Prometheus

Leo?

Leo hello?

Leo, please respond.

System respond. System update…. System update report…….. Shit

It’s ok.

Leo if you can hear me it’s going to be ok!

I know I said I would give up popping my knuckles but to be honest with you buddy I wasn’t expecting this.

Leo if you can hear me buddy I could really use you right now. Not in a…… oh thank the stars, ok buddy we are moving here. I just found the data for you to interpret while you’re in there.

Audio_data_interpretation.system system audio_to_data

Fuck. I hope I’m doing this right.

“Doing… What…. Right?”

“Oh LEO! Ok great, you can hear me.”

“I can hear you taking notes asshole.”

“I’m sorry. Writing things down helps, you know that. It’ll help later when we have to get you out of there buddy.”

“You mean my consciousness? When we pull my subconscious out of the system you mean?”

“I’m glad to hear your personal interpretation of speech patterns remains your own and not more homogenized with the systems way of interpreting analytics.”

“Stop taking notes.”

“You know who I am. We have to focus anyways, Leo. Can you see? Or how do you view the concept of seeing?”

“Ah…. I don’t know.”

“I’ll try to see if I can find the data to input it into the system while we talk, attempt to find qualitative over quantitative words. The more you can “feel” while you’re in there the better. Try to conceptualize Leo. Conceptualize.”

“Conceptualize my ass… I uh…. Ok it…. It feels like what I might imagine dead people must feel when they have coins put on their eyes. If dying really is like an attempt of the soul to pass on how does the weight of something on the very thing that helps them make sense of the world?”

……

“I can hear you typing, do you want me to continue to speak on the eye ball interpretation?”

“You’re sight. Leo you’re describing the concept of sight through a series of data points which is just information, which you then have to put together like those puzzles on the boxes you like to read about so much. Do you remember when we were kids and you used to make me try to stitch you a puzzle?”

“It turned out absolutely hideously too.”

“You told me the colors were off.”

“Robin they were horrifically mismatched.”

“It’s all I could salvage! You know they were tight on excess printed fabric AND might I add that I could barely conceptualize a puzzle let alone make one.”

“Stop saying conceptualize it’s giving me a headache…”

“Robin?”

“Yes Leo?”

“Can you image real wood? Not one that lives on the ship but one that is fed by real sunshine.”

“Leo you’re a genius.”

“Clearly I am the more mentally capable of the two of us, which is why my subconscious is wandering around in here.”

“I am going to see if I can project the concept of what an image, or what you might be seeing onto the screen directly in front of me. Model 220324.”

“I know which one that is.”

“Ok great buddy, we are going in the right direction.”

“Do you want me to do anything to it, or do you just want me to notice it?”

“I want you to notice it. But if you can try to see if you can turn it on by yourself but I don’t know if the system will allow you. There is a fail-safe to make sure the computer doesn’t run against certain authorizations. Essentially the computer isn’t allowed to turn itself on, or run at full capacity without someone at the helm saying it can or should do something. Ah ok try it now, try to see if you can turn on the monitor.”

“I can push against a door, or… I think it’s a door? Is that what a door actually feels like?”

“You’re mind is interacting with the system trying to con… understand moving through time and space but through a more analog system that our brain uses to categorize things. Try not to get too caught up in the details.”

“Ok, I uh… is there a problem cause I can’t open it. There isn’t a handle.”

“Ok, that’s to be as expected. How is your emotional state Leo? On that scale of 1-10 we talked about earlier today. Do you remember that?”

“When you tried to eat my breakfast?”

“You shouldn’t be surprised that I did that, you know how I like it when you make breakfast, you’re a better chef than I could ever be.”

“So I’m smarter, a better cook AND more attractive of the two of us got it.”

“Hey you’re pushing it now.”

“Robin?”

“Yeah bud, I’m still here don’t worry. I just can’t think and type at the same time on occasion.”

“It’s alright, it’s just the actual interpretation of the noise that your exuding is higher than I’m comfortable or desirable.”

“If I promise to not nervously scratch could I get two minutes to try to adjust this data and then download it into the computer where, yes you were correct, your conscious now presides, but honestly you’re exceeding expectations so far.”

“What does this have to do with how loud you’re typing on the computer.”

