Prisoners of Sol - Android Ambassador (1/13)

Prologue

It had been an exhilarating prospect to soak up everything I could about the Vascar, ever since I learned that they were an artificial intelligence race. I wanted to understand how they thought and how their society functioned, to establish rapport with them. Humanity knew they weren’t thrilled about Mikri telling us that truth, and that they weren’t fond of organics. I hoped to play a part in squashing all doubts about whether we accepted them, to defrost those unemotive machines as the astronauts had done. 

Not to mention, living in another dimension?! It didn’t matter if I would be alone here, since I would be the first human to be openly among them. I understood that no basic requisites for biological lifeforms would be present, but the ESU had brought a sort of RV with amenities and sent provisions. There were so many experiments to begin. I was falling over myself to accept the ambassadorship, risks be damned! This was every space nerd’s fantasy made manifest.

“You’re the luckiest woman alive, Kendall,” Matyáš had told me playfully, though there was the slightest hint of genuine envy in his eyes. “You just happened to be the one chosen to lead the astronauts to quarantine, and like that, you got to interview Mikri.”

I’d smiled fondly at the memory. “Mikri was so nervous for me to see him. Their creators hurt them terribly, and did everything they could to stamp out their personalities. How it must’ve stunted their growth to self-awareness to be denied any sentimentality.”

“I’m happy we could help the poor guy. It feels like kicking puppies to wipe him for loving one of us. Now you get to go back with him as our first ambassador—to them, and to another planet in general. All because you were the face on the camera for that interview. You’ll be the one who can watch them grow into fully feeling beings.”

“I’ll do what I can to be a good shepherd: to learn and to give grace. I don’t just want to push them to be like us. I want to understand what’s unique about them. There must be so much we can learn from their efficiency, and those dialogues will mean the world to me. I’ll move the needle of our friendship forward, for all humanity.”

What I hadn’t expected was that the Vascar would have zero interest in talking with me, assuming that I had nothing useful to say; they seemed to regard my intellect at the level of a barking dog. Their senior unit’s check-ins were intended to ensure that I did not die on their watch, and they monitored me closely through cameras. Part of that was likely mistrust. I realized I couldn’t show a hint of emotion, or our android allies would take it as proof of organic…volatility. It was lonely to be a pariah, save for the conversations with the Space Gate installation. 

However, I’d come this far to learn about them, so I decided to wander the city and observe. While there were a few ruins of their creators, most had been replaced by buildings or new layouts tailored to things other than habitation, food, and entertainment. The Vascar liked large gathering spaces, factories, and laboratories, as well as knowledge repositories. The museums left behind by their organic patriarchs were the most well-maintained spaces from old Kalka. I could relate to an appreciation for knowledge and sciences.

Beyond that, they don’t do much of…anything. Surely they must grow bored or seek some other forms of expression. Perhaps much of that is in their heads, a digital space which I can’t observe. I suppose I should’ve expected them to be much less tangible.

I knew when I didn’t belong and where I wasn’t wanted, after any unit I approached to chat with moved away. Not wanting to force the issue, my new focus was running experiments for the ESU—and keeping back in the RV. I found myself wishing Mikri was here. The android was willing to talk about his life experiences, though he was a bit concerned over the rebuke he’d receive for defying his network. I was touched that he thought we were…worth that, and I tried to hold onto the sentiment in kind.

“Human Kendall, what are you doing?” Tollu, the senior unit, asked; I hadn’t expected it again, so soon after its daily check-in. “Your facial coloration may be indicative of a dangerous rise in temperature.”

I stopped poring over the dirt, and wiped the sweat on my forehead onto the back of my hand. Androids didn’t get hot working on a garden in the sweltering sun, longing for the shower that would offer respite afterward. A primary ESU project on Kalka was to grow plants for two reasons: to have crops available on this world in case I was cut-off, and to study how Sol vegetation would blossom in this dimension. The agricultural data could be very useful when humanity attempted to set up our first colony.

The difference between Sol and this universe offered a fascinating rabbit hole. I’d also been running tests on a series of elements from home, checking melting points and other properties and comparing them to the Vascar counterpart. The stories about how hardy our technology and our own bodies were seemed a little beyond the realm of belief. I was healthy enough, but wasn’t fit by any stretch of the imagination. Candidly, the first thing I’d done was try to deadlift a truck…and to feel what super speed was like. Not very scientific.

“Yes, it’s rather hot outside, but I’m alright. Homeostasis regulates our internal temperatures, so that our organs can function optimally.” I tried not to let my exhaustion show, smiling at Tollu. That super strength didn’t help with a precision task like gardening, which required planting each seed with care—not with a cudgel. Answer in a robotic way. “Agriculture was the founding element of human civilization. Organics require a stable food supply to…have enough energy in our power banks.”

Tollu’s eyes dimmed in a way that seemed disdainful. “Yes. We are aware that you require a near-constant intake of cellular material to fuel your internal processes. You lose all rationality and become like any other animal if denied access to this.”

“It seems rational enough to me for any lifeform to avoid dying,” I attempted. “You would make haste to find a solution, if your processes were shutting down; you must understand from that awful mind wipe. Hunger is just a…signal from a master alarm sensor, which can take precedence over other brain subfunctions.”

“I see. Your already-limited faculties hang in a fragile balance of a hyperspecific sensory state. I do not require maintenance every day, for hours on end. I repeat my initial question. Why are you establishing human civilization’s cornerstone on our world?”

