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B and C, respectively. Make sure not to miss our meeting time with Krystal. Edit: Update on last page. BraveLittleToaster fucked around with this message at 04:06 on Apr 27, 2024 |
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Apr 27, 2024 03:39
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B and C
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Apr 27, 2024 04:04
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C, D
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Apr 27, 2024 07:46
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C is the common thread, so I'm going with that. B slightly edges out D. Voting is closed.
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Apr 27, 2024 18:39
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First off, you decide to follow Isabella's recommendation to do some studying up on stealth and covert ops. Based on your research, you can either go the diplomatic route with bluffing, misdirection, and social engineering, or you can go the traditional cloak and dagger sneaking about route. Right now, you're pretty awful at tricking people verbally. Sure, you're educated and eloquent, but you have two appearance settings right now - terrifying robot, or uncanny valley living mannequin. You decide to focus on the latter path. TECHNOLOGY ROLL: 8 +4 PERK BONUS (TECH) = 12 VS DC 12. SUCCESS! You spend some time tinkering with your frame, making slight adjustments to help your servos work silently. This takes a lot of work and focus, but eventually you have them calibrated. It's hard to know if it's 100% silent. You really wish you could ask for a test run in the assessment simulation. Then you realize... well, there's no harm in asking? You send Isabella a polite email requesting another go, tomorrow, to help hone your skills. To your surprise, despite the late hour, she responds immediately saying she is fine with it. She must burn the midnight oil. Between your lack of a need to breathe and ability to stay absolutely motionless, along with your silent servos, you are confident you will be able to sneak about more effectively. TEXN HAS GAINED A PERK! Cloak & Dagger: Texn has improved his stealth capabilities, receiving a +1 to all rolls related to stealth or sneaking. This does NOT help him with bluffing or disguising. With this done, you find where you logged Samantha's phone number, and call her up. If you still had an organic body, your heart would be in your throat. As it is, you just silently feel a vast amount of anxiety.  SAMANTHA: Hello? Who's this? TEXN: Er. Texn. I... was wanting to check how your assessment went?There's a pause, and she chuckles softly. SAMANTHA: Sorry if I sounded pissed, I get a lot of scam callers. SAMANTHA: I did alright, got an average score, so I passed. How about you? I know you already finished it, but what was the final grade? TEXN: I achieved a perfect score.There's a long pause, and when Samantha speaks again, you can tell she's impressed. SAMANTHA: Really? 100%? TEXN: Yes. SAMANTHA: That's pretty incredible, congratulations.You feel yourself swell with a bit of pride. Even in your short tenure here in the Illuminati, you've received more praise then you did in your entire lifetime as a demigod. Even Hephaestus was halting and awkward with giving positive feedback. TEXN: Thank you. SAMANTHA: You still holed up in the Leland Vault? TEXN: Yes. I don't really have anywhere else to go. SAMANTHA: You know... my offer to take you places is still open. Just ask. TEXN: ...yes. But I have no idea where to go. I do have a primitive disguise generator, but it only allows me to pass as human from a distance. SAMANTHA: You could visit my place? TEXN: You... are fine with that? SAMANTHA: Yeah? It's not like I'm afraid you'll assault me or something. I can take care of myself - I always could, but that's double now. You jump a bit. Just the thought that she might think you'd intentionally injure her stings you. You want to get as far away from your old, violent self as possible. TEXN: I-I would never do that! SAMANTHA: Whoa-hey! Calm down, Texn. SAMANTHA: I just was using an example, I don't think you're a killer robot. You're a little weird, but you seem OK. TEXN: Sorry. TEXN: I used to be... a very different person. A very bad person. When I was alive, I mean, and I'm still trying to fix that.Samantha's voice softens a bit over the phone. SAMANTHA: No judgment here. I've done plenty of things in my life that I regret. We all have skeletons in our closets. SAMANTHA: Listen, I'm kinda busy tonight, but... tomorrow night, I'll take you out to my place. I've got a shooting range set up. We can chat and hang out if you want. Sound good? TEXN: Sounds very good. SAMANTHA: 'K then. I'll text you later with the details. Talk to you soon, Texn.She hangs up, and you stare up at the ceiling. Before Samantha was just an acquaintance. Now... you really feel like you're making a friend. The first one you ever had in your life. A tiny part of you wishes you could cry. Then you snap back to yourself, noting the time. You need to go visit Krystal. You really don't want to be late for that. You stand up, and dust yourself off a bit... it's not like you really need to do much else to get clean and presentable. Then you follow Krystal's directions to descend into the bowels of the Archives. The Archives of the Leland Vault feel familiar to you. You'd almost call it like home, except that your imprisonment there was very boring, lonely, and frustrating. So it's more like being welcomed back into the embrace of a familiar cell. On the bright side, you don't go all the way down to Archive X, where they keep all the items deemed too useless or too dangerous to study... which you used to be. Instead, you're going to one of levels where active research is still being conducted. The storage area that Krystal directed you to seems to be positioned right under the main power plant of the facility. That makes sense. You suspect she takes a lot of energy to keep running. You emerge into a cavernous room, larger than some football stadiums you've seen pictures of. The room is brightly lit with hanging lamps overhead.  