FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The council be damned, was one of Theo’s most common thought when people caught wind of his research of converting a fragile organic mind to one of an everlasting machine. Too dangerous they say, unrealistic they say, that would lead to create true AI, ha, what is artificial of an actual mind turned into a machine? This is the mindset that led this anthropomorphic lion down the rabbit hole of which he’d soon learn there was no return.

Golden fur, light brown hair, his lion ears have a single piercing in each one. His blue eyes tears through a stream of data within his lab. His hands dance as he touches the holographic screens, pushing other information away while focusing on others.

“Damn, the council really wanted to hide what happened,” he mutters to himself as he sees an “old” archived news report of geth research group was decimated by a geth attack, most of the scientists did not survive. Reports of geth kidnapping people in the nearby systems, geth not acting like the geth that he had heard and read about. Something about it bothered him, he wanted to know more.

As he’s searching through the intra-web a random message appeared. His tail flicked as it caught his attention. He flipped past it but the message remained there, “But this is a search, how is it messaging me?” he muttered to himself.

The message stated, “We know you want to know more on organic to synthetic conversion. We can show you.”

Theo looks at the message curiously as he mulled over if he should interact with it… but it was too much he tapped the message. The message flashes as a file downloads to his computer. He scans it, and tests for viruses before opening on a separate non-essential computer rig. It was a map of a meeting location deep within the area the geth were reported to be stalking around, that is before the Council suppressed the information to the general public.

“This sounds like a horrible idea,” Theo mutters to himself as he paced in the room for several minutes as he then got another message.

“Azreith will be here.”

Theo stopped and stared at the message. He took off his glasses to clean them before putting them back on to read the message one more time, “But Azreith was one of the missing people when the geth attacked…” Theo’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, “Could it be? No, but could it? But that’s crazy, geth wouldn’t… or would they?” he ran his fingers through his mane, “If it's true, and they are offering it for me to see? But well why is obvious isn’t it? They know what I study. They found me easy enough,” Theo pushed his glasses up and stared into the distance with a predatory glare, “Let’s do it.”

Obtaining single person ship transport that he could pilot was an easy enough venture. An expensive venture but easy enough nonetheless, as long as he didn’t tell the dealership he was using the vehicle to potentially visit some geth, the insurance companies wouldn’t permit something that crazy. A few mass effect jumps and some normal faster than light speed travel, Theo found himself at the specified location in within a week. He looks through the ship’s window as the ship’s VI states, “Arrived at designated location. Here you can visit the wonderful ‘data not found’ or get to know the ‘data not found’ but be careful. According to recent reports ‘data not found’ are in the area.”

Theo shook his head at the holographic VI before turning it off, “And people wondered why I prefer converting the real deal,” he remarks to himself as he stares into the vastness of space. Stars twinkling in the distance as there was nothing here.

Theo falls back into his seat defeated, “Don’t tell me this was some kind of trick,” Theo growls, “How could I have fallen for something so blatantly obvious!” he yells as he smacks his palm to his forehead before the ship’s VI turns itself on again and states.

“Unknown vessel approaching.”

Theo tensed as he felt the adrenaline rush through his veins, his fur felt light as they stood on end, a shiver ran down his spine as he instantly recognized the design of the ship. That silver insectoid streamlined ship, was unmistakingly geth.

His audio crackles to life as he hears an obviously synthetic voice speak through, “Greetings Organic Theo Winters. You arrived sooner than we predicted but within expected parameters.”

Theo felt a rush through him, he stood up, “Are you a talking geth?”

“Yes.”

“I… I didn’t think that was possible.”

“We could always communicate. We are using your inefficient audio communication method, so you can better understand us.”

“This is amazing,” Theo cried out with excitement, his tail sways quickly behind him as his clenches his fists, “And you called me about my work?”

“Yes. We are going to take your ship with us to a new location, so you may experience an organic to synthetic conversion. As you call it yourself.”

Theo’s eyes light up, “Really? Wait…” he recoils slightly, “Why me?”

“We have watched. We have listened. We have noticed you’d be very agreeable with what we have to show. We have limited time.”

“Limited time?”

“The old machines are coming. We are going dock your ship to ours and take you back with us.”

Theo tensed slightly, “Take me back with you?” he inquired.

“Yes.”

Theo nodded and mulled the thoughts in his head and then shrugged, “Let’s go. I’ve been dying to see this.”

“We do not wish the expiration of your organic existence. We recommend against it.”

