"For the first part of your question, yes, we're setting up an access channel so you can make specific alterations directly. The unit is not an artificial intelligence, but is fairly intuitive, so make whatever changes you like within reason. As for Image data - image includes but is not restricted to your physical likeness. To some degree your memories - particularly the image data from your brain that links up a specific picture with a specific idea. I'm told it's rather like having a lot of sisters or daughters, in that all those within your specific line would then be within that 'circle of relatedness'. Each unit would be a specific individual, but a near copy."
"That's kind of creepy," said Akane. "Copying personal memories?"
"Yes, that's why it has been assigned such a high monetary value," admitted Kumiko. "Normally we'd run a background check, personality tests, and only when everything came back approved would we make the offer. Miss Tendo's case here is somewhat unexpected."
"...let's see make the breasts a little bigger and firmer..." mused Nabiki's voice. "Manicure too. Save money by doing it this way. Hmmm. Hey, that's a lot of small print. Oh, Ranma. Can I speak to you for a moment?"
Ranma blinked. "Ain't you already talking to me?"
"In private, I mean," said the disembodied voice.
Kodachi watched with an unusual emotion welling up inside her. Envy.
"These marionettes, they remain young and beautiful forever?" Kodachi asked.
"That depends on your definition of forever," admitted Kumiko. "I myself have an expected operational life of seven hundred years where my physical appearance will not deteriorate. With occasional upgrades and routine maintenance - a life of thousands of years isn't beyond reason. The limiting factors are our need to serve and our main neural net. Right now it's expected the marionette brain will begin deteriorating in function about seven hundred years after manufacture. Emotional stress and not having a purpose will shorten that, while having our 'special someone' will add to it, and stasis can hold it off with minimal data loss."
"Oooh?" Ukyo and Shampoo both said with glances towards Cologne. Eternal youth and beauty? Yet at what price.
"So Nabiki Tendo will now remain looking as she will turn out, three hundred or a thousand years hence," said Cologne. "Remaining young and vital. Yet at what cost? She will never have children. If she's ever injured she has to be repaired."
Kumiko's head cocked to the side. "Actually it looks like she's selected a Saber unit with the childbearing option and a self repair node and... clever."
"What she do? She make herself stronger than Shampoo?" Shampoo didn't like that development.
Kumiko continued to remote monitor the package Nabiki was putting together. "A Saber unit is about the price of a car. She's fitting herself for stealth and speed primarily, with a full sensor suite."
"Sneaky Girl is still Sneaky Girl even if she change to machine girl," observed Shampoo.
"That's not the clever part. She's determined that it is cheaper to buy a Saber unit than it is to become one. So she's arranging for Ranma Saotome to purchase her." Kumiko tsked. "I wonder if she realizes what all that entails?"
"Probably not, foresight is not a typical quality around here," said Cologne.
"She's locked the deal in place," observed Kumiko.
"What mean?" Shampoo asked.
"Vulgarly asked, but she has a point. What does that mean?" Kodachi inquired, intrigued on several levels as this sort of thing was a private fantasy of hers.
"She's basically making herself a present to him in order to save money," said Kumiko. "However as he is her owner and primary operator, her loyalties will no longer be self-centered but centered towards him."
"Oh, I see," said Kodachi.
"That make sense," agreed Shampoo.
"So that's it," put in Akane, nodding.
"Ah," agreed a nodding Ukyo.
"...?! WHAT?!" exclaimed four girls as the potential meaning sunk in.
"Oh my," agreed Kasumi.
"WAAHHHHHH! My little girl!" cried Soun.
[Does this mean I don't owe her any more money?] popped up a panda sign after one of the streams of tears from Soun turned Genma into a panda.
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(Posted Mon, 20 Oct 2003 13:28)
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