queenofheartsrp | First Light [Action; accidental video; video]

First Light [Action; accidental video; video]

[A bright, blinding light fills the gardens, emanating from the new arrivals' clearing. It is strong enough to hurt one's eyes, but it has no other ill effects. After the initial flash, the Vine starts recording, so the mirrors, too, fill up with the light as it shines and then fades.

When it has grown dim enough, a figure is revealed, lying on the ground, dressed in the familiar white shift of a newcomer. She stirs at once, leaping up. Her eyes are wide, her face distorted with alarm and confusion as she cries out.]

Wassily--!

[She is about to say something else, but the light flares again, and the Vine takes this as a sign to stop recording.

A few minutes pass, and the woman reappears, facing the mirror, dressed plainly in black. The light from before is no longer in evidence, and she can be seen clearly. She is perhaps in her early thirties, with long blond hair. She is much calmer, and smiling, though she still shows signs of strain. She seems to have become aware of her surroundings and the situation, and her concern now is for those she is addressing as she speaks in a quiet voice.]

Hello--all of you. My name is Epsilon. Are there many of you here? Are you all right?

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I promise, I'm not joking. [She smiles at Jessica's patent enthusiasm.]

Thank you, Jessica. My father was a very gifted man. He discovered a new way to harness light energy.

Normally, I'd be a lot more skeptical, but after all the things I've seen here, I'm willing to take you at your word.

I'm feeling kind of light-headed at talking to a robot with this level of AI, by the way.

I can understand your skepticism, if you come from a world that's very different from mine. Some people in my world still have trouble dealing with robots, I'm afraid.

And I am sorry about the lightheadedness. [She laughs.] I hope it'll pass in a moment. I was designed to be as human as possible.

Don't worry about it. I think it's like all those screaming girls with Elvis or something.

Well, only I'm not really the screaming type or anything.

So like what were you made for? Social stuff? Caretaking?

If you did want to scream just a little, I wouldn't mind. [She's gently joking.]

I was made to make my own choices. I chose to care for children. I run a home for war orphans.

OK, wow, that's... kind of mindblowingly advanced. And amazing. And now I'm really feeling like I'm about to just gush forever at you, and I'm pretty sure it's mostly the chocolates but wow you are just really, really great.

I'm starting to think I should turn the mirror off here. I sound like a moron.

No, it's all right. Please don't go. It's nice to meet someone so enthusiastic. You sound fine. [Jessica's excitement is actually a very welcome distraction, and she laughs softly again, pleased.]

And thank you. My father would have been happy to hear that, I'm sure.

What are robots like, where you're from? They must be very different.

They're pretty much just machines. Like, there's some cool stuff with AI, and I've seen some kind of creepy-looking attempts at robots looking like people, but for the most part it's all factory drones and stuff. Nothing that even comes close to being mistaken for a person.

Wow, that could probably have been phrased better. I'm definitely not trying to imply that something at your level can't be a person.

[Jessica: Has watched a lot of scifi movies.]

[She nods.] That was once the case where I'm from. A while ago now, but I'm familiar with that level of technology.

It's all right. I'm not offended. I understand what you meant. I'm actually rarely mistaken for a human. Most people know who I am.

Really? [She tries to peer over the mirror edge to get a better view] There must be something I'm missing, then, unless the rest of you is... a tank or something.

Oh no, nothing like that. I was unclear. I'm simply well-known--famous, you might say. I'm the only robot of my kind, and-- [She breaks off, realizing that she was about to say that there were only a few robots of comparable power. The thought recalls a flood of distressing data. She hesitates, that distress visible on her face for a moment before she concludes:]

I appear quite human.

[Jessica has enough tact not to press the distress button here.] A celebrity, kind of?

[Epsilon recovers quickly, her smile returning.] You could say that. In a way. I've been in the press a great deal, though that wasn't my choice.

I try to stay out of the public eye. I spend most of my time with my children.

[Her stomach sinks a bit.]

um... there's other people to help take care of those kids, right?

[Epsilon's smile fades completely into a kind of empty calm.]

Yes. There are a few very wonderful and capable people who assist me at the orphanage. I know they'll do a fine job in my absence. And legally speaking, if anything happens to me, all my assets are to be used to take care of the children and others like them.

[Her voice is very quiet.] I am sorry that they'll have to miss me. They'll be upset.

Wow... you've... it sounds like you're prepared for anything. [Definitely approving!] Though it really sucks you have to use that preparation.

We might be able to get back, eventually.

It was difficult for me to found the orphanage. There were a great many factors, legal and otherwise, to take into consideration. I did everything I could to ensure that my children would be taken care of, no matter what.

[She pauses. She retains that quiet calm.] I believe I was very badly damaged, in my world.

....but you're OK here?

wait.

Like... [She searches for a good way to put this.] "We can't rebuild her" damaged?

I seem to be fine, here. I can detect no damage to any of my systems, which contradicts my data.

My data indicates that I was past the point where repair would be possible, yes.

oh, shit...

This kind of brings up a lot of complications... I mean...

Man...

Yes, it's extremely likely that being returned to my world would destroy me, unfortunately.

I'm also very worried about those I left behind.

Are they going to be in danger or something?

Yes. Recently, my world has been shaken by a series of troubling events. There is a great deal of danger, to everyone, but the people I was with, in particular--the last recorded moments of my data are confusing. I'm not sure if I managed to protect my friends.

i'm so sorry...

Thank you for your kindness, Jessica. I didn't mean to upset you. [She smiles, sadly.]

I only hope they're unharmed.

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