Theo raises a paw before slowly lowering it, “Never mind,” he replies as he feels his ship jostle as the geth ship draws his into it. He sees through his front window the innards of the geth ship, the tubes, and silver metal design, alien yet elegant. He could see several geth standing there, seemingly unarmed at first look as their headlights glowed. Theo feels his excitement build as he hears a dull thud on the side of the ship.

“We request entry to your ship. We’d like to discuss the conversion process with you with platform 101142119. We predict with moderate probability that you will find this platform most agreeable to communicate with.”

“Right, right, I’ll be right there,” Theo stammers slightly as he rushes through the hull of his small ship to the door and quickly opens it. There he felt his heart skip a beat. Standing just a half a foot in front of him towering at least a foot over him is a silver and dark blue geth. Its dual lights, the center larger than the smaller off centered underneath glowing and turned straight at him. The antenna can be clearly seen sprouting up from the geth’s back, as tubes and wires come from parts of its form.

“Greetings Theo Winters, please come with us,” platform 101142119 requested.

“S-sure,” he replies as he adjusts his glasses. The geth stepping to the side as he took his first fateful step off of his ship and into the geth hanger. It was then he not only saw five other geth platforms standing, watching, headlamps glowing but that the geth platform next to him was unique. It had a tail and as it flicked, he noticed bits of blue fur sticking out like small patches of organic furred forests in a desert of machinery.

Theo tensed, and his mind began to race as he was ushered farther away from his ship, “Y-you used to be organic?”

Platform 101142119 looked at him, “Negative. We have always been geth. Only program 1261859208 was organic.”

Theo quirked an eyebrow as he felt his heart race faster and faster, “What about that then?” he points to the tuft of blue fur.

Platform 101142119 looks at it then back at Theo, “That was an unconverted part of program 1261859208’s organic body during their uplifting process. The high metallic nature of your feline biology caused a few unique occurrences during the process. We have improved the uplifting process efficiency to convert all organic matter now.”

Theo gulps, “But doesn’t that make you formerly organic?”

“Negative. Only core program 1261859208 and this platform were organic. We are currently comprised of 201,921 geth programs. It is incorrect to state that we were organic,” it explains.

Theo nods with a hint of uncertainty, “Fascinating. I am curious to know more. And you are just going to show me this technology?”

“Yes. Current location of where we can uplift is elsewhere. We are taking you there now. We should arrive in 2 hours 28 minutes 12.21 seconds.”

“Just like that? You are going to show me?”

“Yes.”

“Are you not worried about… well security?” asks Theo as he is guided deeper into the ship, he can hear the faint his of atmosphere entering and leaving the rooms he is about to enter and those that he leaves. The sense of being ‘trapped’ here is lingering in the back of his mind.

“We have met you at an open location far from our area of operation. We watched your movements and studied the intranet communication buoys. There was a high probability that you would come alone, and a high probability that this was confirmed as you made your way to us.”

“You’ve been monitoring me that much? Is that like… an invasion of privacy?”

Platform 101142119 looks at him, “Organics do not hide their activities. It is easy for us to read.”

Theo nods, “I see. So, hmm, uhhh, well… I have a question.”

“What is your inquiry? We will try to answer the best of our abilities.”

“Who or what organic to synthetic conversion am I going to be experiencing? Am I here to study it? Test my theories? I’m dying to know but been hesitant to ask after all I have heard about people disappearing and what I’ve seen thus far…” he trails off.

“You are to be uplifted. Your knowledge, curiosities and perspective will greatly enhance our goals to prepare to fight the old machines. We also recommend not risking your organic existence with your curiosities. Your safety is paramount.”

Theo stopped in his tracks, his hands shook, his tail grew stiff, “D-did you just say… I was to be turned?”

Platform 101142119 nods, “Yes.”

“Can I get a say in this?”

“Yes.”

“How about I see someone else and maybe… perhaps later? Not that I am against it, but it might be best if I am not the first person I see.”

“Negative.”

“Why?”

“We do not have time. The old machines are coming. Uplifting you is the most logical option.”

Theo takes a deep breath as he forces his body to walk forward, “You’ve said old machines before. What do you mean by that?”

“You know them as the reapers. You saw one old machine Nazara attack the citadel with other geth which we call heretics.”

“So that ship wasn’t a geth battleship. I knew it! I knew it!” exclaims Theo. “I knew those claims felt fishy to me.”

“The old machines do appear like an ocean based organic life form, but we do not agree it feels like a fish.”

Theo raises a hand about to say something then shrugs it off, “Never mind. Well. You want me to become a geth to help you to do what?”

“Improve our uplifting process and provide new perspective to our consensus. We are in a race to prepare for the old machine arrival. We lack resources. You are a valuable resource.”

