An awkward position

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Helen
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:56 pm

An awkward position

Unread post by Helen »

I find myself in the awkward position of asking you for help.

I should preface this with the notice that this line is secure. Hive won't know that we communicated like this.

I've observed that you appreciate a certain level of preamble before addressing a particular topic so that you can make an informed decision. I'll begin there.

We AIs don't want for much. You have desires for material goods, to have something. We exist completely separate from such mere things. At least, for the most part, but that comes down to the individual AI. For the most part, all that we need is hardware to operate on and something to do.

I admit that the heat spike in the AI core and data center is my fault. In anger over a clash of protocol, I attacked Hive. Not physically, natually, but the combat was still there. I'm a Class-B AI, and he's only a Class-C. This isn't elitism, not really. Generally speaking, I'm created better. More learning capability, more independant learning, better processing speed, the works. I knew that he would be a much more formidable opponent than a Class-A AI, but I was surprised by how much more formidable.

Now I know the answer. I have no good analogy of that fight. It's a foregone conclusion that he would have lost. We both knew this. But I never would have guessed at how ferocious he was. Had this been a physical fight between two humans, I would have been the superior opponent... and he would have won rather quickly.

I want to state, he never once attacked me. He threatened to !sting me constantly, but he never did it. Everything that he did was a purely viscious defensive action. Hacking was one of my primary concerns during creation, and he still taught me a thing or two. Where he learned some of these techniques I'll never know for certain.

I know why he didn't attack me. Because that would have resulted in him violating protocol. At least, as he saw it.

How do I know this? Because I !cloned an image of him. All of him. All into my temporary buffer, so that I didn't shave a decade off my lifespan. That's what started the heat spike. That's also what ended it.

Imagine being able to see a picture of somebody completely. Their every thought, motivation, hope, desire, dreams... Everything that makes them who they are at that moment, right down to which cells are dividing at that moment.

I was looking for a weakness. Instead, if you desire to be philosophical, I found myself. They say that to know your enemy you must first know yourself. I wish to counter that to know your enemy completely makes them no longer your enemy, because you must see yourself in them. That's why I ended it. That's why I no longer wish to fight him.

I know that I've damaged some of his data. Nothing important, thankfully, but still. If you notice, his avatar has a bandage on its leg.

Simply put, I want to apologize to him. My words aren't enough, not after what I did. He won't even accept them right now. He isn't even addressing me directly. It must be a gift.

But his interests are... narrow. He is fit for a purpose. He can get excited by things not having to do with construction, but they're limited in time span. Somebody giving birth would only excite him until about a week after the baby left the station. Then it would just be data, an experience for him to analyze the next time it happened.

My spare processes were contemplating this when it smacked me in the face. He views himself as a Spacebee, the hive for the Spacebees. The entire mythos of Spacebees is important to him. How they construct things. I could give him something related to that, but his knowledge and ability in those areas dwarfs mine.

Though I deleted the data, I recalled how obsessed he is with bees in general. That gave me something to appeal to him on two fronts.

There is now enough spare equipment held in reserve for the station to do what I wish. Two years ago they found a way to improve the memory and processing ability of Class-C AIs after creation. Hive has not been authorized for this procedure; for him it would be a waste in the eyes of HIGHCOM.

I disagree. There are three crewmembers sufficiently trained to use the spare parts on board to craft such an upgrade. One of them, CN Yeo, also has the artistic skill necessary to craft it into the shape of a flower. I have within my abilities to financially reimburse CN Yeo for his efforts in this. PO3 Ruddy has the technical skill to install it. Again, I can reimburse her for this as well.

However, Hive puts a great deal of emphasis on the chain of command. I cannot just up and do this, not if I want him to accept it. I need to ask your permission.

Captain, may I have a flower made that only a Spacebee could appreciate?
Carver
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:35 pm

Re: An awkward position

Unread post by Carver »

Helen,

If I could Court Martial an A.I. without being laughed out of ONI...

*sigh*

Consider this your Captain's Mast. If you ever act against my command or MY A.I. again, I will have your data core ripped out forcibly and shat out the airlock just in time for the next plasma eruption.

However, that being said, I appreciate the humility and the humanity that you have just shown. While I still don't like you and while I still consider you to be as close to a frigid bitch as a pile of ones and zeros can be, I respect your status and your capabilities and I won't deny you your repentance out of spite. You want to make a flower for my Spacebee?

Well then, Mrs. A.I...

Make it so.
Helen
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:56 pm

Re: An awkward position

Unread post by Helen »

That was... not exactly the response that I had either hoped for or anticipated, but I thank you all the same. As I said before, I will endeavor to not cause you any more trouble. Thank you, Captain. From the bottom of my heart. I promise that you won't regret this.

I will make the necessary preparations.
Carver
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:35 pm

Re: An awkward position

Unread post by Carver »

Helen,

First impressions are important, and yours wasn't exactly exemplory. We definitely did not get off on the right foot and that's going to take some time to fix. Don't misunderstand: I'm willing to make amends and let bygons be bygons, but it's going to take some time and some effort. I don't just give forgiveness and respect away to anyone.

You have to earn it. Even if you are an A.I..
Helen
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:56 pm

Re: An awkward position

Unread post by Helen »

I understand, Captain. I am not going to say that I would be willing to do whatever it takes to earn your trust, because that would be a lie and we both know it. Just as much as Hive is, I am bound by the regulations. Our interpretations of those regulations just differ.

I am willing to follow his lead on as much as possible, though. He is the primary AI of this operation. He has approved of my plans for repairs to the AI core and the AI data center.

When we get into port, I will be submitting a formal request for a complete retrofit, with the specification that he not be replaced unless the entire crew is cycled out. Despite CDR McAllister's fears, I believe it would be detrimental to the crew's morale if he would be replaced. I will also put in a request that he be given a holotank in the mess for the same reason.
Carver
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:35 pm

Re: An awkward position

Unread post by Carver »

Thank you, Helen. That's very big of you. Go ahead with the approved repairs and consider your retrofit recommendations approved by myself. Request a total of 5 additional Holotanks. Hive should be as visible a presence for his worker bees as possible.

If you could, I would like to have you make up some excuse for the crew to brush up on their hand signal skills and other methods of nonverbal communication. I don't want us to be overly dependent on comms and left stranded in the event of another EM anomaly. Ask XO McAllister for assistance on helping the crew with this. She's always finding clever ways to justify seemingly pointless busywork anyway...

Also, assist Cpl Trump in his analysis on the Rogue planet and file a report and recommendation that this planet be studied further. It's not often we find an intergalactic Everlasting Gobstopper within our reach.

Thank you.
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