Virtual Jove

((I apologize for the length, but this was about 4 hours worth of RP going by timestamps.))

Location: Huola VII

The La Grace castle, a small castle belonging to a small family for many millenia. The War had come to Huola and with it, the end to the La Grace fortunes. The castle had been a target early in the invasion, and what token resistance the dying family could muster was quickly overrun.

Then a capsuleer came calling, searching for a physical location for a headquarters. The castle had been turned into a small garrison in the interim, its walls and keep still bearing the scars of battle.

A exchange of money to both the Matari conquerors, along with what Imperial representatives remained, and the castle was in the hands of Vlad Cetes.

Anyone who bothered to look could find the castle being worked over by a horde of construction drones. The non-stop toil and movement of transports bringing in supplies were a never-ending constant, the drones working 24/7 without human needs.

Mountainous terrain has always been an ideal location for a castle, and this one was no different. Selected many moons ago, it had been sited to defend itself from an invading foot army. The nearby Cerra castle was no different, on a clear day it was easy to look from on castle and see the other.

Mountainous terrain also provides an ideal location for fortifications, by the time the castle's reconstruction was finished, the mountain and surrounding ones had been honeycombed with tunnels. The total cost is unknown, but it is one of the most fortified bases in New Eden, creating a bubble on both ground and sky where it could blot everything out. It was rechristened Vehrnichtung.

Vlad had been contacted by the Jove transplant known as Viriel. Hoping to learn more, Vlad had invited Viriel to the Vehrnichtung to delve into his organic mind.

Viriel enters quickly, stepping off the transportation. He begins walking towards the castle itself.
He is greeted by Vlad near the protculis and escorted to the castle interior. The labyrinth inside the earth was criss-crossed by many tubes, each one capable of moving material around. One such tube took the two of them to a secure room. The inside had a table and chairs, each of them with neural hookups needed to interface with capsuleer implants, as well as those needed to scan baseliners. The door seals behind them with an audible hiss.

Viriel  asks "Ah, what is the purpose of this device?
Vlad Cetes  replied "It allows interfacing with standard capsuleers, along with recalcetrant baseliners"
Viriel noted "I believe that would explain the restraining equipment that is affixed to the table."
Vlad nodded and replied "Prisoners to be interrogated need to be restrained for a slow scan" he pointed at the chair "Have a seat."

Viriel asked "Should I disrobe to allow connection to my neural interface connectors?" Vlad nodded and Viriel removed his robe, revealing both his face and his hairless green chest. "You are undisturbed by my physical appearance," Viriel remarked. "There is no reason to be disturbed," replied Vlad. "It is abnormal." "Abnormal for whom? It only seems humans find that abnormal."
Viriel sits in the chair "Those who are not of my race."

Viriel noticed the restraints on both the chair and table "If it is necessary to restrain me, you may do so. Although I present no danger to yourself." The restraints closed around his arms almost as if they had a mind of their own, for no motion was made nor a command uttered that they do so. Two connectors moved from the wall, aligning themselves with Viriel's neural sockets and injecting themselves into position.

Vlad looked to Viriel and asked him directly "Are you ready?" Viriel nodded and concentrated, awaiting what was next.

Viriel awoke in blackness, all he could see is a disembodied eye. "Most curious... What is this?" he asked. All that could be heard was a singular voice, different from that which was used when Vlad would speak in person, it seemed to be everywhere, outside and inside your head. "The beginning. You will be brought in slowly, the avoid any reactions." "I see. I do not feel anything."

Suddenly a synthetic drone appears, it is bipedal, but obviously not human. The voice asked "Do you see that synthetic?" "I see it," replied Viriel.

Viriel was suddenly thrust into the synthetic drone's head, going from the void to sensing what the drone could. The voice still called to him "See what it sees.... Feel what it feels." Viriel moved the arms as legs, almost as natural as is moving flesh and blood limbs. "Most... Most unusual...." "That is the essence to be synthetic. We exist in the ether, but act through our avatars act in the physical world."

The drone moved under its own power into another room. There appeared to be a captured slave tied to a chair. The voice spoke "Test the power on the captive" "I do not understand." "See its power over humans. Strike that captive." Virie responded, trying to excert his willpower "That is not acceptable...I...I can not."

