Lethe Center Suggestion 2010/06/04(Fri)20:11 No. 187953 ID: 288dda
File 127570749095.png - (55.42KB , 500x500 , 187013091.png )

I sit up, feeling slightly light-headed. The small medical monitor hovers nearby as I swing my legs over the edge of the bench and take a look at myself. My hand is smooth, unlined. I don't remember why I was here.

Lethe Center Suggestion 2010/06/04(Fri)20:13 No. 187957 ID: 288dda
File 127570758986.png - (66.74KB , 500x500 , 187013182.png )

As I stand up I can feel the slab meld back into the floor. In front of me another pedestal forms, and a clean white kilt begins to assemble with a faint, yeasty odor.

The monitor slides back a meter or so and watches as I don the garment. Nothing here to remind me of what I was. Olive skin, neuter, standard humanoid form. As I finish dressing the room speaks again.

"We have noted that you show signs of agitation. Please be calm. Our simulation indicates that you may have questions. Please, speak freely. We pride ourselves on proper care of our clients."

>>187957
Ask who and where you are, and why.

"Why was I out for... over half a year?"

ask it that you are pretty sure you had a gender before. see if it can find it.

What am I?

Shouldn't I have memory banks on record? Did I ask to have them wiped for some reason?

Lethe Center Suggestion 2010/06/04(Fri)21:10 No. 187992 ID: 288dda
File 127571101842.png - (61.45KB , 500x500 , 187013265.png )

Suddenly a wave of exhaustion hits me, and I grip the pillar before I collapse.

"Nearly... 19 megaseconds? What happened?"

Unknown. You had not initiated backup on a public terminal, and operated in anonymous mode. Lethe treatment was performed based on your last known wishes. There is reason to believe your prior instantiation has been terminated."

"So who was I?"

"That information is sealed. You have chosen to create a new life, not rehash a prior one. We are afraid that answering your question is contraindicated."

"I requested that my memory be wiped? Was everything wiped, then?"

"The information you are requesting is not a matter of public record. Your personal memory has been edited as per your authorized request and your exocortex purged."

"You are fatigued. Please follow us to your sleeping quarters."


The monitor detaches itself from the ceiling and slowly begins to float toward the door.

>>187992
Follow the drone.

If you wanted your memory purged, probably a good reason for it. Ask if there's any way someone else could have requested the purge.

Err, Right. Information can wait, for now just follow the drone and try not to pass out.

Oh it's Glasshouse Quest.

Lethe Center Suggestion 2010/06/04(Fri)22:26 No. 188031 ID: 288dda
File 127571560246.png - (37.84KB , 500x500 , 187013301.png )

"For your protection you will be monitored during your stay. After you rest, it is advised that you re-archive and personalize your appearance. Note that variations beyond 2 Varr are contraindicated for the first 3MSec for reasons of psychological health."

I think about that for a moment. Why can I remember that means hominid orthoforms from the standard (M/F/H/N) selections, but I can't remember what my mothers looked like?

The drone interrupts my reverie.

"...left several personal effects. They have been stowed in your room."

Oh? I'm surprised that's not "contraindicated" as well.

Lethe Center Suggestion 2010/06/04(Fri)23:00 No. 188042 ID: 288dda
File 127571765230.gif - (22.34KB , 500x500 , 1087013379.gif )

My new quarters are spartan. A handful of cubics and a microassembler for when I don't feel like dinner in the commons area, my guide tells me. Currently it's set to the "sleep" configuration, which I'm grateful for. I'm too tired to learn a new interface and this place has me locked offline - for my own good, of course.

There's a dueling saber leaning on the end table, and a disposable datapad sitting on top.

When I pick the pad up, it flickers to life. YOU HAVE BEEN HACKED I nearly drop it.

Then a burst of static, and it goes dead.

Oh shit. OH SHIT.


Suddenly my eyes won't stay open. I barely manage to collapse on the bed before everything goes black.

Investigate your personal effects, they might have missed something and you'll find some clue so that when you dream tonight you'll remember your past self writing a note to you.

>>188042
Figure out why you can see your hand through the datapad. Are you some kind of nanotechnology ghost?

(paused) Suggestion 2010/06/04(Fri)23:10 No. 188047 ID: 288dda
File 127571825869.png - (41.01KB , 500x500 , 187013379_pause.png )

...and now, CHARACTER CREATION TIME!
Please choose your preferred gender (M / F / H / N) and general appearance. Final result should be generally humanoid.

Pausing this until Sunday evening. Should resume around 9PM EST.

H

H, Sergal

>>188047
I'm pointing out here that 'generally humanoid' is a very flexible term apparently.

How about some... armored scales?

>>188051
Changing vote to this, sage for noncontribution

>>188051
This.
Specifically, H/NORTHERN SERGAL!

M, tentacles if possible.

Wouldn't F/Sergal be just as good?

I vote some kinda high-reflexes snake-looking motherfucker. With tits.

>>188094
(And limbs, just to be clear. Snake-looking as in scales and approximate head shape and being all wiry. This would also look incredibly untrustworthy, hence the addition of tits.)

>>188094
Changing vote to this, only M.

>>188094
Wiry lithe snakelizard sort of fellow. Any gender is fine. Voting for that.

Oh, voting F along with my previous armored scales suggestion.

...maybe we can get some pangolin-type scales going?

N, with small spikes for natural defenses in places that wouldn't end up impaling us.

>>188115
Changing this vote to something that will actually contribute to the two main options.

Snake form, gender irrelevant.

Male. Sergal, indifferent as to north or south.

Neuter, don't change a thing. It's generally a good idea to get the whole "who am I" issue straightened out before radically altering your appearance, both to avoid massive identity crises down the road, and there's always a chance this is our actual normal appearance, or at least one that was selected so some contact will recognize the suspiciously generic face/blank crotch.

Also? That robot there looks suspiciously familiar. Does it have the voice of Peewee Herman? If so our memory was clearly wiped to make room for astronavigational data.

>>188047
Lets go with Male.

THE GEICO GECKO

Male/Neuter. Space Pirate (The Metroid kind).

>>188094
Sure, let's go for this, just for fun. V:

We seem to be in a situation where the protagonist is at risk from an unknown source. We should not give them an outstanding form, especially if this change is one-time.

Male Dustfucker

F, Sergal

F, Sergal

Mneme!CRITTerXzI 2010/06/05(Sat)14:39 No. 188282 ID: c4c313
File 127577396699.jpg - (6.98KB , 207x190 , geico_gecko.jpg )

You awaken with a sudden irresistable urge to save hundreds of dollars on car insurance.

F, NORTHERN SERGAL!

H Hyuman

SECONDING GEICO!

Snakelike humanoid, gender irrelevant.

>>188486
this.

failing it M, tozol

F, Sergal

>>188187
Seconded.

F, Sergal.

Changing vote to F, sergal

>>188051

Agreeing with this

H, sergal. Why just be F when we could have the best of both worlds?

Voting H sergal, sage for noncontribution

sergal, H

anyone know when this will be continued?

>>188139
Well that was a fairly useless vote. Changing it to Herm with an adventorous spirit.

Changing to H sergal.

Just fucking because.

I vote for gnoll.

Changing to H, Sergal, for funsies.

>>188971
Specifically, H, Sergal, with an hourglass figure, ample chest, and imposing dong.

yessss 3 for gecko

I mean 2

My sincere apologies. My internet crapped out for most of the night.

Votes have been tallied and finalized. You guys love your sergals, and it will have an adventurous spirit.

Continues Monday 9pm EST.

>>189727
A hermaphrodite Sergal? This is gonna be wierd as hell...

>>189797
Not TOO weird.
At least not for /quest/.

>>189820
True. Also, NORTHERN SERGAL

Lethe Center - Dream Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)18:29 No. 190044 ID: 288dda
File 127596058298.png - (64.38KB , 500x500 , 187018135_0035.png )

I think this is a dream. There's something here with me.
There's the same sense of dread as I got from the message on the tablet. Have I been tampered with? If so, there's no way I can trust anything that's happening to me. I could be emulating on a kilo of smart diamond in orbit somewhere.

"This is an automated query system. This is not an artificial intelligence. Its database is strictly limited."

...I was offline when I passed out.

>>190044
What subjects are available for query?

You were hacked. Presumably, you were networked unknowingly or were set to go off upon reading the message.

