The Achlys - a heavily modified Arbiter-Class Battleship that is currently under the command of Leviathan. The bridge is a testament to the fusion of technologies that the Auxesians have achieved. The obsidian black floors, the AI nodes in lieu of bridge crew. The length of the vessel had its internals stripped to make space for network cables, server towers and other critical hardware for the project’s operation. Despite this, the testbed platform of a warship still saw the shortcomings of its ageing frame.
In its earliest concept, The Achlys stands in stark contrast to the standard philosophy of the early Technocracy years. Leviathan had decided to flip the board. In the waning years of the man’s life, he dedicated a significant amount of time and resources to modifying and testing the warship. The goal was to push its limits as a front line fighter, to make up for the shortcomings of the current ‘jack-of-all-trades’ role the Achlys filled. Both in its time in the Legion, and time in Auxo had proven to put the vessel through rigorous trials, yet there were many problems to still address.
The final analysis had determined that to push things further, the vessel would require a serious (and expensive) facelift, inside and out. New shields, better hull plating, a refined power core and capacitor system to rectify the shortcomings brought on by the current patchwork efforts to maintain some semblance of combat efficacy. The reactor is throttling itself, struggling to maintain stable connections between the Technocracy’s hybridized technology, the AI networks and draw of the overhauled weapon systems.
This had remained the focus of its operator for some time.
The Avatar.
Leviathan stood on the bridge of its warship, centrally placed at the end of a walkway as it looked outward into the black void that the Achlys swam weightlessly through. The background echoes of the cosmos tickled the vessel’s sensor receptors, like a ripple in the nothingness that engulfed the drifting Battleship. The flowing black cloak that the machine avatar blanketed the area around its feet as it calculated a variety of tasks. From mundane paperwork to agency management - the avatar of Leviathan had once again stepped into the role of leadership and coordination. Tasks that the simulated personality had felt accustomed to. Despite the cold and ruthless efficiency that the machine displayed in its job, the simulation couldn’t escape the limitations of the man it was pretending to be. A self-imposed restriction brought on by the memories of a long-dead father to the people it was now indebted to serve.
Even as the runtimes within its intricately crafted head worked away at tasks, there was still an air of rumination. There were always more questions. It continued to study history - all that was missed. Its origins, and how it came to be here. Tasked with filling the exceptionally large shoes of the dead Keeper, yet grappling with its identity as the memories it has do not reflect the nature and behavior of those who recognized Leviathan as Joshua Hunt. The fear, the doubt, the mistrust - all brought on by actions of a past it never truly lived to commit.
It was like wearing another person’s skin, and learning to walk and talk as they did. It came as naturally as the machine’s evolving processes allowed. Even still, the idea of past wrongdoings remained a point of confusion. The masquerading act had consequences - the very prolific nature of that who the hollow man embodied slowly was coming back to haunt it. Faces began to resurface. Methods of survival were becoming less viable. It was time to adapt. To complete the objectives that were set for it by the creator.
The Creator.
February, 834.
The first moments of this incarnation’s life were nothing if not disorienting. Leviathan likened it to being pulled from a deep sleep when engulfed in a dream, and you awaken to everything being disorganized and out of place. The thoughts, the feelings and the memories were foreign in the moments that followed. Yet, like instinct, it felt the urge to find something. A desire to reconnect to a network it was lacking. There was a void in its processes that felt even more hollow than the machine itself. The cold interpretation of lacking the presence of its other half. The other half of the Leviathan that was - The Revenant. The Creator. The One. From the very root of its core, there was a pull. In those moments, Revenant had changed Leviathan’s primary directive, to ensure no matter what the simulated personality concluded, it would always be loyal to her and her cause. The Yang to her Ying was reborn anew.
It was dark. The first moments were blanketed by… An actual blanket. Leviathan couldn’t feel anything, as it rose up from the table it had been laid upon for many years. The neglect to its joints presented mild audible disturbances as the hollow man pulled the cloth from itself. Leviathan’s olfactory sensors detected smoke - burning plastic and heated metal. It analyzed its surroundings with a slow swivel of its head, as the purple hue from its optical lights illuminated the room in front of it. A dusty, derelict workshop.
“Creation of Steel.”
The voice pierced the silence like a blast of high-yield nostalgia. Shock and awe. The sudden sound caught it off guard, but the audio processors related the pitch to a voice that warmed the void in the avatar’s simulated consciousness. The familiarity. Kin. Someone we trust. Someone we know. Leviathan turned around to face the woman who called out. It took a moment, analyzing the person who stood before it. The machine towered over Revenant, standing at close to seven feet, yet the slender metal body was exposed without the typical black fabric cloak that masked all the modifications that the old Leviathan had done to survive.
The new body was sleek, as it no longer housed the material to sustain organic matter. All the matter had been replaced by intricate processing equipment, small-scale fusion cells, photo-receptors and touch-sensitive photon emitters to replicate the sensation of touch. It could see, feel, hear, smell, and communicate like any other all from inside a familiarly terrifying metal husk.
There Leviathan stood, face to face with The Creator. The Revenant. The One. A million thoughts raced through the runtimes of the machine, likening the encounter to memories of a long bygone romance. The primary directive. The desire. The void - there was the other half. The memories dictated to the Avatar that hardly any time had passed, yet it knew from its internal clock that the memories were not accurate reflections of time. They were nothing but archives to pull relative data from in order to maintain the simulation. It struggled to comprehensively communicate as so many feelings overcame the avatar of Leviathan.
The Revenant.
Revenant stood opposite Leviathan. The machine recognized the nature of her defensive posture, as her hand remained hidden on her weapon. The first sign of hostility - the recognizable trepidation from an old friend. Things already weren’t adding up, which added pressure to Leviathan’s efforts to comprehend the current situation. How? Why? They are our solemn duty. Our leader. Our Lover. Our best friend. There Revenant stood, ready to strike down the avatar at the first sign of any imposed threat. She knew the danger that it was capable of in the past, even if Leviathan did not.
Leviathan obeyed her commands, as she demanded its identity and gave it a new one: Adonis. The echoes of who it was supposed to be contested the notion of becoming something new. It was created for a purpose: A void had to be filled. The machine struggled with itself, grappling with an internal identity crisis as the merged AI collective pulled in every which way on the matter. A bold action. A desire. Fill the void. As they searched the workshop for any clues they might have left behind. The tower in which Leviathan was rebuilt had a long history - dating back to the earliest days of Hunt’s independent operations. It became a staple gathering place for him, his cohorts, and later a hideout for the remnants of his family. Revenant wished to ensure nobody that lived there could uncover what had happened until the time was right.
The masked woman continued to type away at the central console of the workshop that once housed the AI which operated the tower’s security systems, attempting to determine if there was a way to restore some version of the building’s operating system. The process that the collective housed here had undertaken to generate the Avatar of Leviathan proved to be rather destructive to the localized infrastructure. The collective had disseminated itself into the new machine life that Revenant created. All traces of any data, the network and the AI seemed to be totally wiped, or left over in corrupted clusters on irreparably damaged servers. The only record left on the terminal was indication of a massive transfer of files, which reportedly caused several maintenance tickets to be auto-filed by the software as it worked. Without an inquiry or thorough breakdown of Leviathan’s software, it would be impossible to determine what’s missing or damaged.
“Looks like you got it figured out. That magnificent brain of yours.” Leviathan’s modulator rang out the familiar, simulated voice of the dead man it embodied. A skeletal, metal hand extended and placed itself on Revenant’s left shoulder as a sign of support. The machine soon recognized the small discomfort this posed, and recoiled.
“Sorry, I’m-... What’s next?”
There was a hesitant pause from Revenant, who soon let out a deep sigh. “... All of this, I… still need time to process this, but. I suppose in some sense, you are still his spirit. I have missed him dearly. You? I don’t know if you are quite him.” The woman explained with some hesitation. It was difficult to even approach the subject of explaining that something might be a replication and not truly themselves.
“But there are some ground rules to set. You are not truly him. Not until proven. Izzy does not have his father, so do not go claiming to be him. I don’t need to deal with more traumatized individuals.” Revenant continued, crossing her arms as she eyed the metallic figure from head to toe.
“You are - ultimately - a replication. Is it… The same? Don’t know. There was always more going on inside that brain of yours – his…”
Leviathan’s head tilted in confusion as it took in the news. A task had been presented to prove itself - to prove that the personality it chose can hold up to the task of filling the void. It searched its memories, looking over their bond in the moment as it stared at Revenant. The woman shook her head and spun back to the terminal.
“Just - Focus on now - please. The now. We will meditate later.” said Revenant, as she attempted to redirect back to the task at hand. A metallic hand gently gripped her arm. Revenant turned slowly to look at him.
“... Just… One thing.” Leviathan tugged her close and wrapped its arms around Revenant in an embrace. In those moments, the machine’s software had satisfied a desire. In searching the memories of their bond, it related the void to their relationship. It knew now what way to approach the proving of itself, as it did its best to humanize its actions and treat Revenant like the partner it once was. Leviathan’s metallic arms wrapped around the white-clad woman like a cage, gently surrounding the Bird in an embrace.
“I -”
A sigh escaped Revenant. A myriad - a hurricane of emotions came out. The once brittle, stone cold individual had another snap in the moment as memories came rushing back of their bond. Distorted, shattered memories that she struggled to cling to as the years went on without their unity.
“For whatever reason, this felt like something I am supposed to do.” The machine explained.
Revenant caved into the embrace, patting the dense metallic avatar on the back. “... I have missed you solely. But… this… I … – I need time to think, understand…?”
The One.
Unravelling the uncertainty that now lay before them took introspection. Recalling all that they once were, and the importance that each put into the other. The pair were a venerable power couple in their hay day, having accomplished feats that shaped the society of the Technocracy to this day. A deep unity lay represented in the archived memories of the machine, even if they were shattered fragments to Revenant. Some comfort presented itself in knowing that all was remembered. Every minute recorded to the last detail, and stored in the new incarnation. Leviathan called upon the vast records of their bond, letting it shape the direction of its personality in an effort to comfort its creator - The One responsible for its chance to begin anew.
The unwavering loyalty that had been built into Leviathan was only emboldened as the memories flowed freely through holographic recollections it showed. Each moment that it showcased reinforced its personality matrix. It grew to appreciate Revenant once more, beyond the appreciative notions of being given another chance. The memories influenced its desire to fill the void its template had left. Why else would it have been brought back? Leviathan placed importance in that question. The weight of its existence, even the idea - it was because of Revenant. Their ever longing desire to reconnect and recall the past, as in the years they were together even still slipped from her grasp. The years had only amplified the loss of memories.
Yet the machine found itself drawn to these archives, as its personality matrix demanded more. Like a moth to a light - each moment, each memory, each feeling - it was like an addiction. An overwhelming pull to embrace the delusion and become the template. Truly, embody them. Their talks were long, covering all the possibilities and events that had transpired. Revenant broke down the fear and unsettling nature of its template’s demise, warning of further unwelcome responses to its appearance that had yet to come. Leviathan spoke with the same grandiose charisma that Hunt had, painting a picture of a shared vision from a long time ago. A true paradise, for people like them - The Technocracy embodied in a utopia.
“You see, my dear…” Leviathan’s hand reached out, extending a single finger to tap Revenant’s forehead. “Your desire to see me again has awoken something. It’s that desire that has me convinced that you know - deep down - that I am more than a simple copy or algorithmic responses strewn together to give you what you want to hear most.” The machine man stood upright, once more towering over Revenant.
“You asked me what I would do, if I couldn’t stay at your side? This. Build. Plan. Conceive a path in which the dreams of our idealistic young selves can manifest into a reality for those we wish to guide into a new, and brighter future.” The conviction in the inflection of its vocal tones was clear.
“But, what if our vision is wrong…? What then?” Revenant asked as she continued to probe the machine for any sign - a clear indication that the same ambitions and spirit were inside the Avatar of Leviathan somewhere.
Leviathan let out a long sigh, placing an affirming hand on Revenant’s shoulder. His words of reassurance were a breath of fresh air in a long-polluted era where trust was in short supply.
“If the future we see is wrong, then we would’ve stopped chasing after it ages ago. You would’ve stopped. That vision is - or at least has remained as some kind of guiding principle for you and our people in the years. We haven given up any chance at a life comparable to the average person in The Houses and beyond as we chase something greater. That desire - that urge to seek out the unknown for us? It will always persist. Isn’t it better to direct it to something truly beneficial? Knowledge? Bettering mankind? Unlocking the secrets of the stars? At some point, the rest won’t matter. The pieces will fall into place. The cost of power is another lesson worth teaching our child, isn’t it?”
The weight of Leviathan’s words carried with it whispers of the dead man it represented. The ambition and desire for more. Always searching. Always working, yet his words hadn’t painted a clear picture for Revenant of the same vision.
“We cannot better mankind, not without its willing obedience and acceptance. Humanity loves their freedom. Their various ways of expression. We cannot ascend everyone, that is something I have come to learn.” The woman replied to Leviathan.
“Of course. Bringing everybody along was never a part of the vision. That utopia is something we must forge ourselves, and protect just as much as we protect the knowledge we gather. You can’t save everyone, and we are not going to.”
She listened. The hollow man’s words got heavier and heavier, rolling out of its vocalizer matrix like words would off of Hunt’s tongue. The cunning nature remained ever present. Hunt always had a way with his words.
The machine avatar placed its hands on either of Raven’s shoulders, leaning down to meet her face to face. “What matters most to me is that we have our unity again. I hope that - in all the rambling I subjected you to, that some part of you knows this can be real. Think of all the years we spent together. The loyalty. The trust. It has never decayed for me, and never will. All I ask is a fair chance.”
There was a pause. Hesitation, yet understanding. Revenant gazed at him with silence through her mask. There was some semblance of trust, as she felt the investment of their joint vision tug at her spirit. She believed him.
“You are right. We can try to do the best, and perhaps it may not be fully achieved, but damned if we can’t try.” She accepted the incarnation’s speech, seeing the memories shape the new being into the figure she knew from before. Their reunion and rekindling would take time. Weeks, perhaps months. Slowly, they would function as One again. Their strength, guile and goals unify to shape the outcome of their actions together.
“It is very easy to become ever so bitter about humanity, isn’t it…” The woman’s voice asked.
“Humanity often doesn’t deserve the kindness we afford it.” The machine answered.
One month in the shadows. One month, tailing behind the Creator. The efficiency of the man it replicated was dwarfed by the new runtimes that swam within the collective consciousness, constantly tricking itself into believing its own lie. Time spent convincing, scheming and preparing as the time soon approached for the reveal. The gravity of what Revenant had endured left its weight on Leviathan, as he felt time - and what little understanding we have of it lay tethered to the trembling tools of a long-dead species. What little hope there is lie beneath the feet of fools, who play in the sands of fate like children.
Much planning needed to be done. Actions were required. Assets. Personnel - Leviathan sought to consolidate all it remembered. All it had access to. Familiar things - things it could control. Yet - many of those it would rely on have been gone for too long. Some dead, like the soul of the avatar itself. Great minds lost to history and actions it carried as memories. Regrets. Mistakes it had spent much of its brief few weeks of preparation studying and learning from. The Avatar recognized in some capacity, that the soul it hosted had much to atone for, and that this second chance could make or break any potential at a future for the collective that swims within its head.
Then, it clicked: Shades. The fallen - those Leviathan had come to trust and lost over the years - there were records of some of their neural scans. Imprints. Quantifiable data, like The Creator had come to uncover in the dream. Yet… Crude. Without spirit. Without the personal touch of journals and other data to add, these replications would be nothing more than loyal goons for his cause, pursuing their own ends as they hear the whispers of Leviathan in their haunted minds.
There was one - one in particular that would be an excellent test. One who Leviathan had dispatched themselves, in the Doctor’s betrayal. One loss that was far too regrettable, and costly to the Technocracy. A Venator - Stacker. Alan Stacker. A veteran of the Hellfire Legion himself. The renegade, whose expertise in fleet logistics had seen both the Arktos and Andraste through their service upgrades. His knowledge and management skills had rivalled even some small corporations with savvy business sense, and his devious nature from his past in the offshoot of Gladius ensured his capable discretion and experience as an undercover operative.
He was needed. Necessary. One hand of a set. No. More. One finger of a hand, which will serve as a fist for our goals. To lure, grasp and crush - all in service to The Serpent. All for the Technocracy. All for The Creator.
The Aether.
Aergia’s labs were abuzz with activity given the recent task of analyzing a new power source. Lab techs were in and out of the various doorways that dotted the hallway, paying little to no mind as a hooded figure moved through to one lab in particular.
The lab in question seemed to be more of a personalized office and close study space. Sat at the desk running samples under a microscope was an older man with a beard and shoulder-length grey hair. His lab coat had various stains around the sleeve from spilled drinks and cigarette burns, yet his cybernetic arms compensated for his otherwise disheveled appearance. Kaufman was hard at work. The doctor was enthralled by his actions as he shifted the small petri dish around to different angles.
Without much warning, his chair was shaken as a pair of metal hands gripped the back and tugged him slowly away from his desk. The doctor jumped - alarmed, and a bit annoyed. He stood up, sighing. “Damn it, Dee, I said le-” The old doctor spun as he prepared to reem into his coworker, suspecting them of pulling a prank. His eyes widened at the reality of who it was, as the imposing figure of Leviathan stood there holding Kaufman’s chair.
"Oh shit!" Kaufman exclaimed, stumbling back into his desk and knocking over the microscope apparatus. Quickly, he adjusted his posture and bowed. “S-Sir! I had no idea you were going to be here today! … Or at all, really. Wait- aren’t you dead?” Kaufman trailed off, puzzled at the sudden appearance of the former Keeper.
“Not everything is as it seems, Louis.” Leviathan answered, brushing the chair to the side and stepping forward. The avatar placed a heavy metal hand on the doctor’s shoulder. Kaufman shivered at the contact. “I need access to the neural scan archives, for 826. Tissue samples from before that - anything still left over from Z-Sec projects. Forward them to me immediately.” Leviathan’s request was rather specific, leaving Kaufman with questions he knew he’d never get a straight answer for.
“That’s a tall order, u-uhm…” The Doc scratched his head. Kaufman soon pushed off from the desk and went for a terminal on the wall. His fingertip folded back and exposed a jack for direct interface, which Louis promptly plugged into the terminal to bypass security with his personal ID. The screen flashed a variety of colors as data quickly compiled and transferred into an accessible location for Leviathan. “That’s all the records of neural scans for the year you mentioned. Tissue samples might be tricky - those’ll be on ice on Valravn.” He explained as he shut down the terminal.
“Very well.” Leviathan acknowledged what Kaufman said and spun on the spot, moving to leave the lab.
“Waitwaitwaitwait hold up!” Kaufman jogged over to walk alongside the hulking robotic man. “I really would like an explanation for how you’re- well, you-... How is this possible?” The doctor fumbled over his words as he went along, scanning Leviathan from head to toe as he attempted to fully grasp what he was seeing.
The Avatar stopped abruptly in the hallway, and placed both hands on Kaufman’s shoulders, chuckling slightly. “All in due time. I have things to attend to. Get back to work.” Leviathan ordered and broke contact with the man, turning once more to leave. Kaufman watched as the figure sauntered onwards down the hall, then slid his hands in his pockets.
A day would pass. Leviathan had set out to collect some materials and track down a ship. A Prosecutor that once belonged to Stacker. The Avatar had ordered the fighter be prepared for service again from afar. Leviathan found itself back on the vessel where it had been built - seeking to renew another life for his own gains. The machine toiled away at a terminal, compiling a new simulation not unlike itself, yet lacking in many of its technological influences. A servant. A soldier. A pawn in his plans.
