Video

[runs_on_batteries]

Good evening, Voidtreckers. I'd like to announce a council meeting in three days. It's overdue and I believe we have a number of items to discuss.

Please council members take some time over the next few days to come up with and notify me of topics we need to discuss so I can prepare an agenda. If anyone who is not a council member feels strongly about a certain topic we should consider, either tell me or seek out a council member so they may relay the information.

Comments

> Action!

[mtsilver_conquor]

Thanks, you too. Can't say I liked being underwater without Helmutt or Tanknator, but...

[A shrug. It was what it was.]

I'll do Roro first. Roro...

[A click of her fingers has something zip up and out from her pocket to hover at shoulder height with a sharp, electronic 'bzztt! Miztrez?'] It's a Rotomi v3.2. You can tell by the eyes.

[The phone spins around and the eye-like logo 'blinks'.] Mum got it for me as a present when I became the Kantō Champion.

[runs_on_batteries]

Are those your toaster and electric shaver?

[He chuckled, good-naturedly.

However, his attention shifted quickly to the new and odd.. phone?

He stared at it for a long moment, unable to quite settle on words.]

Is.. is this an AI too?

[mtsilver_conquor]

It has a very basic one that's chained and shackled. We've had a good 70 years to figure out unchained AI are just. Gods no. That's just... no.

[It's a visceral no, a gut-wrenching one that suggests Arkean's have learned the hard way what a Bad Idea unchained and unshackled AIs are.] The rotom that part-power them are speciality-bred for the machinery, and the AI doesn't make them sapient. It can seem like it but it's not. Anyway, if it goes farther than a metre from me...

[Another click and this time, Roro's eyes go 'X!!!' before it moves away from Eva. It gets just over a metre away from the young woman before it clatters to the ground, little more than a phone with basically a dead battery and no sign of any pokemon in it.]

[runs_on_batteries]

What? Y-.. what do you mean his AI is chained and shackled?

[He watches as the flying phone zips off and then.. drops like a brick. He went over and picked it up. Looking at it curiously, he walked back toward her.]

My world has had a run in with AI too, but I believe they're still part of our world's future in a very positive way.

[mtsilver_conquor]

[As soon as Tony's within range, the Rotomi 'Bzzts!' to life again, though doesn't make a move to leave his hand, or Eva's, when she takes it back.

It simply lays there.]

Oh, they're wonderful things and we use them alongside human labour. Shackled and chained means it's impossible beyond any form of doubt for AI to turn against humans, to disobey, to harm... the list goes on. What you saw is just one of many safety features built-in. I've got a number of voice commands and ways to shut it down whenever I want. But... now and again, we do get unchained ones and its...

[Eva inhales, eyes hollow and knuckles white as her hands fist around Roro, the phone still eerily silent and still.] It's horrific.

[runs_on_batteries]

I see. Safety features sound less tyrannical. They are necessary when dealing with AI.

[Trust him, he knows from experience.]

So this thing is a phone. Have you been able to connect with any other phones here on the train? I've yet to get different world's technically to talk to each other properly.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Yeah, though a city-only one. Once you get past the limits of a city or town, they're functionally useless like it is now. All it can do is connect to Lele and the 'dex, but I'd bet top yen my 'Gear -another type of phone- would be much the same.

But, it shouldn't be hard to hook into the printer's Wi-Fi, I don't think. And if Roro can't, then Lele should be able to do it.

[Idly, she taps the phone, and Roro goes back to hovering at her shoulder.] I could see about getting you a Rotomi if you want

[runs_on_batteries]

A city such as the island we were last on?

[That was interesting at least. It might help with keeping him informed with at least one other team during missions. It'd be useful even as something other than a phone while on the train.

He's very tempted to say yes.]

What else can a Rotomi do?

[mtsilver_conquor]

Maybe? They're basically fancy smartphones so if you want wilderness, you'd be better with 'Gears, but even then...

They need a signal to pick up and I got nothing in the void, while 'Gears are satellite-based, so they work away from towns and cities.

[runs_on_batteries]

How would you get me one of these.. would you call them creatures or devices or what?

[mtsilver_conquor]

Rotomi, and like I got Peter-kun Bitsy.

[Ask the train.]

[runs_on_batteries]

I meant- never mind.

Thanks for showing me this Eva.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Oh, the signal?

We could probably make it. They are phones after all. Though, they could also potentially be routed through Lele.

[runs_on_batteries]

No, that wasn't what I was asking. Let me know if you find out if there is a usable signal though.

[He stepped back.]

I better get back to work. Is there anything else you needed?

[mtsilver_conquor]

Uh, sure and not unless you want to meet Lele.

[runs_on_batteries]

[He hesitated. He really should get back to his project but..]

Sure. Lele is the AI right?

[mtsilver_conquor]

Porygon2, but yes.

[She pulls the pokeball of her belt and releases the Very Neon Green pokemon in a flash of multicoloured light and sound.

It... floats there. It doesn't even look alive, just creepily blank. Not even a blink.] Lele: SysSpe1.

Porygon2 online. [The voice is that of a bland robotic female.]

You can ask it stuff if you want.

[runs_on_batteries]

...

Why would someone make an AI look like a duck?

Yen = 120.3k AUD

[mtsilver_conquor]

Hey!! I paid eight-and-half million yen for Lele and the train gutted it! It doesn't even have its glowsticks!

[It's Lele who answers while Eva is too busy glaring at Tony for unknowingly insulting her AI.]

Design: 'duck' smoothed version of Shell: One. Design: Very Basic. Design: Unlike ordinary Shell: Actual. State: Not what ordered. Male: Human: Stark Edward Anthony: Request: further details?

[runs_on_batteries]

I question whether giving the duck a glowstick improves things or not.

[He laughs.]

Alright, Patty Simcox, 'tell me more tell me more'.

[mtsilver_conquor]

It does. [-because she said so, so there!!!] Because they're recharable.

[And like that, Lele projects a hologram. that is noticeably bigger than it.] Shell: One. Human Designation: Porygon. Colouration: Standard. Height: Eighty centimetres. Lele: Height: Fifty-point-eight centimetres.