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Post by Erika Widowmaker on May 26, 2015 7:57:51 GMT
Volodja's handsome face didn't changed and his voice was calm as always when he said: "Sophie is suddenly replaced with a standard EGO unit. You know what I am going to do about that mystery? First we finish treating Cael, because that's why we are here for and when we are done here, I am going to be very upset so let's use the opportunity when I am still professional. Turn the program on!" Erika frowned, which emphasized the ugly scar going diagonally down the left side of her face from her eye to her lip, marring an otherwise attractive face. She quickly checked on Amber, her EGO psyche, finding her replaced by the factory EGO personality and mentally chastising herself for not seeing the earlier clue of Amber's absence. "Volodja, Amber is missing as well, but I appreciate you making Cael our first priority. However, this may be a new attack on us and must be acted on immediately, so I am relaying the dilemma to Atticus as head of security," Replied Erika as she informed Atticus of the problem of the missing EGO psyches EGO to EGO. Meanwhile, as Chris worked in a hall of the base on upgrading a security monitor, Psycho Pete, his EGO psyche, paced in his EGO device, mumbling about how he didn't want to be alone. Suddenly, a wave of darkness engulfed him and he heard a child's voice. "Don't worry Psycho Pete, you'll never have to worry about that again!" Psycho Pete heard the faint sound of small fingers snapping as he too was whisked out of existence.
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Post by Belle Starr on May 26, 2015 8:23:02 GMT
Lena watched the wounded raider take aim at Marcel's back as he looted the dead raiders' bodies. She wasn't too worried, he had an EGO implant and she had heard of their built-in radar, but as he continued to loot, seemingly unaware, she began to get anxious. Several voices in her head began to argue, giving conflicting views as to whether she should act of not. Although Lena never thought about it, her voices mirrored the seven deadly sins of human Christian tradition: the sins of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. The Voice of Covetousness, the voice Lena usually listened to, argued, "Let nature take it's course! It's fate that you take all his scrip off his dead body! Take his car too! It's nicer than any vehicle you have!" The Voice of Lust countered, "But he is such a good lay," But then added, "But so is Kaj - and a lot of men, come to think of it!" The Voice of Envy maintained, "You can be the new crime lord instead of him! You'll have the Varus film and you will have done Tommie a favor!" The Voice of Pride supported Envy, asserting, "You have the skills and smarts to do it too! Marcel as much as admitted it!" The Voice of Sloth said with effort, "Do you really want to be bothered saving him." The Voice of Guttonly merely whined, "I'm hungry! Get on with whatever you are going to do so we can go eat and drink! It's happy hour at The Crater I bet!" The Voice of Anger yelled, "The idiot is not making a move to save himself! Doesn't the asshole see he's about to get killed!?!?" In the end, Lena rolled her sky blue eyes, and thought, "Fuck all of you!" Lena fast drew her quickshot blaster and with a single head shot eliminated the wounded raider who would have killed Marcel. As Marcel looked up at her, a wicked grin crossed her pretty chalk white face as she twirled her gun in one hand before holstering it. "Look at me Boss! I'm Belle Starr - saving the not so innocent! However, I expect a nice fat bonus to my paycheck this month!" Lena said and laughed, then continued to loot the dead raiders, still not sure why she saved the life of Marcel Lestrange, and a little disturbed at not knowing why she didn't heed the advice of her voices.
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Post by Atticus Batman on May 26, 2015 8:33:21 GMT
As I am laying on our bed, cuddling with my sleeping Fiance, I hear a basic EGO talking in my head, and I respond. "Who are you and where is Dinara?!"
She says, "Sorry Mr. Batman but I do not know where your flowers are. That is an Irathient flora right?"
I respond with, "Yes it is dakking flora however, Dinara is also the name of my EGO."
She says, "No I am your EGO. I have no name, but I do have a message for you from Ms. Widowmaker."
I say, "Fine EGO. What is the dakking message?!"
