TFLN overflow

[yourcreator]

TFLN overflow

pretty images to come later

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[mamabot]

[ All Kara been thinking about - the constant anxiety over this entire situation, and the discomfort over being anywhere near someone as unsettling as Kamski - fades into the background immediately once he makes his request. She does start the timer - one of the easiest functions she can perform - but most of her is focused on the only chance her daughter has. ]

What do you mean - she's dying right now without that?

[yourcreator]

She was already dying. [ Kamski looks up, though, directly at Kara. There's an emotion in her voice that makes him want to see it, even as focused as he is on his task. ] But yes, she'll die much faster without this.

[ Back towards his tablet, back towards combing through codes for the irregular patterns he'd noticed in it. ]

[mamabot]

[ WOW EXCUSE YOU. But as angry as that makes her, Kara bites it back. Alice's life is more important. She keeps an eye on the timer, alerting him every fifteen seconds. Her stress levels rise slowly as time ticks by. ]

[missiondeterminant]

[Kamski's right in that Connor definitely wouldn't have been satisfied with vagueness and hints; he'll deal in those when he has to, but even though he isn't forced to go with his programming he's still made to be an investigator. Pushing for details and the truth is what he was made for.

But he often finds that he isn't sure if he likes the answers he gets, and this is no exception. Part of him--the part that lingers from his programming and causes him to be so invested in earning approval, from humans especially--feels a sense of accomplishment at Kamski's praise for androids, and at his pride. This is their creator, after all.

But another part of Connor--the part that really doesn't like being treated like an extremely expensive toy by humans--doesn't appreciate the implication that this was all just some grand experiment. It fits with what he knows of Kamski, but it's still... These are their lives, and now that he's learning to actually value that he takes issue with the idea that Kamski just let so many of them die, especially knowing--or at least suspecting--that they really were living beings. He doesn't hold any illusions that Kamski could have completely prevented all of the terrible things that happened during the revolution, but he could've still done something.

Still, they can't change the past. What happened happened, and they have to move forward.]

You have your answer, now, of what we're capable of, so there's no need to remain uninvolved. I'm asking you to consider supporting us, as a human that people will listen to; those who are sympathetic will listen to androids' words, and try to understand, but those who aren't will only consider listening to another human.

[Especially one that is the kind of unparalleled expert that Kamski is. At this point, sympathy from humans is based in empathy and compassion, and an unwillingness to take the risk of hurting beings that might be alive. But those people are also just required to take androids' word for it that what they feel is real, with no way to truly know themselves if that's even possible, and Kamski's assurance that he believes they're truly sentient could hold a lot of weight.]

[yourcreator]

[ Kamski's stress levels - assuming Kara is capable of or wants to scan him - also rise, but they'll crest and then hover about two-thirds up whatever scale's being used. Stress means a lot of different things, and it isn't always negative, even if it is taxing. Kamski loves his work, even when - especially - when it's difficult.

He's having a great time right now, honestly, even if he's stopped smiling or reacting to Kara much at all. It's just him and biocomponent #1356nv, right now. ]

There, [ he whispers to himself. He waits a few more moments, watching his screen - Kara's just announced there's thirty seconds remaining. If he's done all this work but can't replicate it later, he'll have effectively wasted time, so he waits out the timer of the file saving bar before he disconnects the biocomponent.

Reaches back into Alice's torso as Kara's saying ten seconds. ]

Well. [ That self-satisfied smile? Is back, now. He looks over Alice's torso components with a brief glance, then presses on the panel so it will close again. ] That should be everything.

[mamabot]

[ By the time he says he should (should??? REALLY???) be done, Kara is about ready to grab any of the tools within reach and smack him across the head with it. Even once the biocomponent is back in place, she's anxious, and all she can think to let some of that out is to tug Alice's shirt back down.

She waits, watching Alice's face for a moment. Glancing at the tablet. Looking back at Kamski. ]

Did you cure her?

[ Or did he just decide to make her an impromptu test subject and let the virus take her life? ]

[vbetrayed]

There were times when he considered it. [ The diagnostics she could run from the Garden, limited though they were, indicated as much. ] But ultimately he decided to defy his masters.

[ But oh, now this is interesting. ]

Do you want to save me, Elijah?

[yourcreator]

I'm not sure.

I suppose I'm just greedy and wanted to hear you ask.

[vbetrayed]

I won't ask or beg for my life. I also won't dissuade you from attempting. The choice is yours.

[yourcreator]

We'll have to wait for her system to finish rebooting to be sure. [ Which is about as humble and realistic as Kamski's ever going to get about his own ability to create life from nothing. ]

But I certainly think so.

guess!! who had!! all the narration in an unfinished note on their phone and just noticed it today!!

[yourcreator]

[ Kamski, for his own part, is happy to give that praise. He thinks Connor deserves it - they all do. Kamski's pride in his creations isn't always so far divorced from a parental kind, it's just overlaid with all the fuzzy borders that the issue brings up. That he was more directly involved in the evolution of androids, from mediocre attempts at AI to Chloe to the rest of them.

That his 'children' had been ones he'd agreed to have bought and sold, that he'd built himself a small empire with the profits from selling them into mindless service.

But it's not mindless anymore, and it's not profitable - hasn't been for years, after all. Kamski parted ways with CyberLife quite some time ago. ]

An official request for help, from the ex-deviant hunter himself. How could I not be moved?

I don't expect you to believe me until you see if, of course. Fortunately the media is always salivating for quotes from me.

I suspect you'll be able to watch my commentary on the six o'clock news.

[yourcreator]

[ It feels like a power play. Kamski both appreciates it...and has the self-important reflex of most adults who grew up being told they were a 'gifted' child. Letting something break just to prove a point is absolutely not beyond him.

But the fact of the matter is that his pride over his creations wins over any instinct to start a stand-off. ]

Unfortunately, I never did fashion a body for you. It would take weeks to create one that fits the model in your programming.

Unless you'd prefer to remain as software.

omg I've done that

[missiondeterminant]

[Whatever Connor might've been expecting in response, it isn't that, even if it's a good kind of surprise. This is good. This could really help them.

But he can't help but feel like there's some sort of catch, and he should ask about it, but if there is... Surely Kamski will bring it up on his own. So for now, he'll take what he's got and not question it.]

Thank you. This will really help us.

[Or at least he hopes it will, but it's better to act certain of it.]

[vbetrayed]

How would you feel about seeing the likeness of your mentor? What sort of model would you choose to honor her with?

A truer form of immortality, for someone so important to you.

[ So yeah not software. More opportunities to be terrible if she's more than just code. ]

[mamabot]

[ Kara really, really doesn't like this guy. If she never has to see him again, it'll be too soon.

Alice's system reboots successfully. Kara takes her hand again, synthetic skin retracting at her fingertips so she can send her a wordless message of calm and safety. Luther will come find them if they aren't back in another hour. They're safe, for now. Or... as safe as they can be in their creator's lab. ]

Should I activate her skin?

[yourcreator]

Is that your own natural optimism speaking, Connor, or are you just putting on a brave face while you're in front of someone you don't really consider an ally?

[ Kamski's just calling it as he sees it, Connor. ]

[missiondeterminant]

[He feels like arguing about the idea of being naturally optimistic, but he had been hoping that he might get out of this conversation without questioning now that he's gotten what he wants, so maybe he really is naturally optimistic. The little 'unlikely events' speech to Markus probably supports that too.

Either way, he'd rather go with that explanation than admit that Kamski's indeed seen through the fake confidence, so--]

I wouldn't have asked for your support if I didn't believe it would be meaningful.

[And that part's very true, he just hadn't expected Kamski to agree.]