Ask where you are and how many seconds since your last backup it's been.

>>190044
Well lets see what subjects are open to query then.

>>190044
Let's ask what we are able to get, then.

Well, what is available for query?

Well, we could do a bit of research into the world setting.

Lethe Center - Dream Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)19:12 No. 190096 ID: 288dda
File 127596312457.png - (92.15KB , 500x500 , 187018135_0068.png )

"Where am I?"

"Orbital habitat 58-N115-ADZJ."

Huh. "How long has it been since I was archived?"

"Unable to process query. 5079 seconds since instantiation."

"List available query topics."

"Root node: Personal Information"
"Root node: Hack"
"Root node: Lethe Center"
"Root node: QmÊÀx©zA)
ÂüC"
"1315671218 Topics Found"


Well, this is encouraging.

>>190096
The first three

Well, most if his personal information (or at least the memory banks) have been wiped, so let's try and get some more information on 'hack'

>>190096
Ask about the tablet you got that said you've been hacked.

>>190096
Root node: QmÊÀx©zA)
ÂüC .

>>190104
>>190106
Lets go with "Hack" then. We need to know who is fucking with us.

Lethe Center

Lethe Center - Dream? Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)19:50 No. 190144 ID: 288dda
File 127596545774.png - (152.42KB , 500x500 , 187018135_0097.png )

"Tell me about myself."

"Name: Lyan-406.705.840.197. Age: approximately 31 Gsec. Born: "
WARNING: node not found
*REINTITIALIZING

I guess that's ONE thing I didn't know.

"This is an automated query system. This is not an..."

"The tablet. The hack. What's happening?"

"Your archived state vector has been compromised by a party or parties unknown. Alterations have been made, but the full extent of the changes is not known. It is probable that additional alterations have been made to your exocortex. Whether the intent of this attack was to alter your behavior or instantiate pirate copies is not known."
WARNING: node not found
WARNING: node not found
WARNING: node not found

"The tablet bootstrapped custom software into your exocortex, including this agent."

"WHAT. What software?"
Things are starting to fragment.

WARNING: node not found
*REINTITIALIZING
First-chance exception(PROCACCV) in thread ID 108701338310579
Access violation at address 0000000000000001:000000000B2597C0
Terminating thread 108701338335793
Terminating thread 108701338324411
Terminating thread 108701338323157
Terminating thread 108701338320139
Terminating thread 108701338320135
Terminating thread 108701338310579
*REINITIALIZING
My head is pounding.
*LOADING
Caught Exception(PROCFAIL) in thread ID 108701338310113
ERROR: cannot attach to root process
I can't feel myself any longer.
*REINITIALIZING
ERROR: Bootstrap CRC mismatch!
Everything is falling apart.

CTRL ALT DEL
reset the system

Attempt to wake up.

Thats what we get for not having a firewall, I guess.

Wait a second. What if the one who hacked us was..... US? We opted to have this iteration not have previous memories, so maybe this is a plan of our previous incarnation! First off we need to find out if this theory is so. If it is true, then the hacking may actually be beneficial.

But this is pure speculation.

Force wake up.

Lethe Ce╗╗╗╗╗╗╗╗ Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)20:14 No. 190171 ID: 288dda
File 127596689381.jpg - (121.47KB , 500x500 , 187018135_0101.jpg )

ERROR
ERROR
ERROR
My head
ERROR
ERROR
ERROR
feels like I'm
ERROR
ERROR
ERROR
ERROR
ERROR
falling
ERROR
ERROR
apart
ERROR
ERROR
ERROR
This
ERROR
ERROR
is just
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Šš³ûK`ú½F¯Ë±è?¾:|øó£=ï„|E¦kqÂvÏ2¯Ÿrxï"ofQ^Å*ô«E8Ê2O³0q”tjÇ]µÐ`ŠÑY‰l9:Ò{Ý0SæÃþáþu­SõÐç¤]­
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_Lñn£iŽöîÚß[iu0ãËŽ{«(`XdØÛPÉèÊœ“_‡AÒiÁÉÎÉòô>¡©§t”{êMñŸà?Å-[[Òür<Qy=æ‹G}máøŽ™
-ö˜ÿ

>>190171
Wake up.
You're gonna be late for school.
It's the first day of second grade.

eject computer circuit!

WAKE UP

>>190148
>Reset the system
>Bootstrap failed

Reach up your dream hands to the area around your face, and pull the dreamscape away like a pair of sweaty goggles.

>>190167

Call me dense, but where's the indication that they hacked themself? I got the impression that someone got access to their tablet, not necessarily their previous incarnation. Although it would be entirely delicious if they had, in fact, wiped their own memory only to hack their own brain.

SEE THOSE CHARACTERS

PUNCH THEM

>>190195
YES!

Lethe Center Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)20:43 No. 190208 ID: 288dda
File 127596861093.png - (65.48KB , 500x500 , 18718201.png )

"We noted interruptions to your autonomic and limbic systems during your rest period. Surgery has been adequate to correct the flaws."

I open my eyes. The medical drone is dangling in front of me, withdrawing a small forest of micromanipulators. The blurry haze smoothly congeals back into a pair of blunt arms that fold neatly into place under the monitor like a pair of bird's legs.

"Please try to rest. Reintegration is a delicate process."

It quickly retracts into the ceiling and is gone.

Good luck with that. Wall display shows that only a few kilosecs have passed, but I'm up now. Anything before heading to the assembler?

>>190208
Look at yourself.

Examine that tablet again to see if you can determine where it came from.

What just happened?

Feel yourself all over. Then, where are we? And retrieve your stuff, get to the assembler.

Also, who are we to you?

>>190208

Before heading to the...? What assembler? What's an assembler?

>>190228
It assembles things.

Lethe Center Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)21:24 No. 190236 ID: 288dda
File 127597107261.png - (64.47KB , 500x500 , 18720056.png )

Stare at the ceiling a few seconds before I get up. Bit dizzy.

Mirror? Well, it's a quick job to switch the wall to camera mode, flip the image...

I look at the mirror. Is this me? What I used to look like? Or just a random template I'm being housed in? I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?

That dream... that was unpleasant. I'm pretty sure I've dealt with dumb agents like that before, but that was an atrocious bit of hackery. I should have been isolated from something like that... from the sounds of it, it nearly took me down with it.

Going to go get changed. Not sure if I want the dueling saber with me or not.

>>190236
How do you see with no eyes?
Interest waning... waning... Gone.
Don't care anymore! Go get yourself a brand new meatsack.

>>190238
Yup!
New Meat-sack is needed!

>>190236
shave your head, carry the saber, wear sweatpants, a nipple ring (left) and one work glove (right).

>>190236
Dueling saber? I'd take it, since you're in a paranoid mood anyway at the moment.

And yeah I guess head on down to that assembler thingy or whatever.

>>190240
Acquire rare earth magnets.
Wear them like earrings.

>>190243
No, nose rings!

Orbital habitat 58-N115-ADZJ - Public Assembler 104 Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)22:06 No. 190254 ID: 288dda
File 127597356724.gif - (9.62KB , 500x500 , 18722811.gif )

I buckle on the saber and ask for the center's assembler. It's a short trip following the glowing dot and I'm here. I've still got a splitting headache and hope to Murphy this thing will actually fix it.

Jump in, disclaimer, warning from the Center. Select "YES" for backup.
I feel angry. Predatory. Let's work with that.

"Greetings. To begin the procedure, please hold a mental image of your desired change"
*BEEP* "Error.. recalibrating"

Damnit. Broke my concentration.

*BEEP* "Error.. recalibrating"]

Ok... thinking...

*BEEP* "Error.. recalibrating"

It's even more annoying when that's going off directly inside your brain. Something's not working here. I'm about ready to...

*BEEP* "Confirmed"

Wait what the

[discontinuity]


What did I just do to myself?

>>190254
Check for breasts and Adventurous Spirit.

Looking awfully down there, cheer up by breaking through the assembler doors and shouting "NORTHERN SERGAL!"

>>190254
Check your dangly bits. Ensure you are familiar with them and their use before continuing.

>>190256

thisthisthis

Orbital habitat 58-N115-ADZJ - Public Assembler 104 Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)22:17 No. 190259 ID: 288dda
File 127597423613.png - (34.24KB , 500x500 , 18722836.png )

I feel... fuzzy. But good. Strong. I run my tongue around the inside of my mouth and find sharp teeth.

