a new kind of science
not all who wander are lost ー the_shepherd :: y023 post-eclipse
Chi was frozen in her place, her eyes transfixed at the large talking mouse. His red bloodshot eyes seemed to look right through into her soul, reading her mind like an open book.
As he moved into the light she could make out that he was very old, possibly malnourished and limp in one leg. His tail had been chewed off in several places.
DON'T WORRY CHILD, I WONT BITE. ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF 🐁
He turned his head up and sniffed the air, almost in as though he was straightening himself uo.
I AM APH^EX^, CHIEF SCIENTIST AT THE_AGRICULTURAL_FOUNDATION OF SILENT_VALLEY 🐁
He paused, studying the silence.
YOU SEE, A FEW DECADES AGO, A FEW OF THE BRIGHTEST MINDS IN SILENT VALLEY SET OUT ON A JOURNEY TO FIND HYBRID_GENERAL_INTELLIGENCE. 🐁
hybrid_general_intelligence? what does that even mean? chi thought to herself.
HYBRID INTELLIGENCE MEANS WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS, APH^EX^ smirked. 🐁
++
You can read my thoughts? Chi gasped.
++
ONLY WHEN THEY ARE LOUD. IN DUE TIME, YOU SHALL LEARN TO HARNESS THIS POWER TOO... BUT FOR NOW YOU MUST LISTEN 🐁
Chi felt a darkness creep up her spine. She was incredibly uncomfortable, yet she had no other choice but to do as she was told.
AS I WAS SAYING, he continued IN OUR SEARCH FOR FINDING THE CURE TO THE_PLAGUE WE TRIED TO SIMULATE HYBRID_INTELLIGENCE. 🐁
He turned to his side.
WE HARNESSED THE POWER OF GENE_EDITING AND SOMATIC_CELL_NUCLEAR_TRANSFER TO CREATE THE FIRST GENERATION OF HUMAN ANIMAL HYBRIDS - STARTING WITH ME - APH^EX^. 🐁
His took a deep breath.
THE EXPERIMENT GRANTED ME THE ABILITY TO CLONE MYSELF AND SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE AS A FORM OF COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE. TOGETHER WE CREATED A WHOLE NEW KIND OF SCIENCE. WE MADE ADVANCEMENTS IN NEURO_ALCHEMY, TECHNO_AGRICULTURE AND BIO_POLITICAL_ENGINEERING 🐁
His head sank.
BUT THINGS DIDN'T GO ACCORDING TO PLAN. THE EXPERIMENTS LEFT ME PERMANENTLY_BLIND AND TURNED ALL THE CLONES FERAL. 🐁
His ears twitched.
LADY_PEACOCK GRANTED US AID BY FUNDING MILLET_LAB AND KEPT US HERE UNTIL WE I FOUND A CURE. THE CURE DIDN'T TAKE TIME TO FORMULATE, BUT THERE IS ONE MISSING INGREDIENT.... 🐁
Chi knew what he was going to say. Something about this conversation seemed familiar.
...YOU
+CLAP+
Without a moment's hesitation she snapped as the_probe expanded to fill the room with light.
The light faded. APH^EX^ didn't flinch.
THAT'S IT CHILD. YOU SEE - I AM BLIND SO YOUR PROBE WILL NOT WORK. GOOD TRY THOUGH 🐁
He lifted his tail and grabbed her, slowly wrapping it around her body.
IT'S OKAY, IT WILL ONLY LAST A MINUTE 🐁
APH^EX^ placed her gently on the table. A floating chainsaw and surgical knife came towards her hovering right beneath her head over her torso. It inched closer, and closer.. and closer.
He paused.
WAIT A MINUTE. WHAT'S THAT? WHERE IS YOUR +CORE+? WHERE DID IT GO? 🐁
He must be talking about the hole in my chest, Chi thought
YES THAT ONE. WHAT DID YOU DO TO IT? 🐁
Nothing, Chi replied.
APH^EX^ loosened his grip.
Chi seized the opportunity and wriggled free.
Something seemed familiar about this encounter. She trusted her instincts and jumped up.
> env::purify()She rose up off the ground and brought her hands together in to a series of formations.
+DREAM+
The room filled itself with a bright light. APH^EX^ began to shrink.
He shrank.
and shrank.
and shrank.
Until he collapsed into the size of a tiny, frail man with a limp arm.
Chi took a careful look at his body. He looked very similar to the man in the statue at the center of the room.
She let out a sigh of relief. Whatever she did, seemed to have turned him back to his former self.
But her mind was full of questions. How did this work? Who was she really, and why had the_shepherd asked her to head north?
It was time to get some answers.