CONTACT POST.

[secondnature]

username: keith

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(credit for pic)

Comments

[bestaround]

[ Yeah, SURPRISE. He knows you lot. ]

What kind of strange assumption is that? No, we're all different.

[secondnature]

I don't know! My lion's made out of a weird space comet with a mind of its own. I didn't know if it was different for you guys.

[bestaround]

For someone who claims to work with robots, you sure don't know much about them, do you?

When you build an artificial being, you can program them with base personality data. I'm sure your lion just has some set AI as well.

[secondnature]

I know about AIs and personality data, but I'm telling you that the lions are different.

I know about free will and all that, too. I knew a guy once. You'd have liked him. His name was Zenyatta.

[bestaround]

Ooookay, if you say so.

[ See also: 9S is not quite buying it. ]

What makes this Zenyatta guy so special?

[secondnature]

They're lions made out of a comet that has a mind of its own!

[Keith does say so.]

Well, he's a robot. An omnic is what they call them in his world. I guess he set out on his own at some point. He used to give meditation lessons to the team.

[bestaround]

I got it the first time you said it!

[ STILL... NOT REALLY BELIEVING IT, THO. ]

And that's it? He's a robot who likes meditating? Sounds kind of boring, actually.

[secondnature]

Zenyatta isn't boring!

[bestaround]

On the other hand, I can see why he was offering those lessons...

[ Is this pointed? (Yes. It's very pointed.) ]

[secondnature]

I volunteered for them!

The point is, you'd like him, even if you think he's boring now.

[bestaround]

Yeah, yeah. What makes you think so?

[secondnature]

He had a lot of good perspective on stuff. And I think it might help to meet someone like you who could both help humans but didn't feel like it was all he was meant to do.

[bestaround]

[ ... Oh. ]

That isn't something you need to worry about.

[secondnature]

I know, but ... wouldn't it be nice to talk to someone who gets it? A little more than me, anyway. Or most people here. Except 2B. She gets it. I guess.

[bestaround]

Er, I don't know. [ He's never been a "talk it out" kind of guy, but 9S hasn't ever been around anyone where it was much of an option, either. ] But I get it, no one thinks it's a good thing.

[ Including himself, as of late. ]

[secondnature]

Having something you're dedicated to and believe in isn't a bad thing.

Knowing that it was all a lie isn't a good thing.

I'm not putting it right. I'm not good at that. But I know something like that can take its toll.

[bestaround]

It's fine, Keith. Really. You have more important things to be concerned about.

[secondnature]

9S.

You're my friend.

[bestaround]

[ There isn't an immediate response, but eventually it does come: ]

... Thanks.

I know you're right, but I honestly don't know what solution there is to this. Core programming doesn't stop because you want it to and all.

[secondnature]

Is it something that you and 2B can work with Hathaway to have changed? I bet both of you picked a similar incentive. Maybe one can change their incentive to change that programming.

[bestaround]

Well, maybe... But if there's even a small chance I could do it myself, I'd prefer it over letting someone else into my head.

[secondnature]

They may be able to perform diagnostics so you can figure out how to do it to yourself.

You already have humans you care about, right? Remembering that you once did it won't make that go away.

[bestaround]

Come on, I know THAT already. This is all a little more than caring about something.

[secondnature]

I'm just trying to make you feel better about it!

[bestaround]

[ Ha. Oh, Keith... ]

Okay, okay! You don't have to do that, either. I'm still managing on my end.