- Anonymous quote under an inspirational forum thread in the Samuraiz forums, 2049
In all likelihood I should’ve been more worried about the current situation, but honestly, I just couldn’t bring myself to. I wasn’t sure if that was simply my brain trying to cope, or an aftereffect of… whatever mess I’d been in earlier. Or maybe it was just the simple fact that I had just met, talked to, and received an item from, one of the OG Samurai in Europe.
Not that that changed my immediate plans for the future. Just the order of them.
Laying on the ground, I stared up at the ceiling. It wasn’t a pretty room, but it did give me a moment to think about what exactly I wanted.
“Alright, let’s start with the most immediate concern. I need something to stop me from going crazy. Whatever has happened, it wasn’t good, and I can’t recall anything fun either. Not to mention that I would’ve been dead without Foxfire, and so would the shelter and everyone in it, in all likelihood. What can I get that can help prevent that in the future?”
I really couldn’t recall much, and the small little glimpses I had were disjointed, made no sense, and felt almost like a dream. Just a dream that stuck around for far longer than normal. Whatever had happened, I had to ensure that it couldn’t happen ever again.
As with most things, there are different options available with different approaches. In your specific case, I would suggest both a long term treatment, and a short term solution in case of emergency. Please be aware that any short term treatment will have unpleasant, and maybe unwanted, side effects.
Use of such treatments should never be the first response, as they can be damaging in the long term. For all the technological advancements that the protectors have made, study of the human condition is not as thorough as other fields, with only roughly 20000 years spent on the matter. Of course, we do have some methods to help, but psychological treatments are always problematic, as they heavily rely on the individual response, and specialised procedures tailored to the individual needs.
As an example, there is an internal drug delivery system that is reasonably priced, compatible with a rather wide variety of substances, and can be used on the spot without the need for administering the drugs by hand. Through this you could inject yourself with an emotional damper to keep yourself from going into shock. I do haste to point out, however, that even with the far more safe options that the protectors have on offer, no drug of any kind is ever free of any side effects. Some symptoms can be treated, but others cannot, and might not even be obvious in the short term.
For any long term treatments, I would recommend something less intrusive. A common program used by military institutions on earth is mainly educational. The main goal is to help each individual soldier to understand what a CSR is, what symptoms exist, and to notice when they might be heading towards one. This self-monitoring, paired with a strong unit cohesion, which has been proven to be quite helpful in preventing such events, is a rudimentary, but practical and functional basis for preventing any future incidents.
It is best paired with more individually tailored programs, and perhaps even a specialised AI to help you with therapy. While I could fulfil that duty, I am not as specialised for the task as this AI would be, which might result in a less than satisfactory result.
That was a whole lot to take in, although it did make sense in my mind. I wasn’t an expert, but psychological stuff always felt rather strange and mysterious. In the rare cases I read about them on the net or in college, I always felt rather overwhelmed and a little bit impressed by the people who were able to understand it all.
Stryx didn’t give me much time to think about it, though.
Alternatively, Vanguard Foxfire has already given me contact details for a therapist specialising in Samurai clients. I imagine that she would have offered it to you personally, if time would not be of the essence at the moment. If you wish I can contact her to discuss the matter.
I blinked, really not having expected that. Nor did I know how to respond to it. I was a city gal, as used to tech as the next idiot, but I’ve never really been into the idea of having AI help me with my mental issues. It was pretty common knowledge that most therapists were just selling info on your problems to whatever company that wanted to exploit you.
Not that that would be an issue with a protector grade AI, but it still left a sour taste in my mouth.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
A human therapist, though? That sounded more like something I would be comfortable with. Not to mention, if Foxfire recommended them, then I was pretty sure that they wouldn’t do some bullshit to try and exploit me.
“Uh… I guess we should do that? I like your idea for a short term solution, but if I’m going to open up about my problems, I think I’d prefer to talk to a person about it.”
An expected, and sensible, approach to take. Despite how superior artificial intelligences are to humans in nearly any aspect, psychological trauma and mental issues are one of the few topics that I personally believe are better treated by another human being.
Stryx’ comment had me come up blank again, not having expected this one either. I decided not to comment on it, though, instead turning my attention back to her earlier mention of the therapist.
“So, I guess talking to that therapist is going to be an issue for later. I don’t have too much time to waste right now. What will that drug injection system cost me?”
