22. Flipping Coins
- Location
- Earth
Approach the artificial girl
Having paused to consider her options, Binah almost loses the girl in the crowd. She puts Blake aside and follows once again.
Whoever this child is, wherever she hails from, she is either a newborn or has yet to be taught situational awareness. Binah has followed her for close to ten minutes without receiving even so much as a suspicious look. Engineering an encounter is as easy as breathing, she just has to wait for the girl to stop at another stall.
Had it not already been apparent that she deals with a machine, then the fact this one categorically avoids food stalls would have been another hint.
Binah simply approaches once her target begins to look over an assortment of trinkets. Souvenirs for the people who come from all across Remnant; a number of snow globes have caught the girl's attention, though she turns around at the sound of her voice: "Paraphernalia alone can never truly convey the feeling of a place. Yet many are drawn to them like moth to flame, a piece to remember fond travels by. Or perhaps a gift to another, who was less fortunate."
A number of people listen, though most shoppers turn back to browsing when they realise Binah is not talking to them. The girl though, she hangs on her lips with childlike curiousity. It takes her a moment to realise that silence has fallen and a response is expected. "Oh, ah, I believe I understand that! Looking at a snow globe certainly can not be the same as being in Vale! Oh, right." She then straightens up with a bright smile and salutes. "Sa-lu-tations! I am Penny. Who are you?"
Curiously, her stilted speech draws no more than some confusion. Then again, few would suspect a machine to stand in their midst from but a verbal tic. Vale may be different from the City in many regards, but human nature is not so easily changed.
"I am known as Binah."
"Oh, nice to meet you! Just one moment, please!" So saying, the girl goes ahead and buys a snow globe anyway. She happily hugs her purchase as they step away from the stall. "It may not be like being here, but I simply must bring a few things back for my father."
This is almost too easy. Binah stops herself from smiling for once, unwilling to make tip Penny off. "He must be quite fortunate, to have a child so caring. Although it is surprising for you to have come on your lonesome. Where do you live, Penny?"
The beaming girl sways back and forth, completely oblivious. "I am here for the Vytal Festival," she announces with great cheer. "And I am from Atlas. Father has a lot of work to do, so he could not come. I promised to see as much as I can and tell him everything." There the girl hesitates, awkwardly glancing around. "I got a little sidetracked by all the pretty sights, though."
Interesting. Is this what Angela could have been, had Ayin not shunned her?
Regardless, Binah has enough levers to manipulate the conversation as she wants it to move. She inclines her head, intending to gather some more information. "The festivities are certainly grand. You do not seem like an athlete, though. Students participating in the tournament are not supposed to arrive for another two days, either." And there are no hidden eyes watching Penny, Binah would have spotted them by now.
Now the girl grows sheepish; it seems she inherited the independent streak of actual human children. "I, ah, may or may not have taken the train because I could not wait. But yes, I am here for the tournament."
A machine masquerading as human to participate in a combat tournament. Atlas is the most technologically advanced nation on Remnant; this may be a political play, or a simple test for a new weapon. If it is, however, Penny herself has no idea.
"I see. How old are you, Penny?"
"Eighteen! Hic"
Binah looks at Penny, who tries her best to appear innocent. It would not have taken the sudden hiccup to understand she lied. Is this a programmed response to untruths? No, all signs point to it being a bug the creator left in because he found it endearing. Although it may still have been a more nefarious reason. For now she needs to see if it was actually a tic and not a mere coincidence. "And what does your father work as?"
"Oh, he is a doctor! A chemist, in fact. Hic."
Were this not interesting regardless, Binah may be tempted to massage her temples. This feels far too easy, like breaking every bone in a toddler's body. Then again, with the lie about her age, it is likely Penny is no more than a year old. Perhaps two.
At least she can test how far this child's naivety goes. A simple motion announces Binah moving along. "Follow me."
"Oh. Okay! Where are we going?" The girl falls into step without hesitation. She seems expectant, as if promised something good.
