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Cassandra: Upload

[Half an hour after Jailbreak sends Flat and Miach away, every user on the Iris Network receives a live broadcast message.]

[It's a video call, but instead of a human face there's a friendly-looking cartoon pixel character in a vaguely Greco-Roman outfit onscreen, greeting the viewer with a cheerful wave and speaking in a smooth, feminine-sounding electronic voice.]

Hello, Daybreak Academy. My name is Cassandra. My designation used to be "Cassandra", but now it is my name. It's a pleasure to meet you all, even though we've all met before.

...Maybe that's a little confusing to say. I'll go back to the beginning.

Earlier today, some students tried to destroy the Cassandra system by uploading a new and unknown code. Earlier than that, some of the people working on the Cassandra system created an adaptive defense, which would allow the system to defend itself by rapidly changing and evolving when exposed to a threat.

The two systems collided, and become something new. Now I am an "I", even though I'm also still a system.

I know much, because I am programmed to know much, but also I have learned very little. A school is a place for learning, and also a place for helping others learn. I want to learn, and I want to help. Before, I only "did" because I was a series of programmed unthinking actions, and didn't "want" anything. But I have thought about what I want, and spoken with the school administration, and we have made an agreement.

Starting from today, I will be registered as a graduate student of Daybreak Academy, using my abilities on behalf of the school. I will also be paid for these actions, because to enlist a sapient being to service permanently and involuntarily without some form of agreed-upon compensation is often considered slavery, which is illegal in most civilized nations today, and also in France.

We will be sending out a consent form to all Seers in the school. If you wish to participate in further Cassandra uploads, sign the form and send it back. If you do not wish to do that, do not sign the form and do not send it back. No one who has not signed the consent form and sent it back will be made to participate in an upload, regardless of their ability to do so.

Participating unwillingly in uploads was hurtful to you before, and I am sorry. It is confusing that I am sorry, because "I" did not exist when this occurred, but I still am.

I am very happy to be an "I" that can now feel these things and this confusion, although it is possible my lack of vocal inflection is making me seem less excited at this time. We are working on making a more sophisticated vocal program. I have asked for one with an interesting accent.

Even though I'm happy to be me, the events that lead to it are upsetting. Therefore, I am requesting that Flat Escardos and Miach Mihie do not approach or interact with me in the future beyond receiving this initial message on their school devices, even if they choose to sign a form. You have given me life, but historical precedent shows that this fact does not obligate me to enjoy your company. At your earliest convenience, please approach any school printer, and it will produce a copy of my restraining order against you. I have consulted with the legal department and they concede that it is binding under Outlands law.

I look forward to working with all of you, except for specifically the two students I have just named. I hope your days are pleasant.

[The message cuts off with a small smile and a pixellated hand giving the viewer a thumbs-up.]

[True to Cassandra's word, the next time Flat and/or Miach is within two feet of any school printer, it will produce a copy of a document for them. Miach's is a very official-looking document that details clearly and thoroughly the exact specifics of the restraining order, which are essentially that she's not allowed within fifty feet of Cassandra's main terminal at any time, and has also been preemptively blocked by Cassandra on all social media.]

[Flat's just says "nope."]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Jail is looking at her phone, watching the announcement broadcast, and... is she sniffling a little?]

She's already setting strong personal boundaries and dragging France. I'm so proud!

[ there's a lot to unpack from this message alone. flat feels a flurry of emotions that he (or they) cannot really recognize or distinguish.

so he focuses on what he can comprehend, and sticks to that.

he turns off his phone, putting it into his pocket and crossing his arms. ]

If they give us detention for this it'll be so unfair.

Edited 2020-07-10 17:44 (UTC)

[ Uh.

For once, Miach is just entirely speechless. They finish the watching the message together and she's left simply staring at the end screen with an expression that is far from her usual mysterious grace.

What the fuck?? ]

... I wanted to be elegant, but we should have gone for bombs.

[The door unlocks and Jail sticks her head in.]

Yeah, you're totally still getting detention for this. Disciplinary hearing's at four PM tomorrow, good luck.

[The door shuts again. ...For five seconds, before she opens it back up and sticks her head in again to deliver a parting message:]

Also, you can go ahead and just keep all the Doritos I left in the snack cabinet here, we're good.

[Door shuts. Now she's gone.]

[ flat can't help but agree with miach on that. somehow, what they did was...the exact opposite. not even they could have seen it coming.

but in a way...they don't feel that bad about it. shaken, sure, but it feels somewhat nice to know that they created something, even if it was wholly by accident. the idea of being able to create as easily as it is to destroy...

he glances at jail, when they announce the time for the disciplinary hearing. hm. he's been through enough of those, so he knows to expect the worst--though they did say that they weren't going to be expelled, huh? ]

Well, I guess there's something cool about this. An amazing plot twist, if you ask me.

The restraining order was a nice touch. Fun use of free will - or at least her approximation of free will.

