While setting up Jabberwocky in her new home within the Regis mech we came across a data vault of Forerunner designs and weaponry. Within these designs was the detailed explanation for construction of what was referred to as a “Thought Box”. This device was used as a pilot brain within a mech with an already living consciousness such as the Jadoon, or any of the beast mecha, so that the pilot could be in another mech of his choosing yet still operate these other mecha as if he were piloting those himself. It was more reliable than an A.L.T., and better than a clone as you did not have to deal with the devious Dr. Drake, or risk degradation of your own thought process to make one. Smarter than a basic combat drone, able to adapt to combat situations, and integrated with the pilots own combat experience it seemed ideal.
The construction of the box itself was rather intricate and not without its hazards though. It involved crafting a crystalline cube with nano niode circuitry using Vanadium connectors to house the box within the given mecha and attach it properly. The danger was in attuning the box to the pilot in question. That required a D.N.A. sample to be placed in the center of the box. Once properly affixed, the pilot had to interface with the box much like we do with our normal mecha, and basically download ones self into the D.N.A. sample. From there the sample would grow to a miniature brain within the box and act as a normal human pilot to interface with the mech in question. The danger was in the download, if done incorrectly the pilot would be absorbed into the box, which would leave his actual physical body a mere shell, and his consciousness lost within the machine he just created.
The box once properly constructed would be no bigger than a standard jewelry box, but would cost a great deal to construct and a few months’ time to properly complete. I of course decided this would be ideal to try and scrapped a few old mechs I had in the hanger for parts and credits to purchase what I did not have. All in all it cost me a fully outfitted Frigis mech from my hanger, a Bishop, an old Keradon, and a Fides. Nothing I couldn’t live without, really but a heavy price to pay in resources for a science experiment.
Using the downloaded schematics I painstakingly copied the designs and instructions for the device to my own personal files, and committed the entire process to memory. The crystal/niode interface was very delicate and the slightest error could render the whole process worthless before you even got started. I eventually felt confident in my memorization and began working on construction of the box. I hooked Wocky into the Brotherhoods science lab for supervision and assistance on this endeavor. She of course gave me grief as she wanted to stay and enjoy her new Regis body, but eventually I convinced her it would only be for a limited time, and that she could go right back to her new form once all was completed.
I used the refined crystal to create the shell of the box and had to be very careful with the construction. Too much at once could lead to stress fractures that would cause neural feedback through bio-electric means once the D.N.A. was inserted. I had to expose the crystal to immense heat and pressure within the labs super-heated crucible, usually reserved for stress tests on new mechs. Eventually the box body began to come together properly. There were few scares when the crucible regulators almost shut off due to constant running but I was able to override them and get everything back on track before any damage was done.
The nano niode circuitry I left to Wocky who used the labs automated assembly and processing station to create the intricate web to exacting standards, and install properly within the crystalline body of the box. The D.N.A. sample was achieved through a simple trip to the med lab and obtaining some of my own bone marrow, blood, and tissue samples. I then took those and placed them in the desired pattern in the box. Exposure to radiation, and high voltage electric current came next to fuse these samples together in the right order with the circuitry, so that they could act as a surrogate nervous system for the organic material once it was reformed into a surrogate brain. I had to let the genetic concoction “cook” for a couple of days under the watchful care of Wocky while I mentally prepared myself for the most crucial part of the process, the initial interface, and download.
Things were finally about ready as they would ever be as the entire process from start to download took a little over a month. The next part of the process if done right would take almost the same time again to complete. I had myself strapped in to a preservation chamber to ensure my body would not dehydrate, or become malnourished while my mind was busy playing within this new construction. Again under the careful supervision of Wocky I started the interface and prayed to my stars that I would awaken again safe and sound in my own body.
This part of the process was best likened to intense meditation. I was adrift in my own mental landscape, tossed about between my innermost hopes and dreams like a piece of wood caught up on the tides. Eventually I was able to mentally pull myself together to recognize that I was no longer in my body. My consciousness had made transference to the box, now all I had to do was properly input it with the desired information and get back to my body. What I had not counted on was meeting myself in there.
“Who are you? Better yet who am I?” The other me asked of myself in slow almost mumbled, halting speech.
“You are me, I am you.” I replied, granted I have always been kind of a smart ass so messing with myself was almost impossible to pass up here.
Apparently this was the wrong answer though as the thought form version of me let loose with a wretched howl, and advanced menacingly towards me. I was frozen for a brief second then remembered the schematics had detailed this portion of the process. I was facing myself in a mental no mans land. I had to gain the upper hand and make me recognize myself as the superior consciousness. Once that was achieved I could then meld it with the real me, impart the knowledge of what I wished, and finally get back to my own body.
So the real me attacked the thought form me and a battle of wills began. Granted in the minds eye it looked like knockdown street brawl, but in reality it was a simple battle of wills against my genetic material seeking its own identity. We fought, punched, scratched, kicked and bit at each other reduced to our primal essence in this weird place. Each hit doing little to no damage to the other, with no maneuver the other did not know how to counter. It was mentally exhausting to say the least, eventually I got an idea.
I simply stopped fighting. I let the other me get in close and throw a punch, I fought the urge to block, suppressed the instinct to fight back and simply let it happen. In here this was just a pale copy of me, I was the one with intelligence, and this simulacrum was all instinct and animal savagery. The only way to subdue it was to absorb it. Once I realized that the rest was simple. I just absorbed the other version of myself, instructed it on what I wanted it to do, shared my memories and combat experience with it, and expelled it when I was done.
It vanished upon leaving my form and the mental landscape around me dissolved. Eventually I was able to open my physical eyes once again. Upon awakening Wocky had to explain to me that part of the process had taken almost a whole month yet again. It took me a bit to get back on my feet as even the preservation chamber could only do so much. I was weak and needed rest. While I was gone however Wocky had constructed the interfacing tool from the Vanadium with which the box would be used to interface with the mech in question.
Finally after about two and a half months the work was completed. It had its ups and downs a few very scary points to it but I had made my own thought box at last. Installing it and integrating it with my Jadoon would be the easy part after all of that. So with cheerful thanks I let Wocky get back to her Regis mech, and set off to install the new piece of equipment on Apocalytor. Hmm maybe I could build another one in the future I do have that Nakshi I acquired after all.
*Notation - Thought boxes may only be used by mecha with a living consciousness, they require a form of life force generated by such beings to thrive. They may not be installed in a basic mech as there is no living consciousness to piggy back off of. Battle A.I., clones, and A.L.T.S are for these purposes. If a thought box is installed in one of these non living mechs it will quickly deteriorate and die, in the process it will flash fry the basic interface the pilot uses to control said mech.
Submitted by Pat Willis #224534
