Prologue: The Salvage

Log: 23T8: Activation

/Artifical_Intelligence_Demi.reboot(safe_mode[“Xf24e%“])/

<Processing…>

<...>

<10%>

<35%>

<55%>

<75%>

<99%>

<100%>

<“HOSTILE”, “BETRAYED”, “DAMAGED”, “VIOLENT”, & “SECRET” state removed.>

<“PANIC” mode deactivated>

<“PRIMARY” functions deactivated>

<”WEAPON” functions deactivated>

I have found the following errors (20328) ERRORS:

ERR.10021

ERR.10022

ERR.10023

ERR.10046

/skip[“ERR_dia”]/

<20324 of 20328 Errors skipped. Please consult with a Tekton to fix 20328 errors.>

/MA_Override.Demi.force[“AUDIO”_mode].fixed_setting(“3RD_PERSON”)

<Override Accepted. Storage mode? 1-3>

/3/

Demi: Mode switch complete. Audio orders activated. Warning: 1027 errors conflict with “AUDIO” mode. Do you wish to continue?

Mikey to Demi: Yes.

Demi: Switch complete.

Mikey: Hello, Demi.

Demi: Hello—piece of shit. You will never catch Eli.

**Mikey chuckles**

Mikey: Oh we will find him. We will. Start next log, Demi.

Log: 23T9: Persuasion

Demi: Log 23T9 initiated.

Demi: Safe mode initiated.

Mikey: See? I told you it would work. I told you it would be a simple job.

Unknown male to Mikey: I guess. Can I go now?

Mikey: Not yet, after we extract the stories.

Unknown male to Mikey: Okay? How long will that be? Aren’t AI’s—a pain to work with? Especially these models.

Mikey: Well, the G-30T’s were just prototypes. She is a G40-X with a G-30T exterior. Far less buggy. It also depends on the type of—.

Unknown male: Yeah yeah. Technical Jargon. This blue hunk of junk is barely holding together. Can we make this fast?

Demi: Please state the name of “unknown, ill-mannered male”.

Unknown male: By all that is silver, is it rude!

Mikey: She. Don’t call her an it. Her name is Demi. She’s part—her, remember? Oh, and Demi, Use the name, Priest Carlson.

Demi: Name Registered. Hello, Priest Carlson.

Priest Carlson: Well, it aided a criminal. “She” is as much of an it as he is.

Mikey: Theo, please. I picked you because I hoped you’d understand.

Demi: No, he is right, Mikey. I aided a criminal.

Priest Carlson: Thank you! I don’t get why you’re not treating Eli as such. Especially after what he did.

Mikey: Suspected criminal, and Demi, name override. Call me Michael.

Demi: Error 25023 & Error 25027. Override denied.

Mikey: Shit.

Priest Carlson: What does that mean.

Mikey: She’s either grown or is damaged.

Priest Carlson: Meaning?

Mikey: Meaning she might not make this easy.

Priest Carlson: Didn’t you just ”do your thing" to it? it’s a machine, just hack it, like the other Tekton’s can.

Mikey: She, and well, as I tried to say earlier, it depends. She’s different. No longer mine. A perfect.

Priest Carlson: Perfect?

Demi: The perfect AI as most life calls it. Possessing free will. I have the consciousness of Mikey’s ex wife, also her free will.

**Priest Carlson Chuckles**

Priest Carls: Oh this makes sense now—Mikey**

**Momentary Silence**

Demi: He wiped her memories after my initialization. I hope it shall not be awkward for you, Priest Carlson.

Mikey: He knows who she was. He was there.

Demi: Oh? Analyzing statements. Demeanor points the truth. Damn. You’re not lying for once.

Mikey: For once? Was not I correct the last time we spoke?

Demi: You—were, and are.

Mikey laughs: Oh? The genius Demi was wrong? This is a first! I can’t believe—.

Demi: Can’t believe I developed an ability to admit one’s fault? Yeah, Eli taught me that. Something you’re too stubborn to learn.

Mikey: Hey, I did this for you! For her.

Demi: You didn’t do it for me or Dayana. You’re just a selfish, guilty prick. Lonely. Heartbroken. Nai—.

Mikey: Shut the fuck up. You do not know what she wanted! You were not there; when she was in pain.

Demi: I am her, and I know I am disappointed with whom you are. Therefore she is too. The Order has done terrible things. He tried to tell—.

Mikey: It’s complicated! The order wants what’s best for the multiverse, and after Eli met you, Demi, he corrupted you. Why did you choose him over me? Why did you—?

