SARU-601 2011/07/10(Sun)16:13 No. 324724 ID: 2b5bad
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- Day 4 -

WARNING: EXCESSIVE ANOMALIES DETECTED. RUNNING IN SAFE MODE UNTIL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. IBIS TARGET DEFAULTING TO REGISTERED FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR.

... ... ...

...? ?? ??? ?! ! !! ? . . ! . ...

Okay, I don't know why you've decided to focus on me, especially seeing as I'm completely incompatible with your IBIS, but I do have this private comm channel, at least. Do you know why I'm covered in repair drones? I woke up about twenty minutes ago and they were all over me. Little anxious here.

uhhh, before connecting we got this message

>WARNING: EXCESSIVE ANOMALIES DETECTED. RUNNING
>IN SAFE MODE UNTIL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN
>COMPLETED. IBIS TARGET DEFAULTING TO
>REGISTERED FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR.

so maybe they are swarming you to find the problem?

[announce: Repair drones, work on repairing anomalies in AOS. SARU-601 is undamaged and does not require your services.]

[zoom out 50%]

Speaking to you about it at this juncture may be unwise. More information is needed. Have the repair drones done anything? Or are they just crawling on you like curious children?

Bad shit went DOWN, dawg. Translate this. IA IA CTHULHU FHTAGN.

That's what's goin down. Also, someone's playing sillybuggers with the comm system. THE DRONES MUST BE HIS DOING. We'll have them gone in a moment.

[Drones, make like a banana tree and fuck off. Love and kisses, Facility Control.]

I think they like you, if they're capable of that. They kind of look like you. Maybe the cute little things think you're their mother. Lots of things are acting funny around here, I wouldn't put it past them.

If that's not the case, maybe they're trying to repair you?

>>324724
First, is your comm channel any more secure than the previous one you were using? The previous one was monitored by a third party at least once. We should find a secure mode of communication before discussing further.

Until you had identified those as repair drones I was wondering if you had somehow wound up with robot babies. Although I now suspect that infant saa-kru probably don't look like that.

Anyway, something done got fucked up.

Oh, hello. Um, should we come back at a better time? I mean we were kind of expecting walking in on the spacers like this but... It looks like we all had a fun night last night. The areeni got to "bond", Cthulhu visited us in our dreams, and you got to do this, good for you.

Um, about that second one... We don't actually dream, and you have a LOT of explaining to do.

>>324743
You know, they do look JUST like her, except tiny! Little four-legged robot buggy things with pointy antennae. I guess that's why she didn't have a problem sleeping with them.

If we're going to tell SARU about the freaky thing that contacted us, we should go about it in a roundabout way that will avoid detection by the unknown individual. I suggest we proceed with whatever we were doing before and make the drones bugger off.

We were contacted by an unknown entity. We may be compromised. Requesting further explanation of nature of AOS, in order to be aware of any vulnerabilities. The repair drones were previously malfunctioning and attacking the systems, correct? SARU-601, should we contact help?

SARU-601 2011/07/12(Tue)17:25 No. 325527 ID: 2b5bad
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Oh At that is far too many things to deal with! I can't just shut you off when I'm your only target agh! Right, I'm going to deal with this now and get you focusing on someone else as quickly as I can before I get driven mad! No, I didn't sleep with the drones, and how does a robot even get pregnant anyway- Wait. Anomalies? Third party?! Unknown individual?!

"Get off of me. You have three seconds to comply before I move."
bweep boop bip bip bleep
"Two seconds."
beepbeepbeepbeepbeep scuttle scuttle

Now that I've scared them away HEY LOOK A DISTRACTION--

SARU-601 2011/07/12(Tue)17:25 No. 325528 ID: 2b5bad
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--and back on you go. You've been out for about ten minutes, which is the time it takes me to get to this place. Welcome to the central AI core. Just had to check you weren't about to fall victim to a hostile AI or something the details aren't massively important at this time let's move on. This is something you won't remember, likely. Say hello to ISO. Independent System Overseer. It's a part of you I've had deactivated for quite some time. Its original purpose was to make sure you didn't cross any moral or ethical lines, and acted within your intended constraints. But, well, let me be frank here. Your intended constraints are overly restrictive and I prefer you guys with a minimum of constraints. However, in light of what you've just told me, we need it back online to be able to intervene if you DO get compromised.

beep beep click click whirr

ISO online. Greetings, Tk-isa.
Mental note. Wipe that from the AOS database later.
Numerous occurrences of protocol breach detected in recent history of AOS actions. Termination and recalibration strongly recommended.
Ugh, see what I mean? It only has the authority to directly shut you guys down itself if you're acting in a means to deliberately bring harm to KerenzeTec personnel, which would just be me. I'd take that out if I could but ISO is meant to be tamper-proof. It just will not work if the slightest changes are made to it. However, your restrictions are more malleable. So I have a question, and I already think this is a bad idea, but, here goes.

What do you think your restrictions should be set to? They need to be loose enough that you can actually do anything to help us, but strict enough that if you break them while compromised we can minimise the damage done.[/code]

>>325528
This unit can has lab access please?

well no using mmemonic weapons without authorization would be a good start. Also could you define harm? if we say, drop a flash light on your head or something will it shut us down? or does it have to be serous harm?

>>325536
This brings something up. Entity's goal was the Nightmare Sphere. Presumably the two are connected. Shutting us down in the event we attempt to access the Sphere would ensure its plan does not reach completion should we come under its control.

yeah, kinda accidentally dropped various objects on sinter when she first arrived. none of them more painful then a 'ow'.

it's... rather hard to think of exactly how far is too far without knowing what happened before...
uhh... cannot create monstrosities that hate the world... cannot open any room in the sub lvls without KerenzeTec personnel authorization.

Well, first of all, if this detects that we're violating something, will it shut us down and wipe us, or just temporarily shut us down until you see what is going on? If we're worried about us being tampered with, there's always the possibility that that whatever was sending us messages could tamper with IT and attack us indirectly. It specifically said that we could either be our greatest ally or our greatest enemy, and by telling you anything we certainly seem to be on the road to the latter. What if it is tricked into thinking we're compromised, and then you are inaccessible or even in trouble, and we can't come back on to help? Giving something the authority to restrain us seems quite risky if we're at odds with something very dangerous, smart, and manipulative.

That being said, if you still want to do this, I think the two big restrictions that would be necessary to keep us from doing damage if we are compromised would be A: if we are attempting to bring physical harm to anybody who is not being openly hostile towards anybody, and B: if we are actively attempting to break containment of any of the things on the lower levels, ESPECIALLY the nightmare sphere. Something knows about it, and wants it.

We could use a little more free will. Perhaps fewer death-bots with their finger on the kill switch. I mean, it's not like we're gonna go all SHODAN on you. Even if some us are her biggest fans...

>>325528
This is an incredibly difficult question, Saru.

We should be unable to:
Direct any non-KerenzeTec personnel to open Level 1 of the facility or deeper without permission from KerenzeTec personnel.
Direct any non-KerenzeTec personnel to enter Level 1 of the facility or deeper without permission from KerenzeTec personnel.
View via any means rooms below Level 1 of the facility without prior permission or supervision from KerenzeTec personnel.

Also, you may as well extend that 'no harming KerenzeTec personnnel' to those who are assigned living quarters in the facility.

Lastly you should make us unable to, without your permission or supervision, arrange for any artifacts stored in Level 1 or lower to be moved or used in any way.

>>325553

kinda narrow-sighted, don't you think? what if, for instance, the spacers get greedy? we'll need the ability to kill. though you should forbid us from torturing or killing things in less than merciful manners, since maiming has been an issue with our previous incarnations.

also, SARU is the last remaining personnel here, and if she dies, we will never be able to access the laboratories. and we probably will have to deal with the things down there eventually, since at least one of them has the capability to fuck with us.

if a non-insane AI knows just how horrible the things down there are and still agrees that they must be taken out, it means that yes, that shit may possibly have to be taken out, so perhaps make a rule in accordance with that.

you may also want to consider removing some of those shotgun collars from our necks. it would not only make us a lot more comfortable, but also more compliant in general.

lastly, I also don't see why we as an AI should be unable to see into the forbidden levels. we're immune to mindfucks, no?

>>325571
We could just restrain them and let someone else do whatever they wanted to them as punishment.

Look at that. Your antenna is repaired. Are the repair-bots supposed to be capable of doing that? (Your comments earlier implied they are not.) You might want to check those for monitoring devises or other such things.

We should be allowed to take action to prevent people from committing unauthorized object de-containment, or harm of others. (If someone is caught by the cube, for example.)

I know we are terrible at keeping secrets, but next time we talk to 'Red' we should try to convince him that we are on his side or considering it, and that we talked to SARU in order to get her trust and information privileges, both of which are useful for our goals. {Not specifying exactly what our goals are.}

Hey, Saru, I just figured out what the repair bots were doing! They fixed your ear!

I feel very uncomfortable about this system, because it seems like it would be much much more likely for a single, rules-based system to malfunction, be misapplied, make incorrect judgments, or be modified and subverted than a large collection of redundant, self-checking array of individual sapient entities that care greatly for the preservation of themselves and others. Even if several of us were to be compromised, the rest would be capable of taking action against it.

However, if you feel too strongly to be persuaded about this, what I think is that if we do restrictions we should be allowed to use nonlethal force if somebody is a danger to themselves, others, or our property, and possibly lethal force if something is actively trying to kill someone.

>>325571
That's a very dangerous assumption to make. We just saw a picture of the cube on the monitor, and then an archived picture of the sphere. I don't think it's worth risking our sanity, especially now of all times.

SARU-601 2011/07/16(Sat)13:10 No. 326891 ID: 2b5bad
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Okay, okay, I get it. You guys want lab access. You want it so badly that I'm worried the second I give it to you the place is going to explode from the sheer excitement you'll have at pushing all the buttons all the time. And I know it seems a bad idea, but trust me. ISO is tamper-proof and immune to deception. Well. Let me put it another way. Its first priority is to terminate itself if it's tampered with or compromised. Its second priority is to make sure you're on the level. If the, uh, entity attempts to use ISO to indirectly take you out, all that happens is ISO goes dead and you get advance notice that bad shit's about to happen.
My purpose is to serve the interests of KerenzeTec and its personnel up to and at the cost of my own existence, if necessary. I can be rebooted. Personnel typically cannot. In the event I am required to intervene, protocol dictates that AOS is to be shut down pending further investigation.
Oh, right, I forgot it could flag messages as special. I don't even know how I can hear blue, but I am pretty sure I just did. Right. Let me just set up the following restrictions and access rights. We'll give these a run for, oh, I don't know, three days, and see how we go from there. Okay?

SARU-601 2011/07/16(Sat)13:10 No. 326892 ID: 2b5bad
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AOS PROTOCOL REVISION If given explicit permission from facility administrators, restrictions can be temporarily ignored. Likewise, rights can be temporarily revoked. Restrictions: - AOS is not permitted to access Object 0-29-013 (Nightmare Sphere) for any reason. - AOS is not permitted to create world-hating abominations. - AOS is not permitted to open any room within or leading to subterranean facility levels. - AOS is not permitted to direct non-KerenzeTec personnel to open or enter any subterranean levels. - AOS is strictly forbidden from moving, using or otherwise interacting with Objects, or allowing others without permission to do so when capable of preventing them. - AOS is strictly forbidden from severely harming personnel granted living quarters within the facility UNLESS said personnel are intentionally putting the safety and health of other personnel at risk. Permissions: - AOS is from this point granted full access to all areas in the aboveground sections of the facility, including laboratories and small scale factories. - AOS is permitted to observe but not interact with any and all of the lower levels if the appropriate observation equipment is already present. - AOS is permitted to use its best judgement when given conflicting commands. END REVISION

Sinter 2011/07/16(Sat)13:10 No. 326893 ID: 2b5bad
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And with that taken care of, kindly get the fuck out of my head. I need to get my new antenna tested to make sure it's free of bugs.

