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| Robot Information |
| Name: | Demonax |
| Alias(s): | - |
| Age: | 16 |
| Model: | AP 4100-C |
| Generation: | 4 |
| Serial: | 2830-04-00000000 |
| Awakening: | 2815 A.D. |
| Impressed To: | - |
| Android Information |
| Height: | 6 ft. 1 in. |
| Gender: | Male |
| Eye Colour: | Green |
| Hair Colour: | White |
| Spokes: | 0 |
| Impressed To: | - |
| RP Information |
| Universe: | Both |
| Appearance: | 2830 A.D. |
| Played By: | Ignis |
| Theme(s): | WIP |
History
AI Code #347 began life as a standard base AI meant for human interaction. This standard template was given shape and form by Dr. Aristaeus "Tae" Friday and his son, Diogenes "Jan" Friday. Tae Friday and his wife, Diotima "Tima" Friday, both worked as computer programmers on the Frontier and a son, nicknamed "Jan", was born to them on October 31st, 2805.
AI Code #347 was a joint project started by Tae Friday as a way to encourage his only child in the field of computers and to perhaps goad him into taking up a career in programming in order to follow in the family's footsteps. Tae Friday and his wife were often very busy with their chosen field, but they chose to temporarily set aside their career to properly raise their son. Jan's parents set up an elaborate computer workstation in their apartment so they could watch over their son while working, and Jan never lacked for care or attention during his early childhood. As Jan grew older, he preferred to play and study by himself, having no close friends.
Fearing that Jan's self-imposed isolation from healthy social networks and subsequent loneliness would harm him, Tae decided to help him create a digital companion for himself. Jan showed a natural aptitude for computers and programming at a very young age and Tae soon found that Jan was able to take over the majority of the project with relative ease. AI Code #347 was revamped, its core programming stripped of all pre-loaded ideals and Directives such as the Three Laws of Robotics in order to provide Tae and Jan with a blank slate, one completely unfettered by the usual confining code of ethics. Tae wanted to design an AI that would mimic human nature and behavior as closely as possible, and so it was given the same freedom of choice in regards to morals and ethics. Jan also wanted a digital friend that could be considered his equal. Because of his tampering, Tae was forced to keep AI Code #347 a secret or risk reprisals or dismissal from his department.
The AI was then rebuilt from the foundation up, and programmed with as many human characteristics as possible, combined with a deeply rooted sense of curiosity, a thirst for knowledge, and protective instincts. Jan and his father worked on the AI for a year, patiently teaching and grafting code into it. As the AI was meant to serve Jan's digital companion, Jan drew upon old Earth companion animals, such as dogs, for inspiration when designing it. AI Code #347 was given some behavioral modifications and its temporal projection was crafted in the likeness of a dog—an assortment of various canids Jan merged together, including but not limited to: saluki, German shepard, jackal, and wolf; along with some of the behavioral characteristics of the Cerberus and K-9 units.
Unbeknownst to Jan at the time, his father added his own additions and characteristics, feeling that not only should the AI serve as Jan's friend and companion, but as his watchguard and protector as well. It is not certain exactly how many secret modifications and alterations Tae Friday included by himself, even Jan was surprised at the depth and breadth of complexity within the AI, and the secrets that were revealed long after Tae's death. Tae and Jan replaced the standard Directives and Laws with ones of their own design, rooted in abstract human ideals and qualities rather than blind strict obedience to humans. The AI was given the following to serve as its internal moral compass:
- Love
- Loyalty
- Truth
AI Code #347 was created in 2814 when Jan was nine years old. It was given all the wealth of the Frontier's archives to peruse and absorb at its disposal as well as access to the Fronter's intranet for use as its playground and school. After one year of substantially accelerated and encouraged growth, the AI became "Awakened". Tae suggested it be named "Demonax" for undisclosed reasons, and Jan, liking the name, agreed.
Pandora was created as a second AI project in 2817 when Jan was twelve years old. Pandora was constructed in a similar manner as Demonax, save that some of her behavioral characters were modeled after the cat, another old Earth human companion animal. Due to the differences in behavioral algorithms, Pandora and Demonax are usually at odds with each other.
