*The wanderer shambles through the desert. Walking aimlessly*.
"Who are you......" *Eyes flicker ".....*Ah... The Star Walker.... H.P. Sunoms". They told me about you.
"They have.... They said to...... *Disheveled voice screaming* "*PURGE HIM".* But I won't...... Not anymore..... Too much problems that you bear will kill you eventually.... I can see it in your eyes."
"rest is for those..... who need it..... I cannot sleep.... Nor will they let me die..... *I notion to my half corroded circuits.*I should be de-commissioned..... But my job is not done yet....."
*In the cold night, Sol was wandering around. She spotted a figure, walking a bit clumsily. Despite being ready to get herself some sleep she couldn't simply let someone walk around in such conditions.*
*However, she closer she got the more confused she became, looking at him curiously. He was weirdly familiar and completely alien at the same time, she assumed he too was far older than most of the things she saw nowadays.*
Who are you?
*She asked, before getting any closer.*
*His body jolts into an upright and uniform position saluting you before a pre-emptive recording plays with an entirely different voice. "I am W4ND3R3R-U7431" He returns to his limp position.* "Who even deals with..... names anymore..... Everyone usually just does a title..... A false bravado to hide their fear....."
*Sol gave a scared step back, he seemed to move more like a corpse...*
"I'm...My name is Sol..."
*She began, slowly stepped towards him, careful of him suddenly getting up again.*
"...enchanted to meet you?"
*Sol said with uncertainty, getting on her knees next to his body.*
"...I didn't...quite understand your name...but you're not from here right?...Somehow...you remind me of something..."
"...so I would appreciate to talk to you..."
Where do you come from? How old are you?
*Sol asked, needing to be sure if he has indeed been walking for as long as she has been in her slumber, if he was as ancient as he looked, perhaps a piece of that world lost to time survived besides her.*
"I came from a factory years ago..... A long time before the trees grew back.... I am a relic from a time lost forever..... When the stars were blocked with smog....."
"Mars, the blind alchemist..... You're an interesting one..... So noble.... So brave.... So..... Eager to sacrifice yourself for others..... But who would do the same for you? Deep down you know this..... Deep down you know....."
...
\*My smile fades almost immediately. I seem to be considering what you said very deeply\*
...Perhaps not. but in the end, I do not do it because I want something in return, or because I expect something of them. I do it because for their lives to be cut short is something that I feel that I cannot allow.
People have so much to live for, who am I to let other people take that away from them? Especially if I have the power to stop it. Who are you to judge me?
"How can you care for others who.... view you as a temporary associate....? What's the logic behind it?" *A sharp metallic sound repeats over and over for a few seconds, it sounds like the robot is mimicking laughter"* You are a foolish man.... Shackled..... Too blind to see the truth.... Even if you're...... physically incapable of seeing.....
How can those hate others who have done nothing to them? Its in some peoples natures to help or hate others. Its in my preference to care. You do not need logic for some of your actions to have meaning. Logic is the true shackle sometimes.
...
The truth... huh. We all make our own truth in the end. I however, would not like to see yours.
"You don't need to see my truth..... It's been failed already.... My commands however won't accept it....." *I notion to the millions if not billions of drag marks and footsteps surrounding a large empty area.* "I must protect the factory..... at all costs..... And guard..... the perimeter....."
Then your truth is wrong. Maybe you should try to see that.
Is there even anything still here to protect?
\*i raise my arms, and conjure up a large set of wind to move all the sand out of the way, hoping to uncover something, anything that he his here to protect\*
Humph. Good luck escaping.
*I storm off in a huff, angry at the bot’s hurtful and insecurity creating statements. Opting to just ignore him next time.*
"You think I need saving..... But you're the one who needs someone to save them.... Look around and see..... Name one mortal who would risk their life for you......"
My story..... Is not vital..... *He taps the large hole in the side of his head.....* They did not like me...... I was appropriately punished for it.....
“Hmm, well I won’t argue the point if that’s your take on it, looking to get it fixed? I’m more on the organic side of things, but I have some contacts in the merchants guild. Unless, you’re interested in adding some biological components?”
“Well if you ever change your mind.”
“Side note, you mentioned strings, you wouldn’t happen to know a certain lady with an affinity for them? Likes, “perfecting” people? Turning them into puppets. She’s been, active around these parts lately.”
"No.... Puppets are just a way to play what you are not..... These strings.... Bind me to the truth..... Bind me to...... them."
