There were a few things Ada noticed upon waking up. The first thing was pain –primarily in her head right between her eyes, but also at the nape of her neck, and the knuckles of her right hand felt bruised. The second was that the room she was in refused to steady or focus. The last thing was the strange impression in her mind; a constant, tugging sensation that felt almost palpable, but was frustratingly vague.
Eventually, the fuzziness of her surroundings faded, while the pain and tugging remained. Ada sort of recognised the room she was in. It was in the medical wing, and it was a recovery room, to keep an eye on patients after an operation. There were four beds, three of which were occupied. Someone had dressed her in a thin white singlet and shorts. An angel of a person had left a glass of water next to her bed.
Cautiously, Ada sat up, wincing as nausea rolled through her. The pain in her head increased tenfold, and her equilibrium was shot. When the world steadied itself, though, she had achieved her goal –she was sitting up, with the water in easy reach. She grabbed it and drank graciously.
A rasping growl made her jump, nearly spilling the glass.
"Morning," a bright, chirpy voice called.
Ada looked at the bed opposite her, to see an unarmoured Maine and a small, glowing purple person next to him. The purple person was stemming from a small projector on Maine's helmet, which, along with the rest of his armour, was on a table next to him. In the bed next to Maine's, Wash was unconscious.
"Well," the voice continued. It was male, though slightly high-pitched. The glow's mouth moved in time with it. "I say morning, but technically, it's afternoon. I'm Sigma, by the way. Hey, are you ok?"
The purple person –Sigma –cocked his head to the side and stared at Ada, who was slightly green.
"Peachy," Ada muttered, her voice coming out like razors. Another drink quelled her sore throat a little, but not enough.
"Sore throat is normal," Sigma said. "As are headaches, dizziness and nausea. Well, for you they are. Some of those symptoms are normal for a 'standard' implantation, but with you, there are added effects, and the usual effects are amplified… as was proven by your initial reaction to having an artificial intelligence in your mind."
Ada glanced at right hand. The knuckles were, indeed, badly bruised. Like she'd pulled a sloppy punch on someone. Shit. Ada's mind flew to the doctor who'd given her the reassuring smile, and felt sick for a very different reason.
"Who'd I hit?" she asked.
Maine growled something in response. Sigma answered, "When you first woke up from the implantation –while still in the operating room –your AI was operating at 100%. The shock of having a complete other mind in your head was too much, and you struck out at one of the medics. Gave him a nosebleed. Washington had a similar reaction when he tried putting on his helmet –however, he merely passed out."
Maine growled something else, which Sigma translated, "He says it was a bad punch."
"I think I was a bit distracted," Ada replied. "Don't even remember it."
"Normal," Sigma chirped.
Ada couldn't believe how long it had taken her to notice (especially since they'd been on the subject), but her AI hadn't spoken. Once.
"Where is… he?" Ada asked, hand unconsciously flying to the back of her head.
"Your AI is in your mind, but was ordered to run at minimal capacity until you felt ready to have him running at full power again," Sigma explained. Ada nodded, and her fingers finally rested at a small scar on the back of her neck. It was a little tender, but not half as bad as her head. "You can activate him whenever you're ready. I wonder who you got," Sigma continued in a distracted tone. "Based purely on the fact that you punched the first person you saw after the implantation, could be Omega, or possibly Mu –wait, Mu was already implanted into an agent."
"Yeah, cool," Ada mumbled. She was still processing the fact that she'd punched out a medic, and the whole 'activate him whenever you're ready'. The first because she couldn't believe she'd done that. The second because she felt ready –the headache had faded throughout the conversation, and the tiniest movements no longer caused her nausea –but had absolutely no idea how to go about 'activating' her AI.
Ada closed her eyes and leaned back against the pillows, breathing deeply.
"Is she asleep?" she heard Sigma ask. Maine growled something that Ada translated as 'hush'. Or maybe 'shut up'.
The tugging at the back of her mind had never stopped. Presumably, that was her AI, running at minimal capacity. She tried pinpointing it –tried to find the exact space in her mind it was occupying. But it was like trying to catch a memory, and it always eluded her. Ada quit trying to activate it like that pretty quickly. It was tiring.
Hello? Hey? Ada tried, directing the thought to the AI. Ok, now I feel stupid.
Hi! Came the unexpected reply. It spiked through her head, bringing back the headache, nausea and dizziness in full force. Distantly, she knew she was doubled over, and could hear Sigma speaking while Maine growled. I mean, it continued, I am the artificial intelligence unit Kappa. How may I assist?
A sob found its way out of her throat, and Ada clutched her head, as if she could rip the pain out. It was like being stabbed, this she could say with certainty. However, unlike last time, it was in her head rather than the small of her back. Ada tried focusing on each individual breath she took, and to some extent, the pain numbed. She stayed hunched over on the bed and eyes stinging with tears for what seemed like an eternity.
Sorry, her AI said, sounding honestly contrite –his (because it sounded like a he, maybe a young he, but not a girl) voice sounded more distant, though, and didn't send the same spike through her brain. Perhaps running at 100% immediately isn't smart. Is 50% any better?
Yes, Ada thought back, checking to make sure it was true. Her head still stung, and she still felt like she might be sick, but it wasn't as bad. Her AI –Kappa –seemed happy with this.
