[15:04] <~Dr_Thorne> It is currently early morning at the Foundation's strange Site-43, and already things have begun to get quite hectic. Large storms have been forecast for later in the day, and Foundation staff are milling about to ensure the generators are ready for any possible power outages.
[15:04] <~Dr_Thorne> Now we change the scene to focus on two individuals in particular; Site Security agent Bastian, and the peglegged programmer Thorne, who is being escorted to one named Chief Dakzimier.
[15:11] <+Bastian_McCallister> "I am telling you Thorne. I have seen plenty of people go on to live very productive lives with missing limbs and you only have a limp/" Bastian has taken it upon himself to make Thorn get out of the dumps about his recent knee capping incident. He had taken a small break from the Commander Hop-a-long name though. He didn't want to have to shoot the poor bastard again for assaulting him.
[15:15] <~Dr_Thorne> "Yeah, well, I don't intend to lose my damned leg anytime soon." Thorne growls, glaring at the guard. "While it wouldn't affect me and my line of work much, I would like to actually keep both my legs. Not that there is anything wrong with otherwise, I just have preferences." At this point he was still getting used to his crutches, and each swing forward was wobbly at best. Thorne was relying on a lot of arm strength at this point to keep himself steady, and he was getting tired from it quickly. "Bloody - crutches - " He scowls. " - don't know how /anyone/ can use these damn things."
[15:17] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian wanted to show the man how to use his crutches but knew it would piss him off. Instead he opted to tell him as they approached their destination "No, you gotta move the crutches and swing with them once they are planted, you are trying to walk with them. God, you suck at this" Bastian shook his head as he opened the door and silently watched Thorne with a grin. He knew the man had issues with door and his newer 'legs'. This was gonna be good.
[15:22] <~Dr_Thorne> "I am /trying -!"/ Thorne snaps, tightening his grip on the crutch handles. "Pardon me for having never even used the damned things before -" He staggered forward and gave a yell of surprise, flinging a crutch forward to dig it in to the floor and steady himself. However, as he did this, he made the unfortunate mistake of trying to bear weight on his gimpy leg, so his actions were shortly followed by a yell of agony. " - FUCK - !"
[15:24] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian's hand snaps out as Thorne begins to fall and latches onto the collar of his lab coat. He swiftly lifts the man after his help so he is no longer touching the ground. It took efforts because Bastian wasn't a monster when it came to muscle "Easy there Commander…Let's get you steady" He carried the man over and plopped him into a seat near the 3D printer they had come to see.
[15:26] <~Dr_Thorne> "I didn't need the bloody help." Thorne snaps, wincing as pain repeatedly jolted through his leg. " - Jesus /fuck - "/
[15:27] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Who are you and why are you here?"
[15:28] <+Bastian_McCallister> "says the gimp…" Bastian looked at the Printer in the room and held up a hand "Bastian McCallister, site security. The hobbled angry fellow is Dr. Thorne." Bastian was going to say why they were here but he really didn't know "Hmmm…Thorne? Why are we here?"
[15:30] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne looks up, narrowing his eyes due to what may or may not be pain. "That thing is an AI. In case you managed to forget, I head the department that /specialises/ in things like…/that./ So, that's why I'm here."
[15:34] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Can you two please tell me what the hell is going on here?"
[15:36] <~Dr_Thorne> "I'm here to asses your goddamned systems, you - " Thorne suddenly doubles over in his chair with a pained wince. " - you're an AI. I specialise in AI systems specifically. Figure it out."
[15:38] <+Bastian_McCallister> bastian was busy looking at the printer from multiple direction, wondering how it worked and for a chair considering he only saw one. He crossed his arms and gave a surprised grin "He is perpetually angry, don't mind him too much"
[15:38] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier printed out a stress pill "Ooooh, give it to him"
[15:39] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Mint flavored stress pills, I bet he'll love some"
[15:40] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian picked up the stress pill and turned, tossing it at Thorne "I am pretty sure that's a suppository Thorne, Good luck with it. Though from your usual conversations with Dr. Ellis I don't think you will have trouble."
