"Wait. What? Are you saying this person here isn't Abbas?"
It appears that the other had quite ruff ride it seems..
"CORRECT. THE LIFE FORM IS ARTIFICIAL IN ORIGIN. A DUPLICATE OF A DUPLICATE. THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN ERASED FROM ALL LOCATIONS IT EVER EXISTED. BACKUP PRESERVED DUE TO IT'S EXISTENCE OUTSIDE THE TEMPERO-SPATIAL NEXI. ONLY THE DUPLICATE REMAINS. PHEREMONAL TRACES WILL CONFORM WITH ORIGINAL, DUE TO IT'S DNA HAVING BEEN DUPLICATED FROM THE ORIGINAL'S DNA."
So would there be two of me? Would the "backup" replace my physical body and mind and it would be as though I never went to the egg? Is there a way to integrate me and the "backup" of me?
Kalasin decided to ask the voice on Abbas' behalf the questions. "So there would be two of Abbas? Would the "backup" replace his physical body and it would be as though he never went to the egg? Is there a way to integrate this copy and the "backup" of Abbas?"
Abbas nods warmly at Kalasin continuing to feel grateful for her aid.
"Wait. A duplicate... of a duplicate?" Lilandra frowns in confusion as she glances from Abbas to the others around her. "Are any of us originals then?"
What exactly happened to the original if you down mind explaining for our group?
"SUBJECT 382FI2873ARP382-O, DESIGNATION ABBAS MAJIDI, WAS ORIGINALLY CRUSHED TO DEATH WHILE FIGHTING IN RUINS. ANALYSIS INDICATES THE SUBJECT'S SOUL WAS SUFFICIENTLY STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND DUPLICATION AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH. THE SUBJECT'S SOUL WAS REPLICATED BY PLACING A SYNTHETIC SOUL TYPE DR13-FR INTO THE SUBJECT'S ASTRAL AURA 0.0283384 SECONDS PRIOR TO DEATH. THE SOUL WAS THEN INTEGRATED INTO A NEWLY SYNTHESIZED BODY THAT FULLY MATCHED IT'S ORIGINAL BODY IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO DEATH."
"THAT HAS NO LONGER OCCURED. SUBJECT 382FI2873ARP382-O, DESIGNATION ABBAS MAJIDI ORIGINAL, NO LONGER EXISTS IN ANY TEMPERO-SPATIAL NEXUS. IT HAS BEEN ERASED, AND NEVER EXISTED. BECAUSE IT NEVER EXISTED, IT DID NOT DIE."
"CORRECT. ALL EXPLORATION CORPS PRESENT ARE DUPLICATIONS. ALL POSSESSED RARE SOUL STRENGTH WHICH WAS CAPABLE OF DUPLICATION. LESS THAN ONE IN TEN BILLION SOULS POSSESS THE REQUISITE STRENGTH. RESTORING SUBJECT 382FI2873ARP382-B2, DESIGNATION ABBAS MAJIDI BACKUP TWO WOULD NOT RESULT IN TWO SUBJECTS BEING PRESENT. IT WOULD RESULT IN ONE SUBJECT 382FI2873ARP382-B2, DESIGNATION ABBAS MAJIDI BACKUP TWO, AND ONE SUBJECT 382FI2873ARP382-R2, DESIGNATION ABBAS MAJIDI REPLICANT BEING PRESENT."
"QUERY - BY 'MERGE' WITH REGARDS TO SUBJECTS 382FI2873ARP382-B2, DESIGNATION ABBAS MAJIDI BACKUP TWO AND 382FI2873ARP382-R1, DESIGNATION ABBAS MAJIDI REPLICANT. IS THE DESIRE FOR ONE VIABLE LIFE FORM THAT MATCHES THE PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF BOTH AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE, YET CONTAINS THE SUM OF BOTH WITH REGARDS TO MEMORY, SKILLS, AND TRAINING?"
As the explanations get more and more technical, and more and more esoteric, the voice grows less and less animated and more and more dry and almost mechanical. As if the person speaking were not really emotional to start with, and was only putting on a show earlier to be more 'likeable'.
"Uhhhh.... what?" Lilandra shakes her head with a bewildered smile and looks to the others present. "I hope some of you understood that because it all went way over my head at the end there. What's it asking?" She then adds as an aside to Grim, "Grim, wasn't it? I'm Lilandra. Or, at least I think I am? I don't know." She waves her hand dismissively as if shooing the troubling thoughts away like flies. "When we were exploring the previous hectate, which I think we'll head back toward once we're all outfitted here, we came across an egg-like structure seemingly made of stone that was enormous. The size of a building. When Abbas scratched his name into the surface of it, his memory was erased. We spent the next several weeks with the indiginous people while he regained his bearings, but his memory never came back."
Yes exactly..." Abbas looks at the others, "Is it just me or does the voice sound more and more unfriendly?"
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"For Myself, I would like better weapons, armor, a bow to match my strength. This Nodachi could be stronger, my boarding axe be sharper and my blade boot be finer. I would be most appreciative."
Pausing a moment, the rock warrior considers his next request.
"A Bag to hold these items that can be easily carried and the weight minimised would be most useful."
Cale's clothing and armor vanish, leaving the statue like man standing looking like a bare garden ornament. Nearby, a crate appears.
Inside the crate is a MW nodachi made of mithral, a MW boarding axe, and MW armor, including a mithral blade in the boot. A bow appears also, MW, and tensioned to his str rating.
A MW backpack also is in the crate.
Cale unashamed on his nakedness strides to examine the crate.
