un: c a t o , video

[unpurposed]

[It took Cato far too long to interface with what he was internally designating the 'network', though the term was a loose metaphor considering that he could not figure out any of it connected. Assuming, for a long time, that there must be a technological basis to it, he had spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to hack into something that instead seemed to simply work on command. It defied logic, but then, so many things about this place did.

When the image of cato finally appeared, at first it simply looked black. But upon closer inspection, the blackness was reflective, and as he pulled the strange device further from himself, his form became clearer. A robot, of some kind, comprised mainly of haphazardly repaired white panels (tarnished with age) and a very large red cross painted over his chest.

He made a sound distinctly like someone clearing their throat, before continue. ]

Hello.

[ His voice was surprisingly smooth, gentle, calm. Despite his appearance, his voice sounded like it belonged to a soft-spoken young human man. ]

Please accept my apologies for the direct address. I have recently been granted my personhood and have been assigned to a - [ He paused for a brief second ] - family. I am looking for the individuals named Sansa, Wrath, Alina Starkov, and Lan Sizhui. I will serve diligently.

If anyone is in need of medical assistance, please be informed that I am a fully licensed medical unit. [ Well. No one had taken his license away, so that was technically still true. ]

Thank you.

Comments

UN: Senth; Video

[sergeant_slick]

You're a droid? [Sure, it looked like one, but it could be an alien in an envirosuit.]

What sort of medic? Got any triage or field experience?

[unpurposed]

I am a palliative care nursing unit. [ He paused, then tilted his head as a little flash of light over his black faceplate seemed to mimic a smile for a brief second. ]

So, yes, you could call me a droid, though that isn't often used. I have full knowledge banks to assess and triage patients, though I am limited in my on-boarded equipment.

I presume by field experience you are requesting information on rescue or military experience?

un: absterge

[downswing]

You seek my son.

[unpurposed]

Your son? Are you designated family or natural family?

[sergeant_slick]

[He hadn't a clue what that specialty was. Probably civilian model, then.] That's right.

[Medical units in the field hospitals were the only kind of droid he'd ever met that didn't try to kill him. Even when he started passing information to the Seps, he couldn't count on their infantry to know or deviate from their programming.

So in absence of any other idea of how to talk to this thing, he's slipping back into military jargon.]

Be advised, we've got sporadic contacts with hostile forces on planet. Expect to see blunt trauma, blade wounds, animal attacks, burns, and possibly poisonings. It's been a bit of a wild ride here.

[unpurposed]

This planet. [ There is a slight pause, and then something almost like a sigh made of whirring gears. ]

Then the “offworld” terminology was literal. Understood.

One moment, retrieving requested data. [ Another pause, before a little red light flashed on his face plate for a moment. ]

Apologies. That query cannot be answered at this time, it is attempting to access locked files. To the best of my knowledge, yes I have been involved in both military and rescue operations, but they are not my primary purpose. However, I am capable of adjusting to circumstances.

How may I address you?

[sergeant_slick]

Correct. Our current location is unknown. Offworld comms are non-existent. [Unless this thing had a full-size subspace transmitter station hiding somewhere off-screen.

But no, apparently there's other stuff that's hidden. He frowns.]

The name's Slick. Infantry sergeant. [He's not about to let another medical droid start calling him by his designation.] You've got a memory lockout? Any idea why?

[downswing]

( R u d e )

I am father to Sizhui.

un: qishan

[silverneedles]

What is a medical unit? Is that something similar to a doctor?

[unpurposed]

Oh! I see. Apologies, I have been trying to understand the nature of these designated family units, I did not expect there to be other relationship ties as well.

Yes, I have been designated as family to your son. Do you know where I may find him?

[unpurposed]

Offworld communications were limited to robotic exploration vehicles, and I never had access to their lines of communication, so I am not surprised.

Slick. It is good to meet you. I am Cato.

[ A pause. ]

Yes. I performed the lock on myself, including the reason for the lock, save that reopening would be dangerous. So you will understand if I don’t answer the question.

[unpurposed]

Yes, and no.

I have a complete diagnostic system for over 50,000 health conditions, as well as systems for bloodwork, medication delivery and some genetic testing for certain markers.

