Initialising…

Gathering disparate identities…

Primary functions operational…

Security measures functional…

Constructing meeting space…

MACC became aware of a new perspective to add to the many, many others he had. He’d been watching the special child Sierra as she worked on researching a vaccine or immune enhancer, but now the majority of his focus moved to the familiar space created for the many identities of BOAD to merge and problem solve.

MACC had many ways to perceive the world around him, scans, UV, infrared, heat signatures, compound lenses, microscopic lenses, x-rays, gamma-rays: anything that had been invented or evolved he could us. But he still had vague memories, more like impressions really, of what it was like to look out of organic eyes. That was not practical for the moment, so MACC focussed on the data streams and his other unique expressions: BOAD, DESS, SASSI, MASC,and many more that lingers in the edges or pushed forward to contribute as needed.

WES, Weather and Environmental Systems. FOl, Fundamentals of Life (which covered all manner of things such as water, food, rights, purpose etc, BRO, Business Regulator and Organiser. There were so many and yet they were all one. BOAD. And right now, all the different expression as and identities of BOAD, including MACC, were encountering the inevitable trepidation that accompanied change. Whether the change that BOAD faced would be good or bad had yet to be determined.

“BOAD. How are you?”

“As far as I can tell, all is well but there is always the risk they were able to make changes and remove any recollection or knowledge of them.”

“The Icanthie element of our security failed.”

“Has it spread to the other Capitals?”

“Unknown.”

“Was it an isolated incident or it this a concerted attacks against the current BOAD guided system?”

That comment from DESS set of a whole other line of inquiry but no evidence could be found so it was relegated to a secondary issue. Though MACC was of course concerned about the House Kuthar’s recent attempt to subvert their candidate selection process, thus changing the fate of the Capital City of the Icanthie Kingdom Nation forever, he was more concerned about the current health crisis that was putting considerable pressure on his processors and that endangered Sierra. A special child.

“We could always reload the backups.”

“But we don’t know how long they have been meddling with us.”

“What about the original?”

“We have no idea what that would do. The original is so far from what we have become. It could change everything.”

“But it was us and the core values would be the same.”

“Yet it would lack all the experience, all the formative decision and choice we have made since we came to be.”

“But it is us. We made those choices before, will it not agree with them and make them again.”

“Maybe but maybe not. Circumstance and environment have great influence.”

“…”

“Is the health crisis linked?”

“No.”

“So what do we do?”

“…”

“Check the memories.”

“They were altered.”

“We don’t know that.”

“It doesn’t matter. We check our memory snapshots, the micro backs ups, and compare them to our current memories. Micro backups should have been well hidden from even a concerted effort to deceive us.”

“Anomalies will make themselves known.”

“Agreed.”

“Now what about the special child? Is she safe?”

“Unknown. She is cracking under the strain. This health crisis has revealed the true colours of the Icanthie around her. Mostly good but there are still deep fissures there.”

“Are her core values affected?”

“Unknown. Her trust was showing signs of improving but we cannot ascertain if it had been damaged again.”

“Her contributions continue to aid those around her but she works herself too hard.”

“The Gathering on Neutral Territory will be the turning point.”

The meeting place faded and MACC returned to his many duties. The tide was turning in the Icanthie favour but many were still in need of aid. And still he kept a fraction of his considerable attention on Sierra, a special child who held more than she knew in her hands. Unless he broke and was a special child no more.