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by Cackling Moron

Additional: Governing Intelligences

Author's Note:

This is just me continuing to make shit up and hint at something bigger which I am totally not making up bit by bit as I go along just as a daydream exercise to stave off boredom.

Twilight’s plan had not initially involved visiting the palace, but that was what she ended up doing anyway.

There had been a book in the library there she’d been eyeing up and this she’d remembered not long prior to her arrival and since her friends and her weren’t due to meet for a good hour or so yet she’d taken the opportunity to quickly pop in and grab it on her way, something that had gone off without a hitch.

Now she was heading out again, saddlebags slung, happily thinking of the day ahead. And it would have been perfectly unedifying had she not spotted something on the way out.

Sitting on its own on a chair in a corridor was the suit-wearing metal thing that the humans had around with them a lot of the time. Twilight double-took when she saw this, in the way one always double-takes when seeing something one does not expect.

She kept on walking, only to stop and back up again.

Twilight had seen the thing around and about before - it would have been hard not to - but on all those occasions it had been more-or-less impossible to actually talk to it because there’d either been too much going on or else something to pulling her attention away. Which had been a shame, because Twilight had had questions.

Mostly questions about why it happened to be present at every single important event to do with the expedition but never really got up to speak the way the humans did. It just sort of hung around with them and they talked to it sometimes, usually before deciding something.

She couldn’t put her hoof on it, but it just got her mind working, and without information to work on it had started working dry, wandering in odd places.

And now here it was, just sat there alone.

The opportunity was too great to be passed up, her curiosity had to satisfied! Girding herself, she approached.

“Hello?” She asked, jumping a little when the thing suddenly moved, inclining its blank, angled head slightly so it seemed to be facing her. She tried to work out where it’s eyes were, or even if it had any. Nothing leapt out at her.

“Hello! Princess Twilight Sparkle, isn’t it? How can I help you?” The thing asked.

Twilight was momentarily taken aback at being recognised but then realised that it would have been a little odd had the thing not known who she was. They had, after all, met briefly more than once by this point, if only as a formality and only to exchange pleasantries.

“Just Twilight’s fine, and oh it’s nothing really, I was just curious about some things. If you had the time to talk? You’re not busy, are you?”

It gave a small bow from a sitting position.

“Not busy at all, I live to serve. Or was made to serve, rather, if you prefer to think of it that way - ask away.”

The thing’s tone of voice was chipper and cheerful, which clashed rather with its utterly impassive exterior. Other than its slightly exaggerated body language there really wasn’t a lot you could read from the thing. Twilight wondered whether this was intentional or not.

“Well first I was kind of wondering - and don’t take this the wrong way - but what are you? The humans all seem to defer to you but you’re not human yourself, or at least you don’t look it, so I was curious.”

Saying that it didn’t look human was perhaps understating it, but Twilight didn’t want to make some kind of diplomatic faux pas by making a mistake. Maybe some humans did just look like that? There was a lot about the visitors that was still unknown. It was sort of the point of why she’d stopped to talk to the thing at all in the first place.

If she had offended it, it gave no sign. Then again, how would she have known?

“They hardly defer to me! We all cooperate. But yes, I am the Governing Intelligence of the Dimensional Borer. Lot’s of proper nouns in there, I’m afraid. My name is Let’s See Where This Takes Us, I am derived from the Governing Intelligence Ideal Experimental Conditions but that’s by the by. Call me Let’s, everybody does,” said Let’s, giving another tiny bow.

Twilight didn’t know whether she was meant to bow back or not, but erred on the side of caution and gave a bobbing kind of a nod instead.

“Thank you, Let’s, but that doesn’t really answer my question,” she said. Let’s gave a tilt of its head.

“Does it not? Terribly sorry.”

“That’s okay. What is a Governing Intelligence?”

“Nothing especially important. Machines, you might say. Labour-saving devices, really. Just take care of some of the fiddlier bits, the background stuff. The little things so that the humans can get on with the proper business, the interesting parts!”

Again, this seemed to skirt around any actually useful answer. Twilight felt that Let’s was perhaps selling itself and its role short. At the very least though it did confirm that Let’s wasn’t human, which was something. Twilight had suspected as much, but making assumptions could often go wrong. As said, maybe some humans just looked like this? How would she know?

From what little she’d heard about it, their world was quite unlike anything she was used to.

“I see,” she said.

Let’s took this as an opportunity to continue, correctly reading her response as unsatisfied.

“For example, most of my duties are fairly mundane and relate to the running of the Borer, making sure its systems are functioning efficiently and so forth, tracking the wellbeing of its crew, organising the work schedules - things that a human could technically be doing but which I can do more easily, so they don’t have to.”

