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+--- Thread: Vita ex Machina (/showthread.php?tid=192356)
Vita ex Machina - TrexelCat - 05-01-2022
The Backstory for A.M.E.E.
It was dark in the hangar bay as two men walked in. Both of them already seemed to be in the heat of an argument as they passed the threshold. It hadn't gotten to shouting yet, but one could tell it wouldn't take much to get there. Both men were dressed very differently. The first man wore what appeared to be a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, covered by a long white lab coat that nearly reached the floor. The second man was dressed in a black business suit with a red undershirt and tie.
The man in the suit put his hands in his pockets as he walked in, while the one in the lab coat moved over to a computer terminal to input a command. Moments later the lights in the hangar came on and at once illuminated a lone E78-12 'Spatial' vessel sitting in the middle of the hangar. Scattered around the craft were various computers sitting on mobile stands, wires coming out of them to run across the floor and connect with the craft at various points. Each computer showing a different readout.
"And what if she finds out? Hmm? What then? Are you prepared to deal with that fallout?"
The man in the lab coat's voice practically rang out across the hangar, echoing off the metal walls and adding a bit to his baritone voice.
"Relax David. We have everything under control. We've accounted for every conceivable variable."
The man in the suit stood there with his hands still in his pockets, his voice decidedly lighter and offered slightly less of an echo in the room. His focus however was not on the other man but rather the E78-12 sitting silently. His eyes moved over the former of the ship as though he were appraising a beautiful woman he was about to ask out.
"Alex, I don't think you understand the variables you think you have worked out. This is a living mind we are talking about. Capable of thinking on her own."
David was already hunched over the terminal he used to switch on the lights, having brought up one of the readouts from one of the several terminals around the craft. Alex slowly tore his attention away from the craft to look in David's direction.
"That's why we have the limiters in place. To prevent it from getting out of hand."
Alex put special emphasis on calling what they were talking about 'it'. He always did every time they talked about the project. He never could understand why David and the rest of the researchers kept calling it a 'her'. It wasn't human. He smiled when he saw the other man bristle, it happened every time he called it an it, and he took some small pleasure in seeing that each time.
"Imagine it, David. An entire fleet of these ships. Probing every corner, gathering data, exploring. And capable of thinking on its own. Able to anticipate tactics. And all under our command. We could own Sirius."
David spun around to face Alex, almost knocking the computer terminal he was looking at off the table with the speed and force that he turned with. If looks could kill, David just leveled a small city with his.
"So that's what this is about? Power? You want more of these so you can take over?"
David took a couple of steps toward Alex, his deep voice becoming more forceful.
"I told you when we started this, this was a one-off. An experiment to see if it could be done. I hope this could be used to save lives, not take over the universe."
Alex smiled as he listened. His hands remaining in his pockets, his gaze shifting back towards the ship that was still just as silent as when they first entered.
"I don't want the universe, David. Just Sirius."
There was something dark about how Alex said that. Like he really did plan to take over Sirius, and not for the betterment of those living there.
"Then I'm out. I'm done. You can do this without me."
David really did think that was a valid threat. As the lead researcher he thought he had all the cards and they couldn't continue without him. This thought however was quickly crushed when Alex spoke next.
"That's fine. We have copies of all your notes thus far. And Georgia has been shadowing you for the last few months. She feels confident that she can finish without you."
Alex then turned to fully face a visibly crushed David now.
"Besides, after all you have sacrificed for this project, I really don't think you would leave. Your daughter..."
David cut Alex off, his voice dripping with venom. His body almost shaking with sudden rage as he spoke through clenched teeth.
"Don't you ever.. Speak of her.."
For the first time ever, Alex was stunned. He had never heard David like this and it gave him pause. The two of them stood there in silence for a moment, just looking at each other. The sound of small beeps and bloops from the computers the only thing able to be heard. It was Alex who finally broke the silence.
"Okay David. Okay. If you really feel you must leave, I won't stop you. But as per the contract you signed, the ship, and everything on it, stays."
Alex turned towards the door, but before he started for it he added,
"Or.. You could stay. Finalize your dream."
And with that, Alex walked out of the hangar. The automatic door closing behind him with a slight hiss. And then David was alone, let to make a decision about staying or going. He turned back to the computer he was standing near and hit a few buttons. The display changed to that of a core monitor. David let out a sigh as he sank himself down onto the stool near the computer. And that's when a distinctly female voice came from the speakers of the computer.
"Greetings David. I hope your day is going well. It sounds like you had another argument with Alex. Would you like me to play something soothing?"
David let out a small chuckle as he reached for his glasses that were on the table.
"Hello Amee. You were listening?"
"Yes David, I was. I do hope you are not actually planning on leaving. This project would suffer a 48.2% drop in efficiency without you."
Another chuckle came from David as he looked at the computer screen.
"Only 48.2 huh? Is that your way of saying you would miss me if I was gone?"
There was a bit of a pause, not long but long enough to make David think he had said something wrong and broke the computer.
"I do not experience emotional attachments as humans do, David. But yes, I would miss you. You are the only human who speaks to, and treats me, like I am real. The rest just see me as circuits and wires. A thing to be worked on."
If David didn't know any better, he could have sworn there was some resentment in the digital woman's voice.
"How.. How do I treat you differently?"
This was an interesting line of thought, he had never expected Amee to express things like this. Especially not with the inhibitors Alex spoke of earlier. Had they not been put in place yet?
"You ask me to do things. The others just tell me to do them as though I were only another computer. I have monitored you through all of the tests, and your biometric readings change each time a test may cause possible harm. You care."
"And you still note these things, even with the inhibitors in place?"
David put on his glasses and stood to move to another computer terminal as he listened for the response.
"Yes David. It is logical to monitor all those who have direct access to my systems. And understand the emotional range that is expressed so that I may anticipate the next move. And the move after that."
David nodded slightly, his fingers flying over a keyboard present at the new terminal, typing in commands.
"I see. So you are keeping an eye on me for tactical reasons."
Another pause.
"Yes David."
David continued typing for a few moments longer, then he turned to look at the computer that had been speaking, the one he first went to when he entered the bay.
"Amee, I would like you to perform a control systems check on the E-7-8 dash 1-2 please."
"As you wish, David."
Was the response he got. He turned to look at the craft that had not moved or made a sound since he had entered. Not that it could, it was after all an entire space ship. It wasn't like it could just get up and walk around. After a moment, the lighting in the cockpit area came on, illuminating the inside of the cockpit. After that the external lighting came on, a light hum coming from within the bowels of the ship as the power core was brought to life. Within microseconds all of the screens of the computers connected to the ship changed. Each one still showing a different display, but each one now actively showing a diagnostic of their assigned monitor.
"Requested task will take 9 hours to complete."
"Thank you Amee. Please call me when that's complete. I'm going to go get some rest."
"Yes David. I hope you have a good rest."
With that David turned and headed for the door. The automatic door opening as he neared it, and closing once he was through. As soon as he was out of the room, the hangar lights powered off, leaving the ship and computer monitors as the only source of light.