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KiKu has just left, leaving Tiana and Rillitan to question Lila while Everto and Refuse chill out on the sofas.
True to his word, Everto doesn't speak. He does reach to give Tiana's shoulder a gentle squeeze, though.
"Is this a serious meeting, Captains?" the AI asks as she continues to keep her place near the cabin.
"Coul' say 'at, Lila." Tia offers, passing a mild smile to Everto, half-hidden against Rillitan, "Need ye t'recount a few things fer m'."
Rillitan falls quiet, comforting Tiana is a full time job.
And apparently takes two people, since that's all the hekayti is doing now, too. Oh my. Of course, Everto's silence is just stubbornness.
"I...I will do my best, Captain," Lila offers. She blinks, looking a little perplexed at this. "There are still some memory issues and...the other issue..." she doesn't elaborate on these "issues".
"Ah know, but ah need ye t'tell m'everythin' ye c'n 'member 'bout wot 'appened t'yer old family an' wot 'appened when Vaddy an' 'is folk found ye." Tia replies to the AI.
Rillitan looks from his wife to the AI hologram with a slight frown, "Wot's t' problem wi' yer memory, any'ow? Ain't you got a little box wi' i' stored on, it's either there or it ain't, righ'?"
"Computer files get corrupted all the time," Everto remarks quietly. That silence was certainly shortlived.
Lila frowns at this and moves toward the group. She takes a seat nearby and sighs, "Well...I'm not sure where to start exactly..." she replies softly. Her eyes shift to Rillitan and she nods, "You are right and yet it's not that simple. It seems that a portion of my memory was blocked to keep an entity from escaping." She nods in agreement with Everto, "Exactly. Some of my memory has become corrupted." She falls silent for a short moment before continuing on, "Perhaps it would be best to start with the death of my sister?" she asks.
"Er... sister?" Tia inquires, head turning just a bit to allow her to more easily regard Lila, "Ain't no one e'er tol' me you 'ad a sister."
"Eh. Wot." Rillitan manages.
"AIs have relatives?" Everto blinks.
Lila blinks at the surprise of the crew, "Well...not biological, not like the rest of you have brothers and sisters. I was the younger sister. I was created to keep our father's daughter occupied. A companion so to speak. But then father decided that I could also be made to do other things. We all have to start out small, even ones such as me, right?"
"'At... makes sense." Tia murmurs, nodding to Lila - just a slight motion, "Were yer poppy a scientist or somm't like 'at, Lila?"
Rillitan might not get it, but he does his best not to show it.
Everto is with Rillitan on this one.
Lila nods at Tia's question, "That is correct. My family was a family of scientists. My sister was born here on the ship. I came along later when it was determined that a companion would keep her out of mischief," she explains. "You have to understand that because of the nature of my circutes and all that I can handle many tasks at once. So it was determined that I could be a help with the experiments being done as well as continue to be a companion. My sister was a handful though."
Tiana Ryoleli offers another small nod, inquiring further, "An' wot sort of experiments were 'appenin', Lila?"
Lila shrugs at this, "There were a few. Some involved plants and growing them in different environments. Some involved animals from Hekayte and doing various things to them to see what kinds of recations would be recieved. And then there was the room where they looked at unknown specimens," she explains.
"You're appealin' t' m' sense of trepidation, Lila." Rillitan says bluntly.
"Yeah, that sounds a little ominous," Everto remarks, "Sticking with my horror flick theory here."
"Sounds like somm't Doc Hall'd love." Tia says with a bit of a sour expression, "But go on, Lila."
Lila blinks at Rillitan and Everto, her head tilting to one side, "I am simply trying to answer the questions as best I can," she replies before returning her attention to Tia again. "There was some time between my creation and the time that my sister passed, and the time frame of the death of the rest of my family," she explains. "My sister...as I said, she was a handful. Nobody is completely certain what happened, and I have no footage of exactly what went wrong. My sister fell ill, there was nothing that could be done. There was suspicion that it was due to one of the creatures that had been taken in to research further."
"Right." Rillitan nods, falling silent so he might hear the story continue.
"My memory is a mess at this point," Lila explains. She directs the group's attention toward the center of the room where a holo image plays. It shows bits and pieces of video files. One shows what looks to be the funeral of a small Hekayan child. Another shows a creature with many legs being poked and prodded. It acts aggressively toward the equipment covered scientist that does the poking. Another yet shows a holo image of the small Hekayan child. "It is a Hekayti tradition to turn our loved ones that have passed into AI's," Lila explains. "I believe it was a combination of my sister AI's immaturity and this creature.." the holovid shifts to show the creature again, this time scuttling into an air vent. Lila's face takes on a pained expression, "I wasn't able to warn fast enough. She interfered with my processes...."
Refuse perks as the holoplayer switches back off the television once again, "What's the deal?" He hisses, pulling his muzzle into what could be considered the Demarian version of a pout.
"That were the creature? What in t' 'ells!" Rillitan grunts, "Tha' looks barely bigger'n my arm."
"Yeah, see how much size matters if it's too fast to hit and spits poison or something," Everto remarks, before shaking his head, "Seriously? They put a child AI where she could mess with important things? These scientists weren't all that bright, were they?"
"Or manages to be able to call upon help and brings an entire pack of them back to the ship..." Lila replies as the holovideo continues on to show the arrival of the 'pack' and as much of the subsequent destruction as can be seen before the video dies. She looks to Everto, "When emotions are involved...some don't think things through."
"Perhaps so," Rillitan grunts, "D'you know wot 'appened t' those wot got on t' escape vessel?"
"So it was intelligent, or am I missing something?" Everto frowns, "And rewind that a sec, I want a better look at what these little things can do."
"You are correct. The creature was more intelligent than tests indicated. What happened was unexpected to say the least.." Lila replies to Everto. The vid rewinds back and then plays forward again, showing the same footage again of the creatures swarming the ship. They scuttle about the ship as if looking for something at first before finally pouncing on a Hekayti that comes into their path. This is all that can be seen before the video scrambles and fades. Lila turns her attention toward Rillitan, "I am unsure. I did not have access to the escape vessel or it's equipment. My family did not return however, so I have been lead to believe they are dead."
"Well, check the news." Rillitan says rather grimly, "We'll discuss this later, Tiana an' I need t' catch up with Vadim."
Lila falls silent a moment before announcing, "I need to go...keeping her contained is sometimes....difficult..." she gets out before her form flickers and then she is gone from view.
"See ya, guys," Everto waves absently, before checking the time and leaning back, "Looks like it's just you and me, Refuse." He grabs the remote and hands it over, "Just no reality shows, alright?"