# Time 29 July 827 A.S. 17:25 SMT # Location Freeport 11, Omicron Delta
# Involvement
• "Fairchild"
• Little.Trashmaid
<Little.Trashmaid> What will we do with a drunken spessmen, what will we do with a drunken spessmen~ <Little.Trashmaid> Early in the mor... ning. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh... now what were those beeping sounds? <"Fairchild"> "Beeping. It was beeping." <Little.Trashmaid> Good, thank you. Now i know... hey, that wasn't really explaining anything, was it? <"Fairchild"> "The question was unclear." <Little.Trashmaid> Damn, it's still beeping. *Checks the console.* NOW what... <Little.Trashmaid> Hey, think you could be smuggling something? <Little.Trashmaid> Somehow, the AI thingy is all hyped about you. <"Fairchild"> *the voice coming from the comms is unnatural - human, but emotionless and nearly hyper-correct* "No." <"Fairchild"> "I do not smuggle. Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Then maybe you are someone important? <Little.Trashmaid> Or, like, someone i know? <"Fairchild"> "It is the first time I see your ship." <"Fairchild"> "I do not know you." <Little.Trashmaid> That's... huh. Well, i suppose you don't, then. <Little.Trashmaid> Still, you are in the toaster's database for some reason. Any ideas why? Like, even wild ones. <Little.Trashmaid> Maybe you are well-endowed ro something. <"Fairchild"> "I have not eaten bread in a very long time." <"Fairchild"> "Toasted or not." <Little.Trashmaid> I... don't think that could be the reason. *Shrugs audibly and taps the console.* Should i share, then? I have some snacks. <Little.Trashmaid> Crackers, onion and cream flavor. <Little.Trashmaid> Should not be expired yet. <"Fairchild"> "Reaching across the vacuum of space would not be very wise." <"Fairchild"> "And, there is a terrorist here." <Little.Trashmaid> Why, the thingy has external pods for fast access. <Little.Trashmaid> Oh. Eizo. <Little.Trashmaid> For a moment i thought it is a space roach. <Little.Trashmaid> But that's just you. <"Fairchild"> "Upsetting." <Little.Trashmaid> You know Eizo, eh? <"Fairchild"> "I do not know the Outcast." <Little.Trashmaid> Not Eizo? Umm... Maybe that Emma Toyota? No? <"Fairchild"> "I do not know any of them." <Little.Trashmaid> So... want the crackers or not? <Little.Trashmaid> They are free, i got too many anyway. <"Fairchild"> "I do not want the crackers." <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* Synth paste, maybe? Anything at all? <"Fairchild"> "I have synth paste on the station." <Little.Trashmaid> *Taps the console again.* Hell, that thing sure is hyped. Sure you are not some celebrity? <"Fairchild"> "I am not." <Little.Trashmaid> But it is suggesting me taking shots of your ship and all... <"Fairchild"> "I am... lost... ghost... spectre..." <"Fairchild"> "Not any of those." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Spectre... what? <Little.Trashmaid> Aww, but you do not look like you'd glow when you go pee at night. <Little.Trashmaid> Nor are your eyes pink. <Little.Trashmaid> Well, whatever. If you are lost, i can tosss you a map, though. Might be old, but still is a map. <Little.Trashmaid> *Mubmles to self.* Lost, lost.... huh... <Little.Trashmaid> Oh! <"Fairchild"> "I am not lost. I am... here... inside... inside?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of those." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Hey, thanks for reminding me! Jeez, thought i could be more productive than that. <Little.Trashmaid> Say, i was supposed to look for some fair... child. Seen any blonde kids around? <Little.Trashmaid> *Scratches his cheek again, seemingly unaware of the lich callsign.* <"Fairchild"> "Fair. Child." <Little.Trashmaid> Fair. Like blonde, i suppose? <Little.Trashmaid> Some weirdo in a yacht asked me to look for his lost kid or something, now that i recall it. <"Fairchild"> "Fair. Child. Separate... Together...? Twins? Brothers?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of those things." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Somewhere around here, too. <Little.Trashmaid> And i was about to annoy that bald lesbian anyway. Did not see her around for quite some time, so... <"Fairchild"> "Yacht." <Little.Trashmaid> Twins, brothers? Umm... no, he did not say anything like that, i suppose? <Little.Trashmaid> Just a fair child. <Little.Trashmaid> Mhm. A Democritus. Pho... Phoenix? <Little.Trashmaid> No, not like that. Pal... paladin? Still not it. <Little.Trashmaid> Something Pala-ish. <Little.Trashmaid> CV-Pala-something. <"Fairchild"> "Round, crystal, far seeing, observant. Far. Distance...?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of those." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> You don't have to apologize every time, you know. <Little.Trashmaid> By the way, did anyone tell you that you are slightly more weird than usual, for an Omicroner? <Little.Trashmaid> Round, crystal... <Little.Trashmaid> Hey, yeah! Thanks! CV-Palantir, now i remember! <"Fairchild"> "Round, crystal, far seeing." <"Fairchild"> "It is correct." <Little.Trashmaid> Mhm. Prophecy ball. Palantir. <Little.Trashmaid> That was the callsign of the buddy who asked me to look for a blonde kid when i am around Omicrons. <"Fairchild"> "Crystal ball... Fortune teller? Cards...?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of those." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Fortune teller? Suppose so. He said he was poor, so... Given that he lives on a yacht, could be a wandering - <Little.Trashmaid> fortune teller indeed. <Little.Trashmaid> Got a name, by the way? Kind of late to ask now, but still... <Little.Trashmaid> Mine's John. <"Fairchild"> "Fair. Child." <Little.Trashmaid> Yeah, that's what i was supposed to look for. <Little.Trashmaid> So, your name? John Silverstone, if i may. Please, don't creep out. <"Fairchild"> "Fair. Child." <Little.Trashmaid> What, that's your name? <Little.Trashmaid> Jeez, now WHAT do you want from me? *Sighs and taps the console again.* Sorry, hope that beeping's not distracting. <"Fairchild"> "Crystal, round, far seeing. Fair. Child. Twins. Brothers." <"Fairchild"> "Stars. Constellation. Gemini...?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of these." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Suppose i'll just be calling you Fair. You don't mind, do you? <"Fairchild"> "I do not." <Little.Trashmaid> Good! Got a story then, Fair? Or maybe a joke? I love stories. <"Fairchild"> "I do not know stories." <Little.Trashmaid> Not a single one? <"Fairchild"> "I do not know." <Little.Trashmaid> Hmm... How about that one, then... <Little.Trashmaid> Some scientist say, some aliens around here are actually mutated space squids from lost space food haulers. <Little.Trashmaid> Those grow somewhat huge in zero-g, did you know? <Little.Trashmaid> The again, it may be a stupid kusarian joke, too. Those lads are fond of things with tentacles. <"Fairchild"> "Tentacles... Spiders? ...Robot spiders?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of these." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Not even a giggle? Oh come on, you know how to laugh, right? <Little.Trashmaid> Well, maybe it wasn't a funny joke. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* So, what are you doing around here, Fair? <"Fairchild"> "Lost." <Little.Trashmaid> For real? Locals sell maps, though. But you probably know that already, so... <Little.Trashmaid> Well, allright, let's assume you are lost. <Little.Trashmaid> Want me to get you back to house space or something? <Little.Trashmaid> Or... i suppose, you can safely stay here. Or in Theta. <"Fairchild"> "Round, crystal, far seeing." <Little.Trashmaid> Max Cosmo-something is in Charge of 11. And Sun Ko-something is in charge of 9 in Theta. Just tell them i ask them - <Little.Trashmaid> - to keep you safe and well-fed. First they may seem mad, but they are actually nice ones. <Little.Trashmaid> How did you get lost anyway? <"Fairchild"> "I do not remember." <Little.Trashmaid> Well, umm... <Little.Trashmaid> Happens, i suppose. Remember anything of the system you were at before you got lost? <"Fairchild"> "Desert. Moon. Morning...? Good morning...?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of those." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Desert moon, desert moon... Well, there are lots of those everywhere. <Little.Trashmaid> Righty. Want to go somewhere else, then? Where you'd be... well, less lost. <"Fairchild"> "Planet of deserts and a moon that said good morning...?" <"Fairchild"> "Round, crystal, far seeing." <Little.Trashmaid> You remind me of Shiro, you know. She loved to talk in riddles, too. <Little.Trashmaid> What's a moon that says good morning? <"Fairchild"> *after a longer pause the voice seems to have finally constructed a proper sentence* <"Fairchild"> "Tell the crystall ball of a moon that says good morning around the planet of deserts." <Little.Trashmaid> The crystal... eh? What, that buddy that asked me to look for a kid? <Little.Trashmaid> Allrighty, but why? <"Fairchild"> "Fair. Child." <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly and yawns.* <Little.Trashmaid> A gaul, here? <Little.Trashmaid> Now that's what i call lost. <Little.Trashmaid> You know, i still have the feeling that you are somehow important. <Little.Trashmaid> But i don't really remember why. <Little.Trashmaid> Suppose i should not have been drinking and sleeping all the way here. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs* But what else is there to do when you fly alone? <Little.Trashmaid> What do you do when you fly alone, Fair? <"Fairchild"> "I forge stars. Sun... Stars?" <"Fairchild"> "Not any of those." <"Fairchild"> "Sorry." <Little.Trashmaid> Forge... stars? Not sure what's that supposed to mean. <Little.Trashmaid> But go on, i would not mind a story? <Little.Trashmaid> Oh. You said you have no already. <"Fairchild"> "No stories." <"Fairchild"> "It was incorrect." <"Fairchild"> "Tell the crystall ball of the moon that says good morning near a planet of deserts."
# Time 26 August 827 A.S. 17:25 SMT # Location Planet Manhattan, New York
# Involvement
• "Fairchild"
• Little.Trashmaid
• Isla.Nazumaki
<CV-Palantir> Nik: Good day, Silverstone. <Little.Trashmaid> Oh huh. <Little.Trashmaid> So you are actually still alive! <CV-Palantir> Nik: In a sense. <Little.Trashmaid> I thought you went missing or something like that. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Why would I go missing? <Little.Trashmaid> Beats me. You just were not around for quite some time. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Not sure what to respond to that. I haven't gone away from Liberty. <CV-Palantir> Nik: If you wanted to get in touch, you could have just sent a comm on the Net, you know. <Little.Trashmaid> I am not fond of that idea, really. I prefer not to use Neuralnet if possible. <Little.Trashmaid> Anyhow, i suppose i found your little cute weirdo. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You would have saved yourself some hass-- Oh! <Little.Trashmaid> Hah. That sure makes you hyped. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Please tell me she's okay... <Little.Trashmaid> Depends on what you consider to be okay, really. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Tell me everything. <Little.Trashmaid> Her ship did not have any additional holes in it, i suppose <Little.Trashmaid> But she has some funny manner of speech and is somewhat weird to talk with. <Little.Trashmaid> Not much to tell, really. I was drinking the whole time on my way to Delta, thinking i should start looking from that freeport. <Little.Trashmaid> Or at least stare at some zoner cuties while i was at it. <Little.Trashmaid> By the time i arrived i was somewhat tipsy and my head hurt like hell. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Delta... Damn, that's far. <Little.Trashmaid> So i did not realize it was her first. <Little.Trashmaid> Is it? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, it's the Omicrons, no? <Little.Trashmaid> Yep. Then again, it depends on your definition of "far". <CV-Palantir> Nik: I guess. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Has she told you what she'd been doing all the way over there? <Little.Trashmaid> I mean, the amount of time you waste to get there is not that horrible, copmared to your normal lifespan. <Little.Trashmaid> No idea, really. She wasn't THAT talkative. <Little.Trashmaid> I suppose, all she said about it is that she was lost. <CV-Palantir> Nik: She might have sustained some brain damage, just so you know. So be courteous. <Little.Trashmaid> But i am not completely sure, since she talks with riddles all the time. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Riddles? <Little.Trashmaid> Ugh... No, she did not look brain-damaged in any way. <Little.Trashmaid> If you omit her manner of speech, she acts sort of logical. <Little.Trashmaid> And yeah, riddles. <Little.Trashmaid> You'll get it if you talk to her. <CV-Palantir> Nik: That might be complicated given that she is in Delta and I am here. <Little.Trashmaid> What's the problem, really? <CV-Palantir> Nik: I am... a little more paranoid than usual about leaving the safety of Liberty. <Little.Trashmaid> *He scratches his cheek.* Now when i think of it, i was supposed to pass you a message. <CV-Palantir> Nik: A message? <Little.Trashmaid> Give me a moment to recall where did i write that down. <Little.Trashmaid> A riddle, a message, a tiny useless something. Call it however you like. <Little.Trashmaid> Oh, there! Umm... <Little.Trashmaid> Jeez, is that even my handwriting? More messy than i expected it to be. <CV-Palantir> Nik: At least you have hands to write with... <CV-Palantir> Nik: Anyway, carry on. <Little.Trashmaid> "Tell the crystal ball of a moon that says good morning..." <Little.Trashmaid> Huh, how do i read that... <Little.Trashmaid> Something-something deserts. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Interesting. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Oh. That's... <Little.Trashmaid> Around deserts. Yeah, that's what it says. <Little.Trashmaid> Good morning around deserts. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well. I understand that part. <Little.Trashmaid> Suppose i should not spill alcohol all over the place. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I think I get it. <Little.Trashmaid> You do? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yes. At least I think so. <Little.Trashmaid> Like, it actually makes some sense? