Iios

Iios is the third (and currently the last) “true” Synth to have been created to date in the canon Dauntless universe; in the works he has a “brother”, Sei, and two bitter rivals, the twins Breeze and Zephyr, but as yet I have no place in the “real universe” for these three yet.

Names:
     “Iios” (similar to “Ee-oss” but softer and monosyllabic) is the Kiravai word for the mineral “Malachite”. He will answer to Malachite and variations on the theme, like “Mal”, but like any Kiravai he by far prefers his native name, and usually grows irritable to people persistently using the translation. The one exception to this is in Eri’s case – she sometimes calls him “Kye”, which is a typical Vullish name-derivation and comes from the last syllable in Malachite.

Appearance:
     Iios is a Kirasiinu cob; that is, a synthetic Kiravai male, constructed to be indistinguishable from biological Kiravai. If not for his unusual colouration, he could probably easily pass for just any other cob – which, incidentally, he often does, since he is very rarely in the company of his own people, these days.
     As his name may have suggested, “Malachite” is mostly green – excluding his eyes (which are a slightly orange-cast yellow), the inside of his mouth (a bluish grey), the soles of his feet (grey) and of course his interior structure. His skin is a demure, pleasant greyish jade, and his hair (since rather than feathers he usually opts for soft, humanlike hair) is a deeper, “mossy” green, both of which most Coalition citizens assume to have been generated by the famed Kiravai genetic therapy. Depending on his mood and whatever his current circumstances are, however (for instance, if he needs a disguise of some sort, or is just bored of his current style), he can physically remove and change his skull plating. This means he can exchange hair for feathers, for example, or short hair for long hair (as although he can cut his hair, it does not grow back); he usually opts for shades of green, although he does have black, white and varicoloured “wigs”. Since Eri has voiced a preference for the floppy untidy hair he wore when she first met him, he seems to have decided on that as his favoured style.
     Aside from colour and style, and his typical slouching manner, he is fairly average, if slightly taller than most, and his clothing gives him an unremarkable, slender build. (In comparison to most Kiravai, he is sleekly muscular, almost bulky. However, in comparison to the average Usurian, for instance, he is still willowy, with a fine, athletic “swimmer's build” rather than that of a body-builder.)

Persona:
     Iios is “atypical”, both for a Synth (at least, the common perception thereof) and for a Kiravai. Of all my Kiravai, he has the tendency to be the most stereotypically “swanlike” – proud, arrogant, territorial – and chauvinist and superiorist into the bargain, but he can also be equally silly and playful with his partner.
     One of his defining traits is of course his superiority complex – although some would say it is with good reasons that he has it in the first place. Not only is he physically superior – for instance, he is stronger, faster, more durable, not afflicted by any such biological physical fallibility as sickness and old-age – he is also cognitively superior, with excellent memory and computing capabilities, and excels at most of what he turns his hand to.
     It is not exclusively that, however, which has given him such an ego problem. He was “brought up” in a world that saw his kind as naturally better, closer to godliness – clean, pure, chaste… perfect. Although lately he hasn’t been living up to all the labels that once could have been applied to him, he still sees himself as a living embodiment of the last – perfect – and refuses to let anybody tell him differently.
     Although he sees himself as superior to all but a tiny minority (mostly his own kind), Iios is rather less sneeringly overbearing than he could have been – he has always been fairly just and rigidly logical even if his temper is unstable and his moods shift like sand. His contempt has weakened since being among “Kirasau”, also – provided he can boss them about, which ultimately led him to Halcyon, he is fairly easy to get on with.
     He is difficult to pin down because he’s highly mercurial – some days you can know him better than he knows himself, and know what he’s going to do long before he does it, whereas other days you can think you know him inside out and he still manages to surprise. He can be as snooty, stand-offish and sneeringly overbearing as any pure-blooded Kiravai Dominae in full flow, looking forever like there’s a bad smell under his nose, or as sweet-tempered as an Ondraii mother, devoted and charming. He can be as excited and carried away as any teenage DuSkai, or as surly and as moody as an Usurian female in heat. And as well as emotionally, he is socially mercurial – some days he’s gregarious and charming, looking like he’s exactly where he belongs, and other days he looks like he’d rather be anywhere but where he is, and lets you know it. He has mellowed considerably since meeting Eri in the latter respect, however – before meeting her, his only reason to mingle among “dirty, smelly biologicals” was to find information and pick their pockets, but now he’s happy to accompany her to parties merely as her consort.
     He financed a lot of his early dealings in Coalition Space by petty theft – he was an adept pickpocket, for instance, and once he was on the party circuit he bought himself a reputation as a high-roller solely in order to be invited to more high-end parties, and more “indigenous rich idiots”. Although he has left his more criminal days behind (ultimately earning a respectable role and rank as a Halcyon captain), he still loves to surprise people, and if there’s a shock value to be got from something, he’ll do it. He has been known to turn up for official functions in full makeup and a dress, for instance (where he fauxs a feminine tone rather than outright remodulate to a female voice, so he is still recognisable), or answer the front door in the nude. He also occasionally smokes, partly because it gets people whispering, and partly just because he can. (It was only after Eri complained it made him smell bad that he reconsidered that habit.)
     These days he “acts up”, as Eri calls it, more for the delight he gets in shocking people – she describes him as a rogue, “the sort your parents would disapprove of”. He’s gregarious, charming, cheeky and usually fairly inoffensive – provided he gets his own way – and seems to enjoy getting people’s disapproval. He enjoys winding others up, and proving he’s cleverer than they are by catching them out. He is also turning into something of an “experience whore” – the sort to want to do something purely so he can say he’s done it, and if it’s fun, then he can add it to his list of things to do again. For the same reasons, his behaviour tends to be “ambiguous” (especially when considering the sexual aspect) – he’s become fairly pansexual, since leaving his home territory, and will happily flirt with anyone regardless of gender provided they catch his eye in the right way, and can usually be bribed/flattered/emotionally-blackmailed into all manner of other situations.

