Mayer: Heart of Creation

Operator Record Heart of Creation
From Rhine Lab to Rhodes Island, they've always come with. Unlock conditions Raise Mayer to Elite 2 Level 60. Have 200% Trust with Mayer.

Characters
Mayer Closure Meeboo SUPER
Backgrounds
1 2

“

Mayer's efforts to implement a smart upgrade for the Meeboos have failed again. Perhaps there will be a next time, but what would happen then?

”

<Background 1>
Rhodes Island Landship "Lutra Workshop"
Mayer	Don't blink now, Closure.
Closure	......
Mayer	Meeboo SUPER, select M-11 Originium isolation coating from the table. (There's a dozen types of coating here, and they all pretty much look and feel the same sans packaging.)
[The so-called "Meeboo SUPER" selects one of the Originium isolators.]
Meeboo SUPER	–
Mayer	Got it in one.
Closure	C'mon, that's just basic stuff.
Mayer	There's a broken component in this thermal sensor. Repair it in three minutes, Meeboo SUPER.
[The Meeboo repairs the thermal sensor in less than two minures.]
Meeboo SUPER	– Repair complete. There is an electronic component under the base that compromises thermal sensor efficiency. It has been removed without affecting device operation.
Mayer	Sweet! Took less than two!
Closure	Wow! It talks!
Mayer	What's a smart upgrade without a voice module? Took some time to get used to it myself. It's not exactly the chatty type, though.
Closure	Did you really have to make the voice so gruff though...? Whatever, to each their own. Keep going.
Mayer	Meeboo SUPER, set a new password for the workshop door.
[The Meeboo changes the workshop electronic door's password.]
Meeboo SUPER	Password set using a combination of alphanumeric characters in upper and lower cases, and special characters. Password does not include your birthday.
Mayer	Alright, awesome! Applied testing, phase one complete! And there you have it, the new, the improved, the Meeboo SUPER! So? What'd ya think? Smarter than your AI buggies, right?
Closure	Sure is a clever little guy! But Lancet-2 or Castle-3 could do all that, no problem.
[The Meeboo bites Closure, apparently understood what Closure says.]
Closure	Hey, no biting! You're just like Mayer!
Mayer	Let her go for now, Meeboo SUPER.
Closure	Can't tell if its performance is better than the buggies, but it sure holds a grudge better.
[The Meeboo walks toward Closure...]
Meeboo SUPER	–
[...and attempts to bite her again.]
Closure	Stay away! So, how much time did this upgrade take you?
Mayer	Lemme see... three months, ish?
<Flashback starts here>
<Background fades out and in>
Mayer	Closure, Closure! I've got that "Raythean Challenger Hellcat Demon High-Performance Operation Platform" upgrade proposal you wanted!
Closure	Thanks. Next up is–
Mayer	Nah, I need a month off.
Closure	Whoa, a workaholic like you? Burnt out? Or... are you looking for a raise?
Mayer	No way, you know me. Just finished up all my requests from Rhine Lab and Rhodes Island, so my schedule's a clear blue sky. And it's high time I upgraded the Meeboos.
Closure	Haven't you been doing that in your spare time? What do you need more time for all of a sudden?
Mayer	Three more Meeboos have gone kaput the last few months, and there's still a whole pile waiting for repair. There's only one 1st-gen left.
Closure	Aw, poor little guys.
Mayer	Their efficiency's improved, but survival rate remains poor in adverse environments, or operations requiring a high degree of precision. Implementing a full AI should let 'em properly take care of themselves while performing their tasks.
Closure	Oh, I'll help then!
Mayer	...... Thanks, but no thanks. I'll be fine on my own.
Closure	Why not? Didn't we work together on Iwona's Justice Knight?
Mayer	That was a PRTS-based customization. Not even you know the ins and outs of the buggies' operational algorithms. That's not what I want for my babies. From Rhine to Rhodes, I've always worked on 'em myself. I'll give you a shout if I've got any questions, though.
<Flashback ends here>
<Background fades out and in>
Mayer	I'd installed a learning system on 'em, but that's not even in the same ballpark as true "intelligence." Needed to start from scratch. First I tried optimizing the existing Meeboo core to improve its automation logic, but the results weren't too great. So I rewrote the underlying code... Which took a while. Original plan called for five SUPER prototypes to get some proper control experiments in, but I only managed to finish one.
Meeboo SUPER	–
