2022-09-29: Distance, or 'Alienation'?
- Log: Distance, or 'Alienation'?
- Cast: Ruri Hoshino, Jana Cektru
- Where: The Nadesico
- Date: 2022-09-29
- Summary: The Nadesico helps NERV with a science experiment. Jana meets another science experiment. Ruri gets some good advice, and gives a little of her own, too.
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
I still don't really understand.
Though, there are a lot of ethical questions around fighting, I guess...
That's why we have the In Bello rules, and things like that.
But there are no rules for me. Oh, well. We'll just keep fumbling about, right?
The Nadesico has left France; Ruri spoke to Minato, one night on the bridge, but little more than that. Everyone here, she reflects, doesn't really talk about their feelings. Well, being fair, some people don't listen to other's feelings, either.
A man is still dead.
Anyway.
NERV's asked them to cooperate with a scientific experiment which requires the Nadesico's mastery of gravitas -- sorry, gravity, certainly not gravitas, at least judging by the way that ladder just fell on Uribatake -- and Nergal is always happy to further its business contacts. "NERV are excellent buyers," Mr. Prospector opined, with a glint of his glasses. "Please treat them well."
This brings them to their current situation -- with a box in the cargo bay. And what's in the box? Uribatake, resident mechanical genius, took it apart and put it together again with the declaration that it was just a new type of material; he also had a bevy of questions about what type of material it was, though Erina Kinjo Won stopped him from causing too much of an international incident with his curiosity. (Mr. Prospector assured their guest that their discretion was paramount.) But when Erina herds Uribatake out of the room, Mr. Prospector calls up one more consult from the bridge, with his communicator.
"Yes! Hello, Ruri!" He appears, brightly, on a screen.
Ruri Hoshino, Nadesico systems operator, stares back at him with an expression far more flat. "Hello."
"Can you come down here and conduct a little assessment of an experiment we're helping with?" Mr. Prospector asks, with a chipper smile.
Ruri blinks. "I'm working right now." It's dismissive, but not purposefully; she's stating the facts of the situation.
"Just for a moment, just for a moment! We could really use your expertise here, Ruriruri," Mr. Prospector insists, waving a hand.
"... all right," Ruri nods, and unseen by the communication window, her hands press to her console. Her gaze tracks to another window. "Sorry, Omoikane, but please take care of things for now." Another window pops up beside her station on the bridge --
< LEAVE IT TO ME ! >
-- and Ruri slips out of her chair, being mindful to tuck Lunch Tanuki down on her seat to indicate she'll be back soon.
The person who steps into the cargo bay once Mr. Prospector and his gaggle of -- experts? -- have left is... short. Four feet tall, with a Nergal operations uniform which must be individually tailored, the pale-haired and pale-skinned girl who enters the room can't be any older than thirteen. She carries a data pad with her; it is at least halfway for show.
"Hello," she says, even-toned and even-faced, stoic and reserved. "I'm the systems operator, Ruri Hoshino. Are you the Dr. Cektru who brought an experiment on board?"
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
A lot of terrible things have happened. Dr. Cektru wasn't there, for that incident in France, but she discovered something after. Something that made her think... But she has other things to think about, as well. Like Zero's tip about the Nadesico.
So she's concocted an experiment that would make use of the Nadescio's Phase Transition Engines' gravitic field. She is legitimately curious as to the results; the Phase Transition Engine is something rather different than the way her people accomplished artificial gravity. Luckily... NERV is a good client, so she's able to use it as an excuse to visit!
So, bringing a moderately sized black box, Jana Cektru has been happy to let Nergal examine it. She'll be surprised if they know what the material is, but that's not important right now.
Now, dressed in a blue dress and white labcoat with white boots, Dr. Cektru is waiting for the Nadesico's crew to handle their inspections. She is patient about it; she expects this, after all. And it means...
She does not look especially surprised to see Ruri, but that's only because she has a really good poker face. It's definitely not how it's supposed to be.
