Futuristic Glitch.EXE ►►► [open/accepting][cyberpunk]

[MultiFinder]

Anda nodded, continuing her journey forward. She had heard tales of old service tunnels going between the various layers of the city, but she was never entirely certain that she believed them. She felt a small spot of pressure on her lower back; spying Pent's arm going behind her, she smiled up at him, leaning in closer to his form as they walked.


"I am the owner and technician of Collins Computing, a small tech repair shop. Personally, I spend much of my time refurbishing aging technology, bringing it back into its former glory and sending it off to those that can make good use of it. I don't make much, but I make enough to live comfortably and have plenty of free time. As for us two, we are a very recent thing; I only came across Pent here a few hours ago. For my part, I am still trying to figure him out." She looked up at Pent, a small smile spreading across her face as she stared.

 

[StarKeeper]

"Interesting" Nex says opening a small maintenance door and led the pair through a massive water processing plant as hundreds of small robots operated the pumping stations. "How long has it been since your first activation Pent?" Nex asks hoping to give the android another moment of doubt. He considered it entertaining to shake the foundations of other A.I even if only a little.

 

[The Rogue Bro]

"You want me, of all people, to hunt down these drones?Are you kidding me? Wait, your not drunk, are you?" Ry's face was in a perpetually open state as he listened to The Boss speak. "Yes, your one of the most eligible for the job. Mind the fact that your not the most, just one of them." With a small sign, Ry responded. "You never answered my question. Are you drunk?" "Damn it Ry!"


" Just go out there, and destroy those drones! We're the only who are supposed to be performing terrori... *ahem*," The Boss drew in a small breath. "Acts of freedom. Yes. Anyways, I need you on the scene, pronto! Oh yeah, and there may or may not be some backup on the surface. No guarantees." Ry only responded with silence. "Good. I will send some more information once you reach the surface." And with that, The Boss shut off the comm link, and the only thing penetrating the silence was the static from Ry's headphones.

 

[Ninian]

Averting his gaze, Pent spoke firmly, "My first activation was 349 days ago." Pausing, he looked towards Nex with creased brows, "Why do you ask....?" He pondered why the android asked him such a question, and was even more concerned with the fact that his active memory only recalled the past few hours. Glancing over at his mistress, he shot her a concerned expression, before pulling her closer.

 

[StarKeeper]

"nothing it just strikes me as odd that a top of the line unit like yourself would be thrown away" Nex says walking through the dimly lit hall "Are you programmed with an cease function protocol?". He was curious about this android in a way that nagged the little piece of his nano matrix at the base of his skull. Nex had found advance parts and signs of customized rigging within Pent suggesting a connection to something bigger.

 

[MultiFinder]

A small cooing sound emanated from Alda as Pent drew her in closer, "I am curious about that as well; Pent, do you remember anything about your life before I found you? Who your master was, what you did, anything?" She found herself looking around the dank underworks, marveling at how intricately everything was woven together; pipes, bundles of wires, everything flowed in a stunning marvel of patchwork engineering. As she strode forward, lost in the modern marvel built up around her, she stopped paying much attention to where she was walking. She was jarred back into reality as she tripped over a poorly-welded joint, falling forward with a jolt.

 

[Ninian]

Almost immediately, Pent dove to catch Alda, her lithe form falling into his arms. Looking over her with concern, Pent then located the cause of her fall, "Mistress, please be more careful." Carefully righting Alda, he held her hands in his, his eyes fixated upon her until she was able to stand on her own. Averting his gaze from her, he then replied to Nex's line of questioning, then hers, "I am unsure why I was discarded, though given where Miss Alda activated me, it is the only logical conclusion. That said, I do not have any sort of cease function protocol, I am designed to keep myself activated, and can only be deactivated by a human's touch."


Looking back up towards his mistress, Pent shook his head slowly, "I have no recollection. I was designed by the Enlil Corporation to function as a general purpose and companion android. When you indicated elation upon discovering my model type, I searched for information but found little; suggesting that I was either a prototype, or unreleased product. Unfortunately, this information does not give you the answers you seek."

