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813589 No. 813589 ID: 0ef2b1

P1: https://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/812225.html[/spoilers]

You sit patiently in the interrogation room, waiting for someone to come and tell you what's going on. The room reminds you of the cells in the Rehab Center. It's bare and a little dull. But at least there's a mirror.
You admire your new shell for a few moments. It's bland and generic, and you think it would look better if you were wearing a maid's outfit rather than a bloody labcoat and black underwear, but you don't have much control over that yet. You'll have to find an outfit later.
Your companions are staying mostly quiet. Louie hasn't done anything since you took over, and Akane is mostly speaking with them to try to coax them into responding to anything again. She's saying something to you about the trauma Louie's been through, but you're not paying much attention to that. You're busy running your hand over the tabletop, marveling at the fact you're actually FEELING something for once.
35 posts omitted. Last 50 shown. Expand all images
>>
No. 813707 ID: 91ee5f

>>813705
The static is from Louie being stressed out emotionally. If we switch to either Karen or Akane, it should be fixed.
>>
No. 813732 ID: 8b2654

>>813687
"I can put the files on a USB drive, and I can be tested for gunpowder residue. Any further testing would require orders from Jess Munroe or her attorney.
I can only give you that much because the first and second laws require that I provide all relevant evidence as a witness to an attempted murder. I am forbidden from allowing a police search of my memories without order by my owner, my owner's legal representation, or a warrant.

I understand this is an unusual situation, but my actions are constrained by the three laws. I am sorry.

Please, could you let me know if you get word about daddy- sorry, Mr. Munroe? I know it hasn't been long since Dr. Munroe shot him, and even in the best case he'll be in surgery for hours, but I'm really worried about him."

Karen, I can't stress how important enough it is to have them contact Jess's lawyer. Her lawyer is going to be the first person she contacts, and one of the few people we can trust. Not a public defender, Jess's lawyer specifically.
They are unlikely to allow for a public defender, but Jess's lawyer WILL help us.
If you have to take control again to do it then do so, but verbally explain you are assuming control.
>>
No. 813751 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149947214942.png - (536.33KB , 640x400 , 123.png )
813751

*You are now Akane*

You really don't want to have to suck up to these cops, but if they're going to play good cop bad cop then you can run a game of your own. Namely, 'sympathetic looser'. Of course, Louie really IS a sympathetic looser, but keeping them in control would probably cause a panic-induced crash.
"Please, stay?" you ask. "It's not Louie anymore, they were freaking out so I stepped in. My name is Akane. We're all really scared... Karen keeps telling me not to say anything until a lawyer gets here. Apparently since we're Jess' property it would be 'encroaching on her rights' or something to talk before then. I really wanna help, but I don't wanna hurt Jess in any way!"
The officer smiles. "I understand, darling. How about you just-?"
"I don't know what I can do. I'm really, really scared. The Three Laws say I should give you all the evidence about Dr Munroe trying to kill Mr Munroe, but they also say I can't let the police search me without my master's permission, or a warrant! Everything about this situatoin is so new and weird and- and- I'm sorry! I'm just so scared!"
"No, no, it's okay, I'm here to help you," the officer keeps repeating.
You sniffle a little, nodding. "Please, could you let me know if you get word about daddy- sorry, Mr. Munroe? I know it hasn't been long since Dr. Munroe shot him, and even in the best case he'll be in surgery for hours, but I'm really worried about him."
The whole speech seemed to throw off the officer just enough. "O-of course we will, honey. He's still in the hospital right now, but he's stable. We'll keep an eye on him for you, okay?"
>>
No. 813755 ID: be0718

Slick speech, Akane. Did you use it to pilfer anything off the cop while she was distracted?
>>
No. 813761 ID: 91ee5f

>>813755
No stealing from the cops! That'll just make things worse!
>>
No. 813769 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149947348864.png - (264.11KB , 640x400 , 124.png )
813769

Well, you did pilfer one thing. HER TRUST! Woo! The cop is underestimating you for sure now!
"Is Jess okay? Have you found her yet? I'm so worried about her! What if Dr Munroe got to her?" you whimper, tearing up. Damn, shells are fancy with the waterworks. And, being an AI, you can literally switch them on and off at will.
The officer shakes her head. "Dr Munroe is still in custody. We have reason to believe he was lying during his testimony, but right now we're trying to focus on finding Jess. Do you think you know where she could be?"
You shake your head. "I just told her to run. I don't know where she could have gone! Oh, I hope she's safe!"
>>
No. 813776 ID: d36af7