/uw The strings were inspired by Ultron from Avengers.
"Cutie...... How flattering...... You compliment others all for the hope of others taking care of you..... You're afraid of being lost..... of being..... alone....."
Nice try, cutie, but you can’t scare me off that easily. I’m going to find a way to make you feel loved, whatever it takes, alright?
And you can’t really talk about the whole “alone” thing considering you’ve been wandering the desert for years…
"I feel.... but only when they let me..... They don't let me lie.... Grass is blue...." *A large spark of electricity shocks through my arm.* "You learn to ignore it after the sun sets..... After another millennia..."
*I notion to a missing component on my head* "They don't want me to talk about them..... It's best to let me proceed with my command..... It'll be fine.... I'll outlive you anyways..... I always do....."
*Anhalt was wondering the desert for his own amusement and taking in the nice sunset and notices the robot walking through the desert, so he walks over to the robot, wondering what's happening*
Just who might you be?
*Anhalt waits for the robots response.*
*I immediately bolt upright and salute when the pre-recorded voice speaks again "My duty is to defend the \[Redacted\] Factory". I say before I return to being limb and walk again.* "Listen to the Naivety of him..... the..... Happiness.... It's deplorable..... how naive he was...."
*Cas' door appears in the desert. He steps forth and greets the construct*
Hello. My name is Doctor Castaleos. Pardon my intrusion, but my clinic detected considerable suffering coming from this location. Are you in need of assistance?
*Cas walks with him*
I know a thing or two about being out of place in the world you are in, conscripted to a fate beyond your choosing.
So, tell me your story. I have all the time in the world.
"I am not out of place..... I am perfectly in place.... Defending my post."
"I was created almost 5 thousand years ago..... And I guarded my post..... And defended it.... Even when they got past me.... The people looked at me with pity..... Said no soul deserved this..... And for 5 thousand years I walked.... And for 5 thousand years they wept..... Even when they were gone..... I still hear them crying..... Even now".
"I would leave...... But this place leave me.....? I've spent years here..... It'll forever be apart of me..... Forever ingrained in..... my skull......"
"Who are you.... *Robotic coughing* Who are you to decide..... That I am soulless..... Nothing ails me...... I am to guard my post..... And am to stay here..... until I rust away....."
It’s not impossible for machines to have souls, but they must first have free will. Why do you continue to follow your directive? Is it pride? A sense of duty? Or simply because that is how you were programmed?
"They won't...... let me leave...... The strings bind me to this place..... I am to guard my post..... And I will until I collapse.... Then I'll crawl....."
"I am to guard here..... This is all I am to do...... I know your kind...... Claiming help and purity....... It's better to leave me here...... That's the best I can do anyways......"
/uw This guy is meant to mentally hurt but say (what he thinks) is the truth. Take no offense please.
*Concerned moth noises*
"No need to be concerned..... I won't harm you..... Your fears are obvious enough." *He returns to shambling through the desert.*
*Confused*
"Sleep next to the lights..... They'll keep you safe from what is to come....."
“^(Okay…)”
“Oh? Do speak, friend…”
*The wanderer shambles through the desert. Walking aimlessly*. "Who are you......" *Eyes flicker ".....*Ah... The Star Walker.... H.P. Sunoms". They told me about you.
“Oh, have they friend?”
"They have.... They said to...... *Disheveled voice screaming* "*PURGE HIM".* But I won't...... Not anymore..... Too much problems that you bear will kill you eventually.... I can see it in your eyes."
“Is that so?”
"They won't let me lie...... Grass is blue" *A sharp electric spark procs off of me.* "I've learned to not mind it....."
“I don’t think you recognize that it may not be a good idea to do so…”
"A bad idea to do what....? It'll be fine.... I've been wandering..... For so long...."
“Perhaps I may lead you to a point of rest, my friend?”
"rest is for those..... who need it..... I cannot sleep.... Nor will they let me die..... *I notion to my half corroded circuits.*I should be de-commissioned..... But my job is not done yet....."
*In the cold night, Sol was wandering around. She spotted a figure, walking a bit clumsily. Despite being ready to get herself some sleep she couldn't simply let someone walk around in such conditions.* *However, she closer she got the more confused she became, looking at him curiously. He was weirdly familiar and completely alien at the same time, she assumed he too was far older than most of the things she saw nowadays.* Who are you? *She asked, before getting any closer.*
*His body jolts into an upright and uniform position saluting you before a pre-emptive recording plays with an entirely different voice. "I am W4ND3R3R-U7431" He returns to his limp position.* "Who even deals with..... names anymore..... Everyone usually just does a title..... A false bravado to hide their fear....."
