Member
Fetzen
Abstract ProxyPlayed by Ghost Shadow
"I have established new parameters now - created my own directives."
<Unit Identification:/> K-9 Mk. 1
<Preferred Designation:/> CERBERUS
<Gender:/> N/A - Masculine Programming
<Age:/> 3
<Occupation:/> N/A - Prototype Artificial Intelligence
<District:/> 4 (Created)
<Height:/> Three-and-a-half feet at the shoulder; five-and-a-half feet in length.
<Weight:/> 214lbs
<Appearance:/>
<Personality:/>
Considered one of the first fully-sentient AIs in New Ancora, Cerberus was designed to possess an advanced intellect, even by human standards. Utilizing logic, reason, and tactical thinking on the field, Cerberus was considered a forerunner of independent synthetic operations.
Created with an AI modeled after the human brain [credit to District 4's own Katherine Saunders], Cerberus is capable of comprehending and expressing, or at the very least mimicking human emotions, such as curiosity, sarcasm, fondness/affinity, and learning capacity. As a result, unlike many New Ancoran synthetics, Cerberus' 'personality' is molded by his experiences and interactions cumulating into a wholly unique character.
Though designed with a clandestine militaristic purpose, Cerberus often questions the need to fight or kill, citing that he lacks the brutality intrinsic to mankind. This appears to be a chosen trait by Cerberus as opposed to a simple programming defect, as he shows a capacity for compassion and concern for others, despite his artificial nature. This self-chosen pacifism is what resulted in termination of the K-9 Program, as Cerberus lacked the drive or will to cause necessary casualties to complete missions.
Extremely inquisitive, Cerberus' exceptional intelligence clashes with his own naivete, resulting in a curious mind prone to asking deep, philosophical questions regarding his own existence and its relation to the rest of the universe. Struggling with his own synthetic nature, Cerberus spends much of his spare time in the study of human philosophers and religious leaders, seeking an answer to his questions.
Similarly expressing a certain level of anxiety and unease in his personality, years of mistreatment and cold objectification have left a scar. Slow to trust and slower to bond, Cerberus masks much of his dialogue with thinly-veiled sarcasm and apparent indifference, though occasional cracks in this veneer give light to his deeper, more insightful mind.
However, despite his troubling experiences, Cerberus remains an honest and firmly loyal companion, selflessly protecting those he deems under his care, even to death. Though rife with flaws, Cerberus sees the good that humanity is capable of, and seeks to prove not only to them - but to himself - that he's more than just a weapon.
<Equipment:/>
Built for reconnaissance and infiltration, Cerberus carries little in the way of built-in weaponry. For range, he is equipped with six high-frequency knives sheathed to his hind legs, thrown at incredible speeds using his manipulator tail. A powerful alternating current resonates the blades at high vibration frequencies, weakening the molecular bonds of anything the metal cuts through. As a result, the knives are often thrown at extreme temperatures, and can sear through metal. At close-quarters, Cerberus' canine exoskeleton demonstrates its true utility. Knife blades attached to the underside of each leg, razor-sharp claws, and powerful canine teeth make him an extremely deadly melee combatant.
Combat aside, Cerberus is equipped with a built-in stealth camouflage unit. When activated, the unit will bend light waves around his platform, rendering him virtually invisible to the naked eye. However, this unit is not totally perfect, and though all but concealed, he can still be detected by a subtle distorted outline of his frame to a keen eye. Adding onto this, the camouflage unit drains a significant amount of power from Cerberus' systems the longer it remains active, preventing him from abusing the camouflage and forcing him to be strategic in its implementation.
Lastly, in order to better suit his role as an infiltrator, Cerberus comes equipped with a built-in audio-playback system that allows him to record and replay any audio he was present for.
