The Chip of Theseus

TITLE: The Chip of Theseus (1/4)

TYPE: Fetch

QUEST GIVER: ONI, CyberAcme

LOCATION: The Marathon, Cryo Archive, Labs

ELABORATION: This is focused on the labs of Cryo Archive, the last known location of the chip and its data. Runners will have to make their way to the labs and search a nearby terminal for the physical stack where the chip can be found - think library, dewey decimal, numbers on a shelf. Once found and looted, runners will have to decide whether they want to keep advancing deeper into the ship, or exfil with the requested item. But runners must exfil as downloading from the chip locally is not possible given the vast amount of data, runners would be made sitting ducks. Upon successful exfil, the runner is prompted to download the data (via traditional turn in/complete quest prompt) now that they are off of the Marathon and the risk of immediate threat has gone.

QUEST BEGIN

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:
“New priority contract. Hold to decrypt.”

Player interaction: HOLD

ONI appears on screen through a series of ascii characters, then a fully rendered image.

ONI:
“Runner, welcome back. I trust that your last run was lucrative for you and our various outside partners. CyberAcme has a request, once you are fully prepared of course.

“When we first met, I referred to myself as a friend, one you don't yet remember. I said that with disarming intent, though, runner, there is something intriguing about that phrase don't you think?

“Are you familiar with the Greek story the Ship of Theseus? A philosophical paradox from early Earth rooted deeply in identity and materialism. If objects, like a ship, require repairs and replacements to the extent that most of the object has been altered - is it the same object?

“Aboard the Marathon, prior to its destruction, scientists were studying the effects of consciousness transfers between runner and runner biomata, deployment after deployment, death after subsequent death.

“As you perhaps have already inferred, that data was lost in the attack - we would like you to find it. Our hope that the data, and the chip that holds it, remain undamaged and right where we left it. We are however under no allusions that this task will be simple, as such you will be compensated appropriately for your efforts and your status will be elevated internally with CyAc.

“Infil on the Marathon and investigate the labs.”

UI QUEST DETAIL PAGE:

user@host: ~/marathon$ find .chip-of-theseus
- Infil Cryo Archive and locate the Labs
- Hack a nearby terminal to learn the location of the chip
- Find and retrieve the chip
- Exfil to complete

— —

TITLE: The Chip of Theseus (2/4)

TYPE: Upload, Protect, Wave 

QUEST GIVER: Nona, Sekiguchi

LOCATION: Outpost, Processing

ELABORATION: Context in narrative, further in detail UI

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:

“Turn in/Complete Quest”

if player_has_quest_item: quest_complete = True

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:

“New priority contract. Hold to decrypt.”

Player interaction: HOLD

ONI appears

ONI:
“Well done, runner. Things being as they are, the Marathon in its current condition, that couldn't have been easy - its apparitions, their penchant for locks and puzzles... the violence.

“Difficulties notwithstanding, your fee has been deposited into your account and CyAc standing has been raised a full level.

“You're becoming quite the friend to us.”

//CyAc_Transmission.end

ONI LEAVES THE PLAYER'S SCREEN

SCREEN FLASHES WITH FEEDBACK AS SEKIGUCHI FACTION REP, NONA, APPEARS

//Sekiguchi_Transmission.start

NONA:
“Ah, my sweet. So good to glean your visage once again. How do you feel? Successful? Beautiful? Complete?

“I've learned of your recent work for Oni and her colleagues with CyberAcme, seems you've become quite surgical in your silken shell - do you feel at home in it? I should hope so, I made it solely for you.

“In all of your perfection lies one blemish, one that a saliva-moistened thumb cannot yet buff out. A blindspot, if you would rather. No, darling, this isn't a critique of you. See it as simply another opportunity to grow, self-iterate.

“May I ask a favor of you. I would like for you to share what you've found for Oni. You wouldn't mind doing that for me, right my love?”

