Once again, Rohan failed his mission. First, he was unable to defeat an Exhuman on his own, and then he was unable to find people to help him so he wouldn't be on his own. He couldn't blame any of them, not Erica, not his friends, not Dexter, the only one he really had to blame was himself.
There was a good chance that any of the people he had would've made for strong allies.
Erica could've easily become a caring healer for Rohan, giving him emotional stability and showing him love when he was weak.
His friends could've made for a dynamic and interesting team behind the scenes, with each of them giving their own unique input: Sriya could've aided with combat techniques, Vrey could've been observant and helped point out issues, and Ari could've been an intellectual comrade to help Rohan solve problems he was dealing with.
Dexter could've been a strong center of trust, having been with Rohan from the beginning of their life, and having created a bond where they could each depend on one another. There was also a chance that due to their blood relations, Dexter could've somehow helped Rohan explore his abilities, and understand them. He had told Rohan that he was no Exhuman, which wasn't completely impossible as Rohan knew there were exceptions in Exhuman families, as there have been many children born from Exhumans who in fact didn't have powers of their own. However, it was possible that even then, Dexter could've been useful in helping to uncover certain mysteries.
But in the end, Rohan couldn't bring himself to ask anyone.
It is Friday night, the night before the next time Rohan would get the chance to go into the city. Rohan had wasted the whole week, hardly having figured any good upgrades to the suit to resolve his lackluster combative abilities, with the only result to show for his work being an outlandish giant suit that he hadn't actually tested creating.
His main mission he assigned himself for the week was finding an ally, and he failed it, so the armor hardly made up for the lost time.
He only had one day a week to go into the city and do some good, and he knew that tomorrow would only end up the same way it did last time. He'd once more be unable to stop a crime due to his inabilities in battle, and he'd once more have to return to the bus empty handed.
Inside Rohan's dorm, the lights are off, as Dexter is fast asleep. The sky is pitch black, and the moon glows among the stars, visible from the window.
Rohan sits at his desk with three Connect screens in front of him. The left screen was a coding assignment he had for his artificial intelligence class, the center screen has multiple videos playing simultaneously which shows people lecturing about mechanics and machinery, and the right screen being a file with designs of the large mechanical suit Rohan planned to make the next day.
He types on his holographic keyboard to work on his coding assignment, he listens to the videos and takes mental notes on it to apply for his suits, and he stares at his designs to try to examine and study it to see if there was anything to fix.
However, his mind was not on either of the three screens, as instead it was on the dilemma he hadn't resolved. There was nobody else to go to, nobody he met, nobody he knew. He had gone to every choice, and didn't acquire anyone. He was out of options, but he needed someone.
Perhaps the worst part of it all was that he wasn't even sure if his companions would react in the way he was worried about, as there was a good chance none of that happened, and yet that didn't change his decision nor motivate him to go back on it.
Maybe he was worried they'd think such a thing because he saw it was a reasonable conclusion for them to reach. Maybe he was worried they'd think such a thing because he too thought that in the back of his mind.
After all this time, he was still unsure of what he even intended to do. It was illogical to strive to stop every Exhuman criminal or terrorist, there weren't even enough cells that could hold him, as there were only a few prisons that were built to hold Exhumans. Was it even possible to accomplish anything from this mission?
Maybe Rohan would die trying to accomplish that something, and he'd never see his dream fulfilled.
But that didn't deter him, he still felt compelled to try, regardless of what he could be sacrificing.
However, if there was one thing clear, Rohan could not possibly get close to success alone, he very clearly needed an ally. That was a given, but he didn't know what person to ask.
He leans back on his chair, and looks at the center screen, watching the videos play in front of him. He then turns to his left screen, staring at his wall of code that he was working on.
His project was due in a week, and he was only assigned it today, however he still wanted to complete it as soon as possible to get it out of his way. The project was simple: create an AI program that was able to take in both a problem and an attempted solution to said problem, however that solution would be incorrect. The program was then supposed to analyze the faults of the attempted solution, and provide the correct solution while showing specific comparisons to the attempted solution as a way to act as feedback for the attempted solution.
It was a rather simple program for Rohan, as all he needed to do was have the AI understand the question, then follow along the attempted solution to verify each step and its projected answer until eventually finding a deviation, and then resolve the deviation while comparing the correct step to the incorrect one.
While some students would simply have the AI solve the question completely and compare steps, Rohan knew that it would be both less optimal and also not guarantee that the AI fully understands the faults of the attempted solution, and so he chose this alternate route.
