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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 16, 2011 12:24:45 GMT -5
Month 1, Week 1, Day 6, Event Horizon medical, semi-private
"...normally, a Wrecker captain would never have his mind copied down. Too much of a security risk. However, after Springer got back from fighting Galvatron, I... had to send him out after Galvatron again, so since he'd cheated death once, I thought it... acceptable to make a copy of Springer," Emirate Xaaron explains. He's sitting on a high stool in medical, and there's something suspiciously like a floppy disk in his hand. He could probably fit two of them into those slots on Kup's chest.
So in short, that's why Emirate Xaaron has a copy of his Springer's brain.
He continues, "So that's there if you need any... spare Springer mental pieces, I suppose," he sets the floppy disk down on a medical tray, "and... I really hope this doesn't happen, but... if you do experience catastrophic mental failure, well..." Emirate Xaaron's expression and posture makes it clear that he really, really hopes it doesn't happen, "there's the option there to start you over. You'd need to decide now if you want it, before they get started."
Emirate Xaaron looks over at Springer, waiting to hear what it'll be.
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Post by Springer on May 19, 2011 1:23:24 GMT -5
Springer sighs, sitting on an examination berth. He shrugs at Xaaron. "I guess that if I want to keep functioning in the event of that, I don't really have a choice - so yeah, if it's needed, have at it. I've already got one other me in my head, what's one more..."
Springer's tone is tired. It's not even been a week, but he's ready to have something done about his passenger.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on May 22, 2011 22:02:48 GMT -5
Rodimus frowns as Emirate Xaaron explains that he has a totally illegal copy of Springer. "I guess I can understand why you'd do that, but why'd you ke- oh, nevermind," he cuts himself off, shaking his head. "It's moot now, anyway."
Making copies of the officers before sending them off to particularly dangerous missions is an idea that has merit! Keeping that copy when the mission is over carries all the same problems as any other officer-mind copy. Heck, he's still a little creeped out when he realizes that there may still be an in-tact copy of Hot Rod out there somewhere. It feels... awkward. That is not the person he is anymore, but what could his enemies do with a mind-copy of the boy who became Prime?
Rodimus himself is only here by virtue of being the second in command, and of being one of the ones Perceptor consulted when struggling over the matter. Also, he's concerned for Springer, but if everyone who is concerned for Springer were allowed in, the area would be too crowded to get any work done in. So he is essentially abusing his rank just to be here, though he is careful to stay back and out of the way of those who have real work to do.
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Post by Perceptor on May 23, 2011 16:15:39 GMT -5
Perceptor is a little... torn... about the concept of having a backup of Springer's mind. On the one hand, the insurance that it offers is a comforting thought, even if he has already planned for not having such a thing available. In his calculations, there is NO room for error or failure. On the other... it presents an interesting ethical dilemma; who all does Xaaron have a copy of, and what, really, besides intrinsic trust, would prevent Xaaron from using those copies on anyone he sees fit? Have a disagreement with one of your chief science officers? Arrange some down time and reload from scratch, and perhaps tweak a few things along the way.
Still, Xaaron looks as uncomfortable about the presence of that little disk as Perceptor is.
All of this assumes that such a reload of base programming would even... take. Sparks and souls and cores and such what they are, how much of a mechanism's being is pure code, and how much is... less tangible than that?
Now is not, however, the time for such philosophical sophistry.
"Understood, Springer," he replies, nodding. "For the record, however, I do not believe that having an entire mind for each of your modes was what the whole 'triple-changer' project had intended." Hey, when in doubt, attempt humor?
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on May 26, 2011 21:25:43 GMT -5
Omega Supreme feels awkward about all this. There's a dull rage, of course. When is there not a dull rage? He's a victim of mental assault as much as Springer is, though his wounds are much older, faded and scarred, but it comes back to the same thing for both of them: Decepticons. If Omega Supreme is ever so lucky to catch Shockwave, Shockwave will find himself particularly on the Guardian's bad list. After all, there are Decepticons, and then there are the slagholes who screw with Transformers' heads.
The slagholes like Omega Supreme, apparently. He picks up the disc where Emirate Xaaron set it down, regarding it ambivalently. Those of Springer's reality are doubly vulnerable, Omega Supreme, supposes, being as they have both sparks and brain modules, two centres of self ripe for attack. The spark has already been wounded. What's on this disc of Emirate Xaaron's is designed to unpack in a brain module.
Omega Supreme hasn't worked much with sparks or brain modules. Been a long time since he's even touched a lasercore. Tapping that dead Hound's visual buffer is the most he's done in a long, long time. He unpacks Emirate Xaaron's disc and takes a look over it as practise before setting it aside.
Then Omega Supreme turns to Perceptor and inquires, "Access point?"
In other words, where ought Omega Supreme stick the logic probe, doctor? He's a Guardian. They're good at... reverting programming to its... original defaults. That's what they want with Springer, right? The old Springer back?
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 26, 2011 21:42:29 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron nods once, sharply, at Springer's reply and says smoothly, "Very well."
Emirate Xaaron meets Rodimus Prime's frown with a steady, unashamed gaze of his own. He lost twice and for good one Wrecker captain who was very dear to him. Springer was dear to him, too. Would Rodimus Prime really do differently, in Emirate Xaaron's place? Add in how busy Emirate Xaaron was, with the whole freedom fighting deal, and... it is easy to forget what (or who) is in one's subspace pocket.
He steps away, closer to Rodimus Prime, to let Perceptor and Omega Supreme work, laughing politely at Perceptor's joke.
