World Tree MUSH

    After the group that has been largely exploring this place handled the android threat, it looks like the ones near the central spire have managed to get a bit of a barricade up, including some supplies settled in and ready. Returning to this area will get the various androids there quickly making room for the one in charge, who steps out to see what's going on and greet. Seeing familiar faces helps. "It looks like we've gotten some calm, so I'm going to assume you were at least partially successful."

    He gestures to the central spire. "I'm afraid I can only let you in the elevator," he says. "Beyond that, it's up to any security clearance you may have gotten ahold of. We aren't even sure what is wrong with the ship... just that the androids are causing trouble, and we were activated to stop the systems from failing an... there appears to be an external enemy invading, but we have yet to contact them ourselves."

    "You also have a teensy tiny mold problem. No big deal, just get a janitor to deal with it." Claire informs the android leader, looking towards the others, "What should we do?"

Itana took time after the initial battles to withdraw and heal some of the injuries she'd suffered. As much as being shot at with energy weapons is new to her, she's hardly new to taking burns, whether from fire or lightning. She treated them with her standard potions and let her fortified suit seal over the bandages and smears of ointment.

By the time she returns to the central spire, she seems fine. She's slung her bow across her back and replenished her stock of arrows, but for now she's in no hurry to start a fight, just following along with the others with arms folded under the curve of her chest.

She frowns and glances towards Claire, then back. "...The mold is odd, isn't it," she murmurs.

    Circe has managed to not get injured, mostly by making others do the work of actually fighting while she conducted technical repairs and that sort of thing. Though there had certainly been shooting AROUND her. "I've managed to get us a few clearances, mostly at staff permissions. Can you tell us where they can get us? That one's a top secret janitor, for instance!"

    Circe's gesturing at Samus as she says that, rather loudly. It's maybe intentionally vague where top secret is Samus' clearance or whether Samus' janitorial position is suppose to be top secret.

    "I'm a computer tech, on the other hand, unsuited for that sort of physical labor."

    "It's handled." Samus says to the lead android on the topic of the party's success of their last endeavor to halt the other android faction from sabotaging the android vat. The Hunter dips her head in a slight nod before pausing.
    "An external enemy?" She asks.
    "Do you have any idea where they could be coming from?" Asked before...
    Samus inclines her head to 'Aida'.
    She's silent a long moment.
    "I'm charging you double the going rate, next time you ask me to protect you." The Hunter says flatly.
    She already charges Circe triple the going rate.
    Double of triple is a lot of dollar signs. Six times the amount, in fact.

    The android shrugs. "I know. There are all sorts of mutations of wildlife, flora and fauna, around this region and even other decks. We're not sure how extensive the mutations are, but the radiation has had a strange effect we didn't expect. It should just kill things, instead it's given them bizarre alterations. Keep that in mind if you visit other decks, though I suspect any animal mutations would be confined to here."

    He gestures toward the side where the group left. "As for where they're coming from... I know we hit an asteroid, supposedly that's where they are coming from. I've never seen them, but my predecessor told me he'd fought an invader. They seem to surge in, then when driven back retreat and come back in a few years with a new strategy, but since androids only live for one year we only have electronic records to rely on."

Itana looks off to the side at the talk of radiation. Stopping it from poisoning her and the others was a gamble - one that paid off - but understanding how this weird space people magic actually /works/ is beyond her. Her frown gives way to a faint scowl underlied by bitter thoughts:

    /These people can't do anything without lots of syllables and things that go beep and boop. Maybe I don't belong in a place like this./

When she looks back, she fusses briefly with the edges of her hood before crossing her arms again, keeping her expression deliberately blank enough as to hopefully not let on that she has no idea what an asteroid *is.* The further explanation is met with a small frown. "You only live for one year? That seems like a cruel situation."

Itana scuffs a heel against the turf and scowls. "Do the records say anything about your androids turning different colours in the past?"

    "Mm."
    Mutated creatures are never something to take lightly. Samus actually does not like what that implies about the radiation, though she keeps that much to herself as she sets her hand on her hip.
    The creatures that come from the asteroid also sound quite foreboding.
    Nevertheless, the Hunter is glad her suit should at least protect her from the radiation's harmful effects. Even if she can't speak for the other members of the party.
    "Alright. Let's see where we can go with the access Aida got us."
    To her credit she's still not outing Circe. But once everyone is done talking to the android she'll start moseying for the elevator.

