Paint It Black And White If You Like

[Natalie Denisov]

It couldn't be avoided forever, Natalie reflected as she wheels into the Point and stops to catch her breath. But damn me for leaving those tools out here. She gets into the elevator and rides down to another level, slowly wheeling down to the last workshop that she remembers the tools being in. She starts looking around, opening the cabinets and drawers in a slow, methodical process.

((Open))

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Good afternoon, Miss Denisov." Ashlie's voice comes from one of the consoles. She's nowhere to be seen except for the ceiling-mounted assembly arms working on some kind of projector. The chassis modified to look (sort of) like Natalie is hanging in some kind of frame on the wall next to Ashlie's replacement body, a large, jagged hole in the chest-cavity leaving little doubt as to how functional it is.

"I see you have had some success in reversing your condition."

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie pauses briefly before going back to sorting through a cabinet, "I left myself little choice but to correct the situation. Necessity and invention and that." As she leans forward, the hair on the back of her head parts briefly, revealing the top of the small metal device implanted towards the top of her neck, resembling a cable jack of sorts. "I see your new chassis had some sort of accident.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"A strange way to force your hand about something you didn't seem to eager to pursue, but I am glad it worked out for you. There was a dimensional incursion and that frame was collateral damage. I am working on a replacement that fixes it's shortcomings."

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie glances at what the arms are working on. "You're..." She mentally analyzes it for a moment, "Working on some sort of projector?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I had a very inspiring conversation with another sentient program from an alternate reality. She uses a network of hard-light projectors for a physical body."

[Natalie Denisov]

"That would solve the physical damage issue quite nicely," Natalie says, "Unless the projector itself was damaged, but it's easier to protect a projector than a whole body I suppose." She pulls a small tool kit out of the cabinet.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Indeed. It would also allow for more flexibility in the projected body. Power requirements are an issue, as well as making the interface code compatible with my own protocols, but it's worth exploring."

[Natalie Denisov]

"Only so many ways to miniaturize power sources I suppose," Natalie says with a wistful sigh, turning the wheelchair around. "Unless you're Stark Enterprises, but good luck dealing with them."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Mister Stark is not very forthcoming in regards to the designs for his Arc Reactor, no."


After a brief pause she adds, "How are you getting on? Is the wheelchair a temporary measure or were there complications with the procedure?"

[Natalie Denisov]

"The wheelchair should be temporary. Some more physical therapy and I should get back to standard functioning. I can get around my dorm room for the most part, but it's too far for me to walk out here yet. Turns out being in a coma doesn't do great things for muscle and body-jumping means you have to readjustment to a normal nervous system." She pauses, "It's... strange. Getting tired again and eating and all that. I mean, it wasn't all that long that I was out, but when you can measure time in tiny increments..."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"The experience of time is merely based on your ability to process it, yes. Are you having trouble adjusting? Finding time to sleep and eat?"

[Natalie Denisov]

"Only occasionally. I think there's a saying about riding a bicycle or something like that? Now that I have the urges again, I'm beginning to build the routines back up."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"A testament to the intrinsic programming of biology." she says. Jokes maybe?

[Natalie Denisov]

"It's an interesting program, especially given the number of variations that exist just within that program. Some days I wish I understood it better, other days I think it's better to just stick to my own projects."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"There's a lot to be learned about adaptive algorithms and self-organized units, but the complexity is a little prohibitive, yes."

[Natalie Denisov]

"It's the social variables that confound me, but Professor Terrance wants me to keep trying, so I will."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"More of a front-end problem, in a way, but not less perplexing at times." she agrees.

[Natalie Denisov]

"It is sort of a user experience issue with no good way to improve the interface, especially since any conversation is a two-sided construction." She shrugs, setting the toolkit in her lap. "What about you? Are you doing alright? Other than the obvious physical presence issues at the moment."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Nothing out of the ordinary at least. I couldn't help but notice that one of my star pupils skipped class, even after her name popped up under active enrollment again." she says carefully.

[Natalie Denisov]

"Yes, well, we didn't part ways on the best of terms and I thought it might be better to stay out of your way."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I try not to hold grudges, but I do understand."

[Natalie Denisov]

"I still disagree with your decision, but it was your decision to make," she says with a careful amount of respect.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"There weren't a lot of good options. For what it's worth, I was not particularly happy with the way it played out."

[Natalie Denisov]

"Hindsight and all its associated trappings."