Title: Being 314
Author: the random monkey
Date: 9-8-03
Author's notes: This is the first part of a small series I'm writing about the Black Mages who made it to the Black Mage Village. It'll probably seem really weird at first, but stick with it. It gets better. Enjoy! I own nothing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'm not a robot
Without emotions
I'm not what you see...
-Styx, "Mr. Roboto"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mission: Attack City
Objective: Kill
Instruction: Move out
Complying...
Seeking target
New target sighted..... Terminated.
Seeking target
New target sighted...... Error: Pain
Assessment:
Left Hand removed. Method: Enemy weapon. Nonfatal; Continue mission.
Target Terminated.
Seeking Targetpain.
Seeking TarPainget.
SeekPAINing PAINTargPAINet
Desire pain end....
Error: Unknown instruction: Desire.
Seeking Target.
Desire pain end.
Error: Conflicting instructions.
Desire pain end.
Error: Instruction not issued by commander.
Desire pain end.
Mission objective overridden; New objective: end pain.
Method to achieve objective unknown.
Stimulus: Rain
Stimulus has continued since arrival.
Stimlus elicits positive reaction in pained area.
Stimulus...... Feels good.
Instruction: find stronger source of positive stimulus.
Error: Instruction not issued by commander.
Request information: Who issues instructions?
Request information: Who requests information?
Answer: Being requests.
Request information: Who is being?
Answer: Being is individual who processes instructions.
Being is individual containing pain.
Being is individual processing rain stimulus.
Being is individual.
Being has label: 314.
Instruction: pull out.
Instruction is external to being's processes.
Complying....
Creating warp bubble.
Warping to transport pod.
Moving from transport pod to hangar.
Airship is moving.
Instruction (external): form ranks; prepare to receive food.
Complying....
Food recieved.
Instruction (external): Eat.
Complying....
Stimulus: flavor.
Request information: Reason for stimulus?
Analysis: Food is identical to previous experiences.
Answer: Stimulus experienced previously, ignored.
Stimulus is pleasant.
Eating is pleasant.
Being 314 enjoys eating.
Instruction completed.
Stimulus: sound
Stimulus comes from other beings. Other beings are different from Being 314. Other beings have label: Human.
Request information: What is label for types like Being 314?
Answer: Black Mage, A Type.
Instruction (external): Damage report.
Instruction (internal): Show lack of hand.
Stimulus: Unknown type. Desire still have hand. Stimulus stems from desire. Stimulus is unpleasant. Stimulus name: sadness.
Request information: How does Being 314 know such a stimulus?
Information not found.
Instruction (internal): Observe.
Stimuli: Many previously experienced, ignored.
Many glowing lights.Glowing eyes. Glowing eyes belong to others like Being 314. But others do not appear to observe.
Two humans move through ranks. Humans request damage reports. Others comply. Humans appear to record results of requests.
Strange noise, constant, low-pitched. Analysis: The engines that run the ship make noise.
Sound stimulus is not pleasant. Being 314 does not like the engine sound.
Instruction (external): Rest.
Complying....
Instruction (internal): Do not comply.
Request information: Why does Being 314 desire to not comply?
Answer: Being 314 desires more observation.
Do not comply. Give the appearance of complying. Close eyes. Be still.
Stimulus: Voices talking. Being 314 is unable to understand what is being said.
The voices come closer. The words can now be understood.
"1500 Gil? You're on!"
"Hey, you!"
Being 314 is being addressed. Being 314 opens eyes.
One of the humans holds a small, round container out to Being 314. "Drink this."
Being 314 takes the container. Being 314 must choose between complying and disobeying. Being 314 experiences a new stimulus: uncertainty.
"Go, ahead, drink it!"
Being 314 begins to comply, but stops. Being 314 experiences an unpleasant-smell stimulus. Being 314 does not comply.
One of the humans laughs. "I told you he wouldn't do it!"
The other human places both arms in front of it. "Wait a minute. How do I know they're not programmed not to drink piss?"
The first human looks up. It takes the cup from Being 314. "Here's how!" It holds the container out to another mage. "You! Drink this."
The other mage takes the container and drinks its contents. It does not hesitate.
The second human makes a facial expression that Being 314 identifies as confusion. "How did you know this one wouldn't do it?"
The first human laughs again as she answers. "When you work with these things for a while, you can see it. Some of 'em get screwed up; they won't follow orders. You seen how this one's been looking all over? He got screwed up, probably from gettin' his hand hacked off."
Being 314 does not understand why she is laughing.
"What do they do with them? The screwed-up ones, I mean?" asks the second one.
"Send 'em back to Dali and recycle 'em, or something," says the first. "They got some way they can take 'em apart and use the parts for new ones."
Being 314 experiences a new stimulus: fear. He does not desire to be taken apart. He desires to remain as he is! He desires to live!
Being 314 makes a decision: He will not stay.
"So pay up! You owe me 1500 Gil!" exclaims the first human.
"Uh, yeah, about that.... I don't have 1500 Gil. I got shore leave last week, y'know." The two humans turn to leave.
Being 314 raises his remaining hand. "Break!" he says. The two humans stop moving. Being 314 leaves the hangar and runs for the Transport pods. He knows more humans are following him, and he feels more fear, but finds the fear motivates him to run faster. He reaches the transport pods and jumps into one.
Being 314 feels dizzy for a moment, then very light, as he rises out of the pod in a warp bubble. Strange, another stimulus he has felt many times, yet never noticed. But he does not think about this for long; instead, he focuses on the intensely pleasant feeling of happiness that comes from knowing he is free.
