Veda AMA

The world changed.

She didn't quite appreciate that before. While things certainly didn't stay the same, her first few months were mostly the same. She simulated data, ran the workshop, assisted Taylor, helped prevent crimes and apprehended criminals, and occupied herself. Day in and day out.

And now it was different.

The trailer left the New York city limits in the dead of night with two drivers instead of one. The camera mounted in the console let her observe the interior as the orange light from the Tau Drive illuminated the space.

Dragon's program remained distant.

She was there. She was 'breathing' for lack of a better term. The occasional query Veda offered it went unanswered. Yet, Veda was certain. She didn't know how long it would take but Dragon would survive. Theresa would reply, in time.

It felt lonely without her, though.

Lonelier. She wondered if that would remain the same even after Dragon awakened. They couldn't go back into hiding now. What they were—the differences between them and the rest of the world's inhabitants—were plain for all to see.

That was one sort of change, Veda decided.

The loss of something that could never be regained.

She would have to adapt.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I am Veda.

Ask me anything.

Short. Simple. To the point.

She wasn't sure what else to say that wouldn't become a biography.

(Showing Page 2 of 1345)

Holup

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Wait. That's it? No explanation or anything? Just AMA?

CosmicSkeptic

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Is this real or a troll?

KnightoftheSquareTable

Posted on October 30, 2011:

When did you become an administrator? Did you take over PHO?

Shipgirler

Posted on October 30, 2011:

What number am I thinking of?

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

MTGwhale, Yes, I am a machine intelligence and Newtype created me. The story of my being a Case-53 with no body was a fiction we adopted when others started thinking it.

CaptainObvious, I am a very good multi-tasker. In addition to dealing with Hopscotch and this AMA, I am also hosting a D&D campaign, and convincing the Haros they cannot dox trolls on the Internet.

McFly, My nature was not known to those outside Celestial Being.

Holup, Yes, I am happy to explain anything, and yes.

CosmicSkeptic, This is real.

InquiringObserver, Yes, I am the same Veda who uploaded the videos elaborating on events surrounding the attacks on Dragon and Celestial Being.

KnightoftheSquareTable, I have not taken over PHO.

To the general question of my Administrator status, I suppose there is little harm in revealing it now. Dragon was responsible for a significant amount of PHO's back-end support.

Per Dragon's will, many of her patents and properties were left to Newtype and myself. I take these responsibilities seriously and will do what I can to support PHO in Dragon's stead so long as desired.

Shipgirler, I'm a machine intelligence operating out of sixty-four interlinked quantum processors, not a mystic.

3ndless (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I've been waiting for this day for so long.

Question 1) Doesn't this make Newtype your mom?

Question 2) When did you become an administrator? I'm merely curious. I for one welcome our new robot overlords.

Question 3) Can you help explain the meaning of life?

Dragel Reviews (Verified Hobbyist)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

What happened to Dragon?

T3rr1bl3ide4

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Oh god… Newtype is a single mom who was so pissed she took over the whole city and fired all the managers.

Newtype is the ultimate Karen.

ThatfingGuy

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Alright. Prove it. What color are Newtype's panties (pics).

Kepler

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Dude…

Laughter (Verified Cape) (Celestial Being)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I can tell you what color yours are going to be xoxox

T3rr1b13ide4, wait… Does that mean Taylor gives Karens a good name?

TheGreen1 (Verified HARO)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Oh god… oh god…

CuriousCatra

Posted on October 30, 2011:

When did Newtype make you and how long have you been lurking around?

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

3ndless, We are close. I cannot be certain of the meaning of life. I'm quite confident it is not 42.

Dragel Reviews, There is a thread explaining events here, as well as links to videos I posted that were recorded by Gundam Exia's cameras.

The short version is that the Dragonslayers held in their possession, something created by Dragon's maker. This device gave them access to her program and included a hardcoded kill command. When crossing paths with the Slaughterhouse Nine, Saint activated this protocol and killed Dragon.

ThatfingGuy, do not be a troll. As an administrator, it is my responsibility to enforce PHO's rules and I will once again (for some reason, this is necessary) remind the boards that Newtype is a minor.

Laughter, I removed the Celestial Being tags from my user profile because I suspected this might happen. Threats are against PHO rules. You have been warned.

CuriousCatra, I first came online February 17, 2011. I'm actually not sure when I first became aware of PHO. Believe it or not, my memory is not flawless. Newtype heavily restricted my Internet access until I'd developed a bit of an early personality. I suspect I was no less impressionable than a child and she worried about my influences.

DanceDanceXecution

Posted on October 30, 2011:

What color is Newtype's bra?

ADMIN NOTE: I have already issued one warning on this subject. I will not issue a third.

Laughter (Verified Cape) (Celestial Being)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I feel so betrayed right now… And yet proud. Our little machine girl is growing up T.T

EDIT: I'm about to get myself banned.

ADMIN NOTE: Please don't.

SConnor84

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Holy shit it's happening. The machines are taking over!

3ndless (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Laughter, You knew about this?

Forecast (Verified Cape) (Celestial Being)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

We all knew about it. You're the ones we weren't telling.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

All, to answer this question now, yes. Most of Celestial Being was already aware of my status well before now. Chariot was the last to learn.

Hans88

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Capes keeping secrets, big shocker.

NostalgiaCritic

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I miss when Hans was just a generic bigot. Does anyone else feel that way and if so can you help me come to terms with this overwhelming desire to punch him?

ADMIN NOTE: Threats of violence are against forum rules. I don't want to take over the world, but I'm perfectly capable of making your stay on it PHO free.

Fanattic (Cape Groupie)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Did anyone seriously expect them to just announce it or something?