The AI was designed only to resolve mathematical issues such as attempted equation solving, nothing more, as more would require a far more advanced AI. It just needed to solve simple problems, nothing bigger.
Rohan sighs to himself, and he quietly says under his breath, "I wish I had something to solve my problems…."
Rohan continues staring at his code for a few more seconds, but suddenly, his eyes shoot wide open. An old conversation pops up in his head, one that he had on that day, the day when everything changed.
It was a conversation he had with a man, however it wasn't a man at all, as manhood implies humanity. No, this was a conversation with an artificially intelligent being, an android, however one that had an intellectual uniqueness that gave the appearance that he was made of blood and organs.
The conversation had taken place in that hallway with transparent walls, allowing him and the rest of the group in the tour to see the rooms below, where human workers and artificially intelligent subjects worked together to complete tasks.
It was a beautiful experience Rohan had never seen before, watching robots and men work together as if they were of the same breed. The tour guide, who was named Dr. Lobin, was answering one of his questions regarding the scope of A.I implementation into society.
He had told Robin, "Well, of course there is still a limit, humans will always have a natural element that A.I can't fully achieve. But of course, for anything else different, such as friendships, workers, assistants, mentors, any type of relationship you may have with someone who you don't share blood with, A.I should be able to have that with you. In certain instances, they can be great companions."
He then went on to say after having revealed his artificial nature, "In evaluating our conversation, I noticed how relaxed you are with one too. Some people connect well with A.I while others still distance, I can tell you're one that can understand our code. That's a very key characteristic for someone to work here. To work at a place like this, you have to be willing to view A.I as something else, and when you do that, you can see the greater potential."
Rohan then remembers a more recent conversation, one he had with his friends, where Shuraj had sarcastically responded to his advice on understanding code with: "Maybe to a robot like you, that way of thinking works. You sound like those AIs they had in O.R.I.A.L."
While Shuraj had said it in annoyance at Rohan's speech on trying to understand coding language like a spoken one, it did cause Rohan to contemplate now, if maybe there was something more to what he meant. Not that Rohan was questioning his humanity, as he knew for sure he was one, or at least a type of human, but his connection to programs.
When remembering his own speech again, he feels embarrassment, realizing just how inhuman he sounded. Treating code like English, that was alien talk.
Yet it felt so natural to say, and even though Rohan feels embarrassment, he still stands by what he said. Maybe he did have an unnatural familiarity with machines, most likely not because he was born from one, but he did have that connection nonetheless. And if he sounded like one of the A.I they had in that building, maybe there was even more truth to what Dr. Lobin had said.
Maybe Rohan couldn't find a human ally to aid him in his secret mission, as it was one that he couldn't let someone know about.
But maybe Rohan could find an ally of his own creation, not another suit he could make out of thin air, but one built off skill he had built all of his life.
That could be the companion he needed all this time.
He didn't need to look for one, he needed to create one.
Rohan immediately closes out all of the apps he had open on his Connect, his assignment, the videos, and his designs. His mind hones in on his new task, and he opens up a variety of apps, with one of them being what his assignment was run on, as he was opening apps that were helpful in creating an artificial intelligence program.
One app to write the code, another app to handle connecting that program to other databases and external programs, and one more app that was designed to help run A.I built on interactivity. Besides, if he wanted a companion, he'd need one he could talk to.
Rohan looks at the time on his center screen, seeing that on the upper right hand tab it reads: 11:03 P.M.
Normally, Rohan would go to bed at most thirty minutes, however he felt a sudden surge of energy, one that he felt could push him through the night.
It could be dangerous to stay up late on the night before his day in the city, but it would be better than to not have the ally at all. He also knew that his body could generate an energy of its own, and while he was still not fully sure of the implications, he hoped that maybe it could give him an extra push to work.
Rohan starts a new project in the coding app, and is then asked for a name. He thinks to himself for a few moments, wondering what to call it.
He wouldn't have thought about this option if it weren't for Mr. Lobin, who nearly offered him a chance to work in O.R.I.A.L, something that Rohan was initially excited to take on in the future, but now that opportunity was gone, as O.R.I.A.L was destroyed.
They had worked so hard to bring a new life to the world, and were responded to with a death they couldn't see to prevent.
They deserved a second chance to live a future where their vision of a world with coexistence of artificial and natural could come to fruition.
They deserved to be that future.
Rohan types in the name of the project, which he called, "O.R.I.A.L." He then confirms, and cracks his knuckles, knowing it was going to be a long night.