I look down. That's...
...not quite what I thought I had in mind.

Well, there's a lot of new nerve endings there. Perhaps I should make sure they're...

Oh.

Further exploration can wait, you have a hacker to find! Go out of the assembler and see if the drone is waiting for you.

>>190259
Glad you're enjoying our handiwork.
Bust through the doors and shout NORTHERN SERGAL! HERMAPHRODITE!
Then hunt down that hacker.

What kind of nerve endings?

>>190259
Get some clothes.

Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)22:38 No. 190271 ID: b58b7e
File 127597552720.png - (244.60KB , 800x600 , 126360968786.png )

>>190269
No, no clothes.
Just run about, raping everything.
Doors and walls are no consequence.
After all, you're a...

NORTHERN SERGAL!

Orbital habitat 58-N115-ADZJ - Public Assembler 104? Suggestion 2010/06/07(Mon)22:43 No. 190273 ID: 288dda
File 127597580987.png - (67.56KB , 500x500 , sergalunfpausescreen.png )

Shutting down for the night.

Continuing Wednesday 8PM EST.

I'll get up a /questdis/ thread between now and then because there are many relevant background informations here.

>>190273
Looks like someone is enjoying themselves :)
(please be canon)

i dont see a rack. is it not futa?

>>190537
study your standard sergal biology, they don't have breasts. at least not until pregnancy, where they would obviously be swollen with milk with their young.

>>190537
Sergal breasts only become visible on pregnant/nursing sergals. Otherwise they'd get in the way.

Why would you need clothing? Really, you're already wearing one set. Why put on another?

>>190528
hells yea

first thing I'd do if I suddenly changed genitals.
Second thing would be panic... but first takes priority

The discussion thread is up

>>190619
Thank you, sir.
Specifically, >>/questdis/326920 - if I did that bit correctly. (a bit of generic setting info will be up sometime later tonight)

58-N115-ADZJ - Public Walkway Suggestion 2010/06/09(Wed)18:27 No. 191139 ID: 288dda
File 127613327195.png - (111.22KB , 500x500 , 18726136.png )

Somewhat later, I step out of the assembler. Reborn.

After the nightmares of yesterday, I finally feel like I'm in control of myself again. In charge of my own destiny. I'm tall, strong, light on my feet. My tail - tail? Strange, how it doesn't feel strange - automatically moves to counterbalance my every movement. The sword in my hand feels like it weighs nothing at all. The kilt's a good fit, automatically resized when I changed. There's a button-flap in the back now, too. Convenient.

Time to learn what happened to me. The hack, my... death? Someone's going to pay. Datapad is still in the room. Might be a clue. Same with the saber. And the Lethe Center said something about an authorized request. But then, I wouldn't mind putting it off a few more Ksecs to wrap myself around a few kilos of food. Getting rebuilt left me feeling like I haven't eaten in a meg.

Be about an hour until the next update. Now would be a good time to agree on just what the first move would be

>>191139
Well, we need some kind of hook or something. Can we get some options?

>>191140
Ya know what? Lets just go to a cafe or something and grab some food. Or whereever it is that you get food in the future.

Go get some food, and see if you can get anything else from the datapad.

Food, definitely. Check datapad. Be aware of stuff around you too, if someone's tasked to watch you you should watch for it.

>>191139
Go and eat and tamper some with that Datapad. Also check out what sort of equipment and materials are avalible for you.

Why don't you just get some food out of the assembler? Maybe a gun too.

>>191139
Start with food. Food will probably make you think more clearly.

>>191139
Get twenty pounds of raw meat.
Devour it messily.

>>191176
Why stop at twenty?

>>191139
Get food, and examine the sword and everything that came with it.

Eat the datapad.

Now might be a good time to tell us a little about how fighting works in your era. It'd be a waste of time to get armor and stuff if all real fighting is done with supersonic kill-drones.

Eat some food but don't make a big deal out of it. Not a large portion, so you stay alert. Then go investigate the datapad.

Lethe Center - Lyan's Chamber Suggestion 2010/06/09(Wed)22:11 No. 191277 ID: 288dda
File 127614670285.png - (118.40KB , 500x500 , 18740937.png )

Sorry, started this update quite a while ago and then my interwebs died. Hence any failures of democracy are mine.

All right, I've got work to do. The room I'm staying in has a no doubt hyper-sanitized mini-feed, but I ought to be able to get something done with it. Grab half a kilo of something purported to be perfectly nutrionally balanced for me and munch cardboard-flavored snacks on the way back to my room.

The datapad - internal power supply's drained. Fab a new one and it refused to give any answers. About what I expected. On the plus side, my assembler may be nerfed here but it seems I'm playing on the center's tab. Slap together a quick analyzer and a pile of pseudo-beef to gnaw on while I work.

...well, this it interesting. Assembled anonymously at 40-N115-ADZJ - that's in-system. DNA match? Prints? Not sure why I'm bothering, it's easier to fake than a holo, but it says it was me. Makes sense, I guess? The Center did say I left it for myself when I woke up.

Wait. Hold on. That's a nasty little piece of work. Hid a transmitter in it, keyed to me specifically. Had all the credentials, handshakes, and passwords to get through my firewalls. That shouldn't be possible. This thing went off like a bullet fired at my brain when I picked it up.

I'm on my third plate of jerky before I figure out what some of these diagrams meant. The internals are fried. I really want to know what it dumped into my brain, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to recover it. Someone was either very dumb or very smart - the same power supply that fed the transmitter burned through the internal memory and smoked it. There's actually cracks in the structure.

I've been hacking away at this for quite a while now. Getting anything out of the memory here is going to take longer - how much longer, I can't say.

>>191277
Well, when you get the chance to, look around, find a door.

>>191277
Take a better look at your fencing sabre. Unless it's a single, seamless piece, you should be able to take it apart, at least partway. There could be things hidden inside of it, or written upon it on inner surfaces.

Do you like your new body and parts?

>Assembled anonymously at 40-N115-ADZJ - that's in-system.
I don't understand. This was 18.7 Msec ago? Did this person (which may or may not be you) get fried by the hack, or was he responsible for executing it?

Also, your DNA has changed before. Like just a few minutes ago...

Presently, you should start looking up people who knew you, and talk to them. Carefully.

>>191277
You're not eating that messily enough.

Lethe Center - Lyan's Chamber Suggestion 2010/06/10(Thu)04:47 No. 191400 ID: 288dda
File 127617043845.png - (126.01KB , 500x500 , 18742955.png )

No, this is not a standard fencing blade. It's smart.
I can feel it flex when I pick it up, and as I grip it experimentally the blade itself stretches to nearly a meter. Obviously I'm taller than whoever last used it. After a few practice swings I can also feel the balance flow slightly toward the point.

I really don't want to take this thing apart. Felt like holding it should have brought my memories rushing back somehow. Wishful thinking, I guess. When I hook it up to the assembler there's plenty more surprises.

Design (c) Lyan-418.910.435.880 - I can see the numbers flickering as I watch. Apparently my legal automata is still working. Registered fab by me at assembler 25-N034-DKMS. Doesn't ring a bell. Lot older than the 'pad - that thing was fabbed about 5Msec ago, and the blade is closer to 3 Gigs. It also slurps up about 500g of fairly exotic materials and then pops up a schematic on top of the analysis I have running for the datapad. Murphy's sake, this isn't just smart - the thing has a micro-fabricator built into it! I can feel my eyebrows crawling toward the ceiling. Just when did I ever need something like this? I do a bit more digging, but if I left any messages to myself they're well-hidden.

The local regs seem common enough. Weapons capable of projecting deadly force past 3m are contraband. Dueling permissible by mutual consent. Basically a way to work our disputes without involving bystanders or damaging property. Murder is punishable by feed restrictions or slow-timing for repeat offenders. I hear that's unpleasant.

I could try to fab up some kind of armor, but I'm not sure how much good it would do me. I think this sword's smart enough to rip through anything but milspec - and even THAT I wouldn't take bets on - and if I've got it other people might as well. Gives you a false sense of security, you let your guard down. I'll stick with speed and smarts.

Don't have much to work with here. It'll be hard retracing my footsteps if I was running anonymously - maybe impossible. I'd look up old friends, if I had any idea where to start.

