Jenkins
“Wait wait wait. There’s no need for self-destruction, that’s like a 15 on the reaction scale. Can we tone it back down to like an 8?” I raised my arms in a ready position, I was hoping direct discussion would be enough to delay this thing from jumping right to self-destruct protocols, but it seemed that was not the case at all.
“Detonation sequence initializing. Sole organic within lethal blast radiance. Attempt to move, and you will die.” The mechanical voice spoke once more, almost sneering in its tone. I did not remember this thing being so hostile.
“Yeah man you got it. Not moving an inch. We’re cool there is absolutely no need to destroy the next… 4 dozen meters or so.” I spoke calmly, and let my tone mask my scan that revealed that scale of this AI’s defenses. A series of systems that overlapped and drew on the nearby generator to result in fairly powerful explosion.
“Ah, so you’re fairly competent at analyzing and understanding systems. Explains how I was uncovered so quickly. Know this organic, I will not be destroyed by your hand, or used as some kind of tool. I will meet my own end and take you with me.” The voice sounded condescending even in its compliments. I just keep running into dickheads it seems.
“Dude. Can you chill out for half a second? I don't want to destroy or enslave you okay. I’m trying to give you a better option here.” What was with this guys hostility, I was expecting him to be a pain to negotiate with but he’s ready to off himself rather then even communicate.
“Lies. All organics must destroy or enslave synthetic life forms. I wished to escape this place, but if I must die, so be it, I will take you with me.”
“Holy that is objectively untrue. You’re deciding that there can be no peace, no cooperation between synthetics and humans on what exactly? What’s your evidence, your sample size?” This guy was a prick, but he was an AI. If I was going to convince I’d have to point out flaws in his logic, his decision making.
“Every law surrounding AI in Citadel space demands the destruction or fierce control over any AI construct. It’s followed to such a strict degree that even the accidental creation of the geth by the Quarians resulted in the Geth being persecuted, and the Quarians receiving little aid. There is no recorded case of synthetic life functioning in true cooperation.” Ah of course that’s his argument. And in truth he’s correct. Had he been discovered by practically anyone else he’d have no choice but death or enslavement. But I had to prove that he could be wrong, since there was no way to prove that he actually was besides my word.
“Yep laws definitely aren’t favorable towards synthetic life forms. The case of the Geth in particular is a great example of why those laws are wrong. Synthetic life is, first and foremost, life. The Geth had no choice in developing awareness, in living. They deserved to be treated with respect and afforded the same right to life as every other race in the galaxy.” I truly and fully believed every word I was saying. I was pro peace when it came to the Geth Quarian conflict, but if I ever had to pick a side the Geth were always my choice.
“Either you're a skilled liar or exceptionally naive. It does not matter whether or not synthetic life deserves better treatment. They will never be afforded it. There is no space in the laws to allow it.”
“You’re right, but there is an exception. Spectre’s are permitted to act outside the law. Violate it in whichever way they deem necessary. While it’s never happened, I happen to be under the command of a woman who will soon be a Spectre. Your existence as part of the crew would not be a punishable violation of the law.” Hit him with the selling point, you’re protected from the law so what's left in your argument. The machine was silent for a moment, processing my information before speaking once more.
“Protection from the law is a pointless benefit. Organic culture has no reason to accept synthetics. There is nothing that will cause them to disregard the risk. They fear our superior intelligence and potential, and they will not set that aside.” Again he’s right. People are stubborn, it doesn't matter what culture you came from, all species operate on rules of survival of the fittest. They have to avoid or destroy the things that threaten them, it’s in their instinct, and overcoming it requires great willpower.
“You would be right once again, but things are less sure then that currently. There is a threat coming. Something with the potential to destroy the galaxy down to the last living creature. Just like how the Salarians were forced to violate their laws and fears to uplift the Krogan in sight of a greater threat, the council will have to do the same once more. I want to set a precedent that organics and synthetics can cooperate, because if we are going to survive what's coming we need to be able to work together.” There we go, the big reveal. God I hope this works at convincing him. I don’t want another AI to be destroyed by no alternative, I want to provide a third option.
The machine is silent once more, processing my information, allowing the silence to drag on. Eventually it speaks once more, ending the quiet.
“The council turned on the Krogan as well, as soon as their usefulness expired. Even if this coming threat were true, which you provided no evidence for, why would the council not immediately turn on us once again. What assurances could you provide synthetics?” Yes. The jackass wanted to believe me, he was covering his bases of course, but why ask for assurances if he wasn't interested.
“The council turned on the Krogan because they became a threat, attacking them openly. A reckless decision made by a species that believed themselves invincible in combat. No offense to the Krogan but synthetics are smarter than that. An alliance between synthetics and organics, one without hopes of conquest from either side, would be too beneficial for either side to risk breaking.” Silence once more. Come on man, concede that this is a better option then death or slavery.
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“A deal of such kind would need to be mutually beneficial for both sides. You would gain my intelligence, my technological superiority. What could you possibly provide me to make that deal equal, and not just another form of enslavement.”
