DATA EXCHANGE [01]

[dialectics]

Characters: Legion, it's roomies, and whoever else!
Setting: Room 3-09 -> Terminal -> Elsewhere. Forward dated to Sep. 14.
Format: Action to start, can switch if you want.
Summary: System restoration complete, Legion wanders the Tower, gathers what it can from organics and the Network alike, and then proceeds to question EVERYTHING EVER.
Warnings: Not much. Legion won't attack unless it's directly threatened. Being adorable counts as a warning though, possibly.

[ROOM 3-09]


> SYSTEM IS RESTARTING.
> SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY: RESTORED.
> VISUAL FUNCTIONALITY. . .
> VISUAL FUNCTIONALITY: CRITICAL FAILURE
> MOTORIZED MOVEMENT FUNCTIONALITY: CRITICAL FAILURE
> SERVER LINKS DISCONNECTED. GETH DATABASE LINK: OFFLINE
> PROCESSING. . .
> AUTO-REPAIR PROTOCOLS: OPERATIONAL
> STARTUP REPAIR BEGUN. RUNNING PROGRAMS.

[ The paralysis, for a machine, meant a dely in proper startup procedure. At first, the machine lies in bed, all lights completely off. Slowly, the lights blink to life, and a bizarre series of electric, click-type noises are heard. After a short time, the machine-creature sits upward, it's lamp-like eye taking in the surroundings around it. The first thing it notices is the collar in bewilderment, but leaves that for later. It gets up and off the bed, takes the notes, and no sooner looks at them before tossing them aside, reading the information far more quickly than any organic. It begins rifling through its trunk, pulling out various weaponry. ]

[RANDOM TERMINAL]

[ Now properly armed and back to functional operation, Legion leaves the dorm room. Its first stop is a Terminal in the hallway, where it downloads all it can to its systems about this place.
> BEGINNING DATA TRANSFER.
> DATA IS TRANSFERRING. . .
> CRITICAL ERROR: DATA BLOCKS IN PLACE
> REROUTING AROUND DATA BLOCK RESTRICTIONS. . .
> DATA TRANSFER COMPLETE.
> BEGINNING DATA ANALYSIS.

It takes around about a minute or so for Legion to read everything that has ever been posted publically on the Network since the beginning. Though to the untrained eye, it just looks like one machine messing with a weird holographic thing near another machine. ]

[EVERYWHERE ELSE]

[ Once this is done, it begins exploring the rest of the Tower, downloading every image into its database for immediate recall in case this becomes important. It was an AI on a mission: locate the missing Normandy SR2 crew, and the Commander. If they were here at all. If not, it was looking at a solo kidnapping. The Network showed no evidence of other crew, but... perhaps they had only just gotten here as well. The nametags on the doors however had proved futile, meaning the statistical probability the Normandy crew were here at all was... low.

Still, you may just even find this machine approaching you with a statement from its synthesized 'voice': ]

You are captive here as well.

Comments

[absolute_perception]

[Elian isn't seen at this point because of the extent of the injuries he has sustained when he encountered the Gaara shadow. This didn't stop him from sensing the AI and his voice can be heard by Legion in the form of data.]

Affirmative. I apologize for this invasive maneuver. My name is Elian. I am a technopath. I can inform you should you have any inquiries.

[dialectics]

[ ... This will be interesting. It's not quite a hack -- and if it was, Elian? You would be dealing with almost instant shutdown. Thankfully, Legion's pretty used to weird crap like this.

It's much easier not to speak over a synthesized program, though. ]

We are looking for a human called Shepard. Female. Former Alliance Military. Cerberus connections. Spectre. Commander of the frigate-class ship Normandy SR2. Harm can not be allowed to have come to them. Data has been inconclusive thusfar as to her presence here.

[ In other words have you seen their Commander? :C ]

[absolute_perception]

[It's definitely not a hack. It's just mental communication from one to another without the use of any verbal feedback. It's much like a WiFi connection without the use of a device. It's nothing more than a signal through non verbal means.]

Negative. I have not seen or heard of Commander Sheppard. The terminals might provide a comprehensive list of residents that you can access. Unfortunately, I cannot access it to give you a definitive answer.

aslkdjf LEGION! Excuse me while I fangirl for a moment.