>>191400
See if you can focus and make ornamentation appear on the blade and hilt.

>>191400
Say, you wouldn't be able to build a device that kills anything besides you in a 3 metre radius? Because something like that would probably be very useful.

Other than that maybe you should seek out someone professional to figure out what the datapad dumped in you.

>>191400
Find assembler 25-N034-DKMS.

>>191421
I second this course of action

try to make armor anyway. you need clothing, if you can hide a plate to protect your organs on it, it would be sweet.

>>191421
this is good. at least you can make something there.

>>191421
The sword was fabbed 95 years ago. I doubt anything relevant is going on at the factory.

Try looking up public info about your personal ID code, or whatever that was.

>>191503
Then lets see what we can dredge up on ourselves.

>>191503
I like this idea.

Lethe Center - Lyan's Chamber Suggestion 2010/06/11(Fri)06:13 No. 191827 ID: 288dda
File 127626201163.png - (90.42KB , 500x500 , 18757230.png )

I don't know if I want to try making something that would kill everything out to 3m but me... however that would work. Inside that range I'm pretty confident with the saber anyway. Come to think of it, those regs are pretty flexible. Wondering if something nonlethal would be worth the time.

I move my workspace to the wall and start digging. The Center said most of the records are forbidden, but maybe I can find something. Murphy, doing this manually takes forever. There's an itch in my brain, like... I don't know how to describe it. Muscle memory for my mind. All my reflexes are off. Operating by hand is... it's like working blindfolded, with one arm tied behind my back, standing hip-deep in mud.

History: blocked. Age: blocked. Place of birth: blocked. I do find the recording of the erasure request - such as it is. I - the old I - was running anonymous. The identification is a matter of public record, though. Neural patterns matched the last registered state vector - the one I'm running - to at least six 9s. It's the second most extreme treatment offered... all my personal memories... ashes. How could I possibly have been so cruel?

Finally, I check out the status of my legal automata. Perhaps I have some interesting IP lying around. Perhaps floating somewhere out there is a letter explaining just what I was thinking.

"Error: Credentials in use"? Must be some kind of bug. Try again. Same error. This doesn't make any sense. I've been at this for - I pull up a clock - over 30Ksec now with no real sleep. I could use a break.

You know, you never did check out if there were any cafe's nearby. That's a good place to chill at, if any.

>>191827
Well, can you figure out exactly what it was that the old you did? Perhaps the attempted hack has something to do a victim of our previous incarnation's actions.

>>191833
After you get some rest, of course.

>>191827
Your credentials are in use because you're still alive. I suspect you plan to frame yourself, so send yourself a message telling you to cut that shit out and stop screwing you over.

>How could I possibly have been so cruel?
Well, apparently you received some kind of memetic virus that did bad things to your brain and cybernetics, and then did strange and inexplicable behaviors harmful to yourself. So maybe it was outright mind control virus.

On that note, keep doing everything manually instead of getting a computer implant like you want. At least for now.

>"Error: Credentials in use"?
What does that mean? What credentials?

What is anonymous mode?

Also, go find a cafe or something. (I thought you guys didn't need to sleep any more?)

>>191842
>Your credentials are in use because you're still alive.
Yeah, that seems the most likely option, but it depends on what credentials we're talking.

How else would you not have authority to reverse decisions you supposedly made?

>>191846
someone else is using the implant. they took it out of your head.

>>191827
Credential in use. Hmmm, does it ever happen that someone gets downloaded into a new body when their old body isn't dead? Say after a hack maybe.

So nonleathal weapons can go further than 3m. That holds quite a bit of promise. See if you can't find the specs for some nice neural stun gun kind of deal. With a nice range of maybe 50m and knocks someone the fuck out for the next 6 to 8 hours.

Someone's using your identity.

Someone else is using your identity!

>>191908
!!!!!!!!!
Ok, now its personal.

58-N115-ADZJ - Parkway R7 Suggestion 2010/06/11(Fri)21:27 No. 192393 ID: 288dda
File 127631686757.jpg - (43.86KB , 500x500 , 18759115.jpg )

This... this is a nightmare. It's not possible, but that last check confirmed it. And I don't have the who, why, where, or when. Much less HOW. It's a rumor. An urban legend. The safeguards on that kind of data - you'd spend a lifetime trying crack ONE, and even if you somehow did that data would be useless for anyone else.

I've got to get away from this room. I find myself wandering the habitat aimlessly, and stop at a park area to take stock. A few possibilities suggest themselves. I might be the original, brainwashed into scrubbing my brain clean. I may have had other reasons for the Lethe treatment and for my other odd behavior - running anonymous, refusing to backup. I might have been murdered, and whoever did the deed seized control of my property. I might be a pirate copy, and the original is still on the run somewhere. It could be even worse.

At least it's pleasant out here. A warm breeze ruffles my mane and there's a sweet smell in the air.

...maybe I'm just a simulation.

58-N115-ADZJ - Parkway R7 Suggestion 2010/06/11(Fri)21:36 No. 192403 ID: 288dda
File 127631740054.jpg - (46.58KB , 500x500 , 18764301.jpg )

I stare out at the park for a while, watching the people come and go. I've been out here a kilosec or two, just staring at nothing, when my radio comes to life. It's an... almost apologetic-sounding burst of static, like someone clearing their throat.

There's something behind me when I turn around.

[Incoming comm request. Accept?]

>>192403
You got anything better to do right about now?

Sure, why not.

may as well.

Ask who it is from. Horrible to get two viruses in one day.

Go for it.
Also, check out that sweet statue in the middle of the park. Pretty bitchin' if it changes designs like that.

>>192406
This first. Just to be sure.

>>192403
That hair is fabulous. Accept the call.

[weekend update schedule: try for an update or two late tomorrow night and maybe a /dis/ to make up for a lame cliffhanger, and then a solid block Sunday after gaming and dinner. 10PM EST, maybe?]

>>192403
Accept the call. You might gain some useful leads into your previous life or what you are. After all, whoever is calling you must know atleast something about you.

58-N115-ADZJ - Parkway R7 Suggestion 2010/06/13(Sun)04:01 No. 193043 ID: 288dda
File 127642689246.jpg - (34.23KB , 500x500 , 18764322.jpg )

With a bit of hesitance I crack open communications just enough for public identities, verification, and partial key exchange before slamming them shut again.

Public name: S________

...that's a bit weird. Doesn't ring any bells. It's been motionless these past few moments. It's probably staring at me. I open up the connection.

Hey there. A little jumpy? The tonelessly neutral voice comes across my radio link.

"A little."

Hope you don't mind the radio. I'm vacuum-sealed. Mind letting me inside your privacy shield? I hate talking to a box.

Well, there's no additional access permissions there and I would kind of like to see who I'm talking to. There's a brief moment when our exocortices brush against each other to exchange handshake info, and...

Sounds good. Take him (for a lack of an accurate pronoun) up on the offer.

58-N115-ADZJ - Parkway R7 Suggestion 2010/06/13(Sun)04:14 No. 193047 ID: 288dda
File 127642764239.jpg - (35.08KB , 500x500 , 18764388.jpg )

My eyes acknowledge the presence of a strange angular creature with rubberized skin - or possibly a skintight latex suit - standing a few meters behind me. It stares back at me, hand on one hip, head cocked to the side.

You've been staring blankly into space for the past 2K. Something wrong? The words have a hint of concern that they lacked before.

I don't way anything.

Saw something your size heading this way from the Lethe Center a while back. It walks up to the railing and leans over, then focuses on my face. ...and now you're wondering just what you did to yourself?

I nod slightly.

I know the feeling. Regret. Wondering why you gave it all up?

Nod.

Listen, if you just wiped I bet you don't even remember what good food tastes like. How about we head to a cafe I know down the way? Got an anachronist there, does all the prep-work by hand. It sees me hesitate. C'mon, doing anything else at the moment? Cheer you up, I promise!

had to repost to fix a typo. Sorry, poster

Indeed, go for it.

>>193047
I can't see any reason to refuse.

Though I do wonder how he could possibly know that you wiped. Seems very suspicious.

Cafe it is. Even if you should be paranoid this is the best opportunity to learn more.

Might as well go with him. It's better than sitting around doing nothing.

Off the top of your head, do you know anything about anachronists, or rather, what they do?

