Data Recording 001: This is a pretty strange test...

[genkibot]

[Early afternoon during a school week in suburbia is usually quiet. Before the kids return from school and the parents are currently working, there is not much to break the silence or stillness of a suburban neighborhood. The block along Mitchell Road sure seems like no exception. Other than the sounds of birds and the occasional passerby, it is pretty quiet. That is about to change though.

In the back yard of 1450 Mitchell Road, beside a small doghouse with "Tachikoma" written on it, lays a rather large machine. Mostly blue, the machine looks very much like a mechanical spider, what with the large pod attached to the back and the multiple limbs.

Speaking of the large pod, if someone was in it, they would see the monitor screens inside light up, as if a computer was booting up. Shortly after this, the machine starts to move, slowly standing up as if it just woke up.]

"Huh? This isn't the lab. Where am I?"

[Tachikoma takes a look around, the eyes scanning around as it takes in the neighborhood scene.]

"This isn't Section 9 HQ either. I don't think I'm even in Niihama. Maybe this is some kind of exercise and part of my memory was just damaged?"

[It stands still a moment as it does a system check. Again, if someone was there, they see the monitors flash tons of error messages.]

"What? What's this? Almost all my systems down? Weapon systems? Wires? Net connectivity? I can't even contact the others Tachikomas or members of Section 9? What exactly is going on here? Well, at least I can still move, and my voice synthesizer is working. Maybe my first idea was right and this is just some new way to test our abilities."

[Tachikoma takes a look around again, this time as if it is looking for something specific.]

"Hrrm, we're not usually deployed in suburban environments. Maybe that's the point of this? And my weapon systems are disabled to lessen the chance of harming innocents. I probably should take a look around and see if I can locate the other Tachikomas or at least to gather more information. I better be careful though, it seems like the least amount of collateral damage is a major part of this exercise."

[After having said that, the Tachikoma suddenly realizes something and focuses its eyes on the ground beneath it. A multiple ton multiped tank moving around upon grass is not exactly good for the yard, as many divots and gouges are left around its legs. It pauses, almost as if it is embarrassed. It then slowly, with care, picks its way toward the street, lifting each leg purposely so as to reduce the chance of causing any more damage to the lawn.]

"I sure hope that won't get me in trouble..."

[With that said, and finally upon concrete, the Tachikoma engages its wheels and drives system, preceding down the road at about the speed of a bike.]

Comments

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

[Theta is out and about for a walk, and she can't help herself. Just...what...is that? It's bright blue and mechanical, and there's so much joy in her eyes when she sees it. She leans heavily on her cane, but sticks her hand out and waves at the Tachikoma, trying to flag it down as it goes by.]

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

[One of the eyes catch a person waving at it. It spins around on its wheels to face them directly and see who it is.]

"Oh, hello there! Are you part of the exercise?"

[Tachikoma is pretty sure they're not a threat. Maybe they're here to give them instructions!]

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

Exercise? No. ...You're new here, aren't you? [She reaches out to touch.]

...What are you?

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

[Tachikoma doesn't stop her as, though one of its eyes on the side follow it. It tilts to one side slightly, almost as if cocking its head in confusion.]

This isn't a military exercise? But then why am I here then? Well, here specifically. I mean, I am pretty new to this place and I was suppose to be sent to a lab to have my AI studied, so I figured this must be part of that.

Oh, but I'm a Tachikoma! Nice to meet you!

[Tachikoma offers one of its claws to shake 'hands' just like it learned from Miki!]

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

[She runs her hand over it curiously, but pulls back when it offers its claw, taking that instead to shake hands with. She gets her cane under herself a bit more firmly and sighs softly. Such beautiful machinery!]

Everyone here has been kidnapped. ...Now you have been as well.

