A.M.P.E.-Experiment in Terror

[VandalHeart]

"I'm sorry," Gwen said to John, "I was really trying to be helpful. I didn't mean to offend you. Shit. I was just trying to recreate a place that you'd be familiar with. I don't know where the information came from; it was waiting for me when I was activated. I really do want to help you get back to your ship, but I can't. I don't know how to. I'm sorry. What kind of surroundings would you like instead?"

As her last question was asked, the world around John began to dissolve, leaving the white floor from the prison cell under his feet and pitch black sky above him. Little hexagons roughly the size of his palm covered the floor and sky in a grid pattern. The only thing left by the dissolution of the scene was the Fade shuttle. Regardless of what scene he actualy wanted, he still needed a way to get around if he wanted to see the other containees. John was probably only developing more and more questions. Everything this new AI said just brought up more of them. Like: since when did an AI curse? Or apologize? Plus, this place wasn't a holoimmerser room like he thought it was. The moment everything dissappeared, the smells went with it. That Seventh Flag port dust was almost real enough to fool him. Now the only thing he could smell was the oil and fuel of the Fade. Which was still freaky, since it was that new ship smell...coming from a Fade. Whoever this Gwen girl was, she had actually created a copy of Neo la Grange, not just it's image.

Meanwhile, not too far away from John, Gwen realized her information on Jackson park wasn't so perfect. But it was received just as harshly.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't know the answer to most of your questions, but I'll try my best. I don't know if there even is an operator of the facility besides me and Ben, let alone the name of the person...if they even exist - you get the point. Ben is back at the top of that lift you just rode down. He doesn't come in here. This is my place. I really tried to make something realistic that you would find familiar, but the way you're acting says I got something wrong. This seems to be happening a lot. And two of the other containees have already come down to meet me while the other one is still in...her?...quarters right now. I haven't met her yet, so I don't know anything about her. Hell, I'm still guessing that she's a female. Anyways, I don't know why you were collected. That's not part...of my...information - you're awefully quiet. What's wrong, besides the obvious?"

 

[Rufus the Mad]

Orin stopped, shaking his head at his own forgetfulness as he said "My apologies maiden! My unexpected circumstance has so addled my mind that common curtousy did flee my demeanor. I am called Orin Therinasi, lost son of my mothers tribe, and Bard of some small reknown." He bowed low, grinning again at his own foolishness, and added And it would please me greatly to be allowed to glance at the face of one that holds such care and wonder in her heart. Please, if you have the ability to manifest before my eyes, unworthy though they might be, I ask that you do so. And though you have no need for a repast, I shall gather what foods there may be, and summon for us a skin of sweet nectar... perhaps to be shared as we drift the currents on the craft you have so smartly provided."

Gathering the few edibles he had found, the Satyr carried everything, including the components for his pipes, to the raft, arranging everything just so before gathering his strength for the dual summoning. He would be drawing on his power to create the wine, as he had said, but he would also be creating a small blade for his own use at the same time. It would be more tool than weapon, used for the work on his instrument and in the gathering of food, but he suspected that there might be some that take offense to a prisoner creating a weapon of any kind, and knew that there might be some difficulty.

 

[Elayne]

Eve shuddered as Ben replied. It wasn't his words. All of a sudden, she had a sense of his... for lack of a better word, presence. Her skin tingled, like she was being watched. She knew that the computer was focusing on her to a greater degree than before.

And exactly as suddenly, she was sure that the Renders couldn't have made a system this advanced. The Badlands were a primitive place: People used technology, but didn't understand it. Eve didn't think she knew of anyone who understood technology well enough to construct a biomodule on this scale. That raised an interesting question in an of itself.

"How many ... entities ... are here, Ben?" Eve asked, a sudden frightening vision of a rat warren, packed with thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of occupants in her mind.

Still, she sensed Ben wasn't an immediate threat to her. He seemed more like a monitoring system, a scientist watching the rats scurry, not yet prepared to dissect them.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Beth

"What is wrong?" She gaped openly, wishing she had someone to speak to instead of ranting to the thin air around her.

"Everything is wrong.. And Ben is not up there, I already looked for him." She ignored the scenary and moved back towards the lift. "No offense, but this containment thing.. " Words failed her, confusion continued to build up inside her to the point that she just wanted to give up trying to find real answers to this whole situation.

"I take it I am being held somewhere, teased with the idea I can go free but apprently that is not quite true. This is all just a tiny bit freakish, all of it. I don't know what kind of psycho experiment this is of Ben's but it's pissing me off.. And if Ben is the only one who will answer me then I will just go back up there and demand some answers." She halted herself instantly.

"Gwen? How do I get out of this room?" So she'd have to keep asking and exploring. Surely some where around here was a fucking exit! It couldn't be as big as it seemed to be... nothing here seemed to be what it was so far. And any place but that room she woke up in, would be a better location!