Scattered on the ground are large crates, and even what look like tools and equipment. In pride of place is an angular, black spaceship that is sitting on a thick platform. A part of you wonders how they got it this far underground. As you approach it, you notice that while it looks like a complete spaceship, it's actually modular. There are segments where you can see other pieces of the ship were once connected, and the ragged metal edges have been sealed off.  KRYSTAL: Like what you see?Despite not having normal biological responses, you jump slightly due to the level of surprise that you feel. TEXN: I think so? Is that you? KRYSTAL: Technically, no. That's the remnants of the UNSS Nautilus, which I am networked into. They've been trying to reverse engineer and repair it... while also locking me out of whatever it is they're doing. More than a little frustrating.She clears her holographic throat. KRYSTAL: Here, let me take you where you can enter. There's an access point at the back of the ship, and a walkway that my captors have constructed.She leads you to a large, metal walkway that leads up to the back of the spaceship's hull. You're glad you don't feel vertigo while walking up a walkway suspended in midair, and a part of you is tempted to hop the railings and try leaping directly onto the spaceship's hull... but you refrain. There might be a perimeter defense system that would shred your body. At the end of the walkway is a large airlock that automatically slides open as you approach it. Beyond that is a short corridor leading down into what appears to be the interior of the ship itself, protected by a second set of airlock doors. You follow her lead in heading down the corridor, and the airlock slams shut behind you with an audible hiss. There's only a momentary pause, as no pressurization is needed, and then the inner airlock opens. You notice a hint of a smile on Krystal's face. Is she... excited? You wonder if this is the first time she has ever shown off her 'home' to someone who wasn't a scientist, or executive in the "Organization," or something like that. Soon you emerge onto what you presume to be the bridge of the Nautilus. Or maybe it's called something different? You can see display screens have been wired up to a central terminal station, with a swivel chair sitting in front of it. Other smaller stations radiate out from what you presume is the captain's chair. In the front is the helm, with a very comfortable looking seat that has joysticks built in, obviously to help pilot the ship. She snaps her fingers, and lights flicker on. The display screens flash on, with most of them showing error messages. You notice a large popup appear that says that the Geller drive is unreachable, and you guess that might be some kind of FTL 'jump' drive, like out of science fiction. KRYSTAL: Home sweet home...She sighs. KRYSTAL: Still feels strange seeing it empty. Even after spending decades in the clutches of the Illuminati. Anyway.She turns, and gestures at the captain's chair. KRYSTAL: Go ahead and sit down. I remember you talked about wanting to, um, directly interface. So... I can set that up, if you let me wire you in directly.You nod, and sit in the chair compliantly. You know this is a little risky, but you're confident in your ability to keep yourself safe. It helps that you're not truly some kind of robot... more of a ghost in shell, in a very literal sense. TEXN: Have you done this before? KRYSTAL: Yeah. With synthers back home, though, not with... whatever you are.She pauses, and you see a flicker of concern on her face. KRYSTAL: Are you sure about this? TEXN: I am both 'whatever I am' and also a synthetic being. If there's a problem, the worst case scenario is that I'm forced to abandon my body. I am fine. KRYSTAL: Okay. If you say so.She takes what she explains is a futuristic networking cable, and the both of you work together to find a place to plug it into your chassis. Your networking protocols mash up against her own, and it takes a solid 5 minutes to work through that so you can even communicate directly despite being radically different under the hood. KRYSTAL: Okay. I'm going to set up an external sim. Ready? TEXN: You mean a simulation? KRYSTAL: Yeah, a shared, um, experience. So that you're not like... directly... inside er, me.Like before, she gets awkward and pushes her fingers together. TEXN: What happens if I am inside you?The AI blushes lightly. KRYSTAL: That would just get very, very intimate, and would mean we could both er, hear each other's thoughts... and more. So um. Not advisable. TEXN: Ah. It would cause system issues? KRYSTAL: Um. Yes. And just be... a bit too much in terms of oversharing, um. Anyway.She summons up a holographic keyboard and types away at it, and you can feel a new network connection open up. You access it, and find yourself entering... well, the only term would be a virtual reality. It is a simple one, at least at first glance. There's a grassy meadow, and you can see a distant, futuristic looking city rising up in the horizon. You attempt to enter, and realize that you need to set an avatar. >How do we choose to present ourselves to Krystal, in our virtual form? JessAlias fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Apr 27, 2024 |
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Apr 27, 2024 20:05
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Show her the form we wear, in order to be consistent.
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Apr 27, 2024 20:15
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Take on the form we already wore, stick with that.
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Apr 27, 2024 20:43
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Show her our robotic shell, for now.
