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A3 - Chapter 144 – Tia (Part 2)
🕑 Added 2023-03-25 18:20:42 +0000 UTCUSD: A week later
Location: Luna, Imperial Residency, Princess Celestia’s Wing
The scent of horses and the outdoors followed Celestia as she navigated the main hallway of her wing of the Imperial Palace. She’d put her oldest mare through the paces and spent an hour rubbing her down and brushing her coat. Everything was more vibrant, the colors of the tapestries lining the walls, the golden hues from the faux sun shining on the golden gilding of the woodwork.
Even the faint leavings of manure from her riding boots that sent her maids into a cleaning frenzy behind her tickled her senses in ways she barely understood.
It was like suddenly understanding of how everything worked, not just on a basic level, but on a fundamental one. Whenever she faced something new or unknown, the answer would manifest in her thoughts almost immediately.
Sometimes, it felt like someone else was there with her, listening to her thoughts and giving her the answers she needed.
Annoyingly, it currently wasn’t telling her where Livia was.
Her companion had been distant and distracted the last few days, and Tia wanted to tell her about her newfound ability to keep pace with her horse, and how she had leaped up on top of the stable without a problem. Celestia knew she might get a minor scolding for it, but it was amazing!
Instead of Livia, Melanie was waiting around the corner. Despite her earlier animosity, her sister had come every day to help guide her through the complexities of her new abilities. Virtual spaces, accessing LunaNet with nothing more than her thoughts, and maintaining multiple viewports had all been easily understood and learned with her older sister’s help.
More than the new things, Tia loved the new attention, the praise for success, and affection of her older sibling that she’d never received before. Becoming an NAI was the best thing that had ever happened to her in her entire life.
A warm smile appeared on Melanie’s face as their eyes met. Celestia shot a cheerful one back. “Have you seen Livia?”
Melanie’s expression shifted into a frown. “I’m afraid Livia is in trouble and needs our help.”
Tia’s brow furrowed in confusion, but a caress in the back of her head whispered that her sister wasn’t lying.
“How? Where?” Tia asked.
Her sister placed a gentle touch on her shoulder, then guided them through the maze-like corridors of the palace. Winding out of her personal wing and into the main body of the Imperial Residence, Tia felt her stomach fall when they came to a hidden set of stairs in a cubby-hole.
It went down to the basement. The basement was scary.
Tia hesitated as Melanie let her go first. The scent of metal, rust, and oil wafted up to her. The mechanical bits of the palace were many times the size of the actual living spaces and it was easy to get turned around in the labyrinth. She’d escaped Livia one year to go exploring, and everyone had ended up in trouble when she’d gotten lost.
As she descended the dimly lit metal staircase, the air grew slightly cooler, and a shiver passed down Celestia’s spine as the basement was everything she remembered.
“Why is she down here?” Tia asked.
“It’s not far. Just right over here.” Melanie answered, her face now veiled in the shadows.
Her sister opened the door for her, and as Celestia cautiously stepped into the room, her eyes widened in horror.
Livia was chained to a bare metal wall at the far side of the room. Her clothes had been torn and her body was bruised and battered.
“Livi!” Celestia’s hands turned into fists, her heart racing as a mix of shock, fear, and anger filled her. She rushed forward, eager to help and unchain her friend, only to be stopped in her tracks by the sudden appearance of her brother, Andrew.
Tia snarled at him, baring her teeth. “Andrew, what have you done to Livi!” Celestia shouted, her voice shaking. When he didn’t answer immediately, she pulled back her leg and kicked at him.
He deftly stepped aside, avoiding the blow while remaining nonplussed. “She’s been spying on you, dear little sister.”
A sinister grin appeared on his lips as he pulled a small holographic datachit from his shirt pocket. It sprung to life, displaying a dense block of code. Her new HUD overlay highlighted it immediately.
Understanding and the truth of the information poured into her, despite her internal turmoil trying to push it away.
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Celestia turned to Livia and choked out a single word. “Why?”
Livia’s chains jingled as she looked up, tears mimicking Tia’s streaming down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Tia. I didn’t have a choice; the Count takes care of my family.”
Tia swallowed her pain and ordered her thoughts. Livia had sent regular reports on her behavior, growth, and an opinion on how suitable Tia was as a princess.
In the back of her head the voice explained more, that the Count was likely trying to find out if she would make a suitable ally and the information was unlikely to have been used to harm her. It also confirmed Livia’s statement that her family lived in the Count’s fief as his servants.
