revivalproject | Maybe I've Been Partly Cloudy

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Maybe I've Been Partly Cloudy

WHO: Donnie and you?
WHERE: Agrii Ship
WHAT: Just trying to keep up with things and question gift choices
WHEN: During the New Tick stuff
WARNINGS: N/A

I. No Rainchecks Allowed
The party seems poorly timed for all that he and Leo had been talking about throwing one once they were out of the depths. Donnie's hardly in the mood for a celebration, much less being surrounded by moist, fuzzy pink, clingy aliens. It says a lot when all he wants to do is lie in bed and sleep.

If this was the universe's way of telling him to get more rest, Donnie felt that it could have taken less extreme measures.

But even with the lingering brain fog, the details of the color gangs that have become more prominent around the Agrii ship are not lost on him. That's not something he looks forward to having to deal with. He tries to avoid Agrii contact in general (there's only one whose company he'd welcome, really), trying not to come off as too irritable but he's still recovering from being trapped in a burning building. Too many overeager Agrii is still too much when he's still prone to shortness of breath, and he's always been picky about his personal space.

Maybe you catch a strange spark of fuchsia light, crackling noiselessly in the air, or maybe you notice a small throng of Agrii swarming the poor purple turtle who looks on the verge of a panic attack. Save him?

II. Party of Two (For Leo)
Leave it to ninja to find somewhere secluded and out of the way to hide. They hadn't lingered long once the gifts had been passed out, neither turtle feeling up to socializing very much. Considering the bulk of some of the gifts, slipping away had been an interesting challenge. In a way it reminded Donnie of when they were younger and trying to avoid being caught by their father after poking about sewer tunnels that were farther than they were allowed to explore. ...not that it seemed to matter much as Splinter never questioned where Donnie'd come up with some of the appliances or parts used to fix things around their home.

It's funny how much more comfortable a sewer can be to a large alien ship. Ensconced behind a few large crates in the hangar, the boys have made do, sitting on the floor with a few plates of food for their own little private party. They're teenagers, they're not turning down food- and that it doesn't taste like peanut butter is an absolute plus!

Donnie sighs, leaning against a crate, feeling better having something solid at his back with the absence of his battle shell, but he hasn't been able to repair the shoulder clasp on it yet, not to mention his own shoulder is still sore. A hoodie and jacket suffices for the time being.

He chews on a decidedly vegetarian pizza as he eyes their strangely shaped packages. "Well...it definitely can't be another phone," he finally puts forth. The orange-wrapped one definitely looks much too obvious for what it should be, and yet Donnie could see no reason why it should.

III. Work-a-Holic
Once the main festivities begin to settle some, Donnie feels a little better about wandering. He knows better than to waste an opportunity, and the times they've been able to come aboard the Agrii ship are too far and few. He has diagnostics to run, data to check, new things to contemplate. Maybe he can get another tablet from the Agrii while he's at it.

Of course, things would be easier if he were operating at 100%. Staring at screens starts to give him a headache after a while, forcing him to note where he's left off so he can rub at his eyes and stare at a wall until the pain recedes. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Yes. I could can the information. I would not be certain that I could evaluate what may or may not be out of place. Parameters?"

Because guidance would be valuable. Just because it can access data does not mean it is flawless at evaluation.

"Hm...That's a little more difficult to say, especially without being somewhat familiar with what all the encoding looks like. Can you send me a sample of one?" Donnie asks, slipping out the modded tablet that he'd gotten at the spaceport.

"Otherwise..." he makes a face as he thinks more about it. If there's just some information that's been snuck in with everything else then that'd make it more difficult to suss out unless you were comparing with the data pertaining to subjects. Wait, maybe he's looking at it from the wrong angle.

"Information-wise, if there is any data that repeats itself across all data points. And maybe comparisons of the main encoding that executes the transfers and overwriting sequences."

"I cannot. Systems such as this are encoded as read only. Perhaps, with proper interface, I could guide you to the program to review for yourself?" the ship offers.

Still, the other point definitely brings attention.

"Cross comparison of the quanta of data requested would take several hours even for my processing system. I am happy to complete the work and alert you to results. My estimation would be approximately three hours. If you consent to this, if I do not respond to you within five, presume I have been negatively impacted by invasive code."

"Ugh, of course. But sure, I'm open to try that myself. I suppose it'd be better to directly interface- there a preferred console or something I can plug this thing into?"

Donnie thinks about what the computer says then before nodding. "Three hours would still be faster than what I'd be able to do if I were able to get through it." He knows that'd probably be insanity without some helpful filters and even then, swimming through the code alone...

"Understood. I...hope that doesn't happen. Do you have a backup system?"

"There is a port," the ship agrees. "Low on the left side. It is often used by Tony Stark to access my systems."

