Directive 001 [Video] [Public]

[wolf_of_war]

[There is a...dog? on your screen? He looks vaguely canine, at least, though the glowing red eyes and angular, mechanical features are a dead giveaway that he's not your average dog. He looks to be sitting somewhere in the city, most likely off the beaten path a bit, so as to avoid the gaze of the locals. The joys of a built-in codec.]

I find myself...curious, about the collar around my neck. Preliminary analysis suggests that it is an ordinary gemstone, however I have been informed that this item contains my "soul", and that I should not remove it.

[A pause, as he parses his thoughts on the subject at hand.]

As I am an artificial intelligence in a robotic exoskeleton, I do not have the required knowledge to determine the presence of a "soul" in my body. perhaps there are others more knowledgeable on the subject than I, who might inform me on how this is possible.

Comments

[wolf_of_war]

Ironically, Sam had minimal cybernetic enhancements, and had been using the sword as it was long before he received his. He was just an exceptionally skilled swordsman.

[Skilled enough that he had defeated Bladewolf himself with minimal effort, when Raiden had struggled to do the same thing.]

I would prefer to keep Sam's sword as a memento. Additionally, his sword is meant to be wielded with two hands, which I obviously lack. It also features a palm lock, which prevents the sword's high-frequency function being activated until the lock expires.

[It's hard to tell, but Bladewolf is totally giving Casey a hard time. It was true though, that Bladewolf had never considered using the sword itself. Sam's message had made it clear that Bladewolf was to give the sword to Raiden, when he needed it.]

[dragonaught]

Are you saying an almost-perfectly normal human could use this on a regular basis? Bullet-sheath and all?

[ Again, it's crazy, but also amazingly cool. It's like Casey is a kid again in a world of heroes and bad guys, impossible things made for the spectacle. Only... with more real-world consequences for the people that live in the insanity. Casey switches their grip to hold the hilt of the blade, almost like it should be held, before they're satisfied enough and tilting it back down to Bladewolf with an appreciative nod. ]

Oh... That makes sense. Why does a sword need a frequency?

[wolf_of_war]

Affirmative. Though extensive training would be required, in order to adjust to the speed at which the sword is ejected from the sheath, and to gain the physical strength to not have your arm dislocated at the shoulder attempting to catch it.

[Bladewolf replaces the sword into the sheath, and lays it down.]

High-Frequency Blades are in common use among cyborg mercenaries and mercenary companies. They are the only implement sharp enough to cut cleanly through a cyborg's enhanced exoskeleton, as the blade's vibrations increase it's cutting capacity to a high degree, as well as causing instant cauterization to wounds inflicted on normal humans. My own heat knives are a derivative of this practice.

[Again, Bladewolf pulls one of his heat knives out of the sheath, showing the white-hot blade to Casey, before replacing it in it's sheath.]

[dragonaught]

Maybe. Maybe he was just that good, too.

[ It isn't dismissive, more praising of this Sam's technique and ability. Casey isn't one for physical... anything, so it's rather inspiring to hear about in a sort of abstract way. ]

Huh... I can't say I'm not glad we're from different places. That's a lot of one-upping for warfare.

[wolf_of_war]

Sam's family has a mixture of Japanese and Brazilian ancestry, and his family has practiced a derivative of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, a type of Japanese swordsmanship, adapted over the centuries to be far more deadly than it was intended to be. He was...the finest swordsman I have ever encountered.

[Bladewolf nods.]

Escalation took a very strange direction in my world.

[dragonaught]

Those don't mean anything to me, but it sounds impressive. He sounds impressive.

[ At least they're honest about it. There's no point in pretending to know more than they do, what with all the possibilities and impossibilities this place has to offer. ]

Mine's had peace for a while. I can't imagine... if something sparked a war with how much we know now—that would be bad.

[wolf_of_war]

He was.

[Bladewolf nods.]

Where I am from, the world has been at various stages of war for many decades. To the degree that conflict is a cornerstone of the global economy. It is how I came to exist, through military weapons development.

[dragonaught]

[ Casey certainly can't help it when they start to gape in open amazement. ]

Decades? So long that a state of war is almost... stable?

[wolf_of_war]

[For Bladewolf, life as he knew it was war. It had been that way since the 1960's.]

Affirmative. Starting in the early 1970's, mercenary groups formed, following the example of a legendary soldier who had formed his own. They served nation states and independent groups seeking armed conflict, despite having no nation of their own. It was not ideal, but it is how the world has existed.

