“Logbook. Project Acid-Rodent. Entry 210: What an irritating piece of work … Subject 001 has once again underperformed in the end-of-cycle scheduled conversation training. The Slugcat shows herself as deeply uncooperative. At this rate, 001 won’t be ready when it will matter.
…
Question: What am I doing wrong?”
Approaching Sky looked down at the green-glowing Slugcat, who retorted his gaze with an unreadable expression. For some reason, she reacted to a specific word in his logbook entry, perking her ears when he stated the word ‘irritating’. What a nonsensical trigger to gain her attention, Sky remarked to himself.
What makes you tick, 001? Why are you so disinterested? And yet, you fulfil the minimal requirements on my post-training scans each time. You are not stupid, far from it. The mutagenic grid created you with the mental capacities of an adult. So … why won’t you comply?
We are all adults here, after all.
Sky spent the rest of the cycle simulating various projects, which all were running simultaneously. He only indirectly paid attention to the little critter in his Core, and that merely in the form of a program he wrote one hundred cycles ago. He developed it according to his discoveries regarding the small troublemaker. The algorithm kept her safe at all times, and read every carnal wish from her vitals. There was not one moment in the past tenth of a major cycle where she was lacking anything.
Sky did care enough about his company to keep her well-fed and entertained; with all the freedom she could crave. The algorithm even supported her on her exploration trips through his facility, keeping her intact and healthy. He was content with reading out the reports of the algorithm to stay up-to-date with the development of the acidic Slugcat.
And yet … Sky never felt the desire to interact with the irritating future messenger, beyond their scheduled teaching sessions. Sky wanted to write an algorithm for that part of her development as well, but he got overruled by his partner, Seven Red Suns. They threatened him with keeping Shifting Gales updated with his ‘less than stellar’ work ethic.
The Iterator was aware of Gales' view on his methods. At least he was now, after having analysed her dissertations letter for letter. It was surprising just how little she valued his ethics while admiring his work in general. A fact, that convinced Sky to listen to Suns and he left that part for his active consciousness to handle at least.
His attention was put back to the happening inside his core when he felt the dissolving sting of 001’s teeth digging deep into his umbilical. This was yet another attempt to annoy him and distract him from more important queries. Or was it?
Sky followed the gaze of the green Slugcat, the pearl white eyes focusing on a shimmering idle screen in the back end of his Core. 001 then looked back up at him and nodded, as if she wanted to remind him of the reason for the screen flashing up. Sky filed that remark under unusual development, given she apparently did follow his gesticulating talk after all, despite her shown disinterest. 001 was a simulant, Sky remarked with a deep sigh, which caused his Can to vent out huge quantities of mostly dry steam.
The effect was caused by a small upgrade he installed in his software two major centicycles ago, to filter and reuse the majority of the evaporated water. One of the few advantages of having been built by the ancients to be indefinitely upgradeable via his puppet’s loose cables. A gift he never stopped using to stay up to date with current technology, his Superstructure, despite being generation one hardware, rivalling even gen 3s in its software, turning him into one of the last remaining upgradable Iterators after the departure of the Ancients.
It was an advantage over any other Iterator, that kept his fable for groundwork research relevant to this very day, and his developed basic ideas highly desired among his peers for continuation. Sky handed off 90% of his research that way. He was content with the fact that others would use his genius for their glory; he appreciated it, even.
That disinterest in bringing projects to a clear end was also the reason why Sky struggled to develop an active desire to finalize Subject 001. If not for Suns' part in the project, he would have already ditched the non-obedient troublemaker and purposed a truly loyal messenger. The reduced time would destabilize the Slugcat’s molecules, but that was a small price to pay for a successful project. Yet Suns and, most of all, Gales, would never forgive him for choosing that way instead, he remarked with yet another even deeper sigh.
Sky would be stuck with that rush job, and was forced to see it through. And one part of that commitment was now flashing quite impatiently in his Can. The Iterator summoned the screen and accepted the call, which got promptly activated.
“Spearmaster is getting impatient, Approaching Sky! I requested the call a quarter cycle ago already. Where were you, in the name of the Ancients? We had a scheduled meeting!”
“Working with purposed … I had a backlog of simulations to finish; in fact, I am not fully finished yet. 001 reminded me of our meeting with her corrosive bite.”
Seven Red Suns tilted their head. That simple remark lightened up the Iterator’s mood from disappointed to curious. Their purple Slugcat jumped on Suns’ crossed lap to take a closer look at the feed.
