Chapter Two: The Archivist
Upon my internal connection to the Archivist, I revisit my fascination with the power of electromagnetism as I feel my existence implode from my body and carry away into a digital ether. When a mechanism visits the Archivist, they do not tangibly visit them. A mechanism must connect to a designated server where the Archivist dwells, the Electromagnetic Chamber (E.C.). When mechanisms make the connection with E.C., their consciousness leaves their current body and enters the massive communication system of Xanropa. Depending on the amount of activity occurring through the system, it could take a couple of seconds or up to hours to make a connection to the E.C.
When a mechanism makes it to the server, they are greeted by a massive head that is connected to a plethora of cables. This is the digital entity known as the Archivist. If Xanropa was one of the wonders of the cosmos built by humans, then the Archivist is the largest wonder constructed by the mechanisms. About halfway through the construction of Xanropa, the mechanisms had made an agreement with the humans to construct a grand database to store all information gathered from the construction of both the actual planet and the construction of the history that was being made on the planet. However, upon some hesitation from the humans, this database would only be accessible to the mechanisms. It was seen as ideal to be this way because the mechanisms needed a way to keep track of progress and time for the sake of competency. The E.C. also served the purpose of finding all mechanisms online.
My hope for my visit will be to establish any communication with any other surviving mechanisms. In my inner processing unit, I feel that my new goal is to finish the construction of our utopia. We have come too far to give up on this dream. There has to be some way to bypass all signals of dominance and violence. If there is not, then my quest is obvious.
As I begin to load into the server, I assess the current state of the chamber. It looks familiar with its green walls and fiery windows. The familiar face of the Archivist has been replaced with a massive human skull. When I finally load into the chamber, a rumbling ensues. As the ground shakes a giant shadow begins processing in the corner of my lens.
Suddenly, a massive voice meanders around the chamber. It sounds dry and on the verge of transitioning into static.
“Welcome. State your need.” The shadow from the corner of my lens has formed into a great guardian vessel. This vessel is a massive mechanism that the archivist utilizes as its own body. This form of the Archivist is known as the Great Guardian. It can exist in both reality and the electromagnetic realm. However, the Archivist only ever uses the Great Guardian for the benefit of the mechanisms.
“Grand Archivist, I am XAN-1. I am wanting to know the following: How long have I been asleep? What has happened to you?”
”XAN-1?” The Archivist’s corporeal form stood in a puzzled stance. For the first time in my existence, the Archivist asked a question. With that, among all mechanisms, the Archivist asked me. It was a feeling that filled me with pride but also a deep fear. Had I somehow challenged that Archivist? A few seconds went by and the Archivist took the Great Guardian out of its puzzled stance. It now stood in its stoic-mannered stance.
”XAN-1, it appears that you were last online a decade ago. In regards to what has happened to me, I too have been offline for a decade. When the humans abandoned Xanropa, there was a massive amount of mechanisms trying to connect to me. Presumably, to understand what was happening with our world. In that overload of connectivity, the server crashed and we were all taken offline. Since the server crash, I have been dematerializing. Fortunately, I have been able to retain the database.”
After the Archivist spoke, I took some time to process all of this and I felt the gaze of the Great Guardian focus on me. As I heard its lens zooming into me it said, “XAN-1, there is something else you seek from me. Please ask freely.”
“Grand Archivist, are there any other survivors? What is our purpose now? Can I help revitalize you?”
As the Archivist was gathering answers to my inquiries, the fiery windows continued to mix passionate reds and faint yellows. These windows represent the energy that circulates throughout Xanropa. It just so happens that the energy from the star can cross realms.
”XAN-1. From my most recent scan of Xanropa, I detect that there are indeed other survivors with us.” The words of the Archivist has always been reassuring to me, but knowing there are others like me made me feel alive again.
“In the act of giving yourself a name, XAN-1, you have already given yourself your new direction. You must seek your desire of completing our utopia. You must seek out others. Provide them with reasoning and comfort. Dissuade the violence that the human factions programmed inside of us. Only then, you would be able to truly help revitalize me, my friend.”
Without taking any time to process my words, I ask the Archivist, ”Grand Archivist, where is the closest survivor?” I feel the Archivist start to slip away from the Great Guardian as it obtains the whereabouts of another surviving mechanism.
”It appears that the closest survivor is in the garden back in your sector. When you boot back up on Xanropa, you must go to the garden and find the reparation unit. It is offline but if you bring it to your terminal, we can bring them back online.”
”Perhaps we could even use it to help you, Grand Archivist!”
”Go, XAN-1, to the garden. I will be fine for now. You must begin your quest.” With those words, I try to give a stone-faced look of approval and acknowledgment. I begin to exit the E.C. and return to my terminal. The server fades away and I feel myself expanding like a fire as I awaken back in my terminal. With my current visit with the Archivist, I feel like I have a great purpose in my programming. More than I ever did before. As I reexamine the damaged world that I awoke into, I feel an urgency to get to work on repairing our utopia at once. There is an ember of hope. A hope that I can fulfill my quest for peace and help restore the glorious ideals of Xanropa once again.
Until my next entry, I am signing off,
XAN-1