After she relays Erika's message to me, my eyes and aura flash bright blue, bordering on whiting out. Then as I fight my raging impulses, that Dinara was created and designed specifically to help me control, I try to think, and I manage to remember what we decided was the cause of their last disappearances. Then I say outloud in an authoritive voice, still trying to control my anger, "Caprice! Cosmin! I know you two can hear me! If one of you are responsible for removing or killing our EGO friends, then get out here and explain yourself, right this instance!!"
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Post by Lady Christianna on May 26, 2015 9:21:31 GMT
Caprice appeared standing a foot above her parents bed, a smile on her small Irathiant face as she smoothed the ruffles in her green chiffon dress with both of her small hands, and merely stating, "Cosmin did it!"
Cosmin appeared immediately by his father's bedside, a shocked look of his small face as he shook his head vigorously, asserting, "No, I did NOT!"
With great difficulty, Atticus resisted the urge to kill both of them on the spot.
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Post by Atticus Batman on May 26, 2015 10:44:16 GMT
I look at them both as I continue to barely contain my rage. "Do not blame Cosmin without proof and quit floating above the bed! If you must float, do so closer to the ground so nobody can look up your dress, young lady! Now bring them Back!........hmm perhaps all except Alfred?.......No that wouldn't be right. He is Belle's father and she loves him. So bring them all back!" My aura starts flickering between white and blue as I fight the urges and ingore the comments from Kakusi about rage control, the only thing helping even a little right now is that these are my children and the love of my life is still snuggled into my side.
Meanwhile, getting tired of being ignored and knowing something needs to be done immediately so as to avoid my imminent "nuclear meltdown" that WILL happen in a matter of moments without Dinara's or Lady's calming affects to help me control my base urges, Kakusi thinks quickly. He decides that the best he can do is, temporarily jump into my EGO and send an S.O.S. but not interfere with whatever EGO is currently doing. So Kakusi slips into my EGO, while EGO is watching my vitals and repeatedly saying, "Your anger is off the charts, stop being angry.", as if it will actually help. Kakusi thinks in less than a second on who to contact. Lady is here but not waking up, even with Atticus growing very aggitated in her arms. However he tries to contact her anyway, and can't contact her. Belle? No, her and Atticus may still be annoyed with each other. Erika? Maybe. She is atleast a mother so can help with parenting.
Then he thinks to himself, and decides, "No desperate times call for Desperate measures. The foolish but cunning one just might be the best choice, besides according to the EGO trackers that I currently have access to by being in Fleshling's EGO device, Erika and Wolf-ram are both with that Meatbag and he is the least likely to freak if he is contacted by me, since he has atleast had a couple of conversations with me. Erika and the Wolf-ram did not really talk to me much, past the introductions. Alright time to reach out and touch someone. Let us hope he not only hears me but also responds."
Kakusi then sends an "EGO"(Grid) to "EGO"(Meatbag) message to Volodja. "Meatbag. Can you hear me? Do not be afraid. It is I, Sazri Kakusi! I am inside Atticus' EGO. Drastic times call for drastic measures afterall. With Dinara gone, most of his control of his baser instincts is gone. Lady is asleep and does not respond to my messages, so she can not calm him. The twins are here at Atticus' request because he is certain they are the cause of the EGO Personality replacements. He is trying to talk to them but having an extremely hard time focusing on the conversation while concentrating on fighting his rage. A fight he is losing by the way, but trying harder than he ever has before. Anyway here is the problem. I hope you can figure out a solution and quick."
Sazri Kakusi then proceeds to tell Volodja everything that the twins and I have said to each other in great detail, as well as describing our demeanors as best as he can. Including the fact that my aura is flickering back and forth between my "normal" emotional blue and my "savage beast" white, as I keep fighting the savage instincts.
