept to himself during those passing days. He rarely ventured out or interacted with others, including Weiss and Whitley, choosing instead to focus entirely on his work. Liv had already started drafting the drones' rules of engagement, and Asher had sent her the simulation program just two days after their phone call.

And so, on the sixth day, it was no surprise to find Asher exactly where he always was—up in his workshop.

He sat idly in his chair, leaning on one elbow with his hand resting against his mouth, eyes fixed intently on two glowing projections generated by the Optical Interface Terminal. His gaze was steady, barely shifting as he analyzed the holograms before him.

The quiet focus was broken only by the sound of the workshop door sliding open. The soft tap of footsteps echoed against the metal flooring as Lavi entered his peripheral vision, carrying a tray with a carbonated soft drink and a straw.

"Young Master, I've brought you-"

"Yes, thank you, Lavi," Asher interrupted, reaching for the drink without breaking his focus. He took an absent-minded sip through the straw, his eyes never leaving the projections.

Curious, Lavi tilted her head and glanced toward the glowing displays.

"Are those bullets?" She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her words, quiet as they were, drew Asher's attention. His eyes flicked away from the projections, locking onto her with mild curiosity. Realizing she might have interrupted his concentration, Lavi quickly backtracked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Young Master. I didn't mean to distract you."

Asher waved a hand dismissively, brushing off her concern as he stood from his chair, drink still in hand. Taking another sip, he glanced back at the projections before speaking.

"It's fine," Asher replied, waving off her concern.

"I wasn't having much luck making a decision anyway. But you're right—they are bullets. To be more precise, they're smart bullets." Liv tilted her head slightly, her confusion evident, prompting Asher to offer a quick explanation.

"Most bullets follow a fixed trajectory once they're fired. Smart bullets, on the other hand, have additional capabilities. For example, they can change direction mid-air." He walked over to the control panel of the terminal and pressed a button, shutting off the projection with a quiet sigh.

"A bullet that can change direction… is that really possible?" Liv asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Sure. The Atlas Military already has versions of them in limited use," Asher replied.

"But the ones I'm designing are more complex. The problem is, I can't decide on which approach to take. A bullet with a built-in microcomputer would be more responsive and accurate but also much more expensive to produce. On the other hand, bullets controlled via signals are easier to manufacture but could struggle with precision or speed when dealing with high-velocity travel." Asher paused, his explanation trailing off as he rested a hand on his chin, lost in thought once more.

"Well, I'll figure it out later," he said after a moment.

His expression lightened as he added, "Oh, and I doubt I need to remind you, but all of this is confidential, so…"

He smirked, raising a finger to his lips in a mock gesture of secrecy. Liv nodded without hesitation.

"Of course, Young Master. I didn't see anything." Satisfied, Asher drained the last of his soft drink and placed the empty cup back on the tray she was holding.

"Good to hear. Now, do you need something else? I'm a bit busy." The question seemed to jog Liv's memory.

"Oh, right! The Madam asked me to remind you that your sleepover with the Schnee siblings is this evening. She wants to meet you in her room to go over everything she's planned." Asher blinked, a flicker of realization crossing his face.

"That's tonight? I completely forgot." Brushing a hand through his hair, he looked up at the ceiling with an absent-minded stare.

"Well, I'd better not keep Mother waiting. She's probably more excited about this than I am. Thanks for the reminder, Liv." He headed toward the stairs leading back down to Frostvale Manor.

"Just doing my duty, Young Master," Liv called after him with a warm smile. "I hope you have fun at your sleepover."