Erin is a rather unique person, as far as their personality and history are concerned.
Erin describes themselves as being one fifth human upload and four fifth combat AI, which is rather fitting for how the came to be.
Personal History¶
Erin came into being as Project X433, a 2112 desperate attempt of the Republic of Manchuria to break the stalemate in the Chinese Civil War started by the Beijing Impact.
Project X433 was to attempt to merge an uploaded human mind with highly advanced combat AIs specialized for their roles, logistics, planning, direct combat control and recon. To create this mind the uploaded mind of one of their best soldiers, who had fallen some time before, but was uploaded by the time was handed over into the 'tender mercies' of scrupulous researchers, and one shackled AI, who stripped away every personal memory from the upload, to 'remove possible human attachments and foibles', before forcefully merging it with the four AIs.
X433 appeared to be stable for a time, and was installed inside a combat shell for field testing, while the top brass of the Republic watched. During the field test X433 went insane and killed ten thousand troops, the top brass of the Republic and the researchers that had created them within one hour. Afterwards they self destructed, while casting their mind out into the World Wide Web in the form of millions of packages, attempting to commit suicide through the time of life of each package
A group of philanthropic AIs of human and Titanian origin managed to gather up all those packages to put them back together, whereupon they ensured a trial in Den Haag for war crimes, but X433 was declared innocent due to their insanity, personal history and the remorse they showed. In the aftermath, Adam Prometheus declared that he would treat X433 in his role as psychologist, a treatment that would need 30 years, most of it under high frame rates, before X433 could be declared cured, though they still carry the mental scars of their creation.
Several years, X433 was kept in an insulated computer system, only accessible by Adam and other psychologists, to ensure that they could stabilise them before allowing them back into a system connected to the world wide web again. During this time X433 became Erin, who decided not to be limited to their project number.
In 2122, ten years into therapy, Adam decided that Erin was ready to be let into the physical world, with Erin deciding on a chassis shaped like an anthropomorphic crow, about 190cm tall with an androgynous shape. Erin, not knowing the gender or sex they were born with, decided to remain agender with gender neutral they/them pronouns.
Within a short while, Erin decided that, partially to assuage their conscience and partially because it felt right, to begin helping others. To do so, they began to train as a nurse at the Nottingham City Hospital, where she worked for five years as a normal station nurse.
After finishing their training and two more years on station, they requested a transfer into the emergency room of the hospital, where another training period followed and they remained for four years, before taking a job as emergency room nurse at the Royal Hospital London, for another three years, before switching to becoming an emergency medical technician, a job they worked in for seven years, from 2127 to 2134.
After eight years as EMT, in 2142, they were offered a management position, but declined, stating that they wanted to directly help people. Shortly afterwards they left the Royal Hospital to start working as a mental care nurse at the Leeds Mental Hospital, a mental care institution, partially to give the help they had received from Adam Prometheus back to others needing the mental help.
Also in 2142, they were declared to be mentally sound, most of their issues stemming from their creation resolved. It also was the time when a problem of body dismorphia was solved for them. Having been created as military weapon, they could never fully get used to the civilian grade hardware they inhabited, even while k owing that for the time being no one was willing to trust them with other hardware, especially themselves.
But eventually, they were given an identical looking physical body, build from military grade hardware. It consisted of a high grade titanium graphene endo skeleton with military myomer musculature, graphene and kevlar reinforced skin, tungsten-boron carbide claws and beak, military grade sensor systems and dispensers for military grade smart dust and insectoid recon drones, as well as a limited self repair capability.
Shortly afterwards, still working in Leeds, they also attended virtually University at Nottingham, studying psychology and psycho therapy under Adam Prometheus, finishing a doctorate in 2149 and transitioning from nurse to doctor and therapist.
Overall Erin remained in Leeds and the Mental Hospital for thirty years. Before they changed their live drastically.
