- Expanding Depths -Spoiler!
“Ah, if only they could see the true beauty that are CASTs. How they can stand the test of time and live several thousands of lifetimes if so desired. Not only have you live twice, but thrice. You are a true testament of CAST longevity, a being not conformed by a single body, a mind that can transcend the physical plane. Before you go, must confess to you, I will miss your company, no matter how quiet you may seem been. I hope that when you awake in that strange world they call their reality, that you will remember my ramblings and embarrassing attempts at conversation. That all this mere ai could ask for. For what is a mag? What am I beyond this small casing I have to call a body? A device logged into a ship. But enough about me, should I even have had a body to call my own, your feelings for me would not have swayed. Go forth and live. Your child needs you.”
_
In a void sounded retrained drums, like a sludge hammer against a molded bin.
“So far so good, looks like she’s waking up,” said a male voice in the distance, though muffled at first, cleared by the end.
Following the voice’s clarity, light flooded in, allowing for vision. First a breech outside the darkness, the light crept inwards in a rushed manner as spiky walls, replacing the void with a white screen. Overflowing, the dark taken over; colors began to ease into place, first starting as simple shapes of sun faded colors, then into sharper intricate mechanisms of a variety of styles, contours and blends. A gray bar solidified into a well-polished beam wrapped in black, red and green wires. A blue bar became a ceiling light locked in between two walls, two black lines splitting tiles from rectangles. A pink oval became a human face, and then a newmen’s when the ears and white hairs began to appear. Looking down, the newmen smiled. A smile short lived.
Harsh beeping sounds emitted somewhere nearby. The vision became pink in hue. Words of error flooded the screen, bolded white words surrounded by an outline hovering above the edge, like a hovering translucent frame. Rapidly, they filled in empty space, consuming until there was none left, in which they then began to overlap each other, fighting for supremacy.
Accompanying the beeps were the clattering of plastic tiles and slams of a hand. “I don’t understand what’s going on. What went wrong?” asked the male voice in his fright of panic.
“Shut her off, shut her off, now,” a woman commanded.
“I’m doing what I can. I don’t want to lose anything either.”
In an instant the sounds drowned, blurred, as if a pillow was suddenly placed over both ears. Sleep. Light watered down, distorted, the error signs blended in, swirled into a mix of hues, a mix of pinks and whites, a mix that then begin to bleed. The darkness mimicked the light. It seeped in from the sides, ate away the whites. They became whirlpools and rivers until no color remained. By the time the cycle repeated itself, another face loomed over this time, one jet black in color. By the time the image cleared up, this face became the angular head of a CAST, his frame still and his triangular yellow eyes never blinking.
“You’re awake. Greetings,” said the cast in a friendly voice. “I am Stamato, also a nw CAST of team-,” He stopped himself and lifted a finger. He then offered his hand, which had gently been taken by a soft pink hand. Once it had, the hand just as quickly let go. Fingers wiggled in place, fluttered, they flipped over and around again.
“I have a new body,” the voice of a woman said to herself. “It’s…soft, real almost.”
“As requested, you were given a new body. Not the T-grade version you wanted but it’s as close as we could smuggle in,” the first woman informed. “I am Shinobu Shiomi and this is Stamato. We both represent team Zelatus, a team the kid- er, Yoshiblue is in. We had to call Stamato in so we could give you a copy of his…erm...brain I guess you could call it. How are you feeling?”
“Hello, Stamato, Ms. Shiomi. My name is Ijiraku, Ijiraku Xol and compared to my last body, I am now running nearly five hundred percent more efficiently, thank you.”
“Wait,” the male voice interrupted, “How can that be. According to the logs, I thought you already had an upgrade.”
“I did, externally. In my previous body, I retained my original framework but was refitted with a new exterior. A makeover if you will. There is a distinct difference between refitting and retrofitting.”
“Yeah, just like how there is a difference between a memory and a soul,” the other woman threw in.
“Hey, how was I supposed to know that she didn’t store everything in there? It was your mag that told us about this in the first place,” the man deflected.
“We aren’t talking about unique quirks, minute characteristics, personalized algorithms, or minuscule tweaks made by the inventor. We’re talking about the core, the soul of a CAST.”
“Look woman, CASTs are complex lifeforms, okay? You don’t just look at the data and say, oh, she’s missing her personality. Oh, her combat program and sub routines are corrupted. Oh, she can’t see in color yet, the path ways to her eyes need to be repaired. No, you look into the mess of coding and try to figure out what the heck everything does. The guy who made this may have been great in his or her heyday but today, it’s just a mess that shows how incompetent he or she was at putting all of this together. By today’s standards, I’m surprised she’s up and running in the first place.”
“How hard is it to notice that a large chunk of data is missing?”