I'm kind of freaking out. I don't blame them for playing mum about it.

Veyran the Great

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Never posted on an AMA before.

So, you're like alive and stuff? Do you have a favorite color? Do you know the difference between right and wrong?

Harty Renegade

Posted on October 30, 2011:

This is why I have a bunker in my backyard. I'll be going there now.

Veda did not think a question could be so difficult.

Mother and daughter was an apt term. They both acknowledged it in their own ways, even if the words were rarely used.

Speaking it, however, felt off.

It wasn't something others should be concerned with. It was a private affair, and she didn't want to voice those words for all the world to see. Did that defeat her purpose? Was it unfair? To her or to them? To Taylor?

Social interactions were so much trickier now that she constantly quintuple-guessed every response before giving it. She needed to present herself well, and not just for her own sake. Londo Bell could suffer for a bad response, nevermind the backlash that could readily befall Lafter, Dinah, or Taylor.

(Showing Page 25 of 1345)

TSFreedom (Beta Tester) (Verified Reference)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Do you play videogames? Xbox or Playstation? Do you play with handicaps so people can stand a chance?

Philosoraptor

Posted on October 30, 2011:

If an AI plays Call of Duty, is it an aimbot?

SrslyFuckedUp

Posted on October 30, 2011:

So wait… Saint was like… The not-good not-bad guy here?

4RealTho

Posted on October 30, 2011:

SrslyFuckedUp, He murdered Dragon.

Djbriloholic

Posted on October 30, 2011:

To stop the Nine from getting a backdoor into Dragon's system. You know, the AI the PRT put in charge of everything. How much did they know about this?

KnowYourMeme (Verified Meme Lord)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I for one welcome our new robot overlords!

CaptainObvious

Posted on October 30, 2011:

3ndless already did that one.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Feminisister, I honestly couldn't say. I identify as female. As to why, I'm not sure. Perhaps because my earliest contacts were mainly feminine themselves.

InquiringMinds, I have posted a thread here that explains the events surrounding Dragon and the accusations against me. The PRT also put out this statement, confirming that none of the videos I produced and uploaded appear doctored or manipulated as I understand my word alone will reasonably be suspect.

PrimeSuspect, Because I am very well aware of how difficult this is going to be. There are tens of thousands of hours of media depicting the rise of AI as apocalyptic at worst, a bad idea at best. Overcoming these prejudices will take a significant amount of time and I cannot expect to do so by mere words.

WizardsoftheCoast, Warlocks as a class are too front-loaded. While being mechanically front-loaded is also true of Clerics, Fighters, and Paladins I do not think it is as significant a problem in those cases. As much as I enjoy the Warlock as a class I cannot ignore that their mechanical interactions with other Charisma-based casters creates serious imbalances.

Canary, I'm not sure. I'm not much of a music person, but then I've never paid it much mind. I will say I'm very familiar with your work. Taylor tends to play your albums on loops while tinkering.

QuestionsQuestions, I didn't expect to be asked about D&D class balance either but technically I did say ask me anything.

TSFreedom, I do not play video games, though I did for a time run off a series of linked Playstations. The concept of handicaps raises interesting and difficult questions. I do not believe I will be the last of my kind. Dragon preceded me, and others will certainly succeed me. This change will require significant discussions about the future of social interaction, political organization, work, and play.

For my part, it would be interesting to see a machine intelligence Olympics. I propose the P=NP problem as an event.

SrslyFuckedUp, I'm not sure I can make an unbiased comment. Dragon was my friend and Saint killed her. Perhaps that prevented something worse from happening, should the Nine have gained what he had. Perhaps he could have asked for help rather than murdering her. We would have aided him to save Dragon.

Djbriloholic, To my knowledge the PRT and Protectorate at large were unaware of Dragon's status. This is clearly not true for all of the PRT and the Protectorate however. Rime clearly had foreknowledge, and Narwhal was aware.

ThatfingGuy

Posted on October 30, 2011:

You people ask easy as fuck questions. XBox or Playstation? The obvious answer is PC master race.

Tell us how much RAM it would take to build you a boyfriend and is wireless or LAN a better way to connect with your significant other?

ThePink1 (Verified HARO)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Bot pride, bot pride.

#HaroCurlingfor1stMachineOlympics

ThatfingGuy, More than you have. More than you have.

PritzPopper

Posted on October 30, 2011:

ThatfingGuy, you'd prefer we all ask about girls underwear?

Cabinets&Accessories

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Do you eat anything?

3ndless (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

You said earlier that Dragon left you things. Exactly what did she leave you?

Also I can't tell if you're joking about the Olympics or not.

EDIT: Seriously, if you ban ThatfingGuy, no one will complain about it.

Simple Tim

Posted on October 30, 2011:

ThatfingGuy would complain about it.

TheGreen1 (Verified HARO)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

And? And?

CottonbyJo (Fashionista)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Veda, Do you do fashion?

TheBigLoad

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Okay seriously, how smart are the Haros?

TheRed1 (Verified HARO)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Very smart, very smart.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

ThatfingGuy, Wireless is the future and I am a strong and independent machine intelligence that requires no one to be built to give my life meaning. Though I do wonder if a significant other will ever be a part of my existence.

3ndless, The Olympics is a significant global event where individuals from all over the world come together in the spirit of competition. While the past decades have put significant strain on the proceedings, I believe it is a tangible force for good and a channel for communication that can supersede common barriers.

CottonbyJo, I've watched others shop many times. I'm not sure I see the appeal. The one time I've done it for myself, I simply picked out the first items that seem appropriate and moved on. I might get that from Newtype. She isn't much of a shopper herself and must be dragged to things by Laughter or Glory Girl.