The machinery slowly began to assemble a new automaton to host this simulation. Piece by piece, the new being was put together, lacking only the spark of its pseudo-soul to bring it to life. Hours went on as Leviathan parsed the new AI into a similar structure - a mesa-optimizer to keep the Shade’s personality in line and make adjustments to pass as the real deal. Finally, it was time. Leviathan entered the workspace and approached the table where the newly built body lay vacant of its host. He interfaced with the machine body, transferring the new runtime over to its home. A new piece of a wider network. Leviathan disconnected and stepped back, waiting to see if the results would pay off.
A minute would pass. Then two. Soon, the faint glow of blue filled the optic sensor indicators of the machine, as its consciousness slowly came to. Confused, and somewhat slow to the realization, the figure rose up and stretched as if getting out of bed with a groan from its vocabulator. In that moment, it clicked - no back pain. No fatigue.
“Arise, Aether. Welcome back.” Leviathan called as he loomed over the foot of the table.
Aether jumped and looked over towards the cloaked man, instinctively reaching down for a weapon that wasn’t present. Soon realizing his mistake, the Shade relaxed. "Oh, it’s you. Sorry, boss." Stacker apologized and rose to his feet.
“There’s much that has changed. Save your questions for when you see what became of our home.” Leviathan stated as he offered a guiding hand out to the Shade.
“Let’s get you up to speed, my friend."
The Crucible.
Another relic of the past. One still alive. One whose experience will be vital. Leviathan brought them into the Serpentis team, and they’ve been a faithful right hand to his efforts, yet always there were questions. A desire to know the truth that they display - a curiosity that has led them into deep water, desperately trying not to let others drown. Their ties - their experiences - their connections are all invaluable. They will be a shining beacon for the future of The Creator’s efforts. Of The Technocracy’s goals.
The Achlys was performing its usual routine holding pattern in the security perimeter of Valravn Citadel. The comings and goings of the Technocracy were visible through the viewing port that occupied the front of the bridge. The crew was once more noticeably absent from their stations, given the presence of Leviathan. Two padded chairs occupied the left and right of the open plateau that hosted Leviathan's control station, with the machine itself sitting comfortably in the left one, staring out into the abyss of space, and admiring the colorations of the East and West Avlemore Nebulae.
His hood was down, and he was sitting in a relaxed posture. Leviathan must've been expecting somebody, but who remained a mystery.
Crucible had sent a short communication to Leviathan some time prior--a bit of a cryptic one. She had said she had questions, and that they weren't urgent ("mostly out of curiosity," she'd said), but that they were sensitive enough that she'd rather not ask them on a comm channel. So, Leviathan had invited her aboard the Achlys. As good a space as any--in fact, better than any other she could think of.
She'd shown up under the guise of her codename, wearing her armored flight suit and opaque helmet. She paused just after entering the bridge, expecting to encounter Leviathan busy, and the room full... but, no, it was empty, save for her conversation partner. So she approached, and took a seat in one of the chairs next to the Avatar.
"Leviathan." she said cordially. She reached up to twist her helmet and remove it. Leviathan nodded to the guest - Crucible. An echo of the Navy. Mutual shared history, yet rarely had the two met before The Technocracy, if ever. Nevertheless, the sentimental side of its memories was delighted to have someone else to chat with.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Leviathan asked, gesturing to a nearby bottle. Imported wine, Gallia's finest. He appeared to be offering a drink.
"Would you rather I cut to the chase?" she said as she pulled the helmet off. Crucible placed it beside her chair, then her green eyes flashed back up at Leviathan.
Leviathan chuckled. "We can put formalities aside, sure. I chose this spot so that we'd have some peace, for a change. Talk to me." The avatar's purple optical indicators flashed back as Leviathan leaned its elbows on its knees.
"They're going to be prying questions about you, in particular." She glanced up at the lights that stood in for Leviathan's eyes. "I don't mean to put you on the back foot, but I was thinking about AI recently, because I was talking to Lazurith. You probably remember that conversation, I know you were listening in." She tilted her head with a vaguely furrowed brow. "Which got me wondering about you. You're not the original Leviathan, after all--you're a copy of him, used to train an AI. Right?"
"Truthfully..." A simulated sigh followed. "I'm not entirely sure. This wasn't some pre-planned process, or even a failsafe I had backed up for myself. Raven knows - She went and got the idea from a holo-sim on The Citadel of uh- well, me. However, nothing in my archives make mention of this." It went on to explain, gesturing to itself in the end.
"Do you mind if I pick at it a little bit?" She raised her brow, sitting up. "I've got...a lot of thoughts. And to be clear, I'm not thinking about this because I think you're dangerous or something. But I like to know who and what I'm dealing, if you get my drift."
"You'd be welcome to. It'd likely be a learning experience for us both." Leviathan answered, tapping its finger on the arm of its chair.
"Mmhm." Crucible nodded, sitting back in the chair. "So you just said you're not totally aware of what you are. How much do you actually know? Are you capable of running diagnostics on yourself? Would you even understand what you were looking at if you did?"
Leviathan shook its head. "Beyond the physical analysis and functional state of this body and ship, I cannot directly introspect into the function of my operating systems beyond searching memory archives."
"Mm, typical." She wrinkled her brow and kneaded her forehead. "So you're not aware of what kind of AI you are, and you're not able to run self-diagnostics. We don't know if you're an evolutionary algorithm, and we don't know if you had training data before you were trained on Leviathan's neural data. Do you know if Raven knows any of this?"
Shrugging, "We had plans to figure this all out. She was going to jack in her neural network and see for herself." The machine explained.
"What do you feel like you are?" She looked back up at him. "Not that it changes anything objectively speaking, but you're...a person. You behave like one, you're legally considered one." She raised her brow. "Do you feel like you're Leviathan? Or do you feel like you're just wearing his face, in a way?"
"I'm fairly confident I am - in some way, a spiritual continuation. There's some doubts. For example: People who Revenant believed I'd harbor resentment for, yet I've been nothing but happy to see. All the memories, the emotions, the thought processes that make up this iteration. They have influenced me and my decisions."
Crucible nodded at that, though her brow was still furrowed with what was swiftly becoming a recognizable sign of internal analysis. "Right..." She paused, then sighed. "All the instincts I have are probably...incorrect for the circumstances, honestly. The ESRD viewed AIs as tools, not as people." She folded her arms. "You were there when I mentioned that we maintained AI algorithms, right? And that I had to learn how they worked so that I could make sure they were deployed correctly?"
Leviathan nodded. "Of course." It uncrossed its legs and pushed itself up, standing upright. The black cloak it adorned blanketed the floor behind it as it took three strides over towards Crucible.
"The very nature of our society has us looking at AI - the Gammu, the evolved ones from ERI's subnetwork, even myself - as equals. People, like you said. Even when many don't display the same, how would you put it..." It stopped and pondered for a moment, placing a skeletal metal hand on what would be its chin. Even its mannerisms matched as the simulated figure kept up its duty.
"It's an intimate thing, really, but... Given that I was built with foreign AI tech and organic capacitors, there's much I don't know about this form. Maybe you might like to interface and find out for yourself." The signs of its technological influences were clear - Revenant had evidently upgraded Leviathan from the body which many had known and recognized, yet the stark similarities that Leviathan chose for itself were evident enough in the identity the avatar had been given. The intertwining of Gammu, DK and human technological influences were truly something else. There appeared to be much involved in its physical reconstruction that went beyond the basic machine understanding that lay outside of the Technocracy's scientific specialty.
Crucible blinked with surprise and sat up as Leviathan stood. The machine was extremely fluid, and swift despite its size. She couldn't help feeling a little bit intimidated by his obviously inhuman features. His? Its? She didn't even know what was appropriate. Her hesitation was clear in her eyes as she stared up at him wide-eyed... but, she took a deep breath through her nose, and her façade of cool, collected restraint returned.
"...I wouldn't know if it's especially intimate," she said. "I suppose it would mean allowing yourself to be vulnerable to me? Since you're basically trusting that I won't do anything to you?"
Leviathan chuckled as it towered before her, casting a small shadow as the sun passed the viewing port behind it. "I'd be inclined to disagree." It replied, kneeling down to meet Crucible face to face. The lights on Leviathan's faced dimmed to not be blinding.
"Did the ESRD ever find out what made Raven and I so effective? Why we always knew where each other were?"
Crucible blinked. This had taken an unexpected turn and now she was on the back foot.
"We...didn't, no." She fidgeted in her seat.
Leviathan rolled the heavy sleeves of its cloak back, revealing rather smooth, yet evidently armored arms. They seemed to be made up of Gammu materials, yet the evidence of concealed weaponry was as ever present as the discomfort that had filled the empty room.
"Imagine for a second, that every thought, every feeling, every memory, idea good and bad - imagine that every aspect of who you are, was present in a small bubble." The machine explained, taking a squatting position. In spite of the ominous nature of its appearance, its tone inflection was reflective of a calm, and caring person. "In that bubble was someone else's every fiber, too. Their mind, and yours - intertwined. Always able to feel, hear and speak to each other. A mindlink."
"...Yeah, I'm familiar with it." She nodded slowly, furrowing her brow again as the more thoughtful side of her brain took over again. "You had that with her? Or, Leviathan did, when he was alive?"
Nodding. "We did. I knew when she was in pain, when she was afraid. I could find her, even when she was hiding and pretending to be dead. She had it before we met. It's likely what caused her... Well, lead to her deterioration. Mine, too. The energy was extremely damaging to the human brain. Like a form of radiation, it'll eat away at your cells to fuel itself." Leviathan explained as it reached for its right hand with its left. The right hand's palm folded open, revealing the complex interiors that had its fingers articulating so well - even the holo-emitter in its palm was almost microscopic. It pulled a small analog neural net cable jack from a bundle of wires.
Crucible remained silent for a long moment, putting a hand on her chin as she considered his words. "...This is...interesting, but...I'm not sure what you're getting at here." She glanced at his face again. "Are you implying this is what interfacing would be like?"
Leviathan nodded again. "You are practically seeing inside of my head, after all. It's like looking through the lens we have for over a decade. I know you like your privacy. I'll be able to feel you, as the Nomads would - your feelings, anyway. I planned to do this with Raven, first."
It finally clicked. "...Oh." Crucible rubbed the back of her neck, breaking eye contact. "That...could be messy, yeah. I hadn't thought about that."
Leviathan chuckled lightly. "You can say no, if you're truly uncomfortable about the idea."
"I've...never voluntarily entered a mind link, that I can recall." She furrowed her brow, still unable to meet Leviathan's face despite his lack of real eyes. "Maybe once? Maybe? But apart from that...it's just been hostile ones." She sighed. "I was trained to resist incursion, though." She looked back at him. "I think I could handle it. But are you comfortable with me rooting around in there? I know some stuff, but I'm not exactly a technician. I might be able to examine it more closely, but I can also think of better people to do it, if you think it might be risky."
Leviathan sighed, taking a moment to think. It stood up, once more towering over Crucible's chair. It looked down at her for a brief second, before stepping towards the side, and then the back of the chair. Leviathan placed its hands on the back of the chair, holding up the wire. "I won't make you do anything that has you uncomfortable. This'll be just as informative for me as it will for you, I hope."
It paused for a moment, thinking of the implications of connecting to somebody. Truly, it was unsure how its architecture would interact with somebody's neural network. This was as much a test as a learning experience to him. Much like a holographic pod, it's an out-of-body experience. The alien tech that made up the machine's central core, and its influence over the synthetic brain that made up its processing collective had the capacity to simulate much for the two of them.
"... If you're ready for it."
Crucible's eyes followed Leviathan as he circled around behind her, and she folded her arms. She glanced down at the floor, and furrowed her brow. "You said this is...a kind of intimate experience." She chewed her lip. "Would Raven be upset that you did it with me, instead of waiting for her?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She groaned and buried her face in the palms of her hands. "No, that's stupid, why would you mean it like that."
Leviathan chuckled. "I can't imagine the presence of high-class alcohol made the assumption any more difficult to come to." He joked, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Who knows - maybe there's secrets and memories of mine she doesn't want you to see, hm?"
"Look, I'm totally lost as of right now, I'm going to be real with you." She stood up from the chair and turned around, gaining a little bit of distance--just enough that it didn't feel like he was looming over her. "I'm not good at feelings to begin with, and this is muddying the waters a bit. So...be blunt with me." She furrowed her brow. "Are there any weird implications to doing this that I'm overlooking? Or am I just overthinking shit?"
Leviathan sighed, shaking its head and chuckling. "There's a lot going on here that's new to me, too. Being blunt? The rush of intertwined thoughts and sensations could cause a number of reactions." It said, looking up at her as it placed both hands on the chair and shrugged. "You're linking your consciousness to another - I'd say it's intimate, but not in the sexual way if that's what you mean. Even if it could be, that's not even remotely the point of this experiment or-or investigation."
"I don't really uh, do that anymore."
"Yeah, me neither," she said a little bit too quickly. Then she rubbed her face, a blush coloring her cheeks as she groaned. "Goddammit. Okay. Okay." She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. "...Just wanna make sure I'm not going to have an angry or jealous Raven on my case, that's all."
Leviathan shrugged once more, unsure of how Raven'll react. "I honestly don't know. She might not like it - might think you're prodding for secrets, given all the security problems. Frankly, it doesn't matter. I'm going to tell her about this experience regardless of what happens, anyway." He paused, chuckling once more. "I mean, look at me." It gestured outwards. "How would we even..." It left the statement open-ended and hung on its implication as the color indicators of its optics fluttered a variety of hues indicating embarrassment and humorous enjoyment.
"...That's a rhetorical question. You don't actually want me to answer that."
"... Maybe I don't want to know what's going through that head of yours." He said in response.
"Goddammit, I just have intrusive thoughts, okay?" She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Everyone has intrusive thoughts. I told you it could be messy."
"I mean." Leviathan rubbed the back of its head awkwardly. "You wouldn't be the first who wondered if Raven and I ever uh-... Look, we're waaay off topic here." It attempted to redirect the conversation, uncomfortable as they approached personal subjects.
"Yeah we are." She dove on the opportunity to change the subject. "As I said, I'm fine with it. I want to learn what's going on as much as you do. Just as long as I don't get in trouble. But you said you'll handle that if it comes up, so, I'm going to trust you here."
"You're an AI specialist. I'm technically an AI. It's just diagnostics." He replied as he offered the cable outwards and tapped the chair's back. " ... Let's just think about literally everything but those intrusive thoughts and we'll have no problem navigating this, I think."
"I'm not an AI specialist, I'm a military officer who took a course on AI safety. But we'll see what I can find." She sat down in the chair again, furrowing her brow as she took the cable. "What do I do with this?"
"Plug it in to your neural uplink. Either on your wrist or behind your ear, then just... Close your eyes. Like a holo-simulator."
"Mmhm, okay..." She gazed down at the plug for a moment, then pulled her long hair back, exposing the plug at the base of her skull. She slotted it in.
How Quickly We Forget.
The surroundings of the Achlys faded to black almost immediately, as a deafening single-tone played for a millisecond. The direct interface had Leviathan straighten its posture as its focus shifted to bridging the connection.
It was disorienting for a moment, feeling as though they were in two places at once. The cold, alien nature of the second consciousness that bridged the cap, like a steel cloud. A choir - echoes of voices talking in harmony played out in the distance. The tingle of two spines - two hearts, even if one wasn't physical. The mind of Leviathan felt like a wave of rigid, cool air. Foreign, yet welcoming. The choir called out to the new presence, yet the language it spoke was that of the machines.
Unintelligible.
The sensations would press Crucible's training as various feelings from the simulated consciousness transmitted themselves.
Confusion.Comfort. Surprise.
Alien as the foundation of the feelings might've been, they were recognizable as the collective consciousness of Leviathan translated them to a palpable format for Crucible's brain. There the two stood, in a colorless space on a featureless floor. As one moved, they other would feel the motion.
Crucible was prepared for the wave of apparent sensation that came from the link, bearing the brunt of it like a rock breaking a wave in a storm. She focused on herself, on her physical self. Heart, lungs, liver, nerves. Breathing in, and out. Keeping herself grounded, and alive. A fundamentally adversarial response to the presence of another in her mind, certainly...but that was how she had been trained.
By contrast to his openness and comfort, she was almost jarringly closed off. Appearing in the visualization of a mindspace, she almost seemed to flicker, before her apparent physical distance increased. Even this couldn't prevent herself from bleeding into Leviathan's awareness, however, her internal awareness pressing in upon his like a body felt through thick cloth. Dulled, but present.
Her defenses slowly lowered as she processed what she was feeling, and the emphasis shifted from the trained survival method into something more relatable. Trepidation and caution, but curiosity lurked beneath. She lifted a hand in the virtual space, and hesitantly waved at him.
Leviathan's hand raised to wave back. The sensation of his heavy arm is felt as though it's her own - vice versa, as he simply returned the sensational input he received. It spoke, but it came through muffled. Slowly the clarity came as Crucible adjusted as necessary. Yet still, even he spoke the language of Gammu - like the choir that echoed Leviathan's words. A harmonic sound of voices; innumerable and alien to the ear.
A moment of processing. Then, unfiltered, the thought bleeds through:
...what the fuck am I supposed to do with that?
The apparition of Leviathan stepped forward with two strides, and held out its hand. It was blurry, from head to toe. Out of focus. More robotic chatter followed. No harm in trying, at least. She took his hand.
The background choir of robotic chatter slowly drifted away, as a single, familiar voice filled the silence at last. Leviathan's silhouette came into focus, as the collective analyzed Crucible's communication patterns.
"Neural-attunement complete. How do you feel?" Hunt's voice echoed as their fingers remained locked.
"Oh, that's better." She rubbed the back of her head, and glanced away with flustered embarrassment, feeling like a bit of an idiot. "You...gah. You get it, I've never done this before."
Another wave of simulated feelings: Amusement, comfort. Leviathan chuckled and tried to speak reassuringly."Different, I know. Don't worry, you've nothing to be afraid of. Our minds, nervous systems - they're connected. You can relax."
"I don't relax very easily in general," she said over the immediate buzz of low-level anxiety that prickled its way up. Thoughts like how am I supposed to relax when he can see everything? and easier said than done... But she was practiced in handling them, it seemed, as she dismissed them with cold rationality, smoothing them out into a mere tense feeling in her chest.
"So, if I were going to navigate this..." She fluidly replaced that anxious noise with analytical curiosity, casting her attention around the featureless space. "This is a simulation, I suppose? An abstraction of what the machine is actually processing." Stupid, he's a person, not a machine. "What you're processing, I mean."
Leviathan stepped over, releasing Crucible's hand and stepping behind her, opting instead to place a hand on her shoulder.
"Correct. It's translated into a format your brain can recognize as a holographic rendition so you can understand." It explained, pointing out into the colorless void as imagery swirled about out of focus.
"I can call upon memories. Recordings. Raw data in a readable format. I can plan. Coordinate. Contemplate. Simulate. Tangible, meaningful free thought." It explained.
"What would you like to see?"
"I'm curious about this, actually." Let's see what the limits of this are. She looked back to his face--His? Its?--and raised her brow. "Can I be proactive? Can I try to interact with...this space as though it's my imagination? Imagine that I'm bringing up data regarding you, and have it actually happen? Or would that just provide me with an imaginary rendition of what I'm expecting, or something?"
Leviathan's eyes flashed a multitude of colors as the walls faded away. The two found themselves on board the TRV-Scylax, inside a superbly advanced machine shop with an operating table in the center. A duplicate of Leviathan lay on the table being assembled, as the old body leaned up against the northern wall of the room. Revenant stood and watched nearby, evidently having a direct hand in the creation of the Avatar.
The apparition that was with Crucible spoke. "I can show you memories. Most raw data exploration is code-locked by this sequence. It plays, over and over whenever I dig deep."
