A typical player uses pattern buffers frequently in Marathon 1. Durandal at various points has access to a wide range of the ship's systems, and therefore to the player character's pattern, if it was ever at any point stored.
Durandal said: "You would do well to believe that I know the outcome of your battle with the Pfhor already, just as I can decipher the chaotic motion of gas molecules in the clouds of Tau Ceti IV." One predicts the outcomes of battles by simulating them. One doesn't use less than all available information in simulating a battle, especially if that information includes the complete biochemoelectrical pattern of a major participant. It's also interesting that he says believe rather than know; perhaps he hasn't actually predicted it yet, because he's still in the process of simulating it.
Once Durandal has cycles to spare, he naturally starts running simulations of more distant scenarios; in particular, how events may play out once he reachs the S'pht homeworld. Taking over Sfiera's computers lets him run them in still more detail across a broader range of possible scenarios. Back on Marathon, Tycho is doing the same thing, and each is trying to simulate the other simulating them, down to the limits of their resources.
But because of the unique interaction between Jjaro technology and sentient creatures, the simulations start behaving strangely. Rather than each of our incarnations experiencing a separate, consistent world, information starts leaking between them. First it's us having odd feelings of familiarity, though we can't remember why. Then we start having vivid premonitions of potential dangers, almost as though we actually fell to them and were able to go back and try again. At the same time, we notice odd inconsistencies in our world.
At first it all goes unnoticed by the AIs; but eventually they're forced to take notice, as whole sets of memories and even physical objects are swapped between the simulations. To what end? Is the Jjaro technology trying to warn the AIs about the W'rkncacnter? Is it rebelling against the AIs' abuse of us? Given the consistent picture of Lh'owon the games show, could this really all be taking place back at Tau Ceti? I don't know, but having got this far I figure I'll post it.