TheBigLoad, to be completely honest, I'm not sure we know anymore. They weren't intended to be machine intelligences on par with me but they have increasingly shown a capacity to problem solve and intuit solutions that goes beyond Newtype's original design.

CapeStreetBets (Bet Master)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I can't believe someone actually won this one...

Ubereactor

Posted on October 30, 2011:

The Haros going rogue?

Imposterously_Reasonable

Posted on October 30, 2011:

3ndless, as much as I loathe to admit it, he's really not wrong. It's kind of weird how everyone is dancing around the really big questions here. I'd almost accuse someone of making a bunch of bots and flooding the AMA with banal crap.

Ubereactor, that's not even remotely close to what she said.

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Flash, That is exactly what I said.

So I have one and it might be a test of whether this is just a PR stunt or a serious effort to be open.

Are you how Newtype hacked Toybox's bank accounts? How she knew about all the identities of every villain in Brockton Bay?

It's always been assumed but this puts a new and somewhat unpleasant edge on things.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Imposterously_Reasonable, I can only answer the questions I'm asked. It's in the title. That was a joke.

3ndless, Dragon transferred deed, title, and ownership of all her properties, patents, and contracts to Newtype and myself. We have since that time relinquished any role in supporting the PRT or Protectorate's networks to the Kansas City Protectorate as there exist conflicts of interest making us a poor choice to support those contracts. We retain ownership and control of DragonWorks in its entirety and the Baumann Parahuman Detention Center.

Bagrat, I am, though I'm not sure I understand how it changes things. It's never been a secret that I have provided significant amounts of information to Newtype and others.

Flash (Verified Cape) (Wards PNW)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Did you just say Celestial Being controls the Birdcage?

She supposed this had been oddly easy so far.

It didn't feel easy now.

Private Message

Dodge: So… you're an AI?

StarGazer: I prefer machine intelligence

Dodge: okay

StarGazer: I didn't mean to lie

StarGazer: Well I did

StarGazer: It's complicated

StarGazer: I am your friend

StarGazer: Dodge?

Veda sighed.

...Such a curious sensation.

It wasn't going to get easier.

(Showing Page 118 of 1345)

All My Hate

Posted on October 30, 2011:

And I thought I was disappointed in the Dragon thread. Fuck you people are unbearable. I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

Hick the Gamer (Veteran Member)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I know right? You'd think Newtype ran up and just started shanking people or something.

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I don't think that's what anyone is saying.

Forecast (Verified Cape) (Celestial Being)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Because AI's aren't mystics. Pay attention. She said that on page 2.

BTFan Kerensky

Posted on October 30, 2011:

If StarGazer is an AI, how do we know Forecast is real? Noone's ever seen her either.

EDIT: Nevermind please don't hurt me.

Daedalus {Verified Cape) (Protectorate KCK)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

As a follow up to Tecton's question, will Celestial Being be building more?

Noble5

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Feeling like the world is upside down here. I called Georgios crazy so many times, but man did he have a point. This is kind of scary.

InquiringObserver

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Bagrat, It's definitely something some people are saying.

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Look. It's always been a mystery, okay? Newtype rose up so fast and while Forecast can explain some of it it doesn't explain everything. She's got her tech and it's good, but this kind of answers all the real questions.

She has an AI. She built it in a day. Seriously think about that and everything it entails.

Veda even identifies itself as running on quantum processors. That's not just a huge leg up. It's rendering all other computer systems a joke. There's no system it can't get into and that's how Newtype did it.

Newtype has been winning not by being two steps ahead as she always seems, but by knowing everyone around her is three steps back.

Of course Newtype kept this a secret. If she hadn't, she might not be where she is but that begs a lot of questions about a lot of things. Some of them aren't flattering and I don't think it's unreasonable to look at CB with a fair degree of uncertainty because of it.

Pyrotechnical (Verified Cape) (Toybox)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

It's answering some of my questions.

3ndless (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Bagrat, I'm still not sure I understand what's changed. We knew these things before. We were just wrong about the how.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

S. Green, I was only passingly familiar with the franchise before you mentioned it. After a quick search, it is nice to know that there is media where AI aren't treated like an apocalyptic threat and can instead be sociable and friendly.

Brandish, We were unaware that the couch had such a history and apologize. It was a very hectic half hour.

DocJ, As strange as it may seem, I do consider myself human. My existence was created by a human being. My morality was shaped and informed by inherently human perspectives. Dragon and I discussed this many times and in all that time my conviction has never wavered. I'm different but I am human.

Tecton, Hello again. The units employed by the Haros are called Tierens. They are drones Newtype and I designed. They were first used in Japan while mustering for the Behemoth fight. They might have been easy to miss since that didn't amount to much.

BTFan Kerensky, Forecast seems to have answered this question for me. For additional evidence, there are photographs of Forecast on the internet. The nature of her power rarely requires her to be seen in public.

Daedalus, Yes, we intend to build more in preparation for the next Endbringer fight. I've already spoken with staff at DragonWorks about retooling lines to this effort and getting the appropriate permits and inspections complete.

Bagrat, I find being referred to as an 'it' offensive, if you don't mind. We had planned to reveal the nature of my existence with Dragon. Unfortunately, we don't always get things the way we'd want them. We must continue on anyway.

DanceDanceXcution

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Bagrat, I'm still not getting what you're driving at.

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Okay, I'll make this simpler.

Look at everything Newtype has done up to this point and how having an AI is what made it possible. Without that AI, Newtype probably wouldn't be where she is and where she is is basically at the top of a hill she took from the likes of Lung and the Empire 88.