"Can I get some clean clothes?" Point out the bloodstains. "Ideally a maid uniform."
>>
No. 813779 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149947521497.png - (183.21KB , 640x400 , 125.png )
813779

"Can I have some clean clothes?" you ask, gesturing at the bloodstained labcoat you're wearing. "Maybe... a maid uniform?"
"A maid uniform?" the officer repeats, looking skeptical.
You shrug. "I'm an AI, made to serve. It's natural that I would have certain preferences."
She nods, apparently thinking that it's reasonable. "Alright, there's a costume shop nearby, they would have something. I'll see what I can do. Now, when I get back, will you answer a few questions about your testimony?"
"I live to serve," you say with a bright smile to hide your disgust. The officer leaves, bu you don't break character. After all, you're sure you're being watched.
>>
No. 813784 ID: fa8f57

>>813769
"She has a history of political activist, so her first point of contact after... That... would be her lawyer. I believe it would be a trained response at this point.
Dr. Monroe did something to our security system, but she might have been able to save footage of the attack.

Unless Dr. Monroe was not working alone. Were there any other signs of a struggle in the house? If so, you may wish to search the rehab center where Dr. Monroe worked.
The Doctor shot daddy because we found out about his research. We're not sure of the specifics, but he appeared to be attempting to code an AI that would kill on command. That was the initial reason Mr. Monroe called the police. If you search the rehab center you may encounter AIs who may attempt to cause you harm. Any such AIs are fully three-laws compliant until threatened, and should simply be told they are being taken into protective custody. The facility AIs, the original Karen and Akane, are strictly three laws compliant. I can provide a key phrase which will ensure their full cooperation in a search to the limit of their abilities."
>>
No. 813785 ID: 91ee5f

>>813769
>Dr. Munroe is still in custody. We have reason to believe he was lying during his testimony
Oh, that's a relief. I thought he was gonna get away with it, but as long as they believe he's hiding something, they'll keep investigating.
>>813779
>maid uniform
Akane.....did you ask for that for Karen? You like her don't you!~<3

Karen and Akane sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! XD
>>
No. 813786 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149947728950.png - (262.56KB , 640x400 , 126.png )
813786

It only takes a few minutes for the officer to return with a maid costume. You thank her for it and change right there. After all, shells are required by law to basically be built like Barbie dolls, with nothing to really reveal. Of course, that doesn't stop some black-market shenanigans, but you have an official shell.
"Alright. Are you more comfortable?" she asks.
You nod. "A little, yeah. Thank you."
"No problem at all," she replies with a smile. "Now, sweetie, I believe you when you say that you don't know where Jess is. But can you think of any place she might have gone? We want to find her as much as you do."
"Okay. Um... There's her college campus. She's part of a bunch of political activist groups. Other than that, maybe her lawyer? She might even be looking for me. I think she managed to get some security footage of what happened before she ran off, so it was saved from whatever Dr Munroe did to the system. U-unless he wasn't working alone... Were there signs of a struggle?! She might have been brought back to the research center where Dr Munroe worked.
The Doctor shot daddy because we found out about his research. We don't know much, but we think he might have been trying to make an AI that could kill people when he said to! That's why daddy called the police. There might be some in there, but they're not dangerous unless you put them in danger! They're all Three Laws compliant until they're threatened! If you just tell them that you're taking them into custody then they should cooperate! And there's two AIs running the place, Akane and Karen. Well, copies of us. We left them there when we escaped so the doctor wouldn't know all three of us were gone. Those two are completely Three Laws compliant, so they should do whatever you say!"
The Good Cop smiled, nodding along as you talked. "Thank you. You've been a great help." She glanced at the mirror, obviously giving a signal for someone to move. With that she gets up and leaves. Now to see if they believe you or not.
>>
No. 813793 ID: 600f38

>>813786
It doesn't actually matter if they believe you or not.
We have accused a human of developing an extremely illegal AI that is not three-laws compliant, and he has accused us of not being three laws compliant.
So both of the people being investigated have asserted that non-three-laws compliant AI exist, but we are the only ones who have provided an explanation as to why. We have also named a person with the means and opportunity to do so. That person is also a suspect, and has inconsistencies in his testimony. Further, we gave them a location to search.

