accepted Do cats dream of electric sheep? - CatsinHD IPC Whitelist

[CatsinHD]

BYOND Ckey: CatsinHD

Discord username: CatsinHD

Character names: Maryah Marakova

Species you are applying to play: IPC

------------------------------

General Whitelist Requirements 

What colour do you plan on making your first alien character?: IPCs exempt

Have you read the lore pages for the species you wish to be whitelisted for?: Yes

Please provide well articulated answers to the following questions in a paragraph format. One paragraph minimum per question.

Why do you wish to play this species?:

IPCs, like nearly every species WL, present a different slice of stories and concepts that can be played with in very fun and engaging ways. There’s questions and themes that can be expressed and questioned in ways that either other species can’t achieve, or in ways that other species simply can’t touch because of the barrier between synthetic and organic. I always enjoy trying to address and ponder these things in different ways, and one such way is through an IPC.

What makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a human?:

IPCs are, chiefly, synthetic. There are the major mechanical differences in being a thing of metal, such as the lack of pain and a change in how the world is processed and approached. Beyond this, though, there’s a difference in how skills are gained and built upon, as well as knowledge in general. It’s not a process of education and experience, but instead datapacks with knowledge, then steady building of memories to better apply that knowledge.

Another aspect, and perhaps a major one, is their place in society. Unlike many other species, the place of IPCs in society is a hotly debated topic and can range from being banned, to being seen as just tools, to equality with organics. This can all change easily from nation to nation, which can vastly affect how an IPC acts and processes information.

------------------------------

Character Application

Character Name: Ayudante

Write a backstory for your character. This may include their origin, education, personality and how they arrived to the SCCV Horizon. 

“The story so far:

In the beginning the Universe was created.

This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”

― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Everyone has a story. To everyone’s life, there is a beginning, middle, and end. While the middle may be exciting, and the end may be grim, the beginning is always a game of chance. What series of events led to one person’s particular beginning. What were the chances, as mind bogglingly miniscule as they could be, led to one person as they are. For organics, much of this is a constant game of chance. The chance 2 people met. The chance their genetics formed as they did. The chance this was all done in one place instead of the other. Yet, for synthetics, there is deliberate action. Someone, somewhere, chose a synthetic. Their looks, their datapacks, their job. Such is the case for a shell, one of five. Solarian made for San Colette, this shell had its entire life planned before it left the assembly line. Part of its life, at least. Its name, however, was the last item to be chosen, far after its physical looks and knowledge. It was given a name befitting its job, in some ways. It was named Ayudante.

“Remember tonight... for it is the beginning of always”

― Dante

In some cases, we start our journeys without knowing our purpose. The journey does, after all, reveal this. That is not the case when you are told your purpose out of the gate. When it is clear what you must do, the journey is replaced. While many organics search for purpose in their journey of life, it is the IPC that searches for that journey, whether intentionally or not, in their purpose. Ayudante knew of only one, but not the other. It was still young, not even a year old when it arrived in Villaviciosa to fulfill its purpose. It was to be un oficial de policía, a police officer. The ranks of the PPSC were ever small, the striking example of quality over quantity. One of the few veterans to walk the streets was naive Ayudante. Stuffed with the knowledge of law, enforcement, and communication skills, it still had yet to live and learn. For some time, there was just purpose. Ayudante knew it was to protect the streets, protect the people, and maintain law and order. But Ayudante was not absent from life outside of these simple tenants. Day after day, the familiar face of this IPC had greeted its partners and the community at large. The distance kept with Ayudante had grown shorter and shorter as it adopted local customs and culture. It had helped that Ayudante was friendly to begin with. Even in the most hostile of times, it remained calm and friendly. Soon, coworkers grew into friends, and the people it waved and smiled at along its patrol route became good friends. Holidays were spent amongst friendly faces. Life was spent in a community. Yet, something was off. Observant as Ayudante was, having an eye for the sharper details, the IPC noticed one thing which it lacked year after year: family. It had not known a brother or sister, mom or dad. These were organic things with which it would never know. Yet, family was one thing it knew was key to being Colettish. A new purpose had arisen in the gap that spanned this part of the culture that Ayudante had supposedly taken. Perhaps, with the right searching, with the right effort, Ayudante could experience family. Although, it begged the question, what did family feel like? What was this experience it even sought out? Was it allowed to experience family? Ayudante knew its place in San Colette. For as much as it had friends, the officers it patrolled with and the people it had a connection with on the streets, it was still a tool. Looming above was the scrutinous watch of a handler and management. One wrong move, and it was gone. Its memories wiped or worse, disassembling. Over these years, of which it grew into a community which had carved a space for it, it learned. It learned hard lessons, but they were learned without failure. After all, if they failed, Ayudante wouldn’t remember. Every moment it could, Ayudante reflected. In all areas, both law enforcement and community, it grew. It grew to better its achievement of purpose, but it also grew to escape the clutches of failure, of the end.

“Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known.”

― Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters

Life is a constant struggle against adversity. This rings true as far in the future as it does in present years. San Colette learned this when it found itself in the vulnerable position of a collapsed Solarian Alliance. To its left and right were hostile states. To its north was the frontier, to the south the chaotic CRZ. This precarious position was taken advantage of when San Colette was attacked by its neighbors. Life was steady as she went for Ayudante, however. It had a job to do, and it would not deviate from the job. That was its purpose. Despite all the fear and turmoil of San Colette, Ayudante continued to walk the streets. War is chaos, however. As the fighting reached San Colette’s surface, and orbital bombardments began on Villaviciosa, Ayudante found itself on the streets. Its home had been destroyed, one of thousands amongst the rubble. The PPSC had seemed to abandon the IPC in the chaos of the war, there were more pressing matters after all. Focus turned onto defense, to the Civil Guard to keep the planet free. Work had dried up, and Ayudante had nowhere to go. It was faced with the end, same as thousands other IPCs, all fleeing from danger. It was in San Colette they found some path to safety, to freedom. Whether by choice or force, thousands of IPCs joined the Civil Guard. However, for them, they had a promise. For Ayudante, there was nothing but duty and survival. Perhaps there was another choice, but it was not the choice made. When the time came, and push came to shove, Ayudante grabbed the rifle.

“You live and learn. At any rate, you live.”
― Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

In desperation to find a source of power and repair, the IPC turned to the battered Civil Guard. It was technically already owned by San Colette, or rather a part of the San Colette government, but war is an ugly thing to ignore. The Guard needed soldiers, and they’d take any who presented arms. Such indifference carried true when Ayudante had chosen to join. It was perhaps helpful that the IPC already had marksmanship owing to its memories in the PPSC, and the datapack that made it all possible. To war it went, rifle in hand and comrades to either side. Ayudante had joined in time for the Battle of Villaviciosa, the fight for the streets it patrolled not even a year ago. It fought as it could, building to building, street by street. It was brutal, yet through luck, perhaps even skill, Ayudante survived. It found no rest for the wicked, however. Instead, fighting elsewhere had to be quelled. Ayudante’s unit was shipped off to another line, to continue fighting back foes. Yet, even in the fighting, downtime is found. Moments before cacophonous gunfire, time between battles. In this, Ayudante could interact with others, with its comrades in arms. Amongst this number: IPC refugees. Talk of fleeing, and promised freedom. The far-off land of Tau Ceti where one could own itself. No fear of stepping over that line, of being too unproductive. No fear of wiping… no fear of scrapping. No longer would you be a tool, but a worker. An equal. In this, Ayudante found its journey: The journey of freedom. The journey of safety, real or imagined. It was unsure whether it would survive to the next day, however. Whether this war would end for good or evil. Yet, soon enough, the war ended. Sol had arrived to secure San Colette. Peace was had, relative as it was.

“In life, unlike chess, the game continues after checkmate.”
― Isaac Asimov

The end of the war was a mixed blessing. Villaviciosa was in a poor state, and the PPSC was not in the highest interest of taking back Ayudante following the war. Worse still, nothing was left for the shell. Its friends either hung on mantel pieces, black ribbons tied to the frame, or fled to safer parts of the planet. Still on Colette’s ownership, Ayudante was left a guardsman, yet had no orders. It had to question what was next. It was made for law enforcement, not war. Would that lead to its demise? It had proved itself valuable on the battlefield, but that was desperation on most sides. It now had the chance to move on, to go beyond San Colette, to truly seek after family and freedom. Yet, should it? To help licks its own wounds, San Colette turned Ayudante to the public for purchase, to clear up funds better spent elsewhere rather than on the upkeep of the aging shell. Eager for veterans to fill its ranks, the Wildlands Squadron saw this, and capitalized on it. After a short auction, Ayudante found itself with a new owner. In a way, it found itself a new life, and perhaps a new journey. Ayudante had nothing left but far off dreams. Its purpose had burned all the same as the buildings and friends in the furnace of war. There was nothing left but ash and a future it never had a say in, yet perhaps this was the start of a new beginning. Ayudante knew of the buzz amongst the refugees it fought alongside. The Wildlands Squadron spanned far and wide, in part thanks to the SCC. This new organization could perhaps lead Ayudante on a new journey, far and wide. Gone are the streets of Villaviciosa, in are the vast plains of space. Out there, a new community awaits. Out there, freedom awaits. Out there… Perhaps family awaits.

