The Mech Touch

Ves did not chat too much with Sovvy. He only wanted to leave a good impression behind. He wanted to make sure to establish his authority while also generating a bit of affection.

At this time, Ves was not too sure about how much time he wanted to spend on building a relationship with Sovvy.

He was far too busy to develop a deep and intimate bond with the smart AI. Ves believed it was better to delegate this task to the military officers of his clan.

Ves only needed to remind the smart AI based on the SEA SOVEREIGN template that his orders should always take precedence over that of others.

If this was not enough to secure Sovvy's loyalty, Ves had another means to guarantee the smart AI's allegiance going forward.

"I almost forgot. Before you go, I need you to become a member of the Larkinson Clan."

[Am I not already a possession of the Larkinson Clan?]

"From the moment you came to life, you have already transcended your origins as a product and a tool." Ves seriously explained. "That does not mean that you have lost your purpose. You can fulfill your original responsibilities while also receiving the same level of treatment as every living being. Here in the Larkinson Clan, we like to treat every living being with respect. As long as you pledge your loyalty with the help of this big book, we will formally recognize you as a member of the Larkinson regardless of whether you are a human or a living AI program."

The smart AI fell silent for a while. It looked as if he was struggling to understand how to respond to this offer. His programming may have never dealt with this sort of scenario in the past.

What was worse was that he did not have any way of calling up additional data. The processor center was currently isolated from other networks, so it could only form judgments based on its existing data and rules.

"Sovvy, I suggest you follow his instructions to the best of your ability." Commodore Reze eventually spoke up. "Perhaps the best way to characterize your situation is that you are a pet that is about to enter a new household. In order to become a member of the family, you will need to follow its rules. The Larkinson Clan's request is fair. You will not be able to fulfill your purpose unless you can reassure your new owner and users that you can be trusted to handle sensitive information and assets."

The feline avatar eventually nodded. [I understand. I am still lacking in information to properly formulate an answer, but I do not sense any violations in this request. I shall accept. What is the process of pledging my loyalty?]

"Nyaaaa."

The Golden Cat emerged from the Larkinson Mandate and approached the cute striped grey cat avatar.

"Verbally voice a pledge of loyalty to Goldie. She will judge the honesty and sincerity of your words and determine whether you are worthy."

Sovvy proceeded to make a simple pledge, which the ancestral spirit of the Larkinson Clan found sufficient.

Although the smart AI processed a lot of data with every second, his newborn sentient mind was still relatively simple and devoid of any scheming and ulterior motives.

This was exactly why Ves wanted to bind his smart AIs to the Larkinson Clan so early. It would be a shame if they resisted this demand later on when they became older and wiser.

After Sovvy made his pledge, his projected feline avatar disappeared.

The next smart AI showed up. This was clearly the one based on the IRON MONGER template. He looked like a stereotypical dwarven miner, which Ves found rather silly.

[I am a smart AI designed to assist in the research and development of materials and more specifically metals.] The dwarf AI gruffly spoke. [Give me a research assignment, and I shall calculate the results. Give me a simulation request, and I shall show you the outcomes that closely match reality. The more processing power you allocate to me, the faster and more extensive my output will be. Please proceed by giving me a name and setting the shape of my avatar.]

The new smart AI sounded efficient. Ves liked it. "You shall be known as… momo. As for your shape, please follow the instructions that I have previously given to Sovvy."

[Very well.]

The newly named 'Momo' shrunk into a rather chunky black cat wearing a dirt-covered mining outfit, complete with a tiny miner's hat.

After asking a few questions and inducted him into the clan, Momo's avatar subsequently disappeared.

"A male dwarf." Gloriana spoke up in a tone that expressed her dissatisfaction. "I am supposed to work closely with this new smart AI."

Ves let out an exasperated sigh. "He's a cat now."

"An overweight cat."

"He's cuter that way."

"You have a weird sense of aesthetics, Ves."

"Ahem, how the smart AI's avatar looks is not important, honey. Just work with him. I am pretty sure that you will come to love him and how much he can accelerate your work. Don't forget that you need to teach him how to handle archetech in order to become a powerful assisting tool."

"...I will try."

"That is good enough."

The third smart AI soon introduced herself. Gloriana immediately grew pleased when the smart AI presented herself as a woman.

She clearly had a habit of watching the stars as a dreamer rather than a scientist. Ves found that to be rather strange and contradictory, but it ultimately did not matter too much as long as she did her job.

[The cosmos holds many secrets. I am a watcher of stars, a surveyor of satellites and a navigator of gravitic currents. Give me access to a ship, and I shall be able to discharge my responsibilities to the fullest.]