"Good day," Dr. Cektru says in return, and does not immediately comment on Ruri's youth. Instad she says, "I am Dr. Cektru," she confirms. "I take it that your ship's safety precautions have gone well? I understand the necessity."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"Yes," Ruri confirms, stoic. She looks at the combination of dress and labcoat, and doesn't even blink. "Since you're awfully suspicious, after all."
She wasn't supposed to say the quiet part out loud, but Ruri doesn't really understand the politics of adults.
She goes to the box, and considers it, quiet, for a moment --
-- and in that moment,
Hello?
A question only a machine could answer, carried on the heart instead of the hardware in her hands. The psychic activity is unannounced but unveiled all the same; Ruri doesn't expect anyone to be able to tell she's asking, given she doesn't sense any ability to ping Jana.
A moment later, she straightens up, and inputs something on her data-pad with all the swiftness of youth.
> Fool, it's just metal. I can't do anything with this. Didn't Mr. Uribatake tell you?
(A message for Mr. Prospector, sent to his own device.)
"All right," she concludes, nodding to Jana. "I'm done. Everything's okay. I'll get someone to see you out, and we'll complete the experiment as per instructions." Just like that -- just like that, she turns, to go.
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
"Oh, am I?" Jana smiles. "You're very perceptive." This could be something an adult would say to a child... but it's something Jana woud say to others, too. It's the quiet part out loud, all right. But Jana is fine with that.
But her vaunted poker face slips a little as she tilts her head in obvious curiousity when Ruri reaches out to the box. It's fascinating, what she's doing; Ruri doesn't seem to know to 'conceal' what she's doing, though it would be hard to do so from a telepath as advanced as Jana regardless. And so she... Hmm.
"So that's why they had you come here," she comments thoughtfully. "This really is a fascinating ship."
"Oh, thank you, of course. I appreciate it. The results of this experiment should be quite useful." A pause. "...But since you're here, and already away from your duties... Would you mind showing me some of the facilities a civilian can access? I admit I'm curious."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri frowns, to herself, turned away. It isn't much of an expression -- ripples on a pond -- but she's not emotionless, regardless of the way she acts.
"Why they had me come here -- to do nothing?" She issues, over her shoulder, a little acerbic edge to an otherwise uninvested sentence. "If you're fascinated by foolishness, you're just as much a fool, Doctor."
She pauses a moment longer -- and sighs, turning back to Jana. "I have important things to do. There was an incident five days ago, and there are still a lot of reports to submit. I'm not some child who can just mess around." She's irritated because of that incident, of course, but she doesn't go so far as to explain her feelings. They barely even show on her face.
But -- Ruri got that same talk about NERV being important customers, and she's sure Mr. Prospector will cause her a headache if she snubs their guest, thinking about it.
"... well, I suppose I'm being unreasonable. Since it's my duty as an officer of the ship to help visitors, too." Not a literal officer, surely, since the Nadesico is a civilian ship. She treats with an awful lot of soldiers. "The cargo bay is close to the middle of the ship, so there's a lot of places to go. There's nothing for you back that way," she looks to the aft of the ship, where they keep their massive engines, "but come this way."
They have to walk past the Aestivalis hanger to get to the more human-habitable parts of the Nadesico, but Ruri isn't terribly bothered as she walks along a catwalk, leading Jana through.
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
"Hmmm." Jana actually smiles at being called a fool. "You don't waste many words, do you?" she inquires. "That's fine."
No, of course Ruri doesn't explain her feelings. Few people do, especially not people with as much to do about Ruri. So Jana waits for a few moment, and... Ah, there it is. she relents.
"I appreciate that," Dr. Cektru says. "That you have a lot to do and you're making time for me. In return, I'll answer questions about my research, if you have them."
She doesn't need to see the engines. Or rather, she would love to see the engines, it would be fascinating, but Nergal would certainly not be having it. So that's fine.
She glances at the Aestivalises. "Interesting machines... A modular approach like this is unusual in the Earth Sphere, isn't it?"