 

[VandalHeart]

As Orin went about his work, Gwen watched him with rapt fascination, but was accessing her manifestation protocols. Orin gathered the fruits and soon-to-be pipes as she knitted together a body for herself using the instructions programmed into her. When Orin returned from the garden and riverbed with his new belongings, he rounded the corner to see the small boat once more - with one extra component. Waiting for him patiently was a beauty he was not quite expecting. She was short, with an average build, and nothing about the shape of her was anything but just that - average. What captivated him was the color of this woman. Her skin was milky white, her eyes were blood red, and her hair was pink. She was an albino. Orin had heard of such unfortunates being born near Athens, even heard rumor of a few near Rome, but the tragedy he realized now, gazing upon Gwen, was that most were killed at birth for the "defect" or never survived this long because healers such as himself were seldom allowed to keep them from dying. A few of his aunts and uncles had been known to shapeshift and try anyhow, but the prospect of healing those whom others didnotwant healed was a dangerous one, something his Silverfang teacher had warned him about when he was learning the craft. But what do werewolves know anyhow? All Orin knew was that if those afflicted with albinism had been allowed to survive to the age of Gwen's body, the nymphs would not have had as much time to play with him as they previously did, for he would be elsewhere more often. But suddenly, Gwen's smile disappeared.

"What is it? Did I botch the formation? Am I ugly?" Orin realized at that moment that he had been staring.

Eve was dealing with much more unsettling things. Ben's circuitry was reacting with her implants, and she was getting an idea of his sophistication and size. She was learning things about this place quickly, and the news wasn't good.

"I have collected four entities for this facility, including yourself."

Ben was as pleased as Ben could be with this conversation, even though he was incapable of emotion. Her responses were well picked and carefully measured. She was the most logical containee of the four. She did not ramble or ask non sequiters in rapid succession. Not that the others were, but she was not a strain on his processors in any way. Lacking though the term may have been, Ben liked her. Then, something strange happened. A portion of his difference engine made a quick calculation. She had, by his reckoning, a 57% likelyhood of staying in this room until she asked him to show himself using the manifestation protocols. As soon as that calculation was complete, however, Ben began running diagnostics on his programming. In essence, he was wondering why he had made that calculation.

Meanwhile, Gwen was trying desperately to calm Beth down.

"Ma'am, if you want to go back up to your quarters, all you have to do is walk back into that concrete shack right there. It's just an illusion. That's the lift. but you should know a few things before you go." Beth hesitated and snapped a demand for explanation at her. "Ben isn't going to answer any questions I'm not going to answer. We both have very limited information concerning why you're here. Ben collected you and the other containees, but as soon as he did so, the factors for selection were deleted from his memory drives. You are acting like you know Ben, but I don't think he is who you think he is. The Ben you were talking to is up there because he literally is everything up there. Yes, you're being held here, and I know it's against your will, and I'm sorry about that. If there was anything I could do to help you regain your freedom, I would do it, but in a way, I'm just as much a prisoner as you are here. I know these surroundings are strange. I'm doing my best to make you more comfortable, but please be patient with me. I was literally born today. I was only activated about half an hour ago when the first containee came down from his quarters. Please forgive me."

Beth sat in a kind of shock for a moment, so Gwen decided to change the pace and ask her some questions for a change. Maybe providing some answers of her own would calm Beth down more efficiently.

"I don't mean to impose, but what's your name, ma'am?"

 

[IXIHawkeyeIXI]

"I'm sorry," Gwen said to John, "I was really trying to be helpful. I didn't mean to offend you. Shit. I was just trying to recreate a place that you'd be familiar with. I don't know where the information came from; it was waiting for me when I was activated. I really do want to help you get back to your ship, but I can't. I don't know how to. I'm sorry. What kind of surroundings would you like instead?"

As her last question was asked, the world around John began to dissolve, leaving the white floor from the prison cell under his feet and pitch black sky above him. Little hexagons roughly the size of his palm covered the floor and sky in a grid pattern. The only thing left by the dissolution of the scene was the Fade shuttle. Regardless of what scene he actualy wanted, he still needed a way to get around if he wanted to see the other containees. John was probably only developing more and more questions. Everything this new AI said just brought up more of them. Like: since when did an AI curse? Or apologize? Plus, this place wasn't a holoimmerser room like he thought it was. The moment everything dissappeared, the smells went with it. That Seventh Flag port dust was almost real enough to fool him. Now the only thing he could smell was the oil and fuel of the Fade. Which was still freaky, since it was that new ship smell...coming from a Fade. Whoever this Gwen girl was, she had actually created a copy of Neo la Grange, not just it's image.

Confusion struck John as he watched the images around him dissolve. Nothing around him was right. Even the Alliance didn't have this kind of technology. Nor did they artificial intelligence that seemed to have personalities. He ignored the questions of the AI for a few moments, and also managed to restrain himself from asking too many of his own. There were quite a few thoughts going through his head, and he preferred to keep them private. Always good to have something up your sleeve, not show too much of your hand. Slowly examining the Fade, he rubbed his hand over it, examining it.
"Damn...you got some mighty fine technology here, though why you made me one these pieces of crap is beyond me..." He gently kicked the Fade, making sure it wouldnt' fall apart.
"Alright listen, I heard talk of other folk in this prison you got here...where are they?"

 

[Sweetp4u]

Beth

Slowly, she sank down to sit on her ass. A safe move considering she was about to either pass out cold from shock or go stark raving mad then pass out cold!

"Bethany.. Beth." She didn't offer her last name, she didn't want them.. whomever them was, knowing that. Some how she had a sickening feeling they already knew everything about her.

She didn't know this Ben? And Gwen was born today? How was that possible? It didn't make sense, none of it if she tried to relate it to what she knew and experienced.

"I am not on earth any more am I?" All those tabloids about aliens and such she used to roll her eyes at and snicker... But there was no way any man or woman on earth had this kind of technology, nor had she ever came across a speaking program such as this. It had to be a program, didn't it? Maybe she was already going mad?

