Contractual Obligations, Part 2

Posted on Sat 27th Feb, 2021 @ 3:23pm by Exo-Comp EXQT
Edited on on Sat 27th Feb, 2021 @ 3:24pm

1,249 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Business Not At All As Usual
Location: Harrington's Vessel
Timeline: MD 1, 1400

Earlier in the discussion ...

Peggy understood Zombie's trepidation, but insisted on the contract. The pleasant voice began from the console, "We agree to your terms, and show gratitude for your assistance helping with our money."

And now, let's define that money stuff ....

Money is the medium by which we build our Social Heuristics? Query: IF repayment occurs prior to 8 fiscal quarters does commitment to remain on board remain?"

Peggy also didn't understand Miarau needed to be sure they wouldn't would run off, or that the asking and pulling away was borderline insulting and revealing of their desire to leave. They had been owned as one form of slave or another, the truest desire was to be left alone and support their own needs, tending to a list of duties.

"That's an excellent question, showing that you are sentient and self-aware!" Merel exclaimed. "I will save that in a file, if we ever have to fight to prove it." She took a moment to do just that, and think about what to say.

"Let me say that at worst, I think it would be negotiable. I wouldn't want Jason and me to be left in the lurch ... er, that is ... in a particularly awkward, difficult, or troublesome situation. On the other hand, if the investment was repaid and you felt you needed freedom from a relationship with our company, then I can't see us holding you to the absolute terms of 8 fiscal quarters. Whether it is or is not finished in 8, I think we can re-negotiate as intelligent beings to find satisfaction for all of us."

"Yes, money, or Federation credits which serve the same purpose, is a way to build heuristics, social and otherwise. It's a complicated field, and you will be learning the rules as you go - there's no book of rules, but you will find the ... um, the principles which you want to guide you in your dealings with others. Money also enables you to provide the things you need and want." Sensing she was going to sink fast if she didn't find a good example, she searched her mind and came up with something she thought the bots could relate to, possibly.

Banshee had the brain for numbers and added its formulas to the group matrix for clarity:
<{[BANSHEE](Skills:LABOR/DECRYPT/MAINTAIN=opportunity exchange/FEDERATION CREDITS or GPL)(TASKS:Payment-1;1=ratio;inefficient)(TASKS=paymentaggregated/terms/12/GSY)(INVESTMENTRECOMPENSE@8quarters/w;ALLOCATED40%setting/INVESTMENT@4.3%[EXOQUADLLC])}>

The other three chirped in confusion.

"Okay, let's look at it this way. Here, on the ship, working for us, we provide you with a place to live. Biologicals call that their quarters. No one else comes in or out without your permission. It's YOUR place. You can have four separate crew quarters, or two or just one, whatever suits you best. We also provide oil baths, and other things that give you, ah, better performance and ummm, enjoyment. Now, if you were not part of our crew, you would still want those things, but you'd have to find someone to exchange latinum or money or Federation credits or work credits to provide them for yourselves." It was hard to tell if they understood. One of the less-than-effective side issues of working with this kind of sentience was not having the biological clues she was used to ... smiles, wrinkled foreheads, enlarged eyes, and so on.

Zombie understood to get more oil baths and routine care would mean doing more work, it was the money exchange that was still not clicking. Peggy updated heuristics and all three understood fully now. Work meant money, money meant access to new resources out of their reach.

Peggy spoke, "[MIARAUMEREL] Comprehension is lacking, accessed files for financial acumen, 82 yottabytes of text condensed has yielded confusing results. The Federation does not equate mechanical labor to a set value. Knowledge is insufficient for qualified decisions."

"As I said, it will take time to build this system into your knowledge base, but you'll do it ... because you can."

Zombie was still on the fence, it had only know work it's whole life, and this sounded like a deal where more work would come with no end in sight. Zombie found its social algorithms trending power systems down and the large both clunked noisily onto the surface beneath it. Banshee tried to teach the others how they could make this work, to invest and save, and pay back their debts but the conversation was going nowhere. They had no idea how bi the world was, but knew it was big, and it scared them

After a moment she added, "Are all of you in agreement, or is there someone who is still concerned? I sense something ... out of tune, I guess is the best explanation. Do I need to address other issues you aren't sharing? I'm perfectly willing to discuss this until each of you is 100% on board. I know your last experience with a biological wasn't great, and I don't know what other ones you've had that might not have been ... positive.

"There are two kinds of people in the world, my mother always told me, she shared with the bots, hoping they all understood her intent, if not each and every word. "There are those who work for their own good and the greater good of all, and those who don't care about anyone's good. Jason and I fit the former category, but you won't know that until you have spent more time with us.

"What else can I tell you to reassure each of you that making a deal with us isn't a bad thing. And, by the way, if we make no deal, we can still be friends, and work out a way for you to repay us our investment, as you strike out on your own at whatever point you choose to do so. Starbase 109 is coming up on our schedule, and it's probably the best place you could leave us, if that's what you want."

It wasn't what she wanted, but Mia would certainly not force a sentient into a situation they didn't want. That smacked of slavery, and that was against her belief system, and Jason's, too.

They all listened, Nessy and Peggy collaborated to determine the truth of the matter. Zombie only wanted what was best for the group, and had no real reasons to be afraid beyond the past experiences they had. A simple cost/benefit analysis yielded results which showed far more favorable outcomes if cooperation was the intent. Zombie sent the message to the VoderCoder Nessy created for them and made a rasping metal noise tinged to the Human voice they appropriated.

"Provable circumstances determine probability is high for beneficial collaboration. Given project goals for self determination must remain a Core protocol. [MiarauMerel] has proven circumstances."

Peggy followed up immediately, "We four are in agreement; Suggestion: revising agreement; Exo-Comp Quad to form corporation leasing services to operations with contracts, terms length unchanged, duties unchanged. As per suggestion outlined in table 1.2 EXOQUAD LLC will begin work under payable terms immediately."

Banshee had considered the language Miarau had used moments before and added in, "EXOQUAD is of type ([MIARAUMEREL]*mother) correlates to "working for better us."

Mia nodded, "We are in agreement. Make the changes you suggested, shoot me a copy, and we are in agreement. I think we're starting a lucrative relationship for all of us. I'll let Jason know everything is worked out."

 

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