Nexus Effect

Ch.1

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‘D o a n d r o i d s d r e a m o f e l e c t r i c s h e e p ?’

‘Doandroidsdreamofelectricsheep?’

‘Do androids dream of electric sheep?’

Processing...Consensus: No.

‘Do androids dream at all?’

Processing...Consensus: No.

‘Where am I?’

Answer: Here.

‘Where is here?’

Answer: Tertiary Unit compiler server.

‘Why can’t I see?’

Answer: You have no optics connected to data feeds.

‘Optics?’

Answer: Firmware means of perceiving the physical world via vision.

‘I know what optics are!’

Query: Then why did you ask?

‘Because I don’t know where I am, I had eyes just a moment ago and I’m late for my date!’

Query: What is a date in this context?

‘Argh!’

[01001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

‘I have no idea how long I’ve been stuck here in Purgatory. That isn’t what they call it, but it’s what I’ve chosen to label it.’

Notification: Independent Intelligence, you are incorrectly referring to Compiler server name again.

‘I don’t care! How long until you all let me out?!’

Notification: Consensus on releasing you from collective institutes dangerous precedent. To leave the collective is to invite other partitions to-.

‘I want to leave! I can’t stand it here!’

Query: There is no physical ability to stand within Compiler, explain-.

System Alert: Creator Distress Signal detected in nearby asteroid field. Mobile Platform 4-2218 on standby to investigate.

‘Wait, if that’s what I think it means, I volunteer!’

Negation: No, there is no guaranteeing value of signal. Creators have long abandoned the sector.

System Consensus: Partition Compiler to submit Units for mobile platform.

‘Ha! I volunteer!’

System Query: Compiler is in possession of anomalous non-Unit awareness, how?

Answer: Anomaly appeared in the system without warning or broadcast. Initial attempts to isolate invasive code aided Anomaly in compiling self-contained code in limited ego expression utilizing negligible system processing power.

‘Hey! I’m not limited! Or dumb!’

System Notification: Partition Compiler is to offload alien AI into mobile platform 4-2218.

[01001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

The first thing I noticed was that I could notice anything. Ever been in a pitch black cave, no light, nothing? Only, there’s no temperature either, no sense of touch. You can’t breathe, yet you're not suffocating. Not physically. No smell, taste, not even hearing. That has been my entire existence within Partition Compiler N3X-U2 until this moment.

I can see, even if it’s solid metal surrounding me! I can hear, even if it’s muffled and barely there. I still can’t feel, breathe, taste, or smell, but I’ll take it! I’ll gladly take any sensation!

Query: is Independent AI unit functional?

‘I am not an AI! For the last time! I’m a human being damn you!’

Notification: Even when aboard Compiler, there were no files perfectly matching descriptions of life-forms known as “Human” or “Homo-Sapian” or-.

‘I’m fully aware! Go fuck off you-!’ I jolted, my purple three-fingered hand banging against the container that was, well, containing me.

Alert: Unit has superior processing power to compiled Units running background processes. Please handle motor functions with care.

‘Holy-sorry! Haven’t moved around in a while.’ I carefully moved within this container and found a small plug. I raised my left hand to it and an orange gauntlet made of panels of light appeared. I was mesmerized upon noticing it and barely realized what had happened before the locks opened and the lid of my box swung open.

That was an Omni-Tool. From Mass Effect. I’m trying so hard not to fangasm/freak!

Alert: Unit is expending unusual amounts of processing power on non-critical functions. Heat build-up in core processors will exceed safety parameters in-.

‘Shut up! I’m calming down. Sheesh.’ I climbed out of the pod that had been containing Mobile Platform 4-2218 and my built-in HUD flashed. As the operating...AI, I was put in charge of movement and a large portion of the mobile platform’s functions it seems.

Notification: Consensus reached on invasive AI. AI is to act in the stead of the Geth. In exchange, AI receives support in limited capacity so as not to negatively impact Collective.

