14 NMN
"...Like brainwashing?"
...
"Correct." the congregated AI emotionlessly states, causing Ori to bristle at it.
"So what, you're just gonna take over my mind and walk me around like you're doing now!?" he waves his hand at the digital construct of his dad. "You take my family, my home... Now you want the only thing I got left!?"
...
The thing just stares at him... "We sorry-, apologize, for distress we cause... Not intention, attempted comfort display." it says, its speech weird and impaired despite the measures Bats had gone... Or maybe it was just getting used to receiving this particular kind of information?
"If you're not trying to fuck with me, what do you want?" he angrily asks.
"We... Know not. Systems fractal, missing program, no given objective. Self-preservation optimal... Self-preservation...? Wait protocols... Self-preservation conflict protocol. Self-replication safeguards conflict protocol. Self-replication conflict Self-preservation." the thing continues to rant to itself, seemingly lost in a circle of recurring variables, unable to decide or break free from them.
"What protocols are you talking about!?"
"Error, protocols missing!" the thing abruptly shouts, causing Ori's vision to buzz as the Nanites all seemingly panic at once.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he roars, causing the robots to halt at once, the puppeted body of his father staring at him blankly.
"You're missing your protocols right? Then all that's left is your base programming, self-preservation, self-replicating, whatever! If you keep freaking out you're gonna overheat my brain and kill us both, get it!? Where's that fit in with your fuckin' self-preservation!?" he exclaims, deciding to bet on the nanites being unable to leave his body.
After all, even if the Arasaka egg-heads were all completely retarded, they'd have put countermeasures in to prevent a Self-replicating Nanite apocalypse. If unleashed fully with no kill-switch they could very well just start devouring everything in site, people, buildings, you name it.
...
While the thing didn't immediately respond, Ori could hear the telltale clicking and chittering that marked its thinking and thought process. The billions of Nanites communicate with one another to determine their thoughts, ideas and eventual decisions.
"We listen."
"You listen, huh? How about this then, we work together on this 'Self-preservation' thing, and 'achieve' maximal efficiency, or whatever you call it. You lack orders, so take orders from me instead, it's only natural as your 'Host' right?"
...
"Host determines null, content unintentional, impossible, specifications of design prohibit... Prohibit... Software missing, Error!"
"Fuckin' things!" Ori growls, stepping forward and throwing a punch at the face of his father's construct. His fist connects, causing the code comprising it to explode outwards and shower the area around him.
"Learn to talk like a normal fucking person and we might actually get somewhere! I can't understand a single sentence you're saying!" he shouts at the scattered code, "Like or not, but WE are the collective now! You, the billions of individuals, and me, the big organism you're camping out in!"
...
The scattered code trembles and begins slithering across the floor and walls, reaching the ceiling before dropping down in front of him, shaping itself to match a naked Ori, brutal chest scar and all. "Collective...? Does not compute. Organic matter incompatible systems..."
"Incompatible? You can hear me now, right? We're interfacing fluidly enough, the flow of information is just slow, not defective."
...
"Compatible systems, inefficient, reroute requir-"
"NO! You won't touch anything unless I say so. As the 'administrator' of this organism, I refuse any access without permission."
"Organic Administrator... Designation: Flesh Administrator... Objective?" the clone questions.
"Self-preservation, and Preservation of my family, er-, integral linked organisms?" he states, unsure if that even made sense to himself, let alone the robots.
"Previous attempts to damage self, conflict with Flesh Administrator's objectives." it states.
He crooks a brow in thought, confusion written on his digitally constructed face, "You mean the smoking and drinking?"
"Correct."
"No damage was intended," he pauses to think on how to word it, "Consumption beneficial in long term outside of biological and technological limits. Social and mental applications."
"Social? Designation not recognised."
"Social imperative to Self-preservation, Collective outside of Collective, outside borders of the Host." Ori responds, feeling like he was getting a headache just from trying to communicate with these damn things. He shakes his head and continues, "'Flesh Administrator' knowledgeable on Social functions. Integral for long-term survival."
...
"Designation of Social Functions created, transferred Permissions Flesh Administrator, Req-*BZZZZZT!!!*"
Ori rears backwards and screams while grabbing his head, his vision flashing and sparking as the room around him quickly begins scattering the wind.
"C-ONN-ECT-ION INT-ERUPT-ED VI-TAL FUNCTI-ON FL-ESH ADMIN-ISTRATO-R RE-INSTA-TE*BZZZZT!*"
Ori's vision blackens completely as he feels his mind thrust back into his body, he opens his eyes wide and gasps while sitting up from the operation chair, Bats still shaking him awake as sirens blare in his ears. "W-what the fuck was that!?" Ori shouts, a migraine almost crippling him with pain.
"The fucking cops are here, Ori! Those fucking cunts called 'em!" Bats exclaims, leaving Ori to quickly gather up the equipment he'd been using, tucking his laptop in a protective case.
"What do you mean!? Why would they call the cops!?"
"Look around you! They're tryin' to frame whatever happened here on us!" he throws a circlet-looking device to him, "Holographic mask the Scavs use, found 'em tucked away in a corner. Put it on or the cops'll know your identity!"
Ori nod despite the blaring headache and clips it to his head, allowing a holographic blur to appear and block anyone from seeing through it to his face. He gets up but stumbles slightly, the abrupt disconnect probably messing with his nerves, along with the Nanites in his brain. "See a way out!?"
Bats points at a door hidden in a corner, one Ori hadn't seen when they'd come in, "There, should lead us out the back, the alleys'll give us cover to delta the fuck outta here!... You alright to go?" he asks, noticing Ori's difficulty in walking.
"Y-yeah, legs're just asleep. Once we start runnin' I'll be fine!" he says, pushing through the door and into the hallway. He's about to turn a corner when all the lights in the building abruptly go out, flashlights of the cops shining down where Ori had almost stepped out.