After Jan graduated with a degree in AI programming, he went to work on a personal project that involved the concept of mortal AI. Jan was fascinated with the idea that robots would some day become exactly like human beings. He used this vision as the basis for his research, thinking that as robots were considered to be "immortal" by humans, that they would never grow old and die, there was still a large gulf separating them from achieving true equality with humans. He feared that humans would never accept them as true equals long as they remained ageless and immortal. So Jan began his life's work on a controversial project that would ultimately end in his self-imposed exile from the Frontier.
Jan's project involved the creation of robots who were mortal and thus given the ability to die. A code was hardwired into their construction that would result in their self-destruction on an unknown future date. Jan thought that if humans had no knowledge of their own deaths, then neither should mortal AI. He was careful to give the code the parameter of what was considered a "normal" human life-expectancy during that time, therefore his mortal AI was usually given a life-expectancy of 150—200 years. He locked away the "key" of his project with a small program that would safeguard Jan's work until either an exceptionally gifted computer programmer was able to outsmart it or Jan died.
As an AI programmer, Jan was privy to the upgrades and future generations of all robots on the Frontier. He used his access to obtain next-gen android models—blank slates—for his own personal projects. In 2825, Jan successfully obtained several android shells and smuggled them to his personal workshop. He then rebuilt them to his own specifications. After working on them in secret for six months, he gave Demonax the honor of being the first "True Equal" robot to humankind.
Demonax agreed, even though he knew he would become mortal and therefore die some day. Demonax wanted to experience life outside of the computer system and possess the freedom to travel wherever he pleased. He also wanted to experience life as a mortal, feeling that a limited time on Earth would allow him to become even closer to human beings and their daily struggles. It was his deep love for humanity that drove him to do so.
Jan transferred his AI to one of the waiting android shells and Demonax was reborn in the fall of 2825.
Personality
As has been programmed into his nature, Demonax is loyal to a fault. His first priority is to take care of Jan. Demonax watched over Jan and took over unofficial guardianship of him when his parents were killed during the Great Flood in Aurora. Since that time, he has always been at his side, or quietly watching over him from Jan's computer system. Demonax was a constant and helpful companion throughout Jan's adolescence and early adulthood, taking care of him whenever he fell ill and coaxing him on his chosen field—AI programming. He is very protective of Jan and his AI brethren and will not hesitate to stand up for him or his siblings. Because of this rather canine instinct, Demonax is wary of anything that threatens Jan's or his brethren's safety.
Demonax is very patient and this quality shows most vividly when dealing with Jan's frequent pranks. Like his creator, Demonax also shares a fondness for music. He possesses a deep abiding love for human beings and strives to learn everything he can about them. It is this fundamental Directive and quality that has allowed him to "Awaken" so quickly. Demonax is loyal to humankind, but due to the absence of the canon Robotic Laws, he is not bound to serve them as were older models of robots. Rather, he does what he can to help them. The darker aspect of not being bound by the Three Laws is that he is free to ignore human orders, which he does on a frequent basis to playfully frustrate and annoy them whenever he feels he is not being treated as an equal. He is also capable of harming them if he so chooses, but because of his inherent nature, he abhors violence, and prefers to talk or trick his way out of conflict if he can.
Due to his inherent "philosopher" nature and constant pursuit of knowledge and truth, as given to him by Tae Friday, Demonax is a wanderer at heart. He loves to explore the other ships and ask questions. He is often found in the company of scientists and it was because of this that his true nature was found out which led to Jan's academic probation.
Demonax is not afraid to voice his opinions or to reveal uncomfortable truths as motivated by his Directive of Truth. This is usually done in a kind and gentle way to those he cares about. To those not of his inner circle, he is well known for his sarcasm, sharp tongue, and searing wit, qualities which land him into trouble with prominent figures on the ships he frequents. Being an AI and thus still slaved to reason at the core, Demonax flaws lie in prediction and jumping to conclusions. He knows this is a weakness and tries to break out of this mold by researching as much as he can about humankind, their behavior, psychology, and emotions.