IT'S A TRAP

no wait

YOU'RE A TRAP

...proceed

>>191827
Consider the possibility that you were copied, or are a copy, yourself, with just enough of the original's identity to be verifiable, while the other one got the lion's share of your credentials. Maybe the you-before-you had a plan, and the other one's a scapegoat, to make it look like you're still an active member of society, that nothing is wrong.

>>193047
Sure, why not?

Ask if you are capable of being improved or not and what is your energy levels?

>>193352
Wat?
Dude, no one ever mentioned energy levels at all ever to any extent at all whatsoever EVER.
Between your grammar, seemingly dubious (at best) grasp of the English language, utter inanity of your posts, and complete and total inability to read the mood at all, I have to wonder why you post.
Could you at least take an ESL course?

58-N115-ADZJ - Cafe Suggestion 2010/06/13(Sun)22:35 No. 193453 ID: 288dda
File 127649373980.jpg - (23.82KB , 500x500 , 18764902.jpg )

We head down to the lower level and my companion leads me to a small cafe. Watching it walk is strange - it flows almost bonelessly when it moves, but appears rigid at rest. Shortly we arrive at a small open-air eatery and a table and chairs rise from the ground to meet us.

You're going to like this. All authentic, hand-prepared. You eat grains? Or strict carnivore? I shrug. All right. It walks to the counter, gestures briefly at a exclusion box, then strolls back and throws itself into the chair.

Pasta Carbonara. Authentic recipe... noodles and egg, pepper, cheese, butter, topped with slices of fried spam, served with chopsticks. For me, extra-large espresso. Venti, Carlos insists on calling it. I do not recognize any of these things.

So talk. What's on your mind?

I'm not sure, but I have a growing suspicion that I've been copied. Or I am the copy. How much can I trust it?

He seems like a pretty nice guy, at least. Ask him if it's even possible for there to be multiple copies of one person running around. That, and ask him about the anachronist he mentioned at the park.

>>193457
An anachronist is like... an old-timer. He uses old techniques of making food. It's not important.

Just tell him that your assets are... being used by someone else.

>>193465
Yeah don't mention the copying and stuff, at least not yet. Just say you think you got basically robbed.

58-N115-ADZJ - Cafe Suggestion 2010/06/14(Mon)00:27 No. 193490 ID: 288dda
File 127650045258.jpg - (26.35KB , 500x500 , 18764991.jpg )

"That... sounds interesting." Wish I could read its facial expression. The - espresso? - arrives, in a mug like a bowl with a handle on it, carried by a polite-seeming rectangle that places it on the saucer in front of S________. It picks up the mug and leans back in its chair, which reshapes in response.

"Is there something easier I can call you?"

[What, you don't like it? Heh. You can call me 'Sal.' Assuming you don't go by Lyan-406.705.840.197root?]

"Just 'Lyan' is fine. So how do you know this anachronist?"

[Pleasure to meet you, Lyan, but I know a stall when I see one. You're thinking about more important things than manual food preparation. Spill.

"Just... odd thoughts. I think I've been robbed and I don't know how."

[Robbed? How? And what? Your memories?]

I'm really not sure how to answer this without straying onto topics I'd rather not talk about in front of a stranger. A half-truth, then. "Someone hijacked my legal network. I'm locked out of all my resources. I didn't know that was possible."

It studies me for a long moment. [Well, cheer up! Property's not what it used to be. Way you seemed to be moping, I figured you for a bad wipe. Or does your face just look like that?] There's a hint of humor. [Listen, I've done the Lethe thing more times than I can count. Literally. How about you tell me about it while we wait for the food?]

You know, I still don't know how it knew about that. I've been locked into privacy mode since I awoke. Do I want to confront it about that?

It is rather...Strange that he would know that since you've been in anonymous mode. He probably knows more than he lets on, though. Ask him what he means by a "bad wipe", and imply something about anonymous being you know, private. Be subtle about it, anyway.

>>193490
You should probably ask him why he decided to contact you, what he wants and what he means with a bad wipe.

Don't stay your hand just yet, save it for a trump card later if you need one. Instead ask about bad wipes.

>>193490
Well, maybe not with the sort of tone "confront" implies, but you could certainly ask.

58-N115-ADZJ - Cafe Suggestion 2010/06/14(Mon)19:15 No. 193790 ID: 288dda
File 127656814765.jpg - (25.64KB , 500x500 , 18765538.jpg )

"What do you mean by a bad wipe? Some kind of problem with the procedure?"

[No, nothing like that. Just the realization that you've thrown everything away. I've done a few myself.] It pauses for a moment. [Heh. After the first time I woke up with no memory, I had them start carving a notch onto my femur and making sure that info went into my notes. A few times back they refused to do it - claiming "structural instability!"] There's a brief burst of static over the link. [Oh, come on. Laugh. That was supposed to be a joke.]

[Anyway... I've got no idea how old I am, where I came from. Keeps me from getting too jaded, but... well. I have vague memories of a lab around Saturn. Maybe I go all the way back, pre-Diaspora. So now when I'm in a position to I kind of keep an eye on the Centers, maybe talk to someone who needs it.]

Oh. "So how..."

[And even in privacy more you're not exactly inconspicuous, you know. See a 2.5m box contemplating its navel for that long? Just came from the direction of the Center? Thought I'd see if you were ready for some company. So here we are.]

---

It's leaning forward, staring right into my face.

[...ou all right? You've been sitting there completely blank for the past half kilosec. How long have you been up? Unless you're buzzing the Center I want to take a quick peek at your medicals.]

>>193790
Okay, that's slightly alarming. Did you just, like, blank out there?

That's... strange, are you alright? What would giving it a look at your medicals potentially reveal?

The attacker wouldn't be *this* obvious would they? He's probably genuinely concerned...

>>193790
Right now you would be expected to be paranoid, and thus not share information with others. If somebody is trying to act against you they would be counting on this.

Naturally, the best way to subvert their plans would be to be open and honest.

Hmm. My paranoia says to avoid the medical facilities whenever possible because whatever duplicated you might not exactly have the most favorable record behind.

On the other hand, you seem like you need some attention. Just take a nap after this and see if it's still all skippy after that you might benefit from the doctoral visit.

Someone ask to borrow a few minutes of your time?

58-N115-ADZJ - Cafe Suggestion 2010/06/14(Mon)21:32 No. 193867 ID: 288dda
File 127657634931.jpg - (38.58KB , 500x500 , 18765562.jpg )

"I... what?"

It glances over its shoulder briefly. [Ok, the scuplture's interesting, but it's not THAT interesting. Your autonomous medicals should have kicked in by now.] There's a heavy note of concern in its voice. [May I?]

"All right."

[Good lord. Are you locked out of your own systems? Have you been offline all this time?] I start to answer and there's a brief flicker as a HUD superimposes itself on my vision. [What did they do to you?] Diagnostics begin to appear.

[You DO run hot, don't you? But even for you, that's serious. Your brain meats are just a few degrees short of cooking.] There's a brief rush as it takes me on a guided tour of my new endocrine systems. I get the mental impression of a raised eyebrow. [Huh. Never would have guessed. Also looks like your dopamine and endorphin uptake is elevated - you're doped up pretty good. ...strange. Your oxytocin level's also up quite a bit. But enough peeking into your personal life.]

It stops. [All right, Lyan. What's going on? And if I don't get a straight answer I WILL drag you back to the Center. By your hair, if necessary.] My vision isn't quite right. Things seem slightly blotchy. I could use that sleep.

>>193867
Well, I mean, you don't know, do you?

Tell it the truth: you haven't got a damn clue what's going on.

>>193867
Tell it what you know, and what you don't. Also, "help".

>>193867
Oh, just tell him already.

>>193867
Tell him about the tablet.

Tell him you found something that hacked you before, and that you think you're being hacked now, even though that shouldn't be possible. (Maybe?)

No Lyan. You are the demons.

58-N115-ADZJ - Public Walkway Suggestion 2010/06/14(Mon)22:34 No. 193906 ID: 288dda
File 12765800508.jpg - (15.67KB , 500x500 , 18766484.jpg )

"Woke up... tablet in my room. Said I was hacked."

[C'mon, up!] It gets my arm around its neck and drags me to my feet without difficulty. [Way you're suddenly acting, I can believe it. Got anything else?]

"Tablet made in-system. New. Threw something in my head. Memories all gone." Having a hard time keeping my eyes open. Leaning hard on Sal.