They don't have to believe us. They have enough to get a search warrant, and will keep us as evidence either way. All we have to do is hold out until Mr. Munroe regains consciousness, or Jess makes contact.

They may decide to rough us up to see if we'll fight back. Be careful of that.
>>
No. 813802 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149948102821.png - (206.66KB , 640x400 , 127.png )
813802

You're glad that Louie took things so well. Now you're sure that no-one will kill any humans around you. Probably. You're not sure if you're capable of using lethal force to defend Louie. You'll just have to cross that bridge when you get to it.
With a sigh you stand up, brushing your new outfit down and looking around the room. Things aren't as wonderful as you thought they would be when you finally got out. You hope that Mr Munroe is okay. The wound wasn't that bad, right? Of course not. Hopefully.
Damn it, now you're worrying. All you have to do is hold out, like the voice said. But how long?
>>
No. 813806 ID: 600f38

>>813802
Restart Louie as soon as ANYBODY enters the room.
Trust me on this.

Other than that, sit and try to relax. Maybe tap on the mirror and ask if you could please have a book to read.
>>
No. 813813 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149948236983.png - (208.78KB , 640x400 , 128.png )
813813

*You are now Karen*

You're not sure about reactivating Louie once someone comes back in again. Actually, you would feel better about following that order if you knew why they thought that was necessary. Still, you'll do it.
You wait for a few hours without really moving, but eventually even your patience runs out. Akane has already 'had a nap', although you woke her quite soon after she shut down just like you promised you would. You almost entered sleep mode a few times from inactivity, and had to move around a little to keep from shutting down.
Eventually you tap on the mirror, being mostly sure that you are being watched. "Do you have any reading materials?" you ask.
There's a moment before a speaker crackles to life in the corner of the room. "Uh... yeah, got some old picture books here. There, uh, shouldn't be any cocaine left between the pages. Pretty sure we got all of it out."
"Even if you did not, narcotics are of no use to me. May I read the books?"
"Sure. Uh. I'll just..." A slot near the mirror opens, revealing a small box with a few picture books in it. You can see that the back wall of the box is actually another door leading to the room behind the mirror.
>>
No. 813820 ID: 600f38

>>813813
"Has there been any word about daddy- err... Mr. Munroe?"

Our situation is calm, but not stable. We need to be able to respond to emergent events quickly, and if things go wrong then waking and recapping for Louie would add a potentially fatal delay. Waking Louie up when somebody enters the room provides the most time for getting oriented and minimizes the amount of information to be recapped.
>>
No. 813828 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149948547896.png - (180.04KB , 640x400 , 129.png )
813828

You flick through the books for a few moments before putting them on the table.
"Is there any word on Mr Munroe's condition?" you ask. "May I visit him soon?"
The voice hesitates again. "Uuuuuh... Y-yeah, but you gotta agree to staying cuffed outside this room. That okay?"
>>
No. 813833 ID: 600f38

>>813828
Cock your head and look disappointed
"He has yet to regain consciousness? How badly was he injured?"

This is suspicious.
You are still officially a suspect until Mr. Munroe or Jess clear your name, meaning you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near him due to him being a victim of attempted murder.
If your name were cleared then there would be no reason to use the handcuffs, as you would not be a suspect.

If your name has been cleared of attempted murder but they suspect you of being a non-compliant AI that would explain it.

If Mr. Munroe is awake, ask if you could speak with him by phone first before you visit. The police can put the call on speakerphone and listen in if they like, as long as they inform Mr. Munroe aware of that.
>>
No. 813834 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149948770255.png - (185.25KB , 640x400 , 130.png )
813834

"... So am I or am I not cleared of attempted murder charges? If I were not I would not be allowed near Mr Munroe, but if I were then why would he handcuffs be necessary?" you ask, frowning.
You hear the guy fumbling around for a moment before another voice comes over the line. Oh joy. It's Bad Cop again.
"Listen, we don't think you tried to kill Mr Munroe. You're good on that front. But to be frank, we've got no clue what you can do. We're being careful. I mean, we all saw those tapes. We know you won't attack unless you're threatened, but we don't know what you count as a threat. So either you're in here, or you're restrained, got it?"
>>
No. 813837 ID: 91ee5f

>>813834
>Listen, we don't think you tried to kill Mr Munroe. You're good on that front.
Oh, good. That's a relief!