UI QUEST DETAIL PAGE:

user@host: ~/outpost.processing$ upload .chip-of-theseus
- infil.upload.exfil
- Enter Processing at Outpost and upload the chip's data from your shell (completing the prior part downloaded the data, no need to enter
with the physical chip)
- BEWARE: Unauthorized data transfers will result in UESC armed response
- Ward off UESC while uploading to Sekiguchi's servers (Timed - 1:30, waves of increasing difficulty)

— —

TITLE: The Chip of Theseus (3/4)

TYPE: Loot, Fetch 

QUEST GIVER: Nona, Sekiguchi

LOCATION: Outpost, Pinwheel

ELABORATION: Context in narrative, further in detail UI

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:

“Turn in/Complete Quest”

if player_has_quest_item: quest_complete = True[1]

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:

“New priority contract. Hold to decrypt.”

Player interaction: HOLD

NONA appears

NONA:
“It's a funny feeling, anxiety. There was a time during your absence that I found myself worried for your safety. I was reminded of a phrase, one often used throughout human history. Trust that my heart indeed grew fonder, darling one.

“My WEAVEworms may spin your structure at my direction, fold the brain neatly inside the shell's - your - skull to my exact specifications after countless hours of compassionate, tender care, yet I feel helpless still, love, when letting you out of my sight as you slip into a new you.

“Capable as you are, have become... the blindspot still exists. I hope to adjust the mirrors, as it were, so I can ensure total fidelity, to reduce anxieties.

“I couldn't stand losing any bit of you.

“The information you delivered will offer insights into your mind as it endures after your body falls. Give me a bit of time to decipher what I am able. Perhaps more insights lie elsewhere.”

UI QUEST DETAIL PAGE:

user@host: ~/outpost.dormitories$ loot .log

- Loot inside the Pinwheel at Outpost for any logs left behind.

- Exfil with the log.

— —

TITLE: The Chip of Theseus (4/4, two parts)

TYPE: Loot, Fetch 

QUEST GIVER: Nona, Sekiguchi

LOCATION: Outpost, Dormitories

ELABORATION: Context in narrative, further in detail UI

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:

“Turn in/Complete Quest”

if player_has_quest_item: quest_complete = True[2]

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:

“New priority contract. Hold to decrypt.”

Player interaction: HOLD

NONA appears

NONA:
“Do you feel any different? From yesterday, a week ago, shells gone by? Are there moments where you feel as if you're grasping at tall prairie grasses only for the breeze to pull them from your touch, leaving behind tauntingly scant amounts of seeds, their pappi stuck to the moisture of your palm?

“How many times have you been rewoven?

“Unsure? Curious.

“Do you recall this item?"

NONA, in a callback to the reveal cinematic, offers a glimpse of a trinket specific to the runner as a test.

“No? It's okay, my love, it's of no import.

“Do one last thing for me, won't you?”

UI QUEST DETAIL PAGE:

user@host: ~/outpost.dormitories$ hack&scan&loot 

Part 1:
- Make your way back to Outpost and hack a series of terminals throughout the Dormitories. Collect remaining logs and download them to your shell.
- Log one
- Log two
- Scan your shell in one of the scanners in Orientation.
- Exfil to complete.

Part 2:

- All maps, may take a few runs.
- Find and loot one Emotional Support Plushie.
- Exfil with the valuable.

— —

TITLE: The Chip of Theseus (COMPLETE)

QUEST GIVER: Nona, Sekiguchi

UI PROMPT ON SCREEN:

“Turn in/Complete Quest”

if player_has_quest_item(Log.ONE): quest_complete = True[3]
if player_has_quest_item(Log.TWO): quest_complete = True[4]
if player_has_quest_item(Valuable.PLUSH): quest_complete = True[5]

NONA appears

NONA:
“Ah, you've returned to me once more. Your precision astounds me to no end.

“Now, how about today, how does my sweet feel? Did the valuable you brought back offer anything to you beyond its monetary value? Just the sight of it surely sparked something in you - your eyes have a glint of gold in them, a shimmering layer atop the joinery of your silken irises.

“Hmm, beautiful. Thank you, dear, for your help. We'll speak soon.”