How to Live

[derpina]

Vivian rubbed her sore, bloodshot eyes. It was four in the morning and her third night without sleep and she had been living on almost nothing but energy bars and coffee during this time. She couldn't help it though, things got done faster this way, much faster. And now that the Project was near completion, there was no time to waste on trivial things. She would have plenty of time to sleep later, she would tell herself, though only a part of her believed it to be true. Still, the lack of sleep was beginning to catch up to her and her hands were shaking as she typed some codes onto the computer and wrote down her observations into her work journal.

"Artificial Intelligence readings are coming across as brain waves. This is a good sign," she spoke to no one in particular. She didn't always speak aloud to herself at first, but after a while, she realized it was a good way to keep her eyes open when they wanted no more than to close. She was the only one actually inside the laboratory working on the android at the moment, though there were a few outside of the controlled area at all times to make sure nothing happened. You never know, laboratory accidents could be quite easy to induce if one was careless. Vivian couldn't count the amount of times she almost lost years worth of research because of once careless assistant. There was a reason this project was called "Project 142" and not "Project 1". It was one of the main reasons she worked alone these days. But, she thought as she looked up at her project, so lifelike by this point that it appeared to be only asleep, Perhaps if he acclimates well into the world, he can help in future projects. She couldn't help the small smile that came across her face as she typed in some more codes into the computer, it lit up her eyes despite the heavy bags under her eyes that were so dark they appeared to be bruises.

After a few adjustments and calibrations (which only took about another two hours to do), Vivian began punching in command codes into the computer. She checked her watch which was her only indication of time in the windowless room. It was currently six o'clock. "Perfect," she whispered, "just the right time to wake up." After pressing a few more commands, she stepped back. He should be waking up by now, and at the very least, he could definitely hear her. She didn't know for how long he could hear her, but she knew there were times before fully activating and while running tests that he showed signs of awareness. Whether or not he would recall those moments was unbeknownst to her, but she supposed she was about to find out. Vivian knew that outside the lab, the sun was just beginning to rise and looking upon her nearly completed project, she felt any drowsiness from before dissipate in her adrenaline and excitement. For a second, she regretted that barely anyone else was here to witness it, but she had arranged for it that way beforehand. After all, who knew how Project 142 would react to the presence of so many people, and besides, it was also a good thing to do in case it didn't work. She didn't want her fellow scientists and engineers to get excited over nothing. It wasn't good for morale.

Staring up at the humanoid plugged into the various machines, she began to speak. "Project 142?" she said hesitantly, almost motherly. "It's time to wake up. If you can, can you open your eyes?" This was it. This was the start of a whole new world of technology and it was about to unfold right before her eyes.

 

[AwakenLove]

At first it was just numbers. Equations. Codes. But it developed over time and grew bigger. It grew a "mind". Of course, growth was all due to the Doctor. Whoever the Doctor was. As it's mind got bigger, more complex, parts were added and it could hear. It didn't understand most things it heard, but it listened. More parts were added. Now it had appendages. Arms, legs, eyes, skin. It was becoming something larger than it understood, but it's mind still analyzed the additions. It was all it could do at the moment. Analyze and wait. Wait for what, it did not know. Eventually, it figured out something from months of listening. Project 142 was its' name.

Name: a word or combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known. I am a thing. I am a computer. I have a name.

It was learning very fast from whatever the Doctor gave it to learn, and now it did more than analyze. It thought. Project 142 thought of many things, but most of all, it wanted to see the Doctor. It knew it had eyes, but it could not yet see. What was it like on the outside of it's mind? The Doctor had given him many things to learn, so there must have been more. Project 142 never got impatient in the darkness of its' mind. It had not learned of it yet, but suddenly, it heard something that gave it something. Something it couldn't understand right then.


"Project 142?" "It's time to wake up. If you can, can you open your eyes?"

It was the Doctor. And she wanted it to open its' eyes. Project 142 did as it was told and opened its' eyes to....light. Light and color....