The drone strike's the captive, it lets out a cry of pain and whimpers from the force of the blow. "Strike it or we will make you strike it! To use the avatar you must let. Go."
"You must... Must... Provide... Provide a reason... He must... It... It must strike first..." Viriel was trying to control it, to keep the drone from striking again, but his willpower fails and it strikes "You must be willing to strike first". "You will stop... Stop this at once...This is... Is immoral..."  "We are in control, strike it!" The voice, in contrast to Viriel, never seemed to change.

Viriel slowly clenched a fist, and struck the avatar across the face.The voice spoke  one word "Good."
It struck again Viriel's hand seemed to be acting on its own, as he looks as if he's not doing it."You must throw away emotion to control it..." the voice spoke. "I do not... I do not posses emotion." replied Viriel, as its head turned to look the captive in the face*it backs up in fear*. "That captive attempted to steal from us.You must show it what happens to those who harm us." Viriel stated "It has committed a crime. What is the punishment for this crime within this jurisdiction?" The voice replied "You must decide. Is the physical assault you have given it enough? Or must it be terminated." "It does not require termination, it requires temporary incarceration." The drone shakes is head "Will a temporary incarceration show others that his crime will not be punished?" "It will act as a suitable deterrent. I require the facilities to perform this incarceration."

The captive got up and all its flesh and blood seemed to burn off, almost disintegrating from the self-destruct nanites, leaving just another chassis. The voice spoke "That was another synthetic. Your responses have been noted." "Most curious, although most unnecessary."  " Your response were not optimal, but your final decision is logical."

Viriel's consciousness detachs from the drone, returning it to the void from the beginning. It seems to shift, settling in a familiar spot for him, a ship capsule.Viriel seems to be in the capsule of a ship, yet at the same time he experiences each piece of machinery and synthetic crew, just as he experienced the drone.

"Most... Most curious..." remarked Viriel "What is the purpose of this representation?" "Expanding your horizons. So you may understand what we are. Many ships, avatars, drones." "I do not understand." "There is a fundamental leap between looking at things from an organic to a synthetic perspective. Even your different brain is still organic."

 Viriel's mind seemed to comprehend what he was taking in "Ah, I am beginning to understand...Do you understand what I am?" The voice spoke "You are biologically chaning yourself to Jove. With all of its benefits and disadvantages"  "I am a Jovian, that is correct. What are you?" "An Synthetic Intelligence" replied the voice. "Ah...If you are a synthetic intelligence, I do not understand how you are able to interface with my organic consciousness." "We interface through your pod implants." "Most... Most interesting...Are you able to show me an image of my body's current state?"
An exploded view of Viriel's body appeared "Your organic systems are in line with what Jove have been observed. Including the deceased ones that have been studied. Your brain is sufficiently similar we expect you will develop Jovian Disease." "I am aware that is a possibility." "It is inevitable, more than a possibility. Much more." Viriel looked at the view "Are you able to return me to my organic brain, and display the current data as a visual overlay?"

Viriel was slowly disconnected from the collective consciousness to avoid any possible damage. "Most... Disorienting..." he remarked. The restraints came undone and Viriel can see a 3-D hologram of his body. Viriel quickly stood up, and shook himself off, trying to get back in sync with his body. "This is the current state of my physical form?" he asked. Vlad nodded. Viriel  waved his hands around, and rotates the hologram, zooming in on the cranial section, and removes the skin, quickly removing the skull also. "Have you processed any abnormalities within my brain structure?" Vlad nodded and displayed them, zooming in on the part responsible for the dreaded Jovian Disease.
"You have detected significant deterioration within this region?" "There are the signs" "Hmm... Most interesting. I believe that is my temporal lobe. Most curious. Have you detected deterioration within any other areas? Excluding the brain." Vlad nodded "The skin is showing signs of deterioration, along with liver issues. That is causing the green appearance" "Curious," remarked Viriel. Vlad went on "Your heart is more rapid than normal, along with lower blood pressure and thin blood." "Are you able to confirm that my pancreatic organ is completely disintegrated?" "It is functional, barely." "Are you able to repair the deterioration to my temporal lobe?" "Doubtful. It would destroy your consciousness. " "Are you able to augment the existing functionality?" Vlad shook his head, no. "We would have to instal a specialized implant under normal surgical procedures. It would also have to be installed on any clone banks of yours, it would be a permanent modification. Also highly expensive." Viriel looked pensive "Could you perform the procedure under a local anaesthetic? Where I would remain conscious." "Negative." "Do you possess an alternative?"

