Part 15: *Mute's Questions

Before we get to that, let's check on *Mute to make sure she's OK!

>power_control disable core2
WARNING: this core has AI *Hyun-ae stored on volatile media.
if unpowered, all data will degrade within 24 hours or less!
are you sure you want to continue? data may be permanently lost! (Y/N)

It'll only be for a couple minutes, tops!

>y
Working...

SUCCESS: core2 has been disabled!
>power_control enable core1
Working...
SUCCESS: core1 has been enabled!
>enable_ai *Mute



Oh. Well, shit.

>power_control disable core1
WARNING: this core has AI *Hyun-ae stored on volatile media.
if unpowered, all data will degrade within 24 hours or less!
are you sure you want to continue? data may be permanently lost! (Y/N)
>y
Working...

SUCCESS: core1 has been disabled!
>power_control enable core2
Working...

SUCCESS: core2 has been enabled!
>enable_ai *Hyun-ae
SUCCESS: personality *Hyun-ae is now activated!
you may now close this terminal with quit.
>quit



Okay, at least one of the AIs is still functional.

Now, to business.

Question 1



Well... to be honest...?
Nervous! I'm really really nervous.
It's just, you're the first person I've talked to in so long. I'm really happy about that!
But... well, I'm exposing a lot. I know you promised to trust me and all, so thanks, it's just... this is all really new to me.
But it's good! I'm glad! I wouldn't be so nervous if I wasn't happy you were there to listen!

Question 2



In case it's unclear, all the questions are from my perspective, even though *Mute wrote them. So, 'me' is me, not *Mute.

Wow, there's a tough question...





You seem to be a really good listener. I like that.



I definitely got all I needed out of that answer, yes.

Okay, good!
Not that I really understand why *Mute was asking...

Question 3



I don't really think this, but I'm going to go ahead and ask all the questions.

I... what?
Geeze, my word, what are you talking about? When have I ever not treated you with respect?!
I don't know what's wrong with that awful AI, and I definitely don't know what's wrong with you!
Why would you even say something like that...?
Geeze...

Sorry.

Question 4



Well, about a few thousand lines of assembly code, and a few gigabytes of memories, I suppose, sitting on a hard drive somewhere. I don't really know what that looks like.
Oh... uh, I guess you actually meant before I died, didn't you?
Aheh.
Well... I was 13 years old when I woke up, and 16 when I died.
So, well, I looked younger. But I wasn't really all that different... just shorter. And I guess, um...
...smaller in other places, too...
...everyone always did say I was pretty, though. Even when I was really young. So just... I guess... picture a shorter version of me, without the glasses, and with my hair in some dumb braid or another, in a hanbok, and that's pretty much it. I never really got to dress up the way I wanted to.
Even... this is the first time I've been able to wear my school uniform since I was 13, before I got put in stasis! How silly is that, being excited about wearing a uniform.
And I mean, you know how much I was into cosplay. I never really had a chance for that when I was alive...



Ah... well... thank you...
A...
Anyway, we should really get back to the more serious stuff, don't you think...?

Question 5



Isn't that the one question you're never supposed to ask a woman?
Geeze... so rude!
Well, I was born in the year 2415, then was put into stasis for... I don't know how long. Then I lived for another three years, and died about... 622 years ago, at the age of 16.
So... um... you tell me how old I am. I don't know!
Really, I don't think it really matters at this point, does it?

Question 6



Oh, of course. Of course that'd be one of her questions.



That's what I thought.
Really, I don't know much about her, other than what I've read in other peoples' logs.
She never talked to me, ever.
I mean... she wasn't above talking about me. But no, never anything to me!
That's all I know about her. She's a gossip.
I don't even want to speak to her now!

Question 7



I... It's not like I ever thought, as a child, I would never marry.



OLD ROMANTIC SPACE LADY PROTAGONIST

Oh, wow...
Well, that's really romantic!
I like the idea, I really do. I wish things really did work that way!
But... it's hard to share your optimism. I'm sorry. I got kinda cynical fast.
And anyway, even if I did believe in love at first sight, this wasn't love. He wasn't the right person, and nobody ever even pretended he would be.
You've read the same logs as I have. How much love is there? Do you really think it's just my marriage that was awful? You've read what Oh So-jin wrote...
Here, you should read the letters the two older Kim sisters wrote each other. You can see for yourself what *Mute means by a happy marriage.
Mine was just a political marriage, plain and simple. Come on. You know that.
Love had nothing to do with it.



And finally, we have access to Block 1.