Daneel | 001 | Public Video

[thezerothlaw]

For the benefit of those to whom I haven't introduced myself, my name is R. Daneel Olivaw. I'm aware that several people have had experiences in regards to the cameras being repaired or food being replaced while they were not looking. With this in mind, I took it upon myself to perform an experiment.

[He pauses; it's a troubling thing for him.]

I damaged a camera and I sat up to watch. I do not sleep, and I was confident that I would encounter who or what is sent to repair them. This... did not happen. I found myself disabled, and I awoke later, with the camera repaired. No one approached me, human or robot.

[He's positive of that. He can't say why -- might be better to keep his awareness of other minds a secret for now, if he can. He can't imagine the reaction to a telepathic robot would be a good one. Daneel presses on, earnest. There's more important things.]

This shouldn't be possible. My positronic brain does not possess the right structure to allow me to sleep, or any equivalent state. I don't possess an "off" switch. It should require special equipment to put me into a dormant state without cutting my brain off from my power source, which would permanantly destroy it. This has evidently not happened, but I cannot account for it, either.

Comments

[goodluckkobra]

[At the words "permanently destroy" Kobra's already scrambling a little to reply. Someone totally messed with Daneel. They could have done permanent damage.]

Dan, are you okay? They didn't hurt you, right?

[thezerothlaw]

I'm quite well. I am still myself. I'm not sure what they did, but our captors seem to have a way of disabling me safely. All the same, I don't think I wish to try such an experiment again.

[goodluckkobra]

Yeah, I don't like the idea of them messing with you like that. What if it hadn't been safe? You could've died or something.

[thezerothlaw]

[Died? He's not convinced that's the right term for him, but Kobra's not the first to use that word, either.]

I confess I didn't expect that sort of outcome. I only hope that if any humans try something similar, they are as careful with them as they apparently are with myself.

[goodluckkobra]

Well, if they did anything to me, then I don't remember.

[Of course, Kobra's been drugged and sedated to within an inch of his life, so there's no telling if he would even be aware of anything.]

So they did whatever they did to you remotely?

[hung_garian]

Maybe Dr Soong did it.

[thezerothlaw]

I'm not familiar with this Dr. Soong. Is he a robotocist?

[hung_garian]

Mhm. Specialised in positronic brains... good ol' 'Often Wrong'.

[thezerothlaw]

[Oh! This Dr. Soong sounds like just who he needs... despite the unfortunate nickname.]

Is he here to speak with? I believe I would like to be acquainted with him.

[noblexcompanion]

That's kind of alarming. Maybe you were drugged or sommat? Can you be drugged? Kind of creepy to think the people who brought us here have that kind of power behind them...

[thezerothlaw]

Being a robot, I'm not susceptible to drugs or anything similar. That is part of why I find this so troubling.

[noblexcompanion]

You're not a killer robot that's going to murder us all in our sleep are you?

[thezerothlaw]

[Honestly, he's a little shocked by the suggestion.] The First Law states that a robot may not harm a human being nor, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. No, I would do no such thing.

[agentx13.livejournal.com]

Disabled. [Cameras being repaired, food being replaced... The news just gets worse and worse.]

Could it have been an EMP?

[thezerothlaw]

[He considers this.]

EMPs, in my experience, should not affect me in this way. Perhaps a particularly strong one might cause me actual damage. I have to allow this as a possibility, but it would be one unlike any I'm familiar with.

[agentx13.livejournal.com]

I take it you've already run a self-diagnosis and determined that you're fine.

Is it possible someone might have hacked your system?

[thezerothlaw]

I have done that, yes. I appear to be functioning normally now.

[Hacking. More things that shouldn't be possible, but can he rule anything out at this point?]

I'm not aware of any method that would allow for the remote adjustment of a positronic brain. If such a method exists, it's not one that any robotocist of my knowledge employs.

[preytosociety]

[Oh man. Lydia is PISSED. You do not just go around disabling her friends.]

As soon as we find out who's responsible, they are going to have a lot of explaining to do ... in the hospital.

You're sure you're fine? Everything's in it's right place? No damages? Even if it's minor, you should tell us, Daneel.

[thezerothlaw]

Threats on my behalf are not necessary, Miss Martin. As far as I am able to tell, I am in perfect working order. Whatever was done to me was done carefully, I believe.

[He smiles a little, hoping to reassure her.]

[preytosociety]

[It works. Barely. And just for now! She's more worried than angry.]

When they are necessary, you can bet I'll follow through.

[thezerothlaw]

That isn't necessary. No one need be injured on my account.

[indiscreet]

( PRIVATE | VOICE )

...You're saying you're not human. [ slowly, carefully ] You're...mechanical, somehow?

[thezerothlaw]

That's correct. I am a humaniform robot built by Dr Sarton and Dr Fastolfe.

[indiscreet]

I've never heard of either of those men. [ forgive her sexism; she's from 1932 ] But...this is...incredible. I had no idea such things were possible. Might I ask... what year is it, where you are from? Since apparently it isn't the same for all of us; I've come to suspect I'm comparatively behind the times. And are robots very common, where you're from?

[thezerothlaw]

Robots are indeed very common, though ones like myself are not. I'm from 3740, as it happens.