I’ve never taken any drugs outside of medicinal use, and the one beer I had on my sixteenth birthday which had soured the taste of alcohol for me. And while I wasn’t a fan of the idea of being injected with something all the time, it did sound useful enough for emergencies. Mainly, because it could be used even without my input, which paradoxically was more comforting than horrifying.
I would suggest you spend 272 points on the injection system, with an additional 28 points spent on supporting hardware, for a total price of 300 points. It would help better monitor your physical condition, prevent potential issues or even overdoses, and can also vary the speed of injection in real time to best work with your physical condition at any given moment.
Additionally, it would allow for a variety of substances to be available, from simple blood transfusions, nanite repair systems, supplements, boosters, and even advanced vaccines and pheromone injections later down the line.
I thought about it for a moment, still looking up at the concrete ceiling with the non-descript lamps installed. 300 points wasn’t nothing, but the point of this thing was to help me in desperate situations and to save my life. You can’t really put a price on your life. And it wasn’t like I didn’t have the points for it either. I’d rather pay more now, just to make sure that I was prepared.
Today has taught me a lot. At the top of that list was the need to always be prepared for any eventuality.
“Okay, sounds good. That leaves me with just over 1300 points, yeah?”
It will still leave you with 1647 points. Vanguard Foxfire has also given you a stipend of 2000 points for the antithesis she’s killed while rescuing you. In her words: ‘I don’t need them, and the kid can certainly make use of them. Also I recommend that she keeps some sort of emergency fund for unexpected situations.’
I had to giggle, despite myself. Stryx hadn’t played a recording of Foxfire’s voice, instead trying to mimic it herself. It was evident, though, that that was not something she had been built to properly be able to do, which left her sound a bit like a sick parrot.
“I have no clue how I will ever repay her for all of this. First the necklace, now this… Not to mention that I’d be dead without her. Yurei will never believe me when she hears of this.” Thinking about my sister made me frown, the good mood replaced by worry. “Let’s hurry. Anything else I should get? Maybe better armor? Weapons?”
I was a bit apprehensive about getting better weapons, in case I went mad again. I had no real recollection of that time, but I was worried that I might attack people. And that would end very badly.
Additionally, I wasn’t well versed with weapons either. I needed something effective, but also simple enough for me to make proper use of without taking my own head off.
Your armor is still more than sufficient on its own. The issue was not its defensive capabilities, but the lifetime of the batteries powering it. With the intense stress you put the systems under, the batteries were unable to recharge, which depleted them rather quickly.
“Okay, so I have to get better batteries. Or additional ones. Or a better way to recharge them. What options do I have?”
Replacing the batteries would be rather easy and surprisingly cost effective. A complete replacement with more than double the lifetime and an increased recharge rate of 24.32% would cost you 125 points. If you wish to be a bit more spendthrift, there is also an option at 200 points. With this, you would increase the battery lifetime by about 238.2%, with an increase to the recharge rate of 44.9%.
I didn’t even have to think about this one. “The second one, definitely. I want to make sure that nothing bad can happen in the future. Also, if I go off the deep end again, and I start attacking people, I want you to shut down all weapons immediately.”
Of course, Zuri. I already considered that a given.
“Good. Talking about weapons, what about them? I have the points, I could get some things that would help, right?”
Yes, although I would hold off on spending it all quite yet if you do not already know what you want. If you save some points you will be better prepared to react to whatever situation you will find yourself in.
I nodded, finally sitting up and stretching. “Fair enough. I didn’t plan to get too much either. I do want some better Hard-Light stuff, though, for big AoE damage. I also want to dip a bit deeper into the whole holographic clone thing, make them more impactful. I wouldn’t be mad if they ended up more competent than me. Less reason for me to risk myself that way.”
That is certainly doable, although please be aware that it will cut into your point earnings.
“That isn’t an issue, I think. I’d rather stay safe and not repeat today again. If that means less points, then I’ll take it.”
Getting up, I stretched this way and that, double checking how I felt. “So, how do we do the whole injection system? Should I get it all now, or should I wait?”
The procedure will take a moment, as it is quite the intrusive surgery. I do suggest you do it here, considering that you might lose consciousness for a few minutes.
“Alright, Doc Stryx. Let’s get to it!”
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