"You wished to see as much of Vale as you possibly could. As one who has wandered these streets on many occasions, I will show you what the city seeks to hide."
"That sounds marvelous! Thank you very much, Binah!"
Perhaps it is inappropriate, but there is a certain nostalgia to leading Penny like this. She is barely more developed as a person than Angela was when she grasped for freedom, only far less bitter. Binah is tempted to start with some sort of gang hideout just to test Penny; but at the same time, these things take time. A baseline needs to be established first.
Thus they cover a number of landmarks, most of which are decked out with more stalls and tourists. Penny is amazed regardless, though she grows more thoughtful as they wander the edge of the fully furbished trench replacing Vale's wall.
"Is it really wide enough?" the child asks with a glance to the other end; it is about twenty metres distant. "Atlas holds the ultimate high ground by being afloat, but a separation of only 18.322 metres can be cleared by a number of Grimm types. This does not seem secure."
Binah does not comment on the exact measurements and Penny never realises. They soon pass a machinegun nest with a group of guards on duty. The quartet is playing cards, but one of them spots Binah and Penny passing by. His expression lights up and he waves; Penny returns the gesture while Binah inclines her head. "It will suffice," she finally says once they are past. "Any Grimm that can clear such a distance will not be deterred by humans without an aura of their own. The same would go for any which could climb the walls that once stood here."
"I can see the logic."
"And that is all you require to relent?"
Penny has no real answer to Binah's probing. Her expression contorts somewhat unnaturally, almost resembling a frown. "Is it wrong to agree when I am told why I was wrong?"
"But were you wrong?" Binah's lips curl up as she beholds the confusion she causes. "Am I the one who is right? Have you determined this of your own volition, or did you simply defer to my greater experience? Or perhaps you do not agree to begin with and simply wish to avoid an argument?"
"I...."
Penny's mouth clicks shut after a few seconds. She is now deep in thought, perfectly oblivious to the world. Binah spends the minutes her companion contemplates with her Scroll; a small number of transactions completed, not to mention that another meeting with a client is now set.
"I am not sure," Penny finally says. Binah glances up from the display, but the gynoid's eyes stare ahead almost blankly. "You are right that I was trusting in your age and wisdom. The argument made enough sense to do so. Should I not have? How can I tell?"
The Scroll vanishes into Binah's pocket. This, she can work with. "A great number of reasonable arguments can be made to commit acts you will find abhorrent. The only way you can allow another to change your mind is critical thinking. To discuss your argument and theirs, study the facts, and reach a conclusion. If you but adjust your thoughts whenever another tells you to, regardless of their credibility, you possess no mind to begin with."
She pauses there, well aware she hit a nerve; Penny displays great worry, likely toward an existential question. Grinning, Binah adds a little more on top: "I hear that soldiers are trained specifically to follow orders without question. A due consideration in a profession where hesitation may bring forth one's death, yet also a dangerous one. After all, a lack of hesitation may also bring another's death."
It was an interesting bit of study Courage provided. Due to the disease of the mind plaguing the City for so long, similar conditioning was never quite needed. Then again, neither were soldiers in the same sense as Remnant has them.
Seeing that Penny has no words to respond, Binah beckons her. "Come. There is more yet to see."
The girl follows without question. They traverse Vale and pass through various seedier locations, though Binah's presence and broad daylight hold unsavoury elements at bay. She is a known factor by now, as is the fact anyone who picks a fight with her tends to vanish without a trace. Nonetheless, Penny notices the signs of destitution and poverty. No comment is given, but the way her eyes move says it all.
When next she speaks, it is atop the cliffside overseeing the Emerald Forest. Beacon gleams behind them in the afternoon sun, an implacable bastion of humanity.
"I heard a giant Grimm attacked a few months ago. And something else. Did you see that other thing? We heard a lot about what it was, but no two sources said the same."
