I'm just a number riding solo in the code (part XXXIII)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part XXXII.)



Justine's initial experiments with personality containment had seemingly succeeded. But in returning to the station, they'd actually managed to get lost on Tannhäuser. Which was frustrating, but they realized part of why was that parts of the station had shifted--in some cases, making it nearly impossible to access sections through the hatches.



Finally, they found the fringe lab again. Justine pulled a dark blue container to the center of one of the bays. "This is the box."

Emilly nodded. "Now for the big one--do we ask STAN, or do we need...Hiro-in-the-box to do it?" She looked down at the square crate. "My gods, he must be frustrated in there."

Justine put a hand on the box.

There was a sound...suspiciously like a slightly echoing cough. "Hey, that tickles, WTF?"

Justine set the side panel to transmit to local readout, and looked up. "Talk to him, Em. Please. He just needs to be calm."

Emilly came closer. "It's all right, we're just testing some of the nerve pathways. It's good that it tickles."

There was another sound...was it a...groan? "Let me sleep, guys," Hiro's digitized voice said. "I am...so tired...I can't feel my body..."

Emilly nodded briskly. "Of course you're tired, and we will, we just need a few questions answered. Is that okay?" She waited.

There was a sound of assent, then a yawn. "Okay...what is it?"



Emilly did her best to sound calm and reassuring. "We need to you to talk STAN through the station passcodes. During the accident, part of the command protocols reset. We just need them back online."

There was a pause, then--"Accident?"

Emilly whispered to Justine, "We did tell him that last time, right? He doesn't remember?"

Justine just smiled, nodding. "Good, keep going," she whispered, standing to walk to the terminal and monitor the data flow.



"Right, okay, we've had you in induced sleep for a bit. There was an accident on the station. We've got you, you're fine, but there was a lot of damage. We'll fix it."

Another long pause. "The passcodes are all based on texts in the Sphinx library..."

Emilly nodded again. "Right, but part of the station shut down. We'd like it back online." She waited for a response, furrowing her brow slightly when none came. "We just need you to authenticate through STAN. Who is the Widow's Son, Hiram; Who is the Consort to the Queen of Heaven, El." She shook her head, looking down. "And I hope there's only two," she muttered.

"Right," came the voice in the box. "You got it..."

"Right, but STAN's keyed to your voice for certain functions. So...awake enough to ask STAN?"



A digital sigh. "Okay..."

Justine watched the data flow, readying the DNA sample for authentication. She slipped the prepared glove onto her hand, cringing slightly. The bits of the clone's recovered fingertips embedded in the glove should work. "I'm ready."

Something...indefinable. Sharpening of attention? A slight measure of increased alertness? She wasn't sure what she was picking up.

"What...?" came the voice from the box.

"She's watching the station controls. It's all right."

STAN: DNA IDENTITY IS CONFIRMED
STAN: AINEKO-MEDICI-ORR CONFIRMED

Emilly released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Good..."

STAN: PASSCODE AUTHENTICATION: Who is the Widow's son?

"Hiro?" Emilly asked. "Tell Stan Hiram."

The digital voice said "Hiram...Abriff."

STAN: CONFIRMED...Who is the Consort of the Queen of Heaven?

"Hiro?" Emilly said, leaning in. "The answer is El."

"Em?" came the voice. It sounded confused.



Justine looked over at Emilly, eyes wide but hopeful, then over at the box, and finally back to the terminal.

"Yes, Hiro?" Emilly responded.

"What's going on...Why can't I see you?" That note of panic again.

Emilly breathed out. "We're regrowing your optics. Everything's on schedule."

STAN: AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED
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"Tell STAN El, okay?"

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"Please, beloved." Emilly wrung her paws in concern.

Justine's eyes widened even further and her fingers flew over the console, adjusting levels on the box.



"Hiro, please," Justine pleaded. "Please, honey. Please..."

"The answer is El," Emilly urged.

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Finally, the voice spoke again. "El," it said.

STAN: CONFIRMED

Emilly breathed out shakily, then her gaze shot to the screen as more words appeared, and were read in STAN's simulated tones.

STAN: CONFIRMED...Who is in the Tomb of Order?

"...Damn," she breathed. "So that's either Hiro, or Ose, or...wait." She thought frantically.

STAN: AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED
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"The Rosicrucian tomb?" Emilly asked. She dimly remembered something...it had been literal years since she'd read it. though...

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"Wait, Christian Rosenkreuz? Say that! Now, Hiro!"

(Continued in part XXXIV.)