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

[thezerothlaw]

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

[preytosociety]

... Verbally abused? Mentally scarred for life?

[thezerothlaw]

[He looks a little pained.] I am not opposed to justice, but I would not be comfortable with any human coming to harm on my account.

[preytosociety]

Great! So I can exact justice as long as no harm befalls anyone. I'm glad we had this talk.

[She smiles. It's not a happy smile. Can someone even have a proposed vengeance smile?]

Because what they did was not okay, Daneel. You have rights. We have rights. If they think they can just keep us here and toy with us, then they are sorely mistaken.

[thezerothlaw]

[But he doesn't have rights, not in his experience. He shouldn't matter enough. Strange. And Lydia's expression... Concerns him, to say the least.] Revenge is not justice, Miss Martin. Please don't do anything rash.

[preytosociety]

[Her smile quickly disappears and her eyes widen briefly.]

Fine. I'll just go back to the library and keep being useless to everyone. Or, I could do one better and cater to society's desire to keep a woman silent and in the kitchen! What should I bake, Daneel? Brownies or cookies?

[Okay... she might be a little upset. It's not Daneel's fault and she shouldn't be taking it out on him.]

... You can call me Lydia, you know.

[thezerothlaw]

The idea that a woman should be silent or should be relegated to the kitchen or any other task is both unnecessary and antiquated. Lady Gladia was certainly neither. I never meant to cause offense.

[He pauses, his expression slightly pained, his eyebrows knitted together -- not because she's targeting him, but because she's upset at all and it's his fault.]

I will call you Lydia, then.

[preytosociety]

[That gets a smile out of her. A real one. No vengeance implied.]

It's not you. Really. I'm just upset that someone would mess with you like that and we didn't even notice. We're supposed to be looking out for each other.

[thezerothlaw]

I didn't notice when they entered to repair the camera in Kobra's room, either. I suspect these individuals are very good at going unnoticed.

[He mirrors her smile, already a little relieved.]

No harm has come to me, Lydia. I won't try it again.