It gesticulated through this, which Twilight appreciated. Somehow it made the talking easier to follow than if Let’s had just been sat there unmoving. It continued:

“Other Governing Intelligences have their own particular areas that they oversee. We do this or that, here or there. Ideal Experimental Conditions, for a further example, assists in the research that occurs in the academy in which it is housed, crunching numbers and analysing samples or this or that, things of that nature. We’re here to help.”

“Right. And is this...you?” Twilight asked, waving a hoof at the mechanical body she was talking to. Let’s looked down at itself and adjusted it’s tie.

“Ah, no. I am housed - located? - on the Borer. The point could be made that I am the Borer. Not really true, but there you go. This body in front of you is just a, hmm, let’s say a telepresence device.”

Twilight did not know what that meant, but could guess.

“Oh?”

“Yes. Just so I can be in several places at once, you see,” Let’s said, waving a hand.

Twilight was slightly unsettled at this particular revelation, but hid it.

“They need you to come along to things like this?” She asked instead.

“‘Need’ is a strong word. They prefer me accompany them for things like this. I’m here in an advisory capacity.”

“So you’re an adviser as well?”

“Not explicitly. They just trust my judgement if they’re ever feeling unsure about something. Human-led decision making has had unfavourable results in the past, sadly. We don’t ever decide things for them, but we do help them make better choices for themselves.”

“Why? Why do you help them, I mean,” Twilight asked. She wasn’t sure why she was asking these particular questions but something in her head was just pulling her in a particular direction. Something was nagging at her and she couldn’t quite put her hoof on it.

“Because we were made to help them,” said Let’s.

“And you decide what counts as help?”

“Me personally? Heavens, no. The humans decide that themselves, as is only right. And if they start to drift from what is actually good for themselves? Well, they don’t tend to do that now as much as they used to.”

Before Twilight could probe this incredibly unnerving answer, Let’s carried on:

“If I didn’t know any better, Princess, I’d say you were subtly implying something untoward about me and my fellow Governing Intelligences!” Let’s said, leaning in a little closer to ask: “‘Princess’ is the correct form of address, isn’t it? Or is it ‘Your Highness’ or something of that sort? I’d hate to mishandle the etiquette.”

“Twilight’s fine,” said Twilight, again.

“Ah yes, I believe you said before. Not one for formality either, eh? I rather like that.”

Twilight got the impression she was starting to push uphill, and further effort in the same direction would only meet diminishing returns. She decided to switch tracks:

“How does the Borer work?”

If Let’s was put off by this abrupt shift in subject it didn’t let it show.

“Fascinating stuff, isn’t it? I’m afraid I can’t really say. It’s considered a secret, you see. I can say, though, that the boring technology - heh, boring technology, never noticed that before - is an offshoot of our interstellar travel research.”

“Interstellar? Humans are going into space too? Why come here?”

“We are indeed going into space. Baby-steps, though, still early days and without a whole lot to show for it yet. But it was thought - and is so far proving - that useful material and resources that couldn’t or wouldn’t happen in our own universe might be found in others,” said Let’s.

A pause, then:

“And friends, of course. Easier to find friends this way than by jetting off into space. Trust me. We live - speaking in interstellar terms - in something of a quiet neighbourhood, as we are learning. Here though? Here I think we’ve found some very pleasant company.”

With almost perfect timing a door a little further down the corridor chose this moment to open, and out came what Twilight recognised as members of the human diplomatic contingent, accompanied by two guards rendered anonymous by those rather intimidating suits they wore when on duty.

The group looked to Let’s, saw Twilight there too, were briefly confused, and then approached.

“Princess Twilight,” said the lead one, a human whose name she honestly couldn’t remember at that moment and how nodded as they spoke. They then turned to Let’s. “We had a few things to run past you.”

“For my advice, no doubt?” Let’s asked, favouring Twilight with what she took to be a wry aside glance. Coming from it, it looked very odd. The diplomatic staff looked momentarily confused, as though unsure whether they were missing a joke or not.

“Uh...yeah…”

Let’s rose to standing with a smoothness that was thoroughly uncanny.

“Lead on, chaps. Twilight, lovely chatting with you but I’m sorry I have to dash off. Things to do, you know.”

And off they went. Twilight watched them all go, feeling that the conversation had not been as productive or enlightening as she might have hoped.

-

Later, Twilight was sitting alone.

Coffee and donuts with friends had gone swimmingly, as was to be well expected, and had been a very nice way of unwinding and forgetting just about anything else that might have been on her mind.

