wonderduck mingle!

[thebarkside]

 Who: Crew of the SS Wonderduck and any visitors!
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Ship Mingle!
When: Late November/December!

[ whatcha up to, wonderduckians? let's find out! time to mingle mangle mongle i don't wanna leave the congo oh no-ooo-ooo. ]

Comments

[thezerothlaw]

Is something wrong?

[Daneel hovers in the doorway, as politely as it's possible to do something like that.]

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer turned into her chair and gave a half smile, half grimace.]

Aside from the cheerful tackiness of a gift basket... I'm almost content, actually.

[thezerothlaw]

Your expression implies otherwise. If I'm able to help, I would like to.

[forsometimenow]

I think this is one of those things that can't be helped... but thank you. I'm mostly shaking my head at Atroma continuing to act like we're all happy to be here, you know? Giving us a present for keeping us on the Marsiva for more than a month, like it was a mild inconvenience...

[thezerothlaw]

It seems likely they are attempting to pacify us.

[He still hangs about in the doorway, not wanting to trespass.]

I have faith that most here are intelligent enough to not be taken in.

[forsometimenow]

Oh, you can come in if you want- I'm not busy at all.

[She then nodded.]

Some of the newer people might be, but I've been here long enough to know what an empty gesture this is. I don't know why Atroma keeps trying to pretend it's adequate.

[thezerothlaw]

Sometimes, through repetition, falsehood can become accepted as truth.

[Daneel moves inside, hands clasped behind his back.]

It's possible this is what they're attempting to do. Their method is... clumsy, however. I don't believe they'll be successful.

[forsometimenow]

I have to agree with that- and they want to do everything they can to make us happy with our captivity here. I guess they figure being nice will produce better results than being hostile, too.

[thezerothlaw]

Perhaps they are right, on this count. I confess I'm rather glad that they do not enforce their rules through violence. Still, this method is potentially harmful in its own way.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah... nobody can be happy and content all of the time. I mean, my time here hasn't been entirely bad, but I can never forget at the back of my mind that none of us belong here. And that we're entertainment for other people. Makes it a bit difficult for me to appreciate whatever nice gestures they give us.

[thezerothlaw]

Our being here does not remove the responsibilities we have left behind.

[This is honestly something he worries about a fair bit.]

[forsometimenow]

Yeah, exactly. [Her eyes were distant for a moment as she remembered- they had won the larger battle back home when she'd left, but there were still a million things that needed to be done.] Even if it's true that nobody ever knows we're gone back home, I have a job to do. People who are counting on me. I'd much rather be back there than take an extended forced vacation.

[thezerothlaw]

If I knew it were true that no one will know we were gone, it may be some comfort, but that is not a thing we know for certain. I cannot act as though it is true.

[forsometimenow]

Because there really is no way to know, is there? I'd like to think that everyone back home would have come for me by now if I really did suddenly turn up missing, but... we do have our limits.

[thezerothlaw]

I cannot say. There is no one who would come for me. I am a robot, after all, and there are few who would be concerned about the fate of one robot.

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer frowned, thinking about her earlier conversation with Beverly.]

Nobody...?

[thezerothlaw]

There have been individuals who would have been concerned for me. They are dead, now.

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer bowed her head a bit before looking back up.]

... Beverly and I were talking about this earlier... about treating robots the same as any other being. So that makes me sad to hear.

[thezerothlaw]

[He frowns, slightly.]

Those who would be concerned about me would have been friends. The death of partner Elijah was sixteen decades ago. Though I miss him greatly, it would not be reasonable to expect him to be still living.

[forsometimenow]

Sixteen decades? [Jennifer couldn't hide her surprise as that sank in. 160 years since he'd had someone to call a friend.] No... humans aren't built to last that long. We try to find any way we can to extend our lives and our youth, but aging wins out every time.

[thezerothlaw]

The Spacers often live several centuries, but partner Elijah was not a Spacer, and I am of the opinion that such long lifespans are to the detriment of society.

[He suggests this gently, just in case she might not agree.]

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer, however, nodded agreement.]

I know I wouldn't want to live that long, personally. I mean, there would be so much more I could see, so much I could learn, but unless my body held out, too... humans are too fragile.

[thezerothlaw]

[He hesitates.]

The fragility can be overcome. I have observed, however, in Spacer societies versus that of shorter-lived humans, a disconnect to one's society. Family ties are generally meaningless, and the sense of responsibility to one's fellow humans is... weakened. Humans are better... together.

[forsometimenow]

I have to agree with that. I'd hate to lose all of the ties I've made... or have them rendered unimportant. I guess if I was made that way, I wouldn't know what I'm missing, but... my friends have been so wonderful, too. And my family.