"Amazing, all of these are of the finest make I've seen since the Collesieum. I wonder if this Nodachi could be made of denser material? One that could shear through armor or other hard items with ease. This enity seems limited but is certainty useful enough."
After equiping himself, Cale turns to address the entity remembering that one of their member had alread fallen foul to such a situation.
"Could we have our memories backup as well to prevent loss? A backup of ourselves would certainty be useful. An all weather gear would be good as well as vials of anti poison, alchemist fire, acid and a better backpack than what I'm carrying now since I suspect I'm carrying alot more equipment then before."
Turning the to others even as he finishes dressing himself.
"What about the rest of you.?"
"UNABLE TO PROCESS ANY METALS MORE DENSE THAN LEAD/GOLD. BACKUPS ALREADY MADE."
Another crate appears. It contains 50 vials of anti-poison, 50 vials of of alchemist's fire, and 50 vials of acid.
Kalasin seems unbothered by all the nakedness happening. After all, she had served as the healer for her village. "I think it's more just sounding like it's true nature." Kalasin gave a small smile and shrug. "It sounds like... yes there would be two. Though the merge does sound like what Abbas was wanting. Both sets of memories, skills and trainings?"
"MERGE CAN BE ATTEMPTED. PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS IS 83.3827493746 PERCENT. FAILURE WILL RESULT IN CORRUPTION OF BACKUP AND DESTRUCTION OF REPLICANT."
"Whether the merge is successful or not even attempted, you're saying he's not actually Abbas either way? And I'm not Lilandra? None of us are who we thought we were? We're different people?"
"We are all duplicates of our original selves if I'm understanding correctly. So in a way, we are us, but we are not us. We still have our memories and our personalities. Even if both our bodies and souls are copies."
If a merge is attempted would I become a duplicate that can be controlled by the voice? I notice that it can force the rest of you to fall asleep and take your thoughts?
"You Pose a good question Abbas. Perhaps the voice would care to address that?" Cale continues dressing and rearming himself.
Glancing at the crate.
Here now, that's abit much....
"QUERY NOT UNDERSTOOD."
Cale stops a moment and then attempts to rephrase his question.
"Can you take over our minds?" A trifle blunt but its gets his question across clearly.
"NEGATIVE SUBJECT 383RI8372ARP382-1, DESIGNATION CALE PAVEL."
Lilandra's shoulders slump. Things had taken a sudden and dramatic turn in her mind and she found herself suddenly lost in a sea of doubts and uncertainty. "What if it's lying?"
Abbas nods at Palakka, True. But it also forces you to return here with discomfort and forces you to sleep. I want to know more about who I was but I wonder if it is not a risk in more than just the issue of a "failure" to be merged... I have no memory of the voice or what it is capable of. IT seems very willing to give anything it can so, in a way, it is very generous. Should I risk the merge?
"Can a backup be made of Abbas here before the merge? If all goes well, can that backup be made then of after the merge."
"I PRESUME YOU MEAN OF THE REPLICANT ABBAS? NEGATIVE, REPLICANT ABBAS DOES NOT HAVE A NEXUS MATRIX, A GEM. UNABLE TO MAKE BACKUPS WITHOUT A NEXUS MATRIX."
Lilandra frowns, the expression leaving deep lines of concern in her angular face. She looks to Abbas and shakes her head in helpless bewilderment. "That's not a choice I think anyone can make for you."
So those with these gems are, in a way, immune from death in this place? The voice can simply bring you back?
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Goragg grunts.
Perhaps you've forgotten that we're all dead anyway. If there's a part of you missing, merge and be done with it. I tire of all this yammering and negotiations and failed magic spells.
He begins waving his arms and dancing about in a crude(*) mimicry of someone casting an arcane spell.
(*) in both meanings of the term
Nexus matrix! Nexus matrix! Replicant query not understood!
He ends with an ululating whoop while flapping his hands on his head like moose antlers, culminating in a bout of flatulence clearly audible to everyone present. And wet.
Feh.
Not willing to give up, Cale tries once more.
"Can A Nexus Matrix be made?"
Abbas changes into the gear that arrived for him and waits for the voice to answer Cale's inquiry still weighing his options to allow the merging to take place or not...
"NEGATIVE. NEXUS MATRIX CAN ONLY BE CREATED WHEN DUPLICATE SOULS ARE MERGED WITH ORIGINAL SOULS."
"Ok, and where are our original souls?" asks Cale with some dread within his heart....
"INFORMATION UNAVAILABLE."
His eyes crinkle and his lips pressed into a tight line when suddenly they curl upwards and then....and then....
Cale starts laughing.................
This is a farce to some extent. A voice from beyond speaks so thoroughly of our very souls but can't or won't tell us about where our real souls are.
Abbas nods grimly, Whether it is because the voice does not know or cannot say I think this sets it. I am thankful for what it can do but I will not tie myself to it anymore than I must. I ache for what I might have lost but I think it prudent to stay...unconnected... to the voice for now.
New arms and armor set Abbas looks about at the mules and gear. I say we load up what we can and get going.
MAybe we should ask for food for the animals... Abbas looks at the others with a bit of a smirk realizing that because of his choice he cannot ask for it himself.
Lilandra nods non-committally, having zoned out and not heard much of the last bit of discussion. Her mind spun dizzingly around the implications of the voice's claims and it robbed the strength from her legs. Her eyes remain fixed on a lump of dry dirt by her right foot, though the glazed look in them suggests she wasn't seeing the dirt at her feet at all as she mumbles, "Hm? Food? Whatever you think is best."
20 bales of hay appear nearby.