Star Wars - DRK-1X and its Mistress

[shadowbloodmoon]

You wouldn't be withholding information from your mistress would you?

Dofina listens to DRK-1X's introduction to the machine-man that has been named Derek Onyx. As she does so, her eyes travel the height of the man, as if analysing a portion of livestock. She takes a few moments to gather her thoughts before starting her interrogation. "Indeed. So far, DRK-1X has allowed you to operate in close proximity with me and itself for the length of time it took to bring me out of capture. This tells me two things. One, you didn't get in his way and two, he trusts you. Unfortunately, as much as I trust X, there is more I need to know about you. Who did you work for before my assistant found you?"

 

[Ambrus]

Several possible answers flash through the human replica droid's neural network; most which reveal more than it would care to tell the woman. I was in the possession of... I was owned by... For a few moments, the droid's heuristic and algorithmic nodes are in conflict; the former attempting to adapt to the situation and reveal only what it thought to be in its own best interests, and the latter fighting to follow its core programming and tell Dofina everything it thinks she should be told. With support from its emotive node, Derek finally manages to curb the algorithmic node's more troublesome impulses. As long as its Mistress didn't directly ask him the right questions the dark skinned droid thought he might be able to manage. Derek finally answers impassively: "I served an independent trader in the Dantooine system. If I might be so bold to ask, why the sudden interest in me? You've been ignoring my presence for over a week now."[sblock=OOC]I suppose I should ask, how do you feel about Derek? Would you like me to keep playing him in our little trio or would you prefer if he went off on his merry way into the galaxy? I could manage either easily enough really. Once Dofina is setup in the Corellian system the HRD could quietly slip away to explore his own existence as an independent droid. If however you'd like to keep him around then it could be that Derek finds himself simply unable to overcome his basic programming and leave his Mistress[/sblock]

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

The skin over Dofina's right eye wrinkles as it raises up in a questioning manner, curious who this bold stranger thought he was. "Actually, if you must know, I've been studying you for sometime. I've just now determined that it's time for the direct approach." Without skipping a beat, Mistress Dofina goes into her next question. "What did X offer you in order to assist him?"

[sblock=OOC]By all means, if you decide that Derek is ready to go out on his own, that's fine with me. To be honest, I could go either way. I'm curious to see just how far Dofina will go to crack Derek before she decides she's done with him... I'm just now trying to figure out X's next goal after it settles Dofina somewhere else relatively safe for the rest of her existence. [/sblock]

 

[Ambrus]

Now that they were safely underway and in hyperspace, Derek half-turns back to the control panel and flips on the vessel's autopilot before returning his attention to his nemoidian mistress. "Your probot graciously offered me independence from my old employer, the opportunity to leave the Dantooine system and the chance to improve my position in life." The HRD motions towards the gangway behind Dofina with one outstretched hand. "Could I interest you in something to eat. The rodian was kind enough to trade us a crate of fresh produce in exchange for a few hundred milliliters of bacta. It's waiting for us in the galley."[sblock=OOC]I'm not certain how I feel about Derek honestly. If I were playing alongside other PCs then I'd think it'd be better to retire him but since I'm on my own it's kind of nice to have some backup to depend on; it's very risky to adventure alone in a sense. I think Derek and 1X make a good team and complement each other rather well; much like C-3P0 and R2D2. One handles the sneaky and technical stuff while the other handles the social interaction. I think I'll wait to see what happens with Dofina first. Speaking of which, is Dofina really going to let herself be safely placed in hiding? Is she perchance tired of requiring rescue? [/sblock]

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Taken by surprise with the offer of food, Dofina is reminded that she did ask for them to retrieve something other than the foodstuffs that were aboard the old fighter. This also reminds her that she is indeed hungry. She does nothing to show this however. "I'm sure that whatever it is, it will be better than what we've had before." It appears that Dofina seems to be relaxing more in the man's presence as she turns her back and heads towards the galley. Then, as if a secondary thought,"So you were a slave?" It appears she expects Derek to follow.

[sblock=OOC]Dofina is scared, though she won't admit it. She has nothing of her previous power and is slowly coming to terms with that while trying to remain noble. This is why she clings to X and his judgement. DRK-1X is all she has to remind her of her previous glory. She doesn't want to scare the probot away.

I agree that the two droids compliment each other, which is why I allowed it in the first place. As long as you're comfortable playing both, I'll continue to write in things that the two of them can tackle together. [/sblock]

 

[Ambrus]

By simply keeping his emotive node from uploading commands to his motivator, the human replica droid manages to avoid showing surprise or nervousness in response to its Mistress' astute question. Meanwhile, Derek's heuristic and algorithmic nodes remain conflicted as he continues his efforts to obfuscate pertinent facts from the nemoidian noblewoman. A brief pause later, the droid falls into step behind the Dofina. "Effectively, yes." Derek had to remain focused on the conversation; he knew from indirect experience that his Mistress was quite skilled in reading others and drawing information out of the unwilling.