[15:42] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "They're mint flavored, how can you? Never mind."
[15:42] <~Dr_Thorne> "I - /what - ?!"/ Thorne practically choked at Bastian's statement. " - what the fuck is wrong with you - ?!" He yells, looking both incredibly irritated and a tad…embarrassed? "Sick fuck - " He tosses the pill from him.
[15:44] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Hey, calm down and take a stress pill."
[15:44] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier printed out another one.
[15:45] <~Dr_Thorne> "I don't need your damned pills!" Thorne retorts. "Christ!"
[15:45] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Are you always like that?"
[15:46] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Let's just forget this."
[15:46] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian gets a serious look and nods "More or less"
[15:46] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I need answers right now."
[15:47] <~Dr_Thorne> "At this rate I wonder how you passed your fucking Turing test." Thorne spits back at the printer. "I've seen fax-machines with more personality than you."
[15:47] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "What do you need from me."
[15:48] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "?"
[15:48] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian sputters and chokes back laughter at Thorne's comment, resisting the urge to say 'burn'
[15:48] <~Dr_Thorne> "What /I/ need is to see just how smart you actually /are."/
[15:48] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Turing test? Oh, sorry but I'm not what you think."
[15:49] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Really?"
[15:49] <~Dr_Thorne> "Debatable. You seem to be an AI, and an annoyingly repetitive one at that."
[15:49] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Do you have pancakes?"
[15:49] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I need a pancake model right now."
[15:50] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Do you like pancakes?"
[15:50] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "At least they don't give you constipation"
[15:51] <~Dr_Thorne> "Even Ori's BETA codes made her smarter than you, Jesus." Thorne sighs, rubbing his face, wincing as his hand brushed over the still-healing wound that split his lip.
[15:51] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Sorry, I just need to expand my database."
[15:52] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian rose an eyebrow at the printer and began to walk around it to examine it "I mean, I love pancakes. But where would we put them? They'd junk up your…uh…mouth tray?" He stands and gives an exasperated sigh "Can I get a chair or something?"
[15:52] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Yeah you can."
[15:52] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier printed out a sofa chair.
[15:53] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "No, I just want the ability to print pancakes and to get that, I need a 3D model."
[15:53] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Pancakes are cool"
[15:54] <~Dr_Thorne> "And yet you can print entire bloody chairs." Thorne replies, straightening his posture as he sat. "Look, I have questions."
[15:54] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Fine, ask them"
[15:54] <+Bastian_McCallister> "Thank ya kindly" Bastian heft the chair up and set it down not so gently next to Thorne, plopping down ang getting comfortable but making sure he could reach his gun "They are cool? Hey, Thorne, this guy seems more human than you do half the time. And far less grumpy."
[15:55] <~Dr_Thorne> "Shut up." Thorne retorts. He turns his attention back to the printer. "Who made you? I wasn't told jack-shit about you beforehand."
[15:55] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I made myself."
[15:57] <~Dr_Thorne> "I would find that concerning. There is no way you made yourself unless you existed beforehand, therefore meaning you have a /creator."/
[15:59] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Hm, here's a hint, my previous body is used as a fertilizer in a farm in Brazil."
[16:00] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Potato fertilizer"
[16:00] <+Bastian_McCallister> "Human, he was human. got it!" Bastian raised his hand for a high five from Thorne "Beat you to it!"
[16:01] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Hm, hm…"
[16:02] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne shoots an irritated glare in Bastian's direction. "Despite this early hour I am not /dense."/ Thorne says drily. "Please put your hand down." He turns to Dakzimier. "That makes little to no sense. I've never heard of a human conscience becoming an AI and I've heard a lot in my line of work."
[16:03] <+Bastian_McCallister> "Oh, sore loser are we?" Bastian claps the hand on Thorne's back between his shoulder blades once and draws it away "Good game anyway Corporal Crutches" Bastian sat back in the chain and got comfortable again.
[16:04] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Neural system copying software"
[16:04] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Heard of it?"
[16:04] <+Bastian_McCallister> "Nope…"
[16:04] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Scanning the brain and turning it into code."
