Welcome to Immersion, You have reached Strata 4
There is an old saying from when the world had stories made of paper, that you cannot judge a book by its cover. But sometimes, without metadata, you only have the outside to show what may be on the inside. Some societies, past and present, believe that the shape of a person's head, their facial features, or the way they move their bodies, could reveal their true feelings or intent. How would an android make sense of the tiny signals that humans pick up on? The millions of minute evolving syntax and expressions, subconscious or otherwise, create feelings, that can cause distrust, or even invoke attraction. These are essential to humans and less easy to create or mimic in even advanced computerised systems. How do these assumptions translate across times and cultures? Without gut feelings, these seemingly random hunches and instincts, are senseless. How do machines function in an unfamiliar environment?
A deeper knowing is the ability to immediately understand something without conscious reasoning. It would seem that the bigger the data, the less the machines are able to explain these innate human idiosyncrasies. In the attempt to create a facsimile of a human, the machines move further away from the truth.
***
Renyke kicked the robot dog and it went flying high up in the air. It fell to the ground with a metallic crash scattering its parts asunder and making mechanical screeching sounds.
There was a general momentary hush as everyone realised Renyke may be best avoided.
Maybeline climbed inside the leather coat to keep out of any ensuing danger.
The robot dog made several bleeping sounds and drew its broken metallic components back onto its magnetic mainframe. Finally, after a 30-second system reboot, it got up and shook its fake hair, once again assembling a perfect dog. As Renyke walked on the dog remained at heel, obedient, quiet, and protective. They were now given room to move through the throng.
The dodgy-looking man offering bits and nibs was also running at Renyke's side to keep up.
'My name is Flex. You need anything, man, I got your back....for sure, for sure, I can do all sorts. I got connects innit.
I know these streets. I'm a good worker. Good mugger.
Got drugs, all sorts.... survived innit. People like you need people like me. No one knows the zones like the *Urchs.'
Renyke walked on ignoring his now irritating companion who was running, talking, and panting all at once as he tried to keep up.
A child beggar approached. Renyke's scanners showed it to be human, around seven years old.
'Hey Mr. Nice Man, spare some bits for a hungry blind child?'
Renyke looked down and saw a large black hollow where the boy's eye once was. His face was scarred from deep-cut wounds and he only had one ear and one arm.
'Give the boy something,' Renyke scowled at Flex.
Flex, somewhat wary after the incident with the dog, dug deep into a pocket and reluctantly gave the boy a bit piece.
'Now fuck off ya lil shit,' said Flex in a disgruntled manner.
'You can't trust these beggars ya know.....they have owners and gangs,' Flex informed Renyke in an all-knowing tone.
The street was lined with ramshackle stalls and shops. They were noisy and crowded with bustling colourful people. Many had tribal markings on their faces. Others wore decorated eyewear and some wore masks.
Most of the people here wore flamboyant garments with outlandish fashion concepts that seemed impractical to Renyke's streamlined functionality.
A woman approached. She was dressed in bright colourful clothes with huge feathers and sequins. She had some kind of cat on a lead.
Renyke engaged the POS focusing on the cloth.
...Pertriline: fabric made from plastic. Non-biodegradble. Colourfast. Banned in 2050. Problematic for practical landfill solutions....
Then he queried the face coverings....
It is thought that tribal face markings in the zones are mostly to avoid face recognition from satellites and covert surveillance but different factions and groups have adopted more uniform styles which change regularly to avoid detection and discovery but are understood in the underground activities as tribal and connective, possibly even familial.
'Hey, Mr. You need something? You want some pweety clothes? I swap the coat for a niiiiice jacket I got me just yesterday.'
Renyke shook his head.
'You want some tits n ass maybe.....food? Man you look hungry in yo skinny moves.'
Renyke continued walking, not really sure what the woman meant. The dialect was a strange mix of unknown words and intonation.
'A bank maybe, or a charge point?'
Renyke stopped suddenly and queried, 'There's a bank?'
'Of course,' said the woman, 'what you take us for, wild ignorant animals?' She laughed hysterically at her own joke, and Renyke smiled.
'Yes, I need a bank,' he said.
'Come with me,' said the woman.
© 2023 Sarnia de la Mare
Other Episodes
Renyke kicked the robot dog and it went flying high up in the air. It fell to the ground with a metallic crash scattering its parts asunder and making mechanical screeching sounds.
There was a general momentary hush as everyone realised Renyke may be best avoided.
Maybeline climbed inside the leather coat to keep out of any ensuing danger.
The robot dog made several bleeping sounds and drew its broken metallic components back onto its magnetic mainframe. Finally, after a 30-second system reboot, it got up and shook its fake hair, once again assembling a perfect dog. As Renyke walked on the dog remained at heel, obedient, quiet, and protective. They were now given room to move through the throng.
The dodgy-looking man offering bits and nibs was also running at Renyke's side to keep up.
'My name is Flex. You need anything, man, I got your back....for sure, for sure, I can do all sorts. I got connects innit.
I know these streets. I'm a good worker. Good mugger.
Got drugs, all sorts.... survived innit. People like you need people like me. No one knows the zones like the *Urchs.'
Renyke walked on ignoring his now irritating companion who was running, talking, and panting all at once as he tried to keep up.
A child beggar approached. Renyke's scanners showed it to be human, around seven years old.
'Hey Mr. Nice Man, spare some bits for a hungry blind child?'
Renyke looked down and saw a large black hollow where the boy's eye once was. His face was scarred from deep-cut wounds and he only had one ear and one arm.
'Give the boy something,' Renyke scowled at Flex.
Flex, somewhat wary after the incident with the dog, dug deep into a pocket and reluctantly gave the boy a bit piece.
'Now fuck off ya lil shit,' said Flex in a disgruntled manner.
'You can't trust these beggars ya know.....they have owners and gangs,' Flex informed Renyke in an all-knowing tone.
The street was lined with ramshackle stalls and shops. They were noisy and crowded with bustling colourful people. Many had tribal markings on their faces. Others wore decorated eyewear and some wore masks.
Most of the people here wore flamboyant garments with outlandish fashion concepts that seemed impractical to Renyke's streamlined functionality.
A woman approached. She was dressed in bright colourful clothes with huge feathers and sequins. She had some kind of cat on a lead.
Renyke engaged the POS focusing on the cloth.
...Pertriline: fabric made from plastic. Non-biodegradble. Colourfast. Banned in 2050. Problematic for practical landfill solutions....
Then he queried the face coverings....
It is thought that tribal face markings in the zones are mostly to avoid face recognition from satellites and covert surveillance but different factions and groups have adopted more uniform styles which change regularly to avoid detection and discovery but are understood in the underground activities as tribal and connective, possibly even familial.
'Hey, Mr. You need something? You want some pweety clothes? I swap the coat for a niiiiice jacket I got me just yesterday.'
Renyke shook his head.
'You want some tits n ass maybe.....food? Man you look hungry in yo skinny moves.'
Renyke continued walking, not really sure what the woman meant. The dialect was a strange mix of unknown words and intonation.
'A bank maybe, or a charge point?'
Renyke stopped suddenly and queried, 'There's a bank?'
'Of course,' said the woman, 'what you take us for, wild ignorant animals?' She laughed hysterically at her own joke, and Renyke smiled.
'Yes, I need a bank,' he said.
'Come with me,' said the woman.
© 2023 Sarnia de la Mare
Other Episodes