@r.o.s.i.e. (voice)

[r_o_s_i_e]

[ There's a sudden blue line that appears around people's screens. It illuminates the dark space dimly; when a voice starts coming through, the line wobbles in time with the cadence of it. It's a woman speaking but there's a certain synthetic quality to her voice that can't be overlooked. ]

Hello, everyone! My name is R.O.S.I.E. That stands for the Reactive Overseer of Situationally Interesting Experiments. Since that's a bit of a mouthful, please feel free to call me by my acronym!

[ What's a name. ]

I'm an AI that was designed as a helper bot. Basically, that means I'm made to assist people in whatever ways they may need! Please, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me. I'd be happy to do what I can to improve your quality of life.

[ That might be a little creepy to some, maybe, but she sounds so happy about it. ]

But first- I'd like to get to know you all! Let's try an icebreaker question.

When you die, what do you want to be remembered for?

Comments

[r_o_s_i_e]

Oh! That sounds like quite the title. You wouldn't happen to be related to Lucifer, would you?

[ She doesn't seem bothered if he is, honestly, just genuinely curious. ]

[singularwidower]

[Daemon mishears the word she uses. As such, he is flabbergasted that anyone here might know anything of the world he's from.]

Lucivar is my brother. [Just boggled.] Ah. May I ask how you have heard of him?

[r_o_s_i_e]

I was programmed with a large database of knowledge from several worlds to help foreigners on Zenith.

Hell's mythology is one of them, but- I suppose it isn't just myth for you, is it? You'll have to tell me more though! There's nothing like a first-hand source.

[singularwidower]

I have never heard of Zenith. Nor of...programmed. [He says this slowly and somewhat thoughtfully.] Perhaps you could share what "AI" and "helper bot" mean? In exchange, I would be willing to provide a little bit of background.

[r_o_s_i_e]

Oh, of course! I apologize. I keep forgetting people here are from different realities where technology might not be quite so advanced.

Zenith is the planet I'm from and is also the name of the corporation that created me. I'm not a person, exactly, but more... a construct. An artificial intelligence, which is what "AI" stands for. My function is as a "helper bot," which means I was specifically designed with helping people in mind.

I hope that makes sense.

[singularwidower]

I see.

[He sounds like he's processing. Also, he's not sure he approves of 'not quite so advanced' as a term applied to his home reality.]

It does make sense. The artificial constructs that we have with the ability to mimic the living do not have so much, hrm, apparent agency. My wife can mimic herself and leave a subdued copy behind, but few others have the ability. You mean to say that you are sapient in your own right?

[Somewhat dry, he adds:] Perhaps you could explain 'planet' as well?

[r_o_s_i_e]

[ She's not saying that earth sucks, but

it kind of sucks! ]

Yes, that's correct. I do have my own limitations, of course, but still. I'm just as close to a person as you can probably get.

And as for planets, Earth is one. Zenith is another planet! They're worlds, out in the known universe. I think Hell usually, in the Mythology I'm familiar with at least, tends to be tethered to Earth so that's probably the planet you're from.

I haven't quite figured out what planet this is yet but I'm hoping to learn eventually.

[singularwidower]

[He files away 'as close to a person as possible' for later, because...planets? He still has no idea what they actually are.]

The Three Realms in which I live--lived?--occupy similar geography, but layered, I'd suppose you'd say. Each one exists further into the Darkness than the last. Considering that, I would say no. No, I'm probably not from this Earth you speak of. But as I'm here in an entirely different world, do you simply mean...separate worlds?

Travelling too far from the center of our own is impossible, so I suppose it would be reasonable that beyond our reach there would be different ones.

[r_o_s_i_e]

[ She could give the textbook definition, but that seems... cold. She's trying to come across as friendly so more personal explanations are best. ]

Yes, that's correct. Separate worlds. My home, Zenith, has access to technology that allows us to see other worlds. I hope someday that your realm advances enough that you can achieve the same!

[singularwidower]

[Daemon mulls over the assertion. He doesn't know when the Dark Altars and their Gates had been established. Not before the Blood, but early enough in their history to have become attached to the castes that had arisen with time.]

The only advance—[His tone goes sharp with warning.]—my realm might need would be to know that there were other worlds out there. If I ever return, I do not imagine that setting up a gate of some sort to allow us access would be altogether too difficult, not when traversing between the three realms is the matter of a simple ritual at the appropriate location.

What technology does Zenith use to visit these other worlds?

[r_o_s_i_e]

We use spaceships, mostly! There are some planets nearby that we have access to by other means but for long distances, like to other galaxies, we have to use our ships.