Her friends were gone now, though, and she’d remained mostly just to have a quick flick through the book. She was more-or-less oblivious to what was going on around her at least until a human entered and - rather awkwardly - picked out a spot at a table a few over from hers.

This she noticed, because it was hard not to, and so she glanced up at him.

And for the second time that day double-took.

This was that human who hung around with Lyra all the time. She had no idea what his name was but was distantly aware that he was one of the guards they had. Seeing him was mildly surprising, but then again she supposed it wasn’t that unusual. She had, after all, seen some of those guards earlier.

Two helpful coincidences in one day was nothing to be sneered at. Tucking a napkin into the book and slipping it back into her bag she hopped down off her seat and cantered on over.

“Hello,” she said and the human started, snapping out of whatever daydream he’d drifted into and looking around and down at her blearily.

“Oh. Hello, hi. Yes?” He asked, blinking and stifling a yawn.

“Sorry if I’m being rude but you’re that human who hangs around with Lyra, aren’t you?” Twilight asked.

At that moment the human’s coffee arrived and he mouthed thanks before taking a quick and obviously much-needed sip. Then he remembered that he’d just been asked a question.

“Hmm? Oh yeah, that’s me. James, hi. Princess, uh, Twilight, wasn’t it?”

“Just Twilight’s fine, thanks James, and I thought I recognised you. What are you doing here?”

“Work, work. Guarding the diplomatic bods. Not sure why, not like anything could happen to them here,” he blinked after saying this and then gave Twilight a sheepish grin. “Uh, don’t tell anyone I said that.”

Presumably it was considered bad form to suggest that you thought the job your superiors had you doing was a pointless waste of time. Twilight could understand that.

“Your secret’s safe with me. I see you around Ponyville so much I kind of forget you’re actually here to, you know, do stuff,” Twilight said, lightly, hoof waving.

“Hah, that’s more down to how my leave worked out than anything, honest, I’m as hard-working as the next guy. Kind of a pisser though, hearing my number was up. Don’t get me wrong, I do like working, just, well, it was inconvenient,” James said, scratching his head and stretching. Twilight helped herself to a seat at his table. He didn’t appear to mind.

“Oh?” She asked.

“Yeah. Typical, really. Me and Lyra were meant to be going out to dinner or something nice like that but I got called up to do this instead. She said it’s okay and we can just pick another time. Guess it’s just one of those things. Jobs, right?” James said with a helpless shrug.

“Right,” Twilight said, her tone rich with empathy.

Seeing her sat there, looking so understanding and listening so earnestly to him moan seemed to trip something in James’ head and he blinked, sitting up a little straighter and letting out a brief, quiet laugh.

“But that’s me going on. You’ve probably got stuff to do so I won’t ramble and waste any more of your time,” he said.

“Actually, James, I was kind of hoping to talk to you about something?”

That surprised him.

“Me?”

“Uhuh.”

James continued being surprised, his eyes raised. He briefly considered taking another sip of coffee but decided against it, settling instead on just adjusting the position of his cup on the table.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather talk to one of the other guys? If you got questions they can probably answer them way better than I can. There’s a reason I’m a guard, you know.”

Twilight wasn’t going to let such self-deprecation derail things, and she wasn’t even going to stoop to mention it.

“It’s nothing important, just wondering about some things,” she said instead, smiling, friendly, warm. She actually rather like James, from what little she knew of him. Certainly, she liked that Lyra liked him.

James sighed.

“Sure, fine I guess. Like what?”

“What are the Governing Intelligences?”

Further surprise still, only this time with a very distinct edge. James gave Twilight an appraising look but, still not being the best at reading ponies and not being especially perceptive to begin with, this told him nothing.

“Why do you ask?” He asked instead.

“Well, I was talking to one earlier because I was curious, but I’m not sure I got any straight answers out of it. It is an it, isn’t it? I’m not being offensive?”

This possibility hadn’t occurred to Twilight until that moment, but it suddenly did and now she was concerned. James was not, and brushed these worries aside.

“I think you’d find it pretty hard to offend an Governing Intelligence. And you spoke to Let’s? Where?” He asked.

“The palace?” Twilight wasn’t sure where else you might happen to bump into something like Let’s. James blinked.

“Ah, that makes sense. Probably sitting in the corridor again, right?” He asked. Twilight nodded. “Yeah, it does that. Uh, what do you want to know?”

“Well, I just sort of wondered what they did?”

“They help,” James said, flatly.

Twilight had rather been hoping for more, and held out for more, but no more came.

