Machine Conciousness
All I could hear was the sound of the snow crunching under my feet. The silence fell around me in a thick blanket, almost too heavy to cut. I couldn’t speak. I turned to him, a question in my eyes. He broke through the silence.
“Are you alright? I know it came as a shock,” he said, and gasped when he saw the tears running down my face.
“How did you think I’d feel? Really?”
“I couldn’t lose you. I couldn’t bear it. I would have died with you.” He reached out, and took my hand.
I took it back.
“You are so selfish. You didn’t even think. You took away any choice I had in the matter, and just did what would make you feel better. How did you expect me to cope with this? With all of this?” I gestured around me, my voice rising with each word.
“I didn’t think, I couldn’t think!”
“You didn’t hesitate. I asked. They said you didn’t even hesitate,” I raged.
“I thought I could save you.”
“You didn’t save me. You copied me. I’m a simulacrum, a poor imitation, Jack. I’m a piece of code. And you didn’t even tell me! You let me live here, thinking this was all real, that I was still alive. Your scanner’s come a long way, and I’m glad for you. But if I had a real body, I’d kick your fucking ass.”
“Are you alright? I know it came as a shock,” he said, and gasped when he saw the tears running down my face.
“How did you think I’d feel? Really?”
“I couldn’t lose you. I couldn’t bear it. I would have died with you.” He reached out, and took my hand.
I took it back.
“You are so selfish. You didn’t even think. You took away any choice I had in the matter, and just did what would make you feel better. How did you expect me to cope with this? With all of this?” I gestured around me, my voice rising with each word.
“I didn’t think, I couldn’t think!”
“You didn’t hesitate. I asked. They said you didn’t even hesitate,” I raged.
“I thought I could save you.”
“You didn’t save me. You copied me. I’m a simulacrum, a poor imitation, Jack. I’m a piece of code. And you didn’t even tell me! You let me live here, thinking this was all real, that I was still alive. Your scanner’s come a long way, and I’m glad for you. But if I had a real body, I’d kick your fucking ass.”