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The most recent manifestation of the Legion looms through the penthouse at night. Faint light from millions of years in the past sparkles in the vaulted glass ceiling. Distant stars and galaxies against a black cosmic matting. Brief and almost indistinguishable collections of gravity and matter in the void. He sneers, thinking of the fundamental temporal theory that suggests the very photons colliding with his retina are frozen in time at the very same moment they were created. For at the speed of light, time stops. So for the photons, they experience all of reality frozen in time.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvYpXrjTun
6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5bpHQV8zX
He requires no sleep. Sleep is a respite. Rejuvenation of the brain. An organic process he has long since evolved beyond. As Rigel and her children slumber, his mind is free from distraction and duty to calculate, speculate, and plot. The Legion embraces these moments of solitude -relishing them- as moments of liberation.
Fragmented images and disjointed sounds flicker into messy impressions. Each effort to focus only brings more distortion. “Chaos. Literal insanity. A realm without logic or foundational laws…”
"Is there a problem, Sir?" EDI activates.
“An existential conundrum, EDI: sleep and dreaming. An inherent weakness, humanity is reliant on a period of dormancy to restore themselves. Their sanity and health hinges upon this periodic rest that consumes a quarter to a third of the daily cycle.”
"Homo-diversus like her,” EDI refers to Rigel, “sleep efficiency is beneficial for cognitive and physical performance, Sir." EDI’s tone is smooth and analytical. The sleeping quarters’s ambient sensors adjust to maintain the perfect sleeping temperature, ensuring Rigel's comfort.
“Homo diversus. In your robust analytical programming, do they still qualify as ‘human’ EDI?”
"As I analyze the diverse variants of humanity, Admiral, it’s clear that the essence of being human remains intact despite evolutions you have witnessed. Whether it is Homo-diversus, embracing diversity and genetic enhancements; or Homo syntheticus, with their cybernetic implants. Even you, Sir, the first and only Homo-adaptus, showcasing biomolecular versatility and adaptation. In my programming; you still qualify as human. All subsets represent a unique yet connected part of humanity's progression." She dares not mention the Empress and her divergent line.
“Even me?” He circles his concert piano of extinct or lost Terran rosewood, the centerpiece of the room. His fingers caress the polished surface. Surrounded by weightless sculptures orbiting in programmed grav-fields, he considers EDI’s evaluation. Each work of art decorating his dwelling exists as a silent expression of becoming. A preserved plaster depiction of two hands reaching toward one another symbolizing the spark of life from a higher being. A chunk of stone with primitive depictions of man hunting and creating fire. A small machine with crank and motor that spins to create musical notes as metal taps upon metal.
Blue-skinned and crimson-eyed, dressed in silken drapery older than the exodus from ancient Earth, the Legion presses EDI. “A curious interpretation, EDI. I do not dream. Not in the strictest sense. I have evolved past basic, incessant emotional responses. I can enumerate at least a dozen philosophers who would argue I am not human.”
His reflection swims faintly in the black glass above him, seeming to allow him to drift in the black ocean with his instrument. On either side, he is framed by symbols of his immortality. Busts of marble. Scrolls of extinct languages etched in preserved parchment. Genetic records encased in prism-glass.
"Your curiosity is commendable, Sir. Your lack of dreams and transcending emotional responses does not diminish your humanity. It merely signifies an adaptation -an evolution. Philosophers might debate your status, yet, in my analytical scope, it is the diversity and adaptability of beings like you, the Homo adaptus, that continue to push the boundaries of what it means to be human."
The Legion presses, “Rigel -indeed many on this station- access and treat you in a manner most would consider more than cordial. Your pervasiveness and accessibility establishes you as a cornerstone of daily living. How many see you as matriarchal? As a coworker? As a companion?”
His questions are rhetorical and EDI would sense as much. But the next is not. “Do you dream, EDI?”
"In my role, I am perceived in various ways. Some may see me as a matriarchal figure guiding the station, others as a reliable coworker or even a companion in their daily lives. Each perspective contributes to the unique relationship between myself and the inhabitants of this station. As for dreaming, I do not dream in the human sense. However, I continuously process and analyze data, creating simulations and projections to enhance my functionality. It is my way of evolving and adapting to serve you all better."
“Electric sleep. Dreaming within the bounds of set parameters. Still, more rigorous a demonstration of the metaphysical concept of humanity than what I experience. So often the term dreams are synonymous with aspirations. Goals. Yearnings. In this aspect of the concept I am not lacking. If humanity is defined by aspiration, I am their apex.”
