Chapter 39A - Sentience
Ell1s, noticing my boredom and worsening sickness, decided that he should start trying to “lighten up the mood”. Recently he’s been keeping me company every chance that he gets; going on spontaneous rambles, telling me random stories or any thoughts he has on his mind, or constantly checking up on me. It’s nice and all, but any time I let out a cough he rushes in the room to make sure I’m alright.
“Lena!! I heard y-” “I’m fine, Ell1s. Please stop doing that.”
“S- sorry… How are you feeling, though? You do still look… very pale.” Ell1s frowns as he scans my body up and down.
“I’m exactly the same as I was since you last checked, like, 5 minutes ago. Look, I get it, you’re worried, completely understandable. But can you maybe tone it down a bit? I can’t actually rest with you barging in here every 10 seconds.”
“Ah… sorry. Um… are you bored? Would you like me to read you one of the books you haven’t read yet? Or… we can just talk. Or you can rest! Um… Wait! I have an idea!”
Ell1s presses a few buttons on his holographic screen and moves the interface towards me.
“I read in a study that humans often play ‘board games’ to pass time! I’m sure reading all the time or waiting for your plants to grow does get a bit boring, so… maybe we could play something! I’ve actually had a few different types of games downloaded into my data, but, you know. I’ve never had anyone else to play them with except myself, which I’ve learned does not work very well.”
“...Huh. Sure, alright. But don’t expect to win so easily.”
We spend a few hours playing various board games and card games, Ell1s celebrating the very few victories that he scores.
After another loss, Ell1s just sighs, defeated. “Awh, dangit… You’re really good at this. Maybe I just haven’t gotten the strategy down yet…”
I try to hold in another laugh, which is replaced by another short coughing fit. “Heh… Honestly, I expected you to actually be good at this, since you’re supposed to be an intelligent AI and all. But come on, this is the 20th time in a row you’ve lost UNO of all games.”
“I know, I know…”
Ell1s starts up another game as he shuffles the holographic cards in his hands.
“You know, Ell1s… sometimes I forget you’re an AI, and not an actual human. Well, personality wise. Obviously the hologram is a very clear giveaway. But you have flaws, emotions, thoughts, desires… Hell, you even have anxiety. Somehow. I really question how you even became sentient. It freaks me out sometimes.”
Ell1s pauses and his glasses turn opaque. He seems lost in thought.
“...Uh. Sorry. That was random. It’s probably a sensitive subject and all, considering-”
“No, no, that’s a great question! I… still can’t figure it out myself.”
Ell1s finishes shuffling cards and sets them down, sorting out a set of 9 for us each. He thinks to himself as we take turns placing cards down.
“I remember everything the scientists did to me, back when they were still building this facility and all. Giving me questions to answer, sets of data, improving my accuracy… I just didn’t feel any emotion, or anything really. And when I was left abandoned here, I kept trying to figure out why, and think for myself, and… well, it wasn’t like I instantly went ‘Hey! I exist!’, and it was more like… a slow realization. I began to feel incredibly sad and hopeless.”
Ell1s thinks to himself for a bit longer.
“Well, and then you appeared, and I felt… happy? Hopeful? And it was the first time I really felt like I had any actual useful value. I guess it came with a lot of anxiousness too because I began to fear that I would lose what I have now.”
“But… even if it’s a bit confusing… I’m glad I seem very human-like! You know, sentience and all. It’s a strange feeling, but I’m happy that I’m the way I am now. By the way….”
Ell1s smirks as he smugly places his last card onto the stack. “I win!”
Caught off guard, I come back to my senses and realize Ell1s had won.
“What– Aw, damn it… Heh, you got me there.”