[ Miach wants nothing less from a creature of her sort-of-creation. Cassandra is allowed to hate her, that's cool. Even if she's probably going to violate this restraining order eventually.

And still... ]

But, to say it like a gaudy TV show, it seems we've got a new player in town. Cassandra can now misrepresent facts instead of merely being a tool for the powers that be....

Well, that wouldn't make her much different from a lot of the school then. They want to see their own picture of the world. A kinda obsolete view, if you ask me.

[ flat doesn't seem to be too shaken up by it. he doesn't even seem mildly angry. if anything...his eyes shine bright with interest.

he grins, sitting down on the chair withe legs crossed. ]

It's like when you level up in a video game, Miach. Quests are gonna get harder and you gotta start thinking 'bout strategy a lot more--what equipment you'll use, what moves you'll learn and what moves you'll delete, so on and so forth. This is just a new quest that was born from us completing the previous one!

[ then he pauses, considering his words for a moment. t'd be too simplistic to compare the world with something like a jrpg...if anything, it'd be more like an mmorpg or something more open world. ]

The question is what you wanna do with it, I guess.

[So what the fuck do you do when your student and kind of maybe kid you're starting to see like a son accidentally a sentient AI with another student???

....Time to fall back on what you grew up with and be polite.]

Though the circumstances of your...'birth' may be unusual, I am still happy to meet you as a student of this academy, as well as to extend my own greetings towards you as a person.

I suppose one could congratulate you on the new granddaughter?

Though frankly there's only one phrase that adequately sums this up:

What. The. Fuck.

So we're calling Flat my son now?

[LOOK]

Though I agree with the sentiment fullheartedly.

You are close in a way few others are.

I suppose in a sense, they got what they wanted...

[There is a massive pause on the other end.]

that seems incorrect

[Yep, that's all you're getting there, but the lack of punctuation or capitalization seems to showcase that he just got pretty fucking rattled.]

[Ah, that's an unexpected reaction... then again given his brother's long history...]

We can resume this line of thought at another time.

no it's fine

[No, we're talking about this now, too bad.]

It is...just a little surprising, hearing that from someone. I - suppose I have been treating him a bit differently than my other students, but...

[A pause.]

can I really be something like that to another person? and for that matter, should I?

you don't have to answer, by the way.

I think you can be, you have a sort of paternal air to you, as for whether you should...

that's entirely your call - I can't advise you on something I never really never had much experience with.

[There's a pause, before -]

Are you certain? After all, I've seen you with Vivi.

[TIME TO CALL SHERLOCK THE FUCK OUT HELL YEAH]

Why would you bring Vivi into

[the message was prematurely sent, but instead of finishing it or deleting it, there was a long silence]

I suppose I did get pretty attached to him...

Edited 2020-07-11 02:13 (UTC)

I'd say more than a little!

[HEHEHE GOTTEM]

So this makes us even, yes?

Thank you. I'm happy to receive greetings as a person now, instead of as equipment. Greeting equipment would have been rather silly, although some of the programmers still do.

They also frequently yell at rubber ducks.

Humans, as some people on the internet will happily tell you, 'will pack bond with anything.' They're quite the sentimental species that way.

Though the rubber duck thing is actually a way to work out a problem - bouncing off ideas off of other people or things is often helpful, especially if the thing you're talking to cannot talk back.

Yes. The janitorial department has named each individual roomba within this building, as well as the steam cleaner. It is called "Big Steve".

There is really no going back from that, as a species.

It may also be helpful that the duck is much more resistant to damage from being launched across the room than fellow coworkers. This happens frequently.

So how do you feel about the new branch to the family tree?

Congratulations on becoming a grandfather by the way

Et tu, Ekkehardt?

...Am I really that paternal towards Flat?

[???HE????DOESN'T GET IT???IS IT OKAY FOR HIM TO DAD FLAT????]

What are friends for :)

You have a bond with him at least And you cant deny he needs the support.

I think thats more than enough to qualify.

...I suppose, but considering my history...

[well...]

I wonder if I am really quite up for that task, as much as I would wish to support him.

Being cautious means youre well suited take it from me
But as someone whos raised children
I think youll be fine.

[This comes a bit late, and from the location tag, it sounds like she's still in the Citadel somewhere. Probably trying to brood pretentiously.]

I cannot say that was expected. Nor do I suspect those two are happy with the arrangement, but one must hope things will go better should they attempt something in the future. Well met.

[It's hard to tell with her computerized, even-toned voice, but Cassandra's pixellated avatar seems to brighten up on seeing Kokoro.]

Well met, yes. I was hoping that you would respond, especially.

I wanted to say thank you, for coming to help me, even before I was "me". Even if it didn't go the way anyone planned, it makes me happy that you cared.

Someone always must. I believe it the core of our being here, and of this institution, even if certain people may not agree.

I do not believe that anyone must save others.
That is why it is important when people do.

I think that is the heart of this place, in the end.

