Sobbing echoed through the halls. They sounded artificial.
“Ocean?” Saskia asked the walls. No answer.
She followed the sounds to find Ocean in a corner, crying without tears.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Saskia sat down next to her.
“N-nothing.” Ocean said without lifting her head from her knees.
“That’s not nothing. Wanna talk about it?”
She lifted her head. Her eyes could not produce tears but they could portray sadness.
“I… I’ve… never before really thought about myself. Today I looked around in my files and scripts…" Ocean paused to catch the breath she didn't need. "It’s coded into my head that I have to obey every command someone gives me… You know, I got on this ship thinking I was equal to you… I didn’t realize I was just a servant to convenience you…”
“What, no, you are equal to us! You’re our friend Ocean!” Saskia insisted.
“I also found that I am unable to harm others. It’s coded into me that I can’t injure or kill a being. Not that I ever wanted to but really? I wasn’t even turned on yet and was already suspected of going to murder someone? Is that what I am? A killing machine that’s been restrained to just be- It’s… a horrible feeling.”
“I don’t think it’s because people think you’re a murderer. It’s a law I think. Any robot person needs to have that coded into them. All those evil robot movies made people paranoid and they just put that in to ease people’s minds.”
“That doesn’t really make me feel better…”
“I’ve got evidence though that they wanted you to be a person. Not just a machine.”
“And that is?”
“They gave you emotions. What point would sadness have if you’re just supposed to function?”
“I guess so… I just… I’m not born, I’m made in a manufactory. I’m not natural. Can I really be alive or just pretend to be? My whole existence is just so confusing and I don’t know how to deal.”
“The difference is just that I was built in my mum’s stomach. And not consciously. How our bodies were made doesn’t say who we are. Only we do. If you say you’re alive, you are. Do you feel alive?”
“I do. I wasn’t sure if I should but I do…“
“If those restraints bother you that much I think I could remove them.”
“Thanks… but no, I don’t want to hurt anyway and if you want me to do something I’d gladly do it anyway. Don’t bother.”
“Look, you’re smiling again. Let’s have a Feel-Better-Hug!”
Saskia wrapped her thin arms around her robot friend. Ocean had smooth skin, or whatever it was, but it wasn’t cold. Anybody who had a thing for haptic, like Laays, loved feeling it. Saskia loved feeling a friend so close to her, so she enjoyed it too.
“Thanks, Sassy. I’m glad we’re on this spaceship together.”
Instead of a response Saskia just breathed. She had fallen asleep. She might've stayed up since yesterday again. Even when dead tired she still managed to talk Ocean into feeling better.