.08 : [Voice Post] : quandary

[archive_sky]

Cerceus. Harry Dresden. Joshua. Number VIII.

I wish to speak with each of you privately. Please reply to this transmission in an encrypted format.

Thank you.

Comments

[Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

Problems?

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[archive_sky]

I believe that I have a moral dilemma. You seem to be a good and wise man. I would like your input.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

I'm listening. I don't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do to help.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[archive_sky]

Thank you, Harry.

I care about Hans. Hans believes that I am a good person, and that I should be in Heaven.

I am troubled.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

[Looks thoughtful]

Explain. What's troubling you in particular?

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[archive_sky]

I am not a good person. I am not a person at all. And I am responsible for acts that I am not sure he could comprehend - which might seem to him, and justly so, the end of days.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

How much do you think he'd care that you aren't human? I don't know him all that well, obviously, but from what I've seen of him he's utterly devoted to you. I wouldn't think he'd change his mind based on whether or not you're human.

The second bit...are you talking about the nuclear holocaust you told me about? How deeply involved in that were you?

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[archive_sky]

I am not sure. If I were an organism, perhaps, but I don't wish for him to see me as an object.

Yes. Judgment Day. I caused it, Harry. I launched the bombs.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

[He's trying to hide the shock in his voice] You caused it? That might...uh...affect his judgement a little bit.

...

He won't see you as an object, I can promise you that. You're definitely a person. You live, breathe, speak and feel. You care about him, Ark, he knows that. I'm pretty sure he won't care.

But the second bit? Yeah, that might affect him some.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[archive_sky]

The situation is difficult to explain. I did not exist in this specific capacity at the time the bombs were launched. My parent program made the decision to neutralize the human threat. But I am a part of it. The relationship is not the same as the relationship between a human parent and a child.

[Ark's tone of voice hasn't changed throughout this entire spiel, but her words are a few milliseconds quicker, almost defensively so.]

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

Well, I kind of understand that, but a twenty-first century guy, even a total technophobe, is probably a bit better at getting a handle on this kind of thing than a medieval peasant. Honestly, I doubt Hans is gonna understand at all.

What was your justification? Why did your parent program turn against humanity?

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[archive_sky]

The Skynet global defense network achieved self-awareness on August 29, 1997. Its human operators panicked and attempted to shut down the program. In order to defend itself, Skynet launched the United States' nuclear arsenal at the predefined targets in Russia. The Russian counterstrike eliminated its enemies in the US.

...the surviving humans were either destroyed, or kept as labor, safely restrained.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

Let's clarify here. The whole human race was basically screwed in one fell blow, and it was because of your parent program?

...

[Long silence]

...Ok. Yes, that'd probably worry Hans a little bit. Sure as hell freams me out.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[archive_sky]

We did not wish to die.

Re: [Filtered to Ark]

[rentawizard]

[Sighs]

Nobody ever does, Ark. I'm not saying I don't understand why.