InsaneJournal

Tweak says, ""Manos" The Hands of Fate"

Kitt (ki2k) wrote in utr_logs,
@ 2008-12-08 14:40:00

Current mood:	calm
Entry tags:	hattie jackson, kitt (2008), kitt 2

Who: KI2K, KI3K, Hattie
What: Meeting the KI3K for the first time
When: Now
Where: At Hattie and Kitt's estate
Warnings: None that I can foresee

A new AI? In a new, updated car? While he had to admit to an almost overwhelming curiosity, he also felt the slight twinge of irritation that could only come when one is faced with their own replacement.

For that's what this car represented. New technology. New breakthroughs. New beginnings. To replace what was outdated, worn, old.

He sighed, brushing the thoughts away with a swipe of his hand down his face. He was tired, overworked and overstressed. It was making him cranky. So maybe there was a hint of smoldering jealousy burning underneath his calm exterior. He'd deal with it. It wasn't important. What was important was making sure that the car arrived without suffering any mishaps along the way. Kitt suspected - no, he knew - that this sort of technology could be very dangerous in the wrong hands, and he was intent on making sure that this AI remained safely in the care of Knight Industries - even if it wasn't quite the same Knight Industries that the AI recognized.

He went out into the chilly evening air dressed in business casual, projecting what he hoped would be just enough authority without seeming overbearing. Arms folded over his chest, he stood in the driveway before the front staircase, waiting for its arrival.

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hattie_notqueen
2008-12-08 02:40 pm UTC (link)

For her part, Hattie wasn't too worried about the AI itself. Or the car. She could guess that it was going to be new, shiny and very, very pretty. That wasn't what she wanted to meet this new KITT for. No, she wanted to make sure that this new KITT was actually who he said he was.

The baby had been put to bed with a member of the staff in the nursery to keep guard and, for the first time in a very long time, Hattie was aware of her surroundings in a militaristic way. She had even debated bringing a gun, then had decided against it when it dawned on her that it wouldn't do her any good against anything that Knight Industries had invented.

Instead, she stood just behind and slightly to the left of Kitt, two steps higher. Her arms were crossed over her chest as well and she could practically feel the tension rolling off her husband. In a place that was not so deep-down, she wondered if maybe he wouldn't have handled a first contact situation better had he been in a more vehicular state himself.

She kept the thought to herself and waited.

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ki2k
2008-12-08 03:27 pm UTC (link)

He half-considered telling - no, asking - Hattie to go back inside. He wasn't certain why he was choosing to meet such a potential threat from such a vulnerable position, but he almost felt that appearing as the Trans Am would be tipping his hand far too early. It would allow the other AI to assess him and his capabilities before he had the chance to return the favor.

No, human was better. He knew what he was looking for, even without his scanners. And perhaps it would cause the AI to underestimate him.

But Hattie was worrying him. They'd made sure Gideon was safe at least, but having her standing there behind him was something of a distraction, causing him concern about her safety, and whether he'd be able to protect her if things went disastrously wrong. There was only so much cover afforded by the tasteful landscaping. Maybe this had been a bad idea after all.

He carefully avoided checking his watch, not wanting to give away any hints as to his anxiety. He just wished the damned thing would show up and be done with it.

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knight3000
2008-12-08 05:19 pm UTC (link)

If it's one thing that Knight Industries has always known how to do, it's make an impression with its creations. The headlights are the first to make their appearance, cresting over the final hill approach towards the house. It's shortly accompanied by a level, familiar red strobe, though its progression and appearance has a variation in its activity: the strobe splits into two, each moving away from the other before coming back to the center.

As the vehicle approaches, its tires crunching upon the driveway's gravel, its sleek black profile resolves into that of the distinctive Mustang, with the modern Shelby twist; the difference in its modifications more apparent thanks to the dark grey stripes along its bonnet and roof, and the silver cobra that adorns its front grille.

It glides to a stop before them, the red traces moving confidently in tandem along its hood.

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hattie_notqueen
2008-12-08 05:31 pm UTC (link)

Where Kitt had been worrying about her safety, she had been worrying about his. If something happened to him in his human form... well, he wasn't indestructible and yes, she was worried.

As the car came over the hill, Hattie felt her heart rate increase and she took a deep breath when it actually pulled into the driveway. Upon actually seeing the Knight Industries Three Thousand, though, her eyebrows lifted and she blinked a couple of times. Shifting only slightly, she moved a couple inches closer to her husband.

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ki2k
2008-12-08 06:01 pm UTC (link)

He shot a look back at Hattie in return, eyebrows raised, before turning back to the car that had pulled up before them, arms still folded across his chest. His eyes narrowed as he observed the scanner in the prow, making mental notes as to its possible functions, being split in such a manner.

Making a decision, he stepped forward, keeping himself between the car and Hattie.

"What is your designation?" He wanted to hear this car answer him, in its own voice, while he listened carefully for any signs of deception, any hint that this could possibly be KARR.

