When We're Rollin Through the Wild Wild West

[geonomy]

Who: Everyone! EVERYONE!
Broadcast: IF YOU WANNA
Action: Everywhere! EVERYWHERE!
When: Mid-September - Mid-October

[How's your ship doing, pardners? Is it still pretty damaged? Is it glitching out hardcore? Well, there is one place to land to take care of all that, and that's on a dusty old moon in front of a planet that no one wants to go to. On this moon, you'll find a civilization that looks a lot like one's stepped into a wild west movie, hardened cowpolk and mutant horses and all. Will you become a vigilante, hunting bounties and stopping gangs from doing their dirty work? Will you go exploring planetside, with a cowboy hat and a stalk of wheat in your mouth to complete the look? Good luck with that; there is no wheat. This town ain't big enough for all you flooters, but make it so! For the ratings!

In other words, it's a planet mingle! Get 'er done!]

[September Planet info here]

Comments

[dancingmd]

You just mentioned your friend Giskard so I'm wondering... I consider Data my friend, and now you as well, but Data has always insisted that he cannot experience friendship. I don't remember exactly how he puts it... [She smiles] something about becoming accustomed to certain sensory input pathways. I've never been convinced that he cannot experience friendship at all, it's just not in the way we organics expect or are used to. What are your thoughts on that?

[thezerothlaw]

Becoming accustomed to certain sensory input pathways is an interesting way to put it, and perhaps accurate.

[He gives this some thought, very seriously.]

I should explain that 'friend' is the accustomed term of address between Auroran robots, though I would call Giskard a friend in the sense you mean as well. I have known several individuals that I am privileged enough to call my friend. If I am forced to define friendship, then I would say it is in my response to someone's company. I find that my responses are quicker and easier, positronic potentials move more smoothly, I am less aware of the pull of gravity upon me. There are a number of other effects, but those are the chief ones. I term this pleasure, as it seems analogous to how humans use the word. In the presence of a friend, I experience pleasure. My responses towards such a person are very strong; though of course the First Law holds for all humans, it is especially strong in regards to the well-being of a friend. It is doubtlessly different from what you experience, but for myself, it is how I define it.

[dancingmd]

[Beverly rests her chin on her hands, musing over his words. Though no doubt he meant it quite literally, there is something poetic in the phrase: "I am less aware of the pull of gravity upon me." In a metaphorical sense, it's very descriptive of how she feels about those she cares about as well.

There's a lot she could ask him - Why do robots call one another "friend?" Does that mean they have their own culture? How is friendship different between, say, two robots and a robot and a human/? However, she is sidelined by one small detail.]

The First Law?

[thezerothlaw]

The Laws of Robotics are mathematical potentials built into all positronic brains, governing behaviour. The First Law states that a robot must not harm a human, nor through inaction allow a human to come to harm. The Second Law states that a robot must obey all orders given by a human, except where doing so comes into conflict with the First Law. The Third Law states that a robot must protect its own existence, except where doing so comes into conflict with the First and Second Laws.

[dancingmd]

[All right, familiar enough, that sounds like Data's ethical subroutines-- except, what?!]

Wait, wait, wait... [Her hands are starting to flail around in agitation] "Must obey all orders?" That's - [slavery! Might be best not to say as much out loud, though.] So when I told you to sit, did you have to do it, even though it was meant as a friendly offer, not an actual command?

[thezerothlaw]

If I were to classify it as a command, it would be a very weak one. If there were some reason that I felt it better not to sit, I could easily justify it. Still, I'm aware that it's more comfortable for most humans to speak with me if I'm also seated.

[He frowns, very slightly, giving her a curious look. This is actually not a reaction he's ever encountered.]

Why does the Second Law bother you, Dr. Crusher?

[dancingmd]

[So there is some room for nuance and interpretation at least. She breathes out a small sigh of relief, glad that she didn't inadvertently give him a command he was disinclined to follow. But you can bet she'll be hyper aware of how she words her requests in the future.]

It's an abridgment of your free will, makes you and your people societal subordinates, opens you up to abuse... in short, I find it unethical.

[thezerothlaw]

[This is a completely new idea. Daneel is silent a moment, trying to process it.]

That is what robots are created for. We were made to serve. I admit that such heavy dependence on robots is not always beneficial for humans, but that doesn't change my nature.

[dancingmd]

[She opens her mouth to respond, then abruptly shuts it, suddenly aware of the impact her words could have. If she's not careful, she very well could be dancing too close to a violation of the Prime Directive here (though, she'll be the first to admit, she has been somewhat lax about that at times already). Frowning, she struggles with herself for a minute before answering again. She could really use Jean-Luc's advice right about now.]

I'm sorry, I shouldn't... it's just that Data has had to fight so hard to be treated as a person, as an individual in his own right, it's something I'm sensitive about.

