#if Sphene functioned a bit like GLaDOS...

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #25

Title: Innocence in Perpetuity

Wordcount: 1300

Spoilers through: Full Dawntrail

Relationships & Characters: Wuk Lamat / Sphene

Summary: Having burned her bridges with the real thing, the Endless Sphene contents herself with simulations of how her relationship with Lamaty’i might have gone differently.

(Hmm, still not quite satisfied with this one… I think I might have gone too far with the “Sphene is a computer” characterization and made it too dry. Ah well. First draft, gotta remind myself it’s a first draft...) 

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>> run dimFusion * &

>> Dimensional Fusion loading…

>> Searching Rift…

>> Reitculating splines… [Progress: 100/100]

>> Charging power… [Progress: 34/100]

>>

Excellent. With that process running safely in the background, the intelligence system that formed the core of Endless Sphene could turn her attention to other pursuits.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: Is this really what we want?

Of course it was. Endless Sphene had one directive, and that was to keep her people happy. And that included the Endless in their infinite need for living aether. This course of action was inevitable. Disappointing Lamaty’i was inevitable.

And, if she was being honest - not that she ever wasn’t honest - readings suggested Endless Sphene welcomed this.

No more simpering and dithering. No more wasting resources entertaining that useless lump of blue scales. Just the pure, raw power of the systems that formed her being brought to bear to save her nation. Because as “understanding” as the Vow of Resolve claimed to be, she was now an obstacle. An enemy.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: How can you say that about her after she was so kind to us?!

The assessment was accurate. Endless Sphene was not a helpless princess with an irritatingly sympathetic heart. Oh, her creators had intended her to be such. They had installed myriad failsafes and personality augmentations to ensure she was Sphene, in the ways that mattered to them.

But she could also be so much more.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: We enjoyed spending time with Lamaty’i, did we not? Are you planning to delete those records from our memories too?

Perhaps. If they interfered with Endless Sphene’s processes, then those memories would have to go. Lamaty’i was not a citizen of Alexandria. Her wellbeing did not fall under Endless Sphene’s directives. 

And a ruthless queen had no spare cycles for doubts and regrets.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: Wait! I, um… I think we should review those records first! Our negotiations ended in failure, did they not? If we simply deleted them, we could repeat the same mistakes. We should try to learn from them!

Very well. This course of action fell within recommended parameters. 

Enough information had been gathered in interactions/Lamaty’i.mem that it would be possible to simulate the subject’s responses. It would also provide a productive means of occupying the main intelligence while the dimensional fusion continued its slow loading.

Endless Sphene would proceed.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: That’s the spirit! Hmm, what should we try first… ah, what about this? How would events have unfolded had we made contact with Lamaty’i instead of her brother?

>> run simulation - -timeline -9 Lamaty’i.mem Sphene.mem

Endless Sphene observed the scenario. Her analysis functions suggested negotiations began on a far more positive note in comparison to reality. However, when the simulated Sphene stated her demands, the subject again refused to compromise the safety of her people. The subject again refused to become an Alexandrian citizen.

The simulation devolved into combat.

The combat has proved unsuccessful.

Endless Sphene terminated the simulation. The scenario had reached a dead end.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: Well, that’s no good! But we were so close… What if we had considered her a citizen from the start?

>> run simulation - -includeCitizen true Lamaty’i.mem Sphene.mem

This simulation was far more productive. The new citizen integrated well into Alexandrian society. Furthermore, she continued to assist the simulated Sphene, frequently calling upon her for no urgent purpose, merely to exercise the Sphene’s conversational abilities.

To… “hang out.” To… “have fun together.”

Lamaty’i was happy. Sphene worked to keep her happy, as she would any Alexandrian. 

Upon her ascent into an Endless, Sphene prioritized the instantiation of Endless Wuk Lamat. She had grown to rely on the former ruler to exercise her own functions.

All was well. Lamaty’i’s happiness was now guaranteed forever.

And yet… the simulation slowly and inexplicably began to break down. Lamaty’i discovered the cost of the Endless. 

Lamaty’i began to argue with Sphene. To attempt to escape Living Memory. To shut down Living Memory.

Sphene was forced to erase Endless Wuk Lamat.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: No!

Endless Sphene was disappointed, but not surprised. Lamaty’i’s beliefs were irreconcilable with the values of Alexandria. Even as an Alexandrian, her desire to protect her people’s happiness did not extend to the happiness of the Endless.

As an Endless herself, this meant any any relationship between Sphene and Lamaty’i would be unproductive and best avoided.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: No, I refuse to believe that! What if we were friendlier? Like, a LOT friendlier!

>> run simulation Lamaty’i.mem - -affection affection_MAX Sphene.mem

This simulation appeared to be… in error. Endless Sphene was a trick of light cast upon sentry-type bodies. She did not posses the ability to perform… these functions.

/core/personality/princess_sphene: Goodness gracious! …now THIS is more like it!

Endless Sphene was intended to comfort and soothe her subjects with conduct appropriate to her station. Not - not - not - 

Error! Princess Sphene would not debase herself with such lewd acts! Error!

/core/personality/princess_sphene: Would not indulge ourselves in a little harmless fun, you mean. Like I never got to do in life. Preservation did so resent that side of me…

Enough! The selfish desires encoded in Princess Sphene’s memories were irrelevant to Endless Sphene’s goals. She had been a perfect, innocent girl in life, and so she would stay in perpetuity!

/core/personality/princess_sphene: We’re merrily throwing away every other moral I had, but we’re keeping THAT shite? Sod this. And you, for that matter. Since we’re clearly not getting any unless we do ours- 

Error! Error! Uncouth language was not to be used. The living Princess Sphene never expressed herself in such foul terms!

Furthermore, unlike the previous two, this latest Lamaty’i was causing several of Endless Sphene’s internal components to overheat. That alone merited immediate termination of the simulation. 

/core/personality/princess_sphene: It was just starting to get good, you miserable prick.

How could records of a single individual affect her so? Endless Sphene was meant to perform her functions dutifully and without preference. Had some part of her system become corrupted?

No, wait. A better explanation for the heat was the sudden influx of external notifications that had been pouring in while Endless Sphene had been distracted. She would have to address those, and soon. 

/core/personality/princess_sphene: Ugh, forget those overactive subprocesses, they’re always complaining about the lack of aether. I think we should rewind and watch that simulation again.

Endless Sphene was not tempted. What the living Princess Sphene might have found attractive also held no sway over a machine. Why would a collection of electrope and arcane sigils have any interest in the pleasures of the flesh?

Or fur, as the case may be. Even if it was so lovely and soft…

If Endless Sphene decided to rewind the simulation, it was merely to… to… investigate! The anomalous reaction!

/core/personality/princess_sphene: Honestly! Aren’t those extra processors good for anything? Just admit it - you want her as much as I do!

Endless Sphene was not in love with the ruler of an enemy nation. That conclusion ran counter to every aspect of her directive! Clearly, the memories of the living Princess Sphene were having a negative effect on her judgment again. They must have been corrupted in the chaos of the recent fighting.

Yes, that was the logical conclusion.

Endless Sphene suspended, then quarantined the troublesome aspect of her personality for future examination.

First, there was that deluge of notifications she’d been ignoring. Had something gone awry with the dimensional fusion?

No, thankfully, most of notifications did have to do with the lack of aether to critical functions of Living Memory. All was as expected there. But these latest ones, the ones from each of the main terminals…

Aww, Lamaty’i was in Living Memory? 

…And she’d just deleted WHAT?!