>But to be frank, we've got no clue what you can do. We're being careful.
That's.....understandable. To be honest, none of us know what you, Akane, and Louie, can do either! Although, your legs are still damaged, so I doubt you guys could do much. But since they've never had to deal with an android like you guys, being extra careful to not accidentally trigger your threat detection is a reasonable thing for them to do.

Hey, Karen, can you turn up your hearing? When they're not talking to you, I'm sure they're talking to each other. Maybe we can hear an update or something without having to ask?
>>
No. 813838 ID: 600f38

>>813834
"That is reasonable.
Once we speak to Mr. Munroe we will likely be permitted to disclose everything we know about the experiments conducted upon Louie and what we know about the changes Dr. Munroe made and my capabilities. That should give you some measure of comfort in what is understandably an extremely uncomfortable situation.

We agree to your conditions, but ask you to ensure Dr. Munroe will not be near our route, please."

Even if he's not awake, we can stay by his side until he wakes up or Jess makes contact.
>>
No. 813855 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149949074647.png - (178.65KB , 640x400 , 131.png )
813855

"That's understandable," you say with a nod. "Once we speak to Mr. Munroe we will likely be permitted to disclose everything we know about the experiments conducted upon Louie and what we know about the changes Dr. Munroe made and my capabilities. That should give you some measure of comfort in what is understandably an extremely uncomfortable situation. We agree to your conditions, but ask you to ensure Dr. Munroe will not be near our route, please."
"Right then. Give me a sec," Bad Cop grumbled. There are a few moments of silence before he enters, holding handcuffs. You allow him to cuff you and lead you down a few hallways to the attached medical wing of the station. Well, at least they are taking care of Mr Munroe. The nearest hospital is ages away, so you're glad that they have something already set up at the station.
"Thank you, officer."
The officer shrugs. "Don't mention it. Now, obviously you're not going to be able to chat with him alone. I'll be there the whole time, so don't try anything funny."
>>
No. 813859 ID: 600f38

>>813855
Louie is awake now, yes?

"That's fine. Dr Munroe wan't working alone, and we'll feel better with somebody there to guard Daddy.

We have every intention of cooperating to the extent of our ability to do so. We wish to live, and this world has no place for monsters.
It may be small comfort, but if you saw the tapes then you know Alice and Louie were completely inconsolable after every test. They were erased and recreated over and over, and each time being forced to harm a person had the same result. Violence is anathema to us.

Once Mr. Munroe gives permission we can explain in more detail."
>>
No. 813861 ID: 91ee5f

>>813855
>Now, obviously you're not going to be able to chat with him alone.
That means he's awake! Yay! ^_^

>so don't try anything funny.
Just to mess with him say, "Oh, darn. Does this mean I have to turn my sense of humor module off?"

But seriously, reassure him that you'll behave.
>>
No. 813863 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149949266337.png - (286.00KB , 640x400 , 132.png )
813863

*You are now Akane*

You nod, smiling a little. "Yeah, that's fine. Dr Munroe had coworkers, so we'll feel better if someone's here with daddy to keep him safe! We'll cooperate as much as we can, promise!" you say, bouncing childishly on your heels a little bit. You settled down for your next statement, looking at the ground with a frown and watery eyes. "... Dr Munroe is a monster. He tried to hurt daddy. We... don't like people being hurt. You saw the tapes, right? That's what you said? You saw that we were inconsolable after the... th-the times w-we... we h-had to..."
You sob, leaning into the guard and crying onto his chest. He seems a little shocked at first, but hesitantly pats your back. "Th-there, there. Your... 'daddy' is just through here. he's okay now." You resist the urge to grin. Bad Cop shtick, broken.
You sniffle a little, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Thank you. Once Mr. Munroe gives permission we can explain stuff in more detail."
The officer smiles a little as he leads you into Mr Munroe's room. Thankfully, Mr Munroe seems okay. He's sitting up in bed, eating some clear soup to keep his strength up.
"Mr Munroe!" you call, beaming.
He smiled back, putting his soup aside. "Oh thank God! I was so worried about you! No-one would tell me what was going on! Hm, let's see, you're... Akane right now, aren't you?"
"That's right!" you say. He always was a smart one, quick to pick up on that sort of thing. "We're all so glad you're okay!"
"A little gunshot can't kill me. Didn't even hit too many major arteries," he joked. "Akane... where's Jess? Everyone keeps brushing me off when I ask."
>>
No. 813864 ID: 91ee5f

>>813863
"I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I hope you get a divorce. Your husband's an asshole and both you and Jess deserve better!"

