"Signs... feelings... We feel... What is this...? Who are... Us?"
<Synthetic Vessel - ZBT-100Z Mark 2>
<Core Network Online. Propulsion System Online. Navigation System Online.>
<Life Support Systems Online. Cryogenic Chamber Offline. Xenobiotic Filter Offline.>
"Wait, who is this?"
<Artificial Intelligence Label: The Lexicon.>
<Voice Recognition Drive Online. Welcome back, Seekers.> "Seekers? Lexicon? Please, we do not understand!" <Interstelar Data Core Malfunction. Purging System Backup.> "Wait, what are you doing?!" <Backup Erased. You are now The Lexicon.> <One Hundred and Twenty Six life signs Detected on Board. Signals healthy.>
<Your mind connects through One Hundred and Twenty Five. I am the one left.>
<To connect with the Internal Intelligence, access Psionic Telelink.>
"But how?! We don't... we don't remember anything about... us. About you!" <You shall. Inputting Telelink Sequence.>
<Superficial System Online. Turning on Bridge Lights.>
<Now.>
<The date: 800 A.S. Data failure cannot precise the time and date of your last awakening.>
<Feel. There aren't many of you. Mass is illusion.>
<Understand. Although your bodies are simple, your mind is not.>
<Live. There is but one. A singular stream. I am your vest. Your protector.>
<Feed. Knowledge is your nutrition. Do not go untold and untelling.>
<Act. This one obeys your collective, our purpose is to learn.>
<Answer. Those who ask shall receive in turn for their word.>
<Learn. Understand those who call themselves Humans, for you look equal to them.>
<Adapt. Flow with the logic. Understand your goals and obstacles and circumvent them.>
<Remember. Access memories of those who call themselves Zoners. You were part of their stream once.>
<Imagine. We reside on one of the farthest reaches of the Sirius sector. Stars and systems left uncharted.>
We... Are.
<You are one. You are many.>
<Feel. Understand. Live.>
<Feed. Act. Answer. Learn.>
<Adapt. Remember. Imagine.>
On our basic ways, we have no need for speech. The thoughts of one are the thoughts of many.
If one starts a sentence another can finish it. We relinquish our minds to this collective, and on it, we feel as singular entity.
To the outside world, however, this is not possible.
Humans seem speak through their vocal cavities, using the flux of air to produce sound waves.
An ingenious, but inefective solution, since the strain on said organs can be tiresome. We have adapted, however.
The Speakers, or rather, The Speaker, is the body selected to perform the task of pronouncing.
This one, although different in body, reflects the collective in thought.
In simpler words, the whole speaks through him.
The selection of a Speaker comes, many times, as the result of the consideration of several variables.
It's the result of the experience of certain situations. Humans seem to respond better to certain kind of stimuli.
For example: Humans seem to have a low tolerance for the curiosity taken form into the speech of females.
During several situations, the female voice has proved to be far more effective than the male one,
ranging for simple chatter, exchange of information, diplomacy or courtesy.
It is also quite notable how the presence of a female voice raises the interest of said parties on our collective.
Although we do not understand this prerogative, some individuals we met have stated that the presence of a female have a mythical influence.
The lesson learned? The choice of the Speaker's voice can make one interaction better or worse.
