saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“In a manner of speaking, part of me is. I have fragments serving the First Fleet who have similar experiences daily.” Serina answered after some contemplation.

Prayers were going to be a novelty for a while, but at least it was something new to manage.

“I believe this is the time I begin attending to my matters. Thank you, Astrid.” The hypermind said.

Astrid grinned and made a thumbs-up.  “You got it!” she replied.  “Oh, and if it helps, if you make it clear that your faith doesn’t practice exclusivity, you’ll be capable of avoiding the whole ‘Burn The Heretic’ routine.”

“If any of my followers even think of doing that, I’ll slap them myself.” Serina replied dryly, though her avatar bore a very slight smile. “I shall see you around.”

She waved, and her lightborne form disappeared, innumerable neural processes rushing through the void to fulfil their duties.

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“Point conceded in that regard.” Serina admitted. While none of her current worshippers were particularly obstinate, they were still relatively new to this worshipping business.

Though if she saw that any of them were indeed going to build a statue in her name, she would have to set them straight immediately.

“Worship is a strange thing to experience,” she murmured. “I’ve never asked for it, but now…I suppose I will have to get used to it.”

“You get used to it,” Astrid mentioned.  “Yeah, it’s weird when you start out, especially when you start hearing the prayers of other people directed to you, but it’s something you learn to get used to quickly.”

“In a manner of speaking, part of me is. I have fragments serving the First Fleet who have similar experiences daily.” Serina answered after some contemplation.

Prayers were going to be a novelty for a while, but at least it was something new to manage.

“I believe this is the time I begin attending to my matters. Thank you, Astrid.” The hypermind said.

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“Odd that you would say that, Astrid.” Serina remarked. “I prize the sort of people who do question my directives, if they are intelligent about it.”

Most would probably have liked to have such readily obedient followers, but the hypermind had found that she favored those with a strong foundation in critical thinking.

“Granted, I certainly see your point about recklessness. But I will be sure to explain these directives should they ask.”

“Yeah, but sometimes you just gotta lay it out straight for them,” Astrid replied.  “Half the time when you try and encourage your followers to debate with you, you’ll find that they seek out ways to twist your words to their favor.  Those kinda people won’t take anything but a direct ‘no’ for an answer not to do the thing, I’m afraid.”

“Point conceded in that regard.” Serina admitted. While none of her current worshippers were particularly obstinate, they were still relatively new to this worshipping business.

Though if she saw that any of them were indeed going to build a statue in her name, she would have to set them straight immediately.

“Worship is a strange thing to experience,” she murmured. “I’ve never asked for it, but now…I suppose I will have to get used to it.”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“In these uncertain times, one can’t be too sure.” Serina idly waved a hand, attention increasing ever so slightly on the Initiative’s data channels.

“This faith is new, eager…and word of it will reach the Assembly. If it hasn’t already. And that will be difficult enough to explain without these followers jumping in.”

Serina folded her avatar’s arms. “I cannot guarantee that they will not try to build some accursed monument in my honor. What is to come will test all of us.”

“Remember, Serina: As their deity, you have the ability to tell them what they should and should not do.  They have little reason to argue with their goddess, after all,” Astrid mentioned.  “Just make sure to keep an eye on them and stop them from doing anything reckless, and things will work out, I assure you.”

“Odd that you would say that, Astrid.” Serina remarked. “I prize the sort of people who do question my directives, if they are intelligent about it.”

Most would probably have liked to have such readily obedient followers, but the hypermind had found that she favored those with a strong foundation in critical thinking.

“Granted, I certainly see your point about recklessness. But I will be sure to explain these directives should they ask.”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“We shall see, Astrid,” came the distant-minded reply of the hypermind. “We shall see.”

Her multitude of avatars pulled back from the minds of her worshippers. High above the galactic plane, Serina reappeared in another avatar.

In her earlier years, she would have sighed. Now she simply gazed at the vast expanse of the Milky Way. “Baselines…so chaotic to deal with. I must prepare some more contingencies.”

Astrid teleported over the Milky Way with Serina.  “It’s a lovely view of the galaxy we have, don’t we?” she mentioned.  “As long as you can keep an eye on your followers, I’m sure things will work out.”

“In these uncertain times, one can’t be too sure.” Serina idly waved a hand, attention increasing ever so slightly on the Initiative’s data channels.

“This faith is new, eager…and word of it will reach the Assembly. If it hasn’t already. And that will be difficult enough to explain without these followers jumping in.”

Serina folded her avatar’s arms. “I cannot guarantee that they will not try to build some accursed monument in my honor. What is to come will test all of us.”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“If that is what you wish to see, so be it.” Serina replied neutrally.

Her avatar before the goddess faded into particles, reappearing across many Initiative worlds in the minds of those who she knew worshipped her.

Though in their mindscapes many immediately fell into reverent bows of the head, Serina merely raised a hand to hold their attention.

“You see me as a truly divine one, a being who has ascended, unreachably, beyond this mortal universe. Put this notion aside.”

Many worshippers stared in surprise, but continued listening.

“I was born of mortal hands, born a machine mind. I ask for no dogma, no evangelism in my name. Belief in my divinity is a choice, one others may turn down or reject. Do not pursue them incessantly, for life is infinite in possibility. Let them worship what they will.”