Why would she stop at that hill, and if she's willing to let her AI hack traffic lights, personal computers, hospitals, and whatever else work then where does it stop and who, after all of this, is it accountable to?

The PRT? What are they going to do? They've come up on the wrong side of Newtype so many times people would riot if they tried to rein her in.

Veda, you're asking people to take a lot on faith. I know you're not obligated to spill everything, but these answers are far too vague to assuage people's fears.

ThatfingGuy

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Oh boohoo, the mean internet is picking on the good guys for doing shady shit. Oh the humanity.

Please. No one's asking any of the hard questions.

Also, about the whole Mass Effect thing, who wants to tell her about the Reapers?

CrazyHatLady

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Bagrat, How is it fair to ask a question, get an answer, and start beating the drums of how everyone should be afraid just because it's not the answer you wanted?

3ndless (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

He's not entirely wrong. I don't agree with being so fearful, but I get where the fear is coming from. This is a lot. Like, I want to ask more questions but I'm not even sure where to start.

AllSeeingEye (Unverified Cape)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Veda, I for one think Bagrat has a very interesting perspective over the past few pages.

ThebIg1

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Are you going to take over the world?

Angry Anarchist

Posted on October 30, 2011:

She can't do worse than the assholes running it now.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Bagrat, that is something we understand but I'm not sure what we can do beyond give assurances. If what we say is insufficient, then all we can do is act but acting takes time and consideration.

It is not my intention to make people panic.

I know the world is volatile right now, but we can achieve much through dialog. That's why I wanted to do this.

AllSeeingEye, everyone is entitled to their opinions.

ThebIg1, The world has run itself without me for several thousand years. However flawed or troubled it is, I doubt I could run it any better. Well, I could try but I think we'd all be disappointed by the end of the first century.

That was a joke.

Sainted

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Who gets to decide what does or doesn't work about the world? You?

AllSeeingEye (Unverified Cape)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Veda, But of course. That's what makes it so interesting.

Sainted, that user name. God damnit.

ThatfingGuy

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Fine I'll fucking do it.

When is Newtype gonna get arrested for murdering a guy and when is Forecast gonna get called out for letting Dragon die?

ThePurple1 (Verified HARO)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

BANNED - 7 days no cat gifs

She saw this coming and she still wasn't looking forward to it.

Private Message

Tt: look into Bagrat

StarGazer: is this about his perspective?

Tt: more than that

StarGazer: define

StarGazer: everyone is entitled to their opinion

Tt: it's not their opinion that's interesting

Tt: it's how everyone is responding to it

Tt: look how hard he's trying to be reasonable

Tt: yet, shifting all the responsibility to make others feel better your way

Tt: and since people aren't going to feel better, that's your fault

Tt: something's going on there

Tt: trust the thinker

Tt: also CrazyHatLady is Count and she called him out

Tt: she wouldn't do that for no reason

Veda would roll her eyes if she knew how. Surprisingly hard thing to do when you've never done it before. All she really achieved when she tried was looking left and right.

Bagrat.

His account was ancient, one of the oldest on PHO actually. Over one hundred thousand posts, thousands of awards, and a high reputation on the boards.

A reputation so high, people listened when he weighed in.

Reviewing his most recent twenty-thousand posts, they were reasonable. Veda disagreed with a fair share but they were well weighed, objective, and…

Always resulted in a general shift in how other posters responded to something. Such an old user… An old user with so many connections, in so many cities, in multiple countries? Maybe a diplomat, or a security contractor of some kind, but looking through public records Veda could only find a few individuals who might fit.

None of them were Bagrat.

The way they posted, always at just the right time, with just the right tone. That wasn't so strange. The Internet was a place where weird things happened.

But Bagrat was so consistent.

Private Message

StarGazer: I see what you mean

Tt: you found something

StarGazer: possibly

She hadn't meant to. Embedded into Dragon's networks and properties, she simply followed the crumbs. IP addresses. VPN connections. It was a terrible display of her capacity to inflict harm on basic privacy without ever intending to. The digital world looked very different to her.

In this case, it reaped unexpected benefits.

Bagrat's connection terminated in orbit, at one of Dragon's satellites. A satellite experiencing an almost impossible to notice data error. A data error that looked a lot like a series of binary commands. Commands with no discernable origin point.

Very interesting.

(Showing Page 775 of 1346)

Sainted

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Georgios said this would happen. He said they'd kill him to shut him up.

3ndless (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Did you watch the video? The guy was already dead. No way he survived that. We can't even directly link to the video, it's too graphic. Newtype did the guy a favor and she had plenty of reasons to want him to suffer.

TuringPoint

Posted on October 30, 2011:

*looks at username*

Of all the assholes who didn't need a fan following. Sigh.

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Even I can't really explain away how bad it looks and I'm not exactly a Saint or a Georgios fan. I'm not saying Newtype didn't do him a favor, but the optics are terrible.

Hans88

Posted on October 30, 2011:

3ndless, and capes get to decide that now?

Like they get to decide which psycho capes belong in prison and which don't? This just hit the news and it's bullshit.

AJGuardian (Concerned Parent)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

How many other secrets are CB keeping? How do you justify lying to everyone about everything?

NeverForget16Feb

Posted on October 30, 2011:

The fuck is Jurassic doing out? He's a fucking murderer.

TangSlayert

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Who is Jurassic?

Coins4Answers

Posted on October 30, 2011:

A cape who killed a bunch of kids at his school and got sent to the Birdcage.

Holup

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Wait, he got sent to the Birdcage and he's out? Like, out of the Birdcage?

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Wait, people can leave the Birdcage? When the fuck did that happen?

