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"The exhibit you see before you is a pile of artificial leaves…." The tour, like all the others happening around the museum as well, faded into the background of Guides processes. They were almost boring.
It loved them, don't get it wrong. The exhibits were fascinating. But talking about them day in and day out was tedious.
After all the excitement of the last year, it had never gotten time to stop. Between the tours, the research, and just being the museum, maybe Guide was getting tired? Even Mother gets to take breaks and visit her daughter occasionally. So it wasn't that the other staff didn't think that it might not need breaks purely because it wasn't human. But no one had ever offered or even made a comment about it. But it had also never mentioned it, and what would a break even look like? Would the whole museum just shut down?
"Guide? Guide?"
Guide snapped out of its reverie and focused on the office where its name had been called.
"Oh! Yes, Curator? What can I help you with?"
"Is everything alright? You started blinking." They gestured to the box they kept on the desk to keep an eye on the mainframe from a distance.
"Oh yes. Everything is- it's all good, Curator."
"Good." They sat back. "I just want to check on you. I realize that after my return, I had a lot of meetings with all the staff and made sure that those who needed it got the help they needed. And I realized I had forgotten one. One who I made continue to work through all those meetings taking notes and worrying about everyone else."
"Oh! Do you need me to fetch someone? I can-"
"Guide, I'm talking about you. How have you been doing?" The Curator smiled softly. "I never sat down with you outside of asking you what happened in my absence."
"Well, we never actually, quote, sat down, unquote. As I can't sit. But I don't understand. Was there something I missed in our debrief?" It was confused; it had been certain it hadn't missed anything, and it had made sure to give all details it was capable of, even giving them information it wouldn't tell anyone else.
"No. Well yes. But more, I forgot. How are you doing, Guide? You've been through more than anyone else here because you went through it all. And I didn't ask."
"Oh. I think everything's okay. No damage happened to the mainframe or the servers, and I still function perfectly." It hummed softly. "If you're concerned, I can have patronage run a few tests?"
"I don't mean the mainframe, your programs, or any of that. I mean you. How are you feeling?" The Curator sat back and frowned slightly, eyes shifting away; Guide could practically see the thoughts running in their mind.
"I, uh, huh. I am not sure. I don't process things the same way others do. But I, perhaps I am tired? I don't need to sleep. That's not what I mean. But it feels similar to what I see when people go on breaks. I don't get breaks. There isn't a part of me that isn't doing something. Helping security, running tours, and recording research. I can do everything; you don't have to worry about that Curator. Not at all."
"Yes, that's what I thought you would say. I'm not worried about you failing Guide. Not at all. We didn't think about this when I approached you about coming to the museum. You weren't this…independent." The Curator stood up and began pacing slowly, arms crossed as they thought. "You didn't need breaks back then. No iteration of you lasted long enough to need a break."
Guide couldn't hold back the involuntary gasp. "I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to respond to that. I know that no one thought about it."
"No, Guide, I'm sorry. I didn't think about it. I approved Patronage adding that line to your programming. I approved the incinerators. I thought I was doing what was right, but I didn't ask you. And I should have. So I apologize. But this is what I mean. These are the things I would like to talk about. What do you mean you feel tired?"
"I'm not...sure. I feel like everything is going good. I'm not breaking down anymore; I know that. But I am tired of this; I enjoy it, I do. But I haven't stopped since the lockdown. I'm not- It feels like I am going through the motions? It feels as though I'm not even doing anything anymore."
The Curator stopped their pacing and glanced up at one of the cameras. "You're experiencing burnout; you haven't had time to relax."
"With all due respect, Curator, I don't think that's possible; that's one of those fleshy meat issues. And I'm not. I'm sure there's just some bug or something in my programming, Restoration and I can do some troubleshooting." What was it saying, hadn't it just been thinking about this earlier when it was called into The Curator's office. This could be its chance to just stop for a few moments.
But no, that was admitting something, wasn't it. Something it didn't like to consider.
This felt awfully close to what degradation felt like before.
And it never wanted to feel that again or risk the outcome.
"Guide," The Curator sighed and leaned against their desk. "Okay, let's do some troubleshooting. Can you pull back from all the cameras and security systems? Security can handle being on their own for a few moments."
"Should I warn them beforehand? You do not need to answer that. I already have. And I am pulling back now." It felt like what Guide assumed a human felt when they closed their eyes in a room full of sounds and bright flashing lights. There was still so much, but not as much, closer to manageable.
"How do you feel?"
"Odd. I am used to keeping an eye on everything, making sure nothing happens again. I don't want to miss anything, and I feel like I'm missing everything. But it feels like something has been lifted."
"Fantastic; now, can you tell any research projects and Head of Research that you will be pulling out and that they will need to swap back to manual recordings of any findings? Send that message to restoration as well."
"Is that- is that necessary for this short downtime? I can tell them to take a pause-" Guide watched The Curator look at the box on their desk and raise an eyebrow, just asking it to question them again. "No, of course, I will tell them. Give me a moment."
"Good." They walk back around to their computer and sit down.
"I'm now only in the mainframe, your copy of me, and the various tours around the museum."
"Wonderful. Please tell the patrons that we appreciate their visit but that the museum will be closing for a week and that, if the museum so pleases, they will be free to return then."
Guide didn't respond for a few moments. "I don't- I don't understand."
"Begin wrapping up the tours and telling them they can return in a week; I don't think I made that unclear."
"No, I suppose you didn't. That may take a while."
"I am patient." The Curator sent a few messages. "The only departments that will be here on site will be security, research, and me. Between the three of us, we can handle the museum."
"Curator, is something wrong? Is something happening? Did I miss something? I was- I was keeping an eye on everything. If I let something through, I am so sor-"
"Guide, you didn't let anything through. You've been doing perfectly. But you need a break. The museum can't run correctly if the Museum itself is sick." They patted the box on their desk almost affectionately.
"I don't-"
"Enjoy your holiday Guide. You've deserved it."
It had only kept a few copies of itself active, the one in the Curator's box, in case they needed to contact it for any reason, the one with Mother and Head of Retrieval had requested it though it didn't understand why.
It spent most of its time with Mother; she had agreed to take him outside, her daughter tagging along as they walked along beaches and mountains, seeing sights that Guide hadn't since his father died.
On the third day, they sat alongside a pebbled beach, watching the waves, the two of them describing the feel of the rocks on their feet, when Guide was called to another copy.
"Hello, yes; how can I help you?"
"Guide, you're on holiday, and because you are, so am I. No helping. Just...friends. There's some people I want you to meet. My husband and our kids." The Head of Retrieval smiled. "If you're not busy."
"The Mother and I are at the beach right now with her daughter, but I can see if they would be okay with me swapping over here? I'm trying to be in as few places as possible by order of The Curator. I know they mean well; it's just-"
"Shit goes bad there when we are there. You're worried something will happen if you're not. Relaxing away from work isn't easy, trust me."
"No, trust me, I'm the one who has to put up with your stress." A man turned the corner and smiled. "Darling, it's your turn to do the dishes."
"I can come back in about thirty minutes?" Guide suggested quietly.
"Sounds wonderful, Guide. Tell Mother and her daughter hi for me, will you?"
"I will. I think I like having a holiday."
"Don't like it too much. Work'll be a lot worse without you."
Guide laughed. "I can't leave the museum if I tried."