BSG: Semantics

[grey_sw]

Title: Semantics
Author: grey_sw
Pairing(s)/Character: Centurions, Natalie
Summary: The beginning of the Cylon civil war, from another point of view.
Rating & Warnings: Rated PG
Author's Notes: This takes place during the season 4.0 episode The Ties That Bind, and contains spoilers for the 4.5 episode No Exit. It was written for the Fall 2009 bsgficexchange. Thanks to

Comments

[sunshine_queen]

This was awesome. I have a huge affection for Centurions, and this was only increased by the idea of a Centurion wanting its own tiny centurion. I really liked the way this was written, especially how the human cylons weren't called "she" or "he," because... well, he's a robot, and those distinctions don't much matter when you take their numbers into account.

[grey_sw]

Thank you!

I have a huge affection for Centurions, and this was only increased by the idea of a Centurion wanting its own tiny centurion.

Yeah, me too. Hell, I want a tiny Centurion. <3

I really liked the way this was written, especially how the human cylons weren't called "she" or "he," because... well, he's a robot, and those distinctions don't much matter when you take their numbers into account.

Exactly. From their point of view, I figured the Centurions would all be "he", and the humanoids "it", just as it's usually the other way around. I really wish there were a gender-neutral human pronoun in English, though, because it bugs me that they all ended up sounding male -- I doubt they make that distinction, but trying to write around all the pronouns was impossible. Oh, well.

[grey_sw]

Thank you!

I like the idea that the Centurions had their own agenda... otherwise, why stay with the Rebel Cylons? I'm glad they got their due in the end; I loved that part of the finale.

[wrennette]

I love this look inside the Centurions - interesting to see a different perspective. And now I want to go give them all hugs :(

[grey_sw]

Thank you!

Centurion hugs are a great idea. <3

[nicole_anell]

The first thing he sensed was the strange emptiness of no-directive, and the soft, simultaneous click of the inhibitor as it slid free. The second was the warmth of the hand on his chest. It was precisely 36.4 degrees.
I always love the perspective you give on the more machine-like Cylons. You give them this great combination of cold clinical-ness and sentience. They're not exactly childlike but they're remembering and discovering things that way.

These new words uncovered others, like dominoes falling one by one: fire triggered water and bullets and explosive rounds and cooking in the galley for his masters. Those words triggered still others, like roast duck and salt and hatred.
This fic is SO GOOD. I can't even.

[grey_sw]

I always love the perspective you give on the more machine-like Cylons. You give them this great combination of cold clinical-ness and sentience. They're not exactly childlike but they're remembering and discovering things that way.

Thanks. Ever since Scar, I've been fascinated by the portrayal of the mechanical Cylons as thinking machines which learn through experience. This is more-or-less the way our own (very primitive) AI seems to be taking shape -- the idea is to start with a simple system, but give that system the ability to create its own rules, as opposed to the old 70s/80s idea: "well, if we just write a rule for every single possible thing, somehow it'll start thinking".

Robots like this one can "think for themselves", at least a little, and that's amazing (OH NOES SCARY SCARY TIMES SQUARE ETC /roomba). I wanted the Centurions to be able to learn and grow in a similar (but much more sophisticated!) way, and the idea that it's all based on words made it fun to explore in writing.

This fic is SO GOOD. I can't even.*blush

[rose_griffes]

This is excellent. I'm so impressed with the way the centurion's mind feels in this story.

[grey_sw]

Thank you!