Perhaps she is scouting also, although it may just be curiousity. It could very well be a bit of both, even. Binah looks out upon the sprawling woodland, hands folded behind her back. At least half of Beacon's students is spread out around the meadows to enjoy their afternoon. Love is among them too. They are all too busy with their own matters to notice the dissimilar pair.
"What did you hear it was, I wonder?"
"Oh, lots of things. A previously unseen type of Grimm, an escaped biological weapon, I even heard some people say it was some kind of divine punishment. That it destroyed the walls in a single blow and took half of Beacon's hunters to defeat. And that they found no real body, just some blood."
Penny's curiousity is endearing in a way. She is not afraid of asking questions. Binah arches a brow at her regardless, ready to prod a little further: "And what do you think it was?"
"I do not know." Having said that, the girl's brow scrunches. She seems to slowly improve on her facial expressions as she interacts with humans. "If there was blood, it can not have been a Grimm. And there is no scientific proof of deities existing on or around Remnant; none of the known saints and gods would send such a monster, either. Of the theories I heard the most, that leaves the biological weapon. It just makes so little sense. How would something this powerful have been kept hidden? How was it detained?"
She looks to Binah for wisdom, only to be confronted with an expectant look. This is her chance to think for herself. Unfortunately, Penny's helpless expression does not change. The older woman decides to give her a little nudge: "If none of the answers given satisfies your curiousity, the solution is not to accept the least disagreeable one."
Penny releases an almost inaudible keening noise in response. "But what if there is no other hypothesis left?" Her despondent question receives no answer. Binah waits patiently as the gynoid mulls it over. Penny speaks slowly, testing each word: "Then, do I make my own?" Her face falls in response to Binah's smile. "But I have no idea where to start."
"You already began," the older woman lectures her. "Though you may not yet know the truth, you discarded a number of possibilities. Much like with the science your father loves, you gather data and form new hypotheses until you reach the truth. Disregard your preconceived notions and open your eyes to the world, then you will see."
Her words confuse Penny somewhat and the pair soon moves on. Neither speaks much as they take another airship back into Vale proper. Binah spends more time observing the girl accompanying her than the people surrounding them. They walk the docks as afternoon transitions to evening. The streets begin to empty. Penny is not just pretending to think, that much becomes clear; she ponders just like a born human. At the same time, it is clear she lacks the experience and knowledge that come with age.
"I don't understand," Penny finally admits. They stop at an empty dock, reflections glittering in the water. "How can I derive the truth by disregarding preconceived notions? Shouldn't I do the exact opposite?"
Binah tilts her head ever so slightly. This is a new question, though she has an idea how Penny means it. "The point of the exercise," she responds thoughtfully, "is to not disregard any fact before your eyes by virtue of a likely explanation. See them all and derive the truth from their collective, not just the facts that stand out as unusual."
Her companion frowns at that. "Do you actually know what that monster was?" she questions, almost petulant in her tone. "I heard that people who dance around the subject so much often don't actually know what they are talking about."
"That is an important question to ask," Binah agrees, privately amused by Penny's attempt to pout. She is not quite able to puff out her cheeks, though. "In this case, I am well aware as to the nature of the beast. The number of others who know, I can count on both hands."
"And why are you not telling me?"
"There is nothing more delightful than knowledge earned of your own merit," Binah retorts cheekily. Penny is far less amused and continues her futile attempts to pout. At the same time, Binah's little bit of harmless fun has gone on long enough. Now it is time for the harmful part. "That aside, are you certain you wish to know? Learning the serpent's origins and identity will change your understanding of Remnant, now and forever. It can not be taken back. Therefore, if you truly wish to know, you shall go through the effort of unearthing the truth yourself. All you need was already given to you, should you wish to grasp it."
This time she receives no response. Penny is once again deep in thought, far different from the cheerfully babbling girl Binah met several hours ago. She follows wordlessly when the older woman makes to walk away; this is slightly problematic, as that was supposed to be her dramatic exit. But if the girl wishes to see yet more of Vale, who is Binah to disagree?