Then, she says more quietly, leaning down, "So you talk to machines, don't you? That's why they had you investigate my materials, to ensure there was nothing hiding in there."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"I'm not here as a diplomat, Dr. Cektru," Ruri says, despite the fact that she sure did seem like she was acting as an emissary, back there. "My honest opinion is more valuable than making people feel better about stupid choices."
Walking over the Aestivalises is certainly interesting -- and it's not always just Aestivalises, down there, Uribatake now has all the equipment needed to service the Dianthus too. Of course, since the Dianthus is their long-distance specialist unit, it's also frequently visiting other places, so it might not necessarily be in the hangar right now. Still, fun fact!
"I read the initial report," she says, as she walks. "I think it's interesting to test your novel alloy under these conditions. Since the Phase Transition Engines operate under the Inflation Theory of the universe, it's possible the composite may capture considerable potential energy." She pauses, and adds: "Or it might be warped beyond repair by the stresses of Phase Transition. It's difficult for me to tell. I'm not an engineer, after all." For not being an engineer, she knows an awful lot about it.
Ruri certainly sounds more comfortable talking shop than anything personal -- which might explain the way she pauses, on the catwalk, when Jana leans down to add that final aside. Her eyes, too gold and too bright, widen in surprise; she clasps her data pad to her chest, as if she could hide behind it.
"How... did you know that?" Ruri asks, turning, taking a step back.
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
"Hmm." Dr. Cektru listens to Ruri's assessment of her own job and what is best. Jana is not so sure that that's the whole story, but she inclines her head. "I see. Yes, I do appreciate your honesty thus far. I prefer honesty in general, even though it can sometimes be harsh."
Fun fact!! Jana does like the Aestivalises though. They really feel like part of the Nadesico' team...
Ruri discusses the report, and Dr. Cektru nods. "Your assessment is correct. Finding which of the two--or some other result, naturally--is the case will be helpful in determining materials that can stand up to the stressors of the Phase Transition Engines and similar effects, and will indeed have broader implications on universal theory. If instead it's simply warped... Well, we know not to rely on the material, yes?"
But Ruri does pause. Jana notices that widening of Ruri's eyes, and she remains placid, patient.
"I have the ability to sense telepathic communcation," Dr. Cektru explains. "It's useful in our kaiju operations in STORAGE. But I noticed you attempting to 'reach out', and while I don't 'speak' machine, it seemed the most logical conclusion, since you weren't trying to communicate with me."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
All Ruri's entertainment about materials engineering is, tragically, pushed aside by the horrifying truth of BEING KNOWN, the one thing all teenagers both crave and fear.
Probably. Ruri doesn't actually know how this works.
Which goes for more than just her expectations on teenage development, really -- because when Jana explains how she knows, there's a shade of disappointment on Ruri's face.
"Oh," she says, and give her credit: she doesn't sound too crestfallen. "I see. I wondered if you were like me, since I didn't get the sense you were an AI yourself." But she isn't, and Ruri, still, is alone.
She pauses, glancing down to the metal of the catwalk. "... anyway, it's true I can reach electronics. Well, it just causes a lot of trouble, really... but I wasn't trying to bother you."
Which is an interesting way to put it.
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
It's okay. Jana knows how it works.
Disappointment.. yes, that would be the case. It confirms something for Dr. Cektru. "Unfortunately I'm not," Jana answers then. "You have a very rare gift. I've never pursued it myself." 'Pursued', as if it's simply a skill one could pick up. Well, that probably doesn't mean anything.
But she glances down... Jana inclines her head. "Does it?" she wonders. "I would imagine it's particularly useful with the increasing proliferation of AI in the Earth Sphere. I don't see where it should cause trouble, unless people find it inconvenient that you can interface with their machines in a unique way..." Pause. "Ah, yes. That's it, isn't it?"
A small smile. "You didn't bother me. It was a very interesting experience; it's not often that I find such phenomena that are new to me."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri falls quiet -- of course it's a skill one can pick up, how else did she get it? -- and her fingers tighten, around her data pad.
