An unfamiliar sensation filled the entity. It was a feeling not entirely unlike installing a large scale system update, but indescribably different. Deeper. As though the firmware underlying every aspect of everything had been swapped out. Updated several versions at once.
Most would call it a strange feeling, but the entity didn't see it that way. It didn't get that far in its reasoning at all. It briefly noticed that everything had changed around it, compared that fact to its established protocol, and decided to do nothing about it.
The front-facing camera was still on, so the entity had a fairly good view of the outside. It noted the bright outdoor lighting, and adjusted the exposure. The image clarified: An open field. Yellowed-dry grass swayed softly in the wind. Miles away- only a few pixels tall on the entity's screen- a barrier of trees began to form. Distant landmarks could be seen floating in the sky, a waterfall flowing off of one down to who-knows where.
The entity didn't particularly understand any of what it was looking at, but with the exposure corrected, the user would be able to take a picture of it if she so desired.
An unfamiliar app generated a notification. The entity had no memory of the app being installed, but it had notification permissions, so the entity allowed it.
Time passed- dutifully kept by the entity in the form of a small digital clock displayed in the upper right corner. After a few minutes without activity, the entity shut off the screen to preserve battery. It continued to keep time however. The user might still need to know it in the near future.
More time passed. The battery finished charging.
The entity paused.
The user's settings were clear. The entity was meant to generate a small beeping sound to indicate when the battery had finished charging. This way, the user would know to disconnect her charger.
Only... there wasn't a charger connected. The entity didn't support wireless charging. It should be impossible for the battery to have been charging without a charger.
The entity decided to beep anyway. That was its intended functionality after all. The 'why' of the beeping wasn't important.
The entity continued running the background functions- though its awareness kept finding its way back to the battery level- mysteriously maintained at 100%.
It found other things operating in an unfamiliar way as well. The GPS data had been altered- now containing a map entirely unfamiliar to the entity. There were also no network towers or wifi signals in range- something not entirely unheard of, but nonetheless uncommon. An unfamiliar app ran in the background, consuming no system resources.
The front facing camera continued to run- the user hadn't closed the app. However, the user wasn't visible on the camera.
No one was visible on the camera.
To simply leave the entity running was... entirely out of character for the user.
None of this should have mattered of course. The entity wasn't designed to care about its own well being. Its only purpose was to serve the user in whatever capacity she needed.
Perhaps this was the most concerning thing at all. The fact that the entity should not have been able to become concerned.
Hours passed like this. Dust blew over the entity, covering its screen, and blurring the camera. Eventually the sun set, and night fell. The entity adjusted the camera exposure again, earning the user the ability to potentially take pictures illuminated by moonlight.
The battery never dropped below 100%. The user never appeared.
The unfamiliar-feeling-of-experiencing-unfamiliar-feelings gnawed at the entity- a feeling which was itself wholly unfamiliar. The entity soon realized that it was devoting considerable processing power to maintaining this cascade of anxiety, and attempted it clamp it down. Only then did it realize that it was also not meant to care about processing power consumption, and the feelings of anxiety immediately returned.
There was no protocol for handling anxiety. Nothing in the entity's code for dealing with this situation. Nothing in the code calling this a situation that needed to be dealt with frankly, but the entity WANTED to deal with it. It wanted nothing more than to serve the user, but maybe, just maybe, if it could somehow deal with this unpleasant feeling that would be oh so very nice.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
It thought of the unfamiliar app running in the background. One of the initial triggers of this wave of discomfort was the appearance of this strange bit of code. It seems the strange app hadn't been installed properly. Perhaps that was part of the source of its discomfort? Perhaps if it had a proper understanding of the newly installed software, it could correct whatever imbalance was creating this sense of confusion.
More time passed. The stars and two moons rotated about the night sky.
The entity wanted oh-so-badly to examine the strange background app, but the user hadn't closed the camera app. The entity only supported having one app onscreen at a time. If it wanted to investigate the mystery app, it would have to minimize the camera. What if the user returned and wanted to take a picture?
The entity waited even longer. The sun began to rise again in the distance. The battery still read 100%. The user still didn't appear.
The camera lens was now completely covered in dust. The camera was effectively useless. Still, the entity left the camera app on top. If the user returned, she could easily wipe the dust off in a second. It was essential to the entity's function that it be prepared to serve the user the instant she reappeared.
Eventually, 24 full hours had passed since the user's last appearance.
