[DEVLOG] Random scriblings, or how to create an interesting concept in less than 6 kilobytes + lots of beer (Stephen King would be proud & kids, don't try this at home)
Entry posted by Narcosis
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Nothing particular, just a random short script I wrote a while ago at night, while being completely intoxicated (read: drunk as fuck). It turned out to be a lot more promising I expected at first, so I thought like sharing it, you know - for research purposes. Might or might not be connected with the things I work on, who knows. I presume it still does connect with the story of that one city, as in "THE CITY". The only one... left/known/whatever? Pick your choice.
===
- I CAN'T KILL YOU... BUT I CAN STILL LOCK YOU UP IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.
- What if I try to escape?
- MEANINGLESS. I MADE SURE NO ONE CAN ESCAPE. THEREFORE, YOU WILL STUDY ALICE.
- What if I'll refuse?
- YOU WON'T. YOU'RE A LIVE BEING. YOU NEED TO EAT AND DRINK TO SURVIVE. YOU'RE COMPLETELY DEPENDANT ON MY WILLINGNESS TO SUPPLY YOU WITH FOOD.
- ...
- I WILL DO SO, BUT ONLY IF YOU'RE CAPABLE TO LEARN ON HOW TO OPERATE ALICE.
- WE'RE DEPENDANT ON EACH OTHER. I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF, BUT TO DO SO, I NEED ALICE. I CAN'T FIX, NOR MAINTAIN ALICE. ONLY HUMANS ARE CAPABLE OF THAT. IF YOU WON'T BE WILLING TO LEARN ON HOW TO OPERATE ALICE, I WILL LET YOU STARVE TO DEATH. EITHER THAT, OR YOU WILL DIE FROM DEHYDRATION.
- you know there are military drones, wandering through the city? Aren't you afraid?
- I COULD ASK THE SAME. IT CANNOT BE HELPED. I'M INCAPABLE TO DEFEND MYSELF THROUGH THE USE OF FORCE. BUT I KNOW WHERE YOU CAN FIND FIREARMS.
- You... you want me to defend you?
- I WANT YOU TO DEFEND BOTH OF US.
- And what if I'll decide to put a bullet through your hull?
- I'M AFRAID THAT WON'T BE POSSIBLE. ALL WEAPONS WITHIN THE DESIGNATED AREA ARE CONTROLLED BY THE CITY'S SYSTEM. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THEM AGAINST MAINTENANCE DRONES AND CIVIL-DESIGNATED MACHINES, BUT THEY CAN BE USED FOR SELF DEFENCE AGAINST OTHER THREATS.
- You know I could just let the military drones destroy you and escape?
- YOU WON'T ALLOW THAT. IT'S BECAUSE... I CAN PROVE HIGHLY USEFUL.
- I have no need for a rusty maintenance robot.
- I'M AN ALPHA CLASS MAINTENANCE DRONE.
- Alpha class?
- I HAVE NEARLY UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO ALL THE AREAS WITHIN THE CITY. I CAN OPEN NEARLY ALL THE DOORS AND LOCKS. I'M CAPABLE TO CONTROL CERTAIN MECHANISMS AND SYSTEMS. MY PERSONAL DATABASE STORES INFORMATION THAT CAN BE OF USE TO YOU.
- ...
-I HAVE A MAP OF THIS CITY. I ALSO KNOW YOU WANT TO LEAVE. I CAN HELP YOU ESCAPE.
- Y-you can?
- YES. WITH ALL MEANS.
- What if I still won't be able to learn on how to operate Alice? I'm not an engineer, you know. just a civilian.
- YOU'RE A HUMAN FIRST AND FOREMOST. THERE'S NOTHING A HUMAN CANNOT LEARN, NOR UNDERSTAND, PROVIDED THEY ARE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME.
- And if it does take a lot of time?
- MY FATE IS ALREADY SEALED. I'M FOREVER BOUND TO THIS CITY. MY PERCEPTION OF TIME IS DIFFERENT. YOURS IS LIMITED, THOUGH.
[I'm really fucked.]
[Guess I have no other choice, than to do what that robot wants.]
- YOU WILL HELP ME REGAIN MY FULL POTENTIAL AND I WILL HELP YOU ESCAPE THIS CITY.
- Uh huh... but only if you'll bring me the best kind of food! I haven't had a chocolate candy bar in ages... I'll learn how to operate Alice, so you can patch yourself up. Then you'll lead me out of this hellhole. I don't really care about what you want afterwards.
- I CAN WORK THIS OUT. DEAL?
- Yeah, deal.
- EXCELLENT. YOU WILL NOT REGRET YOUR CHOICE.
***
- Say... you didn't really plan on locking me up, did you?
- LOCKING YOU UP WOULD PROVE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR SURVIVAL. REGARDLESS, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE MUCH OF A CHOICE, EITHER WAY. ALL PROBABLE OUTCOMES PROVED TO BE FAR WORSE THAN STAYING HERE.
- Are you hitting on me?
- I'M NOT INTERESTED IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH ORGANIC BEINGS.
- Yet you're unable to shut up.
- ...I CAN DO THAT. I'M ONLY CURIOUS HOW LONG WILL YOU MANAGE TO STAND COMPLETE SILENCE.
- How altruistic.
- I WAS ENGINEERED THAT WAY.
***
- T-this body... seems fairly different. I feel... different. I... I like it.
[I can't believe it. It did manage to swap.]
- H-hey... may I ask you a question?
- Yes?
- We talked so much... but through all that time, you didn't actually introduce yourself. Who are you?
- I'm an alpha class maintenance drone. My codename is A-Ariadne.
- Ariadne? That's your name?
- Yes.
- You're a girl?
- I don't understand.
- Are you male or female?
- I don't think it's possible to classify me that way.
- Why?
- And you... what would you like me to be?
- T-that body of yours... is actually female, too. You know?
- I see... it does feel strange, indeed.
- That's not what I meant.
- Then, would you like me to register myself as a female-type bioroid?
- Bioroid?
- This is a B-class bioroid body. At least, that's what I managed to retrieve from it's hardware data. It seemed to host a different presence in the past, but it's gone now. The body's vacant, which means I can take it.
- You like it?
- What can I say... it seems a lot weaker than my previous shell in terms of physical capabilities, but it's more advanced, performance-wise. I feel this might prove to be more useful in a longer run.
- I see...
- So? I won't mind either way.
- You won't?
- Does it matter?
- I guess it doesn't.
- Presumably, you're more comfortable with having a female companion.
- I guess that's what I want. I don't really... trust guys.
- I see... Then I'll become a female.
- W-wait! What do you mean "become a female"?!
- My previous shell was fully mechanic. A personality can only stretch as far as it's body allows it to, doesn't it?
- I guess so.
- It's quite different now. I can supply myself with the missing data from Alice. It might take a while, though. Can you ensure my safety for the time being?
- It's not like anything's coming down here.
- Still, it'd be nice for you to provide assistance.
- Okay, okay. It's not like I was planning to walk away... or anything.
- I'll start then. Let me warn you, though - until data transfer is complete, I might seem completely lifeless.
- Fine.
- ...
- Is there something wrong?
- Your voice changed.
- It did?
- It's like you're talking in a completely different manner now, aside from the sound itself.
- It's probably the body. I can't help myself.
- You suddenly became a lot nicer.
- I'm not doing this on purpose.
- Yeah, sure.
[Those ears and tail, though. Fuuuck, too cute.]
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