Mayer	Still! This Meeboo SUPER is an unprecedented achievement with applications in highly complex environments, including demolition, surveying, reconnaissance, combat, and everyday life. Most importantly, it can complete precise operations fully independently. It'll be the most powerful smart machine in all Terra... Small and easy to mass produce too. Makes your customized buggies look like a science fair project. We're talking about a whole Meeboo army!
[The Meeboo moves around in joy...]
Meeboo SUPER	–
[...as Closure takes a closer look at it.]
Closure	...... So what's this tag on it?
Mayer	Nametag. Got one on every Meeboo.
Closure	But why so many? Let's see, C00-1, B03-4, B12, G70...
Mayer	Took 'em off of decommissioned Meeboos.
Closure	Yeah, I know, but weren't those supposed to go in the Great Meeboos Monument? Did you... So the Meeboo SUPER carries on its brothers' hopes and dreams?
Mayer	Hehe.
Closure	But you still left yourself control permissions for the Meeboo's core, yeah?
Mayer	I guess.
Closure	Then it's not quite "smart" enough, yet.
Mayer	I'll start the next phase of applied testing in a couple days.
Closure	I'll see you then, then. By the way, make sure you've got the settings right on the Meeboo SUPER's demolition program. We are on the landship, after all...
Mayer	Now I just gotta log today's test data.
Closure	Hey, are you even listening, Mayer?
Mayer	I know, I know.
[Closure leaves the workshop.]
Mayer	Oh, right, what's the new door password, Meeboo SUPER?
Meeboo SUPER	–
Mayer	...... Huh... Is that a bug?
[The Meebo does not reply to Mayer's question, angering her.]
Mayer	Meeboo SUPER!
[Mayer wrote a test log of the Meeboo SUPER.]
Meeboo SUPER Test Log 07 Continuing applied testing for the Meeboo SUPER prototype today. I'll temporarily disable my control permissions for the Meeboo core, allowing the Meeboo SUPER to autonomously inspect nearby buildings and resolve potential problems. This is the most important stage. Meeboo has learned to speak, though we're both still getting used to it. It's learning to complete more complex tasks; it's no longer just a "walking bomb." However, this is the first time ever that a Meeboo will be operating outside my control. If successful, it will mean that the Meeboos have truly reached the stage of artificial intelligence, without relying on the Rhodes Island mainframe, which is very important for both Lutra Workshop and the Meeboos. ...... Although there have been some occasional data deviations, based on the Meeboo SUPER's performance to date, I think there's a lot to look forward to in today's testing. After all, every last Meeboo is lending us their strength.
Meeboo SUPER	–
Mayer	Core control permission off. Meeboo SUPER, scan and resolve potential issues for buildings in the designated area. Of course, since we're on the Rhodes Island Landship, you'll need to...
Meeboo SUPER	–
Mayer	Oh, what am I saying, you're smart, you know what to do, right? Haha.
[The Meeboo leaves the workshop.]
Mayer	Whew–
Mayer	Now just gotta wait for it to finish the job and come back.
[Mayer sifts through a pile of paper on her desk.]
Mayer	Wow, the requests sure have piled up... Guess I really put 'em off for too long. Let's see... wall projectors for operator quarters, weapons system upgrade for the training grounds, synchronization between drones and charging equipment...
[Mayer takes a look at the workshop.]
Mayer	And the workshop's a mess. Might as well clean up the operating console while I have time.
[Mayer cleans up the consoles.]
<Background fades out and in>
[The Meeboo scans the vicinity.]
Meeboo SUPER	Meeboo– SUPER. Scanning building. Resolving potential problems. Scanning building. Resolving potential problems. 8 structural integrity issues found. Calculating. Issues resolved using method–
[The Meeboo picked something.]
Meeboo SUPER	One remaining structure to inspect.
"Lutra Workshop"
Mayer	There, that's more like it!
Meeboo SUPER	– Full-area scan. Retrieving comparison data. Activating analysis. Results– Area is larger than expected. Lacks distinction between living and working space. Presence of dangerous equipment– Warning. Resolving potential issue. Evacuate area.
Mayer	Now lemme fix these heat sensors.
Meeboo SUPER	Warning. Resolving potential issue. Evacuate area.
Mayer	Running short on materials. Guess I'll need to submit another order to the Procurement Department...
Meeboo SUPER	Resolving issue using method– method–
[The Meeboo looks confused, before...]
Meeboo SUPER	Demolition.