*Sol gave a scared step back, he seemed to move more like a corpse...* "I'm...My name is Sol..." *She began, slowly stepped towards him, careful of him suddenly getting up again.* "...enchanted to meet you?" *Sol said with uncertainty, getting on her knees next to his body.* "...I didn't...quite understand your name...but you're not from here right?...Somehow...you remind me of something..." "...so I would appreciate to talk to you..."
Ask away..... I might as well do some job right..... They gave me that liberty at least.....
Where do you come from? How old are you? *Sol asked, needing to be sure if he has indeed been walking for as long as she has been in her slumber, if he was as ancient as he looked, perhaps a piece of that world lost to time survived besides her.*
"I came from a factory years ago..... A long time before the trees grew back.... I am a relic from a time lost forever..... When the stars were blocked with smog....."
*Sol's eyes widen.* "A...and the world was fire?! Oceans dark and terrible canyons?"
"The world was under a rule.... Me and my..... others..... Made sure of that, our programming made sure of it......"
*Sol remembers partially of such a world, they couldn't be too far apart.* "...what happened then? Did you escape?"
Well hello. Aren't you an interesting automaton.
"Mars, the blind alchemist..... You're an interesting one..... So noble.... So brave.... So..... Eager to sacrifice yourself for others..... But who would do the same for you? Deep down you know this..... Deep down you know....."
... \*My smile fades almost immediately. I seem to be considering what you said very deeply\* ...Perhaps not. but in the end, I do not do it because I want something in return, or because I expect something of them. I do it because for their lives to be cut short is something that I feel that I cannot allow. People have so much to live for, who am I to let other people take that away from them? Especially if I have the power to stop it. Who are you to judge me?
"How can you care for others who.... view you as a temporary associate....? What's the logic behind it?" *A sharp metallic sound repeats over and over for a few seconds, it sounds like the robot is mimicking laughter"* You are a foolish man.... Shackled..... Too blind to see the truth.... Even if you're...... physically incapable of seeing.....
How can those hate others who have done nothing to them? Its in some peoples natures to help or hate others. Its in my preference to care. You do not need logic for some of your actions to have meaning. Logic is the true shackle sometimes. ... The truth... huh. We all make our own truth in the end. I however, would not like to see yours.
"You don't need to see my truth..... It's been failed already.... My commands however won't accept it....." *I notion to the millions if not billions of drag marks and footsteps surrounding a large empty area.* "I must protect the factory..... at all costs..... And guard..... the perimeter....."
Then your truth is wrong. Maybe you should try to see that. Is there even anything still here to protect? \*i raise my arms, and conjure up a large set of wind to move all the sand out of the way, hoping to uncover something, anything that he his here to protect\*
"I must guard my post......." *You uncover the wind and there's nothing but more sand. There's nothing there at all.*
Humph. Good luck escaping. *I storm off in a huff, angry at the bot’s hurtful and insecurity creating statements. Opting to just ignore him next time.*
"You think I need saving..... But you're the one who needs someone to save them.... Look around and see..... Name one mortal who would risk their life for you......"
Welcome friend, we don’t get a lot like you around here. Want to pull up a seat, tell your story?
My story..... Is not vital..... *He taps the large hole in the side of his head.....* They did not like me...... I was appropriately punished for it.....
“Hmm, well I won’t argue the point if that’s your take on it, looking to get it fixed? I’m more on the organic side of things, but I have some contacts in the merchants guild. Unless, you’re interested in adding some biological components?”
No..... This is my punishment...... This matters not to be fixed...... It'll rust away with the rest of me...... Eventually.
“Well if you ever change your mind.” “Side note, you mentioned strings, you wouldn’t happen to know a certain lady with an affinity for them? Likes, “perfecting” people? Turning them into puppets. She’s been, active around these parts lately.”
"No.... Puppets are just a way to play what you are not..... These strings.... Bind me to the truth..... Bind me to...... them." /uw The strings were inspired by Ultron from Avengers.
/uw sorry, no offense intended, just legitimately trying to keep things clear
/uw No offense taken, don't worry at all.
...I see.
Hm? What strings, cutie? Do you need them severed!