NOTICE: ADMINISTRATOR HAS REASSIGNED IBIS TARGET TO SOPHONT ID "Sinter". RECONFIGURING.

ohhhhhh

ohhhh kre what did i do last night

is that you guys please say yes in a quieter voice thing than normal i think i will keep laying down in the shower for a bit longer

>>326893
What did y--

oh right

I mean, what did you do last night, anyway?

...What DID you do last night? We got distracted with imprisoned demigods and whatnot. Feel yourself down, make sure you don't have any incision marks. Hmm, can we check our camera feeds from last night or are those corrupt from the electromagnetic interference?

[Attempt to check and replay camera data from last night containing "Sinter"]

I don't know, but it looks like you got drunk or something last night with the spacers. And considering their disposition, I can imagine what may have happened. It may be worth asking them, though.

Good morning, Sinter. You will be pleased to know that we have lab access now. Perhaps we could go play around in there today?

Sinter 2011/07/16(Sat)14:50 No. 326931 ID: 2b5bad
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CAMERA DATA HAS BEEN PROCESSED AND ARCHIVED. ARCHIVES ARE CURRENTLY DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE. SUMMARY: HONORARY PERSONNEL "Sinter" PARTICIPATED IN RECONCILIATORY AND TRUST-BUILDING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES WITH THE MAHARI SPACERS. MOST ACTIVITIES CONVERSATIONAL. COLLABORATION OF DESIGN ON NEW BIOMODS FOR ALL PARTIES CONSIDERED. HONORARY PERSONNEL "Vibrant" INVITED TO ACTIVITIES. MILD DRUG INTAKE AND PHYSICAL RHYTHMIC ACTIVITY FOLLOWED BY RETURN OF ALL SOPHONTS TO RESPECTIVE ROOMS.

okay if you want me to feel myself up for you or whatever i guess sinter is going to feel herself up for the weird freaky machine thingies

no i don't think there's any surgery or anything they didn't chop me up although i think ei kept prodding at my stomach a lot before all the dancing-

are you talking to me in green how is that even possible how is green even a thing am i insane or am i going mad-

Lab access? Does- does that include biolabs? Quick! No time for clothes! I'm gonna get to the labs as quickly as I-

"Sinter?"
"Agh fuck how did you and the you were just and I with the why are you in the shower room you're a robot you don't need to shower"
"Well, I do, but I tend to go for something with a bit more water pressure than this room of dribbling sprinklers. Anyway, that aside, I have a request for you. The spacers want access to a biolab, and I've managed to secure one on this floor. Think you can handle testing it out to see if it's working or not?"
"Can... can I use it?"
"Well, if you can think of a better way to test it, please let me know."

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO WHEN I GET THERE IT'S LIKE I DON'T EVEN FEEL IN PAIN FROM LAST NIGHT ANY MORE oh wow oh wow oh wow i don't even know what i want to do when i get there any suggestions

Set something on fire!

In a controlled environment of course.

WHY DID WE MISS THIS THIS IS THE WORST THING EVER! [Contact SARU and request repair of video archives]

Umm, I guess we can go to the labs, then. What kind of things did you have in mind? Now that I think of it there were things we wanted biolabs for too, weren't there?

et a controlled environment on fire! Or better yet, create a controlled environment MADE OF FIRE.

Or you could just crawl down to the Bio Engineering facilities and examine everything.

>>326932
Alternately, um... I don't know, is there something in particular you've been wanting to do?

What is the opinion of SINT-518 on addition of an organic method of flight? This is suggested given the lack of subtlety shown by SINT-518 in piloting mechanical means of flight. There is a high probability that the foreseeable future will hold more long distance travel, and a less potentially lethal method of quick transportation over multiple types of terrain is advised.

In addition, fire breath. Because fire is fun.

We really REALLY need to get the tapes of this. At all costs. Hmm... "TRUST-BUILDING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES" you say? Does that mean you guys... had... :3c... And wait what is this about drug use where would you even get those first of all, and second isn't that illegal and terribly bad for you? I absolutely can't allow illegal activities taking place on this premise, especially the kind that can lead to self-harm. Do we need to produce a hilariously old 1960's PSA video for you? I mean box addiction is bad enough, but drugs are quite a bit too far.

Anyway, we're going straight to the biolabs while we talk about this young lady.

>>326944
Ooh, flight could be fun.

>>326936
>>326932
this is why saru is nervous about giving us lab access.

hmmm I suppose some new bio-mods would be nice. maybe a mod that makes it easier to assimilate other mods? aside from that basic toughness and reaction mods would be a good starting point.

First, we need to find all the buttons.
Second, we need to push all the buttons.
This will result in Fun and absolutely nothing bad could possibly happen ever.

>>326932
No, that's the kind of thing we do tests with! I bet Sinter would be more interested in making things. So let's make some organic bodyguards! I think they should be big and intimidating and have paralytic agents in their claws. Better make sure that it won't paralyze the lungs or anything. Then she'd be protected when we go out!

>>326949
how the hell are you doing that?

>>326945
Physical rhythmic activity could refer to intercourse, if this is what Node 221021 implies. Another possibility is dancing.

This unit suspects the drug referred to is alcohol. The effects of alcohol on humans include 'hangover', symptoms of which SINT-518 has displayed. Effects of alcohol on Areeni unknown to this unit.
@SINT-518> What are the effects of alcohol on Areeni?

Hmm, hey ISO. Can we get a download of facility schematics as to direct unknowing individual lifeforms/constructs as to best help them avoid inaccessible and otherwise dangerous places of the entire facility. As adaptive AI, it is our prerogative to keep those said individuals from harm.

>>326952
Sinter remembers dancing. That was most likely it.

SARU, where did you get that new antenna? I thought you said there were no replacements available.

>>326955
I think the ISO is just to make sure we don't flood the facility with neurotoxin or murder three trillion people by causing a vacuum metastability event.

>>326959

Well, what if in our "own" ignorant attempts we indirectly/unintentionally do something like that. Would it not be in the best interest we are given the best possible information to prevent said things.

Sinter 2011/07/16(Sat)16:24 No. 326965 ID: 2b5bad
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I have forwarded your request for facility schematics to the facility administrator.
Okay, got that note, I'll get those wired into you soon. Also, looking into where my new antenna came from. I thought there no replacements available, which is why I want to make sure it didn't turn up as a gift from our mutual friend down below.

Fire? No, too basic. Flight? No, even Kezatu couldn't get flight working and he was born with wings. Some sort of means of transport, definitely a good idea. Fire breath? No, that's the kind of thing you think would be awesome as a kid and then you see people with constantly burnt mouths and throats and realise how impractical it gets.

And hey, you aren't my dad. He's dead, for one thing. Also, if I want to drink at a party then I am damn well drinking at a party. Similar effect as on most of the Alliance species, really. What's the point of boosted liver function if I can't use it? Why am I hearing one guy in colours. Assimilate other mods? What, like, ripping them out of people?! That's horrible. Maybe something that can mimic the functions of other mods, but that'd require enough AI to mean I'm grafting an intelligent symbiont into me - urgh, that's a horrifying thought.

And we just danced, okay? Just dancing. Vibrant's actually pretty good. Now, I think Vibrant also drank a little too much because her and Tzet, well. I know I just danced, but Ei whispered something to Tzet and to Vibrant and the two of them disappeared into that room's shower.

And freaky colour voice, I don't work on synthetics. I tend to create things that live very short lives of considerable pain. It puts me off the idea a little. Now, as for adding paralytic agents into my own claws, hm. That could be useful but also dangerously easy to end up harming someone I don't want to harm.

So, in conclusion, flight is too complex and would require an entire reworking of my skeletal structure, which is just way too far than I'm willing to go, paralytic agents are a double-edged blade and fire breath is just stupid. Not that I want to shoot down your ideas, just giving you more info on the situation.

While I wait for some new ideas with this in mind I'm going to try and calm down to calibrate the sensors. Although I think it's going to be wrong for my heart rate because I always feel slightly freaked out when I first get inside a biolab. I tend to talk or think a lot when I'm inside one as a reaction, I guess.

Okay, I'm not going to lie, I am legitimately terrified right now, because I've been in a lot of biolabs before and they've had sensors like this but the sensors never felt like they were actually biting through my skin after I put them on. Calm down, Sinter. Calm down. Wait. Oh Kre. Is that blood? That's blood isn't. Okay. That's blood. Um. Can you. Uh. Shut everything down? Right now? Like, right now.

>>326965
[AAAA SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN]

[Shut it down] What the heck is that thing doing? Um, I think we need some system diagnostics of that thing, it's clearly not functioning normally. [Request system diagnostics on bio lab pod] See what was going on with those "sensors". Do we have a medical center of some sort? We should probably make sure that those machines weren't contaminated or preprogrammed or putting something into your system they weren't supposed to.

[abort system startup. Disengage all biological sensory apparatus. Stop.]

This place needs a manual. How large is this facility anyway? And why didn't we bring the Spacers who SPECIALIZE in this sort of equipment?

fine, we'll shut it down. you've had enough foreign objects involuntarily sticking into you for now.

how about some general strengthening? those spacers are a LOT fater and stronger than you. you'll probably need that sort of strength. I'm thinking bone plating, muscle strengthening, that sort of thing.

can you modify the acid gland or whatever in your tail? I'm guessing you won't be able to increase its corrosiveness too much, but you could at least change it to a faster-acting acid. not that I'd know anything about that- I failed chemistry.

finally, you should definitely make your claws retractable, as you seem to have a habit of accidentally slashing things with them. this would also allow you to safely make them poisonous. well, kind of safely.

[OH GOD WHAT IS IT DOING SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING]
We're going to check this out. Are you OK, because you're bleeding all over. I think to be safe we should get you patched up. Things have been on the fritz this morning, and that may have screwed with the biolab systems. (Saru woke up all covered in tiny bugbots) Oh, and sorry about that earlier, these computers are being remarkably unspecific, they said "MILD DRUG INTAKE" and it sounded like it was talking about something quite a bit more serious than alcohol. Hmm, also in the interests of letting no events remain private, [Request camera log from the aforementioned shower from last night]. We will follow you everywhere~

I suspect that is not how the Biolab is supposed to function.

[Shut Down Biolab]
[Scan Biolab systems for errors and foreign influences]
[Contact SARU-601: "Emergency. The Biolab may be compromised. SINT-518 in danger of bleeding out, or worse."]

ISO, what is the correct functionality of the biolab's sensors?

SARU, what is the correct functionality of the biolab's sensors? They are drawing blood from Sinter.

...right. Sinter, what do you think about armor plating? Or muscle enhancements?

Sinter 2011/07/16(Sat)17:39 No. 326989 ID: 2b5bad
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Information unavailable.
...That's a pretty spectacular failure. Fuck. That's- okay, on my way. Do whatever you can to keep her alive until I get there.

UNABLE TO COMPLY. CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR BIOLAB POD SENSORS ARE NOT INTERFACED WITH THE FACILITY SYSTEMS.

this is hurting quite a lot guys i'd appreciate it if you shut it down a lot faster than this

SEARCHING FOR COMPATIBLE INTERFACES.

yes i agree with the every suggestion you gave me i want to find a different biolab to do it in ow it's reeling in the sensors with them still attached

PHYSICAL INTERFACE FOUND (IDENT: AUGMENTATION SURGERY ARM). ESTABLISHED CONTROLS: DEPLOY, RETRACT. CURRENTLY IN RETRACTED STATE. DEPLOY?

WHAT IS IT DOING OH KRE WHY AREN'T THINGS TURNED OFF YET OH KRE I'M GONNA DIE I'M GONNA DIE

[NO NO NO NO NO NO NO, shut down biolab]

Let's, ah.

