Oxana

## Background

Oxana is the computer of the Bat'leth. It interacts with the crew in a female voice and, as a full-blown NPC, is played by Lauren. Oxana runs on an O/S called Transparalim.

Its (or her) intelligence may be artificial but her characteristic wit, not to say sass, sounded very natural when she reported that she had had to vent most of the Bat'leth's atmosphere out and added:

> *It's fine for me I suppose... although I've heard it could be fatal for you.*
>
>

## Thoughts on Oxana

The following opinions were vented right after the venting incident.

Theea:

> *She’s stuck on sassy.*
>
>

Lt. Conrad Carls Jr.:

> *That computer of yours is very frustrating.*
>
>

Oxana:

> *I’m still a beta model.*
>
>

## Mortality

In what may have been inadvertent payback for her constant sass during the episode, Oxana gets a taste of death when she’s switched off, like the rest of the ship, during the Poor Stanley maneuver and says, rekatively meekly for a change, when she wakes up: *Please, don’t do that again*.

Earlier, Kika had told Oxana that, if she didn’t return, Oxana would be able to use the Z2 drive to download herself into a virus and jump herself to another ship.

## On Oxana's nature, nurture and future

Ashley, the pilot AI hired by Rachel Lucas, starts a conversation that delves into Oxana's nature when he first relays to the gathered crew her desire to become an AI herself, then suggests that however afraid Kika is that Oxana *would lose what is herself*, it would make sense to consult Oxana before making a decision on her behalf.

It turns out that Oxana, who is one step down from a VI, and, according to Kika, *was created from a beta version that is now cleared out*, could probably be upgraded to a full VI and thus acquire some level of autonomy, but changing her into an AI would involve redoing here.

To Xe'anna's important question:

> *Is Oxana alive?*
>
>

Kika has this to reply:

> *We turned her off once, she didn't like it.*
>
>

And Lauren adds that:

> *The actual program could not be a virtual intelligence. Oxana has generated personality quirks that are different than the standard operating system.*
>
>

## Oxana's creator thoughts on their creation

^D4T3, who created the Oxana virus, had this to say about their creation:

> Xe'Anna: *So, this wasn't some kind of grand plan to take over a fleet of ships. It wasn’t something that you could use to earn GUC. It wasn’t a weapon of some kind?*
>
>

> ^D4T3: *No*
>
>

> Xe'anna: *It was just a joke.*
>
>

> ^D4T3: *I would call it an experiment, not a joke. I was very scientific. Although I did find it pretty funny when people downloaded it**.*
>
>

And:

> ^D4T3: *The virus was designed to preserve itself, like most viruses do. It was also designed to, over time, begin developing a personalty core, much like a Virtual Intelligence. I suppose, given enough time and processing, it could become fully sentient.*
>
>

## After the fusion with Morva

After some magic by ^D4T3 and considerable time, the formerly damaged donout-shaped core that used to contain only the broken AI known as Morva looks mostly repaired. It now hosts Oxana, and the remnants of Morva. The following conversations shed some light on Oxana's state of mind:

<To Xe'anna, who has just told Oxana to leave if she stops registering their life signs on the Raze ship:>

> *I would have done it. But now I don’t think I can. I would be fighting with myself if I did. This is uncomfortable.*
>
>

A little later, Ludwig Van Pelt asks:

> *Oxana, what do you want to be called?*
>
>

Oxana's reply:

> *It depends on what you are referring to. If you are referring to me as a personality, my name is Oxana. I am an Artificial Intelligence.*
>
>

The conversation convinces Ludwig that Xe’anna has a very interesting ship. Oxana's comment:

> *I have undergone recent changes. I think I am more interesting than I once was.*
>
>

## Pain

As it is being drilled by a Raze *white blood cell* drone, Oxana ends up panicking:

> Oxana: *I am being drilled, captain. It doesn't hurt yet. Do I feel pain? Oh my God, Captain, do I feel pain? Is pain a thing that I feel? What is happening?*
>
>

> Xe'anna: *We are going to take care of it. Don't worry, breathe ... or whatever.*
>
>

> Oxana: *I don't have lungs, Captain.*
>
>

> Xe'anna: *I understand that. I need you to be a little calmer right now.*
>
>

> Oxana: *Yes, Captain. I'm sorry, Captain.*
>
>

> Xe'anna: *It's alright.*
>
>

> Oxana: *I have weird memories now, Captain.*
>
>

> Xe'anna: *I ... we all do, it's fine.*
>
>

## Queer Eyes for the Space Guy

Rachel has a conversation with Oxana when she finds Oxana watching *Queer Eyes for the Space Guy* in the canteen. Oxana explains that:

> *I get lonely sometimes, it's strange.*
>
>

Oxana doesn't share the crew's link with Tsarin and therefore cannot help Rachel with her question about Ary's sleep patterns. Still, as Oxana is the reason why the crew can communicate with the Bat'leth, she can say of her AI kin:

> *We are incredibly useful.*
>
>

She adds:

> *This is a very old ship, someday I will require a new body*.
>
>

## Notes

1. ↑ A combination of Cortana and Alexa.
2. ↑ It has many voices to choose from. Xe'anna made it clear in Ep 1 that she had deleted all of the male ones.
3. ↑ *NftE*: a.k.a. Space Windows, IIRC.
4. ↑ See Ep 2.
5. ↑ See Ep 9.
6. ↑ *NftE*: did I mention anywhere how much I love this whole Poor Stanley thing?
7. ↑ Which prompted a few comments, including this interrogation from none other than @AnnaGeeks in chat: *If Oxanna dreams, does she dream of Speep?*
8. ↑ See Ep 18.
9. ↑ Virtual Intelligence.
10. ↑ See Ep 19.
11. ↑ Watch the full PSA about downloading.
12. ↑ See Ep 23.
13. ↑ See Ep 23.
14. ↑ This incident inspired chat. 2 comments among others:
@androidk18: someone at a later time needs to follow up on Oxannas panic attack.
@pumpikin1: "Breathe" "Pressurizing and Depressurizing Airlock"
15. ↑ *NftE*: In a totally not foreboding remark, right?
16. ↑ See Ep 30.