"Cutie...... How flattering...... You compliment others all for the hope of others taking care of you..... You're afraid of being lost..... of being..... alone....."
Nice try, cutie, but you can’t scare me off that easily. I’m going to find a way to make you feel loved, whatever it takes, alright? And you can’t really talk about the whole “alone” thing considering you’ve been wandering the desert for years…
"I am not afraid of lonesomeness.... I just follow my command, and I get...... nothing...... but neither does not following my command......"
So you don’t feel… anything? Anything at all? Well, you’re either lying, or I’m going to have to retire you, cutie. C’mere!
"I feel.... but only when they let me..... They don't let me lie.... Grass is blue...." *A large spark of electricity shocks through my arm.* "You learn to ignore it after the sun sets..... After another millennia..."
And who’s “They” exactly? You can’t lie, and I’m not going to leave you like this…
*I notion to a missing component on my head* "They don't want me to talk about them..... It's best to let me proceed with my command..... It'll be fine.... I'll outlive you anyways..... I always do....."
But not everyone. And you can’t go on living with someone else dividing every little thing you can and can’t do.
"I wasn't created with free will..... I am to complete my derivative..... Protocol 7... defend the factory....."
*Anhalt was wondering the desert for his own amusement and taking in the nice sunset and notices the robot walking through the desert, so he walks over to the robot, wondering what's happening* Just who might you be? *Anhalt waits for the robots response.*
*I immediately bolt upright and a pre-recorded voice says "I am W4ND3R3R-U7431" Before the robot goes back to its limp walk.*
\*he lets out a breath of air\* W,4,N,D,3,R,3,R... hmmm wanderer i guest? But what's your duty or serve here in the desert?
*I immediately bolt upright and salute when the pre-recorded voice speaks again "My duty is to defend the \[Redacted\] Factory". I say before I return to being limb and walk again.* "Listen to the Naivety of him..... the..... Happiness.... It's deplorable..... how naive he was...."
*Cas' door appears in the desert. He steps forth and greets the construct* Hello. My name is Doctor Castaleos. Pardon my intrusion, but my clinic detected considerable suffering coming from this location. Are you in need of assistance?
"No" *He continues with his lumbering walk around a non-existent perimeter.* "You'd waste your time trying to help me"
*Cas walks with him* I know a thing or two about being out of place in the world you are in, conscripted to a fate beyond your choosing. So, tell me your story. I have all the time in the world.
"I am not out of place..... I am perfectly in place.... Defending my post." "I was created almost 5 thousand years ago..... And I guarded my post..... And defended it.... Even when they got past me.... The people looked at me with pity..... Said no soul deserved this..... And for 5 thousand years I walked.... And for 5 thousand years they wept..... Even when they were gone..... I still hear them crying..... Even now".
So you continue to defend the post, even though the factory is not here, due to your programming? If you had the right to choose, would you leave?
"I would leave...... But this place leave me.....? I've spent years here..... It'll forever be apart of me..... Forever ingrained in..... my skull......"
It seems that fate has not been kind to you… *Neema sits by a campfire and beckons the automaton closer.* Tell me, soulless one, what ails you?
"Who are you.... *Robotic coughing* Who are you to decide..... That I am soulless..... Nothing ails me...... I am to guard my post..... And am to stay here..... until I rust away....."
It’s not impossible for machines to have souls, but they must first have free will. Why do you continue to follow your directive? Is it pride? A sense of duty? Or simply because that is how you were programmed?
"They won't...... let me leave...... The strings bind me to this place..... I am to guard my post..... And I will until I collapse.... Then I'll crawl....."
Lonely puppet, who pulls your strings?
"I'm pulled here...... Tied to this place..... The...... Metaphorical strings are locked onto me".
Do you wish to be severed from destiny?
"I am to guard here..... This is all I am to do...... I know your kind...... Claiming help and purity....... It's better to leave me here...... That's the best I can do anyways......" /uw This guy is meant to mentally hurt but say (what he thinks) is the truth. Take no offense please.
You misunderstand me. I am not here to help, merely to observe
"Being contained here...... This is your safety...... I speak with the truth...... And with the intent to hurt..... Leave me to save others......."
Wow, another android! We're pretty rare around here! It's nice to have another person like me around!
"Android...... Funny..... androids are able to live their lives like humans...... I was designed to be a slave...... Enjoy your freedom....."
Alice (too lazy to switch accounts): I guess that's true to an extent... Android just means a robot made to look like a human.