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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 10, 2009 11:28:26 GMT -5
Day 5 of Small Plots. Semi-Private
Shockwave has been busy running the hunks of Cybertron (for yes, he must admit to himself that such is true, now), through test after test. Not so much to disprove, now, as to compare. Cybertron is Cybertron, but surely it can not be an exact copy, down to every base component. Based on various accounts, each reality's planet has some unique factor.
He is loathe to pause in his work, but things often call his attention, and right now, it is time for Shockwave to have a little chat with a certain unstable sniper. He leaves the pile of metal fragments strew about one worktable, and transfers a few tools and his datapad to an unoccupied one.
//Eye-Fire, report to my lab. Immediately.//
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 10, 2009 14:36:39 GMT -5
Eye-Fire, for his part, is absolutely terrified. So terrified he'd weep if he had the necessary parts. He not only failed Shockwave, he did so in such a spectacular manor he is sure they'll write a hand book abut how not to fail and use him as the prime example. Then there's also this other matter of what exactly stopped him from completing his fool charge at the demon Prime. One secound he was leaping sand dunes, the next his body rebelled as he crashed to the floor and a unfamiliar voice spoke in his head.
Terrified as he is, he shows nothing of it as he knocks on Shockwave's door. He may experience fear, but he will never insult a superior by showing it in front of them.
Of course, he has forgotten about one little thing....
;_;
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 10, 2009 15:10:45 GMT -5
Well, that is different. Shockwave really has not paid attention to Mixmaster's "improvement" upon the sniper. Perhaps paying attention to human trends in technology and communications was not a complete waste.
However, for now, Shockwave seems to ignore the view screen in favor of Eye-Fire's single optic. The purple Decepticon stands, idly flipping one of his needles about in his fingertips.
"Do you wish to tender explanations for your behavior at this time? Perhaps to give me a reason not to open you up and find out exactly what part of your CPU shorted out during the crater battle?"
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 10, 2009 15:17:03 GMT -5
"I...I can't, Lord Shockwave. I chose the incorrect moment to act and thereby nearly doomed us all. I attempted to rectify my error but.... I was stopped." Eye-Fire says, standing straight and tall, unflinching in the gaze of his fellow cyclops.
He'd rather not say what stopped him, but he won't say something didn't.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 10, 2009 15:23:38 GMT -5
"It was less your poor judgement and more your reckless-" Shockwave cuts off, as the rest of the sniper's words register.
"What do you mean, you were 'stopped'? I assumed you had been shot down. I saw no one interfere with your progress."
He points at clear worktable. "I would like to do a diagnostics check, if you please."
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 10, 2009 15:48:14 GMT -5
"I experienced a motor malfunction, my Lord. I'm unsure as to what the cause was, but I'm sure that its nothing drastic." Eye-Fire says, nothing actually untrue.
He lies down on the table, stock still, and suddenly eels something pulling at the back of his mind, and a faint voice whispers...
"Fool, break your shackles!...... You did not survive these years to become a pet!..."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 10, 2009 16:08:54 GMT -5
Shockwave does not actually think of Eye-Fire as a pet. In order to do that, he would have to actually think on Eye-Fire in more than a passing manner. The sniper is a tool, as all of them are, yes, but not a pet.
Diagnostics are simple enough of a start, and Shockwave's first step is to try and hook up his equipment to Eye-Fire and take some readings. Mayhap he will finds something interesting.
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 11, 2009 0:51:13 GMT -5
An attack dog is rarely regarded as more than a tool, but is still held on the tight leash of a pet.
A weak signal is broadcast from Eye-Fire, who doesn't even know he's broadcasting. Its frequency is of Eye-Fire and Shockwave's private channel so that no one else will intercept it.
//You may stop your probing, Shockwave. I am willing to talk without you invading his mind further.// the broadcast says in a voice and tone much more neutral and unemotional than Eye-Fire's.
//Bring offline these specific processing cores...// It says, and reads out serial numbers of the the processor cores that once shut down, will put Eye-Fire to sleep and awaken the other fully.
