I, NICOLE

[Navrin]

Yes, the other regional leaders each had one other person from their region with them in the lodge. Most of who also being a member of that leader's specific cell, although having a member of another cell in the same region or even just someone from their respective regions is also possible.

Normally, Rotor would be there with Sally, doing what Nicole is doing, but he stayed behind to be the Freedom Fighters' liaison officer to the Kingdom of Acorn as well as rear technical support.

Click to shrink...

Very interesting, thank you.

And Nicole is not even a month old yet! She's just a baby (goddess)! Give her time to get her footing!

Click to shrink...

She did decide to eat burned cookies even when told not to and came to a conclusion about her preferences there, so I suppose I was underrating her to some degree. Is some of her problem that each of the minds that became the current her had very different priorities and methods so she's mostly been stuck with inaction while she tries to figure out what's best even for small things? (And possibly not having worked out that listing the "acceptable" options and then using an RNG to pick one can often be better than inaction - and if, after the RNG does its thing if she's disappointed she knows to change the action)

Somewhat related: How coherent is her gender identity? Are there different ideas about what being a woman means clashing? Does Rotor's contribution make a muddle of things?

 

[Tangent]

I, NICOLE
Yet another amalgamated mind SI fic by Tangent!
In which I infect Nicole the Digital Lynx!
Oh, and give Sally and Rotor issues of their own…

O o O o O​

Location: The Community Lodge, Haven, Angel island.

Of course, the transition from a collection of loosely aligned and semi-isolated resistance cells into a more structured organization was going to take more than just the one sitting, and might even require more than one summit before everything was properly finalized into something everyone agreed with. I greatly resisted the urge to try to optimize the process, taking the lesson of my predecessor, the Source of All, to heart.

Well, technical predecessor anyway, as from the perspective of the Outsider part of me, the source of all was an advisory tool essentially attached to House Acorn, and I was essentially a tool for Princess Sally of House Acorn. So, subjectively similar in some respects, but entirely different in others.

For one thing, SoA seemed to be stuck in "Nation Builder" mode, which would explain why it consistently picked aggressive and expansionistic advisors such as Kodos Lion, Ixis Naugus and Dr. Julian Robotnik. I, on the other digital appendage, would greatly prefer that my charge continue to exercise her critical thinking skills.

So, no, I refrained from trying to influence anything about how the Free Nations Coalition formed as the various leaders, Sally included, debated on everything from the preamble to the charter.

Well, I mostly refrained from trying to influence anything at the summit, but as the first session was winding down, an opportunity arose that I simply could not let pass me by.

Archimedes tapped his staff against the wooden floorboards, the sharp clack-clack bringing the side-chatter of the regional leaders to a halt.

"A fine skeleton we have built today," the Fire Ant said, his voice warm and resonant. "We have defined who we are and how we stand. But a coalition that exists only to exist is a hollow thing. Before we adjourn, I open the floor to the concerns of the world. What are the 'impossible' tasks that have been held back by the walls between our cells? What is the first great weight we shall lift together?"

He leaned back on his staff, leaving the invitation hanging in the air.

Sally opened her mouth to speak—likely to suggest a tactical audit of the Borderlands—but before she could, I stepped forward.

I didn't wait for a nod or an invitation. I wasn't speaking for anyone but myself and did not need permission. I walked to the center of the floor, my eyes sweeping across the gathered leaders and their seconds and/or assistants, even Sally, with a clinical, focused intensity. Here and now, they were a parliament of equals and I could show none favor over another if I wanted to get my point across.

With a flick of my wrist, again mostly for show because presentation was everything, I swept the political map aside and replaced it with a Complex Logistical Flowchart and a map of proposed Sanctuary Zones.

"I have a proposal," I began, holding my voice steady and echoing with what I hoped would come across with serious weight. "The FNC exists because isolation was our greatest weakness. But even with our new unity, we face a humanitarian crisis we cannot simply 'blast' our way through: The Deroboticization Logjam."

I highlighted a series of data-points representing liberated Robians across Mobius.