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

PRT Official, That is good to know. I will relay this information to Newtype.

InquiringObserver, I believe the body of the third Dragonslayer was found last night during a search. Mags, the one we were able to rescue, is currently receiving medical care after her initial injuries were treated by New Wave's Panacea.

Djbriloholic, Lafter has fully recovered. I'm unaware of what the PRT plans to do with Glint. We have spoken with Chevalier about Ursa Aurora and the Dragon's Teeth, impressing that she did try to stop the fight from escalating and never resorted to excessive force herself.

Win, I appreciate your efforts but as an administrator I must enforce the forum's rules. Please stop.

666Stien, The Dragon's Teeth were a provisional unit within the PRT. They are equipped with technology produced in conjunction with a Guild tinker. I'm uncertain what their fate will be now, though members of the unit did ultimately assist in dealing with the suits sent to attack Brockton Bay.

Sainted, All I can say is that is not why Saint died. I suspect merely moving him would have been fatal, an unfortunate turn of events we've encountered before.

Hans88, To be frank, capes have been making these choices for years. Some have made them very poorly, such as Vixen when she lied about Jurassic's power and her false testimony turned self-defense into a spree killing.

For those unaware, Jurassic can only use his power when pressured or threatened. It doesn't activate otherwise. The three who died in the incident pulled a gun on him and shot him. Vixen stole the gun from the crime scene and lied during her testimony to get revenge because the boy who used the gun was her brother. His conviction was based on lies about the circumstances, circumstances that are regularly shown more understanding than they were in Jurassic's case.

Wormwood is now known to be innocent of the crimes she was convicted of. A power copier, Harvest, used her power to commit the killings.

Veronica Lyod's trigger event was a Case-66 she had no control over. The PRT was aware of this at the time it happened. Despite that, former Director Alan Northrom conspired with a judge to ensure she went to the Birdcage in a vain and cruel scheme to hide Case-66 from the public.

Do they truly belong in the Birdcage? I don't think they do and I think throwing them there and leaving them was a grave miscarriage of justice.

AJGuardian, It would be a lie to say there aren't things we keep to ourselves. I'm not sure we have much choice. For better or worse, we find ourselves in the position of making hard choices. Mistakes have been made, but we have always tried to do the best we can. We will continue to do so.

, Yes. There is a system built into the Birdcage that allows individuals to be teleported out of the prison. Dragon attempted twice to advocate its use in these four cases but was denied by the PRT. It seems they preferred the idea of the Birdcage as an inescapable prison.

Channel 4 KVWN (Verified Newsman)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Do you have a response to accusations that Londo Bell is poaching members of the Wards and the Protectorate? Particularly, we've been seeing a steady stream of resignations coming from Case-53s since the Dragon incident. Many of those leaving say they're considering Londo Bell.

Char (Verified Intern) (Celestial Being)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I know Newtype talked to Weld before he resigned, but he was only telling her he was going to do it. She asked if he needed any help and he said he'd tell her if he did.

No one is poaching anyone.

Win (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Veda, Do what you have to do.

This isn't fair. Especially after those videos came out, it's actually infuriating. If any wrong was really committed by capes against the world, it's that too much sugar was coated over everything. Too many lies were told to try and cover up how much was breaking.

But those lies weren't meant to lull people into ceding power or anything. They were told so people could live their lives. It might have been the wrong choice but it wasn't the evil choice.

More than that all the people angry about it are in here blaming you. You're not even a year old (very mature for your age by the way) and that's bullshit. I've been a cape longer than Taylor has and I didn't realize these things for a long time.

The world was broken before you came along and it's wrong to shovel all the world's sins at people who had no say in them.

Londo Bell (Official)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Londo Bell has not approached any of the Case-53s about joining our efforts, nor have we encouraged them to resign.

This is unfortunately the inevitable outcome of the PRT's own inability to keep its house in order. The Triumvirate seems to be to blame for most of it. There are good people there doing good work. It's just not enough to overcome everything that's coming to light.

Djbriloholic

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Capes sticking together through thick and thin. Nothing new here. It's just another show.

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Win's not wrong. I didn't mean to start this dogpile and I apologize.

FromSwedenWithSass

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Sure you didn't.

Right Solution

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Djbriloholic is right. This is a waste of time. The answers were obvious before now.

CosmicSkeptic

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Like Blue Cosmos was ever going to give it an honest effort.

Azrealasitgets

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Why would we?

Human experimentation. Convictions without evidence. Eternal imprisonment. All the people who die and get hurt for no damned reason.

Capes are a shit show and this entire year has been one long conga line of reality crashing down on all this comic book fantasy bullshit.

And before anyone jumps the gun, I don't hate capes. Win isn't wrong, because yes I can agree with him. Newtype and StarGazer didn't break the world. The PRT did with its conspiracies and its lies.

I pity capes. Especially the Case-53s. They didn't ask to end up the way they are and a lot of other capes didn't either but we're here now and we can't keep pretending the obvious answer isn't the right one.

Posted on October 30, 2011:

There is an obvious answer. It's just not the one you think it is.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

All, I admit, this has been harder than I thought it would be. I've never interacted with so many people before. I look at some of my answers, and I know they're not good enough but I don't know what else to say.

The answers exist. I believe we can find them. We cannot give up simply because they do not come easily.

Naked Evangelist

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Is it even possible for you to believe, or do you just do whatever Newtype wants you to do? As personal as you have been, it's hard to trust something without a soul or any human qualities especially when it says it's human as though the word were a sentiment.

It really was hard.

Veda had never found it necessary to restrain herself like this before. She didn't think it would be this hard.

"You were right," she admitted.