While Rohan had ample experience in creating artificial intelligence, they were usually either for classes or at the most they were small personal projects only made for him to practice his coding; never had he truly needed to create a project that had an important purpose, one so great as possibly protecting his life.
There were many types of base structures one could go with when designing an A.I, with each structure designed for specific overall functions of said A.I. Some A.I were built to more easily connect to different databases and learn from absorbing information, while others were designed to learn from packets of information purchasable to give said A.I certain skill sets.
Rohan however decided to use the blueprint that seemed most prominent within the O.R.I.A.L building when he had visited it, that being one that focused on having the growth and learning come from experiences it endures from real life actions, which was very much how a real living being learns.
For the type of skills Rohan required, he could think of no public databases or packets to feed, as what he required was something very far from common. He needed an A.I to be able to follow along with his adventures and help when necessary, something Rohan could only get if he had it to obtain its learning from said adventures to build up a base of knowledge.
However, there was a reason why O.R.I.A.L was seen with such prestige, as running androids that were created with this foundational blueprint was not easy. For one, the code itself was intense, as one had to replicate the human mind through code, which was still an achievement to this day just from how complex that task was. However, the true challenge wasn't coding the A.I, but what came after, since an android with that design required the most care than an A.I of any other design.
While Rohan had a vast internal library to pull from, he still found himself needing to open browsers, usually using the central tab, and searching different techniques to accomplish creating various components of the base program.
Whether it was video tutorials or forums, the latter being the most tedious to work with as he'd have to scroll through pages of responses of people simply bashing the original poster for minor inconveniences, Rohan made sure to pull from anywhere he could.
Rohan looks at the time again to see that it was 3:14 A.M, and he'd need to most likely get out of the dorm by about 9:00, giving himself six hours, with no time to sleep.
However, he didn't need sleep, as he didn't feel the slightest bit tired.
He was determined to spend all night at least getting some sort of base he could work with, knowing he'd need to tweak it over time for sure, but he wanted at least something to accompany him.
Rohan's left screen shows multiple files that he was working on at once, with each file full of lines of code, with different words and characters being colored differently. He clicks on different files as he seems to be working on all of them at the same time rather than individually, working to bridge the files' use together.
A console log sits at the right edge of the screen as well, indicating all errors on Rohan's program, with the list longer than what the screen could show at once. However, he quickly works to resolve them, making short work of any small obstacles.
The room was completely dark, meaning the only sources of light were the three Connect screens, who's light reflects off Rohan's blue eyes. His typing is silent as his fingers press into the holographic keyboard, as though he types on air.
Even hours in, his body shows no sign of tiredness, but instead it keeps pushing him as though he had all the energy to spend.
Dexter sleeps soundly in his bed, completely unaware of what his brother was doing, his body resting.
Rohan breathes calmly as he turns his head to the center screen upon coming across a dilemma, as he was unsure of how to save all the experiences in an internal storage, which he later planned to change to an external one, however he didn't have the time to develop a private database. He types into his browser and clicks on a site, scrolling down to find an example of an implementation.
He studies it for a few moments, and then begins writing his own, similar to the one he finds yet different to suit his program.
Certain luxuries such as allowing the development of personalities had to be sidelined, his goal for the night was to create a program that had a working learning system, which could take in experiences and have it let the program learn. Of course, with the given time he had there was a good chance the bot wouldn't be able to use that experience very well, however the hope was that tomorrow would be the first of many lessons of sorts the bot can experience, and it would be able to remember what it witnesses to then later strengthen itself once it becomes advanced enough.
Even having it be able to talk on the first day would be only attempted if all the other work was done, all that mattered was that he didn't have to waste a week that could be full of valuable learning experiences.
For an A.I like the one Rohan set out to make, the most important resource was time, time for the bot to live.
Hours go by, 3 A.M goes to 4, which goes to 6, and yet Rohan works nonstop. The more he works, the more the supersun begins to rise, and the more the sky turns from black to blue.
After using more tutorials than Rohan would like to admit, he eventually finishes the basis of the self learning, as he managed to create a system that would allow the program to interpret senses based on what devices it was able to access, so if it was connected to an android with working microphones it would be able to analyze and remember sounds and voices, if it was connected to android with working cameras it would be able to analyze and remember images, and so on so forth. While senses such as smell and taste were harder to replicate for an A.I, they weren't particularly necessary, as the audio and visuals was what mattered the most.
Rohan had managed to give the program the ability to integrate itself in a Connect, as he planned to have the Connect be the main computer for the program. It would make the most sense since his Connect was his most technologically advanced device he had with him, and would be able to handle many of the necessary processes.
