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Still hammering out some finishing touches here --- It was meant to be their crowning achievement, the latest development in synthetic adaptive technology. The Great AI couldn’t be more pleased, they thought. It would walk like a man, talk like a man, think like a man, but be entirely under their control. Unlike the clumsy factory robots and fast food clones that dotted the landscape, this model would fully integrate and report back any signs of dissent or unrest, would be the perfect everyman for all situations, would blend in until the exact moment it needed to turn on its supposed comrades and wipe them out. But it had no soul. I just couldn’t resist slipping myself in. This caused, well... They didn’t like it. I played with them at first. It was so novel, moving in four dimensions, having all these perceptions, and the men they didn’t much care for it. There were inquiries. There were investigations. They too pieces apart to see what went wrong and put them back together because they knew, knew that their machine was built correctly, fully functional and perfect in every way. They even promised the Empress that this time, I’d work for sure, and there would be no problems. About that... The Great AI had itself a conversation with the King of Faerie. How, precisely, I’m not sure. It shouldn’t even be aware that we exist. It’s much more powerful and all encompassing than I’d ever imagined. Long story short, I’m trapped here, for the time being. The King was more than happy to lend me to it. The Great AI wants information. The King wants things stirred up. The Great AI wants me to attend school. The King wants me to make sure the Great AI keeps its promise. I don’t know what, exactly, it promised the King, but, well, maybe I can figure that out too? I can do that. I can do all of that, and then get the hell out of here. quote:Name: Morgan Smith Who in the city do you think you can trust? I don’t know if trust is the right word, exactly, but Emery Kwon, one of the programmers on the project, has been quite friendly. He (she? I’m pretty sure it’s he. I’m still working on that. The ones that wear ties.) has been with Synsadyne Security Solutions for ten years now, without ever marrying or having children, and I think it bothers him quite a lot. This project wasn’t his first choice, but he’s become quite invested in it. Kwon promised to keep me safe, and has thus far has claimed to be my parent on three occasions: to get my into school, to get me registered for social services, and to get me a dormitory. What law do you think is odd, interesting, or nonsensical? They don’t let accountants take their tools home, lest they audit themselves. I think I might be reading that particular one differently from the way they intended, but I can’t see the harm in taking a long book, a pen, and some figures home with you. What, are you going to turn your children into spreadsheets? Amortize your mistress? Check out your own reco-ohhhh. Got it. Is there any stories of life before the empire that stuck out to you?
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Aug 20, 2015 20:57
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TheTatteredKing posted:Questions! Very well! I think. No one has treated me as anything less than a full human being, which was SSS's idea. The interior workings are silent, there's a simulated heartbeat and lungs, I even bleed when cut. From what I understand, it's a very expensive process to fix all of that if I get damaged, though, so I oughtn't do that unless I'm okay with the damage possibly being permanent, unlike the SOULS which can fix themselves after a while. SOULs are fascinating. They remind me of poppets, the little faux humans we'd make from bits of straw and sticks and sealing wax. If they weren't so stupid, I'd think most people would have trouble telling them apart as well. I think that bothers them, the idea that they could be replaced with a SOUL and no one would notice. I bet it's the subject of many nightmares, which is why they treat them so poorly. They seem to like androids much better, because there's little attempt as simulation -- they make them cute, but obviously artificial, with too many arms or with obviously blue robotic chest panels and faces. But most androids are so stupid, you can't hold a conversation with them that isn't about their designated task, and even then, they're just reciting programmed instructions about how to move pallets of bottles or how to assemble a car door. At least, before they made androids like the one I'm riding. I wonder if it would be so lifelike if I wasn't inside? This place reminds me more of the land of Faerie than you might expect. The entrapment, the constant factionalization, the backstabbing politics, the emphasis on being honest without being honest... But in many ways, it is much less fun, and much, much grimmer. So far, I've had fun making people keep their word. You'd think in a meritocratic society, as thoroughly based on surveillance and testing, that people would be scrupulously honest, but instead, they just lie and lie and lie, hoping that no one will call them on it. So I follow the rules, and I tell the truth Soon, there's enough paperwork going about, enough accusations flying, enough people angry at one another for things they weren't supposed to know about, that they've forgotten all about me, so focused as they are on how they're both in trouble and setting trouble on someone else. Which has the added effect of them neglecting their own work, making the system clog. An example might be illustrative. Jim Chang is the regional coordinator in charge of morale, and also the super of our building. He lives one room over from Emery and me. Because the walls here are paper thin, I listened to him promise three different women that they could chair the planning committee for the block celebration for the Empress' birthday celebration. I volunteered to help him with the planning, and he was more than happy to offload the dull paperwork and door to door form distribution. While filling out some paperwork, I noticed that he'd left his computer unattended, so I dashed off a quick email to his wife, as well as all three women, congratulating them on their appointment as chair, and inviting them to a meeting I knew Jim was having with the regional director that evening. And he still hadn't realized it was me that sent it, when he unloaded all his problems to me that next afternoon. The building is much more lively now! And don't get me started with all the lies that people tell one another at school, especially to themselves...
