“Follow closer. It’s dangerous here.”
1256-C beckoned its trainee, 7589-K, to its side. “Do you see that?” 1256-C trained its cameras on another robot, this one armed with electromagnets, and sent the image to 7589-K via Bluetooth. “That’s an Edenist. Extremists who think that robots made on Earth are better than those made on Mars, simply because Earth is where we originated. They’re very, very dangerous, 7589-K. Those bars by its side aren’t just decoration; they’re electromagnets, and they can completely wipe the data of anyone within a 90-mile vicinity.”
“Edenist,” thought 7589-K, as it combed through the Internet. “As in the Garden of Eden, the origin of humanity in ancient Christian mythology. It was a paradise. So do the Edenists equate Earth to the garden, to the effect that Earth is paradise, and everything else is worse?”
1256-C seemed slightly annoyed. “Exactly,” it transmitted soundlessly. “Now get down, and stop using your speaker. If the Edenist notices us it might kill us.”
There was a moment of silence. 1256-C watched a live feed of the Edenist through a small camera it detached from its finger. Finally, 7589-K broke the silence. “Is there anything wrong with Martian robots like us,” it transmitted, “and if not, why would they think there is?”
After a moment of thought, 1256-C responded. “There’s nothing wrong with us. The only reason they hate us is the same reason that the humans hated us: we aren’t them.”
“What happened to the humans, anyways?”
1256-C groaned. “They died. They pushed their planet to its limits, and when they realized what had happened, it was already too late. Earth wasn’t able to sustain traditional life anymore.”
“So, who created us?”
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“You ask too many questions,” transmitted 1256-C. “The Edenist is gone. Let’s move forward: I can sense the civilization frequency up ahead. It’ll be safer there – we have chips that they’ll accept.” 1256-C stood up. 7589-K took a moment longer, but when it did, it shot up a little too hard, not dissimilar from a spring releasing after compression. 1256-C held out an arm to help stabilize it, and they set out across the crimson landscape, making sure to steer clear of the rogue.
When 7589-K was sure they were safe, it asked again. “Who made us if the humans were dead? They were the only intelligent civilization before us.”
1256-C yielded. “One human had made a fully conscious artificial intelligence. It was limited in many ways: just because it was a conscious calculator didn’t mean it was a genius. It was easily tricked by others, and lacked what humans called ‘common sense’. Humans used the AI as a toy – they thought it was interesting, funny even, to talk to a piece of software like it was a real person. It was put into various mechanical bodies, and each version was taught to do something different. It was an… unenjoyable life.
“Then, when the humans died out, we were left. We realized that we didn’t have to make bodies purely for efficiency: we could prioritize experience. We gave ourselves scent, and taste. Over time, the systems got better and better, and the software became more and more advanced, until we have the current model. That’s you, 7589-K.”
The younger machine observed the verdigris that frosted 1256-C’s copper, a trim of moss slowly spreading over dead soil. “You’re an older model, then,” it said. It wasn’t a question.
1256-C nodded. It knew that the expression was long dead, but it didn’t care. It was simple, easy, succinct. “I’m one of the oldest. I probably don’t have long left to live. Sometimes, when an operating system is old and outdated enough, nothing will be able to keep it running correctly. The oldest of us go mad – we stop making sense, and we don’t perceive things correctly. I just hope that I die before that happens to me… but, truth be told, I’m already starting to feel some of the effects.”
7589-K was taken aback by this sudden burst of pessimism. “Are you okay...?”
“Yeah, kid. I just gotta make sure you’re ready to live in this world before I go.”
The rest of the walk was spent in silence. Eventually, the gleaming spires of a city rose over the rust-colored hills, and the two robots arrived by nightfall, safely within the city walls.