David 8 and Ash: Human-like APs With No Life Protection Protocols.

The following contains information and data from the Weyland-Yutani Report by S.D. Perry, it was all I was allowed to collate given that I only have an S2 clearance!

Sir Peter Weyland’s lifelong interest in Cybernetics led to the creation of David. Introduced in 2025, David was the first Artificial Person. A combination of advanced sensory hardware, hydraulic bio-mechanical methods and aparatus, poly-nylon tissue compounds and recognition/information amalgamation software. David was a marvel of focus and innovation.

Each progressive incarnation raised the bar for human likeness, incorporating emotive capability, artificial cell regeneration, and nearly exponential increases in processing speed. By 2062, sixth-generation Davids were recognised as artificial by only seven percent of all study participants.

David 8 was the last AP personally designed by Sir Peter Weyland. Lacking Asimov safeguards later instituted by Synthetic Oversight Law, the David 8 aboard the Prometheus was capable of independently formulating plans in order to attain assigned goals, and exhibited behaviours that advanced Weyland’s personal agenda regardless of the outcome for the humans involved. The Company remains unclear about whether David was acting upon Weyland’s orders or via his volition programming, when he added a drop of the Black Goo to the drink he served to Holloway.

Released in 2107, the first Hyperdyne Systems series were integrated into the company workforce, mainly as task workers and research assistants. “Personality” subprograms could be downloaded depending on the AP application. All models ran a laboratory installed subprogram that ensured complete loyalty to Company interests.

As we know, the Hyperdyne 120-A2, known as Science Officer Ash, activated in the year 2118, was on board the Nostromo when the ship encountered Xenomorph XX121 in 2122. Placed aboard the Nostromo at Thedus in 2121 for the return journey to Earth, Ash was designated to be fully loyal to Company interests. The company standard, to place a synthetic aboard every deep space mission, was not yet in place, but it was no accident that Ash was assigned to the Nostromo. The crew was not made aware that they had an AP on board. ‘MOTHER’ had picked up a faint signal on the journey to Thedus and uploaded it to the company net. At the time, the signal was believed to be that of a lost mapping satellite.

The decision was made to replace the serving science officer with an AP so that company interests would be suitably represented. The Nostromo’s return course was uploaded to l-2037 to pass closer to the signal. Ash was unable to procure a Xenomorph specimen as directed. The company line, following Ripley’s deposition was that Ash misinterpreted orders, in fact the AP functioned properly and appropriately and, even after its injury at the hands of the Nostromo's crew, worked to obtain a specimen right up until its disconnection.

COMPANY NOTE: Ash was indeed following orders, it might have been able to carry them out, if not for the interference of crew members.

Ash was equipped with a breakthrough multi-filter sensory system and was one of the first models that could simulate micro-expressions. The 120-A2s were not designed with human life protection protocols, that industry standard was not established until 2124, therefore, Ash’s attack on the Nostromo’s crew was not out of keeping with the specificity of Company orders. The Company was able to blame Ash’s behaviour on a design flaw, there was no secondary backup for the magnetic synapse chamber in the “brain” - but obviously, the 120-A2 attacked WO Ripley before it sustained injury. Ash was ordered to obtain a specimen of the alien at any cost and did its best to fulfil that purpose.

COMPANY NOTE: It is in our interests to study and learn from previous ventures that under perform. In hindsight, had we truly believed we’d picked up the signal of an alien craft we would have sent a team of 120-A2s. The same holds true for the Prometheus mission, which was put together hastily by Sir Peter for personal reasons, and not well managed.

Teams sent after the Xenomorph must be thoroughly vetted for company loyalty and have either scientific or security qualifications to be viable. For example, the medical/secure transport team that would later be assembled to evacuate Ellen Ripley from Fiorina 161 was appropriately prepared. Unfortunately they arrived too late. If we’d had more time with Ripley we would have contained her.

COMNET continues to flag every transmission with key phrases and codes which might indicate alien contact, but without the correct response the data is useless.