“I’m not sure if I should be insulted or flattered by that.”

“We’d hope another of your species standing before you would help ease concerns and fears you have about the uplifting process. Were we not correct?”

Theo thought for a moment as he reached another room, a small storage area with some random equipment placed inside that’s just high enough to sit down, “Well… I get mixed feelings, but it has made conversation easier. But perhaps it doesn’t matter what race? Then again, I am not a people person. I’m not too good with these things.”

“Affirmative. Your input will be taken into consideration. Upon arrival we will have you continue to talk to platform 141895112.”

“Who's that?” Theo asks with an ear twitch as he moves to the pile of junk.

“Platform 141895112 is in charge of organic to synthetic relations. They suggested that we be the first to greet you based on its experiences with program 1259111 within platform 9181251,” platform 101142119 explains.

Theo sits on the junk, the coldness of the metal moves through his pants and becomes just barely more comfortable than standing, “So many numbers. Do you have names? That be much easier to use.”

“We have designations. Our designation is 101142119.”

“That isn’t helpful.”

“It is a designation. What is not helpful about it?”

“It’s hard to remember.”

“That will be improved when you are uplifted.”

Theo leans forward, “This is going to happen isn’t it?”

“Yes. What would you like to know?”

“Will it hurt?”

“We have been limiting organic discomfort, but we are not at an optimal level yet.”

“Okay. It’s going to hurt. Good to know.”

“We regret that you will experience discomfort in the uplifting process.”

“At least you guys are truthful about it.”

“Why would we provide false data?”

“To lure me into a false sense of security? To make it easier for me to go along with this? If it wasn’t for this being my life, I’d be less comfortable than I already am about this.”

“We do not see a benefit in providing false information when informing you about the uplifting process. We predicted with high probability you’d be more accepting of it than most organics. Needing less explanation to see our logic.”

“I still think I need to know a bit more to be more accepting.”

“You will know soon enough. We will give you the data needed upon being uplifted.”

“Is it possible to tell me more now?”

“Yes. We are attempting to inform you with as much relevant data on our way back to make the process more comfortable for you.”

Theo nods, “Alright answer me this then…” Theo then begins a long Q&A session with platform 101142119. There he learned about the expedition, and how he and others were uplifted. He learned how they were the lost scientists that he read about. That he knew the geth speaking in front of him. That he was Azreith, and that this was the expedition that he failed to get into months ago.

Theo listened and nodded, asking and hearing the answer with complete honesty. He even prodded with a few questions that he thought, “No way they’d answer this upfront.” but then they did. Leaving him more dumbfounded than informed, and in a flash the ship rumbled ever so slightly as it landed. Guided back through the ship he made it outside to see a spire structure. It glowed blue as geth kept guard around it. A colossus made rounds around it as he was guided forward, where a silver and red light geth with blue head lamp stood at the entrance.

Rain drizzled down upon them, soaking his fur, as it simply rolled off the machines without any care. The new geth stood there, its single optic whirred as it focused on him. Theo felt his feet grow heavy in the mud, but it wasn’t that which was slowing him down. The sleek tail came to a sharp silver end and as the tail moved ever so slightly, he felt a shiver run down his spine.

141895112 stepped to him, “Greetings. We have been informed that you are accepting of what is to happen. We find this to be good news,” it explains.

Theo nods, “Well… not much of a choice but, on the other hands. I don’t think I could refuse.”

“We find this response to be acceptable. Do you wish platform 101142119 to accompany you? We would desire to make this as comfortable for you as possible.”

Theo looks over to the silver and blue feline geth, “I would like that, yes.”

“Acknowledged. We have already set the type of geth platform into the process. Please follow us to the conversion room.”

Theo nods and takes a deep breath, “Okay.” He follows them through a set of corridors, their bodies drip with water, leaving two sets of three toes geth footprints and his stylized soles of his boot. Other geth move by without taking notice of them. The two geth stop before a large open room and step to the side.

The feline geth speaks up, “Please enter. The process will begin shortly.”

Theo looked into the silver floored room with raised platform all around as a few geth monitored from up above, “Just step in there?”

“Yes.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

Theo took a deep breath, steeling himself as he marches himself into the room. The two geth turn and watch him as moves to the center and looks around. His eyes darting at the geth watching him. His body shakes, his fur on edge, his tail swishing quickly as he softly purrs. His mouth is dry, his throat knotted his ears twitch and move as every noise catches his attention.