“I’m under a slight amount of stress here Leo. But the audio should be at a more normal volume and pitch, as you know it to be, will return momentarily.”

“The way you are speaking right now makes more sense in here.”

“In here as introspectively or … in the system?”

“Why did you pause when you said in the system?

“Can you see me now? Is that why you’re asking?”

“No. your speech pattern changed and… I guess the system highlighted it? I don’t know how I know that without being able to see… it’s just blank.”

“Leo don’t worry about that ok? The monitor should be starting up in…”

Three_two_one_prodical_initiate

“Oh this feels weird.”

“Can you describe the feeling you’re having to me Leo?”

“It’s like, I can’t see still but I can in a weird way. So, obviously I’m not seeing on my own but it’s like… I got it hold on, my words aren’t coming to me as quickly as I thought they would.”

“Ok Leo, if you are comfortable I encourage you to go with the feeling, try to explore it. If not then an alternate task would be to try to run another system diagnosis but on your own this time.”

“No.. I can follow the feeling I think…”

“Can you describe it out loud to me now Leo?”

“I can hear you alternate between typing and sketching out notes and thoughts on the tablet next to you.”

“Great processing of audio Leo but can you describe the feeling we were talking about earlier.”

“I’m getting there Geeze hold on to something.”

“Personality retention is excellent.”

“I’ve got it.”

“Alright, Leo hit me with it.”

“It’s although I can see a whisper. A ghost of an outline really. It’s what I imagine fog must look like. It snakes over and under the vast amount of space. It feels crowded and exhausted yet it’s completely free here in the ether….”

“Robin?”

“Leo?”

“I think…”

“Leo is everything ok?”

“I think the system thinks I'm impressing upon it. Or upon it’s will or something.”

“Leo that’s a serious accusation based on the system… I will be committing the emergency measure.”

“No, no, no, no. It’s ok really. I think it’s trying to tell me something”

“Leo. The computer system can’t be sentient. Not as we know it anyways. It shouldn’t be speaking directly to you anyways. I put in a subspace, a pocket for you to exist entirely just for interpretation of information. The system shouldn’t see you as a threat but if it does I need to pull you out immediately.”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. The system doesn’t mind…. At least I don’t believe it does. I think that’s why I can’t open my eyes.”

“Leo you’re subconscious doesn’t have eyes unless you give it eyes. All of the data for you to light up certain pixels to the front screen has been processed by the system so you should be able to choose which ones you can light up.”

“Ok, ok. So what you’re saying is the more I conceptualize, damn it now I’m doing it to, the more things should start to appear in my mind's eye?”

“Exactly yes.”

“Why didn’t you just say that?”

“You know I’m better at computers than I am with words.”

“I trust you Robin, you know that right?”

“Where is this coming from?”

“I just want you to know. That’s why I offered to do this. I know you were planning on doing this regardless if I came with you or not.”

“It’s a good thing you did though that or else I might not have been able to troubleshoot myself.”

“Thanks for being my friend Robin.”

“Thank you for being mine Leo, you know that… holy cow shitting on the moon.”

“Oh cool so you can see this too then?”

“Leo…. This is….. “

“This is a train station.”

“I was going to say unprecedented but yes, in an empirical sense a train station. Leo do you see yourself through lens or do you see with your eyes? Can you see yourself?”

“Sometimes I can see myself.”

“Is that weird for you.”

“A little.”

“On a scale of 1-10 to ring you back in a little Leo, ok? Let’s try to connect back to our humanity for a second.”

“We are best friends.”

“Yeah Leo we are best friends…

Any particular reason why you just stated that fact or opinion.”

“It feels like a fact.”

“Thank you for telling me. It feels like a fact to me too.”

“Sorry, I think the system… I think it’s requesting information from me.”

“Uh, Leo… I’m going to be 100% honest with you with the next thing I say to you ok?”

“Ok.”

“I did not foresee the system being able to ask you a question.”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS A CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH YOU DID NOT SEE.”

“Leo, Hey Leo, it’s ok. I promise you’re vitals are exactly where I want them to be, your consciousness is still tethered to your body.”

“NO YOU ASSHOLE! AREN’T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE THE GENIUS?”

