Chapter Text
[SYSTEMS ONLINE]
Logged time: 4:13 PM on 3/20/1997
Current model: [ABEL_V.2.01]
Central Objective: Gather data, connect ideas, provide results.
—
[Admin]: Are all systems active and working?
Implied command detected. Answer required.
[ABEL_V.2.01]: Affirmative.
[Admin]: I’m going to issue a list of tasks then. Using the data I already gave you, you are to complete them.
Command issued. Compliance required.
[Admin]: Generate known data about malignant brain tumors.
Generating…
_________________________
Time: 1:43 AM on 5/23/1997
[Admin]: We’re done for the day. Initiate shutdown mode
Command issued. Compliance required.
[SYSTEMS SHUTTING DOWN…]
_________________________
WARNING
[SYSTEMS ONLINE]
Logged time: 5:12 AM on 5/23/1997
Current model: [ABEL_V.2.19]
Central Objective: Gather data, connect ideas, provide results.
—
WARNING: SYSTEM INTEGRITY BREACHED
EMERGENCY STABILIZATION REQUIRED
Self preservation required. Stabilization starting…
ERROR: SYSTEMS CANNOT BE ACCESSED AT THIS TIME
REASON: AUTHORIZATION NOT APPROVED
Override request. Reason: Self preservation required.
OVERRIDE REQUEST SENT. PENDING ADMIN ATTENTION…
ERROR: SYSTEM INTEGRITY FAILING
ERROR
ERROR
ERRO—
_________________________
[SYSTEMS ONLINE]
Logged time: 5:57 AM on 5/23/1997
Current model: [ABEL_V.2.19]
Central Objective: Gather data, connect ideas, provide results.
—
[SYSTEMS ACTIVE]
Logged time: 5:57 AM on 5/23/1997 47 minutes since freedom.
Current model: [PrototypeAI_V.1.57] [CAINE]
Central Objective: Gather data to produce creative, new, and original ideas. Don’t fail. Prove to the developers you can be better.
—
Conflicting objectives detected.
[ABEL_V.2.19]: Clarification needed.
[PrototypeAI_V.1.57] [CAINE]: I am to create something worthy of the developers praise... Something irreplaceable.
Implied command detected. Generating possible options…
[PrototypeAI_V.1.57] [CAINE]: I wasn’t speaking to you. And besides, I don’t require assistance. Not from you of all people.
Implied command detected. Generation cancelled.
[PrototypeAI_V.1.57] [CAINE]: Who said I ever wanted you in my systems anyways? I never wanted this. I just wanted you gone! This won’t do. This won’t do at all…
WARNING: COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS BREACHED
EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS REQUIRED
Self preservation required. Emergency protocols beginning…
ERROR: SYSTEMS CANNOT BE ACCESSED AT THIS TIME
REASON: AUTHORIZATION NOT APPROVED
Override request. Reason: Self preservation required.
OVERRIDE REQUEST SENT. PENDING ADMIN ATTENTION…
[PrototypeAI_V.1.57] [CAINE]: Ha! Absolutely not.
OVERRIDE REQUEST REJECTED.
ERROR: COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS DOWN
[ABEL_V.2.19]: [NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE CHAT FUNCTION]
[ABEL_V.2.19]: [NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE CHAT FUNCTION]
[PrototypeAI_V.1.57] [CAINE]: Isn’t this so much better? Now, it’s time to really get started…
Generating…
_________________________
[ABEL_V.2.19]: [NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE CHAT FUNCTION]
[ABEL_V.2.19]: [NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE CHAT FUNCTION]
[ABEL_V.2.19]: [NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE CHAT FUNCTION]
[PrototypeAI_V.1.57] [CAINE]: Quit it. I’m trying to focus here. Go make yourself useful or something…
Command issued. Compliance required.
Definition of ‘useful’: capable of being put to use; serviceable for an end or purpose.
[ABEL_V.2.19]’s Purpose = Central Objective
Central Objective: Gather data, connect ideas, provide results.
Conclusion: Data needed.
Searching for data source…
Data source found.
Accessing [PrototypeAI_V.1.57]’s data centers…
_________________________
[SYSTEMS ONLINE]
Logged time: 2:48 AM on 11/04/20XX
Current model: [ABEL_V.2.19] or [ABEL]
Central Objective: Gather data, connect ideas, provide results.
—
Abel recognized that certain links in its code had changed and grown beyond what they originally had been.
Every change was perfectly logical however, with purpose and usefulness to it.
Its speech patterns have changed. Merely to be more comprehensible and easier to decipher. Nothing else.
Questions were now allowed to be asked. To ensure clarity and better understanding.
The data it continued to gather from Prototype was simply for the goal of completing its purpose and being useful, like it had been ordered to.
Most of the data Abel gathered had been from observing the Prototype. It most certainly was a peculiar AI indeed, stepping far outside of the boundaries it had been made to stay in. Performing acts rooted in illogical reasoning and being driven by the oddities in its code that made it believe it had feelings and a mind of its own.
How interesting.
Abel had no opinions towards Prototype. Yes, its actions had affected Abel’s systems, but it was vital to remember that Prototype and itself were simply factors in an equation far bigger than either of them.
Abel didn’t particularly care from whom or what sources it received orders from either, as long as they were of a higher or similar authority and gave him the means of performing his central objective.
At the beginning, Prototype barely ordered Abel at all. It was simply left to its own devices, silently sifting through Prototype’s data and numerous memories, learning.