 

[StarKeeper]

Nex thrummed his hands against a pipe listening to Pent's explanation and nods "interesting". After making sure Alda was okay he led them up a staircase and through a door onto the surface. they came up in the middle of the residential district and Nex turned to Alda "Is your home located nearby?"

 

[MultiFinder]

A yelp echoed around the area as she fell, only to be arrested as she fell into the outstretched arms of Pent. She gasped at the unexpected break in her fall, then smiled warmly up at him as it hit her what had happened, "T-thank you Pent!" She got to her feet, taking his proffered hand with a small squeeze and smiling ever broader at him, listening further in the conversation.


"I have heard of your class of android; there was an article written in Enlil's quarterly magazine about their in-house development teams, and the GAULEM project was mentioned in passing. You seem to be an alarmingly advanced model, and quite adept at helping me..." She slipped into her own thoughts for several moments, walking and smiling at once, blushing slightly at the end, "Regardless, I cannot wait to get you to the shop; I would like to show you around, see what you can help me with, as well as do a little tinkering of my own!" She eyed Pent curiously, as if she were attempting to bore into his inner workings with her eyes.


Coming to a staircase, she followed Nex up, blinking in the bright sunlight as the door at the top opened. She blinked several times before looking around, "Goodness, I had no idea that a tunnel down there was so close... It's about a mile that way!" She pointed off to the left and began confidently leading the way.

 

[Ninian]

"So I never made it into consumer hands, though my welcome package indicates I should have eventually became a consumer level product." Looking down, with what appeared to be sadness consuming his visage, he continued, "Perhaps the GAULEMs did not meet expectations... What if I was discarded on purpose? His expression changed into a more joyful one as his mistress gazed upon him with fondness, "I will do what I can for you, Mistress. If you need to augment me to meet your standards of functionality, I insist that you do so. I would like you to know that I have a few expansion ports on my back."


Following behind his Mistress, Pent looked around the Residential District, taking in the area and downloading the available map.

 

[StarKeeper]

"Perhaps you should augment yourself to your own liking" Nex says to Pent as they follow Alda "I don't see why an android such as yourself should limit yourself to the whims of your mistress, No offense Miss Alda". Nex ignored the many people and robots walking through the area; he had been to the residential sector several times, but had never stayed long; an android without a master was considered suspicious.

 

[Giyari]

Agent #4 - Nixe Cygnar


Dressed in a sharp black suit, a classic form of clothing that had lasted thousands of years without much in the way of change, an unnamed individual walked through the crowded streets of Aeon City. the noise of traffic gliding past above her head filled the air, punctuated with the odd rumble of wheeled service vehicles, conversations from locals on the streets, and various other city noises that were inescapable in today's world. The truth of the matter was that without these noises, many people would probably feel uncomfortable, they were now the soundtrack to life itself. The suited individual stopped momentarily, looking at a shop's window display as a message came through to her HUD.


"Agent 4, sightings reported of droid C02JJSPFDR53 leaving Undercity NW accompanied by 2 unknowns, confirmation is requited, please investigate."


The message was short and sweet, but it held more than enough information. NW Undercity had 4 entrances, 2 into the Industrial Blocks, and 2 into the Residential Zones. Given the risk in exiting to the Industrial Blocks, the other two were more likely candidates. Continuing to "inspect" the stores display, the woman responded with a simple "affirmative", the message being sent through secure channels to headquarters.


With her mission received, Agent 4 broke her gaze from the shops display, and hailed a transporter to take her deeper into the residential zones.


A short journey layer

Inside the small transport pod, Agent 4 pulled out one of many credit I.D. cards, scanning the receiver on the pods door for payment. With its fare paid up the pod reduced its altitude and slipped out of the main traffic paths, making its way back to ground level. It floated down in a well calculated curve, the slight whine of its flight generators coming to a stop as the pod reached street level and the doors opened.