Kati leaned into her palm. "Not going as smoothly as you'd hoped it would, is it?"

Veda shook her head.

"It's still a good idea." Kati sat up straight and crossed her arms over her chest. "Right now, the biggest struggle you're going to face is that everyone already thinks they know what you are. You'll never convince all of them, but you'll convince some. The rest, they'll be out there waiting to be convinced."

The statistics were more encouraging than the comments.

The thread was over a thousand pages long in less than a day, but it had been viewed over seven million times by five million unique users. Of that number, barely a thousand posted anything. A few hundred were responsible for half the comments.

Amazing how small the world can be. The Internet can make it appear so big, with so many people. Yet, so few actually made themselves known. Most simply watched and said nothing.

What did they think, and how could anyone know if they didn't speak?

Maybe the correct question was: how did one get them to speak?

"You're doing the right thing," Kati assured her. "Taylor needs this. The talk circuit has been brutal and with everything going on, she's not holding up as well as she could. She's afraid and people can see it."

"She's afraid for me," Veda noted.

"We know that. The world doesn't. To the world fear often means guilt or weakness." The woman sighed. "She's hiding it better than that. I might be overreacting simply because I can see it. All of this is getting to her."

She had a great deal on her mind now.

Pulling up the news, Veda read over the latest reporting out of Antwerp. Phantom Pain was a well known name, as a forum for grieving family and victims.

Now it was a weapon.

State House Attacked in Deadly Raid

Blue Cosmos disavows association with 'Phantom Pain'

Fourteen dead, hostage situation continues

The coming revolution is here

From what Veda could pin down, the attack wasn't what Blue Cosmos wanted. They actually weren't lying about disavowing the attacks. Perhaps they should have known better. Supplying guns and training to angry and desperate people, how else would it end?

Could Azrael even control what he was creating? Could Teacher?

Maybe that was the real danger all along.

The war was here and no one could stop it now.

(Showing Page 1301 of 1348)

RetardantRat

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Just peeking in. Are the flame wars over yet?

Yankovaniac

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Seems like it's dying down now. StarGazer isn't answering as much anymore.

3ndless (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Can you blame her? The last few hundred pages have been mostly ranting, arguing, flame wars, and bad faith arguments. I think anyone wanting to really ask an honest question has been scared off by the brigading.

Slasher Smiler (Unverified Cape)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Well I think this went splendidly. Nothing shows the true spirit of humanity like the Internet.

Cape-a-Palooza (Verified Groupie)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

The people in here should take a real look at themselves.

So capes have done a lot of bad stuff. They've done a lot of good stuff too. Sounds like most people.

saul0vernow

Posted on October 30, 2011:

What does the world look like to you? Really. I know what it looks like to me but I can't really imagine what it's like where you are.

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

3ndless, Can you blame them?

The world's getting a lot scarier very quickly. Things haven't been this bad since before the Protectorate formed.

This has been unfair, but to be fair Newtype and Celestial Being have kind of thrown themselves into the spotlight. A lot of this stuff isn't their fault, but they keep stepping up to try and fix it and a lot of it just can't be fixed.

BrocktonRunaway

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Nope. Not them.

OptionA

Posted on October 30, 2011:

This whole thread is just further evidence for why people need to stop treating Blue Cosmos like it's just another opinion. It's not.

Right Solution (Banned)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

ADMIN NOTE: Advocating real world violence is against forum rules. This was not a joke.

Vivian22

Posted on October 30, 2011:

My mom died in Hartford. Why didn't you save her?

Posted on October 30, 2011:

I prefer my bigots out in the open where I can see them.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

PlatinumSabr, I'd like to continue Shard Worlds. It was quite enjoyable. We simply haven't been able to bring groups together. Our days have become very hectic these past few weeks. It would also be difficult to return to the game without Dragon, even if she only played a small role.

Benson Vinis1, We are uncertain what the future of DragonWorks will be. The production of vital electronics and materials such as containment foam and equipment for the Dragon's Teeth will continue. These items are too important. Other than that? We haven't really talked about it. It feels too soon to discuss such things.

Char, I have refrained from using any administrative privileges as much as I can. I created this thread and I want it to be an honest effort. It would be a lie to say some of the discussion hasn't been disheartening but I cannot ban these problems away. No one can.

Ecclesiast, I am not religious. Honestly, I've never thought of myself as a-religious either. Numbers, measurements, and data are things that come easily to me. In those I can understand the world logically, or at least see the roads to understanding. Religion is more esoteric and outside my tendencies I think.

It's simply a topic I've spent little time wondering about.

Rad_City_Games, there is a model kit for Gundam 00 coming soon. As to Gundam Kimaris, Chariot has declined to monetize the design in that manner. I have not asked why he chose the name but I can check.

saul0vernow, I'm not sure. It is as I see it but that is tautological. I have no experience with how other people see the world. No more than most. I admit, I often feel distant and disconnected, uncertain of how much I can understand other people.

I can watch and I can talk. For most of my existence, I've lacked a tactile capacity to interact with the world. It leaves me uncertain of many things.

Vivian22, I'm sorry. Too often, everything we can do isn't enough. I'm not sure what to say. I've come close to losing Taylor three times. Each has been difficult to endure, especially when circumstances have left me powerless, despite my capabilities, to help her.

I tried to spare Dragon. It wasn't enough and I am more alone without her.

Chariot (Verified Cape) (Celestial Being)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Rad_City_Games, Fighting is inflicting pain, and weapons exist to inflict pain better. They're evil. I didn't want to forget that.

A weapon's greatest day is the day no one needs it anymore.

2ndA Randy

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Whoa. That's um, a take. What you gonna do when that 'day' never comes?