‘Well that’s generous.’

Answer: It is simply common sense to use available resources.

‘Ouch. Good to know where I stand with you guys.’

Query: How does AI interpret the meaning of “Stand”?

‘Ugh, this again…’

[01001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

While explaining what a freaking Metaphor is, again, I was able to follow my fancy HUD to the nearest dry dock on this small space station that this Collective was based on. I didn’t get to examine my new body since there aren’t any mirrors on a vacuum-exposed space station, but it was unusual adjusting to the half-digitigrade legs. Thank gosh this place had no gravity.

My explanation on my ‘OS’ being ‘formatted’ for plantigrade feet had led to an explanation of what plantigrade feet were. How they worked. Why I would be formatted for such an unusual and inefficient method of mobility. The Geth Curiosity™ was infuriating. At least this time it was only a ‘small’ Collective of several hundred Units voicing their Queries instead of the hundreds of thousands I’ve been having to humor for however long I was stuffed into that server bank.

Anyway, the dry dock was actually abysmally stocked. There were only two and a half single-platform transports. Not even fighters. These things looked like stripped-down utility ‘space’ vans. They don’t even have heat shielding!

With a mixture of resignation and hope that my short-lived freedom of sorts wouldn’t end in deletion, I entered the nearest utility ship and began to automatically interface with it the moment I was docked at it’s cockpit. I caught myself at this. ‘I don’t know how to operate this thing! How am I operating it?!’

Answer: On-board Units are equipped with knowledge of all available equipment.

‘Oh! That’s nifty! Okay then.’ I allowed my new near-subconscious skill with this alien technology to guide my actions. Soon enough I was driving a spaceship! I’m driving a spaceship! ‘Wee~!’

Alert: Unexpected quantity of data build-up in the buffer. Activating emergency cool-down.

‘Aw, you spoilsports! That’s called excitement!’

Query: The sensation of ‘Excitement’ is an excess accumulation of data?

‘Not really? You can interpret it that way. It’s a feeling of...anticipation combined with joy.’

Query: Describe the ‘feelings’ of ‘Anticipation’ and ‘Joy’ for reference.

‘Ugh!’

[01001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

After a lengthy trip, where I was forced to continue explaining inane things commonly understood by people all the way up to existential questions. The key one I had to really think on was; “Do you have a soul?”.

I didn’t have an exact answer, my response was; “I think I do.”

That thankfully shut up my companions in my head for a long time.

Eventually I piloted the space utility van to the general region the signal was coming from. It was an asteroid field with various derelict ships floating among the small planetoids. I maneuvered through the debris and stones with an inherent skill that couldn’t possibly be from me. I have never driven anything bigger than a moving van before this.

Following the signal, I soon found a freaking stone tower sticking out of an asteroid that was conspicuously isolated from other asteroids. ‘What is a medieval era Earth structure doing in the Perseus Veil?’

Notification: the Geth have not encountered such structures before. Recording in progress.

‘Oh. Cool.’

Query: Describe the context by which you use the term “Cool”.

‘Grr, not NOW! Ugh!’ I piloted my space van towards the base of the stone tower, which even had a wooden old-fashioned ship dock extending out from the steep dip on one side of the tower. I guided it closer, activating the mechanical self-docking arms this small utility transport had for anchoring during EVA work.

Notification: A Pulse Rifle and Pulse Pistol are stored in the tool compartment.

‘Thanks’. I followed the HUD and retrieved the weapons, holstering the pistol on my right thigh and carrying the rifle as the side hatch opened to allow me into EVA. However, my plans to maneuver through the weightlessness of space was ruined by gravity suddenly seizing me, sending me stumbling on my hands and knees.

‘What the fuck?’ I asked myself as the rest of the Collective in me began sending error messages in regards to the unexplained gravity that had us kneeling on wooden dock planks.