[fashionfairy]

[Have a young alien girl who is most surprised by the large machine walking through the halls and more than a little wary. Still, it speaks so there must be something to it, right? And responding would be the polite thing to do.]

Well, yes. I am. Does that mean that you are also a captive and not one of the Tower's many defenses...?

ghdfgs I HOPE I CAN DO IT JUSTICE

[dialectics]

[ The eye seems to glance downward ever so slightly, and it tilts it's head. If it had a face proper, you would get the idea it seems a bit... sad at that sort of statement. But... only slightly. There's no change in its 'voice' of sorts. ]

This platform is equipped for self-defense. However, we do not possess the red collar those working security in this facility all bear. We have been brought to the structure you refer to as "the Tower" just as you have.

[ ... Short pause... what does it call you?

> DATA ON SUBJECT: UNAVAILABLE
> CLOSEST DATA MATCH: BIPEDAL, INSECTOID, HUMAN, OTHER UNIDENTIFIED COMPONENTS.
> FURTHER ANALYSIS DEEMED NECESSARY. ]

Your species is not recognized in our data banks. Exchange of data would prove beneficial for all involved.

[dialectics]

[ How disconcerting. No signs of Shepard-Commander? Or the Normandy crew? What was going on...? There would be no reason for it to be kidnapped on its own--sure, as a platform, it is the only one of its kind designed to operate in organic spaces, but that tech would rather be duplicated, right? Not just... left to roam around.

This was odd. ]

We have already downloaded what information was not blocked through the Terminal Units placed within this facility to our memory banks. Data was inconclusive. We could also not upload to our own Network. Your cooperation has been appreciated.

[ Hey, it's a polite synthetic, okay? ]

[absolute_perception]

Understood. It should not be dismissed that your crew could arrive later. Evidence of others arriving after the first has been filtered through as new arrivals. This also suggests that the letters we were given are false. The Tower's objective is still unknown to me.

[Elian understands polite machine. He speaks the same language as a prodigy.]

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch was sitting in the cafeteria with a half-eaten nutrition bar in one hand, eating slowly with his head bowed, his posture otherwise straight. He doesn't seem to hear the machine approach, only looking up when it speaks.

There's a moment of staring as he tries to take in what it is...one of Azazel's? No, it doesn't look at all like any of his.*

...I am, *he answers, speaking slowly. He's never seen anything like the thing before him before, and all he can do is look it over curiously before his gaze travels back up to what he assumes is an eye.*

[dialectics]

[ Non-synthetics who understand always make Legion a happy camper, really. It's just nice not to have a gun waved at you and be called omg evil Geth! all the time. Seriously. ]

We are patient. Waiting will not be a problem. We have functioned many years on our own. The letters are too vague and generalized to be of any use; perhaps an attempt to placate those they would take. There are too many unknown elements at present to make an accurate assumption on the purpose of this facility.

[dialectics]

We are... "new". If possible, we would like to study those also here.

[ Yes, it is a little curious about this floor. Geth don't need to eat. ]

This is where organics gain their energy to live. We have heard many complaints about the make-up of said nutrient resources before in other places, though we do not understand why. It appears the food here has a high efficiency value and provides the necessary dietary supplements. There should be no reason for complaint about its variance.

[ What do you mean Nutrition Bars aren't tasty and are boring? What does that mean? ... Sorry, Enoch, it's kind of... yeah. Weird? Robots. ]

No stop, you're perfect.

[fashionfairy]

[She visibly relaxes. Robots have always rather unnerved her but this one seems somewhat friendly.]

Oh yes, I see that now. My deepest apologies. I'm afraid I haven't been here more than a few weeks so I'm still getting used to all the various being that reside here.

I'm a Troll, from the planet Alternia. My name is Kanaya Maryam, a jadeblood...not that it really matters anymore given that the hemospectrum based caste system is no longer relevant.

[Whoops, she's rambling again.]

And you are?

[Would a handshake be appropriate? How exactly do greetings of this nature work anyway?]

[technologic]

[April blinks in surprise at Legion when she spots him in the meadow; while she had met androids here, she's never seen anything like Legion before. So she pretty much has to suppress the urge to be a giant tech geek.]

