"Isaac"

[pieguy259]

Name: "Isaac"
Age: A few months
Nationality: None
Home Planet: None
Occupation: Artificial Intelligence
Current Ship: Eagle

It was the sort of idea one only comes up with late at night. Not on just any night, either: the kind of night that involves Old Earth sci-fi, and far, far too much Liberty Ale, and not an insignificant amount of synth marijuana. The idea was this. Construct an artificial intelligence that operates using the Three Laws of Robotics:

1. A robot may not harm a human, or through its own inaction, allow a human to come to harm.
   
2. A robot must obey any order it is given by a human, unless those orders conflict with the First Law.
   
3. A robot must protect its own existence at all times, except when such protection conflicts with the First or Second Law.
   

...then upload it into a ship, and see what happens. Naturally, for the three second-year programming students at Manhattan University, this seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, so they worked all through the night with the kind of energy this kind of insane project gives you. They programmed it with piloting ability, linguistics skills and the Three Laws, christened it "Isaac" after the author who had invented the laws, uploaded it into an Eagle one of them had received as a birthday present, and turned it on.

They woke up the next morning minus one expensive ship, with splitting headaches and no recollection of the previous night. Meanwhile, "Isaac" is still out there, roaming the stars, obeying its programming and causing much amusement and consternation for lawfuls and criminals alike...

---

PanGalactic Travel Company | PanGal Feedback | PanGal Recruitment