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knight3000
2008-12-08 06:18 pm UTC (link)

"I am designated the Knight Industries Three Thousand." The voice that responds is calm, even, fluid and affirmingly masculine. The speed of the scanner does not change, its constant motion almost a statement of its own self-assurance. "My function is to complete assigned missions as designated by my programmers, to serve and protect humanity in the completion of those missions, as well as maintain the security of Knight Industries in my programmed capacity as a sentient artificial intelligence."

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hattie_notqueen
2008-12-08 06:26 pm UTC (link)

Hattie took a deep breath, was going to speak and then stopped. But she did take the two steps down to where Kitt was standing and stopped there, uncrossing her arms and tilting her head at the car in front of her.

So, the Knight Industries Three Thousand. Her eyebrows hadn't lowered and she couldn't stop staring. The way the car was talking was a lot like her Kitt had first spoken to her when they had met. Stoic, with an odd formality that one didn't hear anywhere else. The 'serve and protect humanity' made her feel a little better about her rapid invitation to their house.

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	ki2k 2008-12-08 06:39 pm UTC (link)
	He said nothing, just circled the car slowly and warily, watching for it to make any sudden moves. He imagined this must be how many people had felt upon first meeting him. He finally nodded, completing his circle, then reached out almost hesitantly to place a palm on the sleek car's hood, to see how it would react to that. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knight3000
2008-12-08 06:45 pm UTC (link)

Throughout, the car remains silent. Perhaps it is conducting its own personal , assessment, though it's impossible to say. At the touch, however, the hood springs to life, animating itself with a touch-activated display. The view contains a slowly-revolving three-dimensional profile of the Mustang, along with its general specs.

"I am sensing significant apprehension, as noted by your tense body language and posture. You do not trust me. I expect that is understandable, given my sudden appearance here."

An image appears next to the revolving image. "Dr. Charles Graiman was my designer and programmer. He is, or perhaps I should amend, was, to my knowledge, alive and well when I was removed from my location and placed here."

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hattie_notqueen
2008-12-08 06:56 pm UTC (link)

"If he was alive and well before, then he's most likely alive and well now. In fact, you still exist where you came from. You just exist here, too," Hattie said, stepping forward, too.

She couldn't resist eying the specs that came up, even though most of it was beyond her knowledge. Basic car knowledge came from Cam, current car knowledge came from Kitt. This one was just mind-boggling and she mimicked Kitt's movement toward the hood with a murmured, "Mind if I-?" before she actually brushed the smooth surface.

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ki2k
2008-12-08 07:10 pm UTC (link)

"It's not MBS." He sounded almost surprised, but managed to keep his voice even. He didn't even blink when the specs popped up on the hood, with the hologram-like image of Charles Graiman alongside. He was taken aback, certainly, and had to fight to suppress the wave of envy that arose within his chest, but really, wasn't his own company working on something very like this, just with a different application?

Because if it wasn't, it soon would be. After all, it technically was technology created by Knight Industries. Did it matter which one? And perhaps, just maybe, he could find a way to incorporate some of this car's technology into himself...

He stopped, had to shake his head. He'd caught himself thinking along the lines of taking it apart to see what it was made of. Had he really become so human that he was forgetting his own origins?

"I appeared here suddenly too. And I don't trust anyone." He gave the car a tight-lipped smile that didn't reach his eyes. He suspected the car wouldn't notice. He shot another glance at Hattie. "Perhaps this conversation should be moved indoors, to the garage?" He'd neglected to wear a jacket, and the evening air was catching his breath, making it rise into mist around him.

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knight3000
2008-12-08 07:20 pm UTC (link)

"If I am to accept your statement, it would mean that I have effectively been cloned in existence, and am no longer the original. It bears some relation to the Novikov self-consistency principle, though its main concern is time travel, and is not directly applicable to the concepts of cross-dimensional traversal."

There is a slight pause, the red lights moving steadily. "If you are asking if I object to your touch upon my exterior, I would have to say no. There is nothing about my shell that would cause you any direct harm." The bonnet is sleek, and warm thanks to the running engine that continues to tick over beneath its surface.

"You are correct in your assertion. My shell is not molecularly bonded. I rely upon the advances in nanotechnology, energy projection and absorption, and ceramically-bonded substances for self-defense." Hattie's touch upon the hood brings up a reflection of her current status: heartbeat, respiration, pulse-ox, core temperature. "I am detecting a loss of heat in your signatures that would indicate a feeling of cold. I have no objection to accommodating your continued sense of comfort."

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hattie_notqueen
2008-12-08 07:22 pm UTC (link)

"You're talking to the wrong person about clones and time travel, pal," Hattie said with a snicker, raising a hand to her mouth when she pressed her lips together. She mouthed a 'sorry' at Kitt before stepping back and crossing her arms over her chest again. "The garage. Right. I'm going to go inside and check on the baby. I'll be right down."

Before either of them could say anything else, she turned and dashed up the stairs, disappearing inside.