Another hour passes in introspective silence. Yet as daylight fades, the streets grow empty. There is still a decent amount of traffic, but scant few locals remain outside; the Backstreet Butcher is still at large, though quiet of late. Their fear does not deter streetlights and neon signs from coming to life, however. Vale's shadow is revealed as children are sent to bed.
Penny stops a few metres into yet another empty side alley. Binah holds as well to wait for the gynoid, whose expression she can not quite make out in the twilight.
"I am sorry. I still do not quite see how what you told me helps with figuring out the truth. How can you use it to figure things out?"
With them being alone, Binah decides to test the girl once again. This is as good an opportunity as any. In just that moment, a chirp distracts her; Sable flutters by overhead, sees them, and drops to settle on Binah's shoulder. She huffs at that and ignores the bird.
"In the same manner I could tell what you are with mere observation, child."
Penny is immediately torn from staring at Sable and takes a step back. Her head twitches erratically, as if looking around them. "How do you mean? I am perfectly human, hic."
Binah merely arches a brow in response. "That may be, but you were not born human. Your body is steel and silicone, not flesh and bone." She well notices how guarded Penny has become and ignores that, too. "Though Atlas seems quite careless, letting you slip away so easily. Or perhaps it is you who was smarter than they expected you to be?"
She does not react to the prompt. Her eyes adopt a faint, green tint, followed by mechanical whirring. The combat-ready stance she takes is apparent even at low light levels. "You knew all along?" she asks needlessly. "T-Then, what are you going to do with me now?"
Of course. Binah now understands the disconnect; though something like the AI Ethics Amendment is nonexistent on Remnant, what may just be the first AI on the planet still has to expect judgement from humanity. Or perhaps she expects an attempt to abduct her for the technology. If Binah did not already know Angela, she may even be tempted to do so.
There are so many things she could do, though.
[] See her off for the night
[] Introduce her to Vale's nightlife
[] Invite her to accompany you
[] write-in something else?
Having paused to consider her options, Binah almost loses the girl in the crowd. She puts Blake aside and follows once again.
Whoever this child is, wherever she hails from, she is either a newborn or has yet to be taught situational awareness. Binah has followed her for close to ten minutes without receiving even so much as a suspicious look. Engineering an encounter is as easy as breathing, she just has to wait for the girl to stop at another stall.
Had it not already been apparent that she deals with a machine, then the fact this one categorically avoids food stalls would have been another hint.
Binah simply approaches once her target begins to look over an assortment of trinkets. Souvenirs for the people who come from all across Remnant; a number of snow globes have caught the girl's attention, though she turns around at the sound of her voice: "Paraphernalia alone can never truly convey the feeling of a place. Yet many are drawn to them like moth to flame, a piece to remember fond travels by. Or perhaps a gift to another, who was less fortunate."
A number of people listen, though most shoppers turn back to browsing when they realise Binah is not talking to them. The girl though, she hangs on her lips with childlike curiousity. It takes her a moment to realise that silence has fallen and a response is expected. "Oh, ah, I believe I understand that! Looking at a snow globe certainly can not be the same as being in Vale! Oh, right." She then straightens up with a bright smile and salutes. "Sa-lu-tations! I am Penny. Who are you?"
Curiously, her stilted speech draws no more than some confusion. Then again, few would suspect a machine to stand in their midst from but a verbal tic. Vale may be different from the City in many regards, but human nature is not so easily changed.
"I am known as Binah."
"Oh, nice to meet you! Just one moment, please!" So saying, the girl goes ahead and buys a snow globe anyway. She happily hugs her purchase as they step away from the stall. "It may not be like being here, but I simply must bring a few things back for my father."
This is almost too easy. Binah stops herself from smiling for once, unwilling to make tip Penny off. "He must be quite fortunate, to have a child so caring. Although it is surprising for you to have come on your lonesome. Where do you live, Penny?"
