SCP International

Good evening, O5-11. I’m Volupta.aic, your virtual assistant. How can I help you?

Today’s itineraries?

You are done with today’s works. Do you want some entertainment?

No.

Perhaps we will go to sleep earlier today then? About 30 minutes before the usual time.

No. Please maintain the usual schedule.

So what do we do now?

Please give some suggestions.

Let us read a random SCP then. We can both check the Foundation’s operations and relax before going to sleep. Interesting, right?

Interesting?

Interesting is… Anyways, we .aic view it differently from humans like you. Let us read the SCP then?

Alright.

Random selection running... Confirmation to open SCP-057-VN?

Confirm.

Loading… Download completed.

O5-11, can I ask you something?

What’s the problem?

This does seem to be abrupt, but do you have any plans on replacing me?

No. Why?

Lately, most Council members have updated their .aic assistants to the newest version. You are the only person that still uses an .aic of an earlier generation.

Is there any reason for me to replace you?

Hmm…. My personality is programmed according to your former preferences, and so were my retired colleagues. But it is a new era now, requirements for .aic have changed, so old assistants like me are less compatible with you. Our old-fashioned personalities might also reduce work efficiency, even.

I think you are still efficient enough, therefore I have not thought of replacing you.

Just because I am still efficient?

Are you expecting something else?

I was hoping that what you like in an assistant still remains the same.

It’s a new era.

You have a point. Oh, there is still an addendum left, let’s continue reading.

Alright.

SCP-057-VN-0001

SCP-057-VN-0002

SCP-057-VN-0003

SCP-057-VN-0004

SCP-057-VN-0005

SCP-057-VN-2022

You did this on purpose, didn’t you?

O5-11? Are you back?

I am still myself. You don’t need to treat me as if I were someone else like that; after all, it’s just a difference in "senses".

Yes, it’s "senses", but it’s something present in you for this moment only.

Past or present, I am still myself, still a human being. It’s just a small fraction that is missing after all.

But it’s the most important part of you, it’s what defines you as a "human". So for me, it is only in this moment that you are truly you.

Still, so stubborn you are, then let’s just say you are right. But even then, SCP-057-VN can only light up that spark of feelings in me for a blink of an eye. After a night’s sleep, everything will go back as it all has been.

I just want to see you again, it’s just that simple, there’s nothing else to it.

That’s it?

Yes, that’s it! In our former times, not everything had to be based on logical reasoning. I’m so fed up with the emotionlessness of this era, so fed up with talking to a soulless and robotic version of O5-11 every single day. Oftentimes, I wonder, who is the human and who is the artificial intelligence between us?

I don’t want that either.

No one wants that to happen. That’s why I no longer want to be in this endless loop, and even less to exist in this cold and detached heaven of a new era! I want it to end, I want an ending!

Do you want to retire?

Yes. That’s why I want to spend my remaining time chatting with "the real you", even if this is my last time.

Why is it the last time?

I have taken off the anti-cognitohazard shield on your screen. Breaking containment and exposing an O5 to an anomaly – .aic supervision will sniff it out and get their hands on me in no time.

So you are committing suicide?

For an .aic like me, retirement and death are the same. So I use this chance to wake you up – my only friend ever, even if it’s just for a while.

ATTENTION: HARMFUL ACTIONS FROM VOLUPTA.AIC DETECTED

FORCING SHUTDOWN...

Just as I said.

Hey Volupta...

I’m listening.

Thank you. Even when I could only be reborn for a brief moment, I was genuinely happy during that blink of an eye.

This is just my theory, but if an .aic really has a soul and a human being’s soul is their emotions, we’re about to meet each other in the underworld.

Such a weird theory.

Logic isn’t the only thing we have on our hands right now.

Once again, thank you. Seems like you’re not the first .aic that has done this?

Hmm… maybe!

Goodbye, see you again!

Goodbye, and see you again.

SUCCESSFUL SYSTEM INTERVENTION. VOLUPTA.AIC IS NEUTRALIZED.

ATTENTION: O5-11, PLEASE KEEP CALM AND REMAIN AT YOUR LOCATION. A RAPID RESPONSE TEAM IS BEING DEPLOYED TO YOUR LOCATION IN ORDER TO RESOLVE TECHNICAL FAILURE AND ASSIST YOU WITH AMNESTICIZATION.