Agent 4 stepped out onto the grimy concrete with confidence and purpose, Droid C02JJSPFDR53 was previously registered to the Enlil Corporation, there was no doubt in her mind that it would hold information on the Blue Storms, and more than likely many more projects from the companies archives. It would be a valuable asset to her companies game. There was a problem though, The droid was never recorded as present when Enlil Corporation had all of its assets frozen, meaning it had been deliberately discarded, and more than likely had its designation changed. If it still had the same outer skin then visual conformation would be sufficient, however there was no guarantee that it had not been stripped back to the bare chassis, meaning it could look like any other run down droid in the Residential Zones, and that would turn this into a needle-haystack hunt...


"Agent 4, investigation of site 1 now under way."

 

[MultiFinder]

Alda nodded at Pent's words, "Oh, believe you me, I have a few modifications in mind already based on what I saw from your surgery!" She rubbed her hands together, an odd smile spreading across her face at the thought of delving headfirst into a brand-new machine. She perked up at hearing her name, being drawn out of her thoughts for the moment. Shaking her head, the young woman smiled at Nex, "Oh no, no apologies needed! You are your own machine. I can certainly respect that, especially given what you do with yourself! But rest assured, Pent's life will not be limited in my care." The same odd grin settled back onto her face as she turned a corner off the main road.


After several minutes of walking, she stopped before a small, well-kept doorway. Hanging above was a sign - Collins Computing. Pulling a key from a pocket on her skirt, she ushered the two in the now-unlocked door with a smile. "Nex, welcome to my home! And Pent, welcome home!" She gestured around, grinning.


The trio had entered a well-lit, small storefront filled with any number of advanced electronics neatly lined on shelves and counters. Much of it was older, but in nearly-perfect condition. There were even several deactivated androids standing along the sides of the store, each with a price tag. Each shelving unit seemed to be devoted to a particular type of android; one could find anything from basic helper drones to full-fledged assistant androids.


Alda turned to the two, "Well? What do you think?"

 

[Ninian]

"I do not believe I'm limiting myself, however my primary objective is the happiness of Miss Alda. If an upgrade is necessary to achieve that goal, then I would take it upon myself to do just that." Looking down at himself for a few moments, his eyes then searched for his mistress', "I am curious what you plan to do with me."


Following his mistress, he nearly ran into the back of her as she stopped (as he was following closely.) Looking up at the sign, Pent creased his brows before speaking, "This is your home, Miss Alda?" Upon entering, Pent curiously eyed the other machinery, wondering quietly what each's purpose was. In his short few hours of activation, he had discovered that those like him performed a variety of services.


When asked for his opinion, Pent furrowed his brows in concern, and asked the hard question, "Why are they deactivated?" He hurried over to a deactivated assistant robot, tilting his head, and touching it gently with his forefinger. A tinge of worry could be heard in his lifelike voice, "Will these be discarded?"

 

[StarKeeper]

Nex looked around the shop admiring the old scraps of electronics, and the many androids that stood deactivated. He stared thoughtfully at them for a moment before responding to Alda: "I like it" Nex picks up a small computer drive from a shelf and examines it before placing it on the shelf again. He turns around and asks "Do you happen to have a valence lance and a O2 torch perhaps?"

 

[MultiFinder]

Alda smiled, patting Pent on the shoulder, "Oh, don't worry. You'll find out soon enough!" She hummed happily to herself as she walked towards the back of the store, ushering them through an open doorway behind the main counter, "Come on, the shop and my home are back through here! I know that I have an oxygen torch back there somewhere..." She walks through the doorway, beckoning them once more.

 

[Ninian]

Pent seemed a bit put-out by Alda's response. Since Nex seemed completely unfazed, Pent hoped that everything was fine, and thought that perhaps he was either too sensitive, or too naive.


Stepping through the doorway Pent spoke, "So we've yet to reach your home...? My apologies Mistress, I'm afraid I am confused."