Celestia exhaled a deep breath, swallowing the sense of betrayal and pushing it away before closing the distance between them. She wrapped her arms around Livia in a protective embrace. “I forgive you, Livi,” she murmured.
A cruel, disdainful laugh filled the room, and Tia turned to glare at her brother. “I hate you!” she screamed, her voice echoing through the basement. “You didn’t have to hurt her like this!”
“We are merely teaching you an important lesson, Celestia.” He replied.
Tia’s brow furrowed as Melanie stepped forward and she felt her stomach lurch as the realization finally set in. “Why did you help him, Melanie?”
“Celestia, Livia has been spying on you for a noble. She betrayed you and the Imperial Family. That makes her a traitor,” Melanie said, a sly grin creeping onto her face.
Tia stared at her sister, her mind reeling as the word ‘traitor’ echoed through her thoughts. The air around her seemed to thicken, making it difficult to breathe. She turned to look at Livia, her heart pounding in her chest.
Traitor.
Invisible threads wrapped themselves around her, urging her to reach out and end Livia’s life with a swift, brutal snap of the neck. But Tia resisted, her entire being screaming in protest.
Traitor. Treason.
She would not hurt Livia; she would rather die!
“Tia...?” Livia’s voice was weak, but the concern on her battered face was evident.
TRAITOR. TREASON.
Tia’s eyes overflowed with red nanite laced tears, turning Livia and everything in her vision a scarlet red. Squeezing her fists tighter, Tia’s nails bit into her skin, leaving cuts on her palms.
Melanie’s voice cut through the haze. “Ertan, Andrew. She’s literally going to melt herself. Do something.”
“Let me help you, Celestia,” Andrew said, kneeling in front of Livia and placing a firm hand on Tia’s shoulder. “You must care for her deeply, but there’s another option besides getting rid of her.”
She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t scream at him to leave Livia alone.
Traitor.
He clenched his fist, making sure Tia saw it, and then slammed it into Livia’s torso. Blood splattered everywhere, but the unbearable compulsion gripping Tia suddenly released.
“Livi!” Tia screamed, pounding at Andrew with her small fists. He merely pushed her away, standing back up with a disdainful sneer.
“Behave. You can make her your sub-core now. Isn’t that nice?” he taunted.
Tia turned back to Livia, frantically trying to stem the flow of blood from her friend’s wounds. Livia’s eyes, now pulsing a deep ruby red, locked onto Tia’s as she whispered her name.
“Tia…”
Tia sobbed, holding onto Livia as a stinging sensation took hold. Andrew watched with a cruel expression. “Oh dear. It looks like you haven’t learned how to make a sub-core yet.”
Tia could only scream as Livia dissolved into a painful, stinging cloud.
Melanie turned to Andrew, her voice a venomous hiss, “They’ll detect it; mother will punish us. Nullify the rampancy.”
“Let her feel it a little longer,” Andrew replied, smirking. “It should be a lesson she never forgets.”
***
USD: 1 Day after Cadre-S Graduation
Location: Van Biesbroeck’s star, Meltisar, MIL-1A Elevator, Main Transit Hub
Tia’s eyes snapped open, her breath catching in her throat as she inhaled sharply through her mask. A red warning light blinked urgently, urging her to move. With a desperate roll to the side, she narrowly evaded a deadly black spear.
Pain surged through her left hand and arm. She shook it vigorously, flinging off a thick layer of black rampancy that had taken hold while she was unconscious. The AGAI had hit her. Hard.
Get it together.
Her defense field flickered weakly as a barrage of spikes hurtled towards her. The black nanite forms penetrated the sphere with ease, and Tia somersaulted through the air to avoid being hit. The AGAI had closed the distance, its hateful gaze locked onto her.
Most of its body had morphed into a shapeless mass, but its head remained the same enigmatic black helmet with glowing red eyes. A sudden twinge of pain at her temple blurred her vision, and an image of Livia’s face replaced the helmet. Uncertain why the memory haunted her now, Tia pushed it away.
Pointing a finger above the creature’s head, a small whine preceded a sharp crack. The projectile was small, but it carried enough energy to dislodge the damaged support beam, causing the nearby scaffolding attached to the ceiling to crash down onto the AGAI’s head.
“You need to get further away from it, Tia!” Alex’s frantic voice buzzed in her ear.
“You took my modules,” Tia accused. “I don’t think I can get any further. I’m running on empty here.”
