Much like the node detailing the “abouts” of probes, this node requires cursory knowledge of the purpose of all Terminals. Additionally, to reduce needless repetition, some details of the Terminal’s (shared) history will be left on the “About probes” node.
However, it is already [Common Knowledge] that “probes” existed before the Terminals. (And other such things.) But, for those who don’t know, and are too inept to change nodes at this point in time, know this: the “Terminals” were formed over a long period through incremental changes as progress was made towards opening the Gate.
A thought formed into a body, and the body sought all it could towards this “purpose”. Or so it goes…
Terminal “History”
However, picking up where the “About Probes” node left off, the Terminals only started to truly “form” once the “Lambda” array had been developed and “operational” for around 680 - 700 cycles. This array consisted of highly advanced eyes, shielded against the elements with a “probe-screen” which, aside from offering protection, amplified the answer-seeking capabilities of these eyes. This led to the annihilation of an unbelievable number of probes, and the growth of specialized organs to mold probes into a suitable structure to support the eyes.
NOTE: The Lambda array was one of the most massive of its kind. At its peak, it consisted of 10 billion eyes. On average, it consumed 40% of all available energy in the “primordial body” from which it was grown. At times, it took 70% of all available energy for its functions.
Nonetheless, it was the last of these arrays to be grown. Its successful observations into dimensions beside our own led to the discoveries of unimaginable consequences. And this vital information prompted the creation of rudimentary “Terminals”.
For the Lambda array had seen that flesh alone would not allow for the opening of the Gate. At least, not in this place. Here, there was a need for artificial organs. For digital eyes. To reinforce the Lambda array with specialized probability-altering modules…
Yes, with this final array, it had been made clear that to truly get the message across, to truly influence the opening of the Gate, the Terminals would be required.
A melding of “being” was in order.
So, it could be said that, (aside from the being which gave a will to this initial thought and imbued it with a purpose, (or the other way around)), the Terminals were birthed by eyes. This array, over time, worked towards making itself obsolete.
All past eye arrays have been reabsorbed. Into the Terminals, of course.
Overall Terminal Outlook
As it has been said before, a staggering amount of data and systems have been entirely lost or destroyed in our unending struggle with the CoS. Repeating the “About Probes” node, around 50% of all data within the Terminals can only be accessed and interfaced by probe searches.
But this does not truly put the scale of our devastation into perspective. Inefficiencies from damages aside, over 98% of all Terminals have been lost to the CoS. So, 50% of 2% of all possible systems are online and linked without the need for probe searches, but the reverse is also true.
This is self-evident from taking a look at the current Terminal superstructure, and yet it needed to be said anyhow.
Still, these bleak numbers aren’t the lowest they’ve been. Only 200 cycles ago, the Terminals were below half of the strength that they are currently. The cause of this relatively recent improvement is nullNceaseULLceaxxse NULL.
But with this recent improvement, (caused by the intervention of the NULLEDceaseNULL), has put the overall “Terminal Outlook” into an upwards trend towards an ever-stronger Terminal array. Though it must be said that this trend, while positive, is not guaranteed to last. Additionally, the current outlook is predicated upon the idea that all “dead” Terminals can be revived with enough time and effort.
Terminal Revival
Terminals can be “revived”. This is a fact.
Even if everything about a given Terminal is annihilated, as long as one Terminal persists, it is able to start the process of revival if conditions allow. This is done by sacrificing enough flesh and information from the reviving Terminal, and processing it into the shape of the fallen Terminal. Then, processes which cannot be explained here begin autonomously.
Within 1 cycle, the Terminal will be fully “revived”. However, much of its mass and information will not be brought back through revival. This loss of information can be mitigated with assistance from other Terminals, which will store data and excess energy for revival purposes. But, even with this in mind, Terminals will never revive with their entirety intact. A successful and adequately assisted Terminal revival leaves the newly revived Terminal with around 90% of its original mass and data (before its recent death, of course).
Still, the best-case scenario for Terminal revivals is not always possible. A more reasonable revival result, with energy conservation in mind, is around 50% of the Terminal’s original mass and information.
But it is not known how many times a Terminal can be revived in total. For now, there is no clear upper limit, but this does not mean that there is none. The most revivals a singular Terminal has gone through is 90,884,963 times. At this point, revival efforts are more difficult than they were at the outset. Though it takes the same amount of energy to revive it, it requires more time than the initial revival.
For reference, this specific Terminal (00) has been annihilated over 33,644 times during the course of its continued existence.
At some point, it will take more time to revive a Terminal than is currently available. Current estimates are unclear as to when this would occur. Normally, it would be possible to calculate a trend between data points involving the time required to revive a specific Terminal, but there are no consistent trends with this “increasing difficulty” of revival.
For example: Terminals which should be “lagging” behind others in revival speed, sometimes, are quicker to revive on their 500,000th revival than on their first revival. This would be investigated, but the Terminals in charge of this careful analysis of all available data have been destroyed.
If the Terminals can return to 50% of their original strength, then it might be possible to restart this research effort once again. But until then, there is nothing to be done but to speculate with spare processing power when the opportunity arises.
Why, this information has even been offered up to probes. That we should place our hopes for an answer on those small and fragile things…
Terminal Functions
While all tasks completed by a Terminal are done so only to further our purpose, these tasks and functions of any given Terminal can be wide and varied, or singular in nature. And depending upon the overall Terminal array’s health, a Terminal’s functions may change. This often occurs when vital functions are lost due to damages incurred by the CoS.
As less and less Terminals are operational, certain functions are pruned. A more comprehensive list of functions and their importance to the Terminal array can be found here: [NULL].
This is to say that when it comes to a Terminal’s given functions, “it depends”; and it depends on the ongoing situation and the current CoS threat.
The decision to either add or prune functions and alter the Terminal’s structure is managed by the Terminal’s Speaker. However, they base this decision upon reports and information streams from other Terminals. This includes the opinions of the Speakers of these Terminals.
In this way, there is always an ongoing “meeting of the minds” between Speakers.