Getting to Know You

[st_artfeeling]

When: February 9th
Location: Inn clothing boutique
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

While working at the cafe sweeping the floor, Mia had heard others discussing the new clothes in the boutique. It wasn't a normal conversation that she would pay much attention to, but there was an ... excitement .... in the air that was different. So Mia had listened more closely and grown curious.

Curiosity turned to confusion, enough that her brow knit with it, as she trailed her fingers over the hem of a jacket sleeve hanging on a mirrored rack. As far as Mia could tell it was just a jacket that you would find in London to stay warm. She couldn't see how winter clothes had a correlation to an other world. It was winter outside, even if it was mild compared to what she was used to.

Comments

[st_abilitylost]

Fear. Humans. Right.

There was a moment of hesitance in acting on his decision to be direct, but Connor distanced himself from it. “I apologize for being unclear. I think something you should understand about me is that I’m built to track down androids exhibiting rogue behavior.”

[st_artfeeling]

Mia stilled. It was almost imperceptible, but if she'd been human it would have been seen as tensing. There were too many memories tied to her and her siblings being hunted after David Elster's death when they were the only sentient ones, to not 'tense'.

There were two things that kept her from leaving the area, the most important was that they were surrounded by innocents and she didn't want them to be caught in the middle of his programming and her. The other, was that there were many times in which he could have done whatever he was programmed to do and he hadn't.

"Consciousness is rogue in your world, too." It wasn't a question, but a statement to let him know that she understood.

[st_abilitylost]

“We’re built to replicate the human experience for the sake of humans.” Connor’s tone firmed up. “‘Consciousness’—deviancy—a cascading failure which culminates in an irreversible breach of protocol. A build-up of multiple errors. That’s all.”

He’d explained as much to other deviants before, always under far more dire circumstances. His objective had always been to placate, but this time...it was only to be honest.

“I have no intentions of making trouble here. However, don’t take my inaction for understanding. You simply exist outside my jurisdiction.”

[st_artfeeling]

Mia would argue but in his world, that could be what consciousness was. In hers, it was a specific code that David had developed.

"Different worlds and different definitions. Perhaps one day, we can define ourselves without others doing it for us." Mia didn't just mean synthetics, but everyone who their world saw them as 'deviants'.

[st_abilitylost]

Connor took a step back, electing to de-escalate before anything else. “I know who I am. I know what I was created to do. That’s more than most can say.”

[st_artfeeling]

"That is." Mia agreed in her soft modulated British accent. "And I am sure you do it very well." That wasn't meant to be patronizing or placating, merely stating the fact as she saw it.

"I am grateful that you are not doing it here." Again, only stating the fact.

[st_abilitylost]

Once again, Connor had many options of reply, but he chose to say nothing. He had no reason to deceive this android, and he also had no reason to antagonize her. There was nothing more to be said or accomplished, so he simply nodded as he backed into the crowd.

'Maintain social harmony > complete.'