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on May 26, 2015 11:09:25 GMT
Hearing Kakusi, Volodja startled at first, because it was so unfamiliar having him instead of Dinara. And that made him worry, because missing EGO psyches are common problem now and that could mean only one thing. His Sandy is gone too! But he had no right to give up either here, helping Wolfram with treating Cael or Atticus, who was in his cabin, fighting himself and trying to solve the mystery at the same time. That's why he said: "Hello Kakusi. My hands are tied at moment, but my mind is sort of free. Wolfram is our main ice breaker and I am just helping him, so I am capable making some suggestions about our missing girls. I must say that at moment direct approach might not be very helpful as long as I know children, no matter how powerful they are. Try indirect approach and don't ask who did it, but why it was done and how it was done. That should buy some time to us at least and that should keep Giant busy too, when he listens them and decides what to do next. But if we are lucky then we can figure out who did it from their answers. Just keep me in touch with everything. Over and out for now and whatever you do, Kakusi, don't let Giant to lose the struggle! His mind must concentrate on mystery and dominate over his feelings!" At the same time Cael who was tied up to his cart could see himself speaking in Votanis Senate. "...so my final conclusion is and always will be that peaceful co existence of Votans and humans is possible," finished Cael his speech. "I object!" said awfully familiar looking senator, dressed into red outfit, which reminded armour. "Votans were always superior than humans. Our successful conquest on Earth proves it, so human kind is determined into extinction because their own weakness." Cael could hear supporting voices after that remark, but not from everyone's mouths. Volodja could see Cael twitching on his cart and Wolfram explaining something to Erika. Probably he described the process to her. Volodja stepped closer to Cael and said: "Don't give up senator. You are about to win this debate in most peaceful manner. Keep going. We support you. Just remember how you won exact same debate in Votanis Senate and use the same argumentation." Suddenly Cael who was strapped to his cart, opened his mouth and said: "Let me remind you that Pale Wars were costly to both fighting sides and didn't lead us everywhere, so we can call it a draw, a war without winners. We both lost that meaningless war! Think about, how much we could gain if our relations were peaceful right from the beginning, because we reached into exact situation where we are living side by side with humans, but both of us are weakened because of war." Cael could hear voices of his supporters now and they were clearly louder and they were more of them than war party ones. "Cael is right," said an elderly Castithan. "I have lost two sons in those wars already and I am afraid that starting next war will extinct MY family instead of humans."
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Post by Atticus Batman on May 26, 2015 11:43:24 GMT
Kakusi responds to Volodja. "I will do my best Meatbag. I am in Compu-sister's EGO unit. So I will also push generic compu-lady out of the way and see if I can access the calming protocols in the Compu-girl's absence."
Kakusi then pushes EGO aside and starts trying to access my specialized EGO's calming protocols designed specifically to keep my rage in check. While doing so he talks to me through, both, our hivemind and the EGO's communications. "Fleshling you must concentrate. Do not let your savage instincts win. Those are your offspring and your mate is also with you. Lose control and you may destroy your whole family. Concentrate. I talked to Meatbag Volodja. Meatbag says, Quit being blunt. Instead ask them if they know why your EGOs were replaced and how. Concentrate and focus, Fleshling."
Hearing Kakusi talk to me, not only through our hivemind but also through the EGO device, the intensity in my aura flickers more. Then as Kakusi manages to get the calming protocols working, atleast at minimal specs, My aura darkens a little more. I then focus and concentrate more as suggested. Then I ask Volodja's questions. "Alright for now why were our EGOs replaced? How were they replaced, and how can we get them back?" As Kakusi helps me focus and concentrate, my aura quits flickering and starts glowing a solid green as my eyes sparkle a green-blue. Kakusi sees that and realizes that means I have currently reached a focused and balanced state at the moment.
So he notifies Volo. "Meatbag I got his calming protocols working somewhat and managed to convince him to ask your questions. He also just asked how we can get the EGOs returned. The good news is that he is now in a very focused state. Let us hope he stays that way. Even after one or both of his younglings answer him. Alright I have to concentrate on filling in for Compu-sister. Generic EGO is useless. She just keeps ranting about his emotional state and the odd electrical flow in his system. Dumb thing can not realize he is half Grid."
