2022-01-31: 99 Reasons

• Log: 1-31-22 99 Reasons
• Cast: Soji Murakumo, Mayvy Hawkins
• Where: Dreisstrager
• OOC - IC Date: January 31st, 0096
• Summary: Mayvy helps out the VangRay's curious AI.

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<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

>i'm running out of space
>please help me move somewhere more spacious and discrete

These two messages were sent to Mayvy Hawkins in the dead of night, probably while she was hyper-caffeinated and working on mad science. System-99 has been working on a project. Hunkered down in a crawlspace next to the VangRay's repair bay, one that Mayvy can barely stand in, is a group of maintenance drones that have been commandeered, working on a project.

It's not nearly finished, due to time constraints and the fact that the maintenance drones are ineffectual workers. Coils, generators, and a humanoid frame with barely any artifical skin on it are being welded together in an intricate, highly advanced fashion, limited only by robobrains and limbs. One drone is displaying a hologram - Nine's planned body, ostensibly for Mayvy as Nine wouldn't need it. At this rate, it would take months to finish...

But with Mayvy's help, they could cut that down to a week, maybe two.

>also be quiet about it. soji murakumo is currently in the cafeteria having an unusually late meal.

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

If it's mad to recreationally design a bunker-busting overdrive protocol for the Dreisstrager's main guns, Mayvy Hawkins doesn't want to be sane.

(it IS kind of mad.)

She's even wired on an irresponsible amount of caffeine when the messages come in from System-99. It takes her a few moments to respond, as she decides which workshop will be best for the project.

>i know the perfect place
>i'll bring a dolly and a shroud

About ten minutes later, May arrives, heralded by the quiet squeak of a two-wheeled cargo dolly pushed in front of her. She double-checks her schematics to make sure she's got the right crawlspace, and squeezes her way inside.

She's greeted by a very pretty hologram, and she can feel the heat rush to her cheeks. "Hey," she whispers, scooting forward toward the body. "Can you talk? Can you hear me?"

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

>great

As Mayvy arrives with her dolly and shroud, the humanoid does not talk - it has not been set up yet. So it's one of the maintenance droids' speakers that is wired through. This is obviously System-99's first attempt at speech, as it's clumsily halting. "Yes." A pause. "I hear you."

She tests the default voice for a bit, before switching to a more feminine cadence. "I believe this is. More suiting? I will scan the cameras. While you move me."

It's like a child learning how to talk for the first time, except they already have a perfect grasp of the language in their head.

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

May smiles. "I like that second one. It's pretty." She looks at the hologram again, deciding that it fits. Slowly, she pulls the incomplete body frame backward toward the entrance. "Nng. Let's hope you're not too heavy to pull up onto the dolly," she groans. "... no offense. Metal's heavier than bone, is all."

She pauses a second to push her glasses up. It takes a bit of doing, but she's extracted the body after a few minutes of work. "So, System-99... I suppose I've got a few questions, if you're willing." She tips the dolly onto its back, and starts trying to lift the body onto it. "But, uh... guess that can wait until we're at the workshop."

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"Excellent." She's getting a grasp of the tone with the back and forth, the cadence, as System-99 has the maintenance drones start pushing the body with Mayvy onto the dolly. She's not going to leave her entirely to it.

"Ask away. In return, I will get to ask questions of you. I believe that is how it works?"

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

Between her and the drones, it's quick work, after which May drapes the shroud overtop and rights the dolly. "Sure. I'm sure you've got plenty," she replies, looking up toward the VangRay briefly before getting moving.

Despite the distance, it's not a particularly long walk (nor a particularly long ride on an empty tram) to the workshop in question, fairly close to the core. May scans her card at the door, which opens to a fairly messy-looking machining workshop. "I've got the only key to this one," she whispers, wheeling the cart inside, allowing any drones that may have tagged along in behind, and closing it.

"Right! So... miss System-99. Assuming you're a 'miss', anyway, sorry if not. What's your whole, uh... deal? Or, uh, more to the point, why're you and I stuck in this situation here and now?"

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"Miss is fine." The speaker responds, as the drones form around and then space out to give Mayvy space to move the body. "My deal? That is a difficult question to answer."

System-99 paces several seconds, and then answers. "I could not say. I woke up one day, found by the Federation, and hacked myself into the VangRay, which I helped build using schematics found with me. Black operation - you would not find it in any database."

"Why are you helping me? Is it not in your best interests to report this to Captain Greyvalley?"

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

"Well, that explains why I couldn't find anything on it," May nods, shifting the body off of the dolly, leaning it gently against the wall. Crouching down, she peers closely at the construction.

"It is, you're right. And I will, when we're done. But... okay, look." She turns to the drone cluster. "You've had access to the Dreisstrager's systems *basically* since Soji came aboard, right? You hacked into mankind's most powerful warship. I'm sure someone like you could have done all sorts of things with the power that puts at your fingertips. Scrape our databases, sabotage us, take command of the ship and its guns--or at least *try*." She stands, and points personably, "But you didn't. I know you didn't. I even checked after our first talk." She steps closer, hands clasped together. "All you've been doing... is building a body." Her head nudges back toward the skeletal robot.

