07-28-2015, 12:18 PM
"I...agree. I will disconnect now." Kopaka said with a strained breath. Fighting the venom was exhausting, and the Toa did not believe he had the stamina to continue. He accessed the user interface, which appeared before him as a small, glowing window and hit the large, red LOG OUT button. Kopaka practically punched the virtual screen, in fact, and his body immediately began to discorporate into thin beams of white light that shout up into the ceiling and out of sight.
...
Once in the physical world, Kopaka reeled backwards from the VR station with a sharp breath and staggered to the floor, barely holding himself up in a kneeling position. His hands, splayed on the cool granite floor, immediately began to cover the slick surface with a layer of ice. It seemed as though his elemental powers had only been expended in the Dataverse, and that in this realm, he was still at optimum operating capacity. He felt a hand on his left shoulder, and his servos whirred softly as he turned his head to see the wan smile of Athena. Kopaka had no means by which to offer a similar expression, but in this instance, it may have been one of the rare instances for him to do so. His body further buzzed and whirred as he got to his feet, and ran a quick diagnostic to make doubly sure that he wasn't in danger of residual damage.
"It seems as though, that which happens in the Dataverse, is isolated there." Kopaka said, turning back to look at the booth he had been standing in. It was now covered in a thick encrusting of flaky ice, and the Toa hoped that this would not damage the device. Almost as the thought crossed his mind, however, a small flock of what appeared to maintenance drones buzzed up to the booth and began to clean it. Nodding, Kopaka looked back down at Athena.
"I apologize for pulling you away from your studies. Perhaps there is further knowledge to be gained outside of that digital world that cannot be acquired in this Lore Hall." Kopaka said softly, walking towards the elevators. Athena seemed to hesitant as to whether or not she should follow the Toa, but he looked back at her with a soft gaze seeming to indicate that he either expected or wanted her to follow.
The elevator ride was silent as Kopaka and Athena rode back to the administration level of the Library, but after some time, Kopaka spoke up.
"...I...approve of this idea to acquire four other compatriots. Six is...indeed a good number." he said simply. He was quite ruminant, however. When Athena had said the number six...and specifically six...it was as if it had triggered something in his hardwired processes. A team of six...and only six; no more, no less. Kopaka blinked slowly, trying to remember more about his past. The vision he had seen in the Dataverse seemed to want to fit into a place in his memory that didn't exist...or...a light had been shined in a darkened corner. It was confusing, though, why Kopaka should have even been able to forget information in the first place. The brain of a Bionicle was optimized so that the tasks better handled by organic brains were handled by organic components, and the tasks better handled by computers were handled by technological components. Memory was one such task that was overseen by the mechanical portion of his central processor, so the fact that it had been corrupted or damaged when he was supposed to have been in stasis was...troubling.
His thoughts strayed back to the vision with the white biological creature that had initially informed him of his new status...Omni. Had Omni done something to tamper with his memories, or had this been fated even if he had...
...
...had what? There was something he was supposed to do; something he was destined for. Mata Nui...the name held some significance...it was supposed to have been his destiny to repair or restore this spirit...entity...something...to its whole, but the nature by which Kopaka and his siblings had been meant to do so was lost to him. The Toa's hopes laid within the Kanohi Rau...perhaps, if he were able to acquire the mask, he would begin to regain his memories...and purpose. As the pair exited on to the administration floor, Kopaka promptly exited and retraced his prior steps to the office of the Library's turaga. The man seemed eager for Kopaka's return.
"Ah, prime! I was hoping to see you again today...and I see you have a comrade. Splendid!" the director said, steepling his hands together. Kopaka scrunched his eye up in mild distaste. The man's enthusiasm did not suit Kopaka's sense of professionalism.
"Is the infestation thwarted?" Kopaka said in a low, quiet tone. Athena looked up at the Toa with some mild concern. She hadn't heard him sound this hostile since they had had to deal with the Kunemon. Was this just his normal demeanor? And if so, why did he act different around her? Regardless, the Library Director stuttered for a moment and then nodded heavily.
"Uh, Y-yes. We just ran a scan of the databanks and found no trace of whatever had been interfering with its operation, although..." the director said, adopting a slightly forlorn look on his face.
"Although what?" Athena offered, adopting a harsh tone of her own. If nothing else, she didn't want to seem like the weak link between the two of them.
"Well...the damage that was done to the file structure...it will take some time to repair. I'm afraid I can't let you have the mask until it is fixed..." the director said, offering a conciliatory shrug. Kopaka's entire body immediately frosted over. While it was not in his nature to express his emotions outwardly, certain subconscious reactions could not be prevented.
"Those were not the terms we agreed to. Athena and I fixed your infestation, and now you owe me the Rau." The Toa of Ice said, crossing his biomechanical arms. He leveled his unblinking stare at the museum director, and did not break eye contact with the feeble biological.
"Y-yes, but under the circumstances, I can't lend Library property to someone who has damaged the systems. we-"
"So in your eyes, it is not necessary to account for services rendered, but to account only for what they have cost you." Kopaka said, his voice carrying no tone but one of carefully chosen words. The museum director gulped slowly.
"Well...perhaps if you were to re-enter the VR station and repair the mess you made, I could reconsider-"
"No. How am I to trust that, if I perform this task, you will not find another reason to refuse my compensation?" Kopaka said, his tone deathly cold.
"Oh come now prime, shouldn't the satisfaction of helping a citizen come as enough of a payment? Where is your sense of justice without reward?" the small, old man said. He was beginning to become cocky, and Athena could sense that this last statement had thrown Kopaka for a loop, given the Toa's clear desire to be a hero of integrity and merit. At the same time, it was clear that he held other people to the same standard, hence the inner conflict. Still, she could sense a certain desperation in Kopaka to collect whatever it was that this Rau artifact was. The Toa of Ice remained silent, staring at the shriveled biological. There had to be a way to resolve this situation...