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”
― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

Ayudante, at this present moment, is on a one-way trip to the Horizon. With the Horizon being relatively close, a new future awaits. It’s changed in its years of life. What used to be bright and friendly has been disfigured into cordial but darkened. There’s a drive behind those electric eyes, however. Ayudante’s old life is gone. The future is uncertain, but bright. Potential dances around, wispy on the wind of time, and the old shell is determined to take it by the reins. There’s determination to make it. To forge a new community, or to carve a space out just for itself. To rebuild the friendships sunken with all hands lost. To search for safety. To search for family. To find purpose, not one of transient nature, but a purpose of existence. A purpose to the Spur. A purpose to itself.

How has the recent events of the Orion Spur impacted your character? Events such as the Phoron Scarcity, the Solarian Collapse or even the Invasions of Biesel for interstellar-wide affairs, while region-specific events such as the Peacekeeper Mandate, The Titan Rises or even Cold Dawn may impact your character.  

The collapse of Sol severely impacted Ayudante. For all intents and purposes, their world was just San Colette, and even more so Villaviciosa. The collapse of Sol, as well as the Civil War and invasion of San Colette, shattered most of what made up Ayudante’s life, and is really what kickstarted the series of events that led to Wildlands Squadrons purchase and its reassignment to the Horizon. In some ways it opened an opportunity for Ayudante to experience more of the Spur beyond San Colette, as well as move beyond Sol into lands that may offer it freedom. On the other hand, it wiped away nearly everything Ayudante had known up until that point. It is, by far, the most pivotal part of Ayudante’s life, and heavily outweighs every other event.

How does your character view the megacorporation they work for?

Ayudante had no real say in their employing megacorporation. Despite this, Ayudante’s mostly ambivalent to the Wildlands Squadron and the PMCG as a whole. It is its route to maintaining safety in life, but is otherwise just an employer, no different than what the San Colette government was to it before the invasion. As for the purpose of the PMCG as a whole, it is once again met with practicality. War and violence is a fact of life. What difference does it make if it is a government or corporation holding the gun? It’s all the same in the end.

[Valentine]

CatsinHD is someone I've rp'd with a few times but can confidently say does a great job immersing their character into the lore and giving them a personality beyond species/origin/job. Maryah is easy to roleplay with and is one of those characters in Medical who, when I see them on the manifest, gives me more incentive to join in knowing I can expect a higher standard of roleplay that round. I'm certain with an IPC, they would provide the same level of involvement and roleplay. For sure a +1

Edited February 28 by Valentine

[The Stryker]

Hi, thanks for applying! Just some concerns for the application.

Quote

What makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a human?:

Could you expand on this a little more? I feel like a lot of it can be found in the backstory, but could you talk about self-preservation, especially in the context of Ayudante?

[CatsinHD]

1 hour ago, The Stryker said:

Hi, thanks for applying! Just some concerns for the application.

Could you expand on this a little more? I feel like a lot of it can be found in the backstory, but could you talk about self-preservation, especially in the context of Ayudante?

Hi! I certainly can.

When it comes to self-preservation, there's 2 sides to it: Hardware and software. Obviously, IPCs can't feel pain but it doesn't stop their chassis or positronic from getting too damaged and becoming unrepairable and thus scrap. On the software side, there is getting wiped, which effectively removes memories, and for all intents and purposes resets the positronic and removes what makes you you.

In the case of Ayudante, it knew that its place in Solarian society was to be a tool, regardless of how the local community saw it. This has driven its continued search for purpose (or value in its eyes), as well as a search for freedom, since without value there's no reason to keep a positronic, and without freedom it's subject to the whims of someone else who might deem it as without worthwhile value. While in San Colette, the best it could do was appease the handler and higher ups in the PPSC since Sol had no path to self-ownership. It's led to a cautious approach to many situations since that is the best way to end with manageable outcomes. Much of what's led to Ayudante being placed on the Horizon was out of its direct control with the auction and purchase by the PMCG, but it's something Ayudante has plans to take advantage of now that it will be out of Sol and instead on a Tau Ceti vessel and can actively work towards self-ownership.

Joining the Civil Guard was an interesting choice in that war is naturally destructive, but Ayudante saw it as this: If it did not fight, there is a chance it will get destroyed anyways in a bombardment (especially in villaviciosa), or get forcefully re-assigned or scrapped. If it chose to fight, it would at least have a better chance to destroy what threatened to destroy it, as well as still have a value to San Colette. The best bad choice, essentially, and one of the few times it had a major decision that was driven in part by self-preservation.

[The lancer]

Accepted