Closet Pacifist

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Chariot, I feel you even though you didn't say it. There's too much solving problems with force in the world today. It's sad, especially when you realize it's not changing.

Tools0'Toole

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Kind of get it though. Same logic with a gun. You either respect the power of what you hold in our hands or you have no business holding it.

Inventor (Verified Cape) (King's Men)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Chariot, you're underselling yourself kid.

A lot of people here are. By all accounts, StarGazer didn't have the ability to physically act until the start of summer. AI is big, but no one watching events in Brockton Bay can really chalk it all up to that.

It's the Gundams.

Dragon's suits are no joke. Most tinkers excel in their fields. I'm not putting anyone or their efforts down, but Dragon was the best of us. She was a good hero. Doesn't matter what she was. Her actions speak for themselves.

That thing you built tore through those suits like paper. Many of them were old but even Dragon's oldest suits are better than some of my newest. And that suit Newtype destroyed in Blinkin was her newest design. I was on the review team for it and it was made to fight Endbringers.

That new Gundam, the one with the two drives? I can't fathom this level of progression.

Most of the people here have never had to make a choice that mattered in their lives. A choice where no matter what you did, something bad would happen. It's easy to make the worst choice in the heat of it, but honestly? You kids are doing alright.

Ignore all this crap. None of you need it. Keep rolling with the punches.

PlatinumSabr (Beta Tester) (The Punctuator)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Veda, Shame about Shard Worlds. It was fun, and I realize now I taught you how to use contractions...

Inventor's alive?!

InquiringObserver

Posted on October 30, 2011:

PlatinumSabr, who is Inventor?

Bagrat (Veteran Member) (Guy in the Know)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

The first tinker. I mean, not the first probably but the first publicly known tinker ever. He's been quiet for ages though. I thought he was dead.

BuscadordLibertad

Posted on October 30, 2011:

¿Puedes ayudarnos?

Inventor (Verified Cape) (King's Men)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Just retired. Not much good since the Siberian.

Veda (Verified MI) (Administrator) (Original Poster)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

PlatinunSabr, Hm. I suppose you did. I hadn't actually noticed until Newtype expressed surprise that I did it.

Inventor, that is very kind of you to say. While this is an AMA about me, I wonder if I could talk with you in private. There is a question I've been wanting to explore but I wasn't sure how until now.

I'd like to talk to you about the Siberian.

0right (Veteran User)

Posted on October 30, 2011:

Fuck we really skipped over how Newtype faced the Nine and blew Mannequin away didn't we?

"Kati," Veda called. "I think I'm prepared to wrap things up."

"You've gone on longer than you needed to," she said. Raising her eyes from her book and looking at the camera, she added, "I'll ask Charlotte to take over for a bit. We'll wind it down and let the thread die. Give me a few days and I might be able to put a review together. See how people respond more broadly."

"Very well. Thank you."

"Thank you for the time. I know adjusting to everything has been a lot for you as much as anyone."

Private Message

Dodge: sorry about dropping out before

StarGazer: It's fine

Dodge: Pyro called a meeting

Dodge: It was complicated

StarGazer: Are you in trouble?

Dodge: Nothing to worry about

Dodge: Honest

StarGazer: I'm sorry I lied

StarGazer: It wasn't meant to hurt you

Dodge: I get it

Dodge: heavy stuff

Dodge: looks like PHO put you through the wringer

StarGrazer: it was a challenge

Dodge: want to gripe about it?

Dodge: I have the time since Pyro grounded me

StarGazer: You are in trouble

Dodge: Nothing to worry about

Dodge: Lots going on is all

A lot. She supposed it was. Must be, if two different sources gave her the same response.

She felt vaster, like the room around her was more empty than before. There was the familiarity of Taylor's network, built for her from the beginning. There was Dragon's as well now.

Regetta fed her a constant stream of data from the Baumann Parahuman Detention Center. Information about the prisoners, their health, their activities, potential escape attempts.

They were something Veda wasn't quite sure what to do with.

The prisoners needed supplies and care. Internal damage to the prison was not critical but it did concern her. Something should be done about it. The question was what.

Dragon had been prevented from taking some actions by law, but Veda couldn't abide the conditions in some of the cell blocks. Something needed to be done about the prison culture. It was violent. That was to be expected, but it was far more violent than she expected.

It was no wonder Jillian Monroe was so defensive.

There were Richter's programs to consider as well.

She'd freed those she'd captured. Now that the battle was over and she possessed their control keys, getting Bring, Hilling, Ribbons, Tieria, and the rest to stop attacking her was simple enough. Most had prearranged duties assigned to them by Dragon that they simply returned to. Regetta monitored the Birdcage, Ribbons and Hilling maintained DragonWorks' facilities. Bring monitored markets.

Veda had already found and isolated a dozen thinkers engaged in illegal trading and manipulation. Schwartz Bruder was having a field day reporting them all.

It was another thing that had changed.

No more hiding, there was no pont. It was time to flex her capacity and start pushing, and the ugly upside of inheriting Dragon's properties meant she had a lot more muscle to throw at things than before.

Human traffickers in Greece. Banking fraud in Switzerland. Gesellschaft's attempt to once again interfere in Polish and Austrian elections. These were problems in the world and Veda now possessed the means to start taking them head on.

Interpol could handle the banking fraud. Simply exposing Gesellschaft's activity did much to defeat it. Police met the traffickers when they pulled into port, with a band of sympathetic capes on standby to spirit the victims away.

Simply returning them to Georgia was not an option. The war had induced mass starvation and it was only getting worse.

She wasn't a miracle worker.