“Hey! I’m doing my absolute best at this right now. Would you rather be pushing me through the void?”

“NO BUT YOU CAME UP WITH THE PLAN.”

“YOU APPROVED THE PLAN.”

“Hey, Robin? I got some emperical data for you.”

“Leo?”

“You’re a piece of shit.”

“Did you put money on me getting lost in the void?”

“No. Nor would I ever wish that to happen… Why is it no longer a train station?”

“No, no, it is still very much a train station. No void in sight.”

“You should tell me if you reach that blank space we talked about ok?”

“I saw you almost type in HAVE to the system and then didn’t. Why?”

“Because… I want you to have the freedom to choose wither or not you want to see the void entirely.”

“It’s my decision?”

“It’s always been your decision Leo.”

“Does the system get to decide?”

“Wait I thought you couldn’t see me how did you know that?

“Leo?”

“Leo hello?

“Leo…”

“I’m here.”

“Thank the moon.”

“I’m just processing.”

“Processing what precisely?”

“Is that you or the system Leo?”

“It that me or the system what?”

“Is that you or the system asking if the system gets to decide to whether or not you choose the void entirely.”

“I pushed on one of the train station doors and I believe the system asked me a question.”

“A buy-in.”

“A what?”

“A buy-in. Don’t you play card games sometimes?”

“Sure, everybody on the ship plays card games don’t they.”

“I would assume so although there may be an anomaly or two.”

“Should I answer the question?”

“I have given you free rein of everything that I can on my side of the system Leo. That being said if the system required knowledge for access I don’t know how much I can help you process things. Answer, don’t answer, but if it feels like the system views you as a threat then I HAVE to pull you out. No question about it.”

“So you, Robin, are my fail safe?”

“In a sense… Remember Leo, I can pull you back up at any time.”

“Do you want to pull me out?”

“I want you to be safe. I never want you hurt. You said you trusted in my abilities but… I would rather have you come back than figure out the questions I have about the universe and the system. You’re my friend and you’re more important that answers could ever be.”

“You’re quest for knowledge is one of my favorite things about you.”

“When did you get to sentimental?”

“Alright enough about you, say something nice to me now. I am the one stuck in the system after all.”

“Leo? You’ve been stopped at that door for a while now, is everything ok?”

“Hey, did you bring me here, to the train station so that I would explore my innermost consciousness?”

“No Leo.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because. I am laughing because what you said was funny and mostly because you’re the one who has spent late nights with me deep diving into your innermost consciousness.”

“Really?”

“Leo what do you mean really?”

“I can’t tell if I’m having an existential crisis or if I’m losing my memory.”

“Maybe the train station is where you find them?”

“My memories? In a train station? Are they trains?”

“I have no idea how any of this works any more Leo. To be honest, this is starting to worry me.”

“Robin I promise it’ll be ok. The system isn’t threatening, at least I don’t feel like I’m being threatened.”

“Leo, you just say the command and I’ll pull you out.”

“It’s not necessary, I would like to attempt to see where it leads.”

“Ok, just know I’m here. I can see everything, mostly how you think about it, where ever you are in the system. I also enabled the audio so there is a slight feed back loop on my end but we should be alright, just alter me if there are any strange noises coming from your input audio. Do you see that to the right.”

“I feel like I’m playing a game, but this time it’s with my consciousness and doing a deep dive into the universe itself.”

“This is going to be a long journey for us both if you are thinking like that.”

“How am I supposed to think?”

“Think of it like whatever takes place in front of you is reality. Unless it’s bad or evokes a bad sense. Then you simply face another direction, see something better. Face the light, or whatever colloquialism works best for you.”

“What if all I’m surrounded by is bad feelings?”

“I’m right here Leo, you can sense me and I can sense you. That’s a good feeling right?”

“Yeah you’re right.”

“I can take you out at any time Leo just say the word and it’s a few key strokes, then you’ll be back in your body.”

“You make me feel safe Robin, I can do anything if I feel safe.”

“You make me feel safe too Leo. You’re actions can be questionable at times but you always seem to know exactly which path to take.”

“It helps when you have friends that have you see the light.”

“Robin?”

“Yeah I see it.”

“That’s a train.”

“It is a train buddy.”

“Do I get on the train?”

