Missing Wit

17: As if Seen for the First Time

  Kurt wasn't going to work this week. He would just focus on making the robot. As soon as he got up, he went to the kitchen and started to prepare his breakfast with the robot. The job of preparing breakfast was short, as there was only one person eating. Then, Kurt started to have his breakfast. He was eating fairly quickly which he had never done this before.

Seeing that Kurt was eating at this speed, the robot approached Kurt and, "Do you want help?" it asked.

"No," said Kurt, with food in his mouth. Later, when he heard the knock on the door, he gave his order, "Look at the door!"

When the robot received the command, it turned around and started walking towards the door. Then it opened the door. It was Paul. The robot told Kurt that Paul was coming. "Go upstairs, tidy the rooms," Kurt said to get the robot away. Kurt didn't want to say anything to anyone until he had finished his new robot. As the robot was going upstairs, Kurt came up to Paul and shook his hand.

"How are you?" Paul asked.

"Better than before," Kurt replied after a few seconds of silence, making strange facial expressions.

"Good, good," Paul said, sitting Kurt down. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" he asked.

"The robot's up there, though," Kurt said as he sat down in the armchair.

"I'll do it myself," said Paul, and went to the kitchen. At the same time, he continued to speak loudly to Kurt. "Your meeting with David went quite calmly. I must say I am quite surprised that this happened so. Did you manage the children issue?"

"They'll live with David," Kurt said. He was leaning back in the chair.

Paul took a few steps back in the kitchen and looked at Kurt for a moment, through the gap that connects the living room with the kitchen,with a surprised expression. Then, "Eh! That'll be the best, won't it Kurt? Children who have already lost their mothers should not be separated from their fathers." After a pause, he continued, "You're a good man, Kurt." As Kurt glanced at Paul, Paul winked at Kurt and then went back to making coffee.

"I heard you're not going to the company for a week," Paul said. "Is it true?"

"No. I thought I should get away for a while."

Paul had finished making the coffees. He came into the living room with two cups in both hands, mindful of his steps, and placed the coffees on the nesting tables in front of the armchairs. These coffee tables were not here before; which meant that the tables had been put by Kurt. Just as he was thinking about this, Paul saw the robot waiting quietly in the corner. He sat in the chair without hesitation.

"This decision is interesting," Paul said. "You are someone who comes to the company when you are bored with your projects at home. Home will be more tiring for you."

"I don't work for the company. That's what you're saying."

"Yes. You usually work at home and finish your work at the company."

Kurt agreed with Paul. Kurt hardly ever worked for the company, only answering questions put to him. Things changed a bit when the Personality Project started, but many things remained as before.

"Maybe I need to work more to distract myself," Kurt said.

Paul thought for a while and said, "Sounds like you!" After saying that, he patted Kurt on the shoulder and asked Kurt's permission to go back to his own house.

Kurt nodded his head in agreement. Then, he said to Paul, "You better work a little bit too."

"I won't work if I don't have to," answered Paul, and stepped into the garden. Kurt walked behind Paul and closed the door. After waiting for Paul to get into a taxi, he headed for the basement.

"Why didn't he tell you he copied Lina?" asked Eric.

"This is Kurt's style," Paul said. "He doesn't say anything to anyone until he's finished everything. Even to his siblings! Then he comes up with a finished project."

"So, you noticed when the Lina robot appeared, just like everyone else."

"A little earlier..."

Kurt was in the basement. He was feeding data to the AI . This one had never processed any data beforehand; only Lina's memory would process what could be considered data. All AIs had to abide by the Five Principles when making decisions; it was a legal requirement. If Kurt removed the principles from the decision algorithm, he might be in trouble, so he didn't touch the Five Principles part of artificial intelligence. Therefore, the 'personality of the copied Lina' would decide based on principles. Kurt thought it wouldn't be a problem. He was sure he knew her. The Five Principles only stipulated not to harm people, they could and should not affect Lina's decisions.

Kurt had nothing left to do with the computer. The AI would repeatedly simulate Lina's memories, it would just have to wait. 'I don't expect him to recreate his personality exactly, but it'll be so close that the margin of error will be negligible,' Kurt thought. Meanwhile, he started to assemble the robot parts he brought from the company. After the process was finished, it would transfer the weights to this robot. Kurt's plan to put the pieces together was simple. He would first assemble the hull, then attach the remaining parts to the hull. However, ordering the pieces correctly was a different task...

"Did you learn from the computer at home?" asked Eric.

"Yes," said Paul. "But you know Kurt is better at the computer than I am.

"From what he told me, Kurt also realizes that personality cannot be 'exactly' copied. But you said it wouldn't matter."

"I tell you that we can't be sure of every..."

"I understand, sir," said Eric. The curious journalist was tired of this uncertainty. "I understand. Gödel, ambiguity, et cetera, et cetera. He didn't see anyone for a week, he didn't say anything to anyone, and he just showed up with Lina's robot, right?" Then, he took a sip of his coffee. Then she summarized the story Paul had told and took notes.

"I went and saw it a few days before Lina showed up. I already said that I learned a little before anyone else."

"Robot Lina, you are not following the court order, sir."

"Don't worry, journalist, it's not the first time," said Paul, very confidently. "Anyway, he had finished everything when I left. Her appearance was exactly the same as Lina's. I was excited when I saw her again. However, I did not speak that day. Fortunately, Kurt told me the first time he spoke."

"I'm looking forward to it," said the journalist. He took his tablet in his hand, leaned back and began to listen to what was going on.

Kurt was done with the finishing touches. Lina was ready and Kurt was eagerly awaiting the moment when she would speak to him for the first time. He faced Lina, took a deep breath and, "Start!" gave his command.

Robot Lina opened her eyes and looked around. Then, she looked at himself, after that at Kurt. As soon as she saw Kurt in front of her, she closed her body's private parts. "Kurt! Why am I naked, what am I doing in the basement!" she said.

Kurt started to cry. His sister, whom he loved more than anything, was back. At the same time, his one week's work yielded results. He went to his sister and hugged her.

"Well," said Lina, unable to make sense of what had happened, extending the word, "can you tell me what's going on here, Kurt?"

But Kurt did not speak. He preferred to touch his sister's synthetic skin. He stared at her for a moment, then hugged her tightly again.

"Kurt!" said Lina. "What's going on?"

Kurt peeled a piece of skin from Lina's arm and showed it to Lina. "In short, you are a robot," he said.

Lina didn't have an answer to that sentence but said, "Okay, but I'm a shy robot can I go get dressed?" asked.