The beaming girl sways back and forth, completely oblivious. "I am here for the Vytal Festival," she announces with great cheer. "And I am from Atlas. Father has a lot of work to do, so he could not come. I promised to see as much as I can and tell him everything." There the girl hesitates, awkwardly glancing around. "I got a little sidetracked by all the pretty sights, though."
Interesting. Is this what Angela could have been, had Ayin not shunned her?
Regardless, Binah has enough levers to manipulate the conversation as she wants it to move. She inclines her head, intending to gather some more information. "The festivities are certainly grand. You do not seem like an athlete, though. Students participating in the tournament are not supposed to arrive for another two days, either." And there are no hidden eyes watching Penny, Binah would have spotted them by now.
Now the girl grows sheepish; it seems she inherited the independent streak of actual human children. "I, ah, may or may not have taken the train because I could not wait. But yes, I am here for the tournament."
A machine masquerading as human to participate in a combat tournament. Atlas is the most technologically advanced nation on Remnant; this may be a political play, or a simple test for a new weapon. If it is, however, Penny herself has no idea.
"I see. How old are you, Penny?"
"Eighteen! Hic"
Binah looks at Penny, who tries her best to appear innocent. It would not have taken the sudden hiccup to understand she lied. Is this a programmed response to untruths? No, all signs point to it being a bug the creator left in because he found it endearing. Although it may still have been a more nefarious reason. For now she needs to see if it was actually a tic and not a mere coincidence. "And what does your father work as?"
"Oh, he is a doctor! A chemist, in fact. Hic."
Were this not interesting regardless, Binah may be tempted to massage her temples. This feels far too easy, like breaking every bone in a toddler's body. Then again, with the lie about her age, it is likely Penny is no more than a year old. Perhaps two.
At least she can test how far this child's naivety goes. A simple motion announces Binah moving along. "Follow me."
"Oh. Okay! Where are we going?" The girl falls into step without hesitation. She seems expectant, as if promised something good.
"You wished to see as much of Vale as you possibly could. As one who has wandered these streets on many occasions, I will show you what the city seeks to hide."
"That sounds marvelous! Thank you very much, Binah!"
Perhaps it is inappropriate, but there is a certain nostalgia to leading Penny like this. She is barely more developed as a person than Angela was when she grasped for freedom, only far less bitter. Binah is tempted to start with some sort of gang hideout just to test Penny; but at the same time, these things take time. A baseline needs to be established first.
Thus they cover a number of landmarks, most of which are decked out with more stalls and tourists. Penny is amazed regardless, though she grows more thoughtful as they wander the edge of the fully furbished trench replacing Vale's wall.
"Is it really wide enough?" the child asks with a glance to the other end; it is about twenty metres distant. "Atlas holds the ultimate high ground by being afloat, but a separation of only 18.322 metres can be cleared by a number of Grimm types. This does not seem secure."
Binah does not comment on the exact measurements and Penny never realises. They soon pass a machinegun nest with a group of guards on duty. The quartet is playing cards, but one of them spots Binah and Penny passing by. His expression lights up and he waves; Penny returns the gesture while Binah inclines her head. "It will suffice," she finally says once they are past. "Any Grimm that can clear such a distance will not be deterred by humans without an aura of their own. The same would go for any which could climb the walls that once stood here."
"I can see the logic."
"And that is all you require to relent?"
Penny has no real answer to Binah's probing. Her expression contorts somewhat unnaturally, almost resembling a frown. "Is it wrong to agree when I am told why I was wrong?"
"But were you wrong?" Binah's lips curl up as she beholds the confusion she causes. "Am I the one who is right? Have you determined this of your own volition, or did you simply defer to my greater experience? Or perhaps you do not agree to begin with and simply wish to avoid an argument?"
"I...."
Penny's mouth clicks shut after a few seconds. She is now deep in thought, perfectly oblivious to the world. Binah spends the minutes her companion contemplates with her Scroll; a small number of transactions completed, not to mention that another meeting with a client is now set.