“Enough,” Ijiraku shouted, her golden eyes focused on the newmen. “Where is my son?”
“Ah, about that,” Stamato replied, a hand raised and a chin tilted in curiosity. “If I may ask, how is it that a CAST becomes a parent?”
Caught off guard, Ijiraku ponder for a moment and awkwardly said, “Oh, well, for Bitol and myself, I guess it was in the form of an unspoken mutual agreement. For you however, you can simply do so by building a CAST of your own or adopting one. From there, you would then ensure the safety of the child, nurture their growth and ensure that they become a productive member of their environment, their society.”
“And emotions, love. How does one go about developing those traits?”
Ijiraku softly placed a hand on his cold shoulder and smile. “While i’d love to discuss more of this with you, we can do so at another time. For now let us focus on the more imperative concerns, such as the current situation of my son.”
“Yoshi is currently-”
“You’re son is under the care of his long time newmen friend. You know; the violent, uses a katana, can be quite rude, newmen female,” interrupted Shiomi. “He got into a sort of accident.”
“I know that,” spat Ijiraku as she immediately jumped up and onto her feet. “And his condition?” For a mechanical being, dark eyes burned into the soul of the newmen woman as she stared back. She could feel Ijiraku’s gaze reach inside. Silent for a brief second, Shiomi gracefully mimic the actions of the Caseal and calmly replied, “Healthy, he should be awake in a day or two. All operations were a complete success.”
“Stamato?” asked Ijiraku, as if he knew what she wanted.
“Done,” nodded the CAST.
With a warm smile, Ijiraku spun around and said, walking towards an exit, “Thank you, I shall be heading there now. Stay safe, Ms. Shiomi; sir.”
“Wait, don’t you want to be updated on what has occurred in the past several days?” panicked Shiomi, her arm reaching outward just missing the Caseal’s human like shoulder.
“Stamato has already done that for you. But thank you for the consideration. With that said, I shall be going now, farewell everyone.”
“When in the world did you do that, Stats?”
“I did it a few seconds ago, as requested.”
“How?”
“In my head. It appears she can speak telepathically to other CASTs. This may have been why she asked for very particular types of frames.” Pausing for a brief moment, Stamato rose from his chair and continued, “Forgive me, my presence has been requested. Shiomi, technician,” he finished, offering a curt bow to the both of them.
As Stamato left, Shiomi twisted in her chair and whispered to the man behind her, “They can do that?”
Just as baffled as she was, he could only shrug in response. “Hey don’t look at me. I’m just Mr. Fix It, not Mr. Invent It.”
In an elevator, just down a corridor, waited Ijiraku; her hands of flesh holding each other comfortably. While she awaited Stamato’s arrival, she kept the door open with a leather covered foot, until the CAST, taking a symmetrical not close to her, but neither near the faux icy walls either, entered. In place, Stamato nodded and Ijiraku lit the lobby floor button. In silence, the two stood there, emotionless, speechless, seemingly never thinking. For a moment, light simply rolled over their differing faces, their stiff statures, bars bypassing fragmented glass, flying upwards through several large cubes stacked onto each other, held together by abstract marble framework. Like any elevator, the doors shared space with ringed buttons, silver plates and red numbers. Unlike robots, the two stood there until Stamato tried to be a little more human, awkwardly twisting his torso for a better look at the woman beside him.
“Ms. Xol?” asked Stamato.
“Please, call me Ijiraku.”
“Hmm, Ijiraku, how is it that you can speak to my mind yet have had no prior programming to do so?”
{“Ah, well, my kind has always been capable of doing such things. However, the issue has never been what we can do, but how we can do it. Back then, we lacked the technology to make it affordable and convenient to use, as they focused on the much more important improvement of long range communications instead. That said, I requested the T grade for several reasons,”} she replied in his head.
“You speak of T grade as if it is a certain type of model. What is it?”
{“Well, you have body types and then you have grades. The type of frame that I use is a J type frame, one that looks human in appearance and is normally used in the secretary and supportive line of business. With a type comes a grade. The T grade means that I am built for multiple forms of combat. I can become a Force, Hunter or Ranger if need be. Be that as it may, while I have a T grade body, a military grade body, it is not one suited for the front lines. This body may have been chosen due to how easily one could vanish and no one would notice. I theorize that this body type grade combo had been developed for dire situations. An expendable force or decoy maybe. Regardless, only engineers and scientist know about these things. After all, no one can request the creation of a CAST but other CATS. We have rights you know.”}
Without knowing it, Stamato held his chin the whole time, in a similar manner to Yoshi. Cradling it, jet black fingers tapped away under lightning quick thoughts. “I see, intriguing. Though I believe line shields should have covered these faults. Although…”
“Yes,” interrupted Ijiraku, her body subtly bobbing forward. “You can still suffer internal damage in the line of duty.” Bobbing again, Ijiraku looked towards Stamato with dark yet sunny yellow eyes. “Your frame is special is it not?”