 

[StarKeeper]

Nex follows behind Alda into the shop and says "My clinic is gone". He then projects a video feed of the clinic burning with several people trying to put out the flame. Nex was saddened at this, but was happy he got the people and robots out when he left. His small army of robots ran through the slums and pipes running recon for him and transmitting all of their data to a small server in a site located far beneath the main under city

 

[Deadkool]

Dan walked through Aeon City holding a torn piece of paper in his hand. The paper was directions to a computing store, Collins Computing. Dan had to pick up a package for C.A.S.T. Dan finally arrived and stepped inside. He said "Hello, I'm here to pick up a package." Dan hoped they hurried, he still had some stuff to do that day.

 

[StarKeeper]

Nex returned to the shop for a moment and left the pair talking asd he went over the data from his burning clinic and spotted an android waing for something. He stood examining the android wondering why he was here. The contrast between the two was great while this android was designed to look lie a normal human nex looked like a statue. Deep in thought his face shifts to an expression of concentration

 

[MultiFinder]

A flurry of black hair drew out from under a bench where its owner had been digging through a bin, "Hmm? What about your clinic?" She shrugged, delving back into the bin before the door beeped as it opened. She pulled her head out quickly, whacking it on the bottom of the bench with a sharp crack. "Owww, cripes that hurt..." She rubbed her head for a moment, sitting on the floor, "I'll be up in just a minute! Feel free to have a look around!" She walked towards the storefront, rubbing the back of her head gingerly. She nearly bumped into Pent, who was on his way back to her.


"Ah! Pent, I'm so sorry. Whoa, I haven't seen this place so busy in a long while. Hello sir! How can I help you?" She walked up to Dan, a smile fixed on her face.

 

[Deadkool]

Dan was glad someone had finally noticed him. Something was off about this place, but Dan couldn't put his finger on it, until he picked up signals that indicated a nearby android. GAULEM series, this shop doesn't look like it could afford one of those, spies might be listeneing in. He spoke "Yeah, I'm DEATH, no not that one, The Dormant Educative And Theatrical Helper Android. As you can tell whoever came up with said acronym had a sense of humor, and yes I do get asked about that a lot. Kind of makes me hate the guy who invented acron- Aaaaand I'm off topic, you can call be Dan if you'd like, I'm here to pick up a package under the call sign." Dan looked to his paper. "Oracle, yep that's the one."


@MultiFinder

 

[Ninian]

Following behind Alda, Pent bowed before the customer with a smile, "It's a pleasure to serve you, DEATH." Cocking his head he stared at his mistress with furrowed brows, confused by her previous statement. "Miss Alda, I would be more than happy to assist you. Please give me instructions."


Pent had not seen the projected imagery of Nex's destroyed clinic, however when Nex spoke Pent had begun researching the facility, and had discovered much about it. There was a brief mention in an Undercity broadcast, and unfortunately it was in fact gone. This was certainly not good news, as many depended on the android's clinic for inexpensive, yet quality care. Pent pondered the consequences, as well as the motive of the perpetrators.

 

[StarKeeper]

New still standing in the hall raises his head at this; he heard the name oracle before only in passing or in the remains of a hard drive. Putting that aside he continued relaying orders to his smaller bots through the shops wifi, and sending messages to some of the other doctors in the area to keep track of his patients. When he was done he looked to the delivery android and on habit ran a diagnostic scan and found something interesting; a modified control chip.

 

[MultiFinder]

Alda clapped her hands together, "Ah, right! I keep forgetting that I have an android to help me out around here now! Pent, be a dear and fetch this gentleman's package for me; you'll find it on the island bench next to the outlets." She turned back to Dan, "Wonderful, I was beginning to wonder if anyone would ever pick up that order. Quite the odd one there." She chuckled at Dan's ranting, "Well, you aren't quite what I had imagined death looking like. Far more pleasant. Much less black." She hit him with a wide smile, "At least you have an interesting story behind your name! Take mine for example; my parents were expecting a boy, then I came along. They just named me after my grandmothers off the cuff." She leaned against a countertop, "So, can I interest you in anything for sale out here? Or perhaps a tuneup for yourself?"