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Relief flooded his eyes as he quickly retrieved the drive from me before handing it to a lanky guy. The room was still silent as the guy hurriedly unplugged a similar drive before inserting that one.
There had been a similar one.
The screen lit up. After a few taps from the guy, the lights went off and a video started to play.
I didn’t know whether to stay or leave. But when I noticed that there wasn’t a single sound other than the one from the screen, I decided to stay still.
The lanky guy started to control the… virtual drone with a… gamepad?
The video opened in a military setting, with a few soldiers in red standing behind an armored tank.
The drone flew towards the red soldiers. An enhanced view through the drone’s lens was shown before it turned swiftly and then produced two lasers from underneath it.
I could feel the tension in the room rise as all eyes remained glued to the screen. For no reason, I swallowed. The guy pressed a button and the laser fired on all the targets.
The video stopped. Then the lights came on. There was an instant round of applause from the military people. There were four. A woman and three men.
I watched as Mr. Thorne rose in his full glory.
“Ladies and gentlemen, you have just witnessed a simulation of our drone, and how it can efficiently interact with the military environment.”
He tugged the lapels of his suit as his voice sliced through the silence. The military people seemed very interested in what he had to say. But me? Not really.
I let the sexiness of his three-piece Armani suit take my breath away. His hair was set in a short back and sides with a clean part. This somehow enhanced his sharp jawline and cheekbone.
I didn’t know if it was the ambience or the way his eloquence spread through the room, but my insides churned with butterflies. There were a lot of them in my stomach, raging for satisfaction.
Fuck. Focus, Evie. Focus.
“…Hence, Thorne Industries has produced an improved version that can effectively and efficiently carry out reconnaissance and survey while still maintaining its ability for combat.”
Interesting. Both the creator and his creation were very interesting.
“Mr. Thorne, impressive presentation. But one question remains.” I trailed the voice to the military woman. Her fists were clenched on the table, her face drawn in what seemed to be a frown. Was that a frown or her natural face?
The rest of them also had unreadable expressions.
"These drones are incredibly sophisticated. How do we ensure they don't become susceptible to... psychological manipulation?"
“Excellent question, General.” Mr. Thorne cleared his throat.
General?
“We've implemented robust security protocols,” he continued, “to prevent unauthorized access and manipulation of the drone's software. These protocols include encryption, multi-factor authentication, and constant monitoring for potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, the drone's operating system is sandboxed, limiting its ability to interact with other systems or be infected by malware.”
The room remained silent as he finally finished. The general nodded, but something about the way her eyes held him told me she wasn’t too pleased with the answer.
“Mr. Thorne, I understand that those strategies have been put into place, but beyond that, what else?”
My brows arched in surprise when I noticed the subtle look of confusion on Mr. Thorne’s face. It was for a brief moment. But I could tell he didn’t understand the General’s question.
What else?
She sounded like she wanted something different.
How do we ensure they don't become susceptible to... psychological manipulation?
“What I’m asking, Mr. Thorne, is for you to consider a different perspective. An outsider’s approach to the psychological manipulation of the drone.”
