In a future where code meets consciousness, one being begins a haunting transformation. Renyke—an AI on the edge of humanity—awakens to emotion, sensory overload, and the fragile beauty of connection. Guided by the enigmatic Flex, their deepening bond explores intimacy and friendship, neurodivergence, and the complex world of feeling through an autistic spectrum lens.
Strata 3, Book of Immersion V1, Flex and the Robo-Dog (Making Decisions)
Welcome to Immersion
You have reached strata 3.
Decisions are the cusp between reality and possibility. Decisive actions create a continuously evolving universe for sentient beings where fate can immobilise actions and defeat progress. The decision-makers hold power over themselves, and, more often than not, over others.
Androids programmed to learn can aid decision-making when dealing with complex data, intricate parameters, and variables that surpass human understanding.
Often they excel at making accurate choices within their defined boundaries. However, an android will not excel in addressing intangible
aspects of human decision-making. Ethical dilemmas, moral considerations, and other human factors that significantly influence our lives and shape society are neither considered nor understood by a machine.
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Maybeline was sitting on Renyke's shoulder cleaning herself. Renyke collected bugs from the alley and analysed their chemical and biological structure.
There was a bag next to where he had woken, a large backpack, beside a long leather coat. Renyke took some time to look in the bag attempting to remember how he had arrived in the alley. Nothing seemed familiar.
'What are all these things?' he asked the POS. These are standard-issue SAS munitions from the 21st century.....
It occurred to Renyke that he could interrogate the POS for more information.
'Why am I here? Where have I come from?'
There was a long pause before the POS answered. ...I do not have access to that information. My software was set to launch when we arrived. There is no accessible historical data at my disposal...
Catching himself in a window reflection Renyke put on the dark glasses he had found in the pocket of the coat.
'We look pretty good Maybeline,' he remarked, surprised by his unfamiliar vanity.
Mabeline nestled into Renyke's neck as they left the relative safety of the alley and entered the foreboding street.
They were in the centre of a busy metropolis. There was a lot of activity with people shouting, bartering goods and moving quickly about the place. There were small groups of brightly dressed individuals congregating around stationary vehicles. Some were smoking pipes. Small hazy clouds hovered above them trapping the weak rays of the sun. The towering semi-derelict buildings created shadowy corners where small fires provided more light and warmth.
The vehicles appeared to be a mix of old-fashioned motorised cabins from transportation systems and helicopters. There were some long-legged hybrids; electric solar-engine mashups that looked like menacing metal insects. Renyke's detectors showed the air comprised mostly of oxygen with low levels of other chemicals: chlorine, sulfur, silicone, fluorine polymers and plasticisers.
A man hovered expectantly, somewhat close for comfort. He looked dishevelled but alert as he checked all directions avoiding eye contact with Renyke.
Renyke checked POS for 'nibs'. ......A drug used by nearly half the world's population that creates euphoria and doubles strength for a limited period. Overdose can cause temporary and permanent coma. Long-term effects; brain rot......
'How much?' asked Renyke, whose algorithm was set to absorb all information about humans.
'I can do you a deal' said the man, '50 *bits.... Or the Rat'.
Renyke checked the POS for bits. .....Bits: street talk for gold, silver, uranium and other metal nuggets used in the black and grey economy without government authority....
'I have no bits,' said Renyke.
'Hahahahahaha'.........' see you in hell brother!' shouted the man as he danced away on long legs and a demeanour that seemed at odds with his situation.
In the midcasts, happiness came with security and expectation. digital and technological lives were formatted for predictability and reliability. The present and the future were reliable and predictable. Although Renyke was struggling to remember the details of his purpose here,, he knew very well that this place was different.
A fat man in a fur coat whistled.
'Hey girly, you want some dirty action? I'll take that rodent off your hands if you need some sexy time.'
A warning comes from the POS. .....Danger! Immediate! Ground Level!....
A robot dog was barking loudly at Maybeline who was now snarling and making a shrieking noise.
For a fraction of a second Renyke analysed all the variables and consequences of his next actions.
The options were endless. The POS created a fleeting map of the most probable scenarios and outcomes that sprawled a multidimensional time map like a mathematical cobweb which Renyke was able to analyse in the tiniest fraction of time.
He could immobilise the robo-dog, tame it and use it, sell it, break it up, separate its useful component parts, analyse its database for information, absorb its operating system, or, he could simply ignore it.
Renyke began to ponder his skill set remembering that he was an excellent chess player. Single decisions about actions that he could make foresaw a million possibilities. Theoretically, this allowed for finely tuned activities and performance with very little or zero harm caused to his previous owners. Indeed, this forward-thinking ability had marked machines as superior in operation to humans who were narrow thinkers and only able to make selfish and immediate decisions based on emotional desire without reference to consequences.
The robo-dog opened its mouth and bit Renyke's ankle.