[Lyan. Stay with me here. You're in no shape for a backup. There's a monitor waiting for us at the Center. It's faster than fabbing a new one. Come on, you need to get your biology under control.] I pick through the menus, but it's too much work when all my concentration is on climbing this ramp.

[All right. Few hundred more meters.] Something's knocking against the inside of my head. I tell it to go away. [Lyan, let me in. I'm trying to help.] Oh. Ok. There's a feeling like someone slipping their hand into mine and the menus begin to dance across my vision. Adrenaline floods through my system. My heart keeps beating. [Anything else?]

"Dream... agent... from the tablet. Broken. Crashed."

[i][Don't know if they're going to be able to handle you, Lyan. Medical nano isn't what it used to be. Have you backed up since...?] I manage a nod. [I'll send by a datastore, just... in case.]

The door's up ahead. Everything is so gray.

But... I thought the whole reason you were using manual menus earlier was because you didn't have a neural interface going?

Lethe Center - Lyan's Chamber Suggestion 2010/06/14(Mon)22:48 No. 193912 ID: 288dda
File 12765809173.jpg - (22.36KB , 400x500 , 18794517.jpg )

I feel... fuzzy. But good. Strong. I run my tongue around the inside of my mouth and find sharp teeth. Why am I lying on my back? I had just gone out.

"Instantiation from archived state vector complete. Good morning Lyan-406.705.840.197root, and welcome back to the Lethe center. It has been 71.7Ksec since your last backup. Our sincerest apologies, but your prior instantiaton unexpectedly began to reject its exocortex and its medical subsystems. We are afraid that resuscitation was unsuccessful."

What.

The fuck just happened

Did you get rejected by your own implants?

Suggestion 2010/06/14(Mon)22:59 No. 193919 ID: 288dda
File 127658154072.jpg - (20.73KB , 500x500 , comingsoontoanimageboardnearyou.jpg )

...probably just one or two posts tomorrow and then I'll try to spend some hours Wed eve, 10EST-ish.

>>193912
[Replay the sequence of events]

You made a friend, he saved your life.

YOU DIED
However, the Lethe Center traps you. You shall remain in this world as a Sergal. Forever.

>>193912
What is that stuff on the wall, anyway?

>>193912
You died, and then got rebuilt. Apparently you body rejected the implants. It also seems like there has been some incoming calls that have been rejected. Get your bearings and then check them out.

The protagonist died?

A quick recap since you left, and apparently since you can't remember what had happened. You went to the park for a while, where you met another named 'Sal'. He took you to a cafe where you talked for a while, and he seemed to be quite a wealth of information. He might've been one of the scientists on Saturn, before all of this had happened. Anyways, you had been locked out of some of your own systems, and your vitals were completely out of whack. Another thing of note was that there were heavy amounts of dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin intake levels in your system. That hack, or something was fucking with your vitals, along with shutting down some of your implants. After that, your body started to shut down, and you essentially died while Sal tried to get you to a center for medical attention.

Long story short, you died. Go find a guy named Sal. You should still be able to see him even though you're in anonymous mode; You traded public contact (handshaking protocols) information.

Looks like SASO saved your fuzzy butt. Well, sort of. The exocortex problem might have started before your last backup. The time you have to fix this might be short, so whatever you do DON'T EXAMINE YOUR GROIN

>>193912
Okay, you appear to have a pretty serious problem, here.

You should probably go find that guy you were talking to earlier, he seemed to have at least an idea of what was going on.

Okay, wait. You need to figure out what you did before you got rejected. You were probably in anonymous mode, but is there any recordings you could get of yourself?

What's on the wall?

...a brief note on death and the limits of player/character interaction in the /dis/ thread.
>>/questdis/327567

Lethe Center - Lyan's Chamber Lyan 2010/06/16(Wed)05:51 No. 194567 ID: 288dda
File 127669271296.jpg - (52.05KB , 500x500 , 18798322.jpg )

"I rejected... how is that even possible?"

Unknown. We are dedicating significant resources to the problem. A full mapping and simulation of your backup is currently being run. Discrepancies have been noted, but full analysis of the damage, if any, is still underway.

"What happened before I died?"

You arrived at the center in anonymous mode at approximately 73000 in urgent need of medical services. Your companion was likewise anonymized. Autonomous systems exhibited signs of a positive feedback loop and emergency shutdown procedures failed to contain the thermal damage. As a last resort backup procedures were initiated, but physiological damage prevented a full state vector from being obtained. The partial data acquired is being used in our analysis.

"What's the risk of it happening again?"

Analysis is nearing 20% completion. As a precautionary measure your new medical systems have been unlinked from your exocortex and placed under direct control of the Lethe center. Great. My neurochemistry has been hijacked for my own good to hopefully prevent the possibility of my brain melting a second time. I wave the drone away and look at the walls.

Apparently I came back and began to study the artifacts for some time before leaving again. I spend a few Ksec refamiliarizing myself with my earlier work. Seems my blade is smart enough to do my taxes and has a micro-fabricator built in. Do a little more poking - apparently it can replay old duels? Inertial tracker included as well. Maybe I'll take a look at some old fights later if I have the time. Looks like I was also trying to reassemble the datapad's fried components. Very little progress made so far, but I let it keep running. No luck tracing my identity or movements.

There's a note here about my legal network being blocked. Odd. I try to log in and fail. Does this mean I'm a copy, or that the hack was used to steal my authentication credentials?

I owe someone a thank-you, and I haven't a clue how to start tracking them down.

>>194567
Perhaps he got to a datastore?

Hey, if the sword tracks inertial information, can you use that to extrapolate where you were before?

>>194570
There's a thought.

And I can't really think of much else, to be honest. >_>

>>194567
Look over old duels. There should be timestamps and ways to identify your opponent from those records. And from there you can trace your own identity and what you have done in your life.

>>194567
Well, you could go to the nearest cafe and ask around for a "Sal". See if you cant find the person who saved your life.

If Sal's not waiting excitedly outside this room to find out how the heck you died and if he can be part of your exciting adventures too, try to find a cafe run by an "anachronist". That'll be someone who reduces efficiency and standardization in order to produce something novel and unique. In this case, Pasta Carbonara. Noodles and egg, pepper, cheese, butter, topped with slices of fried spam, served with chopsticks. Anachronists should be fairly rare, so the interaction between anachronists and cafe owners should be pretty small, especially considering Sal had to physically carry your smouldering corpse to this place.

If you met up with someone, they might have recorded your encounter. Maybe you can requisition logs from it? Maybe what was salvaged from your mind has information in it? You should do a scan of your own brain personally.

Lethe Center - Lyan's Chamber Lyan 2010/06/16(Wed)19:17 No. 194710 ID: 288dda
File 127674103017.jpg - (40.60KB , 500x500 , 18798817.jpg )

Of course! I'm an idiot. Inertial tracking. The sword records position and orientation data. With any kind of luck, that's not some kind of "combat mode" feature.

Hmm. There are some interesting interface items here. Obnoxious needing to do this manually, but I'm still locked out as an additional "precautionary measure." Here we go. Tracking backward from now -- plot data -- scale -- and now I can retrace my steps.

Last point recorded - "Discontinuity." Hmm. That would be when I got out of the assembler? There's ~3Gs of data preceding that but it appears useless.

All right. From the looks of this path, I was with my benefactor right... here. I fab up a quick projector and interface rings, grumbling at the necessity, and start retracing my steps.

Sorry folks, but Lyan has to use his own brain rather than yours. You can't prompt him with memories that are no longer there, such as Sal's name or the café - yesterday's events have been reset. Fortunately you are well on your way to retrieving them.

>>194710

can't blame me for trying heh heh heh

Tell us what you find.

>>194710
The 3Gs of data preceding the assembly is likely from before the wipe. If you can determine the proper frame of reference, then it might give you some clues as to your previous 'life'.

>>194784
Its motion was limited to the surroundings. compare the paths taken to known urban centers to find the routes, then compare the timestamps to find out what you can. Easy.

>>194710
Well then lets get going and see where the fancy sword takes us. Retrace your steps and see what you have been up to. People should be able to remember your current body pretty easily.