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Post by Springer on May 27, 2011 14:07:07 GMT -5
Springer laughs a bit at Perceptor, shaking his head. "Neither do I, but if two heads are better than one, three must be even better." Except for the fact that it's really painfully cramped to have two Springers in one head. One of which is ...well, rather quiet. He's facing deletion - so he's rather somber. He supposes that it's only fair - he's a copy of who he used to be - he's not "real".
Though the guilt weighing on him is rather real. He did some awful stuff - some without knowing how bad it was, and some he did know what he was doing.
"Ah...before, before this, ah, goes through..." Springer's tone is a bit timid now, his face seeming rather gaunt compared to before. "Before I'm gone, I want to apologize for all I did. I won't be able to tell everyone individually, but I do hope it can be passed on."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on May 30, 2011 13:07:47 GMT -5
Rodimus has, in fact, made some extraordinarily bad choices when it comes to people who are dear to him. And he's paid for it, too. And at some point, the whole universe may yet pay for it. So he returns Xaaron's gaze, and gives only a faint nod in acknowledgement in return. He understands.
He gives a faint smile and an amused snort at the friendly banter between Perceptor and Springer, but his expression sobers at Springer's last request. He lowers his head, optics dimmed, and then gives a single nod. "I... I'm pretty sure they already know, but I'll make sure it's passed on," he says softly. He attempts to reach forward and quickly, briefly give a reassuring squeeze to Springer's shoulder, but then withdraws quickly, once more out of anyone's way
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Post by Perceptor on Jun 11, 2011 21:11:25 GMT -5
Perceptor has not forgotten that this process will, effectively, be "killing" another being. Even if that "being" is nothing more than a copy, what is contained upon that back-up disk Xaaron has produced is nothing more than a copy, too. What gives one more validity than the other?
Besides, it was-- HE was a copy that was complete and self-aware enough to pass as the Springer they knew for... quite long enough to seem every bit as alive as the Springer who had arrived in this reality originally. As far as Perceptor is concerned, the process is still murder, even if it is... well... the right thing to do. He is, however, prepared to accept his part of the responsibility of assisting this "murder"; part of his thoughts are consumed with wondering if he would have been able to do so but a decade or two before? Or even before he had arrived in this reality?
He isn't sure, honestly. His boundaries between expedience and conscience have... blurred of late. Any sort of hesitance or uncertainty on his part, however, can only make a bad situation worse, and so he merely gives Springer's shoulder a squeeze.
If he cannot give concrete answers, he can at least give forgiveness and comfort. Perceptor, himself, has always been the one he could never forgive, after all, so Springer is more than worthy of that offering, now.
Once Rodimus and Springer have finished speaking, Perceptor, calling upon the schematics he has queued up on a nearby monitor, motions toward the appropriate access ports. "Those should suit your requirements, Omega Supreme."
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jun 13, 2011 20:51:50 GMT -5
Omega Supreme takes a long look at the access port indicated by Perceptor and then he tries to slide his data probe in to get a real 'look' at Springer's mindscape.
This is... different. It's not like working on the Constructicons was or even Hound. It goes so much deeper, and it's more... symbolic, the way he visualises it, not just wires out of place but concepts and abstractions given forms only vaguely related to their substance.
It's sort of like a dream, really.
Omega Supreme's optics dim, and those in the outside world will need to speak rather loudly to get his attention. Right now, he's trying to find Springer, either of them, and set the correct one to rights. He can feel the 'ground' shifting out from under his feet, though. The balance of power is shifting rapidly, maybe more rapidly than Omega Supreme can work. He wasn't designed for modern Transformers, in all their complexity, let alone modern Triple-Changers from another reality!
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 13, 2011 20:56:51 GMT -5
"We'll let them know," Emirate Xaaron vows, agreeing with Rodimus Prime.
He leans in closer to Springer and murmurs, "Primus be with you, Springer. All of you."
OOC: Skippable, because he's just standing around and looking uncomfortable! He might interject later, but don't wait on him.
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Post by Springer on Jun 15, 2011 21:09:36 GMT -5
Once Omega jacks in, Springer spaces out similarly.
The strange land takes shape in a chaotic mishmash of a war-torn organic planet where rain falls in torrents, and an industrial area of Cybertron that's currently in flames that seen to not be yielding to the rain. It seems like the Cybertron part is consuming the organic half, though in the midst of it all, Springer fights... With himself.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 16, 2011 14:13:15 GMT -5
Rodimus steps back out of the way to let the medics work. He attempts to get a good view of the vitals monitors, though he takes close not to hover too close over Perceptor's shoulder.
OOC: Skippable.
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Post by Perceptor on Jun 17, 2011 15:39:47 GMT -5
Perceptor... is not used to being the assistant, rather than the "doctor". He isn't used to standing my, playing the supporting role here. It's hard for him to not fiddle with the equipment, check the monitors, adjust their gain and reception.
He doesn't want to distract Omega Supreme, though, and so, forces himself to adopt a stoic expression, and to stand by, watching the monitors for signs of distress that extend beyond acceptable parameters.
He hates this.
ooc: skippable
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jun 19, 2011 22:03:25 GMT -5
The numbers slide around Omega Supreme, washed like the rain. He needs to find the control centres of this place - the registry values for mental control - and he needs to place the correct Springer there. and then in the next spot, and then in the next, before time runs out.
Where's the value that represents Springer, thought? The correct Springer.
Omega Supreme moves in deeper, bubbles rising up where he steps, echoes of the inefficient bubble sort search vector, the only one he can get working right now.
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