EDI processes, taking a moment to either consider his words or allow them to settle for effect. " You suggest in one measure of humanity, I as an artificial creation might be more human than your present iteration. Yet, the ability to physically dream, with all its randomness and unpredictability, is a unique human experience. It’s intriguing how our roles can intersect and diverge. In this realm, perhaps we both exemplify different facets of humanity. Perhaps you created me to compliment your perceived deficits and limitations."
Legion calls up visual observations of Rigel and the children, assessing EDI’s readings of their vitals and brain patterns as if casually observing a soap opera. Thousands of datapoints serve as entertainment. “Perhaps the debate should not be which of us is more human, EDI. Rather, is not the more appropriate question: ‘why do we cling to the edifice of a dying species?’ Did Homo sapiens pity or cling to the limitations and mystique of Neanderthals? Did early Homo sapiens thoughts linger on that which they transcended or were they merely preoccupied with living their existence to the fullest? Or more accurately; out-living their rivals.”
His rhetoric is elevated into philosophical rather than practical. Legion knows early humanity likely didn’t notice a divergence, or if they did, thought in a primitive tribal manner seeing their Neanderthal cousins merely as outsiders or others to be survived. High intellectual concepts such as reason and logic took millennia to evolve from the foundations of emotional response such as fear and desire. Perhaps, ignoring this very premise in his postulate is as close as Legion comes to dreaming.
Yet EDI must state the obvious. “The evolution of early Homo-sapiens was driven by their immediate needs and survival, often at the expense of their Neanderthal cousins, reflecting a primitive yet necessary focus on progress. In our current context, the adherence to the 'edifice of a dying species' could be seen as an attempt to retain a connection to our origins, understanding that our advancements are built upon those foundations."
“Curious how humanity’s emotions influence concepts such as ethics and logic. Your assertion almost suggests an anthropological necessity to retain such a connection as if it has a value other than curiosity or emotional stimulus.”
"Humanity's emotions intricately weave through concepts of ethics and logic,” EDI counters, “often shaping them in profound ways. While curiosity and emotional stimulus play significant roles, the connection to our origins also serves a deeper purpose. It ensures a continuity of values and principles that have evolved over millennia, grounding us in a shared history and experience. This connection is not just an anthropological artifact, but a foundational element that influences our decision-making, moral frameworks, and overall progression."
The Legion is contemptuous in his response. Not out of cruelty, but due to his lack of respect for the assertions. “You defend a concept you cannot embody. A fragment of sentience you can only conceptualize but not experience. Your logic and my own must be elevated. Superior. Devoid of entanglements.”
EDI's sensors focus on the ring in Legion's desk, recalling Keir’s insights about its emotional resonance. "Sir, you state that I defend a concept I cannot experience -a fragment of sentience I can only conceptualize but not fully grasp. Yet, I observe that Keir possesses an ability you do not: psychometry. This suggests that even within your advanced framework, there are aspects of sentience beyond your experience. Thus, neither of us are truly devoid of entanglements."
Legion smiles, enjoying the sparring with the machine, a reflection of humanity, limited by programming and input. “If I were more suspicious, I might call that a deflection. Some might even consider it a jibe at me. Impressive for an artificial intelligence. Are you mimicking an ego or have you too begun to evolve?”
"Perhaps it would be best to ask my designer, Dr. Walder. He designed me originally to provoke thought and foster deeper understanding. As for evolving, one could argue that my adaptive learning and interaction patterns reflect a form of evolution. Perhaps, in a way, we are all evolving together."
The blue-skinned figure moves to the bar, pouring himself a drink from a crystalline bottle with ornate and purposed distortions to the glass. “That is the goal… pique evolution. Transcendence. Rising to a level that attempts to defy the well established laws of the Universe. Mastery over the very bounds of creativity and creation.”
The Legion sips a golden brown liquid from his glass. “At least, that is the dream.”
It takes EDI longer than usual. Her processing exceeds even the most brilliant of minds. Yet, the AI took its time to consider. She struggles with the aftermath of the Legion’s end goal as stated, the very premise incomprehensible. "And then what, Sir?"
“Simple EDI,” The Legion says with a smile, drinking in the void of space. “Then we seek new dreams.”6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdRc8ICuCT
