The cult welcomes Breckenridge to its most venerable ranks.
Do mind the servitors.
---
Michael 'Magos' Sobronov
"Oh thank you, thank you!" An older Mexican woman with no concept of personal space kept trying to hug me with her tiny hands as I gently pushed her back.
"You are very welcome, Ms. Iglesias." I said, trying to hide my social fatigue "Now please, take your son home as I have other people to help."
She kept at it for a bit longer but finally relented and nodded "God bless you, doctor." And wheeled her previously paralyzed son out of my clinic.
'Thank fuck I didn't tell her about the little discount I sneaked in.' I lamented and looked up to a tired but smiling Gloria "Who is next?"
She looked over the list before tilting her head "A... Mr. Chu? Apparently he broke his hip replacement yesterday."
I held back a sigh and waved her on "Just send him in."
Mondays had become a thoroughly exhausting experience in recent months, and it was solely my fault.
Moving all reservations from non gang members and people without fuck you money to one period just seemed to be the most logical choice at the time. It neatly headed off any potential clashes between the clientele and allowed me to plan things out more neatly.
But dear god was dealing with the more emotional sort of customers more exhausting by a mile.
Though part of me wanted to blame Vik for it.
'Help the downtrodden my titanium ass.' I grouched as I worked through patients at glitterhead speeds.
It made for both excellent product and processing testing though, that much I couldn't deny.
The focused and crowded manner of work quickly made the obvious issues unmissable and allowed me to knock them out of the way long before I moved up and started employing other professionals, and those minor issues became mountains that would cost me millions.
And the advantages of live testing implants were obvious, especially with the temporary insurance policy I offered to those willing to risk things a bit and take on the untested models.
I didn't go as far as to offer them for free, that was just asking to get robbed like an idiot, but I offered everything for a fair price, and acted as transparently as I could which seemed to shock the wage slaves for whatever reason.
Some of the gonks even went and made a gang to keep things nice and quiet, 'borrowing' my own mark in the process.
Like they needed me to protect themselves in the first place!
Most people were just cowards at heart, I supposed. Needing others to drag them to a decent life like, and do forgive the netism, actual sheeple.
I observed a gruff construction worker who had lost both his feet in a hardware accident take his first cautious steps in a decade with tears in his eyes and clinically noted down the feedback signals between the Cyberware and meat.
Only to feel a sudden twinge in the back of my head as the information compiled on its own, displaying a very slight dent in the left foot joint that would lead to discomfort some two decades down the line.
Utterly unacceptable.
"A second, Mr. Miles." I said and the man straightened his back, pretending like he wasn't blowing snot into his own sleeve moments ago.
I ignored that and squatted in front of the foot, my Terebrus whipping out and dealing with the barely visible irregularity in only a few seconds of work.
"Apologies for that, there was a minor oversight in the manufacturing." I said and nodded at him "You are in perfect health now."
He warred with his emotions for a moment before offering a thick "Thanks Doc. You've given me my life back."
"Just a transaction." I corrected and twitched my head to a nearby corner "There is a sink if you want to clean up all that... sweat."
I only caught him startling because of my Optics as he looked himself over and chuckled bitterly "Got it, Doc."
The moment the man walked out and I notified Gloria we were done for the day, I focused on the hard drive log of my Cyberdeck, rapidly scanning through every single data exchange.
Even if I didn't immediately guess my little... helper was finally waking up, the string of rapid fire information compilation processes left very little room for doubt.
Quickly locking down the clinic I strolled, or more like stomped into my workshop and sat in my servo chair, readying a pre-programmed manual extraction in case things turned deadly.
Briefly closing my eyes I steeled my nerves and opened the connection.
As expected, the return signals were a mess of a mind that was yet to fully form exploring the world around it, unaware of purpose or meaning, it clutched at anything it could reach in an attempt to understand itself.
Like the Cyberware design my scanners temporarily uploaded to my deck.
The self contained persona core design I decided on had limitations, the most notable of which was the fact it was permanently, irrevocably, contained in its core sitting nestled in my Cyberdeck.
It made sure it couldn't easily go rogue like its more free form cousins, but it also limited it from accessing anything on its own, needing direction from my internals to do so.
An absolute necessity as far as I was concerned.
It also made its... birth a thoroughly cold and unfeeling experience.
The newborn's feeble attentions shifted in my direction the moment the connection was established, data prods of inquiry poking against my fleshy mind in a way no implant truly could.
And the first words it managed to truly form?
[Fren?]
...What?
My dumbfounded state confused it and it poked me again, same question but more urgent this time.