Mayer	Did something just move?
Mayer was not slow on the uptake, but she could have been faster if she had shaken the habit of working with her headphones on. The Meeboo SUPER activates its detonation sequence. Using an extendable robotic arm, Mayer manages to press the shock shield activation button just in time, deflecting the Meeboo SUPER's directional explosion. Lutra Workshop's key areas were undamaged, but the extendable platform near the door holding heavy materials is destroyed. Mayer watches as the Meeboo SUPER is buried in the rubble it created.
[Mayer removes a debris blocking her view.]
Mayer	Argh! So... heavy...! Good thing the robotic arm charging system still works. Meeboo SUPER!
Meeboo SUPER	–
[Someone runs into the workshop.]
???	What's going on, Mayer? I could hear the noise from your workshop a mile away.
Closure	Whoa, the Meeboo SUPER... looks heavily damaged.
Meeboo SUPER	–
Closure	Did it do all this? Can't say I blame it... I told you not to use your quarters as your workshop, and not to make unauthorized modifications. Lemme check if the load-bearing structure is still intact...
Mayer	...... What about the other places it inspected? Did it...?
Closure	I came from that way. Things look okay. (Good thing I set up those localized shock compensators ahead of time. Whew...) How about you? You okay, Mayer? Look at this mess. I'll help you clean up.
Mayer	Just like the old days.
Closure	Huh?
Mayer	The workshop's a mess... just like the old days.
Closure	Don't scare me like that! You hit your head or something? You're not the type to reminisce at the drop of a hat, are you?
Mayer	I mean, back when I first started on the Meeboos...
<Background fades out>
???	Mayer's workshop again? Third time this month, isn't it?
???	Chronometer stops working, cooling system malfunction... and now the chair springs up on its own and knocks the operating table over? It's always one thing or another pulling her away from the project and back to her lab. And all this after she was even given her own workshop...
???	If she says it's a coincidence, who are we to argue? Not worth wasting time worrying about.
<Background fades in>
I was so excited to get into Rhine Lab. For researchers, it was the holy land for all of Columbia–all of Terra, even. It had the facilities, the projects, the talent, the pay, and the benefits. We had a consensus that science would determine the future of Terra. Within Rhine Lab itself, however, everyone had their own interpretation of science, their own obsessions. Especially the directors. It was an uncomfortable place. Some of the finest minds in the world, but woefully inefficient when they get together, like an all-star sports team that just can't seem to win. I was in Engineering, providing technical support for the other sections. A project started by Energy last month, which was already halfway through preparations, was facing termination because of opposition from Control. Similarly, the Defense Section could also put a stop to ongoing projects at their discretion. This happened again and again at Rhine Lab. Low-level staff were in a constant cycle of installation, testing, and removal. I felt like I was better off doing research on my own. That's why I made a trick alarm clock that caused just a teensy bit of havoc in my workshop at preset times. Not enough to put the place out of commission, but serious enough that I'd have to rush back to deal with it.
Mayer	That was the first Meeboo prototype. I gradually added more functions, and named them after the boot-up sound.
Closure	So you'd run back to your lab, all excited to clean up the mess?
Mayer	Yeah. Never made much progress on the projects they assigned me, but I sure invented plenty of little gizmos. After I helped her out, Silence liked some of the stuff I made and put in a recommendation. They still use 'em back at Rhine Lab, even.
Closure	The Meeboos were always the apple of your eye, though, weren't they?
Mayer	Yeah, I wanted 'em to become these crazy smart machines. I mean, they've been by my side this whole time, from Rhine to Rhodes. But after countless losses, decommissions, and upgrades... there was only one 1st-gen Meeboo left.
Closure	Meeboo SUPER...
Mayer	Was built around the last 1st-gen, yeah.
