Rosa goes over the instructions.

Turn crank, press button, flick switch, input startup code 0xDEADBEEF on the auxiliary computer, select between OPERATOR or BAREBONES mode, activate the safety toggles, divert power to the main core...

There's also a large warning to only use BAREBONES mode if you're well-versed in microfission reactor operation, otherwise let the built-in operator take care of the rest of the procedures.

EVENTS:

Klimt takes the initiative, turning the crank until the ignition switch lights up, then pressing it.

The generator comes to life with a grinding screech, foul-smelling smoke filling the room through the cracked exhaust pipes. He does his best to complete the rest of the procedure, a 60Hz hum growing louder and louder as he does so.

Outside, the suspended sphere glows brightly through its portholes, and the whole room shakes slightly. There's a shower of sparks as the monitors and workstations light up one by one, screens filled wih bright green boot text.

The Doll stirs from her slumber, groaning loudly in a strange, echo-filled voice. She gurgles and gasps for a few moments, then vomits a huge glob of congealed blood, which splatters messily onto the floor below.

The sphere crackles and vibrates, sending the doll into frantic spasms, but eventually reaches some sort of equilibrium. The room's lights come on, and large fans stir the stale air into a mild breeze.

Doll: "OPERATOR-552 online. Executive override active. State orders, or utilize CLI for direct commands.

Her voice seems to come from all around you, repeated by every loudspeaker in the room.

Doll: "Initiating self diagnostics."

She is silent for several minutes, slowly dripping dark, thick blood onto the floor.

Doll: "Unit has sustained damage associated with long-term, unpowered storage. Unable to determine integrity of data storage. Files may be missing or damaged. Please contact your systems administrator for assistance.

BEEP. Unable to reconnect to server. Engaging procedural layer. Thought matrix activated. Deriving response.

Unit is a general-purpose computing OPERATOR, grown from a limb of RECOVERED OPERATOR 4-C. Directives: Maintain reactor stability. Obey authorised users. Defend facility from unauthorised undead. Oversee facility systems.

Facility: Launch Control Bunker RR7. Purpose: Defense of Southern Wall. Control of launch silos Gamma and Theta. Elimination of undead threat. For the Motherland (sic)."

Doll: "Time since last power-on: negative 227EF12 days.

Data corruption detected, possible buffer overflow. Extrapolating from backup counter, cross-referencing to organic decay of Unit's interface. Data requested: minimum, Eighty Years, thirty-two days.

Surface status: city connection lost. Unable to determine. Activating exterior cameras."

Hundreds of different images appear on the monitors, most grainy or defective. A few depict the wall and the ravine before the forest, but most are just... Dust, and ash, and sand, and occasionally a derelict building, half-sunk into a dune.

Doll: "Percentage of functional cameras: thirty-two point six. Data inconclusive.

Activating security hub. Searching for rogue undead.

Security team: Accounted for. Unit PATROL-02 down for maintenance. Unit PATROL-05 unresponsive. Recovering black box data.

User is correct, rogue Undead detected. Displaying."

The screens go dark, then light up with a series of images of their recent fight, from the perspective of the zombot's backpack.

Oh dear.

Doll: "Evaluating course of action... Done. Search and destroy patrols activated. Please do not leave the room until the rogue undead are eliminated."

Doll: "Command analysis: inconclusive. Delegating heuristics to thought matrix.

User speaks like 'we' includes the rogue undead. Requesting user identification and clearance."

EVENTS:

Rosa attempts to shut Klimt up, but is too late. The doll remains nonaggressive, however.

Doll: "Nuclear reactor control systems: stored in redundant array. Data corruption under five percent.

However. Unable to determine integrity of physical reactor shielding. Radiation leakage is possible, if unlikely. Advise vacating premises and referring to authorised technician.


Current operating mode: Executive Override. Personnel level list not available. Unit is to pass requests by Thought Matrix and utilize discretion when executing them.

Repeat. State identity, male-voiced User."