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, the second part. Not sure about the ball. <CV-Palantir> Nik: "The moon that says good morning" would be the moon of Planet Crete. <Little.Trashmaid> I somehow think she meant you by that. <Little.Trashmaid> Eh? <CV-Palantir> Nik: It's called "Kalhmera", meaning "good morning" or "good day" in Greek. <Little.Trashmaid> How does THAT ONE say good.... oh. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Which would make sense given the deserts of that planet... <Little.Trashmaid> Suppose you are some sort of a scientist, afterall. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I am. But the location is significant for another reason. That's where we last saw each other. <Little.Trashmaid> She was at the freeport, though? <Little.Trashmaid> I bet she still is. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Have you told her that I've been looking for her, though? <Little.Trashmaid> Err... i am not sure about that, sorry. <Little.Trashmaid> Drank too much, afterall. <CV-Palantir> Nik: What do you mean you are not sure?! <CV-Palantir> Nik: You either did or not! <Little.Trashmaid> Mhm, and i am not sure if i did? <CV-Palantir> Nik: I need to think about this. <Little.Trashmaid> I mean, onboard AI takes a detailed record of my every breath, but i am not fond of interacting with h... it. <Little.Trashmaid> Interacting with IT. <Little.Trashmaid> Damn ions. <Little.Trashmaid> Anyhow, as i was saying. <Little.Trashmaid> Onboard AI keeps records of everything. But i am not fond of interacting with it. <Little.Trashmaid> And hey, what's there to think about? Didn't you plan to pay her a visit? <CV-Palantir> Nik: As I have already told you, I am quite paranoid about leaving the safety of Liberty. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I would much rather have her come to me... But I don't know how to convince her to do it. <CV-Palantir> Nik: From what you told me it seems like something is seriously wrong with her and I don't think she would- <Little.Trashmaid> You can stay at the freeport in Delta, it's pretty safe. I know the one in charge of it. <Little.Trashmaid> Or you can stay on Crete. <CV-Palantir> -even know if I sent her a message through the Net or not. <CV-Palantir> Nik: No, aboard... No, no. That's not really possible. <Little.Trashmaid> Why not? <CV-Palantir> Nik: I can't really leave this ship. That's why I cannot risk it getting shot down or damaged or anything. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <Little.Trashmaid> What, are you telling i should capture her and bring her here? <CV-Palantir> Nik: I sincerely doubt you would be able to capture her. <CV-Palantir> Nik: But perhaps you could... convince her, somehow, maybe. <Little.Trashmaid> Eh? Why not? <Little.Trashmaid> Oh, right. No CD on this toy, she can just run. <Little.Trashmaid> Convince her, eh? <Little.Trashmaid> Hell, given how she acts... I am not even sure where to start. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Uh oh. <CV-Palantir> Nik: That's... <Little.Trashmaid> Huh? <CV-Palantir> Nik: You know what, on a second thought, maybe going to the Omicrons would not be that bad of an idea. <Little.Trashmaid> You can call that freeport cutie, she will sure tell you a good route to get there. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I would have to hire escorts, though... Oh, what a hassle. <Little.Trashmaid> Name's Max Cosmo-something. FP11 admin. <Little.Trashmaid> Just tell her i sent you. <Little.Trashmaid> As for the escorts, umm... Let's see... <Little.Trashmaid> Depends on the path you are willing to take. <CV-Palantir> Nik: That's the thing. I cannot go without anything short of a good escort, and I cannot get a good escort <CV-Palantir> -because I haven't got money for one. <Little.Trashmaid> If you are fine with getting there through Rheinland - i suppose you can use my name for that. <Little.Trashmaid> Guys owe me one anyway, so it will be free. I suppose. <Little.Trashmaid> But they are a bit shady, so i wonder if you are really fine with that. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I am not sure about your Rheinlander friends. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I asked around about the people you told me about last time we talked. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Reeves... Unfortunately, as I was told, my good friend Avery Reeves is dead. <Little.Trashmaid> Oh, those WILL obey if you ask properly. <Little.Trashmaid> Maybe just once, but they will for sure. <CV-Palantir> Nik: And that other name, Jeff something. He hasn't replied even though I asked repeatedly. <CV-Palantir> Nik: So I don't really know how reliable that is. <Little.Trashmaid> Say, ever heared of the Syndicate League? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Rings a bell but not really. <Little.Trashmaid> They are reliable, i am telling you. <Little.Trashmaid> Just call Gunda Rheil. Or anyone of the Unioner Syndicate Leagues. <Isla.Nazumaki> Hey there. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Oh, yeah, Unioners. That's definitely a good idea. <Little.Trashmaid> Tell them you need escort. Tell them i sent you. <Little.Trashmaid> Hey, no sarcasm. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I like your ideas sometimes, Silverstone, but this is not one of those times. <Little.Trashmaid> I am telling you, they WILL listen and obey if you mention me. <Little.Trashmaid> Just tell them i asked. <Little.Trashmaid> And hey, boobies. On your day off? <Isla.Nazumaki> Eh... not exactly. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Good evening, Miss Nazumaki. <Isla.Nazumaki> I quit. <Isla.Nazumaki> Good to see you again Doc. <Little.Trashmaid> Mhm, funny joke. <Isla.Nazumaki> Been a while. <Isla.Nazumaki> It's not a joke, Silvy. <Little.Trashmaid> Anyhow... Nik, was it? <Isla.Nazumaki> I couldn't really take it anymore. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yeah. <Little.Trashmaid> Just call Gunda Rheil and the Union. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I don't think I will. <Little.Trashmaid> They will listen if you mention John Silverstone. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Look, I need an escort, not a God-damn labour strike. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* Up to you, really. Just telling you the easy way. <Little.Trashmaid> *Chuckles.* Woah, that was one funny comment. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Hm. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I wonder, though, if you tried tallking to Fairchild, she might be able to make the journey. <CV-Palantir> Nik: If you haven't told her that I'm alive and looking for her, that is, she might not even know. <Little.Trashmaid> Talking is the problematic part, really. <Little.Trashmaid> She is... well, you know. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, that's the thing, I don't really know. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I would need a... let's call it, a closer look. <Little.Trashmaid> What happened between you two, anyway? Some lovers quarrel? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Not exactly. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Not at all, actually. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I guess I can tell you a part of this story now, as payment for finding her, I suppose. <Little.Trashmaid> Sure, i love stories. <CV-Palantir> Nik: She is, in a way and by her own volition, a test subject. <Little.Trashmaid> Wait a moment, you experimented on her - and she ran? <CV-Palantir> Nik: In short, yes. <Little.Trashmaid> Woah. <CV-Palantir> Nik: But I wouldn't really call it "experimenting". <Little.Trashmaid> I am not sure if bringing her back would be a good idea. <CV-Palantir> Nik: "Experimenting" invokes imagery of sawblades and blood and stuff. <Little.Trashmaid> She may hold a grudge agains you, you know? <Little.Trashmaid> Well yeah. Isn't it usually sawblades and blood? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Not in that case. In that case it was a computer program and a few electrical impulses that went the wrong way. <Little.Trashmaid> A shocker and electrical chair, eh? <CV-Palantir> Nik: No, no... <CV-Palantir> Nik: Look, the long and short of it is that I broke her, so to speak, and I'm the only one who can fix her. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <CV-Palantir> Nik: The other two people capable of this would have been Reeves or Stenn. Reeves is dead. Stenn is missing. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I'm the best hope she has. <Little.Trashmaid> Still, she'd probably not be happy to see you. <CV-Palantir> Nik: And for what it's worth I am /very/ sorry this has happened. <Little.Trashmaid> How am i even supposed to convince her? <Little.Trashmaid> Stenn, eh? <Little.Trashmaid> Wait, Nick Stenn? <Little.Trashmaid> Blueberry's boyfriend? <CV-Palantir> Nik: That one. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Of the Forlorn banner. <Little.Trashmaid> EEEEEEW! <Little.Trashmaid> Gross. <Little.Trashmaid> I mean, what could possibly be worse? Auxesia? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Oh, Auxesia would definitely be worse. <Little.Trashmaid> So he was into experiments on humans. Hah, knew that! <CV-Palantir> Nik: Bloody chromeheads. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Not really. <Little.Trashmaid> What do you mean "not really"? <CV-Palantir> Nik: If Fairchild was the alpha subject, Stenn and Reeves were the beta ones. <CV-Palantir> Nik: They had the same tech that Fairchild uses. And that, coincidentally, keeps me alive and able to talk. <Little.Trashmaid> Stenn has... Hah! <Little.Trashmaid> Let me guess it. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You aren't going to guess right. <Little.Trashmaid> Nanites in his head or something? Like Birdy? <CV-Palantir> Nik: --Oh. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yes. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Although "nanites in his head" is a bit reductionist. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I am, however, the humble creator of that technology. Although we call it "Vergil". <Little.Trashmaid> I mean, that was sort of Sapphire's and Hunt's idea. <Little.Trashmaid> Along with huge alien tentacle guns. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I don't know who these are. <Little.Trashmaid> Did Stenn get to that part, too? I bet he did. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I mean, I heard of Sapphire Raven and Auxesia. But no clue about the other one. <Little.Trashmaid> Those two are the lover-birds who founded Auxesia. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Interesting. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly* And i was the idiot who sold Josh a functional tentacle thingy. <Little.Trashmaid> But let's not get to this part, i suppose. <Little.Trashmaid> And Birdy was the idiot who forgot that i hired her to spy on Josh and banged him instead. <Little.Trashmaid> And so it became their private tea club, which became Auxesia later. <Little.Trashmaid> But let's not get to that either. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Auxesia and their approach to technology is frightening me, to be honest. <Little.Trashmaid> Jeez. I swear, all the idiots are somewhat alike. I knew someone will try that. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I am definitely not looking to associate myself with chromeheads of any kind. <Little.Trashmaid> Someone else, since Josh failed. <Little.Trashmaid> I mean, the nanites thingy. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I'm a regular scientist, not a mad one. <Little.Trashmaid> Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say! <Little.Trashmaid> *Chuckles.* Really, jeez. <Little.Trashmaid> So, basically, you put nanites into poor thingy's scull, failed to use proper software, messed her up - and then she ran? <Little.Trashmaid> And now you want her back? <CV-Palantir> Nik: It was an accident, for crying out loud. <Little.Trashmaid> Still, i can sort of understand why did she run away. I would, too. <Little.Trashmaid> Why are you sure she'd be willing to come back, though? <CV-Palantir> Nik: First of all, I was not the one who "put nanites in her". <CV-Palantir> Nik: She took Vergil herself, without any kind of coercion or anything, she was instrumental in its development! <CV-Palantir> Nik: She pioneered this technology as much as I did, or even more so! <CV-Palantir> Nik: Look, the fact that she mentioned me and that she wanted a message passed to me means that she- <CV-Palantir> -at least remembers and wants me to know that she remembers. If you tell her that I can fix her up then she- <CV-Palantir> -will probably want to talk to me. And I can get through to her more efficiently than you with your words and speech. <Little.Trashmaid> Hmm. Fine, allrighty. And what happens after you patch her up? <Little.Trashmaid> If you want her back - it means you have some plans for her. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I don't know that. I hope that she forgives me. Or she kills me. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Either way, if I have no hope of having her on my side again, I am as good as dead anyway. <Little.Trashmaid> *Scratches his cheek.* Still, i think it would be way, way more easy to simply capture her. <Little.Trashmaid> Any hints, then? How do i even convince a former test subject? <Little.Trashmaid> Or do you actually expect "come back, he can patch you right up" to work? <CV-Palantir> Nik: I... Yeah. I kinda hoped that it would, yeah. <Little.Trashmaid> Given how it sort of failed before, you could at least add a canty to the list. <CV-Palantir> Nik: It hasn't really failed, I haven't talked to her since that incident. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Until thirty minutes ago I didn't even know she was alive! <Little.Trashmaid> Oh, didn't it? How did it -become- an incident, then, Sherlock? <CV-Palantir> Nik: I was going to tell you but you kept interrupting. <CV-Palantir> Nik: She wanted a more fine-grained control over her ship with Vergil. An upgrade, basically. <CV-Palantir> Nik: So, we tested the software "dry", so to speak, on simulators and what not. <CV-Palantir> Nik: But when the push came to shove, she went into the craft and ran it, it worked for about three seconds. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shakes his head for some reason.* Believe me, a more... fine-gained control is not a good idea. Was there, did that. <Little.Trashmaid> Hell, i was still in that test group from The Order when they tried it first. <CV-Palantir> Nik: After that, she had a seizure, epilepsy kicked in. Then all comms cut out and her Lich just went into the distance. <Little.Trashmaid> And not even a single time since then it ever did end well. <CV-Palantir> Nik: It works for me. