(Untitled)

[pattersongs]

It's been some time since Mordin saw this place last- two years and change, although he could probably give you the exact amount of subjective time if he really cared to do so. He's had a fruitful and productive day of dismantling and disabling unwelcome listening devices while cell samples to be used against the Collectors replicated

Comments

[mend_and_defend]

"It's Cubefall," says a blue-skinned humanoid male seated at a nearby table.

"Koo'faw!" echoes the turquoise-skinned infant in the booster seat next to him.

[pattersongs]

"Unfamiliar with term," says Mordin, turning to face the new speakers. Hm. Wrong head shape for asari, wrong gender anyway. Not to mention too much hair. "Elaborate, please?"

[mend_and_defend]

"It's a three-day holiday celebrated by the Cybertronians. The anniversary of the creation of their race," explains Bob. "Apparently the Landlord took it upon itself to start celebrating it too."

[pattersongs]

"Interesting. Similarly unfamiliar with cybertronian species," says Mordin. "Probably because no such race exists in my galaxy. 'Created' implies artificial uplift or other modification of some kind- recently defined species?"

[mend_and_defend]

"No, they're millions of years old," says Bob. "But they're machine life forms with perfect memories, so they know exactly where and how they originated."

[pattersongs]

"Synthetics celebrating holidays? Interesting. Implies significant cultural development, not to mention multiple sociological concepts. Age of lifeforms problematic, however. Not many systems last so long even under best of circumstances. Not entirely without precedent, but precedent all bad- for my won galaxy, of course."

[mend_and_defend]

"...well, then they're not from the same galaxy you are," says Bob after a moment. "Let me guess, you're new here?"

[pattersongs]

"Been here before, once or twice. Several years back. Wasn't in for very long, gathered basic data, compiled information, went back to work." Mordin shrugs. "Implications of Milliways existence significant but too much to do to look for it again deliberately. Suppose staying a while harmless, especially considering circumstances."

[mend_and_defend]

"Well, welcome to Milliways, then," says Bob once he's parsed this. "I'm Bob Matrix, and this is my daughter Mairi."

"Mahwee," says Mairi.

[pattersongs]

"Mordin Solus. Pleasure to meet you," says Mordin. "Can't say I recognize your species?"

[mend_and_defend]

"We're not a species, exactly." Bob takes a deep breath and launches into The Explanation. "The world I come from exists inside computers--in cyberspace. I'm a sprite--a kind of sentient program. My format is Guardian. My function is to Mend and Defend."

[pattersongs]

"Interesting. More functionality than virtual intelligences, audible emotional inflection- systems must be considerably more sophisticated than standard platforms," Mordin muses. "Have met at least one shackled AI. Can detect certain similarities, but only a few."

[mend_and_defend]

"I'm not an AI," says Bob with a bit of exasperation. "AIs can change their own programming. I can't."

[pattersongs]

"Didn't say you were. Said similarities were present. Also similarities to humans and at least one superficial similarity to asari despite no possible way you could be one of them," Mordin points out.

[mend_and_defend]

"What's an asari?"

[pattersongs]

"First of current species dominant in Galactic society and politics to achieve interstellar flight," says Mordin. "Blue skin, yes- many shades and variances, not to mention facial markings- but no hair above eyebrows, and sometimes not even eyebrows. Not to mention asari all morphologically female."