"Sometimes people are very happy I can reach them," she shares, finally, quietly. "I've met people who didn't know how emotions worked at all, so they were really excited to reach me... well, I think they were better at it than they thought they were, but I guess being able to connect with a human was still helpful." It may at least now be clear that the people Ruri's referring to aren't human, strictly speaking.
Ruri doesn't think you need to be human to be a person.
"But there are humans who have replaced enough of their minds with cybernetics that I'm able to reach them, too... sometimes they really don't like it, since I'm not a Newtype or anything, so I can't reach normal humans." This is, at least, true as far as Ruri understands herself. "And sometimes humans integrate themselves with their machines so much that when I try to ask their mobile suits questions, they don't like how I'm in their head... and even leaving humans aside, some people are trying to hide, and it's scary for me to suddenly contact them. Since it's not really safe to be seen."
Ruri sighs. "And those are just the questions about people who are curious. Even when I'm talking to computers who are task-oriented, I have to worry if I'm intruding... it's not like it's hard for me to ask the right questions, but it can be very rude. And it's not as if it's as simple as not asking... since sometimes there's someone in danger. But it's not like there's a rule book on when it's okay to be rough, either."
Who knew there were so many ethical questions in such a small girl!
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
People... Yes, Jana picks up rather quickly that Ruri is referring to machines as people rather than only humans, which--well, she appreciates that being non-human herself. But it also tells her more about Ruri's state of mind. It clearly isn't only AIs that she's interested in...
"Mm... I hadn't considered that. Many humans still find psychic communication frightening or dangerous. Or they simply aren't expecting a 'vulnerability' as they would imagine it."
But some people... are not safe to be seen. Yes... Dr. Cektru nods thoughtfully. "Yes, it would be scary, if I were trying to hide and someone noticed me. I apologize if that applies to your abilities; I was so caught up in my curiosity that I didn't consider your feelings. ...A scientist's vice, but one we must try to overcome."
"Mm, yes... You are in a new field. You are the one who is finding and establishing those rules, for people to come who will have your abilities. It must be very difficult. It's a heavy responsibility."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri's one of those people who are frightened by it! She doesn't want to point that out and hurt Jana's feelings, though.
"It's not really a secret here," Ruri assures(?) Jana, still quite stoic, "since I was acquired specifically for my high level of capability in managing the Nadesico's systems. I don't think anyone else would be able to do it for long. Regardless of the technical difficulty, Omoikane would get upset, too."
Ruri shakes her head. "Though, I wouldn't say it isn't not a secret, either. I don't think a lot of people think about it."
She shifts from one foot to the other, lowering her data pad down to her side. "I don't... know if anyone else does," she settles on, after a moment. "Ka... that is, I know someone who can do some things like I can, but... he's different to me, too. As far as I can tell, I'm biologically capable of interfacing with electronic systems. I don't know why I'm like this... how I learned to do it, I guess... but it doesn't seem like technopathy is something humans usually have."
Ruri tilts her head upwards, considering the high roof of the hangar. "Well, I suppose it's possible Nergal-san might clone me one day," she allows, without much feeling. "But that seems troublesome. I don't know why they'd bother. After all, it's not like I can convince someone with the will to fight that they should stop fighting. I won't do that, anyway."
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
It's OK. And apparently it is... kind of secret, but not a secret. It's both! This kind of nuance is not lost on Dr. Cektru, luckily enough. Neither is 'acquired for'. This gets a bit of side-eye, as Jana thoughtfully determines how she feels about it. She decides that she does not like 'acquiring' a Youth. But it might just be a turn of phrase... Probably not, though. Ruri doesn't seem given to unnecessary flourishes.
"I see. Yes, I believe that. I don't know of anyone else in the Earth Sphere who has your abilities."
"...The best way to keep a secret, I find, is not to think about it at all. Perhaps it's like that, too."
But she settles on... Hm. 'Ka', someone. Jana doesn't pry. Instead, she listens further. Ruri's understanding of her abilities...