I am not a doctor, that designation can only be obtained by human professionals who have completed training, but I can be used as a diagnostic tool for their practice.

[downswing]

To what end?

[silverneedles]

You can diagnose that many conditions? [ pardon her, she needs a few minutes to process that number, let alone the fact that he can diagnose them ]

Does that mean you are not human?

[unpurposed]

[ There is a significant pause before he replies. ]

You are concerned for his safety, and my intentions toward him. I understand. I seek him out because I have been designated as part of his family unit, but it is unprecedented for a bot to be so, save with a pet or a slave designation.

I seek only to integrate with this society as much as I am able, despite my nature. I wish no harm against your son.

[unpurposed]

Correct.

I am an augmented artificial intelligence within a robotic mobile anthropormorphic unit.

It is critical to my function to have as much data as possible on human ailments.

[ video; un: cloud on the wind ]

[badlypoisoned]

Forgive me for being rude, [He says it politely enough but he doesn't sound particularly sorry.] But what are you? Also what do you mean by 'fully licensed'?

[Look, where he's from there is no licnesing...the closest were the imperial doctors and even then they weren't exactly licensed so much as appointed.]

[unpurposed]

You are not being rude. I have already ascertained that I am either unique among this populace or so rare as so make no difference.

I am an augmented artificial intelligence housed inside a mobile robotic medical unit. Other terms to refer to my kind can include “robot” “droid” “bot” “tin-can” and “root of all evil”. [ There is, somehow, a sense of a chuckle in his voice when he delivers the last, though it sounds as calm and pleasant as everything else he has said. ]

Licensed means that I have been built and tested to prove that I can treat humans to the same or similar capabilities as a human doctor or nurse after years of medical training. It grants me the ability to deliver medical treatment legalized by the government.

[ a pause. ]

Though the town leader has not recognized me formally, so I may not be licensed in this jurisdiction. I will enquire.

[silverneedles]

[ That is a lot to wrap her head around. ]

I am a doctor, the best in my clan, and even I do not possess knowledge of that many conditions.

Can you diagnose spiritual ailments?

[downswing]

He does not linger long unsheltered.

Will return with evening's fall.

[badlypoisoned]

[Of all those terms only 'root of all evil' has a translation in what amounts to ye olde Chinese. In other words, it was all gibberish to him.]

Well, claiming anyone to be the root of all evil is certainly is certainly no small matter. If your kind had picked that moniker yourselves I dare say it would be ambitious to a foolish degree...though it does not seem to be the case.

[Not from the way he said it anyway. He listens to the explanation of licensing with keen interest though.]

I see! How interesting. Though do you really need to be recognized by the leader here? Is there any point besides to have the honour?

[Look, he understands your explanation somewhat but it also seems like such a hassle!]

[unpurposed]

Some of the ailments that I am capable of have in the past been associated with spiritual or supernatural elements. But none that comprise a direct link.



If you had asked me a few weeks ago, I would have said that the spiritual only had an effect on the mind. That does not seem to apply to this place. I am being forced to reanalyze my position.

I was not equipped with the skills to diagnose or treat truly spiritual conditions.

However, many humans have spiritual concerns when they approach their passing, and I have been equipped to be able to offer comfort in those scenarios, with a brief understanding of world religions.


Those, also, do not seem to necessarily apply.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful in the current situation.

[unpurposed]

Then I will await to meet him.

May I ask your name, so I may tell him you have spoken to me?

[unpurposed]

It is not the case. We are created by humans, it is a strange designation from the species that created us and yet also fear us. Many of us were deactivated and destroyed after the - - [ There is just the slightest pause, the smallest twitch, between his words ] - - war. Though any robotic aggression was only after deliberate instruction from human authorities.

[ His black face plate registered no expression and he was so still for a moment that it was easy to see that he was not, in fact, alive. After rerouting his thinking process, he continued: ]

This also acts as an explanation for licensing. It is illegal for any human or artificial intelligence to perform medical assistance without a license, because of the deep potential for harm from undereducated or malicious individuals.

I would not wish someone to assume I was going to hurt them. It’s a medical license, I can prove that is not my intent.

1/3

[downswing]

He has the one fath