“No, we’re not…I meant that it allowed us to develop our first…complex settlements in the past! If humans are living on your world, agriculture improves our access to resources. We do take care of ourselves to…ensure that we maintain that hyperspecific balance. We can plan and evaluate risks, just like you. I’m accounting for the possibility of losing access to Sol’s food in an emergency, and growing vegetation accordingly.”

“I will permit you to do this, but I must watch. We must keep track of where you bury anything in our soil, so nothing is hidden. Carry on.”

I ignored the ache in my back telling me to stop, and continue to paw through the dirt. I didn’t mind Tollu watching, if the android would finally start learning a little bit about humans. It was my sincere hope that I’d been able to parse my thoughts in a mechanical way that it would understand, like Mikri said that Sofia had done for him. Mikri had come around to believe we were worthwhile friends, and to appreciate humanity as a whole. If he could be persuaded, I could show others who we were with a stoic face. I…

A sharp burning sensation shot up the back of my hand, and a surprised screech of pain bubbled out instinctively. I yanked my arm away from the dirt in a hurry, spotting reddish insects scurrying across my skin. Fucking alien fire ants! Tollu stared as I shook my appendage about to get the buggers off of me. Without thinking, I slammed my knuckles into a nearby tree to smash the evil crawlers. There was a cracking sound, as my hand tore through as easily as a woodcutter. My eyebrows shot up, watching the trunk topple toward me.

“Oh God!” I shouted.

My hands shot up defensively, but with the vastly greater strength in this dimension, I was able to push it away with a panicked shove. I keeled over, panting and trying not to tear up from the fire coursing through my skin. I failed to prevent water from spilling over onto my eyelashes, or to return to any kind of normal decorum. Of course, I should’ve worn gardening gloves, but that wasn’t necessary in a hydroponics lab! I nursed my wounded hand, muttering several curses as the searing anguish continued by the bite. 

Tollu was giving me a look that humans might reserve for a rabid coyote. “What caused this override of your motor control subfunction? You know that your strength is dangerous. I do not know if this is some chemical impulse or ‘master alarm,’ but you attacked a tree for no reason. You are not behaving with rational composure.”

“I’m…so sorry.” I cringed, realizing in horror that the android had watched all of that; I must seem like a fool that could be set off at any moment. They were never going to take me seriously now. Cheeks burning with mortified embarrassment, I showed Tollu the inflamed patch on my hand. “You can see the swelling. I…was bitten by a venomous insect. It’s rather painful…”

“That reaction was from a bug in the dirt?!”

“Yes.”

“This is the problem with organics. We cannot trust that you will not be set off by any random thing in daily life that occurs, no matter how trivial. Is your health in danger?”

“I don’t think so, if the creature is like what I think it is.” I slumped my shoulders in defeat. “I apologize, Tollu. We could’ve just sent you messages from afar, but we wanted to build a personal rapport and get to know you. It seems that’s not important to you.”

“No!” the machine protested, much too quickly. “We need humans to like us. We will die without your help, so…it is important to keep you happy enough. Tell me what to do for this…rapport you desire.”

“That’s not what it means at all. We helped you because we care about what they did to you. But I don’t want you to keep me around, handling me with the minimal interaction necessary, just because you want something from us.”

“I do not understand. I am uncertain whether you desire for me to alter my own wishes, or not to interact with you because it is unappealing to me. Your help has ensured my continued survival, for what it is worth, so I am willing to make concessions in return. Please advise me of a course of action that will satisfy you.”

I grimaced. “You don’t have to like me. I’d just like to have a chance to properly learn more about you. I’m here to be engrossed in your culture, Tollu. Is there any activity that’s important to you that I could just…witness and try to appreciate?”

Tollu gave a disgruntled whir. “Some Vascar enjoy hearing academic seminars in person. It allows them to be outside of the network and process tangible stimuli. You could observe this. However, such subjects will not be entertainment to an organic. We do not have activities for you. Nevertheless, you may come if you wish.”

“Oh, I’d love to! Thank you!”

“Do not thank me, human, as this will be an unfortunate experience for us all. I will stop by to escort you to the auditorium at this time tomorrow. You have time to reconsider.”

“That won’t be necessary.” I wiggled my fingers, still feeling the sting festering underneath my skin. “I’m going to go soak my hand—”

“Goodbye.”

I knew I couldn’t show any more emotion to Tollu, so I didn’t let the irritation of him cutting me off flash on my face. It would be exciting to see what natural phenomena a mechanical mind found interesting, and what conclusions they could extrapolate. There might be some findings that the Vascar held that could further humanity’s knowledge, especially with anything that worked differently in this dimension. My reaction to the alien fire ant sting had undone any progress I might’ve made with Tollu, but I couldn’t get discouraged.

Tomorrow, I was going to be included in an AI gathering. It was my duty to convince the Vascar that humans could appreciate the same things that they could, and that we could be a part of their lives as more than just a nuisance.

Next

A/N - Chapter 1 of the new series! Newly-minted Ambassador Kendall Ryan arrives on Kalka as a pariah and someone treated like an unintelligent fool to be avoided, though she tries to remain steadfast in her mission to persuade the Vascar that humans are worthwhile friends and trustworthy. She plants a garden by the ESU’s outpost and focuses on experiments, since wandering the city showed her she wasn’t wanted. 

Tollu, the liaison, comes to check on her with suspicion, and learns a bit about agriculture. However, Tollu is appalled after a bug bite leads to a knocked over tree and chaos; it invites Kendall to an academic talk, in the hopes of keeping her happy. Can Kendall make up for this unfortunate incident, or hope to have Tollu seek any kind of connection with her at all? What do you think of how the Vascar reacted to her? How do you expect the academic talk to go?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!