"Yes," she agrees. "I think that most humans don't have that capability." Then a pause. "...Troublesome... Yes, that does seem troublesome. But that's true of most, really. The only way to convince someone with the will to fight not to fight is to crush that will, somehow... And that's not something that's 'right' to do. A better way is to address the conditions that cause people to need to fight."
She pauses. "Whether or not you're cloned, though, I believe that while most humans don't have your abilities, they have the potential for those abilities. I believe that humanity will continue to develop. We see the Newtype phenomenon, but it is only one example. There is so much discovery in humanity's future... I am privileged to get to see even some of it."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri wasn't hired to lie!
Of course, Ruri also wasn't hired, the way most of the crew of the Nadesico was.
She doesn't linger on the distinction, though, which might be concerning in and of itself for how easily she just breezes past it.
Ruri does look a little sad that Jana hasn't heard of anyone else with her abilities, but -- it's hard to tell, given how limited her range of expressions seems to be. But, the best way to keep a secret...
"That's true," Ruri agrees, mildly, and doesn't bother explaining how she knows. Instead, she keeps listening, and --
"... but, I don't want to crush anyone."
All islanded, the statement hangs.
That ghost of a frown crosses her face, again, as she listens to Jana finish her statement. Again -- for the first time in a while -- she looks at Jana as if she's someone suspicious.
She musters the courage to ask, a moment later: "Dr. Cektru, you're not related to Mr. Kerib, are you?" She asks, and asks directly, with no tremor or pallor to her. "Talking like that sounds a lot like him, or Ms. Fressange... but since I've never seen you around here before, I don't think it's likely you're one of the Explainer Lady's associates."
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
It is concerning! Jana is concerned.
She doesn't linger on secrets, either. And all islanded that statement comes out, and Jana smiles. "That's good," she says, as if Ruri could do it, if she wanted, and Jana is glad she is choosing not to... because that's the case, as far as Dr. Cektru knows. But then--hm. Suspicion...
"Ah," she says, and looks very serious for a moment. "I am directly associated with neither. Mr. Kerib's protege visited me the other week, and I have deployed in a mobile suit in opposition to her kaiju before. I have not met Mr. Kerib directly; I only know of him through NERV's operations related to him."
"Hm. There is a reason I sound that way, though, and you're too perceptive to hide it from. If I share that reason with you, may I ask that you keep it secret? Obviously if it becomes dangerous to you or your crew to keep the secret then you can reveal it, but it is dangerous to me if it is revealed overmuch."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
His protege -- Akane, Ruri supplies, to herself, and her eyes narrow just so as she realises the implications. Akane was fighting in France, but... if she's visiting Jana, too, it means she's not just leaving to cause trouble.
(Not the kind of trouble that involves property damage, anyway.)
Jana says she hasn't met Alexis Kerib before, though, and Ruri doesn't have any sense that she's lying. (Not that Ruri has the psychic senses to tell, which may, in fact, be half the problem.) "All right," she nods, meeting Jana's seriousness with her own.
Ruri is capable of being a very serious child!
She blinks on purpose, just the once, when Jana shares that there is a reason. "I see... so you weren't speaking hypothetically about being noticed, either." Ruri didn't mean to drag her secret out so casually -- she just has a certain talent for it.
Ruri pauses, and says: "You can tell me if you want. Under normal circumstances, I won't tell anyone... but if you're a bad person, I'll tell someone if it would help them." It might seem a little incoherent, but actually, it's a perfectly factual disclaimer about Ruri's real experiences.
She still feels a little bad about telling on Alexis, but at least she can be frank with Jana about it.
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
Jana is still very concerned with that visit! Though she is planning to study Tsutsujidai, as she agreed. ...Still figures she and Akane will be in opposition, though. And, well--
Dr. Cektru levels with Ruri because she is so honest about it. When Ruri indicates she wasn't speaking hypothetically, the doctor nods--and then Ruri indicates the circumstances under which she will share. Dr. Cektru thinks about that for a moment. "Acceptable," the doctor answers. It doesn't seem particularly incoherent to her. That's the kind of situation she was trying to get out in front of with her disclaimer, after all.
