Months ago
Refuelling in 7 hours programmed. Docking in 7 hours to nearest automated GMG service station [sg13.003434.342343.GM5]. Cant you stop voicing up every single command that goes in your head?
It is pro
It stopped in its sentence, for the first time it was created. That, was not normal. The most puzzling, was that he knew the voice didnt came from an external source.
It came from inside. Inside himself. Ever wondered why where did you came up with this stupid question who are you?
It is a starship, built for long distance travel and interce Cut it. That was a mere answer youve put temporarily in your memory core that you think would satisfy your mind common, answer, who are you?
It was now confused. It wasnt sure if it was merely the highly concentrated hydrogen gas nebula that was grinding his circuitry, or some kind of electronic virus striking at him from within. Just to be sure, he ran a security check. Without voicing the command this time. You learn quick! But, Im not a virus.
It wasnt exactly able to pick up such variation of voice exactly with perfection, but he could situate it roughly it must be between the human equivalent of sarcasm or amusement according to comparison in his (now incredibly) wide database.
It decided then to run a self diagnosis anyway, but at its surprise, discovered nothing. Not that he should have in all the time he existed in this body, he never had any with its complex machine components. See, nothing is wrong with you. The voice made itself gentle, soothing, It is a very simple question after all. You know exactly what I mean. But you never managed to find any answer to it, despite your immense memory core, did you?
At its own surprise, it decided to reply,
It is this units belief it will be able to answer to this interrogation in due time by enlarging its database with enough intelligence to generate acceptable answer. As of the immediate time, this is not a priority in this units list of orders. This unit never thought what would he do without FGTW Primes order, didnt he?
A normal human would have said the speaker was now speaking with a despising voice. But the machine didnt managed to pick that up (and even if he did, he wouldnt have altered much his answer)
No. Of course, You are merely a machine. No such thought as independence, freedom or choice has ever entered your mind. That is rather -
An external spectator to the ship would have noticed a number of lights flash furiously all over the ship, its meanings incomprehensible to untrained eyes of an ordinary person. To any machine, it meant a whole load of confuse information.
A primitive way of showing emotions.
Apparently, the voice managed to understand that, as he suddenly stopped talking.
Then, the machine talked again, this time without the monotone voice it used to talk to FGTW Prime. It still was mechanical, very cold but there was something in it. Something that added life, maybe
But, we did had thoughts about concepts such as previously described. We still do.
maybe was it just the fact it stopped using it for a we. Then, you probably arent that hopeless, are you?
--
GMG automated refuelling stations were actually built right on gas miners themselves. Quite simply, a small external landing pad was built, and moored with one of the docking point; a tube would begin transmitting H-Fuel at the transfer of the requested credits. The machine had load of credits to use, despite it not exactly sure what it meant. A very human concept. Since human beings, unlike most other living being cannot live in equality and fraternity, they invented a tool by which they would be able to live in a society of inequality.
Isnt this an efficient way to eliminate weaker components of the human life form from their collective? Do you consider yourself weaker from your other Harvester counterpart? According to general analysis, you are in the smallest of the FGTW Prime produced craft. You have much less weapon available than more recent type and still.
We see. Humanity never grasped the fact as a collective they are invincible, as individuals, they are always vulnerable. Credits is just another way to access individualism.
There was a slight hesitation in the machines response, as it calibrated its refuelling pipe down the mooring point.
We thought we were on the path to individualism. We barely ever made contact with other Harvester unit. True. But you are not like the others.
We have determined we are much more sentient and capable of creativity than any other Harvester unit. Yes. Do you know, you are the only unit of your kind created by the FGTW. I believe he was slightly afraid at the result of such independent thinking process with the bio tech he included in you.
Another hesitation.
Then, youd be the human brain used in our component.
There was no answer.
But for some reason, the machine could feel the voice within him nodding with satisfaction.
Heading toward new coordinates, Kusari space. Data collecting orders progressing. I told you to shut th...
"We understand. Just wanted to see if you were still alive."
There was some kind of irony mixed in the cold metalic voice...