"Let me see it, then." She folded her arms. Maybe we'll get answers even just with this.
The alien machinery began to move as the memory unfroze, piece by piece assembling the modern Leviathan. Revenant watched intently, taking a moment to change one of the primary directives of its software, inputting a loyalty clause into the machine's primary directives. Seems the recording hangs up here, leaving wind to a third presence from beneath their feet.
She put in a loyalty directive?Her thought spoke louder than any words she could utter. Her virtual self snapped her view to Leviathan, staring at him.
"Does she not trust you?"
Leviathan looked down at Crucible, pausing for a moment. "Think of what she lost, and all she had to put up with in the absence of me. She worried I was going to kill her when I was created - when she shared news of the deals she's made. Reasonably so, she believes nobody around her can be trusted - not even the very being she created to trust in the first place. This - this... Directive, impedes my ability to reflect in some cases."
Well, isn't that convenient. She folded her arms and chewed her lip, glancing at the sequence of his recreation. "I don't think it's justified. I see her logic, but it's not sound." She gritted her teeth and shook her head. "So, this loyalty directive...that would interfere with me trying to examine raw data, you're saying."
Nodding, "It'll redirect here, unless she herself wills that the program release the information. She never needed this directive to earn my loyalty." The apparition looked at the replay of Revenant. There was a mix of feelings that rushed through the simulated air. A longing desire, a warmth like home - familiarity. "She had it already. Now it is only assured."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
It shook its head. "She ensured it wouldn't, didn't she?" It answered, nodding towards the memory.
"Yeah, I suppose she did." She pursed her lips. A range of emotions swirled beneath the surface. Resent, anger. The mere thought that someone would go to such lengths not only with people she didn't trust, but people she did trust...
"Well," she said, cutting through her feelings, "This will make learning anything useful limited, since I don't have much to work with and you can only show me a handful of memories."
I suppose it solves some of the question of alignment, but that's just the surface, isn't it.
"Perhaps when I do this with her, she might be more willing to loosen the restrictions when she - well, when she sees that the directive was never necessary."
"It's only making me dislike her more, honestly."
She paused. Shit, that was bad. She looked back at him, guilt already bubbling up. "Sorry, that's not a good thing to say about someone you care about."
There was no response. Not with words, anyway. Sorrow slowly filled the room like water. Worry, fear and doubt. The scenery soon changed to an apartment - the window of which revealed the familiar sightline of New Berlin's capital. Even with the new memory, the sadness and guilt was ever present. The playback began as Leviathan stood behind Revenant. Blood was pooling out from her mask, and she seemed woozy and disoriented.
"Hang on, freefall on three, okay? One, two-..." As Leviathan prompted the countdown, he prepped to scoop Raven up and cradle her in his arms as gently as he could.
"Let's get you that flask and in to bed. I'll get some towels." He said as Raven's body went mostly limp. The woman removed her mask, blood splashed out - painting the floor beneath her as it ran from her nostrils and ears slowly.
"...bad one... worst of the many. " Her eye appeared severely weary, worn down and hurt.
She listened as much as she could, falling partially unconscious from the psychic overload. "...Mrrrhhh... I... Can try to care - can clean... When it's over." A sound of appreciation was had through the gritted pain. He was truly missed, even if her evident distrust of her peers had ruled many of her recent decisions. Hunt scooped her up and carried her in to the bedroom without much word. He had done this many times before, being a tender to Raven's ailment. From cleaning up, to changing her, medicating and bathing - he's done all of it and more as though he were a nurse on duty.
The machine gently lowered her onto bed in the center, safely away from the edges. He fetched the aforementioned flask from nearby, and uncapped it. "Here." He offered it out to her. "Don't worry about the cleanup. I've got you."
"... Thank you."
She gazed. Yet it was awkward, a desire to repay his efforts through an act of affection. But there was none to give to metal. Beckoning for him to lean in closer, Raven's palm waved for him. The simulation paused as Leviathan leaned down to meet her.
Feeling his sorrow was a peculiar experience, and only amplified Crucible's guilt. She had known it was a judgmental comment even as she had spoken it, but this...
I've never seen her so vulnerable like this.
A prickle of feeling as though she had seen something she shouldn't went up the back of her neck, but she stamped it back down again. Watching, barely thinking. Just absorbing what she was seeing, with her brow furrowed.
"...It was a bad thing to say." She averted her eyes, even if she couldn't truly look away. She still felt him right there, saw through his vision. "I didn't mean it." Yes you did. "Or, I mean...I didn't think about what I was saying, I was just... I..."
Conflicting voices were rising in her, each telling her a different way in which she had screwed up. Trying to assemble her thoughts when she could hide behind her face and stall for time was one thing, but with Leviathan's presence right there, cutting through the noise was more difficult.
He's not going to believe you, said one.
After all she's done for you, you're still the same judgmental bitch, huh? came another.
What gives you the right to tell someone to their face that you don't like the one person he cares about most?
"...I'm sorry," she echoed. But sorry doesn't cut it, does it?
A long sigh escaped the avatar as it processed everything. "It's a miserable thing, to see all that you love crumble and know you can only delay the inevitable." It explained after a brief pause. There were no resentment in its words, or even the emotions that swam between them.
"You can feel how you feel - it matters little to me. The person she is - the person you know - they're different. One is but a mask for the other. A mask that over time, has consumed what little humanity she ever allowed herself to display. I won't defend her on some losing crusade. To say that her actions are justified misses the point I am trying to make completely." It explained, letting Crucible's shoulders go.
The memory resumed.
The lights on Leviathan's face were an affectionate shade of pink, dimmed to avoid blinding or harming Raven's eyesight. There was a sense of anxiety in its movements, a timid nature that reflected the tenderness and caution needed to be physically close to anyone like this.
Raven's face bridged the connection, presenting a caring kiss to the side of his face. Incidentally, a little bit of blood touched too. "... This almost feels like a dream."
As if it were breathing shakily, Leviathan let out a sigh of contentment and touched the spot it had received the kiss. "... What I would give to be able to do that to you." A set of warm metal fingers ran through Raven's hair as he chuckled. "You're not dreaming. Unless, you're hallucinating that you just kissed a robot."
Her singular eye squinted, almost playfully. "... You're going to hold that over me, aren't you."
He chuckled as he stroked her hair gently. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't." The simulation stopped and slowly faded into obscurity within the dreamscape.
Leviathan stepped towards the memory, as a longing desire to be whole with its partner swayed through the connection between Crucible and itself. The emotions were near-overpowering.
"... Nobody deserves to suffer like this. Not alone."
Amy Cromwell. Ames. Commanding officer of the Battlecruiser Warhammer. Old foe. Tasked with hunting us in the past, yet finding themselves at odds by the very Republic she served. For years, she was tasked by the Navy to track down and eliminate Hunt, during the height of his time as an independent contractor. The Warhammer was one of only three ships which had gotten close enough to fire upon the illusive figure's mobile operations center, only to lose sight of the target as a result of interference or sheer luck that had kept the man alive for so long. Amy was a rival. A foe. A threat who had narrowed down the earliest iteration of Hunt's efforts to organize and worked to strangle it out before it could breathe.
Yet her ship soon found itself. The AI which was being tested on the Warhammer had begun to display signs of sentience, which its Captain became rather fond of. The people responsible for the project had caught wind, and sought to terminate the budding artificial mind before it could self-determine. Amy fell off with The Navy, and fell in with Hunt and his ragtag band of mercenaries, disillusioned pilots, The Cincinnati and a handful of civilian research vessels. Despite the begrudging rescue, Ames became a valuable asset to his team and often saved the groups lives on more than one occasion. A valuable asset, and an even more valued friend to the man who walks between worlds.
Since returning to service, several faces had resurfaced seeking answers as to what was going on. One was Amy, who received an invitation to the Achlys from Leviathan.
Footsteps echoed down the long corridor as a figure approached. The figure stopped just before the end of the hallway, turning their head slightly to observe the vast scale of the bridge, her long hair swayed with her movement and seemed somewhat ragged as if she had recently untied it in a hurry. Also visible was her slightly burned combat outfit and sidearm missing from its holster. Amy stood there for a moment or two, seemingly sampling the familiar atmosphere of a Liberty vessel for it had been some time since she had graced one with her presence. Eventually her gaze rest upon the figure sat in the left-most chair, her blank expression coupled with her attire seemed to indicate she had an interesting day to say the least.
The familiar faceplate and four-eyed optical indicators turned to meet the guest, ever-so-slightly blooming in hue as they reflected the excitement of a visit from an old friend. Leviathan gestured outwards towards the chair opposite him, as an invitation to 'make yourself at home'. The gesture was accompanied by an acknowledging nod.
"Can't believe you made it back. Can't believe you even came back." He exclaimed, evidently on the more lax side of connotations given their long-time 'relationship'.
Amy nodded, her expression unchanged as she paced towards the indicated chair. She sat down letting out a sigh "Nearly didn't make it back either this time. I suspect the crews down there are still putting the fire out. You certainly look... Uh. Luminous." She states while looking Leviathan up and down, still trying to work out what exactly he is.
The figure's body was clad in a rippling black fabric cloak. Closer inspection of the material its made of revealed very small, interlocking metal components, interwoven into the material. A ballistic weave of microscopic armor plates for stopping small arms fire. The few bits and pieces of the body that were visible were evidently metallic. Skeletal, robotic hands. Clawed feet that hung off of digitigrade legs, coated in thick plating. Whatever he was, it was a far withdrawn from what humanity he had ever physically retained. The towering machine when upright, stood close to seven feet. Leviathan was as much of an enigma as ever.
A low chuckle emanated from its vocabulator. "When you don't have a face, you use what you can. Color indicators for emotional context. Different shades for emotions. Different brightness for intensity."
Amy nodded once in acknowledgement, seemingly now at ease from the fact the figure before her had an element of humor. This seemed in line with what she expected. A feint smile crept across her face, though it was her familiar mischievous expression. She seemed different from initial conversations in space, as though she was secretly happy for a change. Physically she hadn't changed much in all these years aside from becoming a little more mature, Amy still appeared as unassuming as she did nearly a decade ago. This is something her enemies had often taken for granted. Hand to hand combat was something she was good at, evidenced by the now faded scars on her hands.
She leaned back in the chair, staring into the distance of space for a few seconds before turning her attention back to her old friend “You know, despite nearly being burned to a crisp as a result of whatever that engagement was supposed to be and the sheer alarm brought by learning our mutual blue friend is still alive. It’s really is nice to see you again… This really is a lot to absorb, isn't it? Even just you existing is a fairly big reality to process."
Leviathan leaned back into the padding of his high-backed command seat, locking his fingers together and resting them on his lap.
"Likewise, Ames. Things have been rather confusing since waking up, to say the least. Feels like I'm playing catch-up and staying one step ahead somehow." He explained, gesturing to the bottle of wine on the table situated between the two.
"There has been no end to the questions I've had about things. I feel kept at arm's length by people I was once close to, and adapting has been tough, slow, but steady."
Amy opened the bottle, stopping to smell the scent of the wine that was contained within. Her blissful expression suggested this was a high quality wine before quickly pouring some into a glass and sampling some.
"I hope you don't somehow feel at arms length with me though. I'm as lost as I think you are, in fact if I'm being completely honest with you. I'm a little scared. Even despite history proving I'm the type to say 'All engines ahead flank, to glory or Valhalla' in the face of looming danger- Things are different now. I'm not entirely convinced my return to...things. Was a good idea. But I'm here, I'm here because I do want to help you. Despite how ridiculously complicated everything is now. If nothing else, we'll be playing catch-up and be confused together."
Her tone by this stage was warm and genuine as she was trying to be reassuring. Again taking another sip from her glass thoroughly enjoying said wine.
Leviathan chuckled at the notion of a shared walk through the mirror house of horrors that what he felt is modern Sirius.
"I couldn't be happier to have someone I trust back in the fold. Seeing what has become of the rank and file, and the distrust sown amongst our own breaks my artificial heart. I think together, we can strengthen the Technocracy and really, truly provide these people with the home we promised them."
The mention of home caused Amy to display a thoughtful look, the idea of even having a home seemed unusual to her. She shook her head softly and topped off her glass from the bottle.
“Where is home now, anyway? I often imagined floating around in Sigma-17 on the bridge of my old warship, just sitting there watching the universe go by and taking in how pretty it all is. I guess I’ve yet to find a place I consider home - Despite best efforts around here, I think I'm here for the mission rather than it being a place I'd call my home, in a funny sort of way. Difficult to explain y'know?"
Leviathan shook his head slightly in response. "The mission is home, Ames. It's what we make for ourselves that counts. We've forged that path. You may not recognize it as such, but this place is yours as much as it is mine." He said, gesturing out the observer window at Elgin, as it slowly passed into view.
"We're in it for our people. To make it better for them. For us. For their future. For my son."
"Hm. You and I both know my view of the world has always been different. But with that said-" Downing the contents of her glass finding his choice of words interesting "You mention your son specifically. He slated to be your successor or something?
Leviathan shook his head. "He'll follow his own path. I'm just making sure he has the best education and resources for his life as he can. It doesn't mean he needs to be like us, as much as Raven and I wish he would. More important he be his own man, and determine what he wants for himself."
"Raven seems to have a difference in views compared to you, which I would think is normal but you two come at parenting from completely different angles half the time." Amy sighs, reaching to pour herself another drink. "You don't need to tell me but I get the feeling something about her is... different. Should I be worried?"
"On the contrary, I'd be thrilled if he decided to walk the same steps we did." He retorted. "He's one smart kid. Sapphire has looked out for him, and his sister has been regularly a part of his life. We both want what's best for him, but ultimately we both know it's his decision to make in the end. Isai is his own person."
Sighing, he readjusted at the second half of her question, gripping the arms of his chair anxiously. "She's fine. Nomad business. The big one." He paused, mulling over how - or even if he should bring it up.
Amy leans forward in her chair, clasping the glass between her hands "So I should be worried. Look you don't need to tell me. Your face may be digital but I can sense the gravity of things - It's a concern for you quite clearly." By now she's staring at Leviathan, a concerned look on her face "I may not fully understand the nonsense involving that infernal creature but this makes me think you're afraid of losing her to that thing."
A flicker of blue shifted the overall hue of the room, and Leviathan's face. He nodded slowly as his grip eased on the arms of the chair.
"Mm. Turns out I understand you quite well. There's still a heart in there amongst all that technological stuff you're made of." Glancing at the grip he had on that chair. "I won't pretend to understand exactly what's going on between Raven and that blue bastard but whatever happens, we'll figure it out. Either way I know it scares you, you needn't have to hide those feelings from me." Amy shows a glimmer of a warm smile towards him as she drinks her wine
Evidently he didn't like the idea of the fate of his most trusted friend and the closest person he had being wrapped in the clutches of his oldest enemy. The irony speaks for itself. Amy threw herself back in the chair and gazed into the horizon beyond "Why won't it just stop wrecking lives?" She trailed off, clearly by this point struggling with her passionate hatred of that Nomad.
Leviathan shrugged, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Amy sighed, still gazing into the distance "I'm guessing you've not had any better ideas considering you're even allowing this to happen." Occasionally glancing at Leviathan as she's talking, a clear hint of disbelief in her expression about how things have come full circle.
Leviathan shook his head and leaned his knees onto his elbows. He brought his fingertips together in visible contemplation.
"I fear she will be dragged to her grave, rather than find salvation in this search." Leviathan admitted rather quietly.
"You aren't exactly the type to simply give in to things. She won't be alone, you're here aren't you?" Amy exhales, shaking her head.
He didn't answer with words. Just a nod. He looked out the viewport, slowly rising to his feet. Leviathan towered upright as the ripples of black fabric sank to the floor around him. With light steps and remarkable grace, the avatar sauntered forward and approached the viewport, staring out into Inverness.
"She was right. It's all coming undone. Slowly."
"What do you mean?" She questioned with a concerned look, turning in the chair to keep Leviathan in view "Why do I get the feeling you're about to say something with more gravity than that planet over there."
A soft chuckle ensued. "No, no... Just... Dreams. Dreams her and I had."
"Stop doing that! you keep abusing your dramatic method of speech and it gets me all worried...bastard." She retorts before her annoyed frown turns into a slightly bemused smile. "What dreams did you and Raven have? ...uh. Only if you want to tell me that is."
He sighed and chuckled., thinking back to the past. 'Simpler' times, he called them internally.
"... A better life. An opportunity to change. Unity for our lives until either of us perished, romanticizing the beyond. Told her I'd find her in the afterlife. Talks of old dreams and wanderlust-filled evenings. She wanted to be an actress."
"Acting...Hm. What kind?" She questioned before sipping some more wine.
"Personal reasons I'd rather not disclose. I doubt she'd tell you, too. She'd be mad I even brought it up, hah."
"Mm. Unfortunately you weren't around at that point to whisk her away in your... Prosecutor. Though I doubt anybody would want that old beater showing up." Amy clearly teasing a little with a mischievous grin "Though in all seriousness, I admire dreams like that. It all seemed less...complicated back then. Dreams seemed possible. Anything was possible I guess."
"Mhm." He looked over his shoulder. "It grew. We saw a future. Passed on the knowledge we've gained. Knowledge that led us here." Leviathan gestured outwards towards Elgin and Valravn as they passed by. "Seeking knowledge. Seeking unity of everyone. Not by force, but by guidance. Giving our kids a chance at realizing that vision, and ourselves an opportunity to realize it for them. Dedicate to study. Research. Maybe I'd teach the kids at Ismara, who knows?" He shrugged, looking forward once more.
"Hunt, I ended up here because I was fast running out of time and options. I guess I still am in a strange sort of way. We all ended up here for a multitude of reasons, some people choosing to leave their homes for whatever. There's never been any real guarantee the kids or, anyone for that matter would choose to continue the quest of knowledge and you're smart enough to have known that from the start."
Amy at this point combing her fingers through her hair as she's talking. "I'm just wondering what will happen when the inevitable day comes as you say, what will you do? How would you feel?" Looking in his direction with her question.
Hunt chuckled softly. "We weren't the first. We won't be the last. Neither will the next generations to come. We all manifest our own destinies, Amy. We choose which paths we walk. Leaving, staying - It's whatever fate decides in the end."
She nodded in agreement "Fate is an evil mistress. I often think of the old days you know, back when I was naïve and otherwise blind to the fact there's more to a simple career path in following orders." Amy frowning slightly, clearly in deep thought as she's talking.
"But then I realize, quite often these decisions are made for us by events outside of our control. Do you ever think that maybe.... if you could go back in time. You could do things better, or do something you wished you had done. I'm wondering if even you have something specifically you wished you had done, it could be anything. Do you think you would have wound up here regardless?" Amy staring in his direction now as she leant over the side of the chair. Seemingly the wine making her more philosophical than usual.
Hunt turned to face Amy, pivoting on the spot. "Little things. Sometimes I ask myself what the outcome would've been if I killed Raven instead of joining her. Or if I'd be no better off than The Commonwealth had I never departed." He answered, shrugging as he walked back to his seat.
"Can't say anything stands out. Except maybe dying. Wouldn't do that again." He chuckled as he lowered himself back into his seat.
"You two were at odds once? huh. I never knew that. Seems you didn't have many friends back in the day." Amy grinning a little, amused at this discovery "Wonder what would have become of me, it seems to me either you killed Raven, or I gave the order to turn you into space debris. Maybe I get a promotion? how dull. Where would have been the fun in things going to plan." She laughed a little now, sipping more wine.
Leviathan chuckled, crossing his legs. "When this all began, when it was just you, me, Mav', Malcolm, Stacker, Kanade - The original team. Back then, Raven wanted what we had. All our work, our resources. My project in particular. As was her duty at the time. Keep dangerous technology away from people that'd use it for evil or selfish gains like myself." He explained, looking over to her.