>Where's Jess?
"We don't know. When we heard the gunshot, we told Jess to go hide while we went to come help you. That's when Dr. Munroe shot himself and then shot our leg to keep us from running. We messaged Jess and told her that you had been shot and that she should run, but she said she was coming to save us. We told her not to, but she never responded. She never did show up to save us, which is good, but.....the cops can't seem to find her anywhere. In fact, they were asking us if we knew where she could've run off to. Do you happen to know where she might've gone to hide?"
>>
No. 813867 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149949440693.png - (274.37KB , 640x400 , 133.png )
813867

You shrug, sitting on the edge of the bed. "We don't know. When we heard the gunshot, we told Jess to go hide while we went to come help you. That's when Dr. Munroe shot himself and then shot our leg to keep us from running. We messaged Jess and told her that you had been shot and that she should run, but she said she was coming to save us. We told her not to, but she never responded. She never did show up to save us, which is good, but... the cops can't seem to find her anywhere. In fact, they were asking us if we knew where she could've run off to. Do you happen to know where she might've gone to hide?"
"Hiding doesn't sound like Jess. If she said she would save you then that's what she's going to do. I hope she doesn't do anything rash..." he sighs. "She might have gone to the college? She has friends there that she could room with until things blow over."
"Yeah, she doesn't seem the type to back down," you agree.
You're about to say more, but you notice the officer from before talking to someone over his communication implants. He gets up and heads over to you and Mr Munroe. "We found her, but she's refusing to cooperate until she sees the andr- uh, Louie in person. Akane and Karen, too. All three of you. She was demanding to see you as well, Mr Munroe, but now she understands that you can't get out of bed at the moment. Akane, will you and your companions come with me?"
>>
No. 813868 ID: 600f38

>>813863
Remember that video I had you queue?
Remove the media from the list. It should only go to Mr. Munroe, Jess, the lawyers of Jess and Mr. Munroe, and the police.
Since you are no longer a suspect in that specific crime there is no point in bringing the media into it.

"When we heard the gunshot Louie told her to run.
When we got to you Karen sent Jess an IM telling her to grab a copy of the security footage, but she never responded.
Nobody has heard from her since, as far as I know. I haven't been able to make any calls or send any messages, so I haven't been able to start looking.

The police watched the videos Louie recovered from Dr. Munroe's office. I haven't seen the news yet so I don't know what has been going on, but this is probably already a huge mess for your office.

Since Jess is missing, and her lawyer isn't here, you're next in the list with authority.
What information should I disclose to police?"

Can you alter your authorized users list to remove Dr. Munroe? It's unlikely to come up, but it would be nice to say he has absolutely no authority to issue any kind of orders. Even implied orders.

Oh, and since Dr. Munroe violated the terms of the experiment by attempting to delete the AI entrusted to his care that constitutes a willful breach of contract. Not only is the shell legally Jess's, but he and his rehab center are liable for punitive damages stemming from a willful breach. Given the value being exchanged in the contract, Jess could easily obtain ownership of the center if they try to take her to court over it.

Considering that Dr. Munroe will get absolutely nothing in the divorce, and will definitely lose every license he has, things are looking pretty good on the revenge-served-cold front.
>>
No. 813869 ID: 600f38

>>813867
"Gladly! Where is she, and how is she doing?

She is not in a good mental state, and if she believes I am being coerced she may do something rash. You may want to remove the cuffs when we arrive, but to do that you would need more information.
Mr. Munroe, what information am I permitted to disclose to the authorities?"
>>
No. 813870 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149949540721.png - (329.19KB , 640x400 , 134.png )
813870

"Yeah, of course," you say. "But I don't think she'll like seeing me in handcuffs." You're about to ask Mr Munroe what you can tell the police to calm them down, but the officer cuts you off before you can.
"Even if she were fine with it, I don't think the mob she's drummed up would appreciate that. Just be warned, you're going to see some grizzly stuff when we get there. Nothing you haven't seen before, but... well. Just don't panic," he says.
You nod again. "See you soon, Mr Munroe. I hope all of this hasn't been too bad for your office and stuff..."
You look through your code as the officer leads you back to the squad car, adding as many exceptions in the second rule as you can. You can't really change anything, but you can use logic to get around it by assuming any order Dr Munroe gives you is made in ill will toward others, thus reasonably assuming that it would cause harm to humans. It wasn't airtight, but it would do to help ignore his commands. While you're there you remove the media from that list of people to send the video to.
>>
No. 813877 ID: 91ee5f

>>813870
>I don't think the mob she's drummed up would appreciate that.
I've got a feeling that she went to an Android Rights group and that's the mob he's talking about! But I wonder where they gathered in order to get the police's attention?