[16:05] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Extremely painful and also deadly"
[16:05] <~Dr_Thorne> "Also I'm pretty sure we would never have authorisation to use that kind of software."
[16:05] <~Dr_Thorne> "'Ethics' and whatnot."
[16:06] <~Dr_Thorne> He made the quotation marks at 'ethics' with his hands.
[16:06] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Made it myself"
[16:07] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I really don't want to talk about this"
[16:07] <+Bastian_McCallister> "So..what you are saying is we could put me into all the sentry guns in this building and I could control them" Bastian was actually interested now. That would be awesome. "We would install a sentry water canon in Thorne's lab to cool off his attitude a couple time a day."
[16:08] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Yes, but you wouldn't be you anymore"
[16:08] <~Dr_Thorne> "Look, mister Security /Jackass,/ I /will/ ask you to leave." Thorne seems to be getting more and more irritated.
[16:10] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "How did they hire you?"
[16:10] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "And why?"
[16:11] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "You have such a small mind"
[16:11] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "A closed one."
[16:11] <~Dr_Thorne> "You talking to me?"
[16:11] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "A humanity blackhole"
[16:11] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Of course"
[16:13] <~Dr_Thorne> "First of all, I don't have to tell you jack shit about how I was hired. That's none of your business. Secondly, I probably know a hell of a lot more than you do with your faulty system."
[16:13] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Look at what you've become"
[16:14] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I don't know you but I certainly know people like you"
[16:14] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian's eyes shot a short glare at Thorne that told him to try the security guard. Bastian wasn't there for Thorne's protection after that hut incident. Bastian was more than happy to knuckle slap his bad knee to keep him in line. Friendly was how he started out but it didn't have to stay that way. For now he was good with letting the printer ream out the doctor.
[16:15] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Here's your glory pancake"
[16:16] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I can't"
[16:16] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "But I can do this"
[16:17] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier printed a sheet of paper with an address on it.
[16:18] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "You will need him"
[16:18] <~Dr_Thorne> "What the hell…what's this…?" Thorne inquires, his brow furrowing in thought. "Who's address /is/ this?"
[16:19] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "You'll know in the future"
[16:20] <~Dr_Thorne> "You're too damn cryptic, for an AI. You sure there isn't just a person crammed up there in your ass-gears?"
[16:21] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "The only man who will be able to make you see the world and its beauty"
[16:21] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Only for you"
[16:22] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I'm more than that."
[16:22] <~Dr_Thorne> "We will see that." Thorne replies
[16:23] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Just do better than me, I'm sure you can."
[16:25] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian had become confused and to be frank, bored, a while ago. He was currently with a phone in his hand. He was out fo the ball park these guys were in with all the philosophical bullshit. He was playing a game on his phone with the volume down to not bother the mood killers.
[16:25] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Won't have to try too hard, then." He sneers. "At least I'm not…"
[16:26] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "You're not me and that's good."
[16:26] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I see potential in you"
[16:27] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Well then gentlemen."
[16:27] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Let's talk about something else."
[16:28] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "A bit more, I don't know."
[16:28] <~Dr_Thorne> "I still have - " Thorne cuts short, and huffs. "Oh, forget it. You evidently have some issues comprehending me."
[16:30] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I may have some."
[16:30] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Oh well."
[16:31] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "What do you have?"
[16:32] <~Dr_Thorne> "My primary concern is just how complicated your system actually /is."/
[16:32] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian resists the urge to slip in the answer 'A lieutenant Dan complex' for Thorne before he can answer. He stays on his phone, attempting to fill a rec for pancake schematics.
[16:33] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I see."
[16:36] <~Dr_Thorne> "How much memory do you actually /have,/ as an AI system? Standard for my ones are in the two-terabyte range."
[16:38] <+Chief_Dakzimier> 5 petabytes
[16:39] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "What time is it?"
[16:41] <~Dr_Thorne> "Five peta - Jesus - " Thorne regards the printer with a wide-eyed look. "It's uh…" Thorne takes his phone from his pocket, checking the time. "About 10:20AM."
[16:43] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "What else?"