As the trio make their way aftward with 1X leading, the vessel's droid population make their presence known. The five tiny spherical remotes zip over to the larger black probot one by one, each orbiting DRK-1X for a few revolutions as they quickly chitter brief status reports in binary before disappearing back into the bowels of the ship. Making their way down the gangway, the trio enter through a hatchway flanked by a pair of Baktoid combat automata. Upon recognizing the woman from the data they'd received from the probot, the two skeletal droids immediately straighten and salute Dofina in accordance with their military protocol programming. Finally arriving in the galley, the trio are confronted with the spectacle of a pair of multi-armed medical droids hard at work with their assigned duties. The first is busy cleaning every surface in the room with its many arms while its counterpart unpacks and catalogues the crate of food.

Looking around Derek offers his apologies. "I'm afraid I'm not much of a cook, though I suppose one of these droids could be programmed with some culinary ability."[sblock=OOC]I'm not certain why Dofina would be afraid of scaring "the probot away". It's clear that 1X, for good or ill, is utterly devoted to Dofina. Also, although it falls short of her previous holdings, she is free and does have a freighter with 15 droids at her service and cargo worth a few million credits. That must be somewhat reassuring.

So what's the ETA to the Correlian system? Should the droids be concerned that they'll be showing up there without a working identification transponder on their ship? Is that a significant problem? BTW, does the ship have any weapon systems?[/sblock]

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Dofina sits down in one of the galley's metal chairs, looking over the array of droids. DRK-1X and Derek both notice that the corners of her mouth seem to turn into a smile, but it quickly vanishes. "I'm certain that X probably already did that himself." Without saying another word, she awaits the food that will soon be prepared for her.

One of the smaller bots that orbit DRK-1X indicates that it found something else while scanning the ship. Apparently, on the inside casing of a conduit for power cables, there are words written in a language the tiny droid cannot interpret. It queries X whether or not to display these runes.

[sblock=OOC]Remember that Dofina is still organic and prone to emotional interference with her logical mind... She is aware that she has new assets, but to her, until she can find a use for them other than sitting around and obeying her every whim, she is powerless. For now, she is content to rebuild and then make a new entry into the galaxy at large.

As far as the droids know, CorSec (the Corellian military police) will definitely question the lack of a transponder code, but they will give you a certain amount of time to obtain one. They will allow you to land to do so, but will not let you leave until the new ID codes for the ship are registered. Speaking of, as of your departure from Yavin space, you have 107 hours left until you reach Corellia and Talus.

The ship, as far as can be determined, is unarmed. The only thing remotely resembling a military weapon is the shield generator. [/sblock]

 

[Ambrus]

The probot instructs the repair remote to recite, in binary, the data for the digital image of the alien writing it's discovered. Once its heard all of the data, DRK-1X will reconstruct the visual record of the mysterious panel within its own mind and then upload it into its translation matrix for decryption.

Derek passes by the other droids without pause and invites himself to join his Mistress by seating himself in an empty seat. "You know, although this ship doesn't have any weapon systems, I did discover that it's got a capital class shield generator buried within its navigational deflector assembly. I don't think the rodian on the station knew it was there. Otherwise he would likely have asked for more in exchange... So, if you don't mind my asking, what do you plan on doing next now that the Empire is no longer hunting you?"

DRK-1X, in response to its Mistress' stated desire, floats over to a computer access port, flips open one of its body panels, extends its scomplink probe and begins silently navigating the vessel's computer network. As soon as it gains access to the remote processor, the probot transmits a shutdown command to one of the two medical droids in the galley. 1X then begins transmitting program modifications to the unit; first archiving its superfluous anatomy and biology databases and then replacing them with culinary expertise. Once the changes are complete, the black spherical probot reactivates the chef-droid and indirectly instructs it to prepare and serve two kimo melts and some coffeine. DRK-1X then disconnects and stowes its scomplink probe and floats a discreet distance from the two conversing humanoid beings.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Dofina raises the skin above her eye again, watching as Derek sits near her. "Now? Now I figure out how I'm going to go about regaining any semblence of my former self when this Empire thinks I'm dead. Just popping back onto the scene would probably be the first wrong move they'd look for and too many people in the underworld know me by face and name. Unless they were all to somehow vanish," she pauses, as if actually considering the thought. "I have no reason to trust anyone I've worked with before, except for X of course. I've got a ship of my own again, so it's a good place to start. I can at least start a legitimate business until I get back on my feet again."

Eventually the food is brought before the two sitting at the table. DRK-1X's programming skills prove to be unparalleled, as the food is extremely well prepared.

"What about you? You plan on sticking around long?"

 

[Ambrus]

Having little practical experience with eating or drinking, the human replica droid waits to observe Dofina's technique before placing a bite sized chuck of the kimo melt into his own mouth and chewing. Chemical and textural analysis data begins flooding Derek's neural network as the foodstuff is ground into paste and drawn down into the reservoir within his chest cavity. Interpersonal protocols indicate that some type of appreciate response would be appropriate at this time. "Mmm..." offers the droid. Derek doesn't yet feel confidant enough in his culinary analysis skills to offer anything more profound for the time being. "I... I don't know. I've never really been free to choose my own path before. I'm not entirely sure where I should go or what I should do. Things have only improved for me since I met... X. I guess I'm in no hurry to leave its company."