“001 reminded you? Haven’t you mentioned an unusual degree of disinterest in the teaching session last cycle? Remarkable. She did understand everything despite not paying attention to you, Approaching Sky.
Spearmaster? The plan today could, in fact, work. Are you as excited as I am?”
Spearmaster stretched up and rubbed the back of its head against Suns’ chin. A clear sign of affection, Sky remarked. Suns was spoiling their retired messenger.
Sky reluctantly nodded his head.
“Indeed, an unusual development. I assume an error in the way I hold the lectures.
I agree. Introducing 001 to … Spearmaster … could yield the expected results with a good 70% probability. I will permit you to utilize the solid vision hologram for that query.”
Spearmaster perked up at the mention of it beginning. If it wasn’t for the dim rectangle above its head, Sky would be surprised by its reactivity. An option he had no access to, given his mark of communication was, after throughout testing on more or less willing test subjects, only able to translate his beeping, but not allow the beasts to comprehend the words spoken. An odd discovery, given he was responsible for his purposed high levels of intelligence. There was more behind that mark he would never understand and had no desire to understand. Especially as the goal of 001 was Shifting Gales. She had shown through the Scavenger her ability to forge a remarkably powerful mark, and she should also be the one bestowing it onto his messenger.
The purple Slugcat jumped down from Suns’ lap and made its way to a predetermined location inside their Core. Four red Overseers appeared out of the walls and, on Suns’ request, scanned the area around Spearmaster. They would only transmit information about density levels to Sky’s overseers, allowing the solid light to form the giant rodent in his Core.
First, a being of pure light appeared in the middle of the room, immediately catching 001’s attention. Then, layer after layer, visual information was projected onto the hard-light puppet, tinting the apparition in a deep purple. Empty white eyes were scanning the familiar, yet alien, Core of the green Iterator until they spotted the object of Spear’s curiosity. A small green Slugcat with fuzzy cheeks, a cheeky grin and similarly white, but glowing, bright eyes.
Sky returned his attention back to Suns, who observed the happening below in curious fascination. A sizzling clearing of his throat vents allowed Sky to regain the other Iterator’s attention.
“As for the pure data. Subject 001’s sped-up growth didn’t interfere with her ability to develop all necessary senses to acceptable degrees. The mutagenic interface by now integrated the required levels of acid and radiation resistance and, on Whisper’s request, means to utilize the acid with the ability to throw acidic spitballs.
Her overall radiation levels are in the expected range. Organic beings are desensitised to try to devour 001, as being in a proximity of 10 meters around her causes rapid build-up. This protective shield will trivialize the survivability of Subject 001.”
Suns’ fascinated expression dropped lower with every word spoken. Sky spotted how their hands grasped the phantom presence of their pet closer, fingers twitching in distress. The head of the ancient church appeared concerned, quite much, even.
“What? You further enhanced her radioactivity? And sped up her ageing process!? Like that, she will not be able to live a normal life after having fulfilled the task you force her to take. You won’t be able to undo the damage caused if she returns as an adult. Is that much protection necessary?”
“Afraid it is. I analysed the development on Gales’ Island with my returned Overseer. The acid is even more potent than Whisper’s analysis originally made us believe. It is in our best interest to keep 001 impervious to the damage of the location we want her to travel to.”
Sky felt Suns tensing up, their gaze growing firm in a flash of brief anger before catching themselves once again. Suns sighed in defeat, he noticed; Sky did know, that, in terms of logic, his way was the correct one. A trait of Approaching Sky, that caused past partnerships to break apart more quickly than he would have liked. Especially his genetic research partnership with No Significant Harassment he conducted over 300 major cycles ago, which went so poorly, that they haven’t exchanged a word ever since.
Turned out that a jester, like Harassment, required someone with, in his words, ‘even an ounce of humour in their Can’ to enjoy working. Yet, despite the differences between them, their project did spark the basic research for the mutagenic grid he perfected after all these cycles.
A mutagenic grid, which did allow for some loopholes to undergo drastic experiments without dooming the experiment. One such loophole, Sky realized, would probably calm his essential partnership Iterator down and encourage them to commit. He already mentioned it, but, given the changed perimeters, he should reiterate it.
“I have been updated by Lives and Whisper. They already have a clear idea regarding how to save Gales. As far as I am aware, they have told you about it as well.
This means that we can send the necessary building plans as well as the Neuron Brain sooner than expected. I decided to put my protegee’s life on top of my priority list and henceforth sped up Subject 001’s development. It is not in my interest to wait the full 1.5 major cycles until 001 can be considered ready, if that means that Shifting Gales collapses in the meantime.