     In the past few months he has begun to see himself as captain material once more, a “change of heart” sparked mostly by the ultimatum Eri gave him (“Go back to your old ways and I swear I’ll disown you”). Captaincy is after all what he was initially programmed for, he currently fails to see any significant distinction between the Coalition or Imperial fleets when it comes down to employment.

     One general exception to most of the above are his dealings with Eri. Like any cob he has a strong sense of lifetime commitment, and is frighteningly devoted to her, his chosen partner – a fact she herself doesn’t really understand, particularly given that she is just a “dirty little biological furbearer” – and he would willingly go out on a limb, at possible risk to his own life, to protect her. He adores her absolutely and without question, without compromise; he might not always betray it, and may tease her mercilessly at times, but always moderates the extremes of his behaviour for her, and would never tease to hurt. Plus, of course, get between him and her and by God you better have a bigger stick than he does (although given that he is inhumanly strong, unnaturally fast, and really quite clever, too, “trying one’s luck” is usually inadvisable at best and lethal at worst). As a friend he is as devoted and protective – it is gaining his respect in the first place that proves to be the hard part.

Internal Affairs:
     Because his construction was strongly referenced off both Ivory’s and Azure’s, a lot of his schematic details are strongly similar. His eyesight, for instance, is excellent, but he typically sees only in the standard biological range unless he “retunes”, his hearing is acute but sensitivity may be enhanced/decreased according to circumstances, and so on.

     His nanites are a lot more sophisticated than those of his predecessors – unlike Ivory’s, whose nanocellular repair system is strongly similar to a biological immune system and usually operates autonomously, correcting damage without needing to be instructed to do so, Iios has as good a control over his “immune system” as he does over any other part of his body. Although for the most part he just lets it “get on with it”, correcting imbalances and damage and so on, he can direct its attention more closely, such that if resources are tight it will correct the most serious damage first and others later. He has also at times instructed it to cause damage, notably when trying to blend in with biological individuals and having to feign injury/swelling. As self-propelled cellular robots, his nanites do not need a particular transit system to move around – they simply move between the tiny gaps in his substructure to get where they are needed.

     One thing he is incapable of, about which he is fairly unconcerned but Eri frets over, is the feeling of physical sensation – he senses only the tactile aspect of it. That is, he knows if something bumps or knocks against him, and he can feel hands caress his shoulders, but he feels neither pain at the blow nor pleasure at a massage. (Although this is not to say he does not appreciate the attention…!) This is part of the reason he is difficult to get interested in sexual activity – when playing with Eri, what excites him is exciting her, rather than any physical stimulation. This lack of frame of reference has made him unwittingly strong at times – like any Synthetic organism he has a considerable, hydraulic-based power, and has been known to hurt individuals with a well-meaning shove, or wound with an aggravated kick.

