✎ eternity:mel [chronos]

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====== Mel ======

===== The Rest of Their Life =====

==== Research Priorities ====

"There has been a significant shift in public opinion, which has resulted in new research priorities.  I know this is going to mess with some of your lab work, and I'm sorry - but these are orders from above.  I know who pushed for this, and I don't disagree with their reasons, even though it's a little frustrating for us here."

"From now, the pure AI 'artificial minds' are on the backburner.  I know that's a disappointment, but frankly we were behind timeline on them anyway and hadn't made good progress in months.  First priority right now is what we're calling "Project Stasis", because Dr Hawk watches too much sci-fi.  It's related to the 'mind upload' project, but we're not going for full sim quite yet.  The idea is to make a system which will allow a mind to be preserved, for long enough for us to get the upload work done."

"It means it'll take a little longer to get to uploading, but also means that there will be a ton of people who we'll be able to save and store until we can get them conscious again.  Once we have a method which is reasonably likely to work, our first subject is Charlotte of Briareos - yes, **//that//** Charlotte."

- Message from Nix Ralone (timeline 7) to Persona research groups.

==== A Perfect Home ====

Alright alright alright!  Jones Carnation here with another episode of KTV Kribs.  This time, we're on Kedalion for another pair of time travellers - Mel and Daphne Jupiter and their "parents".  Yeah.  We'll get to that.

Firstly right, you know what Kedalion houses look like?  Shiny, chrome, and bursting from the walls with tech?  Yeah, not this place.  Right from the classic sitcoms of pre-Ananke Kybele, this is a little brick house with a white picket fence and a carefully manicured lawn.  Oh yeah, an that's just the start.  Frolocking on the lawn is the most adorably dangerous doggo you've ever seen.  He's the goodest boy you've ever known - programmed from the ground up to be the best dog possible, from the tip of his nose to the end of his tentacles.

Inside continues the perfect suburban fantasy - classically styled living room and kitchen, and bedrooms for Mel, Daphne and their "parents".  Oh yes, Mel and Daphne not only made themselves an idyllic sitcom paradise here (complete with laughtrack - we're not adding that in post folks, that's live), but also a couple of idyllic sitcom parents.

Now, I'm sure once the promised true AIs finally come out of Kedalion Inc this will be fine.  But right now there are a couple of Optis running hologram parents who will take a seat at the table and eat hologram food and who walk into their bedrooms and shut off the hologram as little robots come out to make sure the bed looks like it's been slept in.  And they are programmed to ensure comedy sitcom shenanigans the whole time.  And now I'm realising that it was probably the Optis that booked us to come here and I'd like to leave please.

Callisto Jupiter could not be reached for comment on Prometheus-Daphne's choice of parental figures in this timeline.

===== What Might Have Been, and Therefore Is =====

==== Test Subject ====

**Trigger Warnings: Human and animal experimentation.  Death.**

//Report number 73 of Project Uplift, commonly known as the "Mind Hunt".  1275.140//

Following promising results in initial trails, Mel has volunteered to be the first human subject for the time travel tests.  This information is to be kept highly confidential - in particular, Mel has made clear their their identity as the subject should be kept secret from the governance Optis, due to measures implemented by their alt-timeline self.  Mel has made clear that they are willing to accept the risk of this.

As a measure to reduce the distress caused, similar humane killing protocols will be used as in previous experiments - full anaesthesia is not suitable, as a major component of these tests is determining the differences between recollection by a living being and recollection by their implants.

//Report Number 82 of Project Uplift, commonly known as the "Mind Hunt". 1277.024//

After signs of interference by the governance Optis in the experiments, Mel has requested that their identity be rewritten so that the experiments can continue.  Attempting to reason with the Optis or revert their programming to avoid being overprotective of Mel have been unsuccessful, so permission has been granted for a corporate espionage team to be hired to perform the hacking required.

//1285.140//

Taylor Kim, as always, finds themself taking a small diversion on their route home.  As always, they stop outside an old-fashioned house, it's white picket fence out of place among the chrome exteriors of the adjacent buildings.  They catch a glimpse of a the person inside - a familiar face, though they have never met.  Familiar because it used to be their own.

"You meant well," they whisper "but it was stifling. You chose your family, but it wasn't what I needed."

A small hand tugs on Taylor's, impatient as always.

"Come ON! I wanna get HOME!" their daughter says, breaking them out of their reverie.  They smile, lifting her up onto their shoulders.

They never had a real parent, but they seem to be doing a decent job so far.
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