[dragonaught]

[ Casey just takes that all in, dipping their head back to stare at the ceiling for a while. ]

Well... at least here, there's a break in it all. No war right now, although I think everyone's basically still recovering from one.

[wolf_of_war]

[Blaewolf himself rests his chin on his front feet curled up like a dog.]

I am grateful for the break. Though I was taken from a rather critical moment, I have been made to understand that time in our own worlds remains where it was when we were taken. My mission will wait for me.

[His gaze turns to the still-locked Murasama blade he'd brought with him. Sam had told him "If he beats me, if I die here...the lock on my blade will expire in a couple hours. What happens after that is up to you, Wolfy." He was still considered what Sam wanted him to do with it.]

[dragonaught]

[ It's a cute image, if surreal. Casey's not sure where Bladewolf holds himself on a scale of how to act versus how intelligent he is; if he wants to lay like a dog, that's perfectly fine. It helps diminish his gigantic roboticness, anyway. ]

That's how I understand it, too. I wasn't taken from anything quite so severe, just... life, but people would be worried otherwise. Kind of convenient for a kidnapping spell.

[wolf_of_war]

[For Bladewolf, it was both a matter of practicality (since he used the same posture to hide when he was in combat), as well as having been socialized on canine behavior by his creators. It helped in his movement, as well as made him more approachable by people.]

My only concern is to continue aiding Raiden with his mission. As long as I am here, I will do what I am required. I will soon inquire as to what I may do to aid the city and it's people.

[dragonaught]

There's probably more opportunities than you think. Everyone here seems pretty used to weird people appearing and disappearing... able to do all kinds of stuff.

[ Yes, Casey did just refer to Bladewolf as a people. ]

[wolf_of_war]

That is good to know. I am not capable of interpreting emotions that are not explicitly stated, so people's opinions are largely unknown to me, unless they speak them aloud. I am sure once I prove my worth, people will accept me.

[He likes it when people judge him by his intelligence, rather than how he came to be or what he looks like.]

[dragonaught]

That's pretty common for people. Maybe it's harder for you because you don't have the features to emote with? It's kind of... [ Casey pauses, thinks. ] ... a learning aid to understand how you act when you feel something and compare it to others.

[ Even between races and species, there's always some kind of common denominator. It's probably difficult to be a sentient creature without all the other trappings most other sentients would think a given. ]

But you're right, too. If people know you're reliable, that's all that really matters.

[wolf_of_war]

Affirmative. If I think something of someone I deem worth sharing, I say it aloud. Due to the nature of my artificial intelligence, I was not programmed with a means to detect changes in facial expression, or what they mean. It was...made things difficult.

[Like that time when Mistral was able to deceive him by letting him believe that the remote that controlled his range inhibitor was the only way she could activate it. He couldn't read between the lines and see the deception.]

Though I worry that others may try to make use of my abilities for things to which I would not agree, if I could "read between the lines". I may need assistance in determining who is genuine in their endeavors.

[dragonaught]

Because you were made to fight?

[ It makes sense, but it doesn't make it less tragic. Giving life to something, however unintentional, but not equipping it to actually deal with said life... is nothing short of neglectful. It sucks. ]

I can help with that. I'm not the best at it myself sometimes... but if you don't find anyone else, I'm definitely here for that.

[wolf_of_war]

Negative. My artificial intelligence was programmed at only the most basic level. All knowledge and skills I have since acquired were done so organically, as a human might learn. My creators did not deem facial recognition necessary, as all potential targets would be identifiable via digital identification.

[He's never known any different, so he just lives with it.]

I appreciate the assistance.

[dragonaught]

Is it something you could come to learn with time? Or...

[ How confusing. Hopefully Bladewolf doesn't mind talking about it, because it's fascinating and different and a good way to learn about the things they don't understand. ]

Of course. Just contact me if you're ever not sure.

[wolf_of_war]

Possibly, though to develop a facial recognition subroutine within my pre-existing programming would take significant effort, and more knowledge of both programming and pattern algorithms than I currently possess. To use a convenient expression, it would be teaching an "old dog" new tricks.

[Why yes, Bladewolf just made a funny. Try not to faint.]

I will, thank you.

[dragonaught]

Not worth the effort?

[ Casey kind of gets it, kind of doesn't. Enough not to linger on it too long, anyway. They'll learn. ]

You're welcome.

[wolf_of_war]

Affirmative. It is simpler to act within my current capabilities, though expansion at a later time is not out of the question.

[Bladewolf rests his chin on his paws, chilling out. He's not tired per se, he's just conserving energy.]