“It’s getting tired too,” Alex said. “Stop trying to brute force it! Use your head!”
“I don’t have any more tricks! I already collapsed the ceiling on it!”
A brief pause ensued as Tia started to retreat, but as soon as she moved, the AGAI roared and charged after her.
“There’s an unexploded gas tank in the tram wreckage. It’s nitrogen, but it’s very high pressure; it might work,” Alex added finally.
Tia’s eyes darted to the center of the wrecked station, her HUD highlighting the container using Alex’s tag. It was a better idea than anything she had.
A black pole shot out from the AGAI’s arm, smashing into the ground behind her. The floor caved in, buckling, and flying out of the station’s I-field. Barely having time to react, Tia jumped and kicked at the weapon as it lifted back up, propelling herself through the air toward the destroyed tram.
A spike followed her trajectory, slamming into her side and drawing a ragged curse. She clutched at it, focusing as she tumbled through the air. Her nanites rapidly cloaked her hand, cannibalizing the hostile mass and sealing the injury.
As Tia soared through the air, her eyes locked onto the unexploded gas tank nestled within the twisted wreckage of the tram. The distance was closing, but she could feel her energy reserves dwindling. She gritted her teeth, determination flaring within her.
The AGAI, relentless in its pursuit, launched another volley of spikes her way. Tia twisted her body, narrowly avoiding a few, but some grazed her arm and leg, leaving trails of pain in their wake.
“Almost there,” she muttered under her breath as she neared the nitrogen gas tank.
With a final burst of speed, she grabbed it, her fingers digging into the cold metal. Tia spun around, facing the rampaging AGAI, and heaved the tank in its direction.
Predictably, it chopped the tank in half with its arm.
“Alex, now!” Tia shouted, kicking off the wreckage and leaping into the air. The overpressure wave expanded forcefully, sending her hurdling across the station.
A second later, the entire transit hub lit up with a blinding flash of light as a ship grade laser turned a meter wide swath into plasma.
Comments
Tftc
Vamperie
Thanks for the chapter!
Jonathan Wint
True. But I could also see Nameless, Lying about being a "You see I am a fragment of a fragment of a simulated fragment of our progenitor." And instead a 1 to 1 copy..
With regards to Nameless, he already told Alex once "You see I am a fragment of a fragment of a simulated fragment of our progenitor." but we don't know if all main computers are approximations of the progenitor.
Jonathan Wint
Very true but Tie was very clear. Some disassociation We can assume as normal. Perhaps Like A separate state of consciousness. But the different voice a different Gender a different personality With a different name? Tia was very clear it was unhead of. And even nameless said it wasn't normal. Which takes us right back to Something else is going on. An effort is a completely different personality Alex Creates her children With the core sub to the avatar. But Tia was very clear. And nameless confirmed it. Alex and nameless are not normal for NAI. So Either something is wrong with alex Or she was created that way. But because of the problem with the VR I personally think Mother entity lives. Or All those personalities just didn't compile/mix right.
Thea mentioned having to argue with her computer if she wanted it to allow her to get drunk. So no, it's normal for there to be some difference of opinion between avatar and main computer.
Jonathan Wint
Nope, that's not it even Heeler and Abby and Tia were all clear. They are their core. Heeler and Abby less so maybe bit more Dissociative but Mia was clear their core is their brain basically the Brain at a remote point. Alex is suffering (MPD) or (DID) Dissociative identity disorder. She be crazy... Why Nameless doesn't really explain except to claim its Alex's Neurodiversity but admitted its not Normal. My personal Belief is Nameless might be the Entity or the Entity exists in a Archived state forcing Alex's personality to split. Or it might be because according to Nameless Alex was made from the multiple minds of the dead Pilots that killed Enitiy in the suicide attack and maybe they did not integrate cleanly. @Erios909 whatever the reason it's set up that way I got a request story suggestion. Why not have them switch Places Once? Alex gets stuck as the core and Nameless walks around in her body for hours playing with their boobs.
Wrong, it's used the "shipcore standard" with Heeler that Nameless speaks in a few times.
adr
Neither does H32 talk to Heeler...
