"A fighting chance?" - Vincent asked both his tenant and himself at the same time.""You're working with and against me at the same time. But apparently, you're doing the same thing with Sh'ozak. What's your deal with her?"
His hand extended towards the flower to pick up the data drive. It felt disgusting to hold despite the impressive presentation. Vincent's optics focused on the storage device, then refocused on the nearby computer. His next words were not adressed to the Gardener, but instead to himself as he accessed the amalgam's so called 'gift'.
"Isolate that terminal - cut it off from everything else connected to the ship. Mhm...alright. Make a separate instance - yeah, like that. Yep, wipe everything the second you notice anything. I know, I'll blast it myself after."
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"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
"And what happens, if by some miracle I sweep that prize she's chasing right from under her nose? You should know that there will be no way for her, or you, to recover it."
Vincent spent his time rummaging through what the Gardener gave in the form of a storage device while simultaneously holding a conversation. He liked this puzzle, no less. The thrill of screwing with Sh'ozak despite the risks and stupidly high chances that his tenant will rise against him - but that was expected.
"Test the sharpness of your sword against another, and when that is not enough: unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight." - he continued, absorbed by information beautifully displayed on the terminal's display, yet just aware enough to finish his line of thought. - "A damn shame you chose a dull blade to sharpen hers. But you'll make it work somehow, yes?"
There were implications in Vincent's words. The amalgam was left with the only truth that mattered in the moment. It was hidden in plain sight by a mind playing the big game while coincidentally being played in the only way that made sense.
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"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
"We'll see which is which when I get my hands on this container. Until next time."
The Gardener's wisdom had come to an end, and so was Vincent's time. He recognized every gentle push made by this heinous amalgam, but there was no way to progress without following the only trail he could follow. There was a brief moment in which this pressure reached peak levels. Uncanny thoughts flooded in: seize the moment, reach absolution, achieve godhood.
It was a fleeting presence, yet always there. Ever present and all knowing of things which surround the host. It was so subtle that not even the amalgam occupying the room could feel it - or perhaps it did like a quiet breeze against one's hair. But in the end there was only silence to accompany The Gardener. No more wind and no more talks. Vincent had already left the lab with a seemingly laid back attitude.
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"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
FuTech delivered. It's a bit scary to see this version of myself and how easy it was for them to reproduce the aging progress. It took them a few days at most, I think? Uh, whatever. I started the groundwork for configuring this android. 'Amp' keeps yapping about the risks. Temporal dissociation, sensory overload and synapse burnout. A few hours into this discussion and we've come to two conclusions: I can't operate the android and my own frame at the same time. That causes sensory overload and it will burn my brain. The second one comes down to my cybernetic frame. I need to advance the conversion from 93,45% to 94,55%.
I need to integrate special connectors that make the experience much easier to handle and over longer distances. In addition to that I'll need an upgraded cortex chip. Fortunately I've got both at my disposal and surgery is scheduled for tonight. Followed by recovery time of...maybe 5 hours? That also implies separate medication. Hmm- no. Screw it. I'm doing the surgery a few minutes after I'm done with this log. I can't wait anymore. I don't care if 'Amp' hasn't finished the program. We'll figure this out on the go - as we always did. Having the upgrades readily available should speed things up. A lot.
How long has it been? Five? Six? It's been too long since I've last seen myself in the mirror. The real me. Not anymore. It'll be over soon.
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"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
So far so good I guess. Surgery's a success - no lasting damage either. Android just got out of the workshop too. Even though few changes was made, 'Amp' was forced into the tedious process of adapting his code to include the remote control function. I'm saying it's tedious, because I was blessed with what might quite possibly be the most stubborn AI in existence.
I don't know if I should blame him or The Core's janky 'adjustments', but these tantrums are annoying and at worst infuriating. "What is this?"; "Why doesn't this work?"; "Did you REALLY have to use this model?"...and a hundred other questions I have no answer for.
'Amp' went through seven or six updates by now, and they don't seem to be stopping anytime soon. I think he actually reverted a few times back to version '0.1.1', then back to '0.2.5' and straight up to '0.3.2'. Four of those updates resulted in me blacking out.
At least the android is somewhat functional. I'm getting a lot of static through the optics. Sound quality isn't great, either. Motor functions? They have a delay of about...0.53 seconds after I give input. Not too shabby, but it could be better.
Will do a few more test runs on Barrier Gate. See if anyone notices.
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"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
Everything works within reasonable parameters. Signal is crystal clear, the delay between actions has been reduced with a bit of mumbo jumbo from 'Amp'. I was assured there will be no drawbacks from using the android over long periods of time. For once I am getting good news.
It is a bit awkward to finish this bit so soon and with so little effort, while everything else took weeks to achieve a working prototype. Then again...I did opt for the easier road this time. This android ought to do for a few months while I focus on the actual me. All of these augmentations have been nothing but a poorly calculated risk for me. I should just accept reality and revert back to the frame Fiorella has outfitted me with a few years back. I can't go full organic anymore, but I can try and make it look like so. Nobody needs to know anyway. If anyone asks I'll just say I grew myself an organic body through technocrat sorcery. People do tend to believe that kind of technology exists - might as well go with the flow.
This one will give me a run for my money. I should start picking up jobs again to compensate. Break's over I guess...and with the conflict in Inverness I reckon that's the perfect start. While the main focus isn't Revenant and her goons, that doesn't mean I will ignore them. Gather intel, figure out the context behind all this and then act accordingly. Holding a gun against Revenant's head over rumors is beneath me now. I'm better than that.
[recording complete]...
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... [saved]
"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
The Gardener was owed a visit. Rent was due and Vincent had to collect. It was a cycle that would repeat every month until one of them finally left the Wayfarer's embrace. This time, however, it was the merc who knocked on the door - and the door could only whine as it slid open.
"I believe you have something for me."
Vincent pointed out the Gardener's 'debt' with a bold attitude as he held on the amalgam's fate with one hand. A wish pending action - a consequence. And he has been practicing. Barrier Gate was not just a home or small business done out of charity. It was a testing ground where he could fulfill others' wishes of wealth, action and reaction. One favor always turned into another, and another, and another.
Everyone gained from Vincent's deals. But he gained more.
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"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
![[Image: 89jph2z.png]](https://i.imgur.com/89jph2z.png)