Certainly, there were a few more things needed before the project could truthfully be called complete, but for the most part, they would be quickly taken care of. The bulk of the programming and AI mapping was complete. The hologram moved like a person and not a possessed marionette, the voice sounded authentic and certainly seemed to match up with the multitude of samples she’d been given. And there had been so many samples. Certainly the saved voicemails from Natasha had been a wonderful help as had the recollections of senshi who had worked and fought along side the first Sailor Saiph, but the real treasure trove had come from one Sailor Corvus who had seen Cuan’s note within the database and reached out quietly to offer whatever help she could. Corvus had sat with her for long hours, patiently answering questions and providing voicemail recordings from her senshi phone and pictures of the original Sailor Saiph. She had provided valuable context to certain names that Chibi Saiph had managed to recall, and in providing that context, caused Cuan’s heart to literally ache for the girls Saiph and Corvus had once been.
Yes, the argument could be made that this was a war that had never really ceased. People died and were hurt in wars all the time. But that didn’t make it right and it didn’t excuse the terrible things that had been done in the past.
Corvus had relayed so many conversations and shared so many secrets and for that, Cuan was eternally grateful. When they’d finally finished talking, Corvus had thanked her before vanishing into what had been left of the night, leaving the lykoi sitting and feeling mildly bemused by it all.
But now? Now, Cuan had something that would look and sound authentic. Yes, of course she’d programmed certain words and phrases in, but she’d also programmed memories and personality (insofar as she could using secondhand sources). Even the journals kept by the original Saiph had been mined for data. For all intents and purposes, she had a functioning AI person. Not as sophisticated as Neo-Queen Serenity, of course. But still good.
“You’ll serve your purpose,” she murmured as she opened a tiny hatch and slotted a small card in. “Let’s see how you work, my dear.”
This test would tell Cuan a great deal and hopefully reveal any bugs within the programming. There were many things that could be said in praise of programs that could self diagnose. Snapping the little hatch shut, she pressed a dainty paw against the projector’s side and said in a small, clear voice, “Hello, Sailor Sa1ph. How are you feeling?”
Before her, a mostly solid looking figure flickered to life and glanced down at the cat before smiling. It mirrored the smile she’d seen in so many photographs, but somehow, seeing it on a being that looked alive and breathing… Cuan felt tears p***k at her eyes. The smile was so sad. The voice that answered was a little livelier, almost amused.
“Hello, Cuan. I feel f-fi-fine. Dddi-agnosssss-tic indicc-cates lack of p-power.”
Frowning, Cuan watched as the holographic image flickered in and out of being. The voice jumped and glitched, then, the hologram shone painfully bright for a moment before fading. A quick check showed Cuan that the projector was unharmed and the programming itself seemed to work. But a lack of power? She’d already fashioned a battery that should have provided sufficient power… Blue-green eyes narrowing, Cuan considered. The tip of her sparsely furred tail twitched as she examined the problem from multiple angles before arriving at a conclusion.
Muttering to herself, the kitten opened the projector and studied each piece carefully. “Not a lack of power as such, projector is good. Programming needs a physical component to let her sync and hold form… Let me see, pictures and vocal recordings aren’t quite enough… Hmmm. Oh, yes. I see. Yes, that might work. If one wishes to reconstruct a dead senshi, a physical piece of the senshi is needed. I’ve never liked graverobbing, even if I knew where her grave was… Something from the homeworld should suffice…”
Sighing a little, Cuan carefully tidied her workspace. Saiph had been very good lately about powering up and even visiting her homeworld. Perhaps she could be coaxed into another visit that Cuan could join her on. The lykoi held no fear of the place and had noticed leaf buds the last time they’d been up together. She’d be interested in seeing if there was further growth. Saiph had indicated after her last trip that this might be the case. It was as good an excuse as any. Once they got up there, Cuan could wander and explore a bit and see if she couldn’t find something suitable.
Word Count = 931
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small sidenote, I received permission from Skye to mention Corvus assisting by contributing memories