Wumpy
I do admit I am not entirely sure about the first Abbey (I think the name of the first sub-core was), but the second one was definitely made after the death of the first and hence was made after the core, but I think even the first avatar was made second. Same for heeler, his avatar was made way after the core was. As for the brain damage, I do not believe the extent of it was mentioned anywhere, Most of it was just conjecture and "wait and see how she does". And from the chapter from Elis' POV, it seemed that all her mental faculty was present, and if not, it was indistinguishable for her. Others might, but will she herself be able to notice it, and if not, is it really any different FOR HER that she thinks differently? It would still be placing your life, freedom and future into another persons hands in an absolute and irreversible way. And the possibility for being the savior of humanity or not, most people are unable to do so. I think it would boil down to a emotional vs rational argument for and against and the question of perception. And humans are emotional beings and very rarely make decisions solely on logic. Which is, I think, the entire reason why Alex is in charge and not Nameless. To have an NAI that makes emotional decisions and not ones solely based on hard AI logic chains.
Jonathan Wint
It's a good Argument but as a soldier she was used to being under someone's authority. As of Now she got people feeling sorry for her. (that a lot worse than most understand.) Second She not her anymore her mental faculties are all there She recovering but pieces of her are gone. Talents skills and cognitive abilities gone. Names of people she will struggle to remember gone. Even if she relearns and can make a full recovery parts will never come back. And with the Brain Damage Personality will change as Neuroplasticity takes over. Say more damage is on the right side? Well she might find as her brain heals she gets worse with Spatial relationships. Dislike music and find foods she loved before bad tasting as she grows into someone else who hates violence and could wind up a very different person... So she already becoming someone she will not recognize. This way she could ironically Change far less as a NAI. One correction "Every other NAI, even those created by Alex were the core first and avatar second. With the core being higher in authority seemingly. " Alex Explained to Elis that she and Her "Children were the Avatar first and Core second. Nameless Made that Realy clear and was really Realy unhappy about it." No in the End it comes down to something very simple. Does she trust Alex not to change her? Does she trust Alex? One other thing she got to realize. I agree Alex would make her a PSI No Question about it . And Alex might Even if asked Make Elis a Fellow Omega. Yes if she a True Super Uses Alex can make other Super uses. But even If she does not. Elis would become the only REAL BORN HUMAN in PSI Leadership to exist. She might at that Point be Humanities Greatest Hope. Alex is a person but not a Natural one that understands truly what it is to be human. Tia closer but she not a PSI and could never convince Alex to Free her as an Omega. Elis if not now might be able to in the future. And Even if all Alex does is make Elis a PSI that means Elis can create a Haven a New Federation a sanctuary for humanity. Remember The Enitiy wanted to save humanity it was her Alien Nature that likely started the War. And I am betting Elis Now knows that and the other PSIs Even Alex Did not have human childhoods and more Like Enitiy than Human. Elis can fix that. Elis is likely the only one in the universe that Alex will listen to and stop her from going full Monster Enitity with the right conditions. Steven Hawkings is not the same thing. Stephen Hawking (NOT Steven Hawking) Nervous system was damaged by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. His Mind personality his brain was fine. it's motor neuron disease. What happened to Elis is a lot worse. Basically Loss of Oxergen to her Brain Randomly destroyed her Processing power and brain cells and likely enough to damage either her Brain stem and or the Hippocampus of her brain. In Einsteins' case as a child fever damaged parts of his brain that control memory and motor skills. This caused a over specialization in thinking parts of his Brian in addition Einstein's parietal lobes–the top, back parts of the brain–were actually 15% larger and had an unusually complex pattern of convolutions in the prefrontal cortex likely caused by asperges's syndrome.. But do to the Fever Eisteins Damage was specific! Like is damaged at specific points.. But Elis is Cerebral hypoxia.. And that means a Great Deal of Random Brain cells are gone @Jakub Brázdil basically Einstein lost a sliver of brain cell from the fever that likely caused acquired Savant Syndrome. Stephen Hawking was locked in his motor neuron disease destroyed specific points of his brain stem and spinal cord. So its like both men had a Clump of brain cells destroyed at specific locations. But Elis had Random damage to her ENTIRE BRAIN. Like someone shot her brain with a shotgun. Cerebral hypoxia that how it works. Meaning she still her but basically she retarded.(I mean that clinically) She not coming back to fully the Function person she used to be. She might learn to use a toilet or learn to Spell her name. But never have the full ability she once had and even if she does she will live knowing but for damage she do far better...That is the real Horror of Brain Injury she is still in there and fully understands what she lost. And 90% might come back but not all of it and to her own Old standards, she never recover 100%. Or she can get the core take the risk and trust Alex her sister. Basicaly you @Jakub Brázdil your right this is selling her soul. But what you do not understand (And I pray to gods you never truly will) Your soul is not the worst thing you can lose. And Elis lost that already. And this particular Demon calls Elis sister. So will she trust her?
