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Damocles: Difference between revisions

112 bytes added ,  28 April 2021
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→‎Form and function: trying to separate the notion of the generic neural link from the special neural link between Shinatama and Konoko
m (wording)
m (→‎Form and function: trying to separate the notion of the generic neural link from the special neural link between Shinatama and Konoko)
 
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Structurally, Damocles has a dominant central position in the HQ building's layout, as it is located at the top end of the vertical power line that spans every floor (the bottom end is in the basement where the [[Omega Vault]] is, and the three "power substations" are roughly in the middle).
Structurally, Damocles has a dominant central position in the HQ building's layout, as it is located at the top end of the vertical power line that spans every floor (the bottom end is in the basement where the [[Omega Vault]] is, and the three "power substations" are roughly in the middle).


Shinatama sits in a chair attached to the Damocles mainframe, and it is suggested that she is not just an operator but a key component of the system – Shinatama's seat has special sockets under the headrest, which connect to cables in the back of Shinatama's head. Indeed, Shinatama's nature as Konoko's "sister soul"<ref name="sld">The link between Shinatama and Konoko is emphasized by Shinatama's revelations in {{C|8}}, as well as a couple of notes in the manual.<small>{{Quote|I am an [[SLD]], an android programmed with your brain engrams. I have seen everything you have seen, felt everything you have felt. They used me to monitor the growth of the Chrysalis inside you...|[[Quotes/Speech#Shinatama.27s_death|Shinatama]]}}{{Quote|The brain of an [[SLD]] is created from the patterns and engrams of a human brain, often forming a close bond or link between the SLD and its human "pattern."|[[Quotes/Manual#You_And_Your_Job|Manual]]}}{{Quote|Shinatama is your [[SLD]] assistant, confidante, companion, and friend, and the two of you share a special bond, one that is both neural and emotional.|[[Quotes/Manual#Tech_Note_2|Manual too]]}}</small></ref> allows for a "neural link" between the two – a highly optimized wireless connection between Konoko and Griffin's TCTF HQ. The official purpose of this neural link is to exchange tactical data with field agents such as Konoko<ref name="tactical">Consoles in Chapter 3 suggest the experimental use of neurolinked SLDs in law enforcement and fire fighting, among other domains.<small>{{Quote|SLD technology has reached its third design generation and prototype SLDs are in use in a wide range of industries including law enforcement, fire fighting, manufacturing, and aviation.|[[Quotes/Consoles#The_SLD_project|A console]] in [[{{C3}}|Chapter 3]]}}</small>The neural link is not mentioned explicitly in this context, but it ''is'' stated that the SLDs are physically limited due to their childlike size – so, at least in the fire fighting and law enforcement context, they make more sense as neurolinked assistants.</ref>, therefore the Damocles mainframe officially serves as Konoko's tactical computer.
Shinatama sits in a chair attached to the Damocles mainframe, and it is suggested that she is not just an operator but a key component of the system – Shinatama's seat has special sockets under the headrest, which connect to cables in the back of Shinatama's head. From here, Shinatama uses neural links to exchange tactical data with field agents such as Konoko, giving them access to "scanning technology and [a] knowledge database" during missions.<ref name="tactical">See [[Quotes/Manual#Shinatama|this section]] of the manual for this quote. Also, consoles in Chapter 3 suggest the experimental use of neurolinked SLDs in law enforcement and fire fighting, among other domains.<small>{{Quote|SLD technology has reached its third design generation and prototype SLDs are in use in a wide range of industries including law enforcement, fire fighting, manufacturing, and aviation.|[[Quotes/Consoles#The_SLD_project|A console]] in [[{{C3}}|Chapter 3]]}}</small>The neural link is not mentioned explicitly in this context, but it ''is'' stated that the SLDs are physically limited due to their childlike size – so, at least in the fire fighting and law enforcement context, they make more sense as neurolinked assistants.</ref>


However, Damocles also serves the classified purpose of monitoring Konoko's Daodan symbiosis – by channeling, processing and/or storing the data that flows in through Shinatama's neural link. This monitoring is kept secret from low-level TCTF staff,<ref name="clearance">Text consoles at the TCTF list Konoko's Daodan symbiosis as "Clearance Gamma S16 and Above Only".</ref> as well as from Konoko herself.
However, Damocles also serves the classified purpose of monitoring Konoko's Daodan symbiosis – by channeling, processing and/or storing the data that flows in through Shinatama's neural link. This monitoring is kept secret from low-level TCTF staff,<ref name="clearance">Text consoles at the TCTF list Konoko's Daodan symbiosis as "Clearance Gamma S16 and Above Only".</ref> as well as from Konoko herself. Additionally, Shinatama's nature as Konoko's "sister soul"<ref name="sld">The link between Shinatama and Konoko is emphasized by Shinatama's revelations in {{C|8}}, as well as a couple of notes in the manual.<small>{{Quote|I am an [[SLD]], an android programmed with your brain engrams. I have seen everything you have seen, felt everything you have felt. They used me to monitor the growth of the Chrysalis inside you...|[[Quotes/Speech#Shinatama.27s_death|Shinatama]]}}{{Quote|The brain of an [[SLD]] is created from the patterns and engrams of a human brain, often forming a close bond or link between the SLD and its human "pattern."|[[Quotes/Manual#You_And_Your_Job|Manual]]}}{{Quote|Shinatama is your [[SLD]] assistant, confidante, companion, and friend, and the two of you share a special bond, one that is both neural and emotional.|[[Quotes/Manual#Tech_Note_2|Manual too]]}}</small></ref> apparently allows for a stronger neural link between the two, allowing Shinatama to receive more data from Konoko than would otherwise be possible.


Damocles features a [[Marathon]] logo on the chassis as an [[Easter eggs|Easter egg]].<ref name="okita"/> Unlike the "DAMOCLES" name, this logo appears both in the concept art and on the final in-game model.
Damocles features a [[Marathon]] logo on the chassis as an [[Easter eggs|Easter egg]].<ref name="okita"/> Unlike the "DAMOCLES" name, this logo appears both in the concept art and on the final in-game model.