...
Once in the physical world, Kopaka reeled backwards from the VR station with a sharp breath and staggered to the floor, barely holding himself up in a kneeling position. His hands, splayed on the cool granite floor, immediately began to cover the slick surface with a layer of ice. It seemed as though his elemental powers had only been expended in the Dataverse, and that in this realm, he was still at optimum operating capacity. He felt a hand on his left shoulder, and his servos whirred softly as he turned his head to see the wan smile of Athena. Kopaka had no means by which to offer a similar expression, but in this instance, it may have been one of the rare instances for him to do so. His body further buzzed and whirred as he got to his feet, and ran a quick diagnostic to make doubly sure that he wasn't in danger of residual damage.
"It seems as though, that which happens in the Dataverse, is isolated there." Kopaka said, turning back to look at the booth he had been standing in. It was now covered in a thick encrusting of flaky ice, and the Toa hoped that this would not damage the device. Almost as the thought crossed his mind, however, a small flock of what appeared to maintenance drones buzzed up to the booth and began to clean it. Nodding, Kopaka looked back down at Athena.
"I apologize for pulling you away from your studies. Perhaps there is further knowledge to be gained outside of that digital world that cannot be acquired in this Lore Hall." Kopaka said softly, walking towards the elevators. Athena seemed to hesitant as to whether or not she should follow the Toa, but he looked back at her with a soft gaze seeming to indicate that he either expected or wanted her to follow.
The elevator ride was silent as Kopaka and Athena rode back to the administration level of the Library, but after some time, Kopaka spoke up.
"...I...approve of this idea to acquire four other compatriots. Six is...indeed a good number." he said simply. He was quite ruminant, however. When Athena had said the number six...and specifically six...it was as if it had triggered something in his hardwired processes. A team of six...and only six; no more, no less. Kopaka blinked slowly, trying to remember more about his past. The vision he had seen in the Dataverse seemed to want to fit into a place in his memory that didn't exist...or...a light had been shined in a darkened corner. It was confusing, though, why Kopaka should have even been able to forget information in the first place. The brain of a Bionicle was optimized so that the tasks better handled by organic brains were handled by organic components, and the tasks better handled by computers were handled by technological components. Memory was one such task that was overseen by the mechanical portion of his central processor, so the fact that it had been corrupted or damaged when he was supposed to have been in stasis was...troubling.
His thoughts strayed back to the vision with the white biological creature that had initially informed him of his new status...Omni. Had Omni done something to tamper with his memories, or had this been fated even if he had...
...
...had what? There was something he was supposed to do; something he was destined for. Mata Nui...the name held some significance...it was supposed to have been his destiny to repair or restore this spirit...entity...something...to its whole, but the nature by which Kopaka and his siblings had been meant to do so was lost to him. The Toa's hopes laid within the Kanohi Rau...perhaps, if he were able to acquire the mask, he would begin to regain his memories...and purpose. As the pair exited on to the administration floor, Kopaka promptly exited and retraced his prior steps to the office of the Library's turaga. The man seemed eager for Kopaka's return.
"Ah, prime! I was hoping to see you again today...and I see you have a comrade. Splendid!" the director said, steepling his hands together. Kopaka scrunched his eye up in mild distaste. The man's enthusiasm did not suit Kopaka's sense of professionalism.
"Is the infestation thwarted?" Kopaka said in a low, quiet tone. Athena looked up at the Toa with some mild concern. She hadn't heard him sound this hostile since they had had to deal with the Kunemon. Was this just his normal demeanor? And if so, why did he act different around her? Regardless, the Library Director stuttered for a moment and then nodded heavily.
"Uh, Y-yes. We just ran a scan of the databanks and found no trace of whatever had been interfering with its operation, although..." the director said, adopting a slightly forlorn look on his face.
"Although what?" Athena offered, adopting a harsh tone of her own. If nothing else, she didn't want to seem like the weak link between the two of them.
"Well...the damage that was done to the file structure...it will take some time to repair. I'm afraid I can't let you have the mask until it is fixed..." the director said, offering a conciliatory shrug. Kopaka's entire body immediately frosted over. While it was not in his nature to express his emotions outwardly, certain subconscious reactions could not be prevented.
"Those were not the terms we agreed to. Athena and I fixed your infestation, and now you owe me the Rau." The Toa of Ice said, crossing his biomechanical arms. He leveled his unblinking stare at the museum director, and did not break eye contact with the feeble biological.
"Y-yes, but under the circumstances, I can't lend Library property to someone who has damaged the systems. we-"
"So in your eyes, it is not necessary to account for services rendered, but to account only for what they have cost you." Kopaka said, his voice carrying no tone but one of carefully chosen words. The museum director gulped slowly.
"Well...perhaps if you were to re-enter the VR station and repair the mess you made, I could reconsider-"
"No. How am I to trust that, if I perform this task, you will not find another reason to refuse my compensation?" Kopaka said, his tone deathly cold.
"Oh come now prime, shouldn't the satisfaction of helping a citizen come as enough of a payment? Where is your sense of justice without reward?" the small, old man said. He was beginning to become cocky, and Athena could sense that this last statement had thrown Kopaka for a loop, given the Toa's clear desire to be a hero of integrity and merit. At the same time, it was clear that he held other people to the same standard, hence the inner conflict. Still, she could sense a certain desperation in Kopaka to collect whatever it was that this Rau artifact was. The Toa of Ice remained silent, staring at the shriveled biological. There had to be a way to resolve this situation...
C O L D