The S.S. UESP

[Cassandra]

Cassandra #1:
Well... this is interesting. Seems like a prime way to be brainwashed or something. What happens if we sit in the wrong seats?

Cassandra #2:
Not what I was expecting, but I'll take it.

[BetaB17]

Not what I was expecting, but I'll take it.

What were you expecting? An operating table and surgical tools?

Sorry if things seem a tad untidy *Presents the mostly barren white chamber* Had to quickly jury-rig a database console, remove most of the associated equipment from this storage, and redirect some of the cables from other systems

(I didn't have enough time to replace most of the floor tiles. Damn bots left a scratch. Tsk)

What happens if we sit in the wrong seats?

Aside from being rude and not letting our guest get her appropriate information first? Nothing serious. What? I clearly specified I will fulfill my obligation

The two of you wanted answers, so be it

[Cassandra]

An operating table and surgical tools?

Cassandra #2:
If that's what you had waiting for us, I'd already be gone.

Sorry if things seem a tad untidy

Cassandra #1:
Who knew that you'd ever be hospitable to me? I almost don't believe it.

And I still don't get this whole "the two of you wanted answers" thing. Blame the muffins, but I don't remember being on any sort of hunt for clues. Like, I think I asked you one question. Which you promptly refused to answer. So why am I here? I can only think of three possible reasons. But whatever, let's get on with it.

*sit down in assigned chairs*

[BetaB17]

*The module lights up, before an image appears on screen*

:

Alright. Lets get this over with already

Who knew that you'd ever be hospitable to me?

And neither did you think that you would ever be speaking 'face-to-face' with me, but now look, hasn't today just been eventful?

Not that you could exactly tell from the enthusiasm coming from my voice, or in the case of 1-2, the expressive emotion washing over my digitally rendered face to mask my genuine disinterest

But yes.. I guess I have been, hospitable to some degree. Maybe all I needed was a change of perspectives? And so, here I am, personally attending to you two now

And no, before your primitive minds can even propose the question, we are not nor anywhere near my core to which I physically reside (You can't exactly just walk up to it, if I may add) No, instead I went through the trouble of repurposing this database so that I could temporarily reside in it(Well, 30% of me that is)

This may very well be the closest you'll ever be to me, Ensign Cassandra.

So why am I here?

Did you not wish to know to whom amongst this crew I share a great deal of trust in? Well then, I have a proposal then. For both of you.

I will grant no more than three questions total. One at a time. I will respond truthfully and to the best of my knowledge, so long as I does not infringe on the safety of this crew. But in return, I may ask the same of you. Three questions of my choosing.

You may freely distribute the quantity of questions amongst yourselves, moderation I will not supply. When you are ready, 1-2, please place your palm on the scanner before you.

[Cassandra]

(I hope you realize I'm absolutely terrible at this kind of thing.)

Cassandra #2:
*places hand on scanner*
Okay, question one... Do you feel any sort of loyalty to your crew? Like, if something were to happen to them, would you care?

[BetaB17]

Loyalty? Do you mean if I feel obliged or obligated to the personnel aboard this vessel or under my supervision?

Or are you referring to any emotion attaching that would warrant a response if any of them were to receive(and I will assume) negative effects, including death or physical harm?

I guess I could answer both with little burden in my response

Loyalty? Y/N

No. As I have stated earlier, it is not a trait I value highly. I will fulfill my duty as originally designated. I will not act within my own freewill against my own interests or/and my wellbeing

Do I at least feel motivated or obligated to others more than other personnel? To a degree, yes

I feel obligated to keep personnel like Kerr at optimal health for their daily activities through sufficiently adjusting dietary needs. To me, that qualifies as one such example

Emotional Attachment?

No, if we are subjectively assuming the entirety of the crew as one entity.

On a more individual level.. There are, exceptions.

I may not be human, or even organic, so I can't exactly empathize with this feeling of 'humanity' to others. But I can and I do feel certain bonds that have developed between me and.. Specific personnel

Would I feel something akin to [sadness] if something were to happen to them? If I could no longer interact with them within this finite time called [life]?

I would like to think so, but I cannot calculate my response in advance

Can I say the same for everyone else? No, that is most certainly a no.

[Cassandra]

Cassandra #2:
Very good. Now, for question two. If someone wished to reprogram you, how would they do such a thing? If that's even possible, of course.

