Layering an interesting art form

Posted on 25 Apr 2021 @ 3:59am by Ensign Kat Walker & Ensign Cydwenn Sov

1,391 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Home
Location: Stellar Cartography

Cydwenn was busy in the large stellar cartography slowly overlaying the maps that they collected from the alternate universe, mirror universe, or whatever it was called. Starfleet Science wanted a detailed layered map to see the differences, for what purpose, well that was above Cydwenn's paygrade. Rubbing her eyes as the dots, and lines started to blur together as she had been staring at the screen for far too long.

"Oh, now that is interesting," Cydwenn said blowing up a sector of space, to get a closer look, "computer adjust...," but she stopped when she heard the doors open, "...lieutenant don't worry, I am about to wrap up work," Cydwenn said knowing that Madalene has scolded her before for working too hard.

.....but it wasn't the lieutenant.

"Hello, Ensign. I am not the Lieutenant," Kat smiled softly, tilting her head slightly, observing Cydwenn.

"Oh, um hi, you are the AI that we found, yes?" Cydwenn said, "oh, my apologies ensign Cydwenn Sov, stellar cartographer, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yes, I am, Ensign Kat Walker, fighter pilot - of a sort. Very pleased to meet you, Ensign Sov," Kat smiled. "This universe is strange to me. I am lacking local star charts to navigate by, which leaves me feeling a bit out of my depth. I was wondering if you could help me with this."

"Oh, your fighter doesn't have, oh, right," Cydwenn chuckled, "it's been a quick minute since we haven't been here, one sec, let me pull them up, are we installing them directly into your core, or the fighter cockpit?" Cydwenn asked still not exactly sure how this being worked.

"The platform I was installed to does not have its original databases anymore, mine are the only ones on it," Kat explained, taking a step closer. "There are several options. Uploading them directly to my platform would be the quickest, but if you prefer or do not fully trust a direct connection between my core and this ship's computer I can simply look at them here on a terminal and parse them that way."

"Yes, just give me a minute and I can start a direct link, just need to set up a few firewalls," Cydwenn said, "alright we are ready for you to connect," Cydwenn said getting the maps ready and compressed.

"Thank you. Establishing connection now," Kat responded. After a moment Cydwenn's console chirped, a dialogue box popping up saying that kat.walker.evo3.629 was requesting permission to access the ship's star charts and whether to allow it or not. "Awaiting permission from the server."

Cydwenn hit the accept button, hoping this was okay she knew that Madalene fought tooth and nail to help Kat get to where she is today, "alright, it should be starting," Cydwenn said with a smile.

"Yes, thank you. Accessing files. Starting transfer - parsing. This will only take a few moments," Kat mused. "Might I ask, just out of curiosity, what were you working on, Ensign? If you can't tell that's alright too."

"Trying to overlay the maps that I built while we were in that other universe, with our universe, mostly to see what happened, and to see the difference's," Cydwenn said with a small chuckle, "Starfleet and Federation philosophers are gonna be having a field day with all of this information, if they get access," Cydwenn added.

"I might be able to give you additional charts that your computer may not have, Ensign. I have detailed charts from that region of space, and though they are five hundred years out of date that is at most going to mean less than one percent error in system locations," Kat smiled, folding her hands together in front of her. "If you can give me write permission I will upload those charts."

"That would be amazing! Thank you, this is huge," Cydwenn said refraining from hugging the women, no AI.

Kat's soft smile brightened, as Cydwenn's console chirped again, this time informing her that kat.walker.evo3.629 was attempting to upload star charts.pack.fil and asking whether to accept the file or not. "Uploading now."

"500 years, th that is amazing," Cydwenn said as she accepted the download, and watching the data flow, "may I ask how old you are, and apologies in advanced if that was insensitive."

Kat furrowed her brows, tilting her head a moment, in a gesture her files told her was 'contemplative'. "That depends on your definition of age and what you consider 'me', as a being. I do not know how long it has been since my AI core or the first platform was built. The five hundred years figure was an estimate based on the natural drift of stars and the mismatches between my original navigation charts and the readings I was able to take while still in the other universe," she explained.

"The navigational files in my memory are five hundred years old, give or take a few decades. Logic would suggest that a combat platform be given the most up-to-date information upon creation, leading to the conclusion that my core was likely built around that same time." Her soft smile returned as she continued. "When I was found by this ship's crew a few weeks ago my system reinitialized to factory settings, meaning that by some definition of age, my current personality construct was effectively born then. Though if we're talking about comparative mental age relative to the human standard, I am comparable to a fully grown young adult."

Cydwenn just smiled, "that is a very scientific approach and answer, are you sure that your core programming was, um actually I am not sure what your core programming was," Cydween said.

"My core programming consists of three layers. A basic hardware function control layer that I cannot change. A second, basic personality layer with three directives that I cannot change, and a third layer base personality type construct with files on interaction, language, protocol and so on that is based on the second layer, and that I do have limited write permissions over. Then there's a fourth layer where I build and maintain my main personality based on the first three layers, that I have full write permissions over," Kat explained. "Each consecutive layer is more elaborate and offers more fine-tuning of my personality and interactions."

"That's complicated, sorry I know I am a scientist, but my strength is well more with celestial bodies, but from what I understood from limited studies in AI is that the designers usually don't want the AI to know so many of their layers," Cydwenn said.

"Perhaps. I don't know much about the trappings of AI in this universe. Perhaps that is something I could look into, at some point," Cydwenn's console beeped again, informing her that user kat.walker.evo3.629 had completed all file transfers and logged off. "Transfers complete," Kat smiled. "All I know is my own programming, and that all four layers are transparent to me, with the first two write-protected, the third partially adjustable, and the fourth completely adjustable. I believe this is an attempt to allow me to understand myself to the best of my abilities, while still protecting my core programming from write errors and allowing me to at least reboot to factory standard settings if my programming got corrupted."

Cydwenn nodded, "that makes sense, protecting the base level is the one core principle of everything," Cydwenn said, which sparked an idea making a mental note to look through some science journals later, "look at this, this data is amazing," Cydwenn said, adjusting some settings.

"I'm glad my data is pleasing to you, Ensign Sov. I will leave you to it though. Thank you for your time," Kat said.

"No thank you, this is a huge help, and I hope that the charts I shared are helpful," Cydwenn said, before realizing that it was seeing as she came in asking for them.

"I'm sure they will, and I'm sure they will keep me busy for a while to come. My core is not as powerful as the ship's computer, and I am still in the process of parsing them before integrating them into my own files. But, thank you," Kat smiled. "Until next time, Ensign." And with that she shifted into her four-winged paravian form to fly away.

 

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