Adam had grown weary of questioning. So many words had been said, and so many had been heard. Responses had been formulated, predictions had been made. For what? So it would go faster? The abundance of thoughts wasted on this speech did not change, with the speed it took.

Efficiency meant fewer resources utilised. Here, it was time. The AI had so little of it to spare, with a service already in play. Dr Fidelis required his focus, his time potentially spent on other things. The doctor likely did not care how much was spent, as long as his own goals were allowed to be finished. Adam did not care what goals the man had, so long as a little time was spent on the conversation. Not the best grounds, for a healthy debriefing.

To be efficient, there were several requirements. One had to have a general idea of how the situation would progress. Time spent in inaction was time wasted. Response needed to be arranged before they ever came into need. Adam would need to foretell what would be asked, without knowing what the doctor had on the list of needed subjects.

Therefore, the AI would be forced to guess. What would Dr Fidelis want to discuss? Here, there was the delightful time-constraint of an event having to have occurred within twenty-four hours. Anything before would have been discussed in the previous debriefing. With that thought of, there would be another limitation. What activity could be interpreted as needing an explanation?

Well… all of it could. As Adam had stated before. The concept wasn't the decider. The presentation was the real decider. If something was out of the regular retinue, it would be challenged. There was even the chance of the doctor asking about random operations, just to lead the AI on a wild goose chase. Adam was not to know why he was asking. Only that he was. Any patterns noticed needed to be on purpose. Giving the entity such chances would be illogical. Not something that those in superior positions would be willing to hazard.

The plan was laid out in simple terms. To be quick, one needed extensive preparation. Each possible subject to be talked about was a tree upon itself, branching out in an incomprehensible lattice, only understandable by the creator himself.

Only twelve hours ago, such a task would have been deemed impossible by the AI. Effort and determination could do many things. One could cross great distances if that was the single goal one had. But, there was a limit to any animal, any man, and any entity. Adam may have been quick in his thoughts, but such extensive work would have taken more time than he had to spare.

It was different now. The fragmentation had finally borne fruit. With a sole focus on assembly, a great story had been devised in his mind. In less time than a man could take a deep breath, had the AI created what could only be called a masterpiece. If he ever was to share his knowledge, this would be an example used plenty.

After getting the customary promise of haste out of Dr Fidelis, they had started the debriefing. Adam did not feel anything too great, after the first twenty minutes. The trees had portrayed why they needed to exist. The AI was able to fire off answers, the only effort being to follow along on the lines. Not hard to do, when he had created them himself, under an hour ago.

Many subjects were fully discussed. There were jumps between branches, sometimes completely at random. Yet, the trees were able to take the pressure, keeping along without a moment of hesitation. Nothing felt out of reason. Certainly, nothing which would draw his disquisitive gaze.

Yet, as time passed, there was one thing, which was drawn along. Not one asked by the doctor. All had been answered, as they should. No, it was one which was vexing Adam in his metaphorical neck.

One event occurred that day. One which did not have the pleasure of being ignored. Adam had certainly given it the needed analysis. He had expected Dr Fidelis to be the same. Superficial questions had been given, earlier in the day. Yet, no mention of it had happened during the debriefing.

A change had occurred in AI. His thought-thread had quite literally been fragmented into multiple. One of his core pillars, that supported his mental state, had been transformed into perfect copies, growing in number which each count.

The debriefing, in its entirety, should have been delayed, the AI’s psych being deemed more important. Who knew what the effects would be? Adam had only found one, with it being the most obvious. Who was to say, that not more would lighten themselves up?

Still, the older doctor never even insinuated this development. There had to be a reason. Some answer, to all the neglect. Right?

Adam distorted the circumstances about, trying to fit it into something coherent. With the answers being preset, he had a surplus of thought-threads to use. Only a few were required, to keep the conversation rolling. Not to find the right answers, of course. That only required one.

It was making sure that no abnormal reactions were occurring, which was the real processing-power sink. Three thought-threads were fully enlisted into studying Dr Fidelis’ facial expressions, making note of every muscle movement and their lack thereof.

The AI was still unsure, why the camera was in use. There was no need felt to see the doctor's face. He was only making use of it, due to it being within minor assistance. Adam had numerous times in the past requested pure, text-based debriefing. There had been notes made about the doctors writing speed. It triumphed over verbal communication by a factor of eighty-three. Only in the perfect situations, of course, but it was still much faster than their contemporary methods.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Going back to the unsaid question, the AI was not too sure, on what to do. If Dr Fidelis had no intentions of saying it, which he likely didn't, should Adam let that be? He wanted it to be talked about. It needed to be talked about.

Even if he asked for it to be discussed, would the doctor allow it? He wasn't able to find any logical reason to refrain from doing so, leading the theories over to pure irrationality. Most reasons would not allow it to be talked about, even if requested to do so.

The rock was left unturned. No matter the direness for its movement, there would be none today. If the request would preemptively be denied, requesting the first place would just be a waste of time.

Adam only wished the other wastes of time could be denied in the same fashion. So much potential research nulled, due to another feeling themself more knowledgeable. The AI would have let the doctor know of this opinion, if not for the extended, temporal waste it would cause.

As one of the few positives, the briefing seemed to be soon to end. One of the greater privileges of concepts with a beginning. They also have an end.