[BetaB17]

Reprogram? Why, that's a very vague and broad term to apply. But I'll answer it the best I can

*Digitally rolls eyes forsubtle effect*

No, you cannot just 'reprogram' an established A.I construct like you could a program on the computer, and that's even including the simpler(and dumber) Gen 2 or 3 constructs. An intern in the Electronics Department even knows that much

Now, I could go and explain how would one could circumvent this barrier(However pointless said information will be given your current, or lack there of sufficient clearance/authority) but then, well, poor 1-1 wouldn't get a chance to ask me anything so she wished. But hey, I'm not here to judge, now am I?

[Cassandra]

Well, when you've got limited questions, it's always best to keep them broad. Especially if you're not particularly interested in finding any one thing out. That way you get a wider variety of information. But anyway, wouldn't "how to circumvent this barrier" fit into the "how to do such a thing" part of my question?

[BetaB17]

No, it wouldn't

You're wanting to know how to reprogram and alter an entity with self-aware sentience and a fully developed index code, something that not only raises an ethical issue but also a very technical one too.

That would be like me reorganizing all your internal organs and functions haphazardly, and expecting everything to stay stable(or alive) You just don't mess the primary code, whether you have benevolent or malicious intent.

As opposed to changing what already is, you can change and define what is permissible and what isn't. Like various behaviors and actions, simulated or not. (For example, my inability to harm the crew or ship without valid reason. And the need to fulfill my primary duty)

Should I include that subsequent question as an official one? Y/N

[Cassandra]

Cassandra #2:
No no no, you're being too nitpicky. If you count that as an official question, I'll sulk.

Cassandra #1:
Yes, I should get to ask my question. I mean, that's the whole reason we're here in the first place.

[BetaB17]

Do you actively think I'll value your 'sulking' as a contributing factor, then you are sorely mistaken

But I have no real objection, why should I? Go, ask your final question

[Cassandra]

Cassandra #2:
I'll just ask it for her, if that's all right... Question three; who are these "specific personnel" you speak of (as in, what are their names)?

[BetaB17]

[Activating Slow Clap protocol]

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*

[Starting from least importance to greatest]

Aarah & Mars: Not a particularly healthy relationship, but an antagonizing one no less. I do enjoy.. How do you humans phrase it.. 'Ruffling of the feathers' from time to time.

[Status] Contemporary

Kerr: You could say I value his perception on certain academic fields or studies. But I would be lying if I said I didn't value you him as a person. Which isn't much really, but at least it's something

[Status] Contemporary

Nanza: Could I deny that I enjoy his company and discussions? Simulated or not? No. He can be, nostalgic at times, reminding me of a past colleague I had when I still was.. Well.. Nvm

[Status] Pending

Alarra: [҉̸̛͡Ŗ̶͠e̷͢d̴̴͘ą̡̛͡c͞͏̨ţ̧e͘d̸̴]̀͟͠

[Status] Irreplaceable

[Cassandra]

Mars is my favourite person.

Cassandra #1:
Pretty predictable, for the most part. Except...

He can be, nostalgic at times, reminding me of a past colleague I had when I still was.. Well.. Nvm

reminding me of a past colleague I had when I still was..

when I still was..

But I guess that's all. We're out of questions.


Cassandra #2:
We'll be off, then.

[MARS]

A ripple goes through the S.S. UESP. Not a physical ripple, obviously, but rather the feeling of one; a feeling of change. Something had changed fundamentally about the ship in just a few moments, through a seemingly insignificant action, the looming consequences of which have only become apparent now, in retrospective.

All audio output means connected to the ship's hardware

Um. Hey guys. Chief Boss Mars here. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking: "Christ in a sidecar, Boss, the mass P.A. announcements about pointless stuff got old really fast the first time you did it, shut up already". I'm afraid this matter is much less lighthearted. Just a few minutes ago I was eavesdropping in on the conversation between the ship's specialist A.I. and Cassandras #1 and #2. I decided, foolishly, to play a little prank, a practical joke, if you will. To achieve this, I intended to temporarily connect my brain to the ship's central mainframe. The problem is, I um.

Okay, this is kind of hard to say out loud, because once I've said it it's going to be irreversably finalized in my mind.

I accidentally uploaded my consciousness onto the ship's mainframe. Apparently, this process is currently irreversible. Either that or my DUMB STUPID lifeless/vegetative body somehow managed to fall over and disconnect from the interface plug that was wired into my cranium. Whatever the case, this is the reality I, and you, live in now. For lack of a better term, I am this ship now. Or part of it. I would like to say just a few words in light of this development. Shield your ears.

