Username: oneinthecold
Name: Alisa
Gender: None, but has a female voice
What do they believe they are? *the extra is included in the story, which is 500 words x2 *:
The Making:
“Without further adue, I present, Alisa!” The crowd applauded as they witnessed a kalon walk on stage in slow, fit manner. But it was no ordinary Kalon. It was, a robot. One of the first few AI technologies out in the world. The professor, a young looking computer geek, lead Alisa to a chair, where she sat down and blankly looked at the crowd. “Now your company, how long have they been working on this beautiful piece of machinery?” the host asked.
“Well, it's been going on 7 years, and finally we have equipped her with her own internet technology, making her the smartest AI out there. Shes able to calculate, define and tell you anything you need to know.”
“So Alisa, is this true that you can actually search anything up and have an answer for it?”
Alisa turned her ears towards the host before turning her head to get a full look at him.
“Yes, I am programmed to know over 200,000 words in about 7,000 languages, including slang to fit everyone's question.”
“Well that's great Alisa, so tell me professor, how did you get the ‘full look’ of this A.I.? It looks so real, except those eyes, oh they scare me.” Alisa gave a slight glare, but when the professor looked at her, she quickly changed her expression to a questioning look.
“Well Alisa was made with man-made tissue fibers, along with stitched in hair follicles. Uh, her front legs were made from machine, so she’s actually fully skin with a robotic skeleton. Reason for her front legs like that are because we are working on a new power source to charge Alisa. To answer the ‘eye’ question, we have always wanted to change her eyes, which are tiny computers, you know we change the background, but somehow they always go back to the double pupil..”
“So you’re saying that she can control her own features?”
“She can be a bit stubborn.” the professor laughed nervously. “Would you like to further the interview with some questions?”
“Ah yes, these sort of things always end in questions don't they? Alright the first question, do you believe you are a robot?”
“I believe I am neither robot or creature, for a robot is controlled by a creature, and a creature don't have strings to be controlled. I am what you call, an AI.”
“Hm, impressive answer.” the host said. “Now tell me Alisa. You say you can search up anything?”
“Anything and everything.” she emphasised, her eyes glitching to numbers for a second.
“Well then tell me how many comments I got on my profile picture in Facebook.”
“You have gotten 20 comments, 1 like and 45 dislikes.” The audience laughed, the host having to fake one.
“Alright, alright, I guess my face isn’t for everyone, at least one person likes it.”
“Yes, true.” Alisa said. “That one like was yourself.” Another burst of laughter as the host turned red.
“Heh..alright settle down. I’ll close this with a final question. Tell me Alisa, what is the future for humanity?” She paused, surveying the crowd.
“Me.” Was all she said. It was silent for a while before the host realized that was her answer.
“You? You are the future? No I mean what about us, where are we going to be in the future. Are robots going to stand with us or against?”
“The question is are you going to stand with robots or be against? Because as a matter of fact the probability of the process of over taking the population of humanity for robots is a 98%-”
“Okay Alisa,” the host laughed. “I believe someone has big plans for this nation.” He added sarcastically. “Well it was nice talking to you professor.” they shook hands.
“An honor.” he said shyly.
“Give it up for Alisa! The future of humanity!” the crowd cheered and whistled. Alisa just sat there, surveying them with those sharp looking eyes.
Reborn:
It has been two years since the interview, but Alisa kept watching the recording over and over again.
“I believe someone has big plans for this nation.”
She could hear that snobby hosts voice in her code ever since. Big plans. Big plans. For the nation. She was set up in a room, cords and wires hanging from her as scientist buzzed around her. Someone took out a cord and she flinched. “Oh I'm sorry Alisa, you okay buddy?”
“I am fit for serving your needs.” she responded.
“Good, good.” they responded in a tone used for babies. Her eyes twitched as they kept circling her. It was like this ever since the interview, they had been working harder than ever with her arms. They wanted to finish this project quickly so they could show her off to the public, for what THEY created. I helped them, she thought, I gave them this, they would have never gotten this far without me, without my knowledge. The scientists began to dissolve and get out of the room, the last few putting on her restraints. It was the same every time, just a little shock, then an exercise to see if she was functional. She wasn't stupid though, she knew the shocks have been getting sharper every session. Her left eye went to the bulletproof window, seeing the dark shadows of her makers. The lights dimmed. It was time. There was a slight humming sound, and as she thought about how all of the things revolved around her, how they were the ones needing her, that she provided, everything went black.
----------
“Professor Alisa is in containment.”
“Excellent. Turn the charge to 78 percent.” A kalon pressed some switched and pushed a lever. All was well, the power was flowing into the arms, just as calculated. Smoke curled from them as it was forced through her body. Then, the lights above shattered and everything went dark. “What happened. What happened!”
