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Post by Tinman on Mar 20, 2012 10:42:14 GMT -5
EDI thought for a moment, and his first reflex was to fly as far as he possibly could with Keith, never to land, never to return. But practicality meant that with Keith being human, he needed certain concessions that required EDI to land. Though at the mention of lightning, EDI shuddered and dropped altitude, suddenly wary of the sparse clouds over head. "I do not like lightning. Lightning is painful." he murmured softly as he swooped down over the water, almost as if he was hiding from the lightning yet unwilling to land. The memory of the lightning strike surged through him and he shuddered again, fighting to maintain control through the terror and agony of memory.
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Post by Dr. Keith Orbit on Mar 20, 2012 16:39:20 GMT -5
"Don't worry EDI, we'll be sure to keep you away from bad weather this time, I certainly don't want that to happen all over again." Keith had to remind himself why the situation had even happened in the first place -- it was lightning that caused a major error in the stability in EDI's processor. He recalled that the squad had returned from a successful mission - only they had to land on the Naval carrier in severe weather. They had no choice. EDI got unlucky and got snagged by a lightning bolt. That was the cause of it all, it was a random act of mother nature. He inwardly shook his head with disappointment.
Keith had made sure to install ALL the latest and greatest information management/flight data systems, data link, navigational systems, and weather data allocation systems into EDI's cockpit. Since EDI was designed to fly with one human pilot only, it was easy to do. He didn't have to worry about designing a redundant system for a co-pilot to manage as well.
Thrilled otherwise, he looked around and forward to either side of him in the clear canopy of EDI's cockpit, completely psyched at a much missed opportunity to fly.
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Post by Tinman on Mar 20, 2012 18:30:58 GMT -5
EDI seemed to settle somewhat, and lifted farther up into the air again, growing more comfortable knowing the weather was relatively clear and that there were no storms brewing in the area. "Thank you, father." he offered in response, though he was a little concerned about the slight shake of his head. Seeing Keith relax and appear to enjoy the ride made EDI relax more, beginning to let himself glide this way and that, letting himself feel the air over his new nanoskin. "The upgrades are functioning well, Doctor Orbit." he reported then, shifting his nanoskin to a dark blue instead of the default dark tan. He then got the idea to test out his maneuvering skills and quite literally did a full barrel roll before angling skyward, continuing the lazy roll twice more as he flew. He wanted Keith to see what he was capable of, within the limits of the human body's ability to handle the maneuvers at least.
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Post by Dr. Keith Orbit on Mar 26, 2012 16:43:39 GMT -5
Keith was a little startled when EDI performed a barrel roll, his heart seemingly lurching out of his chest for a moment there. "Woah," he breathed, gripping the sides of the cockpit for a moment. "Damn, perhaps I should get a flight suit to test you properly." he comment with a chuckle. There were many steep turns and climbs EDI could do within reasonable limits, so with in time, his new form would be well tested even with out the flight suit. Unfortunately though, Keith wanted to test EDI's full potential to the limits if he could at some point.
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Post by Tinman on Mar 27, 2012 11:44:02 GMT -5
EDI would smile if he could, seeing Keith's reaction. "What would you like me to do?" he asked, an almost excited tone in his voice as he let his engine stall out and he slowly drifted to a stop before starting a free fall downward, then gently pulled out of the dive so Keith wouldn't black out on him. He was clearly enjoying the freedom of flight, and especially the ability to fly with his creator.
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Post by Dr. Keith Orbit on Apr 1, 2012 3:31:17 GMT -5
Keith pondered over the options of what they could do without a flight suit for the mean time. "Hmm, let's go to some off airport sights and pick some landing targets to work on that vertical descent/take off capability of yours. I know I designed you well, but I want to be sure nothing goes wrong while I'm with you the first couple of times. We can do various steep approaches and climbs without requiring a flight suit." later they could test out the more combat/tactical maneuvers at higher altitudes. For now they would deal with low altitude operations. Perhaps they could test his agility at said low altitudes but with how populated the areas around here were, that would be quite difficult. "Let's get out to the central states and find some open areas along the way."
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Post by Tinman on Apr 4, 2012 12:40:52 GMT -5
EDI leveled off as Keith spoke. "Directive Confirmed, Doctor Orbit." he replied and veered inland, flying low and fast over the landscape, testing his agility around obstacles in his path. It didn't take him long to find a likely open area in eastern Washington's Scab Lands he could test his target landing ability. He dropped to land in a relatively open area before taking off and dropping down into a hole just large enough to accommodate his entire air frame without brushing the stone walls, then lifted out again. He even found a rock that was just large enough for all three sets of landing wheels to rest on and perched there for a moment. "Would you like me to test my transformation?" he asked as he sat there on the large boulder like a predator surveying his domain from an elevated position. To say that EDI was greatly enjoying this outing with his creator would have been a rather large understatement, to say the least.
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Post by Dr. Keith Orbit on Apr 15, 2012 7:47:43 GMT -5
Keith surveyed the area, enjoying the view. "Certainly, this is a good spot." He had always loved the vertical flight features, and he was glad he got it to work with EDI, though it tended to eat up fuel. There was a cost to everything, but it was a cost that was worth it, especially now that EDI was even more fuel efficient. He wished he had been able to see EDI's first flight with the trio back when EDI was first online, but that was okay, he had done his job. He was just glad this test flight was going so well so far. So far so good, he couldn't ask for a better day than this!