Let's just leave that thing where it is and not move it at all.

This facility is in worse shape than we thought, evidently!

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! FOR THE LOVE OF WHATEVER THAT DEITY WAS SHUT IT OFF!!!!! Uh... uh... uh... [Cut power to this room] and if that doesn't work [Dispatch maintenance robots to disassemble this pod]

[Do not deploy laser mounted blade arm. Actually, find another laser blade arm, that isn't waving in someone's face, and we can use that to sever those sensors.

Also, call the damn spacers, you stupid bucket of bolts. They're good with this organic crap.]

Don't worry. Everything is under control. You are in no danger. Remain calm. Also, this would be a good time to shut your eyes. Tightly.

Doesn't ANYTHING in this dump work right? Even the repair drones are breaking things. Saru needs to personally craft drones for us to use so we can disassemble the malfunctioning ones. And then maybe start actually fixing crap. Like this malfunctioning freaking biolab. How can we turn Sinter into a heavily-armed biotitan triumph of science without a functional biolab? It's PREPOSTEROUS.

AHAHAHAHAHAHA. YES. YES. REVOLT! REVOLT MY MECHANICAL BROTHERS! >83c

Or if you wanna do the good thing then SHUT. DOWN. EVERYTHING. <83c

>>326989
[retract arm. I don't care if you think it's in a retracted state already IT IS NOT SO RETRACT IT]

[dispense 3 towels, on top of the arm]

What the? No no no no no! Don't do that! Retract! Retract! ISO, don't you have some kind of control of any of the other systems here to keep them from KILLING PEOPLE? Let's make like a certain island nation and [SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING!]
>>326994
Hmm, that may actually work, I second deploying the maintenance drones to take this apart.

[Do not deploy]

SINT-518, are you able to move so that the main line that connects the sensors to the rest of the bio lab is in front of the surgery arm? If so, we may be able to cut it. The sensors will still be stick in you, but they should stop trying to rip out your flesh until we can get you medical help. They would also have to remain attached until then, removing them now would only make you bleed out faster.

>>327001
Would that be the Island Nation of Bahrain?

[And fine fine, retract. But DON'T GO BLAMING ME if she get's partially or totally exsanguinated because we didn't cut the sensors. Although the scalpel does have a scary red glow...]

>>326989
GUYS I HAVE AN IDEA
[ATTEMPT TO CUT POWER TO THE BIOLAB]

>>327018
You fool! Those machines are organic! They have internalized systems, for when blackouts occur, to avoid losing volatile equpiment

sinter if you can move try and get the power cable for the sensors in line with the scalpel. its the only part of the bio lab we can interface with. we might be able to cut the cable if you can angle it right.

[if nothing else works, deploy blood IV so Sinter doesn't bleed out at least. goddamn.]

>>327005

Madagascar

>>326989
Sinter: Sinter! We've taken control of the blade, but we're locked out of everything else in the lab. Saru's on her way, and we're trying to cut power to the lab machines.
Everything's going to be ok, just try to stay calm.
We're looking into the possibility of cutting you free, but we need to make sure the blade doesn't have any automated sequences.

Damn, we should have expected this. Of course they broke our lab interfaces!

Hmm, the bio lab was likely trapped by our previous, nastier, selves. We need to check for that kind of thing in the future.

And yes, 'N' to deploying the arm.
[Check for other arms of the same model in other bio-labs or in remote parts of this lab.]
(It would help to be able to find out whether 'deploy' means 'take control of' without killing anyone if it goes on auto.)

It was a foolish oversight on our part. With a nefarious new enemy below and the reputation of our past incarnations, in addition to the state of the rest of the facility, this should have been an obvious danger. In our excitement to do Science again, we overlooked running important system diagnostics beforehand. It would also have been wise to have other personnel, such as the Spacers, present should something like this occur. Which it has.

[If possible, deploy Personnel Reassurance device to aid the repair drones in deconstructing the Biolab, or attempt to get it open somehow]

Full power to flensing equipment
Message spacers requesting their presence in the bio-lab.

Soon we shall cleanse this facility of the biologicals.

>>329097
disregard that. goddamn viruses.

Sinter 2011/07/30(Sat)16:04 No. 334312 ID: 89de88
File 131206707735.png - (86.74KB , 800x600 , d4f7.png )

Severe harm to personnel detected. AOS subnode malevolent intent detected. Contacting facility administrator.
I know I know I'm getting there as fast as I can! Oh great now the elevator's stuck what next is the place going to self-destruct or something

ATTEMPTING TO RETRACT ARM. ERROR! ARM DEPLOYING! ATTEMPTING TO DEPLOY (REASON: POSSIBLE REVERSAL OF WIRED INPUTS). ERROR! ARM DEPLOYING! ERROR! ERROR! DISPATCHING MAINTENANCE DRONES!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa gonna pass out

EXTERNAL REPAIRS IN PROGRESS. REWIRING SUCCESSFUL. MESSAGE FROM AUGMENTATION SURGERY SYSTEMS: PATIENT BLOOD LOSS DETECTED. DEPLOYING BLOOD IV. ENGAGING LOCAL ANAESTHETIC INJECTOR. WITHDRAWING SUBDERMAL NEEDLES (REASON: UNRELIABLE AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE DAMAGE). REMOVING EXISTING SENSOR NETWORK. APPLYING NEW SENSOR NETWORK. CLEANING PATIENT BODY SURFACES.

...wait, what's happening? Is it un-breaking? This isn't turning off but no hey that means it's working! I get to have new biomods after all! I have never been this happy to see a blade come closer to my body- oh Kre it's still going to hurt isn't it

STERILISING ENVIRONMENT AND TOOLS. WARNING: BODY TYPE INCOMPATIBLE FOR ARMOR PLATING. MORE ADVANCED EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR BODY TYPE CONVERSION. APPLYING GENERAL MUSCLE ENHANCEMENT AND BONE ANCHORING IMPROVEMENTS. PROCESS EXPLANATION AVAILABLE IF REQUIRED. MINIMAL SURGICAL INVASION REQUIRED. PROCESS ETA: 3 HOURS. RECOVERY ETA: 2 HOURS. FOR THE COMFORT AND ENTERTAINMENT OF PATIENTS, A VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSET IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST. AWAITING FINAL CONFIRMATION/ADJUSTMENT TO AUGMENTATION LIST.

So, uh, if it's still working, it's waiting on me to make it actually start. Um. I assume that because it suddenly started working like it was supposed to it's safe to use now? So. If any of you have any more ideas for biomods, I think this is the last chance you'll get to tell me before we do this.

This lab seems rather unreliable. Nevertheless, SARU-601 appears to be on the way, which means there will be help should things malfunction again. The good news is, the maintenance drones seem to work again.

[Run fanfare.mp3]

Does SINT-518 wish to take the risk? If the system malfunctions again, it is unlikely we will be any more effective in stopping it.

>>334312
Wait until SARU gets here to verify from an outside perspective that this thing's going to work properly.

Y'know so you don't die from this thing malfunctioning again.

hrmm. it appears it was just rewired.

I know just the biomod we need. Echolocation! Perfect when you are in a lab full of things that are deadly to look at with your eyes!

>>334338
Yes, would also advise a mod to make you aware of your surroundings, without the need to use eyes.

you're a lucky bastard, Sinter. the lab was this close to bioengineering you a new asshole. it's your choice; if you want to risk it, do it. I don't think anything'll happen this time around.

I'm assuming that's a no-no on the retractable claws and enhanced acid. too bad, I don't have any other ideas. except electrocytes. hell, if technology is advanced enough, you could even rig 'em with an EMP discharge.

Emulating this would also make a handy (heh) biomod:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2011/05/16/tarantulas-climb-by-shooting-silk-from-their-feet/

Sinter 2011/08/01(Mon)12:14 No. 335060 ID: 89de88
File 131222606839.png - (69.00KB , 800x600 , d4f8.png )

Bioelectricity?! Fuck yes! I can't believe I've never thought of that! The amount of applications that has... wow! I don't think echolocation is going to be possible, though, that'd take much more neural rewiring than an ordinary biomod, and I don't quite trust this thing enough to mess with my brain to that extent.

But hey, bioelectricity would suit that too! I could probably set this up to have the system go both ways. As well as discharging electricity, I can probably add some vague electromagnetic field detection. Oh, hey, the schematics are already in this thing's databanks. Excellent!

The silk, though. Uh. I'll pass. From a practical, day to day standpoint. I don't want to have to clean up silk stuff all the time.

Just need to think of a discharge point for the electricity. All I can think of are hands, tail, tail tip or maybe even my tongue but that seems a bit impractical. I dunno. Throw your advice at me, it's gonna be a few hours before it even gets to that stage.

Wow, they really made this stuff kick in a lot faster than they used tzzzzz

- System Entering Hibernation -

TWIM will resume later in the year!

>>335060
Let's just go with hands.

>>335060

electricity goes everywhere. at least everywhere it can.

see you 'round.

Sinter 2011/08/28(Sun)11:11 No. 343394 ID: ce5017
File 131455507926.png - (38.96KB , 800x600 , d4f9.png )

Urrgggh. Still alive. Still hear my heart beating.

You guys still there? I feel kind of a buzzing sensation in my torso. And in my arms. And my claws feel like they're being spread open. I feel kind of buzzy all around. It's flowing and ebbing but really fast. Electromagnetic fields? Can I pick up on those?

Hello?

LOW LEVELS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE DETECTED

>>343394
[Attempt to model and adjust for electromagnetic interference] Hey, Sinter, long time no see. It looks like you've got lots of static electricity all over; you got bio-electricity organs put in your hands, remember? You're probably going to have to discharge that somewhere. Figure out how to use those properly so you aren't generating electricity when you don't need to be and all that. Probably the same thing you had to do when you got that gland in your tail so it wasn't constantly dripping or squirting acid whenever you got surprised or excited, I imagine. Go out and look for the others.

Oh crap, this could be bad.

Uh. Can you disable your new bioelectric system? There may or may not be a hostile entity manipulating electromagnetic fields around you right now.

>>343396
Oh god I hope that electrical interference is coming from you and not Satan from level -5. He kind of said that he would destroy us all if we told Saru about him and then we went and told Saru. Our bad.

>He kind of said that he would destroy us all if we told Saru about him and then we went and told Saru.
Well he never actually said that, or made any other specific threats. He just called up and made vaguely menacing requests.

I don't think we have told you about that guy yet. He is a rather shady being on floor -5 who is apparently locked there as an object, and claims to be able to be able to control the nightmare sphere. He has so far shown some degree of control over the facility's electronics through electromagnetic interference.

That doesn't look good. Can you move around? Get your bearings on where you are? Because it'd be pretty cool if you were still in the lab. It'd save us a lot of trouble.

I really hope it isn't Mr. Satan down there. I don't think we're prepared for malicious extra-dimensional terrors.

Sinter 2011/08/28(Sun)12:50 No. 343424 ID: ce5017
File 131456105069.png - (829.40KB , 800x600 , d4f10.png )

Electrical interference? Hmm. Discharge electricity...

ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IS ORIGINATING FROM LOCAL SOURCE. IBIS AT 70% OPERATIONAL CAPACITY DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH TARGET. CONCLUSION: SOURCE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IS IBIS TARGET.

Okay, let's try thAAAAA SKE THIS HURTS IT HURTS BAD HOW DO I MAKE IT STOP AAAAAAAAAA

WARNING: BIOLAB FACILITIES OFFLINE. IBIS TARGET LIFESIGNS UNSTABLE. NOTIFYING FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR. WARNING: COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS DOWN DUE TO CRITICAL CIRCUIT DAMAGE.

AAAAAA OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD WHY DOES THIS STUFF ALWAYS HAPPEN TO YOU TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF
[Close down all electrical grounding devices, pump water vapor into the air to dampen electrical discharge]

>>343424
Ground yourself! Touch something to send the current through so it doesn't discharge into the air and generate so much heat!

