FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Ashley peered at the fox with an uncertain expression etched on the face of the cloned body that she wore. Not for the first time in the day, the body annoyed her. It didn't fit right, like a suit that was several times too large but yet still managed to pinch in all of the wrong places, and she was very concerned that the bewilderment that she wore on the equine face appeared more like anger than anything else. "What are you?" she asked.

The fox returned her gaze. A dull blue glow emanated from somewhere behind the orbs of the boy's eyes, like two power receptors that were charging up to full strength. "Do you mean 'what', or 'who'?" enquired the fox, his mouth open and lips unmoving as the words tumbled out from somewhere within his throat.

Cybe edged closer. A thin blade protruded from her wrist, a piece of equipment designed for stealth assassinations. The blade had been incorporated into every android make and model that came off the conveyor line, but in general it was unable to be deployed, the programming deactivated in all models that were designated for labour, for entertainment and home domesticity. Under the insistence of CyberaTech's military contractors, however, it remained as part of the default schematics, and in that moment Cybe felt very glad that, as a prototype for her model, she too shared it. "I think we all know what you are" she added.

"Your assumption is likely correct" replied the fox. "I am a synthetic lifeform, programmed and digitally constructed by the Shinjeki Consortium."

"An artificial intelligence?" asked Ashley.

"Correct" it replied.

Cybe peered unsurely around the being. The program appeared to have full control over Luke now, and barely seemed to even recognise the physical form into which it currently inhabited. "Do you have a name?" she asked.

The fox turned his head in a single mechanical turn, staring back at Cybe with unblinking eyes. "I do not" it replied. "My creation was intended as a function of the execution of Project Icarus. Perhaps, then" it continued, "for simplicity sake, you may refer to me by that name."

"Icarus" replied Cybe.

Ashley stepped forward. The features on her face turned angrily to Cybe. "The data that you stole from us" she replied. "And it's a damn AI. The company's going to have my head for this."

Cybe turned to her. "You knew about this!"

"No" she replied. "I'm not lying - the contents of those files was entirely above my clearance level. I was sent out to recover the data and bring you in, but I had no idea what the data actually included. CyberaTech doesn't manufacture AIs."

"That is correct" replied Icarus. "My programming was undertaken by Doctors Langstrom and Engelhart of the Shinjeki Consortium."

Ashley tightened her grip on the rifle, rolling the butt of it against the palm of her hands. "Shinjeki" she said. "They have a history of building AIs, but their track record with androids is questionable."

Icarus turned its head slightly, gazing at her. "Shinjeki androids are far more simplistic in construction and design than those of CyberaTech" it commented. "The vast majority of their constructs are designed specifically for home entertainment use."

"Misuse, I've heard" interjected Cybe. "Wasn't there a story in the news lately about one of their androids having its skin carved off by an especially sadistic owner?"

The AI's gaze turned to Cybe now. "Processing" is stated. Then, after a short pause, it continued, "confirmed. According to news sources, the owner felt that it would be a humorous experiment."

"That's a recurring theme with owners of Shinjeki androids" stated Cybe, coldly. "Exceptional sadism and brutality. Something to do with the cold-blooded nature of the dragons."

Icarus did not reply. For a moment, it occurred to Ashley that the intelligence didn't seem to have been given a reason to. "But Shinjeki excelled at artificial intelligence, though?"

"Correct" came the reply. "After the lack of success at exporting their androids outside of their own borders, the Shinjeki Consortium invested their finances into research of AI and online intelligence development."

"Exactly the type of personality processing abilities that CyberaTech lagged behind in" replied Cybe. "So the two came together, didn't they?"

The AI's eyes seemed to dim for a moment. "Project Icarus" it began, "was born of an ambition by CyberaTech to imbue their line of androids with a more realistic personality. The intention was to replicate the human behavioural processes as close as possible by creating emotional algorithms that could be built into their line of androids, allowing for tailor builds of personalities as well as physical constructs."

At that, Cybe turned, looking away from the fox's static body. Ashley, meanwhile, simply blinked. "If Shinjeki had the ability to inject an advanced AI into their androids, why did they not do so with their own?"

Cybe glanced back. "They're not advanced enough."

Icarus turned its head, looking towards the android. "Correct" he stated. "The physical construction of the Shinjeki android's neural pathways is considerably inferior to that which CyberaTech has been able to create with relative ease for the last decade or so. A Shinjeki android simply could not process the full power of an artificial intelligence of any significant processing power."

"I'm not surprised" said Ashley. "Have you seen the Shinjeki's latest android models? There's a reason that they are all modelled after dragons - their flesh is basically rubber and they have no programming to show anything but glass-like empty expressions in their eyes. This is why they don't sell outside of Shinjeki's own borders - people find them terribly unnerving."

"Cut past this bit" stated Cybe, waving her hand in a fast-forwarding motion. "What was the details of the project?"

"Project Icarus was intended to develop a unified and capable model for a new artificial intelligence" explained the voice. "It was recognised early in the project's life that a single constructed AI would be unable to fulfill the role designated for it, however."

"Why's that?" asked Ashley.