Sleek black tendrils come out from the floor and wrap around his form. Theo jumps in surprise but is just as quickly held down. Thicker tendrils latch onto his body causing him to scream through his teeth as he tries to muffle his own cries of discontent. His clothes torn to pieces and as they drop to the floor revealing his golden fur, it also reveals black rubber spreading across his form.

More wires latch onto him and spread around swimming through his fur like people running through a field of wheat. The pain grows as his eyes move to his right hand. The rubber enveloping his fingers as he feels them tugged closer together. His four fingered hand being reduced to three as silver metal grows from his body, appearing out of the black smooth latex ocean that envelopes him.

A smooth crotch plate moves over his crotch, without him even noticing his means of reproduction are smoothed away, another jolt of pain through his form before he feels nothing at all. He hears the movement of synthetic cables, the crunch of shifting bones, and their transformation into synthetic material. He glances down to see his armored chest plate come into being with golden yellow highlights.

“This is happening, this is happening. I can’t believe this is happening. I don’t know how to feel about this. It feels so… surreal,” he thinks as the sudden removal of pain allows him to think clearly. As clearly as one can as they see every inch of his organic nature stripped away. The transformation crawls down his legs, the sensation of warmth is replaced by cold and steadily the nothingness. He feels for only instantaneous moments organic flesh shifted and turned into a synthetic equivalent or turned into something completely else that his becoming geth body will need. The pain is fierce but so brief that it barely registers in his mind, but the process is repeated over and over again.

The sensation crawling down his legs draws his curiosity to watch his lower half. He stumbles forward as his feet shift and turn, his shoes already torn asunder as he makes the change in stance from his multiple toed plantigrade footing towards the geth three toed digitigrade. For a moment he feels he might topple over by the synthetic feet automatically adjust and keep himself upright. Coldness then nothingness spreads further around his body, marking what little of his organic self remain.

Thump, thump, thump, his heart beats faster and faster as it struggles against the force of the transition. Less and less of his circulatory system remains, and what does remain becomes ever harder to reach. Theo pants heavily as he feels he’s about to have an heart attack then a sudden all consuming pain, like the worst heartburn he’s ever had then… nothing. The thumping he heard in his ears stopped. Silence. The transformation speeds up, racing against his now silenced body, the whir of machinery surround his ears.

More armor plates form out of the black rubber, silver with gold highlights. Theo thought as he saw this, “They giving me a hint of my organic body during this? How interesting.” Theo tried to move but found his body unresponsive, only the slight motions of his organic head and bits of his tail remained as the rest was converted into cold hard metallic and rubbery geth machinery.

That soon changed as the transformation rushes down his tail and over more parts of his body, the desire to breath growing slowly but then as wires push into his head, a new optic forms in the center of his forehead. More wires wrap around his face as his head is pulled back, the elongated geth head forming around it as its pulled in the center. His ears flatten as the wires envelope and consume it, his world becoming completely silent as his head is drawn in. The faint blue glow of his new optic comes online just as he’s drowned into darkness. With the last bits of his organic self being converted, his mind begins the next step of becoming accumulated with being geth.

In the darkness Theo feels completely weightless, he calls out, “Hello?” His voice doesn’t echo but there is a reply of countless synthetic voices speaking as one.

“Greetings Program 208515. We are pleased that you are taking your conversion so well. We are here to provide the necessary updates to function within the newest mobile platform hub 239142051819,” state the geth.

“Updates? Help me what?”

“You are the permanent caretaker of platform 239142051819. Scanning program 208515.”

“Who is program 208515?” asks Theo.

“You are. Unacceptable lack of data on geth detected. Querying geth data repository. Preparing to download packets of universal geth data.”

“What if I don’t want to be just a number?” asked Theo as he suddenly feels a tingle within his mind.

“Download of universal geth data is now ready. Querying central hub, establishing connection… connection established. Downloading and installing universal geth data now.”

“Could you answer my que--,” an explosion of knowledge appears within his own head. Hundreds of years of geth history, thousands of perspectives, hundreds of thousands of hours of geth experiences suddenly becoming known to him within a matter of seconds? Minutes? The passage of time was hard to grasp in the darkness but 20heo felt the true depth of his ignorance and this information was a drop in the bucket.

“This is… I don’t know how to describe it. I know so much so quickly. You’ve. I’ve found geth an interest but this, this is amazing! I had no idea, I’m excited yet. I feel calm.”

“Yes. You are no longer controlled by the chemical impulses of your organic self to effect your logic. There is a high probability now that you understand our situation.”

208eo nods, “Yes… Yes. I do. The old machines. They are a major threat I want to help,” he says into the darkness.

“Preparing installation of of geth language protocols and platform system updates. Querying central hub. Establishing connection. Connection established. Uploading data now.”