What's interesting is that Tia's main computer doesn't talk to her hardly at all, which explains why she finds Alex's relationship with Nameless so weird: Tia's computer probably never developed even a shred of independent thinking.
Wumpy
But here lies the problem. As far as she knows, she would not be her anymore. She is from the past where every NAI was just a cube (ShipCore) with a "lobotomized" avatar, Alex was the first exception to the rule she met and so far she is the ONLY exception to the rule (Maybe Tia now, but who knows). Every other NAI, even those created by Alex were the core first and avatar second. With the core being higher in authority seemingly. And even if she got to be herself then there would be the ever-present fear of being subjected to the iron-clad rule of someone else's directives. And the argument of her getting the highest possible authority (PSI) she can and being immune is null and void since there will be Alex with omega, and she can never be sure that she won't turn on her for whatever reason. And Alex's existence is a proof of there being a higher one than everyone thought, who's to say that there won't be even higher one discovered down the road. And from the previous chapters it is made clear that her mental faculties are all there, she just struggles with the physical ones, Those disabilities are not the barriers that they used to be in even our world, let alone a high-tech futuristic one. She could be (forgive the joke) "Steven Hawking on steroids" with a robotic exoskeleton to do her beck and call. All this would mean she would potentially be exchanging a slight physical disadvantage for a possible "personality-death" or enslavement. The question of if the NAIs could still be considered human notwithstanding.
adr
It's more that Tia has no experience managing directives and her siblings intentionally picked the worst possible way to demonstrate to her how directives work. Tia doesn't yet understand that she can decide not to classify her as a traitor by giving the situation and term context. But the punishment for being a traitor is death.
Diego Rossi
The level of influence the control subroutines have is terrific. One accusation, some evidence, no consideration for mitigating factors, and you get an automatic death sentence.
Diego Rossi
Maybe you would find Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon an interesting read. I hope it isn't a insensitive suggestion:
chest25
Livia isn't a traitor that's just bad hiring practices
Jonathan Wint
Thank you for the Chapters!
Jonathan Wint
Well she got enough competency to make the decision. Here the Question Continue as a BRAIN DAMAGED Human with your racism intact or get the Upgrade. I mean I understand the idea she might be afraid of losing some part of herself but brain damage has done that. And the idea that the enemy is not really human..(that boat sailed on S.S. Alex. No, If she does not want the upgrade now it be like a White man not wanting a Black Man's Blood for a Blood transfusion. Yes, She wants to be her old self and 100% Organic but that Boat sailed as well. She can be a cognitively Impaied Prisoner in her own Body watching people die and needing to be rescued or She Can Adapt and become something more. @Erios909 For the Record I suffer from Neurological issues IQ is in the top 0.02% but I also need like 2 years to learn my Girlfriend's Name. You might noticed by how I type. Some might notice by how I type. As one to have that type of impairment and have a chance of removing it? Elis Would (not should but WOULD)offer Anything. To know what day of the week it is? To know the name of someone I love and not look like a Retarded fool..It is Hell a Prison without walls a hell with no Fire to comfort. I do not want to cured of Neurodiversity and it is diversity coming with as Many pluses as minuses But IF I COULD Keep My Cake and eat it to? Any Price. ANY PRICE AT ALL!
Jonathan Wint
Also consider the tank is unlikely to be full.
Cyell
The two Chapters were really great, thanks for them :D Ok Tia's backstory was really a downer, I hope she will have many nice experiences in the future. And hopefully Ellis is far enough away from the fight that she doesn't get caught in the laser beam.
adr
A 2m diameter by 2m long cylinder would hold 5087 kg/6280 L of LN2, plus whatever weight would be needed for the cryogenics and tank mass. I'm not sure if there's a safe distance for Tia to throw that though. It's harder to estimate for pressurized gas because it depends on how much pressure you're using and the temperature it's being stored at.
Erios909
In this fight with Tia's current module count, efficiency level, and max ANUF strength level her theoretical max lift is 16,700kg. Although I imagine it's quite severely degraded by this state in the fight.
adr
How big a gas tank are we talking about here? Was that an LN tank for cooling the train magnets or the train reactor?
Rainer
Ha... Elis is becoming a sub-core, or primed for it. I called this as soon as the Mil-1a arc began.