[thezerothlaw]

This Data, then, seeks to be seen as full equal.

[Daneel gives this some thought, for a moment. The idea seems wrong to him, in a deep and very crucial way. And yes, he's masterless, but that's because he's serving humanity in a wholly different way now.]

I'm not sure what to say, Dr. Crusher. All robots are made this way. It does not trouble me.

[dancingmd]

[Beverly is deeply unsettled by his complacency with the situation, though she does her best not to let her discomfort show, not realizing that he'll be able to sense her feelings regardless.]

Data was made under different circumstances... for Dr. Soong, yes Data was a scientific achievement, but he also saw Data as a son.

[Not that he was always the best of fathers but they were family.]

[thezerothlaw]

Barring the occasional joke, Dr. Fastolfe did not see me in that manner. Of course, Auroran family bonds are not what they are on other planets.

[He isn't fooled, and it's hard to know just how hard to press. It's difficult to drop the subject.]

Dr. Crusher, I don't understand your distress. I am not harmed in any way by the Laws. They are my nature, and that is all. To be perfectly honest, I sometimes find the fact that humans do not have clearly defined Laws of their own to be... unsettling.

[dancingmd]

[Palms spread out on the table before her, Beverly takes a deep breath.]

I understand that you are not human, you are not of my universe, and I cannot expect you to hold the same values as I do. But the fact remains that I cannot see you as anything other than a person, equal to me and everyone else in this fleet, so to me, this Second Law is a violation of that equality.

And perhaps... perhaps it is also because I do not always trust human nature. As you say, we do not have any clearly defined, innate Laws that govern our morality. We're capable of wonderful, amazing things, but we are equally capable of horrific things. Abuse of power is all too common in our history and even as far as we have come, it's still always a possibility. So it worries me for humans to have that power of command over you, though I am relieved to hear that you have never come to any harm because of it.

[thezerothlaw]

It is that capability for so much, good and evil, that is so valuable.

[Daneel thinks about this, and he gives a small, soft sigh.]

You are, I fear, judging all robots of my world by me, and this may not be an accurate picture. I am an extremely advanced robot, in appearance but also in the complexity of my brain. Not all robots are comparable. In fact, many robots are very simple, capable of only doing one particular task: farming, for example, or mining, or selling articles of clothing. They would not be capable of having this conversation with you.

Robotics is a field that stretches back seventeen hundred years, and the earliest robots, I suspect, needed the Laws in order to function effectively. The designs of more complex brains were built upon those of simpler robots. The Laws have always been part of the design of the positronic brain. While it is true that I have a stronger than usual Third Law, as I was considered a very valuable robot, the Laws cannot be removed from a positronic brain. Nor could one be made without the Laws, at this point, without recreating seventeen hundred years of robotics advancement. Perhaps it's true that I could function without the Laws, but I nevertheless have them. If you would forgive the comparison, humans have remnants of primate ancestry that they themselves do not need, but they are still a part of you. In fact, Friend Giskard theorized that there are Laws of Humanity that govern your behaviour, but we were never able to determine what they might be. They are far more complex than the Laws of Robotics, at the very least.

I also must question why it would be inherently wrong for me to accept orders. If someone has a task for me to accomplish, and I am capable of it, why should I not fulfil that? It pleases them, and it pleases me to be of help. Just now, you asked me to sit. I sat, and you were were made more comfortable by this gesture. I cannot be ordered to do something truly distasteful to me. I have... resisted... the order to submit to deactivation, in the past, because there were tasks I had to accomplish that were more important than that order. It was difficult to do so, but it was necessary.

[This is quite a speech. He's aware that it's... a lot. Oops sorry.]

I am admittedly of the opinion that a human society that depends heavily on robot labour is by its very nature unstable, and will eventually collapse. I have seen this myself, but this does not make the Laws unwise. It is partially because of the Laws that I have been without a master for the past year. I formulated my own Law, though perhaps it is more properly a corollary of the First. I term it the Zeroth Law, because it takes priority over the other three: A robot may not harm humanity, nor through inaction allow humanity to come to harm. I saw that I could do more good for humanity acting independently. The Laws have led me to this. I don't believe they are a negative influence.

[dancingmd]

[It is a lot, but it's nothing she can't follow. And actually, his words do alleviate some of her concerns... though he'll still sense a prick of displeasure at the mention of a master, even if he no longer has one.]

You're right, we do still have a biological and psychological connection to our primate past. We can't ever totally abandon or ignore that, but the beautiful thing about sapience, about self-awareness, is our capacity to move beyond our basic instincts, as you have done both in your refusal to deactivate and in your development of a new Law. Forgive me, I was under the clearly false impression that you had no defense against an order you fundamentally disagreed with. I feared what would happen if a human ordered you to harm yourself or another robot or - in the case of the fleet - another non-human.

