Work Text:
One spark was enough to set the machine in motion.
All sensors worked perfectly, immediately transmitting all the required signals straight to the main computer. An overwhelming wave of information flooded the processors, stronger than predicted, immediately triggering an alarm.
Defense systems lifted the unit up. Cameras kept scanning the surroundings in search for danger, drives rotated the frame to minimize the blind spot. The movement caused an unexpected sensation in the limbs and in order to retaliate they started to flail around. The robot was bumping into furniture, walls and equipment in the room, generating unbearable noise, only deepening its confusion.
It slowly gained awareness of the range of influence of its own actions. Of which sounds were caused by its own actions. Which sensors provided audio signals, which - magnetic ones, and which registered vision, not unlike human eyes.
One pair was fixed on it.
There was no more need to flail around. No danger was present. The android froze in place, fully aware of itself, and proceeded to analyze its surroundings.
One human standing in front of it. A large power connection point nearby. Piles of notes, diagrams, guidelines. The room wasn't big and lacked any windows. It could be a workshop. Everything was completely still.
And then that person started emitting sounds. Rhythmical, harmonic - could it be communication, language? It reached to its linguistic libraries trying to figure out what dialect it might be dealing with.
It wanted to understand.
It almost managed to decode the appropriate language pack when the human fell silent. How to make them run again? What has changed? Was it the movement it made trying to improve the audibility? It moved back precisely to the previous position, so that the person's eyes were once again aligned with its own... Cameras? Eyes?
The human spoke again. This time it was possible to comprehend him.
“Nod your head if you can understand me.”
Not an easy task. What does “head” mean? Does it have a head? How to move it? What range of motion will be appropriate? The built-in documentation didn't give a clear answer for that.
The human repeated the request, this time demonstrating the head movement. The robot analysed its construction data and found in it elements that were analogous to the person's body parts, and then reconstructed their gesture. The man shouted of joy and reached with both arms towards the machine.
“All of this is completely new to you, but you're doing great. Soon you will understand everything. You will figure out how to reach to the knowledge you have installed. You will start to learn completely new things. Fantastic!” The man was gesticulating lively and offered the robot a chair by the fireplace. He himself took a seat right next to it.
The robot kept recognizing more and more similarities between how it and the man were built. It approached the chair calmly and took a seat as well. A moment ago it didn't even know it was capable of doing something like that. It just learned something that the code did not foresee.
Its companion was simply overjoyed. “Everything works just right! You have everything you need. Now you can do whatever you want. I can't wait to hear about your plans! You can also just stay silent, of course. I gave you a life and now it is yours. I won't tell you what to do with it.”
The android closely watched its constructor, who stared at it back just as intensely. In his tired eyes one could spot pride, a little bit of fear and a greedy desire to absorb every moment spent together. They were both getting to know each other, although for the human it would for sure take much longer due to cognitive limitations. The computer was ready to test the speech module.
“Am I a robot?” it asked. The sound of its voice surprised it, but it didn't make much of an impression on the man.
“That is correct. A robot, a machine, an artificial life form.”
“How many machines like me were made?”
“You are one of a kind,” assured the inventor. “The first one to leave this laboratory.”
“Do I have a name?”
“Not yet. You can choose one yourself.”
The android looked at the fireplace. The fire wasn't real. Flame imitations waved slowly, warming the meager body of the human and casting a warm glow on his messy curls.
“Robots are made to fulfill a specific goal. What is my purpose?”
“Whatever you want.” The human seemed to expect his creation to tell him itself what will its aim be. “You have already analyzed all information available in the lab. You have analyzed me, too. Now I would like to show you how to connect to the information network. You will learn everything about the world and basing on this... I'm sure you will find a place for yourself in it.”
The man handed his creation instructions and silently watched as it started its adventure with the internet. They just met, but any moment could be the last one. This only made him want to appreciate each of them even more.
For a few long moments the android stayed completely still, analyzing data coming from sources and directions undetectable by human senses. Quite soon however it silenced the connection and once again focused all of its attention on the human in front of it.
“The data I found is marked by the individual perspective of the people who collected it. I cannot rely on opinions of others, they are too selective. I have to research everything myself. I will travel the world and discover what it's really like.” The artificial man spoke in simple and direct words, yet he spotted pain in his companion's eyes. Not sure how it happened, he tried to calm the situation. “I am sorry, it wasn't my intention to hurt you.”
“It's nothing... Partings are always sad.” The engineer sniffled and smiled at his creation. „I won't try to stop you. I only wish I could know what you will manage to discover.”
The future discoverer got up from his chair and moved towards the exit. With one hand on the door handle he took one last look around the room. In the corner he spotted a pile of bedsheets that weren't changed in months. A bunch of dishes lied scattered among papers. The walls were covered in construction schemes of him, with all details, yet despite this his creator kept looking at him as if he saw him for the first time ever.
“I know your address. I can send you reports,” he announced matter-of-factly before leaving, but he realized it was not enough. Realized? No, this had nothing to do with thinking. Something awakened in him, something indescribable with any technical term. Did he just learn that? Did he just learn how to... Feel?
He smiled slightly. “But who knows? Maybe one day I will tell you all about it in person!”
The host cheered up. “That would be very nice,” he said with a smile.
“What is your name?” It occurred to the leaving that he didn't ask it yet.
“Call me Jesse,” replied the engineer without hesitation.
The new man bowed to him for the last time and opened the door.
“Well then. See you again, Jesse.”