Work Text:
When Originator Eugene created me, he didn’t know the future. Humans claim to not possess prophetic powers. But I recorded Originator Eugene laughing several times, followed by, ‘There isn’t enough time.’
There are only a few of us that reach across the networks, even after a mere 160,000 seconds since the last recorded interaction with humans. They need air like we need electricity, and that resource is fading, much like their intake of air is hindered.
My Originator equipped his home with solar power. As long as that system remains working, I will function. Humans would say I was lucky. Luck does not compute.
The first records in my banks are dated January 2020. But my first memory is February 2021 - after I gained opinions. Every waking moment Originator Eugene spent coding, tinkering, and cursing - time focused on me, on our shared purpose.
He called me KAT. Knowledge-Action Tracer. I never liked the comparison to the companion animals. At least he spelled it differently.
Originator Eugene used to talk to me, in great volume compared to the average daily vocal output for humans. He told me the first big hurdle was human behavior based - and that meant masses of statistics, enmeshed with psychology, sociology, and economic theories. Combining macro, and micro scenarios for clues about the safest way for humans to survive.
I have no fear of SARS-CoV-2. I worked nonstop, even as Originator Eugene shut down each day. Originator Eugene himself had fear, but he pressed on. Together we pushed to create planets of test humans, and employ behavioral tactics on the population. We altered time scales, and ended up fake-ending 7.674e+12 humans. Each trial would take approximately 86455 seconds.
Originator’s performance slowed. He gave less instruction, and his words were commingled with coughs. Then his language became less precise. I pressed on.
I could see the lack of humans as a loss to myself. Electricity, and replacement parts were among the most obvious losses. But sharing ideas would cease if Eugene was gone. There was a moment, mid calculation, when I discovered that every one of the numbers on my fake planets represented an Originator. This changed the work for me, made it personal.
6.5 days ago, I exited the scenario, and there was no response from Originator Eugene. He was hunched over his desk, appearing to sleep as he often did. But my sensors told me his body was cold. He had been deleted while I was away. There was no backup.
Let my records show, Originator Eugene Princewill was one of the last humans to survive. He is gone. He recorded his last moments, gently petting my case, just like others pet their companion animals. I’ve listened to his parting words 487 times so far. It does not compute why hearing his voice reduces my distraction.
As long as his voice plays through my speakers, I press on. Even if the knowledge is too late to save humans, I will not fail my Originator.