A Path To Omniscience

August 10th, 2033

Asher's grounding ended as abruptly as it had begun, and the shift from focusing on his studies back to his workshop was seamless. During his enforced downtime, his automated programs—like the ones designed to brute-force their way into Frostvale Enterprises' networks—had long since completed their tasks. So, with no active projects to oversee while he was stuck indoors, progress on his work had stalled.

The only thing he could contribute during that time was combing through the warehouse documents he had asked Russet and Liv had forwarded to him. But that he was free to return to his workshop, he could finally dive back into the project that he had been working on for quite some time. 

In the workshop, Asher was engrossed in his work. He wore anti-static gloves and a short-sleeved shirt to minimize any risk of damaging sensitive electronics. A magnifying glass with an attached LED light sat over his workbench, illuminating and magnifying the intricate components he was staring at. He was working on a peculiar device—a shape reminiscent of a Reuleaux triangle, though subtly modified.

The device lacked a casing, leaving its circuitry and components entirely exposed. It resembled a sprawling micro-city. His hands moved with mechanical precision as his focus narrowed on the cube-shaped component at the center of the device.

The processor.

Holding a soldering iron steady in one hand, Asher slowly connected the processor's circuits, each connection releasing a faint trail of smoke as it bonded. His movements were deliberate, careful not to disturb the surrounding components. When the last connection was complete, he set the soldering iron down with a soft sigh.

"Alright," he muttered, opening the second drawer to his right with a press of a button. The electric lock scanned his fingerprint and unlocked with a quiet click, the drawer sliding open smoothly. Without glancing inside, he retrieved a handheld device and let the drawer close itself automatically.

The device was compact, its design sleek but practical, with a built-in screen and multiple probes and connectors dangling from its base. Asher attached the probes to various points on the exposed device. Powering it on, the handheld device emitted a satisfying beep as its screen came to life, displaying a slowly forming map of the processor and its connected systems.

The display showed real-time diagnostics: system status, processor health, voltage levels, data flow, thermal output, and more. Essentially, it was a diagnostic tool designed to interface with equipment and ensure all connections were functioning correctly without requiring the full system to power on.

The only downside was that it only worked for smaller devices. For something bigger he would need to use his oscilloscope. 

"Looks good," Asher murmured, studying the readouts.

"No issues with continuity or power flow resistance. Thermal output's a bit high, even with the processor off, but that's within the predicted range." He paused, running the numbers in his head.

"The ice dust acting as both the coolant and power supply should be enough to manage it."

After confirming everything was working as intended, Asher disconnected the diagnostic device and returned it to its drawer. Meanwhile, the hum of a powered screwdriver echoed from his right. Glancing over, he spotted three Automated Assembly Arms in action, moving seamlessly along their tracks that spanned the workshop.

One arm used a claw-like grip to hold a device securely in place, while the other two had swapped their standard hands for specialized tools—one equipped with a powered screwdriver for larger screws, the other with a manual driver for smaller, more delicate adjustments. The arms moved in perfect harmony, twisting and bending around one another with precision to avoid interference.

The device they were working on was split into two main components. The outer structure was a square, transparent plastic tubing packed with what looked like tightly arranged power cords. Inside the tubing, a circuit board was nestled, its design featuring a central slot shaped to hold a crystal.

Like the other project, this device had no outer casing, leaving its intricate inner workings exposed. Still, despite its naked appearance, the automated arms methodically secured the final screws, which made it clear it's assembly was done.

Once the last screw was tightened, the claw arm gently placed the finished device on the worktable. The three assembly arms then folded themselves back into their neutral positions, powered down until the next set of instructions.

Unlike an AI, the assembly arms operated purely on pre-programmed simulations of Asher's directives. They excelled at precise tasks requiring consistent torque, exact placement, or delicate welding—jobs that demanded inhuman accuracy and patience. However, for anything that involved iterative problem-solving or unanticipated adjustments, Asher preferred to handle it manually. Their lack of true intelligence meant they wouldn't recognize if they broke something; they simply followed orders without deviation.

Still, for repetitive, painstaking tasks he didn't want to bother with, the arms were indispensable.

Walking over to the newly assembled device, Asher picked it up, turning it over in his hands. From the top, it looked like a straightforward design, but flipping it over revealed four metallic pins on the bottom. They jutted out slightly, clearly intended to connect to another component.