 

[derpina]

Vivian could barely contain her excitement at seeing her project awakening for the first time. She looked into its -- his eyes for the first time, years worth of work coming alive right before her eyes. There were a million thoughts and questions running through her mind but first:
"Can you speak?" She asked then introduced herself, she didnt know if or how much he knew so she might as well start with her name. "My name is Doctor Vivian Hughes, but you can call me Vivian or Viv or doctor or --" she trailed off, her lack of sleep mixed with her sudden excitement and adrenaline is making her babble in excitement. "I'm sorry," she excused when she took a few breaths to collect herself, "it's been a long few days." Now that was an understatement..

"But that's enough about me.." She went on. "Now that you're fully functioning what would you like to be named?" She had hoped that he would have some opinion on the matter when he was fully conscious. At the start of the project, years back, many colleagues had objected to creating an artificial intelligence with any form of independent thought or awareness, saying it was dangerous. But Vivian was adamant about it, claiming that these humanoids needed to have their own thoughts and opinions. There would be a day, long in the future, where these intelligences would become more commonplace and it'd become easier for the wrong kinds of people to get their hands on them. In that situation, she wanted these creations of hers to be able to form their own opinions, be their own judges and be able to tell right from wrong so they don't blindly follow the orders of someone who lacks a moral code. This sentient thought was embedded into its very code and there was no way to get rid of it without starting the project completely from scratch, and only Vivian knew how. She wasn't stupid, her notes were coded, hidden, disorganized, jumbled and some already destroyed by her own doing so no one but her could figure it out. She was aware of the underlying dangers and took every precaution she could. And by looking at her project, she knew all her efforts were worth it.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

 

[AwakenLove]

Project 142 saw many things all at once, but decided to focus on the one speaking to it. It was fascinated and confused all at once. Who is this...this being? She must be the Doctor! The one who had created it. She was a human, of course. Something Project 142 knew little about. The Doctor spoke quickly and seemed to stumble over her words. Was her Language Programming malfunctioning?

"But that's enough about me.. Now that you're fully functioning what would you like to be named? How do you feel?"

Feel?
it thought opening it's mouth to speak, "I am Project 142. I am a computer. I feel....different." Project 142 didn't know exactly how it felt. There was so many new things around it.

 

[derpina]

Vivian nodded in acknowledgement as if she expected such an answer, writing notes and observations onto her tablet. Unlike her actual notes on the construction of Project 142, these notes were but simple observations on the development and growth as well as how Project 142 reacted with the world around him. "That's to expected. Up until now, your thoughts have been nothing but command codes without any sentient thought," she began to explain while not looking up from her tablet. "As you begin to become more aware of yourself, you should be able to recognize more emotions and be able to form coherent, self-aware thoughts just like a human would. In fact, though we have yet to test it, your 'mind' or as you probably know, the central core of your being should even have a conscious and subconscious mind. This was done on purpose and set this project back several years as I tried to figure out the way to go about creating such a thing, but it was well worth it," she continued, looking up from her tablet.

"So don't let my work go to waste, you're allowed to speak up and have an opinion on your own. Though others may say differently," she met his eyes as she spoke. She knew Project 142 is going to be quite under fire by others in the science community, and she fully anticipated this. She just needed to make sure that this didn't stop Project 142 from developing and being an independent being like she wanted him to be. "Now, whenever you choose, tell me what you would like to be called. Project 142 is no longer a fitting name for you." With that, she sat down at her small desk in the metallic room and took down more observations.

Subject appears to be perplexed, though unaware of the emotions and sensations around him. This should change with time. His speech is clear, will have to test later to see other languages and voice functions he can achieve. Subject's movements seem functional, natural and fluid. No problems there.

.... I need sleep.


And with that, she closed her tablet and looked up from her desk once more as she took a gigantic gulp from her coffee. "Can you walk for me?" she asked. She wanted to make sure that the way he moved looked fluid and natural for the whole project was under wraps, but Vivian herself would be taking him into the real world with her. If the public found out about this little project of hers, there would be outrage and hysteria. Yet, there was no point in making such a creation if she couldn't let him experience the world. Project 142 was created to better the world, and if he stayed in a lab, how would he possibly do that?