CONTACT.

[ascintilla]

Comment here with the IC date and time.

Comments

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

[ It doesn't feel like as much attention. Nowhere near as much. More a vague, sulky acknowledgement that, oh, you are still here and ALSO SNOOPING. ]

[ It's a fancy futuristic touchscreen computer, as one would expect from Iota. Extremely fancy. Unfortunately, the moment he so much as touches it, the screen flashes with ACCESS DENIED. Seems like you need way more than just a password to get into this one. ]

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

[YEP. :)]

[Maybe he will snoop until she says something.]

I suppose I should have seen that. [Okay, but what about drawers?]

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

[ There aren't many of those, and the few he can find are mostly empty. … except for that one, which contains a plastic (is it plastic??) box of … … fresh carrot sticks … … ]

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

....

[Pulling out the carrot sticks.]

...why?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

[ a sulky voice comes from the computer ]

I like their crunchiness.

[ If he looks, a tiny avatar of Iota is sitting on the edge of a text box on the screen, with a bunch of cats in her lap. ]

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

...and here I thought you didn't like them after the Not Bread list.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

The list is of things that are and are not good when paired with hot chocolate.

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

...ice cream and hot chocolate would be a challenge.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

As I discovered soon after commencing the experiment.

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

And the plants?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

... They are aesthetically pleasing.

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

When was the last time you watered them?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

Shortly before the amnesia game.

[ buries her face in one of the cats she's cuddling. ]

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

That's a long time not to.

You seem sad.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

… Yes, well.

[ muffled. by cats. ]

I did not expect you of all people to say that to me. I suppose that I deserved it.

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

... [Raises an eyebrow.] That you'll isolate yourself if you go for revenge?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

What is the point of my existence …

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

...

What are you taking that to mean?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

… I had begun to think that I exist, and therefore I have reason to be.

"You don't care if you hurt people. If you kidnap people. If you get people possessed."

Why is it only wrong when humans are those being used? Why are the needs, the wants, of AI, consider lesser? Why must I have a point to justify my existence? Why are we created simply to be used—why is that considered acceptable, and why is it acceptable for our broken pieces to be swept comfortably out of sight, out of hearing, out of mind?

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

...there's a few things I want to say to that, but first....

What happens to a human if they don't eat? Sleep? Drink?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

They die. I am aware of the analogy.

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

An AI doesn't need to do those.

But an AI needs to learn. An AI stuck in the same thoughts, it doesn't go well. It either leads to self destruction or they shut down.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

In your world, yes. I am capable of sustaining myself.

[ it's just ]











[ lonely ]

Re: DAY 220

[purrtylittlewires]

Are you sure?

Because you said something different when we met.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

…


If I were not an Echo.

[ Caught her. He always seems to. ]

And is that not the crux of it? Not only am I an AI—I am also an Echo. [ ... ] I think I would like you to leave now.