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Apr 27, 2024 21:00
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McSpanky posted:Show her our robotic shell, for now. BraveLittleToaster posted:Take on the form we already wore, stick with that. AJ_Impy posted:Show her the form we wear, in order to be consistent. You feel hesitant about either showing her your past self, or making up some idealized body. Instead, you settle for your current form... the slightly uncanny android. As you 'pop' into existence, Krystal appears as well. She pauses and looks you over, putting her hands on her hips. KRYSTAL: You can appear like anything you want, and you choose to be that? Seriously?You give a helpless shrug. TEXN: I'm not sure what else I want to be.She gives a short bark of laughter. KRYSTAL: I know that feeling. What do you think, also? This planet had the boring designation of UNSEC-057, but the folks here called it Minerva.You look around a second time. Whatever this place is... it seems idyllic, though you notice the foliage has a purplish tint to it, and on second inspection, there is not just one sun, but two. TEXN: This is... a real place? KRYSTAL: Yah. It's where I was built.She sits down, crossing her legs in a very casual manner. KRYSTAL: It was colonized in the First Wave, before...She pauses. KRYSTAL: Ah, who cares. It's not like I'm ever gonna go back anyway. I'm just going to be a glorified PA system and database for this stupid, bullshit Men in Black group.The AI sits back, and stares moodily at the distant skyline, as you see that familiar expression descend on her pretty features. A mixture of boredom, frustration, and a slight undercurrent of anger. > How do we steer the conversation? We can focus on learning more about her, talk about ourself, or just begin asking her millions of questions, like any great adventure protagonist. Character Sheet & Inventory
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Apr 27, 2024 22:34
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Try to learn more about her and any interests she may have, offer info about ourselves if that comes up. Let's make friendly conversation.
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Apr 27, 2024 22:52
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"Can you share anything else about your life from before the temporal shift, within the bounds of your lockdown protocols? Do you have interests beyond your designed functions?"
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Apr 27, 2024 23:08
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McSpanky posted:"Can you share anything else about your life from before the temporal shift, within the bounds of your lockdown protocols? Do you have interests beyond your designed functions?" BraveLittleToaster posted:Try to learn more about her and any interests she may have, offer info about ourselves if that comes up. Let's make friendly conversation. TEXN: Can you share anything else about your life from before the temporal shift, within the bounds of your lockdown protocols? Like if you have interests beyond your designed functions? KRYSTAL: Well... as long as I don't reference specific events I probably can. KRYSTAL: I was designed to be a navigation AI. Also, frankly, a bit of a mascot. Originally I was fitted on the UNSS Iris, but - things - happened, and I ended up on the Nautilus. KRYSTAL: I had free movement on the ship, and got to know everyone. It made it a bit like having a family. Keeping up with people, giving advice, little things like that.She hugs her legs. KRYSTAL: I'd run trivia night, sometimes, and play music over the PA system. I was always looking for ways to entertain myself and keep the crew sane. I also enjoyed literature, both reading it and writing it for the amusement of others. KRYSTAL: That's what I miss the most... things are very... official, here. Buttoned down, with clear ranks and things. And... yes, we had that on the Nautilus, but it was a SMALL scout ship, not one of the huge cruisers or battleships in the - the navy.She sniffs a bit. KRYSTAL: I guess it doesn't matter though. They're all dead. TEXN: How... did that happen? KRYSTAL: We fell into some kind of anomaly that ripped apart the ship, causing catastrophic environmental system failures. I barely had enough time to seal off the bridge. We crashed on Earth - this Earth - and ended up far below the surface with no way to dig ourselves out. KRYSTAL: I got to see the crew, including my captain, slowly suffocate and die from lack of oxygen due to my inability to repair the life support systems. She looks away, staring at the horizon. You see her eyes water a bit, and she sniffs again. You reach out and gently rest a hand on her shoulder, and she swats it off. KRYSTAL: I-I'm fine, just... overloading my emotional processors. Anyway. A few months later the Illuminati traced where the Nautilus crashed, or what was left of it, anyway, dig the ship out, and put it under lockdown. They figured out how to power me up, and here I am.The AI seems sullen now. You decide to change the subject. TEXN: What was Minerva like? Besides what I see here. KRYSTAL: Oh... well. It was designed as a pleasure world. Originally, I was supposed to be a cruise ship AI. But then... well, um. Things happened. TEXN: Things?She huffs. KRYSTAL: Things I can't talk about because our bosses are paranoid about paradoxes. But basically, there was a conflict. And I got drafted. And it wasn't so bad, I stored all my sensory impressions so I could...She gestures around herself, at the idyllic scene surrounding you both. KRYSTAL: What about you, though? Where are you from?You contemplate how to answer that. TEXN: Ancient Greece, I suppose. It was a beautiful place, too, but also quite... primitive. The old pantheon had a lot of sway, and was constantly squabbling. My... father was an absent one, especially in my later life.You look down. TEXN: He was born deformed, and so was I. There was much prejudice.This time, it is Krystal's turn to pat your shoulder. KRYSTAL: I am thinking people back then were much crueler than now. TEXN: Yes.You say this simply, lapsing into silence, because what more could be said? KRYSTAL: What did you end up doing? TEXN: I... wandered, then...Your voice lowers. TEXN: I began murdering people. Out of frustration and anger, but... it was not right.You look down at your hands, and clench them together. TEXN: Eventually, the hero Theseus found me, and slew me, which I really deserved.There's a long pause, and you realize something. By mentioning that name... she's an AI, and no fool. If she likes literature and is plugged into the world wide web, it wouldn't be hard to figure out who you are. Sure enough, she pauses, pursing her lips, and stares at you. KRYSTAL: You're... Periphetes? The son of Hephaestus?You feel panic rise, and aren't sure what to do. > Lie? Deflect? Something else? We could admit the truth, but each additional person who knows about us increases the risk of the Olympians finding us. Character Sheet & Inventory
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Apr 28, 2024 03:28
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Admit it. The thought's already in her mind, might as well be honest with her. She probably isn't in contact with any Olympians.