     Because he is considerably larger than Ivory, his temperature regulation capacity is also better, purely since he has the space to spare for extra “organs”. Like Ivy, he relies primarily on circulating coolants to regulate his core temperature – the main pump is located below his temperature-control bellows/“lungs”, and he uses said simulated organs as an exhaust port for excess heat. In hotter environments, a ring of coolant mesh around his “windpipe” prevents hot gases getting into his core, although if this heat is to excess he simply closes his lungs off altogether. His skin is usually cool to the touch unless he himself chooses to warm it, and although he habitually refers to this temperature-regulator and his primary pump (see below) as “hearts”, he has no heartbeat (the most that may be detected is a mild “purr” deep in hic chest).
     His primary heart – the pump which circulates “nutrients” around his body – is located fairly centrally, but only operates if needed. This system has an entirely separate circulation to his coolant system, although the two systems usually run as paired vessels for simplicity (the nutrient system does contain a mild antifreeze because of this, and is thus slightly toxic). He tops up the ionic and chemical components of his nutrient system almost exclusively by way of an “intravenous infusion” – opens a panel in his right wrist, connects the new fluids, and allows gravity to take over. Excess fluid is voided the same way – although he rarely lets himself get “boggy” and overloaded (although often gets dry, by comparison), opening the same port allows excess fluid to drain until internal hydrostatic pressure returns to normal. Coolant replacement is similar – although the ports are different, and located on his left wrist, to prevent “helpful” individuals connecting the wrong fluid to the wrong port if he is sufficiently incapacitated that he cannot do it himself. (It is also impossible to overfill with coolant, any excess merely runs straight back out via a valved overflow.)
     Unlike Ivy, he cannot make particularly good use of “eating” to correct electrolyte imbalances. Where she can ingest foodstuffs and they be manipulated and refined into usable chemicals, his “stomach” is designed more like a flexible holding pouch – he can retain small quantities of fluid in difficult times, and carry nutrient-system supplies (and equipment, bizarrely) but cannot extract nutrients directly via the pouch wall. (Although he is working on a way around this, so goodness only knows what the end result will turn out to be…) His “digestive tract” – or rather, “transit system” – ends at the stomach, although there are other pouches in his abdomen. (He implied nefarious uses for them and entertained ideas of smuggling, when Eri asked, but inwardly he has almost no idea why he has them.)
     He also possesses genitalia, carried internally like any other cob does – although he is mystified as to why he was given them, especially when his tactile senses are so rudimentary, and when he is naturally sterile. (His best estimate is that he was designed to have the exact same options as any biological cob, although he has more than once expressed a distaste at the idea of “swapping fluids.”)

     His strength comes mostly from micro-hydraulics, but he does have an associated musculature system for finer movement control (and backups), operating on a principle of electro-reactive elastomers. Arranged in bundles, they contract upon application of current, and are strongly similar to biological muscles. Without the hydraulic backup his strength would be considerably diminished, but the two systems run in tandem so the loss of one without the other is unlikely.
     His skin is tri-layered; it is satiny in quality and marginally softer to the touch than biological Kiravai skin, but tougher and heavier in nature, and brings to mind soft leather if removed (eg for maintenance). The top layer is coloured, composed of a toughened micro-crystalline elastomer, and backed by a dual-layer Teflon-like substance dubbed “Biofilm” by the creators (although it is no more biological than any other component.) Biofilm consists of two thin membranous sheets, connected together by electrostatic forces and sandwiching a layer of highly lubricant oil, which allows them to slide over each other to a certain extent and so allowing movement between skin and internal structure. The outer layer of Biofilm is attached to the underside of the elastomer layer; the inner layer forms a “fascia” over the underlying components, be they muscles, plating, trunking, etc.

     As does Ivy, Iios has the capability to form a “neuronal uplink” with his ship; this is a semi-physical connection, operating by way of a “neural cradle” – so named because it is a meshwork structure cradling the cortical housing. The device is strongly based off an old diagnostic tool, used to assay the operating status and capability of a synthetic brain without opening the cortex and without the potential to cause physical damage to the interior. To use it Iios currently must remove a portion of skull plating to enable an good, uninterrupted connection, but he is working on advancing the sensitivity of the pickups such that it will operate through his exterior skull plating.
     Unlike Dauntless, Iios’ ship is totally nonsentient; Dauntless’ sentience stemmed primarily from Ivy’s method of core maintenance, which often involved “propping up” faulty code with her own. As Iios’ ship was not experimental, the requirement to donate code was not there, and thus it has not “learnt” from him. He treats it as more of an extension to his own body, which Ivy is currently unable to do with Dauntless.