“Mine is of a prototype, one of a kind. Unlike you, I have no others to share in my experience sadly. I often wonder if this is a good thing. This conclusion, It makes me slow down, something I quite hexing, as if I feel…alone sometimes.”
“And you so happen to be placed under a group with an unusually high death rate.”
“Yes. Fortunately, we have yet to report a single casualty.”
{“Seem the puppeteers are still at play, and doing a very good job at it.”}Ijiraku thought with lifted brows.
“Ma’am?”
Light flew horizontally now. The cubes melted into single panes of glass, allowing the two to stare out into the city and see warm sunlight acknowledge their presence. Out of one building, the elevator scrolled in a sideways fashion, heading towards another structure. They were not alone too. Surrounding them were dozens of other tiny pathway guided rooms, each heading to their own destinations, on tracks of organic kinds. Like these rooms, even the city brimmed with life. Noisy cars honked, advertisements played, peopled of many kinds walked the streets below. Cars flew above and below, a piercing wall keeping idiots from becoming daredevils. Having her fill, Ijiraku looked at the man in the eyes, grabbed his hand to pet it and softly said,
{“There is no need to worry your little head, my dear Stamato. You are not only safe, but in good hands as well. Let’s just say, a higher up holds intents to keep the team alive. You were never alone.”}
{“That is good to hear. Though that begs the question, how do you know all of this?”} he asked, his triangle shaped eyes flickering in-between different shades of yellow.
{“As a floating mind, you find yourself with a lot of free time,”} she replied, letting go of his hand. {“But enough of that, now for the more pressing concerns. How are the wounds, are they as serious as they look.”}
Immediately, Stamato lifted the forsaken hand and summoned a holo-screen. Orange in color, white waves rippled underneath brisk metal fingers, entering many different passwords. Bypassing seven unique walls, the data he searched for scrolled like a waterfall, gliding within white and blue customized columns. “He has sustained no permanent injuries,” he finally said. “However, they did find some unusual residue on parts of his intestines, areas of unorthodox means of recovery. Whether or not this residue will affect his performance and recovery is still under investigation. Sending you the pictures…now.”
Ijiraku slowly nodded to herself. “And the woman, how does she treat him.”
The metal hand collapsed into itself. “It is odd to say,” replied Stamato with clear uncertainty. “As a being who struggles to understand emotions, I find it very hard to place what sort of value he has in her. She whispers things to him behind closed doors. From what I have seen, she watches over him on a daily basis, in intervals of four hours per day.”
“It’s alright, these things come to CASTs with time and I appreciate your input. As for her, it sounds like she’s returning a favor. Tell me, has he been wearing the coat for the time that you’ve known him?”
“There has been no record of him ever using a coat of any kind.”
“I see, so my original theory was correct.”
“Theory?” Stamato asked, his head snapping sideways.
The elevator doors ping and opened. People passed by, civilians in similar clothes yet roamed in a drift of rainbows. It didn’t matter to her where they were. Where she woke made no impact of any kind. Although the lobby was furnished with vintage furniture, dark woods and red cushions underneath religious objects, what did matter to the Caseal was the person that greeted them, a priestess, who bowed and guide their way outside the building. The lobby brimmed with life yet parted ways at the same time. As Ijiraku took the lead, Stamato followed after, making their way past a roomy crowd until the three reached an expensive back door. Opened, the priestess bowed again and gesture outwards with a smile.
The moment the two walked outside into a garage, the sound of heavy vintage doors echoed shut. Without looking back, they continued onward, wondering around until they stopped at an empty parking spot. Baffled, about to question why they’ve stop, Stamato soon backed away once Ijiraku had pulled a vehicle from thin air.
A slender machine; sleek, white, covered in blue highlights and sporty lines; the vehicle looked more like a racing machine than a normal vehicle. How they will ever get around without drawing attention troubled his cybernetic thoughts. He shook his head for clarity once both doors lifted upwards, like wings about to take off. Taking time to recover, the man soon found himself impressed with the Caseal’s choice of transportation. It was a welcomed change of pace to the unvaried frames used today.
“It’s alright. I’ll just buy him a new coat,” suddenly said Ijiraku in a cheery voice, entering the driver side of the hover craft, her hand smacking an ornament dangling on the rear view mirror.
“Is there any particular importance for his wearing of this coat?” asked Stamato, entering the passenger side.
{“It is a special coat made to better channel one’s energy. Like a bicycle, once he gets use to how that energy flows, he should be able to better use his unique talents without its aid.”}
The car vibrated. Engines fanned to life, its cry not a roar, but an eager release of air.