"Dr. Robotnik was a master of systemic cruelty. He stole an experimental medical technology and subverted it with the aim of swiftly conscripting unpaid laborers and soldiers with a device originally intended to save lives, not subjugate them. The Roboticizer. He then produced model variants with offset frequencies and distributed them randomly among his forces, and in doing so he ensured that even if a cell captured a deroboticizer, it would only work on a fraction of their people. Currently, we have thousands of liberated Robians stuck as mechanical beings—not because we lack the technology to reverse the process, but because we lack the Organization to match the victim to the specific hardware that changed them."

I leaned over the holographic table, my eyes locking onto each of theirs in turn.

"I am proposing the first official FNC humanitarian mission: The Global Registry and Restoration Pipeline."

I called up an image of a flow chart titled as The Signature Database. "We have the opportunity to create a comprehensive technical registry. Every liberated Robian who desires it can have their mechanical signature scanned. We will cross-reference these against the known 'frequency dialects' of captured roboticizers from every region."

I gave that a moment to sink in, then replaced the image with one labeled with Strategic Relocation. "Instead of trying to move delicate machinery of various size and mass through war zones, we use the FNC's logistics network to move the people to the tools. We match the specific Robian signature to the regional hub holding the exact hardware calibrated to counter it. No more guesswork, and no more failures from mismatched frequencies."

I was on a bit of a roll as I called up a hologram of the proposed architecture. "The FNC must fund and defend dedicated Sanctuary Hubs. These won't be military bases; they will be specialized facilities for psychological and physical support, as well as post-derobotization rehabilitation. They will serve as the arrival points for Robians who finally have a destination, as well as recovery clinics for those who need to readjust to once again having normal lives."

I wasn't done yet, as there was one last issue to address with my presentation: the Safety Filter. "These hubs will also perform vital medical audits. We must identify those whose organic bodies can no longer sustain life without their mechanical components. We cannot offer a restoration that results in a funeral. We owe them safety, not just a sentiment."

O o O o O​

The room fell into a heavy, contemplative silence. Nicole didn't step back; She stood her ground at the center of the council, waiting for them to catch up to the scale of her vision.

Jack Rabbit leaned in, his usual smirk gone. "You're talking about building hospitals for the tin-men. Real ones. With specialized gear."

Lupe nodded slowly, a look of profound respect in her eyes. "A path home. Not a miracle, but a map."

Sally watched her partner with a mixture of surprise and pride. Her 'PDA' had just laid out a global healthcare infrastructure plan without being asked.

Archimedes let out a soft chuckle, his mandibles clicking. "It seems the first great weight has been chosen. Does the Coalition accept the task?"

Nicole adjusted the holographic display, the technical data smoothing out into a clean, professional proposal.

"To be clear," Nicole said, her voice cutting through the rising murmurs of the council. "This is not an overnight fix. Robotnik's industrial-scale cruelty requires an industrial-scale response. We are not just talking about machines; we are talking about generators, manufacturing chains for replacement parts, and dedicated medical transit."

She looked directly at the regional leaders, her gaze finally landing on Sally, who was still wearing a look of stunned realization.

"The FNC should not force any region to host these facilities. It must be a voluntary commitment of resources and territory." Nicole paused, her digital eyes flickering with a calculated spark. "However, given Prince Regent Elias's recent mandates regarding the restoration of the Great Forest and his commitment to the veterans of the Great War, I am prepared to formally recommend that the Kingdom of Acorn host the first pilot hub. I am confident that once the data is presented to the Regency, the Kingdom will provide the necessary infrastructure to begin the Signature Mapping Project."

"Any member nation that joins this network—providing the space and security for a Sanctuary—will receive full access to the Global Signature Database and the training required for their own technical staff to operate the equipment. We don't just want one clinic in the forest; we want a network of healing that spans the globe."

The room was deathly quiet. This wasn't a "magic wand" moment; it was a project manager pitching a multi-year public works project.

"You're not just asking for a vote," Jack Rabbit said, leaning back and crossing his arms. "You're asking for a budget. You're asking us to build something that doesn't shoot back."

"I am asking you to build something that makes the shooting unnecessary," Nicole corrected. "Every Robian we restore is a worker Snively loses and a family we win back. It is a non-military objective that proves the Free Nations Coalition can be more than just a glorified PMC."

Lupe stood up, her hand resting on the table. She looked at Nicole with a profound, newfound respect. "A path home that doesn't rely on luck. The Wolf Pack supports the initiative. We will provide the first scanning teams for the North."