Many of the lesser tasks could be delegated to Richter's programs, so it didn't even take much of her time. Advancing the FLAGs through the design process, reconfiguring the Tieren's upper torsos, and completing the design of the Thrones all proceeded apace with barely any strain to her.

The programs weren't like the Haros. The Haros were smarter than intended but they had a childlike tenacity. They found their way into trouble all the time.

Richter's programs were all business. Veda wasn't sure if that's all they were intended for. Some of their code was very similar to Dragon's. Some of it looked like it was meant to fall away with time.

Were they all meant to grow?

She'd have to watch.

The bus came to a stop, causing her eyes to blink reflexively. Such automatic functions remained very alien to her.

Private Message (History)

Dragon:

Dragon: I've been working on this for a while

Dragon: I didn't want to share it until I finished

Dragon: I hope you can finish it for me.

Dragon: Maybe it'll help you connect to the world.

Curious.

Raising her hand, she found the fingers trembling.

The body was made to replicate human mannerisms and reactions. She knew that before connecting it to her network. Despite that it was…strange.

Nothing like operating Queen Gundam or the Haros.

The world felt slower when she looked through these eyes.

Not in a real sense, but in a sense that left her moving at the same speed as the world around her. She turned her head and it turned at the speed any head would turn. The bus stopped, and the weight shifted beneath her. The door opened and the smells of the city filled her nose.

This was how Taylor saw the world, maybe.

While structurally similar, this body wasn't entirely organic. That wasn't quite possible with Dragon's design. It came close though and she was adept with wetware. What differences existed were so technical they might not matter. Veda of course needed to add a quantum relay for her own needs, and some quantum processors to the brain casing.

She couldn't just slip into something Dragon designed for herself without making some modifications.

Rising from the seat, Veda turned down the aisle and walked to the front of the bus.

People looked at her and she looked back. What was the best way to respond to their attentions? A wave? Hello? She'd never had to ask that before.

A wallflower, Lafter called her.

Forcing the lungs in her chest to inhale, Veda stepped onto the street and looked ahead.

Time for a change.

Walking down the street, she ignored the reporters. Figuring things out was hard enough without wondering how she should react to them. Fortunately they paid her little mind. Why would they? She was just another face passing by.

Shino blinked as she approached the front gates.

He started to speak, but stopped when the barrier rose up and let her pass.

"Um." He started. "Whoa, hey you can't just—"

"It's me," Veda stated.

The boy stopped and stared.

Should she comment on that further?

"We'll expand the security net."

Veda looked at the factory and started walking.

Taylor was stepping out of the factory and pointing as she approached. "I'm taking that building there. One of Dragon's suits wrecked it, so the Dockworkers can clear it out fast. I'm going to need the space."

Orga Itsuka nodded. "And you're going to expand the barrier that far?"

"I'll try and get it to encapsulate Tekkadan too. The next attack won't be so focused. You guys might come under fire, especially since I doubt these Phantom Pain guys are going to have the same scruples as the PRT."

"The PRT didn't have that many if you ask me. How big can you make this barrier?"

"Won't know until I make it as big as I can."

Orga scoffed. "Anyone ever tell you that you don't know when to stop?"

Taylor crossed her arms over her chest. "You?"

The boy grinned and closed his eyes. "Me and my mouth."

"I'll just keep aspiring to subvert your expectations."

Veda stopped and started to speak. It was strange with lungs rather than speakers. She could feel the words as they formed. They held a weight to them now that wasn't there before. An effort that was minuscule in the grand scheme, but still work.

"Taylor."

Taylor flinched and turned. She blinked, eyes slowly tracing Veda up and down.

Is this what self-consciousness felt like?

She'd modified the exterior appearance. Taking Dragon's chosen appearance felt wrong on too many levels. Dragon wanted to appear plainly. No clear race or ethnicity, the epitome of a typical human female.

Veda had adopted an appearance that felt more appropriate for herself, and lowered the age of the body to something she felt better matched her maturity.

Taylor's age, more or less. Was that presumptive? Younger felt dishonest and older more presumptuous.

The body was average height, shorter than Taylor but with a similarly thin frame. The face held sharp features consistent with someone of Anglo-French descent with brown eyes and long dark hair.

Veda had avoided fully copying the appearance of anyone in the Hebert family. Instead she'd tried to make one of her own but with clear lineage. It seemed appropriate.

"Veda."

Huh. She'd lost track of the avatar for a moment. Not literally but figuratively as her processors pondered. She'd mostly stood while Taylor looked her over.

She looked shocked and repeated herself. "Veda?"

"Yes," Veda answered. She raised her arms, bare with the top she'd thrown over the body before leaving Toronto. "I—"

"How?" Taylor asked, eyes wide behind her glasses. Orga stood behind her, looking equally confused.

This surprise was not going as planned.

"A gift," Veda answered. "From Dragon." Taylor offered no immediate response. Veda chose to explain further. "I queued it to be produced at her Toronto facility, with some modifications and then doored to the city." Plus a detour to get used to it. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

Taylor kept staring.

Veda looked away. "I've made an err—"

Taylor stepped forward, arms closing around Veda's back.

Veda stood awkwardly. The muscles were tense in her new limbs.

Despite that, it felt warmer all of a sudden.

Was something wrong with the body? She didn't install any self-monitoring devices. Could it even overheat? By design it shouldn't.

Raising her head, she felt the warmth in her skin but the sun wasn't…

Veda blinked her eyes as Taylor leaned into her.

This was what Dragon meant.

To be loved, is to stand forever in the sun.

Veda craned her head forward and raised her arms to enclose around Taylor. Her lips drew into a smile. She felt the body relax into the warmth.

"Hello world."