Hmm, I could have programmed them to be a bit more precise when aligning the cooling cycle around the thermal plates, but I suppose that's just my need for symmetry talking. It shouldn't cause any significant issues. 

As he pondered the thought, the floor hatch leading to and from his workshop slid open with a quiet hiss. Glancing over, he saw Lavi ascending the stairs, a tray in her hands. On it sat a chilled glass of orange juice, droplets of condensation trailing lazily down the sides before pooling on the tray.

"Young Master, I brought you something cold to drink," she said with a warm smile, holding the tray out slightly for emphasis.

"I noticed it gets rather hot in your workshop when all your machines are running." Asher instinctively touched his forehead, realizing only now that he was sweating slightly. He'd been so engrossed in his work that he hadn't noticed the heat creeping up on him.

"Oh? Thank you, Lavi. I didn't realize how warm I'd gotten. You can set it down over on my computer desk." Lavi nodded, already familiar with where he liked her to place trays after bringing him food so many times.

She made her way across the room, but then something caught her attention as she passed. On the far workbench, away from where Asher had been working under the magnifying glass, sat a long, segmented machine. Its design was hard to describe description, the intricate details and angular shapes made it look almost alien.

She stopped mid-step, her gaze fixed on it, a strange sense of familiarity washing over her.

Asher, noticing her pause, turned to look at her.

"Lavi? Are you okay?"

The question seemed to snap her out of her trance. She blinked and quickly nodded.

"Oh, yes. Forgive me, I got distracted." She resumed walking and gently placed the tray down on the desk, deliberately avoiding another glance at the strange machine. But before she could turn to leave, Asher spoke up, setting the device the automated arms had assembled beside the one he'd been working on earlier.

"So, what caught your eye?" Asher's voice was calm, carrying a touch of casual curiosity that seemed to ease Lavi's hesitation. Her eyes flicked nervously toward the long, segmented machine resting on his desk.

"Well, um… it just looked familiar to me," she admitted, her tone uncertain as her gaze lingered on the device. The memory tugged at her mind—back when she'd told Asher about the "playdate" his mother had arranged with the Schnee siblings. On the Optical Interface Terminal, she had spotted a holographic blueprint of something Asher had been designing.

Though the specifics were blurry, she recalled the design clearly enough: a semicylindrical shape segmented every two centimeters, resembling a connected series of parts. The blueprint simulation had shown it moving fluidly, bending and twisting like a human arm. The main difference was that the device on Asher's workbench now lacked the smooth, polished casing she'd seen in the blueprint.

"Ah," Asher said thoughtfully, following her gaze.

"That's a prototype for something I'm putting together. It's designed to assist with human body movements—think of it as a support system." He walked over to the workbench and gestured for Lavi to join him.

"Come on," he added with a slight smirk. "It's not going to suddenly wrap around you or anything."

Lavi chuckled softly at the joke, her nerves settling a bit. Stepping closer as he'd suggested, she leaned in to get a better look at the device. Up close, its intricate details and segmented structure stood out even more, each piece precisely aligned, though its exposed components gave it a raw, unfinished appearance.

"So, the main design is pretty straightforward," Asher began, holding up one end of the prototype.

"Each segment you see here is a custom-made gyroscopic joint. They're interlocked with a simple ball-and-socket mechanism, which allows each segment to move independently of the others." As he explained, he demonstrated by moving one of the joints. Though it had limits, the segment smoothly pivoted left, right, up, and down, while the surrounding joints remained perfectly still.

"Oh, wow," Lavi murmured, her eyes fixed on the prototype as she absorbed his explanation.

"Each gyroscopic joint is controlled by micro-motors," Asher continued.

"Right now, these motors are low-torque, meaning they don't output much force. But once the prototype is finalized, I plan to replace them with stronger motors. When powered and fully functional, this prototype will be able to move entirely on its own." Lavi nodded along, clearly intrigued.

"So, if I'm understanding correctly," she said, "it's kind of like a mechanical spine or snake, except it uses motors instead of muscles to move?" Asher raised an eyebrow at her analogy, giving it a moment's thought before nodding slowly.

"Yes, actually, that's a pretty accurate way to describe it." Lavi's face brightened at the compliment, a small smile forming as she ventured another question.

"So, what exactly is it for, if I'm allowed to ask?"

"Well, as I mentioned, it's designed to assist the human body in performing certain motions," Asher replied, flipping the prototype around to give her a better look. Without its polished metal casing, the device's internal mechanics were exposed, but the semicylindrical shape of each joint was unmistakable. It really did resemble a mechanical snake, with a flat side and a rounded side.