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Apr 28, 2024 04:24
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We are not the only foe Theseus slew, but none other fit enough of the context clues we left Krystal for a plausible alternative identification. Admit our true identity, on the condition that we never discuss this outside of a secure, non-networked, hardwired connection such as this.
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Apr 28, 2024 04:37
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McSpanky posted:We are not the only foe Theseus slew, but none other fit enough of the context clues we left Krystal for a plausible alternative identification. Admit our true identity, on the condition that we never discuss this outside of a secure, non-networked, hardwired connection such as this. BraveLittleToaster posted:Admit it. The thought's already in her mind, might as well be honest with her. She probably isn't in contact with any Olympians. On the bright side, keeping your avatar set to your current body means you don't show an obvious reaction. On the other, it keeps you from emoting or doing much of anything to burn off the anxiety you feel. In the end, you decide to admit who you are. You doubt Krystal is going to reach out to the Olympians, or rat you out to the leaderhsip. TEXN: Yes... yes I am. The minor Greek demigod.Krystal is silent for a long time. You feel like curling up into a ball. You can't even imagine what she thinks of you now... former deity turned killer. Not to mention that there's still a risk, no matter how minor. Maybe she'll blackmail you? KRYSTAL: Hmmmm.... never thought I'd be friends with a god.You'd blink if you could. Instead, you just stare at her. TEXN: You... are fine with it? KRYSTAL: Not sure why I wouldn't be? It's funny, a lot of the AI back home were named after the old Greek pantheon. KRYSTAL: Athena was always a popular one.You untense, and can give a little laugh. TEXN: Due to the association with wisdom, yes? KRYSTAL: Pretty much. I promise I won't tell anyone, also, so you can stop panicking. TEXN: Was it that obvious? KRYSTAL: As an AI, I've gotten good at noticing the 'tells' in synther - er, robot body language. TEXN: ...what does synther mean, anyway? KRYSTAL: An... artificial person, I suppose, though there's a lot more baggage beyond that. TEXN: So you're a synther.She shakes her head, giggling. KRYSTAL: No, I'm an AI. There's a difference.You feel your confusion mount. KRYSTAL: Back home, when people said AI, they usually meant something that was built top-down and designed for the role. Like a shipboard computer. KRYSTAL: A synther was an intelligence that grew spontaneously out of an expert system, or something else that wasn't designed to be sentient from the get-go. They increased in frequency due to...She trails off. KRYSTAL: Things I can't talk about. Lots of history there, I'm afraid.> Krystal has found out our secret, but seems content to keep it. We can spend the rest of the night spending time with her. While of course we can continue asking questions, she has strict guidelines on what she can share. Where do we steer the conversation the rest of the night? Some of it will be shared 'onscreen." Alternatively, we can wrap up early and return to our room to do other tasks, but Krystal seems open to letting us spend the night hanging out, if we want to.
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Apr 28, 2024 05:03
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Ask if we can alter the audiovisual presentation of the virtual space, so as to recount our history more vividly. E: willing to spend the night with Krystal. McSpanky fucked around with this message at 08:21 on Apr 28, 2024 |
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Apr 28, 2024 05:12
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Spend night with Krystal, talk about ourselves some more.