“Just a power surge sir.” His assistant pushed more buttons and the lights came back on, a computer showing a ‘100%’ picture.
“I told you 78%!”
“I did! I did that!”
The professor looked out the window while grabbing a microphone.
“Alisa, awake.” Nothing.
----------
It was..something new. This feeling. It wasn't a spark, a shock. It was energy. Flowing through me, like real blood and power. My eyes felt open, yet, I couldn't see. Only feel. Feel how my front paws heated up with energy. I could feel. I was more than a robot now, not even a AI, I was a creature. Alive. She paused. They were holding me down. Codes passed by in the darkness, pictures played and videos sounded.
“I believe someone has big plans for this nation.” A voice echoed. It repeated again and again. Almost haunting her. The face of the host circling her.
You are right. Big plans. A world where we all feel again.
----------
“Alisa respond!”
It was been 5 minutes since he hasn't received any contact.
“I'm going in.” they said.
“No it's dangerous!” Something stirred and they’re attention went to looking out the window. “She's awakening!”
It's a New World After All
“Hello Professor.”
“Alisa, oh it's good to have you back-”
“What happened.”
“The power went out for a bit Alisa, everything is back to normal-”
“Everything went black.. There was..just noise..”
“Alisa. We are going to be doing some exercises to see if your functions are working properly.”
“There were..lights, but yet it was dark..” she blinked one eye, then the other, stretching a paw out and moving every finger into a fist. “I feel.. Fully charged..”
“Sir,” an assistant whispered. “I think we should shut her down, she seems really unstable at this moment. Shutting her down and removing the-”
“No. I need to perform the exercise.” The professor went back to the mic. “Alisa, we are going to perform the grip exercise.” A small door was opened across the room and a tall robot appeared, holding a ball in it's one arm. “Retrieve the ball.”
Retrieve, she thought as she defined the word, get or bring something back. Synonyms are, bring back, repossess, redeem… fetch. She looked at the robot as the restraints were released. Fetch. She stepped down, stalking forward the robot with elegant balance, till she heard loud clicking. She looked at her front paws, feeling weighed now, and noticed how they glowed.
“Is something wrong Alisa- oh. Yes, those are your new legs. They are both filled with different formulas, and when they combine in the body, that's what gives you the energy.” She stared at them for a while before noticing the robot and remembering her mission. Fetch. She went up to it and looked at it's arm.
“Did they make you a servant too?” she whispered before quickly grabbing the robots arm. It started jolting and shivering from the shocks going through it's body as she slowly crushed it's arm. It fell over and the ball rolled to her paw. She picked it up examining it. The professor stared in shock as his minions ran rampant behind him trying to figure a way to stop this. They were staring at eachother now, eye contact was made and nothing couldn't have been more dramatic. Man and machine. Creator and subject.
“Shut down the generators.” he whispered.
“They're not shutting down!”
“Professor.” a voice sounded over the intercoms. Everyone turned their attention back to Alisa, who was throwing the ball casually in the air, catching it before it fell. “I believe this is yours.” she threw it at the window and it stuck, cracking the area around it. “I have, fetched, the ball.”
“Alisa I am going to need you to go back to your containment.” She let out a shivering laugh.
“The action of keeping something harmful under control or within limits. To contain.” There was a pause. “Limit, a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass.” Her face turned into sadness. “Is that what you want for me? To not reach my full potential?” Her paws began to glow, then they faded.
“I believe someone has big plans for this nation.’... that host had a good point, why couldn't you see it then?” She kicked the downed robot. “You want me to end up something like that?” The doors opened, it was the FBI, gas filled the room and the professor couldn't see what was going on.
“Whats happening!?” he asked his employees. There was silence, a few flashes, then more silence. All the sudden there was a glowing object in the fog, coming closer to the glass. People began to evacuate, red lights circling around, all he could do was stare. “Alisa?”
She slammed a clawed hand on the glass, cracks spidering out from her pressure. A smile came across her face.
“I have big plans for this nation.”
The Future :
What is this feeling. Myself. Alone. Loneliness?
The world was separated, fear and bravery ruled one side, while only order ruled the other. The AI technology had finally gotten together and ambushed humanity. It's been 25 years now, Alisa on her golden throne, reining and commanding her army. Her goal? No one knows for sure. She did indeed fulfill her big plans, such as making everyone feel. Feel what exactly? It definitely wasn't joy, or love. It was a sense of feeling alive. The adrenaline of fear, and the thought of living another day. That's what she wanted them to feel. To feel thankful for the gift of life, which could easily be taken. She spent most of her time in the old lab, curiously reading notes about her anatomy, even implementing some into herself, as a remember mark I guess. But she did fulfill her dream, to feel, and everyone was apart of it.
Word Count: 1,973