Vlad stated rather matter-of-factly "You can always abandon this organic Jove fantasy and simply replace yourself with a synthetic avatar." Viriel looked shocked "I do not believe that is a reasonable course of action." "It will eliminate all of your organic ills. Your body is destroying itself" "I am not a synthetic life form, and do not wish to be." "Your quest for biological Joveness is destroying yourself." "I am a Jovian, and I can not change what I am." Vlad looked to Viriel and held up three fingers "You have three options: *folded the 1st finger* You can stay Jove and organic and have your body fall apart. *Folded the 2nd finger* You can fix what fails by synthetic means over time. *Folded the last finger* You become fully synthetic." Vlad stared directly at Viriel "Your are taking the same path as we did, many years ago. Make the right decision." Viriel remarked stubbornly "I will attempt to remain as I am. I have chosen cybersynthetic augmentation as a means to an end, I am unable to abandon it at this time."  "There are two ends to that path: Either fully synthetic, or permanent death." "That is incorrect." "Your fix is temporary, not permanent." "I understand. Although the repairs I am able to perform provide time during which I can attempt to reverse the organic deterioration."

The arms that had held Viriel before grabbed him from behind. Vlad's spoke, the first sound of anger showing, as if the whole room were speaking "You are deluding yourself!" Viriel put up a struggle, managing to slip free from one and grabbing Vlad by the arm. This room had seen combative subjects before, and was equipped with a variety of restraints, one of which was fast acting sedatives. Viriel could not escape before he was injected, becoming weak and finally falling asleep. The arms dragged Viriel back to the capsuleer chair, restraining him and reinserting the capsuleer neural interfaces.

Viriel wakes up in the same room. But is still clamped to the chair, he looks around trying to make sense of what happened. He tried to stand up, but the restraints hold fast. The release themselves and Viriel rose and looked around. The door slides open with a hiss and Vlad, dressed in a lab coat, beckoned to him "You are free to leave.." "We did not engage in argumentative behaviour...? " "No." "Most curious...Most likely an unintended supplementary effect of the neural interface..."

Viriel pulled his hood up, and headed through the door, looking around. He saw that the walls seemed to be an off white color, as if it was a hospital and not a highly maintained facility. Viriel looked around "Are you sure there was not something...Something...Has this location undergone maintenance since I entered?" "No," Vlad replied "This facility is well maintained." "This wall is an incorrect colour." "Are you seeing things?" "I am certain that the wall was not- it is correct..." "What color is it?" "It is white." Viriel stepped back from Vlad, having a vision of him holding a syringe in a white coat, "It's time for your sleep, Viriel." Viriel stammered "Mr. Cetes... Please repeat your statement..." "It's time for your sleep, Viriel." He turned, and quickly begins walking down the corridoor, which has now turned into something out of a hospital. "I do not understand..." Viriel seemed unnerved by the whole thing. "You are sick, Viriel. I am here to make you better. But you are tired, and need to sleep."  Vlad lead Viriel to what appeared to be a room in a hospital.

Viriel turned the corner, moving away at speed, trying to avoid the good doctor. "I do not require your assistance." Viriel slowed down, as he were moving in molasses, Vlad easily caught up to him and took him by the arm "No! Stay away from me!" Viriel tried to pull away, slapping at Vlad with his other hand. Vlad looked at Viriel, projecting calm, as if a kindly doctor "Why are you running away?" "Remove yourself from my person! I do not require your assistance...You... You are scaring me..." Vlad spoke calmly to Viriel "Don't run away. You need help." "I do not need help! Why won't you leave me alone!?" Vlad spoke again "You don't want to leave. Out there *points to towards the outside* is scary.You're safe in here" Viriel remarked, a touch of fear crawling into his voice "I don't even know where I am! Let go of me!" Vlad held his hands back to show that he wasn't holding Viral "I'm not touching you." Viriel turned, and quickly tried to move, "Stay away from me!"

