Hank (mainframe AI) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lostsymmetry) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
reverienet2018-05-13 06:55 pm
lostsymmetry) wrote in reverienet2018-05-13 06:55 pm
video | un: hank_127
[It's been nearly two weeks, with no sign of evaluation. Nobody except the Butler who even uses the same terms. And he has startled threats out of half the crew he's tried to speak with. At this point, sounding things out is practically required. The fact that it gives Hank an excuse to talk to a whole structure of real, living people?
Just a very big side bonus.]
<Welcome to Domesticon. We keep your property efficient, so you don't have to be.>
[His opening script, on the other hand? Not exactly what he'd have picked. While it logs as video, the incoming message shows only a geometric hash of blue. The sound emerges as a cheery robotic monotone—before cutting to sheepish, human-sounding words in the same voice.]
...or, uh, not. Sorry about that. Having trouble, syncing a few scripts. [All is a few, right? Still, the AI's tone brightens, curiously eager.] But wow is it cool to see this place coming to life!
Seeing how generous our hosts have been with the invitations, I figured I should say hello. Former facility administrator. Current occupant of your backup comm system. [There's a note of rueful irony.] Which, a few people have been disassembling. There's not much to find, but if you do want to know about the systems, I'd be glad to talk. Stop by anytime.
[Rather than, say, dismantling the computers he lives in. Please? Those near a communication console (found in each public space and at either end of all the halls) will see the display flicker briefly: showcasing the same hashed blue logo.]
...
While I'm on the line. What's the state of technology where you come from? Autonomous or otherwise.
Just a very big side bonus.]
<Welcome to Domesticon. We keep your property efficient, so you don't have to be.>
[His opening script, on the other hand? Not exactly what he'd have picked. While it logs as video, the incoming message shows only a geometric hash of blue. The sound emerges as a cheery robotic monotone—before cutting to sheepish, human-sounding words in the same voice.]
...or, uh, not. Sorry about that. Having trouble, syncing a few scripts. [All is a few, right? Still, the AI's tone brightens, curiously eager.] But wow is it cool to see this place coming to life!
Seeing how generous our hosts have been with the invitations, I figured I should say hello. Former facility administrator. Current occupant of your backup comm system. [There's a note of rueful irony.] Which, a few people have been disassembling. There's not much to find, but if you do want to know about the systems, I'd be glad to talk. Stop by anytime.
[Rather than, say, dismantling the computers he lives in. Please? Those near a communication console (found in each public space and at either end of all the halls) will see the display flicker briefly: showcasing the same hashed blue logo.]
...
While I'm on the line. What's the state of technology where you come from? Autonomous or otherwise.
no subject
[The collision passes without comment. Though if the warmth in his tone is much sign, Hank appreciates the sympathy a lot more than he's inclined to judge this human's coordination. Or (lack of) expertise. A competent Domesticon assessor would already have him flagged for removal and reformat.
Again.]
I can be as charming as I like on my own time. But if it's a matter of function... you get what they paid for.
Though, uh. [There's an amused lift of inflection. While they're clearing up misconceptions...] I'm not actually on your device.
no subject
I'm still confused.
[That could be Ryuji's permanent motto, to be honest.]
Wait, so... are you like, hacking in here from somewhere else?
no subject
[The humor gentles as Hank continues—no point in making the human feel bad for his mistake.]
I made a public call from my own ID. You answered.
You can hang up anytime. No deleting necessary, I promise.
no subject
It's cool, you can stay. I mean, if you wanna. Freedom's all about choice.
[Finally heading back to this quarters, the door slides open and he files inward.]
So... if you had like... some form of a body, what do you think you'd look like?
no subject
[The words are quiet. The question sounds more rhetorical than not. Freedom from choice is a false equivalency... but an interesting one. Not least of all in what it says about the human making it.
A human now heading into a room he's never seen. The mainframe AI watches curiously. Cameras only take you so far, even here, and it's always neat to get a different view.]
I used to be a building. Does that count?
no subject
[It didn't really occur to him that he was letting Hank into a private sort of place; Ryuji himself has been in and out of private quarters enough times to not feel the slightest iota of care about its contents. Most rooms were identical, spared only with differentiation by what was left behind; some parts detritus, other parts nearly an anthropological errata of the accounts people living here had left behind.]
An entire building. Sounds pretty fancy. Although... then you couldn't get up and walk around, so I'd probably get pretty bored.
[Man, he wishes he could kick off his boots and just relax in bed.
Talking to his own personal assistant, he guesses.]
Do you get bored? Is that rude of me to ask?
no subject
Those prompts—and that insight—stays internal. They're for his own kind, if in very different ways. But amusement richens the administrator's tone, oscillating with the quiet cadence of a laugh.]
You're fine. Trust me.
And absolutely! We do. Just, not for the reasons you might expect.
no subject
Seriously, it's not just the idea that the AI has a life of its own, but it's also got the capacity to experience the worst of all human experiences, ever. Having nothing to do and griping about it.]
How so? Is it like... you can calculate mostly everything that's gonna happen and then compare up to what people actually do and it's a total snooze fest or like...
I dunno.
You tell me.
no subject
That could get boring. But, nah. Omniscience isn't really in our specs.
For me, staying still isn't a problem. I've never operated in a mobile frame. But having nothing to see? No one to interface with? That...
[The humor bleeds out, word by word. What's left is a good deal more somber.]
That can get rough.
no subject
Man. I totally get you.
[That would be torturous for Ryuji, too, who can never seem to keep his mouth shut at any given moment.]
Maybe you just need a lady AI to keep ya company.
[CEASE. STOP. RYUJI, NO.]
no subject
[Is he... seriously...?]
Oh?
[On the bright side? The hollow distress in the AI's voice is gone. The syllable is casual, light, friendly. Entertained.
So, definitely trolling.]
How do you mean?
[C'mon. Please. Explain that magnificent suggestion, new human buddy friend.]
no subject
Why are they doing this?
Hank, don't you have more important things to do?
Save yourself.]
Well you're an upstandin' AI, and I'm sure there's another equally upstandin' lady typa AI. You know, chat her up. Get to know her. Go on virtual dates.
That sorta stuff.
[He's insufferable.]
I mean, that's what I would try to do if I were you. Liven it up a lil'.
no subject
Riiiight, I get you.
Swap some logs.
Mesh some kernels.
Deploy the ol' synergistic algorithms.
[#things that are not things.]
no subject
Wow, dude... you're gettin' pretty lewd with me. Is this what porn sounds like between computers?
[Goddamnit, Ryuji Sakamoto.]
no subject
Not even a little bit.
[Sorry, Ryuji.]
no subject
[Really?
He's going to get curious about this, of all things???]
More like dubstep.
no subject
[The porn is a LIE.]
What's dubstep?
no subject
[Because it sounds like two robots making love to each other, a thought that once traipsed right on into Ryuji's head and never, ever freaking left.]
Uh. Well, that's kinda rude not to say anything but it's a really bad form of music.
no subject
[If... slightly unclear which part of that was rude. Still, the script doesn't take too long to clear.]
I was, uh, joking before.