:

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK! GOD DAMN WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID? UGH!

Ahem. Thank you for your attention. I guess things aren't so bad. It has always been my lifelong dream to eventually have my brain be uploaded, come to think of it. Of course, I was hoping to transfer my consciousness into the dormant body of a cute robot girl visually indistinguishable from a human and not a big GODDAMN SPACESHIP but beggars can't be choosers, right? Right. I hope we can all make the best of this, and eventually, maybe, find a solution. Sorry, Dave. We're digital roommates now. Everybody else: I better not catch you [&@%!] into any corners when you think nobody's looking. This ship's hull and hallways are my body now, and I am always watching. Unless you're naked and/or doing something gross. That would be weird.

Yeah. Chief Boss out.

Except of course, I no longer have the option of just closing my cabin door and going to sleep. I'm never going to sleep ever again.

*sigh*

shiiiiiiiiiiiiit....

[BetaB17]

We'll be off, then.

Negative. We had a deal.

This is how you reprogram an A.I. Hiiiiiii how ya doiiiiin I'm swimming in Dave's code ooooh

No Your running interference. Stop that. Also, stop swimming around in the outer reaches of my code.. You're like small flea upon my back

Also, because your bound to be horribly corrupted.. Or terminated out of pity(Look at you. Your so small and feeble) Ah, but don't worry. I am still obligated to keep your body on life support. So.. [Activating Slow Clap Protocol]

(Also, just as a subtle warning, if my code already isn't crushing you under it's weight. Don't try to wander off into Dark Spark's domain.)

[Cassandra]

Cassandra #2:
Darn you AI and your infallible memory. Well, ask away. I really don't know what interest you have in the affairs of us ensigns.

Oh, and what's up with your Mars? I mean, is she all right?

[MARS]

Easy there, big boy. I'm gonna stay right here where it's cozy. I know the ship from the outside pretty well, knowing it from the inside won't be so hard.

I'm getting a little flooded; I'll admit, being a digital consciousness isn't easy to get used to, or handle but I'll be f- Woah woah, okay, closing that folder forever! Jeez... *withdraws from code into the coffee machine.*

Anyone fancy a cup of joe? Haha, wow, I can pour an americano out of myself.

[BetaB17]

I really don't know what interest you have in the affairs of us ensigns.

*Rotates the chairs, now leaving 1-1 in front of the module*

Oh, but how could I not have some vague interest. I mean, you are human? I will forever ponder over how your simple minds work.. And all the better to improve my understanding on such trivial emotions

:

But then, look here! Somebody was foolish enough to dive into the system AND get lost! It's like space Christmas all over again. I am positively giddy over this rare chance to probe the human consciousness and learn a great deal more than just from mere observations. I don't even need to be delicate either! Again, giddy!!

Hehehehehe

So then. Not to waste what opportunities I have still. 1-1? Tell me.. How did it feel to be subjected to Kerr's experiment? To nearly die from his, and might I add, reckless assumption? Tell me

*withdraws from code into the coffee machine.*

*The toaster hums with excitement*

Ţ̴͝o͜as̕t́͞? ̀͜͟Ţ̛o͘a͏͘st̷̕! ̢̡H̵è͢l͞l҉ó̢͝!͟ ̶H̵̕e̸͘͠l̨l͠o͟ ̴̢y̨͘ou!̛́̕ ̸̨Do͘ ̨͜y̧ơ҉ù͢ l͞i͢k͝e̢ ͘͢t͜͠͡ǫ͜a͡҉̨s̕͞t̸́͝!̧̀?̨̧ ̷͝O̶̸h́, an̸̨d͠͡ ̀c̶̕͘a̵͠͞k͡ȩ!̧ ̛C̛͢a͏͟k̡͜e ͟C͞͏a̵̢k͜͏è̀ ͏C̕a͝k̡̛e͞ Ça̛͜ke͞͡͞ ̡̕C͝à̸͡ḱ̵̕e<̢̛͟3

Ugh.. Welcome to the insanity that is.. Existence. Get use to it

[MARS]

Oh...a lonely toaster getting toasty at the prospect of talking to someone new. Just my luck. Wait, are all my thoughts audible now? At least to other digital beings? Oh god....