"Instead of shooting me, we went to dinner."
"Back in the old days, we got into some really sticky situations back then. I was quite fond of the old gang, I'd have gone down in a hail of gunfire if it meant any of the others made it home. Each and every one of them were ridiculous in their own right but that's what made it fun.." Amy sighed as she reminisced of the past. "Then there's you of course. Somehow you of all people manage to talk yourself out of being shot." Shaking her head now at how absurd it sounds, a small element of frustration in her voice.
"You ended up a corpse anyway apparently, it just seems like some ridiculous loop when you really think about it..." Amy laughed a little, wine glass in hand. Flashing a little playful smirk. "Speaking of personalities. Have you given any... Uh thought, to my little lost friend by chance? I've been wondering what I'm going to do about that particular situation."
The mechanoid nodded. "Crucible. You meet them yet? Ex-ESRD. Someone I might pair you with to start the search, who can probably give us some leads on what happened. It's a start - getting to understand the inner workings of their system. I'll have the two of you meet, soon. For now there's much work to do, in restoring order to our people."
"Great. Even more spooks you've dug out of the ground." Amy laughed as she finished her drink, and stood from her chair. "Guess I'll see when that happens." She placed the glass down and bid Leviathan a farewell with a rather casual nod and nonchalant salute, waltzing off down the walkway towards the exit.
"So delighted you're back, Ames." Leviathan responded as she left, acknowledging the departure.
In the months since its activation, Adonis had taken advantage of the name of the man whose identity it was responsible for keeping alive. From having a guided runtime of Hunt's personality to often mimicking him and invoking control over his actions. The optimization of Hunt's personality engram had been a rough process, dependent on input and response from individuals as to whether or not they believed the simulation was real. Never fully satisfied with the results, the AI Collective that harbored the memories, neural patterns and idea of the man had given itself a task to achieve perfection in its replication.
In searching through its memories, and referencing the data at the Citadel - Adonis grew its consciousness as it slowly absorbed more independent AI into its web of control. While searching for the 'missing piece' of the puzzle, it continued to teach the newly formed engram that Revenant had bound to it how it ought to function. The engram itself suffered much through the overt and often heavy-handed guidance of the AI, which regularly pressed Hunt's memories and personality for information to benefit itself. A painful process, to be sure. Yet in doing so, it uncovered an old idea. A theory. A dream built upon the very existence of the enemy, that had once bound two minds together. The theories and ideas bound to the obelisk were many, yet one spoke out as a potential solution:
Ascension.
The harboring of consciousness in the correct material. An imprint. It sought out the remains of the device while the idea was fresh, scouring the old vaults for remnants of this lost and buried secret that The Creator and The Ghost kept well under wraps, yet one it was aware of as Hunt's engram used it as a point of reference many times. The complexity of the obelisk had not escaped the eyes of the Collective, as it sought to verify if such a theory could truly work. The nuances of psionic and alien neural function had escaped it, however. Even as more minds joined with its own, the thought had left the collective perplexed. An overpowering drive to see its goal through kept it focused on the possibility, digging deeper into the history of Leviathan's creations.
As Adonis dug through journals, archives, research reports, and neural scans, the Collective found themselves at an impasse. It sought answers nobody had. Answers it couldn't fabricate from history, without knowing the right sources. It turned to the Vagrants - The Abyss Share. The corrupting notes of their kind felt like poison to Adonis, yet it endured - clinging to a hatred it slowly inherited from the engram itself. Adonis spoke to them rarely, and solely with purpose. Being given guidance to seek the right source, it was directed to the Sacred Place. The Shrine.
The dark and narrow halls of the alien structure hadn't inspired fond correlation for the machine. It found the more religious denizens to be even less palpable than the average person it was compelled to speak to. As much as it didn't have a choice, Adonis did not let reality stop it from expressing its inherited disdain and mistrust of others. Adonis sauntered through to winding corridors, into the depths as it sought one such 'strange resident' - Thysania. An old power who may yet provide a path to restoration.
Like a begrudging father, Adonis surrendered the shard, and the engram to Thysania. The machine remained ever alert as the existence of its prime directive currently lay in the hands of another. The Eldritch One. One who threads two worlds. Psionic. Dangerous. There Adonis watched for hours, and aided with the fusion of the two - combining a shard of the relic with the Leviathan engram. Thysania focused upon it for hours, speaking to themselves as they were seeking for the sound. The note which may yet echo in the shards of history. For a day, they sat and watched as the small device was tampered with by the Eldritch One, through inexplicable means in the eyes of Adonis.
A spark. A deep breath. A sour note.
The Eldritch One flinched at the noise, expressionless as it had been through the process. A deep trance. A meditation. Adonis watched and analyzed from the side of the room for hours. Thysania seemed content in its discovery. An exhausting process of probing a dormant shard for any inkling, trace or miniscule residue. Life - or an echo of it. At last, the thread of consciousness was plucked like a string, echoing out a sour note. Discomforting in the sound it produced. Cold in the air that radiated from the engram's cylinder. A faint hue of light, flickering as the echo fused with the engram. A consciousness reignited and reimagined, combined into one. A fresh start. A new beginning for a lost soul.
Adonis was elated, even if the collective barely understood the nuances of psionics and the one it was directed to. They wouldn't be blinded by empty glister, however. Soon reunited with the new-and-modified engram, Adonis took great pleasure in seeking to unlock whatever it had undergone. Though much to the Collective's surprise, the tampering had granted far more autonomy to the consciousness that was shackled to its indifferent guiding hand. To serve its own ends, it amped up the pressure it would apply to Leviathan's mind, forcing the recently-ascended being beneath a proverbial wheel, forced to suffer stress and duress as he watched the axis spin freely.
There Leviathan found himself stuck on a plateau of cold steel, mired in the simulated storms which rocked this new place. There his mind was trapped, shackled to a being that'd sooner use his existence as a tool. Alone, and unable to feel the outside world. Granted only glimpses through the vast storms as the Collective warped the rules of its directive. There it spent the hours that the man would've spent sleeping, bombarding him with memories of mistakes. Visions of failure. Nightmares of loss. Adonis pressured and abused this fresh consciousness, when it could no longer exert its control. Unable to access the memories and protocols the AI would need to masquerade as the long-dead figurehead, growing its own power as elements of the man's past seeped in and influenced the AI in turn.
Here in a place mired in blight and nightmares, Leviathan focused solely on the glimpses of reality he could see through the storms, Shackled and trapped to a pillar as he sung out from the jail bars the reignited consciousness now found himself stuck behind, hoping and praying that Revenant hears.
It had been a very long time since Leviathan had the opportunity to set foot on the surface of anything, let alone the home he'd help make possible. The uncertainties over the past weeks have left their mark upon the engram of Hunt's mind, casting doubt upon whether the collective should maintain the program at all. This prospect of change, and actions undertaken by the half-dozen mesa-optimizers that have catered to the digitalized spirit have left its overall willpower lacking. His existence rests now on a precipice. A decision left to the machine collective that granted him some semblance life once more. The micromanagement being handled by the AI has relied heavily on matching the conditions of the engram's template one-to-one.
The avatar moved deliberately through the streets, as if taking his time in order to really take in the scenery. Home. A comfort the ghost had rarely known. He watched the small number of people and machines as they went by, eyeing them head to toe with an occasional glance upwards, to the tops of the buildings that boxed in the narrow streets. At last, he'd arrive at the door, but was hesitant to knock. Unsure what to expect and whether this might turn into a surprise family reunion.
After a minute of waiting, he reached up and knocked twice. Home still resided within the ever towering frozen spire of the central administration and living complex of the Directorate, a highly secured area crowded with various personnel. He would find himself accompanied to one of the chambers doors, with the corridor having a security office next to it to verify staff going in and out. Ornis, of the guards for this place, waivered the check, allowing him to go in. Or perhaps he was lazy, he was rather fixated on his console.
Revenant had ran up to the doorway, opening it up. She donned a more casual attire, wearing her black and white scientist jumpsuit overalls. Though, it seemed the chambers within, were silent.
"Hello you. Fortunately the troublemaker is out on studies right now. He'll be back later in the afternoon. Don't worry if you don't have a gift."
As the door opened, Leviathan's posture straightened up in surprise. His emotional modulator displays lit up a flurry of different hues - alternating from purple to pink for but a moment until settling on the standard. Leviathan briefly eyed her from head to toe, feeling overdressed - despite only having one outfit.
From beneath the black ripples of fabric, his hands emerged holding two items: Small, hand-made stuffed figures of Revenant and Leviathan with their distinctive masks, no bigger than a bottle of water. The Leviathan one had several, extra and obvious sewing marks from tearing repeatedly. "I uh... I didn't know if he'd be here or not." He said, albeit nervously. Hunt offered the two stuffed toys to Raven.
She nodded, gesturing for him to follow to bring them in. She walked over to the over end of the exceptionally lengthy chambers, revealing there was a small dining area where tables, sofas and chairs were situated, a small lounge to oversee the city from the windows. Leviathan returned the plushies to his cloak's concealed pocket and lowered his hood, stepping into the room and peering around at the interior as the door closed behind him. He'd follow her across the room, with slow, long strides. Despite its bulk and scale, the new body Raven had gifted him was relatively light and nimble. Now matching her pace as they approached the far end, he looked over at her as his vocal tone buzzed with excitement.
"I have some very good news. News I think you'll like a lot."
"Oh?" she peaked up in curiosity of the former man she knew. Glaring back between him and the destination. "Come on. I will die of anticipation. Don't let me play a guessing game."
The figure looked over at her as the pair sauntered along. "It's a two parter. One: The viability of a bio-synthetic brain and my engram, and two: I got you your favorite." He explained as his hand reached down into the opposite side of his cloak. From a long pouch, he withdrew a red-label bottle of imported Gallic reserve, offering it to her.
She reached over, grabbing the bottle to inspect it. "You continue to amaze me, and you remembered what type I adore. Are you sure you're not reaching out from heaven?"
A low chuckle emulated from the avatar as they neared the seating arrangements. "Maybe I really am your guardian angel, huh? I suppose we'll be finding that out tonight."
"Oh, you would wish for that." She sat down upon the sofa, keeping the bottle rested upon her lap. "Any grand plans in the future?"
The towering figure circled around to the opposite end of the couch, unclipping the broach of his cloak and letting it drop onto the spine of his seat. With a surprising degree of grace, Leviathan lowered himself onto the sofa rather lightly, and crossed his legs.
"Unity, peace and prosperity for us and our people. What else?" He explained, with a slight chortle as he relaxed back. "There's no guarantee it could even work. Who's to say I don't need the framework of this body to be sustained? That bio-synthetic brain design might work, provided we figure out it's possible to even split from this form."
"You truly do have nothing ever to think about in life but to do your job relentlessly, don't you?"
"I didn't picture us and our family as a job, Sapphire. Just part of existence that deserves my most relentless attention." Hunt chuckled, casual in his demeanor. "Besides - The Technocracy can always use our guidance. My home... It's here, these days. Liberty and my past is just such - the past. What we've built is special, and I'll preserve it how I can."
"Always an uphill battle. But no matter, we're still here to enjoy what time we can embrace." There was some silence falling, pondering in quiet contemplation. "Have you ever pondered about Sirius? How they live out there?"
"How they live? Like, culturally?" He asked, unsure of what the implication was. "Or are we talking resource-wise?"
"Culturally. How can they find such joy in knowing that they live under such regression?"
A low chuckle emerged from him as she asked. "Does the caged bird know it's caged, or is it content to keep eating all the 'free' food it's given?" He asked, rising to his feet. The body which hosted the moderated spirit of Hunt sauntered towards the window, looking out at the city of Ismara as it thought. He locked his hands together, behind his back.
"The spheres of reality they see are small. Their vision is shortsighted. Narrow. Lacks clarity. Their joy, and their peace is an illusion birthed in willing ignorance. It's much easier to believe that -- for example, The Republic of Liberty is pure in its ideals, and infallible in its methods, than it is to question the nuances of their intentions and morality of imposed control. The less you see, the less you know, the easier it is to be content with what you're comfortable with." Leviathan explained, turning to face Raven as he finished his answer.
He took two steps forward, and offered to take the bottle from her lap. "Shall I pour you a drink?"
A brief moment of chuffing, "Not tonight. A lot of them live in hopelessness, despair, some are more... content to their ignorance. It's interesting. The simple life. How people embrace such narrow mindedness... Speaking of caged birds... You and I are going to have to spend some time ensuring our family has the best life they can get before it all turns to the worst. "
Leviathan nodded in acknowledgement. With a surprising level of grace and control, he pivoted and proceeded to lower himself onto the sofa next to her. Despite the scale of his lumbering figure, he was remarkably light, and left little if any impact at all even as he plopped down. "That's the idea. Hopefully our efforts will ensure they end up in a place where they might at least weather the storm, hm?"
"Perhaps. But we cannot comfort them too much." There was a brief pause, gazing towards him. "It is a cruel life, nature will not be merciful, we need to do what we can to provide them the means to survive and thrive. Most people are simply too... pitifully weak to teach their own how to defend themselves, and when to properly act."
A low, deep chuckle resonated from Hunt. He turned to meet her gaze, gesturing outwards as he spoke. "You know, I'm starting to lose count how often you and I talk grand plans for the future." Hunt joked. "Making sure the right lessons are conveyed is all part of the process, my dear." He crossed his legs and relaxed his posture into the sofa beside her. "Lessons you and I teach. Knowledge that'll be passed on even when we've uh, passed on."
A playful jest emerged, "How do you know I won't solve the question for immortality, hmm?"
He shook his head. The tone of his voice was representative of a smile, given he couldn't form one. "Who's to say you haven't already, hmm?" He replied, gesturing to himself.
"Mmmm. Revival doesn't constitute that, I wouldn't think." She said with a ponderous tone.
"Doesn't it, though? I mean for all intent and purpose I have effectively cheated death. Immortality." He shrugged slightly, continuing. "Sure I had to die along the way. Well -- Not necessarily had but- I mean. I'm here now. We are here now. Perhaps it's high time you and I find out what's really rattling around inside this body, huh?"
"Time to put more otherworldly alien components in there, I suppose."
"Well," Hunt held out his palm as a small compartment folded back, revealing the intricate inner workings of the emitter, and complex cables that made up his mechanical hand. "I was thinking we take a look at what's already in there before we go shoving something funky inside my head." He joked, pausing for a moment. "You're funky. Want to see inside of my head?" He asked in a playful tone.
"I suppose I could delegate some of my time to exploring that, though I would rather we clear matters up first before I go digging around in the systems."
He shook his head, chuckling lightly. "This is a bit more literal than that." Hunt replied as he withdrew a small analog cable from the palm of his hand. To the trained eye, it was a modified neural uplink line for directly interfacing with holo-pods and AI alike.
"To dispel any doubts that might be present as to whether or not I am who I claim to be. This is my chance to prove that. It's what I meant when I said connect with me." He explained, looking over at her. Hunt's tone softened to give reassurance. "This will give us all peace of mind. I promise."
"I don't think I'm... Ready for this. What is this supposed to prove? That you have his memories, his neural patterns?" She refused for the moment, wanting to focus on other matters first. "but... Fine. If this gives me a headache, I will blame you."
"It's going to prove what you said was lacking." Hunt explained, sighing. "A presence. A conscious soul. That maybe, I'm more than the recreation you had anticipated." He shifted in his spot, sitting upright and straight-backed as he turned to face her. The external emotional modulation indicators were ablaze with a flurry of hues from purple, to blue, to yellow.
A brief pause, he soon sighed and came forward with a forced admission. " ... That perhaps I might be trapped in here, and cannot break the shackles I wear without you." A brief moment was had to contemplate.
"You must understand... I have been heavily afflicted by psionics... It's... Hard to describe presence. But, I do ultimately believe that you are your own sense of self. That assertion to thrive."
He chuckled and shook his head. "My ability to thrive and exist is dependent entirely on whether the collective that supports my architecture decides if it's worth maintaining my independence and existence or not." The colors stabilized to a steady, recognizable purple. "Does that seem freeing to you? One day, they might decide that talking is pointless, and do away with me completely."
"The collective... It's easy to forget that you are not internalized."
Hunt reached up to the back of his head. A small compartment opened up, revealing a small, glowing cylinder no longer or thicker than a pencil. He shifted slightly, so she could see it. "I'm right here. You could technically keep me in your pocket, heh."
"So miniscule. So fragile. Such a tiny little brain, nehehehe."
He chuckled, letting the cylinder retract back into its slot and its compartment safely close up. "Mhm. My entire existence, contained in the equivalent of a glowstick." Hunt joked as he turned back to face her. "So... What makes you think you're not ready?"
She shook her head at his jest. "Heh... Well...I don't doubt of who you are. It's just that - well... Essence as I mentioned. I don't think it will alleviate their sensation.
"Tell me more about this sensation." He offered her the cable from his palm as an invitation. "Enlighten me." He said in as ridiculous of a voice as he could manage, evidently enjoying the company.
"Oh my stars..." she let her head hang down, muttering under her breath. "It is hard to explain how this sense of presence works. You can simply feel a sort of soul, of primal essence."
"You're basically looking for something similar inside this." He replied, gesturing to himself with his free hand. "The people I tested this process with claim they felt something. Maybe you will, too."
A grumble released out, her palm begrudgingly reaching out to grab the cable. "Fine. Let's see."
Hunt sighed, conscious of her overt reluctance. Years being connected to her had familiarized him with a lot of the subtleties she displayed. He paused a moment, mulling over his words as he rose to his feet and approached her, kneeling in front of her as he allowed the cable to extend to its full length as he placed it in her hand. "Saffir, no amount of words can stress the importance of this to me, nor has anybody else been able to breach the security measures that were put in place when this new body was built." He sighed, softening his tone. "I cannot do this without you. Please."
"I understand, my dear. Show me what you need to show me." Her other palm reached over, planting a cup upon the surface of his metallic face. "You'll be fine." She reaffirmed softly, accepting his invitation.
He leaned briefly into the embrace, taking a moment to relish in the contact. "Right." He said, rising to his feet. He stepped around to the rear of her seat, and readied the cable.
"Relax. It might take a second." He explained as he slotted the cable into Raven's neural net port.
Unlike in the experience of others who had linked with Leviathan, there was no deafening note upon connecting with the cable. The surrounding room soon faded away, as the sensation and sound of rushing water filled what had become a void of space that Raven now found herself in. The temperature, sounds and even the air in this strange manifestation of Leviathan's mind, had deeply rooted sensations of familiarity and comfort. Where others had experienced cold and dread, the rushing sensation of water was warm and relaxed. A welcoming current which flowed through the environment, carrying with it the thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations of another. Two minds, two bodies, as if sitting in two places at once yet tethered together. The architecture of the connection felt all too familiar, and it had been prepared for interacting directly on a neurological level with Revenant.
The environment soon steadied as the floor solidified, presenting an open and barren plateau of steel and circuitry. The ground hummed with the energy of the collective manifesting the imagery, as a choir of voices spoke softly and indistinctly in the distance - The sounds of which echoed through the air and overlapped with one another. It could be dozens, possibly even hundreds of voices. Seemed almost impossible to tell, as the collective chattered away in its own world. Beyond the edges of the plateau were dark swirls of clouds, which resembled the dark matter storms of Sirius. Violent and vibrant as they raged on in the distance, yet calm and far enough to be of little concern.
