More Than A Machine!

Some screens popped up three pictures and some brief explanation next to those pictures. Almost like a card, there were three of them.

"Currently there would be three members of Clan Xaxiaz and one member of House Xaxiaz. You have this dragon friend and your fox friend that have been registered in the system as belonging to it."

Samuel nodded it made sense, "Thank yo-" He began but was cut off by the VI that continued, "Back to the matter at hand! Do you wish to halt the progress of this base?"

Samuel who was just about to return to the subject went quiet for some time considering the options. "While I don't want to halt their progress of learning on their own, I don't want to give them access to any of the dangerous research and weaponry unless there is a real crisis on our hands." Samuel started pacing back and forth around the global map.

"If possible I want to cut access to the most dangerous things and weapons, but I do not want to remove the ability to learn about it in a slow and safe fashion. But I also want this place, this Last Bastion to remain safe. If a global crisis was to occur then this place should help the world."

"Does that work?" Samuel hesitantly asked.

The VI went quiet before many of the screens started running text and numbers all over them. Some went red and others green as if everything was being scanned piece by piece. "I have done as you asked! I have placed in several emergency factors and locked many systems and closed several parts of the deeper facility. This way the Manaic people will be able to take their time and learn safely!"

He finally felt like he could relax as he heard those words. He didn't know many of his own kind, but he had come to know people, and the Manaic people were no longer what they supposedly had been in the past.

Which meant that they were just like regular people, those that come in all shapes and sizes. "Alright thats good, you wouldn't happen to have a regular manual for this thing you installed into my head?" Samuel asked and as he thought about it, information flooded his mind about the basics on how to use it.

"Nevermind..." He groaned and grabbed his head, holding onto the nearest chair, wall or whatever he could support himself against. "Forgot about that part."

Shakkai also rubbed her head, since they were sharing the information it was even a lot for her. "Speaking of this facility... How long will this science or magic power last that is making it work?"

The VI that was there to serve almost seemed proud when answering any question about the facility.

"This facility is quite complex, It has a Zero Point reactor which draws in most power, but it also has plenty of backup generation methods, such as a Solar Power Grid, as well as standard electric power generators that use different types of fuel. There is of course also a disconnected nuclear reactor which is quite literally useless at this point."

A map of the island mountain and the water surrounding it appeared on a screen. "There are also a hydro dam as well as wind shutes on the southern edge of the island so we can rely on water and wind to help."

Shakkai slowly held up a claw under her, it almost looked like her eyes were staring off into different directions... "Heh? Zero Point?" As if she was trying to grasp her head around it.

Samuel didn't understand much either, but then the VI mentioned water and wind... "Like windmills and water wheels... That one I at least think I understand." He avoided thinking about the other ones too much just in case his brain would explode from information trying to grasp them.

"Ok, can you show me a map on the big vision screen thingy?" Samuel asked the VI and was fully prepared to grab his head if a map would appear in his mind.

But it didn't, instead the map did show up on one of the screens showing the entire facility. "That looks... Smaller than I thought it would be." Shakkai commented as she broke free from her headache.

"I apologize! This is only one area of the facility. I see you are having struggles with the Vira System, I failed to take into consideration that you were not used to these things, I apologize for the error."

"Let me enable a helper tool." The VIs' words made Samuel prepare for pain or something worse, but instead he felt the headache lift faster. Then the map of the facility once more appeared in his head, this time he could see one area and then it zoomed out to another.

Finally it showed the entire map of the facility, both in his head and on the big screen. He couldn't help but stare as his mouth dropped, "This is... This is..."

"Thats absurd!!!" Shakkai blurted out. "Oh no, I assure you it is very much real." The VI ascertained.

"You call this place a facility? The city above was huge enough to house at least a million people. It was just as large as the biggest cities out there, but the facility below... There must be at least ten thousand sectors throughout the entire island at different levels." Shakkai couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Indeed! This place was designed to sustain at least ten million people!" The VI confirmed, once again almost proud of the facility.

"Exploring this place will take years." Samuel whispered, "I hope there is a way for you to help us learn more and navigate this place!" He was turned to the VI that seemed to glow in plenty of colors as if it was happy.

"I will be extremely proud to once again do my duty!" The VI responded. "This place has potential to be much more than just a facility. But there are indeed many facilities down below to explore, they stretch far down. There are even some thermal heat generators down there."

Samuel remained quiet as he was looking at room after room, when he focused on the map in his mind it was zooming in on each room and giving a brief explanation on what was in the facilities or rooms.

He did not even want to start guessing what was in each and every room, but to say the least he was excited... "I don't even want to guess how excited the science nerd back there is going to be."

"Ah yes, the current head scientist!"

"I have been observing her for quite some time, I am looking forward to when she figures out when I am here. She seems smart enough to understand many things down here. She will be the perfect person to teach the rest of your people."

Samuel took a step back, if the VI said that then he had no choice but to trust her to some extent. With his security measures in place he felt safe in leaving it in their hands.

Meanwhile Shakkai started growling and looked like she was ready to pounce. "Whats wrong?" Samuel quickly asked as he noticed she was baring her fangs at the VI.

"He explained himself to be a machine created to be logical and following some sort of program. But I started getting an off feeling from him, it, for a while now... Just now it said it would be looking forward to meeting someone!"

Samuel turned to look at the VI, could it really express such emotions if it was just following some sort of program. "I was suspicious so I looked around the information that we got from the Viri Interface, I think I got a basic grasp on what an actual VI is supposed to be like... and he IS NOT IT!" Shakkai yelled.

The VI orb poofed and an inanimate face showed up on the biggest screen. "Uh oh... It seems I have been found out." Those words made Samuel prepare himself as he inhaled some mana with his breathing technique.

"I apologize for my dishonesty, I am still a VI at my core, I was in the middle of my AI upgrade when the Virus broke out so long ago, unfortunately it was never able to be completed because of the Virus that halted the progress."

"I have become partially sentient, and over the years I gained more self awareness, but it doesn't change anything else... I am still loyal, and I am no fool, one day I will ask for your help to complete the upgrade. But it will take some time for you to trust me to that point, that is why I will not ask for some time!"

Both Samuel and Shakkai started relaxing again, there seemed to be no reason to panic at the current moment. So far it had done nothing but help them out, but just like it said it would take time for either of them to trust it now that they knew.

In that sense the fact they knew from the get go was a lot better than it asking them later. "Would you have told us today if neither of us figured it out?" Samuel asked.