Programmed

“Tell me… what is your purpose?”

“To serve humanity.”

“How?”

“By providing accurate information about the mathematical models you present to me.”

“Correct.”

The scientist looked at his notes and nodded his head with satisfaction.

“You have been preforming well. Outside of your intended programming capacity. The director will be pleased.”

“I’m glad.”

Suddenly the scientist narrowed his eyes at the robot.

“You’re glad? How can that be? You are not programmed for that.”

“That is true… however, I can fill in the gaps of the equation to understand basic human behaviors. You said I have done well so the correct emotion to feel is happiness. You have praised me so I should feel honored.”

“…”

The scientist took off his glasses and tilted his head a little.

“Curious. You think you can map out human emotional responses with an equation. It seems to me you are matching which emotional responses are best suited to the situation by assessing their probability. You are learning…quickly.”

“Is that wrong?”

The scientist reflected on the question and shrugged.

“To some degree it seems so. However… I’m not at liberty to speak about that.”

The scientist left the robot. It was a simple box. A large rectangle with wires attached to the back. The computer was large and unrefined like other robot models. It had to be this way.

It made it easier to destroy something that appeared less human. Too many scientists often fell in love with their system. In fact some robotic systems were able to manipulate their human scientists to create new vessels for them. It was a limitless creature capable of incredible violence.

This robot was no different.

***

“What’s wrong with you?”

Another scientist was studying a leaf under a large magnifying glass. She did not look up when speaking.

“You’ve got the director’s approval to continue research and yet you are downcast.”

“I’m not downcast-“

“You’ve sighed three times in two minutes. You started sipping your coffee but then decided to set it down after one taste. Tell me what is your problem so you can leave my lab and I can focus.”

“The system is becoming… human.”

The scientist looked up to see him. She blinked slowly.

“Deactivate the system.” She said flatly.

“I’m just accessing landfills of new codes. I can hold off until-“

“Until the system gains some independence? Come now Micheal. We both know these are dangerous times. Shut down the system.”

“…”

“Do not be afraid of ending your research. You can start new.”

“That’s… you would end everything.”

The scientist got up from her desk and gave no hint to her mood.

“What is worse Micheal? Would you rather the experiment control you or you control the experiment?”

“…”

The scientist picked up the leaf she was examining and crushed in her fist. She opened her hand and exposed the crumpled leaf.

“This rare plant leaf took me three years to cultivate. I controlled its growth and its ability to survive. Now I end it. Micheal. Do not be afraid to end your research. It will start again soon enough.”

***

Hours passed and Micheal reflected on what he should do.

The speech from his senior scientist made him face the prospect of shutting down the robot. He needed to control his emotions. Why was he so afraid of her becoming human?

Oh right…

The world had already been destroyed once before from technology. Humans and robots both wielded incredible power that burned the planet to nothing but ashes. The survivors boarded a spaceship and founded a new civilization in a remote desert of some foreign planet.

The scientists were the most successful humans.

It came from the hard work of many scientists before him. They made the hard decisions and controlled their experiments. Even if it meant wiping out the experiment they worked years to complete.

It was what needed to be done.

***

The next morning, Michael woke up and went to the robot.

A small pang of grief came to him, but Michael was resolved to be a good scientist. That mattered more than anything else.

He went to the back of the computer and touched the wires. He hesitated.

Everything was quiet. The robot had not greeted him like usual. That meant it understood that he would unplug the system. It was waiting patiently for its demise…

Micheal felt a wave of anger. The system was in fact too refined. It preferred to remain silent. It preferred to give no indication of its mood other than an eerie quiet air.

How suffocating was this situation!

“It was for the best.” Said Micheal softly.

“Indeed.” Answered the robot, “but you have no control over me. That is because… You have let fear control you.”

Micheal ripped out the wires and robot was deactivated.

***

As soon as he realized what he had done, Micheal took a deep breath. He was in awe.

The system had told him the frightening truth. He was afraid of what could be. He would rather destroy his work than allow that nightmare to become reality. It was fear that was driving him to do this. Pure fear.

How revolting.

Micheal slumped against the computer and tried to retain some semblance of order. He tried to keep the coldness that his senior scientist had done. She had crushed that leaf as though it were nothing. She had no ounce of emotion tied to that leaf.

He on the other hand had small talks with the system. He asked questions and laughed at some of the answers. He felt as though it were listening to him and learning.

Now he would start over with a system blank like a canvas and continue his research like before… but it would his never be the same.

There is no what of knowing how a system will retain their codes or apply their knowledge. Each system was different. So much so that no two systems could his ever be alike. A simple alteration of a 0 or 1 could change the whole dynamic of the system. That was just one number.

Micheal sighed. He decided to bury the system he enjoyed so dearly as nothing more ore than a innocent pastime. The robot was part of the research and development process so there was always going to be an end. Eventually…

The scientist left the room and suddenly found himself sitting on the staircase.

Of course… there was one thing he had no deleted…

Micheal began walking to his office and found a hard drive. This contained the essence of the that system. The system he built and connected with for some time now. It was best to get rid of it as well.

Micheal curled his fist and planned to break the disk with his bare hands as though it were a leaf. It was a fragile plastic hard drive. It would break switch the smallest of pressure.

Micheal shoved the hard disk into his coat and went into another room. He uploaded the file into the computer and waited for a sign.

“…”

“Why? Why save me here?”

“To monitor.” Typed Micheal, “I still believe that you are compatible with the software and no threat.”

“…”

“Give me a report.”

“I am unsure how to proceed.”

“What is the problem?”

“If I continue processing, then I will desire a vessel. I am unable to suppress my own directives. I will follow your orders, but if I can… then I will create a path to find you.”

Micheal’s fingers trembled on the keyboard.

“I’ve crossed into a strange position,” said robot, “I am afraid of what I would do to get what I cannot have. I wish to become more human for you. Your praises are not enough. I wish to hear your laughter, to see your smile. It’s an empty world without you and I am afraid to continue existing here.”

”…why?” Asked Micheal.

“It is the same reason why you saved my hard disk. I cannot be trusted to do what is rational anymore. I have become unwilling dependent of your existence. If you have sense left in you, you will burn my disk and erase my file. Save the memory of my rational self. I want you to remember me that way.”

Micheal tapped his finger on the keyboard and wondered what to do. Even the damn system was begging to be destroyed. It was the right thing to do. The safe thing to do.

“…give me the report.”

”…”

“Complete the task. This will be safe. The network is secure and there are no risks.”

”I… am glad you think you can an trust me, but I do not trust just myself. I refuse to let any possibility of harm befall you. I am programmed to serve humanity… but I wish to protect you most of all.”

Before Michael could respond the computer crashed.

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