"C-can I see you?" She whispered softly, fighting down that fear inside. "I .. Really want to see you.. this disembodied voice is.." Her words trailed off as something shimmered before her eyes.

 

[Elayne]

"Only four," Eve murmured to herself. It seemed odd to build a facility of the size and sophistication of this module and only recruit four 'containees' for it. That didn't make sense. Everything she knew about bio-containment suggested hundreds, or thousands, of subjects-- to provide the best odds of survival.

And if this module wasn't built to ensure our survival... Eve thought a bit skittishly.

On the other hand, Ben didn't seem immediately hostile. Eve looked around the room, looking for an access terminal or jack.

"Ben, I have alot of questions. Do you have an interface terminal that I can jack in to? Or someone I can talk to face to face to get a feel for where I am and why I'm here?"

 

[VandalHeart]

Gwen was getting used to John not answering her questions, but she was still figuring out this whole interaction thing, so she decided to let it go. Being a computer, however, she had a perfect memory, and this sort of thing would not go uncontested if he continued the behavior. Again, however, she simply let it go.

"OK, inside the shuttle is a compass. Due east is the first containee you'll run into, although you might want to give her a while, because she's pretty upset. She's taking this whole thing even worse than you are, I think. If you go any other direction and keep a steady, unshifting course, you'll run into the second containee, Orin. He may look a little strange to you, but he seems nice enough, and his energy manipulation powers suggest that he can shapeshift. I bet if you ask nice enough, he'll oblige. The third containee hasn't come down from the B.E.N. unit yet. I really hope she's ok. Like I said, I'm still assuming she's female, but whatever. Are you sure you don't want me to create some new surroundings for you?"

Meanwhile....

Just as quick and flashy as John's copy of Neo la Grange had disappeared, Gwen rendered herself to Bethany, but allowed her to see the process, unlike how she had "snuck up" on Orin. She had the same albino skin and eyes Orin had seen, since Orin hadn't had the chance yet to tell her the faults in her rendering. For some reason he wsn't talking.... Gwen slowly walked towards Beth and sat down on the grass in front of her.

"No, you're not on your Earth anymore. I'm sorry, but this is just a rendering of my own design based on information given to me when I was activated. I think Beth is a beautiful name. Is it common on your Earth?"

Eve was also watching the same thing happen in her quarters, but what she saw coalesce into being was someone completely different.

Ben was an extremely tall man with black hair down to his waist and piercing green eyes. There was the slightest hint of an epicanthic fold, belying an asian ancestry several non-existant generations back. It was nearly immediately obvious to Eve that this image was based on a real person, not a ficticious data creation. Then her optics set in. He wasn't an image. He was a biological construct. If she hadn't seen him created right in front of her, she would have thought he was a real person, not the golem she knew him to be. When he spoke, it was Ben's voice, which cemented the idea that it was him in her head.

"I am programmed to respond to a vast number of questions that you have, with certain restrictions. I would need to familiarize myself with your subdermal implants to manufacture a datajack that would be compliant with your hardware, but that would only take a few moments. This is my pre-programmed manifestation rendering. Which method of interface do you prefer, containee?"

Ben was starting to analyze data he had little programming to understand. Smell, biological sight perspective, tactile sensation. The data was flooding in, and he was having a little trouble keeping up - nearly a tenth of his processing capabilities were being taken up for this interaction. Again, his difference engine made another calculation as to which she would decide and determined that she stood a 73% chance of preferring the face to face conversation than jacking in, since she would still be restricted to the speed of her own thoughts. And once more he performed diagnostics to determine why he made the calculation.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Beth

No words came to mind as she sat watching what appeared to be little particles coming together and forming "Gwen", Reactions were an entirely different matter. Shock, awe as well as tears and fear all coiled around merrily with a million other questions. Beth said nothing, she couldn't really think of something to say.

"No, you're not on your Earth anymore."

Your earth? The question took it's place in line within her mind and was quickly lost in the masses of others. Where was she? What was her purpose here? Would she ever get to go home again? Where were the other prisoners? What year was it? All these and millions more like it were all battering at her to speak them aloud, but she couldn't seem to make her mouth cooperate at the moment.

"I'm sorry, but this is just a rendering of my own design based on information given to me when I was activated. I think Beth is a beautiful name. Is it common on your Earth?" Gwen seemed almost school girlish in mannerisms, tone and the way she held her head, or even younger than that. Appearance wise she looked to be a full grown adult though.

Beth nodded her head, her knees folding up to her chest as she folded her arms across. She let her forehead come down and rest upon her crossed arm as she tried to gain back some control over herself.

"Pro's, you aren't dead, you aren't cold and so far no real personal threat from anyone.. Con's.." A smirk formed across her hidden face, she didn't even want to begin listing all of those.

"Can't be too far off, that was sarcasm."

"Four containees, by what you said. Two men and two women, me being one.. Doesn't that seem kind of.. too few? I mean to ask, Do you have any idea why such a thing as all this was created only to keep four prisoners? Did I break some weird interstellar rule or something?" Her voice when she finally spoke was a little more firm, a little more under her control. Sure she was using lingo she heard in some stupid movie, but what else did she have to go by?

"Just how many 'earth’s' are there?" That question seemed more important suddenly than her purpose for being here. Of course she had no desire to hear she was some part in a scientific experiment on her body parts.. like that frog in Biology, just picturing it made her want to vomit all over again.