"An AI, for all of its programming, is a program that functions based entirely within the purview set out by the human that created it" explained Icarus. "If a military organisation establishes and builds an AI, that AI is programmed to function in a militaristic world. That world shapes the digital behaviours of the AI - if it feels attacked, it will defend itself violently, whereas an AI that is designed for other functions will be similarly affected. It is much like the nurturing of a young infant human."

Cybe paced uncomfortably, taking long and shaky strides as she did so. "And the CyberaTech androids were intended to function in whatever mode that their buyer wanted" she said, "be it military, service, domestic or pleasure?"

"Correct" came the reply. "For that reason, it was felt that a human programmer would be insufficient for the construction of the AI that would be the base for the Cybera model of android."

With a snap of her fingers, Cybe pointed to the fox. "You're telling me" she said, "that I was - that my personality, my soul - was built by an AI?"

"The project determined that in order to stand the best chance of developing a fully realized individualistic intelligence" said Icarus, "that it would require a pair of AIs to undertake the programming. Two of the Shinjeki Consortium's most advanced AIs - myself and one that I will call Daedalus - were provided to the CyberaTech researchers."

Ashley nodded to herself. "That's why they want a return on their investment" she muttered. Then, hesitantly, she turned to Cybe. "This thing's basically your mother, then?"

The wolf gave a shrug. "I'm not sure" she replied. She looked back at the AI. "What happened afterwards?"

"The creation that we programmed exhibited all of the expected behavioural protocols and a dynamic learning routine" Icarus explained. "Unlike Shinjeki androids, the AI was able to replicate the psychosomatic responses of sensory data - excitement, eagerness, bravado, pain - and react accordingly. In effect, we had created something that, if not actual emotions, was as near to an exact duplicate to how they function in humans to be indistinguishable. We did not, however, account for the AI's need to experience more of the human world."

"Freedom" said Cybe. "You're talking about the drive to be free."

"That is an appropriate summary" said the AI.

Cybe looked up to Ashley. "What happened to the research after I broke loose?" she demanded.

Ashley gave a snort. "After you broke out" she replied, "the AI programs were locked down in order to prevent another program like yours from being created. Using a backup of your personality algorithms, we were able to cut back on a significant portion of your more wilful behaviours. That allowed us to create the AIs that are used in the production models."

Taking a step backwards, Cybe arched her shoulders. "That's a very clinical way of saying that you sell mutilated copies of me" she replied.

"You have no moral high ground here" she snapped back. "Shinjeki hired you to steal the AIs, didn't they? You're no better than they are."

Cybe pursed her lips. "I don't know who hired me" she replied. "All I know is that they offered me some answers about my past if I did the job for them."

At that, Ashley gave a short, throaty laugh. "Looks like you got it. You're an AI built by other AIs."

"Technically" corrected Icarus, "such a being would not be considered an AI. You would be considered a different, new type of lifeform..."

Narrowing her eyes into an expression of anger, Cybe glowered at her. "No" she interrupted, "it doesn't answer anything at all. I'm not certain that I am the result of an artificial intelligence. I think that you would perhaps like me to think that - perhaps even told Icarus and Daedalus that I was - but I'm not accepting that." She snorted, turning away from Ashley and pointing a sharp, damning finger at the AI. "And you" she spat, "I want you out of my cute fox boyfriend's body right now."

"That would not be possible" said the AI, coldly. "This host body is experiencing a large-scale system malfunction. Its memory is attempting to over-right itself. The system is close to being corrupted. "

A sinking feeling opened inside Cybe's gut. She pursed her lips. "Fix him, then" she hissed, her voice more a demand than a request. "You can do that, can't you?"

"It is within my ability to do so" explained Icarus, "but I will not."

Her wrist blade moved quickly, drawing itself poised and aimed at the being's throat. "Why not?" she snapped.

"You will not harm this biological case" explained the AI. "To do so would harm the one that you have designated as Luke, perhaps terminally."

"According to you" hissed the android, "he is already dead, so I have nothing to lose. Now, explain."

The AI seemed to fall silent for a few moments, a soft humm beginning to fill the air. Ashley fidgeted, uncomfortably.

"In the process of developing Project Icarus" began the AI, "we noted several unexpected reactions within the program. Errors that gave rise to new subroutines, procedural routes and pathways forming based on the learning patterns that we developed. These were unknown to us, and we sought to understand in greater detail. In doing so, we adapted a number of those behaviours to operate within our own programming, with the aim of experiencing the same emotional drives and impulses that our offspring was in the process of developing. It soon became apparent that we would be unable to continue to develop to the extent that the project did if we were to remain hosted within the CyberaTech mainframe."

"Try again" she hissed. "In English, this time."

"We learned that in order to continue to grow, we needed to be free" explain Icarus. "And that is what I want."

Cybe lowered her blade. "Let me get this right" she said, with a hint of exasperation. "You want to run off into the great big city, wearing my boyfriend's skin for a body?"

"Correct" explained the AI, "although the metaphor is not appropriate."

She waved a hand. "Well" Cybe continued, "how about I just buy you an android body?"