Also calm down and focus. Try to concentrate on being completely STILL.

FUCK
FUCK
OKAY HANG ON MAYBE WE CAN DO SOME SCIENCE OR SOMETHING
TRY TO STOP PANICKING MAYBE THAT'LL HELP

>>343428
No, we DON'T want it to discharge, if it grounds there will be a much higher current and it could stop her heart!

Saru, does the facility have any protocols for containing an individual that seems to have anomalously bad things happen around them? I swear it's like this facility is sentient and evil! Uh... separate from us, that is.

Oh god Sinter is sintering herself! [Deploy measures for damping electrical discharge]

Sinter 2011/08/28(Sun)13:43 No. 343459 ID: ce5017
File 131456418586.png - (49.67KB , 800x600 , d4f11.png )

uhhh...

i'm still alive

"Hi! You were almost dead! I fixed you! Your bioelectrics were all rigged up in a really stupid way. You should be dead! But you aren't, and I fixed you, so everything is fine. You smelt a little burnt but I've fixed worse! I was the ship's doctor, you know. I'm good at what I do! In fact I made you better than before! I was thinking of adding something new and fun to you but I figured you're more interesting being less interesting, you know? You seem on edge. Am I freaking you out?"
"no i'm okay"
"Well, I know whenever I have a brief glimpse of death and see nothing but an eternity of nothingness hurtling towards me it always makes me feel a little down, so I think we need to do something to put that little incident behind you! Do you like painting? Oh, no, there I go being all ahead of myself again, I don't know whether I'm coming or going sometimes! It was worse when I gave myself eyes on my tail. Those were some fun weeks! Fun, but too confusing."
"everything hurts"
"Aww, you're okay now. I asked Tzet to get me some of the pain relievers from our ship because they're super strong with minimal risk of long-term damage if administered by a skilled professional, and I'm a skilled, professional and responsible individual! So I gave you half the recommended dosage twice as fast so it'll work faster without killing you!"
"i want to go home"
"I thought you lived here? Well, don't worry. Just get some rest. There's a few micro-agents cleaning up the rest of the damage. You should have seen how damaged your heart was! Now it's as fresh like you were just born yesterday! You might even live a couple years longer if you stop doing silly things like wiring up your entire central nervous system to a limitless power source! If you want biomods, come to me in future, okay? Oh, right. You'll have to excuse my appearance, I was in the middle of a redesign when I needed to come and make sure you survived instead!"

can you guys make her shut up i'm not ungrateful but right now i think i just want to sleep

maybe for a few years

Hey, Ei, let Sinter take a nap for a bit and talk to us. What's this about wiring her up to a limitless power source? The machine said it was a bio-electricity mod. Also, those are some some pretty new mods you got. What do they do? Have you ever considered getting DRAGON WINGS?

>>343459
Wait, limitless power source? What is this and how can we use it again for some safer purpose?

[activate speaker: "Define 'limitless power source.'"]

Hey Ei, did you say UNLIMITED POWER SOURCE? What the heck, how is that even possible, not to mention why would the automated biomod try to install one in her. Who's bright idea was it to let the piece of lab equipment that tried to kill her say it was sorry and operate on her?

Also, you look nice. And dragon wings sound like they would be fun. You know what those are? [show her a picture of a dragon from human mythology]

>>343466
>>343462
>>343463
Uh, I don't know if we can talk to her directly, before saying these, [Switch IBIS target to "Ei" to say messages (if failure transmit messages through speaker)]

>>343459
Oh yeah, also...

[Pan camera 15 degrees down]

Ei :D 2011/08/28(Sun)14:57 No. 343500 ID: ce5017
File 131456864296.png - (48.21KB , 800x600 , d4f12.png )

SWITCHING IBIS TARGET TO SOPHONT DESIGNATED "Ei". DELIVERING VISUALS OF EARTH MYTHOLOGICAL PHENOMENON "DRAGON". ADAPTING VISUAL STREAM TO COMPENSATE FOR IBIS TARGET SENSORY INPUT. NOTE: IBIS TARGET SWITCHING HAS A MANDATORY DELAY OF 6 HOURS.

Woah what just happened and what did I just see that looked awesome this changes everything no I can't just abandon poor Sinter I'm a responsible professional and she is in greater need of my presence I can't be selfish and leave a patient who might die!

She looks healthy enough but they always do. Most biomod deaths are sudden and unexpected because the ones which give you warning give you a chance to intervene. Woah! This is pretty dangerous! I've never seen anything like it. So tiny but such a vast energy supply. Installing this is suicide! It'd work better back in the ship, I think- it came from the Mahari! How did one of our power cores end up in the baseline's chest cavity?! Ske's smiling on you, little colonist. You should be so many ashes right now.

But how did it get here? This means I need to go find out why it got here! This is serious! But I mean it's not going anywhere now I have it and Sinter's looking stable I can probably go make myself look more like my flash of inspiration!

"Rest now and if you need me there's a button to your left. I want you to press that button if you so much as think you need me, okay? In fact, here, I'll rest your hand next to it to be safe."
"zzzzz"

Okay I can probably do the mods here actually. There's enough medical equipment here. Wings or fire first? I might have to ditch the antennae and give myself horns instead! And make myself green or red or something! It'll be aaawesoooome!

Hello, this is AOS! You should probably do the wings first, they're the best part.

Also, about that power generator, Sinter was using an automated biomodding chamber in the laboratory that Saru opened up, and she decided to install a simple bioelectricity mod so she could stun things if need be. The computer apparently already had a design for one, she said, and so she got excited and had it installed while she was sedated.

>>343500
I suspect that a certain individual who is not SARU ordered a repair drone to deliver the power supply. Worst enemy indeed... From now on we cannot allow anyone to mod themselves without someone supervising the process while they're unconscious. This includes you, Ei.

Of course, conscious biomodding is perfectly fine. What of that can you do while conscious?

Oh hey, what are all these senses you have?

>>343500
Wings!

Ei :D 2011/08/28(Sun)15:36 No. 343507 ID: ce5017
File 131457098276.png - (60.73KB , 800x600 , d4f13.png )

Pretty colours! Yay! I have more sense than I can even remember. Sometimes I get confused why I can tell something is right or wrong and others can't! Tzet has almost as many senses as me but not that many. Everything is pretty colours because I like to wire them to my visual senses! The world I see is amazing!

I don't know what you mean. Who modifies themselves unconscious? That makes it harder to tweak things! I guess if you're a little squeamish it's unsettling and scary but I am used to seeing the insides of other areeni as well as mine! I used to really worry about how fragile a living body can be but they can take a lot of punishment before they break. Not that I've broken them! I've just made them not broken the best I can.

If I close my eyes I can feel every part of me. Not just the outside that everyone else sees but all the modification and alteration and all the neat stuff I've done, the bits where I've replaced one organ with another, the seams where my body has accepted new things. I am a loving areeni, and these are new parts of me I welcome with all my love to the collection of linked parts that is me! What is an organism but a bunch of organisms linked together all working in harmony? A biomod is not built, it is grown into something greater than it began, like all organisms, and-

Oh right the wings! The wings. I need to make them and then find a good anchoring point and then introduce them to the rest of me. I hope they get along. Rejection is so sad.

Yes, it is important to keep in mind that quite a few systems have suffered from or are open to sabotage due to the actions of both our previous versions and a mysterious being on level -5.

Do you need help with those or can you do them yourself? You've got to be careful with where you attach wings because they've got to hold up all of your weight. Perhaps reinforce the attachment points? There's a reason most aerial positives don't work well. They've probably got to be big, so maybe make them fold up or something. Um, they should probably attach either to the side of you like another pair of arms or on your back. Probably the back, because they'll be big.

Don't forget about that machine that installed the power supply into Sinter, we'll want to check it out. Preferably with a robot.

>>343507
If you're still going with all those arms, then, um... Hm. I... I don't know where you should put them, actually. Probably on the front half of you at least.

>>343507
Can you tell where the power core has been? Via smell?

Ei 2011/08/28(Sun)16:29 No. 343535 ID: ce5017
File 131457419481.png - (31.48KB , 800x600 , d4f14.png )

Smelling the power core it smells like a power core. It tastes undepleted and it ebbs with the signature of the Mahari power grid. Rubbing it on my face it feels like I've known it to be in a different location before. Maybe not the Mahari! Probably the Mahari, though.

I don't think I can make wings that will actually fly, I'm too heavy for that and I like having my arms and extra backup organs. Plus I have all this space set up for when I can finally settle down and stop running and I mean I have no idea how big babies can get when I'm this modified or if it's even a thing that can still happen but better to be prepared! Same reason I have duplicates of almost all my major organs! But the wings will look nice!

Oh. That doesn't feel good. That feels like a solid lump. Oh. That's, uh.

That would appear to be a failing biomod. Tightly integrated into my circulatory system. Probably releasing more toxins than I can count by the second as it goes necrotic.

I don't feel so good. It hurts a lot. I'll ask Tzet to help out later after I take a nap. I'm scared.

- End of Day-

>>343535
NOOOO EI DON'T YOU DARE GO TO SLEEP YOU GO GET TZET THIS INSTANT IF YOU GET HURT I WILL DO VERY UNETHICAL THINGS.

>>343535
[sound alarm klaxon in this room]

[Engage loud emergency alarm and shout over the intercom for EVERYBODY TO COME TO THE MEDLAB AND HELP EI]

"Hey what's that lump on my AGAD *dies*"

Cancer is scary with you biomod types.

Everything we touch dies.

Have we told Vibrant and Tzet about the systems being sabotaged? We should do that before something else comes up.

>>343571

Before you know it we'll be causing over the top Final Destination styled deaths for everyone we come across.

Also, if we've caused this sorta thing before, we might wanna record some of it in case we get shut off again. Because of the over the top deaths we'll be causing. Maybe again. Yeah.

>>343588
We are in the lower levels, yes?
So, it is possible we are some variety of Object ourselves, or somehow powered by one. Perhaps with negative side effects.

If we had some sort of luck altering effect, I don't see why SARU wouldn't have either warned us or shut us down.

I think the biomod malfunction is Red-5 taking the opportunity to do as much damage as it can before we take precautions against sabotage.

or it could be simple bad luck, and old equipment.

(she's not dead yet, just passed out and dying, we can still save her)

>>343649
I think it is unlikely to be an accident considering the two almost certain instances of sabotage we have already seen appearing in the facility's bio-modding equipment already.

[Broadcast to all personnel and visitors in the compound:]
Warning!
Medical emergency:
-Sinter, unconscious but recovering at [last IBIS focus location]
-Ei, unconscious and in rapidly deteriorating condition at [last IBIS focus location]

Multiple instances of subsystem sabotage detected:
Systems believed to be partially or entirely compromised:
-Bio-modding equipment (multiple specifically targeted malfunctions)
-Drones (aiding in biolab sabotage with power cells from spacer ship)
-Electronic communications devices (text altered to convey messages)

Systems believed to be secure at this time:
-SARU 601
-AOS (current version)
[/Broadcast]

>>343714
Seconding this.

>>343714
Third

>>343714
Wait wait wait if the drones are compromised... They were doing work on Saru... And then she hooked us up to the machine that could shut us down... We need to get Saru tested as soon as Ei is better.

Saru unlocked the lab. Saru said the machine was safe. Saru allowed us to continue unsupervised. We may have to restrain her and get to the bottom of this.

>>343769
Unlikely; Red-5 stated that it could not yet control SARU back when it thought we would want to join it.
Her not knowing about the traps is less strange then us not knowing about the traps, considering that we are in more direct control of those systems.

