The Quest For Iscanter

by eternalsquire

A Genius Helps Out.

Steven Sandor had left active service just after Derek and Nova's wedding. He had resolved the event would mark the beginning of a new era for him, one where his inventions and innovations could contribute to the fortunes of the human race rather than be used as weapons of war.

To that end, Steven started up a company through which to market all the various things he had ideas for but never had the time to develop. As a result, after five years he possessed a greater net worth than some small countries. He had never found anyone to be close to, and so this was a good way to pass the time.

IQ-9, the sentient analysis robot which was possibly the only remaining intact artifact from the Yamato, made his home with him. IQ said this way he felt he could be of use.

Steven was at his console, deep in designing a section of diamondoid nanostructure when IQ-9 interrupted him. "SIR! INCOMING CALL FROM CAPTAIN WILDSTAR!"

"Put him on, please.", Steven said. His console changed from schematics to the image of a still slightly boyish looking Japanese man with his wild mane of dark hair. Derek's face looks a lot less grim, Steven thought, but I can still see echoes of the devastation still in his eyes. I think Nova and Miyuki were the best things that ever happened to him.

Steven smiled at him in greeting. "Hi Derek! How's the wife and kid?"

"Oh, the wife is closer to Sirius, that's all! Miyuki's chipper, but I have my concerns, and I'm hoping for some of your help."

"Anything for a friend.", Steven reassured him. "What's going on?"

Derek summarized the situation to Sandor.

Steven spent a few moments in very deep thought. Then he broke the silence, saying, "Although children's animation is practically a lost art, I think we have the resources to make an hour-long animation practically overnight. It will be the creative writing and the voice acting that will take far more time for us."

Derek nodded. They both shared the silence, both deep in thought.

Derek started the conversation back up. "I know that hand-drawn cels like in Snow White or even last century's anime would be extremely labor intensive, and would normally take up to several labor-years to create. We don't have enough time or labor at our command if were were restricted to just people. That said, we have our ace: a moderately creative artificial intelligence with the potential of turning years of work into seconds assuming proper guidance from us."

"You mean, IQ-9, don't you?", Steven asked.

"Exactly.", Derek replied. Then he addressed the robot. "IQ-9, you have been listening to this. Do you think you can draw animated cartoon characters in two dimensions with proper perspective, then lay voice and music dubbing upon it?"

"YES I CAN, CAPTAIN.", the machine replied. "I AM, AFTER ALL, A GENIUS ROBOT."

"This will be the truest test of that. Here's all the data.", Derek replied. "My wife got back to me with Dessler's blessing and a lot of, shall we say, footage from the opposition."

"So let's get to work.", Sandor concluded.