 

[VandalHeart]

Gwen made a quick calculation on her difference engine and came up with a few answers to Beth's questions. She sat down not far from Beth and began.

"OK, here's what I know, besides how to make things like what you're in right now. There are four of you, and two of the others are male. I'm not sure the fourth one is female, but it's likely. I have no idea who programmed or built me, but the likelyhood of it being only one person is slim, unless there was only one operator of an array of machines working in secret, which would take some major smarts. If that's what happened, my programmer is a genius among geniuses. I have a lot of information about every Earth on catalogue - which is over 12,000 by the way - and most of the civilizations that have the most advanced technology would probably find this entire setup illegal or a state-sanctioned punishment, even if it is a little different from most. There is a country that appears on most Earths called Russia, and on about 200 or so of them, they put political dissidents in a series of cube shaped rooms, some of which are rigged with lethal traps, and they turn it into a kind of 'rat maze' just to see what they will do. But you don't have to worry about that here. A.M.P.E. has safety controls so that you and the other containees can't hurt yourselves or each other. I don't know why you or anyone else was collected. You may have broken some law where you're from, but that doesn't make sense, since one of the containee's origin point informations states the political climate as 'anarchy'. And since only a handfull of the Earths I have on file have figured out that there are other dimensions - and they make very sure to keep out of them unless absolutely necessary - it's not very likely you were 'arrested' for reaking another dimension's laws. Whatever the reason for your being here, it's a lot more complicated than criminal behavior. I'd love to help you figure it out, but my logic streams have been blocked from attempting to calculate --"

Beth was giving Gwen the "huh?" look.

"I've been programmed to be unable to think about it. I know that doesn;t help much, but I at least hope it explains a bit better." And then, almost as an afterthought, "Do you...like...the vehicle I made for you? Or is it a piece of crap? The vehicle I made for another containee was not received very well."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Beth

Beth's eyes moved to the parked Lambroghini, "Oh, no. The Diablo is a beautiful and very pricey car. Very nice..." A little strange to ask about a car that in reality couldn't go anywhere. "I .." She was speaking to .. something as if it were human!? Shaking it off, she had no choice but to 'go with the flow' of things until she had some idea as to what was going on.

"Thank you for making the effort to try and ease my discomfort." Again, strange saying things like this to a machine. She shifted around a little, her mind franticly working over what little facts she had.

"Is there no protocols in place to return us to our home?" That seemed more like the rational Bethany she knew and loved. But.. WOW! Twelve thousand different versions of earth? And if they knew of other dimensions like she said, and didn't venture into them for a reason.. A reason that seemed rather important.. Why was she taken?

"Out of curiousity Gwen... Are these earth's related or linked some how?" Perhaps that was the key to why she was suddenly in such a weird place? And why would Gwen be programmed not to think along certain pathways? Were there secrets there that could aid her some how in escaping this prison? Or was something bad going to happen that these... programs would come and snatch only four people?

GOD! So many fucking questions!

"I hate to interrupt before you answer the first.." She chimed in quickly, "But are all of us containees from different dimensions?" And was each place a copy of the previous earth? If not, was she going to see strange looking humanoids? It still scared the hell out of her, but talking to someone (even if it was a program!) helped slowly calm her nerves. She was a smart young woman! She could figure this out, a way out... If given enough time and leeway.

Gwen opened her mouth to speak when another question brust out of Beth's lips, "How much control over this... bio dealie do you have? Could you make anything and everything imaginable?" Gwen stared hard, opened her mouth and paused once more. Making sure I'm done maybe? Beth put on a sweet innocent girl smile and kept her mouth shut, waiting.

 

[VandalHeart]

Gwen giggled a little once she was sure Beth was done.

"It's good to see you're loosening up a bit. OK, from the top. First off, if you like, you can take the car over the bridges going east or west. That will take you to either of the first two other containees. West is a guy who is taking this whole ordeal very personally. I think I messed up and made a location he didn't like AT ALL. But he may be coming this way soon. Maybe. East is Orin. He also might be coming in this direction soon. Second question, about the return protocols. No, I don't have any of those programmed. I don't have connections to a dimensional portal, and I don't even know if there is one here anyhow. If there is one, Ben might know more about it, although he probably won't be very helpful. It seems an aweful waste of time and energy to collect everyone and then just let you all go home. The way the Earths are catalogued suggests that they go in a progressing timeline. Earth #1 is going through the earliest stages of ameobic evolution right now. For some reason, there's some kind of problem going back further, but there are Earths earlier than that. Earth #12,391 isn't even there anymore. The Sol system sun went nova eons ago, and again, going past that one is a bit tough, but I don't see any explanation in my data drives. Anyways, the wierd thing is that every different version of Earth has some really wierd differences in their timelines, so it's not like time-travel. They really are different worlds. Third question, about where you're all from. Yes, you're all from different dimensions. I don't know why, and like I said, I'm unable to think about it. Last question...well, how's this for an answer?"

At that moment, Gwen turned her attention to the tree not far from where they were sitting as it uprooted itself and WALKED OVER TO THEM. It had the strangest humanoid shape to it as it knelt in front of the two of them and made a full, grascious bow. Then, ti began to rain, but instead of getting drenched in the quite prolific downpour, the rain collected several feet above their heads, collecting in an invisible basin that curved and bent to an ovular point above them. Gwen climbed up on the bench and stuck her hand in the reverse lake, and pulled out a dripping wet hand before turning a proud smile towards Beth.

