An Unlikely Pairing (Kaori)

[Juro Tanaka]

Asahi
08:00 hours

A lone figure approached the doors to the science facility, his white beard moving slightly in the wind. He'd been requested to view and speak with the latest project the Asahian Government Science Corps had recently finished: a fully functional artificial intelligence. Juro Tanaka, Shogun of Asahi, was very excited to see this AI, though from his initial discussion with the Science Corps coordinator, it sounded as if there were more than one. This intrigued Tanaka, though it also electrified him. To create one such thing was a massive step forward for his people, and there might be more!

A pair of soldiers opened the doors for him, both guarded the high security science facility, and he entered inside. One of the facility directors greeted him in the lobby and guided him through the complex. Along the way, the other man explained that they had created, unintentionally, three separate AIs each with their own personality. Each was designed to maximize any ship they were installed in, though such a ship would require specialization to allow the AI coordination to be truly effective. From what his orbital yards had told him, Tanaka knew such a ship was already in the planning, though had not yet proceeded past the design phase of things. It was no matter, however, as he knew such a ship would be built in due time.

The scientist finished explaining the high points of the AI he was to meet, but Tanaka had already set himself on figuring out the AI's capabilities in person himself. He pushed the last door open and entered the server room. Inside were three, separate computer servers, all linked to another, slightly larger server. He spotted hologram projectors set around the room, though Tanaka only spotted technicians and scientists in the room. As the various scientists went about their business, he stepped up before the main servers and stood with his hands behind his back in a parade rest.

"<Hello,>" he stated in Asahian. "<I am Captain Tanaka. It is a pleasure to meet all of you.>"

[member="Kaori"]

 

[Kaori]

[member="Juro Tanaka"]

Kaori was the first to appear, and she stood slightly in front of, and to his left, her dark hair loose over her shoulder. She seemed a tad flustered, as if she'd been involved in another conversation shortly before. Then she noticed him, and gasped, absently trying to smooth the uniform she wore, though it didn't do any good. "<Hello..>" she said shyly, looking around at the other people in the room for a moment. "<I mean... good day, Captain...>"

She sighed, and for a moment looked off to the side, as if someone had said something he couldn't hear. "<My sisters send their greetings as well, Captain..>" she sounded... slightly peeved that she'd been the one sent out of the three of them, and ran a hand through her hair. Then she seemed to shake herself slightly and sighed, straightening. "<To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Captain? This can't be a purely social call. Or is it?>"

 

[Juro Tanaka]

Juro chuckled quietly in his throat at the holographic woman before him. Her entrance, appearance really, told him that the other two AIs were a bit... shy, for lack of a better term. If his guess was right, the other two had sent, likely pushed, this one out to greet him. It reminded him of his daughters, in a way.

"<Hello>," he said with a short bow at the woman. "<This is part social call and part curiosity, I'll admit. The science director told me of your creation and that final testing was successfully completed. I came to visit you three and to see both your capabilities and to determine where your abilities are best placed in our glorious navy.>"

[member="Kaori"]

 

[Kaori]

[member="Juro Tanaka"]

She blushed slightly at that and nodded. "<I see, Captain...>" she replied softly, yet firmly. Clasping her hands in front of her, she began to walk a slow circle next to him, her pace even. "<My sisters and I have been programmed for a wide variety of tasks. I find myself particularly suited to crew interaction and like activities, though I am also quite adept with a multitude of other tasks, including hyperspace navigation, and ship repair. If you like, I can have the scientists set up a sim for us..?>"

 

[Juro Tanaka]

"<A simulator would be lovely a little later, perhaps,>" Tanaka stated politely. "For now, I wish to understand the three of you. To learn more about you. You know you are the first of your kind that we have ever created or even attempted to create, do you not?>"

Tanaka watched the woman as she walked. She seemed nervous which was interesting to Tanaka. He understood that an AI could theoretically develop a personality, even emotions of sorts, in time, but this was all theoretical. They'd only now created an AI and it was proving theories true already. It was amazing. Tanaka watched the woman more closely and wondered which of the three she was.

[member="Kaori"]

 

[Kaori]

At his question, she nodded. "<Yes, Captain. I was so informed of that fact when we were created. It is.... an intriguing notion, really.>" She was quiet for a moment and then she flushed in embarrassment. "<M..my apologies, Captain. I have forgotten my manners...>" She made a gesture of apology and bowed slightly. "<I am called Kaori, Captain.>"
[member="Juro Tanaka"]

 

[Juro Tanaka]

"<Ah, Kaori. A pretty name,>" Tanaka said, returning the bow. "<And fitting to the individual.>"

He then stepped forward towards a databank, the screens lighting up periodically with new information. They showed mostly data and readouts from the AIs in their servers. A technician moved aside and let both the Shogun and Kaori full access to the terminal.

"<Tell me about your testing, Kaori. What tests and trials have they run you and your sisters through?>"

[member="Kaori"]

 

[Kaori]

[member="Juro Tanaka"]

She was quiet for a moment as she thought that over. "<Primarily combat simulations, fleet coordination, and tracing down the location of a few holotransmissions...>" She sighed slightly. "<The scientists tell me... that I get distracted easily...>" she fidgeted slightly with the hem of her uniform top, and frowned, looking sideways again at something that only she could hear.

 

[Juro Tanaka]

Tanaka noticed she kept glancing around as if listening to someone. He figured it was her sisters who had yet to show themselves. Such behavior reminded him keenly of his daughters and their usual antics. He chuckled a bit at that comparison.

"<So I see,>" he said, mirth coloring his words. "<Tell me about your combat simulations. What is your success to failure ratio? And what is your preferred ship and tactic of choice?>"

[member="Kaori"]

 

[Kaori]

[member="Juro Tanaka"]


There were several seconds of silence after he asked that question, and her expression was... thoughtful. "<I... Haven't really paid much attention to that....>" She broke off for a moment and looked off to the side, as if accessing information stored in the server. "<My success ratio is 99.96%...>" She frowned slightly, knowing he'd ask about it.


"<As to tactics, I find that I particularity am skilled with the deployment of fighters and other support craft during an engagement.>"

 

[Juro Tanaka]

"<So, you prefer using carrier craft?>" he asked with amusement. [member="Kaori"] was becoming more and more akin to an older teenager in mannerisms and personality, which reminded him of his own daughters even more.

He knew it would be a bit difficult to keep her on task, but seeing as his daughters were all the age Kaori seemed to portray, he figured it would be something he was used to.

"<Have you Arasoi simulator yet?>" he asked with interest.

The Arasoi simulator was the toughest and most brutal simulator designed by the Asahians. It was designed a few hundred years ago by one of the Mitsuhide family who named it after the Asahian word for 'Strife'. To this day, hundreds of years later, the number of those who successfully passed the simulator numbered less than ten people and of those, no one had passed with a perfect score. If they'd put her through the simulator, he wanted to know how she'd done.