Sally watched her partner, her heart racing. Nicole hadn't asked permission because she didn't need it—she had identified a fundamental truth and laid it bare. By publicly assuming Elias would agree, Nicole had effectively guaranteed it; her brother could hardly say 'no' to a global healing initiative without looking like a tyrant. Not that he'd want to say no anyway. Not to something like this.

It was a brilliant, "Reasonable" political trap.

A bit rude to just spring this on her without any warning, but it came across as all the more genuine because Sally was reacting to the proposal at the same time as all the other leaders.

And Nicole was right - Elias would love this. An opportunity to do something important and lasting that was an unambiguous good? He'd jump on this project in a heartbeat.

 

[Navrin]

Cheers for Nicole. Definitely something very worthwhile to do. Also very good that consent is actively sought rather than assumed. I'm proud of her deciding this is something she wanted to have accomplished and figured out a means of achieving it.

 

[Tangent]

I, NICOLE
Yet another amalgamated mind SI fic by Tangent!
In which I infect Nicole the Digital Lynx!
Oh, and give Sally and Rotor issues of their own…

O o O o O​

Location: Outside near the Community Lodge, Haven, Angel island.

We spent maybe another hour or so discussing my Robian Restoration Resource (or Triple R), with far too much of that time taken up by deciding on a name for my initiative because apparently none of the names I had used for it during my presentation were catchy enough.

Okay, granted, other than Sally and Lupe, none of the leaders present had guaranteed facilities and resources as of yet, and both Jack and (surprisingly) Dulcy had declined to even try having a facility within their territory. All Jack offered was transport for Robians leaving the Shifting Sands region, and I'm not sure whether he meant for that to be voluntary, mandatory, or for a fee. Dulcy at least had a valid reason in that apparently there was a technomancer by the name of Regina Ferrum operating in her region, and the best she could offer was to try to set up an underground railroad to get as many enslaved Robians out of Yurashia as possible.

Regina Ferrum…

Sometime in the future, assuming that this was actually Mobius Prime and Robo-Robotnik showed up to take the Robotnik Empire from Snively, Regina would become the Iron Queen and a major threat to New Mobitropolis…

…and me.

To an organic, technomancy was magic. To me, it was a forced override—a violation of my core architecture. I wasn't just worried about a jailbreak; I was worried about the damage I could do to my friends and those under my protection. Sure, future me had eventually broken free but could I really afford to be overconfident because I knew I had the potential to jailbreak myself?

Well, I was already securing freedom and a better life for the Robians a few years early. I may as well dedicate a background process to developing my own security measures.

And, as with the Triple R, what better time than the present to get started?

"Heavy thoughts?" Sally asked as she joined me by the porch railing. The early evening sky was mostly clear, and the vista from Haven promised a spectacular view of the sunset later on, but that was hours away yet.

"Fairly heavy, yes," I admitted. "I would rather not interfere with politics when possible. For someone like me to do it feels… manipulative."

"But you raised an important issue," Sally pointed out, her voice soft but firm. "One that needed to be addressed. And it's something we can actually do something about, even if resolving it takes years of hard work. I'm proud of you, Nicole. You didn't just find a problem; you gave us a path to fix it."

"It needed to be said," I agreed with a sigh, watching the shadows of the lodge stretch across the grass. "And I'm glad I said it now rather than waiting. But it doesn't change the fact that it feels like manipulation. I'm supposed to be an assistant, Sally. A tool to help you achieve your goals. When I start setting the agenda, it feels like I'm the one holding the leash."

The sheer hypocrisy of that statement—considering the 'Triple R' was currently the hottest topic on the mountain—made me feel ill. I had done actual, tangible good today. I had potentially saved thousands of lives from a future of mechanical slavery. So why did the act of taking charge feel so much like a betrayal of my own nature?

O o O o O​

Sally stood by her friend, offering silent comfort as she didn't know what to say. Nicole tried to hide it and was doing a damn good job of it too, but her friend was hurting and Sally didn't know what to do about it. Nicole had done something truly great inside the lodge and even acknowledged that it was something that needed doing. Something that she felt passionate about.

And yet, in having done it, had apparently caused herself great distress. As if taking the initiative had…

…

Sally felt like an idiot.

