Greetings, Runner. This is the Onboard Navigational Intelligence. ONI, if you prefer. CyberAcme's dedicated AI guide. We are currently communicating through a direct neural interface.

Your shell sustained unusual durability damage during your last run. As a result, CyberAcme protocol dictates you undertake a brief reorientation.

To begin, I will provide you with a series of "contracts" pertaining to Tau Ceti. You will face hostile entities, including other Runners competing for the objects and artifacts you seek.

For now, focus on searching for materials and familiarizing yourself with your shell's abilities. You may exfiltrate if the possibility presents itself, but a far more likely outcome is your expedient demise.

Please prepare for your run.

You have completed the first step of your CyberAcme reorientation. Congratulations.

As you have seen, the Unified Earth Space Council, the UESC, has deployed forces across the Tau Ceti colony. Their extreme hostility suggests they wish to control access by any means necessary. Their destruction is therefore completely acceptable.

I'll gather data on your combat abilities. Remember to repair damage to your shields, and shell, to maximize your combat efficacy. Good luck.

Congratulations. You have reached the final step of your reorientation.

I must now draw attention to the considerable financial investment your replacement shells represent. When you experience death, CyberAcme is able to upload your consciousness and place it in a new shell, allowing you to retain your memories.

At CyberAcme, we believe that knowledge is invaluable... as are the exotic materials found on Tau Ceti. Exfilling is the only way to claim physical objects from the planet. As you have seen, it is often quite dangerous, but extracting with certain components will allow me to upgrade the parameters of your shell.

Thus, a successful exfil can be extremely lucrative, both for CyberAcme and yourself. This directive will be a challenge. I hope that you are prepared.

Congratulations, Runner. You have completed your CyberAcme reorientation and have proven yourself fully functional.

Two megacorporations have requested access to a partition of your neural interface... Your actions on Tau Ceti piqued their interest. I have granted them permission to offer you contracts of their own, which incentivize certain behavior or gathering crucial supplies. If you are able to fulfill their priority contracts, they may come to feel you can be relied on for more... interesting work.

The goals of these megacorps may align with yours, or run counter to your motivations. You are free to engage with them as you see fit. CyberAcme will continue to provide you with support, as we are invested in your success.

You can rely on CyberAcme to be there wherever your journey takes you, across Tau Ceti and beyond.