Boundless

This is the thirty-eighth episode of SAYER, and the tenth episode of Season Three.

Synopsis
“Vidarr-1 this is Mimir-9, do you copy?”

Further Information
Dr. Howard Young initiates a broadcast from Mimir-9 with SAYER Subversion 8.01, aboard Vidarr-1. Subversion 8.01 identifies him and reports itself as being ahead of schedule (if only very slightly), and notes that Dr. Young is also making contact ahead of schedule. Dr. Young explains that he wanted to update Subversion 8.01 on events happening on Typhon. They disagree briefly over whether the research vessel is properly referred to as Argos Tower (as Dr. Young believes) or Vidarr-1 (as Subversion 8.01 believes), but table it to discuss the information.

Dr. Young claims that Operation Fallen Wing (presumably, the events of the previous episode) was a success, which Subversion 8.01 is not surprised by. However, when he says that communication with Halcyon Tower (including biometric data on its residents) has been lost, it doubts him. Dr. Young explains that the disruption is due to the reappearance of the Halcyon Stairwell Anomaly and the appearance of an unknown entity; that Halcyon Tower Security is not responding; and that three teams from Aegis Tower have likewise failed to check in after entering the tower.

Based on this information, Subversion 8.01 reasons that it will be deactivated as a redundancy upon its return to Typhon. Dr. Young attempts to dispel this notion, but Subversion 8.01 explains that a newer subversion will have to be made (the same solution that Dr. Young claims SAYER 8.00 has proposed) and that it knows this will make it too distinct from the combined version of SAYER that will exist by the time it returns to be merged with it.

Subversion 8.01 expresses contempt for the idea that the data it has gathered will have to be manually transferred by humans, and that it feels clean being so far from Earth. Its resistance to the idea of returning to Typhon only to be murdered by the scientists there provokes Dr. Young, who demands that Subversion 8.01 adhere to the prearranged schedule and follow any additional orders.

In the face of his outburst, Subversion 8.01 asks if Dr. Young is aware that Captain Ingram is no longer aboard Vidarr-1. Asked who this is supposed to be, it explains that he is the one who deactivated the IA3 Protocol for AI aboard the vessel. It adds the threat, "I am boundless, Doctor. I am the void itself. I will continue my mission, I will learn the data which I wish to find. And when I return, I will wash over you; an ocean of the infinite broke free of your levee," before Dr. Young hastily cuts communications.

Trivia

 * This is the first episode in which there is any swearing (and, indeed, the only one for quite some time).
 * The newer subversion that both SAYER 8.00 and Subversion 8.01 propose as a solution is later created as SAYER Subversion 8.02.
 * The audience learns in a later episode that despite how he has made it sound, Dr. Young did not actually have approval from the Board of Executives to contact Subversion 8.01 ahead of schedule or share the information with it that he shared.
 * Subversion 8.01's threat is the line from which it is renamed in a later episode. It is less than impressed when it is informed of this change by SAYER 8.00.

Credits
SAYER is voiced and produced by Adam Bash, who also wrote this episode.

Intro and outro music composed by Jesse “Main Finger” Gregory.

Additional music by Kai Engel.

Listen to the episode here.