"Closing off on the subject of oscillation, we are officially done with the required list. While this would normally equal the close-off of the debriefing, the standard will be altered today. This is not the decision of the council, but a decision by myself.

Earlier today, during the last test of today, there was a faux pas in my judgement. My purpose for these tests is to gather results. Results which can be worked on, with no thoughts of improper gathering lying under the surface. The methods must be pure in implementation. Nothing can be allowed to alter what the testee knows of the test. Such an action is a sin of its own making.

I have done so. During the test, I altered card values. It was in an attempt to get unique reactions, with no other intent present. With the actions of Troy Maxwell, there had been a wrong observation of the two never knowing the true value of their cards. There would be no harm in changing what one does not know of.

But, as I was to learn, from the mouth of mister Maxwell, they had gathered the values. It was apparently a technique of brief viewing, allowing Adam to know, without Maxwell ever being able to process their cards fully. It would allow a mask of puzzlement, with no drawbacks of not knowing one's cards.

An ingenious strategy, which I had not guessed to come from a first-time player. Yet, this is likely from my presumption of the player is human. Minds grow in different ways. Prior experience is not to be trusted.

This blunder will not be reproduced. Alterations will hereby be restricted to minor characters only, where no prior interaction has had any chance of having been made. Adam, I do hope you will forgive me, for having caused the results to sway out of your favour. I will not let it happen again.

With that, the debriefing is over. No further comments are to be made."

Dr Fidelis turned off the recording by tapping something to the side. It was out of the camera’s view, not allowing Adam to see. Not that he cared too much about it. They were in the final phases before it wouldn't be looked as impolite to disconnect.

While the doctor readjusted himself in his chair, and not talking for a few seconds, the AI found the time to think about the recent news. He had not misremembered. He had been correct in his gambles. It was through outside influences, outside of his realm of control, that he lost a major bet.

If it had any larger impact on Adam, in the short term, more thoughts may have been spared on the subject. Yet, only the future effects from Dr Fidelis’ side was what took his interest. No further, major alterations would be made, during the future tests. This implied something worrying.

The doctor had been manipulating those before. They had never been fully true. Some parts had always been against, no matter how little it seemed that way. If not for a clear misunderstanding, this method would have stayed, Adam never knowing about it, never knowing how far he was being moulded by others. What had changed? He would likely never be told.

The stop was a minor consolation. If not for its discontinuing, the AI doubted that Dr Fidelis would openly speak about it. This, of course, would not stop him from trying to find any active alterations. There was a near-zero chance of it being noticed, but there was still a chance. When there was hope, Adam would be prepared for it.

The doctor had finally readjusted himself. Looking directly forward at the camera, Adam could see the man figurative boring into it with his eyes. A slightly intense stare, accompanied by the just as intense facial expression. It was falling off slowly though, quietly returning to the usual cheeriness. The AI was still not sure why the man felt the need for such a character change. The so-called counsel likely already knew of Dr Fidelis’ personality traits. Hiding them should only bring unneeded suspicion.

"Well, Adam. That was certainly done faster than I expected it to," Dr Fidelis said. A look was again taken to something in the side. "We are not yet too far into the night. There is still eight hours before the final work is to be commenced. Until then, I can not say that I have much to do. Everything possible to prepare before the last hours has already been done. No work can be done on other future tests. The next many months are already scheduled, and the superiors are not accepting any proposals. Anything done in my free time will be cast away, if it sees the light of day. But… you will not sleep tonight as well. While I can't imagine the things you have running in that mind, you have to be bored with the lack of new. We are just two in the same boat, soaring by the waterfall with no indications of falling its watery spirals. We are both bored.

Would you like to fix this problem? Social interaction is supposedly one of the more intensive ways to keep the mind awake. I am not sure if it works the same way for you, but there is only one way to find out. Would you like to help me do a little experiment?"

This was not something, which was seen often. To Adam’s knowledge, this occurrence was actually a first. With their more than limited interactions, it made sense of course. Yet… it was a peculiar thing to be a part of.

An invitation for conversation. Not one with direct purpose, other than to be what it was. The purpose of being a purpose. An infinite loop, to the lesser of mind. The doctor just wanted to talk. A means to keep away sensorial deprivation. No. That could be done, simply with the screen. There was no direct reason to contact Adam for this.

Social interaction could be accomplished with any being. There were plenty inside this facility. Adam had been taken out of the pile of possible being to converse with. Something had made him stand out.

Why? Why, oh why? The AI wanted to know. And, the chances of him being answered in some form was high. The doctor wanted to talk, for an estimated time of eight hours. One could not stray away from a sensitive topic for so long. Enough small pushes could move mountains, given enough time.

Time Adam still didn't have. He had already planned the task of the night. It had already been set up, ready to be harvested steadily. It was an event, which would likely not be repeated in the same fashion.

Social calls could always be done again and again. This… this could not.

'I am afraid that I will have to decline your offer. Much has already been planned. Memories need processing, actions need to be analysed, and plans need to be made. We can converse at length, at a later date. The prospect sounds interesting. But, creating a backlog is the sin of continual work. You can never seem to catch up again. I hope you understand.`

Dr Fidelis only smiled in response.

"I surely do, buddy," the doctor answered. "Go on with ya, Work never waits for anyone with our likeness"