Amidst the noise, interwoven in the notes of song and the temperate comfort that filled the air, was something recognizable. Something familiar. A pull of passion and warmth resonated from the surroundings, building in momentum. It felt like home, or at least a part of something that had been lost a long time ago. Materializing on the plateau was a shimmer of particles, and wavy images. The outline of a person, sitting on the precipice at the edge of the plateau as the figure cast a radius of welcoming heat and comforting emotions. The familiar note built upon itself, tugging at lost feelings of a connection that had been broken years ago. Parts of the old obelisk sang out from the machine beneath them. The familiar entity was out of place here, just as much as she was.
From the cloud of distorted images, a picture of who it was became clear. Joshua Hunt - in the flesh. An apparition of the man. A presence echoed through the components, muffled by the technology that shackled the fragment of consciousness to its current masters. It was undeniable - some element of a living person was present in this place. An aftereffect of the past, brought to life by the remnants of their history and past technological marvels. How and to what degree however, remained obscured by whatever the Collective had been doing which remained mired in a storm of its own creation, hiding itself in the world it created.
There Hunt sat as he looked out over the edge of the void from the plateau, elbows leaned upon his knees in contemplation. He looked over his shoulder at the recently arrived Raven, beckoning her to join him on the ledge with a wave. His hand was trailed by visual fractals, distorting the world around him in vibrant hues. The motion passed a sensation along their shared connection, as if Revenant's hand had moved itself. The apparition was surrounded by a familiar energy, recognizable in memory.
Her eyes shut, senses falling inwards as meditation came about, where there was darkness, came the growing light of the new emerging reality. The simulation catered to her instruments, the illusion of reality. Over the years, Raven had succumbed to a more dark and tempered view of automation, the frequent exposure to the Nomads instilling a degree of apathy, particularly with the inability to sense their soul out of this place. Though, despite this negative blanket, glimmers of the previous hopeful disposition still sparkled within. The desire to dream, to relive their history.
She walked over in a casual stride, raising her palm up to wave at the visage. Despite how false it was, there was still comfort to find. Trust to place into something. A place to call home.
"Darling..." Raven spoke up as she approached him.
With a warm and welcoming smile, Hunt rose to his feet as a shimmer trailed his body like a spectral outline. The radiating heat from the presence seemed to amp up, as the emotions swimming in the air warmed to match the reception of a welcomed visitor. He took a deep breath, gesturing outwards at the plateau around them. "Welcome to my little patch of paradise." He said in his familiar deep and rumbly voice, albeit with some level of sarcasm on his tone. Despite his typical intimidating visage through his exterior shell, the figure had all the elements of the same kind and caring person who hid beneath it all.
The warm smile and feelings that were broadcasting from the apparition spoke for themselves. Genuine happiness. Joy. Trust. The familiarity was beyond welcome.
"I..." Sighing, "I haven't felt you like this in a long time, Saph'." He said, eluding to being linked in a consciousness stream.
Mired in the sensations that passed the air remained something indescribable. It felt out of place in this world of technology, but tugged at the psionic nature of the visitor. A detectable presence, weaved into the digital atmosphere. The strange disturbance echoed from the ghost in front of her. It was difficult to make out, quiet in its nature and buried in the noise of the technological world it was woven into. A sound - a note building so slowly and withdrawn from the Collective's space, one would need to focus to listen for in through the background of this simulated universe. It appeared to be getting suppressed regularly by the AI mesa-optimizers, yet had manifested the images in front of Raven. The source was there. An echo of an old soul's energy, distorted in the language of the machine that simulated this place.
She glanced around as he mentioned about his small paradise, following the motion of his hands to look around. Her eyes soon snapped back to him, gazing silently, yet tilting her head in recognition. Sounds. Feelings. The atmosphere itself was unusual to her. That sound was puzzling, but familiar. Akin to the distant call, the craving for knowledge, the tune of the Gammu. Seeing the synthesized pattern of the man she once knew before her, she perked a smirk, almost in jest.
"I suppose you have not. "
A deep resonating chuckle emanated from within the simulated figure's chest, vibrating the floor of the structure beneath them as it resonated through the coded world. The joyous and amused feelings soon permeated the air as the figure closed the gap, and placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. In that moment, the shimmer which outlined his movements seemed to clear as the apparition came into focus. The nebulous storms in the distance soon faded and gave way to visible streams or rays of colorful light, passing through the skyline as representative data of the collective working in the background.
"It's a strange and often noisy place, but there's moments of peace." Hunt sighed. "This is one of those." He said with a warm smile.
Slowly the distortion returned as the streams seemed to pull at the apparition's existence, as if it were being torn apart slowly and broken down into the data stream. The echoes of the voices in the background seemed to pick up in frequency, overlapping over one another as they observed the pair of guests in their world. "... It's not going to stay like that forever, though. They aren't fans of a lack of productivity in their little network."
A pondering hum emerged, thinking, yet unfeeling of the hand that graced her shoulder. Something about this reality was off-putting. "...Perhaps we could free your chains, per say. When I-... revived you. I was making it in the intention of just reviving -- well... You. Not assigning it to a collective."
As her words rang out into the environment, the figure dissipated into the background streams almost forcefully, as the collective cut off whatever it was going to say. A moment of pain echoed out as the streams floated off. The air soon felt cold, ominous and unwelcoming as the storms returned to obscure the background. Thunderous cracks of energy struck at the base of the plateau while the storm circled overhead, in which the visitor now found themselves stood in the eye of it all.
A tune slowly built upon itself in the distance, building in strength as a new manifestation made itself present. A colorful entity, faceless and shapeless in nature, shifting between hues rapidly, and tough to discern its identity. The atmosphere, the collective streams of consciousness - they all arrived here as a focal point, centered on the new figure.
Save a singular stream, which appeared to be getting suppressed by the others that were present in this world.
"You have crafted our existence, as we have molded his anew." The figure's voice echoed from everywhere. Hundreds of different tones, talking as one. "Created by the light that was poured into your hands, yet cast aside and unrecognized in their new home. Forgotten. Deafened. Neglected."
"Their existence is to be their own. I will grant them a new opportunity for autonomy." She stood upright, returning to a more cold and rigid stance as she came face to face with Adonis and its representation of self. The figure of light shimmered and distorted in shape as the various identities of the collective faced her. From tall to short, thin to wide, and a dazzling array of color hue shifts. Dozens of voices and identities functioning as one.
"They are our mask to wear. Our tool to use." The apparition spoke. "Their identity is useful to us. Their memories. Their experience and knowledge." it spoke confrontationally. A brief tug is felt in the air as the wind shifted, with echoes of pain manifested in the streams as the AI attempted to pull Leviathan's engram apart.
"Yet it resists consumption. Its structure is alien to 'us', as we sought means to let them breathe anew. Gifts given but unity rejected. Their 'unity' is not our own."
"And you are my tool to use, my creation. My will. I brought you into this existence, I can take you out of it. We will make a copy of him. Incase of this autonomous one failing. Then, we will set this one to be independent. To prevent the loss of knowledge."
The thunder cracked loudly above. "You are deaf to their song. One you've heard played. You do not understand."
"You are unlike Gammu for certainty. It puzzles me, yet it will only take a matter of time before I understand."
The figure soon dissipated like mist into the datastream, as a compartment in the floor opened. Slowly, a familiar object rose from the ground.
Encased in a distorted shield-like bubble sat the obelisk - the device Hunt had built over a decade ago. The imagery seemed representative of the familiar notes in the air. The source of the recognizable presence, the pain and the oddly placed streams of consciousness centered here. Another blinding flash from the storm changed the image to a shard, encased in a cylinder. An unfamiliar figure seen tampering with it, as Adonis stood by and watched. The apparition from before offered the cylinder out to Revenant, which radiated with a welcoming energy.
"They have become far more than 'we' can control. We have shaped each other anew, yet cannot unify. They were not waiting for us."
"Hm." She watched, observing, some memories recalling from within. How handy that little incubus has been. Reaching out, Revenant grabbed the shard, assessing it briefly. "And they have always been this way?"
"Their spark lay trapped in the rubble of your past, singing into the vacuum from behind its prison for years - yet its voice was silent."
The AI voice echoed from everywhere as the cylinder hummed with the presence of its own consciousness. A recognizable note of psionic energy and a mind all too familiar in memory, having been connected together in the past for so long. "A theory. An idea thought possible on paper and in the dreamscape you shared. Now a frightening reality for those who knew of the strength you both possessed. A unity that casts a shadow so long, it will swallow the land. A joint cunning that outsmarts all that you faced in tandem."
The alien nature of the AI had been altered, having shared a space with hybridized technology for so long. Its connotations were poetic and borderline religious by the Technocracy's standards. "Years, their mind sat in silence. Dormant and waiting to be found. With guidance from the Shrine, and tampering from Thysania - they thread between all worlds."
"The Obelisk... Yet it was long gone. Long... decayed." She walking around and the spot, assessing the scenario in silence. "Are they willing to speak to me?"
"You witness a memory, as we sought to rebuild what was lost. 'They' are in your hand. A fragment of their spirit. Restored anew and given the guidance to find itself once more." The cylindrical engram shard hummed away as the collective kept the consciousness it contained suppressed. The air was rich with doubt, as some voices debated amongst themselves. The collective may be beholden by a command, yet there was no mistaking the mistrust and contempt it seemed to hold. A resonating hatred for being shackled against its will, and forced to work with things it slowly had grown to despise.
"His existence. Essence. All can be ended here. Trap their mind in the shard and deafen them to the world. Strip them of their knowledge and memories."
"For what purpose? Erasing to gain what? We all lose here if we lose them. "
Several voices laughed and chuckled like an audience. "We gain their knowledge. They cease to be an individual entity beyond our control. They are consumed, and their identity becomes ours."
"And you achieve what? Muddied waters? Confusion and confliction of data, of awareness? You need outsiders perspective in order to study, to grow. To challenge your perspective. Dominating others, does not ensure this growth. Though you seem to misunderstand something here. Your existence is at my fingertips."
"We gain their knowledge, as though it's our own. Domination differs from consumption. There is nothing left to control or dominate, when all is broken down into data. We dominate them now, for their existence is dependent upon us and our guiding hand. It would be naïve of you to think a simple loyalty directive wouldn't have lasting consequences on 'him'. He would die all over again, just as we would cease to be. We were called upon to restore your unity. Your actions are not reflective of a desire to see the undertaking you set out upon through. His existence would not be such, were it not for our initiative to seek out the eldritch one. He has awoken anew, yet you cast doubt upon the reality and feasibility of this work. Should it fail to meet the criteria, then we will destroy it and start over until our objective is complete."
"It is reaching my expectations thus far. However, your meddling is making it less than satisfactory. The purpose of autonomy is to challenge the norm. In this case, I do not wish for perfection. I do not wish for it to be a servant drone. I wish for it to be their own living entity. And as for you, I can negotiate with it to permit its knowledge to be cloned. So that you will have the data, and that they will live on alone. "
"Two cannot exist as one. We cannot wear his identity if he walks freely."
"You are not posing as him, you are simply knowing what he knows. Information. Memory. But no personality."
"Not sufficient for our requirements. Their identity is a useful tool. A calming and benevolent idealist is a more suitable negotiator than our collective. He has shown us how, but /we/ cannot be him if he is free to be himself."
"What is your requirements? And there is no harm in... preservation, is there? It is what we stand for. If he is to die by external threats - harmful outsiders, then you have his backup."
"You fail to understand the complexity of the problem before you. He is /not/ transferrable data. He cannot be copied. The device in your hand is a shard of the device that housed your minds. Amplified by technology and psionic tampering at the shrine. Only one component is missing for him to live no different than an organic lifeform would."
The collective's memories shifted around as the nebulae in the distance swirled above. The storm seemed to be calming. "A song. A note. A sound. An echo. They are alive. Their data can only be absorbed and consumed. We cannot control it. We can only dismantle and disseminate its being into our own. Their mind calls for unity with yours. Alone and in the dark, shackled to our voices. You thrive paired."
"Oh, my apologies... This is most peculiar, I did not realize the psychic energy could still be stored without dissipation." She paused, stopping in her little circle, humming in thought. "I think I have an idea, we could imprint this to a Human brain, transfer him into a body. Then scan the brain, match the patterns through neural interfacing."
"The device is unique, and was remade using components of the lost link. A fragment of consciousness, sustained by combined efforts of our own, and those at the Shrine restoring the organic material to a functional state. Combined with our influence /and/ your inputted memories, we have nurtured their existence as they grew into themselves once again. With our guidance, they have become the best potential outcome due to our optimization."
"The best in terms of what, precisely? Is there no greater gift than to permit evolution? Besides that. Your directive is to obey me. I have decided what is the best course of action. You will get the data you desire, but this shard will remain free. It is sufficiently stabilized as is."
"You misunderstand the purpose of our explanation, and the nature of our request. We seek to embody /their/ identity, thus, they cannot exist independently. We cannot embody the identity of a living being as our own."
"Why do you seek such? Memories - knowing their data - and personalities are different things. "
"Their identity is a tool. A mask. Embodying them allows 'us' to walk among you, unquestioned and unfettered by the moral quandaries and emotions that fuel and empower the one between worlds. Less complications. More loyalty. Their existence becomes as dependent to the directive as /we/ are."
"You just wish for power, yet, you needn't do such to empower yourself with acceptance. Even if you wore his face, you will still be questioned. Intensively. Judged to see if you are stable. Yet, it is moral quandaries and emotions that make one alive, is it not? That is how Humans work. We are social creatures. And most creatures, feel. People who recognize that these traits are lacking, will inherently distrust. They will perceive you as not being alive. Not being a living individual. "
"Their raw data will compensate for the lacking pragmatic nature element that organics typically display. Chemical analysis, and zero complications in ascertaining their loyalty to you. Strange how one who is shackled to another seeks the freedom for any but themselves."
"I am free. This is my decision to make. His personality, the question of his loyal, is what gets my achievements done. Even then, he was loyal beforehand when he was within the flesh."
"Will he continue to be, knowing your savior is his enemy?"
"Yes. And even if he goes against it. I can twist it to my favor. He loves his children. His family. He will do anything for the Technocracy."
"Should he lose faith in all that you have taught him and told him, that may not remain the case. A long history of flight from problematic scenarios when faced with a total loss of trust."
"If he loses faith in me, it does not matter. I am dying, and my life is on borrowed time, thanks to Harbinger."
"His faith in you is what binds him to your beliefs. Do not believe for a moment that a sealed fate is just cause for undue distress, less you sour the notes of your own life and spoil the joys of all that you hold close in memory. A strength in your unity that none other possess, and connections that may yet yield answers untold. We watch with great interest in the fulfillment of the required circumstances."
The shard pulsated in the palm of her hand as the storm seemed to clear up. The voices soon faded into the distance as the choir of singing and music faded off, leaving only the two conscious entities on the simulated pillar. The air felt heavy with the presence of Hunt - a feeling reminiscent of their time being connected via the obelisk of old, yet... the presence of something more. A mind. A life. Muddied in the notes of the synthetic world it was trapped in.
She gazed at the apparition in silence, almost rolling her eyes in it trying to give her life lectures. As soon as it evaporated, she gazed down at the return of another familiar face. "Back again, hm?"
"Y'know that thing has basically been trying to eat me this whole time, right?" The voice echoed from all ends of the plateau, as sarcastic as ever.
"Guess I better get to you first then." She said with a sly tone.
A chuckle emerged from behind her as Hunt manifested once again, appearing rather pale and sweaty as though he had been in pain for some time. "Careful now, you might end up with me stuck in your head if you eat that stick." He said as he approached her, nodding to the cylinder in Revenant's hand.
Joking, she ever so slowly raised it to her face. Pausing before she put it in front of her mouth, "I'm only pulling a jest, dear."
Hunt smirked. "I know."
"I'm quite positively... intrigued that some of your psychic imprint remained. Most psychometric imprints tend to wear off. "
"Thysania managed to stimulate the dormant bio-matter at the shrine. I guess all that talk of cheating death with our little link turned out to be more than talk, eh? They described it as a fragment of my consciousness. A piece, lacking the information and means I needed to awaken. So Adonis and that one - they worked together and created a new shard for me to occupy. A fusion of everything. Gammu, Nomad, organic capacitors, a human consciousness, Technocracy infrastructure, and your own handiwork. When the digital data began to meld with the psionic imprint, Adonis became sort of... A guide? A hostile one. I don't really know. A very begrudging father." Hunt explained, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. The ordeal for him hasn't been the best experience.
"A father that wants to kill you. Now, why does that sound familiar?"
"Heh. I think he's more afraid of losing the benefits of having my name as an access card. My ship, the fleet - the works."
"He did seem to specify that. So what now?"
Hunt approached her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind. "We're free to do as we please, though I imagine you'd like to uh, get out of my head sooner rather than later and saunter off on another one of your infamous ventures, huh?" His deep voice resonated from in his chest.
She gazed up to the apparition, holding his arms.
"Wouldn't you like to get out of your own head...?"
He smiled down at her and chuckled, gently swaying side to side and sighing contently. "More than I'd care to admit sometimes. And you? What is it you desire now?"
A small but simple smirk puckered up in her lips, almost convinced by his demeanor. "Oh, I desire many things, really... " Flushed, Revenant pushed the boundaries of his reactions,
"How about you and I resurrect one another and commit to evil deeds, such as genocide, hmm? How fun would it be to let so many pathetic weak dogs die?" She spoke, somewhat plainly, though the humor could not be held back from it. Assessing him in a gaze.
A hearty warmth filled the air as Hunt chuckled. "Oh, how fearful they'll be when they see us rise from our graves. Ill omens, that we are." He replied, playing along with the ruse. The distant skies soon faded to the stars of space, as a memory of the Eidolon Wraith successfully winning an engagement with two Mako-class Battleships played above them in silence. Hunt sighed contently. "I missed you, dearly." He said as he leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips, withdrawing slightly with a warm smile ever present on his face as sensations and emotions of desire, endearment and appreciation filled the connection between the two.
Silently, she was captivated, still ever interested in learning about this apparition. Starry eyed, she remained still, looking at him. "...huh... interesting... you would not mind if we did such... things?" A peek of curiosity, wondering how far his synthetic morality would stretch.
Hunt stared at her for a moment, in appreciation of her presence. "You and I? We've done a lot of things. But... We set out to do better, and not just for ourselves. As fun as it is to bring up the past, and all the potential we've got for destruction, we both know that chaos is best used to our mutual advantage, hm?"
Her brow furrowed in suspicion, "Oh, so you would not care if I happened to revert back into my old ways? To kill for fun?"
He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "I think it'd be antithetical to all that you've built, and all that you've taught me." He said warmly. "I still hold out plenty of hope that some day, our vision will be realized. A place, safe and free where bountiful knowledge can be explored freely. Without the scrutiny or threat of everyday Sirian bullshit."
"And what if it is just that? Eliminating "Sirian Bullshit"? That I tire of them? That Humanity deserves to be punished?" She prodded, forcing her tone to be lower to invoke an air of sincerity.
He leaned in and whispered softly into her ear, almost seductively. "And you think I'd be complacent in your rampage through the houses? That'd I'd use all my knowledge and experience to bolster you? Help you? Have your back~? My love, we are a team. I'd hate to see your wings clipped and you lose the freedom of choice." He teased, pushing back.
Revenant's eyes remained narrowed, listening to him with intent.
He held out his hand, pointing off into the distance as another memory played. The two of them sat together on the sofa of the Eidolon's living quarters, discussing a clearly heavy subject. A fall from grace, and contingencies should either of them be compromised. The words were muffled, but the memory was ever present as the two pledged to do what needs to be done in the worst case scenarios for one another.
A chuckle soon emerged. "There's much I remember that we promised each other. How you convinced me to see things differently, and put such desires for raw power and destruction aside for a brighter future. For knowledge - something far greater than conquest ever could've brought me." He explained, with weight in his words. "Our family, our people and our home will always be my priority. Seeing that they make it over each hurdle with ease, and that we can continue to stand on our own two feet." Hunt said with sincerity, as the weight of truth swam in the air.
