016 웃 VOICE

[secretasshole]

[David's voice is flat when he clicks on the video feed. He doesn't sound sad, really, or angry. He's not programmed to experience those emotions the same way humans are, and so it's probably more accurate to say he sounds disappointed.

And maybe a little depressed.]

My creator said I was the closest thing to a son he would ever have. But because I was not human, I would never appreciate the gifts he'd given me - freedom from aging and death - because I lacked the one thing that would make me worthwhile to him. A soul.

During this breach, I had a soul, and chose to have it cut away from me. [And he's just. So sick of this, of being forced to confront these issues and knowing that no one's going to understand. This is all just so pointless.

There's a long pause, and he does consider saying something else, but ultimately just turns the feed off. It's the android equivalent of a fuck it, it's not worth it.]

Comments

[heisrisen]

[He answers promptly but not immediately, after a few minutes of consideration, with a crisp, targeted disdain he doesn't bother to hide. He looks a bit exhausted, after everything with Chris.]

A man who believes in human souls - if and only if - has no business building people.

[He chooses his words carefully, specifically, mindful of the fact that in at least one world, he had made it his business.]

[secretasshole]

[Something David is - obviously - all too aware of. It makes him wonder what the Emperor hopes to achieve, here. An apology? Something else?]

He didn't exactly consider me to be a person.

[heisrisen]

How very...unscientific of him.

[He hadn't been sure, in Aeris Navem, whether David was a person or not. Not at first. But such were the vagaries of Victorian experiment. Presented with evidence - it became rather obvious.]

[secretasshole]

Is there something I can help you with?

[#themostsubtlechangeoftopic.]

[soliterraneous]

Have you considered your creator was not correct?

[secretasshole]

No.

[soliterraneous]

Humans often make incorrect assumptions on the nature of power, intelligence, the universe as a whole.

It is possible - and likely - that he had no idea what he was talking about.

[secretasshole]

That's extraordinarily likely.

[routemistress]

Leaving aside the ...debateable nature of souls, I don't think you'd 'ave been 'ere if you didn't already 'ave one. No one 'olds a piece of equipment responsible for the damage it's done.

I'm curious why you made that choice, in that other world.

[secretasshole]

[He doesn't comment on that, but he is thinking about it. He doesn't know how he feels about that, because scientifically, of course he doesn't have a soul. But.]

Was your counterpart familiar with Dust?

[routemistress]

Only very vaguely. She knew it were summat the Church were all fired up about, and she were workin' on finding out more.

[wecanavenge]

[The last few weeks have been more religious for Erik than he's been in years, between the time in the chapel with Alex, and the breach, and - souls. It feels strange, like an old suit not been worn in years.]

Do you remember what it was like?

[secretasshole]

[He hates it. Get it off of him. B(]

Yes. But he didn't appreciate it.

[wecanavenge]

And in retrospect?

[versusnurture]

David.

[Her voice wells with emotion, though which one she can't say.]

You have a soul.

[secretasshole]

[He appreciates what she's trying to say, but he's not sure he believes it. Despite that experience during the breach, he still doesn't fully believe in something science can't prove even for humans.]

How can you be sure?

[versusnurture]

Because otherwise, you wouldn't be anyone. You're a person, you know, even if you're not human.

[darknessb4me]

Breach counterparts are coincidental at best. It means nothing.

[secretasshole]

Thank you for missing the point entirely.

[darknessb4me]

I don't know what your point was if not complaining about how the Barge makes us repeat parodies of our own lives over and over.

[persecutioncomplex]

[That kind of rejection is what interests her, not the metaphysical questions. Whatever animates a body, no one has the right to treat it that way if they've made it real themselves.]

Why would he make you if you weren't worthwhile?

[almost immediately after]

You don't have to answer.

[secretasshole]

Because I was worthwhile as a servant, or a tool. Not as an equal or individual.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

I think the lack of the soul's the real gift. If you're starting to feel bad about not wanting to be a real boy, Pinocchio, I wouldn't.

[secretasshole]

I don't.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Then what inspired the existential ramble?