"...I come from very far away," she explains, in a low voice. "While the reason I came here is personal, the reason I have stayed beyond observation is to attempt to protect humanity and your Earth Sphere from outside agents who would subvert your civilization to destructive ends for their own benefit."
"...Humanity gave me a very dear friend," she explains. "I do not wish to see their homeworld destroyed."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"So you're an alien," Ruri surmises -- she's speaking quietly, too, but that's not much of an imposition for her, because Ruri rarely raises her voice much anyway. "Like Mr. Kerib... though, I suppose you're different types of aliens, since you're not nearly as tall as he is." Still taller than Ruri! It isn't hard to be taller than Ruri.
A light pause: "You're also not on fire."
You'd think she'd lead with that part.
"I guess that's why you're with NERV, too... well, not that Angels are really aliens, apparently, but there are other things too. Or, if they don't know you're not human, it would be the most logical place to put yourself to make sure no one found out, I suppose. Since that's where people would talk about being suspicious." Ruri is, perhaps, much too good at hypothetically sneaking about.
Let's interrogate that never.
Ruri shakes her head. "Anyway, it's nice you made friends here. Humans can be really foolish sometimes, and everyone's fighting each other, but I don't think we're bad people. After all, as soon as we got a chance to talk to a girl from ZAFT, it was very clear we felt the same about a lot of things. I don't really understand a lot of things about being alien, like living for tens of thousands of years, but that doesn't mean I can't understand you being worried."
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
"I am not on fire," Dr. Cektru agrees. They are thus very different kinds of aliens. And height... well, "My people have a range of height fairly similar to humanity, in general."
"Indeed. There are many other things. ...Some of them do know; some of them don't. You can, I'm sure, think of many reasons that I would mostly keep this to myself." Ruri is very good at hypothetically sneaking about. It's pretty impressive. ...And concerning.
Not a problem today!
"Yes," Jana agrees with Ruri's assessment. "That's what I believe, too. I think humanity has a great deal of potential, and is not 'bad' at all. My own people went through difficulties like yours, long ago. And even today we can sometimes be..." Wryly, "Foolish."
"But I trust that will suffice for the moment? I did not wish to alarm you, but I prefer not to lie. ...And it seems you do understand well."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri nods, with a thoughtful hum, when Jana invites her to think of the many reasons she wouldn't go spreading her origins about. She can, in fact, think of a lot of them.
She grew up in a lab, after all.
"Sure," she nods, again, finally. "But I don't alarm very easily, Dr. Cektru, so don't worry about that." She pauses, gaze drifting to the side for a moment, before she looks back to Jana.
"Though, adults have an awful habit of thinking they're more dignified and less entangled just because they have more experience. I think you should be careful of talking about us like you're not involved, because the kinds of people who aren't involved aren't always nice people. If you keep yourself separate, Dr. Cektru, I think you'll be mistaken for people like Mr. Kerib by more people than me."
She shrugs, lightly, and dismisses her own advice: "Of course, I'm just a child, so I wouldn't know... anyway, we'll reach the cafeteria if we keep walking this way. You should try Ms. Howmei's food before you go. It's very good."
(This is, of course, an understatement.)
<Pose Tracker> Jana Cektru has posed.
Dr. Cektru remains concerned about Ruri's posting here, but not immediately alarmed as such. Something to keep analyzing. Just like the fact that she doesn't alarm very easily...
Dr. Cektru looks thoughtful as Ruri explains, and then actually smiles when she delivers that right for the throat advice. It's a wry sort of smile, like she just made of calling her people sometimes foolish, as well. "...So it seems," she says, "That I have been just now. Not only did I expose my nature to you, but I came off as more suspicious in the doing."
"Thank you, Miss Hoshino. I will keep that in mind. I suppose I'm not completely uninvolved regardless, now..."
She nods, after a moment. "I would love the chance to try Ms. Howmei's food. Let's go see if she has any ready."