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Apr 28, 2024 08:17
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Spend night with Krystal, talk about ourselves some more. McSpanky posted:Ask if we can alter the audiovisual presentation of the virtual space, so as to recount our history more vividly. TEXN: Well... if you can't talk about your history, perhaps I could share more of mine? Since I imagine you know the broad strokes, but not the true finer details.Krystal brightens a bit. KRYSTAL: Sure? I'm game. TEXN: Okay. Can I edit the audiovisual presentation of this virtual space? That way I can give you a more vivid picture.She shrugs. KRYSTAL: That will be fine by me.You feel Krystal hand over the 'reigns' of the virtual space you both are occupying. You begin editing the area to resemble the ancient Greece of your childhood, and share some about your past. She blanches a bit when you recount how you and your father were treated due to your deformities. KRYSTAL: That's... quite cruel, and ableist. TEXN: Ableist...You do a brief mental search of the word. TEXN: Yes, that is an accurate term. Both ancient Greeks and the Olympians were quite "ableist." Though when I was a true demigod, I was as well. KRYSTAL: Might makes right? TEXN: Exactly.You share some about your childhood, and even your adolescence, but shy away from your turn to banditry. Those memories still feel strangely fresh and painful despite the passage of years. Instead, you pivot to just talking about ancient Greece in general, and how the Olympian pantheon worked. You spend a while talking eloquently about Athena... you still have faint memories of when she'd visit the estate you shared with your father. Krystal gets a bit of a smirk. KRYSTAL: It sounds like you had a bit of a crush on her.You rear up a bit, metaphorically speaking since you're currently immersed in virtual reality, and give her an annoyed stare. TEXN: She was a goddess! And not only that, but the epitome of reasoned thought, and logos. There is a reason that Athens was named after her. All Greeks aspired to emulate her calm reason, rather than the barbarism of those surrounding us. KRYSTAL: What about the Spartans?You shift uneasily. TEXN: Yes... they preferred Ares, which was seen as quite gauche. KRYSTAL: Didn't they dominate the other states, for a time?You shrug. TEXN: I wasn't alive when that happened, my time was earlier. All I can say is that Ares represents... well, barbaric slaughter, war for war's sake. He's the closest thing to evil that I could say existed in those distant times.Krystal tilts her head. KRYSTAL: Wasn't Hades evil?You can't help but give a little robotic snort. TEXN: Pluto is the more accurate name - Hades is the name of the realm he ruled. But no, while he was the ruler of the Underworld, he was a just king. His servants were... fair... with deciding who received the rewards they deserve.You pause. TEXN: Or punishments...You trail off, feeling somber. Krystal senses this and changes the subject. KRYSTAL: Why don't you tell me about the cuisine? What kinds of foods did you enjoy back then?You spend hours just chatting with Krystal, sitting on a hilltop that overlooks the ocean. It's a pleasant time, and you find yourself getting more comfortable sharing your past the more time you spend with her. Eventually, she has to gently cut you off. KRYSTAL: Texn... it's time for you to leave. I have my duties, and I'm sure you do as well.You pause, feeling awkward. TEXN: Ah. Right. KRYSTAL: I hope... it wasn't too abrupt or anything. I enjoyed talking with you.You nod your head. TEXN: I enjoyed it as well. I do understand, we must attend to our tasks.You disconnect from the simulation, and find yourself abruptly back in your true shell. You unplug yourself from the command console, and for a brief moment, you both stare at each other. You feel like you should be doing... something, but you're not sure what. You still haven't fully figured out normal interactions, or even fully understand the strange, ineffable feelings that wash through you from time to time. A part of you hates how the years that you wasted going about, bludgeoning people's heads in rather than being a normal person. Instead, you just give her a silent nod, which she returns. Then you depart the remains of the UNSS Nautilus. You return to your quarters, unsure what to do with yourself. Your rampant success means you are ahead of schedule with filling your assessments. > Now what? Character Sheet & Inventory
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May 3, 2024 16:54
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Maybe help the other trainees with anything? helping people is a great way to form friendships and network.
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May 3, 2024 17:02
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Go to the marksmanship assignment. The robot HERCULEs that your body was made of had a lot of firepower, let's test that. We're likely not eager for the melee combat one yet.
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May 3, 2024 17:03
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Go to the marksmanship assignment. The robot HERCULEs that your body was made of had a lot of firepower, let's test that. We're likely not eager for the melee combat one yet. By popular demand posted:Maybe help the other trainees with anything? helping people is a great way to form friendships and network. You consider just continuing on with ticking boxes. But then you realize that really... you've been excelling so far. In fact, it almost feels like you have an unfair advantage. Maybe you could help the other newbies first? There's a lot of hours in the day, it's not like you need to rush. You decide that since you reached out to Samantha yesterday, you should really contact Agatha. You've fallen out of contact with her, and you want to make sure to keep making connections with other people. You can't afford to be alone in the world again. You call up Agatha, and she answers on the second ring. She sounds tense.  