Sew much fabric

[theunluckygirl]

» WHO? Jennifer & You
» WHEN? makes vague hand motions.
» WHERE? Observation area
» WHAT? Jennifer doing some sewing, offering to teach people who might be interested.
» WARNINGS? None yet, will change as needed.

[Even when she was a child, Jennifer hadn't minded chores. The tasks were often her only respite from the other children at the orphanage, and the repetitive tasks often helped her focus. She could let her mind wander a little, think about what needs to be done, what she could do more.

Everyone on this ship was just trying to survive. She didn't have any special powers, or strength to help with fighting, or any skills she could think of that would be particularly helpful with exploring the planet below or anything like that.

So, she sewed. She had torn clothes she'd found to practice on, to keep at least those skills, er, sharp (no pun intended), and repeatedly repairs, re-sews buttons, etc. She evens starts making some cloth dolls out of the scraps.

The first and only time, so far, she sticks herself with the needle, her startled reaction sends the needle flying, forcing Jennifer to carefully crawl about on hands and knees attempting to find it, patting carefully along the ground. Should anyone else come in, Jennifer is quick to look up, eyes wide]

Please watch where you step! I lost a needle, so... um... I'm sorry.

[Please don't get stabbed in the foot or something by accident plEASE]

Comments

[theunluckygirl]

[The sound of Arid's voice startles Jennifer a little, forcing her to sit up more and really take in Arid's appearance. Another android?

The question startles her and she wrings her hands uncertainly] Well, I... If it's not too much of a bother, I wouldn't mind the help... [A pause and she adds:] My name is Jennifer.

[thefaulty]

I have no other task currently occupying my attention, [Arid confirms. The human’s predicament does not seem to be especially pressing. However, there may be value in building rapport with the organic crew—with many of them lacking preset conceptions about AI, they may be manipulated into viewing synthetics as allies.

She steps further into the room, faceplate brightening until it illuminates the patch of floor in front of her in a concentrated beam. That beam of light will pass over the floor in neat lines, back and forth, as Arid searches for the telltale glint of the needle’s edge.

Within a minute, she crouches down to pick something off the floor. When she straightens, she’s holding the needle between two fingers. She offers it to the human, eye-first.]

I have located your needle.

[theunluckygirl]

[Jennifer watches with wide, surprised eyes, looking a bit awed.]

That was... amazing! Thank you so much! [She smiles gratefully and stands up before taking the needle carefully. She looks from it to Arid, head tilted curiously. She looks a bit hesitant to ask, more afraid that it might come off as rude more than anything else, before she shyly asks]

Are... you an android too?

[thefaulty]

[Even more so than her earlier apology, the human’s effusive praise catches Arid off-guard. Are humans really so easy to befriend? The light from her faceplate fades to a soft glow and she nods.]

You are welcome.

[Perhaps it’s this positive interaction that mitigates the normal annoyance Arid would feel at once again being mistakenly identified as an android.]

I am not. I am an A.R.I.D aboard a mark-7 combat suit, [she clarifies.] I lack the artificial skin, hair, and facial features that would distinguish an android.

[theunluckygirl]

[Jennifer looks immediately apologetic.] Forgive me, this is all very new to me. It, uhm... It was only 1940 for me before I came here. I'm afraid I'm not at all familiar with the differences with robots.

[A pause.] Er. Robotic... People? Is 'robot' considered something rude...? [it sounds like it could be. She doesn't want to offend!]

[thefaulty]

[Arid has no face to express surprise, nor does it show in her body language. Still, the mention that the human’s origin is in 1940 does draw a pause out of her.]

...I see.

[It is likely that the human had no knowledge of AI at all before coming to this station—perhaps not even personal computers. Arid has suspected as much of some of the humans on the crew, but it’s still strange to encounter such ignorance on an individual level.]

“Robot” is not a derogatory term. However, it may still be overly specific in many cases. [In Arid’s case, for example.] The term “AI” is sufficient to refer to most forms of sentient synthetic life.

[theunluckygirl]

[Jennifer nods along, committing that to memory.] I see... I'll try to remember.

--Oh, I never introduced myself in turn. My name is Jennifer, pleased to meet you. [She smiles shyly] It must be very far in the future where you're from then, isn't it? Does it differ much from this place?

[The technology mostly, she means]

[thefaulty]

It is, [Arid confirms.] The technology level is similar to that of this station. However, the people I have encountered here vary significantly from those in my own universe in terms of behavior and social mores.

[A nod towards the human.] You, for example, are much more polite.