Long Time No See

[STaCLO]

It had certainly been a while since STaCLO, or SYN really was back in former Free Worlds Coalition territory. More specifically Alderaan. But why was he here? Well it was because he got a message from someone he really didn't expect to hear from, and hasn't heard from in a while. From one of the old holo-comms that SN-1411, or SYN used to use back when they were still active. It was a message from none other then, [member=Marina DeVoe].

To be honest the non-organic being was rather taken back when he received the message. Having to think back from the droids old memories to remember as one of the few friends the droid made in his time. When he saw what the message was he read that he was invited as her guest to a party of nobility around the region. STaCLO was certainly ill prepared for such a thing, but he very much was not going to miss out on something like this.

In the time leading up to the event the now Droid Shard hybrid when about to make himself look presentable for the party. Gather clothes that could fit on his humanoid, mechanical body. Eventually he found that he would go for something rather quite simple [X ] but since this was a noble's party he went with the color of royal blue for himself. Another thing he wanted to check up on was making sure his holograph projector was still working. Making sure it wouldn't call on him during the party.

By now STaCLO had made it into the party after letting workers know what he was indeed the same person as SN-1411, done by showing his droid body to them. Once inside he looked around the ballroom that the party was being held in. Still feeling unsure if Marina would even recognize him. After all he looked like a human currently and has changed his droid body and software multiple times. If he found her he was probably gonna need to re-introduce himself to the women. However, he was honored to be here, since he did consider himself a being of culture and loved high society.

 

[Marina DeVoe]

It were a simple standard app which linked her personal comm to that of the Gala's invite and walk in guests.
It kept tally of the current guests whom were checked in. And one of the many guests she had hoped could have made the trip were an old acquaintance, SN-1411. Well, it were as Marina had known the AI mechanical droid from the then collective Free World Coalition; a once viable conglomerate of systems with one common ideology; Democracy.

Now all that had remained of that dream were distanced by millions of light years. The FWC had collapsed under TSE pressure and their excursion into the Core worlds, to sever the chains which had once bound those systems collectively.

Marina were once again dressed in her grandmother's golden gown for this particular event. It were an exquisite timeless gown, which had been handed down from through the generations...from great grandmothers down to granddaughter.
As much as marina were into fashion and on a personal style kept herself up with the latest, there was no denying the quality and the timeless taste of traditional Alderaani noble gowns. And this one particular golden design were Marina's favorite.

As the DeVoes went, both genders of the House, they proudly would wear what their forebears had designed and created. They were quite modest, the DeVoes, as they didn't often commission new stylish wear. Not in the sense that most would spend elaborate credits for and only be seen in it once. No, not the DeVoes. They could be said to be traditionalist and quite modest when it came to elaborate gown.
They were true nobles for their people as they themselves did not splurge where most of their people couldn't.
So they traditionally would wear gowns and apparel to high social events that were sometimes generations, if not hundreds of years old.

So it were that Marina was almost always easily recognized throughout such events, as she would often be caught wearing the same gown...
Now mind you, there were literally hundreds of fine traditional House DeVoe gowns by which were available. It just so happen that this day she was wearing the very same gown as the first time her Ai friend, SN-1411 had met her at the Red Plom Bloom Gala

Marina had gone about mingling with many guests already, when she had received one of the many new updates from the guest app that SN-1411 had just checked in.
naturally, she were quite a distant from the main entrance hall to the gala and would not have spotted anyone through the crowds. But she were intent on finding her friend as they had indeed shared a few campaigns together. maybe not next to one another, but both had responded to the call of distress systems by which they individually lent a hand.

She casually and systematically went from guests to guests in the hopes of spotting SN-1411, but to no avail. her droid friend just couldn't be spotted!
This was a bit puzzling as there weren't many droids, nor even protocol droids in this event. It should not be difficult at all in spotting her friend...right?

But no.
No SN-1411 among the guests that she could spot...




