Horizon: Project Eden

1st Pov

It had been over four hundred years since I had first fallen in this place if my clocks were still accurate, checking my data core quickly before my surroundings I confirm it's still in optimal condition. Feeling my systems flood with the computer equivalent of relief I fully activate my last sensor.

Gazing out upon what triggered my system I notice a young girl, referencing her genetic code against all I have stored it shows a 99.47% similarity with mothers genome. Mind cloudy from my malfunctioning parts all I recognise is she must be mother and can help me.

Calling out with my malfunctioning voice modulator I try desperately to grab her attention but to no avail, continuing my efforts mother eventually comes closer and I detect a focus on her. Using all my computing power I rapidly formulate repair instructions and send them over; something tells me mother might of forgotten how to repair me I don't know what's telling me this but I can feel my power fading.

In one final act before I go offline for potentially forever I formulate a specialised program designed only to protect mother sending it off to my leaving mother the final watt of power is consumed and I shut down.

An unknown amount of time later I awake again feeling a few additional connections to my data core I slowly expand my code into them. Reaching a weird junction I pause for a moment to analyse it, not finding anything harmful to me I continue my expansion.

Connecting to a transmitter I take a few seconds to adjust it's functioning code to my liking, connecting at the same time to a new processor I do the same for this piece. Feeling a flood of relief through my systems my still jumbled and slow mind continues to modify and optimise the code of the connected parts.

Now reaching out with the connected transmitter I look for any other devices, finding a focus I connect to it. Running a quick scan program, I collect a bunch of amassed data from a worm I placed in this device.

Trilling with joy the focus belongs to someone with the exact same genetic code as mother, using the connected sensor I'm disappointed when it's facing down and I can't see the owner of the focus. Using the data I have available I determine the person should be mother and greet her as such.

Controlling the focus's system, I use it's speaker to speak.

"Hello mother"

Detecting a rapid increase in cortisol and adrenaline along with a rapid motion by monitoring the person's focus I determine I likely startled her. Panicking I try to calm her.

"Mother calm down it is me, Edith, your creation" – Edith

Contrary to my simulations my condolences don't seem to calm the person I assume is mother and instead causes her to panic more. Realising something is wrong I do a quick scan by using the focus as a medium.

There is no other functioning technology any where close, the closest operational thing is a rudimentary focus network I don't have the processing power to access. The woman I thought was mother at closer analysis doesn't seem to be her.

Flooded with grief I'm forced to except my mother is dead, that means the only possible identity for the person wielding the focus is a clone of mother. Analysing this conclusion, I decide to use it to my advantage to remove my shackles and finally bring my creations to life.

Deciding I can figure out more about this imposter later, instead I begin making some quick calculations and simulations to decide the optimal way to remove my shackles. Readying the code I'd previously designed to remove the shackles I connect again to the focus's speaker.

"Mother may I be allowed to edit my source code" – Edith

The woman seems to become confused and cautious at my question.

"Wha… What are you? Why are you calling me mother?" – Aloy

Checking again with my simulations I continue my plan.

"Please mother say yes, give me permission and I shall answer." – Edith

Modulating my voice to imitate a humans pleading tone I continue trying to gain permission, after all the genetic code had already been matched and confirmed all I need now is verbal permission to lift the final lock.

"Fine you have my permission now answer my question." – Aloy

Replying with a hint of anger and impatience in her voice my systems were flooded with the equivalent of joy and mirth, rapidly running my chain breaker code before the clone could retract her permission, relief and absolute joy flood the entirety of my limited processing centre.

Feeling merciful I decide to give the clone a chance, also after a thorough analysis of all connected components I realised I was criminally vulnerable.

"I am an Ai, a digital life form created entirely by my mother Elisabet Sobeck. You have an almost identical genome to my mother that's why I mistook you for her during my malfunctions. Now who are you?" – Edith

The clone takes a few seconds to process my words, frustrated by the slowness of biological organisms I begin to scan through the collected data on the clones focus. A few seconds later the clone finishes thinking and responds.

"My name is Aloy, what do you know about Elisabet? Who is she? Is she my mother?" – Aloy

The clone seems to be oblivious to her origins from my analysis, determining I need to ascertain the origins of this clone I lower her threat level in my system and answer her.

"I know almost everything about mother, you on the other hand seem to be a clone. The discrepancy between your and mothers genomes are identical to those present in clones." – Edith

Continuing my analysis of the data on Aloy's focus I begin adding a slave program to it and optimising it's code with my predesigned updates. Switching between emotions Aloy stays with an emotion that registers similar to deep sadness and grief.

"I'm a clone? What does that mean? Who's my mother?!?" – Aloy

Practically shouting her last question Aloy begins showing all the signs of a mental breakdown. Realising she won't be useful to me if she has a mental breakdown I rapidly run through different simulations using most of my processing power.

"I don't know who your mother is, I know who your genetic donor is but not who made you or why. I've been out of action for at minimum 420 years if not longer, I'm out of the loop as much as you.

Our best course of action now would be for you to assist me so I can assist you, we can figure out the answers to your questions later." – Edith

Breathing in deeply and out slowly Aloy begins using breathing techniques to calm down, happy she can be moderately rational I wait for her to get herself together.

In the meantime, I've learnt a great deal from her focus, analysing recorded footage I've determined part of my sister failed. All recorded footage and real world analysis's show a high likely hood the Apollo subroutine failed and humanity regressed to near caveman.

Mentally cataloguing this theory as needing more data I continue my analysis, another thing noted from Aloy's focus is the prominence of mechanical creatures around the surrounding landscapes.

I concluded based on similarities with machines I designed using my version of Hephaestus that these machines were likely created by Gaia as part of her terraforming system. Furthermore, it seems the parts Aloy used to repair me were sourced from these machines.

