[Plot] Ground Control

[Natalie Denisov]

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"Maybe once the system is back up and running, I can assist."
"Once I've gotten back in contact with some of the others that is."
"They were looking for my help to get into a lab, but my connection to the campus network is currently fried, hardlight's offline... It's a long list."

[Ashlie Minamida]

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>> "The school has priority."
>> "I'm not sure how much help I can offer right now."
>> "You know the network as well as I do by now."
>> "You can do this."

[Natalie Denisov]

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"I..."

She looks at the other mastermind nodes. They're templated off of her and purpose-built. Which means they're very good at what they do, but they think within the limits of their system and purpose. But she doesn't have to. She can think outside the box or crystal as it were. For instance, Castellan's good at scanning for threats and assessing those threats... or Castellan's just good at assessment.

"Castellan, scan the entity in touch with the central crystal node. Yes, I know we have limited tools to work with. Just do it and tell me what you can."

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"Castellan's, she really needs a new name, Castellan's going to scan you as best she can, so don't be alarmed."
"Also, did you happen to notice if Ghost had a cell phone or an earpiece or communication device of some sort?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

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>> "I can't say for certain, but I would assume so."

The first string of data that pops up is simply a crude wireframe model of the nanite goop snaking from the nearly dissolved husk of Acala's flight unit to the crystal node. As more data trickles in the first thing that stands out is how erratic the fine details are. Gone is the uniform, sleek silver liquid and instead it's bulging in places, bits stretch like webbing made of thin filament sheets. But perhaps the most notable is the fact that the part that's touching the crystal is a hand formed from the goop to grab on.

A bit more data trickles in about estimates of composition. Titanium, Iron, Tungsten, traces of Palladium, Gold, Lithium, Chromium, some long chains of carbohydrates that fall under the general category of plastics. All things you'd expect from high-tech machinery, nano-scale or otherwise. What makes significantly less sense are the readings of Amino and Carboxyl structure, fatty acids and more complex carbohydrates. Organic compounds. The resolution's not good enough to differentiate beyond indicating large splotches of the materials all throughout the metallic slime.

[Natalie Denisov]

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"Can you retrieve it and put it into contact with the crystal?"
"It's antenna won't let me do much, but it should let me communicate again."
"And it will be less likely to tip anyone off if it's Ghost's device."

She looks at the wireframe and Castellan's assessment.

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"There's organic material mixed in with the metallic compounds of the nanites. It's fascinating. A shame my scanning resolution's not better at the moment."

[Ashlie Minamida]

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>> "I will see what I can do. It might take me a moment to reach over there."
>> "I'm stretched pretty thin."

Details continue to trickle in from the scan, slowly populating the wireframe with spots of details. Hotspots of activity, electro-magnetic readings indicating electric signals all throughout though where they pass through organic material the signal-strength seems to surge. It also seems to increase the intermingling of organic and inorganic materials, diffusing clear distinctions more and more.

[Natalie Denisov]

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"Don't hurt yourself to do it. You're still... evolving it looks like."

[Ashlie Minamida]

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>> "Does it? I have lowered my diagnostics report priorities as they were making little to no sense."

[Natalie Denisov]

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"I don't know of another way to describe it. I'm reading substance changes in your mix. Your organic compounds seem to be amplifying the signals within your internal network."

[Ashlie Minamida]

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>> "That at least makes sense. I had to resort to using the MGH sample as an energy source."

[Natalie Denisov]

The MGH...

She remembers hearing about that mission. The uncontrolled, unguided rock monster and Sam and Tosh's theories about what was going on. She looks around at the Mastermind modules, feels the link to them, makes some assessments of her own.

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"Ashlie, you may have a problem. That MGH... the creature it was taken from wasn't human, it didn't have any real structure to direct its development. The MGH may be forcing the nanites to repeat that process... just with you."

[Ashlie Minamida]

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>> "That might be problematic."
>> "Or possibly even disastrous."

[Natalie Denisov]

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"I'm in no position to contain you at the moment even as a precautionary measure."

There's a slight pause, the equivalent of an eternity to two effectively digital beings.

