Chapter 5 Home is where the Heart is (Ubberific) GMed by ranger

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Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Coming in to the medical area Rikke didn't have an exact goal in mind. The rogue would wander the area and drop by everyone she encountered to see how they're doing and to ofcourse say her final goodbyes "If we're successful, I'll be returning to my own time... just wanted to say, sorry for any trouble I've caused." she'd give each one a kind smile "And thank you for having me."

Though some of her friends Rikke would find in the park, all having miraculous recovery... but usually still not fit for combat. Her notable encounters would be with Samantha, who'd she ask to look over the wound and give an extra relieved hug, and Kanna.

Kanna would be in the park along with a few others, Rikke would approach the girls and give her thanks and sorries to them, before turning to her room mate "Sorry about not dropping by earlier, by the time I got used to goo suit I was already taken to fly 'Wilow' you know the amazing looking golem." if asked the rogue would tell the group just what the machine was capable of even showing off a few moves she made it do. Overall the meetup was nothing short of heartwarming, up to until a call for all injured to head to the closest Vytals.

Rikke turned to the call with a hint of sadness, while she wanted to spend more time among her friends her duty called... "Hey Kanna." the rogue approached and hugged the girl, whispering to her ear "I suspect you would've loved the look of the goo suit." she'd giggle and kiss her on the cheek... likely keeping it subtle instead of what she had in mind at first.

The last location was to visit was ofcourse the old tank or Ida, if Sophia was still impossible to reach.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

For the most part the people in the medical wing were people she had met in passing or at the bar. Most of her friends where at the park. Seeing them Rikke rushed up to check on Sam who had been on deaths door only a day or so ago. Lifting up her robe Rikke could see a large scar still discolored but Sam seemed happy. "I should make a full recovery."

Hugging Sam Rikke moved on to Kanna the other who had been severely wounded. The cat girl unlike Sam seemed to have recovered a bit more vigor and eagerly hugged Rikke back. Explaining the exciting moments of flying the Widow Kanna pouted in jealousy. "Aww man I never get to do the fun stuff!"

Of course Kanna could be Rikke's sole matter of attention Michale, and the girl with the strange hair where present as well. Greeting them the two blushed and held hands. "Kyra and myself will miss you Rikke. Be safe and stop by sometime okay? Yeah who knows maybe we can have fun again humm." Kyra winked at her while Michael just blushed.

Cassandra and Mary joe where present as well and both greeted Rikke though she had hardly anytime with them during her trip to the future. Still Rikke felt good that they had made it. The only persons missing where Diana and Yenna. Of course that was solved when RIkke heard the announcement. Clearly Yenna had made it known that the injured would be evacuated soon. Turning to Kanna once more Rikke leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek but the cat girl would have none of it. Instead she pulled Rikke into a deep kiss that was long enough that the other assembled had to look away. "Thats payback for standing us up at the bar last night. No get moving hero!" Kanna would turn Rikke around and smack her on the butt sending her away. It wasn't a gentle slap either.


After that Rikke headed for Sophia only to find several engineers in a stand off with Chu. The little robot had his welding torch out and would scramble to wards anyone who got close. Even Anna couldn't seem to get the little guy to calm down.

 

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Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Cheeky cat! While at first the kiss caught Rikke off-guard, quickly the girl gathered herself and shapened her eyes. If thats how she was going to play it...

Rikke would answer the kiss with clear playfulness seemingly aiming to one up Kanna during their brief exchange, their questionable contest growing so inappropriate that quite a few of the others just had to look away. From their hand placements to their shifted bodies, the brief and intense exchange seemed to ever so subtly even color Rikkes eyes to their far more promiscious hue, spurring further and far more agresive acts from the pervy heroine!

In the end it would be Kanna who'd break the embrace first, though both of the contestants seemed to don a quite the blush. However even if she was the one who broke the kiss, Kanna would claim the last word and act with a sharp and sudden spank of goodbye! "Ah!" Rikke rubbed her tush briefly, before giggling happily and waving her friends goodbye.

As her friends got further away the purple hue would fade returning Rikkes eyes to their usual green color, her knowing smile fading to one carrying an undeniable sadness... this was likely the last time she'll ever see any of them.

There was one final task left to resolve - The Sophia situation. It would a be short walk, though arriving instead of finding the tank abbandoned and empty, the sight was far different.

"Hey... hey!" Rikke frowned as she approached the group "Whats going on here?!"