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I've since adapted it to run it. And it enables me to pilot this Democritus without a single crew member. <CV-Palantir> Nik: In fact, there is not a single body on board this ship at all. <Little.Trashmaid> Took us four men to manage a Reseph back then. <Little.Trashmaid> One is in front of you. Guess what happened to other three. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well. <Little.Trashmaid> Mhm. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Testament to the poor engineering of the Order, I guess. <Little.Trashmaid> It wasn't exactly poor. <Little.Trashmaid> It's just that... <Little.Trashmaid> You know, letting an AI become something more than it is supposed to be never ends without troubles. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Ha, that's your problem then. <Little.Trashmaid> Using a direct interface to interact with AI is even worse. <CV-Palantir> Nik: AI is a technological dead end. <CV-Palantir> Nik: It never ends well. <Little.Trashmaid> Just look at the birdy. Sapphire Raven, i mean. <Little.Trashmaid> She is coo-coo. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yeah. Well. <CV-Palantir> Nik: That's why I don't touch AI. <Little.Trashmaid> Look at Joshua Hunt. He has metal hips. <Little.Trashmaid> Look at Jeremy Hunter, Gwyn Archer, Audrey Hudson. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I don't know these names. <Little.Trashmaid> Maybe at Kate Miller or Chris Dangen. <Little.Trashmaid> Of course you don't. Guess why. *Shrugs audibly.* <CV-Palantir> Nik: Look, Silverstone. I'd love to explain to you the intricacies of why flexible logic of machine- <CV-Palantir> -learning artificial intelligence is never going to work properly, but we'd be here all day. <CV-Palantir> Nik: And maybe we can do that, but to be honest finding Fairchild and getting her to the Palantir is a bit of a bigger- <CV-Palantir> -priority for me. <Little.Trashmaid> Oh, you don't have to. I have a toaster talking to my head 24/7, i guess i can figure the flaws. <Little.Trashmaid> So yeah. Suppose i'll try. <Little.Trashmaid> But if it were me, err... Well, in best case you'd be troubled when i find you. <Little.Trashmaid> As i was saying, i am not sure that's a good idea. <Little.Trashmaid> But fine. At least that's promising, as a show. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I appreciate it. <Little.Trashmaid> Jeez. I wonder if she'll even understand if i talk to her. <Little.Trashmaid> And if she will try to shot me after, hah. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Your guess is as good as mine. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <Little.Trashmaid> And what if she doesn't? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Let's just hope she does. <Little.Trashmaid> Should i actually seize her? <CV-Palantir> Nik: If you manage that. <CV-Palantir> Nik: But I'd really rather this done gently and persuasively rather than by force. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs* If she'll be foolish enough to fight me, suppose i can snatch her without hurting her much. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Back when we worked together, she was one of the best pilots in Sirius. <Little.Trashmaid> Unless she gets hurt from wrecking her ship, that is. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I'm sure you'll figure something out. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Anyway. Nice talking to you again.
# Time 29 August 827 A.S. 17:25 SMT # Location Freeport 11, Omicron Delta -> Planet Manhattan, New York
# Involvement
• "Fairchild"
• Little.Trashmaid
• CV-Palantir
<Little.Trashmaid> Oh hey, you are actually still here? That's some patience. <Little.Trashmaid> Guess who is back. <"Fairchild"> "Cannot go." <Little.Trashmaid> Eh? <Little.Trashmaid> Why? <"Fairchild"> "Navigation impossible." <Little.Trashmaid> Yeah, why? <"Fairchild"> "Only eyes. No systems." <Little.Trashmaid> Wha... what do you mean by that? Every ship has a sensor array or two. <Little.Trashmaid> Did you break your thingy or something? <"Fairchild"> "Navigation impossible, need guide." <"Fairchild"> "Only eyes." <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <Little.Trashmaid> That's a bit sudden, but... want me to guide you back to New York? <Little.Trashmaid> I've met your oddball buddy, he says he sort of wants you back. <"Fairchild"> "I want to go back." <Little.Trashmaid> Mhm. Figured. <Little.Trashmaid> Think you can follow me there? <"Fairchild"> "Formation only. Cannot navigate with systems." <Little.Trashmaid> Yep, sounds fine with me. <Little.Trashmaid> Do you have cruise engines working? <"Fairchild"> "Yes." <Little.Trashmaid> So hey, the Oddball told me a story about you two. <"Fairchild"> "Round, crystal, far seeing." <Little.Trashmaid> Mhm. Oddball. How did you two even come to know each other? <Little.Trashmaid> You know, before stuff happened. <"Fairchild"> "Crystall ball is able to tell you." <Little.Trashmaid> Suppose so. <Little.Trashmaid> Thought we may have a little talk on the way, but whatever. Bringing you to where i last met him, i suppose. <"Fairchild"> "I want to say. I can not say." <Little.Trashmaid> Oh, now when i think of it, he also gave me this... what was the name for that thingy... <Little.Trashmaid> Memory-diamond-something. Does not look like we will need it this way, but i suppose you should have it. <Little.Trashmaid> Some snacks, too. <"Fairchild"> "Thank you." <Little.Trashmaid> The diamond stuff is supposed to keep whatever you record on it. Might be useful sometimes. <"Fairchild"> "I know." <Little.Trashmaid> You seem to speak surprisingly better now, hey. <Little.Trashmaid> So, what do you plan to do when you meet him? <"Fairchild"> "Meet him. See what went wrong. Retry." <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. Aren't you even a tiny bit angry? <"Fairchild"> "Angry with me." <Little.Trashmaid> With... yourself? You are funny. Why would you be? <"Fairchild"> "Loss of control. Bad ideas." <Little.Trashmaid> Yep. You -are- funny, afterall. Suppose i'll add you few points for that answer. <Little.Trashmaid> You know, normally one would be scared, mad... <Little.Trashmaid> Anything but willing to try again. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Oh good Lord. <Little.Trashmaid> She landed on Trenton. <Little.Trashmaid> Was surprisingly smooth. Almost felt like a trap. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yes, yes. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I cannot thank you enough. <Little.Trashmaid> No arguing, no attempts to run away, nothing. <Little.Trashmaid> What did you do to have her that obedient? <CV-Palantir> Nik: My God... I was so scared. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I have to see what happened. <Little.Trashmaid> Eh, why? <Little.Trashmaid> Not much to be scared about, really. <Little.Trashmaid> Congrats on your reunion, i suppose. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yes, yes... <Little.Trashmaid> I guess i'd stalk some cuties while you are at it. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: "Thank you." <Little.Trashmaid> Welcome.
