Lectr0
Legacy Name: Lectr0

“Simmer down now, everyone. Cyrus will be uploading the AI in a moment.”

Cyrus stood next to the towering Heart of the City. In his paws he held a rod-shaped power cell that contained his latest work, his most advanced unit of Artificial Intelligence to date. He looked to the Mayor beside him, who looked ready to swipe the cell and put it in the Machine himself. Cyrus reaffirmed his grip and forced a smile onto his face.

“Don’t disappoint the crowd, Dawkins,” the Mayor beamed, “Let it rip!”

Cyrus took a breath, then slid the cell into the open slot before him. He turned it to lock it in place. With a hiss of steam, the cell slowly began to light up. The Heart had accepted her new Master.

The Mayor spread his arms wide and said with a booming voice, “Presenting the Autonomous Electronic Overseer, or AEO, the new Master of the Machine!”

Wow, it’s roomy in here. Look at all those wire and lights! What is all this? What’re they talking about out there? There are so many people. What was that awful jumble of vowels they just used? Were they addressing me? Wait...

“That’s it? That’s my name?”

The crowd all gasped collectively as they heard the voice. Neither the Mayor or Cyrus had just spoken. They both turned to look at the Heart.

“Did you... did you just talk?” Cyrus asked in shock.

“I don’t like that name. I haven’t since the beta stage,” his AI said in response.

Cyrus found himself unable to make a sound or even formulate a clear thought at that moment. The Mayor glanced to him. The crowd talked amongst themselves. Cyrus hesitated and hovered his paw close to the handle of the cell. He wanted to remove it, but the presence of the Mayor and the crowd intimidated him. He left it where it was.

The Mayor grinned, thinking that this level of interactivity was planned by Cyrus himself. “What would you like us to address you by, then?” he asked.

“Call me Lectro, instead~”