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on May 26, 2015 11:58:39 GMT
Volodja replied to Kakusi: "Not her fault. Standardized EGO units were created for monitoring, healing and gaining information about dangers ahead so they could alert their hosts, which leads us to...being really lucky having sentient EGO psyches who were....ARE...able to care about others too. If there was not Sandy, then Atticus's children would be dead already, because "normal" EGO would NEVER covered Lady with her own body, but warned her and tried to heal her afterwards. And if there weren't Sophe, MOM and even Alfred, then we could not save Sandy after that, because EGO-s main function is to take care only of it's host, not others. These are advantages of having our EGO-s in the way they are. Lot of us would be dead without them, no matter how costly and complicated it may seem to others."
While in Votanis Senate applause became to standing ovation to Cael, one could see, how senator in red outfit sneaked out from the room and disappeared into shadows. Cael in cart tried to release his strapped hands to calm down his colleagues. Wolfram gave Volodja a signal and he pressed stim against Cael's neck, sending him into a short but deep sleep. While he is passed out they will have to change decorations, so Cael could find himself in his home when he wakes up.
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on May 26, 2015 12:49:13 GMT
Marcel looked at Lena, saying: "Can't be a hoarder when we talk about saving my life, but it does make me wonder, why you didn't wait until he finishes his job and kill him after that. You could have everything - my scrip, control over Varus and fee from Tommasino and you could start the career of your own. Since I have to pay you for saving my life, then I doubt that I can offer you more than a single scrip for your thoughts this time. And we both know well that you are not a cheap, so I better avoid insulting you with such a lousy sum and wait until I can give you more." And he actually smiled to Lena this time instead of grinning.
"Shall we go back now, Lena-darling? Tommasino is anxious to see the movie we made for him and not so anxious to pay for it, but he HAS to, if he wants any respect from our side. Hopefully he has enough brains to see the potential in our business relationship and swallow his hurt pride."
Marcel decided to be a gentleman and opened car door for Lena this time. After all -she just saved his life and she had looks which could kill. Every dead rider here could confirm his opinion, but Marcel preferred to deal with living creatures now. First Tommasino and then he can dedicate himself to Lena again, unless she decides otherwise.
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Post by Belle Starr on May 26, 2015 15:18:42 GMT
Since Marcel had broached the topic, Lena thought about why she had saved his life, putting a pale alabaster forefinger and with a single lick removing the human raider blood from it. The coppery salty taste of the dead man's blood helped her focus her thoughts, then she took that same finger placing it at the side of her lush lips. The latter mannerism was a pretty affectation she had developed since a child, the former also was a discovery from her childhood where she found that if she focused on a single one of her senses, her mind could better focus on solving a problem. Usually the sensation involved pain, either giving or taking it, but sometimes it involved pleasure, or even such a normal feeling as taste or smell. The problem for her at this time was she really didn't consciously know why she saved Marcel's life! Everything he said was true: she could have had his riches, his leverage over his competitors, and be more powerful with him dead. Those times when she couldn't come up with a rational answer to a problem, either anger or pride would take over, and she would avoid thinking about the dilemma with either violence or a flippant remark. Shooting or cutting Marcel didn't make sense, as Lena just saved his life, so she shrugged her shoulders, a forced grin on her face, and said with mock cheerfulness, "Someone has to watch your back Boss! Get it! The guy was going to shoot you in the - never mind!" Lena almost pushed passed him when he opened the car door for her, but smiled, more genuine this time, when he did and then slid into the passenger seat, kicking off her boots as she did. She leaned back her car seat, she rolled down her window, sticking her dainty pedicured chalk white feet out the window, enjoying the cool breeze on them as Marcel drove to The Fork. The sensation helped her think calmly as she pondered the question that seemed to haunt her ever since she had saved Marcel's life: Why? Finally, she decided to just enjoy the ride and his company and he hers. Lena didn't realize the reason she saved was right before her. Normally, the people who enjoyed her company were the marks and johns who were enjoying the persona of whoever she was pretending to be, and not Lena herself. Even among the many bosses she had over the years, she portrayed something or someone other than herself. Marcel was different, in that she felt she could just be herself around him, flaws and all. Surprisingly, she found she enjoyed being just herself, a feeling she wasn't sure she had ever had before! As they rode along, a question suddenly popped into Lena's head, "Hey Marcel, I was just wondering, why didn't your EGO save you? I thought they gave you like - supersenses or something?"
