An Exercise in Self-preservation

[Morgan Redeaux]

Back in her small apartment in Coruscant, Morgan Redeaux did some research on the holonet about droid self-preservation. Step one in self-preservation appeared to be related to protection from damage and avoidance of similar experiences which would cause that damage. The protocol droid knew if she was going to work for [member="Gerion Ardik"] and Hegemonic Automaton she would have to supplement her core programs like the TranLang III communications module and various other Linguistic modules along with her databank which read like a Galactica Encyclopedia with more important functions related to this self-preservation concept. But where to start?

She thought she would begin with some simple scanning technology to further enhance her detection skills. Morgan had ordered a box of scanners from Flash Bang Technologies and opened it up, inspecting the flimsiplast form which detailed the shipment:

1 Truth-scan module (self-installed)
1 Bioscan module (self-installed)
1 Vision-plus scanners (self installed)
1 Circuit Scanner (self-installed)
Management Circutry subsystem

The subsystem didn't say "self installed" but at least the other ones were. Morgan pulled everything out of the crate, set it on her kitchen table and began reading the instructions.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

Okay so these instructions were much more complicated then she thought they would be. Morgan envisioned herself opening up her ports up, connecting the cords and the scanner software would just install on its own. That didn't seem to happen.

Annoyed she started with the Truth Scan. Reading the instructions again, she used the port in her hip which honestly was the most convenient for her and waited to see if anything happened. Morgan could feel the new program trickling through her circutry. The truth scan would allow her to scan individuals for increases or decreases in brain activity, in order to determine if they are lying.

It seemed like the software installed okay but now she needed a human to try this out on.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

As much as Morgan was eager to test her new functionality out, it may be better to install all of the software first and then try out her new scanners all at once, perhaps in an upscale bar district on Coruscant. So she withdrew the instructions on installing the bioscan module next.

The module came with a medtox detector, a vapor sampler and a doppraymagno scanner, which aside from having a funny name, used x-ray technology which would allow her to see inside other living beings, ideally used for spotting cybernetics or implants. The software would allow Morgan to act as both sensor and computer and it had a fairly limited range – anything outside of thirty meters would not be able to be detected and the closer a subject was the more she would be able to see of it.

After installing the software through her hip port, she examined the instructions again and realized that there was some type of external hardware needed to make the bioscan module work. A small sensor needed to be attached on the exterior of her body because her synthskin and biofiber would block any type of accurate reading. The sensor itself was tiny and almost the size of her smallest fingernail. “Sensor must be installed in a location which will allow a clear reading,” the instructions listed. So she couldn’t put it in her ear or mouth. Morgan looked at the inside of her wrist just under her thumb where the blue branches of her biofiber veins were most visible.

She withdrew her repair pack which contained a set of tweezers and with a small surgeon’s blade and with the knife, she made an incision and slipped the sensor just under the synthskin, pushing it in with the tweezers. She hoped the sensor was close enough to the surface so that it would still be able to make a proper reading. She withdrew a vial of liquid synthskin and dabbed some gently at the opening of the incision. When it dried, the scar there would be nearly imperceptible.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

Finally something easy to install, thought Morgan examining the vision scanning software module. This functionality was quite simple - it would improve her artificial retinas in order to see better in the dark and in weather-challenged environments like fog or pouring rain. The HRD quickly installed the module with little trouble or fanfare.

The circuit scanner module was next. This particular module also installed quite easily into Morgan's hip port. She would be able to test this one out here in her apartment with Zee-too, her servant droid. She beckoned the droid over and had him stand in front of her. Unlike the bio scan module, the circuit scanner required no external hardware installation so she gave the internal command to begin the scan of Zee-too. Results of the scan told her that her servant droid was in good working order except for his direct cranial uplink. Oh I'll have to get that repaired right away, she thought.

Emboldened by the success of at least one of her scanner modules, she unpacked the final upgrade and began reading the instructions.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

After two hours of dabbling, Morgan realized that the installation of the Management Circuitry Subsystem was beyond her understanding. She would need to contact a droid engineer. Certainly Gerion Ardik would have access to a database of hundreds of the best engineers on Lianna and he probably knew lots of good developers in Coruscant as well. But the HRD wasn't quite sure he would approve of these specific upgrades and from what she could tell he was an fairly opinionated Umbaran. There was also Lanax Grayson but he was so very busy with his company and his inventions. She didn't want to bother him either. So like much of Morgan's past life before her manumission, she would keep this secret and would strike out on her own.

But the protocol droid very much feared contacting a random engineer in the Underworld for example, the and having them disable her and dismantle her for spare parts, the best of which would be sold on the blackmarket, the worst of which would probably end up in the furry hands of a Jawa. But how to get a recommendation for an engineer she could trust?

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

Dorskit Wolf! He was co-counsel at Rumor, Funk & Wolf and had also been stationed on Coruscant to help with establish the satellite office of Max Rumor's law firm. The droid and the Verpine lawyer spent a day unpacking crates and setting up desks together in the new office. She recalled that he specifically said that he repaired droids in his spare time and had experimented with building an HRD a few times.