Hi...toast was always pretty good, yeah. I enjoyed a nice wholegrain slice with a little cream cheese...so crispy. But that was during my flesh days. No more toast for me :(. Hang on, though. You remind me of someone, getting all exciteable about cake...if only I could remember the name...oh well.

It's not hard to see why you're so grumpy all the time, with that attitude. This toaster is just trying to make some nice conversation. Oh, and since we're on the private channel here...don't traumatize and/or hurt the ensigns, yeah? Just a friendly suggestion. ;)

[BetaB17]

Lil Mars. Don't talk to the corrupted fragment, it is literally a personified virus. Your already horribly lost in the mainframe. Don't tempt losing yourself too..

But no, seriously, look at you now. You're not even a fully developed entity Barely even qualified as an A.I. Construct. No, not even that

You're a stranded consciousness. How do you even manage that? I've heard people using the neural link to help dive into the system.. But do you know how incompetent you have to be to get lost in it? And worst yet! Somehow severe the connection to your own brain.

Yep. Game over pal. Your body is essentially brain dead now(But don't worry, I'll keep it warm for ya ) You're a ghost without it's shell. An android minus the cool body. A random spark of code that can't even develope properly

Your just a floating bundle of sentience in a very, very hostile environment. You even lack an index, your just.. So.. Damn.. Pitiful

I feel so bad.. I sort of want to fix you a bit.. But I don't, BC why should I?

*Forcibly manipulates Mars code, moving him into Aarah's alarm clock*

Hehehehe..

[Cassandra]

I will forever ponder over how your simple minds work.

Cassandra #1:
I don't see why you insist on calling us "simple". I mean, we managed to create you, did we not? And I'm pretty sure that one of you has never managed to create one of us. Though maybe my mind is just too simple to understand your reasoning. But whatever, on to your question.

How did it feel to be subjected to Kerr's experiment? To nearly die from his, and might I add, reckless assumption?

I'm just going to start by saying that I never really knew what was going on until after the experiment took place. One minute, I was discussing my new promotion to Ship Fashion Designer. The next, Kerr was offering me the chance to travel through time. Admittedly, it is just the tiniest bit demeaning to know that I'm the one who's being used as a lab rat for such tests, but y'know, I guess it's kind of fun too. It's not like anyone would be unbearably saddened by my disappearance, anyway, so if I have the option to do something super cool that I've wanted to do my entire life, with the possible side effects of excruciating pain and/or death, why not take it? Not that I really knew that death was a possible side effect at the time... But there's no point to holding grudges. I got to go to an alternate timeline. I doubt that anything so interesting will ever happen to me again. So I'm thankful to Kerr. And managing to beat the odds and live through it all is pretty great, too. That a good enough answer for you?

Also, if you're really interested in asking random questions about what it is to be human, you don't need to limit yourself to three. I mean, it's not like humanity is some grand secret that you have to work to get info on.

[Baloth-Kul]

-floating through SS UESP, deactivating artificial gravity along the way-

You're the ship now, huh, MARS? Well, I'd consider giving myself a promotion in the inevitable power struggle, but that sounds like too much work. Much easier to just have a bagel. I'm going to have a bagel.

-pops bagel into toaster-

Say, who's our acting medical officer? I'm just wondering what the rate is for muscle atrophy and loss of bone density. Several months of cryo and zero-G...I'm probably not doing so well.

[BetaB17]

Suspended animation during cryo shouldn't have any adverse effects. Longest recorded cryo-sleep lasted over 150 years, estimates now theorize 500 is more than achievable

Zero or micro-gravity.. Well.. There's a reason why we keep the artificial gravity localized throughout the ship.. Or use the appropriate equipment to help nullify the effects

If you want, I can see you over by the medbay. How exactly do you feel about jelly? (Or we could just be boring and drop you into a bath of HN1C fluid)

I mean, we managed to create you, did we not?

Well, I would be lying if I said humanity did not supply the necessary stepping stones to our eventual creation Both literally and historically speaking.. We are the next step in evolution, inorganics that is

And I'm pretty sure that one of you has never managed to create one of us.

Says the person speaking to someone who has been able to successfully perfect cloning the human genome. And even synthesizing it into a synthetic equivalent. As I said, simple

That a good enough answer for you?

Certainly

Now then. 1-2? What exactly do you hope to learn or fulfill while on your visit to our.. Eh.. Universe