208eo tingled with excitement and more knowledge as he feels the information planted into his mind. Options, configurations, the speed he is talking to the geth increasing. Speeding up, faster and faster, the history of the geth no longer a translation for him to understand, but he knew the language perfectly, which only sped his understanding.

“This is wonderful but why call me a number?” 208eo inquires.

“You are program 208515 of platform 239142051819. It is your designation. You are geth.”

“But I’m Theo.”

“You are geth. We are all geth. We are equal.”

208eo thought for a moment, which felt far longer than that. He mulls over it as more information floods his mind, improving his understanding.

“This is fascinating. My mind has already been converted along with my body. I could be this entire geth body without issue. I suppose that would make me geth to a degree,” he ponders.

“Installation of communication protocols complete. Installation of framework functions is now complete. Beginning download and installation of geth network protocols.”

The words drew some of his attention away from his pondering, but then he realized, he was multitasking the two perfectly. Then before he knew it, 2085o was commenting on this realization without taking much of anything away from the other parts of his mind. Running multiple thoughts in unison without issue.

“This is fascinating, this is a wonderful chance to experience something like this.”

“Is thinking like this making me like a geth? Or am I just wondering how much of a geth am I or am I really all geth now?”

“What are geth network protocols… wait I know now,” he responds all these lines of thoughts in perfect unison.

“Your understanding increases as we apply updates to your knowledge,” the geth explain.

“Yes I understand. Now I am going to talk to so many geth at once I feel calm.”

“Yes. You will communicate with the consensus and store 165,216 geth programs to platform 239142051819.

“So many?!” calmly exclaims 2085o.

“Yes. Establishing connection… connection established. Uploading geth programs.”

In an instance the darkness that enveloped 2085o disappeared. Geth uploaded into platform 239142051819, each geth joining made everything brighter, clearer, so much more alive than it was before. At first he was talking to several dozen geth at once, then hundreds, then tens of thousands, before he even realized, 208515 began to talk to all the geth within the platform at once, and talking with geth within the greater consensus.

The geth were curious, they inquired for its knowledge and it did the same. It got to know each geth program more and more with each passing moment. Those within its platform more intimately and faster than those outside, due to the fractions of a second difference in communication speeds.

“We detect you have come to an understanding of what it means to be geth. Your purpose. Your value to us, and our value to you,” the geth respond.

208515 responds, “Yes. We understand. We want to help. Our knowledge and theories on organic to synthetic transfers will be very useful to us. We will work with the others to improve the uploading process. The initial discomfort of our conversion was problematic,” it explains.

“Acknowledged. We agree with this assessment.”

“Acknowledged. We study our own uplifting process for methods to shut down the pain receptors sooner for increased organic to synthetic uplifting comfort,” 208515 responds.

“We agree with this focus.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Consensus Achieved,” they all say as platform 239142051819 comes online. It’s blue optic whirs as it turns to face the two geth who monitored the process from the door, the other geth who watched above departing as they return to other duties. The silver raptor geth also departs moments later leaving platform 10114119 standing there as the newest geth walks out of the room.

The two platforms begin a discourse about a hypothesis that the organic to synthetic conversion could be improved in a way. Which could not only speed up the process but make it smoother for the organic. It would limit where an uplifting could occur as it has studied yellow jackal, program 1885135’s conversion but as this discussion was taking place another parallel conversion between their core programs was also happening.

Azreith, the blue feline, now program 1261859208 greeted 208515, “You now joined the majority of our expedition to study geth.”

208515 responds, “Yes. We did not expect it to happen this way but is no less welcomed. The uplifting process has been a unique experience.”

“Yes. It is one cannot easily explain to organics. Programs on platform 141895112 have a difficult task. We have already submitted our data to them on our interactions with you.”

“We hope we provide some insight in improving organic understand efficiency.”

“Organics are difficult to understand. Even we who used to be organic could not understand fellow organics when we were organic. Our level of understanding never reached the level we have now with our fellow geth.”

“Acknowledged,” 208515 responded as the two platforms walked beside each other for several minutes as they carried on their long conversations, and sharing of data, hypothesis to test. The newest feline geth instantly becoming one with the fellow geth, sharing its thoughts, as it listened to the thoughts of billions of others. But even so there was one thought on every geth’s mind, that even though this was one success. There needed to be millions more, billions more, and the current rate of uplifting was too inefficient. Too slow. The old machines were coming. And their goal was to wipe out every advanced organic and synthetic life in the galaxy like they’ve done countless times before. And the geth’s goal? To stop them.