[member="STaCLO"]

 

[STaCLO]

STaCLO felt a little awkward at in the room. He didn't really know anybody and didn't have the same lavish attire that many of the nobles wore. Also it wasn't like he could eat or drink anything here. However, when he looked to his side with his visual sensors he was able to scan a familiar face, actually the only familiar face. What remained of SN-1411 was able to signal all three minds in his droid body and let them know which one in the crowd it was. With it came a subtle sense of familiarity and possible joy.

Eager to reconnect with his friend the holographic droid walked over to her with a determined yet casual walk. Once he was next to her he spoke. "Miss DeVoe, it is truly a pleasure to see you again my dear." He said, with a bit of a bow to show courtesy. But then he was able to understand why she may not even recognize him. Feeling rather embraced and shocked he remove the disguise that when over his body. The hologram slowly fading to show a rather skeletal droid behind it. All the while still wearing fancy clothing. "Sorry for that, It has become a bit of a habit of mine to use the disguise. But it is I, SN-1411, or what's left of him. I have just, improved myself of the year or two we last met."

Come to think of it the last time they really met was sort of the first time they've met. It was back during the Red Plom Bloom Gala, which was quite a while ago. Looking over for a second STaCLO saw that some of the guest looked a little shocked at the man turned droid before them. Not wanting to feel too out of the ordinary the Hologram would flash back over him. He managed to re-introduce himself to to Marina again, and hopefully proved to her that he was indeed the same mechanical being. STaCLO wished he didn't confuse the woman too much.

[member="Marina DeVoe"]

 

[Marina DeVoe]

"Oh hello...
Yes, that's right...Marina DeVoe..." She first replied trying to place the face, but couldn't.
He were giving her the impression that they had run into each other at another given time or event maybe. Only that Marina just couldn't place him at the moment.

She were not one to be rude, nor lead anyone on if she honestly couldn't recall. In all her honesty, she had never see a man of his stature. She would have remembered for sure.
"I must apologize, as I can't quite recall-" She were about to finish when the man revealed whom he really was.

But gods behold, the man, or rather the droid took to shedding his holo-projected image and revealed it were indeed an AI of sort.
Still, as the holo-image dissipated it weren't of any droid design that she knew. She would have remembered that also.

"What?..
Noooo!......
No way!...
Oh by the gods!...SN-1411?..is that really you?" She asked surprisingly shocked and excited.
Well, it didn't look like the SN-1411 that she knew, but then again, a droid's skin coverings or entire mechanized exoskeleton was only nothing more than a vessel which housed the AI entity. in all practicality, humans and just about any intelligent organic life form often changed what covered their own skin , fur or scales with some kind of attire..clothes to put it plainly.
So it were with AIs, they were known to change vessels, upgrade their mechanical bodies. More efficient power sources, more robust plating...upgrades.

And yes, she were ecstatic in discovering that SN-1411 was in fact part of the collective in this upgraded droid. It had more versatility.. SN-1411 had evolved. Then again, they had touched on that when they first met at the Red Plom Bloom Gala on Alderaan.
...then twice on Onderon. although SN-1411 first time there was in its infancy and possibly could not remember its first attempt at wanting to join the FWC.
Then of course, the Onderon campaign, where they briefly crossed paths on their way down to assist the system...

In the first few excited exchanges, they recounted the last few memorable times. This was certainly SN-1411 or a good part of her friend that she easily recognized.

"Wow...look at you. I can't begin to express how well..defined..more defined you are. " She exclaimed with a real smile.
"Hahahaha...oh good lord. I just realized that I was wearing the same gown the first time we met!" She took a step back and spun herself slowly around to show her friend the same gown.

"I know, I know...many human females wouldn't be caught dead with the same gown on, in another Gala..Hahahaha..
But I think it such a waste and shame to only wear something so nice, just once. Besides, this gown was my great grandmothers and it's been handed down and worn by my family countless times. It may be that it has seem more Galas than maybe you and I put together.." She laughed, drawing herself back to her friend.



