The report ended.
She lowered her head, her hands on the table slowly clenching.
And now she understood.
They could not be found.
Only when they started acting, or deliberately exposed a flaw, would they truly show signs of corruption. Otherwise, there was no hope of rooting them out from within by ordinary means.
Silence slowly spread.
She sat there, motionless.
"What just happened to me?"
She suddenly asked in a low voice.
"You inquired about Mr. Lynn's awakening-the Intelligent Brain then reported recent developments and mission briefings from the past month-would you like a detailed record of your personal behavior?"
Silver Fantasy said nothing. She looked at the hand she had lowered, the sensation of her fingers pressing against her forehead seemingly still lingering.
Her eyes regained their former reason and composure.
"Have I exhibited any unusual behavior during this time? Or... issued any orders?"
"No recorded reports."
"How many times have I made a gesture like the one just now?"
"The Intelligent Brain has completed the search for you-similar behavior within the past month-79 occurrences."
Silence returned to the cold room once more.
A long time passed.
She said quietly, "An order."
"Please proceed, Your Majesty."
"Separate a portion of the Atomic Machinery and construct an independent matrix network. Grant it the highest clearance and have it observe and record my behavior around the clock for one year. From now on, every order I issue must undergo the matrix network's oversight and review-I will give you a memorandum. Should any of my actions exceed or deviate from the guidelines in that memorandum..."
"Immediately sever my links to all Mechanical Units and freeze all my orders. At the same time, send a full warning to Lynn, Constantine, Titan... in Dark Night City, and report my location."
She fell silent