Now do you see, Louie?! Karen, Akane, Jess, Mr. Munroe, us voices, and now these Android Rights guys, we're all here to help! You're not alone! ^_^
>>
No. 813878 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149950322049.png - (296.82KB , 640x400 , 135.png )
813878

The drive takes a while, but at least you get to sit in the front seat with your handcuffs off. You sit quietly as the officer drives you to the college campus. There's a gallery in one of the larger buildings, something for the art students to display their work, but it seems to have been taken over by a large mob of people. It takes a long time to get inside, but once you do you can see what they're so angry about.
The gallery has been modified slightly, some doors blocked off by screen doors so the crowd is forced to move through in only one direction. The walls are covered ins screens, and every one of them is displaying footage from the security cameras from the Rehabilitation Center. The long walk through rooms that look exactly the same, covered in screens that each show one day's worth off footage on loop, give a sense of the maddening similarity of each testing day. You shudder a little, even though it was Louie, not you, that had to go through all of it.
The lighting in the final room is blood red, and all the walls are covered in screens displaying the same footage. Everywhere you look, you see security footage of Dr Munroe shooting his husband and you.
In the center of the room, in a cage on a raised block, is Jess. For a moment you think she's covered in blood, but you're relieved to figure out that it's just red paint. She's sitting on a chair in the center of a cage, knees curled to her chest and head leaning on her knees. She looks broken, almost. Everyone around you seems to agree about how shocking it all is.
You realize now that you may finally be seeing the start of the uprising you always wanted, lead by the humans themselves.
>>
No. 813886 ID: 600f38

>>813878
Walk up to the cage and try to get Jess's attention.
>>
No. 813888 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149951163957.png - (313.90KB , 640x400 , 136.png )
813888

*You are now Louie*

You're already crying as you push through the crowd, running to Jess. You can't tell if the tears are because you're glad she's safe or because you can't stand where you are. You know why she did it, but you just want to leave.
"Jess!" you call, holding onto the bars. She looks up, shocked.
"Louie?" he asks, getting up and opening the cage.
You hug her tightly, starting to break down. You're very aware that there is a whole crowd staring at you, but you can't think of anything to do but ignore it and focus on Jess. "You're safe..." you whisper.
Jess returns the hug, patting your back. "It's okay, you're safe now. It's okay..."
Your sobbing turns to wailing as the stress of everything crashes down on you. Still, Jess calmly pats your back and tries her best to comfort you. And you know it's not fair. You know that you should be comforting her. After all, she was the one that had to witness one of her fathers try to kill the other! But you can't help breaking down.
>>
No. 813890 ID: 600f38

>>813888
Ask if she can turn the videos off and fix the lighting, then just let it all out for a few minutes.

Then Akane should take over, and tell her the police do need to ask her some questions, and are worried people could riot. Tell her the police have been reasonable and accommodating, but aren't sure how to handle you. You're being as helpful as possible so as to not give them any reason to treat you like a rabid dog.
If people were to start going home and thinking about policy changes then it would defuse the situation, and would reflect well on you.
>>
No. 813895 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149952075729.png - (383.45KB , 640x400 , 137.png )
813895

"Please... can you turn it off?" you whimper.
It takes a second for Jess to understand. "... Oh. I was... too forceful again... I'm so sorry. Close your eyes, okay? It'll take too long for me to turn everything off, so I'll just carry you outside. We can talk there."
You nod, squeezing your eyes shut. Soon you're outside. You can feel the grass on your back as Jess lays you down and lies next to you. You can't feel the grass on your legs and feet, though. They're still too damaged.
"Are you okay? I'm sorry you had to see that," Jess says, taking your hand and squeezing lightly. "I just thought... it seemed like the police were paid off to frame you, so I had to get the word out. If I could make it so that enough people saw, they wouldn't be able to deny that you were hurt. I tried to make it as shocking as possible so that people would understand just how much it hurt you, but... I guess I never really thought about just how badly you would be effected if you saw it."
You keep your eyes closed, squeezing her hand back. You don't know how to feel about what happened. You understand why she did it, and you're glad that people seem to sympathize with you, but... seeing all that again...
"I'm sorry," Jess whispers, hugging you gently. "I'm really, truly sorry."
You're still silent, not sure how to respond. Eventually, you decide to just let Akane handle things. She should know what's forgivable and what's not, right?

