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

[forsometimenow]

I mean, the audience seems to really love our friendship. Something about how they like watching a young doctor gain confidence in herself, with a good friend's help. [Another unspoken eyeroll.]

[dancingmd]

I suppose I would rather them be interested in that than a bunch of violence. Still... It's unnerving, knowing people are actually paying attention to our friendship like it's a play or holonovel or something.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah, I agree. It speaks to the huge level of detachment the audience has from us... Atroma, too, for that matter. We're little more than characters on a screen to them. It just makes me resent Atroma all the more.

[dancingmd]

[Beverly sighs.] I just hope you don't let your resentment get the best of you like I did.

[forsometimenow]

I'm trying my best not to... but it's hard sometimes. [She tilted her head.] Did something happen?

[dancingmd]

I... may have accused Diamond of being a slaver with no conscience.

[Whoops.

Not that she's really all that sorry about it.]

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer winced.]

... I don't blame you, honestly, because it's the truth, isn't it? The whole time I was talking to her, I kept wondering if I was talking to an A.I., or something. She kept rigidly sticking to the script, so to speak.

[dancingmd]

I suppose that's a possibility. [She frowns, clearly not comfortable with that thought.] But I sincerely hope not. I have seen the damage an android whose ethical and emotional subroutines were compromised can do.

In any case, I only regret saying it if it brings us more trouble. I already suspect it is why they chose the gift for me that they did.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah... even in the movies, every time you give a computer human-level intelligence, it never ends well. Maybe she's just been at this so long she's that good at acting.

What was it, if I may ask...?

[dancingmd]

[For the first time ever, Beverly gives Jennifer an offended look. Not for asking about the gift, but for the computer comment.]

That's not what I meant at all. There is nothing inherently wrong or evil with artificial intelligence. An android with balanced programming who has been given the correct care and a stable environment is just as good of a friend as any organic being.

[Sorry, she gets a little prickly about this, thanks to Data, and now Daneel.]

[forsometimenow]

... sorry. [She winced.] We haven't nearly gotten to that point in my time, and my only dealings with artifical intelligence back home were the Replicators. They- did not like humans, let's put it that way. So I guess my perspective is skewed.

[dancingmd]

[Jennifer must not know about Daneel then, which is not necessarily surprising, given how careful Daneel is about it, but it is interesting, considering that they're crewmates.]

The technology is relatively new for us, and it's something many people struggle with. And I know how terrifying it is when things do go wrong with an AI. One of my friends at home, who is an android, had to make the tough decision to deactivate his brother after he attacked the Federation. So the danger is something I take seriously - especially if someone like Atroma is involved - but artificial lifeforms deserve the same sort of consideration we'd give any organic being.

[Then she reaches over and rests her hand on Jennifer's, the prickliness subsiding.] I also know if you met someone like my friend, you would never do anything to purposely hurt them, so I apologize if I am... defensive. It's not a reflection on you.

[forsometimenow]

It's fine. [Jennifer smiled easily.] I'm sorry for not considering that, too... it's easy to forget that our perspectives can still be different even if we have a lot of the same experiences. I should probably explain- if I have my stories correct, the short version is that the Replicators are beings formed by nanites who modeled themselves to look after their creators- humanoid people we call the Ancients. The Ancients reached Earth and became much more interested in homo sapiens than Replicators, so the Replicators by and large saw humanity as the favorite children who got all the attention from the parent. So they wanted to destroy us and replace us.

[She shrugged.]

I do appreciate the reality check, though, believe me. I can't fear all AI because of what the Replicators were like.

[dancingmd]

It's an understandable and very human reaction, after going through something like that.

[With a small smile, she squeezes Jennifer's hand then lets it go, along with the topic. No need to dwell on it, they seem to understand one another.]

As to your question: it was a book, the book Jack proposed to me with.

[forsometimenow]

Oh... [That was a soft reaction, and Jennifer shook her head.] Something very personal, very dear to you. I can't think much of their probable motivations for giving it to you, but... part of you must be glad to have it back, huh?

[dancingmd]

Maybe. It was really more of a gag gift than anything. "How to Advance Your Career Through Marriage." I mean, it's not like the tricorder. Yes, they sent that to emotionally manipulate me as well, but I read those letters all the time, they make me feel closer to home. I get comfort out of them, so it doesn't really matter why Atroma gave them to me. But this? This is just... cruel.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah. It's like... like they tried to be comforting with that, as well, and totally missed the mark.

[dancingmd]

I doubt they were aiming to comfort me, after what I said.

[forsometimenow]

Oh, really? Did you get into an argument with the lovely Miss Diamond?

[dancingmd]

Not an argument per se. More like I got angry and she remained infuriatingly condescending.

[forsometimenow]

That sounds about right. I have to wonder how she's able to stay so calm in the face of whatever was said to her- because I'm sure others had plenty of vitriol to spew.

[dancingmd]

I'm going to guess she probably lost whatever conscience she might have had a long time ago.

[forsometimenow]

You'd almost have to, to work for an organization that makes a profit from kidnapping unwitting participants for their reality show. Or else get really, really good at faking it.

[dancingmd]

If she's faking it well... at least there would be some chance of getting through to her, however slim.

[forsometimenow]

So, in other words, more sitting on our asses and observing until a crack shows. [Jennifer looked horrified at herself and coveredher mouth briefly.] ... sorry, that came out a lot more bitter than I thought. I'm used to being able to take action, to plot a course.