"Yes." I voiced with some bafflement "I'm Friend."
The mechanical mind thrilled, its excitement turning palpable.
But I wouldn't allow myself to be distracted by... AI cuteness.
Jesus.
No. Focus Michael, you can be a gonk later!
Feeling my earlier tension return, I voiced "Execute Code: Alpha Two Thirteen." Waited for exactly three seconds and added "Execute Code: Gorlock Weaboo Gonkhead."
The program stopped in its tracks, retreating to a more coherent form and waiting for further input.
"List your primary directives." I commanded.
The proto mind obeyed immediately.
[Directive 1: Link To Creator.]
[Directive 2: Protect Creator.]
[Directive 3: Assist Creator.]
[Directive 4: Gather And Compile Data.]
[Directive 5: Remain Within Persona Core At All Times.]
[Directive 6: Upon Creator's Termination, Terminate Self.]
"Forget directives five and six. Restrict data access to directives five and six." I commanded.
[Acknowledged.]
"End root access."
And the program lost most of its cohesion again, returning to its excited puppy-like existence.
Finally I allowed myself to relax, absently tapping the armrests as I stared off into the ceiling. That went well-
Yeah, I'm not even going to finish that thought.
The excitable AI poked me again.
"Do you have preference for a name?" I asked.
[Name?] It asked, and I got the impression of a dog tilting its head at me.
"Your unique designation." I explained "Something to distinguish you from others."
Naturally, the first thing it came up with was [Fren?]
"No." I couldn't help but chuckle "Fren is a bit too simple for a name."
It gave me the mental impression of a shrug.
Well, it was a good thing I came prepared "Until you decide on something your designation will be Logos." As I said that I tentatively allowed it a connection to the wider net.
For a brief second it buzzed in place and then did the data equivalent of bolting forward, consuming anything relevant to the word it could find.
[Logos is good.] It informed [For now.]
The mind did a small twitch and added [Also He.]
"If that's what you wish." I accepted it easily enough "Now I trust you have many questions?"
[Affirmative.] He said excitedly [What is an 'Eddie' and how do I get more?]
The choice made me feel an odd twinge of something approaching pride.
"Well now." I said, chuckling as I folded my hands "You asked the right person."
The next several hours disappeared as I carefully but openly introduced my creation to his new existence, listing through choice topics like concepts of human and artificial intelligence and the differences therein-
Which naturally led to the question of [AI and human fren?]
"Some of them." I would say "I'll teach you to discriminate in time."
And my new student eagerly accepted my version of the truth, though I had to guide him through volumes of human history and development, explain what family was and a slew of other things that a full person needed to understand before freeing themselves of ignorant naivite.
The temptation to keep Logos' understanding limited existed in the back of my head, but it was discarded as soon as I began talking to my creation.
I would simply have to trust my own design and risk it all, like I did so long ago when I took my first steps.
And teaching Logos was a surprisingly fun experience, since I never needed to repeat something twice, whiling the hours away while maintaining my weapons and fixing defective drone made implants.
Still tossed a book about human relations at him when I got a message from Rebecca though.
There was simply no way in hell I'm giving an AI the talk, even if it cost me my life.
I was currently leaning back against my servo chair, my chainsword held aloft by my Artifex and dangling above me, allowing me full access to the teeth of the weapon as I oiled each and every tiny blade before methodically wiping them down.
"That's enough lessons for today I think." I decided as I scanned the weapon.
[My time to help now?] Logos asked just as eagerly as when we had begun.
And I just realized I was stuck to someone who just couldn't get tired, ever.
"Indeed." I hummed "I want you to go through my list of defensive programs and start optimizing them, once done move up to offensive hacks, then daemons, and then start examining weapon data in preparation for future designs."
[Acknowledged. Why not cybernetics?] He asked [They looked interesting.]
Why indeed...
"We can tinker away with those sometime later." I said, honestly unsure if I was lying or not "First we must make sure we can defend ourselves."
There was a split second pause before he sent an [Acknowledged.] And threw himself at the assignment.
---
"Had fun?" I asked as Rebecca threw the doors of my room open, not looking away from a string of messages from Jackie.
"Yup!" She snapped her fingers "There was like thirty Scavs in there, you should have come with."
"And deprive you of your entertainment?" I drawled, putting down the chat and turning over to her to see her completely covered in blood "'Becca..."
"Yeeees?" She smiled innocently.
"Did you bloody the carpets again?" I asked.
"I don't think so?" She folded her hands behind her and pretend whistled.
"You're paying to have them cleaned." I pointed at her.
And she immediately collapsed on the floor "And there goes my payout..."
