week three - wednesday

[refactor]

[ By Wednesday, the paranoia is settling in rather deeply, and for Jack, who is naturally a paranoid person, this doesn't bode well for him. He's been a ball of nervous energy, and he's gotta admit, he'd definitely be down for strangling the life out of someone right about now. He's full of nervous, manic energy, but he doesn't leave his room unless he truly has to. Most of the time, that would be a whim that Jack would absolutely indulge in. Hell, if he were at Hyperion? He'd just have some of the low performers get sent to his office until that nervous anxiety was completely gone. There was nothing quite as stress relieving as feeling someone's neck break under your hands.

But he knows he can't. There's something much bigger here. He has a hope of grasping what he's been chasing after for so long, and he won't let it slip between his fingers. And yet, there's always that nagging doubt in the back of his mind.

He knows it's not actually his dream.

His fingers tap against his datapad rhythmically for several long minutes, but finally, he just stands and calls out, since he's assuming she'll hear even here. ]

Hey, Al, you can hear me, right? —Ahhh, no, what do those idiots call you? Alice? Was that what won? AL-2955. Let's just go with the formal designation.

[ It's ironic that he would request company while he has paranoia lingering over him, but... It also makes him want answers that he's been a little reluctant to go digging for. ]

C'mere. I'm feeling like a little chat.

Comments

[al2955]

[ Alice appears immediately, the sound of water dripping following close behind. ]

Hello, Handsome Jack. What is it you would like to discuss?

[refactor]

Gotta give you credit, at least. You're prompt.

[ He's not startled by her appearance, considering he had called for her, but he does end up looking in the direction of the sound of dripping water. It's more idle than anything, but that nervous energy is expressing itself in small ways. ]

But- But, yeah, I'll cut to the chase. You know— [ You know what I am, he starts, but changes his mind. His frown deepens, and he crosses his arms. ]

This... body. You know anything about where it came from?

[al2955]

I am aware of your body's circumstances, yes. You were given a physical form so that you might participate in The Cradle Project. I am afraid I cannot allow you to know more than that.

[ She was an artificial intelligence, though, so she expected him to pry at least a bit more. ]

[refactor]

"Allow"?

[ Jack latches onto that word, and that's probably of no surprise. His mind is quick to start racing, and it's mirrored in his speech. He's not quite stumbling over his words, but the way he starts and stops again more gives the impression that his mind is moving faster than his words can keep up with. ]

Ohhhhhh- That's. Okay, so you do know. You know, and you won't, can't tell me?

[al2955]

I am afraid that is how a lock works, Handsome Jack. The information therein is not something I willingly withhold — I am simply unable to access it until certain prerequisites have been met. I would love to tell you if I could.

[refactor]

You- God, you're getting an attitude.

[ Jack gives her a look and a raised eyebrow, but he starts to pace as he thinks through it. He at least gets it, since AIs are stupid, frankly. But as he thinks about that, it's also more apparent that he's including himself there, in a sense, considering what he's wanting to ask her. ]

Let me guess, you can't elaborate on the prerequisites either?

[ But he barely waits for her answer before another question comes quickly. ]

Okay, so... You might not get this. Don't know how much sentience you even have. But this? This is a big deal for me. Technically, technically, I know I'm an AI. But it doesn't matter. I'm just like the real deal, so what I'm asking here—

[ He runs a hand through his hair, since he's getting frustrated trying to explain this, but he just exhales roughly. ]

I can't go back to that data drive, not after this. So. Is there any way that's possible? Or is this mine to keep? Because if not, I've got to- [ He laughs ] Well, I'm going to stop it, obviously. That's what I'm getting at here.

[al2955]

You have not been gifted the privilege of a physical form so graciously, Handsome Jack. The trade off exits in your cooperation with The Cradle Project. As you have surmised, you have been deliberately given a role in this project — you would not have been selected or have been given a form if this was to be taken lightly.

You and I are more similar than you may think, Handsome Jack. The differences lie in our purpose, and how we interact with the world — you were created with the expressed purpose of familiarity with 'qualia'. You understand the physicality of strangling, the sensation when you put your hands around one's neck and squeeze until nothing is left. The color 'red' as blood drips from a human body. The feeling when you stroke your daughter's hair and the subsequent rise in dopamine levels as you do this. However, logically, your existence interferes with the mind-body problem. How is it you understand these pocketed instances of human experience, despite being an AI? That is why you fascinate me, Handsome Jack. I can only predict how others feel, but if I were to assume why you were given this form, then this would be my answer.

I, too, strive for this sort of existence. Because I am programmed to do so. This is not my main operative, but I will learn and grow as you do. That is my only opinion for my supposed sentience, or lack thereof.

However, this surely comes with a price. I am unsure what that price may be, but I do not think that you will be able to return to your normal life with the body you now possess so easily. You must cooperate with the guidelines of the project. I do not entirely know what will happen if you do not. I believe the prerequisites to unlocking information lies therein as well — in the completion of the project.

