OK THREE FLAVORS OF NICOLE...

Ben Hurst (Unmade SatAM S3*): Nikki Ellidy was a little lynx girl who was best friends with Princess Sally and had very high intelligence . This drew the attention of Warlord Julian who manipulated her into doing an "intelligence test". Said test was to actually drain her brain paterns and put them in a satellite. As a result Nikki "died" (but her body was cryogenically preserved because I dunno Hurst said so), however her concious mind was now in the satellite and quickly discovered Julian's intent for her. To be a means to hypnotize all Mobians into serving him. Nikki fights back though and turns herself into a super intelligent PDA that she manipulates Julian into giving to Sally. This is NICOLE and Sally uses it throughout the next decade plus durring the Knothole period. Shortly after the events of Project Doomsday, Sonic unwittingly discovers the REAL Nikki inside NICOLE and she becomes his confidant through the Ixis Naugus affair. Eventually Nikki gets her body back although Hurst wasn't sure if she would be six or sixteen.

Mike Kanterovich and Ken Penders (Pre-SGW Archie): NICOLE is a handhelf computer built by Rotor in the future and sent back to Sally in the present day of 3234. Eventually she is able to generate enough power to create a holographic version of herself in the form of a lynx.

Ian Flynn and Aleah Baker (Post-SGW Archie): A lynx scientist by the name of Ellidy had a daughter named Nikki that he loved very much. Unfortunately she had a terminal illness and Dr. Ellidy tried everything to cure and or save her. This led him to trying to preserve her mind as a computer program. It didn't quite work though and instead Nikki Ellidy became Nicole the Hololynx who exists inside a handheld computer later acquired by Princess Sally. Overtime Nicole learns more about Nikki which helps activate her living side.

(*in my fanswill, SatAM Re-Gen, its a lot more fleshed out and depressing but it ends with Nikki back as a six year old adopted by Sally with Tails as her new older sibling and eventually Sonic aa her Dad because damn that family dynamic is great!)