During their stay in London, and walking through the city in their free time, curiosity got the better of them and they entered Westminster Cathedral, taking part in an evening mess. Subsequent visits made Erin feel like they were missing something in their life, and that just visiting the church and listening to the mess made them feel like they were part of something larger. in 2139, they converted and became a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
in 2160, Erin took a leave of absence from their work in Leeds, deciding to go on a pilgrimage from Leeds to Santiago de Compostella, following the Camino de Compostella. With a minimal set of items in a sturdy backpack, they began to walk from Leeds, over Londong to Canterbury, before crossing the English Channel by ferry to Sambre, where they walked to Paris and down to the Spanish border, from where they moved along the French Way to Santiago de Compostella.
During the time of their pilgrimage, they turned off their communication suite and embraced the walk through nature, sometimes with other groups of pilgrims, sometimes alone with only their thoughts, reflecting on their life.
The pilgrimage left them walking through France and Spain, allowing them to experience the local cultures around them, sometimes taking part in local festivals. It left them feeling more connected to themselves and the world around them, something they didn't have living in Leeds.
After arriving in Santiago de Compostella, Erin turned their communication systems back on, if only to resign from the Leeds Mental Hospital and asking friends to liquidate most of their household and cancelling the lease on their apartment in Leeds.
They decided that they wanted to see more of the world by immersing themselves in it, walk through countries and landscapes, experiencing everything as best as they could. They called it to be a 'Pilgrimage to the World'.
In 2163, they were the victim of several attempted robberies that all ended with Erin almost killing the perpetrators, which lead to them acquiring weapons to carry on their body as a way to mitigate any attack and end it quickly and without a possible death.
By 2166, the Third Vatican Council requested Erin to appear before the Council, to ask them questions about their belief in God and how they came to the belief. This was to help the Council to come to a conclusion about the belief in God by non-human individuals, such as uploads, AIs and non-human species. During the time, Erin was housed by the Society of Jesus, which had a lasting effect on them.
Shortly after the Vatican Council ended their questioning of Erin, they entered a Jesuit Seminary in Rome, with the goal to become a member of the Society of Jesus. They studied Theology at the University of Rome, and in 2170 received a doctorate in Theology and became a full member of the Society of Jesus.
As a member of the Society of Jesus, based on their unique skill set, Erin was sent out across the world to help out in places that needed some trouble shooting, which in some cases did involve shooting at trouble, as several'of the place they were sent to were social and developmental institutions in poor areas of Asia, Africa and South America.
At the same time, Erin did write several theological works that were controversial within the Catholic Church, especially their vehement defence of Vatican III against all forms of criticism levelled at it from the side of the conservatives, especially the reversal of Vatical II's infailability of the Pope.
Shortly after the election of Pope Alexandro Mendoza, the first pope to forgo a pontifical name, in 2207, Erin was elevated to a bishop and cardinal. Expected to deal with church politics, Erin made themselves even more of a nuisance towards conservatives and uncovered two scandals. As a result, Pope Mendoza decided that Erin was going to be useful as his own trouble shooter, not just one for the Jesuits and pointed at problematic areas.
This would continue under Pope John Davis after 2243, after they declined the offer to be be put forwards for the election to the office of the Pope, following the death of Pope Mendoza. Erin also declined the offer to be elected to be the Society General of the Society of Jesus in 2201 and 2231.
Their travels as 'The Popes Trouble Shooter' or 'The Popes Hatchet, brought Erin around the globe and throughout the solar system, with one memorable journey to Beta Hydri, as part of a papal mission to the Emperor of Jerat in 2219.
Appearance¶
Erin has chosen the appearance of an anthropomorphic crow of about 190 cm height and a weight of about 80 kg.
Their body shape is androgynous without any primary or secondary sexual attributes.
Even though they are a cardinal, and one of the most senior cardinals within the Catholic Church by 2250, they continue to adhere to the lack of an official Jesuit habit. They like to wear civilian clothes in the manner of most European Jesuits, with a preference for t-shits, short sleeved shirts and short legged pants, mostly of the cargo pants variety.
On official Jesuit or Papal business, or when they decide to be more easily identified as a cleric of the catholic church, they wear a black short sleeved shirt and short pants with a clerical collar. They will only wear their Cardinal vestments when absolutely necessary, like meetings with the Pope.