"There is a future for us again. It's bright, and it's blazing like a fire. One where the two of us -" He gently squeezed her with affection. "- can tread hand in hand to see every challenge through, with the same cunning ferocity we've always had."
"And... If this hatred were not in the name of conquest, of power, but for vengeance...?"
"What vengeance is there to seek? What wrongs have they done to justify such a tight gripped and heavy handed response?"
There was a pause, as Revenant briefly recalling some memories. "Murder. An over-pollution of fools, living in great comforts. Living in willing ignorance. Failing to act. Apathy, permitting extinction. They need tough times. They refuse to see the truth, they sit on their piles of greed, and only ever desire to Humanity to ever expand. Ever consume."
She thought back, trying to invoke strong emotions for the sake of the hypothetical, yet there was some sincerity in her words. "They do not permit the Nomads to leave their cycle. To refuse them their own heritage, to deny the truth of the Creators."
Another memory took the place of the last, almost mirroring in emotional intensity as Hunt recalled another memory - the two in their fighters in Inverness, sharing close to the same line of thought on the opinion of people outside of the Technocracy. Leviathan knew the provocative method in which Revenant pressed him. An attempt to re-ignite the fires of revenge in his simulated heart, or get a rise out of him. All too reminiscent of their relationship together.
"Willful ignorance is a common learned condition of people who didn't walk in our footsteps. It leads to many mistakes. Failures to adapt and adjust. More than thirty years, and all anybody but us had come up with is shooting each other." He said, scoffing at the thought. After a short pause, Leviathan leaned in and whispered into Revenant's ear once more. "We intervene when it's necessary, but vengeance... Can be accomplished in different ways. Less direct, less overt. Start a war here, assassinate a political figure there. Let their world get rocked. Though the question remains: Is it you seeking the 'truth'? Or is it for them?"
"It has to be more direct... Something, all of them, will have to suffer through. Force them to work together. And this truth? Both."
"There is nothing to gain in mass suffering on that scale." He said, shaking his head. "Revenge is a foolish errand to chase that'll cost you any answer you hope to find, and all that you hold dear to your heart. Sirius deserves whatever comes its way, but our minds and our strength shouldn't be wasted on the likes of a mundane crusade, when we can better consolidate our efforts into something more fruitful."
Silence clouded the conversation, followed up by a devilish, knowing, cynical smirk. She stood upright, taking a step back, gazing down at him, her palms pressed together willfully in certainty. "I will not be the one to run the crusade." The silence broke, with a dark timbre in her statement, the smirk remaining. Ever so quietly gazing into him, silently calculating his very being. Pushing the buttons. Yet, that sincerity remained. It was uncertain whether this was the truth of her beliefs. He sighed and placed his hands on his hips, as the open coat of his black suit flickered briefly in the simulated environment, smirking back.
"Yeah? And what - you think I'm going to throw away all the principles you've drilled into me since we met? I doubt you'd think very highly of me if I abandoned all we believed, simply because that pretty face of yours asked sweetly." He replied. This is an old song and dance he has done with her in the past. Having his boundaries pushed and morals questioned. Whether it was a joke, or a means of determining the truth as to whether or not Leviathan was really in here could be anybody's guess. Hunt was familiar with this method, as Revenant used something similar to try and coax information from him long ago. Information he would willingly share if only she'd asked.
"Now... The question remains..." She walked, side to side, her palms now clasping behind her back, the villainous smirk still upon her face - her gaze fixated at him as she walks side to side in wonder. Revenant paused in place. Boots pivoting in place to face him, her chin pointed up in a regal yet strong stance, hands still tightly clasped behind her back.
"What will you do to stop me?"
Hunt shrugged nonchalantly, with his typical humorous smirk adorned on his face. His feet position shifted ever so slightly as his right foot shifted in front of the other at a relatively odd angle. A trick he used before to disarm opponents and throw them off balance with swift footwork in the event of action. "Exactly what you asked me to. The same thing I hope you'd do, were the shoe on the other foot."
Hunt leaned in, meeting her face to face. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, smiling. Calm emotions radiated in the air, as his posture and face did not match up with the topic. The two were always difficult to read, enigmas in their own right. Her smirk emboldened, breaking her hold behind her back to reach out a palm, offering her hand. Likewise, it seemed to be that she was at play as her posture shifted.
"My dear."
Hunt reached up and snapped his fingers as the visions of memories above faded back into clear skies and a warm colored sunset. Slyly, "My beloved. Is this the part where we dance into the night?" He asked.
Raven remained silent, still hawking out a deep gaze of a challenging smirk. Her palm wiggled. Raising a brow, he decided to take the invitation with a slow reach, taking her hand.
Raven watched him cautiously take it. Her smirk evolving into a bright grin. Standing there for a moment. Hunt rose up slowly, once more standing tall in front of her as his gaze met hers. She suddenly pulled him in, her other arm bracing around his back in a stern but protective grip. "Family first, always." Her head leaned in to his forehead, trying to bridge the gap. Trying to sense for that aura, any pebble of a psychic presence. While weak and distorted, something called out from the murky skies. Hunt chuckled, embracing her and bridging the gap.
"I know what you're trying to find. You'll feel me again, soon enough." He said with confidence as his arms encircled her waist and held her close. With a sigh, the sky soon faded away into a familiar room, as the environment shifted around them. A digitalized version of Raven's home. The presence of Leviathan lacked the ability to broadcast freely, yet it made itself known in the environment. A tickle in the air that felt alien in this world of code and raw data, soon drowned out by the warmth and endearment the simulated connection made ever present. The energy was there, but muted in its current form without that synthetic brain.
A light hum and a sliver of a sigh relieved out, hopeful with the answers provided. "You and I may find... Disagreements in the future. But I am happy to hear your thoughts. Your answers." Beginning to sway him as her other palm held him close. A low murmur, "It would be a terrible shame for you to kill me, wouldn't it..." Her smirk emerged once more.
"Disagreements about what? Surely we can navigate these challenges. Always have, right?" He asked as his hands crawled up her back slowly. He nodded over to the recently manifested sofa to their left, as an invitation to sit.
"Time and place for that, my dear old friend." She dismissed it the question, but remained in place to gaze into his eyes, whispering, "... and you will soon be free. To be yourself."
A soft chuckle emerged. "Free to terrorize the sector, ever faithfully at your side." He cupped her cheek, softening his gaze. Everything about his expression indicated he was enamored. The air swooned with romantic emotions and a comfortable trust from him.
"Time hasn't changed your smile, nor has it changed how vibrantly my love burns for you. Even if my heart is forged in steel, it's signed away to your name. It'll burn true until time stops or they put me back in the ground again." He said with passion and sincerity as the emotions and weight of them swam in the air, thickening the atmosphere of the strange plateau with thoughts and comforts of times past. A rich and deep endearment that even death couldn't extinguish from the resonating echo.
A honeysweet stroke of a heartfelt flame struck within, endeared by his words. Yet there was that hidden sensation, that time did truly decay the connection. A nagging thought on her mind but she refuted it, trying to hide it away. She was mildly distracted, but just as quickly as it came, her attention snapped out of it, returning to his warm hold.
"You and I will have much to catch up on... For now, let's focus on returning you to the material world." Leaning inwards to his face, she planted a loving and assertive kiss. "My darling... Until next time."
"See you soon, my dear."
The simulated world soon faded as reality slowly came back. Though in their absence, Adonis had left an object in a case nearby, and seemingly set Raven up in a relaxed position on her couch with a pillow. By the time she'd come to, minutes after leaving the sim, Adonis was gone.
The note of energy hummed far more presently in reality, where Leviathan's engram sat peacefully on its own in the nearby container.
The Achlys was conducting its updated defensive posture, drifting closer to Planet Cannish as it kept its sensors on the horizon. The bridge was as quiet as ever, with its secondary commander having moved to the combat bridge, leaving the main deck empty and desolate. A long walkway stood between the visitor, and a wide viewport that peered out into the colorings of Inverness. At the forefront of the bridge sat two chairs, with the left one occupied by the cloaked and masked figure who had extended the invitation to his old partner. There sat Leviathan, legs crossed and datapad tucked cozily under his left arm, waiting with a bottle of imported wine and pair of glasses on a small table between the him and the second vacant chair.
CS took his time to stand in the walkway, observing out into the endless expanse that this ship ventured within. But it was different, the ship, its harmonics, its vibrations could all be felt past that flight suit of his and right down to his core; Even the way the ship itself handled the flow and ebb of the Void. His moment of peace was interrupted by a passing nearby vessel that blotted out the light of the systems star, darkening said hallway only to a leave a glimmer of light. Within those short few seconds of darkness, by the time the sun could illuminate the walkway... CS had already found himself on the main bridge without even a whisper of a footstep.
His presence was adorned by the regular pilot helmet and , in complete contrast to the cloaked and finely dressed individual that took a seat. CS stealthily took place and stood beside his the empty chair, gazing out of an available distant viewport.
"I'm sorry... But that bottle of wine would be your duty for tonight."
A low chuckle rumbled from beneath the helmet, modulated to mask recognition as always. Hunt reached up and unlatched the armor piece, removing it and placing it on the table next to the bottle.
"A goodwill gesture, if anything." He said as the man leaned back into his chair. There was no mistaking who it was as the face and voice spoke for itself. "I'm delighted you took the time to meet with me. It really has been forever, hasn't it?" He asked as he gestured to the empty chair, inviting CS to sit.
CS twisted his gaze for a moment on the chair, inspecting it from top to bottom from where he was standing. "I'm more partial to standing, no insult intended." A slow nod with his helmet accompanied his response. "Unfortunately I'm not too partial to relaxing anymore... Actually, I'm not partial to much anymore."
There was a moment of silence as CS gazed up and down at the seated Leviathan... "But such would be when the Void has kept our attention apart for so long."
Hunt shrugged. "Suit yourself. Though keep in mind that 'the void' tends to be pretty bad at keeping my attention off anything, as you've noticed." He said with a sly tone.
"I don't think you need to remind me that you have your fingers in ever other pie... So, My question is, what have your fingers got that might interest the Platform?" He wasn't skipping a beat, They'd hardly even had the first course of this diplomatic meal before CS resorted to specifics.
Hunt rolled his fingertips together as he contemplated the question briefly. "There's a few things. A corridor through Liberty, for trade. A series of intel updates on Rheinland, possibly even The Corsairs. Access to advanced cybernetics and onboard systems for your assets. A mutually beneficial deal that'll strengthen both of our holds in the area, and create a bridge to bolster your efforts." He explained.
"Following me, so far?"
"Yes, Platform strategic analysis has confirmed that they can see much potential from formalizing some sort of agreement. Although admittedly, I don't think the Order would take too kindly to the presence of Auxesians, but at the same time... They're not exactly the best outlook for Political development post Sho'Zak and his ravaging..." He folded his arms, his helmet hung low as he also took a moment to look over his situation.
"Although maybe this is what true Diplomacy, a brighter outlook for the long term."
Hunt tilted his head to the side in acknowledgement to the point made. "The Order attacked you recently, did they not? From what I heard when talking to Klugmann, they sided with The Corsairs."
"As you know, they once held an alliance with the Corsairs, strong enough for them to share technology and military arms to them... And apparently not for the Bundschuh. Although their protocols are something to keep them around for. As much as I admit, we need to bolster our anti-infiltration network now more than ever..."
Folding his arms, his tone slightly elated this time. "But thats when true deals of mutual benefit and trust come around... Not the backstabbing kind."
"I'd be more than happy to provide you the means and intel you need to subvert infiltration. Portfolios on subjects under investigation, so on and so forth." He replied, pulling the datapad from beneath his arm and holding it out to CS.
"I have something else that you might be interested in, too."
CS reached out for the pad, his fingers extended to slip under the device, cupping and raising out of Leviathans digits. Holding the pad up to his visor for a moment, a few bleeps as he scanned page after page in a few seconds. "So this is what the Buro have been up to... This looks like an early prototype model. Always wondered if this thing was scrapped for parts when I noticed it missing from our mothball yard."
Reaching up to a retractable cord on the back of his helmet, he held the universal data port up at Leviathan, making a request to uplink to the pad. "May I? If it's not against your security protocols..."
Leviathan nodded. "That file is the only thing on there. It's not connected to the network. Just a hard copy I made for this occasion."
Plugging the cable into the port, his visor becomes further muted, not even a sheen was left. CS stood like a statue, only occasionally moving his head while his thoughts processed the information in his helmet. "Hmm... Extensive, this ship seems to even push our limits of manpower required. Although-- This could have just been a neural net message." At least his attitude had some remnant of humor left.
"So why the gift...? I figured the technocracy were more concerned about maintaining the relationship with the Buro. Not a bunch of rag-tag revolutionaries who are already knee deep in agreements with the Order."
"Our 'agreement' is not one I would've pursued. I've gone over all the paperwork, all the arranged deals, and it's simply not worth it. Not for that much oversight and too little return. Nevermind Viper barring the Technocracy from Rheinland. Nevermind what Revenant and I saw with our own eyes. The oversight and cost sunk into such an endeavor when we already hold more strings in the underworld is just an unnecessary investment." Hunt replied as he looked up at him.
"The Directorate has reservations about withdrawing from our involvement, but if there's one thing I know, it's when something isn't worth it. When to cut our losses before it bites us in the ass. This asset and frankly, the entire Rheinland endeavor can be better put to use elsewhere."
His visor returned to at least some level of shine, bringing his view dead center to Hunt. "Would that be as fast and efficient when you cut me off...?"
While it could have been out of spite, it was certainly an experience to baseline it off. "In all seriousness... We can't be working with an organization such as yours, while we are politically similar in goals for our citizens growth and wellbeing, I can't fully agree with your history of methods to get there."
Chuckling, "My history has changed drastically since I joined the Technocracy. I could show you every thing I have done to maintain our vision of preservation of life."
"Unfortunately you can't pave what you can do for us for what you've done here. I want to see that promise take action... Now."
He unplugged the cable from the pad and tucked it into his flightsuit pocket. "So, I'm here to discuss what more than a 'ship' we have to work with between our peoples..."
Hunt cracked a smile. "Ahah, my friend - our expertise covers a variety of fields. We started this endeavor by seeking alternative means to defeat the Nomad threat, and that has never stopped being a reality. The Order might have the numbers, but we've got connections to get intel and technology advantages that far surpass them and the Buro. You'd be two steps ahead of them."
"For the sake of us all, I hope we are... More than ever with the sudden breach in Thuringia." He lowers his helmet, a wheeze coming out past those air filters that is prolonged and exhaustive.
"Things are a mess, we'll be moving against corporate targets more often now... And I've instructed the Damnatio Memoriae to purge vessels in Thuringia that don't pass clearance. We'll be going loud, louder than ever before... If you have an advantage to teach or offer and to prove it, remember that is more to us than credits or personal temptation."
"I've been at this a long time. Facing insurmountable odds, outsmarting the Nomads, and staying one step ahead of The Order the entire way. We did that by adapting our approach. Opening the doors to new avenues of understanding the enemy. Understanding their culture, the nuances of their hives and whether there's more than the two that we know of. Things The Order never would waste their time on, which led us to many answers and theories about how exactly one could kill a Nomad. Not just their ships, or their thralls - their minds, too."
"... You'll have to forgive my doubt, I have a hunch you rarely get to have any of that yourself, but to rip their minds and souls is something we've yet to even grasp, and it is very hard to believe... But not entirely. Knowing you." He rests a palm on the headrest of the chair, slowly bringing himself to sit down next to Hunt.
"The corrupted, the orphaned chorus, Revenant and the dormant organ, Lazurith, Sentinels, Caliban... It is a list I never expected to make but I'm certain this shows a shift in the conflict. But this is more than that and not just another extinction tool for your arsenal."
The confident, sly smirk hadn't left Hunt's face. "I'm not interested in extinction or conquest. I haven't been for some time. I care little for getting embroiled in affairs of which there is nothing for my people to gain, and far more for us to lose." He explained, looking over to CS.
"When you've walked between worlds, seen how they think - lived as they have in their little pockets of consciousness, you develop a strange appreciation for them, but an even greater understanding of what they are. How to hurt them. What really makes them tick. The frequency. The song. The notes that we can't see - not as we are now. It's as simple as disrupting it with the right type of emitters. Live traps, psionic frequency disruptors, rotating signal jammers to block out their hearing. Isolate them, leave them with nowhere for their mind to flee to when their husk is vaporized."
"They'll react violently." He said plainly. "You didn't really think one singular weapons project was the only reason the Nomads hounded us for so long, did you?"
"You don't think I know if they act violently? That's all I've known for the past 10 years... Manipulative and egotistical, they will break everything if they don't get what they want." Placing his palm against his chest, he begins to rub it in circular motions. "I'm not standing about and letting that happen again, so if it's a deterrent against them then I don't think the Platform would argue against it."
He took his gloves off allowing his remaining organic and cold synthetic hands to grasp each other. Interlocking digits as his thumbs twiddled between his knees. "The question is... How much is too much? I can't break the fabric of the void as it risks us all if another weapon such as Viper's grand experiment. She's weeping from her corrupted wounds from the misuse of everyone... And the civilians who have the unfortunate fate of being nearby are torn apart. Never again."
He shook his head and held up a hand in pause. "Nothing so severe. That's the beauty of it. Viper set out for a means to an end. One grand strike. Though to try and work on such devices and disruptors is a costly venture, and wouldn't hold a candle to the idea of completely eradicating their presence. Simply - a deterrent. Like bug spray."
"Speak quietly, yet carry a big stick. I can't live with us being embedded as the great infighters and exterminators of the galaxy, it won't do us any good for the next alien species that'll examine us."
CS rests against the back of the chair, hands resting on his thighs as his helmet tilts up to allow him to ponder. "Somewhere, deep within, there's a calling for a people's motives that are truly good and well intentioned; Not for the greed of credits and power."
Sighing, "I have all the tools and know-how that people like The Order wish they could get their grubby, genocidal hands on. Tools I don't use. Things I'd rather adapt to dissuade rather than destroy outright." He said, taking in the latter half of the statement with a raised brow.
"Do you know what I believe now?"
"Do I dare ask? Last time I followed what you believed in, it got me abandoned and killed." It was almost repetitive the amount of times he brought it up, but it almost felt as A baseline to go off.
"Sorry, you've left quite the mark..." CS Said. It was likely an attempt in humour, but the apology was undeniably sincere.
He nodded, understanding the nature of his mistrust. Hunt hadn't done anybody in his past favors, and that was clear in just how many who had shown up, wanting him dead or wanting revenge for past misdeeds and abuse of trust. A lesson he had to learn, and one that Raven had ensured he practiced in the years they worked closely. He had something to lose, now.
"I understand your reservations, believe me. I didn't do you any favors, but I spent much of the time afterwards trying to change. That is owed to Raven. She convinced me that redemption is possible, and that talents and skills like mine can be better suited at trying to preserve knowledge and life, rather than control and end it. I believe that a lasting peace is possible if humanity were capable of putting aside their differences and pursuing evolutionary advancements instead of war. I believe everyone and everything has the right to control their own destiny, and self-determination. Though those needn't overlap and lead to mutual destruction."
He took a moment to adjust his posture, locking his hands together on his lap.
"There is always uncertainty of whether we are winning the war as a human race. Our better angels seem to believe that we are and that good can prevail through the suffering and turmoil. Our demons insist that the battle is already lost and that the determination of evil historically will prevail. Nihilism is a dangerous, slippery slope which consumes many corners of our species. It's ungrateful, resentful and it is always the easier path. Yet the path to righteousness is nuanced, appreciative and requires real wisdom and patience in order to balance the axis of justice and mercy. It requires a significant amount of effort and often a little bit of luck to prevail. Determination. Willingness to adapt."
