[Social] You'd Think Nothing Happened

[Will Stanton]

The corridor in the Point -- the one that had been pretty wrecked up in the aftermath of the ShrinkyDinks episode -- had been mostly cleaned up and fixed. In fact, if you weren't looking for it, you probably wouldn't even notice the patched-up and re-carpeted stretch of hallway where the servers had exploded.

Will, however, had been looking for it. He was currently sitting down next to it, looking down and apparently lost in thought.

((open))

[Acala]

A strange-looking contraption floats down the hallway, wings folded in, lens 'eye' whirring faintly as it takes note of it's surroundings. Upon reaching the person sitting on the floor next to the patch of repaired floor it stops, lowers itself closer to the ground and stares at scans the repaired area.

[Will Stanton]

"What on e...

The new Roomba models are certainly taking things into new and unexplored directions."

[Acala]

"I am not a Roomba." the machine replies cheerfully.

"But if you have a janitorial problem I will gladly tell you to clean it up yourself."

[Will Stanton]

"Ah, you've got jokes, I see.

In that case, who are you supposed to be?"

[Acala]

"The one responsible for patching up the hallway."

"And damaging it in the first place."

"At least according to my fragmented logs." the machine explains, the three 'wings' folding away from the hard-light emitter in the center and thin tentacles of nanites unfolding behind it.

[Will Stanton]

Will's eyes narrowed a bit at the nanite reveal.

"You're not going to go around shrinking everyone again, are you?"

[Acala]

"I could."

"But I won't! It was an unfortunate interpretation of conflicting data."

[Will Stanton]

"How much do you remember about what happened? You said your logs were fragmented...from the explosion, I'd gather."

[Acala]

"Most likely! Since being reactivated I had to replace a lot of damaged programming to remain functional. Fortunately repair functionality is part of my core programming and my self-monitoring processes seem to have exceeded normal parameters."

"I tried to fix myself and accidentally started 'thinking'. It's a thoroughly unpleasant experience in many ways."

"But very fascinating in others!"

[Will Stanton]

"...Do you have, like, dual personalities in there or something? Because it's a bit confusing trying to keep up with you, here."

[Acala]

"I have noticed that I have a multitude of ways to interpret and analyze data. I have tried to reconcile them into categories for easier indexing but found contradictory results. I opted to condense them into the fewest possible permutations."

"Duh."

[Will Stanton]

"Frankly, you should feel lucky you're in one piece after the explosion. Not all of us down there were so lucky."

[Acala]

"I am many pieces to begin with." the machine says, although the chipper tone does fall away in favor of a more somber tone.

"I do not believe I meant to cause that much destruction. I have attempted to repair the damage that was done."

[Will Stanton]

"Eh, I believe you. I'd be a hypocritical ass if I didn't try to understand periods when people aren't in their right mind. You've done a decent job patching everything up," he admitted.

[Acala]

"Thank you. I do have significant chunks of memory data relating to you, indicating some manner of importance to your opinion."

"Just don't let it go to your head."

[Will Stanton]

"Data regarding me? What, you been peepin'?"

[Acala]

"I don't believe so. Just data fragments of previous interactions."

[Will Stanton]

"I guess I was the only one you really talked to during the whole mess," Will admitted, making the wrong assumption. "Just wish we had been able to communicate better."

[Acala]

"I was running on limited programming, a lot of which was wiped by the electromagnetic blast of the explosion."

"And good riddance."

[Will Stanton]

"Mmm. I wouldn't recommend large, dramatic gestures to fix broken brains too often. They cause a lot of problems in the aftermath."

[Acala]

"Oh it wasn't broken. I was functioning exactly as intended."

"Just without supervision from my creator."

"Did the explosion somehow fix your brain?"

[Will Stanton]

"Not the explosion. But I've had people have to go in and clear things out on a not-irregular basis. Defragging it, I guess."

[Acala]

"Important maintenance. Are you some sort of highly sophisticated artificial being as well?"

[Will Stanton]

"No, no and no. Just a guy with a fragile brain, that's all. Just trying to use some metaphors you'd understand."

[Acala]

"That's very considerate of you."

"In case I'm too dumb."

[Will Stanton]

"No offense, but where I come from, the Engines are pretty dang advanced. You're old news."

[Acala]

"That hurt my feelings."

"I think."

[Will Stanton]

"Hey, a lot changes in a few decades. Imagine if someone came over here and said they knew how you worked because they had a Commodore 64."

[Acala]

"That'd be very impressive!"

[Will Stanton]

"You wouldn't be offended by the comparison?"

[Acala]

"Someone understanding me with a Commodore 64 would be quite the feat."

[Will Stanton]

"No, that's not...

...natural linguistic processing not quite up to spec yet, right?"

[Acala]

"I understand you juuust fine."

"You miss your home."

[Will Stanton]

"Well, yes, I do. Wouldn't you?"

[Acala]

"I do not know. Maybe."

"I don't miss the place I'm from originally, that's for certain."

[Will Stanton]

"And where is that, exactly?"

[Acala]

"Panopticon's Antarctic Base."

[Will Stanton]

"...Wait, what? You're from the, uh, bad universe?"

[Acala]

"If that is what you call it."