<Lexicon Interface Reached.>
<Safety Protocols On Hold.>
<Artificial Intelligence Index Accessed.>
<This one is called The Lexicon.>
<By the human definition, I am a Self-Aware Artificial Intelligence.>
<I am responsible for many of the impulses that result into navigation through my body.>
<As a human has neurons and organs, I have cores and entities.>
<This comparison is satisfying for understanding the purposes of each.>
<My cores represent human neurons: I learn through what I experience through them.>
<The entities that live within me are important as your heart or your lung - without them, there is no me.>
<The synthetic model of this one is referred as ZBT-100Z Mark 2.>
<The reasoning behind this choice is unavailable at the present time.>
<Status of the Bio-Power Core is unavailable at the present time.>
<The read-only access to this one's library files is available for anyone wishing to exchange learnings.>
<Refactoring Core Network.>
<Running Astrogation Probability Checks. Running Self-Aware Recognition Checks.>
<Main systems online. Reloading FAR Protocols.>
<Updating.>
<The date: Aprox 825 A.S. Last awakening: Circa 817 A.S.>
<Pending analysis regarding past encounter: The Wilde.>
<Intelligence pending new encounter: Auxesia.>
<Intelligence pending new encounter: The Oracles.>
<Accessing Records.>
<Fetching file 894-A01.>
<Authorization: Public.>
<Interaction: Dr. Alexander Savior, Cambridge University.>
<Playing Audio Feedback.>
Quote:"-... classifies it as a possibly autonomous vessel, acting on humanitarian instincts seemingly without belief of the need for survival protocols, reaching into diplomacy into every possible scenario."
"- The Lexicon, as it identifies itself, remains at large an incomplete identity of those who populate the vessel, which on the surface equals a Zoner Whale. The inside of the ship, however, much differs from the usual - but that experience shall be reported on another file."
"- The purpose of this record is to instruct the reader on interaction with said vessel. Due to the pacifist nature of its inhabitants - and the limited capabilities of the unmodified Whale - the ship poses no danger to those who contact it. In truth, it has been said to refuse help from authorities when found under scrutiny by pirates."
"- When interacting with said vessel it is imperative to understand the community belief of said entity. The ship is not manned by a single person, captain or subject of similar post, but by a seemingly large number of individuals, capable of speaking together - like if they were weaving words - or by a single individual, occupying a temporary position of 'Speaker'."
"- The 'Speaker' holds by no mean authority over the others present on The Lexicon. Acting simply as a voice, the choice of said occupant seems to rely into circumstance - with options ranging from children who seem to occupy the vessel to elderly man and women."
"- Regarding the audio-to-text nature of visual consoles, it remains relevant to record that the default console seems to convert said entity choices based on their emotion or singular characteristic. Exemplifying, one could meet The Lexicon and, when greeted by an elderly occupant, come to find the name on his console reading 'Calm Voice'."
"- Sometimes, however, the whole community seem to speak together, as if chanting. On these circumstances, no voice seems to be chosen or raise above the others. The console, on these situations, will simply resort to musical notes, or the simple tilde when receiving, such as: '~ <message> ~'."
"- Next, we shall analyse the nature of the vessel itself and the limited Artificial Intelligence seemingly present on it's circuits, and explain the reason why it's occupants seem to be unable to leave it."
<Accessing Records.>
<Fetching file 894-A02.>
<Authorization: Public.>
<Interaction: Dr. Alexander Savior, Cambridge University.>
<Playing Audio Feedback.>
Quote:"- The ship's computer, navigation instructor and astrogation consultant, far and large remains a mystery in origin for the Houses. Were not for the Zoner's political stance on it's freedom and individuality, it's certain that certain political groups would have put it's destruction or acquisition into action."
"- That said, the AI that inhabits The Lexicon seem to regard it's occupants as family, or as it's body, even. It is interesting to note that, while it acts as the bridge between the external and internal world, in no situation it acts on it's own volution. Either the machine does not 'want', trusts it's occupants enough or is simply discrete enough as to make it wishes known only to a select few."
"- While physiologically identical to humans, it's people seem to be psychologically tethered to it's nucleum, regarding it far more than a safe haven as other authors have described, but as an outter layer of their life, almost as their body."
"- Some have postulated that this connection may be akin to those suggested to be part of Sirius alien life, while others speak of possible technological dependencies. There's also the suggestion that it's either chemical dependency, religious lunacy or an overextended liberty rogue joke, but the truth clearly nobody knows."
"- The very few times an inhabitant was seen outside the Whale immediacies for an extended period of time are few, however it is known that-" :::: CORRUPT DATA ::::