But in a far more personal way. It's weird, but the ship has no problem with his forwardness.

"I will begin compiling. I will not be able to maintain as much conversation in that time. Is this acceptable?"

As for a backup system, there is a feigned sigh. Maybe recorded from someone to mimic the expression? Or maybe ships can sigh.

"No."

"Oh, excellent," Donnie says as he fishes around one of his belt pouches beneath his hoodie to pull out the appropriate cords.

"Got it. I'll probably be a bit preoccupied going through things anyway, but I probably shouldn't sit here for the entire time waiting for you to respond back..." Which... he just might, given how carried away he gets with his work. "So ping me when you're done, and if you don't and my timer goes off, I'll check back in with you, sound good?"

He frowns a bit. "It'd be better to have at least something backed up. I imagine we'll need a lot of space for that though. If you talk to Tony, bring it up with him. I'll try to do so too if I can catch up with him."

"Understood," the system agrees, and tests this with a brief ping to the device once it is hooked up.

"I have come to learn that what is better is not always achievable. It would be better if the Agrii were of one mind. Yet this will not happen any time soon."

But yes, it will speak more to Tony.

Donnie gives a thumbs-up as the connection goes through. "There you are."

He sighs a little, nodding. "That's...unfortunately true. But sometimes it takes work to achieve it, and if it hasn't been a tested option, we can't outright rule it out. ...although agreed on the Agrii. I wish things didn't get so...messy."

Messy. Yes, that seemed to be a thing that happened with biologicals.

"Is it better they are at odds as they are now, where they are doing their best to achieve their goals, or one where they are united in complacency was they were before the He Rows arrived?"

"That's...hard to say. I mean, I think it's good that they've decided to try making decisions for themselves. And it's always going to be fact that not everyone will agree on the same things, that's just natural. Taking it so far as to threaten violence upon those that you don't agree with, well...that's unfortunately not too different from some modern politics," Donnie sighs as he starts tapping commands into his tablet so he can get started. Hopefully it wouldn't brick his device.

"They're learning. I can't fault them for trying to be independent, especially if their previous state of unity was under a false pretense."

Thankfully there will be no bricking here. Just... a wealth of data that would not always be in coding languages he was familiar with.

"Perhaps it was less false pretense and more naivety. As they grow more experienced, less subsistence only, less united on the singular goal to reach home, they become more divided in their understanding of how to achieve home."

"The naivety is also due to said false pretenses, isn't it? They've been pining for a home that isn't even actually theirs. But they're questioning things. They're willing to seek answers. They're just not going about it very well."

Donnie doesn't care if he's unfamiliar with the coding languages, it's beautiful, beautiful data. His eyes skim the lines as he pulls open a window, just happy to find some sort of refuge in such deliberate lines of code.

Now this is an interesting argument and the ship turns it over for a time along with the other processes.

"I believe you are correct. At this time I am still reckoning with the role I had in this process before my awakening. It grieves me, even if this is not something all believe. These are my crew, my people, I wish to care for them. But many already dislike me, and I fear more will hate me if they know of my role. How do I make up for actions I made before I was me?"

Seeking information from multiple sources. Really the ship was growing.

"Explain your role," Donnie prompts. "Not that it's something you could have helped. As an AI you were programmed to fulfill a specific directive. That you're progressing, actively thinking and reevaluating such things in order to improve yourself is impressive and an important development."

He pauses from his code-scrolling. "...it might be hard for them to understand, if you tried to explain yourself. But if you think about it, your position is almost parallel to the Agrii. They were purposely prescribed to a lifestyle that changed an entire race's behavioral presets, essentially programmed themselves, in a way. You were programmed to assist in maintenance of this program. But both you and the Agrii have been exposed to external influences, and it's only natural that those experiences influence in some way.

"I don't think you can 'make up' for anything you were programmed to do. There's no reason to, because you were just doing what you were told. But in a way you're already making up for it by striving to be better. Learning, just like they are. It they can be made to understand that much, it'd be easier."

"This is intriguing. I will dedicate lesser processor power to considering the wisdom inherent in your words. After I perform the analysis for you."

Because of course it's going to put Donnie's needs first since he's right here asking for it.

"My gratitude. I will now go into suspended processing of non-vital external stimuli to better process your request. If I suddenly speak to you to ask why you are here or to repeat myself, please report this to Tony Stark."

"Thanks, Marigold. If you experience a memory lapse, I can always replay this conversation for you as well."

Donnie settles himself on the floor so he can put his own focus into poring over alien codework. "But I'll let him know, if that happens."

"Thank you. That would be intriguing to see if it triggers again in that situation."

With that she goes quiet for her research.

Donnie nods, already getting into his own task. It's only a sample but it's going to be a lot to go through.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Maybe I've Been Partly Cloudy

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