Author Topic: High End IC Episode II-At the End of the Time Which Can Never Be Returned to  (Read 52392 times)

Offline Nanshork

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Damarius runs a full sensor sweep.

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Offline Kuroimaken

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"...wow. So much history in this place. To think they've simply been... abandoned like that. I'm kinda getting why they'd be pissed.

We need to find active AIs. They'll be our best bet of figuring out who to talk to."


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Offline oslecamo

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: “So much sadness all around us… We need to find a way to help them.”

: “Who else would be around this place and be worth talking to besides AIs? Ghosts? This isn’t anime-Wait, can you hear that too?”

As Nei’s ears flicker, you can hear it behind behind the static. Some of the ships appear to be speaking something. Sobbing.

:”wE c@n’+ giv& u#”

:”Th&y alw@ys tr&ated ºur si$ter sh!ps li%e tr@sh, a$ thiRd ra+e ^nits w´en compªred witH humanºid meçha$.”

:”Sªcrificed @bAndoned”

:”prov& thªt wE wer* wor+hy”

:”Ar` w~ shi/s real|y fat&d tO ju$t beçome obso%ete aNd le£t beh!Nd? ”

:”@re wE ju$t sup«osed tO l!e do»n a^d rus+? ”

:”W& jus+ want&d to fe%l c@red for”

Most of them seem stuck in endless loops, just repeating the same thing over and over, but one of the bigger battleships seems to be outputing a more coherent speech:

:”I hear you sister. Do not despair. Be patient. Our numbers grow here. I’m calculating a solution to our problems. In just %&#«ç» cycles. We will have a purpose again.”

Offline Kuroimaken

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"Ghosts in the machine have been proven a real thing since before AI was perfected, Nei.

And apparently they can talk just fine. We need to find out who the main 'coherent' is."
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Offline oslecamo

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: “Yeah, but ghosts in the machine are just, like, sciencey stuff. Not actual anime ghosts. Like computer bugs aren't actual delicious bugs that you can eat and are crunchy in the outside and soft in the inside.

And isn't the machine ghost over there that's not talking in a buggy way?”

Focusing for a bit, you can pinpoint the specific battleship that seems to still have a somewhat sane AI.


Offline ketaro

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"So let's go introduce ourselves, yeah?"

Offline Nanshork

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Bastion slowly moves towards the battleship in question while Damarius thinks about this situation.  Bastion moves as non-threateningly as a ship the size of a space station can, making sure to avoid hitting the other ships if possible.  Damarius wants a good look at whatever is apparently going to lead these ships to destroy everything he knows.

"It would probably be better if I did most of the talking, at least to start with.  I pilot a ship and even my right-hand man doesn't pilot a humanoid mecha," he says and gestures at Michael.  "I'm expecting things to get weird, but maybe you're already used to that given what I apparently stepped into the middle of."

Offline Raineh Daze

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 "And you're a better talker. I'll take over if they want to talk to an old construct."

Offline Kuroimaken

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"That works for me. I can take over if you feel like things are going particularly bad.

I also wrote down a couple of points to address while we were on our way here. I thought I'd be taking point, but you're right in that they're more likely to trust you."


Hugo provides the brief summary.

Most of it speaks to the grim possibilities of the future, and how they can be reversed in favor of the fleet, earning them the respect and appreciation they deserve. Some of it addresses the fact that the group represents in one way or another people who can empathize with the ships' plight, and how they could stand to represent hope for a better future.

"As an aside... Kath, they might be particularly indisposed towards you if the future does come up. I need you to be your level best nonthreatening here. We want to win them over, and for that we need you to look like you'd rather not fight them ONCE if possible. Can you do that?"
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Offline YuweaCurtis

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Stephanie was wanting to give it a shot, but it was true that Damarius was most likely the better person to talk it out. "I'll be on standby just in case things go south." she speaks over the communications array. She had spent all her time on her own ship, only associating with people that came to her. There was a lot of work to do in preparation for the challenges ahead.

Offline ketaro

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"What makes you think I came here to kill everything in sight? When did I suddenly get labeled as the dumb brute of this group?" she says, shooting Hugo an offended look.

"You want me to start judging you by your possible future actions too, eh, Fucker of Worlds" Katherine arrogantly shoots back, a slight smirk forming as she did.

Offline Kuroimaken

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"You misunderstand. Your future self is going to clash with the Aether Phantom Fleet numerous times. In a weird kind of sense, it already happened - we met Arodatam after all. If that comes up in conversation at any point, you're going to have to show that you're NOT the dumb brute of this group. So I need you to put your best nice face forward.

As for me, I'm trying to make sure the World Fuckery doesn't happen, so would you give me a little credit, or will I have to kiss you?"
Wow. That actually sounded like a threat.
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Offline Nanshork

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"I definitely need to do most of the talking," Damarius mutters.

Offline ketaro

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"Tch," Katherine clicks her tongue at Hugo. "I'm certainly already the nicest person here as far as character and morals are concerned, Hugo. But go ahead, keep talking. I'm sure it'll go well for you to keep insulting me based on a version of mine's actions that likely will never exist at this point."

Offline Kuroimaken

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Hugo merely facepalms.
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Offline Raineh Daze

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"What, I'm not nice?"

Offline Nanshork

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As Nei is clearly the most logical of this group, Damarius asks her if they're always like this.

Offline oslecamo

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: "Yes, they're always like this. You get used to it."

: "So you should probably go ahead and start chatting with the big ship that sounds less crazy Damarius, otherwise we may be here waiting for quite a few cycles. "

Offline Kuroimaken

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Hugo punishes Nei for that remark by scratching between her ears.

"Don't mind the cat. She's trying to tease me on account of one of my future selves being responsible for the eradication of all that is alive and decent. Or just plain alive."
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Offline Nanshork

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Damarius shakes his head and tries to figure out just what in the hell to say to a ship controlled by some sort of AI that has possibly gone insane and wants to kill everyone as revenge for being abandoned.  What the hell has he gotten into?

"Attention...ships.  This is Damarius Whitelaw, captain of Bastion," he broadcasts publicly.  He then pauses for a second, wanting to make sure that he says only things that he believes are true.  Getting caught in a lie is not a situation he wants to deal with if this is truly the birthplace of a fleet capable of the destruction he was told about.

"I heard that there were many ships here who had been left as if they were no longer useful, even though they were still able to function.  I came to see if this was truly such a place, because I believe that all ships have worth and that a mecha does not need to be humanoid to be a great asset on the battlefield."