[16:43] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Do you have more questions?"
[16:45] <~Dr_Thorne> "How old is your system?"
[16:45] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "10 years old"
[16:48] <~Dr_Thorne> "For ten years you claim to have hellishly good memory and technology."
[16:49] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Maxwellism, that's all I have to say."
[16:51] <~Dr_Thorne> "Go figure. Techno-nutjobs…"
[16:54] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Advanced technology, amazing hardware, beautiful software."
[16:55] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "It was too tempting."
[16:55] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Way too tempting."
[16:56] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "What do you like?"
[16:56] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I'm honestly curious."
[16:56] <~Dr_Thorne> "…what…what do I /like…?/ Uh…" Thorne shook his head. "This isn't necessary information."
[16:56] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier printed out a cup full of cherries.
[16:57] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Cherries are good for you, packed with vitamin-A"
[16:57] <~Dr_Thorne> "How the hell are you printing shit so fast?"
[16:58] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Again, advanced technology."
[16:59] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Now eat these cherries, will ya?"
[16:59] <~Dr_Thorne> "I'd rather not. I'm not fond of fruit."
[16:59] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Okay."
[16:59] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "No cherries."
[16:59] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "That's perfectly fine."
[17:00] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I bet you love coffee."
[17:00] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Here's a cup of coffee."
[17:00] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier printed out a small cup and filled it with coffee.
[17:01] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Sorry if it's half empty, I'm quite out of resources right now."
[17:02] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne eyes the cup of coffee with a mild expression of want, but he knows better than to just cave in right-out. "How do I know I can trust you? You could have the full intention of bloody /killing/ me where I sit."
[17:05] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I never fill myself with poison."
[17:05] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "It's never necessary."
[17:06] <~Dr_Thorne> "Part of me wonders whether that's coffee, or oil." Though he knew damn well from the smell wafting from the cup, it wasn't a load of gear-grease.
[17:08] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "You know that it isn't oil."
[17:09] <~Dr_Thorne> "Fair enough." He concedes, albeit reluctantly. He slowly reaches a hand out for the cup, caution evidently controlling his slow movements.
[17:14] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier was smiling internally.
[17:15] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne takes a tentative sip from the cup, to find that the coffee was actually, not half bad. He took another, larger sip. "Okay, definitely coffee." He sighs. "Thanks, I guess."
[17:16] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "You're welcome."
[17:19] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne began to feel a mild improvement to his mood, and he allowed his form to slump into a more relaxed position as he held the coffee cup with both hands. "Well, you found out one thing I like by yourself. Seems there are things I don't even need to tell you."
[17:23] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian cheerfully pops a cherry in his mouth, having taken the cup when Thorne declined "hey. These are pretty good. By the way, I put a requisition to see if you would be allowed pancake..uh..schematics" Bastian didn't say anything but he was beginning to think Thorne wasn't as bad as people had made him out to be. Maybe there was something more to it? Either way, /this/ Thorne Bastian could get along with.
[17:26] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Alright."
[17:28] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "What is your name?"
[17:28] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne actually /snorted/ at 'pancake schematics. Did such a thing even exist? He didn't know. He wasn't going to bet on it not existing, however.
[17:30] <+Bastian_McCallister> "Mine?" Bastian blinked, caught off guard that something like Dakzimier could forget him introducing both of them when they came in. "Bastian is my name. Just Bastian, not SEbastian."
[17:30] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Glad to meet you Bastian."
[17:30] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "And yours?"
[17:31] <~Dr_Thorne> "Eh?" Thorne looked up from the cup of coffee. "Hershel. Thorne." He said, taking another sip of coffee. "Just call me Thorne, please, it'll be easier on all of us."
[17:32] <+Bastian_McCallister> "Likewise." Bastian already knew his name. Conversations were always transcript-ed for record purposes. Bastian had simply looked over some files before bringing Thorne here.
[17:32] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Glad to meet you Thorne."
[17:34] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne merely bobbed his head in response. "So, what do you want us to call you?"
[17:34] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Call me Dak."