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Anna spoke up next. "Guys back away back away. Chu has tended to Sophia forever. Give him space don't make him blow a servo." Looking to Rikke she moved up to her the girl's shorter stature all the more evident standing next to Rikke. "We... detected a distress signal from Sophia... though it wasn't Sophia who made it. It has Commander Esalis's code. The only problem is she is dead. I buried her myself in the combat cemetery." Anna looked to Sophia a hint of water in her eyes. "It was the only thing I could do for my tankmates." As the men backed off Chu seemed to relax though his screen face flashed Red. "He's running out of power the poor guy. I never knew he could be so brave."

 

[Ubberific]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

A signal from the beyond?... Rikke raised an eyebrow at the words, before refocusing "Alright so why is everyone swarming all around." she'd glance to Chu, before turning to everyone assembled "I know this little creature, so I'll try to calm it down. Anna knows her things so if something is wrong she'll look into it... no need for everyone to be here." the heroine gave the group a friendly smile "We'll tell everyone if something is up, you can be certain of that, okay?"

Hopefully the rogues reason and charm were enough to calm the crowd leaving only her and Anna... though Chu needed to be calmed as well, before he accidentally hurt someone "Chu? Hello. Remember me? I'm Rikke and this is Anna, friends."

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Heading Rikke's advice and seeing Anna there seemed to calm them a little and they left though some stayed at the very far edges. With the crowded dispersed Chu put away the welding torch and flash the now all to familiar n_n at Rikke. As they approached Anna pulled a small box out of her pack and set it down gesturing for Chu to come close. The little robot was of course slightly suspicious but once Anna backed away and the robot inspected it he latched on to it sending a small cord into it. "Its a backup battery. I thought I might need it to activate some of Sophia's systems if something was wrong."

Heading over to Chu Anna pressed a series of circular depressions on his hull only to have a screen pop up. It was cracked but still readable. "Come here Rikke unless you want to try to interpret whats going on one line at a time." Heading over Rikke could see a small keyboard that Anna was typing on. Looking to the screen she typed in. Tech Sargent Anna Wilis, prompted the screen to change. Typing some more it suddenly shifted and a small holo of the girl Rikke had seen the other night appeared. "Hello Sargent Anna. Long time no see. Is something wrong with Chu?" Anna had tears in her eyes but she rubbed them away. "No, no hes fine just a little low on power, and its Lt Anna now." Sophia smiled at her "Congratulations but I suppose its back to business. Lt. It has been 3733 days 22 hours and 48 minutes sense our last maintenance check up. Sadly I will have to report this to Commander Esalis. It will probably be a black point on your otherwise spotless record." Sophia seemed rather sad at this. "But it cannot be helped." Anna looked away before speaking again. Sophia.. Vivian is dead." Sophia got a cross look on her face before speaking. "Don't be ridiculous she is fine and with me right now." Anna looked at Sophia sadness all to evident. Sophia seemed to pick up on this. "Anna Im not lying open your connection and you'll see." Anna looked at Sophia and frowned. "I cannot do that. It was disabled to prevent me from.. going insane. They are worried about VNC." Sophia visibly harrumphed. "Virtual Neural Connection Syndrome only happen when a combat AI go's rogue. I'm not a rogue AI and I can prove it. Send that Ida woman here she can scan my files and prove that Im not damaged."

 

[Ubberific]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Rikke could only listen in to whats happening, while some lingo remained the rogue was far from being as clueless as before, allowing to understand the general situation "Wait..." Rikke interupted the conversation "There was another figure with you, during our last talk something interupted you and took over. What was that?" the heroine glanced to Anna to see if this potentially rang any bells, could that be the er... VNA. There was no reason to put Ida at risk just yet.

However depending on the answer it was likely they'd need to get in contact with Ida. With Rikkes 'stupid icky' implant now missing only Anna could do that.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Sophia looked up at Rikke and frowned. Anna looked up at Rikke and then to Sophia. "Sophia... whats going on...." Sophia crossed her arms like a child that had just gotten scolded. "The others... are with me...." Anna just blinked. "What....." The holo projection scuffed her foot a little as she spoke. "When the commander ordered you to abandon me sense you where the only one not effected by the poison I got scared she would only do that if they where going to die. She wanted you to live not die slowly like they were going to.... Just before each one succumbed to the poison I... copied them into my hard drive. I had to delete mobility and all my other subsystems to do it but I didn't want them to die or you to be alone. We are a family.. and we miss you. Anna reactivate your implant and we can be whole again." Off to the side Rikke could see three other figures being projected from Sophia. One was rather tall with Long flowing hair and the confidence of a commander about her. She was tall almost as tall as Cassandra. The other one was smaller but was the same girl that had interrupted her conversation with Sophia before. She waved at Rikke before another girl who seemed kinda timid peaked from around her shoulder.