Morgan holocalled Mr. Wolf and after discussing what she needed him to install and a fair price he told her: "Meet me at T.U. Open Space and I'll help you out." The HRD decided to change into appropriate nightlife attire first. She then retrieved the Management Circuitry Subsystem kit and took a taxi speeder to the location. After Dorskit Wolf was done with her installation she would go out to test out to a bar district to test out her new upgrades.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

Morgan arrived at the T.U. Open Space which were workstations provided by the Techno Union through a grant to aspiring droid engineers, inventors, programmers and even slicers. Mr. Wolf, a slender Verpine was waiting for her with a waver to sign.

"I don't want to be responsible for any errors in your software after this installation. Once we're done, we'll do a preliminary test but then you're on your own."

She nodded and signed the waver, eager to get this over with. Luckily the workstation was a private room with a door because Morgan wasn't sure how much of her torso, Mr. Wolf needed access to. As time went on and the more human she felt, the more modest she had become at least out in public spaces. Mr. Wolf beckoned her to sit on a stool. "I'll need access to the port on your neck and will need to open up your back, Ma'am."

Morgan reached around to unzip her dress in the back. The Verpine helped her where she couldn't reach and it opened in a V from the top of her neck to the middle of her back. Then Mr. Wolf went to work installing the management circuitry subsystem. As usual Morgan didn't feel anything as she had no nerves in her biofiber although she wondered what it would feel like to have insectoid thin carahide-covered fingers deep in her circuitry. Probably a little creepy if she thought about it too hard.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

The installation took a couple hours as Dorskit Wolf was not an HRD expert. She wasn’t even sure the Verpine, a species more renowned for starship engineering rather than droid repair, qualified to be called an amateur, but with his two-fingered insectile hands thoroughly stuck within her parts and wires it was a little too late to reverse the work he had done. And hopefully it was actual progress and not damage.

"I'm done, Ma'am. I'm afraid my liquid synthskin doesn't quite match your skin tone. There will be a noticeable scar where I made the incision."

"Oh it's okay," she said quickly. "I can have that fixed up later."

The Verpine went over to his repair station and pressed a few buttons. Morgan suddenly said, not of her own volition. "Intruder inside main circuitry systems, attempting memory bank wipe.” She put her hand up her mouth as she hadn’t expected to speak and looked at the Verpine engineer amused. “Did you just slice into me?"

“I sure did,” he said, proudly. “And this shows the prelimnary test worked. But I stopped just in time. Still that should alert your Master if someone is trying to infiltrate your programming. Although I’m not sure why anyone would.”

“Why not?” Surely she was important enough to inflitrate on occasion.

“Morgan, you’re a protocol droid. You have no weaponry as far as I can see. You’re not a battle droid, dear. You’re a translator and nothing more.” He came back over and once the synthskin fully dried, the insectoid helped her zip back up her dress and patted her on the back.

Well that was rather judgmental of Mr. Wolf, Morgan thought. I could certainly be dangerous if I put my mind to it. She was about to say something but then he interjected and said, “Your upgrade is on the house. Especially since I karked up the synthskin on your back so much.”

"Thank you," she merely said instead of getting defensive. It would be poor manners if she were to argue with him especially after a free repair.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

Morgan was back in her apartment and was extremely annoyed at the mess Dorskit Wolf had made of the synthskin on her back. A really sloppy scar now sat from her trapezius to her sacrospinalis. The HRD was not programmed to be vain but a couple years of metaprogramming had allowed her to become quite fond of the skin was she in.

She took out her repair kit and a small sanding tool. “Zee-too, I have a job for you,” she said, beckoning her servant droid over. “You will have to be very precise, but I would like for you to fix the ugly scar that Dorskit Wolf left on my back. Can you do that? I don't think it's possible to make it worse than it already is," she said reassuringly.

“Yes, Miss Redeaux.”

Morgan smiled at Zee-too’s obedience. It was nice to have a droid that was completely submissive. But unlike Bartho Redeaux, she would treat the servant droid with nothing but respect. She wasn’t sure the model was complex enough, but if he served her faithfully, she hoped to grant him his own manumission one day.

 

[Morgan Redeaux]

“Well look at that,” Morgan said inspecting her back in a mirror. “You did very well there Zee-too. I’m proud of you.” She kissed the servant droid on the forehead; she was that pleased. Zee-too had finely sanded down the synthskin into a pretty good resemblance of a human back again. Only upon extremely close inspection would someone – and only someone familiar with HRDs - know that her skin was not real.

Now where to go, she thought looking at the holonet for a Coruscant bar to try out her new software. She needed to conduct a thorough test of all of the functionality and the Underworld with its dark corners and nefarious denziens would probably be the best place to try out both the enhanced vision scanner and the truth scanner. She would be able to pick up some cybernetic readings and scan some droids too. Not to mention the bioscanning which could be tested just about anywhere. Morgan picked a cantina at random and quickly freshened up. She said goodbye to Zee-too and took a speeder taxi to the Underworld.