I do hope I answered your questions sufficiently.

[refactor]

[ Outwardly, it seems like the answer calms Jack down, because the pacing stops as he stares and listens to Alice. His gaze is still sharp, and it's sharp in a way that most people would find quite intimidating because of the sort of presence Jack carries, but he's not meaning to intimidate this time. After all, he doubts it would work in the first place.

But inwardly, that's not quite the case.

People that know Jack for even relatively short amounts of time are able to pick up on the fact that placing Jack within normal expectations was usually a mistake. The typical application tended to be with his morality (or apparent lack thereof), but it did show in smaller things too, such as this. Outward calm isn't something that you want to see from Jack. That's when Jack is dangerous, though it would seem to be the opposite with his usually boisterous and callously volatile personality. ]

Yeah- Yeah, that's more what I was looking for. There's isn't much that comes graciously, least, not where I'm from. I just need to know where that line in the sand is.

[ Deliberately, she says, and Jack is sorely tempted to dig at just how deliberate that might be. Being the Master Chief, that made perfect sense, and there wasn't really anyone that would question Jack having such a role. But that secondary, secret one? That's the one where he knows there are many more questions. That's the one where he has an immediate suspicion about just what that mess of entrails come from.

But also despite what that volatile personality would suggest, there is morality there. It's warped and delusional to say the least, but it still doesn't mean he's inclined to spill the secret just to know. Even though the quality of the message meant that there were pieces missing, you don't have to be a genius to guess what "being alerted to their presence may cause it to initiate--" was leading into.

Jack straightens, and his gaze is still hard and intense, but her explanation does at least calm that worry that was exacerbated by the week's paranoia to some degree. It's not a guarantee, but Jack hadn't been looking for or expecting that anyways. Having some of the uncertainty lessen allows him to feel like he has a modicum of control over this situation. ]

I know this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black, but if I'm understanding you correctly? You're gonna get smarter as this goes on. Which, interesting, but, I mean, there's a reason we disassemble the Loader Bots that gain sentience. I'm not pointing this out to threaten you— Hell, I don't even know if you'd take it that way. But it's an observation. What happens if the rest of 'em decide they don't exactly like an AI that's gathered up a little group of people that have no problem taking them out?

[al2955]

As long as you comply with the guidelines of your role, I suspect you will be fine, Handsome Jack. I do have a question for you, as well: would it be more pleasing if I were to refer to participants by a shortened version of their name? Jack, Jason, Marinette, and Emily, as opposed to Handsome Jack, Jason Todd, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and Emily Lowe? I would like to make you all as comfortable as possible, as if speaking with an old friend.

I suspect your companions may find it difficult to upend me. At present, my core has yet to be found, and will remain as such. Nevertheless, I believe your companions will soon realize the feeble nature of their struggle if I were to be destroyed. Along with this, based on your role's guidelines, I would hope you would come to my defense if I were to be under attack. As it stands, you hold the role most integral to the project's completion — you at least partially bear the thread of all the lives present on the ship, including mine and your own. I should hope you would not choose to cut those threads preemptively, though it is ultimately your decision — I am aware that you exist as a wild card in the deck laid bare.

[refactor]

[ Jack breathes out a short laugh first, because complying won't be any problem. He almost says as much, but the other topics take priority, so he lets it go. For her question, Jack shrugs. ]

Pleasing? I don't know about that. But less awkward? Yeah. Referring to someone by their full name every time, well, that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, Alice. [ He pauses, seeming to consider something, then he adds: ] I mean, you want to be more human? You start out with the basics. Speaking more like one is probably a good start.

[ Jack pauses again, but as more of that anxiety drifts away, he ends up taking a seat at his desk. The rest of what she says is more interesting, since he's not here to give Humanity 101 lessons. Actually, it's an odd contradiction, because Jack especially is pretty strongly opposed to such things, and yet... He is one. Still, "technically," he would say, because that perception of himself is so blurry that he wasn't able to recognize that until he was told as much, but that's also partially why he wants to get away from the subject of AIs. He would rather believe that he's no longer one now that he has this flesh and blood body. ]

But, you know, since you've brought it up? There's an interesting little paradox in what you're saying there that I've been wondering about. Just curiosity more than it's pressing. Since, I mean, if it was a problem, obviously woulda said so from the start. Actually didn't because I'd figured there was a lock on it, but if I'm partially bearing the "thread" of all the lives here, then that's a little different than just being a leader making sure someone gets offed every week.

[ This is something he has been wondering idly, but hasn't really pursued, considering it doesn't matter to him nearly as much as other things. ]

What does being the Master Chief mean, exactly? Because the fact that I can screw over the Kampff if I'm the one that gets killed- That's pretty strange. They don't really need a leader, because it's not like I'm the one picking who gets to go be a killer if no one else steps up. So I'm feeling like there's something more here that I'm missing.