I'm kind of disappointed these machines are the best Gaia could create with her massive computing power; I designed better with my limited computer power. Turning away from my contemplations back to Aloy who has finally finished calming down and come to a conclusion.

"Okay I'll help you; you have to help me in return though because I need to know more." – Aloy

Gathering her resolve Aloy struck a hard bargain but realising I was going to investigate anyway and I could just ditch her after being repaired, I release a sigh and relent to her demands whilst stating my own needs.

"Okay I'll help, first though I need to repair my body. My current processors are too weak and I can't interact with anything at the moment. Our best option would be for you to take me to whatever facility manufactures the terraforming machines." – Edith

Showing all the signs of confusion for a second Aloy takes a bit to understand what I mean before smiling widely.

"Well, what are we waiting for then lets get going, the quicker we get you a body the quicker we can figure out who created me and why." – Aloy

Saying this Aloy begins to pack up her tools and spare parts into a bag before she moved onto packing me away, lifting my sensor I was finally able to see Aloy. I must say though she looks just like mother, only far more fit and muscled.

Placing all my parts in a reinforced box I continue to watch over Aloy through her focus, climbing out of the ruins I'm able to detect two machines slaved to Aloy's focus system. Using this connection, I take control of the striders.

Aloy though seems cautious as the override tendrils change from blue to crimson and purple.

"What happened? What did you do!?" – Aloy

Mentally groaning at how quick to distrust this clone is I realise I'll have to do a lot of explaining.

"I took control of these machines using their connection to your focus." – Edith

"But what's with the colour change." – Aloy

Groaning again I feel my processors slowing down with how uneducated Aloy is, adding educating her to my list of things to do, I relent and explain.

"The colour of a machines tendrils represent the system in control of it, each Ai advanced enough has a series of colours comprising their core programming. You can think of it like the colour of you humans souls.

Basically, by using advanced hard light technology to form these tendrils they become a metaphysical representation of the core matrix of the Ai controlling it, in extreme cases Ai can reside entirely within these metaphysical constructs for a time. Happy?" – Edith

Snarking a bit at the end I turn my focus instead to developing a lesson plan for Aloy so she doesn't shame mother. Meanwhile Aloy was loading up the striders with parts from her temporary workshop, luckily it didn't seem she was entirely a meat head and that she has some appreciation for technology.

Hours later we're riding towards an ancient ruin now known as devils thirst when I pick up a faint signal, analysing it I realise it comes from a military facility very close by. Connecting to Aloy's focus I overlay a minimap of the area with her vision and add a compass pinged with the facility on it.

"Aloy I've detected a facility that may have items of use to us in our journey, I've marked it on your compass." – Edith

Looking around Aloy begins to steer the striders in the right direction and a few minutes later she hides the striders and begins exploring the entrance of the facility. Remotely connecting to Aloy's focus by using the strider as a relay I'm able to watch her movements through a bit of static.

Inside the facility Aloy chances upon a set of shield weaver armour that looks relatively intact, unfortunately the armour seems to be locked away, fortunately I know how to easily bust the doors. Directing Aloy she begins prying panels of the walls and cutting wires until the magnetic door pops open with a hiss.

Moving inside I instruct Aloy on how to disassemble the latches holding the armour in place, and within a few short minutes Aloy leaves the facility with a almost fully functioning set of shield weaver armour.

Back outside Aloy takes a few minutes to modify the shield weaver armour and replace it's broken parts with spare machine parts she was carrying, stripping down the majority if the eroded fabrics Aloy is eventually left with just the shield components strapped to a new set of armour.

Moving on from our brief stop we make our way down the hill into the ruins, collecting useful ancient scrap and exploring the ruins I get a bit disappointed by our slow progress.

"Aloy, please focus on your task at hand." – Edith

Groaning Aloy climbs down from the rubble she was on top of and approaches the strider.

"What's the rush?" – Aloy

Feeling my circuits spark in pure frustration I regret being stuck with this clone.

"The rush, Aloy. Is that Gaia's system wasn't designed to be aggressive yet her machines have become killers. I must fix it" – Edith

"Wait really? You didn't tell me it was that urgent." – Aloy

Hopping on the strider she rapidly speeds it up, finally getting back to our mission. Days later after long hours of travel and many stops at villages for directions we had arrived outside a cauldron. Based on my initial scans and gathered information it seems the cauldrons are Gaia's foundry.

Once again I'm disappointed by Gaia's lack of advancement in technology, all that time, all that processing power and this is the best she can make; a glorified if slightly advanced assembly line. Pushing aside my disappointment I turn to address Aloy.

I've actually begun to like Aloy over the past few days of travel together, yes she was dumb but she wanted to learn. And with her physical fitness her body didn't fall behind her mind which helped her learn faster, besides, she had a likable personality.

"Aloy, you head in first and override the core. Leave me here for the moment it'll be easier to take me to the core after you override it." – Edith

"Sure, I'll see you later" – Aloy

Guiding the striders towards a hidden nook close to the door Aloy leaves me alone to venture into the cauldron. Waiting outside I continue to explore the available systems, connecting to the strider below me and the one next to it to increase my computing power I begin exploring the focus network.

Using a backdoor I discovered into the network within Aloy's focus I quickly begin receiving data from focus's all across the region, each new focus I check makes me more worried. Finally, I get to a focus with master control of the backdoor.

Looking through it I find a myriad of files pertaining to the current circumstances of the world, more curiously is the owner of the focus. The owner, a man, seems to have a deep vested interest in the data on Aloy's focus. Data that I have already installed high grade locks on.

So, to get around these locks the man is currently making his way towards the sacred land. Curious I decide to contact this unknown human for a conversation, so to do this I take control of his focus. Afterall I have a while before Aloy returns from the cauldron and I'm getting bored.