Brief history:
     Iios was created by a small team of Kiravai cyberneticists using the basic schematics used for Azure’s construction; their initial brief was to create an efficient, autonomous military commander, capable of maintaining border security with fewer troops. Although obviously masculine and rather stronger, he is otherwise similar to Azure in general size and ability.
     His creation ran almost parallel with Azure’s for the early months, although Ivy (who at the time was on the Construct Team) didn’t know there was anyone more than just Azure, with the technicians taking all the details from Azure’s construction and passing them on to the second team. His creation nevertheless ultimately lagged some months behind Azure’s, and he was finished long after she and Ivy left Vei’la space.
     Almost at the very instant his construction was completed, he was taken away and thrust into his official role; his creator complained bitterly about not being given time to teach his “child” but the corporations shouted him down. Iios’ creator, an older cob by the name of Imanu, recognised the illogic to putting an intelligent, sapient but essentially very young creature into a role of such great responsibility without first teaching it such basics as social etiquette, personal duty, even such simple concepts of right and wrong. It was this “moral insufficiency”, however, that the Corporate Managers had been hoping for – hoping they could channel this ruthless superiority into making him a better commander, especially on border patrols. For a time, it seemed to be working – although emotional and untraditional, Iios was a fairly just and logical commander – until he grew fixated by Azure, irritable at the way he couldn’t immediately have her, and determined to get her at all costs. This cost a great deal of wasted time and energy – while he was keeping his crew busy on border worlds chasing leads, they weren’t protecting the Imperium.
     Unable to sanction his position any longer, High Command instructed their latest “assets” – the Twins – to remove him to a cybernetics facility where he could be reprogrammed or decommissioned, whichever was more likely to be successful and of course whichever was cheaper. Naturally, he resisted, and on a one-to-one basis he may have won, but superior numbers ultimately proved near-fatal for him (although he gave as good as he got, and Breeze suffered considerable damage). The time it took Zephyr to get assistance for himself and his “sister” and call for retrieve was time enough for the Dauntless crew to discover Iios and remove him to safety – Azure herself was adamant there was a kernel of goodness in him, in spite of the shabby way he had treated her the few times they were together.
     He spent the following months or two on the borders of society – in both a metaphorical and a literal sense, keeping primarily to border worlds and lurking at the fringes where he would draw as little attention to himself as was possible. His lack of fingerprints and DNA, and his skill with computers, made him quite the expert thief, and a little money under his belt made him bolder, so when he finally met Eri it was at a high-end University Fundraising party in Ondra’s Primary City, turning heads as a rebel and an exciting rogue.

Notes:
     Iios was originally a concept for an RP character who ultimately was never used. This “version” of Iios was a rather more vicious character altogether; driven, callous, and fairly unprincipled (even if he was fairly logical), willing and able to use force to get his way.
     Poor Iios has also become something of an outlet for my stupidity. I'm not sure why he lends himself so well to these idiotic schemes - perhaps because he's so untraditional himself, or perhaps because he's the sort to want to try things out just to see what happens, or perhaps because I've already made my mind up that he is the kind to get involved in stupidity-for-stupidity's-sake. (I think it's fortunate that he's synthetic, since as it stands I'd have killed him several times over is he wasn't.)

First met in: Iios was FIRST met in a Main Sequence story, but as that hasn't been uploaded yet... "Rogue in Velvet" is the next closest.

Art:
Raindrops - the first (and unfinished) image I did of him. I think he was angsting over an unattainable love, at the time. Maybe I'll dig out the associated story, sometime. (PS I'm aware the anatomy is horrible. :P)
"Fear not the Dark..." - I was on a bit of an "inner workings" spree here. I blame Danji. :P
Snowbound - modelling the latest in Kiravai storm gear. Related to the first picture, but set earlier in the storyline.
"I'm sure I could disillusion you..." - I never DID get that hand right. That's a radio microphone by his mouth, by the way, clipped around his ear.
Dancers - you WILL dance with me...
Another old Profile - getting the idea I find this character hard to draw...?
Old Profile - fuzzy. He USED to have long feathers, but that got revised. I think the floppy rug he now has stems partly from the little fuzz-headed version in the middle, and Franz Ferdinand. :P
Life's a drag - well, he's in some kind of undercover assignment, but doing WHAT, I'm not exactly sure.
"Fruit in Season: Cob Nuts" - I was trying hard to think up a sensible title for another piece I was working on, and all that'd come to me at the time was "cob nuts", hence this bit of silliness. (Warning: contains nudity. I mean, he is Kiravai and all that so you can't SEE anything, but eh, whatever.) When your pet's brain is no bigger than a rather small peanut, these things happen.
Bad for your Health - trying for a realistic style for his profile. Fairly pleased with it, but I still need to dig the picture out of my pile of boxes to get it coloured.
Nibbles - getting mooshy with Eri.
Captain Iios? - Modelling the Ardea uniform. No, the rahi is not regulation uniform, and neither are the shades, but eh, it'd take souls braver than I to argue with him over it.
Come and have a go... - ...if you think you're hard enough.
"...Who, ME?" - with a face like that, how could you possibly suspect he might be up to something?
"Why yes, I AM wonderful." - surprise and wonderful giftart from Ms Bluesky/Rockerbot.