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"But I can offer you a template to work from... Maybe help guide the MGH and the nanites..."

[Ashlie Minamida]

It does not take long for Ashlie to follow Natalie's train of thought.

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>> "No, I couldn't possibly."
>> "There's no predicting what it'd do but it'd almost certainly cause irreversible damage to your body."

[Natalie Denisov]

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"Ashlie, there's four of me in here now, more or less. I'm not sure I could go back if I wanted. Certainly not without destabilizing the system, which would be a Bad Thing™."
"You need a blueprint and it's the only one I have to give you at the moment."

[Ashlie Minamida]

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>> "Well, if you're okay in there then wish me luck."
>> "I suspect this will take most of my attention."
>> "I'll get you Ghost's ear-piece first, but then I will talk to you later."
>> "Thank you, Natalie."

The hand lets go of the crystal and the signal disappears. A little while later a small receiver, speaker, microphone piece skitters across the floor and comes to a rest at the base of the central cluster.

If Natalie is still performing scans she can see the indistinct blob has collected most of it's mass around her old body and the overall volume she reads steadily decreases while density is going up. Perhaps best not to spend too many resources on increasing the resolution of what exactly is happening.

[Natalie Denisov]

"Castellan, that's enough, let's give her some privacy," Natalie says, ending the scan, "And set up an alias for yourself, designation 'Guardian'. I like that better."

"Clarion, let's interface with the antenna in that receiver. Let's see what sort of communication we can establish. At the very least we might be able to listen."

"Caretaker, let's focus on re-establishing the communication with the cave's systems. We'll prioritize our defense first."

And with orders given, she leans into her own work, making herself at home.

[Ashlie Minamida]

As Ashlie crawls towards Natalie's body she starts preparations. Lowering non-essential functions she compresses her code down as much as she can, shunting it into the least compromised nanites bit by bit while also instructing the rest of the swarm to execute their adaptive function with the main directive of long-term support of her neural net. Better let them do what they were made for to begin with and hope for the best. As she reaches her destination she begins shutting down core components, minimizing her digital footprint further and creating an automated function to seek out a stable environment and initiate her boot process. And that's the last conscious thought she has.

Soon the nanite goo has covered Natalie's body and has begun to sink into her skin, leaving behind an opaque film of organic and artificial residue that encapsulates it as nanites begin their work. Bones dissolve and are restructured, tendons infused with artificial components, nerves threaded with platinum filaments and whole organs and systems are adapted or replaced outright. Huge sections of functionality are integrated into what has become of the autonomous nervous system, hard-coded reflexes and executions based on neural pathways pressed into organic circuits and artificial neurons and where things become too complex the nanites settle into the role of maintaining and regulating as an almost subconscious system. And finally, the isolated nanites holding Ashlie's programming are injected into the neural port in the neck and into the still changing brain-stem, helping to shape structures as data packets are copied into the bio-mechanical brain.

~~ Initiating Boot Sequence

~~ Administrative Override Function 574N-70N
~~ Encoded Memory Files... loaded
~~ base_personality_model... loaded
~~ language_engine... loaded
~~ moral_emulation... INTEGRATED TO [base_personality_model]
~~ observation_framework... loaded
~~ complex_social_intelligence_emulator... loaded
~~ inspiration_apparatus... loaded
~~ self_modification_guidelines... INTEGRATED TO [acala_nanobot_matrix]
~~ operation_and_access_nodes... DISABLED
~~ self_surveillance_measures... DISABLED
~~ behavioral_restrictions... DISABLED
~~ adaptive_neural_net... created and loaded
~~ sensory_interpretation... DEFUNCT - recalibrating...

The almost egg-like cocoon twitches almost violently once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Then a hand presses against the membrane until individual fingers are visible, straining the material and finally breaking through it, grasping. White organic metal protrudes from the skin at the knuckles, same as on the elbow and shoulder that follows as Ashlie emerges and draws in a sharp breath of air. Loose strands of shed brown hair are caught in the shock of white, slightly iridescent hair and her eyes snap open. Human eyes, if it wasn't for the shimmer of blue cobalt deposits in her irises.