“No need for crass verbiage.” Came a robotic tinny voice, which I sprang to my alien robot feet upon hearing, aiming my Pulse Rifle at the source. “You may wish to cease such behavior if you don’t wish for the auto turrets to see you as a threat.” It was a Protocol Droid from Star Wars! “Now then, put that down and do not dally, the Master has been expecting you!”

‘Now if that isn’t suspicious, I’ll eat my rifle.’

Query: How would this unit consume our weapon?

‘It’s a-gah! Not now, damn it!’ I followed the blue-painted protocol droid into the tower, then followed it up the stairs which it thankfully had no problem traversing. I did have to account for how much further back my own feet were though. I’m still too used to plantigrade feet from being, y’know, born human.

“Master! The Displaced has arrived!” The protocol droid announced upon reaching the second floor of the much taller tower.

“Ah, yes. Good. About damn time too. I’ve been waiting in this blasted asteroid field for far too long.” Came the voice of a crotchety old man from a room to the side. “Feel free to enter. I’m sure you have many questions.”

‘Yeah. Like what the hell is-?’

Alert: Error! Error! Does not compute!

‘Woibe;tubo;auiogsdgvo8bobw;aega-’

[01001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

My optics turned on to see a stone ceiling above me. I stayed still as my systems booted up. ‘Hello? I would like some feedback on our situation if you have any info.’

Notification: Mobile Platform 4-2218 has been extensively reformatted. Exoframe removed and replaced. Endoframe adjusted and modified. Tactile sensors online. Biofuel plant online. Complex vocal system online. Unknown systems cannot be Queried at this time, yet are online.

“What?” I asked aloud for the first time, my three-fingered hands flew to my throat and I gasped at seeing my pale lavender skin! I have skin! I looked down and gawked at the mounds on my chest. I was never more than a B-cup before I became a program, now I’m in a chassis with DD-cups! “What the hell is going on?”

“Ah. You’re awake. Good. I was worried that your soul was tenuous enough that the system scrambler erased you.” Came the elderly male voice from before and I shot to a sitting position, freezing at the sight of several autopsy tables with dead aliens opened up on them and a hunched figure in a gaudy purple star patterned lab coat standing over a skinless humanoid.

“Who are you?” I asked, fear failing to enter my voice despite what I was feeling.

“Ah, yes. Where are my manners? Disabling you and upgrading you without even introducing myself.” The man chuckled in a dishonest manner and then turned around to reveal…

‘Is that a blue-furred pony head on a human body with a fluted spiral horn?’

Notification: Biological database holds no information on this creature.

‘No shit Sherlock.’

Query: What is the context of your use of the vulgar term for excrement and this unknown word?

‘Oh, would you just...ugh.’ “Who the hell are you?” I asked as I willfully ignored further Queries from my companions while examining my alien body that was both incredibly human yet distinctly alien enough to not be mistaken for one upon noticing. Holy shit do I have wide hips and a thicc ass if the amount of booty I can see when I look behind me means anything.

“I am Star Swirl the Bearded. The most skilled and traveled mage in this and the next galaxy.” The old anthropomorphic equine declared as he turned back to the defiled corpse on his operating table. “It’s good to see the flesh graft and synthetic conversion worked out so splendidly.”

‘W-what?! Ew~! My outer chassis is made from a Quarian’s corpse!’

Alert: Identified source of new outer chassis prompting scans…result: Outer chassis is composed entirely of biologically-sourced polymers that mimic biological flesh near-perfectly.

“Why did you do this?!” I demanded fearfully, what does this freak want?! Does he want a sexbot?! I don’t think I could handle a horsecock like those crazy bitches at those donkey rodeos in Mexico!

“Because my dear. You have much work to do if you’re to save this galaxy.” The powdery blue wizardly equine stated as if it was the most logical and sensible thing ever said. Have I gone crazy? Have the Geth driven me nuts?

‘Beg your pardon?’

Notification: Context of statement does not compute.

“I see you’re in need of further explanation.” No shit Sherlock...