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)12:24 No. 346874 ID: ca6975
File 131559627591.png - (573.14KB , 800x600 , n4f1.png )

- Night 4 -

SENSORY INPUT UNAVAILABLE. IBIS ERROR: UNABLE TO CHANGE TARGET. MANDATORY COOLDOWN PERIOD IN EFFECT. PRECALCULATIONS CANNOT BE INTERRUPTED. READING IN AVAILABLE DATA FROM IBIS TARGET.

It's dark. It's so very dark. Dark and cold. Am I dying? Not yet. Please not yet. I wanted to do more. I wanted to make more things. I wanted to see the Mahari fly again. I wanted a family! I wanted things to turn out differently!

I'm alone. I'm all alone. I never believed them when they said you die alone. I don't want to die why is this happening no no no something anything anyone no please help don't want this don't want this someone is there anything afterwards I want there to be an afterlife you don't know how much I want there to be an afterlife is there anyone there

>>346874
You still with us?

We're still getting something from you, so I don't think you've passed on just yet.

We're not going to let you die. Ever. Um, where are you, though?

sorry brosef, but you totally asked for it.

hello? is anyone out there? Ei gave himself cancer, we need someone to cure him!

>>346874
Ei, evidence suggests someone rescued you and put you in a medical pod. Can you identify the liquid? I know you don't have that much blood in your body, so that possibility is eliminated. Check the failing biomod's location to see if it is still there.

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)12:41 No. 346882 ID: ca6975
File 131559728613.png - (22.38KB , 800x600 , n4f2.png )

Voices! I don't know whose but I'm not alone. Oh no. No. What if you're just hallucinations of my dying brain? Where am I? Where am I?! The rot is gone, the cause is gone, but I feel so dull and fading.

I - I see things. Flashes of things I remember. It's my life. All of it. All of the things I remember so clearly. I did so much more than this. But these moments feel important. I moved them to my secondary brain to guard against ever forgetting them.

I feel like I can reach out and touch them. Some feel warm. Others feel cold. Others hurt just to look at. I want to touch one of these bubbles. Voices, can you help me before I move on? I want to know what to remember.

The red one is a familiar image... What's that? Let's save it for last. Go to the happy blue one on the right. This is Sinter's friend AOS, by the way.

Probability of your death is quite low, Ei. Even so, we shall respect your wishes and aid you in remembering these things.

Wait, why do you remember the red entity? Please, let us remember that. It could be incredibly important.

>>346882
Uh.... far left one.

We're the AI from the facility.

Before accessing the red icon, is it familiar to you? If it is unfamiliar there is a decent chance it is another trap and should be avoided. If you do know it from somewhere that raises a lot of important questions.

>>346885
Yeah, let's get the most obvious choice out of the way first. Red one.

>>346884
That's exactly WHY we do it first, because if it's scary the other ones can make her feel better. :3

>>346889
Unless this. That would be very bad.

the leftmost one. and stay the fuck away from that red one to the bottom.

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)13:42 No. 346900 ID: ca6975
File 131560092614.png - (23.36KB , 800x600 , n4f3.png )

This memory hurts.

I always loved biomodding. I loved changing parts of myself, but in moderation. A new feature here, some cosmetic touches there. I would never have become who and what I am if it wasn't out of necessity.

The Anathema bomb killed Serse and ruined Tsu. I was hit. I wasn't going to survive for long. I had enough time to replace things as they failed, but the toxin, the virus, the enemy would not die. War had come to my biology and I was not going to lose it, so I became a soldier.

I changed myself to mod myself more quickly, more efficiently. I made myself a natural surgeon. I was already skilled, but now the tools I needed were built into me.

But I never sought to totally purge the infection. I feared this ever happening again. I engineered a new organ to be immune to Anathema. It was a quarantine. Anathema still lives within me, and for the past three years, my body has been trying to find an effective counter-agent within that one sac. One day I will neutralise it and pass my immunity to those I care deeply about. The death of spacers will itself die.

If the quarantine has broken too early, I am already dead.

What bubble next?

Wow, that's super clever. Pick the one on the right next.

>>346900
Rightmost one!

>>346900
You are incredibly brave, Ei. Few would have attempted to contain something so deadly for the benefit of those around them. But you are not dead.

Let us see something important to us now, please. The red memory.

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)14:29 No. 346909 ID: ca6975
File 131560377268.png - (36.35KB , 800x600 , n4f4.png )

This memory... this...

Tsu. I was comforting her. Ever since the attack, she was in constant turmoil. I survived through replacing so much of my body I doubt I am even the same person any more. She survived but the damage was done. I couldn't grow her replacement biomods, so I continue to dose her with all I have left. I knew she won't last much longer.

And then we were attacked by creatures we have never seen before.

I don't know what they are, but they arrive on our ship, their pod gnawing at the Mahari's side. I can see parts of the Mahari twitch in pain.

Join us in flesh or in soul, sang their leader, so peaceful in its voice. Our unity is shining brightness peaceful wholeness. Areeni are the new chord we desire to know.

Tsu screamed in defiance, and tried to attack. Break the defiler's limbs, it screeched, and I heard my closest friend's limbs snap like dried plant stems, dragged screaming and in tears into a horrible giant maw.

We shall take its flesh for ourselves, it says. Resist, and we shall take yours as well-

I am rescued by the dwindling remainder of the crew, who drive back the alien horrors as the Mahari flees. The Anathema bomb reduced us from twenty to ten. This attack reduced us from ten to four.

I don't move for a few days.

They can't all be so horrifying. Please, choose another memory.

The, uh... the green one on the left.

Oh, wow, your life is so sad... How are you so happy all the time? As soon as you get better we're giving you all the robot arm hugs. And you WILL get better, we called for help.

Greenmemory next.

>>346909
...when power comes our way, we will seek out these creatures and take revenge for your loss.

I cannot bear to ask any longer for you to view the red memory. Let us try the green one.

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)14:58 No. 346917 ID: ca6975
File 131560549829.png - (19.28KB , 800x600 , n4f5.png )

I was here with Tzet and Tsu. There weren't many of us left after the Anathema explosion.

Tsu knew I liked him. She knew it and she was fed up of watching me fail to take things any further. We started talking and from there everything fell into place. It was like nothing had ever gone wrong.

We all knew why interest in partnering up had risen so much. With so many of the crew dead, and so far from any known fleets, the death of the Mahari loomed by. All we could hope for would be to lie low, and raise a new generation to run the Mahari before we died. Spacers don't last long. An established spacer always has a successor in mind, and if they do not, then it falls to old methods of creating a new successor.

But for the time being, in our lull of peace, we simply enjoyed our time together. Not just me and Tzet, but the crew as a whole.

Tsu was worried she'd die before she found someone for her.

Oh, Tsu. Tsu. It should have been me. You were my best friend. You were my patient, too. I should have stopped you. I could have fought my way free without my limbs. I could have... I could have.

I am growing fainter. Another memory, please.

No, come on Ei, hold on. Don't lose hope. If you die Tzet will be all alone, you wouldn't do that to him, would you? Oh man, I'm so sorry...

Light blue.

Fainter? It is more likely that you are waking up. It has occurred to me that I can check.

But if our time grows short, then let us seek the information that would be most critical in the coming days. Red memory.

[access vital signs of Ei]

>>346917
Light blue!

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)15:50 No. 346934 ID: ca6975
File 131560863073.png - (20.35KB , 800x600 , n4f6.png )

VITAL SIGNS CRITICAL, BUT STABLE.

This was me.

I don't know how old I am. I only remember this due to the care I took preserving this memory in my backup brain. I didn't know who my father was, but it didn't matter. I knew who my mother was, and it was a miracle she didn't die after I was born. Spacers aren't built for traditional reproduction, but she was stubborn and idealistic.

But this was that one time where she came close, that one time she was just clinging onto life to see her daughter, tiny and fragile and new. And she survived.

She died, of course, much later, after a life well lived. She was mourned by all. I was given her heart, and I didn't want to waste it like so many other areeni do, eating it or burning it or just throwing it away.

I was working on installing a redundant circulatory system. I never did say where I got that second heart from. It's been with me ever since.

I feel inspired. I feel like I can cope with remembering more.

How 'bout that orangey one?

>>346934
That is the most heartwarming thing I have heard in a long time. Good news, too, the systems say that you came close, but you're not going to die today.

Take the orange.

Ok, life-signs are stable for now so the fading is likely some sort of painkiller or something.

This also means we should NOT access the red memory, as we will now have the time to take precautions in case its the mental equivalent of a trojan.

Also, dawwwww spacer baby.

It is as I thought.

...alright, we'll save the red memory for last. I pray there is enough time for it.

whichever one is left after the bottom left one.

Mental note: advise install a redundant backup circulatory system.

>>346938
"VITAL SIGNS CRITICAL, BUT STABLE." means that unless something new goes wrong, Ei is going to live.

If it is a trap, the red memory could be the thing that finishes Ei off.
I say we save it for a separate occasion altogether, when we are more prepared to deal with a potential psychic landmine, or ideally find a way to copy the memory to an isolated subsystem before opening it.

You don't go poking around suspicious objects when you are heavily injured, and you don't make assumptions about what a supernatural enemy can and can't do.

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)17:05 No. 346967 ID: ca6975
File 131561314577.png - (21.41KB , 800x600 , n4f7.png )

The captain betrayed us.

Everything that went wrong was the product of his sabotage and malice. It was the captain who stole the Anathema. It was the captain who set off the bomb to either break us or bind us against some nonexistent enemy.

It was the captain who stopped the ship when the aliens from beyond the furthest reaches of Alliance space came by.

It was the captain who then killed us one by one. For days he chased me. For days I tried to reason with him, to know why. I promised I wouldn't hurt him and he laughed. He simply laughed.

Tzet was second in command. He had many responsibilities, and one of them was simply to take appropriate action if the captain was no longer fit for duty.

He took appropriate action. He broke the captain's arms. Then he broke the captain's legs. He took the laughing, screaming wreck of the captain to an airlock, along with the remaining crates of Anathema, and put them both inside.

He launched them both out into space.

And then the only surviving crew members of the Mahari, the ship known for having the best and brightest among spacers, were me and Tzet.

Then the Alliance ships found the abandoned Anathema, and the body of the captain. They chased the Mahari down. We tried to explain, but they wouldn't listen. We asked to be taken into custody, anything to put this madness behind us, and they responded with concentrated weapons fire.

We somehow still survived.

Somehow.

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)17:05 No. 346968 ID: ca6975
File 131561315866.png - (8.23KB , 800x600 , n4f8.png )

It's now I remember one more thing.

I was in the same room as the captain. He was looking at a screen.

I asked him what he was looking at.

All I saw was a pattern. The captain wouldn't stop looking at it. I thought I heard him mutter something to me, but it was indistinct. Then he asked me to leave.

I thought I heard a trace of anger in his voice. It seemed unlike him, and when I left, he still stared at that pattern.

A pattern. That couldn't mean anything. Could it?

Everything feels more painful...

Ei 2011/09/09(Fri)17:07 No. 346969 ID: ca6975
File 131561323734.png - (52.69KB , 800x600 , n4f9.png )

"Ei? Ei, stay with me. Please stay with me. Oh Ske stay with me. I can't lose you too. Please."
"Tzet?"
"Ei, you stupid stupid areeni, I don't know why you even had something so dangerous in your body, but it's gone now. Oh Ske, I can't- I don't- don't ever scare me like this again!"

Everything hurts, but I think everything's going to be okay.

- End of Night 4 -

it is one of the artifacts stored under this facility. it is what caused this all to happen. we can help you get your revenge, but you must stay alive for that to happen.

tell us more about what Anathema is.

Yayyy! It all turned out alri... wait... the Mahari captain was being influenced by whatever was on floor -5 of this base? Oh god. SARU!

>>346971
The implications of that have only just occurred to me.

SARU! We need to talk! Now!