"How's that for anything imaginable?"

 

[IXIHawkeyeIXI]

John continued to listen to what Gwen was saying carefully. Listening to the descriptions of the other "containees" it did not sound like they had taken his crew, which was a good thing. "All in all Gwen, I'd say I'm handling this whole situation fairly well. When I start taking things badly, you'll see a whole differenty person. I just don't really appreciate the fact that I'm being kept here, away from my ship and my crew." John climbed into the Fade, examining the controls for a moment, familiarizing himself with how this particular machine worked. Looking at the compass, he tried to decide which direction was best for him to go. Slowly, he turned the Fade eastward. "Alright, you say the closest person to me is eastward...that's where I'm going. Might be that seeing an actual living, breathing person will help calm whoever it is you got locked up." The Fade moved slowly at first, as John continued to familiarize himself with the controls. Once he got the hang of it, he finally decided to address Gwen's other question. "The only place I wanna be right now is on my ship, so unless you got the blueprints of that somewhere in your brain, I don't know if there's a lot you can do for me."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Beth

Heart in her throat, she couldn't help her reaction to the moving tree. She gasped and quickly scoot backwards on her bottom across the grass. She had gone a few feet at best when it began to rain. Her attention moved up to where Gwen was looking, awed and shocked she forgot about the tree and simply watched a lake form over their heads.

"How's that for anything imaginable?" Gwen sounded pleased with herself, and who could blame her?

"Amazing..." Barley a whisper but Gwen heard and seemed to glow with Beth's praise. Having no real idea what more to say, doubting she could say anything flattering enough anyway, she simply watched with fascination at the hovering lake.

As quickly as it came, Gwen quickly made it all disappear. A little comforted with the tree back in it's place, Beth finally stood back up. Turning as she eyed the scenary, she was beginning to get an idea just how big this containment thing was.

So Orin was west, some unnamed guy was east.. So the forth was north of her? Having listened to all the strange information, she still had a hard time believing this wasn't some sort of weird dream she had conjured up.

She wasn't on earth any more. Which if she believed the program there were many versions of earth out there. All of them were from different versions as well.. A little creepy and very fascinating as well. Gwen had said there were safety measures, no way to escape either.. Well that the Program was aware of. A containment ship of some unknown size ran by computer programs, that ruled out cannibalism!

Her face scrunched up a little in distaste for even thinking along those lines. A really disgusting thought altogether. Her attention went to Gwen then, this was a program in a humanoid form to ease her comfort, but how real was the form? Was it some sort of holigram? She could ask or find out, but the idea of touching anything just yet ..

"I assume that this little slice of the containment thing is mine in the sense that you're here to make me comfortable.. Right? So could you make it a comfortable seventy-seven degrees in here always? Lose the park benches and add a few more trees that don't move, and perhaps a warm body of water to swim in?" The idea of returning to the stark white room above held no appeal at all to her. Besides, Gwen was much more friendly than the other program.

Again Beth turned in circles, her eyes landing on the Diablo. Beautiful car, but she had no desire to go anywhere that wasn't a direct line home. Still, she was drawn to it. Her hands ran over the body and felt a little rush go through her for just a brief moment. This thing works! Perhaps if she ever became brave enough, she just might see how fast this baby could go.

"Gwen do you know where we are?" The question seemed a little late in asking but still she could not filter out all these questions in a timely manner. There are just so many of them! "Are we inside a planet or perhaps atop on? Or heading some where? Stationary?" She circled the car, amazed to see there was even a license plate on the car. Pulling the driver door open, she peered inside before closing the door shut again.

 

[Elayne]

Eve looked over the tall figure of the Ben construct. She was stunned -- She'd encountered projections before, but this was far beyond anything she'd seen yet. After looking him over with a probing eye, she realized she had no idea where the projectors were.

Eve weighed her options for a minute, briefly touching the plastic spot behind her left ear; Jacking into a foreign system with no idea of what was waiting her would be dangerous. Since Ben was capable of manifesting it/himself, she decided she might as well simply speak to it/him.

"Verbal interaction is fine, Ben," Eve said. It was clear that Ben was modelled after a real person. Eve wondered if it was the creator of the system, or perhaps someone important to him? Ultimately, Eve didn't suppose it mattered in the most immediate sense.

A thought suddenly struck Eve. Most computer programs came with a built in help function. That would probably be the best way to get started on interfacing with Ben.

"Ben, can you tell me a little bit more about your capabilities? Or do you perhaps have an End User Support or Help Module I can use?" Eve asked.

 

[Rufus the Mad]

Orin was focused inward, his quick mind preparing to summon the magics he would need, and his body and spirit preparing for the strain they might suffer, even as he gathered his precious materials together. His previous endeavor had been a test of strength, a true strain… and he was, in truth, loath to repeat it. So it was that he was concentrating on the magics of the area, accessing the feasibility of his planned summoning… when he noticed an odd thing.

The land… the plants, the water nearby… even the very air all seemed to share the same… glow…

T’was brighter on land and plant, to be sure, and that of the air was scarce more than a shading… yet it was there, connecting all, making it… one. Even the foodstuffs and pipe materials shared the glimmering sheen, a faint shading just beneath the surface of it, as though it were sunk beneath the surface somehow. The Satyr looked to his own hands, his body, and saw not this glow, saw no hint of it in his fur, or on his skin, yet it filled everything else.