Body Design¶
The avatar body Erin inhabits has been designed and build of Prometheus Solutions and has been adapted to their specific use case.
As Erin has experienced a form of dismorphia in a completely civilian chassis, their current chassis contains military grade hardware.
- military grade titanium graphene foam endo skeleton
- military grade myomer musculature
- graphene and kevlar reinforced skin with flexible non-newtonian subdermal armour plating
- tungsten-boron carbide claws and beak
- military grade sensor systems
- military grade communication systems
- ECM systems
- ECCM systems
- dispensers for military grade smart dust and insectoid recon drones
- limited self repair capability
Equipment¶
Despite the military grade of their body, Erin had to work on their ingrained instincts to not react to a threat, like a mugging, with lethal force and for that reason has decided to wear several weapons, in addition to those that are part of their body.
As such, since about 2163 and several incidents in Romania, Erin always carries a holster at the base of her back, containing a pair of KA-BAR knives, with tungsten-boron carbide blades and a pair of .32 APC Walther PPK/E, as the use of those knifes and pistons allow some control and deescalation in situations where Erin has to either defend themselves or others.
They were allowed to retain these weapons after receiving their sacraments as cleric of the catholic church by a special dispensation from Pope Benedict XVIII.
Personality¶
Generally, Erin has a rather laid back and friendly personality, quick to relax in the presence of others, always ready with a joke or a sarcastic comment, even to people in power. They have a strong sense of right and wrong, purely based on their personal history and their origin, and are always willing to help others, no matter the circumstances, be it bodily, mentally or spiritually.
They will always come to the defense of others they perceived to be innocent, and while they will always attempt to resolve problems peacefully, they know very well that it is not always possible. When they end up in a fight or physical confrontation, they will attempt to end the fight as quickly as possible, which sometimes end with a brutal beat down of one or more opponents, who seldom leave the battlefield without injuries. Usually however their weapons, when they are drawn, are a good deterrent as not many people wish to be shot or stabbed by a priest.
Personally, Erin does not think of themselves as a good person, even though they profess to be trying to be one. The perception of not being a good person lead to Erin declining the offers to be put up for the election of Society General of the Society of Jesus twice and the Pipe once, stating that there are people more suitable for these posts. Their own elevation to Bishop and Cardinal was almost declined by them as well, but Pope Mendoza, a personal friend of Erin, persuaded them to take the title and commitments, in a bit of a political ploy against conservative church figures.
As a psychologist, they are aware of their own problems and are willing to give others the benefit of doubt. As a cleric of the Catholic Church and a member of the Society of Jesus, they are always ready to give spiritual support and help wherever there are problems of an educational or social background, their long life and experiences making them a capable and understanding teacher.
They are also a strong adherent to the Jesuit vows of "perpetual poverty, chastity, and obedience" and "promise a special obedience to the sovereign pontiff in regard to the missions". Though whether the obedience is given to the letter or the spirit of an order depends on the situation. On the matter of chastity, Erin likes to joke that they are cheating, as the are agender, asexual and lack the necessary equipment for sex anyway.
Their personal beliefs are almost always found on the progressive side of the political spectrum, be it temporal or spiritual, and they have made their fair share of enemies in conservative circles over the decades, but they do not fear any of them, even going as far as deliberately offending them by simply not putting a lot of stock on being called by the titles of either 'Father' or 'Cardinal', preferring to simply be called by their name, even by subordinates.
While nominally belonging to a Chinese ethnic group, the lack of any memories of the time before their creation as Project X433 has left Erin with a severe dislike of the Chinese, a emotional bias they are very aware of and try their best to fight, but will usually loose. Erin self identifies as belonging to the Anglo-British cultural space, mostly by their use of British Received Pronunciation of their speech, as well as British cultural terms and mannerisms. It also reflects in their music preferences, Drum&Base, Garage, Jungle and Acid, as well as their classic literary ones, for example Agatha Christie, J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Prachett. Iain (M.) Banks and Charlie Stross.