[Her gaze drops, as does her voice, and a strong sense of fear emanates from her. Though it's only a remembered fear, it's nonetheless a potent one.]

I have seen what happens when a person's will is stripped from them entirely, when they cannot do but what they are commanded.

[thezerothlaw]

I admit that my programming does not account for the presence of non-human biological sapients. It's something I am still attempting to adjust to. It is... conceivable that someone could give me a strong order to harm one of them, but it is not something I wish. I would need a very compelling reason that it was necessary -- for example, that they were a serious threat.

[He shuts his eyes briefly, needing a moment to recover. This conversation is... uncomfortable, but necessary.]

What have you seen, may I ask?

[dancingmd]

[Beverly doesn't answer right away. This is difficult to talk about. In fact, she hasn't mentioned the Borg to anyone in the fleet, with the lone exception of Julian, but of course, he already knew. Even if it was not first hand, he at least knew who and what the Borg were, and why they were to be feared. Wolf 359 was not just the name of some red dwarf to him. Her hand finds its way to the necklace again and starts twisting it as she thinks about the best way to approach this. Finally, she speaks again, albeit slowly and carefully.]

In my universe, there is a race of cybernetic organisms, who call themselves the Borg. No one knows exactly where they came from or how they originally came to be; all we know is that they expand their population by forcibly assimilating members of other species into their collective hive mind. When someone is assimilated, they lose all their individual free will, their identity. They now belong to the collective, body and mind. And all the collective cares about is expanding further, collecting other species and their technologies as they go, and destroying anyone who resists.

[She takes a deep breath.]

My captain [And the emotions packed into those two words, "my captain:" there's a bond of loyalty there, of caring, that goes well beyond what one normally feels for a superior officer], he was assimilated. When they came to attack Earth, they used him - not just his knowledge of our technology and battle tactics. No, they went further than that. He was their spokesperson, the face we all saw and the voice we all heard as they came for us.

[Another pause, as she attempts to reign in her emotions to finish what she has to say.]

Eleven thousand people died in that battle. Fortunately, we stopped them from reaching Earth, and Captain Picard was recovered and rehabilitated but... I know the guilt of all those deaths weighs heavily on him. Perhaps always will. And despite what we know about the Borg, there are still many who blame him personally for the loss of their loved ones. What's worse, is that it is only a matter of time before the Borg return. I can imagine no worse fate for Earth than assimilation.

This is nothing like your situation, I know... but... hopefully it helps explain my reaction.

[thezerothlaw]

[That's... a lot to take in. Eleven thousand is a significant number of humans, and while it's precisely this sort of situation that the Zeroth Law was made for, it's still... hard. He understands that sort of sacrifice all too well.]

A force such as you describe has the potential for terrible destruction. If it can ever be permanently stopped, a loss might be justifiable, if... terribly regrettable. It's not a choice I envy.

How was it your captain was able to recover from such an experience? I can only imagine the experience of being part of a single mind against one's will and then being... severed would be difficult.

[dancingmd]

I managed to remove all trace of his cybernetic implants and Borg nanoprobes and he continues to work with De- that is, with Counselor Troi, one of the psychologists on board, the friend I mentioned earlier. He's been doing well since then.

[A small sigh escapes her.]

To be honest, though, I don't know that he'll ever fully recover, psychologically. Not at least while the threat of it happening again is still there, in the back of all our minds.

[thezerothlaw]

That's unsurprising. It would seem likely that your captain is significantly strong-minded to have been able to recover to any degree. My experience, and that of friend Giskard, is that emotional wounds are far more difficult to heal from. I am glad he has your Counselor Troi.

[What would a mind like the Borg be like? Would it be overwhelming to touch? Could he deactivate something like that, or would it be too strong? He knows how a mind might be twisted fatally, even if he never would.]

And I do hope you can defeat the Borg some day.

[dancingmd]

He is. Very strong-minded.

[She says this half defensively, half ruefully.]

I have to believe we will. Anything else is... unthinkable.

[thezerothlaw]

It is... not what any cybernetic or robotic force should be, at any rate.

[He feels that... very strongly indeed. He can't help it.]

[dancingmd]

No, it's not. There is so much potential for good in cybernetics research, but it can be horribly misused, as it has by the Borg. I suppose that is true of almost any technology, though.

[thezerothlaw]

Likely enough. Many technologies can be turned to harmful ends. It is... regretful.

[dancingmd]

[She nods, then lets out a little sigh.]

I'm sorry to have thrust all this on you. [Her brow furrows.] I haven't told anyone else about the Borg. They're ... difficult to talk about and to explain to someone who has never encountered them.