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

no subject
Oh, hello there! Have you seen any other Tachikomas? If this is some type of exercise, I probably should find them.
no subject
no subject
[Tachikoma actually seems to be pondering something now, as it goes off on a tangent.]
Unless one of us had some sort of virus... Then we usually isolate it until a vaccine is made. Oh no! Maybe that's why I can't contact the others or access most of my systems!!
no subject
So...I take it that a Tachikoma is a kind of...robot, yes?
[He says the word "robot" carefully. He doesn't know if using the term would offend it or not.]
no subject
Well, only in a broad sense of the term. I mean, my main function as a support vehicle and the fact that I can move independently of an operator does mean I could be categorized as one, but at the same time, with my AI being more advanced then other support AIs means that I can act more like a human being who is able to make on the fly decisions or adapt to sudden changes in the field. The ministries and military usually label as as "think tanks," since our AIs give us the capabilities of a human brain while being housed in an armored and armed body.
[The Tachikoma rattles this off rather casually, but one can't help but feel as if its giving a lecture...]
no subject
So technically you would be. I mean, you do say that you have an AI...
no subject