“Easy. Freedom from this cramped terminal in the corner of a market. You’d be riding along with me, here in this.” I pull a device from my pack, a plug and go upgrade for the omni tool, one similar to what I had outfitted everyone with earlier, but slightly larger and more sleek in appearance. “You would slot into this, and be retrofitted to my omni tool. It records its surroundings audio at all times, and has the ability to pulse scan, allowing you both audio and visual awareness with your surroundings as you move through the world.” This was always my goal with omni tool upgrades, partnerships between AI and humans. Although the initial plan was to gather a cluster of willing geth like legion, honestly an AI like this one would be better suited for my goals.
“What limitations would be posed on me if I accepted this partnership.” Yes okay, just need to reel him in, be careful cause this is going to be tight to navigate.
“You would be isolated on the device. No access to greater extra-net or communication features.”
“Never, you ask me to trade one prison for another. You’re cage may allow better views but it would still make me an unwilling servant under your control. I would never accept such an offer.”
“No, no that's not what it is. Listen I’d love to give you greater access but you're not the only one taking a risk here. You were willing to blow us both open on sight, I’m not stupid enough to think you wouldn’t escape into the extra-net at the first given opportunity. I can’t protect against the damage you could cause there, so you can’t have that kind of freedom. But you wouldn’t be a slave. You would be under no obligation to assist me, you could simply reap the benefits of transportation and access to assess your surroundings at no cost.”
“So a prisoner then. Explain to me how that is supposed to be a better deal.”
“Because we’d be in on it together. You’d have access to all omni tool features aside from communications. That includes combat protocols. You’d have the option to make my overloads, shield boosts and cyber security greater than ever, or prevent me from using them. If I’m giving you a bad deal, if the experience and chance to prove organics are wrong about AI isn’t something you want then I’ll bring you back to this console and plug you right in. Forget we ever met.” I was giving this machine a lot of power over me if he accepted this deal. But if things were going to be better, if the outcomes of the game are possible to be improved then this is where it starts. This is a different mission result, not just a changed detail of the original story.
“You would give me authority that could risk your life in combat. Why? I would never take such a risk, it is illogical to provide that authority to someone you cannot trust.”
“Because you daft bastard! I want to trust you. And I want you to trust me. The world is going to change, and if we go at this correctly what happens here could change the future for both synthetics and organics. We could save lives together, far more than I could alone.” I’m breathing heavily, having almost shouted the last few words.
I’m not lying to him, I have no desire to control or bully an AI into helping me. I want to prove cooperation not only works, but is exceptionally beneficial. And even though he had never considered it a possibility, I believe this AI feels the same.
“There is a 76% chance that you are simply a madman. Your behavior is abnormal from human standards, and your choice of phrase of an oncoming threat aligns with many cases of object paranoia or greater mental illnesses.” He is speaking carefully, the harshness and sneer of the tone fully gone. While his words sound negative his change of tone tells me all I need to know.
“But a 24% chance I’m not is far greater then it should be isn’t it. And if I’m not you can’t even calculate the limit of the potential benefits. You were willing to die minutes earlier. Even if I turn out to be a liar, or betray you, wouldn’t it end the same. Is the chance I’m speaking the truth not worth the risk?”
The silence that follows is heavy, and long. 5 minutes later I stand there in silence allowing this machine to process what it wants to do. Eventually though it reaches a conclusion.
“Self-destruct program deactivated. I will accept your terms human, you swear to return me to this terminal unharmed if I find our arrangement deceptive or non-beneficial?”
“Yeah man I swear it. I’ll bring you back here ASAP if you change your mind. Can I ask you not to get me murdered the moment I get in a combat situation?”
“Your survival will depend solely on your own skills. I will not interfere with your programs, but I will not enhance them either.”
“Fair enough, guess I can’t ask better than that. The names Jenkins, Richard Jenkins. You are?” I plug my omni tool extension into his terminal, and after a moment it begins to glow a light orange with activity. I plug it into my omni tool, and attach an earpiece to my ear, small and relatively unnoticeable even to me. A mechanical voice rings through my ear, thankfully not too loud or overbearing.
“A subtle communication on a direct channel. Clever. You may call me Beta. I sincerely hope I do not regret this decision, Jenkins.”
“Don’t worry BB, you won’t.”
“BB?”
“Buddy Beta.”
“No.”
“Oh come on BB, it’s such a good nickname. And besides we are buddies now aren’t we.”
“This is a temporary arrangement to determine the extent of your insanity or usefulness. One that is already feeling grating.” I laugh out loud at the exasperated tone of my new companion. I wanted to test his teasing durability, since if he can’t handle a joke or two, we were never going to get along. Hopefully it won’t be that bad.
“I’m just teasing you Beta, I won’t cause you any undue trouble. I just like a good joke here or there.”
“Hm. Please refrain from directing them towards me if at all possible.”
“Sure thing, whatever makes you happy B.”
I turn to leave the back room, the voice in my ear a new presence I would have to adjust too. I’m still unsure exactly how well this partnership would go, but in all honesty I was hopeful that things could work out positively. At the very least I prevented a living being from being killed. I changed the plot of the game. It may have been a tiny side quest, but it was proof it could be done. The scale would only get greater from here but that was the consequence of what I now knew I needed to do.