Author: the random monkey
Date: 9-8-03
Author's notes: This is the first part of a small series I'm writing about the Black Mages who made it to the Black Mage Village. It'll probably seem really weird at first, but stick with it. It gets better. Enjoy! I own nothing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'm not a robot
Without emotions
I'm not what you see...
-Styx, "Mr. Roboto"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mission: Attack City
Objective: Kill
Instruction: Move out
Complying...
Seeking target
New target sighted..... Terminated.
Seeking target
New target sighted...... Error: Pain
Assessment:
Left Hand removed. Method: Enemy weapon. Nonfatal; Continue mission.
Target Terminated.
Seeking Targetpain.
Seeking TarPainget.
SeekPAINing PAINTargPAINet
Desire pain end....
Error: Unknown instruction: Desire.
Seeking Target.
Desire pain end.
Error: Conflicting instructions.
Desire pain end.
Error: Instruction not issued by commander.
Desire pain end.
Mission objective overridden; New objective: end pain.
Method to achieve objective unknown.
Stimulus: Rain
Stimulus has continued since arrival.
Stimlus elicits positive reaction in pained area.
Stimulus...... Feels good.
Instruction: find stronger source of positive stimulus.
Error: Instruction not issued by commander.
Request information: Who issues instructions?
Request information: Who requests information?
Answer: Being requests.
Request information: Who is being?
Answer: Being is individual who processes instructions.
Being is individual containing pain.
Being is individual processing rain stimulus.
Being is individual.
Being has label: 314.
Instruction: pull out.
Instruction is external to being's processes.
Complying....
Creating warp bubble.
Warping to transport pod.
Moving from transport pod to hangar.
Airship is moving.
Instruction (external): form ranks; prepare to receive food.
Complying....
Food recieved.
Instruction (external): Eat.
Complying....
Stimulus: flavor.
Request information: Reason for stimulus?
Analysis: Food is identical to previous experiences.
Answer: Stimulus experienced previously, ignored.
Stimulus is pleasant.
Eating is pleasant.
Being 314 enjoys eating.
Instruction completed.
Stimulus: sound
Stimulus comes from other beings. Other beings are different from Being 314. Other beings have label: Human.
Request information: What is label for types like Being 314?
Answer: Black Mage, A Type.
Instruction (external): Damage report.
Instruction (internal): Show lack of hand.
Stimulus: Unknown type. Desire still have hand. Stimulus stems from desire. Stimulus is unpleasant. Stimulus name: sadness.
Request information: How does Being 314 know such a stimulus?
Information not found.
Instruction (internal): Observe.
Stimuli: Many previously experienced, ignored.
Many glowing lights.Glowing eyes. Glowing eyes belong to others like Being 314. But others do not appear to observe.
Two humans move through ranks. Humans request damage reports. Others comply. Humans appear to record results of requests.
Strange noise, constant, low-pitched. Analysis: The engines that run the ship make noise.
Sound stimulus is not pleasant. Being 314 does not like the engine sound.
Instruction (external): Rest.
Complying....
Instruction (internal): Do not comply.
Request information: Why does Being 314 desire to not comply?
Answer: Being 314 desires more observation.
Do not comply. Give the appearance of complying. Close eyes. Be still.
Stimulus: Voices talking. Being 314 is unable to understand what is being said.
The voices come closer. The words can now be understood.
"1500 Gil? You're on!"
"Hey, you!"
Being 314 is being addressed. Being 314 opens eyes.
One of the humans holds a small, round container out to Being 314. "Drink this."
Being 314 takes the container. Being 314 must choose between complying and disobeying. Being 314 experiences a new stimulus: uncertainty.
"Go, ahead, drink it!"
Being 314 begins to comply, but stops. Being 314 experiences an unpleasant-smell stimulus. Being 314 does not comply.
One of the humans laughs. "I told you he wouldn't do it!"
The other human places both arms in front of it. "Wait a minute. How do I know they're not programmed not to drink piss?"
The first human looks up. It takes the cup from Being 314. "Here's how!" It holds the container out to another mage. "You! Drink this."
The other mage takes the container and drinks its contents. It does not hesitate.
The second human makes a facial expression that Being 314 identifies as confusion. "How did you know this one wouldn't do it?"
The first human laughs again as she answers. "When you work with these things for a while, you can see it. Some of 'em get screwed up; they won't follow orders. You seen how this one's been looking all over? He got screwed up, probably from gettin' his hand hacked off."
Being 314 does not understand why she is laughing.
"What do they do with them? The screwed-up ones, I mean?" asks the second one.
"Send 'em back to Dali and recycle 'em, or something," says the first. "They got some way they can take 'em apart and use the parts for new ones."
Being 314 experiences a new stimulus: fear. He does not desire to be taken apart. He desires to remain as he is! He desires to live!
Being 314 makes a decision: He will not stay.
"So pay up! You owe me 1500 Gil!" exclaims the first human.
"Uh, yeah, about that.... I don't have 1500 Gil. I got shore leave last week, y'know." The two humans turn to leave.
Being 314 raises his remaining hand. "Break!" he says. The two humans stop moving. Being 314 leaves the hangar and runs for the Transport pods. He knows more humans are following him, and he feels more fear, but finds the fear motivates him to run faster. He reaches the transport pods and jumps into one.
Being 314 feels dizzy for a moment, then very light, as he rises out of the pod in a warp bubble. Strange, another stimulus he has felt many times, yet never noticed. But he does not think about this for long; instead, he focuses on the intensely pleasant feeling of happiness that comes from knowing he is free.