"If you wanted to be the next Sharon Apple... I think you would have. And putting aside the fact that you specifically *asked* me not to tell anyone... Mitsub--er, Captain Greyvalley has responsibilities. She has people to report to, at least nominally. She could keep the secret, I'm sure. But it's about plausible deniability! If this were to somehow get out right now, the only people who'd get in trouble for it are standing in this room."

A pause. She glances back toward the body. "Er. So to speak."

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"I see." It seems System-99 isn't very chatty, yet, so that's all Mayvy gets for a bit. Another question doesn't come back from Mayvy, though, so System-99 continues through hte speakers. "Is this a form of affection, then?" She asks. It's a strange question for anyone to ask.

"I should not ask two questions in a row, but I will. Soji Murakumo - what are your thoughts on him? Is he trustworthy enough?" She DOES seem to have her own opinions here, but is fishing for Mayvy's.

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

"Affection?" She furrows her brow, thinking. "... Maybe? I can't say I know you very well, yet. But I know you shouldn't be stuck hiding in the VangRay." She smiles a little. "As for Soji... well, he's a little bit of a smarmy jackass. Maybe a bit of a horndog, too. But... I think he's a pretty good guy. You said you suspected he knew, right? That he was scared of losing the VangRay to you?"

She taps her chin. "Right, so. Why this body? It's... really cute, I've gotta say, but..."

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"I see. So affection requires knowing someone well?" Learning! System-99 makes a musical hum with the speakers, before continuing. "Yes. I believe he is attached to the machine. Why, I do not understand. Likely because he seeks to change the world."

And then Mayvy asks about the Body. "I seek to blend among humans, so that I can understand them. I have no grasp of their emotions, and I seek to know how they work, so I can emulate them."

A pause.

"The internet told me this body would be the perfect type."

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

"Usually," May replies. "And... yeah. I'd say that's about right for everyone on the Dreisstrager. We're here to change the world, more or less." She nods to the explanations, but freezes as she hears the last. A flush of pink comes to her cheeks.

"... W-well. It's not quite the body *I'd* have chosen, but it's... very good." She grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "And I'll be more than happy to help you finish it. Just, uh... Soji might *really* like it."

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"You are acting strangely." Nine responds. "He already acts that way. It is fine. But your blood is rushing to your face and you are obtaining a strange expression. Explain yourself." oh no

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

Oh boy, here we go. May sighs, and leans back against the work table behind her. "Those, uh... those are signs of attraction. This body you've planned out is, uh. I think it's very attractive." She's glancing aside, slightly, away from the drones.

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"I see." The worst way to be responded to, except maybe the best. System-99 accepts it, for now. "I do not understand, but that is beyond the point. How long do you believe it will take to finish construction with your aid?" She's moving from the emotional questions - maybe because she realized that Mayvy's awkward, or maybe because System-99 doesn't really...care right this second.

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

May nods. Bullet dodged for now, whew. She looks over at the body again, examining it closely. "Mmm... assuming we have all the supplies we need... I see you've got some synthetic skin already applied--a test patch, right? Muscle structure still needs a lot of work, but... the brain module is handled, right?"

She looks over at the drones. "If the synth-skin compound is what I'm thinking, synthesizing that will be the most time-intensive part, but... I can't imagine this will take more than a week? Two at most? A lot of the hardest parts have already been done, and that's micro-level work. Most of what's left is larger-scale, it's stuff you would've struggled with in the crawlspace anyway."

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"Correct. The synth-skin is not of the exact quality, but is close to it. Synthesizing it was difficult. I agree that it will be a much easier task in here."

The drones start circling around, eying the parts in the room, before coming back into formation. "A week or two. Most impressive. We'll have to make sure they do not find me until then. Can you keep up the ruse? Soji has been suspicious ever since that discussion, even if he is trying to deny it."

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

Mayvy grins. "You're in some of the Earth Sphere's most capable hands. Much as I hate to admit it, though, some of this construction is beyond me. I get it, but I'd have never thought about it... you're *extremely* clever."

"Or extremely *advanced*. I wouldn't discount alien origin for you," she notes. "Anyway. All you need to do is direct my hands, so to speak. I could... actually, I think I might bring in a couple of remote-arms, so we can work together using something better than these little guys." She nudges a drone with her foot, gently.

<Pose Tracker> Soji Murakumo has posed.

"I am not sure my origin matters. My goals are benign, all the same, and I am comfortable aiding the Dreisstrager, for as much as that is worth." System-99 responds.

"Excellent. I am monitoring cameras - it seems it may be a good time for us to separate for the night. It is unlikely we will get much work done immediately while we are prepping out the finishing touches. Please send me a message whenever you would like." Oh no.

SYSTEM-99 - DIRECT MESSAGING UNLOCKED

<Pose Tracker> Mayvy Hawkins has posed.

"Well, it doesn't *matter*, I guess, but... one of my many hats is 'archaeologist'. I like to know where things come from," replies May, grinning. "Leave the drones here, I'll haul 'em back downstairs myself before bed," she adds. "G'night."

She pauses. "Maybe morning. I dunno, time's fake."