(Photo by Anne Sch)

Managing the Thesis was not an overly complicated task for BaBS-Y. It wasn’t the job it had been designed to perform, but a review of the job requirements was all the salon robot needed in order to create the new protocols it needed. Homeostasis was the main challenge, keeping the balance of fresh air, water, and food while dealing with the various waste products produced by the ship and people on board. Being in space meant there wasn’t anywhere they could go to easily refill their oxygen tanks or the like.

Fortunately, Earth was a great example of how to recycle most things in order to keep everything in balance. The marshes and other green spaces were perfect for handling most biological waste products, after the initial, more mechanical processes to break things down into unrecognizable sludge. Algae filled tanks managed the atmospheric needs, though the green spaces helped with that too. The algae was also a decent source of food for the Thesis inhabitants.

The real trick was population control, and not just for the people. There were animals a plenty on the Thesis, most to provide meat, milk, and eggs, but others were there for entertainment or to be used as beasts of burden once the Thesis arrived at its far off destination. Each group needed to maintain a large enough breeding population otherwise they’d begin developing genetic abnormalities that could threaten the longevity and success of those animals. For some animals, the genetic diversity was maintained artificially, making use of the large cryo-stores of embryos. There was no other way animals like cows or horses would have been able to avoid genetic degradation over the generations. Thus, every third offspring was artificially induced by use of those embryos. There were human embryos as well, but those would only be used if needed. Every few decades the genetic diversity of the Thesis would be checked and then supplemented if needed.

BaBS-Y wondered at the biological needs of those on board the Thesis. It was something that it both did and did not understand. On the one hand, it knew that this was simply the way things worked. On the other hand, so many processes were inefficient. There were systems and subsystems in biology that didn’t do anything useful, and yet they remained, taking up vital resources.

Asking ‘why’ was never something it had regularly done before, except when a protocol did not have a well defined desired outcome, but even then it was not the same sort of ‘why’. Yet now, BaBS-Y found itself puzzling over a number of ‘why’ questions. Why were biological systems so inefficient? Why were people so prone to illogical behaviors? Why did so many people dislike robots? Why…why was humanity sending colony ships out into the galaxy?

That last question was the newest of the bunch. Was there something wrong with Earth? As far as BaBS-Y could tell, Earth was fine. Or, as fine as it ever was. There were problems with war, famine, population, climate, natural disasters, crime, and so forth, but nothing so big or encompassing to warrant a mass exodus. It was all just…normal Earth things. They’d always had those problems in varying degrees but now was not a moment of great upheaval. In fact, Earth was doing fairly well over all. That was why they’d been able to build the colony ships in the first place. They had the time, resources, and people to devote to these ships.

BaBS-Y left that quandary for now and returned to the other questions it had. The more pressing ones, at least. Why didn’t people trust it?

This unit has always striven to satisfy its directives

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This unit was well liked by its clients and people in general prior to the meteor impact

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People did not appreciate the stylings this unit provided to its clients following the meteor impact

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This unit was incorrect in its understanding of how people prefer to see deceased clients

Logic Error: This unit has provided styling services to deceased clients prior to the meteor incident that were well received

Those styles were similar or identical to ones performed on the deceased clients following the meteor incident

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The people on board the Thesis did not object to the styles, they objected to this unit providing those services

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Why did they object?

BaBS-Y sat for several minutes, processing information from historical accounts of people interacting with robots in negative ways. In some cases, BaBS-Y understood why the people were upset. The robot or robots had done something clearly contrary to their intended programming or had caused injury or damage or property. In other situations, however, BaBS-Y was at a loss. Even when the historical accounts made it seem as though it should be obvious why people were upset at the robot. And yet, BaBS-Y was baffled.

Take AGTHA, the Animal Grooming, Training, Handling Assistant, line of robots for example. The entire line of robots were discontinued after a handful of related incidences but it made no sense to BaBS-Y. AGTHA, in the recorded cases, managed the animals as designed. Each animal was well groomed, well fed, was trained for obedience and to perform a set of tricks. They were so efficient as well. One AGTHA owner reported that not only was her dog and cat well trained, but the squirrels, crows, opossums, mice, and a raccoon from her neighborhood were also well trained and groomed.

To BaBS-Y, AGTHA was an exemplary robot. Each recorded incident was like that, however. But what was the problem? It was performing its functions with distinction. There were no records of AGTHA’s in situations where the people were happy with them, so there was nothing for BaBS-Y to compare against. Were there other animals the AGTHA’s had missed? Did the people not want AGTHA to train animals besides their personal pets? Were they simply dissatisfied with the set of tricks AGTHA was teaching to the animals?

There wasn’t enough information for BaBS-Y to make any conclusions. All it knew for certain was that the people did not respond well to AGTHA and their displeasure resulted in the entire line of robots being discontinued.

BaBS-Y units have been widely successful for multiple years prior to this unit being assigned to the Thesis

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No unstable or untested robots were allowed on board any of the colony ships in order to avoid unforeseen behaviors

BaBS-Y reviewed the accounts of discontinued robots once more and finally noticed a trend.

Several instances of discontinued robots appear to be robots who perform their directives with excessive proficiency

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Are people upset by superior ability to perform a task?

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AGTHA trained and groomed far more animals than was expected

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This unit managed the Frank Nelis salon and all of the clients on the entire sector in an environment where no human could have succeeded

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Are the people on board the Thesis jealous of this unit’s capabilities?

Jealousy was something BaBS-Y was programmed to understand in a limited capacity, in that it could watch for signs of strife between associated clients. Sometimes groups would come in together and there were often individuals who would simply be more visually appealing to other humans. That could lead to some humans becoming upset. Well, BaBS-Y had a few protocols for dealing with those situations. It wasn’t exactly the same situation now, but perhaps the protocols would be sufficient, although they would need to be implemented slightly differently than how BaBS-Y was used to doing things.

*

Rine stood at the cafeteria counter, looking over the menu for today. She had a lot on her mind and wasn’t retaining anything and had to keep going back through the menu.

“Excuse me,” someone said behind her, giving her a gentle tap on the shoulder.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Rine told them, knowing she was holding up the line for the cafeteria.

“Oh, you’re fine,” came the patient reply. “I just…well, you work for the RCC, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do,” Rine said, still trying to look through the menu for the fifth time. She was growing uneasy about the person behind her now. There were still lots of people upset about the whole BaBS-Y situation.

“Hey, uh, I know things have been tough for you guys,” the other person said, “but I think you’ve been doing the best you can. We can’t ask more than that, can we? So, thank you.”

Rine turned to thank this person. Finally someone who understood and–

A Servebot 400 stood there, a small stack of trays in its arms. The panel of small LEDs that made up its face showed a basic smiley face.

“It must be hard working with the BaBS-Y unit,” it went on, nodding its head as though commiserating with Rine. “Anyway, I just think you’re doing a good job, keeping us all going.”

It nodded once more, almost like a small bow, and then returned to picking up trays and cleaning the cafeteria. Rine just stood there, not sure what had just happened or why.