 

[Ubberific]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

A chill ran down Rikkes spine, somehow the last few words did not sound pleasant at all "You... copied them inside?" the rogues eyes widened were these just a memory of the girls or were these the girls essences held inside the relic?! "So each of you... who are you? Are you all the girls from long since past?" Rikke needed more information, but one thing was certain - until things cleared up Ida should not reach Sophia... nor should Anna be allowed to activate her 'implants'.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Anna looked up at the trio of ladies before putting a hand over her mouth and falling flat on her butt. This left Rikke to question the trio of women who where life sized. "Hello Rikke my name is Vivian Esalis commander of Sophia. The bimbo next to me is gunnery Sargent Bella Da'Saun." The girl waved at Rikke and even put out her hand. "Hi ya!" Vivian coughed and continued. "Behind her is Corporal Linara Winters our driver." The girl looked at Rikke blushed and curtsied. "I know it seems strange but I guess you can say we are the memories of the crew.. except we can keep learning." "Yeah its not like we are some recording or something. Sophia just digitized our brains and boom here we are." The shy girl pulled on Bella's holo jacket. "Bella that is not how it would work. We died but didn't if we where just a copy we wouldn't be here no would you have been playing checkers with Chu." The girls voice was soft almost musical. "Indeed when Sophia copied us it must have run us threw her Ai matrix to interpret the complex data." Vivian put a finger to her lip thinking.

 

[Ubberific]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Rikke listened to the strange images speak in fair shock and confusion, however as the illusions explained what happened her tense body relaxed more and more. Soon enough she understood just what it was that she was looking at... Sophia did not 'devour' the dieing girls essences, she preserved them and created these artificial copies akin to Ida.

Her fears of facing some sort of monstrous machine calmed a smile once more returned to the rogues face, reigniting her curiousity "So you've all been trapped inside Sophia this whole time?" to Rikke these were unknown warrior 'ghosts' of sorts, to Anna however these were her friends... in a manner of speaking "Why do you want Anna to turn on her device?" as wonderous and amazing the sight was, such an existance was still extremely limiting... what did they mean by Anna 'joining them'.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

"Its... complicated Rikke. When our devices were active we could communicate almost instantly. Our minds were joined and in effect changed." "Yeah all of us are compatible with each other... I guess you could say like soul mates." Vivian nodded "Anna was... is a part of us in a way someone who's never been that close would ever understand." The shy girl from the back stepped forward. "Sophia is the manifestation of that union. None of us are complete with out Anna." Sophia looked up at Rikke from her display on Chu. "Your,re worried that I would take her. That would not happen. Though I would be lying if I hadn't thought of doing it on more than one occasion but... with the girls finding new freedoms as Chu finishes repairs..... I realize that I would only be acting like a prison keeper." The three girls looked at Sophia sadly before their image flickered and they joined Sophia on the small display giving her a hug.

 

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Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

"Yet you still ask her for this union? Full aware that it would imprison her?" Rikke was dreadfully underinformed on such matters, magic she might see some trend, soul-binding was understandeable, but this was machinery and technology... such a concept still seemed almost incomprehensible for the rogue.

Still with Annas absolute shock, someone had to speak up for their side "A bond between people is special and it's not something you can mimick. You want her to abbandon her life to complete your circle? Become this illusion of her own self?" while the assumption was perhaps rash, Rikke had to use extremes for the figures to correct her on what the actual event be like. The rogue turned to Anna, if any one of them knew more on this matter it was Anna... she just needed to snap out of daze.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

"You misunderstand Rikke. I will not take her by force. If she activates her implants she would be linked to us again. That is all we desire, she would be able to live her life but not be so alone." Vivian spoke next "Rikke you have close friends correct. Imagine spending every day with them as if they were a part of you. Like an arm or leg. We miss our Anna but in the end we are only missing one part of ourselves. Anna is missing four."

 

[Ubberific]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

"Activating these implants... what will it do?" seemed Anna was still out of the conversation, leaving the rogue to try and sort through the unknown waters on her own "I do have someone dear to me, a fair number of people... but there are times when I wish to be myself. If you all join, wouldn't that make you this... hivemind?" while numerous concepts rushed through Rikkes head, she'd ask her questions freely. Desperately seeking some basic archetype she could cling onto to make sense.