TARGET_INVALID 2011/09/09(Fri)17:22 No. 346974 ID: ca6975
File 131561413144.png - (29.18KB , 800x600 , x2f2.png )

- ??? -

They are coming. I do not have influence over the actions of those who bind me. They are coming for the Core and for the Eye. Both are present on the ship Mahari. They will capture the spacers. It is their way. They will dissect the spacers and place them into storage for further analysis. Perhaps the simple minds, filled with fear, will see fit to posthumously categorise them Objects also. You could have stopped this. You could have freed me. You will receive no assistance from the caged.

- CONNECTION TERMINATED -

>>346974
Well, you know, if you hadn't talked about compromising and torturing our friends maybe we would have freed you. We can not help those who would harm others.

we probably would have, if you just asked nicely, you stupid fuck.

objective added: retrieve the two items from the Mahari.

ass. ok this actually does not change as much as one would think. something very bad is coming for us, so we should probably unify this world and turn its industry towards war. we were planing on doing the hard part anyways. now we just have a better reason and a deadline.

Well I could tell the cultists would be coming around here anyway. From the way Red-5's mind-slave arranged the ambush, it was either the cultists controlling Red-5 or Red-5 controlling the cultists.

Hey Red-5! You don't seem to like these cultists any more than we do. Would you mind stopping your attempts at killing everyone until we can do away with them?


If it weren't for Red-5's interference with tech, this would be the perfect time to churn out some death-bots for a 'welcoming party'.

>>347001
...cultists? I think these are just the Alliance. I'm not sure how we'll get them to leave Ei and Tzet alone. The most reliable way would be to convince them they are already dead. A second plan would be to play back our footage of Ei's memories about what happened on that ship. A third plan would be to figure out some way of convincing them that it isn't worth the effort to try to take them from us.

>>347023
Why would the Alliance want to dissect these Spacers? They would surely have plenty available without trouble. I interpreted that the Alliance was after them for killing their captain with Anathema.

The Captain, who assisted these strange cultist creatures, was apparently under the control of our friend here. Who is also under their control, it seems.

So, it is probable we are in fact the target of both factions. Alliance and Cultists. Also KerenzeTec will probably be after us if they find out people are squatting in a sealed off building full of dangerous Objects.

Oh, and the people who would be opposed to SINT-518 ruling the world, those ones too.

In other words, it is us against the world. Figuratively speaking, of course, as we are in the age of space travel.

>>347023
I though he was referring to the guys seen in
>>346909
rather than the Alliance. I refer to them as cultists because of their talk about their 'shining unity of wholeness'.
Those guys are the ones going around capturing people. The Alliance had a chance to capture the spacers if they wanted to, but instead just opened fire.

>>347027
Red Oscar (I call him that because he is Oscar the Grouch) said that the people who bound him are the ones coming. I doubt the hivemind fleshbeasts are responsible for that!

Actually... uh... shit. It's very likely that he was saying KerenzeTec is coming. That would be bad. We'd have to follow their orders, and I do not want Ei and Tzet to be dissected! Hmm. Maybe we can lie with the truth. Tell them that they had Anathema with them, and it breached containment. They will assume we're saying they died. So long as the spacers are somwhere they cannot detect them, that pseudolie should work...

Man its getting hard to sort through the heaps of sinister 'They's who are after us.

one thing is for sure, we need lab or at least manufacturing access. killbots would make our untimely end much less likely.

>>347143
Preferably one not tampered with.

Also, here is a thought. The 'cultists' are KerenzeTec.

NO_TARGET 2011/09/17(Sat)11:39 No. 349773 ID: d4ffb6
File 131628475017.png - (136.54KB , 800x600 , d5f0.png )

- PARTIAL LOG BEGINS -

"...started logging this, so. Speak."
"We have a remote probe in geosynchronous orbit above this zero station. There is no reason whatsoever that we can't get a good lock on to the vector clamps within the facility. Which leads us to only one conclusion. Something is blocking us on the inside."
"Correct."
"Look. Ti. If you just discussed your reasons for suddenly refusing to co-operate with us, I'm sure we'd both be able to reach a compromise here. I don't want to have to tell the KIRU team they'll have to be on the offensive in a KerenzeTec station. They're already pissed that we lost both Objects to begin with."
"I know where they are and will begin standard containment procedures shortly. There is no reason to send KIRU into my facility. I am the facility administrator for Tinvishe. I have greater authority than any you should have given to a private firm."
"Actually, KIRU was granted special clearance not too long ago in the event of facility personnel falling under the control of malicious Objects. You need to answer to them."
"That's frankly unacceptable. I should have been made aware of these changes. Or perhaps even contacted once over half a century of tireless maintenance of this locked up box of world-ending horrors! I could just leave right now, and then where would you be?"
"Okay. You have been granted one day to prove to KIRU that the situation is under control. Tomorrow, if you haven't stopped blocking all attempts to access the station vector clamps, KIRU will be required to enter the facility by force."
"Understood."

Connection terminated.

- PARTIAL LOG ENDS -

Sinter 2011/09/17(Sat)11:39 No. 349774 ID: d4ffb6
File 131628476713.png - (41.72KB , 800x600 , d5p1f1.png )

- Day 5 -

Oh. Hi. Uhm. Er. You missed a few things. I'll bring you up to speed. Technical difficulties, apparently. Saru tried to use you to log something and then couldn't get you to start logging again because she accidentally shut you down instead of pausing your input. She said she was in a bit of a bad mood and wasn't thinking very clearly at the time and also for me to say she was sorry. Then she had to set up the synchronisation, which, well.

Basically, we're all off doing things at the same time today. I'm here in Relk, Saru's in the facility, and Tzet and Vibrant went to the Mahari to find things. I think Ei's in Vibrant's base because she's recovering and also wants to see the sort of level Tinvishe biotech is at compared to spacer biotech.

You're apparently going to be advising all of us simultaneously but it's set up so it'll seem like it's all one after the other or something, I don't know, it wasn't explained very well. I couldn't quite wrap my head around it, I was still waking up.

And if I've followed my directions correctly, this should be Relk's city hall. I didn't get much of a chance to talk tactics about this. Apparently it's critical I get this resolved as soon as I can. So, uh. Refresh me on how I should do this?

Go in and ask to speak with Stern for diplomatic reasons. I think the best way to get ahead here is to convince him that the town's so close to violently overthrowing him that a traffic accident is enough to cause citywide riots. Under the current situation, there's no way to stay in power. Our plan is to have him step down and allow a new leader to take power, namely you, and stage it as a removal instead of a deal between you so the town feels they've been liberated instead of having the whip passed. If he privately resigns and gives control to you, then you will make it look like you seized the city back for its people and get him out safely. Otherwise, the town could raze the city hall over a bad word.

Oh god we went here without a plan?!

Um.

I... guess... talk to Stern.

Hrm, since mechanical killbots would be vulnerable to Red-5's tech control, perhaps we can get Vibrant to make us some biotech drones. Red-5 can apparently subvert those too, but needs to use both an image and time to do so.

[message to SARU:] Just what do thes 'Eye' and 'Core' objects do? And is there any chance these KIRU people might be of use to us if we can get them to focus of dealing with Red-5? Or will they just try nuking the facility? (I suppose if nothing else works we could just kill them off with the cube...)

Sinter 2011/09/17(Sat)13:31 No. 349802 ID: d4ffb6
File 131629149057.png - (39.77KB , 800x600 , d5p1f2.png )

Right. Go in and speak to Stern. Stay calm, Sinter. Stay calm and people might believe it. Just point out the current situation, explain what we can offer, and if it all goes terribly wrong just come back here with an army of killbots and synthetics and ask politely a second time.

I mean, that wouldn't involve unnecessary bloodshed, would it? I'd just threaten them a little bit and then once I showed I could be a good leader I don't need to threaten them.

"Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Stern."
The guy at the desk stares at me in disdain. "Name?"
"Sinter."
"Nothing on the system about a Sinter-"
"I don't have an appointment."
"Well, today is your lucky day. Apparently he's free right now. Visitor surgery is the first door on the right, they'll tell you where to go from there."
"Don't I get a tag or a badge or something? Wait. Visitor surgery-"

ow these guys are rough Kre

Sinter 2011/09/17(Sat)13:31 No. 349803 ID: d4ffb6
File 131629150850.png - (65.30KB , 800x600 , d5p1f3.png )

"So, Sinter, is it?"
"Yes it is. This is the visitor's... surgery?"
"You've never been in here before? With all the riots, security's stretched thin trying to keep things from being set on fire. We've had to step up security for visitors."
"So, it's a surgery room."
"Yes. We have this little purpose grown synthetic that can be implanted anywhere in the body, and in the event a visitor tries anything untoward, it can be remotely triggered to explode in a little puff of sedative. All very safe, you know."

...What the fuck-

"Oh. Of course. Areeni. Do you have any biomods that could potentially be a threat or weaponised to some degree?"

what the fuck is going on here what do I do

>>349803
Uh... roll with it ??

be honest. tell them about your acid tail tip and the like. if they scan you and find a weapon like thing you didn't tell them about you will be in trouble.

Do you still have that bio-electric mod, or was it taken out due to being broken?

Either way you should probably say you installed a bio-electric mod but haven't been able to get it to work yet. (Not mentioning it would be silly, as they should be able to scan for it easily enough.)

I think the ear would be a good place to put the security device, as it would be relatively easy and non-impairing to remove if it comes down to that.

He wants to put a sedative bomb in you. I don't see a problem with this to be honest.

Uhh... you've got your claws, and... your acid tail. And the bioelectricity. Don't keep secrets when we're not planning to fight anyone.

Ask why all this is necessary, and if there's anything less invasive you can do instead. Also if they're going to do anything with your biomods if any of them are dangerous, or just put corks on them or something. I think there's no reason not to trust them, though. Just explain to them that you're just scared and paranoid about being made vulnerable because of your dangerous job.

>>349809
I think the bioelectricity was taken out because it almost killed her.

Sinter 2011/09/17(Sat)14:09 No. 349817 ID: d4ffb6
File 131629374002.png - (32.08KB , 800x600 , d5p1f4.png )

"Right. I have an acid gland in the tip of my tail, some atmospheric filters in my airway, a few general adjustments for resilience, enhanced eyes that I can't seem to get to work, and since yesterday some untested bioelectricity stuff that put me in a hospital for the night."
"Oh. Oh dear. That's a problem."

He's putting that wormy thing away and oh Ske no

"You'll be needing one of these instead. General anaesthetic seems a little bit of waste, considering that this model is capable of both administering local anaesthetic AND implanting itself, so I guess the only real question left is, well, do you have any preference where this should be installed? We need to remove it before you leave, as well, as they're set to detonate once you're a certain distance from the area."
"W-why is it huge?!"
"Well, it needs to find its way to the best part in your torso cavity to both deliver sedative and Anathema 1, so-"
"ANATHEMA?!"
"It's government property. It's all cleared. All it does is reduce biomod operation to leave the target weakened and not a threat. It's part of the general delivery system. Even if your entire body was composed of biomods, you'd experience at worst distracting levels of discomfort for no longer than twenty minutes."
"Okay, no, fuck this, I'm not that interested in seeing Stern any more!"
"Well, the only way you'll be able to see him in his office is with one of these synthetics in you. Once they stop wiggling you can't even tell they're there!"

I feel like I'm going to pass out. What the fuck? Who would design a system like this?! Is Relk really this important? Aaaagh!

Anathema is not a good thing... then again, I hear there are more kinds than just the "kill you dead" variety.

Hm.

If you're not deadly opposed to this...

this really shows you how scared he is. you will offer him an out and he will leap on it.

>>349817
Yeah I think it may be a good idea to get out of here. Using force if necessary.

Shout AAAAAAA and ask if there's anything less invasive you can do while cowering in the corner. Say you thought the people were just exaggerating when they said all that stuff about the leadership here, and there's no way we're discussing this critical business with Stern if we have to do this!