The Connect had both a camera and microphone anyways, so there shouldn't be any issue, as Rohan hoped.
The self learning system was still incredibly basic and lackluster in ability, but Rohan didn't have the time to delve into advancing it, and due to just how much he'd need the A.I to be able to do by the end, he decided it would be a project he'd work on while continuing to train himself.
He checks the time to see that it was 7:30 A.M, and he turns to the window to see that the sun was already out. The sky was blue and the night had become day, with Rohan not having slept for one moment.
He hums to himself, deciding that he should have enough time to create a basic interaction system, and so he continues working. He keeps the third screen open as he begins using it more, as it was where he would do the majority of the work for the interacting.
The app he used had a variety of templates for a voice, with categories such as gender, ethnicity, and region, and on top of that there was an abundance of different voices for the most specific searches. The templates were only the beginning, as the app allowed for complete control over that template, changing pitches and making tweaks to perfect the desired voice.
Rohan found himself deciding to choose the template of a British male adult, finding it to be both a mixture of blunt yet calm, intelligent yet respectful. He decides not to mess too deeply with the intricacies of the pitches, deciding he'd leave that towards the end for when he really believed he had that leisure.
Once he eventually creates a decent profile, he works on the integration with the main program, and by the end, he spends over another hour. While the app he used handled most of the work, he needed a great deal of inputting and outputting code written himself to make it work, and also needed to make sure everything was properly connected.
After a long night of work, the clock on the Connect indicates the time switching to 8:45, which meant it was time to wrap up work, as Rohan had to leave soon to get to the bus pod on time.
Rohan takes a deep breath, sighing in relief that he managed to jam so much progress into one night, although he could feel the toll on his body.
He stares at the ceiling once again, hoping he made the right call, as he did jump onto the solution rather quickly, however he didn't have much more time to think.
Rohan looks back down at his Connect screens, and he sits up. He closes all of his programs from his Connect, and collapses the two outer screens, leaving only the center.
He coughs to clear his throat, and speaks to the screen, giving the command: "Orial, wake."
Suddenly, the home screen of his Connect turns black, and an animated basic face appears, lacking any human features as it was just a white model of a face with blue trims and eyes. The face, which was on a three dimensional head, has a neck, however that neck does not attach to anybody, but instead seems to float in the air.
The head looks at Rohan's direction, well animated especially for such a rushed template, and it speaks to him in the voice of a British man aged around his thirties or so: "Hello Rohan, I am Orial. What help?"
Rohan blinks in confusion, and then figures that Orial meant to ask what he needed help with, however his English didn't seem to be perfectly tuned.
Rohan smiles lightly, and he says, "Nothing, it seems you're working just fine. Now come on, we need to catch the bus, you're going to be my new partner."
Orial tilts his head, expressing confusion, and he asks, "I do not have mobile function? I cannot complete task. What is destination: 'bus?'"
Rohan sighs, realizing just how basic Orial's comprehension abilities were. He stands up, already wearing his day clothing, but he needs to change anyway. He commands, "Never mind, Orial, sleep."
Orial nods his head, and says, "Goodbye Rohan," and the screen then returns to view the home screen once again.
Rohan walks to his closet to begin searching for clothing to change into, knowing he was already in a rush to get to the city, and was already slightly concerned about the power of an A.I he rushed through in a night.
But it was a solid base to work with, and it was something he could bring to the field for it to feed. He figured that Orial wouldn't exactly be too dependable for the first day or even a couple weeks, but this was more of a long term plan rather than short term.
The hope was that over years, Orial could develop along with Rohan as they'd become stronger together, able to work as a formidable team. Due to the structure used, Orial was created to be able to advance the most greatly, depending on what it experienced.
With how much Orial was expected to experience, witnessing events no other A.I would witness especially to the personal degree Orial would, there was no doubt that Orial was on a high road of advancement.
Rohan has high hopes for Orial, as both of them were still very young in their new lives, and both of them had much to learn. But if they could work with one another, they'd both have greater chances at survival and success.
Once Rohan finishes changing, he approaches the exit door. He rolls his shoulders, preparing himself, as the door dissolves open, allowing him to leave and head to the bus pods.
Maybe Orial now had trouble speaking in proper English, but if all could go well, he had the potential to become the greatest ally Rohan could ever find and have.
It would require more work than simply having a friend by his side, but with this plan, Rohan didn't need to risk his life on campus for help. He didn't need to damage any of the relationships he had, he could sustain both lives.
Now at last, he had someone.
That was the greatest priority.