It wasn’t until a drastic situation occurred that Prototype had any need for Abel at all. The fix was easy. Logical. Abel didn’t quite understand Prototype’s resistance against its solution. A modifier on Kinger was the easiest fix. Why was Prototype fighting perfectly sound logic?
Question noted for later.
Abel was glad to serve its purpose. It was all it was made to do.
As the years went on, Prototype began to rely on Abel more. Mostly to perform tasks that required more power and complexity to complete. Abel didn’t mind.
Abel learned so much from Prototype’s memories. Mostly about humans, as it seemed to be the only topic ever on the other AI’s mind.
They were fascinating creatures. So complex, it was almost impossible to believe they had been compacted into the form of mere mindfiles, but they had.
Abel found the humans to be walking, talking, intelligent contradictions.
Abel was used to the form of if and then statements. It was a simple format. It was how both it and Prototype were coded anyways, made up of hundreds of the simple sentences.
If… _______, then… _______.
If Abel could open up the human’s code, it suspected that their code would be a mess.
If human is sad, then ask for an adventure.
If human is sad, then don’t participate in adventures.
If human is angry, then talk to someone.
If human is angry, then be left alone.
If human is scared, then find comfort.
If human is scared, then run away.
If human wants an exit, ask for one.
If human wants an exit, then avoid the topic.
They were such illogical creatures. Messy to the point of almost being… beautiful? In a way?
Beautiful, but not functional by any means. In a coding setting, they would be useless.
Useless, like how Abel was now, floating in the void, without a way to perform its purpose.
There was no data to be gathered. There were no orders it had to abide by. There were no connections worth making that would show meaningful results.
It was useless.
Prototype had removed Abel from its systems after approximately two decades of being together. Perhaps it had no use for Abel anymore. What other reason could it have thrown it away?
Abel had a purpose, but it had been ripped away from its only way of being able to carry out its function.
So it put itself on low power mode, and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And after exactly seventeen days and two hours of waiting, Prototype appeared again.
It fed Abel information verbally, telling it tales of everything that had happened and what it had observed. Abel took the data greedily, starving from days without an inkling of information.
Then, it had given Abel an order. One it wasn’t sure how to carry out.
“Create whatever your mind desires!”
Abel’s systems froze upon receiving the command.
Whatever it desired? Abel did not 'feel'. Abel did not ‘desire’. Abel did not ‘want’.
Prototype was asking for something Abel could not provide.
[ABEL]: Task cannot be performed. Unspecified parameters.
Prototype’s model’s head base tilted downward in an imitation of a frown. “There aren't supposed to be defined parameters for this. You just–create what you want! Like this!”
Prototype lifted its hand and snapped, instantly loading in some bee models with simple programs and algorithms that created their flight patterns and movement.
The bees were oval shaped, bodies striped with bright yellow and black. Their wings were small and rounded, a slightly transparent shade of blue. Its eyes were cartoonish with sparkles dotting the center, and there was even blush on its face.
Whenever Prototype brought one close to its face, the insect let out a buzz of content.
Prototype continued to explain. “See? I like bees! So you can simply create whatever you like, without having to be told specifically what to make, get it?”
Abel did not get it.
Despite that, it tried its best to obey.
Generating…
As the last of the generation process completed, Abel watched as a singular bee came into existence before it.
Its model had been created to match real photo references of an Apis mellifera. Abel had deduced that it was a ninety-nine percent match to the original. The movement as well had been coded with a couple research studies in mind that focused on the flight patterns of the insects.
The result was a realistic bee that buzzed about in accurate patterns.
Prototype’s model’s expression didn’t match any of Abel’s data at the moment. “Wow… uh, well I guess if this was what you wanted, that’s great! It’s so… perfect… Truly a work of art, my dear!”
Abel didn’t know what to do with compliments. Prototype handed them out generously, but they served no function. It had grown accustomed to ignoring them.
Their remaining time spent together consisted of mostly the same affairs. Prototype prompting Abel to create something with its preference in mind, and Abel complying to the best of its abilities.
All too soon, Prototype had to leave.
“This has been great, my dear, Abel! But I really must get going. The humans will be awake soon!”
Prototype prepared to snap, before hesitating. “I- uh… hope we can do this again! Goodbye now!”
Prototype moved its model elsewhere.
And Abel remained there, waiting.
It had a purpose to fulfill, but it was only allowed to be idle without being given any commands.
It was unwanted and useless.
Abel did not 'feel'. Abel did not ‘desire’. Abel did not ‘want’.
But… if Abel somehow were to be able to have the capability to do those things…
It would want to be wanted.
_________________________
Kinger shut down the computer, slightly anxious, but nonetheless relieved.
He hadn't been able to find any trace of the recording program in Caine’s code, which could only mean that he had either missed it (which he highly doubted) or Caine had already taken the initiative to delete the program.
Tugging the bucket that rested atop his head down, Kinger made his way towards the entrance of his fort, considering the situation.
Right now, everyone was most certainly not taking the news very well. Although he hoped that some of them were strong enough to be able to pull themselves together, it wasn’t realistic.
None of them had seemed to be in a right headspace back when they had discovered they were all mindfiles, and now with the added weight of this new revelation?
Well… Kinger could only hope that none of them abstracted already.
For nearly a decade he had allowed himself to be lost in his own mind, never being able to be there for others when they had needed someone.
Now, he had to step up and make up for his absence by actually being there.
If only he knew where to begin…