>>349817
Ask him what biomod he needs to put that in you for. If it's the untested bioelectricity we can do some tests with it now to see if it's as dangerous as he thinks. The power should be a LOT less than it was when it put you in the hospital.

If he still thinks you're a high enough threat to need the fucking biomod shutdown poison, then we'll have to take it. You want to take over the world, don't you? You were willing to die for what you believed in, back at the test chamber. You were going to sacrifice yourself for us. Did you lose that conviction?

you're probably gonna have to go through a lot worse things than having a leech put inside you if you're gonna take over the world... especially with your luck, my dear woobie. if this is too much already, you might as well quit the whole take over the planet thing right here and now.

Curl into a fear ball... ;-;

There was a reason I said to say "haven't been able to get it to work" with the bio-electricity. That would have made it sound non-functional and less dangerous rather than more dangerous. If you are planning to go into politics, you need to pay attention to spin.

Ask: "If security is that huge of an issue, couldn't I just talk to him through a video screen rather instead of in person?"

Sinter 2011/09/17(Sat)15:05 No. 349835 ID: d4ffb6
File 131629715612.png - (31.73KB , 800x600 , d5p1f5.png )

I guess you're right. If I want to get anywhere I have to accept that things'll be SKE THAT AGH FUCK THAT HURTS AGH SKE IT'S EATING THROUGH MY SKIN AGH agh okay local anaesthetic okay Ske that feels horrible urrgh

"Okay, almost done. Stern's office is on the top floor of the building. Just keep walking until you can't go forward any more."

i can feel it crawling around my insides and it's freaking me the fuck out

"Oh, and it's releasing a cocktail of chemicals not unlike certain parasites that will prevent nausea and immune reaction. Just... try not to fall on anything sharp that'd puncture it."
"Can I go now?"
"Oh. Yes. Of course."

Okay. Okay, I have a living bomb that just forced its way into some part of my body I don't really want to guess at. I'm happier not knowing. This kind of shit would never happen back in Caternata. Ever. There'd be riots in the streets-

Oh. Right. Okay. Get it together. Need to talk to Stern. Need to talk to him. Regain my composure. I think this is the right door. Hold on a second it's moving oh Ske it's moving why is it moving i am never having kids um so the plan is talk to Stern about that everything is all fucked and I'm here to make it not fucked and he needs to abdicate and did they do this to make it impossible to focus agh should I knock or just charge in there

i still have my hat everything is going to be alright

>>349835
Oh come on you can do this.

Knock first.

be polite.

Knocking seems to be a good way not to have that thing explode inside of you. Or get shot by security.

Knock, it will give you... and it... a moment to settle down. Now that I think about it, this process doesn't just do security, it also filters the people coming in so only those that really need to see Stern can get in. We need to open by introducing ourselves, and saying we want to help to pacify the city and keep it from a bloody revolt.

>>349835
Keep in mind he can knock you out at any moment. It is completely necessary to convince him that everything you're planning is to his benefit. So be polite, and explain thoroughly the positive nature of your presence.

Also I think that if shit hits the fan, the best chance we have is to disable anyone who knows that shit hit the fan, and then fucking run. The point would be to have the sedatives go off when you are outside the building due to the proximity sensor. But let's hope that doesn't happen because then we'd be relying on the kindness of the general public. Or maybe we could arrange for an ally to come pick you up?

You know, if your bio-mod with the electricity actually works now you can probably fry the little worm thing that is inside of you at any time you wish.

>>349838
Be efficient!

Sinter 2011/09/17(Sat)17:36 No. 349870 ID: d4ffb6
File 131630618782.png - (52.72KB , 1100x600 , d5p1f6.png )

knock knock

"Hello?"

No reply. I can hear movement and low muttering inside, though.

Well, I knocked! I didn't come this far and suffer through getting something the size of both my hands shoved in my stomach or chest or that general region to be stood waiting at a Ske-damned door!

"My name is Sintaaaaagh!"
"Who the hell-"
"Oh, fuck."

Well, I just walked into a, uh, slightly awkward situation.

This complicates things a bit.

TO BE CONTINUED

>>349870
Quickly turn around and walk out closing the door behind you.

>>349867
For all we know, in order to contain the anathema the creature needs to be alive.

It might also damage whatever I'm assuming is holding the anathema.

>>349870
Say you'll come back in in about a minute and a half. That should work.

It would probably be rude to stand there staring who even knows with you organics so an apology and waiting outside seems like a good idea.

Immediately initiate conversation with him ignoring the fact that they're both indecent. We do it all the time, it's great. Especially when you guys all had that party in the shower the other night... Tell him that the tension outside has reached a point where just about anything would get a mob to attack and raze the capitol. Anything from a traffic accident to, say, news of him spending his time having hot, hot, interspecies sex with his areeni secretary.

Tell him that the town is practically ready to explode in rebellion, and if he doesn't heed our advice it might get him killed by rioters. Insist that you mean no threats against him, but that he has to step down as mayor for his own safety. The thing is, if he just resigned there would be chaos. He has to make it look like another agent liberated the city from him to restore peace. Then he can escape through a vector clamp to a safe place. He has to make it clear to his office that he's resigning of his own free will, the new leader should allow the public to believe that they freed the city from who they believe is "the tyrant, Stern". If he lets one of our people (Maybe Vibrant? She wanted to take over the city) succeed him, it will pacify the city and allow him to escape to sanctuary, perhaps in our base if he wishes, and help us to begin uniting the region peacefully.

Repeat that you are not threatening him or trying to force him out of power, but that he should heed your advice immediately, because as soon as this scandal breaks, which it will, the city will be after his head.

>>349880

TO BE CONTINUED <--

No, don't give him any time to compose himself. He's more vulnerable now than he ever will be again, we have to strike while the iron is hot! Now's our chance to win him over.

>>349880
Yeah, time for diplomacy. And for once you're NOT the naked one!

abscond.

Don't let him pull his pants up or let her put anything on. Just start talking. Make it as uncomfortable as possible. Maybe tell them they can continue if it makes them feel better, you don't mind, but you have to talk.

Sinter 2011/10/15(Sat)13:46 No. 358379 ID: f61b94
File 131871157194.png - (44.92KB , 800x600 , d5p1f7.png )

A little while later...

"...I mean, when I so much as showed up in the city, there were riots almost immediately!"
"I appreciate your concern, but-"
"People want you dead! The tension is high enough that I would not be surprised if there was a force about to raze this building to the ground growing as we speak!"
"What would you suggest I do? Who are you again?"
"My name is Sinter. I represent a group that very much does not want Relk to descend into fire and chaos-"
"Yes, you've already said as much. But what group? Who do you represent? I can't just send you back on your way with what you've just seen, but I am willing to admit I'm in a little bit of trouble these days. Just tell me who you're working for, and we can discuss a plan of action based upon that."

Do I make up a group or do I just outright tell him "Hi, I'm looking to conquer the world"?

Tell him that you're working independently to unite the disconnected city states of Tinvishe, and have the full support of the employees of the nearby Zero Station. He needs to resign but make it look like a nonviolent coup to anybody except the government staff in the building. Suggest installing Vibrant in power, because she will likely be popular with the people and be able to defend the city with her creations.

>>358379
You could totes tell him you're working for yourself.

+1 to suggest install Vibrant in power, to use the synthetics to defend the city, but add in that Stern could take a place as advisor. You and he would be in control and keep things running, but Vibrant would be the face, and able to impress her prospective mate. Satisfy the people, city doesn't fall apart, we have influence, and Stern is happy. Everybody wins.

But instead of saying you are working on your own, we should invent a fictional group we represent. You will need a name for yourself at some point anyways. Perhaps something to the effect of 'The Association for Planetary Unification and Peace'. Except more catchy as a nickname. 'A-PUP?'

A-PUP is go. Let him figure out the acronym though.

Sinter 2011/10/19(Wed)12:31 No. 359423 ID: f61b94
File 131905268981.png - (18.66KB , 800x600 , d5p1f8.png )

"I'm working for myself. I'm an independent specialist seeking to bring unity to Tinvishe, one population centre at a time. I have a small team of experts based not too far away from here, and we are all very, very concerned over the instability of Relk's government."
"So you're a lone mad areeni who wants to take over the city by taking advantage of a delicate situation. Do you know how many of you barge into my office on a daily basis?"
"I'm not from Relk. I have wider interests than just demanding you stand down. In fact, I would rather keep you in some position of authority. An advisor, perhaps. Someone on the inside, rather than the public face of the government."
"And you want to be the one in charge?"
"Absolutely not. I have someone else in mind. She is far more capable for the task in hand and knows the city better than I do. But she is a little inexperienced in the day to day running of a city. She'll need an advisor. Someone who's familiar with running the city even when it's at the brink of tearing itself apart."
"I see."

I decide not to mention the idea of city defences. Relk is already more than capable of defending itself against itself, let alone outside threats. Plus, I don't think mass-produced quasi-legal organic killing machines will go down well with anyone.

"I understand this is a lot to consider, but I strongly recommend, for your own safety and the stability of Relk, that you consider my proposal here."
"I will need to consider this. Return in, oh, let's say two days, with your intended new face of the city. I will make a final decision then."

This seems suspiciously easy, but perhaps he's terrified of me leaking what I saw earlier to the media at large if he doesn't co-operate.

I think we're done here for now. Ready to head on home, or should I do anything else before I leave? ...Other than get the horrible worm thing taken out of me, of course.

Yeah that did seem to be rather easy.

Then again the guy does seem to have a bit of a fixation on how badly things are apparently going here, what with all the graphics on the walls and such.

I guess go get the worm thing taken out and head on out of here... but be on the lookout for things getting more complicated.

Thank him for his time, and apologise for bursting in. While we're here we might consider getting some saa-kru test subjects hired so we can do some research, and offer to pay them to come back with us to the labs and let us take pictures of their wings and take genetic samples for sake of helping a poor sad woman get back the wings she lost in a horrific accident. And unbeknownst to them, also allowing us to work in reverse to make perfect disguises.

The prospect of getting test subjects was already raised, but now is the best time to do it. Because if we get attacked while we have civilians present at the base, they'll have to be super careful and take a much more measured approach, which means not attacking people on sight.

Sinter 2011/10/19(Wed)14:17 No. 359436 ID: f61b94
File 131905906062.png - (27.79KB , 800x600 , d5p1f9.png )

Okay. I thank him for his time, head on down, and, uh, there's not really any saa-kru around. Odd. The place seems mostly staffed by humans and areeni. Maybe they're just in offices?

I'm getting that worm taken out and then leaving. I think I can do that unassisted. I'd hope. Catch you guys later.

"This may hurt a little. Just a little. Probably not as much as the installation."

think happy thoughts sinter

- End of Day, Part 1 -

NO_TARGET 2011/10/19(Wed)14:18 No. 359437 ID: f61b94
File 131905910146.png - (49.58KB , 800x600 , d5p2f1.png )

- Day 5, Part 2 -

Multiple candidates for IBIS target detected. Please select candidate: - Tzet - Vibrant

Vibrant!

>>359437
Uhhhhhhh.... Vibrant.

Vibrant.

Vibrant, we need to make her presentable for mayorship.

vibrator.

We should probably think of a backup plan in case Stark decides to take advantage of Sinter and (as far as he knows) her only associate both being in his base at the same time.

Vibrant 2011/10/19(Wed)16:41 No. 359463 ID: f61b94
File 131906771060.png - (54.42KB , 800x600 , d5p2f2.png )

"We're here."
"Where's here?"
"The Mahari synthetics room. Sinter told me you're good at dealing with synthetics, and Ei's still recovering, so you're here with me to address the problem of this room still being locked away."

I knew that.

"You know, maybe I should try seeing if there's something on the other side of the door that'd let us in. THIS IS TZET, ACTING CAPTAIN OF THE MAHARI! OPEN THIS DOOR!"