"I am not sure," Penny finally says. Binah glances up from the display, but the gynoid's eyes stare ahead almost blankly. "You are right that I was trusting in your age and wisdom. The argument made enough sense to do so. Should I not have? How can I tell?"
The Scroll vanishes into Binah's pocket. This, she can work with. "A great number of reasonable arguments can be made to commit acts you will find abhorrent. The only way you can allow another to change your mind is critical thinking. To discuss your argument and theirs, study the facts, and reach a conclusion. If you but adjust your thoughts whenever another tells you to, regardless of their credibility, you possess no mind to begin with."
She pauses there, well aware she hit a nerve; Penny displays great worry, likely toward an existential question. Grinning, Binah adds a little more on top: "I hear that soldiers are trained specifically to follow orders without question. A due consideration in a profession where hesitation may bring forth one's death, yet also a dangerous one. After all, a lack of hesitation may also bring another's death."
It was an interesting bit of study Courage provided. Due to the disease of the mind plaguing the City for so long, similar conditioning was never quite needed. Then again, neither were soldiers in the same sense as Remnant has them.
Seeing that Penny has no words to respond, Binah beckons her. "Come. There is more yet to see."
The girl follows without question. They traverse Vale and pass through various seedier locations, though Binah's presence and broad daylight hold unsavoury elements at bay. She is a known factor by now, as is the fact anyone who picks a fight with her tends to vanish without a trace. Nonetheless, Penny notices the signs of destitution and poverty. No comment is given, but the way her eyes move says it all.
When next she speaks, it is atop the cliffside overseeing the Emerald Forest. Beacon gleams behind them in the afternoon sun, an implacable bastion of humanity.
"I heard a giant Grimm attacked a few months ago. And something else. Did you see that other thing? We heard a lot about what it was, but no two sources said the same."
Perhaps she is scouting also, although it may just be curiousity. It could very well be a bit of both, even. Binah looks out upon the sprawling woodland, hands folded behind her back. At least half of Beacon's students is spread out around the meadows to enjoy their afternoon. Love is among them too. They are all too busy with their own matters to notice the dissimilar pair.
"What did you hear it was, I wonder?"
"Oh, lots of things. A previously unseen type of Grimm, an escaped biological weapon, I even heard some people say it was some kind of divine punishment. That it destroyed the walls in a single blow and took half of Beacon's hunters to defeat. And that they found no real body, just some blood."
Penny's curiousity is endearing in a way. She is not afraid of asking questions. Binah arches a brow at her regardless, ready to prod a little further: "And what do you think it was?"
"I do not know." Having said that, the girl's brow scrunches. She seems to slowly improve on her facial expressions as she interacts with humans. "If there was blood, it can not have been a Grimm. And there is no scientific proof of deities existing on or around Remnant; none of the known saints and gods would send such a monster, either. Of the theories I heard the most, that leaves the biological weapon. It just makes so little sense. How would something this powerful have been kept hidden? How was it detained?"
She looks to Binah for wisdom, only to be confronted with an expectant look. This is her chance to think for herself. Unfortunately, Penny's helpless expression does not change. The older woman decides to give her a little nudge: "If none of the answers given satisfies your curiousity, the solution is not to accept the least disagreeable one."
Penny releases an almost inaudible keening noise in response. "But what if there is no other hypothesis left?" Her despondent question receives no answer. Binah waits patiently as the gynoid mulls it over. Penny speaks slowly, testing each word: "Then, do I make my own?" Her face falls in response to Binah's smile. "But I have no idea where to start."
"You already began," the older woman lectures her. "Though you may not yet know the truth, you discarded a number of possibilities. Much like with the science your father loves, you gather data and form new hypotheses until you reach the truth. Disregard your preconceived notions and open your eyes to the world, then you will see."