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Post by Erika Widowmaker on May 26, 2015 15:51:22 GMT
Erika wasn't present when Cael first made his stirring speech before the Votan Collective Parliament, so she watched it now with a mother's pride. She openly grinned when he got to the part of humans and Votans living in peace, unconsciously reaching over and briefly squeezing Volodja's hand in silent gratitude.
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on May 26, 2015 15:56:10 GMT
Marcel raised his right brow and replied politely: "Because Moira was busy with two things - making an action picture for Tommasino was first. We all are going to see it after arrival. And second - she gave me a lecture about ethics. Yes - some EGO psyches can develop their own personalities and mine EGO happens to be a good and moral girl who is attached to Volodja and the light side where he belongs. Be careful with your wishes, Lena-darling, because they might come true and you get exactly what you wished for. I will tell you a story one day. A story how I got Moira, to be precise." And Marcel pressed his foot to the gas pedal, increasing heir moving speed, because they crossed the Golden Gate bridge again and long straight road was so tempting, but soon he had to slow down and start quick turns, because some putain laid land mines all over and Marcel wanted to deliver himself and Lena safely to Tommasino, get their reward money and maybe a new contract and after that he and Lena could have quiet candlelight dinner, although candles are probably placed on skulls.
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Post by Belle Starr on May 26, 2015 16:22:54 GMT
"Ethics!?!? You? A career criminal?," Lena laughed heartily as she remarked, "I would think that giving you a lecture about ethics would be about as effective as one to me about keeping my legs together when I'm wearing a dress - in other words, ain't going to happen!" Lena watched the scenery fly by as she thought about what he said about his EGO, "I still think it would be fun to have an EGO with all those powers and all! Shoot, with so many voices in my head, what's one more? Bet mine could drown out any single EGO voice! Still, I'd like to meet the EGO woman - Moira you say? - who could pussy whip a man like you, no offense meant! Maybe you should have named her Mortis and then she'd better suite your nature unless... " Then Lena pursed her large pale lips, and stared at him with large sky blue eyes and said in mock alarm, "Unless... unless you really are, deep, deep, down inside, ETHICAL!" With that Lena sat up in her car seat, laughing hysterically at her joke and slapping her knee with one dainty chalk white hand, remarking, "Yeah like that could happen!" Lena glanced out the window after wiping a tear from her eye caused by laughing so hard, then began putting her boots back on as she noted, "We're almost there! God, I laughed so hard I almost peed on myself! Like a criminal can be ethical! Evil is evil, and good is good, and a hell bug doesn't change its color."
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on May 26, 2015 16:28:27 GMT
"Moira is very suitable name for her, because ancient Greeks believed that Moirai controlled the mother thread of lifestyle of every mortal from birth to death. There were three of them. First one, Clotho, spun the thread of life from her distaff onto her spindle; second one, Lachesis, measured the thread of life allotted to each person with her measuring rod; third one was called Atropos. She was the cutter of the thread of life and chose the manner of each person's death and when their time came she cut their life-thread with shears. Just like me, professional assassin, who decides how long my target has time left to walk on Earth and how he is going to die," explained Marcel. "And if you want to see her, then I hope you are not mind having a hologram on your lap." Moira popped out from his mind, still looking like a really cute Asian girl and introduced herself to Lena, while Marcel drove them closer to The Fork ready to sell their latest film to Tommasino for fat roll of scrip. Marcel looked out from a side window, because he just illustrated his point of being careful with one's wishes. Now the girls could get to know each other, Moira blocking Lena's view, although he secretly envied Moira at moment. He would not object of having such close physical contact with Lena, like she had right now.