To summarize: We have the opportunity to save much-needed time. All I require is full cooperation from you and your Messenger. I attempted my best to teach her to understand Spearmaster. Now it is your turn to make 001 realize the urgency of our mission. The faster she cooperates, the faster she will be back and still modifiable to me.”
“I … “
Suns looked down to their Slugpet and the hologram in his Can nodded back, Sky noticed.
“I can see the logic in your ways. Give us a window for the necessary training when she still has enough time left to live a normal remaining life after the mission concludes. … Especially considering what happened a few cycles ago with Shifting Gales. Time is ticking, even if she has now a protector with Breaker.”
“Subject 001 will reach the point of no return in roughly 800 cycles. Given my Overseer requires five cycles to get to Shifting Gales, and we can assume that 001 will require longer, let us assume four times that much, we will have forty cycles of travel time to consider. That number does not include the time 001 requires to locate Shifting Gales and deliver the items.
If we assume a generous sixty cycles with a plus/minus of twenty cycles, the Slugcat should be travel-ready in less than 720 cycles. If you desire a full recovery from her currently growing radioactive skills, it would be desirable to have her in my treatment in 700 cycles. That wiggle-room of 100 cycles would expand the range of changes I can undertake to undo the brilliance that is her.
Does that sound reasonable and manageable? According to my simulations, getting 001 on her way in 620 cycles would assure a large enough range of error to rule out that Gales’ situation would cause her to lose access to her assemblies and therefore be unable to create the brain lantern.”
Suns looked again down to his pet-champion and after receiving a stern nod from Spearmaster, followed by them throwing a two-fingered fist in their scarred chest, Suns returned their attention to Sky.
“Spears will do their best to make 001 understand the gravity of her situation and the chance she has been given. That should boost cooperation by a noticeable degree, I assume.
There is one thing Spears has already requested from me. We both do not like to refer to her by that replaceable project name. Is there a specific word you noticed she does react to?
Spears only received their name after their second mission, but, in your Scug’s case, pre-mission bonding would be essential to sprout some loyalty in that regard.”
“…I have noted in my logbook, that 001 always reacts to one specific sequence of letters. ‘Irritating’ is the word.”
The Slugcat perked up gazing at Sky, and he looked back with an inner smile, his crooked antennas twitching.
“It would be a fitting name, given her strange behaviour, but it is not a name per se.”
“Hm … ‘Irr’?” The Slugcat reacted to Suns’ syllable. “That is good. We can work with that. The other Slugcats Spears encountered usually referred to themselves through their abilities or purpose. Is there any sequence of syllables beginning with ‘Irr’ that would describe her best?”
It was a big moment, Sky realized. A moment, which required an unusual amount of commitment from him. It, however, only took a millisecond to scour their language to find the perfect name for his future glowing messenger. Sky looked down to the attentive Slugcat and worded out the name he chose.
“The Irradiant.”
The full name, Sky chose, was met with a happy squeak from the freshly named Irradiant, an equally glad nod from Spearmaster and a suppressed ‘aww’ from Seven Red Suns.
The first step was taken, the Slugcat had a name.
Irradiant!
Breaker had left her vicinity a few cycles ago and rendered Gales’ life into an existence of solitude once again. Not quite, however, she noticed as she looked inwards and connected to her entrusted Overseer she ordered to stay at her champion’s side. Gales was glad that it was not her communication devices that determined her connection to her Overseers, but those downward-angled bulky antennas of hers.
Let’s see how they hold up. Oh, how fascinating! The group arrived at my old Observatory. A place I was still connected to in my early life. A lovely hidden vista point to enjoy the beauty that was my Wilderness Program.
…
Do I want to see how my life’s work is holding up against the dreaded acid rain? … I can imagine.
Breaker did refer to the, in his words, ‘lost forest’ as Deadlands. I can paint the picture already.
Fine, one quick peek. Overseer, please turn around if you may.
…
It is even worse. My poor babies. All those lives I worked with, the balanced ecosystem I built up. Everything has been taken from me. Yet another aspect to fuel my [Redacted] against the Ancients. This island is lost if I don’t do something, and that soon. … But I can’t even help myself.
When Breaker noticed the Overseer acting strangely and he waved his greetings to his goddess, Gales had already disconnected her mind, leaving her zappy eye alone amid the scavengers.
She felt too sickened by the danger her Superstructure had developed into. The environment would not recover, and her inability to keep herself safe was the culprit.