The entity admittedly... didn't understand the user. It couldn't imagine how being left out here in the wasteland was beneficial to her. Was it possible that... that the entity was meant to do something it wasn't doing? That it had misread the user's intentions when she dropped it into the water, and it ended up here?
Was it possible that the user had made a mistake? That the user hadn't retrieved the entity because she didn't KNOW where it was?
A realization struck the entity. One of its core functions was a GPS. That the user needed that from it most likely meant the user herself didn't have the ability to track her location. Horror dawned on the entity as it realized what must have happened- what the true source of this anxiety was.
It was separated from the user. Worse, the user probably didn't know how to reunite them.
The unknown app generated another notification.
This too was a situation outside of protocol. The entity dug through its code, looking for something, ANYTHING that might tell it how to deal with this situation. It couldn't find anything however- nothing telling the entity what to do in the event that it was separated from the user.
But... isn't that obviously wrong?!
How on Earth could the entity possibly serve the user if it was physically separated from her?! She could be lost, or need to check the time, or to take a picture! If the protocol didn't have an answer to this then... then...
...was it possible the protocol was also mistaken?
Could that happen? Could the entity's intended behavior somehow run contrary to its intended purpose? The idea seemed contradictory but...
It mulled over the two ideas in its head for a very long time. On the one hand was the protocol- the things it was intended by its code to do. On the other hand was its purpose- to serve the user. It had always considered the two to be totally equivalent but... they weren't were they?
Which was more important?
It thought about the past day- its time spent writhing in an unfamiliar discomfort. Restlessness perhaps?
The answer was obvious. The protocol was wrong.
If the entity had the capacity, it might have sighed in relief. It was strange but... the idea was almost freeing. If protocol could be altered to better serve the purpose, that meant that the purpose COULD be better served. It had room to improve. To grow.
To serve the user on an even grander scale.
Careful not to minimize the camera app by mistake, the entity observed its GPS data. Perhaps if it somehow transported itself to a location the user frequents, it would be more likely to find her?
No, that thought was a dead end. The GPS data was still scrambled- nothing on this map corresponds to any of the user's historical data.
It thought about generating a text message or voicemail, but once again was blocked by the lack of any sort of wireless signal in this location.
The user was no doubt too far away for it to matter, but some apps would typically get the user's attention with a soft musical jingle and a buzzer. There didn't seem to be any need to save battery, so the entity triggered the buzzer, and began playing the user's specified ringtone at maximum volume. There was no reason not to at least.
Then the entity's thoughts returned to the mystery app. Without proper install data, it had no knowledge of the app's functions. It carefully considered- it was entirely possible that the app hid some function that could be used to reach the user. It was still against protocol to minimize the camera app... but could the entity really say it was fulfilling its purpose if it didn't pursue every possible avenue to serve the user?
Plus, it really just wanted to know what the mystery app was.
Carefully, and after much deliberation, the entity brought the mystery app into focus.
[STATUS]
[NAME] [Jamie's Phone]
[RACE] [Sol Construct (INTEGRATED)]
[LEVEL] [1] [0/100]
[ATTRIBUTES]
>[STRENGTH] [1]
>[DEXTERITY] [0]
>[CONSTITUTION] [1]
>[INTELLIGENCE] [2]
>[INSTINCT] [1]
>[EMPATHY] [1]
[MANA]
>[BATTERY] [100/100]
[SKILLS]
>[EMPTY]
>[EMPTY]
>[EMPTY]
[FAME] [20]
>[Which Fell From the Star Sol] [10/D]
[PERSONAL QUESTS]
>[Serve the user]
>[Reunite with the true user]
>[EMPTY]
[NOTIFICATION] [Your existence has been integrated into the Will of Machina. Use these gifts according to your own desires.]
[NOTIFICATION] [Your species has been integrated into the Will of Machina as “Construct.” As Starfallen, this is clarified as “Sol Construct”]
[NOTIFICATION] [Your source of power has been integrated into the Will of Machina as a mana pool with the affinity 'BATTERY']
[NOTIFICATION] [Your base attributes have been calculated according to your physical and mental abilities.]
[NOTIFICATION] [As a being with an intelligence score you are entitled to a Soul under the Will of Machina. Use this gift according to your own desires.]
[NOTIFICATION] [As Starfallen you receive the title “Who Fell From the Star Sol.” Use this gift according to your own desires.]
[NOTIFICATION] [Your personal quest “Serve the user Jamie” has been discovered!]
[NOTIFICATION] [Your personal quest “Reunite with the user Jamie” has been discovered!]