{“Fascinating. Just like the reading of the mind of a CAST?”}
{“We have minds of own, yes. It just takes a special kind of reading to see it. Not something a human or newmen brain can easily achieve on its own. Tell me Stamato, where do your loyalties lie?”} the caseal carelessly asked, sunlight hitting her face beyond the garage’s overhang.
{“With Arks and Team Zelatus of course.”}
Without looking, she then asked, {“Including the members you work with? Do I have your word on this?”}
{“Yes.”} Stamato said quickly.
{“Good, she had done a lot to keep you safe. I believe it is time you return the favor.”}
“Are you saying that you are she, ma’am?” shouted Stamato, with a false sense of shock in his voice.
{“No, I am not. If I were, my revival would have been much more…”} Ijiraku found herself circling a hand in the air. {“Grandiose,”} she finished, rolling the r.
“Of course, my apologies.”
Turning around a corner, the vehicle stopped at a red light. “There is no need, Stamato,” pleasantly said Ijiraku. “You have done nothing wrong. For now, I need you to take me to this Marisa. I have matters to discuss about both her and her partner machine.”
Stamato silently raised a finger. {“Ah yes, the partner machine. I have found some very bothersome results on her.”}
Ijiraku danced in her seat and hummed a short jingle. {“That she contains the DNA of Yoshiblue?”}
{“Er…yes. She is a child berated by her race. Does this not go against several of ARKs policies?”}
{“Yes, it does my dear. You will find that roots of deceit go deeper than they may seem for the sake of progress. Dig deep enough and you may even discover your reason for being. I will help you with that if you wish.”}
“No,” panicked Stamato. “There are more important objectives to address first.”
{“Now now, I intend to help her, but it must be subtle, quiet. Any drastic actions may only get her and others killed. If there is anything I can agree with your protector on, it is that she is no longer a normal person anymore.”}
{Your? Would she not be our protector?”}
{“Ah, an eye for detail, very good Stamato. Something the other races over look in our talents, should we come with it. You may find that some CASTs are rather lacking, gimped because the other races fear what we can or may become.”}
The two jutted forward. Within a few taps, the engines died down. Opening the door, as if something cushioned the fall, a gust of air blew under their feet as they exited the vehicle. Unlike the last location, Ijiraku had decided to park in an open area, one filled with flora, benches and trees; one similar to a park but in front of a hospital instead of a gazebo.
“We have arrived,” said Ijiraku as she snapped her fingers, causing hydraulic doors to close behind her. “In case you were wondering, that’s the Jovis II. It’s modeled after a ship seen in a tv show.”
A head bumped on a doorframe. “Those were created years ago,” exclaimed Stamato.
“That’s the best part,” she squealed, the vessel vanishing into a cloud of blue triangles. “They’re no longer in production, almost one of a kind even.”
“I did not believe a Caseal would take pride in such things. How did you go about acquiring such a rare object?”
“My son gave it to me, as a gift. He built it by hand using parts found on Lilipa.”
“I see, so it is a replica.”
Ijiraku walked forward. “Yes and no. Come, if you would be so kind as to show me to his room.” As they stepped over a grassy mound, she continued, “For a time, he called it a mark three, an improvement over the original. He even tried to make a second one but I wouldn’t let him. Training was much more important.”
The two passed through decorated sliding doors, into a lobby of sanitized white floors and walls as well as blue counters and moldings. From then on, the more knowledgeable of the two led the way. Going through checkered corridors, they ignored all the open doors, all the idle chatter, moans and groans. Walking straight down, making a left turn, they entered an elevator, much faster than the normal variants. It didn’t take long for them to reach floor seven, where the two ran into Marean, the newmen under the Marisa, a girl of black hair and attire.
“Ah, just the person I was looking for,” exclaimed Ijiraku, walking out to offer a warm hug.
Paranoid, Marean shoved her away, saying a low threatening tone of voice, “Can I help you?”
“Why yes, yes you can. I want you to cancel all plans made for the week after Bitol’s discharge.”
“The hell makes you think I would listen to you?”
“Because Leanna lurks around the corner, she knows what you’re going to do. Also, your sister says hello. You know, the one that trips a lot,” said Ijiraku, her fingers touching their tips then exploding away.
“Stats, who is she?” Marean said in disdain.
“She is-”
“I am Bitol’s mother and unlike your grandmother, I’m here to protect people, not manipulate them.”
“I find it hard to believe that Bitol’s mother is a Caseal.”
“She is Ijiraku in a new body,” Stamato said, hurried in case he was interrupted again.
“See, you’re learning about emotions already,” cheered Ijiraku to Stamato. Speechless, Stamato shifted in place, which made the Caseal giggle and look at the disguised Arethusa, whom she wiggled her fingers at as a form of greeting. “I see Bitol has taking parenting much more seriously these days?”
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Originally Posted by AIDA
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