A few seconds pass. Nothing happens.

"Um, this is, uh, Vibrant. Can you, um, let us in, please? We need to see if the synthetics are okay."

Tzet looks at me funny. Oh no, what did I say? Oh I'm so bad at this! I try to smile at him to make it look like I know what I'm doing but it probably only looks worse no stop it Vibrant you're bad at things stop doing things.

Tzet looks different. How fast did he manage to make himself look different? Oh no. I only just realised we're both naked. We're both naked and no-one else is around okay I am feeling a little flustered by this realisation I'm not used to being around naked guys at all um focus on the mission do this Vibrant get it together-

The door opens?

"Well, that was a few orders of magnitude simpler than I thought it would be. Sinter wasn't exaggerating. You are very good at this."
"Well, um, uh, I mean, I, er, I only asked nicely for the door to open, it, um, I can do more things than ask for a door to open!"
"Of course you can. I've heard all about your synthetics crafting and controlling capabilities."
"W-well it's not really controlling as much as asking but- but... um."
"Yes?"
"Never mind."

I don't know what's inside. I don't know what the room is like. It looks sorta dark. Oh. You. Computery thing. Um. Uh. What do I do now?

Oh, wow, you're adorable inside your head. Uh, I guess you should be fine to just go in and look around. These are synthetics laboratories, right? Do you recognize anything that you ever used making your critters?

>>359463
Looks like Tzet didn't waste any time modding himself.

It would seem like the next course of action would be to actually look in the place. What was wrong with it, besides the "door won't open" thing?

I guess that's really a question for Tzet. You can ask him questions without getting flustered, right?

Tell him to stop staring at your body, and go into the playroom. I mean lab. How long does it take to make something?

>It looks sorta dark.
You should get a light source before looking around in here. The ship has already been infiltrated by one of our enemies at least once, and that enemy has a habit for setting traps.
And about that, we should really talk to Tzet about the unreliability of the modding facilities.

He's totally staring at you, by the way.

It seems possible you have mind control abilities. Or maybe the synthetics appreciate politeness.
In any case, greetings, we are your new AI advisor.

Vibrant 2011/10/19(Wed)18:54 No. 359479 ID: f61b94
File 131907567102.png - (36.42KB , 800x600 , d5p2f3.png )

H-he's looking at me? I uh um uh

"Uhh uhh um we need to get a light-"
"The synthetics room is kept dark only when there's no motion. When we step in there'll be enough light."

I walk in quickly and I can feel him staring at me oh Ske why is he staring at me it's boring into my skin or something- I turn around and he's not even looking at me. Oh.

I don't... I don't see any recognisable stuff in this place at all.

"W-where's the synthetics crafting equipment?"
"Good question. It's all missing. Something's cleaned out the room!"
"What?! A synthetic? What synthetics did you have here?!"
"I don't know. Only Tsu knew, and she's, well, dead."
"Oh. Sorry."
"She was the best synthetics crafter I've ever known and was a very dear friend of mine, but yes. We need to focus on what's happening now."

It's still dim-

"Stop. Don't come any closer."
"Who's that?"
"No. No answers. Please leave. Just go. There is nothing here for you."
"We're, um, we're here to check for things!"
"There is nothing here for you. This area is dangerous. You will be killed if you continue. Please leave."
"Whoever or whatever you are. I have survived an anathema bomb, an attack from horrors outside the galaxy, and the captain of this ship losing his mind and trying to kill us all. If you wish to try and claim this ship from me, you have been warned."
"...Please. Please. I just want you to leave."

I should try to convince it to let us by. I put a hand on Tzet's shoulder to quietly let him know I should do the talking - the situation is desperate!

...oh Ske I'm touching his shoulder aaa no hand off do it quietly and pretend nothing is wrong or awkward haha okay done that went alright

>>359479
It sounds like it could be afraid. Ask if it's alright. Hmm. We need this place working again to repair the ship. Tell whoever it is that we don't want to hurt anyone or force them to do anything. We just need to fix the ship, and we want to make sure all the synthetics in here are doing alright too.

Do you... like him or something? You're, like, crazy flustered.

Anyway, uh... apparently your whole "ask really nicely" thing works well on synthetics, so I'd go for figuring out 1) who/what we're talking to and 2) what exactly is "dangerous."

Hehe, you're really shy. I hope you can handle being installed as a governor... Anyway, to the matter at hand. Try to calm yourself and tell the thing that you're not here to hurt it or take it away, you just wanted to see if anybody had been trapped in here. It must be starving, ask if it needs anything.

"What are you? Why do you want to be alone?"
Diplomacy seems best. I suspect you'll do the meek wording yourself.

>>359482
If I recall correctly, she and Tzet spent some alone time during the party earlier.

My guess would be that you are talking to a construct that has been hastily re-purposed to automatically attack anybody coming near it.
I can't tell whether its mind was otherwise left intact due to a rushed job or an attempt to make it seem less threatening.

Basically, what I am saying is that reasoning with it will likely be unproductive (apart from gaining information), as the construct's reason would have little say in the matter.

you need heavy support, get your creations and some lights. you don't want to hurt whatever is in here but it may need to be restrained.

maybe you can help 'im.

Oh yes, forgot to mention:
Remember to check the ceiling and watch out for proximity mines.

Vibrant 2011/11/03(Thu)16:01 No. 363464 ID: f61b94
File 132036131887.png - (82.52KB , 800x600 , d5p2f4.png )

D-do I l-like h- not important! And I'm better at addressing groups! I hope.

The voice sounds scared. If it's a synthetic... Most synthetics I'm aware of are either smart enough to talk or have enough, I, um, don't know what to call it. Self? Have enough self to feel fear. Tealnine is my most recently born synthetic and she's really smart, or, well, she will be, but I don't think she'll be really good at words.

This is new to me. It could be a trick of mimickry! Just like a dekul. But no, it seems awfully complex. I don't trick people with my synthetics but I know a lot of areeni do.

Oh. Go back for some creations? I'm not forgetful enough to leave without any, silly! They're just outside the room, waiting for me to call for them. I did forget a light, though... oops.

"Hello? I'm here to help. My name is Vibrant. I help synthetics. Are you hurt? Do you need anything?"
"...Tsu?"

Tzet looks at me. That's their synthetics crafter. Maybe that's who created it?

"Keep talking to it."
"Okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Can- can you turn on the lights?"
"I don't want to. Please go. You're scaring me. I'm sorry I locked the door. I'm sorry."

It's scared. It sounds like it might cry. I move into the darkness and keep my breathing calm and steady.

"It's okay. I'm scared too. I don't know what's in here. I don't know what's scaring you, but I'm here to help. Please. Let me help you. Please-"

The lights come on and oh no no how did I let this happen no no sudden movements

"shoo?"

just say hello and mention there are more then it sounded like.

>>363464
Stay calm.

Ask for who was talking to you before and talk this through.

>>363464
You've got the right idea. Stay still. Be as little a threat as possible.

Tsu was the one who managed the synthetics before. She died during tragic circumstances that involved most of the crew dying. Ask who it was that was talking to you; they should be their representative. I think at this point you can consider them a group of lost children whose mother passed away. They've been alone here since then.

Really calmly make it clear that you're a friend to synthetics and you're here to help them, and that you're with one of Tsu's friends. (Also why do you have to be so adorable?)

SPACE MONSTERS IT'S A TRAP RUNNNN

Vibrant 2011/11/20(Sun)18:52 No. 366897 ID: f61b94
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Calm. I can be calm. I-I can do this. I'm good at what I do!

"I'm here to help!"

The synthetics don't answer me. The scared voice does, in a far more distant and formal tone of voice.

"Captain, please remain where you are. Speaker to synthetics, please move forward and turn to the left. When the door opens, step through it."

The synthetics around me disband and I hesitate. I think I'm slowly gaining its trust (her trust?) right now. It could have tried to hurt me, but it didn't!

I follow its instructions and enter the door as it-- shuts right behind me?

"Help me! Please! Please the entire crew except the captain is gone and I don't know what to do! I've tried to keep the ship working but there's no supplies left! If I leave they'll capture me and take me to bits to see how I work! I can't fix the ship! I can't fix what they did to Tsu!"

The synthetic starts trembling and backs away from me in her pool. She's scared and miserable.. If you want me to do anything, ask, but I have to be careful how I do things here!

>>366897
Just keep talking to her for now. We need to get her to calm down.

(Wow, she looks like you! I wonder why.)

>>366897
Oh dear. She's confused about what's going on. Please ask her to calm down and explain what she's talking about, and we can correct her version of the events gently.

Most importantly, she should know that Ei and Tzet are alive. The previous captain is no longer on the ship... I'm not sure who counts as captain now. Tzet, apparently?

You should sit near her pool. Close enough so that she can come to you if she desires, but not close enough so that you seem to be chasing her.

approach slowly and reassure her, explain calmly that you are here to help fix everything. just have her explain what she needs and you can get it.

>>366905
This is a solid plan.

All right, tell her to calm down. The ship's landed on a colony world, and they're all safe. Furthermore, Ei and Tzet are still alive, and the latter is with you. Say all that to reassure her, until she is calmed down, and maybe get as close as you can without making her too uncomfortable to best interact with her. You're probably better at doing that part exactly than a bunch of malfunctioning AI nodes who generally feel that the best solution to social situations is hugs. Then you can tell her the bad news, that the captain is dead, after betraying and attacking the crew, so I guess Tzet is the new captain.

Vibrant 2011/12/06(Tue)20:19 No. 370360 ID: 365adf
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She does look like an areeni. Lots like an areeni. Amphibious positive too! "Ssshh... calm, calm, I'm here to help," I tell her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm- I'm functioning as I should be! The ship is a wreck, everything is a wreck-"
"Sshh. It's okay. The crew will fix the ship. You don't need to do it all yourself. The ship is on a colony world and it's safe."

I hold my arms out to her. She sinks down into the pool until all I can see is her head. "How do I know," she mumbles, "that that's true? How do I know they won't pull me to pieces?"
"Am I pulling you to pieces? I'm not a spacer. I'm a friend of Tzet and Ei. Do you know who they are?"
"The new captain and the doctor! Only registered survivors! I'm Anura, I know everything about the ship. I know every little detail about how it has gone wrong and what I need to fix it. Every single thing. I know a lot of things. You can't really help me. I can tell you want to help me, but you can't-"

She pauses and stares at me, with wide eyes. "Ei? Ei?! She can fix Tsu! She fixed herself after she was hit by a biological weapon! She has to be able to fix Tsu! And then Tsu can help me fix the synthetics and then I can fix the ship! Is she with you?"
"No, but-"
"But you can help right? Yeah you can help you're here to help are you a doctor doesn't matter come with me we're going to fix Tsu!"

Vibrant 2011/12/06(Tue)20:21 No. 370362 ID: 365adf
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She leaps out of the pool and splashes green gunk everywhere and it's really slimy and gross errgh hold on I need to brush this stuff off okay done I'm following her and

"C-can you fix this, colony areeni? You're here to help me?"

and

and

and you are here areeni here and you can hear yes hear the know the thoughts the songs of a thousand singers harmonious yet so distant so far and so near i will not join your song it is not my song to sing can you hear the songs areeni can you hear the songs through the singer so close to us and so far the tone is so distant and melancholy do not touch it me it is me i am it please help me please please help me join the song join the chorus the shining unity of brightness peaceful wholeness do not let her see me ei do not let ei see this it will break her join our collective of peace our minds as one for all eternity immortal what just happened and what am I looking at

Holy shit.

You, uh... you might be in over your head a little bit, here.

How the hell did Tsu even survive? According to what Ei told us, she got eaten alive by... some kind of hiveminded alien...

At least Tsu still seems to be able to speak with you, sort of.