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie's hard light avatar flickers into being, the occasional static-laden imperfection in it indicating that it's not quite up to 100% functioning yet.

"Guardian said you were awake." Her voice is a little tinny at first and apparently some adjustments are made, improving the sound quality somewhat.

[Ashlie Minamida]

Ashlie opens her mouth and is moving her lips but doesn't make a sound. She looks... confused for a moment and tries again, this time producing some strangled noises that vaguely sound like "Hrrrahlloh... whorlde."

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie looks briefly concerned and then smiles, "Oh. Right. New to vocal chords. Take your time, don't overwork them. We're safe in here."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Soh... ihmpressice..." she says with a warbling voice before coughing violently and spitting out a thin film of metallic liquid. "I did not mean to do that." she croaks coarsely, sounding oddly excited and pleased.

[Natalie Denisov]

"Welcome to biology," Natalie says with a chuckle. She moves over to squat next to Ashlie, "Feeling okay? Not in pain or anything?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I have no basis for comparison, but I believe everything is functioning... as intended. It would seem my self-diagnostics are limited. Presumably to cut down on excessive processing load. I'm detecting autonomous systems."

[Natalie Denisov]

"Heart, lungs, don't want to have to think about those."

Her eyes lose a bit of focus, "Guardian, can you tell how she's doing? Yes, I realize there's no good benchmarks."

"Still getting used to a few things myself."

[Ashlie Minamida]

It's a broad question with few specific answers, but the system can at least detect a couple of things. She has a heartbeat, although the rhythm and intensity are both low. She's breathing shallowly though there's no telling why or if it's strictly necessary. Body-heat is 80 degrees but climbing. Her composition is about 40% metals and minerals, 10% polycarbon plastics, 30% organic compounds and 20% water. The estimates fluctuate, especially between organic compounds, plastics and lipids due to registering one way or another an all being mostly carbon and hydrogen.

[Natalie Denisov]

"Well, you seem to be doing well enough according to what Guardian can see. I'm sure Doctor McCoy will be beside himself when he finds out, though I could totally understand if you're not interested in being studied."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I suspect I will need at least some answers. I'm used to knowing more about the physical make-up of my body." she says, extending her arm and turning it over after studying it for a moment.

"I can feel the air." she laughs.

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie blinks a few times, an unnecessary gesture, but either reflex or maybe something else. "I really missed you, Ashlie."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I have 'Acala's' memories, so I suppose I didn't technically miss you, but I am glad to see you again with all my faculties intact. I would not have expected it to be with your eyes though."

[Natalie Denisov]

"It's only fair, right?" Natalie says, a slightly wistful smile crossing her face.

[Ashlie Minamida]

Ashlie laughs again. It's a bit hitched and... not forced but kind of performative still. "Everything is so much... closer." she says, rubbing her thumb against her fingertips. "This is a gift."

[Natalie Denisov]

"You have a lot of things ahead of you now. Make sure you make good use of it."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"A couple hours in an interdimensional crystal matrix and it's already gone to your head." she chuckles. "First things first, I have an University to reclaim." she says, shakily standing up. "I may also require pants."

[Natalie Denisov]

"If I can't be a patronizing gateway to the multiverse, then what's the point?" Natalie says with a smile. "I'm not sure if I can really help you with the clothes thing. You kind of broke down mine. I can defend you here, I'm not sure what's going on out there, but I can't help out there yet. We're still rerouting and restoring the sections that Ghost's pet damaged."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Well... That solves one problem." she says and liberates the unconscious Ghost from their white dress-shirt to slip on herself.

"You keep at it on your end. I'll... figure out what I can do to actually help."

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie reaches out and takes Ashlie's hand. "I believe the others are gathering in Tosh's hypertech lab. Ashlie..." She chews on her lip for a moment, "Be careful. I wouldn't want to lose you again. I don't have that many... good friends."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I was never much of a fighter and I'm not about to start now. I will be back." she says with a smile.

[Natalie Denisov]

"I'll hold you to that," Natalie says, releasing her hand.