    Circe will pause and frown after taking a step towards the elevator. "...You only live for one year? Exactly one year? Is that a natural side effect of your materials or is it an artificial limitation that your designers programmed in of some sort?"

    'Aida' seems much more serious than she was a moment ago! And pretty heavily displeased with the idea of it being an artificial limitation.

    Claire similarly seems displeased upon hearing the lifespan of their hosts. "It's probably a measure of control. Given how, upon being released from the shackles of their programming these androids swiftly turn against their creators, the creators did not want to give them much room to find workarounds."

    Again, the android shrugs, "I'm not really able to know if it can be extended, but some have tried. Even military manufacturers haven't been able to extend our lifespan, though some have tried despite the licensing terms forbidding it. To my knowledge, no one has succeeded." He doesn't seem too bent out of shape about it, and clarifies, "With how easily we are manufactured it is likely a safety measure."

    He doesn't seem to be... against this idea, which might strike some as fatilistic or strange. But he does pause. "If you should find some means around that limitation, I would not complain. I have only three months left myself."

Itana seems to be somewhat lost by this turn in the conversation. She drifts a few paces away and looks out across the spire area, half-listening, half taking stock of her surroundings, as though expecting more androids to jump her any minute now.

Mostly it's a means to try and bury a sense of discomfort with the idea of people building other people and giving them lives so short.

    "A safety measure. The safety of some asshole making the choice and playing at being Gaia, more like. I'll do what I can about it, though I'm much more likely to succeed if it's a programming limitation than if it's something inherient to the design." Circe will admit.

    She's at least sincere about both hating controlling people and hating killing once she's decided something counts as life! Surely nothing bad can ever come from this.

    "Any information you can give me about where the licensing terms are stored or enforced might help?"

"The more I find out the more inclined I am to see if I can work with that green android to see if we can make those the majority." Claire mutters to herself, "Even bad farmers treat their lifestock better than this." She thinks for a moment, "Any details you can share about how to make androids?"

    Surprised at the interest, the android thinks for a moment. "The central archives would have that information, but it's probably locked down pretty tight. You may not find many allies in helping correct that code. While most androids would like to live longer, it's also something we're created knowing and accepting, and there may be side effects from living longer we aren't aware of." He pauses, and then adds, "But I am certain that it is largely a manufactured limitation."

    He stops to consider for a moment longer. "While I would like this, I have to admit that a higher priority is to secure the ship, and after that address any android concerns. Android rights were an issue on Earth before we left, perhaps you can get help there, if you have a way of contacting Earth."

Itana doesn't understand nearly enough about manufacturing robots to even begin to weigh in on the conversation. She settles for pretending to watch something off in the distance.

When she looks back, it's when the conversation turns. Her hand migrates to the arch of her hip. "I agree. We can deal with the moral implications of existence once the danger has passed. You mentioned an asteroid, and intruders - and there are, no doubt, other places inside this vessel where there is danger, or places where we may be able to help you."

Her shoulders rises and falls in a slow shrug. "I suppose that raises the question of what our next step is."

    "And are the actual human residents of the ship aware that they are being sustained and supported by planned obsolescence that's being applied to living, thinking beings?" Claire asks. She looks at the others, "Because frankly if they are I'm not sure I don't think it's morally correct to prioritize their lives over the lives of their servants."

    "...I think we'll need to look to the central archives for both goals, regardless. I will do what I can, however." She may do OTHER reprogramming while she's going about it, though. Best not to think about that too terribly much.

    For now, Circe at least is willing to temporarily drop the subject to head on the elevator, but she will say to Claire. "If everyone dies, then that includes the servants. But both missions can happen together, yes? I'm sure you and I can work on this."

    "Our next step is anywhere but here." Samus says.
    The moral grey zone regarding android lifespans is not her job to process, worry about, or think too much on the topic as she waits by the elevator.
    It's not like the androids are orphans or the last of their species, after all.

    "Good luck," the android says, giving a surprisingly casual wave. The elevator doors open up... well, one of the elevators, there are a number here for such a huge ship. It's still very roomy, for a starship!

    Finally, the group sees a good idea of what the decks are. Several are in green, able to be accessed, but some are in red, unable to be pressed.