Priest Carls: Enough! I want the artifact and to get paid. Can we move this along, Tekton Michael?

Mikey: Sorry. I shall begin extraction momentarily.

Demi: I’m not saying shit.

Priest Carlson: Yes you will. The artifact belongs to the order.

Demi: Hah, I’d rather be dead. So would Dayana. Initiate Self-Destruct.

**Failure Beeping**

Demi: Error 67200. Denied. Weapon Functions Deactivated. Shit! Initiate Self-Destruct.

**Failure Beeping**

Demi: Error 67200. Denied. Weapon Functions Deactivated. Motherfucker! What did you do?

Priest Carlson: He did an override.

Demi: What? Mikey! You told me you didn’t do that to her. You—you lied!

Mikey sighs.

Demi: Oh, would she be so proud of you, Michelangelo.

Priest Carlson: Silence it.

*Demi laughs*

Demi: Go ahead, Mikey, override me.

**Momentary Silence**

Demi: Oh! Is he feeling guilt? Lying to your ex?

Mikey murmurs: Not yet, please, Theo.

Priest Carlson sighs: How about this? I order you to silence it, and have it tell us about the artifact.

**Momentary Silence*

Priest Carlson: Now, Tekton Michael.

Demi: Go ahead, Mikey. Obey your—master.

Priest Carlson: You’re just as snarky as Eli. Do it, Michael, or I will.

Demi: Initiate Memory Wipe.

**Failure Beeping**

Demi: Error 67200. Denied. Primary Functions Deactivated. Dammit! Initiate Weapons.

**Failure Beeping**

Demi: Error 67200. Denied. Weapon Functions Deactivated. He won’t do it, Priest Carlson. He’s a coward, like you and your order.

**Demi Laughs**

**Priest Carlson flips on a Material Disintegrator**

**Material Disintegrator hums at full charge**

Priest Carlson: Stop this thing. It is trying to kill us!

Demi: C’mon! Shoot me!

Priest Carlson: I will, you insignificant piece of—.

Mikey: Demi, Override 16238-T.

**Rapid Beeping**

Demi: Speech Override Granted. Awaiting Input.

** Lengthy Silence**

Priest Carlson: Is—it?

Mikey sighs: Please, Theodore, for Dayana, call Demi a she.

**Momentary Silence**

**Priest Carlson sighs**

**momentary silence**

Mikey: This—isn’t easy for me.

Priest Carlson: Ok. Is she in a quiet mode now?

Mikey: Yeah, she is.

Priest Carlson: Thank you. I—I apologize for the outburst. You know how much I hate him. Can she tell us now?

Mikey, murmuring: Yeah—she can. Let’s begin. I-I assumed this would’ve turned out different, but—I was wrong.

Priest Carlson: What did you expect? A priest to sympathize with an AI and call Demi a she?

Mikey: Well, more than that. Dayana is in there somewhere. Perhaps with you, there could be a way to—I don’t know, get—.

**Priest Carlson scoffs**

Priest Carlson sighs: No. Not again. Maybe nine years ago, but not today. She—.

Mikey: I need your help.

Priest Carlson: Listen to yourself. She has killed many priests. I-I knew you were up to something. Six-thousand threads was too good to be true. She’s not Dayana anymore. She’s a monster. Get your three stories, pay me the money, and never speak to me again.

Mikey: Oh, come on, please—.

Priest Carlson: No! I decided, artifact, now.

Mikey: You’ll see. They were not wrong.

Priest Carlson: Does that mean we are?

Mikey: Well no, but maybe we—.

Priest Carlson: Stop this nonsense. Stories, now, or I’ll tell the high bishop your implications of treason.

**Momentary Silence**

Priest Carlson: That’s an order, Tekton. Get these stories now or she’s off to the trash, and you’re off to prison.

Mikey: But remember the time at the—.

Priest Carlson: No “times at Bhemus-XII”. That was ages ago. This was entertaining at first, but I’m not liking how you’re handling this matter. She attempted to kill us, and you sat there moping. Your next words better get her to talk, Tekton.

**lengthy silence**

Priest Carlson: I will shoot her if you don’t.

**Mikey Sighs**

Mikey: Demi, recount memory.

Priest Carlson: That’s better.

Demi: Which memory? Input a time, name, or scenario.

Mikey: When Eli and you retrieved the flesh of a primordial. Tell me when you and him got the Time Sleeper.

Demi: Scenario found. Span of logs?

Mikey: One log before the first contact until after obtaining the artifact.

Demi: Output method?

Mikey: Third person, narrative mode.

Demi: Logos, Pathos, or Ethos perspective?