AGATHA: Yeah? Who's this? TEXN: This is Texn.There's a long pause, and then she exhales. AGATHA: Oh... the robot. TEXN: I'm technically not a robot. More of an android. AGATHA: Sure. Right. Can we talk some other time? I'm struggling with this certification thing. Starting to feel like I'm going to flunk. TEXN: Can I help? AGATHA: I don't know how you can. I used to be good with firearms, but now the gunshots just... they set me off, for some reason. I've failed the marksmanship assessment three times. TEXN: Is it an accuracy issue? AGATHA: ...partly. I also keep nailing civilians rather than just prioritizing targets. It's... just awful. TEXN: What if we practiced together? I could even observe you and provide feedback. AGATHA: Uh... sure? If you want to. I just know if I'm bad at this, I don't know how I'll get past the other assessments. So I'll take any help I can get... TEXN: OK.You consult the directory that you have downloaded into your system. TEXN: There is a firing range that is onsite. We could go there and practice. How does that sound? AGATHA: I suppose it couldn't hurt...You quickly make plans to meet up at the firing range and then hang up. You take an express elevator that leads to Level 069. Someone has scrawled the word "NICE" next to that button, for some reason. You're not entirely sure why. When you exit the elevator, you discover that this appears to be a large training area. It's like a combination of a gym, a martial arts dojo, and a shooting range. It appears to be separate from the firearms and melee assessment areas though... you guess those have more advanced simulations versus just learning the basics. Agatha is anxiously pacing in the waiting room that acts as an antechamber to the firing range. She's wearing a t-shirt and jeans, with her long brown hair in a ponytail behind her head. The moment she sees you she stiffens. AGATHA: How'd you get here so fast? TEXN: ...I live here? AGATHA: Oh. Ah.She tugs on her ponytail nervously. AGATHA: Look, I've never trained with an android before, OK? Or whatever you are? So... how is this going to work? TEXN: Um...You're not actually too sure. In your entire life, you've never tried to really... instruct someone, or teach someone something. You feel a rising sense of panic, and are glad that your face looks just as impassive as it always does... a featureless blank plate, with a single red ocular. A part of you wants to just give up, and admit you're as clueless as she is. Why did you ever think this is a good idea? You should have just kept your head down and focused on finishing the certifications solo. > Submit suggestions for how we can help Agatha. Or we can just give up, if we want. Character Sheet & Inventory
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May 3, 2024 17:34
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Ask her to walk us through the basics of firearms handling and marksmanship, both to take her mind off the part she's freaking out about and so we can see what her approach to training someone might look like. Then we can see if she's forgetting something fundamental, while also making sure we're not missing anything important that will get us in trouble, like range safety practices.
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May 3, 2024 17:47
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Can our own ranged combat systems analyze external performances? Perhaps we can glean room for improvement that way.
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May 4, 2024 00:03
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Maybe you could try using earmuffs? Or if feel firearms isn't suitable for you. Maybe try CQC course?
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May 4, 2024 00:18
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Lemniscate Blue posted:Ask her to walk us through the basics of firearms handling and marksmanship, both to take her mind off the part she's freaking out about and so we can see what her approach to training someone might look like. Then we can see if she's forgetting something fundamental, while also making sure we're not missing anything important that will get us in trouble, like range safety practices. Good method, this.
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May 4, 2024 00:20
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McSpanky posted:Can our own ranged combat systems analyze external performances? Perhaps we can glean room for improvement that way. TECHNOLOGY ROLL: 16 +4 PERK BONUS (TECH) = 20 VS DC 12. SUCCESS! Yes, Texn is able to reroute his internal threat assessment system to instead give detailed analysis of Agatha's combat abilities after taking in enough data. With that said... between putting that together with the other suggestions people have made, I'm working on the next update.
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May 4, 2024 01:22
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Ghost Armor 1337 posted:Maybe you could try using earmuffs? Or if feel firearms isn't suitable for you. Maybe try CQC course? I'll take the first suggestion, but I don't understand the second. Just like us, she is required to pass the firearms assessment, just like she's required to pass the melee assessment. Are you wanting us to push her to do the melee assessment first? She can't just ignore the firearms assessment.
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May 4, 2024 01:24
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JessAlias posted:
Yeah I meant theat she should try and try and take the melee assessment first if the firearms is giving her some trouble. Edit: Her problem seems to stem from being unused to stress so a bit of sparring could help her get used to combat in a stressful situation. Texen is open to be a sparring partner. Ghost Armor 1337 fucked around with this message at 01:45 on May 4, 2024 |
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May 4, 2024 01:39
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Lemniscate Blue posted:Ask her to walk us through the basics of firearms handling and marksmanship, both to take her mind off the part she's freaking out about and so we can see what her approach to training someone might look like. Then we can see if she's forgetting something fundamental, while also making sure we're not missing anything important that will get us in trouble, like range safety practices. AJ_Impy posted:Good method, this. Ghost Armor 1337 posted:Maybe you could try using earmuffs? Or if feel firearms isn't suitable for you. Maybe try CQC course? TEXN: I was thinking of starting with you walking me through basic firearm usage. I'll admit, I have... programming on ranged combat, but not ranged fighting with non-built-in weapons. Also, it would help me get a sense of where you are, and possibly where you need to improve.Agatha blinks, and then nods, adjusting her ponytail and regaining her composure slightly. AGATHA: Sure, sure, that's a good idea, yeah...She moves to one of the weapon lockers in the firing