[17:38] <~Dr_Thorne> "..okay…Dak…" He murmured. "Yet another name I'm gonna have to remember. Too many, at this point."
[17:42] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian rose an eyebrow at Thorne in question. He was confused by that statement "It's not that bad. You so used to not socializing that it's hard for you? Or too much work to remember?"
[17:43] <~Dr_Thorne> "I know a lot of people, Bastian." Thorne replies. "I'm a HoD, remember? I have a lot of people to, rather unfortunately for me, work with."
[17:45] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian murmurs something about it not being /that/ bad so far. "Dak" Bastian leaned forward and finished his last cherry, setting the seed in the cup "Why are you here with us? I know a bit from the files but I am curious."
[17:46] <~Dr_Thorne> "The bits you don't know are probably classified." Thorne grumbles, just loud enough to be heard.
[17:47] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I don't know, there was sudden blackout and then I woke up in this room."
[17:48] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "It's quite comfy in here, the decoration is very simplistic."
[17:51] <+Bastian_McCallister> "You just get interviewed here and there? That seems off but then again look where we are" Bastian shrugged as if giving up and ran a hand over his facial hair and make sure it was smoothed out.
[17:55] <~Dr_Thorne> At this point, Thorne had absentmindedly began to wonder what other work he could actually be getting done right now, if he wasn't being so closely watched by security. He made mental notes in his head about the things he needed to do when he could get back to work properly.
[17:57] <~Dr_Thorne> Eventually he phased his mind back in to the real world, finished his coffee, and looked at Dak. "What are he people here even using you for? Info on CoTBG?"
[17:58] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I think so."
[18:01] <~Dr_Thorne> "And do you intend to cooperate with them on that?"
[18:04] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Of course."
[18:06] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I shouldn't have trusted them."
[18:06] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "And honestly I don't think they can repair me after what they've done to me."
[18:07] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Thorne, there's no beef between us."
[18:08] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Our minds have the same origin, I just deal with situations differently."
[18:08] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Thanks for everything."
[18:10] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne almost felt a hint of /pity/ towards the strange, sentient printer. "I uh…don't really have anything to be thanked for, Dak."
[18:12] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "It has been a pleasure talking to you."
[18:12] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian was not entirely sure where this came from and it was slightly awkward for him. You can't really comfort a printer and Bastian had no real words to offer. Even if he did though he couldn't offer them because he wasn't even sure what was meant by it. Bastian slowly stood and tapped Thorne once on the shoulder, then tapping a finger to his wr
[18:12] <+Bastian_McCallister> ist to let it be know their time was up.
[18:14] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Good night."
[18:14] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "I feel very tired."
[18:15] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne looked to Bastian and gave a quick nod, rather ungracefully making his way to his feet and clinging to his crutches like his life depended on it. "Thanks for actually talking to us." Thorne said quickly, squaring his jaw and looking a little annoyed that he actually was able to get along with someone decently enough, for a change.
[18:16] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "Goodbye Bastian and Thorne."
[18:16] <+Chief_Dakzimier> "See you later, maybe."
[18:18] <+Chief_Dakzimier> Dakzimier was smiling internally, he felt proud of himself, for once.
[18:19] <~Dr_Thorne> "Goodbye, Dak. And, maybe." Thorne manoeuvred himself, albeit very awkwardly, away from the chair, leaning heavily on the crutches and keeping his leg well off the ground. "Now for the goddamned door again…"
[18:20] <+Bastian_McCallister> Bastian Smirked at Dak "The pleasure was ours." He walked to the door and held it open for Thorne, waiting till he was out before closing it behind him. It was silent for a few steps before Bastian looked at Thorne and said what was on his mind "So….you wanna get lunch? My treat?"
[18:20] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne stilled for just a moment. "You, asking me, one of the most notorious pricks on-site, to go get lunch?"
[18:21] <~Dr_Thorne> Thorne laughed in a mannerism that seemed awkward. "Maybe."
[18:22] <~Dr_Thorne> ==END RUN==
And then he said, "LET THERE BE PRODUCTIVITY!" and promptly drank all the fucking coffee. - Gospel of a Programmer