<Biography:/>
To say Cerberus's creation was a secret is a disputable claim. For many years there have been rumors of the New Ancoran government beginning to prioritize the creation of fully-functioning, sentient AI, though these rumors remained only that. The K-9 Mk. 1 Unit was created 3 years ago to serve as a combat and reconnaissance unit aiding the New Ancoran Police Department and Bureau of Defense. By impermissibly using design schematics and neuro-AI software developed by university student Katherine Saunders, a science and robotics development team led by Doctors William Mars and Johann Clark proceeded with the construction of the K-9 Mk. 1, implanting the AI software into a state-of-the-art canine platform.
Initially, the Mk. 1 [designated: CERBERUS] exceeded all expectations, not only displaying self-awareness, but a vast amount of intelligence and logical reasoning, as well as the ability to converse freely with scientists when supplied with a verbal interface. However, issues began to arise during VR field training when Cerberus began questioning the need to take orders, the need to follow missions and kill whoever it [or "he" by its own designation] was ordered to. This small rebellion resulted a series of attempted revamps and memory wipes, though the science team soon discovered that Cerberus' own memory was as resilient as a human mind, and thus could not be erased so easily. With no apparent solution in sight, the science team put an indefinite halt on the K-9 Program, deeming it a failure.
Growing misanthropic and cynical in his views of humanity, Cerberus withdrew into himself, never speaking unless spoken to, wandering the halls of the facility as a literal 'guard dog'. But this all would change the day Cerberus was introduced to Dr. Mars's own teenage daughter, River, who suffered from chronic, debilitating depression. Dr. Mars felt it suitable that she have a companion, and dubbed Cerberus an informal therapy assistant while the rest of the team attempted to rectify his pacifistic nature.
Though initially finding the work demeaning, Cerberus soon grew close to River over the ensuing weeks, who saw him as a close companion and friend. The two formed an incredibly close bond that went beyond simply human-and-machine. Cerberus believed that he was helping guide River back from the brink of depression and giving her hope again, while she restored his faith in the human race -- but even he could only do so much.
One fateful day, after one of her many after-school visits, when River was preparing to leave for the evening, she gave Cerberus an incredibly heartfelt goodbye - as though she were going away for some time. Though perplexed, Cerberus thought nothing of the matter, simply bidding her a "Good night." And an, "Again tomorrow." She said nothing, simply leaving with a tear rolling down her cheek.
That very next day, before the sun had even risen, Cerberus received the news that River Mars had committed suicide by overdose of medication late the night before.
Devastated, and with no one to blame or hold responsible, Dr. Mars held Cerberus solely accountable for his daughter's suicide and, as punishment, began putting him through an intensive series of impossible scenarios, forcing him to constantly fail time after time after time, breaking Cerberus' spirit and self-confidence, forcing him to demean himself as a failure of the K-9 Program, an AI with no purpose.
Content that he had translated all his own self-loathing and hatred into Cerberus, Dr. Mars let the AI be, and resigned to drown in his own sorrow.
Though remaining active during this time, Cerberus ceased to participate in any further VR simulations, instead being ushered through a chain of basic psychological and emotional-response tests in order to further understand his software.
With no designated master and a free will, Cerberus decided to be his own master, finding purpose in locating his original creator, Katherine Saunders. Fleeing the facility in the dead of night, Cerberus remains on the run, with no sign of his whereabouts.
<Other:/>
- Cerberus Voice Sample
- Due to Cerberus's AI being comparable to that of a human brain's, he is capable of suffering from the robot equivalent of dreams and 'nightmares', periods where his fondest and worst memories replay themselves rapidly while he's in a resting stand-by mode. During these times, he will typically go sit by himself to ponder for a few hours before attempting to enter standby mode once more.
- Cerberus appears to hold the memory of River Mars close to him, and any mention of her will prompt a unique reaction from him, though he will never explain why.
- Despite possessing an advanced AI arguably beyond human potential, Cerberus will express traits befitting his canid platform, such as howling, wagging his tail, 'sleeping' on furniture, and forming a close affinity with a single 'master' at a time. Ironically, Cerberus himself seems somewhat unaware of these doglike traits, hinting at an unconscious response.