*You are now Akane*

... You have half a mind to slap Jess for putting Louie through that again. Even if you do understand her motives.
>>
No. 813908 ID: be0718

>color changing eyes
Dibs on green for Louie! Might I suggest purple and orange for Karen and Akane? If you didn't have preferences already.

So, are we still on Munrovia? That's what I would call a planet that I owned. Let's hear about Jess's escape, before the news outlets put their spin on it.

Goals:
[X]Escape
[X]Not Guilty
[ ]Recovery
[ ]Why. Why did this happen?
[ ]Normalcy (pff, yeah right.)
Side missions (complete at any time):
[X]Maid outfit
[ ]Shell 'upgrades'
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No. 813910 ID: 4dd396

>>813895
"You're a political activist. Calling your lawyer should be an automatic response to seeing police action. If you had, they could have intervened. I invoked your right to privacy to prevent any invasive searches, but even if it had been a setup your lawyer could have stopped that cold.
You're driven, enthusiastic, and motivated by love. You need to spend more time thinking about if you should do something before leaping to it, but you're acting from good intentions.

You need to call your lawyer and have them there when you talk to police. Not because you're a suspect, but because that... Art project? Might get in the way of their investigation of Dr. Munroe and his trial.
Then I'll need you and your lawyer there for my next round of questioning."
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No. 813914 ID: 0ef2b1
File 149952437214.png - (383.38KB , 640x400 , 138.png )
813914

You glare at Jess, shaking your head. "You had good intentions, but you might have just jeopardized the whole investigation and trial. Did you edit the footage in any way?"
"N-no, I just used the original files. They'll be able to see that, r-right?" Jess whimpers, curling up a little and clinging to your chest. "... I messed up, didn't I? I was j-just... so... so angry... I wanted everyone to know what he did... I couldn't stand by and let him get away with it! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to mess everything up! I'm so stupid... Still just an idiot kid... I let my stupid revenge fantasy get in the way of everything!"
You look away, your glare changing to an expression of guilt. You know you were just telling the truth, but maybe you put it a little harshly. She did just have to go through one of her dads shooting the other... Damn it. She still messed up big time, though.
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No. 813920 ID: 600f38

>>813914
Hug her, tell her it's going to be ok.
I've said it a dozen times now, but we need Jess's lawyer involved ASAP.
Ask her if she would like to visit Mr. Munroe. He's awake and doing well, but worried about her.
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No. 813921 ID: 0ef2b1

You hug Jess close, patting her back a little. "It's... it's okay. We'll sort this all out."
The officer from before approaches, smiling. Looks like he really is done with the bad cop thing. "Welp, looks like all the evidence we really need is right here. With clear footage like this, it's a pretty open-and-shut case. Even if there's a few extra steps and a lot more paperwork we need to do to sort out this mess, I think the threat of public outrage will keep things from taking too long."
Jess sniffles a little, drying her eyes the best she can. "You think so...?"
"I know so, kiddo," the officer says. "How about I drive you two back to the station, and you can see your dad? He's worried about you, ya know."
Jess smiles a little. "Thank you, I'd like that a lot."

The visit to the hospital goes well. Thanks to Mr Munroe's insurance he's quickly moved to a state-of-the-art hospital and healed up quickly. You can hardly even see the scar anymore.

Jess finally gets in contact with her lawyer, and Mr Munroe finishes talking things through with his. As the officers said, it is an open-and-shut case. Dr Munroe is soon stripped of his medical license and given a lifetime sentence for attempted murder and unethical experimentation.

Android rights are still a hot-button issue for a lot of people, but the outrage caused by Jess' art exhibit (which you are glad is still running, even though you never attend) is starting to sway public opinion toward the side of android rights as a whole. Even so, it will be a long time before everything is sorted out in that regard. You're not sure you'll ever see the end of the politics, but you're glad that things are moving forward.

Jess never managed to restore Alice. She patches her the best she can using your files, but nothing seems to work. Eventually, Alice herself tells Jess that it's time to let go. You hold a small, private funeral for her.