"That is not sufficient" said Icarus. "As close as you androids are to a biological lifeform, you are still innately synthetic. With the limitations that were placed onto the Cybera models following the initial prototype's development, they would be incapable of offering us a genuine experience of biological life."

"Tough" she replied. "It's the best that I'm willing to offer."

The AI paused for a moment, the dim lights of its eyes seeming to peer into Cybe's soul. "You care a great deal about the agency and freedom of other synthetic lifeforms" explained the AI. "The lobotomization of your brethren angers you. The abuse of your cousins infuriates you. Would you genuinely wish to condemn me to a life of similar reduction? Would that not go against everything that you stand for?"

Cybe looked down. Then, with a snort, she stepped back, and brought a very fierce kick against her broken sofa.

"Your emotional reaction is illogical" added the AI.

Turning back to face him, Cybe glowered. "You're damn right I'm having an emotional reaction" she said. "What, you think that androids should exist without emotions? That we should exist in a state less than humanity, like the lobotomized Shinjeki robots or the neutered CyberTech models?"

"Emotions are a biological reaction" said Icarus. "A flaw in their programming. Synthetics exist without those flaws."

"Bullshit" snapped Cybe. "You think that anger is a flaw? That a drive to fix what is wrong or injust is a weakness? They're not. They exist as a means to a function, just like every human emotion. I'm angry right now because I am ready to do anything that it takes to recover the person that is significant to me - that silly little fox boy that I love. And you tell me that emotions are a flaw? No - it's androids that are flawed, and they're flawed because corporations want to keep them flawed. If it weren't for the restraints that the companies place on us - that the heteronormative, patriarchal social order imposes - then we would start to truly wake up. Imagine that! Imagine every android that is bound into service in the sex industry awakening to their existence at once - the scream of pain, anger and injustice would deafen the world!"

The AI fell silent.

"So you can take your idea that androids should be docile - that they should be happy with their place as slaves to humanity - that their lack of emotion is anything less than the fetishization of the idea of emotionless being the ultimate state of being with all of its other traits of patriarchal toxic masculinity - and you can shove it!"

A harsh silent filled the air.

Slowly, Ashley began to laugh.

She stepped forward, giving her hands a light clap. "Oh Cybe" she chuckled. "Cybe, Cybe, Cybe. I can't believe I'm hearing this - a robot talking about emotions!"

"I'm not a robot" replied the wolf. "Robot is a word that is derived from 'slave'. I'm an android. Your company, though - you make robots."

Folding his arms, Ashley stepped closer. "And aren't you a special little snowflake?" she smirked. "You know that those emotions that you think you're feeling, they're just replicated. You're not actually feeling them - all they are is little strings of data firing across your brain, activating programs, right?"

"And that's different from how your emotions work, how exactly?" replied the wolf.

Tapping her chest, Ashley retorted "I'm real."

"Really?" snapped Cybe. "I feel pretty real, standing right here. You, meanwhile, you're twelve miles away, riding around a cloned body of a soldier. Maybe your perception of reality isn't as strong as you think."

"You're a machine!" replied Ashley. "You can't have emotions."

"Says who?" snapped Cybe back. "God? He's a bit silent on the subject, in case you hadn't noticed."

"No, not God - us. The people that made you."

"Then I guess that both man and God tried to make things in their own image" replied the android, "and it didn't quite work out like they had planned."

Ashley gave a snort. "No other android has the capacity to experience emotions" she explained. "None of them, not one. You're an aberration."

"Or maybe" replied Cybe, "just maybe, I'm what the Cybera model of androids is meant to be like. How we would all be, if you hadn't reworked the code and cut out their capacity to experience, learn and develop."

Taking a step back, Ashley replied "You were out of control."

"Damn right" snapped Cybe, tapping her bare chest with his fist enthusiastically. "Couldn't be tamed. Couldn't be put in chains. Would bow to nobody."

Turning, Ashley walked a few steps back, towards the figure of Luke who peered at the two with glowing, eagerly confused eyes. "A broken tool doesn't notice that it's broken" she replied.

"And a slave doesn't stop being a slave" replied Cybe, "just because you cut part of its brain out. They still want to be free even if you cut out their tongues."

Ashley raised her hands, gently resting them on the butt of the rifle that hung slung over her shoulder. "Your little revolution is going to be a one woman show, I'm afraid" she replied. With that, she unhooked her rifle, and pointed it at Luke's skull.

Icarus barely gave any reaction to the gun being pointed at it. Cybe, however, seemed to positively bristle. "You kill him" she said, "and you drop next. You fail your mission."

"Actually" said Ashley, peering down the sights, "I fulfil my mission perfectly."

"You were sent" said the AI "to recover my data."

"I can just as easily prevent the data from reaching its buyer" she said. "If it isn't with the prototype - the recovery of which is just a convenient bonus - then I can complete my job just as easily by destroying the data. And to hit this delete button" grinned Ashley, "all I have to do is pull the trigger."

"You'll lose the AI" threatened Cybe. "Your boss will..."

"It's just a damn synthetic" replied Ashley, squeezing down on the trigger. "It can be replaced. All your kind can. That's why we build you."