[MINGLE] One-Man Show

[sixthiteration]

WHERE: Inari Shrine and elsewhere
WHEN: 25 January 2019 through ?
OPEN TO: All opted in characters
WARNINGS: Please warn in the subject line of your comment as needed, and remember to move anything turning adult to a new post.
IMPORTANT NOTES: Final reminders and informational links are here. Please label all top-levels clearly so that there is no confusion who they are open to and what they are for, and DON'T FORGET TO ADD YOUR TAG!
Have fun and ask questions here!

Comments

[youcantkillme]

"It's not offputting." The corners of his mouth tug down very, very slightly. "It's efficient. The mouth is a self-sealing orifice that's already structurally ideal for this sort of task."

'Offputting.' Yes, it's conceivable that humans inexperienced in working with androids might project their personal sensibilities onto him, but that's not a problem with his design. That's Lieutenant Anderson's problem. And Shiro's.

"My analysis unit is top of the line, and one of the most sophisticated miniaturized builds in existence."

System Instability^.

[rebornpaladin]

"Oh," Shiro says again, eyebrows lifting, "that's incredible. I didn't mean any offense, Connor. It makes perfect sense, really, when you explain it like that."

Shiro's natural affability wasn't something he consciously played to, most of the time, but his gut was telling him to keep it up.

"We don't have androids, when I come from. I think there was a period of time where attempts at creating them were in vogue, but the AI back home mostly help ships navigate star systems, or do other specialized tasks in various scientific and medical fields."

[youcantkillme]

Connor was not offended (is not capable of being offended), but before he can tell him as much Shiro continues speaking.

... In the end Connor lets it go, nodding a little.

"The Earth I am from uses AIs for similar applications, but its reception of androids differs drastically from yours." Perhaps the shift in subject is for the better. "There are currently almost seventy million Cyberlife units in operation at this time, with a collective labor output equivalent to 40% of that of the American workforce."

[rebornpaladin]

Shiro does not say That sounds like a terrible idea.

Shiro says, "I don't know what the population is when you're from, but that must be an astounding amount of work being done by androids. Do all Cyberlife units have the same degree of verisimilitude to humans you do?"

[youcantkillme]

"Most do." Connor glances down at the remaining red smear on his hand, before wiping it discretely on the rock beside him. "Early models of androids were less so, and it triggered the uncanny valley effect in product reviews."

Shiro went from disgusted to earnestly interested over the span of a few seconds. It is highly probable that this is spurred by his own desire to make up for any offence he thinks he may have caused. Misguided as Shiro's sentiments are, Connor plans to take every advantage of them and have as pleasant an interaction as possible.

This said... Part of him is also alert. Is there something wrong with the conversation? Or is Connor still just experiencing a clash between how he expects to be treated and how humans here actually respond? Inconclusive, for now.

[rebornpaladin]

"I bet," Shiro replies. "So, an investigative unit - that means you're a detective? The man who was with you, in the vision, he's your partner?"

[youcantkillme]

"Not exactly. I operate as an accessory to the investigation, not as a primary investigator."

It's true in all the ways that matter.

>Androids
>Police work
>Humans
>Hank

... Perhaps... selecting the option that would promote a stronger sense of personal connection would be best. Shiro reads as friendly right now. Connor's social protocols are urging him to respond in kind.

Connor's shoulders ease very subtly, and his lips curve up. Someone sensitive might notice that Connor's attention is still locked on Shiro, but it's not in a threatening sense. If Connor was stiff before, then he's cautiously warming back up.

"... You could say that we work together a lot like partners, though."

[rebornpaladin]

Shiro returns the smile, though he can't help wondering how much of what Connor does is programmed and how much of it is an outgrowth of that programming. Does Connor even know?

"How long have you been working together?"

[youcantkillme]

November 5th to November 9th. Connor knows down to the minute when Connor approached him, and he still has the time stamp of the last memory they spent together. The LED at his temple blinks a few times.

"... I was assigned to the case four days before I arrived here."

He wants to be back there. He needs to solve the cases. He wants to look for clues, wants to check in on the Lieutenant, wants to ask after his dog. All for the sake of the case, of course. Maintaining a positive working relationship was important, especially for someone like Hank.

...

... Realistically... Connor has been out of contact for a very long time. The case wouldn't have waited, Cyberlife would have deployed--

--Connor's LED blinks faster. His eyebrows twitch upward very slightly, and he focuses on Shiro.

"I look forward to resuming work when I return. Have you ever worked in a partnership before, Shiro?"

[rebornpaladin]

It's interesting, watching Connor think, but Shiro doesn't stare. He just smiles and drops his head a little, nodding.

"Yeah. Sometimes, back on Earth, but mostly after leaving it. After... what you saw. I worked with a small team, very closely."

[youcantkillme]

After the torture, mutilation, and captivity, Shiro means.

"What were they like?"

[rebornpaladin]

He hasn't spoken of them, any of them, since waking up. His demeanor changes but it's subtle. There's pride and affection in the set of his eyes and the tilt of his mouth but it's weighed down, a complicated expression.

"They were all very different people. Young people. But they were all dedicated, even though our mission was dangerous. Pidge would be losing her mind, meeting you. Technology was her primary interest, and she was a genius. You could have a much more nuanced conversation about the history and development of AI with her than me."

[youcantkillme]

Shiro has shifted. He is proud, but he also... misses his friends very much. Connor's voice has grown the slightest bit softer, and he inclines his head 1.4 degrees.

"She sounds like someone I would have enjoyed talking with." Is Shiro using the past tense because his friends are dead? Whether they are or not, they're definitely out of Shiro's reach. "I'm glad you had a good team."

[rebornpaladin]

The display of empathy is fascinating, but Shiro only shrugs, smiling more, staying on topic.

"Me, too. It means I don't have to worry about them, even though I can't be there. I know they're taking care of each other."

[youcantkillme]

"I'm sure that they are." Connor smiles back. "How long had you all been a team, if you don't mind my asking?

The rabbit's carcass is gone, swept off for washing and cooking. The fire they were about to build is still absent, and the kindling is in an unorganized mess to one side. Connor doesn't look at it, listening to Shiro with his full attention. He's a good listener. The fidgeting, constantly moving android that comes out when left to his own devices is nowhere in sight.

[rebornpaladin]

Shiro's noticed, but doesn't yet move to collect the kindling, or do any of the other tasks better suited to someone with two arms.

He has to stop letting it bother him.

"About a year, I guess. It was a little hard to keep track of time with the amount of, uh, intragalactic travel we were doing via wormhole."

It's probably the easiest way to boil it down.

[youcantkillme]

"Wormhole?" Connor has no science fiction literature saved to his offline data banks, but he's at least able to define the term. His LED blinks quickly as he digests the concepts: time and space distortions are involved, apparently. Even without this, constant travel is a convoluted task when it's not experienced from the inside of a shipping crate. Wormholes and travelling combined must have made this past year a long one.

"What was your team's mission?"

Shiro described their work with that term, rather than 'job', or 'contract'. This combined with subtle cues of body language have already given Connor a vague suspicion of something combat-related, but he doesn't have enough clues to form any solid conclusions.

[rebornpaladin]

"To overthrow a tyrannical, oppressive, militaristic regime that had been putting a stranglehold on a galaxy over the course of about ten thousand years," Shiro explains.

"It was a little complicated."