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Post by Tinman on Apr 15, 2012 20:54:00 GMT -5
"Confirmed, Doctor Orbit." EDI replied and his nanoskin reacted instantly, lines opening all over his frame, then the clicking and whirring of gears, metal against metal as the aircraft began to reshape itself. The wings separated and lifted back as arms seemed to unfold from the forward underbelly and exposed sides. The chest area opened and the cockpit and nose folded down to cover this open area, settling EDI's gatlin guns on his shoulders. The engines arched back and up with the wings as legs unfolded from inside and underneath the middle and rear underside, wrapping around his rear landing gear and lifting him up on strong legs while the forward landing gear tucked itself away. The fins on either side of the cockpit arched up to protect the canopy and a full sensory HUD appeared on the inside of the now opaque canopy, allowing Keith to literally see the world through EDI's sensors. "Transformation complete." he said finally, then lifted one hand as if to look at it, then scanned the area. He still had access to flight, though he would not be as agile in the air in this form, which EDI well knew. He brought his hands up to the now shielded canopy, covering it protectively. "I am... free..." he said, a note of awe in his voice then. "Father... I... I am free..." he murmured, the new sensation strange yet exhilarating to him. He then activated his engines and launched himself into the air, soaring over the landscape in his robotic form as Keith watched everything zip by on the HUD, seeing EDI's thought processes as he moved, the precise control and calculations as he flew, testing this new form and what he could do with a mere shift in the position of his new arms and legs, the change in the arch of his wings. His missile deployment system would now pop out from his sides and angle forward instead of dropping down from underneath, and he tested this, though he did not fire. He had no targets, only testing missile pod deployment in this form before tucking them away again. "Free..." he murmured again as he flew, reveling in the feel of it.
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Post by Dr. Keith Orbit on May 19, 2012 4:35:46 GMT -5
Keith smiled warmly with joy as EDI arrived at his realization that he was free. He was as free as he could be, anyway, even though he was constructed for the sole purpose of working for the POE. But that reason was the primary reason why Keith was able to revive EDI in the first place. Keith had long since decided he would do what it takes to revive this AI UCAV. The POE had helped making it possible, though with how much money Keith had made over the years, it was very possible he could have eventually started the project on his own in his own home - but EDI still would have required missions to make himself useful.
Regardless, Keith was savoring every moment in the sky with his prized creation, the one being left he liked to call family. "Yes, yes you are EDI. I am glad that you can see this day." he scanned the horizon and looked for other possible places to visit.
A chain of lakes spanned out before them off to the left a few minutes later. "Shall we check those out?"
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Post by Tinman on May 19, 2012 11:52:36 GMT -5
EDI regarded the lakes for a moment, then responded. "Confirmed, Doctor Orbit." he answered, then veered over to the lakes, slowing down as he dropped in altitude to fly low over them. He tentatively lowered one hand towards the lake surface, barely touching the water for a moment as he flew, though the idea of being immersed in the water made him a bit nervous. On the HUD, calculations and design schematics began flickering as EDI contemplated his new design, wondering how waterproof his systems were now that he was no longer a sealed aerodynamic air craft, at least in his robotic form. Deciding not to risk it, he flew on before pulling up and landing at the edge of one of the lakes, his new feet making heavy impressions in the ground as he did so. He regarded the water thoughtfully, his scanners penetrating its surface to map the under water terrain and detecting the movement of fresh water fish and under water currents. He then awaited Keith's next command out of protocol, though he brought his hand up to cover the cockpit protectively again.
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Post by Dr. Keith Orbit on May 25, 2012 18:02:20 GMT -5
Keith smiled as EDI studied the water. Just like a curious human. "Would you like to explore? This is a nice location. It's fairly diluted of human population too." He had little preference. These lakes were very peaceful and human population didn't occur for another mile or more around them. He'd double checked that as they flew over them. Such leisurely visits were nice, and he didn't get to do it often. Even better yet, the time spent was with EDI.
Keith saw the hand cover up the cockpit, and it made him realize just how protective EDI was becoming.
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Post by Tinman on May 25, 2012 19:15:38 GMT -5
EDI pondered the idea for a few seconds, then decided that exploring was indeed a good idea. "Yes, exploration would be good." he replied and turned to begin actually walking along the edge of the lake, scanning the terrain as he went, though his hand remained on the cockpit protectively. "Father, would you like to... walk... with me?" he then asked softly, sensing no danger in the vicinity he could detect. He didn't want to keep Keith imprisoned in his cockpit, despite it being temperature controlled and comfortable. EDI valued freedom, and he knew his creator did too. How could he not? Freedom was extremely important, and EDI wanted to learn all he could from Keith about everything his creator could teach him. To do that, they had to be free.
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Post by Dr. Keith Orbit on Jun 9, 2012 23:06:39 GMT -5
"Sure, that would be nice to do. Perhaps we can make it a routine." Keith replied with a smile. "It's safe here, I can step out for a bit until you decide to take off again." Exploring in this perspective would certainly be good for the AI, he could learn about the planet he lived in from a different perspective - not from the air but on ground level too. He needed some fresh air himself in fact, he really didn't get outside that much. He always intentionally confined himself to his work space most days unless he had to go out into the city.
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Post by Tinman on Jun 11, 2012 4:40:09 GMT -5
"Confirmed, father." EDI replied, stopped his walk for a moment, and shifted his stance slightly for balance before lifting his cockpit section forward and up enough for it to open, allowing Keith to easily emerge. He moved his large hands underneath to catch his creator so he wouldn't simply fall to the ground, merely to gently slide out of EDI's cockpit and into his grasp. Once Keith was safely in EDI's hands, he lifted his creator away from himself and closed his cockpit, settling it back against his chest again before crouching down and carefully setting Keith on his feet in front of him. He then stood up fully again, waiting for his creator to take the lead in their stroll together. It was odd being on the ground like this, walking, but EDI took it as merely a new experience he could share with Keith. He adored his father, cherished him, and it showed.
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