Good, he said. I am sorry about last time –I did not realise what effect having an AI could have on a mind with no preparation. Although, the Counsellor did say that you would probably be best able to adapt. Something about your age, I think. On the bright side, I don't think you actually broke the medic's nose.
The more Kappa spoke, the more her head pounded. Kappa? Could you please…? Please what? Please stop talking? He wasn't actually saying anything. Please… be quieter?
Sure, Kappa said. He didn't add anything else, seeming to understand what she meant.
"Hey, are you ok?" Sigma asked. He was frowning at her, and Maine growled something that sounded similar to Sigma's question. "You've not moved for at least three minutes. Should I call a medic?"
Maine growled something, which Sigma translated: "Or will you just punch him in the face again?"
"Ha ha," Ada stated. "I managed to activate my AI."
"Who is it?"
"Kappa," Ada said. Speaking of which, he seemed to be…
Um, Nevada?
Ada, she corrected immediately.
I can't really run at 50% capacity forever and be useful, Kappa said. I was thinking I could slowly… he picked up a phrase from her mind, up the ante until I'm at 100%. With your permission, of course.
Kappa, she decided, was very young. Maybe not in intelligence, but he had the tone of a timid child. The 'with your permission' was not spoken condescendingly, as one might expect, but genuinely.
That sounds great, Kappa, Ada sent back. Try it. But, like you said, slowly.
Yes, Ada, Kappa replied happily.
"Nevada?"
She looked up to see both Sigma and Maine staring at her.
"Yes, sorry," she said. "Um, talking to Kappa."
"Kappa," Sigma repeated, his hologram grinning. "How is he?"
Running at 52% and rising, Kappa told her. That means 'fine', he said, and she repeated it.
"Good," Sigma said. Then, still ostensibly to her, "Hi, Kappa!"
Um…
Tell Sigma I said hi! Kappa said.
"He says hi, too," Ada said, feeling like an idiot. Maine evidently thought she looked stupid as well, because he was smirking. "Sod off," she told him.
He growled something that she didn't need Sigma to understand –it certainly wasn't 'I respectfully acquiesce to your polite request'.
Sigma's a friend of yours? she asked Kappa.
Yeah, he was nice to me after Omega and Gamma tried to hurt me.
Omega and Gamma? Who–?
"Nevada? Is it possible for Kappa to speak directly?" Sigma asked.
"I don't know." Kappa?
I can connect to your armour from here, but it might be a little painful for you, Kappa warned. I won't do it if you don't want me to.
Try it, Ada decided. I'll live.
Are you sure? Kappa asked.
No.
So, I won't do it?
Ada sighed. Apparently her AI was unfamiliar with sarcasm. Kappa? Do it before I manage to talk myself out of it.
Alright…
It was, indeed, a little painful for her. Not as bad as when Kappa first came online, but still enough to make her clutch her head and wince. It felt like something was pushing against her skull, but the feeling was gone quickly, replaced with a dull ache. She could still sense Kappa, and she knew that he could still 'talk' to her mentally. It was just that now, he could talk to everyone else as well.
Kappa had a hologram, just like Sigma did. It was silvery, though. And the form made the nausea come back full-on. Kappa's hologram was a man, mid-twenties, tall, scruffy hair and muscled. The structure of the face was remarkably similar to Ada's, and if the hologram had been coloured, his eyes would have been the same green as hers. Kappa's form was not original. It had been stolen from her –from her brother.
"Why," she began, voice forcibly calm, "did you choose that as your appearance?"
Kappa had been grinning like a child, a not-entirely-foreign expression on her brother's face. It made her all the more angry. Now that grin faltered.
"I… looked around your head, a little. Your memories. James –Jem –appeared in a lot of good ones, so I…" Kappa trailed off. Sigma and Maine stayed quiet, but Ada could feel their eyes on her –especially Maine, who knew enough about her that he recognised when she was angry, and when she was very angry.
"A lot of good ones," Ada repeated. Her voice cracked a little, and Kappa's hologram snapped off.
I'm sorry, he told her.
The emotion-brain-searching thing was a two-way street. Ada could tell that Kappa truly was sorry… though he had no idea what he'd done wrong. Ada relaxed a little, relieved. If Kappa had done it on purpose, they wouldn't have a good run. She focused what was left of her anger on the fact that he'd seen a lot (though obviously not all) of her memories, some of which she preferred to keep private. Kenni knew most, naturally, and was in most as well (not Kenni, but Amy, the headstrong girl with the cocky smile) but that was different. She'd known Kenni from age three. Kappa was completely new.
That's fine, Kappa. But we are going to have a little talk about you snooping around my brain. Ok? Ada said, feeling far too much like a lecturing parent for comfort.
Ok, Kappa said. Despite her warning, she knew he was searching for a certain memory –the one that had made her react to his hologram the way she did. He found it quickly, and she could feel him wince. Ada didn't blame him. The pool of blood had been way past the point which someone could lose and survive, and she hadn't been doing too well herself.
A/N: This took ages to get out, and about three different attempts. And I'm still not entirely happy with it. But I don't think I'll be able to do much better, so yeah. Here it is. (Worst A/N ever. Of all time.)
Anyway, I'm interested in what fragment people think Kappa is, so if you wanna guess, go for it.