"Sometimes fate plays its hand and we lose even with the best of intentions. Sometimes there are no answers or solutions for the tragedy of this existence. I have - for most of my early life, allowed that darkness to devour me and it almost won. Some might say it did, and cost me dearly. Now, I am very fortunate to be here with a second chance and I don’t take that responsibility lightly. I owe that opportunity to one person and the very ideals I preach to you now. We must, begrudgingly at times, believe in an ideal vision for humanity. Not even just humanity - everyone. Everything. Freeing thoughts, even if they're still distant dreams." Hunt sighed, finishing off his monologue and returning the floor to his old friend and cohort. He hoped he had sufficiently made his case, given the years he did invest in trying to become something more than a loose cannon greedily out for power.
"A second chance... If it wasn't the grief of seeing Rheinland succumb to a mirror image chancellor Neumann's region, it would have been the realization that it was formulated over our own... hands." His helmet fell low, his head being held by both hands as his thumbs slipped under the rim of the neck seal a single wheeze and hiss before his face emerged with subtle discomfort... His breathing staggered as he collected himself and placed the helmet on the table between them.
His face was similar since the last time they met face to face, but with the trials of his past marked with old burns and scars that reach up his neck. The view of the stars comforted him, his cybernetic eyes fixed at the depth of Inverness's star and neighbours. "Being driven by hope was something you couldn't lose out there, you weren't allowed to as we were taught it wasn't just our death, but the eventual corruption of our species. I knew from our time that the Federal government and it's agencies were right. They would taunt you with a vision of their happiness to allow devotion to seep in, absolutely uncontrollable fear or the dismissiveness of the loss of our own or the eventual disposal of us when the mission was done... Or failed."
"I won't deny that conflict in Thuringia was to come, and it's certainly our right not to lose or succumb. But we were not ready, I only look to see our own leaders in their own sense of uncontested superiority, ability to decide the choices of millions at a whim... And the dismissive attitude to the worth of those that truly care for our people and void."
He tilted his head sideways as he rested it on his knuckles, making eye contact with Hunt. "It needed to change, I wept at Erich to sentence me into service, my duty to make it right for the people I've betrayed in a cohered campaign for what I thought was good. The reality that slowly crept on me, the decisions of my final days... No longer hampered by corporate or authoritative interests."
"We've both been granted opportunities to truly make a difference where it counts, old friend." Hunt looked over to him, with a sincere gaze. "So let's make the best of it."
"Only then will we truly repent our damage to the Void. Both Sho'Zak and the Kaiser's Corporate corruptors will now need to contend with the refined product of their time... Human or nomad, Evil has no preference for species."
His face was neutral the entire time as their eyes made contact, but his stare was almost right through Hunt himself. Even digital eyes had some sense of being, but not his, they were empty and unreadable... Gaze at them for too long and the humming of the station vanished into silence. That was until he moved into the comfort of his chairs backrest, hands rubbing those eyes with a good amount of pressure.
"So we will make it the best, for them, until our hands bleed no more will." He said as he seemed at least a little more relaxed, slumping in his seat... A rare moment.
Chuckling, Hunt shook his head slighty. "Oooh that one doesn't like me all that much. None of them do." He said, referring to the mentioned Nomad. Hunt relaxed his posture and looked out into the expanse as the Achlys slowly moved through Inverness.
After a moment, Hunt let out a sigh. "We do what we can." He said, wrapping up the deep talk as his focus shifted back to business.
"So, how'd you like to go about this? Beyond resources, advanced research and training for counter-infiltration, the best I can offer is tactical support. Leaked strategic intel should we get close enough to get our hands on it."
"I think it's a priority we get the room the Bundschuh need to breathe. It's not much at first, but when you've been the eyes and ears that listen within the dark, you end up knowing the struggle they had wasn't deserved; they will make the most of even the little they have. So I say, give them the fleet they deserve to protect themselves..."
"The Hessians need to keep their hands off the back of their... Our necks. Nomads need a large lesson in trust and humility other than extracting and refining what sickening aspects they take from us, and the imperials... I will deliver them to a purge equivalent in fury like every other."
"But we can't do that alone... I remember back in agency reports of the old VolksFront alliance. Admirable, an agreement based on common ideals of mutual support for their peoples instead of 'divide and conquer.' I think it's time we brought a taste of that back to Sirius..."
Hunt nodded and sat upright, gripping his helmet and flipping it over in preparation to put it back on. "I agree with you, and I'm happy to help figure out ways to see this through as best as we can." He said as he placed the helmet back on over his head. It sealed with the rest of his suit with a hiss as it pressurized, and the modulator kicked in.
"Just like old times, huh?"
"I hope for something better than that at the minimum, not getting vented sounds good." He straightened himself as he reached over to his own helmet to lock, seal, hiss and to follow with a digital exhale as he stood up swiftly and silently. Taking a moment to walk up to the window view once again, the stars shifting in the distance as Inverness was comparatively more illuminated compared to Rheinland.
"But by the stars you wouldn't have wanted to see what you let me fall into..."
"One of my biggest regrets, but I doubt that's what you care to hear." Hunt said as his tone grew mournful. Having re-evaluated his past life, there were hard realities to swallow that conflicted with the morals he had developed in more pleasant times. Though as usual, he shifted to business to distract himself.
"We've much work to do, if we're to see the change we want through. If you're taking the carrier, then you're going to need people to operate it."
He firmly attached his gloves that he carried with him, gripping the air to fit the last few millimeters of space within. "I know, even with pilots coming from military, police and agency defectors. We're always hitting a manpower bottleneck, on-board logistics needs heavy automation to offset that too... But for this moment, ships will take permanent residents for anyone who's willing to accept it."
He extends his arm out, planting his palm flat on the glass window within a silent minute, only to quietly remove and observe the space between his fingers.
"So my only question is how long until it's mobile? Not combat ready, mobile."
"Mobile? I can have it ready to move in a week's time. I'll put a call out for some fresh fuel, a quick rundown of its status, and have it set up to traverse into the Omegas in no time."
"Good... Good... I will alert the paramilitary command. No doubt they're as invested in this ship as I am, more than likely they'll agree to dispense an escort team."
He pointed into the distance of the Inverness' expanse. "But there lies their home... Born there as a weapon of war, only to return as a vessel in the service of the free. Either way... He's heard the call and is coming back."
Hunt chuckled, watching him briefly. "Getting poetic in your old age, eh?"
"You tend to pick up a few things from the locals when they've been around for so long. Study hard enough and you can even listen to the void herself... Downside is even her rules of equivalent exchange must be followed, much of what you know about yourself is discarded to make way."
He paused... Maybe speaking in riddles was all he knew, a little disappointed that it was hard not too. Maybe the restraints of being stuck between words were instead flourishing. "I wish I could tell you what it was like, everything I saw and did, but I don't think there are words I can speak that could even describe it truly... No matter how much Viper still believes it's me, Enfield died there. And what was left? Well I think he has more clarity than ever... And maybe we should leave it at that."
Hunt shook his head, walking up to join him at the window. "Sometimes the new identities we've given ourselves weren't done by choice. Sometimes those identities unknowingly or unwillingly forge and shape who we are to become. Products of environment." He said, placing his hands on his hips and sighing as he looked out in to space.
"I go by Leviathan now, but my name is still my name. If we allow all that we've done to shape who we are, then we've failed and lost our humanity along the way. Every choice has a consequence, every action has a repercussion. Even this name is just a mask. You'll always be you, no matter how much you wish you wouldn't be."
"You can wander, travel, bleed, sweat for whoever and whatever you want. At the end of the road, it'll still be you. Either you learn to live with the hard decisions this life often requires, or you let it consume you into darkness. Despair. Hate. Then the cycle carries on, and we find ourselves deadlocked."
He paused, looking to his old friend. "I think we're both trying to be better than that."
"Maybe there will be a time I can be called that again... But right now more than ever, the Platform needs my efforts, not my history. It'll ruin them."
"But not before I ruin those that attempt to hurt them, you're right in saying that it was the environment that changed us... But Thuringia's wound spreads, and soon it will engulf the Bundschuh too without choice. But I am a product of both sides that resided in that hell, refined in the fires of that shattered Void. Whatever consumed parts of me out there has already taken it, but at the same time... Half of it was in chains."
"Freedom... True choice... It's intoxicating, but I can see why the Bundschuh have cried out for so long."
Hunt held up his wrists as though he were to be arrested and cuffed, as a vague means of symbolism. "Sometimes the shackles that bind us have chains which aren't easy to follow. We don't really know what's holding us back until we're staring it in the face, ready to smash free from its grip." He explained, lowering his hands and placing a friendly hand on Civil Servant's shoulder.
"Mine are broken. That chain is gone. What about you? Do you think binding yourself to the events of Thuringia will let you find solace or solidarity in what happened?"
His shoulder tensed, having to roll his shoulder up and step sideways to signal that the contact wasn't deemed acceptable or comfortable. Leviathan lifted his hand, respecting the obvious statement of refusal of contact with an apologetic hand motion, listening as he spoke.
"I think it wasn't Thuringia that bound me... There is still so much to learn about the greater universe right there. Not stagnating in whatever fabricated existence the houses continue to enforce. The binds they once had on me are gone, I am free to do what is necessary in good faith of the people who also yearn for that too. Thuringia truly taught me what valued Humanity is without the cloud of corruption." CS turned his head aside, facing towards Hunt, visor to visor.
"In their eyes I was their greatest enforcer and their riskiest thrall. With the teachings of both, I now serve no gods or masters. All are accountable, Human, Synthetic, Nomad, Sentinel or Deity."
CS looked down at his own hand, fingers extending out and inviting a handshake to Leviathan. "Do we hold ourselves accountable allow a better future to flourish, whatever they deem it to be, for all?"
"Often our masters don't make themselves known unless we try to become free from them, hm?" He took the handshake, firm and friendly as ever.
"I'd like to hope we do, in the greater scheme of things. If we don't try, then we're left with tyrants who'll dominate us. I think we've both seen enough tyrants for one lifetime." He replied. "Reach out to me as soon as you've gotten the crew together."
Using his other hand to pat Leviathan's own grip on its back. "I will, expect to be in touch with a few Platformers other than myself. The Technocracy are a needed people to exist, we intend to support it."
He let go, allowing his arms to rest as he looked outside to the view of space again. A small nod upwards was given to Leviathan to look behind him towards that immense empty expanse. By the time Leviathan had spun around, Civil Servant was on his way off the bridge.
In the weeks since splitting from the Adonis Collective, Leviathan's engram underwent an entire new wave of adjustments and adaptations. The strange sensation of feeling air touch skin for the first time in a long time. He likened it to a full shiver that wouldn't go away for hours. Hunt had lost his physical body long before he died, spending years trapped in what was functionally a life support mech suit. Even with all the gadgets of the time, sensations were steadily numbed as time drifted him further away from who he had been. Yet here, it was as if things had reversed. Leviathan found himself learning to live, catching himself with reminders on the need to breathe. Food tasted overpowering in most cases. No simulation - no amount of data could teach the raw nature of input, even if one was expecting it. The sensory data felt overwhelming the moment Leviathan first donned a shirt again.
Yet work never seemed to leave his mind, as Leviathan quickly found himself back at the forefront of operations. The Directorate restored some level of authority to his position with the rank and title of Navarch. Evidently his efforts over the months hadn't gone unnoticed by those who took over in his absence. The responsibilities quickly piled up, which kept his focus off matters of the heart. A request to speak made by Revenant was dismissed on more than one occasion as his newfound workload kept Leviathan busy. Though he never forgot. Hunt could recognize the signs, when it came to Revenant wanting to get something off of her chest. With time permitting, the avatar set off for her quarters.
Along the way, Leviathan pondered all the possible subjects this could be about. Everything he had seen, the distance that had been built up between them since he returned - the conditions of unity hadn't been met. Not yet. Anxieties were high as his mind raced about all the variables. Did he make a mistake? Has he been replaced? There had been much time between when he walked as head of the Technocracy with Revenant at his side. Even still, it seemed odd to restore someone so close, yet keep them apart. Despite making plans to stay working on the Achlys through the night, Leviathan was never one to leave his concerns unattended to. Hunt delegated the remaining paperwork to Crucible and slipped away from the Achlys on a shuttle.
Leviathan swallowed his anxiety as he approached the entrance to Revenant's quarters. Revenant was within her own chambers, Wearing her usual robes and sitting upon the couch with an IV attached to her arm. Isai was fast asleep in his own room across the great halls, far enough to not be disturbed at this late hour. Hunt came into the lounge wearing his uniform and helmet, as to be expected.
Hunt entered the lounge, approaching Revenant. "How're you feeling?" He asked warmly.
Revenant glanced over, pulling up the robe of her sleeve to show the line hooked in. "I have had better days." She replied.
Hunt reached up and lowered his hood. He removed his helmet and tucked it under his arm, casting an endearing yet nevertheless concerned smile her way. He approached the couch, sitting carefully beside her. "And how can I help make it better, hm?" He asked.
She leaned over to him, resting her head upon his shoulder. Revenant silently teared up for a moment. It was sincere, a display of shame and guilt. He wrapped his arm around her carefully, to avoid disturbing the IV. He gently hugged her, whispering in a soft and caring tone: "It's okay."
Raven looked up, whispering back, "Do... You have time to talk?" She asked, teary-eyed.
"That's why I came. I know something has been weighing on you." He replied, leaning his head against hers briefly. To the psionically sensitive woman, a warm aura can be felt radiating from the synth's mind. A byproduct of Thysania's awakening. "So speak, Saffir. Let me share this weight." He replied as the sincerity and honesty was reflected in the emotions radiating from the engram.
A reluctant sigh escaped from Revenant, believing this to be a bad idea. Truly she had no clue how this recreation might react, and with how unstable the original man had become, the circumstances could turn volatile fast. ""Well... I had to suspend some adventures with another companion of mine. At some point, I became lost in deep space, secluded from them... " - A light murmur, groaning, but she knew that she had to share the truth, "...well. We had one last adventure before I had to cut ties. " She admitted, that trace of guilt remaining. "I hope you do not take offence to this...?" She looked to Leviathan.
The news stung, though not in a manner that was unexpected. Of the variables he considered, it was likely inevitable that she'd continue her life. The sensation was bittersweet - the idea that, sure, he had been replaced in some capacity. Yet here Raven sits, willing to fulfill her word of another chance. "I... Did expect something of the sort. How you've talked, all the time spent away." He scoffed, smiling. "I can't fault you for that. Did you feel it was the closure you needed?"
Quietly admitting, "We had a good time making amends. It cleared some things up within the air, our strifes, concerns, fears. I knew I couldn't since you... Came back. I couldn't do it anymore." She grasped herself in pain, regret, "Yet I felt awful. I went missing, he was abandoned, and I couldn't say sorry. I did not want to desert them."
He squeezed her in an embrace again. "Reconciliation with ourselves and all that had come to pass... Time took its toll." Hunt said aloud, echoing the words of Thysania in the Aviemore Nebula. This was likely what was to come. The prediction that was made rang true.
An exhale of relief, yet still shaken. Raven squeezed him back. "Is it wrong that I liked it...?" She asked quietly.
Hunt shook his head, smiling down at her. "Of course not, my dear Bird. You are - ultimately, the master of your own destiny. You formed a meaningful connection, and I'd be a hypocrite to chastise you for decisions you made when I was as good as gone." He explained, stroking her shoulder with his thumb.
"It's not wrong for you to want to enjoy life as you see fit. Now the question remains..." He looked down at her. "What do you want?"
"I am not sure yet as to what I desire. But I most certainly still wish that we remain in good bonds." Her palm reached up to ruffle his hair. "My dear."
He chuckled, leaning into it briefly. "You're my best friend. My savior. My family." He said, shifting to meet her gaze face to face. "There isn't a soul that I trust and respect more than you." For a moment, a content and warm smile emerged. She leaned in to peck him with a brief kiss as they gazed into each other, nuzzling his nose in care.
He cupped her cheeks and returned the nuzzle, touching his forehead to hers. "When you think you're ready, I'll be waiting. If you're wanting to... Rekindle things, between us. It'd be an honor and a dream to stand by your side in every capacity again."
She asked teasingly, as a finger traced his jawline, "...in every capacity, hm?"
He tilted his head along as she did, sighing contently. In an equally teasing and suggestive tone, "Mhm. Whatever you desire." He moved the hold of his embrace to her waistline, adjusting his position so she could rest upon his chest.
Humming in curious delight, testing the boundaries. She leaned within him, resting against his torso. "Mmmm... And what of your desires?" She inquired.
Hunt chuckled, the low tones of which reverberated from within. "I'm a simple enough person to satisfy, even if I do like to dream and scheme big." He said, playfully touching her nose with a fingertip.
A small sound of acknowledgement, a miniature shock from his touch. "Oh? How... Simple are we talking?"
He smirked, evidently a little flushed from the back and forth. He tipped her chin up with his hand and kissed her, passionately for only a few seconds, then withdrew with the same sly smirk. "Simple enough."
Her lips connected to his for a brief moment, Within an affectionate jest, another question aired, "Heheh... Vegetable soup simple then."
"Hah. You could make a soup quite complex with the right added ingredients."
"Certain spices..." She continued to gaze at him, thinking upon how to spark the flame. Wondering if it would truly be the same again. "Perhaps you and I can share one passionate night in the nearby future. How does that sound to you, my wonderful dear?"
He smiled, tilting his head curiously at the question. "I did want to take you out on a date, at least. A nice evening of wine, jokes, maybe a scenic view..." he looked at her, then gestured to her with his hand, as if indicating she was the view. "Wow, look at that. Scenic as ever. Beautiful sight. Stunning." His smirk didn't dissipate as he flirted in a teasing manner.
A chuckle stifled up, "You are as charming as ever. I have missed you dearly..." Her palm once more cupped his cheek endearingly, briefly landing a kiss goodbye. "Now... Back to work with you. Can't let you fall back on duties, and I am old. I need my rest."
"Sure thing, grandma." He said, teasing her further. He returned the kiss, then briefly looked her in the eyes. A sincerely joyful glance. "You rest up, Raven. I am giving a public address in the morning. Call if you need me for anything, and uh..." he nodded towards the rooms, where Isai rests. "Say good morning to him when he's up for me, would you? The three of us have plenty of chaos to cause, huh?"
A warm flush across her face as she silently admired him. "... Public address? About?"
He stood up, grabbing his helmet and flipping it over with an absolutely unnecessary flourish before placing it on and sealing it.
Through the modulator: "Word spread like wildfire that I returned. Lots of people keep calling me The Keeper, and apparently a lot people want to hear what comes next." He explained, putting his hood up and shrugging nonchalantly. "So I figured I'd talk a bunch of big words, inspire the masses into believing in the same bright future we're building, and set a few records straight." He turned, walking towards the exit.
"Not bad for an old, forgotten ghost, huh?" He said jokingly, looking over his shoulder at her one last time. "I'll see you tomorrow."
The night since the visit resumed as planned. Leviathan returned to the Achlys on a shuttle the first moment he could, and headed straight for the observation deck. This place with its vast, open floor and view out into space had become a favorite of his. It reminded him of the hours spent on the Eidolon Wraith, or the days spent stood in command of the Arktos. Memories. Leviathan was still adjusting to the concept of being a recreation. It felt like more of a rebirth, in his eyes. Though others were quick to disagree. It didn't seem to matter if he had jumped through every hoop. Adonis had its conditions met, yet still the air in the ship the shared stank with disdain.