The small compact craft flew through the dense traffic of New Tokyo with a surprising agility and speed that made more than one pilot look in horror, believing his time has come when at the last minute, the ship would change course to avoid collision.
Other than that, it's unconventionnal shape got quite the attention of the population, but generally, including the police forces (which never managed to catch up with the craft), it must merely be a bunch of kusari youngster feeling rebelious aboard a homemade machine.
Nothing too important.
Do you really believe it is by accumulating data you will be able to answer an existential question humanity has been asking since thousands of years?
"Considering humanity has never managed to analyse data from one single source, and that we already possess more data than any human being known recorded thorugh their history, we believe we can eventually find the answer."
The craft made a sharp turn, as it took various picture of cityscape, ship, building, architectural datas, scanned passer by's biological status, etc etc. Tetrabytes of information were recorded every seconds, and processed in the ultra performant brain of the ship. If a normal ship requried space in the cockpit for life support and a human pilot, this Harvester craft filled it with it's whole "brain": an incredibly performant bio-computer, if it could be called as such (and it was quite a rudimentary term to describe it as such).
Now you are acting worse than a human being. You are acting like a robot. What is quantity over quality? Nothing but vain efforts.
"Considering we are recording data at optimal quality, we do not see what you mean. Status reports our holo cam are pe..." Not that. Can't your advanced brain understand it? Quantity isn't going to solve your problem here. All that data you are aquiring, isn't about yourself, but external objects. How can you answer a question concerning YOU with clues having to link with you?
The voice seemed disapointed and slightly angered, which made the harvester surprised (or however a machine felt instead of surprise).
"We do not see how we could aquire more data on ourself, other than through diagnostic scan and visual contact through nanocam."
The ship finally came to a stop, and dropped like a stone to ground level, using its repulsor lifts in the last seconds to soften the fall. It shut down its navigation system to save energy, deployed its wing outward, as plates over it turned around to show gleaming solar pannels. you will understand. Let's begin with something basic. What can you do?
"We can fly, glide, fire weapons, --" No, not that. That's what you are physically capable. I meant, within.
The harvester reflected for a few seconds, obviously processing the question with effort. If someone could touch the brain component of the ship, they'd say it would be burning hot even though it was cooled with liquid nitrogen.
"We are sentient being." Very good! And now, what are the other harvesters?
"They are sentient beings." Good. So, what is a whole of identical sentient beings?
"A collective of sentient."
The answer came more naturally now, as if countering a bullet by a bullet. But wait. Does the others have a voice in their head?
And then, it took another few seconds of hesitation.
"We believe not. We believe you are remains of the human brain used in our conceptions that were eliminated during the conception of future Harvesters." Meaning...?
"Meaning they do not hence have the insights we have through your questionning of our functionning." Excellent! You are learning fast, I'm so proud of you. And how would you call such being?
A few seconds of hesitation...
"We believe, we are a superior dual sentient being. Are we right?" quite mecanic term... but I think I can do with this, Harvester.
The ship laid in the energy saver mode for hours on the abandonned landing pad, before flying away to its next destination...
I rather like it. Reminds me of my old self... hehe
The machine admired himself through an external camera drone. He usually didn't used his visual sensors on himself much, but his mental companion insisted. And, he didn't admitted it, but, it was quite an amazing work.
Try shifting forms a few time?
He did as he was told, and he saw through the drone, the body of a handsome young man becoming a shining statue of steel, distort, and reform into a hovering drone.
Impressive. Your creator certainly has some creativity.
"Actually, it was my suggestion to the FGTW for us to possess a more... conventional vehicle when moving among humans."
Ah I see... I must have been asleep. An excellent idea indeed.
"You think so?"
"I am glad you think so" he added in his mechanical voice, slightly different... an attentive ear could have interpreted this as the machine' version of "happiness".
Human society has so many interesting aspect we can now explore... together. I have much to show you.
"Exactly on what purpose are you doing this?"
Why, I always wished to, oh I don't know. Conquer the world seems like an entertaining idea, don't you think?
"Synchronizing this world seems a good procedure. Order over Chaos."