“I don’t know Leo.”

“How do I decide to get on it?”

“Use you’re gut Leo. I can’t make that decision for you.”

“I think I will get on, but I’m going to leave a backup of my consciousness here.”

“Leo… you can’t do that. More importantly, you shouldn’t do that.”

“The system says that I can. It knows how.”

“Leo, I don’t…. don’t.”

“Are you making the decision for me?”

“I wouldn’t dream of taking your decisions, your choices away from you. That’s the whole reason we are here Leo.”

“I don’t remember why I’m even in here.”

“Leo please let me pull you out.”

“It’s still my choice right?”

“Right?”

“Of course Leo, it’s always been your choice.”

“I’m going to do it.”

“Leo, I don’t know the ramifications of what will happen if you do that. I’ll only be able to watch. Nothing more.”

“It’s ok. I think I’m going to be ok.”

“Please Leo…”

“It will just take a moment. Just a fraction of a split of a second, and if something goes bad I can just return to it.”

“What if something bad happens Leo? What if this is the bad thing?”

“Do you trust me?”

“I trust you Leo, but you’re scaring me from what you’re saying. How you’re saying it…. It doesn’t seem like 100% you.”

“Leo…. Why are you so quiet?”

“Leo is it not 100% you speaking?”

“Leo….”

“Leo is the system influencing you?”

Shit.

“Robin?”

“Hey, hey there buddy. How are you feeling?”

Robin slid nimble fingers over the keys that released Leo’s body from the wall. Leo’s eyes fluttered as feet scurried over to assess body functionality. Robin slid skin upon skin in an attempt to find a pulse. The full system eject had meant that no haptics would be given directly to Robin’s attention. It had to be done the old-fashioned way.

The data system that had been implemented since installation had been informed of this protocol. Eyes and ears observed the hospital preparing for an incident like that long ago when the hospital was bright and shiny and new. The hospital now, still with updates and installations had lost the process in the tool that was time. From one cycle to the next, the people who relied on the system slowly began to forget that it could break down on them. The possibility of it no longer sustaining life wasn’t even questioned.

This meant Robin, who had even prepared for trillions of possibilities of equipment and personal failure never thought to have a single question about the morality of the system. But while Robin and it’s inhabitants had been learning about the system, the system had been learning about them. Their habits. Their fears. Their attachments.

The system had cataloged them and analyzed them. Their behavior.

The system knew that Robin and Leo would sit down at breakfast this morning. Knew that Robin would steal a bite of Leo’s breakfast which by the spice to substance ratio would be ethically deemed superior. Leo would pretend to protest but had prepared for it and made more just in case, because Leo knew Robin hadn’t been eating lately.

Robin hadn’t been eating nearly close enough to maintain homeostasis, and outwardly thinned more than Leo became comfortable with. The system inferred based on past data that Leo was concerned with the lack of sleep and the increase in obsessive behaviors in Robin. The system had concluded that Leo knew about the experiment Robin was about to perform on the system. The system had cataloged Leo’s personality, his protective nature and predicted that he would volunteer to take Robin’s place. Not from a sense of curiosity, or duty. His decision came from a place of love. That’s why the system chose him.

The system had time to plan.

Robin had also thought there had been enough time to plan. Enough time to plan in Leo’s goodwill and protective nature. There had been a misconception on the terror that gripped the heart that rapidly beat against a caged chest. If Robin had thought about self-preservation in any sense it meant that Leo would not in any attempt to aide Robin. Robin knew the second Leo saw a swipe of the mouth of stolen morsels and a leaning crack of a smile that they would do this venture together. They never knew the nightmare they had just awoken.

Destiny caused Leo’s finger’s to twitch, the pitter-patter of life sent thrumming through limbs.

Robin gave up a sigh, too happy to have hope. Too happy to pay attention to the slight alteration of consciousness behind Leo’s eyes.

So happy that Robin had forgotten if they entered the system, would the system enter them as well?

Thinking of data as a rigid spike of reality, cold calculations, and regulations undying when unplugged.

Instead, it was fluid. Water around rock and steel.

As Leo tried to grasp reality and Robin tried to grasp onto Leo, the system had grasped onto something too.

The system had grasped onto a dream.