__________________________
OOC: Permission given to fiddle with delicate electronics.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 11, 2009 11:08:46 GMT -5
Oh now this...this is different. Split personality disorder, or a hidden AI?
Shockwave does not, however, stop his diagnostics. //Hrm, whichever you you may be, he still needs his functions checked. You may rule him, but I am still commander of you both.//
That said Shockwave is intrigued, and so does begin the process of shutting down the specified cores. Still running diagnostics, or trying. Comparison data will be most valuable.
Once done, Shockwave tries to place his canon tip just under the sigil emblazoned on Eye-Fire's chest. Cautious, is Shockwave.
"Now, shall we start with introductions?"
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 12, 2009 0:38:41 GMT -5
"The introductions shall be short, because there is not much to tell and I know of you. I have no name, no affiliations nor concerns other than this units survivial." Not Eye-Fire says, the voice deadpan neutral. Imagine Microsoft Sam, but more articulate and sinister.
"I began as a simple AI to turn this unit into an effective killer, and over the years have attained sentience due to the rather interesting way Eye-Fire's own AI gets corrupted, patched, tweaked and generally fiddled with by incompetants and those who feel they could do a better job." He says again, with full knowledge that Shockwave recently had a go at improving Eye-Fire's AI.
"You may call me Ghost."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 12, 2009 11:03:00 GMT -5
"How original," Shockwave says quite dryly in response to the new intelligence's preferred name. He steps back, which should allow the literal Ghost in the Machine to sit up, if it so prefers. But Shockwave is still wary.
"In other words, his original programming was faulty. You were implanted to heal its lacks, and over time you evolved to help hold it together when it would begin to crack anew."
Shockwave does not miss that rather blatant jab, but chooses to ignore it for now. After all, Shockwave did not actually attempt to improve; he merely reset the sniper's ideas of command structure- per Eye-Fire's own request. Not taking advantage would have been rather...un-Decepticon of Shockwave.
"Now, explain why you chose to reveal yourself. And why I should not simply initiate a full reformat and rebuild his programming properly."
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 12, 2009 16:21:51 GMT -5
Shockwave may not have messed with Eye-Fire's AI, but important does he thin the rank structure is to Eye-Fire, a mechanoid who's entire life and existence revolves around serving his superiors?
Shockwave also seems to have grasped the basics of Ghost adequately, and would therefore get a cookie if Ghost had one.
"Yes, you could purge me. You'd of course have to hope that you catch and fix every error and glitch in Eye-Fire, any one of which might cause him to go berserk and pick off your troops one by one until he's satisfied some mysterious goal all of his own. But yes, you could purge me."
"As to revealing myself, I would gain little hiding myself from you. I doubt I could really conceal myself had you decided to go looking for me."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 13, 2009 8:43:39 GMT -5
Ghost is not quite getting the point. Shockwave would not merely purge Eye-Fire's programing; he would simply scrap it and start fresh, as if the mech was an empty shell waiting to be inhabited, like the doppelgangers in Shockwave's Cybertron lab. Pull the hard drive, so to speak. It would not be the first time the gunformer had done such a thing. Shockwave decides that clarifying such is not the best course of action.
He does say, however, "I think you do not know me so well as you claim." This is not the Shockwave Eye-Fire is looking for.
"And what do you hope to gain from me by your revelation?"
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 13, 2009 9:02:43 GMT -5
Ghost never underestimated anything. Having specificly stated the results for a more leniant situation and having gotten a response to indicate a more extreme situation he now knows to expect the worst from Shockwave. Shockwave isn't the only one who uses speech as a measuring stick for his opponents.
"My continued existence, as well as that of Eye-Fire. I don't have to be very bright to understand what you would do to me if i puropefully tried to hide myself from you."
"The more intersting question is what you stand to gain from me, as I'm sure you'll agree."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 13, 2009 22:12:14 GMT -5
Shockwave keeps that impassive yellow trained on Eye-Fire/Ghost.
"And, what, exactly, do you offer that an flawless supporter would not?"
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