Video...ish-thing;

[lostsymmetry]

[The MID post comes in as "video", but there's nothing moving on the screen. Just a static blue shape that calls to mind mangled geometry-- or an extremely corrupted logo of some kind. It comes with some cheerful male answering-machine speech...]

<Welcome to Domesticon warranty and recycling depot #127. This is the automated system ad-->

[...which cuts off mid-sentence. The words that continue are in recognizably the same voice, but have a much broader range of inflection and no hint of the mechanical echo from before.]

Sorry about that. Still, ah, working out a few bugs. But hey, it's nice to see this place up and running again! Within, you know, standard deviations.

As we're proceeding with our latest pit stop, I thought I'd advertise my local functions-- to our new department heads or anyone else who can make use of them. I've been installed as the ship's Workshift Coordinator and given access to adjust crew scheduling at need. Since I'm sure the changes made by our new management caught a few people by surprise [*cough*, the half of the crew now on cleaning duty]... well, feel free to call if you need anything. Or just chat up your nearest terminal.

...

While I'm on the line--any thoughts about a name? [There's an odd note to the mainframe's voice. Hopeful? Hesitant? Embarrassed that the pod crab got there first? He should be. Dork.] Current options include Hank, Blue... maybe Morely.

Open to suggestions.


[[ooc: For those who missed the memo, he's talking about the job changes made here and here. The mainframe's isn't in charge of the actual assignments (though people are welcome to complain!), but he can alter your character's shift times and other handwavy goodness.]]

Comments

[lostsymmetry]

[...oh. That's a familiar ID. There's a half-beat of silence before the mainframe speaks, but no weight in his voice when he does. If anything, the respect sounds a little more genuine.]

Sure, let me check the database. [...which takes less time than saying it, but shh.] Looks like it's you and one "Security Monitor" right now. Tron, up on Mero Deck. I've got you on opposing shifts right now, but if you wanted to shuffle things around, just let me know.

[Two seems low for patrolling the whole ship no matter how you split it. But what does he know?

....Apart from TERRIBLE NAME CHOICES please save him from himself, Zam!!!]

Tradition seems to vary widely here. [Don't mind the wry tone. It covers nicely for his own uncertainties about it all.] What's yours?

[backsassin]

[Two does seem too few to handle the security of the entire ship, but at least his coworker is someone Zam knows. And more importantly, someone he likes.] Don’t worry about it. I can contact him directly if something comes up.

[Zam thinks for a moment, trying to formulate the best way to explain something that in his universe is such standard practice that one rarely has to actually explain it.] Usually, you take the droid’s series designation, add the first two or three characters from their serial number, and go from there. [Another pause as he tries to think of an example.] So, an RK series protocol droid with a serial number starting with... let’s say T01, might just be called RK-T01. Or if that’s too long, you might just call it Kayteeoh, or Kaytee. Or Arkay, if there aren’t any other RK series around to get it confused with.

[An unseen shrug as he regards the mangled blue shape on his MID screen.] Not sure if that’s what you’re looking for. Back home, there weren’t really any droids around who uh… picked their own names.

[Much less ones that showed an interest in names like “Hank” or “Morely.”]

[lostsymmetry]

[The explanation isn't hard at all to follow-- mostly because it's not all that far off from what he's used to. Function or role might be marginally more common, but Domesticon encouraged identification by serial number over most other options, especially when similar products were purchased at the same time.

Harder to give anyone delusions of equality that way. Still, if he likes Zam, he doesn't know him well enough to have that talk.]

Sounds straightforward. But I'm a facility AI, not one of Domesticon's droid series. Model numbers get a little more proprietary.

[Good reason? Sounds like a good reason. It's even mostly true. Still, the calm professionalism breaks a little, a touch of humor warming his voice as he adds on:]

Besides--people have been asking.

[backsassin]

[An amused tone slips into Zam’s voice.] And I guess “automated system administrator” doesn’t lend itself to snappy nicknames, huh?

[Zam’s no stranger to the idea of picking a new identity for oneself. It’s something they’ve done countless times, whether for a job or for more personal reasons. And every part of the process ultimately boils down to one question:]

Who exactly do you want to be?

I mean, I could just throw every name I can think of at you, but you clearly already have some preferences in mind.

[QUESTIONABLE preferences, but preferences all the same.]

[lostsymmetry]

Got it in one.

[New identity? Well, maybe. He's less interested in becoming someone different and more in having a term to put to what he is. Or better: proof that someone cares enough to use it.]

Hard to say. [literally, sometimes] They just roll off the voice synthesizer. Blue was an outside contribution--not so sure on that one.

[backsassin]

Blue’s… descriptive. [A little too descriptive if you ask Zam.] Might make for a good nickname.

[Maybe Zam’s wasting his time. It’s not like he has much stake in whatever name the AI ends up choosing and it definitely isn’t the case that he feels he owes him anything. But given the circumstances of their first meeting, it feels strangely… necessary that they reframe. He doesn’t want that encounter at the Ingress to be the first thing he himself thinks of whenever he has to interact with the AI, so… Names. Names are easier.]

You kind of sound like a Berin to me. Maybe a Ret.

[lostsymmetry]

That it is.

[It also, as his roommate summarized, sounds a little like a dog. Not exactly the end goal.

Still, if the suggestions are sparse, this post is serving nicely to sound out the mainframe's newest set of operators. Case in point. He's been curious since Zam spoke up, and for more than one reason-- it's hard to miss the vocal shift. And probably better not to ask, awkward silence or no. Moderate odds of hitting a touchy subject, and as much help as Zam has been, it sounds like his world's standards aren't that far off from the usual.

Reframing goes both ways. Still, the mainframe's pleasantly surprised.]

Huh. Ret isn't bad. Choppy, but...

Does it mean anything?

[backsassin]

No.

I mean, probably, but hell if I know. It’s just a name some people have.

[Etymology: not Zam’s specialty.]