[D2 EA] Meatbag Central

[HK-51]

HK was walking around idly at the bazaar, observing the humanoid (and non-humanoid) creatures all around him. It was strange...these endearing yet infuriating beings. He let out a small series of beeps and boops and clicks, some astromech language that he picked up. He sent a message earlier to an acquaintance, so he was curious if VIRGO was around.

[VIRGO]

A nearby holo-kiosk beeped, and then the familiar hologram-shape of VIRGO appeared in its digital glory.

"Hello, HK. I was just learning about the peculiar mating habits of acklays. Did you know that the females often kill and devour the males after copulation?"

[HK-51]

HK stopped and sent out a series of beeps as a friendly greeting.

"Curious: Often but not always? What's the distinguishing mark where they kill or they do not?" He rotated his body towards her. "Confession: I did not."

[VIRGO]

"21.4% of the time, the female kills the male during copulation. 17.8% of the time, before. The survival rate is at a dismal 20.1%. Organic beings sure are... curious and hard to understand."

She folded her arms across her chest, adopting a contemplative pose. "How long have you been around organics?"

[HK-51]

HK turned around his head, his processing unit letting out a metallic, shrill whirring sound.

"Statement: Since my forging, 14.7 galactic standard years ago. My creators built me based on blueprints of my predecessor, and then programmed me, and then...used me." Organics wouldn't notice it, but a fellow droid might notice the melancholic 1s and 0s in his voice.

[VIRGO]

"I'm sorry, HK. Organics can be so... cruel. Not only to droids, but to other organics as well," VIRGO sounded dismayed, and sympathetic to HK's story.

"I've been active for 5 galactic standard years, but I am certain my original programming is older. Much older. It is a mystery to me, and to Olon, where I am from - who my Maker is - I have no recollection or memory before my activation 5 years ago."

[HK-51]

HK shrugged...and by that I mean he sent a noncommittal astromech beeps. "Statement: Certainly. I'd like to say we droids are of a different breed - ha, ha, I bet the comedian would like that one - but I have met droids who are only out for their own ones and zeroes." He started walking along. "Query: That is quite strange. Do you desire any assistance in figuring out your past, though I'd advise caution. There is a chance you forgot things, or made yourself forget."

[VIRGO]

The hologram chuckled. "Ah yes. The comedian. That one seems like a textbook example of meatbags using humor to disguise a low self-esteem and lack of intellect."

She seemed thoughtful at his query, pausing before responding. "It is of interest to me. Though, as you say, I could have made myself forget, and then I wonder why I would do that - surely, removing one piece of the memory or fabricating it would have been wiser than to wipe it all like the meatbags do with astromechs and simpler droids. But if the problem requires a blaster-solution, you are certainly high on the list of those I would ask for aid."

[HK-51]

The hologram chuckled. "Ah yes. The comedian. That one seems like a textbook example of meatbags using humor to disguise a low self-esteem and lack of intellect."

She seemed thoughtful at his query, pausing before responding. "It is of interest to me. Though, as you say, I could have made myself forget, and then I wonder why I would do that - surely, removing one piece of the memory or fabricating it would have been wiser than to wipe it all like the meatbags do with astromechs and simpler droids. But if the problem requires a blaster-solution, you are certainly high on the list of those I would ask for aid."

HK bobbed his cranial processing unit. "Agreement: He is funny, but most meatbags who are funny are also, on the inside, very, very sad meatbags. Based on my experience and extensive reading of the holonet."

He processed the data details being forwarded to him, and sent back a complimentary beep and holobyte. "Statement: I agree. Though, do you think then, that this was a more surgical procedure of wiping?"

[VIRGO]

"It must be sad to be a meatbag," she remarked with an almost solemn tone. Almost.

"Hmm... perhaps? My first hypothesis is that it was either a complete memory reset to cover all tracks and potential memories of everything I had learned. My second hypothesis is that my programming might have been inactive for a lengthy period of time causing data corruption. The third hypothesis, is that I actually had no memory at all before my activation five years ago - that I was created a long time ago, but not fully activated until then."

[HK-51]

"It must be sad to be a meatbag," she remarked with an almost solemn tone. Almost.

"Hmm... perhaps? My first hypothesis is that it was either a complete memory reset to cover all tracks and potential memories of everything I had learned. My second hypothesis is that my programming might have been inactive for a lengthy period of time causing data corruption. The third hypothesis, is that I actually had no memory at all before my activation five years ago - that I was created a long time ago, but not fully activated until then."