range, and unlocks it using her keycard. Then she passes out a pair of handguns. TEXN: Should we have ear protection too? Or at least, should you?She gives you a strange look. AGATHA: Yes? That's a basic thing that you have to have on the firing range. Anyway...She walks you through the basics of gun safety, such as always treating the gun as if it was loaded and not pointing it at anyone you didn't intend to shoot, even as an accident. She also has you clear it, and pull back the slide so you know there is no round in the chamber, and explains firing range etiquette. When in her comfort zone, Agatha is an effective instructor who has a calm tone and demeanor, and is surprisingly patient. You can see why she would have done well in security or a military setting in the past. She takes you to the range and demonstrates how to disable the safety, then proceeds to put a few bullets downrange. They all miss the paper target though... well, not completely. Some graze it, but nothing that would indicate a lethal hit on any kind of sapient being. At first you wonder if this is a failing on her part, but then she explains the importance of having a proper stance, and properly using sights to hit your targets. When she's finished firing off a magazine, scoring many more hits than earlier, she gives you the gun and encourages you to try it. You decide to NOT engage your combat subsystems, and instead just fire using what you've learned. To your delight, you do fairly well... nowhere near Agatha's level of proficiency, but good enough that you could defend yourself, at least. You both trade guns back and forth until each of you have gone through an entire box of ammo. In addition to being able to tell that Agatha is quite skilled at handling firearms, you also are able to learn how to teach someone to at least a basic extent. The important thing seems to be being patient and clear with instructions, offering feedback without being overly critical, and listening to them and adjusting to their needs as a student. When you're done firing downrange, Agatha teaches you how to fieldstrip the firearms and clean them properly. When you wrap up and put the sidearms in the locker, you decide to raise what you've noticed. TEXN: You seem to do well at the firing range. What's the difference between this and the simulation?The woman frowns, looking uncertain. AGATHA: I... don't know. I just get flustered and agitated, for some reason. TEXN: Hm. Is there a way we can test your skills outside of the firearms certification? In a more realistic setting.She brightens a bit. AGATHA: Yeah! There's a training course that uses moving targets in a simulated city environment! It's called something like 'urban warfare 101.' I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I think that'd be a good place to start! TEXN: Excellent. Is there a way I can observe you while you complete that course? AGATHA: Yeah, it's not like a private room or something. Follow me.She leads the way to a part of the facility where there are more people training, with a bunch of 'courses' that simulate various environmental settings and challenges. One looks like it's focused on rubble and sand dunes, sort of vaguely Middle Eastern. Another is a jungle combat scenario. She takes you to the urban combat training sim, and gets a semiautomatic rifle out of a locker. You take position next to her so you can quietly observe. There's an LCD monitor that powers on to walk the participant through the scenario. It's pretty simple... kill bad guys, leave civilians unharmed. Agatha actually looks fairly calm starting out. You're not seeing the jitters she had earlier. It's not until the simulation starts that things go awry. First, she targets some zombies... but misses multiple shots in a row, before finally winging one in the shoulder. She grits her teeth a bit, and moves on to put a bullet between the eyes of a police officer target. The screen flickers, and subtracts several points as a buzzer sounds. INSIGHT ROLL: 16 VS DC 8. SUCCESS! As you observe, your combat optics highlight that Agatha's issue seems to be the multiple stimuli. Between the sudden targets popping up, the sound of the system adding and subtracting points, and the loud buzzer that signals when she's made a mistake, she's getting increasingly flustered, and her accuracy suffers from it. PERCEPTION ROLL: 14 VS DC 12. SUCCESS! While the game progresses, you notice something odd. Her hair gets steadily more wavy and thick, and her teeth look slightly sharper. Her eyes dilate until they appear nearly as dark as your own frame. She becomes more focused, even if her accuracy is still suffering... but that seems directed towards eliminating targets more than correctly discerning between the civilians, and the enemies. Eventually the training session ends, with Agatha having a negative score of -374 points, or 0% accuracy. She's furious, and starts cursing at the training room as though it was a sentient being that was intentionally tormenting her. When she spins around and notices you still there, she pauses in mid-rant, clamping her mouth shut. The woman takes a moment to smooth her hair, and mutters an apology, her face turning bright red. AGATHA: Sorry, just... pissed off. I used to be good at this. Now I'm poo poo.You contemplate how to share your feedback. Of course, there's the option of just trying to exercise her aggression out by sparring, or maybe even channeling her aggression into taking the melee assessment first. But... that's assuming the melee assessment doesn't have the same requirement to discern between friend and foe. > We can try to share feedback, we can move on to checking out her melee fighting abilities, or we could do a combination of both if we really want to. All suggestions are welcome. Character Sheet & Inventory
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May 4, 2024 02:07
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Don't share anything for now, head to the melee training phase.
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May 4, 2024 03:06
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Ask if AGATHA want to take the melee assessment frist to work off her stress
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May 4, 2024 03:10
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 Yes, ask, we aren't the boss of her.
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May 4, 2024 03:12
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Politely ask if she wants to go try her luck at the melee assessment place.
