Sometimes science is a flashy thing: summoning lightning, causing earthquakes, commanding mechanical beings without even touching them
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Science and Industry! That handshake between the working class and the inventive mind... Well, two can play at this game. Back during the steampunk bar issue, Welman Matrix had received notice of a Nikola Tesla, a human scientist who was interested in speaking with him. And behold, he had now found him!
That is...after the bar had been kind enough to supply an 8x10 color glossy to show exactly what he looked like. But after that, he was ready! And so...a humanoid robotic-looking form being driven by a small greenish-red null-type being spotted the scientist...and spoke.
"Ah, would you be Nikola Tesla?"
He knew, but confirmation is key. It's the difference between theory and mere hypothesis.
"A pleasure to meet you then, sir," he says, reaching to shake his hand.
(Somehow shaking the hand of non-humans makes him less uncomfortable than humans. He isn't sure why, but suspects it comes down to germs.)
"Enzo, yes--a very nice boy. We met here some time ago. He said you might be able to help explain some things about the different ways our separate worlds work."
"Yes, I most certainly could. My specialty is in Quantum Data Structures. I believe that's the User-equivalent of Quantum Physics."
Then, as if remembering himself...
"Ah, the ummm, suit was built by a friend of mine, for easier mobility. You have no idea how awkward it is, going around and tasting the floor everywhere."
"Tasting the floor?" he asks. "I can imagine it would be very unpleasant... and dirty. Does your kind have diseases? Not you personally, of course, but your kind in general, is illness possible? If I were to crawl on the floor in here, for instance, I think I would get very ill from it."
Ah, social awkwardness.
"There are so many questions I have, I would not even know where to start."
Tesla listens attentively, glancing between the null and the window, not sure where to put most of his attention.
"What makes one a null? Is it the loss of... of consciousness, of a soul? Can one come back from it?"
So many questions.
"When you absorb parts of your world, do you change? Is there an empty spot left in the world, or does it heal itself, or is it like picking an apple? Can you absorb energy here, as well?"
"These are very good questions. Unfortunately, not all of them are answered. Nulls - normally - lose all energy and data related to themselves, all of which is set to a specific signature...which we have not found."
Tests are, of course, always being made to try and revert old friends back to their original selves, but there had been no real headway in that area.
"The specific cause to nearly all cases of nullification is losing in a Game Cube. The User, whoever is in charge of our world, plays these games for his own reasons...and his winning nullifies a section of the system."
This prompts the vid-window to run a playback of a Game Cube landing, and then another clip of one raising...a good chunk taken out of the area upon the words "User Wins" being spoken. A view of some nulls formed by it was also seen.
"Nulls don't seem to change except rare occasions where they grow larger. Since our world is energy, they have been known to leave streaks taking off the top layer of any surface at times, though that can be repaired.
( ... )
He is silent for a moment, trying to process that into ways of thinking that he can understand better. Watching the window helps a little.
"Does it happen every time someone is in one of those games? Is there a pattern to the other instances of it happening, that might help find ways to prevent it?"
It seems strange to him that a world would work that way, but then, it may be like human mortality.
"I work with energy--Enzo said that there are ways to turn matter here into energy for you to eat? I am curious about that."
"Any time a Game is lost and someone is inside, the effect is nullification...with certain exception. There are sprites inside of Game Cubes who are always a part of that world. Enzo actually came upon the idea to change his format into a Game Sprite in order to keep from being nullified. The only drawback is that you leave with the Game Cube and end up in another system entirely."
Granted, this was all alot to take in. Welman had to admire the man's willingness to accept, rationalize, question, and understand. Quite the scientist, Nikola Tesla.
"As for the matter and energy issue, it's something that I've been looking into lately. Apparently, there is a converter for this, and that the bar itself has certain properties to do that. My son even pointed out to me a drink that both Users and Sprite-kind can enjoy. I have been studying the bar, my current form, and that of conversion to see about reversing my nullified condition."
"Are the systems... mapped, I suppose? If one is sent to a different system in one of the cubes, is it possible to return to one's own home, or very difficult?"
He tries to imagine how a world composed entirely of energy might behave. It isn't easy; he's a very visual thinker, and he can't quite picture it.
"If I can help at all--I know how energy works in my world, and I imagine other worlds could be learned as well--well, I always like a challenge, a problem to solve. Machines to build."
"A large number are mapped, connected by the Net. Many are not, however, so the only way out of there was the Game Cube again. Enzo, ah, went through this for quite some time until he found a system that could connect to Mainframe."
While he was talking, the vid-window had even a brief view of the Net, a vast open space with as many spherical portals to systems as there are stars in the sky.
"In a way, I created the connection of my system to the rest. Mainframe was isolated before then, thought to be the only system that existed. I knew this couldn't be so. And despite all...set-backs, I'm glad I did seek out the answers
( ... )
"Worlds are meant to be connected, it seems to me. And people, and places--countries, in my world, and the systems in yours; and planets, and everything else you can think of. We're all here for a reason, and the things we can learn from each other, the things we can give each other..."
He smiles. "Always seek out answers, always try to understand things better, to make them better. That's why we have the ability to reason. It's a waste, if we don't use it."