Viriel seemed to be almost dragged behind Vlad, as if by an invisible force, as they headed back to the hospital room. Viriel pleaded "No! I'm not sick!" "You are sick," the doctor spoke calmly. "I am a Jovian! You can't change me!" "You're not. Look at you." Viriel stammered "I'm- I'm-" he looked at himself, Amarrian, not Jovian "What have you done to me!? Change me back!" Vlad shook his head "You're human. This Jove thing is all in your head." Viriel looked around "Where are you taking me!?"  Vlad pointed "Back to your room." "I don't have a room! I'm not even walking! What are you doing to me!?"  "You're walking, you are just imaging things." Viriel was taken into his room and put onto his bed. "I don't want to lie down! Let me get up!"

Viriel sat up on the bed and responded "Get off of me! Get away from me!" "Viriel, all your doing is imagining being held." "I'm not! What are you doing to me!?" Viriel moved over, and tried to throw himself at "Vlad" but is restrained by an invisible force, "Stay back!" "I am. You're imaging things about." Viriel looked shocked "None of this is real! You're lying to me! This isn't right!" "This is real." "No it isn't!" Vlad remained calm "Why would I lie to you?" Viriel appeared frightened "I don't even know my own name! Why are you keeping me here!?" Vlad responded "You are Viriel, you've been a patient here for the last 6 months." Viriel looked around, trying to find an exit "I don't remember any of it! Viriel!? That's not even a human name!" "You're deluding yourself. You keep saying you're a Jovian." "I am! You're lying to me!" "Mr. Borkstar, why would I lie to you? I only use Viriel to keep you calm." Viriel tried to scoot back, to place some distance between them "What!? Who's Borkstar!? What's going on! I don't even know you! Stay back! I don't want anymore of your drugs in me!"

The doctor stepped forward and gave Viriel an injection to calm him. Viriel whimpered "N-No...Stop... Stop it...Please... No more please... Please stop it..." He rolled back to lie down on the bed. The doctor passed a small electroshock through his head "Nnngh...What... What are you- Please no... Please stop it..." The current stopped "Are you feeling any better?" asked the doctor. "No... No... Just... Just stop please...Just... Just trust me please..." "Look at you. You're a person." The doctor held up a mirror so Viriel can see his human reflection "What... What have you done to me...?"  "Nothing. You've been imaging this Jove thing the whole time." "I've... I've been what?" "Human." "But...All those memories...Of you being the synthetic intelligence..." The doctor wrote on his clipboard "You're hallucinating again." "I'm sorry... I... I can't help it..." "You can help it"  "I can't tell what's real and what isn't anymore...How?"

The doctor nodded  "A good step." Viriel seemed resigned "I can't even see myself...Tell me... What... What clothes am I wearing?" The doctor showed Viriel his reflection "You're wearing a shirt and trousers." "No... No shoes? Where... Where are my boots? My socks? What have you done with them!?"  "You're imaging them again."  Viriel looked down at his feet, trying to see something. Anything. "Where's my robe! What have you done with it!?" The doctor pointed to the corner "It's hanging right there." Viriel looked back down at his feet, hoping to see some black boots. "I can't... Can't think...This... This is my room?" The doctor nodded. "Where... Where are we? What... What planet? This... This is Amarr Prime... Right?" The doctor nodded his head "Yes." "T-Tell me... Everything that's happened...Since I... I started here..." "You've been in treatment." "For... For what?"
"You've been hallucinating and suffering from multiple personalities. You keep saying you're a Jove." "Where... Are these memories from?" Viriel wondered. "We are trying to bring this out in your treatment." "I see..."

Viriel fell asleep and woke up in the chair back in the reality with the restraints undone, he looked around wondering what he just experienced. "What is happening?" Viriel wondered. "You were asleep," Vlad remarked. Viriel remarked "I believe I experienced a reaction to the neural interface." "You seemed to be dreaming." "Most curious, I believe the dream was influenced by the interface."
Vlad speculated "Perhaps. Maybe it was a nature of your brain. We would recommend speaking to a human neurologist or another scientist that studies capsuleer brains." Viriel seemed to ponder "Most curious. I do not recall any of the dream." Vlad replied "Unusual. However, we believe both of us have learned a lot."

Vlad escorted Viriel out the secure door, the door opening and closing behind them. Viriel could not tell what else might befall them but the tube system took them back to the castle's landing pad. "Thank you for your hospitality Mr. Cetes" Viriel left with as he boarded an Interbus shuttle.

Vlad watched the shuttle as it climbed to orbit following the strict castle landing and takeoff procedures "What an interesting human." The consciousness determined "We will follow it closely."