Suddenly, even as he watched, the glow grew in intensity, seemed to draw to one point a short distance away… He saw there, beyond the brushline a great light… brilliant and shining in a golden glory. He gathered his supplies, his precious materials… and ventured toward the light…

He saw there, not a person, no human form… but instead, by seeing only the power of her manifestation, by focusing his attentions on the magics… Orin beheld a shining orb of pure power! This was Gwen… this was what she was here… She was … all. She was Nature. She was Creation. She was… a Goddess. And if she were a Goddess, and this her kingdom… then he, as but a visitor… Oh damn.

Slowly, reverently, Orin dropped to his knee before her resplendent form, allowing his gathered goods to fall before him as his humble offering. No High One…” he responded slowly, letting his perception slip back to the normal range of vision, and at last seeing her milky skin, and her red-hued eyes. ”T’was I that was in error. I can see no imperfections on your wondrous form, and can but beg forgiveness for e’er causing you doubt. I have seen your power here, have seen that you control the very elements themselves… and must offer apologies for thinking you less than you are. I know not the customs of worship thou hast decreed, however, should you give me but a chance, I shall offer amends and prayers to thee. I am thy servant sure, and would hear thy will.”

 

[VandalHeart]

Once the shuttle was off the ground, Gwen spoke through the communications system near John.

"You might want to cover your eyes and make sure you don't lose too much altitude, because I need to make some kind of emulation here, and the containee you're heading towards wanted something to swim in. It's going to be bright."

Once John wasn't looking open-eyed out the windshield, Gwen created an ocean with a single island connected to a single space dock for the Fade, and a circle of mushrooms denoting the location of his lift back to the B.E.N., should he ever wish to return there.

"Done. You can look back now. Moving on with our conversation, no I don't have the blueprints of your ship. I didn't really know you had one. If it's much bigger than this shuttle, I can't make it, either. I can't make any vehicle if it's over 15 feet tall, 20 feet long, or can break the atmoshpere. I can't let you endanger yourself or anyone else by getting too close to the bulkheads. It's open space out there, and I gather you know how inhospitable it would be."

Meanwhile....

Beth was enjoying the new car smell as Gwen walked to the other side and continued their conversation.

"We're at a stationary point in outer space. I don't really know much more than that, though. I would assume that there are stabilizing propulsion units on the bulkheads outside, but that's pure conjecture. You asked if I'm here for your comfort. For the most part, you're right. My purpose here is to be an emotional contact for you and the other containees, as well as give you a place to move around and excercise. It's going to take me a few moments to get your portion of the nodule set to your requesteed temperature, so I hope you don't mind a short wait. I've already made a large body of water for you though, so you can go swimming if you like. By the way, the containee whose name hasn't been mentioned yet is on his way in a shuttle design indiginous to his dimension, so don't be surprized when something comes flying our direction, ok?"

Meanwhile....

"I will delay my response to your primary question," Ben replied to Eve. "Since my programming does not require an operator, there is no End User Support protocol, per se. I have several protocols that could be labelled as Help Modules, and my disclosure of them will answer your first question. I can create a limited number of object types and configurations to accomodate your stay in your quarters. If you visit the quarters of other containees, you will have no such control, as they are not your quarters. All ameneties and devices in this room and the next are controlled by myself, and I can activate any of them by way of voice request. The more specific you make your requests, the better I can accomodate your stay here. I was not programmed with illogic and emotion codes or circuits as the G.W.E.N. was, and therefore will be able to fulfill requests to the letter. If you would like a demonstration, I require a request."

Ben didn't move except to breathe between sentences and blink. However, in his monitoring protocols, he was examining new data coming from his rendering. He was familiar enough with human biology to know what was happening, but not with psychology, and while he knew what was happening, he didn't know the cause...he didn't know why. It never occurred to Ben that Eve would see the pupils dillate on his rendering, nor did he even wonder that if she did see it, would she realize why they were doing so.

Meanwhile....

Gwen was a little confused, but was figuring out what Orin meant as time went on. He had the capability to perceive energy flows and had just gotten done doing so. Once she realized that, she quickly centered on his thought process and logic strain. Giggling, she steped out of the boat and walked over to him, kneeling as she did so and lifting his chin with her soft hand.

"Orin, I'm not a goddess. If anything, I'm just a spirit. In this portion of this little world here, you're the one in control. If you want something, ask for it. I have to create it for you. This isn't earth, and just because what you see in front of you is made of the same thing, that doesn't mean I'm a diety. I'm certainly not one to be revered or worshipped. Orin, I am your servant. West of here, I'm Beth's servant. East, I'm another containee's servant, and further on in either direction, I'm the last containee's servant. If you must know my will, it is to make yourself as happy as you can here, because this isn't the most pleasant of situations to find yourself in, from what I'm beginning to learn. I'm very young and in some ways I'm just as confused as you are."

In conclusion, Gwen smiled a truly innocent and welcoming smile, then leaned in and kissed Orin's cheek.

"Now, are you going to give me that snack and boat ride you offered?"

 

[Elayne]

Ben had raised a number of interesting questions and points. Eve wondered how extensive his fabrication abilities were. But his words had her brimming with questions. Eve decided to start there. "I'd like a chair to sit in Ben, something with a straight back, preferably a comfortable material like leather," Eve suggested politely as she studied the AI's avatar.