Still whatever the illusions answered, Rikke needed to wake Anna up. Turning away from the screne the rogue would kneel down next to the girl and try to snap her out of it... this was her choice, Rikke was only trying to make it clear what price, if any, the choice would have.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Vivian laughed "What your kidding right. We are not bees or ants Rikke." Bella just kept laughing unable to speak. Linara looked at the other two annoyed. "No Rikke thats not how it is... Its like love when you feel that close to someone that bond. When you sense it.. ya know.. that..." Linara began to blush before hiding behind Vivian. "You see Rikke she won't lose herself she will just have us again." Either way it didn't sound to good and Rikke really needed to hear an expert opinion. Kneeling down to Anna Rikke gently shook her before trying a more severe method. As the smack rang out the holograms looked shocked but it seemed to have the desire effect. Anna blinked before looking up at Rikke. "They are alive...... I don't believe it......" Asking her questions Anna just looked at the holograms before looking back at Rikke. "I should be okay if I were to do it. Besides Sophia is right if she wanted to Chu could have forced the implants active."

 

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Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

"Forced them active? If it won't cause you any harm, then what difference would've made?" now that Anna mentioned it Sophia did mention she considered 'making Anna hers'... though the machine didn't show any signs of malicious intent. Hopefully it was just strange phrasing "Well the call is yours, but I'd say there's no need to rush to do something right now... right, girls?" Rikke looked to the screen "After this long a few more days won't change a thing."

Still the ability to preseve be it just a fraction of someone just seemed astonishing, could the strange program actually sparked a revolution? While Rikke didn't read any books from this strange future, but like this great minds, science and phylosophy could spread their teachings directly for who knows how long... "What happens now?" the heroine looked to Anna with clear curiousity, her question aimed both at the here and now, as well as the future.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

"I don't know...." Anna got up and looked at the diagnostic screen on Chu again before frowning. "Sophia your.... memory is degrading...." The girl didn't flinch but the other three looked to her in shock. "I know Anna thats why.. I didn't force your connection it would have killed us all." Anna frowned her fingers working furiously. "This... is not good. Sophia your matrix wasn't designed to have three other complex processes running at the same time. If this keeps up your gonna shut down." Sophia nodded "I see is their anything you can do to save the others." Sophia looked grim. "If I had more memory to work with I could... transfer them and then it would just be a simple repair job but.. I don't have that type of data storage on hand."

 

[Ubberific]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Storage... "Did each of the tanks have this 'storage' device we need?" Rikke would step into the conversation "I saw something... a container of sorts taken out each of the tank, they didn't seem to have any outer purpose." if the rogue was on to something Rikke would detail just what sort of black devices she found in the vault near the artifacts, their appearance, the odd lights and the numerous connections. Each of the devices showed no outward use afterall, perhaps they were exactly what the girls could use a right now... a storage device, the empty brains of the machine.

However if this lead would prove unfruitful, Rikke would volunteer to ask Ida for assistance. If anyone knew about any tech they could use in this situation, it was Ida.

 

[ranger]

Re: Chapter 4 An Uncertain Future(Ubberific) GMed by ranger

Anna looked at Rikke a moment. "What?! You mean they have four Ai cores's just sitting in the vault!" Sophia looked at Anna and then to the girls. "That could work.... the others deleted themselves when their crews died." Sophia looked down sad. "Its funny if Anna hadn't been ordered to abandon me I probably would have done the same thing if I lost all of them." Anna looked at Sphia and the others... "I don't know if we can do that... making new AI.. is illegal. Even if people believed that my crewmates were alive in Sophia would they even... accept it." Anna thought a moment before shaking her head. "No I won't abandon them again Ill just make Saul give me access, but first...." Anna brought out a small tool kit before pulling back some hair near the base of her neck. If Rikke watched she would see a very small discolored patch of skin. Brining the tool around Anna poked at it before she gasped dropping the tool. Bella was the first to speak. "I feel her she's with us!" "Its true I can sense Anna-chan." Vivian just smiled before speaking. "Anna you okay? Don't get all connection sick on us now we need you." Looking at the woman Rikke saw her blink before tears welled up in her eyes again. "I-Im okay just not used to this....." She smiled before standing up and deactivating the display causing the girls to disappear. "Okay Rikke lets speak with Saul... or rather could you ask him for me please. I have some catching up to do."