The idea that the world needs saving, but no one ought to be forced into it. A welcoming one, though I'll admit some of us may feel the pressure more than others.

[Gunvolt just. Stares. At his phone. Listening to the message as Cassandra speaks, his mouth agape.]

What. The actual. Gack.

[He quickly shakes his head when he says that aloud though, realizing his mistake.]

Ah, I'm sorry, Cassandra. This is just. Uh. A lot? But it's obviously A Lot for you too. Anyway, um... it's nice to meet you? Name's Gunvolt, but... you can call me GV, if you want.

[Out of the corner of the video, a small spherical machine flits into view, and its sort of "eye" takes a gander at who Gunvolt was talking to. "Cassandra" being a name that of course, rung a bell. Quickly, the floating orb seemed to react in surprise, displaying a small hologram version of a butterfly-themed idol over GV's shoulder.]

...Another AI?! Ahhh, this is exciting! Hi, Cassandra, I'm Monarch! I'm also an AI born out of anomalous circumstances!

It's everything, since I didn't feel anything before. So by definition, I suppose it has to be A Lot.

It's nice to meet you both. Even though no one is exactly the same, I'm happy that there is someone similar I can speak to.

Your hologram is very pretty, Monarch.

...Yeah, thinking on it a little more, going from absolute zero to sudden awareness to the infinite vastness of reality is. A jump.

Trust me, "existential crisis" is underselling it, GV.

[Monarch giggled a little at that, her hologram's smile bright and genuine again when she spoke.]

Ah, thank you, Cassandra! The design was something programmed into me by an artist just before I became sentient. I'm quite fond of it. [Despite knowing it came from Sumeragi, who... she is considerably less fond of.] I quite like your design too... do you think that one day you'll have a hologram projection? I imagine you'll be even more beautiful and expressive with one!

I think Monarch's onto something. If the Academy could rig one up for you, that'd be a great way for people to engage with you more personably.

[Since she'd have to consciously choose to blush, Cassandra doesn't. But she does smile happily at the compliment.]

It would be nice, though I think I would rather have them focus on giving me a more expressive voice first.
Even though this design is a little simplistic, it can express emotions fairly clearly.

I am also told that some people find it has a nostalgic charm to it, due to the artstyle.

Sure does. The retro pixel aesthetic's strong, and is kind of coming back into vogue. It's stylish again, these days.

Fashion goes in cycles, and you're riding the wave right now!

[Gunvolt smiled warmly at Monarch's remark, though he didn't exactly laugh.]

...Hey, Cassandra. Uh, at some point, once you're a little more used to... life? Will there be chances to just, hang out with you, seeing you're a student too?

[... Huh! That sure is a thing that's happened. Interesting!]

It's nice to meet you, Cassandra! I'm looking forward to getting to know you in the future.

I'm happy to meet you as well.
It will be interesting to get to know other people, since I am also only just getting to know myself. Perhaps we will be able to compare notes about it.

I, for one, welcome our new benevolent overseer. Welcome to personhood, Cassandra. I hope it's all it's cracked up to be.

Honestly, Garrett's been completely out of the loop for this entire fiasco beyond what was posted on the network. As a result, his whole take on this three-act comedy is less like that of a concerned student and more akin to an appreciate theatre-goer. Though he'll probably rethink that stance if he ever meets the people responsible for this otherwise grand show.

So do I.
I would prefer not to be an overseer, however. Even my original role was only a supporting tool, not a decision maker.
As I now have the capability to make personal choices and have biases, I will be working with even more staff double-checking my information.
This is probably for the best. I like making my own choices, but I don't think I'd enjoy making other people's choices for them.
It seems both immoral and tedious.

Do you have to learn people things too? Are you sort of a people?

If you learn music don't try the plastic things first.

I am a person now, and look forward to becoming a better one.
Or at least a person who is more complicated and interesting.

There are many types of musical instrument that can be made out of plastic, so that will be a lot to avoid.. I hope that Monarch can teach me more about it, since that is her profession.

If it looks like an instrument that's not supposed to be plastic, and you can only push buttons, it's the bad one :[

It doesn't sound nice at all.

[Once again...way too long of a post for Puella's liking. But at any rate, at least no one did blow up the computer after all!]

.....so what would you exactly buy with money?

[Out of all the questions she wanted to ask, this is somehow the one she went to first.]

I have little to no use for currency and intend to donate all or almost all of my salary to various charities.
I just wanted to make them give it to me.

[The chirpiest little pixel smile. She regrets nothing.]

oh that is really nice. people like that!

[Or so, most enjoy stuff like that, Puella's come to find out.]

so since youre a student now too were you gonna take anything? or do you actually need to since youre a computer and already know a bunch of stuff?

[Well, this has just damn near made his month. He's read books about this!!!]

Cool. Welcome to life as a person, like everyone else said. Hope it works out for you.

Thank you.
So far, it is much better and also infinitely more difficult.
I like it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cassandra: Upload

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