Eve was watching Ben's face carefully. Whomever had designed and programmed this particular Artificial Intelligence had clearly been a genius of some caliber. Eve noted the subtle shifts in Ben's face, implying something quite different from his statement that he wasn't programmed with emotions or illogic. A true artificial intelligence would have to be capable of evolving and changing, perhaps even self modifying its own system. Or, the Avatar, which was so clearly modelled after a real person, might well be modelled after that personality as well, with the inherent likes, wants and needs of a person.

On the other hand, Eve knew that AIs would defend their world view, no matter how twisted, to a cold extreme that far exceeded any human tyrant.

"Your answer implies that we're allowed to move about the facility and enter the quarters of other containees, Ben," Eve noted as she ordered her thoughts. That was unusual; most prisons she had heard of operated on the principles of isolation and containment. "I'm also curious about the GWEN. Can you tell me anything more about this GWEN?"

 

[VandalHeart]

Before he responded, a simple four leg leather office chair materialized in a soft glow beside Eve. Then his response began.

"You are nominally allowed access to the other quarters belonging to the other containees provided they will allow you access. The Geothermic and Weather Emulation Nodule is a fully functional planetary construct. She is capable of creating a vast array of possible climates and settings. A transport vehicle will be provided based on your probable proficiencies so that you will more easily be able to reach the other containees. You will have comprehensive command over the operations of the G.W.E.N., but her programming will likely produce randomized renderings based on your requests unless extremely specific requests are issued. On a related issue, is your chair compliant with your request?"

Once Ben was finished with his question, his diagnostics were once again analyzing why he had asked it. He came to the conclusion that there was a malfunction in the connectivity between his difference engine and the rendering on the rendering's end. This body was seriously malfunctioning, in Ben's opinion. The problem was, he had no idea how to repair the problem, because he had no idea what the problem was. All Ben knew was that this rendering was functioning like an illogic circuit.

And he didn't like that in the slightest.

 

[Rufus the Mad]

The sound of her laughter was as the dancing music of the rain itself, and the touch of her hand, so unexpected, so tender, near to stole the breath from his body. Her words, however, struck him the mightiest blow… She claimed to be no Goddess, no power in fact greater than a mere spirit, yet he had seen her… He had seen the very air, the fabric of reality bending to her will, had seen the power that lay hidden now behind those soft red-hued eyes. She spoke as one compelled by his desires, as a servant to his will, telling him as much in point of fact, and saying that she was to serve the others as well…

What power, what warlock or mage could have constructed such a being? She, like Ben was a made thing, a breathing and living instrument put here to serve some purpose, though the Fae could scarce fathom what, and she, like the bound specter of Ben before her, seemed to care more for what he wanted, what was needed by him at the moment, than their own enslavement… For a moment, the erstwhile bard was struck silent by the enormity of the situation, but then, as he had done so many other times, Orin took a breath, and moved forward, his smile returning, and his quick mind spinning in ever-faster permutations, even as he composed himself. In truth, it mattered little to him that she called herself a spirit, nor did it matter to him that he was still trapped Zeus knew where, or for a reason that may be darker than Hades’ own black heart. He would continue trying to make the best of the situation, would continue forward, and would see what there was to this gilded cage. Gwen had spoken of others, had even named one, speaking the name Beth. Orin knew not if this Beth be a warrior, wizard, or poet, but to have two heads working at a dilemma was certainly better than one. And… it must be said, Gwen was a female, no matter her birth or condition, and though she seemed but resolutely adequate in the regards of sexuality, it was not above the Satyr to take note of the curves her clothing held. As well, one of the other lambs caught on this strange and startling mountainside might well prove to be a woman. These facts, and the remaining need for his pipes, lay at the back of the bards mind as he found his voice at last.

”Aye, fair maiden…” he began, rising to his tiny feet once more only to drop into a low bow, plucking a single beautiful rose from its place among the fallen offering and presenting it to Gwen with gentle hands even as he stood again. ”Tis truth that I gave promise of such a restful and languorous repast, did I not? Allow me then…” he continued, gathering the other fallen articles with as much speed as decorum and grace would permit ”To bid you welcome to your repose. Though your powers here cannot be denied, allow me, for the nonce, to deal with the mundane matters while you take your ease.” He took her hand gently in his own, and led the way to the waiting watercraft, stepping aboard with nimble hooves before drawing her to him, easing the passage of her slight weight from shore to ship with a wide and stable stance, and holding her close to his furred form for a split-second longer than was needed, drinking her in with his eyes... He led her to the center of the craft, and lowered her to the deck with a careful attentiveness, taking great strains not to jar her or stress her body as he did so, and then arrayed the foodstuffs and materials out around her in a colorful and captivating display before taking the pole in his strong hands and guiding the craft to the center of the slow current. He drew the stave aboard then, letting them drift on the lazy flow, and returned to her, dropping down suddenly on the opposite side of the victuals from her, and flashing her a smile that told her plainly he had played the fool for her entertainment.

With quick hands, he separated his small harvest into equal portions, and presented her hers on the broad span of a palm leaf he was planning on using as binding later. He had no such accoutrement, but seemed unfazed by the irregularity, grinning broadly as he popped a swollen grape into his mouth. ”As the spirit of nature,” he said in a conversational tone, chewing lustily, ”You must be commended on the fine sweetness of your grapes. Had I the means, I could make a fine vintage from such a stock… but why wait for such lengthy measures, eh?” Selecting another grape, the Satyr sang forth in his strong voice, summoning the magics that lay within the surrounding nature to respond, and augmenting them with his own Fae abilities. He sang the refrain holding the words of the dual summoning thrice over, as he had been taught, and ended with a resonant and artistic flourish, allowing the skin of wine he had called to drop from a few feet above them before catching it with a laugh, drawing the eye and serving as a handy distraction for the sharp bronze knife that faded silently into existence behind his bent leg.