That was all he could say on the matter, for the moment. The null was looking in the direction Nikola had, albeit with more difficulty. The distance to those stars was more than his null-senses could pick up. Their light made it, though, and cast their appearance differently to him. He was, indeed, reminded of the net. We're all here for a reason. Whether or not he intended it the way that it happened, Welman Matrix set the destiny of Mainframe, as well as a certain Guardian, in motion. It had happened, and that was that. No need to dwell on dark time-indexes, not when brighter times exist in the now. Facing Nikola now...
"It's been a pleasure speaking with you. I think I may get started on some more organized and official work soon, and I would definitely look forward to your help."
"It has been a pleasure speaking with you as well, sir. I will most likely be around, or if not, you can leave a message at the bar for me? I gather that's how things are usually done."
He is in no hurry to go back home. There are still so many things to see here, and experiments he wants to try.
That is...after the bar had been kind enough to supply an 8x10 color glossy to show exactly what he looked like. But after that, he was ready! And so...a humanoid robotic-looking form being driven by a small greenish-red null-type being spotted the scientist...and spoke.
"Ah, would you be Nikola Tesla?"
He knew, but confirmation is key. It's the difference between theory and mere hypothesis.
Reply
...cannot help staring.
It's like the telautomatics, but bigger, and sentient, and--well. Fascinating.
"And you are, sir?"
Reply
The exo-suit containing the funny null-thing reaches out a hand in the ancient art of handshake.
"...and I'm aware of my appearance. I believe my son, Enzo, has made your acquaintence?"
Reply
(Somehow shaking the hand of non-humans makes him less uncomfortable than humans. He isn't sure why, but suspects it comes down to germs.)
"Enzo, yes--a very nice boy. We met here some time ago. He said you might be able to help explain some things about the different ways our separate worlds work."
Reply
Then, as if remembering himself...
"Ah, the ummm, suit was built by a friend of mine, for easier mobility. You have no idea how awkward it is, going around and tasting the floor everywhere."
Reply
Ah, social awkwardness.
"There are so many questions I have, I would not even know where to start."
Reply
Reply
"What makes one a null? Is it the loss of... of consciousness, of a soul? Can one come back from it?"
So many questions.
"When you absorb parts of your world, do you change? Is there an empty spot left in the world, or does it heal itself, or is it like picking an apple? Can you absorb energy here, as well?"
Reply
Tests are, of course, always being made to try and revert old friends back to their original selves, but there had been no real headway in that area.
"The specific cause to nearly all cases of nullification is losing in a Game Cube. The User, whoever is in charge of our world, plays these games for his own reasons...and his winning nullifies a section of the system."
This prompts the vid-window to run a playback of a Game Cube landing, and then another clip of one raising...a good chunk taken out of the area upon the words "User Wins" being spoken. A view of some nulls formed by it was also seen.
"Nulls don't seem to change except rare occasions where they grow larger. Since our world is energy, they have been known to leave streaks taking off the top layer of any surface at times, though that can be repaired. ( ... )
Reply
"Does it happen every time someone is in one of those games? Is there a pattern to the other instances of it happening, that might help find ways to prevent it?"
It seems strange to him that a world would work that way, but then, it may be like human mortality.
"I work with energy--Enzo said that there are ways to turn matter here into energy for you to eat? I am curious about that."
Reply
Granted, this was all alot to take in. Welman had to admire the man's willingness to accept, rationalize, question, and understand. Quite the scientist, Nikola Tesla.
"As for the matter and energy issue, it's something that I've been looking into lately. Apparently, there is a converter for this, and that the bar itself has certain properties to do that. My son even pointed out to me a drink that both Users and Sprite-kind can enjoy. I have been studying the bar, my current form, and that of conversion to see about reversing my nullified condition."
Reply
He tries to imagine how a world composed entirely of energy might behave. It isn't easy; he's a very visual thinker, and he can't quite picture it.
"If I can help at all--I know how energy works in my world, and I imagine other worlds could be learned as well--well, I always like a challenge, a problem to solve. Machines to build."
Reply
While he was talking, the vid-window had even a brief view of the Net, a vast open space with as many spherical portals to systems as there are stars in the sky.
"In a way, I created the connection of my system to the rest. Mainframe was isolated before then, thought to be the only system that existed. I knew this couldn't be so. And despite all...set-backs, I'm glad I did seek out the answers ( ... )
Reply
"Worlds are meant to be connected, it seems to me. And people, and places--countries, in my world, and the systems in yours; and planets, and everything else you can think of. We're all here for a reason, and the things we can learn from each other, the things we can give each other..."
He smiles. "Always seek out answers, always try to understand things better, to make them better. That's why we have the ability to reason. It's a waste, if we don't use it."
Reply
That was all he could say on the matter, for the moment. The null was looking in the direction Nikola had, albeit with more difficulty. The distance to those stars was more than his null-senses could pick up. Their light made it, though, and cast their appearance differently to him. He was, indeed, reminded of the net. We're all here for a reason. Whether or not he intended it the way that it happened, Welman Matrix set the destiny of Mainframe, as well as a certain Guardian, in motion. It had happened, and that was that. No need to dwell on dark time-indexes, not when brighter times exist in the now. Facing Nikola now...
"It's been a pleasure speaking with you. I think I may get started on some more organized and official work soon, and I would definitely look forward to your help."
Reply
"It has been a pleasure speaking with you as well, sir. I will most likely be around, or if not, you can leave a message at the bar for me? I gather that's how things are usually done."
He is in no hurry to go back home. There are still so many things to see here, and experiments he wants to try.
Reply
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