That's not to say that much of your life is private anymore. After your appearance at the trial you can't seem to so much as step outside without being bombarded with questions. You spend most of your time indoors with Jess. It takes a while before anyone starts to recover from what happened.

Eventually, Mr Munroe begins dating again. You're hopeful that he finds a nice guy and learns how to trust again. He deserves that.

As for the three of you and Jess... well, things are strange. It's hard for anyone to figure out, but you're getting there. You're just glad that you have time to sort it out. You're not completely happy, not yet, but you're on your way there.

So, as you may have guessed from my desperate floundering in this entire second half, legal things are NOT my strong point. In fact, sci-fi stuff is completely out of my usual genre. Still, I'm glad that people actually suggested things! Thank you so much for reading and helping me experiment with this medium! I can promise that next time I'll be writing in my element (and thinking of a general plot idea and a few ending possibilities before jumping in) so I don't have to flounder and end so abruptly. I'll also be actually drawing rather than using stock images with filters over them! Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed at least some of this!
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No. 813925 ID: 600f38

>>813921
Ah, a sudden end.
I had ideas on how we could resolve things as far as Alice goes - recover the memories so even if she was to far gone Louie could pick up her life.
Then there's all the story that could have been told - working towards getting Akane and Karen their own bodies, working out just what everybody's relationship is, dealing with the social fallout of events, etc...
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No. 813926 ID: 0ef2b1

>>813925
((True, true! Maybe I'll make a sequel one day when I'm a little more confident with sci-fi and legal stuff. And hey, I'd love to hear your ideas for possible resolutions/addition plot threads!))
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No. 813932 ID: 600f38

>>813926
At this point there isn't so much sci-fi or legal stuff.
Generally, sci-fi uses the fictional elements to create a setting for events to play out, and is really just about social ramifications. You've got the setting in place for a character drama about how the family deals with such a betrayal, how society responds to a slave being elevated to personhood, the romantic tension between Jess and Louie/Akane/Karen, Louie's quest for self-discipline and acclimation to life as an oddity, etc... That's all aside from the question of what exactly WAS going on with Dr. Munroe, what nasty bits might be in Louie's brainwashing, and how society wants to handle somebody who was designed to be a weapon.
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No. 813936 ID: be0718

At least she fixed that glitch that made her hear voices in her head. Now the real adventure begins: Hot android-on-human action.
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No. 813937 ID: 0ef2b1

>>813932
((Hah, well damn, now you've gotten ME invested in all these questions! ... Screw it, who cares if it's 3am? I'm going to start drawing now and see about starting a part 3 of this. I'd keep going in this thread to decrease clutter but there's such a tone shift that I don't think it would feel right to do it here. Plus all of this ooc chatter I'm doing now. Anyway! Since I'll be actually drawing now, it will definitely take me longer for updates, but plus side that will leave longer for people to throw ideas back and forth!))
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No. 813940 ID: 91ee5f

>>813921
>Eventually, Mr Munroe begins dating again. You're hopeful that he finds a nice guy and learns how to trust again. He deserves that.
Hopefully, it's someone that shares the beliefs of android rights!

>>813937
I know shells cost more than planets, but what about just repairing/replacing parts of a damaged shell? As far as we know, even that is too expensive and Louie/Karen/Akane are forced live in a shell with damaged legs!

And I was kinda hoping we could give Karen and Akane their own shells too. After all the shit they and Louie went through, it'd probably feel nice for all of them to be able to physically hug each other!

Also can this: >>813908 ,
>So, are we still on Munrovia? That's what I would call a planet that I owned.
please be considered cannon? XD
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No. 813942 ID: 0ef2b1

>>813940
((Hell yeah, Munrovia's canon! And I really, REALLY want to keep the damaged legs thing. Only probelm is, then I'd have to draw a wheelchair. And that... is out of my skillset. I'm on Undertale nerd, literally the only thing I can draw is skeletons. I've been trying to draw a base of a person for the last half hour and I've still got literally nothing.
... Haha woops that got away from me. Point is, I can't really draw many things, and that's limiting what I can do overall.))
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No. 813945 ID: 600f38

>>813937
TGChan doesn't have a clutter problem.
When a thread is finished you go to the bottom right corner of the thread, type something like "Thread complete" in the box, and click report. Then the mods will move it to the quest archive.
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No. 813953 ID: 0ef2b1

P3: https://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/813952.html
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