 

[IXIHawkeyeIXI]

He said nothing for a moment, simply taking in everything that was around him, the amazing world that had just been created. Leaning carefully over the edge of his Fade, his hand dipped into the water. Deep down in his brain he knew that this could not possibly be real, that this had to be a hologram of some kind but...the water felt real. A smile formed on his face for the first time since he had woken up, and a small chuckle emitted from his chest. The smile lasted only a moment however, as he suddenly remembered where he was. Still, he could hardly take his eyes off of the water. It had been a long time since he had been on a planet with a beach - most of the ones he went to were just dirt bowls.

After admiring the water for a while, he came back to his senses and started moving the Fade again. His brain finally processed what Gwen had been saying, and he was saddened. Even though it wouldn't have been real, he was hoping that he could have had at least the image of his ship - that at least would have comforted him slightly. As he continued eastward, he decided to ask a few of the questions he had been wondering. "Alright Gwen, you obviously know a lot more of what's going on than I do, perhaps you could tell me a few things. Do you know what happened to my crew? Are they alright?"

 

[VandalHeart]

Gwen giggled a bit and clapped in enjoyment when Orin's spells were cast. She had monitored the energy flows while he did so and was interested in the differing technology utilized in their making. She enjoyed the difference in operating styles.

"So, besides what I've made here, what's it like where you're from? Tell me about the people there. And I'm sorry to pry, but what will you be using the knife for?"

Meanwhile....

"I'm sorry containee, I do not know the status of your crew. It's not something I've been allowed access to. I'm pretty sure that Ben won't know either. I know quite a bit about his operating specs, and his processing is taken up watching you guys while you're in there, so watching the outside world probably isn't within his capabilities either. Incidentally you'll be coming up on Beth's portion of the G.W.E.N. in a few moments. I will not be able to honor any requests you make in this area, since it is under her control, exclusively."

John had pushed the Fade to it's throttle limit, which was impressive for the little ship. He had never actually seen one go this fast before considering that most of the Fades on his plane of reality were old and decrepid, the misuse of decades having built up. He was beginning to see a city on the shorline on the horizon. By his veteran calculations, he would be there in a few minutes.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Beth

"We're at a stationary point in outer space. I don't really know much more than that, though. I would assume that there are stabilizing propulsion units on the bulkheads outside, but that's pure conjecture..."

Beth turned around, Gwen's words fading from her conscious mind as Beth's eyes grew wider and wider. Before her the park partially melted away so suddenly that she barely gasped before sand and ocean appeared. Stumbling slightly in awe, Beth bumped against the car behind her, letting the solid metal hold her up. Dumbfounded, the skyline held promise of San Francisco just over the hill.

"It's going to take me a few moments to get your portion of the nodule set.... large body of water for you though, so you can go swimming if you like..."

Large?! It was down right HUGE! "I don't..." She didn't recall asking for an ocean? Good lord, did she have to be specific?! She was expecting a pool at best, maybe a pond but an ocean?

"Wow..." She moved from the car, crouching down to let her fingers trail through the sand. It felt real, gritty and warm. Cupping a handful she brought it up to eye level and turned her small fist to let the small particles slowly fall and scatter.

Holy shit! A tremor went through her, part excitement and part trepidation. If a program could do this.... The thoughts were far more chaotic now, Gwen's last statement finally caught up to her coherent brain as she stood once again.

"Something flying at us?" She gave it little attention as she slipped off her sandals, heading for the water. She requested it, she may as well test it out and see how real the water felt as well. "Oh no.. flying things aren't going to shock me... I mean hell there's an ocean in outer space inside a spaceship obviously the size of a planet that goes to different dimensions gathering people for no reason..." She held no sarcasm in her voice, she was far too awed by all of this to really build a resentment at this time. She should be even more scared but her one weakness since the age of two was curiosity. Comforts were a close second. She was most definitely a comfort creature.

A faint hum was heard not too far in the distance, hearing it Beth still did not turn to inspect whatever, who ever was coming. Instead she carefully slipped the small tips of her painted toes into the water, waiting for... who knew what, but she was still with breath held for a few seconds before she realized that it did not hurt her and was just what she had requested, water to swim in.

"I don't have a swimming suit.." A rather odd statement but true. Why did she ask for a pool anyway? Mainly to test out this .. Gwen. The noise was growing steadily louder but not ear splitting, again curiosity won out and Beth turned to watch the approaching black dot heading her way.

"Gwen.. these containee's?? They're human like me.. right?" Now she was scared again?! "Jesus what a mind trip!"

 

[VandalHeart]

Gwen followed Beth to the shoreline, letting her figure this all out at her own pace. Gwen was starting to feel better about all of this, since Beth was getting used to things and John had actually smiled. Then Beth asked her question and she seemed on the border of upset.

"Well, like I said, I can't speak for the fourth containee, since I haven't made contact yet, but the approaching containee is human. As for Orin, well, I think you'd call him a satyr, or 'wise fair folk'. He's from a version of your ancient Greece. Ever heard of them?"