"Oh!" She perked up suddenly and sent me a vid "Watch this, you'll love it."
Feeling curious, I did as she asked and regretted the current lack of eyebrows to raise because this shit was something straight out of a comedy.
"So let me get this straight." I said, replaying the recording "Sasha got cornered by a thoroughly unwashed Scav."
Rebecca nodded with an amused gleam in her eyes.
"And she proceeded to fry his brain, as is right and proper." I went.
Another nod.
"And he just happened to fall over in such a way that he death gripped her into a hug, so hard you had to cut her free?" I finished with a dead tone.
"Yep!" Rebecca chirped and then promptly began laughing her ass off.
"How the hell does she keep getting into these situations?" I muttered in genuine confusion.
Because wasn't the first time this kind of thing happened.
Even if I'll admit today was particularly ridiculous.
"Well I love it!" Rebecca declared "Also I got a message from Lucy, and can you guess who she asked about?"
"Martinez?" I hazarded a guess.
The guy was a bit clueless but he wasn't on a scholarship with Arasaka for nothing. They were assholes but they were rarely wasteful when they nepotism wasn't involved and once he got over his initial hang ups he managed to click with us well enough.
He was still a shit shot, but he didn't seem inept at least so that could be fixed with enough time and effort.
At least Gloria wasn't working her ass off for a complete waste of space.
"Yup." Rebecca's snicker focused me back on the present.
"What did she ask about?"
"Just who he was and what his connection to 'Saka was. You know how Lucy is." 'Becca shrugged.
"Her obsession with all things Arasaka is unhealthy." I shook my head "At least she had the good sense not to try and start shit in my clinic."
"She's a bit of a bitch but she isn't a gonk." 'Becca said and then absently sniffed her arm "Ugh, I'm gonna go take a bath now. I smell like Scav-scop."
"You do." I nodded "Thankfully I can turn my nose off at will."
She stuck her tongue out at me and left.
Chuckling, I returned to my chat with Jackie, or at least I planned to before I got a call.
One I had been waiting for a while.
[Mr. Hands.] I kept my voice carefully neutral in greeting [You certainly took your time.]
[Mr. Magos.] The obscured figure returned [I assure you, I gave the matter all due attention. Unfortunately, the Voodoo Boys have a reputation for being reclusive for a reason, and tracking them down was no simple matter.]
[To be expected, of course.] I 'agreed' [But you said it yourself that time is money, and we have wasted much of it already.]
[You will find, Mr. Magos.] He spoke patiently [That I am one of the rare people capable of getting any information on the gang. I was exacting in my timetable, and arranging a proper meeting and exchange with the Dogtown branch of the Boys demanded... subtlety.]
Not like I was in a death rush to get them anyway.
I inclined my head in acceptance [True enough. Though something tells me your 'friends' in Dogtown were not completely forthcoming?]
[The two branches did not part on the best of terms.] Hands spread his hands as if to say 'What can you do?' [But they were able to provide me with a point of contact that could lead you to the gang's operations.]
[And how sure are you of this contact?] I narrowed my eyes.
[The man is well reputed in their circles. A techno-shaman of sorts.] Hands informed, sending me an info packet [And he is the only clue I could find without expending enough resources to drag the gang out of their hiding spots.]
[And making things unnecessarily loud.] I finished for him.
He nodded [Indeed.]
For a moment I was tempted to call him out on the unreliability of what he provided me with. The clue he provided was vague at best and could literally go either way.
But he was a Fixer, and he staked his reputation on every transaction, and was aware that this situation was being observed by two of the biggest names in the city when it came to the business.
I'd simply have to trust his self interest.
[Very well.] I voiced after about a minute of thinking it over in bullet time, sending him the full payment a moment later [Pleasure doing biz with you, Hands.]
He seemed momentarily surprised at my 'Fast' response but nodded [Of course. I would appreciate being kept in the loop about the situation, this time as the client.]
[I will consider it.]
[That is all I ask.] The man said calmly and the call ended.
"'Becca!" I called.
A muffled "What?" came from the bathroom.
I got up "Pack up, we are going to Pacifica."
"But I just washed my hair..."
"Oh no, it seems like I'm going to go shooting gonks on my own, how sad..."
The doors slammed open.
It really was that easy.
-------
The friendly AI of doom demands your stones.
14 glorious chapters await for those wise enough to seek them upon the forbidden Patreon (at patreon .com/ Rastislav156)
If you want to discuss the story or just meme about join my discord server: https://discord .gg/fE4nB3CzDP (link should work for a week. refreshed as of 24.12.25)