video; un: tokumei

[neuralnet]

[ This post has been some time coming. Ever since he volunteered to help Miller unlock the Hangar Bay door last month-- no, even before that, he's been wanting to tell the truth. He'd never told anyone before Miller (and then Alex, and 9S...), but he's never had anyone to tell before. For so long, he lived his life in self-imposed solitary exile, surrounded by millions of people in Tokyo but not letting any of them get too close, for fear they would discover the truth and hate him, fear him, or turn him in to Project Integration.

But now he's in space, and Project Integration couldn't be farther away (barring a few hysterical hallucinations). And he has friends. Friends who deserve to know the truth. The whole truth.

He opts not to use text, thinking it would probably be better to do this as visually as possible. He sits, kneeling in the Japanese style, in front of the camera, hands clenching in the fabric of his jumpsuit pants out of nerves. ]

Hello, everyone. Most of you know me as Hideki Matsukawa. I'm here to— [ He stops, bites his lip. Presses on. ]

I want to come clean. The name Hideki Matsukawa is a lie. It belonged to the man whose body you see now, but that's not me.

Hideki Matsukawa was a bike messenger in Hiroshima, Japan, on Earth. About two years ago, he was hit by a car, suffered major head trauma, and was declared braindead. His body was donated to a group of scientists who called themselves Project Integration. Their purpose was to expand upon the ways in which humanity and technology could be linked. Their main project was to see whether it was possible to install an artificial brain, complete with its own AI, into a human host body.

I... am... that brain.

[ He glances down at his clenched fists, trying not to let his voice shake or his eyes start to water. ]

I'm sorry to have lied to all of you. You thought I was human, but I'm not. I felt I had to lie, because I thought Project Integration was behind all of this, but it's become clear to me now that that's not the case.

[ He lowers his head to the floor in an elaborate bow. ]

Please forgive me! I never meant to hurt anyone with my deceptions. I hope you can accept me now that you know what I am.

[ He stays in that position for a minute longer, then sits back up, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. ]

Please, call me Haruto. That's the name I chose for myself, when I... left Project Integration. That is the name I would prefer to be called.

[ As Midnighter said, it's the name that feels the least like a lie. ]

If you have any further questions, I'll be happy to answer them. I don't want to hide anymore. Thank you.

Comments

video; un: connor

[rk800connor]

Were you self-aware before Project Integration implanted you into Hideko Matsukawa?

[Connor tilts his head, looking every bit like a curious puppy.] What's it like? Having a human body? I would assume you have to attend to human needs... like eating and sleeping.

Could you transfer yourself into an android? Or into the station like Hank from Domesticon has?

video;

[neuralnet]

I was not. I was only brought online after the brain had been installed into this body.

[ He's not sure what it would have been like, had that not been the case. If they had originally had him operate without a body, then tell him later he would have one. ]

I do need to eat and sleep. And I need to charge the battery on my brain every few days or else it'll lose power.

[ Him, too? Why does everyone want to transfer him into an artificial body? He's perfectly happy where he is. ]

I suppose, if the need arose, that could be done. But I hope it won't come to that.

[rk800connor]

Interesting... so you operate like a human. Does you sleep while your body does?

[Connor could almost understand feeling a sense of attachment to a body, but he couldn't understand why Haruto would choose to remain in a human body when he might be able to construct his own, much more efficient body.]

Aside from the possibility that you may not be able to transfer yourself into a robotic body, why else would you want to remain in a human's body?

Oh! You must feel pain as well, don't you? Do you get tired? [Honestly, Connor was fascinated.]

[neuralnet]

Not always. Sometimes my mind stays alert, thinking. Other times I sort of go into sleep mode. I do feel pain, and I do get tired. And hungry, or nauseous, or anything like that.

[ It seems like he'll really have to work to convince the other androids on this station that he's fine in a human body. First 9S, then Arid. And now Connor. ]

My body is a part of myself. It belonged to someone else first, but now it's mine. That's why I want to remain in it.

[rk800connor]

[Pain, exhaustion, hunger, nausea. Haruto was less of an android and more of a human with advanced technological abilities. Connor frowned a little, thinking back to watching Hank puking when he was hung over. Or getting winded during a chase.]

I see. [He certainly didn't understand, but Haruto's preference was acknowledged.]

What is your purpose? Why were you created? [His tone is simple curiosity, not judgment.]

[neuralnet]

[ Haruto makes an unsure face and just sort of shrugs. He doesn't know how to answer that question. ]

To be as humanlike as possible, I guess? They mainly just wanted to see if it could be done, if the artificial parts would integrate with the biological body.

[rk800connor]

[Connor blinks, tilting his head with an empty expression.]

... Oh. [Not even an 'I see' or 'understood', because he definitely didn't understand. It seemed like a pointless procedure.]

[neuralnet]

Is everything alright? Between us, I mean. Does this change what you think of me, knowing the truth?

[ He'd like to still be friendly with Connor, but he would understand if the android needed some space. ]

[rk800connor]

In a way.

It may change how I categorize you.

... I'm not sure yet. You're not human, but you're not an android. That complicates things when it comes to processing decisions and prioritizing.

[His LED flickered yellow for a moment and then he blinked at Haruto, looking a little sheepish.] Or do you mean on a... 'personal' level?

[Connor seems to mull this over for a moment. On one hand, Haruto is very likely deviant, but Connor had already decided that his mission parameters entailed returning to Detroit. He wasn't concerned about the deviants on board the station unless they posed a direct threat to himself or humans.] No. I wouldn't say this changes anything. I still look forward to working alongside you while we're here.

[neuralnet]

[ Haruto is definitely deviant. Not that he knows what that is. But he's glad to hear that Connor still feels the same about him. Relieved. He smiles. ]

Thank you. I look forward to working alongside you as well.