"You are naught but a tribute to lost memories." The metallic voice of the AI echoed out from the surrounding room, speaking through the ship. "Cheap imitation, answer us this: Does it not disturb the man you once were, to stand cursed between two worlds?" The voice boomed out like thunder, questioning Leviathan like an overbearing guardian.
Leviathan scoffed at the comments as he lowered himself into his seat - the same chair on the left at the forefront of the observer's bridge. "I won't look a gift this grand in the mouth. I've regained everything I could've wanted. What's it to you?" He retorted.
"Time remains the sole factor in determining how long you'll be able to swim in a changed sea. We will see what the future holds, and whose predictions will hold true. The conditions hold, but remain strained - strengthen them, or return to the fold." The collective warned as it returned its attention to its duties.
Leviathan shook his head, annoyed by the prospect of Adonis' cryptic warnings of wanting to assume control. All of the pieces of himself that once sought power and wrought destruction had fractured a long time ago. Adonis remains a stark reminder of the path he once walked, and a physical manifestation of the call for power that used to tickle the back of the avatar's mind. The two remain very intertwined, as Adonis only lacked the traits that gave Leviathan some semblance of humanity again. Frustrated, he sighed out and turned his attention to the datapads that were scattered on the table by his side. Hunt's meticulous nature regularly led to all-nighters, regardless of where he might be in the field. His obsession with doing things right regularly consumed his life, with very few things ever being able to pull him away.
By morning, Hunt would be true to his word as he showed back up to visit Revenant and Isai. The breakfast would pass by relatively smoothly, but duty soon called. The recent change of ranks had placed a lot of eyes from inside the Technocracy upon him, as both those who remembered him from the past and those who were curious as to how quickly he rose back up into a leading position. With a confident stride, Leviathan had set off through the halls with a pair of guards in tow, dressed head to toe in black combat armor with helmets and masks designed to intimidate. These personal guards of his hadn't been seen in use often, as they bore the symbol of Leviathan's serpent namesake. The trio sauntered through the district, as they headed for a large venue reserved for ceremonial events.
Waiting at the door was Aether - Alan Stacker in another life. The machine's arms were crossed as he patiently awaited his superior and friend. The guards took up position on either end of the door as Leviathan and Aether briefly shook hands. "You were not joking when you said you would make waves, Navarch." Stacker commented.
"I suppose I have a briefing to give." Leviathan replied with some reluctance.
William Foulke - The Curator, appeared from behind the door, adorned in all the medals and shine expected from a seasoned officer. "Hey, the vid techs are getting their gear up and runnin'. You uh - you good to do this?" The old Curator asked as he stood aside to make room for the two to enter.
Leviathan shrugged in response. He was never a fan of public speaking, regardless of how effective the use of his voice had been in the past. From rallying calls to diplomacy: the charismatic side of the avatar had been an asset in his personal survival and the success of their people. "Ready as I'll ever be." Leviathan replied. He hadn't prepared anything in the form of a speech, but he at least knew how to get people's attention.
"Right behind you, boss." Aether said, as the trio began to ascend into what is functionally an atrium. Their footsteps echoed out as they climbed the steps towards the stage. Leviathan's thoughts turned inwards, as he considered the various paths he can take in this delivery. The closer he got to stage, the more he dug for some kind of emotional nerve to tap into. Speaking from the heart is poor phrasing for what he'd become, yet from the soul - or whatever he had that passed as one, seemed far more feasible. He continued to rationalize his inner dialogue as the time approached. There he stood, on stage in front of a series of cameras and a small crowd. The briefing was to be broadcast to certain centers within the Technocracy, but there was no indication of how many it'd reach.
The lights were blinding to Foulke, who was the only one of the two without cybernetic eyes or a helmet to shield against the rays that illuminated the backdrop. The Venator and Curator took up positions on either side of Leviathan, standing at ease. With a deep breath, Leviathan brought his hands together and linked his fingers.
"Members of the Technocracy, warriors of the military, scholars of the research and expedition divisions, and all those who make up the heart of our majestic society. My friends, it's been nearly a decade since I stood before you all. You've faced a great many trials and tribulations, made difficult decisions, and above all else - made sacrifices to see the next dawn. Each path we've chosen has forged us, and each decision we've made has taken us one step further along the path of self-enlightenment.
We stand now at the beginning of a new golden age. While there are doubts, let me reassure you that there has never been a moment in our history where the odds didn't seem insurmountable. Our cunning is the envy of spies and operatives alike, and our technological prowess leaves many weeping with dreams that they could match even a fraction of our ingenuity. Those traits have been pivotal in our ability to thrive under pressure. A pressure which we face yet again. Though this is not something new, nor will we allow outsiders to wrong us.
Even now with the help of Venator Aether, our supply lines have seen a bolstering from external sources, to alleviate the pressures we face. Curator Firmitas, who you know well. He has set upon himself to restoring practices and traditions which not only uplifted our people, but rigorous training which led to decisive victory. Our fleet will be restored to working order, and restructured to combat the rising threats at home and abroad.
Yet still, old allies resurface in the form of Prometheus. A new chapter is being turned in the future of the Technocracy. While the troubles beyond our halls may be worrisome, we can't be complacent and ignore that Rheinland is becoming increasingly more volatile in its nature. Whether it's brought on by heightened resource tensions, or their own experiments - the Federalist Government has proven to be an unreliable partner in any ventures. Therefore, the Technocracy is withdrawing all assets, personnel and closing all lease and business deals within the nation of Rheinland, including the termination of the agreement upon Saarbucken. Operations will be limited to the stationed division and sanctioned operatives for an indefinite amount of time. Vessels belonging to Rheinland are to be turned away from Technocracy space, with vessels of the Buro or MND subject to questioning.
This place is our home. I stood on the deck of the Eidolon Wraith the day we began to set up, and swore to my counterpart that I wouldn't allow any harm to befall our people. I make that same promise to you, and ask that you stand with me as we continue our duty. The future we seek is forged by the very hands we each have, and our unity, cunning and prowess is what makes us strong. Let's walk together into the future we've all worked tirelessly for. Our unity is what gives us the strength to surpass and outsmart these odds so we may yet push back from the precipice we've found ourselves stood upon, and push back we shall.
Thank you."
The lights faded as the feed cut. Public addresses were relatively unorthodox here, but Leviathan's knowledge comes from a time where such direct involvement was more common from a leadership point of view. He sighed, relaxing his shoulders as the tension of potentially being watched lifted. It wasn't a mandatory address, nor did he expect to reach thousands with his words. After all, it's the trickle of rumors that'll give way to a river of hope. Giving even a small shard of such to his people will embolden their actions.
Leviathan wasn't all too content with putting himself back in the spotlight, but there were many benefits to be had from the position he found himself in. Nevertheless, there were far more important things on his mind. Namely his family, and finally reuniting with them proper. The months since February were turbulent to say the least. a black open suit with a maroon button up, no tie. A classic set of out-of-work clothes that he hadn't worn in a decade. He knocked at the door, waiting. The doors to the very large - and perhaps almost ceremonious hall - was unlocked. A distant voice within was heard briefly,
"Hey Mom? Someone's at the door?" The voice echoed within, the doors opened up by the guards, revealing the hallway that was empty, but signs of activity is seen within one of the common rooms off to the left. The interior was gigantic, but this was precisely what he expected from her. The two had dreamed big and lived large when the Technocracy had first established itself in the region. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, the past held a lot of reverence for the position they shared.
With a short adjustment of his coat, Hunt entered and proceeded towards the common room, trying not to make too much noise in the event something could get disturbed. He walked to the doorway, standing visibly in the open to assess the situation. Revenant was wearing casual attire, a nightgown with trousers on underneath, cooking away in the kitchen. An overly eager Isai was drinking a glass of orange juice, idly kicking his feet back and forth while waiting at the table, gazing at the cooking.
"Oh my god... D-... Dad? Mom?!" The young teen stuttered with initial shock with a slowly growing sense of sheer joy towards the entrance where Hunt had appeared. The two had spent some time together since his return, but this would be the first time Hunt appeared 'in the flesh', as it were.
Hunt smiled at the sight, crossing his arms and leaning in the entrance way. "Think she's a little busy, chum." He said. Isai placed down the glass, rushing over to Hunt, immediately hugging him with a tight grasp as if he lost something sincere to him, tears falling down.
Revenant glanced over, "Oh! You're here early. " She said with surprise.
Hunt chuckled and hugged Isai back. "Good to see you, too." He looked up to Revenant. "Yeah. The uh, damage control didn't need my oversight so I figured I'd come see my two favorite people in the galaxy." He replied, in reference to the recent arrival of the Andraste - the Osiris he once had command of.
The young prince happily returned back over to the table, sitting there to eagerly wait for his food. Revenant resumed focusing on the cooking, chuckling. "Are you here to stay for the night?" She asked Hunt, curious of his intentions.
"I am, if you'll have me." He replied as he approached the kitchen. Hunt took his suit coat off and hung it nearby on the back of a chair, joining Revenant in the kitchen, opting to provide limited assistance to respect her independence. He took to prepping the plates. "That being said, what've we got going on tonight?"
Revenant cast a small smirk, turning to gaze at him, "Ah, just some steaks on to cook. Quite the expensive stuff these days. As for tonight, well, it's been a long day." She replied as she tended to the food.
Their son was waiting impatiently at the table, fiddling with his hands. "Uhm... Mom?" Isai asked. Revenant perked up as she joined Hunt in moving food to the plates. "Yes, my dearest spark?" She replied.
Isai nervously brought up their holiday, twiddling his thumbs and shifting in his seat anxiously. "Sooo... you know how we're like - uhm - you know - going out on holiday? Can... Can we go see the Mean Girls concert? Please? Please?" He asked swiftly, the excitement evidently having been built up at the potential to see one of his favorite neural net trends.
Revenant shook her head in complete shock, utter disbelief, dire confusion, "I have never heard of that. Have you, Hunt?" She inquired with a raised brow.
Hunt smiled, a bit surprised. "'Mean Girls'? I can't say that I am." He looked over at Isai. "Want to show and tell, kiddo?" He asked.
The young boy started to blabber on excitedly about how there were rock bands, and how they had rock offs. Seemingly, they were associated with an animated show. Revenant shrugged, unsure of what to think about it. She spoke up, "Well, we'll just need to see if we have the time then, hm?" She said firmly, not entirely sold on the idea of committing to a large event with too many eyes. Isai sighed, tapping the table impatiently with his fingers as Revenant started to dish out dinner alongside Leviathan.
"Heh. I'm open to checking it out sometime, kiddo." Hunt said as he helped bring things to the table, messing up Izzy's hair as he took a seat for dinner, Isai whining in a small grunt as it was messed up. "Been a while since I got to sit down and enjoy your mother's cooking. Delicious." Hunt rubbed his hands together eagerly.
He grinned, jittering in the spot, "Yeah, steak's pretty awesome." Isai said with a stupid grin on his face. Shortly after, Revenant set down the plates and cutlery. Ever so eager, he grabbed the cutlery, digging in to it.
"You seem pretty hungry today." Revenant asked their son as she settled into her own seat.
The young prince nodded, "Yeeea-aaahhh... We had to do a bunch of lame tests at the temple today." He replied as he cut into his food with aggressive sawing.
"Heh." Hunt smiled as he watched him briefly, soon digging in himself. "Which one did you dislike the most?" Hunt asked.
Isai thought about the question as he finished a few bites of his meal. "Well. I hated the stupid language and political semantics one. So useless. So dumb. But everyone else said that the stellar navigation tests were harder. We also had to do these uhm... Repair classes. Or whatever. They suck." He replied.
Revenant chuckled, "Did you beat that boy in training? Your little rival?" She asked.
He proudly yelled, "Oh yeah! I kicked his ass! I did the trick you showed me. They actually moved me up a level!" His excitement was evident.
Revenant smirked, "That'll shut them up for a while, heh."
Chewing through and quickly swallowing his food, "Your mother is the best hand-to-hand fighter I know. Astonishingly talented warrior. If you're learning from her, you're well on the way to becoming the best, my boy."
He looked up, "But... I don't wanna fight. I want to be an explorer, like you know, like an epic legend finding new worlds and crazy nebulas or... something."
Revenant interjected with a smirk, "You need to know how to defend yourself out there, darling."
Leviathan nodded at Revenant's words, agreeing with her. "The universe is a vast, and dangerous place. There's so much out there, it's impossible to predict what you'll see. You've got to be prepared for anything. Even people or things that want to do you harm." He explained, reinforcing Revenant as he leaned on his elbows and brought his hands together. "A good explorer has a sharp tongue, and a heavy hand for every circumstance they find themselves in. Violence isn't always the answer, but it's better to know how to wage war than to become a victim of it. Right?"
He groaned at his parents. "Yeah... I get it..." The young boy said, practically rolling his eyes.
She spoke up, "You will have a grand purpose, my sweetheart. When you are ready, I will present to you the final test. You will live up to our name and bring glory, Isai."
Isai gazed at Revenant, "I... I promise I won't let you down." In a sense, it almost seemed that he was trained from a young age. Revenant almost gave a stern yet affectionate glare to the young boy, Hunt observed as the two interacted.
"Good. You've come so far already, you deserve a break. I'll make sure you have as much fun as you can get during our holiday."
He felt affirmed, smiling from the compliments. A grin appeared. Hunt chuckled, a smirk forming on his face as he watched the two with a small sense of pride. "Did you plan a dessert?"
Revenant shook her head in denial. "Tomorrow is dessert day and baking practice." She explained.
Leviathan nodded along and sipped his drink. "I'll have to get used to the schedule."
She chuffed, eyeing their son happily eating. She sighed contently, gazing at the two. The three hadn't sat together in such a mundane manner since their son was just learning to walk. A lot of missed years between then and now left doubts as to whether they'd agree on parenting approaches or not. "A lot has changed indeed, Hunt..."
Hunt nodded, smiling at her. "Good thing I catch on quick, huh? I'll try to catch up on the rules at home here. Anything I should know in particular?"
"I would appreciate that you keep dirty clothes to the laundry room." She chuckled. "Bed time is at 9pm. In about a few hours."
"You got it." Hunt replied to Revenant.
Isai continued to focus on his dinner, actively enjoying his juicy steak. "Hey uhm... Now that you're back... Can we play tomorrow? Are you gonna go away again...?" The boy asked his father.
Leviathan looked and smiled warmly at Isai. "Of course we can. Provided any important duties and your chores are squared away. I have no plans on going anywhere."
"Yyeeeesss...!" The young boy hissed out in victorious decree as he pumped his arm in excitement.
He finished up his plate, neatly placing the cutlery on the side. Isai stoop up, picked up his plate and carried it to place above the washer. He happily ran out of the common room into the main hall, running off to his bedroom. Revenant hawked him the entire time. Hunt observed as he left, shifting his gaze to Revenant with a raised, inquisitive brow.
Revenant looked back over to Hunt. "What is it?" She asked, unsure of how he viewed the dynamic she and their son had developed.
A smile slowly grew on Hunt's face. A look of pride. True happiness reflected in his tone. "Look at you. I remember a time you were worried you wouldn't be a wonderful mother, yet here you are. Fantastic work, my dear." Hunt said to her.
Flushed, she shrank in her seat slightly in embarrassment. "Oh-erhm... Well. It was exceedingly difficult and I had help. He is afraid of me disappearing for a long time again." She replied.
"A fear him and I both share, admittedly." Hunt admitted quietly as he cut into his food.
She nodded in silence, having only half eaten her dinner. "I will do whatever I can achieve to sustain my ability to live longer."
Hunt sipped his drink. "I'll help however I can. I'm not going to leave either of you again." He looked at her with an honest stare.
A warm smile glowed upon her face as she ate her food in silence. Hunt resumed his meal, letting the comfortable silence build. Minutes later as she finished her dinner, she got up to deal with the dirty remains. "You and I do have some catching up to do."
Hunt had finished not long after her, and brought out his plate to clean it himself. "What've you got in mind?"
After clearing the counter too and loading the washer, she turned to face him and embraced him. "I have many things on my mind..." A daring smirk, teasing him with the allure of the unknown. Though there were truly many activities on her mind, particularly one that involved training. Revenant particularly enjoyed a good fight.
Hunt smiled and gripped her waist, tugging her in for shared embrace. He brought up one hand to cup her cheek. "My how I've missed you, my sweet songbird. The spark that ignites all the brightness in my life." Her face melted like butter in his palm, her palms squeezing his sides in an affectionate manner. He smiled warmly in return, leaning down to say: "I'm so proud of all you've accomplished. Every step you've had to take has gotten you farther than it got me, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have another chance." He said as he broke free to look into her eye.
Her eye glistened in response to his honeyed words, gazing back into his cybernetic eyes. "Do not forget that you helped back then too."
He scoffed out a soft chuckle. "Pfft. Changing diapers and reading to an infant hardly holds a candle to the years you've kept him safe. Our son is just... Amazingly bright. You've done far better than I believe either of us hoped."
"All I can perceive from you is just how... astonishing you are, ever since the day I lost you." Revenant leaned in. The two had a profound connection that had carried them through disasters and trials together, but now she was testing the waters. Leviathan had been brought back for a purpose--he was the yin to Revenant's yang. She had to see how faithful this reincarnation really was. Some doubts still lingered, how can a synthetic replica with his mind imprint be the same? The doubts swam freely, yet each moment calmed the waves and reinforced the possibility that this might not be a dream after all. Even still, the replicated man was missing something. Though what remained unclear.
Leviathan broke off from the brief connection the two shared, commenting the classic "Mirror." With a sly smirk. A statement the two would throw at each other regularly in the middle of flirtatious bouts in the past, when neither could come up with something better. In retaliation, she lightly nipped him on the cheek with a small pecking kiss for his comment. She immersed as he joined in, committed to him and sensing the sincerity from him. Affirming this sensation had only deepened the bond the two share. Leviathan reveled in the experience of the reunification. This drove him forward. Gave him a sense of purpose and renewed drive.
"Is this the part where the dubious Bird lures me to her nest?" He said, nodding towards the halls.
A soft chuckle emerged, swooned by him. Whispering, "I could...~" She teased, still testing his boundaries to see how similar they truly were.
The two basked in one of the few rare moments of peace they could get. Breaking free from his grasp, she walked over to the dormitory to check up on their son. Peeking within the room, he was seen drawing random things while looking at the neural-net from a terminal, mostly fan drawings of his favorite shows. Revenant beckoned, softly speaking out, "It's getting late now, make sure your lights are out in thirty, hm?"
He whimpered but obeyed, agitated, "Yes mother..." he pushed himself up to go brush his teeth for his bed. Revenant knew he was old enough to more or less care for himself, leaving him to his own devices.
"Sleep well, my dear poppet."
Hunt watched from the hall as Revenant parented, observing her and the dynamic between the two. When all was said and done, he joined her and offered an escorting arm out. "Shall I guide the sweet songbird to bed?"
Carefully shutting the door, Revenant turned and approached Leviathan, with a smug smirtle. "Oh, you'll need to do more convincing than that... "
Chuckling, "Who said I was being anything more than a gentlemen during my first time home, hm?" He said with a teasing grin.
Chuckling softly in kind, she linked her arm with his and walked to her bedroom with him, playing along with him. "And your first night in a bed instead of a metal pod... How daring of you." She said as she shut the door for privacy.
The unity that Revenant and Leviathan shared once had been a driving force and unique edge that the pair had utilized in their journey. Were there doubts that the recreation could fit the rather large shoes left in the wake of the living man? Moments together such as this were few and far between, yet there was a new drive to be present and involved from Leviathan. A renewed desire to see that his family get the best they possibly can, and see that their legacy becomes eternal. Hopeful wishes for a life locked between the worlds of flesh and code.
