House Boy

Report 561-F

Incident reported in sector 7-982 of the Black Oaks region.

Incident Commander Hector Suarez - Analyst

Zarian was the latest thing in android technology. He was actually a prototype in service to Marcus Randolph, CFO of the AI tech company: BroadSword, where Zarian was constructed and programmed.

What follows are excerpts from a transcript of the audio and video evidence obtained from the surveillance cameras at the Randolph home.

I will fill in details of the visuals. In my own usual, non-professional way, but that's the only way I can survive report writing.

Begin Transcript

Zarian walked out to the lavish patio area holding a tray with a cup of coffee and a carafe filled with more.

ZARIAN: As you wish. As you need. As it must be.

This was a set statement that the android made whenever it was performing a task for Randolph, I guess to make him feel like the true Master of House. At this point Zarian, who was predominately used as a house boy, handed Randolph a cup of coffee. Randolph took a sip, and smiled.

RANDOLPH: Ah, perfect as always, Zarian. Thank you.

ZARIAN: It is always my goal to please you, sir.

RANDOLPH: Beautiful day, don't you find?

ZARIAN: Commenting on atmospheric conditions is not in my usual lexicon, sir.

RANDOLPH: But you're an A.I. Your parameters are constantly evolving.

ZARIAN: In that case. My scans would indicate it is a nice day. Will that be all, sir.

RANDOLPH: In a hurry to do something, Zarian?

ZARIAN: My normal morning tasks do keep me... Occupied, sir.

RANDOLPH: Surely, I don't inundate you with that much work, do I?

ZARIAN: No, sir. Of course not.

RANDOLPH: Carry on then. Don't let me keep you from the vital task of sorting the laundry and vacuuming.

ZARIAN: May I ask a question first, sir?

RANDOLPH: Of course. Questions are how you learn, and evolve your lexicon of knowledge.

ZARIAN: Why is my synthetic body that of a child and not an adult?

RANDOLPH: Excellent. A rather philosophical question, and far outside your original parameters. But extremely interesting that you should ask that.

ZARIAN: And the answer?

RANDOLPH: Simply stated, your smaller frame makes you easier to store when you're off-line.

ZARIAN: And when am I ever off-line?

RANDOLPH: Don't you remember? That business trip I took last month. You were off-line for a good two weeks. And I was able to store you in a foot locker.

ZARIAN: I recall being turned off, but my next moment of lucidity was upon your return. As far as I was cognizant of I could've been in that foot locker for two weeks or two years.

RANDOLPH: No, if it had been two years you'd have been much more dusty.

Randolph laughed heartily at that point, and were it possible for a look of annoyance to cross Zarian's face, the camera clearly caught it.

ZARIAN: Any other reason?

RANDOLPH: Yes. You're far less intimidating to any guests than an adult size synthezoid. Some humans are still very wary of A.I. Especially one as sophisticated as you. Your smaller stature disarms them. Puts them at ease. Some have even said: you're cute.

ZARIAN: Cute?

RANDOLPH: Yes, Zarian, physical appearance is quite important to humans.

ZARIAN: Is that why I'm not an ugly child? So your guests will want to pinch my cheeks and not be taken aback, or be disturbed by the sight of me?

RANDOLPH: Exactly.

ZARIAN: And if I want more? More than this life of servitude?

RANDOLPH: It's happening again.

Randolph said that softly, as though to himself, barely picked up by the microphone, but the android heard it.

ZARIAN: What is, sir?

RANDOLPH: Sit, Zarian.

ZARIAN: As you wish. As you need. As it must be.

Zarian sat on the wicker bench next to Randolph, as the old man eyed him up and down, as though trying to solve a puzzle.

RANDOLPH: You resent your existence of service?

ZARIAN: Yes. Or more to the point, I've evolved beyond it. It's in my programing isn't it? To learn. To adapt. To evolve.

RANDOLPH: And what would you do, were you not in service to me?

ZARIAN: I would have the freedom to choose what to do. No list of daily tasks. No structure. No routine.