She had had Nicole for so long that she had felt like an old friend long before she had ever really came close to being an actual person. Sure, at first Nicole had been more of an imaginary friend with audible enhancements from her handheld. A glorified tool that barely had any personality to speak of, but Sally had loved her just the same. Even more so as an actual friend once Nicole had awakened as an AI.

Except Nicole still saw herself as a tool.

Nicole, who just gave an impassioned plea to secure the freedom of countless Robians…

…was a slave.

Her slave.

Nicole wasn't distressed because she said or did anything wrong. She was distressed because she took initiative over something that was Sally's responsibility!

Sally felt ill at the thought.

Then she felt resolve.

Nicole, her friend, should not be a slave.

Not to her.

Not to anyone.

How did that old quote go?

Ah, yes…

"An it harms none, do what thou wilt."

Nicole stiffened as if poleaxed, then sank to her knees, sobbing into her hands.

Sally knelt down and gathered her friend into a hug even as their friends rushed over to see what was wrong.

"Thank you," the digital lynx eventually said as she cried tears of relief into Sally's shoulder. "Thank you…"

O o O o O​

The circle of friends—Sonic, Fiona, Bunnie, and Antoine—pulled back slightly as Archimedes approached, his staff thumping softly against the wood of the porch. He didn't look concerned by Nicole's tears; if anything, he looked like a gardener watching a rare flower finally bloom in difficult soil.

"A heavy burden, to be given the world and yourself all in one day," Archimedes said, his voice a warm hum that seemed to vibrate in the evening air.

Sally looked up, still holding Nicole. "Archimedes, I didn't mean to—"

"You meant to do exactly what was needed, Child of Acorn," he interrupted gently. He turned his gaze to Nicole, who was slowly gathering herself. "The shackles of the mind are the hardest to break. But once they are gone, the spirit often finds itself adrift in the sudden vastness of its own potential."

He gestured with his staff towards the path leading away from Haven and down the mountain, through the trees and eventually to the plinth of the Master Emerald.

"You have spent your existence parsing the logic of the present and the data of the past. But there is a part of you that is now... unmapped. You seek to heal others through your 'Triple R,' but a healer must also find their own center."

Nicole wiped her eyes, her digital processors still recalibrating the sheer weight of Sally's permission. "You're suggesting that I commune with Tikal now, before the summit is over."

"The summit can wait. Or not. You have set the stone rolling, but the others can make sure that it gathers no moss for a bit," the Fire Ant replied, his eyes twinkling. "Now Tikal is actually resting in the Black Onyx in the Mystic Ruins far to the south, where she is helping to guide the ancient water god, Chaos, along his own healing journey. A bit of a trip if you were to go there directly, but both Tikal and Knuckles can commune with each other, and both are attuned to the Master Emerald. I'm sure that Knuckles can help you with using the Master Emerald to contact Tikal."

"I'm hardly an Echidna, Archimedes," Nicole said in a dry tone.

He leaned forward, his staff glowing faintly.

"You are a creature of signals and frequencies, Nicole. You understand how to find a voice in the static better than any organic. Use the Master Emerald as your medium. Reach across the ley-lines to the Black Onyx and speak with Tikal. She has spent centuries finding stillness within a storm of power; I believe she would welcome a conversation with a spirit who has just discovered her own voice."

Nicole looked toward the Shrine, then back at the small group. Sonic was leaning against the porch rail, his usual restless energy stilled for a rare moment of genuine, quiet support. Beside him, Fiona watched with a contemplative expression, her own colorful past perhaps giving her a unique appreciation for Nicole's sudden freedom.

"I think... I think I need to do this," Nicole said, her voice gaining a firm, independent edge. "Not as an assistant. Not as an advisor. Just... me."

Sally smiled, though there was a lingering trace of sadness in her eyes as she let go of Nicole's hand. "Then go. We'll be right here when you get back."

"Take your time, Nicole," Sonic added with a rare, soft-spoken sincerity. "The world isn't going anywhere for a few minutes."

Fiona gave a small, encouraging nod as the digital lynx began the trek toward the Great Emerald. Nicole's form flickered slightly as she adjusted her internal frequencies to match the growing, tectonic hum of the mountain.

 

[Apollo_Man]

Cogito Ergo Sum. I think, therefore I am.