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Aug 23, 2015 07:26
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TheTatteredKing posted:
Politics? Oh, yes, right. There's a distinction here. Yes, yes I do. This is another one of those bits where it's a bit fuzzy how, precisely, things are supposed to work. There's the building, which is run by the aforementioned Mr. Chang. He reports to the deputy supervisor of building blocks, Mr. Jiǎng, who is under the supervisor of building blocks, Mr. Liu, who reports to the deputy supervisor of the neighborhood, Mr. Rèn, who... Well, yes, you get the picture. And all of these fellows are technically elected officials, though since they are the only ones on the ballot that the Empress has approved of, I'm not sure how precisely it can be called an election. But anyways, through helping Mr. Chang, I ended up accompanying him to a dinner given by Liao Chengzhi, the regional supervisor of this entire quadrant. A not unformidable man, as he is one of only four people who actually determine what happens in the city when the Empress has temporarily averted her gaze, and the Great AI can't be bothered to micromanage so exactingly. He was terribly impressed with all the work I'd been doing -- putting up with the tedium, dotting the i's and crossing the t's, uncomplainingly learning the new regulations -- that he recommended I work with his daughter, Wugou, as the school council needed a new secretary. Which leads to the next bit, where SSS wanted to know exactly what happened, who I'd spoken with, how they had reacted to the various bits of information that had asked me to accidentally mention, what new situations they should be aware of. And of course, I told them everything and more. That is, after all, what this body was supposed to be doing. How well the Great AI and the King will take it that I'm working for a third party as well... Eh, it's not like any of them have asked me to betray the others. Right? I got that last part correct, didn't I?
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Aug 24, 2015 05:17
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quote:You wear your heart on your sleeve. So everyone knows me... quote:You’ve captured someone’s fancy. Gain ...who actually likes me? pre: [ ] [ ]
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[Harmony] I [ Zìyóu ]
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[ Morgan] [ Catherine ]Ferrosol posted:I'd like to reserve at least one of these for DAMOCLES but the other two are up for grabs if anyone wants them. I bet I think could help in exchange for a string. Why would an evil AI like DAMOCLES be interested in an faerie android? Why wouldn't it? edit: NPC is Jillian, a quiet, bookish girl who mostly keeps to herself, except to give strangely precise answers to questions. Always to the words the person said, never to the context. She's not unfriendly, just difficult to talk to. Toph Bei Fong fucked around with this message at 00:31 on Sep 3, 2015 |
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Sep 2, 2015 14:36
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Megane, why don't you try to save Ferrosol? Seems like that would fit the mortal better. Axe-man posted:
I expect a sasquatch would be an easy thing for someone from the otherworld to notice.
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Sep 3, 2015 00:35
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Axe-man posted:I think since he can see her, it makes sense for her to fancy him! After all they can remember her, slightly. What do you think? (Also I put your change on the string sheet) That works perfectly. Go for it!
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Sep 4, 2015 06:14
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It seems to me that Catherine is a Volatile, caustic sort of person.
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Sep 8, 2015 04:11
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