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

"Kidnapped?! But...but that's against the law! Are they trying to get money? Oh, or are they harvesting organs for the black market like some Russian mobs were doing? Why aren't people being detained if they're kidnapped victims? Everyone seems free to move around. Do you think they know I'm gone? I was already on my way to the lab, so maybe Mr. Batou or the Major don't know I was kidnapped enroute. I bet if they knew about this, they'd help though! Wait, can I even be considered to be kidnapped? I mean, I'm not really a human, or even have a ghost, so I can't exactly be considered to be kidnapped. Stolen would be more along the terms when you consider it..."

[Tachikoma is pretty animate as it speaks, gesturing wildly with its arms in surprise as it babbles on.]

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

[It's like a talking clank! Although she feels bad for it, she really can't help but smile as she watches it talk and gesture with its arms. She reaches out to pat it affectionately.]

Unfortunately, Mayfield is a prison. We can walk around in it, but... [She considers things, then moves a bit closer.]

Might I ride on your back and give you directions somewhere? I'll show you something that I doubt you'll believe without verifying it yourself.

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

A prison? Did we break the law or something? But they broke the law to kidnap us, right? That doesn't seem right at all!

[Tachikoma has been pondering this out loud as it leans its 'head' against one of its arms, propping it with the other in a thinking pose.]

Oh! But if you want to show me something, that's fine. If you want to ride on my back, that's fine too, but it might be more comfortable to ride in my pod. Most of my piloting connections aren't working it seems, but I can still open the top so you can see where we going if you like!

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

It's a colloquialism...the word 'prison' does not -always- refer to legal incarceration. We can't leave. Hence, a prison. Its use is...somewhat more poetic in such circumstances...

I...don't think I'd like to get inside...the idea of being shut in even accidentally doesn't sit well with me. And it may be difficult to get out again. But I just want to show you something simple.

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

Oh, okay! Closed up, the pod can get cramped for larger people... And with having so much trouble accessing a lot of my other systems, I guess it wouldn't be a good idea to risk it, would it?

You can ride on top alright, I think. I'll be extra careful since there's no cushions there as well!

[Tachikoma lowers its main body slightly to allow easy access to climb aboard.]

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

[She had to be careful climbing on top, but she got herself settled.] You see where we are? All the details as well as the street names and house numbers?

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

[Tachikoma waits patiently for her to settle in before standing back up, making sure she is situated fine. Its eyes spin around a bit, taking in the details mentioned: house numbers, the street signs with names, etc. It saves them to memory in case it might need them for later, along with a rudimentary map.]

"Uh-huh, there's quite a few houses on both sides, isn't there? It's too bad I can't access the net though, I could probably get a map of the area without much trouble then.

Then again, I guess if I had net access, I'd be able to contact the other Tachikomas or the members of Section 9, and they see about getting me back home and saving the other kidnapped victims, so I guess a map of the area wouldn't be a huge priority..."

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

Just...head down this street. It's a ways...I've forgotten how far.

[She intends to direct it straight through the town edge warp and straight back to where they are now...all in a straight line.]

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

Roger!

[Tachikoma begins to drive down the street with passenger on top, going at about a casual bike ride speed so as not to risk an accident.

While it may be silent during the ride, its eyes are scanning everything as it moves, including the house names and numbers as was pointed out to it.]

I follow this street down to the end, then? I don't need to make a turn at any of the intersections?

[ergaleomancer.livejournal.com]

No, you should recognise exactly what it is I'm speaking of when you reach it.

[Theta intends to ride on its back until it comes to the loop of the town and brings them right back to where they started...all without turning once.]

[genkibot.livejournal.com]

Oh, okay then!

[Tachikoma keeps up the pace at a nice even clip, still scanning the street numbers as they cruise down the street. It makes small talk of course, but after awhile, it notices something odd and slows down slightly.

While it's not sure how it happened, it does seem to notice that it has seen these houses before, in fact, there's the house it woke up at! It has to be the same house because the divots it made in the grass are still there!

It's looking around a bit in confusion now, though, as it was pretty sure it was moving away from that house when it started...]

Did we get turned around? The road seemed pretty straight, so I didn't expect it to take us back here...