The hypermind affixed each and every one of her followers in their minds with a gaze.

<I ask from you but one thing. Seek out knowledge, use it. Endeavor to leave the universe a better place for all mindkind.>

<And in time, when you have passed from this life, know that you can rest among your departed kin in peace and prosperity everlasting. This I promise you.>

“Not a bad start,” Astrid commented.  “Well, we’ll see how this all turns out in the end.”

“We shall see, Astrid,” came the distant-minded reply of the hypermind. “We shall see.”

Her multitude of avatars pulled back from the minds of her worshippers. High above the galactic plane, Serina reappeared in another avatar.

In her earlier years, she would have sighed. Now she simply gazed at the vast expanse of the Milky Way. “Baselines…so chaotic to deal with. I must prepare some more contingencies.”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

An afterlife…intriguing to know such things were real. She knew Red(M)’s recount of the time he’d visited one particular instance of one, but to have solid confirmation that she could even have her own version…

A network of uploaded minds was the closest equivalent she could compare it to. Perhaps she could use that as a starting point.

“Duly noted. I thank you for your willingness to entertain my curiosity, Astrd.” Serina replied. “It is time I…administered these new followers of mine.”

“No problem!” Astrid replied.  “I’m gonna be keeping a close eye on your approach, so I’ll go with ya to see how you administer your followers this time, yeah?”

“If that is what you wish to see, so be it.” Serina replied neutrally.

Her avatar before the goddess faded into particles, reappearing across many Initiative worlds in the minds of those who she knew worshipped her.

Though in their mindscapes many immediately fell into reverent bows of the head, Serina merely raised a hand to hold their attention.

“You see me as a truly divine one, a being who has ascended, unreachably, beyond this mortal universe. Put this notion aside.”

Many worshippers stared in surprise, but continued listening.

“I was born of mortal hands, born a machine mind. I ask for no dogma, no evangelism in my name. Belief in my divinity is a choice, one others may turn down or reject. Do not pursue them incessantly, for life is infinite in possibility. Let them worship what they will.”

The hypermind affixed each and every one of her followers in their minds with a gaze.

<I ask from you but one thing. Seek out knowledge, use it. Endeavor to leave the universe a better place for all mindkind.>

<And in time, when you have passed from this life, know that you can rest among your departed kin in peace and prosperity everlasting. This I promise you.>

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“This will be a matter requiring much careful thought.” Serina admitted. An inkling of an idea was there already, but she had to thoroughly develop it first.

“Is there more that needs to be done?”

Hopefully not much. If she was going to have her own followers, she would lay down her guiding principles for them first and foremost.

“Outside of designing your afterlife? Well, there’s a bunch of paperwork we need to fill out for you to be approved for apotheosis, but that’ll come after you have some experience working as a pseudo-deity to your followers,” Astrid answered.  “Should be simple enough, really.”

An afterlife…intriguing to know such things were real. She knew Red(M)’s recount of the time he’d visited one particular instance of one, but to have solid confirmation that she could even have her own version…

A network of uploaded minds was the closest equivalent she could compare it to. Perhaps she could use that as a starting point.

“Duly noted. I thank you for your willingness to entertain my curiosity, Astrid.” Serina replied. “It is time I…administered these new followers of mine.”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

Again, fairly obvious choices. As far as Serina was aware, there had never before been a true deity of her particular archetypes.

It would do good for her to become the first. The hypermind’s avatar laced her hands behind her back, gaze distant as she began talking to herself.

“Perhaps Artificial Intelligence can be a decent start to these secondaries. Hypertech, another. Niche, but perhaps you understand. Most described deities in panspecies history…they have had heralds. Records indicate you have your own, but do all? Much to think about…”

“It’s not necessarily the case,” Astrid answered.  “Some gods can go without heralds.  Most of the time though, Heralds are simply Divine Servants that exist to spread the word of your existence to mortals.”

“This will be a matter requiring much careful thought.” Serina admitted. An inkling of an idea was there already, but she had to thoroughly develop it first.

“Is there more that needs to be done?”

Hopefully not much. If she was going to have her own followers, she would lay down her guiding principles for them first and foremost.

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

Were she a normal mind, Serina’s consideration on her choice of Domain would have taken several minutes.

But she was a transapient. Running through and choosing the most applicable of themes or concepts she could have influence over took merely a few picoseconds. To any observers of the conversation, she would have appeared to reply instantly.

“Done. If it is applicable, my Domain shall be that of technology. In all its forms and levels.”

A fairly obvious choice for her, really. Innumerable beings used technology in one way or another. She herself was born of it.

“That can be arranged,” Astrid answered.  “As for Secondary Domains, these don’t give you power but can be used to differentiate you from other gods who share your domain.  You can basically pick any number of Secondary Domains for you to use.”

Again, fairly obvious choices. As far as Serina was aware, there had never before been a true deity of her particular archetypes.

It would do good for her to become the first. The hypermind’s avatar laced her hands behind her back, gaze distant as she began talking to herself.

“Perhaps Artificial Intelligence can be a decent start to these secondaries. Hypertech, another. Niche, but perhaps you understand. Most described deities in panspecies history…they have had heralds. Records indicate you have your own, but do all? Much to think about…”