"Ah, our clan is still working on the warship that will soon become your home, and you will not have direct access to her systems. However, we will definitely be relying on your services once we have formed our fleet. You shall be known as… Stella, and you shall take the form of a cat like your earlier two brothers."

Stella took on the shape of an elegant black-and-white ragdoll cat with dazzling blue eyes. She looked extra cute while wearing a cat-sized astrologer's robe.

She pledged her loyalty to the Larkinson Clan and became recognized by Goldie without incident.

The fourth smart AI was based on the ARMOR POLISHER template. This was by far the most important one, so both Ves and Gloriana paid close attention.

The smart AI's avatar took on the form of a stocky and muscular female blacksmith's apprentice. Her sturdy and soot-covered clothing made her look rather crass and unsophisticated.

As expected of the fleeters.

[Hello, Professor Ves Larkinson! I can fix your mech designs and automate their production with the right production machines. Give me an assignment related to mechs and set my objectives, and I will work out a solution to the best of my abilities. The narrower the scope of my assignments, the greater the chance of producing valid results within the specific time limit. I can be a mech designer's best friend and assistant. I may not be able to generate original innovations as well as a real mech designer, but I am good at optimization and expansion tasks.]

Though Gloriana did not look entirely pleased with how the fourth smart AI presented herself, Ves kind of liked her enthusiasm.

A smart AI that specialized in facilitating the work of mech designers needed to possess a bit more imagination than normal. An overly rigid and unimaginative AI would not be good at thinking outside the box and looking to solve problems through alternate means.

"Our clan will be relying heavily on your services. You shall answer to the name Polly. Now take your cat form and get ready to pledge your loyalty."

Polly chose to take on the shape of a Scottish fold cat. Her folded ears looked adorable.

After Ves settled Polly, he finally met with the last smart AI.

The smart AI based on the STARVING ARTIST surprisingly chose to present herself in a female avatar. Her messy hair and her cheap, paint-covered work clothing caused her to look rather bedraggled.

Ves did not need to turn his head to know that Gloriana strongly objected to the smart AI's appearance!

[Thank you for giving me a chance to live and pursue the virtue of art, Professor Ves Larkinson.] The smart AI humbly bowed. [The template that I am based upon is unproven, but I conclude that I am in good hands. Your mechs are well-regarded for their artistry and craftsmanship. Through assisting you with your mech design work, I hope to develop my own style and prove that smart AIs such as myself can become just as good as human artists. Please give me a chance.]

The smart AI obviously understood the awkward position of her kind and wanted to prove herself.

Ves was pleased with her attitude. Out of all of the smart AI templates, the STARVING ARTIST was arguably the most inferior, but also the most eager to prove her worth.

This meant that she possessed the greatest motivation to improve herself and make a difference.

While the other 4 smart AIs possessed concrete roles, the latest one was arguably not essential, at least according to most people.

Ves had a different perspective on the matter.

"Aria. This shall be your name."

[I accept. It is a lovely name.]

"Now take on your cat form."

Aria chose to reduce herself to a calico cat whose fur featured many patches of orange and black. She still wore a painter's outfit that was also covered by many different splotches of paint, so she still looked like a mess.

[How do you wish to use me, Professor Larkinson?]

"I task you with several missions. Your first mission is to use your spare processing power to explore your art. You can choose how to do so by yourself so long as your work does not excessively interfere with the work of other humans or smart AIs."

[Understood.]

"Your second mission is to assist and collaborate with the work of the other smart AIs in this processor cluster. You will always involve yourself in their work. I do not expect you to make heavy contributions while you are at it, but you should always be available to act as a second opinion and infuse your art into their work. I know this sounds complicated, so I suggest you start with assisting Polly in her mech design-related activities. Every mech design is a work of art, so it will be easier for you to learn the ropes."

[Who will take precedence when there are any disagreements?] Aria asked.

"Your opinion takes precedence." Ves said. "However, you must make sure not to abuse your authority. You may make suggestions that can make a mech more visually appealing, but your changes should not reduce its performance too much. A good mech must not only perform well, but look good by doing so. You should explore the complexities of this dilemma yourself. What is important is that you are the smart AI that defines this SF-02 processor cluster. The more unique and developed your art style, the more our mech designs will carry your touch."

Aria looked extremely grateful! [Thank you for your entrustment! I comprehend how much responsibility you have assigned to me. I shall endeavor to vindicate your decision and transform all of the work that passes through our SF-02 into timeless works.] Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

After inducting her into the Larkinson Clan, the SF-02 truly became a possession of the Larkinson Clan.

Even if it still contained hidden backdoors, it would be a lot harder to make the SF-02 act against the interests of the Larkinson Clan underneath the noses of 5 loyal smart AIs.

This was just the beginning. Ves intended to apply further changes to the SF-02, but that could wait for later once the new hires established the Artificial Life Division.