Meeboo SUPER Test Log 08 Internal sensor nodes malfunctioned. Major and irreversible warping of the limbs. 89.7% of the core is damaged. Repair would be difficult. There appear to be preexisting algorithmic issues, which had already manifested with the door password error. Meeboo SUPER had worked independently for one hour prior to returning to Lutra Workshop, which was enough to overload its processing. It saw items that operators left outside their doors as structural issues and blew them up... That's not smart at all. Sigh... Analysis: The Meeboo SUPER prototype is no longer suited for practical operation. Damage to the workshop's walls, loss of material... repairs will cost a fair bit.
<Background fades out>
Conclusion: This Meeboo upgrade is a failure.
[Closure suddenly interjects...]
Closure	Hey, no one said artificial intelligence was easy.
<Background fades in>
Closure	Don't let it get to you!
[...as the Meeboo SUPER walks toward her.]
Meeboo SUPER	–
Closure	Mayer!
Mayer	What?
Closure	The Meeboo SUPER may not have achieved its goals, but it wasn't a complete failure.
Mayer	C'mon, we can all see what happened, Closure.
Closure	No, I'm serious, look!
Mayer	...... The nametags of the Meeboos.
Closure	Yeah. Its limbs are all crushed and warped, but the nametags have just fallen off, completely intact. It's not like they're made of anything tougher than the main body, are they?
Mayer	...... Wait, are you saying it...?
Closure	Could be a coincidence, or it could be some sort of "instinct"...
Mayer	Meeboo SUPER...
[The Meeboo tries to say something, but...]
Meeboo SUPER	–
Closure	The voice module is too damaged to respond.
<Flashback starts here>
<Background 2>
Mayer	Beautiful! You should've seen the looks on their faces when I ditched. But I gotta scoot you over a little for next time. Knocking over a chair is one thing, but fixing broken equipment is a pain. I should give you a name, huh... You know what, how about I set up a random boot-up sound for you? Whatever sound you make will be your new name!
???	–
<Background fades out and in>
Mayer	Over here, Meeboo. I need to reset the settings for your demolition program.
[The Meeboo follows Mayer's command.]
Mayer	Meeboo, adjust the position of the robotic arm.
[The Meeboo follows Mayer's command.]
Mayer	Meeboo, bring me that thermal device.
[The Meeboo follows Mayer's command, but it also brought her a calibrator.]
Mayer	Meeboo... Hey, how'd you know I wanted this calibrator?
Meeboo	–
[The Meeboo pulls Mayer's hand.]
Mayer	Whoa! What are you doing? Stop pulling!
Meeboo	–
Mayer	It's just a bit of work. Not like I'm gonna forget to eat.
Meeboo	–
Mayer	Er... Fine, I get it, I'm eating, I'm eating!
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 1>
Mayer picks up the name tags from the ground and wipes the dirt off them. She does so carefully, like she is organizing experimental data or putting together a precision machine. More carefully, in fact. Mayer has developed many things: wire-controlled machines, energy coating, transmission systems... She has become numb to the joys of creation. Is there surprise, excitement, pride? Yes. But nothing too intense. This is normal for a researcher. That is why she credits her achievements to the Lutra Workshop. Even though she is the Lutra Workshop. The Meeboos, however, were different. She talked to them, worked with them, killed time with them, and brought them with her from Rhine Lab to Rhodes Island. She asked them to respond, and they did. Mayer gazes upon the remains of the Meeboo SUPER. It was, without a doubt, a failure, but Mayer feels something she had never felt before. Sadness? Surprise? Joy? Yes. But it is more than that. Stronger, more complex, harder to describe.
Closure	So, not quite buggy tier yet, but Meeboo SUPER has made a lot of progress. Don't give up.
Mayer	......
[Mayer looks dejected, but she snapped herself out of it.]
Mayer	Can I get another two months off, then? I want to start the next smart upgrade project based on these results! Strike while the iron is hot!
Closure	No way, buster! I'm not falling for that! I already gave you three months. Do you realize how many requests Engineering gets in three months? And you'll also need to submit a detailed report on what happened during the Meeboo SUPER's testing, especially the accident.
Mayer	Ugh...
Closure	And most importantly, you're paying for the Lutra Workshop's repairs out of your own pocket!
Mayer	......
Meeboo SUPER Test Log 09 This Meeboo upgrade has failed. ...... But the Meeboos are by Mayer's side. The possibilities are infinite. Mayer trusts Meeboo. Mayer trusts Mayer.

See also

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