[member="STaCLO"]

 

[STaCLO]

STaCLO's holographic form smiled some after her realization of who she was now talking to. "Yep, I've had a few upgrades since we've last met, and with my latest one I can confidently say I am a being a free will. Old loyalty based programs kept me from reaching my full potential for a while. Also, I now go by the name STaCLO, it's a acronym, but I won't bore you with what it stands for."

As he explained himself some he did recognize the outfit she was wearing. It being the same one as before. "It would have to say that I'm not yet familiar with the norms in which females wear gowns. All I can say to you Marina is that you look beautiful." He complimented her, it being a true statement to him considering his new found sentience.

"So I'd fret not over it. Maybe if I were lucky I'd see you in it a third time as well. You know that saying, third time's a charm." He said with a bit of a mechanical chuckle. "But If this is your great grandmother's then I'm certain it's been to more galas then me at least. I'm not as much of a part of high society as I'd like to be." STaCLO said, showing his own desires.

Saying that outloud made the hybrid wonder. Should a cyborg like himself join the ranks of nobility like Marina? A combination of silicon based life in a mechanical body, with a collection of three sentient minds. He figured it wasn't a question of if he could, but if they could?

"But please Marina, tell me how you've been since the Red Plom Bloom Gala?" STaCLO asked, wanting to know what his friend had been up to.

[member="Marina DeVoe"]

 

[Marina DeVoe]

"Well, you look....Hehe.." She chuckled.
"... surprisingly a little easier to process if you don't mind the pun." She were referring to his holographic imagery. It were not that droids or aliens were not uncommon to think of them as equals, but the human mind's primary influence were the visual, the eyes. One had to consciously put that factor aside as a null input and consider all of everything else.

"I mean, I am used to recognizing you in a certain way. Your voice too is still trowing me for a loop..hehe.
But I see you, SN-1411..or rather Stalco, if I'm pronouncing it right." She once again, like in the Plom Gala nosed over to him and guided his arm around hers.
"Come, I'm a bit parched, meeting so many guests. Walk with me and we will catch up." She said, as the two walked through the maze of guests hand in hand.
This in a way also made her acknowledgements to the couples and guests they passed just that, an acknowledgement and move on with a smile. She were about with an escort, and many understood that there could be reason for her to walk as such...private matters of the state... etc.

"Apple pine sprint..." She said to one of the many the bartenders in white tuxes when they reached one of the bars near the grand balconies.

Taking her drink, Marina and STaCLO then casually walked out through one of the many glass pane doors to the grand balcony. It spanned nearly a hundred meters as it seamlessly wrapped itself around the manor.
Three of the seven moons were reflecting enough ambient light that made the night aglow. The sound of guests and the classical tone of the music playing fading as they approached the stone railing.

All the while, since she had taken to walk with [member="STaCLO"] she gave him a very short version of her adventures and of her part in trying to keep the FWC as one of the major factions that influenced the free systems within the cores. But to no avail it seemed. Darkness and those whom dwelled in such misery plagued the free galaxy with their disease. it were like cancer, both the Sith Empire and that of the First order. Freedom for many systems were only a fleeting memory if not just a dream. But Hope were never lost in those who believed in it true.

She opened her thoughts to her friend and it were undaunted as they had once been when he had first met her in the height of WFC's influence. Such true spirits she proved could never be extinguished. Evil on the other hand were like wild fire..it burned with rage and consumed everything, including itself. It were always a matter of time when such furry were nothing more than the smoldering ash of their own failure.
The Sith and the Order could not consume all, especially the ones with true faith and hope. These entities would always rise up from the ashes and wastelands left behind from such tyranny.

Light always pushed back the darkness.... always. As she put it; "...amid the darkest of pitch, even one single light, like one single star could be seen burning bright."