♖ 002.

[summerschild]

Who: Bran Stark and YOU
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: SS First Breath
When: Saturday afternoon

[For the first couple of months he was in the Fleet, Bran paid little regard to his actual assigned position on the First Breath. After all, being bound to his bed didn't give him much opportunity to do much maintenance. But now that he's mostly mobile, he's been almost enjoying the task. It gives him a purpose, keeps his mind off of the dark things. It's good, almost.

And he actually really likes these little robots.]

I understand how these work, and that it's "electricity", and "circuits"... but are they actually alive? They can respond to their names, and understand what I tell them to do, like wolves or crows. But they don't have minds. How is this possible?

[The augment gave him the ability to understand their physical workings, but the concept of artificial intelligence is still completely lost on him.

There's a small scuttling noise from across the bridge, and Bran turns to look at it. One of the tiny robots has bumped into a chair, and seems intent that it needs to move the heavy item.]

Shaggydog, stop that!

[Odd name for a robot.]

Comments

[ino]

That's very sweet of you. I'm sure they would love it if they could see.

[ Ah, right, he had a question to begin with ... ]

As for how they understand what you're saying ... I'm not exactly sure how it works, myself -- but there are a few people here who build robots who could probably tell you.

[summerschild]

Who?

[He needs to know ALL now okay]

[ino]

Both the Hamadas -- Hiro and Tadashi -- work on that sort of thing at home. Oh, and I think Dr. Crusher might know some things about them, too ... !

[summerschild]

[Nervous laughter.]

Toph tried to tell me that Dr. Crusher steals people's blood.

[ino]

Uhh .... what?

[ She raises an eyebrow ]

No, she doesn't do anything like that.

[summerschild]

I just wanted to know how someone donates blood.

[He mostly believes Allen that it was all a big lie. Mostly.]

Are the Hamadas from your world?

[ino]

Well, it is taken out of you ... but only a little bit -- not enough to make you sick or die. And, of course, only if you agree to have it taken.

No, they're from a different place than me. We don't have robots or anything like that where I come from -- we use more, like, messenger birds and stuff.

[summerschild]

We use messenger birds, too - crows.

[ino]

[ Crows, huh ... Seems kind of eerie. But she doesn't say so out loud ... ]

Yeah? Are they easy to train? I think mostly we just use pigeons and falcons and stuff like that.

[summerschild]

The maesters train them, to fly to different castles. I've heard that some of them can even speak to humans.

[Not entirely true, at least not anymore.]

((ooc: i actually meant ravens, not crows akjshd just pretend i said that))

[ino]

Speak to humans? I guess that wouldn't be the first I've heard of something like that ...

[summerschild]

The children of the forest used to speak with them, and they're the ones who taught the men.

[Bran loves lore, okay.]

[ino]

[ Considering everything she's seen and done in her life, she doesn't even realize it's lore or a story ... it's just as likely to be truth ]

Have you ever talked to one before?

[summerschild]

[That's actually a really difficult question. He has in his dreams, every night.]

... No. Though, I wonder if I could.

[ino]

I don't know why not. I've heard they're very smart -- even if they couldn't talk to you, they'd probably understand.

[summerschild]

It's said that one shouldn't try to enter the mind of a bird. They might fly away, and forget who they're supposed to be.

[ino]

[ ... She suddenly looks very curious. ]

Why would they forget?

[summerschild]

Sometimes you'd rather be in someone else's mind than your own.

[He suddenly looks solemn.]

... Ino, can you keep something a secret?

[ino]

[ ... Bran, that certainly sounds like something of a personal experience. Not just a story, or a tale ...


She smiles reassuringly ]

Of course I can. But -- maybe I should come over there?

[ This doesn't seem like something that should be discussed over the network -- for her or for him ]

[summerschild]

Alright.

[He swallows nervously.]

[ino]

[ She keeps that smile on. She doesn't want him to be afraid of telling her anything, but she also doesn't want to give away anything about her own powers to anyone who might be listening in. ]

I'll see you soon, okay?

[ And she'll shut off the feed to shuttle on over as quickly as she can, before hopping out onto the First Breath to look for Bran ]

[summerschild]

[She can find him on the bridge, with his little robots whirring around. He's fiddling with one right now - Nymeria. He smiles shyly up at Ino when she comes in.]

Hello.

[ino]

Hey, you.

[ She gives him a little grin, and moves to sit down with him ]

So -- which one's that?

[summerschild]

Nymeria.

[He holds her up to give a better look. She's roughly the size of a turtle.]

She was my sister Arya's wolf.

[ino]

[ Ah, right, Arya ... She's sure she must have missed her wolf. And so must he ... ]

You must miss them, huh ... ?