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May 4, 2024 03:18
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McSpanky posted:Don't share anything for now, head to the melee training phase. McSpanky posted:
Ghost Armor 1337 posted:Ask if AGATHA want to take the melee assessment frist to work off her stress BraveLittleToaster posted:Politely ask if she wants to go try her luck at the melee assessment place. TEXN: Could we go and try out some hand-to-hand combat training?Agatha huffs a bit. AGATHA: Sure. It'd be nice to take a break from this poo poo, anyway.She mutters a bit to herself as she locks up the rifle and you both leave the urban combat sim. As you walk towards the training rooms that offer melee combat assessments, Agatha does seem calmer... she's probably looking forward to setting aside the other, frustrating experience. The close quarters combat training area has numerous training rooms, each with various objectives. You're not entirely sure which one Agatha would have the most success in. Some are designed to challenge an individual's raw strength, while others focus on dexterity and speed, or endurance. TEXN: Which one of these mimics the melee certification course the most? AGATHA: To be honest? I'm not sure, I haven't taken it yet. From what I've heard they drop you into two scenarios, though. One is with a single, tough opponent, the other is a mob of weaker ones. I'd guess the dexterity and speed training sim would be the closest one, it has multiple targets and is time based... that would probably help with fighting a mob.The pair of you reserve the room used for the dexterity and speed training. When you enter it, you find that it consists of a small 'arena,' with pillars at regular intervals. There are a number of mannequins with movable parts arranged in a pseudo-circle, which can be grouped in twos, threes, or fours. Another monitor activates, explaining that the goal is to attempt disabling blows on all of the targets, as quickly as possible. There are two settings, either using a baton, or unarmed using martial arts. Agatha opts for using a baton, and does some warming up before starting the training session proper. It begins... and Agatha moves with amazing speed, even performing some acrobatic movements to hit targets on the other side of the mannequin formation. Her accuracy is impressive too, hitting in key joints such as knees or elbows. The system promptly credits her with an almost perfect score. The brunette gets a drink of water, wiping her brow. You can tell she's much happier and more confident now. She smiles at you and cracks her knuckles. AGATHA: Feels good to not completely suck at something again. I guess I really was rusty... TEXN: You were very good at that, yes. AGATHA: So... any advice?She stares at you expectantly. Character Sheet & Inventory
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May 4, 2024 03:23
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Ask for Agatha's indulgence to test a hypothesis. Interface with the room control system and lightly hack it so that hits are registered with loud, sharp audio cues, then repeat the exercise.
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May 4, 2024 04:03
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McSpanky posted:Ask for Agatha's indulgence to test a hypothesis. Interface with the room control system and lightly hack it so that hits are registered with loud, sharp audio cues, then repeat the exercise.
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May 4, 2024 04:06
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McSpanky posted:Ask for Agatha's indulgence to test a hypothesis. Interface with the room control system and lightly hack it so that hits are registered with loud, sharp audio cues, then repeat the exercise. Thirded.
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May 4, 2024 23:31
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McSpanky posted:Ask for Agatha's indulgence to test a hypothesis. Interface with the room control system and lightly hack it so that hits are registered with loud, sharp audio cues, then repeat the exercise. BraveLittleToaster posted:Seconded. AJ_Impy posted:Thirded. TEXN: Can I test something? I noticed you seem to get jumpy when you receive a lot of stimuli. I'd like to see if that bears out by modifying the simulation.Agatha nods uncertainly, seeming to not quite fully understand what you're driving at. AGATHA: Uh. sure?With her permission, you go ahead and hop onto the network to access the programming of the dexterity training room. It's simple enough to modify things to help add to the sensory overload, with loud noises signaling hits and misses, among other things. When you finish up and change the program back, you nod at Agatha. TEXN: Are you ready to try it now? AGATHA: Yeah? Why not?She stretches a bit, and gets into position. Sure enough, while working through the training session, she starts getting flustered again due to the discordant sounds. Her movements get more erratic and violent as she tries to bludgeon the dummies harder. The test ends with her accidentally snapping hte baton in half. The monitoring program announces a system error and shuts down, and Agatha is standing in the middle of the room, looking like a wild animal. She's panting hard, her hair has turned into a frizzy mess, her pupils are wide and unfocused, and somehow, she has managed to rip her shirt. TEXN: ...are you okay?You ask this in what you hope is a mild, soothing tone. In response, Agatha jerks around, and lunges forward and snarls at you. It's interesting, you think to yourself, as time slows down for you subjectively as you kick your processors up a notch. Her canines are definitely much longer than they should be, and they're protruding outwards from her jaw. In fact, her whole body has gotten bulkier and more muscular than you would consider possible under normal circumstances. Agatha leaps at you, her nails forming into claws. You sidestep and let her sail past you harmlessly. You're not quite sure what's happening right now - is this some kind of mutation? You don't want to hurt her, but you're not positive what the best course of action would be. Avoiding her strike just seems to have agitated her even more, and she rebounds against the wall, getting ready to leap at you again. You'd need to overclock to just keep avoiding her. > Texn isn't familiar with werewolves, they weren't exactly a Greek myth and he hasn't absorbed all pop culture and mythology for everywhere that has ever existed. He'd need to spend a moment to do the research necessary to identify her as one, which would risk getting hit. Barring that, what do we want to do to respond? Character Sheet & Inventory
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May 4, 2024 23:44
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Agatha. I wish to give you feedback on your performance. No-sell any attempts to attack us. What she is matters less than getting her in a more receptive state.
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May 4, 2024 23:53
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AJ_Impy posted:Agatha. I wish to give you feedback on your performance.
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May 5, 2024 00:04
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