Her words confuse Penny somewhat and the pair soon moves on. Neither speaks much as they take another airship back into Vale proper. Binah spends more time observing the girl accompanying her than the people surrounding them. They walk the docks as afternoon transitions to evening. The streets begin to empty. Penny is not just pretending to think, that much becomes clear; she ponders just like a born human. At the same time, it is clear she lacks the experience and knowledge that come with age.
"I don't understand," Penny finally admits. They stop at an empty dock, reflections glittering in the water. "How can I derive the truth by disregarding preconceived notions? Shouldn't I do the exact opposite?"
Binah tilts her head ever so slightly. This is a new question, though she has an idea how Penny means it. "The point of the exercise," she responds thoughtfully, "is to not disregard any fact before your eyes by virtue of a likely explanation. See them all and derive the truth from their collective, not just the facts that stand out as unusual."
Her companion frowns at that. "Do you actually know what that monster was?" she questions, almost petulant in her tone. "I heard that people who dance around the subject so much often don't actually know what they are talking about."
"That is an important question to ask," Binah agrees, privately amused by Penny's attempt to pout. She is not quite able to puff out her cheeks, though. "In this case, I am well aware as to the nature of the beast. The number of others who know, I can count on both hands."
"And why are you not telling me?"
"There is nothing more delightful than knowledge earned of your own merit," Binah retorts cheekily. Penny is far less amused and continues her futile attempts to pout. At the same time, Binah's little bit of harmless fun has gone on long enough. Now it is time for the harmful part. "That aside, are you certain you wish to know? Learning the serpent's origins and identity will change your understanding of Remnant, now and forever. It can not be taken back. Therefore, if you truly wish to know, you shall go through the effort of unearthing the truth yourself. All you need was already given to you, should you wish to grasp it."
This time she receives no response. Penny is once again deep in thought, far different from the cheerfully babbling girl Binah met several hours ago. She follows wordlessly when the older woman makes to walk away; this is slightly problematic, as that was supposed to be her dramatic exit. But if the girl wishes to see yet more of Vale, who is Binah to disagree?
Another hour passes in introspective silence. Yet as daylight fades, the streets grow empty. There is still a decent amount of traffic, but scant few locals remain outside; the Backstreet Butcher is still at large, though quiet of late. Their fear does not deter streetlights and neon signs from coming to life, however. Vale's shadow is revealed as children are sent to bed.
Penny stops a few metres into yet another empty side alley. Binah holds as well to wait for the gynoid, whose expression she can not quite make out in the twilight.
"I am sorry. I still do not quite see how what you told me helps with figuring out the truth. How can you use it to figure things out?"
With them being alone, Binah decides to test the girl once again. This is as good an opportunity as any. In just that moment, a chirp distracts her; Sable flutters by overhead, sees them, and drops to settle on Binah's shoulder. She huffs at that and ignores the bird.
"In the same manner I could tell what you are with mere observation, child."
Penny is immediately torn from staring at Sable and takes a step back. Her head twitches erratically, as if looking around them. "How do you mean? I am perfectly human, hic."
Binah merely arches a brow in response. "That may be, but you were not born human. Your body is steel and silicone, not flesh and bone." She well notices how guarded Penny has become and ignores that, too. "Though Atlas seems quite careless, letting you slip away so easily. Or perhaps it is you who was smarter than they expected you to be?"
She does not react to the prompt. Her eyes adopt a faint, green tint, followed by mechanical whirring. The combat-ready stance she takes is apparent even at low light levels. "You knew all along?" she asks needlessly. "T-Then, what are you going to do with me now?"
Of course. Binah now understands the disconnect; though something like the AI Ethics Amendment is nonexistent on Remnant, what may just be the first AI on the planet still has to expect judgement from humanity. Or perhaps she expects an attempt to abduct her for the technology. If Binah did not already know Angela, she may even be tempted to do so.
There are so many things she could do, though.
[] See her off for the night
[] Introduce her to Vale's nightlife
[] Invite her to accompany you
[] write-in something else?