58-N115-ADZJ - Public Park R7 Lyan 2010/06/17(Thu)12:49 No. 194983 ID: 288dda
File 127680416644.jpg - (30.61KB , 500x500 , 18801305.jpg )

With the help of a heads-up display and the sword I manage to retrace my steps. While en route I ponder the problem of the previous inertial data - without any kind of anchor point it's just numbers. Unfortunately this thing doesn't log where it gets assembled. Well, I know where it was assembled THIS time. Pull up a map, superimpose tracking data, anchor at the assembler, and rotate until I get something useful...

Aha. The path tracks back out of the assembler to my room, some movement within the center itself, and then about 3/4s of a Msec later tracks back out of the Lethe center and straight back to... the same public assembler. Murphy's sake, I can't catch a break! Was I TRYING to cover my tracks? Come to think of it, I probably was. The data before that is significantly longer, and spends a significant amount of time clustering in a small area. Possibly I can make something of this?

The path takes me to a walkway overlooking a park where I loitered for a few kilosecs. I wonder what I was thinking. It leads me around and down to... nothing here. Hmm. I pull up a clock and it's only about 7000. Apparently I've been reset so many times in the past day that I've lost all track of time. Better than taking the chance of passing up the lead.

Well, now what? I've probably got quite a while to kill. I could mess aroung with the blade some more. There are a number of duels I could watch, or I could try brute-forcing back-tracing the path... but I'm not sure where to start with that. Perhaps follow up on a few notes I'd scrawled about fabricating nonlethal weapons? Or just take a nice anonymous nap on the lawn here? I may not need it, but I feel like I'm owed it at this point.

Yeah go ahead and take a nap. The center did say your exocortex couldn't set your head on fire for the time being.

>>194983
Oh, it's that sculpture again.

Those circles on the ground match the positions of the tables from before, which means this is where the cafe was. Lyan doesn't know this but figures the location is important; and thus wants to wait around.

Watch a few duels, then take a nap.

>>194983
I am in favor of nap, at least in the short term.

You should at least look over the nonlethal weapon notes first, then take a nap.

>>194983

Train with the blade for a bit.

Find a place with some people and get a cup of coffee. Turn off anonymous mode so they'll notice and call someone if you go bonkers again.

>>195016
Sure, turn off anonymous mode. Why not.

58-N115-ADZJ - Public Park R7 Lyan 2010/06/17(Thu)22:07 No. 195138 ID: 288dda
File 127683762710.jpg - (22.52KB , 500x500 , 18804183.jpg )

Nothing wrong with a little nap. I browse through a few designs stored by my last iteration. Blue goo grenades? Neural paralyzer? Poison claws with injectors? I must have been feeling paranoid. Come to think of it, I was probably running well above optimal temperature at the time. There's also a note here - "front teeth!" Hmm. I run my tongue around the inside of my mouth... yes, if nothing else that sounds like a good idea.

I can find 15 recorded duels on the saber. After watching a few I can say that apparently I was not a frequent fighter, but I was very, very good at it. When I slow it down a bit so I can follow the movements, it seems almost mechanical; I'm not sure I could move so precisely or exactly. I must have spent time between training in virtuality. That's another thing that strikes me as strange - over a span of nearly 3Gs the length, weight, moment of inertia, and so forth of the blade were completely unchanged - shaped for a blandly average humanoid between 1.75 and 1.8m in height. Was I keeping a single form that for that long?

The ground is soft and warm and a light breeze ruffles my fur. I close my eyes and drift away...

---

...in my dreams I'm descending a seemingly endless white staircase into a dark pit. I've been walking for what feels like hours when a medical monitor flies down and stops in front of me. "Good morning, Lyan-406.705.840.197root. You have received an anonymous package at the Center. Would you like it delivered to your location?"

"...sure."

"The nearest assembler is 40.8m from your location. Please follow the guide."

...I'm awake.

58-N115-ADZJ - Public Park R7 Lyan 2010/06/17(Thu)22:09 No. 195142 ID: 288dda
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Stand up, yawn, stretch. First time I've really thought about my new body - I've been living inside my head since I awoke in the Lethe center. I consider for a moment, then come to a decision. I'm obviously not the same person I was. Why am I acting the same? I fiddle around with my interface and remove my anonymity filter.

The assembler is a small, semiprivate one almost on top of the point where I met with... well, whoever. It produces a small token to feed to my projector. I do so, and make a bench to sit down and watch.

Sorry about yesterday. Hope you're feeling better. S________. That's a rather... laconic way of phrasing it. There's a public key signature attached. I start the playback. It's a recording from someone's point of view.

I sit and watch myself through someone else's eyes. We meet. We chat. We start to have dinner. The panic. The long walk back, the point where Sal carries me. The playback ends, but I think I watched myself die. It's... disturbing.

I assume this was meant as a gift; at least now I know what happened. Hopefully soon the Center will let me know why. Shall I contact Sal?

>>195142
This guy seems to have an almost altruistic interest in helping you, and you haven't exactly got a lot of leads. So go for it!

I think you need some time to settle down before getting back into that can of worms. Maybe get a feel for this place you're in. How big's this habitat, anyway? What's it called? What do people do for fun?

>>195142
I'm nervous about contacting Sal. Don't want to put him in danger. If we can do it in an untraceable manner so that nobody knows we and him are in contact, then go ahead. Don't set up a meeting until we know what caused you to die, though.

Is there any way for you to extrapolate your previous size and shape from the way the sword moves?

Suggestion 2010/06/17(Thu)22:49 No. 195159 ID: f16b80
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>>187953

Hey, didn't that "medical monitor" also co-star in the movie, flight of the navigator?

Ñ 2010/06/17(Thu)22:49 No. 195160 ID: 288dda
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>>195138
Whoops, forgot my music.

>>195159
THAT'S where I've seen it before. Kept thinking I was just flashing back to The Nozzle.

>>195142
Yeah sure contact him.

By the way, does the record of the duels have any information about who you fought and why?

Do you have enough feed material to alter the sword? You should change it to match it's namesake, and possibly work better with your new form. You could also try and incorporate one of the weapon designs into the blade, like a poisoned edge, or something similar.

I'd say hold off on contacting Sal for a little while; try and get some optimizations for your body done first, at least.

I would say that changing around the configuration of a sword whose configuration not being changed in forever while you have no memories and everything else around you has been altered, possibly against your will, is an extraordinarily bad idea. If anything, the thing to do would be to alter ye old body down to fit the weighting on the sword and see if any new clues come to light.

58-N115-ADZJ - Public Park R7 Lyan 2010/06/19(Sat)07:57 No. 195782 ID: f202ec
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Hmm. Before I make any changes I want to find out exactly what I can do with this new body. I'd also like to find out more about the history of this blade. Let's multitask.

I pull up the heads-up and fiddle around with the settings until I manage to make a mannequin that fits the kinesthetic data from the recorded fights. Hrmm. Well, I don't know if it actually tells me anything but now I know what my old skeletal structure was like. Humanoid, probably 1.8m tall, probably male from the hip structure, and the joints bend in the normal ways in the standard locations. That only describes several trillion people.

I try to dig up more info on the duelists involved, but the sword has no visual recording and seems to be disconnected from the network - all my work is going straight from the blade to the display with no intermediary. I can't get the names and identities of the participants, just timestamps and a sketchy probabilistic sketch of the opponents.

I stick the data on the heads-up and start working through the motions at half speed. At 60%, still no problems. 70%. Cut, block, thrust, lunge. It's pleasantly mindless. At 90% I'm having a little trouble keeping up, and at 100% I'm falling just a few milliseconds behind. I turn off the program and try my own flourishes - beats, thrusts, moves for my superior weight and reach. I'm good at this. I feel good.

Later, I slow to a stop. My tongue is lolling and I'm taking deep breaths of cool air - not QUITE panting, I tell myself. I pull up my monitors - I can look, but can't touch - core temp is up to 41.5 and heartrate is 112. Nothing dangerous but Sal was right - I DO run hot; adding improved medicals and some armor weave might make that worse. Actually, I'm not even sure if I can mod myself while my neural interfaces are under review.

I seem to have drawn a small crowd of watchers while I worked up an appetite. Looks like there's also a small outdoor cafe is setting up again where Sal and I stopped. I've still got all my projects available on the heads-up... should I be working on something while I eat?

You could always see what you can make of the second set of tracking data from the sword; See if that leads you anywhere new.

Any way to improve your cooling? On another note, there appears to be a guy with a sword in the background.