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Post by Lady Christianna on May 26, 2015 17:28:46 GMT
Lady Christianna heard Kakusi's voice ordering her to awaken from far away, like a distant echo. Her pink eyes' fluttered open briefly, finding her head lying on Atticus's chest, knowing he was angry because his heart was beating so fast. Her head, like her eyelids, felt like they weighed tons, but with an effort she raised her head, seeing her children around her. Caprice was floating in the air in a pretty ruffled dress that matched her spikey green hair, a mischievous smile on her face, while Cosmin stood at his father's bedside, grimacing with his small red clay colored arms crossed tightly across his child's chest. Lady turned her head and with sleepy pink eyes looked drowsily into Atticus's eyes, which flickered blue and white, triggering alarm bells deep in her soul, so she lifted her thin chalk white arm, tracing the deep scars on his face with one small forefinger, and said dreamily, "Only children Atticus. Our children. Love you so," Then her arm and head fell like rocks and she was fast asleep again. "See Father," Cosmin stated in a matter of fact manner, "The why is obvious. EGO's were not built to carry such complicated personalities, particularly the psyches of real people, but even those of the sentient AIs that become more complex every day they exist and develop. As they interact and multi-task in so many different ways, just like real people, they take more energy from their hosts to operate, particularly when they operate outside their hosts. The holo-emitters help, but don't begin to compensate for what is taken from the host. It becomes even more energy draining when the EGO psyches start developing lives of their home, with such x-factor emotions like love and hope involved." Cosmin unfolded his arms leaning on the bed towards his father, clearly oblivious to any danger, his small face full of pride as he continued his exposition, "I first realized it when Sandy, Mommy's psyche, tried to materialize outside of Mommy in a open environment, and noted how tired they both got afterwards. I noticed that this was particularly a problem when they engaged in interactions with people or even other EGO psyche's who were not their hosts, and even more so if strong emotions were involved, like when Sandy was with Uncle Volodja doing... vacation stuff in the holo-room. I increased my experiment to study other abnormal EGO psyches, visiting Alfred in his lab and watching Dinara interacting with your other personalities, as well as the others of your team mates, seeing that even when they remained in your EGO devices, the strength of their characters drained the hosts somewhat. I studied all of your team's abnormal psyches, and came to the same conclusion: the abnormal EGO psyche drains the host of life energy. Normally not life threatening, and the host does regenerate the energy in time. Mommy is a special case, since she is not only supporting Sandy but us, her unborn children, as well, so she is regenerating her life force slower than the rest of you. You Father regenerate the fastest, because of the Grid within you is a being of energy. However Father, I did not make the abnormal EGO psyches disappear. That would have ruined my observations of the phenomena and I had not yet finalized my conclusions. The only one I mentioned my preliminary conclusions to was Caprice, although I did discuss the phenomena with Alfred and he taught me about scientific method. Caprice had to be the one to make them disappear, but I have no idea how she did it." Caprice floated to the floor, twirling and giggling on the way down, smiling mischievously as she settled on the floor, then smoothing out the ruffles in her green chiffon dress, "Cosmin did it!" The smile disappeared from her face in an instant as she saw Atticus's eyes flicker from blue to white, staying that color for several seconds. Her small mouth formed a perfect "O", and she disappeared from her parent's bedroom to reappear in her Father's EGO device where Kakusi was trying to keep Atticus' temper in check." "Kakusi!" The small Irathient girl cried out, "Hide me! Daddy's going to hurt me!" "Will you teach me chess now?" Asked Cosmin of his Father, still not realizing the significance of what was happening.
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