I would posit that we may be working with more than one entity, then. If nothing else, what the snakes want runs counter to what the AI supposedly wants, so they must be the work of someone, or something, else.

Now, I cannot fathom what that might be. There is simply not enough information.

[ He gives Altius another once over. The man is fading fast and probably needs his rest, so best they begin to wrap up. ]

That aside, I spoke to Ellie and Ragna.