>>195785
I'd think perhaps reducing the thickness of the fur may help.

((OOC: The Goshen Solution))

>>195782
Check out more efficient heat management implants while you eat. All that fur is probably meant for a bit chillier regions than what you find in normal human habitats.

>>195782
Get a haircut, hippie!

Also, I think you should focus on the 3rd inertial dataset then work on a few nonlethal ranged weapons.

Hey, the 2nd dataset... that was the last path you took with the sword before the wipe. That means either someone took it off your corpse and put it in the assembler, or you didn't have it with you when you died. Or of course, you're a copy and the original you gave the sword to 'you'.

>>195797
Some heat management sounds like a good upgrade to make.

Shave and a haircut's a good start. If it really comes down to it, there's always the drastic option of looking into some sort of cranial heat sinks, or getting a re-take on the whole body, but you'd probably want to do so somewhere else after all the problems here.

58-N115-ADZJ - Cafe Lyan 2010/06/20(Sun)14:10 No. 196419 ID: f202ec
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I walk back to the cafe and approach the counter. An olive-skinned man with four arms turns toward me. "Yes? Can I help you?"

If I were online right now, I'd just know. Instead, I take a shot in the dark. "Would you be Carlos?" He nods. "A... pasta carbonara? And an espresso?"

He looks at me strangely. "For breakfast? Suit yourself. How many calories you wanting?"

"6000 sounds good."

Carlos nods, and the assembler next to him begins to produce ingredients. "You the guy that was here with Sal last night, then? Sorry you had to leave. Be a kilosec or two. Why don't you have a seat?" He gestures with a free arm to a table rising from the spongy turf.

I pull out the heads-up and start fiddling. An upgrade to my medical monitoring and repair systems is going to produce extra heat. Trim the fur down to around 2cm. I'm keeping the mane, though. I was going to add a layer of fullerene weave - maybe I can do something with that? Hmm... add heat pipes running beneath the armor to the extremities and remove the fur entirely from the palms and soles. Better bones. I run a quick simulation - the system chugs on it for nearly half a second before spitting out a result: 8kg increase in body mass, 41.0C core temp, +2 heartrate, optimal caloric intake 14000 Kcal. Oh, and more teeth. Looks fine - I send the design off pending my next trip to an assembler. Anything else I needed?

As I'm finishing up a shadow falls across the table. It's one of the audience from my impromptu performance earlier - the one with a blade. It... he? - I can't tell - speaks. "You were quite impressive. May I challenge you to a duel?"

Murphy. I haven't backed up, I'm hungry, and I'm still tired from my workout. How do I handle this?

>>196419
Tell him/it that have to get some stuff done before you can engage in any duels. If he gives you a name and how to contact him you will get in touch with him when you're ready for a duel.

Tell him you'd like to get something to eat first before dueling. Hell, invite him down to sit and chat with you for a while.

>>196422
>>196489
Something like this. You're in no shape to duel immediately, and dueling right after you eat is probably a no-go as well.

I suspect you would like to duel this guy at some point, though. Get contacts or whatever you would do there? :V

>>196489
This sounds about right. Don't turn him away... you do need food and that is a good excuse to wait until you're not dead tired.

Turn him down. Let him know that the workout is because you're still in training.
Say that you're willing to duel him when you have time.

>>196489

Sure this sounds good. You can always turn him down after enough of a lunch to explain.

58-N115-ADZJ - Cafe Lyan 2010/06/21(Mon)15:45 No. 196925 ID: f202ec
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"At the moment, I'm here for food. Would you care to join me?" I'm quickly fiddling with my interface as I speak. Here we are - public name "Jerich," current gender M, 1.85m height, 76.9kg, etc etc. Good enough. He's very careful to keep his center of mass balanced at all times. Just at a guess at his posture and straight blade, I'd say master of some ancient and highly formalized school. Doesn't look greatly augmented.

I'm not sure if that's a helmet or if his head just looks like that, but he nods stiffly and then sits ramrod-straight directly across from me. "Eating anything?" I ask. He shakes his head.

Guess I'll keep talking, then. "I'll be honest - I didn't come looking for a fight today. I have a lot going on at the moment and dying would be a real setback. Perhaps you'd be willing to wait a few days, or at least until I've eaten and backed up?"

"You've given no cause for blood," he replies. "I simply wish to spar with you." Well, that's a relief. He hasn't taken his hand off his blade since he sat down. It's kind of annoying.

"Well, since we're not planning on killing each other. Perhaps after my meal?" He nods again.

Shall I continue trying to make small talk, or just eat and get this over with?

Well, possibility 1- This is just some friendly sword fighting enthusiast, and hey, friendly people are nice to have around.

Possibility 2- This is someone who knows more about you than you do, and has some nefarious alterior motive.

Either way, keeping him talking and feeling him out seems like a good idea, if only to figure out which it is. Keep it friendly too, since it's not the best time for outward paranoia.

He seems pretty tense and ready for a fight. Just get your food and get it over with. No point in talking if all he seems interested in is dueling you.

>>196925
This guy is SERIOUS BUSINESS. If he wants to spar with you then you must be pretty damn good. He's already seen your fighting style, so it's only fair to ask him about his. Like, is it a style he made up himself, or did someone teach him? How long has he been practicing?

You might also ask if your name seems familiar to him. Tell him you wiped recently and are curious about your past.

>>196925
Ask him about his fighting style. He seems like a rather enthusiastic fellow when it comes to bladework. So if you can get him to talk about the history of his school he might like you better and you could find out useful stuff about him and his style.

>>196925
Eat quick, spar.

58-N115-ADZJ - Cafe Lyan 2010/06/22(Tue)13:00 No. 197243 ID: f202ec
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"So do you randomly challenge strangers you find in the park to duels? Actually... we ARE strangers, right? I just wiped and don't remember much."

"I do not make a habit of it. You seem to be able to handle a blade; obviously you have not lost that. But no, I do not believe we have met." Wow. This guy is really... something. He's either a master, or desperately wants to be one. Maybe this kind of thing is why I was anonymous so often previously? I hope my food gets here soon.

After a minute or so of awkward silence, I try again. "You have me at a disadvantage after having seen my practice. Could you tell me more about your own style?"

"Certainly! My style is a synthesis of the surviving works of Liechtenauer and his descendants of the Renaissance schools, and drills with the long blade, sword and buckler, great knife, and grappling. I myself prefer the long blade and work primarily with the thrust as the killing blow." Killing blow? I fiddle with my heads-up and pull up a listing in reverse chronological order. Around then my food arrives - a bowl with what looks like a kilo of... well, I guess this is what noodles and fried spam look like.

Mmm, salty and greasy. Murphy, but I'm making a mess of this. Mental note - teeth. And maybe some low-friction polymer fur coating if eating like this is going to become a habit, though it might require some unusual dietary supplements. I'm watching a "how-to" for these chopsticks and my opponent's last ten fights while I listen with half an ear to his description of the multitude of benefits to his fencing style. 8 wins, 2 losses, three minor injuries, one fatality. All within the past 3 Msec.

He certainly warmed up once he started talking about fighting. "How long have you been at this, then?" I interrupt after gnawing through another mouthful of pasta.

"The better part of a gigasecond," he responds. Ahh. A wannabe, then. But I'm... out of practice is as good a phrase as any. His style does look more practical than sport, and he's probably a little faster than me. I'm nearly finished with my food. I have reach and strength, possibly foot speed as well, but my strikes require slashes rather than pokes. What kind of strategy should I adopt here?

>>197243
Make sure he has to keep up the footwork, for more than just forward and backward, circle around him and try to get in slashes. Go for the swordhand if you can, if the sword has a basket hilt then go for the forearm behind it, if you can injure the tendons he's gonna be in trouble.

Also keep your legs defended, a good swordsman can hit the arteries there with a thrust and if that happens you're gonna be dead in seconds.

And use the fact that your sword is likely to be heavier to your advatage when you can. He's probably gonna be quite good at deflecting heavier blades but you might still get an oppurtunity.

>>197243
I don't know much about swordplay, but in most sparring having more reach is a definite advantage. Keep him at a distance.

Drop your sword GO FOR HIS THROAT

OMNOMNOM

Eh, why not? Take him up on the offer. Point out that you need to go and back up first though since you have some weird issues that cropped up last time you exerted yourself though.