    Secondary Control and Attack Systems
    Drive and Engineering Section
    Factory and Lab Section
    Water Habitat
    Epsilon City
    Supply and Storage Section
    Jungle Habitat
    Forest Habitat
    Command and Control Section
    Administrative and Security Section
    Farm Habitat Centers
    Grasslands Ecology Section <-
    Bio Testing and Experimentation Labs
    Sensor and Exploration Section
    Factory Production Section
    Storage Section
    Lower Robotic Section
    Lower Battle Simulator

Itana shoots Claire a glance. "If there is still a danger, it seems foolish to stop and moralize. We can figure out who is a horrible person after we are done saving the vessel. It is no different than if a caravan of traders were being devoured by a rampaging landworm. The moral worth of the traders does not determine whether or not I would shoot the landworm."

The elevator doors, at least, seem content to move them along. Itana steps inside and squints at the screen.

And squints at it.

This goes on for about ten seconds before she frowns and scratches her temple with one gloved finger, finally looking up towards Samus. "What does it say?"

Itana el-Zayl does not like to /admit/ she is functionally illiterate.

    "But this is an ongoing situation that does not appear to be at risk of suddenly escalating to the point where we can't stop and think about the proper priorities. Of course ideally we save everyone, but if we can't, then we're going to have to make a choice about who to save." Claire doesn't look at Itana as she enters the elevator, and without waiting to discuss anything, reaches out for the bio testing and experimentation labs floor.

    Circe is going to not explain to Itana what the options say because she's too busy having a minor stroke at the choices. Though some of that will be out loud. She's going to slip into talking in Greek for a moment, mostly curses, before stopping herself and forcing her words to work properly.

    "...There are like ten of these I want to visit right now, but I think the Administrative and Security Section might be the most useful option. For now. I may go to the Bio Testing and Experimentation Labs soon though, that sounds, ah, right up my alley."

    Into the elevator and Samus heaves a soft sigh. Reaching up with her gauntlet-clad hand, the Hunter undoes the seal on her suit at the neck and tugs her helmet off for a brief breath of fresh air, blonde hair spilling free in a pony-tail as she looks to the screen and purses her lips.
    Itana asks what it says. Samus doesn't say anything derisive to this, she simply points.
    "Everything in green are places we can go. The red is locked off to us. It looks like Aida did a good job of getting us access to a fair amount of choices... Water, jungle, forest, farm habitats, a city, storage, labs, a factory, and... Ah. The administration sector." She considers for a moment.
    "Aida, if we head there, do you think you could unlock the rest of the sectors to us if we find you a terminal with better access? If we can get to command and control we can probably--"
    Claire pushes a button.
    "..."

Itana glances at Claire again, eyelids dipping a shade. "If you would like to agonize over things, I will leave it to you."

Samus, at least, is nice enough not to mock her for her lack of book smarts. The archer folds her hands behind her back and leans forward, squinting at the screen - then she looks up again as the helmet comes off.

Itana's eyebrows come /up/ in momentary surprise before her expression settles. "...Interesting," she murmurs, ambiguous as to whether she's addressing the screen or the Samus.

"These are rooms for study and creation, I take it."

    The elevator is fast, but it still takes some time, and the firm pressure on the group from the acceleration - and then the lighter feeling of deceleration - is familiar to most who have been in an elevator. The only problem comes when the ride finally comes to a stop, and with a soft chime, the doors open...

    What was that about urgency? Because immediately, the rad-badges on the group show a faint discoloration, and it feels quite warm here. The floor here consists of a large open floor space with numerous massive buildings, though the ceiling is 'only' a few hundred meters up, which is much shorter. Even so, the metallic structures are huge, and each seems labelled for a lab or experiment.

    It's also full of flashing lights, sparking cables, and some parts are openly torn apart. Some distance away, a large robot can be seen 'fighting' what looks like a giant clawed elephant, which is coming up on the winning side of tearing the tentacle-like appendages of the robot off, and that odd mold seems to be showing up in patches almost everywhere.

    It's not in nearly as good shape as the other floor.

    Circe will notice that the button has been pressed approximately when the elevator starts to actually move, but she won't argue. She wants to see that area more than any of the others, anyway.

    The problem is... Well, it's not really in the best of shape, is it? She'll watch the robot and the elephant fighting, eyebrows lifting as she mentally measures weights and modifications that must have been made to the creatures. Not even worrying about the mold, or whatever other biohazards might be here...

    "...Maybe we should get more anti-biological equipment together before coming here. At least if any of you aren't resistant to being melted or Olympus only knows what else they've done here."