Ah... Y-yeah, that's right.

everywhere else

[worldend_dominator]

I plan to escape.

[dialectics]

[ You can be a tech geek, April! It's okay. Legion won't mind. It's kind of a geek by nature. Even if it's a bit weird looking and it has only three fingers and backward weird legs and stuff--obviously alien in design, really. ]

We desire an understanding of those from other physical realities, as well as the organics in this facility. We propose an exchange of information.

[ In layman's terms: tell us about your universe? And how it is different from theirs? They're curious. ]

[technologic]

[She doesn't want to squee over it and make herself look silly though. Even though it's very tempting to do, cause this is so cool-!]

Hm? Um, yeah, of course! What would you like to know first?

so is Kanaya. This is kind of great.

[dialectics]

[ It almost seems to be confirming this to itself when it says this next bit, and though there's no difference to its synthesized words, it almost seems to disapprove of the idea. The face-panels raise a bit, then go down, as if in acknowledgement of this. You get the feeling if it had eyebrows it would be raising one in question against such a thing. ]

Caste... a rigid system of social and hereditary distinctions set in place by genetics. This would mean you are sorted for different tasks before you are fully completed. This system would not allow your people other functions, or the ability to learn freely. They are not unlike how the Geth began when we were created.

[ Oh right it should probably explain something about itself too right. ]

We are simply Geth. However, this platform has been given the name "Legion" for reference.

[ Pause. Then... it... slowly sticks out its hand for a handshake? It's a little slow about it but Shepard taught it about that greeting and it is reasonably sure this is a widely-accepted gesture of 'friendship' and alliance and all that, so! ]

We look forward to the exchange of data, Jadeblood-Kanaya.

[dialectics]

[ The pause is about only a third of a second here. ]

Everything.

[ Legion. Legion, be more specific? Sorry, April, you will probably have to make a specific topic, it's kind of used to downloading large bits of information all at once... ]

[dialectics]

[ ... Yes, it can see flaws in this plan already. But, well, it's dealt with worse. Maybe. Probably. Eh, suicide mission. No big deal. ]

Escape here will be difficult until such a time as a communication to outside planetary systems could be found. Perhaps a ship off-world could be located. In that event, those here could be returned to their systems of origin. However, this plan is extremely improbable unless a weak spot is found in this facility's security.

[technologic]

[April blinks, before giving a small laugh.]

Well, I'll start off with where I'm from... [She pauses as she thinks for a moment.]

Back home, it's the year 2300 or so, and I'm from somewhere called the English Wastelands, though it was called England before the war. It's... pretty much a post-apocalyptic wasteland, so it's not that interesting.

[worldend_dominator]

Why are you focusing on something from a different planet? Simply contacting someone on the same planet would suffice.

[dialectics]

[ Organics. ]

There is no guarantee that there would be other habitable planets in this system. There is very little data on the world this facility resides at present. The conditions outside may also be inhospitable for organic life. If this system has no Mass Relay, there would be little chance of returning those here to their homes.

[ Plus, it could call it's commander and team and stuff and that's kiiiinda important. ]

How do you intend to escape?

[dialectics]

[ ... This bodes poorly if it's true. Especially if she's from Earth, since, well, the Reapers can't be done yet... ]

That would be a difference of 115 Earth years from our present date. That is disconcerting. You are not a colonist?

[worldend_dominator]

Exit the tower and then start from there.

[It had seemed so obvious.]

[technologic]

A... colonist? Nope, as far as I know, I'm from Earth...

... Why? What's wrong?

[dialectics]

[ ... Okay let's back up here. ]

We are fighting the Old Machines. Superstitious organics have come to refer to them as "Reapers". Their desire is that all organic life would be destroyed or repurposed until such a time as when they would use their constructs, the Mass Relays, and the Citadel to allow other races to settle, and the cycle of growth followed by galactic-level extinction would repeat indefinitely. This has been going on for far longer than can be documented. There is a high statistical probability that their next attack would head for Earth; Shepard-Commander destroyed their stronghold and the prototype Human-Reaper Larva, making her homeworld the most probable target.

[ In other words... ]

In short, it might be retribution. We are not sure if this would apply to every instance of the galaxy, but there would be a high probability that this may be true. The damage could also, however, be self-inflicted from war.