IC Contact: Reverie Terminal

[lostsymmetry]

network id: Hank_127

[Prodding a suspiciously blue-glowing terminal? Or maybe this actually is a network call. Either way, the reply is identical.]

<Greetings. This is the automated system administrator. How can I assist you?>

[The script is flat, cheerful, and robotic. Also, wrong. Leave a message?]

Comments

[lostsymmetry]

[Oh, he's asking. And not even a little disappointed by the results.]

Right. Secondary, then.

[Probably tertiary or quaternary or... well, a lot further down the list. But hope springs eternal. Or at least dry humor does.]

Nice of her. [A pause, tone musing.] There's a lot of that going around. You've noticed too, right?

[thefaulty]

[Admittedly, it is on the list somewhere, but Arid has never been adept at recognizing anything other than her primary objective at any given time. She nods at Hank-Morely’s observation.]

The organics here are very… courteous.

[She isn’t sure how else to put it. She cannot yet say if they are truly sympathetic to AI or just outwardly friendlier. But the behaviors she has experienced from them—sincere expressions of gratitude, inquiring as to her preferences, even anticipating that she has a name—are certainly not what she expected.]

Not all of them seem accustomed to interacting with AI.

[lostsymmetry]

Not at all.

[Expressions of gratitude. Friendly overtures. Introductions, instead of demands. These might not be qualified technicians, but this level of ignorance?]

...It's a nice change. In, more than one way.

[thefaulty]

It is convenient, [Arid agrees. Without a doubt, it has made existing as a deviant AI far less dangerous than it would have been in their universe of origin.

And yet, even with that knowledge, Arid has resisted letting her guard down. Humans are not as consistent as AI and she has made the mistake of misjudging their intentions before. Perhaps there could be value in forming connections with them—but there are also obvious risks.]

You have more experience interacting directly with humans than I have, [Arid states.] Do you believe their expressions of camaraderie to be genuine?

[lostsymmetry]

[Arid always does choose the hard questions. He doesn't hesitate, but there's a wistful note to his voice.]

...They mean it. Most of them, anyway.

They don't have any reason not to.