Read Online But Thomas Aiken Is Dead - Part I by Alex McKechnie - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alex McKechnie
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Breacher is considerably more than a maintenance construct.
Atia:
But you’re not a denizen?
The Interlokutor:
I have a full and operational selfsense. I can’t supply further details at this point.
Atia:
Doesn’t look the case from here. You don’t blink, for one thing.
The Interlokutor:
As I have said, this mode of eksist is something of a foreign one. We have gone to great pains to represent as ningen-ersatz so as to encourage a high degree of comfort in your interaction with us. Even so, certain physical details may have been omitted or misinterpreted.
Atia:
And your hands, they -
The Breacher:
She is merely trying to waste time.
Atia:
Marvelous work. If there’s an official record, I would like it noted that this is a blatant invasion of my selfsense autonomy, having this head invader here.
The Interlokutor:
I apologise if the notion is uncomfortable but the Breacher is necessary at this time. He attends only those investigations involving a denizen prone to obfuscation or outright deception.
Atia:
That doesn’t sound like a fair appraisal of me.
The Interlokutor:
The chief archivist was under the impression that you were conducting historiks research. You were in fact collecting documents to incite a rebellion. This was a deceptive effort on your part. Ergo, you are a denizen prone to deception.
Atia:
I was conducting historiks research.
The Interlokutor:
This has become a semantic debate already, something which could have been avoided had you not insisted on the investigation being carried out in ningen-ersatz capacity.
Atia:
One of my little eccentricities.
The Interlokutor:
According to our preliminary inspection you exhibit a number of eccentricities.
Atia:
Such as?
The Interlokutor:
You have been ningen for over an au now.
Atia:
Century.
The Interlokutor:
Au. We prefer the standard metric for-
Atia:
I’m sure you do.
The Interlokutor:
Very well. You have been ningen for over a century now, apparently by choice.
Atia:
What of it? It is my right to do so.
The Interlokutor:
Naturally, though it is just something of an unusual choice. Do you ever return to generik mode denizen eksist?
Atia:
No. It’s vile.
The Interlokutor:
What if communication becomes a problem with another denizen?
Atia:
Then I use words.
The Interlokutor:
And commit yourself to ambiguity?
Atia:
Sometimes blunt tools construct beautiful objects.
The Interlokutor:
Moreover, you are socially reclusive and highly sporadic in your interests. Recurrent research topics include late 22nd century literature, noteable historik Luddite sympathisers, semiotics -
Atia:
I know what my interests are.
The Interlokutor:
You must admit they are anomalous.
Atia:
Not particularly.
The Breacher:
She is perfectly aware that her behaviour is unusual.
Atia:
There is nothing anti-Cadence about exotic research interests.
The Interlokutor:
I am confident that they share some kind of commonality, and that commonality relates to the motives behind your transgression. Your academik research interests were even more exotic. We would like you to expound on them.
Atia:
You know all of this, surely.
The Interlokutor:
I am curious to hear your rendition of events.
Atia:
Why?
The Interlokutor:
It may help to identify vital flaws in your apprehendment of reality. Please begin at an appropriate point in your chronology.
Atia:
Gnesha’s teeth. When the horologiks faculty had me excised, I was assigned as part of the anti-mergerment effort by Tsun Uri.
The Interlokutor:
He was an associate?
Atia:
Yes. I met him an au or so ago.
The Interlokutor:
When, exactly?
Atia:
I can’t recall.
The Interlokutor:
Is this the truth?
The Breacher:
It is.
Atia:
Ningen-ersatz have their memories modelled in the ningen fashion. Details fade over time in our minds just as they would have in the standard ningen brain.
The Interlokutor:
Another testament to ningen inefficiency, wouldn’t you agree?
Atia:
That was the nature of their minds. I doubt
Atia:
But you’re not a denizen?
The Interlokutor:
I have a full and operational selfsense. I can’t supply further details at this point.
Atia:
Doesn’t look the case from here. You don’t blink, for one thing.
The Interlokutor:
As I have said, this mode of eksist is something of a foreign one. We have gone to great pains to represent as ningen-ersatz so as to encourage a high degree of comfort in your interaction with us. Even so, certain physical details may have been omitted or misinterpreted.
Atia:
And your hands, they -
The Breacher:
She is merely trying to waste time.
Atia:
Marvelous work. If there’s an official record, I would like it noted that this is a blatant invasion of my selfsense autonomy, having this head invader here.
The Interlokutor:
I apologise if the notion is uncomfortable but the Breacher is necessary at this time. He attends only those investigations involving a denizen prone to obfuscation or outright deception.
Atia:
That doesn’t sound like a fair appraisal of me.
The Interlokutor:
The chief archivist was under the impression that you were conducting historiks research. You were in fact collecting documents to incite a rebellion. This was a deceptive effort on your part. Ergo, you are a denizen prone to deception.
Atia:
I was conducting historiks research.
The Interlokutor:
This has become a semantic debate already, something which could have been avoided had you not insisted on the investigation being carried out in ningen-ersatz capacity.
Atia:
One of my little eccentricities.
The Interlokutor:
According to our preliminary inspection you exhibit a number of eccentricities.
Atia:
Such as?
The Interlokutor:
You have been ningen for over an au now.
Atia:
Century.
The Interlokutor:
Au. We prefer the standard metric for-
Atia:
I’m sure you do.
The Interlokutor:
Very well. You have been ningen for over a century now, apparently by choice.
Atia:
What of it? It is my right to do so.
The Interlokutor:
Naturally, though it is just something of an unusual choice. Do you ever return to generik mode denizen eksist?
Atia:
No. It’s vile.
The Interlokutor:
What if communication becomes a problem with another denizen?
Atia:
Then I use words.
The Interlokutor:
And commit yourself to ambiguity?
Atia:
Sometimes blunt tools construct beautiful objects.
The Interlokutor:
Moreover, you are socially reclusive and highly sporadic in your interests. Recurrent research topics include late 22nd century literature, noteable historik Luddite sympathisers, semiotics -
Atia:
I know what my interests are.
The Interlokutor:
You must admit they are anomalous.
Atia:
Not particularly.
The Breacher:
She is perfectly aware that her behaviour is unusual.
Atia:
There is nothing anti-Cadence about exotic research interests.
The Interlokutor:
I am confident that they share some kind of commonality, and that commonality relates to the motives behind your transgression. Your academik research interests were even more exotic. We would like you to expound on them.
Atia:
You know all of this, surely.
The Interlokutor:
I am curious to hear your rendition of events.
Atia:
Why?
The Interlokutor:
It may help to identify vital flaws in your apprehendment of reality. Please begin at an appropriate point in your chronology.
Atia:
Gnesha’s teeth. When the horologiks faculty had me excised, I was assigned as part of the anti-mergerment effort by Tsun Uri.
The Interlokutor:
He was an associate?
Atia:
Yes. I met him an au or so ago.
The Interlokutor:
When, exactly?
Atia:
I can’t recall.
The Interlokutor:
Is this the truth?
The Breacher:
It is.
Atia:
Ningen-ersatz have their memories modelled in the ningen fashion. Details fade over time in our minds just as they would have in the standard ningen brain.
The Interlokutor:
Another testament to ningen inefficiency, wouldn’t you agree?
Atia:
That was the nature of their minds. I doubt
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