Star date 3300.5.12
What a weird thing to return home to. The entire lab was wrecked. Tables were pushed over, and equipment was scattered across the floor, it looked like someone had broken in and robbed the place. After some investigating, I found Bean hiding in the ventilation system with a scalpel protruding from his head. Apparently, he and the medical unit had gotten into it while I was away, and a massive fight ensued.
Remind me again why we gave robots personality matrixes?
In any case, I spent the better part of the day cleaning up the base. Bean is still shaking, his little hook hands barely able to hold a mug. This is a bad time to be cut off from my only source of caffeine, so I think I’ll turn the medical unit’s personality off for a few days to keep this from happening again. When I asked why the fight occurred, Bean accused the med bot of calling him a glorified bean grinder, whatever that means. Bean then retaliated by calling the med unit a, Uhm, Bean! Come here and tell the computer what you told me.
“BLORP! I called the med unit 01010011 01110100 01110101 01110000 01101001 01100100.”
Right, and what does that mean in English?
“Stupid.”
Ah, I see. Well, go sit in the corner while I think of what to do with you.
“Yes, Jax. BLOOP! Sorry, Jax.”
Is this what it's going to come to? Me babysitting a bunch of insane robots? I took this posting to get away from human drama, not to have it superimposed on machines.
Uhg…
In professional news, I ran a few samples through the analyzer. Big surprise that nothing I collected is useful against the plague. On the plus side, that black pineapple-looking fruit I found is entirely edible and, according to the computer, will taste like kiwi and vanilla. Kinda an odd combination of flavors but I had the computer upload it to Beans database and will try it as a flavor when he stops freaking out.
I checked Jemma’s old room to make sure they didn’t disturb anything inside. They didn’t. All the bots feared her something awful. It’s interesting, how even these machines could feel something as primal as dread. Not that I don’t understand their aversion.
One day, I returned from the field to find one of the construction bots armed with a power drill confined inside a rudimentary arena Jemma forced it to build. In the other corner was a Sulfur Rat, one of the pests that roam the surrounding fields. She was going to make them fight for her amusement. Thank goodness I got back in time and put a stop to it.
I know what you’re thinking. “What a monster.”
It’s…not as simple as all that.
Jemma lost a lot. Her son, her husband, and her friends. The plague took so much from her that it was a miracle she wasn’t more messed up than she already was. Combine that with years of isolation and you get some pretty crazy ideas.
That is still my biggest concern. Going crazy and not realizing it's happening. I suppose as long as I don’t make the bots fight endemic creatures for entertainment I must be doing okay, but who knows how long that will last?
I’ve begun to talk to myself more since her passing. Not that talking to oneself is cause for alarm but… yeah, I don’t know. It feels like a red flag.
“As long as you don’t answer yourself, you're fine,” Jemma used to quip.
Hypocritical advice from someone who did answer themselves, all the time.
Ding!
Looks like the analyzer just finished with a sample.
Computer!
“Yes, Jax.”
Give me a report on the latest batch.
“Sample 222.3 contains enzymes useful in processing certain metabolic and pulmonary functions. No data suggests it has any effect against the plague.”
Huh, what field applications might it hold?
“Field applications include increased cardiovascular performance as well as a bolstered resistance to foreign entities such as toxins and common infections.”
Interesting. Computer, go ahead and send this data to the medical bot. See if they can’t make some kind of formula. Oh, and start the next batch of samples.
“Yes, Jax, right away.”
And now we wait…
The weather is calm, despite the steady snow. The warmer months are only sixty or so days away, a time I look forward to with relish. I can take off the thermal suit when the sun is at its peak and just relax around a fire.
When you burn the wood on this planet, it tends to release an odor, not unlike cherry and almond, a soothing combination. The myriad of flowers bloom and soak up as much light as possible before the snow inevitably comes just a few months later. Animals, insects, and even amphibious creatures similar to penguins make their way onto the shores and into the forests for mating, feeding, and frolic. It’s almost enough to distract you from the loneliness.
Almost…
But, for now, we can do nothing but wait. We watch the snow swirl about, feel the bitter winds blow from the north, and nestle beneath the blankets while sipping hot coffee. Paradise can be found even in the farthest reaches of the galaxy.
This is Jax, signing off.
ns44.197.108.169da2