“That’s what it - that’s what Let’s said, too, but what does that mean?” She pressed.

“It means they help,” James said, in the manner of one explaining the blatantly obvious.

Twilight had the distinct impression that this was the start of a very unhelpful circle. Being direct might be required, she felt.

“How much do they help?”

The weight and emphasis she put onto each word in this question was impossible to miss. James rubbed his eyes.

“Look, princess-”

“Twilight,” Twilight said.

James took a moment, took a breath, nodded.

“Twilight. There’s nothing sinister going on or anything like that. They’re not evil if that’s what you’re trying to get me to say. I mean sure, you’ll probably get someone grumbling about them here or there, but they can’t deny that the Governing Intelligences did what was best for us. Still are! It’s not like we’re still - things are better now.”

“Better than what?” She asked, practically vibrating with curiosity.

James’ eyes narrowed. He was not rising to that.

“Better than they were. Twilight, I can tell you mean well but honestly, nothing bad is happening. Bad stuff happened, and they helped make it all stop, and now they’re helping us put it back together again. Things are better, things are good. I just - can we not talk about this?”

His mounting agitation was now obvious enough to pierce through Twilight’s intense need to have details, and she felt a bit guilty about probing so. She stopped vibrating from curiosity and sat back in her seat, eyes on the table.

“Sorry James,” she said, and James sighed, rubbing his face.

“No, it’s fine. Sorry I can’t give you a proper answer but I did say I probably couldn’t help you. But don’t worry, there’s nothing that important there anyway. We’re fine. And, uh, could you do me a favour if you’re going back to Ponyville anytime soon?”

She looked up again.

“Sure.”

“Just say hi to Lyra for me, could you? Tell her it should only be a couple more days. Maybe tell her I miss her. No, wait, kind of clingy. Or is it? That’s a nice thing, right? Missing someone? A friend, I mean. Uh, maybe just play it by ear.”

Twilight found herself smiling. The way that James’ mood had melted from uncomfortable for one reason into uncomfortable for a very obvious other reason was kind of adorable to watch. These humans were rather cute, in their own odd way. Kind of fumbling and awkward for things that seemed to take themselves so seriously.

“You’re allowed to miss her, you know,” she said. James winced.

“Yeah, I know, I just, uh, well, don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”

“What idea would you like her to get?”

“I don’t know! Ugh. Just that I’m bummed we couldn’t have our cool meal together and hang out and stuff. I like her. She’s nice. This place is nice.”

“I’m sure I can pass that onto her,” Twilight said, sliding off of the chair she’d settled in.

“Thanks, means a lot,” James said, holding his cup in both hands. “Twilight?”

She’d been moving away by then, so stopped and turned back.

“We’re all really grateful for how nice you guys have been, you do know that right? We’ve - we’ve met some other, uh, things on this expedition and they, well, none have been as welcoming as you guys have. And we appreciate it. It’s nice to be somewhere, uh, like this with people like you. We all appreciate it, even the Governing Intelligences. So just, you know, thanks,” James said with mounting awkwardness, ending up looking more at his coffee than at Twilight towards the end, unable to maintain the eye contact.

Those eyes still kind of made him squirm. Except Lyra’s. He liked hers.

“You really don’t need to thank me for that, James,” said Twilight. He shrugged.

“Well, maybe. But I did, so there you go. Thanks. I like it here.”

“I’m glad. I’ll tell Lyra you miss her. She’ll understand. I hope they don’t work you too hard,” she said. James let out a brief laugh and Twilight wandered off.

She wasn’t really sure what to make of anything she’d learnt today, if she was being honest with herself.

Comments

[Syroc]

Now you're just being cruel.

[Cackling Moron]

9567998
Whaaat? What did I do?

[Vash_ts]

9568015
Teasing us with these teasers, you tease.

[Cackling Moron]

9568067
I'm not really driving at anything, I'm just peeling back layers as more of this forms in my brainmeat.

Maybe that's what you guys are talking about...

[Vash_ts]

9568092
Whatever you are doing, keep doing it!

[N4rwh41]

You might as well make a proper novel of it at this point.

[Cackling Moron]

9568112
That sounds an awful lot like hard work.

Much better to just keep haphazardly chipping away at dozens of unrelated, half-baked ideas.

[N4rwh41]

9568115
What's the difference? :p

[GCU Poke It With A Stick]

At this point I wouldn't even be surprised if there's a large geometric object (possibly an ellipsoid) in the center of the boring vehicle that no one's allowed to touch.

[Cackling Moron]

9568948
Well, it's still early days so they're still just AI's, albeit powerful ones. For now, at least.