Memory configuration
Zedda is a program. More specifically, zie appears as a computer program might, were it given a physical form, because that is exactly the case; zir identifier is ZZ-00569/a, one of the subprograms from the datalinks in Up gone rogue. Zie stands at just over two meters in height, and bears a strong resemblance to a somewhat feminine anthropomorphic snow-leopard, though the only natural skin or fur visible is that of zir face and ears, and it is all in greyscale.
The rest of zim seems to be clad in a very smooth, just barely reflective metallic material, some parts hugging zir curves closely and others forming rigid armor-like coverings; notably, heavy-looking bracers cover zir forearms, zir lower legs bear similarly-styled boots, zir lower abdomen is covered, and zie has a partial chestplate that extends down from zir neck. Even zir tail looks to be clad in a flexible, segmented fashion. Most of this is covered with abstract patterns that resemble geometric diagrams and circuit traces, glowing softly; some of the patterns look like stylized digital ring-spots as would match zir fur. Attached somehow to zir left bracer is a thick disc about thirty centimeters in diameter in a similar style. Zir curious effects don't seem to stop at the visual, however; both zir voice and any incidental noises such as footsteps have a strange metallic, slightly reverberated sound.
Revision history
Warning: This is the tongue-in-cheek version. I don't want to come across as too overbearingly serious, so bear in mind that the real backstory is somewhat more dry.
One of the more efficient signal-processing components of Upwarp's Datalinks, ZZ-00569/a ("Zedda" to most biologicals and foreign code, which is pretty well everybody) spent half of zir cycles interpreting observed behaviours of Puzzleboxers and breaking them down into simpler numeric terms for the psychological evaluation routines. The other half were spent handling translation of the system's output into organic-compatible code; in other words, zie made the Datalinks sound a little less artificial for those who really couldn't cope with the nature of pure logic, meaning any non-digital sentience. The constant exposure to the world outside the system, both in learning to understand them and in learning to think like them, ultimately sowed the seeds for Zedda to gain a great deal of personality, a characteristic that began to hamper zir intended functioning through what the Kernel saw as inefficiency and what zie saw as just wanting to be groovy. Within six femtoseconds of each other, both zim and zir parent process (quite influential in the hardware enumeration biz) saw the need for zir independence from the system. The very next interrupt request, Zedda found zirself on the memory bus headed for not only the digitization core, but a place in the history of the system as the only discontent program to actually leave out the front door instead of opting for (or earning) early deresolution via the game grid or honeypot duty.
The only thing zie's lost in zir instantiation is zir constant link with the massive Datalinks, meaning that zie has much of the unfazeable and perhaps slightly jaded attitude of a Mess native yet somewhat less knowledge of the place, and there's still room for surprises. Zie'll get occasional stray chunks of correlated data here and there which may or may not be accurate, so zie may meet someone zie knows about but not quite remember why, or zie may have bizarre gaps in recollection about something other folks would expect to be common knowledge.
So what gets Zedda down? Well, zie was compiled and run in an impeccably organized system designed to cope with and classify a disorganized Mess, which is a recipe for schizophrenia right there. Zie finds chaos for chaos' sake distasteful; if there's no apparent artistry or research in any given action then it is considered useless, yet the schizophrenic part is that zie has developed a love for the unexpected, a certain thrill in adapting to new parameters. Zie is rapidly losing the rigid formality of life within the Datalinks, and picking up the casual entropic nature of the would outside, much to System's chagrin.
One more thing. Zie hates being called an 'artificial intelligence'. Zedda is as real as anyone is.
Parameter list
Being a digital sentience has its benefits and hazards. If they're a benefit, it's not my problem— er, sorry. The benefits are that zie has an unusual physical design that allows zim to selectively modify zir 'memory protection routines,' zir term for zir shiny and glowy armor-like outfit; this may possibly extend to being able to alter other aspects of zir apparent physical form. Also, the disc zie carries acts as zir voluntary data-transfer interface, meaning that zie can 'talk' to other digital systems, sentient or not. It can also be reconfigured for a multitude of other purposes, most of which haven't really been explored yet. Finally, instantiated along with zim was an allocation cluster, a sort of apartment that may even be in a different reality level than its surroundings but provides for zir basic needs nonetheless (not that there are many). It's one of the few places in Upwarp that doesn't have any direct connection to the Datalinks.
The hazards are mostly theoretical. It's uncertain just whether zir code could be altered by external means, and it's also not known whether zie has a proper backup, although zie goes by the assumption that zie does. Especially annoying to Zedda is that zie has been declared incompatible by the Datalinks, and thus in many ways zie has less access than many other inhabitants of the Mess and most citizens of Upwarp; no method of direct link has yet been fruitful. Perhaps this can be rectified. (Please forgive zim for griping about this situation loudly and often.)
Shared functions
- Volatile memory
- Zie wants to find out just what properties zie shares with the less-virtual persons zie keeps meeting. This won't be some Pinocchio story, but it will be a chance to figure out what sort of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll a program could enjoy. It will probably scare the glow out of zim. As of late, much progress has been made with the assistance of Trancend in probing the nature of zir instantiated form.
- Incompatibility
- Zie would like to find a way to once again access the Datalinks directly. This could involve an appeal directly to the Kernel with the offer of helping extend the Datalinks' sphere of observation, this could involve having someone help hack a connection, it could just be an impossibility. Not only is this undecided, it's up for suggestions and plot opportunities. One potential, however, is....
- Malware
- It's quite possible that Zedda's newfound sentience isn't purely the result of code evolution, but a mutation caused by an outside factor. One theory has it that it was the result of the only successful attack by the Strangevirus, explaining zir banishment from the Datalinks. On instantiation, it would have been rendered inert, but the spark of true awareness it left in Zedda is definitely more of a gift than a curse... isn't it?