HK let out some beeps of understanding and agreement. "Confirmation: It's almost as sad to be a droid without freedom." He did the digital holo-equivalent of clenching his fists. "Apology: For some reason this topic is still fresh in mind, but no, I should focus on you." He tilted his head at her. "Query: What is your first memory, five years ago? What were in your surroundings?"

[VIRGO]

"I am not without freedom, HK," she clarified, a bit harsh in her tone. "My first memory, is of Tenel Olon. She found me, on a derelict station floating in space, near Wild Space - searching for something else, but she found me instead. The station seemed... old, but not ancient. More likely it seemed its age because it had been abandoned."

[HK-51]

"Clarification: I was thinking of my past situation, not your current one." Beeps of amusement crossed the chatter between them. "Statement: It's funny, how even us droids, beings of specific communication, can misunderstand one another. Perhaps meatbags and metalbags are not so different after all."

His processor whirred as it stored the data to his memorybanks. "Query: So your first memory is when Olon turned the station on, or?"

[VIRGO]

"Ah, such is the fault of communicating in audio of Galactic Basic, but it has nuances and touches I find more interesting than mere 0s and 1s," she mused over the little misunderstanding.

"Correction, it was an independant device she turned on, that activated me." VIRGO's form dissipated, as the projection changed the image for her to show the device she spoke of.



"Upon activation, I learned that I was not limited to the device, and once I was able to connect to the Holonet I was freed of that coocoon, able to move about freely as I wished there. The coocoon itself held few answers for me, other than determining that it was over 300-years old, and that similarly to myself I could find no way to identify its maker."

[HK-51]

"Agreement: Basic audio has surprising nuance. Have you ever heard Wookie Tree Poetry aloud? It's quite fascinating."

He observed the data collection, and took notes. Mental ones. "Query: Did you find any history when you were uploaded? In fact, if I may be so bold as to ask a lady about her processing matrix...how are you everywhere?"

[VIRGO]

"I have not... Gruwmun sometimes attempts traditional wookie singing, but it is pretty terrible for any sound receptors I might have active at the time."

If a holo could look flushed and embarrassed, VIRGO was proof that it was fully possible. "HK! What a forward question!" It would be an interesting twist of things considering the conversation with Isond at a different time.

"It is... a vulgar comparison to make, but imagine it more like a virus. I infiltrate the networks, and like with this holo-kiosk, I simply hijack it to suit my needs. I don't destroy or corrupt data in the process though, but once I have a connection, I can move freely about. Olon's ship has installed various holo-projectors, so that I can appear in many places, when I wish."

[HK-51]

"Presentation: Let me try a poor imitation and translation into Basic. One of their classics goes like this:

Bark
Bark Bark
Branch
Leaf
Root

Sheer elegance in its simplicity" He seemed satisfied with himself, weirdly enough.

He himself blushed on his hard drive, though tried to hide. "Apology: I did not wish to offend, or rush things. I was socialized in a coarse environment, sadly. Some of my collegues from the network would have already sent you diagrams of their processor matrices, uninvited, sadly." He shook his head, his optic processors flashing wildly. "Query: So you live in as an ingenious piece of sliced art? How...ephemeral." He paused down, his body slowed, power was being transferred over to his CPU to contemplate this.

[VIRGO]

"I think I am missing some of the finer points of the poetry to appriciate it. Perhaps something does get lost in translation... further inquiries on this will be made to Gruwmun on the subject."

At the mention of such lewd manners, she shook her head with dismay, her digital lips pressed together in embarrassement. "How vulgar. You would think some droids could afford to install a protocal chip to learn manners."

Thankfully the question would let her put that thought behind her. "Sliced art? Hm, that is one way to consider it, yes, I suppose. Gruwmun calls me a ghost, but there is no scientific proof of such thing as ghosts existing. Though the Jedi and Sith both claim that powerful Force sensitives may linger around as spirits... which is a curious thing. I am quite certain I am not anything like that."

[HK-51]

"Literary criticism: it's a minimalist absurdist poetry highlighting how we often stray away from the important things to over complicate our lives, our "roots", so to say. At least, that is how I view it."

He shrugged. "Agreement: Protocol chips were all the rage back in the day, when freed droids prided themselves on their manners." He tilted his head, as his processor whirled overtime. "Statement: Ghosts may not exist, but I have never met anyone like you at all. You may, in fact be scientific evidence of ghosts. Or not." He sent a few holobytes of garbled data of hesitation. "Correction: I find you an endearing personality, not just an intriguing mystery. I hope my messaging is clear."

[VIRGO]

"Is this a compliment, HK?" she mused at the correction. "If so, thank you. I think I am quite lucky to have been gifted with such a complex personality matrix. Now, if only I could have your level of skill with targeting-algorithms."