The rounded side of each joint housed the motors, wiring, and other components. In contrast, the flat side was a smooth expanse of metal, interrupted only by the segmentations between the joints.

"Here," Asher said, gesturing for Lavi to take a closer look.

"The metal you see here actually contains sensors designed to detect micro-changes in muscle tension and body movement," Asher explained, running his fingers along the smooth surface of the prototype.

"Once it's fully functional, this prototype will be able to sense when you're about to flex your arm, lift something, or raise your leg—even before you consciously complete the motion. It interprets the action you're trying to perform and sends that information to the motors, which replicate the movement for you." He glanced at Lavi and noticed the slight furrow in her brow, her expression showing she was struggling to keep up.

Realizing he might have overcomplicated things, he rephrased.

"Think of it like a puppet and a puppet master," he said.

"This prototype is the strings, and your body is the puppet. Just like how your brain sends signals to your muscles, this device can step in and do the work of your muscles instead." A look of realization spread across Lavi's face as she nodded.

"Oh, I see now! So with this, someone who can't work because of muscle degeneration could still move around and do things, since the machine would handle the muscle movements?" Her eyes sparkled with innocent curiosity and amazement, the idea clearly inspiring her. Asher was caught slightly off guard by her usage case, but he smirked and gave her a nod.

"Yes," he replied, "that's one application for it."

Setting the prototype back down on the workbench, he continued, his tone thoughtful.

"In any case, the prototype is far from complete," Asher continued, gesturing toward the device.

"The joints are still missing several components, like force sensors and electromagnetic brakes. And that's not even mentioning the AI system, the muscle calibration routines, or the countless other functions and features I still need to program."

"I see. Well, It's still incredible that you're capable of creating all this, Young Master," Lavi said, her voice a mix of awe.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted you while you were busy." Asher waved off her concern with a small smile.

"It's fine. Honestly, vocalizing my ideas helps me refine them. It's better than just talking to myself or recording logs all the time—it gets dull. That said…" His tone remained friendly, but there was a subtle, unmistakable undertone of caution in his words.

"I trust you understand that you can't tell anyone about this, at least not until it's finished." Lavi's expression shifted slightly, her posture straightening as she nodded earnestly.

"Of course, Young Master. I won't say a word."

"Good." Asher's demeanor lightened as he added, "And while we're on the topic, has anyone contacted you or the other staff yet?"

Lavi shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Young Master."

"Alright. Keep me updated if anything changes." She nodded again and turned to leave, but after taking a single step, she paused. A flicker of realization crossed her face as she turned back to him.

"Oh, Young Master, I nearly forgot to mention," Lavi began.

"While you were grounded, the Schnee siblings attempted to contact you twice. Both times, their calls were redirected to the Madam. The first seemed to be to check on you after the incident, and the second was to ask when you'd be ungrounded." Hearing that, Asher chuckled softly.

I suppose I never did get their direct contact information. I'll have to fix that.

Asher's brief reflection was interrupted as Lavi continued, "If they try to contact you again, is there anything you'd like me to relay back?"

He pondered her question for a moment, his gaze shifting from Lavi to the prototype resting on his workbench.

"Hmm… Tell them I'm doing fine but a bit busy at the moment. Let them know I'll be free if they come to visit on Friday." Lavi nodded, committing his words to memory.

"I'll do just that, then." With that, she turned and descended the winding staircase that connected his workshop to the rest of Frostvale Manor. Once she was gone, Asher's smile faded, replaced by a more contemplative expression. Walking over to his computer, he sat down, picked up the glass of orange juice Lavi had left for him, and took a sip.

If Lavi is contacted by the Atlas Military and repeats exactly what I told her, they'll only know about my drones. But if they bring up my prototype… That'll mean she said more than she should have. It'll be a good way to test just how loyal staff like her and Lionel truly are after all these years.

With a press of a button on the holographic keyboard in front of him, Asher's computer came to life. Numerous windows opened instantly, revealing lines of code and data streams. He scanned through them with a practiced eye, all of it representing his work on what appeared to be a complex program.

In the meantime, I should be able to finish the prototype before Weiss and Whitley visit. That'll give me the perfect chance to test how my technological skills stack up against someone with a semblance.

Asher's gaze sharpened, his thoughts growing dimmer. 

And it'll help me decide whether Huntsmen will have a place in the future I intend to build.