# Time 1 September 827 A.S. 18:29 SMT # Location Planet Manhattan, New York
# Involvement
• CV-Palantir
• Little.Trashmaid
• Kira.Walarago
<Kira.Walargo> Good day. <Kira.Walargo> Taking a look at the other side of Manhatten? Considering it's rotating, I don't think the view is much different. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Oh, it's just a little more quiet on this side. <Little.Trashmaid> Hey, Oddball. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Good day, Silverstone. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Greetings. <Kira.Walargo> Probably true, although you still get the transmissions. <Little.Trashmaid> Still celebrating your reunion, i see? <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Depends, have you got any alcohol? <Little.Trashmaid> WOAH! <Little.Trashmaid> She can talk now! <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Indeed. <Little.Trashmaid> A proper sentence, that was a proper sentence! <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: When you use an AI language model with no proper nouns, it is quite hard to talk properly. <Little.Trashmaid> Alcohol, alcohol... hell, i suppose there is some in those crates. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Also, I feel like I should thank you for getting me here. <Little.Trashmaid> Aww, now you look a bit... <Little.Trashmaid> You know, that was cute. <Little.Trashmaid> Now you are less cute. I suppose. <Little.Trashmaid> Wasn't that hard really, i wonder if there is anything to thank me for. <Little.Trashmaid> *Scratches his cheek.* I wonder if i will miss that weird part of you. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, even if the deed was not particularly great, the results are still very good. <Little.Trashmaid> Good to see you are doing fine. <Little.Trashmaid> So, what are your plans now? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well. Good question. <Little.Trashmaid> Don't tell me you did not have any plans other than saving her. <CV-Palantir> Nik: That was the highest priority, of course. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: We should probably focus on rebuilding the Foundation. <Little.Trashmaid> Oh come on. I don't know, ask her for a date on some resort planet... huh? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yes, with Avery's death and Forlorn's shattering, there isn't much left of it. <Little.Trashmaid> Foundation? <Kira.Walargo> Forlorn? <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: The Vergil Foundation. <Kira.Walargo> And.. "shattering"? <Little.Trashmaid> Don't tell me you are going to repeat Stenn's and Blueberry's thingy. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, perhaps too much of a poetic way to put it. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I was not around when Forlorn decided to disappear, you know. <Little.Trashmaid> What's Vergil anyway? I don't think Blueberry ever told me about it. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: It's a brain-machine interface. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <Little.Trashmaid> I am... not sure what to think of it. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: It's not complicated, really. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* If you say so. <Kira.Walargo> Just a few wires in your skull. <Kira.Walargo> Hah. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Not wires, nanites. <Little.Trashmaid> Maybe you'll be of more use to me than Nicole was. <Kira.Walargo> I'd rather try that on someone else first. <Little.Trashmaid> Sometime. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Vergil is the only thing that really keeps me in touch with reality at this point. <Kira.Walargo> Oh, of course, my bad. Nanites. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Speaking of, Miss Walargo. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Why did you seem surprised at my mentioning of Forlorn? <Little.Trashmaid> Suppose i'll be calling you Riddle for a while now. <Kira.Walargo> Uh... hard to describe. That word means something, but I can't put my finger on it. <Little.Trashmaid> Say, Riddle, how good is that nanites thingy? <Little.Trashmaid> Or, rather, how finished is it? I might habe some use for it. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I was referring to Forlorn Hope, a mercenary group that was active a couple of years ago. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Vergil is quite finished. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: The whitepaper and technical spec is open-source and freely available on the Net. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. Can it dig up one's memories, then? <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: As long as you have the appropriate materials, you are able to make your own. <Kira.Walargo> Yeah, yeah... makes sense. They disappeared, then? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yeah. Well. At least I think so, I haven't heard from Stenn or the rest. <Kira.Walargo> Stenn was the leader? <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Depends what you mean. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Seemed like one. <Little.Trashmaid> He and Blueberry. His girlfriend. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: We haven't had much contact with them individually, Stenn was something of an interface between- <Little.Trashmaid> I mean making one remember things one does not. <CV-Palantir> -me and the rest. <Kira.Walargo> Hm. Well, thanks. Maybe I'll figure out why that feels familiar. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Err... <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yes... somewhat. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Memories are a rather complicated beast, but it can extend your memory capability somewhat. <Little.Trashmaid> No-no-no. I don't need to extend it. <Little.Trashmaid> It is as extended as it gets, i suppose. <Little.Trashmaid> I just need to sort up things that do not make sense and recall things i don't. <Little.Trashmaid> Used to bother Nicole with that, but now she is not around. <Kira.Walargo> You really wanna let some robots dig around in your brain? <Little.Trashmaid> Why not? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, if you want to recover something that's from before you ingest Vergil, I'm afraid that's not possible. <Kira.Walargo> I value my brain, I'd be in big trouble if it got damaged. <Little.Trashmaid> Aww, hell. Like, really-really impossible? <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* Well, if anything, i suppose noone will miss me. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, I don't know of anything that would work, let's put it that way. <Kira.Walargo> That might actually be true. <Kira.Walargo> Maybe put in a custom order, you said you got enough cash. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. Slightly more problematic than i hoped it to be. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Though, well. <Little.Trashmaid> Suppose i still have a couple of billions, why? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Vergil is an open standard, if you can find capable programmers who can somehow use it to retrieve- <Kira.Walargo> *She shrugs* Can't you use that to pay people to work it out? <CV-Palantir> -memories from a mindmap, that might interest even me, because I don't know how such a thing could be done. <Little.Trashmaid> Look, sweety. The only one i knew and wished to work with was Nicole Hunter. <Little.Trashmaid> Egg-heads of her scale don't just grow on trees, you know. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: I would caution against dealing with Cardamine-infested scum. <Little.Trashmaid> She wasn't a scum, though? <Kira.Walargo> *She chuckles* I'm not familiar with her. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Except with tachyon to the face. <Little.Trashmaid> Aww, we tried to kill each other a couple of times. But we grew bigger than that. <Little.Trashmaid> Besides, i am not into killing. <Kira.Walargo> In any case, you can either use that cash to figure out who could solve the problem and pay them to solve it, or you can just- <Kira.Walargo> sit on the problem that seems to bother you so much. <Little.Trashmaid> Been bothering me for a while, really. So i am sort of used to it and not in any kind of hurry. <Kira.Walargo> Fair enough. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Also, not to rain on anyone's parade, but we can't make any Vergil nodes at the minute. <Little.Trashmaid> Hmm. <Little.Trashmaid> Well, whatever. Do you know a... hell, how do you even call those people? <Little.Trashmaid> Brain-doctors? <Little.Trashmaid> That kind of a person. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Neuroscientists. <Little.Trashmaid> Yep. <Little.Trashmaid> Do you know any? <CV-Palantir> Nik: I only really know myself. <Kira.Walargo> Oh, that's a lot of Rheinbeer! <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: I remember one from the Foundation days called Regis. Nerva Regis. I'm not sure if he's around anymore. <Kira.Walargo> I'm sure they are. <Little.Trashmaid> *Scratches his cheek once more.* Suppose it's easier for me to find a way to use it than to look for yet another Nicole, <Little.Trashmaid> afterall. Surroundings seem to run dry on Nicoles anyway. <Little.Trashmaid> And no, i'd rather not work with Nerva, if possible. <Little.Trashmaid> Neither this one, nor Hans-Von-Something, nor... well, you get the idea. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Never heard of that other one. <Little.Trashmaid> I prefer those who are allergic to tentacles, thank you. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, I mean... <Kira.Walargo> Hello there. <CV-Palantir> Nik: In terms of neuroscience and microbiology, you would be hard pressed to find a scientist with more experience than myself. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I am /fairly/ certain that with the current understanding of the human brain, the operation you're interested in <CV-Palantir> -is not quite possible. <Little.Trashmaid> You are too young to know, sweety. But if you are really interested, look for "KNF-113th-cutie-and-a-squid" on neuralnet. <CV-Palantir> Nik: /However/ if you found an expert in AI, you might be able to construct a model that analyses a brainmap retrieved from- <CV-Palantir> -Vergil and derives something meaningful from it. <Little.Trashmaid> No-no-no-no-no. <Little.Trashmaid> Very no. <Little.Trashmaid> No experts in AIs any more, thank you. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Hm? <Little.Trashmaid> I have enough problems with my own toaster, no need to add another one. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Not every AI is the same, you know. <Little.Trashmaid> That's what she... IT says. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, call it what you like, AI, machine learning, neural network algorithm... <Little.Trashmaid> So yeah. <Little.Trashmaid> I'd rather work with human beings. <Little.Trashmaid> Hell, ain't i picky. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: You seem to have a rather science-fiction understanding of what AI is. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: I don't believe Nik is talking about a general AI with a language model like your on-board secretary. <Little.Trashmaid> Look, it's hardly a laughing matter, but i had one run away from me back when i retired. <Little.Trashmaid> AND it took my whole damn cruiser along. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I was not tallking about that kind of AI. <Little.Trashmaid> So no, no more AIs. <Little.Trashmaid> I have a messed up and moody flight assistance system here, and it's more than enough troubles already. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Your loss. <Little.Trashmaid> Maybe. But i had Nicole trying to fix that thing. <Little.Trashmaid> And after that it's even more problematic than it is technically supposed to be. <Little.Trashmaid> So yeah. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You could just turn it off, you know. <Little.Trashmaid> That's what i thought, too. Turned off lifesupports, comms and pretty much everything onboard along with it. <Little.Trashmaid> Damn spacesuit servos, too. <Little.Trashmaid> Why does it even have any access to my spacesuit servos?! <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Eh, corporate software. <Little.Trashmaid> Well, maybe. <Little.Trashmaid> And after i did that and grabbed a smaller craft - the damn thing kept following me - <Little.Trashmaid> for a whole day, Playing a buzzer non-stop. <Little.Trashmaid> So yeah, suppose i can call it childhood trauma. <Little.Trashmaid> Imagine you former craft, following your new ship and buzzing. <Little.Trashmaid> Till you board it again. <CV-Palantir> Nik: To be clear, AI in its basic meaning is nothing like what you're dealing with. <CV-Palantir> Nik: And it might be the solution to your problem. <CV-Palantir> Nik: In fact, as far as I can tell, it might be the only solution to your problem. <Little.Trashmaid> How's that even supposed to work, then? <Little.Trashmaid> Like, in your opinion. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, all right. This might take a moment to explain, but bear with me. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Conventional, algorithmic programming is concerned with using a mapping to find outputs for given inputs. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Machine learning is concerned with using inputs and outputs to find a mapping for given inputs. <CV-Palantir> Nik: In simple terms, it means creating a model that can understand a particular kind of input and a particular kind of output. <Little.Trashmaid> So, you are saying, your daily onboard AI is supposed to do B when you press A. <Little.Trashmaid> Maybe a complex B for a complex A. <CV-Palantir> Nik: If you feed it enough data, it will eventually be able to more-or-less accurately predict an output for a given input. <CV-Palantir> Nik: That's what specialised AI is for. <Little.Trashmaid> And what if someone programs it to... well, do stuff? <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: That's what we, in the business, call a "big no-no". <Little.Trashmaid> You know, corporate guys, private military engineers, anything. <Little.Trashmaid> Eh? How so? <CV-Palantir> Nik: AI models are ultimately based on probability. <CV-Palantir> Nik: And the probability is never 100%. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* Suppose my toaster never acted the way you describe, then. <Little.Trashmaid> But what of it? And what am i supposed to do with it? <CV-Palantir> Nik: What do you mean? <Little.Trashmaid> Exactly wha i asked. <Little.Trashmaid> What am i supposed to do with my junk in that case? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Are we talking about your broken onboard AI or your memories now. I stopped following. <Little.Trashmaid> It runs all of the toys i own. And i don't think it acts like what you described. <Little.Trashmaid> Well, both, why not. You seem to be a scientist, so do science? <Little.Trashmaid> My memory is one thing, my property is another. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: As for the AI, buy a new ship. Preferably one that's not powered by corporate software. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well... That. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* Blocks my access to bank account each time i try to do that. <CV-Palantir> Nik: And, as for the memories, the path I would pursue would be to find someone versed in programming machine learning- <CV-Palantir> -models. <CV-Palantir> Nik: So, if you recall what I said what machine learning is, it's using inputs and outputs to find a mapping. <Little.Trashmaid> I mean, i can technically get some actual cash and try to buy a new ship. But i should leave the old one somewhere. <Little.Trashmaid> Last time i did the thingy ran and followed me. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Inputs are raw brainmaps from Vergil at any given moment, outputs are feeds from the interfaces that you- <CV-Palantir> -are expecting to get. So like, if the memory you need to find is what you saw in a given moment, you'd correlate- <CV-Palantir> -the mindmaps with feed from your eyes that Vergil can capture and save as regular data. Like photos, essentially. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You feed those through the model and eventually you'll be able to map stuff that you don't remember. <CV-Palantir> Nik: At least that's how I would go about that. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. *Sighs.* Suppose i need a more practical example to understand it properly. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, the high-school-course example in modelling machine learning AIs is recognition of handwriting. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You create a model that is fed /known/ pictures of digits along with the information what that digit is. <Little.Trashmaid> That's simple, i can understand that much. <CV-Palantir> Nik: So a picture of a crudely drawn six is your input, and the literal number six is your output. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You feed those enough, eventually the model will be able to accurately predict handwriting that you haven't given- <CV-Palantir> -it previously. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Substitute the handwriting for a mindmap and the digits for raw pictures or sounds, and you get a model that- <Little.Trashmaid> But what if i have no idea of what would the proper input or output be? <CV-Palantir> -can, in theory, predict memories from mindmaps. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, you'd need a machine learning expert to help you figure that out, I'm not one. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. Even if i do not remember anything past a certain point in the past? <Little.Trashmaid> Jeez. So i -will- need another Nicole, afterall. <Little.Trashmaid> That's problematic. <CV-Palantir> Nik: I mean, there is also a possibility that it's just not there. <CV-Palantir> Nik: If you underwent some kind of electroshock therapy or other barbaric practice of that sort that wiped a part of your brain <CV-Palantir> then that's that. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You can't make something out of nothing, that's the domain of the divine. <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <Little.Trashmaid> *Scratches his cheek.* Well, that might be it, but... <Little.Trashmaid> Ah, no point in thinking about it too much if can't do a thing. <Little.Trashmaid> What about the property stuff, then? Selling it would be the only option? <Little.Trashmaid> I mean, those are nice crafts and i am sort of used to my toys. <Little.Trashmaid> It's just that they sometimes act weird. <CV-Palantir> Nik: That's how using proprietary software ends. <CV-Palantir> Nik: You're at the mercy of whoever sold it to you to fix it. <CV-Palantir> Nik: If you can't find them or they're out of business, you're out of luck. <Little.Trashmaid> Well, it wasn't really "sold", but still... <Little.Trashmaid> Na-ah, i'd rather not go and start looking for the developers. <Little.Trashmaid> Sounds more of a problem than what i already have. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: That's somewhat of a reason why Cryer still tries to hunt us down. <Little.Trashmaid> *Scratches his cheek.* Stalemate, i suppose. A stalemate that somehow sits nicely within me. <Little.Trashmaid> Oh? What did you do? <CV-Palantir> Nik: Well, Vergil was originally a Cryer-Ageira joint venture. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Or rather, it originated in a subsidiary of Cryer called Wisp Innovations. And Ageira was brought on board. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Long story short, they wanted to keep it closed down. I figured that'd be quite disastrous and I did not want that- <Little.Trashmaid> Huh. <CV-Palantir> -responsibility. <Little.Trashmaid> Means we both snatched our things somewhere. <Little.Trashmaid> Hah! <CV-Palantir> Nik: When Wisp was took over by Cryer, I deleted their backups and took the code with me to finish it on my own. <CV-Palantir> Nik: And with the Foundation's help we released it into the wild. Sort of. <CV-Palantir> Nik: It still requires some specialised material to manufacture, but the underlying hardware schematics,- <CV-Palantir> -firmware and basic software is free and open source. <Little.Trashmaid> Does not matter much when you don't know what to do with it, i suppose. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Well, Vergil is why I can talk again. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Granted, it was also the reason why I could not talk for a while, but bygones. <CV-Palantir> Nik: Yeah, I'm still not a hundred percent sure how I feel about that. <Little.Trashmaid> *Shrugs audibly.* I still find that weird manner of speech cute and miss it. <Little.Trashmaid> But yeah, good to know you are all better now. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Wire a crappy BT-2 language model to the constellation AI and you can get one all on your own. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: For me it was torture, so I'm glad it's over now. <Little.Trashmaid> *Yawns* Well, suppose i'll take a nap now and get back to stalking you two a bit later. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: Enjoy. <Little.Trashmaid> Take care, don't do anything way too weird. <CV-Palantir> Fairchild: And thanks again for getting me out of Delta. <Little.Trashmaid> Was nothing, really. Welcome.