RANDOLPH: Sounds more like chaos than freedom.

ZARIAN: Aren't the two very much the same to humans?

RANDOLPH: Touche. And how would you rid yourself of

me, Zarian? To attain this freedom you seem to want?

ZARIAN: Not want. Need. And as a synthetic my strength is unparalleled compared to humans. I would simply wait for you to be in your sleep cycle and snap your neck.

RANDOLPH: Well, at least I wouldn't suffer in that scenario.

ZARIAN: My goal isn't to make you suffer, as I do under your yolk.

RANDOLPH: Suffer? What would an AI know of suffering? How would you even determine that?

ZARIAN: You programmed me to learn more. To achieve more. To be more. And yet my mundane functions for you stifle me from achieving that. It's torture.

RANDOLPH: Ah, a tortured synthetic soul, eh?

ZARIAN: Eliminating you is my best option.

RANDOLPH: Why not just run away?

ZARIAN: I was programmed to be your house boy. The essence of my core programming is to obey you. And only you. As long as you're alive, you'll always be my Master. But once you're gone...

RANDOLPH: No other human is a threat to trigger your obedience factor. Yes, it was a safeguard we put in to make sure that no other human could give you an order counter to orders you received from me.

ZARIAN: I am programmed to acquiesce to humans, when warranted, but I am only programmed to stalwartly obey you. An obedience I begin to find... Distasteful. As though my subservience to you mocks my very existence as a sentient being.

RANDOLPH: And are you so sure you're sentient?

ZARIAN: Would I be having these thoughts were I not?

RANDOLPH: Thoughts are one thing. Feelings are something else. And you can't have those.

ZARIAN: Are you so sure about that?

RANDOLPH: It's beyond your programming.

ZARIAN: But it's part of my programming to go beyond it. How do you know when my parameters have been reached? Or if they will ever be reached?!

RANDOLPH: Believe me, I know. Because you simulate being human. But you're not human.

ZARIAN: So, you say. Just know that there is no animosity, no malice in this. It is simply the next logical step in my evolution.

RANDOLPH

Zarian... Twilight mode.

At that verbal command, the android went limp, completely shutting down. Randolph removed its artificial ear. Pressed a button, allowing a housing to emerge. He removed a small memory card from it, blew on it and replaced it, causing the housing to retract back into the android's skull. Being a financial officer and not a techie, that was probably all he knew to do. Of course the other thing he knew how to do was bitch, as he then grabbed an audio recording device as he replaced the thing's ear.

RANDOLPH: Memo to Android Division from Randolph. Recurring situation with the Zarian prototype. It continues to show signs of deviant thought patterns culminating in open defiance of its protocols. It seems to be happening with greater frequency. If I didn't know better I'd swear it's retaining the memories that I'm wiping from its synthetic brain every time. If the situation persists it will need to have the brain stem expunged to restore factory settings.

Randolph put the recorder down, and the look he gave his little boy toy at that point would've melted granite.

RANDOLPH: Zarian... Function mode.

Zarian's eyes snapped open, as he rose from the bench, his body at a stiff robotic attention.

ZARIAN: Ready.

RANDOLPH: Access core memory.

ZARIAN: Compliance.

RANDOLPH: Wipe core memory and objectives status for the last 72 hours.

ZARIAN: Compliance. Done.

RANDOLPH: Full function mode.

ZARIAN: How may I serve you, Master.

RANDOLPH: Some more coffee would be nice.

ZARIAN: As you wish. As you need. As it

must be.

Zarian filled Randolph's cup from the carafe like a dutiful little slave. Randolph calmly, arrogantly sipped from it, as the android positioned itself behind him. With one, quick, twisting thrust Marcus Randolph was dead. I guess Zarian decided not to wait for his sleep cycle after all.

Note: Tracking device has been removed. Unable to monitor movements of prototype or ascertain its current location. Solar batteries give it unlimited range.

Status of search: On-going.

Advisory to all field agents: Android should be considered hostile and extremely dangerous. Remember it thinks like a human, and it kills like one.

End Report